Barefaced

You, Aimi, and Hana walk down the sidewalk looking around at the shops. 

"OOOO... LETS GO THERE NEXT..." Hana bubbles, jumping up and down, pointing at a bakery. Aimi sighs and you furrow your eyebrows. "Can we, can we..."

"Hana... we had sweets at Yuki's grandmother's bakery and we got candy from the convenience store... and you want more?" Aimi asks.

"I know... but still... It looks so yummy..." Hana pouts. You turn around to look at Eli who's looking at the bakery behind you. 

"You oppose this whole thing yet... you're still here with us." Aimi says to Eli. Eli looks at Aimi and sighs. Hana looks closer in the window. People start to stare at her from the inside. "Hana... lets go... you're creeping people out..." Aimi grabs Hana's arm and pulls her away. You follow behind them. Eli walks beside you.

"You should give up on this idea Yuki..." Eli cautioned. "You are putting yourself and them in danger by doing this." He points at Aimi and Hana as he says that. 

"I'll protect them..." You reply.

"You think you can protect them at all times?" Eli asks. You look down when he asks that. "See... you should give up on this idea." You shake your head.

"Eli... there's more of a reason to why I want to do this..." Eli looks at you in curiosity. 

"And what's the other reason?" Eli asks.

"I need an answer to my question... consisting of Toman." You quietly say.

"And what exactly is that question?" He asks. 

"Whether Toman is the same or not." Eli lifts an eyebrow. 

"What do you mean by that?" Eli questions.

"YUKI!!!" Hana yells out. You look up to see Hana and Aimi farther into the distance. You slowly approach them.

"Yeah?" 

"Let's go to the mall... they will have more stuff there" Aimi suggests. You nod to the idea.

Not long later you guys arrive at the mall. You and Aimi are looking through clothes. Hana is snacking on a churro as she is laying down on a small bench in the store. You are examining a very ruffly white shirt. Aimi looks at it too.

"That would look really cute on you Yuki." Aimi cooed, holding up the shirt towards you.

"It's best to wear black if you're going to spy on someone." A voice says. You and Aimi look at Eli who's sitting beside Hana eating a churro. 

"Was that you who said that Eli?" Aimi asks. Eli relaxes his eyes and looks behind you and Aimi. Someone puts their hands on you and Aimi's shoulder. You both look behind you to see Ren.

"Ren... what are you doing here?" Aimi asks.

"Eli spam texted me, telling me the three of you were making a mistake." Ren replies smiling.

"Yeah... and now there are 4 idiots..." Eli huffed. Ren chuckles. 

"Actually, I think the plan is pretty decent... but that's only if you're spying... I don't think it's a good idea to approach them and interrogate them." Ren comments.

"Aw... but that's the fun part..." Hana lamented. Aimi walks to the next isle, looking through the clothes.

"When do you guys plan on going to spy on them...?" Ren asks.

"Today." Hana replies, hanging off the bench. Eli scoffs and looks at Hana.

"Do you even know where they will be?" Eli asks. Hana goes quiet, zoning out. 

"I do." Ren says. Hana looks up at Ren, her eyes widen as she sits up. 

"You do? Where?" Hana questions. 

"I've seen them meet at a Musashi Shrine..." Ren states.

"A Musashi Shrine... are you serious?" Aimi asks coming from the other isle holding a couple things in her arms.

"Yeah... I don't live far from one... that's the exact one they go to. I hear their motorcycles each time they go." Ren responds. 

"Do you know if they will be there tonight?" Hana asks. Ren shakes his head.

"I have no idea... but I know they go there for their meetings..." Ren states. "I've also seen them fight and stuff... I used to be curious about them, same as you are Yuki... but they aren't how they were a year ago..." Ren adds.

"What do you mean by that?" You ask. Ren looks at you and puts his hands in his pants pockets.

"They are aggressive..." Ren replies. 

Aggressive? You thought. Does that mean they are different than they were in the manga. For some reason you feel as there's a difference in things in this reality of Tokyo Revengers. You want to come across Toman to get confirmation, but you don't want to be associated with them if they aren't how they are in the manga.

"Well... let's camp at your place then until we hear motorcycles..." Hana beams. Ren looks at Aimi when Hana says that, and she nods.

"We can do that... my parents are out of town so it's just me and Kuro..." Ren says. 

