16 year old Kasamatsu Yukio was riding his bike during the night. He went to play basketball with Moriyama and Kobori as well as doing some light shopping at the convenience store; there's a new brand of pocky and he was certain that Mitsuru would love them.
Just as he was going to past an alley, he saw a student's ID card. He stopped on his tracks and looked at the card to see Mitsuru's name and picture on it. Was she nearby? She must have dropped the card.
He looked into the alley and he can hear noises coming from inside. He kept telling himself that maybe Mitsuru dropped this and she's flipping her room upside down just to find it. The more he convinced himself that she was home, the more the noises in the alley made him think otherwise. In the end, he decided to go into the dark, dark alley and look for the source of the noise.
The alley was dirty, cold, and dark, it's not a pleasant place to be at during the night.
Kasamatsu shakingly and silently took his cell phone out and pressed for the torch app. Bright light shone out from the back of his phone and he saw a huge man on top of a girl.
That girl was 14 year old Mitsuru...
Kasamatsu said nothing, he picked up a long, abandoned pipe and whacked the man's head, making him get off Mitsuru. The man was forced to the side, holding his head as he bleed from the inside of his ear.
"Mitsuru!"
"Yukio-senpai..." Mitsuru's hair was a crying mess, she was disheveled, and her panties were down to her knees. Seeing her like this, made Kasamatsu so angry. He was angry that this man did such a thing to her.
He looked back at the man again and fearlessly swung the pipe to the top of the man's head. The man pleaded for Kasamatsu to stop but the steel blue eyed youngster did not stop.
"Senpai..." Mitsuru pulled her panties up and watched Kasamatsu beat the man up. She saw a devil-like smile, his eyes lost all sign of his usual warmth.
Kasamatsu always wanted to become a soldier to protect his people within the dome but right now he decided that he will only protect those who deserved to be protected. A man who would touch a girl as young as Mitsuru, he decided that he will force justice upon the man. He can't forgive him, he can't ever forgive this man...
Kasamatsu took his gun out and aimed at the man's head.
"No-no! Stop!" The man wet himself at the sight of the gun being pointed at him. He begged Kasamatsu to let him go and let him live. "Money! I'll give you some money! I-I won't tell anyone about this! Come on! I'll give you something in return! Come on! I shouldn't have to die! You are a student from Kaijou, aren't you?! You duty is to protect us! Not kill us!" The man was irritating to Kasamatsu to no end; does he not see his own sins? The man was in his late 40s and he looked like a wealthy man; that gold watch on his wrist looked very valuable...
Kasamatsu looked at Mitsuru and then back at the man.
Kasamatsu shot the man in the head. Part of the man's brain oozed out of the bullet hole. The man twitched once before dying.
"Oh my god..." Mitsuru can hear sirens. What will they do to him once they catch him killing a citizen?! Killing someone out of revenge will never be forgiven.
Without a second thought, Kasamatsu took the man's hand and made him shoot him in the shoulder. Kasamatsu can be sly when he wanted to be; within the dome, if Military students kill someone in self-defence, there will be no charges put upon the student.
"Senpai! Senpai, why did you..." She stood up and grabbed his arms, trying to make him come back to reality. When she looked into his eyes, she can see that they were voided of all emotions. "Yukio-senpai..."
"I will protect you, Mitsuru... I won't let anyone hurt you..." Kasamatsu said to her, pulling her into a hug. "Did he touch you?"
"No... He was about to...b-but then you came..."
"That's good..."
"Senpai..." Mitsuru cried in the embrace.
"Hm?"
That day, I didn't understand why she cried...
Kasamatsu Yukio finally woke up. He found himself sleeping in Kaijou's infirmary. Mitsuru was watching over him, she too had been sleeping too but she woke up before he did and she didn't want to go to class so she stayed instead.
"Yukio-senpai, you're awake."
"What happened? Kise was about to..." He can't remember what happened afterwards because it's all a blank right after he saw Kise try to take her away.
"Kise said he's going back to base."
"I see..."
"You stopped him from taking me away... Thank you."
"Of course I did! I wouldn't let him take you away without a fight!"
"That's just like you." Mitsuru reached for his hand and held it. He always made her worry about him...
"Hm? You're being affectionate?"
"Shut up, Senpai..."
She doesn't care about a lot of things but Kasamatsu Yukio was in a different category to her. To her, he's her hero and he will always be one in her eyes. That's why even if he decided to join WINGS, she will do the exact same thing once she graduates too.
"Mitsuru, do you still remember the events from 2 years ago?"
"...What about it?" Mitsuru asked, not understanding why Kasamats brought it up all of a sudden.
"Why did you cry that day?"
"I..."
"You didn't cry when that guy hurt you. Why did you cry after I saved you?"
Mitsuru sighed and looked at the hand she's holding. She and himself were the only ones who knew how they were stained on that day. Every day, she's reminded that it's because she was weak that Kasamatsu forced himself to commit a crime. Mitsuru cried because she couldn't do anything to prevent that from happening; if only she was stronger, then Kasamatsu wouldn't have to force himself to kill anyone...
He always told her that he regretted nothing; he saved her in the end, he was willing to spill blood in order to save someone. For Mitsuru, the incident made her wake up to the cruel reality of living within the dome; you have to be a strong person. She doesn't care what happened inside the world of the dome or what's going on outside of the dome, as long as she was strong enough to survive, that's all it matters.
