A/N: @blueflowerpetal1 drew a lovely fanart for this story. Blake looks stunningly cool--thank you very much! To clarify, I'm alright with fanworks, and I appreciate anyone who takes the time and effort to do so.

Despite having mentioned the anime in these notes, I've never watched it lol. I've heard that they added several original scenes, so I might check those out sometime. I love the new ending song, and its lyrics are perfect for Yuzuha...

"'sup."

"Hey, Hayato," I greeted as the 2nd Division member squeezed his way into the backseat and shut the door behind him. His uniform rustled as he made himself comfortable, but I didn't hear that click. With as flat an expression I could muster, I looked back from the driver's seat. "This is my car, and I'd really prefer you use your seatbelt."

The bald boy scratched his head and laughed. "Sorry, sorry! I haven't ridden a car in so long that I just kinda forgot. Honest." He reached sideways to tug on his seatbelt.

I took you out to lunch last week and asked the same thing. Maybe you refuse to wear your helmet properly on your bike and I had no right to complain since you were driving, but in my car, I will make you adhere to safety regulations.

"Oh, hi." Emma switched off her phone and gave Hayato a wave from the front passenger seat. "I don't think we've met before."

I shifted the car out of neutral and slowly lifted my boot from the clutch as I drove away from his house, my eyes focused on the dark road.

"Yeah, we haven't. I'm Sasaki Hayato, but feel free to call me Hayato."

"Sano Emma. And likewise, you can just use my first name."

"Gotcha, Emma-chan. By the way, didn't you arrive with Frank last meeting? How'd you guys meet? You seem kinda close."

Ten seconds of silence elapsed.

"Huh?" I said. With one eye on the piercing red taillights of the cars cruising ahead, I glanced sideways at Emma, who watched me silently, and at Hayato through the rearview mirror, whose silhouetted head turned from Emma's direction to mine.

I'd first met Emma at Takemichi's hospital room, but that was as myself. As for 'Frank,' my Toman identity.... "We met during the fight against Moebius at the festival. Takemichi, his friends, and I were trying to defend Draken from some rebels in the 3rd Division."

"Yeah, that," Emma said. "B—" She paused. "He helped save Draken, so I thanked him, and we got along after that."

I saw in my periphery her honey-colored irises, reflecting the pale streetlight, again flit towards me as she spoke. Perhaps she'd not responded earlier to allow me to construct my cover myself. I nodded, knowing she'd see it.

Emma and I had become accustomed to addressing each other by first name, but while she caught herself from uttering my real name, Hayato already knew my real name from tutoring, anyway. Couldn't I just reveal that both knew I was 'Blake' so that they wouldn't have to tiptoe around each other, both trying to pretend to the other that I was 'Frank'?

But Hayato had seemed to draw the conclusion that I was a trans woman, and Emma might be misled to, confusedly, reveal my actual gender. It was considerate of both of them to keep my secret, or in Hayato's case, the 'secret' I'd deceived him into believing—with my position in Toman at stake, I'd have to sustain this lie.

"Hey, Hayato," Emma said. "You know what the emergency meeting's about? What happened?"

The Black Dragons should've encountered Toman a few hours ago, sometime after school. While the meeting to address the Black Dragons had occurred at least a day after Takemichi's clash with Taiju and involved only the admins in the story, this world's events shouldn't have deviated too far. The message for the meeting popped up only an hour ago, and I wasn't able to investigate the exact cause.

"I'm not really sure, but I've heard some rumors. Apparently, the Black Dragons attacked our 3rd Division Captain."

My hand bumped into a lever behind the wheel, killing the car's headlights and my calm musings.

I squinted at Hayato through the mirror as I flipped the lights back on. "Wait, you said the Black Dragons attacked Kisaki?"

"I mean, that's what I heard from a friend." He shrugged. "But no one else knew what the meeting's for."

It was possible that he'd heard a false rumor, but the fact that there was a rumor about that and not what should've happened—Takemichi's collision into Taiju—was telling. Takemichi had returned from the future (earlier than the story, as he'd come to school on time today), but Hina mentioned she had a bowling date with Takemichi scheduled for after school. With that set up, the story should've played out: Takemichi and Hina would encounter Hakkai and Yuzuha, then the Black Dragons after Hakkai invited the pair to his house. Perhaps I made a wrong assumption, but I could hope that the result would parallel my predictions. If my plans became obsolete before I could even implement them...while I could develop a new one accordingly, it wouldn't be as thoroughly thought out. Which, if Hayato was correct, already had overlooked a potentially disastrous outcome.

Yet why was Kisaki attacked? Had he done anything special to trigger the Black Dragon's ire? My fingernails tapped the steering wheel.

But I couldn't negate the much broader possibility that some force outside Kisaki had caused this change. Technically, I was the core cause of any deviations, but what exactly had I done to cause the Black Dragons to attack Kisaki? I had to account for how this change I'd somehow made, along with every other, could impact the near future and mess up my plans, but that was way easier said than done.

"—anyway, you shoulda seen the battle with Valhalla! It's already been almost a month, but I still remember it super vividly." Hayato laughed. "We managed to pull through at the end."

Emma hummed. "How'd you two do? Any cool takedowns?"

"They were pretty tough, honestly, but we could hold our own. Mitsuya called on me to help him get to Mikey and—oh yeah, Frank had this epic fight against their number three. I almost crapped myself when I saw Frank barely dodge that knife, but now that I know Frank made it out safely, that fight was sick."

"It wasn't as grand as you describe," I said. "I genuinely thought I'd die a few times. Even while angered beyond rational thought, Kazutora's a skilled fighter."

"Yeah, but you've really powered-up since the Moebius battle. At this rate, I think you could actually surpass me one day. Not today, y'know, but one day—maybe."

I completed a turn, and the moon shifted into view over the stout shops. "I tried to exercise regularly to strengthen my constitution, but my spars with Hakkai offered useful experience against opponents far stronger than me."

"You're more diligent than most of the guys in our Division." He chuckled from the backseat. "If we do end up fighting the Black Dragons, you'll do just fine, at this rate. They'll definitely be tougher than Valhalla—they are top of Kanto—but we'll beat them, too. We've gotten stronger since then, now that they've joined us."

