Sneakily, Minato stepped carefully through the Victorian-style
hallways of Tomeishuu High. It was currently 10.20, during the
mid-morning break before 2nd period classes. Minato had just finished
her class and now that she had a short break before her next class,
she decided to spend it with Natsumi. The two young women had secretly
formulated the idea of sneaking out to see each other during breaks.
It was risky, but Minato felt that she could handle it. And the blonde
would do anything to spend some stress-free time with her precious
Natsumi.
To get together, Minato decided to meet Natsumi in Minato’s own dorm
room. Rinako didn’t have lessons at this time, but the younger
Ikatsuji sister assumed that Rinako would use that time to train. Very
rarely did Rinako come back to dorms during period breaks. That
problem was out of the way. The only other thing that would bother
Minato would be Natsumi finding a way into that room without being
caught by some member of the Cross Blade Lancers. Minato and Rinako’s
dorm room was exclusively CBL territory, and so were the dorms around
that area. Minato had been a little worried about Natsumi’s chances of
slinking in there, but the Yakume priestess just told her not to worry
about it.
In a short time, Minato had reached the dorms and was walking towards
her own room. But then, just as she assumed she could do this without
being noticed, Mishizu walked out of her dorm room, adjacent from
Minato’s.
The Yakagi girl caught sight of an incredulous Minato. “Minato? What
are you doing here?”
The blonde sweatdropped. “Um...hey, Mishizu. I’m just...going back to
my room to pick up some stuff for my next lesson. Uh...what about
you?”
“The same. I can’t stop though; I’ve got a billion and one things to
take care of. I see you later, Minato.”
“Sure...” The young girl sighed in relief as Mishizu made her way down
the hall. Now there was nothing else in the way of this. After
checking to see if anyone else had been watching or was in the way,
Minato carefully opened the door to her room.
And just across from Minato, sitting carefully on her bed, was Natsumi
Yakume, with the cutest smile ever conceived. “Natsumi...”
Natsumi grinned. “I told you I could get in here without being
noticed. You underestimate me, miss Ikatsuji.”
But Minato didn’t care about that. In a flash she was over to Natsumi,
sitting next to her heart’s desire and wrapping her in a tight hug.
“You’re amazing, Natsumi...I’m so glad you’re my girlfriend.”
Natsumi continued to smile, and placed her hand gently beside Minato’s
cheek. The shrine priestess looked up into those searing blue eyes of
Minato’s...she just could not understand why Ayane and the other SBA’s
disliked Minato. She was so sweet, so innocent. And Natsumi had this
girl all to herself.
“I missed you, Mina-chan...” Natsumi said, her eyes getting distant.
“I want to see you more...I need to...”
Minato tried to hide her impatience. If Natsumi didn’t kiss her soon,
she’d explode. “Yeah, I know...but we have time now, so...” Minato
then stopped herself when she saw the look in Natsumi’s eyes. “Why are
you looking at me like that?”
Natsumi said nothing at all, rather, she pressed her soft set of lips
against Minato’s and sighed delicately, feeling that warm jolt of joy
passing through her body. Minato felt butterflies from such an action.
Never before had she made out such a good kisser as Natsumi. It was
frightening in a way. Minato could never understand how Natsumi was
able to get her this excited.
But why bother to try and figure it out?
Minato gently shut her eyes, and let Natsumi have her way with her.
Nothing else mattered as long as she could be with her dark haired
angel.
**********
Rinako scowled fiercely as walked down the halls of the dorms towards
her room. She was in one hell of a foul mood. All thanks to Izumi.
Never before had Rinako let herself get so angry with that girl. But
what annoyed the CBL leader the most was that Izumi was acting as if
she had a better understanding of Mishizu than anyone.
{That little...} Rinako thought harshly. {How the hell can she think
that she knows Mishizu better than I do? She’s one of my best friends.
Damn that Izumi. I’ll get her for this.}
Even though Rinako was a little more concerned with defeating Izumi,
Rinako had to get her books because her classes would start in a
little while. Plus, she didn’t want to be late. The last thing Rinako
needed was a restriction or a detention right now. Even more than
that, Rinako felt guilty about neglecting Keiji. He was such as sweet
guy to Rinako, and the idea of hurting him was not very appealing to
the brown-eyed girl.
Rinako stopped walking as she came up to her door, and gently turned
the doorknob. The door was unlocked. {That’s strange. I could have
sworn I locked this before I left...}
Nevertheless, Rinako opened the door and walked inside, un-prepared
for the site she was about to see...
