Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Ch. 2: April 2010

"Yusuke Urameshi! If you don't open this door right now, you're going to regret it!"

Groaning, Yusuke rolled over, right off his bed and onto the floor in a tangle of limbs and blankets. It didn't matter that he'd been at an internet café until four in the morning, or that he'd only gotten two hours of sleep. He could be drunk stupid and still recognize that voice and the danger lurking behind the angry tone. He was intimately familiar with it, given that he'd been listening to it since he was four.

"Dammit," he grumbled.

He pushed himself to his feet and stumbled out of the room, leaving his blankets lying on the floor. A glance in his mother's room confirmed two bodies entwined on the bed, one of them slim and pale and the other muscled and covered in tattoos. Feeling a little sick at yet another reminder that his mother was having sex with a creep like that, Yusuke quietly closed the door and continued on his way to the banging he could hear even now.

"Yusuke!"

"Don't get your panties in a twist!" he snapped. "I'm comin'!"

He unhooked the chain lock and twisted the main one with sharp, jerky movements. He was already in a bad mood because of the shit he'd been through in the last week, and a night of next to no sleep was doing nothing to improve his mood. Only knowing who was on the other side kept him from attempting to break their nose by throwing the door wide open. He did, however, push a little harder than was necessary.

He was met with deep brown eyes sparking with anger. Keiko Yukimura, his best friend since age four, looked every inch the perfect high school student. Her uniform was spotless and neatly pressed, and not a single hair on her head was out of place. Her backpack was over her shoulders, undoubtedly filled with books. It was still strange to see her in the new uniform. She'd worn their blue one from middle school for three years; the new black, white, and green color scheme of her new high school seemed almost dull in comparison. He felt a pang looking at it; nothing on her uniform matched the one he had somewhere in his room, a reminder of the new change in their lives.

"What the hell are you doin' here?" he demanded, leaning on the door jam. "Ain't your school in Tokyo?"

"Yes," she retorted, glaring harder, "which is why I want to know how I manage to make it there on time every day, and yet yours is only a few blocks away and you haven't made it there once!"

"The hell are you talkin' about?"

"Kuwabara called me yesterday," she bit out, mentioning their middle school classmate. "He told me that not only did you miss your high school entrance ceremony, but you also haven't been to school in a week!"

Yusuke scowled. Damn Kuwabara and his big mouth. They'd seen each other yesterday and when asked how school was going, Yusuke had carelessly admitted he hadn't shown up yet. He'd expected Kuwabara to keep it to himself. Why the hell did he feel the need to tell Keiko?

"I've been busy," he said irritably, thinking back to the "work" his mom's newest fling had tried to give him and all his own attempts to dodge them. Yusuke really needed to tell his mom soon; the guy was bad news.

"Besides," he continued, "why does it matter so much? It's not like I have to go to high school, right?"

He saw immediately it was the wrong thing to say. Keiko bristled, eyes flashing and cheeks reddening in anger. She honestly looked scarier than half the thugs in town.

"Maybe not," she snapped, "but it's not free! If you don't want to go, then stop wasting Atsuko's money and quit!"

Yusuke winced as the words hit home, and tried not to show how deeply they had cut. Much as he disagreed with his mom's lifestyle, she had given up her life to take care of him when she was only fourteen. She'd even gone so far as to cut all ties with her family after they'd suggested giving him up as a child. She put up with lowlifes like the one in her bed for his sake, to make sure she could give him what he needed, and even the shitty high school he'd gotten into cost a decent amount of money. In middle school he didn't have to care because the government forced them to go. But high school was a choice, and he'd chosen to attend.

"Fine," he muttered, looking away from Keiko. "You win. I'll go."

He missed the smirk that danced across her face, but he looked up in time to catch the bright, innocent smile.

"Of course you will!" she chirped. "Now hurry up and get changed. I'm going to walk you there."

"What? No way, Keiko. Do I look like I'm six? I don't need a chaperone!"

Her eyes narrowed, and her smile gained a razor edge. "Go. Get. Dressed," she said again, and a cold splinter of fear shot through him despite her sweet tone. "Now."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, edging away and letting the door swing closed.

