Chapter 10: Chapter 10 - The Delinquents
Meanwhile, after parting ways with Ito Yoshito, Tsushima Rina headed to Class 1E to find her good friend and fellow Gyaru, Kurashiki Reina.
The afternoon sun was bright and warm, streaming through the windows in golden beams that danced lightly across the classroom.
In this gentle light, by the window sat a girl who looked like the most vibrant splash of color in the sunlight, inadvertently drawing everyone's attention.
Her skin glistened softly, appearing bright and porcelain-like under the sun's rays. The golden strands of her long hair were bathed in a delicate glow, enhancing her beauty.
What should have been a warm scene became charged with allure, as the sunlight filtered through her thin clothing, accentuating her alluring curves.
Kurashiki Reina had inherited her mother, Kurashiki Reika's enviable figure.
Beneath her white shirt, full curves pressed against the fabric, exuding a softness that could easily be inferred.
Her short skirt revealed long, shapely legs that crossed elegantly, the smooth skin of her thighs creating gentle waves of flesh.
Black knee-high stockings hugged her calves, giving an enticing glimpse of her well-kept figure, stirring the curiosity of nearby admirers.
"Reina, those disgusting virgin boys are practically drooling over you," Tsushima Rina remarked, approaching her friend.
"Huh?"
Kurashiki Reina looked up from her phone, where she'd been lost in a handsome boy's pictures.
Her long eyelashes fluttered, and her blue, cat-like eyes narrowed as she scanned the room, radiating an air of disdain that made the boys around her shy away.
They could only whisper behind her back, saying things like, "Kurashiki is seriously mesmerizing♥."
"Shut up, all of you," Kurashiki snapped playfully, turning to face her good friend Tsushima.
"Rina, let's go. I can't stand those pitiful bugs staring at me."
She put her phone away, tied her black jacket around her waist, grabbed her bag, and led the way out of the classroom.
Walking side by side on the cherry blossom-lined paths of the school, Tsushima Rina boasted, "Reina, guess what I discovered today? Hehehe!"
"I don't even need to think about it, you must have found a new handsome guy to be this excited," Kurashiki replied.
Both girls were beauty enthusiasts and shared similar tastes, which made them very compatible friends.
"Exactly! You can't hide anything from me, Reina! This guy is a heavyweight super handsome! I'm already imagining us as a couple, and then…"
"Pfft, Rina, you say that every time, and yet here you are, still a virgin," Kurashiki couldn't hold back her laughter, teasing her friend.
Rina had boasted about her past boyfriends and the joys of romance, but Kurashiki had quickly discovered that those stories were merely fantasies, leaving her to mock Rina from then on.
"Hmph, you're no different!"
Japan had introduced sex education at a young age, enabling Tsushima Rina to develop an early interest in romance.
After encountering inappropriate materials in middle school, her fascination only grew.
However, the boyfriends she'd had thus far were either too immature or overly aggressive, thanks to her privileged background, which allowed her to avoid their shortcomings.
Consequently, she remained untouched.
"This time it's different!"
Tsushima insisted passionately.
"I've observed this one closely; he's really strong!"
"Ha! Just because he's muscular doesn't mean anything," Kurashiki said dismissively.
Tsushima Rina opened her mouth to retort when her gaze caught a familiar figure in the distance.
"Reina, look! That's the handsome guy I was telling you about!"
Kurashiki squinted toward where Rina pointed, spotting a tall figure off in the distance.
"That silhouette looks familiar. Have I seen him before?"
She pondered, crossing her arms, a look of concentration on her face.
"Rina, do you have a picture of him?"
"I do! But I've already laid claim to him, so don't even think about it," Tsushima warned, eyeing Kurashiki's ample curves with a hint of concern.
Both girls were skilled at dressing up, but Kurashiki's regal aura and more pronounced figure gave her a serious advantage.
Tsushima felt a twinge of insecurity, knowing that if Kurashiki decided to compete with her, she might not stand a chance.
"Fine, fine," Kurashiki waved dismissively.
Tsushima took out her phone and showed Kurashiki a recently snapped photo.
"Look! This is an intimate shot of me and Ito-kun!"
