Akane walked alone on the dark streets of Honoji village, staring down at the soaked stone floor.
The cold wind stung exposed skin, but Akane did not flinch.
A short while later, he arrived at his small apartment, but it was not empty. Standing at his gate was a young girl.
She seemed sweet, her hair cascading down her delicate shoulders; her eyes wide and cute.
On her mouth was a plastered warning smile, "Akane!" she shouted.
Akane groned, but secretly he smiled towards the floor as he walked towards the sweet girl.
"What, Mai?" he said as if he was trying to act annoyed.
The sweet brown-haired girl walked towards him and pushed a bento box into his chest.
She paused for a second before spiking, "Akane, I made this for you." She said sweetly.
Akane grabbed the box, walking past her coldly. She began to leave until she turned, "Uh…thank you, Mai." He said sweetly.
She turned giggling, "You're so silly, Akane." Mai said as she walked to the house next to Akane's.
Akane unlocked his door before stepping inside. He removed his dirt-marked shoes, placing them on the porch.
He brought the box towards his nose, taking a deep sniff, his face contorted in disgust before laughing to himself.
Once he calmed down his senses, he placed the box on the table, unwrapping it with caution.
Mai, I've told you to stop slaving away for me every day," Akane thought to himself.
But nevertheless, he opened the wooden box to a smell that could kill a whole village.
He took a deep breath, clasped his hands together, and split his chopsticks. "Thank you, Mai, for the food!"
He began to shovel piles of food down his throat as if not to taste it.
A few seconds later, he finished it. "Oh no, I'm going to throw up," he thought.
Many hours later, the sun rose over Honoji village; it was early morning in Japan.
Akane sat alone on the stairs of his small house, looking out at the door as if he were awaiting something.
A few more minutes passed, and Akane was finished. He stood and pushed open the door, breathing in the morning air.
And sat on his stone fence was a guy, in the same uniform as Akane, but a decent bit taller, at least a slim and lean six foot two.
His hair was a light golden yellow, his teeth white as pears, and his eyes the most beautiful, coercive blue eyes.
Akane marched out of his house towards the handsome young man, "Tsubasa, I'm going to kill you!" Well, he's late now.
Tsubasa looked at Akane, sliding his perfect fingers through his pristine hair. "I was waiting for Mai, big bro."
"Here!" Someone shouted from behind Tsubasa, and he jumped, falling flat on his face.
"Mai, what took so long?" Akane asked.
Mai blushed, looking down and swinging her bag. "N…nothing, Akane." She said.
"Hey guys…any help?" Tsubasa said, his face still planted in the mud.
Akane and Mai laughed together as they walked off, leaving Tsubasa alone.
Tsubasa quickly caught up to them. "So Akane, didn't you get into another fight?" Tsubasa asked.
Akane gestured for him to shut up, but it was too late. "Akane!" Mai shouted.
Her arms crossed as she pouted, looking at Akane. His fiery eyes locked on Tsubasa. "I'm going to double-kill you, Shouri!"
Akane grabbed Tsubasa, messing up his pristine hair. Tsubasa struggled to push Akane off.
"Stop! My hair, noooooo!" he shouted, as Mai giggled.
After a few minutes, they arrived near the gates of Kyosen High, but just then everyone turned to look at Akane.
There faced a mix of fear and disgust. "Akane," said Mai.
"It's fine," Akane responded coldly, walking forward, leaving the other two behind.
Everyone parted like the Red Sea, jumping as Akane strutted past, soulless as all soulless Akane though.
He entered the school gates where the teachers even jumped at his presence, some even shaking.
Akane continued with his head lowered; eventually, he walked inside the building.
Students pushed against each other just to open a path for him to walk.
Let them cower, Akane thought, a sneer etched on his face. His eyes found the door of class 2-B.
It's easier this way. No one cares what I do. I can just stay silent. He thought one more.
He slid open the wooden classroom door, and the loud chatter of students died, quicker than half a second.
Groups of students made way for Akane to enter. He snarled at them as he walked towards a lone chair.
Sat in the far corner, as if he were trapped on an abandoned island or in solitary confinement.
