Just a Guy Who Looked Like a Delinquent

Aofuji High was originally a private school founded by the Ivy Group. In Japan, every conglomerate had intricate ties to the underworld. It was common for them to greet each other with smiles in public while fighting among themselves behind the scenes.

With the government also meddling, major conglomerates were drawn into political struggles from time to time. It was perfectly normal to see a company enter the Fortune 500 on TV one day and declare bankruptcy the next.

The Ivy Group was one of the casualties of those political struggles. To protect itself, it donated all its funds and securities to the state and sold its real estate for far below market value. Rather than selling it, it had practically given it away!

With his bag tucked under his arm and dressed in Green Vine's distinctive dark green uniform, Shinnosuke strolled inside.

Though the walls were old, they were clean, with none of the strange graffiti or piles of cringe-worthy declarations he had imagined.

Noisy voices drifted out of the slightly run-down classrooms from time to time. This was what youth felt like...

As arranged, someone was supposed to meet him at the entrance and take him to report to the principal's office... Suddenly, Shinnosuke spotted a brown-haired figure holding a folder and looking around.

"That should be him, all right."

Shinnosuke walked over and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hello, I transferred here from Saitama Prefecture, and I'm here to report in today. Are you the person in charge of meeting me?"

The person jumped in fright and hurriedly turned around.

"It's you?!"

Shinnosuke froze for a moment when he saw the face before him: delicate features, brown hair, and light blue eyes.

So it was that person whose gender he couldn't make out...

"What a coincidence! I can't believe I ran into you here! You're Shinnosuke Nohara, right?"

The person before him was flushed with excitement, staring at him with wide eyes. Shinnosuke really doubted his gender. How could a boy be so good-looking?

"Thank you so much for that day. If you hadn't been there, I think I would've been in a lot of trouble..."

Shinnosuke scratched his head and asked,

"So, were they extorting you that day?"

"No... I rejected them many times, so they flew into a rage out of humiliation."

Kinoshita Hideyoshi explained what had happened with a calm expression.

"Rejected them? You refused to pay protection money?"

"No... I refused to date them."

"..."

"All right, you bastards, quiet down. We've got a transfer student joining our class today."

At the lectern, a teacher with short blond hair and a cigarette dangling from his mouth spoke up. He wore a white shirt.

"Oh-ho!!! Is the transfer student a girl, Teacher Onizuka?"

"Is she a twintailed loli?!!!"

"I'm hoping for an American blonde!!"

Eikichi Onizuka took a drag on his cigarette and said coolly,

"No, just a guy who looks like a delinquent... Come on in."

"Ehh... Seriously..."

Shinnosuke pushed the door open and walked in. He went up to the lectern, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote "Shinnosuke Nohara" in crooked letters.

"Everyone, my name's Shinnosuke Nohara. I hope we get along from today on... Huh? Why do you all look so disappointed???"

A smattering of applause came from the class.

"Ah, all right, Nohara, sit next to Takagi."

Eikichi Onizuka casually pointed to a seat. Shinnosuke followed the direction of his finger, walked over, and sat down. He glanced at his seatmate, only for the boy to turn his face away and snort, looking as if he didn't want anything to do with him.

His name was Yasuda Takagi. He was short and somewhat chubby, with curly hair like a bird's nest, small eyes, and a few freckles on his face. All in all, he looked rather sleazy.

He had been the most excited when he heard there was a transfer student, because the only empty seat in the class was next to him. Later, when he heard the transfer student was a guy who looked like a delinquent, he was also the most resistant, because the new guy could only sit next to him. But he didn't dare say anything, because the guy looked a little fierce...

Meanwhile, in the clearing behind the equipment room, a group of people had gathered to smoke. All of them had some injuries on their faces, with bandages and gauze stuck over them. Leading them was none other than Ryu.

Ryu's face was dark. The cigarette in his hand had already burned halfway down, and a long column of ash had built up without being flicked off. He looked up at one of his companions.

"Are you sure it was him?"

"Absolutely. Even if that guy turned to ashes, I'd never forget him!"

Ryu said through gritted teeth,

"Damn bastard. He actually ambushed me and knocked me out..."

Taro, who had nearly had his egg whites separated, said with tears streaming down his face,

"My family jewels are still trembling even now!! Bastard! I'm definitely kicking him back!!"

"Last time, that guy ambushed us. If we fought him fair and square, we definitely wouldn't lose!"

Ryu took a hard drag on his cigarette and said,

"Even so, he still took all of us down by himself! We can't underestimate him!"

"Which class is he in now?"

"H-he's in Eikichi Onizuka's class..."

Ryu gritted his teeth, seemingly making up his mind.

"Damn it... Onizuka, huh... No matter what, we're getting revenge! Nobody can protect him!!!"

"Achoo!"

Shinnosuke sniffled. Had he caught a cold? His body really was still too weak...