Chapter 333: Chapter 331: The Sudden Arrival of an International Student_1
Students often perceive noon to be a bit later, given that school doesn’t dismiss until 12:50 PM.
Aozawa stepped out of the main entrance of the teaching building. The sky was no longer gloomy but had transformed into a refreshing shade of grayish-white. The wind rustled through the branches of the osmanthus trees, bringing a cool sensation as it brushed against his face. This year’s rainy season seemed to have ended earlier than usual, meaning the summer heat would arrive sooner as well.
Hands in his pockets, he sauntered towards the club building. Rounding to the side, he noticed that the Guzheng Club’s windows were open, yet no boisterous sounds came from within. That’s odd. A flicker of confusion crossed Aozawa’s mind as he approached the window, only to find no one inside. The door was also locked. It’s rare for them not to be here by now. Haven’t those two arrived yet today?
"RAWR!"
Suddenly, two curvaceous young women wearing ghost masks shot up from beneath the window.
Aozawa said flatly, "Natsuka, don’t play pranks like that. If I’d actually been scared and thrown a punch, your family would be picking out a tombstone for you."
"Haha." Natsuka Yanagimachi whipped off her mask, her eyes playfully scanning Aozawa’s physique. "Aozawa-senpai, stop bluffing. I don’t believe for a second that one punch from you could kill me. Hojo-senpai, on the other hand, might be able to. He’s so built; he definitely looks like he can fight."
"Natsuka, you shouldn’t underestimate Aozawa-senpai. Brother always said the only person he’s not sure he can beat is Aozawa-senpai." Hojo Shouko removed her mask, revealing her face, as serene and beautiful as a painting. "Especially in the Sword Dao," she continued, "Brother has never won against him."
"Really?" Natsuka Yanagimachi reached out to squeeze Aozawa’s biceps. "Whoa, Senpai," she said, feigning surprise, "your muscles are unexpectedly firm."
"What are you, some kind of creep?" Aozawa shot back.
Natsuka Yanagimachi giggled. "What’s the big deal? We’re all friends here. A little squeeze isn’t going to hurt you. I’m gonna squeeze again~"
"Alright, Natsuka, you’re making Aozawa-senpai uncomfortable," Hojo Shouko said, intervening to stop this boorish behavior as she presented the bento she had already prepared.
"Heh-heh~" A smile crept onto Natsuka Yanagimachi’s face. Is the discomfort I’m causing really for Aozawa-senpai, or is it for Shouko?
she mused, leaning towards the latter.Aozawa sensed Natsuka Yanagimachi’s gaze and expression becoming increasingly suggestive. He took the bento from Hojo Shouko and said, "Well, I’m off then."
"Hi, goodbye." Hojo Shouko waved her small hand.
Natsuka Yanagimachi still wore that "heh-heh" smirk, an expression that made it hard to associate her with a beautiful young woman. She looked more like a leering, middle-aged slob picking his feet while watching dirty videos.
"Natsuka, I think it would be better if you toned it down a bit."
"Toned what down?"
"That oafish, middle-aged-man vibe you’ve got."
"Aozawa-senpai, that really hurts, you know! I’m a bona fide beautiful girl!" Natsuka Yanagimachi’s eyebrow twitched, her cheeks puffing out indignantly as if she wanted to climb through the window to argue with him.
Hojo Shouko quickly grabbed Natsuka Yanagimachi’s arms. "Come on, Natsuka, calm down," she urged.
Aozawa turned to leave but then noticed another student pointing in his direction. A very tall girl accompanying that student was approaching them. The school uniform she wore was clearly different from Brilliant High School’s. He blinked, and the girl had already strode right up to him.
"Hey, kid, where’s Hojo Tetsuji?" the girl demanded, her accent clearly foreign.
「Inside the Guzheng Club.」
Natsuka Yanagimachi, who had been brimming with excitement just moments before, suddenly became demure. She was the type to act wild around acquaintances but became very reserved in front of strangers. Or rather, she was a coward. She had been standing in front of Hojo Shouko, but upon sensing the foreign girl’s aggressive approach, she swiftly moved behind Shouko. Her movements were incredibly fluid, without the slightest hesitation.
In contrast, Hojo Shouko appeared quite calm in such situations. As a child, she had often encountered people looking for her brother, among them fearsome and ill-tempered delinquents. This had instilled in her a composure that wouldn’t falter even if Mount Tai collapsed before her.
Aozawa looked at the girl in front of him, whose development seemed to have focused entirely on her height, making her an imposing 1.9 meters tall, offering an unobstructed view from head to toe. If she hadn’t been wearing a skirt and stockings, one might have mistaken her for a handsome young man with delicate features. Her long golden hair was tied into twin ponytails. She had deliberately shortened her deep blue school uniform top to reveal a glimpse of toned abs, and her skirt was also cut to the length of a hip-hugging miniskirt. Light blue stockings encased her long, shapely legs. Her cerulean blue eyes, holding a hint of ferocity, stared at Aozawa.
"Tell me, where is Hojo Tetsuji?"
Aozawa glanced at the student cowering behind the tall girl. "Do you have some problem with Tetsuji?" he asked.
The student quickly shook his head, on the verge of tears. "No, not at all! She dragged me over here! She said she wants to dominate all the Tokyo high schools and become the strongest ’Big Sister’!"
Hearing such a chuunibyo ambition, Aozawa turned his gaze back to the foreign girl. "What’s your name?"
