Kyandi: Hello, Kyandiacs!
Takina: This chapter was chaos.
Kyandi: Yeah, it was...and you helped!
Takina: I did, and I had fun doing it.
Kyandi: And I'm getting excited because we're getting closer to Karma's payback for the kiss in Okinawa.
Takina: Oh, god.
Kyandi: Don't worry, it's only going to be slightly mortifying.
Takina: That doesn't make me feel better.
Kyandi: Okay, okay, how about this...you don't have to worry about it until after midterms.
Takina: That's only delaying the inevitable.
Kyandi: Well, it's going to happen, either way. So, everyone, enjoy and review! Thank you so much for all your love, support, and reviews! They make my day!
Takina: Kyandi-sama does not own Assassination Classroom.
Chapter 29 Boutaoshi
"I can't believe I got talked into this...again."
The day of the Athletic Festival arrived faster than Takina would have liked. She currently found herself sitting on a folding chair beside Isogai while the rest of her classmates participated in other events. The girl sat there, leaning back in her seat, her arms and legs both crossed.
"Once again, there's no rule against a girl taking part." Isogai told her.
"After this second time of us taking advantage of that, they might learn to change the rules." Takina remarked.
"Maybe." Isogai agreed.
"Yes, yes. If only this unpredictability were used by an assassin. Right, Isogai?" Korosensei remarked, a hood pulled forward over his head to help hide his face.
"Yes." Isogai agreed.
"The foundation of strength which you have improved through assassinations, your balancing abilities, your kinetic vision and sense of perception...these non-everyday competitions is where they will show. In such ways, each of your individual personalities become a weapon. How that will be capitalized in the Boutaoshi, depends on you." Korosensei told Isogai.
"Well, either way, Class E isn't allowed to participate in most of the group competitions so there's no chance of us winning over all." Takina remarked.
"On the other hand, we can just concentrate on the last Boutaoshi." Yoshida countered.
"True." Takina admitted.
"If we can at least win the Boutaoshi, Isogai's part time work won't be questioned." Kataoka said, turning to the boys and Takina. "Please, guys, make that two-faced student council president speechless."
She said that, but Takina could feel the tension in her male classmates. The reason being was what had put Takina in a bad mood from the very beginning. From across the field, they watched as Class A's four new students, foreigners from a training abroad program, easily yanked an entire class worth of boys off their feet in a tug-of-war match. The four huge boys were only part of Asano's plan.
Using Itona's toy car to spy on the strategy meeting of Class A, they had learned that Asano planned to put their class through a whole heap of humiliation before Class A even attempted to bring down their pole. For the most part, Class E intended to return like for like.
In other words...the reason Takina was taking part.
They were counting on the fact that Asano would not be able to ignore the girl the moment she stepped onto the field.
Takina, however, had a few concerns.
Four to be exact, and they looked like fully grown linemen.
"I am so dead." Takina remarked as she looked at the four. "All it take is one slip up and one of them will rip me in half."
"We're hoping that Asano won't let them do that." Maehara told her.
"And if he does?" Takina questioned.
"...Run. Just run."
Takina shot Maehara a glare. He wasn't really making her feel better about this whole plan. While she was fast, had better observational skills and reflexes than the average student, these four did not look like the average student. She had a hard time believing that they were fifteen. She believed in her skills, but all it took was one slip up. For all the training and skills she had, she was still human. Sooner or later, she would make a slip up.
She just really hoped it wasn't today.
It seemed, though, that she wasn't the only one with concerns.
"I something the matter, Isogai?" Korosensei asked.
"Korosensei, I don't have language abilities like that. I don't think my abilities are anywhere near Asano's." Isogai replied.
"That is true. Frankly speaking, that is the case. If you had to describe Asano in one word, it would be "remarkable". I've never seen a fifteen year old with as high a level of perfection as he. No matter how multi-talented you may be. If you go out into society, there are definitely people above yourself. Just like him." Korosensei replied.
"What do I do? Because of me, if everyone got hurt, if Takina gets hurt..."
Takina glanced at Isogai as he trailed off, looking more and more concerned.
"But, you know, in society, there't a limit to a single person's abilities. The ability to lead and fight with friends, on that point, you exceed even Asano." Korosensei assured Isogai. "Even when you fall into a pinch, everyone will fall with you and fight. That is your personal virtue. Even Sensei. I'm glad that I was able to be your homeroom teacher rather than Asano's."
