The Dragon's Girl | Taiju Shiba | Tokyo Revengers

Chapter 22

Walking out of the library, my boots crunched over the snowy pavement as I made my way back towards Taiju's place. This word was still new and strange to say or think about, considering how I used to know that place as only Yuzuha's house. It was now also his, and I was heading there to see him. Because I missed him.

After that night, we surprisingly kept in touch. He kept calling me every night and we would then stay up for hours talking, or just sitting in silence listening to one another's silence. Nothing to say or hear other than the soft sounds of our breathings. Until we would finally drift to sleep and leave the call on. And that routine, it somehow became like a new ritual before bedtime every night for me. To just hear his voice and get lost in our sacred time.

Today, as I walked from my house and through the light snow into town, I texted both him and Yuzuha that I was coming over. But first I had to make a short trip to the library before coming. Because we had a literature assignment due after the holidays about a book of our choice, and we had to deliver a twenty pages paper about what we thought of that book and why we should recommend it. Taiju didn't really need to hear all those boring details, yet, he kept asking about why I was going there and for what, so I kept texting him, telling him about it through my whole way there.

It had stopped snowing half an hour ago and now the whole town was coated with a layer of gorgeous whiteness everywhere. My breath fogged ahead of me in soft grey puffs as I picked up my pace and took the short side road from town towards Yuzuha's street. It was through a play park that we used to come often to when we were younger. Not playing but merely hanging around with our friends.

And thinking back on those days now only tightened my chest in a draining sadness. To think how they were good days, good times. When we were only kids playing around, our only concern was what we'll be having for dinner after playing hours. Before we lost parents, before we knew gangs, before we knew love and heartbreaks...

I pushed my hands further into my long coat's pockets and buried my chin into my scarf. My paper bag, that had my book, dangling from my wrist as I walked further into the park. My nose and ears slowly growing numb because of the cold.

At first, the park seemed empty and disused due to the snow and the growing quietness around me. But the more I kept walking, the more my eyes came to spot three figures standing by the kids swing set.

Normally, I wouldn't care if they were strangers and wouldn't have glanced twice at them. But what caught my eyes and did make me glance twice, was the colors of the clothes they were wearing.

Two whites, one black.
My feet walked closer,
Two Black Dragons, one Toman.

"And can I trust you with this..." I heard a familiar voice asking when my feet walked me closer to them. His tall and lean body, along with the buzzcut of his hair told me this was none other than Hakkai standing, his back turned to me, with the short guy from Toman standing next to him who I recognized instantly. Takemichi!!
And they were standing with another Black Dragon's member who I haven't seen before.

Before the guy can answer them, he saw me approaching behind Hakkai and kept looking at me until both Hakkai and Takemichi turned.

"Emi!!" They both said, surprised.

"Um, hey! Hakkai... Takemichi!" I said anxiously then looked back at the guy, who started glaring at me.

"What are you doing here, Emi?" Hakkai turned and walked up to me, both of his hands reaching up for my shoulders and I thought he was going to hug me, but instead, he just held me awkwardly. Nervously.

"I... um, I was coming over, wait, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?" I said then glanced back at that guy then at Hakkai.

He nodded. "Yea, you should go then." And he tried to turn me away but I kept myself in my spot. "Hakkai!!"