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'Mnnn,' the male lost within the pillowy heaven turned to his other side slowly. 'Is this.. heaven? Have I died..?'

Carefully, Asher opened his eyelids, somewhat disappointed to find he was lying in the middle of his new mattress. He groggily looked around the sleeping area before falling back, ready to fall asleep again. It was way too early to be up. He could feel his jetlag from several days ago creep back within his system.

'Whatever,' he huffed. 'A few more minutes wouldn't hurt...'

"Asher!! Get up, you're gonna be late!!!"

The boy rolled his eyes under his shut eyelids, groaning as his skin was exposed to the cold, bare floor while he stood. 'I love that woman, but holy shit. Probably woke up the entire neighborhood.'

After stretching out his muscles, satisfying pops being heard in the process, he lazed to the bathroom to quickly get ready for the day ahead of him. He's been in the new house for a few days, but he still hadn't gotten enough to recover. Aside that, Asher began to slowly slide the hideous school uniform onto his body.

"Good lord. Who in their right mind designed this..?" he snarled at the ugly blazer that was required to wear. He opted for typing it around his waist instead of wearing it properly. He would probably get in trouble if he were seen but... it's not bad unless he got caught.

"Ah, you're awake. Good," Asher's mother hummed. She had been plating breakfast for the two of them. "Thought I'd have to come up there and wake you."

Despite the mental strain that has been put on his mother for the past several years, she still looked as young as ever. Many would envy her youthful look. Short, blonde hair and shiny blue eyes. Her skin was pale, which only added to her beauty. Her and Asher hardly looked anything like. However, the boy was proud to say he came from two attractive individuals.

Asher clicked his tongue, pulling out a chair and sitting down at the dining table. "No way would I be able to sleep through your screeching. " The brunette scanned his eyes across the table, seeing how much food there was. "Uh... why's there so much?"

"Because it's your first day back in a Japanese school!" His mother spoke giddily, soon settling in front of her son to dig into her own plate. "I want your mind and body to be prepared for today. Your Japanese is clearly getting better, too. I'm so proud."

He hummed in response, picking at his food lightly. "Still not gonna use that honorific shit. Feels weird."

"What'd I tell you about cursing?" She subtly kicked his shin underneath the table. "They take respect on a whole 'nother level here. Either you go along with it, or you'll have trouble getting around."

"Whatever you say," his tone contradicted his words, but his mother ignored it.

The woman had watched him leisurely take bites from his plate. "Everything good?"

"The food?" His mother nodded. "Oh– yeah, it's good. Thanks, ma'."

He wasn't one to lie very often to his mother if it wasn't necessary. However, this was one of the moments where it felt needed. Asher could never tell his mother how her food made his stomach churn, and how he had to hold everything down after he left the table. There were rarely any times he left the kitchen not feeling sick after eating her food. It wasn't entirely her fault, he just had picky taste buds.

Asher finished his plate to the best of his abilities, pushing his plate away as he stood. "Alright, I'm heading out now. Don't want the teachers on my ass."

"M'kay... keep the cursing to a minimum at school, please! Have a good day!"

"Yeah, right.."

He was grateful that he didn't live too far away from the school building. It made traveling from to school and back much easier on himself, and on his mother. Plus, he was able to take in the outdoors as he went. It might not show from his external appearance, but he was a big environmentalist. He's always been somewhat infatuated with nature when he was younger. Though, Asher would never admit this to someone out loud.

The brunette got to the school after around 10 minutes of walking. He could feel the stares he had gotten as he walked through the halls, but ignored them. He was used to it. Besides, he prepared himself for it days before he arrived to Japan. He was practically a foreigner, after all.

'It was 2-2, right?' He tried remembering his class, passing door by door to remember his respective classroom. 'No, it's 2-1. Fuck, I think I walked by that class already.'

He might or might not have gotten lost a few times. Later, when he had gotten the directions from a group of people on one end of the hall, he finally arrived to his class. Asher wasn't all too worried for introductions, or how he was perceived by his classmates, so he walked in without warning.

"Ah, Morteli. Come stand up front," his teacher signaled for the student to stand beside him, which he did with reluctance. "Alright, class. As you can see, we have... another transfer student. Go ahead and introduce yourself."

