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linkemon · 12 days

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Vivi (Baji Keisuke x Reader)

Friendly reminder that English is not my first language. You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here. Consider supporting me on Ko-fi. You can also check out my commissions if you’re interested.

Other oneshots can be found here.

[ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ] ᴄᴏᴍᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜꜱɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱʜᴇ ꜰᴇʟʟ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙᴀᴊɪ ᴋᴇɪꜱᴜᴋᴇ. ꜱʜᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴘᴇɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪᴍ, ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪꜱ ᴀꜱ ꜱʜᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ…

ᴀᴅᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ:

ᴏɴᴇꜱʜᴏᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴀɪɴꜱ ꜱᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀꜱ.

ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅʟʏ ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ ɪɴ ᴇɴɢʟɪꜱʜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ. ɪ ᴛʀʏ ᴍʏ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ʙᴜᴛ ᴀɴʏ ᴛɪᴘꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇᴅ.

[Reader] looked around the library. Dust particles danced in the bright light streaming from the huge windows. Some students fought over access to computers. The teacher on duty tried to calm them down. Most people, however, sat quietly, with their noses in books. They were cramming for exams. Two people glanced her way quickly from time to time. That's why she always hid in that corner, away from watchful eyes. The rumors about meeting Baji outside of class didn't do her any good. No one close to her approved of this. They heard various things about him, often untrue. They were afraid and rightly so.

She looked at her notebook again that afternoon. She did all her homework. She also managed to study for all the tests. She had nothing left. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the table. She was dying of boredom. How long can you do one exercise? Keisuke has proven to her many times that there are people in the world who are not suitable for mathematics. No matter how much she tutored him, he was hopeless. Many times she wanted to give up but then she remembered his mother. Mrs. Baji fell into despair after her son had to repeat a grade. She didn't want it to happen again, so she actually begged her young neighbour to do something about his hopeless state of knowledge. She didn't have much money but she often cooked her favourite dishes and invited her to dinner. To this day, the girl still doesn't know how she managed to make up for all the gaps in the boy's education. The worst thing was that he really tried. She supervised him at every opportunity. Sometimes, late at night, she saw the lamp on in his room. And yet, he simply couldn't stick certain things in his mind forever.

— What strategy did you use? — [Reader] asked, wanting to break the silence. She couldn't sit like this forever.

— None — Keisuke coughed. — I don't know how to start this task.

— Why didn't you say anything?! — The girl ran her hand over her face resignedly.

— You seemed deep in thought — he replied calmly.

— Take off those glasses. Right now.

She couldn't look at the pair of glasses on his nose anymore. Not only did he not look like himself but his eyesight was also ruined. The guys in the gang told him that if he put them on, he would become smarter. It didn't really work. And certainly not when it comes to school.

— What for? — he asked.

She reached towards him. He had more beautiful hair than herself. She admitted it reluctantly. He wore his long black locks in a ponytail. She pulled the elastic band off, letting them fall freely. He looked very handsome. If he walked like this every day, many students would surely send him love letters. Maybe it was better that only she had the privilege of seeing him like this...

— Standard tactics don't work on you — she said. — When you're getting ready for a fight, you look like you do now. Imagine that these exercises are enemies and you're about to kick their ass.

— How do you know what I look like when I fight? — Baji grinned. — Someone is watching me...

— First of all, I'd be a fool not to look at you. — The boy's reaction was priceless. For a moment he was completely confused. He wasn't used to anyone responding to him like that. Certainly not apart from the people of Tokyo Manji. — And secondly, focus. — She pointed to the notebook.

He cracked his neck and clenched his fist. For a moment, he looked like he was really about to go and kick the young students a few shelves away. Eventually, however, he began to read the text eagerly. He used two large sheets of paper. He drew and scribbled furiously. After a few minutes of scribbling, he gave girl the exercise. It's true that he calculated the delta incorrectly but it was a start. Especially compared to what was before.

— If I do the next task, will you give me a kiss? — His low, gravelly voice sounded somewhere close to her ear.

