Shina walked out of the principal's office after getting scolded by the principal and her homeroom teacher, Fujita Ami, again. She was summoned there again for another offense she did out of annoyance. She tackled a second year photographer that was taking her picture for a reason, and almost destroyed her camera.

The girl's reason for snapping unauthorized pictures were because, "Well, Yuu seems to like you, so I thought I'd take pictures of you for him" stated the photographer known as, Inouye Chiasa.

"You've got to be kidding me" Shina groaned.

The swordswoman sat on the bench where Inouye was patiently waiting for her uncle and aunt who were talking to the principal about the assault the Ronin committed. She sneaked a glance at the frustrated freshman who buried her face in her hands, while continuously muttering curses.

"I'm sorry" said Inouye, making Shina glance at her. As soon as she met Ronin's dull crimson eyes, she bowed her head and apologized again. "I'm sorry for getting you in trouble. If only I didn't take pictures of you, you wouldn't get in trouble..." the swordswoman can hear the repentance on her tone and decided to brush that subject off.

"It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong" Shina assures, leaning on the bench and looking up the ceiling. "I was purposely getting myself in trouble to get expelled" Inouye's ears perked up after hearing that. "Why?" she question her lowerclassman, curious on the girl's goals. Shina clicked her tongue. "Because I hate going to school; and it's useless even if I attend class" was Shina's careless answer.

"Then why get enrolled in the first place?" Inouye inquired.

Shina shrugged. "Dunno. It wasn't my decision anyway. My grandmother enrolled me here. She says it's the best for me" she nonchalantly tells why she was in her position as a student.

Inouye blinks a few times. "You don't agree with her?" she shot another question.

"Why do you ask so many questions? I doubt you even care on whatever I answer you" Shina snapped, irritated. She gave a glare that made Inouye shut her mouth. She sighed, looking out the window. "Sorry, I have anger issues"

"It's okay" Inouye replied. Only silence was in between the two of them when the photographer decided to talk again. "But, wouldn't it be better if you tried not to get expelled?" Shina popped a vein and looked at her again. Inouye sat unfazed, but felt nervousness towards the gang leader. "I mean... your grandmother pays for your tuition, just so that you could study in a fine school. Wouldn't that be put to waste if you don't study well? Or even get in trouble all the time? Think about it. You're lucky that your grandmother even cares for you, unlike... some who just abandon children" the glasses girl's voice lowered down.

Shina can tell the subject was becoming touchy for the both of them. What Inouye said made her thought for a while. She did go all the trouble...

"You're lucky you have some people who care about you. And you should appreciate them as long as they're still there because you never know. They might not be there forever"

That made Shina cringe. They might not be there forever. Those words echoed inside her head, tangling something in her heart. It was pain. What her said was true... she noted, mentally.

The office's door swung open, and out went Inouye's uncle and aunt. The 2nd year bid goodbye to her new acquaintance and went with her guardians who hurriedly pulled her away from the fugitive sitting on the bench. Then followed: Raiden; the one who had to attend the conference when Fujita called for Shina's guardian. Tamotsu was unavailable during that time, and so was Gina who was stuck at the clinic again.

"Not good, Ronin" Raiden spoke as he sat beside Ronin on the bench. He heaved out a sigh and looked at Shina who quietly watched him. "You got yourself detention. Again" he hardly pressed the word 'again'.

"I see" Shina plainly replied. "Another free weekend occupied, again" sighing, Raiden pushed himself up from his seat.

"Tamotsu's not gonna like this when he finds out" Raiden declares, crossing his arms, disapprovingly. "Moreover, I'm worried about Gina-san. She's been stressing herself out in work these days. I'm starting to get worried"

"What do you mean?" Shina queried, getting concerned when it comes to her grandmother.

Raiden glances at her curiously, with a slightly surprised look. "You don't know? Gina-san collapsed the other day out of exhaustion. She has a scheduled check-up this weekend and Nobuo will accompany her" he informed the news. Shina was shocked and worried at the same time yet she didn't show it in her face. Her eyes did the talking. Raiden read her expression. "She didn't tell you?"

The swordswoman popped a vein. "Do I look like I already know it?" she remarked, standing up from the bench, facing her back at him. "Stupid Raiden" the Ronin walked away without even saying goodbye to her gang member.

"Stu-Stupid?!" Raiden reacted at the insult before sighing again. "Whatever. She must be cranky because she found out late about her grandmother..." he assumed and took his leave.

Shina walked through the hall to return to her classroom without knowing that it was already lunch break. Students started to scurry around the hallways, suffocating the swordswoman because of enochlophobia; her fear of crowds. She slid a window open and jumped out of the building with no hesitation. Landing with a loud thud, the person who was just passing by the hallways below, jolted away in surprise that a goddess - or rather delinquent fell from the sky. The swordswoman dusted her clothes and decided to go to her usual spot where she hides during breaks. Turning around, she saw the least person she wanted to see, always.