'So unnecessary.'

'I agree.'

"I'm Asher Morteli." He kept his introduction short. He didn't feel compelled to tell all of his business to a few kids in his class.

The teacher anxiously tapped their foot, "Uhh.."

"Oh, right. I meant Morteli Asher. Asher's fine, though."

The teacher nodded. "Of course, Morteli-san. Go ahead and take a seat beside Teruhashi-san."

'Who..? Oh, my god. She's like the sun...'

The brunette had to squint has his eye laid on the girl in his class who raised her hand. Asher nodded in response, walking to sit in the desk beside her. He rolled his eyes to the people who sent him dirty looks. It wasn't his fault he was luckier than them.

"Hi, there! I'm Teruhashi Kokomi!" she turned to introduce herself.

Asher wasn't sure if he should be attracted, intimidated, or both. "Uh... right. Hey."

'WHAT!? WHAT WAS WITH THAT REACTION!?'

'Huh. Never thought there would be a day were someone else wouldn't fall for her.'

Asher was able to able to survive through the day, luckily. It was less trouble than he had expected. The students would give him looks from time to time because of his well build or maybe the tattoo trailing up his neck. It was rare to see someone his age with inking in their skin. He decided to stay away from most kids in his class, judging them based off their looks. The only bearable people looked to be the pink haired dude, maybe that little blue haired guy, and Aren. He was a cool guy, like a brother to him.

Speaking of Aren, he was currently walking with him after school. Somehow, the two of them clicked almost as soon as they met. Asher felt as if there some something relatable about him. At the moment, they were strolling down a small alley, walking together until they had to split to go to their separate homes. It was rather peaceful between them, until two random guys appeared.

It would've been fine if they passed each other, mind their own business. But one of them decided to lean in too close and crash his shoulder into Aren's.

"Hey! Show some respect, kid!" Random #1 had shouted. "A simple 'sorry' don't cut it when you bump into one of us."

"Yeah," his companion chimed in, "I think you may've broke broke my arm. That's, like, a million yen to fix!"

Asher immediately deadpanned at them. "Do you really take us for idiots?" he questioned, holding back the urge to roll his eyes. "There's no way you could've broken any bones; that is, unless you have bones of glass. That it, hm? Just a weak little bitch with twigs for bones?"

"Huh!? Did ya' hear him!? Just give him a million yen!!"

"The fuck—"

"I've got it," Aren huffed, gracefully wringing out one of the perpetrator's necks. He was equally tired of their nonsense.

"AGH!! Stop, w- we're sorry! Please, forgive us!"

"Yeah, please let go of him! You're gonna kill him!!"

Asher clicked his tongue in annoyance, punching the free guy across the face, while Aren did the same to his guy. They began to gather their things and walk away as if they hadn't been attempted of theft. Before the brunette took another step, he glanced around his surroundings.

'Why does it feel as if someone's staring..?' After another second, he brushed it off. 'Eh. Probably just paranoid.'

He shrugged it off, turning back to jog and catch up to his purple haired friend.

'Oh, boy.'

• ——— •

The following day, Asher and Aren had walked into class together. Surprisingly, the two of them lived rather close, so they decided to meet up this morning to arrive at school together.

"... do you think something's up with Kuboyasu and Morteli?" the two of them heard the question somewhat-whispered as they walked in. It came from the scrawny blue haired boy. If he was remembering correctly, the group consisted of Kaidou, Nendo, and Saiki? Why was that guy just standing in the background like that?

'That's none of your concern.'

"Huh? What about us?" Aren had questioned, making the boy shriek.

"AHH! N- nothing, it was nothing..!"

'Strange kid,' Asher had blankly looked at Kaidou.

'You have no idea.'

"Hey! 'Sup new guy? 'Sup, other new guy?"

"What're you guys doin'? I want in on it.." the speckled male grinned, accidentally looking menacingly. The boy beside him pushed his elbow into his side, Aren turning to him and looking at him in question.

'Has he always been that scary..!?'

"It's nothing important- sir."

'So he's into that, huh?'

'Gross.'

