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"Oi. What do you think you're doing?"
Abruptly, the pain stopped.
With a nervous breath, Nirei dared to crack an eye open, lowering his arms ever so slightly. He'd been using them in an attempt to at least protect his head as his classmate bully stomped on him- while the other two laughed, shaking the contents of his school bag out on the ground. He knew by now that it was the best course of action.
He never expected anyone to intervene.
When the bullying had first started, he always hoped that someone would- but it had never happened. It wasn't like there was anyone around anyways- they'd lead him away from the main road, to a back alley without any people around. He knew he should have run away when he had the chance, but he'd learned the hard way that running just made things worse.
Just let it happen, and it'll be over sooner.
...but there was someone here.
He heard a grunt of pain from someone that wasn't him- looking up just in time to watch one of his bullies go down. The other two flinched, their faces going pale.
He quickly understood why.
His savior was wearing a Furin uniform- he'd recognize that dark green gakuran anywhere. Everyone who grew up in Makochi did. It was infamous for being a delinquent school- a hub of violence and gang activity. He swallowed hard, barely even feeling the coldest of comforts at the sight of his bullies hastily fleeing.
...was he really being saved?
No, no- calm down. Sure, he'd heard a lot of bad rumors about Furin High School over the years- but lately those rumors had started to change. Something about the school having been united? From what he'd heard, they'd shifted focus to protecting the town- but that idea was so surreal, he'd been having a hard time wrapping his head around it.
But maybe...?
"Oi," the delinquent finally spoke, "-you alive?"
"Y-yes!" Nirei stammered, hastily jolting to his feet. "U-um, thanks!"
If getting saved by someone from Furin was unexpected, what happened next was even more so. The delinquent turned a bright shade of red, jerking his head away at the same time Nirei fully processed the fact that his eyes were two different colors.
Was that natural? Heterochromia? You didn't see that everyday.
Oh, and his hair too! It was two colors! Part of it was white... he'd never seen anything like that before. Was it dyed? Or was it from stress? Natural? Could you even get a color like that naturally? He had a million questions he suddenly wanted to blurt out, fear momentarily forgotten in favor of his possible savior's striking appearance- but somehow he managed to bite his tongue.
"Hah? D-don't thank me!" The delinquent sputtered, the tips of his ears turning a faint shade of red. "I wasn't doing it for you! I just can't stand lame people like that!"
He jerked his thumb in the direction Nirei's bullies had run off towards.
Oh. That made more sense.
...but why was he blushing?
He wanted to ask. Part of him really did- but he held himself back.
"I-I see," Nirei stammered, "-but you still saved me regardless, so..."
The delinquent just frowned, before clicking his tongue. Nirei almost thought he'd leave- at least, until he stooped over to pick up one of the books that had been tossed out of his school bag. He held it out towards him with an expectant look- and abruptly, Nirei realized he wanted him to take it. He hastily did so, watching with mild fascination as the delinquent proceeded to help him pick up the rest of his scattered school supplies.
"That everything?"
Nirei swallowed- but not from fear this time. There was something about the way his golden eye caught the light that was just so striking in the moment.
He was strong, Nirei thought- to be able to scare those three away like that so easily. Clutching the fabric of his school bag, he felt his nails dig into the material. It was amazing, he thought. What did it take to get that kind of strength?
"Oi," the delinquent said, "-you hear me?"
"U-um, yes! Sorry! I think so!" Nirei stammered. "I mean- yes! That's everything! Thank you!"
The delinquent just huffed, not turning half as red this time- but there was still a faint tint of the color dusting his cheeks. This time he actually did leave- and it was all Nirei could do to watch him go, feeling slightly dumbfounded by the whole encounter.
Huh. Maybe the rumors really were true...
"Oh, that's probably Sakura."
"Sakura?"
Setting down his coffee cup, Nirei looked at the girl behind the counter. Tachibana Kotoha gave him a faint smile. Cafe Pothos had opened nearly a month ago and he was already well on his way to becoming a regular customer. He'd originally just ducked in here to get away from his bullies, but...
...well, he just kept coming back after that.
It was a nice cafe. The coffee was good, and the food was tasty. He usually only came once a week- his allowance wasn't infinite. Kotoha didn't really seem to mind if he sat at the counter with a single cup of coffee, working on his homework. He tried not to linger too long, though!
"Yeah," Kotoha said, "-Sakura Haruka. He's about the only person around here who'd match that description. He's a second year over at Furin. Came from out of town last year."
A second year? Come to think of it, there had been two stripes on his uniform...
"You know him, Kotoha-san?" Nirei asked.
That was a surprise. Then again, he didn't exactly know that much about Kotoha.
"A little," she said, "-actually, I'm surprised you haven't run into him yet. He comes here from time to time. He works part time around here too."
