Summer break ended, atleast I made friends by the time it did. School absolutely sucked not knowing anybody.

I didn't really make alot, just one stuck by around more than the others, his name is Eugene, good guy, though he really needs a supervisor.

He's a transfer student and gosh it really had a 'culture shock' impact on me. He moved from America to Japan for studies, and since his birth mother lived here.

"You waited for me!" He tumbled out the front door, gasping for air.

"Dude did you run a marathon?" "I woke up late!" He whines getting on my bike patting on my back as a signal to go.

"Don't you have like more than five alarms set up?" I teased riding off heading on the route to school. "Five minutes doesn't sound too much to me ya'know?" Eugene answers with a dumb grin.

_

This was easier, I wasn't alone.

We both arrived to school walking down the hallways filled with teens blooming with puberty either crying, shaking in their boots or strutting with confidence making the corridors their runway.

"(Nickname)! New year new us! That means new year resolutions!" Eugene yaps on beside me and I raise an eyebrow at him

"Let me guess, our new year resolution is we're gonna study and not mess it up." He excitedly nods his head. No offense but I snickered.

"You said that last year, look what happened." I teased sipping on my juice box.

"No this time we're locking in." He grinned to himself locking his fingers together doing an ugly smile.

"Ew."

It wasn't much, but there's nobody else I'd rather be with in this hellish year. Atleast someone's gonna make this boring school life a little less boring-

-"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

Wow I jinxed it.

A crowd quickly circles the two 'fighting'. It was more like a pissy dog barking and the other trying not to fight though.

"To be honest it looks like that guy is about to get mugged." Eugene states.

"Yeah no shit." I replied.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" The whole building drowns in chants and we both looked at eachother, knowing damn well this was gonna make some teacher interrupt.

"We should scram-" "Let's go!" The crowd gets interrupted by one of the teachers who grabbed both of the students with his weird scarf.

We both quickly sneaked out before he could get a look at any of the audience, cautious that he might be shitty enough to give detention for not alerting the teachers and just watching the show.

_

Class goes on as normal, nothing much happens though since it was the opening day after summer, there wasn't much work given.

The sunset envelops the sky in a way that makes one pause for a moment, and continue their merry way. Given this, and the fact I'm riding a bike is a good combination.

Eugene already went home as his driver picked him up, he offered me a ride but I declined, my house was pretty much far away from his so I didn't wanna bother.

As I rode on my way home - I passed by an alleyway, was going good until I heard a sudden rustling- then thud. I quickly stopped my bike and looked back.

I squinted my eyes, shaking my head about to leave until I heard a sniffle.

'What?'

I immediately got up from my bike and cautiously went over to the alleyway, peaking my head in from the wall making sure to be sneaky.

My eyes widen.

I see a boy, my age. Sitting beside a garbage bin bawling his eyes out. What really worries me are his wounds-

I gagged-

His flesh was burnt, I could see him gritting his teeth in pain. The smell stinked, but the sight of a hurt person was worse. I may be young but holy shit I'm not that fucked up to look the other way.

I timidly stepped into the alleyway and his head immediately snapped up to look at me. "Stay back!" He yells.

"S-Stop acting cool you're obviously hurt!" I tried my best to respond in the midst of this, I mean come on I'm like 14 I cannot handle sights like these.

He stayed quiet in response, accepting my comment I guess.

"Yeah I am, what are you gonna do about it?!" He grunts and pushes himself back against the wall to get away from me, I stopped coming closer.

"I'm bringing you to the hospital. Duh." I deadpanned and somehow his expression only got worse. Except in fear.

"No don't! They'll tell him-" he winces in pain clutching his arm that was injured, getting scared you ran to him and got him over your shoulder.

"Who cares! You're hurt and this is bad!"

"Please my dad is going to kill me!" You stopped pushing and looked at him, noticing that his eyes got teary. "... Okay I'll take you home with me." His eyes widen.

"Won't your mom say anything about it?" You thought for a moment, "I mean if she sees your burn maybe she'll let it slide."

You both slowly and carefully made your way over to the bike, "No hospitals." He suddenly blurted out and you rolled your eyes, "Fine."

'Mom is so gonna kill me.'

_

On second thought, she wasn't home. Wow, what a way to make things more chaotic than it already is.

"This is dumb! Really dumb! What do we do!" I panicked pacing back and forth as the mystery boy places an ice pack on his wound.

"I don't know search up a YouTube tutorial?!" He winces glaring at his own arm, I quickly whipped out my phone and typed it in, scrolling through the results to find the shortest video.

"Okay DIY time-" "DIY?!"

.

"This feels... Better I guess..." The ravenette comments waving his arm around, content with his dressed burn. He turns to you with a warm smile, "Thank you..."

"You're welcome...-" "Touya."

I didn't really ask but okay.

"No need to thank me. My name's Y/n." He nods in response, "You look my age, 14 and a half. You?"

"14, a bit younger." Comfortable silence engulfs us for a minute while we sip on some cold drinks.

"Which school you go to?"

"Oh I don't... Do that anymore... I left my family."

Damn.

"Shouldn't you go back..? You have no place to live, plus villains are lurking around." I say worried. Touya clearly looked uncomfortable with what I said so I muttered a short apology.

"I don't know what happened but you shouldn't be out alone." Touya chuckles sadly, "What choice do I have..." He sighs placing his cheek on his chin.

"You could... Stay with us? Y'know, me and my mom." I offered with a soft smile, wanting to help. I swear Touya's eyes shined even brighter than they were already were, but quickly dulled.

"Your mom doesn't even know I'm in here...."

Touche.

We both sat in silence, Touya awkwardly playing with the hem of his torn jacket, it was very evident he was holding back tears.

I noticed he's not like other teens who act so tough and mighty, Touya is so vulnerable. I furrowed my eyebrows, being out at the alleyway, next to the garbage bin with a burn mark, kicked out I assume? I'm not sure. But he must have been through alot.

"Hey.. I'm sure my mom won't mind especially your case. She'd probably cry over it." I joked.

He stayed quiet.

"Sorry.." I mumbled shyly but he shook his head.

"No it's not about that it was funny. It's just that.. I was on my own for a long time and suddenly I'm just getting asked if I want to stay? It's.. shocking." He says staring at his hands and I smiled.

"Everyone deserves a home." I say.

He chuckled and those tears he was holding back fell, this time tears of joy. "I'm just... Relieved. That you're practically telling me I can call this place my home..." He looks around and back to you feeling a faint heat on his cheeks.

"Hey. I have an idea, but first I gotta go." Touya smiled cheekily.

"You know you don't have to go out.." I rolled my eyes standing up and he shook his head, "Just in case your mom doesn't freak out. Plus, I gotta get gifts..." He muttered the last part.

"Touya I don't think you need to go out-" he placed a finger on your lips. "Shhhhh...." He grinned.

"Im going now so it won't be late when I return.. I'll get you something when I come back." He flashes a toothy grin at the door with a thumbs up and before you could argue, he's gone.

"Ridiculous..."

He never came back home.