Izana returns to Tenjiku when night has fully fallen, wearing a fresh, dry outfit. Kakuchou took him to a nearby clothing store so he could dry off and change before they headed back to Yokohama.

The moment they arrive, Izana immediately calls for Kisaki - and Kisaki shows up right away. He's been waiting far too long. His patience is wearing thin. He never thought Izana would be the type to hesitate over a decision like this.

"Izana, what do you want from me?" Kisaki asks, trying to sound calm.

"Hanagaki Takemichi," Izana says the name, almost sings it. Kisaki frowns. Something about the way Izana draws out the name of his so-called hero sounds off. He shoots a glance at Kakuchou - there's something uneasy in Kakuchou's expression too.

"Kisaki, I don't care anymore about how we're going to crush Touman. Your goal is Mikey? Fine, keep going. But... I want you to make sure Takemichi belongs to Tenjiku. No - he belongs to me."

Izana's eyes gleam with an indescribable hunger. His smile is both thrilled and sinister - it sends a chill crawling down Kisaki's spine. But more than that, Kisaki is stunned. His genius mind fails to process what he's hearing. Because in Izana's voice, this isn't about using Takemichi to destroy Touman anymore. It's about destroying Touman for Takemichi.

But that makes no sense. Their target, from the start, was Mikey. Takemichi was just a means to an end. So why is he suddenly Izana's final goal?

"What the hell are you saying?" Kisaki asks, his voice uncertain.

"Wasn't I clear? I want Takemichi. That's all."

"That's all? And Mikey? Didn't you say you wanted to break Mikey - to turn him into a replacement for Shinichirou?"

"I already have my Shinichirou. I don't need Mikey. I need to take Shinichirou back from him."

Kisaki lets out a short, disbelieving laugh. What did he just hear? Who the hell is Shinichirou? Take back? ...Takemichi?

The laugh dies on Kisaki's lips. His face hardens. What the actual hell is going on? Just days ago, Izana was obsessed with making Mikey into Shinichirou. Just yesterday, Kisaki was sure that obsession hadn't changed. But now this?

Takemichi. It's you again, isn't it? It has to be you. What the hell are you trying to do?

A creeping sense of dread and threat coils in Kisaki's mind. No. He has to stay calm. Izana did say he still plans to crush Touman. Their goals might be different now, but so what? It could even work in his favor. If Izana takes Takemichi, Mikey and Touman will fall into chaos. That'll make things easier. That's good... right?

No. No, it's not. Not at all.

Even Izana now - Izana too - has developed this twisted attachment to Takemichi. The Haitani brothers were already enough to make Kisaki sick. "Like"? That word doesn't even come close to describing what they feel. It's obsession. A desperate need to own Takemichi. They've all lost their minds. Everyone around him is going insane over that boy. Damn it all!

"Looks like Kisaki's about to blow a fuse after what I said, huh? His face just now was priceless."

Izana watches Kisaki walk away, then turns to Kakuchou, who stands quietly beside him. He casts a glance sideways at Kakuchou, eyes suddenly sharpening.

"Your face right now is pretty damn funny too, Kakuchou."

Kakuchou flinches, snapping out of his daze. He fumbles for words.

"I'm sorry."

"You're worried I'm gonna do something to Takemichi, aren't you?"

He stays silent, head lowered, unsure how to respond. He is worried. Deep down, he really is. He starts feeling uneasy the moment he learns how the Haitani brothers feel about Takemichi. Hanma's words keep echoing in his mind. It takes everything in him not to grab Ran by the collar and demand what he's done to the boy.

And earlier this evening - whatever happened between Izana and Takemichi - he doesn't understand it. He doesn't dare ask. But he knows something shifts in Izana when it comes to Takemichi. After that conversation, it becomes clear what that something is.

And above all, Kakuchou can't shake the memory of Mikey's eyes - possessive, almost predatory. That look is one of the darkest, most terrifying things he's ever witnessed.

There's too much. Too many questions. Too much unease. And all of it circles back to one person - his hero.

He finds himself wondering: besides Mikey, Izana, the Haitani brothers... how many others are drawn to Takemichi now?

He doesn't know. He and Takemichi have been apart for so long. They're no longer part of each other's lives. The moments they once shared are just fragments of childhood memories now - fragile memories, the kind most people forget.

Just now, Takemichi doesn't even look at him. He goes straight to Mikey. He only cares about Mikey. He's gentle with Mikey. Tender, even.

Does his hero still remember him at all?

Takemichi is Touman's hero now. So maybe... that's all they are - used to be. He used to be his hero.

There's a bitter sting in his chest. Someone, please tell him - what is he supposed to do now? How can he protect Takemichi without hurting him? Is Takemichi okay? He bleeds a lot from the nose earlier... but - does he even need Kakuchou's concern? Takemichi already has Mikey. And now, even his king turns his gaze toward Takemichi. It's suffocating - this helpless feeling. He can't do anything.

