"bold" - In Japanese

"Bold" - In English

With the alliance of class 3C, D and E, the group has been renamed GPS – Genji Personal Succession. The unused school swimming pool became their headquarters, with the GPS banner unfolded in the swimming pool. Over the next few days, the group undergo hardcore partying – baseballs, darts, and even at the local bars that Suzuran gangsters frequented.

It was fun playing darts with Izaki the first day of their 'alliance'. Sora had been right about Izaki. He had both brains and brawn, and fearless to boot. It was this combination that made her more than wary of him, despite warmly welcoming him into their little gang. But still, as she analyzed it later, Izaki Shun is a man of loyalty. Once you have his loyalty, you'll have it forever. But of course, he doesn't give it easily.

But now that Genji has his loyalty, it means the addition of one more powerful lieutenant to their banner and a surge in their gang numbers. Sora paused as she realized something. Since when has she begun considering herself as part of GPS? Since when has she started taking sides?

Since you rejected Tokio's offer of joining his gang. Her inner voice whispered insidiously. She shook her head and continued. With the constant hardcore partying with GPS, she has been neglecting a certain trio.

Time to see what they've been up to.

It wasn't that she wanted to neglect them. She was apprehensive that they'll do a Tokio and stop being her friends. She hadn't really been bothered with what Tokio had done, given that she wasn't that close to him at all, but she was bothered with what he had said. If only friendship only existed within the same gang, then how will the trio react to her, given that she was practically considered part of GPS? Would they do the same as Tokio had done? And she did care about them. They were the first friends she made since coming here. Hence, she had delayed going to see them. But Genji was right, she should stop wavering and being so indecisive in everything that she does.

Or more accurately, given that both Tokio and Genji are too considerate to say it bluntly, she got to stop being so afraid and a scaredy cat .

So right now, she has got to confirm for herself whether the three of them still wanted to be friends with her or ostracize her for joining another gang. As she walked down the stairs and turned into a dusty school corridor, she started to see more first years, who stared at her curiously and even suspiciously, but did nothing to hinder her movement. With her connections to GPS, few now dared to come after her.

"Have you seen the Ebizuka Trio?" She enquired, grabbing hold of a random first year.

The boy – with dyed gold hair and chain links hanging at his hips – hesitated before nodding and pointing down the corridor. "First classroom on the right."

She nodded her thanks and continued on her way. The room that the trio was in was probably a sports room before but now has been converted into a lounge of sorts for them and their little gang that they've amassed. Chairs and tables were strewed haphazardly around and near the center of the classroom was a worn looking pool table. Kirishima and Pon were playing pool, with Mako sitting nearby reading a comic book.

Her initial resolve vanished the moment she saw them and she hovered uncertainly, unsure of her reception. In the end, it was Pon who saw her first. He faltered in his turn when he saw her standing at the doorway, causing Kirishima to look behind him to see her. The sudden silence caused Mako to look up from his book. When he saw her, Mako sat up. A big reaction, coming from him…

"Hey." She waved a hand when she saw that she has their attention.

"Oh, you." Kirishima said disinterestedly, returning to the game. "Finally remembered us?"

"Er, what?" She blinked rapidly at that. That had not been what she was expecting to hear from Kirishima. Does that mean he's still willing to befriend her?

Kirishima stared at her sullenly. "You heard me. Finally remembered us, eh? I thought all that partying with them got to your head."

He stressed the word 'them' as if they were dirt on the soles of his shoes.

"No, it didn't… I mean, eh…" She gave out a nervous laugh, walking hesitantly into the classroom. From the way they sound, it looks like they aren't going to pull a Tokio after all. That certainly was good to know. "Well, as you know, life got a little busy, that's all. But I'm here now, right?"

Kirishima merely snorted, and slammed the pool ball so hard with his cue stick that it flew out of the pool table. Cursing and swearing, he bent down to retrieve the errant ball. Sora winced. While she was still accepted, she certainly was not forgiven.

"Oh, come on. I was only gone for slightly more than a week? Seriously, that's not a long time… If this is about me joining GPS…" She paused as a sudden insight flashed in her mind. If she were in their shoes, how would she react if they suddenly pop up just after rumors circulated about them joining a rival (and bigger) gang? "You think I'm here just to recruit you guys to join the GPS?"

"Aren't you?" Pon asked after a rather awkward silence following that statement.

She slowly shook her head. "I'm here on my own."

The three of them traded questioning looks with one another as she stood nervously in the classroom, close enough to them but far enough to run if need be.

Run? Whatever for?

But it seems somehow, that sentence managed to release the tension in the room. Kirishima was the first to turn away from Mako and Pon, with a scowl on his pretty boy face.

"At least, you're here." He said at last, as if he didn't know what else to say. He turned back to his game. This time, he hit the pool ball accurately and a colored ball shot into the table pocket. "Well, stop standing there like an idiot. Grab a seat or something."

