"So, Hae-on," The young male stood in front of Ayumu. He was a third-year, a top troublemaker in the school. "What's the deal with my money, halfie[1]?" Before Ayumu responded the boy's hand flew towards Ayumu's collar.
People crowded Ayumu and the boy, lights and flashes from the phones spotlighting the two.
"Get off me, bastard!" Ayumu finally retorted. "I already told 'ya Kangjon, I don't have it yet!"
Kangjon's python-hold grip tightened ever so strongly around his collar. He wasn't planning to release Ayumu any time soon. "You're overdue, pal. Cough it up or I'll beat it outta 'ya." Kangjon said whilst still tightening. "Oh yeah? So do it, baldy!" Ayumu confidently said while beating his arm trying to release from his grip.
Ayumu wasn't the strongest. But he wasn't the weakest either. He caused trouble when needed and managed to lay low from police and the principal countless times. Even when it came to people who held a higher reputation than him, he always found a way to slip and slide out of unnecessary danger. Due to this erratic lifestyle, he learned to become an adept fighter. A few scuffles and brawls here and there. You win some you lose some. But..
..Kangjon just wouldn't leave Ayumu alone.
Kangjon retorted with angry noises, and with his other arm immediately threw a brute punch towards the already restrained Ayumu. Ayumu swiftly dodged the truck-like punch and used his knee to nut-shot the still-recovering Kangjon. "AUGHHH-" He yelled, recoiling to the ground like a spring. Ayumu stepped over him grabbing his collar and, "Debt paid. You win some you lose some."
The crowd laughed, but eventually the chatter and laughter stopped when-
"AYUMU HAE-ON. PLEASE REPORT TO THE MAIN OFFICE. AGAIN, AYUMU HAE-ON, PLEASE. REPORT. TO. THE MAIN. OFFFFFIIIIICCCEEEE!!!!!"
The.. P.A system sounded.
Ayumu looked up at the blaring speaker in a noticeably more annoyed mood than before. He quickly let go of Kangjon, who was still recovering from his battle, and dusted his hands before parting through the now OOOO-ing crowd.
"Haha you're in trouble Ayumu!"
"Main office time haflie!"
"Good-bye YuYu!"
All was fine Ayumu thought. Just another brawl. Right?
Ayumu pushed the door open to the principal fuming. He was turning red by the second and veins like a crack-addict popping out of his neck and forehead.
"Sit."
"Listen princi-"
"NOW."
A shutter was sent through Ayumu's body. The last time the principal was ever this fussed-out over a call to the main office was when a student lit a bunch of papers on fire and put them on his chair. Ayumu quickly took a seat and rested his head a-top his hand.
"I've about had it with your nefarious acts at this school. You create distractions, you create problems, you do things your own way! When will you learn that the outside world will NOT be this nice as I am being to you, Hae-on?"
Ayumu stared. He sat and listened, noting that dare he spoke the Principal would lash out even angrier.
"We've switched your classes 10 different times. We've put you in different clubs. In each of those classes and clubs you have caused an significant amount of trouble for your classmates, and each time effectively ruining the reputation of yourself and the school. This is your 20th fight in the school. Your grades are below average. You are consistently either in my office, or Dean Ji-Na's office. I am SICK of your behavior young man!"
Ayumu opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself before the principal could do it himself.
"I dont want to hear what you have to say. However you prolong your person in the future determines who you shall be, and what you really want to get close to. Whatever your true self finds peace in doing, you shall do." The principal picked up some papers and started signing before lining them up and holding them momentarily in his hands.
"Just not at my fucking school."
"Principal Jin-hwan, wait I can-"
Principal Jin-hwan slammed the papers on the desk, sliding them towards Ayumu.
"Sign your name. Then take them home to your parents, and tell them to sign. Bring these back to me to confirm everything."
Ayumu glanced at the papers before reading the title of the papers stated, "Official Expulsion Notice"
"B-but wai-"
"You're Expelled."
