Back in the hotel Yumiko and Aiko were having lunch early. They sat at the table eating, Aiko stuffing her mouth with food while Yumi sat staring at her with a smile on her face. Her chopsticks were in her hand held on straight up supported by her elbow, which rested on the tabletop. During this time her chin placed on the palm of her other hand. "Kawaii." She thought to herself as she indulged her eyes at the scenery of the red-eyed girl hasrily eating through her meals. Despite being just seventeen she represented a much younger age while eating. Done with her meal, she looked up towards Yumi and asked her a question.
"Yumiko-oneesan do you have a boyfriend?"
Losing her grip from her chin, Yumi answered. "N-no. What makes you question that?"
"Really? Sad. It is because you are so nice, kind and really beautiful." She smiled as she complimented Yumi.
With a slight red tint appearing on her face Yumi replied. "Ah, thank you. Aiko-chan is very cute too."
"Is that so, thank you. Then is Oneesan's younger brother in a relationship?"
"Sei-kun? As far as I know no. Why?"
Taking away eye contact Aiko replied. "He is cute too." In a very soft voice.
"You like him? Awww, cute. I wouldn't mind having you as my sister in law." Yumi put up an elegant smile which made Aiko red as she drank her water quietly.
Suddenly she started to cough as if she choked on the water. Worried Yumi questioned.
"Are you okay?"
As Aiko recovered from it she gestured with her eyes for Yumi to look right only to see the sight of Sei and Eli coming to the lunch hall. Noticing the look on Sei's face Yumi called for him as Eli was already on her way towards them.
"Sei-chan are you alright? You don't seem so good."
"Ah yes, neechan I am fine. Nothing wrong at all." Saying this his eyes wandered towards Aiko who was looking at him. He smiled at her and left. Aiko seeing Sei smile at her made her mind go blank as she tried to make sense of the meaning of that smile.
Yumi raised both of her eyebrows in the direction of Eli.
"Today's sessions just didn't go well for him." Eli replied.
"He really gets sensitive about his performances so I can understand." Yumi sighed.
Later that day, after dinner everyone was making their way to their rooms. Nobu, Sei and Hide whom were at the same table also made their way to their room except for Sei who waited near the exit of the hotel. Shortly Fuka arrived there. They both talked for a while and Eli who happened to be passing by saw both of them. She decided to stay out of sight and eavesdrop on the conversation. She heard Fuka saying "Of course, come with me" as she ran her finger across Sei's face. She then grabbed his hand and made way towards the forest side with. Despite the fact that Eli wanted to follow them she couldn't as Aiko called out for her wanting help with something.
In the forest voice of Fuka was heard. "Come one that is not enough. I know you got more in you. I want more from you." She shouted while Sei struggled to get a single hit on her. They were sparring as Sei asked Fuka for a rematch after what happened earlier today.
"You don't let up even a bit do you?" Sei commented on Fuka.
"Of course. Best way to train someone is by being honest and harsh with them." Fuka replied. "You have a lot of potential. But your moves, they are easily predictable. Your sensei seems lacking the means to teach you."
"Eli-sensei has nothing wrong with her. It is just me being careless, that is it." Sei raised his voice after hearing slander towards Eli.
"Ah, can't take criticism against her, can you? Interesting. Shall we head back now? It has been quite a while."
They walked back to the hotel with Fuka greatly trailing behind Sei. Near the entrance of the hotel, he encounters his sister and new sensei while the former put up a worried expression on her face as she saw him. Catching this he quickly put a smile on his face before talking with her.
"Sei-chan what is wrong? Where are you coming from?" She questioned with a tone suggestive of her worry.
"Yumi-neechan it is nothing, I just went out for a little breather."
"But those clothes they are dirty." Her eyes locked on his clothes.
"Ah yes, I decided to do some self-training while I was out." He replied while rubbing the back of his head with slight laughter.
Both of them headed in leaving Eli alone near the door. Before she headed in herself, her eyes caught a figure walking in from the same direction that Sei just came in. It was Fuka fixing her blue dress as she made her way towards Eli. On seeing this sight Eli walked up to her grabbed a hold of her hand and questioned her.
"What did you do to my lovely student?!"
Fuka acting quite shocked replied. "Oh, I gave him what he wanted. What you couldn't provide him, what you lacked." She had her hand on her chest as she made this statement.
"What he wanted?" Eli questioned confused.
"Yes, and you failed to do it. No wonder he is so weak."
