Chapter 6: Excited

BBeta read by Shigiya, Darklord331, Maglad and Kyugan.

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-Tokonosu, Fujimi High School-

This was odd, to say the least. Takashi, for the past few days, had been having a weird time, uncertain how to feel or react to how things turned out between him and the new student, Seth. The Irishman appeared out of nowhere and was now attending the same school as him and Rei. He was not someone one could say he had a good impression of, but their last talk sure did reveal a lot about him. 

"You know, I find it weird that despite this being your second year here, you never joined a club yet." Asked one of his classmates, holding the piece of paper where new students needed to write which club they would like to join. The one on Takashi's desk had been left blank, with only his name and the date written on it. Fiddling with his pen and tapping it against the table, the young man thought deeply for a second before shaking his head.

"Because being part of a club and doing club activities and going on trips is not mandatory." He said while grabbing the form and putting it inside his bag, not planning to fill it any time soon. "I'll just do what I did last year and just not join any. It'll just add more work on top of all of these shitload of homework Hayashi-sensei gave us."

The two next to him readily agreed with a pained expression. "Seriously, she's trying to make us quit school with these impossible assignments. I don't want to spend the entire day behind a desk writing! At least she's hot, so I don't mind putting in some effort" 

"Hey, we were talking about Takashi here joining a club and not these things." The second classmate warned, not willing to listen to the stressful matters related to that teacher but didn't deny that their teacher was hot. "But anyway, you should still join one, Takashi. You get plenty of benefits and it's much easier to make friends. Some club even take their club members to resorts and other nice places whenever they win competitions, like the Kendo Club did last year! You should try and join it! And there's another reason and the most important thing about joining the Kendo club. Big two reasons hehehehe!"

"Are you serious?" Takashi said with a disbelieving look. 

His friend shook his head in disappointment. "My friend, you're still very naive. Surely you've heard about Saeko Busujima, haven't you? Well, she's the only reason most people even join the club, and being a member means you can see her daily in all her sweaty glory!"

That sounded interesting, he had seen Saeko's face and even spoken to her in the past, she was beautiful he had to admit. But he wasn't willing to join a club just because she was part of it, he wasn't infatuated by her like these people. Takashi was curious about Kendo, even though he had never practiced it. But still, he replied, "I'll pass. I just don't think Kendo is for me. It's better to watch than to practice."

Part of him was curious to see whether Saeko was really that good. He couldn't go a single day without hearing half the school fawning over her feats or how she performed in a recent tournament. 

She was practically the school's poster girl.

"Then what other clubs do you want to join then? At least tell us which one you're more interested in." 

Fine, he could humor them a bit.

"I don't know. There are so many of them in this school, I can't seem to pick one that suits me."

"I heard there's a baseball club? Chicks dig baseball players."

"Already did that in middle school, not too keen on doing so again for another year or two."

"Track team? There are a few hot girls in that club."

"Are you crazy? All of them are basically pros disguised as students. I can barely make two laps without sweating like a pig. Best case scenario is that I'll end up as the club manager. Also, my choices shouldn't be based on whether I can meet girls."

His friends just gave him blank looks, each wondering what was wrong with this guy before deciding to move on. 

"Well, there's also the Sojutsu club." When his friend mentioned that, Takashi went silent and didn't dismiss it immediately. He knew someone who attended that club, someone he hadn't seen for a while. 

"..."

"You're thinking about joining the Sojutsu club, aren't you…" one of the boys remarked, as they all exchanged glances, a hidden meaning passing between them. "I mean, it's just as good, but recently things haven't been going smoothly over there. Lots of drama and bad blood between one of the students and a teacher from what I heard… better to not get involved." 

Was it Rei? Or could it be someone else? There were many cases of conflicts between students and teachers in this school, especially given the following: "By the way, have you two seen Igou lately? And do you know if he had joined a club yet?"

"Igou? That dude has been disappearing so often that we barely see him. I don't think he's joined a club yet. No, no, wait, never mind, I remember that he decided to join the baseball club ." 

Baseball huh, that was a bit unexpected but that guy did love sports. 

Yes, that sounded like Igou. The guy loved that sport in particular and was even the captain during middle school.

"Anyway, have you made up your mind?" 

"No, I'll wait a bit longer and see if anything else gets my attention." With a sigh, Takashi dropped the papers on his desk and stood up, swinging his bag over his shoulder. He had no idea which club to join and thought about asking his other friends for their opinions before making a decision. 

"I'll go look for Igou, and see how he's doing," he said, waving at the boys before leaving the room and down the hallways. Looking around, he once again noticed the distinct lack of a large male population here, with more girls roaming the halls and he still hadn't gotten used to it.

All in all, it was a completely different atmosphere from his middle school days. Since he still had half an hour left for lunch, a quick trip to the school cafeteria sounded ideal. The school offered a variety of options for all students, including freshly made food and items one would typically find in a restaurant.

"Oh, is that you, Takashi?" a voice called near him. He looked toward another classroom, where a familiar face with pink hair walked out. She had a distinct twin-tail hairstyle, an ever-present frown, and glasses on her face that never seemed to leave as long as he had known her.

"Saya."

"We've been going to the same school for a week, and that's the only thing have to say to me? Tch, moron. It's like you completely forgot that I even existed."

An awkward chuckle escaped his mouth. 

Saya Takagi, an old friend he had known since kindergarten, was a person with a fierce personality despite her doll-like face. This contrasted by her body which easily made many heads turn, having perhaps the biggest chest amongst all the female students, and height-wise, she was a bit on the short size. There were several times that his friends would call her a short-stack when she was out of earshot. Takashi was quick to leave them be when they were talking about her, just in case Saya ever heard their lewd comments about her. She always had to scold him for one thing or another—thankfully, he had grown used to it.

"I wasn't ignoring you. It's just that things have been quite hectic these past few days, and I've been struggling to keep up with this school."

"Hmph! I'm still struggling to understand how you made it here with such average grades you got previously. Seriously, other than getting high grades in physical education, you pretty much got average everywhere else."

"Yes, I got lucky."

"So then, come on! Aren't you going to the cafeteria? Good, I was making my way over there as well. Let's go." She didn't allow him the opportunity to refuse or agree to her request before pulling him along. With limited options, he could do nothing but obediently follow the young girl as they walked towards the cafeteria. They exchanged small talk about their day at school, but otherwise remained quiet during the journey.

