Chapter 21

The next morning…

It was an odd day for the students. Suiryu thought it would be nice to get out for a little while with Yuuji in tow. He was surprised though that Choso wanted to go along too, but hell he wasn't going to tell him no.

The day was just a nice stroll in the city, they stopped for drinks at a small café, until something caught Nobara's eye. "Oh… is it happening?!" she peered over the table and smirked. "It is…"

"What is?" Suiryu asked as he looked over his shoulder.

"DON'T!" she scolded. "Fushiguro is getting hit on!" she whispered the last part.

Still, Suiryu didn't see the big deal. "So?" he asked.

"Tradition, whenever someone gets hit on, the other two rush over and embarrass him! Sensei even gets in on it, but the last time we did this it was a false alarm. Megumi is more on his toes now when something like this occurs. We used Formation B the last time, but now we can't do any of them since Yuuji's a baby."

Curiosity got the better of him. "So… it's like a game huh? Have you gone nuclear?" he asked.

"I don't like the look in your eye," said Junpei offhandedly. Suiryu smirked as he passed Yuuji to Choso.

Standing up from the table, he gave an evil smile. "Watch and learn," he said and began to approach.

He could smell it in the air, the chemical of one in love. Megumi was trying to play it cool, not really giving this girl the time of day and yet, there was a blush to his face as well.

It's time to end it.

Suiryu approached him and with a firm, open hand smack, he gave Megumi a good slap in his ass. He jumped, but froze as he Suiryu looked at him like a meal. Licking his lips before leaning in. "Babe, last night was AMAZING… you do encores right?" he asked deviously.

Fushiguro turned a whole different shade of red.

Suiryu then peered over to the young woman. "Oh… looking to spice it up in bed or something? Then again, your birthday is coming up…"

#

Nobara couldn't see anything. However, Junpei suddenly spat out his drink in shock before he started to laugh. Some of his drink even came out his nose. Choso even snickered to it all. "What's so funny?!" she demanded.

"We can hear everything from here… Suiryu just smack Megumi's ass and pretended they were… active last night and wondered if Megumi does encores."

Nobara turned white in the face. "He WHAT!?" before her smile grew. "OH MAN!" she laughed aloud. "This is worst than what Sensei would have done!"

Choso then snickered. "He turned to the woman and asked if Megumi was looking to spice things up since his birthday was coming up…"

Nobara was now losing it in laughter. She nearly fell out of her chair as the two came back. Fushiguro glared at him, at the same time, Suiryu was a little taken aback. "Well!?" Junpei and Nobara asked.

"Quit embarrassing me!" he scolded the table.

"I didn't do anything!" Junpei protested.

"Besides, it backfired… she gave us her number." Suiryu said as he held up her card. "Shit, who knew she was into freaky stuff like that… you dodged a bullet!"

"Shut up…" Fushiguro muttered.

They spent the better part of the day out and about, dropping by music stores and malls. The one music place they visited was rather out there. All around there were posters of the Death Paintings and Ryomen Sukuna. "Whoa… super fan?" whispered Junpei.

Suiryu shrugged his shoulders. "Who cares…" he muttered. Yet as they wondered through, the owner was having a contest.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to do our big give away now! For the best impression of Ryomen Sukuna or Kechizu! Winner gets a gift certificate, worth up to 50,000 yen!"

Junpei smirked at the idea, he was tempted but didn't go for it until he saw Suiryu stare at him and then nudge his head towards the contest. Some people tried, but they were just screaming aloud. No one could really mimic Suiryu's voice, but then again…

"Is there no one else?" the owner asked with slight disappointment.

Junpei sighed. His hand went up. "I'll try" he called.

"Yes…" he heard Suiryu snicker.

He wondered towards the small stage, people snickered at him as he stepped up. "Wait, I know that kid, I went to school with him!" he heard one mutter.

He ignored it for now. "Okay, what do you have kid?"

"Let's see…. Uh, how about 'Crawling'?" he asked.

"Okay, do the opening verse!"

They played the music, but he altered his voice just enough to not be bang on.

"Crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal! Fear is how I fall, consuming what is real!"

When he stopped, not a soul moved, the owner was taken aback. "We have a winner!" he called.

Granted, he didn't need the gift certificate. Yet as he stepped off the stage, he saw a young family trying to find a movie for everyone, yet on a tight budget. He didn't hesitate and gave them the card. "Wait, why?" the mother asked who had two small children with her.

"I don't need it," he said and smiled. "All yours, find something good"

They left the store shortly after, yet as they did, Junpei sensed him.

"JUNPEI!"

He paused and turned. There, his former classmate stood. He knew him well too. Shota Ito.

He stared at him, unmoving and unafraid. "What?" Junpei questioned. "Are you here to pick up where you last left off? Or are you here to apologize to me?"

He smirked. "Why would I? YOU owe me the apology. My arm… is forever damaged. I can't move it because of you, I've always wondered how I would return the favor. Despite the fact, I have one arm. I can still beat your sorry ass! You were always weak, you never stood a chance…"

He froze as a hand came on his shoulder. Suddenly he was pulled back as Choso came before him. He kept his back turned but projected his voice. "Is he bothering you, little brother?"

Junpei saw the Ito sneer. "You need your older sibling to protect you!" he said as his smirk grew. "Pathetic even for you!"

"I am not here to protect him," Choso said aloud. "I am merely here… to protect you from him." He stepped off to the side. "If you wish to fight, I won't interfere. Nor will his other brother, so please… show me how you would defeat him, and I can assure you. He's not the same Junpei you went to school with. After his mother died, we took him in… and made certain he knew how to defend himself…"

"Brothers? You come from a family of rabbits or something?"

"Man, you keep talking, the more I want to punch you in the face…" came Suiryu. He suddenly appeared beside Choso while holding Yuuji. "Junpei, do something soon before I do please, even that smirk makes me sick."

Ito snickered. "You really think…"

OOF!

One solid strike to the stomach was all it too. Ito collapsed to his knees, as he threw up from the assault. "How easy would it be for me to break your jaw here? Too easy… but I won't" Junpei said in a callous tone. He grabbed a fist full of hair and wrenched Ito up to look him in the face. "Let this be the end of it. You have taken from me, you have harmed me and broken me in many ways that I will never heal from. At the same time, I have done the same to you. It ends here and now. Next time we cross paths, don't look in my direction. Utter one word to me, insult me or even whisper my name under your breath… or I will make you live to regret it."

Silence.

No words came out of the former bully as Junpei stood strong. "So, where would you guys like to go now?" he asked in a cheery manner.

"After that, I want some damn ice cream," Suiryu said.

"Yeah, I could go for ice cream," said Nobara.

"Sure…" Fushiguro muttered.