"So- you're from- the other side of the country, is it?" I watched Daniel, trying to scan every move for a sign of suspicion. "Yeah- I found other Daniel through an online forum and we decided to move in together." Daniel chuckled as we neared the gate of the school, where lots of people were already watching us and whispering away. What were they talking about anyways?
I wanted to ask Daniel straight up so badly, tell him that I found out from Kouji he doesn't actually exist, scream that he was lying- but I knew deep down that it was illogical. Surely Kouji can't do everything right all the time, he must've just made a mistake while scanning which made him lose Daniel in the system, or maybe Daniel hadn't registered yet- there was no way, in hell that- I gulped, my mind drowning in worries.
There's no way... That Daniel was also James Lee, was there?
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ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ, ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʀᴀɪɴ
ᴀ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪsᴍ ғᴀɴғɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ
ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴠ: ᴢᴀᴄᴋ ʟᴇᴇ.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
_______________________________
My senses kept telling me that someone was watching, the same feeling I got when school ended yesterday. That someone was throwing daggers with their eyes at me, but- who could it be?
"Do you... feel that?" I put a hand on Daniel's shoulder, causing him to jump up a bit. His face was a bit red- "fe-feel your hand?" "No, dummy- someone's watching-" I lightly smacked Daniel's back, signalling for him to keep walking. Just at the right time, I whipped by head around- there's no way I couldn't catch them this time- "Oh! Y/N!" Zoey sheepishly called out from behind a bush by the school gate, waving to me furiously with a few leaves in her hair. "And- Danny- how are you two?"
...you've gotta be kidding me.
"Zoey-" I put on a forced smile, trying to wrap my brain around this girl's stupidity. "What were you doing- behind a bush??" "Well, you see," she started, rubbing the back of her head with a look of concentration. "I was just- um-"
The bell rang just as she opened her mouth to keep stuttering out excuses, and without even another second she ran off to class. "She does know that we're going to see her again, right?" I joked, watching her slowly disappear from our line of sight. "We are LITERALLY in the same class."
I felt a sudden tap on my shoulder, making me jump up and right out of my peaceful break time. "What- Jay?" I turned over to see the blonde offender, only to see him deep in concentration, listening to the converstation between a few classmates and- that dickwad Zack.
"Nope- I can't see! Gross!" Zoey gagged at whatever Zack had said before her, though she didn't look genuine at all. Daniel looked a bit restless as the group kept laughing and talking. What were they talking about anyways?? The suspense was killing me- and as much as I hate to admit it, I had to keep listening. "Zack's punch was lightning fast, really. I couldn't see his fist!" One of Zack's minions laughed, while said Zack had a smug look on his face. "Hey, stop- I'm not proud of it-" he said with a proud smile. What a guy. Who does he really think he's fooling?
"I really hate that." Mira added in quietly from her desk, making a dark cloud look over Zack. "Why don't you just go out with him?" Mira's desk mate asked. "He's always nice to you, right?" "He's always fighting."
I look away as Mira looks over at me sympathetically, as if acknowledging that I was also there to witness the beat down.
"I'm sorry, but what are you all cheering on about-" I yelled, not able to take all this endless side story anymore. "What did hairge- Zack do?" Another of his minions looked over at me with a show off-ish look, going "oh, so you didn't hear, Y/N? Zack beat up a piggy at the local convenience store- and," his proud smirk widened even more. "We took pictures of his- well, you know, to keep him from telling." "ZaCk's?" I said confused, before coming to the realization from his death stare. "Oh, the convenience worker. WAIT, YOU TOOK PICTURES OF-" I felt my blood boil at the idea. This dick will really fight just about anyone for his ego issues, and can't even own up to it. Disgusting. "That's too far, you people know that right- delete them n-"
"Hey, come to think of it-" they ignore my threats completely. "That piggy's mom must be a pig too."
"Pigs are born from pigs." "What if the piggy brings his mom? Lol." "I'm gonna strip them both naked." I felt my anger boil over, hearing those words. "Was she happy after giving birth to him?" "Lol, you lunatic!!" "I would've had an abortion."
I got ready to lunge at these cocky bastards, but was stopped by Daniel, who took my words right out of my mouth. "Hey, you guys-
Have gone too far."
Everyone stayed silent for a bit- I rolled up my right sleeve to get ready to punch all of them down, while from the corner of my eye I could see Jay adjusting his rings for most likely the same reason. The tension was up in the room- and Zack looked like he was at his limit as well.
A few screeched and gasped as his table crashed down to the ground, the dumbass having kicked it away from him. Clearly, he was all butthurt about being embarrassed again in front of his dear Mira.
