The Story of Being Taught How to Fight by a Yankee Gal

Secret Place

“Shiki, why don’t you sit over here without hesitation?

“No, I think it’s normal to hesitate, right? Except for this pervert.”

“Oh, Chi-chan. You understand it well.”

　Shiki’s awkward smile deepened as he took out a yakisoba bread he bought from the school store.

　Karin took out a melon bread from a plastic bag containing four pieces, and Touka opened a modest-sized lunchbox.

“Alright, let’s dig in. (よっこらせ, と)”

　Chiaki said with a strangely old-fashioned remark as she lined up her stacked bento boxes on the mat.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to eat all of that by yourself, Tsukiike-san…? “

“Duh. There’s no way I could eat all of this by myself. Of course I’ll share it with Karin and Touka. Do you want some too?”

“No… I couldn’t possibly…”

　Karin spoke while munching on a melon bread.

“You don’t need to hold back. Chiaki is just forcing the things she doesn’t like on us.”

“Y-yes, I don’t mind! In the first place, it’s my mom’s fault for making so much food, even though I always say I have enough of it. Mama is so mean for deliberately putting in things I don’t like――”

　As she was about to continue, Chiaki suddenly froze.

　At the same time, her face instantly turned vermilion.

　After a strangely awkward silence, Chiaki puts her hand into the slit of her skirt with her red face intact…She pulled out what looked like a real gun, pointing it toward him.

　Shiki immediately put the piece of bread in his lap and raised his hands above his head.

“Even if it looks like that, what Chiaki has is just a modified airsoft gun.”

“That’s why it’s okay.”

“Just the fact that it has ‘modified’ in its name doesn’t make it sounds very safe, does it!?”

　While Karin and Touka were making comments that didn’t really help, Chiaki trembled with the gun in her hand.

“Forget everything you just heard, Orifushi…”

“What do you mean by ‘everything you just heard’?”

　Shiki, who genuinely didn’t understand, asked back, and Chiaki’s already red face turned even redder. She mumbled for a moment and then answered hesitantly.

“I-it means… when I said… Ma… Mama… Ah, forget it! Don’t make me say it, you jerk!”

　Shiki nodded his head silently since it would only add fuel to the fire if he tried to say out loud that it didn’t feel strange for her to use [Mama] because of her appearance.

　As if to undermine Shiki’s efforts, Karin said in a carefree and fluent manner.

“It doesn’t matter if you call her Mama. Considering your appearance, it doesn’t look strange to me.”

“It’s not okay! And Karin! It’s your fault that I slipped and said it in the first place!”

“Why is it my fault?”

“Because of what you said, I accidentally let it slip!”

“Isn’t that just a baseless accusation!?”

　While the two argued back and forth, Touka smiled and said,

“They’re so cute, aren’t they?”

　Having a sense that if Shiki were to affirm it out loud, the attention of the two would turn towards him, Shiki could only force a wry smile.

“What’s with this mackerel-saury teriyaki?! Eat this! Karin!”

“Yeah, thanks! But seriously, you really hate fish, huh? That’s why you’re not growing taller!”

“Mind your own business! You bastard!”

　Watching the chaotic exchange between the two, Touka enjoyed her lunch, eating the rice from her bento with relish.

　Shiki also eats his yakisoba bread while being overwhelmed by this situation.

　Touka, who was watching the situation from the side, exclaimed, [Oh?]

“Are you done already? Rinrin always eats four pieces of bread and even gets a bento from Chi-chan,”

“Well… it’s because…”

“Oh my, if it’s something difficult to say, you don’t have to say it~”

“It’s not that difficult to say, but…”

　Shiki answered honestly,

“I’ve been punched in the stomach by Kawato-kun all the time… so I got used to having a smaller lunch…”

“I see…”

　Touka responded in a somewhat sympathetic tone.

　Seemingly aware of the conversation, Karin and Chiaki, who had been making a ruckus until now, nodded at each other and then nodded at Touka.

“My treat. Have some curry bread too.”

“I’ll make an exception and give you a hamburger steak.”

“My bento is homemade~ If you’d like, have some ”

“…uh? What? “

“Well, don’t hold back.”

　With Karin’s words sealing the deal, the lunch became more sumptuous than ever before. Both Chiaki and Touka fed Shiki with their own chopsticks, and before that, Karin had even taken a bite with Chiaki’s chopsticks. It was all too stimulating for Shiki, who hardly remembered the taste.

　As the dreamy lunch came to an end, Karin asked, as if implying that this was the main point.

“Well, it’s about time I heard your answer, Shiki.”

　There was no need to ponder what she was talking about.

　Karin was asking whether Shiki wanted to be taught how to fight or not.

　Closing his eyes, Shiki recalled the events of this morning.

　At that time, Kawato had glared at him with eyes that seemed to be directed at his parents’ mortal enemies.

　Although they had promised not to lay a hand on Shiki again in front of the “Empress,” it was unknown what would happen when the heat died down.

　…No, it’s pretty obvious.

　Even if Karin and her friends really back him, he can’t expect them to protect him all the time.

　They are not going to do that, either, because it would be too much of a burden for them.

　Shiki would like to have enough power to defend himself in case Kawato sought revenge.

　Furthermore, it was pathetic and foolish for Shiki to get involved with them but be unable to resolve anything, as was the case when he tried to protect the student who Kawato had bullied or when Kawato and the others were trying to take Haruno somewhere.

　Violence is not good, but Shiki believed that it was necessary to have enough power to resist violence.

　Therefore,

“If it’s not too much trouble…please teach me how to fight!” “

　Karin chuckles at Shiki who bows his head deeply.

“You don’t have to be so formal. Just think of it as a thank you for helping Haruno. It’ll put my mind at ease too. Actually, it would be great if I could teach Haruno together…”

“Stop, Karin. Worst case scenario, Haruno… will die.”

“That was an unfortunate accident…”

　Seeing the three of them with distant gazes, it seemed that Haruno had received lessons in fighting before Shiki, and something had gone wrong during that time.

“Well, anyway. If you’re going to do it, the sooner, the better. Shall we start after school today?”

　Today?! ――Shiki was about to blurt out, but since he didn’t know when Kawato would consider the situation to have cooled down, he thought it would be better to start as Karin suggested. Awkwardly, he nodded in agreement.

“Yeah… I understand.”

“I wonder where we should have the fighting lessons…”

　Karin asks, glancing sideways at the sandbag in the corner of the room.

“Isn’t this place perfect for that? “