On the first day of summer vacation, all the kids in japan wake up late and relax all day long, celebrating the beginning of their freedom for the next two months.
All children except Fujino.
Today he is doing his routine, as usual, getting up early, getting a little exercise, taking a shower, and then he is sitting on the front porch with a feeling of hope and uneasy at the same time. He hoped that whoever came wouldn't bring any trouble and because of that he also felt uneasy 'what if they bring trouble?' he muttered in his mind.
In other parts of Kyoto, there is a kid who is sitting on a tree next to the river during the day while chewing a small round lollipop.
Since yesterday, Leo can't stop thinking about how he could get revenge to Fujino, he knows that it'll not make sense to fight him, Fujino would definitely obliterate him. 'but I think I should just go for it' after he makes his mind, he went down from the tree but before he can leave, he looked back because he heard a voice coming
"So what will you do?" asked a tall man, you can see that this guy workout, wearing plain white shirts and black trousers, he looked pretty neat.
"Who are you? What were you just talking about huh? " in a slightly cheeky tone Leo asked the man who seemed to be in his late 20s.
"I know, I also have a problem with that kid," the man replied calmly
"Who do you mean?" Leo began to listen to the man's words more seriously
"Fujino, Fujino Tagata" the man uttered Fujino's full name while looking seriously at Leo. Leo was stunned, a little surprised he thought 'did I have mention his name? But I was chewing a lollipop! '
"How do you know I have a problem with that insolent kid?" asked Leo, whose face was slightly scared
"it's not hard, yesterday I went to school to meet him but apparently I was a little bit late, when I met the principal he said that he gave you a little trouble" the man looked very calm but Leo knew that this man is hiding something.
"What's your problem with him? Are you the brother of one of the kids he beat up?"
"A little bit worse, he once made trouble with my mother, just take it like that" the man still stood calmly with his hands that had not moved from the pocket of his pants.
"Then? What do you think I'll do after hearing all of that? Help you beat him up? Listen, even though I know I'm not that strong, I don't want to do him dirty like asking help from someone older, I have principles as a man." Leo answered confidently and with a strong look.
"Oh ... hahaha, I didn't come this far to beat him up, I just wanted to talk with him, that's all"
"Then why don't you meet him yourself?"
"Unfortunately yesterday I forgot to ask where he lives, you only need to take me to his place then if you want me to help you talk to him to solve your problem I can do that too, I'll make him apologize to you properly" the man smiled while saying the last sentence
Leo held the wound on his head, remembering what Fujino had done to him. "Actually, I want him to get what he deserves, not just sorry from him"
"I can also help you with that, you can hit him and I'll hold him for you, but only one hit ok" the man still smiled
Now all the words from this stranger man became quite interesting for Leo, but he was a little suspicious, from the beginning of this conversation he already felt that there is something off with him, but Leo tried thinking rationally. After all, that kid makes trouble with this man's mother.
"Fine, I'll show you the place, but how can I hit him at his place? people must be thinking that I am the bad one "
"I know Fujino, just tell him you challenge him into a duel around here, he will come, then I will talk and you can solve your problem right?" Hearing that Leo also thought that fool would definitely accept it, considering he also definitely didn't have much to do in that orphanage.
"Alright, this afternoon I will make him come here, you'd better be here then, now I will go home to eat and sleep I need to prepare myself well" Leo turned around and started walking home, even though he was happy now there was a guarantee that he could hit Fujino once, despite he felt something strange about that person.
"Leo, just calm down everything will be fine" the man smiled as he waved his hand.
----
Now the sky had started getting a little bit orange, a sign that the evening will soon become night.
Leo had been walking for a couple of minutes and would soon arrive at Fujino's place. Throughout the walk, he felt so nervous because he realized he will fight that kid that known as a troublemaker in his school, but it's too late to change his mind. Besides, he helped that man to settle his problem with Fujino.
Leo tried to find excuses to justify his actions, not so long after, he arrived in front of a building with a pretty wide green gate, you can see that it was a little bit rusty, this was the orphanage where Fujino lived, located quite far from the city crowd because of its location in the middle of the hills, his building looks strong yet you can see it's quite old and not well maintained that you can see its wall's paint starting to fade.
Leo just walked in through the gate because it wasn't locked, after the gate, he walks to the main building. You can see there was a football field with brown grass, from the field he can see a kid that by just remembering his name can make him mad.
you can see Fujino juggle the ball with his back facing to Leo
"Hey" Leo shouted loud enough as he continued to approach Fujino. Fujino immediately turned back thinking that it was the person who was looking for him. He immediately stopped the ball.
"Were you the one that looking for me yesterday?" Fujino asked with a flat face and was quite disappointed, he felt his concern had been a waste of energy.
"What do you mean stupid, I just came today and I came to finish our unfinished problem once and forever" Leo still walking trying to talk closer to Fujino.
"So it's not you? Then not today, I'm waiting for someone else." Fujino turned and walked to the terrace to get his bottle of cold water.
"Is that your best excuse? Come and follow me lets finish this" Now Leo has stopped and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"No need to hurry Leo, I can break your arm anytime, summer vacation just starts, you know that" Fujino who was sweating casually sat down and drank cold water from his bottle
"Besides, I'm not the only one waiting for you, there is one other person who says he has a problem with you"
Hearing this, Fujino stopped drinking and his expression changed, 'one more person is looking for me?' "What do you mean by someone waiting for me?"
