Chapter 19: The Battle of the Gym (Dodgeball)

P.E.

The one class... I am dreading.

"Alright, kids!" bellows Mr. Tanaka (the other Tanaka, the one who looks like a bear). "It's raining! So... we are... INDOORS! AND THAT MEANS..."

Oh, no.

He reaches into the basket.

He holds it high. A single, red, rubber ball.

"DODGEBALL!"

The entire class groans.

"BOYS... versus... GIRLS!"

The entire class groans louder.

This is... so stupid.

"Fuji-kun!" Mr. Tanaka booms. "I heard you're injured! You can sit this one out, son! Be a referee!"

"Thank you, sensei," Fuji says, with a perfectly polite bow. "But... I think my leg is... feeling much better."

He’s... looking at me.

He's smirking.

That... that jerk!

He knows I'm the (unofficial) Dodgeball Queen of this school. He knows this is my one P.E. domain.

He’s challenging me.

With his... limp.

"Alright!" Toujo whispers, rubbing his hands together. "The Crippled Prince versus the Bloody Twilight! This is gonna be epic!"

"Shut up, Toujo," I mutter.

The game starts.

And it’s... chaos.

It’s not a game. It’s a war.

The boys... are idiots. They just grab the balls and throw them as hard as possible, instantly missing.

The girls... are... Rika. They... scream and... run.

Except... me.

And... him.

Within two minutes, the entire game has... devolved.

It is... just... me.

And... just... him.

Everyone else is out. Cowering on the sidelines.

"HOLY..." Toujo yells. "IT'S THE FINAL SHOWDOWN!"

It’s me. Aoi Isuzu. With two balls.

It’s him. Fuji Kenji. With one ball.

He’s standing on the other side. He's not even breathing hard.

And he’s... still... SMILING!

"Give up, Prince!" I yell. "Your leg looks weak!"

"My arm is fine, 'Nurse'!" he yells back.

"UGH!"

I hurl the first ball.

It’s a rocket. It's my "Bloody Twilight" special.

He dodges.

It’s... it's... graceful.

He spins.

Even with the limp, he’s... so fast.

He throws his ball.

It’s not as fast as mine. But it’s smart. It's aimed at my feet.

I jump. I land.

"You missed!"

"Did I?" he asks, that stupid, smug...

I threw my ball. He threw his.

I have... one ball left.

He has... zero.

"It's over!" I yell.

I wind up. I am going to end this. I am going to wipe that stupid, charming... annoying... smirk...

He fakes left.

I aim left.

He dodges right.

Right onto his bad leg.

I see it.

His face.

It’s not a smirk. It’s a wince.

He stumbles.

His ankle... it buckles.

He... he’s down.

He’s on one knee.

He's... a sitting duck.

The whole gym... is silent.

My arm... is... raised.

I have... the shot.

I can take it.

I can hit him... right in his perfect, stupid face.

I can win.

He... he looks up at me.

He's... defenseless.

And he’s... still... SMILING.

Like... he dares me.

"ARGHRHGHGHG!"

I scream. It's a scream of... pure frustration.

I cannot stand this guy!

I throw the ball.

WHAM!

It hits him.

Hard.

...Right... in the stomach.

It... folds him.

"OOF!"

He just... tips over.

The whistle blows.

"AND THE GIRLS WIN! ISUZU-SAN IS THE VICTOR!"

The girls... scream.

I... I just stand there. Breathing hard.

I won.

...Why do I feel... more annoyed?

The P.E. class... swarms him.

"Fuji-sama! Are you okay?!"

"She... she hit him so hard!"

"Is he... breathing...?"

I just... I can't.

I stalk off. Toward the locker room.

"Hey!"

I stop.

He’s... walking toward me.

He’s rubbing his stomach. He’s... laughing.

"Good... good... game," he pants, his face red.

"I won," I say.

"You did."

He gets right up to me.

"But... that last shot..." he says, his voice low. "You... held back."

I freeze.

"What?"

"You... you had the head. It was a clean shot. I... I stumbled. I was dead."

He’s... looking at me.

Not... teasing.

He's... analyzing me.

"You... you hit me in the stomach," he says. "The... 'safe' spot."

My face... that stupid, hot feeling again!

"Don't be an idiot!" I snap, louder than I mean to.

He blinks.

"I... I... hit you in the stomach... because... because if I gave you a concussion... you'd miss the finals!"

"I... I... what?"

"And... I need you... at full strength! Because... I... am going to crush you! Academically! So... so... stop getting injured! It's... inconvenient! You... IDIOT!"

I...

I just... turn.

And I storm into the girls' locker room.

I... I...

I just... yelled... at the School Prince.

...That... I need him.

...Ugh.

(Fuji's POV)

I just... stand there.

Staring at the locker room door.

She... needs me.

...To... crush me...

Heh.

I rub my stomach. That... really... hurt.

But...

I am... grinning.