"Rivalry"

Chapter 8

When things starts to calm down, Asuza went back down stairs. "Oh did you guys already make it up?" While walking she look at us and asked.

Amane somehow feeling embarrassed glance at her and sob her face on my chest. I turn my gaze to Asuza, she let out a smug face and shrugged her arms. When she notices me looking, she wink her left eye and give me a thumbs up. I don't know what's that supposed to mean but I didn't pay attention to her actions and focus my gaze to Diane who's start to wake up.

"Ow... My body hurts like hell." She groans while standing up on couch. She barely fix her posture and let her body fall on the couch again.

"So you are awake now... How do you feel?" I asked her a question to see you how she is going to respond. Diane avert her eyes on me and grin.

"I feel happy tonight... In fact I'm so happy that I wanted to fight you right away but the results will be the same, for now..." Diane is hinting that she will come back once she gains the strength to defeat me.

Like I stated before, I'm not the strongest man in the world or even in the country. When I punch the punch machine back in the day, my fist measures 849 and my kick is 1293. I gain it through intensive training since I was a kid.

Setting my stats aside, Diane have 634 measurements when she was in fifth grade of middle school. It's not surprising, afterall she was labeled as "child prodigy".

I already told Amane about what happened to us why things lead this way. She seems to accept it, for Diane's sake and didn't pursue the matter any longer for a condition that as long as I give what she needs.

Anyway, we meet each other back in middle school, when I was on sixth grade. I was on my way to deliver some box full of Dobok and pants. One of the teacher asked me to deliver it at gymnasium because he spotted me doing nothing in particular.

Usually, no one is allowed to enter the gymnasium except club members and someone who have business inside to avoid disturbance.

I open the door and sighted two women fighting each other inside the ring. "What is this? An sparring session..." I speak to myself while watching the match.

Rather than a match, it's a one sided. Diane ruthlessly beating her opponent. The moment they starts the match, she rushes into her direction and attack her consecutively. Feint Low kick, high kick, spin kick and the finishing side kick. It didn't last a minute and ended immediately.

The audience, her club members were impressed by the match. However, there are two people present in the room that's not affected by her performance. The two people are her coach and me.

Diane is without a doubt strong but her opponent is someone who cannot fight her back. She is probably the second best among her club members. The match between them is comparable to an expert beating up a target dummy.

Diane approaches her training partner and help her stand up. "Thank you..." Feeling somehow tired, she accept her hand and express her gratitude.

"That was impressive Ayase-san!" I could hear some of her club members praising her. The two of them take corners to rest, there's probably another round but it's none of my business. I look away from them and approaches the coach. She notices me getting closer and turn her gaze towards me.

"Oh, Ameguri-kun... Did you watch the match?" She glance at the box I'm carrying and asked me while her arms crossed.

"Yes, it wasn't even a match to begin with, just a person beating up a weak opponent." I put my thoughts into words as I answer her question.

"Yeah... Honestly, Ayase-chan is undoubtedly strong but her strength doesn't match junior division." She means that Diane is a child prodigy that have strength close to those highschoolers or adult despite being young.

"The biggest problem here is putting a shark on fish tank which contains sardines and watch them fight each other." I speak out loud while watching the second round unfold.

She take a deep sigh. "Even in junior division she became a champion easily... At this rate her talent would be waste... If I only could find a suitable opponent..." She looks at Diane pitifully while shaking her head.

"Anyway, where I can put this box?" To change the topic, I asked her where I'm going to put the box, and leave right away since I'm not allowed to stay here, even if I know the coach.

"Oh just put it down her- wait a minute... Since you deliver that box from here does that mean you don't have anything to do Ameguri-kun?" She cut her words and came into realization that I have a free time.

I can speculate what's going to happen next. In order to avoid it, I decided to spout a lie. "Actually, I still have homework to be taken care off..." I look away from her while stating my execuse.

"You are terrible liar..." She stare at me disturbingly, and grab my shoulder. "Anyway, just one match come one now..." Her eyes rather looks flashy and moist as if it's attacking my conscience saying "are you going to leave that girl who needed you alone? Can you do it?"

