Sunset

"Meguro-san, your zipper's down," Sophie giggled, noticing the back of Ash's sunflower zipper was halfway down, exposing her petite back. "I can see your spine! Eww!" She said, pointing at an outline of her boney vertebrae.

"I'm sorry," Ash shyly pressed her hands together and hid into the corner of their afterschool high school classroom. "I'm nervous."

"Don't be!" A short-haired girl was supportive of Ash's actions in wearing a sunflower dress instead of their navy-blue school uniform. Sophie and the two girls were adorned in the uniform with specific red-colored pins that symbolized their grade level; freshmen in Seiya High School. "Mano-kun's super nice, and you're like the prettiest girl in the school! I think you'll be super popular if you ask him out! You got this, girl!"

A chime-themed ringing alert played on one of the female students' wristwatches, indicating that it was time for an important meeting. One of the girls scoffed and rolled her eyes, turning off her alarm. "Ugh, sorry Hiragi-san. It's time for me and Ayaka-san to head to swimming practice. I'll see you tomorrow at the swim meet!"

"See you tomorrow!" Sophie waved at Ayaka and Celeste, who was an exchange student from America. As the two of them left the classroom, Sophie noticed Ash removing her sunflower top and changing back into her school uniform. Her flushed and obscured face scurried away from Sophie's position, moving into another desk to pack up her items. Sophie took notice of this and stood up in astonishment. "Hey, what are you doing? I thought you were going to ask out Mano-kun." She said.

"I don't like him," Ash said, finishing her packing. "I don't understand why I have to do this."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Sophie said, chuckling after. She placed her foot on Ash's chair and smiled at her. "There are other cute boys in Seiya that you can hit up. You'll totally skyrocket your popularity!"

"But I don't like any of the boys," Ash stuttered. "I… I don't want to be popular."

Sophie sighed. "It's cool, Meguro-san. I get it. You want to take your first year in high school slowly. It's a huge change. But I kind of want to try and ask someone out... just for the kicks, you know?" She said.

"I don't understand…" Ash continued blushing and turning away from Sophie.

Sophie bolted up from her seat and moved towards Ash's frontal position to attract her attention. She gently placed her left hand on Ash's shoulder and stroked it slowly to ease her stressful thoughts. "Hey, it's okay, it's okay. It'll take time for you to understand. Don't worry about Ayaka-san and Celeste-san. Don't let them get to you."

Ash nodded very subtly; extremely subtle that one could barely even notice that she was nodding. She took two tiny tip-toe steps forward before placing her forehead above Sophie's chest in utter embarrassment. "Okay." Her faint murmur was as soft as a cat's mew. She rubbed her forehead against Sophie, generating warmth based on the friction of her side-to-side movement.

"Ooh, I know what can get your mind off of this," Sophie said, chuckling with her stomach doing the talking. "I don't have any clubs or activities after class, so you can come to my place and we can eat some homemade soba and chocolate snacks," Sophie rubbed her hand on Ash's platinum straight shoulder-plunging hair, patting her to comfort her even further. "Does that sound good to you?"

"That sounds wonderful." Ash lifted her head with warming and embracing joy. "Yes, please."

"That's my girl," Sophie said, chuckling at Ash's shifting personality. Sophie held Ash's hand and began to lead her out of their high school classroom. "Come on, let's go!"

Sophie and Ash made their way out of their classroom and descended down the hallway stairs. During the after-school times in Seiya High School, club activities took place in designated classrooms with strict club presidents enforcing the rules throughout the halls. One of Seiya's most popular and significant after-school clubs was the cooking club. Their president's father was a world-class Japanese sushi and ramen chef, and he passed on his knowledge in the form of recipes and talents through books and advice. This club was one of Sophie's most prominently visited clubs, but because Ash meant so much more to her, she decided to skip it without worry.

On the first floor, Sophie and Ash passed through high school's typical outdoor activities in the hallways: unnecessary gossip and rumor spreading, waiting for public transportation, riding sharing, and pickups, and after-school rallies including fundraisers sponsored with food from the cooking club. Sophie delighted in almost all of these activities, but Ash did not. She refused to attend any after-school club or activity, whether it be as simple as standing in line for a fundraiser sponsored and delicious gyoza and takoyaki. But none of this let Sophie down. She respected Ash's decision regardless of how she wanted to partake in those activities to expand the horizons of her high school life.