"Goddammit, Takemichi, what the hell are you doing?!"

Kisaki slams his hand down on his desk, seething. The loud thud startles Hanma, catching him off guard. It's rare - almost unheard of - for Kisaki to lose his composure like this. Sure, he's always scowling, always irritated, but this kind of anger? No. That only ever happens because of one person.

Takemichi.

Hanma gets it instantly.

"He did something crazy again, didn't he?" Hanma asks with his usual mocking tone, completely unfazed by Kisaki's rage. As if he's purposely throwing fuel into the fire.

"Izana wants Takemichi." Kisaki rubs his temples, trying to keep calm. He mutters under his breath, but Hanma catches it.

"Huh?"

"I said Izana said he wants Takemichi!" Kisaki snaps, voice louder now, sharper.

Hanma drops the smirk. Okay, maybe today isn't the day to push his buttons. He gets it. Normally, pissing Kisaki off is his favorite pastime, but this? This feels different.

"You already agreed to bring Takemichi to Tenjiku, didn't you? So why are you this pissed?"

"Izana doesn't care about Mikey anymore. His new target is Takemichi."

Hanma sees it. The tension, the way Kisaki clenches his fists. He understands now. Of course he does. After everything with Ran, nothing surprises him anymore.

"Izana's just like those other two annoying brothers, huh?"

"I don't get it," Kisaki grits out, jaw tight. "What the hell did that guy do to make all these psychos... l-like him?!"

He almost chokes on the word like, and Hanma hears it. Kisaki's fuming.

"He's a guy. A guy. I already wanted to throw up when Haitani said Takemichi 'belongs' to them, and now even Izana? Are they all insane?"

That's it. Kisaki's lost it. Hanma freezes. He's never seen Kisaki this unhinged.

"So what if he's a guy? They like him. Big deal."

Kisaki turns to Hanma, staring at him like he's just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.

"Hah... What the hell are you talking about, Hanma? You think that's normal?"

"I think it's fine. They like Takemichi - so what? It's not just them. Half of Touman's obsessed with him too. Guy or not, what's the big issue?"

Hanma speaks casually, like it's no big deal. Like he isn't even remembering what he told himself the last time he faced Takemichi.

Kisaki falls silent. He just stares.

Truth is, Kisaki never cared much about the whole gay or straight thing. Never supported, never judged. No opinion, no emotion. It's irrelevant. All he's ever cared about is becoming the king of Japan's underground world - and winning Hinata.

That's it.

So why, then? Why is someone who supposedly doesn't give a damn about all that, now this furious - shouting, cursing, calling it "disgusting" - just because his allies show desire toward Takemichi?

"Your target is Mikey, right? So just hand Takemichi over to Izana and be done with it. As long as he's not in your way anymore, who cares what happens to him? You could even use him to take down Mikey and Touman or whatever. Honestly, I don't get why this pisses you off so much, Kisaki. Aren't you overcomplicating things? Nothing's really changed. From the start, it's always been the same: bring Takemichi in, defeat Mikey, take over Toman. That's it. Who they like, who they want - that shouldn't be enough to make you lose your mind."

Even a homophobe wouldn't act the way Kisaki does now. If this is his true nature, a mocking smile would've been enough, and he would've gone on crafting his next brilliant scheme.

Sure, Izana shifts his target, but in the end, it's still about crushing Toman. That doesn't mess with Kisaki's grand plan - to use Mikey to build the biggest criminal empire in Japan, and ultimately, to have Hinata. If Takemichi's become this beloved figure, doesn't that work even more in Kisaki's favor? The more wrapped up Takemichi is in those people's arms, the less of a threat he is. He won't be able to fight Kisaki for Hinata anymore. Kisaki should be glad. He should be. He should feel satisfaction, not this boiling anger.

Hanma shoots him a confused glance.

"Kisaki, what's really making you this mad?"

The question - and his own thoughts - leave Kisaki frozen.

What is he so angry about?

Is it the unease Takemichi always brings with him? Is it the fact that his allies no longer share his goal? That his plans keep falling apart because of him? Is it fear - that Takemichi will stop him again?

No. None of that. Kisaki isn't just clever - he's relentless. The kind of guy who doesn't understand the meaning of "give up." Every failure leads straight into another plan. That's just who he is. He knows what he's capable of. So no matter how much anxiety Takemichi might cause, it should never be enough to make him this... off.

Unless...

Unless Kisaki's real anger comes from the fact that everyone wants Takemichi - his hero?

Mikey quickly takes him back to his own place, even though Takemichi says he wants to go home. His parents aren't back yet, so there's no way his mom will scold him. But Mikey doesn't budge.

"If you can't explain what the hell you were doing this afternoon, then forget about going home."

