Synopsis:

Mikey gripped the fabric of his shirt. His teeth clenched, trying to withstand the tears from falling. His heart hurt as he tried to form the words he was about to say.

"Hey Kenchin, it's been on my mind lately...but would it be better if we never met?"

XXX

Mikey stepped foot inside the hospital ground. His footsteps grew heavier the closer he was to his destination. He can't bear to face him after everything that happened. After all, it was his fault in the first place. Because of him, his best friend almost died a second time. It's already been a month and he's still unconscious. He never visited him, not even once because he was afraid. Afraid to face the other Toman members who also visited in the past weeks, afraid to look at his friends, afraid to see the one person who still never gave up on him despite everything he had done to him. He was afraid.

However, Takemitchy assured him it was alright. He's safe. We just need to wait for him to wake up. Everything's over. He doesn't have to worry about anything anymore. His friends are with him to keep him grounded. Everyone forgave him.

He was deep in thoughts he didn't realise he was already in front of the room. Thanks to Koko and Inupi's persuasion, they managed to move him into a single room to allow more privacy for the patient and his visitors. He looked at the door in dismay and heaved deep breaths. He made sure to knock before entering the room. Here goes.

Upon entering, he was greeted by Takemichi, who coincidentally visited. He was sitting on a stool beside the bed. The room was filled with gifts and get well soon cards from their friends. Mikey was a bit concerned because he didn't bring anything for him. Should he? He didn't know.

"You're here." Takemichi waved. Hina was beside him, smiling in response. She was arranging a small bouquet of flowers inside a vase but stopped and waved him hello.

Mikey looked around the room. "It's a bit overwhelming seeing all of this when I didn't bring anything."

Takemichi glanced at all the gifts but he just smiled. "Your presence is a gift itself, Mikey-kun. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

He..

Mikey walked towards the bed. He now saw a clearer view of his best friend. Draken's face was covered with an oxygen mask, his arms filled with various wires he couldn't identify. One of them is attached to a heart monitor and one is attached to a saline solution. It looks awful.

"What did they say?" Mikey asked without even looking at Takemichi, his eyes fixated on the sight in front of him. He only learned bits about the incident. He knew Kenchin was shot but he never knew the severity of it.

"He lost too much blood during the incident. They managed to do an emergency blood transfusion and spare his life but... as you can see..." Takemichi explained solemnly. "They had no idea when he would wake up...or if he'll ever wake up."

"I see." Mikey looked at the heart monitor. His heart rate seems normal from what he can see but then again, he's no doctor. He looked back at Draken. Despite all the awful medical equipment attached to his body, his face looks peaceful to him.

"Don't worry Mikey-kun. I believe he'll wake up soon." Hina smiled in reassurance. She just finished arranging the flowers and put them near the windows, giving them tiny bits of life into the room. Mikey was grateful for it.

"Yeah. Thanks, Hina-chan." He offered a small smile.

Takemichi stood up from his seat and stretched. "I guess we should get going. I believe you have a lot to talk about, right? Let's go, Hina."

"Yeah, we should." Hina followed suit, standing and started to pack her stuff to leave.

"Wait a minute."

Takemichi stopped in his tracks to look at the former president. His face was puzzled. Mikey studied his face. The face that reminded him so much of his brother. Kind, gentle and determined. Weak yet strong willed. Takemitchy was much stronger than he could ever be.

Mikey bowed his head towards the former captain. "Takemitchy, thank you... for everything."

Takemichi was flustered at the sudden bow. It's a bit overwhelming seeing the invisible Mikey bowing to someone, especially when that someone is him. "Eh.. I didn't really do anything."

Mikey smiled. "As humble as ever. You've done a lot for us, for me. I can't thank you enough."

"I just did what I could but..." Takemichi returns his smile. "Be happy, Mikey-kun."

Mikey lifted his head to face Hina. He bowed again which in turn made her flustered too. "I'm sorry Hina-chan for ruining your future, for causing you trouble, sorry for... everything that comes after."

Hina blinked for a second but immediately regained her composure. She smiled. "Raise your head, Mikey-kun."

He did as he was told and Hina looked at him straight in the eye. "You don't have to apologize to me. It's okay. The future is never certain. Anything can happen. For now, I just want to focus on the present with all my precious people." Hina glanced at Takemichi, smiling before returning her gaze back towards Mikey. "I'm sure things will probably be rough in the future but I wanna believe that everything's gonna be fine. And you should too."

Mikey nodded. "Yeah, thanks Hina-chan."

"You're welcome. Be happy, Mikey-kun." She smiles sweetly before tugging on Takemichi's arm.

"You too. Both of you." Mikey silently replied with a small smile.

