Principal Daiji Sato sat in his office, his fingers steepled together as he stared at the screen in front of him. His expression was unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders made it clear he was struggling to process what he was seeing. The footage played back in silence, each frame a damning testament to Jirou's actions. The stalking, the destruction of property, the calculated attempts to frame Tomoe, and finally, the moment he lunged at her in the literature club, only to be stopped by Tetsuo.
When the video ended, the principal slowly leaned back in his chair, his face pale.
"I…" he exhaled, running a hand through his graying hair. "This is beyond appalling." His eyes flickered to Tomoe, who had her head down, hands clenched tightly in her lap. He turned to Tetsuo. "You're certain all of this is legitimate?"
Tetsuo nodded. "I have all the files backed up. This isn't just about Tomoe. Jirou lied about Hiroki attacking him without a logical cause. My evidence proves that Jirou was never a victim. He manipulated the system and everyone at school, and because his parents hold positions of power in the legal world, they extended Hiroki's sentence to eight months not knowing the true reason behind the measures Hiroki took to protect his younger sister."
The principal inhaled sharply. His gaze softened as he turned back to Tomoe. "I… I owe you an apology," he said sincerely. "We failed you. Jirou's actions should have never slipped my eyes as the principal of this school. This situation will be rectified, and your brother will be freed."
Tomoe swallowed hard, her emotions crashing over her in waves. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she wasn't sure if they were from relief, anger, or exhaustion. All she could do was nod. Tetsuo looked at her in silence not sure what to say or to do in this situation.
The next day, Daiji Sato arranged a formal meeting, summoning Jirou and his parents. As Jirou's father, a stern-faced judge, sat down, his gaze was sharp and expectant. His mother, an elegant woman with a cold expression, looked displeased at being called in. But the moment the video began playing, the shift in their demeanor was immediate.
By the time it ended, silence filled the room. Jirou's father suddenly stood up, fists clenched.
"How dare you do this?" he thundered, before swinging his fist and landing a solid punch across Jirou's face. The force of it sent him staggering back, clutching his cheek in shock.
"You spoiled brat," his father continued, voice seething with fury. "Do you have any idea how much this tarnishes our authority in the prefecture? You disgust me. I should—" He cut himself off, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you would do something like this."
Jirou's mother, for the first time, looked at her son with something other than pride. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but no words came. Instead, she turned to Tomoe and Tetsuo as they entered the office.
She then bowed deeply. "We… deeply regret the pain our son has caused you," she said, her voice quieter than before. "He will be punished accordingly. And… we will work immediately to overturn your brother's conviction."
Tomoe's eyes burned again, but this time, she refused to let the tears fall. She only nodded stiffly. "I can't believe my idiot son would do something like this". Jirou who felt the weight of his actions could do nothing but hold his head down in silence.
The next day, the entire school was abuzz with the news of Jirou's arrest. Whispers spread through the hallways, disbelief and guilt hanging in the air.
"I can't believe this…" one student murmured. "Jirou was always so charismatic, kind and gentle. How could he have done something like that?"
"I feel awful," another admitted. "We all just assumed Tomoe was the problem. We ignored the signs."
" I can't believe that I treated that poor girl so harshly, if I were in her shoes I'd probably just end myself" a girl said out of guilt.
In the auditorium, Hitomi, the student council president, stood at the podium. She addressed the gathered students with a firm, clear voice. "The truth has come to light. A situation that was long overlooked. Tomoe was a victim of relentless harassment, and thanks to Tetsuo's efforts, the real culprit has been exposed." She turned towards him. "On behalf of the student body, we owe you gratitude for uncovering the truth and protecting a fellow student."
The students applauded him for the good he had done however, Tetsuo, standing off to the side, simply rubbed the back of his neck, not knowing how to react to the praise.
Noboru, sitting in the audience, crossed his arms. "What?! How come he's getting praised and I'm not?" he grumbled.
"You dumbass," Makoto shot back, rolling his eyes. "You didn't even know what was going on. Why would you be praised?"
"Who are you calling a dumbass, you didn't know either" said Noboru
"Tetsuo isn't just cool on the court but off the court as well," Shino muttered to himself, filled with determination. "I need to get better and become as bold as him… One day, I'll be the best."
Sachiko, who had spent weeks assuming Tetsuo and Tomoe were dating, felt her stomach twist with guilt. "So that's what he was doing with that girl, so that date they were on the other day was to help her with this…" she whispered to herself. "I'm such a terrible person for thinking otherwise."
Naomi chuckled beside her. "So, it turns out they weren't dating. Good for you, Sachi, you still got a chance."
"Hey, it's not like that!" Sachiko sputtered, face flushing.
"I'm not surprised," Hayato said, leaning back in his chair. "I knew Tetsuo would figure out a way to help her, right, Liam?"
