Reluctant Paths

Chapter 1

Daily Exercise

I wore a crossed patterned, light peach blouse, pulled over with a wine red vest, a neck bow tie, dark navy blue blazer, and a skirt with black stockings and shoes to match. There it was, my high school uniform, normal and standard, yet cute enough. My best friend, Ling Jin Ting, wore the same, minus the blazer, bow tie, and shortened skirt.

"Hey, Yu Yu!" she greeted me as she suddenly jumped on my back.

"Oh, hey Jin Ting, you know, you're getting a bit heavier these days in the fat department. You should start turning those fats into muscles with me at the gym." I replied back, as I hoisted Jin Ting firmly up on my back while still carrying my school bag.

"Yeah right! I would never step foot into anywhere that'll give me those yucky muscles; besides, wouldn't I be even heavier, since muscles are way heavier than fat? I'll stick to fat, thank you."

I laughed at Jin Ting's answer; even her reply was so cute.

Jin Ting looked like a doll. She's five feet one, with full bangs and cute shoulder length curls that shape her doll like face, dainty lips that she paints in a rosy red lip gloss, with big round eyes that just twinkle even without wearing eye enlargement contacts, plus a figure and bust that just makes life unfair. Jin Ting doesn't believe in diets, and she proves herself true to her statement by shoving anything edible in her mouth without a moment's hesitation. Not that I diet either. I think a good exercise can balance any junk food, so I also eat everything.

There's just something special about Jin Ting. She knows that she is mega cute, that almost all the guys adore her, she doesn't shrug off compliments or complain either, and she just kinds of embraces it. A lot of girls think she's conceited too, a super bitch, but she really isn't, and besides, who cares what jealous girls think?

I wonder if I seem to be talking too much about Jin Ting, one might think I'm in love with her, well, I am. I am in love with her. But it is a love that I could only imagine…

Well, anyhow, for politeness sake, it is about time to introduce myself, not that there is much to say. My full legal name is Yu Rou Zhou. Age as of now, 15 years old and 19 days. I am attending Lan Ya Senior High School. Not to be boastful, but I am fairly attractive in today's standards of beauty. Okay, that is all.

Jin Ting was still on my back as we arrived at the Sky Train Station. We both have to commute to school which is half an hour ride by transit, fairly reasonable, considering rush hour. Jin Ting now had her phone out in her hand, silently squealing softly in my ear.

"Hey! What're you yelping about? If you don't stop, I'm going throw you off my back!" I say to her jokingly as I pretend to tip her over. She must have had found another guy, and was probably texting in a giggly fit.

"W-Wait! Sorry! Hahaha…It's just...that..." Jin Ting replies to me while still clutching her phone.

"What? You got a new boy toy again? Who's the poor sucker this time? Let's see."

"No way! It's this new app on Noodle Play Store, please, those losers can't even compare to them." Jin Ting replies to me as she shows her phone screen to my face, all I see is a bunch of manga characters lined up in weird traditional clothes.

"An app? What's so special about it that it caught the heart of the lovely Jin Ting? I feel sorry for the guys that chase you, like, nope, sorry but you have to be a 2D manga character if you want to date me. Haha…" I say while laughing.

"Hey! Goyo is super-hot! Along with Yoshitsune, Sohma, Hyuga, etc." She sighs, "I wish I could have a hot guy to protect me like that." said Jin Ting adoringly while staring at the character's picture lovingly.

You know Jin Ting; I could protect you, too.

Probably another otome game, I could never understand the fuss of those Japanese manga games, like you just read pictures and words, and what? Oh, well, as long as Jin Ting is happy.

Just as we were nearing the street that turns and lays ahead the sky train station, some losers were starting to heckle us, and I was not in the mood for that.

"Hey pretty ladies! It's too early for that! Or are you looking for some love? Come share with us!" they called out to us, three greasy looking guys, wearing a uniform that could be none other then Peng Hu Academy, the only all-male high school in the district for hoodlums and delinquents.

I started to growl under my breath as they continued to jeer at us.

"Come on, Yu Rou. These assholes aren't worth it, besides, we're going to be late like last time if you go maul them." Jin Ting said, as she tried to lead me off.

"What? You guys running off now? Don't be afraid of us, we know you want it!" one of pimply looking guy said to us again, while imitating a kissing face.

That's it. I'm going to render these parasites unable to maintain life. I thought to myself as I set down Jin Ting and approached the vermin.

"Oh, you come to play with us?"

"We'll make sure you won't regret it.~"

"Oh, we'll play, we'll play alright, but I don't know if I can play nicely." I said to them with a menacing smile as I neared them.

"Come on Yu Rou! Not today alright? I have to buy my breakfast too!" I heard Jin Ting call from behind.

Still facing them, I called back, "Just wait, I have to get my daily physical activity!"

The not so tough looking highschoolers now looked at me with dread, "H-Hey, d-doesn't she seem familiar? H-Her uniform…wasn't there a famous pair of girls there that everyone f-feared?"

"Yeah…one of them was a small, cute girl, and the other, was a scary, tall, beauty with fists that made people wish they went to hell instead." One of the stocky guys said, with the exploding pimples.

"Oh, I didn't know I was this famous~" I said to them with a gleam in my eyes.

"Gah!" the frightened boys shrieked in unison.

"Oh, shut it. Who told you to pick on poor, innocent girls?" I snapped back to them as I delivered a jab to the tall one on the right. He fell to the ground, blood slowly gushed from his jaw, probably because his teeth collided with his tongue when my punch connected. Next, the short one tried to punch my chest, but I stopped him with a fist to his forehead and hook to his groin.

"Fuck…"the greasy looking one murmured as he tried to flee.

"Oy! I thought you wanted to play? I don't bite~" I called out as I tried to chase after him only to have my leg tugged forcefully by the shorty on the ground.

"Tsk. Don't touch me, you vermin." I said scruffily as I kicked his right hand.

I checked my watch, 7:10 shit I'm late again, they better not close the gates today…

"Hey! Jin Ting! Wait for me!" I called out as I ran to catch up with her.

-End of chapter 1-

WooHoo~ I just got this beta read and edited by the lovely Kuroi Chi no Akuma~ Hope you like it, chapter 2 should come out hopefully after my Provincials have finished and during semester break, which is...sometime between the 15 day celebration of Chinese New Year's~