EP 005: The Shark and the Penguin.

 

The morning at Raimon Junior High arrived, the sun casting a long, soft shadows across the sprawling campus.

Students in their blue blazers moved in rhythmic streams through the courtyards. In the distance, the soft sound of a distant trumpet from the music room harmonized with the rhythmic clack of the kendo club’s practice swords, everything was back at normal.

Down on the lower field, The Inazuma Kids were already in the middle of a high-speed scrimmage with the Inakuni players training.

"Hiura-sama! Here! Send it here!" Mako shouted, her eyes sparkling as she peeled away from her mark.

Hiura smiled, his movements fluid. "You got it, Mako-chan!" 

He tapped the ball into the air, spinning with that same garden-hose rhythm.

"ICE.... ARROW!" 

He shooted, a sparkling trail of diamond dust cut through the air.

"Wow..." The kids stared up with awe.

Ryuusuke stared up to the air as he sprinted meeting the icy pass with his chest and dropping it right to his feet. "I got it! I really got it!"

"Whoa! Nice trap, Ryuusuke-sama!" Munakata cheered, charging forward to provide an option.

The kids were evolving just as Inakuni, mimicking the same flow Inakuni was just building upon. 

"Hehe!" Kaito faced down Goujin-sama, performing a sudden, jerky feint that actually made the striker stumble.

"Gah!" Goujin gasps.

"Whoops! Too slow, Goujin-sama!" Kaito laughed, sliding the ball between Goujin's legs.

"Hey! You little brat!" Goujin roared, though he was grinning from ear to ear. "That’s a nutmeg!" He chase, but the kids were passing in triangles now, using the very tactics they had shown them.

"Look out! Golem-sama is coming!" Haru screamed as Golem stepped into their path.

"VIVA!"

"LA WALL!!!"

Golem boomed, summoning the golden fortress. But instead of bouncing off, Amai and Haru leaned into each other, forming their own line.

They held their ground, their feet digging into the grass.

"Nice one kids!" Golem smiles, watching them go.

"Nice," Mansaku whispered, sprinting past them. "They’re actually learning how to absorb the impact, pretty cool." He received a pass from Norika.

"Don't stay behind guys! Give them a challenge!" Norika shouts, cheering the team up.

"YEAH!" The team shouts in unison.

"Over here! Pass it to me, Ryuusuke-sama!" Mako shouted, her small legs churning as she zipped past Hanta.

Ryuusuke didn't hesitate. "Got it, Mako-sama!" He flicked the ball with a surprisingly sophisticated side-foot pass that curved around Golem’s again.

Goujin let out a boisterous laugh, his face slick with sweat. "Whoa! Look at that curve! You kids are trying to steal my spotlight, aren't you?" 

He lunged for the ball, but Kaito using a technique he’d seen Asuto use did a quick step-over and shielded the ball with his body, pivoting away from Goujin’s reach.

"I got though!" Kaito smiles, sprinting forward.

"Nice move, Kaito-sama!" Norika cheered from the midfield. She watched with pride as Amai and Haru coordinated a press, forcing Mansaku toward the sidelines.

"You guys are getting better at the pincer attack!" Mansaku noted, his hat pulled low, a smirk playing on his lips. "But you'll need more than just spirit to stop this!"

"SPARKLE ROAD!!" 

Mansaku swung his leg with every ounce of strength he possessed. The impact was deafening, a crack like a lightning strike. The ball tore through the darkness, leaving a trail of brilliant, sparkling stardust in its wake, illuminating the road as it passed the two players.

"Waaaaah! So strong!" Haru shouted, scrambling to get back into position.

Hanta received the shoot from Mansaku and quickly chained to Goujin. "Take it Goujin! Hiyaaa!"

"Got it!" Goujin tapes the ball and shoots quickly. "Take this! Chain Shoot!!!"

"Mine!" Mako shouts as she blocks the shoot.

"You got it! Mako-chan!" Ryuusuke smirks, "Pass it here!"

"Go for it, Ryuusuke-san!" Mako quickly passes to Ryuusuke.

"Not yet!" Golem boomed, his voice rumbling. He quickly steped on front of Ryuusuke quickly blocking his way.

"Woahh!" Ryuusuke yelps and jumps back, sitting on the ground.

"Oh! Hey, are you ok?" Golem immediately reached out, his massive hands lifting him back to his feet. "You guys have more power in your charge today! I actually felt that one!"

"Really, Golem-sama?!" Ryuusuke’s face lit up. "We’re really getting stronger?"

"You bet," Golem nodded, his smile wide and warm. "Right guys?"

Golem stared back at the other, they all nod and smile.

The Inazuma Kids stared at each other with big smiles on their faces, proud of themselves.

Away from the training, a smaller group had gathered under the shade of a large oak tree. Hiyori sat in the center, cross-legged, while Hasebe, Sora, Hirata, Hibiki, and Ryouta leaned in so close vibrating with anticipation.

"Gao! You think city is exciting?" Hiyori said, his eyes wide and expressive as he gestured wildly with his hands. "Back in deep woods of island, the trees were so tall that they tickled the bellies of the clouds! Dark even in the middle of the day, smelling like damp pine needles and old moss."

"Were you scared, Hiyori-sama?" Sora asked, leaning in so close he was almost toppling over.

"Scared? Gao!" Hiyori laughed, a sharp, energetic sound. "The forest my playground! H-i-y-o-r-i had friends everywhere. There was Kuma-gon, the great mountain bear. He was as big as a house and his fur felt like a dusty rug, but he was total softy. He taught H-i-y-o-r-i how to find the sweetest berries and how to scratch back against the bark of the cedar trees."

"A real bear?!" Hibiki gasped, his eyes like saucers.

"Uhum! H-i-y-o-r-i had the possums too," Hiyori continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "They were the masters of the night. They taught me how to move through the branches without making a single sound. And wolves were the best. They taught me the how to fell wind and know exactly where rabbit was hiding three hills away."

"Did you hunt like them, Hiyori-sama?" Hirata asked, his skepticism finally giving way to genuine fascination.

"H-i-y-o-r-i did! Ambush hunting!" Hiyori stood up suddenly, crouching low to the ground. His movements became predatory, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the imaginary undergrowth. "You stay low, so low your chest touches the dirt. You feel vibration of the earth in your bones. You wait... and wait... until the moment perfect. And then GAO! you spring through the air like a lightning bolt!"

He mimicked a massive leap, landing gracefully back on his feet. The kids cheered, their imaginations running wild with images of Hiyori swinging from vines and leaping through the canopy. "Hehehehehe!"

"But Hiyori-sama," Hasebe piped up, "you didn't just live in the dirt, right? We heard you were like the island mascot!"

Hiyori’s expression softened into a nostalgic smile. "Gao! Sometimes, when rain was too heavy or winter wind was too sharp, I’d wander down to the village. Everyone knew me. I’d stay in Mrs. Tanaka’s house one night, and the next I’d be sleeping by the hearth at the old fisherman’s shack. They’d all feed H-i-y-o-r-i fresh fish, warm rice balls, leftover stew. I was everyone’s son, and no one’s son all at once. I was just... Hiyori of the Island."

"Wow..." The kids gasped in awe.

"Oh! Oh! Hiyori-sama! Tell us about the beast!" Sora says excited.

"B-beast!?" Hasebe eyes wide open.

"Uhum! Hiyori-sama knows a beast that lives in the forest! Right Hiyori-sama?" Hibiki asks excited.

Hiyori nodded solemnly. "A creature of the deep woods.

"Wow..." The kids gasp with awe.

"So there H-i-y-o-r-i was," Hiyori said, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper, "dangling from a vine a hundred feet above the forest floor. And right below H-i-y-o-r-i? He was there. Big as mountain."

"Hiyori-sama, weren't you scared of him? I mean he is a beast right?" Sora asked, clutching her knees.

"Gao! H-i-y-o-r-i doesn't know fear!" Hiyori boasted, puffing out his chest. "Beast-san wasn't enemy, he was my sparring partner! He taught me how to use my weight to knock over opponents.

"Woooaaaah!" the kids gasped again.

Then, Ryouta, the youngest of the group, looked up with a curious, innocent expression. "Hiyori-sama... what about your real parents? Did they live in the forest with you?"

The air around the circle seemed to still. Hiyori’s animated hands slowly dropped to his sides. A faint, slightly embarrassed flush crept up his neck, and he looked away toward the distant tree line, his usual energy replaced by a quiet, heavy stillness.

"Ah... that," Hiyori whispered, his voice losing its boisterous edge. "H-i-y-o-r-i didn't really have any. Not the kind you mean."

The kids went silent, the weight of the realization hitting them all at once. Ryouta’s bottom lip trembled. "Oh no... I'm so sorry, Hiyori-sama! I didn't mean to make you sad! I’m sorry!"

"W-we’re sorry!" the others echoed, their faces falling into deep regret. Hasebe looking like she was about to cry. "S-sorry Hiyori-sama!"

"Hey, hey! Cut it out!" Hiyori said, his voice snapping back to life as he cut off their apologies with a firm wave of his hand. He turned back to them, and though there was a lingering shadow in his eyes, his smile was genuine. "It’s okay! Really. Don't make those faces, or you'll scare away the forest spirits!"

The kids stared at him, sobbing.

He reached out and patted Ryouta’s head. "Look, I didn't have parents in a house, but I had the forest. I had Kuma-gon, and the wolves, and the whole island looking out for me. And now... I have all of you. And the team. At the end of the day, all that matters are the friends you make along the way, right? They’re the family you choose."

The kids stared at him for a long moment, seeing the strength behind his words. Slowly, one by one, their smiles began to return, brighter and more resilient than before.

"You're right, Hiyori-sama!" Ryouta chirped, wiping a stray tear. "We're your family now too!"

"Gao! That’s the spirit!" Hiyori laughed, though he let out a small, private sigh of relief. He looked away again, his gaze drifting across the field.

The kids’ eyes brightened, "Hiyori-sama... you're amazing!" they cheered, the joy returning to the circle tenfold.

Hiyori let out a soft sigh, his smile lingering as he stared off into the distance, lost in a rare moment of quiet reflection.

A few yards away, Mansaku stopped mid-sprint. He stood with the ball under his foot, his hat casting a shadow over his eyes as he watched the scene under the tree. He knew Hiyori better than most, He watched Hiyori’s quiet moment of peace with a soft, knowing expression.

"HEY! MANSAKU!" Goujin screamed from across the field, waving his arms frantically. "Stop daydreaming! The kids are about to score! Get your head in the game!"

Mansaku blinked, snapping back to reality. He looked at Goujin, then back at the laughing circle under the tree.

"Yeah, yeah! I’m coming!" Mansaku shouted back, a smirk playing on his lips. He kicked the ball forward, surging back into the happy fray of the morning practice.

On the benches, Michinari and Hiro were in tactical maps, discussing strategies for the team.

"If we move the defensive line up by five meters during the transition..." Hiro was saying, his glasses glinting.

Michinari nodded, but his eyes wandered for a second to the kids and his teammates. He saw Hiyori laughing again, Goujin being tackled by three children at once, and Norika teaching Mako how to properly distribute her weight, they were united as one, it was one step to their goal.

"The data is important, Hiro," Michinari said softly, "but I think the unreasonable factor is doing just fine today. Don't you think?"

"True, captain, true..." Hiro replied, not looking up from his tablet, but a smile remained on his face.

Michinari and Hiro continued to murmur, their voices a steady hum of strategy and hope for the team.

While the laughter of the Inazuma Kids and others trained.

Kozoumaru stood there alone, his hands gripping tightly around a weathered wooden handle of an old, fraying broom.

*Swish. Scrape. Swish.*

He moved the broom with a jagged, aggressive energy, sending a small cloud of dust swirling into the air only for the breeze to blow it right back onto the area he had just cleaned. He paused, his thick eyebrows twitching in irritation. A small, sharp hiss escaped his teeth.

"That old man..." he muttered under his breath, his voice like gravel.

Kozoumaru had ignored the order to fall back and bolster the defense in the first half of the game against Midoukozan. Stayed up front, a lone, stubborn island of offense, waiting for a chance that wouldn't come until much later, so he was being punished.

Kozoumaru leaned his weight against the handle, looking down at the field. Seeing Goujin making a fool of himself, Asuto coming from a far. and the tiny figures of the kids running around like ants.

He shifted his stance, his sturdy frame tensing. 

He looked back at the pile of dirt he was supposed to be managing. A single, dry leaf skittered across the floor mocking him.

"Tch."

He let out a long, heavy sigh that seemed to deflate his shoulders just an inch. Despite the annoyance and his wounded pride, there was a part of him that hated to admit it, but the defensive drills had made his legs feel heavier and more grounded. He felt more aware of the space behind him than he ever had before.

He sucked up his anger, forcing his expression back into its usual stoic face, He wasn't going to give the coach the satisfaction of seeing him complain. "If I have to sweep, I'll sweep with the same precision as I do to score goals." He whispers to himself.

*Swish. Scrape. Swish.*

The rhythm returned, slower this time and more calculated. He channeled his frustration into the movement, his eyes tracking every speck of dust with a predator’s focus doing his job.

The cheers of the Inazuma Kids and the sound of the ball against the grass faded into a dull, comforting noise as Asuto walked toward the far edge of the training field. He found a quiet patch of grass and sat down, crossing his legs as the midday sun bathed him in a warm, golden glow.

Resting on his lap was a small album. Its cover was a messy mosaic of peeling stickers, star patterns, cartoon animals, and faded football logos, all slightly dulled by a layer of dust. He ran his thumb over the spine, the texture familiar and grounding, before slowly turning the pages.

He bypassed the recent photos of the team and stopped at the very beginning. His gaze softened, a small, wistful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. There, in a slightly blurry, overexposed print, was a toddler version of himself. He was standing on the white sands of Inakuni Island, looking profoundly miserable in a crisp, white-and-blue sailor outfit complete with a tiny beret. Behind him, the sea was a brilliant, sapphire blue, but the boy in the photo seemed much more interested in the scowl he was directing at the lens.

...

The air was thick with the scent of salt and the rhythmic sound of the tide. Yuriko knelt in the sand, squinting through the viewfinder of an old film camera. She her long, dark hair tucked under a wide-brimmed straw hat that cast a soft shadow over her face. Her beach dress, a simple flowy fabric the color of seafoam, ruffled in the wind.

"Just one more, Sunny! Hold still and look at the camera!" she laughed.

"No! Want to go home!" Toddler Asuto pouted, his cheeks puffed out like a blowfish. He crossed his tiny arms over his sailor suit, his feet sinking into the wet sand. "Beach is loud! Want to play with the robot toys! Want to watch the cartoons!"

Yuriko lowered the camera, a soft sigh escaping her lips, but her smile never wavered. She walked over to him, the sand crunching under her sandals, and knelt so they were eye-to-eye. She reached out, her hand gently tilting his chin upward.

"Sunny, look up," she said, her voice dropping into a calm tone.

"It's too bright, Mama," he complained, squinting.

"That's because the sun is watching over you," she whispered, gesturing toward the brilliant orb hanging in the sky. "You know, the Inamori family has a special bond with that star. It’s what makes our crops grow tall and our skin stay warm. It is our blessing."

Asuto stopped scowling, his curiosity finally piqued. "A blessing?"

"Listen to me, Sunny. People might leave us. The world might change, and sometimes it feels like we’re being left behind on this little island when other are going forward. But during the day, no matter what happens, you can look up and see that the sun is still there. It doesn't go anywhere. It’s shining into our hearts, giving us the heat we need to keep moving forward."

Asuto blinked, his eyes widening in awe. For the first time, He let go of his pout and slowly raised his hand, flinching slightly as the warmth hit his palm. He looked up at the sky, his eyes reflecting the brilliant light, feeling a strange, humming heat settle deep in his chest. It felt like a spark had been lit inside him.

Yuriko stood there, her silhouette framed by the golden halo of the sun, watching her son finally see the world. She looked proud, not only for the photo she took, but also for the fire she saw beginning to burn in his eyes.

...

Asuto’s fingers traced the edge of the old photo, the memory so vivid he could almost smell the salt on the breeze. He looked up from the album, the modern-day sun hitting his face with that same familiar warmth.

"Shining into our hearts..." he whispered to himself.

He closed his eyes for a second, feeling the resonance of that heat. It was the same feeling he felt whenever he stepped onto the pitch, the same energy that flowed through him when he unleashed his first hissatsu, a piece of the island’s sun that he carried with him wherever he went.

He let out a long, contented breath and closed the album, hugging it to his chest. The grief of losing her was still there, a dull ache in the background, but the warmth of the memory acted like a shield.

Far from the training drills, Ootani stepped out into the school building.

She adjusted her manager’s whistle, her face lit with a bright, determined energy. She took a deep breath, her chest swelling with a sense of purpose.

"Okay, Ootani. Give it 100% today, alright? No, give it 120%!" she whispered to herself, clenching her small fists and nodding firmly. "Let’s do this..."

She started her descent toward the training field, her eyes scanning the field for the team. She saw the Inazuma Kids swarming the others in the distance, but her gaze snagged on a lone figure sitting in the grass.

"Oh?" She blinked, her head tilting to the side. It was Asuto. He was sitting perfectly still, his back slightly hunched over something in his lap.

Curious, Ootani’s changed course, treading softly across the grass until she was standing just behind him. She leaned down, peering over his shoulder to see what book had captured the attention of their usually hyperactive player. Her eyes wide when she realized it wasn't a textbook or a manga.

"Oh? Does Asuto-chan collect cards too?" she whispered, a smile tugging at her lips.

She leaned in closer close, her eyes scanning the pages. She didn't see shiny trading cards. Instead, she saw a collection of matte, slightly faded photographs. There were pictures of the Inakuni team looking younger and dirtier, shots of a sprawling farm with golden crops, and many photos of a woman with long hair and a strong, beautiful face.

"You’re here, Ootani-chan," Asuto said suddenly, his voice calm and steady.

"GAH!"

Ootani’s soul nearly left her body. She recoiled so violently that her heels caught in the turf, and she went tumbling backward. "OOF!" She landed hard on the grass, her clipboard skittering away.

"Hey! Are you okay?" Asuto’s eyes were wide with genuine concern as he scrambled to his feet, reaching out a hand to pull her up.

"A-ah! I'm fine! I'm fine!" Ootani squeaked, her face flushing a deep crimson as she sat up and frantically rubbed her lower back. "You just... you scared me! I didn't even realize you knew I was there. I was trying to be a ninja!"

Asuto’s expression softened, and he sat back down, cradling the album. "Oh, sorry about that. I guess I just have great senses."

