"What the hell took you so long? What's Haitani Ran doing meeting up with Takemichi?"

Hanma barely steps into the base before Kisaki snaps at him, clearly itching to know what just went down.

"Well... they're out eating crepes."

Hanma's lazy reply, paired with his oddly vague tone, instantly makes Kisaki suspicious.

"You what? They're eating crepes? Haitani goes all the way from Roppongi just to grab crepes with Takemichi?"

"Swear to God, I'm there watching and even I can't believe it. They're even strolling around like they're on some casual date."

Hanma sounds like he's still processing it himself.

Kisaki frowns deeper, still clearly doubtful - but then again, it's hard to imagine Hanma ever covering for anything weird Takemichi does. Out of everyone, Hanma's his most loyal, most reliable guy.

"Bunch of idiots wasting my precious time."

Kisaki grumbles, turning back to his desk. Hanma rolls his eyes behind his back and sticks out his tongue. Well, he is telling the truth - half of it, anyway. It's just... today, he's weird too. He doesn't even know why he keeps that scene to himself. He knows damn well Kisaki would take action the second he hears about it. At first, Hanma wants him to. But now... he doesn't. If someone's gonna do something, maybe it should be him. But not now. He doesn't feel like it.

Takemichi, huh ~ You've totally put a spell on me.

Hanma scratches his head. When he hears Kazutora's gang is on the way earlier, he backs off. But he still keeps an eye on Takemichi from afar. Watch him sitting quietly by the roadside, still wrapped in the jacket Hanma gave him. It almost looks like Takemichi uses it as some kind of shield - something to make himself feel safe. And for Hanma, that's the most ridiculous and pathetic thing ever. Him? A shield? For someone else?

He sees Baji, Chifuyu, and Kazutora rush over, all flustered and worried sick. Hanma clicks his tongue a few times at their dramatics. He frowns when Baji throws his jacket on the ground and Takemichi doesn't even react. Guess their arms still mean more than his jacket, huh?

But just when Hanma turns to leave, he freezes.

Takemichi bends down, picks up the jacket, dusts it off... and gently folds it into his bag. Like it's something important. Even with the others glaring. Hanma doesn't even know what kind of face he makes then. Or what the hell he's feeling. He has no clue.

He lights a cigarette, exhales slowly. The smoke curls into the air, drifting and fading just like his thoughts - unclear and all over the place.

Is this what people call being conflicted?

Unreal.

Next time he sees Takemichi, what's the kid gonna make him feel then? At this rate, it's gonna be a long, long while before he gets bored of him.

Haitani Ran returns to Roppongi as the sky darkens. His usual calm demeanor is gone - confusion and frustration clearly radiate from him, and Rindou picks up on it instantly. Rindou is taken aback. For his brother to look like that, something serious must have happened.

"You okay, Ran-nii?"

Ran looks at him. This is hard to talk about - but they've never kept secrets from each other. The bond between them is the kind that lets them share anything.

"I met Takemichi today."

The familiar name snaps Rindou to attention. He stares at his brother in surprise.

"Takemitchy? You went to see that kid without me?" he steps up to Ran, his tone almost sulky.

"You weren't around. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing."

He could've said he just missed Takemichi too much and acted without thinking.

Ever since Takemichi became the leader of the Black Dragons, that name keeps showing up in Ran's life - like it's deliberately stirring up all these feelings inside him. The restless pull in his chest refuses to quiet down. Ran just needs to see Takemichi.

"Next time, let me know, okay? Playing solo like that is just low, Ran-nii."

Ran gives him a bitter smile.

"I don't think I'll be seeing him anytime soon. Takemichi doesn't even wanna look at me now."

Rindou frowns - both at Ran's words, and at the soft, affectionate tone he's never heard his brother use for anyone but him.

"What did you do to Takemitchy?" he asks, wary.

Ran lets out a wry chuckle. He's a little flustered, but he doesn't hide the longing in his eyes. He never hides that kind of thing from Rindou.

"I kissed him without asking. And if that bastard Hanma hadn't barged in, I might've gone even further."

Rindou freezes like a statue, his face a picture of disbelief.

"You did what? Wait - since when do you... like guys?"

"I don't know. I just know I like him."

That hits Rindou even harder. But more than anything, it unsettles him. Is it jealousy? No - he never gets jealous of his brother. Why would he?

