Author's notes:
  Okay, for those of you who've been reading at home, or just switched on, this is the third (I think it's the third... 6^-^) installment of what was originally called
[orig][untitled], following the [orig][teaser].  Kuei Hunter Gojira is a working title (and therefore subject to change at the author's whim), and while not overly original, it at least beats 'Untitled.] 6^-^
  Anyhoo, now for the disclaimer:

  This is an original work, and all characters, etc contained herein are the property of the author (ME! 
^-^), and any resemblence to any persons or events, true, or imagined is solely coincidental.
  Lastly, the following contains situations, and language that may offend some readers.  Reader discretion is advised.

  P.S. C&C is welcome!  Heck, it's wanted! ^-^

  "Alright, break girls!  It's the boys' turn to use the field!"
  Atsuko sighed happily, and made her way to the edge of the soccer field.  She flopped down on the soft grass, and closed her eyes, absorbing heat into her soon-to-be sore muscles.  Of all the classes, gym wasn't exactly her favorite...
  "So, what do you think...?" a familiar voice said from above.  She opened her eyes to see Yanagi's face hovering upsidedown a few feet above hers.
  "What do I think about what?" she asked, sitting up, while her friend settled down next to her.
  Yangi rolled her eyes.  "What do you mean, what?  You know... the new guy."  She smiled wickedly.  "You don't think he's cute?"
  Atsuko's eyes flitted to the field, where the boys were already embroiled in a match.  The young man in question had just passed the ball upfield.  She found herself following him as he moved further upfield, only to fall back as the opposing team pushed their offensive.  He was slightly on the shortside, about half a head shorter then the rest of the boys in their class.  His hair was black, the color of coal, but his eyes were a warm brown, with faint green highlights, and when he smiled, they scrunched up at the edges, a hint of a mixed ethnic background-
  "Ah... so you DO think he's cute," Yanagi interrupted her thoughts, and Atsuko blushed as she suddenly found her feet very fascinating.
  "You're blushing," Yanagi continued mercilessly, her tone slightly surprised.  "Do I detect the first hint of looooove...?"
  "Shut up," Atsuko retorted, blushing darker, while trying unsuccessfuly to glower at her her friend.  "You think he's cute too..."
  "Well, yeah," Yanagi commented thoughtfully, "But if YOU like him, I won't get in the way..."  She let her voice trail off, looking innocently at the sky.  Atsuko's ear's began to burn.
  "Good thing.  I mean, what would Matsuo say?" she retorted, arching a single eyebrow.  Now it was Yanagi's turn to blush.  "Have you asked him out yet?"
  "No," the other girl said with a sigh, "I'm still waiting for him to come to his senses, and see I'm the only girl for him."
  "Mm-hm.  Maybe if you put out a little," Atsuko commented drily, watching as Yanagi's face twisted in mock horror.
  "Eichi!" she exclaimed.  Then she paused, and looked toughtful, then broke into giggles.  Atsuko soon joined in.
  "Ah well, it's nice to dream," Atusko said, her voice taking on a faintly bitter tone.  "It's not like it'll ever really happen..."  She absently ran her hands over the plain leotards that covered her legs.  
  "Baka," Yanagi chided, "you're being too sensitive aga-"
  "How's my favorite little Matchstick?"
  Atsuko tensed, a knot forming between her shoulders.  She didn't have to turn to see who was speaking, she recognized the voice all too readily.
  "Jiro," Yanagi said acidly, "I thought I felt an evil presence."
  The only response was a thick laugh, that was way too nice for its owner.  Footsteps, and he appeared, coming around infront of Atsuko.
  Takashi Jiro was an upperclassman, the captain of the school's kempo club, and it's chief asshole.  He was handsome, knew it, and thought it gave him carte blanche with all the girls.  His reputation of loving them, and leaving them was well known, but somehow he still managed to seduce any girl he put his sights on, only to dump them after getting what he wanted.  Several girls still pinned for him, and he seemed to enjoy their suffering.
  Lately, he'd been targeting Atsuko, at first pouring on the charm, but she'd rebuffed him.  In retrospect, that may have been a mistake, becuase it wounded his pride, and now he'd seemed to have made it his life's goal to make her miserable.
  "Hey Matchstick," he said easily, crouching down in front of her.  His dark, tanned face split in a soft grin, and he winked at her.  "Did you get my little gift?"
  The 'gift' had been a box of used matches...  Atsuko had found it in her locker, wrapped with an expensive bow.  She'd managed to make it to the bathroom before breaking down, and crying.  Yanagi had found her there.
  She must have blushed, because Jiro laughed again, that laugh that was so much worse, because it was so nice.  Other voices joined in, and Atsuko felt her eyes start to burn.  She blinked, looking past Jiro's shoulders to see the small group of boys that made up his gang.  Most of them were on the kempo team as well, and loyal to Jiro as long as he could still kick their collective asses.  It was like a wolf pack.  Jiro was the toughest, the alpha, and he enforced his leadership with more force than was really neccesarry, but then, that was Jiro.
  "You seem upset," Jiro said, smiling, "Is something wrong?"
  "Don't you have a parole hearing, or something to be at?," Yanagi snapped, and Atsuko glanced at her friend's angry face.  Jiro, in turn, merely grinned, and and turned to face Yanagi.  
  "No wonder you're single, Nakajima-chan, with an attitude like that."  He slowly trailed his eyes over her her body.  "Not that you've much else to offer.  Have you thought of padding?  It might help."  
