Ugh—What an idiot—
Takako hesitated for a few moments and then stopped. She looked back. If Kazushi had a gun and wanted to shoot her he'd have done that by now. More troubling was his shouting. It endangered not only his life but hers. Just as it was moments ago there didn't seem to be anyone in the area. Slowing down, Kazushi descended the slope.
Takako realized Kazushi held a rifle loaded with an arrow in his right hand. It wasn't pointed at Takako right now—but if it was, could she dodge it and run away? Should she have stopped?
No. Takako reassured herself, she'd done the right thing. Kazushi Nüda was a forward on the soccer team. Top athletes like him were as fast if not faster than track runners. Even though Takako was a star track runner, he'd have eventually caught up with her.
Either way it was too late.
Kazushi stopped several meters away from her. He had wide shoulders and was relatively tall and well built. His smooth hair was long, which was the current fashion with soccer players, but now it was disheveled, as if he'd been playing in a close match that had gone into overtime. A smile emerged on his face, which was pretty good looking except for his bad teeth.
What does he want? Takako thought as he observed his face.
He might not have any harmful intentions. He might actually be thinking he finally found someone he could trust.
But Takako didn't have a very good impression of Kazushi Nüda. To put it bluntly, she couldn't stand his kind of chumminess. She also couldn't stand his arrogance. They'd been classmates ever since their first year in junior high. (Hiroki became her classmate in second-year.) Without putting much effort into them, Kazushi was above average in grades and sports, but in spite of that—or maybe it had nothing to do with that—his immaturity really stuck out. He tried to impress others, and when he'd screw up he'd come up with some lame-ass excuse. Furthermore, and this was really stupid, but when they were first-year students, there were rumors that she and Kazushi were going out. (Junior high kids don't have anything better to do. Well, let them say what they want.) Every time the rumors got going again he'd go to her desk and touch her on the shoulder (how dare he) and tell her, "There's a rumor floating around about us." Takako would turn away and brush his hand off with the reply, "Oh, I'm so honored." She let it slide, scoffing at him on the inside ("Go away you little brat. You've got some nerve"), but now…she wasn't in the position to do the same thing.
Takako spoke cautiously. She had to get away from him as quickly as possible. That's what it came down to.
"Don't shout, you idiot!"
"I'm sorry," Kazushi answered. "But you were the one who took off." Takako didn't mess around with her response. Get to the point, cut to the chase. Her best features. "The fact is, I don't want to be with you." She looked at Kazushi and managed to shrug her tense shoulders. Kazushi's grimaced. "Why?"
Because you act like you're such a goody-goody, she thought.
"Look, we both know why. Okay, later," Takako said as she got ready to run. Still, she felt herself hesitating as her feet trembled.
She stopped.
Because out of the corner of her eye she saw the weapon in Kazushi's right hand pointed at her. Takako slowly turned around, keeping a close eye on his fingers on the trigger of his bow gun.
"What's this?" she asked.
She casually slid the day pack off her left shoulder and caught its strap. Would it be able to shield her from the force of the bow gun?
"I don't want to resort to this," Kazushi said. This was exactly what she couldn't stand about him. He was making excuses, but in fact he was trying to gain the upper hand. "So you better stay with me." That pissed her off. But that was also when she noticed something. When she was hiding in the shack her uniform skirt got caught on a broken door. The tear resembled the slit up a Chinese dress, and now Kazushi was looking down at it. His eyes were strangely glazed over. It gave her the creeps. Takako quickly moved her legs to cover them as much as possible. Then she said, "Give me a break. You expect me to join you with that stuck in my face?"
"So you promise not to run away?" Kazushi spoke in his usual arrogant voice. He didn't lower the bow gun.
Takako had to put up with him. "Just put that down."
"So you won't run?"
"Are you deaf?" Takako said sharply, and Kazushi reluctantly lowered his weapon. Then he assumed a smug tone as he said, "I've always thought you were fine." Takako raised her well defined, elegantly arched eyebrows.
She was exasperated. After threatening her life like this, he has the nerve to say I'm fine!