She knew he was teasing her but it still felt nice. He didn't joke like that with everyone. Keisuke didn't allow women near him at all. Outside of her. And she was very flattered to be the exception.

— We both know you won't do it — She leaned towards him.

The academic level of difficulty was clearly marked with the exercise. While she would have had a chance against it, he would almost certainly have failed at the very start.

— I was hoping you'd care enough to help me. — He laughed. — It's time for me — he announced, getting up from the table.

Toman was probably going to the meeting again. He'll put on a black jacket, get on his bike and go give someone a good beating. It never really scared her. Yes, he could be brutal but he never attacked people who didn't know what they were getting into. She had seen him deal with guys who harassed girls at school more than once. He often saved his younger colleagues from being attacked by nasty bullies. He didn't brag about it at all. He did it after class. Usually, no one recognized him afterward anyway because he looked very different at school and outside of it.

It was no exaggeration to say that she had fallen in love with Baji. He showed her his other, softer side. Like when he held her hair to keep it from falling into the bowl of ramen. Or when he helped her get to class on time because she overslept. And he once even said that if he had to choose one girl and go on a date, it would be [Reader]. The latter was an overheard conversation between him and Chifuyu. Somehow it turned out that she was just returning to her apartment. The boys sometimes liked to sit on the playground near the estate. It was then that the truth dawned on her. It wasn't flirting anymore, it was something else. Some kind of bond that they will probably develop into something more soon. She enjoyed it.

She didn't even notice how much time she spent in the library.

— [Reader]-chan, have you been sitting here all afternoon? — Her friend touched her arm gently.

— Almost — the girl nodded.

Sashimi had been very worried about her lately. She insisted on walking her home. She also often asked them to go out together. She didn't mind, although the frequency with which they did it was starting to tire her a little. In the end, though, [Reader] let her be dragged and they had a good time.

— I thought you were just talking to someone... — Her friend looked worried.

She probably guessed she spent time with Baji. She didn't want to upset her because Sashimi never liked the boy. She had formed an opinion about him a long time ago. Gangs were bad, dangerous and that's it. She would go even crazier knowing that this famous legend goes to the same school.

— You must've misheard. — [Reader] waved her hand carelessly and put her things into her bag. — Let's go.

***

Something banged hard on the window. [Reader] took off her headphones, trying to figure out if she had misheard. The autumn wind sometimes blew a lot of garbage towards her house. Especially on days like this, where the sky looked like it was going to rain any moment.

And yet the sound repeated itself. So she went to the window. She didn't expect to see Keisuke on the other side of the glass at all. A fat black tomcat trotted next to him. He wagged his tail impatiently and mewed loudly. He certainly didn't like this weather.

— How did you get here, Baji-kun? — The girl glanced at him and then down.

She let him inside, feeling the cool breeze of the approaching storm.

— I climbed the tree. — He dusted the small brown leaves off his jacket.

— Where did you leave the motorbike? — She glanced out the window again. There was no sign of his beloved vehicle anywhere.

— One street away. Don't worry, I'm not that stupid. I know your folks don't like me.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Her parents didn't like the boy. They certainly wouldn't be happy to see him. Recently, they clearly reminded their daughter that it was not a good idea to associate with such people. She protested for a long time and eventually they reached a compromise. However, she decided to stay out of their sight for now when the two of them are together. A sudden meeting certainly wouldn't improve the situation now.

— You mentioned you weren't feeling well, so I came. — Keisuke sat down on the soft, plush carpet. He lazily stretched his legs and turned his head towards the ceiling.

[Reader] widened her eyes. She had indeed written him a message but the last time she checked, he had not read it or replied. She thought he wouldn't really care. After all, everyone can have a bad day sometimes. Meanwhile, he escaped from the meeting with the gang. In addition, he made this strange but impressive entrance. She felt stupid. She was wearing unsophisticated, crumpled clothes and funny, old-fashioned slippers. She furtively brushed her hair as he admired the photos in her room, just to look a little more put together.

