Work Text:
Rain was pouring all over the Kanto Region. The sky seemed to sympathize with the grieving souls that had every broken piece of their hearts scattered on the pavement. Thunder roared, and lightning struck.
Everyone was quiet. It was too quiet. But it seemed loud enough. The silence was enough. Enough to drown out the sound of the heavy downpour and thunder.
Enough to convey the pain they were feeling. Silent tears streamed cold cheeks, fellow gang members and non-members alike. The lower guys of Kanto left long ago. Only the top heads remained.
But Toman remained complete. Until the end.
Inui, Mizo Mid, Mitsuya, Hakkai, Pahchin, Pehyan, Smiley, Angry, and Senju bowed in front of their president with their hands behind them. If the sobs were loud enough to be heard, no one mentioned anything. Chifuyu was kneeling, his head on the ground, as he slammed his fists in devastation.
No one dared utter a word. Not even Hanma, nor the Haitanis. Not even Sanzu.
At some point, they knew him. Admired his courage and relentless determination. The strength was rare in their world. But it was him. It was his brand and signature. Saving anyone who needed help.
But no one saved him.
It's been a while, but Mikey remained to hug Takemitchy's cold body despite the rain. His calloused hands caressed the boy's head.
Gone are the words Takemitchy last uttered. "Promise me that you'll return, Manjiro. Maybe not to me anymore, but to your family, to your friends."
Who was Mikey to decline his last wish? Who was he to ruin Takemitchy's sole reason for coming back to the past? How dare he? After everything that Takemitchy sacrificed, after all the death, and pain he caused him, how dare he let himself succumb to his dark impulse again?
Mikey doesn't know if there was still a heart remaining, but with its broken state, he nodded. "I promise, Mitchy. I promise." He said, voice hoarse. Mikey managed to plant a kiss on the boy's palm before Takemitchy's strained smile faded away. The hand that was holding Mikey's cheek fell. The latter tried to raise it again, to feel his warmth, to hold on to that sliver of hope. But Takemitchy's hand always fell, and his head hung. He's gone. His Takemitchy's gone.
Mikey still hasn't stopped embracing the boy since then. Muttered apologies escaped his lips. He caressed the boy's cheeks and bawled on his shoulders.
"I'm so sorry, Takemitchy..." He said, repeatedly.
When the sirens were heard, he screamed.
Manjiro screamed. "No... no... no... please... don't take him away..." He hugged Takemitchy tighter. Chifuyu and the others could only watch.
It was Mitsuya, Inui, Koko, and Sanzu who took over.
"This war is over Kanto! Toman won! Now, it's your turn!" Inui yelled through the rain.
"Kanto Manji Kai is disbanded!" Followed by Sanzu. "Go wherever the fuck you like, I don't care! This gang is over!" Koko was surprised by the former's decision. Seeing Mikey and Takemitchy like that, even if Sanzu didn't get along with the latter, Koko knew he understood.
"Hold on!" Ran yelled, "We're staying. Rindou and I are staying. The gang disbanded, but it was a member of Kanto who shot Hanagaki several times. Let us take the responsibility." He said. Chifuyu, Hakkai, and Angry almost tackled the older if it weren't for Pachin, Pehyan, and Smiley to restrain each of them.
The Haitanis understood their anger. They were angry too. It was just a fight, no one was meant to die, but here they were.
"We're staying too," Benkei moved forward along with Wakasa. Soon, Kakucho, and the rest of Kanto Manji Gang's top heads decided to stay. Even Hanma.
"It's too late for me, Hanagaki. But I hope it's not too late to set things right. I followed Kisaki because I was bored. But when he died, it dawned on me just how lonely and fucked up I was. You, despite yourself... chose to be the last one to give up and be everyone's hero. I didn't fucking get Kisaki's hatred on you, not even once. Nor the fact that you just refuse to stay down. But here we are." Hanma confessed. "This is to finally set things right, Hanagaki. I'm deeply sorry I was this late. I owe you everything." He said and kneeled to bow on the ground.
"Hanma!" Chifuyu called out. The tall guy looked up, and Chifuyu continued with a devastating ache in his chest. "You're a bastard who fucked everything over with Kisaki, but I'm sure Aibo would forgive you. He would..." He said, and turned down his head and whispered, "...because he's an idiot, whose heart is too big for his own.."
Hanma didn't say anything anymore. He stood up and stared at the lifeless body of everyone's hero. It was Mitsuya who broke the silence again. They needed to hurry. They could hear the sirens getting nearer.