I gently pushes her away. "I can fight her... However, isn't it against the rules for man and woman to fight each other?" I might not know much about taekwondo but at least I know that much.

"Yeah... It's against the rules but it's only applicable in official matches not in sparring session." I tried to play mind games with her but she seems to realize it and counter attack me.

"Fine... I will fight her just once... But you have to do all the talking." Having no way out I decided to accept the offer. She seems to be happy about it.

"Ayase-chan, come here for a minute..." She called out Diane from the ring, and I walk along side her. The match between them seems to be over and her partner couldn't continue anymore. I could tell because she is out of breath.

"What is it coach?" Diane remove her head gear and asked.

"Well, about that I finally found a suitable sparring partner for you..." She turn her gaze at me along with everyone inside the gymnasium. "He will be your opponent, his name is Ameguri Hayama."

I slightly lower my head to her. She do the same thing and introduce herself. "My name is Ayase Diane, pleasure to meet you." She realizes that we are studying on the same school, and I'm the person who deliver the box earlier. Even though she is on sparring session, she pay close attention to her surroundings. Its only for a fraction of second but I feel her eyes lock on me earlier the moment I enter the gymnasium.

"Anyway, it looks like you don't have gears. You can use my extra..." She take a good look at me and give a proposal. However, before she could finish her words I cut her off.

"That's not necessary..." I speak to her with confidence. I'm hinting that, protective gears was unnecessary it slows down my movement. Instead of advantage, it's disadvantage.

"What are you talking about? Protective gear is a must to avoid injury..." One of her club members speak up, she is the person who spar with Diane earlier.

"Protective gears is unnecessary... However, it was labeled as necessary to avoid accidental injury. But it's only a sparing session not a death match or anything. Are you saying that the champion skills were fluke? Or perhaps hinting that she only becomes a champion because she injured her opponents?" In order to gain advantage, I decided to attack her psychological state using facts. I heard it before that her opponent got beaten up so badly that they were sent to hospital.

"Enough... Instead of talking get on the ring and prove your skills." The one who just spoke was no other than their coach. She was rather looks excited because I'm going to fight her best pupil.

Actually, back in the day when I fought someone from highschool. She was present by coincidence and watches the match between us. I knock out my opponent with a single round house kick when he gets closer to me. The incident was self defense but ever since then she tried to recruit me several times in taekwondo club.

I head inside the ring, and sighted Diane taking off her gears.

"Ayase-san, why did you remove your gears? That's too dangerous..." her sparing partner speak to her with concerned. Diane is rather a diamond in taekwondo club, so they must protect her at all cost. That's how they see her value but for an outsider like me she is nothing but a pebble.

"Gears will hinder movements... He notices it too... Besides I couldn't just swallow what he stated about me. I only manage to win because I'm using dirty tactics you say? I will prove it to you that all I have is pure skills... I'm not underestimating your strength but I couldn't reach the conclusion where you can beat me..." She take a fighting stance and waited untilt he fight starts.

I remove my shoes and put my hands on my pocket. I'm currently standing on mattress ring wearing socks. "I don't know much about the rules of taekwondo so how about we changes the rules a little bit?" I cut my words and made a momentary pause then continue speaking. "We won't based the results on points which gain by hitting, instead the person who gets three knock down on opponent wins." I give her my proposal and she seems to accept it by nodding to me. After getting her confirmation, I approaches her.

The distance between us has been narrow down to one meter. Then I stretches my hand offering her a hand shake. She went back to basic stance and shake my hand. After that we bow to each other and take a step back.

The match is about to begin... I rushes into her direction. Once I reaches the certain range, I will attack her neck with left hook.

Diane seems to realize it and prepare a safety precautions by either blocking my kick with left hook or dodge my attack. However, instead of left hook I attack her open chets with side kick. At first glance it looks incomprehensible and wouldn't be even called side kick nor hook.

[What I did is simply raising my left leg with a movement hinting it was left hook. But instead of keeping my leg extended, I keep them close to my thigh and stretches it to her chest. It looks like a side kick but side kick came from below while the side was facing opponent. In my case, I'm facing Diane upfront and when I levitate my leg, I slightly move my shoulder along with my body and now my side is facing her.]