"Besides," Isogai looked down at Takina as she spoke. "If it's language skills you need, then just come to me. You know, I fluently speak six languages and that's not including the ones I only speak on a conversational level, and, yes, there's a difference."
"You speak six languages?!" Kimura demanded.
"In Switzerland, there are four languages most commonly spoken; German, French, Romansh, and Italian. My father thought it better to learn them all. Then there was the fact that my mother was Japanese. I grew up hearing Japanese and English and picked them up too. On a conversational level, I also speak Korean, Portuguese, Arabic, and Russian, but that's because of my step-mother. So, if it's language skills, just use me." Takina told Isogai, giving him a wink as she got to her feet and held out a hand to him. "I've got your back, so let's get this done."
Isogai, a smile spreading across his lips, clapped a hand down into hers as he rose to his feet.
"You got it. Alright guys! Let's go in for the kill like always!" Isogai called, before turning back to Takina. "Thanks, Takina. For everything."
"Yes, well...remember that if, someday, I upset you. I'm only human, so it's bound to happen." Takina replied, giving his shoulder a pat. "Let's go."
The call for both teams to line up, sounded then.
Just like with the baseball game, the moment Takina and her classmates stepped onto the field, it was to a loud sound of jeering from the other classes watching. Takina remained mostly out of sight between Yoshida and Terasaka, their bigger builds hiding her smaller one from sight of Asano and his team.
"Here are the rules for Kunugigaoka Middle School Athletic Festival's Boutaoshi! The side that brings down their opponent's standing pole first wins! Grabbing is fine, but hitting and kicking are not allowed! Use of weapons are of course prohibited! Exceptions! The one supporting the pole using their feet to chase people away, and using your arms or shoulder to tackle, are both okay! Furthermore, in order to clearly differentiate between the teams, Class A will be wearing hats and long sleeves!" the announcer called.
Peering around Sugino, Takina frowned.
"Those aren't hats, they're headgear." Sugino pointed out.
"In other words, it's only okay for them to have defensive gear, huh?" Okajima replied.
"I'm so dead." Takina muttered.
She especially thought so when she saw the formation Class A took. They had placed a defensive group lead by one of the foreigners, around the pole, placing the rest of the classes boys in a mix of a defensive and offensive force between Class E and them. Their main attacking force, it seemed was lead by a huge American boy who looked like he spent most of his time playing American football. The thought of getting tackled by him had Takina's stomach churning.
"You okay down there, Takina?" Isogai called from where he stood on the shoulders of his classmates.
Takina, who had been placed at the back end of the pole, to hide her from Class A's sight, looked up at him.
"Yeah. Asano doesn't look like he's taking chances. I have to admit, he has battle strategy done, but every battle strategy has a weakness." Takina told him.
"Yeah. Just remember your command and do your part without getting hurt." Isogai told her.
"It's the latter that might be iffy. The guy leading their offense looks like he could snap me in two." Takina replied.
"You're kiddin', right! Ain't no way a guy that big is going to catch you! Hell, I can't catch you!" Terasaka snapped.
"You're confidence in my evasive skills is reassuring, Terasaka. Now, let's focus. Asano's about to give his orders." Takina told them.
Across the field, after seeing that Class E didn't have a single participant on offense, Asano sent a small force, lead by the American boy, to attack. As they neared, Muramatsu and Yoshida, claiming they wouldn't go down without a fight, charged them in return.
The American boy, Kevin, sent them flying into the audience with one devastating tackle.
Takina rolled her shoulders, already feeling sympathy for the two, though she knew they would be alright. After all, Karasuma had taught them all how to take hits while absorbing the least amount of damage. With those two out of the way and no one else budging from their position, Kevin approached, popping his neck.
"How about you attack instead of defending like a turtle?" Kevin asked, using English instead of Japanese. "Hpmh. But I guess that wouldn't work."
"This is fine." Karma replied, also using English. "Those two were kind of...the weakest in Class E. We don't need your small talk. Why don't you just attack?"
"Hoo. There's a guy that can speak the standard dialect." Kevin remarked, looking back at Asano who gave him a thumbs down as his next order.
