Satoshi sighed as he stretched. It was a long hard practice at karate club. He had been hoping to ride home with Chika, only to be rejected. The past few days, Chika disappeared right after practice. It was weird because Chika normally lingered about for a few hours. It seemed like everyone was fleeing from him.
"Maybe it's 'cause I smell," Satoshi thought out loud as he sniffed his gii. "Oh gross! I definitely need to wash this!" After inspecting the room for cleanliness, Satoshi shuffled out of the karate club room and headed towards the locker room.
As he passed the judo room, he couldn't help, but overhear a loud crash, which was followed by, "UGH-OOMPH!"
It was something between a squeal, a grunt, and a yelp.
Whatever it was, it didn't sound good.
Naturally, Satoshi entered the room with the utmost caution.
He kicked down the door and pulled out his bokken, ready to attack. As his eyes took in the scene, he dropped his bokken.
On the matted floor of the judo room, a girl with sapphire eyes and black hair was pinned down and straddled by his cousin.
Chika jumped up at the sound of the broken door. He shuffled over a few feet and picked his glasses up from a nearby table. Placing the spectacles on his face, he immediately felt a gut-wrenching feeling.
Satoshi didn't know what to do. He wanted to run away from the scene. At the same time, he wanted to hit Chika with every ounce of strength he had left. Stuck in his state, he stood in place with a blank stare.
Satomi sat up from her once pinned position and pulled up the sleeve of her gii that slipped off during her struggle to release herself from Chika's hold. She cracked her neck and stretched her arms before looking up and realizing the awkward scene that had taken place.
"Satoshi-san!" she cried out immediately getting up to her feet to bow.
Hearing her voice stirred Satoshi from his state of indecision. He turned his attention to Satomi.
"What are you doing here so late?" she asked.
Chika studied Satoshi carefully. His clenched fists remained at his sides as he looked up at Satomi. Although he sounded friendly and warm as he always did, his grey eyes looked distressed.
"I was just cleaning up the karate club room and heading to the locker room to change," Satoshi answered. "Then I heard a noise and thought someone was being attacked, so I thought I should help."
"That's so nice of you!" Satomi commented with admiring smile.
"Oh, it's nothing!" Satoshi smiled, but his hands were still clenched at his side.
There was an awkward stillness in the air.
"You might be wondering why I'm here so late with Haninozuka-san," Satomi said breaking the silence.
"I was wondering why you were underneath Chika." While Satomi blushed from Satoshi's word choice, Chika focused on only one word. When he said Chika's name, there was a subtle hint of bitterness that made the middle school boy squirm, just a bit. Satoshi turned to Chika. "I thought you said you were tired and decided to go home without me."
His knuckles were white from his tight grip. Chika opened his mouth, but Satomi spoke.
"I'm sorry that Haninozuka-san has been leaving karate club early, it's my fault," Satomi said bowing her head in slight shame.
Satoshi felt his heart tighten. Does Mi-chan like Chika? Did they start dating secretly? Is that why he's been leaving club immediately afterwards? To meet her without him knowing?
He cringed in anticipation of those words as Satomi picked up her sentence.
"I forced him to train me in judo."
That wasn't exactly what he was expecting to hear.
"What?" Satoshi said releasing his clenched fists.
"I'm really sorry!" Satomi cried out. "I know the karate club really needs him, but I just need him to train me for one week! I was having trouble studying new moves alone and you even said that Haninozuka-san is extremely skilled in judo, so I pleaded him to help me."
When she stopped talking, she stared at his expression. He had a blank expression on his face. Maybe he was mad at her for stealing his best friend away without notice. She closed her eyes and cringed ready for Satoshi to finally get mad.
Satoshi launched himself forward and tackled the girl to the ground.
In an embrace.
"You're so cute! I'll help you too!" Satoshi said. Chika noted that his smile and brightness returned to his features and decided to test the waters.
"You'd just get in the way," Chika grumbled. "She wants to win, not cuddle with a weirdo."
Immediately, Satoshi struck Chika on the head with his bokken sword. Satomi couldn't help, but notice that Chika smiled despite being hit with a wooden sword.
"I might not know judo, but that means I'll be a perfect target for Mi-chan to practice the moves she's learning!" Satoshi explained. "Since you're the expert, you can tell her how to adjust her movements to be more precise."
Chika crossed his arms, "So you're going to be replacing the judo dummy?" He motioned to the mannequin sitting in the corner of the room. "Not like there's a difference between you two anyways - no brain."
SMACK.
Satoshi was back to normal for sure.
