Red Roses: Goededag, my readers/friends. Hope you guys weren't disappointed of the last chapter. If you weren't, yay~ If you were, I'll make it up to you. Promise.

To my faithful readerz (yes I said readerz)

Light27: I'm glad you started uploading stories again and I look forward to each and every one of them. I really wanted to use Katou and Shinpei's rivalry in my story and this was fun.

LightSpeed Athlete24: You've asked some very smart questions and I will answer each and every one (this will be pretty long). I'm actually a fan of BossuHime so I'd love to include that.
Since Hibiki is technically Shinako's servant, it was considered taboo for employers and employees to date in feudal Japan (plus, dating Hibiki would be like dating her brother).
Despite Harumi's interest in KatouShina, she has respect for Shinako's personal life (she's actually a little bit based on a friend of mine).
Anyway, I hope this chapter will lighten up your spirits in KatouShina.

CherryPop0120: Thank you for your kind words! Call me weird but I kinda like it when guys get jealous, makes them so adorable. :)

Late Bloomers: Yea, I'd think some people would have expected Hibiki but to Shinako, that be like dating your brother...ew. Hmmm... someone for Hibiki...never quite thought about that.

YamadaHikari: Well, I hope this chapter will make up for the last chapter. Harumi may be little KatouShina crazy but she does have her limits. Plus, she may know more than you think...hehe. Nothing makes a day better than a jealous ninja and a clueless president :)

Thank you all for your kinds words and encouragement. With that, His Yin and Her Yang shall go on.

Now, the disclaimer.

Hibiki: Red Roses does not own Sket Dance. This fanfic is the next best thing for her, apparently.

Red Roses: The hurtful truth!


The time passed by for the second year students as they enjoy their recess. The students laughed and chatted along while a few were catching up on their work. Among them was Shinako filling the paperwork for the Health Committee.

"Why must be stuck with this? Isn't this Takeshida-sensei's job?" She sighed and she felt her hand ached from the constant writing. After the torturous labor, Shinako stretched her arms over her head, easing her muscles for the day. The day was tiring for the young maiden samurai.

School was not as enjoyable as Shinako recalled anymore. Lately, rumors of she and Shinpei dating have started escalating to even the teachers. Even Takeshida-sensei questioned her about it, though only because he had no idea who was Shinpei in the first place.

To add bitter sprinkles to the sour ice-cream, Katou has reached a new level of annoyance for Shinako. Out of nowhere, he would glare at her behind her back and growled insults at her with irritation in his tone. Sure, he has been doing so since her first day here but it seems to have taken a new step. What's even weirder that he seems to treat Shinpei the same way as well, despite the fact they rarely even look at each other eye-to-eye.

"Katou-kun, is this yours?" Shinako overheard Fumi's voice calling to the white-haired ninja. She turned to see the aspiring mangaka holding a phone strap with a mini samurai figure. On closer inspection, Shinako stared at it as though it looked somewhat familiar. She assumed it was from a popular anime but she can't quite her finger on it.

"Of course not." the white-haired boy replied. "Why would you think it was mine?"

"We heard you like period dramas."

"Plus we know you're a ninja." Fumi added in.

Katou let out a sound of discontent, albeit embarrassed as his so called secret identity was revealed.

"As if it was a secret, you idiot" Shinako said to the slightly embarrassed ninja. "With you jumping around the whole school, you have to be blind to not see you're a ninja."

The charcoal-eyed boy glared heatedly at his female rival which elicited a slightly cocky smirk.

"I may like period dramas and I may be a ninja but that is not mine." Katou clarified clearly. "Have you thought of the other guy?"

"Huh?" Fumi looked at him, confusedly.

"There's another one, you know. A period drama fan, I mean."

Katou then pointed to the male samurai leaning against the classroom wall.

Fumi approached Shinpei with the phone strap in hand. "Is this yours, Shinpei-kun?"

Shinpei blushed embarrassedly as he took the strap from the young mangaka. Now Shinako recalled where she saw the samurai figure before. She saw it dangling on Shinpei's cellphone on their last outing together.

"Thank you," he thanked her as he reattached the strap onto his phone.

