Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

My tea's gone cold

Hanagaki Takemichi is currently staring outside his window, an unattended cup of tea slowly going cold as he watches the outside slowly get dampened by rain. It's currently 2018 and he just got back in the future, but this time he finally succeeds in actually saving everyone.

Including the people who died.

It was actually triggered by Mikey beating him up again, now successfully taking his life in the process. They continued the fight in the rain, and Takemitchy shivered remembering the Three Deities War. It was saddening that while he was dying, he realized that he couldn't help Mikey at all without someone dear to Mikey beside himself, so he wished one last time. To save everyone, from the beginning.

"Mikey! Let Takemichi go! You already killed him, why are you not letting us near his body!"

"...I am sorry, Takemitchy. Wake up in a better place for me." He faintly felt a pair of lips kiss his forehead, along with tears (?) dampening the already wet skin. 

"I wish we meet again in a different time, where everything is better, Takemitchy. Farewell."  

Chapter Text

My tea's gone cold

Hanagaki Takemitchy is currently staring outside his window, an unattended cup of tea slowly going cold as he watches the outside slowly get dampened by rain. It's currently 2018 and he just got back in the future, but this time he finally succeeds in actually saving everyone.

Including the people who died.

He just remembers waking up being loaded and in a very luxurious apartment, wearing pajamas with a letter on the living room addressed to him.

The last chance of his time leaping was triggered by Mikey beating him up again, now successfully taking his life in the process. They continued the fight in the rain and Takemitchy shivered remembering the Three Deities War. It was saddening that while he was dying mid-fight since he has a gang to help right now, but he realized that he couldn't help Mikey at all without someone dear to Mikey close to him, so he wished one last time; to save everyone starting from the beginning.

"Mikey! Let Takemichi go! You already killed him, why are you not letting us near his body!" Takemitchy remembers hearing a Chifuyu’s voice in the background as he was being held by a very warm body, trying to warm him up in the middle of rain.

"...I am sorry, Takemitchy. Wake up in a better place for me." He faintly felt a pair of cold lips kiss his forehead, along with teardrops dampening the already wet skin. 

"I wish we meet again in a different time, where everything is better, Takemitchy. Farewell."  

Takemitchy’s hearing slowly went away after that, falling into a deep sleep.

After waking up, Takemichi first met Hanemiya Kazutora, who was a kid that's obviously having family problems on a seesaw. After talking to him for a few hours, he realizes that the dad is the problem and starts a plan. He and Kazutora succeeded in putting the boy's abusive father in jail and is now mending things with his mother.

Hanemiya Kazutora is now his friend, and he's grateful to be one of the first. But when Toman was first established and the boy wanted to introduce him to them, Takemichi immediately said no, where the little tiger reluctantly agreed. Although, he wondered why Takemichi would not want to meet his friends. They were fun to hang out with after all.

"I don't feel like meeting them yet, Kazutora-san. Maybe I’ll introduce myself to them when the time comes, okay?"

"Oh, okay Takemitchy." Kazutora placed his hands on top of Takemitchy's shoulders, gently squeezing them. "Thank you."

Remembering and hearing such unfamiliar words of gratitude, Takemitchy suddenly wept on Kazutora’s chest, letting out everything he’s been holding in his tears. All the grief that he couldn't express since he had to time travel, all those pain he never got to express since he had to lead others, to not cower in front of them. Kazutora just silently rubbed the other’s back, frozen in place as he thought up reasons why his friend carried a lot of pain in his tears.

(After sobbing, he also may or may have given Kazutora a secret, to keep an eye for an airplane so that a boy will never get diamond scars, and tell the Akashi siblings to talk everything out. Kazutora, the tiger he was, was curious why Takemitchy said it out of the blue, where the boy just said it’s a gut feeling that something bad’s gonna happen.

Takemichi just wondered if Kazutora successfully helped Haruchiyo on that day.

He wished he did, so that the Akashi household stays intact.)

