March 20th, Wednesday morning. Tateyama came out of his room, his silver hair running down the side of his face as usual with his hands in his pockets and his laptop in his school bag. He let out a long yawn and placed a hand over his mouth. Having stayed up late last night to work on a few tech while watching a few episodes of his favorite shows, the black circles underneath his eye only grew darker, to no disturbance to the boy. As he walked down the wooden flight of stairs that lead to the living room, he rubbed his eye and yawned again.

The sound of a loud crash from the kitchen clears his foggy mind and Tateyama rushed down the stairs to the source of the noise. Tsukuyo was crouching on the floor, muttering worryingly to herself as the frying pan on the gas cooker had been knocked down onto the floor. Judging from her burning red fingers, she had tried picking up the hot metal carelessly. while the still-uncooked food that was Tateyama's supposed lunch was now strewn on the floor, wasted.

Barely surprised, Tateyama placed his bag down, picked up a few tissues and tried cleaning up the mess. Tsukuyo saw him and took the tissues from his hands, reassuring him with an attempted smile that she could do it herself, "I-It's fine. I can handle it."

"You burnt your fingers," Tateyama insisted before Tsukuyo picked up the wasted food on the ground and disposed of them in the trash can. She picked up the frying pan from the floor and placed it in the sink while running her burnt fingers under the cold tap water. Knowing now that he had no lunch for today, Tateyama headed out the door with his bag when Tsukuyo suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder and handed him her own lunchbox.

"Here," Tsukuyo said, handing the container to him.

"It's your lunch. Not mine," he said dismissively.

"It's fine!" she waved him off and shoved the container into Tateyama's hands, "I can't let you go without eating now, can't I?" Tsukuyo chuckled. Hesitantly, he accepted it. Tateyama looked at her and saw that carefree smile still on her face. Wordlessly, he went to the front door, opened it and headed out into the sun as Tsukuyo waved him goodbye, "Don't forget to take your medicine!"

Closing door behind him shut, Tateyama her footsteps slowly disappearing and let out a sigh of mixed feelings once they were gone, "She's always been like this," he thought, "It doesn't matter how many times she gets hurt. She'll always carry that smile on her face. She'll always treat me like a kid," Tateyama grimaced, having watched the woman before getting abused by co-workers, customers and other people. Like last night, Tsukuyo would always tell him to calm down if he tried to do anything.

Frankly, he was getting tried of it. Tateyama wondered just how could she just keep smiling like that despite all that abuse.

He tried erasing the thought and headed out onto the sidewalk to head down to Hideki's house, placing his earphones on to listen to his favorite songs. It was one of the only few things that kept his tranquility and calmness intact. Watching the clouds in the cerulean skies above float slowly over head, over time, the cold morning breeze and the slow melody of his songs flooding his ears calmed him down significantly. From his pocket, Tateyama took out a small, wooden egg-shaped gadget. Ornate and antique, he held it in his palm and brought the hand to his chest as the music just carried him away.

At the same time, the music was also what kept Tateyama from hearing the warning shouts from behind, before a small wooden toy sword that was thrown in the air smacked him on the head. The toy sword clattered on the ground and the impact had thrown Tateyama off his quiet thoughts. Plucking his earphones from his hears, the impact barely hurt, but it irritated him as Tateyama picked the toy sword from the ground and stared irritatingly at the piece of wood.

"Ummm... can I have that back?" he heard a girl's hesitant voice from behind.

Looking over his shoulder, Tateyama noticed a girl with short, light-blue hair and a sheepish expression on her face standing behind him. She had a cracked smile, the girl visibly afraid from the look Tateyama was giving her. From her uniform, she was a student of Mitakihara Middle-School as well, and like most girls that encountered him, she looked nervous to approach him. As always, he thought, as his rugged looks always made him hard to approach. Oddly enough, the girl looked familiar, as if he had seen her before.