"Sofia Granovsky!" The girl stood with her hands on her hips. "I’m an international student who transferred from Moscow to Tokyo just yesterday. I heard that Hojo Tetsuji is the biggest stumbling block to ruling the delinquents of Tokyo. I came here specifically to challenge him. You must know where Hojo Tetsuji is, right?"
"He’s on the rooftop of the teaching building." Aozawa didn’t bother to conceal Hojo Tetsuji’s location; there was no need. "I advise you, it’d be best not to go looking for him," he added. "Unlike me, he has no concept of chivalry towards women. If he decides to fight, you’ll end up in the hospital, and you won’t be getting out for at least ten days, maybe even half a month."
"Haha," Sofia laughed arrogantly. "Let me tell you, I’m hailed as the Siberian Tiger back home! I’m different from you weaklings!"
"Suit yourself. Follow me, then." Aozawa stopped trying to dissuade her and turned towards the teaching building.
Once the two of them were further away, Natsuka Yanagimachi asked with some trepidation, "Shouko, should we tell a teacher about this?"
"It’s okay." Hojo Shouko shook her head. "Brother can handle a woman like that." She never worried about her brother losing a fight.
「In the teaching building, at the shoe lockers.」
Aozawa took off his shoes and glanced at Sofia, who was standing just outside the entrance. "Did you bring indoor shoes?" he asked. "Wearing outdoor shoes in the hallways will leave dirty footprints."
Sofia, who had been about to step inside, paused. She was here to cause a ruckus; why would she have brought indoor shoes? Scratching her head, she suddenly remembered. That’s right, I’m here to stir up trouble. Why should I be polite?
"Hey, I’m a delinquent, you know!"
"Isn’t your goal to become the strongest delinquent? Even the strongest delinquent should have some manners."
Aozawa’s words made Sofia freeze. Upon reflection, his words did seem to hold some truth. What was the point of becoming the strongest if she acted just like any ordinary delinquent?
Sofia frowned slightly. "I don’t have any."
"Can’t be helped then. You’ll have to go barefoot. You can leave your outdoor shoes in my locker. You can pick them up later when you’re discharged from the hospital." Not that I think she’ll be leaving this building on her own two feet.
Sofia instantly became furious. She grabbed Aozawa by the collar with one hand and growled, "You bastard! You’re looking down on me, aren’t you?!" Staring at Aozawa’s calm expression, her face suddenly flushed. Actually, now that I look at him, this guy’s pretty handsome. "I’ll let it slide this time," Sofia grumbled. She released his collar, then bent down to take off her shoes. Her stocking-clad feet felt a bit cold as they touched the floor.
Aozawa headed toward the stairs, then casually pulled out his phone and dialed for an ambulance.
Veins throbbed on Sofia’s forehead. She felt a sudden, intense urge to beat the dark-haired boy in front of her to a pulp. Don’t think you can get away with anything just because you’re handsome! But Sofia didn’t act immediately. She planned to deal with Hojo Tetsuji first, then use the cold, hard facts to wipe that infuriatingly calm expression off this boy’s face.
The two of them continued up to the rooftop.
Hojo Tetsuji was leaning against the dark green safety fence. His gaze swept over to Aozawa as he asked, "Aozawa, did you forget to buy my lunch?"
"You’ll have to buy it yourself later. This place will soon be unsuitable for eating."
Hearing this, Hojo Tetsuji turned his gaze to Sofia. "And who is she?"
"Someone who wants to fight you." Aozawa stepped aside, giving them ample space.
Sofia stared at the Hojo Tetsuji before her, unable to detect any aura of danger. She frowned. "Are you really the strongest delinquent in Adachi District?"
"I abandoned the idea of being a delinquent long ago. I’m just a manga artist now. If you want the title of ’strongest delinquent,’ you can have it." Hojo Tetsuji stood up. He no longer needed to prove anything through fighting; only his manga could demonstrate his worth as a man.
Sofia felt deeply irked. She despised that patronizing tone adults used when talking to kids. "It seems you’ve compromised with the mundane world and lost your pride as a delinquent," she said coldly. "Normally, scum like you wouldn’t even be worth my time, but you’ve disgraced the honor of all delinquents! I must teach you a lesson!"
The atmosphere on the rooftop grew tense.
Aozawa crossed his arms, leaning against a cracked wall. This girl, Sofia, is undoubtedly the daughter of some family from Moscow, sent to Tokyo to study abroad. She’s either out of favor or just going through a rebellious phase, hence trying to prove her worth this way. Unfortunately for her, she’s picked the wrong target.
Seeing her determination, Hojo Tetsuji didn’t say anything more. He simply scratched his head and said, "Then let’s make it quick."
"Fine!" Sofia shouted. She pushed off the ground and leaped, agile as a monkey scaling a mountain, her fingers twitching as she lunged forward. The several meters between them were instantly covered.
Safety shorts! Aozawa noted. He mentally docked her points for wearing something so out of character for a delinquent under her short skirt.
A fierce gust of wind whistled past. Hojo Tetsuji, having gauged the force needed to seriously injure her, no longer let his right hand hang limply. It shot out like an arrow loosed from a bow, so fast that only a fleeting white streak was visible.
BANG! Sofia was sent flying backward even faster than she’d lunged, her body smashing against the wall with enough force to send cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.
"Quite the show," Aozawa commented dryly, stepping aside and bending down. "Hey, still breathing?"