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Koichi was a person who always trusted his gut feelings. He had no reason not to. His talent as the Ultimate Talent Scout gave him an almost supernatural ability with people and the world around him. He could almost always tell when someone was bad, when something wasn’t going right. Most people were an open book to the man, with few exceptions.
Before the tragedy happened, his gut had been twisted in knots for weeks for reasons unknown, a sense of dread always hanging over his shoulder. He had shook it off. In retrospect he wished he hadn’t, even though he was sure there was nothing he could have done about it.
But that was one thing, and this was another.
When Jin and Tengan had told him about the Shelter Project, Koichi had been all for it. Jin was going to lock himself in the school alongside the students that Koichi had scouted — Class 78. They would stay there while Tengan and Koichi worked with others to try and undo the damage that was occurring, and bring the world back to peace.
But now, with just the three of them huddled alone as the world turned to chaos outside, Koichi couldn’t shake off this terrible feeling. With everything that had gone so, so wrong, could something like this possibly go right.
He stared blankly at his phone, the taste of whiskey fresh on his tongue as he listened to the breaking news reports coming from all over Japan. So many people were dying, so many things were just falling apart. Outside the world was burning and he could almost hear the screams. He wouldn’t admit it out loud but it was something that terrified him. But, he was able to mask it easily, something he had become somewhat of a master of over the course of his life.
He knew that these were going to be the last defining moments, and yet, there was so much that Koichi still wanted to do. There were so many things that were still left unsaid.
The moment Jin mentioned something about a mastermind pulling the strings, Koichi’s gut sank to the pit of his stomach and that overwhelming sense of dread washed over him. In his chest, his heart pounded so heavily it was almost painful. It was like death itself was lingering over his shoulder.
“We should think of an exit plan.”
“Right, I think you two should go.”
Koichi bit his lip, wondering if he should just keep quiet. No. He couldn’t. He had done too much of that throughout his life. “Wait!”
Both Jin and Tengan turned their heads to face Koichi, who stood there with a very noticeable look of uncertainty in his eyes. “Jin…Tengan…about the plan…”
“Huh…what about it, Koichi…?”
Koichi bit his lip and he stepped closer to Jin, his blue eyes meeting Jin’s violet ones. Those eyes…Koichi had always loved them.
“I…I think that…I should be the one to stay with class 78.” Koichi spoke this with little thought or contemplation. It was something that just slipped out, as if on instinct. In response, he received shocked and confused looks from both Jin and Tengan.
“What? Kizakura-kun why do you want to make such a sudden change?” Tengan asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“Koichi I thought we were all in agreement on this plan. I’m the one who is supposed to stay behind as the Headmaster, to look over these students and protect them.” There was a pause. “You know how much this means to me…”
Koichi put on his hat and tilted it down so he wouldn’t have to see the look of judgement and disappointment on Jin’s face. “I-I know how much it means to you, the most important person in your life is going to be there and you want to be there to watch over her…to reform a relationship with her…” He thought about her, about Kyouko. The little girl that he had loved like his own, who was so cruelly ripped away from Jin. Jin had always done so much to protect her, even if he was only able to do so from a distance. Koichi knew that he wanted to reform a bond with her even before everything had gone to hell.
“Then why would you suggest us switching places!?”
Koichi took in a deep breath and turned around to where his back was facing Jin and Tengan. He walked over to the window and gazed out at the world that was burning red. “Because…I think that the world would benefit more if you were out there than if I were out there…you’re a natural born leader Jin…and you’ve always done what you felt was just and right…” There was a long pause. “Someone like me…yes I may be the Ultimate Talent Scout and I know Tengan wanted to use me to find others for our cause but…I don’t think I can do it…”
“Koichi…” The blond flinched when Jin approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Why do I feel like there is more to it than just that? You’ve never doubted your talent before so why now…?”
Koichi said nothing at first, but slowly he brought his hand up and took the hand that was on his shoulder, holding it tightly.
“I…I can’t explain it…I just feel like I need to be the one to stay…” He whispered, slowly turning to face Jin. “If something happens…”
“Koichi this plan is supposed to be foil proof, you know that.”
“Jin…please…” Koichi squeezed Jin’s hand a little tighter, his own starting to tremble. “Just let me do this…I’m afraid if you stay…something bad will happen…”
“Is this another one of your gut feelings…?” Jin asked, his expression slowly softening as he returning Koichi’s grasp, bringing their hands down to their sides. Koichi nodded slowly and lowered his head. “Well…you’ve never been wrong with those before…ever since we were in high school…” Things fell silent between them and Koichi slowly moved closer to Jin, resting his head against his shoulder.
