|| 4/13 Wednesday ||
|| Early Morning ||

At Shibuya Station, Mikono waited on the loading platform for the train to Aoyama-itchōme Station. She scrolled through the messages from Ryuji and Akira with a crestfallen expression. By reading the texts from both boys, she could tell they both desperately wanted to discuss what happened at the ramen shop yesterday. Every time she built up the courage to text them back, she was reminded of how useless she truly was when they navigated their way through Kamoshida's Palace. She knew Ryuji wanted to apologize to her, but a voice inside her head kept distorting his words. If he didn't need her help, then she truly was useless. Even Morgana was more useful than herself.

With a sigh, Mikono boarded the train heading to Aoyama-itchōme Station. She was squished between two women who were both chatting away with one another. She held her bag close to her chest when she was forced back against the door of the train. Another heavy sigh slipped from her lips as she glanced out the window, admiring the passing scenery.

When she heard people around her beginning to complain and shuffle around, she tore her gaze from the window and saw someone pushing through the crowded train. She could hear the person apologizing to the people around them as they made their way toward her. Mikono's brows furrowed in confusion, wondering why someone would try to maneuver through a horde of tightly-packed people. Another apology slipped from the person's mouth and the girl was able to recognize the voice. Peeping through the taller people surrounding her, she spotted Akira only a few feet away. He continued to shove and apologize his way through people in order to reach her.

Suddenly, the two women in front of Mikono were peeled away from one another to reveal Akira. She stared up at him, hugging her bag tighter. "What're you doing, Kurusu?"

"Trying to reach you," he responds, readjusting his bag on his shoulder. "Why haven't you called or texted me back?"

The guilt from earlier returned tenfolds. "I-I'm sorry for not responding to you or Ryuji. To be honest, what he said yesterday made me realize something. At the castle, all I proved to be was a nuisance. How can I help you or Ryuji when I'm always in the way?"

"That's not true," Akira promptly denies her accusation against herself. "Whether you've noticed it or not, you've helped me more than anyone. You looked past my criminal record and gave me a chance to show you who I truly am. It's nice having someone like you care about me. I never thought I would've made friends here in Tokyo, but I'm glad you proved me wrong, Tsutsui-chan."

Mikono couldn't stop a smile from manifesting on her face, feeling more relaxed and confident. "I'm glad we met, Kurusu. I'm happy to have made another friend."

The girl's smile was contagious and Akira smiled back. "Me, too."

"I may not be able to help you in the castle, but I'll do my best to support you and Ryuji in any way possible."

"Good to see you're back to your usual cheery self," Akira's smile grew. "It's weird how your mood affects me and Ryuji."

"Speaking of Ryuji..." Mikono plucked her phone out of her bag and opened the blonde's message thread. "He probably still feels guilty for what he said yesterday. I'll have to talk to him at the volleyball rally." She messaged him and then placed the device back into her bag.

The train arrived at Aoyama-itchōme Station a few minutes later and the students stepped off. They climbed the stairs and walked down the street, side-by-side. They heard a couple of first years gossiping a few feet in front of them.

"How annoying-we've barely started high school, and already they're making us play at a volleyball rally? And why are they putting us against the teacher team? Kamoshida's gonna crush us."

"We get to see his technique live and in person, though. We should totally get spiked on!"

"Yeah, okay. You're gonna get your face smashed in. Just look at how banged up the volleyball team is. What the hell goes on during their practices?"

'More than you'll ever know,' Mikono muttered in her head.

|| 4/13 Wednesday ||
|| Morning ||

Mikono sat at her desk beside Akira, twirling an eraser around with her finger as it lied on her notebook. Ms. Kawakami finished her lesson and it was time for the volleyball rally. She closed her lesson planner and looked around at her students. "Okay. Listen up, everyone. As you all know, today is the volleyball rally. Head to the gymnasium once you've changed. Got it?"

"I am not looking forward to this..." Mikono whispered, placing the eraser in her pencil bag.

Akira overheard her and looked at her quizzically. "Is it really that bad?"

She nodded and whispered back, "It's terrible. And with Kamoshida leading the teachers... This rally will be much worse than last years..."