Seeing that, Isogai pulled his trump card.
"Now! Operation "Sneaky Slithering"!" Isogai called.
Kevin and his squad braced themselves for some kind of attack, Asano raising an eyebrow in curiosity as to what they were planning. What they got, had all of them so shocked, they froze for a minute. They watched as, appearing from the back of the pack, walking calmly, Takina stepped out in front of her team until she stood between Kevin's attacking squad and her team's pole. Once she placed herself there, she reached up to readjust her ponytail to make sure all of her hair, save her chin length bangs, was out of the way, a bandage on the back of her neck easily hiding her tattoo.
Finally finding his voice, Kevin let out a hearty laugh at the sight of the girl, "Commenting that he wasn't scared of a "little girl", and then laughed because she probably didn't know what he was saying.
"Hey, cowboy," Takina called, speaking clear English. "Do I look Japanese to you, because I'm not. I can speak perfect English."
Kevin's laughter cut off, the large boy turning to Asano for his next orders. Even he felt bad about attacking a girl. Asano had to admit, he had been surprised to see her step out. He couldn't believe her teammates had been foolish enough to endanger a girl in a competition as physical as Boutaoshi, but there she was. Holding up a hand, he called Kevin to a stop for a moment.
"Takina," Takina's eyes shifted to Asano as he called across the field to her. "I know you feel obligated to help your classmates, but you'd be best taking a seat and letting the boys handle their own mess. You'll get hurt. A girl doesn't belong on the field of such a potentially harmful sport."
Every single one of Takina's classmates hissed in sympathy, groaning as Asano made one of the biggest mistakes of his life.
No one told Takina she couldn't do something just because she was a girl.
They could all see it in the way that Takina's eyes shifted from their usual sea blue-green color to a bright, electric blue. Takina was pissed. She shifted, one foot sliding back as her hands went to her hips and her chin rose in defiance. Asano recognized, somewhat, his mistake the moment her chin went up and her eyes narrowed.
"There you go again, Gakushuu, tell me where I belong, putting me on the bench because you don't think I can be strong. You're so quick to condescend, but you won't be so confident when I'm the one that gets to crush you from the top." Takina retorted sharply. "I may be small, a girl, and I may look innocent, but don't underestimate me. I can flip like a switch and cut like a blade, and I'm quick as a whip. Come and get it, boys, because I'm not backing down."
Takina raised a hand, beckoning the boys with crooked finger. Whatever she had said before this whole thing started, with Asano underestimation of her, all of her concerns had flown right out the window. Her classmates would give her one thing, when it came to being spiteful...Takina beat them all. Even Asano could see he had hit the wrong button and would now have to deal with Takina before he could deal with her classmates.
"Take her down, but don't hurt her." Asano ordered.
It took everything they had for Takina's classmates not to grin at that order. They knew that Asano would never allow his classmates to hurt her, and, as long as they were aiming for a soft capture, they wouldn't stand a chance in capturing Takina.
Which would lead to the wasting of their time.
Takina's orders...make a public spectacle of humiliating Asano and his forces.
A grin spread across Takina's face as her feet spread apart, the girl reaching up to flick her hair over her shoulder.
"Hate to break it to you, but I'm no dumb blonde. If you think I'm going to go down that easily, then watch as I prove you wrong. Bring it, boys." Takina demanded. When none of the boys moved, not really sure how to go about it, Takina's grin turned to a smirk. "If you won't come to me, then I'll just have to by pass you."
Takina's center of gravity shifted then, dropping closer to the ground. Leaning forward, her knees bending, Takina shot forward like a crack of lightning. Kevin cursed as the girl easily shot past him and his squad. Turning on his heel, forgetting all about her classmates and their pole, Kevin and his squad chased Takina. The girl glanced over her shoulder at them, releasing a little "hmph" under her breath.
So they really were stupid enough to follow her.
Fine, then they were agreeing to play her game.
Turning her eyes back to in front of her, she set her eyes on the boys between her and Asano, who were preparing to stop her. Too bad for them...she wasn't there to play with them just yet.
In the next second, Takina quickly changed direction, spinning on the spot and dodging to the right in order to let Kevin charge right past her. Remaining on her tiptoes, she danced back, easily dancing out of the reach of the other boys. If she was being honest, the only one she really considered a threat to her out of this squad of attackers, was Kevin. The boy had a longer reach and a more devastating hit and grip. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she watched the boys as they rounded on her.
