#HiGH＆LOW　〜THE STORY OF S.W.O.R.D.〜 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

enhashoutout · 5 months

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Seiji, Arata, and Noboru

Sooo I'm rewatching High&Low the Worst as one does, and my brain started running again; so here is a comparison post of Seiji, Arata, and Noboru.

Seiji and Arata are to Fujio what Noboru is to Cobra and Yamato.

(Also I'm really sorry the Arata photo isn't centered. I tried fixing it but due to the picture dimensions I couldn't get his picture to center)

The One Who Can't Mess Up

When we meet Noboru for the first time, he is introduced as the friend who has a bright future. Even from their childhood, it is highlighted that Noboru is different from Cobra and Yamato. Noboru has dreams of becoming a lawyer, he does better in school, he doesn't get into fights.

Cobra and Yamato even say it themselves multiple times that Noboru isn't like them; that even though he came from a run-down area he had dreams and a better future than anyone else from there. In the Story of S.W.O.R.D series, Cobra even states that Noboru went to college, which was a completely different world that Cobra and Yamato could not understand. We also get a scene where Yamato tells Noboru that he is their star, encouraging him to keep going toward his dream of being a lawyer.

This early version of Noboru we see is exactly who Seiji is.

When we are first introduced to Fujio's childhood friends in the H&L The Worst movie (I haven't watched the Worst spin-off shows so I'm speaking solely based on the movie) Madoka informs the group that Seiji is the top of his class, making him the smartest person their age. To this, the friends celebrate and call him "The hope of the Hopeless Housing Estates".

Later when the group meets up again after the Oya High and Housen fight, Madoka points out that Seiji has a bruise on his lip which is unusual for him. Right away, Fujio tells Seiji that he can't be getting into fights. I'm sure Fujio knows what the costs are for Seiji, that's why he never encourages fighting with him like he does when he talks to Shinya and Masaya. We also see this when they meet up in the morning before school. Seiji asks Fujio if he is going to Hope Hill, and Fujio tells him that he'll be the one to bring Arata back and that Seiji doesn't need to worry about a thing and to stick to his books.

When Seiji gets into an altercation with his classmate who is speaking badly about the Oya students, he is confronted by one of the authoritative figures at school. This man points out to Seiji that all the teachers at school have high expectations of him. The teacher also tells him that with his grades he could get into any college of his choice in the country and that it would be best not to act in ways that would jeopardize his future.

We see that both Noboru and Seiji are constantly held up to higher expectations by the people around them simply because they were different than their peers growing up.

How Seiji and Noboru must've felt

I have not finished Story of S.W.O.R.D yet so Noboru's feelings are purely my own theory/speculation.

We get Seiji's feelings/perspective on the matter in the movie. When the man who I assume is one of the teachers or even is the principal is confronting Seiji about his actions, he also says that he heard that Seiji hangs out with boys who attend Oya High. He goes on to tell Seiji how he shouldn't be seen around them to which Seiji confronts him with the question about cucumbers.

Seiji points out that cucumbers do not naturally grow straight, we as humans put them into a mold that makes them grow straight and only allow those ones to be sold at markets. He relates this back to himself vs his brothers.

"My friends, my brothers, they aren't hoodlums or twisted. Among my friends, there's not a single loser, scumbag, or lowlife! They just grew up naturally bent! Sometimes, I envy them. I wish I were... I'm fine sir. I will become straighter than anyone else. I will be placed in the best position in the best market. For their sake."

Seiji knows that his capabilities are higher than the other boys and takes advantage of that and seizes every opportunity he can academically. He understands that he is being molded into an image of someone who is "successful" or "acceptable" in the eyes of society. However, sometimes he is envious of the fact his brothers do not have to do the same. But Seiji understands that for the sake of everyone, he has to be the one who strives to do better and take a different path in life than one where physical fighting is prominent. The lying undertone of this being that Seiji is working towards a better life so he can take care of everyone makes my twisted, bitter, little heart happy.

So how exactly does this relate back to Noboru? It's because I think that Noboru must've felt the same way.

From my understanding of the movies, we don't see much of how growing up with different behavior affected Noboru other than the fact he focused on his academics and had big future plans. He falls off course after his time in prison though. When Noboru and Cobra are talking outside of the gas station, Noboru tells Cobra how he had lost his way in life and could no longer see the future plans he had for himself. This plays a large part in how Noboru is similar to Arata, but let's back up a bit.

I assume that there were multiple times when Noboru had felt the same way Seiji did. In the show, we see that Cobra got his name because he had been Cobra twisting everyone since they were kids. This alludes to the fact that even at a young age, Cobra and Yamato fought with the other kids while Noboru didn't. We see that Noboru went to high school and took his college entrance exam which Yamato dropped him off for. We also see the scene where Noboru tells the two that his college acceptance is just the beginning, he has to also pass the bar exam. All while this is happening, Noboru is still friends with Cobra and Yamato. He hangs out with them, Naomi, and the other Mugen members at Itokan when he isn't studying. This leads me to believe that Noboru had to have felt the same way as Seiji multiple times throughout his life. He must have been struggling by himself with his academics and was envious of his brothers who didn't have to do the same, but understood that for the sake of everyone he had to be the one that "does better".

Little Parallel I noticed: Being friends with the people they are, these characters know how to fight even if they don't actively use these skills.

During the Mugen era, Sannoh's Pre-debut era if you will, Noboru doesn't get into fights with anyone. However, we do see him beat the shit out of the guys who harmed Miho. He doesn't actively fight until Sannoh era but I assume that being friends with Cobra, Yamato, Kohaku, and Tatsuya they taught him some stuff.

This also rings true for Seiji. Let's bring it back to the morning of the Kidra fight. After Seiji and Fujio meet up and Fujio tells Seiji not to worry, he walks in while his classmates are talking smack about Oya and Housen. When he's had enough of their yapping he swings at one of his classmates. Based off of everyone else's body language, it doesn't seem that the guy he punched would be able to fight back or that any of their other classmates would be able to step in and stop the fight. None of them seem like they know how to fight or even knew Seiji could throw a punch like that. I assume being friends with guys as strong as Fujio, Masaya, and Shinya teaches you a thing or two though.

The One Who Tried to Purge His Past

When H&L the Worst opens, we are introduced to Arata when Madoka tells Fujio that Arata has been hanging around some bad people and there are bad rumors revolving around him. We meet his character when he is caught on the construction site selling RedRum to some guys who work with Masaya and Shinya. Throughout the film we see that Arata is simply working with Kidra for money, he's not friends with any of these people or shares the same morals as them. This is the first point of comparison for Arata and Noboru.

Arata is working with Kidra because he needs money to take care of the house bills and his mother's hospital bills. Noboru only took up Nikaido's offer to join Iemura because he felt that it was the best way to continue from there when he felt like he had lost everything. Both took a path they thought would be best for them even if it was morally wrong or they were engaging with the wrong people because they needed something from these people.

When Arata is confronted by Fujio, he tells Fujio that he has his own way of doing things and that he wishes everyone would just leave him alone; to which Fujio tells him that he knows what he's doing is wrong, and that's why he showed up to Grandma Sada's resting place in the night by himself. Fujio tells Arata to throw the dirty money away. The night before when Madoka tells the group that Arata's mom has cancer and is worried for Arata because he has been working so hard to pay for everything, Fujio comes to understand why Arata is working for Kidra but also points out that what he is doing is wrong. Fujio tells the group that he doesn't know how to explain it, but he knows the way that Arata is going about the problem is wrong. Fujio tells Arata that his problems are also Fujio's problems because they grew up together and got in trouble together, so why shouldn't Arata's problems also be his? This is the equivalent of Cobra and Noboru's scene when Noboru is aiming the gun at Sannoh. Cobra tells Noboru he understands why he did what he did. Noboru's actions are to keep Sannoh safe from Kuryu, but that he went about it the wrong way just like how Arata is making money for his family but he went about it the wrong way.

Both are much smarter than the people around them, not in an academic sense

Noboru and Arata are both smart, much smarter than the people surrounding them even if it's not in an academic sense.

Noboru is seen as the brain in Sannoh. This is prevalent when we see the Amamiya brothers come back to him for help in breaking through the USB firewalls to reveal the Casino Project. This is also seen when Noboru was still working with Iemura. The other Iemura members are hot-headed and act recklessly whereas Noboru always treaded with caution and logic. It definitely wasn't one of his best moments but I have to give it to him because using Chiharu and Shion to push RedRum and cause chaos within S.W.O.R.D was pretty smart of him. I'll give credit where it is due lol.

After the Oya and Housen fight, we are brought back to Hope Hill where all the Kidra members and RedRum pushers are partying because they think that Housen and Oya can no longer get in their way. Not only are they talking about Oya and House, they are talking down on the S.W.O.R.D gangs as well. To which Arata speaks up, saying that the S.W.O.R.D gangs are not dumb, and that if Kidra wants to continue their business they need to move faster. Growing up in this area, Arata knows vaguely how the S.W.O.R.D gangs run and how everything works in the S.W.O.R.D area, whereas the Kidra guys do not considering they got beat by Murayama twice and think they can do whatever they want with no consequences. The other pushers clearly don't use their brains as much as Arata either. All the scenes we see of these characters together, it seems like those guys are just there to be there while Arata does the actual work of selling RedRum.

Grace Periods and Protecting Your Friends

Every time we see Arata, he's avoiding his friends. He avoids talking to Masaya and Shinya on the construction site, he avoids Seiji's messages and calls, he avoids Seiji when they both show up to Grandma Sada's resting place, and he tries to avoid Fujio in Hope Hill. Arata avoiding his friends and not talking to them is the equivalent of Noboru giving Sannoh so many grace periods to disband for their own safety.

After his run-in with the Oochi brothers on the construction site, Arata keeps quiet and doesn't tell the other pushers who Masaya and Shinya are. He avoids Seiji and Fujio until he can't. I feel that in a way this was to protect everyone. He knows what he is doing and the people he is involved with are dangerous. Ignoring them was partially so they wouldn't stop him but, part of it must have been to keep everyone else out of it because as he states while he fights with Fujio, this is his problem.

Both characters are trying to protect their friends while engaging with people who could harm the people they care about.

Purging one's past

Arata in order to work for Kidra is doing what Noboru tried to do and tries to purge his past (he is unsuccessful obviously).

Noboru multiple times throughout the series and Road to High&Low movie is telling his friends that he is different now. He tells them that people change and that he is no longer the same person he used to be. Nikaido gives him a gun, essentially telling him to either kill himself or kill his past (Sannoh). When he pulls the trigger, we find out that the gun is actually not loaded and the guy is just shooting blanks. The symbolism to this is that he can not purge his past even if he wanted to because your past is a part of you. Without your past, there is no present or future. You can't make the present or future better if you don't have your past to look back on.

Arata is doing the same when he tells Seiji he isn't the same as he used to be and when he tells Fujio that he's changed now. Fujio tells him that he can continue to punch Fujio, but his fists don't hurt one bit, not as much as his disappearance hurts their hearts. Arata and Fujio are both crying by the time Fujio is about to send another punch Arata's way, only for Masaya and Shinya to stop them. When they bring Arata back, Seiji and Madoka are there to greet him and welcome him home. Arata looks at the market and you can see the look in his eyes change. He never changed, he missed this place just as much as he missed his friends. He wasn't able to purge his past. His past is actually what helps him in the present and future, considering the group works together to give him money to help with his mother's treatments.

A Home to Come Back to

In High&Low the Movie, we see Kohaku's monologue about being a home to return to. Cobra and Yamato decide they want to go after the guys that got Noboru in jail and they tell Kohaku that it should've been them that got arrested because Noboru had a bright future and they didn't. To this, Kohaku asks them how either of those actions would help Noboru; Cobra and Yamato don't have an answer. Kohaku tells them that they can't change what happened, but that they can wait for Noboru because if Noboru has no home to return to, he'll never come back. At the end of Road to High&Low, this is exactly what we see. Sannoh was built so that Noboru would have a home to return to. Yamato even says that they can disband Sannoh Hoodlum Squad if Noboru doesn't need it anymore, that is fine, but he just wants his friend back. Once Noboru realizes that he doesn't want to purge his past, he asks Cobra and Yamato if he can come back, to which they gladly accept and welcome him back with open arms.