After that, he stumbled upon Hinata and Tetta, one being bullied and the other just watching behind a wall, scared. He wore his signature red cape and ran towards them and instead took the punches meant for Hinata, leaving himself bruised before standing up. Now, instead of asking Hinata, Takemitchy tilts his head to the side, looking at Tetta who was peeking. The boy with glasses was shocked, and remained in place, curious for what this beaten up “hero” was gonna say.

“Are you both okay? You weren’t hurt, weren't you?” And oh, Hinata’s looking at him with those eyes and Tetta saw it, anger flashing in his eyes before catching Takemitchy’s gaze on him again. 

He wasn’t asking Hinata only.

He was also asking Tetta.

Tetta walked out of his hiding spot, approaching them. Hinata noticed his school mate and also asked if he was okay. If we weren't hurt by the same bullies.

Oh.

Tetta searched something in the boy's eyes, to see if he's planning to do something to them too. But as he stared longer, he definitely saw something, but not what he expected it to be.

Oh.

They both have the same expression. Warm, welcoming eyes that will not judge you, but this unknown kid had oceanic blue eyes. Tetta just nodded, much to Takemichi’s relief. He introduced himself as Takemitchy, Hinata and Tetta following suit. then told them to take care of each other and waved goodbye, disappearing into the sunset.

Hinata and Tetta have earned a new friend, and a person to look up to.

(Tomorrow, Hinata tried approaching Takemitchy in school to thank him, but it seems like she can’t catch up to him. But she won’t give up, as long as they’re in the same school they’ll meet each other in the corridors, right?

They never did.

Tetta also tried following where Takemitchy lived, but he’s always losing the boy who was on the way home. But it’s okay, Hinata was there with him and they will thank the boy properly next time.)

And it seemed like the next time was a few years later. Takemitchy was happy that this time, Kisaki won't try to be him and copy him just so he can marry Hinata. It hurts to let his girlfriend go, but he knows that if he keeps dating Hina, she'll be endangered.

He then met Sano Shinichiro while avoiding Kisaki and Hinata, and he must admit that they're indeed similar. He followed the man everyday like a duckling, and avoided the Toman members like a plague. Shinichiro must've seen and observed him doing so, but he's glad he didn't ask about it. But that doesn't mean the older man hadn't tried introducing him to his siblings. The man fails as he attempts to make his siblings and the boy meet every time.

“Takemitchy, it’s because you’re a good role model for my younger brother! Do you know what he does most of the time? Skip classes with his Ken-chin and fight!” Shinichiro sighed, looking at the boy who just nodded and continued listening to Shinichiro's whims.

Shinichiro survived on August 19, 2003, after Kazutora told him about the plan to give their friend Mikey a bike for his birthday one day and he told them that the shop owner they're planning to rob was Shinichiro. To say that his reaction was shocking was underwhelming, he was very afraid. Kazutora immediately told Baji and they thought deeply about it. They were planning to rob Mikey's brother of his own gift to his own younger sibling, and if they weren't told who was the owner, they might have sent the owner to the hospital if they were caught stealing. Instead, they knocked on the glass and confessed to Shinichiro. The older one forgives them and keeps their talk a secret from Mikey.

Takemichi sacrificed his sleep to bake a cake in the middle of the night for Kazutora to give Mikey instead. Kazutora said that Mikey loved the cake, and asked where he bought it, and he replied with "A friend of mine".

Shinichiro wanted to ask Kazutora how they found out it was his shop, where Kazutora just said,

“Takemitchy hung around with you for a short while, didn’t he?”

While actively avoiding Toman, he meets young Seishu– nicknamed Inupi and Koko along with Miss Akane, who he learns is the reason these childhood friends had a complicated relationship in the future. Seishu was Akane's younger sister, and Koko was the kid crushing on said friend's sister.

Miss Akane was very pretty, but -Takemitchy wanted to keep both of his eyes still so he didn’t comment anything about her looks because Hajime might take it the wrong way. Sigh, puppy love.

