It has been a really rainy day... It's about 8° outside... Ryota Yoshiyuki is walking home from the hospital... He just witnessed his mother pass away in front of his own eyes... He slowly picks up the pace and starts running knocking into some people older than him... They looked to be in the same school as him... They push him into a puddle and start laughing.

"Look at this kid bumping into us like it's no big deal.. Freaking dickhead.."

The guy starts pointing at Ryota... A tear slowly rolls down his eye.

"So.. What are you gonna do with him?"

"What he deserves of course!"

He walks up to Ryota and picks him up from his collar and delivers a strong punch to his face... The guy lets him go and Ryota falls onto his knees...

"Anyone else wants a taste of this kid..?"

"Sure man.."

Ryota looks up and immediately gets a knee to the jaw... Ryota is still on his knees... The other guy walks up and tries to punch him, but Ryota grabs his hand. Ryota looks up and smiles with his mouth and nose bleeding...

"My pain is already gone.."

The group's leader kicks his face and Ryota finally falls on his back... One of them spits on Ryota as he bleeds from his mouth and nose...

"Heh... Let's finish the job.."

They surround Ryota and start stomping and kicking him everywhere... Until Ryota hears a familiar voice across the road.

"Get away from my brother!"

Ryota's brother ran in and dropkicked the face of their so-called leader... Ryota coughs up some blood and then looks at him.

"Izanagi..?"

Izanagi looks down and smiles at Ryota until he looks at the thugs again...

"Come on punks... Fight me.."

They quickly turn around and start running... Izanagi helps Ryota up and hugs him...

"You alright Ryota?"

"Yea...I am okay.."

Izanagi looks at his bloody face and frowns...

"I'm sorry about mom...Look I'm gonna make it up for us...I promise to take care of you!"

Izanagi hugs him tight but then he feels a sharp pain in his back... It was the guy who he dropkicked... Izanagi elbows him and the guy runs away... Izanagi falls to his back and Ryota kneels next to him and holds his head.

"Don't die alright..I'll get help.."

"Ryota...If I die. Promise me...You will become stronger... Don't ever give up.. You have to fight hard to achieve your goals..."

Ryota grabs Izanagi's phone and calls for the ambulance... They arrive 4 minutes later... Izanagi was in critical condition... He lost his mother and seemingly also his brother on the same day... One of the doctors calls a taxi for Ryota... Time passes and Ryota finally gets home... He looks at the birthday cake Izanagi made him and started crying even more...

Since the incident, Ryota started to get bullied a lot due to him being the only orphan in his class... He tried to never give up... But he kept being beaten up... One day he went to school... It went smoothly for the first time...

The school day ended and Ryota chose a new way to go back home... He saw the bullies again and he thought he has had enough of them... Ryota ran to one of them and hit him in the back of the head. He wasn't even staggered. He immediately turned around and threw Ryota into a fence...

"Well look who we have here again. I guess you didn't have enough of our "love" huh..?"

They start to laugh until a kid walks into the alley... They all look at him..

"Hey, kid.Scram...This isn't your business..."

He ignores them and walks up to them... One of them tries punching the kid... But he dodges. He stares at the bully and kicks his gut and then heel kicks his ear.

"Heh...A fair fight finally.."

The thug starts walking toward the kid, but Ryota quickly grabs his leg...

"Hey, what are you doing!?"

The kid jumps and kicks the bully's face and he gets knocked down...

"Who...Who are you?"

Ryota looks at him in awe and the boy offers him his hand...

"Heh...Your new friend!"

His name was Tatsuya Murakami. He was a year older than Ryota... Even though they went to different schools they became good friends...

It was a warm day outside...Ryota was walking home from school...
He had gained 2 more friends while
Tatsuya was on vacation in an undisclosed location... Ryota checked his phone until he heard some fighting from the corner of the school... He looks down the small hill and stairs and sees some guy beat up one of the Ryotas friends. He rushes down the stairs and quickly punches the guy...)

"Ryota..?"

Ryota smiles and knees the bully. Some others come from behind and tackle him down and start kicking him... One of them tells the others to pack up... He picks Ryota up by his collar and stares at him.

"Who do you think you are...And why are you trying to save this cry baby? Do you know who I am! I am the king of this school!"

He punches Ryotas gut and lets go of him. He steps back a few steps, but then moves back and kicks his head... They all laugh except for his friend... The guy grabs a steel pipe and tells one of them to hold him. He is about to swing at Ryota
until they hear a familiar whistling tone... They all look behind and see a familiar face coming... Some of them slightly bow down. The guy looks behind and sees him, but he doesn't bow... Ryota looks up and sees Tatsuya..)

"Good afternoon, sir!"

The crowd screamed as loud as they could... Ryota looks at the situation confused.

"Hey, sir.."

Tatsuya finishes his snack and throws the papers in the guy's face... He smiles and then kicks the side of his head... Tatsuya looks at Ryota and lends him a hand.

"Hey there Ryo.."

"Heh..Kami.. Good to see you..."

Tatsuya hugs him.. The others start to leave and whisper about them.

"How about we get a coffee Ryota..?"

"Oh, sorry... I already made plans with someone.."

"It's fine.. We will talk tomorrow alright... We need to discuss something.."

Ryota nods and hugs him and his friend one more time. Before he goes Tatsuya gives him his leftover donuts, Ryota takes them and puts them in his bag... He rushes to the apartments and rings the bell for a door... Someone opens it and smiles.

"Hey, Ryo!"

"Hey, Kyio! Here I got you these.."

He gives Kyio some flowers and a kiss... She immediately blushes and covers her face...

"Come in Ryo.. Make yourself at home.."

They hug and smile at each other.. Kyio grabs some paper, alcohol, and bandaids... They walk to the living room and sit on the couch.

"This is gonna hurt Ryo.."

Kyio starts rubbing a wound with alcohol. Ryota grunts, but tries to smile... She puts the bandaids on some cuts.

"Oooh..Look at the couple over here..."

Ryota and Kyio look at the door and see a tall gentleman standing there.

"Wait, dad! We Aren't dating!"

"Hello, Mister Noda!

"Hey, Ryota.."

Kyios's father puts down the groceries and walks to his room. They stare at each eye of each other... They are about to kiss.. But someone calls him, it was Tatsuya.

"Why are you calling me.  I'm about to have a good moment over here!"

Kyio laughs while Ryota panics...

"Chill.. We need to meet up right now... Come to the shrine where we usually meet up.."

Ryota's expression quickly changes...

"Fine..I'm coming.."

He ends the call and puts his phone in his pocket...

"You have to go..?"

"Yeah..Tatsuya needs me for something..."

"Oh alright! Don't get hurt or anything, alright?"

"Alright.."

Ryota hugs her and rushes out of the door and starts running to the shrine.

Ryota runs up the stairs and finally arrives at the shrine... Ryota looks around and sees Tatsuya waiting while holding some sort of jacket...

"Oh, you made it!"

Tatsuya smiles and then hides the jacket behind his back...

"Yeah..What's the problem.."

"It's nothing..Let's just wait for the others.."

"Others..?"

Tatsuya walks up to Ryota and places his hand on his shoulder and then they hear bikes coming from the distance...

(To be continued..)