Tokyo Revengers; Sacrifice

Chapter 36

Amaterasu Ichiro P.O.V.

I look at myself appearing on the screen, but 16 years younger. I laugh at the camera. "What are you filming me for?" The younger me asks. "The baby needs to know who her father is, doesn't she?" A beautiful voice says. "There you go again with the she. How do you know it's going to be a girl?" The younger me asks. "Because I am her mom" the voice says. "You look so young, Otosama" Akiko beside me says. "Is that so?" I ask, sliding open the window and lighting a cigarette. I see myself reaching for the camera. As it shakes, we hear laughter and soon I see my beautiful wife, with a pregnant belly sitting on a chair. I can't even bring myself to smile. "Say hello to mommy, baby" I hear myself say. "I guess Otosan, I mean Kaito, didn't lie" Akiko says. "About what?" I ask, blowing the smoke out of the window. "He said I look very much like my mother" Akiko says. I look at Akiko, but she keeps staring at the screen, looking at my wife talking. "You do" I say. I look out the window, at the night sky as I put the cigarette between my lips inhaling again. I look up when I hear Akiko chuckling. I watch my younger self and younger Kaito wrestle, though I'm obviously winning. "Guess you got along for a while huh?" Akiko asks. "We did" I say. She finally peels her eyes off the screen and looks at me. "What's going on with you?" She asks frowning. I smile as I blow the smoke out of the window again. I put out my cigarette and place the ashtray in the window sill so the smoke can go outside. "I guess I just miss her very much today" I say softly. "Is today a special day?" Akiko asks. "You could say that" I say. "Why?" She asks. "It would've been her birthday" I say smiling slightly. "I'm sorry" Akiko says. "It's alright" I answer. "We should pay our respects" she says. "I already did" I answer. "I didn't" Akiko says stubbornly. I smile. "You want to visit her?" I ask. "I do" she says. I chuckle. "Alright, I'll take you" I say before shouting for Souta. "You should quit smoking" Akiko says as we stand up. "I'll think about it" I say as Souta opens the door. "Let's go, Akiko wants to visit her mom" I say, passing Souta.

As if I'm not annoyed enough, I can't find my cigarettes, making me even more annoyed. When I feel something on my head, I'm about to turn around and chew them out when I see Souta. Dressed in a t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. Even his hair his down. "I almost didn't recognize you, I nearly chewed you out" I say amused. "What are you doing here on your day off?" I ask. "Had to get some things from the store when I saw you here. You're scaring your retainers you know" Souta says as he hands me a canned coffee. I indeed see him carrying a plastic bag. I scoff. "Well there's nothing I can do about that" I say, opening my can. I finally find my cigarettes and offer Souta one, which he takes. "You've been smoking a lot lately" he says as I light mine. "Yeah I know, I should quit again" I say. "Lord have mercy on our souls" Souta says. For a moment I look at him surprised before laughing loudly "I'm not that bad" I say. "When you quit? No. But during your withdrawal" he says and pulls a face. I laugh again. "Like you're not" I say. "I definitely am" Souta says. "Well then, let's quit together. As soon as I finish this pack" I say. "Sure" Souta says. "Walk with me" I say, as I walk down the street. "Or are you busy?" I ask. "I'm not" Souta says as he catches up. Somehow we both look up at the sky as we blow out the smoke, at the same time. "How is Akiko?" I ask, after we walked for a while. "Struggling" Souta says and I look at him. "She doesn't know what to do with her anger and her loss. It's a good thing you're training with her every day, so she has an outlet. But she struggles. We've got to keep an eye on her before she beats up the wrong person" Souta says. I sigh deeply, blowing out the smoke I just inhaled once more. "Thank you for telling me" I say. "Katsu" I say, who immediately appears beside me. I hand him my cigarette butt. "Where are those brats?" I ask. "They usually hang around the shrine we were last time." Katsu says. I look at my watch. "What time?" I ask. "Somewhere between now and and hour" Katsu says nervously. I glance at Souta. "Take me there" I say. "Enjoy your night off, Souta" I say. "Thank you, Ichiro-sama" he says smiling.

"So you quit smoking again huh?" Father looks at me amused. "Uhuh" I say before blowing a bubble with my chewing gum. "Together with Souta I presume?" Father asks. I let the bubble pop and chew on it again. "What makes you think that?" I ask. "Well, you started chewing gum again. And I haven't seen Souta without a lollipop in his mouth today. It's something you both do when you quit smoking" father says, even more amused. I sigh. "Well Akiko said I should quit smoking the other day, and yesterday Souta made a comment that I have been smoking a lot lately which is true. So we decided to quit smoking as soon as we finished our pack. Which came sooner than expected" I say. "It's hard" I add as I run my hand through my hair. "I bet it is. But it's a good decision. Especially when Akiko asks you to" father says. "I agree" I answer. "What are you talking about?" Akiko asks as she walks up and forces herself between us so both father and I scoot aside just a little. "Your father and Souta quit smoking" father says as I blow another gum bubble and let it pop again. "So that's why Souta had a lollipop in his mouth every time I saw him" Akiko says. "Good for you Otosama" she adds. "Yes..so good" I say sarcastically as I chew. Akiko chuckles. "Withdrawal is a bitch, ain't it?" She asks. I look down on her annoyed and Akiko grins at me innocently. "Shut up" I say. Akiko places her head against my arm. "You'll get through it, Otosama" she says softly. "I know. It isn't my first time" I say. "Or your fifth" father says dryly. Akiko laughs. "I do not need that from you, Chichiue, you're still smoking that pipe of yours!" I say. "I'm an old man, it's one of the little pleasures I still have in life" he says as he winks at Akiko. "Oh bull, you're not that old" I say. The smile on his face betrays that he was just teasing me, and I fell for it. Muttering angrily I look away. "Aww don't be like that, Otosama!" Akiko says as she pokes my cheek. I look down on Akiko again and smile. "Be careful now young lady, before you feel my fury!" I say teasingly, grabbing her cheek.