Recuer

"...Big... Bro...?" Sakura's voice was faint, her vision blurred, her body overheated, and her breaths came in short gasps as she tried to focus on Minoru, who faced her with an indifferent expression.

Konro & Gon: "BIG BRO!?" Their astonishment echoed in unison as they turned to Minoru, who seemed to disregard their shock.

'Hold up, what just went down?! That guy slipped in unnoticed, and just like that, the smoker's on the floor, and he's stepping in!? Calling those Black Letter thugs 'Senpais'!? And he's Takagi's brother?! What's even happening...?!' Konro's mind was a whirlwind of confusion.

"Didn't catch that, Sakura? Time to head home. Get off your ass, and let's go," Minoru stated plainly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room, even the other girls paused to watch.

"I... don't wanna... I need... Come closer... Let me touch you..." Sakura slurred, a weak smile on her lips as she reached out to Minoru from the couch.

Minoru grimaced in disdain, "Tsch, look at you - all drugged up and trashed. You've wrecked my whole night..." he muttered, frustration evident as he rubbed his face.

"Hey, kid, I don't know what you're thinking, but you're way out of your league here," one of the men warned, stepping towards Minoru from behind, while the smoker struggled back to his feet.

'This guy... He just called us 'Senpais'... No way, right...?' The thought hung heavily in the smoker's mind as he rejoined his group.

"And who might you be? Little man thinks he can meddle in this? Not your place, even if she is your sister... She's not in her right mind to care..." another voice sneered.

"Listen, here's an idea. Why don't you join us instead? We've got a warm welcome just for you..." another voice offered, its malice thinly veiled.

"D-DON'T!" Konro jumped, "YOU'RE TAKAGI'S BROTHER, AREN'T YOU!? HELP US, PLEASE! THEY'VE—"

"Ah, shut it... I've had enough of this," Minoru snapped, cutting off Konro's plea with a wave of his hand, visibly exasperated.

'What!?' Konro thought, startled.

"Look at you, pricks. I take it she came with you, right!? Dating girls? Drinking Booze? Enjoying your youth?" Minoru called in frustration as he snapped to Konro and Gon, "Having fun on other people's expense!!? COULDN'T YOU HAVE TAKEN HER TO AN ICE-CREAM RESTAURANT OR SOMETHING!!!? YOU HAD TO DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO SCREW *ME* OVER TONIGHT!!? HUUUH!!!?"

Minoru yelled as he pinned his face close to the two. Both were startled.

"H-HEY!!! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE TAKAGI-CHAN'S BRO, THERE'S A LIMIT TO HOW YOU ACCUSE PEOPLE LIKE A PIECE OF SHIT FOR NO REASON!!! WE JUST WANTED TO HANG OUT AND—" Gon snapped, yelling back.

Immediately, Minoru head-butted Gon, knocking him down instantly.

"Your breath smells like ASS TO BOOT!!! The world really IS AGAINST ME TONIGHT...!!!" Minoru said as he immediately recovered, while Konro stood shocked in place.

Gon shook his head, "Why'd you do that for, you FUCK!!!?" He shouted as he rubbed his aching head.

'W-What... What is this guy ON about...!? Can't he read the mood!!? This situation... Is too dangerous for messing around!!' Konro thought.

Minoru looked at Gon, his eyebrow a bit arched, "Hoo? I hit you with the intent of sending you to the nightmare zone, but you're still up... Next time, I'll hit you trying to kill you!"

'Hm... Those INK boys are kinda strong, I suppose...' Minoru thought to himself.

'...What's with this brat? The way he acts creeps me the fuck out... Like we're not even here,' the smoker mused, resignation etched across his face. As he reached into his other pocket, his fingers came away dusted with a white, ash-like substance.

'Gotta be careful with this one... Just puff it out... I didn't want to use it like this, but I have a bad feeling about this kid,' he thought to himself, sneaking behind his group to rub the white ash onto the burning end of his cigarette.

Minoru sighed and ran a hand through his hair, muttering, "Whatever..." He turned to see Sakura still extending her hands towards him.

He knelt down, effortlessly lifting her onto his shoulders.

"Big bro...?" Sakura's weak voice came from above him.

Minoru scanned the surroundings. "I'll be going now. You all can do whatever you want," he called out nonchalantly.

'Is he just going to leave us here!!?' Konro panicked, watching Minoru stride towards the exit with Sakura.

