Mirai sat at her desk in Meiou High in a sour mood. She and Minamino Shuichi had been assigned together for an assignment for Biology. To make the pairing process fair, Mirai's teacher had pulled names out of a box. The first two names called out were paired into the first group; the next two were the second group and so on. Her name had been called out first, and to her shock and disappointment Minimino's name was called afterwards. They were partners…great.

'Kuso. I don't need this right now. Why can't we do projects on our own? No, the class has to get into pairs. What's worse is that I am paired with Shuichi, part of the school 'elite''. Mirai thought.

Minamino Shuichi was handsome, intelligent, kind, and very well mannered. The whole student body admired him…as well as the faculty. That's why Mirai called him "elite".

No one found anything wrong with him. Mirai stayed away from him. Firstly, she was not part of that group, the ones who were intelligent and pretty…most of all popular. Not to say Mirai was unpopular. She was just those students who no one had an opinion of. Secondly, she was absolutely horrific with the male species. She would most often say something that would lead to her wanting to jump out the window, and lead to the guy she had talked to snickering with his friends. Lastly, her life was off track right now, and to be honest 'off track' was highly understating her situation.

Mirai's train of thought was broken when she saw Shuichi walking towards her.

"Hello Mirai" Shuichi greeted. "It looks like we've been signed up to explain the importance of hemoglobin in the body"

"I see" was all Mirai could think of saying.

"Since we only have a week to do this, would you like to go to my house and begin on the presentation?" Shuichi asked.

Up until this point Mirai was somewhat relaxed. Now her heart had begun to beat rapidly, her hands had begun to become moist with sweat.

'Not after school!' Mirai thought, alarmed.

"I can't" Mirai replied quickly. "Not straight away anyway. I have something already planned. I could go to your house at…say… five o'clock. If that's alright"

The lunch bell rang.

"That will be fine. Here…" Shuichi got a pen and paper out of his bag and jotted down something. "Do you know where this address is?"

It was Shuichi's address. Mirai looked over the writing on the paper. She knew where the street was, so finding his house would be simple.

"Yes" Mirai replied.

"Wonderful" Shuichi smiled. "I will see you there at five o'clock then"

"Ok"

School had ended with no other memorable events. Mirai had left school half an hour ago and was now walking through the more dangerous part of town. Buildings were run down, and litter covered the roads and path ways. A cold breeze made Mirai shiver as she looked down at her feet. She made no eye contact with anyone; she knew where she was going. The cold, cloud covered, autumn day added an unsettling eerie quality to Mirai's journey.

Mirai stopped and looked up at an old, run down, abandoned shack. This is where she was supposed to meet them this time. She walked to the door and twisted the doorknob. The door creaked as she slowly pulled it open. Mirai stepped into the shack. It smelled of mildew and garbage. The floor was hard and cold. The small hovel was dark in the inside.

A small flick was heard and a light lazily turned on.

"You're late" said a gruff voice.

Mirai looked in front of her. In the middle of the one room shack was a table. At the table sat a large round man. Between his lips he held a cigar. He wore a dark purple suit, it looked expensive. His voice was gruff, he coughed and Mirai heard the phlegm gurgle in his throat. Two men stood behind the old round one. They looked around thirty. They were also dressed in suits, not as expensive looking as the old man's, though. They both wore arrogant smirks on their faces.

"I was in school. Remember that or did you leave too early?" Mirai replied with an expressionless look.

"Don't get smart with me. I meant you are late with your… 'taxes'" he chuckled. The two men behind him, most probably bodyguards joined in. Mirai could yet again hear the phlegm in the old man's throat.

"I am trying, Santo. I have to work and pass school. You will have to give me more time."

"More time?" The men left Santo's side and walked behind Mirai "I have given you plenty of time, Mirai. You're pathetic after school job isn't going to get me back the generous sum I gave to you. Here is what you will do; you will work for me until I say your debt is repaid"

"I'm not doing your pathetic dirty work." Mirai hissed.

"Pathetic dirty work!" Santo bellowed. He stood up, and pushed the table away from him in anger, the table flew across the room. The two men behind Mirai pushed her roughly to the ground. "Pathetic dirty work!" Santo repeated his voice even louder full of even more anger. Mirai tried to get up but one of the body guards kicked her down again, with Mirai landing on her stomach. Both of the men turned her onto her back. Santo stood above her. His face was a deep red; she knew she had pissed him of. Santo put his right foot on her throat and pushed down, not allowing any air into Mirai's lungs.

"What is pathetic is having your own parents run out on you! What is pathetic is not being able to take-care of the young ones in your family! What is pathetic is groveling for money like a flea-bitten dog does for a scrap of meat!" He had been pushing down harder and harder on her throat the entire time, after his rant he lifted his foot. The two bodyguards lifted her onto her legs, but Mirai fell down onto her knees gasping for air.

Santo bent down to her ear, "Now, who or what qualifies for that?" he whispered with arrogance in his voice.

Santo walked back to his chair and sat down. "Now if you don't want to work for me, we could always get your brother to do it"

"You son of a bitch! Stay away from him!" Mirai yelled with pure hatred in her voice, but, also fear.

Mirai felt a swift strike to her stomach and fell to the ground.

"I'm sorry? What did you say about my mother?" Santo said coolly.

She felt a foot connect with her left check, making her head swing rapidly to the right.

This time, Santo had left his chair and was standing above her. She tightly closed her left eye, which had taken some of the blow from the kick to her face, but looked at him with her right. He took a step back and began to walk around her leisurely. Mirai felt a painful jolt at her stomach, and another. The body guards had resumed beating her. She groaned loudly in pain and turned over to her side, but this did not stop them

"As I see it, you have three choices, Mirai" Santo began, his voice full of pride. "Work for me, get your brother to do it for you, or you pay in blood."