"Listen Principal Jin-hwan this isn't-"
"Even if you do not sign said papers, returning to this school after expulsion will lead to further legal action will be taken." The principal said before getting up and throwing a pen onto the desk.
"Forge that signature like you done everything else. I dare you. Make my job any fucking easier you criminal scum. The authorities will be here to escort you soon. Goodbye, Hae-on." The principal angrily stated.
The door slammed shut as the principal then started yelling at the students for eavesdropping to go back to their classes. Ayumu sat with his hands in his lap as he slowly built up anger. He took his pen up and started to write his signature and then threw it towards the window, breaking the plastic part of the pen and slightly cracking the window. "Expulsion? Are we fuckin' serious?! That shithead starts EVERYTHING! I do what I can and what I must!" Ayumu yelled to himself.
He teared up realizing that the promise he made was now broken. Not only did he promise himself change but, he promised..
*Flashback*
"Yumu!" A voice shouted. "Yumuuuuuuu!" The dishes under the running water clanked like clams underwater. "Come assist me with the preparation for your father's parting party!" "Yumuu!!!!!"
"I'm here, mama." Ayumu responded to his mother. "Good. Come come," Ayumu's mother wiped the water off her hands on her apron before grabbing a smaller apron for Ayumu. "What are we making for Papa, mama?"
Ayumu's curiosity peaked. He never knew what his father did. What his father liked. What his father even really looked like. He'd always come home late at night and leave early in the morning when Ayumu was still sleeping, or getting ready for school. He was almost never home. He was a hard working man.
"We are making a collage of dishes. But your father's favorite is Samgyeopsal with my speciality of Tonkatsu." Mama grabbed Ayumu's hand and took him out back to the setup of the party. "Look here." Mama grabbed a picture of when Ayumu was super little. And another one where Mama and Papa were getting married. "This is when you were suuuuuper. little. Another here is when me and your father got married." Mama looked at the one where they got married. She started to tear up, since, she never really got to see him anymore. The only thing they had was some type of money Papa would leave so they could pay the rent, and atleast survive.
"Mama don't cry." Ayumu tugged slightly at her arm. Mama stopped tearing up a bit and looked at Ayumu. "Yumu you are.. the only thing I really have anymore. Payments are getting more and more rash with all the crazy commotion going on in the world. Your father is not around like that anymore. I want you-"
Before mama could finish her sentence, she put her head down to try and force the tears out so she wouldn't have to look at her son with tears in her eyes.
"I want you to make sure that in the future you never have to experience and life like this. Ever. Do what it takes to find your true self, and prosper in life." Mama looked up and could barely hold the tears in anymore. Ayumu stood there in shock and started to tear up alongside Mama. "You work hard mama. You really do. But I promise mama I will make sure you dont cry ever again! And, to be brave and strong and cool just like the stories about papa you have told me!"
"..That's right.. mama.. i'll be home soo-" Before anything Ayumu was abruptly awoken by the authorities bursting into the door. He swiftly turned but before he could do anything the chair was already withdrawn from where he was sitting. As he was falling, they picked him up by the arms and started to drag him out the door.
"Hey, let go of me you bastard! Let go of me!!! I don't need you shitters to touch me!! I can leave the school by myself BASTARDS!!!" As Ayumu was frantically yelling at the guards to put him down, the crowd drew bigger towards the attention. Laughter, yelling, recording could all be seen in the peripherals of Ayumu as he was being dragged down the hallway.
"..YOU PEOPLE BETTER PRAY I DONT EVER SEE YOU AGAIN. MARK MY WORDS. I'LL SHOW EVERY AND EACH ONE OF YOU DOWN TO THE ATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF YOUR BODY, THE NERVES THAT CONNECT YOUR BRAIN AND THOUGHTS TOGETHER, ALL OF IT!!! YOU BAASSTTAAAAARRRRRDDDDSSS!" Ayumu yelled with all of the life in his lungs left from previously yelling.