"'Sir'? What's with the formal talk, dude?" Kuboyasu placed a hand on the former's shoulder, which made him squeal. "You're acting kinda weird... Did something happen? Did you see something that you shouldn't have??"

Asher had to hold in his snort of laughter as Kaidou jumped away.

"What's wrong, stupid? 'Ya scared?" Nendo teased.

Asher mused, "I think that's exactly it."

"No! You're the stupid one! I just got a little dizzy, that's all!"

Nendo laid his arms on Asher and Aren's shoulders. "Hey. He's a weirdo, ain't he?"

"Yup. I guess."

"Mhm."

"Get off of them, Nendo!" Kaidou shouted.

"What're you going on about? All I hear is crazy talk..." Nendo began to huff uneven breaths. The worst thing to ever happen to someone occurred: he sneezed onto Aren's face.

It was gross and stupid, but Asher couldn't help but let out a laugh or two he's been holding in for a while. He was very happy it was his bud and not him. Though, he did feel a bit bad.

'As you should. That's not funny, it's disgusting.'

"Ahh! Nendo.. Are you okay, Kuboyasu?"

The boy nodded, using his sleeve to wipe off the unsanitary moisture. "'s fine. I'm alright. No big deal."

Kaidou wasn't having it. "Nendo, apologize to him!"

"Oh god, my nose is so itchy.. Oh, you've got some boogers on you." The idiot used the same tissue that he used for his nose to wipe Aren's face.

Now Asher was starting to feel repulsed, a small snarl of disgust growing on his lips. 'How stupid could this guy be?'

"That's full of snot too!"

"Really, I'm fine. It's just a sneeze."

'After all that, he's not mad?' Kaidou questioned Aren's behavior mentally. 'Can someone so level-headed really be a juvenile delinquent? Asher doesn't seem affected by it either...'

"I said I'm fine," Aren grit his teeth, holding back his annoyance. "We shower after PE, anyways."

'Wow. I don't think I would've been able to hold back my temper if I were him.'

'He's barely holding it in.'

• ——— •

'I guess I was wrong. Kuboyasu seems so shy about changing his clothes.' Kaidou was eyeing Aren as they changed in the locker room.

In the back of the room, the male was trying to be quick and discreet while changing his clothes. He wanted to be out as fast as he had gotten into the room. On the other hand, Asher immediately stripped from his uniform when he walked into the changing longue. He had nothing to be ashamed of, so he had no worries with others taking a peak or two.

'Maybe that wasn't even them who beat up those guys before. Yeah, I was mistaken,' Kaidou laughed at his misconception while he dressed into his PE attire.

"Haha! Dude, why do you dress like a girl!?" Nendo playfully yelled as he snatched a shirt away from Aren.

"Hey, give it back!"

Kaidou and Asher had their attention on them, seeing Aren's ripped figure. There was also scars littering throughout his body.

'Holy shit, man. Why does he look like he came straight out of an action movie?' Asher looked down to his own body. 'I'm kinda jealous...'

"He's totally jacked from neck down!! They're both so muscly!"

The students began to exit, walking out to the field they would be on for the day. Today they were all assigned to play baseball. Aren and Asher grabbed themselves bats, the two of them playfully swinging them around. Asher had jokingly swung at Aren, making him dodge it instinctively.

'Why're they moving like that!? He's looking at the bat like it was an old friend! They're probably thinking "I never thought I would use you for an actual baseball game."'

'Why so specific?'

"Kuboyasu, you're up next!"

Asher moved to the sidelines as his friend went to stand at home base.

'Oh crap, looks like he really is a delinquent! Even the way he squats is vaguely thug-ish!'

The pitcher wound up his arm, overhand throwing the ball at Aren. However, he sucked at his position, because it flew right into the batter's arm.

"Kuboyasu, are you okay!?" They're PE teacher shouted.

'If Kuboyasu is actually a delinquent, that pitcher is dead meat..!'

"Yeah, learn how to fuckin' throw, dipshit!" Asher yelled from the sidelines, somewhat pissed. A preschooler could throw better than that guy. "You fight with my brother, you fight me as well!"

"There's not gonna be a fight, fellas..." the almost-injured boy spoke, a hand up to his face. "That's just baseball. Now, where were we-- no outs, runner on first?"

