35 Chapter 32: Test of Elegance
Despite being the principal, things didn't unfold as he had envisioned. Strangely, Henry found solace in Murdoch Swan's death, and Yanagi Minoru stepped in to resolve the issue at the school. Was this fate? He didn't concern himself with destiny; all that mattered now was... test of elegance.
"This is the moment, Yanagi-sensei. I want to see if your elegance is truly worthy of shouldering the responsibilities as the head of school affairs."
Henry glanced at the screen, noting that Minoru had ceased running and now strode purposefully towards the building compound. His walk was a masterpiece—dignified and calm, radiating an aura that permeated his surroundings. Henry observed Minoru pass with an air of walking mastery; he approved. Secretary-chan sighed wearily at his erratic speech, while Sae stood with arms and legs crossed, silently watching Minoru.
"Hoho... how about a small test before the main event?" Henry said as Minoru reached the front of the outdoor restroom.
"Hmm? Whoa, is he the teacher?" a cute student with light grey hair murmured, eyeing Minoru as he walked past the restroom. "Ugh. I couldn't hold it anymore."
Minoru furrowed his brow, sensing something amiss, and retraced his steps to the place he had just passed.
"Wait." Minoru grabbed the student's shoulder.
"AHH!" the student yelped, glancing back. "Y-Yes? Did you need something from me?" The student's voice was so feminine that it could make anyone skip a beat.
Yet, Minoru's mental defenses were robust, deflecting the attempted deception.
Minoru released the student's shoulder and inspected the male and female signs on the restroom wall. Seeing through the ruse, he peeled off a sticker, revealing that the student was heading to the wrong section.
The student gasped cutely, "Eh!? This is the wrong room? A-Ah, I don't have any malicious intent! I just thought this is the male toilet." The student blushed shyly.
"It's fine. Maybe this is a prank by some students. But I hope you'll be more cautious, Totsuka Saika," Minoru calmly advised the boy.
"Yes~!" Saika replied cutely. "Wait, you're that famous new teacher, Yanagi-sensei! Ah! I'm sorry for shouting like that. But how did Sensei already know my name?" Saika gasped again, but Minoru remained poker-faced.
"That's my duty that I should know every student's name. Well then..."
Minoru walked toward the main gate, leaving Saika staring at his majesty, completing the side quest of elegance.
"Hoho, well done, well done. I expected that you'd pass the test effortlessly."
Henry nodded, satisfied that Minoru's composure hadn't wavered. After meticulously planning the systematic test, Henry anticipated that Saika would use the restroom at this time, coincidentally crossing paths with Minoru. The plan aimed to assess if Minoru would notice that the restroom sign had been covered with stickers, swapping the male and female symbols. Knowing that Saika was often mistaken for a girl, Henry hoped this would bias Minoru's judgment. However, Minoru's keen eyes proved otherwise.
'Tsk! He noticed it. Well this is nothing...'
Sae mentally bit her thumbnail, having failed to impede Minoru or witness him faltering the test.
Minoru straight-up mocked the pointless test with a heavy sigh.
'You testing me with this shit? Sorry, but women are my first language.'
Did you hear that, fuckers? Did you expect to see him blush at a trap boy, thinking the boy was a chick the whole damn time? How goddamn adorable.
The principal and vice-principal watched him walk, an unstoppable force.
---
09:45 AM
Shit. That was the word that crossed Raku's mind. He was now worried, as this girl clearly didn't understand the situation.
Riko laughed when she heard Ryu telling her to get out of the way.
"Why. Should. I?"
"Ojou-chan, did you not learn manners on how to talk to your elders?"
Riko raised her brow. "Like hell you're my elder. Your face doesn't match quali— hmmph!" As always, Kei held her again, and Riko resisted as always.
"I just called Yanagi-sensei," Moeha said nervously.
"Riko! Are you crazy? We just need to let them go home right away," said Kei. At Kei's words, Riko stopped acting, and Kei let go of her mouth.
Riko glanced at her. "Kei, Moeha. They disturbed our important and happy memory. Aren't you angry that they ruined this event?"
"Uh… I," Kei didn't have an answer.
The truth is, she was scared that Riko might hurt. Moeha peeked at the Yakuza, who seemed displeased with what Riko just said.
Riko glanced back at Ryuu. "You heard me. Get out."
