When I look at Tsuna and Kyoko, it just reminds me of how far I will be of being able to see many serious reviewers. It just annoys me to open the review section and see nonsensical reviews. Please comment more nicely. If you comment that this fanfic is crap that's worth shedding, tell me HOW it became crap. And if you think I'm being a demanding review-whore, ask the other serious writers in FF and they'll say the same thing. Yes, I'm mad :P Just kidding.
Never in my life had I realized that I have to consult my sister for a chapter! Darn, it just proves my worthlessness!
This fanfic is also the first time I'm taking on canon characters in a canon setting, without the drama getting all overbearing or people saying goodbye. What a mouthful! xP
~K27~
Since when do you come around
And the temperature's changed
Nothing's the same
Left me in yesterday
You don't see me that way touch me that way no more
And it gets so cold...
I'm not sure just how much longer I can hold.
-'Avalanche' by Marie Digby
~K27~
"Sawada-san!" I scream out as I hear the sound of gunfire.
And just like that, I return to reality.
I'm the only person standing there, looking at everyone and blinking quickly. This- this is the classroom. I look down at my chest. No blood. I look down at my desk to see any damage. Nothing at all. I look at the front and see the teacher gaping at me. From the seat at the right, I'm hearing Haru saying in loud whispers how I made a fool at myself.
I then notice Sawada-san looking at me weirdly in the front before looking down at his desk again. Most of the girls were sniggering as I sat down.
Oh gawd, I had been dreaming.
"S-so, what about Sawada-san, Sasagawa-san?" The teacher, asks kindly as he tries recovering from the shock, only making an addition to the bludgeoning humiliation I'm now experiencing.
"N-nothing... Umm... W-welcome to class, Sawada-san." I say, sheepishly. This was never my intention in the beginning! Oh my gawd, this is definitely the first time I fully embarrassed myself in front of forty-five students. I do a mental check to make this the only blunder I'll ever make. Dammit... good grace... this is also the real first time I'm swearing in my head!
"It's already third period, Sasagawa-san."
Everyone finally laughs. There were only four people who didn't. Unsurprisingly, he's with them. Many of the girls were already taunting me. Others just shake their head.
"Settle down everybody!" the teacher says calmly as he forces the students to just shut up. If there's a ticket out of this misery (as well as a way out of that person's indifference) the sensei might be the ticketeer or whatever. "If no one quiets down, I'll be handing a test sheet later."
Almost everyone didn't open his/her mouth. Mathematics this year is no easy feat to begin with.
"So... who wants to solve this formula?" he asks as each of my classmates waited with bated breath. I shoot my hand in the air for a chance of redemption. I know this formula! Sweet scent of Sanmyaku, pick me!
"Hmm... it seems as if two people have raised their hands." I look at my front to not see Gokudera-kun even bothering to lift a finger. He's now winking at me and giving a thumbs up. Who the heck is it then?
"But since it's Sawada-san's first day, won't you give him a chance, Sasagawa-san?"
That smug, cold, pompous, superficial %$^%!
My dreams are crushed. It's official. Not only did Sawada-san beat me for the first time in his first day, he also will make me news for those other girls to diss on.
But I smile at the teacher, before giving Sawada-san a nicely-done glower.
I'm definitely notlosing to the person who ruined my work schedule.
~K27~
Everyone became all talks by the time the teacher left as they steal more glances at Tsuna, some with burning envy, but many with pure admiration. Their shock at seeing Sawada-san's mathematical activities was enough to make them forget about the stunt I pulled. I could only look at Haru who kept telling me that never in her life did she dream Sawada-san could answer such formulas.
"I thought that the Octopus head was the smartest person in your class?"
"I can hear that!" Gokudera-kun shouts at the front row, where Sawada-san remained sitting in, bursting into laughter.
"Oh? You see that as a joke?" Haru replies, a little louder than Gokudera-kun and now turning around to face him head-on.
