"WUR ZORREY!!!" Bloody and bruised, tears streaming down his face, Takemichi found himself kneeling alongside Akkun, after receiving the beating of their lives. His cousin had lied, he was no leader just a 'Gofer', and all to just show off to him the hapless and naive younger cousin. Who believed him, and then spread it to his own friends.
"Michi, whatever you do. Don't listen to Baka-Masa." His sister's words rang through his mind, "That coward would rather save face than do or say anything honest. He doesn't have anyone's best interest at heart but his own."
'Ow... She was right.' Takemichi slightly thought in pain, as he and Akkun continued to remain kneeling before their attackers. '
The leader of the group, a third-year from the school they had gone to, by the name of Masataka Kiyomizu, better known as Kiyomasa, glared down at them with disgust and annoyance as he talked down to them. "You spineless little dweebs. You've got some nerve, callin' yourselves delinquents."
From behind Akkun and himself, Takemichi could hear Yamagashi hic and whimper as the other three boys lay beaten, and in the case of Takuya passed out.
"From today onwards, you shits are going to be little soldiers for the Tokyo Manji Gang. Better work your asses off." Kiyomasa's second in command spoke up, though neither Takemichi's or his friend Akkun dared to look up from the ground even as the older gang members walked away into the evening sunset.
Even as his Akkun rose to check on the other boys, Takemichi himself remained as he watched his blood slowly drip and paint the ground below him.
"You okay?"
"Just... Don't tell anyone I cried." Yamagishi whimpered.
'The Tokyo Manji Gang...' Takemichi thought, 'That's right. This is where it all started.' His mind conjured the image of days long passed, 'Our hellish days spent doing their bidding. All of us. That's why I got the hell away from my hometown after graduating middle school.' His mind flashed to himself walking away from his friends on graduation and pulled up his final conversation with his sister.
"Ah! Wait, where are you going?" His sister concernedly exclaimed as she tried holding onto the lone duffle bag he'd packed.
"Let go!"
"Michi please! Talk to me!" She begged, he had never been used to her begging. "What the hell is going on? Let me help you!"
"Shut up!" He remembers pulling the bag away and shoving her away. She'd fallen back almost hitting the bottom steps of the stairs, and the sense of guilt only fuelled his self-loathing and fear. "I... I don't want your help! I'm not a fucking child Meiko! Stop treating me like one! Just leave me alone!"
"Mi...chi..."
"I HATE YOU, AND EVERYONE IN THIS STUPID TOWN! I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANY OF YOU AGAIN!"
"TAKEMICHI!"
He ran, his sister's tear-stained face fueling his run. His harsh words like ash on his tongue as he begged and cried to any god, that she'd believe his lies and stay away.
'I started living on my own and working.'
"Quit slackin' off! You're as slow as a fucking turtle!!"
"Sorry!"
'But nothing went right. I could never do anything very well.'
"Can'tcha do anything right?"
"I'm sorry!"
'So I apologized.'
"I'm very sorry!"
'And apologized.'
"I'm sorry!"
'And apologized. Again and again. I just spent my whole life apologizing.' Slamming his face down to the ground, he struggled to not cry as he quietly cursed to himself. "Dammit..." Clenching his fists beside him as remained curled up on the ground. 'This sucks. My life's ending, and I'm reliving the worst part of it.' Throwing his head back he yelled up to the heavens, "I GET IT, GOD!!! YOU'RE TRYING TO TELL ME MY LIFE FUCKING SUCKED, RIGHT!!?" His eyes filled with tears and the memories of his first love passed through his mind.
"I'm sure you'll succeed, Hanagaki-kun."
The tears built in his eyes, and the memory of his sister's gentle embrace from their youth joined the ghostly memories.
"You idiot, just cause you fell doesn't mean you can't get back up." She cooed as she consoled a crying Takemichi who'd fallen off his bike. "You're stronger than this."
Then the news report from that day twelves years into the future, replayed in his mind. "The escalating dispute between the Tokyo Manji Gang has now claimed innocent victims."