"I heard that you became the captain of the swimming club? That's impressive." He heard one of his friends talking about that earlier, and how the school swimsuit looked so tight on her. He really needed to look for new friends that didn't perv on the girls so much. Rather than showing a smile at his compliment, the girl just frowned and scowled at him.

"I hope you aren't going to keep skipping classes like you used to last year. It's a miracle that you managed to pass the exams last year. If you don't take your studies seriously, then you'll just end up like Rei and have to repeat a year."

"..." 

His eyes twitched at the mention of Rei, a reaction not going unnoticed by the pink-haired girl, who couldn't help but sigh in exasperation. 

"What?" 

"Should have known. You haven't changed a bit, you idiot. Don't tell me you still have feelings for Rei?"

"W-Wha—don't say it out loud! There are people around who might hear you!" he said sternly, earning a frustrated glare from the short girl. 

"I don't get why you have to bring up Rei. We were discussing clubs and my habit of skipping class, which I promise to stop doing often if you queit down. Can we just please talk about something else? Also, there are people waiting behind us."

"You take me for an idiot?" Unfortunately for him, Saya wasn't going to let the matter drop. She pulled him away to a secluded corner where no one would overhear them. "Just tell me what's going on between you two. You look so out of it these past few days."

"Since when have you been interested in my personal life? And I told you, it's nothing."

"Since now! Seeing you walk around like a zombie stuck in clouds irritates me. So spill it; I don't have all day." So bossy, even after all these years—she hadn't changed a bit. Out of everyone he knew, she was the second one, after Igou, who knew about his interest in Rei.

Even then, they barely talked about this matter in the past. The less they interacted, the less he felt the need to bring it up with anyone.

Under her stern stare, his resolve broke, and waving a white flag, he ended up telling her, "Nothing is going on between me and Rei…"

"Hah? I swear I'll knock that head of yours off if you don—"

"I really mean nothing is happening between us," he insisted with a self-deprecating chuckle. "Since the end of the first year of school, we barely spoke to one another the entire time—maybe twice at most. Even now, it's been a week, and at most, we've only greeted one another."

Every day in class, he would catch glimpses of her from a distance, occasionally losing himself in staring at her for minutes on end. Even Igou, someone she barely talked to, seemed to have more interactions with her throughout the day. It was disheartening to see her frequently talking to his best friend and that new guy; it always dampened his mood. 'At this point, I'm no different from a stranger in her eyes. I wonder if she even remembers that promise we made long ago.'

The image of both of their younger selves under a Sakura tree, linking their pinky fingers to seal the deal over a silly promise, which made him shake his head at that memory. But part of him just refused to let go, for that moment was worth so much to both his younger and current selves.

Snap!

"Hm?"

Saya snapped her fingers repeatablely in front of his face. "Hey! This is not the time to be daydreaming, especially when you're having a conversation with a friend. It's rude!"

"Ah, sorry about that. What were you saying again?"

"Urgh! Useless! I was saying to just move on and forget about Rei. From the looks of it, you're just wasting your time pining over her."

"..." That sounded harsh; he didn't have any response to that. He couldn't deny her completely, nor could he accept those words either. It was a bitter pill to swallow. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Tch, should have known. Listen, I'm just saying this for your own good. It's not healthy to be stuck in the past, and you need to focus on your studies unless you don't want to be expelled from this school. If that happens, then even my parents won't be able to help you." After saying that, she left, heading back to the cafeteria, and leaving the boy alone to stew in his thoughts.

"I've lost my appetite." Seeing no reason to stay there, he decided to just go back to class. "The rooftop should be empty; I'll just go sleep there."

The teachers for the following classes were too lazy to take attendance daily, only at the beginning and end of the week. So even if he was gone, no one would notice. There were still three hours left until he could go back home, so a long nap sounded very ideal.

"Ah!"

The next moment, someone running from the corner of the hallway bumped into him rather abruptly, making him almost fall to the ground if it weren't for the person who managed to grab his outstretched hand and pull him back in an instant. 

"Oh, come on! Sorry about that, I was in a hurry and didn't see—Takashi?" That voice sounded familiar. As he gathered his bearings, Takashi was surprised to find that the person he bumped into was none other than the girl who had been occupying his thoughts lately. 

"Rei…" There she was, dressed in the same school uniform as everyone else, with her hair tied in a ponytail and a small band-aid on her cheek. Looking at her, Takashi's mind replayed the conversation he had with Saya. Yet even now, he just couldn't find the strength to say what he had always wanted to bring up since they were kids. But he could try to spend some time with her; maybe a talk would clear his mind. 

"Hey, do you… perhaps want to have lunch with m—"

"—Are you alright? I didn't break anything, did I? Sorry! I would love to talk more, but I have to hurry! See you later!" She didn't even give him time to finish his sentence. Dusting off her clothes and patting him on the back, the girl rushed into the cafeteria, pushing past those in line, including a surprised Saya, and snatching one of the few remaining yakisoba breads.

"Hey! Don't cut the line!"

"I was getting those! Give them back!"

A small ruckus ensued in the cafeteria, with some laughing at the scene while others shouted in anger at Rei's actions. However, most just didn't care and kept focusing on their conversations instead.

"She's energetic; I guess I'll try next time." Shrugging his shoulders, he walked up the stairs, headed to the rooftop, opened the door, and was met with a scenic view of the school grounds and the surrounding fauna. Part of the town was visible from his spot. Climbing up to the water tank above the door's roof, he found the ideal spot for a nap. "Good thing I brought my bag. Better than lying my head on the concrete."

Trying to push aside everything plaguing his mind, Takashi closed his eyes and listened to the wind caressing his face… It was a nice moment when he could forget everything.

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Bang!

"—?"

The loud sound of the door opening nearly made him fall to the ground from his high-up position.

"Damn it, Cu! Why the hell were you in the teacher's office!? I told you to stay out of trouble!"

"Hahaha! Don't worry so much for little old me. I wasn't looking for trouble. I was just going to check on someone and make sure they weren't being taken advantage of by some sleazy snake in the grass."

"Eh?"

A familiar voice came up; it was Rei again, and that was something Takashi wasn't expecting. 'Wasn't she in a hurry a few minutes ago? What is she doing here?' Not to mention, the second voice he initially thought was Igou, but the more he listened, the less likely it seemed, given how different it sounded. It was familiar, but he didn't need to guess for long when he carefully looked downwards to find Rei accompanied by the new student of all people. 'Why is she with him?'