But as it was too early in the morning to deal with this, Tateyama simply tossed the toy sword into her hands before continuing to walk with earphones equipped back on. Tateyama never really talking to girls. Akemi was an exception. If it were any other girl other than Akemi, he usually just brushed them off and went away like he did now. Ignoring the apologies from the girl that his earphone blocked out, Tateyama then stopped in his tracks as a realization came to his mind.

That was Miki Sayaka, the girl Hideki had a crush on before. It was a few years ago, from what Hideki told him, but he definitely remembered him telling that. Looking back at the girl, Miki had run off to a group of girls that were most likely her friends. She didn't notice the white-haired boy staring at her for a few seconds before leaving. Remembering what Hideki had said a few days ago as well, Hideki had just recently abandoned in his attempts at trying to get together with her. Looking back once more at the girl, Tateyama shook his head and wondered what did his friend see in her.

Putting away his small dumbbells that he had been using to gain some muscle, Hideki shoved them underneath his bed, not bothering to fix his sheets as he got back up and rolled up the sleeves of his school uniform. Having just did a few sets of push-ups, Hideki looked at himself in the mirror and started shadowboxing with his reflection to pump himself up for later. On his bedroom wall, pictures of his mother and a young Hideki were tapped all over the walls. Some showed him covered in bandages, crying his eyes out as his mother hugged him tightly.

Two more punches in the air and Hideki was done preparing for school. Hideki picked up his bag from the floor and slung it over his shoulder. He looked back to the pictures on the wall for a moment, and then opened the door to his room. Hideki locked the door behind him and walked down the stairs to see the usual sight in the living room that always annoyed him.

His father, Shin Hakamichi, was being once again hassled by his boss in the living room. A short man with a cigar packet in his jacket, Shin kept quiet as his superior went on with his lecture, "I can't believe it, Shin. I cannot believe that you lend me your car without telling me it had a blind spot," said the man as he took out a cigar from his pocket and lighted it in his hands, "The Hell were you trying to do? Get me killed? What do you have to see for that, huh?"

"I-I'm sorry, Hazamada. I didn't notice that it had any blind spots. I- Hideki..."

The two adults noticed the teenager as Hidkei slowly walked down the stairs. Without any eye-contact, Hideki headed into the kitchen, took his lunch from the fridge which he made last night and went off without saying a word, slamming the door tight behind him. Outside the house, Hideki angrily popped open a can of soda he took from his bag and chugged down the drink. Once emptied, he crushed it in his palm and threw the aluminum can into a nearby trash can, muttering angrily, "As usual... the old man's still playing doormat to that douchebag he calls a 'boss'."

It was already the 7th time his boss had hassled him like this. While Hideki had inherited his most of his reckless behavior from his mother, the side that always made him hesitate whenever he made any hard decision came from his father. Ever since the relationship between them had turned bitter after his mother had passed, Hideki had branded his father a coward and distanced himself from him. It was only a matter of time until the two would actually forget to call each other 'Father' and 'Son' the next time they saw each other.

"I wonder if he had any guts left in him after all these years?" he thought, cracking his knuckles while standing on the side walk. Taking a moment to breathe, Hideki ran his hand through his hair to keep him focused on what was important now. Right now, he had Akemi to look after and the tournament to look forward to. He didn't need to distract himself with the problems he had with his father. While Hideki stared down on the pavement, he had not noticed Tateyama slowly approaching him.

"Hideki."

Hideki looked aside and saw Tateyama, one earphone taken out from his ear and both hands lazily sitting in his pockets. The sight of his friend brought a smile to his face as he walked up to him and playfully clapped him on the shoulder. With a hint of energy and his thoughts redirected to what was important, he asked, "You ready for later?"

Tateyama nodded and gestured to his bag with the laptop inside, ""Did some research on Takamatsu's fighting style. Let's head to the park. We'll-"

"Memorize it, beat Takamatsu's and get into the competition," Hideki finished his line for him, clenching a fist tightly and triumphantly in the air as Tateyama raised a brow at his sudden enthusiasm. When he arrived at Hideki's house, the boy had looked a little down while he stood outside house.