"Hey he might be an idiot but.. that was shaking.."
"What a maniac...!"
"He's not forreal is he..?!"
"Wha.."
"May that anger never find me in life.."
The authorities quickly kicked the doors open and threw Ayumu into their car.
The principal and the dean stood outside the school watching as he would still yell frantically in the backseat of the authorities car whilst driving off.
"That kid is.. something else." Dean Ji-na said with crossed arms, glancing over to the left.
"Yeah. But he couldn't change. There was nothing I could have done for him." The principal made a tight fist. "Don't.. get mad, Principal Jin-hwan." Dean Ji-na said whilst placing her hand on his shoulder to snap him from getting angry again.
"Did you give him the papers?" Ji-na inquired. "Yeah. Of course. I knew a tempered kid like him would even bother to truly read through the paper. Poor boy probably only seen the title, and the 'sign here' part." The principal retorted. Ji-na chuckled a bit. "So then he now has signed the contract. Good. We could use a kid like him anyways."
The Principal and Dean walked back into the school before patrolling and controlling the hallways to get students to go back into their classes.
____________________________________________________
"You got fucking kicked out of your school?! Are you SERIOUS Ayumu?!" His mom yelled, throwing a bunch of his own clothes and socks and shoes at him.
"Mom I can-" Before Ayumu could finish his sentence she slapped him.
"I worked my ass off getting you into that all high and mighty school and you pull this bullshit?! Fights? REALLY? Where even is the.. Gimme these fuckin papers!" She snatched the papers away from Ayumu in a swiftly angry manner.
She grabbed a pen from her purse and immediately signed the signature, too angry to even read the rest of the paper likewise her son earlier. She threw the papers back at him
"Pack everything you own. You're going to your uncle Kagawa down in japan. I already have enough to deal with, and the fact that you got expelled is over-the-fucking TOP." She started to tear up again. Ayumu knew he was already in deep trouble, amongst the personal promise he made his mom. There was no recovering, he thought.
"But.. you wont have anyone here mom. Father hasn't been seen in 5 years. He just, sends you money every now and then so you and I can survive."
"Oh now you want to worry? You weren't thinking when you got in that brawl with that guy earlier! Oh and apparently it isn't your first?! The last thing I need here is a failure of a son who cant keep his promises."
Ayumu recoiled with his eyes widening. He remembered; 'You work hard mama. You really do. But I promise mama I will make sure you dont cry ever again! And, to be brave and strong and cool just like the stories about papa you have told me!' and immediately started to pack his bags with tears in his eyes.
"Yumu I didn't mean-" She sighed, before wiping her tears and looking off towrads the side.
"I didn't mean that, Yumu. I just need you to be clear with yourself. With me. And.. the way things are treating you right now, life down here wont cut it for you.
"But.. Mama.. what about you..?"
"Your uncle has money, a bigger house, and some things to get you situated with. I need you to prosper. Dont worry about me."
Ayumu started to silently sob as the tears trickled like rain on a parasol down his face. His mother quietly tucked his head into her arms and rubbed his head assuring him that all would be fine.
"Please Yumu. You must understand the grace that I am guiding your path with. It will be hard, but I know you can adapt and adjust. You're you, Yumu. I know you can do it."
Ayumu nodded before Mama wiped his tears away from his face, and went to go finish cooking the food for dinner.
As he was packing, he found a picture of both his mom and his dad holding him whilst smiling. It must have been a core memory, as he tucked the frame into his duffel bag. He stood up and packed his guitar, and tied his skateboard down to his duffel bag then headed upstairs to go lie down.
"Yumu sweetie, dinner is rea-" As she opened the door she seen Ayumu sleeping on the bed. She smiled softly, then closed the door and put his plate in a to-go container for his trip tomorrow.
