CHAPTER 4 - Jam-Packed July (1)

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When Irina had left the room after their English class, Nakamura turned around from her seat towards Okajima and Hayami. "Come to think of it, don't you think Rinka's hair kinda looks like Bitch-sensei's?" she pointed.

Okajima perked up. "That's what I think so too! I think that Hayami's wavy hair adds up to her charm." He grinned at his stoic seatmate and received a cold look from her, who turned to Nakamura after.

"Hey, what are you talking about?" Kurahashi asked innocently upon approaching them.

"We were just saying how Rinka and Bitch-sensei's hair is similar," said Nakamura.

Kurahashi ogled at Hayami. "I can see the similarities," she said. "If Hayami-chan's hair is blonde, she'll be more like Bitch-sensei."

"I can already imagine Hayami having blonde hair. It would look sexy on her," Okajima fussed, his nose flaring.

Again, the girls only snubbed him.

"Their personalities are opposites though," Nakamura said.

"Still, both their faces are pretty mature. Hayami-chan's eyes also look keen," retorted Kurahashi.

Okajima edged closer towards them with a beam on his face. "Why don't we make Hayami wear something sexy like Bitch-sensei? Something that will show – Oy! Who threw that?!"

He spun around and there he saw Chiba leaning forward whose left arm was lying on the desk with his other one was up and fingers showing that he was the one who flicked the eraser straight to Okajima's buzz-cut head.

"What gives, Chiba?!" Okajima yelled.

"I was practicing my aim. I thought that your head was a target," the male sniper lied coolly.

"Why don't you practice outside instead?" Okajima disputed.

"You're right. I should do that." Chiba rose from his seat and looked towards the orange-haired sniper. "Wanna have a go?" he asked her.

Without a word, Hayami followed him out of the room. The three were mute for a moment until Karma passed by them, amusement apparent on his face at Chiba's show of reaction.

"I have to thank you for that little show," he told Okajima, who looked lost.

"Yeah. Good job for pissing Chiba off." Nakamura lifted her hand with a thumbs-up.

"Why did I piss him off? What the heck did I do?"

Grinning from ear to ear, the two daredevils loomed over the stunned pervert. "Just keep on doing what you do," Karma said.

"Until Chiba explodes either from jealousy or rage. Or both," Nakamura continued.

Okajima reclined further with his back sliding down his seat. "Jealous? Rage? Who, Chiba? What are you guys talking about?"

While the two carried on their fun of pressuring Okajima, Kurahashi began to suspect that maybe Okajima has some sort of crush on Hayami although the person himself was oblivious about his feelings. Because of that, Chiba would sooner realize his own.

'I'm sorry, Okajima,' she thought. 'But I'm rooting for Hayami-chan and Chiba-chan.'

***

After their training for the upcoming inter-class ball game tournament, the two snipers stayed inside the classroom for their class duty. For some reason, they were always paired up together.

"Do you think that my hair is similar to Bitch-sensei?" Hayami asked softly after picking up the broom and dustpan.

Chiba was just done moving the last desk away when he said, "You're bothered by that? It doesn't matter though." Upon seeing her troubled expression, he tilted his head to the side amusedly.

"I know, but I still don't like it." Her eyes drifted to the floor, internally hating herself for being this shallow.

"You can change your hairstyle," he suggested.

Her face brightened. "I can put it up into a ponytail," she said.

CHIBA: That's Yada's signature hairstyle already.

HAYAMI: Then... a low ponytail?

CHIBA: Hara and Kataoka.

HAYAMI: How about a braid?

CHIBA: Okuda, remember?

HAYAMI: Okano-san already has short hair. I can't think up of anything else.

While she was distracted in her pondering, Chiba took a few steps forward until he was inches away from her. His eyes glazed at her emerald orbs then at her pursed mouth. He reached out both of his arms towards her.

Hayami froze as she felt his hands – each of them holding up a half of her hair. She stared at him in confusion.

"Fix your hair like this," he said. "Pigtails."

"Won't that make me look childish?"

"I think that you'd look cute with it."

Her face remained blank. "Why do I feel like you're messing with me?"

He stifled a laugh. "I'm not. Trust me. Do I look like I'm joking?" He pointed at his face to prove his point.

Squinting, a small frown emerged on her face. "I can't tell because your bangs are in the way," she pointed.

With a sigh, she tucked strands of her hair, admitting to herself that it was not a bad idea. "My hair is a bother anyway whenever I move around in training. Might as well tie it."

***

The Class 3-E rejoiced when the baseball match had ended, having it won against the invincible Baseball Club. After imparting celebratory remarks with his fellow male peers, Chiba moved towards Hayami, whose hair was fixed into pigtails.

He pointed at his own head. "Looks nice."

Although he already clapped eyes on her new look when the girls had arrived from their basketball game, he hadn't had a chance to comment on it up till now.

The corners of her mouth turned up. "Thanks."

"How did the game go?" he asked as they started to walk behind their classmates back to their decrepit classroom.

"It was a close call."

She did not mind losing though. At least she got to see the boys win their match, which was technically a showdown between Korosensei and the school's principal, Gakuho Asano, as educators.

His head drooped, feeling guilty that their victory did not go on both groups.

Her eyes flickered at him as she sensed the down of his mood. "Congrats. You guys played well," she said.

"I didn't do much. I didn't even hit the ball."

"Still –" she stalled to find the right words "– you won. Our class won."

Of course. A smile hovered on the edge of his lips. Why didn't I realize that sooner?

After thinking that, he looked at her briefly, dwelling again on how the hairstyle suited her well.