"[F/N] this is Hakkai, Angry, Smiley, Inupi, Senju, Peh and Pah, and those are-"
"Oh I already know them. The MizoMid." You wink at the boys, smiling as you do.
Takemichi clears his throat before continuing "You already know Mitsuya and Chifuyu and well, some of us aren't here. Everyone this is [L/N] [F/N]. She has personal business with the Haitani's and will be joining us." Everyone bows their head, you included before gathering together. Everyone swarms around you, asking questions left and right.
"What's your deal with the Haitani's."
You believe it to be Pah that asked but the memory of the introduction is too fresh for your brain to have processed it.
"Rindou's my ex and he left suddenly. There are still things I have to tell him"
The words are sour on your tongue and come out burning like acid. Never have you thought of calling Rindou your ex but it sounds like the most appropriate word considering the circumstances. Everyone either gasps or goes extremely quiet but thankfully you don't have to wallow in awkward silence for too long.
"It's nice not to be the only girl in the gang. Can you fight?"
Another follows up with a similar question.
"Are you strong?"
Grumbling under your breath your brows furrow. "I'm not strong and I'm not really a fighter. But trust me when I say I won't easily get hit." They all hum before you see a vision of a surprise attack from behind you. You successfully duck out of the way quick enough for the fist of Smiley to connect with Peh's face instead.
"Ey! You wanna start shit!" He grabs onto the collar of the smaller boy who simply smiles up at him sheepishly "Just wanted to test it out. And look at that!" He gestures to you cowering on the floor, hands over your head while blankly staring at the floor "It's like she knew it was coming!" Peh let's go of Smiley, giving him a warning not to pull that shit again.
"I'm the only sane person here."
You get off the floor when everyone settles down. "Say [F/N]-san, why aren't you wearing our uniform?" You guess it was Hakkai asking so you turn to his direction "Mitsuya was so kind to alternate Rindou's old coat. It looks a little different but I wanted to wear it so bad." You give him a little twirl, showing off your new uniform that once belongs to Rindou.
"Will you be able to keep up during the fight?" Mitsuya and Chifuyu walked over together with Takemichi "Oh yea totally. I trained with the Haitani's back then, I just don't like hitting people, I'm not a fan of violence." The group laughs and you look around confused. "What? What did I say?" Chifuyu answer for them "It's just ironic that you out of all people would be friends with the Haitani's, not to mention in a relationship with one." Everyone agrees to his words "They did a really bad number on us during the dispute with Tenjiku." Mitsuya starts to explain how he and Smiley got knocked out with a brick, needing to be hospitalized because of it.
Hakkai and Angry talk about Rindou breaking their bones and snapping their joints while Ran was whacking them over the head with his baton. Your eyes widen and you immediately bow your head.
"I'm so sorry for their actions. I really did try to stop them but they're so stupid they never listened."
They all laugh it off "It was a fight. Injuries are kind of unavoidable." Even if they take it easier than you there's no way you'll forget that. You add that to your mental list of things to scold them about.
The boys scatter, leaving you and Senju alone. The girl stays by your side, happily smiling at you. She walks towards the stone steps of the shrine, sitting down and urging you to sit next to her. You comply, seeing no reason not to.
"What's up?" She shrugs "Just wanted to talk to a fellow girl." She leans back, eyes shut. "I also have personal business to take care of during the fight so I understand when you run off at some point, just be careful when you do." You hum, taking her advice to heart. "If I may ask, what's your business there?" Her eyes open to stare blankly ahead.
"I fucked up my family and I want to try and fix it." There's clearly more she wants to say so you stay quiet "I let my brother get hurt and we've never been the same since then. I want to try and fix it." You hum. The topic of family never really passed by you easily, always leaving you to awkwardly sit and wait until the other person is done talking. "How would you deal with that? Do you have siblings?" You sigh, scoff and roll your eyes, in that order, before answering her question.
"I'm and orphan. My parents kind of left me after I was born. Yea." Uncomfortable laughter comes from your mouth before you force yourself to shut up.
"Ran and Rindou are all I have."
You didn't mean to put the mood down, one thing just lead to another and then you had to let it out. You were never one for lying, honesty is one of your best and worst attributes depending on the situation.
"Sorry." Senju averts her gaze, apologizing. "Don't worry about it." The conversation ends there.
• ~ ~ ~ •
Not long after that awkward conversation the meeting begins with Chifuyu screaming out to everyone. You flinch but try to compose yourself. Being in a gang really isn't for you.
"First of all I would like to apologize for getting you all involved." Takemichi bows his head on top of the stairs "I was the one that lost to Mikey-kun during the battle of the three deities. It got me down but I'm standing here now." He looks really cool up there in your opinion "I might not have the caliber of a gang leader and Toman's captain will always be Mikey-kun. But I've realized something during the battle. Mikey has changed." His whole body is radiating with determination "I want to bring the old Mikey back." The words bring tears to your eyes, knowing that feeling of change all too well.
The Haitani's left and changed, that's why they didn't come back, but they also changed in multiple futures. Leaving you to die and rot away alone.
"I also really want to win against Mikey-kun!" Takemichi raises his voice "Our goal is to take down Kantou Manji Gang! I will not go down no matter what!" You can feel the emotion of his words resonating with you own "Let's take back what we have given up!" You think of the brothers "This isn't just my fight alone. This is our revenge."
After Takemichi's speech you pull him to the side.
"Listen Hanagaki." You start of serious, letting him know the flow of the conversation "I've died countless times in the future. I drowned myself, cut myself, hung myself. I did everything to get out of my miserable life. The oldest I died was 29 and the youngest. . ." You look down, finding the floor much more interesting "[F/N]-san?" You swallow hard "The youngest I've died was 19." Heavy silence settles between you two and you have to force yourself to continue talking. "The fight is a day before my birthday and I just want you to know, I can't currently see the future." His eyes widen "What?!" You shush him, ready to explain everything.
"In the past I've had days or weeks and months without any dreams. I thought it was because I couldn't remember them for some reason. But I think it's because of you." He tries to interrupt but you don't let him "My future changes all the time, it can depend on my mood or the people around me. I think you being here and constantly changing the future doesn't give my vision enough time to function properly." He looks down and you look back up.
"I want you to know. If I die on the ninth just know that it was inevitable. It was bound to happen."
"What?! No! I can't just let you die like this!"
You shake your head "You're not letting me die. Listen Takemichi, I've tried so often to change it but no matter what I did I always ended up kicking the bucket. I hung myself at 19, got shot at 21, cut my wrists at 23, drowned and overdosed at 24, got shot again at 25 and 29. There's no way to stop it."
"There's always a way."
You believe it. Those were your words at one point after all. There's always a way to change.
"I try not to get killed. I want a good future with Rindou and Ran too after all. But, if something were to happen I don't want you to blame that on yourself."
He stays silent. His blue eyes staring daggers though yours. The hurt, the betrayal. It almost feels like you stabbed him in the back.
"I'll try to live. That's my goal too, you know." You give him a light hearted smile and his eyes soften "And you best believe that I will help you the same way you're helping me right now."
Confused he raises his shoulders up to his ear "You're giving me the hope that I need to keep going. You see. I'm not actually as strong or happy as I look. I'm very fragile on the inside, I just refuse to let people see that." Your smile drops but the ghost of it is still visible.
"Please continueto be my hope until I have Rindou back."