With the next day, classes passed by without much incident. He had answered yet another question, and just as always, people murmured about how he could have gotten it right.

I've gotten every question right ever since day one like I had the answers on a computer. Why are you all so surprised?

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. The teacher announced what homework they had to do, but the students more or less already committed it to memory. As Yu began to leave, he felt his phone vibrate and checked the message. It was from Hifumi.

Hifumi: Alright. I went to check on dad yesterday. He's conscious, and he's able to hold complete sentences, so I'll be able to play with him soon.

Yu: That's awesome. The sooner the better.

Hifumi: True. I told mom to meet us at the hospital, but considering how busy she is, there's no guarantee she'll be there.

Yu: Do what you can. We need to steal her Treasure.

Hifumi: I know. I won't let you down.

Before Yu could continue, he got a sudden text message from Futaba.

Futaba: Hey, I got good news for you!

Yu: Did you rig the lottery so that I could win?

Futaba: No. But that's a REALLY good idea! The news is, dad's feeling under the weather, so you don't have to come to work today!

Of course the one time my friends twisted my arm about taking time off infiltration because of my other obligations, Sojiro goes and gives me free time.

Yu: Awesome.

Futaba: It also means I'm free!

Yu: Cool.

Futaba: Come by the arcade! There's a ton of cool games to play!

Inwardly, Yu groaned, but at the same time, how could he say no? The Team was off doing their own business, and he certainly didn't have anything planned.

Yu: Is it the one on Shibuya's main street?

Futaba: Yep yep!

With no more reason to stay in school, Yu hopped onto the train to Shibuya and quickly made his way to main street, determined to find a small girl with orange hair. Sure enough, he found her right where she said she would be; outside the arcade. She jumped up and waved frantically at him, like he was a ship and she was stranded on an island. When he approached, she beamed at him.

"You made it! Ready to have some fun?"

"You bet."

The two walked into the arcade. The place was full of a wide variety of people, from preschoolers to adults, to even some students from Shujin. Those people in particular gave Yu the stink eye, which intensified when they saw Futaba with him. After some wandering around, they found a free game called 'Gun About'. Yu's companion, who had taken the liberty of buying coins while she waited for him, slotted them into the machine, and selected co-op.

Yu had played more than his fair share of video games, so he wasn't a complete novice at it. In fact, the first few levels were so easy, he even turned the plastic gun to the side, like he had seen in some gangster movies. Over time though, as the levels got harder, he had to take it more seriously, but Futaba wasn't doing the same. In fact, she was drawing a crowd from how into it she was, screaming bloody murder and laughing when she got an epic power up. In time, however, they both eventually lost all their lives, and spent all their coins. Yu thought for sure that they had at least made it to the top ten, but they didn't even get to the top thirty. When he told Futaba about how that was total bullshit, she simply shrugged, but looked happy regardless.

"I'm not surprised, Gun About's the most popular game in there, and there's no way we'd be able to even come close to the King."

"The King?"

"The King of the 'Kaid. He holds the top scores of all the games both in here and every other arcade."

"Yea, that sounds a little far-fetched for me."

"That's because you haven't seen him in action. I went up against him more than a few times, and each time I cheated. Lag spike, improved weapons, but nothing short of invincibility could make me beat him, and even that took hours. Trust me, we never stood a chance."

The two of them walked outside. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon.

"But that's fine by me! I haven't had that much fun in years!" Futaba declared, stretching her arms.

"Do Sojiro and Wakaba take you to the arcade often?"

"No. It used to be we'd go to all sorts of places all the time. The movie theater, the carnival, and here. But we haven't done anything. Not since…"

Futaba looked at the ground, her previous enthusiasm gone.

"Not since mom's back was broken."

Yu was silent, only giving a small nod to show that he had heard her. Kobayakawa may be gone, but the damage he wrought would live on. Futaba looked back at her, a small smile etched on her face.

"Thanks for doing this Yu. It means a lot."

Yu clasped his hand on her shoulder.

"Anytime Futaba. Anytime."

Yu ran at breakneck speed back to his school. He and Futaba continued talking for awhile, and eventually, the topic of school and homework came up. A conversation that reminded Yu that he had left some very important papers back at school, hence why he was now running at breakneck speed back to his school. If he was lucky, some after school clubs would still be going, and he would be able to go inside, grab his stuff, and get out without issue.

Arriving at Shujin Academy, he found that his plan was a partial success. The school doors were locked, which meant there was nobody else in there. However, Yu refused to let this stop him, lock picking the door, getting the papers he needed, then getting out. But when he got out, he saw a girl run past the front gate, and right towards him. A girl in a torn dress and was sobbing uncontrollably. Yu immediately made his presence known to her, and she stopped, looking directly at him. The first thing he noticed were how puffy and red her eyes were, her hazel brown hair, now disheveled and messy, but above all else, the feature that identified her was her massive forehead.