"Aw... Kuro... your cat? I forgot about him... he's such a cutie..." Hana bubbles. Ren smiles and nods.

At night you all are sitting in Ren's room. Hana is petting Kuro and Aimi is organizing the stuff she bought from the mall. Eli is sitting against the wall in the corner of the room and Ren is in the kitchen. You are silently sitting down on the floor, leaning against Ren's bed, playing with a Rubik's cube. Ren walks back into the room handing everyone a roll of kimbap.

"What's this..." Hana questions opening the foil revealing the kimbap.

"Kimbap... It's usually cut into slices... like sushi... but I was too lazy to cut it up." Ren says sitting down on his bed.

"Kimbap? You're Korean?" Aimi asks. Ren nods.

"My mother is Korean and my father is Japanese... so my mother taught me how to make some things... like kimbap. I like how kimbap tastes... more than sushi." Ren states.

"mmmm so yummy..." Hana muffles, taking another bite into the kimbap. You all eat and continue to discuss.

After you all finish eating Aimi hands everyone what she has been organizing.

"You guys are really determined..." Eli says, with an obstinate look on his face. 

"Why are you still complaining...? You're the one who came all the way here with us..." Aimi says, raising an eyebrow.

"I came just in case one of you gets hurt..." Eli sighs looking away.

"So basically, you're still coming with us..." Hana questions, staring blankly at Eli. Eli nods. 

"I don't know if they are coming... it's pretty late." Ren says looking out his bedroom window. You look at the clock on Ren's desk. The time says 22:02. You sigh and continue to play with the Rubik's cube. "Since they aren't going to be there... we can go check out the place." Ren insists. Hana nods multiple times and smiles. 

"Yes... sounds like a good idea..." Hana concurred. Hana stands up and grabs the stuff Aimi gave her. Aimi stands up too. 

"Wait... wait..." Eli stands up. "What if they come after we go..." Eli adds.

"Unlikely." Ren responds. "They don't usually come any time after 10 pm..." Eli sighs and puts his hands in his pockets.

You, Aimi, and Hana put on the black hoodies and gloves Aimi bought. Ren and Eli put theirs on too. The five of you walk outside preparing to head towards the shrine.

"You guys look like idiots." Eli grumbled. Hana groans and looks at Eli. 

"Can you shut up... Do you know how annoying it is to hear you constantly shit talk... Leave us alone and go home if all you're going to do is complain..." Hana rasped in an irritated tone. 

"I don't understand why you're complaining so much Eli... you are the one coming with us after all... you even put the black hoodie and gloves that Aimi bought on. So... if we look like idiots... then so do you" Ren comments. Eli stands stiff with a blank face. Everyone turns away and starts walking towards the shrine. 

"I'm not coming with you guys for the same reason. I'm coming to protect you guys..." He huffed loudly, following behind. Hana scoffs.

"Yes... thank you Eli... you will make a great meat shield." Aimi and Ren chuckle at Hana's comment. You smile, admiring your friends.

I really like being around them. You thought to yourself.

Once you all make it to the shrine. You all walk up the staircase. You haven't seen a shrine as Yuki... so being there kind of feels cool. You walk up another staircase and towards a Chozuya. You pick up the bamboo stick, pouring water on your hands. 

"So they meet here? I'm curious to why they meet here out of all places..." Aimi says sitting down on the steps. 

"Maybe because of their close belief to Buddhism..." Ren comments.

"A bunch of delinquents who come to a sacred place to do sinful things... disgusting..." Aimi implies. You look at Aimi who's looking down at her feet. You sit next to her. "The fact they do that is so wrong... my father would probably think this shrine is no longer sacred because Toman ruined it..." Aimi adds. After she says that a memory pops up in your mind... Aimi's father is a Shinto Priest. A very popular one too... which is why Aimi has a lot of money on her at times... Aimi's family is very religious... so it makes sense to why this is making her uncomfortable. 

"I'm sorry Aimi..." You apologize.

"It's not your fault Yuki..." Aimi smiles. "I just find it crazy some guys like that would come to a shrine to do their meetings... why a shrine of all places...?" Aimi comments. You slowly nod. Hana sits down beside Aimi and leans her head against Aimi's shoulder. 

"This place is so calm and peaceful... I see why you like being at your father's shrine all the time Aimi-chan..." Hana soothes. "I'm hungry... we should go to the convenience store and grab a couple of rice balls." Hana quietly groans, leaning more into Aimi's arm.

