The World Only the Girls Know: A Moonflower's Wish
Chapter 35: Between Master and Student
Note: Characters from the Light Novel will be Included as well.
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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ
Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki
Written by: wrathie
Author's Notes: This Story contains OCs and is on the same time-line as Blue Rose Paradox.
Author's Notes: Totally unrelated, but In Flight is updated, YES!
On the regular announcements, here's your chapter a little bit earlier! Thank you AKAAkira for this beta, this entire arc is dedicated to you. As cheesy as that line might be.
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It was one thing to say that out loud and it was another thing altogether for her to do as what she promised.
Kureha Haruka was not listening to her at all and she was at the end of her tether, being struck repeatedly by Haruka as she never seemed to tire while she was being repeatedly worn down by her relentless assaults.
Any indication that she was listening to her had disappeared and Kusonoki felt and probably looked like a punching bag as Haruka finally scored a direct hit, striking her on her stomach after blocking a clumsy counterstrike from her.
It was as painful as she remembered, the last time she was struck was from Haruka as well and she gritted her teeth as she prepared herself for Haruka's inevitable barrage of blows that would no doubt begin after sensing a weakness from Kusonoki.
How had she won the last time after being struck by Haruka? Kusonoki couldn't quite remember as the short duel was just as fast as it was short. The two of them had exchanged a flurry of blows too fast for the judge, a fellow student, to really see what was going on and it was evident that the winner could only be declared if one nets a knock out, something that wasn't possible within the rules of the school or her dojo.
Her dojo and her style of fighting lies in strength and in speed but its purpose was for self cultivation and perhaps for self-defence, never for violence.
Even so, Kusonoki had injured her and quite gravely at that as she remembered that she had fractured her arm, thus ending the little 'duel' and 'spar' between the two of them.
It wasn't just her that was scarred by that duel, Haruka was too according to Keima. She had never gotten over that one single 'loss' and Kusonoki herself would forever be haunted by the knowledge that she had hurt someone, even if inadvertently with her skills.
The martial arts aren't supposed to showcase strength or violence but instead show one's dedication and focus on their chosen art-form. That was what Kusonoki believed in and she never wanted to hurt someone with her strength or ability. It wouldn't be what she was training for!
'Why... why do you not give up!? Why, Kusonoki-sempai... why don't you just... give up. You know, you know that you can't win agme... I'm the strongest!'
Kusonoki panted a little even as she returned to the same ready position that she had been holding for quite some time now while shaking her head and even sighing a little.
'… If you have to say that to convince yourself, Haruka... you are not the strongest... Why... why are you so obsessed with being the strongest? Is there... really something to that title at all? Is it really this important to you?'
Throwing that question at her, Kusonoki was gratified to see Haruka hesitate quite a bit when that question was thrown at her. It was an advice from Keima, if she wasn't able to knock some sense into her, question her motive, question her goal and lastly, question what she was doing right now.
'Do you really think that you'll be the first if you defeat me, Haruka? What do you accomplish from defeating me in this 'duel'? If you can satisfy me with your answer, I'll let you win this duel.'
Lowering her hands to the side of her body, Kusonoki waited for Haruka as she seemed lost for words or perhaps struggling to find a good reason to justify her actions even as Kusonoki waited for her.
'I... don't want you to just give me the victory, Kusonoki-sempai! It's meaningless if you do that!'
'Is victory all that you are after, Haruka? Is that it? Is... defeating me, all that matters?'
Another question and Haruka looked more and more cornered as she backed away from Kusonoki even though the older girl wasn't moving an inch.
'Tell me, please, Haruka...'
Her voice was soft, quiet and gentle on Haruka, a very big contrast to how stern and formal she was before and this made Haruka even more flustered than before.
'S-Stop this! W-Why... Kusonoki-sempai wouldn't... wouldn't have done this to me in the past... w-why, why are you doing this now?! Who are you? You're not Kusonoki-sempai at all!'
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Laughing a little at the clique line and reaction Haruka was giving , Keima frowned when he felt Haqua's foot placed firmly on his and as it ground down on him, Keima raised an eyebrow even as Haqua demanded to know why he was so calm after seeing Kusonoki get all beat up by her.
'Why can't I interfere, Katsuragi? Give me one good reason why!'
