Naoki, Tetsu, Ryu, and Hirofumi pause their tracks in the middle of the street before they get to reach Suzu who has been waiting outside of Riku's house. Suzu on the phone call with Naoki as she hides behind a wall to wait for any of them to come out anytime soon.
"I'm gonna kill that bastard." Naoki mutters under his breath with his fists clenched so tight his kunckles almost turn white. Hirofumi carefully takes Naoki's phone while Tetsu tries to calm down Naoki.
"Naoki, let's trust Ryu's plan." Tetsu says.
"Suzu, wait there a little longer." Hirofumi speaks to Suzu on the phone call while Ryu quickly takes out his phone to call Aya.
Aya's phone soon ringing inside her bag. She quickly snaps out of her trance to takes her bag and takes out her phone.
She looks at her phone, feeling some kind of hesitation. She then glances at Riku. "Sorry, i have to take this." Aya turns her body a little to answers the phone call from Ryu. "Hello."
"Aya-kun, we just got scolded by your mom because you didn't come home with us. We told her you were with Suzu and then i called Suzu and she said you already went home?" Ryu says in effortless lies from the other line, manages to make Aya gasps and panic.
"Eh?! Really?! I'm sorry! I'll go home now!" Aya quickly hangs up the phone call and then looks at Riku. "Riku, I'm sorry i have to go home now. My mom is looking for me."
Riku nods his head at her with a warm smile on his face. "No worries, senpai. I'm sure your mother is worried for you. It's already dark anyway, it's not safe for you to go home too late. Want me to walk you home?"
Aya shakes her head strongly as she grabs her bag and wear it on her shoulder. "No. I can walk home by myself. You said I'm good at punching people, right? I can take care of myself." Aya replies with a cheerful response, making Riku reassured that Aya will be just fine on her way home.
"Fair point. If anything happens, call me. I'll help you right away." Riku stands up followed by Aya, leading her out of his house gently.
On the front gate, Aya excuses herself to go home from Riku's house, spotted by Suzu who's still hiding behind a wall, she speaks softly to Hirofumi on the phone call.
"She's going home now."
Hirofumi lets out a relieved sigh and then hangs up the phone call, keeping Naoki's phone for a while until Naoki calms down. "She's going home now. Good job, Ryu." Hirofumi tells the others. Naoki slightly calms down but still fuming.
"Don't worry, I'll run my plan once Riku is back at school. Permanent damage will be plastered all over him." Ryu says. Somehow it makes Naoki calms down more as he looks at Ryu.
"I hope so. That's a good plan but not as damaging as i want." Naoki says.
"Let's just go home now that she's finally going home. No need to catch up with Suzu." Tetsu walks first in front of the rest that makes the rest following behind.
On their way walking home, Hirofumi hands Naoki's phone back to it's owner while speaking to Naoki. "Suzu sent a location map when she was in front of Riku's house. Just don't do anything reckless about that information."
"Don't tell me what to do." Naoki yanks his phone back from Hirofumi's hand.
"His family seems influential, just like yours. Better not making any clash to ruin yourself too, Naoki." Hirofumi adds.
"Yeah, yeah, i know who I'm dealing with. Stop nagging." Naoki replies in an annoyed tone.
Luckily, they manage to get to their homes first before Aya. So they quickly change their uniforms to their usual clothes and then gathering at the street in front of their houses to wait for Aya.
Around half an hour later, Aya finally spotted from a distance walking home by herself. She then approaches Naoki, Tetsu, Ryu, and Hirofumi who have been waiting in the middle of the street. "Hey, I'm sorry about coming home late. You guys got scolded because of me."
Naoki almost snaps but Hirofumi manages to stop Naoki before he does anything bad to Aya.
"Apology not accepted!" Tetsu crosses his arms and throws his face to the side as he pouts to sulk. Aya gasps.
"Eh?! But I'm-"
"You think an apology like that will do?" Naoki suddenly cuts her words as he glares at her.
"Well... do you want something from me?" Aya hesitantly asks that as she fidgets her fingers in nervousness.
"How about a kis-" Hirofumi quickly covers Naoki's mouth before Naoki speaks further than any necessary.
"A what?" Aya looks confused at what she just heard.
"An ice cream for each of us! Treat us ice cream!" Ryu adds to save Naoki.
"Oh no! I just used my money to grab some ramen with Suzu-chan earlier!"
"What?! Can't even buy us ice cream?! Lameeee!" Tetsu shouts.
"Eehh?! Please, I'll do anything else I'm sorry!" Aya begs them as she clings onto their arms.
Hirofumi shakes his head at her but still won't let go of Naoki's mouth. "It's fine, Aya-kun. Don't do that again. Maybe you should go home with us again as usual."
"Sigh... i was just hanging out with Suzu-chan..."
"I know, but still, go home with us as usual. We haven't gone home together in a few days, your mother suspecting something bad happened between us." Hirofumi effortlessly lies to her face.
"Oh no. Okay, I'll go home with you guys again. I promise." Aya nods her head as she lets their arms go. Hirofumi finally lets go of Naoki's mouth.
"You better." Naoki finally speaks again. "I won't let you go without us again, Aya-kun. Mark my words."
Those words with their eyes suddenly darken piercing through her. She gulps, noticing how they looming over her, their expressions look serious. Naoki's words finally sinking into her and she can feel the weight of those words.