##OO3 a broken promise
running away when things
get tough runs through the
ando's blood

[ 2017 ]

eri never considered herself a coward. she always faced any obstacle that came her way with her face held high and without backing down. well, she was doing that until twelve years ago, because when she was presented with the biggest problem she has ever had, she runway.

"look how clean you are now, you're shining!" eri wiped the sweat off her forehead with her forearm, "i had a lot of time without visiting you, but it's because i've been too busy with the barbershop, tobio, and the wedding preparations." eri stopped speaking abruptly.

"i haven't told you, it's true." she whispered with a small smile putting a lock of hair behind her ear, "baji proposed to me. we will get married in four months." eri looked up to the sky simulating a small kick with her right foot, "you know, sometimes i ask myself what would have happened if-" she turned to look at the grave, "-if you were alive. maybe it would be you and me the ones who are getting married, kenchin."

×××

a sudden knock on the door of the ando's residence was enough to make the youngest of the house groan in annoyance. with a heavy sigh, tobio lazily stand up and went to the entrance door opening it, "i'm not interested in joining a cult or buying anything from you." he said before the two man standing out side could speak.

the most dishevelled out of the two visitors clear his throat, "we're actually here for ando eri? are you...are you her boyfriend?" the man asked looking nervously at the tall teen.

tobio made a disgusted expression at the question the man made and leaned in the doorframe, "she's my mother. aren't you supposed to ask if she's here instead of my relationship with her?" the boy looked suspiciously from up to down at the two men.

"is she here? we need to talk." the other man said showing his detective plate.

tobio rolled his eyes scoffing, "she is not here, so you're wasting your time." he said taking a step back and closing the door on their faces.

takemichi and naoto shared a glanced before the older one knocked again on the door.

"what!"

"i'm hanagaki takemichi, i'm a friend of your mom...can we wait for her here? i really need to talk with her." takemichi said staring at the teen.

tobio check on his nails boringly before looking again at the man, "i know my ma's friends and she doesn't have any takemitchy, so how do i know you're not lying?"

takemichi sweardropped at tobio mispronouncing his name, "it's takemichi, and i'm and old friend from when she was living in tokyo...we both were affiliated with touman." he said looking at a still uninterested dark haired, "she used to called me michi, i don't-"

"oh! you're michi!" tobio exclaimed smiling with wide eyes.

"yes! can we come in now and wait for her? we came all the way from tokyo." takemichi said relaxing a little.

tobio turned serious again dropping his smile, "no. i was kidding, eri had never mentioned a michi. have a good day, sir." he said closing again the door.

"for fuck sake." naoto said gripping with two fingers his nose's bridge.

takemichi sat down on the entrance with a decided look, "i need to talk with eri and i'm not going anywhere until i do it. naoto, you can go if you want to." he said looking to the front.

naoto sigh and sat down besides him, "i'm staying. if she can help us save hina, there's no way i'm loosing this chance to talk with her."

inside the house, tobio went again to the couch he was previously laying and let his body dropped in it. he then took his phone from his short pocket and dialed eri's number.

"hey tobi, is everything okay bub?"

tobio's face light up when hearing eri's voice, "yes mom i'm fine but hey, do you know a takemitchy?"

there was a silence on the line before the woman let out a giggle, "it's takemichi, tobi, and i haven't heard of that name in years...why do you mention it?"

tobio rolled his eyes at his mother correcting him with the name, "he's outside now, he wants to talk with you."

"like, outside the shop?"

"no, outside the house."

tobio heard some rustling and something of driving faster, "i'm on my way okay? don't let him in, and wait, is baji on the house already?"

"nop."

"that's good, okay i'm hanging up i'm already outside." eri said.

"sheesh." tobio muttered letting the phone on his chest.

×××

when takemichi saw eri coming out of the taxi he thought she would received him with opened arms and a smile, not like this.

"how the fuck do you know where i live?"

takemichi and naoto stand up immediately at the sight of the older frowning woman.

"that's not relevant, we came here to talk about an urgent situation." naoto pipped in taking a step to the front.

eri looked at naoto, "excuse me, but who are you and why does your little brain thinks is not important that two strangers have my home direction."

"strangers?"

eri glanced at takemichi, "yes, strangers! takemichi i have not seen you in twelve years, i don't know anything about you now."

takemichi got closer to eri, "i'm still the same takemichi, just older."

eri put both of her hands on her waist, "no shit sherlock...and you still haven't answer my question! how did you found me!"