Truth be told, after the first meeting during the entrance ceremony, he never spoke to Seth again. The latter would sometimes come over, greet him, and even make small talk, but Takashi always just answered with quick responses or nodded his head before saying that he needed to be somewhere else. Not that he hated the man or anything like that, but he just didn't know how to deal with someone like him, who at times felt too friendly.

"Man, I'm hungry. As expected, lunchtime really is the best moment during the day. Couldn't pack much, but I brought a few things that my guardian helped me make thanks to my Ma's help." 

"Did you bring beer to school!? Get rid of it before anyone sees you!" 

"You can finish it if you want, it would be a shame to throw it away," Cu said, offering the can to Rei who pushed it back hurriedly with a panicked face. "Hahaha! I'm just messing with you, the can is empty! I just left it here last night by accident." 

Her face turned crimson, whether it was out of rage or embarrassment, Takashi couldn't make it out from his spot. 

"Hah, no need to get angry missy, you've been on the edge for a while lately. Bottling up all of that will bound to end up poorly, so relax, I brought you something." 

"Eh?" Rei exclaimed in astonishment when Cu passed her a small bento box similar to his. At first uncertain of what it was, Rei opened the lid, and both she and Takashi saw quite a spread of various dishes presented—most of it being meat with little to no vegetables. "This… looks kinda heavy." 

"Eat it. With the amount of sparing we've been doing lately, it's best you eat something that will help your muscles grow and heal. Last time, you would twitch and moan from just being touched," he mentioned, opening his own box with similar contents. "What? Don't like it?" 

"I-It's too much!" Exclaimed the ginger brown-haired girl. "There's literally a pool of grease at the bottom…" 

"That's what makes it taste better." 

"I already ate yakisoba."

"That stuff is just carbs, you gonna need more than for your training."

"... I'll get fat!" 

At that, the blue-haired boy laughed, "Seriously lassie, you train hard enough for that to not be a problem. In fact, with how intense you are lately, it'd be a shame if you lose your current shape." He said while chewing on his food, "So far I haven't seen an ugly girl in this city or even an average one for that matter… I'm starting to think there's something in the water at this point." 

"A-Ah… really." Rei stuttered, her tone growing soft. "I didn't think you would be that interested in my training… thanks." 

"Hahaha, that's only natural! You're now practically my disciple, and it's a master's duty to ensure you're doing well! I'll make you a great warrior, and I promise you I won't be as nearly as strict as my shishou." 

"Geez, stop saying weird stuff." Suddenly Rei perked her head and looked at the boy quizzically. "Wait, you have a teacher who taught you how to be this good?" 

"But of course, did you think I popped out of my Ma's womb with full mastery over the spear?" His tone was laid back, saying that with a grin while Rei blushed with embarrassment again. 

"Not that! This is just the first time I hear you speaking about a teacher." 

"You'd like her for sure." He answered with a knowing smile, looking at the sky with a slightly dazed expression perhaps reminiscing of the past. "I doubt you'd survive her tests, so unfortunately you won't be becoming her student anytime soon. Even I would come close to death when sparring against that hag." 

Rei visibly shook when she heard that, "She sounds scary." 

"Heh, you can see it like that. Shishou was kinda like… a teacher, mother, and lover. She somehow managed to be all those three things at separate times. A stern mother to scold you when you have pushed yourself too far — which is rare given how she would train me. But she also showed love and care for my well-being, like a devoted partner. A firm teacher that will instruct you on how to get stronger and survive." It was clear he had more to say but stopped, a complicated expression appearing on his face as he shook his head. "Too bad I couldn't live up to her expectations." 

"... Is she dead." 

"Ha! Yeah right! There's nothing in this world or anywhere else that is capable of killing that woman. She's still very much alive, and probably would start laughing if she learns what happened to me." 

While those two continued to converse with one another, Takashi did his best not to be spotted. They looked very friendly with one another, Takashi had never seen her this close to even Igou. 

Master? Training? Takashi knew that Rei had only met Cu very recently, barely a month ago when he first saw her in front of the convenience store completely soaked. The two were strangers who met one another by pure chance according to Rei and Cu — the latter went so far as to even tell him to not worry about his relationship with the girl. 'But what does this master and training topic have to do with anything? She didn't even get mad at him, so it's not a joke… right?'

Uncomfortable, this entire scenario made goosebumps spread across his skin, yet he continued to listen. 

"Here, have this." From her pocket she retrieved an item Takashi saw her buy just a moment ago. Gingerly giving it to Cu who grew curious.

"What's this?" 

"Yakisoba, I got it from the cafeteria… wanted to give you one as a thanks…" 

"Aww~ You're very kind, Rei! You make this old man want to shed a tear." 

"S-Shut up!" 

Their banter was casual and carefree, like the conversations he used to have with her years ago when they were kids. Even in middle school, they remained close friends. But something changed in high school. Rei, Igou, and himself used to be inseparable. Now, they hardly spoke unless it was with Igou. 

As he was thinking about that, Takashi heard Rei say something that immediately caught his attention. 

"I ran into Takashi," she said, eating the food Cu gave her, initially her eyes widening as she took the first bite and actually not being disgusted by the taste. "Accidently bumped into him. "

"Is that so, going about how you're reacting, Takashi huh? That quiet kid who rarely talks and prefers looking outside the window to stare at the girls in PE while sitting at the back of the class."

Takashi almost choked at that.

"... Why did you have to say it like that? But yes, that's him. You should know, we're both in the same classroom and you even speak to him." 

"Don't mind me. I take it that the interaction between you two was awkward or didn't go well." 

Takashi wouldn't call it awkward like what Cu suggested, clearly, Rei was just in a hurry. She had her usual smile on her face, seemingly more cheerful than uncomfortable. 

"Yes, it was awkward." She admitted, sighing and leaning her head against the wall. 

"..." 

"I didn't want to stay there, so I rushed away without even realizing it and ran away after making sure he was okay." 

Did she really feel that way? Did she hate him? 

"You hate him?" Cu voiced out the question he had in his heart. 

Much to his relief, she immediately shook her head. "No, I don't hate him or anything like that. I doubt he'd care even if I hated him, that guy barely cares about anything from what I've seen. He'll just sleep on it for a while and forget the next day like usual." 

