Chapter 28: Enter the Kuno Siblings: Gimme a K-U-N-O! Part 2
Ayano's father's schedule was difficult to follow because he came home at random hours. Of course, that was the nature of owning a pawn shop.
Ayano figured she'd have plenty of time to clean herself up. Not to mention come up with a good excuse for her condition.
As she opened the door to her house, she almost fell flat upon her face. Ayano hadn't expected to find her father home before her.
Yet another thing caught Ayano off guard for the evening.
First, the crazy gymnast who had some sort of connection to Ryuku. Then, Ryuku fought to save her and injured himself. Then, Ayano received a wound that needed attention at the clinic.
Now this: her father seated on the living room couch and flipping through a newspaper.
"Father?" Ayano greeted Tetsuo with a sheep-like tone. "W... Welcome home."
Tetsuo lowered the newspaper and placed it onto the coffee table. "I'm supposed to be the one saying that to you."
He stood to his feet and stopped mid-step. Tetsuo's eyes narrowed while Ayano fidgeted under her father's intense gaze. He walked over to her and brought her to the couch. He ushered her to take a seat.
"Tell me who did this to you, Ayano," he demanded. "I want names now. I'll make them answer for this. I'll get the police involved," he slammed his foot to the floor. "And if that doesn't work, I'll bring my own kind of justice myself."
"You don't need to do anything like that, father!" Ayano assured Tetsuo. "I fell over when one of the clubs let out earlier," she stuttered, trying to find specificity to her little lie. "Uh, the track team! They left out some equipment and I tripped over it on the way out. That's all it was."
"The track team?" Tetsuo repeated. His eyes narrowed like a laser onto Ayano's face.
To Ayano, that look could only mean one thing: it was obvious he didn't believe her words.
"Do they even have equipment to leave out?" he questioned her.
"It's true!" Ayano pressed on. "They have new equipment! Like, ribbons and clubs!" she bit back a gasp. I should've said the gymnastics team!
"Clubs? Ribbons? For track?" Tetsuo scoffed.
"Yes! For starting flags and stuff!" Ayano pleaded. "I promise I'm okay. It wouldn't be good for you to get the police involved in a silly thing like this."
Ayano pushed herself up to her feet and decided to change the topic. "I should get started on dinner! I was thinking of making some pork cutlets."
Her father stared at Ayano. "Pork cutlets?" he waved her off. "When you're ready to tell me the truth you know where to find me."
"Do you think you could help me?" Ayano asked. "It's been awhile since I had a helping hand in the kitchen."
Tetsuo released a sigh. "Sounds easy enough. Cutlets are so simple not even I could screw that up for ya."
Another shock to Ayano's day was when her sister came downstairs during meal prep. Whenever Naori came down she wouldn't stick around. She'd grab a cold glass of water or a seaweed snack but this time Naori made small talk with her family. Even though Naori talked to her father more than Ayano, it felt like they were a whole family.
The added warmth from her father and sister made dinner taste even better than ever. Even if they had to part ways for the night, it was always nice to spend time with her family. After the day she had, this was something Ayano needed.
Once dinner concluded, Ayano cleaned up and turned in for the night. Exhaustion dragged her weary body up to her room. The laborious task of getting ready for bed was a Heraclean effort. She almost missed the bed as she fell onto the mattress. She brought her knees to her chest and curled up into a ball.
She held her cell phone in her good hand. Her thumb moved across the keypad while she texted Togo.
I'm so sorry I wasn't able to make you soup today. Or give you your homework. She texted him.
U dont hve to be sory 4 anythig. Togo replied with a line of smiling emoticons. A moment later, he sent an extra string of messages which stated: im feling so mch beter. beter than evr. im ging to skool tomrow. so dont swet it, bab. plus my frends got me covred.
Ayano smiled to herself. Please don't strain yourself. Drink plenty of liquids. I'll see you tomorrow.
Dont wory. im on top of my game! Ur smile is the only medisin i ned.
A building warmth gathered in Ayano's cheeks. She sent Togo a goodnight text which he responded with warmth. He had even attached a heart emoticon to the end of his heartfelt message.
Togo had a way of making Ayano feel better. Yet a nagging feeling continued to nip at her. The source of her troubles pertained to a certain redhead. Ayano did her best to ignore it. After all, he wanted things to be this way. But no matter how much she tried, the feeling wouldn't let her go.
She needed to consult her best friend.
Ayano tucked her lower lip between her teeth. She pulled up Ryoko's number and sent her two texts. The first one explained the fight at Furinkan. The second was about the attacker's spiked clubs, how Ayano had hurt her ankle and arm, and had to go to the clinic.
Ayano attempted to articulate a third text but she couldn't figure out the proper way to say it. Why did Saotome always keep her at a distance? Was it awkward to ask Ryoko such a deep question about her brother? Would she even get an answer about something like this? Would this ruin her friendship with the girl?
Her brain swarmed with endless anxiety. Her stomach twisted and churned. Ayano set her phone aside and pressed a pillow over her face. The coolness of the pillow casing relaxed her worries. The darkness brought her to a moment of clarity. At least for a moment.
"Don't go near me. Don't try to sneak off to where I eat lunch. If you see me, just - pretend I don't exist. It'll be better this way."
Ayano released a muffled cry and kicked her legs out in a fit. She plopped her legs onto the bed. After a moment, Ayano pulled the pillow away. There was still the matter of the text.
She began to type out a few words only to backpedal and erase everything.
Ayano started to type out another message: Why is he...
"We're strangers and I'm going to make sure to keep it that way!"
If this is the way he wants things to be then... I'll leave him alone. Her heart sank as Ayano wiped the message from existence. On a positive note, Ayano was happy she was friends with Ryoko. She replaced the message with a text wishing Ryoko goodnight.
Ayano's phone lit up with another message from Ryoko. It was a photograph of a hand positioned in a peace sign. In the background, Ayano could see a TV with a game show playing on the screen.
Ayano set her phone down onto her nightstand. She turned her bedside lamp off with a click.
It was finally time to sleep.
Ayano closed her eyes and attempted to will herself beyond the gates to the realm of dreams. After several minutes of silence, it was obvious the Sandman clocked out early for the night.
The girl tossed and turned. She couldn't find the right spot that would lull her to sleep. Her body's aches and soreness told Ayano it was ready to sleep but unable. Her mind had different ideas, bringing that redhead back again. She had already made her mind up. He had no business being there, yet he continued to cloud her thoughts.
She brought her pillow to her chest and squeezed it with her good hand. The action did little to ease the emotions riling her up.
The answer was obvious: Ayano needed closure. Her mind wasn't going to let her rest until she had it. Tomorrow at school she would settle this once and for all.
Ayano wasn't the type to confront someone and demand something in return. She needed a purpose to approach Ryuku.
From the corner of her eye, Ayano saw Ryuku's jacket draped over her desk chair. She climbed out of bed and picked up the jacket. Most of the damage was superficial: minor rips, frayed threads, and missing buttons.
Ayano traced her fingertips on the cloth. She had plenty of leftover thread and donor materials tucked away in her sewing kit.
A quick look at her alarm clock showed it was already past eleven. The reasonable thing to do would be to return to bed.
She turned away. If she was able to actually sleep, she'd get a generous amount of rest. Decent enough that she wouldn't be suffering too much at school tomorrow.
More than likely, it'd be a fruitless effort to make another attempt at resting. She'd go right back to tossing and turning for the rest of the night.