Fujio, Seiji, Madoka, Masaya, Shinya, and the market are Arata's home and place to come back to just like Sannoh was for Noboru. Had the group left Arata alone or chosen to exclude him because of the rumors that started to surround him, Arata probably would've never come back. But it's the fact that everyone was constantly trying to reach out throughout the course of the movie and Fujio, Masaya, and Shinya literally jumped into Hope Hill to fight and physically drag him back out that Arata comes home. He had a family to return to who would accept him even after his mistakes.

How Arata and Noboru must've felt

Again, this is pure theory and speculation because it isn't directly stated in any of the films I have watched.

Noboru must've felt alone not being able to tell anyone what he was really going through, it might even tie back to how he's the friend who couldn't mess up. Having such high expectations for himself, Noboru probably felt like a failure landing himself in jail even when he felt he wasn't in the wrong because those guys hurt Miho. On top of that, he never really tells Cobra and Yamato how he's feeling whenever they visit him in jail. When he worked for Iemura, he also had no one to confide in either. The only person who was really within his vicinity while he worked for Iemura was Nikaido, but Nikaido was the hardest on him and was violent with him because, to Nikaido, Noboru was like looking in a mirror. Nikaido aka Cain used to come from Nameless City and he truly wants to purge his past and forget ever being a part of Rude Boys and wants Noboru to do the same with Sannoh. Being so alone was probably affecting him in a lot of ways.

Arata was the same. None of the group knows that Arata is actually working with Kidra for his mother's hospital bills until Madoka tells them after she visits Arata's mom. He didn't confide in his friends for this matter, and never really talked about his feelings in general. Fujio reminds him that Grandma Sada was always worried about Arata because he never spoke up about his feelings, always bottling them up. Arata must've felt that he should take care of his own problems instead of troubling others which led him to be lonely.

Something random I noticed: The scene at Grandma Sada's grave when Seiji confronts Arata and Arata punches him, can be seen as symbolism of how Noboru felt inside during the show and Road to High&Low. Visualize Seiji and Arata as two parts of Noboru who are battling and struggling to co-exist. Seiji is his past, telling him that it's alright to come back to his home and his family while Arata, his present, is trying to tell his past that he isn't the same anymore.

It's definitely not that deep, it's just how I interpreted it.

You made it to the end! These are probably nothing new and very obvious points that everyone saw in the movies I just wanted to write about it so here we are lol. This post is not proof-read and is a little messy and all over the place but thank you for reading it anyways.

Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments and reblogs. Please don't take my work and repost it anywhere or take credit for it, if you would like to build off of my work please tag me for credit and tag me because I would love to see your thoughts :)

#high&low #high&low x reader #hanaoka fujio #oya high #high and low #oya kou #sannoh hoodlum squad #kawamura kazuma #the rampage from exile tribe #housen academy #high and low the worst #high and low cobra #high and low yamato #high and low noboru #generations from exile tribe

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written-in-flowers · 1 year

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Kimura Delivery Service: Part 2

Chapter 2: W is for White Rascals

Pairing: fem!OC x Rocky

Word Count: 11k

Genre: Fluff

Fandom: High & Low: The Story of S.W.O.R.D

Summary: After a life of swinging her fists, Sakyia is hopeful about her easy going job of delivering packages...However, her aunt neglected to mention the "regulars": The gang leaders of S.W.O.R.D. and the undeniable affection they all grow to have for her.

Overall Warnings: blood and violence, fighting, gang activity, crime, mentions of death, multiple relationships, girlboss being a girlboss, not really 'poly' but girl has a string of lovers,

Part 1 <; | > Chapter 3

Tagged: @belle64 @straysugzhpe (if you'd like to be tagged, let me know in the replies!)

***

Once she got a feel for the delivery service, Sakyia began enjoying it more. Her aunt appeared more backed up in orders than she’d realized. Every morning, Sakyia woke up, did her usual routine, put on her jacket and went downstairs. She’d grown to like the Sannoh neighborhood and the people in it. People welcomed her with smiles instead of scowls. They offered her things like bundles of apples for her health or insisted she take a basket of baked goods to her mother. Sakyia had never met such kind people before. Though, with every good aspect comes a bad one. Cobra did not lie when he mentioned the gangs to her. She’d been told what streets to avoid, and what the people wore so should she see them, she could avoid them. Sakyia knew better than to seek out a fight with more than possibly two or three people; she could fight well, but not that well. Whenever anyone asked her, Sakyia said she’d simply drive away if they chased her. During her first week, she didn’t run into anyone particularly bothersome, but she kept herself on guard for the moment it came.

“Just run away,” her mother warned her during their lunch break together. “I don’t want you coming back to me bruised up and bloody.”

“I have no interest in fighting anyone,” she replied, sitting curled on her barber chair and eating her lunch. “I don’t do that anymore.”

“Mhm,” she responded, unconvinced as she prepared her station for her next client. “I see you with that punching bag you found outside. You’re always punching and kicking it like it owes you money.”

She and the other girls chuckled. The Ichiago Milk girls came to the salon as they’d said. Askua sat at a nail station, having a young woman working on her fingers. The twins both finished having their hair styled, and Junko took their place. Sakyia liked having them around; they treated her as one of them and her mother liked them.

"It's good exercise," Sakyia said. "It keeps me in shape."

And also prepared. She still hadn't told her mother about the SWORD gangs, though she'd approached Hana about it.

"You know if I'd told you in front of your mother, she'd forbid it. I didn't tell you because I thought you might say 'no'. If you want to back out, then I'll understand."

Sakyia kept the job when her aunt raised her pay. She'd told Hana if fighting off thugs is a job hazard, she'd be compensated for it. Still, she kept it from her mother. Finishing her lunch, she checked her phone. She had a pick up order in half an hour, but she could do a drop off or two beforehand.

"Pfft, as if you need it," said Junko. "Your body's perfect. All the boys are always staring at you."

"I don't do it for boys, Junko."

"They stare anyways," she replied, staying still in her seat as the stylist started on her hair. "I wish I knew how you did it. All of them like you."

Sakyia knew she said this from a place of curiosity, not jealousy. Shiba and Oshiage told her Junko could be boy crazy, often falling in love with any pretty boy she sees. Sakiya didn't understand it at all, but she didn't judge.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I don't pay much attention to them."

"They pay attention to you," said Shiba with a teasing smile.

"Especially Cobra," her sister gave an identical smile. "He's always looking at you when you're not looking at him."

"It's super cute," Askua said.

Sakyia blushed, focusing on her phone instead. "Hush, you two," she said in a small voice, hiding her face. "He's not interested, and I wouldn't care if he was. He's just a guy."

A guy who made her feel 'the butterflies' whenever he came around.

"Ugh, you're so stubborn, Sakyia," Junko huffed. "If I even looked half as good as you…"

"You're beautiful as you are, Junko, and someone will see that soon," she assured her. "In the meantime, I gotta go."

"Already?" The twins said in unison.

"I have a long list," she said. She kissed her mother's cheek, "I might be back late. Don't wait for me."

"You know I will anyway."

She said farewell to the ladies and began her route. Sakyia went about her day making deliveries and picking up packages to take across town. Regulars already knew her by the second week, and prepared their "tips". These usually came in forms of money, but she sometimes received other items: charms, trinkets, books, or groceries. Sakyia didn’t mind. She’d grown to enjoy it honestly. It became one of the little perks of having the courier position. She usually came home with money to put in the box underneath her mother’s bed, and other things.

A particularly heavy package made her pause midday. On the top, the receiver’s name was printed on the sticker label. ‘Asahina Yamato, Asahina Motors.’ Yamato happened to be Cobra’s best friend who ran a mechanic shop. This means the possible chance of running into Cobra there. She couldn’t avoid delivering it; she thought about what the other ladies said about him: how he often looked at her when she didn’t notice and his obvious interest in her. Sakyia doubted it, but she couldn’t help flexing her scarred hand when she thought about him. Not many asked about her scars. Usually because they didn’t notice them, but Cobra’s too observant for her.

She put the mechanic shop in her navigation app, and headed there. The garage door remained wide open, and she saw a trio of motorcycles parked out front. Much like the rest of Sannoh, the building appeared old needing a fresh coat of paint and cleaner windows. Sakyia liked it this way. It reminded her of home, strangely enough. She parked her scooter near the garage entrance, and peeked inside to see a seating area with two worn out couches and a low coffee table. On one of them, she saw Yamato cleaning an engine part with a rag. On the other, she saw Cobra. She took a second to observe him: he leaned back on the couch, smoking a cigarette and relaxed. He appeared to be in thought, deep thought from what she guessed. Yamato didn’t seem to mind since the engine part kept him occupied. She wondered what he could be thinking about. She knew almost nothing about him, but if she learned things about him then he’d have to learn about her. She didn’t know if she wanted to share anything personal about herself.

“I’m glad Noboru is back and well,” said Yamato. “I hope he’s right about the casino project and Kuryu.”

“He is,” Cobra responded. “Kuryu is going to destroy this town and rebuild it; we can’t let them do that. It’ll ruin so many people’s lives, and change everything.”

“It doesn’t help that it’s corrupted as well.”

Kuryu? Casino project? She’d never heard anything about it. Her aunt told her that some parts of the town went under redevelopment, and housing costs went up. Luckily, it’d yet to touch the delivery business. The news disheartened her slightly. She’d only arrived in the town. Moving a second time won’t be easy for her, her mother, or Auntie Hana.

“Are you going to keep standing in the doorway or actually come inside, Sakyia?” Cobra’s voice cut through her thoughts, and she blushed bashfully.

“Oh, um, well, uh…I didn’t want to interrupt anything important,” she said, shuffling into the light. “I have a package for Yamato.”

“Oh good, it’s here!” Yamato smiled, standing up immediately. “It’s the new part for my bike,” he told them both, coming outside to see the heavy box in her cart. He lifted it out for her to bring inside, “I couldn’t find it anywhere in town, so I had to order it. Now I can get rid of that annoying rattling sound.”

“If you just sign here,” she felt Cobra’s eyes on her, and ‘the butterflies’ came back, “I can head on out of your way.”

“Yeah, of course.”

Yamato took her clipboard to sign, and she gazed around the shop. “Your family owns this place, I’m guessing?”

“Yeah, my dad did,” he said. “He’s the one who taught me how to fix cars and bikes.” He saw her scooter outside, “Is it running okay? Koichi often had trouble with the wheels.”

“It’s doing okay so far,” she replied, trying her best to ignore Cobra, “It’s old, but it runs well enough.”

“You seem pretty at home on it,” Cobra finally spoke, putting out his cigarette on an ashtray. “Have you ridden one before?”

“Not really, but it’s mostly about maintaining balance and I’m pretty good at that.” Thanks to Jiro and the hours he made her walk on a beam in their backyard. She could still feel the bar on her feet sometimes. “My dad rode a motorcycle, so I sort of picked up tips from him.”

“So, then you like guys with bikes?” Yamato asked, handing her the clipboard. “Cobra and I go riding all the time, right Cobra?” he glanced over at him with a grin, and Cobra returned it with indifference. “You should come with us sometime. Cobra’s bike is big enough to fit two.”

The image of her riding with Cobra crossed her mind. It reminded her of her parents: her dad steering and her mom’s arms wrapped around him, her cheek on his shoulder and a smile on her face. She pushed it from her mind, “Eh, thanks for the offer, but I think I’m fine on my scooter.” She checked the signature, ripping off Yamato’s copy and giving it to him. “Thanks, guys. See ya around.”

Run. Run from Cobra and his pretty, observant eyes.

“Wait,” Yamato called to her, “Your tip.” He dug in his overall pocket to hand her a few bills, which she pocketed. “Are you hungry?” He asked her, “My mom made some rice balls.”