Even Elsi was looking on in concern, inching to help Kusonoki out in some small way, even if it was to just serve her some tea but Keima had been adamant on that. No one should interfere with the two's duel, no matter the cost.
'Even if Kusonoki might lose, I do not want the two of you to interfere.'
That was what Keima had said and he had reminded them of that repeatedly while watching the two girls go at it each other without hesitating. It was cruel to Haqua and undoubtedly so for Elsi as the other girl had been chewing on her clothes nervously, wincing with every new glancing blow that Kusonoki blocked or narrowly avoided.
'Her pride. Kusonoki has her own pride as well. Just as how she has been able to fight you to a standstill every single time you sparred, she has her own pride to account for. If you interfered now, not only would the outcome not count, Kusonoki would be hurt as well. She agreed to this as she knew that I trusted her. If one of you interfered, it would signify that she was not trustworthy enough to help out in her own way.'
His words made sense and Haqa bit her lip in regret, it was all true and she lowered her scythe while looking at Kusonoki and Haruka facing each other again.
'It pains you to see her like this... so be sure to tell her that later on, Haqua, Elsi.'
His words surprised them and they nodded in agreement, some of their anger subsiding at Keima's rare display of concern for Kusonoki. The two of them should have realized that the person that was the most stressed now was Keima as he had been the person who had agreed to letting Kusonoki try. He was not pawning off the responsibility to her but instead viewed it as an 'easier' attempt to get the Weiss out of Haruka.
Despite his dislike of the capturing target, Keima was still Keima and he.. in his own way, was looking out for the both of them.
'You too, Katsuragi... you too...'
She whispered softly even as Keima watched the two of them stop fighting, commenting that it was close to the end now.
'Elsi, get ready. Haqua... be prepared for the worst.. we do not know how much the Weiss has taken over Haruka and how strong it has become.'
Looking at the two heroines, (yes, they were heroines in their own right), Keima blinked when Haqua asked him if that was okay.
'Is... it okay? What do you mean?'
Curious at her sudden statement, Keima gave a small smile when Haqua asked him if it was okay for him go give up the role of the protagonist of this story.
'You... told us once that you are the one who will save all the girls desho? This... isn't like you. You're so controlling and dedicated that...'
'It's wrong for me to rely on others? Is that what you are trying to say?'
It was true, Keima had been very adamant in getting his own way when it came to his captures, the first time that he had a 'heroine' help her in a capture was with the capture of Haibara Nanaka where Ayukawa Tenri and Diana had helped him out a little and the subsequent capture of Konoe Rea was something of a collaboration with Tsukiyo and Shiori.
But he had never, ever allowed someone else to witness the 'ending' and the 'capture' of a 'heroine' at all. Until now, that was, and Haqua felt a little confused at his actions. It was like he said, there could be other means and methods for him to be the one to solve all of her problems, so why didn't he?
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'It's not about the protagonist. It's about the girls... the ending, that is all that matters.'
His one word made Haqua and Elsi blush as he crossed his arms while looking back at Kusonoki and Haruka. He has his own issues, his own personal problems, not to mention his dysfunctional attitude and personality, but Katsuragi Keima really, really looked very dashing and handsome as he looked down at Haruka and Kusonoki.
'It does not matter what happen to me as long as the 'ending' and the 'capture' is accomplished in the best way, with the minimal harm and in the fastest method and way possible. All of them, they are going through something terrible inside them that no one else would understand.'
He would understand; in the brief spell where he had switched bodies with Guido Yui, he had felt that pressure, that built up of negativity inside her that was choking her from the inside out. If that was what Guido Yui experienced, he did not want to let any other person experience it ever again.
'After all, the girls... none of them are not at fault for this happening to them. If we have to call a reason for that, it is us... and New Hell who was putting them through all this. Although indirectly, I am also the cause for this from happening in the first place. The cause might be different, the reason and ending might be different... but the desired outcome and ending shall always be the same. If I do not know and cannot focus on the one thing I should be focusing on, I would not be worthy of the title of God.'
His words made Haqua and Elsi nod slowly in understanding and Haqua found that she saw a new aspect of Keima, a lonely and yet dedicated person fighting and searching for the one thing that everyone had missed.
