Chapter 13: The Secret to Strength
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 13: The Secret to Strength
After the gym tour, Fuma Yukika dragged her exhausted body back to her rented room—30,000 yen a month—with a newfound conviction.
"Kim Yoo-Sung… his body must be the legendary Extreme Yang Body I've only heard stories about."
She took off one of her only two school uniforms and hung it on a hanger. Changing into a comfortable green tracksuit, she carefully retrieved an old book hidden beneath the tatami mat of her room: the Fuma Ninjutsu Manual.
The Fuma Ninjutsu Manual was a secret text passed down through generations of Fuma clan heads. It was a treasure trove of knowledge, detailing the most efficient ways to destroy the human body, along with various ninjutsu, weapon techniques, and pharmacology.
And within its pages was a description of what she suspected Kim Yoo-Sung's constitution to be.
「Extreme Yang Body (極陽之體)」
According to the book, it referred to a person born with the Yang Energy of a hundred ordinary men.
Yang Energy was synonymous with masculinity, and those born with an Extreme Yang Body always stood out due to their immense strength.
The book stated that Heracles, the quintessential Greek hero, was one such individual. Oda Nobunaga, one of the Three Great Heroes of the Sengoku Period, also possessed an Extreme Yang Body, as did Sakamoto Ryoma, the man known as the Dragon of the Restoration.
Of course, it was possible she was completely mistaken.
But having crossed blades with him directly, she knew his strength wasn't something an ordinary person could obtain simply by working out hard.
That was why, after the humiliating incident where she had wet herself in front of her club members out of instinctual fear, she had spent the last few days secretly following and observing Kim Yoo-Sung.
"…For now, I should let Grandfather know about this."
Perhaps his constitution could be the key to reviving the Fuma clan.
Taking a ballpoint pen from her pencil case, she began to write a letter to her grandfather on a blank sheet of paper in an elegant script.
She made sure to add a line asking him to send some rice if he had any to spare.
*
The next day.
When I got to school, I saw Tojo Karen's face in my classroom.
Thinking I'd walked into the wrong room, I poked my head back out into the hallway to check, but it was definitely Class 2-B.
I glanced at her perched by the window before sitting down at my desk.
Kishimoto hadn't arrived yet, it seemed, as the seat next to me was empty.
Instead, I asked Satoru, who sat in front of me.
"Why is Tojo in our class?"
"Oh, that? Apparently, she's been begging Sakamoto to meet up this weekend. Says she wants to treat him to a meal as an apology."
"That's a date."
"My point exactly."
Satoru shrugged, then covered his mouth with one hand and whispered.
"By the way, did you hear the rumor? They say that Tojo girl is the daughter of someone huge."
"Huge?"
Satoru nodded, his expression grave.
"Don't be shocked when you hear this, okay?"
"I won't be. Just spit it out."
"Tojo Karen is supposedly the daughter of the infamous Toseikai boss!"
"…Toseikai? As in, the yakuza?"
"That's right. The massive organization that controls the entire Kanto region."
"Wow, that's surprising."
I had no idea where he picked up this kind of information, but the rumors that went around among students were often wildly exaggerated.
After all, the story about me fighting a 50-to-1 battle against a Bōsōzoku was a complete lie.
All I did was grab the guy who looked like their leader while I was out for an early morning workout and have a few words with him because they were being too loud.
I didn't know if a passerby had seen it or if one of the Bōsōzoku members had spread the rumor maliciously.
"You don't seem surprised at all."
"Well, even if she really is a yakuza boss's daughter, it's not like she's done anything to us."
"…That's true."
"Then there's no problem."
Hearing my response, Satoru suddenly fell silent, then looked at me seriously.
"I'm seriously tempted to start calling you 'boss' right now."
"We're in the same grade. Don't be weird."
"Figured you'd say that."
Satoru chuckled and turned back around.
After our conversation ended, I rested my chin on my arm on the desk, lost in thought.
Come to think of it, this is a romantic comedy.
I had dismissed it as a baseless rumor, but maybe Tojo really was a yakuza boss's daughter.
Well, the one getting involved with her is the protagonist, not me, so it probably doesn't matter.
*
After that, Tojo Karen continued to show up during every break to talk to the protagonist, Sakamoto Ryuji.
It looked like she was completely smitten.
