Makoto steps in front of Sakamoto with her arms folded. The two often glare at each other but rarely have they interacted throughout the week.

"Where do you think you're going?"

He rolls his eyes at her and holds up his school bag.

"I'm going to study."

"To the roof?"

"That a problem?"

She grimaces and points to the stairs just behind her.

"As a matter of fact, it is! You know that being up there is prohibited!"

"What the fuck do you actually want with me, teacher's pet?"

She leans back from that but looks around noticing the unwanted attention. She leans forward whispering.

"I need to meet with you about something important in the Student Council Room."

Sakamoto just stares at her uncaring at how serious his upperclassman is. She walks away hoping that he would at least meet her there. To her surprise, he does, the two take their seats at the table.

"I've been investigating Kamoshida-sensei while looking into you as well... I've heard about your belief that he's abusing students."

"You mean to say you were stalking me again and listened in on me."

Her face turns pink and she steels her gaze towards him.

"I've Heard. I wanted to think your accusations were baseless but, after doing my own investigation, I've come to a difficult choice... Either I ignore you or I take what you say seriously."

His smile widens with his face brightening at her reluctant tone.

"Oho! ~ So you can see with those eyes of yours after all!"

She scoffs and stands from her seat.

"You don't have to be such an asshole all the time!"

Both of them stop to look shocked at her outburst. He says nothing, but keeps his smile, chuckling as she sits back down with a polite cough.

"I-I asked around to no real evidence, but the signs you brought up are clear, too many students are suffering peculiar injuries. The most I was able to get out of was a first-year, Yuuki Mishima."

"Why are you telling me his name like it's important?"

"Because he's the one you stood up for during the game not too long ago. I know I'm keeping you from Okumura-san, but I simply wanted to tell you about this, and hopefully... You can be of some proper use instead of being a constant menace."

"Solving a mess that ain't mine to fix so I can be more popular?"

"Because it's the right thing to do!"

"And who decided that? You?"

"Is being selfless anathema to you?!"

"Is being useless all you're good for? Relying on a menace to solve your problems sounds pretty bad on it's own, don't it?"

She has nothing to say to that. It occurs to her right then and the harsh words hit hard. He stands and his smile vanishes when he sees her lowering her head.

"... Tell you what, Mako-Chan. Prove you're not worthless and I'll take everything back."

"..."

He leaves her alone with that and makes his way to the roof.

Sakamoto shakes his head smiling as he watches Haru sit in one of the discarded desks with her umbrella propped up on the center. It had been raining all day. She waves him over eager to see him with his school bag.

"I thought for sure you'd use the rain as an excuse to not study today!"

He walks over slowly as to gather rainwater before flicking his wrist at her to sprinkle droplets onto her.

"Shuddap. We made a deal, I gotta honor my side since you've been honoring yours."

"Can you tell me about yourself finally?"

He takes a seat at the same desk while getting his books out.

"I think it goes without saying I didn't have a nice childhood."

Sakamoto speaks while he studying notes he took in class with Haru now over his shoulder.

"You had no parents..."

He shakes his head, still smiling with his fangs bared, even as his eyes lower.

"Yeah, exactly like that. I didn't know the story until I was four... My folks sold me off to pay their debts."

Haru gasps with her hand over her mouth.

"S-Sold-?! Ryuji, you can't be serious!"

He gives her a look as his smile twists to an offended frown for a moment.

"Oi, oi, we made a deal didn't we? Just listen, it ain't all that bad, okay?"

Not all that bad? Being sold off by the people who brought you into this world is rather, heartbreaking to say the least, at least to her. He continues.

"The debt collectors must've felt bad, so I was taken into a family of mobsters, and honestly I was living like royalty. Even when I heard about being unwanted, I didn't care cause those guys treated me good, they were my family..."

"What happened?"

"They died."

She isn't sure what she expected. She remains silent as he continues.

"They pissed off the wrong people, still don't know the details, but a bigger gang took them out. Anyone not killed were kidnapped and taken someone else."

"You were kidnapped...?"

He shakes his head and lifts his shirt. Several scars, some faint, some deep, the one he points to is a distinct bullet wound.

"Nah, they shot me dead, or at least thought they did. Bullet hit my rib dead on but stopped right at the bone. I passed out from the shock and pain. When I woke up, cops were all around me, and everyone I knew was being carted off in bags."

She pales looking from scar to scar. She's never seen them outside of movies and a few of her father's bodyguards. Never has she seen so many in one place too.

"H-How awful... A-All those... Those are all real...?!"

"Scars are a sign of prestige in some parts of the world! ~ Thankfully it's easy to hide mine since Japan doesn't like 'em that much."

He lets his shirt down but she hangs her head unable to understand how he could still smile to this day.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Gwahaha! Don't be! The conflict made me strong!"

"It's made you hostile and untrustworthy in the eyes of others too..."

Sakamoto taps his chin with his pencil before shrugging.