Yusuke knew better than to argue. She hadn't been the top of their class for three years for nothing. He went back to his room and hunted down the uniform his mom had bought him before school started. He was sorely tempted to wear his familiar green uniform from middle school, but there was a part of him that did want to move on. He wasn't the same person who'd worn that uniform. So he pulled on the black, purposefully oversized pants and cinched them in with a belt. As an ode to his old look, he did throw on a green T-shirt with a ghost design on the front. He pulled the uniform jacket on over it, but he didn't button it up. The final step was to gel his hair back.

Satisfied with the look, he grabbed his backpack and went to the kitchen. Atsuko was sitting at the table in shorts and an oversized T-shirt, smoking a cigarette and nursing a cup of coffee. She was a beautiful woman; it was easy to see why so many men were seduced by her. But her almost frail beauty hid a core of fire and steel. Yusuke had often heard people say he must have gotten his bad personality from whoever his father had been; but anyone who'd really met his mother knew exactly where he got it from.

He glanced at her cup, and hoped it wasn't laced with alcohol.

"About time," she said as she saw him wearing his uniform. "I was about to go up there and demand my money back."

"Whatever, Ma."

Yusuke dug into his bag, then tossed her his cellphone. He never really used the damn thing anyway.

"Here. Check the messages, and then get rid of that creep. He's a liability."

Atsuko picked up the phone and began to read the messages. She appeared relaxed and at ease; very few people would have been able to recognize the cold fury that built up in her eyes the more she read.

"He sent these to you?"

"Yeah. I managed to avoid him, though."

She took a drag of her cigarette and released the smoke on a sigh, putting the phone down.

"I'll take care of it. Now get going, Keiko's waiting on you."

"Sure. See ya later, Ma."

By the time Yusuke returned home that afternoon, the man would be regretting he'd ever met Atsuko. There was always some underworld muscle-brain who thought he could get away with trying to use Yusuke while seducing his mom. The only reason they weren't beaten to within an inch of their lives is because Yusuke knew Atsuko had to be the one doling out the punishments, because she was the boss. If he did anything, then he'd be dragged into that world whether he wanted to be or not. And as much as he enjoyed fighting, he didn't want anything to do with criminal activity.

Keiko's foot was tapping impatiently when Yusuke made it outside. She scanned him from head to toe, taking in everything about his appearance. Her scowl deepened, but she kept her opinion of his clothing choices to herself. She'd argued with him about wearing the proper uniform all three years of middle school; she knew it was a lost cause.

"Let's go," she said, rolling her eyes. "Mom called my school and told them I'd be late, but I don't want to be too late."

"You could always just go now," he suggested, and grinned at the dirty look she gave him.

"So you can escape the minute my back is turned? I don't think so."

Yusuke easily fell into step with her as they went on their way. It was almost nostalgic. They'd gone to the same elementary and middle schools, and had walked together every morning. If he were being completely truthful, it was one of the reasons eh hadn't tried too hard to go to school yet. It would mean admitting he was basically alone now. Between his mother's reputation and his own penchant for going against the grain, he hadn't really made friends in middle school. The nail that sticks up and all that.

Kuwabara and Keiko had been the only two who'd been willing to talk and hang out with him. After graduation, there was no one. Keiko had, unsurprisingly, gotten into a very good high school in Tokyo. Even Kuwabara, dense though he was, had managed to get into a decent high school in Yokohama. Yusuke had been the only one to barely scrape into a school that wouldn't help him in the long run anyway, and he still suspected his acceptance was more because of his mom's connections than the school's standards -even if they only required students to be able to write their name in kanji and know their multiplication tables. Those same requirements meant his new school was basically going to be filled with other students like him: underachieving with a penchant for fighting. He highly doubted he'd make friends with any of them.

"You know Yusuke," Keiko said quietly after a moment, "you really don't have to go through high school if you don't want to. But you do need to have a plan. If you're not going to study, then you need to find a job."

"It's too early for this Keiko," he groaned.