The second Minato and Natsumi heard the door click open; the two girls
scrambled off each other and did their best to act casual. But it was
far too late. Rinako had seen everything she needed to understand the
situation.
Rinako stood slack-jawed as the sight of Natsumi and Minato making out
stomped through her mind. “What...is...” Suddenly shock became anger.
“What the hell is going on here?!”
Minato was stunned into silence. The one thing she feared most just
happened in one quick flash. Natsumi on the other hand, was not
intimidated. She had heard about Rinako’s awesome powers from Ayane
but there was no way she would back away from Minato.
“I’m sorry you had to find out like this.” Natsumi started. “But
Minato and I are...dating.”
Rinako looked over to her silent sister. “...Minato...is that true?”
After a long pause, Minato nodded slowly, unable to look at Rinako.
And the conformation of this shattered Rinako. Her sister. Her own
flash and blood, was arm in arm with a Spring Breeze Assassin. The
brood of that damn Ayane. Minato had associated with...one of them...
Rinako’s voice came out almost as a whisper. “I...can’t believe that
you would do this to me, Minato...you’re my sister...”
Minato could barely speak. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry...”
Natsumi looked between in confusion. “What are you talking about,
Minato? We don’t have anything to be sorry about!” The Yakume
priestess turned to look at Rinako. “I’m not ashamed of this.”
Harsh eyes descended on Natsumi. “Stay out of this.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m already involved.” Natsumi moved closer to a quiet
Minato. “And you’ll just have to accept our relationship.”
“Oh yeah!?” Rinako shouted sardonically. “You’re not going anywhere
with my sister! Now get out before I throw you out!”
Even though there was a slight tremble in Natsumi’s body, she did not
back down from this. “I won’t. This isn’t your decision to make. I
will do what ever Minato wants.”
Rinako’s fist tightened as she stepped over to Natsumi. Then just
before the livid amethyst-haired girl could put her anger into
practice, Minato stepped between Rinako and Natsumi.
“Calm down, Rinako!” Minato yelled desperately. “Please don’t be angry
about this! I know how you feel about the Spring Breeze Assassins, but
Natsumi isn’t one of them! And she makes me happy! Isn’t that what you
want?”
Though her eyes were still locked firmly on Natsumi, but Minato’s plea
somehow got to her. Minato sensed this a sighed in relief. Rinako
could be really thickheaded when she wanted to be.
Even so, Rinako managed to cool herself off. “...Tell her to leave.”
Maybe it was best. Minato swerved her head around and nodded at
Natsumi that it was okay for her to leave. The black-haired Natsumi
was reluctant to leave Minato alone with Rinako in this state, but if
she said she would be fine, then Minato would be fine. Tossing a
serious gaze at Rinako, Natsumi walked out of the dorm room.
“She’s gone.” Minato said. “Are you happy now, Rinako?”
The CBL leader strolled over to the other side of the room to gather
her thoughts. Everything was happening so fast, she couldn’t get her
mind around it all.
The pause ended. “How long has this been going on, Minato?”
“Why? Why do you need to kno-“
The blonde was cut off. “How long, Minato!?”
“...About two weeks or so. We...got together just yesterday.”
Rinako chuckled hatefully. “Oh...I see. So that’s where you went last
night. To see her. You went behind my back...and you went out with an
SBA...man, this day just keeps getting better and better.”
Minato was so worried about this that she didn’t even notice that
Rinako had seen her sneak out the night before. “Rinako...please be
happy for me. I really love Natsumi...”
“Love!?” Rinako bellowed. “You just met this girl a couple weeks ago!
And she’s a Spring Breeze Assassin! You know how I feel about them and
you didn’t care! You just went out there with her, and had yourselves
a good old laugh at my expense, eh?”
That did not only insult Minato, but it hurt too. “No! How could you
even think that! You’re my sister! I never wanted to upset you!”
“Well, you sure as hell have a crappy way of showing it. Jeez...after
all I’ve done to protect you...all the fights I got into when someone
badmouthed you...and you repay me by doing the one thing I never
wanted you to do. God, you’re just like Mom was...didn’t give a damn
about I wanted...”
Minato’s face twisted into a scowl. The relationship between Rinako
and their mother was very shaky. Rinako had a small tendency to bring
her up when she was seriously angry. But even so, their mother was
dead and Minato did not like to speak ill of her.
“Rinako...”
The older Ikatsuji sister looked away from Minato. “You went behind my
back, Minato. You lied to me, and you hooked up with one of Ayane’s
thugs...how can I trust you again...?”
