(Disclaimer: Ikigami manga belongs solely to Mase Motoro, but Sasuke Mura and the other unknown characters I am writing about belong to me. The story is just based on the plot line of the manga. If this disclaimer is wrong, then please do not sue me.)

Chapter 7: Delinquent

Kaoru Fujioka walked down the sidewalk with his sister, Usagi. Usagi looked at Kaoru and asked, "So are you planning to go to the marriage interview?" Kaoru shook his head.

"I'm not ready for marriage yet," said Kaoru. Usagi groaned and said, "Come on now. You are already twenty-nine and of marriageable age." Kaoru smirked and said, "I know, but I just can't let go of her yet."

"Let go of who?"

"My most precious student."

Kaoru, age twenty-three, was walking through the streets looking over his teaching notes. Kaoru sighed and said, "I wonder if my students will bother even listening to me." Kaoru stepped in front of an alleyway only to see a man fly out of it screaming. Kaoru stopped in his tracks and looked down at the clearly unconscious man.

"What in the world …?"

Kaoru heard another scream and peeked into the alleyway. In the alleyway stood ten men surrounding a thirteen-year-old girl in a leather jacket breathing heavily. One of the men charged at her, but the girl dodged to the side and kicked the side of his face. The other men threw punches at her, but she overpowered them easily. Kaoru could see the anger in her eyes as she fought. Kaoru suddenly saw one of the men pull out a butterfly knife and gasped.

"Behind you!" yelled Kaoru. The girl turned around and was impaled in the stomach. The girl cringed and punched the guy clear in the face. She yanked the knife out and threw it at one of the men cutting the side of his face. She gripped her bleeding stomach and smirked at the men.

"I thought we agreed that we wouldn't use weapons," she muttered. The men could see the seriousness in her eyes and decided it was best to run. They ran pass Kaoru as the girl stood in the alleyway. Kaoru ran to the girl and asked, "Are you OK?" The girl fell to her knees cringing.

"I'll be fine by tomorrow," she said and began to fall to the ground. Kaoru caught her before she could touch the ground. He looked at her bleeding wound and decided that it was best to bring her to the hospital. He carried her bridal style and ran out of the alleyway leaving behind his bag.

Kaoru ran into the hospital and to the counter, where a receptionist was typing information on a computer.

"I need a doctor for this girl right away," said Kaoru urgently. The receptionist looked at him and saw the girl in his arms with blood clearly on her shirt. The receptionist nodded and called for some nurses to take the girl.

Two nurses rushed in with a stretcher. Kaoru placed the girl on the stretcher and watched them roll her away. Kaoru looked at the receptionist and said, "I will pay for her medical bills, so please do as much as you can for her." The receptionist nodded and told him to wait in the lobby.

Kaoru waited in the lobby. He leaned against the chair he occupied and sighed.

Today is insane. How in the world did I find a delinquent battle?

He suddenly saw a doctor walk into the lobby and went up to him. The doctor looked at Kaoru and asked, "Are you the one who brought that blood covered girl in?" Kaoru nodded and asked, "Is she hurt?" The doctor shook his head.

"She's completely unharmed, but the blood is clearly hers. It is very strange."

Kaoru's eyes widened and said, "But she was definitely stabbed in the stomach. I saw it with my own eyes." The doctor sighed.

"It's always like that with Yue," said the doctor.

"Yue, is that her name?" asked Kaoru. The doctor shook his head.

"That's not her name, but she refuses to tell us her real name. She rather be called Yue than her real name, whatever it is."

Kaoru clenched his fist and asked, "Can I see her?" The doctor nodded and warned him that Yue would be a bit hot temper.

Kaoru followed the doctor to Yue's room and opened the door. He walked into the room by himself. He approached Yue's sleeping form and looked down at her. He moved the covers down pass her stomach and lifted up her hospital gown. To his surprise, there was no stab wound in sight.

"How is that possible?"

Unbeknownst to him, Yue had awoken from her slumber and was glaring at Kaoru who was looking at her exposed stomach. She clenched her fist and punched him on the side of his cheek. Kaoru gasped in pain clenching his pain pulsing cheek. He looked at Yue, who had her hand clenched in a tight fist.

"What were you doing you pervert?" she hissed. Kaoru shook his hand at her.

"This is a misunderstanding. I was just trying to see if your stab wound was all right," said Kaoru in his defense. Yue glared at him and then lifted her gown showing her exposed stomach.

"As you can see, I'm all right, so you don't have to check, Pervert-San," stated Yue. Kaoru sighed and asked, "I was sure that you were stabbed, so how is it all ready healed?" Yue shrugged and said, "I heal fast." Kaoru was still confused as he stared at Yue.