"I'm serious. We're not little kids anymore. In three years we'll be out of high school and trying to go to university, or find a job, maybe even our own homes. We can't just do things without thinking about the consequences."

"We're not even legally adults 'til we're twenty…"

It was a half-assed argument. He knew she was right, as usual, but knowing that didn't tell him what he was supposed to do. Yusuke had never liked school, even when he had a half-decent teacher, and he had absolutely no idea what kind of job he wanted. The only things he knew for sure were that he would never even attempt university (if he could manage to find one that would accept him), and he loved video games and fighting. None of those were clear indicators of what he should do in the future.

"You don't have to decide anything right now. But think about it, okay? And at least try to go to school until you make up your mind."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it."

He looked down at her with a tired smirk, but made sure she could see he meant it. And he did. They're paths were different now, both of them heading in different directions, but he still trusted her judgement and opinions -especially when he could see she was trying to take his own into consideration. Keiko studied him carefully, searching for a lie, and must have found nothing because she gave him the first real smile of the day.

"Okay then. It's a promise."

She held out her hand, only her pinky extended. Yusuke rolled his eyes but still curled his own with hers.

"What was that about us not being children anymore?"

"Oh shut up."

They continued bickering and catching up all the way to the gates of Yusuke's school. They were open, and he could see some students lounging around outside. All of them were dressed similarly to Yusuke, although a few were rebelling against the dress code even more strongly by not wearing the uniform at all. One teen in particular seemed to have taken up court beside the gate, just outside the school grounds. He was both tall and large, his clothing straining against his muscles. His skin was darker than average and his black hair was cropped short. A few white scars peeked over the collar of his T-shirt. Several students were circled around him, their positioning making it obvious he was the leader.

Yusuke really didn't like the way the teen leered at Keiko and licked his lips, so he held out his arm to stop her from coming closer. He then very obviously turned his back to the other teen and blocked his view by standing in front of her.

"See ya later, Keiko," he said. "Be careful going to the station, alright?"

"I will. Good luck today, and remember to think about what I said."

"Yes, mother."

Keiko stuck her tongue out at him, then waved and walked away. Yusuke watched her until he couldn't see her anymore, making sure no one tried to slip away and follow her, aware of eyes on him the entire time. When she was finally gone, he started whistling and decided to make a pit stop. School food didn't appeal to him, and his mother couldn't really cook much, so he needed a convenience store. He found one about ten minutes away from the school, a Family Mart, and he picked up a couple of different onigiris. He paid, glaring at the store clerk who was eyeing him with mistrust, and left, gesturing rudely with his hand as he walked out.

Back at the school, the scene was the same, although there were a few more students hanging around now. He checked the time and saw it was close to eight. The main doors would open soon. The large teen was still hanging around the gate, and his eyes locked on Yusuke the minute he saw him. Yusuke made sure to keep a scowl on his face, one that made two boys jump when they were close enough to see it. The leader looked him over as Yusuke got closer; judging by how his smirk grew, he didn't see anything to worry him. That suited Yusuke just fine. His mom had taught him from his first fight that the best way to get his ass kicked was to underestimate someone. One of the boys close to the leader moved (Yusuke recognized him from middle school) and whispered something to him. It seemed Yusuke's reputation was about to be known.

Yusuke ignored the group was he slouched past and into the school grounds. However, he did give them some attention when a large hand gripped his bicep and forced him to a stop. He glared up at the large teen who had dared to touch him, glancing pointedly between his hand and his face. Up close, the other boy was pretty ugly, and he smelled terrible.

"So the little first year thinks he can ignore us," the teen drawled, laughing as though he'd said something clever. "I think we need to teach him some manners. It ain't right to be rude to your seniors."

Yusuke raised a brow. The teen was big, true, but it was all for show. His hold on Yusuke's arm was disappointingly weak.

"Get your paw off me before you lose it," he ground out. "I don't give a damn what year you are, I'll still beat the shit out of you."

"Big words, little man. Too bad I can snap you like a twig."

