A/N: I'll probably switch to bi-monthly updates or simply update whenever I finish a chapter. I don't want to go on hiatus as we approach the climax of this arc, but I've not been too motivated recently.

Anyway, here's the chapter! Although it starts with a Blake scene, most of it is in Takemichi's perspective as he strengthens his resolve and prepares for the battle. For this arc especially, Takemichi and Blake are dual protagonists.

"You have the gall to call us here and then show up late? I'd beat you up if I could!"

"Don't fight him, Smiley. You'll only get hurt again."

"Sheesh, have more faith in your bro. I'd kill him, no sweat."

Past the partition concealing my small table, I peeked at the uniformed delinquents lounging about the center booths. As Kisaki had described, seven Toman members were present: Baji and Chifuyu, patting flecks of snow off their clothes as they joined the waiting members; the twin 4th Division leaders, standing to receive the latecomers; the 5th Division leaders, sitting in silence beside the brothers; and Peh-yan, turning around in his chair to watch the 1st Division arrive. Representatives from each division except the 2nd. Because Kisaki assumed control of the 3rd Division with Moebius's remnants, Peh-yan no longer had official authority, but he was still symbolic as one of its previous leaders.

The bell hanging from the door rattled as it fell shut.

Most of their orders had arrived, and they'd begun eating while chatting about frivolous matters, seemingly avoiding discussing the truce. Other customers had shied away from sitting near the gang members and glanced at them from behind their booths, but they relaxed after the boys proved themselves to be civil. I held my second mug of hot chocolate to my lips as the two latecomers sat at the booth behind the partition.

"Sorry guys, the snow held us up," Chifuyu said. "Thanks for waiting. Let's move onto why we called everyone—."

"About fighting the Black Dragons, yeah?" Nahoya sounded chipper. "You've been pretty unsubtle during the meetings about wanting a fight, and now you wanna do it behind Mikey's back."

"Mikey decided that we preserve the truce," Mucho intoned. "Have you two decided to disobey his orders?"

"Mikey this, Mikey that—are you all unable to act on your own volition? What, would you mindlessly obey a tyrant who ordered you to kill and plunder?" Baji scoffed. I dared peep past the partition at him. His scowl was as scathing as his remarks. "If you all can't do anything without Mikey's permission, then this meeting is a waste of time." He stood up.

I ducked out of sight after Chifuyu grabbed Baji's sleeve. "Don't leave yet, Baji-san! They're only worried about maintaining Toman's integrity, and they still came to listen to us even though Mikey-kun said to not fight. If...if we do fight the Black Dragons, we need their help."

A shoe scraped the floor. "And none of them will help because Mikey told them to roll over and do nothing."

"But if we lose to them, we'll make it worse on Hakkai. You're super strong, but Taiju is, too. Didn't you tell me that you wanted to help Hakkai?" Chifuyu's question was met with silence, after which Baji sighed and slumped against the booth. The partition creaked under his weight.

"It really feels like you called this meeting, not Baji," Nahoya said, "because whenever Baji sets his mind on something, he just does it without telling anyone. In my entire time in Toman, I've never seen him ask for help, until now."

"I'm not asking you to help me," Baji muttered. "I'm asking if you're willing to help another one of us, and you're all answering 'no.'"

"...if you convince us, we could help you argue with Mikey," Souya said.

"And that's another 'no.'"

"I agree with you—sometimes helping a friend is more important than following orders." Peh-yan's voice was as measured as when he'd given me advice several days ago. "But Hakkai doesn't need our help. He chose to leave Toman."

"He did it under duress. It's not his decision. Didn't you argue the same when it was Pah?"

"I was wrong back then. Pah-chin took responsibility for his crime, and all I did was sully his and Toman's name."

"And what crime has Hakkai committed? What crime is he being punished for?" Baji demanded.

"That's not the fucking point." His voice rose. "It doesn't matter that Hakkai did nothing wrong—he made a decision, and we should honor it. Maybe you're right that he was partly forced into it, but he made it very clear that he didn't want us to fight them."

"It is relevant. It matters that he's done nothing wrong, because he doesn't deserve any of this." Something banged the table. "He doesn't want us to fight them? Too bad for him, 'cause I'm busting down their front door and kicking Taiju's ass!"

"Why're you so rushed?" an unfamiliar voice interjected. No new Toman admins had entered the restaurant since Baji and Chifuyu, so it must've been Sanzu speaking. Quiet but observant, like his Captain. "Why're you so desperate to fight the Black Dragons? What are you hiding from us?"

"'Rushed'? I've been saying this ever since Taiju showed his mug. So what if I called you here on short notice? Nothing's changed!"

Had informing Baji about Taiju's offer hastened this call for war? It was supposed to reassure him that Hakkai had an avenue to return to Toman and alleviate his perceived need to fight the Black Dragons.

But Kisaki implied he'd come later with Mitsuya to defend the truce; he's always made his stance clear on averting a battle. I should feel relieved that the Captains disagree with Baji, but after Kisaki revealed that he knows my identity...

Was it logical for that development to reverse my goal of preventing a fight, or were these second thoughts only displaced paranoia? I'd assumed he wasn't lying when voicing concern about the Black Dragon's formidable strength and that Taiju's gang posed a genuine threat to Toman, but I thought little of ulterior motives beside his original murder plot. Rather, I'd not thought of his ulterior motives at all, satisfied with his outward agreeability and distracted with 'fixing' the Shiba family. That update had proved that I'd grown complacent about Kisaki.

I rested my cheek on my palm and watched the doorway as the boys continued to argue.

"Chifuyu, you've been quiet. What do you think?" Mucho asked.

I heard him swallow from behind the partition before replying: "I'll...I'll follow Baji-san this time."

The 5th Division Captain's voice dropped in pitch. "Even in mutiny?"

"If I have to."

Baji snorted. "I'm not forcing you to come with me. You've been hesitant the whole time—if you disagree with me, then don't just mindlessly follow me around—"

The bell at the door rang, heralding the arrival of two uninvited Toman members. The present members muttered various expressions of surprise. Mitsuya's eyes fell to the other boys, but Kisaki's continued to drift as he scanned the restaurant until they settled on me. I did not miss his small smirk, which was then hidden behind a mask of calm. I sipped at my drink, and the cloying chocolate clogged my throat.

"Kisaki? The fuck are you doing here?!" Baji's head rose above the partition as he jumped to his feet and stalked towards them. Chifuyu made to follow, but someone's hand tugged on his sleeve, and he obliged in sitting back down. I peered past the partition and lowered my beret to cover more of my head. "Is it your business to be in everyone's business?"

Kisaki remained unfazed at Mitsuya's side. "This discussion involves all Captains, not your curated selection of potential rebels."

Mitsuya sighed and patted both boys' shoulders. "There's no need for wild accusations. Kisaki informed me of your meeting, but I chose to come. Baji, I appreciate your concern on behalf of Hakkai and restraint in challenging the Black Dragons outright, especially since you don't get along well with Taiju, but the best way to help Hakkai is to honor his agreement with Taiju. Hakkai's already putting himself through a big ordeal, so let's not cause any more trouble for him."

