Episode 26: Obstacle Course Game
The next morning came, everyone got up and ready to do activities. Before the gang get into action, they meet in the living room.
“We’re going fishing!” Hanabusa exclaimed.
“We’re?” Ruka said.
“He means us men,” Akatsuki said.
Zero was hoping he’s not going fishing with the boys, so he tries to walk away.
Takuma run up to Zero and wrap an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, Zero, wait up for us.”
‘Curses!’ Zero thought.
The boys went fishing while the girls are hanging out in the camp house.
Mizuki was in the living room, lying on the couch. She was letting her mind wonder randomly. She was wondering about what happen the other night.
‘Why didn’t I do it? He was so sweet… Wait, Zero, sweet? No way…’ Mizuki thought.
Then, her mind begins to focus on Kaname. She quickly sits up in surprise.
‘Why am I suddenly thinking about Kaname?’ she thought.
Mizuki place a hand on her head as she is having a headache. “Ugh, he keeps messing with my head.”
Kaname has always been the one who behind everything, observing from behind the scene, making his every move without being notice until the last moment.
‘Then again, he’s almost exactly like Ryuga.’ Mizuki quickly shake her head out of her thought in doubt. “No, he’s not like Ryuga.” Then, her mind begins to focus on Ryuga. “Ryuga… Why can’t he just let me be? I’m nothing like his beloved from centuries ago.”
At an abandon castle, a Pureblood vampire reside there, Ryuga Kusanagi. The castle is where he has awakened after sleeping for so long. He does not know who has woken him up, but he knows he is grateful to that person.
Ryuga was staring at a portrait on the wall in between the stairs. The portrait is of two beloved couple standing side by side with smiles. The couple was him and his beloved that looks like Mizuki from a different era. “My beloved Tsukiko, soon, we’ll be together again.”
A middle-age butler walked up to Ryuga, and bow. “My lord, your morning meal is ready.”
“Thank you for informing me, Tachibana.”
The middle-age butler, Tachibana looks at the portrait, and smile. “I’m sure Lady Tsukiko will return soon, my lord.”
Ryuga smiled. “Yes, she will.”
As Mizuki’s mind begins to wonder randomly again, she got bored and went upstairs to Ruka and Rima’s room. Ruka was the only one in the room since Rima was reading outside the back porch. Ruka was sitting on the end of her bed and putting on her shoes.
Mizuki went in, and sit next to Ruka. “So…” she tries to start up a conversation.
Ruka sit up straight, and turn her attention to Mizuki. “What?”
“Uh…” Mizuki couldn’t think of a conversation.
“Is there something you want to talk about?”
“Uh, well, I…” Then Kaname came into Mizuki’s mind. “It’s about Kaname.”
“Lord Kaname?” Ruka asked curiously.
“Has there anything strange thing happening while he’s around?”
Ruka wasn’t sure what Mizuki is going about. “That I know of?”
Mizuki nod in reply.
“No.”
“Oh.”
“Why do you ask?”
“Curiosity.”
“I don’t believe you. Did something happen?”
“No, no.” Mizuki start to change the subject. “Hey, Ruka, are you still having a thing for him?”
Ruka became flustered. “Wh-What are you talking about?”
“Why do you like him in the first place?”
“It was love at first sight,” Ruka said dreamily.
Mizuki swear she can see Ruka in a background of hearts and flowers.
“M-hm, love at first sight.”
“And speaking of love, when are you going to accept your-” Ruka was interrupted.
“Accept what? There’s nothing I need to accept. I already accept my destiny, if that’s what you mean,” Mizuki said confidently.
“Mizuki-”
Mizuki get off of bed. “Sorry, I gotta go.” She went out.
Ruka sighs. “That girl…”
Mizuki head back downstairs, and was about to head when she saw Yuki coming out of the kitchen.
“Oh, Mizuki, where are you going?”
“Going out for a walk.”
“Wait; I’ll come with you.”
“Okay.”
The two went out for a walk. While walking around, Yuki was wondering if she say something that has been on her mind or not.
“Mizuki, I want to…um…”
“You want to talk about something?”
“Yes, that’s it.” But then again, Yuki can’t seem to come out and say it.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”
“I should be saying that to you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re always in a calm mood or a cheerful mood. I can’t read mind so I never know what you’re thinking about.”
“Yuki, I appreciate your concern, but there’s really nothing to worry about.”
“You are just like Zero.”
“I am not!” Mizuki shouted. Then, she regretted ever doing so. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…Sorry.”
