Bildungsroman
Chapter six
This took way longer than I thought it would, and I'm not completely happy with it. But at least Sanada makes some sort of appearance… and Sakura puts her foot in her mouth. Repeatedly.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, with no copyright infringement intended. I don't own PoT, which belongs to Takeshi Konomi.
It seemed Ginka Chuu was as formidable at the mic as they were on the courts; ie, not at all.
What do they do in that school if they aren't teaching students to be more than average at anything? Sakura wondered snidely.
She smiled in her most friendly manner as she shook hands with the crestfallen team. You did your best; but that's not good enough.
She rolled her eyes as Ueda-senpai slung an arm around Yamato's neck. "Good job, kid. You too, Blossom-chan." He was grinning broadly, ignoring Yamato's noises of protest.
"You both did extremely well." Asano-senpai agreed, linking arms with Sakura. "I think we can sit back and let them take the reins in this round too, right Ueda-kun?" She twinkled happily at the captain.
"Really?" Sakura squeaked. Sure, they'd been good, but… that good? "You mean that, senpai?!"
Yamato affected boredom, merely raising both eyebrows, but Sakura noted the sparkle in his eyes.
Ueda considered them, before his face split into a grin again. "Don't see why not." He caught Yamato in a headlock again, and the younger boy yelped. "But Blossom-chan can take point this time, okay? Switch it up a bit."
"Sure- senpai, that hurts!"
Sakura giggled, having seen Momoshiro and Echizen in exactly the same position many times. "Fight 'im off, Yamato-kun!" She proclaimed, raising a fist. "Fight-O!" Beside her, Asano-senpai laughed.
As they made their way back to the main auditorium, Sakura noticed how much attention they were attracting. They weren't inconspicuous to begin with- pencil skirts, white blouses, oxford shirts and black blazers, and the girls in kitten heels- in clothes so different from the Rikkai colours of cream and brown, and Ueda and Yamato weren't helping matters, being so noisy.
Asano seemed to notice at the same time. "Ueda-kun." She said; it was quiet, but as effective as a general's command. Ueda released the younger boy, who rubbed his head and shot the captain a baleful glare but remained silent. Sakura and Asano exchanged relieved looks.
"…noisy rabble like that."
"Excuse me?" Sakura whipped around, eyes searching for the source of the snooty words. The boy who'd spoken wasn't exactly hiding; he stepped forward, and offered her an insolent smirk. "You heard me, Seigaku. Rikkai Dai wouldn't admit noisy. Rabble. Like you." He cast a contemptuous eye on all four of them. "God, that's pathetic."
"Careful, loser, that's a couple of syllables too long for you." Sakura ground out, taking another step forward. First the girl in the cafeteria and now this idiot boy- she'd had it up to here with Rikkai's fucking elitist attitude.
"Kagawa." Ueda-senpai put a hand on her shoulder, reminding her of where they were. Idiot Boy sneered. "I watched your debate, you know. Are you only on the team to spread your legs for the boys? Because it sure seems like–"
"Enough."
Just like that, Idiot Boy shut up. But more than that, his mouth fell out of its sneer, and the contempt in his eyes was gone, replaced by a sudden fear. He drew back, his eyes- all the Rikkai eyes- fixed on a point behind Sakura and Ueda. They swivelled around.
A tall, utterly stunning boy had, it seemed, appeared out of nowhere.
Even if Idiot Boy hadn't spoken, Sakura would've known who it was. There was no mistaking those waves of blue-purple hair, nor those piercing eyes.
"Y-Yukimura-senpai!" Idiot Boy stammered. His eyes shifted to behind Yukimura, and he paled even further. "Sa- Sa- Sanada-senpai!" There was no mistaking the terror in his voice now.
Oh, wow. Sakura was in the presence of high school tennis royalty.
That would have mattered more if she hadn't been so blindingly furious. Before she could speak, though, Yukimura forestalled her.
