Asuka watched intently as the work crew made their final checks on the dueling arena's equipment. It was almost time for Judai's duel with Edo Phoenix, the professional duelist who had issued a challenge to him live on television just yesterday. As usual, Judai was excited to duel a new opponent, but this was one time that Asuka wondered if things might not go so easily for him. While she did not really know much about Edo himself, Asuka had heard enough about his dueling career in the pro leagues to know that he was an extremely skilled duelist. Edo had even defeated their school's top undefeated student, Ryo Marufuji.
"Look! There he is! Edo is so hot!" Momoe and Junko squealed excitedly as Edo entered the dueling arena, pausing to give a brief wave to them.
Asuka had to suppress the urge to roll her eyes. Since Edo had made the condition that no one but Judai's friends would be allowed to watch their duel, Asuka had initially thought that the spectators would be limited to Judai's usual group of friends: Sho, Manjome, Misawa, Kenzan, and herself. However, when she told Momoe and Junko about the duel, they had begged her to let them come along. Asuka couldn't help regretting her decision now. Momoe and Junko were total fangirls of any good-looking male duelist, and it looked like they had made it a personal point to show that they were on Team Edo Phoenix by sitting on the other side of the spectator seats, far away from her and Judai's other friends.
"I don't believe them! Well, actually, I do. But still! I'm going over there to talk some sense into them and bring them back to us!" Asuka said resolutely as she got up from her seat and started to leave.
Kenzan and Sho held out their arms in front of Asuka, barring her way. Startled, she paused for a moment.
"If you go, I'm afraid that you will never come back." Sho said with mock seriousness in his expression.
Asuka was exasperated. What was Sho afraid of? That she would turn into another one of Edo's starry-eyed fangirls? It was beyond ridiculous.
"Don't be silly! Of course I'll come back! And I'm still going to root for Judai. I just want to try to have all of us together right now." Asuka scolded Sho. Without another word, she left towards the other side of the arena.
"Tenjoin-kun, come back…" Manjome said helplessly as he watched his crush leave.
"What a traitor, don. Guess the girls can't help it when it comes to that saurus. I just hope that this isn't the point of no return for Asuka-sempai." Kenzan scoffed as he pointed at Edo.
Xxx
"Momoe! Junko! What are you doing all the way over here!? I brought you guys here so that we could all cheer for Judai!" Asuka said exasperatedly.
"What's the big deal about where we sit? Just because we're here doesn't mean that we want Judai to lose. And besides, Edo doesn't have anyone else to cheer for him since you guys are all over there. How is that fair to him?" Junko said indignantly.
"Oh, I'm sure that he would have plenty of people willing to cheer for him if this was a regular duel." Asuka said wryly.
"Come on, Asuka! It won't kill you to sit with us! I mean, just look at him! Isn't he to die for!?" Momoe gushed excitedly as she gazed at Edo.
Asuka sighed in defeat. "Alright, I'll stay. But this doesn't mean that I'm not cheering for Judai." She said firmly.
Xxx
As the duel progressed, Asuka couldn't help admitting to herself that Edo did possess a presence of his own when it came to dueling. The complete confidence in himself, the way he subtly taunted his opponents; it was as if everything was planned completely to the letter about five steps in advance. She remembered that it had been the same during his duel with Ryo. There was something mesmerizing about Edo's dueling style.
It was around the end of the duel when things started to become strange. Infuriated by Judai's carefree attitude, Edo had gone into a long rant about the HERO cards were more than just cool-looking cards to him, and that he had become a professional duelist to search for his father's killer. Asuka couldn't help feeling a bit stunned by Edo's story. She knew that all true duelists had their reasons for dueling, but this was more extreme than anything else she had ever seen before. It must be what gave him his drive to win. No, not just to win, but to be the very best that he could be.
I wish that I could have that much spirit when it comes to dueling… Asuka thought to herself.
Xxx
After the duel had ended in Judai's defeat, everyone was in shock at his reaction. He had collapsed in shock, dazed by something that only he seemed to be able to see. But what had made Asuka angry was Edo's reaction to everything. He had simply sneered at Judai and turned his back on him after saying, "Disappear, weakling." Asuka wanted to kick herself for ever admiring this guy. What had happened to him when he was a child was sad, but that didn't mean that he had to be such a jerk to his opponents. Would it have killed Edo to say something like, "Congratulations", or, "That was a good game"? She decided that she was going to say something about it to him. One thing was for sure, Judai hadn't deserved that.
Xxx
Asuka made her way quickly through the school's hallway after Edo, knowing that she would need to hurry before any reporters or other media caught up to him. After finally spotting him next to the exit, she strode purposefully in front of the doorway, blocking the exit.
"Wait." Asuka said firmly to Edo. She was trying to sound in control, but the truth was that her heart felt like it was beating a million miles an hour with the nervousness that came with confronting him like this.
Edo raised his eyebrows in slight surprise. "Can I help you?" He asked curiously. It was as if he sensed that Asuka had not come here for the idle pleasure that most girls got from being anywhere near him.
"Look… I know that this is just a simple little school compared to the world out there where the real challenges that students like me will eventually have to face in duels are. But that doesn't mean that you have to look down on us for it. Judai and Ryo are my friends and they are still good duelists who have been a symbol of hope for all of us who dream of reaching greater heights someday. That's all I wanted to say." Asuka explained carefully. She was trying to state her point calmly while not getting angry.
"It's good that you are not naïve enough to believe that your little Duel Academia is the center of the world like those two do. But don't try to make me into some kind of bad guy just because I'm not willing to aid anyone in protecting their precious egos whenever I defeat them. Dueling is serious for me. Not some game or ridiculous aspiration that I need to invent for myself." Edo replied coldly.
Asuka was appalled. She didn't know exactly what she had been expecting Edo to say, but this was beyond rude.
"Fine. Then I hope that you enjoy being alone. Because that is what you will always be as long as you see life with that attitude." Asuka said simply, as if she was stating a fact and nothing more.
To her surprise, Edo smiled at her in amusement. "Believe me, I'm already there." He said wryly. He then turned away and walked through the front door without another word, leaving Asuka even more surprised than before.
What is wrong with him!? Oh, who cares!? He's gone now and I hope that he doesn't come back again! Asuka thought to herself in irritation. Little did she know just how wrong she was…