"Haru?"

"O-oh, I'm sorry Yu-kun. I… I came to check up on my plants." The girl replied meekly, her once smooth voice now raspy and scratchy, like she hadn't had a drop of water for days.

Yu was about to call out her pathetically weak excuse of why she was here, when he suddenly heard the real reason off in the distance.

"Come on! The slut went this way!"

Yu stepped in front of her, like a protective wall.

"Get to the roof, lock the doors, and don't open them for anything except three knocks. Do you have your phone on you?"

"Y-yes."

"Call the cops if you don't hear me check up on you in ten minutes. Now go."

Haru didn't need to be told twice. Entering through the main doors, they shut just in time for three sleazy looking punks to dart around the corner. Yu grabbed his papers, and tried to act natural. If he was lucky, he would be able to pass it off as him just leaving the school. The three turned their eyes on him, hunger evident in their eyes.

"Hey you! You see some hot chick in a torn dress come by here?" The first one asked.

"Nope. Just left the school for some papers." Yu replied calmly.

"That's a load of bull." The second one exclaimed.

"It's true. I would've remembered a girl in a torn dress."

"Yea we know. Which is why we know it's bull that you didn't see her. Let's stop wasting time with this idiot. There's only one place she could've gone; inside the school. Let's go!" The third one ordered.

I knew it was a long shot, but I was hoping it wouldn't come to this

Yu held out an arm and stopped one of the thugs trying to get past.

"You're not going in there."

The three backed up, 'ooooooooo'ing all the way.

"Looks like we got ourselves a hero. Hey kid, you know what happens to heroes?" The first asked, smiling maliciously.

All too well

"You're. Not. Going. Not while I'm still breathing." Yu repeated.

"Fine by us." The first guy replied, pulling out a revolver and pointing it right at Yu's face, who fought the urge to cave to fear. While he stared them down, his hand snaked its way to his pocket, where his phone rested.

If I can get us into the Metaverse, I can end this easily. I don't like the idea of bringing scumbags like these in there, but I don't have a choice.

If the three of them were unarmed, Yu would take his chances using his experience and Sae's training, but it would take only one lucky bullet to put him down, and Haru was going to get caught.

"Just give her up kid. She ain't worth it." The second thug replied.

"She's worth it to me." Yu growled, the App almost open and Izanagi starting to stir.

"Fine. Ice him." He ordered, but before either Yu could open the App, or the goon could pull the trigger, a shrill voice pierced the air.

"STOP!"

All four of them swiveled their heads to the source of the noise, and there, poking her head out of a window, has Haru, waving her phone around like it was the most amazing thing in the world.

"I've already called the cops! Leave now, and that'll be the end of it!" She ordered.

The three crooks, and Yu himself, went pale at the threat of the police. The teenagers' opponents looked amongst themselves and then proceeded to run as fast as they could. Yu turned back to Haru, while also sending Izanagi out to make sure they didn't try to come back.

"You alright?" He shouted to ensure she heard him.

"I am now! Come up to the roof, the doors are unlocked!" She shouted back, her head going back into the walls of Shujin Academy.

Yu walked up the stairs to the makeshift garden Haru made. The rich highschooler had tried to make herself presentable, but it was almost impossible with disheveled hair and a torn dress.

"Hey, um… are the cops really coming?"

"Oh no. That was a bluff. I began to run up the stairs when I heard a gun glock, and looked out through one of the windows. When I saw what was going on, I decided to try and threaten them with the police, when in truth, my phone battery had been dead for awhile now, otherwise I would've called them sooner."

"Yea, thanks for that. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't stepped in."

"You strike me as a resourceful person Naru-chan. I'm sure you could've done something against those ruffians."

Yu let himself laugh at Haru's description of them.

"Yea. Speaking of which, why were they after you?"

Haru shuddered at the question, and wrapped her arms around her, looking off into the distance, where the sun had completely sunk beneath the earth.

"Well, you could've gotten hurt by trying to defend me, I suppose you deserve to know why."

She took in a deep breath, partly because she was going to tell a long story, and partly to give herself strength.

"Are you aware of my father's company, Okumura Foods? The ones behind Big Bang Burger?"

"You guys made that? Huh. Good food."

"I'm glad you think so. My father, grandfather, and great grandfather all believed in putting the customer first, and held the belief that if they treated their employees well, the company would be treated well in return."

"But… that's not the case?"

"Not completely. Don't get me wrong, profits are in, but between quality assurance and the benefits we provide to our employees, our company hasn't had the growth it used too. Because of that, the investors are beginning to pull out, and the company may soon start the downward spiral that leads to bankruptcy."

