Blake Shantz

Josiane and the other martial artists went to bed, wondering who they’d be having a training match against.

As the day rose the following morning, the team had breakfast when Josiane stepped out for a phone call.

Back in Tokyo, Ryuji was thinking of Josiane when he heard his phone ringing right next to him.

Almost startled, he picked the call, delighted, “ Sakamoto-San, how are you? “

“ The training camp is going smoothly, Ryuji. It’s going so well that we’ll be having a training match today against another school. How have you been faring? Has your relationship with your father improved since I left? “

“ Yes, it has. “

Telling her all about it, Josiane was delighted to hear such good news from him. “ I’m glad. I’m so glad to hear you’ve reconciled with your father, Ryuji. I was worried about you two so much, even from over here, but telling me this has lifted a weight from my shoulders. “ She grinned, relieved.

Touched by Josiane’s words, Ryuji uttered, “ Thanks, Sakamoto-San, for all you’ve done for us. You’re the greatest friend ever. “

—

At the sound of his end statement, Josiane couldn’t help but feel somewhat sad. Feeling the sudden silence from the other line, Ryuji asked, concerned, “ Are you alright, Sakamoto-San? “

“ Yes, I’m fine, Ryuji. I suddenly remembered that I had to head back before the coach noticed my absence. “ She uttered as a means to stop the call from going even further than it already did.

“ Alright. Take care, Sakamoto-San. “

As the call came to an impromptu end, Ryuji felt saddened but couldn’t understand why he was feeling that way.

Back at the training camp, Josiane joined the others and continued enjoying her breakfast. Sabrina and Patricia stared at her without a word.

Within thirty minutes later, everyone was done having breakfast. At the same moment, the coach stepped up for another announcement.

“ As I’ve told you guys yesterday, you’ll be having a training match today with a school that I selected for the occasion. “ He uttered sternly before continuing, “ The school that was chosen for today’s practice match is Hokuta High. “

“ Hokuta High? “ Josiane was startled by the school’s name, which her friends quickly noticed.

Right after the name was announced, the martial artists from Hokuta High, along with their coach, approached them.

“ You guys will be training together for the next two days. “ He announced sternly. “ I hope you’ll benefit from the experience and learn a lot in the coming of the Martial Arts Championship. “

Leaving his students, Josiane quickly followed to go run a lap. Following right behind her was one of the students from Hokuta High.

“ Why did he have to show up here? “ Josiane wondered internally as she ran. “ I know this training camp was initiated by the coach to help us prepare for the upcoming Martial Arts Tournament, but why did he choose that school specifically? Why? Why? “

Back at the camp, Sabrina and Patricia wondered the same thing. “ Why did that guy follow Josiane right after she left? Did they know each other from before? “

Back in the woods, Josiane, who was going strong with the lap, suddenly was out of strength. Running further, she stopped and sat behind a tree branch.

The guy from Hokuta High looked for her everywhere in the woods, hurling her name but to no avail. Josiane, who was nearby, simply remained silent and didn’t utter a single name even when he was desperately calling out to her.

“ Josiane, I know you’re here somewhere. Please answer me! “ He pleaded but she remained silent.

“ Our coach didn’t tell us beforehand that we’ll be training with your school. “ He uttered. “ We were informed at the very last minute, believe me! “

Still no answer whatsoever from Josiane, the guy left the woods after trying everything he could. By the time he was gone, Josiane came out from her hiding spot and stared in the distance.

Moments later, her friends saw her coming back from the same woods. Glaring at the guy from Hokuta High, she walked up to her friends.

“ Josiane, we were worried about you. “ Sabrina expressed her concern, followed by Patricia, “ You were gone for so long, and that guy from Hokuta High followed after you soon after. What’s happening here? Did you and that guy know each other from before? “

—

Giving her friends the silent treatment, they were more than convinced that something off-puting was going on between their friend and the guy from Hokuta High.

After an hour of preparation between the two teams, the two coaches organized a draw where each team was to select their training partner from a basket.

Going one by one, each team selected their training partner, but when Josiane’s turn came, she didn’t have that much luck as her peers. Picking from the basket, hoping for a good match, she unexpectedly picked—----------------

“ Blake Shantz? “

“ Why in the world did I pick him? “ She internally wondered as she glared at him with her piercing gaze.

