Thanks for all the reviews guys (Karisma Jestler, Mew-Star-Mew, LadyinRedz, Akikaze Ryo, and Chris Shino)! It totally encourages me to go on! ^^

Aaaand thanks Akikaze Ryo for the artwork!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon. I only own Reine Kreiss

Reine

BUK! BUK! BUK!

I don't know how many times I have kicked the punching bag.

At least it's much better than kicking a real person.

Although it's already winter holiday, the karate club is still training for the upcoming inter-school championship. Most of the time, I spent my training by kicking the punching bag or sparring with other girls.

I need to somehow not to think of him.

BUK! BUK! BUK!

I switch my legs.

BUK! BUK! BUK!

"Go. Away."

BUK! BUK! BUK!

Suddenly the bag explodes and the sand pours down to the floor.

Shit.

Neil

BUK! BUK! BUK!

Although the legs are the longest limb that a human has, I believe that arms have greater speed and are easier to control. With enough training, it'll have enough force to block a kick and deliver a devastating blow. That's why I have been practicing my punch for the upcoming championship.

BUK! BUK! BUK!

Some people do have better kicks than arms. Reine is one such example: she always relies on her legs to deliver blows to her opponent.

I shouldn't think of her now. Competition is coming up soon.

BUK! BUK! BUK!

"I. Like. You."

BUK!

The bag tears open.

"Oh, God…" I can hear Rod sighing behind my back. "You can be broken-hearten, but don't break the club's punching bag as well."

"I'm the one turn—"

Rod points his finger to the distance. I follow the direction and see that Reine is sweeping the sand from the punching bag she has broken.

"Maybe I should charge you guys a fee. Fifty bucks per punching bag?"

Reine

I'm watching Rod's sparring with Neil: Rod is extremely proficient at defensive stance, which makes him a suitable sparring partner for Neil, who is well-known for his powerful punches.

They fight on even grounds.

Eventually, Rod manages to strike Neil and wins the sparring.

"Hey, why don't we have Kreiss and Forrester spar?" someone suddenly suggests, much to my surprise. "Kicking Sakura versus Prideless Lion!"

Prideless Lion. That's his nickname among the karate club members.

Frankly speaking, I hate that name because no matter how you read it, it's…

Put it simply, it makes my blood boils.

That suggestion is met with general approval. Even Ms Swann has no objection against it.

Having no intention to run away, I stand up and walk to the centre of the arena, where Neil is still standing.

The match begins with Rod as the referee. Much to my surprise, Neil immediately goes to the defensive; blocking my first kick that is directed to his body. Am I that easy to be read?

I'm not surprised, though: he's got a LOT of experience on the street.

The sparring continues with mainly me on the offensive and him on the defensive although when the position is switched around, I prefer to evade his attack rather than parrying it (especially his punch) because I know once I chose parrying over evading, that's would be the end of me.

Suddenly, I see an opening: specifically on the right side of his head. I immediately send my right leg to that spot, only to realise that his hand is aiming for my left cheek, which I left open.

I quickly put up my left arm. He's fast.

However, nothing hits my arm and in that moment, I also stop my leg, which almost touches his head.

Both of us stay that way for a moment, a very awkward one, before Rod breaks the ice. "Time is over." He says, "Let's go for cool down."

After we finish training and changing, I take my bag and walk home. That's when I spot Felicity standing near the school gate.

"Felicity?" I walk to her. "Are you… waiting for Neil?"

She seems to be surprised. Did I hit a bullseye?

"No."

Now I'm the one surprised. She continues, "I'm waiting for you."

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

Felicity shakes her head before giving me a watercolour painting of Neil in his karategi; I remember she did this sketch when I caught him watching at her.

"For you," she says. "This is my apology."

"Huh? Apology for what?"

"I know you like him," she replies. "Yet, I was still selfishly pursuing him. I'm sorry, Reine."

Whoa. Whoa.

"Hold on. I don't get what you're talking about."

Felicity sighs long. "Ever since junior high, you can always tell when someone likes someone," she says. "But apparently you're quite oblivious about it when it comes to you, no?"

She taps my shoulder. "Just to tell you one thing, when I drew this, he wasn't staring at me."

"Eh? If he didn't, why was he looking that way?"

Felicity gives me a 'duh' look and when I realise what she's hinting at, I feel the colour rises to my cheeks, but at the same time I'm puzzled.

Why did he tell me to go away?

Was it because I was kidnapped by some guys who held grudges against him?

That dummy…

Author's note: So, Reine mentioned about her blood boils when she heard Neil is called the "Prideless Lion". That's because there are several ways to read this nickname:

General: Lion is a reference to his superior power as well as his golden hair (that looks like an adult lion's mane)

1. Prideless lion is equivalent to lone wolf (a group of lions is called a pride) so, saying Neil is a prideless lion is just the same like saying he has no friend.

2. Prideless can be read as "no pride", referring to the karate club having no pride in having Neil as a member.

3. Prideless, by the definition, means that one having no pride in oneself. Remember Neil's initial disgust at his blond hair?

I hope this explains why Reine said "no matter how you read it" makes her blood boils.

Meanwhile, Reine's nickname: "Kicking Sakura", is pretty simple. "Kicking" is because her reliance on her kicks as her main offense. Sakura is a reference to her pink hair.

So, what step Reine will take next, now knowing that actually Neil doesn't have that sort of feelings for Felicity?

Stay tuned to find out!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter ^^