Vol 1 Chapter 3.3 (2/2)

”Ah, so you're showing off ... YOU b.i.t.c.h!!”

With that Homura's knee went into Saitou's stomach. Saitou groaned a bit before he went down on his knees. Behind me I heard Akeno stifling her scream.

”What fire you talkin' about! You useless s.h.i.+t!”

As Homura mercilessly stomped on Saitou at the back of his head, Homura glares at me.

”Don't tell me you b.a.s.t.a.r.d believe his s.h.i.+t for words. This garbage can't use anything. You got that?”

”U ... understood ...”

I only nodded in awe. Homura looks down one more time at Saitou in contempt, removing his foot from Saitou's head. Then he looked over my shoulder to Akeno.

”You, name? Can you use the ”power”?”

”Kasugamori Akeno ... ... I use a gun”

”A gun? That power too is cool ...”

Homura nods in a.s.sent, then looked at Teru-san. Suddenly noticing, Teru-san places both arms on the table, rounds his back and lowers his face, becoming shut-in. There Homura pierces him with his blood-thirsty eyes.

”b.i.t.c.h, just what the f.u.c.k are you doin' there a' while ago, hah?”

”! S, sorry. But I don't think I'm interfering with you ... I'm here only for idle chitchat ...”

Teru-san snaps his head up, revealing a forced smile. I didn't know Teru-san can be this meek.

”Tch, it's that pipsqueak Hiruma”

Homura clicked his tongue contemptuously. Those two, they knew each other. That was unexpected.

”Sorry to disturb you. I'll just go somewhere ...”

Teru-san hurriedly rises. Looks like he's getting away from here. But Homura won't let it.

”f.u.c.k you! Who told you to move?”

Told off, Teru-san lowered himself again to his chair. Those two, they're like snakes and frogs.

”Then the f.u.c.k you're here if have no business? You related or somethin' ?”

”That ... I'm in no way related to everyone here that can see that dream ...”

”Hah? The h.e.l.l you call that chitchat!”

”I ... I only met Hos.h.i.+-kun by chance and from there we talk about it ----”

”You heard and nosed around --- !!”

”Hii, s, sorry ...”

”f.u.c.k your excuses! You think you're already out, huh? I'm getting tired, you f.u.c.k!!”

Homura goes around from beside me. Word by word, step by step, he sidles up to Teru-san. He corners Teru-san. In an instant, the atmosphere changes. Aren't we talking about the dream here ...? Even as I was confused Homura walked up to Teru-san's side and,

”You're dead, b.i.t.c.h ...!!!”

”Gah --- !?”

Teru-san was grabbed on the cheeks with only one hand, and was lifted up. Forcing him to stand up. His gla.s.ses slide off and fall down to the floor. With his mouth blocked by Homura's hand, his screams are reduced to only mumbles.

”No screams for you. Think you can spit on my hand -- eh?”

As Homura looks on piercingly, I'm sure from his voice he's clearly enjoying it. There no time for awe, someone has to stop Homura!

In my opinion, Homura is scary. If I were Teru-san right now I might be powerless. I'm sure it would be scary. But, for this reason, I'm not letting like this happen to my friends!

”Enough ... !!”

I stood up shouting sharply.

I looked at the two toughies grinning, and their smiles instantly disappeared. Looks like from their eyes that they don't believe it. From Homura's view, it was probably a very rash action. Nevertheless, they can't ignore me!

”The h.e.l.l ...?”

Homura slowly turns to me. As I feel my stomach tighten, I clearly say it.

”Get your hands off Teru-san”

”The f.u.c.k's that for?”

”He's in pain!”

”Oooh, he's in pain”

Homura says that shamelessly. I have no reply for that. For him to see his opponent in pain, he sees no reason for letting him go from pain. So, he can't be convinced aside from violence. So how can I go persuade him? Is words useless for him? Should I tear him off with all my might?

I was puzzled. Homura stood there calmly. While Teru-san continues to struggle ...

I got it. My breath quickens. My fist tightens with power. My heartbeat is increasingly violent, aiding my fighting spirit ---

”You guys are ugly”

With Akeno's word, I was calmed down in an instant from the verge of rage. Akeno too stood up beside me, glaring at Homura.

”What you're doing is mere bullying! That's not something the strong does. It's cruel, clumsy and ugly, let him go.”

She said it! With those scathing words, even the toughies are speechless. Homura was staring dumbfounded at Akeno from the start, but then,

”... ... hahahahahah!! So, it is bad huh. That's uncool, hah!”

With a happy smile, his hand lets go of Teru-san!

Teru-san crouched on the floor, coughing. Homura banged his hand on the table, his body towering, and approached to Akeno's side fast!

”Akeno!”

I immediately grabbed Akeno's shoulders and pulled her behind me, protecting her.

”Outta my way!”

Homura listlessly swings his right arm! I immediately bring up my left arm to guard my head, but his arm is too strong, so I was forcefully pushed aside, and I slammed into the wall before going halfway down!

”Guh, uhhh ...”

In an instant I have trouble breathing, and my body went down as I cough. Such strength ....

Homura brings up Akeno's cheeks, and he brings it close to him as if to kiss her. But Akeno was not the one to lose. In an instant the muzzle of her airgun was dead center in his left eye! Close enough to touch the eyelashes should he blink. Akeno's finger is in the trigger.

”You threaten me with a toy?”

”A toy, true, but it can destroy your retina.”

”Care to say what will they think of you afterward?”

”They will probably think I'm the hero that made you lose an eye.”

A tense silence follows. Homura stared at Akeno for several seconds.

”Hahahahahahahah!!!”

He lets go of her.

”I like it! You're good, girl. ... ... You're mine”

”Excuse me. I'm not interested with you.”

”Is that so! That's too bad ...”

Shoulders quaking in laughter, he pa.s.ses by Akeno's side

”I'll see you in the dream.”

On saying that, the toughies pull out, and left the canteen.

Akeno turned her back to them, without shaking. Or so I thought

”... ... ... ... ...”

Like a marionette with strings cut, she dropped down the floor.

”Are you all right, Akeno?”

”Hm, I'm okay ... ... just a sudden loosening-up .... Th, that was scary ... ...”

As a dry laugh escapes from her, she looks up at me with teary eyes.

”Can you stand?”

”Can't, I'm drawn out .... I'll be here for a bit. You go over to Teru-san first ...”

”Got it”

I went around the table. Teru-san is still crouching on the floor. His hands earnestly hold his gla.s.ses. It was trampled on by Homura, its lenses cracked, its frame bent, already rendered useless.

”... ... I'm useless ...”

He murmurs as his shoulders shake.

”I can't go against them. Not with even a square conversation .... quaking, groveling, smiling, just to put up with his bullying ... I am this weak ...”

”That ... was Akeno's not real way of talking. She had to talk like that. Truth was she's in no condition to admonish like that ...”

”I knew that, I knew that! It's wrong to bear a grudge against her. She saved me. That I'm thankful. It's just that I hate myself .... With this much, I'm only a miserable self that can't even go against them ... ...”

”Teru-san ...”

”Go, Hos.h.i.+-kun. Leave me ... alone ...”

He's probably crying, I can hear him sniffing. I should be embracing him, but I obeyed him in the end.

Quietly leaving him crying on his spot, I take Akeno's hand and leave the canteen.

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