"You're late." The teacher in front of the green table screeched out. "I can't believe it, once a month and still being late… This is why F-class students are just… Take a seat, Mr. Sato."
I don't want to die… A way, a way… Is there one?
I nodded and walked up to the empty table next to the window when an arm reached up. "Yes, Dokuremi?"
There is..! There is only one way… but…
I glanced at the girl beside me, sitting quietly with a black mask over her face. Wearing a neat tight blue uniform.
But someone else will need to fall in my stead..
"Teacher~ don't be mean to our Sato~ After all, today his father's mistakes will finally come for his payment~ hahaha~!" She glanced at me as my eyes widened at his remark, my palm swung against the table almost immediately, trying to hide a smirk.
Sorry Dokuremi..
The whole class burst into laughter while I stared at him. The young teacher adjusted her glasses, then with her liner slapped against the hard board, making a thundering sound echo through the old walls of the building. "Quiet down, quiet down everyone."
Act arrogant..
Despite her being right there, everyone continued laughing, while some started chatting, almost completely ignoring any sign of authority she had. She just took a seat and handed papers to the student in front. "Pass them to the back, do what you want…"
Act arrogant..
While the front students started sending back the sheet papers, slowly forgetting the earlier remark, Dokuremi stared straight back at me, no. He was looking at the girl just beside me.
Act arrogant
In reality it wasn't a deep insult — it was simply a chance, one I was willing to grasp with my hands.
ACT ARROGANT!!! DOKUREMI, I'M COMING FOR YOU.
"Take it back." I murmured.
Fuck- Already messed up?
Dokuremi stood up while his glance switched onto me.
No.. He got baited, good!!
"He talked back to a B class? Is he crazy?" someone asked a friend in the far-right row, while she simply replied, "It's that guy you know? The one she talked about."
"Ah—"
Dokuremi's overgrown yellow hair fell over his brown eyes, his smirk widening as more pairs of eyes started paying attention to us, now a bit more seriously. "Why? Got a problem?"
To be arrogant.. ACT ARROGANT!!?
I sharpened my eyesight, and stared directly into his eyes while straightening my back
"I SAID TAKE IT BACK YOU FUCKER—!"
Come on, come on… Work, work, work, please — this is the only way!!
"I CHALLENGE YOU TO A BATTLE PROTOCOL, DOKUREMI. ILL MAKE YOU TAKE BACK THOSE WORDS!!"
The teacher blankly stared at us, letting it happen for a moment. "Oooh, Dokuremi got challenged!?" someone yelled from the front-left row. Suddenly the girl next to me swung her palm against the table again and again while yelling, "Protocol battle! Protocol battle! Protocol battle!" His eyesight quickly changed back to her, with a bit of a surprised face.
Quickly though his eyes lightened as he stared back towards me.
That's right you fuckers, there isn't a single thing you barbarians love more than violence. NOW DOKUREMI — COME — RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF MY PALM AND GIVE ME MY CHANCE!
Suddenly the class started cheering: "PROTOCOL BATTLE! PROTOCOL BATTLE! PROTOCOL BATTLE!"
I glanced around the class. What they sought was a raw fight commonly used in slums such as the one we live in to settle disputes; everyone has one — an ability. "Protocol battle?" The only moment when the abilities assigned at birth can be unlocked, without the government approving it, is precisely that - Protocol battle.
Dokuremi raised his arms. "Ohho, chill everyone, chill. Protocol battle, huh?" He tilted his head at me, grinning. "IF THE PUBLIC DEMANDS IT, SO IT SHALL BE!!" He raised his arm, prompting everyone to cheer louder. The teacher lowered her glasses, sighed, and took out what appeared to be a microphone.
"WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DEMAND, SATO?"
She handed it to the student in front of her, asking her to plug it into the nearby electrical den.
Sound arrogant, sound arrogant, sound arrogant…
"IS IT AN APOLOGY!?"
TO SOUND ARROGANT, ACT ARROGANT!
That's right, COME! THE BIGGEST CIRCUSANT OF THE 'CROWS SPECIAL UNDER ACADEMY', DOKUREMI KONAN!
"Protocol battle? For an apology?" I tilted my head and grinned, taking a step forward. "No… What I want you to wage is… YOUR RANK! I CHALLENGE YOU TO AN RPB!!" Pointing at him, my long arm stretched forward almost like a spear, wishing to pierce through an enemy's heart.
"OOOOOOH!!!!" Everyone immediately stood up, cheering: "ACCEPT! ACCEPT! ACCEPT! ACCEPT!" They clapped the books against the wooden table, making each sound like a distant cannonball through the abysmal 'Crows under academy'.
He stepped closer and pressed his left wrist against mine, touching the two wristbands falling loosely off our watches. "ALRIGHT THEN, I DOKUREMI KONAN, B CLASS, ACCEPT WAGING MY RANK AGAINST THE F-CLASS SATO NARUHIYA! BUT UNDER OOOONE CONDITION!"
His smile widened slowly, changing eye sights between me and the girl sitting beside me.
"SINCE YOU'RE A LOSER SOON TO HIT F0, WHAT YOU WILL WAGE IS HUMILIATION. IF I WIN, I WANT YOU TO GROVEL BEFORE MY FEET AND BEG FOR FORGIVENESS!"
"OOOOOOH!"
THAT'S RIGHT! SOMEONE LIKE YOU WOULD NEVER REJECT A SHOW! OR IMPRESSING HER..
"I NARUHIYA SATO ACCEPT DOKUREBI KONAN'S WAGER!"
I sighed then slowly glanced back at the girl who basically fired everything up — the sit mate with a black mask over her face.
To be arrogant, think arrogant, act arrogant huh..? Never tried it before, how did I do it? No more importantly..
She removed halfway her mask, and grinned at me with her tongue out.
Are you sure this was a good idea… Marianne!?