JPHiP Forum
The Hello! Project Fanfics => H!P Fanfics => Topic started by: rokun on April 28, 2011, 06:09:54 PM
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This story, for what it's worth, is dedicated to ChrNo. You inspired so many with your vision, and all I can do is try to help it continue.
(art by ChrNo)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f208/iluvatarin/NakedAnchor.png) (http://picroda.jphip.com/hp/jphip18076.png)
Tsuukai! Berryz Gakuen
Prologue
“You really are beautiful, you know,” the man said as he looked into her eyes. His suit was only slightly disheveled due to the late hour, reflecting a concern and care for how he looked which the girl preferred in a date. It wouldn’t do after all for her to be seen walking around with some grungy loser with smudges on his collar or maybe a wrinkled shirt.
“Ah, Mister, you know you shouldn’t say such things!” she teased while pointing at him and twirling her finger around in small circles.
“I apologize,” he said with a grimace. “Just couldn’t help myself.” He glanced down at their empty plates and his face fell a little. “I guess we’re done here then, huh?”
The girl checked the time on her cell phone, a small plastic Mickey dangling off a strap. “There’s another five minutes or so, if you’d like Mister. You know, that’s just about enough time for dessert…” She glanced up dreamily, a slight grin forming at the corners of her lips.
“Waiter!” the man called immediately, and rather eagerly, raising a hand toward the direction of the kitchen.
The cake was delicious.
Ten minutes later, the man and girl stood out in the night. He adjusted his hair, and despite his general suavity glanced nervously down at the girl, who calmly adjusted the jacket over her fully untucked seifuku shirt before settling the strap of her bag against her shoulder.
After a moment the man calmed slightly before fishing out a few bills from his wallet. Pondering a moment while glancing at her, he added another to those in his fist. The girl’s eyes shined back at him. “Well I have to say, you’re well worth the rate,” he said in an appraising tone. “There’s a little extra in there for you, too.” And he handed the cash over to the girl, who counted it quickly with her eyes before making it disappear quickly into her jacket.
“You’re too kind, Mister,” she said in a warm voice. “It’s really you I have to thank for such an enjoyable night.”
She looked up into his eyes for a moment more, and could sense the wheels turning in his head. He was thinking about it – they all do – but the question was would he be brave enough to act? By now it was almost like a game to her.
“You have my number, right?” he asked, appearing even calmer now. “I would… like to see you again. The offer would be the same then too.” He considered her a second. “Maybe even a bit more.”
“Of course I do, Mister,” she said, flashing a broad smile at him.
“I-If I may I ask…” he began again, some of the nervousness suddenly returning and causing him to stutter. “May I… have one kiss?”
“Now Mister,” the girl said, grinning again and laying a finger lightly on his chest. The man stared down at it. “You know that’s against the rules. Although…” He looked eagerly back up to her. “You were very kind.” It truly wasn’t an ungenerous tip he’d given her – this one wasn’t too bad at all.
Standing on her tip-toes, she looked up into his face. He gulped, closed his eyes, and in a flash she pecked him lightly on the cheek. Not exactly where he was expecting, or perhaps hoping, but it would do. As she smiled and waved before turning away, she caught him raising a hand to his cheek.
“See ya, Mister,” she told him, and walked down the street. Yes, that would do. Such things were important for business after all – he’d now tell all his co-workers about Miyabi Natsuyaki, and somewhere in there a future client would surely be borne.
Lifting up her cell phone again, she cycled nimbly through her address book until she found the man’s number. Just as she had done many times before, when she pushed another button a confirmation popped up and she pressed yes to delete the number from her book, and once again to block it. Then she found another number and called it, humming to herself as she held the phone up to her ear.
“Chii?” she asked when the other end picked up. “Hey there!
“Yes, the date just finished. He actually gave me an extra five thousand!! I must be finally working my way into higher management,” she said with a giggle.
“Of course I won’t see him again. You know how I am with that. You should consider staying stricter to that too. I know how you get… Speaking of which, how about your night?
“No tip? The douchebag. At least he paid you in full. So whaddya think? Meet up in Shibuya after school tomorrow? Those boots at 109 have been calling my name since I saw them there the other day.
“Awesome! Well I’ll see you then, okay?”
And she clicked her phone shut, swapping it for a small wipe and tube of lipstick from her bag. After dabbing at her lips with the wipe, she gently donned a thin layer of the cherry. Sure she was going home now after the dinner “date”, but she had to look good all the time. Such was this small part of the life led by Miyabi Natsuyaki, second year high school student in the bountiful city of Tokyo.
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Ara! Compensated dating. XD I was wondering when such a fic would show up in its proper form of usage. XD I'm not surprised that it comes from you. :P Considering that, well, it would have been me otherwise. :lol:
Very smooth of Miyabi here, and Chinami's in the business too? That's interesting. :D I wonder how the others will figure into this. XD
Can't wait to see more~
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i wonder... so miyabi and chii are some.. i dunno how you call it in english.
not completely prostitute... just someone fishing out men for a date in exchange of free food and money
that was a less mind-boggling start. i wonder how it'll progress...
i'll keep an eye here :)
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New fic! :cow: By the way, where's ChrNo? :roll:
What is Miya doing?? :shocked lol...There has to be GirlxGirl right? :D I hope she doesn't go any further than a kiss on the cheek(with the guys). ;)
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^ChrNo passed away. Hence the dedication.
Well, I'm interested to see where this is going, I had much the same response as Essy to the compensated dating bit. XD
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First fanfic that's not a MoMusu one to catch my attention~ and coming from you, it was only natural i was convinced :thumbsup
i'm really digging the plot already. There's so many different scenarios that i can imagine from just the first chapter alone... but i wanna know what you have planed! :D
can't wait for moar~~ :twothumbs
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Niiiceee. This is the second fanfic I've read. The first was a reposting of one of Jabronisaurs after he passed. Can't wait for more.
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looking forward to this story, and love the illustration by ChrNo.
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i just got the chance to comment now..
It really has an intriguing plot... enjo kosai?
so miya and chinami is in it... hope we got to see the rest of Berryz soon... :)
I didn't know what happened to ChrNo... she's such a talented artist, she'll be missed :cry:
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Hello!! Not many comment replies to do since not much has happened yet, but I'll do them anyway! :D Next chapter should be much different...
Essy: You were waiting for a fic with this, huh? :lol: Well just so you know, it's only a part of the overall story. ;) Kind of a "characteristic", as it were. As for the other girls, you should find out soon! XD
aya-chii: Less mind-boggling? Not sure what you mean by that. :lol: I always like to have somewhat dramatic openings to my fics... See other comments for the talk on compensated dating and enjo kosai! :D
kano-chan: XD It has to be girl/girl, huh? Well, I have a feeling you still won't be disappointed... though guys will play a larger role here than in many of my fics it seems. O_O
rndm: Yay for other enjo kosai interest!! lol. Is that a good thing? o_O Anyway, lot more to come here!
SarangAi: Hey nice to see you reading. ^^ Hopefully I can drag you into Berryz with this!! I wonder if the coming chapter matches with even any of the scenarios you thought up? XD
Rick: Omg! I'm surprised to see you here!! But glad. :) Haven't met many fanfic readers in person. I know you're a Miyabi fan, so this should hopefully be right down your line. I hope you ENJOY! XD
muppet: Nice seeing you here too!! Please look forward to it. :)
eruchan: You caught the enjo kosai too :D You'll see much more soon!!
Next chapter was so much fun to write. XD I think I'm happier with it than I've been with an update in a long time. I hope you ENJOY too! Coming right up...!
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Chapter 1: History & a Lesson
“Nacchan!” Miyabi heard coming from a voice that didn’t seem to exist. “Nacchan, wake up!!”
Miyabi murmured something unintelligible before realizing she was lying on something rather hard, and also in not the most comfortable position. In actuality, it was a position she was quite used to.
“Nacchan!” came the voice again, which she recognized to be Chinami’s.”Wake…!” But the girl cut off suddenly.
Groaning slightly, Miyabi sat up in her seat and stretched, smacking her lips a bit while brushing bright honey-colored threads of hair out of her face, her eyes blinking groggily at a form hovering above her. When it came into focus she finally recognized the features of Miki Fujimoto, her history sensei.
“Taking a nap are we, Miss Natsuyaki?” the woman said in a low, dangerous voice.
At first paying it no heed, Miyabi gazed blearily around to see her classmates all staring at her, some in amazement, some with condescending ‘I told you so’ looks, and others in fear of the impending confrontation.
“Only a little one,” Miyabi protested, finally looking up at her frowning sensei. She lifted her watch to check it. “Class has only been going on for like 20 minutes now, right? I haven’t had time for more.”
A hissing sound filled the room as many of the other students sucked in a collective breath.
“Well, Miss Sleepyhead,” sensei replied curtly, “Perhaps I won’t fail you for the day if you can tell me who the first of the great Ashikaga shoguns was?”
Miyabi stared blankly at the sensei before having her eyes caught by Chinami, who had glanced desperately in her book before looking up with bright eyes and mouthing syllables in her direction.
“Ta-ka…uji?” she eventually replied slowly, and not very convincingly.
Fujimoto-sensei stared at her a moment longer with arms folded beneath her breasts before spinning and heading back toward the front of the room. “Perhaps you won’t fail this day, Natsuyaki-chan,” she said sardonically. “However,” and she spun again upon reaching her desk, “Tokunaga-chan, you will.” Miyabi noticed her friend and cohort sink down into her chair. “It is cheating to give answers to other students.” An evil smile curled the sensei’s lips. “Somehow I doubt such a mark would hurt either of you more than you’ve already earned otherwise.”
Some of the other students stifled giggles at this, though at an all-encompassing glare from Miyabi most quieted. Except for a few boys in the corner, who didn’t even try to hide their laughter as they slapped each other on the shoulder playfully. Takeuchi and his so-called “gang” were perhaps the most annoying boys in the school, but the only harm they ever really did was try to look up some of the girls’ skirts.
However, they never touched Miyabi. She smoothed her long skirts as she tried to sit up more alertly in the chair. That was one of the reasons she liked to keep them long.
She glanced over at Chinami, who was still sulking in her seat. “Thanks for that,” she told the tanned girl. “But you didn’t need to. I could have handled old bat Fujimoto and the principal both if it came to it.”
“It’s just her eyes…” Chinami said, shaking her head aghast. “I’m all about egging on the teachers, but Miya, Fujimoto-sensei’s scary.”
“Well you just have to be scarier then,” Miyabi replied, gazing out from beneath her eyelashes at the sensei who had continued on again with the lesson.
She saw one or two of those boys still looking back at her, so she shot them a glare. Eyes widened and jaws dropped before they collected themselves and turned quickly back toward the front. Miyabi smiled in satisfaction, though the mere fact of her having to deal with them made her shiver.
“Kimoi!” she thought in disgust.
After class the students burst into the hallway, Miyabi as usual in the lead with Chinami right beside her. She had just remembered in horror that their next period was gym, before an abnormally tall girl from their class strode casually up to them. Some of the students behind gasped, and whispering broke out, but Miyabi stared back at their classmate nonplussed.
“You shouldn’t harass Fujimoto-sensei like that,” the girl said in a deep, slightly raspy tone. Despite her size she wore the seifuku expertly, her hair smooth and black and tied back into a long ponytail. Her appearance caused the boys they passed to stare and drop their books, and even many of the girls fluttered in awe. “Or any sensei for that matter. It disrupts the harmony of the classroom.”
“Harmony?” Chinami asked, eyes widening for a different reason before she fell into giggling.
Miyabi smirked. “I daren’t think it’s possible to harass Fujimoto-sama,” she replied, the appellation trailing venom in its wake. “Nothing disrupts her harmony, that’s for sure.” Then she adopted a thoughtful look. “You know, there could be a fun experiment…”
“Why do you insist on always pushing and pushing and then pushing some more?” the tall girl asked, unfazed herself.
Miyabi raised an eyebrow toward her. “Why are you following us to the gym? Aren’t you exempt from physical education due to your involvement in… what sport was it now?”
“Basketball,” Chinami chimed in helpfully, a smile beaming once again from her face.
“Ah yeah, that’s right,” Miyabi agreed. “So easy to forget such things.”
The face of the tall girl, one Yurina Kumai who was not just any basketball player but star of the varsity team and perhaps even of the whole school, darkened with every word Miyabi spoke, but it was someone comparatively tiny and pig-tailed bursting through them with books held tightly in her arms who broke the tension.
Miyabi at first thought some primary school girl had lost her way and might be soon to meet a very unlucky demise, but a second glance identified her seifuku as the same black-and-white as theirs and she realized she had actually seen the girl before, somewhere…
“Senpai…?” Chinami asked, and it clicked for Miyabi just as the girl whirled around to face them, pigtails flying, to stand with feet apart as if about to go to battle and her arms around the books as if she was trying to strangle them. Oddly, Miyabi noticed two pinky fingers stuck out straight from each fist.
The girl’s face glanced shyly up to Kumai’s before crinkled eyes fixed themselves on Miyabi, stopping her in her tracks. “Teasing others can be tolerated,” the girl almost squeaked out, “but NEVER dishonor Kumai-chan like that!”
“It’s really all right...” Kumai said, now looking uncomfortable as she scratched below her ear. “She’s free to have her own opinions about the…”
“It’s just not right!!” the girl chirped again, and then glanced around as if terrified at what she’d just said before yelping and dashing off down the hall ahead of them.
The three remaining girls stared after, stunned, as students flowed awkwardly around them. Almost each one gave an odd glance in their direction, although they tried to be subtle. Miyabi was used to such though, so recognized the expressions easily.
“Um,” Kumai said. “Well then…”
Other members of the team with similar heights came up behind her, laughing and urging her on with them. They ignored the two delinquents still standing to the side.
As she shuffled away awkwardly now herself, Kumai glanced back at them. “I never answered your question, did I?” she called back. “We’re off to run on the track!” And then they were already halfway down the hall.
With the star attraction gone, Miyabi noticed a group of girls who had apparently just been standing there watching suddenly start moving and brush past them down the hall as well, many shooting her dagger-like glares despite her reputation. After they passed they fell into hushed, girly conversation, some of which Miyabi managed to catch.
“Who was that little girl who stood up to Natsuyaki-san? Was she from the middle school?”
“No! She’s actually in third year just like us. I remember seeing her in some of my classes, but never knew her name since I don’t know if I’ve hardly ever seen her talk…”
“Tsugunaga Momoko!”
“Really? I heard that her papa…”
The rest of the conversation died out down the hallway in the shuffle of students between classes, most of them heading to the gym since it was time for the day’s physical education period.
“Those girls were senpai?” Miyabi asked, trying to keep a sneer from her face. “If I ever turn out like that Chinako, please gut me and make it quick.”
“Roger, Sukeban,” her friend said cheerily, and Miyabi groaned at her.
“I told you not to call me that anymore…” she said, taking the girl’s arm to drag her down the hall. “We’re hardly a gang now, after all.”
“There’s more than one of us still,” Chinami said brightly. “So that’s good enough for me! Being just the two of us isn’t that bad, is it?”
“I guess we do hold our own pretty well,” Miyabi replied, pondering sullenly as they walked, or rather marched, down the hall. At least it wasn’t a difficult march since whenever they were about to trample someone, the wise student jumped quickly out of their way. “You know, I might wanna skip P.E. today.”
“We can’t,” Chinami pointed out. “One more time and we can’t attend festival, remember?”
“Why would that be a bad thing again?” Miyabi brooded. “Oh, never mind. You’re right again as usual.”
The other’s face brightened at the compliment.
After having a whole aisle to themselves in the locker room to change, the two girls trotted out in sweats to see a flurry of activity already begun in the expansive facility. The gym was one of the largest in the area and the pride of the school, encompassing a center sports court with bleachers around it surrounded on either side by smaller courts, some with the basketball hoops lowered and some with nets strung for badminton or other activities.
Other multipurpose space surrounded the course, and along the border of the entire room ran a track. Miyabi noticed Kumai already running there surrounded by her teammates, some others jogging closely but not too closely behind in order to likely “keep an eye” on the stars.
As usual Chinami made a bee-line straight for the badminton court, disrupting the first-year class that was already using it. None complained at her arrival though, most bowing spontaneously and awkwardly at the well-known delinquent. Only one girl with full raven hair stood apart from the rest; she didn’t argue Chinami’s arrival either, but unlike the others stared almost regally when she appeared.
Miyabi shrugged and began stretching herself, watching everyone around her carefully. Like always no one dared come up to her, but she did catch a few boys and girls from the other side of the court she stood at giving her some glances and talking softly to each other. Again, nothing out of the ordinary.
She trotted to the outskirts of the grouping of students when her class – #3, 2nd year – was called over by Ishikawa-sensei, who today had decked herself out in gray sweats with pink edging. After doing roll-call, during which Miyabi nodded her name and the teacher glanced over at the badminton court upon calling Chinami’s, she informed them in that cutesy voice that the class activity today would be basketball.
Sighing in disappointment at an activity she did not want to do, especially with what happened along the way, without hesitation Miyabi walked away. She thought that maybe she’d hit the weight room again, and although that was on the other side of the building decided there was nothing better to do.
Along the way she passed by a few girls working on gymnastic equipment, each wearing tight tees and shorts, and Miyabi almost chuckled. You’d certainly never catch her alive in “clothing” like that. However, she found herself staring at the girls’ bodies as she adjusted her own baggy shirt and pants. There was something beautiful about their forms and the way they moved…
After a moment she realized that the girls, though pleasingly exerting themselves, were actually training only half-heartedly. They kept casting glances over to the mat spread out beside the equipment, and Miyabi continued walking until she got a better view of what they were looking at.