His table was even detached from any other row, and he sat alone, his dark, brooding eyes focused on the clock.
A few seconds after Akane, Tsubasa, and Mai entered the classroom.
The girls began to crow, Tsubasa, "Sit here, Tsubasa!" Some girls shouted, "Yo, Tsubasa." Called the popular boys.
He basked in the attention until Mai pulled him towards Akane, "Akane, watch you doing?" said Mai.
But just then a smallish lady entered the room; she was dressed in a striped button-up top and a tight skirt.
Her hair long and dark, tied back into a strong bun.
"Class settle down, settle down." She said "take your seats."
The teacher, Mrs Sato, adjusted her glasses and tapped her pointer against the chalkboard.
She was one of the only members of faculty who could stand near Akane without collapsing from fear.
Though she purposefully kept her eyes down to avoid Akane's rage-filled gaze.
"Class, open your textbooks to the 142," she commanded, "today we discuss the history of Japan." She said calmly.
Everyone began to read, but just then she turned towards Tsubasa, "Shouri Tsubasa! Stop talking to the girls in row three!" She ordered.
Tsubasa gave a cheeky wink towards the girls as their cheeks shunned bright red, but he turned towards Akane.
All alone, the seats around him were like no man's land, even when the class became larger and larger. Akane sat alone.
Akane stared down at the open textbook on his desk. He was never the smartest person in the room.
Words had always been a weak point for him. They would swim around on the page like a small fish in a large pond.
An hour later, Mrs Sato spoke once more, "Class dismissed, your break is now." She said.
The class stood in an instant, charging over to the door. Until Akane neared, they all retreated away as he left the room.
Mai looked towards Akane, "Tsubasa, come on!" She shouted, dragging him towards the door in pursuit of Akane.
"Wait up, Akane!" she called out to him.
Eventually, the two caught up to Akane. "So, are you coming to the roof?" she asked him.
Without awaiting a response, Mao seized both Akane and Tsubasa, dragging them towards the rooftop.
She forcefully kicked the door open, propelling Akane and Tsubasa across the threshold.
The air on the roof was fresher than the aroma of industrial smog near where Akane lived.
Akane approached the metal barrier and leaned his elbows on the railing.
Tsubasa climbed onto the railing, sitting with his feet hanging over the edge.
His long golden hair flowed in the rooftop breeze. "I hate those stairs," he said.
Mia walked towards the other two. "I love it up here," she said sweetly.
The massive rooftop door creaked open gradually. He moved with enthusiasm, his blazer clutched in his hand.
"Shibara!" Mai exclaimed, addressing the man who had just stepped onto the rooftop.
The elegant gentleman grinned and remarked, "Hello, everyone."
"Yo, Shibara." Tsubasa called, walking towards him.
Shibara's ebony hair tumbled over his face, his mouth stretched into an immaculate grin.
His eyes gleamed with a deep, youthful optimism.
"You still training in the dojo?" Tsubasa asked.
"I'm Sensei, actually. Are you going to stop by again, Shouri?" said Shibara.
"No, last time I dropped by, it didn't go so well. Hey, Akane!" he called out, raising his voice to reach the crimson-haired boy, who remained fixated on the distant sprawl of Honoji village.
"What, Tsubasa!" Akane shouted back.
"Wanna stop by the Itō kyō no Michi dojo after school today?" Tsubasa asked.
"What's in it for me?" Akane responded.
"We've got a tournament today, and the masters and their students are coming from across the Kyushu region. Could I enter you?" Shibara asked.
Akane scoffed, "Why not? I'll drop by. Where's it at?" he asked with arrogance.
"Fukuoka City Hall, you fight three rounds in each bout or until someone is knocked out. You two can come as well." Shibara said.
"Just to watch, right?!" Tsubasa and Mai asked quickly.
"Of course, don't worry, you two haha." Shibara said.
Phew, Tsubasa and Mai stood next to each other, waiting for Akane to respond.
"Fine then, shake on it, we'll meet each other in the final, Shibara Kugetsu." Akane smirked.
"I'll see you then, Akane Koyagami." The two locked hands, their eyes locking together.
Mai watched them closely. They've been rivals ever since they met in preschool, she thought to herself.