"That's fair. Anyways, I got sent from orphanage to orphanage, causing trouble due to my shitty attitude. Eventually I landed in a shithole called... Well. I'd rather not say actually."

"Y-You don't have to say!"

"I met my first friend there though... I got my ass kicked a lot, but always fought back, there were bad days and good days. It was miserable all the same."

"So what changed?"

Sakamoto stops looking through his notes and looks up with an eerie expression on his face. A strange confused mix between sorrow and joy. A broken expression of a half smile.

"I met the guy who taught me how to be strong..."

"S-Someone... Taught you to fight? Th-That makes sense."

He shakes his head.

"No, no, I did copy his style but... I'm self-taught. All experience, Haru. He taught me that everyone starts off weak, but the weak can be strong, and the strong rules over all. I'd pick fights with him daily, trying to prove how strong I was, and every time he'd break me."

Haru tilts her head at that.

"Y-You look... Happy. Happier than I've ever seen you actually."

"Huh-?! Oh-!"

He literally wipes his face with his sleeve before it returns to the lazy smile she's become familiar with.

"It's uh... Special memory to me. The years I spent with that guy... I'd hate to admit it, but he's the closest to a father I got."

"Did he die too?"

"No, no, he said he was leaving one day and I followed after him. After three years of playing catch up, he told me that only the weak cling to the strong, so... I stopped clinging to him."

He leans back into his chair groaning with a stretch.

"That's about... A couple weeks before I started coming to this school. Yeah. I was with him for a long time trying to figure out how to be strong on my own. Never realized all I had to do was actually be on my own."

"You're wrong."

"Huh?"

Haru shakes her head at him.

"You're strong but... You lack what makes other people strong too. Having friends is true strength. I... I'm not as weak as you think I am."

Sakamoto raises a brow at her before his smile grows.

"I don't think you're weak, Haru. Not anymore. You just have a different kind of strength is all."

"You think so?"

"Which is why I don't gotta walk you home! You got a ride of your own anyways!"

She gives him a deadpan before tapping a finger on his notes.

"I still want to walk with you! I need to be sure you don't hurt someone who doesn't deserve! I still don't approve of your fight last time either!"

"Whatever..."

"Yuuki! Yo, wait right there!"

Mishima stops dead in his tracks. He turns around slowly before nearly falling over from Sakamoto's face being inches from his own.

"Boo!"

"A-Ah!"

Sakamoto chuckles as he steps back.

"Hehehe! ~ You sound like a girl."

"That wasn't funny..."

"Yeah it was. Say. Come with me. I've got a cute girl who's interested."

Mishima raises a brow at him before frowning.

"You're only trouble... I shouldn't have anything to do with you."

"You saying that after your whip master cracked down on you, double time?"

Mishima stays silent with his head down. He opens his mouth to speak his mind at last, but Sakamoto pulls him along by his hair, groaning out of boredom.

"You're taking too long to answer! C'mon, Yuuki!"

"O-Ow! Ow! St-S-Stop it! That hurts!"

He isn't sure how or why, maybe it's because he never had a friend to hang out with. Perhaps it was due to the presence of a cute girl he was told was interested in him, and Haru is certainly cute, but he knew she wasn't interested. Maybe it's because he escaped the torture of one man only to fall into the hands of another tormentor.

He knew that in the end it was because he never has the strength to say no.

Now here he is walking side by side with a thug out of school. It was luck, whether good or bad he isn't sure, that Kamoshida isn't there to see students off but another teacher. Kawakami. She waves off of numerous students until they arrive.

"Mishima-kun? Sakamoto-kun?"

The blonde stops to leer at her with a stoic frown.

"Oi, you're looking kind of sleepy teach. Shouldn't you be getting eight hours of sleep a day?"

She shakes her head at the remark.

"Your eyes have so many bags it like they're going on vacation. Just try to stay out of trouble and don't drag Mishima-kun into it."

Haru quickly runs to their side between them and Kawakami.

"I'll make sure of it sensei! You have nothing to fear."

Haru quickly excuses them before the teacher can process it, leading the group to her limousine, leaving Mishima speechless while Sakamoto whistles.

"Wow, you're actually letting us ride around in your private chariot?"

Haru nods ignoring his condescension.

"Indeed! You should best be grateful, Ryuji! As for you, Mishima-kun..."

She smiles brightly at him, immediately turning the boy's face pink, though she remains unaware of that.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance. I hope Ryuji hasn't been too rough with you..."

"U-Uh... I... Uh..."

He is snapped out of his stunned stupor from Sakamoto elbowing him.

"He didn't say no so I just dragged him with us. Say, we oughta celebrate actually! I know just the place!"

That's why he's here, in an arcade, hanging out with the most unlikely pair. However, although he came unwillingly, he has to admit to him. Playing Gun About with them, teaching them about the various games present, and Haru being able to pay for it all? What started as a nightmare has transformed into a good time.

Even Sakamoto's wild and crude nature couldn't ruin this for him as he was beaten in fighting games. He expected Sakamoto to lash out, to hit him or berate him, instead...