“No, I should apologize. I didn’t mean to pry.”
Mizuki took a deep breath. “It has something to do with this scar.”
“Your scar?”
Mizuki nodded. “I can’t exactly remember how, but I got it a couple years back. It must’ve been from some kind of magical tool of something. It’s healed, but it always ends up opening, bleeding. This scar makes it difficult for me.” She was telling Yuki half the truth. She knows who give her the scar, and she knows that he used a magical blade weapon.
“Mizuki…”
‘And the fact that he thinks I’m his fiancée,’ Mizuki thought instead of saying it out loud. “I’m gonna go see how the boys are doing. You wanna come?”
“Sure.”
They head to the ocean to check on the boys.
It was all silent around the boys, just hearing the chirping in the background.
“This is fun,” Takuma said to break the silence.
“This is boring,” Akatsuki said.
An animesweatdrop appears on Takuma’s head as he nervously chuckle.
Hanabusa feels bored, and yawn.
Zero though, he was wondering about what happen the other night. ‘I almost did it… Why did she reject my advance? Was I moving too fast?’ he thought.
Kaname read Zero’s thought, and he wondered as he stares at Zero. ‘Advance…? What could he probably advance? Is he thinking about Mizuki?’ he thought.
Zero start to feel uncomfortable. ‘I can literally feel his eyes bore into the back of my head,’ he thought.
Mizuki and Yuki arrive at the fishing area.
Hanabusa spotted Mizuki and Yuki, and wave his hands up in the air. “Hey, Mizuki! Yuki!” he exclaimed, trying to catch Mizuki and Yuki’s attention.
It was so cute, imagining Hanabusa doing that in chibi size.
Mizuki smile at Hanabusa and wave her hand at him. Yuki couldn’t help but giggle at Hanabusa. Hanabusa has a big grin on his face. Zero though, he was annoyed.
Zero gets up from his seat and walks up to Hanabusa, then he pushes Hanabusa into the water.
Hanabusa swim up to the surface. “What was that for!?”
“Oops,” Zero said with a shrug.
After the boys finish fishing, everyone eat grill fish. After they finish eating, they saw a few flyers flying towards them. Hanabusa manage to catch one.
“Hey, people are playing outdoor games.”
“Outdoor games?” Mizuki said.
“Obstacle course game,” Hanabusa corrects his self.
“A game involving making your way to the goal through obstacle course?” Zero asked.
“Yep!” there came a young man voice out of nowhere.
Surprisingly, the whole gang tensed up.
The young man came into their view. “We’re having an obstacle course game at my place.” Then he notices the flyers on the ground. ”Unfortunately, I trip, and the flyers went flying. Anyway, you guys wanna join?”
“Not interested,” Zero and Kaname both said in unison.
They look at each other surprise, then their surprise expression turns into glare.
“Sounds fun!” Hanabusa was excited.
“Do we have to go?” Shiki asked, not even interest in the mention obstacle course game.
“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Takuma said with full of energy.
“Well, if you guys wanna come, the obstacle course game is over there to the right. There will be stands there with the prizes and everything. Later.” The young man left.
“Lord Kaname, should we?” Ruka asked.
“Yes,” Kaname replied.
“Really?” Mizuki asked.
“Yes, really. Let’s go.”
Shiki let out a long sigh. “What a drag.”
So the gang went to the obstacle course game. There were a lot of people competing in the obstacle course game.
As they arrive, the girls stop what they were doing, and stare at the boys. The girls couldn’t help it. Kaname and his men where beautiful.
Mizuki notice the look on Hanabusa’s face, and she thought, ‘Please don’t do it, please don’t do it, please don’t do it.’
“Hello, ladies!” Hanabusa exclaimed.
The girls all have hearts in their eyes, staring at the gang's boys.
A sweatdrop appears on Mizuki’s head. “Of course he would.”
Akatsuki facepalm. “Hanabusa…” he said in disappointment.
A man walked up to a stand with a megaphone. He's the host of the obstacle course game. “Alright people, the registration is now open. Make line to the registration stands please.”
After the girls settle down, they carry on with what they’re doing. After all, the girls are not teenagers, they’re fresh out of high school, and they’re not naïve, especially the men.
Zero was thinking. Then, he tries to get Kaname’s attention. “Kaname Kuran!”
“What is it, Kiryu?”
“I challenge you.”
Kaname smirked. “Think you can beat me?”
“Yeah.” Zero point at the side of his head. “I can see it in here.”
Kaname chuckles, and mocks Zero, “In that thick head of yours?”
