Whispers of gossips and rumors are nothing new in Shujin. Despite the façade of an astute and professional high school, Shujin Academy shared the traits of any school, the pros and cons. For Makoto this wasn't a problem in the slightest. The experience and knowledge gained from it all would prove beneficial. School is a simulation of the real world and would best serve to prepare her for the harsh society awaiting her. Today however, a reality she never wanted to know greeted her, as Ryuji walks in the school building looking like a victim of a car accident. A bandage over his eye with a swollen bruised face and abused uniform. Truthfully she had planned on ignoring him after his attitude from yesterday but she finds herself unable to after witnessing him like this.

"S-Sakamoto-kun...! How did you get hurt?!"

"If I knew then I'd tell you. It's all blurry from last night."

"Blurry? You don't remember anything?"

Of course Ryuji remembers. He remembers the nice night turning into a nightmare. How escaped that is all blurry. Like clips of a movie trailer, he can recollect moments of voices and obscure faces from his faint vision, he woke up in his house with the bandages already on. His mother hadn't been aware somehow and so he snuck out of his house to get to school. He'd die if she had to pay for a hospital bill due to his own actions. He will figure this iut on his own. Somehow.

"Just some assholes from another school trying to beef with me. Delinquent stuff."

"Things like that really do happen...? What school were they from? I'll be sure to report this at once."

"I-I! Uh! Didn't get a name! They had some kinda emblem on though so I bet it's on their school uniform... It was a..."

He looks around sweating slightly trying to find some inspiration for his lie. It isn't like there was anything Makoto could actually do. She's just another student like himself. He would just have to make a symbol off the top of his head. Something simple, vague enough to be more than one school, and one nearby too.

"It's a star! Yeah! I didn't get a good look since they were wearing them casually, but I definitely saw a star!"

"A star. Got it. Don't think you're not in trouble either. Picking fights in or out of school looks bad on all of us."

"Y-Yes ma'am."

The rest of school passes by. A lot more staring than usual for sure, but nothing he's not used to, although one thing that surprises him is Haru. She approaches him at the front yard after school with a horrified expression.

"It's really true...! What happened to you, Sakamoto-kun?"

"Oh, hey. This isn't anything. It's just a little dangerous in the city is all."

"This is...! This isn't right... Who did this to you?"

Ryuji shrugs. If anyone didn't need to hear the bizarre truth it was his only friend in school at the time.

"Some punks jumped me last night. I was just in some territory and they thought I was part of a gang or something."

"My goodness! Here, it should soothe the swelling."

She takes out a medicinal ointment and hands it over to him. He graciously takes it, cautious almost, bewildered by her kindness as he looks between the present and herself.

"H-How much I owe you for this?"

"Nothing. Please. Take it."

"J-Just like that? Thanks! I'll-!"

He opens it ready to apply the ointment to his wounds. He stops shortly and closes it again shaking his head.

"I'll use it later. You're still working on your garden, right? Want some help with it?"

"But your injuries-!"

Ryuji smiles and rolls a shoulder.

"They ain't shit!~ Haru, I said I'd help and I meant it! What's on the to do list today?"

Haru shoots a small glare his way.

"You're still going to help? I wouldn't mind if you didn't today."

"A promise is a promise. I ain't worth anything if I can't even keep my word."

For Ryuji the response was natural and true. It just made sense to him. For Haru, it means a little more, the value of a spoken word is different for her. Her head lowers as she mumbles to herself.

"A promise... I believe I understand. Here! I could use some help with trimming the bushes and some seeds here or there."

"Yeah? We'll make the school garden look like an effing paradise!"

"Hehe!~ That's the spirit!"

Although still sore, Ryuji had to admit it to himself, he didn't care for gardening but having someone to spend time with again feels good. For Haru she could tell that there was more to Ryuji's story than he let on. However, now isn't the time to pry, moments like these are something she often wishes for. Casually participating in a hobby she feels a passion for with another. He takes notice of her glee which spreads to him.

"What's on ya mind, Haru?"

"I'm? Oh it's nothing."

"Your face is glowing though... Seems like that to me at least."

"You're quite congenial yourself, Sakamoto-kun!"

"The hell does that mean...?"

"It means we enjoy each other's company."

"Oh! Yeah! I won't lie, I didn't think I could do this gardening gig, it looked pretty boring at first."

"You've changed your mind?"

"Yeah, it's relaxing, especially with a partner!"

"I'm so happy to hear that!"

"But... How did you get into it?"

She pauses for a moment. It's been such a long time for her.

"My grandfather. He had a restaurant that used homemade ingredients. It wasn't ever successful financially, but the customer always loved our food, each dish was made with passion."

Ryuji stops to look at her with his eyes wide. It isn't that the story itself was shocking, but even he could tell she lives an affluent life, so a humble beginning wasn't expected.