"Oh, now I remember! Isn't that the samurai from the anime Shinzou-kun told me about?" Shinako asked her childhood friend as she took a closer look of the small figurine.

"Yea, it's pretty good."

"Hmph, an anime?" Katou smirked arrogantly to which struck a cord with Shinpei. A bad one.

"You've got something to say, Katou? Huh?" Shinpei questioned angrily at the ninja.

"No. You got a problem with that?" the ninja questioned back just as mean.

Soon, things started escalating as the words turned rougher and glares turned more deadly. The atmosphere got too thick for Shinako as she step back to where her two female classmates were.

"Were they always like this?" Shinako asked the girls, watching the boys exchange not-so pleasant words. Everyone in class knew when to stay away when two of the most athletic students of the class start to clash violently.

Fumi answered with a nod. "Even before you came, they were at it like hammers and tongs"

"Really? Katou just can't get along with any samurai" Shinko silently added the last words in her head as she watched the scene unfold.

While the girls were talking, the boys' took a weird turn from anime and period dramas to their most respected idols. Despite their differences in the path they have chosen, the two boys had obviously more in common than they would ever admit.

"My honourable brother is the person I respect the most," Shinpei said, his brows furrowed. "And looks who always talk about his beloved president."

"He is the person I respect the most," Katou countered back. "If you dare make fun of him, I 'll kill you."

Then, Shinpei's expression suddenly turned smug. Shinako and Katou looked on confusedly, wondering what does the young brown-haired samurai have under his sleeve.

"Did you know? My honourable brother beat Tsubaki-san in the Gachinko Vivage battle." Shinpei boasted proudly as he remarked how amazing his older brother was. Katou and Shinako were still considered new students in Kaimei High School and obviously did not hear about that odd day.

Needless to say, Katou and Shinako were flabbergasted. They were stunned speechless for a while until Shinako snapped from her shock and looked to Shinpei with bright brown eyes.

"Are you serious, Shinpei-kun? Shinzou-kun actually defeated Tsubaki-sama?"

Shinpei smiled proudly at her. "That's right, Shinako."

"Kuh..." Katou was still shocked from the news until he broke out of the shock and yelled out to the two samurais.

"That has nothing to do with this!" He yelled out in fury as he readied his weapon. "Do you want to fight?! It's a showdown!"

"Guys, you can't fight in class!" Shinako tried to remind them of school rules but by the way they simply ignored her and continued to glare venomously at each other told her they weren't listening. "Will you two quit it?!"


"Why must something like this always happen?" Shinako sighed as she walked down the corridor with documents in hand. Takeshida sent her to do another staff room run while he's sleeping at who knows where.

Other than that, she also worried for Shinpei. Earlier that day, he seemed to be conflicted with inner emotions and when she asked him about it, he simply told her he was heading to the Sket-Dan club room after school for a request. She'd like to come along if it weren't for her fear of a certain demon bird.

Then, on her way to the staffroom, she saw a familiar samurai standing alone at the end of the corridor. He seemed to be talking nervously to... himself.

"Shinzou-kun," she called out to him, grabbing his attention. "What are you doing?"

When Shinzou saw his childhood friend more clearer, he let out a big grin as he waved excitedly to her. The older samurai was particularly in high spirits and his cheery grin was rather infectious as Shinako couldn't resist returning a smile.

"Ah, Shinako-chan, it has been long since we last meet."

"Why were you talking to yourself a moment ago?" Shinako asked confusedly.

Shinzou laughed sheepishly. "I was practicing to talk with a lady I've been courting for a while now"

"Oh, how wonderful!" Shinako cheered for her friend with a clap of her hands. "What is she like?"

"Oh, she is as beautiful as a Sun setting! Beautiful light hair and a wonderful personality! Truly magnificent!" Shinzou swooned as he proceed to sing wonderful praises about his sweetheart.

"I'm very happy for you, Shinzou-kun" Shinako smiled when she saw how love struck the older samurai was.

"And she has such exquisite taste" he added to which Shinako raised her brow at.

"What do you mean?" the ebony-haired girl questioned.