'Now he sounds like a former delinquent whose life was changed by baseball!'

The game had to be cut short because of the sudden rainfall. Everyone was running inside the school building besides Kuboyasu and Asher. The brunette liked the rain, so he wanted to enjoy it while he could during school hours.

"Damn, we could've won that game," the purple boy murmured, almost walking into a box with a puppy resting inside of it.

'How the hell did this get into the school? And what idiot would lay it out in the open?'

"Are you a loner, too..?" Kuboyasu crouched down to speak the the baby dog.

Asher laughed, "Dude, that sounded so cringey."

'Why is there suddenly an abandoned puppy after it started raining!?'

After school, Kaidou could be found walking out of the school building. He looked like a child who had just witnessed a murder scene. 'I'm certain of it now! Kuboyasu is definitely a delinquent, and Asher is surprisingly his newbie lackey! All this time they've been acting like normal kids while the had a powerful dark side..!'

'Isn't that how you imagine your own life?'

'I just need to keep my distance from them for now. More for his good than mine. I mean, if he messed with me, I could go full Jet-Black Wings and turn him into ashes,' Kaidou chuckled to himself in confidence, lost in his own little imagination.

"Oh, hey, Saiki! Wanna go grab—" Kaidou was speaking when he noticed his pink haired friend, turning a corner with him. However, he was cut off by four random men standing before them.

"Afternoon, fellas," the first random spoke.

"There's a new rule! Gotta pay a toll if you wanna walk through here," the second said.

Kaidou tried to creep away, but he was swiftly grabbed by one of the guys. "And we can't have you not paying your toll, either." Two of them took Saiki on either side, making sure he couldn't run.

'What!? Oh no.. me and Saiki are being shaken down for money!'

"If you wanna get through, pay up!" The four guys backed the two into a wall, caging them in.

"Whatever's in your pockets!"

Kaidou had slowly faded off into a daydream, imagining himself thousands of times stronger than he normally is so he could protect the oh-so weak Saiki. Though, after a minute or two, one of the guys pulled onto his collar.

"Hey! Hey, are you listening!?" The guy shouted in Kaidou's face, snapping him out of his fantasy.

'Time to come back to Earth, Kaidou.'

"Huh? What's that? Didn't I take all of you guys down..?" he questioned in confusion.

"What..? Stop screwing around with us, loser," the man began to grow more agitated.

'Wait, all of that before was in my head!?' He was pushed against the wall roughly.

"You think you're better than us!? Huh!?"

'Maybe I'll be able to take these weakling down with my normal powers!'

"Last chance, buddy." One of the men began to pull out a pole from behind his back.

'What!? You're gonna hit me with that!? Tch..! If Saiki wasn't here, I would hand everything over to them..!'

'You would?'

'But I can't look weak in front of him! Lets show him my cool side...'

'You don't have one.'

"I don't have my wallet—" The guy with the potential weapon slammed it against the wall behind Kaidou, strong enough to make it crack on contact. "Ooh, it was in my back pocket this entire time!" He laughed nervously, holding out his holder of money.

'You're exhausting.'

They then turned their attention to Saiki, beginning to pressure him into handing over his wallet. The pinkette cursed them before holding his wallet out to one of the men.

'Ha. I cursed you so that in 3 months, blood will leak out of all your pores.'

Kaidou had decided to intervene last minute. He shoved the guy aside, standing in front of his friend. "Saiki, run!"

He did not have to be told twice. The two of them began to run away, gaining some sort of distance between them. Unfortunately, Kaido lost stamina quickly and was caught by the group of men. Saiki hadn't really planned on slowing down, but he felt a bit bad for his... acquaintance, so he slowed down as well. That was only part of the reason, though.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Aren and Asher approached the group of males, the purple haired male genuinely curious about what they were up to. Asher had just been accompanying him.

"Huh.. didn't think I'd witness a shakedown today," Asher noted, a small smirk resting on his lips as he unpocketed his hands.

"Kuboyasu, Asher-kun!"

'Not the stupid honorifics...'

'Great, they're here!' Kaidou cheered mentally. 'He's a lot stronger than he looks. I bet at least one of them can save me.'

"Hey! Are you friends with these losers?" One of the guys had questioned.