CHAPTER 2 — PART 5: DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE ME!

My fist came out straight.

This time, the punch felt different.

It definitely felt better than the last one.

Cleaner.

Stronger.

Reina's smile widened.

"There it is."

I stared at my own fist.

"...I did it?"

"Not bad for a first try."

Then, just like that, she leaned in and patted my cheek with a smug little smile.

"See? I can teach you how to hit things and still look cute while doing it."

"Cute? That sentence shouldn't exist, Reina."

"And yet, here we are."

Katsumi groaned from the side.

"Why is she like this..."

Orime muttered, "I don't know, but it's working."

Reina pointed at me again.

"Alright, handsome. Again. This time, I'll teach you how to throw someone."

My eyes widened.

"What?"

She smiled like a devil.

"You wanted wrestling, didn't you?"

So this is what she wanted all along... using wrestling to get even closer to me... crap baskets.

I swallowed.

"...Yeah, I did."

"Good."

She rolled her shoulders and stepped onto the mat again, her boots thudding softly against the floor.

"Then I'll teach you the real thing."

She pointed at my chest.

"Wrestling is not just strength. It's balance, timing, and control. If you stand wrong, you lose. If you panic, you lose. If you hesitate..." She tilted her head and smirked. "You lose."

"Wow, thanks for the encouragement..."

"That's what I'm here for, baby~."

I sighed.

Why was she like this?!

Reina walked up to me and grabbed both of my wrists.

"First move. Come closer."

"H—Hey, wait—"

Before I could say anything else, she stepped in and turned her body.

In one smooth motion, she pulled my arm across her shoulder and hooked one of my legs with her own.

"Wha—?!"

My balance went completely off.

The next thing I knew, Reina twisted her hips and flipped me over onto my side.

"Uwoah—!!"

I landed on the mat with a hard thump.

"Gah!!"

Reina looked down at me like she had just finished a simple chore.

"That's one basic throw. You off-balance the other gal, then you move your hips and dump them."

I groaned.

"Could you maybe warn me before you throw me like a sack of trash?"

"No."

"Why not!?"

"Because then you would brace yourself."

I stared at her.

She smiled sweetly.

I hated that she was right.

Reina held out a hand and pulled me back up.

"Again."

I rubbed my back and got up.

"Your training style is insane."

"Thank you."

"That was not a compliment."

"It was to me."

She stepped in again, this time getting behind me.

"Now I'll show you a hold."

Her arms slid around mine, trapping me from behind.

"W-Woah, hey—!"

"Relax. This is just the position."

"Why do I feel like I'm about to die?"

"Because you might."

She hooked one arm under mine and twisted my shoulder gently at first, then a little harder.

"See this? You control the body first. The pain comes after."

I jerked a little.

"Reina... your training method is terrifying..."

"That's why it works."

Then she shifted again and brought me down to one knee, still locked in the hold.

I could feel how close she was behind me.

Too close.

Her voice came right by my ear.

"If your enemy is stronger than you, don't fight their strength. Move them. Pull them. Break their balance."

I tried to listen.

I really did.

But having Reina pressed so close to my back made my brain work at half speed.

"Yami~?" she said, sounding amused. "Are you even hearing me?"

"Y—Yeah! I'm hearing you!"

"Then don't tense up so much."

"I can't help it!"

She let out a soft laugh and finally released me.

I stumbled forward a little and caught myself.

Reina clapped once.

"Good. You didn't panic."

"That was because I was too busy trying not to die."

"That counts."

She raised her fists and nodded toward me.

"Now try to grab me."

"Uh... what?"

"Try. Don't think. Just move."

I took a step forward.

She lowered her stance and waited.

I reached for her arm.

She slipped to the side almost instantly.

Then she caught my wrist, turned my shoulder, and sent me spinning.

"Wah—!!"

My back hit the mat again.

Reina stood over me with a pleased smile.

"You see? If your center is weak, I control you."

I groaned from the floor.

"You say that like you enjoy tossing me around."

She tilted her head and gave me that wicked little grin.

"Maybe I do."

My face burned.

Katsumi, who had been watching from the edge of the mat, slapped a hand over her own face.

"She's doing it again..."

Orime nodded.

"She really just says whatever she wants.... But that's Reina-nee for you."

