Chapter 35: Joint Fight

Joint Fight

"Hey, wake up."

I opened my eyes when I felt a slight sting on my cheek.

A skinhead delinquent was peering into my face.

"...This is..."

I move my head and look around.

It was still before sunset in spring, but the space was dimly lit.

Stacked steel beams, haphazardly lined up iron pipes, and unusually large tires.

It's all covered in dust.

Is this an abandoned factory?

I've often seen it in fight scenes in delinquent manga, but this is the first time I've seen it in real life.

There were more than five, no, around thirty high school boys hanging out there who looked like they could be described as delinquents.

In the center is red hair that stands out in the darkness.

"Onizuka!"

Onizuka was still unharmed.

Even though he's surrounded by a lot of people, he glared at them.

That's some great courage.

I remained crouched, unable to move.

Because my hands were tied behind my back.

And to be fair, my feet too.

The skinhead who had woken me up from my unconscious state picked up a metal pipe that was lying around and pointed the tip at Onizuka's face.

"Now, I'm going to lynch Onizuka in front of his woman!"

"Yeeeeey!!"

The delinquents get excited by the skinhead's loud declaration.

As the men cheered in low voices, Onizuka was pinned down by the three men.

This prevented the long limbs from moving freely.

Even if he could move, there were too many enemies here.

It's a case of being outnumbered.

"...You guys, what are you doing?"

Onizuka accepted his restraint without resistance and quietly asked the skinhead a question.

The skinhead gave a vulgar laugh and raised the iron pipe.

"Traitors will be punished!"

I instinctively turned my face away and closed my eyes tightly.

Bang!!

The dull sound of hard metal hitting flesh echoed throughout the abandoned warehouse.

"Wha...?!"

"What!?"

However, contrary to the sound of the critical hit, the surprised cries of Onizuka and the delinquents could be heard from all around.

"......?"

I prepared myself and opened my eyes, wondering what was going on.

Onizuka was stunned, his mouth opening and closing rapidly.

"...Why are you here...?"

Standing in front of the skinhead, holding the iron pipe in his hand was...

"Ijuin!!"

He has smooth aqua blue hair, stylish glasses, and a neatly tailored uniform.

Ijuin was protecting Onizuka from the iron pipe.

"Don't ask such a rude question. It's the student council president's job to protect the students."

That's what Ijuin said to Onizuka when I first met you guys.

Who would have thought that the day would come when Onizuka would be the one being protected?

"What the hell are you doing here?! Don't get in the way!!"

Before the skinhead could raise the iron pipe again, Ijuin kicked it with his long leg.

It left the skinhead's hand and crawled futilely across the floor, clanging.

"What?!"

Taking advantage of the skinhead's surprise, Ijuin lowered his body, got close to him, and landed a punch to the solar plexus.

"Gaha!!"

The skinhead vomited stomach acid and stumbled back a few steps.

This guy is not only smart but also good at fighting!?

God has given him two gifts, hasn't he?

"Guh?!"

"Oguu!!"

Several groans could be heard from another direction.

In the instant the delinquents' attention was drawn to the irregular situation, Onizuka punched the delinquents who were restraining him.

"Saotome, are you okay? Can you move?"

Ijuin untied the ropes from my hands and feet.

I spun my free limbs around.

Other than being tied up, nothing happened.

The punch I got in the stomach at the park still left me with a slight dull ache.

"You're fine? Onizuka and I will buy you some time, Saotome, run as far away as you can and call the police."

Ijuin calmly gave out instructions, but I refused.

"I'm not going to leave you guys behind and run away!"

"Huh?!"

I had an unrelated thought: Ijuin with a silly face must be rare.

"Are you an idiot?"

"I'm not stupid!"

Even as this was happening, Onizuka was fighting alone.

Onizuka was constantly fighting back against the group attacking from multiple directions, but soon it would become too much for him.

While I was pondering this, one of the delinquents with a metal bat came up behind Onizuka.

"Onizuka! Watch out!"

"!?"

I charge at the delinquent with all my might.

Even though I was a high school girl with only a small weight, I was able to get a running start and I collapsed to the ground along with the delinquent.

"Saotome?! You idiot! Get out of here!"

Even though I saved him from a pinch, instead of showing any gratitude, Onizuka even insults me just like Ijuin.

"You guys are the idiots! I'll fight with you!"

I said this to Ijuin and Onizuka, then grabbed the metal bat from the delinquent who charged at him.

Swinging it around, I charged into the horde of delinquents.

"I won't show any mercy even to women! Go for it!"

"Woooooooooo!!!"

Three against each other, about thirty people.

A brawl broke out.

Even if they knocked down an approaching delinquent, the next one would immediately attack.

No matter how much he hit or kicked, it didn't get any better.

Ijuin targeted his opponent's weak spots while hitting parts of their body that will cause less damage.

This is a cost-effective fighting style that is typical of Ijuin, who was quick-witted.

But still, there are too many.

"Haa, haa"

Onizuka stood with his back to Ijuin, who was out of breath from the unfamiliar brawl.

"Hey, isn't the student council president too used to fighting? Come on!"

"Shut up!"

While talking, they protected each other's backs.

Their well-coordinated combination was just like when they were best friends back then.

"...You haven't forgiven me, have you?"

Onizuka muttered.

He whispered in a voice that only Ijuin could hear.

"...I questioned my father."

"...!"

Onizuka knew that from the time he was born until now, Ijuin has faithfully followed his parents' instructions.

That's why he didn't tell Ijuin the truth.

The truth was that the father he believed in had denied and rejected Onizuka, his best friend.

It was said that Ijuin began to suspect his parents.

"You……"

"...I'm sorry for everything up until now."

Ijuin apologized.

He maintained an even higher level of pride towards Onizuka.

Onizuka looked at Ijuin with eyes that showed nothing but disbelief.

Ijuin didn't make eye contact, but continued to speak as if responding to his gaze.

"Saotome told me that what happened that day was a misunderstanding... But even so, I couldn't forgive you at first."

"…………"

Even though the two continued to fight, they didn't stop talking.

"So I decided to find out the truth for myself. I had a proper talk with my father about what happened that day."

"...So?"

"My father was so unreasonable that I laughed. You did nothing wrong. I can't ask for forgiveness, but even if it's just for my own satisfaction, please let me apologize."

"...Hmph."

Onizuka snorted at the humble Ijuin.

Ijuin took this as a rejection and mocked himself, saying,"That's just too convenient thought after all," but Onizuka was reluctant to say anything.

"I'm not forgiving or anything, I wasn't angry in the first place."

"...!"

When Ijuin looked at Onizuka's face, he was smiling.

It was the same smile he had when the two of them were running around the Onizuka family's vast garden.

"...Well, in the end, it's all thanks to her."

"...Yeah, that's what happens."

Ijuin and Onizuka peer at the overly active pink-haired girl through the gap between the delinquents, who have now dwindled to about half their number.

Armed with a metal bat, Saotome was able to fight on equal terms with the delinquents.

"Aaaaaaahhh!!!"

She let out a spirited roar that was unusual for a high school girl.