Cocky and demanding - so much like the Kirishima that had stood up to Izaki. She grinned and plopped down on the chair next to Mako, helping herself to some of his mochi, and comic books.

The four of them relaxed together on a slow afternoon. None of them talking much but simply enjoying the time with one another. It was a welcome change for Sora after a week of hectic, energetic partying with GPS.

"So any progress on finding your family?" That question shot out of the blue. Sora turned her head sharply towards Kirishima.

"Wuh?" Was her genius reply. Kirishima hit the white cue ball, causing another colored ball to drop into the table pocket. Apparently, that was the last of the colored cue balls.

"Pay up!" He demanded smugly. With a hand outstretched towards a disgruntled Pon, who took out his wallet, Kirishima turned towards Sora. "Your family. Any luck on finding them? You really are quite dense today, aren't you?"

"Well, forgive me if I had been paying attention to Mako's books." She replied, annoyed. "And no, no progress as of yet."

More and more, she was beginning to think that her trip to Japan based just on a conversation between her mum and her current trustee-cum-lawyer was a stupid decision. Her only excuse for such an action was that at that time, just after her parents' death, her instincts (which are usually right) hammered at her to go to Japan. That and the overwhelming need to escape from her home country.

"Have you checked the school records for any information? What kind of information are you looking for anyway?"

That broke her out of her reverie. Good question. Right now, she was still going through her parents' assets and financial history, hoping to find any leads to her mother's estranged family. But it was a futile effort. If she was hoping to find leads, she would probably have to check backwards at least fifteen years. Banks keep records for a maximum of ten years.

"Is your mother linked to Yakuza?" Pon asked suddenly. He moved to sit down on a chair close to her, grabbing one of the thick Japanese novels he loved to read.

"Whatever gave you that impression?" She snorted. Her mum? Linked to Yakuza? That idea is pure absurdity. She removed her glasses and polished them with her shirt, uncaring that her grey-blue eyes were revealed. They knew anyway, and the contacts lenses hurt her eyes. She would rather not wear them. Besides, the tinted glasses do the job of hiding her eye colour well enough, if need be.

"You said your mum is linked to Suzuran." Pon propped his feet up on a nearby table, reaching up to remove his mask. "Most Suzuran graduates join Yakuza. This idea has a higher probability than anything else. "

She was floored, to say the least. Her mother? Yakuza?

"No way, Dude…" She laughed. That idea is ludicrous, to say the least. "My mum is the total opposite of what a Yakuza is… She's not rowdy, can't fight and can't swear to save her life. She's gentle and well, feminine."

"You sure about that?" Pon asked, smirking widely. Sora really thought he didn't look too bad underneath the mask. Pity the girls who can't see him without his mask off.

"The truth speaks for itself, Pon…" Krishima snorted, a large smirk on his face as he glanced cheekily at Sora. "Look at how effeminate he is… Must have got it from his mother…"

Was she really that bad at cross dressing? But hey, since none of them has really suspected her of being a girl at all. It must mean that she is, at least, competent in that role.

"True…" Pon said, nodding sagely. "If not for the fact that he is in our school, I would have considered her a girl…"

… Or maybe not…

"What's that supposed to mean?" She said defensively, deepening her voice so as to sound more like a guy. "I'm not effeminate! I'm just… androgynous…"

She winced inwardly at that weak comeback.

"And that's supposed to be better?" Kirishima asked gleefully. Even Mako was hiding a smirk .

"Of course! One has a more negative insinuation and the other has a more... socially acceptable implication."

"But the underlying meaning remains the same." Pon pointed out. "Both meant that you're a guy who's far more like a girl than a guy."

She narrowed her eyes at Pon, ready to do battle and contest that statement. Hadn't anyone taught them that a lady is always right?

"All right, All right." Pon held both hands up. "Hold your horses… We're just kidding… Jeez!"

She pressed her lips together and turned away, shoving her glasses back onto her face. Inwardly, however, she's glad that they still assumed she's a guy. She really didn't want to think about the consequences if anyone found out she's a girl. She can probably beat the crap out of most of them in order to threaten them into silence. But if the discoverer happens to be the Ebizuka Trio or Genji or, God forbid, any of the other top players in Suzuran, she'll have the crap beaten out of her before she can land a blow on them.

"Dude… You know you're pouting like a girl, right?" Kirishima asked.

"Hey, it's me, Solange. I've got something to tell you… Are you alone now?"

"What's up? You've found something important?"

"The accountants finished checking through your parent's… your accounts… Apparently, A few months back, your mother made a transaction of at least 2 million dollars to a property agency in Tokyo, Japan."

"2 million? That's roughly 160 million yen! What on earth is she buying..? You didn't know she was buying a property in Japan?"

"… I wasn't the lawyer handling the transaction…"

"But you're our family's lawyer! Wouldn't you have been kept in the loop?"

