.:For the Sake of Living... Don't:.

Chapter 1

Class was over, and everyone was walking out of the room, including the teacher. In the corner of the room, somewhere around 4 guys stood, all in a circle, a small girl in front of them, pinned against the wall.

"Please... don't..." A small voice said as louder ones were heard around it, laughing and making jokes.

"Haha! What are you gonna do, girl?" One voice said as cold as ever.

"Are you gonna fight back?" Another said, laughing as he said it.

"Haha! I doubt she can! Look at her!" Said another, laughing along with the others in the group.

The girl tried to slump closer to the wall, but couldn't go any farther. If she were to go any further, she would definately have to dig a hole in the wall. With her back pressed against the wall, she stared up at the boys, terror in her eye as they hit her, kicked her, poked her, pulled her hair. She then closed her eyes, putting her head down and covering it with her hands, ending up removing them from her short skirt, which was now trying to be lifted by one of the guys. Tears started to run down her face slowly as she tried to tell them over and over again to stop.

"Hey..." Said a new voice. "Leave her alone."

The leader of the guys, the one first to talk. "Huh? Why the hell should we listen to you, punk?" He asked.

"Because, if you don't, then I'll have to get angry."

"Ha! And why should I be afraid of you? You're just a little punk, not worthy of my time." The leader said, laughing.

The next few seconds were a blur. The girl who was against the wall suddenly felt no hands on her, no poking, no hitting, no kicking. She instead heard it. Looking up slowly, the girl took her hands off of her eyes, looking to see what was going on. What she saw was a man standing there, hitting, punching, and kicking those men that were tormenting her so. Her eyes watched as all of her perpetrators were hit to the ground, some standing up and running out of the room as quickly as their legs could carry them out. Soon the last one had left and only the fighter was left in the room along with the girl.

Slowly removing her hands from her head, she looked ahead, staring at the man that had saved her. He turned to look at her and he walked towards her, stopping in front of her. He spoke gently. "Hey... are you all right?" He asked, looking into the girl's eyes softly.

Swallowing, the girl nodded. "Y-yeah. I'm fine." She said. She put her hands on the ground and made to get up, but the boy in front of her held out a hand.

"Here, let me help." He said. The girl took his hand and he pulled her up into a standing position, ending up bringing her very close to his own face. He smiled but stepped back. "I'm Hatsuharu Sohma, by the way." He said to her, bowing.

"Oh! I'm Ameko Morioka. It's nice to meet you, Hatsuharu Sohma-san." The girl said, also bowing. She stood up and smiled at Haru. "Thank you for your help. But I have to be going now. Ja ne!" She said, rushing out of the classroom with tears still in her eyes and on her cheek.

Haru watched her go, yet made no movement to stop her. He instead went outside. He was greeted by one of his cousins.

"Haru, what took you so long?" Momiji asked him as they walked towards the Main House.

"I got held up in some business. Hey, do you know a girl? Ameko Morioka?" Haru asked Momiji as he walked, his arms above his head.

Momiji thought a moment, trying to place the name to a face. "Oh! I know her! She's in our class, right? Year 1, class A. She's really shy... never talks to anyone. But she's really pretty." Momiji said. "Why?"

Haru shook his head. "No reason. I just met her. She acts like Tohru." Haru said.

"Really? You're going to have to introduce me to her sometime!" Momiji said to Haru as they entered the gates to the main house.

Haru nodded. "I'll try. Hopefully she'll talk to me." He said, more to himself than to Momiji.

"Huh? Why would she not talk to you?" Momiji asked.

"What? I never said that." Haru said.

"Okay then. Whatever you say." Momiji said, walking up to the door into the house. "Hari-san! We're home!" Momiji yelled into the house.

"Jeez, Momiji. Do you really have to say that every time?" Haru asked as he took his shoes off and headed to the right, towards his room.

"Haru. Shigure's asked that you go to his house." Hatori said, coming into the room. Momiji made to hug Hatori, but he held out his hand, keeping Momiji from hugging him.

"Pssh. Why now?" Haru asked. "And what for?"

"I don't know. They just want you over there." Hatori said, turning around and walking towards his office. "If you need a ride, tell me. I need to go over there anyway."

Sighing, Haru made his way to his room, throwing himself on the bed. Why did they need him over at the main house anyway? He sat up and looked around his room at the emptiness. After that argument he had with Rin, he just couldn't help but get rid of everything in his room that reminded him of her. Coincidentially, that was nearly everything in the room, besides his bed. So now all he had was his bed, a couple of posters, and his closet full of clothes.

Standing up, he walked out of the room to Hatori's room. "All right, Hatori. I'm ready to go." He said. Hatori stood up and the two of them walked to the car, driving to Shigure's house.

"Hatori, do you know why I'm requested there?" Haru asked Hatori as they drove.

"I don't know. Shigure called a little before you got home and said that you were needed at the house." Hatori told him.

"Hnn." Haru said, his arms folded as he looked out the window. He watched as the trees passed and finally they came to a stop at Shigure's house.

Stepping out of the car, Haru walked up to the door and opened it, not bothering to knock. As usual, Kyo was making some complaint, Tohru was apologizing for something, Yuki was trying to tell Tohru to stop apologizing and trying to get Kyo to stop whatever the hell he was yelling about, and Shigure was being as perverted as ever. Haru walked into the kitchen where they all sat and sat down between Yuki and Tohru.

"Yo." Was all he said. He looked at the table, seeing a rice ball and picking one up, taking a bite out of it.

"JEEZ, YOU STUPID COW! CAN'T YOU KNOCK BEFORE YOU COME BARGING IN! AND CAN'T YOU ASK NEXT TIME?" Kyo yelled at Haru, who sat back lazily.

"Shut up, baka neko." Haru said cooly. He then looked at Shigure. "So what's up, Gure-san? Why'd you need me here?" He asked him, finishing the rice ball. "Good onigiri, Tohru." He said as a side-note to Tohru who smiled and thanked him.

"Well, actually, Tohru called you over here." Shigure said.

Haru turned to Tohru. "Haru-san, do you know my cousin?" She asked looking over at Haru.

"Huh? Why would I know your cousin?" Haru asked.

"Because she came here crying and saying your name." Yuki told him.

"What!" Haru asked, sitting up. "What the heck did I do!" He yelled.

"Um, I don't know." Tohru said. "Please calm down, Haru." She said.

Haru took a deep breath and then stood. "Whatever. I'm going to go find this cousin of yours and ask why she came here crying and saying my name..." He said, turning around. He was on his knees about to get up when he saw a pair of legs in front of him. Looking up, he saw the girl from earlier... Ameko Morioka.

Author's Note:

Hi people! It's my new story! LOL. Anyway, hope you all liked it:) Talk to ya later! Check for an update in about a week!