___________________________________________
The sunlight beams shot straight onto Ayumu's face before he let out a weary yawn. He swiftly got out of bed and headed downstairs to his kitchen to eat breakfast before his uncle came to pick him up. He grabbed up his duffel bag with the skateboard on it, and his guitar case on his left arm whilst quickly finishing the last bite of his jelly toast.
"Your uncle will be here in 5 minutes. I suggest you look for anything else you need to pack. I'll tell your friends that you have business to take care of." Mama said, as she fixed up Ayumu's collar and dusted off his outfit.
"Im just.. I'm sorry mom. I know I haven't been the greatest. And you've been fighting so damn hard for me for anything. And I just blew it. I jus-"
"Listen. Mother to son, I wasn't the greatest in school either, and I wasn't always the smartest either. But, what I worry for is you ever going to jail. To fail as Ayumu. To not live up to Ayumu's expectations. I want you to live for yourself. Of course I want you to stay with me, but you need to figure out what you want to do with your life. So I'm sending you to your uncles, to be a better version of yourself."
"I love you, Yumu." Mama said before hugging Ayumu. Ayumu quickly wrapped his arms around mama, resonating through the motherly love that has shone over Ayumu for years. "Please be careful mama." "You too, Yumu."
The car honked behind them, and his Uncle Kagawa opened the car door.
"Greetings, Sister Amaya." Kagawa stepped towards the stairs.
"Hi..Kagawa.." Amaya nervously responded.
"This must be Ayumu. The trunk is open, put your stuff in there." Kagawa said.
Ayumu didn't really know why Kagawa was so formal. He said things so sternly. The only memory he had of his uncle was when the parting party that father had not came to 10 years ago. Ayumu quickly moved down the stairs to put his stuff in the trunk and sat in the front passenger seat.
"Been quite a minute, Sister Amaya." Kagawa stated. Every time he spoke, it sent a shiver through your body. He was a tall man, maybe standing at 6'3. His voice was deep, so he usually had to make his voice a little higher so people could actually understand him.
"Y-yeah.. haha.."
"So, you're really sending him down here, huh?"
"Yeah.. I just think it'd be best for him if you teach him a few things about himself.."
"Interesting." Kagawa looked to the side before pulling a cigar out of his pocket, lighting it for a smoke. "Then he shall be in good hands." he stated, before giving a soft smile to Amaya.
"T-thanks Kaga.." Amaya said yet nervously again.
"Don't. Call me that." The smile was quickly removed off his face. "But, I will always help my family members. Fret not, Sister Amaya."
Ayumu looked out the window and asked,
"Uhhh can we go? Its like 8 am and we might miss the airplane."
"Oh you hush young man! You have one more stop anyways!" Amaya said before running down the stairs and immediately karate chopping him in the head.
Kagawa smiled and opened the driver door, taking the car out of park.
"OW MOM!!! YOU JUST FIXED MY HAIR!"
"I'LL HIT YOU AGAIN IF YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN, BALDY!"
He slowly drove off, and Ayumu and his mom shared waves back and forth.
Kagawa took a puff of his cigar then fixed his rearview mirror to see Ayumu looking out the window. "So you went ahead and got yourself expelled huh?" he said, immediately getting tot he point. Ayumu was in slight embarrassment. "W-well I did what I had to do in that school. Don't think anything of it." Ayumu said with a little bit of disappointment. Kagawa chuckled a bit. "I have been under suspension. Just never expelled. But I'm not here to berate you about getting expelled." Kagawa took another puff, then rolled his window down and held his arm out the car with the cigar. "I'm here to teach you. About a few things. That's really it."
"If you're here to teach me about being a man, I already know how. Don't try to play a father in my life, bastard."
