[AllTakemichi] Control

Chapter 45

Izana returns to Tenjiku when night has fully fallen, wearing a fresh, dry outfit. Kakuchou took him to a nearby clothing store so he could dry off and change before they headed back to Yokohama.

The moment they arrive, Izana immediately calls for Kisaki - and Kisaki shows up right away. He's been waiting far too long. His patience is wearing thin. He never thought Izana would be the type to hesitate over a decision like this.

"Izana, what do you want from me?" Kisaki asks, trying to sound calm.

"Hanagaki Takemichi," Izana says the name, almost sings it. Kisaki frowns. Something about the way Izana draws out the name of his so-called hero sounds off. He shoots a glance at Kakuchou - there's something uneasy in Kakuchou's expression too.

"Kisaki, I don't care anymore about how we're going to crush Touman. Your goal is Mikey? Fine, keep going. But... I want you to make sure Takemichi belongs to Tenjiku. No - he belongs to me."

Izana's eyes gleam with an indescribable hunger. His smile is both thrilled and sinister - it sends a chill crawling down Kisaki's spine. But more than that, Kisaki is stunned. His genius mind fails to process what he's hearing. Because in Izana's voice, this isn't about using Takemichi to destroy Touman anymore. It's about destroying Touman for Takemichi.

But that makes no sense. Their target, from the start, was Mikey. Takemichi was just a means to an end. So why is he suddenly Izana's final goal?

"What the hell are you saying?" Kisaki asks, his voice uncertain.

"Wasn't I clear? I want Takemichi. That's all."

"That's all? And Mikey? Didn't you say you wanted to break Mikey - to turn him into a replacement for Shinichirou?"

"I already have my Shinichirou. I don't need Mikey. I need to take Shinichirou back from him."

Kisaki lets out a short, disbelieving laugh. What did he just hear? Who the hell is Shinichirou? Take back? ...Takemichi?

The laugh dies on Kisaki's lips. His face hardens. What the actual hell is going on? Just days ago, Izana was obsessed with making Mikey into Shinichirou. Just yesterday, Kisaki was sure that obsession hadn't changed. But now this?

Takemichi. It's you again, isn't it? It has to be you. What the hell are you trying to do?

A creeping sense of dread and threat coils in Kisaki's mind. No. He has to stay calm. Izana did say he still plans to crush Touman. Their goals might be different now, but so what? It could even work in his favor. If Izana takes Takemichi, Mikey and Touman will fall into chaos. That'll make things easier. That's good... right?

No. No, it's not. Not at all.

Even Izana now - Izana too - has developed this twisted attachment to Takemichi. The Haitani brothers were already enough to make Kisaki sick. "Like"? That word doesn't even come close to describing what they feel. It's obsession. A desperate need to own Takemichi. They've all lost their minds. Everyone around him is going insane over that boy. Damn it all!

"Looks like Kisaki's about to blow a fuse after what I said, huh? His face just now was priceless."

Izana watches Kisaki walk away, then turns to Kakuchou, who stands quietly beside him. He casts a glance sideways at Kakuchou, eyes suddenly sharpening.

"Your face right now is pretty damn funny too, Kakuchou."

Kakuchou flinches, snapping out of his daze. He fumbles for words.

"I'm sorry."

"You're worried I'm gonna do something to Takemichi, aren't you?"

He stays silent, head lowered, unsure how to respond. He is worried. Deep down, he really is. He starts feeling uneasy the moment he learns how the Haitani brothers feel about Takemichi. Hanma's words keep echoing in his mind. It takes everything in him not to grab Ran by the collar and demand what he's done to the boy.