Kurashiki looked at the photo and realized it was Ito Yoshito, the boy she'd met before.
"No wonder he looks familiar; he's that guy!"
She lowered her head, her long lashes casting a delicate shade over her eyes as they sparkled with newfound intrigue.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Tsushima asked, feeling uneasy under Kurashiki's gaze.
She playfully poked Kurashiki's curves, causing the fabric of her shirt to dip inwards.
Unfortunately for them, Ito Yoshito, the guy who could appreciate such beauty, wasn't around to witness it
It was a moment just for Tsushima's viewing.
Kurashiki flicked Tsushima's hand away with annoyance.
"Enough of that! Let's go see your boyfriend!" she exclaimed, giving a teasing laugh.
"Alright! Let's go!" Tsushima agreed, eager to meet Ito Yoshito again.
The two girls followed the path, hurrying to catch up with the retreating figure of Ito Yoshito.
...
On the other side, Ito Yoshito had walked a good distance after leaving the school when he noticed two youths with flamboyantly colored hair leaning against a utility pole, occasionally glancing toward the school gate, as if searching for someone.
Suddenly, it appeared they spotted him, prompting them to quickly pull out their phones for a closer look.
Once they confirmed his identity, they pocketed their devices and approached him.
Ito didn't stop.
He continued walking without changing his expression until the two delinquents blocked his path.
Only then did he halt, looking at them flatly.
"What do you want, gentlemen?" he asked coolly.
"Huh?"
The delinquents were caught off guard.
Had they been insulted before they even spoke?
"You're quite the cocky one, eh?" one of them said, grabbing Ito by the shoulder to prevent him from escaping.
"You're coming with us. Being so arrogant, you've got a surprise waiting for you."
Ito exchanged glances with them, revealing no intention to resist as he followed their push into a dark and narrow alley.
In the alley, a group of about seven or eight delinquents were loudly exchanging crude jokes and banter, filling the air with a raucous atmosphere.
When they saw the two who had brought Ito, their expressions turned into ones of hostility and provocation, grinning as they laughed wickedly, emitting unsettling "heh heh heh..." sounds.
The pair holding Ito was preparing to shove him into the center of the group, but no matter how hard they pushed, they couldn't budge him an inch.
Seeing their predicament, one lead delinquent with bright hair motioned for the others to close in around Ito.
"Wow, kid, you've got some strength, huh? Masaru Oga, what do you think we should do with him?" the lead delinquent asked, glancing back at the figure behind him.
Masaru Oga, with his hands casually in his pockets, flashed a sneer as he sauntered toward Ito.
"Hey, look who it is—our big shot, Ito Yoshito! How about a little fun with us, eh, 'big shot'?"
Oga taunted, leaning in close and provocatively slapping Ito's face lightly.
Ito merely stared quietly at him, and suddenly, with a swift motion, he delivered a powerful punch to Oga's cheek.
"Clown."
Oga crumpled to the ground, clutching his swollen face, writhed in pain as he curled up.
The other delinquent stood there, stunned and bewildered, staring at his fallen companion.
Had Masaru Oga really just offered himself up like that?
Realizing Oga was the one funding their escapades, the remaining delinquent regained his composure and glared furiously at Ito.
"You're going to pay for that!"
He lunged first, swinging a metal pipe as he charged at Ito with a vicious roar.
Ito had anticipated the attack.
With a slight sidestep, he evaded the oncoming blow, slipping easily through the narrow confines of the alley where only two delinquents could reach him at a time.
As they swung at him, he weaved away at impossible angles and speeds, retaliating with calculated strikes that landed directly on their weak points, sending them tumbling with cries of pain.
Suddenly, the two delinquents who had initially pushed him into the alley reappeared, grabbing sticks from the ground to hit him from behind.
"Is that your best shot?"
Ito asked nonchalantly, brushing dust off his clothes before throwing a punch at each of them.
Soon, they lay crumpled on the cold ground.
With these dismissive actions complete, Ito surveyed the alley, now steeped in silence.
He approached the crumpled body of Masaru Oga, still pretending to be unconscious, and tugged at his hair to lift his head, looking down at him impassively.