"Only beautiful and expensive jewelery would befit her taste. Only the best would suit her."

"And she makes you pay for them?" Shinako asked suspiciously.

When Shinzou nodded, Shinako had a bad feeling that this relationship was actually rather one-sided. She knew Shinzou was an honest and earnest man and many would love to take advantage of that. She wondered if this girl was doing the same to her lovesick friend.

"Sinzou-kun, where is this girl from?"

"Tachikawa High"

That name struck a cord with her when she remembered all of the terrible rumours with the students of that school.

"Excuse me, I need to leave" Shinako excused herself as she speedwalk the other way, leaving a confused samurai.


Shinako shivered slightly in her shoes as she stood in front of the Sket-Dan club room. She couldn't help but picture that demon just lying about lazily but ready to strike her, its soulless eyes waiting for its prey to reveal herself. The black-haired samurai shook her desperately to rid her mind of the horrific image.

"Come on, this is for Shinpei-kun and Shinzou-kun" she mentally cheered herself.

Shinako took a deep breath and she slide opened the door, revealing herself to the three members...with their mascot sitting idly by at the corner.

"Shinako-chan, how nice to see you again" Himeko greeted her junior sweetly while the two boys looked on in surprise.

"It's rare to see you here" Bossun commented.

"I believe this is the only second time she's been in this room" Switch said, through his computer as usual.

Shinako, however, wasn't listening to the three chattering club members as she staring face-face to her worst nightmare, right into its big, round, unblinking eyes.

"Woo?"

And with that, Shinako's composure snapped like a twig under a hiker's foot. Her face paled under the small owl's stare as her confident shattered and her fear immediately rushed into her system.

"EEEEEEIIIII!" Shinako screeched as she hid behind the door in panic.

"Shinako-chan?!"

"Keep that demon bird away from me!"

"Now, I remember why she doesn't come here often."

"This is not the time, Switch!"

"Quick, hide Housuke!"


"I'm truly sorry for my inconvenience" Shinako bowed her head, guilty of her shameful act moments ago.

The Sket-Dan decided to hide Housuke under a blanket. It was ridiculously simple but Shinako was able to calm down, not having to meet the bird's eyes.

"So, what brings you here?"

"I was wondering if Shinpei-kun might have come by this club room earlier today" Shinako asked them.

"He did, actually. He was here because he was worried about his brother" Bossun answered to which Shinako smiled at his response. She'd have guess it was because of the older samurai would Shinpei come here for a request.

"Was it about the girl Shinzou-kun has been seeing?"

"How did you know?"

"I've met with Shinzou-kun before I came here. He told me about this girl and I don't like how he is spending so much money on a girl he'd just met," Shinako said sullenly. "I don't think this girl could be trusted."

The Sket-Dan saw how worried Shinako was for her dear friend and they decided to tell her everything they know, including the scam on Tsubaki.

"What?! They're even scamming poor Tsubaki-sama?!" Shinako raised her fist in anger, her usually serene eyes flaring with burning hate. "Those Tachi High scums will pay dearly."

"Wait, Shinako-chan" Himeko held Sinako's fist gently. "I know how you feel but Shinpei and Katou are already on their way there."

"Shinpei-kun...and Katou?" Shinako muttered as she lowered her clenched fist. "That would definitely be a deadly combination. I just hope those two know what they're doing."

"Shinako-chan, what are those stack of papers?" Bossun suddenly questioned, pointing to the stack of papers Shinako has been holding the whole time.

"Oh no! I was supposed to sent this to the staff room!" Shinako panicked as she left the room in a rush, leaving a cloud of dust in her place.


"What the hell are you doing here?"

"That's my line. Go home."

Not one minute after they met, the male samurai and ninja has already begun their pointless bickering. Even in an intense situation, the two could not calm the burning rivalry between them.

"No, you go home and practice your fake ninjutsu."

"Oh, you wanna pick a fight with me? Bring it on."

The gang leader was getting impatient. "Oi, what the hell are you guys doing here?!"

The girl heavily caked with make up was more observant than her male companions. "They're wearing the Kaimei uniform." she noticed the uniform the two intruders were sporting.