The 1st Division Captain's glower softened as he turned to Mitsuya, but his tone remained gruff. "Hakkai isn't.... Okay, perhaps Hakkai claimed he wanted the pact, whatever its specific conditions were, and he wants to be left alone in the Black Dragons. But he shouldn't have to sacrifice himself. If we don't interfere, he's going to do something stupid."

"'Stupid,' huh?" Mitsuya chuckled. "Isn't it ironic for you to call acting selfless stupid, especially after your act with Valhalla?"

"This isn't the same. I chose to leave Toman myself for personal reasons. Hakkai's different, he—" Baji paused and averted his gaze before continuing. "He won't stand up for himself. The pact only hurts him."

"You sound like you know more of his domestic situation than you've specified."

"It's not my secret to spill."

Mitsuya sighed. "You're always so compassionate toward our members, but have some faith in Hakkai."

"You trust people too much," Baji said.

He smiled and shifted his weight. "Maybe I do, and maybe it's foolish of me to trust you to keep the pact, even though you disagree. Now then, I need to check-in on my sisters. Mana has trouble falling asleep, you see." With a backward glance at the assembled boys, Mitsuya strode to the exit.

"Y'know, Baji," the smiling twin began once Mitsuya left, "this issue doesn't just involve you and Hakkai. Before this whole truce-thing started I wanted to fight, but now Mitsuya and Mikey have their own claims in it, so I'm gonna sit this one out. I'd advise you to, too. It's not worth burning down those bridges." His brother nodded beside him as he finished his meal. The other boys offered no comment, and Chifuyu shook his head and sighed.

Kisaki watched the scene with his arms crossed and muttered something to Baji, who raised an eyebrow. I strained my ears, but the nervous chattering of customers, clinking of plates, and dull hum of the heater washed out his words. It was only a quick whisper, a short aside to Baji, and for all I knew, it could've been a vital exchange.

They're standing in-between the entrance and Toman's table. This is the closest I can get to them without looking suspicious. My heels drummed the floor, restless.

Baji scoffed down on the shorter boy. "If you want to tell me something," Baji announced, "then why not tell me in public, coward?"

Kisaki raised an eyebrow but met Baji's volume. "I have information regarding Taiju and have no issue with informing the other members as well, if that's your preference." Baji's fingers curled, and he clicked his tongue as he looked away.

"Share this information with us," Mucho interrupted, his eyes narrowed. "Or are you planning on collaborating with Baji?"

"It's a test of his loyalty," Kisaki said. "And it's intel that the 5th Division should already have if you'd done your jobs right. In your incompetence, I've briefed Mikey. You have no authority to order me around." Mucho gritted his teeth. "If you'll excuse us, we'll be having a private conversation." Kisaki walked further into the restaurant. Baji waved Chifuyu away and trudged after Kisaki, and they disappeared past the booths on the opposite end of the restaurant.

Did Kisaki intend to tell Baji of Taiju's vulnerability during Christmas, like he learned with Takemichi and Chifuyu in the series? However, it didn't make sense for Kisaki to have told Mikey about it, especially after Mikey ordered Toman to keep the peace. Furthermore, Kisaki had avidly supported the truce in this reality; why would he help Baji ruin it? I waited several more seconds before sliding off my seat and creeping down the aisle with my head low—

Kisaki and Baji emerged at the end of my aisle, having looped around the central row Toman occupied. I fell back into my booth, my shin banging into the table leg. Baji didn't seem to notice, distracted with giving the back of Kisaki's head a murderous glare, but Kisaki...Kisaki stared right at me as he led Baji to the table opposite mine in the aisle, where we had a full, unobstructed view of each other. I cupped my hand over my mouth and looked away. A customer sitting nearby ducked his head as he scuttled away with his half-finished plate from the delinquents, leaving me as the only one sitting in the row.

If you wanted me to hear, then you could've told me the information privately, not taunted me by forcing me to sit and listen as you tell Baji a meter away.

"First of all, I lied to the others that I've told Mikey this information, and it's in your best interests to not expose it, seeing that the Division leaders were unreceptive to breaking the truce. The 5th Division pride themselves on gathering intel, and they won't second-check with Mikey, but I've prepared some...other information in case they do. Only you will know this information, and you should take advantage of it."

"Don't tell me what to do, asshole. How about I beat you up here, where you can't hide behind anyone?"

"Yes, yes, you don't like me. To be frank, I don't like you either, and I have something I'd like you to do for me. Tomorrow evening, Taiju will visit the church nearby. This will be the only time of the year when he's not surrounded by his gang, and since Toman won't be fighting with you, you've got no other choice if you want to reach Taiju."

"Hah? Do it yourself and grow a proper backbone after he snaps it in half. Think I'll lap this shit up and obey you like a fucking dog? I don't need Toman's help to trash the Black Dragons. Their notoriety comes from selling their violence, not their actual strength. All they do is pick on people who won't fight back."

"I won't disagree with you that the average Black Dragon is no more than a school bully, but Hakkai will attend with his brother to discuss their family dynamic. Do you still think you can afford to refuse?"

Baji didn't respond. I peeked back over my shoulder moments before Baji's fist slammed into Kisaki's cheek and knocked him off his feet. The smaller boy crashed into a potted plant beside the door, scattering dirt and ceramic shards across the tiled floor. A gasp escaped my lips, but Baji's cold gaze remained on Kisaki.

The restaurant went silent. I ducked my head as a stampede of heavy footsteps approached the scene. Behind me, someone left to help Kisaki, kicking away ceramic and grunting as they pulled him up. Kisaki muttered thanks.

"Baji! Infighting is prohibited, have you forgotten that?" Mucho snapped.

"Him? Ha! He's not one of us." From the corner of my eye, I watched Baji sneer in Kisaki's direction. "You want a traitor to investigate, 5th Division? Go look into this dipshit's record—you'll find plenty of instances, I guarantee that!"

Sanzu leaned close to Baji. "You're not the only one who doubts his loyalties. He ordered us to not do anything," he hissed.

"And you're going to let him run amok because he told you to?" Baji whispered back. "What a fucking joke." He flipped back his black hair and walked away without revealing what Kisaki had confided in him. Chifuyu called after him, and the restaurant door slammed shut. His cooperation in Kisaki's plan was assured, and Baji hated it.

In addition to defaming Baji and mitigating a war, Kisaki had been provoking him to break the pact. He'd played Baji's foil during the meetings to not only emphasize Baji's flaws but aggravate him to take a strong stance in favor of war, and he'd also likely staged the incident where Baji had fended off some Black Dragons members in order to further ruin Baji's reputation and increase his antagonism at Taiju. Perhaps it'd partly been out of genuine concern for the Black Dragon's strength, but Kisaki was persistent that Toman not fight them because he wanted to isolate Baji, forcing him to fight by himself and charge to his own destruction.

