---
Akira and Bakiyo stood face to face on the court, the air around them thick with tension. Whispers were already circling the edges of the crowd. The stadium was packed with students—some standing on benches, others recording with their phones.
Akira tilted his head slightly. "Your hair's long," he said, voice low, "but it hides your ears. Your glasses are cool... but they hide your blue eyes."
Bakiyo scowled. "What the fuck are you saying?"
Akira smiled, stepping forward slowly, his eyes dark. "You are unaware of me."
Confused and irritated, Bakiyo launched a kick, but Akira caught it mid-air and hurled him across the court. A collective "Ohhhh!" erupted from the crowd. Phones shook as students tried to keep up.
Embarrassed, Bakiyo sprang up and began throwing punches like a wild animal. Akira dodged most of them with eerie calmness, but one punch landed directly on his jaw.
CRACK.
"Damn!" someone shouted.
Bakiyo smirked. "What were you saying?"
Akira's jaw hung slightly off to the side. He cracked it back in place with his hand, expression unfazed. "You've got power."
Bakiyo didn't wait. He slammed a kick into Akira's stomach, sending him flying backward. The crowd winced.
"Is he done?" a girl whispered.
But Akira rose—instantly. Without a word, he closed the distance and kicked Bakiyo square in the face. Bakiyo crashed onto the court floor, groaning.
Akira tilted his head again, this time with a wicked calm. "I am Akira."
Bakiyo blinked, confused. "What…?"
Suddenly, Akira laughed. Loud. Unhinged. Evil.
A chill ran through the spectators. The crowd went silent for a heartbeat, then the murmurs exploded.
"Bro… did you hear that laugh?"
"Wasn't he the silent kid? What's happening to him?!"
"That punch should've knocked him out…"
Akira locked eyes with Bakiyo. "Come on, baby girl."
Bakiyo, fuming, charged in with flurries of kicks and punches. Akira dodged like he was dancing, then landed a heavy kick that sent Bakiyo stumbling.
Before Bakiyo could hit the ground, Akira caught him by the collar and smashed a punch into his nose.
CRACK.
"OH MY GOD!" a girl screamed. "His nose!"
Bakiyo cried out in pain, holding his face, but Akira... he laughed.
Then, suddenly—he began to sing.
"Oh my baby girl… are you alright? Are you feeling pain?" His voice echoed across the court.
"What the fuck is happening?!" someone near the front yelled.
"Is this a nightmare or what?"
Akira stepped slowly toward the fallen Bakiyo. But before he could reach him, something grabbed his legs. He lost his balance and face-planted onto the court. Another gasp came from the crowd.
It was the first guy Akira had knocked out—Siba.
Bakiyo, wiping blood from his nose, smirked. "Very nice, Siba. Hold his hands. It's time for payback."
Siba locked Akira's wrists tightly.
Bakiyo raised his fists—and unleashed hell on Akira's face.
"Tell me now," Bakiyo growled. "What were you saying, huh?!"
But Akira raised his leg and kicked Bakiyo in the face. Bakiyo flew back again.
"I was saying... baby girl."
Boom. Headbutt to Siba. Siba slumped unconscious.
Bakiyo rose once more. The crowd held its breath.
The two stared, then charged—fists flying, blood spraying.
Akira broke Bakiyo's nose completely. Bakiyo cracked Akira's jaw again.
Both stumbled back.
Akira adjusted his jaw again like it was nothing.
Bakiyo's eyes widened. He's not feeling any pain…?
"Thinking whether I'm feeling pain?" Akira smirked. "I am. I just like it."
The crowd erupted again.
"Is he insane?!"
"This guy's not human!"
Akira's kick met Bakiyo's face once again. Bakiyo was thrown across the court like a ragdoll.
Akira moved to finish him—but CLANG!
An iron baseball bat slammed into Akira's hip.
The sound echoed. Gasps filled the air.
Akira winced, stumbled back, and turned.
It was Saki.
Her eyes burned with rage. "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!"
She raised the bat again.
Akira reacted in a flash—kicked her in the stomach. She collapsed to the ground, coughing, tears in her eyes.
"I respect girls," Akira said coldly. "But you don't deserve it."
He turned—only to be met with Bakiyo's foot slamming into his face.
Akira hit the floor.
"Not bad," he mumbled. "You still… got power—"
He started coughing.
Blood.
Lots of it.
The red stained his chin, soaked his shirt, dripped to the court.
Akira looked at his hands—shaking—covered in blood.
The crowd was now half-silent, half-screaming.
"Someone stop this!"
"Call a teacher!"
"No—keep filming! This is going viral!"
---
Scene change:
Hinata ran through the school corridors, heart pounding, tears in her eyes. Her lungs were on fire. She turned a corner and spotted John talking to Kento in the school parking lot.
She screamed his name but it came out as a broken breath.
"J… John…!"
He looked up, surprised.
Hinata skidded to a stop, barely able to breathe.
She grabbed his hand, face drenched in tears.
"A-Akira… h-he's… b-basketball… court…" she gasped, her voice shattered by sobs and exhaustion.
"Trouble… blood… h-hurry…"
John's face turned pale. Kento looked shocked.
Hinata fell to her knees, crying. "P-please… help… him…"
---