"Eh, is that so?" Nirei blinked.
Huh. He definitely would have noticed someone who looked like Sakura, so he must have missed him. He usually tried to head home as quickly as he could these days, his stops at Pothos not withstanding. The last thing he wanted was to get cornered on his way home from school. He'd just gotten unlucky the other day.
...although, those three hadn't been bothering him lately.
(He wasn't sure it would last, but it was a nice reprieve at least.)
"Yup," Kotoha said, "-he's a little awkward, but he's a nice guy."
Awkward? Nirei frowned. Could you really describe a delinquent as awkward? Then again, he had been blushing awfully hard when all he'd done was thank him...
"Don't believe me?" Kotoha asked.
"N-no!" Nirei stammered. "I never said that!"
Kotoha just laughed, soft and light- apparently not taking any offense. Nirei exhaled without thinking. Right. Kotoha wasn't like his classmates, who either went along with his bullies or pretended he didn't exist- he wasn't sure which was worse, really. He wasn't even sure what he'd done wrong in the first place to mark himself as a target. He must have done something, he was sure- but it was probably too late to fix whatever it was.
It was... fine, though. Really! He could manage. He just had to get through this last year of middle school and then he could try again in high school. He just... had to go to a school that none of his bullies would attend.
That was the real trick of it.
(He was still the only one who hadn't turned in his future survey yet. His teacher might not pay attention to the bullying going on in her class, but she never seemed to forget to remind him about that.)
"You said he works part time around here?" Nirei asked.
"Yup," Kotoha said, "-he picks up a few shifts here and there from most of the shops around here. I've heard he works at the convenience store a few blocks up the street sometimes too. Overnight, usually."
Nirei hummed, jotting that down in his notebook without thinking too much about it. So he worked a bunch of part time jobs? He wondered why. Saving for college? He was in his second year of high school...
Still, working overnight? He wouldn't have the guts to do something like that. Then again, he guessed if you were as strong as Sakura, it really didn't matter. Didn't that get in the way of his studies though? Though he guessed if he was attending Furin...
"So," Kotoha leaned against the counter, "-any other questions?"
Nirei chewed on his lip, hesitating for the span of a moment- before he took the plunge.
"Well," he said, "-since you asked..."
Nirei listened to Kotoha with rapt attention- for someone who said she didn't know much about Sakura, it sure sounded like she knew a thing or two! She only looked a little baffled when he'd asked her if she knew his shoe size or weight, which he just ended up leaving as question marks to be filled in later.
(There would definitely be a later.)
"But I guess it's true," Nirei observed, "-I mean, what they're saying about Furin. I'd heard the rumors, but..."
Kotoha blinked, looking a little surprised by that statement.
"You know," Nirei said, "-that it's changed."
"No, no," Kotoha waved a hand, "-I know that much. I'm just kind of surprised. This place is a hangout for Furin students, you know. You came here not knowing that?"
"Huh?" Nirei blinked. "It is?"
He'd never seen any in here, although he could get pretty absorbed while working on his homework. He felt a hint of color creeping into his cheeks at the possibility that he just might not have noticed them.
Kotoha just nodded. "Yeah. They've started to come here after patrol, thanks to Ume's recommendation apparently. Well, I can't say I hate the extra business, but..."
"Ume?" Nirei frowned.
"Umemiya Hajime," Kotoha said, "-he's the leader of Furin."
The leader? So it really had unified? Unconsciously flipping to a blank page in his notebook, Nirei scribbled down the name Umemiya. To manage something like uniting Furin... whoever he was, he had to be really strong.
A wild thought popped into his head- one that he never even would have considered before. What if... and this was just a hypothetical at the moment- but what if he went to Furin? It sounded so outlandish, but maybe... maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea, actually. His bullies certainly wouldn't go there, and if it really had changed...
...could he become strong too?
Someone strong, like Sakura- who could stand up for other people. Who didn't have to be afraid. Who could protect- and not just be protected.
Yeah, he thought- that was the kind of person he wanted to become.
"Kotoha-san," Nirei said, "-could you tell me more?"
He turned in his future survey the next day.
(His teacher didn't say a word about his first choice of high school being Furin.)
"...why are you looking at me like that?"
Kotoha's amused smile didn't fade- in fact, if anything it grew. Sakura was already starting to have second thoughts about having his breakfast here- but he'd had to spend most of what he'd saved up for this month's rent on emergency plumbing work the other day, so he needed to pinch pennies where he could. Kotoha had yet to charge him a dime for eating here.
He could skip a few meals, but one missed rent payment? He'd be out on the street. He definitely couldn't afford another apartment. He'd checked. The one he was renting was already the cheapest one around.
"Nothing," she said, "-just think you might have gotten a fan."
"...hah?"