It was too obvious in hindsight. He'd done similar in the story when manipulating Takemichi and Chifuyu to show up at the church, even though they hadn't served any practical purpose in his scheme to kill Taiju nor were targets. Now, Kisaki was expending considerable effort to rid himself of a prominent obstacle to his plans—Baji.

I couldn't be certain of Baji's goals in attacking Taiju now that it'd become undisputable that Baji wanted to help Hakkai, but regardless of his specific goal in disrupting their meeting, he'd be charging into danger. Considering Kisaki's track record, it was also likely that he had further plans to remove both Baji and Taiju in a more permanent manner, but without any clues, I could do little to stop it.

Could they overcome whatever Kisaki had planned on their own? This was new territory. Unlike with Moebius, which would've worked out without my participation, I couldn't know if the same applied now. Could Baji and Taiju withstand it, and if not, could I rely on Takemichi to rescue them?

—no, hold on. There was an obvious way for me to prevent their battle with minimal interference...Mikey. If I told Mikey about Kisaki instigating Baji to fight, including the intel he'd shared of Taiju's whereabouts, Mikey could order Baji to stop, and if that failed, take action to ensure Baji's safety, similar to his last-second arrival at the church in the story. The story was proof that Mikey could fight the Black Dragons without serious injury. Kisaki wouldn't want to harm his key to controlling the underworld and would cancel any further plans he had regarding Baji and Taiju. Furthermore, this instance of misconduct could be enough to finally convince Mikey that Kisaki was too dangerous to have in Toman.

But saving Taiju and Baji from Kisaki's plans wasn't the only problem to consider: Taiju would at last discuss his abusive behavior with Hakkai and offer him the choice to return Toman if, after Yuzuha's threat, he wanted the family to remain with him, but could Hakkai voice his honest desire to return? I'd overlooked Hakkai's side after convincing Yuzuha to negotiate with Taiju instead of murder him. Baji resolved to act because he doubted Hakkai would. Should I want their talk to proceed uninterrupted in hopes that Hakkai would speak out, or should I want Baji to interrupt their talk in fear that Hakkai would acquiesce to his brother's previous demands?

The consequences for my interference are certain: Kisaki will spill my secret, and that could ruin my chances at preventing Toman's descent. My membership has granted me many valuable privileges and connections. Can I afford to lose them? I bit my lip.

"Are you alright, miss?" I flinched and looked up at a uniformed waitress, her empty serving tray tucked into her arm as she watched me with a polite smile. "If the other customers are bothering you, I could take you to another table on the second floor."

"N-no, it's alright. I've finished my drink." Baji and Chifuyu had left already, and the other boys were finishing their meals. "I'll go pay."

"I see." Her voice was monotone. "Have a good Christmas Eve."

I paid my bill at the cashier and angled my face away as I passed the table of Toman members. Slipping past the waiter sweeping away the broken planter, I pushed open the door and left into the snowy night. The white layer lining the street had grown past my ankles without the sun to melt it, and the snow had not let up compared to half-an-hour ago. The crowds, however, had dispersed, leaving a handful of pedestrians on the glittering streets. I walked down the sidewalk. The black silhouettes of bare-branched trees cut across my view of the street, uniformly spaced like the bars of a cage.

It was a phone ring that drew my attention to the black-clothed person standing in the shadow of one such tree at the end of the block.

Baji stared back at me, his eyes glinting in the hazy streetlights. His phone continued to ring, but he didn't seem to care as I became his paramount concern.

He'd seen me dressed in these girlish clothes when I was with Hakkai and Yuzuha and given a similar reaction, but I'd dismissed it as surprise to notice someone standing in his blind spot. Could I excuse it as the same here?

Kisaki knew my identity, and I never suspected. What if Baji's known the whole time, too?

He spoke first. "Why're you—"

I ducked my head and ran. My shoes pounded out his words, and the icy wind numbed my hot cheeks. Hot chocolate sloshed around in my stomach and tickled the back of my throat, but I kept running to the corner of the next block. I looked back as I caught my breath beside the traffic light. Baji hadn't followed me.

Coward. Are you afraid of knowing?

Yes. Yes, I was. Because if I knew about it, then I had to do something about it. I'd known that Hina would die, that Draken could've died, that Baji would've died, and that had led me into Toman. I knew that Hakkai might choose to remain in the Black Dragons, that Baji would fight Taiju, that Kisaki wanted Taiju and Baji dead, and now I had to think of some solution that addressed each part.

Ignorance sure was bliss.

---

"Chifuyu, I'm busy right now. Can you wait?" A few meters away, Hina hummed softly and fidgeted with her umbrella as she looked around the quiet path, dark except for the streetlight beside the park bench and the faint city skyline from across the lake.

"No, it can't," Chifuyu growled. "Baji-san's going to pick a fight with Taiju alone tomorrow night at the church near Shibuya Station. Kisaki told him that Taiju and Hakkai would be there without the rest of the Black Dragons."

"What?!" Kazutora had told him in the future that Kisaki would be responsible for Baji's death, but Takemichi hadn't been able to figure out anything about Kisaki's scheme—until now. "Kisaki'll kill him! He can't go!"

"'Kill'...?" Chifuyu trailed off then scoffed. "Not on my watch. And besides, there's no way Baji-san will let himself get killed. Kisaki's clearly setting him up and I've already tried talking him out of it, but he's even more dead set on fighting Taiju now. We called a meeting earlier with the other Divisions, but they all agreed to leave the Black Dragons alone—they don't want to disobey Mikey and Mitsuya-kun. Takemitchy, will you help us fight Taiju?"

"Of course I'll help—"

"No, I really want you to think this over. This is...we're going against orders. Even if we beat Taiju, we'll be punished, no doubt about it. You might be Mikey-kun's favorite, but he can't let you off too easily, or else it'll set a bad example. And, we are butting in on Hakkai's business. Baji-san's been tight-lipped about the specifics, but he's saying Hakkai needs help. Something's weird between Hakkai and Taiju—you saw Taiju's reaction back when we ran into him—but even I'm still not fully convinced we should."

Chifuyu took a deep breath. "I don't want to drag you into this without knowing the consequences. I'll give you until...tomorrow noon to decide."

After a month of aimless searching, Takemichi finally found a definite lead. He'd seen at the start that Baji and Taiju hated each other, but he'd thought it nothing more than a simple grudge and wouldn't escalate to one of their deaths. Maybe the punishment could be as severe as being expelled from Toman, but he had to prevent Baji's death to stop Mikey and consequently Toman from descending to madness.

There was a good chance that Hakkai's death occurred there, too.

Takemichi shook his head. "Baji and Hakkai-kun are in danger. Even if we get in trouble, we have to help them."

"You sound so certain." Chifuyu chuckled. His voice lightened up. "Have some faith in Baji-san—I'm only calling you in as back-up."