"Yeah, I just realized that... That’s pretty cool," Ootani said, finally regaining her composure and sitting cross-legged in front of him. "That’s probably why you’re so sharp on the field, Asuto-chan! You’re like a human radar!"

"Yep. I guess that’s why," Asuto smiled, his fingers tracing the edge of the album cover.

"Oh, and by the way!" Ootani leaned forward again, completely invading his personal space in her excitement. "That is a seriously cool album! It looks... vintage!"

"Oh, thanks," Asuto said, tilting it so she could see better.

"Wow..." Ootani murmured, her eyes dancing over the pictures. "The only one I've ever seen in person is my parents' old wedding album. Everything else is just... you know, on my phone. I have thousands of photos, but I don't think I've ever actually held one like this."

Asuto looked at his phone, then back at the dusty pages. "A phone is convenient, I guess. You can see them whenever you want. But an album... it feels different. Like the memories are actually living inside the paper."

Ootani nodded slowly, her curiosity piqued. "Who are all these people? And where is this? It looks so... peaceful."

"This is the beach back home," Asuto said, pointing to a photo of a group of fishermen hauling in a net. "And that’s the old farm. Most of these were taken at the shore. The sun always looks best when it’s reflecting off the waves."

Ootani’s finger hovered over a picture of the woman Asuto’s mother. "And her? She’s in almost every shot. She looks so tall... and strong. And really beautiful, Asuto-chan."

"That’s my mom," Asuto said, his voice dropping into a tone of quiet reverence. "She was the toughest woman on the island. She could outwork anyone during the harvest and still have the energy to kick a ball around with me until the sun went down."

"I can see it in her eyes!" Ootani chirped, her face lighting up. "She must be so proud of you. She should totally come to the mainland to see you play in the tournament! Imagine her cheering from the front row!"

The air between them seemed to chill for a fraction of a second. Asuto looked up at the vast, blue sky, a small, slightly sad smile touching his lips. "She’s always with me, Ootani-chan. In every game. She never misses a single one."

Ootani blinked, her eyebrows rising. "Oh? Does she have a livestream or-" She stopped. She looked at the way Asuto was staring at the clouds, his gaze distant and peaceful. Her face went from pale to ghostly white in an instant as the realizes.

"E-EEEEK! I’m so sorry!" she wailed, covering her mouth with both hands, her eyes brimming with tears of embarrassment. "I’m a horrible person! I didn't know! I’m so, so, so sorry, Asuto-chan! Please don't hate me!"

"Hey, calm down!" Asuto laughed softly, reaching out to pat her shoulder. "It’s okay. Really. Everything is just fine."

He looked back at the album, his expression turning thoughtful. "You know, even though these are just pieces of paper, the experiences we had... the laughter, the dirt under our nails, the smell of the sea... those are always going to be in my heart. The photos just help me find them when I'm feeling a little lost."

Ootani stopped her frantic apologizing, staring at him with wide, surprised eyes. She felt a sudden, sharp pang of admiration for him. But as she looked at his precious book, a shadow of sadness crossed her own face.

"I... I feel like a total failure as a friend," she whispered, her shoulders slumping. "And as a manager. I’m always taking notes and recording data, but I haven't made an album like this for our journey. We’ve done so much already, and I don't have anything to show for it but files on a cloud."

Asuto watched her, seeing the genuine guilt in her slumped posture. He leaned over and gave her a playful nudge with his elbow. "You can start any day, after all, Every day is a new page."

Ootani looked up, her lower lip trembling slightly before she managed a small, determined nod. "You're right! I'll do my best!"

Asuto smiled, but then a spark lit up his eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, handing it to her. "Actually, Ootani-chan... can you help me with something on the internet? I’m still a bit of a noob when it comes to some things."

"Of course!" Ootani said, instantly back in her element. she took the phone, her thumbs hovering over the screen. "What are you looking for? A new training manual? Videos from other matches? Scouting reports on the next team?"

"Not much," Asuto said, his smile widening into something secretive and warm. "I’ll know it when I see it."

Ootani tilted her head, her curiosity burning again, but she didn't push. She just started scrolling, her face glowing in the light of the screen as Asuto watched her with a smile.

Up on the balcony, Kozoumaru continued to broom as there was still plenty of work to be done.

He pushes the dirt he gathered into a neat pile near the edge of the railing, ready to sweep it into the dustpan. 

He lets out a short breath, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of his wrist.

Then, a sharp, sudden vibration buzzed against his thigh.

Kozoumaru stopped instantly. He blinked, slightly annoyed by the interruption. He pulled the broom back, resting it against his hip, and reached into the pocket of his shorts.

He pulled out his phone. The screen was lit up, vibrating steadily in his palm. He stared at the caller ID for a brief moment, his eyebrows rising in surprise. The number on the screen was one he recognized, but it was not one he expected to see ringing his device that often.

He pressed the green button, lifting the phone to his ear with a slow, deliberate motion.

"Kozoumaru Sasuke," he answered, his voice low and gruff, carrying its usual rough edge.

For a moment, he simply stood there. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves in the nearby trees and catching the edge of the dirt pile he had just gathered, scattering a fine layer of dust back across the concrete.

As the voice on the other end of the line spoke, his posture changed entirely. The tension in his shoulders spiked, pulling his frame entirely rigid. His dark eyes wide open as he held his breath.

His knuckles turned white as his grip on the phone tightened.

"Z-Seminar..." Kozoumaru whispered. "At 9."

After hearing, Kozoumaru simply gave a slow, stiff nod. A second later, the call disconnected, leaving only the flat tone of a dead line.

Kozoumaru stood frozen on the balcony. He moved the phone down slowly, pulling it away from his ear as if it had suddenly become heavy. His eyes narrowing as he grinds his teeth together, a visible muscle jumping in his jaw.

He shoved the phone back into his pocket. Without a second of hesitation, he let go of the broom.

*Clack!*

The wooden handle hit the concrete floor hard, the loud, sharp sound echoing sharply off the brick walls of the school building. Kozoumaru quickly rushed toward the outdoor stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. He moved with the desperate, aggressive speed of a forward charging past a defensive line, his arms pumping as he rushed out of the school gates and disappeared down the street.

Down on the grass, Asuto and Ootani were still huddled together. Ootani been busy scrolling through the internet browser on Asuto's phone, showing him the different results for the thing he had asked about, while Asuto leaned over to look at the screen.

The sudden, loud sound of wood hitting concrete startled them both.

"Hm!?"

They quickly snapped their heads up, looking toward the source of the noise.

"Was that... Kozoumaru?" Ootani asked, blinking rapidly.

They watched as Kozoumaru sprints outside.

Asuto rises his eyebrows slightly puzzled.

Ootani lowered the phone, turning her head to look at Asuto. Asuto turned his head to look back at her at the exact same moment.

They stared at each other, entirely confused.

"Where is he going in such a hurry?" Ootani whispered, her brow furrowing as she looked back toward the empty gates. "Training is just starting."

Asuto didn't knew what to say, he just looked up at the empty balcony, where the wooden broom lay abandoned on the floor, the pile of dust already blowing away in the wind.

...

The next day, the the sun rised over Seishou Academy. From an aerial view, the campus looked like a high-tech command center, featuring multiple perfect football pitches with automated sprinkler systems, clay tennis courts, and sleek, modern dormitories and football fields with grass that shimmered in the afternoon heat.

Inside the Great Hall, thousands of students stood in rows their sharp black blazers buttoned to the chin.

"Our Seishou Academy ranks highly in both sports and studies," the Dean’s voice said, his voice echoing against the vaulted ceiling. 

"We are a prestigious institution that excels in both academic advancement and athletic prowess. May each of you pose as exemplary students while bearing the honor of Seishou. I hope you all spend your student life with discipline and dedication." He finishes, adjusting his suit.

"YES!"

The students shouted in unison, But in the midst of the sea of black blazers, there was Haizaki, he stood with his head tilted slightly back, his long, ash-grey hair falling over his face, his eyes fixed on a patch of empty blue sky visible through a high window. He looked as though he were miles away, drifting in where he couldn't hear anything.

Later, in the classroom, the sharp *ring* of the school bell signaled the end of the day. A flurry of movement erupted as students stood up, bowing to the teacher and packing their bags. Haizaki remained in his seat for a moment longer, his gaze dead to the world, before slinging his bag over his shoulder. 

He walked out of the building with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his posture being a contrast to the rigid discipline surrounding him.

At the front gates, right close to the imposing stone pillars of the academy, the Seishou football team gathered after an extra-regimented training session, enjoying their small break.

Amano Misamichi, the goalkeeper, leaned against a stone pillar, his face flushed from the practice as he wiped sweat from his neck with a towel, next to him was Kotono Tomio checking his phone, a small, worried frown on his face.

"Man, Coach was a demon today," Eiji Sasotsuka groaned, stretching his arms behind his head. He had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he spotted Tetsuya Futagotagawa, the smallest midfielder on the team. 

"Hey, Tetsuya! I saw you get tangled up in the net during the last drill. You looked like a little spider caught in his own web! Maybe we should get you a booster seat so you can see over the grass?" He smirks.

"Shut up!" Tetsuya snapped, his face turning a bright, annoyed red. He adjusted his collar, his voice rising an octave. "I’ll kick your shins so hard you'll be the one needing a booster seat!"

Uoshima Sameharu stepped in, placing a large, hand on Tetsuya’s head, ruffling his hair. "Leave him alone, Eiji. He’s got more heart in his pinky than you have in your whole ego. You okay, little guy?"

"I'm not a little guy! Leave me alone, alright?" Tetsuya huffed, though he didn't pull away from the hand.

"Hehehehe, it always works..." Eiji giggles.

Orio Fuyuki sighed, reaching out and planting a sharp, rhythmic slap on the back of Eiji’s head. "OW! What was that for, Orio?!"

"For being unpleasant," Orio said flatly. "We just finished a three-hour session and you’re already wasting energy being a jerk. Focus on your ball control instead of your stand-up comedy. Your passing in the third quarter was sloppy."

"Sloppy?! I got my own way of playing, alright?" Eiji defended, though he winced under Orio’s stern gaze.

Standing slightly apart from them, Shiratori Tsumuki adjusted his sleeve, looking around. Behind him, hidden in his back was Kat Yagihara, She was fidgeting with the hem of her blazer, her eyes darting nervously toward the louder boys.

"It’s okay, Kat," Shiratori said softly, his voice a calm anchor. "They’re just blowing off steam. Nobody’s actually angry."

"I know," Kat whispered, her voice barely audible. "It’s just... they’re so loud. I feel like if I speak up, I’ll get stepped on."

"Nobody’s stepping on anyone while I'm here," Shiratori assured her, giving her a small, encouraging nod.

"Everything is so lively today," a soft, ethereal voice drifted into the conversation. Saotome Seiya stood nearby, with an almost angelic smile fixed on her face. She looked up to the sky, watching the way the dust motes danced in the sunlight. "The air feels like it’s vibrating. Don't you think so, Kotono-kun?"

Kotono blinked, looking up from his phone. "Vibrating? I don't know, Saotome-san. I just hope everyone stays in a good mood. I hate it when we start bickering after practice. It makes the walk to the station so awkward."

"Bickering is just the soul’s way of stretching," Saotome said, her smile never wavering as she tilted her head. "Like a cat sharpening its claws before a hunt."

"That’s... kind of creepy, Saotome," Kotono muttered, stepping slightly closer to the others.

"Hey, did you guys hear about the Raimon match yesterday?" Eiji asked, changing the subject as he leaned against the gate. "The the islanders beat Midoukozan. 2-1."

The group went silent for a moment as they looked at each other.

"Midoukozan’s Stronghold is no joke," Amano said, his voice deep and serious. "To break that wall... they must have some serious firepower by now."

"Heh," Eiji shrugged, though his playful tone had vanished. "So they are playing properly now?."

"They always did," Orio countered. "The difference was that we are much superior than them."

"I think it’s wonderful," Saotome whispered, her eyes turning toward the school gates. "A new star rising in the distance. It makes the night so much more interesting."

Amano said as he leaned against a stone pillar. "The defense was lagging on the left wing today. If we don't tighten up those transitions, we’re going to give up unnecessary corners."

"Amano-kun is right," Shiratori said, nodding obediently. "Discipline on the field reflects discipline in the classroom. We have to maintain our formation at all times to avoid trouble."

Kat said clutching the straps of her bag tightly, her eyes darting nervously between the group. "I... I think I need to practice my slide tackles more," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind. "I felt... too slow today."

"You did fine, Kay-chan," Saotome said, appearing suddenly beside her. "The grass was singing beneath your feet. It was very peaceful to watch."

Kay blinked, looking confused but comforted. "The grass was... singing?"

"Everything has a rhythm," Saotome smiled, her voice like a soft bell. "Even the ball. If you listen, it tells you where it wants to go."

"Again... That’s... deep? Or weird. I can’t tell," Kotono said, leaning against the gate and looking at the group with a slight, tired smile. "I just want a peaceful walk home. Maybe stop for some ice cream? My treat if we can all just stay in this one spot without someone getting insulted."

"Ice cream sounds incredible," Orio agreed, looking at the setting sun. "Training was brutal. Amano-san, you coming?"

Amano shook his head slowly. "I’m going to stay for another thirty minutes of reflex drills."

"Hard worker as always, huh? Hehehe" Eiji muttered, with a genuine note of respect in his voice.

As the group chatted and hanged around, Suddenly the chatter died down as a figure walked through the center of the group.

"Hm?" The group turned to face Haizaki.

Haizaki looked away as he just kept walking, his eyes fixed on the pavement, his shadow long and jagged against the Seishou grounds, his grey hair swaying slightly in the breeze, the small teddy bear pin on his pants being a soft contrast to the cold intensity he radiated on them.

"He’s in a mood again," Tetsuya whispered, huddling closer to Uoshima.

"When he's not?" Uoshima muttered, scratching the back of his head.

"There goes the Demon," Eiji whispered, his usual smirk fading into something more somber.

"Let him be," Orio said softly.

"A very lonely one..." Saotome added, her smile never wavering, though her eyes followed the grey-haired boy.

As Haizaki reached the heavy iron gates, The players looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

Shiratori took a step forward, standing right in Haizaki’s path, his arms crossing over his chest, with a flicker of annoyance in his gaze.

Behind him, Kat yapped her fingers into Shiratori's sleeve, "S-Shiratori-san..." she whispered, her wide, anxious eyes darted toward Haizaki’s unreadable face.

The rest of the team stood there expressions darkening.

"Looks like you are going to skip the training again," Shiratori said calmly, despite his jaw remaining tightly set. He leaned forward just an inch, looking straight on his eyes. "You’ve already missed the first half of the session. Why not, for once, stay for the rest of it?"

Haizaki lifted a hand, his fingers tracing a stray string of his hair, twisting it slowly around his index finger with indifference. "I'm not in the mood..."

"This isn't up to you anymore, Haizaki," Shiratori hissed, his hands clenched into tight fists against his ribs. "It's up to the team to decide. Eventually, you will have to attend training like everyone else."

"Meh, I gotta bounce," Haizaki murmured.

"You are impossible, you know that?!" Shiratori’s voice cracked slightly, his teeth grinding together as his frustration threatened to boil over.

"Just calm down, man," Eiji interjected, waving a dismissive hand through the air as he leaned back against the brick wall as he let out a dry, rolling chuckle that lacked any real humor. "You know how it works by now. Why waste the energy, hm?"

Tetsuya sighs, shifting his gaze toward the clouds with an pout. He adjusted the straps of his heavy backpack. "Sincerely, you are fighting your own shadow, Shiratori."

"We are still doing this? Jeez..." Uoshima muttered, shaking his head as he moved closer to Tetsuya, "Some things never change around here. It's the same routine every single Tuesday."

"Give it up, guys," Kotono said, his shoulders slumping. "You all sound like broken records. Can't we just have one peaceful afternoon?"

"Shiratori-san is right," Orio said firmly, his voice cutting through the murmurs as he locked on the back of Haizaki's head.

"Urghhhh...." A collective hiss of indrawn breath echoed from the players, their eyes twitching with irritation.

"You too, Orio?" Eiji groaned, his head snapping toward him. "Come on, don't take the fun out of the slacking."

"This is for the better." Orio ignored taking a step toward the grey-haired striker. "We have to fine-tune some things for tomorrow, Haizaki. You know exactly what's going to happen. The schedule is set. You can't just run off whenever you feel like it."

"It won't matter whether I'm playing in the next match or not," Haizaki said keeping his gaze somewhere else.

"You are pretty full of yourself, aren't you, Haizaki?" Shiratori spat, his voice dropping into a venomous tone.

"Here we go..." Tetsuya whispered, rolling his eyes.

Kat trembled slowly, her knuckles turning white as she clutched Shiratori’s blazer with both hands, trying to pull him back. "P-please, S-Shiratori-san... Don't do this here..."

"Can you two just let him go?" Eiji hissed.

Orio stepped closer, his boots clicking sharply on the asphalt. "You know who we are going to play against, right?."

"Well, I know, duh," Eiji said, rolling his eyes.

"We will need to be at 100% for the game," Orio continued, his voice heavy with the reality of their team's doctrine. "We are not going to play with some rookie team this time. Every single cog in the machine has to turn perfectly."

Eiji let out another long sigh. "Ok, ok. You are right, but-"

"You are being an annoyance, Haizaki," Amano interrupted as he shifting away from the stone pillar he had been leaning against. He crossed his arms over his chest, his face hardening into a glare. "On this team we work hard to achieve results."

"You too, Big Guy?" Eiji groaned, throwing his hands up in the air. "Come on... everyone’s turning into a drill sergeant today."

"I can score points without having to work with you all," Haizaki said casually, closing his eyes for a sec. "It is a waste of time."

The team hissed in unison, as they stared at each other.

"Why you..." Shiratori growled, his lips curling back over his teeth in a snarl of pure rage.

"Jeez! Calm down, Shiratori-san! Can't you see that he is trying to piss you off?" Kotono urged, reaching out a hand to steady him before he did something.

"S... so mean..." Kat whimpered, her lower lip trembling as she shrunk further behind Shiratori’s broad back.

"Urgh... Thanks a bunch, guys," Uoshima muttered, his expression twisting into a cynical grimace. "I always wanted to be humiliated for no reason before my lunch break. Really boosts the morale."

"You three are just boosting his ego by still pleading to him," Eiji hissed, glaring at Orio, Shiratori, and Amano. "He feeds on this stuff."

"Cut it off, Haizaki," Amano rumbled, his deep voice vibrating through the space.

Haizaki stopped walking, he slowly, he tilted his head back, a sharp, smirk spreading across his lips as he looked over his shoulder. "Heh. Don't be so grouchy, Senpai."

