One week after the big brawl. Rumours about the fight had spread. Overnight Takechimi became the man of the hour among the city's delinquents as the boy who stopped the battle against the eight guys. When Takemichi and Emma left the parking lot with Draken: Kiyomasa and seven other boys attacked them. But Takemichi stood his ground and protected Draken until the ambulance arrived. On the process, he was stabbed on his left hand by Kiyomasa.

The boys on the streets were paying their undivided attention at Takemichi.

"Ah! It's Takemichi!"

"The guy who stopped the battle against eight guys?"

"Seriously? He's so cool!"

Takemichi Hanagaki was acting all cool wearing pink shades and unbuttoning his shirt to expose his pale chest. He'd changed his style overnight to look more like Elvis Presley.

"You're like a celebrity now," she said licking the plum flavour lollipop.

"You think so?" The boy grinned in excitement.

She nodded and pulled out a lollipop from her tote bag, "want a lollie?"

"Sure."

Takemichi didn't know how to have a lollipop, he was literally chewing it. It made her slightly uncomfortable but to each on their own.

"Draken! We're here to visit you." Takemichi announced as they walked into the tall boy's hospital room, "how are things going?" He waved his bandaged hand.

Draken's eyes slitted at the sight of Takemichi. "Quit acting like a jackass!"

"What? How am I acting like one?"

"It's written all over your body. Don't get carried away just because you get a little attention, dumbass! That's lame." He rubbed his eyes. "And your sunglasses are hurting my eyes."

Takemichi removed his sunnies, "you would never understand Draken. Just how I feel living under the shadow."

"How creepy!"

"I've never been looked upto by anyone before! Just let me enjoy it a little, okay!"

"I'm impressed that you'd admitted to something that sounds so depressing."

"Damn it. You're no fun. You said I was your saviour, but when you start getting better it's all back to this." Takemichi shrugged.

Suzume fell on the bed, there's a particular smell in hospital sheets that she don't like. "I'm sure Ken-bou means well."

Draken nodded at the white paper bag on the table, "Mikey told me to give this to you."

Takemichi displayed the black TOMAN uniform, "a uniform!"

"It's the uniform Mikey wore when he first started TOMAN. For TOMAN, it's as important as life itself."

Suzume remembers all the founding members uniforms clearly. She and Mitsuya were behind it after all.

"Why is he giving me something this valuable?"

"It's upto you whether to wear it or not. But he said he wants you to keep it. Takemichi, you're TOMAN's saviour. Everyone acknowledges that. I'm one of them. Let me give you my thanks once again." Draken rose up and gave him a bow. "Thank you. The uniform. Take good care of it."

Takemichi looked at the uniform again, "Mikey's...this is too heavy for me. Do you think I can be a man worthy of this one day?"

"I think you're already worthy..." she smiled at him.

Takemichi gave her a bow. "I'm honoured you think of me that way."

"Check the inner lining, there's a little heart on it."

He immediately checked it, his face lighting up in the process. "Ah!"

"It's Hime's personal touch, she stitched that in all the founding members uniforms." Draken said.

"You mean...you're the one who made the uniforms?"

"Me and Taka-chan," she said proudly. "One of our finest designs so far."

"Wow! That makes it so much cooler."

Draken gave her a kind smile, "she's the heart of TOMAN after all."

Even after all this time, her heart still flutters at the sound of that. She leaned in to give him an embrace, "I love you Ken-bou."

He embraced her, "do I have to say it?"

"Of course," she mumbled.

"I love you too Hime."

She leaned back and pinched his cheeks, "you're so adorable, when you're not angry."

"When am I angry?"

"The question is when are you not angry?" Takemichi agreed with her with a laugh, Draken has a naturally angry face. Even when he's not angry.

"Yeah, yeah..." he leaned back, "keep making fun of the patient."

She rose up, "we'll leave the patient to rest then and meet Mikey.

Even though her mother had forbade her to meet Mikey and the boys, she'd been meeting Mikey and Draken regularly at the hospital. Civil Hospital was massive for her mother to catch her and she knew her mother's routines so she's safe for now. Who knew hospital visits would turn out into secret dating spots as well?

It was a very pleasant afternoon, Mikey laid on top of the roof, his hair dancing in the wind. "Little sparrow," he turned around. "And Takemichi."

"Uh...Mikey," Takemichi gave him a nervous wave.

The boy rose up. "What's with that lame outfit?"

"Heh?"

"You always look lame, though."

Takemichi nearly slipped out of embarrassment. "Well, this is just..."