'Tachibana... Mei-nee... The Tokyo Manji Gang...' Takemichi thought as he now sat staring off in the direction Kiyomasa's group walked in, "That's right. The reason they both die twelve years in the future... It's all because of them!" He glared at the group as they finally vanished from sight, but became dejected soon after. "But I guess that has nothing to do with me." Yet, his first love's smile flashed through his mind, and Takemichi briefly realized something. "Wait. Tachibana's..."
Leaving the park they had been beaten in, Takemichi's group, the Mizu five, now made their way home as night fell. The group all but licking their wounds as they did their best to support one another.
"You okay, Takuya?" Makoto weakly asked as Yamagishi used himself as a crutch for the slicked-back dark-haired teen.
"You better not tell anyone that I cried."
"Damnit." Cursed Akkun, the teens walking in almost complete silence as the train passed by. All of them lacking any money now to even take the transport home, but none are willing to even entertain the idea of asking for help from the one person who'd be willing. Least they have to explain their current state to the elder Hanagaki.
"Man, I'm starving." Makoto sighed, as Yamagishi whined in agreement.
"I want some Katsudon."
"I can't eat. My mouth's all busted up." Takuya struggled to voice, as Takemichi slowed and stopped far behind the group in deep thought. "Takemichi?"
"What's wrong, Takemichi?" Akkun asked, "Are you worried about Mei-senpai freaking out?"
Wincing as he held his jaw, Takuya could not help but add, "We can cover for ya if we come up with an excuse."
Shaking his head, Takemichi looked up at the boys with a set gaze, "Sorry, I've gotta go."
"Huh? Go where?" Akkun asked, as Takemichi turned and ran from the group. Leaving the group to stare as he vanished back down the street.
Running as fast as he could, Takemichi couldn't help but realize something, 'I forgot... What did Tachibana look like?' Stopping to finally catch his breath, Takemichi looked up at the apartment complex he ended at, "Here!!" Looking through the complex's mailboxes he found the one holding his first love's name, before heading up to her door and ringing her doorbell.
There was a moment of silence and then, "Yes...?" Takemichi stood up straight at the females' voice, "Wait, Hanagaki-kun?"
"Y-Yeah." Takemichi nervously replied, his mind racing as it finally began to hit just what he was doing. 'Her voice... I remember it.' He thought, the sounds of rapid footsteps and movement coming from beyond the door until it was opened.
"Hanagaki-kun!" His eyes could not help but widen, as she stepped out her front door. "Were you fighting again? You can't keep getting into fights like that! You just got into a fight over the dumbest thing last week! Mei-senpai even got on you for it." The girl firmly scolded, sounding more and more like a concerned wife towards the boy. "Are you okay? That looks like it hurts real bad. Did you at least disinfect it? You're all swollen up. Want me to get you some bandages? Ah! Does your sister even know? She was so worried and upset after school, I think she even went looking for you. Have you talked?"
"Tachibana... Hinata." Takemichi almost seemed to whisper, as tears began to stream down his face. Hinata, becoming more concerned as she noticed the almost mournful smile that graced her crying boyfriend's face. This though equally shocked Takemichi as he struggled to speak, "Huh!!? Why am I... Why am I crying?" He covered his face, as he became embarrassed and tried to walk away. "Sorry, it's nothing. I'll go home now."
"Hanagaki-kun!" Hinata concernedly called out, causing the boy to pause as he quietly tried to brush her off.
"I just... wanted to see you."
"You're lying! Something happened. You're not acting like yourself." Taking confident strides forward, Hinata reached out her hands. Takemichi being left shocked as she gently grabbed hold of his face.
"Huh?"
"Just tell me! I want to know everything about you!" She boldly exclaimed, at Takemichi dumb-struck face. "I'm your girlfriend, you know. You dummy."
"Sorry..." Was all Takemichi could reply though, and try to listen as she spoke to him. Though his mind was a thousand miles away. 'That's right. She was always getting mad at me. She was small but so strong-willed. It was no wonder she and my sister would get along back then.'
