Chapter 2: Super Rich Kids
Friday afternoon, it's finally here. That means I don't have to think about school and get to lay around at home for two days... then why am I not excited? Maybe because I have to spend the afternoon preparing for a group date that I don't even want to go on. Every time its the same thing; we go to have dinner then end up singing karaoke or going to some night club. I let my hair out from my usual pigtail style I wear to school and straightened it to get some of the crimps out. As for my outfit I went for something casual; a short sleeved white crop top, with light skinny jeans, and classic black and white chuck taylors. I also wore my favorite jade pendant necklace and two of my favorite wrap bracelets. As I was spraying on some light perfume I received a text from Hirano telling me everyone was seated and waiting on me.
At the restaurant the girls were all sitting by the window at a table waiting for me and waved me over to where they're sitting. I took my seat next to Hirano greeting everyone realizing they were all looking at me. "Is there something on my face?"
"No," Asami answered. "It's just that you're not really dressed up like us." I took note of everyone's attire; Asami and Keiko were both wearing skirts with a nice shirt and sandals. While Hirano wore a fashionable shirt with shorts and sandals. All three of them were wearing make-up and their hair was curled to perfection.
"It's fine, I'm sure the guys won't be that dressed up anyway," I claimed trying to recover from the slight embarrassment I was feeling. I could feel Asami and Keiko's eyes mulling over my choice of attire and choose to ignore them.
We waited for ten minutes until the guys showed up at the café. The four guys entered the cafe and Asami stood up to introduce everyone. "Everyone's here so we can get started now. I'm Asami Kirijo this is Keiko Takeba, Hirano Miharu, and Ling Xiaoyu." She pointed to the guys next, "This is Kou Tanaka, Souji Iori, Shin Kamiya, and Jin Mishima." Jin Kazama, it's almost to funny that he's here having dinner with us. He still had that same stern look on him from before and seemed completely uninterested in what everyone else was talking about. He was wearing a black shirt, dark blue jeans, black and white high top shoes, and a black fashionable, hoodless, zip-up hoodie. I must admit for a guy Kazama did have style, even if he was wearing different shades of the same color. He caught me staring at him and I averted my eyes.
"So Ling Xiaoyu, you're not from here are?" Kou Tanaka asked. All the attention in the room turned to me as was finishing up my food.
"No..." I wiped the little bit of sauce away from the corner of my mouth. "I moved here from China when I was in elementary school."
"Why's that?"
"My grandfather was asked to help teach martial arts here, so..."
"So you know martial arts then, show us something."
I could feel Kazama's eyes bee line toward me as he waited for my answer, "Ah no, my grandfather didn't teach me. He told me girls shouldn't fight."
"He's right," Asami interjected. "It's not cute seeing girls fight. Girls are fragile and fight would only break us." Everyone else chimed in agreeance, while I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at Asami's statement.
Once everyone was finished with their food, we all decided the next stop was to get a bit of desert. Fruitti Cup was the place of choice, self- serve frozen yogurt shop about a block away from the cafe. I was the last person to decide on the flavor I wanted, as I pulled the lever down for the birthday cake flavor Kazama came up beside to get the flavor closest to mine.
"So I'm assuming you didn't tell anyone about what happened?"
"You mean about you're illegal activities from last night, no I didn't."
"Good."
"Do your friends know about your late night activities?"
Kazama chuckled at my question, "Do your friends know you like to fight?"
We were both at stalemate, trying challenge each other to make another move.
"Hey guys hurry up." Hirano called to us from the register, "We're all waiting." Jin and I continued on to pick out the toppings to put on our yogurt and went to the cashier to pay. "How's Karaoke sound to you guys?" Hirano asked.
"That's great," Jin replied putting on a fake smile to try and dispel any remnants of our conversation. We walked the street eating our yogurt. Each of us were paired up; Asami and Kou, Keiko and Shin, Hirano and Souji, and me and Kazama.
"Are you gonna tell me what you were doing back there?" I asked taking a bite of my yogurt.
"That's none of your business."
"It is when I nearly got hurt from trying to save you."
"I don't remember ever asking for your help."
"You know normally when someone gets saved the polite thing to say is thank you..."
Kazama didn't answer me, we kept walking eating our yogurt in silence until we reached the karaoke bar.
