Cameo appearance of Natalie (IoH and Sunshine Islands), Ann and Gray (FoMT and MFoMT) ^^

This chapter is rather... long, but I hope you will enjoy it!

Reine

At last the day of the competition comes. All of us gather at school first before departing for the stadium where the competition is going to be held.

"Good luck, Reine," Gwen says.

"Thanks, Gwen."

I have made up my mind. Before I get into the bus, I walk towards Neil who, as always, is together with Rod as if they're Siamese twins.

Neil frowns as he sees me. "Go—"

"Before you tell me to go away," I cut him short quickly. "I want to tell you something and you will listen."

He nods. Good.

"If you're so afraid you can't protect me from those guys, I will prove to you I can do it on my own."

His eyes widened in shock. "If… if I win a gold medal today, will you consider it?"

He clears his throat. "Why?" he asks. "Why is this so important to you?"

"You said it yourself: this is important to me. For me, that's enough reason to do it."

After saying that, I turn my back before giving him a chance to say anything else.

Neil

"As expected from her, no?"

"Shut up, Rod."

"So… what will Mister Neil Forrester do?" he says in a half-mocking tone. "Keep denying his own feelings like a coward or step up to the challenge?"

"What's the probability of her getting a gold?" I ask, out of curiosity.

"Quite high, especially with her back somersault kick."

Oh, yeah, that one. That's her speciality: an exceptionally strong upward kick that Reine will employ as a finishing move. She will run towards her opponent and do a swift back somersault while hitting her opponent in the process, sending them flying to the air before crashing onto the ground. Even Iroha fell victim to this technique despite her trying to parry it.

No one denies that Reine has the strongest kick in the club: maybe her kicks is even stronger than some of the male karatekas. To think that her back somersault kick has so much power despite its movement that defies gravity force… I wonder how many times stronger it will be if she does a somersault kick instead.

"Have you ever got hit by it?" Rod asks.

"Nope."

"Do you want to try it?"

"Don't make it sounds like it's food."

Rod laughs. "So, how?"

"What?"

"Her bet."

Frankly speaking, I don't know how to answer it.

The round-robin phase for both male and female competition are being held simultaneously. Reine easily makes her way to the main elimination round with her record of 5 wins and no loss.

"She's terrifying…" I hear someone says when I'm looking at the board for the results. "Have you seen her last move?"

"That kick? Yeah, I wouldn't want to get hit by it."

"No wonder she's called the Kicking Sakura."

"I wonder who is stronger: her or Natalie Taro."

Oh, I know that girl: Natalie Taro, famous for her somersault kick which is basically the reverse of Reine's technique.

They will make an interesting match.

Suddenly, Rod put his arm around me, "Congrats for making it to the elimination round!" He says, pointing at my name. "You pass with pristine record!"

"Don't talk as if you don't do it as well."

Rod, too, managed to win all his matches during the round robin. He laughs, "I hope we won't meet each other."

Reine

When I realise it, I'm already at the semi-final. Two more matches and I will prove to him that I can defend myself just alright.

But the thing is, my left ankle has been acting weird since the last match. It's been hurting every time I step on it.

Two more matches, I tell myself. Just two more…

Just like any other matches, I salute my opponent, Ann Doughson before we start fighting. She is fast and her movement is light. However, she seems to be reluctant to be on the offensive.

I feel a shooting pain on my left ankle.

Shit. I have to finish this quick.

Without further ado, I breach her defence and execute my finishing move, the back somersault kick, and it does knock her out. However, when I land on my feet, I feel that pain again.

"The winner is Reine Kreiss from Seishun High School!"

I walk to the side of the court, and I decide to look at my ankle. It's a bit swollen and red.

Okay, I guess it's officially a sprained ankle.

But, I only need to win the final.

I can't stop now.

Neil

Female final is conducted first, with Reine and Natalie as the contenders.

There seems to be something… wrong with Reine.

The match is started and both of them fight almost equally. Reine seems to be struggling to keep her balance although she manages to keep up with Natalie.

Suddenly, Natalie executes her signature move, the somersault kick. Reine responds with her signature moves as well and their legs interlock at the ankles mid-air with a loud shouting from both girls. Both are struggling to knock the other down.

Then, Reine crashes to the ground, the bottom part of her karategi is flipped up, uncovering her severely swollen ankle.

What the…

"God!" some of the girls cry.

"The winner is Natalie Taro from Hakugi High School!"

There is a loud applause from the audience.

Even from my place, I can see her crying.

Iroha rushes up to her and bring her to the nearest bench, where the girls are immediately crowding around her.

I can feel a nudge on my shoulder. "Just go and talk to her before your match start." Rod says. "You know why she pushes herself this hard."

I take a deep breath and walk towards the bench.

Reine

Iroha fastens the bandage around my ankle. "Is it too tight?"

I shake my head. "Thanks, Iroha."