“I trust you, Koichi…if this is what you want, what you feel is the right thing to do…I won’t stop you.” Jin muttered. “I’ll wait and fight from the outside, but you better keep everyone safe…look after my daughter in my stead…”
A small chuckle escaped Koichi. “Have I ever let you down before, Jin?”
“No…you really haven’t…out of everyone who has ever come into my life…you’ve been the one thing that was always constant. You were the one person who was there when I lost everything. It’s…It’s going to be strange being apart from you…” Jin admitted. “I believe in you though…”
“Thank you…” Koichi smiled softly, a couple of tears rolling down his cheeks. It wasn’t often Jin was able to be honest with his feelings like this, so it made Koichi happy to hear it at this moment when he needed it the most. “Wait for us…and we will see each other again one day.”
“I’ll leave you to it then…” He started to pull away from Koichi, but when Koichi shaky grip return, Jin halted. “Koichi…you’re shaking again…”
“Jin…before you go…” Koichi took in a deep breath. “I don’t know how long this will last, or what may come to happen. It could be years before we see each other again…and we might not meet again at all…”
He turned to face Jin and took his other hand, holding them tightly. “So…just in case…so nothing is left unsaid between us…I want to be honest to you…”
“Honest to me…? Koichi what do you mean by that?” Jin gave him a confused look, but still held his hands reassuringly.
“I…I know there isn’t a lot of time left for words and even if I had all the time in the world I don’t think I could ever say what I want to say exactly how I want to say it…so I’ll just keep it simple.” He looked at Jin, a sad smile on his tear stained face. Before Jin could say anything in response, he leaned in and pressed their lips together in a soft, loving kiss. It was a kiss that he hoped would convey all the things that he wanted to say, all the thing he had been holding inside of him for almost twenty years.
Jin was frozen at first, as if unsure of how to react. His hands gripped Koichi’s a little more stiffly, but, he didn’t push him away. Just as Koichi was pulling his lips away from Jin’s, Jin suddenly wrapped his arms around him and brought him close again, giving him a kiss of his own. This one was deeper, more passionate, returning all the emotions that Koichi had tried to convey.
When they pulled apart, Koichi struggled not to cry. “I love you…I’ve always loved you. Thank you for everything that you’ve ever done for me. Thank you for being there for me when I had no family to call my own, when I had no idea where I was going with my life…” His voice was shaking with emotion. “You never saw me as hopeless, and you have no idea how much that meant to me…”
“Koichi…I guess I could say the same thing in return…” Jin chuckled and looked down at their hands. “After losing my wife, my dear Chizuru…I didn’t think there would ever be anyone else…but…you were always there and I…” He paused. “Maybe I’ve always loved you in the same way as her, I was just too stupid to notice or believe it…I hope you can forgive me for being such a lowly man…”
“Oh shut up…don’t say that about yourself…” Koichi whispered. “Now you should really get going…and hopefully the next time we see each other…we can build a new life together…”
“I’m holding you to that, Koichi…”
—
In the end, Koichi had no regrets. As he sat there tied to a chair, his eyes now blinded to everything around him, he could only think about how he was right all along.
“I really hate how you pulled the ole switcharoo on me at the last minute!! I had put all my hard work into making this specifically to be rid of Headmaster Kirigiri and instead I get stuck with the alcoholic Talent Scout!! Talk about a downgrade!!” That annoying, unknown voice was grating at his ears, as if someone was taking an electric drill to them.
“S-Sorry to disappoint you…” Koichi whispered in a soft voice. “I guess I just loved him too much to let him do this…”
“Love!? Oh don’t make me gag! There’s no more room for such things here!! From now on it’s all about the despair baby!!”
Despair, huh? So was this the person behind it all? Koichi was certain that it was but he didn’t have time to question things too much. He knew he was about to die.
Koichi tried to reassure and comfort himself. He put faith in the students to get through whatever was about to face them once he was gone. He knew they could do great things with the bonds that they had built since locking themselves away from the world. He had faith that the people waiting for them in the outside would come to save them.
“I guess we won’t meet again after all, Jin. I hope you can forgive me…but this is for the best. This way you will still be alive…you will still get to see Kyouko again. I’ve told her so many good things about you, how much you loved her…so I have hope that you two will be a family again…”
“Oh well!! I guess I will just work with what I have! Time to say bye-bye to this world!!”
Koichi tried not to scream or cry as the sounds of rumbling came from behind him. He wanted to be strong, even if there was no one watching. He didn’t want to give the person killing him the satisfaction of seeing his weakness.
“I’m sorry Jin. I’m so sorry. Forgive me for being so selfish.”
“Its execution time!!!”
“I love you…please stay strong for me...for Kyouko…”
In the last seconds before the rocket closed around him, there was a smile on Koichi’s face.
“I hope…we can meet again in the next life…”