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Review Shoutouts
The Storyteller993 – Yeah, most center around a certain theme of sorts for each love interest, except the Agave route, although I suppose that lesson comes up with the whole Koyuki situation in the aftermath.
Thanks for catching that mistake, fixed it.
As for Chris and Yamato… we'll see.
The embodiment of weirdness – Yeah, and this next chapter; I think you're gonna like. Hope you enjoy!
Majikoi – Love Me Seriously - Kazuko Route
Daughter of Kawakami – Part 4
Nagamasa and Kazuko…
June 17th, 2009, Wednesday
At the Kawakami Temple—
"Momoyo, the Florsheim people have come asking for a join training session." Lu informed her.
"Vamp-san wants this bad. Give them the go ahead." Momoyo consented.
"Yet given they are a secret organization is it really okay to be speaking their name so openly?" Lu pondered.
"We've got permission. It's a local collaboration thing anyway." Hearing about this even both Wanko and I ask her about it.
"What's going on, Onee-sama?" Wanko asked.
"There's plans for a join training session. See you later." But just as she was to leave Tesshin arrived.
"Momo, you have a challenger as well." That got her excited.
"Haha, now that's more like it. Who's the lucky guy?" Momoyo asked with a chuckle.
"A 230-centimenter tall giant known as the Wild Bear of Russia. His name is Sergei Stojkovic." Tesshin told her.
Just hearing she had a challenger got her hair standing, "Ooh, I like the sound of that."
"Well, I'm sure you'll win easily again. No hope for the poor man…" Tesshin had already conceded that Momoyo wouldn't feel fulfilled.
"Why do you sound disappointed, Gramps?" Momoyo asked annoyed. "Eh, whatever. I'm dashing of to their base. I'm taking kuzumochi as a gift. Taiza ought to like it." And with that Momoyo was off.
"Goodness, but having an upcoming battle leaves her full of delight." Lu said rather uneasy.
"It's almost time for the ultimate technique ceremony." Tesshin said solemnly.
"Surely it's too early to decide that!" Lu objected.
"But yet you know, as part of the ceremony, she must battle me." Tesshin reminded Lu. "That is the only thing that would satisfy her regardless."
"Even so, I don't think she's ready to learn it." Lu replied.
"And I do not intend to teach it. She must first triumph over me to earn the right." Tesshin said. "Si I will win and have Momoyo taste defeat. I will defeat her, and then set her to train her spirit. For I have begun to suspect that, if she does taste defeat soon, then she will never grow into a stronger warrior."
"This is difficult to say, but—" Just as Lu was about to continue, Tesshin began charging up his Ki energy.
"Mmmmngh!" For both Kazuko and I standing there, his power was immense you could barely breathe still, but it's quite obvious that his age was catching up with him. Sure he was intense, but Momoyo's pure power was more intense almost primal.
"Wah?!" Kazuko got shocked a bit at the display. "Grandpa's full of fighting spirit. I've never seen him like this before!"
"Yeah… it's a no wonder he's been able to keep the title of Strongest in the World despite his age, but for some reason I think Momoyo has him beat." I replied.
"Assistant Master, how does a battle between me and Momo look to you?" Tesshin had dispelled his power and calmly asked Lu to assess how a battle between him and his older granddaughter would go.
"With all due respect… I think you would be lucky to last five minutes. I would also have to agree with young Azai's belief that while you still hold great spirit; Momoyo's is backed by her youth and her lust for battle." Lu honestly replied.
"I suppose, as I am right now… But for young Azai to have such an eye, maybe there is hope after all…" Tesshin thought the last part to himself as he stared at the new student with one eye. "I suppose I must regain that intensity I once had, or rather teach it to another… Goodness, the things I do for my granddaughter. Heheheh."
"…" Lu felt uncomfortable.
"Tch… I think you meant granddaughter(s) old man… At least show you acknowledge her as such!" Hearing him so blatantly acknowledge one over the other got a bit of anger out of me as I balled my fists.
"Oh; Kazuko, Nagamasa; it's not like you two to space out. I think I heard the chef's are finishing with today's desserts." Tesshin said trying to change the topic.
I merely kept my expression, with my arms now crossed.
"!" Kazuko at that moment felt very upset, I looked over to her with a bit of worry. "Yeah…"
"Kazuko…"
"Then I'm off to meditate." And with that Tesshin left. I'm sure underneath that man could sense how she felt in that moment and my anger wasn't unnoticeable.
"Assistant Master, about all that—" Kazuko tried to say.
"Ah, yes it might be better if you kept all of that a secret from your sister. Also, Azai-san, calm down I could feel the intensity of your aura here building…" Seems he noticed.
For his sake and Kazuko's, I did so, taking a deep breath and then exhaling slowly, "My apologies…"
"Naga…" I could feel Kazuko's stare on me. "I guess Onee-sama's lucky."
"How so?" Lu asks.
