After the end to a long week, the students were now released for the weekend. Haruka thought about what Satoshi said to her as she was boarding the train to the outskirts. The two of them were going to meet and a friend and go out to together on a “kinda” double-date. Haruka was a little disappointed to be with Satoshi’s friend but knew she could find a kindred spirit in the other one. The train made it to the station where Satoshi and his friend Tyler were waiting.

“How was the trip?” Satoshi asked as soon as she got off.

“Alright, I guess.” She turns to Satoshi’s Friend. “Hi, I’m Haruka.”

“Tyler, pleased to meet you.” They bowed to each other. Tyler turns to Satoshi “So she’s your contractor?”

“Yep.”

“Nice.”

“Let’s go.” Satoshi said rolling his eyes at Tyler.

The three left the station and was walking though the town. Haruka had questions about Satoshi, Tyler, and the school they go to, as well as the contract rules. Then Haruka asked, “Where’s your contractor?”

“Huh?”

“Your contractor.”

“How do you know about…” he turned to Satoshi. “Did you tell her?”

“No, you just blurted it out to her just now.” Tyler slapped his head in an obvious “duh.” “She doesn’t know but wonders if you’re hanging out with us because of the contract.”

“I’m so stupid.”

“Yes, yes you are.” Tyler fell to the ground in defeat, quickly got up and yelled. “You weren’t supposed to agree with me!” Haruka just laughed at them.

“So where are they?”

“Were going to meet her right now.” Replied Tyler.

“Her? So you fell for her blue eyes?”

Tyler flinched in shock and his faced turned red in embarrassment. “No not at all. She’s just an old friend.”

“ Like me and Satoshi.”

“Yeah.” They came to a big hill were a neighborhood of houses laid on top. They passed a few houses until they came to an Edo-style house on the corner of the block. Tyler approached the house and knocked on the door. The door opened and there was this beautiful, young red headed girl, with short hair to her neck wearing a shirt and a long skirt. She turned her head. “Dad, Tyler’s here, I’m going.” The girl closed the door behind her and walked with Tyler. “How are you today?”

“Fine, listen were going to hang with some friends, okay?” The girl gave him a confused look, then turns and saw his friends. They approached them and she bows.

“Nice to see you again, Satoshi.” She turns to Haruka. “Hi, I’m Saria. Pleased to meet you.” Haruka bows.

“I’m Haruka, pleased to meet you.”

“Come on let’s go.” Said Satoshi.

The four walked down the hill and into town, unaware that someone was watching from the shadows. The four went into a restaurant and had lunch. They chatted for a bit and ate half their lunch until Haruka turned to Saria and asked, “How did you and Tyler make your contract.”

“Hmm. Oh, the agreement.”

“Agreement?”

“Yeah, it’s a long story.”

“Tell me.”

“Well, we met a long time ago in Boston. Tyler is American and I’m half American and half Japanese. We met one day in the park and we kinda hit it off. However, my dad is very protective of me, so he wouldn’t allow me to meet or go out with any boys, but we kept meeting each other. We hung out for many years until one day we moved to Japan. I never saw him again until last year, he found out where I lived and came over. He told me he moved to Japan for ‘his reasons’ and remembered about me. But Dad, still the same wouldn’t let me talk to him. He would throw him out of our home and refused to let me see him, but Tyler was persistent. He came back even after being thrown out. My father got tired of him and invited him over one day. He said to Tyler ‘if my daughter means that much to you, then you must marry her.’ Tyler was shocked. He didn’t know what to do. He left and hadn’t come back for a few days. When he returned, my father was waiting for his response.”

“So what happened?”

“I said nothing to him,” Tyler said. “I passed him and went straight to Saria. I told her what her father said to me and talk to her for a bit about us getting married. Then I told her why I came to Japan and told her of the contract. Some weeks before, Satoshi and I found the ‘loop-hole’ and wanted to try it out, if Saria agreed. We really cared for each other so she called her Dad over.”

“I told him ‘Dad, we want you to know that we love each other very much, so Tyler and I agreed to get married when I reach the age of 18, but you must allow us to date and trust him to always protect me.’ He nodded in agreement. I turned to Tyler and held out my hand. ‘Tyler, I like to make this contract.’ He was nervous because of the rule of juvenile age, but we shook hands and the contract was made, thus the ‘loop-hole’ works. My father then said, ‘you must take my daughter out at least once every two weeks or the deal is off.’ Since then, we dated and we agree to marry one day as according to our contract.”

