The fight moved so fast there was little opportunity for thought to precede action. Punches moved so rapidly in the dark she barely had time to differentiate her four friends from the innumerable oncoming foes. Nevertheless, she swung furiously and landed a few lucky hits from time to time. She hadn't been in many fights, but a childhood with older brothers made her able to connect a solid punch, even if she couldn't coordinate them. All the same, she really was no match. They shoved her away and discarded her blows continuously until she started jumping on their backs or tackling them down.

Her crazy contribution kept her frantic, but the frenzy didn't stimulate her to withstand full opposition. One swing came up short when a retaliator yanked her off one man's back and slapped her perfectly across the face—the pain every bit a sting as the shrieking sound that split the punches. It brought her down quickly, and red lines blurred her confused vision. She felt her face throb, but it took several moments for the real pain to sink in. When coherency returned, the fight was nearly over. One Housen student stood off against Genji's gorilla teammate.

"Makise," Manabu whimpered. She realized he lie next to her, but the effort of speaking absorbed what little energy he still possessed, and he passed out.

The Housen student pulled a knife, and Makise faced him, accepting the challenge. Tenseness vibrated throughout his body, working up in panting breaths until he finally screamed and charged at Makise. Hana maneuvered quickly in front of Makise, desperate to end the conflict before it worsened, but she needn't have bothered.

He was stopped by another force: Narumi Taiga.

"Washio," Narumi spoke calmly. "Real men don't behave like this." Then he pulled back a fist and knocked Washio flat on his back with one solid punch.

Hana jumped when Makise's hand touched her, directing her behind him. She allowed the change in position, but her fists remained tightly bound at her sides. "Narumi."

Narumi turned toward them. He gave Hana only the briefest of recognition then focused entirely on Makise. "As expected from Suzuran."

"Nani?"

Narumi raised his fist and pounded it against his chest. "You see." The oddly endearing suggestion made Hana swallow, but Makise wasn't so moved. "I want a one-on-one with your leader."

"Fine by me." The brief silence that followed made her skin tingle, and, just as quickly, Makise suddenly charged forward, fist high.

Narumi proved quicker—that or more well-rested. He ducked under Makise's fist and planted his own in his gut. Hana tensed. "You're a real man." Then Makise tried another blow, and Narumi kicked him backwards onto the ground.

"Makise!" Hana crouched down beside him, but a hand grabbed a fist full of her hair and yanked her away. Her temple collided into one of the metallic garbage cans, and for a few moments her vision went black. The pain from the slap suddenly drifted back to the forefront of her mind, and she curled inward at the compound throb throughout her head. Her limbs still worked accurately, and groping the ground for something tangible drove away the blackness then revealed Makise lying unconscious on the ground. Another man, someone she didn't recognize, stood over him silently.

Hana crawled clumsily over and turned Makise onto his back. "Makise?" The sound of her own voice irritated her aching head, and she lifted a hand to sooth the pain. The contact was wet, and her confused eyes stared strangely at the red blood across her palm. She discarded it, however, when her almond orbs returned to the bloody and bruised man on the ground. "Makise."

Two white shoes entered her peripheral vision, and Hana stopped shaking Makise. Slowly, her head lifted. Narumi looked down at her incomprehensibly then crouched beside her. She recoiled from his sudden closeness, but he moved no closer. "Are you all right?" His voice was soft, much softer than she was used to from him.

Hana touched her wound again then pressed the bloody fingers into Makise's shirt, gripping it so tightly her crimson handprint darkened the white wife-beater. "How can you ask me that? And why should you care? I should've stayed out of the way if I didn't want to get hurt, right?"

"I never would've let you get involved if you hadn't jumped in the way you did."

"Am I not allowed to defend my friends?"

He paused then shook his head. "No, you did what I would've done. But that doesn't mean I like it."

"I can take care of myself."

"No you can't." He smirked at her pout and reached out a hand. "You should stop the bleeding before—"

She jerked out of his reach and glared. "Narumi Taiga, I'm not a damsel in distress. There's no reason a woman should be treated any differently than a man in war."

Narumi rested his elbows on his knees and tilted his head. "Have you decided to take part in our war?"

"I've decided to protect my friends. Why're you doing this?"