The angry demeanor of Eli's face rapidly altered to one of worry, her eyes downcast and in a very soft voice, she again asked "What?" before she heard another voice.
"Come on Fuka-sensei don't talk in roundabout ways that would confuse Eli-san."
It was Nobu leaning on the door.
"Ah, Nobu-chan what are you on about?"
"There you go again. Don't worry Eli-san, Fuka-sensei did nothing to Sei. He just wanted a rematch, because of what happened earlier today. He talked to me about it before asking Fuka-sensei."
Eli's eyes slowly made with eye contact with Fuka as the deadpan look on the latter's face fully shifted to a mischievous one as she said a "Teehee."
"Sorry, Kohiruimaki-san. Nobu is right, Sei just came for a bit of training and advice. I apologize for messing with you." Then the tone of her voice changed to that of a seductive one. "Or do you want me to make it up to you." She got close to Eli and smiled at her.
Expressionless the whole time, the only reaction Eli had to this was a simple nod of the head with a "hmm" as Fuka and Nobu made their way in. Eli stayed back for a while staring at the heavens, thinking about the Fuka's comments.
"What I couldn't provide? A good training?"
"What I lack? Good teaching?"
"What I failed to do? Make him stronger?"
"Does Sei think of me as a failure? Is he just putting a mask of niceness around me?"
Having had a difficult past facing people with a "mask" on herself, it was no wonder that she had these thoughts.
She proceeded back to her shared room and opened the door to see Yumi and Aiko playing a game of cards. Yumi invited her to the game and she happily accepted the offer. A few hours later Aiko had fallen asleep and they decided to leave her in the room for the night and sleep.
After a few days of excruciating training sessions, it was finally time to cool off. The crew was discussing what to do.
"How about we go to the beach," Sato recommended.
This put up a really excited look on Hide's face who said. "Yes, that is a great idea."
While everyone else agreed, Yumi was against the idea. In a faint voice
"N-no I don't think that is a good idea. Ericchi might be uncomfortable with that."
As soon as she made this statement the presumably uncomfortable one glanced at her with widened eyes. Yumi responded by slightly tugging on her sleeve, which made Eli realize that her friend was the actual uncomfortable one.
"Yeah, true. I don't like the beach, I have a phobia of the sea."
"Then why don't we go to the hot springs," Fuka suggested as she made her way in between Eli and Yumi. "That way Eli-chan won't be uncomfortable and the perverted boys will be separated from us too." She made a sly expression with her hand held near her mouth.
"Perverted boys?!" Sei replied. "You are the most perverted one." He whispered.
"What? I didn't catch that?"
"Nothing."
"Then it is settled. This evening we will go to the hot springs, let me book the place real quick."
"So who all are going?" Nobu questioned.
"All of us right?"
Everyone collectively said a yes.
"Nice, I will invite my girls over too," Fuka said as her eyes made its way towards Nobu.
"Them? Why? We don't need them." Nobu already annoyed just by their name being mentioned.
"They worked hard too, so they deserve some time off. And besides Nobu they are your kouhai, if you are more open to them I am sure they will stop messing with you." Fuka stated, with both of her hands to her sides
"S-sure." Hesitantly Nobu replied.
It was already noon, after lunch everyone was preparing to set out for the hot springs. Everyone had a pretty excited look on their face as they sat on the journey. A half an hour drive later they arrive at a grand hotel. "I have the whole place booked for ourselves this evening." Fuka announced as everyone cheered.
The place had separate baths for the two genders. All the girls; Eli, Yumi, Fuka, Aiko, Mai, Ikue and Yukie, made their way to the females bathe while all the boys; Sei, Nobu, Hide and Satoru made their way to the male baths. In the female changing room the girls were undressing getting ready to get into the bath. Fuka made her way in first followed by her three students. Eli, Yumi, and Aiko still remained. Aiko was already undressing, but both Eli and Yumi were still dressed. Aiko who notices the behavior of both of them questions.
"Sisters, why haven't you undressed? Are you two shy?"
Both and Eli and Yumi shake their head horizontally suggesting that they are not while their faces were tomato red.
"Huh, your faces are completely red. Come on hurry up. I don't want to go in alone. That sensei might sexually harass me." She held her hands over her still growing chest with her legs crossed as she made this remark.
This made both the shy girls laugh.
"That is not something you should say Aiko chan."
"W-well, s-she might."
They turned around from each other and began undressing. Eli tried her best not to steal a glance from the curvaceous body of her best friend. as they made their way into the bath with Aiko.