A snack did sound good. The constant traveling and moving about worked up an appetite. But, this meant being in Cobra’s presence. “Sure,” she shrugged, “I could eat.”

"Great! Have a seat. I'll be back."

Cobra followed his friend with his eyes while Sakyia took the couch opposite him. Yamato's absence left a tense air between them. He and Noboru had been alone when Sakyia rushed out of the gas station. No doubt Noboru told him at least part of her story.

"So, why did they call you 'Viper'?" Cobra asked, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. When she froze, he said, "Noboru mentioned it to me yesterday. He said you fought in the warehouse fight clubs."

'Fight Club' implies people wanted to be there. She shifted in her seat, regretting the rice ball offer. "People did. I didn't like it."

"Why?"

"Because it was a lame nickname," she said. "They called me that because I was fast."

"I thought you didn't know how to fight?" She saw a shadow of a smile on his face.

"I'd…well…I'd rather not talk about that part of my life," she said, fidgeting with the loose threads on her jeans. "I’m not very proud of it,” Especially after Yoshi. She looked around the garage once more, and saw photographs nearby. She saw a few photos of Yamato, Cobra and Noboru, all smiling and happy. A very stark contrast to the brooding man she’d come to meet. “You’re close to him,” she said, “Noboru, I mean.”

“We’ve been best friends since childhood,” he replied. “We grew up in this town together. That's why we want to save it. It’s our home.”

“From the redevelopment project?” she assumed.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “The Kuryu families want to build a casino here, and it’s causing people to move out and abandon their businesses. Tettsu’s family is already thinking of closing their bath house.”

“Hm, what a shame,” she grinned, “I never got to go.”

Recalling Tettsu’s offer that first night made them both chuckle softly. Sakyia admitted she liked his smile. “It really is a shame though. This place was starting to grow on me. Even with the thugs that hang around this town; the people are really nice. I'm not used to that."

"They see that you're a good person," he said. When she turned to him, "It's a small place. Word spreads around quickly."

"Very quickly."

"I'm back!"

Yamato returned with a plate of triangular rice balls. Sakyia reached forward to grab one, and her hand brushed right into Cobra’s. The brief touch felt alien to her, but did not make her skin crawl. In fact, it made her want to hold it. They both blushed and picked up opposite ones. She turned the conversation to Yamato, doing her best to avoid what happened. She asked about his family and his garage. She couldn't help noticing Cobra watching her. When will that ever stop?

"-Then something serious happened with Noboru, and we wanted to give him a place to come home to," Yamato concluded. "But, as you know, he ended up working for Ieruma instead."

"I kind of don't blame him. He must've felt so alone and lost. It'd be like them to corner someone like that," she said. "Luckily, he has you two." Sakyia wished she had friends like that. Perhaps things might have turned out differently. "He did do good things with them, though. He helped my mother and I get away from my stepfather and his debt collectors. Because of his cleverness, I didn't have to fight anymore."

"Fight? You fight? I thought you didn't," he said, bemused.

She needed to start thinking before talking. "She used to fight in the warehouses on the bayside," Cobra answered for her. "Right?"

"Yeah."

"Wow!" Yamato said, eyes widened. "Those pit fights are no joke. I've heard they fight until someone's knocked out."

"Or yields," she added.

"You must be good then," Yamato said. "Maybe even as good as Cobra. You should see him-"

"-Yamato-"

"-He's very fast and precise. He's tough stuff. He wouldn't be our leader if he wasn't."

Clearly, the praise bothered Cobra. Humbleness? Or is he like her and doesn't want to show their abilities yet?

"I bet he is good," she said. "He looks like he could handle himself in a fight."

"Like you wouldn't believe."

Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and realized she'd spent too long there. "Ah, crap, I gotta go," she said, standing up. "Thanks for the rice balls."

"Anytime. Really. Cobra and I are usually here during the day-"

"-Yamato-"

She giggled, "I'll see you two around."

She got back on her scooter to continue her route. Her stomach churned while she rode away. She shouldn't have said so much, but it came out of her. She'd hoped to keep that part of her life to herself; it isn't good and it's not who she is anymore. She worried they might think she's a fighting machine, which she was, but she wanted to leave that behind. She wanted to be normal. She wanted a regular life with regular friends. Her aunt already gave her a job because of what she could do.

Though, she did want to see Cobra fight one day.

Sakyia rode through the day and into the night. Auntie Hana extended her routes after her first week, so she finally saw the rest of Chikuni City. It was drastically different from Sannoh. People had more money here, and the stores did not appear so run down or old. She walked into night clubs and bars full of people, dropping off packages at back doors and meeting the owners. Her aunt’s clients were glad her service was up and running; they all appeared to be too busy to deliver or pick up from her. She liked the people she'd met, though she still preferred those back in Sannoh.

Downtown turned into a different place after dark. The lights drowned out the stars, and the noise of the streets filled the air. People walked out of various nightclubs and bars along the strip, and the atmosphere changed. She saw herself coming to such a lively place with friends, out for a night of drinking and dancing. Sakyia never went into a club before. But, fortunately, her route took her exactly there.

'Rocky Mutsugi, Club Heaven, 8pm.' The address of the place was printed alongside the name. Rocky Mutsugi's package was small, no larger than her fist and fit in her bag. She wondered what it could be, but she wouldn't dare ask. What the customers ordered or received isn't her business. The route took her to a nightclub where the name 'Club Heaven' went across the top in sleek, thin letters. A large man dressed in white stood outside the door, letting in groups of people at a time to avoid maximum capacity. Timidly approaching the front of the line, she showed the bouncer her clipboard and mentioned Rocky by name.

"He's inside. VIP lounge," he answered in a gruff voice.

A crowd of people protested when the bouncer allowed her through. Sakyia ignored them and walked inside. Music blared through speakers high on the dark walls and over the leather couches; the bright white lines shone from columns throughout the room and high above. A sea of people danced underneath colored lights; almost everyone there wore white. From the dancers on platforms, to the bartenders, and to the DJ at his elevated booth, everyone wore outfits of all white. Only a few of the clubbers wore different colors, usually the men, but some women did as well. Sakyia found it odd; she didn’t know clubs had dress codes. She put this aside and searched around for the VIP area. They're usually roped off from the rest of the room, but she saw no such place in the crowded room.

Spotting a man in a white jacket and jeans, she walked over to him. His long black hair curtained his face, and he appeared to be scanning the room casually. She gulped thickly and spoke.

"Uh, excuse me?" She caught his attention, "Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you knew where I could find Rocky Mutsugi? I'm Ms. Kimura’s courier?" She prayed to God that he knew what that meant.

Thankfully, he did. Yet, before he could say anything another man quickly came around the staircase and stepped between them. At least, Sakyia thought they were a man at first. Seeing them up close, there appeared to be a sense of femininity about them. She couldn't quite place it, but she sensed it. The woman glared at her, almost bothered by her presence.

"Hey, he's not interested," she said spitefully. "So beat it-"

"-The hell?" Sakyia instantly shot back. "Look, I'm not interested in him. I'm looking for-"

"-She works for Hana, Kizzy," the man said in her ear. "She has Rocky's package."

The woman's eyes lit up at once and the disgust vanished in seconds. They swept a glance over Sakyia, then she spoke.

"I'm so sorry! I thought you were hitting on my boyfriend," she apologized. "Welcome to Club Heaven, I'm Kizzy."

They shook hands. The sudden change in character surprised her. "Thanks," she said, "I was asking your boyfriend where I could find Rocky. I have his package and I don't want to be late giving it to him."

"Oh, honey, even if you were late, he'd still let it slide," Kizzy said. "He's upstairs. Follow me."

She followed the couple upstairs into a lounge area behind a door. Inside, she saw more dark furniture and a bar illuminated by white lights. On a long couch sat a group of women, all dressed in white. She noticed the men in the room wore white outfits, and appeared to be eyeing her once she walked in. So much damn white everywhere. Her body instantly tensed walking into the room. She hadn't run into any problems lately, and she hoped she didn't have to do it now. She remembered what Cobra said about the gangs of SWORD. These men must be one of them.

She didn't want to fight.

"Rocky," Kizzy said, "Ms. Kimura’s courier is here."

The man in the center of the couch sat up. Blond hair perfectly coiffed and styled, he wore red circular glasses and a handcuff hung from his left wrist. Dark eyes scanned her over his sunglasses, which made her shift uncomfortably. She'll admit, he was handsome, so she understood why so many women sat near him. Something about him exuded confidence and power that attracted people to him. His white coat had black zebra stripes down the sleeves, and he wore slacks. More white. Why so much damn white? It gave her a headache. He observed her for a moment, but did not speak.

"Um, uh, hello," she said awkwardly. "I'm Sakyia. I have your package right here," she withdrew it from her bag to show him, clipboard under her arm. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding on anything, but the instructions said it had to be delivered to you directly," though she couldn't imagine what she's walking in on.

"'Sakyia'...so close to 'Sakura', how sweet," giggled Kizzy. "Right, Rocky?"

"Uh, yes, okay, well," Sakyia stepped forward but Rocky stood up. "Here's…the package."

He stood a few inches taller than her. Broad and smelling of sweet cologne, she didn't need anymore examples of why the women in the room eyed him so fondly. Men like him tended to have strings of admirers. It reminded her vaguely of Jesse, who often had a girl or two following him around. Though, he never paid them any mind, much like the man before her.

"Hana never mentioned her courier would be a woman," he said, voice deep and rough, yet not off putting. "This job can be dangerous for a woman riding alone."

"It's been fine so far. My aunt wouldn't have given me the job if she thought I could not handle it," she said, feeling the need to prove she could do the job.

"Hana is your aunt?" He signed her clipboard.

"Yes. My mother is her sister. We just moved here a week ago, and she offered me the job to help her out." Why was she telling him this? He didn't have to know all that.

She saw a lit up monitor behind her flashing a logo. The words 'White Rascals' went across and beneath a wolf with a top hat and ruffled neck grinned maliciously.

"White Rascals?" she said thoughtfully. "That's your gang’s name?"

"It is," he said, giving her the clipboard back. "You don't sound impressed."

"Should I be?" She asked him.

"Most people are," he said.

"Why's that? Is it because of all the white in here? Do you use it to blind people before you attack?"

He chuckled softly, "Downtown is our territory. Nothing goes on in this place without us knowing about it."

"Except that Hana has a new courier?"

"I knew about you," he said, coming closer. He noticed her body tense at his approach and he stepped back. "She only neglected to mention you're a woman, that's all."

"Does that bother you?"

"Hana's business can be dangerous," he said. "You really shouldn't ride alone after dark."

"Trust me. These little SWORD gangs don't frighten me. I've met worse people."

"Ooh, I like her," Kizzy smiled with a laugh.

"It's not only the five gangs," Rocky told her. "There are others much worse. It's our job to protect women who come into our territory; we make sure they're safe and cared for. You're exactly the kind of woman those people would hurt."

"I'm not made of glass. I can handle myself."

Rocky surveyed her. "No, maybe you're made of something thicker."

"Have you met a lot of gangs then?" Kizzy asked, but her amused eyes stayed on Rocky. "If you're so fearless of them?"

"A few," she told them. "I've met plenty where I came from."

"And where is it you came from?" Rocky asked her, unable to look away from her.

"Chikuni Bay," she answered.

"The warehouses district?"

"That's the one." She double checked her phone. It was getting late. "Well, thank you," she gave a short bow of her head, "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr-"

"-Call me Rocky," he said, never looking away even once. "Stay for a drink. I imagine you've been riding around all day with how backed up Hana's business has been. You must be tired."

"No, thank you," she said politely. "I'm on my bike and it's getting late. My mother will be worried about me."

"Not even one?" Kizzy came to her side, pouting, "As a thank you for bringing the package all this way?"

"That's kind of you," she said, "But really I should go."

"You're free to come back whenever you like." Rocky handed her a small plastic card with the gang's symbol on it. She supposed it's meant to be a VIP card. "We'd love to have you."

"Thank you," she then smirked, "Would I have to be decked out in white too?" She asked, eyeing the people around them.

