The same night when Imura went home, there was a complication-
"Helloooooo…You alright?" a low- but yet taunting voice emerged in the middle of a forgotten alley. The makeshift fire crackled behind the standing man from the inside of a rusty barrel. "You not gonna speak?" said the man to his beaten victim. An old man with a suit as rich as gold, now tattered and impure from the brawl that occurred just two minutes ago.
The attacker sighed, unfazed and bored. "Guess you were just all talk, huh?" he took out a lighter, then a cigarette. "Figures," he lit the unfiltered end and inhaled long before he exhaled smoke out into the air.
Meanwhile, there was the Hirose figure from before, still with his friends behind him. He walked deep into the narrow ways, eventually finding the man with his back turned, having a smoke. Hirose wasn't surprised. "Mr.Nikaido," he called. Nikaido didn't turn around to that. "How's it goin'?"
'O.K.' he spelt it almost mockingly. Then he said, "How's yours?"
"Doin' great. The boys're the same." Hirose replied with what seemed like a smile. "I told the guy what. And I don't think he's really scared about it."
"Why would he be?" he turned around. A face that almost seemed to never stop smiling. "He's the guy who took our guys head on one o' one."
There was a quiet aggression to him. An aggression that only talked trash when he wasn't fighting. He had a faint scar on his left cheek. One that looked like it came from a small blade. His eyes were wide and expressing, with a build that mainly wrestlers would have. A man that just by his image only could someone tell that he was someone with a name for themselves.
And anyone'd be right if they guessed this man was big deal. He simply was. And on the streets gangsters would call him, 'Ruthless Fist'. By name, he goes by: 'Nikaido Kasuga'. An ex-Shirogane High's P.E teacher, now a part of his own students gang.
"So, what does he look like?" he threw the cigarette away to his right side, the fire consumed it slowly. "Pretty tall. Doesn't look like much, but he looks like a girl almost." Kasuga's smile lengthened, a quiet amusement in his demeanour. "So he's a pretty boy, huh? The guy who made us look weaker than we really are…"
He threw the lighter away. "He's gonna get it, alright."
There was a quietness the followed. One that lingered to be with tension. Hirose stared at him with an expression that made him difficult to understand. Nikaido stared back. It was as if they were anticipating something they silently agreed upon.
The oldest man behind Nikaido started to crawl slowly.
Nikaido glared behind himself.
The old man panicked. His bruised face still spoke of volumes of his own worries. Something was up, and it made his heart race. The way he looked back at him was threatening. And the volumes it spoke was enough to startle him back up slightly.
And whatever was the case…He had to run and FAST-
TUG.
"I'm sorry- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry….!!!!" The man begged again and again, while trying to shake his left arm off of Nikaido's vice-like grip. Nikaido replied, "Where're you going?" meanwhile the man stampered as he said, "N-n-nowhere…I'm going nowhere-! Please just- let me go!"
Nikaido did. He used the momentum on the man's arm to push him away. He almost tripped, and yet he remained his footing. He looked at Hirose- then his gang- then Nikaido alertedly. He was confused, scared, and was wanting to run off somehow. He backed a few stepes away, in order to make sure they don't harm him. His arms were moving up front, his lips quivered, though he said, "I just want to go home…Please…Just let me go, I'm sorry…!" loud enough for no one outside to clearly hear. Nikaido stepped toward him and approached him slowly. "Sorry?" he repeated. And like he was taking a walk in the park, he recounted what the man did, "You came out from that store, then you tried to threaten me for accidentally spilling my drink on your suit-"
"N-NO-…!"
"You tell me how you have connections with the yakuza- that you're an ex. You drag me all the way to this alley and then try to get physical with me, and now you're sorry?" he said. "Really?" he tilted his head slightly, a mocking smile tugged across his face.
Ex-yakuza or not, this man was dangerous. And one that didn't care if that really were the case or not.
What seemed as though- the climax was here. The old man was screaming on the inside. He was predicting one thing- and one thing only. He's going to punch me, he's going to punch me…HE'S GOING TO PUNCH ME!!!!
A ROCK SOLID-LIKE FIST.
WHOOSH.
…
If there was something this man had learnt today, it was that he should't just mess with a gangster all by himself. Not even with his friends either. Not when it had no meaning to it at all.
He was staring at the same strong fist that struck him more than once in this back alley. And this fist was staring at him just inches away from his nose.
"Alright." Nikaido said. "You can go now."
He took two steps back from that old man. His right striking fist moved back slowly. Once he was done, he jabbed his head to his left, telling him to run off. His stance didn't unwaver indespite, as if the threat there was still active.
