Obstinate Elitists

39

Ginjirou had led you down narrow steps and underground. It was unexpected, a scene unfitting to the elite. He had come to the poorer side of town, and it reminded you of Nori's area. Trash littered on the ground, the buildings old and disintegrating. Mice ran about in the streets and sprinkles of glass laid on the sidewalk from cracked windows. Crime seemed apparent in the environment. Questions ran amok in your mind. What business did he have here? What was so exciting that he had to show you?

Doors that were covered in neon spray paint and vandalism waited there at the bottom of the steps. Ginjirou glanced behind him, eyes shifting back and forth in suspicion. It was like he was double checking to see if anyone had followed the two of you.

Once it was obvious that the coast was clear, he pulled the door sideways. A loud scratchy metallic sound echoed in protest at his actions. Behind the veil revealed a tunnel, grimy and damp. He went in and closed the door once you stepped in as well. Noticing your cautious expression, he sent you an assuring smile that didn't do much to ease your nerves.

You wished to voice your thoughts, but they were clogged at your throat. This silence between you and the boy was almost too much to break. His body language said enough. He was going to reveal it in due time and being the fool you were, you were going to tag along and find out. Having made up with him back at the school had somehow messed your thinking process -- you knew that much. How could you still trust him when you ended up somewhere so sketchy? This was literally next to some sewer system. It was also the perfect spot to murder someone dead without getting caught. Too morbid? Right. But it was true.

He started moving deeper into the tunnel, footsteps spattering wet residue. On his tail, you watched his form that always did catch people's attention in the hallways. Tall with broad shoulders, they went well with the school uniform that he wore so ruggedly. Once again, it made him look out of place here. Hell, even you looked out of place, with the rich kid uniform on.

"And here we are!" he exclaimed, face brightening. He reached the end of the tunnel, so you stopped beside him.

It had expanded into an actual room. Deafening cheers were immediately heard, and you turned your head to find crowds of people. There were so many people in this one room. They surrounded a rusty old boxing ring, red and sitting right in the middle of it. Many of them raised cash in the air and placed bets with one another for who would win this round. There were two shirtless, buffed men in the ring, with beady eyes and bulging hands ready to tear one another apart. Both had their fists up, circling around like a pair of vultures going for prey. The tension in the space was thick, with betters watching the scene somberly and desperately urging their fighter to win.

"Street fighting?" You looked everywhere in awe. A bar sat there in the corner, serving customers.

"I'm surprised you know what this is," Ginjirou said, grinning. "But yes. I do street fighting from time to time. I have a round coming up after this one."

You whipped your head towards him, eyes widening in shock. "Isn't it illegal?"

He nodded slowly. "That's why it's a secret. I've never shown this place to anyone until now."

"Then why show it to me?"

"I felt... compelled to. I thought that maybe you'd be different. You wouldn't turn your nose away in disgust like most of the people in our school would. I hope I'm not wrong."

Heart fluttering at his words, you quickly nodded and smiled. Just the way you trusted him back there, he trusted you to keep this detrimental secret. You gave him a hard pat on the back to cover up how touched you felt. He let out a groan of pain at your strength, but you ignored him. "You're not wrong. Do whatever the hell you want, Gin." You were astonished though. Who knew that Dawning's most beloved student did something so... prohibited? He was putting his career on the line -- if the wrong person found out, his future was ultimately ruined, supposedly. What made him inclined to do something so risky?