“What do you want?” she asked with no hesitation at all. This has been the third time the two off them bumped into each other and she was starting to get suspicious. For whatever reason he was here in the first place, he decided to keep contacting her against her wishes. And as far as she knew she had no business with him whatsoever. She might have had in the past but that time was long gone.

“What a nice way to say hello, Micky” he smirked as he casually blocked her path. He was considerably taller than her and a lot broader. She had the slim, athletes body and he was more built for fighting than anything else.

“I told you not to call me that, Saburou,” she said through gritted teeth. There was only one person in the entire world that had permission to call her that, and that person was no longer here. The fact that people, him in particular, dared to use that nickname again was strangely frustrating to say the least.

“So desu ne... I heard they gave you a new name,” he grinned. “Ne, Kinoko-atama.”

Her eyes widened slighly with surprise. How could he possibly have known about that nickname? Again, there was only one person who would use that name and she couldn’t imagine the two of them being familair with each other. Then again, Michiyo had heard that they were from the same district. And both being yankees... No, it would be a too big of a coincidence for it to be true.

“I must admit, the new style suits you...” he continued with an amused tone of voice. For whatever reason he was having fun with taunting her.

“What do you want?” she repeated again.

He chuckled. “I like your straight-to-the-point attitude. You always were the impatient one.”

“I have plenty of patience,” she replied casually. “Just not with scum like you.”

“Ne, such harsh words from such a kawaii girl,” he chuckled again as he raised his arms to cross in front of his chest as he looked at her again.

“Don’t be fooled by the appearence, you should know better.”

“So desu...” he nodded as he took a step forward into the rays of the streetlights giving her a better look at his face. He truly had the face of a mad man, a sly, vicious and disturbed young man that should be locked up for his own good. Yet his eyes were not as disturbed as she had been told they would look, her overall impression was more relaxed but that too could be deceiving.

“So? Are you going to tell me what you want or not?” she pushed on. The sooner this conversation was over the better. She wasn’t particulary afraid but more bothered by his presence. She had hoped never to be confronted with any of this again and yet here they are once again.

“I’m sure you know how us yankees deal with traitors, ne?” he continued on a more serious note.

Slowly she nodded. “I think so...” If any of the yankees would ever betray their group they would have to be punished for that. There were several kinds of punishment. They could just be kicked out of the gang, they could get beaten up by the entire group. They family could get harassed or they could get tricked by the gang to get arrested. But the most severe punishment of all, one that rarely ever happened was death. Plain and simple death. You had to take the vows and secrets of your gang to your grave and that would be an early one if you chose to break the silence.

“We have been betrayed,” he told her. “And the traitor must be punished...”

“What’s that got to do with me?” she frowned. As far as she knows she had never been a part of the gang. Therefor the traitor couldn’t possibly be her.

“Uragirimono wa... Akimoto Ayumi desu.”

“Eh?!” she let out. “Nezumi?!”

“Oi! Baka! Get your hands... OI!” her voice carried through the hallways as she protested the tight grip around her upper left arm while she was dragged behind him. Whatever his problem was this time, Wataru certainly gone too far by this action. Just marching up to her, telling her to follow and forcefully make her follow him. “WATARU!”

“Urusai yo!” he snapped back at her without looking up. He sure seemed pissed off at something and this time she really had no clue why he was taking it out on her. For the past couple of days she had been a source of nuissance to him as she was determined to get her vengeance. And since he kept on rejecting her she kept on annoying him with it until he would have no other choice but to agree.

“OI!” she snapped back but her merely tightened his grip as he dragged her towards the gym. “What the heck is going on?!”

“This!” he pulled her through the open doors of the gym and pushed her since. She merely tripped over her feet as he finally let go of her arm with a slight force.

