Chapter Text
The walk outside is quick if not quiet, save from the small talk Celestia makes about the up and coming festival. Kiyotaka doesn’t reply with much more than some nods, a couple of non-committal hums and a wave the moment their path split into two. His thoughts already occupied with the comments his family had made earlier. Had he really acted so strange yesterday? Nothing he had done yesterday seemed out of the blue. Plus, there was still the matter of his holders. He would have remembered getting angry enough to turn to violence.
How could he have been so careless?
“Kiyotaka!” Shouts a voice, bringing him out of his trance as Makoto Naegi runs to catch up to him, Kyoko Kirigiri on his heels and Byakuya Togami trailing on his brand new bike behind them both.
He pauses to turn and wave. Bowing quickly as they catch up with him. “ Ah— Good Morning, all! ”
“I see you have returned to normal.” Remarked Byakuya. Ignoring the pointed look given by Makoto and the subsequent frown from Kyoko. Kiyotaka’s gaze falls to the floor. Had he acted strange around them too...?
“What— ?!”
“He is correct. You appeared to have taken more of an interest in Togami’s bike even though you had no idea how to ride one. Demanding he let you ‘take a spin’, as you had put it. ”
Makoto’s hardened glare trails over with no hesitation, but Kyoko’s attention is completely focused on him. Kiyotaka finds his expression turning more perplexed at the thought. It’s unlike either of them to lie and, the more he looks at him, even Makoto seems to have something to say. Shoulders slumped as though unready to break the truth.
It doesn’t take him long to break the silence of his mind. Makoto meets the taller boy's eyes for a moment before nodding. “Sorry ‘Taka, it’s true…” He began, before shaking his head at the sheer disbelief. “But I told them, it’s most likely because of the stress! You’ve been working really hard lately, it’s just getting to you!”
“Wait a minute,” Kiyotaka reserved. ”just what are you talking about?!”
“—Taka, are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
Before he can assure them as such, a loud voice interrupts them as it rings through the street, amplified by a handheld loudspeaker. Kiyotaka rushes in his step to stay out of his way from its owner before he’s stopped in his tracks by two familiar faces, the Enoshima sisters. Junko greets him with her usual falsetto while her sister settles for a small nod. Her steely gazed more focused on something behind him rather than at him.
He can’t help but try and smile in return. After all, there’s no point doing anything that could lead to a scene here, he thinks, as his father speaks about the mayoral election and his promises to the people. His actions will affect his father's image, it’s as simple as that.
“Oh, look at how genius Taka is, Mukuro! The mayor’s son getting cosy with not just the richest family in town, but the lucky kid and the detective's daughter too! What do you think he’s aiming for first, to try and bribe people into votes, the pure luck that Makotos got for him or the detectives to give him a hint on how to hide his opponents bodies?”
He knows it’s what they want him to feel, but the despair takes a hold of him anyway. Footsteps heavy as he walks past without a glance back. Makoto rushes to convince them that it’s not true, he’s just as hard working as the rest of them while the other two stare the sisters down. Fathers are a hard topic for all three of them, but both Kyoko and Byakuya have always been seen to handle it better. Kiyotaka envies them for it.
Even more so, the moment his own father's voice rings out.
“Kiyotaka!” The shout is booming even without the speaker. Kiyotaka stops in his tracks, everyone in the group looking back at him. His eyes are already on the ground, hazing with the mere fact he knows what’s about to happen and the guilt of knowing it’s all his fault, he should be trying harder. “Stand up straight when you’re walking!”
It’s the devious laughter that follows. Comments trying to shield him from the truth. He is next in the long line of genius intent to ruin the Ishimaru name, a fool who will damage more than he will save.
“Let’s go.” Makoto speaks firmly.
His back is now rigidly straight. His fists curled up tighter than before. Makoto starts up another topic in an attempt to lighten the mood, but the words fall deaf to the shame that buries itself in his frame.
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Twilight. That was the topic their teacher had chosen to teach them today.
It’s origin, tasokare. A time where it’s neither day or night. Where two worlds may blur and one may encounter something not human, as she explains. It’s the kind of topic someone like his father wouldn’t want him to make too much notes on, but Kiyotaka still opens his notebook diligently. Turning the pages for a clean space until something catches his eye.
WHO ARE YOU?
