Not Equal

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Tokyo, Japan,

Aichi Academy,

Samuel POV,

Two individuals sat across from each other in a well lit room, a blonde girl and a silver haired teenager. The chairs they sat on looked fairly out of place and it was obvious that it was a personal room that had been quickly rearranged in order to host a guest considering the bed lying to one of the sides.

Koharu locked her hands together and smiled, "Greetings, I hope you don't mind the lack of hospitality. These aren't the best of times I'm afraid." She motioned to the window with a hand, though, Koharu knew full well that if anybody was aware of what had happened, it would be Samuel.

"Oh indeed, my condolences." Samuel folded his legs, rubbing his chin in thought with an equally strange smile.. This would be a very intriguing exchange.

"Quite barbaric of them is it not? To take down a rehabilitation facility to make a point.." Koharu slightly shifted, leaving who she was incriminating unknown to the other party.

"I'm sure it would be a costly endeavour to have it repaired."

"Rest assured, this will be handled with due haste."

Both the teenagers slightly laughed at each other leaving the woman standing in the corner estranged, Yukino didn't get what they were trying to do here. Would Koharu take a shot at Samuel right here? If so, she wasn't sure that they could take him down.

"Well then, Mr. Samuel. Have you any clues as to who exactly might have done this?" Koharu slightly tilted her head, her pointed teeth showing through her grin.

"Why would I? I was probably asleep when it happened." Samuel shrugged, the knowing smile on the girl told him she probably knew he had something to do with it but even if she did, would he accept it?

Absolutely not, admission of guilt would be a stupid move here that would only work against him.

"Oh my, you were asleep quite early then. I'd have expected someone of your stature to be awake and 'partying', as my fellow teenagers would put it." Koharu's eyes widened in 'surprise' and the girl 'curiously' put a finger over her mouth.

"What do you take me for?" Samuel asked with a chuckle, he had strange habits but he was no delinquent at least..

'Oh really? You smoke, stay up late, get into fights, most of your friends are girls or people who like fighting, you're obsessed with bikes... Want me to go on?'

....Maybe he had some delinquent-like tendencies...

"I suppose I need to reevaluate your personality then." Koharu raised her hands 'helplessly', though the unsettling smile on her face failed to hide her intentions quite miserably... or perhaps, even that was a calculated move on her part.

Samuel looked around the room with slightly curious eyes, this was supposed to be a dorm room and exuded more wealth than his own... That was something alright.

"Now on a rather serious note, may I talk to you in all seriousness?" Koharu's tone changed to a more serious one.

'What was she doing here?' One might ask.

Well bluntly put, was she expected to believe that the heir to one of the oldest and most powerful families was a carefree and easygoing simpleton?

Nay, Koharu refused such a notion entirely. It would fool those that didn't know but not her, never.

"Why so?" Samuel questioned with curious eyes, what did she even mean by that? It wasn't like he was... nevermind, what did she even want a serious talk about?

"I'd like to discuss matters with the heir to the Hayes Conglomerate is what I mean." Koharu went straight to the point, she didn't want to joke around with matters like these. She might be eccentric but she wasn't a fool.

"I see. Go on." Samuel closed his eyes with a small smile, it probably wasn't something that bad.

A tense air hung about the room, one that would completely weird out anyone who suddenly entered.. fortunately, no one had any business with either of them then.

"I would like.... to apologise and receive assurance that the Hayes will not interfere further." Koharu slightly lowered her head, her tone was incredibly polite. There were powers in the world that one just didn't upset, compared to her own power and influence, they were unreachable. Koharu's plans would be completely ruined were they to make a move. Shame for once was better than having her life's work ruined.

Samuel whistled, it appeared that she really wasn't an idiot. It was rather easy to put together what Koharu was thinking from what she just said, she thought that what had happened was payback not from Samuel but from the Hayes.

She really did misunderstand certain things about him.

"Sure." Samuel slightly chuckled, "You got my word."

Even though she had misunderstood, there was no reason for him to not capitalise on said misunderstanding, they weren't exactly supposed to be on the 'best of terms'. Samuel stood up and walked over to the window. Once there however, his eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and disappointment witnessing what was going on down below.

"Thank you." Koharu bowed gratefully before sitting up straight only to find the window open and Samuel's foot firmly planted on the base.

"That was it right?"

"Yes."

"Catch you later then."

Samuel jumped out the window.

..

...

....

"Stairs exist...." Yukino sighed at his actions, just for once, she wanted to see the eccentric heir act like a normal person.

"Fufu, leave him be." Koharu giggled gracefully before standing up and walking over to one of the sofas. That had gone fairly well. She had no idea about what she'd do were he to say no and carry a grudge like an arrogant young master. It would be an uphill battle that Koharu had no chance of winning.

"Are you sure that was wise?" Yukino questioned with a blank expression, her hands behind her back,

"Basking in my own power and writing him off would be incredibly stupid." Koharu placed a hand on her chin, folding her legs as if she were some noble... which she technically was. With the questionable and dangerous variable out, everything from then on would proceed according to plan.

"Hmm, my students seem to be quite the unruly bunch." Yukino noted with a hand over her lip, looking down at the Empress and one of the Supreme Five Swords throwing glares at each other.

-x-X-x-

Mary and Amou stood some distance off from one another.

While Amou showed no signs of damage or even tiredness, Mary in contrast looked as if she had been put through the wringer, some parts of her skin were bruised and her lip had been cut. Her clothes were thankfully unharmed but the same couldn't be said for the exhausted girl.

No words were exchanged as the one of the two rushed at each other, Amou didn't bother to even take a stance while Mary had her baton outstretched, using it as a substitute for her rapier.

However, their 'fun' was cut short when a familiar teenager landed some distance off from them.

"Oh.. Mind explaining yourself, Samuel?" Amou immediately dropped all hostility, choosing to instead fold her arms and tilt her head with a small smile.

"What's there to explain?" Samuel asked with a 'clueless' look on his face, though his smile betrayed his own words, teenage drama was something Samuel had seen a lot but still... To see it at this level was surprising even for him.

"Indeed, I've no idea.... what there is to explain either." Mary closed one eye and smiled mockingly, it wasn't like Samuel was Amou's property now was it?

"No one asked you, pervert." Amou waved her off with her hand, the question was directed to Samuel so others had no right to interfere.

"Pardon?"

"Amou, you're going overboard again." Samuel looked somewhat serious as he spoke those words, this girl was way too possessive of something she didn't even have...

"I won't stand for something like this."

"I don't mind fighting again right here."

Amou, in response, looked as if she had something to say but after a few moments of silence, she took a step back with her head lowered, "Fine.. I'll stay away from the girl."

Why?

Well, simple, Amou was a person with immense pride who believed in 'might is right/might makes right' and she as a person 'weaker' than Samuel, something she had come to accept (after innumerable bouts), had no right to decide for him. It was the reason she'd not made forceful attempts and also the reason that she walked a few steps behind him whenever the two were together.

In all essence, she was not his equal... is what she fully believed and that made Amou somewhat subdued when it came to butting heads with him.

"It's good that you understand." Samuel ruffled her hair with a proud smile, he understood her reasoning but also that there was no way to change someone who had grown up like that, just words wouldn't be enough to get rid of something she believed subconsciously, even if they were from Samuel.

"Y-Yeah... now get out of my sight, both of you."

Amou was going to go practise, she would beat him eventually.. then, she could stop perverts and harlots from nearing him.

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