"Well whatever," Mikey chuckled as he moved towards them, "Ken-chin is saved thanks to you." He offered his hand, "thank you, Takemichi."

Takemichi nodded as he shook Mikey's hand.

"Now if you'd excuse us," he said putting an arm around Suzume.

"You don't_" before the girl could even complete her sentence, Takemichi walked away. She opened her mouth to scold Mikey but the boy shut her up with an unexpected kiss.

⌛️⏳

The girl entered the locker room of the bathhouse, where the boys were. She'd never stepped into the bathhouse until now, she was restless and she didn't want to wait outside anymore. "Do I need to dress you boys up? What's taking so long?"

Takemichi was all dressed up in his casual attire. Draken and Mikey were the ones delaying, they might've gotten into a quarrel or something like always. She wouldn't be surprised, if they did.

"Ah, little sparrow." Mikey flashed her a smile.

Suzume looked at the tall boy, "is your injuries healed yet Ken-bou?"

"Huh? They were no big deal. Cause I work out." He flashed his abs, the scar was right in his abdomen. It looked healed from the outside. Draken doesn't look like a middle schooler nor does he have a body of a middle schooler.

"You haven't completely healed yet, so don't show off." Mikey threw an unexpected punch.

"What was that for, you bastard?" Draken looked at the boy in annoyance. "Stop screwing around you idiot! Whether I'm healed or not is not the problem here!" He reached for Mikey's hair.

"That hurts! What are you doing?" Mikey yelled as Draken pulled his hair.

And then they stared throwing punches left and right. When will they grow up?

"Ken-chin still uses a shampoo hat even though he's in his third year of mid-school!"

"What does that have to do with anything!"

"It's hilarious right? A big guy like him is afraid of getting shampoo in his eyes."

The girl laughed softly, "get dressed boys we're running late."

They both turned around. "Okay boss!"

Draken and Mikey wore their TOMAN uniforms. Mikey is the only one who owns and wears a black TOMAN trench coat. Suzume is the one who embroidered the coat, she'd lost sleep over it.

➿➿➿➿➿

Everyone gathered at the Musashi Shrine, TOMAN's meeting place. "We will now begin the Tokyo Manji Gang Third Division captain nomination ceremony!" Draken announced as he and Mikey stood in front of the crowd. Suzume stood besides Takemichi sipping the peach flavoured drink, Mikey got for her from the restaurant of the bathhouse.

"Who do you think will be nominated?"

"Peh-yan?"

"That can't be."

The TOMAN members murmured.

"You think the guy who attacked Draken will get to be a captain?"

"Hell nah."

"Then who?"

"How the heck am I supposed to know."

The girl knew, who the new Third Division captain is, he approached her and Mikey at the cafe and from there on made a deal with Mikey.

"Third Division captain!" Mikey yelled his hands inside his trouser pockets. "Step forward."

Two boys from the far back in TOMAN uniforms moved forward.

"He's the new Third Division captain?"

"The big one? The small one?"

The new captain came and sat three steps below Mikey, his back on him.

"Hey!"

"Is he serious?"

"That bastard is he fooling around?"

"What's up with him?"

"Is he for real?"

"He just sat down with his back to the president!"

The TOMAN members were furious.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Hey you, don't get carried away!"

"Hey, is he not going to say anything?"

"What's wrong with him!"

The big boy with Kisaki yelled. "You guys listen up! This person sitting behind me...he's the new Third Division captain! Tetta Kisaki!"

Takemichi mouth's agape as soon as he heard Tetta Kisaki's name.

"I've seen him before."

"Isn't he from Moebius?"

"What's a Moebius doing here?"

"Get the heck out of here!"

The TOMAN members were chanting. "Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Draken yelled. "Shut up! It's Mikey's decision! If you have a problem with that, step forward!"

The chanting stopped.

Mikey stepped forward. "Our gang will soon clash with Valhalla! Valhalla is a rising power, way bigger than Moebius ever was! To beat them, TOMAN will have to be more powerful as well! That's why we have Tetta Kisaki. He's the man in charge of the guys from our generation in Moebius. We need Kisaki in order to win against Valhalla. The Third Division captain is Tetta Kisaki! Remember that! This concludes the Third Division captain nomination ceremony!" The boy turned his back on the crowd, and walked away. He'll be waiting for her near the Sakaki tree, their usual meeting spot.

Kisaki rose up. "President!"

Mikey stopped on his tracks.

He bowed. "Thank you very much!"

