chapter three

Thanks to Azusa's advice, Kai felt less gloomy. He decided to work hard at being considered lawful according to the eyes of his classmates. His classmates were just scared of him and what he could do to them. Kai decided that he wasn't doing enough to convince them that he's a good guy. While his classmates' thinking couldn't be changed with words, Kai had to show them that he was not going to hurt them. Haruhiko had always told him that even if people are mean to you, always be nice to them. Because being yourself is more effective that trying to be something you're not. Even now, he still obeyed his brother because his brother was right then, and he's right now.

Kai and Azusa became such good friends after that. Azusa managed to convince her father to give Kai a second chance. Azusa always believed him whenever his classmates accused him of something. But one day, their accusations were getting worse. Azusa regaled him with stories about her family's adventures. Despite the fact that he missed his family even more when she spoke about hers, he was grateful that she was opening up to him. But they were just having fun, when someone kicked the door open, interrupting their moment. Azusa was startled. But she irritated at the thought of them. 

His classmate caught hold of Kai's collar and yanked him to his feet. He yelled in his face. 

"Hey! Kai. I lost my money a few days ago and I find it inside your desk. Just because you don't have parents doesn't give you the right to steal. What would they even think of you?"

"I didn't steal anything. I promise." Kai said. He hated that he was always accused of things he hadn't done. He wanted to scold them and fry their brains. But he decided that it would only confirm their suspicions. So he kept quiet. What's the use of talking when no one is willing to listen and only argue.

"Don't bring my parents into this. They raised me right. If you want to talk about parents, lets talk about yours. Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" Kai didn't mind if they bullied him but he hated them badmouthing his family.

He was backhanded across the face. "I didn't ask you for your approval. If I wanted your opinion, I would ask you. So keep your mouth shut." 

"Leave Kai alone." Azusa said, stepping between them. "He did nothing wrong. If he said he didn't steal anything, then I believe him."

"Get lost. This is between me and Kai. Don't be fooled by him. Azusa, you're supposed to be smart. Cant you tell that he's using you?. Girls are so simple. They only want one thing: beauty. "

The female students glared at him. He was such a prick.

"Girls have their own interests and they don't only care about beauty. Thats being shallow." Azusa said, her voice calm.

"Oh. I suppose you're the expert on girls, right? Like you know everything about me. Well, you know nothing about me because you're too pigheaded to see that I am out of your league." Azusa's words sent an icy shivers up his spine. He didn't even try to redact the statement. He stood by that statement. To him, girls was a matched set and they didn't bring any value to them.

He shoved the person and he tripped and went towards the window pane. He hung on the window sill.

"Its dangerous!" Kai said, rushing towards them. He leaned over the window and grabbed his hand. He tried to bring him up—

But a shard sliced his arm. Blood dripped down his arm. He remembered that his brother's arm was also sliced when the knife slipped and he was terrified of blood. But he couldn't allow that guy to get hurt no matter how badly he treated him.

"I'm definitely going to need stitches." He replied, nonchalantly. He glanced down at the scared boy digging his nails into his skin, his non-injured arm. He didn't mind that. "Are you alright?'

"Why are you saving me after what I did?"

" It was the right thing to do. Now shut up and hold on. We can talk about this when you're safely on the ground."

"I'm slipping."

"Hold on tight." He dug his nails even further into his skin. He pulled him up.

"Why aren't you guys helping him?" Kai said. "He's your friend." Kai struggled to help him.

"Friend is a little bit of a stretch. Besides, his life is expendable." The guys who accused him earlier brushed him off. 

"No life is expendable." Kai said, gritting his teeth. He finally brought him up and the guy hugged him in relief, sobbing into his chest. He was so scared that he was going to die.

"Thank you! I'll never forget this."

"You're safe now. I promise."

"Everyone should see you change. We need to see you turn into a Ram."

Kai ran out of there as fast as possible. Azusa ran after him. "Hold on, Kai. Please."

Kai was angry, but not angry enough to ignore the one friend who cared about him. He stopped abruptly, making her bump into him. "I'm sorry. " He apologised. "Did I hurt you?"

Azusa rubbed her nose. "I didn't think you would actually listen to me. Most people who are upset run and the other person chases them until they feel like their lungs are about to burst."

Kai sighed. "I'm not upset. I had no idea they were willing to go that far. He could seriously have being hurt."

Kai was sick of this. He was sick of everyone treating him like he didn't matter. Like he was a dangerous and unhinged person. He hated the fact that his classmates bullied and harassed him. And all he wanted to do was run to his parents' arms and feel their warmth. But then, he realised that they were gone and the love and comfort he felt all those years were washed over like footprints in the sand.

He wanted to be more than friends with Azusa. He felt himself falling for her. He loved her. But he knew that he could never be with her as he didn't want to put her through any heartache. He wanted to understand why his classmates didn't give him a chance. But he would soon understand why he was rejected. Why he felt such trials and tribulations and most important, why he had to face his destiny alone. He decided to join the basketball team. Basketball was overcoming barriers and playing as one. It is also a way to connect with his classmates, He missed basketball. Basketball made him feel so close to his brother.