After story:Devotion male reader insert version

Chapter eleven-Phase shift II

When we got back to the room, Kotomi and Kouko were talking quietly on the other side of the bed.

They both perked up when they saw us.

"Ah! You're back!" Kouko chirped.

"F/n-kun..." Kotomi greeted.

I looked at the high-school genius and had a flash of inspiration. "Kotomi-chan, I need to talk you outside." I gestured toward the door. "Please excuse us for a bit," I said to the Yoshinos as I left.

Kotomi's expression lit up. "F/n-kun..." And she followed me out the door.

As we left the room, I turned to face her. "I need your help."

I swear that I saw sparkles in her eyes as she clasped her hands in front of her chest. "Anything."

"I need you to take me through the first two years of high-school courses before the end of summer break. Can you do that?"

It was cute the way she looked up to think. "Uh..." She looked back at me. "Why only two?"

"We're only partway through my third year, so I think I could catch up during winter break. But I need to learn what I missed from slacking off my first two years. I may not have good grades tied to my diploma at this point, but I'd at least like a good recommendation or two from the school." I smiled, not feeling very confident. "I have a future family to provide for, and I think you're the best one to help me."

Again with the eye-sparkles. "Of course,
F/n-kun. I would be happy to help you."

Fortunately, Tomoyo had been willing to meet me in front of the school after classes on Saturday. Too willing, really. Unfortunately...

"You want me to what?" Tomoyo crossed her arms and looked at me with disbelief.

"Teach me how to fight," I replied. "I'm not looking to go out and cause trouble, but I want to be able to defend myself and...well, someone else."

"L/n, you know I'm trying to put that life behind me!"

"I know, and I feel bad for asking, but you're the only one I can trust, and...well, afford."

"Huh?"

"I don't have enough money for any of the schools around here, and you've shown yourself to have awesome skills anyway, so..." I threw up my hands in resignation. "Look, I'm not going to be a pain in the butt about this; I'd just like to be able to protect my family in the future, and learning how to fight better with my hands and feet would at least be something."

She lowered her arms, and I figured I had reached her then. "A-Alright, I'll teach you what I know. But, you know, I'm not properly trained, either; my fighting is more of a philosophy than a form."

"That's fine with me." I chuckled lightly. "I'm not looking to do a 64-hit combo with my kicks or anything; I just want to be a...less inviting target."

Tomoyo nodded thoughtfully. "All right L/n, I understand. When do you want to get started?"

Before I knew it, I had filled up my schedule beyond anything I would ever have thought possible. Before this year, my summer breaks had never been this full.

It's not like I was busy all day with just enough time to eat and sleep, but...

On Mondays through Fridays I spent the morning and part of the afternoon with Kotomi basically taking lessons, with a lunch break somewhere in there. The rest of the afternoon would be homework that Kotomi somehow managed to get online.

On Tuesday and Thursday evenings I learned from Tomoyo. Instead of teaching me a form, she would help me find my strong and weak points and work on creating a fighting style for me based on that.

Saturdays were 'recovery days', and Sundays were days where I tried to see Fuuko either at the school or at the hospital.

My schedule was still full, but I felt...hopeful...for the future for the first time in a long time.