The least she could do was fix Ryuku's jacket and give it back to him.
Ayano set her sewing kit on top of her desk next to the jacket. She gave herself a pep talk and threaded a needle and went to work.
Her mind wandered off to what could happen tomorrow. Confidence would be her companion as she approached Ryuku. At first, Ryuku's attempts to wave her off wouldn't work. Her confidence would brush it off and she'd present the jacket to him.
She could picture the shock on Ryuku's face. She'd take that moment as her chance to make the killing strike.
"I just want to know what changed all of a sudden?" was what she planned to ask him. "I thought we were finally getting somewhere. As friends. I understand if you don't want to be friends but I want a real answer! Don't I deserve at least that much, Saotome?"
The image of Ryuku stood like a motionless puppet in her mind. It had no words to give her. The puppet vanished into thin air as the jacket fell to the floor.
Ayano forced herself out of her daydream. She focused on careful stitching and positioning each button in place.
Once Ayano completed her final stitch, she didn't dare to look at her clock. Moonlight still peeked through the window curtains. Ayano put her material away, hung the jacket up, and went to bed.
The thoughts of what could happen tomorrow still lingered in her mind. It seemed the Sandman realized he'd missed a client and guided Ayano to the land of dreams.
X
A sharp blaring whistle drowned out Kaida's words.
Gashu cupped her hand around her ear. "What'd you just say? I couldn't hear you! Are we fighting or what?"
Another shriek of a whistle snuffed out Kaida's next words. He shrugged and proceeded to go through several warm-up routines.
All at once, the cheerleaders stood in line with Yuzuna. The head cheerleader gave a loud toot on her pink whistle.
The cheerleaders raised their pom-poms up and down. They alternated their knees on every upswing of the pom-poms. A stomped out beat matched the peppy music that resumed playing.
Yuzuna's whistle fell from her mouth. She rustled her pom-poms about, twirled her hips side to side as she hit her pom-poms together.
"Let's go, let's go," Yuzuna chanted with the cheerleaders. "Beat this H-U-S-S-Y! What's that spell? Bitch!"
"You don't know how to spell, do you?" Gashu laughed. "That spells 'hussy.'"
"I know what it spells you moron!" Yuzuna screeched.
Gashu sent Kaida a grin. "Got your own little cheer squad? How cute."
Kaida grasped his bokken handle. "I hope they don't cause much of a distraction," he gave Gashu an apologetic look. "Once Yuzuna gets started, it's hard to get her to sto -"
The whistle spouted once more with a shrill cry. Yuzuna banged her pom-poms together. "Come on Kaida kick her butt!"
"Ha!" Gashu posed with her hand on her hip and her other hand to her cheek, index finger upward. "I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."
With that, Gashu sprinted towards Kaida.
The kendoist formed a stance and slashed out of range. The slash produced a gust of wind which picked up dust along its path.
Gashu sidestepped out of the miniature tornado's path. She angled back to her opponent. Her intention was to close the distance between them but Kaida had beaten her to the punch.
Kaida was already in striking distance and had made a horizontal slash at Gashu.
The double weaved underneath the wooden blade by only a width of a hair. She anchored her arm in an attempt to land a right hook onto her opponent. The expected impact never landed, much to Gashu's disappointment, as she struck the air. Her opponent had vanished.
The cheerleaders' cheers exploded in volume as they started another routine.
"B-E-A-T! B-E-A-T! Beat her to the floor!" Yuzuna slammed her pom-poms together once again. "H-U-S-S-Y! Show this bitch to the door!"
Gashu righted herself after her initial shock. No one else in Ryuku's world had much to offer her in battle. The kendoist roused excitement in the double. She forced herself to calm down. The last thing any fighter needed was internal distraction and a weak guard.
The double performed a side lunge and lowered her upper body. She glanced up, smirking at the bokken sailing over her head. From her position, she rolled onto her outstretched leg. She swung her opposite leg around for a reverse hook kick. Again, Gashu's counter failed to meet its mark.
When the kick finished, Gashu re-positioned and faced her opponent. She resumed her defensive stance and kept her eyes on Kaida.
The kendoist launched into a series of short, unpredictable, and precise slashes.
Gashu had already bounced back up, hopping from side-to-side like a rabbit. She jumped out of the sword's reach.
Kaida double stepped toward her but at an angle and did another horizontal slash.
The double ducked down and pushed Kaida back a few steps. The two kept an eye on one another's movements.
Something about the kendoist was off. The styles between Kaida and his sister were different, no doubt. It had to be something else. Kaida was a master of the kendo arts, yet there was a stark contrast between Kaida and another kendoist.
Her cousin Yukio. Practice was his addiction. At the age of thirteen, Yukio had beaten his father. Yukio was well on his way to becoming a world champion and master of kendo.
Even though Gashu could tell Kaida wasn't putting in his all to the bout, it exposed his technique. Gashu could only come up with one comparison. Yukio's skill reminded her of pristine silver while Kaida seemed like tarnished silver.
With incredible speed, Kaida brought his sword behind him overhead. He swung it forward while throwing his upper body toward Gashu.
Gashu slapped her hands together with force, she shouted out an obnoxious kiai.
Kaida's eyes widened before his hair fell over his eyes.
Gashu felt an immediate burst of pain in her palms. Her fingers twitched from the sheer force of the bokken. But she couldn't help but smirk in a devious way, as she had caught the bokken mid-strike. Her feet were at an angle. She kept her upper body as still as possible, keeping herself tense to keep hold of the bokken.
"Wow!" Gashu beamed. "I didn't think that'd actually work!" She let go of the bokken and rubbed her hands over her sweatpants.
Kaida lowered his bokken as his gaze flickered between Gashu and his weapon.
Gashu flexed her fingers, wrinkling her nose as she looked over how red her palms were getting. Maybe that wasn't such a good idea, after all.
Everything had gotten pretty quiet.
With curiosity, Gashu looked around and cracked up a bit.
Gashu knew cheerleaders did everything in sync. They even managed to have the same jaw dropping expression.
"Come on, I still wanna keep going," Gashu told Kaida with a little hand gesture. "We're just getting started!"
X
The final bell shook Ayano from her stupor.
The homeroom teacher finished his announcements for the day. With the end of a ruler, the teacher pointed at the words written on the blackboard: "Quiz Tomorrow!"
Ayano stumbled to her feet and proceeded to dismiss the class. When she finished, everyone, including the teacher, rushed for the door. The teacher seemed to be in a particular hurry as he elbowed a few students on his way out.
The last remaining student was Ayano. She wasn't in a rush to leave yet. Her notes were incomplete due to her exhaustion and lack of sleep. She sat back at her desk and worked on refining her notes. Ayano tidied up a few errors that she'd missed during the lecture.
Her head bobbed forward, her eyelids heavy. The clack of her pencil hitting the desk jolted Ayano awake.
The entire school day was like this. She should've known better and pushed her feelings aside until after classes. After all, she was the class representative. Her task was to keep her fellow students' morale up and to be a model student. Not that she was doing a good job with that lately.
Ayano's tired gaze drifted onto her arm sling. It had been the hot topic of the school day the moment she arrived on campus. The rumor mill once again sputtered to a start. This was unavoidable. It wasn't like she could hide her sling anywhere. Not to mention she was limping.
The unwanted attention wasn't going to get to her. Not even Fumio could bring her down today. She was on a mission and no one was going to stand in her way. Even if the school gossip started a big commotion at the start of homeroom. Ayano endured the scrutiny.
