"A Bloody Halloween What If..."

It was supposed to be a night of celebration, the Halloween festival at the heart of Tokyo, where the members of Toman and their rival gangs would try to prove who truly owned the streets. But for Baji, this night was anything but ordinary. The tension between the two gangs was thicker than usual, and everyone could feel it. As the night wore on, his best friend Chifuyu could tell that something wasn’t right. He had known Baji long enough to see the shadows lurking in his eyes, a premonition of danger. Baji had been acting strange all evening, and when the fight broke out between the gangs, it only escalated.

Despite the chaos, Baji and Chifuyu fought side by side, each protecting the other as always. But what Chifuyu didn’t know, what Baji had begged him not to reveal, was the secret Baji kept to himself: a member from the rival gang had specifically been targeting him, knowing that taking him out would break Toman. With every move, Baji could feel the danger drawing closer, but he wasn’t going to let his friends suffer because of him. In a desperate attempt to save himself, he did the unthinkable—he stabbed himself before the rival gang member could land the fatal blow.

By the time the chaos had settled and the fight had ended, Baji had already passed out from the pain and blood loss. The members of Toman immediately panicked. The last thing anyone wanted was for their beloved Baji to die, especially under such circumstances. Chifuyu’s eyes went wide with horror as Baji’s limp body was dragged away by their friends, trying to save him, but it was clear the situation was grave. They rushed him to the hospital, but Chifuyu couldn’t bear to tell you, Baji’s girlfriend and his closest confidant, about what had truly happened. He promised Baji he would keep the truth from you, and the guilt ate him up inside.

You had no idea something was wrong. That night you had been waiting for Baji, excited to celebrate together. But when the hours dragged on and you didn’t hear from him, your worry only grew. It wasn’t until the morning after that Draken showed up at your door. His face was grim, a shadow of concern hanging over his usually calm demeanor. “It’s Baji,” he started, but the words didn’t seem to come out. Instead, he simply took your hand and led you to the hospital. Every step felt heavier, your heart pounding in your chest. Something had happened, something bad.

When you arrived at the hospital, you were led to Baji’s room, where you saw him lying unconscious, pale, and hooked up to monitors. The sight nearly broke you. Tears welled in your eyes as you rushed to his side, clutching his hand, your breath catching in your throat. Chifuyu stood behind you, his face ashen, unable to meet your gaze. He had kept his promise to Baji, but seeing you now, he regretted the secret he’d kept. You turned to him, your voice shaking. "What happened?" you asked. Chifuyu could only whisper, “He saved himself... so we could save him. He didn’t want you to know.”