"Ro-Ronin-san?! Why did you suddenly jump-" Nishinoya asks but Shina already walked away from him. "Ronin-san, wait a minute!" he called after her, grabbing her arm. Remembering the scars, Noya immediately released her, then apologizing deeply for grasping her like that.

Ronin sighed. "What do you want?" she quizzed for his purpose of approaching her again.

"U-Um, Ronin-san... I... I heard about you and Chiasa!" Nishinoya started, "Take-chan told me you were called to the principal's office, is everything alright?" he asks.

"What do you think?" she snapped as the shorty flinched. "Why do you even bother? Why do you worry about me?"

"I-I worry because-!" Nishinoya defended, trying the right words to say. His mouth shaped a zigzag line in nervousness, and his brain was completely blank. "I don't know-I just care about you!" Shina flinched. She didn't understand. Why was he caring towards a negligent person like? She didn't even care for him. In fact, she didn't want to care for anyone anymore, and she didn't want anyone to care for her as well.

"Why...?" Shina questioned with a downcast tone. "Why do you care about me?"

Nishinoya blushed. "I don't know... I just-" "I don't need someone to care for me. And I mostly don't need care from you!" Shina shouted, tackling him on the ground. "Ronin!" the libero exclaimed as the girl pinned his hands and hovered over him. "You're stupid. Stupid as fuck. You're idiotic for involving yourself with someone like me. I despise you, hear that?"

Nishinoya stared at her eyes widened as she says those words. The way she says that, it wasn't believable. Her voice was trembling and she can feel her hands were shaking as well. He gulped and gathered up his courage to talk back to her. "Ronin-san... Don't you like it when people care for you?" he questioned making her flinch. He could actually catch her off guard.

Shina calmed down and released Nishinoya's wrists. She sat on him by his stomach. "No..." was her answer. "I don't like it..." she admits, sitting on his stomach.

"Why?" Noya asked again.

"Because..." Shina mumbled, painful memories going back to her head. "Because all I've brought them is pain..." she lowered her head, her bangs brushing Nishinoya's forehead. The libero can't help but sniff her scent. He wanted to punch himself for doing that but he can sense that the Ronin will do it for him. Surprisingly, Shina leaned her forehead on him, her crimson eyes staring into his amber ones. He blushed before seeing her eyebrows furrow and head butt him.

"Ow!!" he yelped in pain, holding onto his forehead. Shina plainly got off him, dusting herself. She dug her hands into her uniform's coat pockets and turned her back at the libero lying on the ground. "I don't care about anything, including you so just omit me from your life" she stated and started to walk away.

"I don't believe that!" Nishinoya shouted, sitting up with a swollen forehead. The swordswoman stopped, glancing over her shoulder to look at the guy whom she attacked. Noya stood hard on his ground, bravely answering back to the woman who can kill him right there right now. He pursed his lips together before hollering: "I know you care about the people around you! If you didn't then you would've let Toyo bully me and my friends! You wouldn't help Tamotsu-san in his shop! You wouldn't attend this school for your grandmother, Gina-san! You wouldn't try and behave for Take-chan and Fujita-sensei! And you wouldn't have lent Kenshin-san your handkerchief when she cried!" Nishinoya listed her good deeds one by one which left her unfazed and calm.

The libero blushed after catching her still staring at him. His shoulders rose, uneasily and he trembled in fear that Shina might gave him one last punch. But she didn't. Instead, he got a smirk from her. "Stalker" was her only comment about him, before walking away. As she distanced herself from him, her smirk faded and a frown replaced her amused look.

She cursed herself for not realizing all of what Nishinoya had said; those deeds that showed how caring she is to other people.

"Hey wait up!" Nishinoya was persistent and called her again. She stopped and looked over at him again with one eyebrow raised. The athlete gathered all the guts he got left. "You're going to skip classes again, aren't you?!"

"So what if I am?" queried the delinquent casually, leaning her weight on one leg. Nishinoya was uncertain on what his actions should be next but he later found himself pulling the Ronin with him, up the stairs. "What are you doing you damn rooster" Shina pulled her hand back, massaging her palms.

Noya flinched and immediately declared his apology. "Sorry! I-I forgot about your scars!" he bowed repeatedly.

"It's fine. They've quite healed anyway" she assured, removing her bandages to show Nishinoya the cured cuts she had previously when she exposed her bare arms. There was a feel of bliss inside his heart after hearing Shina blabber about her grandmother, Gina forcing to treat the girl's wounds. He was relieved that someone like the old woman was still around in Shina's life. He can't imagine someone important to the delinquent being taking away from her again. Basing from what she said earlier, she already lost her mother. Though it is still unknown to Nishinoya why Shina hasn't mentioned anything about her father.

