Kushida Kikyo's Change

"What's wrong, Tenyo? Didn't you really want Private Points? Fifty thousand should be enough to enjoy yourself for a while."

In the Back Corner of the Gymnasium, Horikita Suzune stood in Tenyo Yuyuki's way, arms crossed and an icy look on her face.

Tenyo Yuyuki looked at the contract in his hand, feeling a little helpless.

The moment he'd stepped out of the gymnasium, Horikita Suzune had said nothing and led him straight to this deserted corner, then shoved a contract at him.

The terms were simple.

He had to duel Horikita Suzune for ten minutes. If he won, he would receive fifty thousand Private Points from Horikita.

As if she were afraid Yuyuki might refuse, the contract stipulated that even if he lost, he would only have to pay five thousand Private Points.

And since both parties had agreed to it, the School Authority wouldn't hold them responsible for the violence.

It wasn't an even contract.

Not wanting to seem suspicious by acting confused, Tenyo Yuyuki raised an eyebrow. "That's quite an enticing offer. Can you tell me why?"

"I just want to test your strength. Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

Horikita Suzune's tone was calm, but she seemed almost impatient. It also showed just how confident she was in her own abilities. She clearly didn't think Tenyo Yuyuki had any chance of winning.

It seemed she didn't want anyone to discover her connection to Horikita Manabu—or, rather, she was afraid that her weakness might reflect badly on him.

Still, wasn't she being a little naive? Horikita wasn't an uncommon surname, but it was only natural for people to make the connection.

Tenyo Yuyuki furrowed his brow. "What good would testing my strength do? Suzune, didn't you say you didn't need a partner? This isn't like you. What happened?"

"With D Class in its current state, it's only natural that I'd want a capable ally now. Anyway, hurry up and sign it," Horikita Suzune urged.

"True." Tenyo Yuyuki didn't argue. Instead, he teased, "But I believe I told you I have no interest in promoting to A Class. Suzune, what's the point of doing this?"

"Whether it has a point is for me to decide," Horikita Suzune replied coldly. "This contract should be enticing enough for you, Tenyo. Indecisive boys aren't popular with girls."

"Does signing this contract mean I'll earn Suzune's favor?"

"Whether you earn my favor is another matter, but the fact is, you'll make me happy!"

Horikita Suzune said it with absolute certainty.

There was no benefit in teasing her any further. Tenyo Yuyuki nodded and smiled. "It'll make Suzune happy? That's an even more enticing reward than fifty thousand Private Points."

Horikita Suzune had already signed her name on the contract. Tenyo Yuyuki took a Gel Pen from his bag and wrote his own name.

As soon as he finished the last stroke of the character for "Yuki,"

Horikita Suzune swung a fist straight into Yuyuki's stomach. The two were at different heights: Yuyuki was a rare six feet tall in Sakurajima, while Suzune was only five foot two and still growing.

If your goal was to incapacitate your opponent, the stomach was a good target.

As if he'd expected it, Tenyo Yuyuki instantly took half a step back and dodged.

"Suzune, don't you think sucker-punching me is a little underhanded?"

"There's no such thing as underhanded in a fight."

Horikita Suzune was furious with the man in front of her, who had nearly made her brother look bad.

She wanted to avenge her brother, even though Horikita Manabu didn't need her help.

Horikita Suzune planted her left foot, spun halfway around, and kicked at Yuyuki with her right.

Yuyuki leaned aside to dodge, then slammed his right hand toward Horikita's pretty face without holding back.

Feeling a rush of air, Horikita—who had trained in martial arts for years—instantly raised both hands to shield her face.

Seeing that, Yuyuki immediately turned his fist into a grip and seized Suzune's left wrist. He pulled and guided her off balance, then pinned Horikita to the ground and sat on her.

"Gah—"

Her cheek struck the ground, and Yuyuki had her left hand in a hold. Pinned beneath him, Horikita let out a pained hiss, but she gritted her teeth and endured it instead of screaming.

