You, Aimi, and Hana walk down the sidewalk, looking around at the shops.
"OOOO... LET'S GO THERE NEXT..." Hana bubbles, jumping up and down as she points at a bakery.
Aimi sighs, and you furrow your eyebrows.
"Can we? Can we...?"
"Hana... we had sweets at Yuki's grandmother's bakery, and we got candy from the convenience store... and you want more?" Aimi asks.
"I know... but still... It looks so yummy..." Hana pouts.
You turn around to look at Eli, who's staring at the bakery behind you. Aimi notices you looking at Eli and she looks at him as well.
"You oppose this whole thing, yet you're still here with us." Aimi says to Eli.
Eli looks at Aimi and sighs.
Hana looks closer at the window. People inside star staring at her.
"Hana... let's go... You're creeping people out..." Aimi grabs Hana's arm and pulls her away.
You follow behind them. Eli walks beside you.
"You should give up on this idea, Yuki..." Eli sighs. "You are putting yourself and them in danger by doing this."
He points at Aimi and Hana as he says that.
"I'll protect them..." you reply.
"You think you can protect them at all times?" Eli asks.
You look down when he asks that.
"See... you should give up on this idea."
You shake your head.
"Eli... there's more of a reason to why I want to do this..."
Eli looks at you curiously, raising an eyebrow.
"And what's the other reason?" Eli asks.
"I need an answer to my question... concerning Toman." you quietly say.
"And what exactly is that question?" he asks.
"Whether Toman is the same or not."
Eli raises an eyebrow.
"What do you mean by that?"
"YUKI!!!"
Hana yells out.
You look up to see Hana and Aimi further ahead of you and Eli. You slowly approach them.
"Yeah?"
"Let's go to the mall... They will have more stuff there." Aimi suggests.
You nod to the idea.
Not long after, you all arrive at the mall.
You and Aimi are looking through clothes. Hana is snacking on a churro as she lies across a bench in the store.
You are examining a very ruffly white shirt. Aimi looks at it too.
"That would look really cute on you, Yuki." Aimi coos, holding the shirt up to you.
"It's best to wear black if you're going to spy on someone."
A voice suddenly speaks up.
You and Aimi look at Eli, who's sitting beside Hana and eating a churro.
"Was that you who said that, Eli?" Aimi asks.
Eli relaxes his eyes and looks behind you and Aimi.
Someone puts their hand on your shoulder.
You and Aimi look behind you to see Ren.
"Ren... what are you doing here?" Aimi asks.
"Eli spam-texted me, telling me the three of you were making a mistake." Ren replies with a smile.
"Yeah... and now there are four idiots..." Eli huffs.
Ren chuckles.
"Actually, I think the plan is pretty decent... but that's only if you're spying. I don't think it's a good idea to approach them and interrogate them." Ren comments.
"Aw... but that's the fun part..." Hana whines.
Aimi walks to the next aisle, looking through the clothes.
"When do you guys plan on spying on them...?" Ren asks.
"Today." Hana replies, hanging off the bench, her belly showing.
Eli scoffs and looks at Hana.
"Do you even know where they will be?" Eli asks.
Hana goes quiet, zoning out.
"I do." Ren says.
Hana looks up at Ren, her eyes widening as she sits up.
"You do? Where?" Hana asks.
"I've seen them meet at a shrine..." He states.
"A Shrine... Are you serious?" Aimi asks, coming from the other aisle while holding a couple of things in her arms.
"Yeah... I don't live far from one, and it's the exact one they go to. I hear their motorcycles every time they go." Ren responds.
"Do you know if they will be there tonight?" Hana asks.
Ren shakes his head.
"I have no idea... but I know they go there for their meetings." He states. "I've also seen them fight and stuff... I used to be curious about them, just like you are, Yuki... but they aren't how they were a year ago..."
"What do you mean by that?" you ask.
Ren looks at you and puts his hands in his pants pockets.
"They're aggressive..." He replies.
Aggressive?
Does that mean they're different from how they were in the manga?
For some reason, you feel as if there's a difference in the events of this reality compared to the one in the manga. You want to come across Toman to get confirmation, but you don't want to be associated with them if they aren't how they are in the manga.
"Well... let's camp at your place then, until we hear motorcycles." Hana bubbles.
Ren looks at Aimi when Hana says that, and she nods.
"We can do that... My parents are out of town, so it's just me and Kuro." Ren smiles.