The kanji is familiar but the question makes no sense. Everyone in this town knows of him because of his family. If not for his father's recent campaign into politics, then for the short reign and subsequent scandal of his grandfather, Toranosuke Ishimaru. Everyone in this small town knows him, or of him, so these words are extremely out of place for something he would usually expect.
His identity was something people took great pleasure in reminding him of just to see the way he reacted, so why…?
Unless, this was a new form of bullying. He had heard Junko mention something about being bored the other week, as she'd been finding herself more and more lately, but to go as far as to completely try and erase his identity? It would’ve been a good angle, apart from the fact that she had referred to him this morning, and with his grandfather's nickname nonetheless.
So maybe it had been her sister? Mukuro had been someone who liked to remain in the shadows but always stood by her sister, even when it came to Makoto! It could have been a play on how he, too, was just an addition to the eccentric personalities of his friends. Makoto had mentioned she preferred drawing in her notebooks, so maybe he should take a look for some more clues. He turns the next few pages and there’s nothing; no sign of this mystery assailant in any other page of his book. Leaving him more than stumped. If this was Mukuro, why were his previous notes left untouched? He could just rip this page out and completely forget about it, which he would, once he figured out who had caused it.
Kiyotaka’s brows furrow for a moment as he turns back to the writing. It didn’t seem awfully familiar, but that didn’t mean whoever wrote it wasn’t. He just had to take a more methodical approach before accusing anyone of anything! In fact, the more he thought about it, Makoto had always been the type of friend who appreciated a good prank and while Byakuya and Kyoko were much more serious, they would appreciate a good mystery like this, especially when it benefited others. That would explain the way they had spoken about earlier, too! Maybe this just was all a mystery they were just waiting for him to solve and --- .
“ ...Next, Kiyotaka?” His teacher calls out to him, her voice wavering with uncertainty
His movements are too quick as he stands up in response. Almost knocking the chair down in the process of greeting her formally, “Yes?!”
“I see that you remember your own name today.” She supplies back. All former worry replaced with a smile. Some of his classmates take the opportunity to giggle among themselves. Kiyotaka tilts his head in surprise.
Surely his friends hadn’t gone so far as to get the whole class and the teacher involved!
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“You really don’t remember anything?!” Are the first words that escape Makoto at the end of the day.
The four of them had found a nice shaded spot at the back of the school grounds. Far enough to be out of the way for any of their lingering classmates but close enough to see the building in the distance. Kyoko and Byakuya sat at the base of an overgrown tree, distracted by their own respective books while Makoto had preserved onward, questioning him from the moment they had gotten out of the school gates.
Kiyotaka shook his head. “Unfortunately not! So far none of what you’ve explained matches any of my memories at all!”
“Ah! Well, you did forget where your desk and locker were yesterday, and where you went to school! I tried to tell you where it all was, you looked angrier than ever! Kyoko said she thought you were going to hit me,” He did have those bruises on his knuckles… “ —but you didn’t! Plus, you were more focused on the appearance of your hair, even though you’d forgotten your moral committee armband. You didn’t even patrol the halls once!”
Well that couldn’t have been him, right? Kiyotaka pictures it in his mind's eye. This version of himself is too busy looking in the mirror brushing his hair back as absolute anarchy takes place in the school halls! The illusion smirks back at him until he shakes the thought away. No matter how much of a bad day it was, he would never do such a thing! Those were the kind of actions that would let him slip behind, he couldn’t afford that!
“No way! Are you sure you’re not mistaken...?”
“He isn’t. It had appeared as though you had amnesia or something to a similar effect.” Kyoko had then agreed, confirming all of Makoto’s words with a singular glance at Kiyotaka. “You don’t have a concussion or anything, do you?”
Kiyotaka frowns for a moment. He really couldn’t remember anything that would’ve caused him something so serious as an injury. Celestia or his grandmother would’ve surely asked him about a concussion if he was recovering from one, but everyone had only been concerned about his behaviour! Unless, it was about something else?
He remembers, then. Sharp flashes from dreams about a city much bigger than the one they’re in now, trapped in a bedroom much messier than he remembered, purple eyes staring back at him in lieu of his own. Those had just been dreams, right?
“Now that you mention it,” Kiyotaka started, feeling even Byakuya’s gaze fall back to him reflectively. “I do feel like I’ve been having these unusual dreams lately.”
“Really?!”