"Umi-chan has such a gorgeous body, while me on the other hand." Eli sighed as she thought to herself.
"Ericchi is so cute."
"Ah, you three sure took a while. Come in the water is great" Fuka let a sigh of relief from her big glossy lips while her head rested on hands which rested on the side of the floor as she was in the bath.
Meanwhile, in the boys changing room, things went much smoother as the three friends made their way into the bath first. It was not the first time they attended public baths together, so they were pretty comfortable with appearing nude in front of each other. Satoru joined them after a while. The four of them relaxed into the water all of them collectively releasing a sigh of relief. "This is heaven." They thought to themselves. All the time Satoru kept his eyes locked on the three of them. Noticing this Sei questioned him. "Sensei? What is wrong?"
"Oh, just making sure that the three of you don't try to do anything perverted such as peeking into the girls bathe."
"Sensei what? No! We would never! At least I wouldn't. My sister is in there. And if either of them tries to do so they would first have to go through me." Sei gave Hide the look after saying this.
"Sei what? Do you think I would peek on your sister? Never man!" Trying his best to get this fact through to Sei with his eyes widened brows relaxed and his arms flailing around.
"Of course, I believe you man." Sei chuckled.
"You!" Hide took a hold of Sei and playfully tried to drown him while Nobu just looked on with a blank look on his face.
"The three of you never change I swear." Satoru laughed as he commented.
Normally the case would be that the boys peek the girl's baths. Sei's sister Yumi being in the bath was a big discouragement for Sei who wouldn't even think of peeking on his sister. As for the other two, they wouldn't want any bad blood with Sei for trying to see the exposed body of Yumiko whom they respected greatly. Viewed to be a gentleman Satoru would never have this thought come across his mind. However for the girls side, there was no such restriction for the exception of Yumi and maybe Eli. This didn't necessarily mean that the girls would peek into the boy's bath. But with the likes of Mai, Ikue and Yukie, the ever so naughty trio of Fuka's students, the peeking was imminent.
Thus the three of them tried to peek into the male bathe just to feast their eyes on the handsome, well-built bodies of the four who were inside. Their plan though was cut short as a soap flew past them at great speeds, concreting them to the spot. Yumi realizing what these kids were up to had flung the nearest bar of soap at the three devils incarnates. While her eyebrows tensed up her eyes narrowed with her hand tucked into the side of her lean body, she half shouted.
"What are you three trying to do? This is completely shameless."
"Girls cut it out or I might have to spank your little asses." After spending a good while to the side of the pool, Fuka stepped in towards the pool.
"Sorry, Yumi-chan." She sighed as her eyes completely scanned the body of the coal-haired girl who stood before her.
"Ara, ara, Yumi-chan you have great proportions. Everyone's dream I would say, the perfect sizes."
Trying her best to cover herself with her hands Yumi seated herself crossing her legs with her eyes closed completely. "E-eh?!"
"Don't worry, be a bit more open Yumi-chan we are all women here." Fuka flaunting her wild body as she stood up. She was a leggy person with most of her height coming from her long legs. Thighs so thick that it can feed a family for a day. Completely flat stomach with round wide hips. Her chest the size which could swallow whole a baby's head.
With the added height thanks to her standing up Fuka was able to see a rather quiet Eli with an expressionless face seemingly lost, unaware, sitting behind Yumi. For Fuka she has many hobbies. Singing, dancing, reading books and so on. With the most recent addition to that list being teasing the helpless shy blonde girl Eli. Putting up a smug look on her face for the umpteenth time, it was more as if this face was her normal face at this point, she put her hands across each other placing them under her massive chest.
"Yumi-chan, you and Eli-chan are very close friends right."
Still not being able to open up to her fellow female companions Yumi replied with a simple vertical nod of the head.
"Ah, but she has such a childish body." She threw a smirk at the direction of Eli as she said this.
Be that as it may, this didn't grant Fuka the pleasure of a huge reaction from Eli who just had a glare at her.
That was about to change soon as Yumi stood up defending Eli. Sort of.
"Ericchi might not have the biggest of chests but she has a great ass."
What Fuka wished for she got because this statement made the immobile Eli mobile. She stood up and ran towards Yumi quickly and placed her hand on her mouth as she dragged her down to the water calling her a pervert. "Umi-chan no hentai."
Both of them crash land butt first into the water only to grasp the situation they were in a few moments later. Eli let go of Yumi before moving away from her. Fuka laughed through this ordeal.