He wasn't fighting for the seat of a protagonist. In fact he couldn't really be called a protagonist with his mindset and personality; he certainly knew what he was fighting for, he wasn't particularly unskilled in what he should be doing and he certainly wasn't going against some large evil organization... wait, he might be doing the last part.
But yes, Katsuragi Keima wasn't your typical protagonist; he was... unique, and Haqua found that she liked that part of him.
A protagonist that wasn't a protagonist, someone whose ego and personality still shaped the supporting cast of characters around him, whether they liked it or not and yet, he was still content in letting them find their own way in this confusing story they were acting in.
Less of a protagonist and more of the person who crafted the tale in the first place... it wouldn't be a stretch to say that Katsuragi Keima was the co-writer of this reality that they were in.
No one... would be more suited than him for this.
'… Get ready... for it ends now.'
He declared while pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, just like how he did so many times before.
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Haruka was right, she wasn't the Kasuga Kusonoki from before and she nodded her head at his words, a smile gracing her features as she looked to the side, embarrassed at her stating that outright. It was a shock to Haruka though and Kusonoki played it to her advantage just like how Keima had said she would be.
'I am not, you are right to say that. I am not the Kasuga Kusonoki from three years back... That Kasuga Kusonoki is not the same one that you see here. Three years ago, I was still searching for who I am, who I really want to be... and I didn't have the answer to that. I was a junior in the Female Karate club and I looked up to the seniors in the club just like how they looked up to me on my skills in the act. They have something that I didn't have... for the hard work, experience and perhaps talent that I have... they had something else. They had a dream, a passion, a vision for the future... I did not know it then, but I know it now.'
Clenching her fist, Kusonoki rested it on her chest even as Haruka looked at her uncertainly, unsure if that was the answer she was searching for as well.
'I... found a reason for myself, something for me to work towards to... and that one thing is the reason that I am not the Kasuga Kusonoki from three years ago. I was lacking that and I was unable to answer your question then, three years ago when you said you wanted to be the first, to take over the dojo... I didn't give you a reason why you couldn't... but now I can.'
Lowering her eyes, Kusonoki remembered the promise she made with Katsuragi, that would have been lost forever if she hadn't recovered her memory.
'I cannot allow you to be come the first, the best... or whatever that you wish to take from me. I... I refuse to give in on the fact that you do not have a compelling or strong enough reason to match my wish. The wish, and vision that I got from him, from Katsuragi... That is the reason I do not give up, Haruka...'
And yet, Kusonoki never raised her hands up in that same ready position that she had been holding up for so long. Her breathing had stabilized, the throbbing pain in her arms and body seemingly numbed by her own words. The same words that had been spoken by him to her so many weeks back but it still had the same effect on Kusonoki.
That dream, that wish of hers was good enough and strong enough for her to justify her actions right here, right now.
Without something similar to justify her own actions, Kusonoki would not let Haruka take him from her.
'And that's why, you can't have him, Haruka... you can never try to gain Katsuragi. Not until I fully complete my style and make it as cute as I can!'
The sudden switch of topic was another blow to Haruka whose eyes widened in a comical fashion before she looked at her own hands in what seemed to be disbelief.
'W... What? Is... that your reason? Is that why you won't quit?'
'Yes... that's the reason I never back down, I won't ever back down... even in defeat I will never lose sight of what I see in front of me, the promise that I've made... It's... that simple.'
Kusonoki sighed when to her surprise, Haruka dropped to her knees just like a puppet who had its string severed and just sat there, murmuring to herself. Kusonoki paused before slowly walked over to Haruka's sitting form.
It really was that simple and Kusonoki was happy that it was as such. Sure, it might be anti-climatic and it might be a childish wish but it was a wish made with all her heart and with all of her belief.
It was something that was made together with her other-self and with Keima together, on the day that she herself had changed for the better.
And it was right now, when she was finally able to tell Haruka this, that she had a reason for not giving up, for not just admitting and submitting to the other girl's wish; it was now that she was able to tell her exactly what was the difference between the two of them.
'You and I, perhaps we share the same dream, I... do not know whether that is true but what I do know is that you do not believe in yourself as as much as I believe in myself, Haruka. If you did, there was no way that you could have lost.'
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It was such an anti-climatic, not to mention inexplicable turn of events that Kusonoki was a little sceptical of her and what she was doing now. Keima had told her that Haruka was the best liar he had ever met before and she held back a little till she saw that all the fight had gone out of her.
