Just before they enter the infirmary, Kaito sees a familiar figure standing outside the treatment room, leaning against the wall. Long, slender legs, causing her to skirt to appear shorter, and long, brown hair with curls made by a flat iron, tied ponytail on her left side with a cherry blossom pin. Sakura.

“Miyawaki?” Kaito calls her, “What are you doing? Is someone hurt?”

“There you are!” Sakura hails while quickly marching toward Kaito. She’s so focused on Kaito’s face until she doesn’t notice Ren’s presence. “So what the kids said was true? Are you seriously involved in a fight? What were you thinking? What if you injure your hands and can’t play instruments anymore?” 

Concerned clearly clouded her tone and written all over her small face. Somehow it makes Kaito feel bad. “I’m fine, it wasn’t a serious brawl. I’m more than capable of protecting myself without using my hands.”

Vertical wrinkles appear between Sakura’s well-shaped eyebrows when she is inspecting Kaito’s face with an extremely close range. “I know what you are capable of. But, still…you never know when you’ll meet your archenemy.”

Sakura’s excessive concern doesn’t surprise Kaito anymore. She could never shut up whenever Kaito injured himself in sparring. She always said that she never understood why Kaito was doing a rough, dangerous club instead of focusing on music. Although he had told her that he has his reason, Sakura is still adamant to convince Kaito to migrate to the music club and stay close with her.

She’s a cute girl; Kaito admits that. Could she be his ‘Koi No Yokan’? Had ever Kaito imagined himself to truly love her in the future? Marry her? Build a family with her? Or be on her side until he turns grey? - He’s not sure.

“Humans don't have an archenemy, Miyawaki.” Ren blurts out, though a smile plastered on his lips like usual, he somehow feels offended for being left out while he’s standing right next to Kaito.

“Ah,” Sakura swivelled her head, startled. “I didn’t see you, Hasegawa-Kun! Did you come here to take this troublesome guy to the infirmary? That’s so nice of you. Sorry for the trouble, Leave him to me! I’m sure you have a lot to do before the class starts. Ah, I remember some kids from my class looking for you.”

“But I don’t want to meet them, though.” Ren grins, his eyes disappear into friendly curves. 

“Huh?” Sakura tilts his head. It’s her first time hearing Ren bluntly voicing his rejection. Not just her. Even Kaito can sense how big his eyes are now after hearing something he wouldn’t ever imagine coming from a guy who’s so obsessed with pleasing everyone.

“Ah, don’t misunderstand, I mean I wanted to be alone, that's why I don’t want to go to class before the bell.” He quickly clarifies with an awkward smile, looking slightly regretful of his decision. “Well, nevermind. Miyawaki San I don’t know if you heard this or not, but Kaito and I are in the same study group so I didn’t bother or do anything to help my partner…in study”

“Ah, I see, “ Sakura’s soft-lensed, big, marbling eyes hold on Ren’s natural hazel ones. She doesn’t understand why Ren gives him a competitive stare instead of acting like others. Almost everyone knows how she feels about Kaito. Normally, when she approached Kaito in school - doesn’t matter who he's talking with - they would immediately give her a chance. Ren is a smart guy, there’s no way he can’t read a room.

“Ah geez, Am I a kid or what? I can go to the infirmary by myself!” Kaito complains after suffocating between two intense staring contests. 

“The teacher won’t believe you. They would think you are skipping the class instead of going to the infirmary. But, they will believe me if I accompany you.” Ren makes an excuse.

“Gosh! You are fucking right! Maths is the first subject right? The sensei has a personal grudge against me, uh.” Kaito pulls his hair back, annoyed. “Ah Miyawaki, I just go with Hasegawa. Don’t worry, as you can see I’m very much alive. I can still help the choir team, just text me when you guys need my assistance.” Calmly explains to her, Kaito still with his unenthusiastic face despite offering the help.

In contrast, Sakura’s face burned red with frustration. She regards Kaito with utter incredulity. “YOU DENSE JERK! WHO THE HELL CARE WITH THE CHOIR??!!” She stomps on her feet before sauntering away in an angry march.