Yue jumped out of the bed and began to search around the room.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for my clothes, so I can head home," stated Yue bluntly. Kaoru gasped and grabbed her arm.

"You were just in a large fight, so shouldn't you rest just in case?" urged Kaoru. Yue pulled her arm away from Kaoru.

"I'm fine, so stop pestering me," said Yue and then continued her search. Kaoru stared at her back and then asked, "Before you go, can you tell me why you were in that fight?" Yue stopped her search and looked at Kaoru seriously.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Well I'm a teacher and I have to see if I can help a student in trouble," stated Kaoru. Yue sighed and turned away from Kaoru.

"Those guys' group leader wanted to date me against my will, so I told them that I would date him, if he beat me in a fight. Bastards decided to fight me all at the same time, so I wouldn't win. I obviously won, but he will come back. Those bastards always do."

Yue's hand was trembling. Kaoru saw this and asked, "Are the fights common?" Yue nodded and said, "Common enough that I have to change my name to protect my family... I mean guardians."

"Why did you change 'family' to 'guardians'?"

Yue smirked and said, "Because we are not blood related. They adopted me into the family." Yue's voice seemed to almost break.

"You must really care for them, if you are willing to change your name to protect them."

Yue nodded and looked back at Kaoru.

"You sound almost like a psychiatrist," said Yue. Kaoru chuckled and said, "Well I do have a degree in psychology." Yue smiled that made Kaoru blush. Yue approached Kaoru and said, "Don't dig too deep into my life, Sensei." Kaoru gulped.

A nurse walked in with Yue's clean clothes and handed them to her.

"The doctor says you can leave if you want to."

Yue nodded and wished the nurse goodbye. When the nurse was gone, Yue looked at Kaoru and said, "Please get out, so I can change." Kaoru nodded and walked out of the room.

After a few minutes, Yue walked out of the room fully clothed. She looked to the side and saw Kaoru leaning against the wall.

"Were you waiting for me?" asked Yue. Kaoru nodded and said, "I decided to escort you home." Yue chuckled and said, "That's not a very good idea. My guardian would freak." Kaoru smiled and placed a firm hand on top of her head.

"Then let your guardian freak because I am a gentleman and I will escort you home," stated Kaoru. Yue sighed in defeat and allowed him to walk beside her.

They walked out of the hospital together. Kaoru looked at Yue and asked, "So what is your real name?" Yue glared at Kaoru and said, "I told you not to dig too deep." Kaoru sighed and looked away from Yue.

They soon reached a district that had lights in every corner. Yue looked at Kaoru and said, "I can go home from here." Kaoru nodded and wished her goodbye.

Before Yue left, she smiled at Kaoru and thanked him for helping her. Kaoru couldn't help but blush at her charming smile.

Kaoru watched Yue vanish around a corner and then headed to his home. Before Kaoru could even leave the street he was on, he was knocked out from behind.

"Wait a minute, wasn't that the day you didn't come home?" asked Usagi. Kaoru nodded and said, "And I would have never come home, if it wasn't for a miracle."

Kaoru awoke in a huge garage tied up and sitting against a stained wall. Kaoru gasped and looked at his surroundings.

"Where am I?"

"In our hideout."

Kaoru gasped and looked up only to see a group of teenager boys standing before him. Only one of the boys, who looked around the age of seventeen, sat on a chair with his legs spread out. The boy wore a leather jacket and torn jeans and had long red dyed hair. The red haired boy smirked as he looked at Kaoru.

"Who are you and what do you want?" asked Kaoru. The red haired boy chuckled and said, "I am Hayate Kuro, AKA the Red lion and leader of the Black Jays. As for your second question, I want only one thing: to see you suffer, Kaoru Fujioka-Sensei."

"How do you know my name?" asked Kaoru in surprise. Hayate tossed Kaoru's bag in front of him.

"You left this at the scene of the fight. It had all your information. Very irresponsible of you for a teacher."

Kaoru clenched his hand and asked, "What did I ever do to you for you to want me to suffer?" Hayate smirked and walked to Kaoru. He gripped the top of Kaoru's hair and pulled hard causing Kaoru to gasp in pain. He forced Kaoru to look at him and said, "I want you to suffer for making moves on my darling Yue."

"Yue?"

"That's right. Yue is my girl and I will beat any guy who tries to take her. Especially when it is a geek like you!" yelled Hayate and punched Kaoru across the face making him fall to the hard floor. Hayate chuckled and looked at the other boys.

"Beat the crap out of him," ordered Hayate. The boys did as they were told. Kaoru cringed as he was beaten.

It hurts. Somebody please help me.

