The is heart pumping. Blood flowing, boiling, furiously rushing through the viens. Lungs moving in and out with the diaphragm of the chest in rhythm. The heart is pounding. His legs stomp the ground with thunder in each step. They lift as eagles soaring through the skies with pride and grace. Arms swing in the air against the harsh gale. The wind is pushing him. The world weighs him down as the cheers and jeers sound in the stands. Not that they matter to him. This feeling of adrenaline flooding his body forces him to burst with energy. Were his shoulders were tied to a steam engine, or his ankles were shackled to large anchors, or even if his neck and arms were held in restraint by an iron yoke all at once. None of that would stop him now. Nothing makes him feel more alive. Right now, Ryuji Sakamoto exists.

His leg audibly snaps just as he reaches the finish line. Broken. Just a few steps away from his goal. The spectators watching him once cheering for his speed now throw cruel jeers. Taunts. Insults. Demeaning Remarks.

"There goes Sakamoto doing what he does best, failing!"

"He can't even pass a test let alone pass the finish line!"

"Why did we even give him the time of day?"

"Are you kidding? I love seeing this asshole fall! Reminds me how much better I am!"

"You hear about his mom? Bet she just felt guilty getting knocked up!"

"I bet she's so ashamed of herself. A deadbeat dad with a deadbeat loser for a son."

"Yeah... She should've swallowed him instead."

He squirms on the ground attempting to crawl as the other runners pass him. It isn't about winning the sport for him though. He just has to finish. He has to cross. He just has to prove these voices wrong. This darkness in his head. These vile thoughts made form of the faceless runners that stop to walk back to to body. Stopping him from making it to the end. Staff. Students. Teammates of the Track Team. Friends from his class. There is one with a face. The bastard responsible for this all.

"Crawling around in the dirt like some kind of worm? Fitting for a shitstain like you, Sakamoto."

The corrupt adult raises a foot to stomp down on the wounded leg, again and again, a final stomp aims for his head as all finally goes black...


"Ah-!"

Ryuji wakes up in a cold sweat. Another nightmare same as the one before. His leg aches with his arms and shoulders as he gets up out of bed. His phone in hand as he checks the time. He has slept through his alarm for school. Again. Maybe if he's fast enough he can be there for the late bell. Possibly first bell. Jumping out of bed, he rushes through his daily routine from showering to breakfast, stopped by a hand seizing his wrist with a gentle hold.

"Ryuji, are you going to be late again?"

"I-I'm on my way out now, Ma!"

"Good just. Be careful? Things have gotten dangerous lately."

"You too. Good luck at work!"

With a hug they went their own ways. His bright smile made struggling each day of each year has made it all worth it for her. For him, his face and mind were tired, but he had to support his mother. She had so little and gave more just for him. He'd be damned if he ruined her life anymore than he already has with his mistakes. He makes his way to school fast as he can. It's raining this morning with a chilling wind in the air. The weather makes his leg ache.

Getting to school is as much as a pain as it going anywhere in Shibuya. He's gotten used to the crowds, sometimes he doesn't notice the people by his very side, if anything he feels lonely in this sea of people. Arriving on time was rarity, and by sheer luck or a curse, he is just on schedule today. The volleyball coach, the man he hated with all that he could hate with, Kamoshida greets the students with his charming smile that deceive anyone unaware of his nature. Which means, anyone not Ryuji.

"Ah!~ I see you're coming with the other Sakamoto. Keep that up now, you hear?"

A scoff is the only answer he gives the genial superior. Though he wears his glare on his face, Kamoshida hides his glare behind the mask of a studious teacher, both trading silent disdain through a quick unspoken trade. Ryuji looks away as he continues on into the building. People mumble and talk behibd his back. Among the idle ambience are those looking down on him.

"He came on time today?"

"I guess his mom kicked him out of the house."

"Look he's got the wrong uniform on...!"

"You'd think he'd at least get that right."

"Maybe he woke up early thinking he was already late?"

"Yeah! What an idiot! He's probably just a meathead still!"

"I know, won't he get all sweaty in that jacket, idiot."

"He'll stink up the hallways!"

"Hehehehe! O-Oh he's looking this way-!"

He is not. He just happens to turn in the closest gossiping teens direction going up the stairs. Rumors and whispers like these are normal. He'd use to get upset, at times fight with others, but now he only bothets with anyone willing to confront him head on. However, no one would waste their time, they didn't take him seriously nor did anyone want to be dragged down to his level. In this regard he was left alone. It was better this way, right? For himself he believed this.

All his friends either graduated or alienated themselves from him. His classmates either made fun of or ignored him completely. Even the teachers, as class went on for the day, only interacted with him to either put him down or prove a point everyone already knew. Was he an idiot? Lazy definitely, but stupid, he isn't too sure. He doesn't get a lot of the material and it takes too much of an effort to study since the class moves on to the next topic faster than he can memorize. Just another shitty school day at Shujin Academy.

