Chapter 1 - Forgiveness

Kirishima Household, Rayniero's Bedroom (Night)

Ray had awoken after having a nightmare which involved a girl at school. He looks over at his alarm clock which displayed "4:38". He pushed back the covers then got out of bed. Ray felt his forehead, he was sweating lightly. "I have to fix this today." he said to himself. He then walked to the bathroom and showered. Once done he got dressed then left for school even though he was three hours early.

Hokkaido College, Music Room (Morning)

Yuki was already at school and she was practicing playing the piano she was really good at it. She was a sweet girl but she wasn't very sociable she mostly kept to herself and stayed quiet.

Hokkaido College, Hallway (Morning)

Ray arrived at school and was searching through the classrooms but turned up nothing so he walks over to a student who had been leaning against a locker. "Have you seen Yuki around?" Ray asks.  "I saw her in the Music Room earlier." the Student replied. Ray thanked him then went on his way.  As he walked along the hallway he heard the sound of a piano then followed the music which led him to the Music Room.

Hokkaido College School, Music Room (Morning)

Ray saw her inside so he entered the room and slowly walked towards her then stopped before he reached her. "Yuki, I have something I want to say to you." he says with serious tone. Yuki turned to face him "What is it...?" she asked timidly not really sure what he could want from her. Ray breathed deeply to calm his nervousness then said "I want to apologize for all the mean things I said and did to you. I know it wasn't right so I came here to apologize to you." He looks to the side waiting to hear what she said next. Yuki sighs "It's okay, I'll get over it...." she responded.

Ray stood there surprised for a moment "Hey, I know you think this is another plan to hurt you but it isn't; I came here to bury the hatchet." he explains. "I want to undo the damage that I have done." Ray states retaining his seriousness. "It's fine..." Yuki responded as she played the piano. "I'm over it and I'm over you." she responded as she finished the song and cleaned up the piano. Ray was surprised by her statement. "You're over me? What did you mean by that?" He asks unsure about what he had just heard. He put his hands in his pockets and awaited an answer.

Yuki puts the cover over the piano "Believe it or not, I actually kind of liked you before you started being a jerk to me but now I'm over it..." she responded as she picked up her music book. Ray was speechless about what she just told him, he gathered himself then looked at her. "If that's true then why were you acting as if you didn't like me? I don't understand." He replied. "I did those things because I thought you hated me for whatever reason." said Ray as he pulled on the strap of his backpack to help relieve the tension he was feeling. Yuki looks at him "All the other girls in school were in love with you so it was easier to back off than to get on all the girls' bad sides but you did that for me so thanks for that." She replies with a little sarcasm.

Ray could do nothing but hold his head down. "I had no idea you felt that way. Also, I'm sorry for the bad things I said about you, is there anything I can do to make up for it." He asks not having the courage to look her in the eye. Yuki sighs once then said "It's fine, I'll just change schools..."  "N-no, don't do that." Ray said trying to talk her out of it. "I have an idea to solve this problem I created and clear your name by the end of the day." He said. Ray's hand begins to shake a little but he continues "It will severely damage my reputation but that isn't important anymore. Yuki sighed then hugged him "Don't ruin your reputation for me; I'll be fine..." she stated.

He didn't expect her act of kindness so he stayed in her arms thinking of what to say to her.  "Why should I have a reputation when I was the one who ruined yours?" asked Ray in a serious tone  "I'll be fine I can handle a few bullies you can't...and I don't want to be the reason for you leaving or doing something worse" she responded as she walked out of the music room and went to her locker.

Ray leaves the room then followed Yuki to her locker. "Why are you being so nice to me after everything I've put you through?" He enquired not knowing what her intentions are.

Yuki looks at him "I'm fine with getting bullied and people thinking I'm some sort of slut if it means I can keep someone else from getting bullied you're a guy and guys are much more ruthless as bullies so I would never put anyone through that"

"You're even protecting me too? You don't want to put me through that even though that's exactly what I did to you?" He sighs, regretting his actions the more he talked to her. "I've really messed up this time, bringing down this girl who actually cared about me." He thought.

Yuki looks at him "you should probably go before people see you with me it might ruin your image"

"I'm sorry." that's all he could manage to say to her. "People's pasts will come back to haunt them; that is the case with me. Remember what I told you in the music room, I will clear your name by the day's end."

Yuki looks at him "don't clear my name I don't want you to get hurt"

"O-okay, so what we do now?" He asks softly then he  his head down not knowing what to do.

Yuki looks at him "like I said I'll be fine I can live with a few bullies you just go live your life and I'll live mine...."

"Alright." He replied then walked away in the direction of his class.

Yuki walked to her class and sat at her desk where guys threw notes at her.

