156 Chapter Twenty-Two: Kiss Of Destruction, Part One

After the initial shock wore off, the first thing Haruna did was call Kanako. When the girl answered, she gave a sleepy-sounding "Hello?" "Kanako, something super weird just happened," Haruna said. "Mm, okay," Kanako said. "But can't it wait until morning? I was just about to fall asleep…" "There's no way this can wait," Haruna said. "Ikehara-san just asked me out on a date."

Immediately, the phone call ended, and Haruna was left wondering what was going on. She didn't have to wonder long though, as about a minute later she got a text telling her to open the front door of her house. Heading downstairs, Haruna reached the door and opened it as quietly as she could, as her parents were already in bed.

"You didn't have to rush over here," Haruna said. "A-As if I could sleep after getting a text like that," Kanako said, wearing a set of pink pajamas. "This is something we need to talk about right now." "Well, I guess since you're already here…" Haruna said. She had only been planning on discussing this newest problem over the phone. Instead, Kanako came in, and as if it were natural, began making tea. Having been essentially banned from the kitchen, Haruna could only sit and wait.

Once the tea was poured, a fragrant aroma lightly wafted throughout the living room. "I hope this doesn't wake my parents up," Haruna said. "I feel like this looks like you snuck over here." "Y-Yeah, I guess it does look that way," Kanako agreed. They each took sips of their tea before finally getting to the issue at hand.

"So, what do you mean Ikehara-san asked you out on a date?" Kanako asked. Haruna pulled out her phone and showed Kanako the message she had received. "She didn't send any others?" Kanako asked. Haruna shook her head. "Nope. Just the one. I texted her back to ask her what she meant, but I haven't gotten a response."

Kanako went into thought for a moment before speaking again. "Maybe whatever she's been planning will happen on that date…" "Even if that's true, the idea of spending any of my night with her sounds awful," Haruna said. "I feel the same," Kanako said. "But…"

The simple fact was, regardless of how Haruna or Kanako felt about it, going on a date with Katsumi was a good opportunity. Because she was the one to suggest it, it probably meant she had something in mind. If that something turned out to be the end goal of whatever it was that Katsumi had been planning, then that meant that the facade of her being nice to Haruna could finally end. Ultimately, it was possibly a chance to rid themselves of Katsumi for good.

Both Haruna and Kanako understood that as they sat in silence and contemplated, weighing the pros and cons. Of course, the obvious con was the actual date part. Kanako really didn't like the idea, especially when she still had her own worries about what Katsumi was doing.

As for Haruna, she wanted nothing to do with it. "And besides, it's not like she can make me," Haruna thought. "This won't be like the sports festival. I won't let Ikehara-san drag me into another one of her schemes." With no material to use and no arguments to be made, Haruna was certain that this would all amount to nothing.

"...You should go," Kanako suddenly said. "...huh?" Haruna let out, not even sure if she heard Kanako right. "I'm sorry, did you just say I should go?" Kanako nodded. "Y-Yes." "Have you lost your mind?" Haruna asked. Kanako grimaced. "I-I mean, it's not like I really want you to go. Honestly, the idea of you going on something that Ikehara-san is calling a date makes me really uncomfortable." "Then I'm obviously not gonna go!" Haruna exclaimed. "You have to!" Kanako shouted back.

For a moment, they thought they heard movement from upstairs, so they both froze. Once they felt it was clear, they continued in quieter tones. "You have to go," Kanako insisted. "It's too big of an opportunity to just ignore." "I know that, but…" Haruna said. "You'll just be miserable the whole time I'm out there…" "A-About that…" Kanako said. "I was thinking, um… that maybe I'd… f-follow you…"

"My girlfriend is a stalker," Haruna said. "No I'm not!" Kanako cried. "I-It's just in case Ikehara-san tries to do anything to you!" "Oh, so you're gonna swoop in and be my hero?" Haruna teased. "That's right! Kanako to the rescue!" Kanako announced proudly, making Haruna laugh. "Well, alright then. Be sure to keep a good watch over me, okay?" "I won't even blink," Kanako said. "No, you should definitely blink," Haruna said back.

However, it turned out they had gotten too wrapped up in their conversation and completely missed the sound of someone coming down the stairs. "Haruna?" a woman's voice said, sounding tired, annoyed and confused. "Why are you making so much noise down here? And why is Kana-chan here?" "Oh, um…" Haruna said, not having any excuse prepared. "I sincerely hope you didn't sneak her over here in hopes of having some sort of illicit night," Haruna's mother said. "T-That's not what was happening!" Haruna said quickly. "We just had a problem to solve, that's all!" "And it couldn't wait until morning?" Haruna's mother pressed. Not sure of what else to say, Haruna went silent as Kanako remained the same way next to her.

"Kana-chan," Haruna's mother said. "I would appreciate it if you went back to your house. I won't tell your mom about you sneaking around either, okay?" "Y-Yes ma'am…" Kanako said nervously. It was true they hadn't planned on doing anything of an illicit nature, but being lectured like they had been planning as much still made Kanako feel guilty.

So, getting up, Kanako said her goodbyes and went back. "Haruna," the girl's mother scowled. "We weren't gonna do anything!" Haruna cried. After a long, hard stare, her mother soon let out a heavy sigh. "Honestly… You're lucky it was me who woke up and not your father. Now head back upstairs after you clean up down here." "Okay…" Haruna said.

