Ike…what?
"I got it!" Kagome exclaimed suddenly. "The guidance counsellor! He looks like Tom Cruise!"
Kagome, Shippo and Sango were eating their lunches in the school garden. This time, Kagome had remembered to bring her own lunch, as they sat on the benches, talking about the events that happened yesterday.
From how Kagome had punched Manten out of the window, and her crazy declaration to be the next bancho, Shippo seemed to enjoy reliving every bit of detail, albeit with exaggerated flair.
"Tom Cruise?" Sango muttered, biting on a fishcake. "Who's that?"
"Aaanyways, it's already Kagome-chan's 2nd day in school," Shippo said. "Shouldn't we talk about the three unspoken rules in Fubuki? I still feel it's my fault she got herself dragged to the GC's office. We need to make sure it doesn't happen again."
"Shippo-chan, you need to stop talking with your mouth full," chided Sango.
"Three unspoken rules?" Kagome went.
Shippo swallowed a mouthful of food, cleared his throat and put up a finger. "Basically there are three people in Fubuki High you should never mess with.
"Number three, the fangirls who worship the Sub-Zero Prince. You've seen yesterday some of their crazy antics when little Rin came to class. That's just a teensy-weensy clue of how mentally deranged they actually are."
"Pfft," Kagome said, "There's nothing about the snobbish jerk that even deserves a second glance."
"Shhh, don't let them hear that." Shippo put up a second finger. "Second, is Garo Kouga."
"Garo Kouga, or Fubuki's gang leader," stated Sango, seeing Kagome's look of confusion. "He is always extorting money from students as a form of protection fee. And he has a knack of getting into these inter-school fights. Rumors say he has a fighting record of 93-0-1."
"That's right. In fact he is so scary he used to be number one."
"Then whose number one now?" inquired Kagome innocently.
"Chairman Anzai!" Shippo and Sango chorused in unison. "Apparently the chairman was so pissed that Kouga was dragging the school's name in the mud by participating in all of these inter-school fights," Shippo excitedly explained, "that he challenged Kouga to a one-off! The loser will has to bow down to the winner's demands. Oh you should have seen it—the whole school came to the parade square, even Principal Naraku! Everything was set up like a gladiator match!"
"Shippo-chan, you really need to stop glorifying violence."
"Oh pooh, says the person who helped collect bets from everyone."
Kagome scratched her head, trying to make sense of everything. "So you're telling me, that the Chairman eventually won the fight?"
Shippo giggled. "That he did. Knocked Kouga off with a good ole Ippon Seoinage. Kapow!"
Sango sighed. "Kagome-chan, you should retract back what you told the chairman yesterday. Wanting to replace Kouga—that is a declaration of war by itself. Not only you'll have to deal with Number 2, rest assured Number 1 won't let you have your way so easily. Keeping order in Fubuki has always been the chairman's top priority."
"Nope," Kagome said at once, slurping on her ramen.
"You're not even going to rethink your decision?" Shippo asked, putting on a doe-eyed look.
"Mmmmm….nope."
Suddenly they heard shouts thrown at their direction. A bunch of students called over to them.
"Sango, Shippo! Aren't you going to see the annual club fest?" said a boy, who sported wayward lilac hair.
Sango sniffed. "What for, Haku? We already have our own clubs."
"Yeah, but it's a good opportunity to see what those new first-years are like! I think I saw a couple of hot ones in the entrance ceremony!"
Shippo turned to Kagome. "You don't have a club yet, do you? Clubs are really important in Fubuki. Participation points make a huge percentage in our final year results."
They walked through the bustling parade square, where tents had been set up for every club in the school. The senior club members were scouting for the freshies, yelling as if they were touting their wares. Kagome carelessly wondered if the Sub-zero Prince club was a legitimate one. In any case, she passed through some questionable tents, like an UNO Club, and even a Mini Rice-cooker Club, which dedicated itself to collecting, well, actual mini rice-cookers.
"Come join us!" A boy screeched at her face, waving a wad of flyers. "Our Astral Projection club is the only one that promises an out-of-body experience, literally!" Kagome quickly ducked behind Sango.
"So Kagome-chan, what club were you previously from in your old school?" Sango asked, smiling. "I'm in the History club, by the way."
"And I'm in the singing club!" declared Shippo proudly. "But apparently I only sound good in the bathroom…"
Kagome laughed nervously. They both of them seemed to be certain in where their passions lay. As for her…well…her only passion in life was not something you could find in a school club. Would they be horrified if they knew she was practically club-less back in Sakuragaoka?
Suddenly she felt a firm hand on her shoulder.
"You," a deep, but familiar voice said. "You haven't joined any clubs yet, have you?"
The three of them turned, then stilled in shock. It was Sesshoumaru, and his tall, intimidating figure cut an imposing stance against the sun, casting a dark shadow on them.
Immediately Kagome heard hushed whispers around her, like that of ghosts'.
"Did he just lay a hand on her?"
"Oh my god, our Holiness Prince-sama held a girl's shoulder! What's going on?"
"It's that new kooky girl from yesterday!"
"She's still thinking," Shippo answered. "There's more than 50 clubs to choose from."
Sesshoumaru folded his hands tightly. A grim line on his mouth could faintly be detected on his dark face. "She doesn't have to. She's joining the ikebana club."
"Eh?" Kagome went, her face blank as a sheet of paper. "Ike…bana club?"
"Wait," Sango voiced out. "But isn't that…."
Suddenly Kagome doubled over, as she started to guffaw hilariously, fat tears rolling on her face. "A flower arrangement club? Me? There's no way I'd join such a sissy club! Wahahahahah!"
