Bittersweet ||Chifuyu x Reader||

Seventeen || Vinegar

-Art by ayase_o_ on Twitter-

[Reference to chapter 154-166]

It was the moment we had been waiting for since the sun had risen that day. We stood proudly on the intimidating battlefield illuminated by the flashing lights.

Kisaki was stood on a huge construction storage container as he observed the side where Tenjiku stood opposite to our Toman members.

There were fifty of us. And four-hundred of them.

We were in a triangle formation as the enemy gang surrounded us. Takemichi took on the role of leader as he presented himself in front of our gang as Chifuyu and I followed up behind him.

My heart fell heavy with edge. The odds were really not on our side for this battle. Many of us were still not fully healed from the Tenjiku attacks earlier that week and most were still tired and exhausted from anticipating standing there in those moments. To top it off, those of us still mourning over Emma felt even worse. But, despite all that, we still gathered the little courage we had as a group and put it all towards dedicating the battle to Mikey.

The unsettling silence between the two gangs came to an end when Izana of Tenjiku sent forward his choice for the one-on-one fight to get the war started. The man who stepped forward was no other than the one I encountered just a couple of days ago.

"Today's fore-runner will be me!" He shouted obnoxiously while walking towards us. "Former president of the Black Dragons, Tenjiku four Heavenly Kings: Madarame Shion!"

Takemichi hesitated as he was told what the fore-runner was. Meanwhile my fingers twitched. Knowing Takemichi, he would send himself to the fight since Mikey, Draken, nor any of the other division captains were present- but I had other plans. I didn't get to prove my worth with the Mad Dog when he attacked me but I had that opportunity now.

Shion tilted his head, his mullet flowing with the faint wind. "Come on Toman, stop joking around!" His grin was as wide and cruel as ever.

Just as Takemichi was about to trot forward, I placed a hand on his shoulder. My grip tightened before I let go and walked past him. He gasped my name as I stood in front of the tall man. "I'll handle this, Takemichi." I said to him seriously without taking my eyes off the tattoo on the shaved side of Shion's head. "Tokyo Manji Gang's second division vice-captain: (L/N) (Y/N). I'll be your opponent."

Veins of rage appeared between his eyebrows as he leaned down so close that our foreheads were barely touching. "It's you again. I'll kill you for real this time, bitch." Despite his tone which was as sour as vinegar, my serious expression did not falter for a second. I watched his crazy pupils contracted when the background murmurs turned into people cheering his name, assuming he had already won the fight.

Although I didn't look particularly angry, I was fuming on the inside. It was no longer a fight to take back my pride, instead it was to protect the honour of Mikey and Draken who lost the girl that meant the most to them because of Tenjiku, for Mitsuya and Smiley who were victim to their dirty tricks, and for Toman who were caused nothing but grief and suffering the whole time.

The rush of adrenaline and hatred fueled me as I put every ounce of strength and emotion into kicking Shion in the face.

The crowd shut up immediately when his body twisted in an unnatural shape as he hit the floor. With that single strike, he was knocked out cold.