Chapter 5: Physical Education Examination Time, 1st Period

"Karasuma-Sensei's playing?" I looked over at the table tennis with a game in progress.

"Yeah… and the guy is top class, no one has been able to score a point on him yet…" Isogai sighed. Maehara, Takebayashi, and Mimura were all over in the corner sulking as Kimura and Sugaya attempted to take on our physical education teacher two vs. one to no avail.

"Shuri, are you willing to assist me…?" The quiet voice of Ryunosuke Chiba asked as he sat watching the game. "I've been tracking the ball fairly accurately, I know your skills in physics and I want to see if we can work together to score even a single point."

"It'll be tough Chiba…" I said, however thanks to Ame giving me some training I was able to follow the ball fairly easily. I sat down on the couch next to Chiba watching both of them.

"Kimura is swift… his wrists pivot swiftly to make contact with the ball and spin it, but it lacks focus so Karasuma-Sensei is able to take advantage," Chiba assessed, "Sugaya is out of his element, he's playing a defensive style that has led to more missed attempts than Karasuma-Sensei's gained points, however due to this the two of them aren't in sync and Karasuma-Sensei has taken them pretty close to-"

"Game point…" Our teacher nodded. "Are there any further challengers? I can probably do one more before I must return to work.

"If you wouldn't mind sir," I bowed to him. "Chiba and I would like a chance."

"Interesting…" Karasuma-sensei looked us up and down. "Alright, take your positions."

"Understood…" We responded in unison as we took our spots on the table opposite him.

"I'll take the first serve, seeing as there are two of you. Is this agreeable?" He asked us.

"Yes sir." The game began, for the first few rounds Chiba and I were learning each others' styles.

"Five points in…" Chiba muttered under his breath.

"No sweat… I think I've picked up his play pattern… and made some headway on yours… Think you can put some spin on the ball and aim for the far right edge."

"A called shot… you must feel pretty confident, Shuri." Karasuma-Sensei prepared his ace towards my side of the table. I nodded to Chiba, and as soon as the ball hit Karasuma-Sensei's paddle Chiba and I acted fast, swapping places as Chiba came across with a wide backhand, he pressured the swing downward and twisted his wrist slightly, a perfect return… right to the center of the right edge of the table. Caught off guard by our switch Karasuma-Sensei was dumbfounded as the ball instead of heading back towards him instead due to angle of reflection, spun back towards me on rebound and all I had to do was simply sidestep.

"No way!" Maehara shouted as he stood up from his slump.

"That shot defied physics!" Isogai exclaimed.

"In truth it was more of a statistical anomaly…" Takebayashi adjusted his glasses.

"Well done you two… I concede defeat." Karasuma-Sensei bowed as he grabbed his laptop and went to go work in the teacher's quarters.

"Way to go you two! You just pulled off something even Maehara and I weren't able to pull off!" Isogai congratulated us.

"Don't let it go to your head or nothing, Shuri, though gotta admit that trick you pulled off was pretty damn sweet." Maehara extended a fist to mine. I was hesitant but decided on fistbumping him anyway.

"I couldn't have done it without Chiba, his reaction time and keen eyesight were the real reasons that it was even possible for us to pull that off to begin with," I nodded to my partner. Out of the corner of my eye I caught Nagisa, Sugino, and surprisingly Okajima heading down in the way of the bath hall direction. Nagisa gave me a wave as he walked on.

***

"Ame…" I gritted my teeth. "Why'd she have to go and do that…" I was sitting with Nagisa, Sugino, Isogai, and Maehara as I thought about what Nagisa had just told me about Ame.

"Alright guys, it's time for a bit of fun!" Maehara pulled out a sheet of paper. "It's time to rank some chicks!"

"That's demeaning, Maehara," I spoke in protest.

"Tch… Dude, can you put the white knight act on pause for a night… There's no ladies around here for you to impress y'know… Besides, you know, your sister and them are probably doing exactly the same thing over there as we speak."

"Did you ever think it's not an act maybe?" I looked at him fiercely.

"Oh come on! Kurahashi and Nakamura were hanging all over you… Not to mention your sister bro. You almost have as much charisma as Isogai and me."

"I don't know if we should say how you are with the ladies on the same page as Isogai and Shuri…" Mimura countered.

"More like Sakakibara…" I muttered.

"So how about it, Shuri? Right now Kanzaki is in the lead…" Mimura looked at me expectantly. "I know you all want me to say something, but I just don't see people like that."

"Well whaddoya know… The Bot isn't willing to break away from his core programing…" I held my tongue as the Red-Devil stepped into the room. "As for me… If I had to choose somebody, I'd go with Okuda… Mini-Shuri would still be a close second… but Okuda's a demon with those chemicals… just imagine what she would do for my shenanigans…"

"Hmph, you wish my sister would look at you like that Akabane…" I smirked at him.

"Well that explains his reluctance to answer… Bot is a siscon…" He smirked right back. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks as he brought that up.

"That isn't it at all…"

"Man, even I wouldn't sink that low," Okajima said, coming out of a stupor he brought upon himself having to choose.

