CHAPTER ONE

It was near midnight. A single frizzy-haired teenage boy walked down an empty street, enjoying the peaceful silence. It was the only time the boy could relax-during his walks through his quiet country neighbourhood at night. The keyword being 'was'.

"Please, help!" A feminine cry echoed down the empty street. The boy looked up to witness the struggle between a man and a woman. The man, clearly drunk, gripped the woman's flailing arm, trying to force her into an expensive-looking black car beside them.

The boy halted, looking upon the two adults, his face a mix of fear, anger, and unease. He was troubled, uncertain what to do. A year ago, he would've made a move immediately, but now, he didn't know.

Are you just going to watch?

Before he could realize it, the boy ran to the couple, grabbed the man's outreached arm and pulled his fingers off the woman's wrist.

I am thou. Thou art I.

The man stumbled from the sudden intervention of a third party. His drunk, sluggish movements couldn't keep up, and he tripped over his own feet. His head thudded on the cement sidewalk.

The boy looked at his own hands in surprise at the sudden strength and determination to tear the man away from the woman. He looked down at the fallen man, a trickle of blood running down his forehead from a small scrape, and realization dawned upon the boy.

"I-I'm sor-" The boy tried to apologize but the man cut him off. The man stood up, his hand gripping his wounded head, his eyes a raging fire.

"Damn brat, I'll sue!"

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4/9 Saturday

Ren woke up as the subway pulled into his stop. "Yongen-Jaya. This is Yongen-Jaya" The speakers announced. Ren shook his head groggily, trying to shake off the memory he had dreamed about, but to no avail. Pushing the dream as far back into the corner of his mind as he could, he followed a stream of people off the train.

Starting today, Ren was on probation to live in Tokyo with his guardian Sojiro Sakura for a year. Ren pulled up a map of where Sakura-san's house should be, and exited the station.

Stumbling his way through the backstreets of the residential area, Ren finally found a grey house with the nameplate 'Sakura'. Outside the house, crouching against the brick fence, was a teenage girl with bright orange hair and large glasses, much like those that Ren wore. Her eyes were glued to the screen of her gameboy, her fingers flying over the controls. Ren couldn't help but look over her shoulder.

"Is that a Featherman fighting game?" Ren asked.

"Yes," The orange-head replied excitedly, her eyes still fixated to the game, "It's the newest version with smoother animations, new combat skills and-YES! I WON!" She raised her arms victoriously into the air. It took a moment before she noticed Ren standing beside her. "Huh?" Her voice flipped 180º as her previous cheer turned into a shaky squeak. "Who… who are you?"

"Ren Amamiya," Ren replied, "Would you happen to know if this is Sojiro Sakura's house?"

"Sakura… Ren…? Oh, you're the criminal?" The orange-headed girl said haphazardly, then quickly covered her mouth as Ren frowned.

"How did you know?"

"Ah… um… I'm his… daughter…" The girl fidgeted awkwardly, "Sojiro's not home… he's at the cafe in the back alley…"

"Can you take me there?" Ren could tell the girl was somewhat uncomfortable in his presence, but it's not like he could navigate his way through this place yet.

"Um… ok…" The girl shifted her way down the street, veering as far away from the passing people as possible.

The cafe, called LeBlanc, was not far around the corner. Its exterior wasn't particularly enticing-the building looked old and worn-and it often went unnoticed due to its obscure location. An old couple exited the cafe as Ren and the orange-head approached it.

The inside of the cafe reflected the outside, except it was cleaner. A bar was on the right, and booths filled the remaining space on the left. A man with slick black hair, glasses, and a goatee slouched over a newspaper crossword puzzle on a barstool. He glanced up when the bell above the cafe door chimed.

"Futaba? What are you doing here?" The man eyed the orange-headed girl, called Futaba, who rushed towards him, before turning to Ren. "And you're…"

Ren didn't need to say anything. The man got up and put his newspaper on the bar counter. "Oh right, that was today." He looked Ren up and down. "So, you're Ren Amamiya?"

Ren nodded.

"I'm Sojiro Sakura, and you'll be in my custody for the year." Sojiro turned around and began walking towards the stairs at the back of the shop. "Futaba, stay down here. And you," He pointed at Ren, "follow me."