"Come on, boys. I'm growing bored here." Takina taunted.
She was moving the moment they lunged for her. Weaving, ducking, dodging, and spinning, Takina never stopped moving, dancing back and forth across the field. She easily evaded the boys, now of them so much as managing to brush her with their finger tips. Asano watched the whole thing from his perch, trying to figure out Takina's end game.
He was willing to admit that the girl had a high sense of mobility, her evasion skills come of the best he had ever seen. She moved with ease, looking like she was literally dancing circles around his classmates, and where his classmates were starting to get tired and sluggish, she didn't seem to be losing steam at all. It soon got to the point where the only one that was somewhat keeping up with her, was Kevin.
The others feel behind, bent double to catch their breath as Kevin continued to charge after Takina. Takina made a spin, dancing out of his reach once more and darted back the way they came, Kevin sliding as he changed directions to follow her. Takina watched him over her shoulder and when she turned back around, she found the others of Kevin's squad blocking her way. Takina came to a sliding halt and whipped around to find Kevin approaching fast. Spreading his arms, a grin on his face because he knew they had caught her, Kevin sped up.
The idiot didn't see Takina's trap until she suddenly dropped, knees folding as she fell backwards. Kevin, shocked, charged right over her, looking down as she easily slipped right between his legs. In the next second, Kevin drove right through his own squad, sending all of them crashing to the ground.
Takina popped back to her feet, turning to look at the pile of boys behind her with a low whistle as her hands went to her hips.
"That's a lovely way to take out your own guys." Takina called as Kevin tried to free himself from the tangle of limbs. "Really, is this all you boys got? I get more of a work out from my morning dance routine."
With a roar of annoyance, Kevin surged upward, sending some of his classmates tumbling as he jumped to his feet. A few of the others boys, just as pissed off, rounded on her. Isogai saw this as the perfect chance to show that Takina wasn't just speed and evasion skills. He issued a command meant just for Takina.
"Takina! "Mach"!"
As two of Kevin's squad mates turned on Takina, charging her, Takina dropped into a crouch. Bracing herself, she waited for just the right time, letting them get closer until she saw her chance. Surging forever, making sure to stay within the rules of the match, she drove her shoulders into the two boys' guts, and, using leverage to her advantage, shoved upwards to easily flip the two boys over her shoulders.
A feat she would not have accomplished if it wasn't for Karasuma's strength training.
Jaws dropped as the two boys crashed to the ground behind her and Takina flipped her hair over her shoulder. Fixing her eyes on the boys before her, and enjoying the look of shock on everyone's face, including Asano's, Takina grinned.
"This must be embarrassing for you boys. Being out shined by little, old me." Takina taunted.
The pissed off, mortified looks shot her way was exactly what she had been aiming for. Before the whole match had started, Isogai had told her that the main point of having her out there, was so she could have the boys chase her all over the place and have her embarrass them by showing that even just one Class E girl could run several Class A boys ragged. And when she heard the command "Mach" she was to plow through a guy or two, to finalize the embarrassment, and, when she had their attention, taunt them until they chased her again.
That was what she was doing now.
As the boys, lead by Kevin, came charging after her, Takina turned on her heel and dashed back towards her team. With the opposing boys hot on her heels, Takina hauled ass back to her team's pole.
"Incoming apes! "Tentacles"! I repeat, "Tentacles"!" Takina called, darting around her classmates to duck behind the pole.
Seeing it as the perfect chance to attack the boys on her team as too, Kevin and his group continued their charge. At the last possible second, all of the boys except for those holding the pole from behind, jumped, jumping clear over the charging boys' heads. As Kevin and his classmates dived through thin air, the jumping boys landed right on their backs, pinning them to the ground. With that, they dropped the pole half way on top of the Class A boys, fortifying the pole and keeping the boys pinned.
Takina, now clear of pursuers, leaned over to peer down at Kevin.
"You really shouldn't have followed me. I've been yanking your chain this whole time." Takina told him in English.
Kevin's face twisted in anger and annoyance.
"This is intense! By defying the rull of "bringing down your own pole", five members have been immobilized in one fell swoop!" Kevin growled.