With Togo and Ryoko by her side, she'd make it through this obstacle.
A shadow was cast over her notebook. She glanced up from her work and her eyes met with black beady ones.
"Makanai," Fumio greeted, a snide smile curled onto his lips. "What have you been up to lately?" he cackled. "That is, if you don't mind me asking."
Ayano refused to look at the school gossip. She turned back to her notes.
"Something really exciting must've happened," Fumio rolled back onto his heels. "After only one day, too. Getting a little too enthusiastic with your boyfriend?" the gossip gave Ayano a wink and a toothy smile.
Ayano finished up her notes. She placed her schoolbag atop her desk and began to put her belongings away.
"No, that couldn't be it. You really don't seem like that type of girl," Fumio gave her another wink. "If anything, I bet it had to do something with Furinkan's pride and joy the Bloody Knife Saotome." He giggled at the nickname.
The chair screeched as Ayano stood up. She put her bag over her shoulder and headed for the exit.
Fumio intercepted her path. "What'd Saotome do? Huh?" Fumio demanded, jabbing his finger toward her. "Either way, if you don't tell me I'm going to publish something. Aren't you the one always babbling about how everything I write is a lie? How about you provide some truth for me to write in my next article?"
"Gosunkugi," Ayano didn't have time to think of a reply.
Someone cleared their throat. Ayano spotted Togo, who stood in the doorway and leaned against the frame. His arms were crossed over his chest. Togo's eyes weren't on Ayano but narrowed at Fumio, while his lips were twisted into a tight scowl. A spark was in Togo's eyes, one that Ayano couldn't quite place, but this was an expression she'd never seen her boyfriend wear before.
Togo pushed himself away from the doorframe and strolled over to Ayano. "I'd really appreciate it if you left my girlfriend alone," he placed his arm around Ayano's shoulders. His hand rested onto her shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze.
Ayano's chest swelled with affection. She wondered if she'd ever get used to someone caring about her enough to confront Fumio.
"We were done talking, anyway," Fumio stuttered. He leered at Ayano. "Later, Makanai... Ozaki."
Ayano caught a glimpse of irritation on the gossip's face on his way out. She stifled a giggle behind her good hand. It was about time the gossip had a taste of his own medicine.
Now, if only Ryuku could do something to put a damper on Fumio's reputation. He wouldn't have to worry about Fumio meddling into his personal affairs by spreading around malicious rumors and lies.
"Sorry I wasn't here sooner," Togo moved to face Ayano. At this point, his scowl had some of its edge. Ayano could easily recognize the soft-hearted boy who was her boyfriend. "I had to go on ahead and get something from a friend. If I knew Gosunkugi was going to harass you like that, I would've stayed behind to scare him off. Or at least brought you with me to get it." he looked off in the general direction Fumio had fled. An evident look on disgust was on his face before he let out a scoff. "Gosunkugi's such a tool."
"That's all right," Ayano assured him, offering him a small smile. "I was getting ready to leave. Gosunkugi just got in the way."
"Isn't that what he always does?" Togo quipped, earning a giggle from Ayano.
Together, the couple exited the classroom. Togo held his hand out and offered to hold Ayano's schoolbag for her. A blush stained Ayano's cheeks at the gesture but she handed the bag over to him nonetheless. They continued on their way further down the main hallway.
"Could we take a quick stop at my locker?" Ayano asked. "I need to grab something myself."
Togo gently nudged their shoulders together. "Sure thing, babe," he said with a nod while they headed over to Ayano's locker. "I know I already asked you this but are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine," Ayano answered. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm a big girl."
Togo's shoulders brushed against Ayano's once again. "How am I supposed to not worry about you?" he exhaled a soft sigh. "When my girlfriend shows up to school with her arm in a sling and a limp... I can't just let something like that go. You still haven't even told me how that happened to you, Ayano."
"It wasn't anything bad," she was quick to assure him. "I promise."
Once they reached Ayano's locker, she grabbed onto the lock and entered the combination. The lock opened with a click.
Ayano swung open the door and looked over the contents of her locker. Placed in the middle of everything was a medium sized pink gift bag.
During lunch, she had attempted to execute her: Give Ryuku His Jacket Back mission, but it turned out to be an utter failure. Ryuku had made every effort to avoid her and resist from keeping any form of communication between them. Ayano had done her best to catch up to him but to no avail. All it turned out to be a waste of effort. Her exhaustion had caught up with her, which prevented Ayano from further pursing the redhead. He wouldn't accept the jacket either.
Ayano curled her fingers around the wiry handle. Her lips fell to a frown as she took the bag out. She shut the locker with a metallic clang and secured the lock back in place.
Next to her, Togo leaned against the wall of lockers. "There've been some rumors floating around lately," he said. "I'm not sure what they're about exactly but it seems like it's riling everyone up. I wonder what's going on this time?"
"Does everyone only come to school to catch up on the latest in the rumor mill? I thought we were supposed to come here to learn," Ayano exasperated. "Everyone's concerned about the wrong things in life. We should focus more on positive things. Then, everyone would be so much happier!"
"You're right," Togo agreed with a smile. "I know those rumors can be pretty far-fetched at times but..." there was a brief pause as Togo trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck. "Most rumors are based on some kind of truth. No one would start saying anything if something didn't happen. Not everyone is like Gosunkugi."
"Gosunkugi riles everyone up," Ayano gripped the bag to her chest with her free hand. "That's all his photographs and articles ever do. Everything's always taken out of context. I'd never trust anything Gosunkugi says."
"He might say some weird things but even the boy who cried wolf told the truth once," Togo said. "The hot topic tends to be about Saotome. Speaking of Saotome, there were some rumors about him today."
Ayano lowered her head and averted her gaze to her feet. "When are there not rumors about him?"
"I know that but you just never know with him," Togo stepped closer to Ayano. The tips of his school slippers nudged against her own. After a beat, he lowered his voice and added. "I heard that he was with some girl at school yesterday. I guess he was fighting someone. Like, some gang member or some shady guy in a cloak. The girl ended up getting hurt pretty badly. She was caught in the crossfire or something and ended up having to go to the hospital. She might not be able to walk anymore. But I think someone's getting paid off to keep quiet about this?"
"Togo -"
Ayano jolted from the sudden pressure against her shoulder. She saw that Togo rested his hand there. "I don't believe everything I hear. I mean, the whole thing sounds pretty... far out there," a thoughtful expression washed over Togo's face. Once he met Ayano's eyes, he squared his shoulders. "But I know you had some... thing with Saotome for a while. Everyone wouldn't, no, still doesn't shut up about it. Our classmates, heck, even my friends bring it up sometimes but," he rested the side of his head against the lockers and regarded Ayano with a smile. "I'm not going to butt in. It's none of my business and I trust you. I just, did he..."
"I was there. The other day, I was with Saotome," Ayano interjected, her tone gentle and sweet. "But it wasn't Saotome who did this to me. He'd never hurt me."
Togo's eyes widened. "He's not threatening you to keep quiet, is he?"
Ayano's chest constricted with discomfort. "How could you ask me that?"
"I just want to know if he's..."
Instead of finishing his sentence, Togo did something else entirely. Blood rushed to Ayano's cheeks as Togo cupped her cheek into his palm. With a gentle touch, Togo brushed his thumb against her chin and tilted her head up to meet Ayano's eyes head on.