"Well, apparently, I wasn't... Your mother made this purchase without letting ME know…"

"… Do you know who handled that transaction or which property agency it was? Any leads?"

"No… Not yet. I thought you would want to know about this first..."

"Thanks... Can you send me the bank account number? I'll try to see what I can find here in Japan."

"All right... "

While the rest of GPS were busy creating a racket at the swimming pool, Sora was busying herself with her own thoughts. She propped herself at the edge of the floating platform, overlooking the antics of the entire group but not taking part in them.

She was too busy trying to sort out the news that Solange told her last night. Her mum splurged 2 million dollars on a new house a few months before her death.

For what? For who?

She kept it from Solange, judging by the undertone of emotion she had detected from Solange, and Sora was willing to bet she kept it from Dad as well.

Why?

More and more, she was beginning to realize that she knew nothing of her mother at all. Or rather, was what she knew of her mother real?

Does dad even knew anything of her? She wondered. Is there anything real of the Mask she showed to us?

Come to think of it, her mother had been very different from other socialite mothers around. Other women she knew – mothers of her friends – shopped constantly or organized parties and what not. Some chaired charitable events although that's more for the publicity than for the actual charity. Others have day jobs as gossipers.

Her mother, on the other hand, had steered clear of all these. She preferred to volunteer at the local soup kitchens, often bringing Sora there and stressing to her just how lucky Sora was and to be grateful for all that she has. Then there's also how her mother personally ran the household. Other parents she knew of left the running of the household completely to their butlers.

So many of such instances… To sum it all up, her mother had been pragmatic and down-to-earth when other people of their social circles were not. Why? She had attributed it to the fact that mum was from the working class, but then that still doesn't answer some of the discrepancies in her own upbringing.

For one, her mother had literally made it compulsory for her to take up martial arts. While other parents prioritized music and dance for their daughters, her mother literally forced her father to enroll her in martial arts class. Sure, she had attended the same music and dance classes but her mother hadn't stressed them as much, allowing her to skip such classes for Judo or Aikido. Other parents would have gone ballistic. Dad did go ballistic, though, but that's not the point…

"Fire in the hole!"

The next thing Sora knew, she was flying through the air and then submerged into water.

"What the hell?" She surfaced and sputtered. Around her, GPS members roared with laughter.

She flailed around and turned to see a smirking Izaki in the water with her.

"Izaki?" She gaped. "What the hell was that for?"

She swam for the shore, intent on getting out to dry. Once again, she cursed the fact that she has to wear the man-vest. That thing constricts when wet, making it tighter and harder for her to breathe.

A weight suddenly landed on top of her, sinking her into the pool again. She tried to shrug it off but the clamp-like arms around her waist prevented her from doing so.

"Waugh!"

"You, Izaki Shun, are an idiot." Sora grumbled as she toweled her head dry.

"What?" he smirked. "I was just doing what I have to."

"Tackling me into the water?" Sora asked dryly. Izaki shrugged. "And how is that necessary?"

"Blame Genji." Shun said, his voice muffled as he buried his head in his towel. "It was a double dare from him and Chuuta."

Sora growled as she continued toweling her hair. Those two idiots is going to get it from her later, one way or another. Maybe she could prank both of them… Will adding Shoyu sauce into their beer suffice? Nah, too light…

Her train of thoughts about vengeance derailed when she bumped into Izaki, head first into his shoulders.

"Hey, move it." She looked up and prodded him with both her towel covered hands. He remained silent and looked to his left. Sora followed his gaze and instantly stiffened.

Tokaji Yuji... and his gang.

"There is no clean fight in a war." That was the only sentence he spoke as more students came from all directions, effectively surrounding Izaki and Sora. "Right?"

"Sora, you can't fight, right?" Izaki said quietly, one hand attempting to shove Sora behind him. Sora's inability to maintain a fight for long was, by now, common knowledge in the gang. "Stay behind me."

"Don't be stupid, Izaki." Sora clenched her jaw together. She stood back to back with Izaki. "They're coming on all sides."

Adrenaline was rushing through her blood, speeding up her heart rate and loosening up her muscles. Her mind calmed down, despite the raging aggressive emotions in her - her "Aggressive Mode" switching on in anticipation of a fight. This fight was different from the First Year War with the Ebizuka Trio. That had been a fight for dominance. This one is going to be a fight for survival, literally.

As one, they threw their towels down.

And the fight began.

A/N: I apologise! I apologise for the late update! I rushed to get this chapter out. This chapter is not as good as the previous one, I admit. _ Please don't kill me.

Regarding Storyline – Yesh, This story is going to extend into Crows Zero II.

Regarding Pairings – Uncertain as of yet, but not with Genji because, in the movie, Genji is already officially with Ruka.

As seen above, I'm breaking the rule about Sora not being a fighter because well, the fight above is essential. _ There will be a couple more exceptions to that rule.

There is something off about Asamori Sora. Have any of you discovered that yet? =X

Btw, thank you very much for reading! =X