He was quiet while he looked at me. Could I even achieve that feat? There's so much I don't know about running a business. What if I failed to recreate that atmosphere? What if I failed at even attempting to open a bar? I had already lost my home once, I didn't want to recreate it and lose it again. But Anzai's earnest eyes caused butterflies to stir inside me. This time I could tell it was the feeling of excitement at the idea of owning my own bar. I came to realize a new love of mine. It wasn't just my first love that I liked about that bar, it was the bar itself.

"...I'll do it," I said. "When I graduate, I'll study how to open my own bar and do it!"

Anzai nodded. With a goal for the future in mind, I felt excited to get older and achieve my dreams.

Before graduation, some of the graduates from last year returned to help set up the event and make speeches at our school. One of them was a man named Shukishi Nitta. He was a handsome boy with jet black hair, dark eyes, glasses, and a pleasant smile he always wore on his face. Despite his proper appearance, I heard rumors of him hooking up with several girls and never going out with anyone for long. We once crossed paths and he gave me a kind smile, sending a shiver down my spine. I hoped that smile didn't mean I was next on his list of girls he wanted to try hooking up with.

Because of the graduation event, we were reunited in the hallway. He remembered my name just as I remembered his.

"Narihira Shimohira, your hair is longer," he said, smiling politely.

"Shukishi Nitta..." I cautiously responded. He only ever went out with girls that I knew of, but I was worried he would try to hit on me as well. I would never go out with or hook up with someone like him who doesn't even care about true love like I do.

"Please call me Shukishi. And is this man the one I've heard about? Anzai Imamura, the strongest in the school?"

Anzai narrowed his eyes, looking wary of the man.

"Are you here to help out?" I asked while glancing at Anzai, hoping he wouldn't try to intimidate the perverted man in front of us. His smile wasn't faltering at all despite seeing Anzai for the first time. I doubted any threats would faze him. It'd be better to handle this peacefully.

"Yes, I am. They even begged me to come back after all. Since I was an honor student and top of the school in exams, they wanted me to encourage the other students by showing off my feats. Speaking of, are you taking your studies seriously like you're supposed to?" His smile deepened while his tone became teasing.

"I don't care as much as you did, I've kept my grades at what they need to be to graduate. If I try any harder, it'll be too much of a headache." I knew he was only working extra hard to keep up his perfect student act so the teachers would praise him and overlook any bad rumors about him.

"That's too bad. I thought you'd be a beauty and a genius, the best of both worlds."

"Don't hit on me, I know you play around!" He's the worst!

"I'm afraid I'm not into men. It's a shame you're not a girl."

Anzai stepped forward to get between us. His back looked so strong and reliable. Shukishi's eyes widened. Wait, I wanted to handle this peacefully...

"My bad, I was just joking around," Shukishi claimed.

I glanced around at the other students passing by staring at us. I put my hand on Anzai's shoulder.

"He's not worth it," I said.

Anzai hesitated before moving back to stand beside me. Shukishi's smile became wider.

"I bet there's an interesting story about how you two became so close. Could I hear about it after the graduation ceremony?"

I furrowed my brows. "What do you want, Shukishi?"

He leaned closer, beaming. "I think we should all become great friends!"

I felt a strange sense of deja vu, causing a shiver to go down my spine. Anzai put his hand between our faces.

"Back off," he said.

Shukishi straightened and took a step back. "I'll be seeing you around while I'm helping here. I'm sure we can become friends in that time. I should head back to the auditorium. See you later."

Before I could refuse, he turned around and walked away, getting lost among the other students. I glanced at Anzai who was staring down the hallway.

"I wasn't that annoying, was I...?" I asked.

He met my eyes. Then he shook his head and turned the opposite way from where Shukishi went to keep walking. But if I was as annoying as Shukishi... I'm sorry once again, Anzai...

Shukishi decided to invade our space any time he had free time, forcing his friendship down our throats. I kept saying sorry to Anzai whenever our interactions finally came to an end while he just looked confused. Soon we had no choice but to be friends with him in the end.

Graduation day eventually arrived. Shukishi gave a wonderful speech, I was surprised by how moving it was. He didn't flaunt his accomplishments as something super easy, he explained how hard he had to work for it and that it all paid off in the end. He encouraged the rest of us to keep doing the best we could and said that we could do anything we set our minds to.

After the ceremony was over, parents and family took pictures and hugged the graduates. My parents were absent as expected. They'd send a late text eventually I assumed. Anzai's mom came to the ceremony though. Their interactions almost seemed awkward. I decided to intrude upon them and introduce myself. Luckily we got along well.

"Do you have any plans for the future?" Shukishi congratulated us as well and asked.

I nodded, smiling. "I want to open my own bar."

"Oh? I didn't know you were interested in that kind of thing."

"It's my dream. I want to study hard to achieve it."

