As the five heard the shower begin running, Uchi jumped up and headed toward the dresser to look inside it.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Noda informed, whispering.  “You have less than ten minutes, I wouldn’t take the chance.”

“And that’s the reason why I am the one taking the chance, not you.”  Uchi slowly and quietly opened the top dresser drawer, finding her underclothes immediately.  He blushed a deep red and closed the drawer back, going to sit with his friends once more.

“What’s wrong?” Noda asked, scooting next to his tall friend.  “What did you see?”

“Lace…  Lace everywhere.”  Uchi was tempted to go back to the dresser and continue looking, but that temptation got squashed, hearing the shower cut off.

“Are you serious?” Minami asked.  “And that’s the reason why you’re blushing?”

“That’s all she has is lace.  and bra, and she definitely does have matching colors with it.”

Minami began scooting closer to the dresser, being rather quick about it.  He opened up the same drawer Uchi did, and soon got a nosebleed because of it.

“What are you doing?!” Jun came out in just a towel, snatching it close to her before she stomped toward Minami.  “This isn’t your stuff, so leave it the hell alone!”  She kicked him in the stomach once before moving him back to the other four.  Jun went back to her dresser to grab a bra, slamming the drawer shut and stomping back to the bathroom.  She proceeded to slam that door shut as well, angry with Minami.

Minami was curled into a ball, holding his stomach. “How is it that I always get caught doing something, but Uchi doesn’t?”

“What did Uchi do?”  Jun turned around on Uchi, glaring at him. “What did you do?”

“Oh, all I did was sit right here while Minami went through your dresser.” Uchi lied.

“You-“ Minami started.

“Both of you, quit!” Jun yelled.  “Kami-sama, please help me.”  She ran her fingers through her short hair, sighing in disappointment.

“What did you want to do today while we’re here?” Sawada asked the female that was yet to be dressed.  He averted his gaze from Jun’s area, hoping that everyone would as well.  Sawada wasn’t as erted as his friends.

Jun looked down at her body after Sawada looked away, and realized that she was not dressed.  She walked over to her dresser, opened the top drawer, and pulled out her undergarments.  Jun then proceeded to lean down to the lowest drawer and grabbed one of her longer shirts, before proceeding to the bathroom to get dressed.

Sawada then looked at her backside as she entered the bathroom and closed the door.  “That girl looks so familiar to me.”

“Didn’t she say she hit the same teacher you did?” Minami asked absent-mindedly.

“That’s right!” Sawada was surprisingly loud.  He normally wasn’t so active, but Jun had his mind reeling.  “We went to the same school?”

“Obviously…” Uchi stated.  He felt defeated, having hoped he had been the first to meet Jun.  Uchi was a bit saddened by the thought that the girl knew Sawada before Uchi met her.  Jun must like Shin. He clapped his hands together, as if an idea popped into his head.

“What’s the matter with you?” Minami asked the boy nearest to him.

Uchi waved his friend off, beginning to conspire.

Jun came out of the bathroom once again, folding her arms against her chest before sitting down.

“So why exactly did you invite us over?” Noda asked the female.  “Seriously, five guys and only one girl…  That’s dangerous for you.”

“I dunno…  I just wanted some company over here for once.  It gets lonely.  Are you guys thirsty or hungry?” Jun offered, glancing around at the boys.  “And Minami-kun, I’m not upset at you looking in my dresser.  You could have asked, or done it in front of me.  I honestly don’t mind.”  She stood back up, went back to the kitchenette and pulled a teapot from above her small stove.  Jun turned the knob on the sink and let the teapot fill with water before she placed it on the stove and cranked up the heat.

“You seriously don’t?” Minami gaped.  He jumped up from his seat, going to the dresser.  Minami opened the top drawer and pulled out a matching set of bra and , both a midnight blue.

Kuma shook his head at the boy he claimed as one of his best friends.  The fat boy glanced at Sawada as the dark haired boy continued staring at Jun.

Noda caught onto what Sawada was looking at, or rather who he was looking at.  He began speaking to Jun, now that everyone else had quieted down some.  “Thanks for carrying me up the stairs.” Noda rubbed the back of his head nervously as he spoke, though, a bit embarrassed.

“It’s not a problem.  I didn’t mind at all.  If the elevator is out, I carry the elderly that live downstairs to their apartments.”

“Do you always do that?” Minami asked.

“For the past two years, I have.  That’s why those people like me so much.  I’m the only young person in this building.  You know, that’s less than thirty years old.  Everybody else is in their fifties or sixties.  They shouldn’t be made to walk up the stairs.  It’s not fair to them.”  Jun turned back toward her classmates, and now friends.

“What made you run away from home?” Sawada asked, the only person not fearing to.  He already knew everyone else was wondering the same thing.  “I mean, seriously.  He can’t be any worse at home than he is at school.”