He laughed, "Not if you don't want to. I imagine you're lovely in any color."

Her cheeks burned when he said this. "Lucky for me, then. White isn't really my color." She stepped away before he spotted her pink cheeks. "I'll see you around then. Have a good night."

"Night, Sakyia."

She left the lounge on her own, going back down the stairs into the main floor. People danced around to the music, sat down on the leather couches talking and drinking, or otherwise enjoying the night club. She’d never been in such a loud place before. She often went deaf in a fighting pit, putting all her focus on her opponent. Here, there’s nobody to fight. There’s nobody coming up to her with anger flaring in their eyes. People are too absorbed into their own frivolity to notice her walking by. Sakyia gulped the dryness in her mouth, and thought she could at least have some water. She turned to the long white bar on one side of the room, and slipped between the patrons lining the front. The bartender, a young man with spiky dark hair, poured drinks expertly and took orders easily. When he finally reached her, he seemed relieved to have such an easy order. He handed her a water bottle, free of charge, and went back to his customers.

Sakyia took a drink from the bottle before she noticed them. A few seats away sat a young woman in a short black dress, her hair and makeup done up pretty for the night. In front of her stood a man in a dark-colored suit, his black hair slicked back from his face, and a smug grin on his face. The woman appeared to be trying to ignore him, but the man wasn’t taking the hint. Sakyia spotted the woman’s discomfort at once, and her multiple attempts to leave the bar. Not that this worked. When she managed to side step him, the man pursued her.

“Hey,” Sakyia called out from her seat, “She’s not interested, man. Leave her alone.”

The man sneered at her, “Ah, what? Jealous that I’m flirting with someone prettier than you?”

Ugh, so predictable. “No, I’ve had a long day and listening to this poor woman repeatedly telling you to fuck off is annoying me.” She looked at the woman, “Is this asshole bothering you?”

“Yeah, he is,” she nodded, glaring at the guy.

“Oh come on, babe,” he smirked at her, reaching for her arm, “You know you want it. That��s why you’re wearing that dress.”

Sakyia grunted, putting the bottle in her bag and walking over to him. Roughly, she turned him to face her. His cocky grin made her want to smack it off. “No, she’s wearing it because she wants to look pretty; not so assholes like you could harass her.”

“Look, honey, if you’re jealous, you can wait your turn,” he eyed her up and down, “You’re not too bad if you take off the grubby jacket and pants.”

“As if I would. I wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot-pole.” She turned to the woman, “Did you come here with anyone?”

“Yeah, my friends,” she climbed off the stool, not bothering to take the drink on the bar. “I lost them on the dance floor.”

Some friends, Sakyia thought. She nodded to the dancers, “Let’s go find them.”

She let the girl walk in front of her, before a rough hand grabbed her wrist tightly. It happened out of nowhere. She didn’t know what made her do it, but she did it. In a single swing, Sakyia’s right fist landed right into the man’s cheek. It knocked him back to the bar. Having been hit by a woman in a room full of people, she saw the embarrassment flooding red into his cheeks. Adrenaline immediately pumped through her body. Every muscle in her constricted, and she prepared for another attack. He glared at her.

“You little bitch,” he snapped.

He moved to hit her before she kicked him in the groin, which certainly stopped him. Two white figures came to her side, and she shielded the woman from any more attackers out of habit. Briefly, it reminded her of Jiro’s drunken nights; nights where her mother tried to protect her from him. She saw the two figures were Rocky and Kizzy. Kizzy looked at the man with disgust on her face, while Rocky roughly pulled him to his feet.

“Get this scum out of our club,” Rocky said, the pommel of his cane under the man's chin. He stared down at him with pure hatred, as if he'd pummel the man himself. He then shoved him into the arms of two other white-clad men. “We’ll be watching you. If you hurt another woman like that again, we'll know.”

“I’m-I’m sor-sorry,” he stammered. “Please, no. I won’t do it again.”

“You're right,” he said, and motioned for the men to remove him from the club. "You won't."

Sakyia’s hand burned. She’d hit harder than she’d intended, she knew. Unable to assess the damage in the club lighting, she stretched her fingers and winced. Her mother will have questions. She doubted it’d be bruised, but she’d need an ice pack when she went home. Turning around to the woman, she asked:

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, thanks to you,” she sighed in relief. “That creep had been bothering me all night.”

“Kimi,” Rocky approached gently, the anger disappearing right away, “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I didn’t want to bother you with it,” she told her. “But thankfully, this woman saw him and told him to leave me alone.”

“From what I saw, she did more than tell him to leave,” Kizzy said, smiling over to Sakyia.

“Sakyia, your hand,” Rocky reached forward to hold it, examining her knuckles. Nerves bubbled inside her stomach at his warm, tender touch. "How bad is it?"

"Not too bad," she half lied. She already felt her cheeks reddening from the embarrassment. She'd never planned on causing a scene in this man's club or leaving a nasty impression. "I'll be okay."

"You can hardly move it," he said, seeing her hand in the light. "Come, I'll get you ice for it."

"You don't have to-"

"-I insist."

Sakyia followed him to a quiet spot of the bar, where the bartender quickly grabbed an ice pack from beneath the counter. He gingerly placed the square on her right hand. The ice shocked her skin, and she almost withdrew but didn't. She shouldn't have hit the guy; it was an extreme reaction, but she couldn't help it. She regretted more with Rocky so close to her. The faint smell of cigars came from him, and she recognized the brand from the scent alone. Iwata Cigars. Her father used to smoke them. She liked it.

"Do you often pick fights with men?" Rocky said, breaking through her thoughts. He was tracing his thumb over the faint scars on her left knuckles, particularly the long one in the middle. "You have plenty of these."

Lying felt pointless. Rocky saw her with his own eyes, and lying only insulted his intelligence. She snorted, "I used to fight often, yeah."

"How'd you get this one?"

"My fist clashed with the guy I was fighting, and it broke the bone." She then answered before she could stop herself, "It took me out of the pit for a while, so it worked out for me."

"Pit?"

She wished she'd never said anything. "Um, uh, well…" she'd already opened the bag, "I used to fight before. Not because I wanted to," she said quickly. "I did it because we were poor and didn't have a lot of money." Half true. "It was better than the other option," a full truth that unsettled her stomach. "I don't do it anymore though. I swear I'm not a crazy person who acts violently like that. I don’t know. I saw that man harassing that woman, and it bothered me. She clearly didn’t have an interest in him, and he kept going anyway. I wanted to help her out and get her away from him. He came after me and I don't know…I didn’t mean to hit him like that; it’s a reflex I suppose. I hadn't meant to cause a scene in your club."

Her stomach flopped admitting the fault to him. Seeing him in the lights, she saw his handsomeness close up. Tanned skin remained smooth and clear, she couldn’t help taking in his eyes and lips. A face she could draw for ages. Brown eyes stared over her features, and it made her suddenly nervous. Surely, he must be upset about it; any club owner would be.

"I'm not angry," he said, as if he read her mind. "That scum deserved it. I would've done it myself if you hadn't taken care of him." He put the pack back on her hand carefully, "What upsets me is that you had to do it at all. I don't like women feeling unsafe here. I made this club so they had a safe place to be."

"You certainly take their safety seriously."

"I do." He said, "I've seen too many terrible things happen to women. I couldn’t stand by and allow it to continue." He then said, tenderly, "Even to the ones who can handle themselves." She hoped the semi darkness hid her blushing cheeks, but Rocky’s vision is accustomed to the lighting. “Who taught you to fight? You must’ve been good if the scum at the warehouses let you fight there.”

“My father,” she answered. “He was a boxer before he retired. The rest I learned from people around me.”

“You shouldn’t have had to.”

Her phone pinged in her bag, and a quick look showed a text from her mother. It's grown far too late now. “I really should go,” she said, sliding off the stool and away from him. “Thank you for the ice, and I’m sorry again about that guy.”

“It’s no trouble, really,” he assured her. “I’m sure we’ll see one another soon. I enjoy your aunt’s service a lot.”

The prospect of meeting this man again blossomed excitement in her. “I’m sure we will,” she responded, “Goodnight, Rocky.”

“Night.”

She felt his eyes on her as she left him. During the route home, she thought about the gang leader. Suave and polished, he’s the mafia boss women write trashy romance novels about. He must think she’s some sort of hot-headed person, which she could be, but she tried her best. She’s not that person anymore. She hated that person.

She wanted to be different. She wanted to be better.

***

Rocky turned out to be one of her aunt’s most frequent clients. She mentioned this a few days after meeting him. Sakyia came downstairs in the morning to start packing drop-off boxes in her cart, while Auntie Hana flipped through her records on the counter.

“Wow, we managed to catch up with Sannoh’s regular flow in such a short time,” Hana awed when she typed new information into the clunky old computer. “Everyone has been raving about you, honey,” she told Sakyia. “They’ve all told me how prompt and professional you are; I told them you’ve always been such a sweet girl.”

“Bet they believed you,” Sakyia said from outside, figuring out where to put the last and tiniest package. “Being on-time is part of the job…” she found the right place and settled it down.

“They said you’re definitely an improvement over Koichi,” she told her when she came back inside. “He used to be rough with the fragile stuff, and he could be reckless on that thing. I hope you’re being safe when you ride.”

“I am, Auntie,” she said.

Hana typed down a few more lines, then printed out the day’s drop off and pick up list. Sakyia took it from the printer to read it, and bit the inside of her cheek. Rocky’s name is on the list. Multiple times. He had several pick up areas around the city, and they all needed to be dropped off at different times. Why didn’t he simply lump them together instead of getting them one by one? By the list, he has five in total throughout the day. She found it odd.

"Auntie," she looked over at her, "Did you do this route correctly?" She showed her the list, "Rocky's having multiple deliveries in one day. I thought most clients put them all at once for convenience?"

She should've known the answer by the sly grin. "Rocky is a busy man," she said, "He owns a club and different businesses in the downtown area. He can't be running around doing little things like this all day."

"But he has a whole gang. Why not let them do it?"

"He needs them at his side," she told her. "Besides, he is a handsome man and a true gentleman. If I were your age again, I'd be going to Club Heaven every night to see him." She then added, "It is the clients who make the appointments. Not me. Perhaps you charmed him in some way and now he's using this as an excuse to see you."

"Ugh, as if. I nearly beat up a guy in his club," she scoffed, putting the sheet on the clipboard. "He probably thinks I'm a psycho or something."

"Nah, I doubt it. Besides, it was Kizzy who placed the appointments, not Rocky, so I'm sure it was her doing."

Sakyia supposed it made sense, but what did she know about business people? She kissed her aunt goodbye, and was heading out the backdoor when she heard footsteps. Looking up, she saw Asuka, Shiba and Oshiage coming down the alleyway. They all wore their Ichigo Milk jackets, and outfits today. Sakyia noticed immediately they were absent their leader, Junko.

"Morning, guys," Sakyia said first, seeing their big smiles. "What's up?"

"We wanted to ask you something-" Shiba said first.

"-But we didn't want to ask in front of Junko-" said Oshiage.

"Ask me what?"

"The twins and I got invited to this party downtown," Asuka told her. "It's a matchmaking party. We usually go to local ones around the city, but a friend of mine is hosting one at his apartment this time. We hoped you might want to come."

"Matchmaking party?" She asked, confused. "I've never been to one of those before. What do you do there?"

"It's nothing gross," she assured. "We mostly just drink and dance; maybe meet a cute guy too."

"We'd like it if you came with us," both twins said together.

Sakyia observed the three of them. She hadn't known them very long, and she'd mostly worked since she arrived. A thought then came to her, seeing their friendly smiles.

"My mom put you three up to this, didn't she?"

"No, not at all," Asuka insisted. "We thought you might like a break from work. You're always working and you should take a break."

They're right, and she knows it. She did consider visiting downtown on her own; possibly going to Club Heaven with her VIP card. The idea of seeing Rocky again made her blush, but she hid it from them.

"Sure," she shrugged, "That sounds fun."

The three women squealed excitedly and hugged her together. Sakyia let out a laugh, squished between them before they released her.

