After the gym tour, Fuma Yukika dragged her exhausted body back to her 30,000 yen-a-month apartment, a certain conviction taking root in her mind.
"Kim Yu-seong... his body must be the legendary Ultimate Yang Body."
She took off her school uniform, one of only two she owned, and hung it up before changing into a comfortable green tracksuit. Then, she carefully retrieved an old book hidden under the tatami mat of her room: the Fuma Ninpocho.
The Fuma Ninpocho was a secret text passed down through generations of the Fuma clan's leaders. It was a treasure trove detailing the most efficient ways to destroy the human body, along with various ninjutsu, weapon techniques, and pharmacology.
And within its pages was a description of what she believed to be Kim Yu-seong's constitution.
'The Ultimate Yang Body (極陽之體).'
According to the book, it referred to someone born with the yang energy of a hundred ordinary men.
Yang energy was synonymous with masculinity, and those born with the Ultimate Yang Body always distinguished themselves with their immense strength.
The text stated that Heracles, the great Greek hero; Oda Nobunaga, one of the Three Great Unifiers of Japan; and even Sakamoto Ryoma, the so-called Dragon of the Restoration, all possessed this constitution.
Of course, it could all be her imagination.
But having crossed swords with him, she knew his strength wasn't something an ordinary person could gain simply by working out hard.
It was why she, who had wet herself in front of her club members out of sheer, instinctual terror, had spent the last few days secretly following and observing Kim Yu-seong.
"...First, I should let Grandfather know about this."
Perhaps his constitution could aid in the revival of the Fuma clan.
Taking a ballpoint pen from her pencil case, she began to write a letter to her grandfather on a blank sheet of paper in her elegant script.
Adding a small request for some spare rice, if he had any.
***
The next day.
When I got to school, I saw Tojo Karen in our classroom.
Thinking I might have walked into the wrong class, I leaned back out into the hallway to check, but it was indeed Class 2-B.
I glanced sideways at her perched by the window before sitting down at my desk.
Kishimoto hadn't arrived yet, it seemed, as the seat next to mine was empty.
I turned to Satoru, who sat in front of me, and asked.
"Hey, why is Tojo in our class?"
"Oh, that? Looks like she's been bugging Sakamoto to meet her this weekend. Says she wants to treat him to a meal as an apology."
"That's a date."
"My point exactly."
Satoru shrugged and then covered his mouth with one hand, whispering.
"By the way, have you heard the rumor? They say Tojo's the daughter of some big shot."
"A big shot?"
Satoru nodded, his expression turning solemn.
"Don't be shocked when you hear this, okay?"
"I won't be. Just spit it out."
"Tojo Karen is supposedly the daughter of the famous Toseikai's boss!"
"...Toseikai? You mean the yakuza?"
"That's right. The massive organization that controls the entire Kanto region."
"Well, that's surprising."
I had no idea where he picked up this kind of information, but the rumors circulating among students were often wildly exaggerated.
After all, the story about me fighting 50 bikers at once was a complete fabrication.
All I did was grab the guy who looked like their leader while I was out for an early morning workout and tell him to keep it down.
I didn't know if a passerby had seen it or if one of the bikers had spread the rumor maliciously.
"You don't seem surprised at all."
"Well, even if she really is a yakuza boss's daughter, it's not like she's done anything to us."
"...That's true."
"So there's no problem."
Hearing my response, Satoru suddenly fell silent, then looked at me with a serious expression.
"I'm seriously tempted to start calling you 'aniki' right now."
"We're in the same grade. Don't be weird, don't call me that."
"Figured you'd say that."
Satoru chuckled and turned back around.
After our conversation ended, I rested my chin on my arm on the desk, lost in thought.
'Come to think of it, this was a rom-com.'
I'd dismissed it as a baseless rumor, but maybe Tojo really was a yakuza boss's daughter.
Well, she's getting involved with the protagonist, not me, so it doesn't really matter.
***
After that, Tojo Karen kept coming to our class during every break to talk to the protagonist, Sakamoto Ryuji.
It seemed she was completely smitten.