Pushing the thought aside, what seemed like rare smile grew on Tateyama's face before he started walking down the street with Hideki beside him. For most of the time they spent walking on the way to school, Hideki was mainly the one speaking while emphasizing whatever he said with hand gestures. He kept on talking about the tournament, and as a friend, Tateyama did listen and nodded every once in a while. Until Tateyama spoke up and changed the subject when he saw the opportunity.

"I saw her, Hideki," Tateyama stated, "Miki Sayaka."

The smile on Hideki's face altered as they both halted in their walk to school. A variety of emotions went over Hideki, as the boy tried to come up with a way to reply. In the end, Hidkei just gave a shrug and a thin smile that Tateyama knew all too well, "... So? I already told you, I ain't got a chance," he gave a self-depreciating chuckle, "That Kamijou guy's just too good to beat. Besides... I got things to focus on already," he wrapped an arm around Tateyama shoulder, smirking, "Come on, we don't wanna be late for school."

Nodding, Tateyama threw away the topic and the two continued their walk to the park. On the way, they continued talking, Hideki's tone sounding a bit weaker after he had mentioned Miki.

In a two-story house at the end of the residential block, Mamoru buttoned up the collar of his white school uniform as he stood in front of a mirror on textile floors. Dark colors on the edge of his collar ran down through the middle of his shirt and out onto the edges with similar colors for his cuffs. Behind him, there was a large bed, a TV and a worktable that stored multiple types of chisels and spare pieces of wood. One of his pieces was lying down on the table with chunks of freshly-shaven wood lying near it in curves.

Mamoru was fixing his green hair with a comb as he thought about last night's call from Hideki. He was surprised, but at the same time, he was not. Hideki had always been prone to making sudden favors and decisions in the middle of the night or at any moment, really. It was how they got the idea of using fake enlistment forms for the tournament a few days ago and could be the same thing that also prompted him to take care of Akemi. Placing the comb down before staring at himself at the mirror, Mamoru scowled at his reflection.

What was plaguing his mind right now was not his friend's sudden actions again, but that girl he had challenged last night at the bar. Who was she? He thought. He didn't get to hear her name at all and he couldn't get a good look of her, either. It bothered him too much, so he took the TV remote and turned on the television to help clear his mind, switching to the news channel for the daily report.

"This is News Anchorman Reiji Ayasaki as we have breaking news: As of yesterday, 3 more men have gone missing in the city of Mitakihara and Kazamino."

The anchorman's news caught Mamoru's attention, "3 more? Just how many have already gone missing?" The 14-year old boy then sat down on the bed and crossed his legs, listening closely to the news.

"So far, the police have no leads on the whereabouts of these 3 people, nor have they any clues on the other 12 people that have gone missing either. Many have grieved and begun to head out to look for these people by themselves, but to no avail. The police will continue with their search on these missing people and will announce anything that they have found," the anchorman looked at his partner beside him, "Kousaka, you may now bring your news."

"Thank you," the news woman with glasses back looked at the camera and shuffled her papers, "While we have no news relating to the daughter of an infamous politician, Mikuni Oriko, or the recent disappearances, we do have some for the upcoming international competition in 14 days. As of today, the number of those that have enlisted have reached 40 for the ages 22-50. Also increasing are the numbers of schools that will be partaking in the competition. Schools all over Japan are soon to present their teams before preparations are made. We-"

Mamoru turned off the TV and settled down the remote beside him. Lying down on his bed, he stared up at the ceiling, thinking, "If Hideki and Tateyama want to enter the competition, they will be facing a tough challenge. Hideki's physical speed and endurance are impressive, but he lacks anything behind those punches of his; Tateyama is precise in his moves and is a sharp person. But, if he pushes himself to far and if his heart beats too fast..."

A knock on the door came and Mamoru got up, "Come in," he said, sounding annoyed from the sudden interruption of his thoughts.

The door opened, and a man with scruffy green hair and an easy-going smile walked through the door. Dressed in a sharp suit while using a cane to help him walk, Mamoru stood up and snapped his feet together, bowing down as he formally apologized, "My apologies, father. I thought it was the maid that knocked on the door. Forgive me."