He stuck close to them and always keeps an eye out on fires. When asked why, he just said he has a bad feeling, which both of his new friends just shrugged off, telling him that he's being paranoid. A week later, the Inui household was burning because of something, and he wasted no time running back for Akane when he saw Koko emerge from the burning house with Inupi. Takemichi pushed through the smoky, burning parts of the house and found Akane, wasting no time in rescuing her.

He knows Seishu will suffer from survivor guilt (which he himself also does) since Koko will accidentally save the wrong sibling instead of the person he's wanting to save. Thinking about it, it's so sad to find out your sibling mattered more to your friend, and if the friend had a chance he'd leave you to die by pure coincidence.

He suffered from some first degree burns along with Inupi, but it's okay. As long as she's alive.

Whilst sitting in the hospital bed, Takemichi slowly fixed every piece of information he got from those interactions. Koko was dedicated to making money because they didn't have enough money to pay for the hospital bills, causing Akane to sadly pass away. And Inupi looking like Akane, he stuck by his side to keep his illusion alive that Akane's still here. Lucky for them, Takemitchy has very irresponsible parents who only give him ¥800,000 monthly for his expenses at home. He gave most of this month's money to the hospital, telling them to do everything to save Akane. He counted his money afterwards, and figured out he left himself with ¥100,000 for his own expenses.

He hopes that by doing this, he'll save these siblings and keep the relationship between the two friends healthy. He handed the money to the cashier along with the hospital bill, shocking the nurse before nodding in understanding. The lady just helped her walk out of the hospital quietly and ushered a taxi to send the kind boy back home.

(Hajime and Seishu wanted to thank their new friend Takemitchy for saving Inupi's older sister, but when they entered the hospital room he was in, the boy was gone. They were also about to question who paid for the expensive treatment Akane was about to be treated for.

But sadly, the boy just vanished from their sight and their lives as if he was an illusion.)

Toman is known for having good luck, evading problems and crises along the way because of their "informant". This person has successfully predicted who will be endangered or close to death’s door, which was apparently Toman’s higher-ups most of the time. It turns out that only the first division’s vice captain Hanemiya Kazutora actually knows Toman's informant, and never discloses anything about them. Of course, it catches the attention of Toman's commander, but Kazutora never yielded to his commander's whims, especially Baji.

"We just want to thank them for everything they did! Come on Tora~" Mikey whined, hoping to know something about Toman’s mysterious informant.

"Sorry, I promised him that I won't let you guys meet."

"Oh, so he’s a man- why?"

Kazutora shrugs, "He’s really shy."

Baji realized something and rested his arm around Kazutora and whispered, “Was he the one who told you… You know, that day?”

Kazutora just nodded. Baji’s curiosity has now somewhat quenched, but a question remained lingering in his mind.

Come to think of it, why hasn’t Baji met that kid yet if the boy hung around Shinichiro before? 

In the following months, the delinquent world slowly becomes interested in Toman's informant, since the guy saved a lot of people's lives. From the inner conflict of Toman, to Draken, then Baji, Kazutora himself, Hakkai, Emma, and Izana. 

'I also wonder sometimes how Takemitchy knows what's gonna happen.'

"Ne, Michi. Are you a timeleaper?"

"Kazutora-san, we're not in a sci-fi movie. Let's just say, it's my gut instincts."

'Yeah, right.'

But after the fight between Tenjiku and Mikey earning another sibling, it seems like Toman's informant vanished in thin air. Kazutora said he couldn't find him everywhere. When the Toman executives met up at the shrine, they were met with a white envelope, addressed to Kazutora. The mentioned teen wasted no time and started to read the letter, but only the last sentences stuck to Kazutora as he read them out loud.

I don't think I can help you now, Kazutora-san. Thank you for keeping my identity a secret. Farewell, my tiger brother.

Takemichi shook his head, trying to forget those memories. He carefully opened up the letter with a small knife and inspected the pages carefully. It was written with care and packed with information, ready to be dissected for information about this future.

