November 6th, 2004
"Today, we are here to welcome a new member to Toman," Mikey's voice spoke to the crowd below him.
I was invited to my first Toman meetup at a shrine late at night when the sun had set. I was surprised how quickly they had a uniform ready for me to wear. It seemed like they were eager to officially welcome me into their gang.
I stood behind Mikey, away from the prying eyes. Baji stood on his right. The air around was intense. Mikey ready did have an air of authority. I could tell that everyone present respected him.
"Thanks to Baji for recruiting him, Toman will be stronger than ever," Mikey continued. He looked over his shoulder to indicate to me it was time for me to stand on his left side.
I slowly took steps to stand next time. My eyes glanced at the many faces below me. I saw some familiar ones. Mitsuya, Pah, Draken, and Matsuno that I met a few days ago. The ones who knew more than I would have liked. But so far, they had kept their mouths shut. I was grateful.
"Whoa. Isn't that the Shinigami?" I heard someone say.
Then the atmosphere changed. I saw the shocked faces and heard the many whispers.
"No way. They got the Shinigami to join us?"
"I thought he always refused."
"Shit. I heard he is strong as hell."
"Stronger than Mikey?"
"There's no way anyone is stronger than our commander. Don't be an idiot."
"Yato," I turned to look at the person who called me. Mikey smiled, "Would you like to say a few words?"
I wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't like I prepared a speech or anything for this moment.
I looked down at the members as they waited for me to finally speak.
"It is true," I started, "I always refused anyone that would try to get me to join their gang. I was never interested." I took a step forward, "But that all changed when I met your First Division Captain. He has earned my respect and my loyalty. By extension, Toman also has my loyalty. I will fight alongside my new friends. I will put my life on the line for them." I slightly bowed my head, "I give Toman my strength."
To my surprise, a roar erupted from all the members of Toman. They cheered and celebrated with their fists up to the sky.
"Toman will be even stronger now!"
"We will be unbeatable!"
"Toman! Toman! Toman!" They all cheered together.
The hype that was sparked echoed through the shrine. Some time passed by until they were all dismissed from the meeting.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked down at my smiling brother.
"Nice work."
I nodded as a response.
"You really got them all fired up," I turned to look at Baji and he smirked, his hands in his pockets.
"We better get ready," we turned our heads as Draken walked up the steps to us.
"For what?" I questioned.
Draken looked at me as if he were confused, "What do you mean? More people will want to join Toman now that we recruited the legendary Shinigami."
"I'm not legendary."
"Draken's right," Mitsuya approached us, "Toman is still pretty new and Mikey's name hasn't spread around that much yet. But you are known by all gangs in Tokyo."
Not like I wanted that to happen.
"That's why everyone's been desperate to get you to join them," I turned to Mikey, "Whoever got you they would be well known in Tokyo. Many people would try to join."
I shook my head, "I know that might be tempting but not everyone that will want to join us will have the best intentions."
"We'll take it slow. Don't worry," Mikey said, a smile on his face.
"You are way too trusting," I told him, "I'm being serious. One of the reasons why I shut all those gangs down is because I didn't trust that they had the same morals as I did."
"Morals?" Draken questioned me.
I looked up at the taller boy, "Never hurt a girl or hurt anyone that is innocent. I didn't become strong so that I can take advantage of other people or to get a reputation or anything like that. I got strong because I had to survive. But I am aware there are people that use their strength for the wrong reasons."
"You are really not what I expected," Mitsuya commented. "But I think we can all agree that we would never hurt women. I wouldn't want anything to happen to my two younger sisters."
"Yeah," Pah started, "Fuck those kinds of bastards. I'll kill them."
I wasn't sure why but I was relieved to hear them say those things. They seemed to have the same morals as I did.
"Did Baji tell you why we started Toman?"
I turned to answer Mikey, "Yeah. To protect each other."
Mikey smiled, "That's right. In this gang we have each other's backs."
All the boys had their own smiles on their faces. I could see that they all cared about each other. It was almost like they were family even if they were not blood related. I could see the pride they had behind their smiles.
"If it isn't our little Ayato-chan. I'm so happy the rumors were right."
All our heads snapped towards the entrance of the shrine grounds. I took a few steps forward so that the other boys were behind me.
"Why are you bastards here?" I questioned them.
The leader of the group smirked at me, "Well, now that you are officially part of a gang, you are an enemy. I have every right to crush you. Even that bastard Shateigashira can argue that fact. You aren't just an innocent little middle schooler anymore."
I never thought much of it. I didn't think that because I decided to join a delinquent biker gang that the Tokyo Syndicates lower ranks members that had their sights in breaking me would be given a reason to do just that. They were right. Rai got them off my back because I was just a middle schooler and wasn't an enemy to the Syndicate. But they can use the excuse that I'm in a rival gang, even if the delinquents weren't at the same level as the Syndicate.
I looked behind the guy and noticed that instead of his two goons, he had about twenty now. I looked behind me. Baji, Matsuno, Mikey, Draken, Pah, and Mitsuya were still here. Even if they were strong, they wouldn't be able to take on fully grown men, right? Even if they did, they would be forever marked as targets to the Syndicate.
Shit.
This bastard knew exactly what he was doing. He cornered me. And Rai wasn't here to protect me this time. He couldn't even if he wanted to.
"What do you want?" I spoke, looking back at the smirking bastard in front of me.
"Well, let's see," he started, "Maybe I'll have you service me. On your knees. You might be a guy but you got your mother's looks."
"Who the fuck are these guys?" Draken cursed in anger and disgust.
"Low ranking members of the Tokyo Syndicate," I informed them, "If you even try to do anything to them you and your family will die." I turned to look at them, "So, stay out of this."