She smiles, "It's a good fight."

That doesn't stop my tears from flowing. I put my head between my folded knees and let the tears pour out. I can feel some of the girls try to console me by patting my shoulder or hugging me.

They don't know.

I have failed. I can't prove it to him.

Suddenly, I feel they are pulling away. Oh, well, it's not like I'm asking to be hugged or whatever.

"Does it hurt so much?"

I lift up my head upon hearing that voice. It's him; his eyes staring down at me.

Frankly speaking, I don't know whether it's my ankle or my chest that hurts more.

He strokes my head gently. "You're such a crybaby, aren't you?"

"I was so close…"

"Listen, about what we talked about earlier…"

"Neil Forrester from Seishun High School!"

I see Rod is running towards us. "Neil, it's your turn!"

"Shit!" he grunts before he turns again at me. "Listen, I will only say this once. I like you, so you'd better watch this match, because I'm going to get that gold medal!"

"I don't want the gold medal!"

"I'm not finished!" he says hurriedly. "I'll get that gold medal and prove to… okay, my coward self, that I can—and I will—protect you. So you better watch!"

I can't hold the blood rushing to my cheeks, stopping my tears altogether.

Is this for real?

But, his opponent is none other than Gray Black, the runner-up of last year National Championship…

Neil

I have to get through this.

But this guy is the one who has defeated Rod.

No, I have to defeat him. I can do that.

By now, we have exchanged at least fifteen blows, but he doesn't show any sign of fatigue.

I can feel my body is getting weaker. His punches deal more and more damage to me now.

Shit. I have to put some distance between us. But then, how will I strike him?

Then, an idea strikes my mind.

I will place my bet on it.

I propel myself forward and launch both my legs forward: doing a back somersault.

I hit his abdomen.

"The winner is… Neil Forrester from Seishun High School!"

The crowd erupts in a loud applause while I'm standing in disbelief.

I won against Black?

After the salute, he extends his hand. "It was a good fight. I'm looking forward to meet you again."

I take his hand, and this time I can feel myself smiling. "Same for you."

Rod hits my shoulder after the prize giving, "Congrats!"

"Thanks,"

"But I'd never thought you'd resort to your legs." Rod says before he gives a teasing smile, "and using her signature technique."

Reine comes up to me, hopping on her good leg, with her silver medal around her neck. "You stole my technique."

"Oh, shut up." I say. "That's the only thing I could think off that moment. I saw you doing that so many times that I remember the steps."

"It's getting hotter here. I'm going to excuse myself." Rod says before he wanders off. "Bye~"

That guy.

"So?" she asks. "What are we, now?"

"Frankly, I don't know a thing about dating stuff." I tell her. "I don't know what being a boyfriend means, but I know that I want to be with you, to be someone you can depend on… so, yeah…"

Her cheeks turn into pinkish hue as she breaks into a smile. "That's good enough for me."

That moment, I know I'm doing the right thing.

She has that ability to make even the most abstract thing sounds so simple, or in her words, sensible.

I can't help but smile. "Thanks, Reine."

Reine

Rod gets me a pair of crutches after the celebration dinner, and now Neil is walking me home. I try my best to keep up with his pace.

TRAK! TRAK! TRAK!

He's getting farther away.

TRAK! TRAK! TRAK!

"Dammit!" I grunt. "I hate this!"

"Consider that as a training for your arms." Neil says as he turns around. "You've always been so reliant on your legs, no?"

He has a point.

But that doesn't change a fact that I move annoyingly sloooooooooow.

Neil moves back and walks beside me, making sure that our step is of the same breadth. "So now I'm dating a turtle?"

"Rather than calling your new girlfriend a turtle, do something more meaningful!"

"I'm carrying your bag."

Oh, well, that's true. "That still doesn't give you the right to call me a turtle."

"A kangaroo?" Neil says teasingly, "Nah, their jump is much longer."

"Oh, shut up!"

We part ways in front of my house. "Uh, thanks for walking me home."

"You're welcome, crybaby."

Great. After turtle, now crybaby.

"It was because of you!" I growl. "You are a dummy!"

He laughs and turns back, waving his hand as he walks away.

I'd never knew he can be this annoying. But, oh well, he's adorably annoying. I guess I can put up with that.

After a long talk with my parents (and Mom worrying over my ankle), I go into my room, which I share with Gwen.

That reminds me. Tina was at the competition as well as the dinner, where people had been teasing me and Neil (especially the new first years who doesn't seem to be afraid of him now, which is good). "Oh, Gwen, before Seishun Flash put it on, I'll just tell you."

"What?"

"I'm dating Neil."

She holds her breath and her eyes widen. "Are you serious?"

Seems like Neil and Reine will have to face some... more challenges. But at least now they have each other to face it with ^^

How was the chapter? I hope you enjoy it! ^^

Note: This is not the last chapter yet~ I hope you don't mind :)