"And you." Zack turned over to me, eyes still wide in anger. "Don't get all cocky because you catched one fist. I could beat you to a pulp anytime, so shut your mouth." "Why don't you say that louder," I snorted. "Or just too scared to let others find out that I beat you-"
"Get up, you fucking worm." He hissed at Daniel while the others got hyped up. Man, can't I just have a nice long dialogue WITHOUT being interrupted for once? I wasn't over with Hairgel yet- not after he insulted other Daniel like that the very first day we met, not after he took those pictures of the poor convenience store worker and beat him up as well, not after all those goddamn insults his minions said. People form other departments gathered at the windows as the news spread, and people in our class started getting up to watch the fight.
"There he is- Zack Lee- lightning hands!!" "And the new guy? WHERE IS HE?" The crowd all screamed and giggled at the sight of Daniel, being all lovestruck over someone who's about to start throwing fists. "Hey wuss- come at me-" Zack went, positioning for fighting. Daniel only stood casually and frighteningly still- don't tell me- "this guy's not a fighter." Someone in the crowd finished my thought for me. A wave of confidence struck over Zack as he watched Daniel's confused face. He raised a fist, ready to go in.
"Hey, Hairgel!" I yelled out. Daniel looked at me with pleading eyes of relief. "You have the wrong damn person." I clenched my teeth, trying to stop myself from lunging at him. "I didn't have time to throw a punch in at you that first day, and let's see- at least 20 more punches for what you said about that convenience store worker? How about I aim those right at your face-" I smirked, watching his face twist back into anger and the crowd go wild. "No matter. Wherever I aim it, you'll be out with one punch."
"You-" he swung his fist at me, and I did the same in return. But before the adrenaline rush from the fight hit me, both our hits were stopped by-
"Jay?" I yelled, yanking my fist away from his grip just as Zack did. "What the hell? Let me get a punch in on that asshole!" "..." his stern stare told me all I needed to know- he wasn't going to risk me getting my ass whooped, no matter the chances. "I'm telling you, I'm good at this- just watch, I'll tear him to shreds-" Zack seemed to share the same sentiments as me of wanting to punch the shit out of each other, but Jay yanked me away from the middle of the crowd before I could say anything, with a little help from Zoey. I flinch at the thought- didn't she LIKE Daniel? Why would she want to see him beat up?
With that, Zack swung another punch right at Daniel's as the crowd gasped, and Daniel's face flashed of horror. But something was up, he was thinking, his brain was turning- I could see it in his eyes.
The same way James' eyes looked in a fight.
"HE DODGED IT" someone yelled as the crowd went crazy. "He's crazy fast-" "Zack's iron fist, dodged?" "Amazing." Everyone was shocked, and apparently, even Daniel himself, judging by his face.
I was in real shock now. Even though Zack was a loudmouth, his punches were undisputedly fast- not the fastest, but, still hard to dodge. So how is Daniel, the same person who was standing casually right before the fight now dodging them one after another?! It was almost reminiscent of how Goo fought, his mind elsewhere and cracking quirky dumb jokes while cracking open skulls at the same time.
But all good things have to come to an end- Daniel was clearly reading Zack's shoulders, his eyes moving from one side to the other with each fist thrown at him- and when Zack rolled his shoulder all the way back to look overly dramatic, I knew that he saw it too. And he was going zoback at Daniel.
Suddenly swinging his other arm, Zack successfully caught Daniel off guard, throwing the fist right at his face- Jay flinches beside me as a few others gasp, but-
He.... He caught it? The same way that- I caught Zack's fist while saving little Daniel- no, not just the same.
The EXACT same.
The crowd continued to gossip as Daniel and Zack stood there, with Zack looking like he was about to pop a vein. "You ass-" he growled at Daniel, but his face clearly showed distress. Daniel dodged again and again, his face growing more and more irritated with each dodge. At this rate, he was going to wear himself out- he had to do something (....Charlie). "PUNCH HIM!" I yelled out to Daniel, not being able to take his dodging anymore. "BREAK HIS DAMN NOSE!" From beside me, Jay glanced at me with a defeated look. But Daniel listened, and threw a punch right at Zack, punching him right down to the ground. "HELL YEAH!" I screamed in victory while a few others joined me.
That day, "the newbie" beat Zack Lee, one of the best fighters around the school. The news of the fight spread like wildfire, and so did his popularity. And of course, because I had a small part in the fight, my name was also often brought up.
It was nothing new for me though- making a name for yourself was an important thing to do no matter where or who you are, or what kind of name it is.
Bonus:
"Young master-" jay's assistant helped put some medicine on his bruised up hands, sighing at the teen's recklessness. "So, you catched two fists at once, because there was a "school fight?" The blonde nodded. His assistant sighed. "Forgive me for asking, but- why? That girl, from Charles Choi- surely she'll have no problem taking on a random high schooler-" "..." "what do you mean, you don't know? You just threw yourself at them for no reason?" "..." "you didn't want to see them get hurt- young master, I genuinely don't think it's possible for her or that Daniel kid to get hurt in this situation-" "...." "Young master?? Don't think you can just avoid my questions by staying silent-"
A/N: ty for reading, this chapter was extra long because I really didn't want to cut up this fight. Hope it was fun reading! :)