"Both of you act so cutely together. What is it about you two?" Changing the tone of her voice to make it sound mischievous as she questioned them.
What she heard however was not a reply from either of them but a mellow scream from Eli who was being felt up by Mai the pink haired dark blue-eyed student of Fuka.
"Ah Sensei is right she is smaller than me."
This only made Umi chuckle a bit while Fuka made it her duty to punish these girls for their actions. She led the three of them to the side of the pool and gave them a lecturing about personal space. You could see the part angry, part ashamed face of Eli as she sunk herself into the pool trying to run away from the embarrassment.
When all of this chaos went down one girl was at the edge of the bath, asleep with her head resting on the floor the whole time.
The reason why they picked this grand hotel instead of a regular bathhouse was because they aimed to hold a small party. Celebrating their progress, it was an idea by Satoru. Everyone was fully clothed in the private party room; traditional Japanese styled. A large room area covered by tatami mats, with a big kotatsu table in the middle. Designer wall boards covered the northern and southern walls as the eastern wall was full of artworks and paintings. The western wall being a Japanese style sliding door which was kept open to see the beautiful stars of the night. Except for Fuka who was still in her bathrobe. Variety of drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, delicious food of different kinds served in front of them ready to be eaten. Already night time, this was not a night that they would forget.
Fuka and Satoru seated together were pouring drinks to each other. Usually a heavy drinker, Satoru refused to take any alcoholic drinks for the night. A half-drunk Fuka in curiosity questioned Satoru about how he met the three of his students. To answer this he called over the three of them and they proceeded to explain how they met and how they progressed.
2017, January 17th. A normal school day of the week. Our trio; Sei, Hide, and Nobu, were chatting outside the school gate after their regular high school classes. It was then when a completely black car, the type with windows you cannot see the insides of, stopped next to them. The cars nameplate had the letter G in it suggesting that the vehicle belonged to the government. The window from the driver's side slid down revealing a man looking to be in his early 30s, dressed in a white uniform together with black shades. He looked towards the three of them who seemed to be rather confused.
"Taniguchi Seiichi, Fukuta Hidetoshi and Seita Nobuki?"
"Y-yes?"
The shady man got out from the car, opened the rear door and bowed down suggesting with his right hand for them to get in.
"Please get in the car."
The three had no idea what was going on but decided to follow the command anyways.
As soon as they got in the car it started to accelerate, traveling in the direction it was facing. Nobu questioned the driver about their destination.
"Where are we going?"
"Please, wait till you reach the destination."
This whole situation felt too shady but since the car belonged to the government they decided just to wait it out. After a 30 minute drive, the car reaches a huge glass-covered building. The sunlight reflecting off the glass created a blue shade on it. The driver hinted them to get out and head to the building. They got out of the car, visibly exhausted by the long drive on top of the long school day and headed inside. Sei looked back as the driver who drove away into the distance as they left.
On their way in, an officially clothed man greeted them; grey suit over a white shirt accompanied by a blue tie. He took them to an elevator which was larger than the car they just drove in. After a few button presses the elevator headed upwards. Big red letters changed one after the other on the side of the elevator wall, 1, 2, and 3 until it reached 15. The door opened to reveal a massive room which seemed to be empty. There was only a grand leathered black chair lined with gold in front of a silver wooden table which covered a big area. Seated on this grand chair was a muscular man with a minimal figure.
"Come in." With a deep voice he said.
When they got closer they immediately figured out who it was as the person next to them bowed down. It was the Supreme Leader of Japan. The three once aware bowed down too.
"Stand. You may leave now." He gestured to the man to leave.
"Three of you, do you know why I have brought you here?"
In the presence of such a huge figurehead, the three of them were speechless, stunned, nervous so to say. Nobu who managed to keep a little of his composure replied, placing his hand on his chest.
"We do not your supremeness."
"Allow me to explain why, then."
He explained to them the whole situation with the Sen-blocks before stating them to be amongst them. Finally, he announced that they will be getting a sensei to train them to nurture their abilities. And not just any run of the mill sensei. But the highly acclaimed, one of the strongest Toshihiro Satoru. This shocked the trio as they had always admired this person. It was a dream come true for them.
Fast forward a few months and they were happily training under him. Even though harsh his teachings lived up to the praise he received. A kind-hearted humble person who treats everyone with respect that is how most people saw him. He met with the three families bonding with them quick. Sei's mother who has always been extra nice to all of Sei's teachers absolutely adored him.
