(a/n: here's another reward chapter for you guys....)
"man that was delicious"
"I never imagined that there will come a day that I'll be cooking my own food"
"it's a good thing we have Catherine here" I just smiled at them. we just finished our lunch and everyone are currently just walking around or talking in groups.
"Ryuuji!!" like a synchronize act we all turn to our right when someone called King and our eyes widen in disbelief when we saw the special guest walking towards us. In our group it looks like only me and Aoi knew the relationship between Ryuuji and Raijin.
"hey!" I look at Kana when she elbowed me "you know him?" he gestured at Raijin
"eh?"
"don't eh me, from your expression, you look like you know him"
"I don't know him per se but I only know that he's the king's older brother"
"eh???? Then......you're not joking earlier, he's really like the great king or something"
"I don't know"
"hmmmm.....looks like this trip is proving to be more and more interesting by the minute" ah Kana why is your expression the same as those time when we're watching thriller movies, so full of excitement and expectation.
"aniki" Ryuuji nodded at his brother.
"imagine my surprise when I saw you earlier. I thought I am having hallucinations when i see you joining such activities like this. I thought you find this kind of activity as boring"
"I could ask the same to you brother. I thought you find going into seclusion to do research as stupid"
"can you call this amount of activity as a seclusion?" he open his arms and gestured around us
"this time no but you're on your way to it"
"hey, is it just me or their words contains an insult despite their light tone" Kana whispered
"no act of mine can be called stupid little brother" Ryuuji did not answer but instead he just smirked or something like that since his lips only tilt a little upwards. If I am not looking at Ryuuji I wouldn't have noticed it.
"by the way Raijin-ani why are you here, I thought you're currently working on your thesis somewhere in the south" Aoi the ever peaceful one spoke up when suddenly the tension in the air rose to a notch.
"ah that, I've already finished my studies, I am only here to help a friend on something. He had a hard time with his study so he opted to have me take a look at it"
"finished?"
"Aoi, why do you sound so surprised? this is me were talking about, something like graduating early is an easy feat"
"is it just me or does this person screams the word arrogance" I almost laugh at Kana's words "meeting him makes me appreciate your king now more than before"
"shhh...." I gestured her to zip her mouth
"brother don't you have to go somewhere?" Kana and me turn to Ryuuji
"don't worry little brother I have no plan of going anywhere yet"
"tsk....can I just kick him far away from here?" I look at Kana and see how irritated she is at Raijin.
"you need to endure"
"you know how I hate arrogant people" she pouted and I just pat her head
"you can accompany me to go and find brother"
"looking for brother Clyde is better than having my ears bleed in pain because of someone's arrogant attitude" we're about to stand up when Ryuuji zeroed his gaze in our direction
"where are you going?"
"ummmm....." I look at Kana
"if you're going to look for monitor Clyde I suggest that you better not proceed. In a short while the official task and activities will begin and it would look bad in our school to see you associating with your brother before the activity even begun" I can't help but feel sad from his words
"the king is really sly I can't even think of a comeback" I had no choice but to sit back
"right now I can only see him as a big obstacle" I could practically see the word obstacle above his head.
"tsk....come on, it's not like this is the only time that you can be with your brother"
"brother is busy with his studies and his preparations for his college entrance exam that we don't even managed to meet anymore even though we're living under the same roof" I helplessly vent at Kana
"okay...okay...you pitiful siscon" I give her a glare and she just laugh it off.
"hey you" suddenly Kana's expression become serious as she turn her direction to Raijin
"yes?"
"not you, you're too plain. I am talking about her" Raijin pointed a finger at me while Kana looks like she'll murder someone.
"Catherine, if you see my name in the news just remember to visit me" she said while smiling stiffly
"I did not elevate your mob status to that of the supporting character just to watch you go in jail because of him"
"I don't know what you just said but make that person go away. Bring out your inner villainess today or I'll massacre him right now" I give Kana a thumbs up while she just wink at me.
"yes?" I turn to look at Raijin while trying to make my aura more regal, if someone ask me how to do it, I don't know so let's stick to that.
"you look familiar have we met somewhere"
"lame" Kana whispered beside me "what a third rate pick up line, I could do better than that"
"I am sure you're mistaken because I am perfectly certain that I've never meet you before"
"hmmmm....." he started walking towards my direction "you really do look familiar" he stop in front of me and bend down while I just lean back away from him.
"move" I said while glaring at him "can't you see that you're invading my personal space" he raise a brow before moving away while I roll my eyes upwards and tap myself as if I am brushing away some dirt.
"this girl" he said in an annoyed tone "tsk....another princess syndrome in rich families, what is the world going in to" he said while looking me up. I flip my hair and cross my legs and gave him a smile
"I. AM. A. PRINCESS" I said giving emphasis to my every word. Raijin's expression suddenly become unreadable before turning to Ryuuji and Aoi
"I have to go, I remember something that I have to do" he turn in my direction and I wave goodbye at him while mouthing the word 'bye bye' he frowned at me before turning his back and walking away.
"oh my gosh!!!" suddenly Kana started laughing "did you see his expression? He looks so annoyed when you started acting like an ojou-sama that he immediately run away, hahaha" I give Kana a smug look as I feel satisfied with my performance.
