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The manymany ways in which Aoi and Oga could kiss

Chapter 20 - Loss in some ways, win in others

By Devilry


No matter how Aoi saw it, Oga was just your typical hooligan.

Bashing Miwa's face into the ground over and over? Unoriginal. That wretched smile plastered all over his face? Clichéd. Ruthless? Check. Unforgiving? Check. Used violence to solve all his problems? Check.

So what if Oga carried a baby around? Plenty of delinquents did stupid things like that to try to make a name for themselves. If anything, it was unforgivable that he would choose to put a baby's life in danger for something as trivial as his reputation.

So what if he asked her to become his child's mother? Was he not just trying to hit on her like all the other guys? And he was crafty, for it worked. Now, she was the laughing stock of the school. Not just her; he had also successfully disgraced the entire Red Tails, and all the girls under her protection.

The only thing that set him apart was his extraordinary strength. But that did not make him more than a hooligan; it only made him more hooligan. Not just more of a hooligan, but more of a man. Oga did not care about anyone other than himself, especially his child. He paraded the baby around like some kind of naked freak show, forcing him to embrace violence from young. He was the kind of man destined to turn into the alcoholic who would stay out all night, and come back home in a drunken stupor only to beat his wife and his kids. Oga treated Aoi like a toy, not a human being; just another plaything. Beaten and proposed to, all in the span of five minutes. She approached for a fair fight; he played the dirtiest trick in the book.

Indeed, Oga was the alpha male, the leader of the wolf pack, the extreme embodiment of what it meant to be masculine. He disgusted her.

It was not as though the Red Tails had never made mistakes before. Unlike men, Aoi made sure that all her girls were honest and upright. They did not deceive others and they apologised when they were in the wrong. No matter what, they were not to stoop to the level of men. There was no ego to protect. All Aoi had to do was apologise to Oga, turn around and leave. Nothing else needed to be said or done, and they would go their own separate ways.

End of story.

So why couldn't she do just that?

Why was she still rooted to the ground, all this unease clouding her heart? She felt choked, like a cork squeezed down the opening of a small bottle. Something was in there, wanting to be let out. It had a tiny, shrill voice, and she had no idea what it was trying to say.

'Fweeeh, it's finally quiet!' Oga stopped to wipe the sweat off his forehead, and looked to the sky in delight. Miwa was submerged in the concrete up to the waist, and his legs dangling in the air like some kind of avant-garde art display.

'Wiiiiiiii!' The baby cheered, sharing Oga's enthusiasm.

'Oh, so you're back to being in a good mood huh, Baby Beel?' Oga grinned, bringing the baby back up to his shoulders. 'Good, good. You're not gonna cry any more over a little spilt blood, are you?' He cajoled gently.

See? There it is again! Aoi thought to herself frantically. Oga has OBVIOUSLY exposed his child to so much violence that he's now enamoured by it! That, right there, is proof of his inimical and irresponsible parenting! There's no reason for me to feel indebted to a guy like that!

No good. Her internal voice did not sound reasoned like she had hoped it would. It was a bunch of flustered and senseless squeals, like the kind of excuses a girl would make to convince herself that she hated a guy, and totally did not have any feelings for him. But for what reason? There was no need for her to make such excuses. It was not as though she had feelings for him or anything like that. Besides, the Red Tails forbade male-female relationships anyway (nothing about lesbianism, since lesbians were always feminists).

Okay, so maybe it was an overstatement to say that Oga did not care about his child. After all, Oga always made it his highest priority to cheer his child up whenever he got upset. He brought his child wherever he went, even when no delinquents were watching, and saw himself as enough of a parent enough to want to have a proper park debut.

Also, unlike the other delinquents, and crucially so, Oga was no aggressor. Aoi was the one who had approached him, not the other way round.

Aoi's first impression of Oga came from hearsay. And she trusted it, for hearsay was never wrong in the delinquent world. Whoever controlled the men controlled the gossip, and whoever controlled the latest manhood fashion trends controlled the men.

