The days following the confrontation with Daichi were anything but ordinary. Whispers followed Takuma wherever he went, murmurs of disbelief that the once-invisible boy had dared to challenge the most powerful student in school. But what troubled him more than the gossip was the silence that came from Daichi and his crew. It was like the calm before a storm, leaving him constantly on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Miu, however, was unflinching. She continued to meet Takuma every morning by the cherry blossom tree, her smile unwavering despite the tension that hung in the air. Her defiance of Daichi’s intimidation had only deepened Takuma’s respect and admiration for her, but it also left him worried. He didn’t want her to suffer because of him.

One afternoon, as they sat together during lunch under the shade of their usual spot, Miu’s friend, Aya, approached. Aya was a quiet girl, usually blending into the background, but today there was something different about her—an urgency in her step and a seriousness in her expression that immediately caught Takuma’s attention.

“Miu, can we talk?” Aya asked, glancing at Takuma as if unsure whether to speak in front of him.

Miu noticed the look and smiled reassuringly. “Whatever you need to say, you can say it in front of Takuma.”

Aya hesitated but then nodded, taking a seat on the grass beside them. “I overheard something that I thought you should know,” she began, her voice low. “Daichi and his friends are planning something. I’m not sure what exactly, but it’s supposed to happen after school today.”

Takuma’s stomach twisted. This was what he had been dreading—the moment when Daichi would strike back. He exchanged a glance with Miu, who had gone pale, her jaw tightening.

“Did you hear anything else?” Miu asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Aya shook her head. “Only that it’s going to be big. Daichi’s been talking to some of the seniors, trying to rally support.”

Takuma felt a surge of anger, mixed with fear. He didn’t care what Daichi did to him, but the thought of Miu getting caught in the crossfire was unbearable. “We should leave early,” he suggested, his voice tense. “Avoid whatever he’s planning.”

But Miu shook her head, her eyes hardening with determination. “No. If we run now, he’ll just keep coming after us. We need to face this head-on.”

Takuma opened his mouth to argue, but the resolve in her eyes stopped him. She wasn’t going to back down, and despite his fears, he knew she was right. Running would only delay the inevitable. They had to confront Daichi and put an end to this once and for all.

The rest of the day passed in a blur, every minute dragging as Takuma waited for the final bell to ring. When it did, he and Miu made their way to the back of the school, where Aya had said the confrontation was likely to happen. The area was secluded, away from the main school building, a place where conflicts could unfold without the risk of immediate intervention from teachers or other students.

As they approached, Takuma noticed a group of students already gathered, their faces familiar—Daichi’s loyal followers, including Hiroshi, Kenji, and several other seniors. Daichi stood in the center, his expression smug as he watched Takuma and Miu approach.

“So you decided to show up after all,” Daichi said, his voice dripping with condescension. “I was starting to think you’d run away.”

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Takuma felt a wave of anger rise in his chest, but he forced himself to stay calm. “What do you want, Daichi?”

Daichi’s smile widened, and he took a step forward, his eyes gleaming with malice. “What I want is for you to understand your place, Takuma. You’ve been acting like you’re something special just because Miu decided to take pity on you. But that ends today.”

Takuma clenched his fists, his mind racing. He knew he wasn’t strong enough to take on Daichi and his friends, but he couldn’t let them intimidate him, not after everything they’d been through. “Miu’s not with me out of pity,” he said, his voice firm. “She’s with me because she sees something in me that you never will.”

Daichi’s smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of anger. “You really think you can talk to me like that and get away with it?”

Before Takuma could respond, Miu stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. “Stop it, Daichi. This isn’t about Takuma. This is about you and your ego. You can’t stand the fact that someone’s standing up to you for once.”

Daichi’s eyes narrowed, his fists clenching at his sides. “You’re right, Miu. This isn’t about Takuma. It’s about you making a fool of yourself by hanging around with a loser like him.”

Miu’s expression hardened. “I’m not making a fool of myself, Daichi. I’m choosing who I want to spend my time with. And it’s not you.”

Daichi’s face twisted with anger, and Takuma knew they were seconds away from a physical confrontation. He took a step forward, ready to defend himself and Miu, but before he could move, Hiroshi and Kenji lunged at him, their fists aimed at his face.

Takuma barely had time to react, raising his arms to shield himself as the first punch connected with his side, knocking the wind out of him. He stumbled back, pain shooting through his ribs, but he refused to go down. He threw a punch of his own, connecting with Kenji’s jaw, but it wasn’t enough to stop the onslaught.

Miu screamed, trying to intervene, but Daichi grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the fight. “Stay out of this, Miu,” he snarled, his grip tightening as she struggled to break free.

Takuma’s vision blurred as the blows kept coming, but through the haze of pain, he heard Miu’s voice, desperate and pleading. “Let him go, Daichi! Please, stop!”

The desperation in her voice fueled Takuma’s resolve. He couldn’t let this end like this. Summoning every ounce of strength he had left, he threw himself at Hiroshi, knocking him to the ground. But the effort left him vulnerable, and Kenji took the opportunity to land a brutal punch to his stomach, doubling him over in agony.

Just as Takuma thought he couldn’t take any more, a voice rang out, cutting through the chaos.

“That’s enough!”

Everyone froze, turning to see the school’s head teacher, Mr. Tanaka, storming toward them, his face a mask of fury. Behind him were several other teachers, their expressions just as stern.

Daichi quickly released Miu, stepping back with a look of feigned innocence. “We were just—”

“Save it, Daichi,” Mr. Tanaka snapped, his eyes blazing. “I’ve heard enough. All of you, to the principal’s office. Now.”

The crowd began to disperse, muttering nervously as they realized the gravity of the situation. Hiroshi and Kenji reluctantly let go of Takuma, who collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

Miu rushed to his side, her eyes filled with tears as she knelt beside him. “Takuma! Are you okay?”

Takuma nodded weakly, wincing as he tried to sit up. “I’m fine,” he croaked, though every part of his body screamed in pain. “Are you?”

She nodded, though her hands trembled as she helped him to his feet. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault…”

“No,” Takuma said firmly, though his voice was barely above a whisper. “This isn’t your fault, Miu. Don’t ever think that.”

Mr. Tanaka approached them, his expression softening slightly as he looked at Takuma. “We’re getting you to the nurse’s office. Can you walk?”

Takuma nodded, though he leaned heavily on Miu for support. As they made their way back to the school, the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. The confrontation with Daichi had been brutal, but it had also shown Takuma something important—Miu wasn’t going to back down, and neither was he.

They might have been bruised and battered, but they had faced the storm together. And as long as they continued to stand by each other’s side, Takuma knew they could weather whatever came next.

But as they entered the nurse’s office, he couldn’t help but wonder—what would the cost of this victory be?