DARKSIDE | Manjiro Sano

Part 10

"Why did you lie?" Takemichi panted, mouth agape. His chest was going up and down fast as Draken stared up at him in shock. Or surprise. 

"Mikey-kun being overseas... It's a lie, right?" He paused to register the latter's face. "Everyone said they haven't seen him for like- a decade..." He stopped to glance at Draken's side, seeing his troubled expression. 

"That... and, Mikey-kun's," he started. "There was a video of someone who looked like Izana Kurokawa on the news. I... I don't know what to think or say about that but, is Mikey-kun alive? Or is Izana alive? Is he not dead?" He stammered. Draken shook his head, sighing.

"I don't know. Mikey and I parted ways 12 years ago." Draken said, "I don't know if he's dead or alive." His hands moved skillfully to work on the vehicle stranded in front of him. "We lied because we wanted you to straighten out your life. Don't blame Chifuyu, he just went along with me."

"Quit looking into him, Takemitchy." Metals clanged with each other. "When I last saw him... 12 years ago... He was no longer the Mikey I knew well." He stopped moving.

Takemichi stood there in disbelief. He had thought that everything would go back to normal and happy, but, he was wrong. He was silent, contemplating everything he had just heard. 

It was a starless evening. Takemichi was sitting on a bench. All alone. A depressing face on. He was waiting for his lover's brother and his supporter for over so many years. Naoto came in his formal attire, straight from the police headquarters. Takemichi apologized for calling him so suddenly.

"No worries, you saved my life," Naoto smiled, side-eyeing. "This is nothing." He kept an A4 sized envelope on the space of the bench between them, slipping it forward. "I looked into it. The criminal organization 'Bonten' ...and, the white-haired guy."

Takemichi took the envelope in his hands, staring at it emptily. Naoto gave him an empathetic look, which, of course, the latter missed. Naoto sighed.

"Japan's worst criminal organization. Bonten. Gambling, fraud, murder, mass murders, human trafficking, drug supply and what not. It's said that no matter what the crime, Bonten's always involved. Somehow, police can't get much intel on it. It's a rumor around that they are the reasons for the many political assassinations... to put it simply, they're just like how Toman was in the previous timelines."

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐎𝐕

I landed on the ground, and then I supported my body with my hands. I saw a beautiful shade of scarlet stain and it spread so satisfactorily on the white, fluffy snow. It was cold to touch the snow before, but with the redness, it became so pleasing to look at it and touch it, it seemed warm. Before I could cup the snow with my blood in my hands, I was grabbed to stand on my feet. I looked up at my raging brother.

I was happily playing outside. It's rare for me to do so, but here I am. My brother just came back.

My brother doesn't let me out. He says its for my safety, so he locks me up in my room until he comes back. I don't know what he does outside. I don't. But, he spends a long time out. I hate it. But, when he comes back, he devotes all his affection and attention to me.

Oni-chan, came back early today. That's good. In recent days, I've been observing that he comes home early. Early but stressed. That's why sometimes he's a little rough with his ways of handling me.  

𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐎𝐕

"Izana Kurokawa?" Takemichi asked him. A gulp down his throat, fearing what the other's answer would be.

"No. He's definitely dead." Naoto said. "The white-haired guy was formerly known as the Undefeatable Mikey."

Takemichi stared at him, his heart skipping a beat as his pulse fastened. His jaw was hanging from his skull helplessly as he tried to take in the information.

"The leader of Bonten is Manjiro Sano." Naoto concluded. Takemichi widened his eyes, a gasp leaving his mouth.

"Mikey'kun... he's the leader of that organization? A criminal organization?" He almost yelled.

"Yes. Without a doubt."

Takemichi stood up. Sweat started to form on his forehead as he took another empty gulp.

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