Collision of Heaven and Hell ✅

Chapter Three

June 1st, 2029

It was the first day we could wear our summer uniforms, but I wasn't excited. It was great being able to put away the red blazer and just wear a short-sleeved white blouse, red and green checkered tie, red and green checkered skirt, but...I felt an overwhelming feeling of dread in my stomach when I finished checking myself in the bathroom mirror. I stared at my reflection for a few moments before I shook my head. "Everything is fine. Everything is fine."

My family's...encounter with Nobuto the previous Saturday had weighed upon me since, and I was scared that Papa would face repercussions from having a confrontation with Awaosamu-sama's son, but it didn't seem like anything had happened. I had asked Papa if everything was okay, but Papa had responded with, "Don't think about it, Mai-chan. It's nothing for you to worry abut."

When we had gotten home on Saturday night Mama had been cross with Papa, and when I went to bed I heard I heard her yell at him. I felt terrible that they fought because of me, but Papa did not yell back and only quietly agreed. It was clear that Papa would not be bringing me to any more events involving the Awaosamu family, and I was relieved for it.

If it means that I will not face—that man again, I have no complaints.

Nobuto had frightened me with his behavior. The way he talked to me and looked at me felt inappropriate, although I knew that he was drunk and that people acted wildly when they were drunk. My uncles certainly acted wildly when they got drunk. But...But even when they got really drunk, my uncles never behaved towards me the way Nobuto had behaved towards me.

But I don't need to worry about it now, because I'm going to go near Awaosamu-san ever again.

I forced a smile and left the bathroom to join Papa and Mama for breakfast. "Good morning!"

"Ah! The summer uniform!" Papa cheered, pointing towards me. "That takes me back! Tae, remember the summer uniforms when we were in high school?"

"We went to Yashin High School, Baku," Mama said over her shoulder at the stove. "Nothing like the nice high school Mai goes to. Mai, go ahead and sit down, breakfast is almost ready."

"Can I help you?" I asked, though I was also eager to hear Papa's stories about high school. Yashin High School was an infamous school with the terrible reputation of being considered the worst high school in Tokyo. It was a school that had the lowest standards in terms of of student admission, and so students who literally could not get into any other high school usually ended up there. As a result though it was a hotspot for Yankis and other delinquents, and fights broke out on a weekly basis between rival gangs. The worst incident in recent memory was at the Class of 2029 Graduation Ceremony, where the ceremony was crashed by expelled students of that year, resulting in a school riot and the entire school being put into lockdown. The incident made the national news, resulting in the entire administrative staff (including the Principal and Vice Principal) being fired. I had heard a rumor that the new Principal was someone from the Suzuhara family, who owned and operated the private school I went to, so there was a lot of hope that Yashin would rebound from its terrible reputation and not be shut down.

Papa and Mama attended Yashin in the mid-2000's, which apparently had been a wild time to be a student at the school. Their stories often sounded unbelievable, but I also knew that they were true.

"I'm almost finished," Mama told me. "Do you have club today?"

"Not today," I said as I sat down.

"I might be a little late picking you up, but I'll be there," Papa promised me.

"I could take the train," I said, but Papa shook his head. "It's fine, Mai-chan. I don't mind. I'm happy to pick you up."

I forced a smile at him. "Then I'll do my homework while I wait, so my weekend will be free!"