A single girl, rather small but stunning with dark brown hair tied back in a knot, twisted and occasionally tumbled in what Miyabi recognized from some corner of her mind as a floor routine. Her movements were graceful, and light reflected off a thin sheen of sweat that covered her body – most of it exposed since she also wore the tight tee and thigh-baring gym shorts. She also had the most perfect, rounded face with matted bangs falling just to her eyes…
After a moment, Miyabi realized she was actually blushing while staring at the girl, and snapped back straight again. She glared around her to make sure nobody saw, but the only ones close enough were the gymnasts. They were certainly focused on someone, but it was not her.
Refusing to look at the mat again, and now furious with herself, she stalked down a hall the short distance to the weight room and lay back on the bench. When she started the stimulating exertion of pumping iron, any such crazy thoughts from the gym left her head in her rhythm of movement.
After a moment she saw a group of boys draw nearby, but she continued on with the deep breathing and lifting as they talked quietly among themselves while darting glances her way. She thought she recognized them as from her year, though these were far from as annoying as the ones she’d had to glare at earlier in Fujimoto-sama’s classroom. A few of them might even be called cute.
As she knew they would, eventually one – the cutest even – broke apart from his peers and strode up to the side of her bench, his eyes on her the whole time. She pretended to ignore him, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as she drew labored breaths.
“Excuse me,” the boy said. “Miyabi-chan?”
Deciding to humor him, she lifted the barbell one last time before letting her hands guide it back to its rack. The boy even helped her as a spotter would, which almost made her chuckle.
“Yes?” she asked in a skeptical voice. “Um… Sakai-kun, right? What is it?”
A bit of nervousness seemed to strike the boy again, but he recovered quickly, his friends urging him on from a few steps away.
“I was just wondering…” he said, still politely, “Um, would you like to, you see, maybe hang out after school some day?”
Miyabi blinked. “With you?” she asked in disbelief.
“Yes,” he said, face equally blanked that the issue needed any clarification.
Miyabi stared at him a moment before suddenly bursting out laughing, and she sat up, taking a towel to wipe at her face.
The boy had frozen, still staring at her, and Miyabi saw redness coming into his cheeks. Surprisingly, she didn’t think it was from embarrassment. Maybe this Sakai was tougher than he looked. “You’re serious?” she asked, her laughter now having fallen into hoarse giggling.
“Yes I am!” he responded, and she could definitely sense the anger in his voice. “You think you’re so tough, so unlike a normal girl, that even though you’re beautiful you’re maybe going to end up old and alone, and someday miss what you could have easily had!!!”
Miyabi peered up at him, impressed at his tirade, and stood to look him in the eye. He was so close to the bench that it made him step back awkwardly, breaking the force of his attitude a bit.
“And what do you think I could have?” she asked quietly. “You?”
“Maybe,” he said, some of the anger fading now with the teenage hormones acting on him at her proximity. He glanced back at one of his friends, who nodded firmly. “Well since you like things tough I’ll give you a challenge,” he said, raising his chin in an attempt at pride.
Ah… Miyabi thought. Now they were getting to the heart of it. The boys obviously knew there was no hope in his initial proposal, so this had been the real plan all along. She couldn’t help but be a bit curious now what the boy had to say. If there was something that always piqued her interest, it was the idea of a challenge.
“So what challenge do you propose, then?” she asked amusedly.
He tilted his head toward the door. “There are boxing gloves and helmets in the equipment room next door. I hear you like to fight. How ‘bout we go out there and you show me what you got?”
This was becoming more amusing by the second. “What I got, huh?” she asked. “And what’s in it for me?”
“Reputation, I guess,” he said with a shrug. “That’s what you go for, isn’t it? Knocking a guy out in front of half the school would certainly improve your sukeban image.”
Miyabi’s amusement faded at what she thought the idiot might be implying, as if her image needed improvement. It wasn’t really a secret that her gang had been weakened yet again with Ishimura transferring to study abroad halfway through the school year. She had certainly not weakened though, and this boy seemed determined to learn that for himself.
“I can’t say it would suck,” she said offhandedly.
“But that won’t happen,” he said confidently, and she raised an eyebrow again. “And when it doesn’t, my reward will be that you go out on a date with me.” When the tips of her mouth curled as if to laugh out again, he continued quickly, “How ‘bout it? You accept the challenge or not?”
Stifling the laugh, she let her mouth fall into a wicked grin. Maybe she’d use a different tactic this time. She took a breath, and then gave an attempt at a sweet smile. “Always,” she replied calmly, and brushed past him toward the door. While passing his friends she winked at them, cracking up inside. “Oh,” she said when approaching the door as if just remembering something, and glanced back. “By the way, I don’t wear helmets.”
And she strode out of the room, beaming almost as widely as Chinami ever could.
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Oooh! Miki, my second girl! :w00t: lol...Who can mess with her? It's weird to have Miya going against Miki. :lol:
Miya is such a cool character. :wub: I wonder who that girl was... A rather small girl? I'm guessing it's Captain. :roll:
Hope Miya won't get hurt since she's so tough. :)
Getting more interesting~ :twothumbs I'll be looking forward to your next update. :thumbsup
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Who is the school's boxing coach? Nakazawa-sensei?
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It wasn’t really a secret that her gang had been weakened yet again with Ishimura transferring to study abroad halfway through the school year. nice reference to Maiha! :) Miyabi vs Mikitty- strong match! :pimp:
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I'm more amused by the fact that tiny Momo stood up for giant Yurina against the legendary sukeban Miyabi. XD
Oh and I see you did take my suggestion of Rika as PE teacher. :lol:
Also Miki-sensei vs Miya the deliquent = WIN. Though, automatic win for sensei this round. XD
I look forward to more of this! :D
P.S. That boy is gonna get his ass whupped. And the small girl is so Saki. XD And I notice how Miya is in denial over her attraction to girls? :D
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Momo! and she's standing up for Kumaicho? somehow it's weird to imagine :lol:
Looks like Chinami knows her...
A single girl, rather small but stunning with dark brown hair tied back in a knot, twisted and occasionally tumbled in what Miyabi recognized from some corner of her mind as a floor routine. Her movements were graceful, and light reflected off a thin sheen of sweat that covered her body – most of it exposed since she also wore the tight tee and thigh-baring gym shorts. She also had the most perfect, rounded face with matted bangs falling just to her eyes…
Captain? yep, it's her... and Nacchan is in denial :lol:
“Yes I am!” he responded, and she could definitely sense the anger in his voice. “You think you’re so tough, so unlike a normal girl, that even though you’re beautiful you’re maybe going to end up old and alone, and someday miss what you could have easily had!!!”
Brave guy... But looks like Miya is planning something that won't be pleasant for the guy... looking forward to this :lol:
Something has been nagging me about what's so familiar with the setting and relation between the girls...
and I realized it's similar to Berikou Fest VTR :lol:
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So Miya and Chii as badass gangsters yo. And Fujimoto as the badass history teacher. At least it's not geometry XD
I'm replying on my iPod so it may not be the best and definitely no mass quoting, so I'll have to come back and fix it later. Maybe :lol:
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I think I might have guessed why Sakai-kun made the challenge, but I'll wait to see how it plays out.
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well what a start to this fic!!!
Miya and Chii copmensate date and are rebels in school (even going against Miki!!!)
seems as though for all her hard image Miya may have just fallen for on of the better, more respected and like members of the school.....
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^ Hey I'm glad you just posted, cause it's time for comment replies!! :lol:
kano-chan: Yeah, Miya's not just the little kid from Sexy Otonajan anymore :lol: I wonder who that girl was :roll:
resop: Nah they can't afford a boxing coach. Just gym teachers. :lol: Also I have a feeling you're reading too much into the challenge, lol. Maybe. XD
muppet: Yes, I don't get to place Maiha into my stories often. :lol: Just a Mikitty cameo for now. :)
Essy: Yes, it seems quite out-of-character for Momo :lol: Not that you really know her in this fic yet... lol. Then again, perhaps the real life character would give a clue XD Yes yes. That was one suggestion I took :) A little more of her in the next chapter too! Even though I really don't think I know how to write her lol.
Sensei does win this round, though Miya doesn't care. :lol: You'll find out more about that later... Man, so many quick comments. Well, some things might start to get answered soon. :lol: I don't think this is going to be quite the "epic" a lot of my stories tend to be.
eruchan: I think it was hard for the girls there to imagine too. :lol:
All this Nacchan in denial business... :roll:
BeriKou Fes DVR? You mean the opening with them in school uniforms? Well yeah, it's set in a school here with all of them. XD They've done lots of school-themed stuff! :D Some of the inspiration is from some of that. For example, back in 2006's Nyoki Nyoki Champion concert the girls were in a basketball club and were waiting for this charming, tall who could dunk. And guess who appeared? :lol:
rndm: You think Miki could make history a more... interesting class? XD I actually am kinda basing her off a U.S. History teacher I had in high school. He was crazy...
Somehow I knew you wouldn't fix it later. :P You can make up for it next time!! Although I don't think there's as much "stuff" in this coming chapter. Chapter 1 was significant for introducing the girls, and this one is more... character development. :
oddball: Yes, Miya and Chii are warui gakusei and perhaps a bit yankii. :lol: Hopefully you'll see more of their yankiiness before too long...
And poor Miya. She's so confused. :lol:
...damn I use a lot of smileys. Even almost have a nice line of :lol: XD
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WEDGE!!!
....I always wanted to do that to someone! :lol:
Edit: Also, new page GETS!
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Wedge!
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Ahh, double wedge!!! >_< And damn you, Essy!! lol
Chapter 2: Waterlogged
“She’s really not gonna wear a helmet,” the girl in question heard Sakai Taro say as she walked up the hall from the locker room to the mat beside the gymnastics equipment, adjusting her gloves along the way.
The boy’s friends crowded around him as they all stared at her, and she smirked at the helmet still seated atop Sakai’s head. “Why’d you suddenly have to run to the toilet then, eh?” one of the friends called out. “If you’re that scared of getting beat up you can forfeit now you know and just go on the date with Taro. You could do worse, anyway.” His eyes narrowed at her in distaste. “Much worse.”
She ignored them and glanced around. A couple girls were still on the equipment, but now they were watching the new scene unfolding on the mat. The dancing girl from before was gone, but the thought quickly left Miyabi’s mind as she approached the others.
“Well a girl’s gotta look pretty when she’s about to break some teeth,” she said, smiling with cherry red lips framed by her finely brushed honey locks. Her whole appearance stood out brightly in contrast with the nearest girls – those on the gymnastics props – whose black hair was tightly tied back around largely makeup-less faces. Miyabi supposed it made sense. They were doing hard work, and it would just get smudged. She herself had left the hard work behind in the weight room.
After she stepped on the mat, raising an eyebrow at the boys, they quickly whispered to themselves before Sakai appeared to win a short argument and tore off the helmet to hand to one of them. Then he stepped out onto the mat himself, his hands at his sides as he glanced uncertainly at her.
The girls nearby seemed to have forgotten what they were doing as they realized what was going on, and now either just sat on the equipment or leaned against it. Anyone else was still too far away to notice, though there were some runners starting to appear around a corner of the track, which ran within a few meters of the mat.
“Masa’s right,” the boy said, holding position a couple meters away. “We don’t have to do this.”
“Oh?” Miyabi asked. “You forfeit the challenge?”
Sakai’s eyes flashed. “No!” he replied. “Of course not.” Right well he shouldn’t, she thought. Giving a challenge like this away would be even worse than losing it. “I just…”
He paused as the runners came closer, and Miyabi noticed Kumai in the middle of the pack. The athlete also noticed them, and upon taking in what was going on slowed down. This of course caused the others with her to slow too, as well as those trailing behind. Suddenly they had a larger audience.
Sakai glanced at them with wide eyes before shifting his eyes between his friends and Miyabi, who was tapping her gloves together. “I mean,” he continued hesitantly, “I just don’t feel right about hitting a girl…”
“Well you better get over that feeling quickly,” Miyabi said as she advanced toward him, and before he could react she swung a glove at his face, causing him to topple backward.
There was a collective gasp around them as he staggered back, holding a glove up to a suddenly bleeding nose. Once recovering himself, he stared back at Miyabi over the glove in disbelief. Miyabi held ready in an aggressive stance, one foot in front of the other with gloves raised. The next moment she lunged again, though this time he dodged it, shuffling quickly to the side.
“You better fight, man,” the boy called Masa warned, his face now set. “I think she’s serious.”
“You’ve heard the stories!” another chimed in.
Sakai nodded to them, now warily circling her. “All right, I get it.” And then to her, “I won’t hold back, y’know.”
“I’m counting on it,” she replied dangerously, and thrust forward again.
This time though he parried her blow and undercut with his other glove, catching her in the stomach. She felt the air leave her lungs as she stumbled back a step to recover herself as quickly as possible. The onlookers gasped again, though louder this time since it was a girl who’d been hit.
Sakai had an almost apologetic look on his face and he lowered his hands slightly. The boy must have thought her weak and unable to stand up to a blow, but to Miyabi who was now in fighting mode, all it expressed to her was a weakness in her opponent. She darted forward in three quick strikes to head, shoulder and abdomen before he recovered, and unsteadily once again.
His next attacks whiffed as she slid to the right, and hers did the same. However, as they continued to trade blows, many more of hers connected as with her quickness she was able to deftly evade the majority of his increasingly strong thrusts. He was obviously no longer treating the fight with her lightly, but the physical toll on him rose quickly until a short time later he had trouble remaining erect while she still nimbly danced on the balls of her feet.
“Dude, hit her!” one of the other boys said. “I don’t think you’re gonna last much longer!”
“I’m trying to,” he growled back in a breathy voice. “Don’t you see I’m trying to!” Another swing and a miss, followed luckily by a near-miss by Miyabi as well. It was close though, and they both knew if he tired much more swipes like that would hit every time.
As for Miyabi, she was lost in the fight. It was no longer a school quarrel over a date, but a street fight she could not afford to lose. It wasn’t that she particularly got off on the violence, although it did give somewhat of a sense of satisfaction to knock someone to the ground, but it was a method of survival, of setting a claim to what she was due.
Time for play was over. The prey was weakened; time to go in for the kill. She drew back in a feint, shifting her weight to the right as if covering fatigue. Sakai bit, diving in aggressively. Deftly once again she spun around his advance, along the way jabbing low across her stomach against his side at the soft tissue just behind the ribs. Then as she maneuvered behind him she cracked her elbow back against the base of his skull. Knocked off his feet, he flew forward, sprawling to fall hard at the side of the mat.
While he moaned in pain at the hard strikes, she trotted up to kneel down, a knee against the small of his back. Leaning in, she rasped in a low voice, “Guess the only date you’ll have again tonight is with your right hand.”
Using his back as leverage and eliciting another groan, she pushed herself up and slipped off her gloves. Brushing at the hair beside her face with a hand, she commented, “Damn, I broke a sweat. Guess I’ll actually have to shower after class this time,” and turned away from her downed opponent.
Then she froze.
Kumai was still there, just off the track with her group of followers and a frown on her face, and so were the gymnasts. However, many others had apparently joined over the course of the fight as well, and she imagined half the gym must have turned out. She even saw Ishikawa-sensei, hands at her hips to the side of half of her class, the other half of which appeared to remain back at the court shooting hoops.
Another group included girls she knew as senpai, and some of them she recognized from martial arts clubs. Out of the corner of her eye she caught someone else with a towel over her shoulder walking up to them, and Miyabi recognized her as the girl dancing on the mat earlier. Her hair was now free and straight back as if just washed, and her face glistened above the white judo uniform she now wore tied neatly with a black silk belt at the waist.
The girl smiled as she greeted the others, who quickly filled her in on the spectacle. She glanced once or twice with mild curiosity in Miyabi’s direction, and despite herself Miyabi felt a light blush before looking away. Sakai was still on the ground, and had quickly been attended to by his friends who knelt and chattered above him.
Stifling a giggle, Miyabi shrugged and stepped off the mat toward the courts. She kept her eyes resolutely forward while passing through her classmates, who Ishikawa-sensei quickly herded back to the courts.
Eventually she located the badminton practice Chinami had invaded, and as expected Chinami herself was still involved in a match with one of the poor first years.
“Hey Chii!” she called out in between points, and the girl turned her way to beam a smile at her. “I’m gonna go hit the bath, okay? I’ll meet you in the hall whenever you’re done.”
“All right!” Chinami called back before readying another serve.
Miyabi spun, smiling to herself as well, to come face-to-face with Ishikawa-sensei. The surprise actually kept her off-balance a moment, and her smile didn’t flash as smoothly as usual… nor her thoughts.
“Ishikawa-sensei,” she said dumbly, “Can… I help you with something?”
“‘Can I help you with something,’” the teacher repeated chidingly, and Miyabi’s smile faded slightly. “While students are relatively free to pursue what activities they like during this period, you certainly do push it to the limit.”
“Lifting weights and kick-boxing practice are two officially sanctioned activities, you know,” Miyabi replied sarcastically.
“I hardly think that was simple ‘kick-boxing practice,” the teacher replied dryly.
“Well hey,” Miyabi said, tiring quickly of this exchange. “At least I look pretty doing it, right? Isn’t that your motto for us girls? ‘Whatever you do, do it cutely!’” she mocked, giving a little fist pump at the end in imitation of the teacher.
“I’m impressed you actually listened to something I told you,” Ishikawa-sensei replied with a grin. “You know you could actually put some of those physical talents of yours to good use in a variety of ways.”
“Oh?” Miyabi asked, raising an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t call them ‘talents’. I’ve just been fortunate to have plenty of experience in… certain things,” she said with a wink, then stepped forward to actually lay a finger on the sensei’s collarbone. “You really must be so proud to have me as a student,” she whispered just in front of her face before brushing past her shoulder and leaving the stunned teacher rooted to the spot.