"Sakamoto-kun? A moment?"

"Huh-?"

A girl stops him in the hallway. A young woman more like. Makoto Niijima is the acting Student Council President and often seen as the star of the school much like he once was. Not that they knew of each other or were ever friends. She did however lecture him as often as teachers would. Perhaps at their request. They may have hoped that a fellow student could get through to the sore thumb of their otherwise perfect student body. All she ever accomplished however is acting as but another challenge of not falling asleep on his feet.

"It's nice to see you here on time, but do try to put on your summer uniform on this time, without any deviations."

"But it ain't even all that hot or cold..."

"We have an image to maintain for ourselves and for those outside of school. You can't just dress however you want. How would you ever keep a job?"

"You really going to stand there and talk my ear off for an hour again?"

Makoto glares at him which garners a nervous smile as a retort. She turns away with a disappointed scoff. He's used to this though. Disappointing others. It's what is expected of him at this point. Why bother changing it if they won't change their minds? With no more interruption and no reason to remain, he finally takes his leave from school, only for someone to shove past him from behind at the front yard.

"Out of my way!"

A blonde girl, naturally blonde, same year as him rushes in a power walk with her head down. Kamoshida soon stands right next to Ryuji staring after her with hungry eyes. A look any man would know. It fills the delinquent with disgust as he knows that girl... But the two aren't friends. In that regard shouldn't care. If Kamoshida tried something it would ruin him.

What did catch his eye as he continued on was another girl. Light fluffy hair with a pink face as she struggles to push a cart with a heavy load of fertilizer. He isn't sure why, maybe things would have progressed differently from here on had he ignored and kept going, let Kamoshida be the first to act or even just let her struggle on her own. He didn't.

"Hey! Lemme help you out."

Even as he approaches her he expects a prickly response. A polite to rude decline. It's practically law at this point to ridicule him. Imagine his internal surprise as this cute girl with lush eyelashes bat in a stunned stupor before beaming at him with glowing joy.

"Why, thank you! That's so kind of you. Please, right this way."

She steps to the side to gesture to the school yard where a garden lies. It takes a bit more effort than he'd like to admit, but Ryuji manages to get around the whole garden. Taking the fertilizer and distributing as the girl instructs. It's a nice change of pace. The girl giggles as Ryuji keeps himself awkwardly silent.

"Boys sure are strong! You've saved me so much time today."

"Uh, no problem. I ain't got much going on myself. I'm Ryuji."

"Haru, Haru Okumura! You're... A second year student?"

"Yeah?"

"That makes me a year older than you!"

"Yeah well, am I done here?"

"Just about! You should help out more! There's not much of a gardening club since I'm the only member..."

"Sorry. I don't think I'm joining anymore clubs."

Haru gives him a downtrodden frown. A humble pout that causes him to look away with a reluctant groan.

"I-I didn't say I couldn't help out from time to time! If ya ever need help just come calling and I'll be there."

"Really? That's so nice of you! I don't know how I could repay this kindness!"

Ryuji arches a brow at her before rubbing his chin. A sly sneer on his face as he attempts to play cool with a dismissive wave.

"Just keep smiling like that for me and I'll call it even!"

"My smile...? Is that really enough?"

He takes the cart and nods.

"Yeah. It ain't like we're friends so I can't ask too much of ya anyways."

"... Would you like to be friends? I could give you my contact information!"

Ryuji nearly does a double take at his luck. This upperclassman hottie was offering him her own number. Something was off about all this but who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth?

"Yeah, sure. Here's mine."

They trade and part their ways. Ryuji smiling like an idiot unaware of Haru leaving for a limousine. Her shining face fades into a blank canvas. No expression as a servant closes the door behind her. A young man by her side grins with a sultry tone.

"My, my... What were you doing with that guy, hm?"

"He helped me with my gardening."

"How nice of him. I thought you said the gardening club had disbanded though."

"He's not a new member. We just met. It's nothing."

"That so? Well, someone so kind deserves a reward, don't you think?"

Her eyes widen in surprise. This... Man, was hardly ever generous, and often shows a personality she has grown to disdain over time. He takes out his phone before continuing.

"We're to be married soon so I may as well play nice. Your friends are my friends and vice versa! A humble gift is all I ask. To show a sign of good faith. What's his name?"


Ryuji has a tendency to come home late. Very late. It wasn't that he has anything to do during the nightly hours, but city life leaves the desire to stay awake, to explore the new roads and establishments open at such a time. Arcades, theaters, even a few clubs once or twice wheh the bouncer was distracted. He didn't exactly have a crowd to spend his free time with, and so bad influencers never sought him out, a kid with dyed hair and unremarkable features made little fun for the nightlife in Shibuya. So it was very peculiar that he gathered a small crowd at his favorite arcade.

