A Future Without You is Soon |Mikey x OC|

Chapter Fifty-Two

   "It's all my fault," Senju says. She drops her head into her hands. "Everyone changed because of me..."

   "Senju..." Takeomi says.

   "I have to do something," Senju says. "But...there's nothing I can do. It's too late. I'm too weak." Senju crosses her legs and slouches a little further forward. "I'm a failure."

   Takemichi stands and walks into the center of the sand ring. "We haven't lost yet." Senju looks up at him, wiping her eyes.

   "What...?"

   "It's not like I'm not a failure, you know? We can still turn it around! Come help me, Senju! Let's get rid of Kantou Manji!" Takemichi says.

    "Hanagaki...!" Senju says. Senju stands and smiles. She pumps her fist out and uses her other hand to wipe the excess tears from her eyes. "Right!"

   Takemichi smiles. He's almost ready. He's got one more person to talk to.

    Hopefully she'll help her old friend.

~*~*~

   Takemichi waits out by the old playground Shiho used to bring him to. He can't help but remember meeting Shiho out here when he first got here. When all he had to worry about was Moebius.

   He's come so far now.

   "Hanagaki? That you?" Takemichi looks up and smiles at the girl in front of him.

   "Anzai~san!"

   "Please, you can call me Etsu," she says sitting down next to him. "You've done a lot for me, and even more for Shii~chan. It's...you don't need to be formal. I'm sorry I couldn't be around much when Touman was still around."

   Etsu doesn't look much different than she did before. Her hair is bleached now, though. It's a little longer, but it's still a wavy bob.

   "No, it's okay. You helped me out when I needed it,"  Takemichi says. "You've helped me a lot."

    Etsu smiles at him. "You know, when I gave you and Chifuyu my number, I didn't think this is why I'd get a text from you."

   "I'm sorry," Takemichi says. "But...Shiho~Chan needs our help."

   Etsu leans back into her seat. "I had a feeling."

   "What?"

   "You know how Shii~Chan said goodbye to me?" Etsu asks. "A lousy text. 'I'm sorry, but I'm going with Jirou. Live a good life without me.' That was two years ago. I haven't gotten anything back from her. Then I hear that she's one of the heads of one of the strongest gangs in all of Kantou!"

   "Yeah...Shiho~Chan's like that, huh?" Takemichi asks.

    "I heard from Matsuno~kun that the two of them beat the rest of Touman into hating them," Etsu says. She looks over at Takemichi. "Did she ever tell you about us?"

    "About you?" Takemichi parrots.

    Etsu laughs dryly. "Of course she didn't. Why did I ask?"

    "It sounds like you're upset by that..."

    "Huh? Oh, no!" Etsu says. She laughs, but this one is less bitter. "Follow me."

   Etsu stands quickly and walks up to the play set. Takemichi raises a brow but follows her. Etsu walks up onto the play set and climbs the tiny stairs. She reaches the monkey bars and cracks her knuckles.

   "You got this, Hanagaki~kun?" She asks.

   "Got...what...?" Takemichi asks. She's so much more informal than before.