~ Problems ~
Baji never called her like he had promised, and he wasn't responding to any texts or calls from Naoka either.
'Weird.' She thought. 'Is he in trouble or just dodging me?'
A couple of days passed, and she began to worry that something had happened to him. She planned to visit him later today.
She was on her way home from school, when she saw Takemichi walking alone.
"Hey fiasco! Wait up!" She called, noticing the bleached blonde boy flinch before turning to her.
"Naoka-senpai?" He said and she cringed slightly as they fell into step together.
"I told you not to call me that, remember?"
"I remember. But I'll stop calling you senpai when you stop calling me fiasco." He chuckled and she sent him a glare causing his laughter to die down.
"You look worried, did something happen?" She asked him and he realised it was better to just tell her what was going on rather than trying to hide it. He had heard from a few of the others that she had good intuition.
"Yesterday-"
"Hey you! Guy with the blonde hair." They heard a male voice call them and stopped to look down towards a swing set.
A familiar boy with blonde hair and an undercut was the culprit, and Naoka went to walk over when Takemichi stopped her.
"What are you doing? He's just some random! What if he's dangerous?" Takemichi exasperated and Naoka scoffed shaking her head at the clueless boy.
"That's Chifuyu, you know. Baji's vice captain?" She deadpanned and Takemichi's eyes went wide as he quickly changed his tune, racing over to the guy. She rolled her eyes as she followed after him.
"Naoka? Is that you?" Chifuyu asked as the two approached him a small pink hue coated his cheeks.
"Yeah its- wait, what the hell happened to you?" She asked worried as she gently cupped his face to inspect it and he almost blew a circuit. His face went a bright shade of red due to her closeness and gentle touch.
'So soft, and she smells like vanilla~'
"I- I'll explain in a minute~"
"You're the one that Baji beat the shit out of!" Takemichi cut them off and Naoka's eyes widened.
'What? Why would he do that?'
"Look who's talking." Chifuyu retorted and Naoka stepped back as she shook her head.
"What are you guys even talking about? Why would Baji hurt you?" The dark haired girl asked, and she noticed a sad look in Chifuyu's eyes.
"He had to do it, to get into Valhalla. Listen, I don't think Baji's really on their side." Chifuyu reasoned, but Naoka was angry. Even if that were so, why would he go so far as to hurt this little bundle of joy? She needed answers, now. She needed to talk to Baji herself.
"Where is he?" She asked and Chifuyu cocked his head in confusion.
"H- huh?"
"What's his address? I need to talk to him right now." She asked again taking a step closer to him again.
"I don't think you should get involved. It's dangerous Naoka-chan." Chifuyu said, and she sighed lightly.
"You want him back too, right? Please, just... I really need to talk to him." She said more softly this time and Chifuyu relented, telling her where he stayed.
"Thanks." She said before hurrying off and Takemichi watched her before turning to the blonde beside him with a concerned look.
"Aren't you worried she might get hurt?" He asked and Chifuyu frowned at him.
"Baji-san would never hurt her."
***
Naoka knocked on Baji's door and to her surprise, a woman only an inch or two taller than her answered the door, a lovely smile on her face.
"Hello dear, can I help you?" She asked and Naoka smiled back politely.
"Yeah uh, my name is Imaushi Naoka. Does Baji Keisuke live here? I need to talk to him about something important. We're friends." She said and the lady before her smiled even more brightly.
"Oh yes dear come in, come in! I'm Keisuke's mother, but you can call me Ma if you like." She said, though Naoka was unsure considering they had just met.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." She said bowing slightly and Mrs Baji told her to stop bowing.
"He's not in at the moment, but you are more than welcome to wait for him! I'll be popping out for a bit but I won't be long." She said and Naoka was surprised that the woman trusted her enough to just leave her alone in her house.
'What if I were a robber or something?'
"You don't need to worry dear. I trust any person that is a friend of Kei's. He's talked about you a lot you know." Mrs Baji revealed, and the lilac eyed girl widened her eyes.
"He- he has?"
"Yup! But don't tell him I told you!" She laughed before heading out the door.
Naoka took a shaky breath as she sat on the couch waiting for Baji. She wanted to look around out of sheer curiosity, but she refrained, only opting to look at a few pictures on the walls.
There was one of him Mitsuya, Draken and Mikey which made her smile. 'They look so happy here. I hope they can go back to these times.'
She soon heard the door open, and she stood from the couch when she saw Baji come in. He froze when he noticed her and let his bag fall to the ground while his gaze turned cold.
"The hell are you doing here?" He asked and she almost shivered at his tone.
"Your mother let me in." She replied before walking closer to him. "What's going on? I've been worried about you. You haven't replied to any of my texts, and I just saw Chifuyu. He was beaten to a pulp!"
"Leave it alone Naoka." He said and she flinched not used to him calling her by her full name.
"I thought we were partners?" She asked and he looked away from her.
"I don't need you anymore, so you can just go ahead and leave."
"What? Why would you say that? Did something happen?" She asked but he ignored her, going to head to his room when she stopped him grabbing his wrist.
"Hey-"
"Just leave me alone. It's none of your business. You're not a part of Toman or Valhalla." He said, his tone icier and she pressed her lips together.
"That doesn't matter. You're not acting like yourself. You know you can trust me, your friends-"
He roughly gripped her wrists, a gasp leaving her lips, but she didn't flinch.
