A decade later…

In spite of themselves, they both felt their stomach churn at the sight of the injuries on the unnamed brunet's skin and blanched. Those… definitely weren't normal injuries. Lacerations were prominent on his wrists and ankles, gashes were all over his skin, most especially his back, discolorations varying from severity could be found at certain parts of his body, and second-degree burns were visible on the front of his neck and some parts of his hands.

What made it a lot worse was the fact that he looked so young. He looked about 13 or 14 years old and the scars on his skin insinuated that this kind of treatment had been going on for a long time until now if the presence of the fresh blood on some of his injuries were anything to go by.

"...He is alive, isn't he?" Irie asked timidly as he cautiously stood behind his friend with an apprehensive frown on his face.

"Yes, but," Spanner mumbled as he checked for a pulse, "At this rate, he'll die from the amount of blood he's losing."

Irie drastically paled. "F-for now, we have to do something. If someone from the Disciplinary Committee was to find him during their patrol, who knows what they'd do to him. He doesn't look like he's from around here and they might take him to be a potential threat to Namimori," Irie muttered as he gingerly brought one of the brunet's arms over his shoulders while giving Spanner a meaningful look.

Spanner silently nodded as he took the other arm. Namimori High's Disciplinary Committee's influence didn't just spread over the school; it had a massive influence on the town itself. They partook in the enforcement of the law and their authority was unquestionable. If they were to catch wind of some foreigner suddenly appearing in this dubious condition of his with no belongings in sight to identify him, then as unfortunate as the brunet was, he will be faced with interrogation bordering on pure violence. The prefect of Namimori doesn't take to unexpected guests too lightly; most especially if they present a high possibility of obliterating the peace that Namimori has been prided on for so long.

"He's soaked," Spanner pointed out as he adjusted the arm around his shoulder, curiously sniffing at the substance that soaked through the collar of his shirt, "But this… isn't water."

"Yeah." Irie nodded. He directed a narrowed glance towards the liquid trickling down the brunet's fingers that mixed with a bit of fresh blood. "I'm guessing that this is a preservative chemical. Wouldn't you agree? It looks like the one we use."

"But we can't be too sure yet," Spanner said, although he didn't really disagree. That sounded pretty reasonable. "Not until we actually confirm it from him."

"If he ever wakes up, that is," Irie replied dryly.

As the top students of their school, they, fortunately, had the wits to balance their schedule out to maintain their academics while simultaneously looking after the brunet whom they persistently tried to hide from both the authorities and most especially the Disciplinary Committee.

But of course, doing so has set them on the edge, stuck waiting for the answers because the brunet has yet to show signs of actually waking up.

"It's been three days," Irie sighed as he adjusted his glasses, anxious, "Do you think he's…"

"He's alive," Spanner assured him with the slightest hint of amusement, "You worry too much, Shoichi. If he's survived that long with that kind of treatment, he can survive this much at least."

"...That's a horribly mean thing to say."

"But it's true, isn't it?" Spanner shrugged. "If you're that worried about him, why don't you go check on him?"

Irie took a short moment to simply stare at his friend before relenting. Spanner had a point. Plus, while he was at it, he might as well change the bandages.

"Fine," he said as he stood up from his seat. He went to get the first aid kit from one of the cabinets before leaving the room and proceeding to Spanner's room which they had agreed on to be the brunet's current resting place. In that condition of his, they can't just place him in the living room on one of their couches. He was already wounded enough.

With his attention focused on the first aid kit he now held, Irie failed to notice the presence of another man within the room, seated by the edge of the bed while holding what appeared to be a letter, as he opened the door to Spanner's room. It wasn't until the man had spoken did Irie notice.

"Since when have you been hiding him, Shoichi Irie?"

Startled out of his wits, Irie dropped the first aid kit on the floor and screamed.

"S-Shamal-sensei!?"