Nishinoya snapped out of his daze and noticed the redden palms of Ronin. "What happened here?" he asked, taking Shina's hand which she didn't mind. "Oi, what happened here?" repeated Noya.

Shina looked away. "Nothing" she lied. Noya lightly pressed on her hand as he held it making her flinch. "Tss, I've been practicing karate ok? I use my palm to hit" Shina finally admitted looking back at Nishinoya's fierce eyes.

"You're still training on fighting?!"

"I'm a gangster, that's what I do"

"You're a girl!!"

"Now you just sound like a sexist" Shina rolled her eyes at him, letting out a groan of annoyance. Nishinoya twitched and decided to pull her where the vending machines are. He inserted a 100 yen coin in the machine and took the dropped soda can.

"Fanta..." Shina read the text displayed on the can she was given. Nishinoya sighed, taking it from her.

"Open up your palms" he instructed.

"Why?" she sneered. Nishinoya exhaled from his nostrils and extended Shina's fingers, to stretch out her palms. He gently placed the cold drink on her swollen hands. "The cold temperature will help cool down your palms" he told her.

Shina let the drink slide of her hand.

"I told you hold it!!" Nishinoya scolded, picking up the drink again and place it back on the swordswoman's hands. This time, he was supporting her hands to carry the drink. So he was basically holding her hand. He couldn't control the fast pace heartbeat of his chest that matched his crimson cheeks. "Hmm, what's wrong?" he asked after noticing the glum expression on Shina's face.

"Do you have to ask everything?" Shina snarled, getting hot-tempered again.

"Well, sorry for not being able to hide my curiosity!" Nishinoya proclaimed, looking away. They were still holding hands. "Seriously though, you look like you need someone to punch you out of your daze"

"Or can I just punch you?" she retorted before sighing. "You don't have to worry about it"

"Bu-But I am..." Nishinoya admitted, getting anxious again. "You seem like the person who don't ooze out their emotions and keep it to their selves" he says.

"So what if I am?" Shina replied.

"Th-that's not healthy at all! You should release your emotions for a while! Keeping things to yourself may lead to a heart disease!"

"And you can prove that, how?"

"I-I read it in an article!"

Knowing their conversation will head to nothing, Shina decided to shut up and let the awkward silence do its part between them. Even though she can feel how cold the Fanta drink is, she can still tell that Nishinoya's hands were warm and were fighting the chilling effect of the drink. She didn't say anything about it though. She knows it'll lead to another session of awkwardness and grams of steam would escape Nishinoya's face if ever she comments on his warmth.

The glum expression remained on Shina's features. She can also feel those worry some eyes of Nishinoya that's been staring at her for a while now.

Sighing, she decided to face him again and glare. "Stop doing that" she demanded as Noya flinched and look away.

"I bet you're having your period again..." he muttered.

"So what if I am?" she answered.

"How can you be so nonchalant?!" he reacted.

A moment of silence invaded the atmosphere until the Ronin decided to talk again. "Gina's been working late hours at the clinic lately" Shina said out of nowhere, looking down at their hands. Her eyes were half-closed and he was surprise when she leaned her head on his shoulder, even though he was shorter than her. It made him insecure that the girl was actually taller than her and seemed pretty stronger as well. But now, seeing how she is, she was the total opposite of strong. He guessed that Shina Tomoe was one of the people who try to act strong for the majority and hide all her pain in sadness all to herself.

"You're worried about her" it wasn't a question, but a statement, pointed out by Nishinoya. For some reason, he was able to tell what she was thinking and seemed right about it that always put him to doom. Shina never liked it when people tell things ahead of her. "You worry about her, because you care about her"

"..." Shina was wordless and didn't even reply to what Nishinoya had said; which was a fact. Her head stayed on his shoulders as long as she wanted to until her homeroom teacher appeared through the hallways corner before seeing them.

"Shina-sa-" Fujita paused when she saw the two's position. Shina's hands were holding a can of Fanta while Nishinoya's were supporting it by holding her hand. And the girl's head on his shoulders.

Both of them didn't notice the teacher's presence. They were too occupied with each other and that Nishinoya enjoyed the scent of Ronin's hair. "Uh, ehem" Fujita coughed intentionally, to interrupt the moment that was going on between the two.

Shina raised her head to look at Fujita. "Sensei"

"Se-Sensei?!" Nishinoya was surprised to see the brunette standing there.

"Sorry to interrupt the two of you. But I need to talk to Shina-san right away. It regards to her new case of tackling someone..." Fujita informed them.

Nishinoya glanced at the girl and smiled to himself. She does like tackling people. he referred to his personal experience.

Shina stood up from her seat, taking the can of soda with her and looked at Nishinoya. "I owe you a soda" she says before leaving with Fujita.

The libero was left there staring at his hands before it collided with his cheeks. "That did not just happen!!" he blushed furiously, hiding his face with his hands.