"Toman disperse at once, and meet at the Musashi Shrine in three days! Leave, now!" He yelled, the Toman members quickly ditched the area. "You guys leave too. Inui, Chifuyu, and I will handle this." He instructed Pahchin and the others. Faint sounds of multiple revving of the engines were heard before it soon faded in the dark.
Koko approached Mikey.
"Mikey.." He started. "You have to go."
"Find him, Koko," Mikey uttered. Koko didn't get to hear it at first, but Mikey repeated it a little louder. "Find the bastard who killed Takemitchy."
"Please..." He begged as he hugged the late president of the second generation even more.
"You can count on me," Koko replied, undeterred. Determined to orchestrate a manhunt for the motherfucker who killed his former captain. His term as a member under Hanagaki in Toman wasn’t long, but their bond as former black dragons and what the late captain did for him was enough. It was enough to grow hatred for that bastard who shot Takemitchy.
Mitsuya and Chifuyu then approached their former first President, "Let's go, Mikey." Mitsuya called on. Mikey planted a kiss on Takemitchy's forehead and palm before turning him to whisper in his ear.
"Wait for me. I'll fulfill our promise first." He whispered. "When the time comes, can you please welcome me back again? I will find whoever killed you and make him pay before that, alright? Don't worry, I won't go astray again. Gramps and the others would talk my ear out." He paused, "You will always be in my heart, Takemitchy. See you."
With a hushed farewell, Mikey laid Takemitchy on the ground carefully. He nodded at the former top heads of Kanto and proceeded to leave with Mitsuya, Chifuyu, and Inui. Koko and Sanzu followed right after. The rain wasn't stopping. But it muted the sound of their bikes.
Soon, the authorities reached the area and arrested all the top heads of the Kanto Manji Gang, whilst the ambulance took Takemitchy away.
When they were asked, it was Madarame who stepped up as president, and Kakucho as the vice. The authorities questioned them. They tried to catch their lies and asked them about Sano Manjiro, who was rumored to be Kanto's president. Ran stepped up.
"Sano Manjiro?" He chuckled for a second then abruptly stopped. "I understand the confusion but that guy disbanded his gang two years ago. No delinquent has heard from that guy or his former gang members since then. Don't mix us up with that fucker." He said, the last word a fib.
"Then why's that young man in the ambulance wearing the guy's gang uniform? Surely he's connected to Sano." The police said.
"That young man belonged to another gang. Apparently, Toman's disbandment two years ago devastated lots of lowly delinquents. Attempted to create their own. But they're fakes. Ain't I right, Kakucho?" He lied.
"I bet Sano's disappointed that his former gang was being appropriated by low lives." Kakucho stoked, "Sano nor anyone from original Toman has gotten involved with any gang after the death of his other brother. So you guys shouldn't waste your time investigating a wild goose chase when you got everything you needed as evidence right in your face." He said and apologized to Takemitchy in his head. He couldn't say goodbye to his friend. Kakucho's devastated. After Izana's death, he didn't know where to lead his life. It stayed the same when he was recruited by Rokuhara Tandai, but when he heard about the plans for recruiting Takemitchy, Kakucho pursued with a newly awakened purpose. But then it was taken away once again. He lost another friend. Another person whom he considered family.
Now, here he was. Bound to prison again. Kakucho thought maybe it was the right path. After he serves the sentence, he'll help Mikey and his friends to get back on their feet again. Maybe he should also help them stay on the right path that Takemitchy died for. That's the least he could do for him.
The top heads of the Kanto Manji Gang were sentenced to ten years of imprisonment without bail. Kazutora heard the news from Hanma. He was devastated. Takemitchy was the one who prevented Mikey from killing him. He owed him his life. But now, he's gone.
He was planning on repaying Takemitchy after he's gotten out. He couldn't do that anymore, besides waiting for the end of the service and leading a normal life. Away from gangs and hatred. Reconcile with his friends.
"You did it again," He muttered and found himself tearing up. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to help you…”
After grueling months of manhunt, Koko, Inui, and Sanzu finally found the killer through anonymous contacts. The motherfucker was hiding in the countryside and was shit-scared when they found him. They made an anonymous tip to Detective Tachibana, the father of Takemitchy's ex-girlfriend, who voluntarily led the case for the sake of his daughter.
After the sentence, Mikey was the one who faced the murderer inside the visitors' room, with Mitsuya and Chifuyu behind him. Takemitchy's mother requested Mikey to go instead, so he did. His mother's still devastated at the loss of her son. Mikey too, but his promise to Takemitchy is a stronger drive.
The killer apologized profusely, bowing in front of the three. But nobody uttered a word.
Mikey closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. "Takemitchy would've forgiven you." He started. "After all, he chose to forgive me after what I did. Did I deserve it? No." He admitted.