Mikey's voice is tight, like he's holding back his anger. And Takemichi knows exactly how terrifying Mikey's anger can be. That's why he's both nervous and annoyed. Why the hell did Mikey show up there? Something tells him this has everything to do with Sanzu. It has to be him.

With a dark expression, Mikey shoves Takemichi into the hot bath.

"I'm gonna grab you some dry clothes. Warm yourself up first. After that, we're having a serious talk, Takemitchy."

Dead meat. Takemichi can already feel there's no way out. What's he even supposed to say? After all that sneaking around, trying to hide everything, Mikey just shows up. Mikey's always trusted him, never forced him to explain anything. But not this time. This time, Mikey needs answers. And when he asks... what the hell is Takemichi supposed to tell him? Why do all his plans always go sideways?

Takemichi sinks into the bath, hot water surrounding him. Most people would be relaxed in a situation like this. Not him. He's a bundle of nerves.

Suddenly, the bathroom door swings open, and he jumps.

Mikey walks in, still dead serious, holding a towel and a set of loungewear. The way he looks at Takemichi makes him flinch with guilt.

"...Mikey-kun."

Takemichi calls out softly. Mikey, still brooding, doesn't fully register the scene until he's already stepped inside - and realizes Takemichi is, obviously, stark naked in the tub.

Takemichi doesn't even feel embarrassed. He's way more afraid of being interrogated. Plus, he's bathed with Mikey before at public baths during past time-traveling trips, so it's nothing new to him.

But this timeline... is different.

The steam blurs the room into a soft haze. The warm, clear water wraps around Takemichi's body. His shoulders are small, his skin smooth like silk, now turning a rosy pink from the heat. Even his pale lips from earlier have taken on a soft, healthy flush, like cherry blossoms in spring.

"Mikey-kun..."

He calls again, and this time Mikey seems to snap out of it - only to spot a dark purple handprint around Takemichi's neck.

His expression darkens instantly.

He puts the clothes down and sits beside the tub in one swift motion.

Takemichi doesn't even realize what's going on until Mikey tilts his chin up - and then he freezes.

"...Takemichi. What did that bastard do to you?"

Takemichi wants to scream to the heavens, but of course, the heavens don't answer him.

Defeated, he slumps a little, pulling out his best pitiful act.

"We... got into a fight. Don't be mad, Mikey. I know I messed up."

He tugs at Mikey's sleeve like a guilty child, face all apologetic, lips trembling. His eyes shimmer with regret, looking like he's just been scolded and can't take another word. He's honestly like a soaked little puppy - pitiful and heartbreakingly cute. And in this steamy, wet state, that face is dangerous. Seriously dangerous. Mikey genuinely wants to "bully" Takemichi right now.

Mikey feels a storm churning inside, but outside, he still puts on a stern look. Even though, truthfully, that one look from Takemichi just blew all the anger away.

"...Takemitchy. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Takemichi is still sore. Izana pushed him hard against the bridge rail. There's definitely a bruise. So he turns his back to the inside of the tub, hiding it from view - his body now facing Mikey.

"...That's all. Nothing else."

Mikey is stunned by the sight before him. It hits him deep, like some kind of spell has taken over. His hand moves on its own, brushing softly from Takemichi's chin down to his slender neck. His fingertips graze the bruises on the boy's skin - part of him aches for them, the other finds them unpleasant to look at. Still, that same hand turns bold, lingering along Takemichi's delicate collarbone, tracing its shape as if it's something precious. Last time, he only caught a glimpse. Now, he touches it. His eyes wander - drawn to the two pink peaks on Takemichi's chest, the curve of his slim waist, and those pale, delicate legs.

Wet. Hot. Soft. That's all Mikey can feel - through his fingers, into his mind. Takemichi's body...

Finally, his gaze lands on the boy's cherry-colored lips. He stares at them. He doesn't look away.

His heartbeat quickens, his chest tightens - heat surges through him like fire, fierce and unstoppable. His mind goes blank. His throat feels unbearably dry. Mikey swallows hard. Silently. He's completely lost in the intoxication on his fingertips.

"Mikey-kun..." Takemichi's whisper brings him crashing back.

"Mikey, please don't be mad at me..."

Takemichi grabs onto Mikey's sleeve again, voice low and unsure. Those clear blue eyes and that innocent face stare up at him.

Mikey curses himself inside. What the hell am I doing?

Takemichi sees it - Mikey flinches. Then he says nothing, just lowers his eyes and stands.

"I put clothes over there. Take a shower, I need to talk to you later."

With that, he strides out, slamming the bathroom door shut behind him. Takemichi wants to cry but the tears won't come. He thinks Mikey must be furious. But the truth is - Mikey's the one running. Fast. Because that heat in his chest? It's not going away. It builds, unstoppable, wild. And if he'd stayed even a second longer... He honestly doesn't know what he would've done. Right now, his face is so red, even a ripe tomato would be jealous.