No, he wouldn't! At that moment, Takashi wanted to jump down from his spot and confront Rei about what kind of nonsense she was spouting! It startled him that she thought of him as that kind of person.

Rei continued speaking.

"We used to be very close, you know?" 

"I remember you mentioning this before." 

"Did I? Oh right, when we were fishing." 

Eh?

Fishing?

The more he listened, the more confused he became about the relationship between these two. Seth mentioned that there was nothing going on between them, but the more he listened, the more difficult this was to believe. 

"Anyways, years ago… Takashi and I were almost inseparable, always playing together as kids. He was different back then, then again, so was I. At the kids' park, our houses, and amusement parks, we went everywhere together and had loads of fun. It was around that time we became friends with Igou and Saya." 

Takashi stopped breathing, his heart continuing to beat madly, wondering whether Rei remembered certain parts of that period. The way she spoke made him optimistic, holding hope that maybe the past wasn't a forgotten piece after all.

Without even realizing it, a smile appeared on his face. 

"I'm familiar with the two lads, but this Saya… she sounds familiar. Hmm, you'll have to refresh my memory." 

"She's another one of Takashi's childhood friends, I never got close to her honestly. My dad told me to be careful around her, her parents are very influential people. Her case is similar to practically everyone around her, except for a small minority like us. Honestly, I don't like her, she's too bossy and bitchy at times."

Takashi was stunned to hear that come out of Rei's mouth. 

"Pft-hahahaha! From the sound of it, you two would get along very well, she sounds just like you!" Cu laughed, earning a glare from Rei. The latter punched his arm which barely did anything.

"Shut up! How can you call someone who brought you yakisoba bread a bitch!?" 

"Hey, I'm just being honest here and also you said it not me. But that's why I like spending time with you! It's always fun being around you." 

"..." 

Did Seth just… say something that could be easily misunderstood to Rei without a second thought? Takashi could hardly believe it, wondering if he could call the man as overly bold or just an overly shameless person. 

Even Rei wouldn't stand such a person. 

"Jerk." Rei scoffed lightly, not even glaring at him and just continuing to eat her food normally without any change in her expression or scooting away from him. 

'She's okay with that!?' 

"So yeah, Takashi and I were very close. At one point, we even made a promise that we would marry each other when we grow up."

Rei remembered…

The boy's hand reached his chest, where he felt the frantic heartbeat, a spring of relief flooding his mind. He believed Rei had mostly forgotten the promise, except for him, but he remembered it so vividly as if it had happened yesterday. 

"Oooh, childhood sweethearts! That's cute." Cu exclaimed, teasing the person next to him with a grin. "It's not rare to see kids throw such silly promises left and right to their friends or even their parents. Nothing to be ashamed about, I've said and done more ridiculous things in my youth." 

Without even realizing it, Takashi's hands clenched into fists when listening to those words. Both angered and frustrated how he not only somewhat disagreed with Seth, but at the same time couldn't deny how true those words were. 

A silly promise… 

Did Rei see it like that?

"I guess you're right. This is just to tell you how close we once were, but people changed with time and Takashi changed. The entire time in middle school and during my two years here, not once did he try to approach me. Even Igou asked me out recently."

"—!?"

Igou did what!? 

Takashi felt his mind go numb at that revelation. His best friend had known about his feelings for Rei for the longest time; he was the only one who had encouraged him to ask her out in the past. Yet he was actually the one to approach her first… 

"He did? I'm surprised, I didn't expect he'd do that this quickly."

"You knew?" 

"From the moment we first met. It was clear the lad had feelings for you. Kudos to him for finally making his shot. So, did you turn him down?" 

"Not really," Takashi didn't want to listen, at this moment he had a great urge to go to his friend and punch him in the face. "I didn't give him any answers, he dropped the matter afterward and we just pretended it never happened. But after that, he did start to ask me out more often during the school break." 

"You turned him down on his first attempt basically. Any reason why? He's a fine lad, with a good head on his shoulders and a good heart. Were he not a kid, I'd invite him to the pub for a drink." 

"You did." She said dryly. "I had to carry you two drunks to your apartment! You better give me a copy of your apartment's key if you plan on doing this again, it'll be easier for me." 

She even went to his apartment…

Listening to their conversation, so much happened without him even realizing it. Takashi was curious why Igou didn't tell him anything about this, perhaps his friend wanted to keep his attempts at going out with Rei a secret. 

"Going back to the topic at hand, you think the kid lost interest in you." 

Those words stung the person in question, and this was further concerning when Rei took a while to answer back. 

"Yes," she answered finally. "What else can it be other than that? If it's something else then that's not my problem anymore, I… I've waited long enough and I'm tired of it. If he's interested in me or not, I don't care anymore, he can ask someone else out for all I care. This is why it's awkward to talk to him now, I just don't know how to behave around someone like that." 

"..."

Takashi's mind went blank. 

"You never know, what if he asks you out sometime soon? In my opinion, he's just afraid to take the first step, thus being the reason why he's so quiet." 

She shrugged dismissively before closing the now empty bento box. Hugging her knees to her chest, Rei rested her chin atop them with a pensive frown. The position caused her ample bust to strain against the fabric of her uniform, drawing Cu's gaze briefly before he respectfully averted his eyes.

"What do you think I should say then?" 

"You're seriously asking me for an answer?" He said, sounding surprised. "Best not to follow my advice, my love life has not been what you call… a train wreck. In fact, I have shit luck when it comes to women in general." 

"I can make a few guesses on why," a small smile bloomed on her face as she looked at the grumbling man at the jab, but didn't really speak up about it. "They probably got jealous since you probably were flirting with other women while in a relationship." 

"Heh, do I look like that kind of scumbag to you?" He asked amusedly, but Rei didn't back down. 

"I don't know, are you? I won't know the answer unless I test it out myself. Might be interesting now that I think about it." 

"Huh?" 

"What?" 

Both Takashi and Cu had the same reaction to Rei's words, the latter showing a smirk when she saw his reaction and burst out laughing immediately. 

Her reaction earned a head shake from Cu, amusement flashing before his eyes. "You cheeky brat. Grown confident enough to mess with your teacher huh?" 

"Hahaha, if it was worth it! I at least know how to catch you off guard!" 

After calming down, she packed up her things and got up, stretching her arms. 

"Ha~!" 