"Hehehe. 'Cause there's no rule about not using the pole as a weapon." Terasaka replied.
Now Asano could see the point of bringing in Takina. The girl, with her speed and evasion skills, had been used to set up this trap. It was a clever defense, he had to admit. By using Takina to lure in the five attackers, they could suppress those five and even use them to strengthen the foundation of their pole. The downside was that now, Class E had seven members devoted to defense of the pole, and with two others unconscious after being thrown by Kevin, and Takina, who, despite her feat of flipping two boys, Asano couldn't see as an attacker, that now lowered Class E's members from seventeen to seven.
The win was clear in Asano's eyes.
With that, he sent two more forces at Class E from either side. Seeing the middle left wide open, Isogai went with the obvious choice, leading his attack force of himself and five others down the middle. Takina remained with the defense squad, sitting on the back of Kevin's shoulders, her legs crossed as she watched Class A's attacking force turn on their heels as Isogai lead his group past. Isogai's group soon found themselves being chased towards Class A's pole by the attacking force that had just come towards their pole.
Waiting for them in front of Class A's pole, were two more of the large foreigners who, in Takina's opinion, had the air of fighters. She wouldn't put it past Asano to bring in two guys that specialized in some kind of fighting style. She also didn't put it past these boys to, in the midst of confusion and chaos, seriously hurt her classmates. Even those in the audience thought Class E was screwed.
Takina had a little information for them...that wasn't the case.
Just as the two opposing forces of Class A's boys closed in on Isogai and the others, Takina's classmates suddenly turned and made a b-line directly into the audience. The members of the audience dived to all sides, scrambling to get out of the way of the incoming boys.
"There were no rules about leaving the area. Come on. This whole school is the battlefield." Karma taunted.
Takina let out a single, low laugh as she watched her classmates jump from chair to chair, ducking and dodging the diving members of Class A as they tried to stop them. When Isogai had named the battle plan Mucus Hell, he couldn't have been more spot on with the hell part. It was pure chaos and completely drew the attention of Asano and the others still defending Class A's pole.
Asano could already tell, just form watching them in the earlier events, that the six boys currently leading his classmates around, had mobility that was very high. He also knew that if they could take out those six, then, aside from Takina, the others left weren't nearly as fast. So Asano gave the order for them to not lose any of the six boys, but to focus more on Isogai, Kimura and Karma.
While Asano had a good sense for the battlefield, Takina couldn't help but think just how wrong he was. After all her class had done since the start of the school year, Asano really should have learned to expect the unexpected.
While all the members of Class A, even those still at the pole and defending it, had their eyes fixed completely on the skirmish with Isogai's group, Yoshida and Muramatsu managed to sneak up on them from the other side, attacking the pole directly. They hit the pole hard, and, once they were clinging to it, that was the signal for Isogai's group to break free of the audience and attack the pole. One of the foreigners tried to pry the boys off the pole, but only exceeded in almost knocking the pole, and Asano, over.
With Asano's orders to stop, the boy took over, quickly dislodging Yoshida and Okajima from the pole. It was easy for Takina to see that Asano had, to some extent, had martial arts training on top of everything else. It made Takina dislike him just a little bit more. Especially when he used those martial arts skills to lord himself over her classmates. Keeping his balance and leaving his classmates to brace the pole, Asano swung himself around, kicking at the Class E boys to try to beat them back. He even manged to kick Isogai down from the pole.
But, in all his lording, Asano forgot one thing.
Using Isogai's back as he crouched on the ground, as a springboard, Chiba, Nagisa, Sugaya, and Mimura joined the fray, leaving only Terasaka and Takebayashi to hold the fort back with their pole. When asked how the two were keeping the pole up and keeping the five members of Class A pinning, Takebayashi replied with "leverage".
The truth was, while Kevin and the others could easily break free and join the fray, they wouldn't move without orders from Asano, and, at the moment, Asano was too busy to give the orders. But Asano knew they still had the numbers advantage. They just had to pry the Class E boys off without upsetting the pole.
"You forgot something, Asano." Isogai called, making Asano look down at him. "She told you...she was going to crush you from the top."
Asano cursed to himself.
He had forgotten Takina!