"You aren't going anywhere, Haizaki!" Shiratori roared, breaking free from Kat’s grip and stepping directly into the path of the gate.

"Gahhh!" Kat gasps, her eyes wide open.

"Dude, just let him go..." Eiji sighed, his arm extending to catch Shiratori by the shoulder, holding him.

Kat nodded frantically, her face pale as she trembled against the iron bars. "Please, calm down, Shiratori-san..."

"Man... I don't know why you all still try," Kotono sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Bye," Haizaki said as he turned his back on them entirely, taking his first step past the threshold of the academy grounds. He raised his right hand, waving dismissively without looking back.

"Haizaki! Don't give your back to us!" Orio shouted, grinting his tooths.

Haizaki ignores, pulling his hand back into his pocket.

"Well, well, well."

Walking toward them with a slow, deliberate stride was a boy with sharp, a smirk that seemed stuck onto his face.

The team’s eyes widened in unison, a collective gasp escaping them. "Captain!"

"You are here, Mizukamiya," Amano said, his crossed arms lowering slightly.

"Yep," Mizukamiya says, his smirk widening as he tucked his hands into his blazer pockets. He stopped a few paces away, his posture entirely relaxed. "I was right to assume that there was some kind of argument happening around here."

"It was more like an almost fight, Heh." Eiji countered, letting out a breath that was half-sigh, half-laugh.

Haizaki stopped on his tracks as he slowly turned his head, his dark eyes locking onto Mizukamiya with a cold intensity.

"Haizaki," Mizukamiya said voice dropping into an teasing tone. "Why do you deliberately detach yourself from us? Is it because you’ve finally realized how much inferior we are to you?" He tilted his head, his smirk dripping with a calculated, ambiguous provocation.

"Deliberately?" Haizaki asked, looking slightly bored.

"That’s right," Mizukamiya smugly replied, taking a step closer. "Once you put it into your little mind that the opponent team's abilities seems low to you, your plays never fail to change. They turn into one of such indifference... an indifference that stirs up the animosity within the team beautifully." He lets out a soft, mocking hum. "I wonder why that is."

"Don’t accuse me falsely," Haizaki smirked back, "There are times when I’m simply not at my best condition. Even an ace has off days."

"Mhmm," Mizukamiya hummed, his eyes narrowing into thin slits. "Is that really the case? The data usually says otherwise."

"What are you trying to say, Captain?" Haizaki asked, his voice casual and calm.

Mizukamiya’s smirk sharpened, his gaze focused. "Why are you playing football, Haizaki?"

The question hung in the air, heavy and sharp. Haizaki shrugs as he lets out a short, dry laugh. "Because I like football, I suppose," he said, the words dripping with sarcasm.

Mizukamiya smirk turned distinctly knowing. "Raimon Island excites your darker part, doesn't it? Have you already lost interest in them before the whistle even blows?"

"Mind your own business, Captain," Haizaki said looking away.

The two stood there, frozen in a silent stare-down under the sun. Both had smirks across their faces, but their eyes were sharp, dangerous, and full of something that the rest of the team couldn't understand.

"Intense..." Eiji whispered, his voice barely a breath.

"I think we should step back, guys," Uoshima said, his hand extending to grip Tetsuya’s shoulder, pulling the smaller midfielder back toward the safety of the stone pillars.

"Y-yeah..." Tetsuya steps back, his eyes narrowing.

"G-good idea," Kat nodded frantically, her face pale as she scrambled backward, keeping herself firmly out of the line of fire.

The entire team stepped back to create a wide, empty circle around the two of them. 

They stared at each other in confusion, then looked back at the psychological warfare happening in the center of the gate.

"Heh," Haizaki broke the silence, closing his eyes for a brief moment as if the conversation had bored him once again. "Well, I’m off."

"Sure," Mizukamiya said, his voice instantly shifting back to a soft, pleasant tone. "Have a good day, alright? Don't forget to do your homework."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Captain," Haizaki muttered as he turned around, waving his hand dismissively one last time, and walked through the gates, his long shadow stretching out onto the public road.

As the grey-haired striker disappeared around the corner, the remaining players stood like statues, blinking in bewilderment.

"A... ah..."

"Weren't you both just about to get down seconds ago!?" Eiji asked, his hand scratching the back of his head as he looked at Mizukamiya. "I thought we were about to see blood on the asphalt."

Shiratori let out a harsh, frustrated breath. "Captain! How long are you going to let him keep getting away with this? That guy completely upsets the balance of the team!"

"Shiratori is right, Captain," Orio added, his brow furrowed as he crossed his arms. "He can't keep running away from his responsibilities as a regular. It’s a bad precedent for the underclassmen."

Mizukamiya turned to face them, his smirk turning into a lazy, amused grin. "Ah, come on, you two. You are both professional slackers when it comes to the academic side of this school. Let the others enjoy a little slacking on the athletic side too. Balance in all things, right?"

"C-Captain..." Shiratori’s eyes widened in disbelief, his jaw dropping at the blunt, insensitive remark.

"He got you there. Ha!" Eiji laughed, pointing a finger at Shiratori’s red face.

"I knew Captain was with us," Kotono said, letting out a massive sigh of relief as his shoulders finally dropped. "Just let him do whatever he wants. It’s easier that way."

"See? Even the Captain knows that's the best for us," Tetsuya said, crossing his small arms with a triumphant nod. "Why fight it?"

"Oh?" Mizukamiya raised his eyebrows, his head tilting slightly. "I don't remember saying that either."

The entire team’s eyes widened in unison, a collective gasp echoing through the gate.

"Wha-...?"

"W-what do you mean, Captain?" Eiji stuttered, his laughter dying instantly. "Aren't we supposed to just ignore him?"

"Aren't we supposed to keep him from running away?!" Orio asked, looking more confused than ever.

"Both sides are wrong," Mizukamiya said cheerfully, closing his eyes with a unbothered smile.

"Eeh? And what are we supposed to do then?" Amano asked, his gruff voice laced with irritation.

"Nothing," Mizukamiya smiled.

The team's eyes widened even further.

"E..eh...?"

"T-that doesn't help us... at all..." Shiratori muttered, his hand dropping to his side.

"It really doesn't..." Orio added, shaking his head.

"Haizaki is a wild card, a master of his own," Mizukamiya said, his tone turning analytical despite his smile. "It doesn't matter what you all say or do. Nothing will change his trajectory until he decides to change it himself. Words are just noise to him."

"Well... that’s right for sure," Kotono nodded reluctantly, his eyes tracing the empty road where Haizaki had walked.

"He may be good or whatever, but he is still useless to us if he isn't on the field during drills," Tetsuya mutters with a pout as he looked away.

"Useless or not, all of us acknowledge his decisiveness when he actually puts it to use on match day," Mizukamiya said, his eyes opening slightly to fix each of them with a indisputable truth. "That’s why you haven't kicked him off the team yourselves."

"But this is setting a bad reputation around the school in the name of the football club," Shiratori insisted, his voice low with concern.

"Maybe..." Mizukamiya sighed, his smirk returning as he turned back toward the pitches. "But then again, winning matches tends to clear up a reputation faster than a broom."

The team stood in a silent circle, staring at each other, unsure of what their next move should be after everything that happen today.

Nearby, Saotome adjusted her bag, she looks around at her distressed teammates with that same smile the only thing she had contributed to the entire argument.

High above them, framed by the dark tint of a third-floor window in the main academic building, The Midoukozan's coach watched the entire exchange through the glass, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, as he just watched the pieces move across the board, waiting for the collision that was only a day away.

...

Asuto walked around the mainland city, The afternoon sun bathed the sprawling metropolis in a warm, golden hue. The sidewalks were packed with a rushing tide of people, businessmen in crisp suits hurrying with briefcases, groups of teenagers laughing around crepe stands, and delivery workers weaving their bikes through the crowds.

He walked at a slow pace, his head swiveling left and right as he took in the towering skyscrapers and the massive billboards playing advertisements on loop.

"Hmmm, I wonder where it could be..." Asuto muttered, rubbing his chin as he scanned the storefronts. 

He checked the map on his phone, then looked back up at the signs. "Oh! There!"

Tucked between a massive electronics store and a bustling ramen shop was a quiet, modest craft and stationery store. A small wooden sign shaped like a paintbrush hung above the door. Asuto hurried inside, greeted by the soft chime of a bell and the comforting scent of fresh paper, dried flowers, and wood.

A short while later, the bell chimed again, and Asuto stepped back out onto the busy pavement. He was holding a small present box tucked securely under his arm.

"Hehe, mission accomplished!" he smiled, puffing his chest out slightly. He patted the box, thinking of Ootani and the new memory album they were going to start.

"Alright! Time to go back..." Asuto adjusted his jacket, turning his heels in the direction of the team's dormitory.

As he prepared to navigate his way back to the train station, a sudden burst of sound caught his attention. Right next door was a massive, multi-level Game Center. Through the glass doors, Asuto saw someone familiar.

"Haizaki..." Asuto whispered, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

Without a second thought, Asuto changed his course and walked right into the arcade. The interior was loud and vibrant, filled with rows of colorful cabinets, flashing screens, and various people playing around. Teenagers were shouting over fighting games, couples were laughing by the photo booths, and the constant clatter of tokens echoed everywhere.

"Hehe, this arcade is bigger than the island one..." Asuto said, looking around. The sheer scale of the place brought a wave of nostalgia for the small, dusty arcade back on Inakuni, even if this one was a hundred times louder.

He navigated through the maze of machines until he found his target. Haizaki was standing squarely in front of a brightly lit crane machine labeled UFO Catcher. His posture was rigid, his eyes calm, dark, and intensely focused on the metal claw hovering over a pile of stuffed animals.

"Hello!" Asuto said cheerfully, stopping right next to the Seishou Academy ace.

"Eh?" Haizaki says without letting go of the joystick.

"Haizaki from Seishou Academy, right? I guess I’ll be watching your match tomorrow," Asuto smiled, leaning against the side of the machine.

Haizaki turned his attention completely back to the crane claw, tapping the joystick to inch it to the left. "Who are you?"

"Just a fan, heh. I'll cheer for your victory in the upcoming game." Asuto waved his hand playfully, turning back as if to leave the boy to his game.

"Hm..." Haizaki stared at Asuto’s back, his eyes narrowing slightly as Asuto walked away with a casual, bouncy step.

Before Asuto could get too far, Haizaki spoke up, his gaze returning to the prize bin. "Asuto Inamori, right? From that weak school."

"Hm?" Asuto stopped and turned back, his smile remaining bright. "Oh, that's right, though we are stronger than before, hehe." Asuto crossed his arms and offered a confident smirk.

"You still lost to me," Haizaki replied, pressing the drop button. "That doesn't mean anything to me."

Asuto nodded slowly, his expression shifting to a calm, grounded smile. "Yep. We did lose. But experience is experience. Everything is important to help us improve as a team, and it will lead us to go further into the Nationals."

Haizaki scoffed, watching the metal claw descend toward the plush toys. "You think you can do that with low-level abilities like yours?"

Asuto nodded again, his optimism entirely unbothered by the insult. "Heh, everything has to start from somewhere, you know?"

Haizaki rolled his eyes, looking profoundly bored by the conversation. "Yeah, yeah…"

Asuto rubbed his chin, watching the claw grip a toy. "Oh, by the way, you seem pretty calm for someone who is going to have a pretty important match very soon. Don’t you have to make your final adjustments with your team before the game?"

"I’m not playing in tomorrow’s match," Haizaki said flatly.

Asuto’s eyes widened in genuine shock. "Really? Why not? Aren’t you a starter?"

Haizaki tapped the side of the machine as the claw lifted its prize. "I decide whether to be in the match or not. I don’t feel like playing tomorrow. That’s why I won’t be in the match. End of story."

"Seishou Academy allows that kind of excuse?!" Asuto stepped forward, completely baffled by the concept of a player choosing to abandon his team on match day.

Haizaki smirked smugly, a dark pride in his voice. "Yeah, when you’re as good as me."

"Aren't you going to lose out on a great match?" Asuto pressed, genuinely unable to understand the logic.

Haizaki snapped. He spun around, his eyes glaring fiercely at Asuto. "Shut up! I can do what I want!"

Asuto blinked, taking a small step back, confused by the sudden spike in hostility.

At that exact moment, the crane claw moved over the chute and opened with a mechanical whir. A small, brown teddy bear dropped down into the collection bin with a soft *thud*.

The anger vanished from Haizaki's face instantly. He knelt down, reached through the plastic flap, and pulled the teddy bear out. As he looked at the small plush, his face softened into a surprisingly gentle, protective expression. 

Without another word to Asuto, Haizaki turned around. "Bye."

He walked past Asuto and headed straight for the exit, his posture relaxed as he carried the small bear out into the evening streets.

Asuto watched him disappear into the crowd, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Haizaki..." he whispered, his mind spinning with questions about the enigmatic ace.

...

Across town, Inside the grand conference hall of the Z-Seminar corporate headquarters, A massive crowd of journalists, sports reporters, and paparazzi had gathered, cramming against the velvet ropes. The room echoed with a wall of noise, arguments breaking out over camera angles, loud voices shouting questions into the empty air, and the constant, blinding flashes of camera lenses.

Security guards in black suits pushed back against the barricades, trying to keep the aggressive paparazzi in check.

Deep within the crowd, hidden among the crew of people, stood Kozoumaru.

Breathing heavily his chest rising and falling in short, anxious gasps. His eyes narrowed, darting across the chaotic room. He hissed through his teeth, the noise and the bright flashes getting on his nerves, but he refused to leave. His gaze was locked firmly on the empty stage at the front of the hall, flanked by massive banners bearing the logos of Z-Seminar and the football team Kidokawa Fireball.

Slowly, the side doors near the stage opened.

The building immediately fell into a tense, expectant silence. The paparazzi scrambled to their seats, raising their cameras as the guests of honor entered.

First came the Z-Seminar CEO, wearing an expensive suit and dabbing his sweating forehead with a white handkerchief. Behind him was Kidokawa Fireball's Coach, Nikaidou Shuugo, walking with rigid steps. Next was a little girl with sharp eyes who glanced toward the crowd, catching Kozoumaru's glare for a fraction of a second before quickly turning her gaze away.

And finally, walking at the back of the group, was Gouenji Shuuya.

Kozoumaru hissed, grinding his teeth. He stared at the legendary Flaming Striker, his idol, the very reason he played soccer the way he did.

The group took their seats behind the long table on the stage. A fresh wave of camera flashes lit up the room, capturing every angle of the Kidokawa team.

"Welcome, welcome everyone to this press conference," the Z-Seminar CEO said, leaning into his microphone and bowing nervously to the crowd.

He cleared his throat, adjusting his tie. "This press conference was organized to deliver exciting announcements for this new year of business... and to deliver an important announcement regarding the team we are very, very, very proud of sponsoring, Kidokawa Fireball!"

The CEO pointed toward Coach Shuugo and Gouenji.

A polite round of applause rippled through the room. Kozoumaru didn't clapped his eyes remaining narrowed locked onto Gouenji's face.

"Right, we will... start with the announcement," the CEO said, his voice trembling slightly. He reached up and wiped his forehead with the napkin again.

The journalists leaned forward as room went dead silent.

"Gouenji Shuuya... the Flaming Striker, the Emperor of the Goals, Number 10 and Captain from our team Kidokawa Fireball...." The CEO paused, closing his eyes as if bracing for an impact.

Kozoumaru held his breath.

"...will be leaving Kidokawa Fireball into retirement."

Kozoumaru's eyes widened in sheer terror. His fingers twitched violently at his sides, his breath catching painfully in his throat.

The room exploded as quickly dozens of reporters leaped out of their chairs, shouting questions around the room.

"Retirement?! At his age?!"

"Coach Nikaidou, what does this mean for the Football Frontier?!"

"Look this way, Gouenji-san!"

The paparazzi flooded forward, pressing hard against the barricades as the security team yelled at them to step back. Flashes firing rapidly.

"Gouenji-san, is it an injury?!"

Amidst the chaos, Kozoumaru stood still paralyzed by the shock of the words. His heart hammering against his ribs.

"W...why... Gouenji-sama..." Kozoumaru whispered, his voice completely drowned out by the shouting reporters.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging painfully into his palms. "W...why... why would you do that..." he hissed, grinding his teeth.

On the stage, the little girl looked away from the crowd, her expression shielded. Coach Shuugo stared straight ahead, his face unreadable.

And in the center of it all, bathed in the flashing lights of a hundred cameras, Gouenji sat motionless, staring forward at the cameras.

As the press conference officially ended, The security personnel quickly moved, forming a tight, human wall around Gouenji, Coach Nikaidou, and the little girl.

The paparazzi surged forward, their cameras flashing blindly, turning the walkway into a harsh and lit tunnel.

"Coach Nikaidou! Is this a forced retirement by the sponsors?!" a reporter shouted, shoving a microphone over the shoulder of a security guard.

Coach Nikaidou kept his gaze fixed straight ahead. "No comment."

"Is it a medical issue? A permanent injury?!" another journalist yelled, throwing himself against the human barricade.

"No comment," the coach repeated, his voice flat and uncompromising.

"Gouenji-san! Gouenji-san, please! Look at the camera! Have you lost your passion for the sport? What about the Football Frontier?!"

Gouenji walked in silence. He kept his hands in his pockets, his face shielded by the collar of his jacket. Beside him, the little girl kept her head down, her small hands gripping the edge of her brother's coat, avoiding the blinding flashes of the cameras.

Kozoumaru pushed his way out of the main hall, following close behind the mob. He hissed as a reporter bumped hard into his shoulder, elbowing the man out of the way.

"Hey! What's your problem kid!?" The reporter shouts.

Kozoumaru gritted his teeth, his eyes desperately tracking the back of Gouenji's jacket through the sea of people.

They reached the glass doors of the building as two black, tinted cars were idling by the curb.

The security guards moved quickly, opening the doors. Gouenji gently guided the little girl into the backseat of the first car, sliding in right after her. The heavy door slammed shut as Coach Nikaidou and the Z-Seminar CEO hurried into the second vehicle.

The paparazzi swarmed the cars, slapping their hands against the tinted windows and shouting muffled questions. The engines revved loudly. The drivers honked their horns, slowly forcing the crowd to part before accelerating sharply down the street.

Kozoumaru ran to the edge of the sidewalk, breathing heavily. He looked around frantically. A yellow taxi was just dropping off a passenger a few meters away. Kozoumaru sprinted toward it, yanking the back door open before the driver could even put the car in park.

"Follow those two black cars!" Kozoumaru yelled, pointing down the road as he threw himself onto the backseat.