"Yeah." Mikey responded as he walked away.

Mitsuya came and stood besides Suzume. "Just what does our president...have in mind."

Before the girl could even respond, Takemichi was bolting towards Kisaki and then he threw a hard punch on the boy's face—his glasses fell on the ground. Everyone gasped at the sight.

"What are you doing, Takemichi!" Draken yelled furiously.

Mikey looked over his shoulder. "Huh?"

"What is he doing?"

"Isn't this bad?"

"The managers will kill him!"

The TOMAN members said.

"Hey, who the heck are you?" The big boy with Kisaki asked fumingly.

"You're not even from TOMAN, what are you doing!" Draken scolded Takemichi. "Are you trying to crush this nomination ceremony?"

Takemichi was panting.

"What do you mean? Takemichi!" Mitsuya asked as he and Suzume moved towards the boy.

"Are you trying to ruin Mikey's reputation here?" Nahoya Kawata also known as Smiley the captain of the Fourth Division formed his hand into a fist. The boy has voluminous curly peach-colored hair, and silver double piercings on his left ear. He earned his nickname Smiley because of the wide grin that masks his eyes.

"Everyone, you got the wrong idea." Takemichi shuddered. "I...I just!"

"Hey, hey, what's going on?" Keisuke Baji the First Division captain appeared out of the blue. "Looks like this is getting interesting..."

Mitsuya looked at the boy. "Baji..."

Yasuhiro Muto also known as Mucho the Fifth Division captain said. "Shouldn't you be on house arrest?" The boy was tall and muscular build with bushy eyebrows, and blond hair fashioned in a clean undercut.

In a wink, Baji threw a punch on Takemichi then another then another until the boy was bleeding from his nose. Baji has shoulder-length jet-black hair. His prominent features are his two sharp canine teeth, which gives him a savage demeanor when he grins.

Mitsuya stopped him. "Baji. Stop it."

"Let go, Mitsuya or I'll kill you."

"Just what do you want to do?"

"Mikey!" Baji called.

"What are you doing here, Baji?" Mikey asked none too gently. "You've been banned from our gatherings for causing that infight."

"I just punched another lame brat. Since I ruined your precious gathering, will you finally throw me out this time?"

Baji has a wild personality. He loves the thrill of adrenaline and he would punch someone out on the street for no apparent reason, only because he feels like it. But there's a side of him that only people close to him knows, if only he showed that side of him more—Suzume thought exhaustingly.

"I'm joining Valhalla. You don't need a troublemaker, right Mikey?"

She must be hearing things right now? Baji is going to quit TOMAN and join the strongest and worst motorcycle gang alliance in Kanto? Valhalla! The same Valhalla where Shuji Hanma is the first vice-president. "From now on, there will be no peace for TOMAN." Hanma had said back then. Is Baji really going to side with that crazy guy?

"Baji!" Mikey shouted at the jet-black hair boy.

"I quit! From now on, Keisuke Baji, the First Divison captain will be TOMAN's enemy!" He announced as his silhouette disappeared.

Suzume turned to Mikey who was seriously pissed. "Don't mind him Mikey! He's that kind of guy." The boy's expression lightened up at the sound of her voice, he turned to her a smile creeping through his face. "I know, little sparrow."

Kisaki came and stood in front of Takemichi, his sports glasses and an earring on his left ear complimenting his blonde hair. He'd recently dyed his black hair blonde. "Takemichi face or stomach, which do you prefer?"

"What as in?" The boy asked confused.

"I recommend face." In a blink he threw a hard blow on Takemichi's face and just like that Takemichi lost consciousness again.

Before Suzume could even react, Kisaki gave her a quick bow and left.

➿➿➿➿➿

Mikey rested his chin on Suzume's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist, the girl was scrolling through her phone showing him random cat outfits she wants to buy for Taro as they waited for Takemichi to get up.

"I think we should look for your outfits instead."

She knew the boy would be choosing some inappropriate pieces of clothings.

"You'll look great in a catsuit like cat woman!"

"Keep that thought to yourself."

He pressed a warm kiss on her shoulder, "why's Takemichi taking so long to wake up? I want to get out of here...do you...do you want to come over?"

She turned, their noses almost touching. "It's already late."

"You can sleep over."

The girl had slept over at his place but it was cos of movie night or her getting late. She never plans ahead. "I'll have to think about it."

Mikey smiled as he gave her Eskimo kisses with his nose. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Ah..." Takemichi yawned loudly as he slowly rose up. "Welcome back to the world of the living." Suzume said, he flustered as he saw the couple waiting for him.

