Now, back to the present—
'NO. FUCK THAT. YOU DON'T SKIP THIS MOMENT.' Yuuto's thought.
"Where did that come from?" Yuuto muttered, halting mid-step. "No, wait. I get where that comes from. I'm irresistible."
"Cool. Then that means you accept this date offer, right?" Miyuki replied casually.
"...."
"You're ugly. Not my type," Yuuto said instantly.
"I know the first one's a blatant lie," she replied with a mocking smirk. "I know I'm hot." She placed her hands on her hips, straightening herself up more, and waving her blonde hair with black edges.
Yuuto clicked his tongue.
"As for the latter... what is your type, then?" Miyuki asked, arms folded.
"A three-meter-tall immortal mommy with huge curves. You're not even close. C-League."
"Damn. You didn't even hesitate," she deadpanned. "Well, if we're going there, then I guess my type is a four-meter-tall werewolf with bulging muscles and fur all over. I bet nothing's bulging about you, either." She spat back.
"Okay... Miyuki, was it?" Yuuto sighed. "Nonsense aside, what gives?"
"...."
She looked at him evenly, unreadable. Tilted her head. Straightened it.
"I wanna date you." She shrugged, "That's about it."
A gust of wind.
'No, there's no gust of wind. We're in a stairwell...' Yuuto noted dryly.
'That aside...'
He blinked. And flinched.
'What is she trying to pull?'
"...While I love jokes," Yuuto said at last, "I asked a serious question."
She held his gaze for a few seconds before lowering her eyes, smirking.
"Damn," she muttered. "It's like you've got Schrödinger's Complex. Whether it's inferiority or superiority depends on what suits your argument."
She stepped closer.
Yuuto chuckled, a bit uneasy now. Took a step back.
"If you attack me, I'll tell on you to the teacher," he muttered, now backed up against the wall.
"Say," she leaned in, breath warm against his ear, "I actually dig guys who do the right thing. That was... cool of you. Helping those two, even though you didn't have to... Even when it cost me."
She leaned back, watching him. Smug.
'..!'
But what greeted her was a cold, subtle glare. Steady. Unyielding.
All trace of nervousness—gone.
"What an odd way of saying 'I'll fuck the first guy who's nicer than you,' punkgirl," Yuuto spat, stepping forward.
"Ahh...?" Her voice turned sharp as she placed her hands on her waist. "I'm sorry—"
"Do I know you or something?" she snapped, bending toward him.
"...?" Yuuto narrowed his eyes.
"Are we in a seven-year-long relationship I missed out on, for you to pull that shit with me?" she barked. "I just asked you out 'cause you mighta been cool, and you go and accuse me of being a whore for it?"
"..."
"Fuck off. You piece of shit." She shoved him hard. Yuuto let himself be slammed against the wall as she stormed off.
"Fucking bastard." Her footsteps echoed across the stairwell. She soon enough vanished from sight, and Yuuto stood alone.
'....'
'Well, one distraction less—'
His knees buckled.
He collapsed to the ground.
'What? What is it now? Are you seriously this wrecked over something this stupid?' His breathing turned ragged, erratic.
'Man... that drug must've screwed me up real good.'
He leaned against the wall, trying to steady his lungs, but they refused to obey.
'And this... this is what I get for walking around when I should've let my body rest. I'm not even recovered from when those bastards broke into my place…'
He gritted his teeth, hand clutching at his chest.
'It's tight... too tight… A heart attack? No. No way. Impossible. Or maybe... maybe it is possible. That drug... I should've lost my mind back there. But I didn't. So maybe now's the payback. A delayed side effect?'
He stared at the floor. Everything was spinning.
'Yeah. Haah… definitely drug-related.'
His pulse slammed in his ears like a war drum. Sweat rolled down his face.
"Come out of there, cuck… haah… I can smell you…" Yuuto muttered, swallowing hard, jaw clenched.
"I... I was eavesdropping..." Shun murmured, stepping out from the corner, eyes locked on Yuuto.
"You… You need help, Sakurai. I'll get you some water—"
"NO!" Yuuto exploded. "Don't you DARE. Don't you DARE— I… I don't need your help. I… I… haaah… haaah… haaah..."
Shun looked down, lips pressed tight, pity creeping into his eyes.