The little exchange had apparently caught the attention of many of the first years who weren’t currently engaged in a badminton match, as well as some from her own class in the next court over. They stared after her as she headed for the locker room, some in amazement, some in disgust over how she appeared to be treating a teacher. For Ishikawa-sensei’s part, she had flushed slightly before turning back to her class, and marched over to them. A blow on her whistle jump-started their focus back onto their basketball drills.
When Miyabi reached the dressing room there were only a few others there, mainly athletes who had already completed the workout they came here for. Physical education was required all three years here, but those in good standing with an athletic club were exempt after the first since it was felt they already had a sufficient dedication to fitness.
Miyabi pondered while tugging off her clothes to toss in the basket. She had joined Chinami in pledging toward the badminton club during their first year, but as their other “extracurricular” activities increased and began to interfere with legitimate school life, they never graduated into full members of the club as most students did upon completing the year. Chinami had been saddened at the loss, but still managed to participate in the sport as she was doing right now back in the gym. It had really made no difference to Miyabi. She had no preference herself really and had just gone after badminton since it was Chii’s thing.
After dropping her underwear in the basket, she grabbed a towel while smiling at the others in the room who carefully did not look her direction. The bathing room was empty, as usual with no class being held at the pool, and she showered herself off before sinking into the small but hot bath with a long sigh.
Baths were a weakness of hers, with the caress of the steam cascading around her and drawing the sweat from her body, soon to be doused in the reinvigorating water which began the cycle anew as it heated to evaporation. It was one of the few things which could completely calm her, and nearly even put her at ease.
It might appear in contrast with her image, but most people tended to avoid the area when she was there, soaking in her nirvana of billowing haze. She needed it too. Beating up – what was his name again? – that guy had left her feeling rather soiled. She’d seen elementary school kids in the street put up a better fight than he had.
She hadn’t been in there a few minutes before the door slid open, and she gazed out through slitted eyes at a tall girl stepping carefully in. The newcomer glanced at her before sitting down to the shower. Miyabi was surprised that anyone cared to bother her in here, although if it was anyone, Yurina Kumai would certainly have the ability for such carelessness.
She let her eyes fall completely closed as the shower water ran, but after it stopped peeked again to see the girl stand up, her long hair now hanging heavy and sticking to her body. She’d never seen the athlete in the bath before, but her figure fit her size perfectly. It was an hourglass form, her abs tight below a well-rounded chest and her thighs thick with muscle. Almost like a work of art… she wondered idly, still drunk on the heat and steam.
The girl entered the bath across from her, and when she sat down peered over at Miyabi quietly. Miyabi could tell there was a lot hidden in those eyes, but she didn’t seem to know how to express it in words.
“Y’know there are very few people I’ve shared this bath with,” Miyabi commented finally, drawling slightly in her languor.
Kumai shrugged. “I felt icky from all that running,” she said offhandedly. “Besides, I thought you might be lonely.”
Miyabi almost barked a laugh at that. “Lonely?” she repeated sarcastically. “You do realize I tend to like to keep it that way, right?”
“Do you?” the girl said, and her round eyes peering into Miyabi’s own began to make her a bit self-conscious. Silence stretched out a moment before the girl continued tentatively, “I suppose… there was some specific reason you felt the need to treat Sakai-kun as a personal ragdoll.”
“He challenged me,” Miyabi said simply, rolling her eyes back as she brought her legs up to fold in front of her beneath the water.
“I see,” the girl replied. Miyabi was starting to get annoyed with her short responses. “So you feel weak enough now that you feel the need to pulverize random kids?”
Miyabi dropped her legs and almost lunged at the girl, but relaxed again quickly. It would be unsightly for her to get into a fight in the bath. Plus it would spoil one of her few refuges. Certainly it had nothing to do with the fact that this girl was almost twice her size. When she didn’t say anything, Kumai went on.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to prove,” she said honestly. Miyabi narrowed her eyes again. “He knows you’re tough. I know you’re tough. I think everybody in our class… probably almost everyone in the school knows. If you still have something to prove, I don’t think that’s the way to do it.”
Miyabi stared at her. Since they began at this high school together she’d hardly seen the girl say two full sentences to anyone, much less her, and to hear her talk this much now seemed to reflect thoughts going through her mind for a good while.
“What do you care?” she responded defensively, sinking further into the water to immerse the tip of her chin. “I think your reputation’s safe enough you don’t need to try and save the undesirables in this school.”
Kumai stared calmly a few seconds before shrugging and looking away. “I don’t know. I watch people. I may not say too much, but I notice things. Somehow you seem like you could almost be a sister to me.”
Miyabi stared again, and then really did laugh out. “Are you kidding!!” she exclaimed. “We are so not alike… I can’t even begin to describe the ways. I shouldn’t need to!!” When the girl only blinked calmly at her, she continued, “Tell me, in what way do you think we’re similar?”
The girl stared at her a long moment this time until Miyabi began to actually feel a bit creeped out, until finally the athlete said softly, “You call yourself undesirable, but I think you and I both know that’s not true or else you wouldn’t work so hard at it. Well, I’m sure there’s a special reason you felt the need to remind yourself how tough you are out there.” And then she suddenly rose from the bath, water cascading down her long form and dripping off of her, and she loped over to carefully grab her things and head back to the dressing room.
As the steam began curling once again around her, Miyabi kept very still, only bobbing slightly with the water stirred up by the other’s departure. Her eyes were fixed on the door, but her mind was a mist to match her surroundings.
The girl was an idiot. She was just showing she won’t back down from a challenge, that’s all. Then again, was that really it? Until that point she actually hadn’t minded the boy, even if she’d never thought…
Why hadn’t she agreed to date him? Was her judgment clouded completely now by the men she hung out with during those long evenings? Or did she just really like being alone?
They just weren’t up to her standards, she told herself. Well then who would be? He had really been cute enough…
“No,” she said out loud into the room, and the word reflected hollowly off the walls. Listen to yourself. You’re beginning to get philosophical! She had half a mind to run out into the gym right now, naked, and have Chii whack her on the head with a badminton racket.
“Damn, I need to get laid…” she murmured out loud once again, though quietly, and pulled herself out of the bath. She loved it, but she’d already been in there so long her fingers were starting to get crinkly.
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“The girl entered the bath across from her, and when she sat down peered over at Miyabi quietly. Miyabi could tell there was a lot hidden in those eyes, but she didn’t seem to know how to express it in words.” Great lines- the character of both girls nicely revealed.
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My brain isn't functioning very well so comment will be a little sketchy.
- Miya kicking ass as expected
- How did she become all yankii like that? There's a story there...
- Lone wolf image much? But I think there's more to it than that.
- Yurina-Miya scene at the end: Kumai-chan's more perceptive than anyone gives her credit for. Not a dumb jock for sure. XD
Sorry about the not so insightful comment. Kinda braindead...
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the boy got his ass kicked :lol:
he should have known it'll end that way, given miya's reputation...
The girl smiled as she greeted the others, who quickly filled her in on the spectacle. She glanced once or twice with mild curiosity in Miyabi’s direction, and despite herself Miyabi felt a light blush before looking away. Sakai was still on the ground, and had quickly been attended to by his friends who knelt and chattered above him.
someone got a crush :lol:
Kumai stared calmly a few seconds before shrugging and looking away. “I don’t know. I watch people. I may not say too much, but I notice things. Somehow you seem like you could almost be a sister to me.”
I wonder why kumaicho think like this :huhuh
well... although berryz did some school-themed stuff, the last one I watched was the berikou fest, the one with CLAP! as bgm, hence I remember that one first :P
ah... nyoki nyoki champion MC... it's weird to see captain in basketball club :lol: kumaicho sure is tall...
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YES! the dude got pwned!! :D
First Miya didn't back down to Fujimoto-sensei now she is flirting with Ishikawa-san? :nervous No fear.. :P
I didn't think that Yurina would be so observant and gutsy for being able to join a delinquent Miya for a bath. I also didn't see it coming that she sees Miya as a sister.. that was a surprise to me.. I wonder why she feels that way.. :?
I'm also curious if there is any truth in Yurina's observations of Miya.. which I'm sure there is.. I wanna know exactly what! :P
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Miya is so.. Awhhhsumm!! :D :wub:
lol... Flirty~ I see! :grin: So like Kumai, I wonder about what Miya have to prove.. :roll:
lol, It's so weird and odd to hear Miya say that at the end. :shocked This is indeed a very different Miya in all of the fics. XD I hope she doesn't get "it" anytime soon though... :nervous
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Miya is quite the kicker of asses, isn't she? Though, she seems a wee bit taken with Saki already. I hope. Yeah, this comment isn't going to be that great either, I had all these great things I wanted to say and point out and then I went to work. And now I'm home from work. I think I can feel the steam coming off my brain. :lol:
Forgive my lack of anything insightful to say. Really, all that's going through my mind now is, "Durr! Perdy naked girls in bath!" :drool:
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Man, it seems tha Miya is more than capable of looking after herself!
I wonder about Yurina, she seems to be able to read Miya quite well and counts her as a sister, is there something more to the two's relationship than as of yet has been revealed or is it just in normal interactions, it seems as though Miya is at least confortable with Yurina around her.....
Yurina also thinks she is similar to Miya, that they our apart from others, different or perhpas they have something mre intresting in common....... or perhpas, she understands about what it is that Miya feels she has to perove...
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WOAH! It seems like Yurina hit the right spot... in a way :lol:
So Miya is trying to be the tough one and not show any weak sides of her. She wants to make herself as perfect as necessary and she hates changes. Makes sense :thumbsup
I wanna know who the dancing girl is~~~ :inlove:
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another story of Miya eh? :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe: compensated dating :on ksweat: and a yankii to boot? :onionwhip:
who's stupid not gonna like this one :hiakhiakhiak: :hiakhiakhiak: :hiakhiakhiak: surely not me :on woohoo:
“Well a girl’s gotta look pretty when she’s about to break some teeth,”
^ damn right, kick some ass yo! :on kimbo: :on kimbo: :on kimbo:
“At least I look pretty doing it, right? Isn’t that your motto for us girls? ‘Whatever you do, do it cutely!’”
LOL, Miya's really a sarcastic one :kekeke: what a fiery tongue eh! :sweat: and to actually touch a sensei and whispered to her? :shock: I bet if its Miki-sama she'll cower? :on spit: LOL though it'd be nice if Miki-sama and Miya here will get along with each other! :on cigar:
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Rokunnnnnnnnn, I love it! This story is so cool, as is Miya in it.
Plus I love Kumaicho being all popular jock type in this-- I'm a fan! :wub:
Momo's small part so far was cute too <3 Standing up to Miya, she's got guts, man!
ohoho... Captain :heart:
Maiha ref. ;w;
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Hey! Sorry it's been a couple weeks, but it's time for an update! :D ...at least, if I can get it in through server slowness lol. What's goin on, dai?? XD
muppet: I'm glad you're seeing their characters ^^ I'm trying to work hard on them in this fic... Hopefully a lot more comes out in this next chapter :D
Essy: Sketchy comment :P You know you made me write up that story xDDD Probably why this update took so long... was fleshing out the history a bit.
eruchan: Not everyone gives Miya the respect she deserves yet, especially the boys :lol: The girls are a bit more attentive to such things... Hopefully some more about Kumai-cho will come out in this coming chapter. :D It was a bit different for me to write if you've read some of my other stuff...
mmsuki: Of course he got pwned :lol: You think I'd let him beat up Miya? XD A new teacher presented in the coming chapter!!! lol Also, I'm not sure she was quite "flirting" with Ishikawa... :lol: You'll see more of that to come maybe. ^^ Again, more about Yurina in this coming chapter. ^^
kano-chan: Sorry to burst your bubble a bit maybe, but Miya at least is very not innocent in this fic. :lol: That's part of the reason I started in the prologue as I did... :)
rndy: Wtf is up with all these "not so great" comments today!?!? Well I've given you a couple weeks' break, so maybe more will be able to come now. ;)
oddball: Hopefully some of your questions will be addressed a bit starting in the next chapter. ^^;
SarangAi: There's a lot behind Miya doing the things she does now. :lol: That'll start coming out more in time, even hinted at a bit this coming chapter. As for who the dancing girl is... I don't think it'll be that much of a secret... XD
ayase: Hey! Welcome back! :D Haven't seen you in awhile, though I remember you saying you're always around. ;) Look for an update in another fic you've been looking forward too soon also! :D
I hope you like this one. ^^ And btw, most of the teachers will generally be in kind of cameo roles... ^^;
Kuji: Hey to you too! Found a little time to read, huh? :) :heart: Glad you love it :) and love popularjock!Kumaicho. Maybe you'll like this chapter more too... and yeah I was happy to be able to mention Maiha here :heart:
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Chapter 3: Role Model
“Now I’ll ask someone to repeat what I said,” the young teacher finished in English. “Kumai-san, how about you?”
Yurina stared at the woman while still slouched in her chair. Sitting up, she cleared her throat. “Um… Enjoy?”
“Very good!” the teacher, Sudou-sensei, praised her. “Now can anyone use it in a sentence?”
English was not Yurina’s best subject, but she tried hard. That was a mark of most successful athletes here, doing their best in whatever it was they did, and was one of the reasons they were so well-respected. Sometimes it was hard to identify in Yurina herself since she didn’t talk often, but those who got to know her better, as well as those who thought a bit at the success she’d had, knew the truth of her deceptively quiet nature.
She could perhaps have gotten into a more “prestigious” academic private school, but it would have been far from guaranteed, and the basketball program here was known across Tokyo. Since she really had no clear aspirations of college or such beyond graduation, she was content to be able to pursue her sports and live her current dream.
As one of the boys in the class expanded on her answer to Sudou-sensei, she gazed toward the back corner of the room at Miyabi-chan, who as usual was slumped in her chair and appeared asleep. Tokunaga next to her was just staring into space, her mouth slightly open while she held a pencil in front of her that waved slowly back and forth.
Yurina didn’t really know what came over her to make her join the delinquent in the bath and have that conversation which, albeit short, was longer than she had with many people. It was almost an impulse that drove her to follow the girl as she went to the locker room after knocking out that boy. The girl had intrigued her, but she’d also developed concern over her after watching her over time, of a type that made her feel like a bit of a big sister.
She just realized that must be something new to the other – having known her since they both started going to this school, she as well as the other students knew how Miyabi Natsuyaki had quite an independent streak, doing her own thing while everyone else did their best to keep up with the rat race.
Yurina herself wasn’t necessarily concerned with the rat race either, but in her case it was more from a “my pace” sense of nonchalance. She didn’t actively try to stand out as Miyabi seemed to, but she somehow ended up doing so anyway in her seeming indifference to most things.
“Kumai-san,” the teacher addressed her again, “Would you like to pair up with Sakamoto-san for this role play?”
Yurina gazed at her blankly for a moment, having been lost in her thoughts, but then nodded and rose. She came to the front of the classroom along with a boy that was at least ten centimeters shorter than her. The boy glanced up at her from time to time with wide eyes, but mostly kept them to the ground.
She was used to this type of reaction from boys since, although she was strangely tall for a girl or even a Japanese person in general, she was also remarkably pretty. Especially after turning 16 and now entering second year, she regularly received comments about how she should look into modeling. It was something she hadn’t really thought of before, but it didn’t sound terrible. She was certainly in a great location for it. If nothing else, it gave her something else to think about for possible post-graduation activities.
She knew that many successful athletes worked in modeling and endorsements, for example Mao Asada… Maybe she could do that if she managed to make the National Basketball team someday.
“Are you ready for the conversation?” Sudou-sensei asked, peering at each of them from beneath dark bangs. Yurina was about to say that no, she had no idea what they were doing, before the teacher continued, “All right, go for it!”
And then she stared at the boy.
“What… is your favorite color?” he asked in a somewhat stuttering voice.
“Green!” she answered almost immediately, startling him. “How about yours?”
“Um…” he stuttered, staring at her. “Um……”
Yurina sighed. She really wished people would stop doing that around her. She glanced out at the audience. It seemed like about half the class was staring at her dreamily, while half of the rest were glaring daggers at the pitiable boy who had her sole attention at the moment.
Turning back to him, she smiled. “Do you like blue?” she asked, gesturing at a pin on his jacket.
He blinked before starting to say “Hai…” and instead, with a quick glance at the teacher, changing it to the English, “Yes. Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome!” Yurina replied, satisfied.
The boy looked positively radiant at having what must have seemed a relatively successful exchange with her, and Yurina kept her smile on as she returned to her seat. However she didn’t share it only with him, and instead tried to make eye contact with some of the other students who had been staring at her along the way. It all went by too quickly for her to know how successful she had been though, and eventually she managed to retake her seat.
In an unconscious glance at Miyabi, she noticed that the girl had woken, and was now staring heavy-lidded in her direction. Her face was a puzzle, and Yurina somehow got the feeling that she was running their encounter earlier through her head once again. Yes, definitely an intriguing girl.
She glanced around at the other students again, some still of course looking her way, before settling her eyes on the desk. She didn’t mind the attention – as with most everything else, she generally didn’t think one way or another about it – but it had recently begun saddening her at the same time as well, especially with the boys.
That was because she knew now that no matter what they did, how one or another might try to earn her attention, she could likely never return their affections. The reason for this was that she’d recently realized something.
Kumai Yurina likes other girls.
She didn’t know if it meant there was something wrong with her, or if it was something that happened commonly to girls like her since she’d heard rumors of other female athletes who felt the same way. Whatever the case, it is what it is.
She first really realized it one day while watching the cheerleaders during a game, and since then she’d found herself thinking about what it might be like to hug, and maybe even kiss, a cute girl like that in a more than friendly way.
