Even though her heart was in turmoil and her mind confused over recent events, Koemi Hara was a straightforward girl with a straightforward way of dealing with things: Head on, full throttle! Well. That’s how she saw herself at any rate. It wasn’t like she was actually directly confronting Chise or Eito or anyone else about the things that were keeping her confusion levels rising throughout the day. The truth, from an outsider’s perspective, is probably more like she’d finally had enough, tugged up her metaphorical britches, stomped out there and suddenly realised she was in a den of lions.
“What’s all this about?” she demanded, puffing out her chest and flaring her nostrils. In response, Yoko cowered behind Saito, who simply rolled her eyes and fixed a look upon Koemi that was more like she was looking at a bug than at a teammate. “What are you planning to do to poor Eito?!”
“‘Poor Eito’?” Saito repeated. “Oh Koemi, you poor, naive girl. I suppose it must be such a shock to you. Thinking that you know someone, when they’re nothing at all like you imagine.”
“What are you talking about?” Koemi insisted, confusion threatening to return. Saito’s eyes gleamed. She could smell the blood in the water, and she pounced upon it without mercy.
“Why, that friend of yours, of course!” she continued. “Really now. I did want to spare your feelings and leave you out of this, but it’s not really possible anymore.” A weary sigh, well practised, used several times to tremendous effect. Casting the eyes down to the floor. Koemi had seen this kind of trick several times, pulled on other people. Saito simply didn’t realise she had done so, because she and her Golden Salmon group were off in their own little world, playing their own little games.
“This may come as a bit of a shock,” Saito said, probably the only truthful thing she was going to say over the course of this conversation. “Your friend Eito is a playboy. It’s true. He’s sunk his claws into Chise’s heart already, and now even that supposed genius can’t see the obvious. She’s just another girl in a long line of them. He’ll play with her heart and discard them, and, sweetie, it pains me to say it, but it looks like you’re next. Why, I think he’s even deliberately trying to sabotage our team for his own nefarious purposes! So, you see, we’re doing this for your own good! You’re not a Golden Salmon, but you’re a member of this team, and darn it, we stick together in times of crisis.”
“Yep,” Koemi said. “We stick together. Like butter sticks to a stick.”
“… No offense, sweetie, but your sense of humour has always been a little bit, you know.” Saito passed a hand over her head in imitation of a plane flying overhead.
“What I <b>mean</b> is that Eito’s nothing like that!” Koemi spat. “You’re going to have to do better than that! I’ve known him for years, and he’s always been the nicest, kindest, gentlest boy I’ve ever loved!”
Koemi’s heart stopped as she realised what she just said. Loved? Eito? She staggered back a little and tried to catch her breath. Loved him? Eito? But that… That was… That made so much sense all of a sudden. She loved him. Such a weight lifted from her mind! Her thoughts and feelings of late made so much sense now. She idly played with the fish pendant and smiled, completely failing to notice the dark aura being generated behind Saito.
“You… Love… Him?” a dark voice croaked. Before Koemi could so much as blink there was a smiling face filling her vision. “You really think you can beat me in a contest?!”
The word “No!” flashed across Koemi’s mind in big, bright flashing neon, and was even accompanied by the William Tell Overture, as performed by a large group of people chanting the word in lieu of instruments.
The smiling face grew closer and, somehow, more threatening. Oh god, she was going to get her heart ripped from her chest and stomped on. Competing directly with Yoko was a death wish! Koemi winced when she felt Yoko start to toy with a loose strand of hair.
“That’s so funny!” Yoko said. Her mouth was smiling. Her eyes, not so much. Suddenly, she moved forward and pressed their bodies together, pinning Koemi against the lockers. “Tell you what though,” Yoko said, somehow finding space to move even closer. “We’d better set down some rules. First. No telling Eito, or anyone else about this conversation. Second. No outside assistance. Just you, me and Chise. Third. No physical violence against another competitor.”