Sesshoumaru's face grew even darker, if it was possible, his eyes narrowed like stilts. "It's not a sissy club!" he barked at last, losing his composure. "And you as a girl, should be the last person to say that!"
Still fuming, he turned and spotted a girl passing around flyers. "Ayame!" he called out to her. "There's someone here who wants to join the ikebana club. Make sure you sign her up right away."
The red-head trotted to Kagome happily. "That's good news! We haven't had anyone pass the interview yet. A direct recommendation from the chairman is much appreciated. Please, this way!" And she dragged an incredulous Kagome towards her tent.
Sesshoumaru then strode off with a huff, leaving two equally confused people.
"Why on earth did Chairman Anzai want to make her join that club?" Sango asked in disbelief.
"You know what they say about its screening tests," Shippo giggled, as he checked out some of the freebies he'd gotten from the fest. "But I think Kagome can make it!"
Her head still spinning, it took her awhile before Kagome realized that she was ushered into an enclosed tent. She was made to sit behind a projector, that flashed a blue screen on a white board.
"What the hell's going on?" Kagome asked Ayame.
Ayame beamed at her, her ponytails bouncing. "It's part of our club's protocol, to sift through any new applicants. Surely we can't just accept anyone, especially a girl who may potentially harbour that condition."
Kagome squinted and looked around. There was just the both of them in that quiet tent, the loud bustle and hustle of the fest outside now muffled.
"Alright! Let's proceed," Ayame announced, as she clicked on the remote control. The projector hummed, and the first image superimposed on the board was…a photograph of the Chairman.
He was taking his shoes out of the locker. It seemed to be a candid image of him, but the good lighting had captured a beautiful, sensual interpretation of ennui, on his otherwise deadpan face.
Kagome's jaw dropped in her chair.
"What is the first word that comes to your mind when you see this?"
Kagome's head flung to Ayame, who seemed to have exuded a dark, dangerous aura, as if a wrong answer would spell disaster for her.
"Jerk!" Kagome immediately shouted, frowning angrily at the photo.
"How about this one?"
The screen flashed to another photo of him talking mid-way behind a stage pedestal in a speech, his fist pumping, looking all ambitious and authoritative.
"Limp wrist!"
Ayame raised an eyebrow, before pressing the remote control again.
The last photo was possibly the worst, depending to whom it was shown to. Sesshoumaru was lounging in a pool chair, clad in nothing but a swimming cap, a pair of goggles over his forehead and of course, that unmissable tight Speedos.
It looked like he just participated in a swimming competition, with other students standing around him. The photo had sharply captured the glistening drops of water on his smooth abs, and again that annoying expression on his bored face that gave her the shivers; heavy-lidded eyes, slightly parted lips.
"Wet blanket!"
Unable to withstand the mental torture any longer, she rushed out from the chair and grabbed the remote from a petrified Ayame, shutting the projector down.
"What on Earth was that?!"
Ayame cupped her hand over her mouth, a strange look of admiration shining in her green eyes.
"I've never seen anyone resist these photos in such a raw emotion! You must really hate the Chairman!" And then she grabbed Kagome's hand with a large grin on her face. "Congratulations, you're duly accepted in the ikebana club! The only club where it only accepts students who are immune to the so-called holy light of Chairman Anzai!"
Kagome squinted at her. "So you…are not actually a fan of him?"
Ayame laughed and flicked her red ponytail. "Oh never! I'm more into the dark, handsome ones. Ah, speaking of which, we have club activities today after school. Do come."
Kagome returned back to Sango and Shippo, who were munching on macarons they got from the Baking Club.
"Did you managed to sign up?" Sango asked. Kagome nodded, her head still in a daze. "So were those stories revolving around the ikebana club true? That you had to go through a certain test to be a member."
Kagome clasped her hands to her face with an expression of raw terror, as the photos re-emerged into her memory. "My eyes! They're blinded… I don't understand any of this… I don't even like flowers…"
Shippo crunched his teeth on the soft crispy macarons. "You must be special, Kagome-chan. For Chairman Anzai to single-handedly pick you."
The school bell rang. Kagome slithered out of the classroom cautiously, then flashed past the corridors with a kind of stealth that would have made ninjas proud, towards the lockers. She was about to race towards the school gate when someone grabbed her backpack, and she recoiled backwards with a high-pitched yelp. She fell on the ground, hard. Rubbing her sore butt, she glared upwards to the perpetrator.
It was Sesshoumaru, staring down disapprovingly at her.
Kagome smacked her face, then folded her hands tightly, refusing to budge from the ground.
"What is now, Chairman? Haven't you pestered me enough today?"
"Where are you going?" he asked instead, not in the mood for idle chatter. "You're supposed to attend your club activities today at 3."
"Why are you poking in my after-school affairs? Whether I'm attending or not, it's not of your concern."
"It is my concern," he replied harshly, then lowered himself on his haunches to meet her gaze, to Kagome's surprise. Once again, she heard the ghostly whispers, from the unidentified crowds of students going home.
He shoved a book to her face and she blinked. "Idiot, have you forgotten this?"
Kagome scrunched up her face and grabbed the logbook from him. Apart from the two school days, they had yet to fulfil any extra hours, only accumulating a measly 13 over 500, thus far.
"You're supposed to spend every possible school hour with me," he hissed. "Do you want me to hound you for the whole year just so I could get this case off me?"
Kagome pouted her lip and shook her head. She didn't want to feel like a fugitive, but at the same time she hated every second just standing near him.
"Very good," he said, standing up. "We'll meet later in the ikebana club."
Kagome scratched her nose, until something dawned on her. "Hey, wait!" she called him.
But Sesshoumaru had disappeared, lost in the incoming current of students all making their way out of school, after a long exciting day.
Wait for the next chapter!