Behind the larger teen, a few of his followers (the ones Yusuke had met and personally pounded into the pavement before) traded uncertain glances, while the others encouraged him with jeers and laughter. Yusuke was so tempted to improve the boy's face by rearranging it, but he also didn't want to get off to too bad a start on his first day. So, instead, he flexed the muscles in his arm and watched in satisfaction as beady eyes widened in surprise. He easily yanked his arm from the grip.

"Some twigs are stronger than you think," he said, nodding his head towards the boys he knew. "Why don't you ask some of your friends what kind I am?"

He turned his back on the larger teen again and lazily waved a hand. "See ya around, Big Guy."

Despite his carefree air, he was tense and alert the entire way to the school entrance. He had a feeling the boy wouldn't try anything here (he struck Yusuke as a cowardly weasel) but it never hurt to be careful. Yusuke only relaxed when he'd made it inside. It was eight, so other students were already swarming the entryway around the shoe cubbies. He wormed his way through them, searching the cubbies until he found one with his name on it. A pair of bright, new sneakers (paid for by his tuition) sat inside. He toed off his shoes, put the new ones on, and put his outside ones in the cubby. There were no clues on the cubby shelves to indicate which class belonged to which shelf, so he'd have to go to the teacher's room and ask for help. Wonderful.

Thank god most schools have a similar layout, he thought as he wandered the halls. The teacher's entrance and shoe cubbies were just down the hall from the student entrance, and beyond that the principal's office and the teacher's room. He paused outside the door to the latter, took a deep breath (god he hated teachers), and knocked.

"Come in," a voice called.

"Pardon the intrusion," Yusuke said as he opened the door, bowing before stepping inside. He figured it wouldn't hurt to be a little polite right now. It would be easy to give them hell later when he wasn't so sleep-deprived.

There were three teachers in the room. One was a skinny man with large front teeth, a pointy noise, and narrow eyes. He actually looked like a rat. Another was tall and blocky, and looked more like a troll pretending to be a human. Yusuke figured the disgusted look on his face was probably permanent. The third man was seated at a desk at the front of the room. He appeared to be a middle-aged and a little overweight, but he had a kind look on his face when he smiled at Yusuke. He was most likely the Vice Principal, so Yusuke kept his attention on this man.

"What can I do for you, young man?" the vice principal asked, rising from his chair. "I don't believe we've met."

"No, sir," Yusuke replied, throwing on a sheepish appearance. "I need to know what class I'm in? I wasn't able to be at school last week because I was sick, and now I don't know where to go."

"A likely story," Rat Face sneered at him in a high pitched voice. "I bet you were skipping on purpose. Where's your doctor's note?"

Yusuke quickly forgot his goal of being polite and glared at the man. "If I could have gone to a doctor, I wouldn't have been out for a week. You can call my ma and ask her."

Thank god she always backed him up on his lies.

"Thank you for your concern, Akashi-sensei," the vice principal said in a warning tone. However, he was smiling again when he returned his attention to Yusuke. "I'm Takanaka-sensei, the vice principal. If you'll tell me your name, I'll find your class."

"Thanks. I'm Yusuke Urameshi."

"Alright, let me see…"

Takanaka sifted through papers and files on his desk while Rat Face and Troll whispered fiercely together in the background, setting Yusuke's nerves even more on edge. He could already tell what kind of teachers they would be, and he sent up a prayer to whatever god existed that neither one would be his homeroom teacher. He might actually be arrested for murder if he was.

"Ah, here it is!" Takanaka declared after a moment. "You've in class 1-D with Jaganshi-sensei. I'll call his room and ask him to come get you."

The vice principal picked up the phone on his desk before Yusuke could argue and dialed a number, tapping a finger on the desktop.

"Ah, hello Jaganshi-sensei, this is Takanaka-sensei. Your missing student is here in the office. Could you come down and get him? Thank you." He hung up the phone and beamed at Yusuke. "He'll be right down."

"Thank you," Yusuke replied, a little strained. He'd have preferred to go to the class on his own, rather than being alone with whoever this teacher was.

The door opened and a young woman with blue hair came in. She looked at Yusuke curiously before smiling at Takanaka and bowing.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Takanaka-sensei, but Okubo's mother is here and wishes to speak with you."

