The entire 3-D students compile in a single place from the back as Yamaguchi asked Hayato, Ryu and the others regarding the incident yesterday night; while Reiko sits beside the male students, meters away from them, doing nothing but to sleep.

 

She was tired... haven’t sleep the entire night that much.

 

“You guys really didn’t do anything?” she hear Yamaguchi asks the boys; she groaned, trying to sleep.

 

“I told you we didn’t,” Ryu replies as Hayato look at the pony-tailed teacher seriously.

 

“We went straight to our home, after eating the ramen,” Hayato answers back as Yamaguchi looks at them in relief.

 

“I see... I’m relieved to hear that,” she replied back as Ryu scoffs.

 

“Where do you find an idiot that says his name after beating up people?” Ryu let out, stating a fact.

 

Yamaguchi nods at him, “That’s true,” she answers and laugh, the other 3-D students chime in, she suddenly raised her hands above to silence them. “That means somebody is trying to frame you guys.” She declares as everyone look at her surprised, believing.

 

Everyone murmurs in confusion, trying to think who the culprit is. “I see.” Hayato let out as Yamaguchi look at him.

 

“Do you have someone in mind?”

 

Everyone was clueless on who the culprit, wanting to set Ryu and Hayato. They enumerate some names from other high school as Yamaguchi look at them incredulously.

 

Ryu suddenly looked at the side to see his cousin asleep; he frowned in confusion as he looks at Yamaguchi. “There’s that many?”

 

“There’s too many to figure out who it is!” Tsuchiya let out frustratingly, everyone nodded; as they couldn’t tell who the culprit is.

 

At Tsuchiya’s outburst, Reiko sat up straight in her seat and look at Tsuchiya aggravatingly. “Mou, Tsucchi! Somebody here wants to sleep!” she yelled out sleepily, as she looked at Tsuchiya with those sleepy eyes with a hint of threat. Everyone went silent as they all look at Reiko silently but surprise; they never noticed her because she was sleeping at the farthest side.

 

Ryu scoffs, smirking as he looks at his cousin. “Baka,”

 

After Yamaguchi left, the male students of 3-D arranged their seats to form a circle; leaving the sleeping Reiko peacefully at the back. They all want not to disturb the sleeping girl, and gets on her bad side. So... instead of talking out loud, they were murmuring.

 

“To use our names like that,” Hayato mutters seriously, never believing of the case they were encountering.

 

Takeda nods, shaking his head as he played with his school badge, pinned at his collar. “They were wearing our uniforms, and had the school’s badge on it too.”

 

“They’re looking down on us,” Hyuuga let out, playing his classmate’s hair.

 

Tsuchiya, being frustrated, scratches his head aggravatingly. “Darn, that makes me mad! Since it come to this, why don’t we find the culprits?!” he exclaimed as everyone shot him a look to shut him up. Tsuchiya, surprised at this, suddenly looks at Reiko’s way; sighing in relief, as they saw no movements from the sleeping girl.

 

But, suddenly hearing Tsuchiya’s side and intention to find the culprits; they all look at him confusedly and interested. Hayato sighs and stand up, suddenly looking at his classmates smiling. “Let’s do it,” he simply said as everyone agrees, Takeda stood as well and nodded; and everyone is in their own world on how to find the culprit.

 

Ryu, on the other hand, sighed as he looks at his classmate incredulously; noticing that his classmates changed mood. “They’re not mad anymore?” he murmured to himself, suddenly looking at Reiko who is sleeping beside him.

 

Reiko yawned happily, stretching her arms up as they hang out from the park; everyone, except for her and Ryu, compiled near Hayato. Tsuchiya were distributing sheets of paper, “This is the picture of how they look like,” Hayato let out, as Tsuchiya nodded, Ryu gets one and take a look at it.

 

Reiko strides towards her cousin and peek at the paper Ryu gets. “What’s that?” she asked as Ryu look at her and sighed.

 

“You missed something because you slept in class,” Reiko pouted and looks at the paper.

 

“Eh? Who were those?” Reiko asks, suddenly grinning goofily at the picture the boy’s draw.

 

“There’s no way you’ll find them with this,” Ryu let out as he looks down at his cousin’s confused gaze. “Someone wants to frame us up, saying our names when they beat some students from the neighbor schools.”

