Chapter Text
"You don't need to force yourself to come" 'Please just treasure yourself more' was left out of Mikey's sentence.
Takemichi hummed, letting Mikey put his head onto his shoulder. "They were hosting a party and you know it too, it would be the last time I can spend time with everyone. Besides, I'm the one who sponsored this party"
"It's not the last time..." Mikey mumbled unsurely.
Takemichi just shrugged his shoulders slightly as to not bother Mikey. Looking around the place, Takemichi engraved everyone's happy face into his memories.
He watched fondly as Mitsuya was stopping Hakkai from having a drinking match with Smiley. Angry was looking at his twin brother worriedly, trying to stop Smiley from taunting Hakkai.
He chuckled as Baji and Chifuyu were swinging side to side, vibing to the song that was sang by Kazutora, encouraging the tiger man. Although, he winced slightly when Kazutora just screamed the song out, not singing. He refused when Baji and Chifuyu invited him to drink together while cheering Kazutora on.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Takemichi saw Inui and Kokonoi nursing themselves to a drink while leaning against the wall. They exchanged a smile when their eyes connected. He must said that Inui looked so cute when he brightened the moment Inui saw him. However, he raised his eyebrow questioningly when Inui growled, eyes looking at Mikey who was still leaning onto his shoulder.
Shaking off his confusion, Takemichi let his eyes wandered around the venue once again. His heart filled with warmth and happiness when he saw how happy everyone was. These great things were what drove him to always get on his feet. What drove him into not giving up, leaping between pasts and futures to save everyone.
His eyes stopped on the two people he cherished. The two, Draken and Emma, were in their own world, talking, smiling, laughing with each other. His breath hitched when Emma's kissed Draken's cheek with Draken planted a gentle kiss on Emma's forehead in return. They looked so happy that it also brought happiness to Takemichi. Although, the heartbreak he felt was too overwhelming that as if the happiness he felt was only at one percent or maybe lower.
Takemichi was snapped out of his thought when he felt fingers lacing with his. Looking to the side, Takemichi was greeted by the sight of Mikey already looking at him with so much softness, smiling softly. Takemichi smiled gratefully in return, leaning his head against Mikey's.
They were enjoying each other's presence until they were broke out of their comfort zone the moment the emcee's voice blaring out in the venue.
"Those were indeed some great preformances even if some of their voices are questonable" The emcee joked, gaining laughters from the people in the place. Takemichi stiffled a laugh when he saw Baji and Chifuyu were holding Kazutora back from punching the emcee while the emcee was still standing there in his glory, smiling cheekily.
"But, now, we have..." The emcee looked at the list in his hand before he brightened, his eyes going to Takemichi. "We have our sponsor, our angel, Hanagaki Takemichi with us! Come forth our angel!"
Takemichi's eyes blew wide, jaw hanging open. He was shocked. He knew he did not signed his name up for the performance so why-
His thought was cut off when he saw Baji, Chifuyu and Kazutora were giving him thumbs up, grinning mischievously.
Right. He should have known. Those prankster.
Takemichi tried to refuse but the excited and expectance eyes around him made it hard for him to refuse. Instead, he grew to be more anxious. Takemichi was looking around him, trying to find an escape when a warm hand landed on his back.
"Hey," Mikey's soft but matured voice entered his ears. Takemichi whipped his head to the side, seeing Mikey shot him an encouraging look. "You don't need to do this if you don't want to"
Takemichi stared at Sano Manjirou's encouraging face for a while before he took a deep breath, releasing them calmly.
"Alright alright, i'll do it" Takemichi raised from his seat, placing his hands on his hips. "Let me just take my guitar real quick"
Takemichi was about to walk away when Chifuyu shouted, "Don't worry partner! We've got your guitar here!"
Takemichi deadpanned as he looked at Chifuyu, Baji and Kazutora lifting a guitar bag above their head. Sighing, he approached the trio, snatching the guitar from them. Giving them a playful glare, Takemichi said,
"Be glad that I love you guys"
The trio smiled triumphantly, cheering for Takemichi.
Takemichi walked onto the stage, nodding his head to the emcee in greeting. While walking to the chair that was prepared by the emcee, Takemichi unzipped his guitar bag. As he reached the chair, he took out the guitar and put the bag beside the chair.