While washing the dishes, Haruna thought back on what Kanako had said. "I understand why she wants me to go, but…" To Haruna, it seemed like there was no way going on this date would end well for anybody. "But if she thinks it's worth the risk, then…"

*****

When Sunday came around, Haruna found herself feeling rather annoyed. "What was even the point of getting all worked up…?" she wondered. Haruna had been mentally preparing herself for her date with Katsumi, but the day of, the girl had canceled, saying that they would go next Saturday instead because something came up. "I didn't even want to go in the first place, so why am I so bothered by this?" Haruna sighed.

Everything had been moving so fast that really, it was probably for the best that the date had been pushed back. It gave Haruna and Kanako some more time to think, along with consulting the one person who could probably give them the best advice on what to do.

"That Ikehara-san is totally crossing the line," Chiyo said as she and Haruna sat in the gal's room. "I mean, does she even know what she's doing anymore?" Though she said that, Chiyo was actually fairly certain she knew exactly what Katsumi was trying to do. "She's probably trying to break them up," she thought. "But telling Haru-chi or Kana-chan that will just make them panic." And, if they weren't thinking about it already, then there was no point in putting that worry in their heads.

"I'm surprised she canceled on ya though," Chiyo added. "Ikehara-san strikes me as the kinda girl who puts her love life before everything." "It's not like she doesn't have other things going on in her life," Haruna pointed out. "Although, it does seem like her love life is usually the only thing on her mind." Sometimes it was easy to forget, but Katsumi was still a normal, teenage girl. Haruna was sure she had other things to worry about aside from messing with her and Kanako (even if it didn't seem like it).

"I still can't believe you and Kana-chan agreed to it," Chiyo said, sounding displeased. "You sound angry," Haruna said. "Of course I'm angry!" Chiyo exclaimed. "Ikehara-san is trouble, Haru-chi! T-R-O-U-B-L-E! You shouldn't be agreeing to do anything with her!" "But if we can find out what she's been trying to do-" Haruna said, trying to make her case, but Chiyo cut her off. "Is it seriously worth the risk of giving Ikehara-san the chance to put cracks in your relationship?"

Hearing it put that way, Haruna shrank back a little. "I-I know it's not ideal, but-" "Haru-chi," Chiyo said, her face stern. "Do you have any idea what this situation looks like from my perspective?" "Huh?" Haruna said. "What're you talking about?" "You have a great relationship with the girl you like, and you're threatening to throw it away just to investigate the girl that's been trying to take Kana-chan from you this whole time. That just hurts to watch…"

It was then that Haruna understood. Chiyo liked Michi, but she hadn't been able to tell her how she felt. Seeing someone else have what she didn't and also be willing to sacrifice for what was deemed a poor reason was probably pretty irritating for Chiyo. "Sorry…" she mumbled. "I didn't… really think about that…"

Chiyo's expression quickly shifted to one of guilt. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking out my problems on ya, Haru-chi." The two girls sat in silence for a few moments, neither of them sure what to say next. "Anyway," the gal finally said. "I still think it's a horrible idea for you to do what Ikehara-san says."

Haruna opened her mouth to protest, but just then there was a knock at the front door. "Chi, can ya get that?" Chitose called from down the hall. Chiyo sighed. "Why can't she get it?" she muttered as she got up. Being curious, Haruna followed her.

When Chiyo opened the door, they found Jasmine on the other side. "Huh? Jas-chin?" Chiyo said in surprise. "What're ya doin' here?" "I was bored at Itsuki-chan's ho-...er, at home… So I thought I'd come over here. You guys doin' something?" The other two girls noticed Jasmine's slip-up and couldn't help but smile a little. They were happy that Jasmine was slowly accepting the place she was living as her new home.

"We're just talkin' about Haru-chi's awful life choices," Chiyo said. "Hey!" Haruna exclaimed. "Is this about the time she got that sour lime drink?" Jasmine asked. "Guh…" Haruna let out, being reminded of the sickly, sugary, sour drink that she had once tried and immediately regretted.

"Chi! Close the door! It's hot enough in here already without the door hangin' open!" Chitose yelled, peeking out from her room. "Okay, okay!" Chiyo yelled back, letting Jasmine in and then shutting the door. "You two alright?" Jasmine asked, noticing Chitose sounding on-edge. "Yeah," Chiyo said. "Big sis is just stressed about some school stuff. C'mon, we'll head back to my room."

Back in the gal's room, Chiyo explained what was going on. After, Jasmine stared at Haruna. "Are you and Kana-chan idiots?" she asked bluntly. "Come on, what would you do?" Haruna whimpered. "Uh, not go out on a date with the girl who's been like, ruining my life?" Jasmine said. Chiyo nodded emphatically. "See, even Jas-chin agrees!"

"But, it does sound interesting," Jasmine said. "Maybe I'll follow you two around." "Ooh, that's a good idea!" Chiyo said. "We'll follow ya to make sure Ikehara-san doesn't attack!" "Kanako had the same idea," Haruna said. "So what? Three people are going to be following me around?" "Goes to show just how loved ya are Haru-chi," Jasmine joked. "This feels less like love and more like spying…" Haruna sighed, though she was grateful for her friends' concern.

"So what's the plan?" Chiyo asked. "Um, show up?" Haruna said, not understanding what Chiyo meant. "She hasn't told you where it'll be or that you have to dress up or something?" Chiyo asked. Haruna shook her head. "I tried asking, but Ikehara-san wouldn't say. As for dressing up, there's no way I'm gonna look nice for her. She can deal with whatever outfit I show up in." "I doubt she'll really care anyways," Jasmine added. "I get the feeling this date is gonna be more like, to mess with your head than it's meant to be an actual date."

