Author's Note:

✘ Some of the dialogues are from Gokusen season 3. I don't own anything of those.

✘ Next chapter, Mae's and Ogata's duel! Woot! Woot!

Notes:

✘ Nakama means friend or Comrade.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gokusen or any of its characters, names, or settings. This is purely a work of fan appreciation and creativity.

Chapter 3: We are friends, from now on!

Mae trudged into school on an April morning, her posture slouched, her expression dull with disinterest. There was no reason to rush. The students had long since earned her disdain, and as for the teacher—well, she seemed mildly interesting, but far too childish to take seriously.

With her hands clasped behind her back, Mae tilted her head toward the vast, open sky and closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply, the morning sun warm against her face. The illusion of peace was short-lived.

"Ogata! Honjo! Kamiya!" Mae called out abruptly, spotting the trio a few steps ahead. Her tone, oddly chipper, was a sharp contrast to her earlier lethargy.

To her relief, Yamaguchi didn't try to strike up a conversation. Mae wasn't in the mood to entertain her overenthusiastic antics. The three boys turned around at the sound of her voice, somewhat stunned.

"Good morning!" Mae chirped, waving both arms like a child greeting a long-lost friend.

Honjo blinked in disbelief. "Is he for real? Who's that cheerful this early?"

Kamiya rolled his eyes. "Lame."

"Let's go," Ogata muttered, hoisting his bag over one shoulder.

Just as he turned, Mae crashed straight into him. She'd been trying to avoid Yamaguchi by veering off course—and instead collided full-force with Ogata.

He scowled at her, his glare sharp enough to cut glass, before he and the others hurried off.

Yamaguchi, all fire and fury, wasn't far behind. "Hey! You guys! Wait up!" she shouted, charging after them. Mae offered a lazy wave and bolted in the opposite direction, her cheeks burning with embarrassment from the collision.

At the hill leading to campus, Ogata's group crossed paths with Kazama and his crew. A brief silence followed—heavy with unspoken rivalry—until Yamaguchi's voice pierced the tension again from the distance.

"She's lasted longer than I thought," Ichimura said, smirking.

Kuraki scoffed. "Think it's time I sock her one."

Kazama didn't even flinch. "Just leave the damn teacher alone."

The two groups passed each other without another word and headed for class.

Inside the notorious 3-D classroom, chaos reigned. Students wrestled, argued, and shouted, while Kazama's and Ogata's crews watched with faint amusement, detached from the fray. Mae, meanwhile, slumped in her seat, unimpressed. She had never seen a class so noisy, so violent, so... utterly ridiculous.

Thankfully, Yamaguchi burst through the door before someone broke a chair over someone else's head. She dropped her usual cheerful tone in an instant.

"Cut it out already!" she roared, voice echoing through the room. "If you're so eager to fight, come at me! Let's settle this outside!"

The room went dead silent. Even the desk-kickers froze. Kazama and Ogata exchanged a glance—half impressed, half intrigued.

By lunch break, Mae couldn't take another minute inside. She rushed out, muttering under her breath, "This place gets worse by the day..." She found solace beneath a tree, leaning against it as she slid to the ground.

Peace lasted all of ten seconds before she sensed someone looming over her. She opened her eyes to see Ogata standing there, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

"This is my spot," he said flatly. "Lately, you've been sitting in all my spots. What's your deal?"

Mae sighed and stood up. "Take your stupid seat. Not like you paid for it."

Ogata's patience snapped. He grabbed her by the front of her pink shirt and shoved her back against the tree.

"You've been getting real fearless lately," he growled. "You wanna fight me that badly?"

Mae's eyes narrowed. "Whatever."

She shoved him off with more force than he expected and turned away, walking off without looking back. Honjo and Kamiya joined Ogata a moment later, all three dropping down under the same tree she had just abandoned.

"Wasn't that the new girl?" Kamiya asked, already half-laughing.

Ogata scowled. "Yeah. And she's getting way too comfortable."

"Wanna ditch class?" Honjo suggested lazily.

"You'd just fall asleep again," Kamiya muttered.

Ogata cracked his knuckles, stretching his arms overhead. "So damn annoying," he mumbled.

That's when Yamaguchi's voice floated down from above them, far too cheerful for their liking.