"So now you'll study hard? Sounds like you're quite serious about it. I give my full support," he beamed.

When the question of the future was turned on Anzai, he wasn't sure. We both hoped he could find something he was passionate about. Shukishi was also working towards his plans for the future, to get a good paying corporate job. I figured he'd succeed at whatever he did.

After high school, I got into college and Anzai joined me at the same one. We studied the curriculum while I dabbled in classes related to business. We sorta lost touch with Shukishi as our lives became busier with work and school. Anzai always stayed close by and my heart fluttered at his kindness that could have already faded by now.

To be honest, I had somewhat given up on being more than friends. He said we'd never become romantically involved and those words still played in my head whenever I thought about the idea again. I still liked him, of course. I still liked my first love even. I'd like to understand why he left. But if I couldn't be in love just yet, I'd focus on my new true love. I'd focus on the bar that I once felt at home in.

We grew older and my dream of opening a bar became more tangible. I looked at listings of vacant buildings online and visited a few of them with Anzai. I would have liked to make an exact replica of the bar from my past, using the same building and all. I saw that the building was turned into a different establishment though. It was a tiny coffee shop. I couldn't bring myself to go inside despite the inviting atmosphere as customers entered and left.

The memories of that place would have probably been too distracting anyway. I was kinda glad to see it turned into something else instead of staying abandoned forever. I could still attempt to recreate that bar with a different building layout or I could lean into making it more my own.

Through the process of wanting to open my bar and the legalities I had to go through to become a business owner, I was anxious. It was so new and I still felt like I didn't know much despite my college classes and research online. But I knew I had been living by myself this whole time and I've learned how to pay bills and take care of myself. I could do it again. And I wanted to do this right.

So while feeling resolute and motivated, I pushed through everything that made me afraid. Luckily I had Anzai by my side for moral support. And after some time, I managed to find a cheap building with a peculiar history that I had set my heart on.

"Some, um... gangsters had been causing trouble in the area," the realtor said. "But no need to worry! They've all but vanished by now. I think this would be a lovely place to start your business. It's in your price range too, one of the only ones going for so cheap."

Looking around the building, I could feel it. This was the place. This was where I could recover my home and sanctuary after all these years. It would be mine and mine alone. I knew my dream would become a reality with this place.

"I want it!" I exclaimed.

Anzai suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me away.

"Think hard about this," he warned. "Don't make a decision too quickly."

I stared into his green eyes. His feelings were sincere but so were mine. I wanted this place, even if I had to fight tooth and nail for it. Not that I wanted those words to become literal...

Despite Anzai's uneasiness, I bought the building and went through all the legalities of opening a bar. We would need to order furniture and machines for the place, but I still loved seeing the empty building surrounding me knowing I owned it. That's when the door opened behind me and our trouble began.

Anzai stepped forward seeing the strangers intruding. I watched as at least ten men entered, all big with tattoos and intimidating looks. The word the realtor mentioned ran through my mind.

The leader of the men glanced around. "I heard you bought this place. But I'm afraid we'll have to ask you to leave."

Is he really trying to threaten my dream? How dare he? I stepped forward. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we own this territory, you see. If you want to pay for using this place for whatever it is you want to do here, we might let you stay. But we charge quite a lot for those who want to run businesses in our territory."

I was speechless. I shook my head. "I own this building. How is it yours?"

"Do you not realize the situation you're in? You're in yakuza territory. We're not just weak run-of-the-mill gangsters. This has been our territory for a long time. You're intruding upon it. It seems you were given a bad deal with no warning of our dealings here."

No way... The gangsters the realtor mentioned were not only still living here unlike what he said, but were actually yakuza? I glanced at Anzai. I was so blinded by achieving my dream I barely listened to his concerns. How could I ever repay such a great friend like him?

"So?" The yakuza man said. "Will you leave quietly or will we have to make some other deal with you?"

A shiver ran down my spine. I didn't want to have to work for yakuza, but I didn't want to give up the building I bought and lose all my time and money either. I clenched my fists. He couldn't do this. He couldn't make me leave. Not after all the studying and hard work I put into this! I couldn't let all of that go to waste! Why couldn't I just have my home back?!

I stepped right up to the man, Anzai making a concerned noise behind me. "We're not leaving."

The man gazed down at me. I stared right back.

"So you want to do business in our territory," the man said.

"No! I want to do business in my territory!"

The man's eye twitched but I stood strong. "You want to do this the hard way then. What do you think a little girl like you can do against us?"

Little girl? Girl this, girl that, I know I look like one, but I'm quite sick of being labeled as one! I've never actually wanted to be a girl, and of course there's nothing wrong with being a woman, but I am a man through and through!

"I'm not...a girl..." I said, my fists shaking by my sides. "So just shut up already!" I swung my fist out of pure rage. It hit the man's cheek before he realized I would dare to do such a thing.