Draken and Mikey's effortless takedown of the Black Dragons majorly dispelled their hyped-up strength, but our leaders were leagues stronger than the rest of Toman. Even with our aces, casualties were guaranteed.

"Yeah." I gave a small smile in case he was watching through the mirror. "We should win."

If either, or possibly, both of our leaders were unable to fight, whether they were simply absent from the battle, such as during the story's church battle, or abstaining from fighting, such as Mikey during the Valhalla battle, or for any reason whatsoever, whether arranged by Kisaki or purely coincidental...

I sighed and ran a hand through my gelled hair.

There would be unpredictable consequences and events—even more than just regarding Toman's fighting strength—if the gangs engaged in overt war. People would get hurt, and in the worst case, die. That wasn't an exaggeration: people had died originally, before my actions and before Takemichi's actions, and anyone, whether they were a 'main character' or not, could join those numbers. The pact had to continue to ensure a truce. But between delinquent gangs, how binding would this truce be? If the 3rd Division had an 'accidental' clash with them, if Kisaki hypothetically wanted to ignite tensions, would peace shatter into war? While the Kisaki of the story seemed to perceive the Black Dragons as a threat to Toman and I doubted he'd here want the two gangs to fight, I couldn't—

"Frank, the light's green."

I blinked. "Ah. Thanks, Emma." I kept my mind clear of distracting thoughts as I drove the remainder of the way to the shrine.

Upon entering the parking lot, I could instantly notice the increase in members from the heightened noise and denser crowd. I parked my car at the edge of the lot. Toman had tripled from absorbing Valhalla—in comparison, Moebius was nothing. 100 plus 50, then plus 300: there were supposedly 450 people packed into this modestly sized parking lot, but while it was more crowded, it didn't quite feel three times as crowded...

Emma unfastened her seatbelt and popped open the door. "Thanks for the ride, Fr—ugh." Her hand shot to her face.

The acrid, harsh odor of cigarette smoke wafted into the car, and I crinkled my nose. Not too far away, a sizable group in Toman's uniform had gathered around the entrance to smoke. One of them lit a cigarette and leaned back against the railing to chat with another boy. I recognized none of their faces.

"Hey!" An irate dragon stomped out from the main crowd and yelled at the group of smokers, who languidly looked up at the newcomer. "I told you to hold it until after the meeting! If you need to smoke, then do it somewhere else!"

One grinded his cigarette against the stone railing before dropping it onto the asphalt, where it plopped into a pile of dead leaves. "Oh sorry, Vice-Prez. I forgot."

Draken's expression grew stormy, but he stood still. "Ten minutes. We're starting in ten. You better not be smoking by then." He turned around before he could receive a response and strode towards us.

Emma stepped up to him to hug his arm. "Someone's been stressed today," she teased. I waited for Hayato to climb out of the backseat before I shut the door.

Draken's face relaxed, but his frown remained. "Most of the new members are compliant, but there's a stubborn few who refuse to adapt to our rules. Of the people that came today, at least," he muttered.

"Sounds tough. Wanna go hang out together afterwards?"

He paused. "Honestly, today's not a good time, things have gotten pretty hectic. How about tomorrow?"

Emma laughed. "Sure! I'm free anytime, whenever's good for you."

His lips curled up, then plunged into a frown as he eased his arm out of Emma's cuddle and stalked towards Hayato and I—towards me, his body language not as hostile as towards the boys he'd reprimanded but definitely not friendly.

I hadn't done anything wrong since the last time we'd met...had I? My eyes flickered back to my car, the crimson coupe Draken helped me obtain. Perhaps I'd done something horrible to it that only a mechanic could spot? Or, just as likely, some issue much more serious than my car...

He peered down on me. I straightened the sleeves of my uniform as I stared back. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Lately, you've been taking Emma to the meetings, and she doesn't even usually attend. I hear that you've also been hanging around together recently, and that's not my business to interfere in, but I just want to make sure you're not getting any ideas." His eyes narrowed.

Oh, it's just that.

I managed to repress a snort and fight down the grin rising to my lips, both reactions of which I doubted would help my situation. "It's nothing beyond friendship, I assure you. Entirely platonic."

Draken nodded. "Just checking. Anyway, we're starting the meeting soon. Sorry to call you guys here so suddenly, but there's big news to announce." He backed away and returned to the main gathering, but not before he looked back at his girlfriend. "Emma, you coming?"

Emma blinked. "Oh. Yeah." She caught up with Draken, her cheeks tinged pink past her pale hair, and they both disappeared into the crowd.

With the Vice-President gone, the group of smokers had resumed smoking.

"Hey, let's go catch the 2nd Division," Hayato spoke up from where he'd been wordlessly watching us. I nodded, and we headed further into the parking lot.

"So is it really just friendship? I promise I won't tell. Or do you swing that way, if y'know what I mean?"

I gave him a flat stare even if he couldn't see it while he scanned the crowd. "We're just friends. Also, I'm not too interested in romance." It was a bit hard to be when everyone was about ten years younger than me.

"Huh, you're that guy I keep seeing everywhere," a deep voice drawled, unmistakably familiar and directed towards me, his body angled in my direction. I froze in my tracks, my fingers curling and shoulders stiffening. Hayato slipped past me, oblivious. "Did I ever get your name?"

His black uniform emphasizing his lanky stature, Kisaki's main accomplice gazed down on me. His arm rested on his motorcycle, its leopard-print pattern as flamboyant as his personality. Beside him, several similarly tall boys, from different divisions according to the embroidery on their sleeves, turned around from their discussion to glower at me, and past them were more boys I didn't recognize, a third of the assembled Toman members today gathered as if they were their own gang.

I forced a polite smile onto my face. "Yeah, we may have met on a few occasions. I'm...Frank. Nice to meet you."

The festival, Valhalla's hideout, and possibly the Halloween battle. From those encounters, it was little surprise that he'd remember my face. This attention from him, and perhaps Kisaki by extension, could hinder or expose my discreet efforts to foil their plans. Then again, I had willingly approached Kisaki and tried to make friends with him...that was a spur of the moment decision since he'd beforehand never acknowledged my attempts to socialize, and I'd spotted a chance to finally do so. Regarding Hanma, remaining neutral, for now, was the safest choice until I could deliberate over it later.

