[The Dueling Exam: Arc 11]
- 2 days later -
[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Umi Hotel - Monday, 10:40 a.m.]
Tim and the have gathered to gain information on the Dueling Exam.
"You say 'Dueling Exam'? But, all we know about is where it is and that we have about one more week before able to enter this exam?" Wondered Codey quite interested. "That's right. But if we plan on being 'Spiritual Duelists' this exam will absolutely be necessary. Otherwise, we won't be able to fight without permission. So, this is our bet." Claimed Tim, calmly. "Dueling Exam. I've heard some rumors that it's going to happen every day, so this means we must necessarly enter it the first year from its format. Meaning, we must enter it in the next week." Explained Kylin, holding her chin. "Yeah, that is the plan. Though, there are in total of seven tests and each of them has different rules, I'm worried that somebody from us would fail this exam..." Tim said, thinking with the rest. "You should keep high trust into your allies. We'll manage, in fact, none of us will fail, I gurantee you." Spoke Sakami. "Yes. But what about Ayuka, she's still in hospital, and without her, this challenge will be problematic, even if we do end in victory.... Ayuka.... she won't be able to join us in future events, who knows who'll attack next." Spoke Tim, worried.
"I understand what you mean..." Sighed Sakami while trying to think of something new. "Seriously, you're just going to leave me out of this? Wow, and I thought we have trust." A female voice spoke. Tim and the rest faced behind, and finally, their surprises bursted out. "Haven't seen you for a while!" Smiled the girl, standing behind the rest, and the rest, bursted into a massive smile. "Ayuka! You're all right!?" Tim and Codey both shouted with estaticness. "Yup, good to see you!"
"I can't even trust my own eyes! I thought you'd be unconsciouss for another month or so! But I'm so glad you're back to being yourself!" Tim smiled, in that moment Ayuka immediately became red in the face, but made an embarrassing smile. "....Yeah.... ehehe..... of course...." Spoke Ayuka, scratching the back of her hair, when looking to the side, on the other side of her, Tim faced at her a bit confused. "Something wrong?" "What? Oh! No, no! No worries! I'm fine, I just got lost in dreams!" Spoke Ayuka, waving in front of her, when Tim bursted in front of her face with his own and became a bit interested and unamused. "Are you sureeeee?" At that moment, Ayuka's heart began beating louder and quicker, when she moved her palms in front of her own face, aiming them at Tim. "I told you! I'm fine, not so close!" She called, still red into her face. "Does somebody have a crush on-" But before Kanji spoke with grinned face, he was pummeled into the stomach, when his eyes popped out and then followed up by falling on the floor. "What... the hell was that for, Codey?" Asked Kanji, falling onto his knees. "Oh, sorry. That was just for fun! Don't even say a word, don't make this cringier!" Whispered Codey onto his ears, terrifying Kanji. "....Right... but man, that hurt!" He spoke when smashing his face on the floor. "Would somebody explain to me what's going on? Why is everybody acting so weird as soon as Ayuka comes in the room?!" Tim asked, a bit suspect. "Don't worry, there are reasons to why, you don't need to know." Codey smiled, with a gentle wave of his palm ahead.
Ayuka leaned forward taking a giant exhale and finally relieving herself. (".....Maybe Kanji was right ever since the time we've come to the Umi Island, maybe I do actually have some feelings toward Tim, but why. How did this happen so randomly and kind of quickly!") She thought, while she was leaned forward, Tim looked at her. "Hey, are you, all right?" He asked, reaching for her shoulders, for safety. "Um. Yes, I'm fine, I just needed to take a bigger exhale, don't worry about it...." She said when straightening up. "Hey, maybe you should take it slow. You've just recovered, but you still might be a bit fade." Tim called while gently touching Ayuka's shoulder and finally moving his arms away. "No! Really, it's nothing like that! Please, don't worry about it." Ayuka said, embarrassed. "Well.... if you say so and insist...." From that moment Tim scratched his hair and quickly faced at the rest. "Well, I still think Ayuka should rest for a bit and only take on the exam if she will be fully recovered, otherwise, I'm going to have to wait for the next year, if the exam has seven tests, it's still going to be difficult for Ayuka to go through them." Tim explained with a serious expression. "Well, to be honest, you're right. Maybe we should first see how will Ayuka be, in these two weeks." Explained Codey.
