Chapter 11: If You Can't Go For The Guy, Then Why Not Get The Girl?
"Madame Aoi!"
Nene's sudden outburst startled Kunieda Aoi out of her daze, the pink lid of Nene's lunchbox falling with a clatter as she slammed her hands against the table. Closing in on the blushing black-haired female, the redhead glared straight into her eyes.
"W-What?" Gulped Kunieda, flinching backwards at her unwavering gaze.
"Tell me with all honesty, what do you think about that Oga guy?"
The moment the word 'Oga' escaped her lips, Chiaki Tanimura, who was innocently chewing on a melon bun, and Nene herself could hear the thumping of Kunieda's heart as loud as a stampede.
She looked away sheepishly. "N-Nothing much."
"Nothing much? You've been out of it since yesterday, Madame Aoi!" Chiaki nodded her head vigorously while Nene continued. "It's like you're in another world!"
When their eyes met and Kunieda turned away quickly, the redhead stood up gallantly.
"I knew it! You've fallen for him!"
"It's not like that!" She exclaimed for a moment before drooping to an embarrassed tone. "Well, but what he said to me did shock me a little..." Her fingers interwined for a moment before breaking into a small smile. "And I think he's a good guy too. Besides, the baby is kinda cute..."
"Good God, Chiaki. Put a fork in her, she's done," Nene looked as if she was about to float away to another planet herself.
Kunieda continued rambling with a wave of her hand. "Ah, B-B-But I can't just become a mother all of a sudden. I'm still in high school and I have an image to mantain..."
While all this was going on, the other girl was still munching on her bread as Nene interrupted.
"Madame, you can't possibly have forgotten our vow..."
!
"ACQUIRE NO MAN!" Nene placed her hands on her hips in a superior, proud manner as she went on. "Passed down for two generations, tradition of the Red Tails' clearly states that if you get a boyfriend, you quit! And it's the one rule that sticks us together. At this rate, Madame Aoi, how will you control and take over those with lower ranks?"
Kunieda stopped swooning over the delinquent and turned serious, giving Nene a straightforward answer, "That's why I said it's not like that."
Before the latter to say anything again, Chiaki had finally polished off her melon bun and spoke up. "What about Kurokage Kitsune? She could be a problem at this rate."
The redhead gnashed her teeth at the thought of their previous encounter. "She hasn't shown up today either."
"I would like to leave it at that, but judging from yesterday's experience..." Kunieda frowned, picking up her chopsticks once again. "Kurokage Kitsune... She seems like the typical, overconfident brat to me."
Of course, she didn't think that was true. The younger girl had been quite well-mannered at the park, and she didn't look the type to pick a fight whenever she liked. She would have to wait and see.
"Hilda-san?"
Kitsune had been playing games all night, and after some consideration, decided to go to school again. Unfortunately, the effects of staying up all night had given her two very bruised-colored rings under her crimson eyes, giving her the image of a rather grumpy panda.
Just my luck to run into Oga's future wife She thought to herself. But, not holding any grudges against the blonde demon maid, Kitsune caught up to her just in time to see her holding the familiar bag that contained Berubo's milk.
"Kitsune? Why are you on your way to school?"
"Aah, it's a long, immature, rash story," Snickered the crimson-eyed girl. "Candy?"
Having left Hilda to her devices with Oga and Furuichi, both of whom she was not ready to face, Kitsune slumped off towards a vending machine, fiddling with a portable game console restlessly until the brunette delinquent startled her.
"Oh! Kitsune-chan!"
Furuichi popped out beside him. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you. What are you two doing?" She asked, hopping to her feet and tucking the console into a baggy, oversized hoodie with sleeves that draped down with an arm protruding each gigantic hole.
Oga waited for his best friend to get a packet of milk before the trio walked together. "Well, we're talking about how we can dump Berubo off to Kunieda Aoi."
"Aoi?" She suddenly perked up, reminded of the scary girl with the wooden bamboo sword.
"Yeah, Kunieda certainly is strong, but she's not evil, so how is Berubo going to just take a liking to her?"
The delinquent looked as if he had been hit by a brick that screamed 'realization'.
Covering up his shallow-thinking, Oga kicked Furuichi. "Men are all about guts!"
Kitsune pushed up her new pair of glasses up her nose. "For once, though, Furuichi is right." Blatantly ignoring his confused expression that was a mixture of happiness and hurt, she continued, "If you don't have a plan, Berubo can't just figure it all out on his own because he's already attached to you. Devise something up at least; having a nickname like the 'Queen' is not just going to make him like her."
Before Oga could retort back, a duo appeared from around the corner.
Kunieda's subordinates stood before the trio. "Oga Tatsumi, Kurokage Kitsune. You're coming with us," Demanded the one with red hair and a white coat.
"Not these two again," Kitsune gritted her teeth, but Oga glared steely at them, along with Berubo's cautious gaze.
Both were completely unaware that somewhere on the campus, Hilda and Kunieda Aoi had already neglected the option of negotiating with each other, clouds of dust forming as the two figures dueled relentlessly.
Taking the opportunity to sneak off as Berubo distracted the duo with a cat, Kitsune snuck off to spectate the fight between the two females, only arriving just in time to see Kunieda lift her sword handle once more until two other girls that appeared to be Kunieda's underlings as well, panting as they delivered some shocking news to her.
"Nene-san and Chiaki-san..."
Both raven-haired girls sped off simultaneously, only noticing each other as Kitsune cut across towards the shelter.
"You'd abandon the chance to prove yourself to Hilda-san for your subordinates?" Shouted Kitsune with her signature Cheshire grin.
"I do not have time for your antics, Kurokage," Hissed Kunieda, the two increasing their pace towards the infirmary. "And they are not just my underlings!"
Kitsune sidestepped a pillar with expert footing and snatched the bamboo sword of her waist with mock seriousness, dancing away as Kunieda attempted to catch it back. "So would you delay your little trip to see them to battle me?"
"Do not make me repeat myself," The older girl snarled, still running up the stairs while the other did not cast a second look at the steps, leaping up each one with ease.
Shrugging, Kitsune slipped it back to its original position with flair, racing with Kunieda until they reached the sliding doors of the infirmary, where on two beds lay Chiaki and Nene respectively, different from their commanding selves just a while ago. The redhead looked frail and equally injured as the other, both lying in the sheets with a pained expression on their treated faces.
"W-Who could have done this?!" Kunieda trembled, not with fear, but with utmost fury. It contrasted Kitsune's laissez-fair demeanour almost comically.
"I heard Sister Nene say that she was going to talk with Oga Tatsumi and Kurokage Kitsune..." The blonde with a mask that muffled her voice answered, staring straight at the casual hooded girl.
Kunieda's glare whipped onto Kitsune. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I didn't do it. When I snuck away from the confrontation to watch you and Hilda-san, they were still alive and well," Kitsune defended.
"So that leaves Oga Tatsumi. Fantastic."
And by the resentment in her voice, Kitsune could tell that there was nothing 'fantastic' about the situation that could happen any moment.
A/N: This is my first attempt at writing the Demon Delinquent. I am sorry to say that this will be the only (if possible, out of two) of the updates coming up as I will be very busy with fundraisers and exams the next few weeks. I apologize deeply. Please continue supporting Demon Delinquent, and thank you for your patience.