“Yes! It’s almost like I’ve… been living someone else’s life...” He strained to remember. The dream had been so much clearer to him that morning! “I, uh… my apologies, it’s all a bit fuzzy at the moment. I can’t seem to remember anything further!”
“Tch. You honestly expect us to believe that?” Byakuya shot back. “Next you’ll be telling us the whole memories from a previous life, or some silly little story about your subconscious being linked to the infinite multiverse. There’s a much simpler solution to it than that, I’m sure of it.”
“Togami-kun!” Makoto nearly cried. The male in question scowled at him. “You can’t rule anything out, he obviously thinks it’s important enough to mention!”
Except, his mind isn’t focused on the insult his friend offers but rather his closing statement. Byakuya had always had a flare for messing with things that were already in the unknown, just to make things that much more interesting. He wouldn’t have had any problem in accessing his notebook and why his notes were left clean, rather than crumpled up. The younger Togami had always had a respect for his work ethic. It’s why they had even spoken in the first place!
“ —Wait just a minute, Byakuya,” He accused. “Were you the one that wrote that message in my notebook?”
The baffled looks on all three of their faces confirm that he’s got it all wrong.
“Forget about it…” He muttered, gesturing for them to change the topic before one someone picks up on it.
It only serves to make them even more confused.
“But you really were acting strange yesterday, Taka.” Prompted Makoto. Looking over with concern. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
It catches him off guard for a moment. Makoto has always had that kindness to him, that need to make sure that all his friends know that he cares. It’s not unlike his grandmother, really. Always full of hope and a necessity to make sure everything gets better. He slumps for a moment, pulling his knees close to himself and hugging them to his chest.
“That’s the thing, Makoto!” Kioytaka’s voice rises a notch too high; he tones it down again. “I feel absolutely fine!”
“Maybe it’s just like I was saying before, it could be from the stress! As well as all the stuff you’ve been doing for the school, you’ve got that ritual coming up, haven’t you?”
“Agh! Please do not remind me! ” Kiyotaka cringes, if only for a moment. He’s already dreading the thought of it, but, in order to save his family's name, he knows it’s a must. He can’t bear to let either his grandmother or his father down. “ - I’m so ashamed of myself! I’ve seriously been wishing to leave this place behind for a busy, more lively town like Tokyo! There should be nothing more important to a student like myself than the exact place he learns it all, but my mind keeps on going back there! My apologies, I have clearly been so-.”
“No way! You shouldn’t feel bad about it, Taka…” Makoto smiled. His hands gesture to the environment around them. “There really isn’t much to do here.”
“There’s not a single bookstore.” Kiyotaka sighed, expression downtrodden.
“No arcades or hangouts.” Makoto interjected.
“Everything closes at nine.” Murmured Kyoko.
“No non-chain restaurants. Or partners to take them to…”
“Even the days are extremely short!”
“Hmph. I really hope you’ll stop running your mouth and start moving your legs,” Byakuya warned. Stopping them all iin their tracks. “ --- Why don’t we just go to a cafe, that should stop your insistent whining.”
“A cafe?!” Makoto said in disbelief, taking the words right out of his mouth. “Where...?!”
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“This is what you meant by a cafe…?”
“Tch, like this place would ever have one.”
Byakuya picked up the can he’d purchased from the machine, turning to settle his gaze on the two figures behind him. It wasn’t the smartest of ideas that he had come up with (not that he’d admit that, of course, a Togami heir’s decisions are nothing but successful), but a part of him had wanted the looks of sadness to fall off their faces, even if it was for a better atmosphere…
Kyoko’s attention dropped away from him just for a moment. Resting on the smaller boy kicking up the dirt underneath the bench they were sitting on. Both of them knew he had something to say, but neither of them were really sure how to get him to talk about it. Not without pushing him or making him feel worse about it, at least.
Sometimes they just needed to let him do it on his own.
“It’s just,” Makoto relented, the crestfallen expression from earlier appearing back on his features. “Taka went straight home again...”
“He was very apologetic about the matter.” Kyoko replied. Deductions to the point as always.
Makoto looked briefly up at the hill, or more specifically, the house sitting on it. The others gaze following. “I know, but things must be really hard for him at the moment.”
“Well, he’s forcing himself to take center stage at the moment.” Byakuya replied, though not unkindly. “Even you can understand that everyone’s eyes are on him, it’s not an easy thing to do at all.”