"K!" was his sarcastic reply, waiting for Haru to add another more cherry on the cake they were making.
"K then! See ya, Octopus Head!" With that, she gives him an f-bomb for good measure. He stops laughing at once. My reaction limits itself to just staring at Haru. She surprises me sometimes by mumbling profane words whenever with Gokudera-kun. "Honestly, did you ever see any guy look at me like that?" She then goes on to check her hair and takes from her pocket some lipgloss and dabs it to her lips like mad. "Like, since when?"
"Since now!" I hear Gokudera-kun say in the distance before giving a high-five to Yamamoto-kun. What the- I've never seen them that friendly before.
"Damn you!" screams Haru, just in time for break. Gokudera-kun, waving lazily files on with Sawada-san and Yamamoto-kun out of the door. The girls giggle when Sawada-san, hands on pockets, brushes them out of the way.
"So," she now asks by the time the only 'lunchbox veterans' remained. "What really happened since you kissed goodbye at the ship?" She looks at me with a smile, reminding me of the cute Haru that I've been together with for the past three years.
I didn't cry this time, since I made a mental check to explain things and somehow help her assess my dilemma, whatever that may be. I told her everything, even though it was embarrassing for her to know that I ruined the dress (which was Bianchi-san's, OMG), from the time I ran through the streets to Tsuna-kun-eh... Sawada-san asking my brother to try out for the boxing club.
"That's not a joke right?" asked Haru with the same dumbfounded look that I gave Sawada-san when we first met. "I mean... since going to Italy, how the hell did Tsuna-san get all superhuman like that?"
"And that attitude of his!" I now say out loud, surprised at myself for doing so.
"Okay... settle down everyone," says she, mimicking the teacher as she patted me to sit down. She now rested at the top of my desk. "But it can be possible, since Tsuna-san's my ex-husband's protégée..." she rubs her chin like some smart guy in a sci-fi flick.
"Reborn-chan?" I ask, incredulous. "What has he got to do with this?"
"Better yet," smirks Haru. "What has he got to do with everything? You can ask him if he knows why Tsuna-san's acting man-o-bizarro."
"Either way," I fold my arms. I might talk to Reborn-chan about that if I find him. "I'm not going to lose to a guy like that. He just makes me so... angry."
"Good god," said Haru, patting my head. "For me to see you angry is a gift from Tsuna-san. Now even I'm sure you're not a doll."
I grin. "Well, it is Home Economics this time around, right?" I say confidently. "There's no way I'm gonna lose to that jerk."
~K27~
Twenty minutes left.
The apron I had made is already stained with so much goo and sauce. I am so not gonna lose to that guy!
Fifteen minutes left.
Almost all of the class have already given up when they saw the competition. Well it was their fault since they 'forgot' about the quiz regarding making sweets. Sawada-san and the others from Italy were exempted, but predictably, that jerk asked that teacher if he can try. The swooning teacher let him.
I'm now currently putting the finishing touches on my tart. The strawberries are already being cut up and the sauce is being cooled for the finishing touches later.
Twelve minutes left.
Everyone gasps.
I look at his direction, and I realize that we were the only one competing- eh doing the test. All but Haru is cheering me on. I don't care anymore. Focus, Kyoko, focus! I then manage to finish cutting up the strawberries, each into two symmetrical pieces.
Five minutes left.
Slowly, carefully, I pour down the incarnadine sauce at my tart. This is it! Now for the strawberries to be put on top...
Three minutes left.
I'm still not done yet, dammit! Darn, focus, Kyoko, focus! This is definitely not the time to get panicky!
Fifty seconds left.
I'm now dusting the edible gold dust on the plate. The little dewdrops will come in later on.
Three seconds left.
Gawd, final touches...
Two... one...
"And- times up!" applauds our teacher as I hastily added another drop of sauce. "Who wants to go first?"