True to his rom-com protagonist nature, Sakamoto himself was dense as a rock and couldn't seem to understand why Tojo, whom he'd only known for a few days, was coming on so strong. But for those of us watching, it was just plain rubbing salt in the wound.
Even Yaguchi, who thought she was the only one with a crush on him, must have felt threatened, as she started playing aggressive defense.
Naturally, the jealousy of the boys in Class 2-B skyrocketed.
"Gah! Why does it have to be Sakamoto! I wish a busty childhood friend and a fierce-looking athletic beauty would fall for me too!"
"Oh, heavens, why did you create me, only to create Sakamoto Ryuji as well!"
"Dude, objectively speaking, your looks are nowhere near his level."
"Go take a look in the mirror in the bathroom."
"You guys are one to talk!"
Haha, these guys. Their idiotic conversation is truly top-tier.
I was listening in on the idiot trio's chatter with my arms crossed when I felt a shake on my arm and turned my head.
"Yu-chan, are you free during Golden Week?"
It was Kishimoto from the seat next to me.
"I am, but why do you ask all of a sudden?"
"My papa has time off during Golden Week. I told you I'd introduce you, remember?"
"...!"
At this unexpected good news, I uncrossed my arms and leaned in to listen intently.
"When can I meet him?"
"Hmm~ He said we're going on an overseas family trip for the first time in a while, so it would probably have to be the first or second day."
I was about to say any time was fine, but then I remembered my appointment with the Student Council President on the 29th, the first day of Golden Week, and asked carefully.
"Would the 30th be okay?"
"Yep! That should be fine. I'll let my papa know beforehand."
Hearing Kishimoto's words, I clenched my fists.
I have to bring a manga with me and get his autograph.
There were still about ten days until Golden Week, but my heart was already starting to flutter with excitement.
Is this how the fox felt waiting for the Little Prince?
***
Lunchtime.
Today, instead of bringing a bento, we decided to eat at the student cafeteria.
It was a simple system: you choose your desired meal from the ticket machine, take the printed ticket, and hand it to the cafeteria lady.
The student cafeteria offered a variety of menu items, with prices ranging from a minimum of 200 yen to a maximum of 500 yen.
I got the 300-yen tonkatsu curry set and found a random empty seat.
Shortly after, Kishimoto sat down across from me with her kitsune udon and a set of three onigiri.
Watching her, I casually asked.
"Rika, for someone so slim, you sure eat a lot."
Kishimoto, who had just taken a large bite of a pollack roe onigiri, tilted her head with a grain of rice stuck to her cheek.
"Isn't this a normal amount? Besides, if I don't eat a big lunch, I end up snacking later."
"That's a good point."
Come to think of it, I hadn't seen her snack at all in the weeks we'd been hanging out.
She said she only drank sodas like Coke or cider very occasionally, so she probably had much healthier eating habits than the average high school girl.
She quickly finished one onigiri, picked the grain of rice off her cheek, and popped it into her mouth.
"Besides, I have the type of body that doesn't gain weight no matter how much I eat. It all goes to my chest."
Hearing that, I instinctively glanced down before realizing I had walked right into her trap.
Because Kishimoto immediately hugged herself with both arms and feigned surprise.
"Eek, you pervert!☆"
...This girl. She's the type that gets annoying once you get to know her.
I let out a small sigh and started eating again.
It was at that moment.
"Hey, mind if I sit here?"
An uninvited guest approached us at the corner table we had intentionally chosen.
The guest, with familiar red hair, placed her mackerel set meal down next to Kishimoto.
Recognizing her face, Kishimoto let out a shrill cry.
"Ah, the girl from the class next door— Mmph!"
"Quiet, they'll hear you."
Glancing around nervously, Tojo Karen clamped her hand over Kishimoto's mouth and secretly joined our table.
Then she asked in a low voice.
"I heard you're really good at giving love advice. Is that true?"
"Mmm-mmph!"
"Blink twice if it's true, once if it's not."
*Blink. Blink.*
Only then did she remove her hand from Kishimoto's mouth. She swallowed hard and spoke in a trembling voice.
"I... I started liking someone recently, and I'd like to get some advice from you."
As she said this, a faint blush colored Tojo Karen's cheeks.
It was, without a doubt, the face of a girl in love.