(CW: Violence.) 

Everything was silent for a moment. The man slowly recovered, his hand on his cheek. His bored gaze turned deadly as he looked down at me. The men all around him got into fighting positions. I knew I messed up. And there was no way out of the situation other than death. At least I'd die fighting for my dream...

But before anyone could lay a hand on me, Anzai rushed forward, pulling me behind him out of the way. I stumbled when he let go and fell on my butt. After wincing at the pain of the hard floor on my butt, I looked up and gasped. Anzai was fighting all of the men barehanded. He dodged, parried, and destroyed their faces and limbs with hard punches and elbow jabs. The men had weapons like crowbars and pocket knives but Anzai made them all drop them and they skidded across the floor.

I felt too stunned to move for a moment, but I knew I didn't want anyone to recover their weapons. While Anzai valiantly fought, I crawled around on the floor like a dog until I had confiscated every weapon. I hid them behind the counter that would one day be the bar counter where I'd intimately serve drinks to customers and chat with them.

When I looked back, Anzai and the leader of the men were grabbing onto each other, both fighting with all their strength. The rest of the men were scattered on the floor, bloody and broken. This scene was far more intense than what I had witnessed in high school.

The yakuza man pulled a knife out when Anzai was winning the scuffle. Dread flooded my veins. I hadn't gotten all of the weapons like I thought. I jumped to my feet and ran for them, hoping to save Anzai before it was too late. The man shoved the knife into Anzai's side and he screamed in pain between his teeth. I was too late.

But now I realized I was close enough to help even if just a little bit. I pulled my foot back and launched it up and between the man's legs so fast, I'm sure it utterly destroyed his hope of bearing future children.

The man howled and fell to his knees. Anzai took the opening to slam the man's head into his knee enough times that the man finally went limp and fell backward. I snatched his knife and threw it far away, flinching at the blood coating it.

It was quiet again except for our heavy breathing. I glanced at all the men on the floor, nervously watching to make sure no one moved to get up again. When I felt like they weren't moving for a while, I focused on Anzai. Before I could say anything, he swayed on his feet. I rushed to catch him but his weight crushed me and we fell to the floor.

"Anzai! Please don't die! Please!" Tears began streaming down my face as I grabbed his face. His skin looked deathly pale.

His breathing became more shallow and he blinked slowly. "Nari...hira..."

"Anzai!! I'll call an ambulance! Just wait until they get here! You can't die on me! Not ever!" I squeezed my hand past his body and into my pocket to find my phone. I shakily dialed the police while I felt his even shallower breathing against my body.

"Nari..." His voice was so quiet it scared me.

"Just wait! You'll be okay! I promise! You can wait, can't you? Please? Please..."

I communicated with the police, my words coming out all broken and frazzled. I was surprised they understood what I was saying. An ambulance was on the way and I heard the sirens in the distance. I held tightly onto Anzai's large muscular body. But I couldn't be happy about getting to feel him up when his warm blood was oozing out of his side. I put pressure on it, my hands becoming covered with his red lifeforce.

"Narihira..." He spoke again.

I sobbed. "You'll be okay, Anzai... Stay with me... Keep saying my name or whatever else you can..."

"Narihira... I...promised..."

"Promised?"

"We'll be friends...always..."

I sobbed more and nodded. "Yes! We'll always be friends! No matter what! I promise too!"

I felt him nod. I looked up at his face. Through blurry tears, I saw the faintest smile on his lips. I was shocked. He has never smiled before.

Suddenly, he was taken from me and I clawed to get him back. That's when I realized it was the paramedics with the ambulance. I fell to the floor again, blood on my hands, while I watched him get taken away. They called others to get the yakuza off the floor as well. I was frozen in one place while all the bodies were taken away. Everyone was still alive. Except I wasn't sure about Anzai. That stab wound on his side was bad. The proof is all over my hands. These hands... I put him in danger... The one I love could die because of me...

The police had arrived with the ambulance and began questioning me, the only conscious person of the twelve people they found here. I had explained some over the phone, but they wanted to talk to me in person as well. I did my best to answer while distracted by the drying blood on my hands. After I had given answers that seemed to satisfy them and they knew I wasn't injured, all of the cars and ambulances had left. I was left alone to clean myself up and turn the events that had just happened over and over in my head.

I numbly cleaned myself in the building's sink the best I could. I was glad they had the water turned on. There was still faint blood on my clothes when I finished, but I didn't want to stop by my apartment for clean clothes. I had to go see Anzai at the hospital and make sure he was alive. He couldn't die... I'd do anything I could to save him... I'd even sacrifice my own life... So please be okay!

When I arrived at the hospital by taxi, Anzai was in surgery. I felt my blood drain from my face. Surgery... The wound really was bad, right? He has to pull through... They have to help him... Please... Please, God... I've never once believed in you but just this once... Please save him...

