Whispers in the Winter Wind

As Yasushi trailed behind Jingliu, his gaze flitted back and forth between her graceful form and the trio of dubious male students skulking in her wake. They were familiar faces, the notorious troublemakers of the school whose antics had garnered a reputation that preceded them.

In the middle of Japan's rigid emphasis on propriety and scholastic diligence, encountering such characters felt almost trite to Yasushi, like a scene plucked from an anime reel. Yet, there was an undeniable allure in observing this clash of archetypes, a surreal juxtaposition of societal norms and rebellious spirits.

Their journey meandered through winding streets and across bustling intersections until Jingliu halted at a quaint local bakery. Moments later, she emerged, clutching a bag brimming with freshly baked bread, delectable pastries, and tantalizing sweets. Yasushi couldn't help but smile as she nibbled on a cupcake adorned with delicate pink frosting.

Jingliu strode away from the bakery, her footsteps carrying her down a narrow street as if following an unspoken script. It was at this juncture that the trio of troublemakers decided to enact their plan. With hurried steps, they closed in on her, only to be stopped when she abruptly veered into an alleyway, a dead-end awaiting her like a preordained conclusion.

Turning to confront her pursuers, Jingliu's gaze held a simmering hostility that matched the tension in the air. "What do you want?" Her words sliced through the silence, a challenge wrapped in defiance.

"Don't be such a bitch, we just want to have a friendly chat," one of the boys retorted, his features etched with a scar under his eye and a bristly mustache that hinted at a rugged past.

"It's just business, nothing personal. Save your hatred for our employer," another chimed in, his buck teeth flashing as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation of the payday looming on the horizon. His blue afro added a surreal touch to the tense scene.

"I—" The final boy, his blonde hair tousled and his tanned skin contrasting sharply with his brown eyes, attempted to speak but was swiftly interrupted by Jingliu's commanding voice.

"Enough with the theatrics. You sound like cliché villains from a second-rate TV drama," she interjected, her words cutting through the air with a sharpness that left the three boys momentarily stunned. Then, as if on cue, they erupted into laughter, their mirth echoing off the alley walls while Jingliu regarded them with narrowed eyes.

"Don't you get it, you clueless girl? We're not here for a chat. We're here to teach you a lesson," the first boy with the mustache declared, his tone tinged with a mixture of bravado and menace. His words hung in the air, a palpable threat that lingered like a storm on the horizon.

Jingliu let out a resigned sigh, setting down her bag of treats with a sense of purpose. Without hesitation, she began to stretch her body, a ritual that seemed out of place in the tense atmosphere of the alleyway, baffling the trio of boys before her.

One of them mustered the courage to ask about her actions, but before he could finish his question, Jingliu lunged forward with lightning speed. In a rapid motion, she positioned herself in front of the boy with buck teeth, delivering a precise elbow strike to his midsection. As he doubled over, gasping for air, she quickly followed up with a targeted kick between his legs, causing him to collapse, unconsciousness claiming him like a hasty shadow.

The remaining two boys stood frozen, their shock rendering them immobile. Jingliu seized the opportunity, delivering a forceful punch to the blonde-haired boy's chin, sending him reeling momentarily. Before he could recover, she struck again, this time with a calculated blow to his vulnerable area. As he crumpled to the ground, she delivered a final punch to his chest, the impact resonating like a muted drumbeat in the stillness of the alley, rendering him unconscious alongside his companion.

The leader of the group, the boy sporting a mustache, stammered in shock, "W-w-what the hell!?" His protest was quickly quashed as Jingliu delivered a forceful blow to his stomach, causing him to double over and retch.

With an icy calmness in her demeanor and a steely edge to her voice, she spoke, "Continue this harassment, and I won't stop at mere bruises. I'll ensure you never have the chance to start a family. And tell your cowardly boss to confront me directly. Sending lackeys to do his dirty work is a sign of weakness."

In a rapid motion, she seized the boy's head and slammed it against the unforgiving alleyway wall before flinging him to the ground. The trio of troublemakers now lay sprawled and unconscious, subdued by Jingliu's decisive actions.