An animevein appear on Zero’s head as he got irritated. “We’ll see who gets the last laugh.”
Zero turns his attention towards the stand where the registration is.
“For the people participating, pick your partner please. The winner will get the prize.”
Zero walked up to Mizuki, and grabs her arm.
Mizuki was surprise by Zero’s sudden action. “Huh? Wait, Zero!”
Kaname walked to Yuki, and grab her arm.
Yuki was surprise by Kaname’s action as well. “Kaname!”
Hanabusa and Ruka were probably jealous. Hanabusa want to be Mizuki’s partner and Ruka wants to be Kaname’s partner.
“You’re not really going to do this are you?” Mizuki asked, hoping he was only joking.
“Hell yeah, I am. I’m going to prove to Kaname that I am better than him,” Zero said.
“Okay.“ Then she asked, ”But, why me?”
“You were the closest to me,” Zero replied.
“Really?” Mizuki said in doubt.
“Yes, really.”
At Kaname and Yuki’s side, they were having the same conversation.
“Um, why did you choose me, Kaname?”
“I want to spend some time with you,” Kaname said with a smile.
Yuki blushed.
The host explains that they will wrap a tape around the participants and their partner’s hand. If the tape breaks, they lose.
“Mizuki, work with me.”
“Eh?”
“Ready?” Then the host shot in the air.
The participants rush into action, and the people from the sideline cheer them on. Well, except the gang. First obstacle course is the crawling under a flat fence made out of ropes. Then there came the balance beam. Everyone was doing so well.
“What are you trying to prove?” Mizuki asked.
“I told you, to prove Kaname I’m better than him,” Zero replied.
Mizuki let out a sigh defeat.
Zero, Mizuki, Kaname, and Yuki were neck to neck, tie for first place.
“Whoa, look at these four go!” The host is amaze by Zero, Mizuki, Kaname, and Yuki’s determination to win. Well, it’s only Zero and Kaname that are determine to win. The saying “boys will be boys” is so true.
Next obstacle course is the reverse climb. Everyone was doing okay, but some got tired and the tape ripped. Next is the slide. Zero get on the ladder first, then scoot to the side to give Mizuki some space to get on the ladder too.
After the obstacle course game is finish, Zero and Mizuki is name the winner.
“And the winner is Zero and Mizuki!” the host announced.
“In your face, Kuran!” Zero said.
“This game proves nothing,” Kaname said.
“You think you’re better than me?” Zero asked.
“I don’t think. I know.”
Zero was about lunge at Kaname, but Mizuki quickly get in the middle between the two boys. She places a hand on Zero’s chest to move him away from Kaname.
Mizuki looks at Kaname. “Kaname stop taunting Zero.” Then she looks at Zero. “Zero, stop acting like a child.”
A smile appears on Ruka’s face while Hanabusa laugh.
Zero was ready to burst out his anger at Mizuki, but he knew he would regret it doing so, so he resists the urge. In doing so, he ran off.
“What’s his problem?” Akatsuki asked.
“Who cares?” Hanabusa asked.
“I do,” Mizuki and Yuki replied in unison.
The gang was surprise that Mizuki and Yuki said the same thing, especially at the same time.
“Um, Yuki, why don’t we go check on Zero?” Mizuki suggested.
“Wha-”
Yuki was cut off as Mizuki grab her, and head to where Zero is heading with Yuki trying to catch up Mizuki’s speed.
“Zero, are you calm yet?” Yuki asked.
“Yeah,” Zero replied.
“Do you need your drug?” Mizuki asked playfully.
“I hate you,” Zero said playfully.
Mizuki giggles. Yuki sigh in disappointment of Mizuki’s playful attitude.
After Mizuki, Yuki, and Zero head back, the gang stay for the after-party. After the after-party, the gang head back to their camp house. As the gang heads back to their camp house, Mizuki stop as she felt someone staring at her from behind. She turns around and notices a wolf staring at her.
Kaname notice, and stop on his track, and look a Mizuki. “Something wrong?”
Mizuki turn around to see Kaname with a suspicious expression. “Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Alright then.”
Once they return, it was already night time. Mizuki couldn’t stop thinking about the wolf she saw. She was curious. So, she went to the living room where most of everyone else is.
“I’m gonna go out. Be back later,” Mizuki told the others before leaving without giving them a chance to say anything.
As Mizuki wonder around, she saw the wolf. The wolf notices her, and walks away into the forest. Without a minute to lose, she follows the wolf into the forest.