"I don't wanna leave....." Sakura mumbled with a pout,

Blocking their path, two men stood firmly in front of the exit.

"Hey, move," Minoru called, his voice confident.

The two thugs exchanged glances before returning their gaze to Minoru, resolute in holding their ground.

Minoru closed his eyes, inhaled deeply...

...And as his eyes snapped open, a palpable chill coursed through the room.

"Catch," he said coolly, spinning to face Konro and Gon.

Caught off-guard, Gon instinctively reached out his hands and caught Sakura, who Minoru had deftly thrown.

"WuhaghA!!" Gon exclaimed, nearly staggering under her weight.

The thugs at the door stared in astonishment.

"What the hell!?" they shouted, having missed the moment Minoru effortlessly tossed the girl from his shoulders.

But they had no time to react further; their heads were suddenly clashing together with brutal force. They crumpled to the ground like felled trees, unconscious.

"Black Letter? You guys? Give me a break... Black Letters...!!" Minoru taunted as two more thugs charged at him, fists flying.

Yet, as if by some unseen force, their own punches collided with each other's faces, knocking them out cold. They dropped to the floor, lost in the depths of unconsciousness.

"...Aren't so damn weak!" Minoru declared, striding past them with an air of invincibility.

'What is this...!? I didn't see him make a move at all!!' thought the smoker, ducking behind the remaining two thugs.

"Four... four guys... In a single instant...!!" Konro murmured, disbelief etching his features.

"Hey," Minoru called out sharply, turning back to Konro and Gon.

"Y-YES!!?" they responded together, jolted by his tone.

"Take her and get out of here. I've got to have a chat with my 'senpais'," Minoru instructed, his tone brooking no argument.

"Y-yes, sir..!!" Gon complied quickly, dashing outside with Sakura in his arms.

Meanwhile, Konro helped the other two girls to their feet and hurried them out, with Minoru guarding their retreat against the smoker and his remaining associates.

'This aura... There's no doubt about it... This kid is actually from Black Letter...' the smoker thought, eyeing Minoru with a shiver of fear creeping down his spine.

"Well? Care to explain to me, dear 'senpais', what you were doing with my sister?" Minoru demanded, his tone icy.

Meanwhile, Konro and Gon dashed outside, slipping past the bouncer with ease.

"W-what!!? Sendo-kun!?" Gon exclaimed in surprise, recognizing Sendo.

Sendo jumped, his eyes widening with relief as he saw them all.

"Aaah! You guys...! And... Takagi-senpai!?! Miki-senpai and Sumi-senpai!!? What's wrong with dem!?" Sendo cried out, noticing Sakura's and the other girls' near-unconscious state.

"N-no time to explain! We need to get them to safety, Sendo-kun! There are some bad people in there!" Konro urged, his voice tinged with worry.

"What...? But those older guys seemed so nice..." one of the girls complained, clearly frustrated.

"We... didn't really need to leave... Yukie-senpai..." Sakura murmured weakly.

"What's wrong with dem!?" Sendo asked, alarmed by their disoriented behavior. "Are dey drunk or somethin'?!"

"N-no time to explain! We need to get out of—"

"Hold it right there..." the bouncer interjected, sprinting forward to block Konro and Gon's escape.

"What...?! You ASSFUCK!! MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!!" Gon screamed in defiance.

The bouncer adjusted his tie calmly. "I can't do that, kid. I don't know how or why they let you get away, but you're not getting past me," he warned.

'Fuck... He's one of them...! We can't fight while protecting these three...' Konro thought, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Hey," Sendo called out from behind the bouncer.

"Hm..? What do you want, ki—" the bouncer started to ask, but he felt a hand on his shoulder, followed by a hard punch that sent him tumbling sideways.

"MOVE, YE' GUYS! I'LL DEAL WITH DIS GUY!!" Sendo yelled.

"R-right..!!" Konro shouted, and both he and Gon quickly left the mixer while Sendo stayed behind to handle the bouncer.

'Fuck... I thought he was just a kid... No kid hits THIS hard...!!!' the bouncer thought to himself as he picked himself up and faced Sendo.

"I don't really understand what's happenin'," Sendo said, picking up a metal bar and wielding it like a shinai, aiming it at the bouncer.

"But ye' messed with da wrong guys, fucker!" Sendo declared, assuming a battle stance.

"Hm...!" the bouncer grunted, bracing himself.