"I did not know you could act like that Catherine" suddenly every smugness in my body go down the drain when I heard Aoi's voice. "seeing you act like that reminds me that you're also an heiress" I almost tearfully look at Kana because somehow his words seems to hold the meaning that I don't even look like an inch of a rich young lady.
"why? What do you usually view me as?"
"hmmmm.....a cat....maybe?" a cat yourself!!!!! Ah!!!! What do you view me as? A pet????? Author I thought Aoi is supposed to be a nice and kind character how can he suddenly say such insulting words behind that innocent smile of his. This is fraud!!!! "Ryuuji always refer to you as a cat that I unconsciously think of you as one" cat!!!!! I have two feet and you call me a cat!!! I look at Ryuuji with grievances.
"do you need something?" I shake my head and look at Kana who is looking amuse. Villain...ah....who's the real villain here? aren't you the real villain here king!
"you had to act to be a villain while your king only had to speak a few words and he could already reduce someone into nothing" I had no choice but to held my head down.
"ah....catherine, don't take my words to your heart, it was just a senseless babble" Aoi tried to comfort me "besides I am sure Ryuuji did not mean it" I unconsciously look at Ryuuji who is busy reading some book "neh, Ryuuji" Ryuuji raise his head and look in my direction and I immediately fixed my posture and meet his gaze
"I only see a cat"
"bullseye" Kana whispered on my side.
"this is......." I ask my team mates after I read the contents of the activities for this afternoon.
"hmmm....this is fascinating"
"it's the first I've known of this kind of game"
"so they prepared one activity consisting of different type of challenges with different difficulty and style by using the mountain as a ground. This is quite fascinating" I faced palm just by hearing their words. Just what kind of world are you guys living into that you don't even know about amazing race that you have to sound so surprised about reading it
"hmmm....so there are ten station, five are for the high school student council members and five are for the middle school students" Leon, the auditor read out loud
"but there are no markers that will indicate if each station is for the middle school or high school student council" Anna the first year representative pointed out.
"it is to be expected that the difficulty for the high school student council is two to three times harder than the challenges issued to us" Lyka, the second year representative said after pondering for a second.
"this problem is just simple" everyone turn to look at Ryuuji "whether it'll be a challenge for the high school student council or for the middle school we'll just have to finish it" I noticed how our members suddenly turn quiet with a look of disbelief in their eyes as they look at Ryuuji
"Ryuuji" Aoi called him
"if we can't solve easy problems how do you think we're going to solve more complex problems in the middle school section?" his words might be cold but seeing the faces of our members I guess its effective in lifting up their spirits.
"Catherine" I look at Kana "what do you think?"
"amazing race is not something complicated" I can't help but remember those times I played this kind of challenge in my past life. "since it's a team challenge let's just enjoy it" I believe that activity such as this should be enjoyed rather than be stressed over with.
"I have here a map of the whole place" Aoi laid down a map "we have no details where the stations might be situated but I could deduced some areas where it will be perfect to conduct the challenges" he pointed some areas in the map while everyone was looking at it aptly.
"I see" Ryuuji looked at the map "if I am going to base the activities to be drawn up by each and every one of the monitor I could practically come up with some sort of strategy or idea on what kind of challenge they are going to put up with" I could practically see how the other members look at Ryuuji and Aoi with respect.
"listening to them feels like seeing a king and his general talking about some kind of war tactics" i nodded in agreement on Kana's words because I too feel the same way.
"I could give you five possible things to be given as challenges based on the profile I made however there is one person we need to be wary off"
"don't tell me that you can't handle him Ryuuji"
"its not that I can't handle him, its just that it will take too much time to do it"
"ummm.....who are you talking about?" Lyka asked curiously
"we're talking about Catherine's brother" everyone turn in my direction and look at me
"eh????"
"right!" surprised by her sudden outburst I turn to look at Giles, the third year representative who had been quiet since this morning. "when we're talking about challenges he will be the biggest obstacle. Any station he can get hold off will be a problem"
"can't you predict any possible challenge he could give us?" Lyka ask Ryuuji
"impossible. I don't have any conclusive data about him"
"then Catherine" everyone look at me "can't you at least share something about your brother? Can you give us a heads up on what could we expect from him"
"I can't"
"you can't? is it because he's your brother? "
"c'mon Catherine, it would be for our school"
"I told you can't" we might be siblings but even I don't know accurately what my brother is thinking.
"don't be selfish!" I did not respond and just look at them. really, aren't we supposed to be here to socialize and improve the relationship between the three schools. Why do you guys look like some pack of hungry wolves fighting over slab of meat.
"hey....hey....stop pressuring Catherine. Do you really expect her to tattle her brother out" i lean back slightly when everyone look at me for a second and most of them nodded as if agreeing on something
"we understand" eh?????? Why do you suddenly became tame and what's with that chorus reply????? I look at Kana and she give me a big thumbs up. what happened???
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Catherine: "do I really not resemble a rich lady?"
Zero: *looks her up and down*.....
Catherine: *full of expectation* "so????"
Zero:.........
Catherine: "why are you not answering????? Zero!!!!"
Zero: what you don't know won't kill you
Catherine: T__T