NARA 和

34: Until the Flowers Bloom Again

3 hours, 56 minutes, and 35 seconds

Plenty of hours have passed, and both of you are still standing. Bloody, worn out, and unrecognizable. It's almost a miracle that you two are still alive at this point.




Adrenaline kicks you, which makes you feel hazy and light. This is really happening; all of this is real, not an illusion. Mikey is right in front of you with such annoying indifference.

"Fuck," you said and laughed, straightening your posture. Faltering a bit.



"You fucker still have no doubt about losing." It irks you to the core to say that out loud.



The sky is getting light, and sooner or later, you knew you had to end this already.



"Getting all riled up, and for what? Darling~" It was laced with much sarcasm like you did earlier.



All you see is red.

So despite the swift attack of punch you gave to Mikey that he expertly avoided, your fist kept hitting the wind. The faster your attempts are, the faster he avoids them. It's almost as if he already predicts your every move.

"More," Mikey commands, which makes your glare nastier.




"Is this fucking amusing to you?"




"Maybe"




Good.

You laughed and backed away, and it's your turn to dodge his attacks. You can easily see right through him, as if the wind tells you that he will be swinging there and here. Until you purposefully managed to let him hit you in the stomach, causing you to cough out blood.




Silence.



He stopped,



Mikey nonchalantly stares down at you.



You waited.



I waited for the right time.



The right tick of seconds




Mikey walks away.




The right phase



The right point





You grinned, unhinged, and realization dawned upon you.




Sano Manjiro fucking showed his back on you, and that is one rule he never dared to break— to show his back on his enemies, even as the commander in the Tokyo Manji Gang.





You watched him, like you're the predator. Calculating his moves. He is on the edge of the rooftop, as if staring at the whole city that he controls under his palms.




It's all gone fast; while the water fell, you stood up as quietly as you should.

Step





Step






Step

Step

Step

The gap between you lessens, and the grip you have on the dagger is so firm to the point that the lines on your palm as well as your flesh can feel what is about to come.




A flash of young Mikey holding your hand, backfacing you, suddenly flashed.





It felt warm.





Why has his youth ever shared a laugh with you?





Little by little, your heart cracks until its blood flows mercilessly, to the point where it reaches the fragment of Manjiro that you held dearly, all stained in blood.

Neither was it warm nor precious.





As you kept taking your steps, you knew that Mikey could hear you; you knew he could feel your tears, your shake, and everything else collapsing.

Yet he didn't move, he didn't attack you, and he wasn't making any signs to stop you.





All you ever wanted in your life was to reach Mikey.





Like a boy you met one time in spring, like the lad that you left in the middle of his peak.





You did it so easily and so fast.





The young Sano in your tainted mind faces you, and the dagger was pierced, torridly and accurately, into now- adult Mikey's heart.





You saw his hand on yours, pushing the dagger further.





Ringing in your ears as Mikey's eyes are on you, as if contented, it haunts you. It severely breaks you, as if fire went under your bones, ready to kill you as well.





You did it.




It was over.




Sano Manjiro was stabbed.




Your efforts weren't in vain.




You've avenged your friends.





Your heart can be at ease.




Everything is going to be fine.



But why are you shaking?




Why do you suddenly feel weak?



Why do your veins scream for something?




Why do you feel like throwing up?




Why does everything feel so heavy?



Why does it feel like your own Creator turned His back on you?





Your knees fell to the floor, as did Mikey's blood.




Escaping a breath, a feared breath, then turns to a laugh.



With a laugh that was filled with agony, you looked up to him, tears mixing with your blood. Eyes crazed, he is silent, observing you like he always did.