Mondo Owada, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader.
He had been going through a fuckton in his life.
A lot of things that he was scared to explain. Sooo many mistakes. Dreadful ones.
***
Mondo's older brother's name was Daiya Owada.
Mondo had nothing but respect for him. It was because of him that Mondo got his first motorcycle. It was only Daiya and Mondo who were in the family growing up. They only ever trusted and truly respected each other. Mondo always wanted to measure up to him, wanting to be at least equal. Daiya had formed a motorcycle gang.. Which quickly became the most infamous in Japan.
But when Mondo had started to think of how he would have to lead the gang someday... all of Daiya's reputation began to consume him.
The other members weren't originally that fond of Mondo, no matter how much Daiya tried to defend him. This was what convinced Mondo to want to overthrow his own brother.
It was around Summer of 2017.
It was late at night.
The night of Daiya's retirement ceremony.
A challenge was done.
A race.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck when it was just about to end.
A pride-crazed Mondo was in the traffic. Daiya followed suit, but rather to try and at least keep him safe, at this point the older one didn't care about the race anymore.
He pushed Mondo away from an incoming truck.
Lying in his little brother's arms, Daiya uttered his final words.
"M-my bad, kid... I fucked up... sorry. The rest is up to you. No matter what, you gotta keep the gang together.... Cuz it's the team... you and me put together. It's a... promise between men.."
It seemed he knew that Mondo's offer led to this, yet he never seemed to blame him in his final moments.
Mondo wanted to hide the truth of what happened from everyone else in the gang. Not only to keep the gang together, but also the promise to his brother...
***
That's what Chihiro's words to him last week reminded him of.
Ever since that horrible incident years ago, Mondo always felt weak. To him, he knew he had to deny anyone calling him strong. Because he was sure he was nothing more than a weakass fucker who killed his own brother with his own stupidity.
He couldn't be seen as truly strong. He never felt he deserved it.
Which made it all the more feel like his wall was crumbling when boyfriend Kiyotaka Ishimaru finally asked him.
"I... hope you don't mind me asking... why did you do it?"
"What?"
"Why did you hurt yourself that night???"
Mondo fell silent.
"I... I understand if you don't wanna talk about it, I just. I was just so scared!!!"
"No... I understand..."
It was quiet for a long while.
Then Mondo suddenly felt an urge.
"Years ago, I did something really bad."
"What???"
Mondo didn't know what was going on with himself. Before he even knew he was telling everything about the incident.
Taka was lost for words... but in the end, he felt sorry for his lover and the guilt he was forced to live with.
But before he could say anything, Mondo was out the door.
"I don't deserve to be here. I don't deserve the mortal coil."
"BRO, WAIT!!!" Taka called out in desperate tears, immediately realizing what Mondo meant.
Mondo was headed straight for the road outside. If the regenerative healing he developed from the potion meant he needed to meet the same fate as Daiya to truly be snuffed out, so fucking be it.
He waited for anything to come at him.
ANYTHING.
But he still didn't expect that something to be a tight embrace from the one he loved.
"We can talk about this... peacefully..."
"Bro..."
Taka gently took him back inside.
That night... actually went smoothly..
"If you need anything, I'll always be here for you!!!"
"Thank you, bro.." Mondo said with a smile.
"So... you don't mind how the gang was after all that, right? Like, normally, I'm not into that sorta detail but-"
"Oh! Uh.. no, I don't mind at all.."
They conversed about many things the whole time, about each other's lives and such.
Eventually, night fell. The two decided to stay in the dorm for the whole night.
"Taka..?"
"Yeah, Mondo..?"
"Thank you for being there for me..."
"No problem... that's what a lover is for."
It was obvious for a while, but that was probably the first time Taka actually used that word. It was like he was busting out of a shell... and Mondo could only smile.
***
It was late into the night hours. Taka awoke to the sound of crying.
"Mondo.. What's up?"
"...Nightmare..." Mondo admitted between sobs.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Taka pulled him over for a hug.
The Ultimate Moral Compass also pet his boyfriend's hair. He was obviously the only one ever allowed to touch it.
Mondo calmed down eventually..
"Uh... you don't mind that we hug in our sleep, do you???"
"Oh, that would be lovely!!!"
And so the two did, holding each other tight as they could while the moon slowly lowered, Mondo's dreams now more peaceful.
The following morning, Mondo's day was already a good start.
"Good morning!'" Taka had woke him up with a kiss.
The rest of the day was actually pretty smooth! He got decent scores, his break involved him doing great on Dark Escape 4D (Tokei's own addition to the arcade, a horror game that wasn't brainwashingly traumatic), and finally, he was able to relax with Taka again.
"It's times like these that I want to just be here forever.."
"Same here..."
"I love you so much!!!!"
"I love you too!!!"
THE END
CHAPTER 2: END