"Bye-bye. See you tomorrow at school! And don't forget to call Senpai on your way home." Hinata smiling said, waving farewell, Takemichi leaving in even more tears.
'I always loved the cheerful way she'd say, 'Bye-bye'.' He thought, walking down the street, 'And yet, I...' Stopping mid-walk, he desperately tried to whip away his tears. "Damnit!"
Stopping at a park, he took a seat on the lone swing set pulling out his phone to check the time. Only to wince at the many missed calls and text from a number with the ID of Meimei, "Did I silence my phone that day..." Thumb hovering over the call button, he quickly pressed it and silently pulled the cell up to his ear.
It rang once...
Twice...
*Click*
His eyes became wide as the call was received yet as he shakingly opened his mouth to speak, he was cut off.
"MI-CHI!!!" The angry shout of his sister's voice blasted through the receiver and in his ear as he pulled the device away wide-eyed.
The sound of a high-pitched whistle from the other side and a, "Someone's in trouble~" From an unknown voice barely catching his ear as his sister began to rant at him.
"Where have you been, mister?! Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in! I got called into the teacher's lounge and scolded for your skipping class, AGAIN!" His sister viciously shouted, and yet... Takemichi felt a resurgence of tears as he once more heard the familiar sound of his sister's voice.
"Meimei..." He almost whispered, voice cracking. His sister's voice went silent on the other end as Takemichi's mind raced, 'Her too. All I ever seemed to do was cause my sister's problems... With our parents barely around cause of work... She was the one always left in charge.' He silently thought crying. 'She was the one who teachers got on, to try and make me behave. She was the one bailing me out stupid trouble I got into, and she--'
"Michi?" Her voice had become gentle and soft now, "Are you okay? Did something happen?"
'She was the one who was always there.' He struggled not to sob as he shook his head, "No! No! I just... I just realized something today, Meimei."
"And what is that?"
"I HATE YOU, AND EVERYONE IN THIS STUPID TOWN! I NEVER WANT TO SEE ANY OF YOU AGAIN!"
He sobbed as he recalled those final words to her, all those years ago. "That... I really love ya! And that you're the best big sister, a guy could ever ask!" He cried, saying the words he wished he would have told her sooner, the words he could have told her if she were not dead. "And... I'm sorry for not saying it more!" Everything was silent for a sec, and then he heard a sound that made him smile.
His sister snorting and giggling as she said, "... You spaz. You really had me worried there, you dummy."
Weakly laughing at himself he said, "Did I? Sorry!"
"Geez, there you go apologizing again. I've told you! If you're not gonna do something about it, then don't apologize over it. It really makes you come off as ingenuine when you say the same thing over and over again."
"Yeah... Sor-- I mean."
"Again! Geez, just wait when you get home! We are seriously having a talk about this Michi! I will tell mom and dad!!" His sister threatened as he chuckled under his breath.
"Oh... Yeah... That... That sounds nice actually."
"And don't you dare think you're off the hook for this afternoon!" She hissed, showing the motherly traits Takemichi knew she'd developed just from looking after him. "You are getting such a tongue lashing! Two months I tell you, you owe me two months' worth of chores with no whining for covering your ass! Do you hear me!"
Nodding to himself, Takemichi smiled solemnly. "Yeah... I... I hear ya. See ya soon?"
"Hmph!" His sister huffed, "Yeah... I guess... Want me to pick you up a bag of your favorite chips?"
Feeling the tears build up again he nodded again, "Yeah... If you don't mind."
"Right~ I'll see you in a bit then, oh! And don't eat anything while you're out! We're having take-out tonight since SOMEONE decided to send me on a wild goose chase looking for him and his four musketeers."
"Okay... bye Meimei."
"Mh, see ya~" Hanging up the phone with a semi-teasing goodbye, Meiko sighed in relief as she looked down at the image of a slightly annoyed dark-haired Takemichi struggling against her laughing self's hold as she tried to help him bleach his hair.
"Was that your brother?" Emma asked as she stood beside the girl outside the station.