"It's like, Onee-sama and Grandpa are going to have a no-holds-bar match. Something I'm not good enough to be part of…" Kazuko said.
"That is a destination reached by those who have mastered their art. You and Nagamasa-san are perhaps ten years too early or rather unaccustomed to the great power , in the most literal sense. First, the basics as always." Lu replied.
Kazuko nodded, "Yeah. But sometimes I wish Grandpa would say something like that to me. Instead, he just tells me that dessert's ready, or that dinner's ready, or… anything but martial arts."
"Kazuko…" Both Lu and I said in unison.
But she seemed to notice our tones, "Kidding! I know I have to be tougher than that! There's just training, training, training! I'm going for a run!"
"Wait up, Kazuko! See you later, Assistant Master." I ran after her as she left.
"Okay, I will see you both later then." Lu said as he watched our retreating forms.
"Se-yah! Keep pushing forward! Keep pushing forward!" Kazuko cheered over and over.
"Yeah, don't stop ever Kazuko!" I cheered her on while running beside her.
"Courage… Kazuko's a true example of the word. Nagamasa-san, you are perhaps the only thing left that can keep her afloat, I don't know much else I can do that can keep me neutral. It's all up to you now. I am truly sorry, for putting such a burden on your shoulders…" Lu-sensei said to himself.
June 18th, 2009, Thursday
After school—
I and Yamato along with a few others were at the secret base when Gakuto and Wanko had arrived and told us about a strange guy who was asking people to get credit cards for him to use in some kind of finance scheme.
"Wow, and people think America is the land of greed." I said.
"Yeah, that sounds like the most obvious scam we've ever heard of." Yamato agreed.
"I knew it. I always know danger when I see it…" Gakuto said with a smile on his face.
"Hmm, I don't know about all that…" I said.
"He's right! Liar!" Kazuko agreed with me.
"Geh, since when did you answer his beck and call?" Gakuto replied.
"That money would've been your liability legally even if you didn't spend it. The card owner is thus obligated to repay the full balance." Yamato explained.
"Yes. I definitely knew that." Gakuto said.
"Also, if a friend was pulled into it, then they would be an accomplice." Kazama added.
"Essentially, he's implicating the both of you in a credit card fraud scheme hoping your too much of a sucker to not pay attention that he's the one in control of everything from the shadows. Once he's got the info from the card, it's all in his control now." I said.
"Huh? Capt, you and Nagamasa sure know a lot about this stuff." Kazuko says.
"When I have a job that sounds too good to be true, I usually ask Yamato once-over." Kazama replies.
"That and I've been hearing rumors on the Net that there's people with fake profiles in chat rooms pretending to be people they're not and scamming people out of money through various schemes." I told them.
"I have saved you from terrible danger, Wanko." Gakuto said trying to sound like the brave guy in this scenario.
"You shouldn't lie Gakuto. Wanko stayed true to my advice." Yamato said, knowing Gakuto had lied.
"And from how it sounds, the fact you were even willing to listen while Wanko doubted the man from the beginning shows your lack of immediate instinct to walk away from the very beginning." I chastised him as well.
"Yeah, pretty much. I'll always listen to Yamato, but thanks for the praise Nagamasa!" Kazuko said.
"Besides, one of us would've punished you if hadn't done as we said or just used common sense." I said to her with a 'smile.'
"Awawawawa…" Kazuko shuddered in that moment.
Miyako joined in as she was reading a book, "And sometimes, I join in, heh heh heh. Just like I did a year ago."
"Waahh!" Kazuko began crying.
"Now she's really crying? What did you guys put her through?" Kazama inquired a bit worried.
"Still, how dare he try to pull a fast one on me. Yamato, Naga; can't we do somethin' about him? Gakuto asked.
"He'll pay for going after us." Yamat replied.
"On the other hand, eventually someone's going to get smart and call the police on them if they're suspicious. But people often fall for things like this before it's too late. So I agree we should do our best to have him blacklisted publicly." I nodded in agreement that we should punish him.
"Alright, we'll ruin his life. Tell us everything you know about him." With that, Yamato went through his contacts and tried to spread the word. Later in the day, I used the computer in my room at the Temple to spread the word there for people to avoid this guy and expose his scam to the rest of the world.
"Goodness, what a scary world we live in." Miyako said.
"But through all of it, I think Nagamasa's become like a second rock, but still you're good to Yamato." She then approached my lap.
"Well you were a good girl and followed our advice." I praised her.
"Eheheh. Well yeah, I mean…"
"Just make sure you keep doing so in the future."
"Yeah, I trust you Nagamasa!" She seemed excited for some reason.
"I know you two live under the same roof, but you and Nagamasa are real close now." Kazama pointed out.
"Well, they're friends and training partners." Miyako answered… too quickly.
"I don't know, seeing them like that makes me think it's moved beyond mere friendship." The group as well as Yamato on the other couch watch the two of us.
