The yesterdays that were mine

The Secret To Staying Alive

Ten years in the future
3 days before Nana Komore's death anniversary.

Takemichi's phone rang in the early hours of the morning, stirring him awake as the buzz rattled his old mattress. He scanned the name and picked up the call.

"Naoto it's 5 in the goddamn morning, couldn't this have waited?" His sleepy drawl sounded too loud for the time of morning. He heard Naoto sigh on the other side of the line.

"I have been awake trying to find Nana Komore but I couldn't and you wanna know why?"

"You sound unhinged right now, you gotta sleep," Silence from the other side. "But yes tell me what you know"

"Nana Komore is dead, Takemichi," there was a moment of pause, and Takemichi felt his heart fall down into his feet. "She killed herself by jumping in front of a train twelve years ago."

-

Takemichi drove to Naoto with a lot on his mind. Unsure of how in which Nana was driven to kill herself, and why in the future she still ended up dead. He walked through the door and Naoto looked a lot more put together than he sounded only hours before.

"Explain everything, Naoto. I want Nana to live" Takemichi said as he took a seat. Naoto sighed and began speaking.

"It was the day Keisuke Baji joined Valhalla. Nana Komore was taken there as a consolation for Kazutora Hanemiya who was a founding member of Tokyo Manji. Kazutora killed Shinichiro Sano two years prior and when he got out of Juvy, joined Valhalla. Kazutora pinned Nana down and cut the words 'Property of H.Kazutora' into her right arm in allusion to the jacket she was made to wear. When she left that night, street speed cameras witnessed her walking to the train station. It was October 1st, at 9:43 pm on Shibuya train station; platform 3. She jumped as the express train ran through the station. She was identified, but her right arm was severed off, and it was found by the authorities on the tracks. The name sawn into her skin was rung up, and they arrested Kazutora for the assault." Naoto takes a breath, and sits down at the desk across from Takemichi.

"Because of this, the fight between Tokyo Manji and Valhalla which would come to be known as the Bloody Halloween on October 31st, ended in the deaths of Keisuke Baji and Emma Sano. Manjiro Sano met up with Kazutora that day and killed him for the murder of his older brother and Nana Komore." Naoto leant back when he finished speaking

"If you can, if anything, keep Nana alive. Remember, 1st, 9:43, Shibuya station platform 3. Assume this to our original plan. What Draken told us, that will be the day Tokyo Manji will fall under Valhalla, but if Nana is alive it might alter the overall outcome."

"Okay, i'll keep them all alive, and i'll be back" And Takemichi reached out to shake his hand.

act. 2
Ten years in the past
The second day Nana would have died.

Takemichi stood as a witness for Baji's pledge, and he scanned the room for Nana. she was there somewhere. But they can't know that he knows of her presence, so he hoped for some kind of sound, or inclination of a hidden girl amongst the crowd of boys.

He watched Kazutora, how after he finished recounting the story of his stance in Toman as a pillar member, he watched how he approached Hanma, confirmed something with a nod and turned to walk away to a hallway in the far left corner of the room. Takemichi swallowed and opened his mouth.

"Is Nana okay?" He asked, and Kazutora turned as if he had just called him a vile name.
"You mentioned Nana," He lied, and it could have gone bad that night. "When...when we came in here you were going to say something." his words were coming from him faster than he had liked them to.