— Cool slippies. Do you feel like a grandma already? — Her friend grinned.

He seemed genuinely amused by the concept of stuffed cats on her feet.

— Says the guy who wore glasses and thought they would make him smarter... — [Reader] showed him the middle finger.

She felt embarrassed. Not that she didn't like wearing those slippers but now her neighbour certainly wouldn't let her live. He definitely won't miss the opportunity to remind her about it during some tutoring.

— I thought if I brought him back it would make you feel better — Baji nodded at the animal hanging out in the middle of the room.

The fat cat put his head under the girl's hand. She took him onto her lap. She stroked the fluffy ball steadily. The black fur was extremely soft. Baji certainly brushed it. She knew that the boy dealt with stray cats. He devoted what little time he had left from the day to taking care of them. His mother complained about how much fur they left in his room. And also what part of the monthly budget they consume. But she could always be placated. All it took was the pleading looks of a few animals and the promise that her son would start studying. Everything had been going on this way for several years. There were no signs of change.

There was something nice about sitting here with Keisuke in the warmth when it was starting to rain outside. Talking about trivial matters brought peace of mind. Even if they didn't cover any specific topics. His mere presence helped cheer her up.

— Why exactly did you feel bad today? — Baji asked at one point. — Do I need to beat someone up?

She saw in his eyes that he was asking seriously. If someone actually hurt her, he would be ready to go and hit whoever she pointed out. He probably wouldn't even ask what, how or why.

— You don't have to hit anyone. She laughed. After a while, however, she sighed heavily. — I've just had a terrible headache lately and I'm not in a good mood. There is no specific reason.

The boy looked at her carefully, then put his hand to her forehead and immediately took it away.

— What are you doing? — [Reader] looked at him, amused.

— I'm checking for a fever — he said.

She put her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. Still, she snorted quietly. She couldn't help herself.

— You wouldn't be able to check anything by swatting your hand like that! Have you watched some kind of romantic movies?

His face confirmed that yes, he had watched the them. As silly as it was, it was also a bit romantic. Therefore, she spared him further suffering and changed the topic of conversation.

A black kitten was circling the room. At first he acted normal but then he became a bit uncomfortable. He walked around in circles, unable to find a place.

— What is it about? — The girl scratched him behind the ears.

— He probably misses me — Keisuke said.

As if on cue, the animal began to meow. A long wail echoed through the room.

— [Reader], is that a cat? I thought you were talking to someone. — Her mother's voice came from the living room.

She was probably watching TV and the sound only now reached her ears.

— It's just a new ringtone on your phone! — the daughter shouted. — I talked to Sashimi!

She looked pointedly at her guest. They should have been in bed long ago. Tomorrow was another day at school.

— I think it's time for me to go — Baji said, straightening his jacket.

She opened the window. The cat jumped out first, even though it was already starting to rain outside. He meowed goodbye and jumped straight into the tree. Keisuke followed him.

***

[Reader] was walking along a quiet street with Baji. The area was desolate. Few people were out this late in the evening. And certainly not in November. However, the starry sky encouraged them to continue walking. So she pulled her jacket tighter around her, trailing after the boy.

At one point, she saw a familiar, blond hair. It stood out in the grey-brown landscape. The light from the lamps reflected from it from a distance.

— Matsuno-kouhai! — she exclaimed.

The younger colleague turned towards her. Keiji gave her a scolding look. It was supposed to be just the two of them. And now they will have company.

— Good evening, [Reader]-san… — Chifuyu's face showed concern. He stood still for a moment, as if he didn't know what to say. — How do you feel?

He had always been formal with her but probably not that formal. She suspected that he had a crush on her some time ago. However, he felt respect for Baji and that was probably why he tried to suppress his feelings. Since she realized this, she saw him less often. She didn't want to break his heart even more.

— All right. Thanks for asking, although it's a rather strange question. — The older friend smiled slightly.

— You took it the worst of all of us and it seemed to me that… — The unfinished sentence hung in the air.