"Frank!" Hayato's bald head popped back out of the crowd. "There you are. The guys're just over there. You coming?"

I took the provided excuse with a small nod to Hanma and his friends then left after Hayato. He led me to a group of familiar faces.

"Hi." I waved.

Several of the 2nd Division looked back at me. One grinned and raised his hand in return. "Wassup, Frank? We just got all these new tall and buff dudes, and then there's you. Can you hear me down there, shorty?"

I snorted. "From my perspective, you're all giraffes. Can you hear me up there, with your head stuck in that bush?"

"Damn." His friend nudged him with an elbow.

"Hey." He patted his hair. "Don't insult the mohawk. I fuck with this shade of green."

Another member cackled. "Please do, I need something to laugh my ass off at every time I see it."

Hayato patted his shiny head. "You can join the cult too, if you wanna. I know a guy."

"Hell no!"

Amid the 2nd Division's chattering, cheery as always, my eyes wandered through the crowd, searching for...

Several meters away in their private bubble, Hakkai talked with his Captain, who rested a hand on the taller boy's shoulder. Their backs were facing me, but their stillness—or rather, Hakkai's ceaseless fidgeting—hinted at the tone of their discussion.

"Hakkai, huh?" A nearby member stopped beside me while also watching our Division's leaders. "He looked pretty bothered since arriving, but he clammed up real quick when we asked why. It's probably best to leave alone with the Captain. Those two are real close."

One drawback of the pact was, of course, that Hakkai would have to join the Black Dragons. But to prevent the two gangs from fighting, it was a necessary sacrifice; one person's discomfort was incomparable to a ruined future. The safest option was to let the pact continue, averting a battle between them at the cost of Hakkai's freedom. I wasn't going to ditch Hakkai, however: being in another gang didn't mean I couldn't keep him company. Additionally, leaving Hakkai and his sister to their own devices would lead to their attempted murder of Taiju and also Takemichi's fight to stop it. The battle itself wasn't critical besides Kisaki's expulsion from Toman, and there would come chances to do that later, judging from how easily Mikey had accepted Chifuyu's explanation in the story.

To prevent all conflict, I had to ensure the pact was formed and convince or stop Hakkai and Yuzuha from killing Taiju. I'd been stupidly lucky at the Halloween battle—I wouldn't gamble with chance here, not with lives at risk.

And my own, too. I watched the pale scar across the base of my fingers stretch taunt as I flexed my hand. I'm not a strong fighter. If I get myself killed, then what's the point in trying to return home?

I observed the pair a little longer. "Hey," I said. "A bit of a weird question, but do you know anything about Hakkai's family?"

"His family? He complains about his sister sometimes, but not really much else." The 2nd Division member shrugged.

"I see. Thanks." Toman really didn't know that his older brother led the Black Dragons. No, I corrected, this only proved that at least some members weren't aware. Hakkai's leave was the terms of the pact, but if Toman remained ignorant of Hakkai's connection to that gang and his (fear-driven) desire to join his brother, then in the absence of any motivation for concession, the gangs would likely proceed to war.

Or perhaps the news of his sibling hadn't had the time to circulate among Toman yet. The incident had only occurred today—had theoretically occurred today, involving Kisaki instead of Takemichi and Hakkai, if Hayato's rumor was right. I swept my bangs back. I'd just have to watch the meeting and interfere if necessary.

"We're starting the meeting!" Draken yelled over the crowd.

A small portion of the members, our newest members judging from their lackadaisical pace to the base of the steps and the fact I didn't recognize any of them, refused to bow the entire length to Mikey and Draken. In the edge of my upside-down vision, the two leaders of Toman walked down the stone path without acknowledging the disrespect.

After climbing the steps to the shrine, I slipped through the crowd and headed for the front. Ex-Valhalla had gathered at the back of the plaza, but past them, Toman assembled as normal, its members organized by Division and the Captains and Vice-Captains closest to the stage. I stopped behind the foremost members, granting me a clear view of the two leaders waiting atop the steps.

Not too far away, a blond boy of my height stood in-between the 1st and 2nd Divisions, talking to Chifuyu. Takemichi looked uninjured; he must've not fought Taiju. Consequently, Hakkai's identity might have remained private. I frowned.

Mikey rose to the top step, and the gang quieted. Some chatter continued in the back, but it was faint enough for his voice to project uncontested over the plaza.

"This might have been a sudden weekday meeting, but I'm still disappointed that many of our members aren't here. I expect to see them next time." The boys around me traded smug smirks at the blatant call-out. "Regardless, the current issue is of high importance. The Black Dragons have returned and attacked our 3rd Division Captain, and they've openly declared war on us. This meeting is to determine our response."

Surprise was mirrored across the gang's faces, and more than one voice broke out in some variation of "no way." I sighed. That rumor had been true, then.

I had to ensure the pact happened, no matter what.

"Kisaki, come up and tell us what happened."

"Gladly." The bespectacled boy emerged from the Division to our right, looking rather...uninjured, his tan skin smooth and gait confident. He strode halfway up the stairs, from where he gazed down on the gang and cleared his throat before speaking:

"My Vice-Captain and I were hanging out at a restaurant when we were suddenly assaulted by a regiment of the Black Dragons without any apparent cause, who claimed that their leader had ordered an attack on Toman. My Vice-Captain retained minor injuries, but we were able to defeat our attackers. Had there been more of them, we possibly wouldn't have managed to leave intact."

He paused to adjust his glasses. "I suspect that their cause for attack was our 1st Division Captain's earlier provocation of Taiju and his men."

This time, I probably looked as gobsmacked as the boys around me. What the actual fuck?

"My fault?" The discussed Captain trudged to the base of the stairs and glared up at Kisaki. Past his shoulder-length hair, I saw a bandage on his cheek. "It's your own fucking fault you got attacked. What were you doing, huh?"

Baji probably sparked tensions by somehow starting a fight with the Black Dragons. While Kisaki sustained no injury, I doubted he'd want to be attacked; he'd usually control events from the shadows, where he'd be safe from danger. Additionally, the Black Dragons could be a potential threat to his plans: while he had contacts in that gang, Kisaki couldn't control them like he'd done with Moebius and Valhalla. So why had Baji initiated a fight, if there'd been a reason beyond impulse and bloodlust?

