Hifumi x Hailey: bonus chapter 2.5
Braidin' and talkin' (Hifumi and Hailey + Ashleigh)
-"So, I've heard you hang out with Kaylee a lot. You should consider trying to find better company."
Hailey was standing over Ashleigh's desk. The class was practically empty. The cafeteria was out of order today after some kid from the support course thought he could 'hypercharge' the kitchen equipment, so everyone had to rush to a shop next street. Everyone that is, besides the Korean bitches that brought their own lunch as they were on some fad diet.
Ashleigh was unlucky today, while she was getting up, she knocked her pencil case off the desk. The time she needed to gather her stuff was enough for the class to empty, leaving her alone with them. Hailey was in front of her, while the others were standing on the lookout near the doors. The poor girl thought to herself:
("God, not again… Should've just left those pens where they were.")
-"Just look at you. Spending so much time with that cow is probably what led you to dressing like… that…"
Ashleigh saw Hifumi reappearing at his desk with a sandwich in his hand.
("Of course, he'd be the first one to return. I've seen him hanging out with this bitch a lot lately. A delinquent and a bitch. Of course that'd be my luck.")
-"Yeah, you really should change your hair first. Accessorising and makeup can come later. You definitely need a better hairdresser. But can you even affor-"
-"MEN!"
The sandwich made contact with Hailey's head. Hifumi swung it downwards as if it was a shinai. Not terribly hard, but together with the yell it attracted attention to him.
-"Hay, what are you doing?"
-"What are YOU doing? What the hell was that supposed to be?"
("Oh great, a lover's spat... Maybe I can use it to find an opening to leave.")
-"A swift sobapan of Justice here to punish the evildoers!"
Hailey just rolled her eyes in response.
("Alright, this is my chance…")
-"I'll just, uh… leave you two alone, then…"
-"No, Ashley, please stay. I've actually wanted to talk with you. Just let me get this unruly cat under control."
-"An 'unruly cat'?"
-"You kinda look like a cat. And definitely seem to be acting unruly right now. Ashleigh looked like she didn't enjoy your conversation even a bit, and I know you can do better than that."
-"But why should I?"
-"If you want another rooftop lecture, you can just ask."
-"No, thanks. And our trips to a roof always end with you in trouble, so maybe we should stop with them."
-"We can if you play nice. Now please face that way. Thank you."
After rotating Hailey, so she's facing backwards to him and sideways to Ashleigh, Hifumi could get to work while talking. He pulled from his pocket a couple hair ties and started to braid her hair. She initially tensed up, but then just as quickly relaxed under his touch.
-"So, Ashleigh, I've seen you reading manga during the breaks."
-"Mhm…"
-"And Bobby told me you're half-American. And I need to practice my English, so… KUDDO YU BOLLOW ME etto MANGA IN INGRISHU?"
("Oh no. Is this another one of those 'let me borrow this' and then they never give it back? And what the hell is that accent?!")
-"Babo, if you want to practice, I can-"
-"Shh, don't move. Now I have to redo this part. So, Ashleigh, what do you think? I could lend you some of mine in return. What genres do you like?"
-"Umm… Like, dark fantasy and such…"
-"Could have expected tha- ah- don't pull on it like that!"
-"Told you to behave. So, like Berserk? Very cool."
-"Yeah, I love Berserk!"
-"Who doesn't? Guts is super cool!"
-"I don't. I haven't read it…"
-"Then maybe you should, Hay. Anyway, anything else?"
-"Like mystery and horror. Umineko for example."
-"Oh, I've heard of that but haven't read it. Do you have it in English?"
-"Uh… About that, I don't read manga in English…"
-"That's a bummer…"
-"If you want, I can get you some, Babo."
-"Stop moving, it's gonna get skewed."
-"Um… My dad's got some western comics. I could ask him if he'd let me lend one out…"
-"Oh, that would also be cool! I'm thinking about what I could lend you in return..."
-"You don't have to…"
-"It's only fair… By the way, I've seen you in Ippon's class. You're doing some martial arts, right?"
-"I've taken some self-defence classes before. A lot of it was based on judo, so Ippon-sensei helps me work on it now."
-"Very cool. I've only licked the basics of it. Mostly leg techniques as I usually have my hands occupied with a sword. De-ashi-harai is simple but works for me. You've got a favourite technique?"
-"Oh, I like that one, but I think I'm also pretty decent at Sumi-gaeshi."
-"The sacrifice techniques are super cool! When you see a small person going down before the giant and people think 'he's done for' and then the giant gets flipped over, and it's game over - that's one of the best sights in judo!"
-"Yeah, it's pretty great!"
-"I know! It's not exactly one of your genres, but I think I've got a manga you might like."
-"What is it?"
-"'Holyland'. It's about this dude that got bullied, so he shut himself off, but then started to train to fight, and then he goes out at night to fight delinquents and such, and he's actually pretty great at it, so he keeps on fighting trying to find a place he belongs - that 'Holyland'. It's pretty cool. The main dude is more into boxing than judo, but I think you'll like it."
-"Sounds interesting..."
("...even if it hits a bit too close to home…")
-"Cool! I'll bring it tomorrow. And look, I'm done here too. Don't you think she looks cute?"
On top of Hailey's head were two small braids. They were tied in such a way that they looked like cat ears. Ashleigh stifled a laugh.
("Heh. I guess I could be wrong about this guy… If he can really tame that bitch...")