Raibaru

ed heavily, catching her breath. She peeked out the thin window and scanned as much as the empty corridor as she could. She sat on the cold ground and put her head in her hands, praying shed lost her pursuer.

Another pair of footsteps could be heard lunging through the school as well. They stopped at the fourth floor, suddenly reoccurring on the second. Yayoi covered her ears as heavy panting approached the room from the opposite end of the hall. Those pants sounded desperate; whoever that was wanted something very dearly. The footsteps slowed, approaching the now shut custodial closet. The handle slowly turned. Light poured into the darkened room. The gasps for air paused as a thud was felt on the ground.

”Finally ”, a soft voice whispered from inside the room.

”I know, right? ” Yayoi responded. ”Wait… ” She rushed to her feet, finding the nearest light switch to flip on. ”For Gods sake! ” Yayoi threw up her hands in exhaustion. A familiar face stared back at the agitated girl, whose forehead was now wrinkling with annoyance.

”Why…how? How are you doing this?! ”

”I told you we
e stuck to each other! ” Chiiya yelled in return. Ever since the day of the cook-off, Yayoi and Chiiya could not stop bumping into each other. Even worse, neither of them particularly favored the other. They both wanted the medal that day, and instead they received a pat on the back for a job well done. It wasn enough! They wanted to feel the victory, to roll in it, to drown in it! Not share it with someone else! The girls stared each other down, Chiiya rolling her eyes before starting again.

”You still think you deserve the win more than me, don you, Mya-Pretzelle? ”

”Oh come on…Im not doing this…not again! Please! ” Yayoi slowly backed away.

”Resistance is futile, lowly scum ”.

”Lowly scum…? ” Yayoi looked to the ground. ”Ill have you know that my kingdom has yet to fall! Unlike yours! For millennia you lot did battle with the Kingdom of Salts! And thy did lose. Twice! Is that not correct, Madam Soufflé? ”

”How dare you reference that! We were merely lacking in the Sugar Brigade! Ill show you something thatll leave you begging for mercy, commoner! ” Chiiya raised her hand towards Yayoi, ready to release one of her unbeatable, perfect spells, as she called them.

”What in the multiverse are you two doing?! ” A voice rang out as the door slammed open. The two girls paused in an awkward position of Chiiya holding her hand in a pose and Yayoi scrambling desperately through her bag for her magical item. They looked up hesitantly, then down to themselves, quickly adjusting their behavior. See, this chuunibyou of sorts was never something either girl wanted. It mustve been the competitive spirit in both that arose the inner middle schooler in them. At every turn and tide that the girls would find themselves, theyd have to fight the urge to not break out in this ridiculous pretend play. Yayoi better understood how to keep it under control, but Chiiya was still a bit too childish at heart.

”We
e sorry! ” they shouted. The girls paused, scoffing at the fact that they spoke at the same time. While the delusions were fake, the spite was very much real.

”You two…Yayoi, club room, now! Chiiya, just go home or something! Why are you even still here? ”

”Yes, Soma… ” the deflated girls replied to their friend. All three girls exited the room. The rivals began walking in the same direction, and if it weren for Soma snatching Yayois arm in the opposite direction, it wouldve continued that way. The girls headed to sewing club.

”Really, choosing to start that madness on today of all days?! We have six costumes to make, Yoi! ”

”I know! But, she…she called me lowly scum! And one just does not do nothing then! ” Soma stared blankly at this reply. She sighed and continued on to the club room where others waited on their arrival. The club worked on their costumes for the school fair coming up soon until the bell rung to dismiss all clubs.

The group separated, saying their goodbyes. Yayoi started down the hall to the stairwell, gripping a needle pan in her hand. She paused when she was yet again met with a familiar face, and that nausea-inducing pink hair.

The girls looked at each other. ”Well, last one there owes the other lunch ”. While the two were rivals, they would sometimes make bets when they came into contact with one another, and in a system of honor, they upheld their ends of the agreements no matter how much they despised it. Chiiya barely finished her statement as she ran towards the stairs. This would be the fourth time Yayoi would owe the girl lunch, and as inclined as she was to simply not care, her pockets wouldn survive another one of Chiiyas extravagant lunch ideas. She ran after Chiiya, the door to the stairwell slamming behind them.

”You didn go home?! ”

”Nope! ”

Step after step, they ran, shoving each other playfully into the walls and rails. Chiiya jumped a few of the bottom steps, knowing it was something Yayoi could not do. In response, Yayoi slid down the railing of the fourth floors stairs, something she didn even know was possible for herself. Chiiya was ahead, picking up speed as they reached the second floor. The other did the same, her knees now pushing ahead with a stamina system of their own. The two were on the second floor stairs. In just a few more steps, Chiiya could see herself ordering a lobster-for-three meal just for herself with her rivals money. What she didn anticipate, however, was Yayois jacket being taken off and thrown in her direction. It startled her, causing her to lean forward just enough to be swept off her feet. Yayoi bolted for the first floor door, grabbing the knob with a sigh of relief.

Both Yayoi and Chiiya panted heavily as they leaned down to catch their breaths. Chiiya took out her phone. ”One minute left, winner ”. She smirked and sprinted to catch her bus, knowing Yayoi was completely out of stamina. Geez, Yayoi whispered as she walked over to the bus station to wait for a later bus. Her legs were sore, she was out of breath, and her head was swollen in aggravation.

”You do it to yourself, Yayoi. You do it to yourself ”. Chiiya valiantly said to herself while riding the bus home.

”Im gonna kill her one of these days… ” She wouldn , but Yayois mind was clouded. She wiped sweat from her forehead, checking the time as cars drove past every so often. ”And now Ive missed the special episode of Ms. Kugas Office Adventures! ”

——————————————————————————————-