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Baji Keisuke was the prime example of a delinquent. He would destroy public and private property, get into fights, even had a position in one of the, if not already the, best gangs in all of Tokyo. Dying in one of their brawls wasn't a surprise. At least, that's what the people whispered at the funeral.
In front of his sobbing mother, they'd appear sympathetic and even shed a few tears. Behind her back, they'd start saying things like "He deserves it." Idiots, the lot of them. You'd have to be stupid to think she didn't hear them all.
Unfortunately, the members of the Tokyo Manji Gang were forbidden to even step upon the funeral grounds. Mikey and Chifuyu had been the ones to deliver the bad news to Baji's poor mother. It was only logical that she took out her grief and anguish on them.
Of course, you knew it wouldn't last long. Baji really did have it coming to him. You've been worried about something happening to him for a long time, and now, the worst of your fears have come true.
What did you mean to Baji, anyway? You were just two enemies-turned-friends. You've been arguing with him ever since Mitsuya introduced you to Toman. His mother glanced at you as you paid your respects. She'd known you as that nice girl that who'd help tutor Baji along with Chifuyu, but she always had an inkling you were so much more to him.
After all, it wasn't everyday her son brought a girl home. Well, her hunch was right. You were so much more- you could have been so much more.
Your feelings for Baji changed throughout the years. Maybe it was puberty, or you could have just fallen in love with him. Regardless of the reason, Baji felt the same way about you. He let you know before he went of and joined Valhalla. But that memory's for a different time.
Right now, you were looking out your window. It was the same one you'd look out from to see Baji's stupid smile after he'd gone and lit another person's car on fire; the same one you'd bid him goodbye from after he gave you a ride home. Contrary to belief, Baji wasn't the type to secretly climb into your bedroom late into the night for some "fun." No, that nerd could never. His mom raised him well enough for him to know that he wasn't getting any girlfriends properly that way. You two didn't rendezvous the way Romeo and Juliet did, but you still thought the both of you resembled the couple.
Baji was Romeo. The first time you called him that, he proudly told you, "That prince from Cinderella, right? Hah! See, I do know some things." You shook your head and laughed, telling him that he was dumb. That memory never failed to make the both of you laugh. Until now, that is.
Now, Baji Keisuke was gone. Tears streamed down your face as you recalled all the wrong answers he'd give you during his tutoring sessions. Honestly. he was so much smarter than people made him out to be. You didn't know a lot about Toman, but you did know that there were some shady things going on behind Mikey's back. Baji could hide it all he wants, but it was obvious he was worried about the gang's president's safety. It was why he died. He did it to protect those he loved.
Looks like he didn't love you.
"You really are stupid, Romeo." You wiped at the endless stream of tears running down your cheeks. "We were supposed to die together. That's how the story goes. But why'd you have to go and stab yourself like Juliet? You can't be both of them! How's it gonna be a love story that way?" At this point, you were laughing and crying hysterically. If there was one thing the both of you got right, it was the genre of the story- your love was tragic.
"You were so eager to die for them," you breathed out, looking at the empty sky above you, "Why couldn't you have lived for me? Why couldn't you have lived with me?" The last question came out in a whisper. It was lost in the tranquility of the night.
Baji would always be your Romeo, but you could never be Juliet. Fate just wouldn't let you have it.