Haruna knew that was probably the truth. The odds of this date being done in good faith were practically zero. "At least there's a limit to how much she can do when we're out at a restaurant," she said. "That's probably a good guess for where we'll go, anyways." "True, it's not like there's a lot to do around here," Chiyo said.

"Y'know, all this talk about dates makes me wanna do a makeover on ya, Haru-chi," Jasmine said suddenly. "Eh?" Haruna let out. "Oooh, yeah! Let's totes do it, Jas-chin!" Chiyo said excitedly. "Eh?" Haruna let out again, looking back and forth between the two gals as they began to gather stuff from different parts of Chiyo's room. Then, with make-up, curling iron, and different clothes in hand, they both grinned fiendishly.

"Stay still Haru-chi, 'kay?"

"This'll be fun, we promise!"

"W-Wait! Stop! You don't need to do thiiiiiiis!"

But alas, Haruna's protests fell on deaf ears as the two gals had their fun.

*****

The following week was a bit of a bizarre experience. Katsumi had been the one to ask Haruna on a date, yet when she asked Katsumi about it in person at school, the girl hardly said anything about it in response. "I'll tell you the details later," she had said, and that had been it.

On top of that, the time to present their group project came as well. Surprisingly, it went well, though that was mostly thanks to Katsumi. Not only had she done the bulk of the research, she had even helped the other three write their personal papers, along with showing Hinami how to present without being ridiculously nervous. If no one had known any better, they'd have thought Katsumi was a bonafide honor student who just liked to be helpful.

"I really hope that this all ends soon," Haruna grumbled as she walked home with Kanako on Thursday. "Agreed," Kanako said. "I can't believe she still hasn't told you any details yet either. Is it all supposed to be a surprise?" "I have no idea…" Haruna said. "But I'm getting really tired of waiting."

Luckily, it turned out that Haruna didn't have to wait much longer. On Friday, right as classes were ending, Katsumi came up to Haruna. "Come to this address tomorrow night at seven. Don't be late." Then she turned around and walked away after handing Haruna a piece of paper with said address on it. Deciding to look it up on a map, Haruna typed it in.

"Huh? Isn't this just a house?" Haruna asked aloud. "M-Maybe there's a restaurant in it that's new?" Kanako tried suggesting optimistically, but Haruna had a feeling that wasn't the case. "No way…" she thought. "Is the date seriously gonna be at…"

*****

Four girls stared at the single-story house in front of them. It looked rather nice, with flat, beige walls and dark brown, wooden paneling lining the bottom of the house and going a few levels up. The entryway was set a little farther back, and right by the door was a windchime. With houses to the left and right, and a garage with a car parked in the driveway, it looked every bit like a normal, family home.

It was currently seven o'clock on a Saturday night, and Haruna stood at the edge of the road. Some distance behind her, Chiyo, Kanako, and Jasmine were hiding by some trees. They had all walked together, but partway to their destination, the trio had dropped back, telling Haruna that it was necessary so that Katsumi didn't catch them. Haruna sighed. "This is so ridiculous…"

Unfortunately, the date truly had turned out to be at Katsumi's house. Haruna had no idea why Katsumi decided that, but her best guess was that she'd have home-field advantage. "The question is, just what kind of advantage is it?" Haruna wondered. "Does she have some sort of trap set for me?" The only way to find out the answer to that was to go inside.

Trudging up to the front door, Haruna knocked. After a few moments, it opened, and Katsumi appeared. "I see you didn't get lost," she said in her weird monotone-but-not tone. "Who gets lost in Iwanai?" Haruna said. "So, it really is your place huh?" "Yes," Katsumi answered plainly. "Now, get inside." "Ordering me around already?" Haruna said, getting annoyed. "This date's off to a great start." Yet again, Haruna saw Katsumi's cheek twitch, but she still stepped aside to allow Haruna in.

For outfits, Haruna had gone with a pair of jeans and a plain, gray t-shirt. She wanted to make sure that she put in minimal effort toward her appearance, lest she looked like she actually got dressed up for this sham of a date. As for Katsumi, her clothes were simple enough as well, wearing a casual, maroon colored dress with straps. The length of it came down to a little past her knees, with the bottom flowing out some. Haruna was used to seeing Katsumi in her school uniform, but it didn't feel surprising seeing her wear something different. It was almost as if it was natural, like this was how Katsumi was supposed to look. To top it all off, there was one significant change. Instead of having her hair up in a ponytail, she had it tied into a stylish-looking bun.

The inside of the house was starkly different compared to Haruna's or Kanako's. For one, there were obviously no stairs. Instead, the entryway lead directly into a short hallway, which then came out into a sizable living room, complete with two couches, a chair in the corner, and a TV placed perfectly for all to view, all sitting atop a polished, hardwood floor and up against white walls decorated with various, tasteful decor items. There were a couple of short tables within the room as well, and each held several framed photographs.

The kitchen was just as nice. With an open floor concept, the only real divider between the two rooms was a short bar. With all the cabinets done in an off-white and the countertops a shining marble, everything looked sparkling-new.

To the left of the living room were several doors, each leading to a bedroom. Haruna wasn't shown those, however. "The one in the far corner in my room," Katsumi said, pointing to a white door that had a sign on it. On the sign was Katsumi's name written in kanji. "Nice place," Haruna commented. She hadn't expected to be shown around, but it seemed like Katsumi was trying to be hospitable, so Haruna responded in kind.

