It didn't hurt as much to go to school again after winter break. Kuwabara found he was able to play with his friends again and not feel guilty about having fun when his mom was gone. He still didn't care about the schoolwork though. Kuwabara decided the people were far more important, and his friends should be his focus, not whatever work the teacher assigned him.
It was because of his newfound focus on the people around him that Kuwabara heard about the bully.
"Yeah, Kuno is a scary guy," Okubo confirmed. "He's a fifth grader, and he keeps taking lunch money off of first and second graders."
"But he's a coward," Kirishima said. "He won't pick on anyone older than a second grader."
"Unforgivable!" Kuwabara said. "As a man, I can't stand by and let this happen!"
"You're going to beat him up, aren't you?" Sawamura asked.
"If he won't apologize, that's exactly what I'll do," Kuwabara said.
Kuwabara sought Kuno out on their break and laid down his demands. "You're going to stop picking on little kids, and apologize to all of them!"
Kuno sneered. "Why don't you make me, you little punk?"
"Fine," Kuwabara said. "But you asked for this."
Utilizing every lesson his father had taught him, Kuwabara attacked the older boy. It didn't take long until Kuno was begging for mercy.
Kuwabara stepped back. "I don't want to hear about you picking on kids ever again!"
He turned to walk away, and out of the corner of his eye, Kuwabara saw Kuno lunge for him. Kuwabara whirled around, but before he could do anything to defend himself, a fist shot out and knocked Kuno back down.
Urameshi grinned at a stupefied Kuwabara. "Guess you're back, huh?"
Kuwabara smiled back. "Yeah. Guess I am."
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