3.4

Hanazawa: The Yankee the handsome and the genius

Today was parent day, of course Yuuko didn’t forget to mention the homeless man of their deal. He was concerned no doubted but eventually accepted, he made his promise after all. Needless to say, Maromi was greatly displeased by this arrangement. But when she tried to complain her friend would simply put a single finger over her lips, a simple gesture but it somehow worked.

“I wonder what will they be like” Maromi said.

Students from around the country were coming to Tokyo for a national exam. Their school accepted the responsibility of taking them in before that time. A short programme of sort, letting them had a taste of the modern capital.

“Human I presume” Yuuko answered.

Got a chuckle out of Maromi for that. Yuuko never knew whether her jokes were truly funny or not. Didn’t seem so since no one really laugh at them, well except for Maromi, she always found them amusing. Seeing that never failed to bring a smile onto Yuuko’s face, especially now, her friend noticed that.

“You seem more amused about this than even me” Maromi commented.

“I like to see you smile, that’s all”

Maromi sighed “I wish my boyfriend can sprout half the things you say”

Yuuko pondered on what that was supposed to mean. The two continued until they reached the school. The girl scanned the ground, there were faces she didn’t recognise. Of course, Yuuko couldn’t remember everyone in this school, yet it was easy to see strangers. This was simple yet somehow unnerving at the same time, the girl didn’t like changes.

Someone suddenly appeared in front of them, it was a classmate, a rather timid guy.

“Ah, Hanazawa-san, it’s you!”

“What’s wrong?” The girl answered “You seem rattled”

“It’s Oda, he’s picking on one of the visitors!”

Now that was something to be concern about. Oda was more than just your run of the mill bully, part of a vicious biker gang, he was a violent thug. He was always followed around by the average bully, trying to bask themselves in his presence.

“I will take a look then” Yuuko answered.

Despite his reputation, Oda and his posse didn’t cause many problems at school. The reason for that was Yuuko Hanazawa. No one could tell how or what was the relationship between them, but one thing was clear, that vicious Oda didn’t want to cross this person.

It was time for a detour then, despite this not concerning her, Maromi followed anyway.

The scene waiting for them could be described by the word unexpected. It was heralded by a sickening noise of tooth being ripped out. Then they could see Oda clutching his bloodied mouth, hyperventilating. The rest of his posse had a look of horror as they tried to scamper away, they had messed with the wrong person.

It was one of a students, a delinquent, what one would called Yankee. His hair dyed blond, this guy stood towering over the formidable Oda. He looked just like a typical thug with that particularly care about fashion. The guy’ shoes were brand made, completed with a gaudy watches and hair filled with wax.

He was holding onto a front tooth, flashing his own set of pristine white teeth.

“Running away? I thought you guys want to ‘mess me up so hard I would have to eat with a straw’?” He said, tauntingly “Come one, I am right here”

“Let’s them go!”

The person to say that was… Maromi. Her legs were certainly shaking but the girl had to jump in, those bullies had enough. Behind her, Yuuko couldn’t have but muttered ‘good grief’. The girl stepped in front of her brave friend.

“What do you want?” The Yankee said, looking at the two girls curiously. The one in the back was reasonably scared, the other, however…

“Can I have that tooth” Yuuko said with a straight face “Oda would want that back”

“Does that guy collect his own tooth or something?”

“Of course, don’t you know that the tooth fairy would give you money for putting a tooth under your pillow at night?” Yuuko said like that was most normal. Oda looked up with disapproval.

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“All the more reason why I should hold onto this then, I want some changes too” The Yankee went with that, clearly amused.

Yuuko wasn’t fazed in the slightest, however “I am sure that she wouldn’t take kindly to being tricked”

Trying to hold back his laughter, the Yankee actually handed back the tooth in peace. Oda received the item, didn’t know what to do with it “What am I going to do with this” He asked, his mouth was still aching.

“Put it under your pillow when you sleep” Yuuko answered.

The thug was going to say something until he saw the look on her face. ‘Wait, does she actually believe in that?’ The thought shared by him and Maromi. Both decided not to comment on it, Oda retreated with a simple ‘yes’. This new guy was a beast but he wasn’t scary, this Yankee wasn’t Yuuko Hanazawa.

Someone else was entering the scene, a girl whose, judging by her uniform, came from the same school as the Yankee. Behind her were their classmates but they all stood back as she walked toward looking rather pissed off.

“Can’t you not break someone one tooth on the first day here!”

“What, they came at me first, ask them” The Yankee looked back “Oh wait, they all ran away, guess you would have to take my word on this one,

“Even so, pulling a tooth out is rather excessive don’t you think” Surprisingly, she trusted him, but that didn’t make her less angry.

“Really?”

