Competition
The cheerful sound of her laugh fills the air, earning immediately the curious glances of a couple of girls standing not far away from her.
One scowls at the sight of the burgundy haired girl laughing so carefree at their silly friend's anecdotes, envy running through her body; the other simply groans and rolls her eyes bothered by it.
The groan causes the other girl to turn around and look at her, bright blue meeting deep magenta. They squint at one another challengingly while another girl can't help but notice this exchange of gazes from afar, amused at it.
This is going to be fun~
She thinks to herself, a mischievous smirk taking over her features as she thinks about a plan to help her friends, especially her sub-unit mate, to win the burgundy haired girl's heart. Suddenly, an idea pops into her mind.
She walks closer to the blue haired girl and the grayish-brown haired girl with an innocent smile playing on her lips.
- Soooo I've just noticed something rather interesting – she says mysteriously, earning herself the attentive gazes of both of the girls – You two seem to be fighting for the same girl!
She ends up saying cheerfully, clapping while the girls gasp upon have been discovered yet stay quiet, one blushing furiously while the other processes her words.
- W-what!? No! W-we aren't fighting for Riko! – Yoshiko sputters, facepalming herself as soon as she realizes of the words that came involuntarily out of her mouth, before groaning upon seeing Mari's sly smirk.
- Oh, I've never said it was Riko – Mari says slyly, making Yoshiko groan once again.
- Y-Yoshiko-chan!? – You exclaims wide-eyed as she finally comes to the realization of everything, looking at Yoshiko who just looks away embarrassed.
- W-whatever.
The younger girl mumbles and Mari can only giggle amused at their exchange.
- So, I've been thinking... what about a friendly competition? – the blonde says happily.
- Huh?
- What if you two fight for Riko's love in a friendly and fair competition? – she repeats, clapping excitedly at her incredible idea.
Both girls look at one another before they look back at Mari warily.
- Oh, come on, don't look at me like that.
Mari ends up saying, feigning innocence and Yoshiko can only sigh, not trusting in her friend's words.
- What do you suggest, Mari-chan?
Mari perks up, her smirk widening at You's question before she happily begins to explain the rounds their friendly competition will have.
- The first round will be a race around the school grounds, and the first one crossing the goal, will win a point that will be adding up with every round won.
Mari announces, seeing the wide smile taking over You's face while Yoshiko just groans heavily.
Needless to say Yoshiko loses the first round before it even barely starts off.
As soon as Mari shoots the toy gun in her hand, Yoshiko trips over something invisible and falls onto the ground, scraping her knee under Riko's attentive gaze.
You: 1 – Yoshiko: 0
Yoshiko stands up and begins to run, limping as she does it, and still, she manages to finish the race out of pride between the cheers of the girls.
- The second round lies in trying to win Kanan in an arm wrestling competition – Mari announces happily, getting a groan from Kanan in return.
- Ugh, why I'm always involved in your crazy ideas? – Kanan mumbles under her breath as she sits on a chair and rests her arm on the table, ready to start the arm wrestling competition.
- Because you're the best, of course! – Mari says chirpy, kissing Kanan's cheek much to the older blue haired girl's embarrassment who blushes furiously, making the blonde giggle.
Neither You and much less Yoshiko, who ends up with a messed arm, can beat Kanan, trying and giving the round up for lost.
The third round is the last one. Yoshiko can either win and tie the competition, or lose and also lose Riko's love. It's a matter of life or death for the fallen angel.
Both girls can't help but wait impatiently for Mari's announcement of the next round.
- Aaaaand for the last round…. drumroll please!
She says jokingly, making the girls roll their eyes at her antics yet amuse her, Chika actively doing the drumroll sound.
- A swimming race! – Mari finally announces happily.
- Yosh!
You celebrates at the same time Yoshiko exclaims outraged.
- What!? That's not fair! This is rigged! Rigged! – Yoshiko outbursts, earning herself some giggles and laughs from the rest of their friends.
- Don't tell me the great fallen angel is scared of losing? Or maybe you're scared of water? – You says with a hand over her mouth, hiding her playful grin.
- I-it's not that! – Yoshiko grunts.
- You can do it Yoshiko-chan!
- GanbaRuby!
Hanamaru and Ruby encourage the fallen angel in unison, bringing a soft smile to her face.
- Fine, you mortals will get to witness the majesty of this fallen angel – Yoshiko says holding her head high as she walks towards the swimming pool – and it's Yohane!
She exclaims before she takes a deep breath, preparing herself mentally for the competition. Mari, upon seeing this, can only smile slyly and shoot the toy gun before Yoshiko has the chance to place herself on the starting block, which You takes advantage of it to start swimming with all her might.
When Yoshiko immerses into the water, You is already half the pool ahead.
Fuck.
Yoshiko curses to herself as she tries to swim the faster she can, but somewhere along the race, her limbs get tangled and she ends up struggling to stay at the surface, slowly sinking into the depths of the pool.
- Yoshiko-chan!
Hanamaru and Ruby yell her name at the same time worriedly, and Kanan can't help but decide to go and help her before she's stopped by Mari.
- Don't – she tells her seriously.
- But-
Mari places a finger over Kanan's lips to silence her.
- Look.
Mari says moving her head, making Kanan follow the movement to see Riko stepping gracefully into the water, swimming over where Yoshiko disappeared before she dives in.
All the girls hold their breaths, hoping Riko can take Yoshiko back to the surface in time.
Riko, on the other hand, speeds up to get the faster possible where she saw Yoshiko sinking, reaching for her to take her back to the surface and hold her tightly as she swims towards the edge of the pool.
You quickly joins her and soon they get to the edge, pulling an unconscious Yoshiko out of the pool with the help of their friends.
Riko doesn't lose a second on getting out of the water to start practicing Yoshiko a cpr.
A couple of agonic seconds pass before Yoshiko begins to cough the water out of her lungs much to everybody's relief.
As soon as she ends coughing the water out, she feels a pair of arms quickly wrapping her, pressing her against another body tightly.
- Idiot, you scared me!
She hears Riko exclaiming with strangled voice.
- I-I'm okay, Riri – Yoshiko stutters embarrassedly, hugging Riko back a bit awkwardly.
- Don't do something like that ever again, okay? – Riko says calmer now, cupping and caressing Yoshiko's cheeks, making the younger girl blush even harder.
- I-I won't.
- Good – Riko simply says, leaving a fleeting kiss on Yoshiko's cheek before she hugs her tightly again.
Yoshiko fumes, her face completely red of embarrassment, earning herself the laughs of the rest of the girls.
Her gaze stops over Mari, squinting at her for a second.
- You! Were you by chance trying to kill me!? – Yoshiko accuses her, pointing at the giggling blonde while she still surrounds Riko's waist, pulling her even closer.
- Me? Never, my fallen angel ku~ ku~. I was merely helping you – Mari says cheekily, winking at her and moving her head towards Riko.
Yoshiko upon noticing this says nothing, she just mumbles something incomprehensible under her breath as she wraps Riko completely in her arms once again, making Mari laugh at it.
- Shiny! Now let's go girls, Kanan.
Mari says as she takes Kanan's hand in hers, turning around to begin dragging the blue haired girl with her, making everybody follow them and walk away, leaving Riko and Yoshiko behind alone.
The pair look at one another timidly before they share a gentle kiss.
At the end, Yoshiko ended up winning the competition.