Akira's pov
The air inside the hideout is thick with tension. The moment we step in, all eyes are on us. Shiro, Kuro's younger brother and the leader of Phantom Six, leans against the worn-out couch, his arms crossed as he eyes us warily. He looks from me to Kuro, brows furrowing in concern.
"What's going on?" Shiro asks, his voice calm but firm.
Kuro exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair before glancing around the room. "We're in big trouble."
That's all it takes to make everyone sit up straight. Even those who had been lounging around, barely paying attention, now focus on Kuro. No one is used to hearing those words from him.
I step forward, stuffing my hands into my pockets. "I'll explain," I say, my tone steady. "Earlier today, we were at the park near Sensō High. Everything was fine at first. Kuro and Kyouko were just messing around, and I was keeping watch. Then I saw them—Housen bastards. At least ten of them. They were watching us. And not just us... they were watching Kyouko."
A few murmurs ripple through the group. Shiro's jaw tightens. Kevin Hyun leans forward, his expression unreadable, while Akami Holmes just exhales through his nose, unimpressed. King, who's sitting on the armrest of a couch, tilts his head slightly, listening.
I continue, "I got Kuro and Kyouko out of there before anything could happen, but they followed me instead. They didn't even hesitate to start swinging. I took them out, but that doesn't change the fact that they've already found out about Kyouko. It's only a matter of time before they act."
"Tch." Akami clicks his tongue, shaking his head. "And what, you expect us to fight your battles now?"
The mood in the room shifts instantly. Some of the guys tense up, and Kiro Yuri, Akami's right-hand man, nods in agreement. "This is a mess of your own making. We've got our own problems, Akira."
I narrow my eyes at them, but before I can say anything, King suddenly moves.
Without warning, he delivers a solid punch to Akami's gut, knocking the air out of him. Akami stumbles back, doubling over, while Kiro instinctively reaches out, but King shoots him a glare.
"Sit your ass down," King says coldly. "And listen."
Akami grits his teeth, glaring up at King, but he doesn't retaliate. He knows better. With a sharp exhale, he reluctantly sits back down, rubbing his stomach.
King looks around the room, his usual calm demeanor nowhere to be found. "You all know Kuro. He never asks for help. Not once. Not when he was bleeding, not when he was outnumbered. But today, he called for you. That alone should tell you how serious this shit is."
A heavy silence follows. Even Akami doesn't have a smart remark for that.
Then, Kevin finally speaks. "So what's the plan?" he asks, leaning back. "Are we going for a full-frontal engagement, or are we setting traps?"
Kuro exhales, crossing his arms. "That's what we need to decide."
The room falls into deep thought, the weight of the decision pressing down on all of us. Whatever we choose, there's no turning back.
The air inside the hideout is thick with tension, everyone waiting for someone to make the first move. We've all gathered here, different factions with different goals, but today, we're united by one thing—Housen's growing threat.
Damian is the first to break the silence. He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his dark eyes scanning the room. Then, he smirks.
"Let them come."
That gets everyone's attention. Kuro shifts slightly in his seat, watching Damian closely. Akami scoffs, folding his arms. "Where did that dumbass plan come from? In your butthole?"
A few guys chuckle, but Damian remains unfazed. He tilts his head slightly. "Think about it. Sensō High is our turf. No one knows it better than we do. If we fight them here, we control the battlefield. That gives us the upper hand."
Kevin nods, arms crossed. "That's not a bad plan. A full-on engagement on neutral ground could go either way, but here? We dictate how this fight plays out."
Kuro leans back, eyes narrowed. "And you're saying Dark Knights are in? No hesitation?"
Damian smirks again. "Of course. We'll provide our assistance. We can cover the outer perimeter, control how they move when they step into Sensō High. No one gets in or out without us knowing."
Kevin grins. "I like it. I'm in. I'll be right there with you guys."
Shiro sighs beside Kuro, rubbing his temple. "Tch. Since you're my brother, of course, I'll be fighting beside you. No need to ask."
That leaves only one person. Akami, who is still leaning back in his seat, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He exhales sharply and shakes his head.
"This is bullshit," he mutters, standing up. Kiro Yuri, his co-leader, looks at him expectantly, waiting for his next move. "We shouldn't be throwing ourselves into a fight just because of some girl."
"She's not just some girl," I say, my tone firm. "She's part of Sensō High now. Housen's making a move, and you think sitting on your ass will make them back off? This is bigger than Kyouko. If we don't stop them here, they'll just keep coming."
Akami stares at me, his jaw tightening. He looks at Kuro, then at King, who's glaring at him like he's daring him to walk out. Damian, Kevin, and Shiro all remain silent, waiting for his decision.
Finally, Akami clicks his tongue. "Fine. I'm in. But let's be clear—I don't like this."
