After both Keiko and Mallory bade farewell to Ryuji and leave the rooftop and as they stepped out of the school, they heard and felt their phones vibrating in their pockets and they pull their phones out to see and read the messages on it.

RS: Hey, you two. I just heard something from some of the volleyball members that got my attention.

MC: Really? Do tell.

KA: Yeah, what is it that you just heard from them, Ryuji-kun?

RS: About that Suzui girl… Looks like rumors are going around about her and Kamoshida. If they're true, it's no wonder I couldn't get her to talk. Still, something about that doesn't seem right.

KA: What do you mean?

RS: It's just impossible. I've known Takamaki and Suzui since middle school. There's no way that Kamoshida's their type, y'know? So I wonder where those rumors come from.

KA: About where those rumors about them come from and whether they're true or not, we'll find out and know the truth hopefully soon.

MC: Yeah, you're right, Keiko.

RS: Well, whatever. I'll try asking around some more.

KA: Sure and good luck to you again, Ryuji-kun.

After both Keiko and Mallory's done with their phone messaging with Ryuji, they put their phones back into their pockets, they decided to eavesdrop on some of the conversations spoken by the other Shujin students that still linger near Shujin, heard that their conversations is about them being dangerous transfer students and hanging out with Ryuji, about Ann and Suzui being Kamoshida's favorite girls and about the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns incident cases until they heard enough, make their way toward and entered the station, got into the train that bring them to Shibuya station. Once the train arrived in Shibuya station and both Keiko and Mallory got off the train and walked out of the station into the station square, they suddenly heard a girl talking quite loudly to someone to their right, stopped to glance and they saw that it's Ann as she argued with someone on her phone with an annoyed look on her face.

"Hm? Hey, Keiko, isn't that…" said Mallory.

"Yeah, it's Ann Takamaki, Maly. Looks like she's arguing with someone on her phone." said Keiko as she nodded at Mallory.

"Will you please give it a rest!? I told you, I'm not feeling up to it…" said Ann in an annoy tone of voice to the person on the other end of the line before a surprise look appear on her face. "Wait, what…!? That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher!? This has nothing to do with Shiho!" retorted Ann indignantly to the person before she gasped and moved her phone away from her. She then crouch down and lowered her face into her arms. "Shiho's… starting position…" said Ann sadly to herself.

"I think we better go talk to her, Maly." said Keiko as she glance concernly at Ann.

"Yeah, come on." said Mallory as she nodded at Keiko before they walked up to Ann.

"Hey, are you alright?" asked Keiko concernly to Ann (who flinch and gasped when she heard Keiko suddenly talking to her before she quickly stood up and step away from her and Mallory).

"Wait… Were you 2 listening?" said Ann.

"Yes, we did. But it's not on purpose, Takamaki." said Mallory with a shake of her head.

"Haven't you 2 heard of privacy?" snapped Ann as she scowled at both Keiko and Mallory before she sighed and slumped her shoulders a little. "… No, I was out of line. Sorry." added Ann apologetically to her as she wiped her eyes a little.

"It's fine, Takamaki-san. We're also sorry for listening to your conversation even though it's not on purpose." said Keiko apologetically to Ann as well.

"So how much did you 2 hear…?" asked Ann.

"You were arguing with someone about a friend named Shiho." replied Keiko.

"Shiho… It's nothing at all. Really, nothing…" said Ann sadly to both Keiko and Mallory as tears glisten in her eyes and she wipe her eyes with her hand again.

"Are you sure? Because your tears and the sad expression on your face says otherwise." said Mallory concernly to her.

"I told you it's nothing, Caelum! Why can't you and Amamiya just stop talking to me and leave me alone?" snapped Ann as she scowled at Mallory.

"Well, sorry and excuse us for being concern about you, Takamaki!" snapped Mallory as she scowled back at Ann.

"Calm down, Maly. And are you really okay, Takamaki-san?" asked Keiko more concernly to Ann after she calm Mallory down.

