PROJECT: Help and Protect Maki Katsuragi

Katsuragi Maki's fear

Everyone saw Maki Katsuragi as the strong, confident, and smart type of person when you get to know him.

Not only can he completely take care of a whole apartment by himself, he's able to read into people's emotions and find ways to cheer them up.

But right now, in this very moment right here, the Soft Tennis Club, with Mitsue behind, is right now starring at Maki as he looked and stopped in his tracks.

They looked around at each other and gave a confused look before the man had started talking.

"Maki~" He said, drawing out the last syllable of his name, which made Maki flinch.

"W-what do you want?" Maki had stuttered out with a weak yet still protective voice.

"Come on.. You shouldn't talk to your father like that!" He said with a slightly happy voice. Sadistic, yet happy. This was Kenji Kyobate. Maki's shit of a father. Could he even call Kenji a father?

Maki stayed quiet. Where was Maki's clap-back? Why does he look so scared of his father?

"Are these your new friends?" Kenji had asked as he looked around at the lot right behind Maki.

He didn't answer but Yuuta did. "Yes! We are! My name's-"

"I don't care about your name kid." He intercepted. "I never cared about anything."

The whole team and Mitsue was taken aback for a bit before Maki yelled with his trembling voice. "Get away! You don't belong here!"

Almost everyone was shocked at Maki. Everyone, but his father who in return, had rage and anger in his eyes.

As Kenji was walking up to Maki so he could take the hit, Maki pushed everyone else back the best he could, so they wouldn't get into the fight.

Kenji slapped Maki. Maki didn't give up his energy to fight so he fell down. He just ignored all the other middle schoolers and kept on beating Maki.

Maki yelped, winced, and cried for every hit he took. For the times that his father would catch his breath, Maki would look at the club with soft eyes saying that he'll be fine.

Tsubasa, Itsuki, Shingo, Toma, and Mitsue were holding back their anger. Toma knew about this, of course, but he felt useless at this time.

Everyone else was frozen in fear or shock. They were to in shock to the point that when they snapped back into reality, Kenji was holding Maki by the collar.

Maki's clothes were dirty and roughed up. His face was filled with scratches from being thrown to the ground. He probably had many bruises under his uniform as well. He looked beat up.

Tsubasa, Itsuki, Shingo, and Toma couldn't hold back anymore after Kenji basically threw Maki in front of them. They tackled him to the ground and held him so he wouldn't get away.

Mitsue was on call with the police using Toma's phone, as she handed her own phone to Nao to record.

Kenji was yelling at the 4 pinning him down to the ground to let him go, but they didn't. Toma and Itsuki were holding down his arms, as Shingo and Tsubasa held down both of his legs.

As Mitsue called the police, Nao was recording, and the 4 were holding him down, Rintarou, Taiyou, and Yuuta were helping Maki with his wounds for the time being until police and an ambulance came.

Maki had his head down. The 3 helping the hurt boy looked at each other, and then Yuuta went in to hug Maki. Rintarou and Taiyou smiled softly as they went to hug Maki too.

He was in shock, he thought they were going to abandon him to help the others. Maki started shaking as he put his own arms around the three, crying quietly.

~ Time skip: 10 minutes later ~

After 10 minutes, the police and ambulance finally came. The police took Kenji to the jail house, and the ambulance took Maki onto the ambulance to treat his wounds

The nurses tried to tell the club members to go home, but the police interjected saying that they needed witnesses and evidence.

After some time, Maki's mother, Aya Katsuragi, showed up as she looked at the screen in front of her. She immediately ran up the nurses and asked if her son was ok. They nodded and happily answered.

Aya ran up to the other students and thanked them. She let them go with her so they could go home safely. They accepted so they could explain to their parents why they came home so late.

But that was going to come later after they actually did. At this point and time, they were going to show Maki that they can help and protect him, just like he did for him.