CRYBABY

The sound of the coughing blood could be heard all around the back street as four highschool boys from a lower gang bowed down at the grimy ground, their hands in front with their forehead contacting the ground, bowing to the person who stood ahead of them. They continue to apologize to that person, having been crushed by this person in a kick to the head. They were terrified and needed to give up and accept their loss in order to save their lives from another kick. They couldn't do anything since this person was actually stronger than they had anticipated.

Moreover, that person was a "she."

"Can you repeat what you said earlier?" With her head held high and her gaze fixed on the four delinquents, she inquired with a boredom displayed in her face. "Do you think girls are weak and don't know how to fight themselves?"

"I'm sorry, please accept our apologies." One of the four delinquents responded. "We underestimated you." Despite the fact that they couldn't see her face since they were kissing the ground, multiple sweat droplets flowed down their cheeks as they sensed her furious glare.

The girl chuckled as she began walking away. "Don't show your face to me again," she halted, taking a peek over her shoulder. "or I won't show you mercy the next time."

"SUMIMASEN!" The four delinquents spoke in unison, finally able to relax after realizing she had already left them there with bruise on their faces.

Being a girl has its drawbacks, but it also has its advantages. Imagine being misjudged by others because you were simply a girl, and they assumed you were only good at girly things when you were actually more than what they saw on the outside. Girls are free to do as they like. Even in a fight, girls can do what boys can. And what she did was just showing those four delinquents what she was capable of.

She was capable of beating anyone.

She squeezed her knuckles as she walked back to school, she forgot to take her bag with her when one her classmates had unexpectedly requested that she meet at the back of the school, not realizing it was actually a trap set by those four delinquents who had dragged her out of the school and down the back street. She felt betrayed.

"How could he?" As she continued to walk, she muttered to no one in particular.

She crossed her arms across her chest, unconcerned to the greetings she was receiving from her schoolmates.

"KILL HIM KIYOMASA!"

"WHAT'S WRONG HANAGAKI?!"

"ONE PUNCH BETTER NOT BE ENOUGH TO TAKE YOU OUT!"

She came to a halt when she heard a ruckus, even though she knew what was going on. She didn't typically give a damn about these delinquent matches, but when she heard Hanagaki's name, her feet began to walk on their own.

She spotted highschool delinquents watching an unfair duel between Kiyomasa and Takemichi as she walked towards the group of students

"That's enough Takemichi!"

"Just stop. You're gonna die!"

Takemich was on his knees, blood dripping down his face and his head down low. Takemichi had already suffered a lot of beating from Kiyomasa, but he didn't appear to want to give up just yet.

She remained silent, her gaze fixed on the fight while attempting to restrain herself from interfering. Takemichi was the one who warned her not to help him anymore, so she knew he wouldn't appreciate it if she just barged in and helped him again. After all, she was Takemichi's cousin that everyone knows about, while Takemichi was just the second Hanagaki who had always been in his cousin's shadow.

"KILL HIM, KIYOMASA-KUN!"

Everyone was rooting for Kiyomasa, who had the upper hand in this unfair match. Everyone could see that Takemichi lacked physical strength, but no one tried to stop Kiyomasa from beating Takemichi to death. They simply surrounded them and cheered.

"Give him death! Give him death! Give him death!"

Her teeth clenched in frustration as she yanked the person in front of her by the collar and threw him into the wall. Everyone was too distracted with what was going on in front of them to notice what she was doing... or so she thought. She had caught the eye of one person who had witnessed what she did. He had never seen a girl watching a match with delinquents so close, except for his younger sister.

"When will you ever learn, Michi?" She muttered under her breath as she wiped the dust off her uniform and gave one last glance at her younger cousin, who already resembled a beaten punching bag. "I guess I'll have to treat that wound once again."

His piercing black eyes followed the girl's figure as she turned around and began walking away, her (h/c) locks bouncing with each step she took until she vanished from his view. Mikey sighed and wondered whether he'd ever see that girl again, since she seemed like a cool person to hang out with. But now his focus was pulled back to the blond boy in front of them, who had also piqued his interest.

Y/n let out a heavy sigh when she finally retrieved her bag, which she had left inside the classroom. She looked around for a familiar face who had earlier sold her to those four delinquents, planning to beat the heck out of him for betraying her, but she couldn't find him.

She had a long and exhausting day, especially because she was the school's top athlete slash one of the top students, and being a delinquent added to the mix. Although the school considers her a troublemaker rather than a delinquent because it does not suit her image, boys are more likely to become delinquents, they said.