Yet, a Toman member had confronted Taiju...to a member of Hakkai's gang, may Taiju have revealed his younger brother's identity?

Mikey stared at Baji with a deadpan expression. "Did you attack them, Baji?" It was a pointless question and everyone knew it, judging from their equally flat stares.

"Yeah, I did! And it was supposed to be just a fight between us until Taiju stuck his ass in the way!" The Captain scowled.

Hakkai, standing a meter away, ducked his head. I watched him for further reaction, and upon seeing none, resumed spectating the argument on stage.

Baji continued his tirade. "Hell, they want war? Let's do it! Let's take them down once and for all. They've changed since the early generations, Mikey, all they do is cause trouble now! I don't doubt that they would've attacked another of our members, given the chance." The Black Dragons had attacked Kazutora prior to Toman's formation, if I recalled correctly. I doubted Baji cared much for Kisaki's wellbeing.

"Yeah, I agree," Draken said. Mikey looked up at the tall boy standing beside him. "They've called war—we should settle this conflict before they attack more of our members. Also, this might be a good opportunity to test out Toman's new strength, a good bonding exercise for all our members."

Kisaki took another step up the stairs. "Pardon the interruption, but I believe Toman shouldn't accept this war. The Black Dragons are considerably stronger in both physique and influence than our past foes—even with our new additions, Toman may not escape unscathed. Toman is not yet at the level to compete with Kanto's top."

"So, you're saying we'll lose?" Nahoya, his lips peeled back from his teeth in a wide grin, stepped up from the 4th Division to stand beside Baji. "Sounds like a challenge. Makes me wanna kick their asses even more." Murmuring arose from the gang, who seemed to agree based on the smirks and knuckle-cracking breaking out.

I couldn't allow the battle to proceed. Would I have to reveal Hakkai's connection to the Black Dragons to nudge the gang towards a pact? I bit my lips as I eyed Hakkai's slouching shoulders. He'd been awfully quiet so far, and at this rate, I doubted Toman would ever hear from or speak of him in this meeting to decide Toman's response to the war declaration, which currently leaned toward acceptance.

"—won't lose, but the Black Dragons possess more experience because they regularly market their violence—"

Yet, to expose Hakkai's relation without his consent...while I planned to have him join the Black Dragons, there was a difference between allowing the story to unfold and condemning Hakkai to the Black Dragons by my own actions. But both resulted in the same outcome, so why did it matter? I looked down at my boots, the white smudged light gray.

"If...I may say something?"

My eyes shot up to Hakkai, who took a tiny step forward as he raised his voice.

What will he say?

The assembled admins looked at him. Mikey broke the silence: "Of course."

Hakkai almost seemed like he wished he'd be denied, his heading drooping after Mikey's consent, but he took a deep breath and spoke. "I kept it a secret, but Taiju's my brother. I'm...related to the Black Dragon's leader."

The plaza went silent instantly. Even the ex-Valhalla members, who'd been faintly chattering in the back, were speechless. I quietly watched him, too.

"When he came home, he told me that he'd attack Toman because he wanted me to join his gang. I...said I wouldn't, and he ended up attacking Kisaki. Sorry." He lowered his head to the 3rd Division Captain, who gave an impassive stare in return. "It's my fault. I'll take responsibility. The Black Dragons are strong, really strong—I've seen them firsthand. I don't want our gangs to fight, so I'll join the Black Dragons, and please, Mikey, please don't fight them." He bowed at the waist to our President.

"Then more so a reason to attack them." Baji tossed his hair back and glowered at Hakkai. "I'm not handing one of ours to that bastard."

"Are you deaf? He just stated he wishes for our gangs to remain at peace." Kisaki's voice was level. "You would devalue this sacrifice he's willingly making for Toman—for all of us, including yourself. You lost to Taiju, so you, at least, should comprehend the disparity between our two gangs. As I said earlier, Toman isn't yet at the level to compete with the Black Dragons."

I could trust Kisaki here to advocate a good argument against the war. My eyes narrowed as I scrutinized his moderate frown. His motives, which he usually dissembled, matched mine in this instant.

"After hearing Hakkai, I change my opinion," Draken said. "It's his life that's most affected. We should let him make the call." He nodded to Mikey, whose face remained impassive.

"Hey, can I say something, too?" a deep voice called from the back of the gang. Even with my relatively short stature, I could see Hanma's tattooed hand waving in the air above the heads of the crowd.

Hanma waited through five silent seconds before speaking. "You used to be one of Moebius's Captains, right? You guys were the ones to order the attack on one of Toman's friends. Isn't it kinda ironic you'd want to protect Toman now?" Several of the boys around me frowned, but their gazes were mostly directed towards the back.

Assuming that Hanma acted on Kisaki's orders, what would the Captain gain from this denouncement...?

Kisaki sighed and descended the stairs. "My past allegiances are irrelevant in this discussion. Osanai, who is thankfully gone, ordered the attack without my knowledge. Upon hearing of it, I left the gang with my Division in disgust. I have moral standards, at the very least. Wouldn't you, as Moebius's temporary leader at the time, hold more responsibility than me?"

Hanma gave a bark of laughter. "Ha! No, I was just promoted after Osanai ran away. I've got nothing to do with that attack."

Kisaki continued walking until he stopped in front of Hakkai. The 2nd Division Vice-Captain had remained quiet after his confession, and upon being singled out in the crowd, his fingers curled up as he stared down at Kisaki. "Just as Toman respected Pah-chin's decision, let's respect Hakkai's." Kisaki placed a hand on the tall boy's shoulder. "He's chosen a path of non-conflict."

"Bullshit!" Baji stalked up to Kisaki and grabbed him by the collar. Hakkai edged away, dislodging Kisaki's hand, and Mitsuya reached towards Baji. "Don't pretend like you're some moral saint, you fu—"

"Baji-san," Chifuyu hissed from the front of the 1st Division. Baji shut his mouth and shoved Kisaki away, who staggered back but remained standing.