Reina looked at them, then looked back at me.

"Alright, one more."

I pushed myself up.

"Fine. One more."

"Good boy."

"Don't... call me that..." I got flustered.

She laughed and stepped toward me again.

This time, she didn't throw me right away.

Instead, she grabbed my arm, moved behind me, and guided my body with careful pressure.

"Now watch. I'll show you a finishing throw."

She bent me slightly forward, slid one leg around mine, and hooked my upper body with her arm.

"First, trap the posture."

Then she shifted her hips and turned her whole body in a sharp twist.

My feet left the ground.

"Wha—?!"

Reina lifted and turned me in one clean motion, then slammed me flat onto the mat.

BOOM.

I lay there blinking at the ceiling.

Everything hurt.

My pride hurt the most.

Reina stood above me, hands on her hips, breathing a little heavier now from the training, but still smiling.

"That's how you do it. Control, lift, throw."

I coughed.

"You just murdered me with technique..."

"No. I taught you."

"Same thing..."

She crouched beside me and poked my cheek.

"Get up, Yami. You're not dead yet."

I slowly turned my head.

Reina was right there.

Close again.

Her silver eyes looked down at me with that dangerous mix of teasing and care.

My heart did another stupid flip.

"...You really enjoy getting this close, don't you?"

She smiled.

"Of course I do. You learn better when I can keep an eye on you."

"That is not what that means..."

"It means exactly that."

Then she stood and offered me her hand again.

"This time, you do it to me."

I stared at her.

Then at the mat.

Then back at her.

"You psycho..."

"Damn right~."

"Tch..."

She smirked and stepped back onto the mat.

"Now do it. If you can throw me, I'll be impressed."

"That sounds impossible."

"Then surprise me."

I took a breath.

Okay. Simple. Just do what she taught me.

Feet.

Balance.

Hips.

Timing.

Control.

I raised my hands and stepped forward.

Reina stayed still, looking way too relaxed.

That was the problem.

She was too calm.

Too confident.

Too pretty.

No. Focus.

I reached for her wrist.

She let me take it.

Wait.

That was already weird.

Her hand was warm.

My brain started to drift.

"Yami?"

I blinked.

"W-What?"

"You're staring."

"I'm not staring."

"You are."

"I was thinking."

"About what?"

"About the move!"

Reina smiled as she had already won.

"Sure~."

"Stop smiling like that!"

"Like what?"

"Like you know I'm struggling!"

She stepped a little closer.

A lot closer.

"Am I making you nervous, handsome~?"

My whole body tensed.

"Yes."

She blinked, then her grin widened.

"Oh? So you can answer honestly now?"

"R —Reina, that's not fair..."

"What's not fair?"

"You're too close."

She looked down at my hand, still holding hers.

Then she looked back up at me.

"Oh, this?"

She moved even closer.

"Is this too much?"

I nearly stopped breathing.

A few feet away, Katsumi began glaring daggers at Reina.

"Tch... she's doing it again..."

Orime nodded slowly.

"That's my sister for you, oddly enough... this is the first time she acts this way."

Reina heard them and only smiled more.

"I'm just helping him focus."

"No, you're not!!" Katsumi shouted.

Reina ignored her and tapped my chest with one finger.

"Come on, Yami. You said you wanted to learn."

"I do..."

"Then stop thinking with your face."

"I do not think with my face!"

"You do right now."

My face got hotter.

That was not helping.

At all.

Reina's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oho~ You really are easy to fluster."

"I'm not easy!"

"Then prove it."

She raised her chin, gave me a little challenge with her eyes, and waited.

That was evil.

That was pure evil.

Still, I forced myself to move.

I stepped in.

Grabbed her arm.

Turned my hips.

Tried to hook her leg.

For one brief second, I thought I had her.

Then Reina shifted her weight and slipped out like water.

"Too slow~."

She tapped my side and pushed me off balance with one smooth move.

I stumbled.

"Gah—!"

She caught me by the shoulder before I fell all the way.

Her hand stayed there for a second too long.

"Hmm..." she said.

I froze.

"What?"

"You were actually almost there."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Then she leaned in a little and lowered her voice.

"But your face gave you away."

I blinked.

"My face?"

"You were concentrating so hard on me that you forgot the move."

My whole body went rigid.

