CHAPTER 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Hajime no Ippo...

Onwards...

XOXOXO

The grass was soft and comfortable as Ippo reclined on his back in the open field beside the high school he attended. He had his arms behind his head and his eyes on the endless blue sky. He'd decided to skip lunch, opting to take a break at his personal hideaway. No one really came out into the field, not even the delinquents from the neighboring high school. Ippo cringed as he thought about the rough and brash students from Otowa High, who were always itching for a fight. He was glad he attended Otowa Prep, which was strictly for what most would call the "regular" students, who wanted to learn and didn't have fighting on the brain twenty-four hours of the day. He was glad, but it wasn't as if it made much of a difference which school he attended since the delinquent school was a mere fifty meters away from his own.

Ippo sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun washing over his face. He had a feeling that his handful of friends were looking for him since he'd disappeared without notice, but he hoped they wouldn't mind. Miyata-kun probably would; he always did. He was so temperamental, but he was also Ippo's best friend. He had his good points too. Ippo grinned as he thought of his small, rag-tag group of friends. There was Umezawa-kun, who was a third-year student and a mangaka hopeful; there was Kobashi-san, who was also a third-year student, but who wanted to be an investigative reporter; and lastly, there was Kumi-san. He blushed a little. He knew the brunette had a crush on him, but what could he tell her? She was a nice girl, but he wasn't interested.

"Well, well, if it ain't a Preppy."

Ippo's eyes flew open. He lay there, heart racing as he heard a rough voice speaking from directly behind him. Why the hell was a delinquent around here? They never came out to the field. Ippo slowly sat up and gathered his school bag before carefully climbing to his feet. He didn't want to make any sudden movements that might set the guy off. Once he was standing, he glanced around and was dismayed to find that he was being surrounded by at least five guys.

Shit.

He nervously straightened his tie and the sleeves of his white, short-sleeved school shirt. What was he supposed to do? Maybe if he just apologized for being there, they would let him leave with his hide still in tact.

"Um," he started. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trespass."

The leader of the group who'd spoken first, spoke up again. He had on the dark, high-collared uniform of Otowa High, as did the others, and his hair was pulled back in a long, silver pony-tail. Red-framed shades hid his eyes, but Ippo was sure they were aimed right at him. He shifted uncomfortably as the guy smirked.

"Awww, he's groveling. Think we should let 'im go?"

The group tittered and a few even started cracking their knuckles. Ippo felt sweat gathering at the nape of his neck, along his brow and above his top lip. This was so bad. He'd never had an encounter with any delinquents, and he kind of wanted to keep it that way. He wanted to press the issue that he hadn't come there intending to start any trouble, but figured from the looks on the delinquents' faces, it wasn't such a good idea. So, he shifted some more and remained silent.

A delinquent to his left chuckled and took a couple of steps forward. "I say we pound 'im, Kugo."

The leader (Kugo, Ippo was assuming) also took a few steps forward and cracked his knuckles.

"I think I agree witcha, Kyosuke. This here's easy prey. Ain't no way I c'n overlook it."

Ippo's heart rate spiked, but before he could do anything more than open his mouth to protest, he was hit from behind. He stumbled forward, his bag swinging on his shoulder and throwing off his balance even more. He tried to ignore the pounding at the base of his skull in order to protect himself, but was knocked to the ground. He fell on his face, but had enough sense to cover his head and face as the delinquents swarmed him, legs and feet everywhere. He had his eyes squeezed shut as he was kicked in the ribs, stomach and legs. His head caught a few shots even though he had his arms around it. He was being overwhelmed, and since no one knew where he was, he wouldn't be surprised if the delinquents killed him. From the way they were kicking him, he had a feeling that that was exactly what would happen. He wanted to yell for help, but refused to show any weakness to the idiots mobbing him.

