Chapter 80: The First Kiss That Even Made My Gums Hurt
"Save meeee!!!"
Takumi sprinted like his life depended on it, as if the most terrifying monster in existence was hot on his heels. Behind him came a stunning blonde girl with striking purple eyes, a single rebellious ahoge sticking up. She gripped an iron chain in her hand and called out:
"Don't run! Stop right there! If you don't finish today's training quota, I absolutely won't let you off!"
"No way! Absolutely not! This is straight-up murder! It's been a whole week already—forgive me, Miu!"
"I'm not mad. Your potential's hit a bottleneck, that's all. I'm just pushing you to your absolute limits so you can break through sooner."
"Really? That's great—wait, no it isn't! I can't take this anymore!"
Takumi poured on even more speed. He reached the outer wall of Ryōzanpaku in no time, leaped with everything he had, and soared nearly three meters high in a perfect arc toward freedom outside.
"You're not getting away!"
Miu's iron chain whipped out like a long pole, snaking straight for his waist. But then—something unexpected happened. Takumi vanished. In his place stood a wooden dummy.
"Damn it! Are you a ninja or what?!"
Miu yanked the chain back, shouting in frustration and anger.
"Oh ho ho, things are lively as ever today."
"Indeed. That shift-and-swap technique was quite well executed. In terms of pure physical ability alone, the boy's already approaching master level."
The invincible superman Fuurinji Hayato laughed heartily. Across from him sat the philosopher-like Akisame Kōetsuji; the two were in the middle of a shogi game.
"Woman's jealousy truly is terrifying. Poor Takumi… I'll miss you when you're gone."
Kensei Ma shed crocodile tears while circling Shigure—who was meditating—with his camera, waiting for the perfect shot. Outside in the courtyard, a tall, dark-skinned Thai man practiced his Muay Thai, each punch exploding the air with visible shockwaves. Nearby, a burly guy chugged sake and grumbled:
"Takumi's physical potential is pretty much maxed out. Isn't it about time the Elder let me teach him ki manipulation?"
"Just wait a little longer. Akisame's training isn't finished yet."
Shirahama Keni had spent an entire week finally convincing her stubborn father to grant permission. Now, during the last three weeks of summer break, she was allowed to train at Ryōzanpaku. Clutching a bundle of clothes and some small gifts, she approached the dojo nervously. She didn't dare push open the main gate and instead circled around to the outer wall—only to hear arguing voices inside.
She murmured curiously, "Sounds like Kouichi and Miu-san… What are they doing?"
She backed up a few steps and tried jumping to peek over—but the wall was a solid two meters tall. Obviously pointless. Right then, a figure shot out over the top. In the sunlight he looked almost divine—until a chain lashed out and snagged him. But in an instant he swapped places again, leaving the chain wrapped around yet another wooden carving that retracted.
"Haha! You think I'll fall for the same trick twice? It won't work on me anymore—wahaha—ah, watch out!"
Takumi had used every ounce of energy on that last shift-and-swap to dodge. He never expected someone else to suddenly leap up right into his path. No time to adjust trajectory. The two people collided mid-air and crashed to the ground together. If a camera had captured the exact instant, it would show their lips perfectly pressed together—the most difficult, high-difficulty first kiss in history!
"Oww!!"
Keni clutched her mouth and whimpered in pain. Takumi, thick-skinned as ever, quickly helped her up.
"You okay?"
"Ugh… I hit my gums… and… and my first kiss… it's gone…"
Takumi blinked in surprise.
"So it was you, Keni. That was your first kiss? Haha, what a special one—gums hurting and everything. You'll definitely remember this for the rest of your life."
"You… you're bullying me…"
"Haha, sorry. I stole your first kiss."
"So that's it. You finally made a move on someone else, huh."
Takumi slowly turned his head. A certain blonde, purple-eyed girl was smiling 'very warmly' at him. Sweat poured down his forehead in rivers.
Exhausted beyond belief, Takumi crawled back into his room and muttered to himself in disbelief:
"Do women just get more jealous the stronger they are? And the jealousy lasts longer too? Sigh… Miu is basically a ferocious eagle. I can't tame her at all… Do I really have to give up?"
"Boy. What are you troubled about?"
Shigure appeared out of nowhere like a ghost. Takumi immediately perked up.
"Shigure-sensei! You haven't talked to me for a whole week. I thought you were mad at me."
"I don't get angry… with idiots."
"Ugh… okay, yeah, I'm an idiot. I already knew that."
"I was talking about Miu. Come with me. I'll show you something."
Shigure leaped out the window in one fluid motion. Takumi hurried after her. Before long she led him to a room just outside the kitchen.
"Isn't this… the bathhouse?"
The dojo's bath was the old-fashioned kind—you had to burn firewood outside to heat the water. It was a hassle, but the tub was huge. Takumi had always thought soaking here wasn't much worse than a real hot spring.
"Idiot. Quiet. Don't speak."
Shigure pulled him up onto one of the ceiling beams. Their bodies were pressed close together, hidden in the shadows. Takumi felt her softness and caught her faint scent; his heart skipped. A moment later the door below opened. Miu walked in, slipped into the tub, sat down, and curled up with her head resting on her knees.
Takumi froze. Why had Shigure brought him here? To peep on Miu bathing? He wasn't Kensei Ma, that total pervert.
"Baka… baka… I'm such an idiot!"
Miu's self-reproachful voice echoed. She pounded her own head with her small fists.
"I tortured Kouichi so harshly… Even if he doesn't hate me, he's definitely scared of me now. I saw the fear and hesitation in his eyes… Wuuu, why did I do that, you stupid idiot…"
Takumi was stunned. He never imagined Miu would blame herself like this when he wasn't around.
"Kouichi-kun… I'm sorry. I'm still too immature. I can't control my anger. Is it because my ki of motion isn't perfected yet? But… I really don't want you getting too close to other women… Wuuu."
"Takumi Kouichi, you idiot. You liked my photos more than the real me. I'm right here, alive and breathing in front of you, yet you're more obsessed with those pictures. I don't understand… I really don't… Wuuuu…"
"I'm really scared… Mom loved me, but she died protecting me on that snowy mountain. Grandma loved me, but she got sick and passed away too. The father I loved disappeared for so many years. Even Ogata—who had a bit of Dad's shadow in him—left Ryōzanpaku because he disagreed with Grandpa's martial philosophy, and joined the darkness. All these years… I've never really had friends. Girls rejected me. Boys were afraid of me. Only you looked at me with those lewd eyes, the same way a normal teenage boy looks at a regular girl… I… actually don't hate that at all."
"But your gaze doesn't stay only on me. Just having Shigure-nee around already puts so much pressure on me. In strength, looks, figure—I can't find any confidence. And then suddenly you're getting close with Keni—who you've only met twice—and you even took her first kiss. You big idiot…"
…
When Shigure finally led Takumi out of the bathhouse, he didn't return to his room. Instead he climbed onto the roof, stared up at the moon for a long time, and let out a deep sigh.
"Whether it's the real world or this one… every single feeling carries so much weight. My dream of building a harem… was it right or wrong after all?"
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