"You really think that I care? I was messing around. I was using you so that I could keep an eye on the inside. Not my fault you were stupid enough to believe me." He said smirking at her, and she clenched her jaw.
"God, you were so gullible. It's not like I really care what happens to you, so don't go thinking that we're friends." He made sure he was harsh on her so she would finally back off. "I just wanted to get in your pants-"
She cut him off with a slap to the face, and Baji didn't even flinch. He was surprised it had even taken her this long to hit him. When he looked back at her, he saw a stray tear roll down her face and his throat tightened.
"Yeah, I did think you cared. I thought that we were friends, but it turns out you really are just a fucken asshole Baji." She ripped her wrist away and walked off wiping a stray angry tear.
She was pissed, she really had thought they became friends, yet this whole time he was only using her.
Or so he said.
She remembered her promise she made to herself of never giving up on her friends and she wasn't going to give up on him just yet.
She knew he was a stubborn boy, and believed, more like prayed that he didn't really mean what he said.
'This isn't over, Baji Keisuke.'
***
Baji at first, didn't think it would be a problem with Naoka helping him out because now that he wasn't in Toman, she could keep an eye on things for him while she hung out with Mikey.
But that plan soon ran to shit.
~ Flashback ~
The reason Kazutora had asked to meet with Baji, was for something very malicious indeed.
"We've decided on your test of faith victim." Kazutora announced, and Baji raised a brow waiting for him to elaborate.
"Alright, who is it?"
"That girl you were with..." He announced and Baji tried to hide his surprise. "I believe you called her Nao?"
Baji's heart was racing. Never did he imagine that that was who they were going to choose.
'Damn, I should never have brought her with me that day.'
He couldn't let that happen, no, he refused to let that happen.
"Why would you want her? She's just some girl?" He said trying to appear unfazed, but Kazutora wasn't that dumb.
You see, he had somehow managed to find out that she was close to not only Baji, but Mikey too. It was actually his idea to have her be the dark haired boys test of faith.
He could see right through Baji's little act. After all, they had been friends for most of their life. Kazutora wasn't going to answer Baji's question and he knew it.
"No." Baji said plainly, trying not to let his emotions take over as he usually did. That proved difficult considering the kind of guy he was.
"And why not?" The two toned haired boy asked as he cocked his head, the jingle from his earring killing the eerily quiet alleyway.
"Because I don't hit girls." Baji shrugged, and Kazutora eyed him for a long minute before sighing dramatically.
"Alright then, plan B it is."
"Plan B?" Baji asked hiding his relief. He didn't think it was going to be that easy to get him to change his mind.
"Your vice-captain, Matsuno Chifuyu I believe." Kazutora said as he walked past Baji, patting his shoulder as he did. "Bring him by the hideout the day after tomorrow, that's when your initiation will begin."
Baji let out a shaky breath he didn't know he was holding. Naoka was safe which brought him a sense of relief but now... he had to beat someone who meant the world to him.
His bestfriend who had been loyal to him, and right by his side for years.
'I'm sorry, Chifuyu.'
~ End of Flashback ~
After the little chat with him, Baji knew that he needed to cut Naoka off. He couldn't risk anything happening to her. He knew it would be difficult considering how stubborn she was, but he would find a way because it meant keeping her safe.
Little did he know, Kazutora had something else in mind for her.
***
Naoka had been visiting Mikey every day since the meeting. Though each day she saw him, she could feel him pulling away more and more and it worried her.
She knew he was falling into a dark place.
She was currently at Mikey's house, the two seated on his bed. She couldn't help but stare at his beautiful features.
"You've been quieter lately." She told him, yet he only looked at her with a small smile before looking up to the ceiling.
"Have I really?" He asked in a daze. The dark haired girl could clearly see that the loss of Baji was affecting Mikey and she wanted to ask about it.
"Come on Mikey talk to me. You haven't said a word about everything that's going on since the meeting." She said and the blonde flinched looking away. He didn't want to talk about it.
"I think you should just go. I don't want to burden you with all of this." He said and she felt her anger rising.
"Don't say that. I'm sick of you guys always acting like you have to keep all your problems to yourselves and push everyone else away or handle everything, all the burden by yourself! That's not how it works!" She exasperated, and he was shocked by her outburst. "I thought you weren't going to push me away, remember? We agreed. From now on I want you to come to me whenever you need to talk about something, anything and everything. Whatever it is, and no matter how significant or insignificant you think it may be. Please Mikey, just rely on me. I'm always going to be here."
She held his face in her hands, "I need you to know that. I want to learn everything about you. You can be yourself around me, and I can be myself around you."
He feels tears prick the back of his eyes, but he forced them away. Her words had resonated with him, truly touching him and he felt so honoured that she cared this much about him. So, it was easy enough for him to nod his head.
"Okay. But you have to do the same. I want to hear everything." He bargained and a small smile tugged at her lips as she agreed.
He collapsed into her shoulder exhausted and a light pink hue coated her cheek, surprised by his actions. She soon wrapped her arm around him stroking his hair which helped lull him into a sleep, her soft and gentle touch soothing to him. She noticed how he always appeared to be so tired and didn't want to wake him, so she couldn't help herself as she kissed the top of his head and let him sleep in her arms.
"Sweet dreams, Mikey."
~*~