"Inari-kun, consider yourself ousted from the tennis club. Your resignation letter should reach me in an hour." His tone was dead cold. "Genichirou, I trust you'll inform the appropriate authorities about this harassment on campus?"
"Of course." If Yukimura's tone was ice, then Sanada Genichirou's was like an inferno. His eyes burnt with disgust as he regarded the hapless boy. "Your behaviour reflects badly on this school and its traditions, and will not go unpunished."
Well, what a pair of damn avenging angels.
Blue and amber turned to her, ice and fire, and Sakura realised she'd spoken aloud.
Well, shit. She raised and dropped a shoulder in an attempt at elegant nonchalance. A failed attempt, but hey, points for trying?
"Yukimura-san," That was Ueda-senpai, and boy, when he got serious, things were serious. "I must say I'd hoped for better from Rikkai."
Yukimura Seiichi turned his gaze to Ueda, and wow, big points to senpai for not quailing. "I agree, but you can hardly say you didn't invite comment, Ueda-san."
Wait, they knew each other?
And that comment was bollocks.
"Bollocks." Sakura scoffed. All eyes once again turned back to her, and she fought to keep her chin up. "Comment is one thing, insult is another." She looked from Yukimura to Sanada's fiery eyes.
Yukimura and Sanada regarded her for several heart-stopping seconds. I was wrong. This is the upchuck moment. Finally, Yukimura gave her a minute smile. "Point taken, Miss–?"
"Kagawa." Holy shit, Yukimura Seiichi knows my name now.
"Kagawa-san, I must ask you not to judge all of Rikkai by a couple of bad apples."
"Haven't seen many good ones yet."
There were gasps all around.
Okay, that was reaching. Yukimura's smile sharpened. Sanada merely raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Yamato smacked his forehead. "Mouthy brat." He echoed his own words from earlier.
"Well, we'd better get going." Ueda finally broke the tense silence. He grabbed Sakura around the shoulders and steered her firmly away. "Pleasure, Yukimura-san, Sanada-san– got another round to get through– running behind schedule–" He babbled, leading them away from that trainwreck of an encounter.
"Are you insane?"
Sakura rubbed her temples. So maybe she'd been a bit out of line, but did Yamato have to harp on about it for fifteen freaking minutes?
"Let it go, already." She sighed.
"I'm surprised at you, Blossom-chan." Ueda-senpai was still serious. Damn it. "You know, better than any of us, who Yukimura Seiichi is."
"And yet you were singularly unappreciative when he stepped in and disciplined his junior." Asano-senpai had the baton now, apparently.
Sakura ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. "I get it. I was out of line." She bit out. "But did you miss the part where that guy all but called me a slut? Am I allowed to be angry about that, or do you expect me to be the freakin' Buddha?!"
"Oh come off it." Yamato scoffed. "You've been called worse."
"That doesn't make it okay!" She snapped.
"And his actions don't excuse your attitude to Yukimura and Sanada." Ueda countered. "They're different things."
Sakura glared at the floor. This isn't fair!
Except it was.
This sucks. She heaved a disgruntled sigh. "I'll apologise the next time I see them." She muttered. Asano patted her hand. "Good. For now, let's focus." She turned a stern glare on the boys, and Yamato snapped his mouth shut.
Fortunately, the convenor took the stage again. "Welcome to the second round of this debate. We have our four winners from Round 1– Rikkai Dai High School, Hyotei Gakuen, Seishun Gakuen and Tomoe Gakuen. Congratulations on getting this far."
Cue polite applause.
"The match-ups for the next round are as follows: Rikkai Dai High School vs Hyotei Gakuen, and Seishun Gakuen vs Tomoe Gakuen." All four teams eyed their opponents, challenge glinting in their eyes. "Both debates will take place in this auditorium, and will be judged by our panel. The winners will continue on to the final round."
"First, we have Rikkai Dai High School vs Hyotei Gakuen; will both teams please take their places onstage? Please put your hands together for them, everyone!"
The applause was loud and spirited; that was the advantage of home support, Sakura supposed.