I didn't use my full strength so before the attack hit her, I stop moving and gently pushes her chest using my foot.

From other people's perspective, I'm all speed and lack in power. However, my strength is enough to knock her down. When that happens, everyone who watches the match were stunned. But the most shock of all was Diane. She couldn't comprehend what just happened

"One point for me..." I talk to her, she seems to regain her composure after hearing me speak and take a step back.

[How are you going to win against an opponent that doesn't wear protective gears? The answer is simple, beat her up without hurting her physically but mentally.]

I didn't wait for Diane to fully recover and attack her again. I make her think I'm going for a spin back kick by pinning my right leg on the ground and circulate my left leg. She raises both of her arms to block my kick in advance.

However, it was all inside her head. The moment she raise both of her arms to guard her chest, I sweep her foot which results into another knock down.

"What...? What happened!?" The champion started to feel panic due to unexpected results. Diane was certain that I'm going for a back spin kick that's why she preferred to guard herself in advance but what I'm aiming at was her foot.

[My body movements were hinting I'm going for spin kick but my right foot which touching the mattress slide closer to her. After that, I take a curve step. My movement is shambles which make me out of balance but it's all part of the plan. I make my right leg slip through mattress and uses my left leg to take a curve step, aligning it into the direction of her foot. When I fall or rather slip, my foot will hit her feet resulting into Diane losing her balance.]

"Two points..." I muttered out loud and stand up.

"Using gravity to knock down an opponent. He is really something else..." Form a distance I heard the coach speak. It looks like she knows what I'm doing and found it fascinating.

Diane on the other hand, couldn't comprehend my fighting style. She stand up and started to feel pressure due to our score which is 2-0. When I look at her face, I could tell that she is getting overwhelmed by her own self.

Being in desperate situation, I'd like to see what kind of option Diane will choose. She stands up and made up her mind. She take a curve step and jump, it's a 360 left hook aiming for my shoulder. It looks like she is going to kill me.

"I guess, she resolve herself huh..." I speak to myself and counter with a back spin kick. However, instead of counter it's appropriate to say I increase the force of her attack to make her lose balance. Her body falls of the ground and generates a loud sound along with the silence of crowd.

I glance at Diane and sighted a defeated expression on her face. For the first time in her life, she encounter an opponent she couldn't defeat. I turn my back on her and speak. "You realize it don't you? I didn't even use my full strength and merely entertain you with ridiculous moves. The difference is our strength is like land and sky." What is stated is certainly a lie. I am stronger than her but I'm not someone who's out of reach.

I simply make her think that she won't be able to catch up on me. When I first attack her, I'm certain that she could at least receive or dodge the left hook I threw. But since I attack her open spot by switching it to the effect of side kick, it causes confusion.

Actually, when I switch the attack the damage she will take isn't that much rather its equivalent to receiving a light jab. But in a state of confusion, there's no way for her to find out after all it's a knockdown. It was the time my victory is certain.

Diane clench her fist, like a child who's about to cry after experiencing a single lose. I didn't pay attention to her and bow casually before going outside of the ring.

"That was impressive match Ameguri-kun..." The coach commended our match. She understands my intention and give me a praise because of it. However, she is the only one who knows about it.

"I'm leaving now..." I put my shoes back and wave my hands to her while taking a step towards the exit.

"Thank you..." The coach lowered her head and express her gratitude towards me. She was rather look genuinely happy as if the thorn in her throat was finally gone.

Chapter 8.1

A week later, one of Diane clubmates approaches me on my way to the bathroom. "What do you need?" I stop walking and asked him a question.

"Actually, Ameguri-senpai, I wanted to tell you something. Ayase-senpai didn't attend the school for a week. After you leave the gymnasium, she stands up while crying and left. We didn't see her since then." He stated his objective and inform me about Diane's disappearance.

I look away from him and proceed to go to the bathroom. He followed me and I speak to him. "What about it? It doesn't have anything to do with me anyway."

"That might be true Ameguri-senpai... But you are still involved aren't you?" So he simply wanted to me to do something about Diane.