"And where do the thugs fit in all of this?"

"I'm getting there. See, father believes that the only way to get some fresh money and encourage investors again is to merge Okumura Foods with another company. And the best way for that to happen is by marriage."

"He's marrying you off?! Selling you like a hunk of meat?!" Yu asked, feeling his anger rising.

"I gave my consent. It was the only way he'd move forward with it. Tonight was the night I was supposed to meet my betrothed at a ball; a man older than me by the name of Sigumura."

Haru's lip began to tremble, and fresh tears began to spring up from her eyes. She took in a loud lungful of air.

"He started out charming and kind enough. But he began to drink some champagne, and after that…"

She began to sob, and Yu placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. After a few seconds of crying, Yu wiped the tears away, and Haru felt her resolve harden.

"After that, he took me to a bedroom, and began to grope me, all while whispering in my ear how he'd love to… 'fuck that tight cunt of yours until it bleeds'. I tried to get him to stop, but it only seemed to encourage him. He started to undress me, and that was when I decided enough was enough. I ran, and he tore my dress trying to hold me back. I ran out of the room, out of the building, and I heard him yell at those three to bring me back. I don't even know how long I ran until I got here."

She gave her friend a small, sad smile.

"Thank you, by the way. What about you? What were you doing here?"

"Afraid that's story's a lot shorter. Homework." Yu replied, holding up the papers he'd retrieved. The answer made Haru giggle.

"Of all the nights to forget homework."

"Yea. But I'm glad it was tonight. And hey, look on the bright side; now it's over."

Haru's expression darkened.

"No it's not. I'll have to explain to father how I got into this state. And then there's Sigumura. I have no idea how he'll react to all this."

Yu cursed himself. She was right, this was far from over.

"Want me to walk you home? There's bound to be all kinds of nasty assholes out there."

"You'd know more than I Naru-chan. But no, my house is a rather long walk from here. Give me your phone, I'll take care of it."

Yu did as his senpai instructed, and when she was done, she handed it back to him. He looked to see what message she sent.

Yu: Noir. At Shujin.

Unknown Number: To whomever owns the phone Okumura-sama just borrowed, please stay with her until I arrive.

"Who'd you send a text to?"

"My butler, Max Worthypenny. When I was younger, I'd lose my phone all the time, so the two of us decided that if I was to ever contact him on another's phone I was to say 'Noir', followed by the message."

"Should've known you had a butler. What are you gonna tell him?"

"I don't know. As much as I'd like to call off the marriage with Sugimura after what happened, I don't think father will oblige. I already gave my consent, and father has already made plans with Sugimura's. It'll take a lot for him to break the engagement and be shamed before the corporate world."

Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind.

"Naru-chan, do you think you could share your contact info with me?"

"Sure." Yu replied.

"What do you need it for?" He asked as they input their data into each other's phone.

"I have an idea, but I'll need some time to iron out the details."

Suddenly, they heard tires screech and horns honk in the background.

"And that would be Max. Come on, let's go downstairs." She replied, far better now than she was moments ago.

The moment they descended the stairs, a limo appeared seemingly out of nowhere and screeched to a halt in front of the entrance. From the driver's seat emerged an old man who clearly was from overseas, his balding head and wrinkled face showing off his western features proudly. His eyes locked on Haru. Sprinting forward, he gave her a hug that lifted her up.

"Okumura-sama! Your father and I have been so worried about you! What happened?"

"I went outside for a breath of fresh air, and a group of ruffians saw me and decided to try and… 'have some fun' with me."

"Do you remember their names, or what they look like?"

"No, I was so caught up in trying to get away. I tripped, and they surely would've gotten to me… if it weren't for Naru-chan here."

"Naru-chan?"

"Yu Narukami sir." Yu introduced himself, giving a deep bow.

"Narukami? I swear I've heard that name before. Well, regardless, you have my thanks for keeping Okumura-sama safe." The elder man thanked, giving Yu a bow.

"Anytime." Yu replied with a gentle smile.

"Now then, Okumura-sama, let's go home."

"Yes. Let's." Haru said, before turning to Yu and planting a quick kiss on his cheek. With both her savior and her butler stunned by the action, she went into the limo and gave a quick giggle as she closed the door. Max looked between both Yu and where Haru was seated, then back to Yu again. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and entered the limo, driving off at a much safer speed than when he came. Yu, however, knew that the Niijimas would have his hide if he didn't get back soon, and so, just like when he came to Shujin, Yu ran at break-neck speed back to his home. So focused on getting home, that he didn't know that Hifumi sent him a text.

Hifumi: I did it.