Chapter 6:
Fujioka's Turf

I sighed, taking in a deep breath of the crisp air and calming my twitching fingers. The air on the roof was blessedly free from the cloying scent of hundreds of teenagers forced into close quarters.

Mikomi had a different class from me that period so I'd decided it would be a good time to skip and clear my head. I walked over to the edge and stared out over the quiet, foreign town, lazily wondering if I should throw something at innocent passers-by.

"This is my roof, you know," a deep voice said from behind me, making me turn around sharply to face a dark-haired senior, casually leaning against the wall which surrounded the door.

The guy was wearing a black jacket over his school uniform which complemented his long, straight, black hair, held back by a tie resting at the nape of his neck. The look was completed by the arrogant gleam in his deep green eyes and the two shady-looking boys – though henchmen would perhaps be a more accurate term – standing a few feet behind him as though trying to protect and go unnoticed.

My evaluation was interrupted by a smirk and the deep voice rang across to me again.

"What is a little girl like you doing here, hm? Are you lost?"

I snarled at him, my temper getting the best of me, as I hissed back at him, "This little girl could kick your ass."

He chuckled but his eyes narrowed as he walked towards me, hands shifting within the pockets of his jacket.

"I highly doubt that," he said dismissively, once he'd come close enough to talk in at a normal volume, rather than yelling across the roof. His voice was calm but it held a deadly tone, "You still haven't answered my question. Did someone send you here?"

I growled then sighed, breathing deeply and trying my hardest to keep my head, it would be bad to fight too much at school.

"No, no one sent me," I managed through gritted teeth, but I couldn't help adding on, "Who are you anyway, you bastard?"

"My name's Seiji Fujioka. It might do you well to remember this is my turf, Miss Feisty."

His little threat was accompanied by his left hand casually slipping out of his pocket, the gleam of polished metal clearly noticeable for a second accompanied by the familiar (thanks to my experiments with my knives and explosives) smell of gunpowder.

I watched Fujioka walk back to the door, the henchman scrambling to get out of his way and then to follow him as he passed. My legs wouldn't move. The kendo-freak was one thing. Swords could be blocked. But, even though the strategic part my mind whirled into overdrive, I couldn't think of any possible way I could dodge a point-blank gunshot.

A shiver ran through me and I left the roof, deciding it might be a good idea to stay out of this Fujioka's way.

By the time I made it back to the courtyard the lunch bell had already rang, bringing with it the anticipated flood of students. I made my way over to where Mikomi was sitting with the Kendo-freak and a strange girl I'd only briefly met before.

"Hey Boss!" I called out, as I neared, waving my hand. I was surprised to find myself genuinely happy to see him and all thoughts of the scary guy from the roof were forgotten.

Mikomi looked embarrassed as I sat next to him and glared at Shinsei, who was sitting on his other side, for good measure.

"Still breathing, I see, Kendo-freak."

The dark-haired teen laughed in that annoying carefree manner of his.

"Good morning, Akira," he said smiling, before pulling the blushing blonde girl next to him into a one-armed embrace (causing the hue of her face to deepen from light red to deep crimson), "Have you met Miss Hekireki?"

"Please, call me Nonki," she managed, and I couldn't help but wonder if the colour rising in her face was an indication she was going the way of my cooking attempts (that is, "boom").

I raised an eyebrow at Shinsei's antics. Had the idiot finally accepted someone from his fan club to be his girlfriend? I nearly giggled at the thought, but covered the emotion with a scowl towards the new girl. Nah, he was an oblivious idiot – there must be a catch.

"I- ah, nice to meet you A-Akira."

"Hm," I said in response, barely nodding at her before turning to Mikomi – he'd know what was happening, "Hey, boss? How on Earth did that oblivious moron get a girlfriend?"

The blonde boy just shrugged hopelessly.

"I really have no idea," he admitted quietly so his words weren't overheard – Shinsei was busy talking animatedly to the girl, Nonki, (probably to distract her from my well… prickliness), "He just came and introduced her as a girl he liked. She seems nice enough, though; she even helped him save me from some delinquents."

His large eyes, looked at me apologetically on the last word as though I'd be offended, but I barely noticed thoughts stuck on the fact that Mikomi needed to be saved.

"Who were they!" I yelled, jumping up and pulling some knives from my skirt with my left hand, "I'll kill them!"

Shinsei and Nonki looked me in surprise (and horror on the blonde's part) as I hauled the Kendo-freak toward me by the front of his shirt.

"Oi, you idiot," I growled in his face, "Did you finish off the guys who attacked the Boss?"

He had the gall to laugh, a light chuckle that grated on my nerves.

"Nah, Nonki knocked them out. But its ok, they got the message."

I took a deep breath and counted backwards from twenty to prevent myself from stabbing the idiot and then lighting him on fire. I managed to eleven, before I couldn't take it anymore.

Rearing back, I let go of Shinsei's collar to punch him. Hard. Then I turned around, and stalked away deceptively calm, leaving behind a worried Mikomi, a confused Shinsei and a terrified Nonki.

I tilted my head forward so that silver bangs obscured my expression. Oh, there'd be hell to pay when I found the delinquents who wanted to mess with my boss.