She noticed with horror that tears were dancing in the corners of kouhai's eyes. He lowered his head and quickly wiped them away.

— What are you talking about? — asked the girl. She felt like she was missing something. As if it was something she should know.

She looked at Keiji. However, he shrugged. Apparently he had no idea what was going on either.

— I don't think we understand what you're talking about.

— We don't? — The boy looked at her with surprise. He seemed genuinely shocked.

— Something's wrong? We have no idea. We were here all evening. — She gave him a worried look.

— [Reader]-senpai, what what kind of we are you talking about? — he asked with a serious expression.

— Me and Baji-kun. Who else do you see here?

Chifuyu's eyes widened for a moment. Like he really couldn't believe something. She didn't understand at all why he had this reaction. He grabbed her shoulders tightly and shook her.

— [Reader]-senpai, Baji-san is dead…

She felt as if someone had hit her. She grabbed her head. Excruciating pain ripped through her skull. As if something was trying to come to the surface. Everything inside her was turning over. She felt like vomiting.

— But... he's here...

She wanted to say that he was still here but when she looked back, she saw no one. Only an empty sidewalk and a few rustling leaves.

— He was here just a moment ago! — she shouted desperately, looking around.

She looked fat the boy in disbelief, feeling something bursting in her head. Some fragments of memories seemed to deform and blur. Was he in the library with her? Did he come to her room? Was she walking with him just now?

— He committed suicide. Less than a week ago. On Bloody Halloween — Chifuyu said in a quiet, pained voice. — You were with me at his funeral. You are standing in front of a cemetery. — Matsuno hugged her tightly.

She looked uncertainly to her right. He was right. Her legs brought her here. There was a gate in front of her. And beyond, there were rows of tombstones, decorated with flowers and incense sticks. Slowly everything came back to her. The sight of his cold, lifeless body. A gentle smile on his face as she said her final goodbyes to the corpse. His mother's despair as he was cremated. These senseless condolences from all my loved ones. As if they were going to bring him back to life.

— It's not true! — she protested.

She sobbed. His black jacket was darkened by the tears that dripped profusely down her face. She felt snotty. She sniffled again and again. The lights of the lamps were blurring more and more. The boy pulled her towards him. He held her very tightly and she knew he was crying too, although more quietly. She howled with shock and anger. To the world for being so damn unfair. At herself for not noticing anything. At Baji for leaving and not thinking about how she and his mother would feel. At Hanemiya because he was the one who pushed him to do this. And also on Tokyo Manji because they were shitty friends. Everyone was guilty. And now there was nothing that could be done about it because there was no way to turn back time.

She blinked hard. She thought she saw Keiji for a brief moment. With his cheeky smile, on a motorbike and a black cat next to him.

— Don't go — she sobbed.

***

[Reader] took out Peyoung Yakisoba from the bag and handed Chifuyu the chopsticks. They ate in silence. This became their ritual. Ever since their friend left, they kept their promise. They left him his favourite dish according to his last wish. They emptied the package halfway and then placed it on the monument. They hoped he would like it.

The woman extended her hand towards Matsuno. He grabbed her and squeezed it tightly. They didn't give up. Even though everyone around seemed to have come to terms with Baji's death. They were still working. With each passing day they were getting closer to getting rid of Kisaki. Revenge became, as it were, their driving force. And yet, somewhere in these negative feelings, there was also room for love.

For a long time, they wondered what Keiji would say if he saw their relationship. He would probably laugh and say he was jealous. But then he would wish them luck. She knew it. If it weren't for this feeling, they certainly wouldn't have decided to do all this.

She had support in the man walking by her side. He understood her better than anyone else.

— So where are we going for dinner today? — [Reader] asked.

— I have no idea. There will probably be a lot of food at the board meeting but I wouldn't want to eat at the same table with them. We'll figure something out when I get back. — Matsuno wrapped his arms around her waist and they moved towards the tall building towering over the entire city.

#baji keisuke x reader #tokyo revengers x reader #matsuno chifuyu x reader #oneshot x reader #vallhalla #angst #spoilers

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