Warning: Major Spoiler! Do not continue if you have not read the manga!
Chapter Twelve || In Another Life
AKIRA FELT LIKE screaming, but she couldn't even utter a word. She bent on her knees, her shaky hands immediately pressing on his open wound. Her breathing became rapid and short as her heart rate increased.
She knew her best friend was wild and adventurous, but she never thought he would do something so stupid.
Chifuyu had Baji in his arms, crying out for him. Takemichi kept begging for answers with tears filling his eyes.
God stay with me, Baji...
Kazutora stood up with a sinister smile, "Mikey, you're next. You're gonna die along with him,"
"Shut up. I'll beat you to death," Mikey hissed.
Akira wasn't even aware of her tears flowing. She was beyond terrified. Her hands pressed down firmly around the knife in his abdomen, desperately trying to stop the blood from flowing.
"Takemichi, come closer," Baji whispered.
The blond followed, kneeling beside Akira.
"Kisaki is the enemy. I realised that when Pah stabbed Osanai. I just happened to catch Kisaki proposing that to Mikey. Kisaki is not... our Third Division Captain," Baji informed him.
"Toman was formed by the seven of us. No matter what happens, Pah's the only Captain of The Third Division," he went on, a smile plastered on his face.
"Pah-chin, Mitsuya, Draken, Mikey, Kazutora, Akira... Toman's founding members are my treasure," he stated, tears flowing down his cheeks.
His eyes locked with Akira's. She reverted hers elsewhere, too scared to look at him. She wanted to plead for help, but with the amount of blood he already lost, she knew it was too late.
"I wanted to fix this on my own. But I just couldn't. I died... on my own," Baji whispered.
Akira clenched her jaw, "Don't. Fucking. Say. That,"
Baji let out a breath. He slowly lifted his hand and gently caressed her cheek. Akira's hand flew up to hold onto his. She pressed her cheek against his palm, feeling it gradually lose its warmth.
His eyes shifted to Takemichi, "Mikey has no reason to kill Kazutora..."
Sano Shinichiro's face suddenly appeared before his eyes. At that moment, he knew his time was running out.
"It's about time... I'm starting to hallucinate. Takemichi, you remind me of Shinichiro-kun somehow. Mikey and Toman... I'm leaving them in your hands," he told him.
Takemichi could only sob, watching as he was starting to fade away.
"Chifuyu... I'd kill for some peyoung yakisoba right now..." Baji muttered.
"I'll buy you some..." Chifuyu replied.
"We'll split it, right?" he asked to which Chifuyu nodded.
He looked at Akira for the last time. His fingers were still rubbing her tear-stained cheeks.
"Hey, my love, it's okay," he whispered.
He knitted his eyebrows, "Can I see your face one last time?"
Akira stared at him for a moment before pulling her mask down. He could now see her trembling chin and a small trail of blood oozing out at the corner of her mouth. But he still thought she was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen.
Baji's shoulders shook as he sobbed quietly. His lips trembled, and his tears flowed freely down his cheeks. He knew deep down that he wished to have a few more moments with her. This was the last time he was going to hear her voice, see her face, and feel her touch.
"I'm sorry I have to leave you like that... I'm sorry I can't keep that promise," he smiled, his voice breaking as he cried.
Akira gripped his hand tighter. She watched his eyes gradually begin closing.
His lip curled, "Fucking sucks I couldn't make you mine, huh? Maybe next time,"
"Good luck with that..." she chuckled in between her sobs.
With his last breath, he whispered, "I love you... here and after... thank you,"
His eyes were now shut, and his whole body went limp. Chifuyu tried shaking his shoulders, but he didn't get any response. Akira let out a whimper, shutting her eyes and kissing his knuckles.
I lost him...
Chifuyu threw his head back and screamed his lungs out, "BAJI-SAN!!"
The pain was unbearable— The sadness they were feeling was overwhelming. Akira's chest and arms were aching. Her head hung low, covering her face with her hair to hide her tears.
Please wake up...
That was the last straw for Mikey. He approached Kazutora and immediately started throwing punches at him— Mikey wanted him dead.
