Bet

Kenji's POV

I opened my eyes as my alarm blasted. I groaned and tried to move but I felt something was on top of me. I looked and saw Aiko, naked, sleeping on top of me. I didn't want to wake her up but I had to get ready for work.

I gently pushed her off and put my blanket over her. I quickly washed up and got dressed. I grabbed my bag and uniform before writing a note for Aiko telling her to leave through the balcony since she doesn't have keys to lock my door after she leaves. It was Sunday but I still have work so I head off to the cafe and get this day over with.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I turned around and saw Aiko who was awake and sitting up.

"Oh I'm going to work Aiko chan." I quickly replied

"Come here." she said

I hesitantly approached and she got up, naked. She pulled up my scarf and smiled.

"My marks are still there." she said

I quickly nodded.

"Okay, go. I'll see you at night." she said

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The next day

Madoka's POV

I handed in my test and left the classroom and saw Kenji waiting for me.

"Morning." I said

"Morning. How was the test?" he asked

"Not bad but I should have just taken it last week during class." I sighed

"Did sensei change it up?" asked Kenji

"Yea a bit." I replied

"Did you ask for the answers from your classmates?" asked Kenji

I shook my head and he nodded. We began walking through the campus.

"Here you must be hungry." said Kenji

He handed me a piece of bread which looked like he got it from a cafe.

"Thanks." I said

I took it and began eating it.

"What did you do last night?" I asked

"The usual." sighed Kenji

"Did she rape you again?" I asked

He took off his scarf and showed me his bruised neck. His neck was covered with hickeys and I crushed the bread in my hand in anger.

"She said that she overheard a few girls talking about me and how they said that they wanted to ask me out and all that. So she decided to make it public to the others that I'm 'taken.'" explained Kenji

"And you're fine with that?" I asked in anger

"N-no but I don't want girls asking me out." replied Kenji, "So maybe this is... good?"

He seemed a bit hesitant about it.

"But why does it have to be Aiko?" I asked

"What do you mean?" asked Kenji

"Why couldn't it be me doing it?" I asked

'Please get the hint.'

Kenji seemed a bit surprised about it.

"Oh I mean I wouldn't mind it since you're a friend." said Kenji

'I-I just got friend zoned...'

It felt like an anchor forced my heart to fall down into my stomach.

'Whatever... it doesn't matter anymore.'

"Well actually I uhh don't know if I could do that." I lied

"Oh it's okay." replied Kenji

"What class do you have right now?" I asked, trying to change to subject

"History. After that I have English then music." replied Kenji

"Three classes today?" I questioned

"Yea. I have statistics in between English and music but I can choose which days I go. The catch is, I have to attend class at least 2 days a week." replied Kenji, "I already went twice this week so I'm not going again."

"I see so we're going to be in the same department building." I said

"Yea-"

"Madoka what are you doing?"

I turned around and rolled my eyes when I saw Homura senpai.

"Heading to class." I grumbled

"You have English right? So do I let's-"

I smacked his hand away as he tried to wrap his arm around me.

"Who do you think you are?" I asked

"What's wrong with you? Are you on your period?" asked Homura

"Fuck no. My period has already passed this month fuckhead." I snapped, "You don't even fucking know that yet?"

"Oi watch your-"

"Leave. We both know what you did." Kenji interrupted Homura, "You with the purple hair girl, you were having an orgy with a bunch of people."

Homura scoffed in disbelief.

"You don't have any proof." said Homura

Kenji sighed and pulled out a crumpled up post-it. He opened it up and I realized that it was the post that one of the girls Kenji knew gave him with Homura's room number on it. Homura's face turned pale and his mouth opened then closed.

"If you want to graduate quietly then stop bothering Madoka." said Kenji

Kenji turned and left so I quickly followed him.

"That was nice." I said while smiling

"Oh well I'm more surprised that he even thought that it was enough evidence." replied Kenji

"He's just dumb." I replied

"So I guess you're single." said Kenji

"Yea I am." I replied, "I don't even know why I 'dated' him."

"I told you that you made a mistake." said Kenji

I smacked the back of his head.

"Shut up. You only told me about him. You never told me to break up with him." I mocked

Kenji smiled and just elbowed me gently.

"Well you should still thank me." said Kenji

"Why thank you." I sarcastically said

Kenji smiled and nodded.

"My pleasure." sarcastically replied Kenji

We entered the English department and separated ways. I entered my classroom and then Aiko came in and sat next to me as always.

"Good morning class. I'll be handing back your tests." said sensei

Everyone groaned and I rubbed the back of my neck. Sensei began to call out students one by one while we solved some problems in our work book.

"Aiko Tachibana." called out sensei

She got up and approached sensei at the front of the class and took her test paper. She looked at it and I saw that she seemed to be a bit annoyed.

"Madoka Yamamoto." called out the sensei

I got up and approached sensei.

"Good job. Normally I would think you cheated but since you sat with the people who failed I guess you've been studying." said sensei

He handed me my test paper and I looked at it and my mouth nearly dropped open.

'A 97... that's such a huge boost.'

I went back to my seat and flopped down in shock. I stared at the score for so long that I didn't notice that sensei was continuing the lesson.

"Did Kenji help you?"

I snapped back into reality and looked over to Aiko who looked slightly pissed.

