𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐝 - [ʜɪᴀᴛᴜs]

𝟎𝟑𝟖: 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦

"Go ahead and shoot me, Izana. You'll be satisfied right?" Mikey says calmly.

"What's wrong with you, Mikey?!" You shout. Chifuyu was still holding you back from going to him. "Don't test him, Mikey! He's not playing around!" Draken also shouts. Takemichi looked terrified. He squeezes Hina's hand, watching Mikey.

Mikey's calmness quickly shifts. "What's wrong, Izana?! Pull the trigger! Try and shoot me!" Surprisingly, Izana hesitates. Shaking the gun. Suddenly, Kakucho makes his way in front of Izana and slaps the gun away. It tosses over the ground.

That guy... Stopped him? Isn't he the most loyal to Izana? You remembered when Takemichi stood back and spoke with Kakucho briefly. When The Kawata Twins brought you to Yokohama. Is he on our side?

"Kakucho..." Izana said slowly, baffled at his servant's defiance. "What the fuck do you think you're doing...?"

Kakucho breaks a sweat. You can tell he was putting on a brave face when, really, he was scared. You sympathize with him. Since you first met Izana, you've been doing the same. There was no doubt that Izana can induce fear in people. So easy for him, all it takes is an eerie grin and piercing eyes. The sound of his voice, though calm and soft, contradicts his dark tone and menacing words.

"Izana..." Kakucho gulps, "That's enough, okay? We lost," Izana was clearly displeased, he didn't say anything. He didn't need to. His eyes showed it all. Almost bloodshot-looking, the way he stares deeply into Kakucho. "I only fought for you," Kakucho continues to talk after a short silence, waiting for Izana to respond.

"No matter how dark your thoughts are, I'll gladly die for you..."

"... Mikey."

What was that?!

For a second. You saw yourself in Kakucho. The exact wording as well. "So please, stop showing yourself like this. I don't wanna see you in such a horrible state!"

Your head starts to ache. Listening to both your and Kakucho's voices merge in your head. You drop to your knees with your hands clutching your head from the pain. Chifuyu kneels beside you, "What's going on...?!" He asked, panicked. You start to groan. Suddenly getting a flash of visions. Memories you've never made. For whatever reason, you couldn't bring yourself to close your eyes shut. You sat there wide-eyed, watching your own future.

All of your futures.

You saw yourself with glasses and a cane. You saw Takemichi as a Toman executive. You saw Hina's funeral. You saw Mikey, with black hair and a tattoo on his neck, on top of you with a gun. You saw Mikey, wearing his Toman jacket, driving away.

It was all memories you have. But you haven't even experienced them yet. Through all those flashes, you hear muffled yelling.

Bang.

You finally blinked. Regaining your sense of sight. Chifuyu was in front of you. You look up at the boy. He was covering you, but his neck was turned back. You felt your face and it was wet. You look down at your hand. Your fingers are coated in dark red blood.

"KAKU-CHAN!!!" You hear Takemichi scream in horror. You lift your head above Chifuyu's shoulders. Kakucho has dropped to his knees. You see blood on a spot on his back. He has been shot. Your eyes trail.

Kisaki had the gun in his hand.

"Again... And again my plans are ruined by Hanagaki...!" Kisaki grits his teeth. His eyes look like they're about to burst out of their sockets. "When I can't use Mikey... I have no choice but to use Izana. But now you're in my way, Kakucho!"