"Then what do you want me to do?" I asked him while washing my hands.

"Can you talk to her...? This is her address... We tried to visit her house several times but she won't get outside." He hand over a folded paper to me and leave the bathroom.

"I guess... I just have to do it right?" I muttered to myself and decided to help Diane get back on her feet. After all, I started it.

When the class is over, I immediately stand up and leave the classroom. I visited the address on paper which my kohai gave me. "Is this her house?" There is a two story house which specified the address. "This is rather demanding of them... He wanted my help because Diane is diamond in taekwondo club huh... I guess I just have to resolve this the usual way." I muttered to myself and open the gate. I looked around the house to see if a camera exits but apparently they don't have it.

I ring the door bell several times but didn't get any response. If I identify myself, I would probably have a better chance of getting her attention. However, I intend to resolve this my own way.

I stomp the door with my full strength until it's broken. "How many times did I kick the door? Around 20 may be but it doesn't matter..." I speak to myself after destroying the door and head inside.

I look around the house, it was rather empty. The police might come to arrest me but I have to deal with Diane for now.

I head upstairs and search for Diane's room. I found a door with her name of it and kick it aggressively. At first kick, I didn't get any response but when I kick the second time I heard the sound of door being unlock.

"Hey who the hell you think you are kicking someone's room!" She head outside wearing a pajama. Her hairs was haggard and I could see eyes bags which indicates she lack sleep.

"Ugh! Ameguri Hayama..." She wasn't please seeing me and let out a disgusted expression on her face.

I grab her collars without saying a word which got her startled. "Hey what do you think you are doing? Assaulting a girl! Let me go pervert!"

I didn't listen to her, instead I lifted her body and throws her at the ground.

"Ouch! That hurts!" She rub her bottoms while sitting on the floor.

I averted my gaze away from her and speak. "Your clubmates asked me to talk to you since they were worried about you. I can't believe it either. A champion being tears after being humiliated? Pathetic..." After I put my thoughts into words. I take a step downstairs and call the repair man. Well, it's only natural afterall I destroy her door.

While I'm sending a message, Diane approaches me and grab my collars. "Shut it! What do you know? You never been a champion! You don't understand how I feel! Winning is everything for me the moment I lose then my life is over..."

She yelled at me and let go of my collars after. "My parents and everyone always have high expectations from me if I didn't fulfill then what I am supposed to do!?" Her face is closer to mine. When she spit her words along with her saliva, it's hitting my face.

I smack away her hand and responded to her. "You are pathetic... You have been blinded by your own delusions, 'self proclaimed champion!'" I cut my own words after putting emphasize on word self proclaimed champion. The coach told me about it. Your parents were also excellent at sports right?"

After asking her a question, I turn my back on her and didn't wait for an answer. "Did you seiously think that your father becomes a taekwondo national champion without experiencing defeat? What about your mother who's team were champion at volleyball? Did you seiously think their team remains undefeated?"

I turn my face around and look at her eyes directly. Despite crying Diane keep her sharp glares at me hinting that if I insulted her parents, she will knock me out or kill me. Anyway, I focus on our conversation and didn't pay attention to her childish threats. "You are being delusional! I check your parents history and find out they loss several times before they become a champion..." That's right his father went through a lot of failure before reaching the success. "You didn't know it right? That your father experience injury multiple times during training? Such information can be seen on internet.

According to him, he train himself non stop for three years as preparation to fight in the tournament. It was started by kicking banana tree, then bamboo, switch to cocolumber and lastly metal tube."

She was rather shock by what I stated, but it was all true since I watches his interview videos. Since she remain silent the whole time couldn't find the words she wanted to say I just continue talking. "I also watches your mother's interview. Before they become triple crowns, they suffer a humiliating match. Experiencing three consecutive labset in tournament... Do you know how does it feel? Of course you don't."

I speak to her with provocation. I wanted to add fuel on wet woods hoping the small fire is enough to make it burn. "Listen self proclaimed champion, your parents work hard in their own field to achieve a strength worthy enough to be a champion and defend their title. But you failed to see that... You only see the results of their hard work and didn't see the process."