"Who's a good girl." I tickle her chin like I've done before.
She replies playfully, "Ohhh. That tickles…"
"Mmm…" Miyako shudders. "Now that you mention it, they've been especially close as of late . I will not lose to them. I need reinforcements."
"Miyako's planning something." Kazama said as the other guys just watched.
"Who knows; maybe Miyako will try to sneak into Kawakami Temple, or maybe she'll use Yamato give him hell." Gakuto thought.
"What the hell do I have to do with this?" Yamato said a bit upset.
Later that night—
"Alright door shut and locked. All hiding places checked…" I locked the door tight.
I then turned to the bonsai tree I had on my shelf; I'd been taking care of it since I'd ask Master Tesshin about raising one and having something in my room to calm me. And so came this bonsai tree.
I named it "Herbie…"
I began pruning away some of Herbie's branches while talking to it, "Hey Herb, today I could feel Miyako's passionate gazes. While I don't know if she'll try and do something, but you can never be too sure."
Then I hear something in my room open and I'm greeted to a voice in my ear, "Ho, ho… Seems someone has cut off his only escape route."
"M-Momoyo! W-what the…?!" What the hell was she doing here!?
"Never thought to check the floorboards did you? But how could you; as a newcomer to the Kawakami Temple." Momoyo pointed out as I saw some floor mats had been removed.
"The floor mats?!" What kind of temple is this? A martial arts hall or a fortress?
"Well, that seems like it's your oversight…" Momoyo said with finality.
"What did I do…?" I ask her.
"I heard from a certain purple-haired source that you and Kazuko have been getting close… so I wanted to see how things were was all." Momoyo said with a mischievous smirk.
Damn that Miyako!
"W-well… w-what are you gonna do to me?" I ask her with a shudder.
"One second, fwosh…" Momoyo laid out my futon in a split second.
"Why are you laying out my futon?" What is this woman doing?
"A young woman and man are alone and locked in a room… there's only one thing they can do…" I don't like the sound of that.
"Not when one of them is you." I reply.
"Come on Nagamasa, I don't bite, I promise." Momoyo said with a soft tone as she slowly advanced on me.
"What is this about? You're more aggressive then before… and aren't you a little close?"
"Naga, it's okay…" There's that sultry whisper again like when she was teasing me before when I first started here. She did it right into my ear.
"M-Momoyo, stop…" I was getting a bit dizzy just from her sweet voice. I could resist Miyako, but Momoyo was much tougher.
"Is there an issue?" She asks.
"W-well, why're you doing this? I thought you didn't like any guys like that." I told her.
"Things change, people change… maybe I do like you and you just haven't been paying attention." Momoyo replied.
"Momoyo, this isn't funny. I know you don't like me like that." I try again to get her to see sense.
"Are you worried it's a bad day? Don't worry it isn't, so don't worry." Momoyo just kept going on with this schtick.
"Are you even listening to me!?" I exclaimed.
"I can listen to you, under the covers." Momoyo said.
"Fine, you can go in first."
"This ain't some ploy to run away is it?" She says with doubt.
"I'm locked in here with the Goddess of Martial Arts, running isn't an option. Just… get under the covers." The last part I said with a whisper in her ear.
"Ooh, I never thought you could whisper to a girl like that. Alright." She slid inside my futon; whether there was anticipation I couldn't tell.
And because I wasn't a fool… I got in too. But I knew for some reason she wasn't being serious about before.
"Oh, doesn't this remind you of those early days, my protégé? ~" I take it back… I take it all back.
"J-Just don't do anything weird okay?!" And with that surprisingly we just went to sleep, and Momoyo actually did nothing. The next morning she woke up, gave me a peck on the cheek and headed out.
Geez, that girl… Now that I think about it, Miyako probably called Momoyo to mess with me after she saw me and Wanko fooled around at the secret base.
We've been talking a lot recently; I enjoy her company… But did I love her as a woman? Maybe… I… I just don't know.
June 21st, 2009, Sunday
Today, the Kawakami sisters and I were invited to the Shimazu Dorm. As we walked in we were greeted by Margit Eberbach.
"Oh, it's rare to see you three here." Margit said greeting us.
"We come here a lot actually. You're the new face around here." Kazuko headed for the kitchen walking past her.
"I'm concerned for Frau Chris." Margit replied.
Momoyo teased the solider by patting her head, "Don't be so overprotective Maru."
She'd blushed but quickly regained herself, "Y-You will cease calling me by that name. A-And you will stop patting my head as well. You may be a senior and I a sophomore, but I am older than you."
"But that's not the issue Maru-san, it still doesn't change the fact you are cute." I decided to join in the fun.
"Y-You will cease that as well, Azai Nagamasa…" Now her anger was thrown my way.
"Well if you have a problem with that, let our fists do the talking! C'mon!" Momoyo still seemed to want a fight with Margit.