“What is....-” her sentence was cut short as she looked up and observed the room. The gym had been demolished completely. All the cute and happy banners that the spirit team had created and hung up had been ripped into a million pieces. The walls and paintings were covered with black and red pain and several hurtful and foul words had been scribled everywhere. Several ribbons from the female tumbling team had been hung up from the ceiling while others had been ripped into a million tiny strings. Balls had been stabbed with something sharp and pulled to pieces. Spirit sticks and hoops had been broken. Mats had been ripped and the insides had been scattered all over the floor. Someone had a very rough party here last night. “Wow, someone sure was pissed,” somehow she couldn’t hide the slight amusement in her voice. The idea that anyone would actually go this far and did this and the sight of all the tumbling members, the teachers and several other students standing there, helpless and amazed, some even brought to tears, it was a strangely amusing thing.

“Rub that smile off your face, Nezumi!” Wataru immediately snaps. “We all know it was you.”

“Eh?!”

“Only you are evil enough to do such a thing,” Ryosuke nods.

“Yeah! Everyone knows you’re out to get aniki!” Nippori agrees.

She lets out a scoff, “Please, like I would actually waste my time on something like this?”

“Then who else could have done this?” Yuuta frowns, now staring directly at her. Even he was suspecting her.

“How should I know?”

“Those are some heavy accusations,” Kashiwagi joined in though it wasn’t sure if he just said that because he was a teacher or because he really didn’t know whether or not Nezumi would do such a thing.

“Honestly! Even I wouldn’t be able to do something like this!” she defended herself once again, although all the suspicions were starting to frustrate her.

“Don’t act so innocent! Just admit it!”

Clutching her fists she turned to Wataru, “Oi! Baka! Urusai yo!”

“Or what?!”

“Do you have a death wish?!”

“Words said by a real yankee!”

“I’m a yankee, not a vandal!” she replied, raising her voice even more.

“Same thing!”

“You should know!”

“Ah~?!” he took a step closer and tilted his head.

“MINNA URUSAI YO!”

Everyone turned around in surprise to see the captain of the female tumbling team standing there, her arms crossed and slightly irritated look on her face.

“Great! You too!” she sighs.

“I don’t think Nezumi-chan did this,” she said calmly.

“EH?!” Expecting the worst, Nezumi stared at her with utter surprise. She actually didn’t suspect her of this vandalism even though, and even she had to admit it, there were a lot of signs leading up to that conclusion?

“I know she causes trouble but even she wouldn’t be capable of doing such an act as this,” she continues.

“Oi! What do you mean, not capable? I’m fully capa..-” one quick glare from the preppy girl quickly cut her short. Maybe it’s best not to say anything else, especially not while she’s trying to defend her.

“I don’t know who would, but this has to be investigated...”

“Hai... W-why don’t you all just go now so the teachers and I can discuss what we’re going to do. Untill we found a way to solve this the gym will be closed.”

“But what about our training? The championship...”

“We’ll just have to practice outside like we used to do...” Satoshi sighed.

“Oh, thanks a lot Nezumi,” Ryosuke scoffed.

“But I didn’t do anything!” she moans. How many times would she have to repeat herself to make them believe it.

“Sa, minna-san! Ikou,” Michiyo said as she makes her way through the group of male tumbling members towards the exit.

Nezumi quickly glances towards Wataru who is practically shooting daggers out of his eyes, before deciding to follow Michiyo. There was just one little thing that kept bugging her. Why, out of all people, would Michiyo actually believe in her innocence?

“Oi! Matta!” she called after her. “Kinoko-atama! Chotto matta!”

Reluctantly she stopped as they reached halfway the courtyard and turned around.

“Nani?”

“Naze?” she quickly said.

“Eh?”

“Why did you defend me back there?” she asked. “Everyone believed I was the culprit. And all the evidence... Why didn’t you agree with them?”

“I truly believe that you didn’t do it,” she explained calmly. “You cause a lot of trouble, yes, but I know you’re not that bad of a person at heart. You can’t be...” Normally, she would have agreed with the rest of the group. All the signs were there, it was just such a coincidence. But knowing better, knowing that if Mizumi would actually be so fond of this girl she couldn’t possibly be so heartless.

“Eh?” she tilted her head in slight confusion. What on earth could she mean by that.

She shook her head, “Never mind. Let’s just work hard to find the real culprit!” With those words she turned around and walked away again.

“Ah... Arigatou ne!” she called after her. Never before did she thank Michiyo for anything nor anyone else for that matter. But a thank you was at place. Just this once.

