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

Tenjiku (I)

A few weeks had passed since Kaiya first mentioned Tenshi to Chifuyu. She'd brought it up casually one day, mentioning how she had met a guy at the hotel she was staying in and that they were friendly with each other.

- "Maybe you should invite him to join Toman too," Chifuyu had suggested with a playful smile. But then his expression shifted slightly as he asked, "Why were you nervous to tell me about him?"

Kaiya hesitated, her eyes drifting down to her feet. 

- "I really don't know," she admitted softly, feeling a strange mix of embarrassment and guilt.

Chifuyu studied her for a moment, his voice tinged with something she couldn't quite place. 

- "Oh... do you like this guy?" he asked, though there was an almost imperceptible hurt in his tone, as if the idea of someone else getting close to her was unsettling.

Kaiya's face flushed as she waved her hands chaotically in front of her. 

- "I do—" she blurted out, before quickly adding, "Not in that way!" She was blushing furiously now, hoping to clarify the situation before Chifuyu misunderstood.

- "Is he a good guy?" Chifuyu asked, trying to keep his composure, his expression shifting from playful to something more serious, as though he was grappling with an inner conflict. He was trying to be supportive, trying to offer her the friendship and understanding she needed, but Kaiya could feel the slight tension in his voice.

- "Yeah," Kaiya nodded, more confident now. "So far, he's proven himself trustworthy."

- "Good." Chifuyu placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, though the warmth in his smile seemed slightly forced. "Then he deserves to be your friend."

But Kaiya could sense that something was bothering him. The mention of another guy getting close to her had clearly affected him, though she didn't fully understand why. He's just concerned for me, that's all, she thought, trying to brush off the feeling. But still, she couldn't shake the sense that her friendship with Chifuyu had changed somehow. Maybe it was her imagination, but the way he seemed a little more distant now left a strange heaviness in her chest. He's not judging me, right? she thought, trying to reassure herself. He wouldn't judge me for moving on.

After telling Chifuyu everything about Tenshi—how he had left Killer Bee after they allied with Yotsuya Kaidan, and how he had refused to get involved in the underhanded tactics of that gang—Chifuyu's mood seemed to lift.

- "If he left Killer Bee because of that, then he's got honor," Chifuyu said, his voice thoughtful. "If he stood against Yotsuya Kaidan, knowing what they were planning, that means he's not someone who would just stand by and let people get hurt. I'm happy you've found a friend like him."

Kaiya smiled and, feeling a surge of gratitude, hugged him tightly. Chifuyu seemed surprised by the gesture but quickly wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head as they embraced. He really does care for me, Kaiya thought, her heart feeling a little lighter. But there was still that lingering question—why hadn't she mentioned Tenshi to him sooner?

One day after their training, feeling more confident in her friendship with Tenshi, Kaiya decided to ask him if he would be willing to join Tokyo Manji as her vice-captain. The two of them had grown closer through their training sessions, and she trusted him deeply. But his response was not what she expected.

Tenshi stopped mid-step, his eyes widening in surprise. He then knelt in front of her, his hands placed on the ground, his head bowed low. 

- "This is an honor that I cannot accept," he said, his voice filled with a strange mix of sorrow and respect. "I am very sorry, Kaiya, but I cannot accept this. I left that world behind a long time ago."