"Are you stupid? Of course, that means someone out there, right now, is standing and wait for you, he said you make some trouble with his mother so he came to talk, but before that, you gotta deal with me, it seems you are very talented in making new friends, huh?" Leo smiled a little sneer
"ya ya ya, whatever, now leave, you can come back tomorrow" Fujino closed the bottle and then stood up to go inside when suddenly he heard the sound of the gate being opened, the gate was quite old so when someone pushed it too strong it would make a distinctive sound old door hinge.
Fujino and Leo turned around, they saw that there were two children who seemed on their age, one sturdy-bodied boy who looked quite strong with a pretty handsome face, and one short-haired girl that immediately made Leo freeze in his place and now his heartbeat becomes a little bit faster, 'how can you meet a beautiful girl of this caliber in this kind of place?!' he muttered.
Leo was standstill when the two kids walk pass through him.
'Were these two children are the ones that Vena and mother meant yesterday?' Fujino thought.
"Fujino?" asked the girl.
"Yes, that's me, is there anything you need from me?" Fujino asked as he tried to remember if they both go to the same school as him. There was only one high school around here Fujino should have at least seen their faces once if they went to the same school.
"Are we attending the same school?" Fujino asked
"No, we are not" answered the other boy
"Then what makes you two come here?" Fujino is confused and now he got a little bit intimidated by these two kids.
"We've been looking for you for a long time, I think we need to talk for a moment, Fujino," answered the girl with a smile on her face
Leo immediately approached "Hey wait a minute, if you also have business with this fool you have to get into the line, understand?" even though he had been a bit fascinated with the girl he instantly back to the serious mode when it comes to Fujino. The two children turned to Leo and gave a serious, sharp look that was quite intimidating
"I ... I ... I was here before you guys!" Leo tried to sound brave and convincing, although clearly from the way he spoke he was intimidated by the gazes of the two children.
"Leo, leave, I told you I have got something else to do today" Fujino tried to make Leo leave.
"I'm not going anywhere before you accept my duel! " Leo sounded angry and serious this time, then he heard someone's laughing, the girl laughed when she heard Leo challenge Fujino on a duel.
"Hey, is there something funny?" Leo now turned to the girl.
"Sorry, but I think you do not even stand a chance" replied the girl while trying to stop laughing.
"What a little girl like you know about a fight between man huh?" Leo stepped closer to the girl, the girl now completely stopped laughing and looked back at Leo sharply.
"Then how about you fight me first? "If you win, we will leave right away," his gaze returned to being intimidating like before.
"I'm not fighting someone who is weaker than me, especially girl" Leo smiled right in front of the girl's face.
"Are you afraid of a little girl like me? We don't need to literally fight, you see that ball? If I kick it and you fail to catch it, will you leave? " the girl pointed at the ball at Fujino's feet
"And if I succeed, you and your friend must leave here immediately ok?" Leo sounds confident this time he feels this is also the right time to show that he is a great man in front of this girl.
"Of course" the girl asking for the ball from Fujino, Fujino who looked rather confused by this situation gave her the ball.
"Now hurry up and stand there" the girl pointed at the goal at the end of the field, Leo headed there with sure steps, 'what can a woman do right?' he smiles a little on his face.
Leo standing there with his smug face, the girl put the ball a little further from the penalty point.
"Hey do you not even know where the penalty point is?" asked Leo in a slightly laughing tone.
"I know, I just want this to be fair so I will kick it from here" the girl without hesitation looked at Leo, now Leo felt something is different, this feeling is not something you should feel when you catch a girl's eye, he becomes a little nervous but he thinks what could happen? And it's just a feeling.
"Alright, up to you" Leo shrugged his shoulders, sign that he was okay.
Fujino and one other boy watched from outside the penalty box, Fujino was a little unsure but the other boy's face is so calm like he already knows how it will end.
Leo gives a signal that he is ready, the girl takes a few steps back. Leo gathered his concentration, he wants this to be perfect because this is also the right time to show the girl what he got. His eyes were focused on the girl's foot movements and the ball, he was sure he would absolutely catch it.
Fujino was speechless. His mouth left open and his forehead furrowed, as soon as the girl kick, the ball went to Leo's right side, 'it's not a girl's kick!'.
Leo got stunned, even though the ball did not hit his face, the last thing he saw was that the ball was speeding towards him so fast that he could feel the wind from the ball on his right cheek, he was really shocked that he couldn't move for a few moments.
"please leave" The girl casually leave Leo and waved her hand. Leo get on his knee, he still could not believe what had just happened, "WHERE THESE KIDS ACTUALLY CAME FROM?!" he is shocked, his face turned red, and he knew that he never get this angry before.
Still not fully recovered from the shock, Leo gets up and angrily walks towards the two kids. Leo taps them on their shoulder and pulls them around "WHO ARE YOUU?!"
emotionless, the two kids turn around to glanced at Leo's hand and stare back at him, and Leo puts his hands down.
"We?" answered the boy
"We are Fujino's guardian" continue by the girl, this answer makes both Fujino and Leo totally confused.