"What about Hina?" Kenichi had asked Yuuno.
"Oh, don't worry about her. She'll see it... Just do as I said." Yuuno's voice echoed in his mind as Kenichi stepped into the gym, where Sendo was training alone.
"And hold still," Yuuno had said before raising a shinai and striking Kenichi across the torso, leaving red welts behind.
'Fuck... It still hurts,' Kenichi thought, rubbing his arm where the bruise still throbbed beneath his loosely-worn Kendo jacket.
'This is right... isn't it? You took Hina from me like she was nothing. And when she dumped you, you went back with some half-assed line about not caring about Kendo as much as you cared about her—LIAR. No. You deserve this.'
His grip tightened as he walked further in, his uniform just loose enough to let the marks show.
"S-…" He hesitated. "Sendo," he finally called out, voice uncertain.
Sendo looked up, pausing mid-swing. "Ah...? Oh, it's you," he said, eyes relaxed. "What's up?"
"I…" Kenichi lowered his gaze, and for a moment, his mind flashed back—
≡ CHAPTER: BRONZE ≡
"Don't quit Kendo 'cause of me," Sendo had said gently.
"…What…?" Kenichi blinked, confused, anger barely restrained.
"Hina really liked Kendo. Said it changed her life. She was da first person—'sides my Aniki—who really got it. She'd come watch practice, eyes all lit up every time I swung the sword. She always wanted to try it but never had the time till recently…"
"What's your point…? You trying to rub it in?" Kenichi snapped, his voice trembling with a bitter edge.
"Nah, man, that ain't it." Sendo scratched his head, eyes drifting upward. "I saw ya join Kendo 'cause of her. And I held back… 'cause I figured if I didn't, you'd quit. And you seemed like you were really enjoyin' it. So… just don't rush to throw it all away, alright?"
"…Kendo's really fun."
================================
'No.' Kenichi clenched his fists, pushing back the guilt swelling in his throat.
'I made up my mind. You turned her into this. She was mine.'
"I'm… not sure if I'm going back to Kendo," he said, glancing away. "Can you... uh… spar with me?"
He looked up, forcing his voice steady.
"It's just… I wanna know for sure if I hate it… or love it."
He met Sendo's gaze. His eyes lit up with excitement.
"AAWW REALLY!? SHIT, MAN, DON'T BLAME ME IF I DON'T HOLD BACK!" Sendo grinned as he rushed to grab a shinai, tossing one to Kenichi.
'You're so excited… About this… No. NO. This just proves you lied to her to keep her close when you didn't even care. Just like your brother said... Impulsive. Inconsiderate. This is the right thing to do,' Kenichi bit his lip.
"I… WON'T HOLD BACK EITHER!" Kenichi said, almost too eagerly.
And so, the spar began.
---------------------------
"ALRIGHT, LET'S GO IN!" Chiyoko shouted.
"L-let's not rush it..." Shun muttered, staring at the entrance to the Disciplinary Committee's room.
'They're all in there… the entire Committee…''Shit. Does she not get how terrifying they are? Back in my time, they'd beat students for being a minute late to class…''And now, with how things are—what if they've gone back to that? And here we are, waltzing in during club hours...'
"Come on, Shun-senpai! Don't you want to help Shizume-senpai feel better?"
"I do, but..." He swallowed hard, Shiyon's cold eyes flashing in his mind. "It's just... can't we wait till lunch? We'll just be bothering them right now."
A soft click echoed nearby.
Miyuki had just exited the bathroom. She glanced left—and saw Shun and Chiyoko by the Committee's door. Arms crossed, her gaze landed on Shun's face.
'...Huh. I'm surprised he even made it this far,' she thought. 'He's scared shitless. Always has been.'
"COWARD!" Chiyoko barked, snapping Miyuki out of her thoughts. "Your kohai's in trouble and you won't even help him?! We need to talk to Hiyocchi!"
"It's not that!" Shun said quickly. "It's just... we need to be smart. If we barge in now, we'll just get punished. Chiyoko... the best thing we can do is support Sato. Right now, that's enough."
"...Whatever," she huffed, stomping her foot. "After break, I'm going in with or without you." She turned and stormed off around the corner.
Miyuki sighed. 'Figures. He hasn't changed much since Tatsu hit on Riko...'
She turned to leave—then paused.
He was still standing there.
'...Huh?' Her brow lifted slightly as she looked over her shoulder. Shun was staring at the door, visibly trembling—but his hand hovered near the knob.
'Hoo?' Her eyes narrowed.
'I can do this,' he told himself. 'I'm not scared anymore…'
He reached for the doorknob—only to be stopped by a sudden hand.
