Kaito's world swayed, dark and heavy, as if someone had pressed a concrete slab over his chest. His ribs throbbed with every shallow breath. Something was gripping his arm, hauling him across the floor his sneakers scraping against tile, then the rough grit of the outdoor corridor.
Cold water slapped his face. He gasped and coughed, the sting dragging him halfway back to reality. His blurry vision sharpened just enough to make out two familiar shapes above him.
The first was Tomoji Igarashi "Tomo" A.k.a -(info rat) sitting on the ground like his knees had given up on him. His glasses were cracked, held together with a strip of dirty tape across the bridge, and there was a fresh cut on his cheek. The collar of his uniform shirt was torn, and a dark bruise was already spreading along his jaw. The Wolves hadn't spared him either.
Next to him stood Naoto Yagura "Nao" A.k.a -(Wimp) hands shoved deep into the pockets of an oversized hoodie, head down. The kid was a year younger and had the permanent posture of someone who'd rather melt into the wall.
Tomo leaned forward, his expression wry despite the swelling under one eye. "Yo, Kai. You look worse than I do."
Kaito's lips twitched into a crooked smile. "Yeah… much better now that you're here to tell me that."
Nao didn't say anything. His gaze was fixed somewhere near the ground.
"Oi, Naoto. Yoo, Naoto Yagura!" Kaito called, voice hoarse.
Nao flinched like someone had kicked a chair behind him. "Huh? Yeah. I'm fine."
Tomo scoffed. "He's the one who didn't even get hit. Look at him acting like he's the victim."
Kaito pushed through the ache in his ribs. "So? What happened?"
Tomo winced, rubbing the side of his neck. "Same as always. Sora stepped in."
Kaito frowned. "How?"
"Daiki had Nao lined up. Sora caught his arm mid-swing and wouldn't let go. Took the punches himself."
Kaito's jaw loosened. "…Yeah. That's him."
Sora Jinno "Sora" A.k.a - (Trash) to the Wolves wasn't any stronger than the rest of them. But he had a little brother at home, and something about Nao must've reminded him of that kid. Made him stupidly brave.
Tomo shifted closer, his bruised shoulder brushing Kaito's. "You sure you're okay? You look like you got thrown off the gym roof."
Kaito smirked weakly. "Feel about the same."
Nao finally stepped forward and crouched beside them. "Come on. Let's get you to the roof. Tomo, grab the med kit from your locker."
Tomo raised a brow. "What, you're carrying him?"
"Yeah," Nao muttered, hooking Kaito's arm over his shoulder. "You're in worse shape than him."
Kaito grunted. "God, you're short."
"You're heavy."
"Nah… you're just weak. Like Sora."
"Shut up," Nao said, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
Tomo pushed himself up with a groan. "Fine, fine. Meet you up there. Don't let him bleed out on the stairs."
The three of them made their way toward the stairwell Nao slow and steady under Kaito's weight, Tomo limping behind them each step echoing in the empty hallway, the scent of disinfectant hanging in the air.
The metal door to the rooftop groaned as Nao pushed it open. Rust flaked from the hinges, and the late-afternoon air rushed in, sharp and cool. The sky burned with streaks of orange and violet, making the cracked concrete look almost beautiful.
Nao guided Kaito out, half-carrying, half-dragging him toward the faded green tarp they'd claimed months ago as their "spot." He lowered Kaito down with a huff.
"Man," Nao panted, rubbing his shoulder, "you're heavier than you look."
Kaito smirked despite the ache in his ribs. "Or maybe you're just built like wet paper."
Nao shot him a glare but didn't bite back.
The door clanged again. Tomo appeared, holding a dented first aid kit under one arm. His taped-up glasses caught the fading light as he crossed the rooftop and dropped beside them. "Alright, hold still, Kai. Let's see the damage."
He clicked the box open, the faint smell of antiseptic mixing with the metallic tang of the fence. Kaito's shirt stuck to his skin where dried blood had stiffened the fabric. Tomo dabbed a cut on Kaito's cheek, the sting hitting like a live wire.
"Damn !" Kaito flinched.
"Stop twitching," Tomo said without looking up. "It stings worse if you move."
"It already stings like hell," Kaito muttered.
Nao crouched beside them. "They went hard on you, huh."
"They went hard on all of us," Tomo said, finally slapping tape over the bandage. He leaned back against the fence. "Speaking of going hard you hear what happened in Central today?"