“What’s wrong with her?” Kaito asks Ren with a dumbfounded expression.

Ren answers him with a shrug while bites back his smile. He can’t believe himself that he feels thrilled after winning against Sakura.

“...So that’s what happened. Ouch!” Kaito winces when Ren dabs antiseptic on the wound around his lips, particularly harsh. He painstakingly explains the details to Ren. Kaito doesn’t know why, but as someone who has a big contribution to this school, Ren deserves to know that another school is targeting them. Ren may not be known as the top dog of their school, but he keeps the peace in the school behind the scenes. As a teacher’s favourite and his influential family background, no one intends to get on his bad side. He could be the reason why severe bullying is almost unsighted - not within Ren’s knowledge at least. Because one word from him could convince the principal to kick someone out of school.

However, Kaito suspects Ren isn’t that impulsive, since Kaito is still going to school. He is even in the same group as Ren in spite of mistaking him for a bully.

“Why did those delinquents suddenly make a move on us? Akita boys? What the hell was that? So childish” Ren mumbles almost to himself. Then, when he checks on Kaito’s unphased face, Ren wonders about something. “Have you heard about them before?”

Kaito remains silent, he’s in deep thought for a second before he finally meets Ren's gaze in front of him. “I knew they were a gang of rebellious kids. Established by high schoolers from this prefecture - I, more than anyone, know them very well.” There’s a clear grunt in Kaito’s low voice, Ren can’t help but flinch when he notices Kaito’s lazy gaze turns vicious when he talks about them.

Ren wonders what connection Kaito possibly had with those gangs to cause him enraged by talking about the unheard gang, not because of the fact he just got ganged up. 

However, digging deeper into it might agitate Kaito even more, so Ren pretends he doesn’t notice.

“Do you think they had truly given up after you didn’t entertain them?” Ren asks cautiously. Rubbing the ointment on Kaito’s wounds rather with force. Hissing, Kaito sends him a glare but at least it will distract him from whatever dark thought he has.

“They probably would if I fought back. Those kinds of twerps were like a colony of wasps. Once I hit the nest more of them would attack in the name of solidarity.  However, now that they found someone they were looking for was a disappointment, I hope they will give up.” Sighing hard, Kaito closes his eyes. Letting off the steam within him.

Now Ren can see the bigger picture - Kaito’s decision to let himself be beaten up, while it could be humiliating for an athlete like him, it was the best decision. Winning against them would cause more trouble and it amazes Ren how Kaito can think that far and make a quick, precise judgement in a dire situation.

/He is indeed a national athlete after all…/ Ren thinks wordlessly.

But, something still hasn’t sat right on Ren’s mind. “You know you still could defend yourself without actually fighting. Right?”

Kaito closes his eyes when Ren tends to the wound on his left eyebrow. Ren’s caramel eyes melt under the seeping sun flare through the infirmary curtain, staring solely at the area around Kaito’s eyes feels overbearing. “You want to teach me your dirty fight again?” Kaito snorts.

Ren doesn’t miss pressing on his wound hard. “Not dirty but effective. While your hands were restrained you should use your legs to attack their vital point?”

Kaito’s eyes snapped open, regards Ren with a disparaging look. “You want me to kick their balls? Dude, there's an unwritten rule among men; no matter how retarded you are, never stoop lower and attack that certain area. Causing a lifetime injury is one thing but snatching away their right to see their future offspring is a crime against humanity.”

“That’s not it, stupid!” Ren tugs on Kaito’s already short bangs. Clearing his throat, Ren straightens his posture and holds Kaito’s gaze with a serious expression. “As an athlete, you might be accustomed to focusing your attack at spots where you could score. Have you heard about pressure points?”

“Ah, so that’s what you mean…” Smirking, Kaito who is sitting on the bed leans back while casting Ren on the chair before him with an amused - almost teasing gaze. “Pressure points are the most vulnerable parts of the body - yes, we learn that in Karate. Yet, their effectiveness is grossly exaggerated. There are sensitive parts of the body that trigger excruciating pain. But during a fight, it is not so easy to target and hit these points. We never actually taught to attack pressure points that majorly also be the vital point - dirty fighting is not allowed. Besides, the chance to succeed is low, of course.”