"Aw... Kuro... your cat? I forgot about him... He's such a cutie..." Hana bubbles.
Ren smiles and nods.
At night, you all are sitting in Ren's room.
Hana is petting Kuro, and Aimi is organizing the stuff she bought from the mall. Eli is sitting against the wall in the corner of the room, and Ren is in the kitchen.
You're silently sitting on the floor, leaning against Ren's bed and playing with a Rubik's Cube.
Ren walks back into the room, handing everyone a roll of kimbap.
"What's this...?" Hana asks, opening the foil and revealing the kimbap.
"Kimbap... It's usually cut into slices, like sushi rolls... but I was too lazy to cut it up." Ren says, sitting down on his bed.
"Kimbap? You're Korean?" Aimi asks.
Ren nods.
"My mother is Korean and my father is Japanese. My mother taught me how to make some things, like kimbap. I like how kimbap tastes... more than sushi rolls... or sushi in general."
"Mmmm... so yummy..." Hana muffles, taking another bite of the kimbap.
You all eat and continue to discuss the plan.
After you all finish eating, Aimi hands everyone the things she had been organizing.
"You guys are really determined..." Eli says, with an obstinate look on his face.
"Why are you still complaining...? You're the one who came all the way here with us..." Aimi says, raising an eyebrow.
"I came just in case one of you gets hurt..." Eli sighs, looking away.
"So basically, you're still coming with us...?" Hana asks, staring blankly at Eli.
Eli nods.
"I don't know if they are coming... It's pretty late." Ren says, looking out his bedroom window.
You look at the clock on Ren's desk. It says ten-twenty.
You sigh and continue to play with the Rubik's Cube.
"Since they aren't going to be there... we can go check out the place." Ren insists.
Hana nods multiple times and smiles.
"Yes... sounds like a good idea..."
Hana stands up and grabs the things Aimi gave her. Aimi stands up too.
"Wait... wait..." Eli says, standing up. "What if they still come?"
"Unlikely." Ren responds. "They don't usually come any time after ten p.m."
Eli sighs and puts his hands in his pockets.
You, Aimi, and Hana put on the black hoodies and gloves Aimi bought. Ren and Eli put theirs on too.
The five of you walk outside, preparing to head toward the shrine.
"You guys look like idiots." Eli grumbles.
Hana groans and looks at Eli.
"Can you shut up...? Do you know how annoying it is to hear you constantly shit talk? Leave us alone and go home if all you're going to do is complain..." Hana snaps in an irritated tone.
"I don't understand why you're complaining so much, Eli... You are the one coming with us after all. You even put on the black hoodie and gloves that Aimi bought. So... if we look like idiots... then so do you." Ren comments.
Eli stands stiffly with a blank expression.
Everyone turns away and starts walking toward the shrine again.
"I'm not coming with you guys for the same reason. I'm coming to protect you guys..." He huffs loudly, following behind.
Hana scoffs.
"Yes... Thank you, Eli... You will make a great meat shield."
Aimi and Ren chuckle at Hana's comment.
You smile, admiring Yuki's friends.
I really like being around them, you think to yourself.
Once you all make it to the shrine, you walk up the staircase.
You haven't seen a shrine as Yuki... so being here kind of feels cool.
You walk up another staircase and toward a Chozuya. You pick up the bamboo ladle, pouring water out of it.
"So, they meet here? I'm curious why they meet here out of all places..." Aimi says, sitting down on the steps.
"Maybe because of their close belief in Buddhism?" Ren replies.
"A bunch of delinquents who come to a sacred place to do sinful things... Disgusting..." Aimi mutters.
You look at Aimi, who's staring down at her feet. You sit next to her.
"The fact they do that is so wrong... My father would probably think this shrine is no longer sacred because Toman ruined it..." Aimi adds.
After she says that, a memory pops up in your mind.
Aimi's father is a Shinto Priest. A very popular one too... which is why Aimi has a lot of money on her at times. Aimi's family is very religious, so it makes sense why this is making her uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry Aimi..." you apologize.
"It's not your fault, Yuki..." Aimi smiles. "I just find it crazy some guys like that would come to a shrine to do their meetings... Why a shrine of all places...?" Aimi questions.
You slowly nod.
Hana sits down beside Aimi and leans her head against Aimi's shoulder.
"This place is so calm and peaceful... I see why you like being at your father's shrine all the time, Aimi-chan..." Hana says soothingly.
"I'm hungry... We should go to the convenience store and grab some onigiri..."