"on a database. now can you please told us everything you know about draken's death?" naoto passively aggressive asked.

"i want you out of my property, if not, i will call the police." eri said going directly inside her house.

"you were snooping, weren't you kid?" eri asked throwing her purse on the loveseat that was in front of tobio.

"not really, it wasn't necessary when you were literally screaming." tobio said scrolling on his phone before sitting dow and looking at eri.

"so how was your visit to the ceme-"

various knocks on the door interrupted tobio.

eri scratched her head and look at tobio, "it was good."

she directed herself to the entrance door and opened it, "what!"

"eri look we need your help in this, okay? you don't need to tell us about draken's death but could you please tell me why did you abandoned mikey!"

eri had an amused face, "so now you're not only asking about kenchin, but also about mikey. woah! takemichi, woah!"

takemichi went silent before speaking again, "i'm sorry i'm asking you that, but it's really important you know? it's the only way we can save someone."

eri laughed dryly, "save someone, sure." she said sarcastically, "you're wasting your time in here, so why don't you just go home?" eri said closing the door.

she went again to the living room and sat on the loveseat she had let her purse.

tobio, who hadn't moved an inch from his place, was now curious about what he heard, "why he said you abandoned mikey?"

"not you too." eri groaned looking at tobio.

"i mean i think i have the right to know, don't you think?" tobio asked.

"i mean you kinda do. so wanna make pancakes?" eri asked standin up going towards the kitchen.

tobio quickly went after her, "i do have the right! i also met mikey, he was an important person in my life!" tobio exclaimed getting the pancake's flour and giving it to eri.

"thank you and you know what, maybe you're right, so let's make a deal. you prepared the pancakes and i will tell you everything you want to know, how does that sound?" eri asked putting her hand to the front.

"deal!" tobio shaked her hand.

eri went to sit down on the kitchen's chair, "shoot the questions."

"why did the man said you abandoned mikey?"

"because i did." eri said putting a leg over her other leg.

tobio stop cracking an egg to turn around and look at her, "care to elaborate?"

"when they created the gang, mikey...he promised me he would protect everyone i love-" eri smiled sadly at the boy, "-i loved kenchin very much so after he died i...i just runaway. i was too mad at mikey for breaking his promise and just staying in tokyo didn't felt right if kenchin wasn't there. that's why we moved here and that's why i abandoned mikey just like i abandoned everyone on the gang."

"why didn't you ever told me that?" tobio asked still preparing the pancake mix.

"i was just not ready to speak i guess." eri said standing up and going to the fridge.

"okay, so what about pops?" tobio asked looking at the woman that was currently drinking from a water bottle.

"what about him?" eri close the cap of the water bottle and went again to sit down.

"he was also in the gang, but now is here with us. what make him so special you didn't left him?" tobio asked.

"i'm home!"

"save by the bell-" eri muttered standing up, "hey baby, how was work?"

##O3.1 character updated
new skin

2002. ( omori tobio )

##O3.2 the more you know
small details
of another
normal day

» the first time tobio called eri "mom" was when he was nine years old; eri cried that day.

» baji made fun of tobio when he called him dad but he also secretly cried.

» eri nor baji, regret moving to miyagi.

» miyagi is eiji's hometown, and where he was currently living when eri, baji and tobio moved in.

» eri didn't keep in contact with anyone after she moved.

» tobio is on his first year in high school, he's also part of the volleyball team.

» eri owns a small barbershop alongside baji.

END OF ##OO3

note;

remember when i said there were going to be manga spoilers? i hope you had not forgot about that.

in this timeline where kenchin dies, eri is engaged with baji, surprised? because i am.

like this wasn't the original plot for this chapter but after i accidentally delete it and had to rewrote it i thought "yeah baji should be married with eri, yup yup!"

fun fact, the song i bet on loosing dogs is the perfect song that represent eri's and baji's relationship (like is literally their song in every timeline). do whatever you want with that information.

and omg, the love that is receiving this book😳😳😳stop it please you making me blush!! but nah i'm happy y'all enjoying the book.

ALSO i saw people asking if this is a reader or oc insert. so originally this book was going to be a reader insert but i HATE putting [name] or [y/n], it just look ugly in my opinion.

so i decided to put a name (also because the meaning of the name is needed for plot purposes) .

but like,,,, y'all can read it however you want😭😭 eri's physical description is never mentioned.