A boot scraped the ground behind me. Peh-yan made his way to the front of the Division, where he stood beside Hakkai. "As much as I fucking hate it, I agree with Kisaki here." He scowled at Kisaki, his displeasure evident. "I learned it was better to let people make their own decisions rather than decide for them. Hakkai knows what he wants best."

Murmurs, accompanied by head nods and resolved frowns, rippled through the gang at his statement. While Mikey held the final decision, from the majority sentiment, continuing with the battle would instead incite discontent from the gang. He'd approve a truce with the Black Dragons in exchange for relinquishing Hakkai. I had no need to interfere in this meeting; the first core component of my plan was fulfilled. I exhaled and slouched back.

Despite the support from the gang, Hakkai stared at the ground, mute.

My hands twisted the fabric of my pants.

Mikey nodded at Peh-yan. "I understand. Mitsuya, do you have anything to say?" Now that I thought about it, Mitsuya hadn't spoken at all. I watched him through narrow eyes as the Captain stepped up from beside Hakkai, his face calm. Not callous—calm.

"I think I understand Hakkai's situation. I'll speak to Taiju with Hakkai about this, if that's fine, Mikey."

"I'll let you make the final call, then." Mikey redirected his voice to the entire gang. "Until then, don't provoke the Black Dragons! The meeting's over!"

Mitsuya would understand Hakkai's situation better than me, even if he'd made a critical misconception in the story. The pact was essentially settled; only a freak accident would prevent Mitsuya and Taiju from coming to that agreement: Taiju wanted his brother, and Mitsuya wanted to help his Vice-Captain.

I looked over to Takemichi, who'd similarly been quiet. He remained motionless and stared at the stage despite the dispersing members around him. His expression wasn't a pronounced caricature of shock or revelation: it was simply thoughtful.

What was he thinking? Even if his uninjured state implied he hadn't encountered Taiju, his indifferent reaction to the Black Dragons, whom he must've learned about in the future, seemed far too relaxed for knowing that the Black Dragons would corrupt Toman and contribute to its downfall. But compared to abject horror, wasn't this...the best reaction I could hope for? In his eyes, this event didn't signify Toman's doom. Had the Black Dragons ultimately not caused Toman's descent in the future he'd seen? Like with Valhalla, was I stressing for no reason? Had I succeeded?

I could ask. Rather than continue forming hasty assumptions purely based on observations of his reactions, I could probe him about the future. What were Toman and the Black Dragon's relation in the future? Where had Hakkai ended up?

However, was it worth the risk of exposing my knowledge and identity? I sucked in a breath.

Chifuyu turned to him, and they left into the leaving crowd.

"Frank, the meeting's over. Let's head back." Hayato walked over to me.

The meeting was over, and the pact all but established. The pact and conflict were inseparable through its two counteracting options: either Hakkai joined the Black Dragons, or the gangs proceeded with war. He shouldn't need to be forced into joining them, but avoiding the war and its potential consequences were more important to my mission—I had to play it safe.

"Hey, Hayato."

"Yeah?"

"What...do you think about Hakkai and the Black Dragons?"

"Me?" He grinned. "I wanna let him go. It sucks that he'll have to leave Toman, but it's his choice, really. Can't force him not to. How about you?"

I'd wanted that prior to the meeting as I constructed my thoughts for this arc. I should've still wanted that and been content with its finality as I heard Mikey's decision to allow Mitsuya the choice.

Yet I couldn't smile back and utter a simple "yeah, me too" without feeling like tonight's biggest liar.

---

"Pretty busy around your house, isn't it?" Mitsuya said as he rang the doorbell. The electronic chime echoed around the porch. Through the translucent curtain drawn over the window beside the front door, warm light dappled his Captain's face and uniform in gold.

Hakkai ignored the stares of the five white-coated boys standing beneath them on the street. "It's always been like this since he returned. He just keeps doing whatever he wants," he bit out.

"But you're going to challenge him about that, right?" Mitsuya warmly smiled and patted his back, his hand steady and firm. "Don't worry, Hakkai. I'll make sure he listens."

The door swung open.

The Black Dragon's treasurer, his tousled, dark hair falling down one side of his face, sneered upon seeing them. "Ah, the young master finally returns. And he's brought a friend, I see. Quite audacious of him to invite one of Toman's into the Boss's house."

"As a representative from Toman, I'm here to speak to Taiju-kun. We've never formally accepted this war, so I hope you'll allow me peaceful entry," Mitsuya said.

The dark-haired boy nodded. "I don't have any reason to be hostile, anyway." He held the door open wider, allowing yellow light to fill the porch. "Come in. Taiju's busy at the moment, but I think he'd appreciate a break."

Mitsuya remained stationary, and after a few seconds, he looked back at Hakkai. "What's wrong?" his Captain asked.

"Ah...nothing." Hakkai stepped into the foyer of his house, and Mitsuya followed him. Taiju's subordinate sealed the door behind them.

Somehow, despite the ample light and protection from the wind, it was cooler inside his house than outside. Hakkai rubbed his hands, but they remained numb. Mitsuya had begun removing his boots, so Hakkai forced himself to bend down and pry free the buckles on his own boots with his stiff fingers.

The treasurer stood at the other end of the foyer as he waited. "I will warn you that the Boss's been crabby since he tussled with your 1st Division Captain, so try not to annoy him too much if you want him to listen. He can be pretty stubborn—especially if you've pissed him off." His stare was directed at Mitsuya.

Mitsuya chuckled. "I'm not planning to. I'd simply like to talk with him." He placed his boots on the shoe rack and stepped on the wooden floorboards.

Hakkai could feel their stares on him as they waited, and he tried to hurry up. Finally, he yanked his boots off and dropped them beside Mitsuya's. Beside Taiju's and two pairs of black boots, where Yuzuha's shoes should've been were a pair of dress shoes, sleek and shiny. Hakkai observed them for a moment before joining the two boys.

The treasurer led them down the dark corridor, the connected rooms pitch-black, and toward the brightly lit living room. Hakkai could hear Taiju's gruff voice, but there was a second voice, masculine but meek in comparison, that he didn't recognize. He glanced at Mitsuya, whose neutral, unfazed face was barely visible in the darkness.

"We can offer a hundred thousand yen—"

"A million, and no less, and an advance payment of half. Any less, and we'll work for your competitors instead." Taiju's voice was blunt.