A sharp kick slipped through his arms and connected with his face, splitting his lip and crushing his nose. He didn't think it was broken, but the pain was intense enough to cause his eyes to tear up. He gritted his teeth and curled up into a ball. Maybe that would make it harder for the feet coming at him to explode through his defenses. His head was throbbing, and his body was damned near numb from the pain wracking it, but he still hung onto his consciousness. Just when he was beginning to think the beating would never cease, he heard an aggressive tenor call out over the scuffling.

"Oi! The fuck're you guys doin'?"

All action came to an abrupt halt as the attacking delinquents turned to the new person on the scene. Ippo didn't recognize the boy speaking, but hoped maybe he belonged to the student council or someone that would help him out of his sticky situation.

"Huuuuuuh? Who wants ta know?" Kugo snapped.

Ippo peered from beneath his arms and spied a short kid with ink-dark hair and light-blue eyes. He had his arms folded across his chest, scowl fierce and accusing. Who was that?

"Boss don' like scum like you on his turf," the dark-haired boy said before spitting. "Ya might wanna move along."

Kugo grinned and cocked his head to the side. "Heh. Why should I be scared a'yer boss?"

"'Cuz ya don' wanna get yer ass kicked, that's why."

Even though the boy wore the Otowa High uniform, Ippo's eyes still widened at the curt tone. Didn't the boy realize that he was outnumbered? He tried to lift his head and his vision swam out of focus, making it crash back to the ground. No matter how hard he tried, he felt himself slipping away, darkness creeping around the edges of his sight. That was when he saw another boy approaching, hands in the pants pockets of his dark Otowa high uniform. He had messy, brown hair, but that was all Ippo was able to see before his eyes slid shut. A moment later, he heard a new voice added to the commotion.

"Wha's this shit?"

The boy with blue eyes answered the newcomer. "Jus' a bunch a'dumbasses, Boss. Nothin' serious."

Ippo heard feet shuffling before Kugo spoke up, voice wavering. "Sh-shit! I didn' know this was yer turf!"

"Guess it's a little late for that, eh?" the newcomer said, voice deep and threatening.

But that was all Ippo remembered before everything went dark.

XxxxxxX

Before he even opened his eyes, the pain made him cringe and wince. His entire body felt like a boxing club member had used him as a sandbag. His stomach felt like tenderized beef, and his head felt like an elephant had sat on it.

"Owww," he groaned.

"Ah! Makunouchi-kun!"

He knew that voice. "Kumi-san?" he mumbled, eyes still closed.

"Yes! Are you OK, Makunouchi-kun?"

Ippo groaned again. "I don't know. I guess so since I'm still alive."

If Kumi-san was there, then he had to be on friendly ground again. Thank goodness. He dragged his eyelids apart, squinting at the bright fluorescent light above him. Where was he? Once his vision came into focus, a few concerned faces floated before him.

"Umezawa-san, Miyata-kun, Kobashi-san. What happened?"

No one spoke for a long few moments. Ippo searched their faces and realized that not only were they concerned, but they seemed shocked as well.

"Um, you guys? What happened? Is it my face?"

His friends exchanged glances with one another before turning back to Ippo. Finally, Miyata-kun spoke up.

"You were jumped by Otowa High. What the hell were you doing over there?"

Ippo blushed as he averted his eyes. "I was, um...relaxing. I go there to be alone."

"At Otowa High?!" Umezawa-san squeaked. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Well, no one usually goes to the field there, so I figured it would be OK."

Miyata-kun smacked his forehead and sucked his teeth. "Stupid," he grumbled. "It's still Otowa High property."

Ippo looked at his friends again, but still couldn't help thinking that there was more to the story. They seemed a bit shell-shocked. Especially Kobashi-san.

"K-Kobashi-san. Is there something else bothering you?" he asked.

Kobashi-san's eyes grew enormous as all gazes were directed at him. He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head before blowing out a deep breath in resignation.

"I'm sure everyone's thinking the same thing I am; they just don't want to say it."

Ippo gingerly sat up, regretting the movement almost instantly, but as he did so, he noticed a dark jacket draped over his shoulders. He froze, speechless as he recognized the jacket as being part of the Otowa High uniform. Whose could it be?

