📘 2007: A Girl with No Tomorrow

✦ Chapter 18: Wrong Target, Right Punch

> “Sometimes it’s not the enemies you defeat.

It’s the poor fool who just wanted to say hi.”

— Aki Hoshino

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It started with footsteps.

Aki was walking home from school, bag slung across her shoulder, earphones in — but something felt… off. She looked behind her.

A boy. Tall, hoodie up, hands in pockets.

He wasn’t trying to be sneaky. Just walking.

But he had that look.

Streetwise. Relaxed.

Definitely not from her school.

And when she turned a corner and he followed again—

Her instincts lit up.

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He finally called out.

“Yo! Hoshino-san, right?”

She paused mid-step. Turned slowly.

“Who’s asking?”

He grinned. “I’m one of Rei’s guys. You know—Rei? Vice-captain? Saved my ass in a fight once, and now won’t shut up about you?”

She squinted. “So you’re… in a gang.”

“Technically, yeah. But I’m the nice one.”

She dropped her bag.

He blinked. “Wait, hold up—”

> Too late.

She rushed him, elbow to ribs, followed by a clean leg sweep that sent him crashing onto the pavement with a loud, stunned yelp.

“STOP—wait—I’m not—AUGH—Rei said you were calm!”

She straddled him, pulling his hoodie back. “What gang are you from?! Tetsuro-kai?! Who sent you?!”

“I—I came to say hi! I have snacks in my bag! You want rice crackers?!”

She didn’t hesitate — arm around his throat.

“WHY DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?!”

“I SWEAR I’M FRIENDLY!!”

In one final desperate move, he rolled sideways, slipped out of her hold, and ran like his life depended on it, waving his arms.

“I’LL TELL REI YOU’RE SCARY!!”

She stood in the middle of the road, breathing hard.

Then looked at her reflection in a passing car window.

Her shirt was wrinkled, hair messy, and her eyes wide with adrenaline.

“…Maybe I overreacted,” she muttered.

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Later that night, at the gang's hangout...

The poor boy (whose name was Kaito) sat with an ice pack on his cheek, mumbling.

“She did a triple throw, man. I think I saw God for a second.”

Rei, standing nearby, stared blankly.

Then—

Burst out laughing.

“YOU approached her alone?!” he wheezed. “She doesn’t even trust vending machines!”

Arata chuckled from the corner. “Sounds like she fits right in with us.”

“She almost killed me, bro!”

“She didn’t,” Rei said proudly, “which means she liked you.”

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Back in her room, Aki opened her notebook with a sigh.

> Date: November 1, 2007

A boy followed me. Said he was Rei’s friend.

I flipped him like laundry.

Turns out he just wanted to say hello.

I guess trust isn’t a reflex yet.

But at least he ran faster than he talked.

(P.S. He mentioned rice crackers. I feel a little bad now.)

She closed the notebook.

And chuckled — just once.

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End of Chapter 18

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