"Weren't your latest targets from Kaimei?" one of the boys asked.

"Yea, but it was a weird samurai guy and a guy is really long eyelashes."

That was enough confirmation for Katou and Shinpei that these students were the ones scamming their seniors. This information fueled their urge to avenge their deceived idols as they prepare to released their anger.

"It seems our purpose is the same," Shinpei said as he readies his weapon. "But it doesn't mean I'm gonna cooperate with you."

"Fine by me. I'll settle this alone." Katou said.

As the Kaimei boys ready their weapons, the gang leader smirked in their direction while the girl giggled smugly.

"How nice but this sort of things usually happens to us. So," with a snap of his fingers, a group of thugs surround the samurai and ninja, blocking their escape. "Luckily, we hired some help."

"Tch"

Katou and Shinpei stood their ground as the armed thugs got ever closer to them. But even in situations like this, the boys can't exchange any pleasantries between each other.

"Katou, we're surrounded."

"I can tell!" the snow-haired freshman barked at his classmate.

Shinpei ignored the obvious sour attitude in Katou's reply and, without looking in the ninja's direction, continued to talk.

"My brother is a serious and honest man. That is his biggest weakness but it also what I admire most about him." Shinpei spoke honestly as he kept his eye on his advancing opponents. "These jerks took advantage of his kindness and to me, that is unforgivable."

As much as Katou hate to admit it, he can relate to what the samurai was saying. He admired Tsubaki for the very same reason and to see him deceived by these shameless punks makes his blood boil.

"In order not to hurt him, I will settle this here and now so he won't ever have to find out." Finally, Shinpei looked over his shoulder to the silent ninja. "It's the same for you, right?"

"...Hmph" Katou readied his shurikens and yelled out "That's exactly what I planned to do here!" He needed to do whatever it takes to protect the very man Katou swore to serve and protect, even if it means cooperating with his own rival.

"I'll leave that side to you, Katou!"

With that, the battle begun. Though as hard as they did their best, it was still rather one-sided as the Tachi High thugs went down one by one while Shinpei and Katou wasn't even breaking a sweat beating them down. Soon, the ones left standing was the two victors and the frightened girl who started the whole mess.

"Don't mess with the Kaimei students." Katou warned venomously as the shivering girl stuttered out an apology.

It was a silent walk back home as the Kaimei boys walked alongside each other down the road. The two refused to walk with each other as they both know their conversation could easily turn bad at any moment. Then, Shinpei took a brave chance and broke the long silence between the fighters.

"We're not dating."

This caught Katou by surprise as he stopped in his tracks. "What?"

"Shinako and I," he clarified clearly, his dark eyes never wavered as he looked straight as his worthy adversary. "We're not dating. We never were."

Katou stood silently in place for a while. Katou looked to the young samurai beside, looking for any sign of deceit from the samurai. When Katou saw the unwavering seriousness in Shinpei's he knew the samurai spoke nothing but the truth.

Katou quickly frowned as he let out a low grunt, trying to sound uninterested as he started walking again, ignoring the brown-haired freshman. "Why should I care? That has nothing to do with me."

Shinpei discreetly rolled his eyes before continuing walking alongside the ninja. The young samurai was satisfied enough that the small misunderstanding was out and clear between them.


"You guys fought them all?" Shinako asked her two male classmates as they stood next to each other. The pale samurai was curious to know of the battle that occured the other day.

"They weren't so tough. They're just a bunch of weaklings," Katou answered nonchalantly, proving how relax he was about the battle.

Shinako sighed exasperatedly but yet a soft smile graced her relieved face as she looked to the two strongest freshmen. "At least you're unhurt."

Now, you'd think she meant Shinpei but by the way she looking at both boys, it is unsure who did she meant.

"And you guys seem to be fighting less often," Shinako noted, happy she won't have to worry about anymore fights in class. "You seems to be good friends now."

"As if I'd be friends with this fake samurai."

"I could say the same thing, worthless ninja."

"So much for that."


Red Roses: this update was a little late. I apologize and hopefully all you are happily spending a wonderful Chinese New Year. To all my readers, Chinese or not, I wish you a prosperous new year. :)