"Why…? Why do you 2 keep worrying about me?" said Ann frustratedly to both Keiko and Mallory before she started crying quietly. "What the heck…? I really don't get you two…" sobbed Ann.

"Come on, let's go somewhere more quiet to talk some more, Takamaki-san." said Keiko in a consoling tone of voice to Ann before both she and Mallory softly grabbed her arms and bring her away with them toward Central Street.

XXXX

In a booth inside Big Bang Burger…

"I don't have anything more to talk about with you two. It was just an argument…" said Ann sullenly to both Keiko and Mallory.

"Oh, is that so, Takamaki-san? Even if that argument is with a certain PE teacher named Kamoshida?" said Keiko quietly yet firmly to Ann (which make her sighed heavily as she look down on the glass of iced water that she just ordered on the table).

"Busted." said Mallory with a small smirk on her face.

"So you 2 heard every last word then… Yeah, you guess correctly, Amamiya. You 2 have heard the rumors… isn't it? About me and Kamoshida-sensei." asked Ann as she idly fidgeted the napkin on the table with her fingers.

"Yeah, we did heard the rumors." replied Keiko with a small nod of her head.

"Everyone says we're getting it on. But… that's so not true…!" said Ann frustratedly to both Keiko and Mallory (who stay silent and listen attentively to Ann). "That was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number… for the longest time… He told me to go to his place after this… You 2 know what it means." added Ann as she grabbed and clench the napkin tightly in her hand.

"Yeah, I do know what it means and what he clearly wants from you, Takamaki. That damn lust-obsessed bastard." thought Mallory angrily in her mind at Kamoshida.

"If I turn him down, he said he'd take Shiho off as a regular on the team…" said Ann as she clench her hands while tears glisten and fell from her eyes before she leaned back on the chair. "I've been telling myself this is all for Shiho's sake… But I can't take it anymore. I've had enough of this… I hate him!"

"Takamaki-san…" thought Keiko sadly at Ann.

"But still… Shiho's my best friend. She's all I've left at that sorry excuse of a school! Surely you 2 understand since you 2 are each other best friends like me and Shiho! Tell me… What should I do…?" sobbed Ann as she glance tearfully at both Keiko and Mallory (who glance at each other before they glance sadly and silently back at Ann as they clench their skirts tightly in their hands).

"Sorry… I shouldn't have asked and tell you 2 about it. It's my problem, not yours." said Ann forlornly to both Keiko and Mallory as she wiped the tears away with her fingers. "What… am I saying…? I've barely even talked to you 2 before…" added Ann sullenly to them.

"Maybe that's why? It's true that we just met and talk and don't know a lot about each other but sometimes you just gotta let all your negative feelings out so that you'll feel better, Takamaki-san." said Keiko softly and reassuringly to Ann.

"… You might be right." said Ann as she smiled softly at Keiko. "… You're really a weird girl. Usually everyone just ignores me until you 2 transfer into Shujin. Are you 2 really as bad as the rumor says…? I've heard others talk about you 2, but… I just don't see it…" asked Ann hesitantly to them.

"Oh yes, we're both bona fide bad girls." replied Mallory jokingly to Ann (which make her and Keiko gaped in surprise at Mallory before they began chuckling).

"Maly, how could you?" said Keiko in a feign shock tone of voice at Mallory (who shrug and smirk at her).

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" said Ann as she lightly glared at her after she's done chuckling. "I kinda had a feeling they were all just exaggerations. You 2 seem lonely-almost like you 2 didn't belong anywhere… We're the same in that regard. Maybe that's why it was so easy for me to talk to you two." said Ann as she glance down at her glass of iced water. "Is there really no way for me to help Shiho…?" Ann muttered to herself.

"It's better if you don't go to him, no matter how many times he called you to go, Takamaki-san." said Keiko firmly to Ann.

"Yeah, I agreed with Keiko, Takamaki." said Mallory in agreement with Keiko.