"How did I get here?" he blurted when it seemed like no one was going to talk. "I remember passing out after those guys beat me up, but that's about it. Did one of you find me?"

They all exchanged glances again, but this time the looks passed around were clearly uneasy. It was Umezawa-san that spoke up, however.

"Ippo...we didn't find you. You were brought here."

"Eh?" Ippo noised. "By who?"

Umezawa-san chuckled and rubbed the tip of his nose, a habit he had whenever he was nervous about something. After a few silent beats, he locked eyes with Ippo, more serious than Ippo had ever seen him in the couple of short years he'd known him.

"The Sendo Takeshi."

The silence in the room was profound. Ippo had heard stories of the legendary third-year student at Otowa High, but he'd never actually seen the guy himself. Sendo Takeshi was rumored to be the toughest, strongest delinquent in the school. He was at the top of the food chain. Ippo had heard that Sendo had once defeated an entire group of fifty delinquents. He didn't know if that was true, or just a myth that had been created to make the boy stronger than he really was. Whatever the case, no one doubted it, and it left the guy in charge of Otowa High.

"W-what?" he stuttered. "That's not true."

Miyata-kun arched a brow and smirked. "You calling us liars now? We know what we saw."

Ippo's heart almost stopped. Why? Just the thought of being in the same vicinity of the Naniwa Tiger had his heart hiccuping and his blood cold as ice.

"You saw him? What did he look like? Was he mean? Did anyone get hurt?"

He had so many questions!

"Calm down, Ippo," Kobashi-san chortled.

Umezawa-san sat forward in his seat beside Ippo's bed, eyes alight with excitement. "I'd never seen the kid before because he's got so many freakin' underlings, but he wasn't what I was expectin'."

"What do you mean?" Ippo asked.

"Well-" Umezawa-san started.

"He's not as scary as everyone thought. In fact...he's kind of an idiot," Miyata-kun interrupted.

Ippo paused before making a disbelieving face. "I don't believe that. Why would you call him an idiot, Miyata-kun?"

Miyata-kun exchanged glances with the rest of the group, a slow, wicked grin lifting the corner of his mouth. Kumi-san blushed and smiled with a slightly arched brow.

"He's..." Kobashi-san said, waving his hands in the air. "A little silly, maybe, but he's damned sure scary. You remember how he looked when he walked in here?" he asked, turning his gaze to Miyata-kun. "There were a bunch of students trailing behind him, whispering and pointing at his uniform, and he looked like he would've killed them if he hadn't been carrying Ippo."

"Carrying me?! What do you mean?!"

Ippo was horrified. He'd never been carried before, and he hadn't really planned on it, either. Now, not only did he apparently owe his life to the head delinquent of Otowa High, but he owed the guy an apology as well. He never would have subjected another male to something so humiliating.

"Jeez, you're slower than usual today," Miyata-kun grumbled. "He didn't care about that, so why should you? How else was he going to get you here?"

Miyata-kun was right, but it didn't lessen the sting of mortification. Ippo closed his eyes and lifted a hand to press it to his forehead, when it got caught under the hem of the dark jacket around his shoulders. Face flushing, he lowered his hand and eyes to the bed he was seated on.

"Is this his?"

"Yup!" Umezawa-san answered proudly and far too happily for Ippo's taste.

"Uwahhhh," Ippo groaned and tried to hide his face with his hands, when he realized his left arm was bandaged from his fingers to his elbows. "What's this?" he yelped.

"Yamaguchi-sensei said your wrist was sprained," Kumi-san said quietly.

Ippo didn't know what to do first, but settled with lifting his uninjured arm to his head. A large bandage was wrapped around it. He sighed. This had officially turned into a bad day.

"Aww, don't look so sad, Ippo," Umezawa-san soothed. "At least you're still alive!"

"Shut up, stupid," Miyata-kun drawled before turning to Kobashi-san. "I'll help this guy home. Can you grab his homework and meet us at his house?"