Kiro gives him a look but doesn't argue. The decision is made. Akami might not like it, but he won't run away either.
Kuro nods, satisfied. "Then it's settled. We make our stand here."
I lean forward, glancing at everyone. "Alright, if we're doing this, we need a solid strategy. Damian, you and your Dark Knights are covering the perimeter, but how exactly? We can't let them spread out and overwhelm us."
Damian smirks. "We'll control the entry points, funnel them to specific areas where we have the advantage. They won't be able to move freely. Once they step in, they'll be boxed in."
Kevin crosses his arms. "And what about numbers? We know Housen never fights fair. They'll bring more guys than we expect."
Kuro speaks up. "That's why we don't just fight them head-on. We lure them in, split them apart. King, you and I will lead a squad to engage them first. We'll act as bait. Once they focus on us, that's when the real fight starts."
King cracks his knuckles. "You better not be planning to use me as punching bait, Kuro."
Kuro chuckles. "Relax. You're too stubborn to go down."
Shiro sighs. "And what about the rest of us? We need a coordinated response. We can't just charge in like idiots."
Akami clicks his tongue. "Tch. We'll have to keep our best fighters in reserve. They'll expect a straight fight, but if we hit them from the sides, we can cut them down fast."
I nod. "Exactly. We'll use the streets and alleys around Sensō High. We can set up spots where we ambush their stragglers."
Kevin smirks. "Then it's settled. We use our home advantage, cut them down in waves, and make sure Housen regrets ever stepping foot in Sensō High."
Kuro nods. "Everyone gets their roles. We don't back down. This is our home."
Now, we prepare for war.
Akami stretches his arms with a sigh, glancing around at the others. "Well, since it's all settled, we're going now."
One by one, the others nod, standing up and heading for the door. Shiro gives Kuro one last look before following suit, and soon, it's just the three of us—Kuro, King, and me.
The hideout is eerily quiet now, the heavy tension lingering in the air long after the others have left. The distant hum of the city seeps in through the slightly open window, but inside, it's just the three of us.
I lean against the table, arms crossed, my gaze shifting toward Kuro, who hasn't said a word since the others walked out the door. His usual sharp eyes are locked on his hands, which are resting on his knees, shaking slightly.
For the first time, Kuro looks nervous.
I hesitate for a second before breaking the silence. "Kuro... are you scared?"
Kuro doesn't look up right away. Instead, he lets out a slow breath, clenching and unclenching his fists as if trying to stop the tremors. Then, barely above a whisper, he mutters, "Yeah."
That one word hangs in the air like a weight. I glance at King, who shifts uncomfortably, clearly taken aback. Kuro? Scared? That's not something we ever expected to hear.
King scratches the back of his head. "Damn... Never thought I'd hear you say that, brother."
Kuro lets out a small, humorless chuckle, finally looking up at us. There's a faint smile on his lips, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, well... first time for everything, huh?"
I push off the table, stepping closer. "It's not like you to doubt yourself. What's going on in that head of yours?"
Kuro leans back against the couch, running a hand through his hair. "It's not doubt. I know we can take them on. But this isn't just some fight. Housen doesn't play by the same rules. They don't fight for territory or pride. They fight to break people, to crush them until there's nothing left."
King clicks his tongue, crossing his arms. "So? What's our next move? We already decided to fight on our turf. You think they'll back down?"
Kuro shakes his head. "No. They won't. That's why we need to be ready."
I watch him closely, seeing something I've never seen before—hesitation. Not in the plan, not in his strength, but something else. Something deeper.
And then it hits me.
"This isn't just about the fight, is it?" I ask.
Kuro meets my gaze, and for a second, I see it—worry. Not for himself, but for someone else.
Kyouko...
He exhales, rubbing his temples before nodding. "Yeah."
King whistles low, shaking his head. "Shit, man. You really got it bad."
Kuro doesn't even argue. He just sighs, looking between the two of us before standing up. "Let's go."
I raise an eyebrow. "Go where?"
Kuro smirks faintly, though it lacks his usual confidence. "Kyouko's apartment."
King blinks. "Huh? The hell for?"
"Because she needs to know what's coming. And..." Kuro hesitates for a brief moment before shoving his hands in his pockets. "I just... want to see her."
I exchange a glance with King, who just shakes his head with a smirk. "Damn, Kuro. Didn't peg you for the type to get all sentimental."
Kuro scoffs, grabbing his jacket. "Shut up. Let's go."
I chuckle, pushing myself off the table. "Alright then. Let's go see her."
As we step out of the hideout, the night air hits us like a cold slap. The city feels heavier tonight, like something big is looming just beyond the horizon. And deep down, I know—we're heading straight for the storm.
But we're going together.