After that painful conversation; more like an argument of putting someone in place, Kuma ran to the bathroom before anyone could see him. No one in his mind wants to see a man cry. He just bent and broken from that conversation. Coach pushed too many buttons. And the fact he said he debate if dying in that car accident would be the lead to a better life.

As Kuma went to the sink and turned on the warm water. Splashing and washing his eyes out. With a paper towel the dry his face he looks in the mirror. You. You look like shit. Easy now. I can't flip like that. Nothing good from it. Everything will be okay. For Mai and the girls. Cheers.

Calm, broken, and scared of what's next Kuma walks right back to homeroom. Still receiving glares from some of the other guys. It wasn't every day that a quiet outcast got hot action from a beautiful girl with a large chest. Also, what the guys thought was a harem. But in actuality, Gen never came onto him, Aiko's mother Momo tried to force his way on and that just left a love triangle with him, Mai, and Haru. And Haru thought it was best to back off and do the right thing for her stubborn friend.

It took a large amount of energy to have Kuma keep his composure to get back into that classroom as if am incident never happened. He already broke down and didn't need anything else to bother him.

But as class was over Mai looked over at her boyfriend sitting there struggling with pain. One glance at him he was being eaten alive. "Marik? Kuma? Talk to me."

"Coach and I got into it. I lost and spilled my guts. I ran out of there. Didn't say everything but he accused me of quitting to date you. I called him out in a huff. It hurt Mai. It's like heartbreak." He put his head down on the desk.

"Hey you. Come here." She grabs his head and hugs it into her bosoms. Then a kiss on the forehead. Apparently this was now going to be a regular thing. "Please feel better."

"I'll try my best." He smiled.

Mai slightly giggled. "Come on you. Move it. Don't want to be late."

"Yeah-yeah. Yes Dear."

"Just cause you're my boyfriend doesn't mean I can't give you Miss. Tanaka treatment." She said in a sassy.

"I know, Naka."

Her nerves triggered. "That's not my name."

"I know. But Mai thank you. I think he'll be back too. But you know me. I highly doubt you'll need me but speak up if you need help."

"Me? Help? Pot calling the kettle black. Don't you think?"

"Okay fine."

"So you going to behave naughty boy?"

"I have no choice. But alright."

"Give me a kiss. Let's not be late."

"Agreed."

~~~~~

Coach was pulling the strings for sure. With Kuma in his third class of the day the speaker tuned in. < Marik Iwakuma to the office please. Marik Iwakuma to the office. >

Crap. This is about cutting classes isn't it? A little shaken up by the call of his name but bravely stood up and walked out.

Down the hall he walked. Trouble meant detention. Detention means not being at work on time, which means no money, and no money means he's a bum or moving back. Failure not an option.

Kuma walked into the main door to the office to see the secretary sitting behind the desk. She looks up from her computer and sees him crossing his arms.

"Iwakuma?"

"That's me." He sighed.

"Mrs. Kuroyama the school psychiatrist is expecting you the second door on the right."

God dammit. Coach now you're pushing it. I know the game is half mental but next time haze me or punch me in the face.

Kuma was now just stuck. He couldn't disobey this kind of staff. Coach was different since he wasn't on the team. Only way out of this was to go through it. Straight forward yes or no and then nothing else much. The answer is always letter C or number seven basically. Not the right answer but it works.

He knocks and enters the room. A woman is sitting at a desk with a notepad.

"Good morning Marik. I've been expecting you." She smiled and showed a hand.

"Hello..." He waved awkwardly and shook the teacher's hand.

"Do you know why you're here today?" She asked.

Because Coach is an ass. "I don't know. Am I on trouble or how does this work?"

"Marik tell me what's going on? I called home no one answered."

I can't just say that you would not get a call back, can I? "No one is home."

"What's up with that?"

"If your father was the only bastard supporter working two jobs then yeah."

"Your mot-"

"DIED! DEAD! CANCER! Want this to keep going? It's a bloodbath."

"Bloodbath?" She gasped. Even a so-called professional wouldn't get a reaction like this often. The snappy type.

"I promise if I talk, I will ruin someone's day." Kuma's words weren't meaning any violent harm and he had every right to warn in advance. Nothing says good morning like I live a horrible life. "So tell me. What's it going to be?"

She paused impressively. Waiting to see if his guard dropped or better yet his emotionally fragile ego state would shatter. "Continue." She insisted.

"My mother died of cancer, my father became an asshole, and I work seven days a week trying to get by on top of school."

"But why Marik?"

"Because of..." Think quick. C'mon. "I have a school in mind. I have to save up or kiss it goodbye. Yeah." Please work.

"Then why did you quit the team? Scholarships are available."

Shit. Backfire. "Uhhh, to go to my studies. Put more time into it."

"Grades seem about the same so far here."

"It's a slow work in progress."

"Marik. When will we get right to it? So, why do you live alone?"

"I cannot say that to you. You're school staff. Nothing would benefit if the system took it into their hands. I'd live in this crap place with others and go through the same thing two years later. What's the point?"

"A man needs to be punished and you aren't labeled as independent. Am I wrong?"

"Fine. Yes. That's correct."

"I came for answers."

"More like pick my brain."

"So let's make a deal with Mrs. K shall we?"

He grunts. Nothing could save him. Unless it was the second coming. "What's your terms?"

"Tell me the truth to my questions. I will do whatever I can on my power to protect you. Your girlfriend too."

"What does Mai have to do with this?"

"Mai Tanaka unless I'm mistaken. Beautiful girl. She can be a bit bossy and moody but she's sweet. And will go places. You're lucky to have her."

"That I am. Guess I don't have a choice. Fire away. Sorry if I'm a prick." Kuma sat down in the chair in front of the desk. This was going to be a hard sit down and he wasn't at all ready. Today seemed to be punch Marik in the face day.

"So where do you live?" She started off bold.

"A somewhat decent apartment." He replied. Good grief. This is bad.

"How do you afford it?"

"General labor and now a medical assistant."

"Labor like construction?"

"Yup."

"And assistant from who?"

"Mai's father. Dr. Tanaka and Mr. Tanaka. Depending if he's in the office not. Big difference but it's the same person."

"I see. So how did you meet Mai?"

"Group project in class. She wanted to know about the rumors why I quit baseball and everything else."

"Tell me Marik. Why do you choose to live the way you do?"

"I've been afraid of someone bringing me back home by force or going to a foster care. At a foster I'd be in the same place at legal age. I can't play ball and pay bills. My father got abusive from my mother's final days. I cut myself off from everyone simply for my protection. I don't want to go back or get hurt for people wanting nothing to do from me. Why do you think I'm not with my teammates making jokes and hanging out for the fun of it? I can't do that anymore. The fear of opening up to someone is hard."

"Yet you landed yourself a girlfriend. How did you manage that?"

"At first it was her itching to find out. I got hit by a car. She brought me to my apartment with Aiko. I somehow woke up with no injuries. I walked to school like it was a dream. Then basically became my best friend. She tried to find me a girlfriend at first. A few fails until Haru and I were on a date. I was nervous and apparently the girls found out she had a thing for me. Surprised really."

"Why surprised?"

"Daughter of a doctor, beautiful, cooks great. On paper she shouldn't even say hi to me. No idea how I'm going to keep up."

"Marik do you know what I see?"

"What would that be?"

"A broken boy that is handsome but needs confidence and proper tools to get his life back on track."

"I'm not sure if that's possible."

"Well I have to do this. I'm contacting your father. We need this resolved now."

"DON'T!"