  Yanngi flushed a dark red.  "You-!"
  "Be careful what you say next," Jiro said cheerfully, but his voice was laced with ice, a threat.  Atsuko wasn't sure if Jiro would hit a girl, especially in front of so many people... but she didn't want to risk it.  She rose to her feet, and stood next to her freind. 
  "What do you want, Jiro?" she asked, trying to sound as unenthusiastic as she felt.  Somehow she couldn't manage that with mere words.
  Jiro smiled, that sickeningly pleasant smile.  "I've come to offer you a second chance, Kurokawa.  I'm free tonight, why don't you and I spend it together?  It's not like you have many other options, Matchstick."  He smiled, and not even his handsome features could make it pleasant.  "I could make it definitely worth your while."  He reached out, with on hand and touched her face.
  Atsuko jolted backwards, blushing first with embarassment, then in anger.  "Don't touch me," she snarled.  Jiro only laughed, then he lunged forward, catching her hand.
  "Where are you going, Matchstick?"
  "I said, don't touch me!"  She twisted free of his hand, and took a step back.  Yannagi stepped in between them, but Jiro shoved her aside.  The girl went sprawling to the ground, but otherwise didn't look hurt.
  "I don't get it, Kurokawa," Jiro said, still smiling, although the warmth was rapidly escaping.  "Most girls would love to have the chance to go out with me, and yet you brush me off."
  "I know you better than they do," Atsuko said acidly, and Jiro's smile faded completely.
  "You are walking a very thin line, bitch," he snarled, "I only gave you a second chance, 'cause I felt sorry for you.  Damaged goods, and all..."
  His hand lanced out, incredibly quick, and caught the sleeve of her shirt.  Atsuko reflexively pulled back, then forze at the sound of tearing cloth.  She grabbed the torn sleeve, but Jiro was still holding it.
  "What you hiding there, Matchstick?"  He jerked, and the cloth slipped out of her hands, tearing more at the seam.
  "Leave her alone, you jerk!" Yanagi yelled, grabbing Jiro's arm.  He released Atsuko's sleeve, turning to scowl at Yanagi, who froze holding his arm.
  "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, pulling his arm free of her grip, "It's impolite to grab people."
  "Screw you," Yanagi snapped back, but her voice wavered, her courage seeming to vanish under Jiro's gaze.  She released his arm, turning to Atsuko, who was desperately trying to hold the sleeve in place.  Her ears were burning, she must be blushing like a radish... and her eyes hurt with the effort of holding in her tears.
  "Or what?" Jiro asked tauntingly.
  "Or you may get hurt," a new voice said.
  Atsuko looked up, her heart leaping to her throat.  She saw Jiro turn, looking towards the source of the voice.    
  The new guy, Toshiro, was standing a few feet away, holding a soccer ball, his expression dark, angry. Matsuo was standing just behind him, his expression concerned, his eyes on Yanagi.
  "Well, well, Matchstick, someone's come to defend your honor," Jiro sneered, "I don't know the face, you new?"
  "I'm Gojira Toshiro, and yeah, I'm new," Toshiro said, his voice surprisingly pleasant.  "You are?"
  "I'm upperclassman Takashi," Jiro said condencendingly, "So, if you'll excuse us, Miss Kurokawa, and I were having a discussion."  He turned back to Atsuko, while a few members of his gang closed around Toshiro.
  "I think Miss Kurokawa doesn't want to talk to you, Upperclassman," Toshiro said quietly, suddenly standing next to Jiro. His hand closed on Jiro's arm, and the older boy stopped like a electric current had touched him.
  Jiro turned, and looked down at Toshiro's hand.  Now that they were so close, Atsuko realized that Jiro was over a head taller than Toshiro, the latter only coming up to the other's chin.  ON top of that, Jiro looked to have fifty pounds over Toshiro.  If it came to blows...
  Atsuko shivered.  The last boy who'd gotten into a fight with Jiro was still in the hospital, recovering from internal injuries.
  "Toshiro, it's all right," Atsuko said, trying to intercede herself between the two boys.  She was hampered by her effort to hold her sleeve in place, but some how managed to place herself between Jiro, and Toshiro.  "If you want a date that badly, Jiro, fine.  Just don't-"
  "Don't what?" Jiro said cooly, his eyes falling on her with a weight that made her shudder.  He pushed past her, looming over Toshiro, who stood there, holding his soccer ball, his face angry.
  "You have a death wish, Gojira?" Jiro snarled quietly.  "I hope so 'cause you just got your wi-"
  "What's going on here?"
  Everyone turned to find their teacher standing a few feet away, frowning.
  "Nothing, Sempai," Jiro replied automatically, somehow managing to sound respectful.  "I was merely welcoming the new boy to our school, as is proper for an Upperclassman."
  "Somehow, Takashi, I seriously doubt that.  Whatever is going on here, break it up.  It's time for your next class.  Hit the change rooms.  Gojira, Ifukube, you stay."
  Tensely, the other students began to drift off the field, heading towards the main building, and the change rooms.  Jiro glared at Toshiro, but left as well, his gang following.  Atsuko lagged behind with Yanagi.
  "Something wrong, Kurokawa?" the teacher asked, his eyes going to her torn sleeve.  She self-consciously held it tighter.  Yanagi moved up next to her.
  "No, sempai."
  "Then get going."
  "Hai, sempai."
  Atsuko turned, and walked slowly back towards the gym, Yanagi a silent presence at her side.  She was the only one who saw the tears that leaked down Atsuko's face, the reason she'd hung back.
  She didn't want anyone else to see.

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