Well, the whole event had been unbelievable to begin with and... it was a relief to see an end to this, even if it the 'ending', like what Keima called it, was just as surprising as how it had began.
Thinking back, it had all begun when she had lied to Keima about not recognizing Haruka when she really did want to make amends for what had happened three years ago.
'T-That's not fair... Kusonoki-sempai... Wh-why can you have...why must you...'
Haruka was unable to croak out the right words to express herself and Kusonoki wasn't sure that she could either in her shoes. Apparently Keima said that it was something about having the fundamental truth of her whole core of being challenged by her statement.
Or something similar, Kusonoki wasn't sure what Keima was talking about half of the time when he gets into his lecture modes anyway.
But what was clear was that Haruka was at least not attacking her now and she knelt down to rest a hand on her shoulders, trying to comfort her junior, someone who she thought would be a great friend of her... and might still be one, as Haruka reached out to hug Kusonoki suddenly, wrapping her hands around her body and squeezing her tightly.
'Sempai... what should I do? … I... I like Katsuragi-sempai too... b-but... … I... I don't know what's right any more... what I should do, what I could do to make him notice me again... he said that I was lying... and it's true, isn't it? That I've been lying to him, to sempai, to Minami... everyone... everyone else... I've been …'
'You've been a bad girl, Haruka... but it's alright to start over again.'
'… T-That's...'
Haruka was surprised by how quickly Kusonoki could tell her that and she looked up at her before softly muttering to her.
'G-Gomen.'
'… Hmm?'
'I'm... sorry, Kusonoki-sempai... for... a lot of things...'
Smiling awkwardly at Kusonoki, Haruka winced a little when Kusonoki dried her tears with her sleeve, the older girl sighing while nodding in understanding.
'… I'm sorry too, for many things... I... guess, we just couldn't... find the courage to admit that we were both wrong, in many accounts.'
'… But can sempai... really forgive me?'
'Which sempai, Haruka? Hmm?'
Cracking a joke for once, the two girls were oblivious to the two invisible forms as they chased the Weiss that had separated from Haruka during the confession between the two of them.
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'It really is something simple.'
Keima remarked as he sipped some tea that Elsi had prepared for the three of them. It had been quite an eventful day, especially so since this particular 'capture' had only taken a few days to complete, a record! But in another sense, the seeds for this event and sequence of events had been sowed three years ago, something that was totally out of his control.
'We can say that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time for her to be possessed by the Weiss... or could we say that it was an inevitability for this event to trigger? Either way... the rate of progression for the Weiss's strength was unprecedented... but I'm glad to see that the two of you were able to contain it.'
It had been a tough battle, the unseen and un-thanked battle between Elsi, Haqua and the Weiss had taken place all over the school and it was only when they finally managed to cram that Level 4 Weiss into the Capturing Bottle did Keima give a sigh of relief.
'But you were the one who made the Weiss stronger, weren't you? What with you rejecting her...'
Looking a little miffed as she drank the tea, Haqua thanked Elsi who sat down patiently beside Keima.
'Kami-Onii-sama always has a reason for doing things, neh, Kami-Onii-sama?'
'Affirmative... the Weiss would have gotten stronger without me interfering... I just made the transition much more controlled. I've mentioned this before, but she was a closet Yandere in the first place... That made the process even more dangerous if I dragged it out.'
'STOP WITH THE EXCUSES! TELL ME WHAT IT IS ABOUT!'
Keima watched as Haqua turned red and apologized for her outburst, explaining that dealing with a Level 4 Weiss was difficult, much more difficult than she had ever imagined and she was comforted by Elsi, who nodded her head and said that if not for Haqua, it would be totally impossible for her alone.
'So Kami-Onii-sama... tell Haqua and me, what was the gap in Haruka-chan's heart neh?'
'Endless longing.'
'Huh?'
It was a surprising statement and Keima sighed before sipping his tea.