With the tour done, Haruna was taken over to the dining room, which was directly behind the kitchen. This room had a more relaxing atmosphere, painted in navy blue and containing several display cases holding valuable (and fragile) items. There were also a couple of other family pictures, or more accurately, portraits. The quality of the paintings were quite good, and Haruna was beginning to wonder if Katsumi's family was actually rich.

Also inside this room was a smooth, black table with six chairs surrounding it. "Wait here," Katsumi said, gesturing to one of the chairs. "Why?" Haruna asked, still on guard. Katsumi sighed. "I still need to finish what we'll be eating, duh." "Shouldn't that have already been done?" Haruna asked, trying to poke at what sounded like a potential weak point. "Shut up," Katsumi said. "Sorry we're not all aiming to be pro chefs like Kana-chin."

"Guess she's not gonna be as nice to me tonight as she has been," Haruna thought as Katsumi headed back to the kitchen. Admittedly, whatever it was that Katsumi had made, it did smell good. "I just hope she doesn't try to poison me."

Still looking around, Haruna noticed the window and then nearly yelped in fear. Clapping her hand over her mouth at the last minute, she immediately shifted into a glare. Just outside the window were the top halves of three heads, all peering in. Taking a look behind her, Haruna quickly dashed over to them. "You're so obvious!" she harshly whispered. "She won't even notice!" Chiyo insisted. "Go spy somewhere else!" Haruna said louder.

"Endo-san, stop muttering about me in there. It's rude to insult someone in their own home," Katsumi said from the kitchen. Haruna glared back in her direction, then looked at her three stalkers. "Hide better!" she hissed, then quickly returned to her seat.

For the rest of her wait, the house was quiet other than the occasional sound of sizzling coming from the kitchen. "What is she making?" Haruna wondered, trying to peer into the other room to get a better look. She wasn't able to see much of anything, but whatever it was, it smelled good. "So she can cook too…" she thought.

In all honesty, Katsumi Ikehara truly was the perfect girl. Her grades weren't just top of the school, they were near the top of the country. Her athletics career was decorated with accomplishments, she had a variety of skills, and to top it all off, her looks were ridiculously attractive. Even under all the vile speech Katsumi spewed out, it seemed like she was actually nice when she wanted to be.

Katsumi had it all, and all she wanted was one thing: love. Really, it would complete the ideal picture of perfection. Haruna was sure there were plenty of people who'd kill for the chance to go out with her. In fact, despite her announcement of only being into girls, she still got plenty of confessions from what Haruna heard. Of course, those weren't limited to guys either. There were just as many girls who had also tasted the sting of Katsumi's rejection.

With so much going for her, and with so much opportunity available to her, it baffled Haruna why Katsumi wasted so much time going after a girl who wanted nothing to do with her, as well as not leaving Haruna herself alone. "At this point, it's just some weird obsession," she thought. How far that obsession might go was impossible to tell, and it was for this precise reason that Haruna wanted to figure out what Katsumi was up to.

As annoying as Katsumi was, it had become a fact that more than anything, she was dangerous. If Haruna and Kanako let this obsession keep going and never found out how to stop it, who knows what road it might lead down. Before they knew it, the whole situation could spiral out of control.

While Haruna thought about that, Katsumi came out with a black pot that had steam roiling out of it. Setting it down on a place mat in the middle of the table, she went back to get a ladle. Haruna got out of her seat and glanced into the pot. Inside was a still-bubbling, thick, reddish-brown broth, though the amount of it was low, only coming up about two inches from the bottom. Aside from that, there was a mix of long, pale noodles, shredded beef, what looked like chopped daikon, peppers, and something a little leaf-like and green. There was also an aroma of spices wafting up from the dish, making it mouth-watering.

"What is this?" Haruna asked as Katsumi came back in. "Back up," she said somewhat coldly, backing Haruna away with a light swing of the ladle. "It's a recipe I came up with myself." "I hate to admit it, but it smells good," Haruna said. "You should be grateful that I even made food for you," Katsumi huffed. "You're the one that invited me here!" Haruna exclaimed, but Katsumi ignored her. Grabbing one of the plates on the table, Katsumi scooped up some of the contents from the pot and placed them on the plate.

"Take it," Katsumi commanded. "Maybe I don't want it now, if you're gonna have that attitude," Haruna spat back. "Tch," Katsumi clicked her tongue. "This is what I get for going through so much effort for someone like you…"

Finally, it seemed like the walls were cracking. Haruna smirked as she tried to push harder. "For someone like you? That's my line to you. You really think I wanna be here? The only reason I came is because I'm sure you have something to hold over my head if I had refused." That last part had been a lie. Haruna really didn't think Katsumi had any dirt on her or Kanako, but it served as a good makeshift excuse for why she agreed to go on this sham date.

"I already told you," Katsumi said, annoyed. "I got rid of the blackmail I had. Like I'd want to keep that filth around. Now if you're done attacking me, eat. It's gonna get cold." Katsumi then got her own serving and sat down at the seat next to Haruna.

For a while, the two of them ate in silence, but there was something bothering Haruna. "Hey," she said. "Where's your family?" "My siblings all had plans tonight, and my parents are out of town," Katsumi explained. That's actually the reason I moved this date to tonight instead of last week. The last thing I need is them acting like I brought a friend home." "What happened to you being nice to me?" Haruna asked, trying to play innocent. "It's not like there's anyone here to see," Katsumi said.