"I know I'm not the strongest guy around but I wanna protect you," Togo confessed. "Saotome would wipe the floor with me but I'd do whatever I can for you, Ayano. You can't expect me not to worry about you, especially when you're hurt and I can't do anything about it."
"Oh, Togo, that's so," Ayano fidgeted under Togo's intense gaze. The flush on her neck spread to her cheeks. She didn't have to look into a mirror to know her face matched that of a strawberry.
Togo didn't plan on moving away anytime soon.
The blistering warmth tickled at her cheeks, her heart rattled against her rib cage, and her stomach bubbled with butterflies. Her knees were wobbly and weak as though she was a balloon about to burst at any second. Everything was too much for her to handle. Ayano turned her face away but leaned into Togo's touches.
Togo continued to lean closer toward the girl.
As they stared at one another, Ayano's heart was about to burst from her chest. If things kept up at this pace, Ayano wasn't sure if her legs could support her any longer. Ayano averted her attention at a spot over Togo's shoulder. This seemed to lessen her nerves.
Togo was still in close proximity. Ayano's nostrils tickled from the scent of his cologne.
The intensity of the situation was making her eyes play tricks on her. At a short distance, a certain redhead had appeared out of thin air. Ayano narrowed her eyes onto the boy who had been on her mind all day. Was he really there?
A squeak escaped Ayano's mouth. Intrigued pulled her forward, until her chest bumped against Togo's, but she was undeterred from this action. Ayano was determined to see if this was an illusion or not. Ayano shifted against Togo. She attempted to creep up onto her tiptoes to get a better look at the redhead.
Further down the hallway, Ryuku was accompanied by his good friend Ryou in the midst of a conversation. Ryou fiddled with something in his one good hand.
It looked like the two hadn't noticed her and Togo just yet.
Ryuku was actually there. He was right there.
Her opportunity had, once again, presented itself.
A pressure against the small of her back startled Ayano out of her stupor.
"Babe, what're you doing?" Togo's laughter tickled at Ayano's ear.
Ayano almost jerked away from Togo but caught herself at the last moment. She took a single step back, her face aflame.
"E-Excuse me, I was just," Ayano slipped the handle of the gift-bag into the crevice of her elbow. She fanned herself to cool herself off. Yet it did little to settle her nerves. "I'm sorry, I got distracted."
Ayano fidgeted in place. Her mind blank of what to do next. Ayano doubted she'd be able to take initiative and finished what Togo started. Instead, she decided to go for the next best thing. She went onto her tiptoes and brought Togo toward her with a few gentle tugs. With lightness, Ayano's lips pecked Togo's cheek.
Ayano's gesture caught Togo by surprise given his parted lips.
"I'll be right back." Ayano whispered into his ear.
"Oh, uh, I'll be right here?" Togo smiled, his cheeks tinted pink.
No matter how flustered Ayano was it wouldn't keep her from breaking her promise to herself. Grandpa Peddler once told her "a promise broken is a lie to a soul, a promise broken to yourself is soul crushing."
A surge of newfound determination rippled from within her. With every step forward, nothing Ryuku could do would deter her. She held her head high, her footsteps accompanying her confident stride.
The sound of Ryuku's laughter echoed in the hallway. The redhead's lips curled into a mirthful smile. Ryou gesticulated with his hand in an animated gesture. The moment Ryuku's eyes met her own, his smile stifled into a frown. The redhead looked away, which stole Ayano's confidence as quick as she gained it.
Ayano's shoulders sagged. With every step, she felt maybe this wasn't a good idea, after all. Ayano persevered, she already made her decision.
Ryuku pressed his lips together. He shifted the strap of his duffle bag as he hefted it higher on his shoulder.
Ryou had fallen silent as he looked over at his friend.
"Saotome," Ayano's voice came out stronger than she anticipated. Not even a second passed as she repeated herself. "Saotome, I want to - I have to give this back to you."
The redhead regarded her with a dispassionate look. "The jacket, right? You don't have to worry about it," Ryuku waved his hand. "Just get rid of it."
"Hey, Makanai," Ryou greeted in a shy manner. His eyes didn't quite meet Ayano's as he continued speaking. "Don't mind him. He's a little grumpy about school stuff. You know, like homework and quizzes. The usual stuff that good students get through."
Ryuku gave Ryou a sharp look. "Anyway, I have to drop this porker off at his house."
"Homework?" Ayano asked. "What do you mean?"
"Don't worry about it," Ryuku cut in. "It's not a big deal. It's just one assignment."
"One assignment? You don't mean -" Ayano started.
"It's okay," Ryuku confirmed.
That one assignment could only mean one thing.
It was all because of her. If only that cloaked girl hadn't used Ayano as a bartering chip. She wouldn't have needed medical help. That detour cost Ryuku so much time. Her heart sank as she stared down at the bag in her hand.
"Please accept this, Saotome!" Ayano's upper-body dropped into a bow. She held the bag out in front of her. Her voice was louder than she intended but she didn't care if anyone else heard. "That's all. I'm not asking for anything else. I'll leave you alone after this. I promise."
She counted down the seconds. The moments of silence that hanged in the air.
A sudden warmth covered the palm of her hand. The bag slipped out of her grasp. Her fingers clasped around the air. Ayano straightened up to see that Ryuku had accepted the bag. An unexpected smile played across her lips.
She didn't think she'd get this far with her simple mission. Yet it had turned out to be a complete success.
The corners of Ryuku's mouth twitched.
Was he trying to suppress a smile? Or a scowl? Why did something like that even matter to Ayano?
"You said that was all," Ryuku sighed. Ayano noted that his gaze dropped to her arm sling before he glanced off to the side. "So long, Makanai."
This was it. The end of whatever this was between them.
Being able to get closure was something that should've brought her joy. So why couldn't she bring herself to move?
Ayano shifted her weight from foot to foot. She couldn't find it in herself to take the first step away. Something kept her rooted to the spot. Even the added pressure on her injured ankle didn't snap her from her mesmerization. Yet her brain registered the sharp burst of pain that ran along her leg. A whimper slipped past Ayano's lips. Her knees wobbled before she felt herself fall forward.
The fall stopped as quick as it started. Ayano expected to lose her balance yet she met Ryuku's eyes, his arms supported her by her shoulders.
Ayano squeaked, blood rushed to her face. How embarrassing!
Ryuku's gaze flickered over to Ayano. His mouth opened only to close a moment later. The redhead's eyebrows pinched together, his attention diverted to the floor. "Are you..." he paused. "Are you sure you're -"
Togo's much louder and stronger voice drowned out anything else Ryuku said. "Is everything okay over there, Ayano?"
Ryuku was the first to jolt back a step.
Ayano stumbled from the shock but caught herself at the last second.
What was Ryuku about to ask her? Was it too late to ask for clarification? Or would it be too inappropriate after something like that?
She couldn't ignore her boyfriend's question but she couldn't help herself. "Y-Yes? What is it, Saotome?" she tried to return eye contact with the redhead.
Ryuku shook his head. "Don't worry about it. It was nothing," he exchanged glances with his friend. The gesture prompted Ryou to move on ahead with Ryuku. "Your boyfriend's calling for you, Makanai."
"It was nice talking to you again, Makanai!" were Ryou's parting words.
"Goodbye Hibiki," after a beat, Ayano added under her breath. "Saotome."
Whatever Ryuku was about to say would bother Ayano for the rest of the day. There was no way he wanted to take back what he said about their chance at friendship.
