Chapter 80 Go Find Boss Aoki Immediately

An awkward yet deadly atmosphere began to spread through the office. Teachers from unrelated classes quickly got up; some went to the restroom, others stepped outside for air, and in moments, only Aoki Tsukasa and the two involved parties remained.

“Um…” Matsushita Kazuo’s trembling hand hovered in midair, his smile uglier than a cry. “Um, I’ll go buy you another one… Would you like Kobe beef? I just got paid… I’ll drive out and get it now…”

Aoki Tsukasa glanced at the scattered remnants on the floor and sighed. “Forget it… It’s fine.” He picked up the fallen lunchbox, fastened the lid, and placed it calmly on the desk. “If there’s something you need to say, just say it. It’s alright, I can get lunch myself in a bit.”

Truth be told, he hadn’t slept well, and now the lunch he painstakingly prepared that morning was overturned. It was impossible not to feel anger, but out of respect for the teacher—and knowing it wasn’t intentional—he restrained himself, simply placing the lunchbox at his side and pressing his lips together.

So when Matsushita Kazuo saw the slight furrow in Aoki Tsukasa’s brow, his heartbeat accelerated and his lips went dry.

“Um… um… maybe we should talk another day?” The moment he finished, Aoki Tsukasa’s brow tightened, and he rose to his feet. “If you have something to say, Teacher, please go ahead.”

Under Aoki Tsukasa’s gaze, Matsushita Kazuo’s legs weakened. Gripping the desk for support, he hurriedly explained, “Actually, it’s not really me. The school leadership came to me today and told me something about you.”

“Oh?” Aoki Tsukasa’s brows relaxed slightly.

Matsushita Kazuo quickly continued, “A few days ago, Ishihara Ryota from second year was hospitalized after being beaten at school. It didn’t look good for the school. The leadership said the investigation showed it wasn’t your fault, so they didn’t pursue it further, but they still want to warn you—not to go overboard on school grounds.”

Aoki Tsukasa stared at him, clearly displeased. “I didn’t start the trouble. Why are they coming to talk to me? Am I supposed to just stand there and do nothing when they attack me?”

“No, no, that’s not what I mean.” Matsushita Kazuo unconsciously gripped the edge of his pants. “I know it’s not your fault. It’s just… you know how many reporters have come looking for you. The school is paying close attention.”

Matsushita Kazuo decided to say what was really on his mind. “Just—don’t get into fights on school grounds. If the injuries are too serious and parents come after us, the school will be in a tough spot. If there’s conflict, you could… settle it outside school. Minor scuffles aren’t a big deal, but if something serious happens here, the leadership might have a problem.”

By rights, Matsushita Kazuo should be advising Aoki Tsukasa to talk to teachers or parents if there’s trouble, but on second thought, what if his family were all yakuza? If they showed up at school with a gang, that would be a disaster!

Aoki Tsukasa couldn’t guess what Matsushita Kazuo was thinking, but he understood the school’s reasoning. He quietly despised the universal hypocrisy, but simply nodded. “Understood.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now.” With that, Aoki Tsukasa watched Matsushita Kazuo nod, then slipped one hand into his pocket and carried his lunchbox out.

He didn’t care much for these so-called warnings. Didn’t Ishihara Ryota still make it to his third year? They even hospitalized Maeda Tora themselves.

They were probably just trying to keep him in line since he’d just transferred, wanting him not to cause trouble. Maybe it was related to the reporters and the news.

Aoki Tsukasa truly felt aggrieved. If he counted all the conflicts so far, he’d only fought back out of desperation. Without the system’s help, he would have long been battered and bruised.

Watching Aoki Tsukasa leave the office, Matsushita Kazuo let out a breath, only to slip on the lunchbox debris he himself had spilled, nearly landing squarely on his backside. He shuffled frantically for balance, barely managing to steady himself.

“Kazuo, I don’t think Aoki Tsukasa is so unreasonable,” Fujii Eiro pushed up his glasses, quietly wiping sweat from his temple. “Why are you so afraid of him?”

Matsushita Kazuo shot Fujii Eiro a glare and snorted. “Then why didn’t you talk to him just now? Why leave it to me?”

“Well, um, he does look a bit intimidating.” Fujii Eiro chuckled ruefully, fetching the mop and broom. As they cleaned up, he asked, “If he causes trouble again, what do you think the school will do?”