'Endless longing. That was the gap in her heart. She... technically had a gap in her heart ever since that incident... but nothing had set her off till now. When she saw Kusonoki being attached to someone else. To her, everything began from that day, three years ago and it only ended when Kusonoki was finally truthful to her. She... wanted something to cling on, something to believe in... and it was twisted to that obsession of being first. Ever, forever reaching for that unattainable 'first' that she saw in Kasuga Kusonoki. I... or we, would never know when she started obsessing about Kusonoki, about her and what she stood for... but that was the gap in her heart. That endless longing to be recognized by Kasuga Kusonoki and perhaps everyone else.'
'… Is that... really the truth now, Katsuragi?'
Looking sceptical at how he seemed to have pulled that statement from nowhere, Haqua groaned when Keima just shrugged.
'A woman's heart is full of mystery... reasons that might never make sense... that is why the realis such a mess... As compared to the world/ideal, it is a much more complicated, compelling and mysterious thing... And that is why...'
Keima paused before smiling and pointing towards the sight of Kusonoki and Haruka together, the younger girl having jumped at the more senior one to display her affection. Keima asked Haqua whether it was worth it in the end.
'The end... justifies the means... am I right? The ending might be confusing, the reasons might escape us... the after effects might sometimes haunt us...'
Pushing his glasses up again, Katsuragi Keima, the Capturing God smiled while shrugging his shoulders.
'The gap in her heart is filled by her words, the one person who had started this saga in the first place. Sincerity can just a match for love... you were the one who told me that, weren't you? That there are other ways to fill a person's gap in the heart.'
Haqua blinked and nodded her head in agreement, there were many ways to do that but she had been so used to Keima's preferred way of love that she had totally forgotten about that. Not to mention scandalized at how Keima would even resort to that.
'I'm not resorting to it.'
Keima seemed to have read her mind as he berated Haqua, turning to Elsi even as she bit her lip, wondering what to say.
'… Regardless... Kami-Onii-sama did get the Weiss out, neh? That's all that matters! And I am very happy that Kasuga-san and Haruka-chan are best friends again!'
The relationship between the two of them had been repaired, quite amicably at that despite Haruka's memories being rewritten.
She had simply confronted Kusonoki about her relationship with him and had made up after that. A simple and perhaps elegant way to end a particularly taxing capture for him.
Keima would never admit it but he had been tempted to throw in the towel of this capture more than once despite his promise to the captured girls. To think that he would have to save this girl... the perfect anagram of what he hated and despised in the real was enough to make him sick.
But to his credit as well as testament to his experience as the Capturing God, he saw a plausible loophole in the ending right at the last moment. There was no doubt that it was possible for him to liberate the Weiss by making her fall in love with him and thus cementing a real, solid reason for her to be number one. At the expense of reusing a line from Ayumi's capture of course but he digressed.
It would be... an insult to Ayumi and to him if he were to do that, considering Ayumi's capture and the circumstances which lead to it. Keima desperately wanted an alternative to the situation and he found one in the most unlikely of places.
There were roughly 100+ games with a similar concept of jealousy, attachment from a minor character to an 'ojou-sama' archetype character and Keima treated Kureha Haruka in the same manner.
She was a 'heroine' yes, but she could be one of the 'side-characters' of all.
Not that... he'll ever admit that out loud.
Ah... she was perhaps one of his least favourite captures of all...
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'Neh,Kusonoki-sempai! Is it alright if I ask you a question?'
'… Of course, what is it, Haruka?'
Looking at her junior fondly, Kusonoki made sure that Minami wasn't too distanced as the younger girl was a little bewildered at the chain of events and she decided that she would fill her in later on when there was time.
To be honest, it was a great development to see her junior back on good a relationship with her and Kasuga Kusonoki was feeling very light-headed and happy at how it had ended up in the end.
'Do... you believe in being friends with members of the opposite sex? Neh neh, like with a boy!'
It was a question that she didn't really expect to be asked, least of all by Haruka but with Minami smiling knowingly to herself, blushing to boot. Kusonoki had to struggle to keep a straight face as she asked her why she asked that.
'Well... I was thinking... well... it's embarrassing to admit it but... I think that I'll be very jealous of any one that Kusonoki sempai was seeing... so I would like to know that!'
'Know... if it's possible to be friends with a boy? What brought that on?'
Kusonoki couldn't help but laugh at the oddly phrased comment but she saw how serious Haruka was with that statement and she sighed before considering her answer.
It was a very odd question, but a question that held many significant points in her life. Was she friends with the men that frequent her dojo? What about the classmates in her class? Do they count too? But she had the feeling that Haruka was referring to Katsuragi Keima, which suited her fine.