"…and that is how it went," Sei concluded the story. Much to his annoyance Fuka was already passed out by all that drinking.
"Huh and she passes out."
Nobu and Hide laughed at this while Satoru sighed.
"Are you not going to drink Sei?" His old sensei questioned.
"Yeah, I don't like it."
"Much like your sister eh. Sister's boy." Satoru chuckled as he mentioned this.
Speaking of his sister, she was with Aiko. Discussing something really passionately. Ever since they came to this trip they have been really close. This meant the time Yumi spent with Eli was majorly reduced. Which is apparent this time too as Eli was seen sitting alone in the corner of the room playing with her phone with a glass of juice in her hand. She kept throwing looks towards Yumi and Aiko before standing up and leaving. Yumi witnessing this, thought better and decided to follow her.
"I will be right back Aiko-chan."
She finally caught up to Eli near a large tree.
"Ericchi, are you okay?" She reached her hands towards an Eli who was facing backward.
"Nothing" Eli replied with a very expressionless voice.
"You are not a good liar Ericchi now come on tell me." She smiled as her hand finally made contact with Eli's shoulders.
Surprisingly, what happened next was Eli bashing away Yumi's hand before facing towards her. She was teary-eyed and about to cry. This quickly changed the color on Yumi's face to gray.
Quietly again she uttered. "Ericchi. What's wrong?"
It was then when Eli burst out crying.
"STOP! STOP! Please, no more. I am sorry but I can't anymore. Take that care of yours to Aiko. I don't want it. This whole time I thought about this, ever since I came here it made me wonder. What I saw, what I learned. Your brother has he just been pretending to be nice? I am not good of a teacher at all. And you, I thought you only acted like that with me, but no. You were as close to that girl Aiko. All this time the feelings I had, were they one-sided? The time we spent together the fun we had, was it one sided? All those calls and texts, the emotion, the feel, was it just one sided? The relief, the relaxation, the rest of heart, whenever I am with you, was it just one sided? Was I a burden? Did I become boring? This whole time were you just looking to get rid of me? This entire time was I just being used by you like I always have been by everyone? Please leave me alone Yumiko. I don't want to see anyone right now."
Yumi's mind went blank. Before she knew it tears started to roll down her eyes as she ran away.
A few minutes pass and Eli got a hold of herself, stopping her from crying after which she proceeded towards the building putting up an expressionless set face.
Back in Tokyo, Sei's mom attended the ringing home phone. It had been ringing for quite a while now.
"Hello, Taniguchi household."
As she listened to the caller she dropped the landline to the ground. Her face displayed shock, disbelief, and worry. Stuck to the spot she grabbed her own phone and called her son as soon as she could.
Sei who was enjoying the party got the call and he received it.
"Hello, mom yes?"
"Sei-kun where is your sister?"
"She was just here let me check." Noting the restless tone in her voice Sei questioned. "But mom what happened?"
"Is she there?!" She insisted.
He scanned the room with his eyes but failed to see his sister. He then asked Aiko because Sei last saw Yumi with her.
"Aiko-san do you know where Yumi-oneechan is?"
"Se-Sei-san n-no, she headed out a while ago."
Sei stood up and walked outside to see Eli coming in, thinking that she would know where his sister is he questioned her too.
"Eli-sensei did you see neechan?"
"Uh-um yes I saw her outside." She hadn't made eye contact with Sei.
So Sei checked the whole area, calling for Yumi as he did. Even so, there was no luck, Yumi was nowhere to be found.
"Mom she isn't there. What happened?"
On the other side of the call, his mom slowly slid down leaning by the wall. Now crying, unable to clearly form words, she said
"They took her away. They took your sister away."
"What?! Who?!" Raising his voice catching everyone's attention.
"Some people called the landline and told they kidnapped Yumi. They want ransom money. Any act of going to authorities will result in her death. Please, Sei-kun find your sister." The phone dropped from her hand as she said this.
"Fuck!" Sei who had a similar reaction on his face walked in, worried everyone around him asked of the situation.
"Sei what happened?"
"Some guys kidnapped my sister and they want ransom money."
"Kidnapped?! How? She was just here." Collectively everyone questioned.
"I don't know. We must find her quick."
Eli who heard this was completely broken. With both of her hands on her head, she collapsed on her knees breathing profusely, blaming herself for the danger that has fallen upon Yumiko. Overcome with grief and regret, tears started rolling down her widened eyes as she screamed silently. For the last words she might have said to the person she likes were words of defame, doubt and slander.