She chanced a quick look at their opponent from Tomoe Gakuen. A well-known school, with a much-talked about alternative education system. Sakura had heard that debates were the mode of learning there. Nothing concrete, of course; she didn't actually know anyone from there. But rumour was powerful; the one about the ghost on Hyotei's top floor was still going strong.
She'd be the first to admit that she sometimes tended to underestimate opponents; but Tomoe Gakuen would not go down so easy. That Sakura knew.
She was about to look back to the stage, when movements near the back of the auditorium caught her eye. Her heart thudded in dismay.
Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada Genichirou had just slid into seats in the last row.
Damn it.
Now they were going to be straight ahead of her.
Sakura gritted her teeth; almost on cue, Sanada's eyes met hers.
She whipped around to face the stage again, her face burning. On stage, too, things were heating up.
Damn it.
"… In short, homework does not actually inculcate any extra virtues in children at the high school level," Oh, Rikkai was in fine flow today. "Aside from a sense of discipline and obedience; but if a sixteen year old is indisciplined or disobedient, I would venture to suggest that the neglect lies in the past, and homework will not do much to rectify faults that our elementary and middle school systems could not correct… despite ever-increasing amounts of homework." Stepping away from the mic, the Rikkai boy gave a short bow, before resuming his seat.
There would be a short deliberation as the judges conferred; Asano sat back and smiled faintly at Ueda. "Rikkai, don't you think?" She offered.
"It looks like it." He sounded gloomy. Rikkai would be a tough opponent to beat if they made the finals. "Hey, Blossom-chan, you got your notes, right?"
"Yeah." Not that she needed them anymore, having written and re-written those damn notes six freakin' times… But at least they'd be prepared if they made it to the final.
The memory of the earlier altercation sat in her stomach like spoilt food. She stood abruptly, pushing her chair back. "I'll be back." She mumbled, ignoring their protests.
She'd better make this quick.
She had seen the two senior boys exit the auditorium, and hoped to catch them before Seigaku was called.
And catch them she did… right outside.
"…taking Akaya so long." She heard Sanada say. "It's only a few drinks."
Yukimura chuckled. The sound was like… nah, she wasn't that creative, and she sure as hell wasn't going to be that cliché.
As she approached, she could have sworn the temperature dropped by like, half.
You suck at first impressions.
"I suck at first impressions." She blurted out. Oh, god. Jesus fuck, what was wrong with her?
Judging by their expressions, that was the question.
"I mean, hi."
No response. So maybe she deserved that.
"Eh, Yukimura-san, Sanada-san, I'm… I'm very sorry!" She dipped into a bow, clasping her hands before her. "I returned your politeness with terrible manners, and I do hope you can forgive me."
A few seconds passed.
Sakura clasped her hands tighter to stop them from shaking. Apologies weren't really a strong point of hers.
God, she hoped she wouldn't be called in now. It would be even ruder to leave without waiting for them to give some sort of reply.
"It's alright, Kagawa-san." Yukimura's voice was kind. "Please, let's just forget about this, shall we?"
"I'm very grateful." She said dutifully. "And… thank you for stepping in back then. I really did appreciate it."
"Some people do use sarcasm in order to communicate." Yukimura replied. She blushed; come on, he was pretty.
Prettier than Fuji-senpai, who had half the school's female (and part of the male) population in a right tizzy.
"It was more effective than a punch to the nose, anyway." She offered. To her delight, even Sanada's lips lifted at the corner. Just the slightest amount, but still! Yukimura, of course, let out the sweetest-sounding laugh she'd ever heard.
Good lord, the boy sounded like windchimes. How was he even real?
Fortunately, the announcer's voice calling for the Seishun Gakuen team prevented her from turning into a puddle of enchanted goo at high school tennis royalty's feet. "Please excuse me." Manners, as Julie Andrews once said, matter.
"Of course. Good luck, Kagawa-san." Sanada gave a kind of nod that she took as echoing the sentiment.