Ran is different from Rindou. Once he feels something, he accepts it, no hesitation. But Rindou - Ran suspects maybe he's coddled his little brother too much, let him lean on him for too long. Maybe that's why there are things Rindou doesn't realize about himself, things he needs help seeing.

So Ran decides - he's going to help him see it.

That feeling Rindou keeps trying to bury.

That craving that's been eating at him with no name.

That ache for a boy he misses but never dares to admit.

Ran steps closer to his little brother, gently placing a hand on Rindou's shoulder, his smile soft and warm.

"Why are you so surprised, Rin? You like Takemichi too, don't you? In fact, you liked him even before I did, didn't you? Back when he helped you escape from the Black Dragons, you couldn't stop thinking about that boy."

Rindou freezes, his violet eyes locked on his brother's face, smile stiff and awkward.

"What are you talking about? I... I don't like guys."

Ran's hand slides down and takes hold of his brother's, tilting his head as he chuckles softly.

"You're such an idiot, Rin. Are you really going to lie to yourself over something like that?"

"Rin, haven't you noticed when you started staring up at the sky so often? That day at the hospital, you were struggling so hard to keep it in. You wanted to touch Takemichi too, didn't you? His skin is really soft, you know. And his waist - just like the nurse said - so small I can wrap my whole hand around it. When we kissed, it was so sweet. Our tongues tangled for so long, his knees gave out and he had to lean on me just to stand. You really don't know, do you, Rin... just how tempting our little Takemichi can be. The way he clings to me when I run my hands over him... he trembles, his voice all shaky, begging through his tears. And those soft little moans right by my ear - so sweet, so utterly precious. Just remembering it... mm, I feel myself getting hard again."

Rindou can't take it anymore - the words spilling from his brother's mouth, that look of excitement on Ran's face. He jerks his arm free, stepping back with a grimace twisting his features.

"Alright, I don't wanna hear it. You damn pervert."

He doesn't realize how hot his face is right now. It's not just that Ran's words hit too close to the truth he refuses to acknowledge - it's that they brush up against the kind of thoughts he's buried deep in. Thoughts he's had about Takemichi.

Ran chuckles softly. So stubborn, yet so damn adorable. His face says everything his words try to deny.

"Come on, Rin. Just admit it. You like him, don't you? You want him just like I do. We're the same, Rin."

"It's not just his body I want," Ran goes on, voice low, laced with something darker. "I want all of him. And you're jealous, aren't you? Jealous that all of Takemichi's heart, all of his thoughts, belong to Touman. While we - we're just passersby. Are you really okay with that?"

His voice sharpens, pressing into every raw part of Rindou's heart.

"Why the hell does someone like Takemichi even exist, huh? Why is there no one like that for us? Why doesn't anyone ever love us like that - protect us like that - without needing a reason?"

A flicker of emotion flashes across Rindou's face, and for a moment, he lowers his head in silence.

The Haitani brothers - they truly are infamous delinquents, cruel to the core. At just thirteen, they beat a man to death and ended up in juvenile detention. Alongside others, they belong to the notorious generation of monsters - S62. And soon enough, they won't just be delinquents anymore. They'll become real criminals. Gangsters.

A dark world drenched in bloodshed, where pain and fear are pleasures to savor. The thrill of torture, the euphoria of domination, the satisfaction of proving you're the strongest. More and more people tremble at the mere mention of the Haitani name. Illegal money flows into their pockets. This world? It's chaos. But it fits them perfectly. They were born from this brutality.

In this cold, sinful world where power comes from violence and money, as long as they love and protect each other, that's enough. They'll shape an era of their own, live by rules no one else can touch. A world just for the two of them - no one allowed in. Together, they'll lose themselves in madness, enjoying every wicked second of this corrupted world. That's how they've always lived.

And then... he shows up.

A boy with sunlit hair and eyes that carry the whole sky. Sure, he walks the same path of delinquency, but his world, his very essence, stands in stark contrast to theirs.

Takemichi's world is full of light and warmth. And he - he's the brightest thing in it. He's a contradiction. A weakling among infamous fighters, someone who looks like he doesn't belong. But then - he flips. Suddenly, he's fierce, even brutal, stirring chaos that stuns even his closest friends. He's naïve, straightforward... yet full of hidden thoughts, buried secrets. Still, nothing erases one simple truth: Takemichi is too good for this world. He has a will stronger and more unshakable than anyone they've ever known.

