Rearranging Fate | Tokyo Revengers x OC

81 • Turning Tides

"You really got stronger, Kaku-chan." Despite knowing he was the only one left standing, Takemichi refused to back down. "But you're a member of a murderous group now. What the hell happened there?"

Instead of answering, Kakucho punched him right in the guts. "Obviously, I'm different than who I was before." Ever since that car accident, he had changed, Kurokawa Izana was the closest thing to a family he managed to get, so Kakucho wouldn't mind dying for him. "I don't care about the past!" He continued to punch his childhood friend. "You, who have everything, will never understand the bond we 'orphans' shared! To me, shit like 'childhood friend' is"—another punch that sent Takemichi to the ground, yet the blond refused to stay down—"something that can be killed!"

"Takemitchy, stop!" Chifuyu gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand despite the pounding in his head and the ache running from his neck down to his limbs. He needed to stop this. Otherwise, Takemichi would die. "Just stop, goddammit!"

"That's enough, Takemitchy!" Baji wasn't in better shape, struggling to stand because goddammit did Kakucho hit hard. Shit. Shit. Shit. I can't move. At this rate, that punk will die. He'll fucking die. Move, goddammit.

But Takemichi, against everyone's protest, stood back up. Blood was running down his nose like a waterfall. His entire face was covered in bruises and scrapes, yet he still grinned, bloodied and all. "You really never changed from before, Kaku-chan." Spitting out the blood in his mouth, Takemichi grinned wider. "You punch just like when you were a kid."

"Oh, god, that idiot." Pressing the spot on his nape in hopes of decreasing the pain, Kazutora gnashed his teeth and pushed himself to at least sit down. "Please stop. Just stop, goddammit. You're really gonna die at this rate."

"Listen, Takemichi. Move again and you better be prepared to die," Kakucho warned. He didn't want to do it, for fuck's sake. He talked big about diving to hell for Izana, but Takemichi was the last person he wanted to kill. "Just stay down."

"Shut up!"

The spectators could only watch, horrified, as Kakucho continued to beat the living shit out of Takemichi, and how despite getting beaten up again and again, Takemichi still staggered back to his feet.

"What the hell is up with that guy?" Gritting his teeth, Kokonoi tried and failed to stand up, watching the fight—could it even be called a fight?—with wide eyes. "How can he still stand up?"

Whatever Kakucho did, it probably hit their nerves, quite literally, because Inui felt paralyzed. He wondered what kind of luck or strength managed to keep Takemichi standing, but he knew it wouldn't last long. "Dammit, is he...that desperate to change the future? Hasn't it already been changed?"

Reina may be vague, but what she told Takemichi before succumbing to unconsciousness was enough for them to piece things together. The time leaper was Hanagaki Takemichi, and that was why Toman was fighting right now. Still, the future should've changed even if they lost. After all, Mikey was alive and Reina wasn't killing anybody tonight. So, Takemichi dying for a victory that couldn't be attained was meaningless.

"Just die already!"

"Stop!"

Tenjiku, Toman, and Black Dragon widened their eyes as Chifuyu stood between Takemichi and Kakucho, arms spread wide while his back was facing Kakucho. "That's enough, Takemitchy," he told—begged his partner. "You've done enough! You and Rei...everything's changed! What you fear won't happen! If you continue, you'll die! So stop!"

When Takemichi shook his head, Chifuyu gritted his teeth, clicking his tongue at his stubbornness. "In the first place, we all came here knowing damn well we can't win! We came here to prove that we won't run! Nobody else is standing! That's enough! You've done enough! You've made enough changes! You did your best, so stop this! If this goes on, you'll die—"