"Oh, so this is where you've been hiding?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

All three stood up in unison.

"Don't bug us during lunch," Ogata barked.

Yamaguchi nodded solemnly. "Lunchtime is sacred... but we could also talk!"

"Shut up!" the trio snapped in chorus, storming off.

Kazama's group watched from a distance, laughing among themselves.

"She's so lame," Kuraki muttered.

Minutes later, back in the 3D classroom, Yamaguchi stood in front of the chaotic crowd, holding up a rusty old can with the word "Nakama" scrawled across it. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she announced a surprise—a "kick the can" competition.

The room fell silent, not with anticipation, but sheer confusion. Blank stares met Yankumi's overzealous grin. It was clear: no one had the faintest idea what kind of game she was raving about. She tried to explain it with passionate hand gestures and nostalgic enthusiasm, but the students' indifference remained unmoved. Her excitement deflated under the crushing weight of collective apathy.

Later that day, after school, most of Class 3D gathered outside the Shirokin Shrine. The air was electric—dozens of students yelling, laughing, and cheering as two dominant figures, Kazama and Ogata, stepped forward. Their bags were tossed aside with a shared understanding. This was the fight—long-awaited, inevitable.

Mae had been walking nearby, minding her own business, but paused at the commotion. She already knew the showdown would happen today. Curiosity piqued, she stopped in her tracks. Yet, the moment her eyes landed on Yankumi standing amid the crowd, she rolled her eyes and turned away. There was no way they'd fight for real with a teacher present.

But Yamaguchi, ever the wild card, did the unexpected. "Don't hold back, you two! Give it all you've got! Go full throttle!" she cheered like a sports commentator at a boxing match.

Both boys froze mid-step and gave her a baffled look. "…Why are you here?" Ogata asked, skeptical.

"Shouldn't you be stopping us?" Kazama added, narrowing his eyes.

Yamaguchi replied with an unshaken smile. "It's one-on-one, bare hands, no weapons. This is about spirit, not violence! Why should I stop you if it's a fair fight between nakama?"

But before fists could fly, Sawatari's voice echoed from her phone: "The police are coming!"

Within seconds, chaos erupted. The crowd scattered like leaves in the wind. Yamaguchi screamed after them, "Don't run! They're just passing by!" But no one stayed to hear her out.

As night crept in, both Ogata and Kazama—unshaken and still fuming—found themselves face-to-face again near the now-empty Shirokin Shrine. The same place, the same tension, but a different atmosphere. No crowd, no cheering. Just the silence of unresolved tension.

Mae, coincidentally nearby again, froze when she saw them. Something about the way they stood made her pause. This wasn't posturing. This felt real. Despite having both of them on her internal blacklist, Mae's curiosity pushed her closer.

Ogata cracked his knuckles and looked at Kazama with a fire in his eyes. "Let's settle this," he growled.

Kazama raised a hand. "Time-out."

"Huh?" Ogata blinked.

Kazama sighed, calm but firm. "Can we just stop this already?"

Ogata's brows furrowed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I don't care if you lead the class," Kazama said plainly.

Mae's eyes widened slightly. Someone who didn't care about being on top? Was that even possible in this warzone of a school?

Ogata wasn't satisfied. "That's not the point. If I'm going to take the lead, I have to do it right. Not by default. I need to beat you in a clean fight."

Kazama's voice didn't waver. "It doesn't matter to me anymore. Being top dog or running Akadou—what's the point?"

But Ogata wasn't hearing it. His fists clenched, and his voice roared, "Then let's begin!"

He lunged forward and threw the first punch—fast, furious, and unyielding. Mae flinched but didn't turn away. This was no longer just a schoolyard scuffle. This was about pride, direction, and something deeper that neither of them fully understood yet.

Maybe Mae had grown up sheltered from the noise—both literal and metaphorical. Raised in a world of polite voices, cold stares, and well-mannered restraint, her surroundings had always been composed of upper-class decorum. People rarely dared to talk behind her back. Her family's wealth, status, and her own poised appearance often spoke louder than anything she could say. But now, here she was, watching two boys brawl over dominance. And somehow... she found it fascinating.