"But here we are, aren't we?" He said and looked at the killer as the latter bawled his eyes out. "I'm not Takemitchy, though." He said, leaning on the glass window that separated them.
"Takemitchy's too kind. His heart's too big and often wore it on his sleeves. He was a crybaby, but fucking hell," He paused. The twin babu's keychains that he turned into a bracelet, both his and Takemitchy's, sat snuggly on his wrist. "He had a strong spine. The sturdiest backbone out of all delinquents combined. He's the last one to instigate a fight, but he will be the last one to stand down. He was the backbone of Toman, as long as he was there, Toman would never lose. He was Toman’s light. My light..." He stalled for a few seconds.
"And you killed him." He said as he glared at the man. Mikey stood up while he leaned on the glass. Mitsuya and Chifuyu were on alert, ready to stop Mikey if they needed to. The man stared up in fear. Words were cut out of his tongue.
"Go rot in hell," He said before he turned away and left the room.
In a few beats, Mitsuya moved towards the glass. "You already made a mistake when you guys ganged up on Takemitchy when he was with Senju at the festival.” He paused and examined the killer. His lilac eyes are void of light, sadness overshadows the life out of his being. But still, he aimed to move forward.
“Then you killed Draken on that same day.” He said fragments of that day he found out about Draken’s demise are still fresh in his memories. His hand scratched the glass, the nerves were popping out. Chifuyu observed from the sideline.
“Now you killed Takemitchy." He paused, eyes shut recalling from that very moment those bullets pierced Takemitchy’s body. The momentum rammed him to the ground, head slammed against it. "You're not getting away this time. You have my word." He calmly said. With that, he and Chifuyu left the room. The guy on the other side of the glass was escorted back to his cell, with eyes bawled with tears of regret.
They found Mikey waiting at the parking lot on his babu. The engine was still off.
"Are you going to visit him again?" Mitsuya asked when he calmed down. He then boarded his bike.
"Yeah," Mikey replied. "I first need to get the potato chips he would always buy. He was obsessed with them." Mikey was turning the engine on when Mitsuya spoke again.
"What about the others?" The lilac haired asked. "They're waiting, you know." He said.
Mikey paused to think, "That's beyond my jurisdiction. I disbanded the first nearly three years ago. Takemitchy built the second, but he's not here anymore isn't he?" The three of them didn't say anything for a short period. The breeze was cold, but the warmth of the sun comforted them. The birds flew freely in the sky. It was a nice day.
"What was the purpose of the second?" Mikey asked.
"To save you." Chifuyu instantly said. “Takemitchy gave up his best future to go back.”
Mikey was silent for a moment, gaze trained on the bracelets on his wrist. "I'm saved now. I came back. You already served your purpose.” He paused, “But if you're asking me, it's up to you, Chifuyu. You're the vice president, remember?" He said.
"I am.” Chifuyu confirmed, “But I don't think I can lead. During the first Toman, I have always followed Baji-san. When he died, I followed Aibo as his vice-captain. Then I became his vice president at the second. Now, he’s gone too.” He said, looking down. His heart ached, and his tears were threatening to fall. Chifuyu looked up to blink away the tears and sighed.
“Sorry, I can’t be the president.” He said with finality.
Mitsuya sighed and turned on his engine. “Let’s talk about this some other time. I’ll let the captains know. You should come, Mikey.” He said, looking at the other.
Mikey, on the other hand, was only revving the throttle of the bike. “I’ll sit in. Just your guest.” He said. “I should get going, I’m going to Auntie Hanagaki with Gramps before we visit Takemitchy.”
“See you around, Mikey. Remember your promise.” Mitsuya said, smiling.
“Yeah, yeah. I already promised Takemitchy. I already get enough nagging from Gramps. Please save me one ear, Mitsuya.” He deadpanned, then started his bike and drove away.
“Attend the meeting!” Chifuyu yelled.
“I will!” The older blond yelled back.
—BONUS—
“Wow! You succeeded, Takemitchy. Good job.”
“Thanks, Baji-kun. Though I prefer to have everyone back together, you know?”
“Mikey better fulfills his promise to you or I’ll come down there!”
“I don’t think there’s a need for that, Draken-kun… please don’t come down and scare them.”
“You’re a good kid, Takemitchy-kun. No wonder my brat brother took an interest in you.”
“Ahhh… Shinichiro-san...”
“He’s shy, Nii-chan! Stop it!”
“Oh come on, Emma! I was so curious about this guy! Your brat older brother kept on comparing him to me!”
“Can everyone please shut up? I didn’t die with three holes in my chest just to listen to this garbage!”
“Izana, shut up.”
fin.