ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ||ʙᴏɴᴛᴇɴ

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

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[Y/n] and Izana sat side by side in the sterile hospital room, the atmosphere tinged with a bittersweet air. The rhythmic beeping of Kenji's monitors filled the silence as they caught up.

"So, what are you doing here?" [y/n] asked, her voice gentle but curious as she looked at him.

Izana hesitated for a moment before answering, his expression softening into a sad smile. "I'm here to visit Shinichiro."

[Y/n] tilted her head, her lips twitching into a teasing smile despite the weight of the conversation. "You know, it's strange," she said, "how Shinichiro and Kenji were best friends in Black Dragon, and now they've ended up in the same fate at almost the same time."

[Y/n] couldn't help but tease lightly, her lips quirking up. "Guess they really couldn't stand being apart, huh?"

Izana chuckled softly, shaking his head at her lightheartedness, but his expression remained pained. "It's all thanks to you that Shinichiro even has a fighting chance," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. He met her gaze, his expression softening. "You saved him, [n/n]. You risked your life and paid for his medical bills. I couldn't thank you enough."

[Y/n] turned to him, her smile tinged with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

The memory came flooding back to [y/n] as Izana spoke, her mind replaying the events that had led to this moment.

Flashback

It was two days after her brother had been hospitalized.

It had been a rainy evening when she found Shinichiro, sprawled out in an alleyway, blood pooling around him from a vicious gang fight, it looked like they targeted him when he was alone. His breaths were shallow, his face pale as the rain mixed with the crimson streaks on his skin.

"Shin!" [y/n]'s voice cracked as she dropped to her knees beside him, her hands pressing desperately against his wounds to stop the bleeding. "FUCK stay with me, okay? "

He didn't respond, his head falling to the side. The weight of the moment settled in her chest, but [y/n] refused to give in to the panic clawing at her. She grabbed her phone, her trembling fingers dialing Izana.

"Zana," she said quickly when he answered, her voice shaky. "It's Shinichiro. He's...he's badly wounded. I'm taking him to the hospital, but I need you to meet me there."

The ride to the hospital had been a blur of flashing lights and her whispered pleas for Shinichiro to hang on. By the time Izana arrived, [y/n] was already at the front desk, arguing with the staff to prioritize his care "I DON'T FUCKING CARE, I WILL PAY WHATEVER IT TAKES FOR YOU TO TAKE HIM NOW", she yelled.

"He's my brother, please," her voice softened as she lied without hesitation, her voice firm despite the lump in her throat. "Please, you have to save him."

End of Flashback

Your fingers brushed against the edge of the bed as you blinked away the memory. "Zana," she said quietly, looking up at him with a soft smile. "Shinichiro is an amazing person. He's my brother's best friend, and he's my best friend's brother. I couldn't let you guys down."

Izana's eyes softened as she stepped closer, her hands reaching out to cup his face. Her touch was warm, comforting even. "I couldn't let you down," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion as she gave a soft smile.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she pulled Izana into a tight hug, her arms wrapping around him.

"Everything will be okay," she murmured, her voice barely audible as she buried her face against his shoulder.

Izana let out a slow, shuddering breath, his arms tightening around her. "I hope so," he replied, his voice breaking just slightly.

They stayed like that for a moment, drawing comfort from each other's presence before [Y/n] finally pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "How's Mikey?" he asked hesitantly.

[Y/n] sighed, leaning back against the wall. "He could be better," she admitted. "But he's better than before."

Izana nodded slowly, his golden eyes flickering with something unspoken. "He misses you, Zana. You know that, right?"

[Y/n] stepped closer, her voice soft but firm. "You should visit him."

Izana's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "N-no," he stammered, his voice tinged with panic. "I couldn't possibly do that. At least... not now [n/n]". I can't just show up out of nowhere."

Mikey also thinks Shinichiro is dead, you know," [Y/n] said gently, her tone laced with sadness.

Izana winced, the weight of her words hitting him like a blow. His fists clenched tighter. "I can't," he said again, shaking his head. "Not yet. When things get better with Shinichiro, then maybe."

[Y/n] tilted her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Well, he'll be waiting. Both him and Kakucho."

Izana's eyes widened at the mention of Kakucho's name, his breath hitting. "Kakucho..." he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "How's Kakucho doing?"

[Y/n]'s smile widened slightly, a teasing lilt creeping into her voice. "Why don't you ask him yourself, Zana?"

[Y/n] stepped closer, her voice gentle but pointed. "He misses you, too, you know.

Izana didn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the floor as his emotions churned visibly. Finally, he looked up at [Y/n].

"Thank you, [n/n]", he said softly. "For everything."

[Y/n] smiled, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "You don't have to thank me, Zana. Just, don't keep them waiting forever, okay?"

"I bet when they see you they're gonna be sobbing with happiness, especially Kakucho", [Y/n] said as she laughed.

Izana stifled a laugh as he pictured Kakucho's and Mikey's reactions, "I'll meet them, just not now, I want Shin to wake up first".

"Pinky promise?", [Y/n] asked as she held out her pinky. "Pinky promise", he smiled as he interlocked his finger with hers.

"Well, I'll be leaving now, [n/n], I'll see you around", Izana said with a smile hugging her as he turned to leave.

"WAIT!", [Y/n] called out. "Give me your phone", she said as Izana handed her his phone.

[Y/n] typed her number into his phone, "Here, I added my number so we'll be in contact", she smiled.

"Thanks, [n/n]", Izana said before giving her one last hug before leaving.

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[Y/n] lingered at Kenji's bedside for a few more moments, her fingers lightly brushing against his hand.

She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

"I'll see you soon, Kenji," she whispered, her voice laced with sadness. "I'll visit again. Promise."

And when you wake up, I'll bring you ramen from that shop you love."

With one last glance at the still figure of her brother, she turned and exited the room, the flowers she'd brought still resting on the table beside his bed.

As she left the hospital, the cool afternoon breeze brushed against her face, grounding her thoughts. She decided to take a longer route back to Bonten's base.

She was lost in her thoughts, not paying attention to where she was going when she collided with someone.

The force of the bump jolted her back to reality, and she stumbled slightly, catching herself before she fell. "I'm sorry!" she blurted out automatically, brushing her hair out of her face as she looked up.

Her breath caught in her throat. The person she'd bumped into froze as well, his wide blue eyes meeting hers with an equally shocked expression.

"Takemichi?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

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