School Life Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 - Resolving Your Feelings is a Battlefield

~Lunchtime~

Rinka was still pouting, feeling jealous just because Hiraki is going on a date  with Rie. Earlier on, he had explained the “Missions” and the unknown “10 Pledges” to her, Kishi, Naruko and Rie.

“Wait, Aozora, how’d you know about the game even before I told you about it?” Hiraki inquired, munching on his takoyaki.

“Credits to Naruko!” Kishi answered, giving a v-sign. “She’s a genius on deductions and stuff, ya know.”

“You see, I saw you earlier holding your phone with an annoyed and shocked expression, and then you told us to help you keep the teacher away. It must be something important. Then, when the teacher was walking towards you, you didn’t throw the phone out of the window; it’s so OOC. It must’ve been something really, really important. And the only thing I could think of that there was a game underway in your phone,” Naruko explained every tiny detail.

Hiraki was quite baffled at her. Then, coming back to the main topic, he asked, “This coming weekend, I have to go on a date with Momoko-san. Momoko-san and I will try to extend the date as long as possible for you three to win the game.”

“I’ll use my magic to see the game progress while on my date,” Rie suggested, and everyone agreed on that.

“As for the games--”

”That’ll be taken care of by us,” Kishi decided with a thumbs up. “Don’t worry.”

“Kuuhaku never loses,” Naruko added.

Muttering under her breath, Rinka said, “I’ll finish the game as soon as possible to make the date short--”

Suddenly, she felt a force strike the back of her head-- It was Kishi!

“Ouch...”

“Oi, Rinka, don’t let your heart rule your head! Focus on the game with FULL attention! Or are you saying you can finish the game in a haste and win it?”

Rinka was upset. She didn’t mean that; she just meant...

“Hey, stop it..!” Hiraki tried to mediate the situation.

“Rinka-san, are you actually jealous..?” Naruko asked out of concern, and this made Rie alerted.

“Kishi-chan, Naruko-chan... Can you teach me how to play the upcoming game? Let’s go to another quieter place,” Rinka ignored her words, then tugged Kishi and Naruko together with her. Then, Rie and Hiraki were left alone.

“... Ekiguchi-kun, I think you need to have a talk with Kiriko-chan,” Rie suggested.

“Yeah, I don’t understand how she was acting like that.”

Meanwhile, Rinka, Kishi and Naruko were in the back alley of the school.

“So, what’s the game?” Rinka asked, grinning.

“... Chess,” Kishi answered without much thought. “We’re pros at it, especially Naruko. Right?” She locked her arms around Naruko.

“Yep. And if we’re playing chess, I’m pretty sure ‘God’ knows it. So, our most likely opponent is Murasakii Kiyomi, the number one chess player in Kaisou High,” Naruko deduced. “She’s also from the Flugel faction.”

[Murasakii Kiyomi -- the genius in chess, however it is not known if Kuuhaku is stronger than her, since they haven’t fought in a game yet. Born on Dec 8, her sign is Sagittarius. Faction: Flugel]

“Oh no, I’m bad at it...” Rinka cried her drama-queen tears, trying to hint something.

“Okay okay, we’ll teach you,” Kishi agreed. “But will there be enough time? It’s only about five days.”

“I’ll learn fast!!”

“Well then, you must learn the basics first. There are 16 chess pieces...”

~Later that evening~

Hiraki knocked on the door to Rinka’s house. (They’re neighbours, remember?)

“Come in!” Her usual cheery voice called out.

Opening the door, he stepped inside. Everything was normal -- neatly arranged magazines, comfy sofas and simple yet intricate-designed windows. Nothing unexpected from a high school girl who lives alone.

“Hmm, chess?” He asked, clearly dumbfounded at the sight of the messy chess pieces scattered all over the coffee table along with a chess board.

“That’s what we decided to play for the game.”

...

There was this awkward silence again, with the both of them not knowing how to continue the topic.

