Interview with the Yokai

Chapter 4

Shoji found himself in a situation that was not conducive to him having a healthy day. Tanahashi, Kanto, and Tobe were leading him to the side of the school, out of view. Shoji had thought of running, but the three were on the soccer team and would run him down without a problem, even if he got away, they would try again the next time they saw him. Shoji had to try to talk his way out of this. He was sure this unwanted meeting was about Benihime, he just had to defuse the situation.

" Tobe-san tells me that he saw you and Benihime-san coming down from the roof. I'm a nice guy and I don't like to think bad of Benihime-san, but she's been looking at you the whole weekend and now you're up on the roof alone. What am I supposed to think?," Tanahashi said getting in Shoji's face.

" I think there's been a misunderstanding ......," Shoji got out before he got smacked upside the head by Tanahashi, which elicited a round of laughter from Kanto and Tobe.

" You think your smart newspaper boy? You think I don't understand some nerd with an excuse to hang out with Benihime-chan thinking he can get sneaky with my girl? Benihime-chan is my girl I'm going to make sure you don't misunderstand that!," Tanahashi screamed at Shoji as he drove his knee into Shoji's gut forcing him to fall to his knees. Shoji got his hands up trying to protect himself from the onslaught that was coming.

" Stop right there, any of you hit Shoji-san again and you're going to be dealing with me!," Noriko screamed as she ran up to them.

" It's ok Noriko-san, don't worry," Shoji said, not wanting Noriko to be hurt.

" Hey you stupid bitch this has nothing to do with you, why don't you run off," Kanto said, reaching out to shove Noriko. Kanto's hand never made it, Noriko grabbed his wrist twisted it, while turning her body, and flipped Kanto off his feet, slamming him on the ground. Tobe seemed to hesitate when he saw his fellow stooge treated so roughly, laying on the ground, clutching his wrist in pain. Tobe was unsure what to do, it was obvious that he recognized Noriko and unlike Shoji he hadn't forgotten that she was a Judo prodigy. Tobe's decision was made for him, as Noriko ran up to him, grabbed him by his shirt collar, and twisting her hip, and tossed him against the school's wall. Tobe hit the wall with a sick thud, sliding down it and sprawling out on the floor in front of it, painful moans emitting from his mouth.

" You going to put your hands on Shoji-san again?," Noriko said continuing her walk towards Tanahashi. Noriko looked every bit the Oni she truly was even in her human form.

" I got no problem with you Kojima-san, I just wanted Matsumoto-san to keep away from Benihime-chan, this is an argument between men," Tanahashi said, putting his hands up and backing away from Shoji.

" I know Benihime-san, if you think that there's anything between her and Shoji-san, you don't know her very well. Shoji-san only interacts with Benihime-san because of the school newspaper," Noriko said getting between Shoji and Tanahashi.

" I trust Benihime-chan, I don't trust him creeping around my girl," Tanahashi said making his way towards Kanto and Tobe.

" You're going to have to get over that then, because if I even think you've been bullying Shoji-san again, I'll be the one having an argument with you on the side of the school," Noriko said, coming right up to Tanahashi's face.Tanahashi thinking discretion to be the better part of valor, walked away.

" It's not like I have anything to worry about anyway, Benihime-chan would never choose a loser like him over me anyway. Come on you idiots let's go," Tanahashi said as he and his two stooges made a quick getaway.

" Thanks Noriko-san, you really saved me there," Shoji said getting up and dusting off his knees.

" No, it was nothing," Noriko said bashfully, the intimidating aura that she had been putting out before completely gone.