There was a silence as Makoto looked back in on himself. There were a few commonalities between Kiyotaka and Makoto, but the biggest had always been their need to help everyone else first. When Kiyotaka had tried his best to help and support everyone else, Makoto had felt it his duty to help Kiyotaka. It was why everyone else considered best friends, he looked out for Taka more than anyone. To be reminded of how much Kiyotaka was still doing by himself, it must’ve struck a nerve. Byakuya sighs if only for a moment, going to sit beside him.
This could be a very long evening…
“ —Hey, guys?” Makoto questioned.
“Yes?” Byakuya replied. Voice overlapping Kyoko’s hum in response.
“What are you going to do after we graduate?” Makoto’s question stunned them both into silence once more
It’s not the first time any of them have heard it. Both their teachers and their families have been hot on their heels over the topic: What industry would you like to work for? Were your plans short or long term? Do you know how to reach their goals?
Most importantly: where would they lead you?
His plans had been set since birth. His career path before he could even walk, the retirement plan put in place before he’d even been to school. He hadn’t had to worry about what was going to happen in his future as much as ensuring it did, and that was the legacy of the Togami name! He… still felt somewhat bad at the idea of leaving this little town and his friends.
“Where did this come from?” Questioned Kyoko. “Are you thinking about the future again?”
Makoto only nodded.
“Hmph. While it should be obvious to someone like you, I don’t mind repeating myself once,” Byakuya replied. “I’ll be off to Tokyo in order of the Togami name. I will be the next to inherit my father's business and be in control of that corporation until my retirement day comes, and I’ll give it up to an heir of my own.” A harsh truth but the truth nonetheless
“Naegi,” And even Kyoko couldn’t meet the smaller boy's eye. “I have something I need to do, but I can’t promise where that will lead me. I just know that I have to complete it...Hey, Naegi. What about you?”
Makoto laughs. Byakuya’s sure they all know the answer before he says it. “Me? I don’t know… Nothing special, I’ll probably just end up living here with a normal life, as same as ever.”
It’s a topic none of them are ready for, not even counting for Kiyotaka. While they were unsure of everything that came after graduation, both Byakuya and Kyoko had confirmed it, there was a big chance that none of them would remain close, not with all the distance.
They would never be truly prepared for that.
Maybe they would never have to be.
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“Are you sure I should not just do that too?” Celestia mutters, looking over at their grandmother as she wove the threads with practiced ease. “We would finish with this much quicker…”
Kiyotaka braided his own with full concentration. It was a pastime both him and Celestia had been brought up on since they were small, once with their mother and father and, after their mothers passing, now with their grandmother. She had picked it all up where they left off, no questions asked.
Except to their father, right now.
“Focus, Celeste.” She responded, the beginnings of a smile creeping up on her face. “Listen to the thread's voice, when you twine it round and round like this, feelings will start flowing between you and the thread…”
“Threads cannot talk.” Celestia commented as though it wasn’t the most obvious thing in the world.
“She is asking for you to focus, Celestia!” Kiyotaka scowled back. The bobbins clack in response.
Grandmother ignored them both.
“There are thousands of years worth of Kaiseidan’s history etched within these braided chords,” she started. “An incident happened 200 years ago…”
Celestia smiled with a small tilt of her head, “How very interesting…”
“Yamazaki Mayugorou’s bathroom had caught fire due to an unfortunate event with his unlucky neighbour, and all the surrounding areas turned to ash.” Grandmother supplied. “The shrine and all of our old documents were destroyed, this is known as ----.”
“The Great Fire of Mayugorou.” Kiyotaka replied, answering for her.
“They named it after him?” Celestia perked up. “How exquisite.”
“So the meaning of the festivals have become unknown.” Grandmother continued sadly. Kiyotaka quite enjoyed the few that had been set up over the years, being one of the only students who would volunteer to help set them up. He’d already spoken to Makoto about them all attending the next one on the day of the comet. They were just going to come up with a plan closer to the time.
Grandmother sighed. “—But even if the words are lost, the tradition shouldn’t fade. That’s the duty we have, here at the Ishimaru shrine, and it’s why I know you’ll do your best at the ritual tonight.”
The room quiets even further from there.
While their grandmother would always see through these traditions with joy, that opinion wasn’t shared by others. People such as Junko took pride in finding ways to turn rituals into complete embarrassment, despite any of the important meanings or stories behind them, and once she knew where to get someone, there was no chance she’d be letting it go.
