Takumi's friends stood in front of the door taken aback by what they just heard. They busted in, while covering their eyes, to stop whatever was going on.
“Alright, you dirty kids, this isn't the time and definitely not the place to make kids,” Hansuke said.
“Geez, you scared the hell out of me,” Twilight said.
“Is it because we interrupted your little escapade, or should we say sexcapade?” Ichiya asked.
“Ok? But you do know that you don't have to cover your eyes, right?” She pointed out.
“It's rude to stare at someone who is nude if you are not that intimate with them. Especially a lady.”
“Take your hands off your eyes.” She spoke.
“And why would we do that? Are you an exhibitionist or something?” Hansuke asked.
“No, you weirdo.”
“Why else would you ask us to uncover our eyes?”
“Because neither of us is naked,” Takumi replied.
“Oh.” They said and uncovered their eyes to see that they were sitting on the bed next to each other with confused looks on their faces.
“What were you morons rambling about?” She asked.
“We thought you were getting down and dirty in here,” Hansuke said.
“I wish,” Takumi said. “I was just massaging her.”
“Fully clothed.” She added.
“Oh. Wait, why was he massaging you?” Ichiya asked.
“It’s one of the ways he's making it up to me.”
“Better question: why are you in school? Aren't you already done with it?” Hansuke asked.
“My boss said as much as I’m mature for my age and my work is appreciated, it’s healthier for me to interact more with people my age. Something about not wasting the best years of my life hanging around people twice my age but I’ll always be welcomed back. Not sure if this is what he meant, but here I am anyway.” She shrugged.
“And where were you during lunchtime? This guy almost went crazy looking for you.”
“The vice pres was showing me around. Rengoku, you didn't tell me that you have a fan club at school.”
“Jealous?”
“More like concerned. I'm pretty sure that some of them are potential stalkers, so good luck with that.”
“I got used to it after a while.”
“I think we should get going.” She got off the bed and dragged him along. “See you guys tomorrow.”
*On their way home…*
“How long do I have to make it up to you?” He asked.
“Until I become bored, which won't happen for a long time because I'm enjoying this. So, it'd be best if you got used to it.”
“What have I gotten myself into?” He thought.
“Are you sure that Yuri doesn’t have feelings for you?”
“She’s dating someone else.”
“That doesn’t provide much reassurance.”
“She’s a lesbian.”
“I take back what I said.”
“Anyway, how did you even get admitted?”
“I'll let you in on a little secret. The principal is what you think he is.”
“He's a...”
“Wolf? Yep, he used to be one of our guards until he took an early retirement. Asking him for this one little favour was no problem at all. Of course, I had to get permission from my dad first and after a whole bunch of paperwork, I got in. But don't get too excited because the fact that I ended up in your class was a coincidence.”
“You couldn't leave a man to dream, could you?”
“What for? Anyway, you owe me another massage when we get home. And don't think that this means you can try anything.”
*The next day…*
“Rengoku, you can go on without me. I'll catch up in a bit.”
“Sure.”
She walked around the school for a while until she got tired and sat on a bench.
“Oo, you have really pretty hair.”
“Huh?”
“Oh, my bad, I should have introduced myself. I'm Ayaka Ohtani. But everyone calls me Aya. We're in the same class.” She sat next to her.
“Oh. Sorry, I haven't gotten to know everyone yet.”
“Then I'll be the first one you get to know, Sakata-san.”
“You can call me by my first name or my second one. I prefer it if people don’t call me by my last name because it makes me feel like my dad when you don't.”
“Ok, Tisiphone. I don’t think I've ever seen snow-white hair before. Did you dye it?”
“Nope, it's been this way since the day I was born.”
“That's so cool. How did you get it to be so curly? Mine is always pin-straight; it never wants to stay curly no matter what I do.”
“Mine never wants to stay straight no matter what I do.”
They looked at each other and then laughed.
“You laugh like a pig.”
“I know.”
They laughed harder.
“Anyway, it was nice getting to know you a little better, but I have to get to class. See you later.” Ayaka got up.
“We're in the same class, remember?”
“Oh yeah. I kinda forgot.”
“We might as well walk together.” She got up.
“You're conservative, aren't you?” Ayaka asked.
“What makes you say that?”
“Your tights.”
“I'm not conservative. I'm wearing them because I'm not on board with the idea that guys have easy access to the view of my ass.”
“Oh. How old are you?”
“17 turning 18. Why?”
“Just checking. No offence, but you kinda look like you're 12 or 13.”
“Don't worry about it, I get that a lot. Pretty sure it’s because of my height.”
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
“You like asking a lot of questions, don't you?”
“So, it's a yes?”
“No.”
“I thought that Rengoku was. You guys seem to be a little too close for friends.”
“That's because we've been neighbours for two years.”
“Oh. Do you have any siblings?”