Sitting on the chair with his guitar cradled to his chest, Takemichi got more nervous when he saw the audience was looking at him with so many expectations in their eyes. However, Takemichi didn't come up here for them.
Takemichi nervously looked around the venue until his eyes landed on the big group among the crowds. He saw how they were encouraging him in their own ways, some hands hanging in the air. Although, his eyes were still stuck on the two hands that were stuck to one another. Draken's and Emma's. His chest felt tight.
"Takemicchi!"
Takemichi was forced to tear his eyes away from the joined hands to look for the voice. There, among the group, standing on the chair was Mikey who had his hands cupped over his mouth. When blue meet black, Takemichi smiled softly seeing Mikey give him a thumb up with his bright smile.
Obviously, the sound of his scream attracted unwanted attention. Takemichi giggled when a security guard of the place scolded Mikey for standing on the chair. Mikey pouted before sitting on it, turning back to Takemichi with a smile.
That was all Takemichi needed as he took a deep breath and strummed the first chord. The crowd fell silent as the melody echoed in the venue before Takemichi opened his mouth. As he did, those who hadn't yet heard him singing were shocked while those who had heard it already were looking at him fondly and proudly.
"Take it
If he gives you his heart
Don't you break it
Let your arms be a place
He feels safe in
He's the best thing that you'll ever have"
The slow rhythm of the song made it sound sad. Mikey, who knew the past, immediately knew what this song was about. He looked to his side, seeing Draken and Emma look at each other fondly before looking back at Takemichi, including him.
Mikey fisted his hand. So tight that he could feel his knuckles turning white.
Don't get him wrong. Mikey loved it when he saw Draken and Emma happy together. Although, he absolutely hated how these whole things were hurting Takemichi.
"He always has trouble falling asleep
And he likes to cuddle while under the sheets
He loves Pop songs
And dancing, and bad trash TV
There's still a few other things"
Every time Draken came over to his house with flowers and gift and he had to stay the night was Takemichi's favourites moments. The moment when they were cuddling under the sheet on his queen-sized bed. Sometimes, the rain was falling onto the window, making the whole cuddling thing more comfortable than it need.
The moment when Takemichi woke up earlier than Draken, staring at his sleeping face with so much love. Running his delicate fingers on Draken's beautiful features like his nose, lips, jawlines, tattoos and many more. Continue to caress the person he loved with so much love until Draken woke up and took Takemichi's hand in his just to kiss Takemichi's wrist gently.
The moment when they were dancing along to the music, laughing with each other so loud until his neighbours came knocking on his door.
All of the moments with Draken were Takemichi's favourite.
But now, those moments were only memories to him alone. Those memories would happen again but not with him. Takemichi knew that Emma would belong perfectly in those moments with Draken...
...replacing him.
"He loves love notes and babies
And likes giving gifts
Has a hard time accepting a good compliment"
Takemichi remembered when they were hanging out with each other. In another timeline. He remembered the feeling of butterflies in his stomach when he saw Draken playing with a baby that belongs to one of his clients.
The man bought his baby to his motor shop and Draken was offering to take care of the baby while the dad was buying some things he needed. He remembered how Draken's ears were turning red when the man complimented him seeing as how good he was with the baby.
"He loves his whole family
And all of his friends
So if you're the one he lets in
Take it
If he gives you his heart
Don't you break it
Let your arms be a place he feels safe in
He's the best thing that you'll ever have
He'll love you
If you love him
On days when
It feels like the whole world might cave in
Stand side by side and you'll make it
He's the best thing that you'll ever have
He'll love you
If you love him like that"
The moment Takemichi raised his voice a little, a few people were gaping. They love the low pitch at the beginning of the song but when Takemichi raised his voice a little, it sounded good.
Too good.
It didn't help that tears streamed down Takemichi's face, making the audience burst into tears too. The song sounded beautiful but with Takemichi crying, it felt so sad.
"He wakes me each morning by kissin' my cheeks
And when I look a mess, says, "You're perfect to me"
He's more than my best friend, forever and then some
And I choose him over and over again"
Draken and he were once friends until they turned into lovers. What sweet memories. Now that he was back to the past, a far-back to the past one, he couldn't help but think that he was not as much as a substitute. A substitute for Emma's place. The thought hurt him so bad that the tears inevitably streamed down his cheeks.
Would there be somewhere where Draken solely belong to him? Somewhere?