Kiyotaka weaves the next thread with care, pushing those thoughts out of his head before they had the chance to cloud this head. This was just as important to him, because it still helped clearing their family name, and it was his grandfather who was the genius that took shortcuts, not him -- he’d just have to prove it to Junko, as well as everyone else!
He was doing the same when it came to his father, anyway. What harm would it be to add another name to the list?
As though sensing his thoughts, his grandmother groaned before she slumped herself forward. Helplessness coming off her body in waves. “Although that son in law of mine,” she said. “As though abandoning our sacred traditions weren’t enough, he’s now into politics? He’s helpless!”
The complaint dries in his throat. Even Kiyotaka knows where his father is tonight; out at the one bar, trying to talk to the Togami’s and the Kirigiri’s of the town. With loud words and boisterous promises, he’s trying to get himself reelected. Not that Kiyotaka thinks he’ll have any problem with it, of course.
He’s got all the confidence in the world for his father, even if such sentiments aren’t returned.
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Crouch slightly and make a turn clockwise. Proceed to turn anticlockwise. Jingle the bell upwards, then down. Let the threads flutter behind it, then ----
“Is that Celestia? She’s all grown up!”
Move closer to Celeste, but do not touch. Move left arm close opposite hers…. Urgh! Stop being so stiff! Move slower…
“They’re both so elegant like their mother…”
A steady hand, the direction against the wind will make the bells jingle. Stop stealing glances that way! Foot pointed outwards, and let the arm follow. Now one final go, turn outwards!
Everything was going perfectly fine with the dance! All their moves had gone on without a hitch! Their grandmother was probably so happy!
Now, if only he could shake off these feelings of inadequacy…
It wasn’t uncommon for Kiyotaka to find himself in front of crowds. Being both a hall monitor and a member of the disciplinary committee meant that he had been the face of many an assembly or meeting. But they had always been about topics he was confident in and his audience had never been so vocal, or faceless for that matter. Despite how long he’d been practicing the entire thing, it still felt like he was doing it for the first time. The new kid in the class, a stranger to everything around him.
But that really wasn’t the case at all, Kiyotaka knew that Makoto was probably out there. With Kirigiri and Byakuya in tow, they had most likely arrived in a show for moral support. Not that they’d be the first to admit it if they didn’t have to. He could feel his grandmother's presence behind him, and even Celestia had wished for the odds to be in his favour. He wasn’t the sort to willingly let them down, despite the weird happenings the day before, he would press forward no matter what!
Kneeling the moment Celestia had, he started moving his hand down to clasp a bit of the rice and place it in his mouth, signalling the end of the more favourable parts of the ritual. As if right on time, the music had gone quieter and the rice mixture was now a paste in his mouth.
All that there was left to do was drool into the box…
“I’d never do that!” A voice in the crowd declared with disgust. It was Junko. Just when he had thought…
“In front of everyone…?” Mukuro responded, clearly in disbelief.
“Upupupupu! How embarrassing…”
Don’t react. Don’t react. Don’t react.
He was almost done.
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“Are you seriously getting worked up about this?” Celestia commented as the two of them walked back towards their house. “There is no point worrying about if some of your classmates saw you, nor what they thought…”
Kiyotaka tried his best not to frown. “If only it were that easy...”
“Is it not? Moments like these will only be a small memory in their minds, unless you choose to make it bigger. An attitude like that is sure enough to bring trouble.” She proposed.
“I suppose you’re right,” Kiyotaka bowed. “My apologies, Celeste!”
“It does not sound as though you are convinced. Is there a problem with what I’ve proposed to you? We will most likely be doing this again in the near future, so you’d better hurry up and get used to that fact.”
He knew she wasn’t wrong, but every word spoken by his sister sunk an even larger feeling of despair in his chest. It had been so easy to convince himself that this would be a one time thing, but in reality it was regular. He just wanted to take a break! A chance to prove himself to the wider country! Somewhere with no traditions or fears or even despair! …
Oh, why couldn’t he have been born a Tokyo boy instead?!
Celestia back stared at him aghast. Had he really just said that out loud? Well, it wasn’t like he was lying… and she’d spoken about the opportunity of forgetting when he didn’t make a big deal out of it, so he’d do just that! Kiyotaka held out his arm as Celestia reached out for it, the both of them now at the bottom of the stairs.
He was just having a bad day, that was all.
It would all be better tomorrow, for sure!