"Whoa..."

"I don't actually remember him too well though. He died when I was very young. My mother taught me most of what I know."

"She's gotta be a killer cook then right?"

"Oh yes I would imagine so. I wish I could have another one of her meals right now."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"My mother isn't with us anymore. Illness took her away shortly after my grandfather."

He felt the drop in his stomach as he inwardly slaps himself. Stammering and stumbling over his own words.

"Oh shit-. I-I didn't mean-. That was real dumb of me and... I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

She beams at him which only makes him feel even more guilty.

"That was a long time ago! I do get sad thinking about it, but you had nothing to do with it, I still have... My father."

Ryuji notes her reluctance there. A face he's familiar with. A cracked mask hiding the truth.

"Don't get along too well with your old man, huh?"

Just like that the cracks have vanished but the mask remains. She forces a smile on with a false laugh.

"O-Oh goodness. He and I get along just grand! We simply have our differences. He can be just a little demanding of me is all..."

The glow in her face dims down with her gentle smile lowering to a frown. Ryuji can't help his expression from mirroring hers.

"Doesn't sound pretty fatherly to me."

She responds with a prickly retort.

"Well you don't know him like I do."

"You're right, my bad."

"How would you like it if I insulted your father?"

"Nothing probably. He ain't around."

"E-Excuse me?"

"He left shortly after I was born. Never came back, never sent word, so it's just been me and mom since."

Ryuji speaks about it too casually for Haru's liking. It's a shocking revelation for her yet it made sense.

"He abandoned you...?"

"It isn't all that bad. If he was the type of guy to leave us on our own, I wouldn't want to know him anyways, you know?"

"Unfortunately not. I understand the sentiment but... He's still your father. You aren't even a little curious?"

Not in the slightest. He had never thought about it before. It isn't that he had a bias against fathers as a whole however. He had to express his thoughts some way...

"I like to think about it like this. Parents are like your coach. You won't get far if they don't care for you. They'll do the bare minimum and expect you to be a star athlete just cause they said so."

Haru nods. That rings true for her in ways she wouldn't dare outwardly admit. Ryuji continues on.

"But the ones that believe in you, run with you, work with you day in and day out? Those are the ones that'll bring out the best of you! You know?"

Haru stares at him confused as she taps her lower lip in thought.

"I'm afraid the analogy is lost on me..."

"Alright lemme try something a little closer to home."

He takes her hand into his own and holds it up with a seed placed in her palm. A blush on her face as he holds her hand.

"Think of us as parents and the seed is our kid, right?"

"G-Go-Goodness Sakamoto-kun!"

His eyes roll with a friendly scoff.

"Play with the idea for me."

"I-I can try..."

"Now. You and me plant this seed into the soil together. Like so."

He guides her hand down to a vacant spot in the ground before releasing hers to dig a hole. She drops it in and both cover the hole.

"And it's together that we nurture the seed into a full grown healthy plant... What seed was that?"

"A fruit! A tomato seed!"

"Tomatoes are fruit? A-Anyways! Dedication, careful planning, and constant vigilance lead to a healthy tomato stalk."

Her eyes light up in revelation.

"Ah! Like how such things lead to raising a healthy child!"

"Exactly! I respect that hard work people put into their passion! Even if it's something as small as drawing a picture or as big as climbing a mountain! Parents should give a shit about their kids. Not just up and run like a deadbeat."

"Ryuji..."

There's a silence between them that lingers longer than either would like. This time, Haru takes the initiative.

"It's up to us to choose who we are, isn't it?"

"Huh?"

"Even if we have both parents, we grow up into being something else, sometimes nothing like them. What matters most is that we're happy who we are. Right?"

He blinks at her sudden determined tone. A complete shift in her light quiet demeanor. Even though it was a small speech she speaks with such a dignified power that he couldn't help but be in an awe.

"Where'd that come from?"

"It's a secret!~"

"A secret!? Pffft!"

He smiles before attempting to wipe his hands of the dirt.

"Well I'll figure it out later. Thanks for the cream stuff. See you around?"

She stands and offers him a handkerchief with her name on it. She gives him a wink with a playful giggle.

"It's a date."

He takes it with a curious gaze before pocketing it. The two go their own ways as day turns to evening. From a distance a jealous young man glares knives at Ryuji as he watches him leave. A cellphone up to his ear as he snarls in his luxurious seat of his limousine.

"I know you don't work for me but I'll see to it that you're paid extra. I'm worth more than your worthless uncle anyhow. Yes. I knew you'd understand. Be as violent as you'd like. Don't fail me like mine did."

Haru enters the vehicle just as he hangs up. Her worry immediate as his face still had been contorted in anger.

"What is it? Did something happen?"

"... That boy. You seem awfully close with him now."

