One punch. That's the legal limit for self-defense, per police rules. Any more, and it's excessive force. So, I settled it with a single counterpunch. Hayashi, the slick-back thug, flew like a ragdoll, teeth scattering like petals. Thud! He slammed into a vending machine three meters away, blood gushing from his nose and mouth.
"Big bro!" the punks shrieked, rushing to their crumpled leader.
I flexed my heavy right hand, stepping behind the two cowering freshmen. "You mess with my friends, you're done."
"Hii!" they squealed, falling backward. "Touch us, and we'll call the cops! My dad knows someone at the precinct!"
"My father's a police bigwig! You'll regret it!"
Classic rich-kid threats. Don't they know the law's far, but fists are close? I grabbed their faces with my palms, one each. "Time to fix your rotten heads."
Iron Claw, a pro-wrestling staple. Squeeze the temples hard enough, and it's agony without leaving marks if you control it. "Agh! It hurts! I'm gonna die!" one wailed.
"Save me! I'm sorry!" the other sobbed, flailing as tears and snot poured. I held them aloft for 30 seconds before dropping them. They collapsed, pants soaked, begging for mercy.
"Get lost," I said coldly. "And never show your faces to Tojo or Sakamoto again."
Nodding frantically, they dragged Hayashi's limp body and fled the park. Huff. So much for a nice day—blood had to spill. I'd jump in again for my friends, but this muscle-comedy role was starting to feel like a curse.
Rika ran up, waving. "Ryu-chan! You okay?!"
"Yeah, fine. Just a scratch," I said, brushing it off, but she pointed at my forehead, horrified.
"You're bleeding like crazy!"
I remembered Hayashi's punch splitting my skin and pressed a handkerchief to the wound. "It's nothing. Spit'll fix it."
Rika's rare scowl shut me down. "Don't be an idiot! To the pharmacy, now!" She yanked my arm, and I caved, heading to a nearby drugstore.
After slathering on ointment and slapping a square bandage on my forehead, I returned to the park. While I'd dealt with the punks, Karen had carried Ryuji to a bench, where he was recovering. I wanted to check on them, but a heavy vibe hung between them, so Rika and I watched from a distance.
Karen spoke first, voice low. "Sorry, Sakamoto. You got hurt because of me."
He shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. Those guys came for me."
Silence fell. Then, fidgeting, Karen steeled herself. "Sakamoto! I like you! Please go out with me!"
His eyes widened, but a bitter smile followed. "I'm sorry, but I can't give you the answer you want."
"Why? Is it because I'm too tomboyish? I can change—!"
"No, it's not that," he cut in, waving his hands. "You're way out of my league, Tojo. But I've got my own reasons."
"Reasons?"
"There's a girl I promised to marry when we were kids. Until I see her again, I can't date anyone."
Karen turned away. "Do you still love her?"
"I… don't know. But I remember loving her a lot. I bawled when she moved away."
"Your first love, huh?"
"Yeah, that's it. She was my first love."
"Got it." Karen nodded, forcing a bright smile as she stood. "If you're not into it, I'll back off clean. Today was fun! See you at school, Sakamoto!" She bolted from the park, leaving him behind.
Ryuji watched her go, eyes wistful but unmoving. He meant it—he wasn't ready for her.
"What do we do…?" Rika murmured, covering her mouth, eyes glassy.
I glanced at Karen's fading figure. "Rika, head home. I'll follow Tojo."
"Alone? You sure?"
"Even if I'm not, she needs someone to cheer her up."
Rika hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. I'm trusting you with her, Ryu-chan."
"See you at school."
"You too. Good work today."
After a quick goodbye, I sprinted after Karen.
Karen hadn't gone far, slowed by her unfamiliar high heels. She sat alone at an empty bus stop, staring blankly at passing cars. When my shadow fell over her, she looked up, tears streaking her face. "You okay?" I asked.
She forced a smile. "As if."
I reached for my handkerchief to wipe her tears but remembered it was bloody and stuffed it back, awkwardly pulling tissues instead. I dabbed her face. "Crying like a mess. Get it together."
"Sniff!" Her makeup smeared off, revealing her raw, freckled face. She scratched her head, faking cheer. "This is embarrassing. I've never let anyone see me cry."
I sat beside her. "We're friends. Who cares?"
"Friends, huh?" she mumbled, gazing at the sky. "I knew you and Kishimoto were tailing me, by the way. Figured it out halfway."
"Really?" That was a shock. Rom-com stalking rules say the targets never notice.
Blushing, I looked away, but she patted my shoulder. "Not mad about it. Guess I seemed unreliable enough that you two felt you had to babysit me all day."
"That's not—"
"Sorry it was for nothing. I flopped."
She bowed her head. "I thought changing myself would win Sakamoto over. But that was my arrogance. His heart never had room for me."
Her voice cracked. "I knew it deep down but ignored the truth. And here's the result." She clutched her chest, furious. "It hurts. It's killing me, and I can't fix it. I've never felt this before."
Head bowed, she screamed, "I really loved him!!" Her voice echoed at the empty stop, raw and desperate.
I watched her, heart heavy. At first, I saw her and Rika as manga characters, keeping my distance as an outsider in Scramble Love's world. But the girl beside me wasn't a plot device. Karen Tojo was real, a fragile kid hurting from her first heartbreak. I'd been blind to that, but no more. Time to act like a friend.
"Karen, get up," I said, using her first name without thinking.
She blinked, startled. "Huh?"
"Yelling like that'll get you reported for noise." She stared, then burst out laughing.
"That's what you say now?"
"Laugh instead. It looks better on you." I pulled her off the bench, ignoring her confusion, and draped my hoodie over her, pulling the hood up. "We're hitting karaoke. Belt out all that pain. It'll help you accept the rejection."
"What?!" she squawked, but I was already searching for a karaoke spot on my phone. Closest one was on Sunshine City's second floor—naturally, that place had everything.
I beckoned the hoodie-swamped Karen to follow and strode off. "Oi, Kim Yuseong! Wait up!" she called, jogging after me. Glancing back, her stormy face had cleared, a spark returning to her eyes.
***
"That Kim Yuseong's a solid guy," Naoto Tojo said, watching us leave.
"Sniff, the Young Miss is lucky to have him," a goon blubbered.
"First time in ages I've seen something this good," another sighed.
The Toseikai men stood, sharing their thoughts, heading home. Naoto smiled. "A rare soul in these harsh times."
Jin-gi—honor and humanity. The sixth Toseikai boss saw it in me, a throwback to the chivalrous outlaws fading from Japan. Maybe I could revive their legacy. "Hope we meet again, kid."
April 22 (Sat), 3:18 PM
Date concluded!
***
Karen's heartbreak hit hard, but her scream at that bus stop was pure, raw humanity. Ryuji's tied to Maiya, his childhood promise locking him down—classic Scramble Love canon. My brawl with Hayashi was a blur, but Naoto's crew watching me like I'm some underworld prodigy? Unsettling. Rika's shaken, but she trusted me to handle Karen.
Karaoke's a gamble, but Karen needs to vent. She's tougher than she looks—her smile's back, even if it's shaky. I'm no hero, just an extra trying to keep my friends from breaking. This manga world's too real, and I'm in too deep to stay on the sidelines.