I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all

A letter from me, to you.

Hello, you must be confused. I'm Hanagaki Takemichi, and I am an author. I write novels that become famous every time and people know me by my pen name FLOWER. No one knows who I actually am, and I am glad to keep it that way. You, the person reading this must be the person who keeps time leaping all this time, saving people. I am so sorry for everything that you have been through, Takemitchy.

Yes, I am you. I am writing a letter to myself. Funny, right? I was slowly receiving all of the memories you have when you were time leaping, and I am so proud of you for doing all of this- for her. And for them. I observed you, and studied how to act like their "Takemitchy" so that when you come back, no one will notice that we're two different souls, two different persons. I am amazed at how mature you are, you opened my eyes to a lot of different things.

The novels I wrote are mostly loosely based on your delinquent era (I was never a delinquent, was I?). I'm sorry, I wanted to preserve your memories (isn’t it mine too?-) and inspire others to never give up, just like you didn't (because I gave up quite easily-). You were amazing, taking bullets like a champ and never giving up. If it was me, I'd definitely be a coward in front of a fist and give up easily.

I aspire to be like you, to never cower in fear in front of something that I thought I could never beat. To be honest, Kaku-chan was right. I indeed had the power to change, I just didn’t want to. I’m sorry for being a coward, that my self-esteem was so low I never thought that I would survive that asshole Kiyomasa and just ran away from everyone (which I did, I really feel like an idiot writing this right now-)

If you’re thinking about your old friends, don't fret. They're all fine, happy and alive right now. Although, they're looking for you (us? Do I even deserve to be their friend? I mean, you met them and not me. I’m just trying to fit into the gap you left, and we know I hate confrontations that I prefer to run away-) after the fight between Toman and Tenjiku. I've been running away and hiding from them for 12 years, and I'm currently writing this letter a few days before you arrive. (Like I did back then, running away)

Takemitchy, it seems like Kazutora-san has always known, and it feels like he’s following me. I’m afraid you have to leave Japan at this point to live in South Korea. Don’t worry, you already have a place there and all you have to do is move in there.

Also, he found out -

Hanagaki Takemitchy just sighs and stops reading the letter. He placed the letter on the table and reached for the cup of tea, now very cold. He’s not sure how he’ll perceive the letter, since it’s also confusing for himself. 

The morning rain clouds up my window

“Takemitchy, hold tight. We’re gonna go for a wild ride tonight.”

“Mikey-kun, it’s literally midnight- AAAAAHHHH!!!”

“I told you to hold tight, Takemitchy!” Mikey laughed as he sped up his babu, making Takemichi hug him out of fear.

While on a red light, Takemichi slowly feels raindrops fall and makes the motorcycle’s driver put on the helmet the other gave him. Instead, he wore his hoodie up and wrapped his hands around Mikey’s waist once more. He silently nodded to himself, feeling mature.

Both blonds happily laughed after that, Mikey’s familiar CB250T exhaust pipe was heard all throughout Shibuya as they explored the area in its evening glory. Sometimes Takemichi wished they'd be like this too. That he'd be a close companion of Mikey, that he finally has a friend out of Mizo Middle.

Takemitchy was reading Chifuyu’s new manga series collection when the aforementioned man walked into the room with drinks and some snacks. It was their lazy day, and now they have decided to catch up on some mangas that both have started since Takemitchy found out about his partner’s growing shoujo manga collection.

“I’m telling you, Kamisama kiss is-”

“Chifuyu, I haven’t read the manga! Stop spoiling me!”

“But they-”


“Shut up! How would you like it if I spoiled you on the Ouran HighSchool Host Club, huh!”

“You wouldn’t…”

“I would. I definitely would-” Chifuyu didn’t let Takemitchy speak again by giving him sandwich after sandwich and glasses of juice after juice.

Both continued to laze around after that.

