At the Shuuyu residence we see Koukin watching Hakufu doing some morning practice. She was only doing some basics but to Koukin's surprise, she was executing them flawlessly as though she's been doing this for years. She was saying basics over and over every time she kicks or punches.
It's amazing that she can do this perfectly and only needs to see it just once. Truly she has a gift. But where the hell did she get the whole 'say basics every time you kick' stuff? It gets really annoying after a while. Koukin thought.
"Hey Koukin-kun, is anyone in there?" Koukin snapped out his thought when he heard Hakufu.
"Oh sorry about that, did you say something?"
"Geez what's with you? I was asking if you know when Haru-kun is coming over." She asked.
"Not really sure. I just told him to come around whenever so your guess is as good as mine."
"Dammit, I'm worried about him. He was hurt pretty bad the other day and he's somewhere out there with those injuries."
"I'm sure he's fine." Koukin trying to reassure her.
But that got him thinking, when he found the two yesterday, he notice that Haru didn't have any of the bandages of that morning. In fact, he looked like he was completely healed, like he didn't go into a fight.
"Haru-san is hiding something that's for sure, but what? Everytime I try to ask him, he looks like he saw a ghost or he's afraid to tell me. As if telling the truth would cause more harm to him than good." He whispered to himself.
"What was that?" Hakufu asked.
"… nothing, just thinking. But like I said, Haru-san will be ok. He'll come around when he can so don't worry about it."
"I guess you're right… so what's this martial art I'm doing again?"
"Oh, for the love of… you're doing it and yet you don't know what the hell it is? But then coming from you, I wouldn't expect less." He sighed.
"What does that mean?" She glared at him.
"Um… nothing, I think I hear Aunt Goei calling for you." Koukin said nervously.
"Really? Better see what she wants." Hakufu left him and went to find her mom.
Koukin sighed in relief as he avoided another beating from her.
"Holy crap that was close." He sighed.
He then heard his cell going off, without looking he picked up.
"Hello this is Koukin Shuuyu speaking… wha… Gakushuu-san? Um, yeah I can come see you now. Where? Ok, I'll meet you there, bye."
Koukin was surprise and a little afraid, what did Gakushuu want to see him for?
"Guess there's only one way to find out." Koukin headed to the meeting place.
Koukin was almost there when he spotted Haru looking at some stuff through a window.
"Hey Haru-san! Over here!" Koukin called over.
Haru turned around and saw Koukin coming over to him.
"Oh, hello Koukin. Is Koukin having a good morning?" He asked kindly.
"You can say that, I'm actually meeting someone. And I was wondering if you wanted to come?"
"Who's the person you're meeting?"
"It's Gakushuu-san and it sounds like he has something important to speak about."
"Gakushuu? Should Haru really come along?"
"I do, he may have some information about the war you need to hear. I really don't want you to be dragged into this man but seeing how you've been helping me so far I wanted him to know you're on our side."
Haru thought about it for a moment before saying yes. So the two went to the meeting place which was a sweet shop. There they saw Gakushuu sitting at a table looking through a menu.
"This place seems nice." Haru said liking the colorful place and the smell of sweets in the air.
"… sure, if you like this sort of thing or if you have a girlfriend… which neither of us does… and we're meeting a guy here too…we are so going to be label gay."
"Aw good to see you showed up but who's the little one?" Gakushuu pointed at Haru.
"This is Haru-san, a very good friend of mine." Koukin said.
"Haru? I heard that name. You're the kid that cock block Saji-san from a nurse at a hospital yesterday right?" He asked.
"Wait what? You did what to whom at where?" Koukin asked.
"Um… yes that was Haru… are you mad at Haru?" He asked timidly.
"Mad? I actually like that you did that." He smiled.
"Gakushuu… does? But isn't he friends with Saji?"
"In the lowest term of the word yes, but hearing what you did just made me laugh. He always thinks he can do crap like that without consciences and you showed him otherwise. And if anyone can do that to Saji-san then they're a friend to me." This stun Haru.
"You… want to be Haru's friend?"
"Why not unless you have a problem with me?"
"No of course not… Haru would like to be friends." He smiled.
"Then let me buy you something, on the house Haru-san."
"Oh Haru doesn't won't to bother you with that."
"No I want to, pick anything from the menu Haru-san." Gakushuu handed him the menu and Haru quickly scanned for the least expensive thing. Which was a chocolate cake and soda.
Koukin was also stun but was happy that those two are now friends. He sat at the table with them and ordered an ice tea. Koukin couldn't help but feel the stares most of the people were giving them. He looked over to Gakushuu and Haru who were happily eating their sweets and not seem to be bothered by the stares.