"Interesting," Mae muttered under her breath, slowly sitting down on a stone step beside the shrine. Something about this fight had her attention—something she hadn't felt in a long time. The struggle to be number one. It was a feeling she understood too well. She had always been the best—without ever having to fight for it.

With a yell, Ogata landed a flying kick that sent Kazama crashing to the ground with a thud. Dust rose around him. Ogata shouted, "Get up! Come on, bring it!"

Kazama groaned, fists clenched as he stood again. "You ass!" he snarled.

Mae leaned forward, eyes narrowed. The moment had turned serious.

Kazama struck twice. Ogata dodged the second punch and countered with a left hook that slammed into Kazama's jaw. Without pause, Ogata delivered two brutal kicks to Kazama's stomach. Kazama, breathless but stubborn, retaliated with three sharp kicks to Ogata's gut. Mae winced. "Ouch," she mumbled, biting her lip.

The fight escalated. Kazama grabbed Ogata's shirt, pulled him forward, and threw him over his shoulder with force. Ogata hit the ground hard but sprang back up, locking Kazama in a tight grapple. Then came another throw—Kazama flipping Ogata down again.

They kept going, relentless.

Until—

Mae's eyes widened. From seemingly nowhere, Yankumi appeared like a bolt of lightning.

The two boys, now breathless and scraped, scrambled to their feet. They each grabbed a wooden stick nearby and charged at each other.

Mae stood, shocked. "Whoa! That's going to hurt!"

But before either could strike, Yankumi intercepted, flipping them both over with ease. "Cut it out already!" she shouted. "No weapons! How many times do I have to say it? Bare hands only—and even then, only if it means something!"

Ogata scoffed. "What does it matter if it's barehanded or not? Winning is what counts!"

Mae's gaze flicked to him. Winning is what matters... The words echoed in her mind. In a way, he was right. She had always gotten what she wanted. She never needed to cheat or manipulate. But had she ever been tested?

Kazama, still catching his breath, challenged her, "You didn't stop us yesterday. So why now?"

"Because yesterday was fair," Yankumi said firmly. "A one-on-one fight without weapons. But this? This is just violence for the sake of pride."

Ogata snapped. "I've had it with your lectures!" He stormed off.

Kazama followed, though quieter—still pondering what Yankumi had said.

Mae lingered. "So if the fight is fair, and it means something, you won't stop it?" she asked Yankumi.

Yankumi nodded. "I told them the same. A fight must have purpose. Meaning. Otherwise, it's just destruction."

Later, Mae found herself walking near a bridge, lost in thought. Yankumi's words circled her mind. But she knew the world didn't work that way. Not in reality. Life didn't reward fair play—it rewarded strength, cunning, and, sometimes, cruelty.

Under that same bridge, Ogata and his gang were walking. Mae spotted them from a distance. Something about Ogata looked off. He was... different. His posture rigid, his eyes wild. It was the first time she'd seen him like this—truly furious.

He's bad news, she thought.

Before she could finish the thought, Ogata collided with a passerby. Without hesitation, he punched the man and began kicking him with terrifying force.

Mae froze.

The violence was too much—too real. Her breath caught in her throat, and her knees gave out. She collapsed to the ground, pale, trembling, watching him.

This wasn't a fight. This was brutality.

Later, the rest of Ogata's gang arrived, but by then the situation had escalated. The man had friends—some gang in yellow jackets. Thankfully, Kazama and a few others appeared just in time to fend them off, and the group fled together.

All except Mae. She was still there, on the ground, disoriented. She tried to stand, but her legs refused. She was afraid. Not of the gang... but of him.

Ogata appeared in front of her. Two strong hands reached out and helped her up. She looked up and froze. It was him. She blinked in shock, her face pale.

Recognizing him, Mae suddenly pushed him away.

"What did you see?" Ogata asked, his voice calmer now. "Was it blood?"

He turned, noticing that from Mae's vantage point, she'd had a clear view of everything.

"It's none of your business," she whispered, still shaking, and turned to leave.

But Ogata followed, intrigued and amused. "There's no way you saw much blood from that far. So what really got to you? What made you freak out like that?"

Mae paused and turned back to him, eyes wide. "You're scary," she said quietly. "No… not scary—you're pure evil!"