Jingliu whirled around sharply, her gaze fixated on the only exit from the alleyway, where Yasushi stood with his mouth agape, phone in hand, capturing the unfolding scene. As he realized he'd been spotted, he hurriedly ceased recording and stowed his phone away.

Without a word, Jingliu retrieved her bag and approached Yasushi, standing beside him with a sidelong glance. "Are you one of them?" Her voice remained cool and composed, betraying none of the turmoil that had just transpired.

"No," Yasushi replied calmly. "I noticed them tailing you earlier, so I followed as well. I've been recording since we crossed a particular street in the city. If you need evidence in case they pursue legal action, I can provide it." His words held a sense of assurance, a willingness to lend a helping hand in navigating the aftermath of the confrontation.

"I'll keep that in mind," Jingliu replied before walking confidently out of the alleyway.

Yasushi turned to watch her departure, exhaling a sigh of admiration. "Damn, that was cool," he muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on Jingliu's retreating figure. She embodied the essence of a badass anime character, a force to be reckoned with.

His initial intention had been to record the altercation and intervene if necessary, but Jingliu's swift and decisive actions left him in awe. She had handled the delinquents with ease, leaving him with nothing to do but offer support through his recordings if legal troubles arose.

Glancing back at the unconscious troublemakers, Yasushi made a silent decision. "Nope, I'm not helping them," he declared to himself as he walked away. This encounter with Jingliu was etched into his memory, a testament to her strength and resolve that he wouldn't soon forget.

+-+

That night, in the quiet confines of Yasushi's bedroom, he idly scrolled through his social media feeds, finding nothing of particular interest until a sudden refresh revealed a flurry of posts depicting the three delinquents in a sorry state — bloodied and bruised. Curiosity piqued, Yasushi delved into the comments section, where speculation ran wild about the perpetrators of such swift justice.

A smirk played on Yasushi's lips as he read through the reactions, fully aware of the events that had transpired earlier. Among the voices of the school's popular cliques, one notable absence stood out — Jishiha. Known for his eccentric comments, his silence stirred curiosity, prompting some to tag him in the discussions.

After a tense ten minutes, Jishiha finally broke his silence with a cryptic comment: "Let's hope they receive their due punishment for crossing a line." The enigmatic nature of his words only added to the intrigue surrounding the incident, leaving others to wonder about the true extent of the delinquents' actions and the repercussions that awaited them.

"I didn't expect you to sink that low so quickly," Yasushi murmured to himself, shaking his head in a mix of disbelief and resignation. Just then, his phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. It was his friend Furuya on the other end.

"Dude! Have you seen the news!?" Furuya's voice burst through the line with palpable excitement.

"Yeah, I just caught wind of it. What's your take?" Yasushi replied, his tone more subdued.

"And? What do you think about it?" Furuya pressed eagerly.

Yasushi paused for a moment before responding carefully, "Honestly, not much. Those three were bound to meet their match sooner or later. Bully the wrong person long enough, and you'll reap what you sow. Wouldn't be surprised if it was a group of fed-up students who took matters into their own hands." He masked his partial involvement in the incident, keeping his thoughts guarded as he navigated the conversation with Furuya.

"Haha, true, we Japanese tend to be reserved and endure silently," Furuya chuckled in response.

Yasushi nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. "Yeah, but considering the situation, it's not entirely improbable. Anyway, did you call just for this? It might be better to discuss it in person at school. We'll get a broader range of opinions from our classmates."

"Good point. Let's save this conversation for tomorrow then. See you at school!" Furuya exclaimed before abruptly ending the call, leaving Yasushi no chance to respond.

Yasushi sighed, shaking his head at the abruptness of teenage gossip. "Teenagers and their drama," he muttered as he placed his smartphone on the nightstand. "Tomorrow might get messy if they discover Jingliu's involvement. I might get dragged into it too."

With a final sigh, Yasushi settled into bed, a sense of apprehension settling over him as he contemplated the potential chaos awaiting him the next day.