"No, no. Not in the house, not even in the yard. I don't care if you do take precautions, not after what happened with the water heater, right Momo-senpai?" I brought up her past breakage of the house.
"Geh… why are making me look so uncool?"
"Guh…" Momoyo put me in a headlock.
"Besides, I will have to decline your offer." Margit wasn't biting it seems.
"Tch. There's gotta be some way to make you fight me." Momoyo said disappointed.
"Maybe clear your mind first, before worrying about fighting. Geez…" I massage my neck.
"Wow, it's a full house today. Right then, I should have you all help me with these!" Mrs. Shimazu came into the kitchen with baskets of plums. "I'd like to make crunchy pickled plums."
"Hmm, sounds just right for the rainy season coming up." I say.
Mrs. Shimazu then demonstrates how to clean them, "Wash the plums, and get all the dirt out… then wipe them down with a cloth, one at a time… then finally, use the bamboo skewer to cut out the stem. Can you all do that for me?"
"That looks like it's going to take forever." Momoyo said.
"But the end result is delicious." Mrs. Shimazu says.
"Weird. Just hearing the word makes me salivate." Wanko looked like she was already ready to eat the plums as is. "Umm… Dry them off, then poke out the… There."
"Yes, exactly! Well done!" Mrs. Shimazu said proudly.
"Reiko-san, like this?" I showed her mine.
"Yes, yes; just like that!" She seemed happy with my result.
"Oh, you're pretty good Naga. But so am I, all I had to do was try." She then looked expectantly at me.
"Hey now, don't look so proud. I'm giving you a second helping of praise yet." I told her.
"Everyone else should join in too." Mrs. Shimazu offered.
"Hmm?" Margit then joined in as well, "Dry with a cloth, then skewer out the stem. There. Like this?" Margit showed off hers.
"Yes! You're quick and exact." Mrs. Shimazu was happy with the result again.
"Well, thank you." Margit accepted the praise.
"Mmph! W-well, you're not bad! But you're still slower than me." Kazuko's sense of challenge seemed to be tingling.
"The times seemed close to me, if I wasn't faster outright?" Margit disputed that.
"I was faster!" Kazuko insisted.
"Not as fast as me!" Margit objected.
"Enough from the both of you!" I smacked both of them in the head.
"Oww!" Kazuko whelped.
"W-what are you doing?!" Margit was just mad.
"You're both arguing over something so trivial. Last I checked I thought a warrior was supposed to be above petty bickering." I chastised the both of them.
"Then Naga… let them have a match and settle it." Momoyo said.
"I can accept that kind of competition. Very well then." Margit seemed more than ready
"I've been itching to have a match with you! I'll do it!" Wanko seemed pumped as well.
"Then let's make it interesting then. Momo-senpai, you'll be with Margit, and I'll be teaming up with Kazuko. How about that?" I offered.
"I can get down with that. If we can't fight, then this will have to do." Momoyo agrees. "Should probably use less power or I'll crush the plums."
"Then we'll split the plums evenly between the both of us. The one to finish without any mistakes is the winner. That good?" I proffer.
"Very well. The both of you shall witness the fearsome power of a soldier." Margit seemed more than ready.
"You know, pickling plums isn't exactly the best time for this." Miyako brought up.
"But it is a battle of speed, focus and precision." Momoyo said.
"Yep, let's go!" Kazuko was more than ready.
"Then as Nagamasa said, if by the end either group has one that aren't good enough, I'll ask you to redo them. But by that process, that means that team will have lost." Mrs. Shimazu reminded us.
"Do you mind if we do all of them?" Kazuko asked.
"Go right ahead. It'll save us all a lot of work." Miyako agreed.
"Kazuko…" I whispered to her.
"Hmm?" She turned her attention as I whispered in her ear.
"I know it sounds like a losing strategy, but for now let's focus on the speed part; don't go to fast you lose focus and precision in how you handle the plums. All it takes is one and we lose. Got it?" I tell her.
"You got it, Naga! I'll follow anything you say!" Kazuko said with a nod.
"Alright, we're ready!" I tell Yamato as the two groups prepare themselves.
"Then are you ready? On your marks… Go!" Yamato exclaimed as the four of us began the contest.
"Toryaahh! Wipe! Cut!" Kazuko and I started out strong at a concise pace.
"I am long accustomed to simple tasks like this!" Margit said focusing on her own plums.
"Hahaha, this is fun!" Momoyo seemed to be enjoying herself as well.
"Wow… all of them are very fast, even Momo-senpai even though she's holding back." Chris said as she watched the four of them pickle the plums.
"Yes, and they're all doing beautiful work." Mrs. Shimazu praised them.
"It looks like a dead heat… wait, it seems Momo-senpai and Margit are faster." Miyako notices.
"But isn't Dog known for her speed, why is she going slower?" Chris inquires.
"Nagamasa must have told her to pace herself, and she listened. Nagamasa's pretty amazing to make her tone down." Yamato said with a bit surprise.