Haruna put down her fork, staring at Katsumi. "So does that mean you'll finally tell me the truth?" she pressed. "What truth?" Katsumi scoffed as she took another bite. "This whole being nice to me bullshit," Haruna said. "I know you hate my guts, probably even more than I hate yours. Like hell you'd be nice to make amends or whatever."

Haruna leaned in, making an effort to be intimidating. "So? What's your deal, really? What's all of this supposed to be leading up to?" "Can't a girl just ask another girl on a date?" Katsumi asked. "Not when the girl asking is you and the girl being asked is me," Haruna retorted.

Katsumi sighed. "What do you want from me?" she asked. "I've already told you plenty of times by now what's going on. Is it that hard for you to understand, or are you actually that stupid?" "Careful, Ikehara-san," Haruna smirked. "Whatever game you've been playing is starting to fall apart, all because you can't play your own role right. It's like I can see cracks all over your face."

Katsumi flinched, perhaps realizing she had slipped too far into her old habits. "Whatever…" she muttered as she went back to eating. "Guess I won that round," Haruna thought triumphantly. "Now I just need to keep antagonizing her. That seems to be working."

Unfortunately, Katsumi caught on quick, soon becoming unresponsive to all of Haruna's taunts. "Damn it," she thought. "Of course she'd see through that plan." At this rate, she wasn't going to get any more information at all. "I need to find something to prompt a conversation," Haruna thought. Looking around the room, she spotted an oddly-shaped piece of glassware sitting in one of the display cases in the corner of the room. It would certainly work for a conversation starter, but the bad part was the case was right by the window Kanako, Chiyo and Jasmine had been at. Occasionally, Haruna had peeked over to see if they were still there, and she was met with a glimpse of the top half of head for a second before it disappeared. "Seriously, why can't they hide better?" Haruna sighed to herself.

Regardless, she was running out of options, so Haruna decided to try her luck. "That's a weird piece of glass," she said, pointing at the object she meant. "Hm? Which one?" Katsumi asked. "That one. The one that has a goose head," Haruna said, still pointing. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Katsumi said with a shrug, doing her best to return to her previous composure. "There's only one goose head!" Haruna said. "That one! There!" "Where?" Katsumi asked.

Haruna got up, marched over to the case, and pointed directly at the item she was referring to. "This! One!" Following her, Katsumi got up and stood next to Haruna. To Katsumi's right was the window. Haruna's heart beat a little faster as she tried to keep Katsumi's attention. "This one. Do you see it now?" Haruna said with exasperation.

"Oh, that- whoops." As soon as Katsumi started speaking, she tripped with her first attempt at a step forward. Slamming her hand up against the small amount of wall there was, she effectively pinned Haruna between herself and said wall.

"Guess I tripped," Katsumi said, though she didn't sound like it was an accident. "A wall slam? What are you, 12?" Haruna said. "You know this thing only works on shoujo protagonists, right?" "Gross," Katsumi practically spat. "As if I'd try to actually seduce you." Though despite saying that, she leaned in closer. So close, in fact, that her lips were placed millimeters from the bottom of Haruna's ear and the top part of her neck.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" she whispered. "Did you think I wouldn't notice your little spy brigade? They really suck at being stealthy, by the way. Be sure to tell them not to go into any professions that involve sneaking around, 'kay?"

As a finishing touch, for some reason, Katsumi made a soft, but clear sound like she had just kissed Haruna's neck. Haruna knew that Katsumi had done no such thing, but the sound itself made her jump a bit and got her flustered. "W-What the hell are you doing?!" she sputtered. Katsumi stuck out her tongue. "Made you jump, loser."

Haruna considered taking a swing right then and there, but she held herself back. "If I hit her, there's no telling how she'll spin it," Haruna thought. So instead, she shoved her hands in pockets and settled for glaring at her. However, Katsumi just shrugged again and went back to her seat. "Sit back down," she said. "This date isn't over yet."

Just as Haruna was about to do just that, she heard a faint tap on the window. Turning around, she saw Chiyo at the bottom of the pane, making a gesture of her finger slicing across her throat. "What's that supposed to mean?" Haruna wondered. "Is she threatening to kill Ikehara-san?"

Apparently, Katsumi saw Chiyo too, as she let out a sigh. "Fine," she said. "I guess this date's over after all. Whatever. I got what I needed." "What's that supposed to mean?" Haruna asked, whipping around to face her. "I'd tell you, but that would ruin the fun," Katsumi smirked. "Why don't you run on home now? I'm sure your little protection squad is getting antsy."

Instead of leaving right away, Haruna got closer to Katsumi. "Just what the hell are you trying to pull?" she asked. "Whatever it is, I won't let you get away with it." "It's cute that you think you have a choice," Katsumi said back confidently. "You should actually take that as a compliment, considering nothing else about you is even remotely cute." Personally, Haruna didn't really care much if she was cute or not, but hearing Katsumi say it was definitely irritating.

Haruna opened her mouth to say something more, but she heard another, stronger tap on the window. That had to mean it was time to go. She wanted to say something before she left, but nothing good was coming to mind. Settling for a strong glare and storming out, Haruna headed for the door. "Feel free to come back anytime," Katsumi said mockingly. Opening the door, Haruna made sure to slam it shut behind her.

Once outside, Haruna let out all of her aggravation in a long breath out. "That girl… is so…" So many insults came to mind that Haruna couldn't settle on just one, so she let the sentence trail off. Looking to her left, she saw Kanako and Jasmine still hunched by the window as Chiyo came walking over. Immediately, the gal started inspecting her.