They failed in the first timeline. Baji died originally—Chifuyu was unable to help him. Maybe this fight was where he'd gotten those horrific scars on his hands. It fell to Takemichi to avert that doomed future, but he couldn't even fight past Taiju's black-haired subordinate. Could he help fight off Taiju and whatever Kisaki had planned?

Takemichi swallowed. "I'll do my best, but you're much better fighters than I am. I might not be able to help much. Don't...don't put too much faith in me."

"What're you saying, partner? If there's any one guy I trust to have my back, it's you!" he exclaimed. "I mean, Baji-san could kick both our asses without breaking a sweat, but it's not just about how hard you can punch or how quick you can dodge. You're hella stubborn and...uh...I dunno how to explain it well, but you're one of the strongest guys I know, Takemitchy! Anyways, I gotta go home and sleep early to prepare for tomorrow. If you need something, just call. Bye." The connection cut off with a quiet click.

He brought his phone down. The pale screen was harsh against his eyes in the dim park lighting.

Yeah, he was pretty stubborn. But it paled in comparison to dedicating the rest of his life to restoring Toman and remaining righteous in a completely corrupt criminal organization. The police raid had failed due to a security leak outside Chifuyu's control, but Chifuyu had still done so much in the future, whereas Takemichi had only floundered about trying to keep up. Even now, Takemichi hadn't been able to do anything useful until Chifuyu told him about the upcoming battle.

He selected Baji's phone number from his contacts and dialed it.

"Takemichi-kun?" He jumped and spun around to see Hina still standing at the edge of the path, her eyes glinting in the streetlight.

Crap, he'd forgotten he was in the middle of a date. What was he doing? He scratched his hair and brought his phone down from his ear, but his thumb hovered over the cancel button without touching it. Preventing Toman's downfall was more critical than a smooth Christmas date. Her life was more important than their relationship...

The call going to voicemail solved his quandary for him.

He pocketed his phone. "Sorry, it was...urgent."

"It's alright. If it's urgent, it can't be helped." Snow crunched under her boots as she left the railing overlooking the lake and walked to him. Her eyes were wide with concern as she upheld her umbrella over the both of them and patted snow off his shoulders. He stayed still as she did so and thanked her.

Her smile lingered for a few moments before disappearing. "I tried not to listen, but you kinda yelled it out. ...has Kisaki-kun done something wrong in Toman?"

He cupped a hand over his mouth. Which part of his call had she heard? They hadn't been discussing the future, but he still didn't want to alarm her about Kisaki.

Wait, actually.... "How do you know he's in Toman?"

"I met him in full uniform an hour ago. I didn't know he was a member, but I guess I never explicitly asked you." Her short hair rustled as she tilted her head. "I heard from Blake-chan that you've been talking about him recently."

They'd just met? He looked over her, glancing at her smooth, pale skin visible past her coat and neatly combed hair. She didn't look hurt and hadn't acted any differently, so Kisaki hadn't done anything untoward. Good. Maybe he was being paranoid, but he had no idea what the teenage Kisaki thought of her.

At school, he hadn't talked about Kisaki. Why would Myers lie? No reason came to mind. Unless...she'd tried to write-off knowing Kisaki and maintain her secret identity. It got revealed at some point between now and the next twelve years, but he'd respect it and help out a little. She didn't have any nefarious intentions, and she'd rescued Chifuyu and him in the future.

He laughed and scratched his head. "Maybe she heard me, but it's nothing you need to worry about. He's dangerous if you get on his wrong side, but I just don't get along with Kisaki, that's all."

Hina looked at him for a silent second with her brown, watchful eyes, then she gave a small smile. "I trust you."

It was for her own good. Just a piece of information she was better off not knowing.

Takemichi jumped as his phone rang.

Hina giggled and hopped away. "Take your time. I'll wait."

"It's not—" Baji was calling him back. He sucked in a breath. "...I won't take long." He accepted the call.

"What do you want?" Baji said.

"You can't go!" he yelled. Hina turned to him with her eyebrows raised in surprise, and he forced himself to speak quieter. "You can't go to the church tomorrow," he hissed. "Ki—he's plotting something."

A heavy sigh came over the line. "So Chifuyu invited you. Tch."

"He's only worried for you. I am, too. In the first place, why are you so determined to go? It's their family's business."

Baji was quiet for several seconds. "Hakkai's...Taiju will offer Hakkai the choice to return to Toman."

"That's good! Then now he can return without worrying—"

"No, it's not." Baji was as blunt as a hammer. "Hakkai will fold, and Taiju will be rewarded for his previous behavior. That's worse than Taiju never asking him."

"But it's still Hakkai-kun's choice," Takemichi argued. "And Taiju-kun might be harsh on his brother, but not unnecessarily so. I spoke with one of the members we fought, and he's seen more of their relationship than either of us have. Baji-kun, maybe you're jumping to conclusions too—"

"You're a fool." Click.

Takemichi's mouth hung open as the line went silent. He had to prevent Baji's death and stopping Baji from following Kisaki's schemes was the most surefire way to do that, but Baji barely listened to him. He gritted his teeth and glared at his shoes.

How stupid.

"Let's end here for tonight." He looked up as Hina joined his side.

Had he been that terrible of a boyfriend today? If he'd known beforehand about the recent developments, he would have scheduled their date a day earlier. He stuffed his phone into his pocket. "N-no, there's no need to. Sorry, let's continue."

She shook her head. "I know you're busy, and I don't want to interfere. ...lately, you've felt kinda distant," she quietly admitted. "We haven't gone on a date like this in a while, and whenever I see you in class, you're usually distracted."

Now that she brought it up, it was true they hadn't spent much time together since he returned to the past. He'd been distracted trying to discover the causes of Hakkai's and Baji's deaths and investigating Kisaki with Chifuyu. Even in school, his mind had been occupied with thoughts of that nature—thoughts that similarly went nowhere.

"Sorry, Hina, I didn't mean to—"

"No, I should be the one saying sorry." She played with her bangs and looked away with downcast eyes. "I guess it's selfish of me to want you to myself when you've got great things to do."

"No. I'm...I'm not the amazing person you and everyone say I am—all I've been doing lately is going around in circles and getting nowhere, and time's running out." The words poured out like an overfull cup before he could stop them. "I've been chasing the Black Dragons because I thought they were important to the future then gave up but it turns out they're really relevant after all, and I can't even get one of my allies to listen to me tell him he's in danger, and now I've got to go help him fight but I'm not strong, and—"

A pair of arms tugged him forward.

Hina embraced him with a hug, her hair tickling his ear as she rested her head on his shoulder. He could almost feel the heartbeat of the smaller girl through her coat. She was warm, soft, alive.

Her umbrella hit the ground.

"Results aren't all that matter," she murmured. "I don't know what you're talking about, but you're showing me that you always try your best, even despite the obstacles or setbacks that come your way, even if no one's watching, even if you don't benefit from it. At the point when others would've given up, you keep going, and that makes you invincible. I'm sure you'll succeed at whatever you've been doing recently, but even if you don't, I know full well that you gave it your best effort. That's another part I really admire about you.