I sat in a chair, staring at the white linoleum floor of the hospital for who knows how long. A familiar voice pulled me out of my trance, calling my name. It surprised me so much, I immediately lifted my head and stared down the hallway. A man was rushing towards me.

"Narihira!" He said again. "How's Anzai?"

Shukishi stood in front of me, looking a little out of breath.

"...what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Well... Anzai had told me everything about you buying that building for your bar and the concerns he had. He said he'd protect you no matter what, but I got a bit worried myself and decided to check on you two. That's when I managed to find out that Anzai was taken to the hospital. Sorry I'm late in arriving."

I was stunned. I hadn't talked to Shukishi in so long, but Anzai was still keeping in touch? I felt a bit betrayed... But I couldn't focus on that right now.

"He's out of surgery... But they're still keeping an eye on him and won't let me visit until tomorrow..." I muttered, answering his earlier question. I decided to sit outside an empty room as if Anzai would appear in there and I could visit him and maybe see that smile again.

Shukishi took a seat next to me. "Will you stay here until tomorrow?"

I clenched my hands together. "It's my fault... You two were concerned while I was too focused on achieving my dream and I decided to disregard the red flags... Now he's hurt and it's all my fault... I was so scared he'd be dead because of me..."

Shukishi was quiet for a moment. Then he slapped me on the back. "Hey, Anzai is strong. He wouldn't die from this. And if he wanted to stop you, he would have. He let you go through with it and achieve your dream since that's what you've been working so hard for all these years. You should trust in him more."

I rubbed my sore back, giving him the side eye. Then I sighed and continued looking down at the floor. "I guess you're right... But I still feel like it's all my fault... My dream isn't more important than other people... Especially not him."

"...I know. I'm sure he feels the same about you. That's why he let you do what you wanted."

I lifted my head to look at him. Then another voice came down the hallway.

"Shukishi-senpai! We're finally here!"

"Oh," Shukishi stood up smiling, "my kouhai."

A boy with fluffy and curly bright orange hair arrived out of breath. His eyes were a different shade of green than Anzai's and his ears were pierced. Then yet another boy joined him.

"Rikiya, you shouldn't run in a hospital!" He said, while running himself. He had rich chestnut hair with the same color of eyes.

"Rikiya and Atsutane, glad you made it," Shukishi said.

I looked at all of them, confused. "Who...?"

"Oh right, I'll introduce them," Shukishi said. He put his hand on the orange haired boy's head. "This is Rikiya Kanagaki, my precious kouhai."

The boy's cheeks turned pink. He pushed his hand off his head. "That sounds weird, you know."

Shukishi moved to the other boy. "And this is Atsutane Hori, another kouhai. He's about your age."

"Um... Nice to meet you," I said. I felt like I had to introduce myself. "I'm Narihira Shimohira."

Rikiya blinked at me. "You sound like a man, but you look more like a woman."

My eyes narrowed at his unnecessary comment. Shukishi elbowed him.

"He doesn't want to hear that. We're here for him and Anzai, be more respectful."

"Where is Anzai?"

"Still in the recovery room after surgery."

"Can we visit him?"

"Not until tomorrow."

"Then why the hell did we rush all the way here?!"

Atsutane chopped his head from behind.

"Ow!!"

Shukishi sighed. "I apologize for his behavior, Narihira. This is just how he is."

I watched as Rikiya turned on Atsutane, looking ready to fight him. Atsutane shied away, inching behind Shukishi for protection.

"...it's fine," I said.

"Now then, are we spending the night here? Perhaps in the waiting room? Or can we take you home for tonight? Looks like you need a fresh change of clothes anyway."

I looked down at my clothes, remembering the blood. I probably looked like I committed murder before coming here. I guess technically I almost did... If Anzai doesn't pull through...

"Shall we go home?" Atsutane was suddenly in front of me, smiling kindly with his hand out. I just met him today, but his presence was so non-threatening that I couldn't help taking his hand and letting him pull me to my feet.

I walked with the three men out of the hospital. Shukishi tried to catch a taxi while I looked back at the hospital. He's still in there... I shouldn't leave... But I might have gotten kicked out anyway if I tried to stay overnight.

As I stared at the hospital, I said to myself, I promise to wake up bright and early and wait for you. I will apologize for all I've done to harm you. And I hope we can still be good friends. We promised each other...

I barely slept that night, tossing and turning thinking about the events that had happened. The main scene that kept playing through my head was the moment that Anzai got stabbed and I was powerless to stop it. I woke up early, still feeling exhausted. But if I was up, I felt I should go visit Anzai. I pulled on clean clothes and headed out.

The doctor said I could visit him but he hadn't woken up after falling back asleep earlier. I was just relieved he was conscious at all. I entered the room he was in and paused, staring at him in the white bed with tubes stuck in his arm. I carefully approached and pulled up a chair. He didn't look very ill thankfully... I thought he'd be more pale... Like before... I trembled at the memory.