"All for one, and one for all... That's what our gang's founded on..."
"Baji-kun's been fighting alone all this time to protect the promise from that day!"
Every one of his friends started crying. Including Mikey that finally broke down.
"I'm sorry... Baji."
Rian lied there, and kept her view at the sky. She didn't really wanted to see her friend's sad faces. She never spoke a word.
Just in this sad moment, sirens were heard. Probably the cops.
"It's the cops."
"Let's go."
The delinquents that are watching quickly went away too. No one wants to get thrown in jail just because of this.
Both Toman and Valhalla also started retreating. Though they've left Kazutora there.
"I'll stay here with Baji. You guys go." Kazutora said to Mikey.
"Kazutora..."
"I'm the one who started this. I want to end this on my own terms."
"I see." That's all Mikey said, he turned his head and started walking away.
"Toman's leaving too!" Draken commanded to the rest of the admins that's still there.
"Mikey!" Kazutora called out.
"I won't ask you to forgive me. Shinichiro-kun's murder. And Baji's death. I'll carry them on my shoulder the rest of my life."
Mikey didn't respond, nor did he even look at him. He kept walking as Kazutora finished talking.
"Let's go now, Kiri-san." Takemichi said as he put her arm over his shoulder, supporting her.
"Thanks man. Now I'm the one that's owing you."
"What do you mean, Kiri-san? You saved us on August 3rd, remember? I'm just returning the favor to you."
"Huh, did I?" She giggled.
Mei still isn't going. She stood still beside Kazutora.
"Mei, you should go, too." Kazutora tried persuading her to retreat together with Toman.
"I'm staying.... With you."
"Mei, this isn't really the time to joke around."
"Do I look like I'm joking around? You're the one who's joking around all the time! Telling me that you'd defeat Mikey? What's wrong with you—"
She suddenly dropped by Draken giving her a hand knife behind the neck, knocking her out.
"Sorry. She doesn't seem like she'd be stopping soon, so." Draken apologized.
Kazutora closed his eyes, and sat beside Baji's body with a smile.
"It's fine. Tell her that I said sorry after this."
Draken nodded. Carrying Mei on his back, he ran outside of the bandoned parking lot.
"Thanks man, for taking care of her. I'd do that myself if I were to walk properly." Rian said to Draken while she's hanging on Takemichi's shoulders, hard to even really stand up on her own.
"She's Toman's member, anyways. It's my job to keep them safe."
Rian scoffed, almost laughed out at his words.
"So the ol' mighty Draken is back, huh?"
This day, 2005 October 31st. Tokyo Manji Gang's 150 versus Valhalla's 300. The conflict came to an end with Toman's victory. With one dead and one arrest. And this fight was later known as 'Bloody Halloween'.
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Flashback when Mei was 12
"Kazutoraaaa~!!" Mei sang in the earliest morning, in front of his house.
"What is it, yelling so loud? You woke me up!" He shouted back from the window of his room.
"Come play with me! It's 9 already!"
"Would you ever let me get some sleep in the weekends?!" He shut his windows after this sentence, leaving Mei outside of his house, locked out.
Mei had her cheeks puffed up as she's angry at him. She pressed on the doorbell of his house, and it's his mum who opened the door.
"Oh, Mei. You're here! Come in!" She greeted Mei with a happy tone.
"Sorry for the trouble." She stepped in the house.
"Not at all. Thank you for being friends with Kazutora, by the way. He's been a rebellious child."
"I'd hang out with him everyday as long as I'm still alive, ma'am!"
"Well, his dad is coming home sooner or later. So..."
"I'd still be friends with him no matter what!"
"Ah! Mum! Why'd you let her in?!" Kazutora yelped in his pajamas, pointing at Mei that's in front of the door talking to his mum.
"What about it? She's a nice girl~"
"She's like the devil from hell—"
Mei quickly shutted his mouth by putting her hands on his lips.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah. We'll be going upstairs now, ma'am." She smiled as she dragged Kazutora back to his room, like she owned the place.
"Bah! What are you doing, Mei?!" He yelped immediately once getting her hands off his mouth.