"Is Junko coming?"she asked them.

Their smiles faltered, and they casted glances at one another. "No," said Asuka first. "Don't get us wrong. We love Junko; she's our leader but she gets…excitable at parties. Especially if there are cute guys around."

"She becomes a total 'pick me' girl," said Oshiage. "She tries too hard, and it's embarrassing."

"Isn't it kinda messed up to not invite her though? She is your friend, and I know I'd be hurt if my friends did that."

"You don't want Junko coming."

"Because she's a bit boy-crazy?"

"No, because you can't take her anywhere without her making a fool of herself to get a guy's attention," Asuka told her. "You should see the stuff she's done."

"It'll be worse with you around," Shiba added, hands in pockets. "She'll think she's in competition with you, and be worse. Trust us. We do hang out with Junko-"

"-Just not at parties."

Sakyia did not question them further. Their reasons sounded valid enough, though she had no idea what they meant by 'pick me' girl. They all agreed to meet up at the Itokan Diner, and hurried away. The thought that it might be a joke crossed her mind, but she dismissed it. They've been kind to her since their first meeting; they didn't appear to be the bullying type. Sakyia thought about what she'd even wear to the party. Riding on her scooter, she realized she didn't have many nice clothes. She never needed them before. Her mother will know what looks best on her; she'd do her makeup as well, since she'll no doubt be over the moon about it. Sakyia’s excitement over the invitation tonight fueled her throughout the day; she greeted her clients with smiles and did her best to not appear so delighted even if she was. She has never been invited to anything before. She daydreamed about the party, where she'd dance and drink all night.

Rocky's first package of the day came from his tailor, who'd fashioned him a long white coat with intricate patterns around the shoulders and chest. Sakyia placed it in her cart, then rode downtown towards his club, since that's where the drop off location happened to be. She didn't understand why he'd schedule his route that way, but that is his business. She reached the club and didn't see a single soul outside it; no doubt people came later on to party here. No bouncer stood outside, so she carefully opened the main doors.

Very few lights lit up the room, giving just enough for people to maneuver around the floor. She stared around for someone to point her in Rocky's directions, but didn't see anyone. Not even the bartender showed up yet. She stood around, aimlessly searching until footsteps came from around a corner. Kizzy beamed at her when they saw each other.

"Sakyia, you're back," she said, walking casually up to her. "A drop off?"

"Yeah. From Mr. Nita, his tailor," she replied, holding the box in front of her. "Do I leave it with you or…?"

"I'll take you to him," she said, wringing her arm around Sakyia’s. "He'll want to try it on. Rocky is very picky with his outfits, since he likes to dress well for the ladies who come here." Sakyia felt her eyes shift to her, "He might even ask for your opinion."

"I'm the worst person to ask about fashion," Sakyia snorted. "The most I can say is it looks nice."

"Fashonista or not, he'll like your opinion."

She sensed the words between the lines. Kizzy brought her to the VIP lounge, where Rocky sat with an entourage of people in all white. She looked at Kizzy.

"Is he always surrounded by women?"

"Not always," she then smirked, "Why? Jealous?"

"No, not at all. Just seems like they don't do much."

"They work here," she told her. "Come on, let's give him his new coat."

She brought Sakyia further into the room, "Rocky, Sakyia’s here with your coat order."

Rocky looked at her directly. He didn't wear his sunglasses today; they must be a night time look only. She preferred him like this; she saw more of his face this way. He seemed confused for a moment, then glanced at Kizzy. She released Sakyia and went to sit with Kaito.

"Hey," she breathed, nerves bundling in her stomach, "I have your first package here. I don't know where…"

She looked for a place to settle the box down, since it weighed heavy in her arms. But, it was Rocky who relieved her of the box.

"Thank you, Sakyia," she bit the inside of her cheek nervously. Her name sounded nicer in his deep, gruff voice. "I appreciate it."

"It's no trouble," she told him. She grabbed her clipboard from the top, and watched him hand the box to one of his gang. "It's my job." She then remembered, "Oh, and Mr. Nita said if the coat isn't to your liking, he'll gladly alter it when you come back to the shop."

"Nita is great at what he does," Rocky opened the box from beside him. On several red tissues sat the coat wrapped in plastic for protection. He pulled it out and removed the plastic. It was a lovely coat. It certainly fit Rocky's polished appearance. "He makes dresses too," Rocky mentioned, removing the jacket he currently wore. Sakyia avoided checking him out, trying not to focus on his tanned arms with their lean muscles. Broad and tall, he could encompass her completely. "You know, should you happen to need one."

"I can’t afford anything specially made," she shook her head. Her cheeks burned again thinking about the muscular figure underneath. "It's a clearance rack for me." She gulped and said, "I'll see you soon. I have other packages to get-"

"-Wait," he said. He straightened the long trench coat and asked, "What do you think?"

"It looks good," she nodded, using this moment to look him up and down. "It suits you."

"Suits me?"

"Yeah, you seem to wear lots of, like, cool, sleek clothes and it, you know, looks nice."

"So, you like cool guys, then?"

"I don't know. Does it matter?"

"No," he said, "I was only curious. How is your hand?"

"It's much better. I didn't hit him too hard, so it was fine the next day." She couldn't help staring at him. God, he's handsome. "I should get going. I'll see you all later."

"Later?" He looked over at Kizzy, who pretended to be admiring her nail polish. He sighed, "You don't have to pick up all those packages. A certain someone should've made the appointments all together, right Kizzy?"

"Hm? Oh, well, I knew they wouldn't be available all at once,” Kizzy replied coolly. “Plus, we obviously tip her more for the trouble."

"It's no trouble," she told him. "Most of my route is in this area, so it won't be difficult for me." Also gave her an excuse to come back.

"If you're alright with it…" then she swore he'd read her mind. In a low voice, he said to her, "At least, we'd have a reason to see each other again."

She smiled, "It is a perk." She then realized she should've kept that to herself. "I mean, um-"

His chuckle cut her off. "Cute," he said. "I can see why people underestimate you in a fight."

"She's like a feisty kitten," Kaito actually said.

"It's adorable."

He thought she was cute! "I should really get going. See you around."

"Your getaway phrase," he said with a small grin. "It only makes you look sweeter."

"Um, thanks. Yeah…"

What do you say to a handsome guy telling you he thinks you're cute? She took her clipboard, gave him one more glance before leaving the lounge. In front of other people, she realized as well. Those other girls sat there around him too. They must've heard him in the quiet room. Lord knows what they thought of it. Sakyia spent half her route thinking of his words and the gentle way he'd said them. He didn't have that creepy, flirtatious tone most men said. She'd felt his voice prickle on her skin, giving her goosebumps.

The second pick up came from a jeweler. She'd seen them place a silver wolf pommel into a fine, velvet lined box for her. She recalled Rocky's cane, and guessed he ordered a new one. She dropped off a few more packages before arriving at the club once more. Rocky sat by the bar with a drink beside him, and puffing a cigar. By the golden band around the middle, she knew it was an Iwata cigar. She smelled the scent of them as she approached, not bothered by the smell but rather his pensive stare elsewhere. Sakyia felt guilty interrupting him.

"Rocky?" She said his name in a quiet voice, as if afraid to disturb his silence.

Her voice broke through his thoughts, somewhat startled by her sudden appearance. "Sakyia," he said, "You're back already."

"With your new cane topper thing," she said, holding the box in her hands. She brought it over to the bar where he took up the cane beside him. “The jeweler said it’s made exactly as you asked.”

She watched him twist off the current pommel and set it aside. A bejeweled wolf’s head sat on the bar next to the box. Made entirely of rhinestones, the eyes shone bright red rubies. It must cost more than her aunt’s store, her scooter, and the apartment combined. She examined it from afar until he opened the second box, which held another topper. A running silver wolf topped the new cane, smoother and longer than the head pommel.

"What do you think?" His deep voice broke her from her thoughts.

"What do I think? Oh, um, it looks nice. The shape of it makes it a lot more useful in a fight than the smaller one," she said, "And I guess it'll be easier on your hand since it's silver and not covered in stones. You could always have worn gloves, but it's not winter yet and I read somewhere you can't wear stuff that's out of season or something like that? I don't know much about fashion, so don't quote me on that-"

His laugh cut her off, surveying her again. She realized she liked him without the sunglasses; she could see more of his face that way. "No, I don't imagine you are," he said. When he saw her brow furrowed, he explained himself, "I didn't mean anything by it. Not everyone is concerned with fashion like I am. My gang complains about it all the time."

"Dry cleaning is expensive," she replied. "I don't hate fashion. I wish I knew more about it; my mother runs a beauty salon, yet I know so little," she laughed sheepishly. "I should get going. I'll see you-"

"-Kizzy and Koto will get them," he insisted.

"I told you I really don't mind."

"I do."

"Why?" She then smirked, "Tired of seeing me already?"

"The opposite," he replied. "I prefer seeing you on my own terms, not Kizzy's." He stood from the bar and walked over to her. The sweet cologne faintly wafted over to her, and she did her best to not deeply inhale it. "What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm going to this party with some friends," she said. "It's something called a matchmaking party? I don't know, but it sounds fun and I don't really go out that much." Not at all, truthfully, but that sounded pathetic.

"A matchmaking party?" He sounded amused.

"It sounds stupid, I know. I'd never heard of them until this morning, but apparently, it's something people do," she replied, hands in her pockets. "They go to them to meet guys and drink and dance, but I don't really care about that right now."

"Because you're not like other girls?" He suggested, hand on his cane and smirking at her playfully.

"No," she grinned, "Because I’m still settling into my place. Dating isn’t really at the top of my list.”

“Hm, understandable. There’s nothing wrong with going to enjoy yourself,” he said. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored it. Right at the same moment, Kono, a White Rascal, appeared from around a corner. He stood there expectantly, most likely with news for Rocky. “Work calls,” Rocky looked back over at her. “If you change your mind, I’d be glad if you came.”

She bashfully said her goodbye and they parted ways. Sakyia only recalled one other time a boy suggested they meet somewhere: Jesse. Riding on her bike to her next location, her mind wandered back to the time he asked if she wanted to meet him outside the warehouses. She’d agreed because he was the only real friend she had. They’d walked around Little Asia together, a neighborhood known for its roughness and near lawlessness, and they traveled down the boardwalk a short distance from the bay.

It’d been on that pier where he kissed her.

Sakyia didn’t see her mother for lunch. She went to the nearby thrift shop in town to find an outfit for the night. However, when she looked around the racks of clothes, she had no idea where to start. Her mother once mentioned ‘dressing for the occasion’, meaning dressing according to the style of the party. She assumed she’d need to dress up a bit more than she would, but not so much she’s overdressed. It reminded her of Rocky, who’d no doubt know exactly what she should pick. A part of her wished she’d continued her route for him; it gave her an excuse to keep going back to him. Sakyia didn’t expect anything to come from them, but Rocky’s presence brought on feelings so surreal to her. He made her nervous, most people did, yet not tense. She didn’t need to have her guard up around him. But, those walls existed for a reason.

She stood in front of a long mirror, holding a crimson camisole top in front of her. She’d gotten a similar top in dark green; both were made of satin with draping necklines. After looking at photos online, it seemed like the sort of thing a girl going to a party might wear. As she continued her inner conflict, a familiar voice spoke up behind her.

“I’d personally choose the red one. It’s one of Rocky’s favorite colors.”

Kizzy came from behind one of the clothing racks, Kaito following her. Sakyia smiled at her, “Then the answer is obvious, isn’t it?” She put back the red top, “I have to wear the green one now.” The two of them laughed, and she said, “What’re you two doing here? Did Rocky ask you to stalk me?”

“Do you want the real answer or a lie?”

“The real answer.”

“Rocky asked us to tail you,” Kaito answered before Kizzy.

“Why?” she asked, a bit surprised. “I’m nobody important.”

“Things are getting rough on this side of town,” Kizzy said, walking over to her. “He wants to make sure you’re safe while riding around here.”