"She didn't do anything, did she?" Chiyo asked as she searched Haruna. "What're you talking about?" Haruna asked. "I dunno what happened in there," Chiyo said. "But out here, when you two were by the window, it def looked like Ikehara-san gave ya a peck on the neck." "Ah…" Haruna said, understanding Chiyo's worry. "She didn't do that," Haruna said. "It only looked like that." "It's fine that you're tellin' me that, but I'm not the one that needs to hear it," Chiyo said, motioning over to the still frozen Kanako. Chiyo leaned in, making sure only Haruna could hear her. "She's real mad," she said. "It took me and Jas-chin clamping her mouth shut and holding her down to stop her from charging in there like a girl possessed and screaming."

Haruna gulped hard. She was about 90 percent sure Kanako's rage was placed on Katsumi, but there was always the chance that some of it was directed at Haruna as well. "Please don't be me, please don't be me, please don't be me," Haruna repeated over and over in her head as she slowly and cautiously approached Kanako.

"U-Um, Kanako?" she said. "Listen, what happened was-" Before she could even finish her sentence, Kanako suddenly stood up. The sun was beginning to set, causing the light to cast an odd shadow over Kanako's face. "We're going home," she said sternly. "L-Listen, Kanako, it's just a mis-" Yet again, Haruna got cut off as Kanako repeated herself. "We're going home. Now." "Y-Yes ma'am…"

*****

Perhaps needless to say, the walk home was incredibly uncomfortable. The atmosphere between the two girls was so bad that Chiyo and Jasmine had decided to take a different route home. Kanako refused to hold Haruna's hand, and the expression on her face was so stern that Haruna was sure Kanako would explode at any minute. They were about halfway home, and Kanako had remained completely silent.

"I'm actually starting to fear for my life," Haruna thought, trying to keep herself from shaking with fear. "If she'd just say something, maybe I could relax a little." She also really hoped Kanako wasn't angry with her. "I mean, it's not like it was my fault. Okay, maybe I should've pushed Katsumi away, but when she was whispering to me, it seemed like she might say something important, so I let her talk. It's not like I knew she'd act like she kissed my neck."

Haruna wanted to tell Kanako all of that, but she was afraid of how Kanako would react. "When she gets this mad, there's no stopping her," Haruna reminded herself. "No matter what I try to say, she'll probably just bulldoze me." Though she agreed Kanako's anger was probably justified from her perspective, Haruna wished that she'd at least address the problem.

They continued walking, and Haruna kept wishing more and more that Kanako would just say something. She considered reaching out for her hand too, but Haruna wasn't sure if it was a good idea. Racking her brain for possible solutions, Haruna kept trying to come up with anything she could do, but as it turned out, it didn't matter.

"Haruna," Kanako finally said. Her tone definitely indicated she was still upset. "Y-Yes?" Haruna responded. Kanako was silent. "Um…" Haruna thought. "Is she… going to say more?" The sound of their steps filled the air for another minute before Kanako spoke again.

"I never realized the threat of someone you love being taken from you hurt so much." "I-Ikehara-san isn't taking me," Haruna said. "I know that!" Kanako snapped back. "I know… but… do you have any idea how it feels to watch as she gets so close to you? It's painful." Haruna stopped in her tracks. "Are you serious?" she asked. Kanako stopped as well, looking slightly surprised. To answer her reaction, Haruna continued.

"You think I don't know how that feels? I had to just sit there and watch as MIyashita-kun constantly got your attention. Are you really gonna say I don't have a clue how it feels? The girl I was in love with kept getting swept away by some stupid boy, and I couldn't do a damn thing about it!"

"It's not the same…" Kanako muttered. "Hah?" Haruna let out. Kanako looked at her. "It's even worse for me! I have to watch out for both guys and girls! I never know when someone might come along and take you! I believe in our relationship… I do, but sometimes… I just get so worried that you'll disappear. Tonight felt like my worst nightmare happening right in front of my eyes."

Haruna understood what Kanako meant, but to her, it still sounded pretty similar to how she had felt. "I know that feeling, Kanako," she said, trying to be calm. "It sucks, right? It makes you feel like garbage because you feel so powerless. So I understand, okay? Don't act like your pain is worse than mine somehow."

"Maybe you just don't get it…" Kanako muttered, stoking Haruna's own anger. "Didn't I just say I do?!" she burst out. "Why are you being so stubborn about this?!" "Why did you just let Ikehara-san do whatever she wanted?!" Kanako shouted back. "She tricked me!" Haruna yelled. "Do you honestly think I'd want her all over me like that?" "Well, you weren't making much of an effort to get away," Kanako said with a scowl. "Like you did any better…" Haruna mumbled, but in the quiet of the night in the middle of the road, Kanako heard her.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"You know what I mean!"

"Thaaaaaaat's eeeeeenough!"

Out of nowhere, Chiyo came flying in, clamping each of her hands onto each girl's jaw. They both tried to break free at first, but Chiyo squeezed harder, eventually making them stop. "God, I knew this would happen! I soooo knew it!" the gal cried. "As soon as Jas-chin and I left, I just kept thinkin' about it. I got this feeling that Ikehara-san probably managed to do the damage she wanted, and like, you two would start fightin'. And look at this! Here you two are! In the street! SCREAMING YOUR HEADS OFF!"

In the moment, both Haruna and Kanako had the same thought, "You are too…" but they didn't dare try to voice it (not that they really could've anyways). However, Chiyo released them. "Sit!" she demanded. When Chiyo got serious, there was something about her that was hard to resist. Obeying, both Haruna and Kanako got down on their knees and folded their legs under them as they placed themselves on the side of the road in the grass.