After being trapped for so long in elementary school by the bullies that ran rampant, including the infamous Sez Fuma, Sophie began taking an active role in becoming the person she wanted to be. The dream of becoming a powerful guardian akin to the knight protectors in the astonishing medieval manga was her primary goal. She wanted to become someone who could shine the light into someone's darkness and wipe away their sorrows and worries. In some instances, Sophie believed she was exactly this kind of person for Ash. No longer did she have to fear the bullies that attempted to terrorize her life, for she eventually harbored the strength to stand up to all of them.

Sophie was well known in Seiya High School for being a strict and energetic individual who only spoke her mind. She was known for taking a mentorship role for new students who were taken advantage of by bullies with their innocent nature. She always tutored students occasionally and comfortably, for Ash would work in a quiet area away from her tutoring site. Sophie was proud that she had changed ever since she was nearly stricken to insanity by Sez Fuma. She wanted to make sure that it would not happen again, not to her, Ash, nor anyone that was vulnerable.

But even with Sophie as a prominent protector of the school, rumors, and word of more gangs arising in Seiya High School began breaking out. Some even say that a younger version of the Yakuza began to increase in numbers throughout the streets of Seiya. These gangsters sought the need to expand their territory and create order among the streets, but the one thing they targeted the most was the alien race. As usual, their beliefs with Aries shifting worldwide expansion was downright negative, and they did almost everything they could to persuade the people of Japan this.

They commonly organized physical attacks on alien people roaming Japan and would leave their battered corpses on the street for all to publicly view. They secretly looted stores owned by alien owners and left their stores in a terrifying mess of destruction. Some gangsters even went as far as murdering them. But for the sake of their safety and secrecy, their activity began to lessen the more crime began breaking out.

Fourteen-year-old freshman Nobu Shibusawa was one of the most prominently feared delinquents that roamed the school's halls. As part of Sez Fuma's gang, Nobu was known for being a self-proclaimed nerd and technophile at a very young age, until Sez drastically transformed him into a young and powerful gangster prodigy. His reputation in the school was massively disregarded, but his presence in the school still remained.

Sophie and Ash unexpectedly approached Nobu in the hallways with his backup delinquent crew behind him for support. His white and black leathered chain apparel made him a sight to fear just by recognizing his clothing's patterns. His gelled back blonde mohawk and silver crescent moon ear piercings were all that it took for one to know that he was defined by his dramatic pinup. His shoulder purposefully dragged itself towards Ash's shoulder to bump it. A faint chuckle as he passed was all it took for Sophie to speed up her walking towards the exit of the school.

"Hiragi, Hiragi!" Nobu turned around and laid out his hands in front to sarcastically remark her silence. "I ain't gonna ask you again. Can't start bringing unnecessary traffic in the hallway. Otherwise, I'll bump into it."

Sophie stopped and released Ash's hand. "Go," She whispered to her. As Ash nodded and continued moving, Sophie approached Nobu with a fearless expression, lowering her upper eyelids and expressing a neutral straight mouth. "Shibusawa. Get the other boys out of here. Then we'll talk properly."

"Ooh, wonder what you're implying," Nobu said, chuckling with his hands in his leather pockets. He gestured his head back for his gangster lackeys to disperse. "Head back already. I'll deal with Hiragi."

"Yes, sir!" The other gangster lackeys respectfully saluted and made their way out of the hallway.

Sophie stared directly into Nobu's eyes in silence until his backup left the area. Ash was revealed to have stayed behind, watching the two from the distance in the hallway. After the people had dispersed, Sophie and Nobu both unexpectedly exhaled in relief before smiling in absolute glee. Ash rushed over and rejoined Sophie as the three of them embraced each other in a group hug. Nobu snickered at Sophie's response and patted Ash's platinum hair with his large hands.

"Get the other boys out of here?" Nobu imitated Sophie's callback and laughed after. "That's the best you could come up with? Man, you really are pathetic, Hiragi."

"Says you! You could have unintentionally hurt Meguro's feelings with that nudge." Sophie retorted.

"I'm okay," Ash said.

"Bro, I had to do what I had to do!" Nobu said, scratching the back of his head in nervousness. "You can't expect me to have the same introduction every time, y'know. The others are gonna catch on!"

