When you were young, you and Ryuji promised to look after one another. You promised to be Ryuji's sword and, in return, he promised to be your shield. You were both knights, defending one another from harm in which ever direction it came from. You were the first to notice Ryuji coming to school with a sense of timidness, something that didn't fit your best friend at all. He tried to to play whatever was plaguing his mind, but you could see right through him. You never cornered him and demanded he tell you what was wrong, you just held his hand and said:

"I'm always here for you, so don't be afraid to tell me anything that's on your mind."

Ryuji broke down shortly after that, telling you about everything his father did to his mother and him. You listened to everything, every detail and broken word that came from him. Afterwards, you held him close and asked if he wanted to come over after school. It took a few years after that confession before Ryuji's father was arrested on domestic abuse charges. It took a few months after that for Ryuji and his mother to get back on their feet, throughout the whole ordeal, you never let go of his hand. Everything remained the same up until Shujin, where your promises to each other seemed to waved a bit.

You despised Kamoshida and everything he did for the school, you could tell that underneath that inflamed ego was a vicious and cruel man. You didn't hate him at first, until he took over the track team and you started to notice the wounds that some of Ryuji's teammates had on them. You asked Ryuji about it the next day and he gave you the honest truth behind the "star" of Shujin. Sadly there was nothing you or he could do about Kamoshida, through you had suggested telling your parents about him. Ryuji had shook his head, saying that he didn't want you becoming a target just for the sake of him.

"I'm your sword, remember?"

"And I'm your shield."

You two would repeat this before and after track practice, it gave you both some to hold onto as the days went by at Shujin. Until Kamoshida broke Ryuji's leg and labeled him as a delinquent. Your shield was gone, broken, and it left behind a lone sword in its wake. You visited Ryuji everyday at the hospital, but you never stayed long. You hated seeing him laying on the bed, leg suspended and in a cast, hollow eyes looking at you when ever you entered the room. With your best friend in the hospital, school life had taken a drastic decline for the worst. Now you were being targeted by Ryuji's old teammates, students talked about you and spread rumors about your relationship with Ryuji, and even the teachers, who once held you in high regard, shunned you.

Eventually Kamoshida set his sights on you as well; by then you were already numb to everything around you, yet you still had the sense to steer clear of the volleyball coach. Anytime Mishima had said that Kamoshida wants to see you, you immediately left the school premises before anyone could find out. You thoroughly avoided any confrontation with the coach and desperately awaited the days when Ryuji would return to school. You needed your shield, because the sword can only take so much abuse before it broke. By the time Ryuji did come back, you clung to him like a life line, never letting go as you weep your frustrations into his shirt. The rest of the school year went by at a snail's pace for you and Ryuji.

Summer came and went and with it the decision to bleach both your hair and Ryuji's. If the world was going to label them as delinquents, then they might as well look the part.