“That technique was ineffective. It could be true just if your opponent is another trained martial artist who knows how to protect their own pressure points. However, if they are an amateur who never learns about pressure points, I don’t see the reason why this technique could be ineffective.” Ren argues confidently.

“Who are you? Why are you so confident like some martial arts master?” Kaito squints his eyes suspiciously. “Paralysing someone just by pressing on their opponent’s pressure points is, that only happened in the manga.”

This time, it’s Ren who coils and smirks smugly at his study partner. “This is why you should learn biology, especially human’s anatomy. Listen to me…” Ren starts to explain. “There’s an explanation for that myth found in the manga; A trigger point or pressure point is a small, tight area in the taut band of muscle fibres and fascia, which restricts blood flow to the area and causes pain. And humans can actually pass out when they are in a state of extreme pain - that’s why doctors would use anaesthesia before an operation since we can even get a heart attack from the shock due to the sudden excruciating pain. Shortly, you can knock someone out with the right force on someone’s trigger point.”

“Let's say that was true. But my position was restricted. I barely moved. How could I hit their pressure point?” Kaito asked. He knows this is only Ren’s method to pick his interest to study. Even so, not every amateur knows about the impact of attacking pressure points. It is normally taught in a self-defence class. Normal biology doesn’t teach how to knock someone out. If Ren is actually going this far to learn and understand the best way to explain and slip his teaching in every chance he has to Kaito, Kaito has no choice but to be grateful and respect him more. 

/He’s such an earnest guy…/Kaito thinks when Ren continues his teaching.

“Seems you haven't realised that the area on top of our feet also has a pressure point.” Ren nudges Kaito’s legs with the tip of his shoe, showing where it could be.

“What? Really? I never heard that before.”

“Well, I bet no martial artist taught you to stomp on your opponent's foot as part of their skill. But, it is actually common to teach in a self-defence class for amateurs, especially for women to protect themselves.”

“Damn Hasegawa…you could actually be my sensei.” Now Kaito is genuinely laughing. Ren’s logic was both clever but so funny with the fact it was initiated by a timid nerd. “Tell me, are you secretly a hero in disguise? Are you sneakily going to the underground fight competition after school instead of cram school?”

“I AM your sensei!” He scoffs with a satisfied sneer. “Rather than using your brain for thinking a wild imagination, how about you use it for learning the theory of what I taught you today? Also, don’t forget your responsibility to teach me music, though.”

“Don’t worry I’ll repay you. I’ve prepared something. I’m not sure if you could follow my genius method or not though. However, if you succeed, I ensure you, you’ll be the next beetho-”

“Stop yapping about Beethoven,” Ren groans while wrapping up his treatment session. “I got embarrassed just by listening to you.”

“Man, you are so pessimistic! Who knows I could be the best mentor you ever had so far?”

And that’s how their friendly conversation keeps going until they return to the class. The sight of their school’s model students walking side by side with the one known as the rebel – Ren’s charming smile when talking with Kaito’s bruised yet still looks cocky one is succeed riveted everyone’s attention. Some of them think Kaito had actually given Ren a bad influence, the others think Ren has tamed Kaito down.

Regardless, it doesn’t bother them anymore. Not even Ren who surprised by how easily he looks away from those scrutinizing eyes without giving a damn. Looking at his side where Kaito still going on and on about Ren who would be become the music genius, Ren laughs heartily. Not only how ridiculous Kaito sounds but Ren also feels so stupid for overthinking what his schoolmates think about him while Kaito walks freely with blue eyes and a face covered with yellow-pokemon band-aids.

Kaito whispers while nudging his side, “Oy Hasegawa, why are people staring at me funny? You didn’t put something weird on me right?”

Bites back his smile. Ren shrugs, “That’s only your imagination”