"Thank you!" She called, hurrying back into the auditorium to rejoin the team.
"Where were you?" Yamato hissed, taking a seat beside her. "Had something to take care of." She answered, winking at him as both Yukimura and Sanada slid back in.
The motion had been announced earlier: 'Cyber-bullying that occurs outside the school should be punished by the school', and Asano-senpai's meticulous notes for the Negative side spanned six pages. Sakura and Yamato exchanged a look.
She knew that glint in his eye. And he knew the one in hers.
They were so ready.
Ueda and Asano seemed to know it too. "Kick some ass, kiddos." Was all the captain said.
Skipping because writing two sides of a debate is WAY too much for me. Maybe later, if I come back to edit.
"Be it resolved," The convenor read from Justice Sato's slip of paper. Sakura was trembling minutely.
Yamato's finger grazed her wrist, and she shot him a weak smile.
"That cyber-bullying, if it takes place outside the school, should not be punished by the school." The convenor finished.
Dejection was in every line of the Tomoe team's body.
Yamato's grip on Sakura's hand was suddenly really, really tight. Sakura let out a gasp that was equal parts relief, happiness, astonishment, and pain.
"Seishun Gakuen advances! Congratulations to both teams!"
Bowing, shaking hands, stepping off the stage… Sakura was in a daze of delight.
"You kicked ass, Blossom!" Ueda crushed her in a hug; she was ever so glad when Asano pried him off and took his place. "Air." She rasped, winding her arms around the gentler senior.
Asano laughed. "I know. But you were wonderful, Kagawa-chan! Oh, I'm so proud!" She released her. "And you too, Yamato-kun!"
"Damn, finals!" Ueda slipped an arm around Asano's shoulders. Sakura giggled at the shy delight on the other girl's face. "We better go prepare– don't want our juniors to show us up, right, Sadako-san?"
Yamato scoffed. "Yeah, we're going to show you up." He nudged Sakura. "Actually, now I could use a juice."
She pretended to think. "Well, maybe you shouldn't go alone." He groaned, knowing what was coming. "Enemy turf and all."
"God, Kagawa, you're such a brat."
Success brought notoriety. Although, Sakura noted, there was definitely a challenge in the air.
Probably they were like… what, rookie challengers in the final against Rikkai?
Huh. Not a personal déjà-vu, but déjà-vu nonetheless. Maybe she'd tell Fuji-senpai about it tomorrow.
Still, they made it to the cafeteria, through the transaction, and back to the auditorium without being accosted. Before they entered the hall, however, two familiar figures did accost them.
"Kagawa-san." Sanada's voice was weighty where Yukimura's was light. "Our congratulations to both of you."
"Oh! Hey, thanks." Startled out of her conversation with Yamato, she forgot to be formal. Too late now. She smiled in her friendliest manner. "Rikkai Dai is an amazing team. We're looking forward to the final round."
"Yes, the Rikkai team is very good." Of course, went unsaid by the blue-haired senior. Of course. "The two of you spoke very well in the last round."
Sakura murmured her thanks, but her eyes flitted between the two boys suspiciously. "Okay, I'm calling it." She burst out. "You're low-key giving us the 'Rikkai always wins' speech, aren't you?"
Yamato, she reflected, was having way too many mini heart attacks today.
To their amazement, Yukimura only smiled. "Good luck in the final round, Kagawa-san, Yamato-kun." He said. "I'm looking forward to it."
"And we're looking forward to winning."
Wow. Apparently he could give heart attacks as well.
Yukimura's smile was, by this time, infuriating. Sanada, however, was something different– indeed, his face registered no offence at their words. His gaze shifted from one to the other, before settling on Sakura with an… unsettling focus.
She forced down a squirm. A glare was so much more satisfying.
"Let's go, Kagawa." Yamato's hand on her arm claimed her attention.
She shot Sanada and Yukimura (but mostly the former) one final glare before marching into the hall.
