The next morning Koushirou was up before Taichi. Koushirou took a shower, put on some clothes, combed his hair and tied it back. He grabbed his book bag and started to collect his books, sticking them easily into the leather bag.
While doing this he whispered to himself more than the sleeping Taichi, "You and I, Tai, we're gonna become famous Martial Artists and we're going to go everywhere and visit the world and we could take Sira with us..." then he stopped, stood up and slung the backback around his right shoulder. He walked over to where Taichi was sleeping and got on his knees and leaned over Taichi's unconcious form. "But shes a bitch and might take you away from me. See you at school." Then he got back to his feet and off he went to class.
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The Kung Fu teacher was pacing from one end of the large room to the other. "Only one of you can win this test. This competeion will determine who goes to China to compete against all other inspiring fights. There you will compete to see who is the best. Even if you don't win, you will still be achknowledged and maybe offered teaching positions for Martial arts and the like. Remember, only one can win out competetion."
The teacher looked at Koushirou and Taichi. "Work hard," she looked at the rest of the students, "All of you. Work, train! Class is dismissed the rest of the day."
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"Izzy hurt his ankle awhile back but Mrs. Fujiwara said that hes going to compete. Thats not good! Hes so much better than all of us!"
Koushirou and Taichi both heard the two younger boys gossiping. Taichi glanced at Koushirou, "Do you really want to win, Izzy?" he inquired.
Koushirou smiled weakly and then sighed, "Although my mother and father asked me to do this so that I would be physical, and only that, this is what it turned out to be..." Koushirou was staring at his locked. "I really wanto to be a professional now. If they offered more than just Kung Fu here, I would jump at the chance for it. I want to learn more fighting styles. Koushirou looked to Taichi to see what he thought.
Taichi was just looking at the floor. "I never expected you to be so damn good at it, Izzy." Taichi said depressingly. He grabbed the rest of his school supplies and books from his small, metal locked and then left Koushirou to stare depressingly at where Taichi's face had been.
-----
Koushirou slipped a present he had bought for Taichi into the taller boy's locker and then ran hurriedly to Mrs. Fujiwara's office.
"So, your ankle is better?" she questioned Koushirou.
"Yes, very much so, thank you."
"And you want to compete in the competetion?" she asked slyly.
"Yes, ma'am." Koushirou grinned. She smiled back gleefully and handed the red haired boy some forms. "Tell your mother I said 'hi' next time you talk to her, 'kay?" she said, smiling with perfect white teeth showing. Koushirou noded, "thank you," bowed and then left.
-----
"And you want to compete in the competetion?" Mrs. Fujiwara asked Koushirou slyly.
Taichi eavesdropped on his best friend and teacher. He really didn't want Koushirou to participate in the tournament because then he was sure to lose. Taichi really did not want to lose.
-----
He jogged from the office so that Koushirou wouldn't spot him eavesdropping and went to the staircase. He leaned over the railing of the hall that went to the stairs and looked down to the white tile floor. It was very unremarkable tile. The stairs were white tile as well, but they had sharp edges and they were steep. Tai put his hand on the railing, put his left foot up, pulled himself up, stood up and ballanced on the railing. He slowly gaited across the brown metal bar. He felt something grab his ankle then his hand to keep him from falling the wrong way; which would have been onto the last few steps of that now-dreadful staircase.
He looked to what grabbed him to see grinning Koushirou. "And that, my dear Taichi, was to repay you for scaring the shit out of me the other night." Koushirou declared all business-like.
Taichi sighed heaily and then smiled, "it worked." They both turned the corner that was so near them when Koushirou's cellular phone rang. He half-whispered, "one moment" to Taichi and then turned around, turning on the small phone and speaking into it a warm greeting.
Taichi continued walking forward and then rounded the last corner. There he stopped and gazed down the staircase and then to where he had almost fallen, straight across from him. Koushirou came around the corner and smiled at Taichi, who looked extremely upset. Taichi didn't spare Koushirou a glance and just started walking slowly down the stairs, making Koushirou really start to worry.