COTE: Ayanokouji's Return

Chapter 22 - Ryuuen

Kiyotaka's POV

Where there's a will, there's a way.

This quote was something that people would say, when they were facing a hard challenge with difficulty to accomplish it.

It's a motivation sentence with the goal of making people believe that they can achieve whatever they want as long as they will tirelessly try to do it.

I was also one of those people.

I believed that I could accomplish whatever I set myself to do.

And today, on the 4th April, this belief was put to the big challenge.

Kiyotaka: "..."

I looked at the half-dead person next to me.

This lifeless, almost unresponsive pack of flesh was named Sotomura Hideo aka Professor.

At first glance, one may say that he just came back from some kind of hell, but the truth was different.

Yesterday, we became friends after recognizing each other's value.

Because of that, I decided to become Sotomura's personal trainer, and today was his first day of training.

At 6 am, I went to Professor's room to pick him up and go to the gym together.

I didn't know what kind of challenge was waiting for me, yet.

After ringing his doorbell a few times and waiting for five minutes, there was still no response from the inside.

Then, I decided to call him.

On my second try, Professor picked up the phone.

Professor: "Please leave my order before the door..."

He said drowsily and ended the call.

That's when I understood the situation.

I have told this dumbass to go to sleep after coming back to his room, but apparently he didn't listen to me.

I put my finger on the doorbell and stayed like that.

Finally, the door opened and a zombie that looked like Professor appeared before my eyes.

Kiyotaka: "Good morning, Professor. What a lovely day to start the new chapter of your life."

I said with an innocent smile.

Professor: "Ugh... Great leader, I..."

Kiyotaka: "What? You can't wait to go to the gym? That's the spirit, Sotomura."

Professor: "..."

I went into Zombiemura's nest without saying more.

No matter how much that lifeless creature begged me, I stayed strong and after some time we finally managed to leave the dorm together.

I decided to pay for his membership at the gym as a slight token of friendship towards him.

I thought that since I managed to get Professor into the gym, the hardest part was behind me.

Little did I know about how low Sotomura's physical performance actually was.

After half an hour of training, I grasped the limit of his abilities.

The result was...

Kiyotaka: "A granny would be able to kick your ass, you know."

I expected him to be rather weak, but his level was beyond my range of expectation.