The driver blinked, looking at the angry teenager in his rearview mirror. He nodded quickly, shifted gears, and slammed on the gas.

...

A few minutes later, the taxi pulled up to the entrance of the central city hospital.

The two black cars were parked near the emergency loading zone. The paparazzi who had followed them from the press conference had surrounded the main glass doors.

Hospital security guards were standing in a line, pushing back against the reporters to keep them from entering the lobby. Several nurses had come outside frustrated as they tried to manage the noise.

"You need to leave right now!" one of the nurses shouted, holding up her hands. "This is a hospital! You are disturbing the patients!"

"The public has a right to know why a national star is hiding in a medical facility!" a photographer yelled back, trying to angle his camera over the nurse's head.

"Turn those cameras off! Have some respect!" another nurse argued, pushing a microphone away. "If you don't step back, we are calling the police!"

"Just give us one statement from Gouenji-san!"

Kozoumaru paid the taxi driver quickly, throwing the bills onto the passenger seat, and rushed toward the crowd.

He dropped, channeling the instincts he used on the soccer field. He slipped into the mass of reporters, moving with sharp, calculated agility. He feinted to the right, forcing a large cameraman to step back, and then ducked under the extended arm of a sound technician. He wove through the gaps in the crowd, his sturdy frame brushing past the adults with ease.

He reached the front of the pack, hissing as a camera strap caught his arm. He ripped it off and stepped toward the sliding glass doors.

Suddenly, a woman stepped directly into his path, throwing her arms out wide.

"Stop right there!" she ordered. It was the general nurse, her eyes wide and panicked. "Nobody can enter this building until the media goes away! We are on lockdown!"

Kozoumaru stopped in his tracks, his cleats scraping against the concrete. He looked up, his eyes narrowing as he recognized her.

"Nurse Fuyuka, it's me," Kozoumaru said, his voice tense but steady.

Nurse Fuyuka blinked, the panic in her expression fading into surprise. She slowly lowered her arms, shaking her head. "Ah! Kozoumaru-san." Her face softened with sympathy, but she didn't move out of the way. "I'm sorry, Kozoumaru-san... You can't get in-"

"I can't let him do this, Nurse Fuyuka," Kozoumaru interrupted, his voice dropping into a harsh hiss. His eyes focused, filled with a desperate, burning determination. "He will not get rid of me this easily. I need to know why he did that on the stage. Please, let me in."

Fuyuka stared at him. She saw the raw emotion in his eyes, knowing what Gouenji meant to him.

She let out a soft sigh, her shoulders dropping. "A-alright. You may go in." She nodded, taking a slow step to the side to clear the doorway.

"Thanks very much!" Kozoumaru didn't waste a single second. He sprinted past her, the automatic doors sliding open just in time.

"Hey! You can't get in!"

As Kozoumaru rushed into the lobby, a harsh voice echoed from the hallway. A young man stepped out into the open. He had pale skin, a sharp jawline, and a distinct brown mohawk-like hairstyle with white streaks at the sides. He wore a dark green jacket and glared fiercely at the commotion at the doors.

Nurse Fuyuka quickly turned back to the crowd outside. The paparazzi had seen Kozoumaru slip inside and were now pushing harder against the security line, trying to follow him.

"Fudou-kun! Help me out!" Fuyuka shouted over the noise.

Fudou's eyes widened as he saw the mob of reporters crushing against the glass. He sprinted past Kozoumaru, heading straight for the automatic doors. He hit the front lines with physical force, violently shoving a heavy-set reporter backward.

"Stay out, you vultures!" Fudou hissed, his voice loud and threatening. He stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the security guards, his glare so intense that the front row of paparazzi actually took a step back.

Kozoumaru quickly ran down the main corridor, his heart pounding in his chest. The hospital was large, with long, sterile white hallways branching off in multiple directions. He started checking the waiting areas and the open consultation rooms, looking through the small glass windows on the doors.

Empty. 

Empty.

A doctor reading a chart. 

And empty.

He hissed in frustration, dragging a hand through his hair, he was wasting time. He quickly turned around and walked briskly toward the main reception desk at the center of the lobby.

He slapped his hands down on the high counter, startling the receptionist sitting behind the computer monitor.

"Where is Gouenji-sama at?" Kozoumaru demanded, his voice rough and breathless.

"Ah!" The nurse at the reception desk jumped, her eyes widening as she looked up at the angry teenager. She held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Calm down, Kozoumaru-san. Gouenji-sama is in a private room. Nobody has authorization to get in there besides the medical staff."

"It is urgent! I need to see him! Please tell me where!" Kozoumaru hissed. He slammed his fist against the wooden counter, the loud sound echoing across the quiet waiting area.

"Kozoumaru-san!" the nurse shouted back, her tone sharp and authoritative.

Kozoumaru flinched. He pulled his hand back, turning his head away as a wave of guilt hit him for losing his temper in a hospital.

"Calm yourself down," she said, her voice dropping back to a firm, professional level.

Kozoumaru closed his eyes. He took a long, deep breath, forcing the air slowly into his lungs. He exhaled heavily, the tension in his shoulders dropping slightly. He nodded, looking back at her.

"Gouenji-sama requested that nobody gets inside," the nurse explained, looking at her computer screen. "And when he meant nobody, he said nobody. Not even you."

Kozoumaru felt a cold knot form in his stomach. He gripped the edge of the counter. "Then what is happening?! Yuuka-chan seemed just ok, why are they here!?" he hissed, keeping his voice lower this time, but unable to hide the panic leaking into his words.

"It would be good if you asked that to Gouenji-sama personally," she said, her expression sympathetic but resolute.

"How!?" Kozoumaru asked, his frustration bubbling up again. "I can't even get in!"

"Wait up until they get out of the room. It's easier," the nurse said, turning her attention back to her keyboard and continuing her work.

Kozoumaru sighed. He let go of the counter and took a step back. He stood there in the middle of the lobby.

He couldn't understand what was happening. Gouenji was healthy. He was at the peak of his career. Yuuka was walking fine. None of it made any sense. But with the doors locked and strict orders given, there was absolutely nothing else he could do.

He walked over to a row of plastic chairs near the hallway entrance. He sat down heavily, resting his elbows on his knees and staring down at the floor. He had to wait.

Kozoumaru sat on the edge of the hard plastic chair, his fingers intertwined tightly as he stared at the floor, his mind racing from the announcement at the press conference. The steady, muted hum of the building's ventilation system was the only sound cutting through his thoughts.

Then, the heavy glass double doors at the end of the hall slid open with a soft, mechanical hiss.

Kozoumaru snapped his head up. Walking through the entrance was a someone he recognized instantly, Haizaki walked with his gaze cast low, his hands buried deep inside his jacket pockets, his shoulders hunched as if trying to shrink away from the bright overhead lights.

Kozoumaru’s eyebrows rose in confusion. He shifted slightly in his chair, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Haizaki Ryouhei..."

Haizaki walked directly to the reception desk, his movements heavy and deliberate. He pulled a black plastic pen from the counter and began signing a stack of visitor papers, his hand moving in quick, jagged strokes. The nurse behind the desk watched him with a quiet, familiar nod, as he finished. When he was done, Haizaki dropped the pen, picked up a small plastic security badge, and walked away toward the long-term care wing of the hospital.

Instinct took over. Kozoumaru slid out of his chair, keeping his footsteps completely silent against the polished floor. He took cover behind a thick concrete pillar near the intersection, waiting for Haizaki to turn the corner. As the grey-haired striker moved deeper into the corridors, Kozoumaru followed at a distance, ducking behind covers to ensure he wasn't spotted.

Haizaki walked down the hallway until he reached a door near the end of the hall. He stopped directly in front of it. Slowly, he reached into his bag and pulled out the small, brown teddy bear he had won. He held it up, staring at the fur and the glass eyes for a long, quiet second. A heavy, ragged sigh escaped his lips.

He reached out, turned the handle, and pushed the door open, leaving it slightly open as he stepped inside.

Kozoumaru moved quickly, pressing his back against the painted drywall just outside the room. He turned his head slightly, peering through the open gap of the door hinge.

Inside, the room was illuminated in a dull, sterile light. A young girl with long, dark hair sat motionless in a high-backed vinyl chair right next to the window. Her hands rested limply in her lap. She was staring blankly out at the sky and the distant rooftops, her eyes completely devoid of life, recognition or any awareness of her surroundings.

"Penguin-chan..." Haizaki said softly. The cold, dangerous edge of his voice was completely gone, replaced by a raw, fragile quiet. He took a slow step closer to her chair.

He lifted his hand, holding the brown teddy bear out toward her face.

"You like this kind of stuff, don’t you?" he said.

The girl didn't move as her gaze remained distant, locked on the empty sky outside the glass. Haizaki stood there for a long moment, his extended hand trembling slightly before he slowly lowered it back to his side.

Watching from the corner of the door, Kozoumaru’s eyes narrowed.

Haizaki walked up to the bedside tray table, carefully setting the plush bear down next to a plastic water pitcher. He turned back to look at her, his red eyes turning sharp and intense, fracturing with an immense, unspoken pain. "How do I get you back... Penguin-chan..."

He closed his eyes tightly, the silence of the hospital room pressing in on him, and the heavy memories of the past began to flood his mind.

...

~It was a hot summer afternoon. A small, rusted moving truck was parked along the curb of a quiet apartment block, its back doors open as workers hauled boxes of clothes and old wooden furniture into the house right next to Haizaki's.

A young Haizaki was sitting flat on the dirt ground directly outside his front door. His clothes slightly dirty, his hair messy, and his knees were pulled tightly against his chest. Wrapped securely around his neck was a heavy nylon leash, the thick metal clasp rattling against his collarbone, anchored firmly to a heavy iron ring bolted directly into the wall behind him. He was staring intensely into the dirt, his fingers clawing at his shins.

As he heard the crunch of gravel. He tilted his head to the side, his red eyes widening as a young girl suddenly appeared right in front of him. She was carrying a box filled with old picture books, colorful blocks, and worn-out toys. She stopped a few feet away, looking down at him with a wide, intensely curious gaze.

"Ghrrr..." Haizaki hissed from the back of his throat. He bared his sharp teeth, his eyes filling with a feral, defensive anger as he crouched low against the step.

The girl simply tilted her head to the left, blinking slowly at his display of aggression. Haizaki continued to grind his teeth, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps as he stared her down, trying to look as dangerous as possible to keep her away.

"Hello!" the girl said suddenly, a bright, unbothered smile breaking across her face.

"Ghrrrr..." Haizaki growled louder, his shoulders tensing as he prepared to lunge if she took another step.

She blinked again, completely unfazed by the threat. Carefully, she set her heavy box of toys down onto the gravel path and knelt in the dirt. She began digging through the clutter, her small hands moving plastic trucks and blocks out of the way. Haizaki’s eyes tracked her every movement, his growl steady and low, waiting for a weapon. Instead, she pulled out a small, soft teddy bear.

"Here!" she smiled proudly, holding the bear up toward his face.

Haizaki’s growl caught in his throat. He blinked, his brow furrowing in deep confusion. He looked from the plush toy to her bright eyes and back again.

"Take it! It is the token of our new friendship!" she said softly, her voice warm and entirely genuine.

Haizaki pulled himself back against the doorframe, his face twisting into an expression of bitter annoyance glaring at her.

"Ayane, darling, come here!" a woman’s voice called out from the back of the moving truck, a hand waving from the distance to pull her back to the boxes.

"Coming, mommy!" the girl called back over her shoulder. She turned back to Haizaki, carefully placed the teddy bear on the concrete step just inches outside his feet, and stood up. She backed away slowly, waving at him with a cheerful grin before turning and running toward her parents.

Haizaki watched her small form disappear behind the steel doors of the neighboring apartment. He looked down at the brown plush toy sitting on the step. With a sharp hiss of annoyance, he kicked at the dirt, pulling the bear closer to himself with a grumpy, reluctant swipe of his foot.

As the night came and the temperature dropped over the concrete landing, the alley grew dark and cold. Haizaki was shivering slightly under the open sky. Slowly, his small hands reached out, dragging the soft, insulated teddy bear against his chest. As he finally fell asleep on the hard ground, he wrapped his arms tightly around it, resting his hand on top of the soft fabric.

The sun rose early the next morning, warming the gray rooftops and waking the neighborhood. Doors began to click open, and the distant sound of morning traffic echoed down the street. Haizaki was still sleeping peacefully on the landing, his face nuzzled deep into the plush fur of the bear.

"Ryouhei... Sweetheart, what is that you are holding?"

The sharp, dripping voice sliced through his sleep. Haizaki’s eyes snapped open, his pupils contracting instantly. A long, manicured hand with sharp nails was reaching down toward his face, intending to snatch the toy away.

Instinct took over completely. Haizaki bolted upright, baring his teeth, and let out a ferocious bark, snapping his jaws violently within an inch of the woman's fingers. "Ghrrr..."

"Gah!" the woman gasped, pulling her hand back sharply as her heels clicked against the concrete. She took a slow step backward.

Haizaki stood up as he lets out a continuous, dangerous hiss against her. He kept his left palm pressed firmly on top of the teddy bear.

The woman recovered instantly, as she smiles. Her gaze was entirely devoid of warmth. "Hm, look at who decided to wake up... The little puppy..."

She leaned closer, "Seems like our new neighbors are brave enough to interact with us. I wonder how long they will last until they realize what an abomination we really are, hm?"

"GHRAAA!!!" Haizaki screamed, barking with rage as he lunged off the steps directly at her.

*Snap!*

The heavy nylon leash caught violently around his neck. The collar bit into his skin, completely cutting off his breath and throwing his small frame backward onto the concrete with a heavy thud. He gasped for air, the metal ring holding him back as he writhed on the floor.

The woman watched him struggle with indifference, casually reaching up to adjust a stray strand of her hair. "Now, have respect for your mother."

She turned her back on him, stepped inside the house, and shut the door firmly, the heavy lock clicking into place from the inside.

Haizaki sat on the hard floor, his throat burning. Rage boiled through his veins. He grabbed the teddy bear from the concrete and hurled it violently against the brick wall, his entire body vibrating with furious, unchecked anger.

A little while later, the neighboring door clicked open. Ayane walked out of her house, taking a deep breath of the fresh morning air. She looked around the yard, wondering what to do next, until her eyes drifted to the side. Spotting Haizaki sitting in the shadows of the porch, she smiled brightly and ran right over.

"Hello!" she waved cheerfully.

"Ghrrr..." Haizaki hisses through his teeth, his hands resting heavily on his knees, thoroughly annoyed by her persistence.

She stopped a few feet away, standing just outside of the radius of his leash. She tilted her head, her eyes dropping to the dark band around his throat. "Why are you on a leash?"

"Ghrrrrrrr..." Haizaki’s growl deepened, his teeth grinding together.

Ayane blinked, her curiosity only growing. Instead of running away in fear, she deliberately sat down on the gravel path, crossing her legs and staring directly into his fierce red eyes.

Haizaki’s growl hitches. His eyebrows rose in sheer, baffled confusion.

Suddenly, Ayane grinned. "Woof!" she barks happily.

Haizaki’s eyes went wide in absolute shock.

"Woof! Woof!" she barked again, leaning forward with an energetic wiggle, giggling at her own imitation.

"Stop toying with me, I'll bite you," Haizaki hissed, his fingers clawing into the stone step beneath him. "I'll tear you to pieces!"

"Ah! You can talk!" Ayane smiled widely, nodding her head cheerfully as if she had just discovered a wonderful secret.

"Ugh..." Haizaki let out a massive, exhausted sigh, dropping his chin into his palm and looking away toward the wooden fence.

"My name is Ayane! What's your name?" she asked, leaning her weight forward on her hands, completely unbothered by his threats.

"Leave me alone," Haizaki muttered, refusing to look back at her.

"Hm hm!" Ayane nodded quickly, entirely ignoring his rejection. She studied his face with sharp, analytical eyes. "You have red eyes and sharp teeth! You look just like a shark, so I'll call you Shark-kun!"

Haizaki snapped his head back toward her, in indignation.

"Let's be friends, Shark-kun! Hehehe!" Ayane said, her eyes crinkling with genuine joy.

Haizaki stared at her, his eyes narrowing into slits as he measured the distance between them. Suddenly, Ayane leaned forward just an inch into his zone and stretched out her arm.

*Bop!*

Her small index finger tapped the very tip of Haizaki's nose.

Haizaki’s eyes went wide, completely frozen as he looked down at his own nose.

"Ehehehe!" Ayane giggled, quickly scrambling backward out of reach.

The shock wore off instantly, replaced by an explosion of furious pride. "Ghrrrr..." Haizaki snarls.

"GHRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" he barks at the top of his lungs, lunging off the concrete stairs with his jaws wide open, sprinting directly for her.

"Heheheheheheh!" Ayane shrieks with laughter running in nimble circles around him. Haizaki spun and lunged, his claws scraping the dirt, the collar pulling tight against his throat as he tried to catch her dress, but she stayed exactly one inch beyond his reach. She followed him around the perimeter, her loud, echoing giggles filling the alleyway for hours while Haizaki exhaustively tried to track her down.

"Hehehehehehehheheheh!"

"Ghraaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!"

As the days turned into weeks, Every single morning, the neighboring door would slide open, and Ayane would appear like clockwork, bringing her endless energy into the quiet yard.

Haizaki would sit completely motionless on the concrete steps, pretending to be fast asleep, waiting for her to come close enough for another nose bop so he could snap his jaws shut. But Ayane could always read the slight tension in his leg muscles, slipping backward just out of bounds the exact millisecond he struck.

"ARGH!!! Leave me alone you brat!!!" Haizaki shouts.

"Hehehehehehehehehe!"

He tried kicking loose gravel to trip her up, or lunging at odd angles to catch her, but she always dodged his efforts. Her bright summer dresses would flutter just beyond his fingertips, followed immediately by her melodic giggles echoing through the alley.

The constant failure frustrated him, but slowly, the nature of his anger began to shift. The feral, murderous intent drained out of his attacks, replaced by a stubborn, competitive drive to simply win the game.

He wanted to catch the brat. Eventually, he stopped lunging altogether, just sit on the steps with his arms crossed, watching her approach with a heavy scowl.

One afternoon, Ayane ran over carrying a large, heavy picture book with a colorful cover showing various wild animals. She plopped down on the gravel close to his feet, opening the thick pages with an excited flourish.

"Good afternoon, Shark-kun!" She giggles.

She began flipping through the pages, pointing at illustrations of lions, giraffes, and bears, rattling off facts she had learned in class. Haizaki turned his back to her, leaning his shoulder against the wooden front door with his eyes closed.

