Since Takemitchy hasn't run into the shop, [Y/N] must've got back home safely. Chifuyu thinks as he flattens empty boxes behind the register. Piling them on top of one another.

He puts his elbow on the countertop, resting his face in his palm. Bored but curious as to what you and Takemichi might've talked about last night.

He sighs. Those two are probably trying to find a way to get me to join the gang...

Chifuyu looks at a random shelf, deep in thought. I guess it wouldn't be too bad? But with Mikey's gang expanding... Will they be able to recruit enough people to join?

The bell on top of the shop door chimes. Let me guess... It's-

The blonde moves his eyes to the door.

Yup... He fixes his lax posture, straightening himself up. "Since [Y/N] joined, you think I'd automatically join, is that it?" Chifuyu asks Takemichi with his eyes half-lidded.

You and Takemichi look at each other from the side. As if telepathically communicating.

Does he have foresight too?!

"No!" Takemichi replies in a high-pitched voice. Sweating. "Not at all...!"

"We came to visitttt..." Takemichi nervously smiles at his friend. Who was looking at him unimpressively, seeing how predictable Takemichi was.

"Well... Two isn't a very big number..." You started, "So it would be really cool if you joined!" You say unconfidently. Even giving an awkward thumbs-up.

"That's all you two could come up with...?" Chifuyu questions. Looking at you both, sort of concerned.

"I thought [Y/N] being here would be enough!!" Takemichi excuses. You look away from both boys, scratching your chin, "Even I thought that..." You say quietly.

You were both kicked out of the pet shop, feeling defeated. "How are we gonna get him to join the Tokyo Michi Gang...?" Takemichi Mutters sulkingly.

You elbow him, "Don't-" You lower your voice, almost to a whisper. "Don't say that out loud...! Someone from Kanto might find out we're making a new gang."

If Sanzu was sneaky enough to catch me and Chifuyu... Your face starts to warm up thinking about it. Feeling both flustered and embarrassed.

GOD! Why am I thinking of that right now...! You try to shake the image of Chifuyu's beautiful green eyes staring into yours.

If Sanzu somehow hears about the Tokyo Michi Gang. They'll destroy us before we can even get more members!

"Let's just focus on a better way to approach Chifuyu about 'it'..." You say using finger quotes. Referring to the gang you and Takemichi are starting.

"You could tell him what you told me?" Takemichi thinks, "You know, stopping Bonten before happening."

"Okay, but what about his job?" You question. Takemichi lightly smacks his forehead, facepalming in realization. "You're right... We can't get him to join while he still has a job..."

The two of you continue to think as you walk the streets of the Shibuya shopping district.

"We could... Convince him to quit?" Takemichi suggests. You furrow your brows, "That sounds awful!"

"Well, there's no other way he can be in the...!" Takemichi stops himself from saying 'gang'. Taking what you said about Kanto finding out into account. "Club..." He finishes his sentence.

"We could pay him...?" You think out loud, "But how are we supposed to get the money? Well... Without being unethical, at least."

Takemichi gasps, getting a seemingly good idea in his head. "You could offer to go on a date with him!"

"WHAT?!" You yell, "I can't do that!"

"WHY NOT?!" Takemichi asks.

"If I'm gonna go on a date with him, it'll be to go on a date with him! Not 'cause I want him to join the gang!" You reason.

Takemichi gives you a teasing grin and you ask what was wrong with his face. "So... You'd go on a date with him?"

"That's not the point right now!" You pinch him on his cheek. Feeling your face heat up.

"Ow! Ow! Okay, okay!" You let go of Takemichi. He admits his idea wouldn't be genuine.

"Let's just call it a day..." You say, sighing.

-

The following afternoon, you called Takemichi to come over. The two of you sit at the kitchen table. As if this were some serious business meeting.

You told him that you thought more about the situation last night. And felt it was hopeless to ask Chifuyu to join.

"I can't not have Chifuyu in my gang!" Takemichi says stubbornly. "You want him to join too, don't you?"

"But how can we do that?" You question, "At least, in a way that won't jeopardize him finding another job!"

Takemichi slams his hands on the table, getting up. "We have no choice! We gotta intimidate him then!"

"Us...? Intimidate Chifuyu...?" You repeat. "I think we're the least intimidating people to him..."

Takemichi grins, "Don't worry, I already have a plan b if intimidation doesn't work!"

-

You both get to Chifuyu's apartment. Right in front of his door.

Before you arrived, you used your foresight to make sure Chifuyu's mother wasn't home. In case the two of you had to go through with 'plan b.'

After knocking, Chifuyu opens the door. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He says, absolutely weirded out.

"Like what, punk?!" Takemichi says. He forced his eyebrows down, to look angry. Puffing his chest with his hands in his pants pockets.

You crack your knuckles, "You got... You got a problem?" You asked, "With his... Looking?"

One is trying too hard and the other is not trying hard enough... Chifuyu thinks to himself, looking at the two of you.

"Are you trying to intimidate me...?" The blonde sighs. Takemichi leans closer to his face and Chifuyu backs up a bit. "So you're intimidated?"

Even though he was still playing a role, it sounded a little excited at the thought of intimidating someone.

"By you?" Chifuyu emphasizes. Lifting his head so he could look down at Takemichi.

You could see Takemichi start to sweat. You were supposed to intimidate him! Not the other way around!

You think of ways you've seen intimidations before. In real life and in movies you've watched.

You pull Takemichi to the side. "Listen here, jackass!" You grab Chifuyu by the collar, pulling him towards you. "You're gonna join Takemichi's gang, even if I have to force you!" You glare.