“That’s the thing…  I never got to see him at home, anyways, so what’s the point of me being home.  Even if I did get to see him, he would be drunk.”  Jun turned off the heat on the stove as soon as the teapot started wailing because of steam.

“Is that the only reason?” Sawada wondered aloud, not meaning any harm.

Jun had just grabbed the teapot, and dropped it on her foot, the water splattering across the kitchenette. “!”

Uchi jumped up out of habit, going to the girl and lifting her off her feet to bring her into the living room.  He sat Jun on the cot, “Do you have a first aid kit?”

“Bathroom, in the medicine cabinet that’s above the sink.”

Uchi went as he was told where to go, coming back quickly with the container.

Jun glanced at her phone, realizing she had a message. Her friend Kisa messaged her, and the second thing she did was put the phone up to her ear after clicking the call button.  Ignoring her burned right leg, she jumped up and went towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Uchi questioned, having been working on getting everything ready before he bandaged the female up.

“I’ll be back soon, alright?” Jun winced in pain, though she continued towards the door. “Hey, Kisa, what’s going on?” she spoke into her phone.  “No, no, no.  Stay there.  I’ll be right there.” Jun bolted out the door, unknowing about her classmates going after her.

-----

Jun turned a corner, smashing into an older man in a dark colored suit.  Seeing the man in the suit, the teenager’s reaction was rearing back and punching the man before spinning and kicking him in his stomach.  The kick sent the man flying, but Jun didn’t wait around to see it happen.  She went on into the building the man had been standing in front of.

“Well, well, well… If it isn’t the little I’ve been waiting for… Hello, Jun.  Where have you been for the past year?” A dark suited male, only a few years older than her, stepped out from the darkness of the restaurant.

“Awww, so the welcoming committee was busy?” Jun questioned, folding her arms over her chest.  “Ryuu, you should really have more people outside.”

“Look here, I need my money back,” the male, Ryuu, spoke to Jun.  “You owe me.”

“And that’s why your boys mugged me a week ago?” The female glared at Ryuu.  “This isn’t right.  I should have never done that for you a while back for that payment. I shouldn’t have asked for a job from you, if you want that money back already.  I had a feeling that THAT particular job should have paid me way less.”

The door bursted open, revealing Sawada and Uchi.

“What are they?” Ryuu scoffed.  “Extra baggage?”

“Look, Ryuu, they aren’t a part of this.” Jun sighed.  “They’re a couple of guys from school, that’s all.  Now, back to business…  Where’s Kisa?”

“In the back.  I need to know where the rest of that money is.”

“Ryuu, give me some time, and I’ll get it to you.  I cannot BELIEVE that you’re gonna be this two-faced about it.”

Sawada glared at Ryuu before he walked up to Jun.  He stepped in front of the female, shielding the shorter girl from the gangster.

“What the hell are you?  This is between me and that right there.”

Uchi was the next one to step up to be on the other side of Jun.  “The only here is you.  You’re not man enough to take on one of us?”

Jun pushed herself between Sawada and Uchi, hoping the two wouldn’t get themselves hurt.  “Ignore the boys, they are extra baggage.  When do I need to pay you back by?”

“How about you just work for me, before and after school?” Ryuu asked.

“If I can’t pay you back by a certain time.”

“Fine, I’ll give you a month from today.  ICHIGO!” Ryuu called, a male coming out of a room, holding on to poor Kisa, who looked very frightened.  “Let her go, my business has been dealt with.”

Jun stayed still, glaring at Ryuu and his friend.  As soon as Ichigo pushed Kisa away from him, the indebted girl ran to her best friend’s aid.  Jun caught Kisa easily, balancing on her good leg.  The pain seared through her right leg, causing her to wince in pain.  As soon as Ryuu and Ichigo walked out the door, Jun let herself fall to the floor, Kisa still in her arms.

Kisa was shaking, seeming too afraid to say anything, but she did speak.  “I’m tired of this, Jun.  I’m so tired of being scared every day of my life.”  She pushed herself away from Jun and stood up on her own.  “I am finished with you until you can get rid of Ryuu and his boys.”

“Kisa!” Jun called, unable to do anything as her best friend stomped out of the restaurant.  “…”

“Jun?” Uchi called from beside Sawada.  “Would you like some help to get up?”

“You motherers…  When I leave you guys at my apartment, you need to ing stay there.  Ryuu could have had his boys use guns on you.” Jun gave Uchi and Sawada a harsh glare, flipping to where she had pressure on her burned leg for a split second before pushing up and getting onto her stronger leg.   “You es… You really could have been killed.  Where are Kuma and the others?”

“They’re outside.  And like we care about us getting killed when you’re in here!”  Sawada fussed.  He was very animated for such a solemn boy.