Kagawa took another puff. "Father?" Kagawa questioned. "Define father, Ayumu." Kagawa asked. Ayumu was stumped. The base definition wouldn't have cut it. Any wrong answer and Ayumu thought worse. "Wordless? I know. Because you do not have the true definition on what a father even is. You only know of that worthless shitty guy who left you and your mom to suffer." It seemed to have upset him a lot to be compared to someone so low. "Don't you ever compare me to human trash like that. I will not play the role of 'father' in your life if you do not want me to, but it was never my intention." Ayumu seen a faint red glow from Kagawa's eyes before dissipating into thin air. He thought nothing of it and it was just his imagination playing tricks on him again.
Ayumu scoffed. He looked off to the side again before looking at the street, signaling he was at his school. "Oh. I forgot I had to turn these papers in.."
"Go do so effective immediately. I will be here waiting, Ayumu." Kagawa stayed put in his car to smoke his cigar, given he was on school grounds. Ayumu walked into the school once again. The hallways were empty, so to speak. The principal opened his door immediately at the end of the hall. "Please, Ayumu. Come inside." Ayumu sucked his teeth, then walked down the hall into the principal's office.
"I got your papers," Ayumu put the papers on the desk. "I'll be leaving now."
"In a rush? Sit down. Let me speak to you, Hae-on." The principal requested, pulling the seat out with a welcoming hand.
Ayumu was bewildered. After the angry performance the principal put on yesterday, he thought the principal would want nothing to even do with the guy. He sat in the chair, a stern expression laid out across his face. "Ayumu Hae-on." The principal stated, "I don't want any bad blood between us. But I don't appreciate this path you're going down." The principal turned his chair around to now face Ayumu. "Ayumu Hae-on. A brave kid you are, taking on responsibility after responsibility. It is definitely a haggle trying to provide for not only yourself but your mom as well." Ayumu's eyes widened. "Don't you dare ever move your lips to talk about me or my past. You don't know jack shit teach."
"Relax, Hae-on." The principal said with a sigh. "I'm not here to lecture you or to give you any advice. Its the last thing you want to hear from me. But I want you to know that I believe in you. I am kicking you out this school because, I know your potential. And this school cannot possibly bear that of which is on your back." The principal got out of his chair and began to walk around.
"I'm sure you've heard it plenty of times. Whether it'd be family members, friends. You can only guide your own path. To live for not only those you love but for yourself. Its scary to try and change. To try and move on from whatever you may be experiencing. But remember, fear is the irrational emotion that the body emits to respond to any and all phenomena. The bravery that stands within depends on how you want to conquer it. The bravest people today can put on the toughest act, but deep down there's at least one thing that scares them. It is up to them to face it. "
Ayumu was just straight dumbfounded. He didn't know what this guy was talking about or what it really meant, but he kept it in the back of his mind. The principal took a noticing and sighed, but gave a soft smile. "You may be oblivious now. But it will come back to you, Hae-on."
Ayumu got out of his chair and walked out the door, closing it behind him.
"What a kid, Sir Jin-hwan." Dean Ji-na came from the other room.
"Yeah. Im sure he'll do numbers." Principal Jin-hwa responded. He looked at his watch and gestured that it was time to go.
__________________________________
"I gave him the papers. Can we go now?" Ayumu complained. He was already sick of having to leave, so he just wanted to get it over with. Kagawa nodded, opened the passenger door for Ayumu and then got into the driver seat himself.
"Off to the airport we go." Kagawa said exhaustingly. He just wanted to lay in his bed without the extra process of now housing his nephew. Ayumu looked out the window. He rested his head onto the window watching the rain drops race down the glass for first place to reach the bottom of the window. He slowly drifted into a sleep, awaiting Kagawa to reach the airport.
An hour later after quietly drowning in his own thoughts and what seemed like a day's road trip he awoke. Kagawa was puffing the last bit of his cigar before throwing the bud onto the concrete. "Rise and shine, Ayumu. We have arrived at our destination." Kagawa fixes his rearview before leaving the vehicle, heading towards the trunk. Ayumu looked around in a haze before gathering his bearings. He pushed the door open and went towards the trunk.. He gave a stretch before reaching for his bags. "What's it like in Japan?" Ayumu asked whilst rummaging through the trunk for his bag. "Just like here. Difference in culture, tradition, and society. You will see once you start living here." Kagawa grabs a long protruding like object, what seemed like a sword in a case from the trunk and wrapped it onto his back before closing the trunk, locking the car.