"Yes, the fact she's listening to him is quite amazing… Oh, looks like they're picking up speed now and catching up." Miyako then noticed Kazuko and Nagamasa were now dead even with Margit and Momoyo.
Back to the contest, everyone's hands were constantly moving ignoring everyone's commentary.
"Even so it's a joy to see everyone working so passionately." Mrs. Shimazu was happy it seems.
"Nraaahhh! Wipe and cut!" Wanko was still full of energy, but she was keeping the pace I told her. But to a trained eye one could she was still being precise with her movements not losing the bigger picture.
"Mm, Wanko and Nagamasa are concentrating deeply." Miyako noticed.
"Yeah, they're starting to widen the gap little by little." Yamato says.
"Tch, you're both a lot faster than I thought, little hares."
"Yeah, maybe I went a little too easy…"
Margit and Momoyo click their tongues seeing the gap between both teams.
"Then perhaps it's time we unleash our own blitzkrieg!"
"We won't lose!"
But we still kept up going at a concise pace.
"You're trying to catch up?" Margit said realizing we hadn't given up.
"Seems Wanko and Nagamasa are going to win." Miyako said.
"Even if this is just a game, I will not accept defeat a second time. Then it's time we stop holding back Momoyo." Margit removed her eyepatch, while Momoyo began focusing her own energy.
"Mmm, Maru-san is really giving it her all."
"Yeah, even Nee-san's getting serious right now."
"I never knew you had such potential Maru-san, but now I'm getting serious too!" Momoyo matched Margit's new intensity.
"Geez, these two take things way too far. Kazuko… keep to the plan." I say with my eyes as we look at each other from our side eye and nod in acknowledgement.
"I will concede that the both of you have forced me to go this far, Warrior Wanko, Nagamasa."
"Is it really praise to be promoted from hare in a plum pickling competition?" Miyako wondered.
"Haaaa!" Both Margit and Momoyo's hands flew by.
"They're beyond fast!" Yamato said in shock at their combined speed.
"Yes, Maru-san takes pride in her own speed just as much as Dog does and for Nagamasa-san to keep up as well is incredible." Chris noted.
"Miyako, can you follow them?" Yamato asked.
"Barely. Eyesight is an archer's lifeline." Miyako said.
"What about you Chris?" Yamato asked the blonde.
"Nngh… it pains me to admit, but I can barely keep up with their movements. Oh, but wait did Maru-san do two at once?" Chris seemed to catch something at a split moment.
"Heheh, Wanko, Naga… you're making this fun!" Momoyo cheered.
"Are they going to lose at this rate?" Yamato was a bit worried for Nagamasa and Wanko.
"No, look again." Miyako had Yamato look back.
"Nnrrahhh, you might be fast Margit, Onee-sama… but I won't lose! Let's go, Naga!"
"Yeah!" And so the both of us sped up to catch up, but still deliberately held back just enough…
"I can't believe it – You two are keeping up with the both of us like this?" Margit was shocked.
"Now this is amazing. They all nearly done." Mrs. Shimazu noticed. "In fact, they're all so fast, I can't check all of them."
"Haaaah!" The race was coming to a dead heat as both sides seemed poised to win.
"And it's ours… Eh?!" Then just at the last second, a plum in Momoyo's hands burst as it looked like she grabbed it to hard.
Juice spilled across the table and even splattered on our clothes as well given how close we all were.
"Oh no, Momo-chan; by crushing one that means you've been disqualified since you didn't finish all of them. If you'd not done that, you might've won. Hmm, and being fair it seems Wanko and Nagamasa missed one. But overall missing one is less of a loss, then squishing one. Kazuko and Nagamasa win!" Mrs. Shimazu cheered.
"It seemed like they were about to finish just ahead then Momo-senpai lost it at the end." Miyako noted.
"Yeah, the want to not lose got the better of her." Chris joined in.
"Nee-san, you got lost in your own power again." Yamato chastised his sister figure.
"Yaaaay! We won Naga!" Wanko cheered.
"Tch, why did you go and lose it!?" Margit argued with Momoyo.
"Well if you hadn't have been so wound up we could've won this!" Momoyo argued back. Oh no…
"Enough you two. It's over and done with. Arguing won't do anything." I try to stop their bickering before it gets bad.
"Hmph… even so for both of you to surpass me in speed. For that I give both you and Warrior Wanko praise. But as a solider, my precision is unmatched." Margit said.
"I'm surprised. Even though they missed one, they really were on point the whole time. Nagamasa seems to be influencing Wanko to be more precise and work on her strengths." Miyako noted.
Margit put her eyepatch back on, "I must admit Warrior Wanko, your resolve was impressive and your partner was just as amazing, besides watch yourself Azai Nagamasa; for I will have my revenge for our duel in the forest one day."
"Haah, that again. That was your own fault you know." I tell her.