"B-but, sir, we're offering double of what they've offered. Surely, it'd be beneficial to accept—"

"Get me a million or get out. I'm not going to haggle."

On the couch across from his brother, who'd reclined back into his seat with his arms draped over the back, there was a rangy man in a suit, his long arms hugging his briefcase and posture ramrod straight. His knees knocked together beneath the coffee table, causing the ends of his trousers to quiver. Yet upon seeing them arrive, his face brightened. "Kokonoi, sir, surely you understand that we're offering the preferable deal. If a hundred thousand isn't sufficient, we can raise it to a hundred fifty. I'll contact my boss if further negotiations are necessary."

The Black Dragon's treasurer placed a hand on his hip and sauntered behind Taiju's couch. "You are offering the better deal value-wise, but a hundred thousand versus fifty thousand...to us, they're pittances with little difference between them." He shrugged. "If we were talking in the billions, that'd be a different question, but this is nothing. We can take their deal instead with little loss—unless you're willing to offer us a sizable sum. So, what'll you bid?"

The suited man looked pathetic, his mouth hanging open and body trembling.

Hakkai didn't want to look like that.

"Inui, get him out of my house. He's finished."

"Yes, Boss." Taiju's top subordinate walked past Taiju and reached for the suited man, but the man jumped onto his feet, and together, they left the living room.

Just Taiju, his treasurer, Mitsuya, and himself remained. "So, you brought an outsider— from Toman, no less—into our house? Who's this, Hakkai?"

His stomach flipped under Taiju's frigid stare, but he collected his courage and tried to speak as evenly as he could: "He's my Captain in Toman, Mi—" He stopped.

Taiju had seen Mitsuya's name the last time he'd taken Hakkai's phone. If he found out that the boy before him was that same person, he knew Taiju would hurt him. Taiju would always hurt anyone Hakkai knew, no matter what Hakkai did to try and stop him.

Taiju waited expectantly with a growing scowl. "Whatever," he said. His glare shifted to Mitsuya, looking over his Toman uniform from head to toe, and the pressure on Hakkai's chest lifted. "What's stopping me from killing you? We've declared war, yeah?" Taiju's top subordinate returned and stood beside the treasurer.

Mitsuya offered Taiju an amicable smile as he took the seat of the suited man. "I'm here to discuss that. By the way, I'm Mitsuya Takashi, Hakkai's direct superior. It's nice to finally meet you, Taiju-kun."

Hakkai's joints locked up, but he stiffly edged behind Mitsuya, who remained composed as Taiju sat up from his slouched position with narrowed eyes. "Mitsuya? You're that bastard who's been manipulating my brother! You wanna die?"

"Preferably not." Mitsuya chuckled and clasped his hands together on his lap. "I'm here to negotiate a deal between our gangs. Hakkai told me that he's willing to join the Black Dragons, so long as you no longer harm Yuzuha and our gangs agree on a truce. I heard that Hakkai's membership was your motive for declaring war, so is this deal satisfactory?"

Hakkai stared at the floor, his ears hot.

Ten minutes ago, when they'd walked underneath the dim streetlights toward Hakkai's home, only the plodding of their boots enlivened the dead streets until Mitsuya suddenly spoke up.

"You're amazing, Hakkai. What you're doing to protect Yuzuha."

Hakkai turned to his Captain. "What exactly do you mean?"

"I saw her a few hours ago with some bruising on her face when I was heading to the meeting. She wouldn't tell me how she got them, but it was Taiju, wasn't it? And now, you're going to protect her. Isn't that right?" Mitsuya's face softened, and his pale-purple irises glittered with reflected light.

"It's not..." Taiju had hit her, but it'd been Hakkai's fault. However, Hakkai didn't have any other excuses. "...yeah."

Mitsuya patted his back. "Stand tall, Hakkai. Worst comes to worst, I'll make sure he listens."

That time, Hakkai had been able to do nothing but nod.

He looked back up as Taiju's top subordinate stomped forward with a snarl, disfiguring the scar across his forehead. "You want a truce after destroying the previous generation of our gang? Are you for real—"

"Shut up." The scarred boy fell silent to his leader's command but continued fuming, his face flushed pink.

"It's admittedly hypocritical considering what happened in the past, but that was because one of ours was attacked first." Mitsuya nodded at the member who'd snapped before refocusing on Taiju. "I'd rather have our gangs not fight and come to peace—before either of us pushes tensions too far."

"That's not enough," Taiju said. Mitsuya's smile fell. "I can just destroy Toman and take back my brother that way, with more fun through killing that 1st Division brat. And I'm not harming Yuzuha because I want to—it's because she won't listen otherwise. So, give me a reason to listen to you, or get out of my house."

Mitsuya remained silent.

Would his fate end up like the suited man's? Unable to meet Taiju's ultimatum and dragged out of the house? At the very least, even if Hakkai's pride was run to the ground, he wouldn't let Mitsuya's also be. "Taka-chan, it's alright. You don't have to go this far for me," he could say.

But he couldn't say anything.

Mitsuya took a deep breath before finally speaking again. "How about, I'll never talk with Hakkai again. That way, I can't 'manipulate' him, right? I can ask my people to do the same, although I can't guarantee that they'll all listen. Is that alright with you, Hakkai?"

...huh?

"That's better." Taiju reclined into his seat, and the ends of his lips perked up. "I'd prefer more, but it's a start. But if Hakkai's okay with that, then I'll accept it."

All pairs of eyes stared at Hakkai—Mitsuya, with his gentle gaze, and Taiju, with his derisive leer—all waiting expectantly for him.

"I'm okay," Hakkai whispered. "I'm okay with that."

Mitsuya turned back to Taiju. "You heard him. Do we have an agreement?"

"I said I'd allow Hakkai to decide. We do." His brother stood up, prompting Mitsuya to do the same, and they shook hands over the coffee table.

Mitsuya's hand fell to his side. "This is goodbye then, Hakkai." His Captain gave him that same, easygoing grin as always, as if nothing were wrong. "Thanks for everything."

And then he was gone.

Just Taiju, his subordinates, and himself remained, his pathetic, speechless face reflected on the patio door.

