[AllTakemichi] Control

Chapter 50

Takemichi is still being tailed by the Tenjiku members, unable to get close to Kisaki. That bastard, meanwhile, is well protected by his subordinates. Draken and Kakuchou are locked in a fight that's evenly matched. As for Taiju and Hanma, they're clearly enjoying the show - the twisted excitement on their faces is enough to make anyone want to stay far away.

But the fiercest battle is still the one between the leaders of Touman and Tenjiku. They go at each other with devastating kicks. If in the past Izana held the upper hand in the early stages of the fight, now it's clear that Mikey completely dominates. Izana is only holding on for now, but it's only a matter of time before he goes down. Mikey's mind is steady as a rock, while Izana's is shattered - Takemichi has stirred up all his buried pain and broken him from the inside. The more unhinged Izana becomes, the faster his strength burns out.

"I have to kill you, Mikey! It's all your fault! You took everything from me!" He took Shinichiro. He took away Izana's hope. He stripped him of every ounce of love he ever had.

"I didn't take anything from you. Why can't you just end this meaningless fight, Izana?"

Mikey, seemingly fed up, slams a punch straight into Izana's face. The blow lands clean. The pace of the fight slows instantly.

"It was your people who killed Shinichiro! Because of you, I lost everything! And now you want to take him too!" Izana's voice cracks with rage. "I thought he would understand me. I thought he'd stay by my side... but..."

He clenches his fist, his face twisted in hatred, eyes clouded by madness. Takemichi's cold stare and cruel words echo in his head. He'll never stay by his side. Loneliness? Salvation? Lies. All of it. Takemichi is a liar. He'll be just like Shinichiro - he'll only ever love Mikey. He won't hesitate to hurt Izana for Mikey's sake.

"Go home, brother. Shinichiro is gone... but you still have me. And Emma. She's waiting for you to come back."

Mikey's voice trembles, barely holding itself together. After all, they're all grieving the same loss. Izana's head pounds. Every word feels like a blade cutting deeper into his chest. He doesn't want to hear any of it.

"I told you to shut up! I'm not your brother!"

He screams and lunges, throwing a punch. Mikey catches it without flinching. He grips Izana's fist tightly and steps closer, bringing their faces inches apart.

"Why are you so damn stubborn? All you had to do was open your heart - say one word, and both Emma and I would welcome you. No matter how much you hate me, we're still family, aren't we? Is it really that hard to love your own family?"

Mikey shouts too, overwhelmed by the fury and sorrow inside him. He knows Izana hates him - but standing face to face with this madness, Mikey finally understands what true hatred looks like, down to the marrow.

Izana is twisted, broken in ways words can't reach. Can I really save him? Takemichi... can I really save this brother?

Mikey's voice calling him "brother" and that single word - family - only deepen Izana's pain and fuel his rage.

Brother? Family? Don't say words that disgust me.

"Ha! Don't be ridiculous, Mikey. Didn't he already tell you? Didn't he say anything?" Izana scoffs. "I don't share a single drop of blood with you or Emma. I'm not related to either of you. Brother? Family? What a joke."

Mikey's eyes widen. His whole face freezes in shock. He glances at Takemichi, then back at Izana, trying to process what he just heard. Even Izana arches an eyebrow at his expression.

"...You didn't know?"

Mikey says nothing. Silence grips him. But suddenly, he remembers something Takemichi once said.