"Yeah, I know. I wish he'd just change his mind… Like, forget about me, and everything…" sighed Ann before she leaned back in her chair. "As if something like that would ever happen…"

"It could happen." said Keiko as she nodded to Ann.

"Heh, I wasn't asking for a serious response. But I do feel a bit better now, thanks." said Ann gratefully to Keiko before she take the glass of water and her bag and stood up from the chair. "I'm gonna head home now. And don't anyone what I told you two, OK?" said Ann firmly to both Keiko and Mallory.

"Don't worry, we won't." said Keiko reassuringly to Ann.

"I'll try and think of a way to persuade Kamoshida. Well… thanks again." said Ann quietly and thankfully to both Keiko and Mallory before she turned and leave Big Bang Burger.

XXXX

Meanwhile, back in Shujin…

"Suzui… Are you leaving?" said Mishima as he approach Shiho after he found her walking in the school's hallway.

"What is it?" asked Shiho as she turned around to glance at Mishima.

"Kamoshida-sensei's asking for you… He's in the PE faculty office." replied Mishima reluctantly to Shiho as he look away from her.

"What did he say?" asked Shiho worriedly to Mishima.

"… I don't know. Well… I have to go." replied Mishima before he turned and walked away from Shiho (who immediately had a fearful look on her face about Kamoshida-sensei asking for her before she turned and went to the PE faculty office in the practice building).

XXXX

Back in Big Bang Burger…

"Shall we head back now because it's getting late, Maly." said Keiko.

"Yeah, let's go, Keiko." said Mallory as she nodded at Keiko before they take their bags, stood up and walked out of Big Bang Burger shop and as they about to head toward the station, 2 unsavory-looking guys wearing black shirts with long sleeve black jackets over their shirts, long blue jeans and black shoes on their feet suddenly showed up and stopped in front of them.

"Oh great. Just what we need, 2 punks who's targets are girls like us." Thought Mallory sarcastically in her mind at the 2 unsavory-looking guys.

"Well well, look at how hot and cute these 2 babes are. Today must be our lucky day." said the first guy happily to his friend.

"Sure is. Hey, wanna hang out with us, babes? We'll show you 2 a great arcade place in Shibuya." said the second guy smugly to both Keiko and Mallory.

"No, thank you." said Keiko as she shake her head.

"Not interested. Now if you 2 don't mind, we'll be going now." said Mallory boredly to the 2 guys as she quickly grab hold of Keiko's hand but before they could leave, the first guy suddenly grab hold of Mallory's left arm to stop her from leaving while the other guy grab hold of Keiko's arm.

"Hey, let go of our arms!" said Keiko as she try to pull her arm away from the second guy to no avail.

"Come on, don't be like that to us. You and your friend will like the arcade place." insisted the first guy.

"Yeah, come with us, babes." said the second guy.

"Are you 2 deaf or something? I already told you 2 that we're not interested. Now let go of our arms or…" said Mallory threateningly to the first guy.

"Or else what?" said the first guy.

"Or else I do this!" said Mallory before she raised her left arm toward her face and bite the first guy hand quite hard (which make Keiko gasped in disbelief and shock at what Mallory just did).

"Ow! You damn rabid bitch!" yell the first guy as he glared at Mallory for biting his hand before he raised his other hand, clench it into a fist and punch her face hard, which make her stop biting his hand and yell out in pain from his punch before she fell and her left hand got scraped hard on the ground, causing it to bleed.

"Ngh!" gasped Mallory as she quickly hold her injured hand in her other hand.

"Maly!" yell Keiko worriedly at Mallory.

XXXX

"Hey, you heard that, Kurusu?" asked Goro as he glance at Akira after they stepped out of a convenience store.

"Yeah, I did, Akechi. Sounds like it came from over there." replied Akira as he nodded at Goro before they went toward where the sound came from, stopped and saw 2 guys standing near and harassing the 2 girls that they saw in the station yesterday.

