Chapter 1

04/27/18: Grammar edits. Again, I may or may not continue this. I want to, but school. Tbh I don't even have an actual plot. However, school is winding down (besides finals, etc) so maybe I can work on this. In the meantime, enjoy what's here. :)

*Feel free to comment anything I've got written so far that you think I can improve.

...

Kazue Kimura's day was fairly normal— until she nearly ran a boy over on her way home from work at the local grocery store. She was driving past the basketball court when he came out of nowhere, running across the street without a care in the world. Kazue yelped and slammed on the brakes, coming to a halt mere inches from the boy.

"Are you crazy?" Kazue cried, pulling over, getting out of her car, and standing in front of him. She vaguely recognized him, with his dark hair and blue eyes that always looked sheepish yet full of mischief. He was the new employee at the grocery store. The fact that she'd nearly run over a fellow employee made her feel even worse. "You can't just run across the street like that! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

The boy, who looked about her age, scratched his messy hair. "So sorry about that," he apologized. "I was in a hurry. Hey, I saw you working at the store too! I'm Rin," he said brightly, holding out his hand.

In a hurry to where? Kazue wondered. She sighed, shaking his hand. "Kazue. It's fine. Just watch where you're going next time—"

"Hey! Okimura! Watcha doin'? Flirtin' with your new girlfriend?" a taunting voice called from the sidewalk next to the court. Kazue looked over to see Shiratori Reiji, a 16-year old boy who lived in the richer part of the neighborhood, approaching them with a smug expression. His gang of three— Kosaku, Hirotsugu, and Hachiro— trailed close behind him.

Rin turned around and scowled. "Shiratori," he muttered.

Shiratori was the cool guy who liked to brag, the one who made fun of others and even carried a crossbow around to make himself look tough. He made sure that everyone knew he attended True Cross Academy, a prestigious and expensive school in Tokyo. He never cared to remember anyone's name, unless he absolutely hated them. If he remembered Rin's name, he must really hate him. Kazue was lucky he didn't know her name. She so did not need him to hunt her down.

"We're not dating," Kazue told Shiratori. "We literally just met each other."

He barely glanced at her before telling Rin, "Yeah, whatever. Listen, Okimura, I got a bone to pick with you. It's about yesterday."

Rin glared at Shiratori, balling his fists. They must clash often, Kazue realized. She could tell Rin really wanted to fight, but for some reason he hesitated. "I'm not going to fall for your taunting this time," he said, starting to turn away. Kazue started to edge back toward her car, fairly certain that she didn't want to hang out with Shiratori and his gang any longer than necessary. She sent Rin a quiet look she hoped he would understand: Get in the car.

"You think I'm gonna let you go that easy?" Shiratori laughed. "I heard your younger brother— Yukio, is it?— got into True Cross Academy on a scholarship, yeah?"

Rin froze. "Yeah. What about it?"

"I can give you money… I know you need it." Shiratori's eyes gleamed, full of malice.

Kazue placed her hand on Rin's shoulder as a warning. "Rin, don't. He's not worth it."

Shiratori finally turned to her. "Excuse me?"

She ignored him and tugged on Rin's sweater sleeve. "Come on."

Shiratori sneered. "No. We're settling this, right here and now. You'd be wise to stay out of this, little girl."

"I am not a little girl," Kazue objected indignantly (she was ironically taller than him, as was Rin), but of course Shiratori ignored her. He turned as if to leave... and then pivoted around and aimed a punch at Rin. The latter ducked, barely dodging the blow.

"Too scared to fight, Okimura?" Hachiro sneered.

"Go run back to your little monastery," Kosaku added. "Hide behind the old man while you still can."

"That's it!" Rin snarled. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he lunged at Shiratori.

...

To be continued (or not)...