"Shut up, you loser. You literally have a yellow mop on your head, idiot," Sophie hugged Nobu briefly before stepping back. "Just kidding! How have you been, Shibusawa? I heard that things are looking up on your end. Are you getting enough people to start your own so we can end this whole conquest for power stuff?"

"Kinda, I'm still getting by…" Nobu said, rubbing the back of his head once more. "You know, Fuma's slowly losing his cool. Ever since the best member of his gang walked out on him, they've been constantly at the edge trying to recruit him back. Even you two know that walking out of the gang is a death wish. What was his name again? Ryo Nakai, was it?"

Sophie glanced at Ash as soon as his name was brought up, noticing how she was reminded of her trauma. "Yeah, that's his name," Sophie said, crossing her arms. "I already knew he wasn't fit for that life. It was pretty obvious from the start," Sophie snapped her fingers. "I know. You should totally get him to join your gang! You two could totally end this whole power struggle!"

"You know I can't do that, Hiragi," Nobu said. "With Fuma hot on his trail, I can't get anywhere near him. Ever since Nakai left the gang, he's been doing some very scary things."

"Like what?" Ash asked.

"Sorry to say, but he's been straight up organizing fights and killing rival gangs and aliens on the spot. He's even executing his people too. Nakai was like a brother to him. For Nakai to sever that bond, you can only imagine that's what Fuma would want to do."

"That's a total lie," Sophie said. "Ryo-kun was never a brother to Fuma. He was only manipulated and lied to. That's what made him a total monster, and that's what made me want to protect Meguro-san and the others. Still.. For Fuma to do that so easily is still scary. His influence in the gang is seriously getting out of hand."

Ash blushed. "I'm glad Ryo is getting the help he needs." She said.

"Yeah," Nobu said. "You know, when things dial down, I'll try talking to Nakai. He was Fuma's, right-hand man. He should know little to everything about his gang. From strengths to weaknesses, he'll know how to take them down. Once we do, we can stop his rule. We won't have much to worry about for long."

"All right, good," Sophie concluded, clapping her hands together once with a joyful expression. "Anyways, Meguro-san and I are heading back home so we can eat some soba and chocolate snacks. Wanna come with?"

"Oh shit, did you say soba? Damn, I'm up for that!" Nobu excitingly lowered his knees up and down with his hands in his pockets. "Uh, give me a second first. I think I have some stuff I need to do on the rooftop first. Gotta meet with my OG tutor to let her know that everything's all good."

"Ooh, are your grades improving?" Sophie asked. "About time!"

Ash gently clapped her hands. "Yay!" She said.

"Yep, they sure are! I'm about the be the smartest freshmen in his school!" Nobu expressed by hopping up and down.

"Sure you are," Sophie said. "Just get that mop off of your head first and then we'll talk about that."

"You just can't let that go now, can you?" Nobu said while expressing a naughty pose in an attempt to attract Sophie and Ash. "You already know I'm the hottest guy in town! Anyway…" Nobu turned around to head back up the hallway when an unexpected tall figure wearing a suit and tie blocked the path. Nobu bumped into the tall man's chest waist and moved back in surprise with Sophie and Ash. The suited man's black hair was well-groomed and trimmed, and he appeared to be a visiting adult or adult. "Hey, watch where you're going!" Nobu yelled.

"Oh, my sincerest apologies," The man's gruff voice began. With a cherry glazed lollipop in his mouth, the man smiled to show off his pearly white teeth. "I couldn't help but notice that you weren't wearing a uniform. Any particular reason for that?" The man asked.

"What the hell does it look like?" Nobu said as he brushed his leather jacket back to show off his clothing. "And who the hell are you? Why don't you mind your own business, old man?"

"Hey, take it easy," Sophie said, nudging Nobu and pushing him back to Ash. "Sorry about that. I was… just telling him about that. Thanks for your concern. We'll be on our way now."

The suited man grinned at Sophie's response. He looked at Ash momentarily with a large smile before looking back at Nobu. He passed through them with a strange walking cycle, appearing like a jester with his arm movements. "You should start behaving, young man," He referred to Nobu. "You never know when your life's going to change based on the decisions you make," He turned back and tapped his head to imitate a wise gesture. "Isn't that right, Mr. Knight in Shining Armor?" He finished before walking down the hallway.

