A/N: Awww, I just friggin love Shouko/Yuuji so much 3 This couple is just too sweet :D

I admit, I started this without remembering there was a Yuuji/Shouko episode in season 2 on their background, so when I rewatched season 1 episode 7, bunnies leapt at me when Yuuji said "what happened back there was just an accident" or something like that, and I'm think ~something big must have happened!~ and then I remembered there was season 2, so I had to frantically changed a few details in my plot, since the second season implied that the 'whatever happened back there' was just the bullying incident..

Anyhow, my point is that you're probably gonna wonder when this was set as you read, so I'll tell you now. It's probably set shortly after the bullying/ep 7 incident and before Yuuji first told Shouko about the year of Taika Reform.

Chapter 1

Desperate violet-brown eyes caught pale brown-blue ones. Struggle as he might, he just couldn't break free of their hold to reach her.

-x-

"Yuuji… you've been so quiet lately, is everything alright?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine," was the muttered reply. Shouko Kirishima's shy gentle words were barely heard; her concern did not reach Yuuji Sakamoto's attention.

Frowning, Shouko bit her lip, her brown-blue eyes filled with worry. If any bystanders were to spot the two young children walking home by the river, they would see a picture painted with adorableness, but even the sunset could not make up for the tense atmosphere that surrounded the two. The whole day, Yuuji remained silent as he worked through his class tasks; remained silent as he ignored the sensei's teachings and stared out the window; remained silent as he sat by the corner himself in the classroom, thinking about something. And now, he remained silent as he walked home with his best friend.

"It's yesterday's tests, isn't it?" Shouko piped cheerfully. "You're right to be worried, I'll definitely come first place this time!"

Yuuji turned to Shouko slowly. "Huh.. Tests? Oh right, the one on history… nah, I'll be fine on that one."

Shouko scratched her head. They resumed walking in silence; Yuuji had never reacted in such a indifferent manner to the idea that someone could surpass him in grades. Yuuji was too proud to be so uncaring towards the fortnightly tests.

Biting her lip, she wrapped her arms around his, and leaned her head towards him, "Let's go to the park together again".

"Huh? Oh.. The park?" Shouko did not fail to notice the panic in his voice, and the sudden paleness on his normally smug face. "I- I'll have to pass today. In fact, I'm going to go this way today, I feel like a walk…"

Shouko turned to look at the direction Yuuji pointed at; if he was to follow the road, it would take him another 30 minutes before he got home, but Yuuji made it obvious in his actions that he wanted to be home as soon as possible. With a wave of his arm as goodbye, he walked off without another word. Shouko remained silent as she watched him walk away, until at last, she could no longer hear his footsteps. The sigh finally escaped her lips.

After the events last week, when Shouko got involved in a bullying incident and Yuuji stood up for her, their friendship had established, but only in so much. Shouko did not miss the fact that Yuuji allowed her to get so close to him as to cling onto his arm, nor did she find it normal that he didn't snap at her during the whole day.

It was another ten minutes before she reached the playground, but without Yuuji, she had no intentions of stopping there. Sparing but a glance, she looked at the children playing on the familiar faded red slide, the girl by the swing pushing a younger boy, the twin boys swing on the monkey bars, and the group of children from her school running around playing tag. Seeing a wave of hazel-brown hair fly past, Shouko instantly recognised the sister of her classmate. Meaning to say hi, she took a step towards her, only to feel a tap on her shoulder.

Shouko turned around sharply, and found herself face to face with a much taller and older boy with a strong build. His face was framed by short, spiky blue hair with cold grey eyes that sent shivers down her spine. It didn't help that his broken nose proved that he was well experienced in fights. His school uniform told that he was from Yamahashi High School, the infamous school full of delinquents. Shouko shrunk back, realising this was most likely the troublesome past student from her school rumoured to have bribed the teachers in order to graduate.

When she took a step back, she felt another presence at her back; turning to look, she realised the new arrival was one she recognised. He was thin, but tall, his blue-round glasses flashed with menace. His tall nose and firm face would have classified him as handsome, if it weren't for the scowl that plastered on his face at that moment. He was one of them. One of the sixth graders; the bullies she encountered last week.

She turned her back away from him and slowly edged back, until she slowly backed up towards a wall. Her eyes darted around nervously, eyeing the many punks that had come to gather around. She recognised another sixth grader for her school, his spiky chestnut hair helped Shouko remember him as the leader of the three boys that she confronted in the incident. Counting quickly, there were about fifteen boys on the scene - all of them older and bigger than her.

Shouko slowly took a deep breath and reached her hand into her back pack. She wrapped her fingers around what seems to be her phone and took it out. Hiding the phone behind her back, she slowly pressed the buttons to call Yuuji. Having memorised it, she didn't even need to look as the muscle memory in her fingers took action. Pressing the call button, she felt around for the loud speaker button; until pain engulfed her hand as a thug swiped her phone from her fingers.

Pressure gripped her shoulders as she felt the presence of another thug another thug by her side.

"Oh no, don't you dare," cried one hoodlum.

"Your boyfriend won't be able to save you this time," sneered another.

Before she could even muster a scream, the boys grabbed hold of her arm with one hand, put the other over her mouth and lead her down the road, further and further away from her help. She eyed the phone that lay dropped on the phone and struggled to get free to no avail. She could only walk uselessly with the thugs as she let a droplet of tears streak down her pale cheeks.

Yuuji…
Save me…
Please!