Takemichi just wished, if there were multiple universes, he wished, he so much wished that some of him in any universe got to be with him. He just wished Draken belonged to him in one of those universes.
Please.
At least, his other self got to be happy with the love of his life. Draken was the love of his life in this universe. Were. He no longer belonged to him. Takemichi knew it.
Emma was a lucky girl.
"So take it
If he gives you his heart
Don't you break it
Let your arms be a place he feels safe in
He's the best thing that you'll ever have
He'll love you
If you love him"
Takemichi hoped that Draken would be happier with Emma. Would feel so much freedom with her. Would feel so much safe around her. Would get so much love and affection he deserved.
He might not get those feelings anytime soon but he sure hoped Draken would feel those feelings. He deserved it.
"On days when
It feels like the whole world might cave in
Stand side by side and you'll make it
He's the best thing that you'll ever have
He'll love you
If you love him like that"
By this time, no eyes were dry. The song was beautiful. The way Takemichi's voice conveyed the song. The way how much emotion was running through his voice. The song actually sounded like a parent was leaving their child to another person, giving them advice to take care of the child. To the partner.
However, hearing Takemichi sang it with his raw emotion made them think that it was about how his past love was now with someone else. How his love no longer belonged to him. How his love was now with another person.
And it was exactly that but they didn't need to know that. It was enough that only Takemichi knew. And maybe Mikey too.
"He'll love you
If you love him like that
He'll love you
If you love him
He'll love you
If you love him like that
He'll love you
He'll love you
He'll love you
He'll love you
If you love him
On days when
It feels like the whole world might cave in
Stand side by side and you'll make it
He's the best thing that you'll ever have
He'll love you
If you love him like that"
As he was done with his guitar, Takemichi immediately stood up and bowed, placing his guitar beside the chair.
The song ended but the whole venue was too quiet. If anyone were to drop a pin, the whole place would hear the echo. The silence made Takemichi nervous. He was afraid to lift his head or even glance at anyone.
What if they didn't like it? What if he messed up anywhere? What would his friends say?
Many negative thoughts were running through his thought before a slow clap from someone were echoing. He looked up wide-eyed just to see Mikey standing up on his chair again, clapping for him with the tears running down his pretty face. It was not long before the others were joining the claps until the only sound people could hear were the claps and the cheering.
"Well, well, well! Isn't that a beautiful song?" The emcee spoke into his microphone, walking toward the still-shocked Takemichi. "It felt very comforting but also pretty emotional for some unknown reason"
Takemichi finally snapped out of his shock when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He offered the emcee a shaky smile and the latter squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. Takemichi didn't know the guy but he appreciated the gesture.
"You might want to wipe your pretty face before we continue" The emcee winked at Takemichi, earning a laugh from the latter and some teasing from the audience.
A certain group didn't like it at all but it made Takemichi smile. So they calmed themselves down.
Takemichi wiped the tears on his cheeks using the sleeves on his forearm, hoping the tear stains on his cheeks would not be visible. He smiled up at the emcee when he was done, sitting on the chair again.
"So, that was undeniably a gorgeous song for this beautiful night. I never heard it before. Did you write it? what was it about?"
Takemichi looked down at his lap with his smile looking soft and cute, making the audience coo at him. He fiddled with his guitar string, thinking of how he could answer the question. The audiences were all waiting for him patiently, not a single sound was made.
"Yeah, I wrote it" Takemichi bit his lips nervously, pausing his sentence. The audience was cheering but the emcee didn't interrupt him as he knew Takemichi had more to say.
"The process of writing this was hard. I wrote this song while having to watch someone I loved looking so happy, so bright with someone he loves. And that someone would never be me again" Takemichi chuckled as he heard collective gasps resounding around the place. "It hurts so much. Like, so so so much that it suffocates me. As if the pain alone would kill me alive
While writing the song, I wondered... I've always wondered, what can I do for him to love me again? What can I do to make him mine again? What can I do to hear him call me 'mine' again?
But I deduced that I will never get any of that anymore. This song is a part of my journey to move on. My journey to acceptance"
His friends noticed how Takemichi was looking at them with so much pain in his eyes. However, only Mikey knew those longing eyes were looking at Draken, who was looking at Takemichi in admiration with his arm around Emma.
