Chapter 7: A New Challenger

It was on the second day of middle school that the student who got the chair next to mine and the window arrived, meaning all students arrived that day.

It was a girl of average height with messy brown hair tied into two short braided pigtails and a pair of glasses.

"Hi, I'm Ken Motohama, nice to meet you," I decided to introduce myself, seeing as we will be sitting next to each other for the next ten months.

"..." She turned to look at me and blankly stared at my hand, outstretched for a handshake.

She looked at the hand and then turned to look at my face, a small frown on her lips.

"Motohama-kun, huh?" I heard her whisper before she took my hand and gave it a shake.

"My name is Aika Kiryuu," Her lips turned to a smirk, "Hope we can get along," And she let go of my hand.

...

"Settle down children, Class is starting," Ojin-Sensei clapped his hands to get our attention, and soon our lessons began.

"Who here can tell me at which year The Tokugawa Shogunate ended?" He asked a few minutes into his impromptu history quiz to test our knowledge.

Kiryuu-san almost jumped in her seat as she raised her hand, ready to answer the question.

"Kiryuu-san, What is the answer?" Sensei asked her, and she lowered her hand and answered.

"The Tokugawa Shogunate officially ended in the year 1868," She said, and Ojin-sensei accepted her answer. "Very Good, Kiryuu-san, Now then, Can anyone tell me When did the Heian period of our history start and end?"

Now it was my time to answer, I need to keep my image as a smart student after all.

"Yes, Motohama-san," Ojin-sensei called and I answered "The Heian period started in the year 794 and ended in 1185,"

Ojin nodded his head, "Very good," and asked his next questions.

After a number of minutes of questions, it appeared that only Kiryuu and I were answering them.

"Oh my god, I think Motohama has a rival now," I heard Oki whisper to Issei, who nodded his head while humming in agreement.

After another forty-five minutes, the bell rang and we began our first break of the day.

...

"Dude, Kiryuu-san is totally stealing your place," Oki yelled as soon as we sat down underneath a tree outside.

"Yeah, Not only is she smart, but she's also a cute girl! Sure her Oppai's aren't very large and she'll probably lose to you in PE, but that doesn't matter! She's going to steal your spot at the top of the class!" Issei yelled and I tried to ignore his blatant sexualization of a middle-school student.

I get that my bro's a pervert, but there was no need to call out her underdeveloped body.

We are 12 and 13, Still Children, none of us are developed.

"She's not going to steal my spot, I'm not some idiot who loses to the first challenger that approaches," I explain to the two lovable idiots I call my friends.

"And besides, maybe she's just trying to make herself look good today because she missed yesterday? No need to start rumors," 

"Rumors about what?" A not-yet familiar but still somewhat noticeable voice calls out to us, and we all collectively turn our heads to see none other than Aika Kiryuu, hands on her hips, her glasses shining menacingly like an anime character, and a sharp smirk on her lips.

"About how I'm going to steal your spot at the top of the grade?" She asked us, taking a few menacing steps forward as she does.

"Because I can tell you now," She stopped right in front of where we were sitting, looking down at us boys on the ground like we were beneath her.

More than just physically, seeing as we were sitting on the ground and she was standing.

She pointed a thin and dainty finger right between my eyes, "I will be taking your spot as the number-one student of the year, mark my words," Her smirk grew in size.

Nobody dared make a sound as this declaration of war was announced.

"Isn't that Motohama-san?" Some student far away asked as he, like the rest of the children outside on their break, looked at the declaration of war towards the smartest kid from their Elementary school.

"Yes, but that girl challenging him? Who does she think she is?" Another student asked.

"That's Kiryuu-san, she was the smartest student in our North Kuoh Elementary, apparently she and Motohama from your South Kuoh got the same top score for their finals,"

"So she's just as smart?"

"Maybe even smarter..."

And as the whispers continued around the schoolyard, Aika Kiryuu waited for a response from Ken Motohama, the boy she challenged for the top spot of their school.

A boy who couldn't concentrate on what was going on at the moment because something very dangerous has just happened right in front of him.

"You might want to fix your skirt a bit, I can see your panties,"

And with those words, he stood up from the ground, pat Aika Kiryuu on the shoulder and told her "Good Luck, I'm rooting for you," before going back to class to get ready for his next period, Quickly followed by Oki Matsuda and Issei Hyoudou.

Leaving Aika alone, with a face red from embarrassment.

"Hehehe, Very well Motohama-san," She whispered to herself as she turned to look at his back as he walked away.

"You will regret this decision,"