Looking at Horikita, who had lost the ability to fight back, Yuyuki teased her with an amused look. "Suzune, are you feeling happy now?"

Her shoulder throbbed with pain, and beads of sweat rolled down Horikita's forehead. Still, she didn't look discouraged or beg for mercy. "That's true. It was my mistake not to recognize your strength. Tenyo, what have you studied before?"

"Well, a lot of things." Tenyo Yuyuki shrugged, then repeated, "Suzune, I told you that making assumptions about others is your weakness. How do you feel now?"

"I'm a little frustrated... And..."

While drawing Yuyuki's attention, Horikita used her excellent flexibility to swing her free right hand into his side.

With no choice, Yuyuki let go of her shoulder and took the hit.

Horikita gritted her teeth and pushed against the ground with both hands, forcing Yuyuki off her.

After retreating a few steps, Yuyuki came to a stop. He looked a little helpless. "Suzune, that wasn't necessary. If I'd used even a little more force, your arm could've snapped."

"Mm, I know. I'm grateful."

Horikita Suzune rubbed her shoulder without arguing. Her voice was faint as she added, "Still, you're surprisingly naive, Tenyo."

"Shouldn't you say I'm kind?" Yuyuki raised an eyebrow. "Suzune, you should give up. You're no match for me, and you know it."

"True!"

Although she didn't disagree, Horikita Suzune's arm had started to feel much better. She took up a judo stance and stared coldly at Yuyuki.

"Your technique is better than mine, Tenyo, but fighting isn't just about strength and skill. I absolutely won't forgive you today. Prepare yourself!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Horikita Suzune began edging warily toward Yuyuki. The difference in their abilities was an objective fact, but it didn't mean she had no chance of winning.

Watching Horikita slowly approach, Yuyuki said nothing. He simply gave her a deep look.

Fighting wasn't just about strength and skill. It was also about the strength of one's will.

A first-rate martial artist could read their opponent's intentions during a fight.

Their earlier exchange might have made Horikita think Yuyuki wouldn't hit a woman.

He also hadn't seemed completely impossible to overcome.

"What a ridiculous misunderstanding."

Horikita was only two steps away. Yuyuki flashed forward and swept a roundhouse kick toward her stomach.

"So fast!"

As she exclaimed,

Horikita Suzune felt a burst of pain in her stomach. Even her stomach acid seemed to churn.

She had no time to react. Horikita Suzune was sent flying three or four meters, rolled twice across the ground, then curled up and clutched her stomach, writhing.

"Suzune really doesn't learn." Yuyuki came over and looked down at her. "I told you not to make assumptions about others. Why can't you remember?"

Horikita Suzune lay on her side, clutching her stomach and coughing violently. The intense pain left her unable to speak. She could only look up at the man before her from the corner of her eye.

She could never have imagined the difference between them would be so vast.

How could anyone train their body to become that strong? He was stronger than her teacher—no, even stronger than her brother!

A while later,

the pain in her body gradually eased. Horikita Suzune's gaze remained resolute and frank.

"I admit it. You're the strongest person I've ever seen. When it comes to martial arts, I'm no match for you."

She acknowledged Yuyuki's strength, but her words implied that she still had plenty of confidence in herself in areas beyond martial arts.

Yuyuki had expected that, so he didn't bother responding.

"Fine, I give up." Horikita Suzune nodded with difficulty and said coldly, "Give me your account. I'll transfer the points to you."

"Suzune, losing comes with a price. Do you understand that?"

Instead of answering directly, Tenyo Yuyuki took out his Student ID and checked the time.

"What are you getting at?" Horikita Suzune frowned. "Didn't I say I'd give you the points? What else are you unhappy about?"

"Heh." Yuyuki pulled out the contract and gave her an amused look. "It says 'a ten-minute fight.' I don't know what happened to make you hate me so much, Suzune, but you obviously weren't planning to let me give up. You wanted to beat me up for ten minutes."

