Ryu POV
Did I gain anything from living like this so far?
The question came to me late at night.
I tried to brush it off—just another passing thought.
But I couldn't.
Now I was sitting at the table with my family.
My father. My mother. My sister.
My father sat across from me, reading the newspaper, his usual cup of tea placed neatly in front of him before heading to work.
I couldn't remember the last time I properly looked at his face.
I turned to my right.
My sister sat there, headphones on, eyes glued to her phone. Her expression looked permanently annoyed—like she hated being here.
And my mother…
…
"How were the midterms?" she asked, buttering a piece of toast, glancing at me.
"I… they were easy."
"That's good," she said calmly. "Remember this, Ryu—you're the only hope this family has to get out of this life. Don't end up useless like your father… or that piece of shit to your right."
My father ignored her words. He took a sip from his cup, then set it back down.
I glanced at my sister.
She was staring at Mom, a frown on her face.
Mom just shrugged, meeting her look with a grin.
My sister shot to her feet and went upstairs.
When she left, silence settled back into place.
Nothing changed whether she was here or not.
Hell, I don't think things would even change if she were dead.
"I… ah… I got a friend in scho—"
"Boy, I don't think now is the right time to talk. If you've finished eating, then go." My father lowered his newspaper and met Ryu's gaze.
It was the first time in a week he had even looked at him.
And that's what he says?
If now isn't the time, then when is?
He leaves for work at eight and comes back late at night.
My father tilted his head. "Do you have something to say?"
My lips quivered.
Say it.
Say it to him, goddammit.
…
"N-no, Dad. I'll go now." I stood up.
My father huffed, raising the newspaper again.
Goddammit.
I'm never going to change.
I opened the door and stepped out, my bag slung over my shoulder.
But before I could even step out of the gate—
"Hey, boy." A familiar voice came from my right.
I slowly turned my head.
Towering over me stood Kiryu, his shoulder resting against the wall as he looked down on me
Wearing the same white suit from that day.
"Whoa—what the fuck?!" I stepped back, then staggered and fell onto the ground.
"Easy with the words."
"T-teacher… Kiryu…" I looked up at him, eyes wide with shock, crawling backward trying to retreat inside ' he cant go inside private property right? He's a teacher so he must know that ,right ?'
"Mm." Kiryu crouched down and grabbed me by the shoulder, lifting me up.
"Gah—teacher, your ha—"
Kiryu's fingers were digging deep into my flesh the pain was unbearable
"Shhh." He hushed me, placing a hand over my shoulder and leaning in slightly to my level. "So, boy… did you think about what I told you last time?"
The memory surfaced instantly—the moment I found out about him and Inami.
Ryu, transfer to another school. Alrighty?
"I… I…"
"You know," Kiryu continued casually, "I'm just a few steps away from your house, right? I could walk in, have a nice talk with your mommy and daddy… tell them how much little Ryu likes hanging out with a yakuza."
…
Yakuza?
Who is he talking about?
Hanging out with…?
Does he mean Yang?
He's a yakuza?
The confusion on my face must've been obvious.
Kiryu burst into laughter.
"Ahahahah… you look lost, kid. Alright, I'll explain." He tilted his head slightly. "After that day, your friend and I had a little spar. I got curious, so I checked the student records… and boy, what did I find?"
He grinned wider.
"He's an Ichizō. The school doesn't state it, of course" He chuckled. "His old man and I go way back . Didn't even know the guy had a kid."
Kiryu glanced around, checking if anyone was nearby, then leaned closer to Ryu.
"Apparently… his dad was found in the bathroom with his face completely skinned off."
I flinched.
Not because of what he said—but because of how close he was.
Then Kiryu leaned back, as if nothing had happened.
"So naturally, I went to the Ichizo family house," he continued casually, "to have a nice, civilized conversation with the boy… but he wasn't there."
…
A moment passed.
I slowly looked up at him—
Only to find his eyes locked onto mine.
I immediately looked away again.
"Ryu… where does Yang live?"
…
..
.
Don't say it.
Please don't say it.
Yang is your first real friend.
Please, Ryu.
But… he's yakuza.
He must've done things—things I can't even imagine.
But… what if he changed?
"I… why would you w-want to know?"
"I already told you," Kiryu said with a smile. "To have a nice, civilized conversation. Like normal human beings."
By now, Ryu understood.
Kiryu was the kind of man who thrived on domination.
That was the real reason he was here.
A semi-pro sumo wrestler, placing himself in a school full of teenagers—there was no other place where he could assert control so easily.
And someone like Yang…
Someone strong enough to stand in his way
There was no way Kiryu would allow that
the way he spoke…
Every sentence carried another meaning beneath it.
Everything he did was about control—about dominion.
Between him and me, the difference was like a grain of sand and the sun.
I had no freedom at all.
"What's with that face, little Ryu?"