The two friends stood up and followed their classmates to the locker rooms. Now separated, they changed their clothes and regrouped in the gym.

|| 4/13 Wednesday ||
|| Afternoon ||

When the duo entered the gymnasium, they saw Ryuji sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall. When the blonde spotted them, he seemed fidgety. Akira and Mikono joined him, the girl sitting between the two boys.

Peering over at her best friend, Mikono saw how his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She knew he wanted to say something, but nothing was coming out. Seeing this, she decided to be the one to speak. "I know you want to apologize, but I need to say something first. The deal I made with Kamoshida was idiotic, but I wasn't gonna allow him to keep beating up my best friend. I don't regret protecting you from him and never will. I realize you didn't mean what you said, but there's truth in it. I've seen how useless I can be at times and I know that's what you felt when Kamoshida mentioned the offer between me and him. You felt useless because you couldn't protect me. But every time you've protected me in this world and that weird dimensional castle, I've felt the same way-useless. Let me return the favor every now and then, okay?"

"Uh..." Ryuji continued to be speechless. His chocolate eyes were wide and unblinking. After a few minutes of being loss for words, he was able to find his voice and speak up. "I-I wasn't expectin' that, but... Gah! Fine! I'm sorry for sayin' that "not needin' your help" shit yesterday. It's just...I'm the one who's supposed to be protectin' you, not the other way around. But I kinda see your point... Still, that won't stop me from tryin' to stop that asshole from usin' you as a punching bag."

"I agree with Sakamoto," Akira said. "Regardless of your deal with Kamoshida, we will try everything in our power to keep him from hurting you."

Mikono glances between the two boys before throwing her arms around their necks and pulling their faces closer to hers. Their cheeks pressed against hers as she smiled from ear-to-ear, failing to notice their faces turning red. "You two are the best!"

"Wh-Whatever..." Ryuji grumbled, stuttering due to being embarrassed and looking anywhere but at Mikono. Akira simply remained silent, a smile spreading across his reddened face.

Mikono released the boys and hugged hers knees as she heard a whistle blow to signify the beginning of the volleyball rally. It didn't take long for the teachers to score against the students and take the lead. The young girl felt the pain the students were going through when Kamoshida began serving the ball and hitting it as hard as he could, haphazardly aiming for the boys on the opposing team. He didn't care who wound up in the ball's path as long as he won and caused pain to someone else.

Serving after scoring another point, Kamoshida tossed the volleyball into the air and hit it with all his strength. The ball zoomed downward in Mishima's direction. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to hit it and lost his balance when it nailed him in the arm. The ball bounced against the floor, giving the teachers another point. Not caring about the collapsed student, the teachers complimented Kamoshida on his powerful serve with victorious smiles on their faces.

"What a bastard..." Mikono cursed under her breath, scowling at the broad-chinned man. She then looked over at Mishima with a sorrowful frown. "No one deserves this kind of punishment, especially not Mishima-kun..."

Akira was listening to her, but Ryuji wasn't. His eyes were focused on Takamaki, who was sitting in a chair and twirling her hair around her finger with a grim expression. "Still sticks out... Hasn't changed a bit," he unconsciously grumbles, crossing his arms. Looking over at his friends, he realized he was caught and tried to play it off with a fake stretch and yawn. "Pretty boring. Right?"

"Oh, don't you dare try to hide the fact you were-" Mikono fell silent when she heard a loud 'thump'. Looking at the game, she saw Mishima fall to the floor and the volleyball roll toward her, Ryuji, and Akira. Putting two-and-two together, she scrambled to her feet and rushed over to her classmate. She sat on her knees beside him, examining his injured face. She could tell some wounds were old and the others were fresh. "Let me help you, Mishima-kun."

As Mikono helped the boy off the floor of the gymnasium with assistance from another student, Kamoshida rushed over. Before he could falsify a concerned expression, the inky-haired girl spoke up. "I'll take him to the nurse's office." Without sparing another glance toward Kamoshida, Mikono hooked one of Mishima's arms around her neck and supported his body with her own.