Through out this the body guards had continued their assault, but now Santo motioned for them to stop and lift her up.

Yet again he moved his face close to her ear, "By the way, the third option is quite fatal"

Mirai used all her strength to remain standing.

"You will receive the information tomorrow. Don't worry about finding us, we'll find you." Santo said, predicting Mirai's answer. With that said, Santo's henchmen shoved her out of the shack and slammed the door.

Mirai slowly got up. This was not a good place to stay and rest.

'Oh shit…' thought Mirai as she coughed up a little blood. She put her hand in her school skirt pocket. Her bloodied hand took out the piece of paper Kurama had written his address on earlier that day.

'I am definitely not going there now. Not like this. Then he would definitely know about all this. If he finds out, the whole school will know, all the popular kids are the same. Someone's name destroyed for the sake of gossip.'

Mirai put the paper, now stained with bloody fingerprints back in her pocket. She wiped the tickle of blood from her mouth and headed for home.

Mirai walked into school trying to avoid as many people as possible. Yesterday's meeting with Santo had left Mirai with bruises and grazes. To her misfortune there was one on her face. As she walked past, she could hear her peers whisper and stare at her.

'Don't they have any common decency!' Mirai thought in embarrassment. 'Can't they whisper about me when I am NOT there to hear it!'

Mirai's day had passed quickly, and she thanked God that she had not seen Kurama all day, but as the bell for the last class ringed she felt an immense sense of dread in her stomach. Her last class was Biology. She would have to see Kurama then. She had spent all her time that day thinking of excuses, but none seemed believable. She walked into the Biology class and sat down at her seat, hoping desperately he might not show up today. Yet sure enough, there he was. He walked into class and immediately spotted Mirai.

"Mirai" he said when he reached her. " I was waiting for you last night, but you—what happened to your face!" he asked as he moved his face closer to see the large purple bruise on her left cheek. This took Mirai off guard and she stammered a bit before answering, trying to quickly think of an answer.

"Oh. I had a little accident yesterday. That's why I couldn't come to your place"

"A little accident? That bruise is huge! What happened?"

'Oh no!' Mirai thought. She had no idea what to say. She kept thinking back to yesterday, all she could think of were the bodyguards beating her and having to accept Santo's plans.

"I-I-was mugged…" she said hesitantly.

"Oh my god! Where? I can't believe that would happen around here!" Kurama replied in confusion and worry. He kept looking at the bruise on Mirai's face, Kurama felt so bad for her. Mirai suddenly realised what she had said.

'Mugged! I couldn't have thought of anything better? I am such an idiot!'

"Were you hurt very badly?" Kurama asked in a worried tone.

'Oh my god! Will he just let it go already' Mirai thought.

"No. The bruise on my face is the worst of it." This too, like her excuse, was a lie. Mirai had many bruises on her body, but she wasn't very well going to share that with him.

Both students brought their attention the front of the class when they heard someone clear their throat.

"If you have both finished you little greeting I would like to start the class." The teacher said loudly, followed by the snicker of the other students in the room.

Mirai and Kurama both apologized. Kurama returned to his seat, while Mirai's face turned a bright red.

'Could have gone better, but it will do…' she thought.

Mirai just came hoime after working her afternoon shift at the Café Original, her current place of employment. She slipped the key into her apartment door. The door slowly opened and she walked into her shabby living area. The apartment was messy because she never had time to clean.

"Kichiro! I'm home!" she called out. She heard little thuds on the floor, then out infront of her appeared Kichiro, her brother, running to her.

"Hello sister!" He ran to her and hugged her burying his head in her stomach.

"Hey there, little guy!" She hugged him back. "Did you find your lunch in the fridge?"

Kichiro moved his head so he could look up at her.

"Yep" he smiled

"Good" she smiled back as she patted him on his head. She went to the living room of her messy home. It was less then impressive. The couch had tears and the stuffing was coming out of it. The floor was a clutter or paper and odd nick–knacks. She sat on the couch and breathed out a sigh, Mirai was very tired. Kichiro came and sat next to her.

"Did you do your homework?" Mirai asked.

"Yes. Just finished" he answered.

"Already? You're a genius!" she complimented him as she patted him on the back. Mirai reached into her pocket and took out a lollipop. "Here. For your efforts, Mr. Scholar!"

"Yay!" Kichiro called out as he took the lollipop. He took of the bright green wrapping and placed the lollipop in his mouth.

"Now, I have to go out tonight, so I can't watch that movie with you." Mirai continued.

Mirai saw the disappointment in his face and she felt a pang of guilt in her stomach, the lollipop didn't soften the blow.

"But you said you would!"

"I know. I'm really sorry, but it just came up today."

Kichiro looked up at his sister with sadness in his eyes.

"I don't want the lollipop anymore…" He took the lollipop out of his mouth and handed it back to her and walked into another room.

"Please Kichiro. I'm really sorry" Mirai pleaded. "Damn it…"she whispered in aggravation.

"I'm going Kichiro! Be back as soon as I can!" Mirai called out, but Kichiro didn't repond. He was still angry. Mirai sighed and closed the door locking it behind her.

Mirai didn't like leaving Kichiro by himself. He was only seven and, with the area they lived in, she knew he wasn't safe. Yet, she had to go. If she didn't, they'd be out on the streets.

"This job better be worth it" Mirai mumbled as she walked to the meeting point Santo's henchmen had told her to go to earlier that day.

Well, that chapter 1! I hope you liked it. If you have any comments please message. I will put up chapter 2 as soon as I can.

Lady Wolfwood