The school day ended in an unusually peaceful way, the kind of quiet that felt almost suspicious after everything they had been through lately. The golden light of the setting sun stretched across the streets as students poured out of the gates, laughter and chatter filling the air.
As Asuka walked home, hands tucked casually into her pockets, her phone buzzed.
She glanced down.
Taiju: Meet at the local park. Gang meeting.
Her steps slowed for a split second. A faint spark lit in her sharp eyes. Without hesitation, she turned on her heel, changing her direction toward the park. The wind brushed past her hair as if whispering that something was coming.
When she arrived, the atmosphere felt heavier than usual.
Taiju, Senju, and Inupi were already there, standing near the old swings. They weren't talking. Just waiting.
As Asuka stepped into the park, gravel crunching softly under her shoes, three pairs of eyes lifted from the ground and fixed on her.
She raised her hand lazily in the air, flashing her usual carefree grin.
"Yo!"
Senju crossed her arms, though there was a subtle relief in her eyes. "So you came," she said, trying to sound casual.
Asuka tilted her head, eyebrow raised playfully. "Usually people do come when called."
A faint grin tugged at Senju's lips. "Not always."
Asuka responded with a slow, knowing smirk the kind that said she understood more than she let on.
Taiju exhaled sharply, clearly impatient. "If we're done discussing your love life," he said, shooting them a look, "can we move to something serious?"
Senju rolled her eyes. Asuka chuckled under her breath.
Inupi stepped forward slightly, his usually calm expression tightened with tension. "Asuka-chan… it's serious." His voice carried an edge of worry. "The guys we fought the other day… they're planning to attack us next Sunday. They're bringing around fifty members."
He swallowed before continuing.
"And we're just four."
The weight of his words hung in the air.
"How are we supposed to fight them?" His hands clenched at his sides. "They'll outnumber us completely."
Silence followed.
Asuka didn't answer immediately.
She looked at Inupi for a long moment not mocking, not dismissive just measuring. Then her gaze slowly drifted upward to the evening sky, now painted in deep orange and violet.
A small smirk curved her lips.
"And I thought it was something really problematic."
Inupi blinked.
She shifted her eyes back to them, confidence radiating from her posture. "Are any of you actually scared of them being fifty?"
No one spoke.
Her smirk widened slightly.
"They can bring a hundred if they want." Her voice was calm — too calm. "If they're bringing a complete team of fifty, not all of them are useful."
She stepped closer, her eyes sharp now.
"And I trust you guys."
The wind picked up, rustling the leaves around them.
"Once their leader is down," she continued, a dangerous glint in her gaze, "it's our victory, Inupi."
Taiju's serious expression shifted into a confident grin.
Senju's lips curled upward, fire rekindled in her eyes.
Even Inupi felt the tightness in his chest loosen slightly.
The fear didn't disappear.
But her confidence was contagious.
And under the fading light of the sky, the four of them stood closer than before — not just as gang members…
…but as something stronger.
As the meeting slowly came to an end, the tension in the air finally loosened. The evening breeze felt lighter now.
Asuka stretched her arms above her head and looked at the three of them with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
"Are you guys free?" she asked casually. "Why don't we take this time to do some exercises?"
The three of them blinked at her.
"Exercises?" Senju repeated.
All three stared at her in visible confusion.
"Yes, exercise," Asuka said with exaggerated seriousness — then her lips curled into a playful grin. Her eyes glittered. "I heard there's a ramen stall nearby that serves extremely tasty ramen. What do you say?"
There was a brief pause.
Senju was the first to break into a smile. "Now that kind of exercise, I support."
Inupi let out a soft chuckle, his earlier tension fading as he nodded. "Sounds good."
Meanwhile, Taiju's brows twisted in irritation. "Are you guys for real?" he groaned.
The three of them nodded without hesitation.
Taiju clicked his tongue in annoyance but finally sighed. "Unbelievable."
And just like that, they started walking.
As they made their way toward the ramen stall, laughter slowly replaced the seriousness from earlier.
But Asuka felt something different.
A chill.
It crept up her spine unexpectedly.
She casually checked her wrist, pressing her fingers against her skin. Her body felt warmer than it should.
A fever.
For a brief second, her vision slightly blurred but she straightened her posture immediately.
Not now, she told herself.
She ignored it and kept walking.
Inupi, who had been quietly observing her, slowed his steps slightly to match hers. His brows knit together with concern.
"Any problem, Asuka-chan?" he asked gently.
