School had been normal and quiet lately. The group of 6 was doing more than fine, and even Mae talked with them. The errand-boy act had stopped, since the day Ren found out who she was. Although Ogata didn't agree exactly at first. (But since Kazama insisted on dropping the matter) Yamato finally agreed. Yankumi was all over the place, it was parent-teacher conferences days. And encountering her students with their parents was a big deal for her.

Yamaguchi met some of the parents with the kids to talk about their future. One of them being Kengo's dad, a tofu store owner. Though It seemed Honjo was not really fond of the work his father was doing. He said that when all of them had dinner at Kuma's shop. They had just met Kuma, after a small accident outside his shop. After explaining who they were, Kuma wanted to treat them some Ramen. It was the first time the group of 6 and Mae, were actually eating together and talking normally.

Suddenly, Honjo's father collapsed from over-fatigue, leaving behind a very confused Honjo, with a money problem. Class 3-D feared that he would have to drop out, so they decided to raise money to help him. Although Mae didn't exactly agree with them. She spotted that Kengo wasn't really worried. That he seemed to worry more about the money he had taken from his father. Worried to find a way to hide the fact he had taken the money. Than dealing with what had actually happened. That caused a major fight between Mae and the five.

"Skipping school to work... He may be in a lot of trouble" said Kazama leaning against the classroom wall trying to assuage his growing anxiety.

Mae gazed at him and tilted her head "Maybe?" she mumbled.

"Being in the hospital, his dad can't open the shop." presumed Ichimura.

"And there're hospital bills, too" added Kuraki somehow depressed.

"And the money that Honjo already owns!" Mae concluded only to be ignored.

"Plus the shop might have to close," said Kamiya really worried.

Ogata voicing that "If something like that happened, it'd be bad."

"He may have to quit school, too," said Ren seriously worried.

"We have somehow to help him!" Kuraki almost yelled.

"It doesn't matter how much you really help him If Honjo alone cannot see the value of money." Mae voiced her thoughts clearly, getting everyone's attention.

"What do you mean... Not helping our friend?" Kamiya asked her as he walked a few steps toward her.

"No! That not what I am saying. I am saying that money isn't his only problem." Mae tried to explain honestly gazing at Kamiya "But Honjo should also know its value."

Ren remained leaning against the wall, he somehow understood what Mae was saying. But he wanted to help his friend.

"You are saying helping him is wrong?" Ichi asked annoyed.

"It's not that! Finding money will only fix half of the problem?" Mae said again.

Ogata turned glaring at her "No one asked you to help! We will help our friend." he uttered.

"Wasn't going to help!" Mae raised her voice "But someone that cannot see the value of money.. or cannot understand how hard it is earned. It doesn't matter how much money you get for them.." She gave a last gaze at Ren and walked out of the classroom.

"He pisses me off!" Ogata yelled ticked off.

"But somehow he has a point. Let's see how we can help Honjo!" Ren added.

Kengo was at home looking for a job, but where ever he asked the money they offered wasn't enough. Class 3D tried to gather money but managed only to save few yens. They agreed to try another plan, work at different jobs, and save the money for Honjo. But only new problems were also caught by Yankumi, and their plan went in vain. Honjo, on the other hand, encountered an old senpai of his, Narita, who lent him the money he needed.

On their way back, the group of 5 and Yankumi met finally Kengo. The teacher explained at him, how worried his classmates were, and that they tried to work around to save money for him. Honjo said that he wouldn't quit school that easy or closed the shop. Also, he revealed to them how he used his father's money. Then he tried fining a part-time job, but it was too hard and they didn't pay thankfully a Senpai of his gave him the money.

Although, his way of thinking made yankumi really pissed. Telling him not to joke around. Spending his father money like that. The money he worked so hard to earn. Honjo agreed with her trying to say that's why he was looking to get the money back. But Yankumi still insisted that the problem was not the money, but that he wanted to hide the truth. He never revealed that he had taken the money and apologize to his father. And that was the problem.

The group of 5, while listening to Yankumi, her words remained them of Mae. Mae said something similar this morning. But they really didn't understand the meaning of it. They took Honjo's side telling Yankumi that he gets it. And what is the problem, after all its only money.