Yoko’s hand traced a lazy line down Koemi’s body, starting from her jaw and ending down at her hip. “Break any of those rules,” Yoko whispered, “And I’ll spank you until you like it.” Koemi tried desperately to recoil, or say anything, or find an escape route but found nothing of the sort. Yoko’s voice fell to a whisper so low that even Saito, who was trying to look like she wasn’t trying to listen in while examining her nails, couldn’t hear. “And that won’t be nearly as long as you think it would be.”
Suddenly, Yoko backed away and walked off with a terrifying confidence out of the locker room. Koemi collapsed against the locker. Her legs felt like jelly. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she could barely even breathe. Terrifying. Truly, every bit as terrifying as she’d heard! Yoko was a monster when roused, and now she was off to make Eito putty in her hands.
Eito… And Yoko…
Koemi’s legs became as hard as steel, and before she knew it she was marching out of the locker room with nostrils flaring and a fierce, unmatchable determination! She wasn’t just going to roll over and let the man she loved be won in such a simple manner! Not without a fight!
“You do know what you’re doing,” Saito said, standing in the way to the exit. “I mean, I won’t stop you if you really want to do this… But she will eat you alive out there. The more you fight her, the more determined she’ll get until she wins.”
“I don’t care!” Koemi snarled, though logic dictated that she was clearly outmatched. The dark horse in a deadly race for a man’s heart. “And neither do you! You’re just looking for a show at this point, whatever it is you have against Eito.”
“Fair enough. Can’t say you weren’t warned,” Saito said. “Just put on a good show for me, that’s a good girl. You <i>can</i> do at least that much, can’t you? And one other detail, while we’re at it. Break those rules she set down, and not only will you be off the team but you will also find your life a real living hell.”
Koemi wavered a little. Kicked off the team? And Saito really could make her life a living hell if she wanted... On the other hand, if she played their game their way, and won, then she walked away with everything. Eito. The chance to swim. Rub Saito’s smug face in it. Fine. So be it! She’d show that - That arrogant ant what was what! Just watch her!
<hr>
So here it was. The time was drawing closer and closer, moment to moment. Eito was watching the clock with a near religious fervour as he eagerly anticipated this next instruction. At half past two, during maths class, say the words “I’m sorry.” Say them to whom, he was not certain. What effect this would have, he could not imagine. It was also rather difficult to figure out exactly what that effect might be. Why?
Because whenever he looked over at Koemi, even for a brief moment, she was doing something like… Right now, she was looking him in the eyes and - there was no other word for it - attempting to fellate a pencil. Earlier on, she had been attempting to show off a bit of leg, and before that she’d been “scratching” her breasts in a blatantly erotic fashion.
At this rate, she risked getting expelled. Or getting some rather unsavoury rumours cast about because of her actions in class. Luckily, the teacher hadn’t caught her out yet, but… Still. It was rather distracting. Because even when a cute girl you knew was making poor, clumsy attempts to seduce you, it was still a cute girl you knew trying to seduce you. The equations, as their current teacher might enthusiastically proclaim, match exactly. The effect on the mind is kind of the same, and it serves as a roughly equal amount of distraction.
But he had to concentrate, no matter how much his curiosity was compelling him to find out what Koemi might try next. Curiosity, slowly increasing arousal, concern for his friend’s behaviour. Except! He had other things to worry about! The clock was ticking. Tick. Tick. Tick. Come on. Let it be half past two already, so he could get this over with and worry about his next instruction! Come on, just another five minutes. Five minutes. That’s all!
And then a deafening beeping sound filled the air, shocking Eito back to reality.
“Now, now! Keep calm!” the teacher said. “It’s just a fire drill. Everyone, please follow me and we shall evacuate the building post haste. No running. Stay calm and orderly. If this were a real fire, or even if it was not, that kind of behaviour could get someone hurt.”
A fire drill! Eito felt panic grip his heart even as Koemi gripped his arm. To his surprise - and mild concern - another girl grabbed his other arm! Wait, Yoko from the swim team? What was she - Never mind that! Why, oh why, didn’t he bring a watch with him today?! Who the hell was he going to be saying those magic words to, and why?!
- Koemi
- Yoko
- Saito
- Chise
- A teacher
- Someone else
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