"She's gone, I should set my plan into motion but why do it feel like this? I had everything figured out this morning so what's wrong?" He thought. "I take care of it during lunch break." He said to himself as he sat alone in his class room.

Yuki sighs as she has to go to the restroom so she asks permission and goes to the girl's bathroom Ray got bored, left the class room then slowly wanders the hallway

she was in the bathroom washing her hands.

Three girls entered the bathroom. One pinned Yuki's arms behind her as the other two hit her repeatedly then left her on the floor.

Yuki was knocked out and bleeding from the attack her nose was bloody and she had scratches and bruises on her body.

As Ray continued his walk, three girls ran past him then turned a corner. He knew that was odd but thought nothing else of it. He heard a commotion then went to investigate. A small group of students were gathered at the door to the Girl's Bathroom he looked inside to see Yuki on the floor, he was shocked by what he saw. Ray went inside picked her up then dashed to the Infirmary.

Yuki was unconscious in his arms and her nose was bleeding it was mostly dried by now but there was still a little blood trickling from her nose.

Ray pushed through the door. "Nurse, my friend was attacked, please help her!" He requested with a tone of sadness in his voice. The Nurse told him to put her on the bed which he did. She then told him he had to leave but he stood there looking at her. "This is all my fault, Yuki. I know you said I shouldn't because you didn't want to see me hurt but now you're the one who got hurt because of me." He says. "This ends now!" He exclaimed then ran out the door to do what he should have done from the beginning.

Yuki was unconscious so she didn't know that anything was going on she just laid on the bed as the nurse took care of her.

Ray ran to the Principal's Office then glared at the door. Ray knocks then he comes out "Mr. Principal, there's a masked man wearing all black lurking behind the school!" He says trying to sound convincing. The Principal leaves then he enters the office and locked the door. Ray sat at the desk, pushed the broadcast button on the intercom then begins to speak "Everyone, This is Rayneiro Lee and I have something very important I would to share. I have spread many vicious rumors about a fellow schoolmate, a girl named Yuki." He continues "All the bad things you have heard about her weren't true, they were manufactured by me to make fun of her but it got out of hand. Yuki being easy and everything else were all lies I made up just because I couldn't stand the fact that one person didn't like me so I decided that I would hurt her for it."

The Principal was pounding on the door, he starts to shout at Ray to let him in. "So my fellow students I am truly sorry for deceiving you all, If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me because I was the one who started this in the first place." He explained then released the broadcast button. Ray put his feet on the desk then leans back in the chair to enjoy himself before what comes next. He gets up, opens the door then extended both arms to the Principal as a symbol of his surrender.

Yuki soon wakes up and carefully sits up still kind of sore from the beating that she had received. The Principal was furious about what Ray had done so he was sent to detention. He left the office then walked down the hall towards his destination. "It was worth it." He said to himself then entered the room.

Yuki sighs she wasn't sure what to do since she was still sore she kind of wanted to walk home with Ray. After school, he was released from detention. "I wonder if she's still here." He thought as he ran to the Infirmary to see how Yuki was doing.

Yuki looks over at Ray as she sees him run in as she stood up. Ray walks over to her "Yuki, you're hurt so you shouldn't be moving around too much." Ray said with concern in his voice. He held onto her because she looked as if she was going to fall.

Yuki sighs and sits down "I'll be fine Ray it was only a little scuffle...." she stated. "What are you saying, Yuki?" He asked with a serious expression. "Just look at what they have done to you." Yuki looks at him "It's just a bloody nose and a few bruises...."

"But still..." He argued weakly. Ray remembers something "This will be the last time anyone will pick on you because I told everyone the truth. "Yuki sighs "dammit Ray I get knocked out one time and you freak out...."

"I'm sorry but just the sight of you on the bathroom floor, beaten up with blood dripping from your nose. I couldn't bear to see you hurt like that so I made sure they will never touch you again." Ray explained in remorseful tone knowing he was the root cause of all that has happened.

Yuki sighs and hugs him "well if you switch schools I'm switching with you" she stated. "If I were to leave why would you want to come with me?" He asks. Yuki smiles "well I'm not going to let my boyfriend leave without me."

Ray was taken aback by her words, he blushed deeply then tried to speak but nothing he said was made any sense. he finally managed to string together a sentence. "Are you ready to go?"Yuki smiles "yeah" she answered then leaves with him.

As they left the school grounds Ray noticed that Yuki wasn't keeping up due to her injuries. He got close, put her arm around his shoulders then asked "Is this better, Yuki?" She blushes then nods "yeah...." she replied. "Now, let's get you home." He said. They exited the school through the front gates, got on sidewalk then headed to Yuki's house.