But that pissed Yankumi even more. She explained again there is a big difference between the money you have earned and the money you have borrowed. She went on saying, how many times his dad had to bow down his head for 100 or 200 yen so that he can save all that money. And once more what Yamaguchi said sounded somehow the same with Mae's words.

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It was a long night for everyone. They thought again what Yankumi and Mae told them. The five of them met with Honjo, in the morning. They all agreed to go face his senpai and deal with him. Although things didn't go that well. Narita had other plans for them. Thankfully, as always, Yankumi appeared and saved them. Once again that oddly teacher helped them out.

Yamaguchi now with the rest were heading back to school, as she was informed that Honjo's dad, got out of the hospital. He was back at his Tofu shop working. They all made up their mind to go face his dad and help him if needed. Soon, they reached his dad's shop only to find the old man working. But the bizarre thing was, he wasn't alone. Mae was there, helping too. Everyone was more than surprised to find her there.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Honjo asked his dad worried.

His dad was smiled at them "Oh! Kengo! Oh! Sensai!" he greeted them.

Yankumi mumbled at him "Don't sneak out of the hospital like that? And Mae why are you here?"

But Mae avoided the question and walked outside only to come face to face with Kazama and Ogata.

Ren gave her a low wave "Yo!"

Mae waved at him back, glared at fuming Ogata and turned around.

Honjo's dad explained that he had to since work was left behind. Making Honjo more worried and telling him not to leave the hospital like that.

"The shop was closed for long I had to open it!" he pointed out.

Suddenly the rest of the 3D class appeared to help. Honjo while crying walked in his father's shop and started working with him. Yamaguchi, proud again and supper happy about her students yelled: "Should we help!" And all of the 3D class, with Mae, included agreeing "Yeah!" Everyone helped as much as they could. Only Yankumi had run off when Goro-chan appeared. "Guys I leave the rest to you!" she only managed to inform them and rushed off.

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Later that night only the team of 6 and Mae were left in the shop. Honjo's dad went back to the hospital for a few days. Honjo was the one that would clean and close the shop. The rest were about to head back home.

"Mae thank you!" Honjo said at her "My dad told me...when he came back you were already here. You got so mad at him telling him to go back to the hospital and not to play with his health like that."

Mae nodded at him, she didn't really do anything. She just had spoken her mind out again, as always.

Ren poked her "You were somehow right, the other day!" he mumbled trying to apologize.

"Yeah! We are sorry!" Kuraki, Ichi and Kamiya apologized at her.

"It's fine!" she murmured having no idea how to react and trying to skip that part. It was making her feeling oddly. Having people thanking her and apologizing, so honestly, at her, it was scary. Her old classmates were nothing like that.

Ogata, who was leaning against the shop's door, gazed only at her not saying anything. Everyone was taking their things, to leave, as Ren mumbled at Ogata "Shouldn't you apologize also?" But Ogata only blinked at him adding "He still pisses me off. Even if he was right! Tak!"

All of them took the road back home. Only Honjo remained back to close the shop. Kuraki, Ichi and Kamiya gave their good-nights and followed a different road. Ren, Mae, and Yamato were still heading in the same direction. With Ren and Yamato walking in front of her and Mae a few steps behind.

Ren with lazy steps had turned to face them both as he kept walking "Hitori wasn't going to help!" he .

Mae that was spacing out gazed at him "Huh!?" she mumbled, "Oh me...! Didn't plan to help really Ren!"

"But I am glad that Hitori helped!" he said and smiled at her.

Ogata that kept following them, didn't say anything. He was really surprised that those two called each other with the first name. "Has anything happened between you two?" he asked without even realizing it.

"No nothing really Yamato, Why?" Ren said. While Mae ignored him, not being in the mood to have another fight with him.

"It's just, you both address each other differently after the incident with your sister," he explained.

"I think we all are friends somehow, or at least classmates. Aren't we?" Kazama said, "That surely changed the way we speak to each other!"

Ogata nodded but it wasn't really what he meant. Somehow Ren and Mae acted differently. He zoned out for few seconds recalling Mae being a girl. Maybe that was the case. But his thoughts were suspended when Mae spoke "Good night! I leave over there" she pointed at a building that was few alleys away from them.