“Like Shin said!  We don’t care!” Uchi agreed.

“Well, I do!  I care about you guys as if you guys were my friends for ages!” Jun hopped on her left leg to leave the restaurant.  She did not wish to speak to her classmates at all, but was snatched back by Sawada.  Jun felt herself losing her balance and falling into the male next to her.  “Let me go, Sawada.”

“No.  Not until you explain to us what the hell is really going on.” Sawada ordered.

“ you, Sawada.  Leave me alone.”

“I thought we were your friends, Jun.” Uchi spoke softly, his eyes lowering to the floor.

“Don’t get into my damn business.” Jun ordered, gaining her balance for a third time.  She pulled herself away from Sawada, going to the door once again.

Sawada stared after the girl as she hopped towards the exit.  He leaned in towards Uchi, whispering, “We should probably follow after her.  She could get into more trouble.”

“No…  You should go after her.  She likes you, I think.” Uchi responded, going toward the exit as well.  He passed Jun on the way out, going the opposite direction as her.

Sawada sighed at his predicament, moving to go outside as well.  He walked a bit further behind Jun, staying quiet.  Sawada ducked behind a trash can as the female turned around to look behind herself.

“Huh…  I swear I thought I heard something just now…” Jun continued hopping along; keeping her right hand against any walls or fences to keep her balance.

“Hello, there, young lady… Would you like to come to our Club? We offer great services to gentle ones like you,” a handsome man appeared, holding out a business card.  He seemed to be in his younger twenties, though.  Young blood for the company, Jun surmised.  The man glanced at the under-aged girl’s leg, having noticed she was standing on one leg.  “Do you need some help?”

“No, I’m good.  Thank you, though.”  Jun continued down the road, past the man.  Suddenly, she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders.

“Jun-chan, you don’t remember me?” the male asked. “I sure as hell remember you.”

Jun shook her head, confused at the male.  “I don’t freaking know you, dude. How do you know me?”

“My name is Akio-“

“You mean, Akio, the Knight in Shining Armour?” Jun pushed away from the male that called himself Akio, landing flat on her .  “That Akio?  You became a Host?”

“Jun!” Sawada called for the girl, coming from his hiding spot.  He ran to the two, stepping in front of Jun, and confronting Akio.  “Don’t ing touch Jun.”

“Sawada, leave him alone.  He’s not a bad guy,” Jun explained.  She was tired of landing on her every time she fell, but it was better than trying to catch herself by placing both legs on the ground.

“How the hell is he not bad?” Sawada questioned, putting his hand up to help Jun stand once again.

“He used to run around the neighborhood a few years back and protect the girls when we were walking to and from school.  I think I had just started middle school.” The girl glanced at Akio, who nodded in agreement.  “There were quite a few older men out there who were kidnapping girls, them, and killing them.”

Sawada’s jaw tightened, listening to the story.  “Is that why you’re tough now?”

“I figured after I almost got kidnapped and after Akio saved me, I needed to learn how to defend myself.  Akio wasn’t always going to be around.”

Akio kneeled down next to Jun and wrapped his arms around her back and under her legs.  He began to stand back up, keeping his balance rather easily.  “I am hoping you can take her home, Sawada-san.  I would appreciate it, and I’m sure so would she.  I must go back to work.”  Akio waited for Sawada to support Jun’s back and legs before moving away from the two.  “I hope to see you again, Jun-chan.”

Jun nodded, a small smile on her face as she leaned her head on Sawada’s shoulder.  Soon, though, that smile turned into a frown.  “Were you following me?”

Sawada gave no reply as he carried the girl.

“I asked you a question.”

“I don’t want to answer.”

“Fine!”

“Fine.”

-----

Uchi and the others stood outside the next morning, gathered with other students from Shiroken High School, the entire mass of people looking at something posted on the bulletin board outside.

Jun made her way through the group, noticing Yamaguchi behind her as she made it close to the board with Fujiyama and Kawashima.  What Jun saw made her snort, and start into a fit of giggles.  She was dressed in a pink tank top and white shorts, to let her leg breathe some.  Jun fell almost to her knees she was laughing so hard.  What did she see?  An edited picture of her father’s head on the body of a monkey, and the words:  “Head Teacher SUX”

“Isn’t this elementary school level?” Kawashima asked, a bit of a condescending tone in her voice.

The Head Teacher ripped one of the pictures off the board, “Who the hell did this?  This is disrespecting authority.”  He walked to Uchi and the others, “It was you guys from 3-D, wasn’t it?

“Huh?  What?” Uchi and the others met the man halfway, glaring at Sawatari.

“What is that look?”

Yamaguchi decided to get in the middle of it, pushing Uchi away from Sawatari, “Now, everyone…  Let’s not get worked up over a harmless little prank…”

“A little prank?”

