"Don't you dare hang up on me!" the voice yelled through Ren's phone.
"You're not the boss of me," Ren replied as he switched the call off. "Tch."
Resting against the wall, he looked up at the afternoon sky. After detention, Ren had made his way to Fubuki's café, only to be interrupted by the call. He snapped out of his thoughts and continued on his way.
The bell above the door jingled as he stepped inside. The soft murmur of customers chatting, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and the comforting warmth of the cozy interior eased his nerves. As he stepped inside, he spotted Fubuki behind the counter, expertly maneuvering around the espresso machine, her brow furrowed in concentration.
Ren approached the counter, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Hey, Fubuki-san."
Fubuki looked up, her expression brightening as she recognized Ren. "Ren! You're back. How are you feeling?"
"Better," Ren admitted, glancing around the cafe.
"I heard you got into a fight at school," Fubuki said, her hands skillfully crafting a latte.
Ren nodded. "Yeah, the nurse patched me up. Turns out all I needed was just a bit of rest."
"That's good to hear," Fubuki replied, adding a delicate foam design to the latte before handing it to a waiting customer.
"Matsuno dropped by earlier. He wanted to know if you've decided yet."
"On what?"
"The offer to join the Sakurakai."
"I still don't know," Ren replied, scratching the back of his head.
"There are a lot of interesting guys over there," Fubuki said, wiping down the counter.
"I told you, it's not that. I'm not good with groups."
"Oh well," she said with a shrug, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
They were interrupted by the jingle of the door. Both looked in its direction.
"You!" Ren yelled, recognizing the person, as he stormed to his feet. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you the same," Shiin laughed.
"Hi, Fubuki," Shiin greeted politely.
"You're as lively as ever, Shiin," Fubuki sighed.
"How do I look?" Shiin twirled, showing off his jacket.
"White fits you like a glove," Fubuki complimented.
"Hhh, thank you."
Ren studied the jacket. It was similar to his but had more designs.
The jacket was mostly white with a small embroidered emblem of a sakura blossom detailed in soft pink and green threads on the front. The back had a large sakura tree in full bloom as the main emblem, with petals scattered across the back. The words "Sakurakai" were displayed above the sakura tree in bold black kanji, creating a powerful and unified look. The right sleeve sported a series of sakura petals cascading from the shoulder to the wrist, while the left had a stripe of black and silver running from the shoulder to the cuff.
"Ren! Over here!" Shiin called, waving Ren over.
Ren sighed, making his way to Shiin's table. "I didn't know you hung out here."
"You never asked, and the coffee here is really good," Shiin said, leaning back in his chair with a playful glint in his eyes.
"So, what's with the jacket?"
Shiin hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I've been thinking about joining the Sakurakai."
Ren nearly choked on his water. "The Sakurakai? Are you serious?"
"Dead serious," Shiin replied, his eyes locking onto Ren's. "I know it sounds crazy, but I think it's the right move for me."
Ren shook his head. "And you think joining a gang is the way to do that? Shiin, this isn't some game. You could get seriously hurt. Or worse."
Shiinchiro's eyes flashed with anger. "You don't get it, Ren. You don't know what it's like to feel like you're nothing. To be constantly overshadowed by your brothers, never measuring up. This is my chance to prove myself."
Ren sighed, his tone softening. "I actually do, Shiin. But there's got to be a better way. You don't have to put yourself in danger to prove your worth."
"Easy for you to say," Shiinchiro muttered. "You're strong, people will come to respect you. I'm just going to be a nobody."
Ren frowned. "And you think the Sakurakai is that path?"
"Maybe I do," Shiinchiro shot back, standing up abruptly. "But you wouldn't understand."
Ren's patience finally snapped. "Understand? Shiin, I saw you during the cafeteria fight hiding under the table away from the mayhem. You're not cut out for this, you'll just end up getting hurt."
Shiinchiro's face twisted with rage. "Is that what you think of me? That I'm weak? That I can't handle it?"
"I think you're making a mistake," Ren said firmly. "And I'm not going to stand by and watch you throw your life away."
"Well, maybe I don't need your approval," Shiinchiro spat, his fists clenching at his sides. "Maybe I don't need you at all."
"Fine," Ren retorted, his own anger rising. "Go ahead and ruin your life. See if I care."
Before Ren could react, Shiinchiro swung at him, his punch connecting with Ren's jaw. The impact sent him staggering back, more out of surprise than pain.
"You punch like a little girl," Ren quickly recovered, his eyes narrowing. "You really want to do this?"
"Yeah, I do," Shiinchiro growled, lunging at him again.
Fubuki, who had been monitoring them, finally decided to step in. "Would you two cut it out!"
Shiin angrily stormed out of the cafe, leaving Ren and Fubuki in tense silence.