"You sure you can manage to reach home on your own!" Ren asked her seriously.

"Yes! It's not that late yet! Don't worry! Good night!" she said and runoff.

"Why would he not manage it on his own Ren?" Ogata asked curiously "Who would attack him, a group of hungry teen girls."

Ren smiled at Ogata and made a funny face, not answering him back. He simply runoff. "Oyasimi! I am going home too. I hope you will not get attacked too by those hungry teen girls!" Ren made fun of him and left.

Ogata gazed at him with a funny angry look and watched Ren running off. He still was puzzled, how Ren and Mae suddenly become that close. 'They must hiding something?' he thought. His attention soon caught a few students that were coming out of the alley that Mae had taken earlier.

One girl, that seemed worried asked, "Was it an accident?"

"I think so" someone else replied, "I think the car hit the father and the son!"

"Thankfully they didn't die, the ambulance was on time." a younger boy said.

"Although it made a big mess. So much blood all around the place. It scared me!" the first girl added as the students by-passed Ogata.

Yamato blinked few times, his mind wheeled as he whispered "Blood! !" and run as fast as he could towards the alley. He remembered how Mae reacted around blood. And if it was a lot of it, she would freak out. Although deeply he hoped that she didn't see anything. A few steps away there were people gathered. As the student said, the injured father and son were already taken to the hospital. Only the police were there still talking to the driver. He took a better look around the scene. Indeed it was too horrifying. Although He didn't spotted Mae anywhere. He could breathe again.

He crossed over to the next alley and took a last look at the people around. As he turned facing the wall across from him, someone was lying down. Ogata titled his head and took a few steps closer. "Mae" he yelled as he noticed it was her. He knelt over and grabbed her pulling her over the wall. After making sure that she was breathing, he tried to wake her up. But seemed she had fainted. According to how Mae was acting around blood, Ogata was sure that she had fainted.

Taking her to his home was not an option since his parents would freak out. But he had no idea where her home was. It surely was one of these apartments but which one. "Sorry Mae!" he mumbled and took a look in her bag. He was lucky as he found on her student id the address written on it. He took her keys and pulled her up placing her against the wall. Ogata turned and lifted her up, putting her against his back and carrying her in a piggyback.

"Mae, even now you making me do this! Xor!" he mumbled as he had finally found her home. He first rang the bell, thinking maybe someone was inside. But there was no one there. After a few more seconds, he unlocked the door and walked inside. Ogata turned the lights on and walked over to the nearest sofa leaning Mae against it.

Then he took a look around. The place had only the basic stuff. Although it was really huge. And the view, since it was the 10th or so floor, was amazing. "Must be expensive to live here?" he said as he kept looking around. "Your house is almost empty!" he said to the faded Mae. Ogata walked closer gazing at her.' With close eyes, and while not on his fearless mood he somehow looked cute.' he thought. But soon that thought was called off by another 'I must be crazy!'

Mae, wore that day her button white shirt under Akado school uniform. All her pink hoodies were dirty. Ogata that was still gazing at her moved closer. 'What if he was a girl?' he assumed again. 'But he is a boy .. so it would be alright to make sure..?' his mind went on like that. Yamato couldn't take it any had to find out the truth, and only now was the chance. In the blink of an eye, he moved his right hand and ed her 2 first buttons. He noticed the elastic belt. Ogata looked at her confused, he only moved a few inches the frozen, silent, to make sure he hadn't mistaken it. Though it was clear Mae was a girl. 'A girl' he was still confused. He didn't dare to touch her again. He took a few steps back. 'A girl!' he thought again.

He didn't really know how long he was frozen above Mae watching her. He only remembered that he grabbed a blanket from her bedroom and covered her up. He could wait and ask so many questions. 'Why was she posing as a boy? Why in their school? Why was she scared of blood? why ... why..' but somehow he could not bring himself to do so. After all, it was Ogata, he would never be so nosy. He knelt and took a last look at her as his finger ran through her forehead softly. He mumbled 'goodnight'. Turned the lights off. Locked the door behind him and left.

(Coming up chapter 7)