"Sawada!" choruses the class (with the exception of Haru and Gokudera-kun, who didn't say anything because he's too occupied lifting up a banner with 'Go Boss!' printed in peanut sauce). I bow my head in dismay. He totally won the class over.
When he gave his treat to the teacher, everyone marvelled at his work. I looked at it too. Goodness... I'm speechless.
There's this art- this creation of a glossed chocolate-covered sweet, dotted with cream on its peak and three chocolate DNA-like spindles on the sides, with shimmering blueberry... It's simple... simple but looks so delectable... the class now wants a piece of it.
Even sensei was amazed. He looked at Sawada-san, who nodded and stared on to see the reaction. Nodding, he slices of a piece, revealing a liquor-layered inside, and took a bite.
"Magnifique!" He yelled, before adding more French words not in the dictionary. "This... this Dijonaise au Chocolat, how did you-?"
He shrugs in reply. I want to scream at what kind of a glory-hugging prat he is, but I know it's because he's got the muscle to back up that big head. And for that teacher to be able to say French... will I even beat that?
"Let's taste then what Sasagawa-chan has made. Hmm... strawberry tart?"
Oh man, compared to Sawada-san's, mine's just a madeleine to his croquette.
But I continue walking, despite many people occasionally stealing glances at me and at Sawada-san, who's not even bothering to look at me. I then hand the tart to sensei, who pops a cut-up piece in his mouth.
"Hmm... strawberry right? Hmm... well, Sasagawa-chan, this is pretty advanced for your age but well, when it comes to Sawada's, his level is a little high for you to reach... by the way Sawada, you have a bright future in patisserie making. You want to apply for a scholarship?"
And just like that, everyone's eyes were on Tsuna. Handsome, perfect, big-headed Tsuna. He again simply shrugs.
"Sir, I don't think I deserve to be a pastry chef. I have another aspiration I want to do instead." He says in that cocky voice of his, bowing deeply. No way is that braggart showing humility! He's lying! Why can't they see that?
"Very well," sighs our teacher heavily. "Then chop-chop! Off you go or you'll be late for lunch!"
My legs are shaking in defeat as I made my way to clean my mess up. He's right there beside me, cleaning also his own. I look away and try to not look affected by another loss. What the hell's happening to me? I used to be ahead of my class but now... if this continues I will really fall.
But what comes up must come down, says Mother Gravity. But why now, when everything's settling down for me? When my life is turning for the better?
"I'll be off to lunch then." Sensei bid goodbye as he rushes in closing the door by the time we had been halfway-finished cleaning up.
We're now alone. It's more torture when he's not humiliating me and too preoccupied by his thoughts. It's like he's too... too distant and busy to even give a damn about me. Like what happened that night.
I'm not going to cry. This is not the time to become weak just because of that. I never cried when my parents separated, so why will I cry now at such a measly thing?
"Sasagawa-san." He then calls out of the blue, towering over me as I bend down and pick the teaspoon I had forgotten to put back.
"What?" I say, raising my voice higher, as I stand up and prepare my hands for a slapping treatment later. "You're gonna gloat that you've taken the hearts of my classmates and teachers just because you're faultily perfect? All right, you win!" I slam my hand hard on the tiled table, to only feel a sharp sensation of pain for not noticing the place my palm landed on had a jagged crack sticking out. "You take Math; you take all the Sciences; you even take Home Economics! Good for you!" I look at my left hand and to my horror saw a clean cut from the right side of my palm up to my thumb, but I brushed it aside. "You can take it all, but you're not gonna take my pride, No-Good Sawada- oh yeah- Flawless Sawada. Better yet, you're not gonna win me ever! I won't ever forget what you did to me that night."
Just like that, I run to the door and slam it behind me, my left hand throbbing at the wound.
He doesn't chase me.
~K27~
A day later, my hand surprisingly healed.
I took my chances and made a gamble. After class yesterday, I told onii-chan that I'll be quitting my job for a month for the sake of my studies. I will try not to lose to that person. When onii-chan asked me my reason, I told him that it's because I want to concentrate more on my dropping classes, which was half-truth, but still truth!