"M–Hanazawa-san...?" he stammered, turning to face Miyuki.
"You trying to get killed?" she asked calmly.
"N-no... I just need to talk to Shiyon about—"
"Shiyon-san? I thought you needed to talk to Hiyori," she cut in, raising an eyebrow.
"..."
Shun looked down. "I just... she doesn't know how scary they can be, so I sent her off. But... there's something I need to say to him. So... it's only me who should go in there."
"But you'd be alone. Surrounded by them," she said.
"Yeah. I know... I'm super scared. But I'm... I'm just sick of other people suffering because of it... people I care about. I don't want to be scared anymore."
She let out a soft huff.
"Hmph." A chuckle slipped past her lips.
"...What?" Shun asked.
"Nah. Just... you're the complete opposite of some idiot I know." She smiled slightly. "The difference is... instead of pretending to be tough, you play yourself down. It's kinda cute."
Shun blushed, looking away. "Is... that right."
"What you're doing is scary, you know," she said, placing her hand on the doorknob. "Standing up to Tatsu was already insane if you're not a fighter. But you did it anyway."
She leaned against the door, smirking at him. "I always thought you were a bit of a bitch. "Her smile softened. "But... you're kinda brave, ain't ya."
'...'
Shun's lips parted.
'Have I... ever been told something like that by anyone..?'
"Ah... T-thanks." He scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah, yeah—don't worry. I won't make it weird," she said, straightening up.
"I'll leave the complimenting to your girlfriend."
"Right..." Shun looked away, clearing his throat as he stepped past her.
'Time... to do this.'
"...Want me to go in with you?" Miyuki asked, folding her arms.
"Uh... That'd..."
She caught the slight hesitation on his face and frowned.
"Or would it look too 'unmanly' for you—" her eyes narrowed.
"I'd appreciate... it," he said quickly.
"..."
Miyuki sighed.
"Why'd you hesitate?"
"...I mean, there's a lesson going on. Wouldn't you be late to class for no reason?" Shun replied.
"Oh? That's all? Wouldn't it hurt your ego to have a girl act as your bodyguard?"
"I mean... s-should it?" he stammered.
"I'd feel really reassured if you came with me. Maybe someone would laugh, but honestly... I'd feel safer if it's with you."
Her lips parted.
She looked at him for a long moment.
'She's on par with Gon-san... and even Sendo when it comes to skill. It'd be stupid not to ask her.'
'I feel really at ease if someone like her's there with me.'
'I... I wonder if I should feel like this. Safe with someone else other than Riko.' He wondered.
'... I'm... A piece of shit boyfriend, aren't I?' His gaze grew softer as Miyuki opened the door, and the two walked in.
"Haaah..." Yuuto sighed in the corner nearby.
'Guess I'll wait.'
---------------------- ELSEWHERE ------------------
'The effects that person talked about…' Riko thought as she walked back toward the school building, recalling the moment on the train—when Male2 leaned in, ready to kiss her.
'It... has to be the same thing,' she sighed, holding her arms tightly. 'I… I was about to do that to Shun... without batting an eye. Even if it was just for a moment… it felt right. Kissing him… that's… I…'
She collapsed to her knees next to the lockers, arms wrapped around herself.
'Such a terrifying thing... is circulating through the school? No… if we involve the law again, this school will definitely shut down. We'll all lose our place.'
Once more, the image of Male2 rose in her mind—how enchanted she'd felt, how unnatural that moment was.
'I… I'm scared…' she whispered, sinking deeper into the memory. Her fingers trembled as she clutched her eyes shut, the weight of his threat echoing in her head: Say a word, and the people you care about will get hurt.
Male2's lips inched closer.
'I'm scared…!'
Her nails dug into her skin.
And then—
A voice echoed.
'HEY. MALE2!' Right after that voice echoed through the train, Male2 stopped his movement.
'You…' she breathed, eyes slowly opening.
Yuuto's face came into view.
'You… you were there too, weren't you? On the train.'
Her eyes softened, half-lidded.
'Saving me…'
'....'
She exhaled softly, her heartbeat slowing—calming—whenever Yuuto's image crept into her mind. Whether it was the times she mocked him or clapped back at his remarks; and that moment… when she'd buried her face into his stomach and cried like a child. His warmth. His silence. His presence.
'Why... Why HIM of all people...? He's just some weirdo. He has... Nothing on Shun,' she thought bitterly, lips pursing as she forced Shun's face into her thoughts.
The nights they spent in each other's arms.
The warmth of his breath.
The sound of his voice.
But the calm didn't return.
'I'm such a whore...'