Michiyo merely waved back without looking back at the girl. No, she had other things to do. For example, finding the real culprit behind the chaos of the gym. The one place she loved more than her own home. And she knew exactly who it was.

<<“Uragirimono wa... Akimoto Ayumi desu.”

“Eh?!” she let out. “Nezumi?!”

“Ah, you know her?” He nodded. “I assume you two are hitting it of perfectly. It runs in the family”

“It... what?”

Again he nodded. “Nezumi was our precious leader’s little favorite..”

“Mizumi?” the fact that Mizumi and Nezumi could actually be friends placed her young yankee classmate in a whole different light. Up until know Michiyo had thought that Nezumi was nothing but bad luck brought onto the school. But if Mizumi actually befriended her, that had to mean that Nezumi wasn’t all that bad, right?

“Shocking, I know. I was very disappointed when Mizumi-chan took Nezumi under her wing like that, she was so useless at first. Yet so inseparable, like sisters.” He smirked at the sight of her flinching at his words. “No one was allowed to make fun our fresh blood, Mizumi was so convinced that she would actually be a great addition to the group and taught her everything she knew. Then again, she did always have an eye for talent. She was so proud when we finally got to know the real Nezumi...”

“W-what do you need me for then?” she didn’t care for all of this. She didn’t need to know about Mizumi’s life as a yankee nor the people she met, the people she liked and disliked. It might have been denial but she didn’t want to care.

“Anything I do would spark suspicion with the girl... But she wouldn’t expect anything from her sweet, responsible classmate.”

“Eh?”

“All you need to do is coöperate with our little plan to get Nezumi right where we want her...”

She would have to destroy the little trust she had with the new girl to get rid of the person who she wished she had never met. Wouldn’t that mean she would be as bad and low as Saburou?

“So what do you say?” he smirked.

“Shimasen.”

“Nani?” his voice sounded surprised yet his face showed nothing.

“I won’t do anything that could hurt others,” she said bravely. “I want no part of this.”

He chuckled. “But you already are. You’ve been a part of it ever since you first met Nezumi.”

“Shimasen!” she repeated, her voice clearer and louder this time.

“Suit yourself,” he merely shrugged. “You’ll change your mind soon enough...” >>

Turning the corner she entered the little alley where she knew she would find him. This time Saburou had gone too far. When he first said she was going to change her mind she had no idea what he meant. But as time progressed she started to understand those words. At first it was harmless. She would only find her locker dented, her books ripped, damaged and written in and her tumbling uniform had been ripped, all things that she could take to a certain ammount. But such an act, something that not only got to her but so many others, that was enough. This had to stop.

“Saburou!” she called as she stopped in the alley where she had crossed paths with him before. “Oi! Saburou!”

“Are are,” a voice chuckled as he appeared from another doorway. “What a pleasant surprise!”

“Cut the sweet-talk,” she snapped. “You had no right destroying everything!”

“Ah? So I guess you didn’t like my slight redecoration of your precious gym?” he geniunly looked surprised but she knew better. And so did he for that matter.

“At least have the courage to take credit for your actions,” she told him. “Everyone is suspecting Nezumi...”

“That is a unexpected yet pleasant extra to my plan,” he smirked. “But it brought you back here, didn’t it?”

“This has to stop!”

“Fine,” he said seriously. “If you want me to leave you alone, you know what to do!”

“There must be another way... ”

He shook his head. “I take a certain amount of amusement at seeing people suffer. Seeing you suffer because of it is slightly as amusing as seeing Mizumi suffer right before her death...”

“Kuso...” she said through gritted teeth. The nerve of him talking about Mizumi in that manner.

“Now now, watch your language...” he chuckled once again.

“Oi! Saburou!”

Both heads turned to see Nezumi quickly approaching them. She had no idea what was going on but the fact that Saburou was there with Michiyo was disturbing enough for her to check it out. If anything, he was up to no good and poor Michiyo was defenseless against him.

“Ah, Nezumi,” he smirked. “What a coincidence. We were just talking about you...”

“Eh?” she frowned as she looked from him to Michiyo and back. “What is going on?”

