Jun gripped the hem of his light green t-shirt as the woman in front of him paced back in forth with an angry expression on her face. She wasn’t mean to see him in this way, beaten up just because he was trying to save Kazu again from those relentless older students. Even if he tried to tell her that it was just a misunderstanding, she still blamed her childhood friend for making her image look bad. Besides him, Kazu was mentally trying his best to tell him it was ok. Just as he was about to explain to her for the fifth time, she came towards them with her hand in the air and he could clearly hear her hand land across Kazu’s thin face.

“Hey!” He yelled in defense, “I said it wasn’t his fault! It was mine!”

“Then do you want me to slap you too?” She scorned as she stood back up and walked towards him with her hand in the air, “You good for nothing son...”

“You’re not my mother!” He shrieked. “You’re just an old hag who wants my dad for money!”

“What?” She snapped, “What did you call me? I dare you to call me that again.”

Jun dared to as he opened his mouth, “You’re. An. Old. Hag.”

He could feel the anger in him boil as he said those words. When she first revealed her true colors when his father wasn’t around, he can never speak those words to her, afraid that something worse was going to happen. However, as he looked into her eyes and saw the fire burning it them, he spit back and the woman came lunging at him.

“No!” Kazu yelled as he stood up in front of him, “You can’t hurt J because of me. I won’t let you.”

The woman stopped at her heels and a smirk formed across her face. He knew Kazu was just trying his best to defend him, but this woman wasn’t worth it. As her hand went up the air again, Jun grabbed his friend’s elbow and dragged him until they were out of his house, knowing that she won’t come after them so easily. Having no choice but to leave, he walked off first with Kazu following closely behind him.It was a short walk to the hill. As soon as they made it, Kazu ran up first and he shortly followed after. Once he was at the top, Kazu pushed him on the ground before laying down next to him also.

“Kazu, you know you didn’t have to do that. She’s my new mom after all, so it’s my business,” He told him while he continued to stare at the clouds in the sky.

Kazu sighed, “I know. It’s just that...I don’t like seeing J get hurt by someone he hates.”

He knew how his friend felt about the whole situation, but he couldn’t help it since he practically has to live with her until he can finally live independently. But as for now, he would have to take those painful slaps across his face, and her lectures about being careful so her image won’t be ruined.

Jun turned to his side to see Kazu who was smiling as if nothing happened. He admired his friend for it, though he still felt guilty for putting him through this every time. He’s never once seen a scratch on his face since he was always in time to save him from getting one. Seeing that red hand forming on his face... Jun felt like Kazu was going to hate him for it. Sighing, he lifted his hand and placed it gently on his friend’s red cheek, not noticing how his friend flinched from it.

“Does it hurt?” He asked him as he blew on the red mark.

Kazu shook his head, though the smile on his face was gone and his eyes were bulging out of his eye socket. Jun frowned.

“What’s the matter? Did she really hit you that hard? Does it hurt? I’ll--” He was about to pull his hand away when Kazu’s hand stopped him from doing so.

Kazu shook his head. “It doesn’t hurt as long as J touches it.”

“Then...” Jun gulped, “I’ll keep on...”

Kazu nodded before he closed his eyes shut. As if the years hadn’t changed them, the warmth from his friend’s hand never left. It was still there the longer his friend held his hand to stop him from pulling his hand away. He felt like past was replaying itself, but this time it was him who was taking care of Kazu even though he wasn’t so beat up badly like him. Jun couldn’t help but smile as he twisted his hand around Kazu’s face, and linked his fingers with his.

“Kazu, can I sleep over tonight? My dad won’t mind.”

“Sure,” he said without opening his eyes. “Then you can treat the mark on my face before my mom finds out and gets mad. And as long as that fox won’t curl her hands around your neck.”

Jun shuddered at the thought of that. Without another word spoken, Jun let go of Kazu’s hand and told him that whoever loses first, will have to sleep on the floor. After saying so, he dashed off leaving Kazu to shout his name loudly. Jun turned around, sticking his tongue out at his friend who was running after him and screaming for him to wait. Jun just kept running while looking at his friend though the mad look on his face was exchanged with a very worried one.

Thinking that it was no big deal, he kept on running forward knowing that he was going to win. He looked back again and he can see that his friend was yelling furiously, and telling him to stop. Jun didn’t listen and just kept running and running until he saw from the corner of his eyes, a light coming towards him in a very fast speed. His feet stopped. He was unable to move as his eyes grew wide and the car raced towards him without stopping or swerving to the side. The last thing he remembered hearing was Kazu screaming for his name, and his body landing hard on glass.

TBC