She turned to him quickly and gave him a bright smile- too bright.
"No-nothing," she said smoothly. "Everything is perfectly fine."
He studied her face for a moment longer but didn't press further.
When they finally reached the ramen stall, the warm yellow lights glowing under the night sky, Asuka's tiredness seemed to vanish instantly.
Her eyes sparkled like a child seeing sweets.
"Four bowls, sir!" she said excitedly, almost bouncing on her heels.
The old ramen vendor smiled warmly at her enthusiasm.
They sat down on the small stools, shoulders nearly brushing. The smell of broth filled the air.
As their bowls arrived, steam rising in soft curls, they didn't wait.
They dug in.
For a moment, nothing else existed - not rival gangs, not Sunday's fight - just hot ramen and shared laughter.
"This is heaven," Senju muttered dramatically.
Even Taiju had to admit, "...It's decent."
Asuka smiled quietly as she ate, but midway through her meal, her eyes shifted.
The entrance curtain rustled.
Someone had walked in.
Her gaze sharpened.
A tall, slim figure. Black hair, the front dyed golden. Tattoos crawling along both arms. A lazy yet dangerous aura.
Hanma… she thought, watching him carefully without making it obvious.
He sat down casually and began eating his ramen like he owned the place.
Asuka's expression turned thoughtful.
Once they finished, Taiju paid the bill with a grumble while Senju teased him about being "the team's sponsor."
They stood up to leave.
But just outside the stall, Asuka suddenly stopped.
"Will you guys wait for me?" she said, turning toward them. "I forgot something."
Taiju narrowed his eyes suspiciously but nodded. The others agreed silently.
Asuka turned and walked back inside.
Hanma was still there, lazily slurping his noodles.
She approached him confidently.
"Hey," she said calmly. "I have something to ask you."
Hanma leaned back slightly to look at her properly, his sharp eyes scanning her face with curiosity.
"What is it?" he asked, tone indifferent.
"Are you in any gang?"
He repeated the word slowly. "A gang?" He glanced toward the old vendor, then back at her. "No. Why do you ask?"
She studied him openly now.
"Why don't you join one then?" she said, a faint smirk forming.
He gave her a bored look. "Not interested. Gangs are boring. Nothing colorful about them."
She tilted her head slightly. "Have you ever been in one before?"
"No." He shrugged. "But they usually destroy stuff around here and don't even pay the old man."
For a second, her expression softened.
"Behaving like that doesn't define a gang," she said calmly. "It defines the morals of the individuals in it."
Her eyes held his steadily.
"Join me, Hanma. I'll show you not everyone is the same. Some of us have different values. We fight, but we don't forget who we are."
Hanma blinked.
He clearly hadn't expected that.
For the first time, his bored expression shifted into genuine interest.
After a few silent seconds, he smirked.
"Fine," he said lazily. "But you better make it colorful for me."
She smiled a victorious, confident smile.
"Deal."
Without hesitation, she grabbed his sleeve and dragged him outside.
She waved excitedly at the others. "Guys! I have someone new joining our team!"
The three turned.
Taiju's face darkened instantly. "Another fool," he muttered.
Senju shot him a look. "You do realize you consider yourself a fool too, right?"
Taiju glared at her. "I'll kill you."
Hanma blinked at the chaotic exchange, then looked at Asuka with disbelief.
"These people are following you?"
"You bet," she replied confidently. "And we have our first fight next Sunday."
Hanma's lips curled upward.
"Heh… This is going to be fun."
After brief introductions filled with sarcasm and subtle threats, the five of them began walking together under the night sky no particular destination, just enjoying the strange comfort of each other's presence.
For a moment, they looked less like a gang…
…and more like reckless teenagers chasing something bigger than themselves.
Later that night, they all parted ways.
Asuka walked home alone.
Now that she was away from them, the strength she had been holding up began to fade.
Her steps felt heavier.
Her body burned slightly.
When she reached home, she quietly removed her shoes and went inside. The house was calm and silent.
She forced herself to eat dinner despite her lack of appetite.
Afterward, she took medicine, her hands slightly trembling from exhaustion.
She lay down on her bed.
The ceiling looked blurry.
Her mind replayed the evening her friends laughing, Hanma's smirk, Sunday's upcoming fight.
A faint smile touched her lips despite the fever.
"No matter what," she whispered softly to herself, eyes slowly closing, "we'll win."
And with that stubborn thought, Asuka drifted into an uneasy sleep, her body weak…
…but her spirit unwavering.