Jack's fist slammed into Yusei's face. Stars burst into his vision, and when his senses returned he found himself lying in the rain-drenched alleyway. The bright side of the current storm was that the rain washed away the blood on Yusei's face quickly. The downside was that it wouldn't wash away the bruise that would show itself all too soon. He didn't want Aki to worry about him. She had enough on her plate.

Yusei looked up at Jack. "Why?" he said, his voice choked. "Why did you do it?"

Jack shrugged casually. "Well, it's not like our savings were doing anything. What's the point in saving up if we never spend it? Why be dirt poor and live like scum when we can actually do something with the money we have?"

"You mean throw it away? That trade you made is not an investment, it's a gamble - no. It's not even that. What are we going to do now?" Yusei slowly stood up again using the wall for support. The world seemed to spin and tilt. He felt nauseous.

"More like what are you going to do. I'm through with you and your cowardice," Jack spat before turning and walking away. It wasn't long before he disappeared behind the grey veil of rain.

Yusei stared after him, numb. He didn't know what to think, what to do. They had been best friends since they were kids. They'd grown up together. How could Jack do this?

Yusei sighed. He had to get back to the shop. There was no one else to run it now. Just him. As he began to walk, he was hit by more dizziness. His lunch come up, and he let it out onto the alley floor. There was nothing but trash here. No one would mind. Yusei hacked and coughed until the sick was all gone, and then he spat for good measure. Today was going wonderfully.

He leaned against the wall again, waiting for the world to stop spinning so much. Now that Yusei thought about it, he and Jack had been growing apart for a while. Ever since Kalin had died and Crow sent to prison, Jack hadn't been the same. It had hurt Yusei so much, but Jack had kept up a stoic front. Still, Yusei could tell. Jack gradually became cold and distant. He stopped reaching out to people. He stopped trusting. Every man for himself had begun to be his motto, but Yusei had always believed he would be the exception. Apparently not. And he didn't know what to do. All he knew was that his head hurt and he wanted food.

As Yusei started to walk, his head throbbed and the world tilted again. He clutched his head and grimaced. He must be in worse shape than he thought. Home is on the other side of the city, in the slums - too far away considering he probably has a concussion. The New Domino City University campus wasn't too far away though, and Aki lived on campus there.

Yusei took a few deep breaths to steady himself. Then he gingerly made his way out of the alley and onto the street. It was dusk, and with the rain it was even darker, but there were still a fair few people going on their way up and down the sidewalks. All of them involved in their own business. Yusei knew he was walking strangely, never mind that he was Satellite scum in the Tops of New Domino. He did his best to ignore peoples' glances. As he went on, focusing became more difficult. He consciously controlled his breathing to keep himself level. One step after another. The nausea settled back into his stomach, but thankfully the breaths helped with that. Slightly.

The university was as flash and polished as the rest of the Tops suburb. Stainless steel, crystal glass, and precisely placed lights made the buildings of its campus a work of art. Given the late hour and the pouring rain, it was deserted. On this Friday evening all the students must be indoors studying or, more likely, drinking. It gave Yusei an odd feeling. He'd never seen this place so empty.

The college dorms were at the rear of the university, so Yusei hobbled his way through the empty buildings. Some of them still had their lights on, with a cleaner or two sullenly doing their jobs.

Yusei reached the dorms. The door to the building was propped open. He walked right in. There were loud voices, sounds of fun and lightness coming from several rooms. A muffled voice said something. Muffled laughing erupted right after. The warmth of it cracked his icy numbness. It began to thaw and tears threatened to fall. He took another deep breath, forcing it back. No tears. Not until he's alone. Not until he's with Aki.

After ascending two flights of stairs to the third story, Yusei's heading throbbed madly. He felt sick, but there was nothing to throw up. He stumbled his way to Aki's door. Room 325. He knocked urgently on her door.

The door opened. Akiza stood there in her pyjamas with a puzzled look that quickly became worried. Then she saw the bruise.

She pulled him in and shut the door. "Yusei! What happened? Are you alright? You need ice on that." Akiza grabbed a bag of frozen peas from her mini-fridge/freezer and gently held it against Yusei's head. He winced at it. "Is there are cut?" Akiza continued rambling. "I see some blood. How are you feeling?"

Yusei held the frozen peas in place and sat heavily on Akiza's bed. He sighed just as heavily. Akiza sat down beside him, worried eyes searching his face.

Yusei took a few moments to collect himself, then breathed in to speak. "Jack stole our savings and put it into a stock that's going to fail." He kept his eyes fixed ahead. "All the money I had. Gone." Yusei's voice broke on the last word.

Akiza placed a gentle hand on his arm. She didn't say anything. She was already getting the grips of how Yusei's heart worked. Of what would probably happen next. She didn't pressure him. Waited one moment. Then another.

The tears came on their own, with quiet, gentle sobs that wrenched Akiza's heart. But all she could do was hold him. He didn't resist.

Akiza held Yusei as he cried. She felt the soft sobs that racked his body and held him tighter, thinking maybe if she squeezed him tight enough she could make it all better.

"It's going to be okay, Yusei. I'm here."

Shortly after, the crying stopped, and Yusei sat up again, wiping his face dry. Akiza missed his warmth already.

"First, I need to look at your head," she said.

