Mrs. Hanagaki goes up to her son's room, fully expecting to find the boy still fast asleep. Lately, he clings to his bed like glue, and it usually takes calling him over and over before he finally gets up. Yet this morning, when she opens the door, he is already dressed neatly, his hair tidy, everything prepared and ready.

"Mom, you're here."

The boy smiles at her sweetly. Mrs. Hanagaki looks at her son for a long moment before she finally smiles back and speaks.

"I've finished the paperwork. I've been discharged, so let's go home."

"Yes, Mom!"

She turns her back to leave. Only then does Michi quietly let out a sigh of relief. Acting gentle like Takemichi is not that hard - he just needs to rein in his usual arrogance and sharp edge, and that's enough. Michi has always been confident in his acting skills. Still, facing someone who can also be called his mother makes him feel a little tense.

There was that one time before, when he foolishly mocked the food she cooked, saying it tasted bad. Back then, he only wanted to mess with Takemichi and get him into trouble. After that incident, Takemichi wrote a long, detailed list full of threats and warnings for him. So now, Michi definitely does not have the guts to behave improperly in front of Mom anymore.

Suddenly thinking back, Michi has to admit that he and Take completely turned Takemichi's life upside down. And yet, Takemichi endures and persists with both of them. Deep down, they both know how hard it is for Takemichi to accept the existence of two other selves like them. In the past, Takemichi did not have the financial means, so seeing a psychiatrist was difficult. Later on, after becoming the leader of Black Dragon, money is no longer an issue - but Takemichi never brings it up, not even once.

Take and Michi do not suddenly turn into well-behaved kids who stop causing trouble. Their cruel nature, mixed with a wild, untamable ferocity like that of a feral horse, is slowly softened by Takemichi's everyday actions.

It starts with him indulging Michi's constant complaints. When the two of them gain control of the body, they are genuinely stunned to see that all the bathroom items - toothbrushes, cups, face towels, bath towels - are brand new. They never answer the list of questions Takemichi gives them, questions meant to help him understand them better. In the end, he buys things based purely on his own intuition, and by coincidence - or perhaps not - they turn out to be exactly what the two of them want.

Takemichi's once-messy room also begins to change, little by little, taking on the colors and atmosphere that both of them like. It becomes a fusion of all three personalities. The small reminders written in his diary show his hope that they can blend into his life. His quiet attentiveness and subtle care gradually weaken their resistance.

The moment they finally write down their answers on the list Takemichi gives them is the moment they silently admit that they have already been conquered by him.

That time, Michi does not expect that violent bastard to give in so early.

"Can you at least pretend to be aloof a bit longer? You fall for Takemichi this fast."

"Oh please. I'm still better than someone who's clearly obsessed, always picking fights just to get attention. Be honest - don't you do all that because you're afraid that after I show up, Takemichi will pay more attention to me than to you?"

Someone is left speechless.

Their Nth argument.

Winner: Take.

And it does not stop there. Takemichi does far more than they ever expect. That list of questions is never written for nothing. Every time they are about to surface, there are signs beforehand - signals that Takemichi always picks up on. And so, the day before, he asks his mother to cook the dishes they like, so that whenever they appear, they can enjoy those meals.

Takemichi is not a boy who likes flowers or plants, yet on his study desk sits a small potted flower, bought for Michi - even though Michi never once mentions it. Takemichi is clumsy, and on top of that, he has piles of work that never seem to end. Even so, he still takes careful care of that little plant.

Takemichi is also not someone who loves paintings. The concept of art never existed in his life before. But when he finally has a bit of money, instead of buying something for himself, he goes out and buys two paintings - one of the sea, and one of a vast field of flowers. Both are places they love.

"We can't let you two go to those places right now. When everything is over and there's a chance, you can go then. These paintings are really beautiful. They make it feel like you've already set foot there."

That is the message Takemichi leaves for them.

Later on? He still thinks about a future that includes their existence? Shouldn't he wish for them to disappear as soon as possible, so he can live his own life properly?

And yet, just like that, they become part of his life.

Sometimes, they wish they have real bodies of their own. If that happens, the three of them can be like friends - like brothers - standing side by side. Freer. Not just fragmented selves trapped inside one body like this.

When another personality appears, it means the person longs for a life like that.

"I hate pain. I hate being hurt. And I want to be loved."

So he does not want to endure pain or injury. He always longs to receive love. And yet, why does he keep enduring such physical and mental suffering? Why does he keep blaming himself like this? It is not his fault. Why does he place all the blame on himself? Hey - stop it. Pay attention to yourself. Take care of yourself. Do you feel lonely? No one loved you in the past.

It's okay. I am here for you.

"I hate weakness. I want power. I want to stand at the top."