Oh how Takemitchy wants to relieve those again, but he can’t right now. Takemitchy is packing his bags, taking note of the stuff Takemichi used while writing novels and is now carefully packaging them. Takemitchy understands what Takemichi was doing. He was running away. It seems like the other him has found out about something that even he hasn’t figured out yet.

While thinking, it struck him.

Baji died because I was there.

Emma died because I was there.

Izana died because I was there.

Kisaki died because I was there.

Draken died because I was there.

South died because I was there.

All because of me .

Seems like I’m a bad replacement, huh. Sorry Baji-kun.

And I can't see at all

Tears started to fall from his eyes while he continued packing. His conclusion was right, after all. He completely understands Mikey now, and why he wants everyone to be away from him. It’s because he's bad luck, that he only brings death to others that are around him. And he knows that no matter what he does, all he has to do is to leave everyone behind and be alone.

He wants to go back to Hina's arms. He wants Chifuyu's shoujo manga recommendations, Mikey's whining, Draken's casual remarks about Mikey and their bickering. Nahoya and Souya's ramen, Pah-chin and Peh-yan's big man talks, Akkun's hair tips, Yamagishi's delinquent encyclopedia brain, Takuya's kindness, Makoto's goofiness. But he won't since it's Takemichi's decision to avoid them at all costs now, for the better future. 

He's glad that the original timeline Takemichi helped him to succeed, to complete the other part that he was always missing. That even when he zones out, the voice inside him guides Takemitchy in his place. When his mind won’t listen to him, Takemichi snaps him out of it, telling him that he still has a mission to fulfill; a mission he started.

Takemitchy just wishes to meet Takemichi and thank him face to face, even if it's impossible.

And even if I could, it'd all be gray

"Thank you for attending our session today, Hanagaki-nim."

Takemitchy weakly smiled at the therapist before greeting him back. It was his first time in this white room that was decorated with books and some certificates and a weird stuffed toy of a white fluffy animal with horns. Takemitchy actually didn't think this was a therapy room at first, it gave off the feeling of someone’s personal shrine but he cannot find a legitimate proof that it was one.

“Is there something wrong, Hanagaki-nim?”

Takemitchy was quite uncomfortable with the new suffix. He didn’t know how to react since this was the first time someone has actually called him with such respect and professionality. 

“No there isn’t Kim Dokja-sa- I mean Kim Dokja-nim. I was just surprised by the look of your office.”

In response to Takemitchy’s blunder, he chose to laugh it off. The smaller man amuses him in ways he never expected. Maybe when his therapy ends, Kim Dokja might make him his friend.

“It seems that you’re not used to the country yet, Hanagaki-nim. I suppose you just arrived here in Korea? But rather I’m more interested in how you made a comment about the room, all I can say is a certain novel has encouraged me to do so. It was an interesting read because it helped me a lot in my life. Without a parent figure and being pressured in my previous job because of rumors, it’s a miracle that even my own therapist hadn’t given up on me yet. But enough about me, why don’t you tell me about yourself Hanagaki-nim.”

Takemitchy sighed deeply. How should he summarize his life that’s full of action to this man who looks like he’s ready to listen to anything he’s gonna say and not judge him for it like a novel, since it’s obvious this man likes reading books. He just smiles, thinking about what his therapist Kim Dokja said that piqued his interest. He’ll ask about it later.

“Okay, so it started when I fell of a station’s railway tracks-”

“Funny thing, the novel I read also started about a man named Kim Dokja being stuck in a train cabin. I guess trains are vehicles we should avoid, yeah?”

Both males laughed and continued their session, now bonding over trauma and shockingly, their genre preferences in novels.

But your picture on my wall

Takemitchy followed Takemichi’s original job and wrote a story; which he was the main character this time. It’s actually a funny coincidence that Dokja was reading a novel with a similar name to his as the main character; the taller man even said that it’s what he’ll do if one day he gets sucked into the story of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. Dokja also suggested that since he’s an author, it’s better to let out that inner feelings he has been keeping to himself and pour it into words and write about his past.

