Karina looks at her back as she doubles her pace away from her neighborhood, determined to lose Sam. She bumps against something soft and almost loses her balance.

"Ouch! Who— Karina-chan?" It's Emma, beautiful as always even in her school uniform.

"Emma!" Frantic, Karina looks again behind her and sighs when she doesn't see the strange red-headed boy.

"Are you alright?" The blonde asks.

Karina nods her head, her curls bouncing up and down. It's the first time since Emma taught her how to do her curls that she styled it. She also powdered her face and applied lip gloss. She doesn't know how her schoolmates will react to her new image but she promised herself that she'll be brave and face them. She's not the weak, cowardly Karina anymore.

Emma starts to walk again so Karina does too. "Does your body still hurt from training?" her friend asks.

"A bit," she answers honestly.

Sano-san walks with them, hands in the pockets of his baggy pants. In the short time that they've been together, the blond boy seems to be warming up a bit to her. He instructs her more gently now and when he looks at her, it doesn't seem to be filled with hatred any longer. This realization makes Karina's heart jump inside her chest but she ignores the feeling. Sano-san says, "We can cancel this day's training, too. Give you time to recuperate."

She does need to help Goro-san later. She still has a job at the convenience store. "Okay," Karina agrees. "Also, Sano-san, can we change our training time to nighttime? It's because of my work..."

"Huh?" Sano-san scowls but it's not as scary. "I'm with Toman every night."

"I-I see." Stupid. Sano-san is a busy person and he's already doing so much, training her for free. How can she be selfish and just mess up his schedule? But how can they train now?

Silence.

Then, the boy speaks again. "Let's work on a new schedule next time." He's not looking at her but his tone is gentler than before.

Karina smiles to herself. Goodness. She was a bit worried the boy would be angry or stop their training altogether.

At the next intersection, the friends head in different ways. Karina's school is in the opposite direction of Emma and Sano-san's school.

As she walks the streets near her school, she feels the students' eyes look at her.

"Maya-san?" A group of girls approach her. She doesn't know them but she turns to face them. "We love your new hairdo! It suits you so much!"

Karina didn't expect that. She blushes and says "Thank you."

Inside the school, her classmates tell her the same, happy about her new get-up. They even say she's looking more confident now. And she is. Funny what having a new friend does to a person. She feels stronger and more appreciated now.

When she approaches her locker, she breathes deeply and steels herself. What kind of bullying tactic had Aiko and her friends prepared for her? However, when she opens it, her indoor shoes are there and there was nothing out of the ordinary in there. No dead rat. No spiders or cobwebs. No spilled juice. Nothing. She heads to the classroom, and her desk is not vandalized that day.

Weird.

But she must be thankful.

Had her bullies finally gotten bored and are now leaving her alone? She finds that unlikely. Tormenting people is like air to them. So, what happened?

Some more of her classmates smile at her and compliment her. Then, she hears them talking.

"Aiko's not attending classes today again."

"Yeah. Her group is determined to join Mammon. They'll do anything they say."

"I heard the initiation is to do something really dirty and dangerous. I wonder why Aiko wants to join them so badly."

Karina stiffens in her seat. Aiko is joining Mammon? That group who injured Mitsuya-san and Sano-san and who wants to destroy Toman? Why else would the bully want to be one with Mammon other than revenge? Or maybe, she, too, got blinded by Mammon's power.

Now it'll be even harder for Karina to face her bullies. They will surely be backed up by a big, dangerous group.

Throughout the day, Karina's head is in the clouds. She cannot understand a thing her teachers say and she's been spacing out during her shift at Goro-san's convenience store.

"I don't know if you're looking better or you're looking worse."

"Goro-san." She looks up and sees the old owner watching her. When there are not many customers in the convenience store, she fills up the empty racks and checks the expiration dates of the goods.

Goro-san says as he stands with his cane, "All your injuries are healed and you don't have new wounds, but look at that. You're placing bleach with condiments. That's unlike you to make a mistake like that."

"Ah!" She looks at the rack in front of her. The owner is right. She shakes her head and apologizes. "I-I'll redo them and be more careful!"

"Has something happened? Again." Goro-san fetches his white Monoblock chair and sits close to Karina. He's always been like that, ready to listen and accompany her.

Karina sighs. "I've started styling my hair and applying a bit of makeup..."

"I can see that."

"Is it too much, though?" Karina doubts herself. "Am I being somebody else? Rejecting my true self?" Her hand starts to stop taking the bottles of bleach away from the condiments rack.

Goro-san immediately responds with another question, "Are you?"

"Eh?" She looks at him. The owner is looking straight into her eyes.

