Chapter Text
There is a reason why, during patrol, a second- or third-year student is present. Other than being able to guide their underclassmen and ensure that they get the ropes of things around being a part of Bofurin, for better or worse, their first-year students are basically their kids (much to Hiragi's distress). Those kids need very careful monitoring because there are plenty of gangs around that they may not be able to handle. But it is mostly because teenagers are stupid and like to do stupid things. When you have a bunch of well-meaning and troublesome kids, they are bound for disaster.
Well, Hiragi is out of commission for a while. Something about a mental health day, which they all doubt. The other three kings and even the second-years are out as well for official business and busy with their own first-years. Even Kaiji was not available, which might be because of the "marriage counseling” situation, and he was the child of their divorce (according to Kusumi, who is quite the gossip even while silent, rumors about Hiragi’s absence is due to a 'therapy" session with him and Sako, counseling on their “relationship”).
Class 1-1 was left with some students without supervision. Umemiya decided that Sakura, with the people of his choosing, can be without the supervision of a senior for today. He gave Sakura very rough pats on the back while laughing, saying how this can be mini-practice for when he takes over as Bofurin’s head. Sakura had to be held back, or else he might have clawed Ume’s hands like a disgruntled cat. Ume just laughed and said he is the super-captain for the time being, a captain with the benefit of going without an upperclassman on patrol. Sakura’s "friends” decide to torture him with that.
“Super Captain!”
“Super Captain~”
“Oi! Super Captain!”
“Super Captain Sakura!”
“...Tch”
“LEAVE ME ALONE.” Sakura practically hissed, practically running away from them while they followed as they kept calling him “super captain”.
(Hiragi feels a stomachache forming despite being far away, unsure if it's from the stress of fixing his marriage friendship with Saku or his underclassmen/Ume are doing something stupid.)
The day was warm, the sun hitting gently among the small town and allowing some sort of tranquility among its residents. The more than beautiful day allowed a sort of good luck for the group in particular. They spent the day mostly picking up trash or aiding storeowners, they helped a couple of disgruntled elderly folk from an argument but other than that there was hardly any conflict in the town today. The usual teasing was a must as they enjoyed seeing their “super-captain” flushed like a strawberry but even the hot-headed Sakura seemed at ease and rather mellowed out, almost like the weather has him acting like a happy cat in a nice warm spot near a window. It would seem that Sugishita is acting similarly, he seems to like the breeze in particular today, acting like a dog in front of a fan.
After this particular calming patrol, during their break the group relaxes behind a bakery. The baker allowed it and had even given the group some bread, a token of appreciation for helping with boxes and with the lunch rush. The alley was rather quiet; there was a nice amount of shade that allowed them to eat in peace and without much disturbance.
Sakura was perched on the next-door apartment’s fire escape, blissfully eating a type of anpan and leaning onto the bars as his friends were below him. Sakura seemed to not be paying attention and simply enjoying his meal, a rare act of being off-guard. Sugishita was right below him, leaning against the wall, eating anpan as well, though his face was quite stern as always. He is just staring at the wall in front of him, lost in thought. Suo on the other hand is seated on an empty crate from today’s supplies, his face scrunched up but trying to act pleasant as Tsugeura tries to urge him to eat, in particular a type of protein banana party.
“Come on! It's full of proteins and healthy sugars!” Tsugeura insisted, practically invading Suo’s personal space as he had his arm over his shoulder and leaning his head on his shoulder.
“I already told you, I am on a very strict diet,” Suo said, his face morphed into a polite smile, but underneath was filled with annoyance that if Tsugeura was not his friend, someone would have been murdered in this alleyway.
Tsu comments that he is not being virtuous, and Suo holds back, not trying to kill someone today. Meanwhile, Kiryui and Nirei are willingly in contact with each other as the pink-haired boy is showing Nirei his new game.
“I don’t know.” Nirei says, looking over Kiryu’s shoulder, both of them standing as they finish eating. “It looks like one of those games where you end up using real-money just to get some pulls.”
