[WEATHERS— Always tired]
“I'm taking my time
Don't wanna talk
You're making me blind
Yeah, you gotta stop”
//:::\\
"You're late,"
You flinched then groaned, hearing the familiar mumble of your brother that stood by the back door.
"...Hello to you too," you sighed, now caught in the act. You dragged your feet towards your brother.
Your brother stared at you in silence, it was suppressing. "Anik–"
"You know there's a lot of gangs roaming around here, right?" And he started. "What if you get caught up in their feud? The neighbourhood is not safe for people like you who wander around,"
You bit your lip, upset by how much scolding your brother was giving you.
"Shinichiro,"your eyes widened, you grit your teeth.
'Ah….So that was how it is. He's half asleep.'
You looked at your brother's eyes. Those hollow eyes with no light in them that make him hard to read. He was a person who could suppress you with his gaze.
"Just...make sure to not do it again, okay?" your brother warned. "If not, I don't know what to do if I lose you again."
You kept down your scoff. You should've known better. Your brother was delusioning again. This had been happening a lot.
He never cared for your safety, he was caring for someone who looked like you.
'It hurts.'
"...Alright, Mikey." you forced a smile as he patted your head and went back to his room.
You went to yours, shutting the door gently then throwing your bag to the side harshly. You looked at your mirror, finding your face.
Dark hair, pale skin and similar hollow eyes.
"You took off your mask and there you saw.
The reflection of your dead older brother mirroring your expression.
---
You looked outside your classroom. feeling eerie all of a sudden.
"Something's about to happen," you hummed then went back to writing the lessons.
Class was ending earlier than usual, and so you had the opportunity to go back to work.
But no. Right now, there were more important things.
You quickly removed your face mask and replaced it with your professional fox mask, the one Mirai would use for business.
You hummed and took your time to walk down the deep road in the corner of the city. These paths were a secret, but it was also living with danger and crime. You had to take careful steps if you didn't want to witness something that could put you in tight suspicion.
"Hm?" You paused. "Is that him? Mirai?"
'Shit.'
You were caught. You had to run fast. But just before you could, your collar was pulled back and you could see your surroundings being surrounded by men in similar uniforms. There were at least five of them.
"...Gang?" You whispered. You're fucked. Just as Mikey had predicted, maybe you should've listened.
"Haah? He seems like a kid to me," one of them commented. Are you sure our boss will like this? What if he thinks we're playing with him?"
"Boss?!" You squeaked, struggling to get away from the grip. "Hey now. Maybe we can talk this out?" you gulped watching their eyes turn into crescents as they smirk.
'This can't be good…' you look at them, feeling the pressure bubbling inside.
"Knock him out, take him to Moebius hideout,"
"Oh hell no."
Watching one boy go in for a hard kick. Your instincts kick in and you let your body dangle. Then, using all your strength into your leg muscle, you dove in for a kick to the side of their leg, making them kneel on and lean your body to the side.
You took the chance to use the leg again and kick back to his abdomen. Watching him puke saliva, he let go of your collar and you took that signal to dive down fast.
Two people came to you at once, while dove down, you did a split and put your arms in front. You used your arms to maneuver your lower body into a spin, hitting the two in their legs and watched the two lose footing.
"Get him!"
With no time to get up, you lay down and rolled away. They were gaining up but you grabbed dirt and threw it in their eyes. You sprang back up and ran with all your might, leaving the others to chase you.
"You bitch—!"
"Ah!"
You yelled when you felt a tug on your mask string. Your fox mask was grabbed away, your face was visible.
"Gah!" you covered your face with your hands while leaving space for your vision. You were nearly out of the danger area, just a few more steps and-
"Ack-!"
You collided with another body.
"Shit. Shit! Get out!" you panicked and scurried to run away again, but this time the person you collided with grabbed your arm.
"What the fuck is a student like you doing around this area?"
Deep and rough voice. You looked at his face and saw a man around your age, his long jet-black hair flowing. His sharp eyes were sizing you up.
"...Gang…"
"Hah? I can't hear you. Speak up louder," the boy tugged your arm forward.
"—Gang! There were a bunch of people trying to kidnap me, I think they were from the...Moebius gang?" you said, recalling one of them saying their name.
And that's when you could feel the boys' eyes turned cold and his face stoic. The boy let go of your arm and even patted your sleeves.
"Get outta here," he ordered.
"Uh...Yes!...Sir," you said, watching him tie his hair and crack his knuckles then enter the exit you ran out.
Without worrying more, you turned back, ran, and never looked at the boy again. Although you wondered why he didn't question why you were covering your face with your arms, you were thankful.
Your face was a sensitive topic after all.
---
"Ah! You again?"
Takemichi was about to head home. After a quick check up on Hina, he was about to find out more about what had happened to Toman.
It was quite a surprise to bump into a stranger who yelled at him like he knew him.
"Uh...me…?"
"Yes, you! I met you before," your lips were shaking while maintaining a smile. Without warning, you threw your body to Takemichi and clasped his hands.
"Please, please save meee!" you wailed.
"E-eh?! EHHH?!" Takemichi panicked, seeing you cry and kneel. "What is into you?! I don't even know you. Get up!"
He grasped your collar to pull you up. You sniffed and rubbed your eyes.
"Ah…"
You just remembered. Your face was bare. You remember clasping your hands to Takemichi, the same hands you used to cover your face.
"I-!"
"Eep!" Takemichi flinched, seeing you slap your face. "Are you okay?!"
"You saw my face...You saw my face!" You shrieked, backing away.
Takemichi tilted his head. What about your face? "Why? Like I said, I don't know you. What's the problem with seeing your face?"
You opened your mouth to say something, but closed it instead. He was right. Both of you didn't know each other, and he seemed like a good guy.
So you slowly evade your hands away from your face. It felt nice, being able to feel the bare view of your face and see everything so clearly without any limitations.
"Woah…"
'What's with this guy?' Takemichi asked himself. First he came crashing to me and begging me to save him, now he's acting like he hasn't seen the sun in a while…'
"Ah! Right," it seemed like you were finished admiring the view. So you took off the glove from your hand and offered your hand in front of Takemichi.
"I'm [m/n]," you said with a smile.
"Takemichi," he took your hand and both of you shook it.
And then…
"Hm?"
'That's weird…'
You couldn't see Takemichi's future, no...more like there was no future. It looks like it's constantly changing to the point you can't see a path.
You hid your reaction well, and soon broke out of the grasp and put your glove back on. "It was nice seeing you again. Takemichi. But can I ask why you're here? Do you perhaps live near here?"
"Ah...yeah," Takemichi kind of found it odd how you were asking such questions.
'...I better ask Naoto about this guy,' Takemichi looked at your face.
'He seems dangerous...but strange enough,'
"Right, Takemichi, since I know you now…" you smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. You leaned close and smiled.
"You're my friend now,"
Takimichi gulped.
'Strange enough...he reminds me of Mikey!'