I'd let the world burn for you... || Tokyo Revengers

Emergency meeting

After the intense clash with Yotsuya Kaidan, Keisuke and Chifuyu left together, while Kaiya chose to depart on her own. The night was deepening, and exhaustion weighed heavily on them, making it clear that this was not the time for further discussion.

Kaiya returned to her aunt's house much later than usual. The cold night air whipped around her as she parked her motorcycle in the garage, the engine's rumble dying down to a quiet purr. She carefully removed her helmet, trying to be as silent as possible to avoid disturbing the household's slumber.

Stealthily, she crept into the house, her footsteps barely making a sound on the wooden floor. However, as she entered the dimly lit living room, she found her aunt, Mai, waiting for her.

Mai sat with a calm yet firm demeanor, the soft glow of a single lamp casting shadows on her face. The faint, lingering smell of freshly smoked cigarettes hung in the air.

- "Spare a few moments with your beloved aunt, Kaiya?" Mai's voice was both commanding and gentle, tinged with a hint of concern.

Startled, Kaiya turned to face her aunt. She had been so absorbed in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed the familiar scent of cigarettes or Mai's presence. The sight of her aunt sitting there, bathed in the dim light, pulled her abruptly from her reverie.

- "I'm sorry if I woke you up, Mai," Kaiya said, a bit ashamed, thinking that she had disturbed her aunt's peace.

Mai gestured with her hand, indicating that it was nothing to worry about, and pointed with her head to the sofa next to her. Kaiya nodded and sat down, feeling a mix of curiosity and worry swirling inside her.

She was terrified that she had messed up so badly that her aunt would no longer be willing to take care of her. Memories of the nights she left without a word and the days she returned home late weighed heavily on her mind. The sudden appearance of motorcycles around the neighborhood after she moved in didn't help her case either. Anxiety clawed at her heart, tightening its grip with each passing second. The thought of having to go back to her mother, who might not even want her, or worse, ending up in an orphanage, filled her with dread. The fear of losing this fragile sense of belonging she had found with her aunt gnawed at her, making her stomach churn.

Mai adjusted the lamp near her, angling it so its light fell on Kaiya, allowing her to see her niece's face more clearly.

- "Thank God you're not hurt," Mai sighed, her tension visibly easing. Kaiya looked at her, surprised by the relief in her aunt's voice.

- "Don't worry, Kaiya," Mai continued, noticing the fear in Kaiya's eyes. "Now that I can see your face better, I can tell you're scared of me... please, don't be. I don't want that."

Mai took a deep breath before continuing, her tone calm but serious. 

- "The thing is, the social workers are still keeping an eye on me and checking on your well-being. Every time you go out, I worry it's because your gang has some fight. Until now, I didn't worry too much because I didn't see you leaving the house in your uniform very often, and even when you did, I didn't see any signs of a potential fight. But today, I wasn't around when you left, and Akira told me that you were extremely concerned that one of your friends disappeared."

Mai's explanation was steady, but her concern was evident. She watched Kaiya closely, hoping to reach through the layers of fear and anxiety that had built up between them.

- "We found him," Kaiya whispered, the image of Ryusei leaving with Kojiro fresh in her mind. The relief of finding her friend safe still lingered, but so did the tension from the night's events. "But Mai, how can you tell when I'm going to a fight?" she asked, curiosity mixed with confusion.