Nobu scoffed, rolled his eyes, and fixed his leather jacket by tugging on it. "Mr. Knight and Shining Armor my ass. Who the hell was that clown, and what was he doing here?" He asked.

"I don't know," Sophie said, turning back to Ash and touching her shoulder gently. "Hey, he was giving you weird stares. Are you okay?"

Ash nodded, but she remained on edge. Her hands were clamped together in nervousness. "I'm okay." She said.

Nobu began scratching his hair rapidly as his brain was lost in thought. "Ahh, I don't know what's happening anymore! You've got Nakai leaving the gang, then this random know-it-all dude shows up at our school without a visitor's pass! Shit's getting weird, man! Shit's getting weird!" He exclaimed, stomping his right foot on the hallway floors. "Anyway, I gotta meet with my tutor. If you'll wait for me, we can get to soba and chocolate eating hella soon. Peace!" He said, holding up the peace sign with his fingers before sprinting up the hallway stairs.

Sophie sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "When is all of this gonna end?" She muttered to herself. She turned back to Ash. "Seriously, Shibusawa's walking on thin ice. When is he gonna realize that all of this gang stuff is just stupid? It's all just a game of power…"

"Nakai-kun…" Ash whispered, holding her hands together with her palms.

"Hmm? What about Ryo-kun?" Sophie asked.

Ash let off a light squeal, giggling after to cover it up. Her cheeks flushed up in redness before her eyes closed in absolute joy. She said nothing, but Sophie caught on immediately.

"What the…" Sophie hadn't seen Ash act in such ecstatic joy for quite some time. "Don't tell me…"

Ash remained still. "I like him." Her high-pitched voice trailed off.

Sophie wrapped her arm around Ash's back to break her free from her trance. "All right, you've been brainwashed for too long! It's time to go up to the rooftops, time to go!" She said, trying to break her concentration away. She gently nudged Ash up the stairs, hearing her giggle in the process.

Before Sophie could continue further, she turned back to face the end of the hallway she was currently in. The suited man was at the opposite end with his face turned back to look at Sophie and Ash for a brief moment. Sophie frowned at him, wanting the man to mind his own business. The suited man looked away and moved downstairs to the first floor of the school.

A half-hour passed while Sophie and Ash waited by a rusty bench in a patio area of the third floor. Navy blue massive umbrellas shaded them from the sun's heat. Nobu's tutor descended the flight of stairs, indicating that it was time to move. Sophie nodded at Ash and held her hand as they moved to the rooftop.

Nobu's back was turned against them near the edge of the rooftop, glorifying in the pristine amber-colored sunset casting on the pale clouds of the sky. With his hands in his pockets, the wind brushed against his face. Sophie and Ash moved closer to him, admiring the majestic sunset. It was one of those heavenly moments, where touching the sky was not a fantasy, but a reality. Crisp pink and purple hue cracked through the orange vista-like congealed water melding together once more. Ash gasped in awe as Sophie continued wrapping her arm around her shoulder.

"So beautiful…" Ash whispered.

"Yeah, that is one beautiful sunset," Sophie complimented as they moved closer to Nobu. "Haven't seen one of those for a while now."

"Hiragi. Meguro," Nobu called out, turning to face them with a confident grin. "This is it. This is a sign!"

"What sign?" Sophie asked.

"It's a sign that I'm going to stop Fuma's gang!" Nobu continued, clenching his fists. "After looking at that sunset with both of you here, I realized one thing that Fuma doesn't have. He doesn't have friends like you two. His gang may talk about family and bonds and shit, but he couldn't care less about that. He's just in it for the power and the fame!"

Sophie and Ash agreed with Nobu's statement.

"Nakai was right to leave him. Now he has nothing. Now he's powerless! And this sunset right here is a message sent from God that it's all going to end soon! It's a message saying that I'll stop him!" Nobu turned around and lunged his right fist out in a confident will. Ash stepped forward, standing next to Nobu to support his cause.

With remarks to his morale, Ash and Nobu blocked Sophie's view of the sunset. But she didn't mind. Having two of her best friends stand in front of her with such a marvelous view of the heavens was more than she could take. A single teardrop formed on her right eye as she watched the wind naturally blow their hair. Sophie's breath was taken away as she stepped next to Ash to slowly admire the gleam of the sun's light. As she inhaled the crisp fresh air, Sophie held Ash's hand tightly to ensure she was safe.