Kiyomasa throws another punch at me. I feel blood in my mouth.

"You think just cause you're a lady I won't teach you a lesson?" He asks chewing on the cigarette in his mouth.

I grit my teeth as he kicks my stomach. He pulls me up my by long black hair.

"Someone get me the bat," he smirks and the guys around him snicker.

(After they leave)

I cough up more blood.

"Hana!" I hear Hina's voice.

I turn around and see Hina running to me. I put my hand against the floor slowly raising up. I feel Hina grab my arm and wrap it around her shoulders.

"Come on, I have to get you some help," she says helping me walk out.

"What did you do? Why did they beat you up again?" She asks tears coming to her eyes.

I shake my head and smile, feeling blood on my tongue. "I'm okay, Hina. Just take me home."

She shakes her head. I look at her pleading. "Please Hina, just take me home."

She looks at me for a second before sighing. "Fine. But that means I'm staying the night."

I think of objecting, but if I do she'll take me to the hospital. We start walking towards my apartment. My parents are both out of the question. Probably drunk at a bar right now. They never come home, so it's just me. Hina likes inviting me over to hers all the time. When she hangs out with her boyfriend, Takemichi, she always tells me to come alone. I'm an errand girl for the group of fighters that call themselves part of the Tokyo Manji group. I scoff. I hate them. All of them. They ruined my life. All because of one incident.

(Flashback to middle school)

"Look at who we have here," one of the third years say looking at me.

Another one pulls up my skirt and I hit him away. He chuckles. "For a 1st year, she has some potential."

I roll my eyes and throw my bag on the floor, pulling up the sleeves of my jacket. Some of them ooh. "Oh is she going to fight us now? Let's see. Come on little girl," one of the guys squat down to get to my level.

I swing my right fist and hit him square in the jaw, knocking him down. I look at the other guys.

"Who's next?" I ask.

Some of the guys run away, but the guy that pulled up my skirt stays where he is.

"You know, you should learn to respect your elders, I'm your upperclassmen," he says spitting on his knuckle before swinging at me.

I duck and move to the left. He scowls and tries to swing again but I swing my leg and knock him down. He tries to get up but I knock him with a punch. After I see that no ones left, I sigh grabbing my bag. I start walking back home until I see a few high schoolers walk up next to me.

"Where do you think you're going?" One of them asks putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Can you leave me alone?" I say tired.

"If you can beat all of us, then sure why not?" The guy in the middle says chewing on his cigarette.

I turn around to walk away but I feel someone pull my hair and I hit the floor hard. I can feel my head ringing and I'm blinded by the sun above me.

"Don't walk away now. We saw you fight those kids, c'mon. Show us your moves," the guy that had the cigarette said.

I get up and throw my bag to the side. These guys really piss me off. I hold my stance and wait for someone to come at me. I've never gone first, I always wait for them first. One of them swings and I duck and punch him square in the face. As he falls, I feel someone punch my gut. I hiss at the pain. I look and see the guy had rings on. All these guys had black uniforms on. The uniforms of the infamous Tokyo Manji gang. I feel someone punch my to my right and I feel blood on my tongue.

"So tough huh? You're nothing but an errand kid," the guy spits on me before they leave me there in the rain.

(flash forward)

I unlock the door to my apartment and walk in. I hear the TV and I walk to the living room.

"Hana you're back home," my younger brother says glancing at me before looking back at the TV, playing his game.

"You were supposed to be in bed an hour ago, Tanaka," I say pulling the plug of the TV.

He groans but gets up and goes to his room. I sigh and look back over at Hina, who is grabbing the medical supplies from the cabinet.

"Come on, let's take care of the wounds," she says taking me to the bathroom.

She sits me down and starts cleaning up my face. I hiss at the sting.

"Why can't you just leave those monsters Hana?" Hina asks bandaging up my hand.

I sigh. "I can't. Even if I leave, they'll just come after me. I can't hide at home forever."

She bites her lip in frustration. "I know, it just pisses me off. Takemichi and his friends are going through the same thing with those idiots."

I look up at the ceiling. "You know, Hina, do you think it's bad that I know how to fight?"

She hesitates for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I think it's good you can defend yourself. But it's not good that they are using that to their benefit and making you fight in those stupid fights. And when you lose a fight, they beat the shit out of you after anyways. It's not right."

"Alright, let's go eat. I got rice balls," I say changing the subject and taking Hina to the kitchen.