Her stretching produced some rather suggestive sounds, causing Takashi to blush furiously while Cu just raised an eyebrow. The blue-haired boy marveled at how the girl's uniform managed to contain her generous assets without bursting at the seams. Rei seemed oblivious to how her position gave quite the view, something Cu pointedly avoided looking at directly.

"Oi, careful there," Cu chuckled. "You'll give the boys around here heart attacks if you keep that up."

Rei paused mid-stretch, her face flushing as she realized her compromising position. She quickly straightened up, tugging at her uniform. 

"Shut up, you perv!" she huffed, though there was no real anger in her voice.

After a bit, Rei's satisfied smile playing on her lips. "We should make this our regular spot. Next time though, I'm packing lunch. Something with actual nutrients, not just a meat-lover's grease-fest."

She scooped up her bag and headed for the stairwell. At the doorway, she paused, glancing back at Cu with a soft look in her eye. "Oh, and Cu?"

"Yeah?" 

"Thanks. For listening." 

To that, she got a thumbs up from the Irishman who put on a large smile. "Anytime." 

With only a couple minutes left till the end of lunch break, Rei headed back to class leaving Cu behind. Takashi on the other hand felt his mind going on overdrive, trying to digest everything he heard. He watched with a complicated expression at the boy below pushing his hair backwards and then adjusting his clothes. 

No matter how uncomfortable it was to admit, he and Rei truly had grown close in a short amount of time. 

He didn't know how to feel about that.

"Hey boyo, how long are you planning on hiding up there?" 

"—!" 

'He saw me!?' Takashi flinched, feeling as if he was struck by thunder and couldn't even move from his spot. Or rather, his body refused to do so. 

"I know you're up there, don't worry, the girl didn't see ya~!" 

Left with no choice, he got up and faced the other party with a troubled face. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I was just taking a nap and then…"

Cu waved his concern away, "Don't sweat it, I know it was an accident. Still, I'm sure you heard our conversation loud and clear. I admit, I was a bit curious about the history between you three but didn't think it was something going back this many years." Then, his face turned serious. "You heard everything, so I won't say much. This is the last time I'm helping you, if you're still hesitant then that's your own fault. Have some guts, kid." 

Those were his last words before he left the area as well, following Rei to their next class while Takashi remained behind. Looking at the sky, the passing clouds, and the peaceful scene helped make his heartbeat calm down but the exhaustion he felt inside didn't lessen. 

The bell rang. 

After a few seconds of contemplation, he cursed before hopping down and heading back to class. Forgoing whatever plan he had for the day.

His hands rummaged through his bag till he picked up a crumbled-up form for those who wanted to join a club. 

"I'll give it a try." 

{Break}

(Afternoon)

"A club?" 

Just like Takashi, Cu ended up facing a similar scenario when he met Kyoko once more in front of the teacher's office after class ended. The very same form in his hand being thoroughly read and inspected. "Looks fun and all, but I honestly don't think I'm cut out for such things, it's best if I just leave it for now and focus on other things — like my studies since you've been worried about that from the beginning."

The buxom teacher adjusted their glasses and nodded Her head. "Normally I would have agreed with you, but even I have to remember that socializing is very important for students along with making new friends. The easiest way to achieve that is thanks to clubs."

Cu hummed, He didn't immediately turn down the request and genuinely thought about what she said. The woman was right about this being the easiest way to make friends. But He was in no hurry to become familiar with other students and was content with his current friendships.

But it wouldn't hurt to try. 

"Since you are the one who brought this up with me. I suppose you have some advice for which club in particular I should visit fast." Conceding in the end, he ended up agreeing partially due to the excited look from the woman before him. 

"If you must know, I would recommend the ping pong club! Given that I am also its advisor."

That caught him by surprise. He didn't think this woman would be in ping pong of all things. But having learned something new about her hobbies made him smile. "Fine, I'll give it a check but no promises."

"Great! Be sure to check out everything. I know for certain you will not regret this decision!" After Kyoko handed him the form, Cu decided to ask a fellow student for help guiding him through the recruitment. 

"Cu! Over here!" amongst the crowd a red-headed girl waved at him with a girl standing right beside her with a timid face. He didn't waste any time to go over there to greet the two duo. "Hey there, Momo, and you too, Fumiko, it's been a while since we last spoke to each other! "

"It hasn't been that long, we literally hung out with you two days ago!" said Momo with the brim on her face. "Fumi here wouldn't stop talking about how much she missed seeing you again and again, I felt like my ears were about to fall off!"

"No, I wasn't, Momo! What are you saying!?" The bespectacled girl exclaimed, shocked, face beet red, while trying to cover her friend's mouth but the latter being quick to dodge. Unable to do anything, she just looked at Cu with an embarrassed expression, "Do-don't listen to her nonessence!"

"Oh, so you didn't miss me?" 

"No—I mean, yes! Ah, not in a weird way!" She kept fumbling, growing more red by the second while trying to explain with her erratic movement. Momo smirked without even trying to help her friend, enjoying the show. Feeling bad for the young miss, he waved his hand. 

"I was just messing with you, don't need to have a panic attack over such a small thing." 

"Why you!"

Though she didn't try to punch him like Rei, her glare was just as menacing as that of a rabbit. Cute more than anything else and he couldn't help but get the urge to pet her — best not as she might really lose it if teased anymore. 

But it was tempting.

In the end, she took a deep breath of air to calm down and avoided his gaze. "...I heard from Momo you wanted to join a club."

"I haven't really decided which one to join, so I'll be taking a look around with your help." Truth be told, he already made up his mind on the way here on which club to join. It suited his taste and it was something he desperately searched for back in his hometown with little luck. 

"Well, I'm in the track club, same with Fumi over here. She's on my level as well."

"Eh, really?" That part genuinely surprised him, making the Heroic Spirit cast a glance at Fumiko's body. "I'll be honest, you gave me the impression of being a bookworm rather than an athlete. But now that I look at you carefully, you do have visibly developed muscles in your thighs." 

In his words, Fumiko was unsure whether to feel embarrassed at him looking at her legs or happy at the compliment. It didn't feel bad, though. His gaze didn't hold any other kind of intention like some of the male students'. 

"T-Thanks, but I still have a way to go before reaching Momo's level. She's just exaggerating." 

"Are you interested in joining the club then?" Momo asked, genuine excitement as she said that. "Shido-sensei isn't super strict with the rules and even lets us go back home whenever we want to. He even funds the club to allow for regular maintenance of the field and our equipment. Best adviser you can ask for." 

