— Before Kazutora's bleeding state —

"Am I your enemy, Kazutora?"

That was what Mikey asked him as blood dripped and trailed down his head. Kazutora hit him with a metal pipe that he found on the ground inside the junkyard a while ago.

'People can betray anyone.'

The tiger tattooed boy starts to recall a certain memory. It was about the time on how Mikey extended his arm to him after defeating the members from black dragon's eight generation.

He was sitting on the ground, covered in bruises and dirt because he was ganged up by them that he beaten until he fell unconscious...but when he woke up, he first saw Mikey then Keisuke.

The blonde boy was looking up at the sky while the people he beat up was lying on the ground, knocked out.

They were 12 when their friendship started.

'I don't remember much of my early years, but I do remember a raised fist...'

Then the next memory that goes and play was something...horrible. He looks a bit more younger than the previous one he reminisced.

The fist he described that was raised belonged to none other than his father. The young Kazutora's cheek was bruised after he got hit.

His mother looked a mess as she was on the floor after his father pushed him away when she was trying to defend him. Her glassy eyes was filled with dread just like how the young Kazutora's eyes is, too.

'..And the terror on my mother's face.'

After he recalls such a thing, his memory goes and plays another one more.

He was in the living room, simply playing the playstation not until when his mother came and kneeled down next to him.

She held both sides of his face then asked the following questions. "Are you on your dad's side?" Is the first thing she inquired and asked another,

"Or are you on my side?" Kazutora couldn't exactly understand what her mother meant and remained quiet as she still continued to speak.

"You can't choose both. You have to choose either one."

That was the end of his horrible memory during his childhood.

"I suffered because of you." Kazutora finally answered Mikey's question with a faint smile. "It's your fault I got sent to juvie."

"Huh? What the hell do you mean?" The blonde boy asked with a frown, still on one knee on top of a broken car's hood.

With an icy gaze, he quietly adds, "It's your fault." Then he goes silent again as another short flashback played.

"Nice to meet you, Hanemiya. I'm [L/n] but you can call me [Y/n] or whatever you prefer while I'll call you Kazutora and use nicknames on you, too!"

A young [Y/n] was smiling at him ever so brightly with an extended hand at him. They looked about 11 years old in the memory.

'When I first met [Y/n]..'

At that time, the young Kazutora found himself mesmerized by her endearing smile. It felt like the colors of the world turned even more bright and clear in his eyes.

'I thought she was a fairy.'

"Oh, it's your birthday? Since I don't have much money on me right now...let's see..." The little [Y/n] muttered to herself before pondering on what she should do and not too long, an idea popped up in her head like how the switch on the lightbulb turned on.

"Let's go have some ice cream without Keisuke since he's being a brat right now." She surprised Kazutora when she pulled him by his arm. It made her titter.

"Don't worry, it'll be my treat. For now, focus on running before wolf boy catches up with us, ahaha~!"

Ever since they met, the young boy found himself getting used to her company with each time they spend time with one another.

Kazutora had never felt such immense happiness before, and it's all thanks to the two new friends he met during his birthday. He may have lost his previous friends on the same day...but they weren't real anyways.

He lost and gained at the same time but he wasn't sad about when he lost his friends thanks to his new ones who treated him like real one since they always made him experience several blissful moments.

'I was always under the impression that she casted some type of magic spell on me, even now.'

The 11 year old [Y/n] clenched her fists with a small huff after putting a flower crown that she made on top of the young Kazutora's head, and the said boy couldn't help but shy away under the hawk like gaze of his friend.

'She always know how to tug the strings to my heart and make it beat like crazy.'

When he looked away for a second, the next thing he saw that made his face turn hot was the sight of the [h/c] girl grinning from ear to ear.

Now he was the one who's staring.

'And in my eyes, she's the most beautiful person.'

Kazutora's gaze was soft as he continued looked at her smiling face. He could hear his own heartbeat whilst the wind blow and pass them so gently.

"Do you hate me, [Y/n]?" He asked with a dejected expression when he saw her close her eyes as if to avoid his gaze.

"Never!" Came the immediate answer from the [h/c] child as she took her male friend's hands in hers. It made the young Kazutora's heart flutter to hear her quick reply without an ounce of hesitation.

"Don't worry, Kazu! This big sis of yours will always be your friend who'll also always love and spoil you." She puffed out her chest with a proud look on her face but when she saw the black haired boy narrow his eyes, she wondered if she said something wrong to him.

"She treats me like I'm a little kid even though we're the same age..." Kazutora muttered with a little pout making [Y/n] tilt her head this time,

"Hey!" Keisuke shouted at them with a deep scowl present on his face which disturbed the lovely atmosphere surrounding the two.

"I exist too, you know?! Stop paying attention to him most of the time!" He stomped his foot like a little kid who's about to throw a tantrum.

He lets out a huff while his two friends felt like they saw smoke come out of his nose. "And why did you only give him a flower crown?!" He glanced at the other flower crown on the ground beside [Y/n].