I then asked if there Sawada-san had made it to the club. Onii-chan merely pointed at his swollen right eye. That was enough for me to know he did.
The next day after that, the scar on my hand had already disappeared. I didn't know how, but somehow, the night before, there was this burning sensation that took over my body and probably helped my cut heal.
Like fire had visited me that night.
~K27~
Today is a new day.
Oh gawd, another day to be fighting my life limb and limb. I checked to stop myself from exaggerating. But I placed my bag on my shoulder and took a deep breath. I closed my eyes. This is it, Kyoko. Time to face this battleground, head-on. The enemy will soon join me. With that, I marched towards Namimori High.
"Congratulations, Sawada-kun."
"Yeah. Knocking out the boxing club captain is really something spectacular to see."
"We never thought Sawada was this strong."
"Super strong."
"And even beating Kyoko-san at recitation and at her no-fail subject Home Ec, that's awesome!"
"I wanted to taste Sawada's dessert."
"You should've given us that!"
By the time I walk to the classroom, I notice the enemy giving me steely-eyes as classmates flock about him and praise him for what happened yesterday. I then look on ahead and discuss with my ally- Haru about yesterday.
"Yeah. So I hear," confirmed ally #1 as she nodded her head earnestly. "But Kyoko-chan, that one's a tough entity to beat. You should've seen how he pummelled your brother! Thank goodness that Tsuna-san was merciful enough to only knock him out after a minute beating. Your brother was so happy (I'm even more amazed that he never gets mad) that he let Tsuna-san join in the West-East Japan Amateur Championship next week!" From the corner of my eye I saw the enemy looking away from Gokudera-kun who, in his original seat was jovially tutoring a classmate in Math. He then stuffs his hands again in his pockets, rises from his seat, and walking out of the door making a 'cool', braggy exit from the crowd who broke into applause.
"That person's still human, duh." I said matter-of-factly. "He must have a useless asset somewhere and I'm hoping to explore that weakness of his, no matter what."
"Attention, everybody!" I heard the speakers blare again. The students immediately fell into deafening silence as they anticipated another Principal kick-out. Since Reborn-chan became Head, the school has... erm... became much... lawful than ever. There were many rules and even breaking one, small or big would result to class disqualification. Disqualification meant less school allowance (since going up a section meant more moolah) and since money makes the world go round, no one wants to go. (It's pretty obvious from whom the money came from. Clue: That person owns an ocean liner.)
"This is your school president speaking. Yamamoto in the haus!"
Ever since he became president, Yamamoto-kun became prone to 'breaking it down' to slang whenever he has a microphone on.
"This is a decree from our beloved principal. Starting tomorrow, all clubs, except the Discipline committee and the Baseball club will be competing in an Amateur League Inter-High Baseball contest. Only those who joined the unsaid clubs can compete."
Everyone immediately goes into an uproar. All eyes are on Tsuna-kun. They're expecting another win from him.
"Yes-yes! Even those from the Student Council will join like myself! Isn't it fun? Let's break it down, everybody! Yo! Yo! Yo!"
Wait... everyone from the Student Council? What about if...
"But-" growls Gokudera-kun as he glares at everyone as he makes finishing scribbles on his 'student's' homework. "Who the hell here is the representative of baseball nut?"
Everyone points at the same direction.
They're all pointing at me. Two people here currently in this classroom had signed up for clubs.
He shots me an icy stare. I return an icier grimace.
The fight is on.
~K27~
I'm annoyed. I finished this chappie quickly. The thing I wanted to happen didn't happen. This is supposed to be an action-packed chapter. It fell short. Don't worry. By the time I upload one (probably next year :P) it'll probably be more updated with action. Plus, I'm gonna ask a Yamamoto accompanying me in Pampanga about the sport. No romance? Let's just see...
Next chapter: Sawada-san, get ready to eat my dirt.