"And the elephants use their big ears to fly up into the sky when they get scared!" Ayane announced proudly, pointing a finger at a drawing of an African elephant.

Haizaki’s eyes twitched. His jaw tightens. "They don't fly, you idiot! They use their ears to cool themselves down because they can't sweat like humans do! Don't make up garbage facts!"

Ayane let out a playful pout, her lower lip sticking out as she looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Hmph! I knew that! Those weren't really my favorite animals anyway. I was just testing you, Shark-kun!"

She quickly shuffled the thick pages forward, the paper rustling loudly until she reached a section painted in bright blues and stark whites. "See? This is my real favorite!"

Haizaki looked down. The page covered in detailed illustrations of various types of penguins standing on massive ice sheets.

"Hmph. The penguins," Haizaki muttered, crossing his arms and looking unimpressed. "If they're really your favorite, tell me an actual fact about them instead of making up more fairy tales."

Ayane puffed her small chest out, her eyes shining with absolute confidence. "That's easy! Penguins are birds, but they forgot how to fly in the sky so they could learn how to fly underwater! 

"And when they find a person they like, they give them a perfect, smooth pebble to show their love! And the daddy penguins have to balance the eggs on their feet for months in the freezing snow without eating anything at all, just to keep them warm!" She rattled the facts off in a single, breathless burst, her face slightly flushed with excitement.

Haizaki listened to her in silence. His brow softened slightly, He let out a quiet, dismissive huff, looking away toward the fence. "Hmph. At least you actually opened the book for once, Penguin-chan."

Ayane froze. Her eyes widened open filled her with joy. "Ah! You gave me a nickname! Penguin-chan! I love it!"

Haizaki's face instantly turned bright red with embarrassment and regret. "Ghrrr..." he snarled, his teeth baring as his ears burned. "Don't get cocky, brat! I'll eat you alive!"

"GHRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Haizaki roared, lunging off the steps with a frantic, explosive burst of speed.

"Ehehehehehe!" Ayane shrieked with laughter, her book slamming shut as she sprang to her feet. She bolted in a wide circle around the gravel yard, her hair flying behind her as Haizaki chased her to the absolute limit of his leash, his furious growls drowned out by the bright, beautiful sound of her endless giggles.

In another day, Haizaki lay flat on his back on the rough ground right outside his front door.

He was completely bored, his mind blank as he stared up at the underside of the second-floor walkway overhead. His left arm rested loosely across his stomach. His right hand was raised to his throat.

His fingers dug into the irritated, raw skin around his neck close to the leash, He closed his eyes, letting out a long, irritated sigh through his nose.

*Pat. Pat. Pat.*

Haizaki didn't bother opening his eyes as he heard the sound, He recognized the rhythm of those footsteps entirely.

"Shark-kun!!!"

Ayane’s called out, Haizaki groaned quietly, dropping his hand from his bruised neck. He slowly opened his red eyes, turning his head against the gritty concrete to look at her.

Ayane stopped a few feet away from where he was laying on the ground. She was breathing heavily, her face flushed red from running under the sun. Her hair was completely messy, pieces of it sticking to her forehead with sweat, and her knees were covered in fresh scuffs from kneeling in the dirt, her dark eyes were wide and filled with a bright, intense focus.

Her hands were cupped tightly together in front of her chest, holding something carefully.

"What do you want?" Haizaki mumbled, his voice carrying his usual rough, hostile edge.

Ayane quickly dropped down to her knees right beside him, the rough fabric of her skirt brushing against the concrete. She leaned forward, lowering her cupped hands closer to his face.

"Look what I found in the bushes near the street," she whispered, keeping her voice incredibly soft, as if she were afraid of waking someone up.

Haizaki stared at her hands for a second, He shifted his head slightly, peering into the small gap between her fingers.

Sitting in the palm of her hand was a tiny, brown sparrow.

It was incredibly small, its feathers ruffled and coated in a thin layer of dust. The bird was entirely terrified. Haizaki could see its tiny chest rising and falling in rapid, panicked breaths, its small black eyes darting wildly. Its right wing hung at an awkward angle, dragging limply against Ayane’s fingers.

Haizaki stared at the small animal. He looked at the broken wing, and then looked up at Ayane's bright, determined face.

"It fell out of the nest, I think," Ayane explained, her voice gentle. She carefully shifted her thumb, lightly stroking the top of the sparrow's head. The bird flinched slightly but remained trapped in her hands. "A cat was watching it under the cars. I had to crawl through the dirt to get it before the cat did. Its wing is completely busted."

Haizaki looked back down at the bird. He understood exactly what he was looking at. In the wild, an animal with a broken wing was completely defenseless. It couldn't fly, chained to the ground, waiting helplessly for something bigger and stronger to come along and tear it apart eventually.

He raised his hand lazily scratching the chafed skin on his neck again.

"Just put it out of its misery," Haizaki said bluntly, his tone completely flat and devoid of any emotion.

Ayane blinked, her hands pulling back slightly. "What?"

"You heard me," Haizaki answered, "It can't fly. It can't run. It’s totally useless like that. It’s just going to suffer on the ground until it starves or until that cat comes back to finish the job. If you really care about it, just snap its neck right now."

Ayane stared at him for a long, quiet second. Then, completely shattering the dark, heavy logic he had just delivered, she let out a bright, genuine giggle.

"Hehehe! You are so silly, Shark-kun," Ayane said, shaking her head. A wide, warm smile spread across her face.

Haizaki flinched slightly, completely caught off guard. His eyebrows pulled together in a confused glare. "I am being serious. It's broken."

"Things can be fixed," Ayane corrected him, completely ignoring his dark logic. She looked down at the trembling sparrow, her eyes softening entirely. "It’s not useless. It’s just hurt. I’m going to take it inside. I can use some popsicle sticks from the kitchen to make a little splint for its wing, and I’ll use medical tape to wrap it up so it stays entirely straight."

She spoke rapidly, already forming her plan of action.

"I'll put it in a shoebox with some old, soft towels," she continued. "I can crush up some seeds and use a little dropper to give it water. I’ll keep it safe in my room where nothing can hurt it. I’ll feed it, and I’ll take care of it properly every single day until the bone heals completely."

She looked up from the bird, her eyes locking directly onto Haizaki's red gaze.

"And when it’s totally healed, and it can move its wing again," Ayane said, completely certain of her own words, "I'll bring it right back out here, and we can watch it fly away together. I promise."

Haizaki stared at her. He looked at the gentle, protective way her hands held the broken bird. She didn't see the world the way he did.

A tight, unfamiliar feeling squeezed the center of his chest.

Haizaki quickly looked away, staring at the cracked concrete near his shoes. He let out a sharp, aggressive hiss through his teeth, dropping his hand from his bruised neck and crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

"Whatever," Haizaki dismissed her, heavily rolling his eyes. "Do what you want. It's probably going to die anyway."

Ayane giggled again, carefully getting to her feet while cradling the sparrow securely against her chest.

"You'll see," she said confidently. "I'll show you when it's better."

Haizaki kept his eyes locked on the ground, maintaining his heavy scowl. "You are completely annoying."

"See you later Shark-kun!" Ayane replied cheerfully, waving as she turns around, her rubber shoes squeaking against the pavement as she quickly ran back toward her own apartment to start her rescue mission.

Haizaki sat entirely alone again, taking a deep breath as he closes his eyes, taking a nap.

He raised his hand to his throat, his fingers hooked tightly around the thick collar around his neck.

Scratching his neck as he let out a low, irritated exhale through his nose.

A few doors away, someone opens the door, Haizaki heard the heavy footsteps before he saw anyone, he ignores keeping his hand scratching at his neck.

An older woman carrying two plastic grocery bags walked out. She took three steps into the courtyard before she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.

The plastic bags rustled loudly in the silence.

Haizaki shifted his red eyes slightly, seeing that the woman was staring directly at him. She looked at him her face went entirely pale. Her shoulders tensed up, pulling tight toward her ears.

She quickly took a fast, panicked step backward. She changed her route. Rather than walking straight down the main path that passed in front of Haizaki's door, she turned to the left hugging the far wall of the courtyard, pressing her back against the brickwork as she walked a wide, exaggerated half-circle around building just to avoid getting anywhere near him. She ran the last few steps to her door, shoving her key into the lock and slamming the door shut behind her, throwing the deadbolt with a loud click.

Haizaki’s ignored, being used to it.

Minutes passed, and more neighbors began to arrive and it was the same.

A middle-aged man carrying a briefcase stopped at the gate, his eyes widening in alarm when he saw the boy lying on the concrete.

Two younger women walking together entirely stopped their conversation, completely freezing up at the entrance. None of them walked inside.

Instead of walking to their own apartments, the residents began to clump together outside the main gate. They stood on the public sidewalk, peering through the iron bars of the fence, entirely unwilling to enter the courtyard while Haizaki was fully awake.

A low, hurried buzzing sound began to fill the air as the group outside the gate huddled closely together, keeping their voices dropped low. 

Haizaki continued to drag his nails over his neck, ignoring the burning sensation.

Suddenly, the door right next to Haizaki’s apartment clicked.

Haizaki stopped scratching his neck. He turned his head slowly against the hard concrete, his red eyes narrowing slightly as he looked over.

Ayane’s parents stepped out of their apartment. Her father locked the door behind them while her mother adjusted the strap of her purse over her shoulder both dressed to go out.

The moment they turned around to face the walkway, they saw Haizaki lying and staring at them.

Ayane’s mother gasped sharply, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. Her father immediately stepped in front of her, instinctively putting his body between his wife and the boy on the floor.

Before Ayane's parents could even decide how to react, the group of neighbors waiting out by the gate sprang into action.

"Hey! Over here!" one of the men at the fence called out in a loud, urgent whisper, frantically waving his arm.

Ayane’s parents looked toward the gate. Seeing crowded group of adults motioning to them, they quickly abandoned their original path hugging the wall of their own apartment, taking fast, hurried steps to put as much distance between themselves and Haizaki as physically possible. They jogged across the remaining stretch of the courtyard, rushing out the metal gate to join the group standing on the public sidewalk.

The moment they reached the safety of the crowd, the neighbors swarmed them, the whispering growing louder, The older woman with the groceries stepped right up to Ayane's mother, leaning in close to her ear and speaking rapidly. The man with the briefcase grabbed Ayane’s father by the elbow, pulling him further down the sidewalk while gesturing back toward the courtyard.

Haizaki watched the entire exchange in complete silence.

He saw them pointing their fingers at him through the metal bars of the gate.

Ayane’s parents listened to the hurried warnings as they stared at each other.

They nodded their heads rapidly, and without looking back a second time, Ayane’s father took his wife's hand. He pulled her quickly down the street, walking away at a fast pace as rest of the neighbors followed right behind them.

Within seconds, the gate was entirely empty, The courtyard returning to silence, leaving Haizaki entirely alone on the concrete once again.

Haizaki lay there on his back, seeing them go away.

He slowly turns his head back, staring directly up at the peeling paint on the ceiling overhead.

He lifted his hand again scratching his neck, He let out another long, quiet exhale, as he closes his eyes.

...

The next day, Ayane came out from her apartment again carrying her box full of toys.

"Look at this one, Shark-kun!" Ayane said, holding up a plastic robot that was missing its left leg. "He fights the bad guys in space!"

Haizaki layed there leaning against the wooden doorframe, his arms crossed and his eyes half-closed.

He lets out a long, exhausted sigh, resting his head back against the wood. "Are you ever going to run out of plastic garbage to show me, Penguin? It’s a broken piece of plastic. It doesn't fight anyone."

"You have zero imagination," Ayane pouted playfully, tossing the robot back into the box. She leaned over, digging her hands deep into the bottom of the box, pushing aside building blocks and coloring books until her fingers brushed against something round.

"Ooh! What about this?" she hummed, pulling out a small, slightly deflated, black-and-white soccer ball.

Haizaki cracked one eye open, his gaze locking onto the ball instantly.

Ayane stood up, dusting the gravel off her knees. She dropped the ball onto the dirt path. "A ball! My dad bought it, but my feet are clumsy."

She stepped back, took a deep breath, and ran at the ball "Ha!!!"

"Woah!!!" She tripped over her own sandal, her toe caught the dirt instead of the leather, and she ended up kicking the side of the ball with an awkward, flailing motion. The ball shot off at a wild angle, bouncing towards where Haizaki’s was.

Haizaki’s instincts flared. He uncrossed his arms and stepped forward into the limit of his leash. With a smooth, effortless motion, he extended his right leg, trapping the ball perfectly under the sole of his shoe, instantly killing its momentum.

Almost unconsciously, he rolled the ball backward onto his heel, flicked it up into the air, and caught it with his knee. He bounced it twice, dropped it to his foot, juggled it left to right, and then caught it cleanly against the back of his neck, leaning forward to balance it perfectly before letting it roll down his spine and trapping it under his foot once again.

Ayane stood completely frozen on the dirt path. Her eyes were wide open, shining with amazement. Her mouth hung slightly open in shock.

"Whoa..." she whispered, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. "Shark-kun! You are so cool! You're amazing at this!"

Haizaki stopped, He kicks the ball lightly, sending it rolling slowly back toward her feet.

"Don't be stupid," Haizaki muttered, crossing his arms again and looking away to hide the faint flush on his cheeks. "That wasn't even real skill. You haven't seen anything close to true skill yet. Any amateur can do a few kick-ups."

"No way! That was magic!" Ayane giggled, her face lighting up with excitement. She was absolutely thrilled. After weeks of showing him toys he hated, she had finally found something he actually liked.

She quickly bent down, grabbing the ball with both hands. "Okay! Let's play! I'll throw it, and you do that cool bouncy thing again, okay?!"

She pulled her arms back, ready to launch the ball directly at him.

"Hey! Stop!" Haizaki shouted as he held both his hands out defensively. "What do you think you are doing?!"

Ayane froze mid-throw, blinking in surprise. She lowered the ball, tilting her head. "What's wrong? I thought we were going to play."

"Use your brain, idiot!" Haizaki hissed, pointing an finger at her. "Look around! You can't play with a ball right in front of doors and glass windows! Do you have any idea how much force I can put into a kick? If that thing bounces off the wall and shatters a window, There will be problems."

Ayane looked at her front door, then at his, and then at the fragile glass panes of the ground-floor windows. She blinked slowly and then she giggles. "Hehehe."

"Oh! You're right!" she smiled, hugging the ball against her chest. "Then we shouldn't play here. We should go play there in the grass!"

Haizaki sighs, dropping heavily onto the hard concrete step and laying flat on his back.

He stared up at the dusty overhang of the roof, He raises his right hand, sliding two fingers underneath the collar strapped around his throat, aggressively scratching at the irritated, red skin underneath the leash.

Ayane stood on the gravel path, the smile slowly fading from her lips. She blinked, watching him scratch at his neck. She looked toward the grass, and then looked back at Haizaki.

Slowly, she walked over. Sitting directly on the concrete beside him, pulling her knees up to her chest and cradling the worn soccer ball gently in her lap in silence. She looked down at his face, her eyes tracing the heavy metal ring bolted to the wall, following the thick line of the leash all the way down to the collar locked around his neck.

She watched the way the metal dug into his collarbone every time he shifted his weight. She saw the angry red marks blooming underneath the strap where it chafed his skin.

"Shark-kun..." Ayane broke the silence, her voice soft and hesitant, completely lacking its usual energetic bounce. "Why are you on a leash?"

Haizaki's jaw tightened, a hard line forming across his cheek. He let's his hand drop from his neck, letting it rest heavily against his stomach.

"None of your business," Haizaki muttered, his tone flat and utterly dismissive. "Forget about it."

Ayane blinked, she leans away, pulling her knees closer to her chest and hugging the soccer ball tight against her stomach. She looks down at the gravel, chewing on her lower lip as the minutes stretched on.

"Please tell me."

Haizaki cracked one red eye open, shooting a sharp, hostile glare up at her. "Grrr..."

"I told you to drop it," Haizaki hissed, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous warning. He lifted his head slightly off the concrete, his teeth bared in a distinct threat. "Don't push your luck with me, brat. Back off."

Ayane stares at him, not moving away.

She leans closer tilting her head, her dark hair falling over her shoulder as she leaned her upper body over his resting space, not saying a single word.

Haizaki scowled, baring his teeth a little wider, trying to force her to look away.

She doesn't blink, still staring at him.

Haizaki groans in frustration, letting the back of his head hit the concrete with a dull thud, and squeezed his eyes shut tight. He turned his face toward the wall, trying to ignore her. But he could still feel the weight of her stare pressing down on him.

Seconds ticked by, turning into long, agonizing minutes. Ayane remained right there watching him in silence.

Finally, Haizaki’s shoulders slumped as he let out a long, heavy sigh.

"It is better this way," Haizaki said, his voice quiet and devoid of its usual bite.

Ayane remained still, listening closely.

Haizaki kept his eyes glued to the ceiling, unable to look at her face as he spoke.

"I belong on this chain," he continued, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. "Who knows who I would hurt if I was out there... in the wild."

He slowly turned his head, his red eyes locking onto hers. "You think I'm safe to be around? You think this is a game?" 

Haizaki’s voice hardened slightly, "The only reason I haven't hurt you yet is because I'm holding myself back. But I won't be able to do that forever. I'm dangerous. I am as unpredictable as a wild beast."

He reached up, grabbing the thick nylon leash attached to his collar, his knuckles turning white as he pulled it taut to show her.

"This is who I am," Haizaki muttered, dropping the strap back onto the floor with a heavy thud. "This leash is the only thing keeping normal people safe from the abomination I am. So stop asking stupid questions and go play somewhere else."

Despite all that Ayane didn't move away.

Slowly, she lifted her small hand from her lap. She extended her arm, reaching directly toward his throat.

Haizaki’s eyes shot wide open, the red irises contracting into tight pins. A low, warning growl immediately tore through his chest. He planted his hands on the concrete and scrambled backward, sliding his hips against the rough ground to put distance between them.

Ayane stopped her hand in mid-air. She let out a small, stubborn pout, her eyebrows pulling together in defiance. Without a word, she leaned her weight forward, scooting closer on the gravel and stretching her hand out again.

"Ghrrr..." Haizaki’s growl deepened as he pushed himself further back.

She followed him moving inch by inch, her hand unwavering and aimed directly at the thick collar locked around his neck.

Haizaki leaned back again, his hands gripping the edges of the step, but his shoulders suddenly hit solid wood. He heard the harsh, metallic sound of the iron ring bolted into the doorframe right behind him. The thick nylon rope pulled taut against his throat, being the limit of his leash.

His back was pinned against the door. His eyes darted wildly as he gets trapped.

