red string || sano manjiro/ mikey

chapter xlviii: fired

"kurokawa izana?"

"yes," takemichi nods his head, "he's our last enemy. i think it would be better if i show you who he really is to mikey-kun. i don't want to say anything that might make you misunderstand the situation. to be honest, i'm still quite not sure with it myself."

kazua hums, leaning back against the stack of pillows as her eyes gazed up the blank ceiling. "alright, then. i'll be discharged in two days."

after meeting up with kazua and briefly discussing their next steps, takemichi went to musashi temple with mikey.

he stands with baji and chifuyu at the 1st division's spot. ever since their fight against valhalla, the 1st division operated with one division captain and two vice captains. both takemichi and chifuyu are working together to help baji in leading his unit.

surprisingly, baji was the one who suggested the idea. no one knew what went in his mind other than the three who know about takemichi's mission in the past, but no one dared to question him.

heavens know what would happen if they do.

"i'm sorry."

hakkai bows in front of everyone after explaining the christmas conflict that involved some of the captains and division captains in the fight. heck, the commander and vice commander even came to their aid to save them.

the guilt that weighed down hakkai's shoulders were heavy, and he couldn't see the toman members forgiving him.

"don't worry about it, hakkai! what sparks conflict in the first place...is always somethin' small, anyway!"

"besides, we beat the black dragons! so things ended up fine."

"raise your head, hakkai!"

"nobody's gonna blame ya!"

takemichi was once again left in awe. toman really is amazing, and the way they handle their problems other than violence is admirable. they got each other's backs, no matter which member it may be.

"hakkai!" mitsuya called over from his division. "you've still got a place with as the tokyo manji gang's 2nd division vice-captain! you guys cool with that?!"

"YEAH!"

"hakkai!"

"hakkai!"

"hakkai!"

the christmas conflict was definitely a little harder this time around. someone nearly died, a lot more people were beaten up, and mikey showed signs of talking to his dead big brother. however, the outcome of the problem was the same as before.

it was just as kazua predicted, and takemichi doesn't know how she was able to pull this all off.

by making slow changes, yet sticking to the events that unfolded, what else could she be plotting to save her childhood best friend?

"the second person! inui, to the front!"

the members of the black dragons came up the shrine and showed themselves to toman.

"seishu inui from the 11th generation black dragons."

"hajime kokonoi, from the same gang." the raven smirked. "the 10th generation black dragon lost to toman. our former leader, taiju shiba, has retired. we have succeeded the gang as the leaders of the 11th generation."

"and, after discussing it with mikey, we've decided to join under toman!"

"i assign the black dragon to the 1st division under baji keisuke's command along with hanagaki takemichi and chifuyu matsuno." mikey said, eyes meeting with the blonde's. "got it?"