"Hey, you're doing pretty good there! You play this often?"

"Watch out! You're closing in on that score there!"

"I don't care for playing games but watching this is pretty fun..."

They were distracting to say the least. Average guys, just a bit older than himself, no different from the faceless masses in the crowds. That is until he was killed in his game and one of them offered a small stack of yen coins.

"Yo lil' bro. Try again?"

"... Sure? You guys don't want a turn?"

They laugh and reassure him before he goes for another few tries. He never beat the high score, however he managed to place just under it, and this is more than enough for him to be satisfied what with his newfound group cheering him on.

"Damn!~ You're like, super tier at this, I bet you're pretty skilled at other games!"

"On another time, you should show us some tricks, I bet I could impress the others!"

"Good job..."

It feels good to be recognized and respected even for something as small as playing video games. Just as he starts to leave however, they invite him on the night out, innocent fun. It's been such a good day that he didn't think to refuse. The group ate out at a buffet above his budget. Like upper class citizens, they are to their hearts content, and during their feast, one offered him a cup.

"Hey! Lil' Bro! Try this! Wash the food down with it!"

Ryuji takes and downs it. The abrupt bittersweet taste with the strong smell is diluted and hidden behind the succulent meal, and so allowed his friends to continue offering drink after drink, laughing away at dirty jokes and complaints of daily life. Eventually, even the young delinquent began to realize his own lack of inhibition and slurs, having had enough his understanding friends all came together to pay for it. One for all and all for one, they cheered loudly.

They left the building, Ryuji drunkenly stumbling about the streets with his helpful guides, finds himself in a small lot behind a series of alleyways. Confused, he turns to the trio, and noticed their unnerving silence. The friendliest one who paid for his game, gave him his drinks, and reassured him of his worries sighs as he lowers his baseball cap under his eyes.

"Hah... This is gonna be tough for me. I don't like dealing with kids and you're not all that bad."

The one on his right put his hands in his pockets idly kicking at the ground. He shared most of his jokes and even advice on ladies.

"I thought you'd be some asshole we wouldn't mind getting rid of. Turns out you're an asshole I'm probably gonna miss after we're done."

The third and final one, the quiet man who wore a surgical mask over his face as he'd occasionally cough, grumbles from behind his sanitary cover.

"This is business. Don't haunt us afterwards."

Ryuji stood there confused in his inebriated stupor, he hadn't a chance to defend himself from a fierce kick to the gut, sending him stumbling into a wall. A homeless man off to the side wakes up at Ryuji grunts and coughs from having the wind knocked out of him.

"Oh... How cruel. Oh well."

He turned away from the scene as he kept to the ground. Ignoring the menacing men surrounding a now fearful high schooler.

"Wh-What the eff!? I thought we were cool!"

Ryuji stands up to fight back. The men look at each other before two resigned. The man with his hands in his pockets, who had kicked Ryuji, steps up first.

"You just had some bad luck kid. We just wanted to make your last night a nice one. Just give up and I'll kill you in one strike. Quick and painless, kid."

"Eff that...! You're not killing me!"

"I've heard that plenty before."

The drunken high schooler runs with a fist raised and thrown for his assassin's jaw. The man leans to the side casually as he lifts a knee into Ryuji's gut. His target wheezes before being forced to his knee after getting kicked in the side of his leg. His bad leg. A shout would have come out of him had he not also received another kick to his face.

Ryuji writhes on his back before turning on his stomach pushing himself off the ground. He feels something on his chin before being lifted up to his feet. The man did this by placing the tip of his crocodile patent leather shoes at his chin and uses that alone to stand him up. It was to say the least, ridiculous, just as ridiculous the feeling in his chest as the man kicks him into the wall with an audible thud.

The delinquent didn't know what else to compare it to than a speeding car slamming into his body.

"Good night, Ryuji."

"... Not... Yet...!"

Ryuji leans against a trash can next to him that falls over, with him falling as well, only to use the wall to support him as he stands up. The man looks back at his colleagues.

"He's starting to get on my nerves. I'm trying to be nice but, whatever."

He blurs in Ryuji's vision, but everything slows for a moment as his brain kicks into high gear, heart races as his body reacts. Another thud sounds as the heel of his assailant meets the wall. Ryuji narrowly dodges the attack with a similar lean to his would-be killer. In the same motion he brings down an elbow on the knee of the leg garnering a loud shout from the attacker.

"Gah! Motherfu-!"

He removes his hands from his pockets to swing at the teenager, but said teen pushes him back by his leg, causing the man to falter in his steps. The two behind him look on with interest.

"Oh? He's got a bit more in him than I thought!"

"He's desperate. Kun-woo. Finish him."

The kick oriented fighter, Kun-woo, snarls as he steadies himself to attack his prey again.

"I'm working on it! Don't interfere!"

