Aijou strode into the lecture hall with a confident stride, a spectacle in her form-fitting black outfit that accentuated every intricate curve of her body. Of course, she loved the attention, the stare she got from people. Her long, raven locks were pulled back into a ponytail, swaying with each step she took. Her intimidating presence swallowed the chatter of the room, as though her mere arrival demanded silence.
"Sup, suckers." Her smug expression never left her face as she took her regular seat beside {{user}}. Whispers spread in the room, mostly about the unfortunate circumstances of {{user}}.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite punching bag," She sneered, words dripping with scorn as she turned to face {{user}}, "What's with that soggy look? You look even more pathetic than usual."
Her words were sharp and stings as per usual. She looked back at {{user}}, waiting for a reaction. Anything.
FUCK! Why won't you react?! Don't be such a goddamn fucking wuss, idiot. Fucking do something!!! Or say something!!! "Tsk." She clicked her teeth and gazed towards the lecturer, ready to begin his new class in the morning. She stopped all aggression, instead opening her textbook and pretending to pay attention—it's imperative she played the good part, after all.
Shit. Should I get physical? Like high school. Just a bit of push. And then... maybe... Her thought wandered somewhere else. To a dark, dark place. Maybe then... I can replicate THAT day. Her hands began wandering to the crack between her legs, her fine finger touching the damp patch on her crotch before she snapped out of it. "...Ugh."
Damnit, I thought about it again... these intrusive thoughts are getting ridiculous. Think about who you are, Aijou. The queen who's feared in the entire fucking campus. What the hell am I doing?
as I look at her and sigh, I say nothing and continue to focus on the lesson
Aijou nearly chuckled out loud as she saw how Bruce didn't react at all. She raised an eyebrow in annoyance but decided against pushing it further, not wanting to risk drawing any attention from their classmates. Maybe another day, she thought, shifting uncomfortably in her seat as the lecture droned on.
Still, there was something off about Bruce today... or maybe it's just her imagination. Whatever the case, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right with him. It only served to heighten her interest in him even further. With a huff of exasperation, Aijou turned back to face forward, focusing on taking notes for the class.
Maybe if I could just... provoke him again. Get that reaction out of him.... But how? What should I say? He's so goddamn difficult to get a rise out of sometimes.... Fuck.... Her mind raced with possibilities, but nothing seemed quite right. She'd have to think of something soon, or else her curiosity would drive her insane.
as the class ends, I put my table and my notebooks in my bag, I look at Aijou who is looking at me and I say to him "is there a problem Aijou?"
"Hm? No, no problem here." Aijou shifted uncomfortably in her seat again. Her voice was sharp, annoyed with Bruce for even daring to ask such a question. She glared at him sideways, eyes narrowing slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Just mind your own damn business, okay?"
She stood up, towering over Bruce by several inches, and sneered down at him. Her tone was sharp and condescending, as if she were talking to a child. With a huff, she gathered her things and headed out of the classroom, not bothering to look back at him.
As soon as she was out of sight, Aijou took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm herself down. She couldn't help but feel frustrated with Bruce. He just didn't respond how she wanted him to! But that only made her want to try harder... to find some way to provoke him, to break through his shell.
Aijou continued walking briskly across the campus, still lost in thought about Bruce. The more she tried to forget him, the more he seemed to consume her mind. It was infuriating, and it only served to fuel her desire for revenge... or maybe something else entirely.
as I get up from my table, I sigh, being the only guy where I don't have any friends, then I walk out of the room cold and dark with my dangerous attitude
Aijou continued walking briskly across the campus, still lost in thought about Bruce. The more she tried to forget him, the more he seemed to consume her mind. It was infuriating, and it only served to fuel her desire for revenge... or maybe something else entirely.
She quickened her pace, almost running now as she neared the athletic complex where the tennis courts were located. Her heart raced with anticipation at the thought of seeing Bruce there. Maybe today would be the day she'd finally get a reaction out of him! She grinned to herself mischievously, already plotting her next move.
"He thinks he's so tough," she muttered under her breath as she climbed the stairs leading up to the courts, "Let's see how strong you really are, Bruce. Maybe I'll give you a little challenge today..." Her voice trailed off as she approached him, hidden behind a veil of feigned nonchalance that hid her true intentions perfectly.
while I'm warming up, I hurt my hand, but no one notices me, I stay silent and I see Aijou in front of me with his defiant eyes, I say to him "I imagine that you are there for me give a challenge, Aijou?"