"Sakamoto-kun? What about him?"

"I just want you to know that you... Mean a lot to me. I'm just cautious about the friends you make."

"Is that all?"

"I assure you, your safety is my top priority..."

Slowly he begins to compose himself. He had to keep calm around her. Such a fragile specimen was to be his and his alone. It didn't matter if this boy was merely a friend. He was still male. Still someone who would try to take his beloved prize from him. He was born to be the best and so deserves such .Not some lowly thug trash not fit to grace his eyes. Yes. He would soon feel great satisfaction after tonight. Haru ponders to herself about the nature of this man. His noble and affluent facade began to falter day by day. If she could she would roll out of this car even as it drives into traffic. For now though she must endure for her father.

'But the ones that believe in you, run with you, work with you day in and day out? Those are the ones that'll bring the best out of you!'

Ryuji's words echo in her head as she thinks about her father. When was the last time he spoke to her as a person. As his daughter? How long until she truly did become his subservient puppet...

Ryuji makes his way back to the alley he had been attacked in, but as he arrives there is nothing there out of the ordinary, save for a doorless entryway to the back of a restaurant. Trash all about, graffiti on the walls, even the same homeless man sleeps against the wall.

"Wait a goddamn minute!-"

Ryuji stomps his way over to the sleeping bum and kicks his leg. Waking the man up with a snort.

"Hey! Wake up!"

"Hu-What!? Who?! Oh, it's you... You actually came back just like my boss said you would."

"Your boss?"

The homeless man stands up with a grunt.

"Yeah. You were pretty feisty when we were treating you. You oughta be flattered! He personally got you home."

"H-He knew where I live?"

"He knows a lot of things. None of which he really shares unless he has to. C'mon. I'll take you to him."

Ryuji stands there in hesitance before following the older stranger. They take a train to Shinjuku, the Red-Light District to be exact, and for the whole time Ryuji feels as if he's being followed. They make their way to a nightclub. Before they entered, the old vagrant gave Ryuji a bandana, black and with the teeth of a shark smile printed on.

"Oh yeah. The guys who tried to take your life might be around. Wear this to stay under cover."

"Wh-! You asshat, ain't it too late at this point?! Give it here!"

Ryuji snatches it and puts it over his face. The homeless man sneers and shakes his hand as if it were injured.

"Yeesh, so rude! You speak do loudly...! Just don't talk or else you'll be recognized as well. We're going around the back entrance."

Ryuji takes it and starts to follow his vague guide until a hand stops him by his shoulder.

"That's far enough, Sakamoto."

Makoto's stone-like grip pulls Ryuji back harsh enough to turn him around to face her. Pale with sweat pouring down his face as he became a victim of her fiery gaze.

"You and I have to talk."

"Holy shit! Why are you here, Niijima!?"

"Because the lead you gave me lead to nowhere, just an art school that has nothing to do with us, and you neglected to report to the principal's office as instructed."

"I was supposed to go to the Principal No-Neck!?"

"Did you forget somehow?! I won't even remark on the disrespect as well. You're dealing in something dangerous, aren't you?"

"No! Nothing like-"

"Don't lie to me! You really are a good-for-nothing. I told Okumura-san to stay away from you. Precisely for this behavior!"

"Niijima! Listen! Now is not the time!"

"I think now is the perfect time. I'm sure your mother would- mmph!?"

Ryuji slaps a hand over her mouth. She grows agitated, no infuriated actually, especially as he throws her to the side with the slap. Makoto prepared to give him a piece of her mind. Unfortunately for her the delinquent had flown away and into the side of a parked car across the street. His body dents the driver door with his head cracking the glass of the window. Makoto looks back at where she had been. Right where her head used to be, a fist the size of her skull lay there, in fact it may have been bigger.

A large hefty man gives a friendly laugh. A violent air about him with a wild shine to his eyes. More fat than muscular, a thick and intimidating build regardless, wide shoulders and a wooden mask obscuring the rest of his face in the shape of a fierce bear. Her fight or flight response activate asher body goes into overdrive. Mind flooding with thoughts, ideas, plans. All drowned out as the giant of a man approaches her with his arms raised.

Instead of attacking Makoto further, he walks past her as she remains frozen, his destination leads him to the dazed blonde.

"Hehehe!~ That was fast thinking, kid. I wanted to try and soften the blow for you using the girl, but you took the full thing, what a surprise gentleman we got here!"

Makoto turns around staring at Ryuji in slight shock. As rude as the maneuver was, he did save her, even after the savage tongue-lashing. Why? Why would he take that head on, for anyone, let alone herself? Ryuji manages to stumble out of the shallow indent of the car. Only to narrowly dodge another punch. A foot stuck out to trip the bear forward as his thrown fist breaks through the window. Ryuji uses this chance to pummel into his assailants back and side until the masked man rips the entire car door right from the vehicle. Ryuji stumbles back with a frightened yelp before Makoto pulls him back from a deathly swing.

