Thanks for your continuous support –to GakuenAliceForever, TasteTheRainbowXD, Saikono-san, Kylee-Cat, dmystifiedregion, HappyHam, daa3fan, Jonzz and scarlet. Anyway, I decided to keep RG in permanent hiatus. Please do support my other fiction in-progress as well –My Sacrifice. Thanks.
CHAP TEN: By doing this, I could protect you from him. By doing this, I could show you my worth. Who's going to win? Her protector or the man who betrayed her? Read and review. A Valentine's Special.
**o**
Activity Ten
GAMES
**o**
-Cupid's Countdown-
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PUNCH!
Upon the unexpected contact, Mikan covered her mouth from utmost shock. Natsume was thrown on the floor, his cheeks tinted with red due to blood. As he wipes those bloods away, he turned up to glare at the uninvited guest.
"Hyuuga, you're really going way too far! This is not supposed to be part of his plan" the blond boy hissed.
"What's it to you, huh? Why do you care anyway?" the raven-haired lad retorted as he tried to stand up.
"I care because I'm her br–I'm her fiancé," Ruka retorted but of course, all of it were just lies… lies for what he thinks is best for his sister –lies to protect her.
"Ruka, stop it! I just came here to end it all. You don't even know the whole thing. It was entirely my fault," Mikan yelled from the sidelines, tugging his shirt whilst pulling him away.
"Shut up Mikan and stop defending him!" he scolded.
"It's the truth. Ruka, just stop!" she begged but it's as if both boys had their earplugs on that they weren't able to hear all the things she recently said.
"Listen here, red-eye, just so you know I'm not known in sharing the things which I labeled 'personal private property' and among the list includes her so back off," Ruka threatened as he slowly retreated. Grabbing her hand, he turned and was about to leave not until a loud 'tch' followed by a wide smirk was seen plastered on the other man's face.
"Sorry buddy but… as much as how threatened I felt by your blackmail," he sighs "I just can't simply do that."
"Huh?" he stopped midway before facing him with a bewildered face, somehow not getting his whole point or rather –trying to act as if he didn't get the whole point.
"I didn't see any label on her body –no names, no engagement rings or clues and indication she's your property. So, that means, you don't have the right to tell me you owned her. Due to that fact, FYI you don't have any more reasons to tell me to back off well unless of course you do have another reasonable excuse," he answered, cool expression on, both hands on pockets and a playful sneer plastered on his well-defined face.
Damn. Ruka cursed under his breath.
"So, why don't we just settle this, ne? I challenged you on a battle. The winner takes it all. What do you say?"
"R-Ruka, you wouldn't, would you?" Mikan pleadingly asked her brother, seemingly shocked at what she just heard –they're betting, gambling her and more worse… THEY GAMBLED HER IN FRONT OF HER FACE. I mean, can't they just give her some respect at least? Hello? It was like they're just passing her from one person to another whilst she just stood right in front of them the moment they did their deals. Who wouldn't be surprised? Just then…
"Deal!" the blond boy stretched out his hand to give the raven a shake.
**o**
"I can't believe you just did that!" a brunette complained, hands folded in front.
"What? You really had less faith in your brother, don't you? Of course I'm going to win. Besides, you didn't even object yesterday night while you still got the chance," he smugly replied.
"Oh just shut up. Don't even make me think about it," she irritably replied.
You see, after they had this stupid deal at the restaurant yesterday night, the two had decided to meet at the sports complex the following day. It was a good thing that it was a weekend the following. Mikan was asked to go with them and serve as the judge. After all, she was the one at stake here. Poor her.
Anyway, it's been ten past nine. Their agreed meeting is supposedly at nine o'clock dot but ten minutes had passed and no certain raven-haired lad could be seen.
"See, he's even a coward for not showing up. You should trust your brother more often, Mikan," he uttered with a proud smile. He's somehow confident that he'll win this battle –this game.
Another ten minutes…
"I think that dude's never going to show himself," he spoke as he stretched his arms and legs, feeling as if a certain burden just got lifted off his shoulders.
"I think we better go now, Mi-chan. We're just wasting our time and efforts here," he continued with a wide smile. He was about to turn around and walk out when…
"Where are you going scaredy-cat?" a voice spoke beside them both.
Instead of turning around, Ruka switched his gaze to his side to see that same irritable raven-haired figure.
"Tch. I congratulate you for your almost-successful sabotage idea. Creating made-up stories just so mom and dad would send those stupid guards to block my gates. Amazing plan but not enough," he uttered. Mikan didn't say a word. Still, just by looking at those hazel orbs, you could see how shocked she is after hearing his side of the story.
"I'm glad you pulled it off," Ruka answered him with utmost confidence, a playful grin shown in his face.
"Enough with the talks and let's start, shall we?" Natsume offered, replying the blond with his own smirk.
"My pleasure," Ruka replied.
**o**
First part of the game is supposed-to-be motor racing. Mikan sat on a room alone with glass mirrors that could see the whole racing arena. Looking below, she watched both boys prepare their own racing bikes –I tell you even Mikan was surprised her brother did motor racing before. Actually, she's supposed to be the one standing in front of their rides with the flag but after seeing a visitor happened to pass by, they asked him a favor to give the signal instead. Without any effort of hesitating, she shrugged as she just watched them readying themselves from afar. Five minutes more and the game would start.