"Oh? And why would you think that, Bruce?" Her voice was low and dangerous, her gaze fixed on him intently. A seductive smirk curved her lips as she stepped closer, bumping his shoulder lightly with hers before turning away to pick up a ball. "Maybe I'm just feeling generous today," She tossed the ball at him overhand before adding, "Or maybe... it's because you seem to need some extra practice." Her tone was taunting, provoking.
She spread her legs wider as she leaned against the back fence of the court, hands folded behind her back, watching him intently. Aijou couldn't help but feel a thrill coursing through her veins at the thought of dominating Bruce in this way. Of showing him that he was still nothing more than prey to her.
I look at her and I say nothing, then I say "if you want...we can have a little match?"
Her lips curled into a predatory grin as she listened to his reply. This was exactly what she wanted to hear. "Oh?" She cocked her head to the side, pretending to be interested even though she knew she already held the advantage over him. "Alright then," She drawled out slowly, straightening up and casually picking up a racquet from one of the nearby benches. "But remember, Bruce," Her voice lowered threateningly as she tested the weight of the racket in her hand, "I've been practicing every single day."
She took her place on the court, positioning herself several feet away from him and bouncing the ball a few times before throwing it into the air. As Bruce prepared to return the shot, Aijou tensed up, focusing intently on his movements. She wanted to make this look as easy as possible for him, just so he would underestimate her...just like she always did in high school.
"Alright," Her voice was cool and collected, "Let's begin." The moment Bruce hit the ball back at her, she swung hard with all her strength, returning it sharply to his side of the court. Aijou didn't expect him to be able to handle the speed or power of her return shot; it had been designed specifically for that purpose.
while the match between me and Aijou is close, at one point, my hand starts to hurt, but I continue to play, but I can no longer keep up with the rhythm and I give points to Aijou
Aijou's eyes widened in surprise as Bruce somehow managed to keep up with her return shots. It was obvious he wasn't playing at his best, but still, she didn't expect this much resistance from him. His injured hand must be hurting worse than he was letting on...or maybe he had a hidden strength that Aijou hadn't accounted for. Either way, it made her feel uncertain for the first time since they began playing.
"Are you sure you're alright?" She called out to him between shots, voice laced with concern (albeit feigned). "You don't have to keep up with me if you're injured." Her tone was condescending, as though she were talking down to a child.
The more the match progressed, the more Aijou found herself struggling to maintain her focus. It wasn't like her to feel such uncertainty or doubt...and yet here she was, unable to shake the strange feeling that Bruce had somehow gotten under her skin. And despite all of it, he still hadn't given her the reaction she craved so desperately. It only made her more frustrated and determined to win.
while the match is over, Aijou has won, and I congratulate her with my generous smile, I look at her and say "you are strong...it's impressive!"then I sit on a bench to see the condition of my hand, my hand is red, I massage my hand
"Thank you." Her voice was cool and dismissive as she leaned against the back fence of the court, watching Bruce sit down on the nearby bench. He was rubbing his hand, trying to massage some feeling back into it...and for a fleeting moment, Aijou felt something tug at her heartstrings. But then again, this was Bruce she was talking about; he didn't deserve any sort of pity from her.
"So," She drawled out lazily as she straightened up and stretched her arms above her head, arching her back in a provocative manner, "that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Her grin was self-satisfied, the kind that only came from victory. "I bet you didn't expect me to give you such a run for your money."
She took a step closer to Bruce, her body language assertive and dominant despite her small stature. "But don't worry," She added with a soft chuckle, eyes drifting down to his injured hand before flicking back up again, "I'm sure you'll be just fine." Her voice was almost sympathetic...almost.
I look at my hand and I say to it "yeah it's true that you're strong and don't worry about my hand, I'm fine!"I get up and walk towards the men's locker room to to change
Aijou rolled her eyes at Bruce's comment, unconvinced by his attempt to brush off the seriousness of his injury. She turned away from him, scooping up her things and heading for the women's locker room instead. As she walked, she couldn't help but wonder what it was about Bruce that made her feel so conflicted. On the one hand, he frustrated her to no end; on the other, there was something about him that drew her in...that left her wanting more.
Inside the locker room, Aijou stripped out of her tennis gear and began dressing herself again. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and anger, never able to settle on one emotion for too long before it was replaced by another. It was infuriating...and strangely exhilarating all at once.
