*BAAANGG!!*

This woman held no sort of contemplation, this is not a girl... this is a woman. I'm even tempted to believe she's just like me, a reincarnation. For her to be this bloodthirsty, she is coming at me with everything she's got, smiling as if she's a demoness.

I couldn't help but smirk and answer in kind!

She struck my stomach ruthlessly, just so I could punch her abdomen with everything I had.

*COUGH!*

Saeko spat some saliva and backed off, hitting my head again with the wooden sword. Do you think she's holding back? no, this woman is hitting me for real, I know this is going to leave a bruise and Shizuka will be worried.

But I can't help it, I'm enjoying myself too!

"Ever since I saw you fighting those gangsters Brand, ever since then I have wanted to fight you like this!"

She came at me, giving me three touches, I tried to block one but she'd evade and switch targets, from my shoulder to my leg, to my head... this woman is insane. In this fight, there is no doubt that I'm going to lose, but I will make sure to leave some vicious blows at the very least.

"What a coincidence, ever since I saw you looking at me smiling, I have also wanted to fight you like this, Saeko!"

I blocked one of her strikes and grasped the sword, something I could only do because the sword is wooden, I pulled her and threw her to the ground, putting her below me before I delivered a barrage of punches that she blocked, thankfully there is no one around, otherwise they'd think that I'm assaulting her.

Saeko was placed in a defensive stance, but then she managed to take the sword from her side and slapped me hard with it!

*BAANG!*

She spat some blood and we made distanced from one another and regained our standing, I also spat some blood.

We panted together; she held her stomach which must still be hurting after that I hit I delivered, "I don't know how you expect us... to do this every day..."

"Maybe I didn't expect you to offer such a fierce retaliation, Brand..." She answered, did she think this was going to be an easy fight? or she thought that I wouldn't strike her hard for being a woman?

In any case, she seemed to like this result.

"Want to continue?" I asked her, hoping she'd say not, but... what else did I expect? she's stubborn.

"If you don't give up... I don't plan to give up either, Brand".

"You're a madwoman."

"And you're a madman!"

"We're quite compatible" I chuckled, getting closer.

"If only you didn't have a girlfriend~" She giggled mysteriously, the girl just indirectly told me to break up with my girlfriend and choose her, that's not happening.

You're quite gorgeous, Saeko, but I'm not dropping Shizuka.

At my silence, she decided to charge forward again and insist, my face hurting but whatever, I'll follow her along.

**

**

We finished our fight, and I'm feeling pain all over and don't want to stand up, the sun is already falling and Saeko is beside me, I have received several messages from Shizuka, I assume asking where I am since I haven't called her yet to tell her I arrived home.

"Three years ago... a man tried to attack me during the night, he tried to assault me" she began explaining, her voice indicating apprehension; as if she was struggling to let this out.

"What happened?"

"I had my Bokken with me and I... devastated him, he almost died. Since then I discovered in me a person that I didn't know existed, I like inflicting pain, Brand..."

"... so you're sadistic?" I frowned, another type of crazy chick.

"I-I don't know if that's the accurate word, I don't like inflicting pain arbitrarily, just... while fighting with my sword" She explained to me, not quite convinced as to her own condition.

"I see..."

"When I saw you back then... I knew you wouldn't judge me, you're a maniac just like I am, aren't you?" She asked me with intrigue, her eyes fixed on me as if waiting for a satisfactory answer.

I wouldn't go as far as to call myself a maniac, I don't like inflicting pain, that said... I'm not afraid to cause someone irreversible pain so long as I can achieve my intentions, so... perhaps that makes me a maniac?

"You could say so, but... I'm not at your level, Saeko" I grunted and lay beside her again, we looked t the sky together.

"It was relieving that you choose my Kendo Club instead of the Sojutsu Club... s-so who is your girlfriend, Saya Takagi? or that girl, Yuuki Miku?"

"You think Miku is my girlfriend?!" I asked, disgusted.

"Well, with how much she stalks you, I'd believe that you two certainly had a past... what about Takagi-san, you didn't deny her?"

"Why the sudden curiosity?"

"Because I'm interested in you and would like to be your girlfriend, or at least... try".

"Why so straightforward? we've only known each other for a month... and we haven't spoken that much either" We may not have spoken a lot, but we have fought more than twenty times already.

"I don't think anyone in school is as compatible with me as you are. Tell me, who is it?" I don't even know if I'm willing to tell her, she looks more threatening than Yuuki Miku. The latter can only be spitful and try to be toxic.

But Saeko, I wholeheartedly believe this woman can beat the shit out of Shizuka to stake her claim, maybe I'm exaggerating but that's what she conveyed to me in this duel.

Why do I always attract the psychotic ones? I have to treasure Shizuka, she's the only normal one.

"She doesn't study in our school..." I answered, technically it is not a lie.

"I see, do I have a chance?" She asked hopefully, holding my shirt.

"If you don't mind sharing..." I evaded her gaze, already aware of what her reaction would be, but I had to try.

"..." As if outraged, Saeko tried to stand up only for me to grasp her wrist.

"You're trying to make me form part of a sick harem play or something?" She frowned at me menacingly.

"I'm not asking you to do it... I'm asking you to consider it, how about going on a date next Sunday?"

"I will think about it," She said, astounding me... I'm awed that she will even give it some consideration, "you better come with me this Thursday, we're sparring like this two days a week, no?"

"You didn't beat me..." I smirked, something I'd regret the next second.

"Is that so?~ then we should finish-" She took her sword...

"Okay, you win! damn! I'll come!" This woman is ridiculous!

She smirked and walked away, leaving me laying down on the grass with a hurting body.

I decided to call Shizuka, taking the chance.

"Brand-chan! where are you?! the concierge told me that you're not home yet".

"Is there a need to call the concierge, Shizuka? I was in the park with a friend..." She worries too much sometimes.

"I see, a girl?"

"Yes, are you going to be home soon, I need to speak to you about something" I diverted the topic, she's a klutz but she's as much a girl as any other.

"I will, what happened, your voice sounds weird," she asked with concern, well it might be because Saeko twisted my jaw a little.

"It is your imagination, I will be waiting for you back home".

"Love you, Brand-chan..."

"Me too..."

I have told her to stop calling me that but she won't stop, she said that's like my 'nickname' and that she'd rather call me that than 'darling' or 'dear'.

If she likes it...

I hung up the phone and sighed.

Now, what am I getting for Shizuka for her to not be too upset over Takagi and Saeko? I haven't yet decided anything regarding them but... I don't plan to hide things from Shizuka either... I need people to trust in this catastrophe and well, those girls happen to have feelings for me...

I don't think I can reject them without breaking what we currently have.

Standing up I began making my way to the closer super only to find someone sitting on her own on a bench, hugging her knees.

'Huh?'

Isn't this Miyamoto?