 

“Eh? That’s mean...”

 

The entire Class 3D had dispersed throughout parks, streets, markets, and shops in a collective effort to locate the culprit, but their search proved futile.

 

Hayato, accompanied by Tsuchiya, Hyuuga, Takeda, Ryu, and Reiko, found themselves exiting a pachinko store, their expressions marked with frustration. "I guess that picture didn't provide any help," Hayato remarked, shaking his head. Reiko turned to look at him, her expression mirroring his disappointment.

 

"That's because their faces are concealed. How would anyone recognize them?" Reiko responded with a sigh. Tsuchiya fanned himself and nodded in agreement.

 

"But you guys have some nerve going into a pachinko store," a voice chimed in. They all nodded in acknowledgment, their surprise evident as they turned to face the source of the voice. It was Yamaguchi.

 

"Yankumi?!" they exclaimed in recognition.

 

The group gathered in a nearby park, explaining their mission to locate the culprit and help their friends clear their names of a crime they didn't commit.

 

Hyuuga, Takeda, Hayato, and Tsuchiya settled in one spot, while Reiko and Ryu positioned themselves behind Yamaguchi in a makeshift treehouse. "I see. You guys are concerned about your friends," Reiko remarked, casting a glance at Hayato. Her thoughts drifted back to the kiss from the previous night, causing her to lose sleep over it. "So, did you come across any clues?"

 

Reiko let out a scoff as Yamaguchi looked at her. "They were circulating this picture..." Yamaguchi took the paper Reiko was holding. "There's no way they can identify anyone with that," Reiko commented as she walked over to where the four boys were sitting. She had intended to sit beside Tsuchiya, but her cousin beat her to it, sporting a triumphant smirk. Reiko bit her lower lip as she settled herself beside Hayato instead.

 

“I see. I understand your feelings now, but go home for today.” Yamaguchi let out as everyone look at her confused, she saw the confusion in their eyes and sighed. “If the Head Teacher saw you guys walking around this time, you’d get into trouble.”

 

“But...”

 

“Don’t worry, just go home,”

 

Reiko suddenly notices a black figure behind Yamaguchi; it was the police they have encountered yesterday night.

 

“Well, well, well. Seeing you all gathered here.” the police let out as he strides towards Yamaguchi’s way.

 

“Good evening,”

 

“Having extracurricular activities this late at night?” the police ask as he walks and stands in front of the students. Reiko scoffs and rolled her eyes.

 

“Something like that.” Yamaguchi answers. “Are you on patrol?”

 

“Yes. There have been a lot of disturbing incidents lately.” The police explain as Yamaguchi asks about it. The police look at her answered her question. “Attacks at night.” The police suddenly looked at the boys and Reiko and points at them accusingly. “Don’t tell me it’s you guys, is it?”

 

Hayato and the boys stand up as Yamaguchi went in front of her students and stop them from what she thinks they were to do.

 

“Police accusing students with no evidence, how absurd it can be?” Reiko let out as the police look at her in surprise.

 

“What are you doing here with them?” the police asked Reiko, the boys and Yamaguchi look at Reiko, then to the police.

 

“Do you know him, Reiko?” Takeda asks as Reiko scoffs and looks away.

 

“I don’t know stupid people like him,” she only answered as she looks at the police. “I’m their classmate, for your information,”

 

The police exhales and look at Yamaguchi, looking away at Reiko. “Would you please stop suspecting prospective young people without proof?”

 

The police scoff and looked at the boys in front of him, “Prospective young people, you say?” as Yamaguchi laughed and nodded at him.

 

“Well, do your best. Adios,” he let out and looks at Reiko for a while and left.

 

Reiko narrowed her eyes as she did a last look at the police and look at the boys.

 

“He makes me so mad,” Yamaguchi let out annoyingly.

 

Reiko and the boys were still walking at the park near some nearby shops; they were all chatting, Reiko stood beside her cousin and Hayato. As they all stride towards the park, groups of men approached them.

 

“The park again?” Hayato let out as they all look at the men confused.

 

“Hey... do all of you know them?” Reiko asked as they all shook their heads.