So you do have ambition for strength, don't you? You want to be the strongest. You want to be the one at the top. You want to be the one who creates an era.

That is why I am here.

You want power. I will give you power.

"We will put that person back in his rightful place."

"Takemichi."

Mrs. Hanagaki's voice pulls Michi out of his thoughts.

"Yes, Mom?"

"I don't have time to go to the market today, so for lunch I can only make tonkatsu and miso soup. Tonight I'll make sukiyaki hot pot, okay? Or do you want sashimi?"

Tonkatsu and sukiyaki are both dishes Michi likes. Sashimi is Take's favorite.

Michi freezes for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing across his face as he looks at Mrs. Hanagaki. She simply gives him a gentle smile. Takemichi's smile toward his mother looks quite similar - both give off an incredibly warm feeling. Michi meets her eyes and understands.

"I want sashimi for dinner, please." There is a faint trace of regret in his voice.

"Alright. Then I'll make sukiyaki another day."

Takemichi "wakes up" around midnight. When he realizes he is in his own room, he feels a little dazed. So the two brats use his body today? Normally there are signs beforehand, but this time, he feels nothing at all. Takemichi thinks maybe his mind is just too exhausted, and he loses consciousness, "falling asleep" and letting the two of them take over. It's the same as those times they appear suddenly - always when his mental state is unstable. He wonders if anything happens today.

Takemichi checks his diary.

There are messages from both Michi and Take. Today, the two of them even take turns properly.

"First, this morning I meet your best friend, and I don't do anything to him, so you don't need to worry and go ask about his health, okay? Second, Takemichi nii-chan, please stop hurting yourself like that. It hurts a lot, you know. Just taking a bath makes my hands sting. If Mom sees it, you're dead. And lastly, if you buy skincare products, don't wait for me to use them, alright? At least use face wash. It hasn't gone down at all since the last time I use it."

Takemichi lets out a helpless smile. Well... they really do behave better now, but when it comes to nagging him, they never let that go. It's been a long time since he last got scolded like an idiot.

"Sashimi is very good."

Take's message is as blunt as ever. He even gets to eat sashimi - sure enough, as soon as Mom's son comes home from the hospital, she becomes extra generous. Take really benefits this time, getting his favorite dish right away. The food goes into Takemichi's stomach, yet he doesn't even know how it tastes - that's the truly painful part. Still, the fact that Take bothers to write a comment like that means the kid is in quite a good mood.

So it has been some time since those two personalities appear in his life - not too long, but not short either. There are plenty of troubles, yes... but those two brats have their own kind of charm, too.

Takemichi has no brothers or sisters. Being an only child has its comforts, but it also has its loneliness. There are times when he looks at families where siblings laugh and rely on one another, and he feels a quiet sense of envy - of course, excluding the Shiba household. And now, thanks to those two brats, he feels as if he has two younger brothers of his own. Thinking of this, Takemichi smiles as memories of the three of them surface. But that smile quickly turns bittersweet.

We can't stay like this forever.

Takemichi lets out a soft sigh, writes a few lines in his diary, then closes it and carefully places it back into his desk drawer. His thoughts return to what lies ahead. The current situation has completely veered away from the past he knows, going far beyond his expectations.

Takemichi cannot predict what Kisaki plans to do next. That genius is surely more cautious with him now. In the past, Takemichi prevents Kisaki from entering Toman not only to stop him from tearing the gang apart from within or manipulating Mikey, but also to keep his distance. If Kisaki gets too close, Takemichi fears that his actions will make the man suspect his ability to time-leap. In his previous life, Kisaki truly notices it.

He wants to draw Kisaki's attention, but never let him fully understand him.

Takemichi wants the delinquent world to talk about him - the more conflicting rumors, the better. He wants to flood Kisaki, who believes he understands Takemichi's true nature better than anyone, with distorted information, so he can confuse him, disrupt his judgment, and outmaneuver him.

Up until now, everything runs smoothly and allows Takemichi to stay ahead of Kisaki because he has the advantage of knowing the future. But now, that advantage is gone. Kisaki can already vaguely guess that Takemichi possesses some kind of special ability. He will definitely prepare a countermeasure. Letting him escape that time is a massive failure in Takemichi's plan.

Takemichi raises his hand. What happens recently makes him more aware of his own power. In the past, he can see the future - but how does he use this ability in the way he wants? If he can activate it at will, he will become far stronger. Nothing will fall outside his control anymore. And he will surely grasp a future where everyone is happy.

Takemichi clenches his fist. He doesn't even realize how much calculation and cold resolve now sit on his face. His eyes gleam - deep, sharp - burning with an intense desire for power.

"If one grows strong enough, then darkness is bound to be born."