“I don’t really know.” Matsushita Kazuo sighed. “The whole country’s like this now. Delinquent kids are just getting worse. I don’t know why this is suddenly so popular. Our school’s not bad—you should see Kyuji, Suzuran, or Fushin.”

He shuddered. “Over there, teachers barely even teach anymore. They just hand out diplomas at the end of each year, and the school buildings are like abandoned ruins. That’s a real nightmare.”

“Yeah, I’d love to work in Tokyo. It must be better there,” Fujii Eiro sighed.

Matsushita Kazuo gave a noncommittal, bitter laugh. “Tokyo’s got plenty of syndicates. Maybe the delinquents aren’t as fierce as here, but I bet there are still plenty…”

The two exchanged glances, feeling the crushing despair of reality.

---

“Where’s Aoki Tsukasa?” What does it mean for two or three dozen delinquents to roam together? In school, it meant they ruled the corridors, especially when the crew included both second and third-year students—their swagger was unmatched.

The furious gang prowled the first-year hall, grabbing students and demanding answers, terrifying the underclassmen. None knew where Aoki Tsukasa had gone.

“Isn’t that group over there with Aoki Tsukasa?” One sharp-eyed delinquent spotted a few bald boys eating lunch together on the sports field. These were the very same who had recently offered their allegiance to Aoki Tsukasa.

The leader, a burly youth chewing gum, his gold chain glinting, strode confidently toward the bald group.

“What do you want?” Matsuzaka Daitake set down his lunch and stood, brows furrowed.

He could tell these guys were looking for trouble, but they hadn’t done anything wrong!

The burly leader eyed Matsuzaka Daitake and his bald companions, speaking casually. “You guys are with Aoki Tsukasa, right?”

“What of it?” Surrounded by so many, Matsuzaka Daitake’s legs trembled slightly, but he kept his gaze firm. His heart raced—was the boss in trouble again?

The leader spat his gum onto the ground and grinned. “Nothing.”

He licked his lips, narrowing his eyes. “I’ll ask just once. Where is Aoki Tsukasa?”

“No idea!” Matsuzaka Daitake stepped back, wary. He doubted he could fight or stand his ground like the boss, and if things got ugly, he’d run without hesitation—only a fool would stay and get beaten. The priority was to warn Aoki Tsukasa.

The leader twisted his neck. “Huh? Is that so?”

“If we beat you guys up, he’ll show himself, won’t he?”

The other delinquents began to surround Matsuzaka Daitake and his friends, making a confrontation inevitable.

“What are you doing?” A stern voice rose from behind the burly leader. A middle-aged man with neatly slicked-back gray hair, dressed in a black suit, stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze chilling.

The leader’s vicious smirk vanished, replaced by a casual grin. “Oh, Principal, we’re just here to chat with friends.”

The principal narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly. “Do you take me for a fool? I remember you, Ueno Yo. You’re in your third year now, correct?”

The flesh on Ueno Yo’s face twitched almost imperceptibly. He laughed hollowly. “Yes, Principal, what are you getting at?”

“Those reporters yesterday were enough to drive me mad. If any of you dare cause trouble here again, don’t blame me for taking strict measures.”

The principal’s authoritative warning made Ueno Yo glance resentfully at Matsuzaka Daitake, but in the end, he only nodded. “Understood.”

The principal glared at Ueno Yo, then turned and left, hands clasped behind his back, barely suppressing his anger. These punks were getting out of hand. It had taken serious connections to keep the reporters from blocking the school gate today, and now more trouble was brewing.

That bald-headed one—what was his name? Right, Aoki Tsukasa! It’s obviously his doing again. The group being surrounded were clearly his followers, shaved bald in imitation.

The principal squinted, his opinion of Aoki Tsukasa sinking further.

Ueno Yo looked at Matsuzaka Daitake and snorted. “You got lucky today. Tell Aoki Tsukasa—this needs to be settled. I’ll be waiting for him to come find me!”

“You bald-headed lot, watch your backs after school!” Ueno Yo pulled a pack of gum from his pocket and stuffed it all into his mouth, chewing furiously. “Let’s go!”

The delinquents glared fiercely at Matsuzaka Daitake, making threatening gestures before turning away.

Matsuzaka Daitake swallowed hard and hurriedly pulled out his phone. “Quick, we need to find Boss Aoki.”