Those Above 1

The morning brought a new dawn and new opportunities that could be wasted or used. How they would be used was still unknown leaving a heavy weight on those that had to make a choice. In the case of Yuki, he had been unable to find Saki after leaving Yumi, but he was relieved that he had been able to help in some way.

The way that things had been going for him lately, he was constantly worried about things that seemed out of his control and always on a watch to keep his own power in check. So it was refreshing to be able to do something normal as just sitting down with someone and talking out a problem. It seemed so normal and more natural than everything that was surrounding him anymore.

Yuki went down for breakfast after dealing with his brothers.

"Morning!" he said in a not quite so cheerful manner, but pleasant enough that it might have seemed a little strange.

His family had a different view of Yuki than the rest of his friends or school. They knew how he acted, but family always seemed to bring out annoyance for him rather than pleasant feelings he usually felt outside.

However, ever since he came back from the day with Seiji where he fought with the assassin in torn clothes, again, Momoko had been acting a little different with him.

She was adamant about getting home on time and taking responsibility around the house with his brothers. It made him feel like the air was thin and he was being choked by an invisible hand that would not let him go.

He was not certain if she was suspecting something about the truth and Ayumi's memory eraser power did not do as good as a job as they thought or she just thought that he was reverting back to the way he had been before.

Yuki continued to remind her that he was not fighting, but that did not stop people from picking on him. It was not his fault that he was a target for bullies.

'How long can I keep this up? It's not that I have trouble lying to her, but this can't last. It's going to slip again. Seiji and Saki already know, but they're keeping it a secret.'

Yuki left his house quietly in silence thinking that the day would be easier once he left.

However, as he walked away there was a strange sense that he was being followed that he could not shake. When he turned around there was Ken and Jun smiling up at him.

"What are you two doing here?!"

"You walking to school together today?" Ayumi said cheerfully as she came down from her house up the street.

Jun nodded to her and Ken jumped up holding on to Yuki tightly.

"Yup! He said we could at any time."

"What?! Wait, I didn't say that! That was Saki, not me!"

"You going to turn down your own brothers?" Ayumi said starting to get a little upset and sad that Yuki would be so cruel to them.

Yuki stepped back off balance not sure how to take Ayumi's reaction.

"W-W-Wel-Well…it's not like I…I didn't…"

He saw Ayumi getting closer and closer to breaking up over something so small and could not take it anymore. Yuki slouched over sighing to himself knowing that he was beat.

"Fine."

"Yay!" Ken said grabbing up Jun's arm making him look more or less equally excited as well.

They had all decided to walk together and Ken and Jun took up sides on Yuki with Ayumi taking some pleasure or amusement in watching Yuki.

However, as they came to the intersection in the road Yuki came to a stop. Yuki could see Saki coming up from the street and he hesitated for a moment, but changed quickly to a smile.

"Hey, Saki!"

The rest of the walk went by smoothly for everyone with the company of Ken and Jun keeping things in good spirits. Even after they left Yuki did not change in mood keeping to his cheerful self while Saki held quiet with Ayumi walking with them. On their way to their homeroom class, Yuki was interrupted by a familiar group of boys looking to get back at him for the last time they were interrupted.

In spite of Yuki feeling like he had changed, this continued to happen and he let it go on. He was not going to stand up to them. However, it was to his surprise that Saki never appeared to save him. She had gone on leaving him behind to get pounded until they got out their aggression on him.

He came out of the beating with only minor scrapes with the boys getting tired out fairly fast and being a little taken back by the fact that they were not stopped. After the morning ritual had been completed he walked to his classroom trying to get the dirt off of his uniform before getting to class.

His clothes were one thing, but his face could not easily hide the fact that he had been in a fight of some sort. When he entered the class a little late during Ms. Kuniyoshi taking attendance, she stared at him seeing the signs on his face.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Ms. Kuniyoshi!"

"What's with your face, Hayashi? Were you in a fight?"

She was holding her pen tightly in her hand keeping it from going through her paper that she was reading from. For her, Yuki was a troublemaker constantly disrupting her class with his problems. The cuts and bruises on his face were not something that he normally had, but it was neither the first time either. It was just another sign of proof.