 

“Yo! It’s been a while.” Said a voice as they all look from their left and saw a guy with short black hair; the guys look at them surprised as Reiko look at him blankly.

 

The guy strides from the center as Ryu called him, “Kudo?”

 

“How does it feel getting a bit of attention?” Kudo, the guy, asked as he looks back at the other men whom laughed back.

 

“What?” Reiko asked confusedly as Kudo look at her.

 

“Who’s this girl?” Kudo asked, looking at Reiko up and down; Hayato suddenly took a hold of Reiko’s hand and move her from his back. Kudo raised an eyebrow and smirks.

 

“You guys, did it?” Hayato asked, or more like stated the fact, seeing the goofy and taunting grins of the men behind Kudo.

 

“We really had fun. Well, the uniform and stuff didn’t cost so much.” Kudo explained as Ryu sighed and look at him.

 

“You dropped out of school before, what are you up to now?” Ryu asked as Reiko look at Hayato who still took a hold of her hand.

 

“I had some free time, so I was just having some fun. Right?” the men laughed and nodded.

 

“Hayato...” Reiko murmurs as Hayato looks down at her. “You’re still holding my hand... I’m okay,” Hayato smirks and let go of her hand as they look at Kudo and his men quietly.

 

Kudo slowly strides his way towards Hayato and Ryu, “You wanna join us? We’ll welcome both of you,” Kudo said as he looks at Reiko.

 

“It must be boring going to that stinking place anymore.” He said, looking at Ryu. “Ryu, you hated school all this time.” He pursues to recruit them as Ryu sighed and look away.

 

“That’s not true,” Ryu answered as the five looked at him. “It’s not all that interesting either.” Hayato was in deep thought, suddenly smirking and agreed on what Ryu said.

 

“True,”

 

Kudo felt aggravated, looking at the six of them expectantly. “Hey, we came all this way to ask you. What’s your answer?” Kudo asked, pissed as he still waits for the answer.

 

“We decline,” Ryu answered as Hayato and the rest looks at him. “Sorry, but I have no interest in turning into one of you.” He explained as Hayato nodded.

 

“We’re not so free.” Hayato answered as he looks at Kudo and took a couple of steps towards Kudo; Tsuchiya, Hyuuga and Takeda were all worried of him. Hayato paused, tilting his head at the sighed; raising his hand in a peace sign and quotes it. “See ya.” He let out, suddenly holding Reiko’s hand and left; Ryu and the others quickly followed him from behind.

 

“Just when we had specially come to ask you; giving me this entire attitude,” Kudo rudely let out as he looks at his men. “Hey, surround them.”

 

The men followed Kudo’s order; surround the six of them as the men raised their weapons towards them. Hayato looked at the men that surround them, as Reiko sighed and looked at the men.

 

Hayato sighed, flinging his collar and looked at them seriously. “Formation B.” he let out as Ryu looked at him surprised.

 

“B?”

 

“Roger.” The other three guys agreed as Reiko looked at them confusedly.

 

“Formation B? What’s that?” she asked Ryu as Ryu didn’t look back at her.

 

“Just follow it,” Ryu murmured.

 

“Ready...go!” Hayato let out as Reiko was drag by Hayato quickly away from the place; Ryu and the rest make a quick escape from different directions.

 

Reiko was surprise as she just went to the flow, being dragged by Hayato away from the scene. “That was Formation B? Escaping?” she asked, flabbergasted as Hayato look at her with a funny look.

 

“It’s not like we could fight them by ourselves,” he replied as Reiko only shook her head.

 

She paused as they stop running and went inside the tunnel. “They will not follow us in this tunnel for sure.” Hayato let out as Reiko pulled away from his grasp, suddenly having the feeling of her heart beating faster.

 

She couldn’t take it anymore as Hayato paused and look back at her. “I have to leave... I mean... go home,” Reiko let out stuttering as Hayato frowned.

 

“I’ll walk you home,” upon hearing Hayato’s word, Reiko felt happy, contented yet not good at the same time. It made her feel weak, to the extent that she would lose being strong.

 

“Thank you, but I decline...” she let out, suddenly running away from the place. “See you at school!”

 

“O-Oi!!” that was the only word Reiko heard and a call from Hayato’s phone.