Chapter 13: — "YOU FUCK WITH HER, YOU FUCK WITH ME!!"

Keigo stood there, arms crossed, smirk sharp as ever.
Behind him, Ren and Yuto loomed, grinning with the same cruel spark in their eyes.

Ayaka immediately frowned. “What do you want, Keigo?”

He tilted his head, mock-innocent. “Just came to say hi to my favorite crybaby.”
He glanced at Sakura, whose shoulders stiffened instantly.

Ayaka stood up. “Leave her alone. She didn’t do anything to you.”

Ren laughed quietly. “You got some guts, standing up for her like that.”

Yuto added, “Too bad guts won’t help you much.”

Before Ayaka could move, Ren and Yuto suddenly grabbed her by the arms, holding her back.
“HEY! HEY STOP! LET ME GO, YOU IDIOTS!” she shouted, trying to twist free.

Keigo ignored her. He turned to Sakura with a mocking half-smile.
“You think you can just walk around smiling now? Acting like we don’t remember who you used to be?”

Sakura’s throat tightened. “Please… just stop.”

He stepped closer. Too close.
When she tried to back away, he shoved her shoulder. She stumbled but caught herself, breathing unevenly.

“STOP IT!” Ayaka cried out, still trying to break free.
But Ren and Yuto held her firmly, smirking.

Keigo gave another push, rougher this time. Sakura fell to her knees, dirt on her palms. The courtyard had gone almost completely silent now, students gathering in clusters, phones half-raised, nobody daring to interfere.

“C’mon, crybaby,” Keigo sneered. “Where’s that little voice now?”

That’s when it happened.

Sakura screamed. A short, frightened cry that sliced through the courtyard.

And somewhere across the field, Haruto froze.

His head snapped up, eyes locking on the scene unfolding under the tree.

Without thinking, he ran.

“Sakura!”

His shout made Keigo turn, just in time for Haruto’s fist to connect with his jaw.
It wasn’t a brutal hit, but it was loud, shocking enough to silence the entire courtyard.

Keigo stumbled back, holding his cheek.
Haruto’s voice came out low and furious:
“GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!”

Ayaka gasped. Sakura looked frozen, eyes wide.

Keigo blinked once, twice, then let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Oh, that’s cute. You’re really doing this? For her?”
He wiped his mouth and signaled to Ren and Yuto. “Fine. You want a fight? You got one.”

The crowd murmured.
“Is this actually happening?”
“Haruto vs Keigo’s group?”
“No way… WE'RE GETTING A FIGHT!”

Ayaka was finally released, running straight to Sakura. She knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around her trembling friend. “It’s okay, it’s okay… are you hurt?”

Sakura shook her head, still staring at Haruto. “I-I-I'm ok... b-but h-he... he’s going to fight them…”

Ayaka bit her lip. “I know. But… we can’t stop him now.”

Across the field, Haruto squared his shoulders as the three bullies closed in.

“Come on, then,” he said quietly. “Try me.”

Ren lunged first, swinging clumsily. Haruto sidestepped, dodging with surprising ease and countering with a quick push that knocked Ren slightly off balance.

Keigo came next, faster, more controlled. Haruto blocked a hit, then ducked another. It wasn’t a perfect fight, but it was fast, raw, desperate.

Yuto tried to grab him from behind, but Haruto twisted free, spinning to face them all again.

The crowd cheered now, voices overlapping.
“Whoa... did you see that?!”
“Haruto’s actually holding his own!”

Sakura clutched Ayaka’s sleeve tightly. “Please stop… please, Haruto…”

Ayaka whispered, “He’s trying to protect you.”

The fight grew rougher. Haruto took a hit to the side, stumbling back but not falling. He wiped his mouth, glaring.
“I’m not scared of you anymore,” he spat.

Ren charged again, Haruto ducked, swept his leg, and Ren fell backward into the grass.
Keigo rushed him, landing a glancing hit on Haruto’s shoulder, but Haruto shoved him back with both hands.

The noise from the crowd grew wild. It felt unreal, like the world had narrowed to the ring of students, the dirt under their feet, and the pounding in Haruto’s chest.

Between breaths, he muttered, “You’ll never touch her again.”

Keigo gritted his teeth. “We’ll see about that!”
He swung once more... and this time, the impact sent Haruto staggering down to one knee.

Sakura’s heart nearly stopped. “HARUTO!” she screamed, voice breaking.

He looked up just long enough to see her face through the crowd, her tears, her fear, and for a split second, he smiled.

Then Keigo stepped forward again, ready to strike.

“PLEASE!” Sakura screamed, trying to run toward him but Ayaka held her back.

“SAKURA, NO! Y-you’ll get hurt too!”

“LET ME GO, AYAKA!” she cried, struggling in panic.

Ayaka gripped her tighter. “You can’t! Please, he’s doing this for you!”

Haruto managed to stand again, breathing hard. He dodged another hit, tried to swing back... but Keigo caught him with a shove that sent him tumbling down on the ground.

The world seemed to hold its breath.

Haruto pushed up on his elbows, his arms trembling, but he couldn’t rise all the way. He stayed there, still, quiet, staring up at the sky while blood ran out his mouth, his nose, basically his entire face, which was covered in fresh, cold red blood.

Keigo froze, realizing what he’d done.

Then came the sound of the door slamming open.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!”

A teacher sprinted out across the courtyard, her voice cutting through the noise. She saw the boys, the crowd, and Haruto lying on the ground.

“OH MY GOD, HARUTO! W-WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!”

Keigo, Ren, and Yuto all stepped back, faces pale. They tried to speak, but the teacher’s expression turned sharp with fury.

"Y-You see... I was... well... We were—

“ENOUGH. YOU THREE!" The teacher yelled, cutting Keigo off instantly. "PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE. NOW!”

The courtyard fell completely silent.

Keigo swallowed hard, nodding. Ren and Yuto followed quietly, heads down, as the crowd slowly parted to let them through.

Ayaka knelt beside Sakura, who was still shaking, whispering Haruto’s name under her breath.

"H-Haruto... h-he's hurt... because of me..." Sakura whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Meanwhile, the teacher knelt beside Haruto, checking him carefully.
“It’s okay. Stay still. You’re safe now.”

Sakura let out a broken, shuddering sob of relief... because even though Haruto was hurt, he had done something big that no one else had ever done for her.

He had stood up.

For her.