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The coral hair girl have been staring at the screen for a while, the very first picture they took as elementary students holds a special place in her heart.

They met before Tokyo Manji Gang (TOMAN) formed. She was heading to Civil Hospital; when she witnessed a boy pulling a girl against her will. Without a second thought Suzume walked upto them and slapped the boy. Only to find out, they were siblings and the girl was acting out because she didn't want to go home even though their grandfather had clearly told them to come home right after school.

When people ask how they first met? She omits the slap part, she didn't want anyone to know the most embarrassing moment in her life even though Mikey assured her; it was an amazing slap. She didn't feel amazing at all.

"Why do school has to be at eight?" She grumbled turning her computer off as the cat stared at her lazily. He was more of an emotional support animal than a pet. "I'll see you after school," she blew him a flying kiss and left.

Takemichi Hanagaki, was on his way to school as well. The boy is from Otama but moved to Tokyo at the beginning of the year. They live on the same street and went to the same school.

"Takemichi," she called as the boy stopped on his tracks and turned around. "Good morning."

"Good morning," he wished, his bleached yellow hair looking incredibly bright in the morning sun. He's cute, in fact Akkun and Takemichi were the only good looking guys in Mizo mid. When the boy first joined—Suzume thought he'd be a competitor for Akkun but Takemichi was shy and not the flirt type. A rare quality these days.

"Got in a fight?" He'd a black eye the last time she saw him and now new bruises over his pale face. When will boys stop being boys?

He chuckled nervously scratching the back of his head. "Yes!"

She couldn't judge him, she's the last person to be judging anyone. Her boyfriend is a gang leader after all. Forget about Prince Charming! Give me the guy with tattoos and a bad boy attitude. She'd told Hinata when they were kids; since Hinata loves to read stories about Prince Charming and knight in shining armour, who knew the universe would answer her stupidity.

She blowed a pink bubble with her chewing gum. "You got a sweet tooth, huh?" Every time they meet or cross paths, Suzume always have a candy in her mouth or on her hands.

"You noticed." She chuckled, "I'd have offered you a gum but your cheeks are swollen."

"Yeah...I'm more on a semi-liquid diet these days." He put a hand on his swollen cheek.

"Keep on having ice creams," she said. "Not only does it taste good but helps with the swellings."

"I didn't think about that..."

"Why don't I take you out for ice cream after class? My treat."

He smiled at her, "I'd love that."

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"Human history is commonly divided into three main eras: Ancient, Medieval and Modern History." The teacher explained as he wrote on the board.

Suzume was half listening; Mikey's phone had been switched off since last night, weird! The boy hardly sleeps at night so he takes random naps during the day but he should be at school now, not napping. Can't he just send her a sticker or something? He'd not even read the texts she'd send him. Rude!

There was a commotion in the hallway and then, the classroom door slide open. "Little sparrow!"

Mikey is the only person who calls her 'little sparrow.' Suzume is the Japanese name for the Eurasian tree sparrow.

Everyone in class became more alert. The teacher cleared his throat. "Erm, we're in the middle of class..."

All eyes landed on her. Everyone knew, he was there for her. This guy is absurd! What's he doing here? As much as she wanted to see her boyfriend, she didn't want him to come over to her school unannounced.

***Flashback***

The first time Mikey came to her middle school was a total disaster. There was a basketball match going on: she was seated with Yamagishi, the nerd of Mizo mid when the referee blew his whistle. Two boys have entered the court in the middle of the game, disrupting it.

"Kojima!" They were looking for the captain of the basket ball team.

"A blond braid..." Yamagishi said slowly, "and a dragon tattoo on his temple...no way...the vice-president of Tokyo Manji Gang, Ken Ryuguji! Also know as Draken!"

"Hey Ken-chin."

Draken turned around. "Hah? Don't call me by that nickname at a place like this."

Suzume put a hand on her face, what the hell were they doing here?

"I had all the dorayaki's, she's going to kill me."

"Hey!" Before the referee could say another word Draken had kicked him on the gut, the crowd gasped in both terror and excitement.

"Could the other guy be...Tokyo Manji Gang president...Manjiro Sano!" Yamagishi's mouth agape as if he was witnessing some kind of miracle. "Is this real? Even the Red can't say anything back at him!"

"Everyone disperse! Expect Kojima." Draken commanded and just like that the players were running away from the court, forgetting all about the game. The crowd was splitting too.

Mikey's eyes landed on Suzume, he knew exactly where she was. It was like once he saw her, he knew how to keep seeing her. "Little sparrow," he waved her to come over.

Yamagishi looked at her in complete and utter disbelief, for the first time in his life he failed to make words from his mouth.

Suzume pressed her lips, "ummm yeah, he's my boyfriend!"

The next second Yamagishi collapsed, that's how much power and influence TOMAN has over people.

***Flashback ends***

Now she picked up her bag, "excuse me," exiting the class, only to see a dozen of the third year boys on the floor of the hallway. "What happened here Ken-bou?" Mikey calls the boy Ken-chin and she calls him Ken-bou, even though Draken had told them over a dozen times no nicknames in public but they can't help it. It just comes out naturally.

"Ah! This Hime...They pissed me off, so I knocked them down." Draken said easily as he took the backpack from her. The muscular teenager is exceptionally tall for his age. And if that's not intimidating enough; his head is shaven on the sides and back to expose his signature dragon tattoo on his left temple. Hime is the Japanese word for princess or a lady of higher birth.

"I heard the team from Udagawa is making Shinsen their territory." Draken informed Mikey as they walked down the hallway, the students were splitting to make way for them.

"Sounds fun. Let's go beat them up."

"Tormenting people is an everyday occurrence for you guys. It's the same as washing your faces." Suzume commented grimly.