Hakkai's phone buzzed angrily in his pocket, eliciting everyone's stares once again. He forced himself to stay still as his brother's cool gaze descended on him, but he could feel his lips draw taunt.

"I'm not heartless—I'll allow you the rest of the day, but if you go anywhere, take Inui with you. Say your goodbyes or whatever you need to do to finalize your leave. But starting tomorrow, you're one of us. Don't back out on our agreement."

A last chance, after he'd failed to even give Mitsuya a proper farewell. His fingers warmed up enough for him to slip his hand into his pocket and cradle his phone. "...thank you, Taiju." Taiju didn't deserve it after everything he'd done, but at least he was permitting Hakkai this final opportunity. Taiju simply nodded back.

Hakkai slipped out his phone as he left the room.

---

20:41—You

Hakkai, can you talk right now? I want to speak to you about something. It's not an urgent matter, but I'd like to discuss it sometime soon. If you can't, please call me back when you're available.

20:47—Hakkai

[Message deleted]

20:52—Hakkai

.Lets talk irl. meet me at that side street we used to fight in

I read the black letters once more before switching my phone off. The half-crescent moon illuminated the alley in pale hues, whose tall, concrete walls obstructed most light from the main street. I buttoned my denim jacket and snuggled into the fabric.

Why am I here?

"Frank!" Hakkai's tall silhouette approached from the mouth of the alley. I raised a hand in response. Moonlight washed over him as he reached my side, revealing that he still wore his Toman uniform.

Just behind him was Inui Seishuu, his pale uniform and hair contrasting the shadowed path. He halted a few paces away and watched us, his expression impassive. My shoulders slumped, and the breath I'd been holding whistled out. A small smile threatened to rise to my face, but I forced it down.

Hakkai seemed to misinterpret my reaction. "He's been ordered to follow me, and he's hella stubborn about it." He glared at Inui, who stared back without evident emotion. "Just ignore him. Whad'ya want to talk to me about, Frank?"

I relaxed against a wall, my jacket and sweater providing ample cushioning. "I wanted to talk about your leave of Toman, but it seems that it's already happened."

Why was I happy? No, 'happy' wasn't the best descriptor.... 'Relieved.' Was I relieved to know that the pact had commenced and my plan was progressing? However, I'd felt the exact opposite at the meeting an hour ago, knowing—no, not just knowing—comprehending that Hakkai would have to join the Black Dragons. The two were inseparable, and no relief was to be found in either anymore.

Then what? Was I relieved that the pact had formed without my involvement, and I could no longer interfere? Was I relieved that with the decision taken out of my hands, I no longer had to choose between Hakkai and the plot?

Cold seeped through my clothes, and I stood upright from the hard concrete.

His metallic earrings sparkled as he nodded. "Yeah, my brother agreed to a truce. ...I guess I'm part of the Black Dragons now, but he let me have the rest of the day to say goodbye. I can't see you guys anymore after today."

And why should Taiju regulate who his brother could meet and speak with? Certainly, there were cases in which Hakkai could be heading into danger, so interference might be justifiable. Danger was, however, subjective, and Taiju seemed to operate on self-centered morality. Did he genuinely care for his siblings in the series, or were they just tools to him: Yuzuha to collect money for the Black Dragons and Hakkai as a subordinate or potential heir?

Well, my takes were also subjective. Telling Hakkai to confront Taiju on it would only be insensitive.

However, with this restraint that Hakkai wasn't allowed to meet with 'us,' by which he presumably meant Toman, how could I talk with him later to persuade him against killing Taiju if the need arose? If it was a necessity, I could contact him in private to speak, as I doubted he'd remain under 24-hour surveillance, yet the consequences of being caught could be catastrophic: we could both get hurt or worse, the pact broken. I could try calling him instead, but the risk of Hakkai being caught corresponding with a Toman member was...huh, wait.

I didn't have to meet him as 'Frank.'

If this was his last opportunity to be with Toman, he shouldn't waste it with me. I was one of the few members, if not the only member, who could talk to Hakkai without raising trouble. Inui's presence here, however, made it difficult for me to speak freely....

"Frank?"

"If it's your final chance to spend time with Toman, then you should hang out with the rest of the gang instead, not just me." I shook my head. "It might be somewhat late, but they'd surely show up for you."

His head dipped slightly, and his face vanished into shadow. "It's fine. I don't want to bother them more than I already have."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Taka-chan especially, for giving me this chance. Without his help, I wouldn't have been able to do this."

"I've...heard negative rumors about Taiju. Are you alright?" I ignored Inui's steady stare. Why was I so hesitant? The pact was settled as desired—why was I risking stopping it?

Hakkai raised his head and sighed, and the moonlight illuminated his frown. "To be honest, he's always been violent to my family, especially my sister. I...need to protect her this time." His fingers curled into fists.

I'd seen how that ended up—he, and Yuzuha, both felt pressured to kill Taiju because they believed they had no other option to escape him. But there were alternatives: alternatives that they might not find ideal, but better alternatives to attempted murder.

How fortunate that we were meeting in-person. I slipped out of my pocket a folded sheaf of notebook paper, pinpricks of blue ink leaking through the pages, and proffered it to Hakkai. "Here. If you ever feel like you're in a tight spot, please read—"

"Show that to me." Inui's voice cut through the conversation.

"Sorry, but I'd rather not," I said back. "We're at peace now and Hakkai's still allowed to meet whomever he wants, so your interference isn't really necessary here."

"I take orders from Taiju, not you." Before I could react, he plucked them out of my hand and unfolded them to read:

"79. 'The Civil Code of Japan provides that anyone who has attained the age of 15 may change their family name or—'"

Hakkai snatched the papers back, and Inui withdrew his hand with a hiss, a drop of red welling up on his palm. "He said no, asshole," Hakkai growled. "Don't do that again. But..."

He turned to me and handed them back with a tight smile. "Thanks for the help, but it's alright. You really didn't have to go this far, but I'm fine. I might not get along with him sometimes, but he's my brother."

The one he'd heard and the others written on the pages were admittedly extreme measures, but they were mild in comparison to his potential actions. I waited a few seconds, but when it became clear he wouldn't take them for himself, I accepted the papers back. As long as they planted the idea in his mind that there were other alternatives, his denial of my notes was unimportant.