Mikey fisted his hand but he still gave Takemichi a comforting smile. Takemichi needed it.
Takemichi noticed him as his eyes widen for a second before he smile softly in return.
"I figured that it will be okay even if it will take a lot of time in the process. At least, he is in good hands now. Better even," Takemichi said with his bright smile, looking so gorgeous under those dim lights on the stage. "I wrote this song in the mind that it was for his new partner, a partner that he will spend the rest of his life with. Hoping that his new partner will know just how lucky she is because he was the best. He might not be mine now but he was once mine. I felt lucky to have him even once. So now, it all belongs to her. If she loves him, do everything right for him"
The venue was echoing with the cheering and clapping sound as Takemichi finished. Some of them were sobbing, crying, and screaming.
Toman and a few others were clapping too but their eyes were so wide looking at Takemichi. They didn't miss the 'he' that was mentioned. No one knew about his love life besides Mikey. It caught them off-guard. Was 'he' one of them? Some of them might understood what Takemichi meant as a few of them glanced at Draken and Emma.
The emcee patted Takemichi's head gently, offering a gentle smile with welled-up tears in his eyes.
"Well, you heard it, lads! Takemichi, our participant here is so strong to endure all of those with his head so high! Don't want the crown to fall, huh?" The emcee raised his eyebrow playfully, earning another laughter from Takemichi. "That's beautiful. Do you perhaps want to perform another song?"
The words of the emcee's made the audience excited for some reason. The encouragement for him to sing again was so loud, making Takemichi genuinely laugh. At least he could leave with a good memory.
"I'm sorry, I can't," Takemichi wiped the lone tear from the corner of his eyes when his laughter gradually coming to stop. He checked his watch before looking up at the audience again while placing his guitar in its bag. "I need to catch my flight in an hour. I needed to go to my father. He thought that it was a good idea to open a branch in America. Thankfully I am already an adult. But being an adult is hard."
The audience among the certain group was looking at Takemichi wide-eyed. Since when? Why? Why didn't they know about this? What did Takemichi mean? Was he leaving? They were talking to each other, questioning if anyone among them knew something about this. The announcement of his leaving was too sudden for them.
But Mikey. Mikey was the only one who knew about this hence the calm look he had with a sad smile on. Takemichi told him that evening, and he needed to let it go as he knew, somewhere needed Takemichi more than him. He also needed the time to get away from something that was hurting him. He took a deep breath before releasing it slowly, a big smile on his lips.
"Ah, as I've got the opportunity, I want to say thank you to all of my friends for the support that all of you gave me. All of you mean so much to me. So please, stay as you are, don't change. I love you, goodbye"
The audience the in the venue all awwed and cooed at Takemichi's sweet words, reddening Takemichi's cheeks beautifully.
When he said 'I love you', he looked at Draken with his eyes looking so soft. No one but Mikey and the other end of eye contact noticed it. Draken was sure Takemichi was looking at him when he said that. It made his breath hitched. Why him? Was he missing something?
"That was all from our angel, Hanagaki Takemichi! give him an applause!"
Takemichi looked around the venue fondly when the cheering and clapping were so loud and it was all for him. A good memory before leaving. Indeed. He turned around to walk away, slinging the bag of his guitar over his shoulder when he heard a soft call of his name.
"Hanagaki-san, may you find someone you deserve and can be happy with for the rest of your life"
Takemichi looked at the emcee wide-eyed before his face changed to a bright smile. Giving the emcee a thumb up, he quickly ran out of the stage, gripping his guitar bag string tightly.
He saw someone he didn't want to see head out of the venue. And he really didn't see him.
That was his good bye.
Draken was looking at those small retreating back wide-eyed. His stomach churned uncomfortably. Why did takemichi look straight at him when he said it? Why? He need to know why he looked at him with so much sadness, pain and grief behind those ocean-blue eyes. He needed an answer.
Before he realized it, he was pushing the people around him to get through, gaining a few confused looks from his friends. He struggled to get through, ignoring the call of his name from Emma. When he did, he ran as fast as he could toward backstage, slamming the door open.
The people inside who managed the venue jumped when the loud slam echoed but Draken didn't mind them. His eyes frantically searched for the familiar figure he was searching for. Although, not even his shadow was to be seen.
He put his hand on one of the volunteers, turning the latter around.
