For the next few weeks, Sanageyama and Ryuko would compete in every game imaginable: video games, soccer, basketball, knife throwing, hotdog eating, etc, etc, etc. At one point they were even seeing who could drink more soda. It was ridiculous. But still, they could never beat one another: in one game Uzu would win, then Ryuko, then Uzu, then Ryuko, and it would just keep on going. After 2 weeks, they both had at least 5 different injuries from the sportive games. When it got to 6, the others decided to make the 2 stop for a while until they were fully healed. But to be honest, everyone could tell they didn't have numerous random competitions just to see who was better. The other reason wasn't quite clear to the others, they had what you would expect like enjoyed competition or something similar to that. But, what was really going on was more than anyone would ever imagine. Senketsu , being so close to Ryuko, was the first to start putting things together. One day, when Ryuko was just lying on her bed playing video games on her 3DS. She just wrapped up a fight with another player when Senketsu tugged her by the sleeve. She looked at him and said "Hey, Seneketsu. What's up?"
He looked at her dead in the eye. "Why are you really challenging Sanageyama?"
She looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"
"Lately, you 2 have been challenging each other relentlessly just to beat each other. I understand you want to prove one is better than the other, but you guys are going at each other a lot more often. Back at the academy, you always looked for chances to strike at each other, however, you never went this far for opportunities to strike."
"So were over competitive. I don't really see a big problem here."
"Yes but, every time you see him your heartbeat excelerates and your body releases chemicals that are only released when you feel love for something."
At that Ryuko's face turned red and she jumped from the startle. She glared at him and yelled "What the heck?! Stop messing into my personal business! And what's with this whole chemical thing you're talking about?!"
"Whenever you 2 had a game outside you would wear me and I noticed this phenomenon happened whenever you were around Uzu."
She got up and started banging her head on the wall. Then, Satsuki came in and noticed her face that was red. "Did I miss something?"
Ryuko shoved a pillow in Senketsu's mout before he could say anything. "It's personal."
So she left and Senketsu spit out the pillow. "You know, she could've helped with it."
She glared at him. "Again, personal. Meaning: stay out of it!"
(at Uzu's house)
Sanageyama was sitting on the front porch. He was thinking about all the challenges they had: the ones he won and (especially) the ones he lost. He kept thinking about it. He hated loosing, but he just loved seeing Ryuko smile. When he won she would get so mad, to him it was sort of cute. He was jsut thinking about it when his brother tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and Kaito asked "Is it ok if I challenge your friend to a match?"
He looked at Kaito confused. "What do you mean match?"
"As in a sword duel. Is it okay? She is your challenge."
"Fine by me as long as you don't do the whole Loser does Whatever the Winner Wants."
"What would I want her to do? Go on a date with? I won't do that!"
Hearing those words Uzu felt very uneasy. If his brother challenges her to that kind of contest and won, she would have to do anything he told her to. So he made his brother promise not to do it.
(at night)
Uzu laid awake in bed. He kept asking himself why he wouldn't want his brother with his biggest challenge. He thought about it for a while. He then got up and took out the picture with everyone from the drawer and looked at Ryuko. Then, his eyes turned to Gamagoori. He had a huge crush on Mako and it was pretty easy to tell. Uzu thought about for a moment and put it all together.
(at Ryuko's room)
She was sitting on her bed gazing at her window. She was looking at the stars, thinking about what Senketsu said. Was it possible? She had grown up a delinquent who had only recently had something she could really call family and found people who understand her. Was it really possible that she might have feelings for someone?
