A Future Without You is Soon |Mikey x OC|

Chapter Fifty-Six

   As much as Takemichi wants to ask Sanzu what the hell he means, he doesn't have the time. Both because of the train and because Kakucho tackles Sanzu and throws him off the train.

   Sanzu swears distantly.

   "Can you stop it, Takemichi?" Kakucho asks.

   Takemichi flounders at the same panel. "I'll—I'll figure it out!" Takemichi shouts. His hands are shaking violently. He can see the edge of the battle. Dozens of people are coming into his view.

   No! He's running out of time!

   "Takemichi! We're getting close to a junction! We'll derail there at this pace!" Kakucho shout, peeking his head out the door.

    Takemichi would love to stop everything, but...

   He doesn't know which ones are the brakes.

   Takemichi places his hand on a lever. It's sideways. "Shit...are these the breaks? Kaku~Chan, I need—" Takemichi looks back at Kakucho. The wound on his chest is bleeding heavily. His shirt was already a dark colour, but even Takemichi can see how much blood has soaked into it.

   Was the wound always that deep? Kakucho hadn't let him see it.

   Takemichi looks ahead of him. He can see even more people now. He can almost see Mikey and Shiho—or he thinks so. Maybe he's just hoping for it.

   "Shit! We won't make it...!" Takemichi snaps to himself. "Oi! You all need to move! Get out of the way! I can't stop it!"

   "You need to get off too, Takemichi," Kakucho says. "You'll die."

   "No, I'll be fine!" Takemichi says. "Get off, Kaku~Chan!" He doesn't have much to lose, so he grabs the lever he saw earlier. "I'm going to stop this train! I'm not letting anyone die!"

   Kakucho stands. His legs are obviously weak, but Kakucho doesn't seem to have trouble. "Move. I'll do it."

   "We'll do it together!" Takemichi says.

   Kakucho is silent for a second. He grabs Takemichi by the collar. Takemichi doesn't even have time to question it before he's midair next to the train.

   "I'll fuck up Sanzu's plan, okay?"

   "Kaku~Chan!" Takemichi slams into the ground. The air pushes itself from his lungs. He rolls a few feet forward, gasping for air as he watches the train cars fly by him. "Kaku...!"

    Nothing changes for an agonising second. Takemichi can feel his heart squeeze every moment it's still moving.

   Screech!

   The wheels make a horrible noise as they stop. It's the best noise he's ever heard. The train comes to a full stop just before the train makes it to the junction.

   Tears fill Takemichi's eyes. His mouth curls into a smile—he couldn't have stopped it no matter what he did.

   They did it! Everyone's safe!

   "It...it stopped!" Takemichi's says to himself. "Kaku~Chan! That was amazing! It's a miracle! Kaku~Chan!" He sprints down the train. He isn't getting a response from inside. "Kaku~Chan?"

    Takemichi is surprised how quickly his smile disappears.

Kakucho is laying against the back of the conductors room. His eyes are closed. He has a disappearing smile on his face. Blood that has already almost dried is coating his lips and chin. He looks so peaceful, Takemichi may have assumed he was sleeping.