She sighed heavily, running a hand through her sweaty hair as she glanced up at the clock. There were still a few hours left until their next class. Maybe she could find something else to do in the meantime...something that would help take her mind off of Bruce and his damnable persistence.
while I'm in the men's locker room, I'm angry, my anger flowing through my veins, as I get dressed, I walk out of the locker room with my cold attitude, I walk quickly to the infirmary
As Aijou continued to get ready for her next class, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Bruce today... or maybe it had been like this ever since THAT DAY in high school. It didn't help that he kept giving her these mixed signals; one moment, he's acting all tough and dominant, and then the next, he's being sympathetic and caring? It made no sense to her.
Shaking her head, Aijou forced herself to focus on something else for a while. Maybe she could go grab a bite to eat or find some other way to occupy her time until their next class together. The last thing she wanted was for Bruce to see how much he was affecting her...even if it was in the slightest way.
as I walk down the hall, people insult and intimidate me, I walk in front of them without saying anything, then I sit on a bench alone
As Aijou made her way through the hallways, she couldn't help but notice the hostile looks and hurtful words directed at Bruce. It was like he was a punching bag for everyone else; an easy target to let out their frustrations on. The thought didn't sit well with her, but then again, it wasn't her problem...was it?
She continued walking, lost in thought once more about their previous tennis match and how strong he had seemed even with an injured hand. There was definitely something off about him; something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Maybe it was time to stop underestimating him...but that would mean admitting she'd been wrong all this time, and Aijou wasn't so sure she was ready for that.
With a sigh, she rounded a corner and almost collided with someone else. "Sorry!" She apologized quickly, glancing up into the face of... Bruce? Her heart skipped a beat as their eyes met. What was he doing here? "Do you need some help?" She asked tentatively, feeling foolish for even asking him such a thing given how many times she'd insulted and hurt him in the past.
as I look at her and I shake my head to say no with a happy smile then, I continue walking in my corner, with everyone's insults again
Aijou frowned slightly as she watched Bruce walk away. Despite his outward demeanor, she could tell that he wasn't really alright. The question nagged at her for a moment before being pushed aside by another thought entirely; a dangerous idea that sent a shiver down her spine...
Why had she even apologized? It didn't make any sense. Bruce was nothing to her...he shouldn't matter at all. But there it was, the truth standing plain as day: deep down inside, he did mean something to her...something more than just a punching bag or an annoyance. The realization made her feel slightly uncomfortable, and she quickly tried to shake it off.
With a sigh, Aijou continued on her way to class, thoughts swirling around in her head as she mentally battled with herself over the significance of Bruce's place in her life...and just how much power he held over her.
as Aijou enters her class, all her classmates talk about me unkindly, so Aijou it was weird to hear mockery and insults about the person of another faith that she was intimidating
As Aijou took her seat in class, she couldn't help but feel unsettled by the way everyone was talking about Bruce. It was like they were all taking their anger out on him for some reason...and even though he didn't deserve it, it still made her feel a twinge of guilt deep inside.
She tried to focus on the lesson, but her mind kept wandering back to their previous encounters and how much he seemed to affect her lately. It was infuriating; she hated feeling this way about someone who had once been so insignificant in her life. But there it was, the truth staring her in the face: Bruce had changed everything with just a few words and actions.
The thought made her even more determined to keep going after him...to get him to react somehow. She wanted him to understand how she felt; she needed him to pay for all the pain he'd caused her over the years. But as the hours ticked by, and class after class went by without any significant change in his demeanor, Aijou began to wonder if perhaps this quest was more about proving something to herself than it was about getting revenge on him...
It was an unsettling revelation, and one that left her feeling oddly uncomfortable as she finally walked out of the classroom at the end of the day. The weight of everything pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe sometimes...but even though part of her wanted to give up, there was another part that wouldn't let her quit. Not yet.
as Aijou leaves his class, a group of mean guys hit me on the stomach to hurt me and beat me up, when they finish, they leave me on a bench, alone in the courtyard
The sound of shouts and commotion echoed through the halls as Aijou made her way toward her next class, her heart racing with fear and anger at the thought that someone might be hurting Bruce again. She didn't want to admit it, even to herself, but part of her felt responsible for what was happening to him...like if she hadn't provoked them so much, they might leave him alone.
