WILDFLOWER [Ryunosuke Tanaka x OC]

Chapter 21 - The Challenge

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"You should know... people are talking about you."

The first day back to school after the Interhigh Preliminaries, Ryu found himself at his shoe locker accompanied by Reika Sato of all people. But he didn't understand what she meant... or why she was even bothering to say anything. "Why?" he asked as he slid on his school shoes, not-so-subtly glancing around for Kano as he did. He wanted to make sure she was alright, that they were alright; they hadn't had much time to talk after her trip to the nurse's office during the prelims, and he needed to know that their relationship was still intact despite The Kiss™.

"Someone from the prelims must have spilled the beans about you and Kano and your little make-out session," she explained. Leaning up against the lockers beside his, Reika crossed her arms and sighed, eventually pinching the bridge of her nose with a sigh. She tilted her head forward, the curtain of her lavender hair closing her off from the outside world. "Like Kano needs any more stress in her life right now."

Ryu had no clue what she was talking about. "You mean because of finals?"

Exasperated, Reika leveled a deadpan stare at Ryu. "Obviously. But she also hates when she's the center of attention, so a rumor like this will just make her more anxious and tense. And... you know. It's that time of year."

Again, Ryu had no idea what she meant. "Like... she's a werewolf?"

"You... are a bona fide moron," Reika said, frowning at him. For a moment, she raised her hand as if to smack his arm, only to lower it as if she reconsidered. She shook her head, hair falling out of her face as she counted on her fingers, her mouth set in a half-serious scowl. "One: a werewolf changes every full moon, so that would definitely be more than once a year, genius. And two: if Kano was a werewolf, I am pretty sure you would have noticed by now. But if she hasn't told you..."

"Told me what?" Ryu pressed, getting more concerned as Reika danced around the topic. He shoved his street shoes into his locker and closed it, slinging his bag over his shoulder while he waited for an answer.

Reika chewed her lip, analyzing Ryu for some unknowable trait that would get her to spill the beans. "If she hasn't told you, then I can't," she finally said, looking torn about it. "It's Kano's business, and she wouldn't want you to hear it from me of all people. Just... keep an eye on her this week, okay? She might need more... I dunno, more support than usual."

Kano rounded the corner, appearing at her locker with her headphones in and her glasses on. It didn't seem like she saw them talking, but Reika didn't want to make things weird, so she straightened up and snuck off without a word.

Glancing between Reika's retreating back and his not-girlfriend, Ryu frowned while his brain tried frantically to put the pieces together.

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"What'd you get for number three?"

Opposite Ryu, Kano sat across the Tanaka family's table in shorts and a tank top, still a little sweaty from the volleyball practice she finished before studying, now grading the practice exam they both just took. Each of them had already gone through three cups of iced tea, trying to keep cool on that sweltering Monday evening. A little fan rotated in the corner of the room.

With finals coming up fast, they were nearly inseparable while they prepared.

She seemed fine enough, Ryu decided. He'd been paying extra attention all day, ever since that morning, and he hadn't seen much of any change in her. A little tired, maybe, if anything. She wasn't even acting weird about their kiss, that he could tell. But, he supposed, the week was still young and there was still time. Finals hadn't yet swallowed them whole.