“Ayane?” Minato said surprised. “This is all about her, isn’t it? Why
are you dragging Natsumi into your hatred of her? Natsumi hasn’t done
anything wrong at all!”
A dark anger seeped into Rinako’s body as that name came up again.
Ayane.
Rinako said nothing, but Minato was still not to going to let this go
so easily. “Why won’t you let it go? Why do you hate her so much?”
Soon as that was said, Rinako’s head jerked upwards, staring firmly at
Minato. And that look was enough to make the younger Ikatsuji sister
worry.
“You don’t know anything, Minato! And this isn’t about her it’s about
you! How could you let me down like this?”
“I didn’t want to let you down! But I can’t help how I feel about her,
Rinako. Surely you can understand that...”
Rinako ignored the voices in her soul that were answering that
question for her. But rather than go at it with her sister, Rinako
turned away and walked to the door.
“I need some air.” Rinako said, just before she shut the door behind
her. And a silent Minato was left to ponder her next move.
**********
Natsumi sat on the wooden bench just outside of the dorm room
building. She couldn’t believe how much of a jerk Rinako had been.
Minato idolized her sister, and from the way she spoke about Rinako,
Natsumi would have expected better. Rinako’s attitude sucked. But what
Natsumi feared was that this would all leak out into the school. If
everyone knew about it, then getting to see Minato would be that much
harder. And even more than that, Ayane would be disappointed in her.
Natsumi didn’t want that.
A shadow moved closer to Natsumi as she sat, and the girl hazarded a
look up to see who it was.
It was Rinako.
Natsumi tried not to show her worry. “...What did you say to Minato?”
Rinako’s eyes thinned out. “That’s none of your damned concern.”
“I beg your pardon?” Natsumi asked, standing upwards. “She’s your
sister but she’s also my girlfriend. I have as much a right to be with
her as you do.”
“Oh, shut the hell up!” Rinako yelled, not even caring that her next
class started in two minutes. “You just stroll in here, smug as the
skies, then you start telling me what you can and can’t do with my
family? You damn Assassins think you know everything, don’t you!?”
A new point crossed Natsumi’s thoughts. “What is it with you, Rinako!?
I’m not a Spring Breeze Assassin, and I never have been. Ayane is my
friend but I never said I’d join her gang.”
“Like I care. You’re friends with Ayane, and that’s enough for me. I
can’t stand air she breathes and the company she keeps. If that
includes you...then you’re my enemy.”
“Be that is it may...” Natsumi began. “I love Minato. I won’t deny how
I feel and I won’t stop seeing her.”
Rinako let out another hateful chuckle, and then grabbed a shocked
Natsumi by the collar of her school uniform. “What are-“
“Shut up!” Rinako yelled angrily. “I don’t think you understand this
situation, SBA girl. You had your tongue down my sister’s throat. All
I can say is, you better have enjoyed it. Because that is the closest
you’re ever going to get to my sister again. And if you ever come
sniffing around Minato again...you just better pray to Kami-sama that
I don’t find out about it.”
With one last scowl of hatred, Rinako let Natsumi free of her grip,
and strode off across the courtyard, never looking back. Natsumi could
not believe this. One little incident had managed to screw up
everything between she and Minato. But that wasn’t the only thing that
caught her attention. Natsumi felt a warm glow inside her pocket, and
quickly fished whatever it was out.
It was the Shunshibaru crystal. But what scared Natsumi was the fact
that it was reacting. Reacting to Rinako.
“...It can’t be...is she the Seal Child...or...?”
**********
“What?!”
Ayane and Izumi sat down flabbergasted as Natsumi explained the whole
story to them in Ayane’s dorm room. It was around 9.00 in the evening,
classes had ended a while back, and now Natsumi decided to let
everything out before it came from someone else. Even though she
regretted that this would hurt Ayane, Natsumi believed in everything
being open in the air. One thing that she couldn’t stand was lies and
back closet relationships. At least if everyone knew about her
relationship with Minato, Natsumi would have a fair idea of where she
stood.
Izumi was shocked. Not because Natsumi was interested in girls or
interested in a Cross Blade Lancer, but because they had been going
out in secret for a fortnight and Izumi had no idea about it.
Ayane’s shock was much less egocentric. She had warned Natsumi not to
get involved with Minato. Not just because Minato was more or less a
Cross Blade Lancer, but also because she knew well of Rinako’s
explosive temper. For such an attractive young woman, Rinako Ikatsuji
had one hell of a dark side.
“Natsumi...” Ayane breathed. “Why did you associate with that girl?
Even when I asked you not to?”