Kaito shook his head. "No. Spill."
Tomo's voice dropped. "Some guy went berserk after shooting up two R.END doses."
Kaito's brows rose. "Two? That's a death sentence."
"Yeah. Killed him, but not before thirty minutes of pure chaos. He tore through a whole market district before the cops dropped him."
Nao frowned. "How'd he even get two? R.END's rarer than gold."
"That's the crazy part," Tomo said, adjusting his crooked glasses. "Cops searched his hideout. Found twenty vials."
Kaito let out a low whistle. "That's enough juice to flip a whole city."
Tomo nodded. "The cop who took him down Hayato Moribe. He's an R.END user too."
Kaito's eyes sharpened. "So… what's his code?"
Tomo's grin was thin, almost conspiratorial. "code 09 - wolf But around here, everyone just calls him Vanguard."
Kaito gave a slow, impressed nod. "Vanguard… that's the kind of name that makes people move out of your way."
Nao cracked a small smile. "Or run faster than they ever have in their lives."
They all laughed, the sound cutting through the evening wind. For a few minutes, bruises and grudges didn't matter just the dumb jokes and easy rhythm of three kids on a rooftop.
By the time the sky turned dark and the first streetlights blinked awake, they were heading down the stairs together still aching, still battered, but walking side by side.
1st Street, Kagetsu – 6:02 PM
The streets were cooling down, heat from the day leaking into the evening air. A thin breeze carried the smell of grilled skewers from a stall two blocks away. Kaito, Tomo, and Nao split paths at the corner Tomo heading toward the pharmacy, Nao toward the bus stop, and Kaito limping toward home.
The closer he got, the more familiar sounds filled the air pots clanging, kids yelling somewhere down the block, the rhythmic thump of a basketball hitting pavement.
Outside the small, worn two-story apartment building, a cluster of neighbors sat on folding chairs, gossiping over tea. Aoi Shimura Kaito's mother was right in the middle, laughing at something an older man said. She wore her faded green apron, hair tied back, and for a second Kaito thought she looked younger than her years.
Then she spotted him. Her smile faltered.
"Kaito?"
Every head turned. A few murmurs passed through the group.
"Is that blood?"
"Looks like trouble again."
One of the older ladies clucked her tongue. "That school of yours, Aoi… they don't protect the quiet ones."
Kaito tried to wave it off, forcing a grin. "Just… fell down the stairs."
"Stairs don't punch you in the ribs, boy," the old man grunted, not buying it.
Aoi's face softened, but her eyes told a different story sharp, calculating. She stepped forward, slipping an arm around him.
"Thanks, everyone. We'll take it from here."
She led him up the narrow metal staircase to their unit on the second floor. The moment the door shut, the noise from the street was cut in half.
The apartment was small two rooms, one for her, one for him, with a kitchen that doubled as a dining space. The smell of miso broth lingered in the air.
"Bath," Aoi ordered, pointing toward the bathroom. "Clothes in the machine."
Kaito obeyed without a word. The hot water stung as it hit his bruises, but it loosened the stiffness in his shoulders. By the time he came out in a clean T-shirt and shorts, Aoi had set the table rice, grilled mackerel, miso soup.
They ate in near silence until she set her chopsticks down.
"You can't keep coming home like this." Her voice was calm, but it had an edge. "Don't count on someone stepping in. You need to be strong enough to stop them yourself… strong enough to protect the people you care about."
Kaito looked up from his bowl. "You mean you."
Aoi smiled faintly. "Me, and whoever else you think is worth the trouble."
For the first time that day, the ache in his ribs felt distant. He managed a small smile back.
After dinner, Kaito sat by the small window in his room, legs drawn up, listening to the faint sounds of the city. A scooter rattled past below. Somewhere far off, a siren wailed, echoing between the narrow streets.
He absently touched the tender spot on his ribs and thought about the rooftop conversation about the cop they called Vanguard, about R.END Wolf. Just the name gave him a chill and a strange pull at the same time.
He imagined what it must feel like thirty minutes of unstoppable strength, moving like an apex predator while everyone else scrambled to survive. But then he pictured the aftermath: bodies on the ground, blood pooling, someone gasping their last breath. He shook the thought away.
From the kitchen, his mother's voice carried softly, humming a tune she used to sing when he was little. For a brief moment, the world outside felt far away.