Dizzy from being smacked in the face by a volleyball, Mishima allowed Mikono to help him to the nurse's office. His movements were weak and shaky as he stumbled over his own feet while walking down the hallway. He was fortunate to have someone with him because he would've fallen by now if he'd been left alone.

Arriving at the nurse's office, Mikono placed Mishima on one of the beds. She called out to the nurse but received no response. With no one else around, she took it upon herself to help the boy. She grabbed rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and bandages from a cabinet before returning to her classmate. "All right. Bear with me, Mishima-kun. This is gonna sting."

"A-All right..." Mishima replied, still dizzy from the brunt impact of the volleyball. He wanted to push her away, but he didn't want to be rude since she escorted him all the way to the nurse's office without even having to be asked by a teacher. The second the alcohol-soaked cotton ball made contact with an open cut, he winced and leaned away from Mikono.

The cerulean-eyed girl shook her head with a melancholic sigh. "Mishima-kun, I know most of these wounds aren't new. I'm aware of what Kamoshida does to you and the volleyball team. I...am also a victim."

"What-ouch!" He shrieked when she leant forward and pressed the cotton ball against the cut along his cheek. He decided to allow her to continue her work and frowned at the revelation. Examining her face, he could see the bruise on her cheek. It was faded but still visible if you looked close enough. "That bruise... Is it because of him?"

Mikono nodded. "Yes. You probably think stopping Kamoshida is impossible, but I believe it isn't. He will pay for what he's done to you and everyone else." She placed a couple of bandages on his face before offering him a gentle smile. "Now, get some rest. Don't get up until you're positive the dizziness has subsided."

"Th-Thank you, Tsutsui-chan." Mishima lies down on the bed and rested his head on the pillow. He closed his eyes and Mikono took that as a signal to leave.

Not wishing to return to the gym, Mikono searched for something else to do. When she passed the courtyard, she noticed Ryuji and Akira standing by the vending machines. Without hesitating, she stepped out and joined them. "Hey, Ryuji, Kurusu. What're you doing out here?"

"Just talking 'bout how that asshole's actin' like a king over here, too..." Ryuji confesses with a low growl. "Get to know each other better, my ass. It's just a one-man show for him to stroke his ego. And how he acted like he was worried about Mishima? What an abusive d-bag!"

"How is he, by the way?" Akira asked, gaze locked with Mikono's.

"He's resting now, but he's fine. I'm worried about all the bruises and cuts on his face from Kamoshida's so-called "practice". At this rate, his injuries won't heal before new ones form. And who knows how many more are scattered across his body. This has to stop," she replied.

"And that's where my plan comes in!" Ryuji announces. "Now's our chance to go look for the guys we saw were slaves yesterday. Let's look for the faces we saw at the castle. All the members of the team should be here today."

"It shouldn't be difficult," Mikono stated. "All the volleyball team members are wrapped up in bandages like mummies. They'll be easy to locate."

"We'll be sure to to find someone to spill about Kamoshida's physical abuse. Just you wait, asshole," Ryuji said, the last sentence directed toward the coach.

"I don't remember their faces..." Akira sighs, crossing his arms.

"I'd be surprised if you did. You've only been attending Shujin Academy for a few days, after all," Mikono stated before questioning the blonde boy. "Who should we search for first, Ryuji?"

"The first one that popped out was a guy from class D, so let's start from there," he answered.

"Oh, that should be easy. That's our class," the young girl looked toward the messy-haired teen. "Now that you mention it... A boy walked into class this morning with bandages covering his right eye. Not to mention, he also had a bandaid on his right cheek... He looks like he should be in the hospital."

"Hopefully you guys can get him to talk without any issues. People have been avoidin' me lately, so..." Then, Ryuji remembered all three of them were outcasts. "Oh, but you both're kinda in the same boat, huh..."

"And that's why the three of us get along so well," Akira huffed out a faint chuckle.

"It's what made us friends in the first place," Mikono giggled.

Ryuji grinned at the two. "Then let's get goin'!"

