Akatsuki was being suspicious. 'He's up to something,' Otori thinks as he sees Akatsuki writing in his notebook. After Akatsuki closes his notebook, he gets up and walks away, Otori silently following him with his eyes, a stern expression on his face.
The following day, Hoshitani received another challenge letter. He glares a bit before stuffing it into his bag, and heading off to class. The others were slightly concerned, but knew that whatever it was, Hoshitani can handle it. He is the strongest of them, after all.
Later, after school…
Otori was stuck doing paperwork again, Hoshitani keeping him company, laying down on the couch that was recently moved in there, Hoshitani currently spacing out. Otori notices how quiet his student is being, raising an eyebrow, "Is everything OK? You're too quiet for my liking." Blinking, Hoshitani responds, "Ah. Yeah. Everything is fine. I'm just thinking about something." Otori's skeptical, but doesn't push the issue.
Looking at the clock, Hoshitani gets up, "I have an 'appointment', so I'll be going." Otori nods, knowing what he meant, "Good luck." Hoshitani nods back, and goes off.
When Hoshitani heads to the rooftop, he's greeted by a bunch of seniors, and … a certain orange haired student. Glaring, Hoshitani asks, "Are you Akatsuki?" Akatsuki smirks, "Yeah. It's nice to finally meet you, Hoshitani Yuta." "And, what did you call me out for?" Hoshitani asks, smiling like usual, but still glaring.
Suddenly, the two of the seniors grab his arms. Flinching, Hoshitani tries to break free, but he was outnumbered. Growling, Hoshitani glares at Akatsuki fiercely. Akatsuki chuckles, "Oh, I just wanted to introduce Otori's new subordinate to his 'old friends'." Akatsuki smiles as he walks away and downstairs, waving an offhanded goodbye, "Well, I'll be taking my leave then. You guys have fun."
"Akatsuki, get back here!" Hoshitani growls as he tries to escape, but the grip on his arms was strong. Then, a senior, one not holding him hostage, walks up to him, then punches him in the gut. Hoshitani gasps then coughs. The smiling senior lifts Hoshitani's head up, looking at him straight in the eyes, "Now now. No need to pay attention to that fox. You just do what we say, and all we'll do is rough you up a bit. We wouldn't want that pretty face of yours to get hurt, now do we?" Hoshitani growls, "Like I'd agree to that!"
Hoshitani gets punched in the gut again and kicked as a response, grunting in pain. "Tie him up." The other two who were holding him got some rope and tied Hoshitani's hands behind his back. Hoshitani glared and growled defiantly at them while they just smiled and laughed. "Let's have some fun, guys." Their shadows enclosed upon him, engulfing him.
Meanwhile, Otori, after doing half of his stack of paperwork for the day, noticed that Hoshitani left his bag on the couch. Sighing, he picks up the bag, then notices a letter inside it. He reaches for it, and opens it. It says: "Come to the rooftop after school. Come alone. -Akatsuki."
Eyes widening, Otori says, "This is-" Then, he quickly leaves, running straight to the rooftop. 'Hoshitani, no! It's a trap!'
When he finally got to the rooftop, the smell of cigarettes and blood in the air. What he saw didn't amuse him. Hoshitani tied up, his shirt ripped apart, exposing his chest, several bruises covering it, multiple cuts, burns, and a tie tied around his mouth, preventing him from speaking. Hoshitani looks at him, eyes silently pleading for help as one of the seniors tries to unzip his pants. Glaring at the seniors, Otori releases a dark aura, the seniors slightly cowering.
"Ah. O-Otori. What a pleasant surprise. We were just having a bit of fun with your student. No need to-" One of them says before he's punched, knocked out cold. The other two flinch, Otori fuming. "You dare lay a hand on my student? You have some nerve." He knocks out another one. "Tell Akatsuki that I plan to end this soon. And to never harm my student again," Otori tells the last one, who only nods and runs off scared.
Sighing, Otori goes over to Hoshitani, using the dropped bloody knife to cut him loose, which was next to some crushed cigarettes on the ground. Then Otori unties the tie on Hoshitani's mouth, and puts his jacket around Hoshitani's shoulders. Hoshitani gasps for breath, then looks at Otori. "You alright?" Hoshitani's eyes water, and he hugs his senpai, "Yeah… They didn't get very far but," he hugs tighter, sobbing into Otori's chest, "it was so scary." "Shh… it's OK. I'm right here," Otori picks him up bridal style, and carries him into the infirmary.
Otori puts his crying student on the bed, then gets some bandages and cream to treat the injuries. Hoshitani hisses and complains a bit, but takes it like a champ. After treatment, Otori sits down on the bed with Hoshitani.
"You sure they didn't-" "I'm sure. I did bite one of them when he tried to kiss me after all," Hoshitani smiles, then pouts, "Although they did call me a dog." Otori shakes his head, chuckling to himself, "Good boy." "Not you too!" Otori laughs, "Sorry, but they're right. You're just like a dog. No, you're more like a puppy," Hoshitani pouts more, "But, you try your best to protect me…and that's enough for me." Hoshitani's speechless.
"About that bet during sports' day… I'd like to collect my reward," Otori smiles. Hoshitani's a bit cautious, "What is it?" Otori lifts Hoshitani's chin towards him, leaning in real close, looking him in the eyes, "I really like you. Would you like to go out to dinner with me?" Hoshitani blinks, "Are you asking me out on a date?" "Hm... And if I am?" Otori asks. Hoshitani smiles, "I like you too, and I'd love to, senpai." They kiss, smiling into it, happy.
Later, with the setting sun, Hoshitani's asleep in bed, Otori watching over him. He brushes the hair behind the ear of his student's, no his boyfriend's, head. Sighing, he silently vows, 'Akatsuki…You've gone too far this time. I'll end this. No, we'll end this. Once and for all.'
Akatsuki gets the report of the senior and glares. 'So that didn't work, huh. Well, it looks like it's finally time to end this. Once and for all.'