Yeah! You tell him! Takemichi cheers for you in his head.

"Force me?" Chifuyu smirks and leans closer, "I'd like to see you try."

You freeze. Usually, in l movies... The person's supposed to get scared and comply...

Your face starts to heat up. BUT WHY IS HE LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT?!

You move your eyes, shifting to look at Takemichi. Your face alone was basically asking for help. "If you don't join, we'll beat you up!" Takemichi points.

"Okay," Chifuyu responds calmly, "Let's take this outside then."

"Wait! No! I didn't mean it!" Takemichi takes it back almost immediately. Waving his hands around. You turn to face him, "Why'd you say it if you didn't mean it?!"

"Did you mean it when you said you'd force him to join?!" Takemichi deflects. "Not at the moment! But I'll figure it out!" You argue, "I think..."

Still holding onto Chifuyu, you pull him out from the entrance of his suite. "But if you fight him, he'll join!" You turn to Chifuyu, "Right?"

"No..." Chifuyu says, "If I don't join, you guys will beat me up. And I'm not joining."

You turn back to Takemichi. Mouthing, "What now?"

The blonde in front of you instantly falls to his knees. Bowing his head down to the floor. "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE JOIN OUR TEAM CHIFUYU!"

You look down at him. Horrified and embarrassed. This was the 'plan b' he mentioned earlier.

You slowly turn your head to Chifuyu. Who looked deeply concerned. "On second thought, can we go outside and I can beat you up for not joining?" You whispered.

"If I don't have to look at this, sure..." He whispered back. The two of you, while you still had a grasp on his collar, walked backward quietly.

The both of you were behind the apartment building. Behind you was a diamond mesh fence, barely covering the tree in front of it.

You finished apologizing for the awful intimidation tactic you and Takemichi just did. "You know..." You spoke, "Saving Mikey isn't my goal either."

Chifuyu looks at you, trying to hide his surprise. "It's not?"

You shook your head. "Like you, I don't agree with it. But I also don't agree with letting the Kanto Manji Gang thrive. Especially with what happens in the future..."

"I know this is a huge risk... But I trust Takemichi!" You said seriously. "I believe he can save our future!"

"Our future...?" Chifuyu softly repeats.

"Uh- You know! Like, everyone's future!" You start to get nervous, "Not just ours...! I mean we have one but... I didn't mean-"

"You're over-explaining, [Y/N]," Chifuyu smiles. You apologize again and he tells you it was fine.

Why am I getting so nervous around him?! You wondered, looking away from the boy's gaze.

"What I'm trying to say is... If fighting Kanto means saving everyone and changing the future for good... I want to help Takemichi do that!"

You look back at him. "And unlike who I was in the future... I want to fight Bonten! But with you," you said seriously.

"And Takemichi and the others, of course!" You reiterate.

Chifuyu chuckles, "I thought you were gonna beat me up?" He jokes. "I will if you don't join!" You joke with him, laughing a bit.

You and the blonde walk back to the entrance of the apartment. You both see Takemichi running down the stairs, nearly tripping on his feet.

"[Y/N]! Did you go beat him up?!" He asks, "Why didn't you tell me to stand?! I could've helped!"

Chifuyu smiles, "Yeah, she got me good!" He laughs, "I'll join your gang."

Takemichi's eyes welled with tears, "I knew you'd come around!" He grins. "But... What about the pet shop?" You asked.

"I'll resign," Chifuyu tells you. "I'll say that my school found out and forbids their students to have jobs or something," he excuses.

You all went back to Chifuyu's suite. Hanging out in his room.

"What did you guys name your gang anyway?" The blonde asks.

Takemichi grins proudly, as if he made it up, "The Tokyo Michi Gang!" He points at his chest with his thumb.

"Laaame..." Chifuyu said monotonously. Takemichi jumps up, "How is it lame?! IT SOUNDS COOL TO ME!"

Chifuyu shakes his head, "Nah... I have one that sounds cooler."

He stands up, spreading his arms apart in front of him dramatically, "Thousand Winters!"

"Thou-sand... Win-ters...?" You repeated, raising a brow at the boy. "What does that even mean...?" Takemichi asks.

The boy grins, "It's my name!" He said proudly, "Sounds cooler, don't you think? I even have a logo in mind!"

Chifuyu walks to his desk, taking one of the notebooks scattered around. He flips to a page to show you guys his logo design. "You've thought of a gang name and logo but didn't join?!" Takemichi yells.

"Ever since you brought it up, I couldn't stop thinking about it," Chifuyu admits. "But since my idea is cooler and I have a logo..." He starts, "That should be our gang name!"

Takemichi turns to you, "Come on, [Y/N]! You think it's ridiculous too, don't you?!" He asks, "I mean... It's such a long name to say!"

You take the notebook from Chifuyu and look at the logo closely. You flip it, facing the page to Chifuyu again.

"Is that Peke J...?" You pointed at the cartoony black cat head in the middle. Chifuyu nods in response.

You turn to Takemichi, "We're Thousand Winters from now on!"

Takemichi's jaw drops. He was expecting, even hoping, you'd disagree with him.

"OH, COME ON!" He falls backward, "Just because a cat's in the logo!"

"Not just any cat!" Chifuyu points out. "It's Peke J!!" You say with pride as if the cat was yours.

These are my teammates... Takemichi sighs to himself but smiles.

This was the start of something big. For him. For you. And for the future.

Chapter ninety-six, end.