"Of course, I'll be right there. Iwamoto-sensei, it's time."

Troll (Iwamoto-sensei) nodded stiffly. His disgusted look grew deeper and made him look even uglier if that was possible. He walked out of the room, sparing Yusuke one last suspicious glance. Takanaka watched him leave with a frown, but he gave Yusuke another smile.

"Welcome to South High School, Mr. Urameshi. I hope you settle in."

"Thanks."

Yusuke watched him follow Troll, wondering how a man like that had willingly become the vice principal of a school with this reputation. It gave him a little hope that maybe the next three years wouldn't be so bad.

A hope that was dashed when he realized Rat Face (Akashi-sensei) was now invading his personal space and looking more disgruntled than before.

"I'm warning you, boy," the man said, "you'd better not cause any trouble while you're here. We don't tolerate delinquent behavior at this school. One wrong step, and you'll face expulsion."

"Well, at least then I wouldn't have to look at your ugly face," Yusuke replied, doing his best to sound bored despite the anger singing in his veins. Typical teacher, judging someone before getting to know them.

"What did you say to me?!"

"Oh great, you're ugly and stupid. No wonder you're working here. You don't have a lot going for you, do ya?"

"Why you little cockroach! Someone should teach you some respect!"

"I only respect those who deserve it. And I can already tell you ain't one of them."

"We'll just see about that! When the principal hears about this-!"

"I'm sure the principal will be thrilled to hear you're harassing a student again, Akashi-sensei."

Rat Face froze, his expression becoming even more pinched, and he looked at the door on the far side of the room. Yusuke, curious, took a step back from the man and followed his gaze.

The man standing in the doorway did not match the deep voice that had spoken.. He was short; at least three inches shorter than Yusuke, if not more. Despite that, his presence filled the room. He was dressed in all black, wearing long sleeves. The dark color made his pale skin stand out, although somehow did managed not to look ill. The shirt was pulled tight across his shoulders and chest, the pants doing the same across his thighs, giving the impression of a muscled body. He appeared bored, but his red eyes were almost sparking with a warning as he looked at Rat Face.

Yusuke had the distinct feeling that this was not a man he wanted to make angry.

"Just what are you implying, Jaganshi-sensei?" Rat face demanded, his face flushed with either anger or embarrassment.

With a jolt, Yusuke realized the man now moving towards them was his teacher, and he observed him with even more interest. Jaganshi flicked his eyes at Yusuke briefly, but kept his whole attention on Rat Face, stopping just a foot away from him and crossing his arms over his torso.

"Exactly what I said. You've been harassing my students over baseless claims or minor infractions since school started last week, and Koenma-sensei knows it."

"They are not baseless! Your students-"

"Have done nothing to deserve you and Iwamoto-sensei hounding them," Jaganshi finished coldly. "Teachers are supposed to discipline students when we can actually prove they've done something wrong, not when we assume they will."

"Hmph. You're just too soft."

"No, I just refuse to court a heart attack because I'm stressing out over nothing."

"Be that as it may, this boy-"

"Was reacting to your unfounded accusations and threats. I'd be angry too if I had to hear all that on my first day from someone I didn't know."

Yusuke looked bemusedly between the two teachers. Jaganshi-sensei stood at his side now, only reaching just below Yusuke's shoulder if he didn't count the height of his hair. It was obvious who was dominating the conversation; Rat face looked red enough to pop a blood vessel, while Jaganshi-sensei looked calm and collected.

"You're broadcasting your inexperience, Jaganshi-sensei, by protecting these worthless thugs like this. Be careful they don't stab your good intentions in the back."

"Your concern for my well-being is touching, but unnecessary. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a class to get to, and so does he."

Jaganshi-sensei inclined his head to Rat Face in the barest indication of politeness, and then grabbed Yusuke's wrist and led him out of the room.

"Walk quickly," the man hissed quietly, "or we'll never get out of here."

"Quit dragging me."