It had to be important. Ayano wasn't sure if she was lying to herself to find another reason to confront him. She stared after the two friends until they turned the corner.
Togo strolled over to her side. "Is everything okay?"
Ayano turned to Togo with a smile. "Everything's... fine."
X
The tension in the room was thick, thick enough for a sword to slice through with ease. The silence devoured the cheerleader's incessant cheers until there was nothing left. They had stopped everything. The music, their motions, their reactions - everything came to a sudden halt.
The duelists stared at one another.
What's with the sudden mood change? Gashu wondered. Does everyone think the fight's over already? Things were just getting started!
Gashu flashed Kaida a grin and cracked her knuckles. Regret sank in as pain shot from her fingers to the palms of her hands. Under her breath, she let a curse. Stupid! Did you forget you just caught a bokken with your stupid hands?
The double hid a wince and shook her hands out. "Come on, big guy!" she winked in his direction. "Let's get back to the fight!"
"Do you think that would be wise?" Kaida put his bokken away to his waist. "May I see your hands?"
Gashu blinked up at the kendoist. What's this guy trying to do?
A deep exaggerated gasp erupted from the background. No doubt from that strange head cheerleader.
"Oh, uh, you don't have to do that," Gashu assured him with a nervous giggle. "It's nothin' I can't handle."
"That was my strongest strike yet. It must have been quite painful."
Gashu heaved a sigh and swallowed her fighter's pride. In an exaggerated fashion, the double thrust her hands out, palms up, for Kaida to inspect.
Kaida's fingers curled around Gashu's wrists. He leaned in closer to inspect her palms. The kendoist turned Gashu's hands over this way and that. He pondered, voicing his thoughts with the occasional humming noise. Every so often, Kaida glanced up at Gashu.
This kind of inspection was typical for a martial artist like Gashu. Her pops, sometimes her ma, would check any problem areas after a sparring match.
The routineness of the inspection made the double look elsewhere. Gashu saw Yuzuna shaken, her face pinched together, and cheeks painted a cherry color.
Jeez, what's her problem? Gashu thought.
"Very well," Kaida released Gashu's hands as he took a step back. He placed the heel of his hand onto his bokken. The light smile on his lips indicated his satisfaction with his inspection. "It doesn't appear that the wounds are serious," he nodded toward Gashu. "Let's continue. I'd like to see where this is going."
"Awesome!" Gashu flashed a wide, toothy grin at the kendoist. "Alright, are you ready? This is gonna be the winnin' shot!"
"Not in your dreams, tramp!" Yuzuna turned to the other girls and shrieked. "Come on, girls! Let's give Kaida the best cheer ever!"
One of the cheerleaders broke away from the others to go over to the boom box. The music returned with a booming vengeance. This seemed to fuel the cheerleaders' newfound energy. They brought their pom-poms together, feet bouncing off the floor as they moved in sync.
"Can you believe this?" Gashu snorted, jerking her thumb in the cheerleaders' direction.
"Let us begin, Miss," Kaida announced. He didn't hesitate and returned to a stance with a fluid motion. His bokken returned in his hands, poised forward and ready to strike.
Gashu darted forward toward her opponent.
Kaida was quick to counter-attack with a long strike and swept out another gust of wind.
The double jumped over the kendoist to avoid the attack.
Kaida was already on the move again. He shifted and jabbed upward at Gashu's stomach.
To avoid the attack, Gashu kicked her legs out and parried the bokken away. She flipped in midair. When her feet landed, she fell back into her stance.
The kendoist was already set for another attack.
Gashu knew that her best bet would be to stay in the air. She had control of Kaida's range up there.
Kaida and Yukio might've shared the same art but their styles were different. The double thought back to how she'd always fight with her cousin. There was a chance it'd work here, too. All she had to do was find the perfect opportunity to present itself and execute it.
Gashu leapt up high into the air. The more height she had the better. It increased the likelihood of landing this attack. She scanned her target below like a hawk. For this to work, she needed to force Kaida to form a landing spot.
Gashu thrust her arms behind her and dived like a bird toward her prey. She fell faster and faster toward Kaida.
The kendoist seemed to brace for Gashu's next move. The sword was already tilted upward and prepared to take another swing.
Kaida lifted his sword overheard and declared. "This will be the last strike!"
Gashu swung her arms forward.
The kendoist's eyes followed along with her movements. He heaved forward with the strike. A huge gust of air spiraled in her direction.
Gashu winked and flipped herself like a skydiver. Her arms and legs splayed outward. Her speed slowed down, it seemed as though she was floating.
Kaida stared up at Gashu and jerked his sword back. At least that was Kaida's intention. The added weight prevented him from completing the action. The furthest he had gone was past horizontal as Gashu landed onto the tip of the bokken. Kaida gawked at the double, shock spread across his face.
The kendoist jerked his sword upward to knock Gashu off of it.
Using the added momentum of the bokken, Gashu hopped down the sword toward Kaida. She held her arms out to keep her balance until the tips of her toes touched his right hand. Gashu knelt down until she was at a crouch.
From there, she dropped backward and grabbed onto the point of the bokken. She sprung her lower body upward until she could launch her feet onto Kaida's chest.
Kaida stumbled back a step from the kick. He made no motion to counter-attack as Gashu was already in the air.
Gashu spun several times and landed into a pose. She finally thrust her arms into the air and whooped in triumph.
The music shut off as the cheerleaders booed and drowned out Gashu's cheers.
Kaida's eyes fixated onto the double.
She wasn't sure what his next move was. Would the fight continue?
Whatever the decision was, the ball was in Kaida's court.
Kaida lowered his weapon and, after a moment, he sheathed it. He lowered his head in silence. "Thank you for the match, miss." he bowed.
Gashu pointed at Kaida's chest with a laugh.
Kaida's gaze followed after where Gashu was pointing.
Imprinted onto his kimono were two foot prints. Now he matched with his sister.
Kaida brushed at the marks. His lips curved into a light smile while he did so. "I guess I match my sister now."
Gashu grinned back at him. "At least someone's a good sport. Thanks for the fight, too. It was great! In fact, the best I've had in a while!"
Yuzuna and her squad shoved Gashu clear out of the way. The boy-turned-girl had no time to bask in her glorious victory. The cheerleaders fretted around Kaida. The head cheerleader brushed dirt and dust off Kaida's kimono.
In a flustered panic, Yuzuna attempted to mat down any sign of wrinkles. "I can't believe her!" she squealed. "I can't believe she did that to you! That hussy should've never been allowed to set foot in this dojo! I'm so ashamed your eyes had to witness this grotesque creature, elder brother!"
It was strange how close Yuzuna was to her brother. Literally. There was little distance between the siblings. In contrast, the distance between the other cheerleaders and Kaida were quite spacious.
"Yuzuna," Kaida started, his tone chiding.
"It's okay! This whole thing doesn't count," the head cheerleader held her hands out to her shoulders, her palms up. "She's not even enrolled at this dojo. So, it doesn't count! I'm right, aren't I?"
"Any woman can sign up for this event. Not only students." Kaida reminded his sister. "You should know that."
Gashu skipped over to Yuzuna and held her palm out. "Just gimme the prize and I'll be on my way," she chirped. "I don't wanna stick around to brag or anything. Like if there's a trophy or anything. I don't really need that."
"Why you -" Yuzuna stopped herself and pressed her forehead against Kaida's shoulder. "Get away from me."
Kaida patted Yuzuna's head as if she were a child. "Yuzuna, she won fair and square."