But now that she actually met him in person, he did not seem bad as much as he was weird.

What if it was true that Oga was really different from the rest?

What then?

As leader of the Red Tails, Aoi went around wrestling to free women all over from the oppression of men. Where the Red Tails went, she thrashed all the male gangs in the area and taught the women to fight back. Like a modern day prophet, she came and left them with her favourite Betty White quote: 'Why do people say "grow some balls"? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding.'

Aoi had always seen it as a righteous cause, because the men were the perpetrators of injustice in the first place. But if even one of them proved to be different, and one of the strongest men she had ever faced at that... what then?

Now Aoi knew why she could not simply walk away. The entire existence of the Red Tails was at stake. Not just the Red Tails, but the purpose of her life.

'Well then!' Oga turned back to face her, the child firmly secured behind him. 'Shall we continue?'

Aoi froze. She knew what the answer should be, but dreaded to say it.

'This is my loss.' She grimaced. There was no longer a point to the fight.

Oga and Nene both looked at her in surprise.

It's not the misunderstanding... I lost because Oga has proven that I no longer have the right to fight him. I never had it in the first place. Aoi thought bitterly.

She still had no idea what Oga's true intentions were, nor did she have any clue as to why his baby was naked (and she had a feeling that nobody would ever find out). However, Oga's honesty was penetrating. In all its majesty and incandescence, Aoi could feel herself being freed from the dark clouds in her mind. She was wrong for making all these assumptions about Oga, and she was wrong for imposing her own views on him. In a way, she had committed the same crime men had committed for centuries. This time, she was trying to be the oppressive force.

However, it did not mean that the Red Tails no longer had a reason for existence. Aoi's fight was still worthwhile. Many other men were not like Oga, and the Red Tails would continue their crusade for as long as there were women out there victim to their oppression.

At the same time, Aoi realised that this enmity did not have to go on forever. And it could start with Ishiyama High. If Oga were to conquer the school... if it was Oga... then perhaps he could be shining exemplar for all the other delinquents. He did not need to be a complete gentleman - in fact, it was probably better that he wasn't, for gentlemen were only gentlemen because they conformed to the social norms of the time; a true prodigy knew how to treat women properly irrespective of circumstance. If Oga could do it in a delinquent school, then he was the mightiest of them all.

Oga would be the one to inspire all the other delinquents to just cut the hypocrisy altogether and be honest with themselves... their insecurities and fears, their desire for companionship without feeling threatened or weak.

Oga gave Aoi hope. Hope for men, and hope for women, that they need not exist only to struggle against each other.

Oga... you have no idea what you're doing half the time... but you're a really amazing person, you know that? Aoi smiled to herself. So, it's my loss, huh...

'...No.' She rescinded. It was not just a loss. This fateful encounter was far too significant to end with just a simple admission of defeat. Aoi needed to let Oga know how much his presence meant to her.

'That's not it.' Aoi hesitated, trying to make sense of her muddled thoughts. It was not a loss, but it was technically not a win either. How could she arrange all these conflicting feelings in a way that she could understand?

Aoi knew that she did not want to just walk away from Oga. She wanted to keep in touch, so that she would be able to give him her encouragement and support. She wanted to observe his progress; to vindicate her trust in him, and learn something new about humanity and herself each new day.

From now on, Aoi wanted to be by Oga's side. It seemed like the best way forward. If the Queen were to join forces with the King, then they could be the epitome of how men and women should live.

Of course, just a perfectly platonic relationship will do. Aoi thought to herself in a reasoned voice. Anything more is unnecessary, really. I mean, Oga has a baby and all... I guess it'd be really complicated if I tried to get any closer. Then again, it might be more advantageous for us to be romantically involved. After all, this will allow us to show everyone what it means for there to be gender equality in a relationship. I mean, we could show them how to date properly... how to walk around school without brandishing a girl like some kind of sex trophy... how to walk home together and hold hands and hug and kiss without being patronising - DAMMIT, I'VE COMPLETELY FALLEN FOR OGA.

Aoi was horrified.


