The silence stretched.
Principal Hanagaki’s cold eyes studied Ren from behind wire-fra glasses. His fingers remained steepled, perfectly still.
"Do you know why you’re here?" he repeated, voice asured.
Ren’s hands gripped his knees harder. "Because I fought in the cafeteria."
"No." Hanagaki leaned back in his chair. "You’re here because you were seen with known Sakuratei mbers last night. On school property during after hours."
"That’s trespassing, in addition to gang affiliation."
He pulled out a tablet, turned it to face Ren. The screen showed security cara footage grainy, black and white, tistamped 8:23 PM. Ren clearly visible on the front steps with four figures behind him.
"I have reports," Hanagaki continued, "that you were on the rooftop with Hasegawa Fujimoto, Yuto Ishida, and two other mbers. eting with gang leadership. On school grounds."
Ren forced his voice steady. "I was talking to classmates."
"Don’t insult my intelligence."
Hanagaki stood abruptly, walked around the desk. His footsteps were deliberate, calculated. He stopped beside Ren’s chair, looming.
"Stand up."
Ren’s heart pounded. He stood, legs unsteady.
Hanagaki grabbed Ren’s left arm not roughly, but with the casual authority of soone used to being obeyed. He pushed the sleeve up.
The white armband was exposed.
Unmarked. Probationary. Undeniable.
"There it is." Hanagaki’s voice was cold satisfaction. "Probationary mber. How fitting."
He released Ren’s arm. "Your brother wore the sa one five years ago. I rember it vividly."
Hanagaki didn’t return to his desk. He stayed standing, towering over Ren.
"I will not allow Sakuratei to corrupt another promising student." His voice carried weight, conviction.
"I failed with your brother but I won’t fail with you."
Ren pulled his sleeve down, covering the armband. "You didn’t fail with Kaito. He made his own choices."
"And look where those choices led." Hanagaki leaned closer. "A coma."
"Twenty-one years old, lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines. Breathing through a tube. That’s what your brother’s choices got him."
The words hit Ren like physical blows.
Ren’s breathing went shallow. His vision blurred slightly at the edges.
Kaito.
Hospital.
Tubes.
Blood on the apartnt floor.
"Is that what you want?" Hanagaki’s voice pressed. "To end up like him?"
Ren said nothing. Couldn’t speak. His throat was too tight.
Hanagaki walked back to his desk, sat down. Picked up his phone.
"I could expel you right now. One phone call to the board of directors. Gang affiliation is grounds for imdiate dismissal." His finger hovered over the screen.
"Your academic career would be over. Your mother am sure would be devastated."
He set the phone down. "But I’m not going to do that."
Ren’s hands clenched. The trembling was back, worse now. But sowhere beneath the fear, sothing else stirred.
Anger.
"Then do it."
The words ca out quiet, but steady.
Hanagaki blinked. "Excuse ?"
"I said do it." Ren t his gaze. "If you’re going to expel , do it. Stop threatening."
For the first ti, Hanagaki’s composed mask cracked slightly. Surprise flickered across his face.
"You have your brother’s stubbornness." He leaned forward. "Unfortunately for you, I’ve learned since then."
He pulled out a docunt already prepared, already typed. Like he’d been expecting this conversation.
"I can’t expel you without concrete evidence of violence on school grounds. Associating with gang mbers, while inadvisable, isn’t technically a violation if no illegal activity occurs on campus."
Hanagaki smiled thin, cold, calculated.
"But I can make your life very, very difficult."
He slid the docunt across the desk.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION NOTICE
Student: Ren Ryūhara, Class 1-C
Violation: Unauthorized presence on school grounds after hours, association with restricted individuals.
Penalty: Two weeks mandatory detention, daily, 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM.
Additional Requirents: Weekly counseling sessions regarding gang violence dangers.
Note: Further violations will result in imdiate expulsion without appeal.
"Two weeks detention," Hanagaki explained. "Every day after school. Until 6:00 PM sharp. You’ll be supervised by Vice Principal Nakamura who is a very thorough individual who doesn’t believe in early releases."
He folded his hands.
"Additionally, mandatory counseling. You’ll learn exactly what gang violence does to young people. Statistics. Case studies. Hospital records. Morgue reports."
Ren stared at the paper. His mind raced.
3:30 PM to 6:00 PM.
Every day for two weeks.