“I suppose. But it's still quite fun, it's good for self-care. Look, they even work out with you.” Kiryu says, walking slightly in front as Nirei follows him to the nearby trash can. “You can even journal and keep notes of things you have to do. It’s quite relaxing, even the fighting portion is pretty fun.” Kiryu says, throwing his trash as he makes another 10-pull in the hopes of getting a five-star for his ever-increasing collection of collectible cards, apparently there is an event in his game today that has him grinding trying to complete.
Nirei goes to throw his trash, “I just don’t think it's for me. I already spent too much time on the other game you recommended to me–” A sudden pause happens in the blonde’s speech, halting completely to look into the trash-can.
Kiryu seems to notice the sudden silence, looking away from his phone and over to see what caught Nirei’s eye. His own eyes flickering in sunrise and mischief.
“Hey! Look, guys!” Nirei yells, his hand going into the trash. The other four boys looked their way, Sakura looking a bit on high alert, as did Sugi. Tsu looked curious, and Suo looked glad to be rid of him soon.
“Cigarettes!” Kiryui said, curiously looking at Nirei, “And almost a full pack of it as well!" He chirped.
(Somewhere else in the town, a man’s stomach aches get worse and worse)
Sakura felt dumb, which was common when he deals with relationships and people in general, especially here in Makochi.
“Why are we in a circle?" He deadpanned, watching as Niri fumbled with the box of cigarettes and Kiriyu held the match they had bought from across the street.
“Sakura! You do know that we are underage! We can get in trouble for this!” Nirei said, his hands still fumbling the box as if it were illegal, which, considering their age, technically it is, “Like serious trouble!”
“Then why are we doing it?” He huffed out, crossing his legs. Sakura could not understand Nirei’s paranoid behavior. Nearly every person in Sakura’s hometown smoked, even the kids his age.
“Because, Sakura, it may be a little fun."Kiryu chirped, playing with the lighter, clicking it on to make it lit up to a small flame. “It's fun to be a little bad sometimes. Hiragi or Ume is not here to scold us, and it's always nice to try something new.” He said, giving Sugishita, who was out of the circle and still leaning against the wall, a look while Sugi just gave a light disgruntled grunt and turned away. Kiryu gave a little cat-like smirk.
“I’m not doing it. Smoking is not very virtuous and is very bad for your health.” Tsu said, looking a bit cautious, having his arms crossed and seated next to Kiryu.
“For once, I would have to agree; it may even trigger the demon in my eye,” Suo said with a smile, giving a small tilt of his head as he was amused by the situation. He was seated next to Nirei.
“Then why are you both here?” Sakura said, looking unimpressed.
“It's not very virtuous to abandon our friends! Even when they are making a bad decision!” He says, giving a flex.
“I’m quite intrigued,” Suo said simply with a smile, watching as Nirei finally gets the confidence to take out a cigarette.
“Do you light the orange end or the white end?” Kiryu asked, ready to light either part.
“Um. I don’t know. Shouldn’t the box have directions?” Nirei said, looking back at the cigarette, then at the box to read the back label a couple of times.
“Dumbasses. Give it to me. I can do it.” Sakura said, practically ripping the cigarette from Nireri’s hand and taking the lighter from Kiryu’s hands, he gave another smile to Sugishita who only looked back with a disgruntled look.
“E-Eh? You smoked before Sakura!?” Nirei frets as he and Kiryui come closer to watch the process.
“I guess I have done it a few times,” Sakura says, a bit flustered at them crowding him.
“So retro! I have vaped a few times, never a cigarette though.” Kiryui said, looking at Sakura curiously as he came closer.
He could feel the both of them rub up on him, a closeness that used to make him range as red as a tomato but now just made him flushed a slight red, Suo and Tsugeura just watching with amusement, “It isn’t anything amazing,” He said, giving a slight pout.
Sakura places the cigarette onto his lips, the taste being bitterly familiar. He then lights the end of the cigarette at the white end, the orange part being on his lips. He gives a calm breath in, then removes the cigarette and takes a breath out. A small smoke came out, twirling in the gentle breeze around the group. The taste of nicotine back on his lips brings a calming effect, though it feels a bit bittersweet. He felt it deep in his belly and in his head, an uncomfortable feeling filled him, but at the same time, it felt like home. He feels the feeling leave as soon as it comes, his eyes trail to Sugishita, who only gives him a look back, looking a bit displeased. Sakura then gave a little huff, which was more like a disgruntled sigh, “So who is next?” He says, a bit flushed as his friends looked at him, smoking, looking at a mixture of surprise and awe.
