And, against his will, he feels his eyes closing shut.

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Takemichi wakes up to the sound of children screaming.

    At first he thought it was just a figment of his imagination, but he was proven wrong after hearing the same loud thud outside the door.

    Takemichi sits up on the couch and eyes the door with fear and curiosity. A bead of sweat falls down his face the longer he stares at the wooden door—he can hear his friends shouting Mikey's name repeatedly, like they're trying to get his attention but failing.

    A cold chill runs up Takemichi's spine.

    What on earth is going on out there?

    His body begins to move on its own; one moment he's sitting on the couch, the next he's standing in front of the door leading to those awful screams.

    Does he slide the door open? Should he just go back to the couch and wait till it's all over? Maybe he could still leave and go back into the comfort of his mother's arms—it's not like they'll notice if Takemichi's gone or anything—

    No.

    He's not running away. Not anymore.

    Whatever is waiting behind this door, Takemichi will face it head on. That's a promise that he doesn't intend to break anytime soon.

    With a deep breath, Takemichi reaches out for the door, slides it open and—

    His heart drops to the pit of stomach at the sight that awaits him.

    Haru's on the ground with his face caked in blood, two diamond shaped holes ingrained into the sides of his mouth.

    Mikey stands above him, his hands soaked with blood as he glares down at Haru with his soulless eyes.

    Keisuke, who's also on the ground, gapes up at Mikey in fright—seemingly too terrified to move.

    Fear. Confusion. Shock. These are the emotions spiraling within Takemichi at this very moment.

    Haru's pain-filled screams envelopes their surroundings, filling the atmosphere in a cloud of fright and dread.

    Before Takemichi can think better of it, he's running towards Haru with one thing on his mind.

    Help Haru.

    Takemichi launches himself at Haru and embraces the bloody boy in his arms. With his back to Mikey, Takemichi tries to shield the injured boy from anyone who might pose a threat to him.

    "WHAT HAPPENED?!" Takemichi shouts at Keisuke, his arms tightening around the boy in his arms as he waits for a response.

    Keisuke doesn't answer him; his face is pale, yellow eyes not leaving the monster that is Manjiro Sano.

    Damnit.

    "UUUUGG—UGGG—" this is the only warning Takemichi gets before Haru is spitting out blood; some lands on the grass beneath them while the rest falls onto Takemichi's oversized band T-shirt.

    The curly haired boy begins to shake, tremble, and vibrate as the situation finally dawns on him.

    Mikey did this. Haru is terribly injured. And Takemichi didn't save him.

    What does he do what does he do what does he do what does he do—

    Takemichi can barely make out the sound of Senju sliding the door open, nor could he hear the terrified gasp that leaves her lips.

    What he does manage to hear is the sound of Mikey's voice.

    "Smile, Haruchiyo."

    It's a demand, not a request. His voice is cold, void of any emotion the boy might have had. What's left is a shell of a boy that just so happened to look like Mikey.

    "Laugh."

    Then, slowly but surely, Haru begins to laugh.

    It's soft at first but gradually gets louder and louder as the seconds pass by.

    Surprising Takemichi, Haru throws his head back and cackles loudly for everyone to hear.

    And Takemichi couldn't do anything to help.

    He's useless.

    He failed.

    This is all his fault...

    Takemichi just clings to Haru as the injured boy continues to laugh his pain and sorrow away.

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