“Of course it is! Next time that happened, just black the guy eye out or something. Just no permanent damage!” The girl said “You got that! And go wash your hand right now”

“Yes ma’am” The Yankee replied enthusiastically, raising his hand up in the air. He practically pranced away in a good mood. With his clean hand, he pulled out a comb and fix his hair slightly.

“I am sincerely sorry for the problem he caused” The new girl bowed and apologised.

After some introduction, her name was Ryuko Mizuhara, hailing from Shōnan. She seemed to hit right off with Maromi, the two chatted for quite some length. Not a surprise, Yuuko thought to herself, everyone loved to talk with Maromi. Although she why someone like that always hung out with her.

“Your friend doesn’t talk much” Ryuko commented.

“Well, Yuuko’s just really shy around stranger” Maromi grabbed her friend’s arm “But if you get to know her, she is a really nice girl, and dependable” The girl tried to tip toe to pat on Yuuko’s head, she seemed pleased for that achievement.

“Am I shy?” The Hanazawa girl wondered.

“And she can also be really funny, see, like that!”

Yuuko was truly confused, that wasn’t really supposed to be a joke. Maromi seemed to find joy in everything, but this Ryuko seemed to be agreeing with her. So she was apparently funny, to be honest, Yuuko kind of liked that thought. Meanwhile, the other two continued their chit chat.

“You are certainly pretty” Maromi suddenly remarked “And smart as well, you got this far in the national competition as well”

Ryuko turned away to hide a wide smile, scratching her head “Nah, I am not that amazing, I score the last among this round entrees after all”

“That’s still great, I can barely understand the classes to begin with, without Yuuko’s help I would definitely flunked by now” Maromi leaned onto her friend “That’s one of the reason I hand out with you after all!”

“Really?” Yuuko questioned.

“Don’t worry, it’s not the only thing!”

Hearing the name jogged something in Ryuko’s mind “Wait, are you THAT Yuuko Hanazawa, the one who scored second in the country?”

“Wait, you participated?” Maromi was surprised by this revelation.

“I had free time so might as well” Answered Yuuko.

Talk about look and intellect, Ryuko could feel herself dwarfed “Your friend here is the amazing one… Then there’s also that guy”

“What about that Yankee?” Maromi asked.

The girl from Shōnan sighed “I made a bet to have him participate, if he is in the top five I would have to call him Handsome for this whole trip… He is the one in first place” It was a bet she placed on herself, she wanted to see a talent like him at work. Still he was only two point away from second place, then there was a gap between them and the third and below.

“Did you hear that, Yuuko, that guy beat you!”

“Hmm, is it that surprising?” The Hanazawa girl was unfazed.

“It’s… supposed to be” Maromi was confused by this reaction.

“Did you look at his hands, it was filled with callouses. You can’t have those by being lazy”

Talk of the devil, here the Yankee was, coming up toward them. He was holding a bokken as well. Seeing that, Ryuko excused herself, classes were starting soon as well “It was a pleasure meeting you guys!”

They parted way, the two from Shōnan went on to meet back up with their group.

“That girl with long black hair, what’s her name?”

“Eh” Ryuko had to check if she didn’t misheard that, for Handsome to ask about someone “She is Yuuko Hanazawa, the person rank right below you”

“I have a hunch she would be someone amazing” Handsome combed his hair, while looking for his reflection in the windows, ignoring everyone behind them “I like that one”

Now that was a strange thing to hear. This guy would go on joking about liking Ryuko but she had never seen him said that to any other girl. That Yuuko was certainly incredible, the girl could tell but she couldn’t put her finger on why yet. For that one to notice Handsome’s hand. Then there was the thug he was fighting, Ryuko could see that despite having a tooth broken he wasn’t afraid. Yet someone like that seemed fazed Yuuko’s mere presence.

“Hah, good luck with that” The girl commented distractingly.

“Come on, hearing that don’t make you feel jealous in the slightest?”

“Nope, not at all” Ryuko said that without hesitation, a look of disgust on her face.

“Come on, that hurts you know” Handsome said, clutching his chest while falling back dramatically.

They were in plain view and of course, everyone was looking. Ryuko hastened her pace to get of sight as soon as possible “Can you stop joking about with me”

“I am not” Handsome replied, looking strangely serious “You are the only one to have beaten me in a fight after all. I am smitten”

Ryuko continued on, pretending that she didn’t hear that. They should meet up soon, time was running out. After this would be a tour around the school and they would take some classes as well. Handsome didn’t have time for such nonsense, however, he soon made a detour.

“Where do you think you are going!” Ryuko asked, only to be taken aback by Handsome still acting serious.

“Something doesn’t feel right, I need to check something else” He shoved the bokken into the girl arms “Hang on to this, maybe you don’t have to use it, I hope so”

Those words were certainly ominous, especially coming from a serious Handsome. That guy, meanwhile, was combing his hair again, seriously.