True to his role as a rom-com protagonist, Ryuji himself was as dense as a rock and couldn't seem to understand why this girl he'd only met a few days ago was coming on so strong. But from an observer's standpoint, it was like they were flaunting their relationship.
It was enough to make Yaguchi, who had thought she was the only one in love with him, feel threatened and actively go on the defensive.
Naturally, the jealousy of the boys in Class 2-B skyrocketed.
"Damn it! Why only Sakamoto! I want a busty childhood friend and a fierce-looking athletic beauty to fall for me too!"
"Why, oh heaven, did you create me, only to create Sakamoto Ryuji as well!"
"Dude, objectively speaking, you're not even in the same league as him looks-wise."
"Go take a look in the bathroom mirror."
"You guys are one to talk!"
Haha, these guys. Their idiotic conversation is truly top-tier.
I was eavesdropping on the dumb trio's chatter with my arms crossed when I felt a tug on my sleeve and turned my head.
"Ryu-chan, are you free during Golden Week?"
It was Kishimoto from the next seat.
"I am, but why the sudden question?"
"My papa has time off for Golden Week. I told you I'd introduce you, remember?"
"……!"
At this unexpected good news, I uncrossed my arms and leaned in, ready to listen intently.
"When can we meet?"
"Hmm~ He said we're going on a family trip abroad for the first time in a while, so it'll probably have to be the first or second day."
I was about to say any time was fine, but then I remembered I had a meeting with the President on the 29th, the first day of Golden Week. I asked cautiously.
"Would the 30th be okay?"
"Yep! That should be fine. I'll let my papa know ahead of time."
Hearing Kishimoto's words, I clenched my fists.
I have to bring my manga and get his autograph.
There were still about ten days until Golden Week, but my heart was already starting to flutter with excitement.
Is this what the fox felt while waiting for the Little Prince?
*
Lunchtime.
Today, instead of bringing a lunchbox, we decided to eat at the student cafeteria.
It was a simple system: you choose your desired menu from a ticket machine, take the ticket it dispenses, and hand it to the cafeteria lady.
The student cafeteria offered a variety of menu items, with prices ranging from a minimum of 200 yen to a maximum of 500 yen.
I got the 300-yen tonkatsu curry set and sat down at a reasonably empty table.
Shortly after, Kishimoto sat down across from me with her Kitsune Udon and a three-rice-ball set.
Watching her, I casually asked.
"Rika, for someone so slim, you eat quite a lot."
Kishimoto, who had just taken a large bite of a rice ball filled with pollock roe, tilted her head, a grain of rice stuck to her cheek.
"Isn't this a normal amount? Besides, if I don't eat a big lunch, I end up snacking later."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense."
Come to think of it, in the few weeks I'd been hanging out with her, I'd never seen her snack on anything.
She said she only drank sodas like Coke or cider very occasionally, so she probably had much healthier eating habits than the average high school girl.
She finished one rice ball in an instant, then picked the grain of rice off her cheek and popped it into her mouth.
"Besides, I have the type of constitution where I don't gain weight no matter how much I eat. It all goes to my chest."
Hearing that, my eyes instinctively drifted downwards before I realized I'd fallen into her trap.
Kishimoto immediately hugged herself with both arms and feigned surprise.
"Eek, you pervert☆"
…This girl is surprisingly annoying once you get to know her.
I let out a small sigh and started moving my spoon again.
It was at that moment.
"Hey, can I sit here?"
An unwelcome guest had found us, even though we had deliberately chosen a table in the corner.
The guest, shaking her familiar red hair, placed the mackerel set meal she was holding down next to Kishimoto.
Recognizing her, Kishimoto's voice rose to a squeak.
"Ah, the girl from the class next door… Mmph!"
"Quiet, they'll hear you."
Glancing around nervously, Tojo Karen clamped her palm over Kishimoto's mouth and stealthily joined our table.
Then, in a low voice, she asked her.
"They say you're really good at giving love advice. Is that true?"
"Mmm-mmph!"
"If it's true, blink twice. If not, blink once."
Blink. Blink.
Only then did she remove her hand from Kishimoto's mouth. She swallowed hard and spoke in a trembling voice.
"I… started liking someone recently, and I'd like to get some advice from you."
As Tojo Karen said this, a faint blush colored her cheeks.
Anyone could see it was the face of a girl in love.