After the realization she’d discovered the great opportunity she had since she regularly bathed and showered with other members of her team. She felt bad about thinking of them in that way though since they didn’t expect a thing, and so kept her eyes averted as much as she could. Somehow though, the fact she seemed to have trouble making eye contact with her teammates and others had served only to enhance her mystique.
However, there was another thing she supposed she was glad of. Even if she might be into girls, she generally wasn’t attracted to most of the other athletes. They were too much like her in being tall and lanky or muscular… not your typical image of “cute” in other words. And Yurina liked cuteness. She hadn’t yet found a suitable cute girl that might share interest in her to test these feelings out with though…
She glanced at Miyabi again, who was yawning with half-slitted eyes. She was cute, but had she even felt attracted to the girl, she knew there was way too much baggage that would come with it. Her eyes drifted to her friend Chinami next to her, and she thought much the same thing. Cute, but bad news. Not that she wanted to stay away from them – Yurina had a habit of quietly sticking her nose into places where maybe it didn’t belong – but she really did feel more like a protective big sister type in regard to those two, if they even needed it. After all, their independence was what generally made them stand out.
The rest of the class passed fairly quietly for her, and her mind wandered to the basketball court and the formations they’d been going over in practice. She felt refreshed after the run earlier, but would be happy when school got out and she had some time to work out before heading home to study.
Even so, the studying wouldn’t be too intensive, since at this point she didn’t even bother with cram school. Her parents and friends had recommended it to her at times, and that she should think more about her “future”, but she was generally just content to spend her time out of the classroom focused on sports and socializing. The two had until now generally gone hand-in-hand, but since talking to Miyabi in the bath earlier, she wondered if perhaps Kumai Yurina was turning over a new socialization leaf.
If so, she knew some people would certainly object to who exactly she was choosing to experiment with. In fact, some did. There were some of her teammates earlier, and now, as she was heading out of the room after English class…
“Kumai-san,” Sudou-sensei called over before she could leave, and Yurina glanced to see the teacher sitting at her desk in front of some papers, having now also donned some glasses, before walking over to stand in front of the desk.
“Sensei,” she said, “What’s up?”
A few of the straggling students still leaving the class gawked at her talking to the teacher, impressed again at how she spoke to her in such a relaxed way… even if she didn’t say all that much. Yurina almost sighed again. These people seemed to watch her all the time… shouldn’t they know her well enough by now!?
That said, some of the students were perhaps staring at the teacher as much as her. Sudou-sensei, with her long and elegant black hair and youthful appearance, was almost as much of an idol in the school as the more popular students. She’d just started this year, and it was rumored she may not have even completed college first. She sure didn’t look it, since despite her mature style she certainly had many innocent features as well, such as the silky smooth skin of youth.
It’s not that it was unusual for this school to have young teachers. Being a mid-city school serving primarily one of the rougher Tokyo neighborhoods, and in the shadow of the high-class Azabu hills district, it was a kind of “proving ground” for teachers new to the system. Most were also women who had even less options elsewhere.
So although many of the other teachers were attractive and captivating in their own right, Sudou-sensei’s youthful appearance offered her a mystique the others did not, especially since many tried to appear more mature and professional in order to look more appealing for advancement… and normally, out of this school.
“How’s the basketball team looking so far this fall?” the teacher asked, pulling Yurina out of her thoughts once again.
“The team?” Yurina asked blankly. “Um, it’s all right I guess.”
Sudou-sensei smiled patiently. “All right?” she replied. “That’s an understatement, as far as I hear it. I hear many think you’ll have a run at the city championship, and that you personally of course have a lot to do with it.”
“I don’t know about that…” Yurina said, shifting her feet in embarrassment. “All the girls are really working hard this year.”
“So I see,” the teacher replied, amusement dancing in her features. She stood up from behind her desk, walking around it in her long, tightly wrapped black skirt. “I played basketball when I was a schoolgirl. Did you know that?”
Yurina stared at her. Of course nobody knew anything about the teacher’s history, aside from all the rumors floating around about what kind of college experience she may have had.
“No I didn’t,” she replied evenly, swallowing under the focused gaze the teacher directed at her.
“You’re an example for the rest of the school – a role model, if you will. The girls around here, even some of the boys, they need that. Teachers can only do so much; it’s the students who can and should have the most effect on each other.”
Again Yurina was very aware of the truth of what the woman was telling her, but her humility couldn’t very well let her agree easily. “Mmm…” she murmured uncertainly. Why was this teacher trying to talk to her so much anyway? Surely she knew as everyone else did that Yurina was not the best conversationalist.
“All right, I’ll just get to the heart of the matter,” Sudou-sensei said with a long sigh. “I hear you’ve been seen with Natsuyaki-san more often recently.”
Yurina stared again. Now that was something she hadn’t really expected. “Is that so?” she asked quietly. “I don’t really pay attention to things like that. If someone has something to say to me, we talk. If I have an observation to make to someone, I’ll make it.”
“It doesn’t bother you?” Sudou-sensei asked, peering curiously at her as if the line of her gaze held enticing bait out to a fascinating specimen.
“Excuse me, but doesn’t what bother me?” Yurina asked in return.
“I’m sure you know her history, and that of Tokunaga-san I suppose, although Natsuyaki’s would appear far more interesting.”
“Would it?” Yurina asked, walking slowly around the desk, gazing around the room as if with no purpose while the teacher followed her around the other side.
“I would think a role model for hundreds of young women would be careful of her associations.”
“We’ve been in the same homeroom for a year and a half now. She’s a classmate of mine, just like any of the others.”
“I see,” the teacher replied, “You look at her no differently despite her family.”
“That’s right.”
“Perhaps you’re a better role model than I even thought at first.”
“I don’t try to be anything. I’m just Yurina Kumai. May I go now? I have to prepare for my next class.”
“Of course,” the teacher said as she managed to find her way back around the desk to her chair, and sat in it. This caused Yurina to come to a stop in front of it as well. “Your English is improving lately,” she continued as she glanced down at the papers in front of her. “I’m sure it’s not necessary to tell you, but keep up the hard work.”
“Thank you, Sensei,” Yurina said, and bowed and left the room.
There were only a couple more periods before the day was over, and as she walked toward the gym for practice she saw Miyabi and Chinami walking quickly together, their heads bowed as they conversed and typed rapidly on their cell phones. She wondered idly how much money they would extort from their poor victims tonight.
As with much of the rest of the school – many of the other girls also glanced their way as if trying to pick up any little scraps of information they could for their own purposes – she knew about the enjo kosai the two of them practiced on many nights. They weren’t the only girls in the school who ran such a service since for many of them expendable cash was at a premium, but they were certainly two of the most successful.
Chinami had even asked Yurina once if she wanted to join them not long after the year began, gushing about how beautiful she was and how she’d have the men eating out of the palm of her hand. Yurina wasn’t so sure of that since she felt she might be a bit… different from the type most of the men seemed to pursue, but either way she declined, citing her busy practice schedule.
The mention of her practice schedule had seemed to make the girl’s face fall, and Yurina remembered how she’d gone out for badminton club in their first year. Like Miyabi though, she hadn’t followed through with it. It made sense for Miyabi, but she wondered why the other girl didn’t continue on. She seemed to quite enjoy the sport. Then again, sports were not the most significant part of most girls’ lives, unlike for Yurina.
As she was watching her two classmates, she bumped heavily into something she’d apparently walked into, and almost tripped over what she now found to be a small girl. More accurately, the small girl who’d risen up to her defense in front of the two delinquents earlier in the day.
“Excuse me!!” the girl squeaked, appearing mortified, and started bowing all over herself as she stumbled and regained her feet. She was obviously not the most coordinated person, and not the athlete Yurina was used to in most she knew.
“It’s all right,” Yurina said, holding a hand out to the wall to prop herself up as she peered down at the girl in pristinely tidy seifuku despite the end of the day, and her pigtails waving around as she bowed. “I saw you earlier, didn’t I?”
The girl’s eyes widened as if in pure amazement she’d remembered. “I… um… I…” the girl stuttered. “I’m sorry for bothering you!” she said with another furious bow, and turned as if to flee again.
“Wait,” Yurina said, reaching out a hand to grip the girl’s slim arm just below the shoulder.
At her touch the other froze, staring at her hand as if a snake had risen up and was trying to bite off her arm.
“Sorry,” Yurina said, withdrawing her hand. They were now getting the attention of no few of the other students passing by, most casting them furtive looks, and the other’s eyes darted around self-consciously. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. What’s your name?”
“Tsu…Tsugunaga,” the girl replied. “Tsugunaga Momoko.”
Yurina furrowed her brow in thought. “I heard somebody say earlier they thought you were a third year. Is that right?”
This Momoko’s eyes widened again. “Mmm…hmm…” she said unsteadily. “I’m sorry!!” she said again. “I must look so silly to you…”
“No,” Yurina replied soothingly. “Of course not. I should be the one to apologize, senpai.” And she bowed smoothly. When she looked up, the girl was frozen staring at her again.
“You are… cute,” Yurina said as she rose, a light smile coming to her lips. “You know that?”
A crooked smile came to the other girl as well. “Of course,” she replied uncertainly, though not really as if she doubted it. “The cutest.”
This time Yurina’s smile widened. “I need to head to basketball practice…” she began, and saw the other girl’s features fall in disappointment. “…Would you like to walk with me to the gym?”
The girl lightened up again, although at the same time an almost terrified shadow crossed her face at the idea of going to the gym.
Yurina kept smiling though as the girl didn’t move to reject her invitation. Wouldn’t it be scandalous for Yurina Kumai to be walking to the gym with a quite obviously unathletic girl who almost looked like she could be a princess, no matter how cute she might be.
The cutest, she’d said? Yes, how positively delightful!
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Well, a Yurina centered chapter. I'm quite amused by her character here, she's the 'great athlete' the 'role model' and at the same time, she doesn't seem to be content with that.
as with most everything else, she generally didn’t think one way or another about it
She says this, but is she trying to convince us or herself.
Even though she describes her life as practically revolving around sports, I wonder if maybe there's a bigger part of her than we think aching to let loose and be a deliquent. Maybe that's why she feels a certain affinity for Miyabi and Chinami, not because they're her classmates, as she told Sudou-sensei.
BTW, Sudou-sensei? :lol: That just makes me laugh more for some reason.
Anyway, when she was asked by Chinami to join them, most girls would react with outrage, wouldn't they? ....Maybe good girls would, right?
Then, she runs into Momoko and initiates a bit of flirting, albeit subtle flirting. This just proves my point, though. Maybe there's a part of Yurina that wants to be scandalous, that wants people to look at her, not because she's tall or beautiful or a great athlete, but because she's doing something out of the ordinary.
Or maybe I'm just reading too much into things. :lol: But this review doesn't suck, does it?
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It is refreshing to see a Yurina-centric chapter :)
lol... Yurina loves to use her favorite English word... enjoy! :lol:
Sudou-sensei! somehow... it's weird imagining her as an English teacher... anyways, she's a cool teacher XD
hmm... Kumaicho doesn't like her celebrity-role model status...
perhaps it's because she knows that she's not perfect (she swings that way after all) and tired of being one? and her being intrigued by Miya and Chii maybe because she's envious or admire their independence... ah, I'm not good at guessing...
Momo-sempai! and she's claiming to be the cutest... :nervous
uh oh... looks like Kumaicho going for the cute one... how scandalous! is it going to be a rumor? looking forward for the next chapter!
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As one of the boys in the class expanded on her answer to Sudou-sensei
Sudou.. as in Sudou Maasa??.. XD
Kumai Yurina likes other girls.
:w00t: :on woohoo: i wonder if this is the reason why she felt similar to Miya? i know Miya hasn't explicitly said it yet.. but she definitely is going through something.. and i think Kuma-chan's gaydar went off when she's around Miya.. lol!
She first really realized it one day while watching the cheerleaders during a game, and since then she’d found herself thinking about what it might be like to hug, and maybe even kiss, a cute girl like that in a more than friendly way.
LOL! blame the cheerleaders.. XD
They were too much like her in being tall and lanky or muscular… not your typical image of “cute” in other words. And Yurina liked cuteness.
so she doesn't like butch.. and ehhhhhh.. do i smell a Yurina x Momo combi?? LOL!.. that would just be awesome!! hahaha..
She glanced at Miyabi again, who was yawning with half-slitted eyes. She was cute,
i want to see a Yurina x Miya scene of more than being 'sisters',, even if briefly.. hahahaha..
She wondered idly how much money they would extort from their poor victims tonight.
Kumai is aware of Miya and Chii's extracurricular activities.. :?
Chinami had even asked Yurina once if she wanted to join them not long after the year began, gushing about how beautiful she was and how she’d have the men eating out of the palm of her hand.
ahhhh.. so that's why she knew.. Chii was trying to recruit her back then.. good thing she declined.. :lol:
As she was watching her two classmates, she bumped heavily into something she’d apparently walked into, and almost tripped over what she now found to be a small girl.
ooooooohhhhhhhhh is this the first Yurina x Momo interaction.. :w00t:
More accurately, the small girl who’d risen up to her defense in front of the two delinquents earlier in the day.
YES IT IS!! hahahahaa...
“You are… cute,” Yurina said as she rose, a light smile coming to her lips. “You know that?”
MUAHAHAHAHAHA!! Yurina making the first move.. :P
A crooked smile came to the other girl as well. “Of course,” she replied uncertainly, though not really as if she doubted it. “The cutest.”
AHHHHHHH... of course its the Sayu syndrome making an appearance as well.. XD
This time Yurina’s smile widened. “I need to head to basketball practice…” she began, and saw the other girl’s features fall in disappointment. “…Would you like to walk with me to the gym?”
wooohooooo woooooohooooo.. :D i call this one the David and Goliath walk.. lmao.. WTH?!
The cutest, she’d said? Yes, how positively delightful!
has Kumai-chan found her 'cute' girl to pursue?? :on ksweat:
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WOW I gotta say, i REALLY like this chapter. I don't know, I'm REALLY into character developments in stories, so i guess that's why i liked this chapter. everything was in-depth and we got a pretty good look into the mysterious yurina's mind and status :twothumbs
I do like the way Yurina is portrayed here, the really popular girl but not into guys... actually, i'm glad that issue was addressed outright. i don't know, it made everything more interesting somehow XD
And I thought it was SO sweet how Yurina was in search for that one perfect cute girl! which is in contrast to herself, so i found it very intriguing :D
Another great chapter! Can't wait to read more~~~ (with the revelation of the dancing girl, which btw, i gotta say i have a good idea of who it is but i'm not sure cuz i'm really new to Berryz fics... so i'm not even sure about what the intriguing pairings are :nervous) XD
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I didn't see earlier, did you get this idea from Miya's answer at the Q&A? Her and Chii bad girls and Massa a teacher?
I am loving your take on it and can't wait for more.
Enjoy!!
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So Yurina can't help but get drawn to Miya and to Chii becuase she want's to be the big sister to them, to look after them.... I wonder how much of it is that and how much of it could be Yurina wanting to go against her "good girl/role-model" image byn spending time with Miya and Chii.
I wonder too if she likes that Miya does not dote on her as the 'role model' either, someting Yurina has to put up with when talking to others....
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some rambling thoughts.......the my pace style of yurina vs the rebel without a cause flaming miyabi certainy shows promise. momo cute but sharp as well, and sudou sensei...wanna see more ...... and why is chinami just a sidekick so far, what drives her?
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I guess if you had to choose a member to be the teacher, Maasa would be it. lol
Happy about the Yurina-centric chapter since Kumaicho is one of my favourites and it was interesting to see things from her POV.
When she was thinking that Miyabi's cute, I was going 'uh oh you don't want to go there' in my head but Yurina's smart enough to figure that out too. haha
The scene with the roleplay was pretty amusing.
Anyway, this chapter I very ENJOY! XD
If cute is what Yurina likes, who could be better than Momo? Sayu! No one, that's who.
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of course I'm always around :hehehe: :hehehe: :hehehe:
silently stalking ur fics :on crazygran: since the fact will never change I'm a Miyabi fan :wahaha: :wahaha: :wahaha:
sooo.... :bingo: a Yurina chapter eh? :hee: I want to see the school delinquent :on cigar: and role model :on study: to get along :nya: so that the sensei's will be like this :scared:
and Momochi? :shock: Yurina and Momochi together? :on ksweat: it'd be cute :on lol:
I wonder why i like Miya portrayed as bad ass :onionwhip: when she's so girly in reality :bigdeal:
Anyhow, gonna wait for her next badass moves :kekeke: :kekeke: :kekeke:
ja~ ur sugoi as always author-san! :on GJ:
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Okay, I'm back! And time for some comment replies. :) It wasn't quite as long as last time. :lol:
rndy: People are looking so deeply into this chapter. :lol: That's intriguing. Then again, I suppose the style definitely implied it, huh? ;)
Sudou-sensei is probably something I wouldn't have necessarily come up with either, but I have to go with the Great Miyabi and her ideas for a story. ;) And yes, Kumai may definitely not be the "good girl" she seems. There's a lot of that going around here... ;) She's already made a huge leap by this point in embracing her love for girls, and you know what they say, the first step is always the hardest. ;) Eventually you can't even turn back...
