Three days later, which is the next Tuesday, the boy who walked around did not go back to school.

Now he has another bandaid on his face, what just happened to him?

What made Kiyo a bit confused was that even though the weather was not cold, he was still wearing long clothes. His hand was bandaged again.

Another thing that Kiyo often sees is that he is very timid and shy. According to Kiyo's prejudice, what kind of boy can look so weak, let his classmates tease and bully him, and dare not fight them? If he endures like this, how can he face problems and challenges later when he goes out into society?

A taller boy than him resisted, and arrogantly said:

"Cool, you finally showed your face to school, I had waited forever. Where is the money you owe me?"

"What do I owe you..?"

"You denied it again! Good job, this time you lied so well that I could see it. If you bring it, tell me, or I'll have to search your shirt and your bag."

"I told you, I'm sure that I don't owe any-"

That little boy got a slap in the face from the other guy.

"If you don't give it right now, no trying to blame me for being cruel"

But he didn't give it. To prove it, he rummaged through all the pockets of his clothes and found nothing.

"I'll check your bag."

"Don't-"

Before he could finish speaking, he strode over to his seat. He searched and found fifteen.

"And you said you don't have any money?"

"That's my leftover breakfast mone-"

Those protests didn't work against a coward like that guy. He shouted:

"Any money is fine. As long as it belongs to me!" - After saying that, he put them in his wallet and was about to leave the class.

Looking at the two people's conversation made Kiyo annoyed enough, his voice here can be heard by everyone, but they ignore it? Kiyo stood up, holding the other's arm.

"Stop."

"What do ya want from me?"

"Pay him back."

"Why do I have to pay? He borrows, I get it back, isn't it?"

Kiyo pressed his hand on him harder than before.

"But there's no proof that he borrowed money from you, and maybe you used that as an excuse to steal his breakfast money. I've heard it all. That's stealing, not taking on debt."

"So what? What are you gonna do?"

"I can't take it easy on trash like you."

That ironic sentence seemed to poke at his self-esteem, he went furious, and raised his other big hand, ready to hit Kiyo:

"What did you say?!"

Immediately, as an assassin who had trained for several months, Kiyo quickly dodged the common attacks of thugs, instead, he shot the bully to the ground by his skills.

"Impossible.."

Kiyo put one foot on his back:

"So, give the money?"

"Yes yes, forgive me!"

Kiyo let him get up, then the thug scaredly takes the money and gives it to him. Kiyo jerked back, then said go away coldly. And that thug gets the hell out of class.

Now, everyone was stunned because Kiyo clearly looked smaller than him, yet evaded the blow and threw him to the ground.

The other boy, too, was just standing there watching. Kiyo walked up to him, placing the money on his bandaged hand.

"Here's your money. Be careful next time."

Kiyo turned his face away, thinking about his seat. But the other guy called back:

"Um... hey!"

Kiyo looked back. He was silent for a moment.

"What's wrong?"

"..Thank you. Your name is..?"

"Kiyo."

"Oh, okay."

Kiyo just bluntly returned. But for some reason, he suddenly felt shaken by the other person's shyness. The person wasn't that special and very reserved, but he had a very warm voice, and his hands too.

God, what am I thinking? He just wants to say thank you, what's the big deal?

Overwhelmed with that unusual emotion, Kiyo could only put his face down on the table.

But he also looks quite gentle, and also a bit agreeable.

Or, should I ask him a little bit about him? But I'm nervous..

That guy is sitting over there, in the second row, at the fourth table and poking at a book.

Kiyo mustered up the courage to go talk to that person.

I've gone through many tough challenges, why should I be afraid to communicate?

As he determined, he really go there.

"Oi." - Kiyo called softly.

He looked up, and curiously asked:

"Did you call me?"

"Well... I was going to talk to you.. I'm a bit bored now."

The boy froze for a moment.

"Okay. No problem."

Not wanting to disturb Kiyo, he pulled up another chair, a little closer to him.

Kiyo sat down. Only now the black-haired boy take a closer look at the boy. He was shorter than Kiyo, half his head, and was also relatively thin. Brown hair, slightly raised at the sides, like he's been playing with them for a long time.

Kiyo's first job was to ask for his name, to make it easier to call.

"What's your name?"

"Ah.. my name.."

He just awkwardly laughed. That laugh was a bit odd for Kiyo, but that's not the point here.

"I'm Sunny."

"Is that so.."

Now Kiyo began to run out of ideas. It had been quite a while since he had spoken intimately with one person, so he was a little anxious.

"Well.. about that earlier.."

"Hm?"

"Do you.. get asked for money often?"

Sunny just waved his hand:

"No no. Not often. Every time he asks for money is every time he is short of money for something. And he is stronger than me, how can I fight back.."

"Even if you can't fight, you can't endure it any longer! A person who bullies the weak doesn't deserve respect." - Kiyo replied, his voice sounding more irritated than usual.

"Then what should I do? I don't want to be beaten by them either."

Kiyo said a "tick" sound, now he didn't know how to respond. He didn't want a weak person like Sunny to be like this, but he didn't know what to do.

"I will.. protect you."- Kiyo lowered his voice.

"Huh? Protect me?"

Crap, I didn't mean to say this...

"But a guy like me doesn't deserve your protection. Plus, it's easy to misunderstand." - Sunny said softly.

"I don't care what they think. As long as you're safe."

Sunny seemed to be turning red, and then he started to cry again, and started to hiccup, shaking.

"Wait, hold on!"

"Sorry.. It's the first time I hear such words. Thank you very much!"

Sunny took Kiyo's slightly rough hands, sobbing.

"Come on, it's no big deal. Calm down." - Kiyo patted the opposite person.

Sunny intend to be friends with Kiyo, but has not dared to open up. And so is Kiyo.

And that was the beginning of their pure, intense friendship of school age.