“No.” She was about to say that Tis was basically her sister but stopped herself. “What about you?”
“I have an older brother. Even though we fight most of the time, we get along. But in a weird way.”
“Looks like we've arrived.”
“That means I have enough time to introduce you to my friend.”
“Ok.”
“Tisiphone, this is Atsumi, but I call her Tsu. Tsu, I’m sure you already know her from yesterday.”
“Yeah. Sup?”
Just then Keito walked past their class.
“Hold that thought. I’m going to have a quick word with Keito.”
“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” Ayaka said.
“Why not?”
“He's one of the scariest dudes I know. No joke. I wouldn't mess with him. He has that 'don't fuck with me' vibe going.”
“C'mon, he's not like that. I'm just going to go talk to him.” She went towards him.
“Either she's brave or just plain stupid,” Atsumi said. “Probably both.”
“Hey, Keito.”
“Hello. Did you need something?”
“Yeah, it's about after-school clubs.
“Are you thinking of joining one?”
“Yeah, but I'm having trouble deciding. It's between judo, archery, kendo and boxing, and I obviously can't do them simultaneously.”
“I've never met someone so violent.”
“I'm not violent. I'm just... different. Never mind that, what do you guys do?”
“I'm part of the art club, Ichiya does basketball, Takumi does boxing.”
“Well, I guess that takes boxing off the list. And it explains a lot.”
“What do you mean?”
“I've always wondered how he’s in such good shape, since the only places he goes to are school and home. And the occasional going out during weekends. But he always told me that it was a secret.”
“Now you know.”
“What about Hansuke?”
“Don't tell him that I told you this: he's part of the cooking club. He doesn't want you to know.”
“Why?”
“Because he knows you'll never stop teasing him about it.”
“Sounds like something I'd do. But can you blame me? He doesn't seem like the type with his tough-guy attitude. Anyway, what do you think?”
“Why didn't you ask Takumi?”
“You're one of the most rational people I know, so I trust your judgment more. And he'd just try to persuade me to join him in boxing.”
“True. Lucky for you, you can do both archery and judo. Archery is on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and martial arts is on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.”
“Saturdays?”
“Yes, it's one of the most hard-working and dedicated clubs at school. Or you can swap them with kendo, which is from Monday to Friday.”
“I see. Thanks.”
“The pleasure is all mine. Before I go, the club president for archery is Gin Yamada, judo is Tora Gurin and kendo is Keigo Masuta. Club presidents are usually in their clubrooms during lunch.”
“Thanks, again.”
“No problem.”
She went back to Ayaka and Atsumi.
“Tisiphone, I wanted to ask, do you mind joining us for lunch?” Ayaka asked.
“Not at all. But first, I need to take care of something, I'll be right back.”
“Rengoku, you guys don't have to wait up for me. I'm having lunch with Ayaka and Atsumi today.”
“Ok, see you later then.”
*Lunch break…*
“So, you want to join my club?”
“Well, that is why I came here and asked.”
He stared at her.
“Geez, why are you looking as if I kill puppies for a living or something? I didn't do anything wrong to you. At least, not that I know of.” She thought.
“Of course, you can join. New members are always welcome in the kendo club.” He smiled. “Sorry about that look I gave you; it was a joke. I like pulling it on new members.”
“Oh, you got me good. For a second there, I thought I did something wrong.”
“Welcome to the club. We start next week, so see you then.”
“Yeah, see you then, Masuta-san.”
“Before you go, now that you're a part of the club, you can call me Supreme Commander of Justice and Righteousness, Banisher of Evil or Supreme Commander for short.”
“And why would I do that?”
“It's my nickname, everyone in the club is given one. It’s sort of like an initiation.”
“Yours is narcissistic, don't you think?”
“I am the club's president, so it only makes sense that my nickname reflects that. We'll come up with something for you later, you'll have to stick with New Member for now.”
*The end of the week…*
“Finally, tomorrow is Saturday.”
“How was the first week of school?” Takumi asked.
“My social battery is drained. Other than that, I joined the kendo club, discovered that its president is a nutjob and I may or may not have found Mitsuri's long-lost sister.”
“Who?”
“Ayaka.”
“Oh. Either way, it's good that you're making your own friends. Now you'll spend less staying inside all day during the weekend and go out instead.”
“There's nothing wrong with binging shows, books and snacks all day.”
“It's bad for you.”
“My book boyfriends would disagree.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“So now I’m competing with fictional characters?”
“I wouldn’t call it a competition but to each their own.”
“Ouch.”
“What kind of person is Pres?”
“From what I hear, he's nice and gets along well with everyone. Why?”
“I can't help but feel that something's not right with him. I mean, he's also a wolf, but so are some of the kids at school. Some are even other supernatural beings. And yet he's the only one I'm getting weird vibes from.”