Ayane moved closer. Her shadow fell over his face. Her fingers only inches away from the heavy buckle of his collar.

"Stop!" Haizaki shouts. His breathing turned frantic. "I told you to stay back! Keep your hands away from me!"

"Hm!" Ayane ignores the warning with a pout still reaching out for him.

Haizaki’s body trembles, unable to hold himself back anymore. The feral instincts he had warned her about took over completely.

"GHRAAAAAAAAAH!!!" He let out a vicious, desperate roar and lunged forward.

His jaws opened, and he bit down hard directly onto her extended forearm.

His sharp teeth sank into her skin. He clamped his jaw shut, a low, aggressive hiss escaping his nose as he held her arm in a vice-like grip, expecting her to scream or retreat.

"Gah!" Ayane let's out a sharp, sudden gasp, her eyes widening slightly at the shock of the pain, but she doesn't pull her arm away, she quickly uses his bite as an anchor, reaching her other hand directly over his shoulder, her fingers wrapping tightly around the thick, braided nylon rope of his leash. "GOT IT!!!"

Haizaki’s eyes widened in confusion as bites down harder, trying to force her to let go, a muffled growl vibrating against her skin.

Ayane hisses determined, She plants her feet firmly against the concrete step and stood up slightly, pulling the thick rope with her free hand. She grips the rough nylon, her knuckles turning entirely white. She ground her teeth together as she pushed and pulled against the durable material. "Nhnn!!!"

The rope was thick, designed to hold back a large dog but she was only a child. The rough fibers drag harshly against her palm as she pushes.

"NHNN!!!" She pushed, throwing her entire body weight backward against the anchor, pulling the rope so hard the metal ring bolted to the wall began to creak loudly.

"Ah!" She let out a sharp breath, temporarily letting go of the rope with her free hand. She pulled her palm up to her mouth, blowing on it rapidly to cool the burn the nylon had left across her skin. "Hot!"

A second later, she quickly slams her burned hand back onto the rope.

She grips it tighter pushing her heels into the dirt, grinding her teeth until her jaw trembled. She pulled with everything she had, letting out a loud, frustrated yell as she forced all her weight against the tension. "AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

The metal ring groaned against the wall. The thick nylon fibers began to stretch with the sound of the threads snapping snapping around the quiet yard.

Haizaki stared at her, his jaw still locked around her arm, completely paralyzed by her stubbornness.

*SNAP!*

Suddenly the thick rope broke cleanly in half, the rusted screws holding the iron ring ripped out of the wall, sending a small chunk of concrete clattering onto the steps.

The sudden release of tension sent them both flying backward.

Haizaki lost his grip on her arm as they tumbled through the air. They hit the soft, green grass of the yard, rolling over the dirt in tangle of limbs before coming to a hard stop near the wooden fence.

The heavy metal collar was still locked tightly around Haizaki’s neck, but the broken end of the rope lay on the grass beside him.

The front door of Haizaki's apartment slammed open.

"W-What the hell was that?!"

His mother stood in the doorway with her hands gripping the wooden frame. She looks around slowly tracking the path of destruction toward the grass. "W...who did this...?"

When she saw Haizaki sitting freely in the yard, free from his leashes. Her eyes widened in terror. She took a step back, her mouth hanging open in shock. "A...a...ah..."

Ayane quickly scrambles up from the dirt with her dress covered in grass stains and dust. She threw her hands up into the air, a massive, bright smile across her face.

"Yay! I did it!" Ayane cheered at the top of her lungs.

She began jumping up and down, running in a quick circle around Haizaki, pumping her small fist into the sky. "I did it! I did it! You're free, Shark-kun!"

Haizaki remained sitting on the grass, his legs splayed out in front of him. His chest heaved violently, his eyes narrowing.

His trembling hands reached up, his fingers wrapping around the broken stub of the leash still attached to his neck.

Ayane continued to spin around him, her giggles ringing brightly through the yard. "You're free! We can play with the ball! We can go to the park now! We can go anywhere!"

Suddenly, the front door of the neighboring apartment swung open.

"Ayane!?"

Her parents rushed out onto the porch, their faces pale with worry as they looked around the yard.

"Was that her voice? What on earth is making all that noise out here?!" her father asked, stepping quickly down the stairs.

They looked toward the grass and saw their daughter spinning around the neighbor's boy, cheering loudly.

"Ayane!" her mother gasped, placing a hand over her chest in relief. "What are you doing over there? You scared us half to death!"

Ayane stopped spinning. She turned to face her parents, a bright, triumphant smile on her face. "Mommy! Daddy!"

She tilts her head confused by their panic. "What's wrong, mommy? We were just playing!"

Her mother took a step forward, her relieved smile faltering. Her eyes dropped from Ayane's face down to her side, Her knees buckled slightly, her hands flying up to cover her mouth.

"Her arm..." her mother whispered, her voice trembling. "M-my God..."

Her father froze, his head snapping toward where his wife was looking. He gasped loudly, his eyes widening in horror. He quickly grabbed his wife by the shoulders to keep her from collapsing, his own legs preparing to dash across the yard.

Ayane blinked, She slowly lowered her head, following their gaze down to her right side as she looks to her arm.

Deep, jagged puncture wounds marked her skin where Haizaki’s bite her, it was was severe, the skin broken and bruised purple around the edges but thick, blood starts running down her forearm, dripping off her wrist, and falling in heavy drops onto the bright green grass below her feet.

"YOU STUPID GIRL!!!"

Haizaki's mother charged down the concrete steps of her apartment, her face filled with unhinged panic. Her high heels dug violently into the dirt path as she sprinted toward the grass. Her hands reached out to grab her, her eyes wide and manic.

Ayane eyes wide open as she quickly steps back, out of her grip.

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!!!" she shrieked, her voice cracking as she screams at her. She threw herself forward, her long fingernails scraping against the dirt as she frantically grabbed the severed leash. "YOU BRAT OF A CHILD!!!"

Without of hesitation, she planted her feet and yanked the rope backward with every ounce of her body weight.

"Gah!"

Haizaki’s eyes shot wide open as the heavy metal collar slammed violently against his windpipe, crushing the air out of his throat instantly. His hands flew up with his fingers clawing desperately at the thick leather and metal digging into his skin. 

"G...gah!" He choked with ragged gasp escaping his lips as he was dragged backward across the grass, his shoes kicking up dirt in struggle for oxygen.

Ayane ignored the bleeding arm as the moment she saw Haizaki being choked, her eyes widened in terror.

"NO!!! SHARK-KUN!!!" Ayane screamed, thrusting her other hand forward, trying to run toward him to rip the rope away from the woman's grip.

"AYANE!!!"

Her father moved and lunged forward, wrapping his strong arms firmly around her waist pulled her back so hard her sandals skidded against the grass.

"AYANE!!! O-OH GOD!!!" Her mother shouted with her face pale, She quickly grabbed Ayane’s bleeding arm, her hands trembling violently as the warm blood smeared across her own palms. The sight of the deep puncture wounds sent her into a state of sheer panic. "We have to go inside! Now!"

"I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM US!!! I TOLD YOU ALL TO LEAVE US ALONE!!! LOOK AT WHAT YOUR BRAT HAS DONE!!!" Haizaki's mother shouts.

"Here! Come to daddy, sweetheart!" Her father shouted, bending down and trying to scoop her up completely into his arms to carry her away from the yard.

Ayane fought back thrashing wildly in her father’s grip, kicking her legs and twisting her torso.

"NO!!! SHARK-KUN!!!" Ayane shouted, tears welling up in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. She extended her hand toward him, her fingers stretching out towards him. "Let me go! She’s hurting him!"

"COME HERE YOU FREAK!!!" Haizaki's mother screamed, her face flushed red in rage. She pushed her heels deeper into the soil and dragged the leash harder, pulling Haizaki backward over the uneven ground.

Haizaki choked loudly gritting his teeth, the muscles in his neck straining painfully against the iron grip of the collar. His vision begining to blur around the edges as he kicks his legs trying to find traction but the relentless pulling kept him off balance, dragging him closer and closer back toward the dark doorway of the apartment.

"AYANE!!! STOP IT!!!" Ayane's mother shouted, her voice shrill as she tried to inspect the wound while she resists. She slapped her hands down against Ayane's shoulders, scolding her for trying to move. "THAT THING BITTED YOU! WHAT DID WE TOLD YOU!!! YOU DO NOT GO NEAR THEM!"

"NO!!! LET HIM GOOO!!!" Ayane shouted, crying hysterically refusing to look at her own arm, keeping her eyes locked onto Haizaki, reaching out for him.

"AYANE!!! STAY STILL!!!" Her father shouted, his grip tightening as he finally managed to lift her off the ground, turning his back on the scene and dragging her forcibly toward home.

"SHARK-KUNNNNNNN!!!" Ayane sobbed, her voice cracking as she was pulled further away with her hand still trying to reach out towards him.

Hearing her desperate, tearful cry, something deep inside Haizaki snapped, The last fragile thread of his restraint broke in the moment he couldn't see her anymore.

Haizaki’s eyes snapped wide open. He stopped pulling at the collar and fighting back, His jaw locked and his sharp teeth bared in a terrifying, inhuman snarl. He turned his eyes directly toward his mother. The red irises flared with fury and his pupils gone, replaced with a hollow, vacant blankness.

"...O...oh God..." His mother saw his face making her freeze. The manic anger in her eyes evaporating into paralyzing terror with her grip on the leash slackened just a fraction of an inch.

With a sudden, explosive burst of raw power, Haizaki planted his feet firmly into the dirt as twisted his torso and swinging his neck to the side with a brutal, violent movement, The sudden immense pull on the leash ripped the rope entirely out of the woman's hands with momentum of his swing caughting her off balance.

"Kyaaaaaa!!!"

His mother screamed as she was launched off her feet being send spiraling through the air, her arms flailing wildly before she crashed hard onto the grass several feet away, tumbling across the dirt until she hit the base of the wooden fence with a heavy, sickening thud.

Ayane’s eyes widened in shock as her parents rushed her inside, slamming the heavy front door shut behind them and throwing the deadbolt lock.

Outside, The commotion had drawn the attention of the surrounding apartments with Neighbors rushing into their homes, while a few others rushed across the grass to help Haizaki’s mother.

"MA'AM! ARE YOU OK!?"

"MA'AM ANSWER!!!"

They quickly grabbed her by the arms dragging her away from the center of the yard. She opened her eyes slowly, groaning in pain as the neighbors carried her backward. 

Despite her fear and her bruised body, she glared intensely at the boy on the grass, her eyes narrowing with hatred and terror. "It's... it's all over... now... you... will never be better than me..."

Haizaki stood alone in the center of the yard, the broken piece of the leash dangling from his neck.

The sky overhead darkened rapidly, thick gray clouds rolling over the sun as the rain began to fall.

Haizaki tilted his head back, staring up into the dark, weeping sky with his chest heaved violently.

He opened his jaws and let out a deafening, earth-shattering roar.

"GHRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"

It was a sound without any trace of humanity, a roar filled with fury and pain and a roar that echoed off the concrete walls of the apartment buildings, piercing through the heavy rainfall and carrying across the city.

As the last echo faded into the storm, the monstrous energy that had taken over his body suddenly vanished, and then he was just a terrified and broken boy standing alone in the storm.

Haizaki legs gave out entirely and he stumbled forward, his knees slamming hard into the wet, muddy grass.

He collapsed forward, his elbows hitting the ground. He let out a ragged, broken sob as he cries.

He scratched frantically at the grass, his fingers curling into tight claws, The sheer weight of what he had done crushed him down into the mud.

"SHARK-KUN!!!"

Ayane shouted, Her voice piercing through the walls of the neighboring apartment.

"Ayane, that is enough!" Her father's shouted. "Look at what that monster did to you! Sit down and let your mother clean that arm!"

"NO! LET ME GO! SHARK-KUN! HE NEEDS ME!" she shrieked. "SHARK-KUN!!!"

Haizaki leaned his chest heavily against the ground, his body shaking every time Ayane screamed his name.

He slowly dragged his heavy head up from the mud. The rain stung his face, but he forced his eyes to stay open as he turned his gaze slowly toward Ayane's house.

"I'm sorry..." Haizaki whispered.

His red eyes slowly began to dull, His chin dropped heavily back into the wet grass. His grip on the dirt loosened. The world went entirely black as he faints.

...

The morning after the storm broke, Inside her house, Ayane sat on the edge of her mattress, her knees pulled tightly to her chest.

She was grounded as she couldn't leave with a wild predator still roaming the streets waiting to strike.

"She hasn't eaten anything since yesterday morning," her mother whispered, "I made her favorite pancakes, but she didn't even touch the plate. She just stared at the wall."

"Give her time," her father replied as he let out a long, tired sigh. "She went through a traumatic event. That... that boy attacked her. It is going to take time for her to process what happened. We just need to keep her safe."

"I still can't believe it," her mother's voice trembled slightly. "Right in our front yard. We should have called the authorities the day we moved in, that woman and that kid are not sane! We should never have let her play out there."

Ayane tightened her grip on her knees, burying her face into her arm. She shut her eyes tight refusing to listen to them. 

A soft knock came from the door.

"Ayane, sweetie?" her mother called out gently, pushing the door open a few more inches. She held a small tray with a bowl of warm rice, sliced apples, and a glass of juice. "I brought you some lunch. You need to eat something so your arm can heal properly."

Ayane kept her face hidden against her knees, remaining still on the bed.

Her mother stood in the doorway for a long minute, watching her daughter's silent protest. With a defeated sigh, she walked in setting the tray down on the small wooden desk near the window and quietly left the room, closing the door completely behind her.

As soon as the latch clicked, Ayane lifted her head and slid off the mattress, her bare feet padding softly across the carpet as she walked straight to the window.

She pressed her hand against the cool glass, leaning forward to look out at the neighboring apartment.

The courtyard was empty. The door of Haizaki's apartment was shut tight with a hole in wall where the metal ring had been violently ripped out.

As the days went, every single morning Ayane woke up and immediately went to the window, hoping to see Haizaki again, but he never came. 

After a few months, the summer heat returned.

Ayane stood by the window, Her right arm rested against the windowsill, heavily wrapped in thick, white medical gauze and secured with medical tape.

She looked down at the thick white bandage. Her parents treated it like it was a curse, constantly asking if it hurt, Their constant hovering only made her feel more isolated and it annoyed her.

Ayane lets out a sharp breath of frustration. She lifts her left hand and picks at the edge of the medical tape and peels the adhesive tape back. It pulled sharply against her skin, but she ignores the sting unrolling the long strip of white gauze, wrapping it loosely around her fingers as she exposes the layer of square cotton pads underneath.

She pulled the pads away, tossing them onto the desk next to her untouched lunch and she looked down at her bare forearm.

The bite mark was harsh with the skin around the punctures turning slightly purple and mapping the exact shape of Haizaki's jaw.

When she traced her finger lightly over the bruised skin, she remembered the panic in his red eyes when he was backed against the wall and it made her more sad.

"Stupid bandage," Ayane muttered annoyed, She grabs the rest of the gauze, crumples it into a messy ball, and throws it across the room.

She leaned her elbows against the wooden windowsill, resting her chin in her hands as she stared out at the empty, quiet courtyard below.

She let out a long, heavy sigh her eyes tracing the path where they used to play until the sun went down.

She had done what she set out to do, she had broken his chains and set him free. The heavy metal collar couldn't hold him against the wall anymore and now he could walk to the streets and could run anywhere he wanted to go, Haizaki was now free.

"But where are you?" Ayane whispered to the empty glass, her brow furrowing with worry.

As the quiet afternoon dragged on, She continued to stare at the empty concrete steps next door, her bare arm resting against the bruised bite mark fully exposed to the warm air.

Then, a sharp sound broke the silence around the yard.

*Clack. Clack.*

Being a soun of a deadbolt. Ayane pressed her forehead closer to the windowpane, her breath fogging the glass slightly as her eyes locked onto the neighboring apartment.

The door slowly creaked open, moving only a few inches at first. Then, Haizaki’s mother stepped out onto the porch.

"Hm!" Ayane’s jaw instantly tightened as she glared down at the woman with a bitter resentment boiling in her chest.

Haizaki’s mother was dressed impeccably, wearing a sharp, tailored black skirt suit and high, polished heels. A pristine designer handbag was clutched tightly in her hands with her hair perfectly styled, and her red lipstick applied flawlessly.

Yet, despite her elegant appearance, she still looked terrified.

She stood on the top step gripping the handle of her purse like a shield. She looks around at the bushes and the dark corners of the alleyway trembling slightly with her chest rising and falling in quick, anxious breaths. 

She looked like a prey anticipating an ambush, that he might be hiding in the shadows, waiting to strike now that he was finally loose.

Ayane scowled, her small hands balling into fists against the windowsill. "Evil queen..."

Haizaki’s mother took a tentative step down the stairs, flinching when her heel scraped loudly against the concrete. Seeing that the courtyard was empty, She quickly sprints away her high heels clicking rapidly against the pavement as she scurried down the street and completely out of sight.

Ayane watched the empty street long after the woman had disappeared. She lets out a heavy, frustrated breath and pushed herself away from the window.

She turned around, resting her back against the warm glass, and looked at her bedroom.

Ayane slowly slid down the glass, her knees hitting the carpeted floor. She pulled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arm around her shins.

She was now the one chained up.

Ayane rested her chin on her knees, staring blankly at the discarded pile of white medical gauze on the floor.

Ayane hisses annoyed, She had freed Haizaki from his chain and If she could break his leash, she could break her own too.

Her eyes narrowed with absolute determination. She pushes herself off the floor, standing tall in the middle of her bedroom. She was going to go out there and look for him.

She moved quickly opening her closet door and pulling out her school backpack. She unzipped it, dumping her school notebooks and pencil cases onto the floor and walks over to the wooden desk near the window. Ayane grabs the small, sealed juice boxes, a few wrapped granola bars, and a small plastic bag of crackers her mother left her to eat and tosses them into the bottom of her backpack.

Next, she moves to her heavy plastic crate in the corner. She grabs a few toys and the ball, She zips the bag up tight and slung the straps over her shoulders, adjusting the weight against her back.

She took a deep, steadying breath. "Ok..."

Ayane walked directly to her bedroom door pressing her hands flat against the wood, She leaned her face close to the gap in the doorframe and cleared her throat.

"Um... Mommy?"

As she said instantly, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed outside.

"Ayane?!" Her mother’s said breathless, pressing her hands against the other side of the door. "Ayane, sweetie! I'm here! What do you need? Are you okay? Does your arm hurt?"

