Takemichi POV
This is bad.
Really, really bad.
I couldn't stop him from meeting them.
Damn it… You're useless. Absolutely useless.
How hard was it?
Make sure he doesn't meet Chiharu or Yang—no matter what.
I slammed my head against the ground as the shame increased ten folds when i remembered naoto words
Useless.
Useless.
The words looped as I cursed myself.
"Oi, Takemitchi—stop it. You're gonna hurt yourself." Draken crouched beside me, grabbing my shoulder and pulling me up. "What's wrong with you? You've been acting weird lately. Do you know those two?"
I looked up at him, my eyes stinging.
"…Don't worry," I said, forcing the words out. "No matter how strong they are… they're no match for Mikey."
Hearing Draken
Another memory surfaced.
Naoto's voice.
' Because Mikey is no match for either of them'
…Then what am I supposed to say?
That Mikey will lose?
Takemichi turned his gaze back to the fight.
God… please.
Let a miracle happen.
The three of them stood in a triangle, facing each other.
…There's a chance.
No—there has to be a chance.
In a fight like this—
No allies. No sides.
Just three people, each seeing the other two as enemies.
A free-for-all.
Chiharu and Yang both turned toward Mikey.
Yang moved first—
His left leg drove straight into Mikey's left knee.
Mikey raised it just in time, but the stomp still slammed into his calf.
He grimaced. "You bastard—"
No time to recover.
Chiharu was already on him, lunging forward, his fist driving toward Mikey's face.
The punch barely grazed him—
Mikey dropped suddenly into a low squat, then spun, planting his left hand on the ground and whipping his legs upward in a brutal arc toward Chiharu's head.
Chiharu didn't dodge.
He drove his face straight into the incoming kick.
Thud.
The impact echoed, a burst of force rippling through the air smoke rising from Chiharu's face
Mikey landed and immediately stepped back, trying to create distance—
But his body gave out.
He staggered—
Then fell.
Blinking, he looked down.
His left calf was already swelling.
And his foot—
The one he used to kick Chiharu
Had his ankle dislocated.
"That's it? You're done already?" Yang looked down at him with a grin.
Chiharu stepped toward Yang's four o'clock, his hand shooting straight for his face—
But Yang caught it mid-strike.
Then flipped him clean over his shoulder, slamming him into the ground.
Mikey saw the opening.
He forced himself up, raised his left leg—
And brought it crashing down toward Chiharu's head.
Crack!
…!
Mikey's eyes widened.
Chiharu had caught his foot.
And because Mikey had used everything just to stand earlier —
His balance broke.
He fell forward.
Yang stepped in—
His knee driving straight toward Mikey's face.
…I lost.
The thought flashed—
Then a hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back before the impact could land.
Mikey didn't even need to look.
"Draken… what do you think you're doing?"
"Sorry, boss," Draken said, pulling him away. "Couldn't just stand there and watch"
"I can still fight—let go of me," Mikey pulled against him.
"Mikey!"
"Just… put my foot back in place."
Draken hesitated, glancing at the two still clashing—
Neither of them seemed to care about his interference.
His eyes lingered on Yang for a moment—
Then he looked back at Mikey.
"…Alright. Fine."
He grabbed Mikey's foot—
And forced it back into place.
Grk—
Mikey bit down hard, his lips trembling, but no scream came out.
Draken reached into his pocket and pulled out a small knife. "The swelling's bad… I'll cut it open and wrap it so—"
"No." Mikey cut him off, extending his hand. "There's no time. Help me up."
Draken paused—
Then took his hand and pulled him back to his feet.
Mikey took one step, a slight grimace crossing his face—
Then he lunged.
He jumped, whipping a kick toward the back of Yang's head—right as Yang was about to fall from Chiharu's strikes.
Mid-fall—
Yang twisted.
Mikey's kick missed.
Yang planted his left leg on the ground he twisted it
His body snapping sideways as his other leg lashed out toward Mikey's ribs.
…!
Mikey's eyes widened.
He can counter from that position?!
The kick closed in
Closer.
Closer.
…Shit.
My body won't move.
Draken moved in front of Mikey, stepping between him and the incoming kick. He raised his forearms as a shield—
The impact slammed into him, his sleeves tearing from the force.