"YOU CLEARLY NEED HELP!" he snapped. "I'm getting the nurse—"
He tried to pass, but Yuuto clutched at his leggings.
"YOU DON'T DARE CALL ANYONE!!" Yuuto growled through gritted teeth, breath heaving. "NO ONE! You think I need your help?! ME?! Don't fuck… with… haah…"
'Damn it… Steady your breaths... Last thing I need is pity from a useless... cuck... like him...'
"Then stop me." Shun yanked his leg free and darted down the stairs. "I'm calling the nurse. I don't know what you'd do if I tried to carry you."
He vanished down the stairwell.
Unseen by Yuuto, Miyuki leaned quietly against the wall a few steps below, having heard everything.
She didn't move. Listening meticulously to his heavy panting with every passing second.
Not until the nurse arrived. And then, Miyuki went away from there.
"Sakurai," The nurse sighed as she looked at him, with Shun standing nearby. "I don't think there's something wrong with your heart. I may not be a doctor, but from what I know, this seems to me like a panic attack—"
"Stop... Just... Stop." Yuuto gulped, his breaths calming down, "Stop talking."
"...."
They both looked at Yuuto as he pushed himself upwards, wobbling his way down the stairs. Not saying a thing.
--------- BACK TO THE PRESENT; where Shun and Riko were talking on the rooftop, with Yuuto eavesdropping their conversation ------------
'Why'd the flashback have to be that long…? Should've just ended it after my talk with Cuck,' Yuuto thought, clicking his tongue at the memory before shaking his head.
'Whatever. It's the end of the school day. I'll catch that Harvester and confront him about it.'
'About the drug.' He concluded as he turned away, going down the stairs.
Stopping in his tracks.
'…Seriously? Is this stairwell her damn teleport zone or something?' he muttered in his head as Miyuki came into view.
"...."
"...."
They stood across from each other in silence.
"I didn't follow anyone this time," she said, glancing away. "Just wanted some air."
Yuuto didn't reply. He just stood there, feeling that tightness in his chest again—not as harsh as before, but familiar. Like he was back there again…
Facing Sakura. Watching her fall apart.
A long minute passed.
"Well, excuse me," she muttered, brushing past him.
"I'm—" Yuuto called after her, stopping her mid-step. Her back was turned.
"...Didn't mean to insult you earlier today."
She didn't reply.
"I've got some things I need to work out right now. And some of that's been dumped on you."
'No use denying it at this point.' He looked at his palms. 'It's almost as if...'
'I'm unraveling lately. I may be unbeatable, but if another one of these... attacks happens in a crucial moment, I'm done for. And if it's really a panic attack, I need to figure out where the hell it comes from, so I can solve whatever's causing it and move on.'
'But for now, I'll just own it. After all, I've already accepted that even I, Anti-NTR Man, can make mistakes... can have poor judgment.... And...'
'I need to improve.'
A pause.
'Right... Haruto? I promised myself by your grave I'd never repeat them... but it seems like I can't stop myself these days.'
He then saw Sakura's image. Her face as she cried when he visited her. The way she unraveled before him.
'Would you have not gone to that mixer if I'd apologized before you left, Sakura? Would I have...'
'... Saved you, just by doing that?'
He took a breath.
"I'm... I'm sorry," Yuuto finally said, "You didn't deserve my lash-out."
He finished, and kept walking down. The tightness eased—just a little.
"I," she said suddenly, "don't accept your apology."
"...That's your right," he replied with a sigh, continuing down the stairs.
"So date me," she said. "Date me. I wanna get to know the guy before I decide if it's worth it to forgive him."
'…'
'…That's blackmail, isn't it?' He looked over his shoulder.
There she was, fidgety, uncomfortable and somewhat looking away.
'Whatever. Just walk around somewhere and kill time. That's all a date is, really. Doesn't decide the future. Doesn't mean we're having kids or something.'
'Besides… I'm not expelled, am I? So she didn't report the drug I told her about earlier. I'll humor her and avoid more complications.'
He turned to face her completely.
She stood atop the first flight of stairs—that flat landing between the two halves—and he stood at the bottom, looking up. Hands in his pockets. The early sunset casting a dim glow over them both.