So that guy was the club's adviser, his first impression wasn't exactly the best and Cu doubted that man would be thrilled to see him there in the first place. After all, along the past week alone he tried to approach Kyoko again, more subtle than the first time but clearly with some hidden intentions each time. 

Of course, he kept an eye on him and managed to distract Kyoko again. But this time, he sensed the retreating man's hostile gaze. 

Cu smirked, a mischievous glint in his eye. Part of him almost hoped Shido would try something underhanded. It'd give him the perfect excuse to put that creep in his place. He doubted Shido would go as far as sending actual hitmen after him - this wasn't some mob movie. More likely, the teacher would resort to petty harassment at school, trying to intimidate him into backing off. The thought made Cu's grin widen. Unlike his past summonings, no pesky Command Seals were holding him back this time. If Shido wanted to play dirty, he would be all too happy to return the favor.

'Should I just enroll in the track team just to mess with him?' He shook his head at that idea the next second, it was a waste of effort on someone like that. 

"I'll think about it, but let's see what the others have to offer."

"Alright, let's go then." Without wasting time, she brought him along to the school grounds where there were multiple booths opened for various clubs. Amongst them were a few people he recognized, the Khota kid mingling with the manga club members — the latter waving at him as he passed by, which he returned.

Igou wore a baseball uniform showing off his swing to the freshmen. 

"Everyone is having fun." He said to himself, glad to see them but also starting to grow genuinely curious about what else this school offered. 

"Most clubs don't have booths set up here, like the kendo club, swimming club, and finally the Sojutsu one. All three of them are popular enough that students will flock to them in masses regardless of whether they put in some effort or not." Momo said, after greeting some of the track team members nearby trying to attract fresh blood. 

"Even the local news covers their achievements, many of their graduated members actually went pro with a few even participating in international sports events," Fumiko added, following along as the three slowly made their way to the other areas of the school where they started to hear noises of people screaming in pain. 

"Eh?" Was there a fight nearby?

Seeing his reaction, both girls chuckled, "Ah, that must be the Kendo club. The new recruits are getting a reality check as always. Want to see who is getting their asses handed to them, Cu, Fumiko?"

How could he even decline such a kind offer!

.

.

.

"Head!" 

Pa!

"Argh!"

"Wrist!" 

Pa!

"Shit!" 

"Body!" 

Pa!

"Argh!" 

Safe to say, Cu was happy to see the display before him. Led by the girls, he reached the dojo where quite a few students were gathered eagerly watching the different duels happening in the large hall. 

Filled with kendo practitioners shouting about body parts they were about to strike and making their moves. 

"Interesting, saying which part you're aiming for in advance, that's… risky." He wanted to call it arrogant but didn't, since this wasn't a real battle to the death and perhaps served a purpose. If the opponent was fast enough, it would be easy to counter if you knew which part the other party aimed for. 

Pa!

Good thing they were wearing helmets, the bamboo swords striking the helmet held enough force momentarily to stun the opponent but not strong enough to cause any major harm even if there wasn't any helmet. All in all, it was similar to the tournament he saw with Rei a month ago before school started. 

"Why does this place smell so flowery while our club room stinks? Bet they barely use this place, it's just to show off." Momo mentioned beside him, to which Fumiko agreed. "What's the point of letting people who are not even members of the club and first years participate? They'll just end up losing badly." 

"It raises the fighting spirit of those who wish to improve." A calm voice spoke from behind, causing both Momo and Fumiko to flinch. 

"Wah!"

Their eyes widened when they saw the person standing right behind them, wearing a similar kendo gear to those in the middle. Her straight and shiny purple hair was tied in a ponytail, and not a trace of sweat was on her face. She had beautiful blue eyes that resembled gems and a smile that easily made their hearts inadvertently flutter. 

"B-Bu-Busujima-senpai!?" 

Busujima? It finally clicked in Cu's mind—she was that girl who won the tournament—he nearly forgot about her. As he was observing her, so did she. He could see her sizing him up without making it obvious, though he didn't comment on that. 

"You must be Seth Collins, a new student to this school." 

She knew him, weird, this was definitely the first time they met. And he was pretty sure that he hadn't done anything to garner attention. "That's me, sorry but have I met you before?" 

"No, we haven't, I learned about you from Rei. She's a good friend of mine."

Oh, that answered his question.

"I see, nice to meet you then. I was at your tournament a few weeks ago, you're quite talented aren't you?" He extended his hands for a greeting, and Saeko's smile grew as she reciprocated his gesture. "Heh, you have a strong grip there, miss." 

For someone who was this good with the sword, she sure has soft hands with no calluses whatsoever. But that grip strength told another story, was she doing so intentionally?

"You're not bad yourself, the callouses tell me you also practice martial arts. Do you practice the sword as well?"

"Mostly the spear, as for the sword, I'm okay, nothing to brag about." He waved her compliments always, seeing that their interaction didn't attract any attention so far as they were all focused on the battles in front. 

"Are you here to join the club?" 

"Not really, mostly just came here to check things out." 

She nodded, tilting her head a bit with a thought passing through her mind. "Do you perhaps want to give it a try? I can be your opponent since most are busy with the other freshmen." 

As soon as she said that, Cu's lips twitched upwards. "Eh, really?" 

He did have a desire to try out Kendo a bit when coming here, but as soon as he saw the level of these kids, it would just be repeating what happened when he went to check out that sojutsu dojo if not worse. It wouldn't scratch that itch with how easy his opponents would fall, maybe only being able to keep up for two moves at most. 

Unless he intentionally went easy on them, that defeated the point of trying out in the first place and would just make him even more frustrated. 

But Saeko was different. Cu had seen her skill firsthand at the tournament, and it had genuinely impressed him. With more training, she could become a true master of the sword. Her talent surpassed even Rei's considerable abilities with the spear. That alone piqued his curiosity - he wanted to see what else she was capable of, suspecting she'd only scratched the surface during the competition. A chance to cross blades with her, even in practice, was too tempting to pass up.

Momo and Fumiko behind him panicked when they saw his hand reach out for the shinai. 

"It's fine, this is only a friendly spar," Saeko said, pushing the shinai into his grasp firmly. "I'm sure he can handle it." 

She seemed oddly excited as well.

…

"Hey, it's Busujima-senpai!"

"Hisss, what poor bastard accepted to duel her this time?" 

"Don't know, can't even see his face with that mask."