"Takemichi... Baji-san really wasn't a traitor to Toman after all..." Chifuyu stated.
"He was fighting all alone! I knew that... I knew that, but I wasn't able to protect him!! I wasn't able to save him!!" he cried.
Takemichi cried in frustration. He knew that Baji was going to die, and he couldn't do anything to save him.
He suddenly roared and dashed for Mikey. He stood in between him and Kazutora with his hands stretched to the sides.
"Move, or I'll kill you too," Mikey threatened.
"You gotta stop this, Mikey-kun!" Takemichi begged.
Mikey swung his fist at the boy, sending him down. But Takemichi never gave up. He pushed himself off and knelt on the ground.
"Baji-kun didn't want this!" he pleaded, only to get kicked in the face.
"Don't you talk about Baji," Mikey hissed.
Takemichi furrowed his eyebrows and stood up, "Don't talk about Baji...? BAJI-KUN'S DEAD, GOD DAMN IT!!"
He took off his school uniform top before throwing it to the side, leaving him in his white button-up shirt. He didn't notice Baji's charm sleeping out of its pocket.
"Why do you think Baji-kun died in the first place?! It was for you two! For Toman! Baji-kun wasn't killed by Kazutora! He decided to kill himself!! Because he didn't want Kazutora-kun to feel responsible!! Because he wanted you to forgive Kazutora! He did that because he loved you guys!! Why can't you understand that, damn it!!" Takemichi lashed out, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.
The whole time, Mikey was eyeing the charm on the ground. He finally picked it up before asking Takemichi where he got it from.
The boy wiped his tears one more, "During the gathering. I found it at the shrine,"
Mitsuya and Draken's eyes widened when they saw the charm.
"Baji... had this the whole time...? Ever since that day. From the day we formed our gang," he wondered out loud.
"I didn't create Toman. Baji did," he told the boy.
He approached Baji's body with a smile and tears welling up in his eyes, "If one of us gets hurt, we'll all protect them. I want a gang that's all for one, one for all. That's what our gang was founded on,"
He took a moment to gaze at him, feeling his heart aching.
"I'm sorry, Baji," he ended.
Akira felt a hand on her trembling shoulders. She didn't bother turning to see who it was. She couldn't take her eyes off of Baji— She couldn't let go of him.
They were suddenly interrupted by the faint sounds of police sirens. The spectators quickly dispersed, hopping on their bikes and escaping from the police.
Kazutora stood up, "I'm staying with Baji. You guys go on... this is my fault. I want to take responsibility,"
Mikey spun around to face Toman, "Got it,"
"Toman's leaving too!" Draken announced, to which the members yelled in agreement.
Before Mikey could leave, he was suddenly called. He came to a stop, not bothering to face Kazutora.
"I won't ask you to forgive me. I'll live my whole life with Shinichiro and Baji's death on my shoulders," Kazutora told him before bowing deeply with his hands behind his back.
Meanwhile, Draken walked towards Akira. The girl had stopped crying, no longer able to shed tears for Baji. She felt herself go numb. Her lidded eyes stared into nothing. She still held Baji's hand against her cheek, rubbing circles on it. She didn't want to forget what his touch felt like and how his warmth brought comfort to her.
Draken crouched beside her, suggesting that they leave. She gazed at Baji and shook her head. She wanted to lift her legs, but they wouldn't move an inch.
She let out a shaky breath, "I can't move my legs, Draken,"
He took in a deep breath and lightly ruffled her hair. It was a pain for him to see her so broken. This was the worst state he had seen her in. But he understood her. She had already lost her mother and now Baji― Both by a deep stab to the abdomen.
He turned around, still crouched and curled his arms behind his back.
He cocked his head to the side, "C'mere,"
Akira used her hands to drag herself towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her legs to his sides. Draken grabbed onto the back of her thighs to secure her on his back. He groaned as he lifted the girl before joining the rest of Toman.
"I got you," he whispered.
He felt her head nodding against his shoulders. Akira turned her head, gazing at Baji for the last time.
Till next time, Baji...
With tears in their eyes, Toman fled from the area, leaving only Kazutora and Baji.
