A/N: Don't own.

"-toko! Kotoko!"

The girl's attention was drawn from the outline for the essay which had been assigned earlier that day. Irritated not only because her thoughts had been interrupted but also because of the one with the loud voice, she snapped, "What is it now, Ikezawa?"

"It's Kin-chan, babe."

"I'm not your–never mind. You won't listen any more this time than before." She sighed, "What is so important that you have to bellow across the room?"

He grinned at her. "The annual Fall Sports Festival will be here soon. Class F has to prepare so that we can provide the usual clobberin' on those stuck-up nerds in Class A and B."

Kotoko turned to Satomi. "Translation, please?"

"Well," she began, "you know that we have no chance at beating them in academics."

"So," Jinko broke in, "Kin-chan uses this time to nag us all into really trying our best with the athletics."

Satomi scowled. "He can be an annoying dictator, too. And pushy as all get-out."

"Yeah, he sets up practice sessions and fusses at those who don't show up."

"No matter how much he fusses at me, he is doomed to disappointment," Kotoko declared.

"Oi!" the subject of their conversation broke in, "pay attention to the Class Festival Rep. And that's me, in case ya didn't know." His smirk in Kotoko's direction almost morphed into a leer.

"Very well," she replied. "What are the activities from which we choose?"

"Nuh-uh!" He shook his head and poked his chest with one thumb. "I'm in charge so I assign you guys."

"See what we mean about a dictator?" Jinko hissed.

Kotoko made a wry face. "Then, what events am I down for?"

"The 400-meter mixed relay and the scavenger hunt."

"Running I will agree to, as it is a valid form of exercise. Take me off the scavenger hunt. There is no purpose for such an event."

"No can do. All the slots are full," he informed her smugly.

"Really?" She stalked to the front of the classroom and snatched the paper from his hands and perused it. "You are incorrect." She swiped his pen, marked through her name for the unwanted assignment and wrote it on another line. "I will participate in the martial arts demonstration."

"No!" he howled. "You can't do that. It's not a real competition, so we don't get as many points."

"Nevertheless, that is my choice."

"But I'm the boss…uh, the class chair!"

She narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice. "And you are on your last warning with Principal Sakai. Do you want me to tell her that you are making me…uncomfortable?"

He blanched and swallowed hard. "No need for that. Martial arts it is. Say," his face lit up, "I think I'll do that, too."

"So much for the argument about lower points," Jinko muttered to Satomi.

"I know, and…wait a minute." She waved her hand in the air to get his attention. "Each of us is only allowed two events. That would make your third, so you'll have to drop one of the others."

"Good one, Satomi!" Her friend praised her in a whisper. "Way to get him off-balance."

While Jinko was congratulating her, Gintaro tugged on Kinnosuke's arm. "Hey, Kin, remember you wanted those two races because–"

His sentence was cut off when the other slapped his hand over his mouth. "Keep it down, you," he whispered. "It's supposed to be a surprise. On second thought," he announced in his usual volume, "I gotta help our class win the whole shebang. But I'm available if ya need any coaching, Kotoko."

"I think I'll be fine," she replied with a half smile before she began to return to her seat.

"C'mon, ya don't know what you're missing." Once more his mediocre poses were displayed.

She cocked an eyebrow and challenged, "Do you really want to go head-to-head with me–again?"

Several snickers were quite audible.

"Hey, anyone can make a lucky shot," he protested to the room.

The volume of laughter increased when she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Barely controlling his ire, he made another attempt to get near her. "Okay, then, well, race practice is every morning, an hour before school starts. From now until the Festival."

"Fine," she was unperturbed, "I won't be there."

"Huh?" He goggled.

"Yeah!" Others joined in. "That's way too much time."

"And way too early."

"So what if we don't win first place? It's great just to have a break from lessons."

"But– But–" Kinnosuke watched his carefully constructed plans go down in flames, as nothing he said could convince any of them–including Gintaro and Dozo–to arrive early for the next three weeks.

"So, Kotoko, martial arts?" Jinko asked, laughing, "Do you know any?"

"Really?" Satomi snorted. "The memory of how she put Kin-chan on the ground at the beginning of summer is one of my top ten."

"I know, but this is judged on how well you perform the movements." She elucidated for Kotoko. "Our class usually doesn't even try with this event, since the upper level classes have most of the rich kids who can afford expensive lessons and lots of practice sessions."

"As I told our 'illustrious leader', I'll be fine," she replied.

Afterwards, once Kinnosuke cooled down from the blatant disrespect he had been shown, he espied an illusory positive to the situation. At least, he thought triumphantly, she'll see that Irie bastard choking on my dust as I breeze past him–twice! That'll make her stand up and pay attention!

"Ma," Naoki shook his head, "you have not attended any of my sports festivals since middle school. What gives?"

"Onii-chan, such slang," she chided. "And obviously, it is because this is our dear Kotoko-chan's first festival here. Why would I not support her?"

"Support–? Ma, please tell me that you're not going to go all-out with a cheering section again?" he asked with an agonized expression.

"And what if I am? Our girl deserves to know that her family is behind her."

"Yeah, Onii-chan!" Yuuki was bouncing around as if he had chugged a two-liter bottle of caffeinated soda. "She's going to be showing off her form with katas. She's been letting me practice with her and says I show great pont-shell."

"Potential, Yuuki-kun." Kotoko entered the room. "You have memorized the movements, and now we just need to work on your fluidity."

"Martial arts, Kotoko? Showing off a bit? Risky."

She snorted. "I'd rather take a risk than participate in an imbecilic scavenger hunt."

Naoki winced. "I saw they trotted out that antique again."

"The idiot-in-charge thought he could tell me what events I was doing." She shrugged and revealed, "I decided to mollify him a bit by staying with the mixed relay."

"Indeed?" He grinned. "I'm in that also."

"Ooh," Mrs. Irie gasped, eyes gleaming. "A bit of family rivalry. I will need some extra poster board. And I'm running low on paint."

"Now you've done it," Naoki said drily.

"Don't blame me. You're the one who told her."

"Are you guys running against each other?" Yuuki enquired eagerly.

Mrs. Irie snapped out of her mental list-making. "That would make it even more exciting. I must make sure that both Papa and Ai-kun have cameras to catch all the action."

"Our fathers will be there?" Naoki slapped his forehead.

"Oh, yes, and Yuuki-kun is looking forward to attending as well." She patted the boy's cheek dotingly. "He's so smart like his big brother that it won't hurt him to miss a day of school."

"Kotoko, I apologize for the chaos that day is going to bring."

She waved it off. "As long as she is having fun. And, Yuuki-kun, I am in the third leg of the race." She grimaced. "I have to put the baton in that dolt's sweaty hand."

"So it's him and me in the final lap." Naoki mused, "I wonder if he planned it that way."

Kotoko cocked her head. "Why would he?"

Yuuki cleared his throat. "Onee-chan, you may not have noticed, but the baka isn't too tightly wrapped."

"Believe me," she sighed, "I've noticed."