Yamaguchi nodded.  “Head Teacher, we teachers need to exercise leniency.”

“Look, Yamaguchi-sensei, there is a limit to how far a prank should go.”  As Sawatari spoke, Yamaguchi’s eyes trailed off, and started walking over to the other side of the board that was hidden behind a few other miscellaneous students.

Yamaguchi had seen a picture of her face edited onto a woman’s body that definitely had a better figure than she did.  She pulled the picture she was looking at off the board, turning around to face her students.  “What the hell is this?  Who the hell did this?  Putting my face on such a voluptuous body… What’s the meaning of this?  Which one of you did it?  Come clean, damnit!”

Everyone stopped and stared at Yamaguchi, surprised at her outburst.

“Um…  I might have looked better on Fujiwara Norika,” she spoke, becoming a bit more soft-spoken than she just was.

-----

Everyone was in class, classes were just beginning.  Jun continued laughing, unable to stop since earlier.

Yamaguchi held up the picture, “Umm, about this…  What’s ‘Yankumi’?”

Minami was squatting on his desk, Kuma eating from an obento.  “It’s your nickname, of course.”

“Nickname?”

Kuma spoke with his mouth full, “When ‘Yamaguchi Kumiko’ is shortened, it becomes…”

Uchi, Noda, Minami, and Kuma all spoke at the same time, smiling, “Yankumi!”

“Yanku...” she trailed off.  “Hmm… The only nickname I’ve ever had is Kumichou.” Yankumi mumbled under her breath.  “Huh?  Nevermind.  I see.  Yankumi, is it?  It’s cute.  I like it.”

Jun snorted, laying her head down on her desk.  She started feeling the pain more in her leg, unable to help but to put her head down.

“She likes it.” Minami spoke.

“Weirdo.”

Yankumi spoke again, “But it’s not a good idea to push the Head Teacher again.  He said, ‘If this happens again, I’ll catch the culprit and punish them immediately’.”

“He always singles us out,” Minami complained.

“If you guys weren’t always the ones to do stuff to him, he wouldn’t single you out,” Jun stated matter of factly.

“Now be quiet.  I’ll begin the class.”

Sawada entered the classroom when Yankumi turned around to face the door.

“Sawada, I told you not to be late.” Once Sawada sat down, she spoke again.  “Let’s get going.”

“That darn Head Teacher really ticks me off.” Uchi stated, looking at Jun.  “How do you put up with him?”

“Should we teach him a little lesson?” Kuma suggested.

“Jun, you wanna join us?” Noda offered.

“Nah…  I’ll pass this time.”

-----

Jun walked into the teachers’ office during lunch, going to Kawashima as Yankumi picked up the school phone.

“Idiot!  Don’t call me at school!” Jun heard from Kawashima’s desk.  “Ah! Tetsu-kun?  So that’s why you called.  Ah.  It’s okay.  I’ll just get them from the cafeteria.  Alright.  Well, then, thank you, Tetsu-kun.” Yankumi slammed the phone down, going back to her desk.

“Kawashima-sensei, would you mind changing the bandage on my leg for me.”

“Of course not,” Kawashima smiled.  “That phone call, was it from your boyfriend?” the woman asked Yankumi as she began unwrapping Jun’s leg.

“No, I mean…  He’s one of my henchmen.”

“Henchmen?” Kawashima, Jun, and Fujiyama asked.

“No, um… I mean brother.”

“Don’t be bashful.  He’s your boyfriend, right?” Kawashima asked, looking at Jun’s leg.  “What did you do to your leg?  It looks burnt and scratched up.”

“Well, I did burn it.  And then I got into a fight and it got scratched.”

“Well, since you already have a boyfriend,” Fujiyama spoke to Yankumi, “I guess you wouldn’t be interested in going to a goukon?”

“Goukon?  I would, very much.” Yankumi turned around quicly.

“Then, do you both want to come along?  We’ll meet up with those detectives from the other day.”

Jun winced as Kawashima applied ointment, quite a bit of it, to her leg.

Kawashima turned around quickly, somewhat getting into Fujiyama’s face.  “Eh? Eh?!  Really?”  The woman seemed excited before going to sit back down and wrapping up Jun’s leg.

“Yup!”

“I want to go!”

“Let’s call Shinohara-san!”

“Head Teacher!  This is an emergency!  Your car!” Jun heard from the slimeball teacher that was always stuck next to her father.  As soon as the bandage was finished being wrapped, she followed after the teachers to look at her father’s car.

Jun’s jaw dropped, reading the same spelling errors that were on the edited pictures as that were on the car.  Those boys are gonna be in so much trouble.

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Okay, so I haven't uploaded in FOREVER I know.... But I'm posting three chapters right now :D