Diane was under the impression of "in order to becomes great like my parents I must remain undefeated! To become great like them, I must satisfy everyone's expectations".

She doesn't have any idea how many times her parents failed. What kind of hardships they went through, the pain, the embarrassment, the feeling of working hard in order to achieve something and the feeling or reaching their hands to something unreachable.

Despite that they succeed in life and manage to become great. Their greatness in sports influence their daughter to be someone like them but she misunderstood everything and lost her way. This is basically what her coach is trying to do. She wanted to teach her a lesson the hard way but she lack the missing puzzle, that's why she asked me to fight her pupil.

I glare sharply at Diane and speak to her. "Did you seriously think you can stand on the same ground as your parents when you couldn't even defeat an individual who doesn't know a thing about taekwondo? KNOW YOUR PLACE LOSER!" My words penetrate her heart, it will remain forever inside her mind until she defeated me. But it was necessary, I averted my gaze away from her and head downstairs.

Diane didn't follow me, so I waited for the repair man to come. After an half hour the repair man arrives and fixes the door. When they were done, I throws the key inside and closes the door. "I wonder what's going to happen now?" I muttered to myself while walking towards my house.

Chapter 8.2

In the next day, I was planning to head home early to study but when I'm about to leave the classroom, I sighted Diane waiting for me outside.

"Do you have a minute?" She asked me with a smile on her face. She seems to change after what happened to us yesterday. It feels like I'm talking to different Diane.

I give her a nod and follow her at the back of the school building. When we arrive at our destination, she keep her back facing me and speak.

"Hayama, I think about what you told me yesterday... I investigate everything and find out it was all real. I realized that I was wrong the whole time. I contact my parents and apologize to them for what I did..." She stop herself from saying another word and turn around.

When I take a look at her eyes, she seems to be resolved in doing a goal. I'm certain because I feel the same way back in the day. "I made up my mind..." As she speak those words she approaches me and grab my forearm. "Hayama, I'm going to defeat you as first step towards my change..."

As expected I am her first goal. I wonder if this was also part of her plan? I closes my eyes and responded to her. "What makes you think I'm going to fight you again? Besides we only have half year left until graduation, after that we won't be able to see each other."

"Oh, you don't have to think about that. I'm going to defeat you before that happens." My forearm which being restraint by her hands, forcefully enter her skirt. I didn't move it or my hands move by itself. Diane was the one who force my hand into her skirt.

"You touches it right? As a payment you must accept my challenge." She talk to me while smiling wryly which give me chills.

I forcefully remove my hands away from her. "You touch it by yourself. Besides I'm not interested in fighting you again." I put my hand back into my pocket and plan to leave the building but Diane stops me by grabbing my forearm.

"If you didn't accept my invitation, I'm going to come after you and do things farther than this no matter where we are public or private place. Even in presence of teacher. I'm going to move your hands forcefully on my body. Whether you accept it or not I'm going to do it!" She is basically threatening me. I don't care about reputation but if she is willing to take the risk then then I should just accept even if I don't want to.

"Fine... But you should give up when you lose..." I agree to fight her again and demand to stop but she give me an amusing rebuttal.

"I just remove the word give up in my vocabulary yesterday. If I wanted to reach the same height as my parents then defeating you is the first step to do that! I won't stop coming after you until I succeed, no matter how many years it takes, no matter where you are!" and with her declaration against me, our complicated relationship which considered as rivalry begins.

Diane is using her body as medium to propose a match against me everyday. But no matter how many times we fought each other, she never win. I'm not even fighting her seriously but despite those loses her determination becomes stronger everytime.

Then, the graduation day finally comes where we are going to be separated from each other. Diane and I didn't have a chance to talk after graduation since I didn't give her any to begin with. I disappear after without saying a word.

I was hoping that it will be the end of it but her obsession towards winning is stronger than anything else that even fate can't stop her. She goes as far as to transfer at the school as me to settle the things between us.

Which bring us here now. I take a deep sigh after remembering our past. "Now that you are awake, we should eat dinner since we still have class tomorrow." I speak to them and we head into the dinning room to eat dinner.