“I’ll be sure to read it, Takemitchy! Don’t worry, I’ll also recommend it to friends; just be sure that you write that warning where everything that has any resemblances are either purely coincidental or fictional, okay?”

Takemitchy just giggled on his phone, understanding that he’ll indeed write it just in case someone points out that this person exists or this event happened. “Yes, Dokja-ya. I won’t forget to put that warning you told me to.”

After that conversation, Tokyo Revengers was born. But Hanagaki Takemichi was curious about something that Dokja said. 

Why did it sound like Dokja has done the same thing he was suggesting to him before?

It reminds me that it's not so bad

The novel FLOWER recently published was immediately placed in the spotlight. It was a story about a man named Hanagaki Takemitchy who was sent back to the past to save his ex-girlfriend who was killed in a gang fight. The main character succeeds, but with his own life as the exchange. It even got manga, anime, and a movie adaptation and Dokja was reeling in every news they heard about his novel. Luckily, the novel Dokja was reading also got a webcomic adaptation, so both of them were celebrating at Takemitchy’s apartment.

Beer cans and boxes of chickens covered Takemitchy’s table as he and Dokja happily enjoyed the mini celebration he held. Takemitchy was thanking Dokja for becoming his editor until Takemitchy’s doorbell rang in his apartment.

“I'll answer it Dokja-ya, It must be another box of chicken we ordered. How many did you order in total?”

“About this many.”

Kim Dokja raises both his arms with his palms stretched out indicating a big amount, which causes a bigger amount of distress to Takemitchy since he doesn’t have the money to pay that big amount of cash on him. But hold on, did they even pay for the food they just ate?

The doorbell rings louder as the person that brought them are getting tired of waiting, Takemitchy is forced to grab Kim Dokja to the door since he knows he’s loaded and as Takemitchy opens the door, a surprised face was plastered on the delivery woman's face.

“Kim Dokja? What are you doing here you punk? You’re supposed to be editing the new chapter!”

Kim Dokja decided to stop complaining about Takemitchy's action and turn to the voice outside the apartment and a familiar face with a very familiar scowl was plastered on her face.

“Han Sooyoung? You took another part-time job? You’re supposed to be resting after writing a long and depressing chapter!”

“You idiot! You used my card to pay for these orders! And don’t think of a way out, I saw the receipts on my bank account!”

‘Oh, so that’s how their meals were paid.’

Takemitchy is surprised to see the scene before him that his seemingly loner therapist had another friend makes him jealous. He often sees the other alone and they both rode the same train back home, so why hadn’t Takemitchy met this person before? Or was Dokja planning to leave him? Or-

“Um, care to introduce me, Dokja-nim?” Takemichi whispered, curious about the lady who’s holding Dokja’s orders. In his mind, Takemitchy was glad that even after everything, Takemichi still has his back.

“Oh sure, this idiot right here is my friend called Han Sooyoung and she also goes by tls123 as her pen name and I am her editor for her current work Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. Han Sooyoung, this is Hanagaki Takemichi, my patient slash friend.”

“Wait really? I go by the pen name FLOWER, nice to meet you tls123-nim!”

Han Sooyoung was shocked, before composing herself and smiling at the beaming boy. “Han Sooyoung is fine, Takemitchi. Nice to meet you, I’m also a fan.” Sooyoung shook the boy’s hand, her and Dokja laughing when they noticed Takemitchy blushing.

“So can I join this party about Tokyo Revenger and Omniscient Reader’s success now?”

That night, Takemitchy gained a new friend in Korea. 

It's not so bad

Hanagaki now sipped his warm tea in front of a person who also has been by his side for a few years and he gotta admit that it feels good to have someone beside your side who’ll listen to anything you say and not have the fear that they’ll judge you. Takemitchy was now gladly letting Takemichi free in the process and now be himself again; to be Hanagaki Takemichi again.

(But as he does that, a person that was mentioned to be in Takemitchy’s first gang was looking all over him in Japan, and the tiger won’t stop until he gets his answers.)