"Look, please, listen to me. I'm fine, really, no lies here! There are just other things to worry about!" Ayuka called, in that moment, Codey then moved closer and whispered when smashing his palm into Tim's face, pushing him back in a funny position. Ayuka blinked twice, leaning backward when Codey was facing into her expression. "Um. What are you doing?" Questioned Ayuka, as in that moment, Codey pulled Tim's face towards him. "Hey! What the hell man!" Tim shouted, from there he pushed Tim's face in front of Ayuka and in that moment, she immediately bursted into heated expression. "Would you quit it Codey!" Tim shouted, when quickly swinging his left foot beneath his feet and slipping Codey on the floor, forcing him to smack his back. "Yep! I thought so!" Codey spoke. ("She does like him after all....") Codey asked with a painful face, when scratching his back. "All right! All right! Enough! I got no idea what's going on, but I do know, that I'm going to take something for under my teeth." Tim spoke when turning toward the door. "And you! You're coming with me." Tim grabbed Ayuka's wrist and pulled her behind him. "Hey! Hey! Wait! No! What are you doing!" She asked, constantly having heated expression. "You're coming too, you hadn't have anything to eat for a month whiel unconsciouss, it's time you get something, and you will definetly eat, don't you dare decline." Tim called, rushing through the door and pulling her behind the edge. "But! Hey-" The door slammed shut when everybody froze on the spot in confusion. "Man, who'd knew Ayuka would get to like somebody, she usually seemed to be more of a solo-goer." Explained Kanji when holding his chin, in that moment, Codey grabbed his face and pulled him in front of his own. "Say one word to Tim about her liking him and you'll taste the fury of my blood!" Codey said, terrifyingly. With fear, Kanji nodded quickly. "Anyway, let's go after them, I wanna eat something as well. However, don't you dare sit next to them, give them some alone time.... but do keep a close eye on them, I wanna see if something happens." Codey's face became troll-full. But Kylin slammed him at the top of his head. "No, we're just going to go eat, we won't be stalking them." To once Kylin smacked Codey on the floor, she dragged him outside the door. Kanji and Sakami followed them.
[Planet Earth - Umi Island - Umi City - Food Stall - Monday, 11:05 a.m.]
Tim pulled Ayuka behind him as he stopped in front of the food stall. "Hi, we'd like to order Honey Fish." Tim explained giving a polite smile. "One Honey Fish eh? Is it for your girlfriend who you call honey?" The man asked and leaned onto the food stall, but in that moment Tim's expression became unamused. "Don't act stupid.... just do what I said." Tim said, giving him a serious expression. "Uh! Right! Of course, my apologies!" Called the man and began grilling. "Hey, at least let me pay." Ayuka called being a bit stressed. "Do I look like I'd invite you to a meal and then make you pay? Not a chance, order as much as you want, one month plus, it's already long enough for somebody to not eat, I don't care if my wallet goes, I'm paying every single meal, understand." Tim spoke, seriously. "Um. But-" "No buts. Now, tell me in truth. What's bothering you?" Questioned Tim with crossed arms. "But! I already told you. It's nothing, I just got some weird feelings, that's all." Ayuka explained. In the mean time while the two sat, Codey and Kanji snuck up behind the edge of the bush and looked past it, stalking Tim and Ayuka. "Look at them. They look so happy alone!" Giggled Codey. "What the hell happened. A few minutes back, you just agreed to not be stalking them? How did you even escape Kylin?" Questioned Kanji. "Let's just say, she became a bit upset after I made her wet with water." Claimed Codey. "What a fool..." Kanji sighed. "Hey! I wanna see, if she confesses, I'll make sure to support her-" Soon as Codey said so, Kylin appeared behind him and smashed her fist at the top of his head, slamming him and Kanji into the ground, when Tim and Ayuka both faced at the bush.
"You're such an idiot! Why are you stalking them! Don't be so inpolite, let them do whatever they want!" Shouted Kylin, at the same time, Tim felt unamused. "The hell are they up to now?" Kylin soon faced at Tim. "Oh! Hi! Sorry, go on, we've just come to grab something to eat, well, have fun!" Smiled Kylin, dragging both Codey and Kanji to the tables. Sakami joined up with them. "These two really love to stalk on people, don't they?" Sakami asked, calmly. "...... anyway..... you don't seem to be all right. I've seen you act with my own eyes, as if something was hurting you...." Tim spoke, giving a loud sigh. Ayuka leaned onto the table, on her arms. "Tim. Please, just believe me, there is nothing wrong with me, so please, can you stop?" Ayuka asked, in that moment Tim leaned back on the chair. "All right, sorry, I believe you." Smiled Tim. "No need to apologize, but thank you anyway." Smiled Ayuka, in the next five minutes, the fish was prepared and both of them gained the food. "Well, then at least enjoy the food. Bon appetite." Tim added.
"How is it?" Tim questioned when biting into the fish. Ayuka began to mumble for a few seconds, but when she gulped it, her eyes widely opened and sparkled. "This is so good! How come you've never told me about this?!" Ayuka asked, when feeling energetic. "Because, I just found out about it a few days ago!" Smiled Tim. "Are you kidding? You really mean to pay for such a delicious dish?" Ayuka asked. "But of course, at least you'll feel more full!" Tim smiled. "I still don't feel that this is great, it looks as if I was begging for you to pay, just to fill my hunger." Claimed Ayuka. "Not really, just make sure to eat it all." Tim spoke, loudly and smiled.
("This feels so weird, but at the same time. Having somebody you like, it's.... kind of nice.") Ayuka thought in her mind, when leaning her fork on the dish. Tim on the other hand faced her before biting into the fish, however he decided to stay quiet. ("Just what is bothering her. I've never seen her act so different than before.... hmm....") In that moment, he finally put the fish's meat into mouth and continued to eat with Ayuka, until the two of them finally finished. In that moment Tim stepped toward the stall and payed for the food. "How was the food, if I may ask?" Smiled the man. "It was great as always, thank you very much." Tim spoke.
To be continued...