"Because Suzuran has to pay," he replied firmly.

His tone frightened her, but only for a moment. "Hatred only breeds more hatred. It doesn't solve anything."

"Do you have a brother, Hana-chan?"

She blinked. "What does that have to do with anything?" He didn't answer, but his eyes coerced. "Hai, three older brothers."

"And if someone murdered one of them, what would you do if his killer walked free?"

"Are you saying a Suzuran student—" She stopped.

"He's just a murderer."

Hana inhaled slowly. "Kawaishi Noburu. He killed your brother?"

Narumi shook his head. "He wasn't my brother, not like your brothers. But he was a brotherly figure, and Kawaishi gets to walk free after what he did. Suzuran and Housen have always been at war, and if it isn't bad enough that the bastard school spawned that murderer, now they're defending him. Suzuran has to be eliminated. Otherwise, my brother can never rest in peace."

Hana's shoulders relaxed, and she leaned forward on her knees, bringing her only inches from Narumi—who no longer seemed the slightest bit threatening. "Him, or you, Narumi-kun?"

Narumi's nostrils flared and his jaw tightened, but he kept his harsh stare on her. "It was in living that he found trouble," she continued, "but now he's free from all that. And Noburu has to live with what he's done. Even if he doesn't feel guilty, which I doubt, no one will ever see him as a normal person. He's separated himself from everyone. Being ostracized is pain, of the worse sort." She looked at the chaos around them then shrugged. "As for Suzuran, if your brother had been the killer, wouldn't you do all you could to protect him from Suzuran?"

Narumi reached out his hand again, and this time, she let his fingers make contact with her bleeding temple. "Go to the hospital. You might have a concussion."

Hana watched him. Seeing his vengeance-driven face made her heart heavy. "Is revenge the way real men behave?"

He stiffened, catching her eyes, and then smiled. "Yamada Hana, if you're not careful, I'll have to kill them so I can have you, too." She blinked, and he leaned forward, planting a sturdy but short kiss directly on her mouth. She blushed and pushed him away, but he was much more stationary than her, and she ended up falling backwards. He laughed. "You've been warned, Hana-chan." Then he stood and walked away.

Hana pressed her bloody palm over her mouth, face hot with embarrassment. "Oh my God." She suddenly thought of Tamao watching the interaction and rubbed her lips roughly, smearing her mouth with the crimson liquid. "Makise!" She grabbed his shirt with both fists and shook him. "Makise!"

The ambulances took forever to arrive. By the time they did, several of the beaten Housen students regained consciousness and hurried away to escape the consequences. Hana managed to persuade the police that escaped students were the instigators, and their real concern was handling the remaining injuries before dealing with questions.

She didn't have a concussion, but the doctors stitched up her bleeding head while she iced down her swollen cheek. Makise and the others were gone by the time they finished stitching her up. The nurses said they got a few bandages but otherwise wanted to be left alone. She wanted to see them before they left but apparently would have to set aside the questioning for a later time.

Jun came and walked her home. They shared a few drinks while she enlightened him about the night's events, but he quickly ushered her into bed and fell asleep on the couch. She appreciated his devotion—in all her years, she never met a better friend—but it was nearly three o'clock before she finally fell asleep too.

She skipped her classes that day and headed to Suzuran first thing. If Makise and the others had been attacked last night, she felt certain there were more victims. Mostly, she had to be sure one Suzuran in particular didn't fall prey to the ambush.

"Hana-chan?"

Hana spun around and smiled. "Tokio! Perfect!"

"What the—what happened to your face?" He flopped his hand on her head and tilted it back into the sunlight then leaned closely over the stitches. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you about it later. Where's Tamao?"

Tokio blinked at the question and shrugged. "Izaki wanted to talk to him. They left just a second ago, you barely missed them."

"Really?" She picked up her step and waved over her shoulder. "Arigatō, Tokio-kun!"

"Oo, wait, Hana! You can't just walk around here!"

Finding them was too easy. Students at Suzuran gossiped and gabbed more than most girls she knew, and she ran to the bicycle racks. Tamao was here somewhere, and hopefully unscathed. She should have just asked Tokio; why hadn't she?