"Yeah. Finally decided to learn how to use his phone, jerk." Meiko sarcastically huffed, as Emma raised a brow at her.
"You calmed down real quick after picking up that call, did he have a good reason for ditching?" She curiously asked as the dark-haired teen only shrugged her hands.
"No idea."
"Huh~?! Then why the sudden wind-down!" Emma exclaimed, staring up at her new friend in shock. "If I were that mad at my brother, you bet I wouldn't just calm down in a snap." She said, snapping her own fingers as if to emphasize her point.
Flipping her phone shut, Meiko only smiled as she gently pulled the device close to her chest. "It's cause he called me Meimei."
Blinking once, twice, Emma tilted her head curiously. "Meimei?"
Smiling at the other teen Meiko decided to explain. "It's his childhood nickname for me."
"HUH?!" The blonde exclaimed, "You caved because of that!"
Looking down at the clutched device in her hand Meiko continued to explain nostalgically, "He hasn't called me that... in years."
"... Oh." Emma mumbled, realizing just how significant that action must have been for the girl.
"Besides." Meiko laughed as she finally pocketed the device in her bag, "He sounded like he was crying. Mind you he's such a cry baby sometimes that should be normal by now but still!" Looking directly into the honey gold eyes of her new friend Meiko added, "I could just tell, something was off with him. I mean he willingly called me and even used his old name for me." Looking up at the night sky she muttered. "It wouldn't feel right to just rage at him, and probably kick him down while he's low. I gotta make sure he's okay first, before I try to teach him a lesson, ya know. Like a good big sister."
Humming to herself Emma gave a slight nod, "I... think I know what you mean, sorta." Smiling to herself she added, "I have my own older brother, and he can be so childish and even downright annoying sometimes but--"
"Ya still want to look out for and support him, and love him either way!" Meiko cheerfully finished as Emma's eyes sparkled with mirth back towards the girl.
"Exactly!" Emma agreed, and the two girls shared a laugh. "You know, your pretty cool Mei-chan."
"Aw~" Meiko cooed before smiling mischievously. "You're just saying that cause you haven't seen my room."
Back with Takemichi, the man-turned-boy was now silent as he repocketed his cellular device as he continued to sit alone in the dark park. Slightly swinging as he quietly and solemnly reminisced over the past events of his day, and life in general. That is until the loud noise of a group of boys interrupted him.
"This isn't all of it, is it?"
"Don't lie to us!"
"Jump, damn it!"
Looking up from the ground before him, Takemichi watched as three younger teens ganged up on a slightly smaller boy still dressed in his school uniform. Said boy was jumping in place with his head down, the sound of loose change even reaching Takemichi's ears as the boys hounded their victim.
"See? You did have more!"
"Empty 'em out!!"
'So fucking noisy.' Takemichi angrily began to think as he glared at the group, "Shut up! I'm trying to have a moment here!" He angrily hissed to himself, with a twitch to his brow.
"Hurry the hell up!"
"Quit wastin' our time." The boy threaten the shaking teen, only to be interrupted as an annoyed Takemichi spoke up.
"Oi."
"Huh?" Turning their heads back towards the park, a pissed-off Takemichi charged at the group.
"Shut the hell up, you dumbasses!" And punched the closest guy he could, shocking the remaining three boys, as he menacingly smiled at the remaining bullies. "You just keep running your mouths! Yapping and yapping and yapping..." Picking up an abandoned glass bottle near the entrance that they stood at, he broke the bottle making the teens jump slightly. "I'm seriously in the shittiest mood right now." Pointing the broken bottle at the group, his glare was almost murderous. "Piss off, or I'll kill you." He threaten the boys scrambling to grab their fallen friend and dragging him away as they ran.
"W-w-w-we're sorry!!!"
"P-please excuse us!"
The bullies shouted and as they left his view, Takemichi threw aside the broken bottle he'd been using to threaten the group. As only he and their still somewhat nervous victim were left alone, "Go home kiddo."