"Now listen here you two," Chiyo started. "This is exactly what Ikehara-san wants. To get under your skin, mess with your heads, and like, make it so you two start to have all these stupid doubts. Well I'm not havin' it! So I ran all the way back here to stop you guys from having prolly the dumbest fight ever when no one's really at fault."

"But she-"

"But she-"

"Shut it, both of ya!"

Haruna and Kanako both closed their mouths. "Haru-chi," Chiyo said. "I know Ikehara-san is tricky, but ya can't let her get so close. She's all about intimate contact. The moment ya let her get that close, it's over. Think of her like one of those villains who's insanely good at close-quarter combat, but is also actually smart." "Okay?" Haruna said. Chiyo sighed. "The point is, stay away from her!"

"And you, Kana-chan," Chiyo said, rounding on the other girl. "Are ya really gonna take out all your anger for Ikehara-san on Haru-chi here? I know you're not that dumb. This whole thing is almost entirely Ikehara-san's fault." "I-I know that…" Kanako mumbled. "Then act like it!" Chiyo exclaimed. "Stop pickin' a fight when you agreed to this idiotic sham date in the first place! Ya got what ya expected, didn't ya? Ikehara-san pulled something, but instead of handling it with that sorta understandin', you went and got yourself riled up! And now, here you and Haru-chi are, fighting like a couple gettin' close to a break-up!"

""We're not breaking up"" they said in unison.

"Then don't!" Chiyo yelled back. "If ya understand all of that, then nod." To Chiyo's relief, both Haruna and Kanako nodded. "Good. Now kiss and make up." "K-Kiss?" Kanako repeated. Chiyo leaned down. She was smiling, but it wasn't one of happiness. "Kiss. And. Make. Up."

With each of them keeping one eye on the gal, Kanako and Haruna slowly leaned in and pecked each other's lips. "There," Chiyo said, seemingly satisfied. "Now get up, go home, and be a happy couple." Neither girl knew what to say in response, so they simply obeyed and began walking home. As they did, Chiyo let out the breath she had been holding.

"Ugh… Those two can really be so much work…" she groaned. "I wanna see Mi-chan…"

*****

It was awkward between Haruna and Kanako, to say the least. They both wanted to speak, but it seemed like the words just wouldn't come out. Then, when they finally did, it was a mess.

"A-About what happened-"

"Sorry about-"

They both stopped and looked at each other. Taking advantage of that pause, Kanako spoke. "I-I'm sorry about yelling at you. I know it's not your fault. This whole situation just makes me so mad…" "I-I'm sorry too," Haruna said. "I really should've tried to keep Ikehara-san away from me." However, Kanako shook her head. "It's just like Chiyo said. She's tricky. Even if you had pushed her away, she probably would've found some other way to get what she wanted."

Kanako stopped walking, grabbing Haruna's hand to make her stop as well. "We have to stick together," she said. It sounded dramatic, but Haruna knew what she meant. If they allowed Katsumi to divide them, then Katsumi would get what she wanted. What exactly that was, Haruna wasn't entirely sure anymore, but the end result certainly wouldn't be good if Katsumi succeeded. "I promise the next time Ikehara-san tries to get that close to me, I'll make a big scene about it," Haruna said. She was kind of joking, but also serious. Kanako nodded. "Good."

They didn't have much farther to go to get home, so for the rest of their time, they poured out their sympathy for another girl. "B-Being on the wrong side of a lecture from Chiyo is awful…" Kanako said. "I know, right?" Haruna said. "You don't even feel upset about being called out or anything. You just feel like you've disappointed her somehow." "Yeah…" Kanako agreed. "I feel bad for Mi-chan whenever she has to experience that." "For once, I do actually feel a little bad for her too," Haruna said.

When the two of them reached their houses, they said their goodbyes and went inside. It felt like there was still a little unease between the two of them, but Haruna had a feeling that wouldn't go away until they took care of Katsumi. "I hope we can resolve all of this soon…" she thought once more.

*****

When Monday came, Haruna was on high alert. She kept looking everywhere for Katsumi, but to her confusion, Katsumi was nowhere to be found. In the morning, the walk to school had just been Haruna and Kanako. In class, Katsumi's seat was empty. In the halls, there wasn't even a sign that Katsumi was in the building at all. Ordinarily, Haruna's biggest enemy not being around would've been a relief, but with the way things had progressed lately, Haruna was practically expecting Katsumi to just appear from around the corner.

Haruna hated feeling the way she did, mostly because it made her feel like she was living in fear of Katsumi. "But if I don't keep my guard up, who knows what'll happen?" she thought. Her best guess was that Katsumi would somehow find a way to make Kanako mad again. "Chiyo's right. She's definitely trying to start fights between Kanako and I. What will Ikehara-san try next? She's already gotten me injured and made it look like I was letting her make a move on me. I can't even think of what she'd do now." Not being much of a schemer, it was harder for Haruna to imagine Katsumi coming up with anything else. To her, there was nothing else left on the list to try.

The whole day passed, and as the bell rang, Kanako came over to Haruna. "She never showed up today…" Kanako murmured. "I know," Haruna said. "It's kinda freaking me out." "Maybe she decided to take the day off to come up with her next villainous plot," Kanako joked, but she was also kind of serious. "Maybe you're right," Haruna agreed.