"Even so, victory is yours today." Margit seemed to accept it in the end.
"Well then… now that your all serious now, let's get to the main event shall we?" Momoyo come on…
"Hmm?" Margit hummed.
"Instead of picking plums, you'll fight me, Kawakami Momoyo, one-on-one. Feel up to the challenge? Nothing on the line but our pride as warriors." Momoyo said trying to goad her into a fight.
"That is truly a fascinating offer. But having gone all out against both Warriors Kazuko and Nagamasa, I would not be able to fight you at my best." Margit replied. "I appear to have pushed my arms past their limits, bursting capillaries in my arms."
"To go that hard just win in pickling plums?" I ask her.
"You must understand that victory carries that much importance. Defeat can be a difficult spiral to escape." Margit explained.
"Victory is important, yes. But if one can't learn from their defeats and merely pushes for victory afterward, then I believe you've learned nothing about yourself. The 'why' and 'how' are just as important to answer as immediately worrying for the where your next win comes from." I say all of that while looking at Kazuko.
"Hmm, who knew you could be so wise Naga? Then perhaps another day, Margit?" Momoyo asked.
"Kawakami Momoyo, it's forbidden for me to fight you in battle. I would need permission from the army." Margit reminded her.
"They take me that seriously? That's some nice intelligence work." Momoyo felt praised. "But what about you? Are you okay with that?"
"Farewell." Margit made a quick exit before Momoyo could push the topic.
"Tch, after going all-out, she sure looked satisfied." Momoyo said.
"Well I'll give her that she has some self-control." I replied. Unlike a certain somebody we know…
"Wanko, you did good. Congratulations." Miyako patted Wanko's head.
"Yeah, you've been doing recently. You got a hit on Chris, you beat Margit and Nee-san in this contest; even if they're little they're still wins." Yamato did the same.
"Yaayy! But really you guys should thank Nagamasa. He's been helping me for a while." Wanko says.
"Yeah, but still never lose sight of the bigger picture. Even in victory learn from mistakes you made, and you'll get even better." I say encouragingly.
"Yeah and even so… next time I'll win again! I won't lose no matter what!" Seeing her smile this time triumphantly is quite different from all the losses she used to take, it's quite heart-warming.
"After all, this weekend's the athletics festival, or rather the ball games tournament." Miyako reminded us.
The themes for the Academy's sports festival was randomly selected every year, it could be normal ball games or an aquatics festival. This year the classes would compete in all manner of sports involving balls. But at a school of like Kawakami Academy, nothing was normal…
The games in question were basketball and… "Kawakami Academy's specialty, Kawakami Ball."
"Yeah, and if baseball was intense… Oh boy, nobody's seen anything yet." The idea to actually physically impede runners and physically knock them out of the game to some seemed barbaric, but in a school like Kawakami with it's martial arts foundation; competition was the name of the game.
"Right! Just wait Maru… To win then, I need to train! I'm off on a run! Teraahhh! Dash!" And off Kazuko went.
"Not again… wait up!" I chased after her.
"She's always so lively." Chris said.
"Like Nagamasa said, she might be winning but you can't lose sight of yourself." Yamato replied.
As we ran, I looked back at Wanko; I couldn't wait to see what she'd do at the sports festival.
June 24th, 2009, Wednesday
Break time – 2-F
"Achoo!" Kazuko sneezed.
"Well that's a first." I said.
"Yes, I didn't expect such a sudden sneeze. Here, have a tissue." Chris gave her one.
"Oh, thanks." Kazuko wiped her nose.
"Ah, why can't it be the weekend yet? When you think about basketball, you think about me! I can't wait!" Gakuto cheered.
"Basketball's nice, but Kawakami Ball's way more interesting." Yonpachi said.
"I want to beat 2-S in Kawakami Ball!" Kazuko declared. "Yamato, could you be our tactician and guide us please. We'll follow your orders to the letter."
"Mm-hm. Naocchi will be our tactician – or rather our manager." Chika agreed.
"You sure? I'd be honored. Nagamasa, want to be my assistant?" He turned to ask me.
"Nah, I'd rather get in the action this time around if you don't mind. Don't worry, I'll pull off anything you need me to." I tell him.
"I am psyched! Is it the weekend yet? How about now?" Kazama was pumped up.
"Seems everyone's psyched in their own way for Kawakami Ball this year." I said. "But after that is—Mngh!?"
"Don't go ruining the mood." Kazama had put his hand over my mouth.
"You said it. Right now, our minds should be focused on the Ball games." Gakuto said.
"We can worry about the future in the future! Right!?" Kazuko joined them.
"Well at least your fired up as always Kazuko." I said.
"Yeah, I'm glad that I've been winning for a bit. But I want to win more and more, to make up for those old losses before! So I'm gonna crush it on the big stage!" Yep, she was pumped up.
"Yeah, we'll do it together!" We high five together. "Now, who's a good girl?"