"We just ate... how are you hungry again Hana... You even ate a bunch of Lolly pops afterwards... your tongue is black from all the different colors you had." Aimi chuckles.

"BLACK?" Hana says loudly, pulling out her phone and flipping it open. She opens the phone camera, examining her tongue. You smile at Hana and Aimi and then you look behind you to look at Ren and Eli. Eli is doing weird poses and Ren looks like he's judging Eli. You smile at them too.

ROOOOAAARRRRRR 

Your heart drops to the engine noise. The sound of a few motorcycles stops at the bottom of the stairs of the shrine. Aimi jumps up and grabs both you and Hana, dragging the two of you towards Ren and Eli. Both of them are staring out into the distance. Aimi gives Ren an uneasy look on her face. Ren nods and motions everyone to hide behind the trees off to the side of the shrine. Your heart starts to beat fast. You can feel your hands shake. You peak behind the tree you, Aimi and Hana are hiding behind. Ren and Eli are hiding behind another tree. You look towards the direction of the staircase to see who would walk up the stairs. You see a boy with long black hair, wearing a grey sweater walking towards the stairs of the shrine. A boy with blond hair walks beside him. They look like they are talking to each other, but you can't hear what they are saying.

Is that who I think it is... You thought to yourself. 

"Who are they?" Aimi whispers. You shrug. 

A few other guys walk up the stairs. One chubby looking guy and the other looks slim and taller than the chubby guy. The slim guy is making weird faces... you can't tell if he's irritated or just on something. The chubby guy looks irritated too. A guy with light lilac hair walks behind them. Then behind him is a guy with blond hair and a taller guy with long blond hair on the top of his head and the sides of his hair cut. His hair is braided into one braid and a tattoo on the side of his head. 

Mikey... and Draken... You thought to yourself. They look a little different than in the manga. Draken looks broader, they all do... Not a huge difference but a little difference. If that's Draken and Mikey... then the one with the long black hair that goes down towards his shoulders is Baji, and Chifuyu is the one with the dyed blond hair standing next to Baji. The chubby looking guy is Pah-chin and the slim guy next to him is Peh-yan. And the one with the Lilac hair must be Mitsuya. You think to yourself.

"Ahh... Yuki... Aimi..." Hana whispers in a panic, shaking both you and Aimi. You both look at her. 

"What's wrong Hana?" Aimi asks, whispering back at Hana.

"My phone... my phoooonnne.... I dropped it... by the stairs... if they see it... they will know I was here..." Hana whispers, shaking and panicking. You look towards the direction of where Hana had left her phone. Your heart drops when you see it. 

"Mmm? What's that?" Mikey says, walking towards Hana's phone. Hana starts squeezing your arm really tight. 

"Looks like someone left their phone..." Draken replies. Mikey walks up towards Hana's phone, picking it up. He flips it open and starts pressing buttons. Hana's grip gets tighter.

"Oi..." A voice says. You, Hana, and Aimi look in the direction of the voice to see Eli walking towards them. Ren has his back against the tree, still out of view of the guys. His eyes are closed and he's covering his mouth. You look at Eli who's walking towards Mikey. "That's my phone..." Eli says.

"Oh?" Mikey responds. Eli nods, holding his hand out. 

"Can I get it back?" Eli asks. Draken walks up towards Eli and leans closer to him.

"Why are you here?" Draken asks. Eli slowly looks at Draken and then back towards Hana's phone. 

"I just came to visit the shrine... that's all." Eli quavered, still holding his hand out.

"Oh? Just to visit?" Mikey queried. Eli nods. "So... are you here alone?" Mikey questions in a soft but stern voice.

"Yes..." Eli quietly answers. 

"mmm..." Mikey hums, looking at the phone and then at Eli. He holds up the phone where its directly next to Eli's face. He then looks back at the phone as if he's comparing something. Draken also looks at the phone. "So then... who took this picture a couple minutes ago?" Mikey asks. Mikey shows Eli the screen of the phone. In the picture is Hana and in the background behind her, there's Ren and Eli. "Who else... is here with you?" Mikey asks in a stern voice. Mikey looks towards the area he saw Eli walk from. He slowly walks towards the trees you guys were hiding behind. Your heart starts racing faster.