"W-Well, I was going to go to club today," Kanako said. "So you can go home." "Nah, I'll wait," Haruna said pleasantly. "A-Are you sure?" Kanako asked. "It might be awhile." "That's fine. I wanna walk home with you today," Haruna said. "Hey, how about to make up for making me wait, you make me something good?" "Like what?" Kanako asked. "Anything's fine," Haruna said. "Everything you make is good." Kanako blushed and smiled. "Okay. I'll do my best."

So the two of them walked over to where the clubrooms were, and Kanako went inside. Just before she did, she turned back to Haruna. "Are you sure you don't want to wait in here?" "The hallway's fine," Haruna said. "Besides, I get the feeling if I do sit in there, Takano-san is just gonna get mad at me." A short distance behind Kanako, Haruna could see the president of the cooking club eyeing the two of them and very clearly giving off the vibe of "don't interrupt our cooking!"

Kanako looked back and saw it too. "S-Sorry about this," she said apologetically. "It's fine," Haruna said. "Just go have fun." Sending her girlfriend off, Haruna watched the door shut. Once it was closed, she looked around. Faintly, she could hear the bustling of other clubs, though she didn't hear the voices of many third-year students.

Listening to all the noise made Haruna feel nostalgic. "Reminds me of my club days," she thought. She hadn't always been the most sociable, but she had still had fun. Izumi had always kept the club room lively, and Haruna's underclassmen were always eager to compete and talk with her about club activities. Sometimes it all felt annoying to Haruna, but overall, it had been fun. "I kinda miss those days…" she thought sadly.

However, her time of reminiscing was short-lived, as a rude voice broke through. "You seriously make me sick," the voice spat. Turning to her left, Haruna immediately felt the same about the girl across from her. "The same goes for you," she said. Then Haruna went to walk away. She knew it would be best if she got away from this person. After all, nothing good would come of being in the same vicinity.

"And where do you think you're going?" Katsumi said, grabbing Haruna's wrist faster than Haruna could pull her arm away. "Ugh, just touching you makes me feel like I'm going to get dumber somehow." "If you hate it so much, let go!" Haruna said loudly. "No," Katsumi said defiantly. "I'm tired of playing games with you. Honestly, I can't even stomach it anymore. Being nice to you is such a pain in the ass, and having to watch as you don't even try to escape me is even worse. Do you just not realize how much this hurts Kana-chin, or do you actually like hurting her?"

"What the hell are you even talking about?" Haruna asked coldly as she still tried to free herself. Katsumi sighed. "The fact that you don't get any of this is exactly why it's so pathetic. You don't deserve Kana-chin at all." "Well I'm at least better for her than you!" Haruna exclaimed. "Now let go of me, you psycho!"

But before Haruna could react, Katsumi leaned in close. "If I can't have her, then neither can you." "What are you-!" Haruna began to question just what Katsumi meant by that, but before she could even finish asking, the last thing Haruna had expected to happen, happened.

Katsumi kissed Haruna.

Her lips were soft as they pressed up against Haruna's, and a gentle aroma seemed to float off of her. In any normal situation, this would've been a comfortable experience. However, this was anything but for Haruna. Katsumi's lips may have felt soft, but to Haruna, they grated against her. The smell of Katsumi might've been pleasant, but to Haruna's nose, it was sickening. Feeling Katsumi's body heat warm her just made Haruna want to pull away even more.

Haruna tried to escape, but Katsumi's grip was strong as she kept their lips locked together. The seconds ticked by, and as they did, Haruna was starting to lose her will. It wasn't that she was enjoying it. She just wasn't able to think straight anymore. "I can't…" she thought weakly.

Just then, she heard the door to the cooking club room fly open, and before Haruna could even process this turn of events, Katsumi pushed Haruna away from her. "God, what is wrong with you?!" Katsumi cried in dismay. "I can't believe you let me being nice go to your head like that! You're such a scumbag, Endo-san! You already have Kana-chin, so why are you kissing me?!"

Haruna was completely confused. "Huh?" she let out. Turning to see who had opened the door, her eyes went wide. Standing there with a similarly shocked expression was Kanako. After a couple of seconds, Haruna realized what was going on. "Ikehara-san's trying to make it look like I'm cheating on Kanako with her…" she thought. "Oh, no… shit! This is bad!"

"K-Kanako, this isn't what it looks like!" Haruna said, though she immediately wished she hadn't said that. That classic line only made her sound actually guilty. "Wait, no, I mean, it isn't what you think! Damn it, that's just as bad!"

"You're the worst," Katsumi said coldly. "Don't you see, Kana-chin? Endo-san will bring you nothing but pain. Why even bother with someone like her? I'd never cheat on you. I'd treasure you for what you're worth. So why not be with me instead, Kana-chin? I'll make you happy."

Haruna could only look back and forth between the two girls. It was obvious what Katsumi was trying to do, but given the situation, Haruna wondered if Kanako was seeing it correctly. "Please see through her lies!" Haruna begged. "I didn't do anything! This is Ikehara-san's fault!"

"Ew, you're going to blame the victim?" Katsumi said in disgust. "You really are the lowest of the low." Haruna ignored her. "Listen to me, Kanako! I promise, this isn't… um, Kanako?" Haruna was trying to plead her case, but it seemed like Kanako wasn't listening at all. In fact, the closer Haruna looked, the more it looked like Kanako was actually boiling mad.

There was a contortion of rage so strong on Kanako's face that both Haruna and Katsumi flinched. Then, she began marching over to the two of them, and all Haruna could do was brace for the torrent of Kanako's rage to come raining down.

End of Chapter Twenty-Two.