The other three stepped to the side, giving him some space. With a bent posture, the old man walked off quickly. Disappearing from the sights of all those four.
Hirose turned back and said to Nikaido, "You're real thrilled, aren't you?"
Nikaido chuckled. Then he replied, "I guess I am."
"And I can't wait."
Starting from tonight, a man as imposing as a tiger was waiting. And Imura hadn't realized it today. All he ever really knew was something would happen tomorrow, but he doesn't know what. And for that, he must prepare.
Between Shirogane High crews and him, there has never been a form of solidarity to speak of.
The day after,
The sun barely blazed overhead, casting low shadows beneath buildings and umbrellas. Meanwhile the crickets chirped a chorus rhythmatically outside the garden of 'Nagasaki College'. It was a reputable place which, unusual to the majorities, didn't have its own set of dorms inside the building. The college itself was one big rectangle- with a smaller sized rectangle on its head. Skinny glass windows surrounded the walls around each hallway, it looked more like a commercial building rather than a college itself.
Inside and outside was surrounded by the cold white institutional colour, surrounded by black outlines across the edges of the building. The classrooms were almost about empty. For now. It was time to go for the first batch, but yet many decided to stay and hang around for a while. Some stayed outside the building just walking around or reflecting- others in clubs, working through their passions. The karate club where fists and kicks launched sharply and cries sound, the art n' crafts where structures were constructed by coloured paper, and brushes slipping against stretched canvas, creating winding rivers and mountains, or forests to ancient pyramids or bridges. Sports clubs where basketballs thumped against the floor and shoes screeched, and volleyballs bounched against the fists of others.
Some chattered, some quiet. Some walked home, while still quiet. Today was normal as it seemed. Which is why Imura seemed to always like hanging around during the day.
Though he had not too many friends in particular, just the ones he had always seemed to put a smile on his face and make him laugh. And that was enough.
But today…It seemed like barely anyone came. There was one, of course, Eigen Ehara, but he seemed to leave off early. Told him That he wasn't feeling too well- so he left.
Imura didn't know himself why, but he wandered around the school for a bit. Starting from the ends of the halls to outside, he went to the back where the garden's placed. But just then, he stumbled into what he thought he shouldn't have.
Three dudes and one dude. Two seemed to root for that one dude for something. He looked the shortest, and the most scared- hesitant about something out of them all. One in front of him had a confidentally raised orthodox boxing stance, and while he barely kept his own. Everytime his arms fell down just below his chest, the one beside him always seemed to force him to put them back up.
'C'mon, what's this?! Y'wanted to show how big and strong you were, right?' that's what he could make up from the distance. 'Beat 'em up fair and square, and show him how strong you are!'
'Y'said it yourself you wanted to change.'
Is this a fight?
While they were teasing and laughing, he walked up behidn the firstone nonchalantly, as if his pressence were hidden. He tapped a shoulder repeatedly, the man turned and faced him with a raised brow. They all went silent then.
"What's up, man?"
"Good. What's going on here?" he looked at the others then back at him.
"Oh, nothin' much. Really." He giggled nervously. Then he extended a hand of a quiet truce. "Uh…Tachibana second year, you?"
Imura shook it lazily, never leaving his gaze. "Imura Kashiwada, second year."
"You second year too?? Mannn, good to see you."
"Same."
He looked at the fellow just beside him. Short and shy-looking, the way he looked was as if he was begging him to help him out silently. He then turned back to Tachibana, his voice commanding as he said, "Can you let him go now?"
"Huh?"
"He doesn't wanna do any of this. Just let him be, man." He added, his gaze barely wavered from the usual aloofness he wears.
Tachibana went awkward quiet for a moment. He tried to figure his response, but he gave up. He let the boy go, jabbing his head toward the exit-way. He left slowly, leaving the rest of them standing there watching.
Imura turned back to them then. By unexpectancy, he smiled. "Thanks," he said, before he began to walk away. But just then, the same Tachibana seemed to have something more to say. He stepped forward, raised a hand, and told him, "Wait!"
Then Imura turned behind himself again. He stopped on his tracks to listen. "Aren't you the guy from Keichi's gym?"
Imura hesitated, "Why?"
"I was a student of his. And I think I saw you once or twice coming out from there, are you?"
"Uhhh…" Imura replied, "Yeah, I am."
"AH! I knew it!" Tachibana snapped his fingers, his eyes flashed with excitement. "I saw how you've done your stuff man, your boxing's real impressive."
"Uhh- thanks…?"
"Say, how 'bout this, you and I?" he began to approach him afterwards. Then, he raised a fist flash and speedy, stopping close to Imura's chin- that startled him for a moment. "We have a spar?"
Tachibana said with a ready-to-fight grin.