The one good thing that could come out of this night is singing Karaoke tonight, at least I can enjoy that. We turned the lights down low and turned on the strobe lights. I went first singing Namie Amuro's Baby Don't Cry. The night carried on as my friends began to pair off with the guys, I checked my phone to see it was 11:00pm.
"Guys I'm feeling a little tired, I think I'm gonna head out." I got up, maneuvered my way to the door, and exited the room while saying bye to everyone. As I was pulling my wallet out at the hostess desk, Kazama came up beside me and laid down his credit card, "I'll pay for her share to."
"What are you doing, I have money to pay."
"This is thanks for last night." Kazama signed his receipt and walked out the bar and I followed suit.
"Hey where are you going, you're not about to go see those thugs again are you?" I stood in front of him while I waited for his answer.
"If I tell you no will you move out my way?"
I crossed my arms over my chest to show how serious I was about my question.
"Geez you're so stubborn," Kazama raised his right hand to scratch the back of his head. "How about I walk you home? That way I can make sure those guys don't try to attack you okay. How far away do you live?"
"About 40 minutes away by train in Hirakatashi."
"How convenient, we're going in the same direction. Come on."
We took the express train which took us straight to Hirakata with very little stops. Since it was one of the last trains for the night, it was very crowded with very little standing room left.
"Why didn't you want to stay out with your friends?" Kazama asked breaking the silence.
"I'm not really a fan of group dates; I always end up being kind of a fourth wheel during these things."
"You should've stayed home if you didn't want to come. Could've saved you time and me some money."
I ignored Kazama's last little comment, " Hirano convinced me to go. She really likes Asami and Keiko and wanted to go with them, but she didn't want to go by herself."
"You don't like them?"
"Not really, they're to superficial for me. They started talking to Hirano last month and I sort of just got roped into their group."
"That's annoying why go if you don't like the people you're going with?"
"I only did it cause Hirano wanted me to come... besides you're one to talk. Do you even like the guys you came with?" We both lost our footing a little as the train jerked us around a track bend.
"Yeah we're friends, this is my first time hanging out with them outside of school really. I only came out because I was bored though."
I started laughing at Kazama's last statement.
"What's so funny?"
"You look so serious all the time I just didn't think you would say something like that." I continued to giggle while holding my stomach. Mishima placed his left hand in his pocket and shuffled his feet again to regain his footing.
"Sorry I was just caught off guard a little." I pushed my hair back behind my ear a little embarrassed for laughing like that.
"So what kind of martial arts do you practice?" Kazama asked.
"I practice piguaquan and Baguazhang mix. My grandpa taught me when I was younger."
" I guess we're kind of the same, my grandfather taught me Mishima style Karate when I was younger too.
"Why would you learn Mishima style Karate, are you related to them or something?"
"Yeah, on my father's side. My parents disappeared when I was younger so my grand father adopted me."
"Why don't you have the same last name as your father then?"
"My parents weren't married when I was born. I didn't even know my father's side of the family until my mother disappeared. To me they're just a bunch of strangers in nice suites."
Kazama's expression became serious for a minute as he thought more about his family history. "Hey," I interrupted. "This is our stop coming up."
"Well thank you for walking me home. I hope this isn't to far out of the way from your house."
"Don't mention it."Kazama said while putting his hands into his pants pockets, "My house is only ten minutes from here." The porch light flicked on and the door cracked open a bit. I heard a growl come from the door and Panda jumped crouching in front of me as he growled at Kazama.
"Panda what are you doing out here?" Panda started circling around Kazama trying to sniff at his legs to determine weather or not he was a threat.
Kazama squatted down to get a closer look at the bear that was investigating him, "How the hell do you own Panda?"
I started to scratch my check with my finger out of nervousness, "I sort of adopted her. She's like my best friend... and my bodyguard apparently." Kazama patted her head and Panda instantly stopped growling.
"You're an interesting girl Xiaoyu." He stood up from petting Panda.
"X-Xiaoyu, when did we get on first name basis?"
Kazama snickered before answering me, "I guess we didn't. I just think your name's cute."
I stood frozen at Kazama's sudden statement. I could feel a red tint growing across my cheeks, "Go home Kazama. Before those guys attack you."