Ok, I'm rambling on a bit much there. ^^;
eruchan: It is refreshing, isn't it? I don't think I've ever even read a Yurina-centric chapter in a fic before. :D So it made me happy. And of course Momo's claiming to be the cutest!! But it's not just a claim, y'know. ;) As for rumors, have you noticed how many other students seem to follow Kuma-chan's every move? :)
mmsuki: Yes, most certainly as in Sudou Maasa :lol: And that may be part of why Kumai-chan identifies with Miya~ Damn cheerleaders... lol. They're always a problem, huh? :P And you want to see Yurina/Miya huh? I'll have to think about it. ;) Sayu syndrome? Sacrilege!!! Momo is the cutest, after all! XD
SarangAi: Glad you liked it. :) Yes, I'm really trying to focus on character here and how everyone interacts with each other. We're still in the introduction phase really, though... I hope you continue to enjoy Berryz fics! :D
Rickker: Hey! I wondered if you were still reading. :D And yes, Miya did inspire this story herself! XD I'm glad to see someone who was there following along! Please continue to Enjoy! :D
oddball: Talking to someone like Miya is certainly different for Kumai-chan, so there's certainly something intriguing there in Kuma-chan World :lol: (for the reference, see Saki's blog from a few days back :D)
muppet: My pace Yurina! Yay! Glad it came through :) And Momo is always sharp. ;) Sharp like a hot pepper... XD lol
Kuji: Hey! :heart: Like I said before, Miya chose the teacher. :lol: I'm just following her wish... Glad you enjoyed the Yurina-centric chapter too! I was wondering about how people would react since it's not done often. :) ENJOY! And good job, you got it right! :D
ayase: This story is gonna be crack for you :lol: And it would be scandalous if Kuma-chan and Miya got along, wouldn't it? Wouldn't KumaMomo be cute too? XD And Miya is still very girly in here!!! Just... bad ass girly. ;) Continue to Enjoy, please :)
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Chapter 4 - Rival
“BE-RI-KOU! BE-RI-KOU! BE-RI-KOU!”
“Did you take in the full 5k last night?” Miyabi asked in a bored voice.
“Double! You know the manager from Parco from last week? He called again!”
“That’s wonderful!” she praised, shivering inside. Retail managers… She was so glad it had been a long while since she’d had the ‘pleasure’ of one of them. “So the regular thirty percent cut is… three thousand. I do like things even.”
“…Here you go. You know, I was thinking lately about going on my own. I mean, this is my second call in a week.”
“BE-RI-KOU! BE-RI-KOU! BE-RI-KOU!”
“Nearing the end of the third quarter the score is tied, 37 all. Kumai gets the ball… Score!”
Since her reply was drowned in the sudden cheer, Miyabi straightened her face and repeated again, “You still have no idea what you’re doing. You can’t even imagine a real customer yet. Or do you want to serve retail managers the rest of your life? You might as well drop out and go work tables at a maid café.”
“Irasshaimase~ Goshujin~sama!” Chinami chimed from beside her, smiling wide and giving a suitably servile bow. Miyabi elbowed her in the rubs, causing the girl to grunt at the lost breath. Her smile only halfway faded though.
Miyabi readjusted the hoodie which hung low past her waist, but not low enough to cover the chain dangling from her sash. It was the only accessory visible on her otherwise standard uniform, though her hair splayed out in a tail from a gold-threaded band behind 10-yen coin-sized golden hoops hanging from her ears. Three additional small rings pierced the back of her left ear as well.
“Retail managers aren’t all that bad…” the first-year said in a quieter voice. “Does the company even matter?”
“Trust me,” Chinami said, wincing slightly as she rose up straight again, “It does. If you trust us, you’ll find out what we mean eventually too.”
“Besides, what’s seven thousand gonna buy you?” Miyabi asked, her head tilted slightly. “And that’s even after working half the night.”
“A-as you say…” the girl stammered. “Natsuyaki-san.”
“BE-RI-KOU! BE-RI-KOU! BE-RI-KOU!”
Miyabi resisted the urge to hold her ears as the buzzer sounded.
“And that’s the third quarter! 41-39 is the score as we head into the final period…”
“Don’t you find that announcer annoying sometimes?” Chinami asked, scratching her chin as she watched the girl they just completed business with make her way through the bleacher supports and disappear back into the crowd.
“Why do you say that?” Miyabi replied indifferently, searching the crowds as she carefully counted the cash in her hand before stuffing it into her shirt. “It’s no louder than your normal voice.”
Chinami grimaced, leaning her head forward to scratch the back of it. “You got me there…”
“Oi, Natsuyaki,” came a voice from the crowd, and Miyabi’s eyes darted to see two girls in black, red-threaded seifuku separate themselves from the crowd. One had mid-length, red-streaked bushy brown hair, and two chains hanging from her waist, as well as a white leather jacket that certainly wasn’t part of the uniform. The jacket had colorful designs sewn over each side pocket, and on each shoulder. The other had long black hair tied in a ponytail as well and held her chin up, chewing gum in a fancy red jacket that Miyabi thought must have been Gucci. The skirt of the first hung well past the knees, while the other’s was actually quite short, almost to the thighs.
“You knew they would come, didn’t you?” Chinami asked in a toneless voice at her side, but Miyabi kept her eyes on the newcomers.
“It’s the one time of the year CTG deigns to come play in our gym, even though theirs is no better. Of course they’d come. I didn’t know who it’d be though.”
When they approached, the girl with the red streak slightly in front of the other who almost seemed to prefer to stick to the shadows of the bleachers above, they scrutinized and sized each other up carefully.
“Who’s the whelp?” Miyabi asked, gesturing with her chin at the girl in back.
“Nakajima,” the front one said slowly, “Would you like to introduce yourself to our friends here? We’re guests in their house, after all.”
“You better keep that in mind,” Chinami said, arms now crossed at her chest.
The named girl stepped forward, though still behind the other. “Nakajima Saki,” she said in a somewhat drawling voice. “First year, Cutie Gakuen. Nice to meet you.” Despite the gum-chewing and dumb-sounding tone, Miyabi watched her carefully. First years were never the best actors.
“You brought a first year to us!?” Chinami squawked indignantly, stepping forward, but Miyabi threw out an arm to hold her back. “Might as well serve us a challenge right here and now!”
“Easy, Chii,” Miyabi said. “I’m sure there’s more to the story.” Her head swung back to the girl in front. “Isn’t there, Murakami?”
Murakami Megumi grinned, that puckered smile seeming to imply some private joke she was just on the brink of laughing at, and her eyes sparkled dangerously. Miyabi knew it wasn’t just for show.
“Of course,” she said in a condescending manner. “After all, I wouldn’t want it to look like we were… neglecting you.”
“You could’ve just let us carry on with our business,” Chinami grumbled.
“We couldn’t just pass up the chance to say ‘Hi’ while we’re all gathered here together, now could we?” Murakami said with a flourish at the stands. Miyabi glanced to the side herself and saw the team huddled up with their coach, a tall woman with long black hair and a relaxed disposition. When she spotted Kumai, the girl was gazing directly back at her as she breathed heavily.
What was up with the athlete lately? She seemed to be paying Miyabi an inordinate amount of attention, and there was that day in the bath too… Ah, it wasn’t like she was the only one interested in what she and Chinami were doing down here, even if Miyabi wouldn’t have expected it from the girl. She was sure there were many eyes on them right now, and she wished she knew who they all were.
“She’s right though,” she responded matter-of-factly, “We are just trying to conduct business here.”
“Well you see that’s the problem,” Murakami said with sarcastic regret, “Your business is interfering with our business, which goes on to interfere in the school’s business. We can’t have this school of yours moving up on our turf around here.”
Miyabi felt Chinami light up at that, and she hoped the girl would use some of that wit of hers to try and conceal it as best she could. She felt her own spirits rise at that. So they were taking notice, were they? Well that was the plan after all, and Miyabi Natsuyaki was no longer used to anything but success in projects she put in the effort to plan.
Instead, she responded as expected to the slight. “That’s BeriKou Gakuen,” she stated seriously, and nodded her head toward the other girl again. “Now, are you gonna tell me who the first year really is, or should we just walk away right now?”
Somewhat surprisingly, the younger girl stepped up beside Murakami, peering calculatingly into Miyabi’s eyes. “I represent… a new element in Cutie Gakuen,” she said almost sweetly. “With our Megu-chan here thinking of transferring, and graduation coming up in so very few months, there may be certain… opportunities available for those who seek them.”
Miyabi studied her a moment as the other girl gazed back with eyes that almost seemed to be dancing. The girl had apparently dispensed with the dumbness act. Such a show of confidence worried her more than the acting. “But you aren’t one of those, are you?” she countered astutely, and Miyabi identified a slight quaver in the other’s gaze as at least mild surprise.
Then she looked back to Murakami. Despite her apparently correct guess about the first year, she also most certainly noticed how familiarly she addressed her senpai. Except for perhaps a slight tightening of lips though, the older girl didn’t react to it.
“You might be transferring?” Miyabi asked the fellow second year, her mood falling slightly at a memory. “Gonna join her?”
The other’s face darkened. “That is none of your business, Natsuyaki.”
Just after she spoke a buzzer sounded, and the referees signaled the beginning to the final quarter. Miyabi glanced through the spectators again, but the teams were already back on the court and resuming play.
“She was my friend too, you know,” she said quietly, still gazing toward the court.
“And mine,” Chinami added from beside her.
“Just watch your step,” Murakami advised. “Remember who runs this district.”
“Oh?” Miyabi asked idly. “I thought we weren’t so competitive any longer.”
“Things change,” Nakajima said quietly, drawing all eyes to her. “People graduate. Others enter. Would think you’d know about that too.” She gazed placidly into Miyabi’s face. “Or maybe you don’t?”
Miyabi shrugged, pulling her red-and-gold-embossed black hoodie tighter around her shoulders. “I’ve never really paid much attention to such troubles except those which have found me.” This time she had even Chinami glancing askance at her.
“That’s a pity,” Nakajima replied. “Maybe you should start to show a bit more school spirit.”
Miyabi glanced at Chinami, who stared back a moment before shrugging with her eyes and turning away. Then suddenly, the girl’s temperament changed.
“Now you listen here,” she said, her ever-present smile only emphasizing her words in its contrast. “Don’t think I’ll just stand by while you tell another student of this school, and coincidentally my close friend, what to do.” Then she pulled out a lollipop from her jacket and began to lick at it, still staring hard at the two rivals. “Unless you’re lookin’ to start something here and now?”
The two Cutie girls looked between the two Berries before glancing at each other, though Murakami lowered her eyes quickly. Miyabi was amazed to see a lone wolf like Megu defer so easily to anyone, much less a junior, and decided that she’d have to look into what was going on down the street after all. She couldn’t have any potential upstarts begin hurting her business.
Then Murakami’s eyes came up, and they suddenly looked hard as stone. “You know as well as me this isn’t the place, Tokunaga. Though maybe we could arrange for something in the park later?”
“Maybe we should!” Chinami shot back, leaning forward and brandishing the lollipop like a weapon, but Miyabi threw out an arm to hold her back.
“Not now, Chii,” she said in a calming voice. Suddenly they heard a loud cheer come up from the crowd, and the PA announcer came through barely over the noise, “51-46 after a dunk by Kumai! I think we might be on our way to victory!” Within all the cheering a perhaps shriller chorus of boos echoed from the other side of the stands as well. The games between the two schools always brought out most of the two student bodies, especially since they were located so close together, and tonight was no different.
“Sounds like we’re gonna beat you tonight,” Miyabi said, a smirk forming on the corner of her lips.
“Don’t get overconfident,” Murakami replied, though she also glanced a bit nervously toward the court, where the Berries had just made another steal.
“So why exactly did you come down here anyway?” Miyabi asked as she peered suspiciously at the two again.
“Ouch, I’m hurt. Can’t friends just catch up with each other from time to time?” Murakami asked with a wicked grin.
Chinami laughed out loud. “Friends!” she burst out. “Last I saw you, Miya had left you under a bridge in the park all bruised and battered.”
Suddenly the other scowled, and took a challenging step toward Chinami before Nakajima reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping the girl in her tracks. It certainly didn’t stop her scowl from deepening though.
“Natsuyaki’s right,” she said, eyeing both Berries warily. “This isn’t the place.” Then Miyabi noticed her eyes focus on Chinami a moment. She seemed to realize as Miyabi did too that eventually this confrontation would have to happen. She would have to help prepare her friend for it… somehow.
“As for why we came here, it was to let you know that things will be changing soon.” This time the first year looked back at Miyabi. “Yes. By next year things will certainly be changing.” And with that her lips turned up in a smile for the first time, and she broke out in quiet laughter that quickly became a bit wild. As she laughed, she pulled her older companion back the way they came, Murakami glaring daggers back at them for a few steps before finally turning away.
When they disappeared into the crowd again Miyabi did her best not to exhale too loudly. When she glanced at Chinami the other girl’s eyes were still focused where the others had disappeared, and though her smile was still there, it was very tight. After a moment she broke out of her spell and glanced to Miyabi.
“I want to kick her ass soon,” Chinami told her through her beaming smile. “I really, really want to…”
“You will,” Miyabi said absently, patting her friend’s shoulder as she stared off blankly into the crowd. Yes, she had some work to do. But since when would that be something new?
After a time a small cough brought them out of her personal reveries, and Miyabi glanced over to see another girl who had detached herself from the crowd and was looking their way. She wore her BeriKou seifuku very elegantly, without any extra accoutrements aside from a shiny chain necklace, and had long silky black hair braided close to the scalp at the top. She seemed familiar to Miyabi somehow, but she couldn’t think of why.
“Oi,” she called out to her. “Good girls shouldn’t come underneath the bleachers. It’s dirty here.” As if to emphasize her point a PET bottle fell from a bleacher just above the girl, but she cleanly just stepped aside to let it fall to the floor where it gave a small bounce before rolling to a rest. Miyabi squinted harder at the girl, and she felt Chinami do the same. “You’re a first year, aren’t you?”
“That’s right,” the girl said, calmly stepping closer. Miyabi stuck her hands in the pockets of her hoodie to glare as she closed in.
“How are your studies going so far?” Chinami asked, and Miyabi blinked at her smiling friend. Sometimes it was hard even for her to tell if the girl’s smile was as kind as it looked or hiding fangs that might be about to strike. That skill at deception was one of her strengths.
Kind it might have been, but the approaching girl stopped and glanced at Chinami with a look of innocent surprise from which she quickly recovered. “They are well,” she said in what sounded to Miyabi like an uppity voice. She was quickly starting to dislike this girl. “They’re hardly competitive at this school after all, are they not? Although the teachers do try hard.”
“Look, just scram, all right?” Miyabi said with a sour face. “We’re a bit busy here.” They needed to recount the haul they’d taken in over the course of the game, and discuss whether they might need to make any personnel management decisions.
However, Chinami gave her a level look, and she said no more, now pouting slightly as well. “Have you thought about being more active in the school and with your other classmates yet?” her friend asked warmly. Was Chinami actually trying to recruit her? Miyabi appraised the young girl again. She was certainly pretty. That was, if you could get past the annoying snobbishness. Some guys did like that sort of thing. In fact, you could always find a guy who was into pretty much anything… as long as a young teenaged girl was involved.
“I may be beginning to,” the other said, considering them thoughtfully. “I have been watching you tonight.”
“Have you now?” Miyabi asked, mocking her tone a bit, her voice dangerous. This time Chinami lifted a hand to make a calming gesture toward her.
“Excuse me,” the girl replied, bowing her head slightly. “I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Sugaya Risako.”
“I don’t care…” Miyabi felt like growling before punching the girl’s lights out, but she stayed quiet in consent to Chinami’s wish. If her associate wanted to use her, fine, she had her own girls. Miyabi Natsuyaki would just certainly not manage her.
“Nice to meet you,” Chinami replied with a smile of her own, though without a bow. At least she was firmly establishing who was in charge here. “I’m Chinami.” She gestured to Miyabi. “This is Miyabi.”
“I know who you are,” the girl said mildly. “Most of the school does, or at least those who would care about the things you do.”
Chinami glanced over to Miyabi with an “I told you so,” smile, but she wouldn’t give the girl the pleasure of agreement. “If you’re looking for work, we already have a full complement of girls,” she said instead, “But there’s always a chance we could find new clients.”
Sugaya’s lips puckered in distaste. “Work?” she asked as if it was an unfamiliar word. “Oh no, I don’t need that.”
“Then stop wasting our time,” Miyabi growled.
“I was actually thinking of taking a more active part in your gang.”
Miyabi found herself staring a moment before completely breaking out in laughter. “You?” she asked, almost hysterically. “Join us? That’s a hoot! I’ve barely known you five minutes and already I can’t stand you. What makes you think I’d even consider you as an associate?” This time even Chinami stared in disbelief at the younger girl. She may have been more reasonable to begin with, but a request like this was just absurd.
The other’s cheeks flushed though in what appeared to be a small amount of anger, and she said in a hard voice, “There’s just the two of you now, isn’t there? You were small to begin with, but after that girl transferred I imagine you’re severely limited with just the two of you. All a rival would have to do is split you down the middle. Am I wrong?”
The knowledge she displayed of Maiha transferring made Miyabi stop laughing, and instead she narrowed her eyes at the girl. However, the younger girl didn’t stop there as she appeared decide on something, and her eyes settled on Miyabi. “Natsuyaki Miyabi, daughter of Natsuyaki Satoichi of the Sumiyoshi-kai Yakuza, currently residing above a club in Azabu Juban with your mother and doing your best to make your own way apart from your parents’ legacy.”
Leaving a stunned Miyabi in front of her, she then turned to Chinami, who stared back at her with wide eyes, smile gone. “Tokunaga Chinami…” she began, gazing thoughtfully into her face. “Unremarkable background, your father a middle management salaryman, so I’m guessing you fell in with the wrong group by chance and now are trying to establish your independence and prove yourself to your more… legitimate friends and associates.” It looked like she wanted to say more, but instead closed her lips and left the effect on the two girls across from her.
However, Miyabi didn’t get to this point without being able to deal with a wide variety of surprises such as this, so she recovered quickly. “So you know who we are.” She appraised the girl again; her neat hair and smart uniform. “I’m guessing you didn’t learn all that by beating up informants on the street. Though you know, that is more the type of thing we tend to do.”