Because she wanted to see him. There was so much to say in the small amount of time they'd been separated. She needed to see him for herself.

Rounding the corner, her eyes spotted Tamao at the end of the bike racks—and he wasn't alone. He blocked a high swing from a blonde attacker, swung him around by the sleeve, and landed two hard punches against his abdomen. The blonde was temporarily stunned then threw a wild but strong swing, which landed across Tamao's face. Tamao stumbled back then straightened, laughed just the slightest bit, and charged with a yell. He kicked the blonde with both feet, knocking him head-over-heels across the bike racks and into the debris. A moment passed, Tamao watching over his fallen victim, and the blonde grabbed hold of the pole. But his grip failed, and he was unconscious. Tamao chuckled again then whipped around as if irritated.

When he picked up a dilapidated umbrella, Hana realized he was irritated because it started raining. He checked a pack of cigarettes on the ground, but they were ruined, and opened his mouth for the rain water. Only then did his eyes travel the full length of the aisle and see her.

She stood immobile. His face; that thrilled laughter when he fought the other guy. Watching him now as he stared back in silence, a realization struck her all too soundly: he and Narumi were the same—built for battle and very much infatuated with it. And the fight loved them in return. He wasn't some ridiculous yankee or idolized leader; he was a fighter, and an exceptionally dangerous one. What was it Jun called him?

The Monster of Suzuran.

Tamao's face adopted that boredom once more, and he scuffed closer. "What're you doing here?"

His tone stung. He acted possessive of her, told people she was his girl and bought her a new camera; she got involved in Suzuran and Housen's war. Yet he spoke to her like she was a stranger invading on his privacy again.

Hana squared her shoulders, determined not to let the hurt show. "Are you just gonna leave him there?"

Tamao glanced back at Izaki then shrugged. "He's beaten. Helping him would kill what little pride he has left. It's a fighter's mentality, you wouldn't understand."

Another low blow. Still, she nodded. "Soka."

He nodded too. "Oo." Then he continued on his way. But when he tried passing her, she cut him off. He looked at her and tried stepping around, but she blocked him again. "Oie."

"Get someone to help him."

He rolled his eyes. "I just told you—"

"Like you said, I'm not a fighter, I wouldn't understand that mentality, and quite frankly, I don't give a shit. Fighters are human beings behind that pigheadedness, and I won't leave him out here in the rain to bleed all over the place."

"Then why don't you help him?" he snarled and pushed past her.

Hana glared at his exit and marched for Izaki. When she reached him, she dropped to her knees and pushed his hair out of his eyes. His face was bruising quickly, thickening the skin with dead blood around his eyelids and cheekbones. She touched his cheekbone then recoiled and pressed her face into her hands. The tears were pathetic, really. What did she have to cry about? But she couldn't help it. Everything suddenly seemed so fragile, nothing more so at that moment than her heart.

She wouldn't understand? Why not?

Because he did not want her to understand. He wanted her out—out of his business and out of his life.

"Sumimasen?"

Hana's head snapped up, and she stared teary-eyed and dripping wet into the face of a beautiful girl. They were the same age, she was certain, but this stranger carried a charismatic vivacity that illuminated her entire face despite preoccupation with concern. "W-Who are you?"

The girl knelt down beside her and touched Izaki's arm then returned her glittering eyes to Hana. She used her other hand and lightly brushed the tears and rain from Hana's face. "Don't cry. Come on, help me get him up."

She pulled Izaki upright by his arms and wrapped one around her neck. Hana hesitated then ducked under the other arm. They carried him into the school and dropped him in the nearest classroom atop a collection of cluttered desks. The stranger found a first-aid kit in seconds and popped it open for business.

Hana sat in a chair beside them without a word. This girl knew what she was doing. Treating these sorts of cuts and bruises wasn't the slightest bit foreign to her, and Hana admired the way she worked and moved in a routine almost graceful.

Slowly, careful not to attract attention, Hana pulled her camera out of her bag and carefully moved around the scene. When the first picture snapped, the girl looked up. Hana blushed, but the girl smiled and continued working.

Izaki regained consciousness after a few minutes and squinted at the stranger, who now dabbed at his swollen eye with a cotton ball. "Hey," he rasped.