Yet as he walked away to continue his self-reflection, the shaken teen he saved spoke up. "U-um..."
"Huh?"
"It's really d-dangerous to leave that there." The boy stuttered, pointing over at the abandoned bottle.
Looking back over at his makeshift weapon, Takemichi paused, remembering that they were in a park where children would play at. "Oh, my bad." Picking up the bottle he and the boy found a plastic bag and carefully put it and the broken shards aside to be thrown away. Once that was done, Takemichi once more made his way to the swings that he had claimed.
Only to once more be stopped as the boy spoke up to him again, "Um, thank you for helping me."
Sighing loudly, Takemichi could not help but turn back to look at the kid exhaustedly. It was becoming more apparent with time, why the kid was probably targeted by those boys, to him. "Listen up. When guys like that bother you, show a little more confidence. You gotta have some guts." Takemichi began to advise. "Prepare to get punched! But don't flinch." Takemichi ranted, stopping as he noticed the boy pull out a notepad and pen to start writing down his words. "You don't need to take notes!" He exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head as became embarrassed by his own interaction with the boy. "Anyway, just face them head-on! That'll be enough to scare off half-assed punks."
"O... Okay!" The boy responded, and Takemichi could not help but fall silent as his own words fell heavy in his mind.
'Confidence and resolve... Guts... All shit I never had.' He thought, before asking the boy an important question. "So, hey... what's your name?"
"Tachibana." The boy simply replied, shocking Takemichi, "I'm Tachibana Naoto."
"Huh?! Wait, are you Tachibana's little brother?" Takemichi exclaimed as the boy, Naoto stared up at the older teen surprised.
"Oh, I do have an older sister."
"The hell, man? You should have hurried up and said something!"
"Wait, are you one of my sister's friends?"
Now sitting side by side to one another on the park swings, Takemichi could not help but think about the younger boy's future as they sat beside one another. 'Tachibana Naoto... That's right. In twelve years, he's going to die, too.' He thought before finally deciding to introduce himself. "I'm Hanagaki Takemichi. You can call me Takemichi."
"Uh, I won't, but okay... Are you by any chance related to Meiko-senpai?"
"The hell! Has she already met you!"
"Yeah." Naoto nodded, "She came over a few days ago with my big sister to do some studying I think." Naoto explained, causing Takemichi to slump with a sigh as he muttered.
"Course she did, couldn't wait to just wedge her way into my own girlfriend's life. Is nothing sacred?" He could just imagine his sister giggling and mischievous smile at him as she held Hinata away from him. Still, it warmed his heart, knowing his sister had tried to form a friendship with the girl he liked. "You like your sister?" He decided to ask.
"Huh?!" Naoto exclaimed, turning embarrassingly to a grinning Takemichi. "Where'd that come from? No, I don't! I hate her!." He childishly lied, a blush lightly dusting his cheeks.
"Really? Why so?" Takemichi playfully asked, though in his own mind he wondered. 'Was I the same way back then?'
"Because..." Naoto began to stutter out, "She's always bossing me around and telling me what to do."
Grinning at the younger teen Takemichi could not help but chuckle, "I see. I guess I can get that, my sisters, the same way."
"No way." Naoto gapped, "Is it a sister thing?" He asked as Takemichi could only shrug.
"Who knows, it could just be a sibling thing." Takemichi simply replied, before frowning as he became more solemn. "Still, though... Take good care of your sister." Takemichi seriously ordered, Naoto becoming confused as noted the change in demeanor from the older teen. "I love your sister." Takemichi confessed, "I love her so much that I don't know what to do with myself." He admitted looking down at his feet, "Not just her though... My own sis too, I've taken her for granted even though she's the only one I got. I remembered that today." Laughing at himself, Takemichi tried to brush aside the darkened mood. "Ha! You don't really understand what I'm talking about, do ya?" Naoto could neither agree or deny, a silence falling between him and Takemichi as they continued to sit in that park. Until...