Kobashi-san nodded, climbed to his feet and took off towards the door. Kumi-san glanced down at her watch and turned as pale as the moon.

"I-I have to get home. Brother will be there soon, and he'll be hungry. See you guys later," she said before jumping up and leaving as well.

Umezawa-san shrugged and stood up. "I guess I can help you get the cripple home," he announced.

Ippo scowled at that. Just because he was sore all over and still in a state of shock, it didn't mean he couldn't get himself home safely. But then, he noticed the looks on Umezawa-san's and Miyata-kun's faces and realized that their company had nothing to do with helping him home. It had everything to do with making sure he made it home without getting jumped again. He nodded and slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. When he stood, the room tilted and made him grab the air to catch his balance. Unfortunately, it didn't work, but luckily, Miyata-kun was there to steady him.

They inched towards the infirmary entrance and Ippo caught a whiff of an unfamiliar scent. It was wild but welcoming. He turned his head to the side discreetly and sniffed. So, it was the jacket. He smiled a little. To think the most dangerous delinquent of Otowa High had been nice enough to get him out of that horrible scrape. As he, Miyata-kun and Umezawa-san made their way to his home, a thought occurred to him. He had to thank Sendo-san for his kindness.

And return his jacket.

XxxxxxX

It was once again time for lunch the next day, but Ippo was finding it hard to get away from his group of friends. He was wearing the school uniform of white, short-sleeved, button-up shirt, gray tie and gray slacks, but his left arm was still bandaged. So was his head, but he figured it was better than being an invalid for several days at a time.

However, that was neither here nor there.

He was stuck in the middle of his friends, trying to come up with a way to distract them so he could run over to Otowa High and find Sendo-san. All night he'd thought of the delinquent teen who'd saved him. He was trying to put an image to the name, but could only remember sable-brown hair and a deep voice. He blushed. If that had been Sendo-san, his voice was really nice. It was aggressive and strong, just like his reputation.

They were on the side of Otowa Prep, where most of the students congregated for lunch and sometimes to cut classes. Each one of Ippo's friends had either a brown paper bag or a bento in front of them. They weren't really paying attention to him, but that didn't mean he was free to make any sudden moves. He'd been accompanied by at least one of his friends the entire day, starting from the moment he'd left his home. He supposed he could understand why they were being so overprotective, but with the plan he'd devised in his mind, their closeness was becoming a hindrance. He sighed and studied the bento his mom had packed for him. It looked as delicious as it always did, but his mind was stuck on the brunet teenager who'd saved his life.

He looked up and spotted a familiar face walking by. The boy was a foreign exchange student from Russia with flame-red hair and sky-blue eyes. His name was Volg-san, and he was precisely who Ippo needed in order to get from under the watchful eyes of his friends. He jumped to his feet and was instantly surrounded. Miyata-kun, Kobashi-san, Umezawa-san and Kumi-san were all standing as well and looking at him while wearing deep frowns.

Jeez.

"Eh-heh. I'm just going to say hi to my friend, Volg-san over there," he said, finger pointed in the red head's direction.

They all turned in Volg-san's direction, and Ippo made his escape. He grabbed his uneaten food and dashed over to the red head, heart pounding. He hoped this worked. Once he skidded to a walk beside Volg-san, the third-year student glanced over at him in shock before recognition hit him and made him smile.

"Ah! Makunouchi!"

"Volg-san, hi! Can I walk with you for a second?" Ippo asked as he peered nervously over his shoulder.

Luckily, none of his friends were following him, but Miyata-kun watched him with narrowed, dark eyes. Ippo had a feeling he would be grilled later on, but right now, he had a master scheme to unfold.

"Sure. Where are you headed?"

Volg-san's accent was completely endearing. Even though he had a good grasp of Japanese, he still fumbled here and there with it.

"I'm going to the bridge."

Volg-san arched a dark eyebrow and gave Ippo an incredulous look. "Are you sure about that? You look like you've already been across that bridge."