"You don't like Kisaki, do you?" Mikey asked.

Takemichi sat down below them, "umm..."

Mikey moved his chin away from her shoulder. "It sure is hard to make your organisation bigger. Just when we welcomed new people, some others quit. The road to achieve the dream is long."

Suzume could feel his muscle flex.

"I have a favour to ask, Takemichi. I've this childhood friend. But we were just neighbours not particularly close or anything. He would always pick a fight with me. And I beat him up everytime."

"He kept trying to fight you over and over? Doesn't sound like a smart guy." Takemichi stated the obvious.

"That's the guy who punched you earlier."

The yellow hair boy rubbed his sore cheek as if recollecting the horrid memory. "I got punched by two guys, so which one?"

"The First Squad captain, Keisuke Baji. You just can't tell what he's thinking, right?"

Like anyone can tell what Baji is thinking? He's a crossword puzzle with no right answer.

"Yeah." Takemichi face was long, "I don't even know why he punched me."

Mikey laughed, "he's always been like that. He would punch people he met just because he was sleepy. And he would put something on fire when he was hungry."

"What?"

Baji was a level beyond common comprehension, but that's who he is.

Mikey looked up at the sky. "He's still one of TOMAN's founding members."

"The founding members?"

"I started TOMAN in my first year of middle school. Along with Draken, Mitsuya, Pah-chin and Baji."

"With those five?"

"Yes. We gathered and made this gang together."

Suzume could feel the knot on her stomach twisting, she didn't like this feeling at all but talking about the founding members was making her recall the past and she knew Mikey would be recalling it as well. She's always surprised how the boy could keep a straight face.

"Takemichi, bring Baji back from Valhalla for me. I really like that guy. Can you do that for me?"

The boy stood up. "Yes! If it's for you, of course!"

Mikey is the most charismatic person she know and he has so much power and influence over people. A boy with charm is a dangerous thing.

"Mikey, can I also ask just one thing from you?"

"What? What is that?"

"Kisaki...that guy...please expel him from TOMAN. Why did you let a guy like him join TOMAN? I can't explain why, but he's bad news! He'll surely ruin TOMAN in the future!"

The girl has no idea why Takemichi was so furious at Kisaki but it sure was coming from a place of hate and despair. What did Kisaki even do to Takemichi?

Mikey gave it a thought, then he slowly scooted backward and rose up. "We will clash with Valhalla soon enough. Your job is to get Baji back before then. Prove that you're more useful than Kisaki. I can also tell that Kisaki is a dangerous guy. But at the same time, I acknowledge his strength. TOMAN needs Kisaki's strength to move forward. Contribute something for me, Takemichi." He turned to him, "you're the one that brought up this bargain. So if you fail...I will kill you."

Takemichi was horrified. Who won't be? Mikey just threatened to kill him. And even though Suzume didn't believe Mikey would kill the boy, he could do a lot of damage. When it comes to fights, she didn't know what Mikey would or wouldn't do. She knew even Mikey didn't even know his own limits.

"Mitsuya!" Mikey called out. "What've you been eavesdropping on us for? Come out. I can see your silver hair peeking out from behind the tree!"

What the hell? For how long was Mitsuya there? Was he there all along? Spying on her and Mikey? She hopes not.

The boy chuckled nervously as he made himself seen, "you got me. I was looking for the toilet and heard you guys talking."

Suzume shot him a disbelieving look, even a kid can lie better than him. He was spying on them after all but why?

"That's right, perfect timing. Mitsuya. I've decided to put Takemichi in your Second Division."

Mitsuya expression fell. Takemichi wasn't a fighter and him being in his squad was going to be a problem for the captain.

"Takemichi. You're now an official member of TOMAN. Welcome aboard."

Takemichi beamed as he bowed before Mitsuya. "I'm excited to work with you!"

Mitsuya looks as if he regrets why he came to eavesdrop. Good for him, he must learn not to eavesdrop the next time.

Mikey offered her his hand, "let's go."

"I didn't say I'll sleepover."

"I'll change your mind." He gave her a confident smile as she took his hand, "we'll see about that." She's the lucky one who found love and friendship in one person.

May 12, 2023.

⌛️⏳

Keisuke Baji (TOMAN First Division captain).

Tetta Kisaki (TOMAN Third Division captain).

Nahoya Kawata aka Smiley (TOMAN Fourth Division captain).

Yasuhiro Muto aka Mucho (TOMAN Fifth Division captain).