Haruka sat there in amazement, thinking to herself Wow, they’re just like me and Satoshi, childhood friends meeting after a long time joined together by a contract. They finished lunch, Satoshi picked up the bill, and left. Satoshi had a strange feeling of being watched. He ignored it for now as they walked around the town. They walked the streets across the town coming up to a hot dog cart, when a voice called out.

“Saria, I thought that was you!” They four turn to see a blonde beauty covered in diamonds and emeralds and a tall man in a suit.

“Oh great,” Saria Sighed. “What are you doing here Miki?”

“What? Can’t a girl say hi?”

“You never come to say hi, you track us down or something?”

“No, that would be ridiculous.” Satoshi grabbed the hot dog cart and threw it full force at the wall of a near-by building. The cart broke into a million pieces as everyone saw the sheer force of the impact. Out of the cart came a device and a camera.

“I thought we were being followed; now I know by whom.” Satoshi said. They stood there in amazement and awe.

“Okay so you got me,” Miki Replied. “I was following you?”

“Who’s this?” asked Haruka.

“That’s Miki, the richest girl in the neighborhood. Her father owns many of the stores around here. She thinks she’s better because of it.”

“Oh, well, who’s the gentleman with her?”

He stepped forward and bowed. “Nolan, at her service.”

“That’s her Hero,” replied Saria. “She has a contract just like us.”

“Tyler, nice to meet you again.” Miki greeted. She turned to Satoshi and Haruka. “Who are you two?”

“Why do you care?” replied Satoshi.

Miki turned to Nolan. He handed her a paper. She read it. “Satoshi and Haruka, huh? So, another Hero, how interesting.” She threw the paper. “Now I’m curious to see how this one fights. Nolan!”

“Yes, ma’am.” The stepped forward. Saria interrupted.

“Can you let me have one day without you challenging Tyler to a fight? Seriously, it’s getting old.”

“No, my Hero is high grade quality, my dad made sure of it. If I say they fight, they fight.”

“Well then I have no choice,” Tyler threw his fist up. “Let’s do it.”

“Uh uh. Satoshi fights too.”

“What?” Haruka replied.

“You heard me. Satoshi fights along Tyler too.”

“Fine.” Satoshi replied. He took off his coat and stretched a bit.

“Alright, Nolan, do it.” Nolan came at full force to Tyler and he swings a huge fist at him. Tyler dodged. Tyler countered with a kick in which Nolan dodge. The two go at it leaving Satoshi alone. Nolan knew Tyler well so he landed many punches on him. Tyler knew Nolan as well but wasn’t as successful.

“Tyler is getting hit hard.” Said Haruka.

“Nolan is more experienced, Tyler can’t match him.” Replied Saria. Haruka watched the fight between the two and began to worry about Satoshi. Wait, where is Satoshi? She looked around but couldn’t find him. Nolan had just kneed Tyler in the stomach and he fell to the ground. Nolan was about to finish him when Satoshi came out of nowhere. He kicked Nolan in the face and he fell to the ground. Nolan got up and charged at Satoshi. He brought back a punch and was about to hit Satoshi, but he grabbed the fist in the follow through and twisted his arm around his back. Nolan was held by Satoshi, feeling the pain that was being inflicted. Satoshi with barely an emotion on his face watched as Nolan feel to his knees. Haruka, Saria, and Tyler cheered him on.

“Enough. Stop it.” Miki yelled.

Satoshi let him go, “You’re no fun.” Nolan ran back to Miki’s side.

“We’ll get you next time.” The two ran off. Tyler dust himself off as Satoshi approached him.

“That was awesome, I rarely beat him. That was amazing.”

“Well I do get higher grades than you so it’s no surprise.” Tyler fainted at his response.

“Dude,” Tyler said recovering himself. “That’s not cool.” Satoshi smiled and laughed and the girls giggled. It was the end of the day and everyone was tired. “Well, I better get Saria home, see you guys later.” They bowed as they left. Satoshi and Haruka walked in the other direction heading to the train station.

“Satoshi?”

“Yeah.”

“Does anything scare you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Nolan took down Tyler and you took him down with no problem. Does anything scare you?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Seeing you hurt.”

“Oh.” Haruka said and blushed. The two turned to each other and smiled as they approached the station, looking forward to the next day.