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Akira attended both the wake and funeral. It was heartbreaking to see his family wailing.
When everyone went to give their condolences, they bent on their knees and bowed to the family. His mother could only nod and thank them in return before they left.
That was until Akira came forward. She had a black kimono on, and her silver locks were tied in a neat bun. The girl went to her knees and placed her hands in front of her.
The moment she pressed her forehead on the floor, she broke down in tears. The whole room was filled with her sobs and apologies.
"From the bottom of my heart, I'm so sorry. Baji was one of my closest friends, and I wasn't able to protect him. I have let you down, and for that, I'm very sorry," she cried.
His mother's cheeks were dampened once again. She placed her hand gently on the girl's head and nodded.
"It's not your fault, my dear. Please don't blame yourself," she told her.
Seeing Akira cry made the situation worse. It made the Toman members in the room tear up. They sniffed back their tears, and some wiped their eyes with the back of their hands.
Akira pushed herself off the floor, sniffling. The woman brought her in a tight embrace, only letting go once she was relaxed.
During the funeral, Mikey supported Akira by placing an arm around her waist. Her legs were still shaky and weak from Bloody Halloween. He would rub small circles on her side whenever he caught her tearing up.
For the two days in mourning, the girl remained silent. Her brother's countless attempts at comforting her did no justice.
She would spend her day lying in bed, wondering what she could have done to save him. Every time she closed her eyes, Baji's face would appear.
She had no energy to study or even take a shower. Her brother had to force her out of the room to get food in her system. The captains and vice-captains followed her home after the wake and funeral to make sure she was okay. They wanted to give each other extra support.
After the funeral, Akira was held back by Baji's mother. She handed her a note Baji had written before he joined Valhalla.
Hey, princess...
If you receive this note, it means something bad happened... or I died. That sounded very depressing, but I don't know how else to write it :( But, I hope you don't get this note. If you did, I'm sorry.
I'm not sure how or what happened, but I wanna apologise for leaving you. I know I promised that I'd take care of you and support you in everything you do for as long as you live. I'm sorry I can't keep that promise.
Know that I'm still supporting you wherever I am. I'll always hear your cries and rants on the nights you feel like the whole world is against you. I'll push your chair or pull your blanket to let ya know I'm listenin' HAHAHA!
I wanna also say that I'm so thankful to have met you. You've stayed by my side through thick and thin, and for that, I'm very grateful.
Stay healthy. Please don't give up on your dreams. I know you've been wanting to be a doctor ever since you were five, and I know you'll be a great one someday. I can't wait to see you in your doctor's coat! They look so freaking cool in the movies!
The last thing I wanna say before I leave is, I love you, Kenji Akira :) Heh, I said that 'L' word...
You were the first girl I've ever had feelings for and will be the last. Thank you for always sticking with me. It's too bad I couldn't make you mine in this lifetime. I swear I will in another. Hehe, that sounded cheesy!
Goodbye, my love
- Baji Keisuke :p
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After the two days, Akira spent her time making onigiris for Toman. She would visit the houses of those who were badly injured.
In almost all of her visits, she was yelled at and cursed at. Some parents would throw towels and papers at her, letting out their frustration. They blamed her for their son's injuries.
Akira took all of the insults in. She bowed deeply to their parents with her hands behind her back and remained silent. She would slip in apologies while they scolded her.
The Toman members were touched that she took the time to check on them. They would have tears in their eyes as they thanked her for visiting. They bowed to her and apologised for their parents' behaviour. She would simply nod and say that she understood why they acted the way they did.
The members respected her more than they did before.
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Akira was now walking down the streets with Draken. It was Emma's birthday, and the two wanted to give her a gift. Draken had a teddy bear in hand, while Akira had clothes and snacks kept in a paper bag.
"The day barely even started, and I'm already tired," Akira mumbled with her head hung low.
"When are you not tired?" Draken chuckled, placing a hand over her shoulder and shaking her.
When they turned to a corner, they met Takemichi's bulging eyes. Akira furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head. Draken narrowed his eyes and asked who Takemichi felt bad for.