XXXX

"Serves you right, you rabid bitch!" sneered the first guy as he kept on glaring at Mallory.

"How dare you hurt her and call her that! Leave Maly alone!" snapped Keiko as she glared at the first guy (who glance and about to say something to Keiko before he got interrupted by someone else).

"What's this? 2 no good punks harassing 2 defenseless girls?" said Akira as he and Goro glared in disdain at the 2 guys (which make them and both Keiko and Mallory glance at them).

"Who the hell are you two?" said the second guy rudely to both Akira and Goro.

"Why should we tell you and your friend who we are? Now, I suggest that you 2 let go of these 2 girls and leave now before I call the cops." said Goro coldly at the 2 guys and when he see that they didn't heed his warning, he take out his phone and began calling the cops. "Hello, is this the police? I'd like to report an assault…" said Goro to the policeman on the other end of the line.

"Tch. How troublesome. Come on, we're leaving." scoffed the second guy before he let go of Keiko's arm then he and the first guy quickly left them.

"Humph. As I thought, all bark and no bite at all." said Goro as he put his phone back into his pocket before he and Akira approach both Keiko and Mallory (who stood up and stand near Keiko). "Hey, are you 2 alright?" asked Goro concernly to Keiko.

"Yeah, thanks for your help and I'm fine but Maly isn't. One of them hurt her earlier." replied Keiko thankfully to Goro then concernly about Mallory's injured hand.

"One of them did? Show me your hand." said Akira as he glance at Mallory and noticed her holding her injured hand close to her.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." said Mallory as she shake her head at Akira.

"Quit being so stubborn and show me already!" snapped Akira as he scowled at Mallory.

"Just do it, Maly. I think these 2 are good guys and they help us get rid of those 2 punks earlier." said Keiko.

"… Fine, Keiko." sighed Mallory before she showed Akira her injured hand.

"Oh. That look terrible." said Goro as he and Akira saw how injured her hand is.

"Yeah. Hold on, I'll be right back and can you stay with them, Akechi?" said Akira as he glance at Goro.

"Of course, Kurusu." said Goro as he nodded at Akira before he, Keiko and Mallory watched Akira quickly left them and came back a few minutes later and holding a plastic bag with some items inside in his hands.

"I'm back and give me your hand." said Akira firmly to Mallory, who hold out her hand toward Akira again and she, Keiko and Goro watched as Akira quickly take out and applied antiseptic on Mallory's injured hand before he take out a roll of bandages to firmly wrap and tied up Mallory's hand. "There, it's done." added Akira with a small smile on his face at Mallory, unaware that he's still haven't let go of her bandaged hand.

"Thanks for treating my hand and you can let go of my hand now, stranger." said Mallory thankfully to Akira for helping he before she told him to let go of her hand.

"Huh? Oh, sorry about that. And stranger? The name's Akira Kurusu and this is my friend…" said Akira (who quickly let go of Mallory's hand and felt embarrassed at holding her hand a bit longer) as he started to introduced himself to Mallory.

"I'm Goro Akechi. Nice to meet you girls." said Goro as he introduced himself to both Keiko and Mallory before Akira could do so. "Now that I'm this close to her, she looks even prettier than I thought." thought Goro in his mind about how much more pretty Keiko is once he's in close proximity of her.

"Goro Akechi and Akira Kurusu, huh? I'm Keiko Amamiya and this is my best friend, Mallory Caelum. Nice to meet you two." said Keiko as she introduced herself and Mallory to both Goro and Akira.

"Keiko Amamiya and Mallory Caelum, huh? What lovely and fitting names for girls like you two." said Goro before he suddenly hold and lifted Keiko's hand toward his mouth so he can placed a gentle kiss on it, which make Keiko's face immediately turned red in embarrassment, make Mallory scowled at Goro for suddenly kissing Keiko's hand without her permission and make Akira shake his head at Goro before they talk some more, exchange contact info with each other then they bade farewell to each other before they split up and went home.