The girl set aside the supplies and leaned over him. "Hey, lover."

Hana's camera quickly caught the scene, but then she lowered it. It felt intrusive at this point. "Is he gonna be okay?"

They both turned to her, and Izaki squinted uncertainly. "Oie. Aren't you Serizawa's girl?"

The girl's mouth dropped. "Nani? You're dating Tamao?"

Hana waved her hands rapidly. "No no, I'm not at all! We just know each other!"

"Then what're you doing here?" Izaki asked plainly. "Didn't you come here to see him?"

She blinked. "Er, well, I guess so, but—"

"I can't believe Tamao finally has a girlfriend!" the stranger beamed. "And such a cute girl, too! I always knew he had good taste, though I can't say I see what you saw in him. He's such a simpleton, and for some reason he keeps getting bummier every time I see him. He really has no sense of style, which is a bit embarrassing for me, really. I mean, how can we be related? Going out in public with him is becoming a freak show these days!"

"Sumi." Izaki gave her a look then motioned his eyes at Hana.

The stranger looked back and forth between the two then cleared her throat. "Oo. Gomen."

Hana shouldered her camera and stepped closer. "Did you say you and Tamao are related?"

"That's right! We're cousins!" She grinned and gave the peace-sign. "I'm the better half!"

"Sumi," Izaki scolded again.

Hana beamed and clutched her hands over her chest. "A pâtissier? Really? That sounds wonderful!"

"Yes. I got some time off and came home for a visit, because I miss all my children so much." Sumi wiggled her eyebrows then winked at Hana's laugh. "They really are like a bunch of kids, once you get to know them. They're all puppies beneath that bulldog façade."

Hana giggled but shook her head. "I don't see how Tamao could ever be a puppy."

"Tamao is the biggest puppy of all! He's just the leader of the pups, so he has to give more bite than bark. That's the curse of being the strongest." She tilted her head and nudged Hana lightly. "You like him, right?"

Hana blushed but nodded. "I guess so. I'm not really sure. Sometimes, I feel like he really cares about me, whether as a damsel or a pup, I dunno. But most of the time, I feel like I'm just a nuisance." She ducked her head. "I think I hurt his feelings today."

Sumi raised a shocked and amused eyebrow. "Hurt Tamao's feelings? How?" She glanced at Izaki, who sat across the room sleeping off his injuries. "For helping Izaki?"

"Yeah. And I'm sure the look I gave him wasn't nice. I'd never seen him fight, and he was just so into it against Izaki. He enjoyed it, Sumi-chan. I'd never seen him that way, and when I saw the look on his face, I was afraid."

"Of Tamao?"

"Of getting closer," she whispered, only then realizing the truth. "What if I can't handle it? What if I'm too weak for someone like Tamao? Does that make me a bad person? I know he saw that uncertainty in my eyes, and it became clear to me that Tamao doesn't want me in his life." She frowned and looked away. "I'd never understand it."

Sumi sighed then smacked Hana's back. "Go make up with him."

Hana blinked. "Nani? What would I say?"

"It's not important. As long as you go with that intention, that'll be enough for Tamao."

"But what if he—"

"Hana-chan, did it ever occur to you that look Tamao saw in your eyes made him wonder if he's a bad person? If he's too weak for someone like you? Maybe not the same type of weakness you were wondering, but weak all the same?"

Hana's cheeks slowly pinked. "You think so?"

Sumi nodded. "I know my cousin. He's not the judgmental type except on himself."

The absoluteness in Sumi's eyes bolstered Hana's confidence, and she jumped up. "I'm gonna find him. Arigatō, Sumi-chan!" She darted off but stopped in the doorway and spun around. "Sumi-chan?"

"Hm?"

"How did you make things work with Izaki?"

Sumi smiled. "By protecting each other."

Hana nodded and raced off. Protect each other. How would she ever protect Tamao from anything? Oh who cared! She made tight fists and threw them up as she charged out into the rainy street. "I'll protect you, Serizawa Tamao! Housen, look out!"

Vastly easier said than done. After she left Suzuran, Tamao was nowhere to be found. The gas station was vacated, and none of the students knew anything. Tokio nicely turned her down about information, but it was obvious he knew much more than he let on. What could she do, though?