My face… what's wrong with it?
My expression had locked into a frown.
"He's going to kill you."
Kiryu raised an eyebrow. "Oh… he will?"
"Yes. So I really recommend you keep preying on girls… and leave the men alone."
…
Oh God.
I'm dead.
He's going to hit me.
I'm going to die.
Oh God, help me.
Kiryu stared down at me for a moment.
Then—
"Pfft… hahahahahah!" He burst out laughing. "You're so fucking funny man. Come here for a moment"
He pulled me closer and pinched my cheek.
Harder.
And harder
And harder harder
Then he started twisting.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!"
Pain erupted through my cheek like a volcano. It was so sharp, so overwhelming, I almost wished he would just rip it off already.
I grabbed at his hand with both of mine, trying to pull it away.
"Gaaah—I'm sorry! Stop it! STOP IT, PLEASE—I BEG YOU!"
Shhrrrk—!
A wet, tearing sound cut through my screams.
And just like that—
A chunk of flesh was ripped from my cheek.
Ryu fell to his knees, clutching his cheek as blood refused to stop, spilling down into his clothes. His eyes dropped to the chunk of flesh lying between his legs.
Kiryu turned around, already walking away. "Transfer to another school… for your own good. No one will protect you—not your family, not the police… not even that boyfriend of yours."
"STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"
Ryu forced himself up, his hands clenched tight, blood still pouring from his torn cheek.
"Yang will kill you. I promise you that!"
"Huh?...kill me ?!" Kiryu glanced around, as if checking whether anyone else was witnessing this. "Are you trying to make me laugh again, Ryu?"
___________________________________________
Kuga POV
Unremarkable.
That was the first thought that came to mind when I saw him.
I didn't sense any talent in him.
Compared to every young fighter I've come across in this generation, he had the least talent
His knuckles were bleeding the first time I saw him—proof he had only started not long ago.
And yet…
How is he this strong?
Despite being a karateka, he uses dirty tricks without hesitation.
His stamina is absurd
far beyond anyone I've faced.
If he were to step into dark karate… how far could he go?
…
No.
I don't take students anymore.
And I doubt he would accept even if I did.
I glanced to my right.
He was half-naked, his entire body wrapped in bandages.
And he was sleeping.
Now both of us were sitting on a bench inside a cell, the police chief standing in his office, talking on the phone—his expression tense
He know i could leave whenever I wanted
And i will
But before I go… I want to tell this kid something.
After what he showed me, he deserves at least that much.
Suddenly, Yang leaned sideways—
And dropped his head onto my lap.
I raised my handcuffed hands slightly.
Yang immediately straightened up.
"…What are you, twelve?"
"They looked comfy."
...
After half a minute of silence, Yang drifted back to sleep.
"You're not winning."
"I'm winning."
This annoying brat…
"I'm telling you—you'll be fighting monsters. You're not winning if you keep taking hits willingly."
"What do you mean? I only know Yu—that boxer dude everyone's hyping up. Isn't he supposed to be the final boss?"
I shook my head.
"The boxer is strong. He can—and will—make it to the finals. But you… I don't think you'll reach him with all your limbs intact. And if you go for the win like you did against me…"
I paused.
"You'll die."
Yang blinked.
He looked at me like he didn't understand the weight of it.
Its like he was asking
So what?
…Is he not afraid of dying?
"Heh…"
Who am I kidding?
If he feared death, he wouldn't have stepped in front of me today
"Kuga-san, you're free to go," the police chief said, opening the door, sweat pouring down his face. "Sorry for the trouble."
I stood up and walked out of the cell.
"Another thing—"
Kuga pivoted on the ball of his lead foot, snapping his gaze over his shoulder. In one fluid motion, he drove his heel backward in a piston-like thrust.
The strike connected squarely with Yang's face, launching him back into the wall.
Yang had tried to sneak up behind him again.
"You really need to stop doing the same thing twice… it's predictable," Kuga said, his lips curving slightly.
_________________________________________
Yang was now sitting alone in the cell, his arms crossed, a boot print stamped across the middle of his face.
Then someone approached.
It was Doppo.
He wore a white suit and a matching hat, a purple stripe circling the top.
"Finally took your damn time."
…
Doppo just stared at him.
"What? You angry?"
Doppo shook his head. "Nope. You look better than I expected."
"Oh really? What did you expect?"
Doppo answered with a simple gesture—
He dragged a finger across his neck.
"You're actually not far off," Yang said with a smile, lifting the bandage taped over his shoulder to reveal a small, oozing hole. "I got shot."
Doppo's face flickered with shock—then he turned, locking his eyes onto the police chief behind him.
"H… he attacked an officer."
"Was it recorded?" Doppo asked. "Because police are only allowed to shoot when they're under serious threat and that usually happens when someone's attacks with a weapon. But your officer decided to shoot a minor just because he attacked him?"
