AYUMU: "What a day huh, Aki? You did it... You got enough members."
AKI: "Thanks Ayu, but we couldn't have done it without you."
AYUMU: *Giggle* "I really didn't do anything though."
AKI: "Are you kidding? You helped us find our new members and recruit them. You're going to be an amazing school idol, and I'm going to manage you all the way."
AYUMU: "I think you're going to be an amazing manager Aki, I'll be ready to give you something to cheer for."
AKI: "No matter what Ayu, I will cheer for you."
AYUMU: "Oh no! I forgot my purse, I must have left it in the clubroom..."
AKI: "I have the keys now, so I can unlock it for you if you'd like?"
AYUMU: "That's okay, could I borrow them? It won't take long."
AKI: "Sure, I'll be waiting right here."
AYUMU: "Thanks Aki!"
We hadn't left the school building yet, which is a relief. Her commuters pass is in her purse, she wouldn't be able to ride the train...
It's rather empty after school here at Nijigasaki. Or... so I thought.
RYU: "Well, well, well. Look at who we've got here."
AKI: *Sigh* "What is it now Ryu?"
RYU: "Word on the street is that you've been running around with a group of girls."
AKI: "So what?"
RYU: "Look at you, it's because you're way too girly. You can't run with the boys in this place."
AKI: "Never have, never will. The boys in this place are animals, like you."
RYU: "You talk big for someone who should know their place. Or have you forgotten that you used to run with me?"
AKI: "No..."
RYU: "ALLOW ME TO DEMONSTRATE!"
*CRASH*
He lifted me and pinned me up against the wall, looks like during my time escaping through reforming the idol club... I forgot what is actually wrong with this school.
Ryu Kuroda. A thug who calls himself 'The Dragon', a member of the boxing club. I've known him since Kindergarten, and he's still as vile as he was back then.
RYU: "You're nothing Suzuki! NOTHING! Why don't you go to your piano and write a song about how 'The Dragon' owns you?"
AKI: "N-Never...ARGH!"
He landed a body blow on me, taking the air out of me by punching my stomach.
AKI: *Cough*
RYU: "Now stay down and think about how pathetic you are."
He left me on the floor clutching my stomach and coughing. He really is a monster...
But if it wasn't for him, then I wouldn't have been able to become best friends with Ayumu.
I remember that day... The day I met Ayumu.
I didn't know better back then, I was in Kindergarten so... Anyone that talked to me and treated me like a friend was good to me.
RYU: "Yo Suzuki, you're pretty cool you know that?"
AKI: "Thanks Ryu!"
RYU: "I need a group of friends... Will you join me?"
AKI: "Sure!"
Little did I know that who I became friends with was someone rotten to the core. He was focused on a kid named Shiro Kosaka. I guess he tried to convince him to join him but he turned it down... Life wasn't so easy for Shiro after that.
RYU: "Why won't you be our friend?! Suzuki, push him."
AKI: "What?!"
RYU: "I SAID PUSH HIM!"
AKI: "Okay..."
SHIRO: "WAH!"
RYU: "Remember, without us Shiro... You're nothing. Let's go friends."
AKI: "...I'm sorry."
RYU: "Did I hear something, Suzuki? Are you really apologizing to a loser like him?!"
AKI: "I-I..."
RYU: "Forget about it, since we're such good friends I'll let you off this one time."
Ryu was... Rather ahead of his age, probably because of how he was raised or something. There are rumors that he may be Yakuza... But I doubt that. Or... Are they true?
Anyway, that soon lead to the final straw. A pretty girl was playing by herself, not harming anyone... But Ryu couldn't have that.
RYU: "Look who's alone again boys, what's the matter? Ain't got friends to play with?"
Those comments made the girl begin to cry.
RYU: "Look at her, the little crybaby. Ooooh what's this?"
Ryu grabbed the snake plushie that the girl was playing with.
GIRL: "Please.... Give it back, that was from my grandpa..."
RYU: "Catch boys!"
The others tossed the toy around them, mocking the girl. That's when it came to me but I failed to catch it.
AKI: "Ow!"
RYU: "Suzuki! Failing to catch a little toy? Give me that..."
AKI: "I-I..."
RYU: "It's okay Suzuki, watch as I rip this thing's head off."
GIRL: "PLEASE DON'T!"
Something inside me changed that moment, like I knew that something was wrong. That what Ryu was doing was wrong.
AKI: "Give it back..."
RYU: "What did you say?"
AKI: "I SAID GIVE IT BACK!"
RYU: "You've got some nerve talking like that to me Suzuki... You do it. You rip its head off."
He put the snake in my hands. And I gave it back to the girl.
AKI: "I'm sorry but I can't let you do this Ryu, it's wrong!"
RYU: "I'll show you who's wrong... If the snake's head isn't coming off, then it's gonna be yours instead."
I was attacked by his crew, like it was some way of exhiling me from it.
RYU: "There, that should be enough... Leave him on the floor, he's nothing without us."
I layed there beaten and broken, without a friend in the world. Or so I thought...
GIRL: "Are you okay?"
AKI: "I-I'm fine..." *COUGH*
GIRL: "Thank you so much..."
AKI: "Huh?"
I was hugged by the girl.
GIRL: "This toy was the last thing my Grandpa gave me..."
AKI: "Well, it's okay now..."
GIRL: "You were brave, like a hero!"
AKI: "Thanks..."
GIRL: "What's your name?"
AKI: "It's Akihiko Suzuki..."
GIRL: "Aki...hiko? Can I call you Aki instead?"
AKI: "Sure, whatever."
GIRL: "Do you need helping up, Aki?"
AKI: "N-No, I'm fine."
I got to my feet.
GIRL: "Don't listen to them, you're not nothing."
AKI: "Easy for you to say... I have no friends anymore."
GIRL: "Yes you do, you have me!"
AKI: "I don't even know your name."
GIRL: "My name? It's Ayumu Uehara, nice to meet you Aki!"
AKI: "I can't be your friend."
AYUMU: "Why not?"
AKI: "I'm a boy, you're a girl."
I walked away, little did I know that she was following me.
AYUMU: "But that's not a problem!"
AKI: "Huh? Are you following me? Go away..."
AYUMU: "...But I want to be your friend."
AKI: "...Okay fine, I guess you can tag along for a moment. Ayumu... Can I just call you Ayu instead?"
AYUMU: "A nickname? I've never had a nickname before! How exciting!"
AKI: "You don't need to over-appreciate it..."
That moment soon turned into days, and days into weeks, and weeks into months, and months into years.
And though Ryu has put me through hell whenever I see him... I stay strong.
That's why I got back on my feet and waited for Ayu to get back from the clubroom.
AYUMU: "Hey, I found it! Are you okay Aki? You look like you've just seen a ghost."
AKI: "I'm fine, just a little hungry is all."
AYUMU: "I can see that, you're holding your stomach! I know a great cupcake place we can stop by on our way back to the complex."
AKI: "That sounds great, let's go Ayu."
Through all of this, I stay strong for her. Because if Ayumu is happy, then Ryu has lost.