"And let be crystal clear," Hanagaki continued. "One more incident—one fight, one association with Sakuratei activities on school grounds, one single violation and you’re expelled. No second chances. No appeals. You’ll be gone."
Ren read the docunt again. Then looked up.
"Is that all?"
Hanagaki’s eyes narrowed. "You think this is a ga?"
"No." Ren’s voice was stronger now. "I’m asking if that’s your final decision."
"It is." Hanagaki leaned back. "And I suggest you take it seriously. Detention ans you can’t attend after-school Sakuratei activities. Can’t participate in their etings. Can’t complete their precious initiation trials."
Sothing in his tone made Ren’s stomach drop. "He knows. About the trials."
"Your trials begin Thursday, correct?" Hanagaki’s smile widened. "6:00 PM, if I’m not mistaken. But you’ll be in detention. Supervised. Until 6:00 PM sharp."
He gestured to the docunt.
"How unfortunate. Without completing your trials, you can’t beco a full mber. Just a probationary recruit. Useless to them. They’ll drop you within a week."
Hanagaki leaned forward, voice dropping.
"Maybe you’ll reconsider your... association. Realize this path leads nowhere. Walk away while you still can."
Ren’s mind worked fast despite the fear clawing at his chest. "Detention ends at 6:00 PM. Trials start at 6:00 PM."
"But where?"
The Sakuratei HQ.
It was a twenty minutes from school if he ran. Maybe fifteen if he pushed himself.
"I’d be late. But I could still make it."
Sakuratei HQ etings usually ran 6:30-7:00 PM based on what Matsuno had ntioned. If the trial started at 6:00 but didn’t really get going until everyone assembled...
It was tight. But possible.
"What ti does detention end?" Ren asked.
"I just told you. 6:00 PM sharp."
"And I’m free to leave imdiately after?"
Hanagaki’s expression shifted slightly suspicious. "Yes. But Vice Principal Nakamura will ensure you serve the full ti. No exceptions."
Ren did the math again. If he left school at 6:00 PM and sprinted the entire way...
"I’ll serve detention." Ren t Hanagaki’s gaze. "But I’m not quitting Sakuratei."
The principal’s face darkened. "You’re making a mistake."
"My brother made his choices." Ren stood, legs steadier now. Adrenaline cutting through the fear. "I’ll make mine."
He turned toward the door.
"Sign the docunt first."
Ren stopped, turned back. Picked up the pen on the desk. His hand shook slightly as he signed his na.
The ink seed darker than it should be.
He set the pen down, walked to the door.
Ren’s hand was on the doorknob when Hanagaki spoke again.
"Your brother said the sa thing."
Ren stopped. Didn’t turn around.
"He was confident too. Self-righteous. Believed he could change the world with his Five Virtues and his gang of delinquents." Hanagaki’s voice carried genuine grief beneath the harshness. "He thought he was special. Untouchable."
A pause.
"The city broke him, Ryūhara. Sakuratei broke him. And it will break you too. I’m just trying to save you the pain."
Ren’s jaw clenched. He looked back over his shoulder.
"Or maybe you’re afraid I’ll succeed where he failed."
He opened the door.
Hanagaki remained seated, staring after him. "Detention starts today. 3:30 PM. Room 2-B. Don’t be late."
Ren walked out.
The door closed behind him with a soft click.
Principal Hanagaki sat in silence.
The morning light filtered through the blinds, casting bars of shadow across his desk.
He opened a drawer. Pulled out a small photograph—worn at the edges, faded with ti.
The photo showed a younger Hanagaki, maybe early thirties. Beside him stood a teenage boy, maybe sixteen or seventeen. Both were smiling—genuine, unguarded. The boy wore a high school uniform. Sa school emblem as Sakura High.
Hanagaki stared at the photo for a long mont.
Then carefully, almost reverently, placed it back in the drawer.
Closed it.
His expression hardened again. The brief vulnerability gone.
He pressed the intercom button.
"Vice Principal Nakamura. I’m sending you a detention assignnt. Ren Ryūhara, first-year. Two weeks. I need you to be... particularly thorough with supervision."
A pause.
"No. No early releases. No exceptions. 6:00 PM sharp. Every day."
He released the button.
Alone again, Principal Hanagaki turned his chair to face the window. The view showed Sakura High’s courtyard—students moving between classes, cherry blossoms falling like snow.
His jaw tightened.
"I won’t lose another one," he muttered to the empty room. "Not again."
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