"Its a rental. I already contacted one of my buddies down here to take the car and take care of it."
Ayumu looked at the car once more before they headed inside to catch their flight. Ayumu wasn't too fond of traveling. It wasn't his Forté. All Ayumu ever knew was protecting and providing for his mother. If it wasn't for the absence of his father, he thought of how different his life may had been. It crosses his mind every time as well, who really is Ayumu's father?
30 minutes later..
Kagawa and Ayumu quickly run up to the line of now 3 people boarding the plane. Ayumu's nerves were shot, like someone came tased him awake before some big event. He has never been on a plane, let alone travelled anywhere out of Cheongju-si. He took a deep breath and a big gulp. Crossing the line onto this plane means a place of change, a place of what the name Ayumu even really means to himself.
He stepped into the jet bridge and once inside the plane, took a seat of where his ticket stated he would be at. Ayumu sat at the window whilst Kagawa sat on the close end towards the walkway. The plane attendant was finishing up their announcement as passengers finalized their settles likewise for the duo.
"Buckle up kiddo. We'll be here for the next hour." Kagawa stated before resting his head on his bamboo sword. Ayumu never really understood how Kagawa was able to even.. get that in here, but, he didn't question it and wandered off until the plane landed.
The plane finally lands, luckily no issues. The passengers clap before retrieving any lightweight luggage brung with them, departing the plane through the following jet bridge. The duo follow suite before finding their way out the airport. Kagawa flipped another cigar out of his pocket, lighting it. "Here we are, Ayumu." He puffed his cigar.
"Osaka, Japan."
Ayumu looked around, and Kagawa was right. It was way more vibrant than his hometown, the lights shone brighter even from the airport. Before Ayumu started stargazing endlessly, A car came up to Kagawa, where he dragged a stargazing Ayumu into. "It cannot be that cool, Ayumu.." Kagawa sighed with a following facepalm. He closed the door as the driver drove off. "Thank you for the drop off, Ryushi." Kagawa thanked the driver. Ayumu assumed this was just one of Kagawa's friends. "Yeaahhhhh no problem Kag'. I gotta go somewhere anyways." Ryushi retorted. He had a higher voice compared to Kagawa. He didn't look tall at first glance and held white streaks in his black hair all around. He seemed very laid-back for Kagawa. "So this is the little runt?" Ryushi finally turned to the backseat where Kagawa and Ayumu was sitting. He now revealed his eyebrow, dermal, and septum piercings. "Eh.. your piercings are freaky." Ayumu said in a bit of a mocking way. Before Ryushi could get angry, "But they're totally cool." he followed up, defusing an active bomb. Ryushi flashed a thumbs up. "Heard ya got expelled kiddo. You must be one badass kid." He said, with a smirk visible from the rearview mirror. "Yeah yeah. Sheesh unc' do you just go around tellin' business?" Ayumu said, noticeably annoyed. "The setting of a situation makes it better to act in. The prior leads to strong analytics. Please have patience Hae-on. It is not to deter your image." Kagawa said before puffing his cigar again. "There go yer' uncle bein all formal again. Use some words me and my pal Ayumu here can understand yeah?!" Ryushi retorted angrily.
"N-no I can understand him perfectly fine you troglodyte.."
"Eh? What was that?! Just cuz I may be some dummy doesn't mean I'm that stupid!" Ryushi shouted.
"Well I would be lying if I said you were smart. You can't even understand what he's saying!!"
"Kag', how long do you have to house this kid? I'm ready to hand out some asswhuppings."
"I'd like to see you try, baldy!"