"He's going to lose so badly, I pity him." 

"Maybe she just got bored and found a victim."

"Poor kid."

The moment he walked to the middle of the floor fully vested, people started to chatter loudly. Many of them immediately recognized his opponent even though she had her face covered, mostly due to the armband which indicated her status as a captain.

"Sorry about the crowd, they tend to be difficult at times." 

"Nah, it's fine. I just ignore them."

"Is the gear to your fitting?" 

Cu rolled his shoulders and stretched, testing the range of motion in the kendo gear. "Huh, not as restrictive as I thought. Pretty comfy actually. Though this breastplate is a bit snug - mind if I ditch it?" He grinned, recalling his days as a warrior. He was never one for heavy armor back in the day. Slowed him down too much compared to his leather bodysuit.

"... You might get hurt without it." 

"Then that's my fault," with a swift move, he detached the chest piece and put it back with the others. His actions made a few of the club members sneer in discontent. 

"Tch, another freshman trying to show off to Busujima-senpai. There's one every year.." 

"He's so full of himself." 

"He's just wasting her time, I'll take him on instead." 

"Shh! Don't disturb the match when it has already started, you can do so later after they're done."

"As if he'll even be able to walk afterward." 

As always, Cu paid them no heed, feeling much lighter on his feet and flexible. "Damn shame there are no wooden spears to use, even a stick would have sufficed. Oh well, let's see if my swordsmanship turned rusty or not." 

Unlike Saeko's posture which stood straight with her right foot slightly in front, his was more exaggerated with the Shinai held firmly with his right hand and the left arm placed in front. 'It's a bit awkward without a shield, shouldn't be a problem nonetheless.' 

Saeko didn't say anything, he could feel her gaze completely focused on him.

Soon, both sides were ready and just awaited the signal to start.

Seconds ticked by until…

"Begin!" 

{Break}

"Begin!' 

As soon as those words came out of the referee's mouth, Saeke moved first.

Lunging forward with a simple strike aimed at his midsection, testing the waters. Her footwork was precise, her movements efficient with as few wasted moves as possible. However, he met her shinai with his own winging upwards, deflecting the attack with ease. His movements were fluid, almost lazy, but there was no denying the grace in his technique.

'He was about to use his left arm as if it were a shield but changed midway. That strike was fast, he predicted my pattern early on.' As expected from someone who beat Rei so mercilessly.

He even had some talent with the blade as well.

Unfazed, she followed up with a quick succession of strikes—one aimed at his shoulder, the next at his thigh, and the last towards his head. Cu blocked each attack effortlessly, his shinai gliding against hers with minimal effort, if her main advantage was speed then his was strength. His movement was defensive and on the retreat to those watching, but she knew it was something else entirely. His expression remained calm, but there was a glimmer of enjoyment in his eyes.

"Not bad," he remarked casually, "you're quite good."

Saeko's lips twitched, the faintest hint of a smile. She hadn't pushed herself yet this man was calm enough to start a conversation, so she increased her speed opting to go for a different approach. 

With a swift pivot, Saeko launched into a series of rapid strikes, her speed increasing with each swing. She targeted him from multiple angles, aiming for his legs, torso, and arms in quick succession. Her movements became more aggressive, the soft swishing sound of her shinai cutting through the air growing louder as her strikes intensified. 

This in parallel with her rising heartbeat.

'He's keeping up.' Like a demon whispering into her ears, urging her to use more strength, for her shinai to strike his throat with enough strength to break through the armor. 

But she held back, hands tightening around the sword whilst the urge was pushed back.

"Hah!" 

So she continued to assault.

Cu, however, remained unfazed. His body moved like water, flowing around each strike with minimal effort. He deflected her attacks with an almost playful ease, never allowing her to land a solid hit. It was as if he could predict her every move, anticipating her strikes before they even connected. 

She could feel the smirk from behind that mask.

Saeko's eyes narrowed. 

She wasn't used to being read so easily, and she could feel the eyes of the onlookers on her, some of them growing concerned. But she wasn't done yet. In fact, she was only just getting started.

'If he can keep up with me this far, then surely he will if I use more force.' 

Her pace quickened, the following handful of strikes now a blur of movement. Her breathing remained steady, and controlled, but the sheer ferocity of her attacks made the air around them hum with intensity. The sound of wood meeting wood filled the dojo as Cu kept blocking and deflecting each swing, though even he had to admit—she was fast. 

But he was still in control.

"Come on, you can do better than that," he taunted, his grin widening. His voice and urge within her mind turned into one, all of it pushing against her rationality. He sidestepped one of her strikes, barely raising his shinai to block her follow-up attack. His effortless movements made Saeko start to feel an emotion that she hadn't felt in so long.

Elation. 

Joy.

Excitement. 

All of it went beyond the small duels she held against other members that barely lasted a few strikes. It persisted, growing stronger by the second to the point her hands started to shake and sweat. It was as if he wasn't even trying. His shinai moved in sync with hers, blocking every attack with perfect timing. 

'More… I can do more!'

The wooden floor beneath them creaked louder as Saeko's footwork became more aggressive. She leaped into the air, bringing her shinai down in a powerful overhead strike. Without even realizing it, the smile behind that mask of hers turned into a toothy grin.

"Oh, now there you go~!" As if sensing her emotions, he welcomed it and raised his own shinai to meet hers, the force of the impact sending a sharp 'clack!' throughout the room. 

The students watching gasped, many of them already stunned by how long this duel went on and this freshman could even keep up with their senior! 

Her shoulders trembled as they applied more force, trying to push down her shinai to the point the weapon started to bend and make concerning crackling noises, "Hehehe, you fight differently now than when you were at the tournament. You're having fun aren't you?" 

His words were like honey to her ears, making her rationality tremble when she realized he could take on more. 'Should I… should I…' 

"—!" 

Her body froze. At that moment, she managed to grasp her emotions and realize just where her train of thought was heading. 

Already wondering the kind of noise he'd make if struck again and again. The adrenaline rush nearly got the better of her.

This was supposed to be a small duel against freshmen to demonstrate the beauty of Kendo to those on the fence. It was supposed to be a simple exchange of moves for her to determine this guy's level and judge whether he was as good with the sword as the spear. 

'I-I need to stop. This… this is already becoming too close—!?'

