CHAPTER 9 - PARTNERSHIP

Kioshi Kage POV:

The final bell of the day rang through the halls and reverberated back into our classrooms. I looked to Junpei, who sat in the corner and signalled to him to wait for me. We both leave the class, our arms swinging side to side at each overs sides, as we drew more attention than I had alone this morning. Though the reasons now were different and I could feel the pestering glare shooting daggers into my back from multiple guys from the school's gang. I decided to ignore them for the time being and instead focus on reorganising my thoughts toward my current cause.

"What happens if they act on the threat they made all those years ago and go after my mum?" Junpei whimpered to me once we had exited the school gates.

"I won't let them. You can trust me." I reassured him calmly whilst I scouted our perimeters.

"Good looks like none of them decided to pursue us." I thought to myself aloud. "Junpei, do you mind bringing me round to yours today? I heard you moved houses and I think it'd be best to know where I can find you at all times."

"Huh? Sure, I don't see why I would reject. But who did you hear from that we moved?" He stopped walking for a moment and paused in the middle of the street as his eyes questionably turned to me.

"Have you forgotten my family had a massive stake in real estate in Tokyo? Even though all of my parent's shares were sold, their old business partners like me to dabble in the current market and teach me the ropes in case I would ever like to buy back the shares that I was forced to sell. That's how I found out. I noticed the Hayashi family, comprised of a single mother and two children, buying the house." My face remained composed and my eyes remained unaltered as I answered his question.

"Well, if you say so." He uttered resuming the slow pace we travelled along and I soon followed, matching the distance his short strides would take him.

"We're almost there," He notified me, "Also, now that I think about it, you'll finally be able to meet my sister," I recalled him, years back, telling me that his sister would soon move in with him and his mother since she no longer felt safe with her father. I was originally supposed to meet her when she first arrived, however, my situation at school had developed to the point of me becoming an outcast back then and I was never able to meet the daughter of the Hayashi family.

"I'm home!" Junpei called out upon opening the door and entering his house. No reply came through. "Seems like mum's not home, although that was to be expected, and my sister seems to have gone out somewhere." He deducted from the shoes that were only suitable for a high school girl, sitting at the doorway. "God, she always leaves her shoes in people's way no matter how many times I remind her to put them away." He lectured me on his daily life as he retrieved the shoes and hid them in the shoe storage cabinet.

Their place is definitely better than what they used to have. Seems like Junpei's mother had to work hard for this. I'm glad that things are looking up for them. The thought almost spat itself out of my head and the corners of my mouth deviously curled upwards. I composed myself once more and delved further into the subject. "So your mum bought this house all by herself?"

Junpei nods proudly, gloating at his mother's accomplishment. "She worked so hard to earn enough money to purchase us a home like this and I guess I'm just so proud that I can be the son of such a fantastic mother." Gaiety spread through his face and his cheeks softly turned red as he finished.

After our small talk, he rushed me upstairs into his room and sat me down on a pillow at his dark wood table that was conveniently placed in the centre of the room. He, of course, sat adjacent to me.

"Man, I don't miss these uniforms one bit. I always found them so suffocating and uncomfortable." I spoke whilst loosening the tie around my neck and removing my blazer, then leaning back on my two arms releasing a deep and relieved sigh.

Junpei quietly laughed at me. "I don't think they're that bad."

"That would probably be a matter of being used to it, anyway, not important right now. We should get down to what I wanted to discuss with you since you'll be assisting me from here on out. Any objection?" I eloquently vocalised.

"No objections from me. After all, I owe it as my punishment." He scratched his head and giggled softly. "Ok, so to start off with, the original three perpetrators all attend separate high schools," He began, "I'm currently unsure which one is in which, but the first two will be in North Tokyo High, and the other in West Tokyo High. Takao will most likely know, so when the time comes, we can extract the necessary information from him."

"So Takao is our school's leader?" I quizzed, genuinely intrigued.

"Indeed he is. Continuing, the three high schools are a united force. The Tokyo Red Fox Gang is what they call this coalition, but they're only a small branch under the actual gang that is rooted in Tokyo. The three high schools are a front of quick and easy cash that influxes directly to the actual branch of the gang and a small percentages are then given to the leaders of each high school. Now how do the high schools provide monetary support for this gang? Well, each high school runs their very own business and our dear high school's main operation is selling drugs. The other two high school businesses are only known by the three leaders and the gang that works under the leaders, so I am unable to provide any insight into that area."

"So how do you know ours? You know, if only the leader of the school and the guys under him are supposed to know." Suspicion slithered behind each word that I spoke just then as I studied his stance.

"Actually, I coincidentally stumbled upon a few of their sales before and have remembered that ever since." He defended himself shaking his hands wildly. "Eugh, eughhmmm," He cleared his throat and resumed, "Persisting, our school doesn't have really any good fighters but instead smart businessmen who know how to sell their product and retain their customers. The only real good fighter is Takao, but the difference between him and the ones working under him is a landslide. He's powerful enough to defend his position as a leader without the other two high schools flipping on him and expanding their shares and then extending their business further and claiming the current school's territory inherited business. Takao has a nickname around Tokyo. He's apparently known as 'Killer Clownfish Kenji'.

"What's up with that nickname? It seems childish." I hinted at my interest.

"Well the nickname is derived from his dazed appearance that matches a clown fish's, but don't let his looks fool you. He's a beast out of this world when he's fighting. Adept in Muay Thai and Taekwondo, he's known for his versatility, his incredible durability and endurance." He cuts off his detailed explanation at that point.

Light thudding comes up the stairs followed by a tired high pitched voice. "I'm back," and then a knock follows on Junpei's door before it opens and before he can even get up and answer. A girl, younger than the two boys by only a year, stumbles into her brother's room. Long black hair, mercury eyes and an incredible figure. A cute smile slapped on her face turned to embarrassment as her cheeks lighten into a shade of pink upon the realisation of an unexpected figure sitting in her brother's room. Her eyes lightly shine in his direction as she giggles bashfully.

Junpei rapidly raises himself off the floor and scolds his sister. "I told you to knock on my door before you come in, dummy."

"Owie!" Her frail voice emerges as Junpei bonked her head. She repeatedly nods her head in a rapid fashion, in response to her brother's warning, and then proceeds to stand there facing the ground, her feet twirling around in one spot.

"Kioshi," he calls out to me, "meet my innocent younger sister, Seina Hayashi." I hoist my body up and offer her a polite handshake. After a brief moment of hesitance, she returns the gesture and meets my hand halfway. We both generously smile at each over.

"It's good to meet you, Kage-Kun." Seina softly spoke in a polite tone.

"It's also good to meet you, Hayashi-chan, but I prefer you use my given name." I replied to her greeting in the same tone but insisted on less formality between us.

"Is that so, K-Kioshi? In return, please also use my given name."

"Will do, Seina." She timidly smiled and left the room.

"I'll let you two go back to the previous discussion you were having before."