Yusuke kept his voice just as quiet as his teacher's, and yanked his arm out of the surprisingly strong grip. Still, he continued to follow the man out of the office and up the stairs to the second floor. It wasn't often that Yusuke felt out of his element, but that interaction in the office had done it. He didn't know what to make of this man. No teacher in Yusuke's school career so far had taken a stand for the students like him; they had either ignored them, or taken Rat Face's stance. This man had spoken up for them. Rat Face had mentioned he was inexperienced; so Jaganshi-sensei was probably a new teacher.

He won't be helping us long, Yusuke thought cynically. Just until he realizes it won't get him anywhere.

He was led into an empty science lab, not even bothering to flicker on the lights. Yusuke raised a brow.

"Wow, I get you all to myself? Must be my lucky day."

His teacher leaned against one of the lab counters, hands in his pockets and legs crossed at the ankle. He studied Yusuke, his gaze almost a physical weight on Yusuke's body. Usually, a stare this intense would have made him feel extremely uncomfortable. However, unlike with Rat Face and Troll, Yusuke didn't feel like he was being judged. Besides, two could play at that game. So Yusuke leaned against the counter opposite the man and returned his stare, taking him in again now that he wasn't being distracted.

The smaller man was young, that was obvious. He didn't have too many of the signs of wear the older teachers usually had. If Yusuke had to guess, he'd say the man was in his early twenties, probably just out of university. He was attractive, too; Yusuke was suddenly thankful he was attending an all-boy's high school, or else he'd have to deal with squealing girls all day.

"I thought it'd be best to speak with you before entering the shark tank known as our classroom," the man said at last.

Yusuke blinked.

"Shark tank?"

"I'm sorry to tell you that you've been shoved into the lowest academically ranking first year class."

"Not really a surprise, since school ain't my thing," Yusuke replied with a shrug.

His teacher smirked briefly. "Unfortunately, it also happens to be the highest ranking class in terms of discipline problems."

"So…it's a class full of dumbasses and punks."

Yusuke decided he liked it when the man smirked. It gave his expression a wicked edge he'd never seen on a teacher before.

"Your vocabulary needs work, but you're not wrong. So now imagine thirty-six of them, all from different schools and territories, locked all day in one small classroom."

"How the hell is anyone alive?" Yusuke breathed, not even wanting to imagine that scenario, and a little horrified to realize he was about to have to live it.

"Because Koenma-sensei was smart enough to be me in charge of the class. That being said…" The man stood straighter. "Hiei Jaganshi, history teacher and also the homeroom teacher for class 1-D."

Yusuke looked him over, then smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets, letting his wicked humor show on his face.

"Yusuke Urameshi, your newest dumbass punk."

Jaganshi-sensei gave him a dry look that did nothing to dampen Yusuke's cheeky grin.

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I told everyone else, Urameshi. I don't give a shit what you do, as long as you don't give me extra work. If you do, you will regret it. Understood?"

Yusuke barked out a laugh. "You're not like the other teachers, are you?"

"You'll just have to stick around to find out," he replied with another smirk. "Not let's get back before Akanishi causes a riot."

The man stretched his arms over his head briefly with a groan and walked out. Yusuke followed him, staring at his back the entire way.

He had a feeling this was going to be a very interesting year.


If you enjoyed, please leave a review; they keep me writing~


Notes:

- In Japan, the legal age of adulthood is 20 years old, although I believe they're changing that in 2022. This means that even when students graduate high school at 18, they still need their parents' permission for things like renting an apartment or getting a credit card.

-Students typically don't actually go inside the schools until 8AM, unless they have permission or a good reason to. So there will always be a group waiting out front before the first chime rings.

-There is a strict routine of how students enter the teacher's room, and I've tried to show it here with Yusuke. Teachers will literally have students repeat the routine over and over again if the students don't do it properly, especially in the older grades. The only thing I didn't add is that students also give their name and class when they enter. I can definitely see Yusuke doing the routine just to avoid the annoyance.

-In Japan, students usually go to whichever elementary school and middle school is close to them; similar to America where we have school zones. However, in high school, the students go to the school they pass an exam for. So it's not uncommon for HS students to travel up to 2 hours to their school if they want a really good one.