𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐝 - [ʜɪᴀᴛᴜs]

𝟎𝟏𝟏: 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

Everyone at the funeral service pays their respects to the late Tachibana Hinata. Her casket closed, shielding her body. Which is for the better, knowing that she died in a car explosion, her loss was damage to you and her loved ones enough. You bow to her parents as you walk past them. You try to conceal your expression as you watch Naoto speak with an old friend. Someone who you've begun to loathe.

You tried your best not to cross paths with Hanagaki since his and Hina's break up. You can't even begin to imagine how she felt all those years up to her passing. You hated that she still kept the necklace he gave her. You watch as Hinata's mother carefully protects the jewelry in a cloth, approaching Hanagaki.

You notice Naoto, calming himself down in front of the casket. You approach him as he's wiping his tears.

"Did you invite him?" You ask, trying not to sound irritated. Which failed, seeing Naoto have a guilty expression on his face. "I did," Naoto admits, not looking you in the eye. You take a deep sigh before walking away from the man.

You grab your bag and open it, looking for the keys to your car. You walk out of the service, the car beeps to unlock.

"[Y/N]?"

You knew who it was from that pathetic voice. Turning your head to face him, Naoto was behind him, also unlocking his car. Takemichi eyes light up upon seeing you, though you don't reciprocate. He walks toward you, a big smile on his face.

SLAP.

Naoto's eyes widened at the sudden action. Takemichi was visibly confused. "How could you feel so shameless, showing your face at the funeral," you harshly insult the boy, whose face looked even more confused at your reaction.

"But I-"

"You were such an asshole, Takemichi!" You yell. Of all the times you had to see him, it had to be now. Now that Hina's dead. You felt there was nothing he could do for you to forgive him for the despair Hina felt after their breakup. How, even 'till her death, she loved him. You didn't understand.

Takemichi kneels in front of you, Naoto walks over and watches him apologize. You couldn't feel any pity watching him. You did feel embarrassed, looking around and seeing people whispering and watching it happen. You urge Takemichi to get up and he quickly does.

-

"You're partners!?" Takemichi shouts in shock. All three of you were now in Naoto's office. Before arriving, Takemichi explains he had just come back from the past. Naoto was at his desk, finding articles that could lead him to Ken Ryuguji's whereabouts.

You take a sip of your coffee, "Since you started being a jackass, I slowly distanced myself from you and Toman," you answer, "So naturally, I've become closer to Naoto since I kept in contact with Hina."

Takemichi nods, "Makes sense, you two are pretty similar. Mikey just didn't seem like your type to be honest."

"Partners at work," you clarify sternly, "Not romantically." Takemichi's face was flushed in embarrassment. Naoto sighs, "I can't find anything on him. Even the article about his death doesn't exist." Takemichi perks up, "So Draken's alive?" You walk over to Naoto's desk, taking a look at the screen. "He's still under Toman right?" You ask, "Any recent images of him in the press?"

Naoto scours through articles related to the Tokyo Manji gang. "Wait," Takemichi catches your attention, "Has your ability gotten better?" You turn to face him, "Right, you've never seen me in other timelines before." He nods.

You walk over and sit next to him on the sofa, "I have better control of it now, but it's still a pain in the ass." Takemichi looked amazed, easily impressed by the little information you gave. "What's gonna happen to me in a week from now?" He eagerly asks, assuming you could control when you saw someone's future. Which he was right to assume.

"You're going to drink spoiled milk in your garbage-filled apartment and get diarrhea."

Takemichi was both disgusted and disappointed to hear this. Seeing his expression made your mood better. You hear him muttering about not changing and still being a loser, which you nod in agreement. Though he doesn't notice.

"Would this be a clear enough photo for you?" Naoto calls you over, "I had to dig through some files and reports from work." The picture was a far shot of Draken's side profile. His hair was dark and his tattoo now faded. You stare into the photo, your vision fading into it.

Draken was currently eating at the cafeteria of the prison. His hair is clean-shaven, his face expressionless as he slowly eats the food off his tray.

"He's in prison," you blink. Takemichi jumps up from his seat. "Currently?" Naoto asks, and you nod. "Why would he be in prison? What happened?" Takemichi rushes toward you. You look at him blankly, "Don't act surprised, he got what was coming, being heavily involved in Toman."

Takemichi furrowed his brows at you, "How can you say that?" His anger quickly left as he had a thought come to mind. "Wait, how could you see what he's doing in the present? I thought you could only see the future?" He questions.

"The photo I looked at was from two years ago," you inform, "I'm able to get a vision of him in the present because the photo was old." Takemichi nods.

You pick a frame on Naoto's desk. It was a photo of him and Hina when he graduated high school. "This photo is roughly 7 years old," you show it to Takemichi, "Give me a time between then and now."

"Uh..." Takemichi thinks, "4 years after then?"

You stare into the photo, looking specifically at Naoto. Your eyes looked blank. Your vision slowly fading.

Naoto, 20, was at the shooting grounds, practicing his aim on moving paper targets.

You blink and repeat what you saw. "Wow," Takemichi exclaims, impressed with what you can do. Though Takemichi would've believed you with or without an example, he was amazed. With that knowledge, an idea came to his head.

"Is there..." Takemichi hesitates, "Any photos of Mikey?" Your face became immediately sour after the mention of his name. "Even if I were to see him and locate his whereabouts, there'd be no logical way for us to meet with him," you shut him down. Takemichi questions why.

"He isn't who he was before," you tell him seriously. Before Takemichi could utter another word, Naoto unknowingly interrupts. "Ken Ryuguji is currently on death row," he states. Takemichi was horrified at the information. "What? But why?"

Naoto's mouse clicks more, "For murder. His trial isn't until October though." Takemichi looks at the screen in disbelief. You couldn't empathize with the boy, though you did understand this being a shock. 12 years from now, he was still close in contact with Mikey and Draken. All this new information is upsetting to hear after just saving him from the August 3rd incident. You never forgot about that umbrella.

"I'll organize a visit whenever possible," Naoto turns in his chair, facing both you and Takemichi. "Count me out," you say, confusing the two. You quickly take your bag and coat off the rack, and head to the door. Takemichi halts you, asking why.

"I promised myself, a long time ago, that I'd never see anyone from Toman again," you confess to him, "Yet here I am, years later, still investigating them." Takemichi stares at you, saddened to hear your distance. 

"All I can tell you right now is..." You look the boy dead in the eye.

"It's all Kisaki's fault."

Chapter eleven, end.