Natsumi fumbled with a strand of her long black hair to make herself
seem a little less awkward. “I’m sorry, Ayane. I...know that you don’t
like the Cross Blade Lancers, and I know I promised not to see Minato
but...I love her. I won’t run away from that.”
Ayane avoided her own misgivings. “Rinako won’t stand for this, you do
realize that, don’t you Natsumi?”
Izumi scowled. “Who cares? What I wanna know is how you kept this a
secret from me! I know everything that goes on in these walls.”
Ayane looked sternly at her friend. “This isn’t the time, Izumi.”
“Whatever.”
Natsumi ignored Izumi’s irritation. “I am sorry, Ayane. I’m sorry for
lying and going behind your back, but I won’t apologize for my
feelings from Minato. And I won’t stop seeing her, either.”
Ayane was incredulous. In many ways, this was a shock, but in some
respects this wasn’t too great of a surprise. Natsumi had always been
a little bit fonder of the attention of women. Plus, Minato was the
type of person that Natsumi opened up well to. What bothered Ayane was
Rinako’s reaction. Her anger was unbelievable at times. Most people
would think that it would compromise Natsumi’s safety, but Ayane knew
Rinako better than that. She would stick to the codes of honour and
never attack Natsumi, because she was not a martial artist. But still,
Rinako would never let Natsumi near Minato, which simply perpetuated
the problem.
{Those Ikatsuji’s. Can’t they go through one day without starting
something off? Natsumi...} Ayane thought.
“Just...be careful, Natsumi.”
Natsumi nodded. That was Ayane’s way of saying that I don’t approve,
but I won’t stop you. And Natsumi was thankful for that. Under all the
haughty quips and cold glances, Ayane did have a burning heart within
her icy shell. After saying a quick goodbye, Natsumi left the room and
went back to her room.
Izumi was left with a thoughtful Ayane. “You okay, boss?”
“I am...doing as well I can expect to be.” The ashen-haired girl said.
“Natsumi is a strong-willed woman. Even if I told her not to go near
the Ikatsuji girl, she would never listen to me. All I can do is watch
out for her best interests.”
Izumi grinned. “Is that so? I never knew you were such a softy,
Ayane.”
“Do not be insubordinate!” Ayane spluttered. “Natsumi is my friend at
the end of the day. I would cross myself if I told her not to pursue
her desires.”
“Some of the other girls might get out of hand if you told them this
though.” Izumi supplied. “Even I’m not convinced.”
Ayane thought about that. “The dual of control is approaching, either
way. I believe that we can keep the Spring Breeze Assassins appeased
until then. But by that time...”
“You’ll have to battle Rinako? Yeah. You’ll have to take her down. If
you don’t, rookies like Konoko will cause a fuss. Plus, I’d love to
see that self-satisfied Ikatsuji get her face smashed into the dirt.”
Ayane’s eyes became distant. Another fight with Rinako was on the
horizon. But day-by-day, her spirit was becoming less and less
willing. Ayane had no idea whether Rai shou en ken was gift or a
curse. Even though it supplied you with limitless power, it also had
the authority to bring out the truth of your soul.
And Ayane didn’t like the images her soul was presenting to her.
“I’ll do what needs to be done, Izumi.” Ayane said.
“I know you will. Hey, if you do win, I’ll take you to Shinjuku with
me and the other girls! You never know, you might find someone nice
there too. Ikatsuji isn’t the only one who can find someone like Keiji
for herself, right?”
Suddenly, Ayane’s eyes shot back at Izumi. “Who is Keiji?”
“You don’t know?” Izumi asked.
Ayane was perfectly direct however, her voice a little harsher. “Who
is he?”
“Keiji Aoba is Ikatsuji’s boyfriend. Didn’t you know? Plenty of the
girls have wanted to get with that guy.”
A shocked jolt passed through Ayane. Wordlessly she stood off the
chair she was sitting on and walked over to the netted window at the
other side of the room, with a dejected look in her eyes.
“...Rinako has a boyfriend...?”
Izumi was wary of the pensive look in her leader’s eyes. “You mean you
really didn’t know, boss? It’s no big deal. He isn’t that cute.”
Ayane balled her hands into fists on the windowsill. “...Leave.”
Now Izumi was worried. “Huh? What’s up, Aya-“
“I said get out!” Ayane roared. And unsurprisingly, Izumi took the
message to heart. Without saying another thing, Izumi left the room to
allow Ayane some time to herself. The instant the gold-eyed women
heard the door snap shut; her shoulders sagged with this new
revelation.
{...Rinako...has a boyfriend...}
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