Chapter 0030: The Radiant Yukiko
"Then you'll probably have to pay to buy it from me," retorted the frail Kuroba Ichi sharply.
"You—" A cold flash gleamed, and in an instant, a katana struck out in an iaido move, stopping just short of Kuroba Ichi's neck.
At this moment, the tallest and most muscular Oki An stood up and waved his hand to mediate, saying, "Don't do this, don't do this. We're here to exchange ideas, not to really fight."
Hattori Heizo and Tooyama Ginjiro also stood up to mediate, prompting Miyamoto Shinbu to withdraw his blade. He cast a disdainful glance at Oki An and remarked, "Your build and your courage are truly mismatched."
After speaking, he confidently walked onto the stage first, with the others following behind him.
The host on stage wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel, clearly having witnessed the earlier scene. "The personalities of these young martial arts champions are truly out of the ordinary."
The seven participants stood on the stage. Miyamoto Shinbu and Hattori Heizo stood side by side, one holding a katana and the other a sword, both appearing imposing. Miyamoto Shinbu made a throat-cutting gesture toward Hattori Heizo, whose fox-like eyes betrayed no emotion.
The audience in the gymnasium erupted in enthusiastic cheers, as such blatant provocation was thrilling to them.
At this moment, the host brought out a black box from the side—a drawing box containing colored balls. Among them, the white balls represented a bye round.
In the audience, Yukiko's eyes were fixed on the stage. Beside her, Eri Kisaki was also paying close attention. When Kogoro Mouri drew a white ball from the box, Yukiko immediately showed a disappointed expression, while Eri had a smile in her eyes.
A gentle voice came from beside them: "Hello, I'm Yusaku Kudo. Do you know anyone on stage? You both look very curious."
Even if Kogoro had wanted to intervene earlier, Yusaku Kudo still managed to spot Yukiko at first glance in the vast stadium. His gaze seemed magnetically drawn to her, prompting him to approach and strike up a conversation.
The two women were accustomed to such situations. Upon looking up, they saw that Yusaku Kudo, with his refined demeanor, did not evoke any aversion.
Yukiko mischievously smiled. "Hey, classmate, your way of striking up a conversation is a bit old-fashioned."
Yusaku Kudo smiled calmly. "Given the stark contrast in your reactions earlier, the only one on stage who fits the situation is Kogoro Mouri, who drew a bye. This means the person you know must be the knight of Teitan High School. Judging by your distinctive temperaments, I've also heard of Teitan High School having a queen and a princess. If I'm not mistaken, you must be Eri Kisaki and Yukiko Fujimine. I'm Yusaku Kudo, author of 'The Baron of the Night', a mystery novelist."
"Wow." Eri nodded slightly at this deduction, responding, "You're right. The Kogoro Mouri on stage is my boyfriend."
"What?" Yukiko exclaimed in shock upon hearing this. Her emotions were in turmoil, like a jar of mixed flavors, with an inexplicable sourness and bitterness.
"Eri, when did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?" Yukiko immediately turned toward Eri, feigning an interrogative demeanor, completely ignoring Yusaku Kudo.
"Hey, keep your voice down," Eri's face flushed red. "It was just last night. He confessed to me."
"And you just agreed?" Yukiko's expression turned odd. Looking at the shy Eri, she pretended to give advice. "Eri, you're too easy! Men don't cherish what's too easily obtained. You should've tested him first, or he might betray you someday."
Eri's queenly aura suddenly erupted: "He wouldn't dare!"
Yusaku Kudo and Yukiko were both startled.
At this moment, Kogoro Mouri walked over. Eri immediately transformed into a gentle and loving demeanor, leaning affectionately against him.
This scene stunned Yukiko. It was as if she was meeting this best friend for the first time, feeling an inexplicable sense of betrayal. Yukiko pouted in dissatisfaction, glancing at the couple. "Hmph, I have to go perform now. I'll deal with you two later."
With that, she walked toward the stage without sparing Yusaku Kudo another glance.
Yusaku Kudo could only bid farewell to Kogoro and Eri upon seeing this.
Music began to play, and the youthful and energetic Yukiko, as the lead dancer, stepped onto the stage with lively steps. Behind her was a large group of female high school students—the school's cheerleading team had been roped in.
On stage, Yukiko exuded an extraordinary charm. It was as if she was born for the stage. Tossed high into the air, she executed one challenging move after another with ease, dancing like a graceful sprite. Even Kogoro couldn't help but be captivated, let alone the other male spectators, who roared enthusiastically.
Suddenly, shouts echoed through the gymnasium: "Teitan Princess! Teitan Princess!"
Kogoro Mouri turned his head to see the instigators—his karate club members from school. They quickly stirred up the entire gymnasium, which began cheering for Yukiko's title. This was undoubtedly her moment to shine.
Beside him, Eri leaned against Kogoro. "Isn't she beautiful?"
"Yes. Who knew she could look so good when dressed up?"
"Hmm?" Eri's cold glare pierced him, but Kogoro, a seasoned martial artist, wouldn't falter so easily. "But no matter what, she can't compare to my Eri. It's like the difference between gravel and pearls—worlds apart."
Only then did Eri nod in satisfaction.
Soon, Yukiko's performance ended, and the martial arts tournament began.
The matches were as follows:
Taekwondo's Kang Shin-chul versus sumo wrestler Oki An.
Aikido's Tooyama Ginjiro versus Judo's Kuroba Ichi.
Kendo's Hattori Heizo versus Iaido's Miyamoto Shinbu.
Kogoro Mouri, the karate representative, had a bye.
Miyamoto Shinbu glanced at Yukiko as she descended from the stage and leered. "Hey, classmate, are you free tonight? Want to have some drinks with me?" He burst into wicked laughter, a glint of malice flashing in Kogoro's eyes.