The couple waved him goodbye before closing the hospital room, leaving him alone with Draken. He let out a sigh before sitting on one of the stools beside the bed. He quickly scanned through the cards he saw and smiled to himself. Some of the cards were barely readable and he can deduce from the writing that it's probably Peh. Some had nice handwriting which he assumed were from either Mitsuya or Chifuyu. "You're as popular as ever, Kenchin. But that's to be expected."

With no response from the other person, He felt weird talking to himself but he wanted to believe Kenchin did hear him.

"You know, I never thought I'd be here again. At least, not with you on the bed. It's only been like...3 years, I guess? Since that incident." Mikey's head was down. He cannot face his best friend.

"3 years, huh? That's a really short time. You have a long life ahead of you and yet you risked it all for someone. You always do. For me, for our friends, for Toman. You're always so selfless." Mikey smiled. "And caring. Always looking out for us. Always there for us when we need it. You always have the best advice. You never stray from us."

"And I took that for granted, huh?" Mikey's eyes are downcast.

Mikey gripped the fabric of his shirt. His teeth clenched, trying to withstand the tears from falling. His heart hurt as he tried to form the words he was about to say.

"Hey Kenchin, it's been on my mind lately...but would it be better if we never met?" He gripped his chest. It hurts.

"That way, you'll never be so close to death's doors." He's been thinking about it quite a lot. After the countless deaths of his loved ones, he wondered whether he deserves to love and be loved by someone when everyone around him always meets their end sooner that he would like it. Did he deserve to have anyone beside him when their days were counted?

"If you never met me, you'll probably enjoy your life somewhere right now. You'll be happier without me. Kenchin's a cool guy, you'll get along with everyone. Probably you will meet someone even better than I could ever be." Mikey paused, taking deep breaths as he tried to steadied himself.

"But I... I don't know what I would be like if I've never met you. You're always there for me no matter what. When Shinichiro died, Baji died and Emma... you stayed with me through all of it. You accept me, comfort me and offer me a shoulder to cry on." Mikey gritted his teeth. "And yet, I left you. I left our friends... because I thought this is the best option for all of you. I don't want to endanger any of your lives. I don't want anyone precious to die again. Where did things go wrong?"

His eyes stung as he tried to hold the tears from falling. Mikey scooted closer to Draken's unconscious body and held his hand. He guides Draken's hand to his cheek, careful not to disrupt any wires on his arms. He let out a sigh. He's alive. He wanted to take comfort from the fact but his heart sank every time he remembered Takemitchy's words. "We don't know when he will wake up...or if he will ever wake up."

Mikey lay down Draken's hand back on the bed but he never let go. "Kenchin, do you remember 3 years back during the new years? Toman went to the beach to see the first sunrise. We made a promise back then that we would rule the country together. You never broke that promise last time...but will you do now?" Mikey lets his mind drift back to that moment, he remembered the smile on Kenchin's face as he declared the vow they did, with the morning sun and the sound of the ocean in the background. "You know, I don't think I want to fulfill that dream anymore, not without you by my side, not with our friends' life on the line. I was childish before, I know that."

Mikey paused for a while. His hand fiddled with Draken's fingers before he leaned a little bit closer to his body, interlocking their fingers together.

"Kenchin, can I be selfish, just this once? I know you probably want to meet Emma. I do understand that... but can you stay with me for a little longer? I'll apologize to Emma if that's what it takes. I just need you with me...just a little longer."

Mikey softly chuckled but he had lingering sadness in his eyes. "I hope Emma will forgive me for this."

Mikey's grip on Draken's hand grew tighter as more words fell out of his mouth. Words he'd been wanting to say, words he always kept inside, words he never had the chance to say all flow out of his mouth as he let out his heart. "I'm sorry Kenchin.. for everything. I'm sorry I left you, I'm sorry I let you down, I'm sorry that you ended here because of me. I'm sorry... so please wake up."

Tears now freely ran down his cheeks as he sobbed. "Takemitchy told me everything. You have something to tell me, right? So please tell me yourself, you big idiot."

He felt weak, He felt vulnerable but he doesn't care right now. He's not the invisible Mikey everyone knows him. Just the plain old Manjirou, who breaks down for his friends, who weeps for the sake of someone he loves.

"Don't leave me again. Please don't leave me for good this time." His tears fall onto their hands.

"So...noisy...." A voice came out, and Mikey stops and stares at his friend in disbelief. He could feel Draken's hand twitches under his touch.

"Kenchin...?" Mikey called out. Is he dreaming? Could it really be him? Is he waking up?

Draken's eyes slowly fluttered open and Mikey wide eyed as more tears fell onto his face.

Draken focused his blurry eyesight towards the boy beside him and smiled. "Mikey..."

"Kenchin!