Gradually

Atushi hadn't forgotten the beating he had experienced a few days ago.

He didn't blame Ichiko Daiki for hitting him. He would do the same if it was to protect Sumire's honor. During his short time in this school, Atushi has learned how important these guys were to her and how much they cared for her. She is surrounded by such good people now.

Sumire shakes her head. "I do, but you can come too. Masato and the guys actually seem fond of you. But they have been distancing themselves because of our situation." Sumire grabbed his arm and laughed. "I think if we tell them we are friends, they will be very relieved."

Atushi could only nod. He still felt very overwhelmed by everything. However, his gaze fell on the smile on her face. Well, for now, he can gradually get to know her.

"By the way." Sumire spoke up and pointed to the emblem on the cuff of his sleeve. "I have been meaning to ask, but Atushi-kun. Are you a member of the underworld?"

Atushi freezes and feels his face color turn pale. The reason why he wore the emblem on his sleeves was so people would mistake it as being as a regular button on his uniform. Nobody, unless they have a keen eye, would realize. No, even if others saw it, they would simply see it as a fancy button. They wouldn't think too deeply about it.

Sumire laughed and then adjusted her school emblem, there attached to the back was another emblem. But, it was a mark he recognized.

"T-the holy-" Atushi stammered.

The holy knight's dragon symbol? Was Sumire a member of the holy knights? A part of him assumed that she would join the underworld. There were all sorts of rumors about her in middle school. The ones that stood out to him were the ones of Sumire hanging around suspicious-looking people. After he got to know her, he realized that she did have a violent nature. So, those rumors weren't baseless.

"That's right." Sumire trailed off. "If you're a Yankee, Atushi-kun. I suppose you were the one Aki mentioned the other day. He said that a new person was coming from another town's gang and that we should look after you."

She is not only a member of the Holy Knights but also on a first-name basis with the leader.

Before he could say anything, however, he spotted pink hair by the entrance. At some point, they had started walking and eventually arrived at the entrance.

It was Momoi Futaba, but the girl wasn't alone. She was with a guy with dark-colored hair. Atushi had frequently seen them together and learned that they were childhood friends. The guy was Iwa Ran, a member of the famous idol group Quatro light.

"Why the hell did you do that?" Ran growled.

"It's because of your injuries! You got hurt during the last game, and you insisted that you had seen a doctor about your leg already, and yet I saw you at practice! If you played a match now, you'd only get hurt, so I asked Nao-kun to make sure you don't play." Futaba trailed off. "What if it gets worse?"

"I told you not to worry about that. Damn it, you always do this." Ran snapped. "Why do you always have to act like my guardian? We are the same age, but you have to act like an old lady. Don't you dare show your face in front of me again, you old hag?"

At those words, Futaba threw her books and a box at him angrily. "Fine, see if I care." She exclaimed and rushed off.

Atushi looked over at Sumire and saw darkness in her eyes, and his sweat fell. "Why don't you go after Momoi-san? I will take care of things here."

Actually, he wanted to avoid speaking with Iwa Ran. He has gone past the gym several times and seen how much of a short temper this person had. He couldn't understand why somebody as kind as Momoi-san would be friends with him.

Sumire nodded. "Alright." She trailed off and slipped a piece of paper on his hand. "My number and mail address. Contact me later, okay?"

Atushi nodded and watched as the girl left. He reluctantly walked over to Iwa Ran. The guy was grumbling, but Atushi could tell that he was frozen in shock and glancing at the spot Momoi-san had just been in a few minutes ago.

He took a deep breath and coughed to earn Iwa's attention.

Iwa Ran looked at him for a moment and sighed. "Did you just see that?"

"Yeah."

"It's not like, I wanted to make her sad. It's just sometimes her fussing is too much."

"She is only concerned about you."

Ran laughed weakly. "So she must talk to you about me. I heard you two have been close recently. You're not going out with her, are you?"

Atushi shakes his head. "You see I-"

'Like the same girl as you?' Atushi didn't want to admit that to Iwa Ran, of all people. This guy seems to be the type who would step all over his rivals.

"-like Sumire?" Ran finished for him.

At those words, he subconsciously backed away, and Ran sighed.

"Oi, do you really think I'd hit you just because you like her?"

Atushi didn't say anything, but his silence and action just now were more than enough to confirm Ran's theory.

"I may be short-tempered, but I am not a brute." He trailed off. "It's not like I don't get it. Sumire is a great girl. I'm not surprised others like her."

So Iwa Ran truly likes Sumire. Atushi heard the rumors, of course. The main reason why he started to openly get along with his other classmates and stand in the spot light was because he wanted to learn everything. Apparently, on his first day back to school, Iwa Ran clarified that he was interested in Sumire.

'When I heard what happened, I was dumbfounded.' This is the first time he has met somebody who would take such a bold approach.