(a/n: i don't intend to post this chapter yet but.........what the heck, here it is)
"President Ryuuji is so great you also got this one" we're currently in the middle of the amazing race.so far we've finished all middle school challenges set forth by the monitors, three of them we're correctly figured out by Ryuuji during our discussion that when we encountered them it was easily solved.
To be honest I can't even enjoy this like what I used to feel in the past, there is no excitement nor anticipation, having an insight on something is practically bori—w-wait....does this mean that when the timeline of this world and that of the manga will begin it will be boring since I know what will already happen???
"Catherine?" no.....i managed to change some circumstances mentioned in the manga which means there will be no monotony in my life. "Catherine!!!!"
"yes!" I unconsciously stand straight to fix my posture and look at my side and saw Kana looking at me "yes?"
"the others are already heading to the next station and you're still here daydreaming"
"I am sorry, I was just thinking about something" Kana nodded before walking ahead of me
"so......what is it that you're thinking about?"
"the future"
"future? what about the future?"
"about how my high school life will gain monotony since I already knew the outcome"
"pft....you? knowing the outcome? Are you finally going crazy?"
"I am not crazy!"
"Catherine, there is no one in this world who could tell what is going to happen in the future, only God will know about it" speechless, I stop from my tracks and look at Kana. Yes, I do believe that no one could really tell the future however I am someone who had read about this world. "Catherine?" I look at her "let's go" let's just think about this topic some other day, let's concentrate on this one first.
"okay"
"where were you guys????" Giles immediately asked when he saw us coming "quick, we've finally got to challenge a tricky one" we immediately followed him and saw the other members standing in front of a long table while a blonde haired youth is leisurely having tea under the shade of a tree, I am a hundred percent that he's the monitor.
"you guys look like you're having some difficulty"
"what's going on?" I brave myself and asked Ryuuji who had a frown on his face. He turn to his left and I followed his gaze and I found six cup noodles perfectly lined up on the table.
"this?"
"they're the challenge" he said plainly, noticing as he's not going to give any explanation I look at Aoi for some answers
"we must correctly label each cup of their corresponding flavors"
"what do we do now?" Anna butted in
"eh?"
"it's the first time I've learned of these things" Anna take one cup and turn it over and over as if she could get the answer from the cup
"this is really hard" Leon said as he look at the cups
"what are we going to do now? This is the first time I've learned of this kind of food"
"is it French? Or maybe an exotic delicacy?"
"maybe it's something exclusive, a specially made to order confection or something" I almost choke myself after hearing them as they ponder over the cup noodles on the table.
"Jansen is known for his fascination with different kinds of foods and delicacies around the world. We already deduced that he will make us guess what kind of food in on the table but this" Aoi gestured on the cup noodles innocently standing on the table "we never expected this kind of unknown thing to show up" i just sighed, I don't even know whether I will laugh at this situation or not..
"this is really hard" Kana with an obvious worry on her face join the others on pondering over the cup noodles.
"are you not going to join them?" I can't help but ask Ryuuji who is just standing quietly beside me.
"are you not going to solve it?" I look at him "you already know the answer, there's no use to fuss over it"
"eh? H-how??" indeed I know the answer after-all aside from knowing it in my past life I even sometimes go with my body guards to eat some in the convenience store on our way home every afternoon.
"your eyes betrays you" I touch my cheeks and look away from him "stop dawdling and answer it" he orders coldly
"can't you speak nicely" this king, just because I am not the heroine you can't even speak nicer to me!
"is there a need to?" harsh....he's really harsh. "go" I gave him a glare before walking towards the monitor.
"yes?"
"nothing, I just came for this" I immediately took his thermos before marching to where the cup noodles are "move" I waved my group mates away and open the lids before pouring the hot water.
"what are you doing?" Leon, get hold of my arm but I just gave him a glare before turning my back to him and completing my task. Kings are really kings! They can't even summon an ounce of little kindness, if only I am not a fan of your pair up with the heroine I will kick you on your shin!!
"monitor!" I faced him and waved at him to come, he pointed at his self "are there any monitor here other than you?" when he stood up and walk in our direction I just finished pouring the hot water into the last cup.
"are you ready to answer?" I did not pay him any mind as I took the first cup and lift the lid before the smell permeated my nose. I did the same to the other five cup, I tasted some before facing the monitor
"curry, miso, seafood, chicken ramen, spicy sea food, and hot and spicy shrimp" I pointed at each cup noddle as I call out their flavors
"......."
"what???? Did she get it right?"
"stop making us wait and just tell us if we finish it already"
"hey, the stamp" everyone turn to look at Ryuuji when he suddenly went to the monitor.
"......." I frowned when he just keep on looking at me, seeing as there's no any sign of movement on his part i moved to Kana's side but he seems to follow me with his gaze so I hide behind Kana
"he's looking at you"
"stop stating the obvious" I peek behind her and saw that he's still looking at me and I notice how Ryuuji shamelessly took the stamp and marked our score card.