"Oga... Forget it, I can't be bothered to waste my time talking to you. You're not worth it," Ito said before slamming Masaru Oga's head back down to the ground, a few teeth scattering around.
Standing up, he stomped heavily on Oga's arm and thigh, a satisfying crack ringing out in the air.
With his exit marked by a cacophony of moans and feeble struggles behind him, Ito Yoshito stepped into the fading sunlight.
The last rays of the sun battled through the clouds, striving to grant a final touch of light to the earth before succumbing to darkness.
It was merely a fleeting memory.
...
"Ugh, Reina, you need to stay active! Now look, we lost him!"
"Hmph," Kurashiki pouted slightly, turning her head aside.
Just then, she noticed the chaotic dramatics unfolding in the alley.
"Rina, Rina, there's an exciting scene happening over there! Let's check it out!"
Tsushima Rina followed Kurashiki's gaze.
"Sure! I'd like to see the handsome guy too, so let's go!"
With immense confidence that came from their wealthy backgrounds, the two girls dashed toward the commotion, eager not to miss anything.
As they reached the alley, the first sight that greeted them was a few delinquents lying on the ground moaning in pain.
Next came Ito Yoshito, moving gracefully as though performing a solo dance, captivating them entirely.
With sweeping leg kicks, elbow strikes, and shoulder rams, every move they witnessed resulted in opponents crashing to the ground in quick succession, their hearts quickening at the ferocity of each encounter.
When one delinquent swung a stick at Ito, both girls gasped in worry, but they found themselves equally mesmerized by his unyielding stance and dominance.
The final brutal move that took down the last thug left them utterly astonished, their mouths agape, as droplets of excitement moistened their thin masks.
Stepping out of the alley, Ito noticed the two flustered bad girls staring at him with flushed cheeks, their spring-like eyes misty and captivated.
"It's you two! What are you doing here? I hope I didn't scare you…"
Ito initiated, trying to ease the thick tension in the air that seemed to suffocate him.
"...What were you doing?"
Ito was puzzled by their behavior as Rina and Reina each clung to one of his arms, their soft forms providing unexpected comfort.
"Stop calling me Yoshito, just call me 'stop-kun,' be my boyfriend!" Tsushima jumped right in with a direct approach.
Kurashiki gave a sidelong glance to her friend, her tone still commanding, "First, add me on Line. We'll have lunch together tomorrow."
Her voice was authoritative, as if addressing her subjects.
"Alright then," Ito sighed lightly and took out his phone to add Kurashiki.
"Huh?"
Tsushima suddenly snapped out of her daydream, looking surprised, "You two know each other?"
"Wouldn't you know?" Kurashiki smirked, proud of her social connections.
"...Reina, you promised not to steal him from me," Tsushima shot an annoyed glare at her friend.
"I never said that," Kurashiki countered, a hint of guilt in her eyes as she turned away.
Although she had felt an attraction to Ito when she first met him in the hospital, she had dismissed him, assuming he was set up by her mother to be something less than good for her.
She had no intention of competing with her friend… At least, that was how she felt until now.
Upon seeing Ito's strikingly courageous face, she made up her mind that he was the one she was going to claim.
Tsushima didn't back down and continued to glare at Kurashiki, full of resentment.
"Alright, alright," Kurashiki sighed heavily under the pressure of her friend's gaze, leaning closer to whisper to Tsushima, "I'll share him with you, so don't be mad."
"...Fine," Tsushima relented, feeling a mixture of resignation and attachment to her friendship with Kurashiki.
Even though she had never experienced anything romantic before, Ito Yoshito stirred something within her.
However, she lacked the confidence to compete with her friend.
Having grown up together, they had shared so much, and perhaps… this could work out.
"Guys, can I head back now?" Ito asked, watching as the two girls huddled together, giggling and whispering.
Not wanting to hold him back, they simply replied, "Make sure to eat lunch with us tomorrow!"
Kurashiki reminded him once more.
"Got it," Ito replied, walking away as his figure slowly faded into the evening light.
"Rina, I'm heading off."
Kurashiki licked her cherry-red lips, leaving behind a glistening trace of warmth.