"Holy shit that was a fucking sick combo! Yuuki! You gotta coach me on this! How'd you do that?!"

"H-Ha-Hahaha... I-It's not that hard actually..."

Haru taps his shoulder pointing to the exit.

"Excuse me you two, but it's getting late outside, we should really head home."

Mishima gasps as he takes his phone out.

"A-Ah! I'm supposed to be home by now! A-And I live so far away..."

Haru and Sakamoto exchange looks before they both smile at each other. She leaves them both with Sakamoto patting Mishima's shoulder.

"Hey, no homo, but I'll walk you home alright?"

"H-Huh?! What about Okumura-senpai?"

"She's rich! ~ Not to mention, I've been meaning to ask, what's the deal with Shovel Chin?"

Mishima trips over himself and his words.

"S-Shovel-!? D-Do you mean... Kamoshida-sensei?"

"Yeah, why is he an asshole? You do something to piss him off?"

"N-No! It's... You wouldn't get it. You aren't part of the Volleyball Team."

Sakamoto gives him a look before he starts walking ahead.

"Alright, fine. I won't press on you for it this time... But you've got more power than you know, Yuuki."

"What would you know, Sakamoto?! You're just some loudmouth with a scary face!"

Mishima covers his mouth and steps back profusely apologizing.

"N-No! Wait! I-I didn't mean that-! I'm sorry!"

Sakamoto's face certainly shows an unearthly rage... But he closes his eyes, takes in a breath, and puts a hand on Mishima's shoulder.

"It's fine. I haven't given you a reason to see me otherwise. I won't say you're wrong either anyhow... Which way is your place?"

"T-This way..."

On the way, Mishima gives the occasional glance, unable to speak much as he justifies his behavior to himself. Sakamoto dragged him out here, kept him out way later than he should have been, even though he's stayed up to the point of sunrise before... The more he thinks on it the more it didn't seem right to him.

This angry, belligerent, vulgar boy hasn't hit him once. Hasn't called him a loser, worthless, and even said he had... Power. What did this guy know of power though? That's when they were stopped by a group of men.

Sakamoto noticed these men from the start, as did Haru, as it was why she left the two alone. They were being followed since they left the school. One of the men is the scarred man from before.

"There you are punk! This place is quiet, and perfect for your body, we'll dump it in someone's garbage so it's taken out to the dump where it belongs!"

Mishima shrinks back behind Sakamoto shivering.

"W-What the...!? What's going on!? W-W-Wh-Who are these guys...?!"

Sakamoto picks his ear casually smiling.

"Some sore loser who couldn't pay his bill at the Beef Bowl shop."

The scarred man snarls at the remark.

"You asshole! You battered my family up! If you had let your ass get kicked, then we wouldn't be here, now you and your boyfriend are dead!"

Sakamoto rolls his head to a series of pops and snaps.

"Yo Yuuki. Try to get away. If they hold you hostage I'm gonna run right through you."

"WHAT?!"

Mishima takes to the ground and closed his eyes tight as if he were caught in a gunfight. He stayed there on the ground expecting the worst as he heard awful things. Glass breaking, flesh being pounded on, grunts and shouts of effort. He had enough.

First his teammates, then fellow students, how much longer can he just sit by and let people suffer around him? Is he so much of a loser that all he can do is just... Let them suffer? Just sit there and take it?!

No! Even if it's something minimal, this delinquent has did his damndest to be a friend to him, the least he can do is be a friend back! He takes his phone out and cracks an eye open to call the police.

However, his curiosity led him to look up at the fight, before both eyes flew wide.

Sakamoto caught a baseball bat made of wood with his fangs and broke with his jaw alone, chewing right through it like a shark, finishing the offending thug with a ferocious headbutt. At that, most of the group; many who had already suffered injuries, began to run away.

"T-That freak won't go down no matter how much we hit him!"

"He broke that thing with his fucking mouth! Look! He's chewing on the wood!"

F-F-Fuck this! I can't even feel my arm! You're on your own, Toyami!"

The scarred man growls despite his newfound fear of this inhuman boy... He points at him with a crack in his voice.

"Y-You! I'll... I'll get you! Dammit!"

He runs off too and Sakamoto spits out the remains of the bat.

"Sheesh, I was just starting to have fun too... Yuuki! It's over now."

He turns to see Mishima still staring at him as if he were a spectacle. Sakamoto snaps his fingers in front of the freshman's face before pulling him up to this feet by his hair.

"What did I just say!? Stand up, man! You can still walk, yeah?"

"Uh-! Ow! Ow! I-?! Yes? Yes!"

"Then walk home!"

"I gotta find my own place."

He begins to walk off but Mishima stops him.

"S-Sakamoto! Don't you have a home to stay in...?"

"No. I sleep on the streets... If I can get any sleep in."

"You're joking!"

Sakamoto snickers and starts to walk off.

"Y'know, some people would call you a huge coward for not helping... But I saw you with your phone ready to call the cops. Take care, Yuuki. I might make something useful out of you yet."