"Is she talking?" Her father’s heavy footsteps hurried down the hall, stopping right next to his wife. "Ayane? Are you feeling alright, pumpkin?"

Ayane kept her expression flat as she maintains her focus. She made her voice sound small and tired.

"I'm hungry..." she says quietly. "I want some hot chocolate. And daddy's special double-chocolate cookies."

On the other side of the door, her parents sprinted getting the food she was asking for food after days of silence.

"Yes! Of course!" her mother gasped, her voice trembling joy as she walks downstairs. "Hot chocolate! I'll make it right now! Nice and warm!"

"And I'll start the oven for the cookies!" her father added, following her behind. "We'll be right back, sweetheart! Just sit tight! We are going to make you the best cookies ever!"

The sound of their footsteps quickly hurried away, sprinting down the hallway and down the stairs toward the kitchen.

As soon as they were out of earshot, she reached up and grabbed the small brass lock on the handle of her door twisting it firmly.

*Click.*

She let out a quiet breath and stepped back, they weren't able to hear her.

She turned on her heel and ran to her closet pulling out her clothes in massive handfuls and she drags the entire pile to the center of the room.

Her small fingers worked as fast as they could as she grabs the leg of a pair of jeans and ties it tightly to the sleeve of a heavy winter sweater. She pulls the knot hard, testing it and then, she tied the other sleeve to a long cotton dress repeating the process.

When the makeshift rope was long enough, she dragged one end over to her bed frame. She wrapped a pair of thick sweatpants around the solid bedpost, tying a bulky double knot to anchor it down securely. She pulled on it with her entire body weight, making sure it wouldn't slip.

She then grabs the rest of the clothing rope and walks over to the window. She flips the metal latch and pushes the glass pane upward.

She tossed the long line of clothes out the window with the end of the bright yellow summer dress dangling just a foot above the walkway below.

Ayane looked down, slightly scared yet determined, She climbs up onto the windowsill, turning her body around so she was facing the inside of her bedroom. She grips the fabric tightly with both hands, her yellow backpack strapped to her shoulders.

Slowly, she lowers herself out the window.

Her bare feet found the rough brick of the exterior wall. She leans back, putting her weight onto the clothes and began to climb down. The knots slipped slightly, making her stomach drop but they held together. Her right arm burned as the muscles strained against the healing puncture wounds, but she gritted her teeth and kept moving downward, focused on the ground below her.

She reaches the bottom as she lets go of the clothes, dropping the last foot onto the pavement with a soft thud.

She stood up quickly, adjusting the straps of her backpack. She turned her body toward the street, her eyes fixed firmly on the wide, unknown city stretching out ahead of her.

Without a single moment of hesitation, she sprints away from the apartment complex to find Shark-kun.

After stopping a little to catch her breath, Ayane looks back over her shoulder. Her house was out of sight, and far away.

Ayane turned around and faced the main road, it was the exact boundary line her parents had drawn for her and she had never been allowed to cross the street without holding her mother’s hand.

She took a deep breath, gripped the straps of her backpack tightly and stepped off the curb.

Ayane began to walk, looking around. She looks at the bus stops, the alleyways between the convenience stores and the small parks wedged between the commercial buildings, but she couldn't see him yet.

"Shark-kun?" she calls out, her voice small and swallowed by the loud noise of the traffic around her.

She walks for blocks, leaving her neighborhood far behind. As the afternoon rushed toward evening, the streets began to change. The sidewalks filled up with people as the train stations released waves of commuters, Office buildings emptied out and Shop owners opened their doors, setting up bright signs and loud speakers to attract customers.

Ayane found herself pushed into the center of a massive commercial district.

She tried to keep walking in a straight line, but the crowd forced her to move out of the way. A man in a dark gray suit brushed past her shoulder, walking fast and talking loudly into his phone. 

Ayane stumbled back, almost tripping over a crack in the pavement. Before she could regain her balance, a group of high school students laughing and holding shopping bags walked right through her path, forcing her to step back against the glass window of a bakery.

"Excuse me," Ayane muttered, but seemed to have time to stop to even listen to her.

She pressed her back against the warm window, watching the river of people flow past her, being slightly overwhelmed but she pushed herself off the glass and stepped back into the crowd. She needed to keep looking.

She tries to stand on her tiptoes, stretching her neck to see over the wave of people as she sees a boy with gray hair sprinting around the crowd.

"Shark-kun!" Ayane gasped, her heart jumping in her chest.

She pushed through the crowd, sliding between the people and reached out, her fingers grabbing the edge of the boy's jacket.

The boy turned around, looking down at her with a confused expression. He had neatly combed hair, glasses, and a clean school uniform.

"Can I help you, kid?" the teenager asked, raising an eyebrow.

"S-sorry," Ayane stammered, stepping back quickly and letting go of his jacket. "I thought you were someone else."

She turns away, her face burning with embarrassment. She starts walking faster, trying to get away from the spot, but her fast pace made her lose her sense of direction faster, forgetting where she was.

The sky above the buildings began to turn a dark shade of orange as the sun started to set as it was getting late.

Ayane stops, standing still in the middle of the busy plaza right next to a dry water fountain.

She looked to her left seeing a massive crosswalk was filled with dozens of strangers waiting for the light to change. She looked to her right seeing a row of tall buildings stretched down the block, all looking exactly the same and then she he looks behind her, but she couldn't recognize anything.

Ayane grips the straps of her backpack with both hands, holding on tightly as if they were the only things keeping her calm. She stood alone in the middle of the crowded plaza, bitting her lower lip and fighting hard to keep the tears from falling as the strangers continued to walk past her, leaving her entirely alone in the streets.

As the nights fall, The massive and loud metropolis quickly became calm and dark.

Ayane dragged her feet across the pavement, her steps heavy and uneven, starving and her clothes dirty.

Her yellow backpack, which had felt so heavy and full of hope when she climbed down from her bedroom window, was now entirely empty.

Ayane stopped walking. Her legs refusing to carry her any further. Her knees trembling as she looks around the calm sidewalk, her eyes landing on a dark green metal transit bench sitting near the edge of a bus stop.

She shuffled toward it, She turns around and let her body drop onto the metal seat.

She unbuckled the straps of her backpack, sliding it off her shoulders, and pulled it onto her lap. She hugged it tightly against her chest, trying to stay warm on the cold night as nobody stopped to check on her in the middle of the streets.

Ayane rested her chin on the top of her backpack. She watched the people walk past her, her gaze drifting from one face to the next.

*Gurgle.*

A loud, painful rumble echoed from her stomach. Ayane winced, squeezing her eyes shut and tightening her grip on her backpack, pressing it hard against her belly.

"Shark....kun..."

Slowly, Ayane closes her eyes curling her body into a tight ball, pulling her knees up to her chest to keep warm and falls asleep in the middle of the street.

As she sleep, Ayane felt her yellow backpack being gently pulled away from her chest and strong, careful arms sliding beneath her knees and wrapped securely around her back, lifting her up.

She whimpered softly in her sleep, her brow furrowing as she curled tighter into a ball, protecting her bandaged arm.

Jarring bounce of heavy footsteps began as she gets carried.

For miles and miles, the person carried her around the city for a few hours.

The footsteps became heavier, with every step seeming to take more effort, yet the grip around her legs and back never loosened.

Finally, the footsteps stopped, Ayane was sleeping deeply, her breathing slow and even, her dark hair falling in a messy tangle over her dirty face.

The person carrying her knocks a door.

Inside the apartment, there could be heard the sound of a chair scraping harshly against the floorboards followed by quickly steps.

The deadbolt snapped back and the thick wooden door was thrown violently open as Ayane’s mother stood in the doorway, looking tired and depressed.

Her eyes snapped wide open as she grabbed the edge of the doorframe. "A....ah..."

Haizaki stood there holding Ayane on his arms, looking entirely worn out with Ayane's her head resting peacefully against his chest and her dirty feet dangling by his waist.

Before the woman could even say something, the metal gate at the entrance of the courtyard opens.

"I couldn't find her... the police said they're expanding the search grid, but..."

Ayane’s father walked into the courtyard. His tie was loosened, his shirt untucked with his head low, staring at the ground defeated.

He looks up toward the bright light of his open front door and he stops dead in his tracks.

His eyes widened in terror as he recognized Haizaki.

"AYANE!"

Her father shouts sprinting forward to push him away from his family, Haizaki stood there, tightening his hold on Ayane and waiting.

The father charged up reaching the porch with his hands outstretched, he grabbed Ayane by the shoulders, ready to rip her away from him.

The moment the his hands wrapped around Ayane, Haizaki’s arms simply let go.

Ayane’s father pulled her quickly against his chest, staggering backward a step wrapping his arms around her small frame, burying his face into her messy dark hair.

"Oh, god... Ayane," he breathed out.

Her mother sprinted up the steps right behind him. She threw her hands over her mouth, She reached out, her shaking hands patting Ayane’s back, feeling her arms, checking her legs.

Without her weight to anchor himself, Haizaki faints.

Ayane’s motherly instinct to protect her child drowned out everything else as she shouts. "Bring her inside! Now!" she urged, grabbing her husband’s shoulder and pulling him toward the open door.

Her father turned his back on Haizaki. He carrying Ayane directly into the house, Her mother followed closely behind, shutting the door.

Haizaki lay still in the dim glow of the porch light. His breathing shallow, moving his ribs in small and ragged intervals.

Ayane’s mother carefully took her from her husband’s arms and hurried down the hallway toward the bedroom to put her under the warm blankets.

Her father stood alone in the entryway leaning his hands against the wall, dropping his head as he took a long, deep breath.

After calming down, He looked at the front door hesitating, his hand hovering over the doorknob unable to know what to do.

But he pushed the door open anyway, seeing Haizaki exactly where they had left him.

Ayane’s father walked slowly toward him crouching down, He extended a hesitant hand, his fingers hovering over the boy's shoulder for a long second before finally touching him.

He grabbed Haizaki's arm, expecting the boy to flinch or react, Haizaki's eyes remained shut with his breathing weak and slow.

A heavy wave of guilt washed over Ayane's father. This was a child, the child who had just saved his daughter's life and they had left him to freeze on the welcome mat.

He slid his arms under Haizaki’s back and beneath his knees lifting him off the ground.

He carried Haizaki inside, gently kicking the front door fully shut behind him and carefully lowered Haizaki onto the cushions, shifting his legs so they rested entirely on the sofa.

Haizaki sank into the soft material, letting out a faint, pained exhale making Ayane's father shakes his head slowly.

Down the hall, Ayane’s mother walked quietly into the living room with a damp washcloth clutched in her hand. 

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw her husband standing over the sofa, and Haizaki laying on the coach.

She walked over to her husband, keeping her voice to a quiet, frantic whisper. "What is he doing in here?" she asked, her eyes darting between the boy and her husband. "Is he... is he hurt?"

"I don't know," her husband whispered back, running a hand through his hair. "He collapsed as soon as I took Ayane. I went back out, and he couldn't even lift his head. I couldn't just leave him on the concrete."

Her mother stepped closer, gripping the damp washcloth tightly. "He brought her back. She was lost out there, and he brought her back."

"I know."

They stood side by side in the quiet living room, looking down at the sleeping boy.

"Did you check her?" Ayane's father asked quietly, his eyes never leaving Haizaki. "Is Ayane okay?"

"She's fine," her mother replied with relief. "She has some nasty blisters on her feet, and she's very dirty, but her wound is healing, I just had to clean it up a little."

She looked at Haizaki’s face seeing how calm he slept.

"What do we do?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "His mother ran away. The police don't know where she is and the apartment next door is completely empty."

Her husband crossed his arms, his brow furrowing as he processed the situation.

"We let him sleep," her father said, his tone firm and decided. "Let's just get some rest, and then we will  figure the rest out in the morning."

He reached over to the armchair nearby, grabbing a knitted throw blanket dropping it carefully over Haizaki’s shoulders and  tucking the edges in around his sides.

"He stays here tonight."

...

The next day Ayane slowly opened her eyes with the  first thing she could fell being the thick, heavy blankets pulled up to her chin, She lets out a long deep sigh, rubbing her eyes.

Her entire body ached with her right arm throbbing under completely fresh and clean set of white bandages. She carefully sat up, tossing the blanket aside and looking down at her legs now clean and with  small adhesive bandages carefully placed over her blisters.

She stretched her arms above her head, letting out a small, tired yawn, walking out of the bed and standing in the quiet room, a heavy.

She looked at the window seeing that the clothing rope she had tied together was gone with the glass pulled tightly shut and locked. She was back in her bedroom as probably a police officer, or maybe her parents found her and brought her home.

She lowered her arms defeated, after all the search, she wasn't able to find him.

She missed him. She missed his angry scowl, his face and the way he pretended to hate the toys she brought outside.

Ayane rubbed her eyes again, preparing to face her parents and accept whatever punishment they had waiting for her.

As she took a step toward her bedroom door, she stops hearing a voice.

"I can't stay here..."

Ayane froze with her dark eyes snapped wide open, the sadness in her chest evaporating instantly being replaced by a massive, electric jolt of pure adrenaline.

"SHARK-KUN!!!"

She sprinted forward, with her eyes sparkling with joy as she skidded to a halt in the entryway of the living room.

She looked around rapidly seeing mother and father were sitting on the edges of the armchair holding cups of coffee. And there, standing on front of them was Haizaki.

Her parents quickly sprint to her, "Ayane!" her mother gasped, dropping to her knees right in front of her. She grabbed Ayane’s shoulders, her eyes frantically scanning her daughter's face. "Sweetie! Are you awake? How are you feeling? Does your arm hurt? Do you want me to make you some breakfast? Water? Juice?"

"I can get the doctor on the phone," her father added, rushing up right behind his wife. "Do your feet hurt? Don't stand on them too long, pumpkin, let me carry you to the kitchen."

"No, I'm fine!" Ayane quickly dismissed them, squirming out of her mother's grip and turning to Haizaki. "Shark-kun! You are ok."

Haizaki stood there staring at her but before Ayane could reach him, a hand clamped down firmly on her left arm, stopping her dead in her tracks.

She jerked backward as she looks up, meeting her parents furious gazes.

"Do not ignore us, Ayane!" her father shouted, gripping her tight. "What on earth were you thinking?! Sneaking out of your room? Running away into the middle of the city completely alone?!"

"Do you have any idea what you put us through?!" her mother scolded, stepping up beside her husband. "We were scared to death! The police were looking everywhere for you! You were lost for hours! You could have been kidnapped! You could have been hit by a car! How could you disobey us like that?!"

"But I had to-!" Ayane tried to argue, pulling against her father's grip, desperate to turn back around and talk to Haizaki.

"No 'buts'!" her father interrupted pulling her firmly back to his side. "You are not going to leave this house ever again! You are grounded! No toys, no television, no nothing! We gave you one rule to stay in your room, and you ran away!"

"Let me go!" Ayane complained, her voice whining as she tries to squirm out of his hand.

As her parents still hold her close Ayane stops pulling.

She slowly turned her head, her gaze drifting past her father's waist to look at the Haizaki.

Haizaki stood there, staring at her with a blank expression.

Ayane's cheeks burned bright red, embarrassment for being scolded on front of him.

Her mother’s voice suddenly softened, reaching out with her fingers gently wrapping around Ayane’s shoulder.

"Look at him, Ayane," her mother said, "You fell asleep right in the middle of the city streets. In the cold, surrounded by strangers. You could have been seriously hurt. It is thanks to him that you are back home safe."

Ayane’s eyes wide open lifting her head, with her gaze at him, her eyes filled with gratitude.

But before she could say a single word of thanks, her father’s grip on her arm tightened slightly.

"Do you understand how serious this is?" her father shouts, scolding her. "You look at us right now and you say you are sorry. You promise that you are going to be a good girl from now on, and that you will never pull a stunt like this again. Say it!"

Ayane flinches as she lets out a small sob, her shoulders shaking as she tries to wipe her face with her hand.

"Do not cry it off, Ayane!" her father barked, trying to teach her a lesson. "Stop crying and say you are sorry!"

Ayane flinched again, Squeezing her eyes shut.

"I'm sorry..." she choked out, her voice small, She sniffled loudly, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry... I'm going to behave. I promise."

Haizaki let's out a heavy, bitter sigh turning his back on the family, facing the hallway that led toward the front door.

Ayane’s eyes snapped wide open, "Shark-kun, wait!" she yelped, her voice cracking as she took a step forward.

"Wait, please," her father said quickly, letting go of Ayane’s arm and taking a step toward the boy. "You should stay a little longer. You are exhausted and you need to rest more."

"He's right," her mother urged, her voice laced with concern stepping forward as well. "Whatever is happening outside, whatever happened with you... you have had enough of it. Please, sit back down. Let me make you something to eat."

Haizaki stopped walking, giving them his back.

"This isn't my place," he says.

"We want you to stay," her father insisted, "We owe you an immense debt. You are safe here."

"This didn't change anything," Haizaki said, his words cold and sharp, "You feel bad right now because you got your kid back. But tomorrow, you will look at me the same as before. I am still something you don't understand.

He tilted his head slightly, talking over his shoulder. "That is why you should keep doing what you do best. Lock your doors, Hide inside and run away like everyone else does. Don't pretend to care now."

Her father’s jaw tightened, and her mother looked down at the floor, both unable to reply staring at each other in silence.

"Shark-kun..." Ayane whispered, taking another step toward him, and pleading. "Please stay."

"Ayane."

Ayane's eyes wide open, being the first time Haizaki calls her by name.

"Never come to see me again," Haizaki told her, his back still turned, his voice dropping into a dangerous, serious pitch. "Because of me, you almost got hurt out there.

Ayane blinked, her shock turning into a bright, genuine smile.

"B-but you saved me," she said brightly, taking a step forward. "You came and found me!"

Haizaki’s spun around, his red eyes wide as he shouts.

"YOU ARE AN IDIOT!"

Ayane’s eyes blew wide open as she steps back.

"You have a house!" Haizaki screamed, gesturing around her house. "You have a family that actually cares about you! You have parents who cry when you go missing! You have a bright, safe future right in front of you!"

His chest heaved violently as he fought to draw breath, his face filled with bitter jealousy.

"And yet you wanted to trade all of that away!" he says, his face twisting in disbelief and rage. "You threw it all away to run around the city for a complete stranger you met a few months ago! You have everything I always wanted, everything I will never have, and you throw it out a window like it means nothing!"

"You are really a brat," he growled with disgust in his tone. "A stupid, spoiled little girl."

Ayane’s entire body froze in shock as she takes took another slow step backward.

Her mother stepped up behind her wrapping her arms softly around Ayane’s shoulders and pulling her back into a protective hold. Her father stood nearby, letting out a long, heavy sigh, knowing that there wasn't anything else they could do.