“Why me specifically? He can’t be having every single woman in the city followed,” she said, arms crossed.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she huffed a laugh, “He likes you.”

The words froze her in place, and Kizzy chuckled. “Ah, you really are oblivious,” she said, picking up a pair of black pants from a rack. She sized them up to Sakyia, nodding her approval, “Rocky is a romantic. When he sees a woman he likes, he wants to shower her with gifts, affection and admiration. He likes to sweep them off their feet and make them feel special.”

“I barely know him.”

“And he’ll do his best to fix that,” Kaito said, nodding when Kizzy showed him the pants. “That's why he keeps trying to get you to stay at the club.”

“If he wanted me to keep coming back, why did he cancel the deliveries?”

“You already work so much,” she answered. “You’ll need a jacket. It’ll be cold tonight,” she gazed around the racks, “He told me he wanted to see you under more casual, personal circumstances instead of work. Well, he said this to me after he scolded me for doing it in the first place. Like, psh, sorry for wanting my good friend to be happy.”

“How about this one?” Kaito lifted a black cropped jacket.

“Good choice,” she grinned, taking the jacket to hang over Sakyia. She returned to Sakyia, “Rocky…Rocky tends to pick women who aren’t as intimidating as you.”

“I’m intimidating to him?”

“Not to him specifically, I think,” she said, “But he thinks he can’t woo you the way he does other women. You confuse him. He’s never met a woman who sticks up for herself and for others with her fists before.”

“He must not meet many, then.”

“None like you.” Sakyia spotted a twinkle in her eye for a moment, “I told him he could absolutely woo you, however.”

“What makes you think that?”

“The fact that you blushed from your ears to your cheeks whenever he paid you a compliment,” she said, “Or that you actually agreed to that crazy courier schedule I created. Wanted reasons to see him, hm?"

She turned away from Kizzy, pretending to be concentrated on the pants in her hand. “It would’ve made good money for the day,” she made an excuse.

“Okay, sure,” Kizzy said, unconvinced, taking her to the register. Sakyia moved to get her wallet, but Kizzy stopped her.

“Are you gonna come to the club tonight?” she asked casually. “It’s going to be tons of fun, especially since you have that little VIP card.”

“I already have plans,” she replied.

“Hm, what a shame,” she frowned, handing Sakyia a paper bag of clothes. “I know I would’ve liked it if you came. I love the other girls with all my heart; I wouldn’t trade them for anything, but it never hurts to have a breath of fresh air there.”

"Maybe another time,” Sakyia said. “I’d go, but I don’t know if my friends would want to. They’re quite set on the party.”

Hearing the words ‘I’d go’ brought a small grin to Kizzy’s face. Sakyia realized then she shouldn’t have said it. She thanked Kizzy for the clothes, and bustled off as her phone vibrated in her pocket again. As she rode away, she felt Kizzy and Kaito watch her until she turned a corner. Something deep inside told her that her ‘matchmaking party’ might be canceled tonight. She hoped not, but she couldn’t stop herself from imagining them at Club Heaven instead. Sakyia envisioned Rocky, wearing white, designer clothes, sitting in his VIP lounge. He’d look up at her as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered, and offer to get her a drink. It sounded so nice. Unfortunately for her, Kizzy was right. It’d be nice to have a handsome man give her attention. She’d by no means throw away her dignity to do it, but if Rocky showed any interest at all, she wouldn’t be upset.

Sakyia finished her route earlier than usual, considering Rocky canceled his appointments. She arrived home, and immediately the excitement hit her again. As expected, when she told her mother about the party, she insisted upon helping out. She approved of the outfit, which eased Sakyia’s worries about how it looked, and fixed her hair and makeup for her. Sakyia only wore makeup when she’d been eight-years-old and playing with her mother’s makeup kits. She didn’t realize how much work went into looking presentable for a party. By the time she finished, she looked like herself, but different somehow. She felt different.

"Ah, you look so beautiful," her mother beamed, pushing a wavy lock from her face. "The boys there will be drooling over you."

"Psh, please," she rolled her eyes, fixing the jacket on her shoulders. "As if that matters."

"It doesn't hurt to have some male attention once in a while, you know. Nothing has to come from it."

She thought about Rocky and those daydreams again. She liked thinking she may run into him somehow, and how he’d put all his focus on her throughout the night. She knew it’s stupid to imagine such things with a person she hardly knows, but it made her feel good. She wanted to feel good. She kissed her mother goodbye, told her not to wait up for her, and headed to the diner on foot. The girls wanted to meet there so then they could all go together, which is something she guessed they did often. She didn’t really think about where she was going and who she’d be seeing there until it was too late.

Walking into the diner, the sounds of chatter and laughter reached her ears. She spotted Naomi at the bar with Asuka, and the twins sitting at the table with Junko. Perhaps they decided to invite her after all. Yamato, Dan, Tettsu and Chiharu sat around, drinking and talking amongst themselves. It dawned on her that Sannoh Hoodlum Squad hung out here regularly as their homebase. Clutching her bag, she noticed another person sitting at his usual booth, absorbed in a magazine on the table. Cobra’s presence briefly erased Rocky from her mind; the butterflies returned and moved about in her stomach, weakening her resolve and bringing on anxiousness. She hated that he had this effect on her. Cobra saw her walk in first, head lifting from his magazine to see her. She gave a small smile and bowed her head. He did the same, but did not look away. He gave her a once over, a sudden softness in his eyes instead of his usual brooding stare. She blushed and looked away. That was when everyone else noticed her.

“Wow, you look awesome!” the twins said together, beaming and looking her up and down.

“Thanks,” she smiled brightly, blushing softly.

“Guys are definitely going to come to us with you around,” said Junko, smiling excitedly.

“That’s not why we invited her, Junko,” Asuka said, nudging her. She rolled her eyes, and turned to Sakyia, “You do clean up well, Sakyia.”

She laughed. “Thanks. So do you guys.”

None of the men spoke. They simply took her in until Naomi snapped at them.

“Hey, put your eyes back in your heads, idiots,” she barked at them, and the men looked over at her.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I wasn’t looking.”

“Psh, whatever.”

Cobra, as usual, said nothing and turned his head away when Naomi caught them. He appeared far more interested in a page of his magazine. She tried not thinking about it.

“So, should we head out? Where is this party anyways?” Sakyia asked, digging through her bag to make sure she had everything she needed.

Her mother stuck a whole bunch of other things she claimed she’d need: breath mints, face wipes, lip balm, a powder compact, and a small bottle of perfume. Sakyia usually carried her keys, wallet, and a snack for her ride around town. It made it harder to search around.

“It’s at my friend’s apartment,” said Asuka. “He lives downtown, so we better get going if we want to show up on time.”

Sakyia found her wallet, and realized she couldn’t find her credit card amongst it. A streak of panic went through her. She started taking out useless cards to find it, putting them on the table, when she realized it was in the bill fold.

“Oh my god!” Shiba’s exclamation made Sakyia lift her head up. She saw her holding the white card with its silver wolf printed on the front. “How did you get this? This is a Club Heaven VIP card.”

“You have a VIP card?” Junko came over to the table to see it.

“Wow, so we’re just taking things now?” Sakyia asked, more amused than affronted. “It’s a card Rocky gave to me when I delivered a package. I’m not really sure what it’s for, but I didn’t want to be rude.” Also, she’d been too distracted by him to ask about it.

“This card gets you into the door without lining up,” said Junko. “You get discounted drinks, special seating, and everything. I think you’re allowed to bring guests with you too, so we can all go.”

“You’re going to go White Rascals’ club?” asked Dan reproachfully. “Psh, I thought you all had a sense of loyalty to Sannoh.”

“Maybe if Sannoh had proper clubs, we’d stay here,” spat Asuka. She walked over to the table, and checked out the plastic card.

"And just because we live in Sannoh doesn't mean we can't go to other places," said Shiba.

“Maybe we can go another time?” Sakyia suggested it when Asuka gave it back. “We have a party to get to, no?”

“Um, no?” Asuka scoffed. “No way am I going to some lame party now when you have a Club Heaven card.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah,” agreed the twins.

"Club Heaven is way better than that dumb party," said Junko.

“You guys want to go there instead? What about your friend?”

“He’ll survive,” Asuka brushed it off, grabbing her bag. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Rocky gave you that?” Cobra’s deep voice immediately caught her attention.

“He did.”

“Why? He doesn’t hand those out for free.”

“I suppose it’s meant to be a tip?” she shrugged, putting it into her wallet. “A tip that keeps on giving.”

“You should be careful,” he said. “Downtown can be dangerous at night.”

She chuckled, “As stated to me multiple times.” She took up her bag again and looked at the other girls, “Well? Club Heaven, then?”

“Hell yes!”

The girls all squealed, and led Sakyia out the door. Perhaps she’d see Rocky after all.

***

A/N: Looks like Sakyia is turning some heads! I really hope you liked this chapter, and it'd mean a lot if you guys liked or reblogged (comments are always greatly appreciated). Thanks so much for reading <3

#high and low fanfiction #high and low the story of sword #high and low #high & low #high & low the story of sword #high&low the worst #rocky x reader #rocky mutsugi #rocky high and low

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peanutpinet · 1 year

Text

No Regret - Tsukasa x Fem Reader x Yuta (slight)

Main Pairing: Tsukasa (Hokuto) x Fem Reader

Warnings: fighting, angst, right person wrong universe :')

A/N: hello everyone!! I LIVEEEEE!! Can't believe it's been more than a month since I posted on Tumblr :" work has really taken a toll on me and my mental health ain't really the best but after High & Low The Worst X came out on Netflix, you know I'm binging it and well, when I said binge, I meant I watched all of the H&L film series from "The Story of S.W.O.R.D" till The Worst Cross X (even though not in a good order) and lemme just say. I love Yuta's acting even though he doesn't get much lines but the way he expresses his face is 🤌🏼🤌🏼

Now, while I did enjoy the H&L The Worst films, I honestly much prefer the SWORD era films :') it's just that good. Coming from a film studies person, I like how the SWORD era has like a big plot that is continuous throughout the films (except maybe The Red Rain) and well, though there was closure in the big plot, I would really love to dive deeper into some of the gangs and characters. EHEM Amamiya Kyoudai :))

But anyways, here is my first (yes, girl is gonna make some other one-shots) of the H&L film series; starting with the man that caught my attention, Hokuto aka Tsukasa 🥰

Summary: you and Yuta have been friends long before he went to Korea. When Yuta finally had his acting debut, you were more than thrilled to support your best friend and may or may not fangirl over the other characters. But what happens when you and your best friend actually got to experience the other universe?

“Honestly why do you always get to hang out with the badass good looking guys?” you asked Yuta, your best friend who was staying over at your place and currently rewatching his movie, High & Low The Worst X, together

“Hey. What about me and the neos?!” Yuta scoffed, looking at your direction but you avoided his gaze; especially when your favourite character, Tsukasa showed up

“I mean, you guys are hot, I won’t lie. But look at Tsukasa!! Brains and brawns plus the look?! You have to introduce me to Yoshino-san, please!!!” you rambled as Yuta sighed

“We’ve watched this many times and you always say the same thing. That Tsukasa is the best and I went too hard on him during the fight” Yuta tsked as he turned off the TV

“YUTA!! HEY!! That’s not fair!! Just let me fangirl!!” you argued but Yuta didn’t budge

“C’mon, it’s late and we should really sleep. Plus, Hokuto, Ryoki and Kazuma-kun are coming tomorrow to visit. So, save up your fangirling self for tomorrow when you meet them” Yuta argued

“Hontoni?! They’re really coming?! Crap!! I need to plan out what I’m going to wear and how will I dress tomorrow. Yuta, you’re the best!!” you exclaimed as you jump to hug your best friend

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s just sleep alright. Thank me after you meet them tomorrow. Good night (y/n)” Yuta replied as the two of you went to your respective rooms to sleep

“Tomorrow can’t come any faster” you whispered to yourself as you fell asleep

As much as you wanted tomorrow to come faster, you still want your beauty sleep but unfortunately, you were suddenly woken up by a loud crash. Blinking a few times, you were confused about how you were suddenly outside and on the ground. Was this Yuta’s way of getting revenge on you for neglecting his character? There’s no way. Right?!