"Yea. What did you get?" I asked

She just shook her head so I took a peek at her paper and nearly chuckled.

'A 47? Holy shit that's worse than my average score.'

Aiko quickly hid her paper but her expression darkened.

'That's not good.'

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8 hours later

Kenji's POV

I jumped up and grabbed onto the rim.

'I'm getting there.'

Tip off was about to start so I got to my starting position. I looked at the crowd and saw Madoka eyeing me.

'Right. The bet.'

I was just about to rub my neck but I remembered that I had make-up to cover my hickeys. Akari didn't see the hickeys since I had them on for a pretty long time.

'We have about a week left until the state finals...'

I began to stretch a bit.

'That's if we continue to win our games.'

I looked around and there were a bunch of cameras and reporters. The tip off was about to start so I moved to my position and waited.

"Oi, you're Kenji right?" asked the point guard guarding me, his number was 4

I nodded.

"Let's have a good game." he said

He raised his fist while smiling so I just gave him a fist bump. The tip off started and Dai jumped up and tipped the ball towards me. Immediately the point guard guarded me and nearly caught the ball but I spun around him and jumped in front of him. I caught the ball and dribbled down the court.

I spun around the center and did a double clutch under the hoop confusing the center. The ball went in and the crowd cheered. I jogged back to the center of the court and got into a defensive position. I looked at the crowd and saw Madoka with a few of the girls on the basketball team, but then I saw the two girls I didn't expect to see, Akari and Rikka.

'They came all the way here?'

"Kenji!"

I snapped back to the game and saw number 4 dribble the ball towards me. I began guarding him so he skid to a stop and passed the ball to another teammate.

'I need to win the bet...'

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2 hours later

Madoka's POV

"Dammit..." I sighed

"Well... you can beat 109 points..." said Kenji

"How the hell did you score 109 points?" I questioned in disbelief

We were sitting in the bus, riding back home.

"I just did. The other team had an easy score." replied Kenji

"Well... I just need 110 points to beat you." I said

"Good luck." said Kenji

"Shut up." I snapped

"Sorry." replied Kenji while smiling a bit

I elbowed him and he just took it.

"It's late..." I yawned, "I'm going to go to sleep."

"Okay." said Kenji

I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep but the bus ride was pretty bumpy and annoying. I needed my head to rest on something but there was nothing I could lean on except for Kenji.

"Oi Kenji... can I lean on you?" I asked

Without hesitation he just nodded so I leaned in and rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes but I still didn't feel comfortable. I moved down and put my head on his lap.

"You don't mind right?" I asked

"I don't mind." replied Kenji

I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

Kenji's POV

I felt my phone vibrate so I took it out and saw that it was a text message from Aiko asking me where I am. I replied, telling her I was coming back and then she said that she was waiting for me.

'Oh no...'

I sighed and leaned my head back against my seat and closed my eyes.

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11 years ago

Kenji's POV

"Are you talking back to me?" asked Aiko

"I wasn't Aiko-"

She cuts me off by dumping milk all over my head. Everyone in the cafeteria began laughing and I just sat there embarrassed.

"Who here saw him talk back to me?" Aiko asked everyone in the cafeteria

Everyone became silent.

"Oi!" snapped Aiko

Everyone slowly raised their hand and I hung my head in sadness.

"Exactly..." whispered Aiko

She grabbed my tray of food and dumped the food on my head. Everyone began to laugh once again and record me on their cellphones.

"Whoever here tries to help him will get beaten up. Is that understood?!" yelled Aiko

Everyone nodded in response.

"See you don't have any friends left to help you." said Aiko

She leaned in and stared deep into my soul.

"You shouldn't have made me feel like a peasant yesterday." said Aiko

"I-I didn't mean it like-"

Aiko slapped me across the face and I fell off my seat. I fell on the floor and Aiko began to punch and kick me. I tried to cover myself but Aiko was able to hit every opening.

"I. Said. Don't. Talk. Back. To. Me." she grunted as she continued to beat me up

Every hit made me feel dizzy, weak and nauseous.

"Watch carefully! You treat me like a peasant, this is what'll happen to you." yelled Aiko

She grabbed my hair and lifted me up. I saw everyone's eyes on me, the eyes of evil. The phones everyone was holding, recording me and Aiko.

"Welcome to hell Kenji." said Aiko

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Present day

Kenji's POV

"Kenji!"

I gasped and opened my eyes. I saw Madoka and everyone else in the bus staring at me.

"Kenji it's okay, it was just a nightmare." said Madoka

"O-oh..." I whispered but my whisper were more like a whimper

"Kenji kun you're crying." said Emiko

I didn't realize that tears were falling out of my eyes. Emiko wiped them off with her hands but I sat there looking at the chair in front of me.

"Sorry..." I apologized

"Everyone off the bus, we're here. Give Kenji some space." said Coach

Everyone grabbed their stuff and left except for me, Madoka and Coach.

"Kenji are you okay?" asked Coach

"I'm... fine. Just a nightmare." I replied

"Okay well go and get some rest." said Coach

He got up and left the bus.

"Kenji what was the dream about?" asked Madoka

I looked at her.

"Can I tell you tomorrow? I feel... dizzy." I replied

"Okay, I'll wait for you." said Madoka