“I did mostly learn about it through my family connections,” the girl replied. “They could be helpful to you too, I would imagine.”
“You don’t expect me to believe you’re some secret Yakuza daughter, do you?” Miyabi shot back, with Chinami glancing at her again.
Sugaya giggled at that. “Oh no, of course not,” she replied. “My father is in real business.”
Miyabi glowered. “Tell us again why we’d care to have you around?”
“It’s just something I wanted to give you to think about,” she replied with a warm smile, looking between them. “Three can accomplish more than two, after all.” And with that, and what Miyabi thought was a bit of a lingering glance at Chinami, she turned and walked back into the crowd.
“You know,” Chinami said, staring after, “She might have a point.”
“Say any more and I’ll kill you myself right now,” Miyabi grumbled, and she noticed the crowd seemed to be getting louder. When she glanced up, she saw all the fans on their feet cheering wildly. “I take it the game’s almost over?”
The two girls walked just out of their space below the bleachers so they could actually see the game, and as she thought, there were only seconds left. BeriKou was even actually up by five.
“Five… four… three… two… one…!” the crowd shouted, and the ball flew as the final buzzer sounded to deafening cheers from above them, with almost equally loud boos on the other side.
“Wow, look at that,” Chinami mused beside her. “We actually won.”
…
As the stands began emptying out, two seniors kept their seats, their long legs stretched out onto the purposefully empty bleacher just below them. “I can’t believe they actually blew it!” the taller one said, pulling her thick trench coat around her and staring at the star member of the BeriKou team who was now being mobbed by other team members and fans.
“It’s just a regular season game,” the other replied, her eyes drifting lazily and seemingly aimlessly across the opposite bleachers as they emptied out below. “The tournament is what’s important.”
“Still, it’s the first time we’ve seen them lose any game, isn’t it?” the first mused. “Although,” she said, glancing with a grin over at her friend. “There’s always the finish to track season as well.”
“Right…” the other said distractedly, as her eyes rested on two girls just emerging from below the bleachers. They were obviously attempting to be discreet, and doing a fairly good job of it, but for those who were looking, they also stood out with decorated uniforms and the hoodie one was just now pulling up over her ponytailed hair.
“Hello~” her companion said, waving a hand in front of her face. “You spacing out already? We’ve still got a busy night tonight, though I’m not sure why you still try. We have a free pass to the college if we want it.”
“Studying is still important,” the other responded, knocking her hand away, though now focusing on other girls still in the stands including a shorter one with a black sash tied as the obi for her skirt. “You can’t get anywhere without knowledge, after all.”
“Yeah, like you need it,” the taller said. “Cmon,” she continued, offering a hand as she stood. “Let’s go. I think this place is gonna get unfriendly soon.” She eyed the crowd gathering on the court. “Or at least, for those of us who aren’t you and have nothing to worry about. Plus,” she continued with suddenly bright eyes, “I want some after-game cake! You know how competition makes me crave sweets…”
“Whatever you say,” came the response, and the girls quickly made their way from the bleachers, smiling and giggling.
It was only a regular season game, but still, the Cutie Gakuen track star who doubled as almost universally respected school leader left the gym with a sour feeling in her stomach. Everyone knew that despite her other significant skills she also had a gift of connection with fate and even fortune telling. The final buzzer had caused something to reverberate within her as if signaling an omen, though she didn’t yet know of what.
Only five months remained until graduation, and despite a fulfilling career something was still missing. The winds were changing, and she just hoped they didn’t bring a typhoon along with them.
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oooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. the c-uties makes an appearance!!! :thumbsup hmmmm.. will other members makes an appearance too??
was that Maimi towards the end?? XD :? and it looks like magical forces are at play once again in your work.. :P
i didn't think that Miya and Chii were running a business?!.. i thought it was just the two of them... LOL.. so.. they are more than your typical teenage gangster.. XD
well, Miya hates Risako now... i wonder how long that'll last.. :lol:
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Cutie Gakuen showing up looking for action.......Let's Get Ready to Rumble! and thanks for weaving megumi into the story, and for another maiha reference. both nakky and risako starting off nicely.....and chinami now getting some definite character development :thumbsup
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Looks like Kumai-chan really cares about Miya. :)
Why would Risako want to join Miya's gang? Not like I'm against it or anything, but she seems to do fine on her own with her father's business and all. What could it be? :roll:
I wonder who those two girls were at the end. Track star has to be Maimi, but the other... :?
Can't wait to see their 'business'. :D
When will our Captain show up? :roll:
Enough questions for now..lol.. XD Of course you can't answer them now, but I'll still ask. :P Be waiting for your next update. :twothumbs
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Hmm, so the c-ute girls begin to turn up and it would seem that many of them are on less than friendly tearms with Miya and Chii and I sure Megumi laid down a challenge to Miya, if not a challenge then definatly a threat....
Seems as though Kumai cares for Miya in some way, though she is in an important game she still has time to look arounf and see where Miya is and what she may be up to..
It's interesting to see Miya/Chii business venture, I assumed they were just working for themselves but they could well be at the heart of thier own little enterprise of, uh, "workers"
Hmm, did we see Maimi and Airi at the end of this chapter too, I assume the track star is Maimi and from that I guess it is Airi who is with her....
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^I think the same way. The track star is Maimi and the other could be Airi.
Because she mentions about how studying's important.:D
Rii wants to get involved :O and now Miya hates her. Why does she want to join them?? :?
Nakkii and Megu came to declare a war?? :w00t:
Ohh hurry up next chapter :cow:
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I had wondered where the idea for this came from, just how in depth did Miya go at Sakura Con? :lol:
Though I guess it makes sense that C-ute would be their rivals.
So, we begin by getting to see Miya and Chii conduct a little business under the bleachers, which is totally badass in a bad kids sort of way. Then they are confronted by Nakki and Megu.
Why is Megu taking orders from a first year? Are they also in the same business as Miya and Co? I guess they would be if they're telling Miya to stay off their turf.
And Yurina seems interested as well. I wonder if that will play out next? I wonder if Yurina won't eventually join the gang?
And then an appearance by Risako, who is already not gaining Miya's favor. Seems, she could be useful, though... Maybe Miya might want to look into that option, what with their apparently dwindling numbers.
And finally, a little appearance from Miami and Airi? Erika? Whoever, along with a visit from some bad omens.
So, what next...?
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it was in responce to someones question abut what kind of movie/tv show would they like to do.
Miya answered that her and Chii were the bad girls in school and Massa's a teacher there, Rokun's running with that in mind.
@kano-chan, I think we have gotten a glimpse of Captain, I believe the gymnast that got Miya's attention was her. Thats my guess anyway.
Lol C-ute the competition, I was half expecting AKB girls myself, but realized it was pretty much a H!P show.
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@Rickker708, yeah, I thought that was Captain too, but I want a conformation and an actual meeting and covo between MiyaSaki. :)
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I'm assuming Megu and Nakki are in the paid dating/beating up people business too. Is there a gang fight coming up? If so I hope there's someone with a camera and a youtube account :lol:
I wonder if Yuri will get in on this business too. She seems interested in Miyabi's life...Also I wonder what Risako has to offer Miya and Chii? She already seems to know a lot.
And a Maimi and Airi(?) appearance? I can't wait to how this turns out.
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I haven't read much H!P fanfiction lately... or ever, really. I guess that makes this fic my first one ^^
This is really interesting! Bad girl Miya=awesome! I can't wait to read more about the gymnastics girl! (Captain? lol -my favorite member-)
Keep it up!! >3<
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Megumi-chan :nya: :nya::nya: she's like the rival of Miya in C-ute before,ne? :onionwhip: Mou...kinda missed her :badluck:
And Riiiiiiiiiii-chan :luvluv1: :luvluv1: :luvluv1: why is it that Miya find her annoying, author-san? :frustrated: i hope the opposite attracts here in ur story :luvluv2: (not Kuma-chan) :bingo: I hope Sugaya wants to join since she has a secret crush with the cool delinquent Natsuyaki :shy2: :shy2: :shy2: (wishful thinking by me) :on ksweat:
And...and..Yajima has powers? :onionwhip: :onionwhip: :onionwhip: eh, well, I bet Miya has as well, still undiscovered or something? :dunno:
Likey the update, so update soon author-san! :kneelbow:
Who is the person with Maimi at the end, Erika? :on lol: :on lol: :on lol:
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Yay, finally got around to this.
Oh yeah, Cutie Gakuen! NAKKY NAKKY NAKKY!
Sort of missed Kumai-vision but the last chapter was more than what we usually get anyway. :bow:
Cool to see more people added to the mix and some other issues being stirred up.
Risako hm? lol, she doesn't seem the type so pretty curious about that.
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mmsuki: We'll have to wait and see who all makes an appearance :lol: Although, this is Cutie Gakuen... so you you can probably make a guess ;) And I don't know if they are "magical forces", but Maimi at least *thinks* they're magical forces. XD (yes, that is Maimi) Japanese girls are really into fortune-telling and such... This might be a kinda yankii spin on that. XD And hell yeah it's a "business" - Miya and Chii gotta make cash for their accessories, yo! :lol: And awww, you don't think Miya will hate Risako for long? ;)
muppet: Glad you're enjoying Nakky and Risako so far. :D More Chinami in this next chapter too ;) ...MUCH more. XD
kano-chan: Kumai-chan is a caring person :heart: And why would Risako indeed? We can only wait and see :) Captain will show up... eventually. XD
oddball: It's yankii friendliness :lol: Though yes, C-ute and Berryz have quite a rivalry here ;) Miya and Chii don't have too many "workers", but they're trying to make their yankii way :) Miya has a history for it, after all...
twintt: Studying is important to anyone :) if you wanna graduate.. And Nakky and Megu aren't exactly declaring a war... more a "We're still around, so stay the f*** outta our business" XD
rndm: Miya didn't really go too in-depth. :lol: Almost everything going on is mine, lol. Isn't under the bleachers the best play to conduct black market business? :lol: Although here it normally seems to be football bleachers... Well, basketball just happens to be big for those schools. ;) And Megu isn't exactly taking "orders" from her, though she has developed some level of deference... which you'll see more of the why for in time :) The sports star joining a yankii club? :o Noooo, scandalous! And yes, I will say without "help", Miya and Chii alone (don't even think about their "workers" being able to help XD) would certainly have trouble against CTG... Bad omens, indeed.
Rick: Thanks for the explanation :) Yay for someone else who was there!! lol. And yeah, not much AKB here. ^^; Atm... lol. Who knows if I keep watching Majisuka Gakuen :P though I hope to keep it to some inspiration at the greatest. XD
slasha: Hey! Haven't heard from you in awhile! Yay H!P youtube gang fight! :lol: And Risako has plenty to offer :) ...of some things, at least. People keep guessing on who's with Maimi :)
KKH: Yay! I'm glad to be your first one :) I hope it isn't too disappointing. :heart: And of course Miya is a bad girl ;)
ayase: Well if you missed Megu, you'll certainly see more of her here :) At least for awhile. Of course you'd be concerned over Miya's outward hatred of Rii XD You actually have some pretty good guesses here ;) I have a few surprises up my sleeve though... And trying to keep the downlow a bit on magical powers here. XD
Kuji: Hi there :) Glad you're reading~ and enjoying the Nakky! :lol: People seem to have liked Kuma-vision... I wondered what the reaction would be since you don't really see it elsewhere... I might have to do more then :) And Risako really is not the "type" XD
Another smiley-filled post, and well... it hasn't been quite a month yet at least!!! XD
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Chapter 5 – Fly High
Miyabi picked at a boxed meal she’d bought for dinner almost to the rhythm of the bass reverberating through the floor below her. It wasn’t too loud a couple floors up, but those low tones at least could certainly still be felt. The club always wound up the live music by ten or eleven though, causing it to die out to nothing more than a low hum, and even that vanished by one when it closed.
She sat at what was only a small card table in a cramped eat-in kitchen, faded paint peeling on the walls and tile covering the floor which had long lost the ability to boast its original color. Such structural issues notwithstanding since they couldn’t be helped, Miyabi did her best to keep the place at least clean and tidy since nobody else around here deigned to lift a hand.
The clock ticked past 8:30 as she stuffed a bit more rice in her mouth. She really enjoyed this solitude and semi-silence since it let her unwind a bit after being out for the evening. Sometimes she’d be out later, but mostly it was just for dinner and maybe going to an arcade or something afterward. When she eventually made it back to her house, it was a good way to try and wind down from the high of the dates or having fun with friends.
The silence was even more enjoyable since her younger brother was off who knew where and her mother was not yet back. Of course there was no guarantee she even would be back, though she usually dropped by to freshen up before hitting the clubs. There were many nights the both of them would be out, but there still weren’t too many chances for Miyabi to have the place, for what it was worth, to herself.
Tonight though, she felt rather restless for some reason. The news they heard at the game the other day had been troubling her, her somewhat surprising conversations with Kumai had been troubling her, and there was something more personal she couldn’t quite pinpoint, but that seemed to be somehow related to the other issues as well.
After polishing off the meal, though leaving some garnish, Miyabi stood up and without bothering to clean grabbed her jacket to head out for a walk. The autumn chill hit her right away after she found her way outside and down the rickety metal stairs at the side of the club, and she wondered if the changing weather was also something that’d been bothering her.
After a block or two she decided to walk down by the river, and so after passing through the station, she took the steps at the side of the road down to its concrete banks. She daydreamed a bit while walking and staring into the reflection of the city lights in the dark water, and although she was certainly not the only one walking through such a popular hangout area, when some rough-looking people took notice of her uniform they generally ignored her and went back to their business. If the uniform wasn’t enough for them, once they got close enough to recognize her personally, her nonchalant features certainly were.
She knew some of the boys and girls and sometimes older men, even ones she knew rather “intimately” – those ignored her the most studiously – yet even those she didn’t generally knew of her or at least her family. The girls she looked at most warily, since they were the most dangerous. Guys she’d learned quite well how to handle, but no one was more devious and two-faced than a yankii schoolgirl.
Eventually, while glancing up at the blinking lights of Tokyo Tower which, this close by, could be seen from almost anywhere, she realized she was about halfway to Shiba Park. Briefly debating over whether to head on over there and see if any good tousle was going on tonight, she was distracted by the aroma of a sweet smoke.
Noticing the entrance to a tunnel just ahead which passed under the freeway, she headed curiously toward it. Indeed, the smell was stronger as she got closer, and when she reached the entrance could see through the dark the pinpricks of embers at the ends of the wrapped joints several people seemed to be partaking of.
Conversation had quieted just before she reached the mouth, and when she stopped there a familiar somewhat scratchy voice called out, “Who’s there?”
“You’re not very stealthy, you know,” Miyabi said carelessly, brandishing a lighter from within her jacket. “If I was a cop you’d be gettin’ ready to spend your next year or two in prison.” She flicked the lighter on to illuminate hers as well as several other faces deeper in the tunnel before lighting a cigarette of her own at her lips.
As she expected, those in view were all girls.
“Miya!” Chinami said, flushed in the light, and suddenly broke into a cough. “You nearly gave me a heart attack…”
“Natsuyaki-san,” one of the others said nervously, and looked anxiously around at the others as if not knowing what she should do.
“Do you have the whole badminton club in here?” Miyabi asked.
Recovering from her cough, Chinami replied, “Um, just about. I think Mii-chan was busy with some—”
“Oh, please don’t tell anyone about this!” one of the others said, a bright-cheeked young girl who looked like about as innocent a first year as you could find. “If word got around that we were…”
“What?” Miyabi asked. “Smoking weed? Hanging out with a delinquent?” She grinned at the girl’s wide eyes. Then she sized up Chinami again, who was looking rather guilty herself. “How on earth were you able to find it anyway? I don’t know of anyone at BeriKou who sells the stuff.”
Suddenly Chinami brightened, and the guilty expression turned more into one of pride. “Students from the university,” she beamed. “One of them just graduated CTG last year, and was an acquaintance through the badminton club.”
“Chii was the one who approached them though,” one of the older girls said quickly, defensively. “We would have never known about it if not for her.”
Miyabi’s grin had disappeared, and instead her blank face turned deadly serious. “Cutie girls are dealing pot?” she stated in a flat voice.
“Well… not the schoolgirls,” one of the second-years said uncertainly. “She’s graduated.”
“Yes, but if one of them has found a connection already, it won’t be long before it reaches at least the third years too… if it hasn’t already.”
“But that’s all right, isn’t it?” Chinami asked, her smile only faded slightly. “After all, we don’t do anything like that. We don’t want to do anything like that!”
Carelessly, now completely devoid the desire, Miyabi dropped the cigarette she’d barely puffed and stamped it with her high heel. “Yeah,” she said, taking a moment to think. “We don’t.” Then she glanced at her friend again.
After the initial shock of the revelation about the source of their drug, Miyabi suddenly felt very impressed by Chinami. She was certainly a reliable friend and cohort… in her own way… but finding a connection with a dealer was something that Miyabi herself had hardly even imagined. Her father of course surely knew a bit of such trades, but it was the kind of information she would never be able to uncover herself through those avenues.
Well, this was certainly something to keep in mind, but perhaps they were right. It might still be a good while before schoolgirls managed to get their hands on the source. In any case, it wasn’t really the style of CTG’s current leaders. Of course it was only a few short months until graduation now… Megumi came into her thoughts, and that dangerous girl who’d been with her at the game, but she quickly squashed them.
“Don’t worry,” she said with a bit of a grin, turning back to the rest of the nervous girls. “You certainly don’t have anything to fear about being reported by me.” She could almost feel the relief throughout the dank space. Amateurs… she thought in slight annoyance. They have no idea what they might be getting themselves into.
