#O22 - Showdown

NOTE:

FROM THIS CHAPTER ONWARDS, THE STORY CONTINUES FROM THE MANGA OF KENGAN ASHURA.

⚠️🚫 MAJOR SPOILERS ARE AHEAD!! PLEASE BE PATIENT FOR THE ENDING CHAPTER OF THIS SERIES IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED 🚫⚠️

The cicadas creaked as the sunlight seeped through the windows. Petrichor filled the air, it was the daylight after late night rain.

The white sheets, you clutched them to cover you up. Was it because you could feel your heart getting heavier by the second? Or was it because you couldn't dare to see your own body that you'd shared with him one last time even when you knew he'd leave the morning after?

You looked at him, but not at his face. Eye contact during this was impossible to even attempt. He was already buckling up his belt, putting his shirt on.

"Thanks for everything, F/N." His unloving voice spoke. 3 years, and it had led to this? You wondered what had gone wrong. What did she have that you didn't? You suffered, drowing in the feeling of inadequacy.

You'd distanced yourself ever since. Your friends tried to comfort you, but even the big pile of encouragement and support people had given you couldn't overtake those 4 simple words.

You were over your highschool love by the time you were in your second year of college, but had you returned the same?

You kept to yourself, speaking only when others came up to you. This was how it was.

You changed your number, only telling the closest of people you knew. Your highschool friends would wonder where you left off to whenever they had gatherings.

You were on your own, moving out as soon as you finished your studies. 'Rotting' felt like the word that could describe your life best.

Working, smoking, repeat.

Until you met Ohma. You wanted to change your ways, come up to someone and talk. Sure, it probably wasn't the best thing to attempt with a stranger, but it had been years. You couldn't tell that anymore.

You two became friends, drew closer and soon you fell in love again. After years of being by yourself, you felt like you could rely on someone. You felt like you could lean your head against their shoulder, close your eyes and leave it up to them so you could finally rest.

But in this moment, you felt you were going to lose it all and return to square one.

The crowd cheered, Sayaka yelled in comment of the fight. Two wrestled, one stared with tears streaming.

"N/N-chan!" Makio called out, hugging you as soon as she got close. Kazuo was right behind her.

"Tokita-san will win! Don't worry!" Her grip on your shoulders tightened. You nodded, giving up on trying to stop yourself from crying and letting your tears flown down.

A bloodbath, a festival of violence. It was Ohma VS. A monster in the eyes of a girl like you.

The dark haired fighter collapsed. He laid still on the floor after taking a hard punch.

Your knees were weak, you would have fallen to the floor if Makio Yamamoto hadn't supported you.

Was he dead? He wasn't moving.

Your mind went blank. It couldn't take in and process this moment. The referee was going to end the match, but Raian refrained him from doing so.

Slowly, he got up.

"No, Ohma, get down! Don't fight! Lose, please!"

You thought. You wanted to yell with the whole capacity of your lungs, pleading with your whole being, but your throat wouldn't let you. You wanted him to lose so he could walk away alive. You wanted him to lose so he would be alright.

Yet, Ohma fought relentlessly. He took and returned punches and kicks, used techniques and gave it his all.

You couldn't bear to see this.

Finally, Raian was down. Ohma mounted him, hitting him on the head heavily.

Then, the struggle from the Kure stopped.

The crowd errupted, Makio cheered and Kazuo fell to his knees. The referee announced the winner to be Ohma Tokita himself.

You were overjoyed, finally breaking out in a sob as you ran to him inside the arena.

He looked at you with a smile as he received you with open arms.

"Ohma, Ohma! I can't believe you!" You cried. He heaved before taking a moment to kiss you, disregarding everyone else's presence and his current physical state.

Sayaka squealed, giddy as the crowd cheered.

You could taste the blood, his lips were slightly swollen and wounded due to the injuries he had withstood. It must have hurt to kiss you, but he did it anyway.

He got up with his hand holding yours. The medical team rushed to his aid but he refused, pulling you with him to walk out, his fingers still intertwined with yours. He wouldn't let go.

"Ohma!! I thought you were going to die!! You worried me so much!!" You sobbed."Calm down, i'm okay." He replied. Oh how good it felt to hear his voice. He embraced you, smelling the scent of your hair that he had buried his face into.

Kaede and Kazuo had their moments with him before you urged him to the clinic. He was planning to not go but you scolded him enough for him to give in and follow your orders.

He laid in the hospital bed as the nurse treated his broken down body.

You stared at him, eyes swollen and red from all the crying.

"Are you okay?" He spoke up and you laughed.

"What's so funny?""You're the one asking me this after you just had a fight?""I mean, i'm okay..."

He looked at you confused. You gave him a soft yet sad smile. You couldn't afford to lose this man. Not now that you had fallen in love.

"Mrs. Tokita, please come back tomorrow. Mr. Tokita needs some rest." The nurse whispered to you. You nodded.

"I'll visit you tomorrow, Ohma.""Where are you going?""Nowhere, you just need to rest.""Okay."

You inched closer to him, giving him a light peck on the cheeks. He pouted, his face asking you to kiss him on the lips. You giggled before planting one on his wounded lips.

"I love you." He said, his voice rough and hoarse yet he said it ever so gently, just enough to make your heart flutter."I love you too."

He rubbed your hand one last time before you softly let go to leave. You closed the door behind you.

"N/N-chan..." Makio spoke. You looked at her sad expression."What's wrong, Makicchi?" You asked her. She pointed at your face."You're crying..."

Suddenly, you felt the moistness of the tears going down your cheeks. Your fingers touched your face.

"Oh, I didn't notice." You sniffled, trying to wipe the tears away, but to no success. They just kept flowing, your heart cracked and ached for each droplet that fell to the floor.

Makio hugged you as you cried on her shoulder, dampening her sleeve.

That night, Makio slept over in your room. She comforted you, listening to your worries about Ohma and the tournament.

The finals had been announced and Ohma was one of the contestants able to make it through. But of cours, with a significant cost.

You had received a call in the middle of the night. The ringtone alerting both you and Makio. You reached for it as it rested on the bedside table, picking up the call.

"Hello..?" You groggily said. Kazuo's voice yelled through the cellular device.

"Y/N, please come to the clinic quickly!!!" He sounded nervous and panicky, his voice brittle and cracking."What, why?" You asked.

"Ohma's fallen into a coma!"