“You’re going alone?” Daiki found himself stopping the younger boy from taking another step. He saw Keito and Chinen doing the same thing and just blocked Ryosuke’s way towards the nearest door… “Are you crazy?” he continued with a firm voice after seeing Ryosuke resisting.

 
“What do you want me to do? I need to save Rio!” the boy replied and with much force, he pushed his three best friends away like they were nothing. Anger was evident on his face but Keito, Daiki and Chinen just can’t let him go his way. They need a plan, at least. However, at this time, Ryosuke wasn’t thinking properly anymore… “I need to do this alone. They might hurt Rio if they see I have backup”

 
“At least take me with you” Chinen volunteered after grabbing Ryosuke’s hand. Indeed, he looks like the weakest one in the group but the latter still firmly declined his offer. The smaller boy then felt Yamada’s hand on his own which made his grip loosened a bit. By now he knows, no one can stop him.

The three remaining boys then saw Ryosuke’s figure disappear through the door within a flash. Daiki then felt himself pulling his own mobile and dialling one person’s number to ask for some help.

“Moshi moshi?”

“Yuya! Your sister is in trouble… Yama-chan is on his way to save her. He needs backup” Daiki said promptly. He didn’t even let Yuya speak and just instructed him where to go… “We’re gonna send you the address. Meet us there”

----

“Should we go for a date?” Yuya smirked and wiggled her eyebrow in front of Fai which in turn made the younger girl roll her eyes. She tried her best to get away from the latter but his persistence seems to be on its peak right now.

“NO!”

“WHY NOT?!”

“Did you settle the problem with Rio-chan and Ryo-chan yet?” Fai asked in concern and tried her best to get the boy off the topic of going on a date with her. You see, for the last 4 days, Rio hasn’t been talking to him and Fai is his only reason to stay happy right now.

“Hmm… Not yet. But I’m sure if I buy Rio some strawberries, she’ll hate me a bit less” Yuya explained.

“You really are an idiot!” Fai frowned and ignored the taller boy who seems to be sticking to her like glue. As she turned around, both of them heard Yuya’s mobile ringing inside his pocket.

--

“Moshi moshi, Arioka?” Yuya answered. Fai saw Takaki’s facial expression change within an instant whilst listening to the boy on the other end of the line. She tried her best to listen to their conversation and just noticed Yuya standing frozen in his place.

With this, she knows, something horrible happened.

“R-Rio” Yuya felt his own knees trembling after hearing Daiki’s news on the phone. He tried to move but his body doesn’t seem to have the will to budge. Yuya then saw Daiki’s message on the surface of his mobile indicating the address of their meeting place.

“What’s wrong?”

“R-Rio…” Yuya tried to process what was happening and just hoped that his sister is still safe. He then forced himself up but a set of hands grabbed shirt.

“What’s going on?!”

“Rio is in danger. I need to save her”

“Huh?”

“I don’t know what happened but apparently Ryosuke is on his way”

“Ryo-chan??!!” Fai saw Yuya panicking.

“Just stay here, okay?!” he said while restlessly going backwards and forwards whilst looking for his keys. Fai saw sudden anger plastered on his face but the girl just couldn’t help but to protest.

“WHAT? No way! I’m coming with you… I can’t let you and Ryo-chan fight alone”

“No! You can’t go!” Yuya said firmly. He headed towards the door but Fai blocked his way.

“WHY?!” she replied stubbornly. It was obvious that their argument is still active and the younger girl doesn’t seem to accept defeat.

“Because I said so!”

“Who made you the boss? Is this one of your ist act again?! Are you trying to be a hero? You know I can help you! I can fight! Don’t underestimate me because I’m a girl!” Fai continued her protest in one single breath.

“THAT’S NOT IT!” the boy replied in frustration. He continued to find a way to pass through the door but the young girl still blocked his way.

“THEN WHAT?!”

“BECAUSE…”

“WHAT?!”

“BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO RISK YOU!” Yuya shook both of her shoulders and looked down with teary eyes. It was the first time she saw him like this – scared and vulnerable. For a yankee like him, she knows for a fact that he’s not scared of anything. But now she’s aware of Takaki Yuya’s weakness… seeing his loved ones hurt… “I’m worried about losing my sister. I don’t want to risk losing you”

 “You won’t lose me, I promise. I still owe you a date after all…”

 
---

Rio forced her heavy eye lids open to see her surroundings. She felt a numb pain coming from her neck which she assumes to be from being in an uncomfortable position for such a long time. The place she was in has a tint of gasoline smell in it but the darkness inside the room didn’t help Rio to see clearly. The small beam of light coming from the small windows were just enough to see the scraps of metals around which made it look like an old junk yard. Within an instant, she found herself tied unto a chair; with both of her hands behind her back and legs stuck together with duct tape.

Rio struggled tirelessly to at least loosen herself from the tight ropes enveloping her but to her dismay, she couldn’t escape. It wasn’t long when a man’s shadow appeared before her and played on the strands of hair hanging loosely on her forehead. The man gently caressed her cheeks and gave off an evil smirk.

“What do you want from me?” Rio managed to say despite all her fears. She felt her own heart rebelling against her chest as if aware of the danger coming her way.

“I don’t want anything from you” The man spoke… “I just want to teach your boyfriend, Yamada Ryosuke a lesson” the man continued to speak and signalled around 15 other men to come near Rio.

“Yama-chan? What are you planning to do to him?”

“You’ll see when he comes” he chuckled, sure of his victory.

--

“He’s not gonna come…” Rio uttered under her breath. She suddenly remembered what happened earlier. Ryosuke hates her. There’s no way he’ll come.

“What?!” the man questioned, somehow with anger.

“I told you, he’s not gonna come!” Rio shouted with teary eyes – not because she gained courage but because of the thought of Ryosuke’s hatred towards her… “He hates me… I--”

Rio’s sentence fell flat as soon as she felt a striking pain coming from her right cheek. The man made a painful strike on the girl’s face which left her lower lip cut open. It seems like the idea of Ryosuke not coming thus ruining his plan just pushed his anger to its limit.

“If he doesn’t come, I’ll kill you instead” he pulled Rio’s hair down and shook her head aggressively, making the poor girl cry in agony.

--

Suddenly…

“YOU BASTARD!!” a punch flew out of nowhere that made the leader of the group stumble on the ground. Not being able to hold his anger, Ryosuke felt his blood boiling after seeing his enemy hurting Rio… “Touch her again and I’ll kill you all” he threatened and positioned himself in fro