Picking from the basket right after her, she was the only other choice left in the basket. Picking the only name left, Blake Shantz opened the paper and read her name on it. For some reason, he was delighted that they were going to be training partners.

Stopping the charade, the two coaches uttered, “ As you’ve picked your training partner for the session, now you shall officially start with your respective training. Good luck, everyone! “

—

As they were all leaving with their training partner to go train somewhere exclusive, Josiane headed for the woods once more.

“ Josiane, wait for me! “

Josiane was walking so fast that Blake couldn’t catch up to her no matter how fast he walked. To catch up with her incredible speed, he had to run.

“ Josiane, why are you walking so fast? I can barely keep up with you. “

Suddenly stopping at the sound of those words, Josiane suddenly uttered, “ You can’t keep up with my speed, so how are you going to be of any use to me? How am I going to improve with someone who’s so slow? “

Hurt by her words, Blake asked, pained, “ Josiane, why are you speaking to me so harshly? You used to be so sweet and now—----------- “

Unable to finish his statement, Josiane reacted, “ Now what? What were you about to say? “

In response, he simply said, “ Nothing, nothing at all. Let’s keep moving! “

As they kept on walking, Josiane couldn’t help but look backwards and notice how Blake was so far behind her.

Gritting her teeth in anger, she internally screamed, “ This is so annoying! “

Suddenly reducing her speed to match his, Blake was speechless, but delighted at the same time. “ I knew you couldn’t stay angry at me for long. “ He internally thought.

Catching up to her speed within two minutes, Blake was about to say something when he was interrupted by Josiane who said, “ You have no more than five minutes to catch your breath. Pass that time, if you’re still not ready, I’m going to negotiate for a change in partner, understand? “

“ Yes, I understand, Josiane. “ He nodded affirmatively.

Whereas, in Tokyo, Sasaki Sono was throwing a tantrum at home. “ How could Ryuji reject me in such a way? I had everything under control, so why? “

“ Sasaki, what are you doing? Why are you throwing things around like a spoiled brat? “

Going up to her mother, Sasaki complained to her. “ Ryuji rejected me, Mom. He rejected me because of that girl. We must do something so I can regain Ryuji back. Mom, please help me! “

Shaking her mother, the latter stopped her hand movement from progressing even further.

“ Sasaki, come to your senses! You’re losing your mind right now. “ She uttered sternly, but her daughter wouldn’t listen to any word she was saying.

“ I don’t want to hear anything, Mom. I just want Ryuji back and nothing more. Give me that and I’ll calm down. “ She claimed.

Listening to her daughter’s pleas, her mother suddenly asked, “ Why? Why do you want him back so badly? Is it because you love him? Is that it? Is that your reason? “

Questioning her daughter at once, Sasaki only uttered one thing to her mother’s numerous questions and that was, “ Ryuji’s my betrothed and my childhood friend. I can’t lose him to an insignificant girl like Josiane Sakamoto. “

Pleading with her mother once more with the intensity of her heart, she said, “ You need to know why you feel such desperation toward someone you’ve never valued, let alone treated like a human being? “

“ All these years, just for the sake of the bond you shared as children, you’ve taken Ryuji’s care for granted and never valued him. Now that he’s out of your sight, you suddenly want him back. Why is that, Sasaki? “

Pointing toward her daughter’s heart, the mother uttered, “ You need to figure out what your heart truly wants, Sasaki. Think for a moment, Sasaki! “

“ What am I supposed to think about? “

In response to her daughter’s question, the mother uttered, “ Think why Ryuji suddenly strayed away from you when you were so close as kids. That girl that you despised so much that you're throwing a tantrum gave him something you could never give him for all the time you’ve been together. Do you know what that is? “

She asked her daughter but she remained silent for once. Continuing her statement, she uttered, “ That girl, Josiane Sakamoto, saw beyond his wealth and treated him like a normal human being for the first time in his life. She cared and stood by him at every hurdle, but would you be able to say the same? “

“ What have you given him in comparison to that girl? Honestly speaking, can you say that you’ve ever seen him like a human and treated him like one? “

—