Ren followed Sojiro up to the attic of the cafe. The attic was big and spacious, but not appealing at all. Dust covered the floor as if a snowstorm blew through there. Old equipment, trash bags, and dusty boxes littered the ground. "This will be your room."

Ren didn't know whether he should be thankful or upset.

"I'll be locking up after I leave each day. Don't do anything stupid, else I'll throw you out." Sojiro stated bluntly. Ren nodded, acknowledging the short leash he's been put on. Sojiro continued speaking, "I got the gist of your situation. You saw a man forcing himself on a woman, so you stepped in and assaulted the man." Sojiro sighed. "This is what happens when you stick your nose in other people's business."

Ren looked surprised. Sojiro knew that the man was troubling the woman? And that he didn't actually assault someone for no reason?

Sojiro saw Ren's expression and sighed again. "I heard about what happened from your father's friend, the person who asked me to take you in. Not like it matters. Whatever happened happened; an assault is still an assault, and now that you've got that on your record, life won't be so easy on you." Sojiro walked towards the staircase. "We'll be heading to Shujin Academy tomorrow, to get you checked in." And then Sojiro left, leaving Ren behind in the dusty attic.

Ren looked around his new… home, and sighed. It's going to take a long while to clean everything.

"Hey," A familiar voice squeaked from behind Ren. He turned around to see Futaba's head peeking above the staircase.

"Futaba Sakura-san..." Ren said uncertainly. The girl nodded to confirm her name.

"Is it true?" Futaba cautiously inched her way up the stairs. "Is what Sojiro said about your record true? How you intervened between a NPC harassing another NPC?"

Ren thought it peculiar how Futaba called people NPC's. "Would you believe me if I said yes?"

"I…" Futaba looked at her feet. "I probably would… Y-you see… my mom…"

Futaba's stay was cut short by Sojiro's shout, "Futaba! Where are you?"

Futaba jumped at the voice and made her way back down the stairs. Half-way down, she turned back to Ren, "I guess… I'll see you later?"

Ren nodded and Futaba bounded downstairs to Sojiro. Ren could hear Sojiro scold her and tell her to stay away from Ren. Once again alone, Ren turned back to the cluttered room of his.

"Now then, I should clean things up."

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Makoto Niijima entered the principal's room after school. The principal had called her down to give her some sort of important information, she didn't know what though.

"Excuse me." Makoto said politely as she slid open the office door. Principal Kobayakawa was sitting at his desk as usual, and looked up as Makoto approached him.

"Makoto Niijima," Principal Kobayakawa greeted as he grabbed a small stack of papers. "Pardon me for calling you so suddenly but there are some matters I wish to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"We will be receiving a rather troublesome transfer student tomorrow. You see, he has a criminal record, for assault."

"Oh…" Makoto wasn't expecting this. Shujin Academy, being a prestigious college prep school, allows almost no transfer students, much less one with a criminal record. Makoto quickly assumed there must be other factors playing a part in this. Maybe the transfer was from a rich family?

"I would like you, student council president Makoto Niijima, to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't tarnish our school's reputation. I also want

you to help him study and achieve high grades-we are, after all, here to rehabilitate him, who has strayed onto the wrong path. With your grades, I'm sure there will be no problem."

"...Yes sir." Makoto hesitated a little. Makoto was in her third year of high school, an important year for she will be taking college exams. Dealing with a delinquent was not something Makoto had planned to do, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to help a troubled student. She was the student council president, it is her duty to help the student body of Shujin Academy.

"Good. You won't go unrewarded of course. If he makes it through the year with stellar grades and out of trouble, I will write you a recommendation letter for any college you want."

"Th-thank you sir."

"But if he causes any trouble, any trouble at all, report it immediately."

"Yes sir."

"That's all. You are dismissed."

Makoto bowed before exiting the office, shutting the door behind her, the stack of papers on the profile of the new transfer student in her hands. He skimmed the first sheet as she headed to the student council room. Ren Amamiya, second year, huh. Makoto read silently as she looked at the picture of a thin teenage boy with clear grey eyes and frizzy hair, wondering if they got the right picture printed.