When Ruri is fifteen, on her first day to high school, she stomps her way to the campus.
Ren-ren had transferred to Nishiura in SAITAMA, and has thus moved back to his hometown during the break, all without saying a word to her or Ryuu. All that bullshit about being awkward because Ruri is a same-age cousin is all bullshit! Ruri is hurt and angry and full of despise for her gender and Ren-ren's stupidity and unintentional insult. It's not like she wants to be a girl either. If she were a boy, she could have easily joined the baseball team. It makes Ruri angry that even her cousin might be belittling her sex.
Ruri takes a deep breath, and let it all out in a sigh. She feels guilty, remembering how fearful Ren-ren had looked as he attempted to stutter the reasons he was moving after Ruri demanded for it. Ruri had lost her patience and stomped to her room, slamming her door for emphasis. After that, he had gone with Naoe-basan back to Saitama.
It's no use being upset now, she tells herself. Ren-ren isn't here anymore. The most she could do is send a text of apology to Ren-ren later. She carefully conjures a message in her head, and she runs to meet up with Kisuke and Yamamaru.
That afternoon, after the whole festivities dedicated to the first years, Ruri walks home alone, since Kisuke and Yamamaru want to check out the field. Ruri has already decided to continue with softball, so there isn't much for her to see anyway.
Outside the school gates is a mess of students, since it is dismissal time. Ruri finds herself situated behind a particular group of first year boys, whom she recognizes as Ren-ren's former team mates. She picks up Kanou's small stature among them.
"Did you hear?" a boy with black hair that resembles a nest says excitedly. "Mihashi didn't enter the high school division!"
What he says ignites her interest, and she deliberately keeps her steps in beat with the group of boys. All eyes have now turned to Kanou, who continues walking ahead, his earphones on, rock music blasting and obviously oblivious to what his friends were talking about.
"Kanou!" the biggest boy of the group said loudly, pulling off one of Kanou's earphones so he could hear. "Is it true?"
Kanou stops and turns, his eyes narrowing with annoyance from someone disrupting his music.
"True what, Hatake?"
"Mihashi didn't enter the high school division," Hatake repeats. "Is it true?"
Kanou hesitates and faces straight again. Ruri could only see the back of his head now, and so couldn't read his expression at all. She watches as the others look like they are anticipating his answer.
"Yeah," he finally answers.
They cheer, except Kanou. Ruri can't help but feel the familiar burning sensation welling up at the back of her head, this time more furious than ever.
"Finally!" Hatake shouts. "We won't have that despicable freak pitch another game for us anymore!"
"Yeah!" another boy joins in. "How many games have we lost because of him?"
"What were we supposed to do when he is the principal's grandchild?"
Hatake put his arm around Kanou's shoulder, like they are best friends, and says, "Without Mihashi holding the mound, Kanou can finally be Mihoshi's ace!"
Thoughts whir through her brain, as she puts two and two together. Ren-ren was bullied. Kanou didn't defend Ren-ren. Kanou wants the position of ace that Ren-ren has. Ren-ren was bullied because the baseball club wanted Kanou to be the ace. All those thoughts lead to one conclusion: Kanou is the reason why Ren-ren left.
The boys continue throwing insults at her absent cousin, and Ruri could not bear to listen to any of their appalling words anymore. She quickens her pace, and walks past them, and stops in front of Kanou, who looks somewhere between flabbergast, horrified, and guilty.
She smiles sweetly at Kanou, as the other boys whisper in the background. She hears one of them speculating whether she is an admirer of Kanou. So none of them know how she is related to Ren-ren or Kanou. How self-absorbed and ignorant of them to not know who she is. She's been in the same middle school and was the captain of softball there too!
"Since when?" Ruri asks, her voice as sickly sweet as she can go. Only Kanou knows exactly what kind of wrath she is unleashing onto him.
"B-b-before the f-finals."
It's not often that Kanou stutters, and Ruri watches with a little satisfaction as the other boys display various degrees of astonishment.
"Oh, okay," she says.
She blinks and cuts her act, directing a cold glare at her former friend.
"I'll never forgive you."
She turns and walks away, very sure she would never forget seeing the guilt in Kanou's shocked eyes. Or the way her heart squeezes painfully in her chest as she walks briskly away from him and his stupid friends.
She decides she hates Kanou more, more, more than ever.