She ran, leaving Ogata speechless.

"What did I do?" he called after her. Then, quieter, "That girl's really…" He trailed off, thinking back to the man he had kicked over and over. Remembering the rage. The fury. "Did he see that side of me?" he wondered as he slowly walked home.

Back in her room, Mae soaked in a hot bath and sipped ramen broth. Slowly, her color returned. Her body calmed. But her mind remained haunted—by Ogata's eyes, his rage, and the twisted satisfaction she'd seen in his face. That image wouldn't leave her. And for the first time, Mae didn't know what to think of him anymore.

The next morning, news spread fast—Kazama, Ichimura, and Kuraki had been caught by the "Yellow" gang. Dragged into a grimy warehouse, they were mercilessly beaten. When Ogata, Honjo, and Kamiya rushed in to save them, they met the same fate.

It wasn't until Yankumi stormed in—equal parts fury and strength—that the tide turned. With her unexpected arrival, the gang was subdued, and all six boys limped back to school, bruised but alive.

Back in the classroom, Kazama and Ogata, appearing more like allies than rivals for once, explained what had happened. Then, as if in a moment of spontaneous unity, they dragged the entirety of Class 3-D out to the schoolyard to play "Nakama Can."

Mae followed, more out of curiosity than enthusiasm. She stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching as the boys fumbled with the game. Soon, Kazama and Ogata joined her, equally uncertain how to play but pretending otherwise.

Ogata noticed her first. "Any better today?" he asked.

Kazama glanced at him, puzzled. "Why?"

"He wasn't feeling well. That's all," Ogata replied casually.

Mae turned to face him, her expression unreadable but eyes burning. The image of the enraged Ogata from the day before still clung to her thoughts like smoke. That guy? Becoming the head of Akado? Don't make me laugh.

What disturbed her more than anything was how easily he seemed to read her—how he stood there now, pretending to care. Is this the same person who kicked that man like he wanted to break him in half? And now he's playing nice?

Ogata, still waiting for her answer, watched her carefully. She's going to be trouble, he thought. Fearless, or just reckless?

"Ogata," Mae said suddenly, her voice clear and loud enough to silence the moment. "Let's say you're the current head of Class 3-D."

"Yes!" Kazama chimed in, grinning, apparently unbothered. He never cared who got called the leader—he and Ogata ran Akado together.

Mae acknowledged him with a nod but returned her gaze to Ogata. "So, you are the head?"

Ogata squinted slightly, uncertain where this was going. "Sure," he said with a shrug.

"Alright then," Mae replied. "Not today, but next week, before school starts—I want a duel with you."

Both boys blinked. Had they heard that right?

Mae. Wanted. A duel.

She might have looked strong-willed, but she was small, almost delicate compared to them.

Kazama raised a brow. "Why would you wanna fight Yamato? Doesn't seem like a good idea."

"Think you'll even last a round?" Ogata teased, a smirk tugging at his lips. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

Mae stepped closer, scanning the area to ensure Yankumi wasn't within earshot. She stopped just in front of Ogata, her voice low and deadly serious. "I'm not kidding. I want a one-on-one. A fair fight."

Ogata narrowed his eyes. "You're serious?"

Mae nodded, her black eyes hard. "Yes. I can't accept someone like you being the head."

"Someone like me?" Ogata echoed. "And what exactly is wrong with me?"

"That's for you to figure out," Mae replied coolly. "I just want the duel."

Ogata studied her. There was no trace of hesitation in her voice, no hint that she was bluffing. And when someone challenged you—especially over leadership—you couldn't just turn them down. He remembered clearly how foolish he had felt when he'd challenged Kazama. And yet, here he was, on the receiving end now.

"Alright," he said finally. "You'll get your duel. But I'm not going easy on you."

"I didn't ask you to," Mae shot back and turned away, leaving him staring after her.

Ogata exhaled slowly. "Did I sound that stupid too when I challenged you?" he asked Kazama.

Kazama laughed. "Yeah. Pretty much."

The two exchanged grins and jogged off to rejoin the others, resuming the carefree energy of the game.

But Mae—Mae was the only one who wasn't smiling.

She wasn't playing.

And she wasn't backing down.

((Coming up chapter 4))