Mikey looked like he was ready to commit murder, "No. We-"
"Don't," he looked at me, "I'll be fine. If you don't want anyone to die. Please, stay out of this."
I could tell he did not want to. They all looked like they wanted to do something. They wanted to fight for me. But this wasn't another delinquent gang. These were fully grown men. They were killers and rapists.
I walked down the steps towards the men. They all looked like they were about to receive a gift.
I looked at the leader, "You know," I looked down, "Are you sure you're big enough to show to your friends?"
"What did you just say?" the bastard questioned in anger.
"I'm just saying," I said, "You look kind of small. It be embarrassing for you to-"
A fist collided with my gut, causing me to hunch over and some of my spit to burst out my mouth.
"You little brat! I'll show you to say such stupid shit!"
He punched the side of my face. I fell to the ground. I laid down on the ground as the men circled around me as they kicked and stomped on me.
Well, it worked.
I much rather getting the shit beat out of me then have to do anything like he was proposing to me to do to him. It was moments like this I was glad I couldn't feel any pain. None of their hits affected me in a way that would traumatize me. I was used to this. Even the sickening sounds of bones breaking. I couldn't feel it at all.
"Fuck this," the bastard said, "I'm bored. Let the brat suffer here. Let's get out of here."
I heard the men's steps disappearing.
"Ayato!"
"Yato!"
I heard several footsteps running towards me. I sat up before standing up on my two feet. I honestly couldn't say what damage they did to my body. I couldn't feel anything.
"Holy shit. How are you standing?"
I turned to Mitsuya's horrified expression, "Is it that bad?"
"I'm pretty sure your arm is broken," Draken said, pointing down to my messed up left arm. "And you've got a nasty gash on your head."
A trail of blood caused me to close my right eye. I wiped the blood away with my right arm.
"Yeah. It does look broken," I offered.
Matsuno wrapped my right arm around his shoulder, "We should get you to the hospital."
Pah's face looked so pale.
"You good?" I asked him, ignoring Matsuno as I leaned against him for support.
"There's just... So much blood. How are you..."
"Chifuyu is right. We need to get you to the hospital," Mikey said.
I shook my head, "No. No hospitals. I just need to call Rai and get home."
"Who's Rai?" Matsuno questioned.
"My own personal doctor," I informed him. "The only one I trust."
My vision was blurring. I may not be able to feel pain but I was still affected when losing too much blood.
"Baji."
"Yeah?"
"Can you... call him for me? I'm a little... tir-" I surrendered to the darkness.
---------------
December 24th, 2004
"How you feeling?"
I gave Baji an irritated look, "I'm fine. I told you I have already fully recovered."
"Yeah , well. You were severely messed up."
In the end, my injuries were a gash to my skull with a concussion, a broken arm, and bruised ribs. I had bruises on other parts of my body but those were mild and healed first. It could have been far worse.
"I'm good," I assured him for the hundredth time.
Baji had been feeling guilty over me getting the shit beat out of me. Him and the other boys felt as though they should have done something to stop them but I reassured them that what they did was what they needed to do. But Baji seemed to have taken it harder than the others. He constantly asked me if I needed anything. He did his best to take care of me while I was healing.
I took the time to examine his room. It was my first time in a boy's room. I was surprised how neat it was. I have expected clothes to be all over or something. There wasn't even a sign of any of those perverted books I heard boys liked to read.
No. Instead he had cat food and books on living things. I was surprised.
"You have a cat?"
Baji shrugged, "They come and go."
"That's surprising," I muttered.
He smirked, "Why's that?"
"I don't know," I offered. "Your mom's nice."
"Yeah. She can be scary sometimes though," he said, looking back up at the ceiling as he continued to lay down on the floor.
Baji invited me to spend the holidays with him at his place so that I wouldn't have to be alone. I couldn't be with my siblings or with Rai for obvious reasons. Matsuno was with his girlfriend.
"Thanks," I said, "For inviting me over."
He chuckled, "We're friends."
I felt the pang of guilt in my gut again. I was beginning to feel guilty for not telling him that I was a girl. I was deceiving someone I had grown so close to. I could be more myself with him. I could show him my emotions and he wouldn't take advantage of them or judge me. No. Instead he appreciated me for opening up to him.
"Oh," he suddenly said, sitting up. He got up, grabbing something from his desk before sitting in front of me, "Merry Christmas."
I looked down at his outstretched hand. It held a wrapped box.
"That-" I stopped, looking into his eyes, "You got me a gift?"
He grinned, baring his canine teeth, "It is Christmas."
I hesitantly grabbed the box from his hand, "Can I open it now?" He nodded his head. I placed my attention on the gift in my hands. I carefully unwrapped the box, lifting the top. My eyes spotted a beautiful red prayer bead bracelet.
"It's not much. I guess I figured they could help you pray to your mother so that she is closer to you."
He put so much thought into this gift. My eyes blurred.
"Wait. Don't cry," he said, placing his hands on my shoulder, "I'm sorry if you hate it."
I shook my head, "No. I like it. Thank you, Baji."
I gently put the bracelet on, touching the beads with my fingers as I admired the color. I couldn't have asked for a better gift. He knew just how much I loved my mother and he got me something that would let me know she was always by my side. My mother never had her own belongings. I never got anything from her to remember. Baji knew that. But now I did.
I looked up at him, "Sorry. I didn't get you anything."
He smiled, pulling his hands away, "Nah. It's okay. I wasn't expecting anything."
I continued to stare at him. Taking him in. The memories of when we first met to all the memories we had together until today. I couldn't believe that I met someone I wanted to put my whole trust on. I wanted to be my full self with him.
"Baji," he looked at me with a serious expression knowing that I was being just as serious, "I don't want there to be any secrets between us."
"Yeah?"
"I'll tell you my last secret."