Ippo chuckled. He knew Volg-san would understand when he said he was going to the bridge. The bridge referred to the long, window-lined corridor that led from Otowa Prep into Otowa High – the only way to gain access to the delinquent school directly from Otowa Prep.

"I'm sure. I have something to do there."

Volg-san didn't seem convinced, if his expression was any indication. However, he remained silent after giving a slow nod.

"I'll be fine," Ippo continued.

He didn't know whether he was trying to reassure Volg-san or himself.

They entered the school and headed for the main building, students creating a wide path for the two boys. Ippo frowned, wondering what was going on, when he remembered that Volg-san was the boxing club's champion. He'd won the title all three years in a row, so it was no wonder that the rest of the population stayed out of his way. Ippo kept shooting the slightly taller boy furtive glances from the corner of his eye. Volg-san was quieter than usual today. Whenever he and Ippo hung out, the red head was talkative and animated. Today was different. Ippo cleared his throat and hesitated only a moment before speaking.

"Volg-san, is everything alright with you?"

Volg-san jolted like Ippo had just tripped him before turning wide, luminous blue eyes in Ippo's direction. "Huh?"

"You seem distracted. Are you OK?"

Volg-san frowned a little as he faced forward again. "I'm fine. I was just thinking."

Ippo didn't want to intrude or seem like he was prying, but he hated seeing a friend looking that way. If Volg-san was depressed or upset, Ippo wanted to help. But how could he further inquire without seeming like a nosy pest? Just as he decided to say to hell with it and go for it, they approached the intersection that turned into the bridge. Ippo paused, feeling like he was standing at the mouth of a dark, yawning cave. Volg-san stopped with him and gave him a look that spoke volumes of how he really felt about Ippo traveling over to enemy territory. The red head placed a hand on Ippo's shoulder and nodded.

"Be careful, Makunouchi."

Ippo nodded in return and squared his shoulders. A quick breath later, and he was walking across the bridge, heart beating so fast, it was nearly vibrating. His palms were clammy and sweaty, and his armpits were itchy with anxiety. He didn't know what to expect, didn't even know where he was going to start his search for his brown-haired savior, but he'd made up his mind to find the elusive and notorious Sendo Takeshi, so that was what he planned to do. He had the boy's school jacket wrapped around his waist so he wouldn't have to carry it, and so it wouldn't hamper him in case he ran into trouble.

At first glance, the bridge hadn't seemed so long, but now it felt like it stretched on for miles. The hall was long and quiet, devoid of students of either school, and Ippo was able to hear every last one of his footsteps landing against the cold, hard linoleum. He'd give anything to have a companion with him. The thought prompted him to look over his shoulder for Volg-san, but the red head had already moved on. Ippo faced forward again, shoulders sagging with disappointment. It would have been nice to have someone there to watch his back, but he knew if he'd asked his other friends, they never would have let him leave the side of the building where they were eating lunch.

He took a deep breath and forged forward, apprehension spiking at the sight of the drastic change in atmosphere ahead of him. The walls of Otowa High were cracked, chipped and peeling and covered with graffiti, and the floor sported a thick blanket of grime and dirt. The windows in the hall were broken, and Ippo assumed the authorities just never bothered to replace them. The only light in the place came from the windows, all the artificial bulbs shattered, the destroyed fixtures hanging from the ceiling. The aura gave Ippo the urge to run and grab a bat or a pipe. Anything that would give him a slight advantage over any potential threats.

He'd just made it around the first corner, when a tall teenager with ridiculous eyebrows and dark, narrowed eyes made him freeze in his tracks. It was like the other boy's gaze alone had pinned his feet to the floor, making it impossible for him to move an inch. The guy moved forward, followed by a couple of other smirking teenagers. Ippo swallowed harshly, cursing his awful luck. What were the chances that he'd turn down the first corner and run smack into a group of delinquents looking for trouble? A small voice whispered in his mind, "one hundred percent."