"You heard the man!" Gashu was really beginning to like this guy. Whoever the heck he was. "Now, gimme what I won."
Yuzuna lifted her head up to glare at Gashu. "I'll P-U-N-C-H you in the F-A-C-E, you B-I-T-C -"
Kaida circled around Yuzuna and cut into her cheer. He reached out to take hold of Gashu's hand. The kendoist halted his movements, his eyes searched her palm. He gripped onto the double's hand with a gentle squeeze. "Tell me, miss," he began. "What is your name?"
Gashu took her hand back and jammed them into her pockets. She thought it best not to continue provoking Yuzuna. The dirty looks from Yuzuna and her posse were exhausting to endure.
"It's Ryoko," Gashu introduced herself. She considered giving a fake name but there wasn't anything to worry about. Everyone needed to know the winner's name for a martial arts based event. Most likely she'd end up with a plaque with her name on it.
"And? Your last name?" Kaida asked.
Gashu shrugged a shoulder. "Just Ryoko is fine for now."
"Miss Ryoko, it's a pleasure to meet you. We haven't been properly introduced yet," Kaida gestured toward himself. "My name is Kaida Kuno," he swept his hand to Yuzuna. "And this is my darling sister, Yuzuna Kuno."
Gashu's jaw dropped. "Kuno? Well, that explains everythin'!" she slapped her hand over her mouth.
"Yes, the Kunos are a well-known name across Japan." in a sage-like motion, Kaida nodded.
"And soon to be globally." Yuzuna added in a smarmy tone.
Gashu's shoulders dropped in relief. She was lucky that these Kunos seemed to be as famous as her's. It'd be awkward to explain her comment. The double brought her hand down to her side.
"That's... great? It's nice to meet you both," Gashu's excitement had begun to die down while her appetite had begun to liven up. She didn't see the point in continuing introductions. It wasn't like she was going to these two weirdos again. "I won so can we get this ball rollin'?"
"Sure," Kaida chuckled. "I look forward to our date."
"I look forward -" Gashu bit her tongue. "Wait, what? What date?"
"Our dinner date." Kaida answered.
"Don't play dumb!" Yuzuna snapped. She whirled around to face Gashu with unconstrained rage. "You know why you came here!"
"Uh, I'd rather have money instead," Gashu felt uneasy at the change of tone. "Or, heck, even a couple coupons work, too. I'm not a picky gal." She chuckled in nervousness.
"Your sense of humor is interesting, Miss Ryoko," Kaida said. "When are you available? I'll do my best to work around your schedule."
Gashu waved her hands in front of herself while she shook her head side to side. "Hold on a minute! I think there's been some kind of mistake!" I gotta hurry up and get out of this. Panic started to build up by the second.
An excuse was already on the tip of Gashu's tongue. There wasn't anything on the flyer about a date so this whole date debacle was void.
The sweet sounds of a cell phone chirped in the air.
A phone was already in Kaida's hand. "This is Kaida Kuno speaking." There was no hesitation in his voice. It was automatic. He had done this many times before.
For the duration of Kaida's phone call, Yuzuna gestured toward Gashu in an angry fashion.
A cheerleader next to her mimicked a cutting motion over her throat with her pom-pom.
"You show her, Risa!" another cheerleader urged with an innocent voice. Her pom-poms rolled one over the other in a playful manner. "You'll be sorry for this later, girlie!"
"Thanks, Mayuri!" Risa replied, her smile was bright. "Oh look at Airi!"
Both of them urged the next cheerleader on. "You go girl! You get her!"
The third cheerleader, Airi, used her index and middle finger to point toward her eyes and then at Gashu's. She mouthed out: "You better watch your back!"
Gashu squeezed her lips together to hold back her laughter. Were these girls serious? She pinched the bridge of her nose and thought back to her time at home. She had trouble with plenty of girls who had given her a rough time. After all, she was better looking. She had a much better sense of humor, a sense of fashion, had a great athletic figure, and a heart-melting smile. It wasn't her fault she was so great to be around in her girl form.
I guess it'd make sense for this guy to ask me out, Gashu reasoned. I am a pretty great catch. Plus, the girls here do come across a little strongly. She glanced over at Mayuri. Not to mention weird.
With a snap, Kaida flipped his phone closed.
The girls immediately ceased their actions and looked toward the man with a fawning look.
"My apologies, Miss Ryoko." Kaida gave Gashu another smile.
There was a muffled squeal coming from a few of the cheerleaders, until Yuzuna gave them all a glare.
Kaida didn't seem to be aware of anything going on around him. "I'm afraid we're going to have to schedule this for another time. I have some important matters I must attend to. Once I've figured everything out, I'll have Yuzuna call you. She'll tell you everything you need."
"Uh, wait a sec." Gashu protested.
Kaida's phone rang again. "Yuzuna, can you show Miss Ryoko the way out?" He already answered the call as he left the room.
"Of course," Yuzuna gritted out through her teeth. She looped her arm around Gashu's and gripped onto her bicep.
The cheerleaders trailed after them, like a puppy following after its owner.
Yuzuna continued to drag the double toward the exit of the dojo.
Gashu tried shaking off Yuzuna's grip. "Hey, can you ease up a bit?"
The double slipped her hand out of Yuzuna's grasp. There were crescent shaped indents in her skin from how Yuzuna had handled her. Gashu scrunched her nose up as she traced over them.
The girls surrounded her like a pack of wolves about to pounce onto a targeted prey.
Yuzuna put her hands on her hips and gave Gashu a glance over. She had given her an unimpressed glare and scoffed.
The squad wasn't much better. They didn't bother to cover up their harsh whispers toward Gashu.
"Look, Kuno, I don't want to date your brother. I was going to tell him that but everyone was getting too excited. The stupid phone call butted in, too!" Gashu gesticulated with her hands at Yuzuna. "I can't go on a date with him. I already have a boyfriend."
The double put her index finger out in a silencing gesture to cut Yuzuna off. Gashu took her phone out and showed a picture to the cheerleader.
Yuzuna glanced at the picture of Ryou on the screen. It was a picture Gashu had taken before homeroom had started one day. Ryou slumped over his desk, fast asleep, his mouth was agape with a line of drool rolling down his chin.
Gashu pulled her phone back and put it into her pocket. "See? I'm in a very committed, very loving, relationship with this guy. Why would I wanna date someone else when I've got this big hunk of meat?"
Yuzuna let out a wry laugh. "You're going on that date with Kaida."
"I'm glad you see things my way," Gashu grinned only to process what Yuzuna had said. "Wait, come again?"
All the cheerleaders gasped in unison and glanced at one another in bewilderment.
"But Yuzuna," Airi started. "You don't really mean that, do you?"
"She couldn't mean it." Risa attempted to whisper.
"Our captain doesn't mean it," Mayuri chipped in. "She wouldn't want our Kaida to go out with that."
"I'm right here ya know." Gashu grumbled under her breath.
"Girls, I know what I'm talking about," Yuzuna jabbed Gashu hard in the chest. "Listen you, you're going to go on that date and you're going to: Break. His. Heart."
"What?" Gashu blinked. "What was that?"
"It's going to be the worst date in existence. The absolute worst thing imaginable. Kaida's never going to see your stupid face again. He'll flinch at hearing your name, Miss Ryoko," Yuzuna said, tone turned mocking toward the end. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Yeah but -" Gashu started.