"Believe whatever you want. Anyway, transferring you fifty thousand points is enough." Even though he'd seen right through her, Horikita Suzune showed no embarrassment.

"Heh!"

Yuyuki chuckled teasingly, picked Horikita Suzune up from the ground, laid her across his lap, and started spanking her.

"Smack."

A sharp sound rang out. Horikita Suzune's eyes widened, and she hadn't even processed what had happened yet.

"You bastard! What are you doing?"

"It's obvious just by looking. No, you should be able to tell by feeling it, shouldn't you?"

"Damn it, let me go right now, or I'll report you to the school! You'll definitely be expelled for bullying a girl. Let me go now, and I'll pretend this never happened."

"That's too bad, Suzune. This is the unfortunate part of a fight. There are about three minutes left, so endure it."

Even if Yuyuki did the same thing under ordinary circumstances, Horikita Suzune would probably never tell the school. She would retaliate with force or some other means and crush him.

It took a certain degree of nerve to pick on Horikita.

But Yuyuki would never allow any danger to arise.

Now Suzune's contract had become a shackle restraining her. She had no choice but to endure it and hand over fifty thousand Private Points.

"Tenyo Yuyuki, that's enough! You're not even hitting me. How is this any different from groping me?"

"Don't underestimate me, Suzune. Even if I run out of strength, I'm the kind of man who never gives up!"

Tenyo Yuyuki was unmoved by her shouting.

Pleasant times were always short. Seven minutes passed in no time, and Yuyuki released Suzune right on schedule.

"You bastard, delete those photos right now!"

Horikita Suzune clutched her backside, her face flushed as she glared at Yuyuki.

That bastard had even taken pictures as souvenirs. It was utterly despicable.

Yuyuki scrolled through his phone, looking quite satisfied.

On the screen,

Suzune glared indignantly at the camera, her cheeks flushed. Yet she hadn't made the delightful sound he wanted to hear. Her willpower was truly admirable.

"Don't be ridiculous, Suzune. This is one of my spoils of war."

Yuyuki slipped his phone into his pocket. It also held the fifty thousand Private Points Suzune had transferred to him.

Horikita Suzune's face had gradually returned to normal. Her voice was cool as she said, "The contract didn't say anything about spoils of war, Tenyo. Don't push your luck."

"These are to commemorate my heroic performance in battle, my first victory at this school. What's the problem? You're just a defeated dog in these pictures, Suzune! I'm sure this doesn't violate any of the School Rules!"

"You..."

Horikita Suzune's face hardened as she nearly exploded with anger.

Most of the pictures showed her in an embarrassing state. Yuyuki had merely flashed a victory sign.

Even so, there was nothing wrong with what Yuyuki had said!

Even if she reported him to the school, at most they would make him delete the pictures to satisfy the school's moral standards.

But

it would expose her incompetence and tarnish Horikita Manabu's reputation. Besides, Suzune disdained using her elders to handle things this way.

Horikita Suzune tried a different approach and said coldly, "You understood what 'ten minutes' meant from the start. You still signed the contract, so you must have done it on purpose. Tenyo Yuyuki, don't you think you're being despicable?"

"There's no such thing as despicable in a fight."

Horikita Suzune was instantly left speechless when he threw her own words back at her.

After a moment of silence, Horikita Suzune gritted her teeth and said:

"If you let anyone see these pictures, I'll never forgive you."

With that, Horikita Suzune clutched her backside and fled as if running away.

She wasn't actually angry about what Tenyo Yuyuki had done.

Horikita Suzune didn't place much importance on emotions.

While he was hitting her, she really had felt like killing Tenyo Yuyuki. But afterward, all that remained was the frustration of being unable to get revenge, along with a faint Strange Feeling!

Promoting to A Class and getting closer to her brother mattered more than getting even.

Even if Tenyo Yuyuki didn't want to promote to A Class, his strength couldn't be denied. Wasting too much time on him wasn't worth it...