The two turned to the side to find Mikey and Emma seated together. Takemichi got more worried when he saw Akira and Draken narrowing their eyes at the two.
The boy panicked, "Akira! Draken! It's not what it looks like!"
Mikey shifted his eyes to the side with a frown on his face.
"Pfft! You takin' your little sister out for her birthday, Mikey?!" Draken teased, a grin plastered on his face.
"Shut up," Mikey sighed.
Takemichi looked between the four, confused. Apparently, he thought they were involved in a love affair.
"You didn't know, Takemichi? Mikey and Emma are half-siblings," Draken told him.
Takemichi spun around only to see his girlfriend, Naoto and Yamagishi admiring the pastries in the store. Embarrassed, he bit his lip and looked at the ground.
Draken sat the teddy bear on Emma's head with a smile, "Here. Happy Birthday,"
"Ah! That's the one you wanted from the arcade last time," Mikey noted, his eyebrows lifting.
Emma grabbed the teddy bear and admired it with glistening eyes. Akira could almost hear her squealing.
She chuckled and placed her paper bag on the table, "Happy birthday, Emma,"
Emma gasped when her eyes shifted to the paper bag. Her heart fluttered at the sight of gifts— She was on top of the world. Moreover, it was from her crush and best friend on her special day.
Draken smirked, "That's all. I'm outta here,"
With that, Draken left the three. Akira looked from left to right and found that the rest had already gone. She sighed and slipped her hands into her pocket.
"I'm leaving," she said with a monotonous voice.
Before she could take a step further, her hand was pulled to the back. She turned her head to see that Emma had interlocked their arms together.
Emma pouted and flashed her puppy eyes, "Can you please stay. It's the least you could do for my birthday,"
The side of Akira's lip curled before she gave in and nodded. Mikey smiled with his eyes closed, following the two around the city.
Emma dragged them to the arcade and other clothing stores. The whole day, Emma kept talking about Draken's gift, the stores they went to and how in love she was with Akira. The other two listened intently and laughed along with her.
Before the day ended, Mikey invited Akira over to their house. She was reluctant to go because she planned to sleep right after, but the boy still dragged her along with them.
Their grandfather was delighted to see her. He mentioned how it had been long since she last visited and asked about her wellbeing. The two made small talk as she waited for Mikey to set up his room.
"Akira-chan~ Let's go," Mikey called, peeping his head into the living room.
Akira bid farewell to his grandfather before joining him. He swung an arm around her shoulder, leading her to his room.
"When was the last time you came into my room?" he asked, closing his eyes and smiling.
She simply shrugged her shoulders and went in. Mikey's room used to be the garage where Shinichiro worked on his bike. Most of the things were owned by his brother, making the room look mature.
"Change to whatever you like. I'll go get some snacks so we can watch a movie," Mikey suggested.
Hearing the door close, she got up from the couch and looked through his closet. She picked out one of his shirts and sweatpants before putting them on. His clothing was slightly baggy on her, considering she was shorter than him.
Mikey came back the moment she sat on the sofa. Akira's back rested against one of the armrests as she let her legs stretch in front of her. After Mikey set the snacks and juices on the table, he plopped on Akira with his head resting on her stomach. He casually laid in between her legs and hugged her stomach, ignoring her protests.
She panicked, "The hell do ya think you're doing?!"
Her face was turning red fast, and her cheeks were heating up. She found the position awkward and inappropriate.
Mikey hummed and snuggled his head in her stomach. He was secretly enjoying the way he could easily make her flustered.
"We should start watching Naruto," he told her.
"Oi! Don't ignore me, bastard," she grumbled.
Mikey smirked and held onto her tighter. He chuckled and continued watching the show.
The girl stared at him for a moment. She figured he wasn't going to let go of her, so she gave up. She leaned back against the armrest and played with his hair.
"You suck," she mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Nothing,"
The next few moments were spent making comments about the characters and munching on junk food. Overall, they enjoyed each other's company in the dimly lit room.
"Papa said he's coming home soon. He wants to see you and Draken," she told him, eyes still focused on the television.