"C'mon guys, San isn't like that… Karma knock it off, please…" Nagisa sheepishly stepped between the two of us.

"I'm just saying what he needs to hear Nagisa, not my fault if he can't take it," Akabane was sizing me up.

"Well, to set the record straight…" I said through gritted teeth, "while I won't lie that to scientific standards my sister is attractive, on that I feel that several of us can agree. I can't in good faith say that I am attracted to her in that way…"

"So what you're saying is… is that she's either a bad lay… or a freak in bed and you just can't handle it…" Akabane had the most malicious look on his face.

"This isn't a crackpot harem anime plot Akabane!"

"Says the guy that had 3 chicks hanging off of him the entire day… gotta admit dude even I'm a little jealous that it isn't happening to me," Maehara chimed in.

"He even got Nakamura to join in on his 'fun'!" Akabane was smiling from ear to ear. I could feel the blood rush to my face as Nagisa, Sugino, and Isogai stood in front of me.

"Alright Akabane, give it a rest please. Shuri isn't like that…"

"Yeah… at this point you're just being mean Karma! Knock it off…"

"It's all good fun Nagisa… Don't worry about it…"

"Please just stop trying to get into so many fights…"

"Yeah if you're just gonna keep antagonizing him… Maybe just ask Karasuma for a special match when we're back at school." Sugino suggested.

"I'd hate to delay dragging Shuri through the mud… I can't help but like the idea of doing so in front of his lovers…" He sat down on the floor. "Guess I can wait to kick his ass for now…"

About a half hour later, we found ourselves on an Octopus Hunt after he overheard our finished list.

"Karasuma-Sensei I humbly request that my exam spar be held against Akabane." Back at school the next day I found myself outside the teacher's office. After some back and forth with Jelavic-Sensei she finally let me into the room to make my request.

"Karasuma, you can't let this kid do this… I know you've seen how the Red-Haired punk looks at our tall friend here…" She protested.

"I won't take no for an answer sir!" I voiced with conviction.

"You idiot! You're only going to get yourself hurt or worse! Don't say I didn't try to help ya! See if I stand up for you next time, jackass…"

"Thanks Jelavic-Sensei…" I smiled at her while feeling a deep sense of melancholy.

"Just don't die kid, okay?" She had a look of longing on her face… Was she actually worried for me?

"Once again, Shuri, my class is not to be used for you to deal with your petty grudges…" My male instructor sat at his desk, barely even acknowledging me. "However… As long as you're willing to accept the risks, and take responsibility for all actions during the spar, regardless of outcome, I will grant you this chance."

"Thank you sir!" I bowed. "I owe you one.

"If that's the case, I'll hold you to that… In my opinion the Department of Defense needs someone as promising as you."

"Right!" I nodded.

"Shuri, just be careful, alright?" Jelavic-Sensei gave me her parting words as Karasuma-Sensei stood up from his desk, I swiftly followed behind.

***

"Oh righteous day! How fitting that the great Shuri has graced me with his presence out here on the battlefield," He stood opposite me, menacingly eyeing me up and down. "I must truly thank Karasuma-Sensei for setting up such a glorious occasion."

"I asked for this…" I squinted at him, doing my best not to give him any sign as to how nervous I was.

"Dang Daniel… You willingly threw yourself into the lion's den," he laughed. "You are the world's greatest fool, Shuri." He took a fighting stance. "Shall we begin your utter destruction?"

I took my own stance and slowed my breathing. I carefully analyzed the situation before me. "C'mon Creature! I know the hair looks like fire, but I promise it should be the least of your fears!" He stepped forward and I could feel my hands tense up as I instinctively stepped back.

"San-nii!" I could hear Ame call out for me, she must have just finished her spar.

"Man up! Show Akabane what's up!" I could also hear Rio calling, though I dared not look away from the daunting fiend that stood ahead of me.

"What were you thinking?!" He took another step forward. "I'm leagues above you, you simpleton! You're scared enough to even just step back from my presence." He took several more steps forward as I found myself stuck in place. "Remember you asked for this! White Knight thinks he can step up before the King of the Beasts… Know your place, knave!" Another few steps. The insults were cutting me as if they were glass…

"I-I'm not afraid of you Akabane!" I weakly growled.

"Y'know I'm having a hard time believing that…" He said.

"RAAAAAAAAAAGH!" I couldn't feel my feet anymore as I ran towards him. I threw out my fist haphazardly, hoping to land a blow.

"San!" I could hear Rio and Ame yell in unison, only a few seconds before a loud crack snapped me back to reality as a shooting pain ran to the center of the arm I had just thrown out. In reality Akabane had caught my arm between both of his. In one swift motion he crushed my radius between his two arms.

I looked up, my eyes going blurry from shock. "This is what you get when someone tries to step above his limits…" I felt his hand clasp around my neck. "You're nothing to me." I spat out as I felt a punch to the center of my sternum. "Bow before the king!" He then lifted up his leg and delivered a kick right to the same spot, I heard another crack before losing consciousness.

***