Haizaki watched her step back the safety of her mother's arms. His jaw clenched tightly and he dropped his hand, spinning around to face the hallway once again giving his back to them

"Haizaki-kun..."

Ayane’s mother spoke up. Her eyes narrowing.

"That woman... your mother..." Ayane's mother hesitated, "She has been gone for a while now. The police haven't been able to find her."

Haizaki stopped walking, stoping on front of the door. "I have no mother," He hisses.

After that Haizaki reaches out, his hand wrapping around the doorknob. He turned it slowly, pulling the door open.

Before he stepped outside, Haizaki tilts his head, looking back at them on the corner of his eye.

"Don't look for me ever again," Haizaki said with gaze on Ayane, ensuring she heard every single word. "I won't be so forgiving the next time."

After that, Haizaki walks away, slamming the door.

Ayane eyes narrow, tearing up she turns around, burying her face deep into her mother’s stomach. Her hands grabbed handfuls of her mother's shirt, gripping her as she cries.

"Shhh... it is okay, Ayane. It is okay," her mother whispered quickly, hugging and caressing her hair.

Her father walked over kneeling on the floor beside them, "It is for the better, pumpkin," her father said quietly, "He belongs over there, and you belong here with us. It is safer this way."

Ayane cried louder, hugging her mother harder.

Seeing her crying like that her stared at each feeling guilty for letting all that happen.

Outside, Haizaki walked slowly down the steps of their porch.

Dragging his feet with every single muscle in his legs aching.

He stops in front of his house, standing there on the bottom step, taking a small, shaky breath, seeing that inside was empty and dark.

Slowly, his eyes stared to the side, seeing the hole in wall where his leash used to be.

Haizaki raised his right hand with his fingers trembled slightly as he reached up pressing his fingertips against his throat, feeling the skin after years.

He let out a long, exhausted sigh and steps inside, pushing his weight against the wood, forcing the door open.

Haizaki closed the door behind him, sliding his back down the door, He sat on the ground in the dark entryway pulling his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around his legs.

He leaned his head back, resting it heavily against the door and closed his red eyes being alone in the silent dark.

...

The days bled into weeks, and the weeks dissolved into months with nothing changing.

Haizaki spent his days in isolation, always staying at home and rarely walking outside.

Every few days, people always knocked his door with him ignoring them, outside there was always supplies and clothes left there for him.

At first, Haizaki ignored the help but without any other options he ends up accepting the help from the neighbors.

As the years dragged on, people came knocking the door, Social workers, building managers asking for rent and police officers doing welfare checks on the abandoned property, Haizaki was always at home, sleeping on the corner of the house.

He grew into a teenager and for the first time in weeks, Haizaki steps outside stepping into the metal railing, wrapping his hands around the iron bars.

He leaned forward, resting his forearms against the cold metal with his gaze distant, locked onto the empty void of the horizon.

The wind blew past him, rustling his shirt. He stood there, taking some fresh air.

Then, Haizaki heard footsteps, as someone approaches him, The footsteps reached the top of the stairs and moved slowly down the walkway, stopping right beside him.

The person lowered himself onto the floor of the walkway, sitting right at the edge with his shoes slipping  through the gaps in the metal railing, kicking gently back and forth over the empty space below.

It was Ayane, who was now also now a teenager like him.

She leaned her shoulder against the iron bar, with a soft smile.

Down in the courtyard below, were her parents watching over them.

"Shark-kun..."

Haizaki eyes narrow, hearing that nickname once more years after.

"We haven't spoken for years, haven't we?" Ayane continued, her gaze soft as she stares at him.

She her gaze away from him, with her legs swinging gently, as she shares the wiew with him.

"I'm going to a new school, you know?" Ayane announced. "So, I'll have to say goodbye to you, Shark-kun..."

Haizaki’s eyes narrow, his gaze distant.

"I'm going to study medicine for animals," Ayane said as she looks down at her hands resting in her lap. "So I can learn how to help when they are in need."

"I'll study to be a responsible girl," she continued, her voice more energetic. "And I'll learn a lot of new things about animals, and I'm going to learn how to do things right this time. Hehehe~"

She let out a soft giggle, "And it's all for free!" Ayane added, looking up at him with a bright smile. "My parents aren't rich, so it would be a big relief for them too! Isn't that cool?"

Haizaki looks away, not sure of what to say to her.

Ayane’s smile fades slowly as she stops swinging her legs. She turned her head, staring up him again, Her eyes growing slightly sadder.

She turns her face away, looking down at the ground. "I thought about that every single day after the day you said that, Shark-kun..." She says.

"I promise to change..." Ayane whispered, her voice vulnerable. "When I come back, I'll be a better person..."

She closes her eyes, her hands gripping the fabric of her skirt.

"I'm sorry..."

Both of them stayed there in silence as they stared at the wiew.

Haizaki closes his eyes for a sec, letting out a slow sigh.

"...What's the name of the school?"

Ayane’s eyes shot wide open as she gasps softly, her head snapping up to look at him as a bright, genuine smile broke across her face.

"A-Ares," Ayane said quickly nodding. "It's called Ares..."

"Ares..." Haizaki whispers.

He let out a long, quiet sigh, his gaze still on the horizon.

"...Good luck," Haizaki said.

"A... ah..." Ayane gasped softly, her eyes softening. "Thanks a lot, Shark-kun... I'll miss... you..."

Suddenly, she scrambled up from the floor brushing the dust off her skirt and stepping directly toward him, She lifted her arms, sprinting to give him a last hug.

"Go away," Haizaki said, his gaze distant. "Your parents are waiting."

He gestured with his chin toward the courtyard below, where her parents stared at them.

Ayane stops, with her arms dropping slowly to her sides, Her eyes narrowed slightly, seeing how he pushed her back one last time..

She looked at him for a long quiet moment and then, she smiled.

"Please wait for me, Haizaki-kun..." Ayane whispered, her voice filled with determination. She lifted her head, looking him directly in the eyes. "I'll be back better..."

After that, She turned around on her heel and began to walk away down the concrete path toward the stairs.

As she walked away, he slowly turned his body. He let his hand drop to his side, his red eyes narrowing. He stood on the walkway in silence, staring at her back as she walked downstairs as she reaches below where her parents guided her inside a car and went away.

Haizaki turns away from the stairs resting his hands back on the iron railing, tilting his head back slightly as he looks up at the sky, once again, alone.

A year passed since Ayane left, Haizaki learned how to control himself and what he had inside him, he found a part-time job working the late-night shift at a local warehouse spending hours moving heavy wooden pallets and loading delivery trucks, with his coworkers avoiding him and leaving him entirely to his work.

From that night on, Haizaki paid his own rent and bought his own food, paying Ayane's parents all that he thought he had in debt.

One day Haizaki stepped out to get some fresh air. Walking over to the railing and leaning his forearms heavily against the cold metal.

He stared out at the view once again lost on his thoughts.

Suddenly, Haizaki slowly shifted his gaze downward as a sleek black sedan pulled off the main street and slowly rolled into the the apartment complex.

The driver's side door clicked open and Ayane’s father steps out of the car, walking around the back of the sedan to the passenger side.

The other door opened, and Ayane’s mother stepped out onto the pavement.

Standing high up on the walkway, Haizaki’s breath hitched, His red eyes widened slightly as he knew what that's meant.

Slowly, Haizaki smiles, he quickly pushed his weight off the metal railing, ready to walk downstairs.

Haizaki stopped dead in his tracks. He turned his head, looking back over his shoulder toward the black car.

Ayane’s mother opened the trunk of the sedan reaching inside and pulling out a wheelchair.

Haizaki’s eyes narrowed slightly in confusion.

Down by the car, Ayane’s father opens the passenger door leaning inside into the back seat and then stepped backward, pulling the passenger out of the car.

Haizaki’s smile vanishes from his face, his eyes wide open in horror.

It was Ayane, hanging limply in her father’s arms, her limbs dangling loose as if the bones had been removed.

Her father carefully lowered her down, setting her into the seat of the black wheelchair and grabbed her limp feet, gently placing them onto the metal footrests.

Ayane sat slumped in the chair, her head hanging heavily forward.

Haizaki stared down at her, his heart hammering violently against his ribs.

"Ayane..." he whispered, his voice cracking.

Slowly, as her mother adjusted the blanket over her lap, Ayane’s head tilted up just a fraction of an inch.

Haizaki could see her pale skin and Her eyes hollow and empty as she simply sat there like a broken doll.

A sharp pain shot through Haizaki’s chest, making him clutch his chest unable to control himself after so many years.

He took a slow step backward, being overwhelmed with fear.

"P-penguin-chan..."

...

*Bang. Bang.*

An heavy wooden gavel slammed against a table, the sound cutting through the dense, heavy atmosphere of a courtroom.

"I have reached a verdict," the Judge announced.

A loud wave of murmurs and whispering flooded the gallery. As the citizens sitting in the wooden pews leaned closer to one another.

Sitting at the plaintiff's table on the far right side of the room, Haizaki stared at the ceiling, dressed in a clean black suit with the collar pressing uncomfortably against the faded, permanent scars on his neck.

Directly behind him, stood a tall man and the lawyer.

Haizaki's mother was sitting at the defense table, her hair messy and her eyes were bloodshot and wide open, narrowing around the room with her hands trembling.

Beside her, her defense lawyer looked defeated, pale and nervous wiping his forehead with his handkerchief.

*Bang. Bang. Bang.*

"Silence in the court!" the Judge demanded, He glared down at the gallery as the whispers finally died down, returning the room to a tense quiet.

The Judge adjusted his glasses, looking down at the stack of legal documents spread across his desk.

"This court has thoroughly reviewed the extensive evidence, the psychiatric evaluations, and the testimonies provided over the course of these proceedings," the Judge began, "We will begin with the matter of family court and the prior custody arrangements established over a decade ago."

The Judge looked up, his gaze locking into Haizaki's mother.

"Years ago, this court granted you full legal custody of the minor, Haizaki Ryouhei, operating under the assumption that you were a fit and capable guardian," the Judge stated, "The evidence presented in this trial has proven that original decision to be a catastrophic failure of justice. Therefore, I am officially reversing the prior ruling."

The Judge picked up his pen, signing the top document with a aggressive stroke.

"Effective immediately, all of your parental rights are permanently terminated. You are stripped of any legal claim to this child. Full legal and physical custody of Haizaki Ryouhei is hereby awarded to his biological father, Eiji Makihara, without any provisions for visitation or contact from the defendant."

A loud gasp rippled through the gallery, followed once again by whispers.

Eiji closed his eyes for a brief second, letting out a slow breath through his nose as he nods his head once toward the judge, Haizaki continued to stare into the void, not being at the room at all.

*Bang.*

"Order! Order on the court!" the Judge barked, slamming the hammer again. "I will clear this room if you cannot contain yourselves."

As the gallery went silent once more, The Judge moved the custody papers aside, revealing a much thicker stack of criminal documents.

"Moving to the criminal docket," the Judge announced, "Mitsuko Ryouhei, You stand accused of a multitude of severe offenses. First, for completely evading law enforcement and abandoning a known residence to hide from the authorities for three consecutive years after the initial reports of abuse were filed."

The Judge flipped a page with his voice echoing loudly. "On the charge of felony evasion of justice, I find you guilty!"

The defense lawyer flinched, dropping his pen onto the table. Mitsuko eyes narrow in terror.

"Furthermore," the Judge continued, "You are charged with multiple counts of severe child abuse, unlawful restraint, and reckless endangerment. The evidence, including the physical scars on the victim's throat, the structural damage to your previous apartment and a leash recovered from the premises paints a horrifying picture of your actions. You treated a human child like a rabid animal for years."

The Judge looked her dead in the eye. "On all counts of felony child abuse, unlawful restraint, and severe neglect, I find you guilty!"

"I HAD TO!"

Mitsuko violently shoved her chair back and standing up, her defense lawyer panicked, grabbing her arm desperately trying to pull her back down.

"Ms. Mitsuko! Please!!!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she rips her arm away from him quickly, staring at the judge.

"You don't understand!" she shrieked, her eyes wide open. "I only did it because it was the right thing! It was the only thing to do!"

She raised a hand, pointing her finger at herself, and then wildly gestured toward Haizaki.

"We are both monsters!" she screamed, "Both of us! He is a monster, and so am I! We are things you people couldn't possibly understand! Things you all fear to understand because you are normal and blind to the truth!"

People gasped loudly, horrified by her and what she said.

"That is why he got away!" she continued screaming, pointing at Haizaki's father. "That is why he left us! Because he was weak! He was just like the rest of you! He ran away and left me to deal with the monster because he couldn't handle what we really are! So I did what I had to do!"

Eiji shakes his head, taking a deep sigh.

Haizaki closes his eyes, turning his head down.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The Judge hammered the gavel repeatedly, "SILENCE! ORDER! ORDER ON THE COURT!" He shouts. "Bailiffs, secure the defendant immediately!"

Two armed bailiffs rushed forward from the walls, grabbing the mother by both of her arms. "NOOOOO!!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!!!! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!" She thrashed against them, kicking her legs and screaming.

"Your complete lack of remorse and this deranged outburst only solidifies the court's decision," the Judge shouted over her screaming, "You are clearly mentally unstable and a severe danger to society. I am adding contempt of court to your charges!"

The Judge pointed his gavel directly at her as the bailiffs forced her arms behind her back to apply the handcuffs.

"Given your clear psychological deterioration and your complete refusal to take accountability for your horrific actions, you will not serve your time in a standard facility," the Judge declared, "I am ordering an immediate, mandatory transfer to a maximum-security psychiatric correctional institution. You will undergo extensive psychological evaluation, and you will serve the absolute maximum sentence allowed by the law for every single charge."

"LET ME GO! YOU'RE ALL COWARDS!" she shrieked as the bailiffs began to drag her toward the side doors. "I DID THE RIGHT THING! WE ARE MONSTERS! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! HAIZAKI!!!!"

"This court is adjourned!" the Judge finalized, slamming the gavel down one last time.

The heavy side doors opened, and the bailiffs dragged the screaming woman out of the courtroom with the doors shutting as they leave.

Eiji took a slow step forward placing his hand gently onto his son's shoulder.

"It's over," Eiji said quietly.

Haizaki takes a deep sigh, nodding at him.

After the trial. Haizaki sat in the back of a black luxury vehicle moving around the city.

*They didn't want to confirm it out loud, but she was right...* Haizaki whispered to himself looking down at his own hands, tracing the pale scars that ran across his knuckles. *We were both monsters. No matter what, we are the same. For me, it is only a matter of time once again...*

He slowly curls his fingers inward, feeling the tension pulling tight across his skin.

*This is my life...* Haizaki thought, his jaw clenching tight. *A mess. Something I would never want others to experience... And now, she is just like me... A freak in their eyes..."*

He closed his eyes, squeezing his hands into tight fists.

The image of Ayane sitting in that black wheelchair burned into the back of his eyelids, remembering how she looked that day.

*Ares...* Haizaki whispered. *The scales of Ares are what made Ayane this way...*

The car eventually slowed pulling smoothly up to the curb with the door beside him being pulled wide by a man in a black suit.

Haizaki stepped out of the vehicle as they arrived at the Scramble Crossing, Haizaki looks around, slightly overwhelmed by the blinding lights and the people around him.

His father stepped out of the opposite side of the car, standing close to him and surrounded by bodyguards.

As they walked slowly around the intersection. Haizaki kept his head down, the crowd around them parting slightly being intimidated by the tall and serious men walking in formation.

Then, high above the crossing, the massive digital billboards synchronize catching the attention of the intersection as everyone stares up.

Haizaki stopped walking, standing in the middle of the bodyguards. He lifted his head, his gaze on one of the screens.

Eiji stops a step ahead of him, he turned his head, checking on him before following Haizaki's gaze up to the towering billboard.

The screen displayed a high-definition broadcast. A man stood in the center of the frame, dressed in an white suit with is hair black and bright white and a smile on his face.

"The Scales of Ares implements a logical and efficient child-rearing program based on your child’s DNA…" the man explained.

He paused, looking directly into the camera. "Reborn as high-quality humans who excel in all kinds of abilities."

He took a slow, deliberate step to the side, allowing a graphic to appear next to him.

Haizaki eyes narrow as he watches.

"This is a gift for our whole population," the man in the white suit continued, extending his hand outward in welcoming gesture. "To create a new generation program that will create the next evolutionary stage of humans. This gift is called the Scale of Ares, first only being implemented in schools owned by the sub-company, Ares."

He nodded slowly, "It is executed by FS2000, the cutting edge of computer systems that is made by my company, Gekkou Electronics." The man lifted his chin slightly.

"We are here to help offer the best experience for this next generation," the CEO of Gekkou Electronics said, "Your child will be able to become a more efficient and a responsible adult in the future. From Medicine, to Architecture, to Science..."

He raised his hand toward a secondary monitor displayed within the broadcast. The screen filled with footage of students sitting in clean classrooms and wearing sharp uniforms, smiling and enjoying the company of one another.

"And even sports," the man said, smile widening slightly.

The footage on the screen shifted again into a green field.

"They are a soccer team from one of our schools that have been trained through the Scales of Ares's education system."

The broadcast showed a group of teenage boys and girls moving across the grass moving with speed and an unnatural coordination striking the ball with precision and finishing each other's plays.

"With each of their abilities brought out to maximum, they are true masters of the sport, like in every single specialty mentioned," the man stated, turning back to the camera, "Give a future to your kids. Let them join us to a brighter future. Let them join Ares."

The man in the white suit gave a formal bow and then the footage faded to black.

The pedestrians resumed their conversations, going back to their routines.

Haizaki tightens his fists, staring at screen, Eiji places a hand on his shoulder helping him keep walking.

...

Haizaki took a long, deep sigh. He opened his eyes, standing in the middle of the hospital room.

Haizaki stared at her, taking a step forward.

"They destroyed your soul, Penguin-chan..." He whispers.

"They made you like this." He hisses, tightening his fists.

"They will pay every single day for turning you into this..." Haizaki leaned forward slightly.

"You have so much talent... you have so much future... I won't let it go away." He closes his eyes for a sec.

Haizaki opens his eyes, "I'll use the only thing I'm good at," he whispers, "The only thing I'm able to do. And with that... I'll take my revenge on the guys who did this to you."

He stepped back, putting distance between himself and the wheelchair, standing tall towards her.

"So until that day comes... I’ll keep playing football."

Kozoumaru stood still beside the doorframe, listening to what he was saying for a while.

He leans against the wall. His arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"Revenge... huh..." Kozoumaru whispers, staring up at the ceiling.

                                             To Be Continued...