"But sometimes..." Her grip tightened. "Sometimes, that makes me worry. Sometimes, if it's too hard...it's okay to give up. You're precious to me and a lot of other people, and I don't want you to get hurt, either here—" Her hand rose from his back to brush his cheek. "Or here." Her other hand slipped in-between them to rest on his heart. "It's not a happy ending if not everyone makes it through."

Somehow, he felt validated. Hina, Akkun, and Myers had died in three different timelines, but he hadn't just turned his back and fled, like how he might've done before as a 26-year-old part-timer who lived in a shabby apartment. He couldn't change much during the future, but he'd gained valuable information that he could use in the past. The future was still awful, and he'd returned to the past to fix it. Only Naoto knew of his mission, and to hear this, although without complete understanding of his mission, from Hina herself...

He hugged her back. "You're—" Aw crud, the tears were coming. "You're p-precious to me, too. I won't give you up to fate," he blubbered.

I made her worry for me—I've got to strengthen my resolve.

She rubbed his back and chuckled. "I wouldn't give you up, either. Now then..." She gently pushed him away by his shoulders and smiled at his probably ugly, tear-stained face. "You've got things to do, so let's end here. I'll see you at the shrine on New Year's, if you're done by then."

"I will." He sniffled and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "I'll definitely meet you there. Bye, Hina."

"Bye. I'm looking forward to it!"

Takemichi's nose continued to run as he walked down the lit path out the park. Passing by the parking lot Hina once died in had earlier elicited a shudder and halt from him, but now he only glanced at the lot, empty of cars and familiar faces, and continued on.

He slapped his cheeks.

"Ow..."

There was no use in moping over what could happen. No future was certain, and he'd make sure that none of those that he'd seen would come to pass.

Rather than trying to prevent Baji from picking a fight with Taiju, Takemichi should plan how to protect Baji and Hakkai from Kisaki. Even if he stopped Baji, Hakkai would still be in danger.

But protect them from what, exactly? If he didn't have an exact objective, he'd have to rely largely on luck to be in the right place, at the right time, and doing the right thing. He had been very lucky so far in finding in the future all the necessary information he needed to fix the timeline, but this recent future felt much more complicated:

Hakkai would die in an arson, which Myers became incriminated for. Baji's cause of death was unknown, but she'd implied that she'd also been involved. Even if Kazutora hadn't told him Kisaki was behind it, Takemichi trusted her enough to know she wouldn't kill them intentionally.

He still didn't even understand what Kisaki's motive in killing Hakkai was because unlike Baji, Hakkai hadn't outwardly done anything against Kisaki. Kisaki was using his situation to lure Baji to the church, but there was no need to kill him. Or...what if Kisaki was using Hakkai further? Causing Hakkai's death in order to trigger Baji's by...enraging Taiju into murdering Baji? And manipulating Myers into setting the fire that killed Hakkai?

He halted at the exit of the park, his eyes wide.

It sounded plausible. Kisaki always used underhanded tactics, and this kind of secretive and indirect plan suited him. A fire would be hard to control to kill one specific person—Hakkai—but Kisaki could probably figure something out.

If only he could discuss with Naoto, who could tell him if his idea was dumb and guide him in the right direction. But it was too dangerous to return, if he was even still alive with Toman after their heads. Besides, even though he could've jumped to some wrong conclusions, now he knew what to do:

Stop Myers from starting the fire.

Keep Hakkai safe from the fire.

Protect Baji from Taiju and possibly, the fire.

Now he just needed to do them. He shut his eyes and slapped his cheeks.

"Oww..."

He also needed to stop slapping his cheeks.

For now, he could try to talk Myers out of obeying Kisaki. He had the number of her Toman persona. She acted guarded around him, but he knew her real identity after all, and her caution was warranted. Additionally, she had been moderately friendly with Kisaki at the meetings, but Kisaki was pretending to be a proper Toman member. She wouldn't know that Kisaki had plotted Toman's conflicts with Moebius and Valhalla, nor that he was plotting Hakkai's and Baji's deaths.

"Alright."

He strode to the overhang of a corner store just beyond the park's exit as he took out his phone and dialed her number. A cat sitting on a cardboard box beside the door looked up to watch him lean against the wall, then it rested its head back on its paws while his phone continued to ring.

"The number you have called is..."

His breath streamed out as pale mist.

This was fine. He had until tomorrow night to warn her. What else did he need to do?

Help. He needed to find help to fight in the battle and protect Baji and Hakkai. But who? Chifuyu said that the other admins had chosen to not challenge the Black Dragons, and although maybe he could win some of them over if he explained that the two boys were in danger, he'd also have to explain that Kisaki was the mastermind, but Toman seemed to trust Kisaki for the most part. Besides, Takemichi wasn't particularly close with the leaders except for Mikey, Draken, and maybe Mitsuya.

So, no help from Toman. The Mizo Middle Five might be...no. He wouldn't drag them into this.

Was there someone, outside of Toman, who already knew Kisaki and, if possible, was close to Hakkai or Baji? Someone who Takemichi could trust to remain vigilant and defend themselves in the future from the emerging crime syndicate after catching Kisaki's bad attention?

The box rustled as the cat lazily flicked its tail, the white tip bright against its striped pelt.

The answer struck him. "Kazutora-kun!" he gasped.

He was still close to Baji, and he should at least suspect that Kisaki was up to no good from his time in Valhalla. More importantly, alongside Myers, he'd saved Takemichi in two consecutive futures. Baji said he didn't want Kazutora to become involved, but saving Baji's life took precedence, and Kazutora was the best candidate to help them fight.

Now, how could he contact Kazutora? Asking Chifuyu for his number could give his plan away, and asking Baji was suicidal. Any of the other Toman founders would probably work.

He went with the founder he was most familiar with.

"Takemitchy. What's up?"

"Hey, Mikey-kun. I was wondering if you could give me Kazutora-kun's phone number? I need to speak with him."

"Kazutora? ...what do you need with him?" Mikey sounded hesitant.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing. It's easier if I just text you his number. Lemme hang up first." Click.

Takemichi stared at his phone for a minute but received no messages. It was approaching late evening, and he'd better call as soon as possible. Another minute later, Takemichi looked away from the resting cat to see Mikey's text.

He dialed the number immediately. It connected after a few rings.

"Who's this?" a vaguely familiar voice asked. Dull chatter and miscellaneous clinking sounded in the background.

Takemichi had only met Kazutora once in the past. He was more familiar with Kazutora's future self.

"It's...Takemichi. You brought me to Valhalla's hideout once, if you remember. I think you also mentioned we go to the same school. I got your number from Mikey-kun," he said.

"...Mikey? Did he say anything about me?"

"No?" Was there still some lingering tension between them? Takemichi thought the founders had made up after the battle with Valhalla, but maybe it was naive to think everything wrapped up so cleanly. His relationship with Mikey wasn't important now, however. "But I'm not calling you about that. I need your help to protect Baji-kun from the Black Dragons. Kisaki's behind a plan to hurt him. Oh, uh, you also know that Kisaki's disloyal to Toman, right?" he added.