The pole swayed, rocking fiercely when something hit it just above where Asano was after using the boys before as footholds. Looking up, Asano found his face just six inches from the piercing apple green gaze of Takina. The girl was sitting on the very top of the pole, legs wrapped securely around the pole, ankles locked. Judging from the smile on her face, she was all too pleased with her position above him. A feeling of dread sank into the pits of Asano's stomach as she grinned down at him.
"Accept it, Gakushuu...you lost." Takina told him before sitting up straight, checking to make sure she had her legs locked tightly and her weight balanced at just the right point at the top of the pole. "Now, Isogai!"
With Takina in place, Isogai turned, locking his hands together.
"Come on, Itona!" Isogai yelled.
Itona, who had gone mostly unnoticed the whole time, came rushing in. With a leg up from Isogai, he came flying at the pole. Takina stretched her arms out, caught Itona as he flew towards, a grunt leaving her as he hit her right in the chest. Itona's weight adding to that of Takina's as she was thrown backwards, the two, combined, sent the pole tumbling back, knocking it over and sending everyone tumbling to the ground.
Taking the fall like Karasuma had shown them, the members of Class E were able to roll away from the pile and pop back to their feet as if nothing had happened. Takina was about the only one showing effects, the girl bent over, coughing from where Itona's full weight had hit her chest. Itona stood at her side, idly patting her back, his expression blank as always, as their classmates approached them.
"You okay, Takina?" Isogai asked.
"Oh, yeah. Just trying to get my wind back. He looks small, but when he hits full force, all at once, it sure knocks the air right out of your lungs. That being said...nice jump, Itona." Takina said, reaching out to pat Itona's chest the best she could from her bent over state.
The boys chuckled, Isogai giving her back a light pat as she finally managed to restore her breathing to normal. Though she declared she was going to have another bruise on her chest from helping them, the boys knew, if given a chance to do it over...she would do it all again.
With the final event over, Takina and her classmates were put to work, helping to put up chairs and everything else. It was only when they were almost done, that Asano showed his face again.
"Ah, it's Asano." Hara said, making them look up.
"Hey, Asano!" Maehara called approaching the boy. "You're not gonna go back on your word, right? About keeping quiet about Isogai's job."
"I don't lie. Unlike, you guys, I don't use underhanded methods." Asano replied.
Takina almost laughed outright, but something caught her eye and had the laughter dying in her chest. Isogai, not noticing her sudden solemnness, approached Asano, extending a hand.
"But, it was just what I expected of your command. I couldn't tell who would win until the end. Let's have another match sometime!" Isogai told Asano brightly.
Asano merely turned his back on Isogai and walked away.
"Can you just disappear? It won't turn out this way next time. I'll drive them all towards destruction." Asano declared, walking away.
"Keh, what a sore loser." Terasaka said.
Takina, though, had another thing on her mind. Excusing herself from her classmates, Takina hurried, catching up with Asano out of sight and hearing of the other students.
"Gakushuu."
Asano came to a stop, heaving a sigh, when she called out to him. Turning, he fixed her with a look that she couldn't quite place. She couldn't tell if it was annoyance, or hurt, or maybe even a mix of the two.
"You just loved embarrassing me, didn't you?" he asked.
"Not really, but that was what you were intending for my classmates and I. If there's nothing else you learn about me, then learn this...I'm a girl who gives as good as she gets. Tit for tat. Besides...you broke our deal. How you expect a girl to act in that kind of situation?" Takina replied.
Asano heaved another sigh, looking away from her for a moment. She had a point, he knew, so he really couldn't hold it against her.
Even though Takina really had enjoyed embarrassing the Class A boys.
"Can I give you a little friendly advice, Gakushuu?"
Asano didn't look up at her as he waved a hand.
"Fine." he told her.
"If you don't want others to question you about what happened in your father's office after you were called there, you might want to fully zip up the collar of your jersey. I can see blood splatter."
Asano's head snapped up, his eyes turning to Takina's carefully blank expression before he was hurrying to zip the jersey up fully.
"I should have known you'd connect the two. Are you going to pity me now?" Asano demanded.
"I believe I already told you that my father favored more physical methods, yes? If there's one thing I learned it's that the last thing any of us in that position want, it's pity. Sorry, but I don't have any pity to give." Takina replied. Asano looked up at Takina. "Look, despite how I act and what I say, I'm not a heartless bitch. I can empathize with the situation you're in with your father, but constantly coming after us like this...it's only going to make things worse. We aren't backing down because we have things to prove and goals to reach just like you."