It was more crowded than ever, and the buzz was really, really annoying. How Ueda-senpai and Asano-senpai could concentrate with half of Rikkai's (considerable) student population acting like bees (hahaha) in their ear, she had no idea.
"Man, Rikkai are assholes." Yamato muttered. Sakura snorted, stretching.
"Tell me about it."
The seniors take the lead back to the stage, and Sakura's cute-looking flash cards were safe in Asano-senpai's steady, steady fingers. She and Yamato were the ones trembling. Asano looked composed and dangerous, Ueda concealed a razor-sharp brain and a persuasive tongue with a beefy build and cheery smile. Yamato and Sakura, though– they were vibrating.
The topic was announced to the audience- Should the death penalty be made illegal in Japan. Rikkai would be arguing the Affirmative.
And then, it began.
Sakura wished she could say that it was a memorable debate. That both sides had been prepared, ruthless, and that arguments had risen in difficulty like flames.
Maybe from the audience's point of view. But to her, it seemed like Rikkai had lost the moment they'd prepared for Asano-senpai, and had ignored Ueda-senpai altogether.
Monsters are not rehabilitated. "They're put down." He growled into the mic, and you could have heard a pin drop.
Justice Sato scribbled something and passed it on to the other woman panellist.
Asano was, by contrast, placid and ruthless. "Our opponent said: if the state kills, is it different from the criminal? To that, I say: barely. The difference is that when the state does it, it's legal. It's a response to an act so heinous that nothing but death can right the balance. Killing is neither right nor wrong– what matters is the purpose to which it's put. Or are you going to argue that the execution of Nagayama Norio was a crime?" She raised her eyebrow at the Rikkai team.
"Damn, Kagawa," Yamato whispered. "Your argument is ruthless."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Yeah. You're scary."
"That's a compliment."
In the end– and Sakura would not have believed it if she'd hadn't, y'know, been there– Rikkai crumbled.
Everything was so blurred. She remembered the constricting hug from Ueda-senpai (no one else actually pulled her up and swung her around like that), and the long, long hug from Asano, and even Yamato had given her a one-armed squeeze ("Scary." Shut up."). The weight of a medal around her neck, the corners of a certificate being pressed into the skin of her hand.
"We won." She kept repeating. Almost a dream. "We won."
She reached up, and– ah, those were tears on her cheeks.
"Yeah, brat, we won." Yamato ruffled her hair, messing up its neat ponytail. All around them, Rikkai students were giving them a wide berth.
A voice floated to her ear. "Unused to winning on a this level of competition, how pathetic."
"I wouldn't eat those grapes, Daiki-san; they're sour."
Ooh. Sakura thought, grinning to herself. Burn, Yukimura-san.
All in all, it had been one hell of a day.
Sakura tried really hard to remember that as she took a sip of coffee.
I agree, Rikkai person. Homework is a pain.
And she had morning practice in… five hours.
Shit.
Coffee was on the menu tonight, that was for sure.
OH MAN! You have NO idea how hard this was to crank out instead of a filler. And no, I have no experience with high school debate- or any other kind of competitive debate. My high school, while amazing, was kind of insular. Any competitive debaters reading this– I'm sorry!
I re-watched ALL of PoT while writing the last two chapters, and it brought back with a vengeance how much I don't like Yukimura. I don't know if Sakura does yet- but we do share similar thoughts about his tennis style. And his looks. That boy is pretty.
Finally, Sanada deigns to be written, at least a little. What a stubborn MORON. I hope Sakura hits him over the head sometime in this story.
Edit (1/08/2017): Tomoe Gakuen was a school in Tokyo before WW2 (it burnt down during the war). It was founded by Sosaku Kobayashi, and had an alternative educational and value system (especially during that time- although the 'debate' part of my fic-explanation is made up). I came across it in Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's memoir "Totto-chan- The Little Girl At The Window". It's one of my favourite books of all time, something I just keep coming back to.
Well, I'd love to hear what you think! Review = love.
Cheers,
Chilli.