"This is gonna sound crazy," Takemichi finally spoke up again. "But on this day in 2017, I fell off a platform onto the train tracks. I thought I was dead, but suddenly I was in middle school. I was me from twelve years ago again." Takemichi admitted, "What do you call that?"
"A time leap!!?" Naoto exclaimed, turning to look fully up at the older teen.
Though this seemed to have helped Takemichi's mood as he exclaimed back. "Yeah, that!" Looking down as hands he muttered. "I might just be having a long-ass dream. But you know..." He pocketed his hands and rose up from the swing. "I think God just let me see Tachibana one last time... Let me say the things, I wish I could have to my own big sis, at least once." He solemnly starred up into the sky.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Naoto confusedly asked.
"On July 1st, twelve years from now... Both our sister's... are going to die." Takemichi solemnly admitted, shocking Naoto in his place. "And that's also when... you're going to die. Together with them." Dread struck Naoto's heart, "July 1st, 2017." Takemichi repeated before turning to stare the boy down, "Make sure you remember this date, Naoto. And protect your sister. Protect mine as well." He almost seemed to beg, before grinning at the frightened boy. "But yeah, I'm sure this is all hard to believe." He tried to once more brush off, though he was solemn as he silently thought. 'If this is real, then I want to change the future. I fell so far that I forgot about her,' His mind flashed to Hinata's determined gaze and his last meeting with her that day, 'And her.' His final conversation with her over the phone, 'until I heard they'd died. Feeling pathetic... Feeling grim and frustrated... I want to do all of this over.' He thought before holding out his hand to the younger Tachibana sibling, "I'm counting on you."
Naoto's gaze became firm and determined, and as he reached out to take his hand. "Okay, I will." It was as if a link had been set in place, the world fading from around Takemichi's eyes, before returning to find himself somewhere else.
A ceiling light now above his head, the man found himself lying in a bed much to his surprise as he sat up.
"He's awake!"
"Um... Where am I?" Takemichi asked, as an officer walked up to him.
"The infirmary at the station. You fell from the platform onto the tracks." The station officer explained.
Takemichi taking this information in mind as he looked around the infirmary, stopping at the calendar stationed on a desk. 'July 4th, 2017!? Was that all a dream, then?' He wondered, "Wait.." His mind flashed back to the moment he was almost hit by the train, "I actually survived that?!" Looking himself over he almost shouted, "I don't have a scratch on me!"
"Could I have some time alone to speak with him?" A newcomer spoke up.
"Sure, go ahead." The officer agreed before looking towards the confused Takemichi. "This is the man who saved your life." He explained before walking away, leaving Takemichi more confused.
"Huh?"
"It's been a while." The new man said, as he walked up beside Takemichi's bedside.
"Who are you?" Takemichi asked, confused and lost. Looking up at the unknown man dressed in a suit, even when something in him couldn't help but feel there was something familiar about the man.
"I'm Tachibana Naoto." Naoto replied smiling.
"Huh?"
"That day, you changed my fate." Naoto seriously explained, causing Takemichi to become more confused and lost.
"Huh? That day? But... wait, you died..."
"You traveled through time!" Naoto bluntly replied, "That's how I survived and saved you. You changed the present by traveling through time." Naoto declared to the shocked Takemichi. "Takemichi-kun, twelve years ago today, this is what you told me." Naoto recounted as both men recalled Takemichi's final words to the boy.
Now sitting by Takemichi's bedside, the grown Naoto explained himself, "I studied really hard and became a police officer... So that I could protect my sister, and help yours."
"Th-then they're..." Takemichi excitedly began to say, pausing as he noticed the upset look crossed Naoto's face as the man looked away from him.
"I'm truly sorry, Takemichi-kun. My sister... Both of our sisters... have died." Naoto frustratingly admitted, "I did everything that I could possibly think of! But... But..." Looking back up at the other man, Naoto glared in determination. "Please help me. I know you'll be able to save my, no, our sisters." Naoto begged, Takemichi's stomach becoming knotted as he realized what Naoto had said, and his fate, like Naoto...
"Me? I can... save Tachibana and Mei-nee?"
Altered.