Asano turned his face away from her. He didn't care about their goals, only his. Then he heard Takina heave a sigh and then heard her footsteps crunching on the ground. He would have thought she was walking away...if the footsteps weren't getting loud. When he turned his head to look at her again, he found her standing right at his side.
"I'm not telling you to stop challenging my class. You know I love a good challenge." That he did. "All I'm saying is...you're not your father, Gakushuu. Don't use his underhanded, dirty methods. Give us a good, clean challenge, and I might reward you later."
"And what kind of reward do you have to give?" he asked, a small grin starting to curl his lips.
"I'll think of something. You have to give me a clean challenge first." she told him, turning on her heel to walk away. She stopped after a few yards though. "And, Gakushuu?"
"Yes?"
Takina turned to look at him.
"I do understand what you're going through. Just...don't let your father define you in a bad way. You have classmates that honestly like you and depend on you. Don't take it for granted." she told him before turning to walk away.
As Takina rounded the corner of the building to return to her classmates, she found Karma waiting there. Glancing in his direction she continued past him.
"Eavesdropping, Akabane?" she asked.
"You're quick to play your charms against a guy." Karma remarked.
"Not as quick as you might think. In this case, though, if it'll give us a break from risking physical harm at least at the hands of our school mates, then I'll play my part. Besides, i never promised anything to do with my "charms" as the reward." Takina told him.
Karma grinned as she said this. Takina really was very clever and knew how to twist her words to her advantage.
"You looked like you had fun today." Karma remarked.
"Only because I got to watch that big, American boy plow into his own guys. One of the few highlights of my day." Takina replied.
"And the others?"
"Well, there was watching you and the others jumping through the audience while the Class A boys crashed through those watching, and then there was the look on Asano's face as I looked down at him from the top of that pole." Takina replied, her lips curling.
Crashing through the audience had been a highlight of Karma's day too. Takina glanced up at Karma then, watching as he grinned along with her.
"There was something else." she said then.
"Oh? What?"
Takina turned to him then, bringing him to a stop as she stepped closed.
"As you were jumping from chair to chair, hopping over boys, there was this strip of skin that I kept catching a glimpse of, right here." Karma stiffened when he felt Takina's finger tips on his stomach, just above the waist band of his pants. His eyes, though, were locked in on Takina's face as she moved even closer, crowding in on his personal space. "It kept inspiring these thoughts in my head."
"Thoughts of what?" he found himself asking, completely fixed on her eyes.
"Thoughts of doing this."
In the next second, Karma bent forward, a grunt leaving him as Takina pulled her hand back...and punched him in the gut. It put his face on level with hers, Takina cupping his chin in one hand as she shook her head at him.
"Really, Akabane. Sometimes you make it too easy for me. Keep this up and by the time I get my revenge, you really won't know what hit you." she told him, giving his cheek a pat before she turned on her heel to walk away.
If someone who didn't know them were to watch the two of them, they would think the relationship was bad, that the two hated each other, but, if he was being honest, when Takina acted like this towards him...it made Karma like her more.
In fact...he might say it was becoming more that just "like", but Takina seemed to be forgetting something. The whole groping thing aside, because that was just for fun...
He still owed her for the kissing incident.
END
Kyandi: Pft!
Takina: She's reading her reviews from the last chapter again.
Kyandi: I'm sorry, the whole "I see the threats between the two as some kind of foreplay." comment just kills me! And then there was the cold showers comments. I've read the reviews about half a dozen times already and I'm still laughing!
Takina: Needless to say, you guys' reviews, give her a lot of inspiration and motivation, so keep them coming.
Kyandi: Yep! Especially since we're going into midterms and Karma's payback is coming up.
Takina: I don't like the sounds of that. You won't give me a hint?
Kyandi: Not until it happens. Sorry.
Takina: Are you? Are you really, though?
Kyandi: Eh.
Takina: That's all I get? Fine.
Kyandi: Anyway, everyone, enjoy and review!
Takina: We'll be back tomorrow. She's already got the chapter half finished.
Kyandi: Hehe! Bye-bye!