'How long are you planning on continuing these useless talks?' An icy, crisp voice pierced through the air.

There she was - this strange, busty woman in the Gothic get-up; a Siren for the modern man, where the punishment was unwarranted parental responsibility: a fate far worse than death.

'We're going home.' The woman declared. 'This woman in unable to become a parent.'

How despicable. Aoi stared at her, hatred in her eyes. This woman walks around in revealing clothes - flashing her big bust everywhere she goes so that men continue to see women as sex symbols - and she just dumps her child on another man and expects him to find another mother? How DARE she say that I'm not fit to be a parent!

The choice was clear. Aoi had to save Oga from the wretched hands of this woman. Not just for him, not just for herself, but for the fate of all men and women. This woman was the Judas of gender equality, and she had already made her move.

'Wait a minute.' Aoi spat. 'Aren't you embarrassed? Forcing your own child onto other people.'

'Hmph, if you've got a problem, then work on your skill and come again.' The woman replied with a wry smile.

'Wrong.' Aoi said tersely. 'This school needs better role models. If you think that fighting is the only answer, then you are clearly not fit to be Oga's partner!'

'What the hell is she talking about?' The woman asked.

'Beats me.' Oga shrugged.

'I, Aoi Kunieda, ex-leader of the Red Tails, will now free Oga from your control!' Aoi shouted.

'Ex...leader...?' Nene gasped.

Aoi walked up to Oga and kissed him fiercely. She pressed her lips against him in one swift motion, and all resistance faded away as he quickly yielded to her fiery passion. His movements were clueless, and so were hers, but searing heat from their interlocking bodies guided them.


End note: Another update for this story :)

I must say, I've gotten more enthusiastic about writing Aoi fics lately. The last few Beelzebub chapters were kind to her, giving her plenty of much-needed screen time and character development, and this definitely helped in making me want to write about her again. If you want, head over to the Mangafox forums Aoi Kunieda Discussion Thread to check out what I have to say about it!

TFOK chapter 11 is coming out next :)


End end note: (Because I feel it's necessary to say this)

I must give a pre-emptive warning to readers of this story: If you don't like this chapter because it's too 'intellectual', then stop reading my stories. I can guarantee you that you won't like any of my Beelzebub stories. Ever. I don't just aim to write 'normal' Beelzebub fics. If I was going to be forced to, then I would've never started writing it the first place, because stories that don't make you think is simply not my cup of tea.

My intended audience for ALL my stories is not people who see anime/manga as a quick fix entertainment. I want to reach out to people who realise that anime and manga can be meaningful to their lives; it's an art form that can make just as much of a difference as a good book. And Beelzebub is one of these manga that can be read meaningfully, which is why I'm writing about it in the first place. True, the characters are delinquents, and have low levels of formal education. However, don't be fooled; it does not mean that they are simple. Beelzebub has some of the most interesting and well developed characters, with very complex thoughts and motivations. Even if they are delinquents, these characters are human beings, and that means that they have the very same access to the sophisticated psychological faculties that all of us to.

What I don't conform to (and hence becomes a source of OOC-ness) is their limited ability to express their thoughts. I've already made a compromise: I ensure that they outward behaviour and mannerisms is completely befitting of their delinquent background. In exchange, I'm giving them a far superior narrative voice. I am completely fine with this, because the point of my fanfic is to develop the characters where their communicative abilities fail them in the manga itself.

I want to show my readers how to read Beelzebub critically and get the most out of it, because I believe that's so much potential for that in a fantastic manga like this. If this requires me to commit the crime of OOC-ness, then so be it. I don't write unless I have something good to say.

Now, for those of you who haven't been put off by my unapologetic attitude and are still reading at this point, I assure you that there will be more fluff in later chapters. Right now, Aoi and Oga simply don't know each other well enough. It's just not realistic for their relationship to go anywhere. With each new chapter, however, I skip to a later point in the manga, and their relationship becomes more and more developed.

