Exhausted from the gym visit, Yukika Fuma trudged back to her 30,000-yen-a-month apartment, a conviction forming in her mind.
"Kim Yuseong's body—it's the legendary Supreme Yang Physique."
Hanging her two school uniforms on a rack and slipping into a green tracksuit, she carefully retrieved the Fuma Ninja Manual hidden under the tatami mats.
The manual, a treasure passed down through Fuma clan leaders, detailed methods to destroy the human body efficiently, alongside ninja arts, martial techniques, and pharmacology. It also described what she suspected was Yuseong's condition.
Supreme Yang Physique (極陽之體)
The text claimed it was a rare trait, granting the vitality of a hundred men. This "yang energy" symbolized masculinity, and those born with it were destined for greatness.
Heroes like Hercules, Oda Nobunaga, and Sakamoto Ryoma were said to have possessed it.
It could be her imagination, but after crossing blades with Yuseong, she knew his strength wasn't just from hard training. The primal fear that made her wet herself in front of her clubmates drove her to shadow him for days.
"I need to tell Grandma," she muttered. His physique might aid the Fuma clan's revival.
Grabbing a pen, she began writing a letter to her grandmother in elegant cursive, adding a request for extra rice.
**
The next day at school, I spotted Karen Tojo in our classroom.
I double-checked the door—yep, Class 2-B. Glancing at her lounging by the window, I sat at my desk.
Rika hadn't arrived yet, so her seat was empty. I turned to Satoru, sitting in front. "Why's Tojo here?"
"Oh, that? She's been bugging Sakamoto to hang out this weekend. Wants to treat him to a meal as an apology."
"That's a date," I said.
"Exactly," Satoru grinned, then leaned in, whispering. "Heard the rumor? Tojo's supposedly the daughter of a big shot."
"Big shot?"
He nodded, dead serious. "Don't freak out."
"I won't. Spill."
"She's the daughter of the Toseikai boss!"
"Toseikai… the yakuza?"
"Yup. They rule the Kanto region."
"Huh, that's something."
School rumors are often wild. Like the one about me fighting 50 bikers single-handedly—total nonsense. I just told their loud leader to quiet down during my morning workout.
Maybe a passerby saw it, or a biker spread it maliciously. Who knows?
"You don't sound shocked," Satoru said.
"Even if she's a yakuza boss's daughter, she hasn't done anything to us."
"Fair point."
"No problem then."
Satoru went quiet, then looked at me earnestly. "I kinda wanna call you 'big brother' right now."
"We're the same grade. Don't be weird."
"Knew you'd say that," he chuckled, turning back.
Alone with my thoughts, I propped my chin on my arm. This is a rom-com, right?
I dismissed the rumor, but what if Tojo is a yakuza heiress? Doesn't matter—it's the protagonist's problem, not mine.
Karen kept showing up during breaks, chatting up Ryuji. She's clearly smitten.
True to rom-com protagonist form, Ryuji's dense, clueless about why this new girl's so forward. To onlookers, it's pure PDA torture.
Even Maiya, who thought she had Ryuji to herself, felt threatened and went on the defensive.
The 2-B guys' jealousy hit the stratosphere.
"Ugh, why only Sakamoto? I want a busty childhood friend and a fierce athletic girl crushing on me!"
"Why did the heavens make me and Sakamoto Ryuji?"
"Objectively, you're not even close to his looks."
"Go check a mirror."
"You're one to talk!"
Their banter was impressively idiotic.
Eavesdropping with my arms crossed, I felt a tug on my sleeve.
"Ryu-chan, you free during Golden Week?" Rika asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"My papa's off then. I said I'd introduce you, remember?"
My jaw dropped. I uncrossed my arms, leaning in. "When can we meet?"
"Hmm, we're going on a family trip, so probably the first or second day."
I almost said any time but remembered my April 29th promise with Saionji. "Is the 30th okay?"
"Yup, should be fine. I'll tell Papa."
I clenched my fists, pumped. Gotta bring my manga for an autograph.
Golden Week's ten days away, but I'm already buzzing. Is this how the fox felt waiting for the Little Prince?
Lunchtime. Instead of a bento, I hit the cafeteria.
Pick a menu at the ticket machine, grab the ticket, and hand it to the lunch lady. Meals range from 200 to 500 yen.
I got a 300-yen katsu curry and sat at an empty table. Rika joined me with kitsune udon and a three-onigiri set.
"You eat a lot for someone so slim," I teased.
Rika, chomping a mentaiko onigiri, tilted her head, rice stuck to her cheek. "Doesn't everyone? I eat big lunches to avoid snacking."
"Good point."
Come to think of it, she never snacks. She rarely touches soda, so her diet's probably healthier than most high school girls'.
She polished off an onigiri, picked the rice off her cheek, and popped it in her mouth. "I don't gain weight. It all goes to my chest."
My eyes flicked down instinctively before I caught her trap. She hugged herself, gasping. "Eek, pervert☆"
This girl's annoying when you get close. I sighed and picked up my spoon.
Then—
"Hey, mind if I sit here?"
An uninvited guest approached our secluded table, red hair swaying. Karen Tojo set her mackerel meal next to Rika.
Rika squeaked. "You're from the other class—mmph!"
"Quiet, people are listening," Karen hissed, covering Rika's mouth and sliding in.
She leaned close, whispering, "I heard you're good at love advice. True?"
"Mmph!"
"Blink twice for yes, once for no."
Blink-blink.
Karen released her, swallowing hard. "I've got a crush. I need your help."
Her cheeks flushed, the picture of a girl in love.