"Sure," he said flatly.
"I'll date you."
Unbeknownst to the two of them, Riko and Shun stood behind the rooftop's doorframe... eavesdropping.
"A girl..."
"...just asked Sakurai out..."
"...FOR A DATE..." they finished each other's sentences, staring at each other in astonishment.
"For the second time... Crazy," Shun added.
"I wish I had popcorn..." Riko sighed. "I'm so gonna shove it in his face. He was always like, 'Beuhhh huehhh I'm too good for everyone… guhbuhee everyone's beneath me…'"
"But," Shun cut in, glancing up at the sky, "to think he had that side to him... Damn." He chuckled.
"He's actually kinda cool, isn't he?" he said with a smile, glancing at Riko; whose eyes widened, eyebrows raised at his comment.
"Yeah, you're right." She turned forward with a casual smile. "To think I'd hear him apologize like that. It's almost like we're seeing a comet."
"Sakurai's many things… but he's not someone who backs down." He stretched. "I didn't want to admit it, but—me coming to Shiyon today and choosing to stay with the culture club instead of chasing strength like some anime protagonist... I think it was he that inspired me."
"To stand up for myself."
As he looked toward the stairwell, watching Yuuto's figure fade into the distance, he couldn't help but remember the Zimbabwe guy who helped him with Riko.
'Not sure why I feel like saying this...'
'But thanks, Sakurai.'
------------------- ELSEWHERE... -----------
Sendo had just left the infirmary, wrapped in bandages. Downtrodden. His gaze stayed fixed on the floor beneath him as he walked.
Where could he go?
The only place that would bring him comfort.
The gym.
"So he lied," Shiyon's voice echoed in his mind. "So what?"
"Everyone lies. You're only mad because it was done to you. Don't pretend you care about justice, Sendo." Another voice.
'But Kenichi lied...' the argument surfaced in his thoughts only for it to circle back again: "So what."
Sendo's chest tightened. His teeth clenched.
He knew something was wrong.
He knew it.
So why was everyone blaming him?
Kenichi was the one who lied...
...But it didn't matter. No matter what he said, he could already hear it—Shiyon would just say so what again. He'd be judged anyway.
'...Fuck dat.' He cursed silently as he opened the gym door.
He expected it to be empty.
Instead...
He found the entire Kendo club waiting for him.
"WELCOME BACK, CAPTAIN!" they all shouted in unison.
He lifted his head, puzzled. Mouth slightly ajar.
"...Der's no roll call today," he mumbled, scratching his head.
"Captain," one of the members stepped forward, "we heard what happened."
Sendo lowered his head again, bracing for the same judging stares he'd gotten all day.
"WE KNOW IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!" the member shouted, startling him.
He looked up again, this time, no judgment. Just casual smiles. Genuine ones.
"H-... Huh...?" he murmured.
"What are you sulking for, Captain?" another chimed in. "We know you wouldn't do something like that without a good reason."
"Yeah, yeah! Kenichi's always been jealous of you! It's obvious he pulled something unmanly!"
"Ahh..." Sendo's voice cracked. His eyes began to dampen as their words washed over him.
"We know you only wanted what's best for him—and he spit on it! The bastard!"
Sendo's jaw quivered. Lips tightened.
"Captain cares too much about the Kendo Club. But he's not the type to hit someone for nothing. Shiyon-san crossed a line! That bastard Kenichi deserved every hit you gave him!"
"Yeah... Gon was there. He told me what happened. Said the whole thing stunk to hell."
"Shaddap..." Sendo whispered, his tears finally falling as he turned his head away.
"Also, don't take what Shiyon-san did and said to heart. He probably beat you because he couldn't be seen as weak or preferential before the other Disciplinary Committee."
"Yeah, he loves you, Captain! That won't ever change, won't it?"
"Captain. Just ignore Kenichi. We, the real Kendo Club members—we've got your back! You took us to the nationals!"
He began to sob quietly.
"...Shaddap..." he muttered again, weaker now. "Just shaddap... ahh..."
They chuckled softly.
"Captain's finally acting his age."
"What do you mean? Captain's always been a kid! That's why we love him! It's part of his charm."
He placed a palm over his mouth, weeping quietly into it with his back turned. The Kendo club members surrounding him.