"Drive my brother away," Yuzuna continued. Her breath was heavy as she spoke her next words. "Break his heart into little pieces. Crush him in more ways than one. I don't care what you do or how you do it. Just do it. Don't make me repeat myself again!" Yuzuna turned away from Gashu and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "And I'll be the only one left to pick up the pieces."
Gashu felt a chill run down her spine. Things were getting a little weird. "I don't know about this, Kuno."
"Kaida already said that I'd tell you all you needed to know about your date," Yuzuna spat out. "Your presence here is no longer needed. Now get out! Leave. L-E-A-V-E! Leave!"
"Do I really have to do this?" Gashu asked. "I just wanted some food."
"Are you stupid? We Kunos always uphold our end of the deal!" Yuzuna shouted. "Girls, get this witch out of here!"
Gashu shook her head. "That's not necessary. I'll show myself out."
She didn't wait for anyone else to answer. The double turned onto the heels of her feet and bolted out of there.
She had to tell Ryuku what happened and fast.
X
Ryuku's shift was already off to a bad start. Somehow, Ryuku managed to lose sight of her best friend while she was walking him home. It took her over an hour to find him.
Ryou uttered countless apologies over the matter. He prattled off excuses in an attempt to save face. The lost boy claimed his GPS ran out of battery and he looked away from the road for one second.
Ryuku didn't want to hear any of it. It was bad enough that they had carried the conversation while Ryou stood in the middle of a manhole. She couldn't understand how Ryou had somehow stumbled onto a construction site. It was nowhere near Ryou's house.
The unwanted detour cost Ryuku half an hour to drop Ryou off at his home. Along with a few extra minutes to make sure Ryou made it safely inside. Everything totaled up to an hour and a half of tardiness.
Ryuku made a mad dash for the Cat Café, going as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. A desire to jump from rooftop to rooftop blossomed within her heart. She saw her double do it many times before. Was it fun? Did it save time? Nonsense. Ryuku rid the thought and continued to dart down the street. There was no point doing something like that. Either way, she was going to be late. All she had to do was prepare herself for the verbal lashing from her boss.
At the Cat Cafe, a long line wrapped around the outside of the establishment. It was far past the time for rush hour. Yet the restaurant was still getting swamped with hungry customers.
All of this over a bowl of ramen. Ryuku doubted she'd ever understand the excitement over the food.
Ryuku circled around the back to enter through the employee entrance.
Inside, Shampoo was already armed with a disapproving glare along with a scowl to match. Shampoo didn't have to say a word for Ryuku to know her tardiness was going to come out of her paycheck. At this rate, there wouldn't be much of her paycheck left for the month. There was already a pay cut from that psycho gymnast chick causing damage to the restaurant. With all the bills getting piled up, Ryuku couldn't afford to keep slipping up like this. She had to step up her game pronto.
Ryuku dropped her things off in her locker in the breakroom. She fastened her apron in place and put on her headband.
The first stop was to the kitchen.
Lotion approached the window where orders were out for waitresses to pick up. The amazon was already juggling three trays, each packed full of orders.
"Ryoko," Lotion said. "Could you clear out the dishes? It's getting pretty piled up."
Ryuku rushed through the dirty dishes. She scrubbed and scrubbed until everything was spotless. Next, she placed things into their appropriate dish-bins. The only thing left to do was set the dishware at the chef's line so orders could get plated and then sent out.
She stepped out onto the restaurant floor to help pass out orders. Lotion rushed past her every so often. Ryuku spotted her either taking orders or putting other orders out.
Finally, things began to wind down. Everyone could catch their breaths. The long line outside began to dwindle to nothing more than a few patrons. The shift of foot traffic in the restaurant couldn't have come at a better time. Ryuku's fifteen-minute break was about to start.
Ryuku headed back for the break room. The rest of her shift should go by in a flash with a little bit of an energy boost.
She opened her locker and dug around in her duffel for a light snack. She retrieved a bag of trail mix. The kind with dried cranberries were her favorite. She popped a handful of the snack into her mouth and munched at the moment's respite of peace and quiet.
Her eyes laid upon the bag Ayano had given her at school.
It was just a stupid jacket yet that girl still felt that she had to wrap it up.
All neat and fancy.
Ryuku glanced around her, cautious, and removed the jacket from the bag. The fight with Katana left her jacket in tatters. The was no possible way it was salvageable. It'd be more fitting taking up space in a landfill.
Yet somehow Ayano did the impossible. She had fixed the jacket with intricate stitching.
If Ryuku didn't know any better, she would've thought it was brand new. Ryuku brushed her fingertips over the stitches. It seemed as though they placed with the utmost care. A few of the buttons had fallen off but were now sewn back in place. Despite Ryuku's limited sewing knowledge, she knew that this wasn't an easy feat. It definitely wasn't something that could get done in the span of ten or fifteen minutes.
That girl was always going out of her way to do the most unnecessary things. First, it was offering to make her lunches. Then, it was trying to a strike a friendship between them. Now, it was fixing and stitching this stupid jacket back together. Ryuku didn't want to think about what Ayano would do next for her. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be good at all.
But Ayano wouldn't be doing anything for her. She had finally promised to honor Ryuku's words and leave her alone forever. Ryuku folded the jacket and lowered it back into the bag.
She tossed another mouthful of trail mix into her mouth.
The creak of the break room door alerted Ryuku. "Ryoko? Are you still in here?" Lotion popped her head into the room.
Ryuku dropped her trail mix back into her duffle bag. "Yeah, I'm here," she replied, shutting her locker. "Did you need something?"
"Could you please take the trash out back?" Lotion asked. "Then, could you help bus a few tables? We're short on hands since a waitress had to leave early."
"Sure, I'll be there in a sec."
"Thanks a bunch! See you in a bit!"
Ryuku debated things for a moment. She reopened her locker and scarfed down the rest of her snack. Work always kept her on her toes and she'd need the extra energy.
She left the break room and spotted where the trash bags were. She brought everything out to the back.
Ryuku tossed them into the dumpster and closed the lid. She dusted her hands off. Her back ached as kinks began to act up. Ryuku stretched her arms above her head and shrugged her shoulders a bit. She had a feeling today was going to be a long, long day.
"Pssst!"
Ryuku dropped her hands down to her sides. She glanced around her. Is someone calling me? Who's back here?
"Pssst! Over here!" a voice called over.
The only things in sight were the dumpsters and trash cans. Aside from that, there wasn't much else to see in the back of the building.
Ryuku's eyebrows knitted together as she walked further down the alley. Huddled behind a dented trash can was a figure shrouded in trash. Out of nowhere, an arm shot out and gestured for Ryuku to come closer toward it.
"Come here!" it beckoned. "It's me!"
Ryuku picked up a trash can lid. Who knew what kind of freak lurked back here? "I've got a weapon here and I'm not afraid to use it."
"Weapon?" the voice snorted. "Stop joking around and get over here!"
Ryuku's grip tightened onto the handle as she approached the figure. The closer she got, the sooner it was clear who this figure was. Ryuku let out a frustrated growl, once she saw herself, or rather her double, surrounded by trash. She threw the lid to the ground to further show her annoyance.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Ryuku demanded.
"Hey, Ichigo!" Gashu greeted with a wave. "Fancy seeing you around these parts."
"Why are you here?" Ryuku threw her arms around and gestured at the alleyway. "I'm at work! We're both in an alleyway and we're both girls! If someone found us right now, we'd be in serious trouble!"
