sweets ✧ r.kaji ˣ ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ

37: flash

heavy breathing. fear. desperation.

enomoto dragged his body forwards despite knowing that he wouldn't be able to change anything anyway. his vision was hazy, but he could make out your face streaming with blood.

banjo was panting, still set upon your limp body. it was only a momentary catch-up, however. he punched your face again.

"stop..." enomoto choked out. he didn't stop. "stop it... please..."

banjo paid him no mind. he grabbed your already matted, tangled hair that escaped from your bun and pulled your face up, revelling in the sight of your beaten-up state. "weaklings like you...don't deserve to waste my time."

"stop iiiit!!"

WHACK!

you were suddenly dropped, and banjo flew backwards from the strength of a thousand trucks.

even the leftover noroshi guys behind the masochist gaped at the sight along with enomoto and kusumi. hiragi had launched a flying side kick directly at banjo's face. as if the rain and thunder themselves were scared of him, they shrunk away like the confidence of the remaining noroshi members.

"h-hiragi...san?!" enomoto gasped. kusumi beside him let out a breath of relief.

"what the—shishitoren?!"

both you and kaji were on the cold, wet floor. your hand found his. you squeezed it. ....we did it. we made it. you didn't even have the strength to talk.

"hey. hey, kaji. l/n." hiragi's blurry figure appeared above you two. "are you alright?"

kaji jerked up and coughed out blood, regaining consciousness. panic was in his eyes, but your hand in his and hiragi's grip on his shoulder brought him back to reality.

"it's okay. breathe."

"...hiragi-san... i... couldn't win..." his strained throat rasped. "i couldn't...protect them... you gave me all these things, and..."

you stared at the sky with a blank, tired look. how pained kaji's voice sounded made you tear up. from relief or bitterness—you couldn't tell.

"and i...made a mess of everything..." he squeezed his eyes shut. "i'm...sorry..."

"you...did good protecting this place," hiragi said. "protecting all of your friends. you tried. you did your best. ...and you can leave the rest to me."

you stifled a sob when you felt hiragi's hand ruffling your hair and kaji's. "you can leave the rest to me." umemiya must've done well teaching everyone. he taught all of bofurin that it's so easy to comfort someone in pain. he taught all of bofurin that it's okay to ask for help.

"hiragi-nii..." you wiped away tears and blood from your eyes. "i'm sorry! i'm so sorry!" he kept his hand on your face just to let you know he was listening. "thank you...so much!"

he smiled.

kaji put a hand over his face. there was no doubt he was crying as well. "thank...you..."

"it's hiragi!!" an ugly voice yelled, rudely interrupting. "heeey! yay, yay, yay! i thought i wasn't gonna get to fight anyone strong this time around!" of course, it was banjo. the way he blushed in happiness and squealed like a girl meeting her crush was disgusting. "c'mon! let's get this starte—"

"shut up. shut. up."

shivers creeped through everyone's spines. hiragi was caring, but terrifying.

"don't you ever...open that damn mouth of yours again!!" banjo was silenced. "...sako. i'll take care of banjo. i want you to handle the others. that okay with you?"