"Why are you hesitating?" Unfortunately for her, like a hand emerging from the abyss and grabbing onto her ankles before dragging her down, Cu's next words were just that. "You can do more than that, we are both having fun, aren't we? So why stop? Stop holding back, it's not healthy." 

"Hah… hah… hah…" under the mask, her breathing turned a bit haggard, unable to believe what this guy was saying. He was crazy, trying to provoke something he couldn't understand to his own detriment. 

She had been pushing herself harder than ever, yet this man stood before her as if the fight was nothing more than a warm-up. 

It irked her yet made her shudder with anticipation. 

But she knew this couldn't go on, so just as she was about to declare defeat, Cu started to move. With a burst of energy, he brought his shinai back and smacked hers away in a fraction of a second, forcing her to backstep out of shock. He darted forward, his shinai slicing through the air in a series of rapid, precise strikes. This time, his attacks were even faster than hers, more ferocious that she could barely keep up. He targeted her weak points relentlessly, his strikes a blur as he pressed her from every angle. 

"T-This!" No matter how much she tried, Saeko couldn't go on the offensive and became the one to be on the defensive instead. 

She never felt this before. 

Not even against her father.

Or any of her many teachers.

It was no different to fighting against a beast in human form, each impact making her bones rattle. Taking all of her senses pushed to the limit just to avoid getting beaten, already numerous hits landed on her body yet the referee was too stunned by the display to even notice that she had lost a while ago. 

The foreign stinging pain across his body made whatever resolve she had crumble instantly as her consciousness got pulled into her more primal instincts more and more. 

It felt amazing. 

Ah~! 

But no matter how fast she moved, Cu's strikes were always one step ahead. He deflected each counterattack she had with ease and punished her for it, his movements fluid and merciless.

The onlookers began to murmur in concern, their whispers growing louder. They couldn't see the excitement on Saeko's face, the way her body trembled with each strike. But Cu? He managed to pick up on those signs and increased his pace.

"When fighting against someone who can keep up, it becomes something completely different doesn't it?" 

Yes, yes it did. This was no longer Kendo, having left that field long ago and just become two individuals trying to dominate one another. She was trying to hurt him, to make him moan in pain and break his will at any given opportunity. 

Trying. 

Again and again. 

Always ends up at the same place, leaving her dissatisfied and hungry for more.

She had never faced an opponent like this—someone who could not only match her speed but completely negate it. She gritted her teeth and swung again, this time with all her might. Letting go of any attempt to defend herself and going in for the kill.

She wasn't sure if that was figurative or not.

"Hah!"

Crack! 

Eh, what happened? Right as their weapons clashed, her hands felt lighter. Took Saeko a second to realize the weapons they held all snapped, sending pieces of bamboo all over the floor. 

Ah… if she had her bokken or a steel sword then this wouldn't have happened. Everything was hazy, but her eyes stayed focused on her opponent, the urge to continue growing so strong she could barely contain her breathing. Having become addicted to this familiar yet terrifying sensation.

No matter, half of the shinai was still present, she could go on—

Just as she approached Cu, so did he but the man instead grabbed her wrists tightly, making sure she wouldn't swing the weapon anymore. His helmet was close to her as she heard him whisper, "Careful, your bloodlust is starting to scare the kids." 

His words involuntarily made goosebumps spread across her body, a heat within her growing more intense as she tried to break free from his grasp and continue this fight with or without a weapon. 

But fortunately, the sharp pain that came from him applying more force in his hold broke her out of that state. 

"—!" 

Dropped back to reality, Saeko looked around to find herself being at the center of attention inside a quiet club room. Everyone looked at them as if they were monsters, their gaze filled with awe and fear. 

'What was I thinking…' 

Before this, she wanted to hurt him, make him bleed, and scream in pain. A person she just met, such thoughts arose in her mind and nearly made her lose her senses. Harming an innocent student for no reason, just to satisfy her urges… she felt sick. 

With wobbly legs, she quickly backed away, afraid that she would lose control again and do something unforgivable. Saeko wished to have a good impression on him, yet her display now would surely make him look at her like a monster… just like… 

The horror of her previous self's thinking made the woman want to leave this place as soon as possible.

"What are you squirming around for?" As she was about to leave, barely able to make herself not fall to the ground. Cu approached her and grabbed onto her wrist once more. "Legs turned into jelly I see, hehehe, you finally got to experience what it is to fight for real, haven't you?" 

Her head whipped around, seeing the man now without his helmet with a tiny bit of sweat. He did not show any fear or warriness, but instead had a large feral grin. 

The blue-haired stretched his neck as it cracked with each movement. "You're even better than I thought, never imagined I'd meet someone like you here. Hahaha, I haven't had this much fun for a while, let's do it again sometime!" 

He… he wanted to fight her again?

This didn't make sense. 

"Join… join the kendo club." With him here daily, Saeko could imagine them repeating this again and again. Despite her fear of the emotions she felt previously, she couldn't help but wait for his answer in anticipation. 

But much to her dismay, the man shook his head. 

"Ah, sorry about that. Kendo isn't really my thing, I'm better suited for the spear, so I'll be joining the sojutsu club instead. Visit me whenever you have the time, your friend, Rei, is also there. So you won't feel awkward just talking to me."

"..."

This emotion.

Was this… anger?

Or was it something else?

As Cu released her wrist, Saeko felt an odd sensation wash over her. The adrenaline from their intense match was slowly fading, leaving her body tingling and hyper-aware. She shifted uncomfortably, suddenly very conscious of a warm, damp feeling between her legs.

Her eyes widened in mortification as realization dawned. During the height of their duel, in those moments when Cu had pushed her to her absolute limits, her body had responded in a most unexpected and embarrassing way. The rush of combat, the thrill of facing a truly formidable opponent, had aroused her far more than she'd ever experienced before.

Saeko's face flushed crimson beneath her mask. She was immensely grateful for the protective gear hiding her blushing face from prying eyes. As discreetly as possible, she pressed her thighs together, acutely aware of how her undergarments clung wetly to her most intimate areas.

She struggled to process this new development, equal parts shocked and ashamed by her body's betrayal. Never before had sparring affected her quite like this. Yet something about Cu's raw power and skill had awakened a primal response deep within her.

Saeko knew she needed to excuse herself quickly before anyone noticed her state. With as much dignity as she could muster, she bowed stiffly to Cu and hurried towards the changing rooms, praying no one would stop her. 

She had much to contemplate about this unexpected turn of events.

-------------------

The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.