'… It is possible, yes.'
She nodded firmly but then made Haruka pale when she said that it might not apply to all of them though.
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'There are people, boys who I am interested in after all. Even if it doesn't really stick.. I, am a girl after all too.'
Closing one eye and winking at Minami, who giggled and nodded in agreement.
'EHH?! B-But!? S-So that was true after all! Sempai! Sempai! W-Wait, don't run! Sempai! I must know!'
Kusonoki swore that she could hear her other self, the girlish version of her giggling as well, as she started running away from Haruka before she could recover from that response, just like any other school girl would.
'Haruka! Sempai is a girl too, even if she might not show it so often~'
Hitting Minami lightly on the head when she said that out loud, Kusonoki laughed lightly as Haruka caught up with the two of them and started pouting.
'T-Then it's... … I'll go be friends with Katsuragi-sempai too then!'
'W-Wha?'
'H-Haruka!'
'Hmph! And then maybe... maybe we'll be more than friends after that!'
Was it starting again? Kusonoki shivered when Haruka seemed amused at that thought but just as soon as it had started, Haruka smiled and laughed, telling them that she was just joking.
'Somehow... I think that Katsuragi-sempai... would not like me at all... I... I wonder why... neh?'
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Author's Notes: Honestly, this story... and in relation, Kureha Haruka was difficult to write. In every sense of the word.
I can compare it to Sorrel's Teasing in it's difficulty as it has a lot of negativity in the story itself.
Kureha Haruka, was one character that I thought would be a minx, someone that would try and seduce Keima at the initial draft and it ended up like this, which I think was okay overall.
The entire arc has negativity written all over it and it started getting really bad a few chapters before this.. and to be honest, I had to seriously consider whether it was worth the effort.
Thankfully, Haruka had a last minute gasp from who else but Kasuga Kusonoki, which to date is still the only heroine in canon to finish a capture, in this case the capture of Hinoki. So.. it's a great homage to Wakaki Tamiki sensei as well as to the series in general, at least I think it is!
I like Haruka, she is my OC after all but in all of honesty, my opinion of her is the same as Keima, I... can't help but dislike her just a little.
But reality is like that, there are people who are good and people who are bad.
There are still some loose ends, like how Haruka made up with the swimming club and all that.. but in general, the ending itself showed another aspect of Keima, desho?
Although only God knows how it ended up like that. Honest.
I mean.. ENDLESS LONGING?! Oh god, those two words still make me squirm a little at how I explained it... Did I do a good job there? If I didn't, please tell me... if I did a good job, tell me too.. that would mean ALOT to me.
If this ever makes it to the light of day, it'll have to be due to the dedication of my betas, AKAAkira and Wolf's Honor. The former being one of my greatest reviewers and the other as a person who we share similar hobbies and dedications to.. so yeah, they are pillars of support for me.
In another corner is kaiser dude, who at this point SHOULD have been done with Azalea Side. If he hasn't, that means that it has dragged on again... ugh!
Lastly, to highlight the change in the OC as the story progressed, the ending was never going to be like this.
AKAAkira did a GREAT job with this as he made a lot of recommendations that improved the flow and the impact of the story.
Without him, it would never be as good as it is now.
Even if I'm disappointed I couldn't put as much silliness as I want into the story, but it's irrelevant, really. The story is what that matters.
It was never intended for Haruka to be linked with Kusonoki at all, instead she would be captured by Minami instead... so this ending was a totally surprising end even for me. Tell me if I did something wrong, my standards have been dropping or etc! Just tell me, something!
But to sum all of it up~ the final part of Kureha Haruka's story... THE STATISTICS!
Kureha Haruka
Occupation: The NUMBER ONE!
Birthday: 29thFebruary
Class: Junior High: Class 3-C
Blood Type: AB-
Height: 163cm
Weight: 48kg
Three-Sizes: 82-62-85
Likes: Hanging out with Friends, Being Number One! Trying new things
Dislikes: Doing the same thing over and over again. Revising for exams!
Recent Troubles: Now that Sempai and I are going to graduate... what would become of the Female Karate Club then?!
Author's Notes: Up next would be the interlude, I hope you enjoy that branch of silliness!