She glanced back at Chinami, who was now smiling at her again. Despite her idiotically angelic appearance, she had an even stronger feeling now though that her friend did know.
“Um…” Chinami began, “Well, would you like to try it at least?” And she offered her wrap to Miyabi.
Miyabi finally smiled again. “I was wondering if you’d ask.” Before taking it though, she glanced back out toward the river. “Wouldn’t it be better to head a bit deeper into the tunnel? You never know who might pass by here, and I think there’s a subway grate about halfway down.”
“Oh,” the older girl said. Miyabi thought she might be the club’s captain. “That’s a good idea…”
A short while later Miyabi and Chinami were walking the opposite direction back toward her apartment, and they almost couldn’t stop giggling.
“I can see why you dropped out of the club,” Miyabi managed between giggles. “Those girls are just clueless!!”
“I know, right?” Chinami replied through giggles of her own, then suddenly stopped. “Hey!”
Miyabi laughed even harder.
Eventually they made it to the metal stairs leading up to Miyabi’s apartment, and as they were walking up with the music reverberating through the walls, Chinami suddenly stopped and started banging on them.
“Hey you idiots!!” she yelled, which barely outdid the clamor even out here. “People live here, y’know!!!” Then, giggling again, she ran up to grab onto Miyabi’s arm as they made the rest of their way to the door.
“Thanks for that,” Miyabi said dryly. “I’m sure they’ll shut up now ‘cause Chinami Tokunaga told ‘em off!”
Chinami had just opened her mouth to respond when the music actually did stop. The girls stood stock still as if waiting for it to resume, but when it didn’t after almost a minute, Chinami glanced wide-eyed at Miyabi. “You don’t think…?”
“Oh my god!” Miyabi replied after a short hesitation, and the girls recklessly scampered the rest of the way to the door and into the apartment after Miyabi unlocked it, before slamming the door behind them and leaning back against it, breathing heavily.
After a moment they looked at each other, and just held that glance before breaking out into even louder giggles.
“Tokunaga Power!!!” Chinami cried, and Miyabi could hardly regain her voice to disagree… even though she’d glanced at the clock and saw it was past ten, which was the normal time for the too-loud live music to end.
Obviously her brother and mother were still out, likely until into the morning hours by now, so Miyabi pulled her friend after her into her room. They threw aside their jackets and dropped down onto Miyabi’s futon, leaning back against the wall as if they couldn’t support themselves any longer.
“So that’s what it’s like to smoke pot, huh?” Chinami mused after a moment, her eyes half-closed.
“Mhm…” Miyabi replied, glancing sideways toward her. “So you’d never tried it before?”
“Well I never had the opportunity!” Chinami replied in exasperation. “That stuff isn’t easy to come by, after all!!” Then her eyes narrowed again, though this time not from sleep, as she glanced back at her friend. “You saying you have tried it before?”
Miyabi looked forward again, grimacing. She’d thought about it earlier in the evening too, but had been able to ignore the bad memories. “Yes,” she replied simply, and Chinami continued watching her but stayed quiet for the moment.
“No matter what I do, you’re always gonna’ve done more, aren’t you?” Chinami asked, although in less of a jealous tone and more of an awed one. “Whenever I think of it, it’s like, man, Miya’s lived some life…”
Miyabi’s eyes turned sharply on her. “It’s not a life to be envious of,” she told the girl harshly, and Chinami blinked.
Taken aback by her friend’s words, Chinami looked around the room idly. Miyabi had done her best to make the place look as great as possible, but there were still visible patches in the walls that had just been painted over. Some of the drywall also wasn’t completely straight, and there were spots in the corners which looked like part of it had broken apart somewhat. Of course this was also Miyabi’s room. Out in the rest of the house it was easy to tell the differences in effort.
However, in their current state, such serious thoughts quickly flew from their minds and soon the two girls were giggling together again talking about how dumb the boys at their school were.
“It was so awesome that you just kicked his ass, right there in the middle of the gym!!!” Chinami went on, laughing with glazed eyes while she hugged her knees up toward her chest. Her skirt fell down her thighs a bit, and for some reason Miyabi found herself staring at long slim legs that were tinted slightly brown, or at least a bit more than her own.
“Stupid kids,” she replied, her eyes wandering as in a bit of a daze herself. It’d been a long while since she was high, and though it brought back memories like when she’d snapped at her friend earlier, there were definitely enjoyable things about it too. The feeling of freedom, freedom from thought, freedom from inhibitions… It was a bit like being drunk, only without the stomachache that usually came afterward. She really wondered sometimes why it was illegal…
“Give me a nice, handsome, clean-shaven man dressed properly in a suit any day,” Chinami continued, still staring off into nothing. She seemed to be enjoying it as much as Miyabi, and in a way she envied her first time.
“I know that’s what you like,” Miyabi said, grinning, and leaned in toward her face with a sparkle in her eye, finally catching the older girl’s attention. “You like confident men, men who will take charge and tell you what to do and what they want.”
Chinami blinked at her and smiled nervously. “Well I don’t know if I’d really put it that way…”
“But it’s true, isn’t it?” Miyabi pressed, gripping the girl’s shoulders in her hands. “When you date them it’s all about feeling protected… taken care of. I guess they are taking care of you with their money, huh?”
“Well it’s only logical they get what they pay for, isn’t it?” Chinami asked, eyes wide.
“Should I pay you?” Miyabi asked, her grin widening, and Chinami’s brows furrowed in confusion.
“What are you talking about, Miya?”
Miyabi blinked, and her grin faded somewhat. What was she talking about? As she looked into her friend’s face, she realized ever since she’d come across the girls in the tunnel that she’d been getting more and more restless and riled up. That thing that was bothering her earlier, for some reason it seemed to be pulsing in her now. Pulsing as she held her friend in front of her.
Carefully, she lifted her leg over Chinami’s, her skirt brushing atop the other’s, and sat down almost in her lap, straddling her.
“Miya, what are you doing?” Chinami asked, trying to register the situation through her still rather glazed eyes.
“Experimenting,” Miyabi replied with a smile. “Haven’t you ever experimented with a friend before?”
“Experimenting… how?” Chinami asked, peering into her eyes. There was enough focus for Miyabi to tell that Chinami was fully alert to her actions.
In response, Miyabi leaned forward and pressed her lips against her friend’s. Chinami gurgled a bit, but Miyabi held the kiss a short while before pulling back. Chinami’s eyes were almost wide as saucers staring back at her.
“To be honest, I haven’t actually either. So Chinami, you’re always talking about how I’ve done so much more than you… which of course is not really true anyway… but how about both of us try something else out?”
“You… you kissed me,” Chinami said dreamily, and after a second she giggled.
Now it was Miyabi’s turn for surprise. “What? What is it?”
“Miyabi Natsuyaki kissed me,” Chinami replied through her soft giggles. “I feel like that makes me… special or something.”
With that, Miyabi narrowed her eyes. “Does it now?” she said flatly. “Well this should make you feel real special then.” And she moved her hand to the girl’s stomach and her untucked shirt to slip it beneath the waistline of her skirt.
“Miya,” Chinami breathed, and her eyes glazed over again, though this time because of what Miyabi was doing to her. Instead of resisting though, her arms slipped around Miyabi’s back to pull her closer. “Make love to me, Miya,” the girl whispered at her ear, and Miyabi’s thoughts skidded to a halt in surprise until Chinami’s lips met hers once again. After that, she had no thoughts for much anything for a good while.
…
It took a minute for her eyes to open to the early morning light seeping in between her window blinds, and when she did she immediately recognized the familiar sensation of not being alone beneath her sheets. Her cotton-filled brain scrambled almost in a panic to remember what happened, who might have taken her to his home this time, until she realized fully that she was in her own room in her own house.
That was funny. She didn’t usually come here, despite its convenience to the lounge. Then she remembered it had been quite a while since she would have had anyone to bring back anyway, and panicked again wondering if she got too drunk or high to control what she was doing. High…
As it slowly came back to her, her door swung open and her brother stepped in. “Miyabi,” he mumbled in his white t-shirt and cute little heart-covered boxers, apparently having just woken up himself, “Where did you put my toothbrush…?” But when his eyes drifted up to her, he just stared, if without much reaction.
Miyabi finally rolled her head to the side to see Chinami, her hair tousled and bare from shoulders down to where the sheet ended at mid-chest, and the rest of the night came back to her… if in somewhat of a smoky blur.
“Well,” her brother said, and after a moment again, “Well, I see you’re… um… busy...” Seeing as how he couldn’t seem to stop staring, Miyabi pulled the sheet up further to their necks, and was quickly developing an early morning glare. “I’ll just find another toothbrush…” And he turned and pulled the door shut behind him.
Miyabi lying stock still, Chinami rustled beside her as she woke as well. “Miya,” she began, and she saw the girl smile and reach over as if to hug her. She deftly evaded though and slipped out of the futon to pull on some underwear that would last until she would be able to bathe.
Chinami sat up, rubbing her eyes as the sheet fell down to her waist. Yep, she certainly was naked. “Was someone just in here?” she asked, yawning.
“I dunno,” Miyabi replied non-committally, pulling some pajama bottoms on. When she looked back, Chinami was peering curiously at her.
“We just slept together, didn’t we?” she asked, and Miyabi stared back before swallowing.
“Yep,” she replied simply.
Then Chinami flashed her trademark smile. “It was really fun,” she said warmly.
Miyabi stood up, not bothering with a top to go over the bra. “You know you’re my best friend, right?” she asked, capturing the girl’s eyes sharply with hers.
“I know,” Chinami replied quietly.
Miyabi’s eyes flickered to the clock. “I’m sorry we only have the one bathroom, and my stupid brother’s using it now, but he won’t be long. There’s plenty of time before school at least… if we’d care to be on time.”
“I think I feel like being on time today,” Chinami said, her face seeming brighter than usual behind the omnipresent smile. Miyabi looked on as she turned away to the edge of the bed and slowly rose herself, getting a view of the entire package. She really did admire the girl’s body, after fully noticing for the first time. And she really did have fun last night too. It was… different… than anything she’d experienced before. That restless urge within her seemed to be gone as well, or rather… satisfied. Then she wondered…
Had she unknowingly found the answer she’d been searching for?
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well done! as chinami’s character is being drawn more three dimensionally, the reader, like miyabi, really begins to realize how special chinami is.....and miyabi is becoming quite mutlifaceted as well.... , arigatou!
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interesting chapter... ex-student of cutie gakuen selling drugs? :shocked
miya and chii smoking weeds? such bad girls... :smhid well.. they're yankii
and the 'experiment'... it surprised me :shocked i wonder how it will lead to...
miya seems to take it as one night stand, but chii seems to get more emotionally attached?
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WOAH did not see the "experiment" coming XD
well, it seemed to have satisfied Chii, definitely... and Miya's just trying to blow it off coolly but she herself is kinda shaken up, huh? wondering if she's liked Chii more than as a friend...
But we still have to wait for the entry of the dancing girl! :wub:
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Well, that was certainly out of the blue....
...
...Or was it? I mean, I had felt like there was a certain borderline aspect between those two, but I wondered if you'd bring it to fruition. I also wonder if Saki will perhaps make an appearance, like a real one.
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I never saw the whole Chii/Miya experiment coming, I did kinda feel s few borderline vibes but nothing to suggest this, and evn less to think that they both actually are happy that they did, Chii ceratinly seems content that she made love with Miya, had she always had feeling? or was it something to her that ended up just feeling right?
Seems as though Miya is unsure, like she has feelings for Chii but is confused about it because she has seen Chii as just a best friend for so long, but then she feels as though something within her has been release, lesbianisum in general or is it Chii, and perhpas having ffelings of love towards her.....
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Ah time to come out of lurker mode for a second.
Tonight though, she felt rather restless for some reason. The news they heard at the game the other day had been troubling her, her somewhat surprising conversations with Kumai had been troubling her, and there was something more personal she couldn’t quite pinpoint, but that seemed to be somehow related to the other issues as well.
:mon scratch: Let's see... pondering her lack of interest in guys, blushing from staring at a girl, and gotta stick a quote from one of the earlier chapters in here.... “Damn, I need to get laid…” she murmured out loud once again, though quietly, and pulled herself out of the bath.
Now where'd that dancing girl go? :mon dance:
Well, this was certainly something to keep in mind, but perhaps they were right. It might still be a good while before schoolgirls managed to get their hands on the source. In any case, it wasn’t really the style of CTG’s current leaders. Of course it was only a few short months until graduation now… Megumi came into her thoughts, and that dangerous girl who’d been with her at the game, but she quickly squashed them.
By the way, have I mentioned that a yankii-Nakky scares me because she seems like she'd be ruthless? I feel like she'd be crazy enough to overthrow the current CTG leaders. :mon curtain:
“Hey you idiots!!” she yelled, which barely outdid the clamor even out here. “People live here, y’know!!!” Then, giggling again, she ran up to grab onto Miyabi’s arm as they made the rest of their way to the door.
I want to say "Damn, they're high" but I think Chii might've done that even if she wasn't high. :mon sweat: I'm not really surprised the girls were smoking weed. I am kind of surprised that Chii was able to get the whole non-yankii badminton club to join her in smoking though. I guess her personality or the weed draws them in more than her reputation repels them. I'm really surprised that this was Chii's first time smoking weed though.
“No matter what I do, you’re always gonna’ve done more, aren’t you?” Chinami asked, although in less of a jealous tone and more of an awed one. “Whenever I think of it, it’s like, man, Miya’s lived some life…”
Miyabi’s eyes turned sharply on her. “It’s not a life to be envious of,” she told the girl harshly, and Chinami blinked.
I realized that Miya is always a loner in one way or another in all of your fics. :mon wind: Even the girl that's closest to her in this story so far seems to have very little knowledge of Miya's past. I wonder if Chii is as lonely as Miya even if she doesn't seem to have a past as dark as Miya's.
Miyabi stood up, not bothering with a top to go over the bra. “You know you’re my best friend, right?” she asked, capturing the girl’s eyes sharply with hers.
“I know,” Chinami replied quietly.
Might come back to haunt Miya one way or another even if Chii is understanding. Their experimenting could piss off any future lovers or be twisted to turn Chii against Miya. Or everybody could be magically okay with it :mon fyeah:
It was… different… than anything she’d experienced before. That restless urge within her seemed to be gone as well, or rather… satisfied. Then she wondered…
Had she unknowingly found the answer she’d been searching for?
Oh Captain, it's time for you to make another appearance! And a certain raven-haired girl also has to make another appearance! :mon inluv: I hope Chii also learned something from their little experiment.
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:shocked Miya and... Chii?? :shocked :? :huhuh :) :D :w00t: :drool: :wub: :twothumbs didn't see that coming.
lol her little brother xD dude i'd be the happiest dude in the world if i walked in on a naked Miya and Chii and I'm a 14yr old chick :roll: lol
awesome can't wait for an update!
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Quite an eventful chapter, pot dealing C-ute? Smoking, Miya and Chii sleep together.
Surprisingly, I didn't feel any shipper rage since they gave off the feeling like if they didn't already do it then they would in this story anyway. XD
Plus I liked the way it was written in that, it didn't feel heavy or overly meaning laden. Realistically speaking, sometimes it happens, and then it's done and you're still friends. It's not always a either big mistake or life defining moment. :roll: So thanks for the cool way Chinami and Miya didn't have drama.
The way Chinami seems to admire Miya's experience makes me wonder about her home life and how she fell in with Miya.
Sort of OT but...
The club always wound up the live music by ten or eleven though, causing it to die out to nothing more than a low hum, and even that vanished by one when it closed.
... what sort of club closes at ONE? At first I thought it meant 1PM because that makes sense but since Miya's eating dinner, within the context it is mentioned in, it should be 1AM... but yeah, what a lame club! Okay, I'm gonna stop picking on the club now, I just thought it was funny because badass Miya is living above a club that closes at 1AM. It made me imagine her threatening them in the past for ruining her sleep. :lol:
Anyway, this fic needs more Saki(s) soon. :yep: :grin:
More Kumaicho wouldn't hurt either. :wub:
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Man, this chapter had it all! Drugs, sex, C-ute :lol:
I like the way the events played out. Everything was written so well to where I could actually imagine it happening.
I was thinking that when Chii and Miya slept together, it would be awkward in the morning but suprisingly, it wasn't and I'm happy there wasn't any drama. Even though her little brother had me cracking up when he discovered them :lol:
And with the weed thing, I imagine that you just made a lot of wota potheads really happy haha. Although I'm still wondering which former CTG sold it to them...
I'm loving this story and can't wait for more!
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Holy heckofanupdate! :O2 I couldn't believe that MiyaChii slept together! :shocked I was like "WTF??!" :shocked: Does Chii have a crush on Miya or was it just plain admiration? :lol: Awkward lil bro intrusion. XD Was there a bit of sadness? When Miya said that Chii is her "best friend".. ;)
lol.. What was the answer Miya searched for? :lol: If she was interested in girls? XD
I wonder about Miya's "bad" memories.. :?
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Sorry to keep you waiting! ^^;;
muppet: Thanks for the encouraging words! :D :twothumbs I'm trying to draw the characters well, and I'm glad some of that is coming across ^^
eruchan: Yes, this is a fic of bad girls :lol: Well, mostly... there are some "kinda" exceptions. XD And well, you'll see what the "experiment" leads to right away in the next chapter :lol:
SarangAi: Yes, Chii was quite content. :) And I must ask you to wait just a little bit longer ;)
rndm: Well, they are close friends after all :) In this context... I suppose who knows what can happen, huh? lol.
oddball: Miya is unsure about many things. :lol: More in the next chapter!! As for Chii... well, I wonder if you'll be able to pick it up from the few hints thrown out for now.