What’s even more confusing is that it doesn’t look like your neighbourhood at all. Looking around, you tried to find out where you were and even call out to Yuta. As you got up, another crash occurred, making you fall and worry started to creep up on you.

Rushing back to your feet, you tried to find out the source of the crash and when you took a peak, you noticed that it was Kawamura and Yoshino having a brawl against Yuta and Ryoki. Confused, you shouted at Yuta, telling him if this is how he typically greets his friends but instead of Yuta telling you off, the others suddenly stop fighting and what Kawamura said shocked you.

“Who the hell is Yuta? And do any of you know who this girl is?” Kawamura asked as Yuta slowly approached you and grabbed your wrist, pulling you with him

“She’s a friend of mine dan just came back from abroad. Apologies everyone. I’ll be back later. Fujio, Tsukasa, let’s finish the fight later. Amagai, I’ll catch up with you later” Yuta stated, pulling you along with him, away from everyone else

“Yuta?! W-what on earth?! Why did you call the others by their High & Low characters? Are you guys doing some sort of role-play? Because if you are, this isn’t funny” you commented as Yuta pulled you so that you were standing in front of him; his eyes were cold yet serious and concern

“I don’t know what happened when we were asleep or if is this just part of your imagination but we’re basically in the High & Low world. Those guys don’t know who Yuta is. They only know Ryo Suzaki. As for you, you don’t exist in this world. Well, maybe you do. But not in this country at least. You’re practically a foreigner here” Yuta mentioned, making you laugh

“Very funny Yuta. You and your friends are such good actors. You can cut the cameras and all the staff can come out now” you laughed but no one answered you, making you gulp

“I’m serious (y/n), this isn’t a joke. I woke up earlier than you and immediately, Amagai, Fujio and Tsukasa asked me if I was alright because we were in a middle of a brawl. Lucky enough, they believed me that I didn’t remember because I hit my head” Yuta explained yet you still didn’t believe him

“Look. I don’t know how the both of us got here but want or not, we have to blend in until we can find a way to get back to our own universe. Which means, don’t get overly attached to anyone. Especially when your character doesn’t even exist in the High & Low universe. Got it?” Yuta reminded and you quickly nodded

“You handle them, I’ll go look around and find some sort of clues that might help us” you stated, about to turn around until you heard Tsukasa speak

“Don’t think it’s a good idea for a girl to go around this neighbourhood on her own” Tsukasa stated, making you a bit annoyed

“I think I can handle myself well. Yu—I mean Suzaki has taught me a few things about self-defence. You boys can go back to your brawl since clearly, it’s a boys-only thing” you scoffed, disbelief that Tsukasa would say something like this that you were about to walk away when Fujio suddenly stood in front of you, blocking your way

“What my friend meant is that, while we’re sure that you can probably take care of yourself, it would be better if you were with us. Especially since Suzaki-san mentioned that you were from abroad. It tends to get rough around here” Fujio explained, offering you a smile

“I’m Hanaoka Fujio and my friend there is Takagi Tsukasa” Fujio mentioned, offering you his hand for a shake which you accepted

“(L/N) (Y/N). Please to meet you guys” you stuttered, making Fujio chuckle

Ever since that meeting, you’ve been hanging out with the 4 men more often. Heck, you even got to meet the other boys including Todoroki, the four Housen Killer Cops, Sachio and even the Suzuran house. You got along with all of them which made you happy even if deep down you knew that this was all just temporary. Despite so, you couldn’t understand why Tsukasa seemed colder towards you when everyone has been opening up.

It’s been almost a month since you and Yuta came into this universe but neither of you has stopped searching for clues on how to get back to your own world. Though it wasn’t easy, the both of you managed to gain some information that there was a shaman who could talk to spirits and souls from other dimensions. After some digging, you manage to find where the shaman lives and decided to go there yourself because Yuta had to accompany Amagai for who knows what.

The more you walk on your own, the more worried you become because while you’ve gone around the neighbourhood and met with the other factions, you were still unfamiliar with the deeper parts of the neighbourhood. But you couldn’t back down now. You need answers and as much as you want to hang out with the H&L characters, this wasn’t the way you wanted.

You walked through the forest but right before you could go any deeper, you noticed that several other people were surrounding the area. Not knowing who they were, you hid behind the trees and tried to eye what these people were doing.

What you found out was that these guys were a gang from a rural area of the city which makes them an unknown gang. However, when you got closer, you overheard that this gang was aiming to take down Oya High sometime when the main heads are out of town; which you realised that it could be now because right now the main Oya High leaders like Fujio and Tsukasa were out with Housen, Suzuran and even Senomon.

Though you wanted to go and find the shaman, you knew that you had to go back and warn Yuta and the others about this potential ambush. Without wasting any time, you rushed to go back and find Yuta and the others because who knows where those boys are.

You only managed to get away for a bit before getting startled by a rabbit and tripped, causing suspicion among the unknown gang. While they weren’t looking, you immediately got back up and run away but those gangs were used to the twist and turns of the forest that some managed to caught up to you, surrounding you.

Though you were intimidated, you weren’t going to show any fear to them. Especially when they called Yuta and his friends some nasty names; saying how those guys always have it easy and never understand the actual pain of fighting without any backups or without any good resources like the other schools.

Angered by the comments, you didn’t hesitate to take the first move and punched the life out of some of them. Sure, you weren’t as skillful as Yuta or the others; but you could definitely do some damage and outsmart them.

Unfortunately, when you thought that you outsmarted them, one of them came up from behind you and grabbed you by the ankle, making you fall forward; hard. Though you hit your head quite hard, you still managed to return the favour before getting away from the messed-up scene.

Limping your way back, you tried to hang onto whatever it is that you can hold onto since your whole body felt like it was going to crumble any second now. Right when you just reached the Oya High gate, someone came up behind you that you instinctively tried to slap them but they managed to grab you.

Turns out, one of the gang members managed to sneak away and followed you. Unfortunately, because you had just finished fighting off the others, you barely had enough strength to pull away from this guy and he managed to grab you by the neck to the point where you started to lose your vision but at the same time the grip around your neck loosen and instead, a warm strong grip was around your waist.

“What the hell happened to you?!” you heard Tsukasa’s voice, his voice softer than how he normally talks when he was with you

“T-tsukasa…they, they’re coming. For the school. While everyone is…” you breathed out but your body gave up on you and you practically passed out, Tsukasa’s grip around your body tighten

“Hey, (y/n), what happened? Hey, wake up” Tsukasa mumbled, confused about what he should do especially when you passed out

Knowing that you wouldn’t say anything that you don't mean, Tsukasa called out some of his gang members to keep the guy that hurt you to be tamed while he gets you treated and get some answers from you first. But at the same time, he knew that while this guy was from an unknown gang, he can’t easily brush them off; especially when Fujio was out with other leaders.

Tsukasa made sure that some of the better fighters would guard around just in case if what you said about the school going to be attacked was true. Once he took you to the hospital and got you treated, he texted Fujio to let him and the others know on what happened.

While it seemed like Tsukasa only cared about the school and protecting his gang, he was actually worried about you. Sure, he didn’t have the greatest impression of you since he’s very much wary of any new person in the area; especially when he has never heard of them before. This is why when you first arrived and Yuta introduced you, Tsukasa was the first one that was suspicious of you. Girl or not, if you were a spy or someone that would come to destroy Oya High and SWORD, Tsukasa wouldn’t hesitate to put you down.

But as time passed, the more Tsukasa spied on you, the more he realised that you were truly someone outside of the area and even the country. You didn’t know a lot of things and the things you did know, Tsukasa assumed that it was because Yuta telling you stuff; not because you were from a whole different dimension.

Lately, Tsukasa has been keeping a closer eye on you. Not just to spy on you but also because there was just something about you that interest him. How you somehow managed to get close with the other guys not only in Oya High but also Housen and even Suzuran. Each school has taken a liking to you. Not only that, you just seemed too good to be true in Tsukasa’s eyes.

You weren’t the quiet or reserved kind of person. You were more outgoing and voiced out your opinions a lot. Even when you know that you would be outmatched, you kept going on and that is something that Tsukasa acknowledge about you.

When the nurse told Tsukasa that you were already treated and that you were currently resting. Tsukasa thanked the nurse and went into your room. Seeing you all bandaged angered Tsukasa that he swore he would make that unknown gang pay and even come to their knees to beg you for forgiveness once he was done with them.

Before Tuskasa could get closer to you, his phone rang and the other guys at Oya High told Tsukasa that he was right and some unknown gang was attacking the school. Despite being annoyed that he had to leave you, Tsukasa knew that you would be safer in the hospital.

Arriving back at Oya High, Tsukasa didn’t hesitate to knock some sense into everyone in the unknown gang. Their leader immediately fought head-to-head with Tsukasa which Tsukasa was more than happy to brawl with.

“Were you the one that started the attack on (y/n)?!” Tsukasa demanded, his eyes were sharp and angry at the same time

“Who? Oh, you mean that pesky girl in the forest? No, I didn’t touch her. But maybe I should have. To teach her a lesson and…” the leader spatted but Tsukasa immediately punched the leader. Hard.

“The fuck are you? An animal?!” Tsukasa growled, grabbing the leader by the collar and punching him over and over again to the point that the leader was unconscious, blood was dripping from his nose, mouth and Tsukasa’s knuckles

“Ya!! Tsukasa!!” Tsukasa heard Fujio shout, making the blonde stop

“What the hell happened around here? And why the hell are you beating someone until they’re unconscious?! Since when do you do that?!” Fujio snapped, pulling Tsukasa’s bloody wrist away from the beaten unconscious person under him

“Is it wrong? After what he and his men did to (y/n)?!” Tsukasa snapped back, getting off of the unconscious man and yanked his arm back, Yuta immediately came into the scene with the sound of your name

“What the hell happened to her?!” Yuta demanded

“She’s hospitalised right now. This guy and his entire gang were going to attack our school but somehow, (y/n) found out about it and rushed back to warn us but along the way, she was attacked. Badly. When I found her, one of them nearly choked her to death” Tsukasa explained, the other guys were now silent with the information

Before anyone can utter another word, Tsukasa’s phone rang and it was the nurse from the hospital, telling Tsukasa that you were finally awake and were searching for him. Without any more explanation, Tsukasa turned the phone off and rushed away to the hospital to see you.

Arriving at the hospital, Tsukasa didn’t even pay attention that he was pushing through some of the workers but once he got to your room and saw you sitting on your bed, never has Tsukasa felt this amount of relief. Seeing that Tsukasa was finally here, the nurse decided to give the two of you some privacy and left.

“H-hey, a-are you ok?” Tsukasa stuttered, scratching the back of his head as he took a chair and sat right beside your bed

“I think I should be the one asking you that” you replied, pointing at his bruised and bloody knuckles

“Oh. This. This is nothing” Tsukasa breathed out but you took his hand and a nearby cloth, wiping his bloody hand

“You shouldn’t fight so much. Who did you fight anyways? Were there that many people that attacked Oya High?” you asked, wiping Tsukasa’s hands clean from his own blood

“There were quite a lot but it didn’t matter. What mattered was that you got hurt because you were trying to warn us about the attack” Tsukasa explained but you just chuckled dryly

“Wh-what?” Tsukasa questioned as you put his hand back on the bed

“You never really cared nor did you spare me a glance when we first met. What changed?” you asked. It was Tsukasa’s turn to be nervous

You were right. Tsukasa never paid attention nor seemed to care about your sudden appearance. But he can’t help but be drawn to you. It was as if you were someone that he was looking for but when you were actually in front of him, Tsukasa just malfunctioned. He rarely encounters girls to begin with; let alone is interested in any of them.