He held up his hands and kept his eyes on all of the delinquents, having already learned from yesterday: take your eye off of even one of them, and you could instantly become overwhelmed. The tall leader with the bushy brows kept moving forward, hands in the pockets of his pants. Ippo backed up a step, then remembered what he'd come to Otowa High for in the first place. He held his ground and lowered his hands, his face morphing into one of fierce determination.

I WILL find Sendo-san.

The leader stopped moving and cocked his head to the side, amused smirk spreading his lips upward. "Ya look like yer ready ta be crushed. That what ya came here for?"

Ippo didn't even grace the guy with an answer. His eyes sharpened on one of the delinquents slithering closer from the left. The boy on the right was trying to close off the path that led down the hall and deeper into the school. That was when Ippo made his move. He didn't have time to stick around and be distracted by these idiots. The second he took a hasty step, the leader of the group twitched and reacted. He lunged at Ippo, ludicrously long arms shooting forward. Ippo almost lost his composure at the sight of those snake-like appendages headed right at him, but instead, he swatted them away and sidestepped the taller student.

Didn't matter.

One of those long arms followed him to the side and the boy's fist crashed into Ippo's jaw, shocking him into stillness. He had a brief lapse of common sense as he stared at the tall delinquent before he pushed himself into action again. He leaned forward and took off at a dead sprint, exploding through the other delinquents who had fallen in line behind the leader. Ippo pumped his legs and arms, not sure where he was going, and not caring the slightest. The delinquents were shouting and hot on his heels as he led them on a high-speed chase through the depressing halls of Otowa High.

"Get back here, ya lil shit!" one of them hollered.

Ippo spared a quick glance over his shoulder and wanted to grin. He was a lot faster than the delinquents, even the tall leader. They were about fifteen meters behind him, but he wouldn't get comfortable with the space between them. He turned two more corners and leaped two flights of stairs before he skidded to a stop at the entrance to another long hall. The sign on the wall read 3C, but that wasn't what'd grabbed his attention. It was the kid that he'd seen yesterday, who'd been calling Sendo-san "Boss." Well, him and a huge crowd of mean-looking thugs. Ippo swallowed again, heart still thudding behind his ribs. He was more than aware of the sound of the delinquents who'd been chasing him, moving in fast from behind. He looked around wildly. Was this the end of his rope?

The commotion made the boy with blue eyes look up from the craps game he'd been participating in. Those cold-looking eyes focused on Ippo and made him feel the urge to shudder. He didn't know what to do, but he had to get away from those delinquents that were chasing him. Maybe the boy would help him out since he'd been there when Sendo-san had helped him yesterday. It was worth a try. He took a step forward and was suddenly halted by a kendo stick to the side of his neck. Where in the world had that even come from? He slid a look to his right and immediately understood. He was standing next to the classroom window, and a boy (who looked more like a man; he had a mustache and everything) with dark-brown hair and coal-colored eyes had him held hostage.

"Whoa there, kid. Where ya goin'?" the boy asked.

His voice was deep and calm, but nonetheless dangerous. Ippo shifted his weight as he stared at the kendo stick from the corner of his eye. He hoped the boy wouldn't take offense to the question he planned to ask next, but he figured it was his only shot at finding Sendo-san.

"D-do you know where S-Sendo-san i-is?" he stuttered, too afraid to move.

The boy pressed the stick harder against Ippo's throat and gave a low hum. "Now why ya wanna know that, hm?"

"I-I just need to speak to him."

"Abouuut?" the boy coaxed with an amused lilt to his tone.

"U-um, I, uh-"

"There he is!"

Ippo almost swallowed his tongue. The delinquents that had been chasing him had finally caught up to him. He turned his head slightly and gave a panicked glance to the boy holding the kendo stick before he thrust upward with his right hand, knocking the stick out of the boy's grasp. The boy's eyes widened in surprise as he watched Ippo hoist himself over the window and into the classroom.