With face red as a tomato, the little Keisuke sat down and lowered his head a little. "Put that one on me!"

The memory ends there after Kazutora showed a smile at his two friends.

'Baji makes me feel warm and happy too but as much as I like to hang out with him...[Y/n] just makes me feel something completely different.'

He recalls the time he fell asleep on the [h/c] girl's lap while she gently caressed his head and ran her fingers through his hair so smoothly during his visit to where she live.

'When I'm with her I feel all fuzzy inside and I sometimes find it hard how to describe the things I feel when around her.'

Then the next flashback played.

It was raining, though it wasn't that strong and heavy nor weak. Kazutora remembered how cold he felt as he was sat on the ground while hugging his knees.

His father disciplined him again and when the cruel man left to go to work, the young boy ran out of the also cold and suffocating place which he calls home.

While shivering, all the little Kazutora could do was recall the times he spent with his two friends. He always has a smile on his face when he's with them, especially–

"[Y/n]..." he mumbled under his breath as he comes to remember the warmth she emitted when she would stroke his head or ruffle her hair.

'I wanna see [Y/n].' He deeply wished silently, eyes turning glassy when tears started to build in his yellow eyes. 'When I'm with her..'

"It is you, Kazu!"

The familiar voice exclaimed, and with wide eyes he instantly raised his head. He was met with a gentle gaze and eyes filled with worry while the other one who stood beside her was a little kid who's way younger than them.

The little boy wore a blue raincoat and under the blue hood, his big innocent and clear eyes glinted with curiosity while staring straight at Kazutora.

The latter notes how similar the two of them looked.

"What're you doing in this place when it's raining and cold without even a jacket or umbrella?" He snaps out of it when hears [Y/n]'s voice speak once again.

"And why aren't you even taking any shelter?" She says, expression turning dark as a smile now shows on her face which felt extra chilly for the young Kazutora.

"Do you want to catch a cold, huh?" She adds while taking off her jacket with one hand since the other one was holding the umbrella, and instead of feeling scared or intimidated, the young boy could only start to feel warm when she approached him to put on the jacket on his shivering body.

"Nee-Nee, Tomo (Tomodachi)?" The 4 year old Akio asked with a small tug of his big sister's jacket.

"Yep. He's big brother Kazutora." Answered the older sister [Y/n] while her brother's eyes sparkled after hearing her reply.

"Kwashu..towa?" He repeated before giggling. "Nee-Nee, he's a Towa? (Tiger)." He asked with a pointed finger making his big sister to laugh while also finding him adorable.

"That's right. Kazutora." She replied with a little laughter as her friend quietly watches the siblings' interaction. "And right now, big brother Tora's cold because of the rain and he might catch a cold." She paused for a brief moment to flash a smile and assure her now worried little sibling.

"But we'll be helping big brother Tora, so be a good boy and just stay close to big sis, okay?" Akio nods his head instantly right after the [h/c] girl finished speaking.

"Okay~!" He chirped before turning his head to face the older boy. Kazutora wonders why the little boy was looking at him with seemingly sparkling eyes that was filled with excitement.

"Can you walk? Do you want me to give you a piggyback ride?" [Y/n] asked making him reply with a shake of his head after slowly standing up while he was being assisted by his friend.

"No. And can you stop treating me like I'm a little kid? We're the same age you know." He remarked with a huff before a pout shows on his face.

'When I'm with [Y/n], it feels like I'm on cloud nine.'

[Y/n] blinked her eyes then said, "Our house is just up ahead so let's go there and I'll lend you some of my clothes." She informed while taking Akio's small hand in hers.

She let out a chuckle when he saw Kazutora irk since she ignored his words. "You can stay there for the time being when the rain's over. My parents aren't home at the moment so don't worry about anything and just focus on warming yourself up when we arrive."

Kazutora silently nods his head, a red hue now present and spreading across his cheeks as he hugged the [h/c] girl's jacket.

'When I'm with her, it feels like I'm being embraced by the sun.'

"Nee-Nee, I want hot choco with mallows floating on it!" Akio chirped after tugging the arm of his sister with a bright smile.

"Alright." She answered as a tender smile accompanies her answer. "I'll prepare hot drinks for all of us."

For some reason, Kazutora couldn't feel the cold as they all walked under the same umbrella with hands linked together while heading to where the two [L/n] siblings lived.

'Being with [Y/n] makes me feel complete and safe.'

The current Kazutora glares at Mikey which the the latter also does it, too.

'But because of him...'

As Kazutora remembers on a particular day, where everything changed when he was 12 on that faithful day...

"Don't touch me!"

He remembers how his blood ran cold when [Y/n] shouted those words to him after he tried to get close and reach his hand to her.

'You said you'll never hate me.'

His heart felt like it was shattered into a million pieces.

'You said you'll always be my friend.'

He clenched his fists and continued to look at the girl who refused to meet his gaze as tears welled up in his eyes.

