~ Finding the Truth ~
Baji hadn't seen Naoka since she drove him to the hospital and still hadn't apologised for lashing out at her.
He wasn't allowed to leave the hospital for a couple of weeks, even though he tried, and she also didn't come to visit him, though she had gotten him a present that Draken dropped off for her.
She had planned to see him but wasn't able to due to the shop being busy with her uncle away. But admittedly, she was a little nervous to see him for some reason. She still didn't know how he really felt towards her and if he really didn't want to be her friend, well that would hurt.
Apart from Mikey, Baji was the person she felt most comfortable with. Yeah, they got off to a rocky start initially, but they just clicked in a way that didn't always happen. He was a guy who was raw and real, and she admired that. Sure, he could be a little rough with her at times, but it just added to the depth of their friendship. She didn't want to lose that friendship either.
To her surprise, she got a text from him saying he was out of the hospital and wanted to meet up. So here she was, in the park he had texted her to meet.
"Nao." He called when he saw her long dark hair blowing in the wind. His heart sped up a little at the sight. He hadn't seen her in so long that he almost forgot how beautiful she was.
"Hey Baji." She called, and his heart fell a little at the use of his surname. "What did you want to talk about?"
He took a breath keeping himself composed.
"I didn't mean what I said back then. I do care about you, and I only said what I did to push you away because I didn't want you to get hurt. I'm sorry." He apologised.
"Yeah, you did hurt me." She said honestly and he felt guilt wash over him as his gaze fell to the floor.
A soft laugh left her lips she and tried to hold in and his eyes snapped to her in confusion.
"You've been a man about it though and apologised, to me so I forgive you." She said a warm smile tugging at her lips. "I'm just glad you still want to be friends."
"I do, and I promise I won't hurt you ever again." He said as a smile tugged at his own lips. He hadn't expected to get off so easily, but he wasn't going to take it for granted.
"Pinky promise?"
"What are you a child?" He asked incredulously and she just giggled knowing that he would do it anyway.
"What's wrong with children?"
"Oh? Do you want one? Because if you do, we can-"
"Alright! Enough kink boy." She said playfully rolling his eyes and he chuckled lightly as she lightly hit his shoulder. It seemed they were already back to their usual routine just like that.
He opened his arms and she stepped into them, hugging his strong torso.
"You need to learn to rely on your friends a little bit more. We are always here to listen, and we will always want to help." She whispered.
"I know." He whispered back.
"Anyway, what kind of friend would I be if I gave up on my friend after he had one little tantie?" She teased and he nudged her making her laugh as she nearly fell.
"Whatever." He muttered. "Oh, and by the way, I'm going to be taking some time away from Toman." He said casually and her eyes widened in surprise.
"What! Really?" She exasperated.
"Yeah, I'm not quitting or anything, I just need a 'holiday' as Mikey put it. I'll be back next year but until then, I think I know who I want to take my spot." He elaborated and she nodded having a pretty good idea of who he was thinking of.
"What about Kisaki?"
"For now, I'm going to leave that to Chifuyu and Takemicchi. They have a plan apparently, but if they screw it up then I'll beat them both and step in myself." He smirked, punching his fist into his hand and she sighed.
"Alright tough guy, just don't get stabbed again or I'll murder you."
His gaze snapped to meet hers and they widened realising something very important.
"Thanks, by the way, for saving my life." He smiled softly at her and she bopped his nose causing him to scrunch it.
"I told you I had your back."
***
Takemichi had gone with Draken to visit Kazutora yesterday and decided it would be a good... well, an idea to ask Naoka if she wanted to see him too.
They had met up to talk about what happened at the hospital and agreed on one point – Kisaki had to have had something to do with all of this, it wasn't just Kazutora alone.
Obviously, he knew she wouldn't want to see him, but he thought it would be a good opportunity to hopefully get to the bottom of what was going on.
He was very right.
Naoka really didn't want to see Kazutora after everything, but she really wanted answers, they both did.