Right now, the ratio of introspection to fluff is, like, 95% to 5%. In the future, I expect to see this ratio balance out to as much as 60% to 40% :)


Reviews & Replies


SharinganUserX:

damn, I just read your profile and the Aoi discussion threrad on MF - so DEEP :)

you're truly the biggest Aoi fan I've seen, it's amazing .. she's easily become one of my most favorite anime/manga characters since reading Beelzebub, feels good that I'm not alone

I really like her slow development too .. and the multiply aspects of her personality

though I wonder what will come of the Izuma team up .. well I like Izuma too anyway

hoping to see many more Aoi fics from you

have to say I already like this one as much as TFoK

Reply:

Hey, thanks for the review!

Haha, I must say that I'm truly incapable of writing mindless fluff xD

Well, I still can once in a while, like chapt 0. Still, when I first conceived of this story, I actually thought that the title would be self-explanatory. But it turns out I'm wrong. Ah well...

However, I don't think it's entirely my fault. It's also because of Aoi and Oga are designed, and I mean this as good thing. Their relationship is just so unique and delicate that you can't just insert them into any formulaic fluff template and expect the story to work out; it'd just feel awkward and wrong.

But don't worry! I promised fluff, and I WILL DELIVER. You can tell that the kiss scene at the end was a little more attentively written than that of Chapt 11.

Extrapolate this over a longer period of time, and you can tell that there will be some form of progress! :)


Atropos' Knife:

Wow. SharinganUserX is right. I don't think there will ever, ever be a bigger, more thoughtful fan of Aoi Kunieda in fandom than you, and I'm using my (somewhat nonexistent) precognition skills here when I say this. Because between this and TFoK, you've nailed down all, and I mean ALL, the thoughts and feelings nineteen pages of each "Beelzebub" chapter cannot possibly capture with regard to Aoi.

You, my friend, ARE Aoi Kunieda. That's pretty much the highest form of compliment I can offer. :)

And that big, desperate kiss at the end of this chapter...you couldn't have portrayed a girl so madly and irrevocably in love any more eloquently (of course, barring the gender and behavioral norms polite Japanese society has placed on a girl like Aoi. Then again, this fic's title is "The manymany ways in which Aoi and Oga could kiss" after all, so screw that, right?). All said, I cannot wait to see in what form your 'progress' will end up taking as you tackle more chapters.

Looking forward to reading more soon (and I hope time will be kind to me these coming days to find opportunity to reread your old TFoK chapters and leave comments when I can).

Cheers!

Reply:

I AM Aoi Kunieda?

...

When I first read that, the bullish side of me recoiled a little. What, are you trying to say that I write like a girl, and that my work is now considered shoujo?

But no, that's not it. It's a very interesting comment that required me to probe my own thoughts to discover what it means to me.

When I first started, writing from a woman's perspective, to me, was a matter of circumstance. Face it, Oga is not meant to be a character we can empathise with. He is both too simple and complex for our imagination. Almost every single fic out there that tries to depict a coherent story from Oga's perspective invariably butchers his personality, and it's not just the fault of the writers.

And so I came from Aoi's perspective, but from a position that was meant to be unambiguously male. I do indeed have my own fanboy moments that can and should legitimately be considered creepy. But there's also something more than that at work.

I've already stated in my profile that I have a strong conception of gender equality that causes me to disagree with many feminists out there. I want to know if my own ideas are fair to women, or if I'm just another man imposing my views on them.

And Aoi Kunieda has become my way of exploring this issue. It's no coincidence that I'm so enamoured by her character: A woman who starts off fiercely feminist, but eventually decides that there is more to it than just fighting, and begins to learn to coexist with men without relinquishing her passion and. independence. By discussing my views of gender equality through her, I am in fact trying to see if my views can be phrased (and are compatible) through a woman's point of view. And, judging by the positive responses from a number of female readers, including you, I'm glad to know that I'm not doing too badly :)

In some ways I'm still fanboying about her, but in some ways I am indeed trying to BE her.

Or rather, much like Blanche and William Tennessee, it might be more accurate to say that my interpretation of Aoi Kunieda IS me - in drag.