He turned to look at her, "Oh yeah?"
Akira nodded, "He misses you. Every time we call, he would ask about you,"
"Heh, your father likes me. Should mean he wouldn't mind us dating," he said, wriggling his eyebrows.
She hit the top of his head playfully, "Shut up,"
"Is my plan working? Ya fallin' for me yet?" he teased.
"No," she lied.
Mikey pouted and shifted his attention to the screen.
Akira's eyes were still on him. She admired how the dim light from the television shone on his face— It somehow enhanced his features. His cheeks were pressed on her abdomen, and his arms were tightly wrapped around her waist. Every time he laughed, the muscles in his face would contract and tickle her.
She loved how relaxed he was around her. He could let his guard down and not care about anything other than the two of them. No matter how miserable their situation was, he still felt as if everything was going to be okay around her— She was his safe place.
Her fingers combed his hair back. She looked at him as if he was the most fascinating person she's ever seen. If she could, she would stay in that position forever.
"I love you... here and after... thank you,"
"Look at what you did to my son! His face is all messed up now!"
"You're a girl! You're not supposed to get into fights, so stop acting tough!"
"You're not gonna bother to say anything other than sorry?! You're pathetic!"
Her smile was replaced with a frown. She clenched her jaw and let out a shaky breath. The events that occurred in the past few days were suddenly running through her head.
Mikey furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed she stopped playing with his hair. He shifted his eyes to the side to see her staring at nothing.
His lip parted when he saw tears trickling down her cheeks. Worried, he sat on his knees and cupped her face.
He knitted his eyebrows, "Hey, what's wrong?"
She bit her lip and shook her head, attempting to hide her tears— But Mikey knew better. He rubbed her tears with his thumbs before tucking strands of her hair behind her.
A whimper escaped her lips when he pulled her on his lap and embraced her in a tight hug.
He rubbed her back and hummed, "It's okay to cry. I don't know how you're feeling, but I'm here,"
The warmth of his body was quick to comfort her. Her shoulders softened, and her heart rate seemed to slow down. She snaked her arms around his neck and snuggled her head against his shoulder.
The corner of Mikey's lip tugged as he continued to pat her back. He felt his heart flutter when he heard her softly thanking him.
To him, she was so fragile. He didn't have to ask her to know that she was thinking about Baji's passing. He knew of her visits to the members' houses and the insults she got. Akira had a big heart. She would always be concerned about the members and their well-being.
He wished he could take all of her pain away. He knew that their taunts were slowly getting to her. He understood that she would go out of her way to help them when it came to Toman. She would never dare to say it, but she cared deeply for each one of them.
He tightened his arms around her and sighed. He fell in love with her heart, and the more he thought of her, the deeper he was falling. He'd stop at nothing to protect her.
Her breathing became heavier as she drifted to sleep. Mikey continued to whisper sweet nothings in her ear, occasionally combing her hair back. He closed his eyes and smiled, cherishing the moment.
Oh, to stay like this forever...
Not long after, his eyes fluttered open and glanced at the clock. Noticing that it was past midnight, Mikey tapped Akira's cheeks to wake her up.
"Hey, wake up. We've got school in the morning," Mikey said in a voice soft with affection.
Akira groaned and pulled away from him. Rubbing her eyes, she stood up from his lap and waited for him to gather his stuff.
The two climbed on his bike before heading to her house. Akira held her clothes close to her chest, scared that she might drop them along the road. The whole way back, she struggled to keep her eyes open.
Mikey felt her grip on his waist gradually loosen. He quickly held onto them, afraid that she might let go and fall.
When they arrived, she hopped off before bidding farewell. Mikey smirked, an idea popping in his head.
He straightened his posture and smiled, "Goodnight, baby,"
"Bye, baby," she blurted out.
Too tired, she didn't realise the nickname she had given him. She continued staggering towards the door before shutting it.
This girl...
Mikey shook his head and chuckled before riding off.
End Of Chapter
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with Japanese funeral and wake practices, so I couldn't write about it :( It would've made the story better, but oh well (ｰ ｰ;) I hope you enjoyed it !!