Why does she dislike being labeled a troublemaker? She never went out of her way to cause trouble; instead, trouble came to her naturally. Takemichi was the same way; trouble always seemed to find him, and she wondered whether it was because of their Hanagaki blood?

"Are you going home, Hanagaki-san?" She swung around when she heard the familiar voice, her hand holding the bag strap as she faced the the girl she had known since middle school, though this girl was one year younger than her.

"Hina-chan!" She smiled, as if she had forgotten about her displeasure with Takemichi's obstinacy and Kiyomasa's brutality. "Yes. I'll be going home now. How about you? Takemichi will walk you home?" she questioned, although she already knew the answer. Takemichi was currently being beaten up by a third-year student.

Hinata shook her head. "Actually, Hanagaki-san, I haven't seen him since this morning. He's probably with his friends right now."

As she gazed at the younger girl in front of her, the (h/c) haired girl abruptly lifted her right hand, and rolled her eyes playfully with a smile.

"Stop calling me Hanagaki, Hina-chan. We're friends, aren't we? Just call me Y/n."

The light brown-haired girl was taken aback by what she just heard. Hinata had never thought that her boyfriend's cousin would consider her a friend because they didn't talk much and the girl always had a cold expression on her face, making it difficult for Hinata, or even anyone to approach her.

"See you tomorrow, Hina-chan!" Y/n waved her hand in the air as they parted ways with Takemichi's girlfriend. She stretched her arms as she gazed at the orange sky, the sun was about to set, and it was time for her to head home since she had to help her aunt with dinner preparations.

On her walk home, she abruptly came to a halt on her step as someone appeared in front of her, causing her to squint her eyes at this person, who wore a mischievous smile on his face. His long black hair was loose, and one of his fangs was exposed.

"Being a goody goody doesn't fit you, Y/n," the male greeted, as he leaned against the traffic signal pole, while his arms folded across his chest.

"Fuck off, Baji," she hissed and intentionally bumped him on the shoulder, causing him to take a step away as he lost his balance. He chuckled.

"Oh come on. You still can't forgive me? That way two days ago."

"Fuck you. You left me alone fighting those college freshmen, bastard."

"Didn't you say you could handle them?" Baji grinned as he followed her.

She came to a halt in which Baji did the same too, and she cast a glimpse over her shoulder. "I did. Now get out of here or I'll kill you."

The boy did what he was told because he didn't want to die at such a young age. He knows what this girl is capable of, and he doesn't want to get on her nerves and he could feel that she's already had a rough day.

Baji laughed to himself as he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Can you fucking do me a favor, Chifuyu?" He began. He sighed with relief as he watched the girl's back disappear from view. "Buy me something that would make a girl..." He paused for a moment, unsure of what to say next because this was his first time. "I'm not sure how to say this, but I guess something that can make a girl happy?"

Keisuke Baji was flushed with embarrassment as a result of his friend's teasing on the other line.

"If you don't shut up, I'll murder you." He said this before hanging up and heading home.

Evening arrived quickly, as (Y/N) had just finished washing the dishes and Takemichi's parents were already getting ready to sleep because it was late. She insisted on doing the dishes since she could sense her aunt was exhausted from work and she wanted to be the one to scold Takemichi and open the door for him.

When the clock hit nine thirty, she heard a knock from the door and wiped her hands with the kitchen towel before approaching the door. She prepared the words she intended to say to her cousin, but as she opened the door, Takemichi gave her a surprised, pained expression.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Michi? You have to stop letting Kiyomasa beat the crap out of you—" she didn't finish what she was saying when Takemichi surprisingly hugged her.

"You're still alive. I'm relieved you're still alive." He sobbed on her shoulders, confusing the girl. Not understanding what he was blabbering.

"What exactly do you mean? I didn't die, you moron." Takemichi continued to cry, tears streaming down his cheeks as his arms covered his face.

She pulled herself out of the hug.

Takemichi could be weird at times, but one thing she was used to about him was that he was always a crybaby, which made her swear to protect him at all costs. Knowing that Takemichi lacked physical strength, causing him to be bullied by others because his girl cousin would always come to his rescue when they were young, but she didn't care.

This time, (Y/N), I promise I'll be the one saving you. Tachibana and you. I'll save the two of you from that dreadful destiny. Takemichi said this to himself as he smiled at you which earned furrowed eyebrows from you.

"You're such a weirdo, Michi."