ODE TO THE MURDERED, bonten

52

PART FIFTY-TWO !
when fire meets gasoline.

"KAKUCHO?" SOMEONE CALLS OUT HIS NAME like a gentle psalm. then, a small hand shakes him. "wake up." he stirs after a second or two, pushing himself over the water of unconsciousness, awakening himself from a long dream. when his eyes flutter open, his bones were screaming at him and he cannot help but groan out in pain.

    that's right, he and Wakasa were being punished right now.

"Kakucho."

    he turns his head, and greeting him beyond the cell is Ran with saddened eyes, beside him was a grim-looking Mochizuki. despite being the ones on the other side of the cells—they don't look good. there're stress lines and eye bags evident in their facial features, their hairs not in the usual coiffed nature and clothes looking like it was haphazardly thrown in together in the last minute. Kakucho doesn't have a single clue what has happened beyond his punishment.

"you shouldn't be here." Kakucho winces at his own dry voice.

    Mochizuki hands him a bottled water, which he curtly rejects. his friend relents, twisting the cap and almost pushing the bottle opening to Kakucho's lips.

"i know." Ran answers after Kakucho gulps down the entire bottle. "Mocchi and i plan to appeal from yours and Wakasa's punishment."

"don't." Kakucho's tone is hard, red-white eyes narrowed through the pain on his abdomen. "you'll get in trouble and you'd be tossed in here too."

    Ran looks mad, he softly bangs his fist against the cell bars, catching Kakucho's attention.

"listen to me, man." Ran starts.

"i hate to say this, but all of us are aware that what Mikey did was too much. we promised each other from the very moment the Battle of the Three Dieties ended, we promised that we would all have each other's backs but Mikey—" there's harshness in Ran's voice, "Mikey's not right in the head."

    Kakucho furrows his brows. "what are you getting at?" what's happening?

    Ran is suddenly reluctant to answer. Kakucho turns his attention to Mochizuki. "what do you mean, what are you thinking?"

    "it's what Ran said," Mocchi starts. "we both decided that if Mikey goes on another haywire, we are out."

    what?

    Kakucho's head snaps to Ran who doesn't seem to be joking. both of them are serious.

    "you're thinking of leaving Bonten?" Kakucho sounds so hostile, so accusatory. his heart and head is pounding, the rush of agitation cold on the tips of his bones. "you're fucking kidding me."

    "we are not." Ran's tone is hard. "Mocchi, Rin, Koko and I have been talking about it ever since you were beaten out of your fucking mind. Bonten's no longer the same space we all followed Mikey for. this place is not only destroying us but it's also destroying him—"

    "no." Kakucho is quick to reject. he lifts his hand instinctively to clutch the fabric of his shirt where his Bonten tattoo was, an insignia. not just any syndicate tattoo—but a living, breathing proof of Izana's remaining legacy—god forbids he abandons the very memory of him.

    "no, no. you two are just confused. i'm okay—i'm alright. there's no need for anyone to leave."

    "Kakucho."

    "no, Ran, fuck, this is not okay. this is insubordination." Kakucho's desperate to talk about reasoning. "this is an act of defiance against Mikey—"