Liam simply nodded impressed by how capable Tetsuo was for his age.
"I didn't see Tetsuo as the type to go through so much for someone he barely knew," Takahiro admitted.
"Well," Yukio said with a smile, "I guess he had that good trait all along."
But amidst the school's reactions, one person was absent.
Tomoe sat on a bench outside the prison, her fingers nervously fidgeting in her lap. She had been there for hours, unsure of what to say or do. The weight of everything that had happened pressed down on her. Even with Jirou gone, she couldn't shake the guilt.
A voice suddenly called out to her. "Tomoe!"
She lifted her head sharply, eyes widening at the sight of the slightly muscular man standing in front of her.
"Hiroki?" she whispered, disbelief washing over her.
"In the flesh," he said with a soft smile.
Tears welled up instantly as she shot up from the bench and ran toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist in a desperate embrace. Her body shook as she sobbed against his chest. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "I should've listened to you big brother. I should've believed you… If I hadn't been so stupid, you wouldn't have—"
Hiroki sighed, gently placing a hand on her head. "You weren't the one at fault," he murmured. "I don't blame you." He gave her hair a soft ruffle. "All that matters is that I'm here now."
Tomoe clutched onto him, crying harder, as the weight of everything she had held in finally spilled over.
Tetsuo stooped down to tie his shoelaces as the rest of the basketball team gathered for their early morning practice. The cool air of the gym mixed with the faint sound of sneakers squeaking against the polished floor.
"I'm so tired. Early morning practice is really taking its toll on me," Noboru complained with a yawn.
"You were the one lecturing me about not sleeping in class, so I better not catch you trying to sneak in a nap. Got it?" Makoto shot back.
"Like hell I'd listen to you, punk," Noboru retorted.
Shino chuckled softly to himself as he watched them argue. Every morning, it was the same thing. It had become so familiar that it was almost comforting. It's kind of reassuring, he thought. It makes me feel like I'm part of something great, like I finally have people I can call friends. A faint blush crept onto his face at the thought.
"Training is always lively with those two," Liam said cheerfully.
"Just wait till Coach Nanaho gets here. That's when the real fun starts," Hayato added with a smirk.
"Our team has an unusual mix of personalities," Takahiro noted, "but we have what it takes to reach the Inter-High."
"Yes, you're right. Listen up, everyone. It looks like Nanaho isn't here yet, so let's just warm up until she arrives," Yukio called out.
Everyone responded with a collective "Yes!" before starting their jog around the gym. After a few laps, they moved into their stretching routine.
Just as they finished, Nanaho stepped into the gym.
"Oh, Nanaho, you're here just in time. We just finished warming up," Yukio said.
"That's good, but we need to talk about something important first," Nanaho responded, glancing toward the entrance as Tomoe stepped inside.
She stood in front of them, her posture slightly stiff. "Good morning. My name is Tomoe Yukimura. Some of you might know me from the announcement made yesterday, while others may have known me long before that," she said with a small bow.
Nanaho placed a hand on her hip. "She called me and requested to be our manager. Isn't that great?" she said with a smile. "Her brother used to play for the team, so she not only knows about the sport but can also help you guys develop. Having assistance will greatly reduce my workload so that I can focus on fixing certain things you guys are lacking."
"Oh god, we're in for a world of pain," Noboru groaned dramatically.
"I see. Welcome to the team, Tomoe. I look forward to working with you," Yukio said.
"Likewise," Tomoe responded with a polite nod.
Liam and the others welcomed her warmly, but Tetsuo remained silent, his gaze unreadable. Tomoe hesitated before walking over to him, awkwardly avoiding eye contact as she touched her elbow.
"Listen... Tetsuo," she started softly. "I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I didn't know what to think. For some reason, I just felt… betrayed. But what I should have actually said was 'thank you'—for saving me, for helping my brother. Words can't express how grateful both of us are."
"You don't need to apologize," Tetsuo replied. "It was something I felt compelled to do." His eyes lingered on hers for a moment. "Look at your eyes now," he said, moving a strand of her hair to the side as he gently took off her glasses. "They're filled with life again, not as empty as they used to be when I first met you."
A faint blush dusted Tomoe's cheeks as they stared at each other, the moment lingering between them.
"Oh, come on, cut this lovey-dovey crap out already and let's start training. I'm sick and tired of looking at the two of you," Noboru groaned.
"Somebody sounds jealous," Nanaho teased, patting him on the back. "Don't worry, love will find all of you someday—even someone as arrogant and obnoxious as Noboru."
"I honestly doubt anyone would fall for this loser," Makoto commented.
"Why you—like you have any luck with ladies!" Noboru shot back.
"Alright, alright, that's enough," Nanaho interrupted, crossing her arms. "Let's get started."
"Yes!" the team responded in unison, snapping back into focus as practice officially began.