"To put yourself on the line for someone is to demonstrate the highest form of loyalty and selflessness."
Park
Azumi accompanied the first years who wanted to have tree-viewing. This month, the leaves are transitioning and emits a beautiful shade of yellow. "Hanami-san. Are you thinking of someone you'd be dating here? Or maybe, you'd come back with Chifuyu-san?", one of the first years asked. "He's mesmerized even with the smallest thing. This view will blow off his mind", the raven head chuckled.
"Taka-ni. I want you to carry me up high!".
"That's unfair. I was the one who asked Taki-ni first".
The raven's head turned in the direction of the voices and saw lovely youngsters leeching on their brother. Mana and Luna saw her looking at their brother admiring the view. They instinctively spread their arms wide as if trying to protect their brother. The girl was baffled by the sight of the light brown-haired toddlers. "Taka-san?", Azumi called out his name under her breath. "Someone you know?", the first years swarmed around her. The lilac head was about to turn around when Azumi decided to turn as well.
The first years dragged her to the view deck overlooking the pond. They have taken pictures together and even asked if they could tag her. She reluctantly agreed and felt apologetic that she didn't approach the lilac head. She sighed and looked at the pond with yellow leaves dropping in it. Soon, the first years were led to fool around the trees and play hide and seek. Azumi stayed on the deck and sat on the bench. She looked up and saw the blue sky. The raven head pulled out her phone and tried to take a photo of the sky. Someone blocked the screen but the sky could still be seen in the background. She clicked the button as she was surprised by who peeked in. "I knew I heard you", Mitsuya smiled and Azumi took a photo of it.
The lady sat straight and saw adorable dolls behind Mitsuya. "Taka-ni? Is she a friend of yours?", Mana asked. "She's a friend of a friend and that makes her my friend as well", Mitsuya patted her head. "They're Mana and Luna?", Azumi finally had it registered in her brain. It had been taunting her of how someone who looks tame as Mitsuya would be a womanizer. "You looked lonely a while ago so I decided to butt in. I hope I'm not being nosy", the lad scratched his nape. Azumi shook his head and assured that his presence gave much comfort. "I was about to approach you but felt hesitant. I might have also scared your sisters, sorry ", the raven head knew she was never good with children. As someone who was never allowed to be one, she doesn't know how to act around them. "Are you going to take Taka-ni away from us?", Luna peeked and looked at the girl's elegant onyx eyes. "I...", she looked at her and back to Mitsuya who just gave a smile. "I don't have the slightest plan to do that. Also, I don't think I can win against the two of you", Azumi tried to reach out her hands to the adorable dolls but stopped halfway. "You should have told us", Mana and Luna jumped to give her a hug. They're far small so they can just hug her waist.
After some time, Mana and Luna decided to pick leaves from the park. Mitsuya and the Azumi sat at a bench where they could still see them. "They're picking leaves to show Mom. She's working non-stop these days", the lilac head opened. The girl tried not to look so invested so she just stared at the ground. "She's fortunate to have a son who would fill in the gap", Azumi said her thoughts out loud and covered her mouth. "Sorry- I didn't mean to...", the raven head girl bowed low. They were just inches away so her head hit Mitsuya's chest when she raised her head. Her expression softened as she saw a forgiving look at the lad's face. She would always slip her thoughts out of her mouth whenever Mitsuya was around. "I wasn't that great of a brother. When I was younger, I ran away from home feeling the burden of taking care of them. It was later that I realized that they're not burden, they're my sisters", the lilac head turned to look at the two girls running around.
One day, I hope you'll stop running away and come back home to where you rightly belong.
The next day,
Azumi went out of the house holding the bookmark she made wearing a hoodie and a pair of jeans. Luna and Mana gave her one and thanked her for spending the time with them. There were two so she was thinking of giving the other one to Chifuyu.
"A lot of them have gathered and are riding towards the port".
"Sucks for the other gang. They only have a hundred while their opponent tripled their numbed".
The raven head stopped walking and called Chifuyu. He wasn't answering the call. She ran around and bumped into someone. The impact made her fall to the ground. Someone picked up her phone and saw that she was calling Chifuyu. "He might be riding his bike", the deep-toned voice made Azumi look up. Baji, who was once wearing a black uniform, is now wrapped in a white jacket with a headless angel imprinted at the back. "I heard a fight is going to happen. "I always thought I'd hate you for having Chifuyu dragged into the life of a delinquent. Up until now, I find myself being convinced that you have your reason", the girl stood and dusted off the dirt from her jeans. "Also, I thought that Chifuyu would join the other gang because you're there but he stayed in Toman. I wonder what is with that gang that even if you left, he still stayed", Azumi mustered her courage to look into Baji's eyes.
"Toman was created by me", Baji said and found himself talkative before a big war between Valhalla and Toman. "Then, that Mikey you're talking about is just a figurehead?", the girl asked. "Mikey deserves the spot of being the leader. Don't you dare look down on him", the man started walking away. "Baji...san", Azumi never gave a salutation to the man as she felt jealous ever since Chifuyu started hanging out with him more. "Why did you create Toman? Why would Chifuyu want to stay regardless?", the girl asked again. "Toman was created to form a bond where you would throw yourselves to protect your comrade. That's the kind of gang I wanted it to be", Baji said and walked away. "I want to see it!", Azumi grabbed on the lad's sleeves. "I will be responsible for my own life. I just want to see what and who he is desperately following", she said with determined eyes. "Suit yourself", Baji snatched his sleeve back and continued walking.
Abandoned Car Lot
"Who is this that you brought along?", Kisaki furrowed his brow to see a person in a hoodie. Azumi hid her hair and having a baggy jacket didn't give away that she's a girl. "The battle is about to start. We can play with Baji's friend later", Hanma looked down on her and smirked. "Matsuno will go berserk if you get involved. Go find a spot where you can stay and watch. You said you'd be responsible for yourself. I'd be an ingrate if I didn't pay you back for tutoring me", Baji saw the Haitani brothers lazying around. "You're not going to join this fight so why don't you look after this guy", the former captain of the first division pushed her towards them.
Rin caught her and gave her a quick squeeze. "It's not a guy", he peeked in and saw the girl's surprised expression. The raven head realized that he purposefully hugged her to feel the girl's chest. She grabbed an elongated metal on the side and pointed at the blonde with streaks of blue hair. "She's putting up a fight. I like that", Ran laughed. "Stop playing with the girl", another new face who was just eating sighed.
Chapter end.
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Existence Precedes Essence
Fanfiction"The literal meaning of life is whatever you're doing that prevents you from killing yourself." ― Albert Camus "Azumi, what is that sin you are referring to?", Chifuyu toned down. "Just merely existing. Because I happened, people had faced so many m...
