[h2]Warakuma High // Monday // 20 July[/h2]

Jun had spent the better part of last week keeping a low profile. The kidnapping of a yakuza's daughter was just an escalation in the series of abductions. Her father had been furious and sent people out looking for those responsible, as well as the rival family that had sent its men after her. Needless to say, there had been a fair amount of violence in the past week. Then, the police got involved.

Jun had been pretty far removed from all this. She had eyes on her everywhere now, of course. From police officers making sure she wasn't caught up in the inter-gang war, hoping to catch another attempt on her safety, to her bodyguards, and everyone at school. She hadn't even dared to talk to the boy who had visited her in the hospital.

Not that she tried to anyway. The finals had come and gone and she was a rather bit more focused on her exams. Thankfully, she always kept her grades decent so even with the additional pressure, she had pretty much gotten A's on all her tests, albeit just barely. Her ranking wasn't all that great, but she honestly didn't care. Her new power had given her a new purpose. She was going to do well in school, find a good university and do something with her life that didn't involve being a gangster.

Her kendo training helped, and she vented her stress out on her instructor. He praised her effort even as he was massaging his shoulder from the force of her strikes. Everyone needed a hobby and Jun had to admit she like parts of her life being raised among the yakuza. The fact that she could beat up someone and not apologize as part of her training, for example.

She silently moved past the crowd gathering at the scoreboard, giving a few customary greetings to people she recognized. She left for home immediately, texting Rui as she walked home with lighter steps than she ever had taken. [i]One obstacle down, one more to go.[/i] He had given her his number and asked her to consider. It had taken a while but she made up her mind. No more hiding, this time anyone who came after her and her principles would fight Jun head on, and not anyone or anything else.

[i]I'm in. Give me a few days to persuade my father.[/i]

[h2]Himura Household // Evening[/h2]

Dinner was tense. Jun's father was still trying to track down the cultists to no avail, while fighting retaliations from a rival yakuza. His sour mood would usually have the blonde girl trying to leave the dinner table as soon as possible, but tonight was an exception. She kept steeling herself, repeating the mantra she always did in her head during kendo. [i]Eyes forward. Look for a chance, and strike.[/i]

"Father." Her tone was dead, stiff, and betrayed the seriousness of her resolve when she tried to sound casual. The man looked up, eyes glaring at her knowing she was about to say something to piss him off. Jun hated to admit it but her father at least knew that part of her well enough. "Call off your lapdogs and let me handle myself. They're a nuisance, and it's bad enough you have them lingering outside my school."

Her father opened his mouth to speak, but the girl didn't let him. She smacked her bowl upside on the table and looked him in the eye. "I am not helpless. As much as I loathe saying this, I am the daughter of a yakuza. Let anyone who comes after me try their best. I will exact my price in blood before I let anything happen to me again." Was that... pride?

"I am not your pawn, some treasure to be kept hidden away until you're ready to marry me off for power. I am not a son like you hoped for, but I am my own person nonetheless. If you insist on treating me like on, meet me in the dojo in ten minutes. Your Masamune against mine." She had thrown down the gauntlet. It was extremely disrespectful of her to challenge her own father to a duel, but his glare was met with her own.

The man, for once, backed down. "I'd normally strike you for such insolence. But I see your ordeal has only tempered your strength. This isn't petulance. I'll allow your request, as long as you remain within Warakuma. Venture outside, and I will have my men follow you."

Jun nodded. Fair enough, she wasn't intending on going out in to the city anyway, not so soon. In Warakuma, any assailant would be hard pressed to ambush her before she could react. Out in the crowded streets of Tokyo, that was a different thing altogether. She was stubborn and bold and hot-tempered at times, but she wasn't an idiot.

"Oh, and this does not mean I approve of your taste in partners. Try and use this opportunity to shame the family, and I will lock you in here until I find a suitor."

Her fists clenched at the insult he just had to deliver. Always had to have the last word. Still, that was a battle for another day. She had gotten what she needed for now. She'd fight that war later. There was a far more important one going on right now.

That night, she sent the confirmation to Rui. [i]I'm in.[/i]