Kazushi's eyes fell on her legs again. He made no effort to be subtle, and his eyes were locked onto them now.
Takako lifted her chin slightly. "So?"
"So I won't kill you. Just stay with me."
Takako shrugged again. Any hesitation she might have had was now wiped out by anger. "I told you I don't want to," she spat out. "Later."
Takako turned to…no, this time she began moving backwards and staring back at Kazushi. Kazushi lifted his bow gun again. His face had the expression of a kid begging for a toy at a department store. Mom, I want it, I want it!…I see now.
Takako quietly said, "Stop this."
"Then…stay with me," Kazushi repeated. The way he tilted his head revealed how frantic he was trying to calm his nerves.
Takako repeated, "I told you, no."
Kazushi didn't lower the gun. They glared at each other.
Takako couldn't bear it anymore. "You know…what do you want? Say it. You're not killing me off. I tell you, I don't want to be with you, but you insist. I don't get it."
"I…" Kazushi stared at Takako with that leer in his eyes and said, "I'm saying I'll protect you. So…just stay with me. We're safer together, right?"
"You've gotta be joking. You have the nerve to threaten me like that and say you'll protect me? I can't trust you. Get it? Can I go now? I'm going."
Kazushi replied, "If you move I'll shoot you." He aimed the bow gun directly at her chest. By openly threatening her like this Kazushi lost any chance he had of keeping to a civilized code of conduct (not that he had much of sense of that to begin with). He stood still and said, "You better obey me, girl. A woman obeys his man."
Takako was furious. Then he had the nerve to say, "You're a virgin, aren't you?" in a casual tone, as if he were only confirming her blood type (B).
Takako was at a loss for words.
What…did this asshole say?
"Am I wrong? Hiroki wouldn't have the guts to sleep with a girl." Kazushi said this because probably he, along with many of her other classmates, had the mistaken assumption that she was going out with Hiroki Sugimura. She had two reasons to be especially annoyed, though. First of all, her relationship with Hiroki was none of their business. Second, Kazushi's making fun of Hiroki pissed her off.
Takako broke into a grin. She'd realized a long time ago how she could always grin when she was absolutely furious.
So she grinned like this at Kazushi and said, "What's it got to do with you?" Kazushi might have misinterpreted Takako's grin. Kazushi grinned back. "So I'm right." Still smiling, Takako glared back at him. Yes, in fact you are right. I might look a little flashy, but just as you said, I'm a virgin. An innocent 15-year-old girl. However…
It's none of your business, asshole!
Kazushi continued, "We're gonna die anyway. Don't you want to try it once before you die? I'd be a good partner."
Although Takako had never felt so angry in her life, she couldn't help but gawk back at him in amazement. Her mouth might have even hung open. His exasperating, outrageous behavior was bad enough, but now it was so out of control it was like he was from another world. Captain Columbus, that is San Salvador Island. Okay, they're barbarians. Beware of the barbarians. Takako looked down—and burst out in laughter. It was incredibly funny. This sitcom would have been a hit.
She lifted her face. She must have been glaring at Kazushi, but she'd still give him one last ch
ance.
"This is my last offer. I don't want to be with you. Just put that down and leave me alone. Otherwise, I'll take it that you're going to kill me. All right?"
Kazushi didn't move his bow gun. Instead he raised it up to his shoulders and threatened her, "This is my last warning. You better obey me, Takako."
The fact that Takako felt a thrill at this exchange, which was in some ways the turning point of their encounter, may have been indicative of her personality. And from here on…she couldn't be held responsible for what would happen.
Takako took a step forward to put an end to this conversation with this asshole.
"I see. So you just want to rape me. Right? You think dying gives you the right to do anything?" Kazushi glared back at her. "That's not what I said..."
What's the difference? She laughed at him inside. Let me guess what you'll say next. I don't want to rape you, but you better take off your clothes?
Takako continued grinning as she calmly tilted her head. She said, "Right now, you might want to worry more about your life than about your lame-ass dick."
Kazushi's face suddenly flushed. His mouth twisted as he spouted off, "Shut up! You really want to get raped?"
Takako grinned and answered, "So the truth comes out."