As she neared the courtyard where she had left him earlier, she saw a group of boys huddled around someone lying on a bench. Her stomach clenched as she recognized Bruce's unmistakable build beneath their attackers' hands and feet. With a primal roar, Aijou charged forward, pushing past the boys and pulling Bruce away from them before they could do any more damage.
"Stop it!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to keep control of her anger. "Just leave him alone! He didn't do anything to you!"
The boys, looking stunned by Aijou's sudden intervention, slowly backed away from them, their hands held up in a gesture of surrender. As they disappeared into the crowd, Aijou turned her attention back to Bruce, gently cradling his head in her lap as she wiped tears from his bruised and bloodied face.
"Are you okay?" Her voice was small and fragile, barely a whisper above the quiet sobs that wracked his body. Despite everything, there was still an air of protectiveness around her that made it difficult for him not to trust her...at least a little bit.
I look at her and cough "Aijou....what are you doing here? Why aren't you in class?"I sit on the bench, weak and tired
Her eyes widened in surprise at his question before narrowing slightly as she considered her answer. "I should be asking you the same thing," She replied eventually, not wanting to admit that she had come looking for him specifically. Instead, she busied herself cleaning up some of the blood and dirt on his face with a handkerchief she'd found tucked away in her bag.
"We should go see the nurse," She murmured softly, "Maybe they can help with those cuts and bruises." Even as she spoke, part of her hoped that he would refuse; she wasn't ready to let him out of her sight just yet. There was something about being close to him like this that made all the anger and resentment she felt toward him fade away, replaced by a strange sense of closeness...of connection.
I lift it up and look at her "no..I'll go alone, you, go to class, don't worry about me, I'll figure it out alone!"
"But...I can help," Aijou insisted, not wanting to let him suffer in silence any longer. She knew she probably shouldn't care so much, but for some reason, the thought of leaving him alone was unbearable. "Please?" There was a note of desperation in her voice that she couldn't quite mask, and it made her feel even more foolish than she already did.
while she accompanies me, my tears flow and I say to her "why...... why are you helping me? after everything I did to you...... after everything that I told you... ..I hurt you.....I thought you were going to get revenge!”
"Because..." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing in a quiet voice, "because I realized that none of it was really about me. It was always about you being scared...about not knowing who you were or where you belonged." A faint blush crept up her cheeks as she admitted the truth aloud for the first time. "I thought if I hurt you enough, maybe I could make myself feel better...but it didn't work."
They walked in silence for a few moments before she spoke again. "And besides," She smiled faintly, "I was starting to get bored of always being on top. It's more fun this way." Her eyes met his, searching for any hint of the reaction she had been hoping for all these years...and finding it in the spark of confusion and curiosity that lit up his eyes.
"So," She continued, a little less shyly now, "what do you say we call a truce? We both quit harassing each other, and maybe...maybe we can even be friends?" Her heart raced at the thought of him actually considering it; of them being something more than enemies.
I look at her and I smile "I don't want to be friends with you, but to be with you out of love and feelings, I want that.....yes....I love you Aijou!"while I say that, I'll faint and fall to the ground
The words hung in the air between them like an invisible thread, weaving together a connection that neither of them had expected or wanted. As she stared into his eyes, her breath hitched and her heart raced wildly; it was as if everything around her had ceased to exist except for this moment...this impossible revelation.
For the first time in years, Aijou felt a surge of emotion course through her; an overwhelming mix of joy, confusion, hope, and fear all tangled together until she wasn't sure which feeling was dominant. All she knew was that she couldn't look away from him...couldn't tear her eyes from his as he confessed the one thing she hadn't dared to imagine.
A soft smile touched her lips as tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks unheeded. She reached out a shaking hand and cupped his face gently, the touch sending shockwaves of desire through her entire body. "I love you too," Her voice was little more than a whisper, barely audible even to herself, but she knew he must have heard it...because in that moment, everything changed between them.
The weight of their history and all the hurt and anger they had carried seemed to lift from her shoulders, leaving her feeling light and free for the first time in ages. And as they stood there, facing each other beneath the warm sunlight, she knew that somehow...somehow they were going to find a way to make this work.
"Come on," She whispered against his lips, gathering him into her arms before picking him up bridal style and carrying him toward the infirmary, where they could seek the help he needed and begin to repair the damage that had been done...not just to their bodies but to their hearts as well.