As soon he was inside, he was grabbed from several different directions and forced to stand still. His arms were held in place as he gave the classroom a quick sweep with his eyes. There were delinquents positioned all around the room, some seated on top of desks, while others held up the walls. They were either playing cards, craps or arm wrestling, but all of that had been put on hold with Ippo's sudden appearance. All eyes were on him as life seemed to suspend in midair. He was about to ask his question again, when the words died in his throat. His eyes had settled on a teen seated on top of a desk at the back of the classroom. The teen was staring at him, one eyebrow arched, and rich, brown eyes amused. He had untamed brown hair, and everything about him screamed danger.

Could it be?

Ippo just stared and stared until the spell was broken by the leader of the delinquents who'd been chasing him through the school.

"Oi, Sendo! Lemme take this kid off yer hands."

It was! He'd found him!

Sendo-san frowned and slowly climbed down from his perch before making his way over. His walk was measured but confident before he came to a stop right in front of Ippo. He was a little taller and a bit bulkier, making his demanding aura that much more potent. His eyes never left Ippo's as he stood over him, quietly studying him. After a few moments, his head listed to the side and he gave a full-blown predatory grin full of sharp canines and brilliant teeth.

"Can't stay outta trouble, huh, kid?"

Ippo felt a strange heat gathering in his gut as he watched the head delinquent of Otowa High move his mouth. His voice was deep and almost intimate. Ippo forced his sense to return as he shook himself. He snatched his arms away from the delinquents holding him back, garnering a small chorus of surprised exclamations. Amidst the shock, he stepped into the small space between himself and Sendo-san, and after maintaining eye contact for a bit, he bent into a low bow.

"Sendo-san!" When he returned to an upright position, Sendo-san was wearing a baffled expression. "I-I...I just wanted to thank you for yesterday." He stopped and unwrapped the boy's jacket from around his waist before holding it out to him. "A-and to give this back."

Sendo-san stared at Ippo like he'd asked for a kiss. Ippo didn't blame him. His actions probably were a bit strange. Not only had he crossed enemy lines, but he'd stormed the enemy fort as well. All to express his thanks and to return an item of clothing. How stupid was he?

"Yer serious."

Ippo met his eyes timidly. He was nervous now that he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do. What was going to happen now? Would Sendo-san make fun of him and throw him to the wolves?

"Y-yes. Yes, I am."

"Heh! So, yer tellin' me ya came all the way up here jus' ta say thanks?"

"Yes."

Sendo-san took the jacket Ippo offered him and set it down on a desk behind him before giving Ippo his attention again.

"Well, this is new," he mumbled, eyes roving over Ippo and making him squirm uncomfortably.

There was something about Sendo-san's eyes that made him want to know more, made him want to stare all day. That, and they looked like they could be scary as hell.

"That all ya wanted?"

Ippo nodded at the brunet, inwardly praying that the teen would have mercy on him and not make him have to fend for himself against a school full of pissed off delinquents. Sendo-san watched him a while longer before he finally turned to the leader of the delinquents from earlier.

"Mashiba. Let 'im go."

Mashiba's eyes bulged, and his mouth opened and closed in stunned fury. "Wha'?"

"I said let 'im go," Sendo-san repeated, but this time his voice was lower, and his eyes were hard and narrow, the air around him all tense and commanding.

Ippo hid a shudder as he continued to watch the brunet delinquent. The other boy was fascinating to look at, and something about him called out to Ippo like a sinful temptation. Mashiba went quiet, but a vein in his forehead throbbed and stood out like a streak of lightning beneath his skin. Sendo-san turned back to Ippo and grinned, eyes going soft.

"Ya better get back ta class," he said.

Ippo nodded, too giddy to speak. He turned on his heel, not willing to question the brunet's kindness. He got three steps away before Sendo-san called out.

"Hey! Wha's yer name, kid?"

Ippo stopped and glanced over his shoulder long enough to state his name before he was out the door and running down the hall, back the way he'd come.

He didn't hear Sendo-san when he said, "Makunouchi, huh?"