"I was going to sneak in but it'd stupid if I got caught," Gashu said as she cupped her cheek in deep thought. "And I was going to tell you why I'm here now but then you decided to interrupt me."
"You're not even supposed to be here," Ryuku hissed. "I didn't ask you to do anything for me today."
"Chill out, I know that," Gashu placed her hand onto the wall next to her. Although, she seemed to regret this action as she lifted her hand up to stare at her palm in disgust. "This is something I thought you should know. Probably sooner rather than later," she trailed off, rocking back and forth on her heels. "I think I might've made a little... boo boo."
Ryuku already hated where this was going. "What kind of boo boo?"
Gashu gave Ryuku a grin. "Picture this, Clown Nose, I'm on my morning jog and minding my own business. Then, outta nowhere I see this flyer. Now, normally I wouldn't pay attention to it. They're usually boring and not really eye-catchin'. But this one looked super promising! Win a fight for a free meal! Who wouldn't want a chance at that? Everyone likes food especially when it's free food."
"Could you get to the point?" Ryuku demanded. "What'd you do now?"
Gashu let out another laugh. This one sounded strained. "Turns out that the free meal kind of comes with a catch."
"What kind of catch?"
"Just, you know," she held a hand out palm up, "A dinner," she held her other hand out the same as the other. "Date," she paused a beat then combined her hands together in a clap. She winced from the action but continued. "You know, like a dinner and a date."
Ryuku gritted her teeth together. "A dinner date?" she seethed. "How the hell does this happen?"
Gashu carried on with her tale, crafting it as though it was an odyssey of some sort. Monstrous cheerleaders that had attacked her every which way. A rather attractive kendoist, who tried to lure her toward that kind of devious behavior. A jealous siren of a sister who expressed feral rage. It all sounded completely idiotic. Yet the double seemed to be proud of her epic tale, given the boastful stance she had taken toward the end of it. Her feet at shoulder wide distance, her proud chest, and her hands placed onto her hips with her head held high.
Ryuku pinched the bridge of her nose. "Where was this?"
"Uh, at some dojo. It wasn't too far out. Just a little way past the Cat Café I think. It's a pretty big building, not even Porkchop could miss it."
"Wait, you don't mean the -" Ryuku cut herself off with a scowl. Her hands clenched into fists and shook at her sides. "Are you an idiot? Why would you go and do that?"
"I was hungry!" Gashu cried in anguish. "You'd do the same! Don't lie."
"If you were hungry, you could've cooked something at home! You can actually cook!"
"I would've cooked at home if there was actually any food!" Gashu continued to weep. She patted her sad stomach for emphasis. "You guys are terrible with grocery shopping! I already said this before! Sorry, if I wanted a nice dinner for once!"
"That's not the point!" Ryuku bit out. "How could you not know about the Kunos and their stupid dojo? Everyone knows about that insane event of theirs! It's been going on for months now."
Gashu scrunched her nose. "How would I know? I'm not from here, remember? The only Kunos I know are the ones back at home!" she huffed. "Instead of yelling at me, you could fill me in on why this is such a big deal?"
"The Kunos have this stupid thing. It happens like every other month. I don't know why they do it but girls, like from all over the district, go over there and fight. I guess whoever wins end up going on a date with the guy in charge. I guess he's some kind of big deal over there. I bet it's because he's rich and hot," Ryuku rolled her eyes and then added with a dismissive wave. "It must've been some stupid thing they came up with to recruit more people. I don't see the point. I mean, their dojo is already pretty well-known around here."
Gashu tapped her index finger knuckle against the bottom of her chin. "They should've put that on the flyer then. Isn't that some sort of false advertising? Instead of a free dinner, they should've said like a free boyfriend. It's usually better to be straight forward."
Ryuku crossed her arms over her chest. "What'd you do after you found out?"
"I told that girl, Yu... Yu..." Gashu seemed to be struggle for a second. She shrugged and continued on. "Yukari Kuno, that I couldn't do it. That I was in a very loving and committed relationship. You know, all that good stuff."
Ryuku's eyebrow twitched. She decided against bringing up 'Ryoko's boyfriend,' at least for right now. "And?"
"She told me to go on the date, anyway. She said a bunch of stuff. I won't bother with the details. She's a strange one. That's all I'll say."
Ryuku made a face. "So, you're going to go on a date with some guy? Seriously?" she gritted her teeth. "Who's the lucky guy?"
"You know, the Kuno guy?" Gashu shrugged. "Besides, it's not like I have much of a choice? Don't worry, Ichigo, I'll take care of this. I'll make it, like, the worst date ever."
"I can't believe you did this to me."
"I said I'd get you out of this. Have a little more faith in me."
"If I did, you wouldn't have gotten yourself in this mess." Ryuku muttered.
The creak of the back door caught the redhead and double off guard. Ryuku's hand shot out to cover Gashu's mouth, as she looked over her shoulder toward the source of the noise.
"Ryoko?" Lotion's voice carried out into the alleyway. "Are you still out here?"
The door swung open and Lotion stepped out into the alley.
Gashu bounced back a step, her eyes were as wide as Ryuku's. She seemed to make a decision in the moment. She ducked behind the trashcan and stayed close to the wall to keep herself hidden.
Ryuku turned away from the double. She slipped into a casual pose and adjusted the front of her apron. She smoothed the wrinkles out and reached behind herself to fix the knot.
Once Lotion spotted Ryuku, her face broke out into a smile as she walked over to her.
"It was taking you awhile to come back inside," Lotion said. "I didn't want you to get into any more trouble with my mother."
"I thought some fresh air would be nice!" Ryuku gestured toward the open but garbage covered space around them. She ignored the weird look she received from Lotion. "I was about to come back inside."
Lotion clasped her hands in front of herself while she glanced around the alley. "It sounded like you were having a conversation with yourself," she turned her gaze onto Ryuku. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I'm sure I was imagining things. The day has been pretty hectic."
"Like I said, I'm going back to work."
"You don't have to rush but don't dawdle," Lotion said, her tone teasing. "It's been a long time since we spent some time together. Just the two of us," she hummed a tune, reaching out to play with the frills on Ryuku's apron. "Don't you miss me, Ryu?"
"I see you at work all the time," Ryuku pointed out, deadpanned.
"Oh boo, you're not fun at all. You know that's not the same!" Lotion rolled onto the heels of her feet. "Once you're done here, do hurry back inside."
With a little departing wave, Lotion headed back into the restaurant.
Ryuku waited until she heard the sound of the door closing before she released a sigh of relief. "That was a close one."
"Wow, I can't believe you two," Gashu clicked her tongue and bounced up to her feet. "Flirting at work like that. How unprofessional! At least do that somewhere a little classier than next to a dumpster."
Ryuku shot Gashu a cold glare. "Get out of here. I have to get back to work. We're lucky she didn't catch onto us or anything."
"Yeah, you're right," Gashu agreed. "She's pretty perceptive. At least my amazon ex-girlfriend was. Don't know about this one."
Ryuku shooed Gashu away as she went over to the door. Her hand wrapped around the doorknob. She refused to open the door until she saw Gashu leave with her own eyes.
Gashu climbed up onto the dumpster and bounded off of it. The double further propelled herself upward. She built up speed and air. She bounced off of the wall of the Cat Café and landed onto the rooftop of the next building over. Gashu stared down at Ryuku from the edge, waved goodbye, before she turned tail and left.
Ryuku slipped back into the restaurant and resumed working the rest of her shift.
Little did either of them know that this was only the beginning of their problems with the Kunos.