"Ryuuji what are you doing?" Aoi tried to take the stamp card from Ryuuji but he already managed to put it away. "you can't do that"
"the answers had been given correctly there's no need to stay here for long, let's go" since Ryuuji had started to walk away we had no choice but to follow him
"wait!!!!" everyone stop when the monitor finally decided to talk. "you!!!" except from Ryuuji we all turn to look back when we heard his approaching footsteps. "what's your name?" he suddenly seized my hand, I winced from the force behind his grip
"you're hurting me!" I said as I try to make him let go of me "ouch!!"
"I am sorry" he lighten his hold on my arm but he did not let go and no matter how I try to move my arm he still had a firm grip on it "but can I please know your name?"
"let go!!"
"I am Jansen Le Blanc"
"I don't care who you are just let go of....." I did not get to finish my words when someone grab Jansen's hand
"let go of her" wide eyed I look at Aoi who had this scary expression on his face as he look at Jansen. Seeing Aoi look that serious with a frown on his face is quite surprising since in the manga he only got angry when it comes to things involving 'my' bullying of the heroine.
"who are you?" Jansen glare at Aoi, seconds had passed and they're just glaring at each other while I look at my arm who had gotten red because of Jansen
"Catherine??" seeing as they're just staring at each other and that my hand is starting to bruise I decided to use force, never mind the injury, if father or brother happen to see a bruise on my arm they will surely worry again and be more protective than ever. I was about to deliver a karate chop on Jansen when another hand showed up and extracted me from their hold
"ah...." My back suddenly leaned on something hard and following the hand holding my arm I looked up and saw Ryuuji coldly looking at Jansen and Aoi.
"have you done enough?" the two did not answer "are you okay?" he said while gently caressing my now bruising arm, seeing his sudden gentle side I only managed to answer with a nod. "good" he turn to the others "then let's stop wasting time here" he let go of my arm before walking away.
"hey your king was kind of cool " Kana immediately went to my side and praised him and even I....kind of even agree with her.
"anyway, let's get out of here, for some reason I don't feel comfortable with him around" I tilt my head to the side to point out Jansen who is still having a glaring contest with Aoi.
"what....maybe he'd fallen for you"
"can't you even think of a more believable theory other than romance?"
"if I don't think that way you'll end up as an old maid" I give her a glare
"let's go" I grab her hand and drag her away from them
"are we not going to wait for Aoi?"
"I can't stay in the same area as Jansen"
"wow....first name basis eh.."
"Shut up!!"
"wait!!!" i look at Kana and glare at her when Jansen called us again"I like you!" Kana smiled widely at me with her face clearly showing an i-told-you-so expression.
"I hate you" I mouthed at her but she just grinned at my plight.
"looking at your regal look while trying those cup noodles had me enthralled. At that time my heart skipped a beat and I fell in love with you" I almost weep with his lines. I thought love at first sight is ridiculous I guess nothing is more ridiculous than this kind of situation. "would you give me the cha—"
"wait!!!!!!!" I stop him immediately
"hey!! Why did you stop him?!" Kana whispered beside me.
"shhhh....."
"cathe—"
"ah.....this is bad if we did not catch up with president we'll be punished!!" I slightly widen my eyes at Kana before dragging her away from here. I don't like to stay here any longer
"wait Catherine" I could hear his approaching footsteps so I ran away with Kana in tow while trying to look for our group.
"are you kidding me?"
"is this some kind of a joke?"
"this is supposed to be the last one, so why????" Kana and I stopped running and look at each other.
"do I even have to ask?" I shake my head
"I already had an idea"
"yeah, your brother certainly had that effect" I nodded in agreement
"brother is really scary when it comes to challenges, even father had a hard time dealing with him when it comes to their kendo match and even during the time he was training me in karate"
"ano.....that's not what I mean"
"let's go" I immediately drag her to where the voices were coming and standing there inside a drawn circle is brother with a shinai on his left hand as he looks seriously at the others around him.
"brother" I can't help but said in awe as I saw him there standing like a general ready to take down any opponent in a battle field.
"you could wear a hakama and you could choose any of those shinai there" everyone look to their side and placed on the long table are different sizes of hakama while a barrel contains different types of shinai. "don't worry I will give you three handicaps, first I will be using my left hand, second I am using a practice shinai and third" he raised the hem of shirt "i am wearing weights" seeing the three different groups surrounding brother we immediately went to Ryuuji's side.
"miss Catherine, where did you run off to??" I just smiled at Anna "even you prince Aoi" I turn to my back and saw Aoi walking towards us
"Aoi, you go first" Ryuuji ordered before nodding to where my brother is, Aoi look in my direction
"I am going all out" he said without looking at Ryuuji, Ryuuji nodded "if I injured your brother, I am already asking an apology in advance" I can't help but raise a brow from Aoi's comment.
"what do you mean?"
"its just that your brother might be a national's champion but still, there's a big difference between styles used in competition and in real life" there's no hint of smugness or anything in Aoi's tone, it was like he was just explaining some kind of complicated theory or something that even though he was looking down at brother I still can't get angry at him.
"no comeback?" Kana asks me
"brother can do it for me" after-all I saw how brother really train himself.
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Catherine: author I demand an overhaul of Ryuuji's character.
Ryuuji: no return no exchange *giving cold gaze at author*
Author: ahermn.....he said it