Seeds of Competition

"Hey! You haven't answered my question. Do you know Takumi Akazawa? You do know him, right? That Takumi Akazawa you know?

He's your friend, isn't he? I see your uniform is the same? Are you too——"

Sakurako fell silent, holding her breath. Unexpectedly the young man lowered his body so that their faces were facing each other at a dangerous distance.

"Tsk, noisy!"

"It's your own fault for not answering my question," snorted Sakurako slightly curtly.

The young man frowned, scrutinizing Sakurako for a long time. "What's your relationship with Akazawa?"

"First answer my question!" said Sakurako.

"I don't know him," snapped the golden-eyed youth.

"You are lying!"

"I don't care," he said nonchalantly. "Then who are you?"

"I am--"

"Rako-chan, what are you doing here?" A voice came from behind.

When Sakurako turned to the source of the voice, it turned out to be Takumi, the teenager she had been following from home earlier.

Sakurako's smile immediately widened when she found out that she had found Takumi. She thought she would get lost in this unfamiliar place.

"Rako-chan, what are you doing here, huh?" Takumi approached Sakurako who somehow managed to be there. He saw Sakurako was talking to one of his classmates.

"I lost track of you, you're walking too fast, Takumi-kun," Sakurako snorted.

Takumi glared, it seemed that his orders were completely ignored by Sakurako.

"Since when did you change your status from missing person to stalker, um?"

Takumi's gaze shifted to the tall young man next to Sakurako.

"Then, you? Why do you know this crazy woman, huh?"

"Aah, no. We don't know each other. Oi, what was your name earlier?" Sakurako asked while holding out her hand.

The blonde haired boy was silent for a moment. He tried to read the situation. The right corner of his lips lifted when he realized something.

Oh, I see? he thought.

"My name is Itsuki Minami."

Itsuki grabbed Sakurako's outstretched hand.

"Ah, Minami-san, nice to meet you!" Sakurako smiled happily in front of the young man who was so cold earlier. We don't know why it's become so friendly now.

"Tch!" Takumi snorted when he saw the interaction of the two people. He was really annoyed that Sakurako was being so attractive to strangers.

Takumi stepped away, away from the two people who were busy talking without realizing his departure.

"Just call me 'Itsuki', Rako-chan! It feels like if you call my surname, it sounds so formal."

Itsuki spoke. Is it really true or just a trick Itsuki just to be called his first name?

"Ah fine. How about Itsuki-kun?" Sakurako asked, a little hesitant.

"Sounds much better," Itsuki replied curtly, accompanied by a smile Itsuki rarely showed in front of a crowd.

"Okay." Sakurako looked around. "Huh?!"

"What is it?" Itsuki was of course taken aback by Sakurako's exclamation.

"I just realized, Takumi left me? Again? Uggh, annoying!" Sakurako stomped her foot on the asphalt.

Sakurako's face turned sad and angry.

"It's okay, we can catch up with him," Itsuki said holding out his right hand which he had previously put in his trouser pocket.

"Come on!" invite Itsuki.

Sakurako was stunned. It took Sakurako a few seconds to realize the intention of Itsuki's outstretched hand. Sakurako looked at Itsuki probingly. It turned out that the young man in front of him was not as cold as he thought.

"You know? My hands are expensive, you know," Itsuki said, about to withdraw his outstretched hand.

"Okay!" Sakurako took Itsuki's hand. Ah, not bad either. For a youth as cold as Itsuki, his hands felt warm. Sakurako felt comfortable.

They had only walked a few meters, but suddenly it started to rain. It's getting louder and louder. Itsuki tugged on Sakurako's arm to find shelter.

The distance from the school where they are wise, is still a bit far. Itsuki invites Sakurako to take shelter at the bus stop.

"Hufft, why does it suddenly rain when the sun is still shining like this?" Itsuki muttered.

"Ah yes, I remember," Sakurako snapped her fingers and said, "usually in situations like this, someone has a wedding at my place."

"Huh? Wedding? When it's raining like this? Didn't you hire a rain handler?" said Itsuki who for some time became a naughty one like Takumi.

Sakurako was silent. She didn't understand what she just said.

"I... I don't remember anymore," she complained.

Itsuki saw Sakurako rubbing her arm, trying to warm herself up. He took off the red jacket he was wearing, then put it on Sakurako.

"Put it on!"

Sakurako tightened her jacket while looking at Itsuki who avoided her gaze. Sakurako smiled strangely.

"Hoho it seems my initial impression of you was wrong."

"Heh? What were you thinking about me earlier, huh?" Itsuki asked, curious.

"Secret," Sakurako replied with her usual odd giggle.

To be continued ....