There was suddenly a loud bang that caused the whole garage to fall silent. They looked toward the door and saw Yue standing before the open door glaring at them. Hayate smirked as he looked at Yue.

"Yue, have you finally decided to become my woman?" asked Hayate. Yue clenched her fist and yelled, "I would die then become yours!" Yue pointed toward Kaoru's fallen form and yelled, "I just came for him so release him now!" Hayate shook his head.

"Only if you become mine," said Hayate. Yue was shaking in anger. Yue looked at Kaoru's shaking form on the ground and clenched her fist. She looked at Hayate seriously and said, "All right. I'll become your woman, but you have to beat me first one on one today. If I win, you have to leave me alone and release Sensei. If you win, I am all yours." Hayate laughed and nodded.

"Deal."

Yue looked down at Kaoru and said, "This won't take long, Sensei." Yue looked at Hayate and then rushed at him. Yue swung a kick at his face, but he caught her leg and pinned her to the ground. Yue kicked him with her free leg forcing him onto his back and went on top of him. She punched him across his face multiple times, but then he caught her fist and shoved her off of him. Yue jumped to her feet as did Hayate. Hayate spat out blood as he looked at Yue with crazed eyes.

"You're the only girl I know who can beat me this much. You really do qualify to be my woman," said Hayate. Yue remained in a fighting stance glaring at Hayate. Hayate rushed at her throwing a punch at her. Yue caught his fist and punched him in the face. Hayate retaliated by punching her in the face with his other hand. He then grabbed both her hands and pinned her against the wall. He leaned toward her face with a smirk and asked, "Does this count as a win, Yue?"

Yue slammed her forehead against his forcing him back. Hayate gripped his forehead groaning in pain. Yue rubbed her head and then did a flying kick into his face. Hayate fell to the ground. Yue took this chance to do a falling kick into his stomach. Hayate gasped in pain before passing out. Yue glared down at him and said, "I win."

Yue glared at the remaining boys and ordered them to move away from Kaoru. She removed the bindings on Kaoru and carried him on her back. She also took hold of his bag. She glared at the boys and said, "Tell your leader that he better stay away from me from now on and to never again touch Sensei." The boys nodded and watched Yue leave with Kaoru.

Kaoru looked at Yue from her shoulder and asked, "How did you find me?" Yue smiled and said, "I heard your voice somehow and it led me here."

"A miracle huh?"

Yue nodded and said, "For a teacher, you held out pretty well against those beatings. You're really strong." Kaoru chuckled.

"But not as strong as you," said Kaoru. Yue giggled and nodded in agreement.

Yue brought Kaoru into the hospital, where he was immediately treated. Yue visited Kaoru after his treatment. She sat next to his bed and asked, "Are you feeling better now?" Kaoru nodded and said, "Like you said, I am strong." Yue smiled at Kaoru.

"You're a teacher, so can you listen to me?" asked Yue. Kaoru nodded.

Yue held her hands together and said, "I told you that I have guardians, but I do want them to be my family even if we aren't blood related. Is that a selfish wish?" Kaoru smiled and said, "It is a selfish wish, but it is OK to have that wish because it is pure. Everyone wants a family." Yue smiled and nodded.

"I'll tell them that someday. I'll wait for now," said Yue. Yue stood up from her chair and said, "I also want to apologize for getting you involved in my problems." Kaoru chuckled and said, "There's no need." Yue looked down at Kaoru and asked, "What is your name, Sensei?"

"Kaoru Fujioka."

Yue held a hand to her chest and said, "My name is Sasuke Mura, Fujioka-Sensei." Kaoru smiled at Yue, revealed to be Sasuke. Sasuke bent down and kissed his cheek making him blush. Sasuke giggled and said, "I hope we meet each other again someday." Sasuke ran out of the room leaving Kaoru completely red.

"So that's why you didn't come home, you should have told us before, Kaoru," said Usagi. Kaoru chuckled and said, "Well it was hard to tell you guys in the past." Usagi sighed.

"So Sasuke Mura is the person you can't let go?" asked Usagi. Kaoru nodded.

"She is my first love and I'm not quite ready to let go of this love, even though she is dating that foreigner," said Kaoru. Usagi giggled and said, "She's not dating him." Kaoru looked at Usagi in shock.

"What do you mean?"

"Allan told me that them dating was a lie. It was actually to protect himself from me, but now there is no need because we are now friends."

Kaoru smiled and said, "That's a relief." Usagi smiled at him and said, "Why don't you just propose to Sasuke already?" Kaoru shook his head.

"I'm still her teacher and I refuse to have any student teacher relationships," said Kaoru. Usagi sighed claiming that he was boring.

Kaoru looked up at the starry sky and wondered if Sasuke remembered that day they first met.