Hana quietly groans, leaning more into Aimi's arm.
"We just ate... How are you hungry again, Hana? You even ate a bunch of Lolly pops afterward. Your tongue is black from all the different colors you had." Aimi chuckles.
"BLACK?" Hana says loudly.
She pulls out her phone and flips it open. She opens the camera, examining her tongue.
You smile at Hana and Aimi, and then behind you to look at Ren and Eli.
Eli is doing weird poses, and Ren looks like he's judging Eli.
You smile at them too.
ROOOOAAARRRRRR
Your heart drops at the sound of the engines.
The sound of a few motorcycles stops at the bottom of the shrine's stairs.
Aimi jumps up and grabs both you and Hana, dragging the two of you toward Ren and Eli.
Both of them are staring out into the distance.
Aimi gives Ren an uneasy look.
Ren nods and motions for everyone to hide behind the trees off to the side of the shrine.
Your heart starts beating faster. You can feel your hands shaking.
You peek from behind the tree where you, Aimi, and Hana are hiding.
Ren and Eli are hiding behind another tree.
You look toward the staircase to see who will walk up.
You see a boy with long black hair, wearing a grey sweater, walking toward the stairs of the shrine. A blond-haired boy walks beside him.
They look like they're talking to each other, but you can't hear what they're saying.
Is that who I think it is...? you think to yourself.
"Who are they?" Aimi whispers.
You shrug.
A few other guys walk up the stairs.
One is a chubby-looking guy, while the other looks slim and taller than him. The slim guy is making weird faces... You can't tell if he's irritated or just on something.
The chubby guy looks irritated too.
A guy with light lilac hair walks behind them.
Then, behind him, is a guy with blond hair that's styled with a low, slightly messy ponytail at the crown and a taller guy with long blond hair on the top of his head, while the sides look to be completely bare.
His hair is braided into one braid, and he has a tattoo on the side of his head.
Mikey... and Draken... you think to yourself.
They look a little different from how they did in the manga.
Draken looks broader. They all do... Not a huge difference, but a little difference.
If that's Draken and Mikey... then the one with the long black hair that goes down to his shoulders is Baji, and Chifuyu is the one with the dyed blond hair standing next to Baji.
The chubby-looking guy is Pah-chin, and the slim guy next to him is Peh-yan. And the one with the lilac hair must be Mitsuya.
"Ahh... Yuki... Aimi..." Hana whispers in a panic, shaking both you and Aimi.
You both look at her.
"What's wrong, Hana?" Aimi asks, whispering back.
"My phone... My phoooonnne.... I dropped it... by the stairs... If they see it... they'll know I was here..." Hana whispers, shaking and panicking.
You look in the direction where Hana had left her phone.
Your heart drops when you see it.
"Mmm? What's that?" Mikey says, walking toward Hana's phone.
Hana starts squeezing your arm tightly.
"Looks like someone left their phone..." Draken replies.
Mikey picks up the phone and flips it open, pressing buttons.
Hana's grip gets tighter.
"Oi..." a voice says.
You, Hana, and Aimi look in the direction of the voice to see Eli walking toward them.
Ren has his back against the tree, still out of view of the guys. His eyes are closed, and he's covering his mouth.
You look at Eli, who's walking towards Mikey.
"That's my phone..." Eli says.
"Oh?" Mikey responds.
Eli nods, holding his hand out.
"Can I get it back?" Eli asks.
Draken walks up toward Eli and leans closer to him.
"Why are you here?" Draken asks.
Eli slowly looks at Draken and then back towards Hana's phone.
"I just came to visit the shrine... That's all." Eli says, his voice wavering as he continues to hold his hand out.
"Oh? Just to visit?" Mikey smiles.
Eli nods.
"So... are you here alone?" Mikey asks in a soft but stern voice.
"Yes..." Eli quietly answers.
"Mmm..." Mikey hums, looking at the phone and then at Eli.
He holds up the phone directly next to Eli's face. He then looks back at the phone as if he's comparing something.
Draken also looks at the phone.
"So then... who took this picture a couple of minutes ago?" Mikey asks.
Mikey shows Eli the screen of the phone.
In the picture is Hana, with Ren and Eli visible in the background.
"Who else... is here with you?" Mikey asks in a stern voice.
Mikey looks toward the area where he saw Eli walk from.
He slowly walks toward the trees where you guys are hiding.
Your heart starts racing even faster.