"Oh you just wait you-
Kagawa finally intervened, "Enough. Save it for when we get home. I'm tired enough and Ryushi you're too old for this." Ryushi recoiled in embarrassment. He just turned and continued to look straight ahead this time to focus on dropping Ayumu off.
The car swerved and curved around curbs and roads before finally reaching the destination. Ryushi rolls his window and hangs his arm over and out of it. "We're here fellas." The house stood high, with a whopping two floors and an attic; technically three. Kagawa left the car and opened Ayumu's door assisting him with getting out. "Thanks again Ryushi. I'll contact you later about it." Kagawa said before Ryushi nodded his head and drove off.
The door to the house swung open with a swift tap of his watch as the duo entered the house.
"Make yourself at home. We have alot to learn in the morning." Kagawa said before taking his shoes off at the door and hanging his coat up on the coat hanger. "Whatever you do, it does get pretty dangerous around here at night. I suggest you stay inside of the house, where its safe. I know you like sneaking out and doing stupid things. So please, for your safety, your moms safety, and both of our health, Stay in the house." Kagawa stated before immediately heading towards his room to go and sleep.
Ayumu nodded as if it was one word going throughout the other ear. He heard it, but didn't listen. He unpacked his stuff and placed down his skateboard. He threw on a sweater and watched tv until it was nighttime, where he would be able to go and test his skateboard skills withough Kagawa seeing him. He ran out the door and immediately got to skating.
"Stay in the house? Dangerous? Hah. This shit-for-brain uncle really doesn't know his own nephew. Saddening." Ayumu did some flip tricks, slick tricks and anything that he would have fun doing in his own hometown.. "Still a master of the board, heh." This was, until-
-
BOOM!
Ayumu heard a huge loud explosion. in the distance. Ayumu quickly pushed off his foot on the skateboard to find a group of people fighting. It was a huge spirit-like monster shaped like an actual mech, more smaller though. Ayumu quickly hid behind a wall, but before that noticed that 2 people amongst the group looked much like his dean and principal. "P-principal Jin-hwan.. D-dean Ji-na?!" He muttered to himself whilst watching them. They wore a black cloak and a cap shaped like a sailor's with all black clothing that seemed to perfectly fit the body. Ji-na hopped high into the air and whipped spiked chains to repeatedly slash at the monster before it swung its arm. Ji-na quickly dodged mid-air and jumped onto the arm, jumping behind the monster to restrain its body down to the ground. Ji-na raised her hand to her ear.
"Now, Jin-hwan."
Jin-hwan moved faster than the human eye could perceive, almost like he was teleporting. He was on the far end of the road, facing front of the giant spirit-like mech to now where Ji-na would be standing. The creature was then sliced in a cross formation before splitting into a bunch of pieces.
"Extermination finished. Team, collect intel and parts for research. If you can preserve the Nexus before it dissipates, you get a bonus on your paycheck." Principal Jin-hwan stated.
Ayumu sat behind the wall shocked. He started breathing heavy. His own principal and dean? They were whatever THAT was? Some special coordinated corp that he would never knew they were apart of. What could that even be? How could that be? What was it? Ayumu's thoughts filled his head like a boiling pot of water and before he could grab his skateboard to leave he found himself reaching for his own bleeding nose.
"Captain. Found someone lying out here. They're conscious even after my Smoke-out. What are the next orders?" an Agent said with what seemed like higher than a military-grade gun pointed straight at the scared and struggling Ayumu. "Knock em out. Leave them there after you do. Their memories should be pretty hazy. Don't show them your face." the radio retorted back. "Copy." The agent went in for a swing but-
"..hands off my nephew, soul corp scum."
[1] halfie is an offensive and derogatory term to describe someone of mixed race. here, describes the inner racism represented by the third-year Kangjon Ji-hu and the rest of their classmates to Ayumu Hae-on, since he is half japanese and half korean.