The tears finally escaped his eyes that showed nothing but pain, sadness, anger, and betrayal.

"It's your fault!"

'No, it's not my fault.' The young Kazutora he clenched his teeth as veins showed and pulsated on his face. 'It's Mikey's!'

The memory ended with the young Kazutora blaming his friend and swearing to himself that he'd kill said person...

"Because of you, my life went back to being miserable." Kazutora mumbled before gritting his teeth, now back in the present as the more he remembers the memory, the more the fire of his already raging fire of anger kept rising and rising like fuel was being put instead of water.

"And it's also because of you that [Y/n] came to hate me and left me." He glowered, eyes wide and only clouded with rage as he yelled his next words in a roaring voice.

The [h/c] girl who was listening like everyone hardened her gaze when she noticed that Kazutora's looking at her once again despite the distance.

'Watch me kill the enemy who ruined everything, [Y/n].'

With those kind of thought in his mind, Valhalla's number 2 raised the his hand that was still holding the metal pipe.

He repeatedly hit Mikey on the head whilst he was being hold tightly from behind.

"To become a hero..." Kazutora trailed, ready to hit the president of Toman on the head once more. "I will kill the enemy.

"Kill the enemy?" Mikey repeated quietly. "Is that why you harmed my brother and almost killed him?"

Kazutora shuddered at the tone of voice the blonde used as well as the malicious aura he felt radiating from him.

"What?" [Y/n] whispered under her breath with wide eyes while the president of Toman knocks out his opponents and fell down on his knees after.

'Kazutora thinks hate him and left him??'

Her brows creased as guilt started to creep its way onto her while she was consumed with her thoughts and the dark emotions swirling in her, a Valhalla captain appeared and charged with his members towards the unconscious Mikey.

'Why am I even part of his reason?' She pursed her lips and ruffled her hair. "Shit. I have a bad feeling about this." She whispered to herself while glancing at her bag.

'I don't think I can watch and just let how this fight will unfold...' she sees how her time leaper friend struggles to fight his way towards Mikey with a heavy feeling in her chest.

'Should I just stop this already?'

"Don't worry." Izana's calm voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "As long as Mikey's still breathing, Toman won't lose." He says while [Y/n] stared at him blankly.

"I'll kill him if he dies." He soon adds with a huff and narrowed eyes making for the girl to soon realize what he was doing after she internally questioned his last statement.

"Manjiro...I can't believe he's making you worry." He mumble as a shadow cast over his eyes. "Should I just kill him?"

'Ah..he's trying to comfort me.' [Y/n] lets out a snort and tells him that he shouldn't despite knowing that it's only a joke before turning her head and watched as Valhalla's captain who's name is Chouji get punched away when he's only inches from the still unconscious Mikey.

And the person who punched the guy was none other than Kisaki.

'As a friend, I should have some faith their strengths.'

[Y/n] glanced at Takemichi for a short second and looked back to where her short friend was. It caught her off guard when she saw Kisaki's eyes on her.

He looked proud for some reason in her point of view.

"Tokyo Manji Gang, third division captain." The boy with glasses spoke with a hand in his pocket while his left foot was on top of the unconscious Chouji's head.

'Huh? Where have I seen that guy before..?' Came the question from Takemichi's brain after he focused his gaze at the black masked guy under Kisaki's foot.

'Don't tell me..' his eyes widened when he finally remembered it. He saw the two them somewhere in Shibuya during his walk on that one particular night.

It looked like they were talking about something serious since their expressions was serious and a bit scary for him.

Not to mention the atmosphere surrounding them before that it made Takemichi think that the two teens would start throwing their fists to one another but before his eyes could witness it himself, he just scurried away since he was afraid he'd get caught up in it.

'Damn it! He's one of Kisaki's cronies!!'

"Tetta Kisaki." He introduced himself and continues on with a, "My division will protect our gang's leader!"

Murmurs and praises came from different members on Toman's side. "Kisaki!" Draken called out in a shouting voice.

"Good work! I'll leave Mikey to you!"

Takemichi's blue eyes dilated and shook. 'You got it all wrong Draken-kun!!'

Tears were building up so quickly that it escaped and trailed down his face as he turned his head with lips formed in a thin line while looking at the [h/c] girl. She has a frown on her face.

"I've been waiting for this..." Keisuke finally appeared after making his way up with quick and easy footsteps.

"Kisaki!"

And so, the said name flew away as the metal pipe hit and made contact on his head with a thunk and thud.

...

Somewhere in a room, a person who was sat on a chair has a smile on their face as they made a move on the chessboard and took out a black piece and set it aside with the others which was pawns, too.

"It's funny how a small misunderstanding can turn big and cause chaos."

After they said those words to no one, the phone that was beside the chess board turned on when it was receiving a call.

"What? She's there?" The person asked before their lips tugged upwards. "...It doesn't matter which one them of dies as long as it's one of her precious so called friends." They tittered after running a hand through their hair.