“Nan demo nai!” Michiyo quickly told her before glancing at Saburou, “I... I walked into the wrong alley. Gomenasai.” His eyes. Those were starting to look like a cruel man’s eyes. Maybe she had no other choice but to work with him to get rid of him. But she’d rather not get involved at all. Guess it’s a little too late for that now.

“Oh, it happens,” he played along. Nezumi glared at him suspiciously as his reaction was so out of character for him. “I’m off now. Ja matta!” he gave his trademark salute then disappeared into the shadows of the alley.

Michiyo and Nezumi stared after him for a moment before Nezumi turned to look at her, “Daijobu desu ka?”

She nodded a little absentmindedly before turning to Nezumi, “What are you doing here?”

“Ah? Ano... I was passing on my way home and saw you two talking...” she explained, “You don’t want to mess with that guy... So I came to help you out and..-”

“Baka! I don’t need your help!” she snapped suddenly.

“Eh?”

“Do you think I’m just a helpless little girl? That I can’t do anything?”

“Ne, Kinoko-atama! I was just trying to repay the favor...”

“Stop calling me that!” she called. “If you really want to repay me for this morning, stay away from me! I don’t want you hanging around anymore!”

“Oi!” she frowned. The sudden change of character both surprised and confused her. But there was no need for her to snap back at her like that. For once she tried to do good, no need to be this ungrateful.

“Ja matta!” she stubbornly said as she turned around and marched off.

“Eh?”

Stepping onto the school grounds the next morning, the atmosphere was so different from what it had been the day before. Something else had happened yet no one was as tense and distraught as they were yesterday.

A crowd had gathered in front of the doors of the school, upon which something had been attached. It was a letter. Even better, it was a confession and apology. The real culprit of the demolished gym had stepped forward, so to speak. The person had written down his confession and his apology on this piece of paper in which he said that he had already gone to the police and confessed. There was another sign hanging underneath by the principal who confirmed that the culprit had indeed been arrested. It surely happened in such a short period of time, the person who had this on his heart couldn’t bare to live with it.

“Ah, Nezumi-kun,” she turned around to see the tumbling team who had just emerged from their private room with the old, rather useless mats that they had used before they were actually a real team.

Nezumi crossed her arms and smirked as she approached the group, her eyes aimed for Wataru who stubbornly looked away.

“Ne, didn’t I tell you I was innocent?” she said proudly. “Didn’t I? Didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did,” Hino grinned slightly at her rather child like behaviour. Nezumi’s personality was very surprising. Never could you expect a certain reaction. One moment she can be a very nice, rather normal girl, the next a very hyperactive child and the moment after she can practically slit your throat.

“I guess we’re sorry?” Kaneko said hesitantly.

“We shouldn’t have doubted you...” Satoshi agreed.

She smiled, “Arigatou! Dakedo...” she turned back to Wataru, “Someone owes me a bigger apology, ne?”

He merely scoffed.

“Or better yet...” she raised her clutched fists.

“I am not going to fight you!” he immediately replies, knowing what her words were implying. “Nor apologizing! Who’s to say you didn’t order that guy to demolish the gym?”

She sighed, “You sure are starting to irritate me, Azuma Wataru.”

“So?”

“You really shouldn’t challenge me like that,” she replied, her voice slightly lower than how she spoke a few minutes ago and a more serious look on her face, “Not unless you really do have a death wish. In that case I’d be happy to oblige.”

“Tck, baka.”

The bell rang and everyone moved into the building. Nezumi was about to snap back at Wataru but the sound of her cell ringing distracted her from that plan. Instead she fished her phone from her pocket.

“Moshi moshi,”

“Nezumi-chan...”

“Eh? Kinoko-ata...-”

“Gomen Nezumi... Saburou...”

“Saburou? What... Michiyo where are you?”

“The old warehouse... I-I’m sorry Nezumi b-but...”

Although she had no idea what was going on, but the fact that Saburou had something to do with it and the distressed tone of voice in which she spoke, something must be wrong. As expected, she was no match for Saburou. She was in trouble and although she disliked Michiyo, she had to do something. Immediately. Without awaiting anything else she hung up and sprinted away from the school, heading for the old warehouse.