There was a louder clink, from Kazutora perhaps setting down his eating utensils. "I know he can't be trusted. He... personally invited me to Valhalla. I also know that the Black Dragons are back, even if Baji and Chifuyu weren't dogshit at lying. I live in that area, and I would be blind to miss them, especially with the trouble they cause. But, I'm not going to get involved with Toman anymore. I'm...I'm no longer part of Toman."

"Wait!" Takemichi said. The cat's ears perked up. "They're lying to you because they don't want to drag you into danger. Don't you feel the same back? You might not be in Toman anymore, but aren't Chifuyu and Baji-kun your friends, regardless?"

"I already said I'm not going to get involved with Toman."

"But this isn't about Toman." Takemichi kept his tone firm. "Baji-kun's in serious danger. Please help me, not as a former member of Toman, but as one of his friends. You're the only person I can rely on to do this." Even though Kazutora wouldn't see it, Takemichi bowed his head. Past the overhang, cold droplets struck his scalp.

Kazutora's breath whistled through his lips. "...maybe," he said. "I won't promise, but maybe."

Takemichi beamed. "Thank you, Kazutora-kun! Thank you so much."

"It's not a promise." Click.

The cat resting on the box slinked away into the dark alley beside the corner store.

That was one part that'd gone right. Although Kazutora told him that he hadn't decided, Takemichi had faith that he'd help protect Baji after Takemichi saw that Baji was able to snap Kazutora back to his senses. Baji meant a lot to Kazutora.

Next was...Hakkai. Preventing his death was intertwined with stopping Myers from arson, but it'd be best to visit the area beforehand and investigate its infrastructure.

But tonight was a bit late for that. He didn't feel particularly tired—actually, he felt rejuvenated after his date with Hina—but as Chifuyu said, they needed to rest early to prepare for tomorrow. He'd also be able to see the church better in the daylight.

"Alright." He exhaled and slapped—

—stopped himself from slapping his cheeks and instead pumped his fists as he headed home.

---

"Udagawa Christian Church, huh?" Takemichi mumbled to himself.

Across the street from him, the church's decorative columns and stained-glass windows stuck out against the modern buildings surrounding the lot. Its stone walls were as pale as the cloudy sky above, but the church managed to look inviting, the streetlamps lining the elevated plaza shining yellow and the cross atop the steeple reaching up to the sky. From street-level, he couldn't see much of the church past the tall railing encircling the building.

"The entrance's probably on the other side..."

The parking lot at the entrance was practically empty, and the few cars present were parked at the far end from the church, closest to the convenience store and small line of shops on the opposite end of the street. Despite today being Christmas, no one seemed to have come to the church. By car, at least. He hadn't passed anyone on the way either, even after wandering around the area, searching for the church for ten minutes. It'd be great if he could ask visiting churchgoers about the area, but the clergy working there would be fine, although it was kinda awkward to visit on their holy day and ask about their fire safety.

More so if the church went up in flames that evening, even after he saved Hakkai and Baji.

He began climbing the stairs to the entrance. From his angle, he could only see the underside of the veranda extending in front of the door. Narrow windows lined the facade, and the lights beside the door were on, although the front door itself remained closed—

His foot slipped on a patch of melted snow, and his chest hit the railing, sparing him from a four-meter drop onto the pavement. Not necessarily fatal, but enough to break a bone or two. He caught his breath and pushed himself upright.

More mindful of his steps, he arrived at the front door without any further accidents and knocked on the tall, wooden pair of doors.

Nothing happened after a minute. He exited the veranda to peek into a window. The glass was fogged over, but he could still distinguish two rows of pews extending to the end of the church, separated by red carpet. He couldn't see anyone present. The lights weren't on inside, but the sky was bright enough to illuminate the interior, anyway.

He pushed on the doors, gently at first, then with more force after they proved themselves unlocked. A few of the lamps attached to the supporting columns of the vault were actually on, but the dome at the back of the church was fully lit by the three-panel stained-glass window overlooking the altar. The air inside was slightly warm.

"Hello?" he called. His voice echoed through the hall. There was no response. He nudged a nearby rubber door stopper into the doorway and tiptoed into the church. In the dead silent hall, his heartbeat and breaths sounded booming. He stopped halfway down the aisle to look around for signs of life and sighed in relief to find none.

Takemichi really felt like he was breaking and entering.

But the door was open, it was a public building, and 9 AM wasn't even that early. It'd have been different if someone invited him in, but now he just hoped that nobody came and caught him inside.

Besides, he wasn't here to do any crimes—he was here to check for fire safety. He was...a fire inspector, not a criminal.

Although...he stopped at the steps to the altar and turned around to look over the hall once more. The white walls, slightly smudged with dirt, were bare except for the rows of narrow windows. The arched ceiling, too, was simply stone for all he could see. He walked along the altar to one end of the hall and peered down the small aisle between the columns and the wall. Nothing there, either.

He collapsed on a nearby wooden pew and dropped his head into his hands. "No alarms, sprinklers, or extinguishers? A fire's just waiting to happen," he moaned. "How the heck did this building pass a safety check—"

The front door creaked open.

Takemichi suppressed the urge to duck under his pew and instead looked back to watch the newcomer enter. It was a girl, about his age, with shoulder-length brown hair. Despite it being winter break, she wore a black school uniform, her knees peeking out between her short skirt and baggy socks. But something about her seemed oddly familiar...

She walked down the aisle, her footsteps dulled by the carpet, and...approached him? He openly watched as she walked along the altar and the pew he was sitting on, and he scooted over only for her to drop a handful of coins into the small box beside the pew that he hadn't noticed.

They clattered at the bottom of the box.

She then looked back to glare at him, whether she'd noticed his stare earlier or not. "What's your problem?" she asked.

"What are you doing?" a feminine voice scoffed behind him.

The only other occupant of the expansive corridor was a woman a little shorter than him, her thin, copper-brown hair tied back in a bun and a form-fitting skirt extending from beneath her suit jacket. A leather briefcase hung beside her bare knees.

It was that woman working alongside Mitsuya in the future. What was her name again? He scratched his head. He hadn't realized she was Christian. Hopefully she wouldn't think he was the culprit if the church actually did burn down tonight.

"S-sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to stare. Uh, are there any fire extinguishers in this building?"

He internally slapped himself.

She raised an eyebrow but answered. "None in the nave. There may be one hidden in the altar or in those rooms beside it—" She pointed at the pair of doors on either side of the stained-glass windows. "—but I wouldn't be surprised if it's outdated. The infrastructure's fairly old."

"You sound like you've been here a lot."

She sat on the other side of the pew. "Do I? I haven't come here recently, but it looks the same as ever. I'm not religious, but it lets me...get away from home for a bit," she admitted. "Not many people visit, and it's not very well-maintained, but it's quiet and open until late. It has a bad rep because people break-in and steal."