Well crap I knew this would happen. Won't be long before the rumors start flying around about this. He thought.
"Something the matter?"
"… it's nothing, I just never thought you would come to this place that's all."
"Well I am a man who loves sweets."
"Yes I can see that."
"And Haru-san here seems to love sweets just as much as I do."
Indeed Haru was in his own little heaven. He never had sweets before but always wanted to. His face had this mixer of happiness and pleasure when he took a bite of his cake. One taste of that cake and he knew he loved sweets.
"This… is… so… delicious! Haru never knew cakes taste so great!" He happily ate another bite.
"First timer huh? Well maybe one day I'll show you the world of sweets and all its flavors. There's a new world of treats and sweets like these Haru-san that I'll gladly show you."
"Haru would like that very much Gakushuu!"
"… So Gakushuu-san, what did you want to meet me for?"
"It's about Sonsaku-san." He said in a serious voice.
"What about Hakufu?"
"There has been talk that she fought alongside Kakouton, a Fighter from Kyosho Academy."
"She did?"
"You didn't know?"
"I heard she was in a fight but I never knew the details… wait, Haru-san you were there. Why did Hakufu fight with Kakouton?" Koukin turned to Haru.
"Because he was in danger and Hakufu wanted to help him. Hakufu jumped in and they fought alongside each other and won." He said.
"I see… but why did they attack Kakouton in the first place?" Gakushuu asked.
"Haru doesn't know and neither does Kakouton, they jumped him out of nowhere and demanded to fight him."
"Looks like Toutaku is going after all the remaining schools and the Fighters that haven't succumbed to him yet." Gakushuu said.
Haru froze when he heard that name. He was shaken in his seat and sweating a little. Both Gakushuu and Koukin saw this and got worried.
"Haru-san, what' the matter?" Koukin asked.
"… Haru met… him before." He said in a low voice.
"Met who?" Gakushuu asked.
"Toutaku… And he tried to kill Haru before." This surprised them.
"He… tried to kill you but why?" Koukin asked.
"…Haru… Haru doesn't… know." He said, hanging his head low.
"It's going to be fine Haru-san; you don't need to fear him getting you. We'll make sure you're safe from his clutches." Gakushuu patted his shoulder trying to calm him down and Haru just nodded.
"… Thanks… Haru wants to leave now… if that's ok with you two."
"We understand, how about you go to my place? Hakufu is waiting for you there anyways so I'll meet up with you later ok?"
"Ok… Goodbye Gakushuu and thanks for the cake."
"You're welcome Haru-san."
So Haru got his things and headed to Koukin's house leaving the two with grim thoughts.
"How can someone go after a kid like Haru-san? I mean, he didn't do anything to Toutaku and he wants him dead? What kind of psychopath is he?" Koukin said with mild anger in his voice.
"Toutaku was always known to play with the lives of other, whether they were Fighters or not. I would assume that he choose Haru-san as a target because he is weaker than him and would had fun making him suffer. He is that kind of heartless fucker after all." Gakushuu sighed.
"I've also heard the stories too; the jackass is almost as bad as the Kanto Beast. I wouldn't lose a bit of sleep if he ever comes across the Kanto Beast and gets killed by it."
"I believe we all have wished ill intent on him. But for now I believe we have bigger issues."
"Like what?"
"Not here, somewhere away from prying ears." Koukin nodded.
So the two pay for their food and left to talk elsewhere unaware that they were being watched by a group of teens.
"So the kid knows a few Fighters from Nanyo, this could be a problem." One of the teens said.
"Maybe… but I think we can use this to our advantage." The leader said.
"How so?"
"Well, if the fucking street rat knows that Koukin dude then he may also know the Sonsaku bitch too since she is Koukin's cousin or something like that. I say we follow those two and pin them down and use them to lead the kid to us and Sonsaku as well."
"Why do we want that?" Another asked.
"Dipshit, if we not only eliminate the kid but also get the girl AND kill one of the Big Four, we'll be on Toutaku's good list for sure. A triple bonus for us. But we better call in more troops though, I ain't taken any chances with a Big Four member and from what the stories say about Sonsaku is true then more of us won't hurt."
"Not a bad idea, so how do we do it?"
"Simple follow them and pin them down, we go to a place away from the public and we do our business. It's a better plan than just trying to get the kid in this crowded place since the others did the same thing and failed."
"Hey man, you think the Kanto Beast will show up? I mean that what happen to most of those guys when they went after the street rat."
"Don't be a fucking baby; no let's move before we lose them."
The others nodded and followed Gakushuu and Koukin.