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Since he could remember, Sakura had only himself in the world. All his ‘homes’ were just houses, and his classmates were just people. If he was standing, everyone was sitting. If he sat? Everyone stood up. People were determined to make him miserable. But most importantly, they wanted him alone.
Sakura grew up alone, with nothing. And when he was 12, he figured out he really wasn’t. He had his fists. They would never judge him, never make fun of him, never leave him out.
It’s not like they could anyway.
When he moved to Makochi, he had his apartment. Run down and busted up in all of its glory. No one wanted to live there, so it’s not like he had to work hard to get it and rent was dirt cheap. But it was just another house. He’d move out one day, and it’d just be another piece of wood and plaster.
His fists were the only thing he had. But didnt that just mean he had himself? What use was that? He had himself, and nothing else
One times zero is zero. He didn’t really have anything then.
“You won’t make it far by yourself.”
Like hell he wouldn’t. He’s been by himself all his life, what difference would a few years make? Furin was a place for outcasts, lost causes. For once, he’d fit right in.
In Furin, everyone would have to respect him, they wouldn’t have a choice. But wouldnt he still be alone then? People wouldn’t be with him willingly, they’d be with him out of fear.
One times zero will always be zero. Even with a gang, would it really be the same as having people who cared for you? People who looked out for you? People who loved you?
Sakura never expected to make friends in Furin. The whole point was to fight his way to the top, he didn’t need anyone to do that.
Furin was a total letdown. Cleaning graffiti off walls? He might as well have watched paint dry.
Furin was supposed to be a place for delinquents, for nobodies who had their fists and nothing else. Just like him.
Furin was supposed to be a place where chaos thrived. No one would mess with a kid from Furin.
Except everybody did.
Sakura didn’t know that being part of Furin meant being part of Bofurin. If he knew that, he would’ve just gone to a normal school. Then he wouldn’t be stuck doing community service.
And now, he had this kid following him around like a puppy. A lackey. Those were good to have, except the kid can’t fight. He’s only good for his notes and nothing else. Why would someone like him go to Furin? Sakura didn’t understand any of it.
Suo was the second annoyance in his life. His attitude pissed Sakura off. That prissy act won’t do him any good in a place like this. He acted like he was somehow better. If that didn’t piss Sakura off that unmoving smile certainly did the trick.
Then, there was Umemiya. Sakura couldn’t believe someone like that was running Furin. Some goofball who gardens? How did anyone respect him?
“Ah, I see,” Sakura muttered somewhere between the shivers that ran through his body and the crowd of Shishitoren bastards who showed up.
Umemiya was frightening when he was angry. The feeling of being frozen in fear, had Sakura ever felt that? It wasn’t pleasant in the slightest and if he was being honest, it made him a little nauseous. This is his competition? How would he win his spot if he can’t even move correctly in his presence?
Sakura had his doubts about Umemiya. About how he really gained control of Furin, about if that was his real attitude, about if he was just a weak guy hiding behind some tough nonchalant facade.
He couldn’t back up any of it though.
From how it really looks, Umemiya is just a nice guy.
Just a nice guy.
Just a nice guy?
Umemiya had an odd way of fighting. Maybe Sakura was just worn out and his mind was making things up.
Letting himself get hit? Pathetic.
Sakura could tell Umemiya was strong, he could tell he commanded respect without even saying anything, and he could tell he was forgiving.
Sakura didn’t have time for that. Anyone weak owed him an apology and the strong would apologize when he beat them to the ground. Having a conversation through fighting? How stupid.
“You have us to lean on Sakura!” Lean on? Is that really okay?
Sakura had never leaned on anyone. Physically or metaphorically. He didn’t have the time to. He didn’t have the people to. If he came closer than 5 inches to anyone, they’d back away.
God, he wasn’t used to this. Being accepted? Having friends? People who cared? One times zero is always zero, but now it was one times two. He had Suo and Nirei. He had everyone.
Sakura was a good fighter—hell, he was a great fighter. He didn’t have anyone but his fists until he was fifteen, so what did he have to do but train?
Sakura was a great fighter. If fighting were a subject, he’d have an A+. If fighting were a subject, it’d be his only A.
Sakura sucked at math. Maybe he would’ve been better if his teachers tried to help when he raised his hand. Or when they saw him crying over not understanding his assignments. Or helping him instead of yelling at him when he spent all class on those stupid pop quizzes.
They moved him up in school because they had to, no one wanted to teach him in the first place. It was easier to let him fail than to try and help.
But that didn’t slide in Furin.
They hated the idea so much he had to get a tutor.
Well, tutors.
Now, he was slouched over his desk, gripping his pencil so hard he was sure it was leaving a mark on his hand.
“It’s alright to not get it Sakura.” Nirei put a gentle hand on his shoulder, nervously trying to pry the pencil from his hand.
Suo pointed to the question on the page, the multiplication problem.
He was doing elementary school math.
“Remember Sakura-kun—anything multiplied by zero is equal to the number you’re multiplying by.”
What?
“Anything times zero is zero.” Sakura quickly defended his work. If he knew anything, he knew that.
“I thought anything times zero was one?” Nirei butted in confused.
“That’s with exponents.”
“I think we’re all wrong.” Sakura sighed, slamming the pencil down roughly.
Nirei stopped it from rolling off the desk.
“No- Suo’s talking about addition, I’m talking about exponents, and you’re talking about multiplication.” Nirei sputtered, pointing to everyone as he spoke.
“You guys are horrible tutors.” Sakura bluntly stated. He shouldn’t have gotten dumb and dumber to help him. Maybe he should’ve asked Kiryu, he seems smart enough.
Sakura glanced over to Nirei and then Suo, watching them both try to explain at the same time.
No, this is good. He wouldn’t have asked anyone else. After all, he had more numbers now. It didn’t have to be times zero anymore.
“Suo’s missing.”
“Suo put it in request to withdraw from Furin.”
“When I saw him, he said we meant nothing to him.”
It’s been months. Months of knowing each other, months of hanging out. Hell, Sakura was even able to smile and laugh without any worries.
How could he leave? Just like that? Like they meant nothing to him?
Sakura couldn’t believe it, they—he meant nothing to him? Suo never showed any signs of acting differently. Suo has always been Suo.
If he could say that so casually, did anyone really mean anything? All those corny words about staying together? About having people who cared? People who loved him?
Sakura was a fool. He simply decided to add some more factors. He’d added one, two, three.
But none of that mattered.
Because anything times zero will always be zero.