"Hey. Er, you're from the middle school division. Could you just let go for this time? I swear that this won't happen agai—" Raku said as he approached her, yet…
"Shut up! They clearly escorted you here because you're weak."
Silence from Raku as he somehow annoyed at her honesty.
"I like you, Ojou-chan. You have huge guts." Ryuu smiled. "Then, how about this? If you can land a punch to my cheek, and if that hurts, we'll never come here again."
Riko smiled at that. "Okay! Deal!"
"Not so fast. Since you're obviously weak, you can choose someone strong as your champion. I don't care who he is because I'll use a blindfold." Ryuu tied a blindfold around his eyes.
Raku grabbed his hakama and shouted, "Tch! RYUU! Just go home already!"
"Bocchan, we Yakuza never back down to anyone. As the future head of Shuei Clan, you must remember that. Please."
"That's right! Hmmph! Of course! There are a lot of people who want to beat y—"
As Riko glanced at the crowd of white and black uniforms of Shuchi'in, hoping for a volunteer. What she got was the opposite.
"Like I'll do that. Crazy."
"I didn't want to end up in Tokyo Bay."
"Drama queen."
"She's annoying."
"Ah, just get this done already."
"Yeah. She just acted as if she's a heroine or something."
"I came here ASAP because of Yanagi-sensei, and now I'm stuck here."
Murmurs continued spreading like a fire. They looked at her as if she were pathetic or something. She began to waver. This is not what she expected. All she wanted was to have a good memory with everyone. For that reason. That's why she enrolled as a candidate for student council president.
"All I want is—everyone happy." Riko looked at her shoes, wondering why this was what she got.
"R-Riko, I'll do tha—"
Kei and Moeha wanted to say something as they saw Riko on the verge of crying, yet they both stopped as someone passed, seeming like a ghost. The crowd also fell into deep silence as the man with silver hair suddenly appeared, or had they just not been paying attention? Well, it was just Baba Yaga entering the scene.
Tap!
Riko felt something holding her left shoulder. "Good job…" She looked up and saw Minoru. "I'll do it." He said without looking at her. Riko was speechless, just frozen, as she watched him walk confidently toward Ryuu.
Gulp!
Fear.
All the Yakuza there swallowed their saliva, watching this man whooped the living crap outta them, the Shuei Clan, and the Bee Hive Gang—all with nothing but his bare fuckin' hands. Straight-up chills creeping down their spines as Minoru just kept going. Like, why the hell does time gotta drag on so damn much? Move! I wanna move!
"HOH! HOH! This silence! It seems there's a guy with—" Minoru's punch entered the chat. "KUHUKK!"
Ryuu felt like he was falling down, and time seemed to tick really slow. The blindfold slipped from his head, and he looked at the man who punched him.
"Oh…"
Then he entered the dark abyss called unconsciousness.
---
When they saw a beefed-up man with a scar on his face drop like a sack of potatoes from just one punch, they were like, "What the heck?"
Minoru's eyes locked onto the remaining Yakuza. They all went into battle mode as their survival instincts kicked in. The man just stared them down, and he was the real deal.
"Get out of here," Minoru ordered the Yakuza.
"YESSSSS, SIR!" They all shouted like a bunch of Boy Scouts, snatched their leader, and bolted.
"Eh? What's happening?"
"Did he just? No way..."
Murmurs started going wild as the Yakuza bailed without a second thought. Minoru shot them a look.
"This is not a show. Please disband immediately."
They all started scattering too, catching his sharp crimson eyes.
"Amanai... You hurt?"
"...Ah, um. I'm okay..."
Riko looked at him, her big round eyes wide open. The crowd flowed past them like a river, but she only had eyes for him, ignoring the jerks who had been giving her a hard time. Her face got all hot as she blushed at her champion.
"Hehe. Look at her; she must be thrilled."
Moeha giggled, and Riko snapped back.
Riko turned her head around, "WRONG! I'm not thrilled!"
As Minoru observed her, he got the memo. She's fine.
But the Principal's office? Not so much.
"Did he just single-handedly chase off the Yakuza?" Henry exclaimed with his mouth agape.
Sae narrowed her eyes, expressing suspicion. "Sir, there's something I suspect…"
Henry shifted his attention to her. "Go on…"
---
Stones?