"Mitsuru?" Kasamatsu Yukio's her driving force, he's the reason why she would bother to try her hardest even though she doesn't care about being a perfect soldier. She's not fighting for anyone, she's fighting so she can atone for her past weak self.
"Didn't you once told me to keep looking forward? I am fine, that is enough."
Kasamatsu decided to leave it at that; there's no problem in believing in her words. Maybe someday he will know...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When school was finally over, they left together. Kasamatsu and Mitsuru were often mistaken as a couple because they were constantly together inside and outside of Kaijou. Nothing can get between them because they have a bond as strong as metal chains. Kasamatsu and Mitsuru will kill anyone who dared to break that chain.
"Mitsuru..."
"Ah... I feel it too." Mitsuru took out a small compact mirror. It's not for vanity use, it's to look behind her or above her. She can see two grown men in their casual clothings following them.
"Want to go and play basketball?"
"Sure."
Instead of going home, they decided to take their stalkers to the abandoned basketball court...
Taking an alternative route led them to the abandoned basketball court. They were very good at pretending not to notice the people following them. Kasamatsu was not scared because he's certain with just the two of them, it was enough to beat anyone. And for Mitsuru, she's certain her new powers will be helpful...
"Right here?" She asked him.
"Right here..." Kasamatsu and Mitsuru turned around to see that the number of people stalking them have increased from two to ten.
Ten men in casual clothings all took out their favorite choice of weapons.
"I remember you two... I nearly ran you over with my bike." Kasamatsu stated.
"And I shoved my guns in your mouths." Mitsuru added.
"Mitsuru, that sounded very wrong." Kasamatsu gently scolded.
"Screw you, Senpai."
"You brats, don't you dare think I would let this go. I got all of my buddies here to beat the crap out of you. Heh, by the time we are done, you two will be crying on the floor and cry for your mother!" One of the soldier that Kasamatsu remember stated with a mocking tone.
"We are soldiers, we are at the top of society's heirarchy! We can do whatever we want because the people within the dome are relying on us!"
"Hahaha! That's right! We will beat up anyone who defies us!"
"Hey, that girl is pretty cute! Hehehehe, I'd say we each have a go with her."
The men were revolting; they were supposed to be heroes but they're nothing but a bunch of zeroes...
"Mitsuru, don't let them scare you."
"I am not scared."
"Good..." Kasamatsu's chest glowed just like the way Kise's chest glowed. He faced Mitsuru, holding her shoulders, "I trust that you would win."
"Of course!" Mitsuru forced her hand into the glowing spot.
"Ahh!" Kasamatsu felt pain from the moment she put her hand inside the light. Was this the exact same pain Kise felt?
He opened his eyes to see her eyes very focused on him.
'Mitsuru... So this is you, huh?'
"What's with that kid?!" The men were astonished by the sudden glow of light given out by Kasamatsu's chest. One of the men got so scared that he shot at them.
Kise Ryouta got information that Kasamatsu and Mitsuru were being followed so he caught up too. When he saw a gunshot, Kise shot his gun too to deflect the bullet away.
'I made it in time!' Kise thought to himself with a smile.
Mitsuru pulled Kasamatsu's Soul Key out. Kasamatsu's Soul Key formed a pair of blue beaded bracelets.
"Shoot them! They're weird!" Bullets were fired at them. Kasamatsu was not afraid though because he's certain Mitsuru won't lose.
Mitsuru moved her right hand up and before she and Kasamatsu knew it, a wall of water formed from the ground and stopped the bullets. The pressure from the water forced the bullets to stop its way.
'She used the pressure from the water to force the bullets to stop...' Kise looked at Mitsuru and then at Kasamatsu, 'That guy's Soul Key is pretty powerful too. The stronger the will of the person is, the stronger the Soul Key is...'
"Get close and attack!"
Before three of the soldiers can even get close to her, Mitsuru blast burning hot water at them, the soldiers screamed in excruciating pain from being burned by very hot water. Bullets were shot again and Mitsuru dodged it and pointed a finger at the soldier who shot at her.
"Ah...Ahhhh!" He was being burnt from within; Mitsuru was heating up the water within the soldier.
"Oh... You are good." Kasamatsu was watching the one-sided fight with interest.
Mitsuru was getting bored; these soldiers were very weak. How dare they boast about how superior they were when they're so weak? Mitsuru clapped her hands, forming a ball of water onto their heads, drowning them.
"Mitsucchi, you are really strong!" Kise was so impressed.
Once the fight was over, Kise walked over to the two of them. Mitsuru returned Kasamatsu's Soul Key when Kise came closer.
"Mitsucchi, you're really strong! I am impressed!"
"Kise..."
"You..." Kasamatsu glared at Kise, "What you did today was so stupid... But I am willing to forgive you because you've protected us." Kasamatsu said to Kise.
"I told a friend of mine to disable all of the cameras in this area. It doesn't matter if Mitsucchi killed them." Kise said to them with a smile on his face.
"They should die. I will kill scums like this; I wouldn't fight alongside them in a million years." Mitsuru stated.
"Mitsucchi, since the soldiers are like this, are you sure you won't join us?"
"I told you! I will follow Yukio-senpai! I have no interest in joining you!" Mitsuru was annoyed by Kise's persistent attitude.
'Mitsuru, I wasn't aware that I have such a powerful Soul Key... This way, I can protect you too.' Kasamatsu smiled, watching the two freshmens argue. "Okay! I'll treat you all to Maji burger! Stop arguing or I will hit you!"