Mikey put an arm around her, "someone is in a sour mood for not receiving a morning text?"

"Since you've mentioned. Why couldn't you just call or text like a normal person? Instead of showing up like this?"

"You know we're far from normal little sparrow and...I broke my phone."

This wasn't the first time he'd broken or lost his phone, it shouldn't be a surprise but how much can one person possibly lose or damage dozen of phones? That's beyond her understanding.

"You need to glue it to your forehead!"

Draken barked out a laugh, "that'll be a tragedy for the phone because he gets into a lot of fights."

Mikey laughed, "indeed!"

Even though she doesn't support fighting at all, the way these two were laughing, lightens her heart.

"Hey, isn't that Takemichi Hanagaki?" Draken gestured towards the library.

Suzume saw her neighbour standing by the doors of the library, both his hands inside his trouser pockets conversing with a fellow student.

"Takemichi." Mikey called as the boy turned around, he stiffened before he forced himself to move towards them. She don't blame him, everyone is scared of TOMAN after all.

"Hi," the boy gave them a quick bow.

Suzume was surprised that Mikey knew Takemichi but the boy know almost everyone, he keep tabs on people. But Takemichi didn't look like a troublemaker at all, or was he?

"Let's go," Mikey called.

Takemichi just nodded and followed them.

"Where are we going anyway?" Suzume asked as they exited the building. She could sense the students peeping and whisperings behind. She was so used to the attention Mikey and Draken receives around people. They were infamous; some love and worship them, while others despise them—there was no in between.

"The riverside."

A beautiful place for a perfect date but not for them because Draken is always around somehow, not that she's complaining—she love Draken but sometimes it feels like she's dating them both. And now Mikey have called Takemichi to tag along for reasons unknown. "Shouldn't we be going to the store to get you a phone, instead?"

"Don't worry, I've already send someone to do that for me."

So convenient being a gang leader isn't it? Snap a finger and everyone else will do your bidding.

Mikey handed her a lollipop, "it's cherry."

She beamed as she took it from him, that's a Mikey thing—he always have a candy somewhere for her. The riverside is a good ten minutes walk from school, Draken and Takemichi moved ahead while Mikey and Suzume took their sweet time walking hand in hand until they reached the spot.

They made themselves comfortable on the grass. The boy's pitch black eyes were gazing at the lazy river below, his wavy blond hair dancing with the breeze if it wasn't tied at the top, it'll be all over his face. Even in a room full of art she'd still stare at him.

She fiddled with a dandelion, Ruth B's—Dandelion song running through her mind: I'm in a field of dandelions, wishing on every one that you'll be mine.

"Well, Mikey. Why did you take a liking to someone like me?" Takemichi finally got the courage to question the boy.

Mikey turned around. "What a stupid question."

"Ah...I'm sorry!"

Suzume had totally forgotten about Takemichi's and Draken presence until now, she should stop daydreaming.

"I have a brother ten years older than me. He's dead, though. He was a reckless guy. He'd pick a fight against someone stronger than him like it's normal."

"He sounds like a cool person."

"Takemichi, you're like my older brother."

"What? No! I'm not as cool as him." The boy chuckled nervously. "No matter how you look at me."

"Well, true. He wasn't as lame as you..."

"Mikey!" Suzume mouthed.

"Delinquents are called 'lame' these days, right?" Mikey turned his attention back to the river. "There were lots of motorcycle gangs during my brother's era. They'd ride through the street with their loud pipes. Everyone acted big. All they did was fight. But they would always take care of their own mess. What was so lame about those guys?"

Suzume was there when Mikey's older brother Shinichiro Sano was killed in cold blood, it still feels like yesterday. She couldn't fathom what it took for Mikey in order to pull himself out from that tragedy, if only life has a delete button.

"That's why I'm going to create an era for delinquents. You should come with me. I like your guts Takemichi."

"There are plenty of guys who are good at fighting. But...there aren't that many guys like you who would stand up against anyone in order to protect what's important to them. Think about it, Takemichi." Draken was speaking as if he's Optimus Prime himself. The boy is a huge fan of the icon, when they'd first watched the movie together—every time Optimus spoke, Draken comes to attention. The boys would laugh at him about that. But Suzume knew that Draken admires the character because even though he's a prime, he's honourable and loyal like Draken himself.

Takemichi was looking at them in an unreadable expression. The girl knew, he'd take time to answer and he should. These decisions couldn't be made lightly, if it was upto her—she'd not want Mikey to be a part of a gang at all.

Mikey rose up and offered his hand, "shall we?"

"Are we leaving already?" She was disappointed, did he just take her out of school to spend thirty minutes with her.

"I want to take you to the arcade."

A sly smirk passed her face as she took his hand, "I'm going to vanquish you in Tetris."

He pulled her up, "you always do."

"Takemichi, why don't you join us?" Suzume said over her shoulder.

"Really?" The boy was surprised.

If he's going to be part of TOMAN, he needs to know who Mikey and Draken really is and what better way to know them then playing arcade games.

"Come on it'll be fun and I owe you an ice cream."

Draken grinned, "I'm going to kick your ass in mortal combat Takemichi!"

The boy relaxed his shoulders, "sure."

"Mikey," she looped her arm around his, "I would appreciate it if you don't show up at school again."

Even though Suzume loves being around him, she didn't want him to just show up at her place of study just like that. It wasn't only problematic and distracting to her but to the teachers and her fellow students as well.

He smiled at her, "I promise." It wasn't until she met him that she realised a smile could be more than enough to know you love a person.

April 18, 2023.

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Manjiro Sano aka Mikey (TOMAN president).

Ken Ryuguji aka Draken (TOMAN vice-president).

Takemichi Hanagaki.