Yusei nodded seriously. "Of course, Dr Izinski."

Akiza swatted him. "I'm not a doctor yet, don't call me that." Still, she smiled. Then she frowned. The open wound, now drying, was on the right side of Yusei's face - opposite to the bruise that coloured his left cheekbone. It was actually a minor laceration that didn't even require stitches, but because it was on the scalp, there was a lot of blood now dried on the side of Yusei's face. Also, he might have some degree of concussion.

"How are you feeling? Any headache?"

"Yeah, a pretty major one. You wouldn't happen to have any aspirin, would you?"

"I have acetaminophen." Akiza fetched it from her bathroom. Two pills, which she proffered to Yusei along with a glass of water. "What's the headache like?"

"Just really dull and throbbing."

"I assume it came with the injuries?"

"Yeah, it did," said Yusei dryly.

Akiza made a mental note of that, then put it aside. "Do you have any blurred vision? Or double vision?"

"None."

"Dizziness?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. I can hardly walk straight, and I still feel sick."

"Have you vomited?"

"Once."

"What colour was it?"

"Normal colour. Aki, it's fine. I just need a rest," Yusei said with a wry smile.

Akiza ignored him. "Any numbness or tingling?"

This time Yusei laughed. "I'm fine. I promise."

Akiza frowned. "I had to be sure. So," her voice became gentler, "what happened?"

The mirth drained from Yusei's face. He sighed. "It's not entirely Jack's fault.

"It started a few weeks ago, when he first mentioned the idea of taking a risk with what we'd scrounged away over the years. Since mechanic work doesn't pay well in the Satellite sector, it had taken too many years, and for less money than we'd have liked. Still, we had a safety net, just in case we ever ran into trouble. But we've always been careful, or lucky. Or both. We've never had to dip into it.

"That's why Jack brought up the idea. We never seem to use it, which means it might as well not even be there. I disagreed. Rainy day money gave us some security, you know? Even though we barely got by with what we made, at least if something happened we'd survive until we got on our feet again.

"But Jack was getting sick of it. He started to see it as cowardice, and he stopped seeing our life as living. 'How can you call yourself alive when you have no passion?' he said. 'If we never even try for what we dream of, we might as well be dead.' And honestly, that inspired me. I chased up research opportunities. I've nailed down an internship at an energy company. But I refused to spend our savings.

"That was the last straw for Jack. I woke up this morning with an email notifying me of the transaction he made, using every penny in our savings account. I confronted him after uni today. He dragged us into an nearby alley because he didn't want his high-flying law and business friends spotting him associating with Satellite scum."

"But isn't he also from Satellite?" asked Akiza.

Yusei chuckled. "Yep. Ironic, isn't it?

"Anyway, I didn't take well to him dragging me. I asked that he reverse his trade. Sell the stock. He refused, and I might have panicked a little, so I shoved him and requested - no - demanded that he sells. That's when he punched me."

Akiza absently reached a hand to the bruise on Yusei's face.

Yusei winced.

"Sorry! Sorry, go on."

Yusei smiled. "It's okay.

"Besides, that punch put me in my right mind again. I asked why he took the money. He told me, and then he left me there in that alley. Also that punch hurt more than I realised. I didn't think I'd be able to make it home tonight, so I came here."

Akiza smiled. "I'm glad you did. You need to rest and recover."

"I should, but what am I going to do? How am I going to pay the rent for my shop? How am I going to eat?" Yusei groaned. "I have to get back, anyway. I don't want anyone robbing the shop."

Akiza shushed him and placed a finger on his lips. "Leave all that for tomorrow. Just rest now."

"But- "

"For me. Please?"

Yusei held her gaze for a second, then sighed. "You know I can't say no when you do that."

Akiza smirked. "That's why I do it. You take the bed. And ice your head, Yusei." She grabbed the frozen peas and shoved it into Yusei's hand.

"Yes, ma'am," said Yusei, "although I can sleep on the floor. You keep the bed."

"No, Yusei, you have a concussion! Just get in the bed!"

"I promise I'll ice my head if you take the bed."

"You were going to ice your head anyway though."

Yusei held Akiza's hand and gazed solemnly into her eyes. "Please, Aki. Do this. For me."

Akiza opened her mouth, then closed it, a slight blush on her cheeks. After a moment, she huffed. "Fine! Sleep on the floor, I don't care."

Yusei burst out laughing.

"What? What's so funny?"

"That. It works every time."

"Whatever. I'm going to sleep." She threw a pillow and a blanket at Yusei. "There."

"But don't you need a blanket too?"

"Just sleep, okay? Worry about everything tomorrow." Akiza gave a reassuring smile.

Yusei smiled back. "Alright. Goodnight." As he lay there on the carpet, his mind wouldn't stop whirring. Jack. Money. Logistics. Meal planning. Food. Craving. The smell of Aki's hair. It wasn't long before she returned from the bathroom and turned off the lights, and the pitch black made all of his thoughts louder. Yusei heard mattress springs creak as Aki got into bed. He heard her toss and turn a few times. Yusei zeroed in on every sound, hoping to distract himself. After a while, the thoughts began to slow. He felt himself relax a little. And only when he heard Aki's deep slumbering breaths, the sounds of someone right there with him, did he relax entirely and fall into the darkness of sleep.