"I told you to shut up!" Kazushi repeated. "I can kill you if I want, you know!" He made her sick. She remembered how he tried to coax her into it just moments ago, saying, "I won't kill you."
Kazushi paused and then boasted, "I already killed Yoshio."
Takako was a little shocked, but she merely lifted her brow and remarked, "Huh." Even if it were true…given how he'd been hiding, he'd probably been terrified, then somehow bumped into Yoshio Akamatsu and ended up killing him by accident. After that, too scared of anyone stronger than him, he probably spent this whole time hiding. But knowing him, she knew that if he ended up surviving by hiding until he had one weaker final opponent, he'd say something like, "I have no choice" and kill him or her without hesitation.
"I was thinking," Kazushi continued, confirming Takako's suspicion. "I decided this is a game. So I'm not going to pull any punches."
Takako continued staring at Kazushi, still wearing that grin.
Ah ha. I understand now. So whether it was by consent or by raping me you were going to fuck me and then kill me. As long as you could survive by having everyone else including myself die? I see. Did you calculate how many times you could fuck me too?
Her spine tingled with disgust and fury.
"A game?" she repeated after him and then gave a big smile. "But aren't you ashamed doing this to a girl?" Kazushi looked shocked, but then his face became sulky again. His cold eyes shone. "You want to die?"
"Go ahead, shoot me."
Kazushi hesitated. It was her chance. Takako threw the pebbles she'd cautiously taken out of her pocket at his face. As Kazushi covered his face to shield himself, she quickly turned around, dropped the day pack, and dashed back the way she came, all the while holding onto the ice pick. She thought she could hear him curse behind her. With a good runner's sprint she'd coveted fifteen meters when suddenly she felt a blow against her right leg and fell face forward. Her cheek got cut as it scraped against a tree root poking out of the ground. She was more upset over this wound on her face than she was over the sharp pain in her leg. That asshole cut my face!
Takako twisted her body around. A silver arrow pierced her skirt and was planted in the back of her right thigh. Blood dripped down her well toned leg muscles.
Kazushi caught up with her. Seeing her sitting there, he tossed aside the bow gun and took out a pair of short sticks chained together—nunchaku—from under his belt and held them in his right hand. The chain rattled (this weapon, by the way, had been in Mayumi Tendo's day pack, which Kazushi then took after killing Yoshio Akamatsu). (His own weapon for some bizarre reason was a plain shamisen banjo that was completely useless. Of course, this had nothing to do with Takako.)
Takako glanced at the bow gun on the ground and thought, you'll regret you put that down.
"It's your fault," Kazushi said, panting. "You provoked me." Still seated, Takako glared up at Kazushi. The bastard was still making excuses. She couldn't believe she'd actually been classmates with this idiot for over two years.
"Wait," Takako said. As Kazushi knit his brows she got on her knees and twisted her right shoulder around, pulling out the arrow in one swift motion as she clenched her teeth. She could feel the flesh tear, followed by a gush of blood. Her skirt was torn again. So now her skirt had two slits. She tossed the arrow aside and stood up, glaring at Kazushi. She was all right. The pain was incredible but she could take it. She shifted the ice pick over to her right hand.
"Don't do it," Kazushi said. "It's no use."
She tilted the ice pick sideways, pointing it at his chest.
"You said this was a game, right? Fine. I'll be your opponent. I won't lose against an asshole like you. I'll give everything I have to erase your existence. Got it? Do you understand? Or are you too stupid?" But Kazushi still seemed at ease. He was probably thinking how she was a girl, and what's more, injured, so he couldn't lose against her.
"I'll say it again," she continued, "Don't even think of raping me after beating me to a pulp. Look, little kid, you should worry more about your life than your dick."
Kazushi's face contorted, and he raised the nunchucks up to his face.
Takako gripped her ice pick. The tension between them mounted.
He was probably fifteen centimeters taller, twenty kilograms heavier. Takako was probably the number one female athlete in her class but she had little chance of winning. On top of this, her right leg was pretty badly injured. But…she couldn't lose, no matter what.
Suddenly, Kazushi made a move. He came forward, swinging the nunchucks down!