Katsumi let out a frustrated groan.

"She said it out loud..."

Orime covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Reina kept going, fully enjoying herself now.

"You stare at me like that and expect to win?"

"I wasn't staring!"

"Mm-hm."

"I was just—"

"Just what?"

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

Reina smirked.

"Yeah. That's what I thought."

She stepped back and stretched her arms overhead, looking completely smug.

Then she pointed at me again.

"Again. This time, try not to get distracted by my beauty."

"That is impossible..."

"Aw~. You said that so honestly."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

I groaned.

She was right again.

That made it worse.

Reina clapped once and took her stance.

"Come on, handsome~. One more try."

I rushed at her again.

This time, I tried not to look at her face.

Which meant I looked at her boobs.

That somehow was also a mistake.

Her voice drifted down to me, amused and smooth.

"Are you getting shy because I'm wearing black today?"

"W-What!?"

"You are."

"I am not!"

"Then why are your ears red?"

I reached for her arm too fast.

She caught my wrist.

Then she turned my body, slid one leg behind mine, and nudged me with just enough force to send me stumbling into her chest.

My brain completely shut off.

For one awful second, I was standing there, frozen, with my face inches from hers.

Reina looked very pleased with herself.

She tilted her head.

"Oho~ There it is."

I swallowed hard.

"There what?"

"That look."

"What look?"

"The one that says you're completely fallen over heels for me~."

My face turned red enough to light the gym.

Katsumi covered her eyes and groaned, pissed off.

"This is too much..."

Orime nodded weakly.

"She's bullying him."

Reina gave me one last teasing smile, then tapped my forehead with one finger.

"Your lesson for today is simple."

I stared at her.

"What lesson?"

She grinned.

"Try not to collapse every time a pretty woman gets close to you."

"That's not a lesson!! That's an attack!!"

"Same thing."

"Tch... It's only because of you... Reina..."

"My, my~, you're being so bold and honest today~. I might reward you~."

Katsumi was already glaring holes into the back of Reina's head.

I could feel it.

The air itself felt sharp.

"Hey..." Katsumi muttered, her face twitching. "Can you stop getting that close to him?"

Reina looked back at her with a smug smile.

"Why? Jealous?"

"I am not jealous!!"

"Mm-hm. Sure."

Katsumi's face turned even redder.

Orime, standing nearby, crossed her arms and sighed.

"Super jealous."

"I heard that!" Katsumi snapped.

Orime shrugged. "Then hear this, too. You should relax."

"Why are you siding with her!?"

"I'm not siding with her. I just enjoy watching you suffer."

"YOU LITTLE—"

Reina laughed, clearly loving every second of it.

"Aw, this is cute. My sister is getting protective."

"Shut up, you groomer!"

"I'm not grooming anybody."

"You absolutely are."

"I'm not."

"You are!"

I stood there in the middle of all this chaos, staring at Reina, then at Katsumi, then at Orime.

Why did every conversation around her always turn into this?

Still... I had to focus.

Reina raised a brow at me.

"Well? Are you going to try again, handsome~?"

I took a breath.

Then another.

My mind went quiet.

The noise around me faded out.

Feet.

Balance.

Hips.

Timing.

Control.

I remembered everything she showed me.

Not just the moves.

The rhythm.

The feeling.

The way she kept shifting her weight before moving.

The way she used small openings as if they were giant cracks.

My eyes narrowed.

Reina's smile faded just a little.

"...Oh?"

I stepped forward.

She reached for me first, trying to grab my arm and throw me off balance again.

But this time, I saw it coming.

I slipped my foot back.

Turned my shoulder.

Pulled her arm just enough.

Reina's eyes widened a little.

I didn't stop.

I shifted my hips.

Hooked her leg.

Then turned hard.

"Wha—?!"

The whole gym seemed to freeze.

In one clean motion, I flipped Reina over and slammed her onto the mat.

BOOM.

Silence.

For one second, nobody moved.

Reina lay on the mat, blinking in shock.

I stood over her, breathing hard, my fist clenched.

Then I looked down at her and said, very clearly:

"Do not underestimate me."

More silence.

Katsumi's eyes went wide.

Orime's jaw dropped.

Even Amai, who had been watching silently from the side, looked stunned.

"...Master?" Amai whispered.

I could get used to this.