BRRRRRMMM
BRRRRRMMM
BRRRRRMMM
BRRRRRMMM
Four….
BRRRRRMMM
BRRRRRMMM
BRRRRRMMM
Three…
BRRRRRMMM
BRRRRRMMM
Two..
BRRRRRMMM
One.
BRRRRRMMM…..
With a wave of the usual checkerboard flag, two engines started to roar as the ground was suddenly filled with intense haze from the wheels friction and the bellowed smoke. The poor man didn't even have other options but to cough hard for covering his mouth with his small hankie was pointless.
The race had started with Ruka taking the lead by a few meters. With his blue Honda, he was determined and confident he would surely win. But of course, five laps are too long that a lot of things could possibly happen.
Due to overconfidence, accelerating his red Ducati to 150kph, Ruka turned second within a matter of two turns. He tried to accelerate but the more he does, so do the raven. Mikan became restless in her seat, praying that everything would turn out to be fine. Like what the hell, who wouldn't be scared when two people close to you are just one inch from their death experience? 200kph, hello?
Anyway, as the race ended with a dramatic twist, Natsume still emerged as the champion for of course event one.
**o**
The next event would be you guessed that right –bowling. But it's not the usual game with the usual scorings and whatnot. Well, of course, at some point it is like it. It's just that each player is given fifteen tries. Within those fifteen tries, the person with most numbered strikes comes out the winner. Scores like nine, whatsoever are of course, uncounted –just the strikes, perfect strikes.
As the game commenced, since Natsume was the winner in the first event, he's asked to play the game first. Having no actual care with who goes first, he just shrugged before standing in front and grabbing some random black ball –he actually doesn't care about the size and weight! As he positioned himself at the middle, he looked forward. Not wasting a single second, with the aim to hit the tip of the formed triangle, he released the ball.
TUG…
ROLL…
STRIKE!
For the next few minutes, that was the whole scenario. But of course, not all were just strikes –only most were strikes. 9 out of 15. Not bad actually right?
Next up was Ruka. Well, it was a surprise that despite his loss in the first game, he still got that confident expression plastered in his face. Dusting off his pants, he stood up to replace Natsume's position. Doing the same thing as what Natsume did earlier, he got his ball and positioned himself at the center. Having the aim to strike, with a few breaths, he finally released the ball.
TUG…
ROLL…
STRIKE!
Everything went on the next few minutes like that. It's just that Ruka got 10, not 8 nor 9, out of 15. Having a satisfied expression plastered on his face, he returned to his seat with a victory sneer.
Well, instead that it's supposed to be the two guys who'll get nervous. It's actually the other way around. It was Mikan who turned nervous and the two seemed to look like they were both enjoying the time of their lives –playing. And now, both participants are tied.
**o**
Even with the want to end both games as early as possible, two events turned out to be a three. The reason? The third is the clincher. Why? Because both came out with equal number of victories. So, a clincher round was absolutely needed. And guess what the third event is –swimming. You can't actually blame Mikan. After all, the choosing of events was done through draws. Thankfully, the complex was loaded with swimming gears and the pool was everyday cleaned and replaced by the hardworking janitress.
Since the room where the pool was located was dark since it was actually located on the interior-most part of the big building, the three had no choice but to switch on the lights. And as how usual swimming competitions go, the first one to return wins.
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Eye goggles. Check. Trunks. Check. Determination. Check. Warm ups. Check. Done.
After they did their basic checklist, both positioned themselves on each of the diving boards by the edge of a fifty-meter rectangular pool. Meanwhile, Mikan took out a whistle from one of the drawer, wiped it clean and placed it in her mouth. She was tired, yes, and not to mention –bored. She just wants it to finish. She doesn't care who wins or lose. After all, still none of them owns her in the end. She owned herself –no more and no less and that was the fact no one can change.
With one blow on the whistle
PRRRRRTTTT…
The swimmers plunged on the pool and swam as fast as they could –the event was freestyle swimming so each had the chance to do what kind of swimming stroke he wants. But surprisingly, both used the crawl.
It was a tough contest. Both lads were just alternately leading the competition, making it seem hard where your bets should be placed. Until, there comes a time when both… swam side-by-side with each other. It happened the moment they were about to head back and it continued for god knows how long.
Only ten more meters and the winner could already be identified –that is if there really is a clear winner. Their determination to win was clearly seen in their confident faces that they will win. They had to be for a reason.
By doing this, I could protect you from him.
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Fifteen more meters
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By doing this, I could show you my worth.
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Ten
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Who's going to win?
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Five
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Just when they, Mikan, was about to see who's going to win, the power supply for the lights of the swimming room was suddenly switched off for fleeting seconds. And the moment it returned normal, it was already undetermined who really and actually… won.
Her protector or the man who betrayed her?
**o**
Activity ten ends
TO BE CONTINUED
**o**
Just did minor revisions. I only changed car racing to motor. Sorry I wasn't able to check the rest of my grammars.
NEXT CHAP: Jail
Please review and tell me what you think.