I'll Always be by Your side (OHSHC: Takashi 'Mori' Morinozuka x OC)

Chapter Fourteen: The Mixed Martial Arts Competition

Uniform, check. Water bottle, check. Snacks, check. Forms, check.

Takashi..empty.

"Taka! Where are you? We're gonna be late!" Carala called into the house.

No answer.

"Satoshi? Where's Takashi?" Carala asked Satoshi.

"He's at Mitsukuni's house." Satoshi informed her. "And did you suddenly get shorter?"

"You're just tall." Indeed, Satoshi now taller than Carala, from a growth spurt. "I swear, you guys are descended from giants."

"You might just be descended from fairies!" Satoshi called as Carala walked out the door and ran to Mitsu's house, which wasn't far.

"O-Oh! It's Miss Tsubasa!" A maid recognized her as she went up to the house

"Where's Takashi and Mitsukuni?" Carala demanded.

"Young Master is packing in his room, and Young Mister Morinozuka is with him. Here, I'll help-"

"No, I know the way." Carala said confidently and ran off.

"Young Miss! Ladies shouldn't really run!" The maid yelled.

Carala didn't here as she raced down the hallways, up the stairs.

Turn left, straight, turn right, stairs, straight, last room on left side.

"Taka!" Carala burst into the room.

Mitsu was in his uniform. Taka was on the floor clutching his head.

"Eh? What are you doing, Taka?" Carala knelt next to him. "Taking a nap?"

Mitsu tried to hold back a laugh, but failed. "Takashi was about to leave, but then you slammed the door open and it hit his head." He chuckled.

"Oh! Sorry! Are you okay?!" Carala asked in a panicked voice.

Takashi felt his cheeks go hot a bit. Was Carala really worried about him?

"Can you still go to the competition? I might have a chance of beating you this year!"

...Never mind.

"I'm fine." Taka got up.

"Mitsu, are you ready?" Carala asked him.

"Yup!" Mitsu grabbed one hand of Taka's, the other clutching Carala's hand, and dragged them out the door.

.

.

.

"We are down to our final three!" The announcer boomed through the microphone.

"Haninozuka Mitsukuni, with nine point four points; Morinozuka Takashi with eight point nine points and Tsubasa Carala, with eight point eight points!"

Carala was slightly panting. She had just finished her second last round, throwing the last boy to the ground with a judo flip he was not expecting, since she didn't specialize judo.

"There will be a small break before the second last finals."

"Cara!" Mitsu cried, running up to her when she entered the break room for the participants. "You were great! Motosune-San didn't expect that!" He chattered.

"Thanks." Carala patted his head. "And congrats on getting top score again!"

"Good job." Taka said as he entered the room. "Next round is in ten minutes."

"Me and you, right?" Carala asked. Takashi nodded.

"Why so quiet today? Nervous I might beat you?" Carala smiled playfully.

"He's worried about Hiku chan and Kao chan. They're having their first fight." Mitsu told her, handing her a bottle of water. "They're having their first fight."

"Really?" Carala drank from the bottle.

"Hey Takashi, have you and Carala ever fought?" Mitsu asked.

"I don't think so. Carala is an easy person to live with." Taka replied.

"Wait, there was once. We had an argument if cucumbers were fruits or not." Carala said seriously.

"I won." Takashi said slowly.

"You don't have to remind me!" Carala whirled around.

"Next match, Morinozuka versus Tsubasa, will start shortly." A voice announced.

"See you." Carala said and walked out. "Good luck!" She heard Mitsu call to both of them before she closed the door.

Walking to the girls change room, an official was there.

"Please come this way, Miss Tsubasa." She said in a cool tone, and led her to the map, where Takashi was waiting.

"Bow." The referee said, and Taka bent his waist, while Carala put her left hand in a palm and her right in fist.

"Begin!"

At that moment, Takashi raced up to him, trying to end the match as fast as possible.

Carala was fast too, catching his fist, pulling him closer and side kicking his stomach.

But Takashi caught her kick and flipped her over, since he had both her hand and her leg, and using strength, threw her hard off.

Crap! Carala's head hit hard on the floor, creating a loud thud.

"Ugh.." She tried opening her eyes, but her vision was a bit blurry. Two people were beside her, one kneeling next to her and another yelling for medical attention.

"Cara! Carala!" A voice that sounded like Taka said in a worried voice. Someone shook her, making her head hurt even more.

"T..Taka?" She groaned, the pain was piercing her head, and she blacked out.

//

When Carala woke up, her head felt slightly better, but her bones ached.

"Oh good, you're awake." A nurse said. "Don't worry, it's just a small concussion. You're lucky that man was you're friend, or else he could have done some serious damage. Wait here.." The nurse stuck her head outside. "She's awake."

"Carala!" Taka burst into the room.

"Calm down, Taka, I'm fine." Carala laughed.

"You have twenty minutes, young man Then she needs rest." The nurse informed them and left.

"..You tried. Mitsu won, right?" Carala asked. Taka nodded.

Silence.

"..I'm really sorry." Taka said.

"It's fine." Carala reassured him. "I had worse injuries."

"No, it's not. I wasn't holding back. What if I had given you a major concussion?" He put his head into his hands.

"But you didn't. Stop worrying, Taka! I'll be fine." Carala smiled.

Taka looked at her in awe, and then slowly returned the smile.