"Oh, um, I'm not here to steal anything." He scooted further away from the donations box. "I'm just looking around, not doing anything suspicious."

"Sure." The girl crossed her arms.

"I mean, like, really. Although, uh, if you know it's going to get stolen, why donate?"

Her lips quirked up. "Just messing with you. You don't look like you intend to steal. As for 'why donate'..." She sighed. "The church helped me, so I'll help the church help people who need it. It's a charity, after all—some might abuse it for profit, but some genuinely need help and feel too ashamed to ask. Whatever remains when the clergy come around is put to good use, anyway."

Oh. Takemichi hadn't thought much about the significance of the church burning down compared to any other building on the block, but there were people who depended on the church, whether for food and shelter, religious services, or a quiet place to think. He watched her stare at the stained-glass window with her cheek resting on her hand.

Saving Baji and Hakkai was his priority, but he should try to limit the damage to the building. Maybe he should buy a general-purpose fire extinguisher just in case he couldn't stop Myers.

"Hey, can I ask you something weird?" she asked.

He blinked. "Sure?"

Her hazel eyes shifted to him. "Would you trust a liar?"

"Huh?" He couldn't respond for several seconds. It wasn't as weird as asking about fire extinguishers, but he hadn't expected a philosophical question. "I'd say it depends."

"On what?"

"Uh...I don't have a specific answer," he admitted. "But I...I've been keeping a pretty big lie myself. I think it's better if she—if they don't know what I've been hiding, and I hope it stays that way. But if I were the one being deceived, I wouldn't trust them, especially if they were lying for my sake. I don't want to lose anyone close to me."

Ignorance wasn't bliss: never discovering Hina's death would've been his worst mistake.

She sat up and chuckled. "So you want to fool people, but you don't want to be fooled."

"It's—ugh, I guess..." She didn't have to put it that way. "Why'd you ask? You sound like you have someone in mind."

The girl hesitated to respond. Takemichi considered if he'd overstepped her privacy and was about to apologize, but she finally spoke: "I have two brothers. The older one bullies the younger, but he's recently started to reflect on his actions and says he'll listen to the younger more."

"So, your older brother is the liar?"

"No. Both of them are liars. But...I'm thinking more of my younger brother." She crossed her legs and looked into the distance. "He's always been pushed around, and he freezes up whenever he sees my older brother. Can I trust him to declare his true feelings? I don't want to expect too much out of him because maybe then he'll be crushed by expectations, but if I expect too little, then he'll lose self-esteem and end up in that image."

"...have your parents done anything to interfere?"

"My mom—no, they're...not home often. That's why my older brother ended up in charge with no one to stop him."

"Oh." He stared straight ahead at the stained glass, the center pane depicting a haloed woman with a shawl over her head and her arms outstretched.

She was much more mature than he'd been at this age. He would've just been goofing off with his school friends, ignoring risk and not learning from his past mistakes. It was an emotional maturity that even reminded him of Draken and Mitsuya, whose parents had also been largely absent for most of their lives.

He didn't know how to respond. He couldn't give her a definite 'yes' or 'no' because he didn't have enough context, but he couldn't say nothing either, after she'd confessed her troubles to him.

"Results aren't all that matter." Hina's words came to mind. "I'm sure you'll succeed at whatever you've been doing recently, but even if you don't, I know full well—"

He looked back at her when she sighed forcefully, stood up from the pew, and turned back to leave. Her brows were knitted and her eyes shut. "Sorry for dumping that on you. I'm not expecting you to—"

"I...I can't exactly relate to your situation," Takemichi said. She halted. "But you seem to really care about your younger brother. Regardless of whether they reach those expectations, I'd be there to support them. Fail or not, a person who appreciates them makes all the difference."

She was still for a moment. Then she exhaled and looked back at him, revealing a small smile on her face. "I did tell him that I'd support him. That's a good answer. Thanks."

He smiled back. "Glad I could help."

"I'm going to leave. See you again, maybe."

"Bye."

Takemichi waited for the doors to close behind her before he stood up and walked toward the doors beside the altar that she'd pointed out.

Two brothers who didn't get along...it almost reminded him of Taiju and Hakkai. He chuckled to himself. Hopefully the conflict between them and between her brothers would resolve itself.

He opened the left door.

It looked like a small dressing room of sorts, with faded robes hung on a clothes rack in the room's center and various cabinets and closets along the walls. Several unlit candles and tomes sat atop a large table in the back. He opened a random drawer and screamed when a roach flew out onto his hand. He flung it off, and it bounced off the edge of a rusted basin and onto the stone ground, where it scuttled behind a fallen painting and disappeared.

Takemichi caught his breath and left the room.

No fire extinguisher there. Probably.

He opened the right door—

"Hm?"

The door refused to budge.

He slid his right foot back and grunted as he pulled at the door handle, but to the same result. Takemichi stepped back from the door.

"Maybe it's locked," he muttered. "Wait, there's no keyhole. Is it just jammed?"

Whatever. Worst came to worst, he'd just bring a fire extinguisher with him. There should be a department store down the block, and although he didn't have much money on him, how expensive could it be—

"Is there another room up there?" There was a balcony right above the entrance to the church. He stepped back against the door and squinted. Sure enough, there was a doorway past the railing. If he recalled right, that was the position of the steeple he'd seen from the outside.

"Hm, maybe there's one there..."

---

Wash, scrub, rinse.

One plate.

Wash, scrub, rinse.

Two plates.

The saccharine scent of the detergent tickled my nose. I flicked on the lights over the kitchen counter with my wrist and ran my towel under the faucet before picking up another dish.

"Kisaki's dangerous. He might come off like a good guy, but there's more to him than he shows. I just wanted to warn you to be careful with him."

"Why—why're you telling me this all of a sudden, Takemichi? You've never called me before, but just recently, you tried to reach out to me twice just to warn me about him. Is something about to happen?"

"Something...? I guess I think that Kisaki's unhappy with the Black Dragons and wants to...stage some sort of incident. I'm worried that Hakkai-kun and—that Hakkai-kun will get caught up in it. You're close to him, right?"

"...."

"Frank-kun? Are you there?"

"...I consider him a friend."

"Okay, so yeah. Just...be careful around Kisaki, please."

"A-alright."

I placed the last dish on the rack and wiped my brow with cool water. I flicked off the faucet but hesitated to turn off the light. My haggard face stared back on the dark window, my eyes rimmed red and bangs damp. "What did I do?" I whispered to it.

It looked as lost as I did.

Takemichi contacted me, specifically, about Kisaki's plan. Somehow, I'd been involved, and Hakkai, in addition to Baji and Taiju, was in danger. No, not only 'in danger'—at least one of them would be fatally injured or killed, Takemichi's unusual interaction implied. He'd returned to the past with a mission to stop...something, a mission becoming exhibited as the deadline approached.

"Blake? Are you still here?" I flinched and turned to watch my host mother hobble into the kitchen, dressed in a loose sweater and trousers. Her skin was tinged pink, and her gray hair was damp against her scalp.