"Come on, didn't you say to hang out with me today? So let's go!"
"But not this early!!" He whined, jumped on to his bed and covered himself with his blanket.
Mei was kinda speechless, seeing him like this.
"Hm... I'll tell your mum how you did in the last exam. How much was your Maths again?" She said as she pretended to start thinking, making him jolt up from his bed.
"I'm going to change!" He dashed into the bathroom without another second.
They went out of his house, now on the streets with their bicycles.
"So, where are we going?" Kazutora asked.
"No idea."
"Ah? Aren't you the one who wanted to hang out?!"
"But you're the one who promised me to!"
"Sometimes I wonder why am I even friends with you."
Mei went silent for a second.
"Hmm... Hey, didn't you say that Draken's tattoo is cool?"
"Yeah, what about that?"
"Why don't you get a tattoo for yourself too?" She just got this brilliant idea to get Kazutora a tattoo, which it should be cool for kids like them.
"Why would I—"
"Alright, let's go! I know just the place!" She started speeding up in front of Kazutora, leading the way.
"O-Oi! I never promised so!! Wait for me!"
They reached the tattoo shop in just a few minutes. With Kazutora panting from trying to chase up to Mei who's peddling so fast.
"I'm never... Riding a bike with you ever again..."
"Awe man, don't be like that!" She giggled, getting off her bike.
"Come on, man!" Pulling on Kazutora's wrist, she took him to a small place that's above the convenience store.
"Hey, mister! I brought you a customer for your miserable shop!" That's the first thing Mei said after stepping in the shop with Kazutora behind her.
"What do ya mean 'miserable'? I just got two customers yesterday!" The shop owner rolled his eyes on her.
Kazutora was sweatdropping, on how Mei gets along with almost everyone, even with adults.
"Mister, are you done with the design I asked you about?" She pulled a chair and sat down close to the shop owner.
"Yeah. I'm personally proud with this one." He took out a tablet and showed Mei his design. This made her eyes shine as if there were stars inside.
Kazutora who's confused, went to take a look behind them. Then to see a tattoo design looking like a tiger.
"Kazutora, what do you think?"
"Huh, me? Well... It's cool enough."
"Then let's get it started!" Mei cheered, jumping up from her seat.
"H-Huh? And by that, you mean..."
"I told him to design this for you! It suits you, does it? A tiger, like your name."
"I uhh..."
"No hesitating!" She pushed him on to the seat and lied him down.
"Eh?"
"I pity you, kid. She dragged you here without your consent, right?"
The owner asked while preparing the tools.
"Uh... Yeah..."
"I have ears, ya know?"
"Like we care."
"Assholes. I'll be getting some drinks downstairs. What do ya want?"
"Beer." The owner said.
"I'm underaged, man. The guy won't let me get it."
"He's my friend, just say that you're getting it for me."
Mei had her arms crossed in front of her chest.
"What about you, Kazutora?"
"Um... Just water is fine."
"Okay, so orange juice it is."
"Then what's the point asking me?!"
Mei closed the door of the shop, off to the convenience store downstairs to buy them drinks.
She went back upstairs after 10 minutes with their drinks to see that they still aren't done yet. She slept on the waiting seat for another 30 minutes like it's her home.
"It's done, kid."
Mei woke up because of this sentence, she jumped off the chair and immediately went to Kazutora to see how it came out.
"So cool!!" She exclaimed.
"This kid never yelled like the other one from years ago, who had his temples tattooed."
"Must be Draken." Kazutora giggled. He never thought that Draken yelled during the session.
"Here's the money, mister!" Mei ran through her pockets, and gave him the money.
"Mei, I can pay for it." Kazutora stopped her.
"No, man. I'm the one who dragged you here."
"You've came to my shop for so many times, have you ever thought of getting a tattoo yourself?"
"So that you can earn more of my money? No way!"
The owner sweatdropped, with a cigarette hanging in his mouth.
"I'd design one for you for free."
"Oh yeah? What do you think suits me?"
"You change your breaks fast..."
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