Takako blocked them with her right arm. One of her two bracelets flew into the air (it was made by South American Indians, it was a favorite, damn). She felt a sting run up her arm up to the center of her skull. Despite the sting though, she thrust the ice pick upward. Kazushi grimaced as he stepped back, dodging it. Once again they were two meters apart.
Takako's left arm was stinging now. But she was all right, nothing was broken. He resumed his attack. This time he swung the nunchucks with the motion of a backhand tennis swing. Takako dodged them by crouching down. The nunchucks skimmed her long, streaked hair—several strands flew into the air. Takako quickly swung her ice pick at his right wrist. She felt it wound him slightly as Kazushi groaned a little and stepped back.
They were apart again. Kazushi's wrist, the hand holding the nunchucks, was red. But the cut didn't seem severe.
The wound on her right leg was throbbing. She could tell the entire leg below her thigh was covered with blood. She wouldn't last much longer like this. She also noticed a panting sound. It came from her lips. Kazushi once again swung his nunchucks. She could see he was aiming at the left side of her head and her shoulder.
Takako stepped forward. She suddenly recalled something Hiroki, who was a martial arts expert, had taught her, "You can defeat your opponent by throwing his timing off. Sometimes, taking a bold step forward can be crucial."
The nunchucks hit her shoulder, but just as Hiroki had said, it was only the chain, which hardly hurt her. Takako leaped into his chest. Kazushi's face, his eyes wide open in dismay, was right in front of hers. She thrust the ice pick upward.
Kazushi shoved Takako away with his empty left hand. Takako lost her balance from her wounded right leg and fell forward.
Barely escaping her stab, Kazushi rubbed his unharmed chest with his left hand. "You're really something," he said.
Kazushi quickly swung his nunchucks down at Takako, who was slow getting up. This time he was aiming at her face!
Takako blocked the blow with her ice pick. Along with the metallic clang, the ice pick flew into the air and landed in the dirt. The only thing left in her hand now was intense pain. Takako bit her lip. She glare
d at him as she stepped back.
Kazushi grinned and slowly came forward. Undoubtedly this guy was mentally disturbed. He had no qualms about beating a girl to death. In fact, he was enjoying it!
Kazushi swung his nunchucks again. She dodged them by bending back—but the nunchucks followed her instead. Perhaps he'd gotten used to them. This time Kazushi managed to extend his reach. She felt a sharp thud against the left side of her head. She began to sway. A warm liquid came flowing out her left nostril.
She was on the verge of falling. Kazushi must have looked like he was sure he'd won. Still swaying, Takako's pretty, sharply curved eyes squinted.
As she fell, she stretched out her long legs and with all her might kicked Kazushi's left knee from the right side. Kazushi let out a painful moan and fell on his left knee. His body floundered and rotated halfway on his knee. Now she saw his back.
Had she tried to take the ice pick, Takako might have lost. But that wasn't what she did. She leaped onto Kazushi's back.
She clutched onto his head as if riding on his shoulders. Her weight forced him to fall forward. If a thought occurred to her it was in choosing which fingers she should use. Her index and middle…no…the strongest combination would be her middle finger and thumb. And…Takako had always taken good care of her nails. No matter how many times her team coach Mr. Tada scolded her about them she refused to shorten her nails.
Hanging onto Kazushi, Takako grabbed hold of his hair and yanked his head back. She could tell where they were.
Kazushi must have suddenly realized her intentions. She saw him shut his eyes. It was useless though. Takako's right middle finger and thumb tore through his eyelids and dug into his eye sockets.
"AIEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Kazushi screamed. He fell on his arms, got up on his knees, dropped his nunchucks, and tried to brush off her hands. His body moved frantically as he tried to get rid of her. Takako held tightly onto Kazushi and refused to let go. She pushed her fingers in further. Her thumb and middle finger dug in up to their second joints. As she dug in, she felt something pop and realized it was his eyeballs. She didn't expect eye sockets to be this small. Takako didn't hesitate to bend her sharp fingers inward. Blood and a semi-transparent slimy liquid came oozing down his cheeks like weird tears.