369 Chapter three, 2017, shards: 1 (1/2)
”Sorry.”
The boy he had pushed moved aside and Ryu quickly bowed. It was his fault, but there hadn't been any need to push back that hard. He met the eyes of the boy as he rose. They shone with disdaining irritation.
'Now that's a strange reaction.'
Then understanding grew. Without his neck tie his second year status was invisible, and Ryu's uniform was even newer than those of the freshmen. Expulsion rescinded his parents had decided to buy him a new one instead of the one he was bound to grow out of before his third year.
Ryu shot the other boy his most winning smile and moved on. He could take a push or two. Life was perfect after all. Ever since she cheated on him once Kuri had been everything he could ever dream of from a girlfriend.
Despite a schedule packed to the rafters she spent every available moment with him. Admittedly those weren't as many as he'd want with the new trimester starting and students preparing for the cultural festival, but Ryu wasn't one to complain as he saw the effort she made to spend time with him.
”Sorry.”
Ryu fell forward, but being a natural athlete he rolled on his knuckles and came back on his feet.
'Now that's more than just strange.' This time it wasn't him walking into a fellow student. The push from behind had been deliberate.
”No problem,” Ryu said after he turned.
”Ryu!”
'Hitomi?' He stared at the girl. 'Behind me?'
There was a sudden sound as if someone had fallen into the shoe lockers.
”Sorry,” Urufu's voice said behind his back.
”I'll kill you you...”
Whoever had started speaking went silent and there was another loud crash from the other row of shoe lockers.
”Sorry about that.” Urufu's voice again.
Ryu turned just in time to see a boy fly face down into the floor.
”He's got a knife!” Urufu shouted, and all of a sudden Kuri's bodyguard appeared out of nowhere and dragged the prone boy out on the school yard where the goons from Vogue stood ready to take care of him.
”What the hell?”
”I'm not too fond of you right now, but Christina will have my hide if I allow anything to happen to you,” Urufu said. ”That goes for you as well, Hitomi,” he added.
Ryu looked over his shoulder and noticed her with both hands over her mouth.
”What's going on?”
Ryu backed away from Urufu and stood by Hitomi's side waiting for Urufu to answer her question.
”The shithead's trying to scare everyone who returned to Himekaizen away.”
”Urufu. Why the violence?” Hitomi asked.
Ryu watched in amazement how Urufu's face twisted into fear and rage.
”Someone pushed Noriko down the stairs.” Urufu's shoulders slumped after the words left his mouth.
'Noriko? What the…'