The alley was quiet aside from crinkling as I refolded the sheaf of papers.

A warm hand wrapped around my shoulders. I looked up as Hakkai rested his arm on me, but his gaze was directed away at the moon. "You're a good friend, Frank. Sorry for calling you out here so late, but I also wanted to talk to you about something, anyway."

I crept my free hand around his back in an attempt to return the contact. "About what? I...don't mind talking to you longer, if you'd like."

His back heaved as he chuckled. "I'm not actually sure, either! But I'm satisfied now. I won't keep you here any longer. Take care of Taka-chan and the Division for me, Frank." Hakkai withdrew his arm from my shoulders and stepped away with his hand raised in farewell. Facing the mouth of the alley, Inui watched us out of the corner of his eye.

I returned his wave. "I promise I'll look after them—" A thought flashed through my mind, and I hurried to voice it before I could lose the opportunity. "One question, actually: did Takemichi talk to you this evening?"

Hakkai's confession to Takemichi of wanting to kill Taiju would spark the time-leaper's quest to stop Hakkai, and in the process, fight Taiju at the church. In the story, they'd miraculously managed to win without casualty, but I couldn't afford that risk in this world. Whether Hakkai divulged his intent wasn't the only factor—Takemichi had discovered the church via Kisaki—but even if Takemichi wasn't a Captain and couldn't initiate the admin meeting that would consequently reveal his intentions to Kisaki, Chifuyu or Baji could do so in his place.

Kisaki could just as easily manipulate other Toman members into battling Taiju, however....

"No? That's kinda random. You're the only person I've talked to."

"I see. And good night, Hakkai."

The 2nd Division Vice-Captain turned around and plodded after Inui towards the main street. He walked at a relaxed but steady pace, and orange light blanketed the two boys as they exited the alley. They continued straight across the empty plaza, growing smaller and smaller the further they headed, but just as they were about to disappear, I saw Hakkai look back at me.

I raised my hand high in the air in acknowledgment.

I'll see you again soon. Stay strong.

---

'In 1945, the Battle of Okinawa ended with 160 thousand military casualties, making it the deadliest battle in the Pacific. An estimated 40 to 150 thousand Okinawan civilians died, many from stray battle, food and water shortages, or'

My eyes read the words, but my brain didn't. I scratched my wet hair and reread the sentence.

My phone rattled atop my desk. I slid my textbook away and accepted the offered distraction, tilting my head away to avoid the glare of my lamp as I read the name displayed on-screen.

I shot up in my chair and snatched my phone up to reread the caller. "Mikey?"

What was his business with me? We were mere acquaintances—the last time he'd contacted me had been to invite me to meet Draken after his release from the hospital. What necessitated a call from him this time, even more so considering the recent excitement with the Black Dragons?

I accepted the call with the push of a button and a deep breath. "Hello?"

"Oh hey, Frank. Good thing you're still awake. I need to talk to you." His voice was mellow despite the slight static, neither enthused nor irate.

My fingernails clacked against the table. "Is something the matter?"

"It's nothing bad. Actually, before that—why're you in Toman?"

I blinked. "What?"

"Like, why'd you choose to join Toman? Or, lemme be more blunt." He paused. "What are you here for?"

My eyes narrowed, and I readjusted my grip on my phone as I stared down at my lap, engulfed in the table's shadow. His tone remained casual despite his words being anything but. What provoked this sudden interest, or rather, interrogation?

A hazy memory resurfaced, accompanied by a hallucinatory whiff of ramen. 'Why do you want to join Toman?' Mitsuya had asked me after the third instance that I'd tried to fight him.

I couldn't recall what lie I'd given then.

"I've met people in Toman that I enjoy being with," I finally said. "I don't have any grand reason beyond that."

Mikey hummed. "Hm, is that so?"

"Yes. Why'd you ask?" I dared to ask. The line went silent, and I held my breath to listen with rapt attention.

"Hakkai nominated you to be Vice-Captain in his place, with Mitsuya's approval. Do you accept it?"

My heart stopped.

He...what? Had that been the reason Hakkai wanted to meet me in-person? He'd asked me to 'take care of the 2nd Division,' but I'd not once thought he meant for me to succeed him as Vice-Captain. To pass his position down, Hakkai must've been committed to leaving Toman, and to approve it, Mitsuya committed to letting Hakkai go.

The offer was certainly tempting: the pact had passed, and without having done anything, I was receiving a promotion and its associated boons, including significantly increased influence over the gang's decisions and a free pass to speaking with the other admins. These irreplaceable benefits justified accepting the position, yet...

"Frank?"

I shook my head. "I'd like some time to consider it, if that's possible."

"That's fine. Just tell me when you've decided."

"Alright. Is that all?"

"Yea—no, wait." He cut himself off. "I want to hear your opinion on something."

I ran my free hand through my wet hair. "Sure. About what?"

"What do you think of Kisaki?" My fingers froze on my scalp.

From the story, Mikey knew Kisaki was dangerous, but he kept Kisaki for his power until after the church fight, where Kisaki proved himself more harmful than beneficial. On the other hand, I'd advocated for Kisaki's trustworthiness at the meetings; perhaps Mikey tried to reconsider his views of Kisaki by asking why I supported him. I had a guise to maintain, but I wouldn't skip this opportunity.

"He's benefited the gang, especially during the battle on Halloween, but the more I talk with him, the more I feel that he has hidden motives," I said. "Whether they're in Toman's favor or purely self-serving, I'm not sure." In that sense, I resembled Kisaki in pursuing secretive goals, but we shared no other connection. "If you don't mind me asking, what do you think about him?"

"I don't know." I blinked, surprised by his candor. "I know he has the power to make Toman the top of Japan, but if I let him have his way, I'm not sure how Toman'll end up."

Accurate intuition. Kisaki twisted Toman into the ruthless crime syndicate it'd be in the future, and he was responsible for each death in the series, whether directly or indirectly. But I'd joined Toman to amass the power needed to stop Kisaki's plans, hadn't I? That was my main goal, and all others fell second.

"I earlier said I wanted time to think about the position, but I've decided to accept. I'll become the 2nd Division's Vice-Captain."