"…I—ah…" the chief stammered.
"Yang, did you attack him with a weapon?"
"…Yes."
Doppo slowly turned his head toward Yang
" you did ?!"
"We're extremely sorry for the inconvenience, Master Doppo." The chief officer tried to bow deeply.
Doppo stepped forward, stopping his forehead before it could touch the floor. "There's no need for kowtows."
As Yang was released from his cell, he rubbed his wrists and rolled his shoulder. "Did you bring any clothes for me?"
"Nope. No more gi for you—that was the fiftieth one you've ruined this month."
"…So I'm supposed to walk around like this?" He spread his arms, showing off his bandaged torso
"Go outside for a moment. Katō should be waiting for you near the entrance—he should have some of Katsumi's old shirts for you." Doppo turned him toward the door and pushed him out.
______________
Yang stepped out of the police station, but Katō wasn't there. He slumped onto the stairs, resting his head in his hand as he counted the passing cars.
Will I win?
Despite everything he had said before, Yang wasn't sure.
Kuga was right.
He didn't even know who he'd be fighting.
His mind had been stuck on the tournament all day, turning over ways to improve.
That's why he attacked Kuga.
He thought a real fight would make him stronger.
But in the end… he barely touched him.
How did I improve so quickly back in juvie?
He had practiced seiken hundreds of thousands of times.
His body had no choice but to adapt to survive
That's why he fought Kuga.
Thinking it would push his body further
Instead, he got nothing out of it.
Kuga almost killed him.
…
Should I fight someone on my level instead?
But Like who exactly?
Chiharu? …Nah. Too risky. He's basically glued to hanayama ass
The other two biker gang leaders?
Ryuhei? He's probably not even in Japan anymore.
And the other one…
What was his name again?
The thought slipped away as a familiar blond-haired man walked up the stairs.
…Oh.
It's him.
The same guy who used to visit me in the mental hospital.
Our eyes met for a brief moment before he kept walking.
Then
He stopped.
His head snapped back toward me.
Shock flashed across his face.
Then it twisted—
Into pure hatred.
And just as quickly…
It disappeared, settling into a soft, controlled smile.
"Yang Ichizo-san, right? Good to see you again." He stepped closer.
"Oh… um, yeah? You too, I—"
As he got closer, he suddenly took off his shirt " guess ?"
His build was solid—but what caught Yang's attention was the massive scar running from the middle of his back down toward his groin.
"What? Surprised?" the blond said calmly. "You worked really hard to open me up and take my kidney. All for the sake of my family… that was very kind of you, Yang-san."
He smiled as he sat closly to yang too close their bodies nearly touching.
"Revenge with a smile, huh?" Yang smirked. "I like it. What's your name?"
"…."
"My bad, man. I've got no memory of you—or that scar. Can't remember what I did."
What else was he supposed to do?
Grovel?
Beg forgiveness for sins of someone else?
Yeah… no.
He'd rather die.
"So like…" Yang shrugged with a faint grin. "Cut me a break, yeah?"
The blond's expression darkened for a moment before he exhaled.
"Huff… fine. My name is Aqua Hoshino."
He extended his hand.
Yang took it.
"You really don't remember? Welp… can't be helped." Aqua's grip tightened slightly. "Then I'll just have to make you remember. Even if I have to force it."
Their eyes locked.
"Oh yeah?" Yang smirked. "And how do you plan on doing that?"
...
"Um… first of all, put your shirt back on. I get it—I'm a bad boy who did bad stuff but people are staring. They might think we're some weird gay couple."
"…Oh. Right." Aqua quickly put his clothes back on, a faint blush creeping onto his face.
An awkward silence settled between them.
A full minute passed.
Then Aqua chuckled.
"You think that excuse is going to work on me?"
"Huff… what do you want from me then ?" Yang sighed. "Make it quick."
Aqua ignored the question.
"Nobody escapes their past," he said, smiling a bright, almost charming smile that drew glances from passing girls, some whispering excitedly " you may have forgotten your sins, but your victims will never forget "
"I'll help you remember."
"Again—how exactly are you planning to do that?"
"Easy," Aqua said without hesitation. "Yang-san… take your pants off."
"NO?!"
Yang stood up immediately, staring down at him like he'd lost his mind.
"You do realize we're at the entrance of a police station, right? I could walk in there right now and report you for sexual harassment "
"Come on, sit down. I was just messing with you." Aqua patted the ground beside him. "I'll tell you."
Yang scowled, glancing around.
Where the hell is Katō?
"…Fine."
He sat back down.
"Good boy."
Yang immediately stood up again.
Aqua burst out laughing. "Hahaha—come on, I'm joking again! I swear that's the last one."
"I'm fine standing."
Aqua wiped the tears from his eyes, still chuckling. "Alright, alright… I'll start my story then."