238. The rest! Fourth exam awaits.

[The Dueling Exam: Arc 11]

[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Fortune Mountain - Saturday 1:40 p.m.]

"I must say, that sleep we were given was needed. I would so fall asleep while trying to climb the mountain." Codey was quite yawny, but he was awake. ".....So what would falling asleep do to you....?" Wondered Kanji, crossing his arms very unamused. "Not like you would need to be worried about that, just like you didn't need to be worried at the first test." While Kanji felt unamused and seen how the 26 were roaming around like a bunch of civillians around the small cabin village. "You know what's confusing. The cabins, there are exact amount of beds as it made to the end, that's kind of convenient." Claimed Yasu a bit confused. "It's not actually. They probably expected for less than 30 to finish the tests to here." Explained Midori calmly. "That's strange - but if it's true, they guessed pretty well...." Wondered Yasu. "They probably just expected many of people to fail at the first test, you can remember, around 50 managed to get to the second test, but of course I believe they did not expect them to die. Luckily Kyou managed to figure that out." Midori claim while adding to the conversation.

"....Now, Kaori, what are ya planning to do while we still have the time to rest?" Questioned Ume, somewhat still fully estaticed. "Rest and then continue, not much to do anyway - apart from waiting to the fourth test." Answered Kaori, sighing. "The hell are you doing, Kyou?" Questioned the man with blonde hair. "Hmmm..... and who may you be?" Wondered Kyou, after building a tower with cards. "Who I am....? Goya Ko. That's everything you need to do..." In that instant Kyou fell into suspicion. ("Goya Ko. I believe I've heard that name before..... how - special....") Kyou made a giggle within his mind. ("I'm just so interest, oh my, my curiosity is climaxing.") Wondered Kyou, while being suspect constantly of Ko. "Well, sorry, one of your cards dropped, that's all I wanted to say." Ko turned to the side. "Oop. Ah, thank you...." Claimed Kyou, picking up the card. "I must gather more intel on every duelist around here, these must be rather special if they made it to the end." Claimed Ko, but was then stopped. "Um, what were you talking about, something of intel?" Tim seemed to be standing in front of Ko, when Ko froze. ".... Oh.... you've heard me talking? It's not important." Claimed Ko, trying to pass by. "But.... I thought you were talking - something about gathering intel on us, duelists...." Tim spoke. "Ah! Was it that obvious? Yeah, I just really dedicate my job to gathering intel on you people's character, I wish to see just how skilled they are, this was my only reason to take on the exam, to gather intel." Claimed Ko, smiling. "Although, there is one weapon I am trying to find." Claimed Ko. "Oh? Is that so, and that one is?" Tim was interested. "Have you heard of a Ginken 'Nensho'?" In that instant Tim's eyes dropped into seriousness and a shaded his face. "..... No. I didn't. But what do you want it for?" Tim wondered. "I don't really need it for much. I just like its shape, it's iconic." Claimed Ko, gigglish. "Is that so? All right. But sorry, I don't know that weapon." Tim claimed, hiding his truth. "Ah, no worries, I'll ask around and maybe find something." Giggled Ko when he passed by Tim. With no turn around or check on Ko, Tim felt suspicious. (".....Why would he need my weapon specifically....?") Tim confusingly wondered, quietly and held back. From there Tim made a step when Ko seemed to make a creepy smile. ("You must know something, don't you. Number 674.....") The creepy giggle was almost heard by the rest. ("Two can play that game.")

[Planet Earth - Fortune Island - Fortune Mountain - Saturday 2:03 p.m.]

"Um.... Sakami, what's going on, you're so lost in thoughts?" Wondered Kanji, standing besides Sakami. "She probably got a crush!" Laughed Ellie, but soon as he raised his voice, Codey slapped him with a wooden plank and pinged him onto the ground. "Shut up."

".... Nothing much ...." But Kanji was still a bit certain. "Are, you sure?" By wondering loudly, Sakami nodded. "Yes I am. Now please if you step aside, I'm thinking something." At that Kanji nodded and stepped aside. "Well, all right, sorry to bother you, ehehehe." Claimed Kanji stepping aside and scratching the top of his head. ("Haven't seen her like that ever since I've met with her.") Claimed Kanji but those were his only thoughts.

While the rest of the examinees were buy with their own hobbies, Shin seemed to have been reading posters on the cabins. "Shin, are those posters of something you're interested in?" Questioned Shoji, facing at it. "I suppose they are. It seems to show the path of the forest, but I am certain that they've guided us through a different way of line" "So what's up with that, why is that bad, we made it, didn't we?" Shoji wondered, calm and steady on the lookout. "Yes, we did. But why was the reason of going in a different path, we went on the straight path, but the one that is rounded is actually much for safer and quicker, did they want us to lose our sight." "We couldn't possibly know if they went on the straight path, what if they swiched at some point and we just think so - who knows, they might of have not even followed the straight path." Claimed Shoji. "True as well... I'm maybe think this through a bit too much. It's probably fine..." Sighed Shin, calmly.

Tim was sitting near the lake on the bench. "Hey. Um, Tim, can we talk about something..... just between the two of us?" Wondered Ayuka, after she came stepping behind his back. "Huh? Oh, of course, what is it, go on." Tim smiled. "Come take a seat." After that Ayuka sat next to him a bit shy. "So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" Tim wondered, looking at her. "..... It's a bit hard to say it. But -" While she was starting to tell it, Codey and Kanji quietly hid behind the bush. "....Shhh.... it's only them, nobody is around, I need to see this." Codey spoke, whispering. "Be more quiet, jeeze. We don't want them to spot us." Claimed Kanji, both of them were whispering.