I patted her head, "Is it just me, or have you been super kind to me lately?"
"Oh?" I hummed.
"Yeah, but no complaints here. You can blow my whistle anytime! And I'll come straight to you!"
"Well isn't that a god girl." I begin rubbing her head.
"Mnfh… Oooh…" She snuggles into it this time as her ears pop out.
"I always thought Yamato would be Wanko's master, but for some reason it's a lot cuter with Nagamasa instead." Chika said watching the two of us.
"It really is heartwarming, but it does look like that, doesn't it?" Mayo agreed.
"But still Kawakami Ball is famous for being violent, yet Yamato-san and Nagamasa-san seem more than confident." Kuma said.
"Yeah, leave it to me and my 95 strength, I'll hit nothing but home runs!" I said proudly.
"And leave it to my level 97 intelligence. They don't call me a tactician for nothing." Yamato quipped.
"Dude, enough with the ROTK jokes though, seriously." I tell him.
"I know, I know…" He says with a wave.
"My heart skipped a beat just then, Naga! Tell me was I Guan Yu in a previous life?" Kazuko asked.
"No, probably more like Liu Bei than anything." I reply.
"Then what about Fa Zheng?" Miyako inquired.
"Really, I thought you're a Cheng Yu fan though Miyako?" I asked her.
"I wonder which one I was. Heh, heh, heh… maybe they sounded like this." She said with her mischievous giggle.
"I totally have a thing for Zhang Fei. Maybe I used to be him, and talked like this?" Even Chika joined in the fun.
"Is anyone here not a hero reborn?" Yamato asked. "Well at the end of the day, we'll do our best."
I know I'll give my all for Wanko's sake so that we won.
June 26th, 2009, Friday
Lunchtime—
Everyone was excited for the ball games tomorrow during the festival.
"I've even skipped homework so I'd have more time to train." Wanko said as if proud.
"You know you can't do that. You have to do your homework. And if you think I'm going to show you my notebook forever, you couldn't be more mistaken." Oh, Mayo laid down the law.
"Huh? You're saying no today
"You didn't do your homework either, Chika-chan!?" Yep, there it is.
Then the TV in the corner of the classroom came on with a news bulletin, "Onto our next story… Baby hatches have continued to be controversial in Europe. With many critics saying it encourages child abandonment. However, they continue to be more common year after year.."
"Hmm…" Kazuko thought to herself as she watched the news.
"If you ask me there's to much talk about that shit lately, but I hope they keep them around. It's a useful system." Haguro was quite blunt with her opinion.
"Yeah. Babies would die without them." Kazuko said appearing to agree.
"But don't you feel bad for them? They're being abandoned." Chika disagreed it seemed. I didn't think the girls would discuss such an interesting topic… I mean everyone in town knows that before she was taken in by the temple, that Wanko was an orphan. But I knew that Kazuko had been discovered in a baby hatch.
"I mean, at least they're alive. That's the most important thing." Kazuko seems fine, but… Huh?
I looked to see she had a melancholic look on her face. In that one instant, I could see a flash of sadness cross her face. I knew it had to have been weighing on her, with all the stuff at Kawakami Temple; I should've know that something else was getting to her.
"Mmph…" Looking a bit away, I saw Gen-san watching her silently as well. We made eye contact and nodded; then he went back to laying his head on his desk.
"Don't let it get to you, Nagamasa." Kazama said.
"Even so, it does get to me. I know I don't have what you guys have, but seeing her like that is just…"
"Nagamasa, you alright? You seem a bit off today unlike yesterday." Even Yamato asked me. He must've been watching me too.
"Well, I've been feeling a bit different for the last few weeks. I can't lie…" But I can't let them worry over me.
After school – On the roof of the Secret Base
"Hmm…" Kazuko was doing a handstand in her summer uniform.
"You shouldn't do handstands wearing a skirt." I tell her.
"Wawa! Nagamasa! Aaah, that was awkward…" She put her herself back on her feet.
"Well you are wearing shorts underneath, so…"
"Stop it. You don't have to describe everything." Kazuko whines a little, I put my hands up defensively.
"It's just weird seeing you up here by yourself on the roof, usually I've seen Miyako up here." I tell her.
"Yeah. It's just… I feel on a wee sometimes too." Kazuko says.
"I think you were going for 'ennui' right?" I correct her. "Is this about that news story during lunchtime?"
"How'd you know?" She asked me.
"I might not have known you guys for a decade, but I like to think I know how to watch people." I reply.
"Mmm…" She lightly hums sadly.
"So it was weighing on you, huh?"
She nodded side to side, "Nope. I don't really care about the baby hatch stuff. I mean I wouldn't have met everyone else otherwise, and you too!"
"Then what is egging you on?" I continue to ask her.
"You won't mind if I rant do you?" She asks me.
"Rant as much as you need to. I'm right here." I nod and smile for her.
"The problem is the present. Aren't I a daughter of the Kawakami Temple?" She asks me first.