"Are you okay?" Takemichi asked as he eyed her carefully and she let out a breath before nodding her head. They were currently standing outside the Tokyo Juvenile Detention Centre.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go." She said and Takemichi nodded leading the way.
It took a while, but they were finally able to see him. When they sat down in front of him, his eyes widened in surprise. She was the last person he had expected to visit.
"W- what are you guys doing here?" He asked, wondering why Takemichi had come back after having just seen him yesterday, and why he brought this girl he had wronged in so many ways.
"I bet you could guess." Naoka said coldly and the tattooed male bit his lip as his gaze fell. She noticed that he looked different, regretful, maybe even remorseful. But she wasn't going to speculate yet.
"We uh, we have some questions about everything that happened." Takemichi said and Kazutora nodded. He wanted to do right now, so he was prepared to answer anything they had for him. Takemichi looked to Naoka to start.
"Why did you stab Baji?" Was Naoka's first question, and she asked without hesitation.
"I thought he had betrayed me." He stated plainly.
"Why would you think that?" She pressed.
"It was Hanma. He had called me in the middle of the battle, telling me that Baji had betrayed us, so I did what we were supposed to do to traitors. I tried to kill him. But there was a part of me that also thought I had lost the last and longest friend I had ever had."
The memories flooded back to him of that day, and he felt a pain in his chest realising how stupid he had been. If only he had used his head and thought properly instead of getting lost in the situation and the moment, things could've been different.
"So Hanma? Does he by chance have anything to do with why those guys attacked me?" She further asked and Kazutora held his chin.
"He was the one who told me about your close relationship with Mikey, though I'm not exactly sure how he found out that information. There's someone else who's been commanding him, I'm sure of it, whoever they are, I'm sure they were the real person behind the organisation of Valhalla as well." Kazutora revealed and the other two looked at each other.
'Kisaki' Takemichi thought, he knew it was him, he had discovered that with Chifuyu a while back.
"He manipulated me into choosing you as Baji's test of faith victim and when Baji refused, I needed to think of something else to hurt Mikey and that was to hurt you. I had held such anger for Mikey for so long I didn't care that an innocent person would get hurt and Hanma played on that. I'm sorry." He apologised.
"It was Kisaki." Takemichi put together and Naoka looked at him for assurance. It made sense to her as well, yet she didn't know how he was also so certain. It's not like Takemichi could have known Kisaki's involvement in everything that had happened, could he?
"Are you positive?" She asked and he nodded.
"I wouldn't be surprised if it was him. That guy is bad news." Kazutora said. "Look, I know you probably don't care, but I really want to apologise to you Naoka. You don't have to forgive me or anything, but I'm just glad you're alive, for Mikey's sake and Baji's. I know how much Baji cares for you, it's pretty obvious, and I regret what I did to you." He said wholeheartedly as his yellow eyes met her lilac ones.
All she could do was offer him a nod. She wasn't ready to forgive him just yet and wasn't sure if or when she would. But he had taken the time to think things over and offer her a pretty good apology so she wouldn't yell at him for it.
"And thanks for saving Baji too." He added.
She had to admit, she didn't hate him as much now.
After they left the detention centre, Takemichi and Naoka went to a quiet café to talk.
"We need to tell Mikey about this, that it's all connected. Kazutora, Hanma and Kisaki." She said, but Takemichi shook his head. He wasn't so sure that would work out.
"We don't have any proof yet though, what makes you think they would believe us?"
"Shouldn't our word be enough?" She asked.
"It should be, but this is a massive accusation. If we're wrong, or even if Kisaki manages to manipulate the whole situation which is his specialty, then that's going to be big trouble for us." He said and she realised he was right. If they called Kisaki out, then he would probably turn the tables within a second.
"Then what should we do?" She asked feeling a little hopeless and he rubbed the back of his head.
"We need to get proof, whatever it takes to get it." He says and she nods. He extended his hand, and she shook it.
"Whatever it takes." She agreed.
"But uh, please be careful? The last thing I need is for you to get hurt. The others would murder me." He deadpanned and she scoffed, laughing at him.
"You're the one who should be careful fiasco."
~*~