With a deep breath, Rinka asked, “Hey.. Hira-kun.. Can you not go on a date with Rie-chan this weekend?”

“Well.. I...” Hiraki stammered. “I...can’t. We have to complete the missions in order to remove the hierarchy, remember? So...please... understand for the sake of our victory.”

“Knew it,” Rinka thrusted herself backwards towards the sofa, hugging tightly a pillow.

“I’m sorry--”

“If that’s needed to remove the hierarchy, I’d gladly accept so! Because, I can’t let my feelings affect our victory, right?” Rinka smiled her fullest. “I’m okay now!”

His face lit up, flashing a broad grin. “Thanks, Rinka! I’ll treat you to a chocolate buffet! Now, let me help you in learning chess. I’m quite good at it!”

“Yay!!”

~The next day~

Hiraki’s phone buzzed. Thinking that it was from ‘God’, he quickly fished it out, but what shocked him was--
---
From: Aozora
Message:
Imanity has risen from being 16th to being 15th!
---
He jumped and punched fists in the air. For the first time ever in three years, Imanity has risen a rank!

Meanwhile, Rinka, Kishi and Kurojiro were on their “recon” mission. They went to the library to find out more about the Flugel, only to see Murasakii Kiyomi at the library counter.

“Hello, students from Imanity,” Kiyomi greeted with a bow. She had long and silky purple hair, and a pair of angel-like wings protruded out from behind. “This library is owned by the Flugel faction; if you’d like to borrow some books, you’ll need to be in the faction.”

“Eh.. I see...” Kishi said. “Then I’ll be direct. We want this library.”

“Of course, if you win the chess battle this weekend. Oh, and, did you know? Imanity once lost to us, and we took the whole library!”

Kishi and Naruko turned to Rinka, with Kishi glaring angrily.

“I-I’m very sorry!” Rinka cried out, praying for her dear life.

“But, Kiyomi-san, if you already know about the chess game, then you must be our opponent,” Naruko’s deductions were correct.

“Yes.”

“Well then, let’s go,” Kishi turned towards the exit, and together with Rinka and Naruko following her. “Let’s have fun in the chess battle.”

Kiyomi grinned from ear to ear. “Yes, of course. I can’t wait to face you!”

Then, they exited the library.

“Rinka... I am so going to kill you...!” Kishi had an aura of evil surrounding her with imaginary hell flames appearing behind her. “WHY THE HECK DID YOU LOSE A HUGE LIBRARY TO THE FLUGEL?!!”

With Naruko holding Kishi back, Rinka hung her head low and apologised desperately, “I’m sorry!! It was my senpai, Nijika Chiyo, that had organised the game! I wasn’t in charge of Imanity at that time!!”

[Nijika Chiyo -- the former leader of Imanity that graduated. She’s the senpai of Rinka and Hiraki, and the three of them were also best friends. Ex-Faction: Imanity]

“For now, please calm down, Kishi-nee,” Naruko pleaded with her cuteness, and Kishi finally piped down. “We have no choice but to ask the students about information regarding the Flugel.”

“Uhh.. May I ask something? Naruko-chan, why are you calling Kishi ‘Kishi-nee’ when you two are apparently the same age?”

“Does it bother us when we play games?”

“No, but--”

“Then don’t ask.”

~During break time of afternoon classes~

Hiraki’s phone vibrated. So many texts today?
---
From: Rinka
Message:
We found some facts about Flugel! It’s the faction we’re facing against. It seems that they love collecting books to increase their knowledge of the world, and most of the members in Flugel gets at least top 10 in class. They also have angel-like wings, and they’re only visible to the students of Kaisou High. Magic is usable for them, too.
But Kishi-chan is angry with me for the fact that Imanity lost a huge library to Flugel... (TT_TT)
---
That’s of course, Hiraki thought, facepalming. I’m not sure why Chiyo-senpai did that game, anyway.

It was three more days to their date -- and the game, too.

~END OF CHAPTER 4~