"N-Niijima-?"

"We're leaving! Now!"

She pulls him along until Ryuji tackles her to the ground as the car door flies overhead. The bear approaches with heavy stomps and a low chuckle.

"Oh no you don't! It's my turn to have a crack at him! Or are you really just some kid with a lucky street, huh?"

The two students scramble back from the masked freak as he cracks his knuckles.

"Sakamoto, this, is what you were doing last night!? Street fighting with... With... Monsters?!"

"Not like this is my favorite past time! Watch out!"

Ryuji and Makoto run away from each other to dodge a shoulder charge for them. As Ryuji turns to face his foe, he leans back dodging a fist, and soon bobs and weaves for his life as a hail of blows descend upon him. Having seen what they could do to a car he didn't dare imagine the effect on his body. Unfortunately he wouldn't have to. The bear stomps on his foot, a shout escapes the delinquent as he flinches from the pain, only to be punished by the devastating barrage of fatal strikes. Fist after fist batter his body. He can feel it being broken, his organs moving around, being pounded into jelly from the outside. His foot is freed as an uppercut filled with ferocious power sends him off the ground and through the window of a convenient store. The masked man bursts out into a fit of laughter.

"Haw! Haw! Haw! You're done for! Finished! No good after that! I gotta thank you kid! I feel refreshed! I'll be sure to put flowers at your grave next week!"

Makoto watches this with her hands over her mouth in some attempt to keep control over herself. She had taken akido classes in self-defense with her sister. This? This is something entirely different. This is a nightmare. It has to be. She will wake up any moment on her desk having studied herself to exhaustion. Any second now she would wake up from this bizarre experience. It would only grow worse as she saw Ryuji stand swaying side to side from inside. His school jacket torn from the glass, his bandages gone having been forcefully removed during his beat down, his head bleeds profusely over an eye which he wipes away at. Even the overweight monster leans back with a hiss at the state of his victim.

"Tenacious... You're a tough one for sure. No wonder Kun-woo took so long trying to kill you. What's next, kid?"

Ryuji says nothing as Makoto chants under her breath for him to stay down. He moves to the counter where a cowering employee hides behind the counter. Ryuji pulls out his wallet and places money on the counter before staggering outside with his off hand clenched tightly. The smell of smoke beginning to fill the air as he weakly marches towards his opponent.

"A-Aren't you up to no good, huh kid? What's with that scary look on your face? You wanna have another go at me?"

"Just finish it..."

"Heh! If you insist!"

Ryuji readies his main hand for a pu ch as the bear winds his own knockout punch. However, as he throws his final attack with all his force, Ryuji fakes him out with a dodge under and punches him right between the legs. The natural reflex of such a thing forces the larger man to double over, but the delinquent us not finished, as he sends an uppercut to the throat of his target. Now wheezing for much needed air after the initial low blow, the blonde manage to reach for his mask just enough to tilt it upwards, enough for the wide open mouth to be exposed as he opens his off hand. A fitful of lit firecrackers ready to explode are shoved down the orifice. Another uppercut to the jaw shuts it tight as festive poppers go off inside the head. The lumbering giant tumbles down to his knees as smoke puffs out of his blistering mouth and singed nostrils. Eyes bloodshot with breath haggard as he can't find the strength to stand. Dizzy from the punches alone, the added effect of the firecrackers have him on the ropes, and Ryuji knew this. He tries to stand up only to be kicked in the face and sent on his back with a groan.

Ryuji begins to advance as he has become the predator. Stalking after his weakened prey.

"W-Wait... Sakamoto."

He only halts himself as Makoto hesitantly steps in between him and finishing the job.

"You... You did enough. You beat him. He can't even stand up anymore."

"..."

"Don't throw your life away taking someone else's... Even for someone as frightening as him."

"..."

Silence ill-fitted someone like Ryuji. Especially in Makoto's view. His utter determined stature, his fierce glare that pierce right through her, he seemed like a man possessed by a demon in her eyes. She gulps down her fear and stands firm despite her pale face amd sweat exposing the unease she now felt towards him. She believes that somewhere he still knows sense.

"... Alright."

Her body relaxes as she lets out a deep sigh. Ryuji shrugs before leaning onto her. Of course she shoves him away with a yell.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Makoto prepared to now knock some sense into him until she realize that Ryuji passed out on his feet. Quickly she lowers herself to his side in a panic as the crowd watching the whole event began to draw closer. From afar, the homeless man watches as well, annoyed that his plans have been interrupted. More so that he knows he'll be blamed for this by his vindictive boss. However, he wasn't without admiration, and tonight he certainly gained a new respect for the simple minded Ryuji.