The trio leave the courtyard and head to classroom 2-D. It didn't take them long to spot the boy who was dressed with bandages and bandaids. They began questioning him, but he refused to confess how Kamoshida abused the volleyball team during practice. He gave them the cold shoulder, resulting in the group of friends to leave the classroom without anything to help bring Kamoshida to justice.

Ryuji growled, glaring at the sliding door to classroom 2-D. "That injury ain't normal! And he still won't fess up..." Another snarl escaped from his throat when he realized time wasn't on their side. "Crap. If we keep goin' at this pace, the ballgame's gonna end..."

"Let's split up," Akira suggested. "That way, we won't waste any time."

"Guess that'd be faster," Ryuji grinned, agreeing to the idea. "I'll check the practice building for people before clubs start. You guys handle the classroom building."

Mikono glances at the blonde with a perplexed manner. "I thought we were splitting up."

"We are, but you're goin' with him," Ryuji pointed his thumb in Akira's direction. "He got lost once we left the gym after you helped Mishima to the nurse's office."

Akira looked away from Mikono the second she turned her gaze toward him. She tilted her head in confusion, her ponytail slipping past her shoulder. "Did my tour not help?"

"No, it's not that..." Akira replied sheepishly. "I was...never mind."

"Well, the school layout is kinda linear and it's easy to get lost even with a proper tour. Anyway..." Mikono reverted her gaze back to the blonde delinquent. "Let's find the next person. Where should we start, Ryuji?"

"The next guy's a third-year on the volleyball team that I remember. I think he's in...3-C? He might be around his classroom. Mikky'll know where to find it. He was gettin' beat pretty badly at the castle. He might have some injuries here, too." He then grinned. "Anyways, I'll hit you guys up if I find anything. See ya!" Ryuji took off down the hallway and around the corner, vanishing from sight.

"All right, then!" Mikono smiled, placing her hands on her hips. "Let's head to the first floor. That's where the third-year classrooms are."

Akira nodded. "Lead the way, Tsutsui-chan."

She continued to smile as she guided the boy down a flight of stairs to the first floor. She knew exactly where classroom 3-C was and led the way without incident. They weaved through a few students lingering in the hallways before arriving at their destination. When they saw two boys standing outside the classroom and one was covered in bandages, they knew they'd located their next victim.

Taking the lead, Mikono stepped forward and stood in front of the two boys with a kind smile. "Hello."

The volleyball team member scowled at her, responding with an annoyed tone. "Eh? Whaddya want? You got something to say?"

Mikono ignored the student's hostility and continued to speak benevolently. "We only want to ask you some questions."

Akira stood beside his friend and spoke up before the boy could protest. "You on the volleyball team?"

"So what if I am?" He spat, turning his sharp glare toward the messy-haired boy.

"Hey, I know who this guy is. He's that transfer student who's been hanging out with Sakamoto..." The other boy said before pointing at Mikono. "And she's that weird half-something/half-Japanese girl who became friends with the two delinquents. She really does attract the worst people in school, doesn't she?" He snickered. "No wonder she doesn't have any other friends besides the two guys with criminal records. I'd never want to hang out with someone like that."

Mikono's cheerful demeanor wasn't sullied by their malicious words. She kept smiling gently, looking past their slander. Unfortunately, Akira wasn't able to keep a calm facade in front of the two boys. His stoic expression shattered when he heard them insult his friend, but he quickly patched the pieces back together and remained level-headed.

"Oh, I get it," the volleyball player said, eyeing Akira. "You're trying to snoop on Mr. Kamoshida, right? Look, our volleyball team performs at a national level. Of course our practices are gonna be tough. Mr. Kamoshida's just dedicated to training us. Don't believe everything Sakamoto says, or even Tsutsui. She's already tried to take him down with some bullshit about being smacked around by him. She only wants attention because she can never get enough of it. You better find someone who's actually worth your time, or you'll-"

Akira suddenly lashed out and grabbed the front of the boy's jersey, his calmness wiped away with pure anger. It didn't show on his face as it remained emotionless. "Tsutsui-chan isn't-" He then felt a gust of wind and looked to where Mikono once stood. She was gone.