"Only you can answer that."

"I'm thinking... maybe there's not much point. I wanted to change so I won't get hurt anymore. But, is that enough reason to change my core? And, Aiko... she's teaming up with a big group. So changing the way I look and learning a bit about fighting will not mean something. It's useless. All I do is useless. I'll forever be Mousy Maya." Tears start to sting her eyes. She just let out the monsters haunting her heart.

The old man coughs loudly. "You're thinking of too many things at the same time! My head's spinning with your many words!" He points the cane at Karina. "Who or what exactly is your enemy? Decide that first then you'll have a view of the staircase you need to overcome. Focus on each stair in front of you, one step at a time. You're getting too overwhelmed, lass!"

"Overwhelmed?"

"Yes. Too many things in that curly-haired head of yours."

Karina considers this and breathes in and out. Think of things one at a time, she tells herself. Who is her enemy? Aiko? Mammon? Her mother? Could be. Yes. Okay, what else is her enemy? Her weak self. Did she want to change? Yes. Is she becoming someone else...?

She thinks hard and smiles.

No.

Emma made her realize who her ideal self is. She likes her new hair and her makeup. She's becoming more herself--the person she's always wanted to be but was afraid to be. She likes herself better now.

So, she needs to be brave.

What is her first stair in the staircase full of her demons?

To be stronger.

She must make sure that her training with Sano-san doesn't go to waste. She must be prepared when Aiko attacks her again. What about her mother? She should ask Sano-san about moves for a defense that wouldn't injure her opponent. Although her mother has been hurting her, she still doesn't want to hurt her back.

What about Mammon?

Now, that's a big stair to overcome.

Can she ask Emma? She shakes her head. She doesn't know what Aiko will do with Mammon anyway. But, she'll inform Sano-san about it so that he'll know that the group is trying to become even bigger.

After thinking for a long time, Karina nods her head and faces the old owner. "Thank you, Goro-san. I'm better already."

"Good." He stands up and brings the chair back to the corner. "Now, finish that and get back to the counter."

"Yes!"

The next day, Aiko and her group still don't attend class. A few hours before evening, Karina meets up with Sano-san at her house for their usual training.

The boy gobbles the chicken sandwich she prepared for him. His eyes look like they're sparkling and he couldn't stop himself from devouring the sandwich with quick bites one after another until he finishes it and asks for another.

"I prepared... another... extra one." Karina is already used to Sano-san wanting for seconds of his meal. Since she cannot offer anything else to the boy in exchange for him training her, she always prepares food for him "It's... in the... kitchen," she says in between sit-ups.

The boy disappears and then reappears in the garden with the sandwich in his hand. Karina looks at him and becomes happy to see him so content.

"That's enough," he says. "Let's practice your kicks."

She stands up and goes closer to the boy. He's still eating the sandwich but she knows that's not even enough as a handicap for the boy. He's insanely strong.

Without any warning, Karina kicks him. Sano-san quickly stops it with one strong arm. "Good," he says and Karina becomes more happy. "Again."

Karina does another kick. But this time, for the first time, she completely loses balance and falls on the grassy soil. She sees Sano-san's eyes widen. He drops the sandwich on the floor and falls with her in an attempt to catch her. Karina's head is cradled in Sano-san's arm as they reach the ground.

"Sano-san!"

The boy atop her, they're so close to each other that they could both hear each other breathe. Karina can hear her heartbeat quicken but ignores it. She should make sure Sano-san is okay first.

"Are you okay?" He asks her before she can ask him.

"Y-yes. Are you?"

"This is nothing." Sano-san helps her stand up. "Be careful not to fall again. Now, kick."

"Yes!"

They spent the remaining afternoon like that. Karina had told Sano-san about Aiko in between breaks.

When they were finished, Sano-san tells her to come with him.

"Where to?" she asks but the boy is silent and just gives her his helmet. She rides the bike and puts her hands around Sano-san's waist. She could never get used to being this close to him, feeling his body and inhaling his manly scent.

They reach Musashi shrine.

A lot of Toman members are gathered there, in their black uniforms with gold embroidery. She tries to look for Emma but only Draken-san is there. He nods at her and she waves back with a smile.

Sano-san walks to the front with her, the members parting and making way for them. When he reaches the top of the stairs he shouts, "Everyone! We all know that Toman works as one! We guard and fight for each other! Before we start, I'm announcing that we have a new member! This member is different but I trust that you will fight together with her!"

Her?

Wait... Wait...

Karina starts to tremble as she stands together with Sano-san at the top of the stairs.

The boy announces, "Our new Toman member is Karina Maya!"