The man, Kenji Tezuka, gave a small laugh and patted his son on the head, "Still following the greetings that your mother taught you, I see," the man looked around the room and sat down on the bed to rest his legs. He coughed into his fist, his voice as weak as his body, "Are you ready to head to school?"

"Yes, I am, father," Mamoru went to take his bag from underneath his bed, along with a few pieces of wood and his chisel from the worktable, "But shouldn't you be heading to Kazamino by now? Your train should be leaving soon."

"I know, I know. But, I have something to tell you: Tonight, I will be staying over at Kazamino for a meeting. I'll be coming back tomorrow morning. So, if you need anything, just ask the servants."

"Or Uncle Joseph," Mamoru added, making his father reply with a hearty laugh.

"Yes, yes. He's a reliable one, I'll admit that. Now, stay good and I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" the man was helped up to his feet by his son and once he was up, the man pulled his son into a hug and ruffled his hair. Mamoru didn't mind and accepted it without hesitation. Mamoru's father chuckled, "Don't get into trouble at school again."

"I'll try. Have a safe trip, Father," Mamoru said with a tone that was softer than his usual one.

Minutes later, Mamoru could see his father heading out the front door through a window in his room. With folded arms, he watched as his father entered a small limousine and drove off. Packing up his own stuff, Mamoru exited his room and went down a large flight of stairs marked with multiple engravings. It was being hand-polished by servants that bowed down the moment the teenager passed by with a smug grin on his face and his hands behind his back.

The inside of house was huge, with polished checkered floors, a chandelier on the ceiling and the living room being large enough to accommodate at least 10 people with its couches and sofas. The place was mainly lit up by sunlight coming through the windows and a maid at the door opened it for Mamoru, who gave an acknowledging nod to her before leaving. Taking in the morning air through his nostrils, Mamoru headed off and ran on his way to school.

Homura tightened the ribbon on her uniform and took a deep breath. After last night, she began to feel more confident with herself handling things and with a smile, Homura picked up her bag and went out of the Narita's bedroom. Outside in the living room, Takuya was prepping up Tomura's wheelchair as the younger sibling advised him to be careful. Narita was busy locking up something in a safe that was hidden behind the couch and strangely, the nurse looked somewhat determined to keep whatever she was locking inside safe and sound.

Homura and the boys didn't know when did Narita got back into the house, but when they finally saw her acting again as her normal, laid-back self, they were relieved to see nothing bad had happened, "What's in there?" Homura asked Takuya.

"Whatever it is, it looks important," Takuya replied as the wheelchair finally sprung open. With an accomplished smile, the brunette then picked up his young brother by the waist before carefully placing him down on the wheelchair. He raised a fist to his shoulder and yelled excitedly, "Alright! Mission Accomplished!"

Once she had locked her safe, Narita pushed the couch back to it's previous position where it pressed against the wall and wiped the sweat of her brow. Homura handed her a handkerchief and she used it to wipe the sweat off her forehead, "Thanks. It wasn't easy trying to open this old safe up," putting on her white lab-coat which she placed on the couch, Narita took her items for work, her keys and stretched her sore arms, "Everyone ready?"

"Yes!" they all replied in unison.

Like yesterday, they accepted another offered ride from Narita's old friend, Kobayashi, as he drove them out of the residential area. This time, though, the two did not talk about anything and the silence went noticed, but unquestioned by the kids in the car. It was strange to see them so silent, but it was most likely just adult business and they had no right to ask about it. A simple 'Thank you' came from Narita as they came out of the vehicle and headed to the park once he had dropped them off.

After meeting up with the other boys at the park, the group headed off to school and were again greeted by Minami and Yuri. Throughout the classes that came and went, the boys noticed Homura's significant improvement when it came to interacting with people and they saw it as a good sign. Surprising, since it was just her 2nd day here. She did things from going at the front to answer the hard questions written on the board, to helping some of the teachers and some of their classmates. She still stuttered in her speech at some points, but it was a definite improvement over yesterday.