Chapter 6: The Unexpected Hero
Akane's head was still spinning from the chaotic festival disaster, but she forced herself to focus as she walked down the school hallway. The noise of students laughing and chatting filled the air, and the vibrant festival energy was still alive, even if the stress had lingered in her bones.
She adjusted her bag and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension. The school was quieter now—most students were heading toward the festival booths or enjoying the afternoon break, leaving her to walk to her classroom alone.
Maybe things will settle down now, Akane thought, though the heaviness in her chest didn't quite go away.
But as she turned a corner, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey, look who it is. The little genius."
Akane froze. A group of older students—bullies, by the looks of them—stood a few feet ahead. They were leaning against the lockers, sneering as they noticed her approaching. Akane knew them well: they were notorious for picking on anyone they considered "weak" or "different."
"What do you want, Yuto?" she asked, trying to mask the annoyance in her voice.
Yuto, the ringleader of the group, stepped forward, a smug grin spreading across his face. "Oh, nothing. Just thought I'd pay a visit to the brainiac." He eyed her with disdain. "What's the matter, huh? You too good to hang out with the rest of us? I bet you spend your weekends studying, huh? Pathetic."
Akane's hands clenched into fists. "You really have nothing better to do than pick on people? Why don't you try being productive for once?" She was doing her best to stay calm, but something about Yuto's mocking tone made her blood boil.
One of the other bullies—another guy named Taro—stepped forward, joining in. "Oh, come on, Akane, don't act so high and mighty. No one cares about your little perfect grades. It's not like anyone will remember you when we graduate, anyway."
The insults kept coming, each one aimed at her intelligence and her social awkwardness. Akane clenched her jaw, trying to ignore them. She wasn't going to let them get to her—she refused to let them see that they had power over her.
But just as Yuto reached out to shove her shoulder, another voice rang out.
"Hey! Knock it off!"
Akane's eyes widened as she turned to see a boy—someone she didn't recognize—walking briskly toward the group. His face was determined, and his posture radiated confidence, even though Akane could sense he wasn't entirely sure of the situation.
"What are you going to do, hero?" Yuto sneered, eyes narrowing. "Mind your own business."
The boy's voice remained steady. "I said knock it off. You don't have the right to pick on her."
Without warning, Taro lunged toward the boy, shoving him backward. The bully wasn't exactly built like a fighter, but the way he pushed the boy was enough to send him stumbling.
Akane felt a flicker of panic rise in her chest. She had seen this kind of thing before—students stepping up to help only to be knocked down by the same group. The situation was escalating quickly, and she had no idea how to stop it.
Just as the boy tried to regain his footing, another bully—Kaito, the tallest of the group—took a swing, landing a punch on the boy's face. The boy staggered but stayed on his feet, his nose bleeding.
Akane's heart raced. The last thing she wanted was for someone else to get hurt because of her.
"Stop it!" Akane shouted, stepping forward, but the bullies just laughed, clearly enjoying the scene. "This is insane!"
Yuto smirked, clearly enjoying watching the situation spiral out of control. "You should have minded your own business, dumbass," he said to the boy.
Akane gritted her teeth. I can't just stand here and watch this.
Before she could say another word, one of the bullies, Taro, moved toward her. He raised his fist, ready to land a punch. Akane didn't have time to react—everything felt like it was happening in slow motion.
But then, from behind her, a familiar voice shouted.
"Oi! What do you think you're doing?"
Akane turned, and her eyes widened in relief.
There, standing like a rock in the middle of the hallway, was Zenkichi.
He was glaring at the bullies with such intensity that for a moment, the air seemed to freeze. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes burned with anger. Zenkichi was not one to back down from a fight, and everyone knew it.
Taro froze, mid-punch, as Zenkichi stepped forward, his voice icy.
"Touch her, and you'll regret it."
Yuto hesitated. "And what, you're going to stop us, Zenkichi? You think we're scared of you?" He laughed, though the sound was tight with uncertainty.
Zenkichi didn't hesitate. With quick, sharp movements, he shoved Yuto aside, sending him stumbling back. Taro, still standing too close to Akane, attempted to throw a punch at Zenkichi, but Zenkichi effortlessly dodged it and countered with a swift jab to Taro's stomach.
The bully gasped, doubling over in pain.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Zenkichi muttered, his voice low and dangerous.
Kaito lunged next, but Zenkichi was quicker. With a quick side-step, Zenkichi landed a well-placed kick to Kaito's side, sending him crashing into the lockers.
"Enough," Zenkichi growled. "Leave. Now."
The bullies, now nursing bruises and faces reddened with anger, glanced at each other. It was clear they weren't going to win this one.
"You got lucky today, Zenkichi," Yuto spat, holding his hand to his side. "But don't think we're done here."
With one last glare, the group of bullies retreated down the hallway, leaving the two of them behind.
Akane was stunned, her breath coming in quick, shallow gasps. The boy who had tried to stand up for her was now sitting against the lockers, looking dazed but relieved. She quickly moved toward him to make sure he was okay.
Zenkichi turned to Akane, his gaze softening as he wiped his hand on his shirt.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice suddenly gentle.
Akane nodded, still in shock from the encounter. "I—I'm fine."
She paused, her thoughts racing. "Thank you for saving me... but why did you...?"
Zenkichi shrugged, a flicker of a smile playing at his lips. "You're a pain, but no one deserves to be treated like that. Besides, who else would I let you walk around with all these bullies picking on you?"
Akane blinked, confused. "You're saying you care?"
Zenkichi scratched the back of his neck, his smile faltering. "Don't get any ideas. It's just... not cool to see someone pick on a defenseless person."
The comment surprised Akane. For the first time, she saw Zenkichi in a different light—not as a troublemaker or as the careless guy he always appeared to be, but as someone who genuinely cared when it mattered.
"Still," he added, eyes flickering to her, "you should be careful around these guys. They've got nothing better to do than make other people miserable."
Akane couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude—and something else, too, but she couldn't quite place it. For now, she simply nodded.
"Thanks," she said quietly, before turning her attention back to the boy who had tried to help.
"Are you okay?" she asked him gently.
He nodded, a weak smile on his face. "Yeah. I'm good. You... should probably get to class, though."
Akane gave him a small, appreciative nod before glancing back at Zenkichi. He was already heading in the other direction, his usual nonchalant attitude returning. But for some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that things between them had just shifted—just a little bit.
Maybe they weren't so different after all.
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