"Yeah, of course you are, you're Kawakami Kazuko." I tell her honestly.
She blushes a bit, "Mm-hm. I love Onee-sama, and I know she loves me too."
"I think anyone could know that. What's the big problem then?" I ask her to continue.
"The Kawakami Temple's a martial arts temple. I have to be good at martial arts." She says.
"And you have gotten stronger." I tell her.
"But, I'm nowhere close to strong enough. And it's like, Grandpa's weirdly distant lately." I ball my fists at that remark, trying to contain my anger.
"That is?"
"I know he adores me, of course. But when he talks about martial arts with Onee-sama or the Assistant Master, I can't keep up. That sort of makes me feel lonely. Like I'm not really part of the Family." Kazuko continues.
"Mm… I think I understand." I say.
"So I want to get way, way stronger. But I still remember losing to Kri when she first came here, and even though I've had a few wins here and there. It just doesn't feel like enough, I mean what kind of daughter of the Kawakami Temple goes for just being tied? So I really want to win the contest tomorrow. That's been going through my head."
"Hmm…" I stood there listening to her.
"Eheheh. I let out everything that was on my mind."
"Yeah, it's not good to bottle things up. Don't you feel a bit more relaxed now?" I ask her.
"Well actually, I just feel more pressure not to lose tomorrow." She says with a sheepish smile.
"You always take every little thing seriously."
"Oh, but it's always relaxing talking to you, Nagamasa. I feel like I can talk to you about anything." She tells me.
"Like I said, I might not have known you guys for long, but I'll always be here for you every step of the way. Talk to me about anything when you feel like it. I know we'll win tomorrow and go the distance…"
"Yeah! Go the distance…! Hmm, go the distance huh…?" She then repeats it again, but this time she looks off into the sunset.
"What is it? I ask her.
"It's just… I feel so happy around you Naga, like I really can do anything. Even if it's just a little, I really DO feel like I can do anything so long as you're here!" Kazuko said.
[For reference, use the cover version of Go The Distance from the One Voice Children's Choir on YouTube.]
I hear Kazuko begin, "I have often dreamed of a far off place; where a hero's welcome would be waiting for me. Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face and a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be…"
I pickup next as I stand by her side, "You'll be there someday, you can go the distance. You'll find your way if you can be strong. And I know every mile, will be worth your while…"
And then Kazuko finished, "When I go the distance, I'll be right where I belong…"
Then together, "Down an unknown road, to embrace our fate. Though that road may wander it will lead me to you. And a thousand years would be worth the wait. Even if it takes a lifetime, but somehow we'll see it through…"
Back to Kazuko as she loos back at the sun, "And I won't look back, I can go the distance. And I'll stay on track, no I won't accept defeat. It's an uphill slope, but I won't lose hope… Till I go the distance and the journey's complete."
Hitting the apex, "But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part. For a hero's strength is measured by their heart. So we'll go the distance… go the distance… we won't look back…"
"Like a shooting star, we will go the distance. We'll search the world, and we can face it's harms. We don't care how far, we can go the distance… Till we find a hero's welcome, waiting in… your… arrrrmmms!
"Right where… I… belooooonnnng!"
Just as we finished singing, the two of us stare at each other and hug each other tightly.
"Now then…!" I say getting excited.
"Let's do some extra-special awesome training!" And with that just like always she dashed off with me catching up to her.
"Let's just make sure to not wear ourselves out for tomorrow, okay!?" She really wanted to win.
And I'll do everything I can to make sure we win.
AN#1 – Well here's the fourth part of the Kazuko Route – "The Daughter of Kawakami" to my Majikoi story, I'm NOT a Samurai, Seriously.
For this chapter, it's all about Nagamasa and Kazuko bonding over the little things and how many people are starting to see them being closer than just friends.
But it's not completely at that level yet; for Nagamasa it's an internal struggle. He quite clearly cares for her, but how far will their relationship go… we shall see.
What's up next for our heroes, Nagamasa and Kazuko? Stay tuned for Kazuko Route – Part 5 – Let's Play Ball...
AN#2 – I hope you guys are enjoying this rewrite. So please don't forget to leave reviews and also follow and favorite as well too!
AN#3 – Remember I wouldn't be here without you guys! Remember to Favorite, Follow and Review! :) Despite the current issues with the Stats on FF.
Special Note – Kind of like during one of the earlier chapters; I wanted to do something different here. This regards after they finish Go The Distance. The original plan was to have them have a moment where they almost kiss/really kiss but then realize what they're about to do.
I was thinking on it in the moment, and I think overall it was the better choice to not use that because then it would just be awkwardness throughout the rest of the story for Kazuko and Nagamasa. And I don't think that was going to somehow help the story develop at all.
So yeah, that's that I suppose. But tell what you think. Should I have added the "Almost Kiss" scene or not? If would've made it better, tell me in your review.