I swept my bangs away from my forehead and pushed up my glasses. "I just finished cleaning the table and dishes."

Youko stepped closer to me and rested an arm on the counter. "You're sweating so much. I just finished my bath, and you can take one now. Shigeru won't mind. If you'd like, I can also turn down the heater a few degrees. If there's something you want, there's no need to hold back, especially after you cooked a lovely Christmas dinner for us."

I ran my hand down my neck. My fingers came away wet. "N-no, it's alright," I said under her watchful gaze. "Cooking dinner was the least I could do to thank you. I'm...I'm going to take a walk outside to cool off. I might not be back for an hour or so, and you don't need to keep the water warm for me."

You didn't sign up to host a delinquent, and I won't cause any more trouble for you than I already have. This is my battle, alone.

"I see." She sighed and smiled. "Don't stay outside too late, Blake, and stay safe. If there's anything you need, please call us."

"Okay."

She seemed like she wanted to say more, but she simply patted my shoulder and walked away. I said nothing more either, my chest tight, and flicked off the lights before leaving for my room. My hand hovered over the suitcase I'd hidden my Toman uniform in, but I instead threw on the dark coat hanging in my closet and tied back my hair in a short ponytail. After slipping into my sneakers at the foyer, I left the house.

The winter wind ruffled my bangs and cooled my face as I strolled down the street. My glasses fogged up, so I took them off and slipped them into the opposite pocket from my phone.

My mind cleared up from its day-long haze.

Kisaki wanted Baji and Taiju gone and had provoked Baji to challenge Taiju at the church on behalf of Hakkai, but Hakkai would also end up as a casualty in his scheme. A simple fight was insufficient to remove them, so Kisaki surely had more planned to escalate the situation. Yuzuha could no longer be manipulated to murder Taiju. What would become the new catalyst?

My chest burned from the cold air. I waited for a car to pass, its turn signal flickering orange, before crossing the dimly lit street.

If I was unsure of Kisaki's plan for the church, then the best action was to prevent the actors from meeting at the church in the first place. In this universe, there was no failsafe—Mikey would not arrive unless I called him. Yet the Shiba family's meeting had to continue. If they were to ever reconcile or resolve their issues, Taiju would eventually have to talk with an open mind to his family.

However, was Hakkai ready to stand up to his brother? I...I wanted Baji to interfere with their talk, especially because he was also concerned about Hakkai's resolve.

Whatever I did, Kisaki knew my identity, and he wouldn't hesitate to expose me if I interfered with his plans. In that sense, the safest option was to do nothing at all.

I halted in the alley. Shutters covered the storefronts of the small shops down the narrow path, the scratched metal reflecting the warm streetlights. A concrete wall marked with graffiti ran opposite to the shops, and a layer of snow rested at the edges of the street. Behind me, cars zipped past on the main road, but the path ahead of me was motionless, and time became nothing more than an abstract concept.

My feet itched to run, to charge through the still air and shatter the silence with my pounding footsteps.

If one or two people die or if a friend ends up living in an abusive family, it's not so big of a deal compared to losing my chance to 'save the story' and return home—when did I start to care about these people so much? Why am I so conflicted?

"What should I do?" I whispered.

Quick footsteps grew louder behind me. I stepped to the side and glanced over my shoulder.

"Frank?" Mitsuya slowed to a stop and panted lightly. The embroidery on his uniform glittered gold in the ambient light. "Seems I caught you in your downtime."

What did he—my hand shot up to my head. My bangs were still down, not slicked back with gel. He'd recognized me, even though I hadn't intentionally dressed up in my Toman disguise. I lowered my head and stepped into the shadow of a street post. "Yeah. Although, if you're in a hurry, bye." I tried to keep my voice gruff, but it only sounded hoarse.

They needed all the help they could get. I couldn't delay Mitsuya from reaching the church.

"No, this is good timing." He took another breath before continuing. "I have some unfinished business with Taiju-kun, and I can foresee it turning a bit hectic. If you've got time, mind coming with me? It's alright if you're not in uniform."

I held my breath. Kisaki would spill my secret if I rebelled against him, and although he hadn't given me any specific instructions, such as prohibiting me from attending the church battle, he hadn't requested my attendance, either.

I want to go home. I want to see my family again.

"Sorry," I said. "Tonight's...not a good time."

He flicked his hand. "Don't worry 'bout it. It's Christmas, after all. You've probably got something planned. I'll be going, then." Mitsuya straightened the lapels of his uniform and slid a boot forward—

My feet burned to run.

"Why—why are you going so far for Hakkai?"

"Hm?" Mitsuya straightened up and looked at me again. "Well, I'm not doing it 'for' him; I'm doing it because I want to help him. I guess he became my little brother at some point. To me, you guys are all part of my extended family." He smiled.

I snorted. "That's a pretty big family. What's family to you?"

He closed his eyes and chuckled. "It's nice to have a big family. To me, they're not necessarily blood related, but they're people who I know will unconditionally have my back, whether in times of celebration or times of sorrow, and I'll always do what I can to repay the sentiment. If you ever need anything, Frank, I've got your back. Or, well, not right now, but anytime. I gotta go now."

Mitsuya waved before sprinting past me, and I watched his form shrink to a dot as he ran down the alley. He vanished in shadow as he passed under a grove of bare-branched trees, but he emerged on the other side under the warm streetlights and continued charging forward, determined to help the boy whom he'd trusted to serve as his former Vice-Captain.

My shoe scraped the pavement as I stepped forward. A cool wind blew at my back, ushering me onwards. I took another step.

"A second family, huh...?"

---

"Uh, partner? I don't think you need—"

"Why the fuck did you bring a fire extinguisher?"

Takemichi cradled to his chest the red canister that'd cost him two months' worth of allowance and angled his body protectively in-between it and the two boys. It clinked against the buttons on his uniform. "B-but what if there's a fire?"

"It just started snowing again, are you kidding? You think that will catch on fire?" Baji swept his arm out to indicate the snow-lined church in front of them. The cross atop the steeple shone like a beacon in the night sky, and the snow below the narrow windows on either side of the doors glittered gold.

"Yes. Maybe."

Baji raised an eyebrow, then he flicked his ponytail back and swaggered toward the church. "Don't hold me back. This applies to both of you."

Takemichi didn't follow and glanced back at the other end of the parking lot. No one there. Kazutora hadn't arrived yet, but Takemichi hadn't specified a time, so he'd probably come later in the night.

"Hm?" Something twinkled at the grove of trees across from the church entrance. He stepped closer and squinted at it, but he could only see a shadowy clump of branches.

"Takemitchy? What're you looking at?"

"Nothing." He turned back to Chifuyu, who'd stopped to wait for him. Baji had already reached the stairs to the church's plaza. He hugged the extinguisher tight and jogged after the 1st Division Captain. "Let's go!"

Once he saved Hakkai and Baji, the future would change. He had his mission—he just needed to complete it.