“Wow, Sakura!” Nirei comments, his arms around Sakura’s shoulders, “You looked so cool!” He explained.
“So cool, Sakura.”Kiryui purred, “You look like a classic gangster from the movies!” His hand went on Sakura’s thigh to look closer, but to also tease their captain with the closeness.
“W-whatever! Take this damn thing already!” Sakura hisses, passing the cigarette to Kiryui.
Though before he can, Sugishita comes in and practically yanks it from Sakura’s hand. Sakura lets out another hiss, and Kiryui lets out a disgruntled whine, though it was clearly a bit overexaggerated.
Sugishita takes the smoke, taking his own breath in but much deeper than Sakura, though almost immediately spits the cigarette out and into a coughing fit.
“I suppose you didn’t like it,” Suo commented, amused.
“Dumbass! You're not supposed to take a big breath in, are you stupid!?” Sakura screeched, standing straight up to Sugishita while the previous just ‘tched’ and rolled his eyes, Sakura just kept hissing at him how stupid he is. Sugishita just steps on it, crushing it to prevent any use and against the fire.
“Oh man. We wasted it.” Nirei pouted.
“We can always light another one,” Kiryu said, already lighting the new cigarette. He himself looks a bit amused, just giving a knowing smile to Sugishita who was busy with the hissy Sakura.
The rest proceeded to try it. Nirei nearly started to choke the moment he tried as if the tobacco already invaded his lungs black, so Suo had to rub his back as he passed it to Kiryui. Kiryui looked very excited, though he looked like he had drunk rotten milk when he gave it his first go, doing it much more properly than Nirei but clearly had the same thoughts about it. He had to shove the still-lit cigarette and the cigarette box into Sakura’s hands, sticking his tongue out like he burnt it.
“It's…bad. At least vapes have flavors to them.” He coughed a little, spitting some contents out onto a napkin that Tsu gave him. “This is so gross. How did you do it, Sakura?”
Sakura just shrugged, who was now sitting by the wall with Sugishita beside him. He looks at the box of cigarettes, flipping the box open off and on.
“You get used to it.” He said simply, looking at the box as he shuts and opens it, “My old man smoked plenty, and so did everyone in my town. I suppose I developed the taste.”
“Why did you quit?” Nirei asked, having to drink from a water bottle that Suo offered because the taste was so bad. Kiriyu eats the other half of Tsugeura’s protein bread as Tsugeur rubs his back empathically.
“Smoking is for the weak.” Sakura shrugged, looking uncaringly at the box of cigarettes.
“And super gross,” Nirei said, getting up as everyone else did. The sun looked as if it were ready to set, the day had almost flown by them, and it was well after their patrol had ended. They walk ahead as Sakura goes to throw away the cigarette box.
Tsugeura stretches, “It's not going to set for another hour or so. Why do we get some dinner? We can go to the protein cafe–”
“Let's just go to Prothos,” Suo said quickly, Tsugeura pouting a bit, and Kiryui just patting his back.
“That sounds good. What do you say, Sakura–”
.
.
.
Sakura pauses, feeling that despite the warm climate, everything has gone cold, a strong grip on his wrist feeling ever so tight.
It reminds him of those moments where you clearly did/say something wrong and the silence that follows. Not a cold nor awkward silence, yet one that makes you feel a combination of the two. Yet the sickening feeling is just not understanding what you did wrong.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
Sugi’s hand quickly goes onto Sakura’s right wrist, very tightly. Enough, his hand drops the cigarette. The mark on his left hand is still fresh; the burnt blister was not too deep, but still so fresh.
Suo is quietly stunned, staring yet rooted in place.
Kiryui’s mouth is open slightly, like he is processing what just happened.
Tsugeura acted similarly, staring with an unsure expression, a part looking to come closer and another to stay still.
Nirei acted quickly, coming quickly to Sakura and fretting over his actions and wound. His mouth was moving, yet Sakura couldn’t hear the words. Nirei’s hands were a bit shaky as he weakly held Sakura’s hand to look at the wound.
Sakura stands still, freezing up. Things were good a moment ago. What changed?
What did he do wrong?