"…Now I remember."
"…?"
"Mikey, remember when I worked part-time as a tattoo artist?"
"…Yeah."
"I had this one customer. Walked in all high and mighty… asked for a tattoo on his ass."
Yang and Mikey both stared at him.
"I don't question customers, so I went along with it. But the bastard ran off the moment I finished shaving him clean—"
Draken pointed straight at Yang.
"That bastard was him."
"…What?" Yang's eyes widened.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" Chiharu clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "You've lost my respect, Yang. Showing your ass to strangers?"
"He's lying."
"I wasn't sure at first… but now I'm a hundred percent sure." Draken's voice dropped. "And I'm a hundred percent sure I'm going to kill him."
Mikey stared at him.
…I've never seen him this angry before.
"Alright, fine," Yang said, rolling his shoulder. "Come at me. I'll shove my ass in your face like I did back then—"
…!
"…Metaphorically."
Draken moved first.
His left fist drove straight at Yang's face—
Yang raised his right forearm, blocking it clean.
At the same time—
Chiharu lunged in, his punch crashing into Draken's face—
And Yang's hand snapped out, striking Chiharu in return.
Three clashes—
All at once.
The only one who didn't get hit was yang
Mikey watched.
His eyes locked onto Yang.
…Out of all of us
He's the strongest.
Draken's left hand shot out, grabbing Yang by the collar—
And Chiharu stepped in, driving his elbow straight into Yang's face.
Crack.
It smashed into his nose, launching him backward.
The force tore through his shirt as Draken's grip ripped the collar apart.
Yang staggered back, catching one of the rails to stop himself.
His eyes dropped—
To the bandages around his torso.
Blood was seeping through.
…This is bad.
They'll start targeting it.
I need to finish this fast.
Yang narrowed his eyes.
Someone was sneaking up behind Chiharu.
…He'll notice it, right?
Tang!
A bat slammed into Chiharu's head.
He dropped face-first.
Behind him stood a trembling guy—wearing the same jacket as Mikey's group.
Draken immediately grabbed him by the neck. "Are you insane?!"
"I—I thought you guys needed help—"
Smack!
Draken slapped him hard across the face.
Yang stepped forward, approaching the trembling guy.
"Pick it up," he said calmly. "Raise it over your head."
"Wha—wha…?"
Their eyes met " you took down my opponent i cant just leave you "
The guy obeyed.
Yang adjusted his grip, helping him lift the bat properly.
"Good."
His voice turned cold.
"If you stay conscious after one hit—I'll leave you all alone."
A pause.
"Otherwise… I'll break one limb from everyone in your gang."
He raised his hand—
Palm open.
Then, in an instant—
He brought it down.
His strike hit the iron bat—
and bent it.
The metal curved inward, the force carrying through as it slammed into his own forehead.
Blood trickled down his face.
But his eyes stayed open.
"…Good."
Yang stepped past him, heading toward the tunnel.
As he passed Takemichi, he gave him a brief glance.
"I was lying," he whispered. "I wasn't gonna break anything."
Then he walked into the darkness—
Leaving everyone behind, staring at his back.
__________
Takemichi POV
I lay on my back, staring at the moon.
…Did I make it?
Did I actually prevent it?
But I didn't do anything.
So why did things change?
Naoto's words echoed in my head.
Toman was supposed to become part of Chiharu's group after this fight.
Then, in a month—Yang disappears after An accident.
Five years later, Chiharu dies. Brain hemorrhage… from constant fighting.
And after that… everything falls apart.
The group splits into five gangs.
Mikey goes missing too…
Takemichi's chest tightened.
He remembered it.
That sight.
Mikey's body.
No one ever knew what happened to him.
Footsteps approached.
"C'mon," Draken said. "It's late."
Takemichi shook his head. "I'll stay here… a bit longer."
Draken stared at him for a moment… then turned away.
"Suit yourself."
Silence returned.
Takemichi looked back at the sky.
…So this is the end, right?
Then in a month—Yang disappears due to An accident.
…An accident.
…
No.
I've done enough.
Takemichi closed his eyes.
12 years later.