"I just wanted to tell you, how I fee -. Well, I just wanted to tell you something, that's a better way to describe it. Ever since the last disappearence of yours, I began thinking differently, what you did for us.... I...." "Psst.... is she going to confess?" Kanji wondered. "Oh, this is starting to get interesting!" Codey and Kanji were both ready to hear it. "Oh, who am I kidding." Ayuka moved a bit away and grabbed her neck. "I'll just say it. I really lik-" But at that moment, Codey stepped on the stick, instantaneously, Ayuka and Tim faced at the bush.

"You god damn idiot! She was about to say it!" Shouted Kanji while yelling at Codey lying on the floor. "Hey! I am sorry! I didn't mean to! It was a mistake!" Shouted Codey, quickly standing up, both stressing out. "Wait! They see us! Uh! Uh! Don't worry! We just came to tell that, that-" Codey called waving with his hands in front. "There is soon going to be dinner! That's all!" Shouted Kanji, adding. "W-what? But. It's only 2 past morning." Tim answered. "I! I meant! Lunch! Lunch, yeah sorry, I mistaked dinner for lunch!" Embarrassingly called Kanji. "..... It, already..... was." Tim said, confused. "Oh come on! Just forget we were here! But still, Tim come to the cabin." Shouted Kanji, he grabbed Codey's clothes and pulled him behind the bush. "Well, that certainly was something. I'll be there right... away, I guess...." Claimed Tim. "But first, what were you going to say, Ayuka?" Tim questioned, turning back toward her. "Oh! Nothing, don't worry. It was something additional thoughts I had on my mind, go on, go ahead, they need you at the cabin apparently." Ayuka claimed, when standing up. "Well, all right. See you then." From there Tim walked past Kanji and Codey, hiding in the bush.

"That was a total fail...." Codey sighed, unamused. "It was you who ruined it anyway!" Claimed Kanji, but then Ayuka immediately came spreading the bush. "What the heck are you two doing! Why are you stalking me?!" Asked Ayuka in anger. "Gah! She's mad! We're sorry! We're sorry, Ayuka! We were just interested into how lovely your outfit was, nothing much, we wanted to take a photo of it and-" But Kanji then slapped Codey. "You're making this worse! Nothing much, Ayuka! We were just walking by and came here, so we wanted to see! Either way! Have fun! Ahahah. Please, don't kill us." The two of them ran and the dust floated up in the air behind them. "We failed every single moment of that!" Shouted Codey, complaining at him and Kanji. "Next time! Don't move so muuuch!" Yelled Kanji and the two bodies ran behind a turn. ".....Uh, what was I thinking. I shouldn't have asked to talk to him privately anyway." Sighed Ayuka and faced back at the lake. "I guess, some things are just impossible to ask or say." At that Ayuka sat down on the bench and fell into quiet moment.

"Hey.... Ayuka." From a calm surprise, Ayuka faced to the side. "Why didn't you tell me?" Wondered Kylin a bit confused. "W-what do you mean?" Questioned Ayuka, a bit stressed. "Why didn't you tell me privately that you had a crush on Tim?" Kylin wondered sitting next to her. "W-w-w-w-w-w-waa-waa-what - I mean wha-what! N-No! You don't understand! I I don't - I mean I do - No! I mean, no! W-why w-would you s-say that?!" Ayuka wondered, stressing all around the area, waving and constantly being heated in the face.

"Come on Ayuka, it's obvious." Spoke Kylin, calm. "I-is it really t-that obvious! I mena! It's not! It's not, really I..." Claimed Ayuka but gave up. ".... What can I say - why would I tell that to you anyway?" Ayuka, soon gave up on talking her way out, leaning onto her left palm while throwing a rock into water, bouncing it to the other side. "I don't know why - but sometimes, sharing to somebody is really helpful, now I understand why you went so far, to find him, to rescue him if necessary and even transformed into that Holy thing." Claimed Kylin, smiling. "W-what Holy Thing? What are you talking about?" Ayuka wondered. "Uh! N-nevermind! Forget about the 'Holy' part. I just wanted to say, that now I understand you why you did all of that!" Smiled Kylin and took an exhale to the side. ("Almost reminding her - that was a bad move....") Kylin thought but then faced back at Ayuka. "Uh. All right.... but I don't know." Ayuka added. "When did you even begin to have these feelings toward him?" Kylin wondered. "You know, talking about it - it's pretty useless. But I guess it was the day he went missing and we came to the Umi Island, believe Kanji already expected that, but that moment, even myself didn't know what the feeling was... either way, I really don't think it's important to talk about it. It won't do me any good, saying it is extremely hard, I'll be honest." Claimed Ayuka, taking another calm sigh. "Well, don't worry - maybe confessing to him, will just take some courage, but I bet Tim would accept it pretty well!" Smiled Kylin. "..... Confessing... that's a word I'd never expect to ever need in life." Claimed Ayuka, still embarrassed.

"Either way, if you'll ever need a person to talk to, please, do, ask away, I'll be always there to support you, if I was on your spot it would be the same for me." Kylin smiled.

"You, being on the spot to where you'd like Tim? That's something I didn't expect." "Hey! Hey! That was just an example, come on, no need to make it that deep!" Embarrassingly claimed Kylin, waving her palms up and down in front of her. "But, no. Really, it would be hard for anybody who would be there instead of you." Calmly claimed Kylin.

"I suppose... but I never knew I'd begin to like somebody in the way I feel like I like Tim..."

To be continued...