Windy: Yay! De-lurking! :D Yankii!Nakky~ Wait until you see the others. :lol: That's true, Chii seems to be high most of the time, doesn't she? :lol: Chii does know some of Miya's past, but it's not something she thinks about all the time... I love your comments about what could result from the experimenting. :lol: It could be interesting to see what anyone else thinks of it... If anyone else finds out about it.
KKH: XD Naked Miya and Chii ftw :heart: lol
Kuji: Your comments are awesome :heart: I think you understand the yankii frame of mind pretty well, lol. They certainly don't like much romantic drama! :lol: That stuff is way too sappy...
Maybe one of these days we'll learn more about Chii and her past... As for clubs closing, surprisingly (to me too), many clubs and bars in Japan do close by 1 XD I guess in time for people to catch the last subway train? lol.
More Kumaicho certainly coming up :)
slasha: Hey!! It's been awhile!!! Glad you enjoyed the chapter :lol: Next chapter may not be quite so "exciting"... at least in the same ways, lol. Wota potheads? lol. I wonder what people would think in general about the girls smoking pot. Honestly I thought there'd be a lot more negative reactions to this than there were. XD
kano-chan: Hmm, can't answer most of your questions quite yet XD But they're good ones :twothumbs
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Chapter 6 - Decisions
Miyabi focused intently as she pressed the thin sliver of metal into the cloth of the jacket for the winter seifuku she’d be wearing for several long months now. Sewing was something she some skill in as her fingers were quite dexterous, and whenever her home economics class reached that unit, she was quick to actually participate. In fact, of anything, home ec was by far and away the class she participated in the most. People should take care of those around them and their surroundings, after all.
Abe-sensei walked by the table where she and Chinami were working, and stopped with a slightly disapproving frown. She didn’t say anything though and just picked at the sleeve of Miyabi’s jacket with a sigh. After taking another step though, she apparently decided against it.
“Natsuyaki-san,” she began, treating her like any other student oblivious of any reputation she might have. This might have been because Miyabi participated in this class just like any other student, although she apparently had what the teacher often remarked on often as a “queer taste of fashion.” Queer it might be, but it drew her eye every time Miyabi walked into the room, to where she and Chinami often joked around that the teacher just didn’t want to admit it was actually better than her own.
“Nnn?” Miyabi murmured incoherently, her tongue sticking slightly out at the corner of her lips while she worked. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Chinami glance up at her and giggle, though as the girl’s stare seemed to linger a bit on her tongue, Miyabi drew it back into her mouth.
“Students are certainly… free… of course, to maintain and design their uniform as they see fit within regulations, but sometimes I do think you take it too far…”
Miyabi lifted her head to take a look at the back of the jacket she was working on. A stylized and very red heart bloomed from the middle, bordered with yellow-orange flames as if on fire. Small skulls decorated the surroundings, each unique in some way in expression and accessories, and a larger skull flying across the top with black wings breathed fire. She’d decided that instead of leaving that skull flying in nothingness, she would add a motorcycle below it, and that’s what she was working on now.
“You have somethin’ against yankiis?” Chinami asked, and Miya glanced over to see her friend looking up as well. Abe-sensei blinked in surprise.
“Yankii?” she asked absent-mindedly, and some of their classmates giggled around them. “What on earth does that have to do with anything?” Then she patted Miyabi’s shoulder, and before walking away said idly, “You girls stay out of trouble now, and keep up the good work!”
Miyabi caught Chinami’s eye again and rolled her own as the two giggled softly. When she looked away, she caught sight of Kumai glancing their way. The sports star wasn’t the only one to have been amused by their exchange with the teacher, but certainly one that was more on Miyabi’s mind lately.
Chinami must have noticed her momentary staring, because after looking back down to her own work she said quietly, “Is she who you like?”
That froze Miyabi solid.
“Kumai…?” she asked in disbelief, though apparently the impression wasn’t conveyed in her voice.
“It makes sense of course,” Chinami continued. “She’s popular, and tall, and beautiful.” She glanced up to give the basketball star a sidelong glance while pulling a thread through her fabric. “Heck, I’d probably be crazy to have her as my girlfriend too, like it’d ever happen.”
“Chinami!” Miyabi cried lightly in surprise. “Just how long have you been thinking about who you might like as a girlfriend?”
Her friend gave her a level look. “Just ‘cause you discovered something last night doesn’t mean everyone else is just arriving at that point too.”
Miyabi stared a moment while her thoughts developed a bit. “Are you telling me it wasn’t your first…?”
Chinami didn’t respond, but instead just held her now-small smile and returned to her sewing.
Miyabi wracked her brain, not liking when things seemed to surprise her so completely. It was hard to remember exactly what happened last night after hanging out in the tunnel, but she tried to recall their conversations. She was sure that it must have been Chinami’s first time with a girl too, but couldn’t actually remember her friend saying so. Had she just gone in assuming it? Since Chii normally appeared innocent and always followed her along the delinquent trail? Her eyes narrowed at her friend. Was it even the truth about everything else? It seemed like each new day now brought surprising revelations about the girl.
Idly, and almost without realizing it, her eyes had drifted back to the basketball star across the room. Kumai was no longer looking her way, but focused on her own sewing task. The needle seemed a bit clumsy in her fingers that were apparently more well-designed for athletics.
“You do like her, don’t you?” Chinami said from next to her.
“I don’t know,” Miyabi said. “I mean, she’s a jock…” Though that didn’t stop her truly wondering.
That morning when she came into school she’d found herself looking with slightly different eyes at the other girls in neat shirts, jackets and skirts. She normally thought about this one being a bit thin, or this one being too fat, but in regards to things such as how it would reflect her own appearance, and not with something else in her mind… feelings of attraction?
She’d been mostly quiet this morning after getting out of bed with Chinami. It wasn’t necessarily that she was trying to figure out her feelings about the girl – she was her best friend after all and it was just another fun time spent together – but the experience had seemed to open the door to a new set of feelings in general.
She already shared a close companionship with Chii, and she didn’t want that to change, but delusions of romance that she’d left far behind years ago once again invaded her thoughts now that she didn’t feel limited to the men and boys she’d become so skillful at using and manipulating. She’d learned to see girls as the more dangerous and worthy rivals, and now wondered if they might not even be the more intriguing lovers.
The idea just wasn’t the kind of thing good girls thought of, but of course… she had never been a good girl. Still, the feeling remained rather foreign since she’d had relationships of various kinds with the opposite sex almost since she’d been awakened to the possibility.
Of course, now she was considering the idea… the question naturally came up of who such an intriguing lover would be. It had been enjoyable with Chinami, but somehow still didn’t carry the level of excitement she desired in a lover. Perhaps it had to do with that they were already too close, and even almost business partners. It was a friendship and partnership that seemed almost too valuable to risk.
As for Kumai, who Chii was currently pressing her about…
She gazed at the girl again, sitting tall and slim in her seat, her long black hair falling straight behind her shoulders. Why had the jock been talking to her more lately anyway? It’s not like Miyabi was the popular girl that everyone hung out with, much less a star athlete. Such a girl was certainly not her type.
“I’ll ask her out after class,” she said suddenly, but nonchalantly.
Chinami uttered a short “Ouch!” and dropped what she was working on to suck lightly at a pricked finger, eyeing Miyabi carefully.
“You should be more careful with needles, you know,” Miyabi said dryly, pulling another thread of her own through.
Her friend’s eyes narrowed, and Chinami pushed the… thing… she had been working on away from her. “This was never my strong suit anyway, unlike other tough yankiis I know…” she chided, and Miyabi thought about slapping her. “But… are you serious?”
“Of course,” Miyabi said, pulling the last stitch through the wheel of the motorcycle. She lifted her head to look at it in all its badass cartoonish glory. Truly impeccable work. “I don’t say I’ll do things I don’t intend to follow through with.”
“That’s the truth…” Chinami said, now relaxing a bit in her chair. “You’re just so… sudden. Though I suppose I should expect it of you by now.”
Miyabi smiled as she stood and whirled the jacket around onto her shoulders. “You know me.”
She waited after class was over until the basketball player had just exited the room herself, her entourage accumulating behind her, and then hurried to follow while making certain to look casual and like she was not hurrying at all. Spotting the girl outside in the hall, she wedged her way through some of the other students. They scattered at the glare she gave as she passed until she was beside the athlete, who blinked around as if surprised that she was actually alone. Well, almost alone. Miyabi also felt that Chinami followed stealthily a bit back down the hall.
“Miyabi-san,” Kumai said, looking down at her as well in mild surprise.
For herself, Miyabi appraised her current companion. She was wearing her uniform the proper way, even down to the skirt a few inches above her knees, though below that it looked like she wore tight sweats which Miyabi supposed she passed off as hose. Not that anyone would reprimand the pride of Berikou for something as silly as a uniform discretion. As Chii had observed, for an athlete the girl really was quite pretty.
“Did you enjoy the class?” Miyabi asked, fidgeting slightly for some reason.
“The class?” the girl asked, seeming puzzled. “Um, I guess it was all right.”
“Although I suppose something as mundane as sewing wouldn’t attract your interest…” Miyabi responded idly. Why was she making smalltalk? She had a mission, and she came here to accomplish it.
Kumai furrowed eyebrows at her. “Actually, I enjoy working with my hands. It makes me feel like I’m creating something.”
Miyabi blinked up at the girl. What did she say? She hadn’t really been paying attention, but somehow felt surprised by what she heard. “Do you? I like it too. Well, not really that I’m uh, all that creative or whatever, but it’s just, you know…”
The other girl peered curiously at her, seeming interested. Miyabi stared back after realizing she was rambling.
“Hey, do you want to go to karaoke or something sometime?” she blurted out, not really in her usual controlled manner.
Kumai blinked. “Um…” she said, hesitating for a moment. “Well, I don’t really sing…”
“Oh, of course,” Miyabi said, and looked down while continuing to walk beside to the other. She also noticed they were certainly attracting attention from the other students walking through the hallway, though her companion didn’t even seem to notice. She glanced up again. “Do you dance?”
The other girl blushed at that, and stopped to lean against a wall, holding her bag tight at her chest. “I’ve never really…” she seemed to sense Miyabi’s disappointment, and followed up with an explanation. “I mean, practice and training take up pretty much all of my extra time. And there’s studying for exams…”
Miyabi realized she certainly was fidgeting with the stitches in her jacket now, oddly very aware at the moment that unlike the other she had no books weighing down her bag, but instead carried her pouch full of mostly cosmetics and money lightly on her shoulder. This conversation wasn’t going at all the way she intended. Why was that? She was just asking the girl out. Miyabi Natsuyaki is supposed to be good at these things!
She glanced up to see the girl still gazing curiously at her. Miyabi felt like she was some strange insect being studied. “I don’t take exams,” she said dumbly, as if feeling like she had to explain something. Kumai nodded, smiling a bit awkwardly.
“Would you like to meet up on Sunday?” the athlete finally asked after the long silence. “It’s really the only day when I’m kinda free… We could, um, go to Harajuku or somewhere?”
“Harajuku,” Miyabi said, smiling and nodding mechanically.
After another short silence, the other spoke up again. “Well, I’ll see you then. By the path to Togo Shrine? We can get some crepes.”
“All right then,” Miyabi replied, still with the fixed smile, and started down the hall again, alone this time. What the hell? Crepes!?
“Very smooth,” Chinami said dryly, suddenly appearing and sliding into step next to her. “But I guess you have a date now, huh? If anyone else overheard you, there are going to be some jealous girls around here. And guys…” she added, almost as an afterthought.
After leaving the school building for one of the class periods they normally skipped, Miyabi suddenly stopped and fell back against the wall, taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes. “I don’t get it, Chii,” she said. “Things like that are supposed to be easy for me. I’m the one who always has people eating out of the palm of my hand.”
“Not everyone,” her friend replied levelly, but then continued, “Maybe jocks are too much, even for you? Or… could it be that you’ve never actually had to deal with real romance before?”
Miyabi responded with a glare, and a short jab to the other’s bony ribs. Chinami rubbed it lightly, but didn’t seem to give it much thought otherwise. “Of course I have,” she finally replied vocally. “It’s just… been a while. Maybe I’ve forgotten what it feels like.”
“Well whaddya know,” Chinami said, still peering at her. “There may be hope for you yet.” That earned her a bit of roughhousing as they continued down the sidewalk toward the park.
…
“That’s them, for sure,” Megumi said, her arms crossed as she glared at the two girls playfully trading kicks and punches as they strolled toward the park. “I’d recognize Natsuyaki from a mile away.”
“I’m sure their fighting has nothing to do with it,” Nakki said dryly from beside her. “After all, it’s quite common for two schoolgirls to be quarreling as they walk down a street in the middle of a schoolday.”
“It’s stupid of them to be doing that,” said a third girl, standing between the other two. If Megumi’s glare was a dark shadow, this girl glared below straight raven bangs out of a face that almost might have been dark as night. The smoke from the cigarette she held in front of her added to the impression. “Out in the open during the day like this, anyone could be watching and observing their fighting technique.”
Megumi glanced out of the corner of her eye at the shorter and younger girl beside her. She’d never liked working with anyone, but Nakki had convinced her she couldn’t stay neutral with graduation coming up. And to at least partially satisfy her pride, this girl was better than the alternative. Still, she occasionally wondered about her sanity. That seemed to be a common theme in the new class.
“Anyone,” Nakki repeated, then giggled. Yes, borderline indeed.
“They’re hardly showing their true colors being playful with each other like that,” Megumi finally said stonily. “Besides, I know more than I want to about how Natsuyaki fights. When the time comes, that won’t be an issue.”
“Perhaps…” the girl in the middle said quietly, still watching while puffing slowly on the cigarette. “Perhaps…”
“Besides, I would think you’re more worried about competition closer to home.”
“That kid doesn’t concern me,” the other replied.
Despite her own choice, Megumi wasn’t so sure about such a cocky attitude. “I know she’s almost a year younger than you, but you’re still in the same class. By any measure, hardly a ‘kid’.”
Finally the girl looked up at her, and Megumi saw the torrent of brooding emotion welling up from within dark eyes. “Kanna does not fear children,” the girl replied firmly, and also very coolly, before dropping her cigarette and stamping on it before walking back up toward the CTG gates.
“Kanna is barely more than a child herself,” Megumi grumbled under her breath as she watched the girl go, her skirt swaying with her hips as she walked. While considering once again just dispensing with this whole charade of being part of a “gang”, she glanced up at Nakki, who was in turn watching her silently. “What’s up with you, anyway? Why do you always go quiet when they talk about each other?”
“I often have little to say,” the first year replied, smiling, and sauntered off after her classmate.
Refusing to look like she was following them, Megumi stood stonily while watching the two disappear into the gate once again before turning to catch sight of the Berries now chatting freely as they neared the park.
“I’ll have my revenge, Natsuyaki,” she growled into the air. “Even if I have to lower myself to dealing with uppity kids.”
There were always other options, but she knew she’d left them behind long ago. Still, and despite graduation nearing, she idly pondered approaching YajiUme. No, even without her history, change was in the air whether she liked it or not.
She began heading opposite the way the other two had gone, feeling class today just didn’t suit her. Whistling to herself as she walked, a smile crept slowly to her face. In the end, her pride was still in relying on herself as a lone wolf.
-
First! :cow:
Wow that was a really interesting chapter! So for whatever reason, Miya ended up asking Yurina out on a "date" :lol:
maybe she's experimenting with her own feelings? Since she's starting to feel that sudden "attraction" towards girls, maybe she wants to see if she truly does feel that way? i dunno.. :nervous
and it seems like Kanna wants to pick a fight with Miya~ wonder why that is? :?
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Now Miya and Yurina :shocked SO MANY SURPRISES I wonder how Yurina will deal with it xD Miya is rather cute... just not Momo cute xDD Kinda took me by surprise, I wouldn't expect Miya to suddenly ask Yurina out...
And ooh an experienced Chii ;D <3
KANNA I LOVE KANNA what does she have against Miya though? :? Kinda scary
Wahh I want more x3
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Lol.. Miya asking Yurina out for a date XD nervous Miya is cute, but it probably would not progress to something serious since both parties is not really interested to each other.
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Oh, look, our Ice Queen decided to ask Kumai-chan out. Caught me by surprise since it's so sudden, but MiyaKuma would be cute too~ Miya was adorably shy! :wub: At least I thought she was shy..
I'm really curious about their feelings or what they think about each other. So far, I can only make out that they are interested in one another, but what sort of feelings? :? Maybe Kumai-chan can join Miya and kick some arse. :twisted: :D Is there any chance that Miya can become a good girl? :O2 We need Captain now!
What are C-ute gang members up to??? :O They better not hurt Miya... :panic:
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Good chapter!
Seems as though Miya has lost a bit of her image over her revelation of liking girls(And sewing?really? :lol:), I wonder if it is just becasue it's new ground for her, or that Chii is more experienced, or perhpas it's because it's Yurina who isn't really afraid of her but our tough Yankii Miya went to peices a bit when she went to ask Yurina out, so adorable! :wub:
does Miya really like Yurina? hmm, I wonder, it seems as though Miya feels there is maybe something there, they have been spending a bit more time together and of course Yurina did not refuse the date..... I wonder what Yurina's feelings are, perhpas with the date she herself may see a different side of Miya, this almost cute, shy Miya who she may get to like
Seems as though Megumi and the other cute gang members have something in store for Miya, revenge certainly but we do not know the reasons behind it yet....
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Great update!
Sewing?! That was a suprise. Never expected yankii Miya to be so good at sewing :lol:
I sensed that Yuri and Miya had some sort of attraction to each other but I never thought they'd make something of it. Proved me wrong...I hope their "date" goes well.
I wonder what Megumi and her gang have in store for Miya. I detect a fight coming soon!