“You’re right, this isn’t me. I’m not used to any of this yet nor do I know exactly how I feel but what I do know is that I was a coward. In the beginning, I thought that you were just some random girl that was probably a spy from Kuryu or something. But I spied on you, I realised that you were actually a regular girl that was just lost. I know that we didn’t start off well but if you’re alright to start over. If not, perhaps we can just try and get along, slowly…” Tsukasa replied, his hand making its way back on top of yours, caressing your hand

“Tsukasa…I hope that this isn’t a joke” you mumbled, not wanting to give in just yet

“I promise you that I want to start anew” Tsukasa replied back, intertwining your fingers together

But right when Tsukasa was leaning closer and you completely forgot about how you ended up in this world in the first place, Yuta came and stopped you both from going any further. His eyes were worried but sharp at the same time.

Noticing his glare, Tsukasa knew that Yuta would probably want to talk to you alone. “You don’t have to answer me now. I’ll wait for you this time. Get better soon alright? Let me know if you need anything” Tsukasa sighed, kissing your knuckles before excusing himself from the room.

Once he was sure that Tsukasa was out of the room, Yuta sat on the chair right by the bed and observed your current state before speaking up. “Where did you go before?” Yuta asked, still trying to process everything that has happened in the past few hours

“I got a lead about this shaman that would know how do we get back to our world. Along the way, I heard about that gang wanting to attack everyone in Oya High” you replied

“Then why didn’t you just go to the Shaman? Oya can take care of themselves. You didn’t have to go all the way back just to warn them. Look where it got you” Yuta cursed, making you jump a bit

“Well I’m sorry that I got attached to all of them. I love them not just as characters but who they are. Being in this world taught me that. I know we’re not supposed to think of this world as our own but the more I stay here and interact with everyone, the more that I care” you admitted, tears starting to build up

“I know. I know (y/n). I slowly also become attached and I guess that has become a problem for both of us. I know how much you adore Tsukasa but you can’t let him get close to you and vice versa. I’ll visit the shaman tomorrow and let you know once I come back. Until then, you have to set up some boundaries between you and the others; especially Tsukasa. Because from what I’ve seen, it seems like he has also grown attached to you in some way” Yuta suggested, holding your hands in his

“I know. I just. I feel bad. Turning down his feelings? Should we just tell them all the truth? Or at least let me go with you to the Shaman since the two of us are the ones that need to go back” you replied

“Fine. We’ll both go to the Shaman and once we got the answer from them, we’ll both go back to the others and tell them the truth” Yuta replied whilst hugging you, comforting you in the process

The next day came sooner than you’d like. You were getting better and luckily enough, the nurse allowed you to be discharged. Yuta helped you get up and the two of you head out as early as possible. Mainly to avoid the other guys.

The two of you walked through the woods you went through the other day and made your way to the Shaman’s place. Once the two of you reached the place, you noticed that the Shaman was doing their daily activities but stopped the moment the two of you stopped right in front of their house.

“Begone you two lost souls” the shaman stated as the two of you stopped in your tracks

“Since you already know who we are, I’ll get straight to the point. How the hell do we get back to our own universe? Clearly, this universe isn’t ours” Yuta blurted out, trying to get close but for some reason it was as if there was an invisible barrier preventing him

“It’s not about how you get back. But about you truly letting go of this universe. All you had to do to get back was find me but it looks like one of you isn’t ready to go back just yet” the Shaman stated, looking at you specifically

“Not just her though. The boy in this universe is also not ready to let her go just yet” the Shaman added on, making the two of you confused

“(y/n)…” Yuta whispered, facing towards you but his gaze was somewhere else

Just as you turned around and followed Yuta’s gaze did you finally understand. Tsukasa and some of the other Oya High students were there along with other guys from Housen, Suzuran and even Senomon High.

“Tsukasa…” you whispered out, tears were finally starting to fall one after the other while Tsukasa looked at both you and Yuta in disbelief

“You lied. All this time. Both of you. We were all foolish to let you both, especially you…” Tsukasa stated, looking deeply into your figure. “I was foolish to think that we could actually connect. That we have some sort of bond” Tsukasa spotted, his words were practically like acupuncture needles but sharper and would prick deeper into your skin

“Tsukasa. Chotto matte kudasai (wait for a moment). Let me explain…” you tried to reason but Tsukasa already turned his back on you

“Go home (y/n). Your actual friends are probably waiting for you. I won’t hold you back. Goodbye (y/n)” Tsukasa stated about to walk away but stopped when you had an outburst

“How the hell am I supposed to go back knowing that you probably hate me?! I can’t go back even more now” you exclaimed, not holding back anymore tears

“That was on you. You knew where you came from. You knew that you didn’t belong here. Yet you still like as if you were part of this world” Tsukasa shouted back, making you flinch since you have never seen him get angry before

“Ya, Tsukasa. Say anything hurtful towards her again, I’ll knock you out again. You think someone can prevent themselves from feeling how they felt?! Don’t say shit like this when you too also felt something” Yuta growled back, making Tsukasa even more pissed off that he went and stood in front of Yuta and faced him

“You also have no say in this, Suzaki. Or whoever you are in his body” Tsukasa spotted but was immediately welcomed by Yuta’s punch

“You can say whatever shit you want about me but not her. You have no fucking idea how hard it was for her to hold herself back. Not to mention the way you first treated her. Yes, perhaps it was wrong of her to get close with the others. But you also didn’t give her a warm welcome, now did you? Yet yesterday you seemed to be the most fired up when she was hurt and now you’re saying as if her feelings weren’t valid at all” Yuta argued, throwing punches and kicks at Tsukasa which turned the whole meeting into an actual fight

The two didn’t back down for even just a breather. Yuta would throw punches whereas Tsukasa would dodge them and try to hit back. You were sick and tired of all this fighting which happened because of you that you decided that you should put an end to it but right when you were interrupting them, Tsukasa accidentally hit your side and you stumbled and fall, holding your sides while coughing out.

The second Tsukasa hit you, Yuta instinctively grabbed you as all the others that were there went to see if you were alright. Despite you and Yuta somewhat deceiving everyone, they all still cared about the two of you. Fujio especially held Tsukasa back and smacked his friend for what he had just done.

“YA!!! Wake up Tsukasa!! Do you not realise what you’re doing?!” Fujio shouted at his friend, punching him that Tsukasa was now on the ground yet his eyes never leaving your sight

“Ryo was right. You didn’t even consider how she must’ve felt. She’s not completely at fault. You were the one that told me that you also caught feelings yet now it seemed like you’re blaming it all on her? Look at where that anger brought you!!” Fujio rambled, gripping his hair out of frustration of his own friend

“Fujio!!!” Yuta shouted at the leader of Oya, grabbing everyone’s attention. “We’ll stay here. It’s best that the two of us distance ourselves from everyone. Especially (y/n). At least let me take care of her first before I explain everything to you all. I owe you all that” Yuta stated as Fujio nodded as a sign of acknowledgement

Thankfully, the Shaman allowed both Yuta and you to stay at their place, saying that it would be easier for the two; especially when the two are ready to go back to their own universe. Once Yuta helped you, he told you to rest and to figure out your own feelings as he was going to explain to the others what actually happened.

“I should go too. It’s not just you. I was the one who was most at fault” you mumbled, making Yuta sit back down beside you

“We all make mistakes (y/n). But don’t you ever think for a second that your feelings were not valid. If Tsukasa can’t man up and understand then he doesn’t deserve your feelings. I’m also just going to tell them about what actually is happening so that they would hopefully understand” Yuta replied back, tucking you in bed

“Yuta…” you breathed out, holding his hand, Yuta turned to wait for your statement. “Thank you. When we get back, I think I owe you that omakase dinner you wanted” you chuckled, making Yuta smile

“I look forward to it. I’ll be back” Yuta replied, patting your head then left to explain to the others who were waiting outside of the Shaman’s house

“Honestly, I didn’t expect that all of you would still be here” Yuta stated, putting his hands in the pocket of his pants

“We all wanted to know the truth. After then will we decide” Fujio stated as the others agreed

Yuta then told everyone the truth. How he and you were not from this universe and instead in a universe where he and most of the other High and Low characters are singers; which clearly shocked everyone. In addition, Yuta also told them all that in their universe, you were a close friend of his and was also a fan of everyone in the High & Low universe.

“So basically, all of us have an alternate self in your universe and even if you guys go back, there will be another us over there?” Fujio asked excitedly, making Yuta giggle

“Yes. There are you guys in our universe as well. But I will say this Tsukasa. Even if there is another you in our universe. (y/n) already had an attachment with you as a character but now I guess it’s safe to say that she truly has an attachment with you and even if she has to let everything that has happened here go, she will still have some sort of attachment towards you but not just as a character but an actual person” Yuta explained, silence immediately filled the air

It was when Yuta explained to Tsukasa did he realise that you clearly had more to lose since once you go back, you will have to continue with the fact that all of this might just seem like a dream since in your world, everyone in this world is basically fiction. Knowing that he doesn’t have much time left with you, Tsukasa just wanted to have one final conversation with you. To hopefully bring closure to the both of you before you both part ways. And hopefully not have any regrets when you two actually part ways.

“Hey…How are you feeling?” Tsukasa softly whispered, noticing that you were wide awake and sitting on the bed

“Hey…Am better now. Now I know why they call you the sleeping lion” you joked as Tsukasa went to sit next to you

“About what happened. I’m sorry. I really am. I was just mad about the sudden discovery that all I think about was if you hadn’t been so close to everyone, it wouldn’t be that hard to let go. But after what Ryo, I mean, Yuta said, I tried to see it from your shoes and I’m sorry. I just hope that we can have some closure and well” Tsukasa rambled, stuttering with his words, especially with the next words that he’s going to say. “I do like you too and I know this might seem a bad timing since you want to go back to your own universe but I just feel the need to say it because I don’t want to have any regrets. I know that it might be hard during the first few times after you leave but at least I won’t have any regrets. At least, I’m happy to be able to be honest with you about how I’ve felt” Tsukasa admitted as he held your hand in his

“Tsukasa…” you teared up, slightly hitting his chest while he hugged you, stroking your hair. “You really have one of the worst timing ever” you tried to joke as Tsukasa sighed in relief, holding you closer to him

As you slowly opened your eyes, you scanned your surroundings and found yourself back at Yuta’s apartment. Looking at your phone, you noticed that not much time passed back in your universe.

Sighing, you got up and found Yuta asleep on the floor. You shook Yuta a few times until he finally woke up. Chuckled at his current state, you told him that you were going to make breakfast which Yuta thank you for and hit the shower.

As you made breakfast, the doorbell to Yuta’s apartment rang. Quickly, you turned off the stove and headed to see who it was. To your surprise, it was Ryoki, Kazuma and Hokuto, all in their casual wear but presentable enough just like when you were in high school about to hang out at your friend’s place.

“Hi. Sorry, did we come at a wrong time?” Kazuma asked politely which you shake your head, reassuring them that they didn’t and invited them into the house

“Hey (y/n), who is…Oh, hi guys” Yuta stated, making his appearance as he was also dressed. “Ahh right. This is (y/n), my best friend since before I moved to Korea. (y/n), this is Kazuma, Hokuto and Ryoki. Well, she knows all of you because she’s a fan of the High & Low movies. Plus, she’s a big fan of Tsukasa” Yuta blurted, making you blush and hit his bicep playfully, trying to hide your shyness as the other 3 male in front of you giggle

“Well (y/n). Pleased to meet you and thank you for being a fan. I think we’ll get along pretty well” Hokuto exclaimed, giving you one of the biggest smile you’ve seen him do

A/N: yeap, this almost 6k fic took me practically a month to write :') Anyways, I hope that you guys enjoy it and wow, it's been 3 years since I'm on Tumblr. What a ride it is and don't worry, I don't plan on stopping soon. I just hope that everyone who has similar interest as I do can enjoy the stories that I put out

Also, if anyone wants to ramble about the H&L universe (ehem, Amamiya brothers), please don't be scared to talk to me or send me a message or even a request because I'd be happy to do some H&L fanfics as I have not seen much of it :') Alright, I need to sleep (as of writing this). Thank you all for reading and sticking by for the past 3 years or so. Stay safe and may you always be happy :) xoxo Vinet

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