"Takemichi. Hanagaki Takemichi. Our sponsor. Where is he?"
The volunteer looked at Draken bewildered, taken off guard by suddenly being spun around. "Uh, he hurriedly went out earlier. Not too long"
"Thanks"
Draken ran out of there immediately in the hope to catch up to Takemichi. He ran out to the street, looking everywhere for Takemichi. He ran around like a headless chicken, nothing on his mind except Takemichi's sad smile, the love in his eyes and the words 'I love you' he said. After running around for some time, when he caught no sight of the person he was looking for, his steps slowly came to stop with his head down.
He felt empty for some reason.
"Ken?"
Draken felt a small hand on his back and he hated himself when he hated how the voice didn't belong to the one he was looking for. Regardless, he smiled slightly, a little surprised when he felt some kind of liquid running down his cheeks. Was he crying? When? Why?
"E-Emma..."
"Ken? Are you okay?" Emma saw tears that welled up in Draken's eyes, immediately cupping both sides of Draken's face with her hands. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
The question made tears in his eyes fell more. He wanted to stop it but it was pointless. The tears kept flowing down his face.
"He left. He left us" Draken said. He left me.
Even without mentioning who, Emma knew who 'he' was. She saw how deep Draken's and Takemichi's friendship was. She knew how much they meant to each other that it felt unreal when Draken proposed to her. But she figured it might be one of those really meaningful friendships.
Without saying anything, she wrapped her arms around Draken's broad waist, and his arms immediately wrapped around her small figure.
"I feel like if I don't find him now, I will lose him forever. I don't know why. He left us without saying anything. That was cruel of him. It is so cruel"
'It made me feel empty' Draken scared to say it outloud.
"No, don't say that" Emma pulled away from Draken to cup his face once again, frowning slightly "He must have his reason. I'm sure he has his reasons. He sounds so hurt earlier. I'm sure he will be coming back to us someday. Goodbye doesn't mean to be forever"
Draken didn't say anything. He pulled his wife into his embrace as he tried to calm himself. When he was calm enough to go back inside, he pulled away and cupped Emma's face before kissing Emma's lips gently.
"Thank you"
Emma just smiled brightly at him before both of them walked back inside the venue hand in hand, smiling at each other.
Witnessing all of those, a figure came out from one of the alleyways. He looked at the back of the lovely couple walking with tears streaming down his face. When he no longer could see them, he looked up to the dark sky with his tears giving no sign of stopping anytime soon.
He walked backwards until his back bumped into the concrete of one of the buildings. His back was sliding down the wall until he completely sat with his legs close to his chest, making him looked so small and fragile. He still was looking at the dark sky when he heard the approaching footsteps but he paid it no mind. He heard them a lot that he recognized them despite not looking at who it was.
The newcomer lowered down, sitting beside him and looking up at the sky too.
"In an hour, huh? Takemicchi" The other teased, without looking at Takemichi.
Takemichi chuckled slightly, placing his face into his hands. "I don't want to see them, especially him. Is it wrong?"
"No. You very much have the reasons to"
"I need that"
The other person didn't reply. They were sitting in the dark with the light of the street lamp post shining onto them. They were sitting in comfortable silence, enough with having each other.
The silence was broken when the one beside Takemichi started to speak.
"Can I come?"
His voice was just above whispers. As if he was afraid he would ruin the comfortable silence enveloping them.
It was so quiet that Takemichi barely heard it. Turning his head to the side, Takemichi saw how the other was already looking at him softly with unshed tears in his eyes.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, who am I without my hero?" The other laughed slightly.
"You are you. No matter where you are, with whoever, you are just you"
"Still, can I come? We can cuddle, dance to pop songs together, cook together even if I don't know how to cook, laugh together... basically doing everything together. You don't have to be alone"
Takemichi laughed brightly as he imagined the scenes in his head. The images he got was adorable.
The other looked at the laughing Takemichi fondly, tempted to reach for Takemichi's hand at this moment but held himself back. Finding himself lost in those blue eyes of Takemichi's, he thought to himself, 'I'm sorry for loving you too deeply, Takemicchi. Even as he holds you in his heart, forgive me, for I couldn't let you go to him. For you belong to me, always'
"So, can I?"
Takemichi looked at his hands on his lap before looking at the other beside him with his soft smile. That soft smile that everyone adores.
"Sounds lovely."