He dashes in for a right hook. Ready to knock Ryuji out in one hit as he planned. Instead, glass shatters against his fist, as Ryuji swings an empty beer bottle at the offending hand. A bottle he had snatched up from when he had fallen over after spilling the trash looking for a weapon to defend himself with. Kun-woo yells in pain holding his hand before gasping from Ryuji seizing his throat and pinning him to the wall he had once leaned against.

The young man, now alive with fear and rage, no longer saw the face of his predator. Instead he saw the face of the one who got him into the situation. All of the faces. The staff at Shujin. His classmates who abandoned him. Kamoshida for being at the start of it all. His mom's co-workers who would treat her like trash. Face after face he would see each time he strikes at Koun's head and body. A furious beat down that allowed him let vent out all unspoken and withheld wrathful emotions.

Kun-woo attempts to block and parry the oncoming blows, but the seemingly unending stamina and ferocity of the punches overwhelm him, and his allies watch with interest instead of worry. The cap wearing man nods approvingly at the violent scene.

"Oi!~ Look at him go! When was the last time you saw Kun-woo in the corner like that?!"

The masked man tilts his head with a curious gaze.

"11 months, 1 week with two days into the month, almost a year. The boy is, interesting."

"Yeah! Say... Only Kun-woo was paid to kill him, right? Maybe we can just say he handled all of us one at a time? We'll make it convincing if we beat on each other!"

The sickly man shakes his head as he continues to watch the fight.

"You want me to fight you because you are bored and are seeking excuses, Kuma. I decline."

"You're no fun, Takamata! Still... If we don't jump in, Kun-woo's gonna lose."

"He just might."

Ryuji began to slow down as his energy began to leave him. Kun-woo bears his own rage in full, his once handsome face now creased and wrinkled with bruises, glow with fury as Ryuji doubles over from a swift knee to his groin.

"Fucking brat...! Don't get cocky! Staining my fucking shirt that costs more than you!"

He cups the boy's chin to raise his face before delivering a righteous fist into Ryuji's face.

"Pissant!"

Ryuji spirals from the punch. He spins the opposite direction from another.

"Low-life!"

And then another. Again and again he finds himself in a starry daze as he's being knocked around by the savage blows. His hearing began to fade with his consciousness.

"Dog! You lowly dog! Thinking you're hot shit! You're just some shitty teenager who's gonna die in a shitty alley tonight!"

Kun-woo jumps with a roundhouse kick to Ryuji's head. The three were sure the boy had been rendered unconscious by that. He refuses to give up with a final form of defiance! A rebellious move as his head met the pavement, his leg fly in the air, and kick Kun-woo back sending the vulgar thug to the ground. Both laid there limp and motionless for a time. Unmoving.

Then, Ryuji groans as he opens his eyes laying on his back. Tears in his eyes and body in agony. Unfortunately, Kun-woo had also awaken, and stands over him with a foot raised.

"Worst of all... You could've been something... If only you were smarter."

Everything went black as the heavy foot came down on him. Ryuji passes out. The stomp never came down on his head though. The homeless man stops it with his hand before shoving Kun-woo back.

"What-?! Outta the way, old man! You want to die too!?"

"Whatever happened to that suave Pussy Slayer act you had just a few minutes ago? Some kid, not even flirting with your boss' dream girl, got you worked up like a wrung towel? Kids these days..."

"H-How do you...?!"

The homeless man, obscured with layered clothing, rolls his neck and shoulders with a groan.

"I have good ears and your friends talk too much. Not hard to connect some dots here or there. Still, y'all ain't gonna fight me."

"Why is that, geezer?"

As if on cue, police sirens begin to sound. The homeless man chuckles as he takes out a cellphone with the emergency number on the line.

"I called the police with this toy I found and waited for them to get here and do their job, for once! It was on you for making the mistake choosing this spot to kill a kid."

The trio grew anxious. Without another word, they split from one another, each going a different path. Takamata, the mask wearing man, took to a nearby grate. Loose and worn from years of service, he easily lifts it to dive for the sewers below, leaving the two behind.

The cap wearing man sneers as he takes to a back door of one of the nearby restaurants. His hefty size and power allow him to break the door right off it's hinges with a single punch. He charges off with a laugh leaving one behind.

Kun-woo knew the police were inbound as flashlights shine in and footsteps sound. Too far to escape the same route with his allies without sacrificing his identity, he takes the most daring route, and runs for the homeless man. A tall figure once standing straight, this works in Kun-woo's favor, as he leaps and uses the man's shoulder as a footstool to jump further into the air for the fire escape on the side of the building. He scales to the roof and out of sight as two officers arrive.

"Halt! You there! Raise your hands and drop the device!"

They lower their flashlights in disbelief as they find no one there. Blood splatter and trash thrown all around the area, but no bodies, leaving them in confusion.