But what catches their attention the most - what drives them mad with longing - is Takemichi's insane, selfless desire to protect others. Especially Touman.

They hear the stories. How he threw himself in front of a knife for Draken on August 3rd. How he stabbed himself, begging Mikey to spare someone who betrayed Touman. How he took over Black Dragon, not for power, but to make Touman stronger.

And of course, they remember that night - Christmas. Blood soaking the snow. Two wounds to the back of his neck, barely standing, eyes clouded with pain. But he doesn't give up. He won't give up. He still fights to protect the ones around him.

And can you believe it? He does all that... for people he hasn't even known for half a year.

Who wouldn't be jealous of that?

The way Takemichi treats Touman. The way he cherishes them like they're the most precious things in the world.

The brothers - yeah, they get jealous. At some point, they believed others should envy them. But now... they're the ones who burn with envy. Craving that warmth, that tenderness. Like dying men crawling through a desert, begging the gods for just one drop of water.

Begging, because deep down, they both know: Takemichi has already given all of himself... to Touman.

Ran smiles, satisfied. He guesses his little brother finally understands - understands his feelings, and the desire they both share. He's a good older brother, isn't he? Their bond is the strongest thing in this world, unshakable. That's why they share everything - always have. Even love.

Ran steps closer to his brother again and pulls him into an embrace.

"If we don't have it, we just take it, right, Rin? That's how we've always done things. Just imagine how perfect our world would be with Takemichi in it. Just thinking about it gets me all worked up."

"I... I want Takemitchy by our side," Rindou says, hesitant - but honest, finally facing what he feels.

Ran chuckles warmly, ruffling Rindou's hair. So what if Takemichi gives everything to Touman? That's hardly a problem. They'll just steal him back, tie him to their side - sooner or later, he'll come around.

Their world is waiting for him with open arms. They'll cherish him, protect him, love him like he's the most precious thing they've ever had. All he has to do is smile, look at them with those innocent eyes, and return their feelings.

Let him keep shining - shining bright in this rotting world.

The love of the cruel always comes drenched in darkness, heavy and twisted. The yearning for love - pure, desperate love - can be far more terrifying than the thirst for lust. It's the kind of craving that drags others down, swallowing them whole in suffering.

What becomes of a love that's selfish, mad, and broken?

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.

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Note from me:

Heyyy fam~

Was gonna drop this note at the start of the chapter, but figured I'd let y'all enjoy the full emotional rollercoaster first 😌

Sooo... Chapter 36 has a pretty heavy scene – Ran forces himself on Takemichi. Yep, it's NSFW and 1000% morally messed up.

I know it's blood-boiling stuff, trust me. But pleaseee, breathe in, breathe out, and think twice before going off in the comments like "send Ran straight to hell" or "free torture pass, anyone?"—'cause we don't want your comment getting yeeted into the void before the story even thinks about getting dropped 😬

You've been warned. If anyone still insists on going full rage mode... I might have to hand out permanent "off-stage" passes 💀

If your fingers already slipped a little too far in the heat of the moment—no worries, just reel it in quick, reflect, and maybe zen out a bit. Let's not make me do the thing I just said I didn't wanna do... would be awkward for everyone involved 🫠

Now, witty shade and classy clapbacks? I live for that. Like, imagine dropping a comment like, "wow, someone get this man a one-way ticket to Eunuch-ville 👀" — still sassy, but way more fun and civilized, no?

So yeah, let's keep the vibe light – chill – and enjoy the chaos together like the chaotic good fam we are 💖

Big love to y'all~ Catch you in the next chapter 🫶💕

P.S.

As announced on my profile – the storm is officially kicking off tomorrow!! 🌪️ We're diving into a 10-day chapter marathon (+1 bonus chapter!) starting 8AM Vietnam time, every single day—just like I promised 🫡

So buckle up, helmets on, and get ready to ride the chaos!

The plot's about to go full what-the-heck-is-happening mode, with a major key player finally stepping into the spotlight 👀

This mystery character's arrival is gonna spark off a wild chain of events, so go ahead and drop your boldest guess in the comments:

Who do you think it is?! 😏

Let the storm begin, legends 🔥