The next day we went on a trip up the mountain and as expected, Alice was extremely excited as she went up without a problem. Marina and Mira on the other hand had a tough time climbing, just like most of my schoolmates, the majority not being the sports type. Me on the other hand, I had no problem as I was training every morning while my breath was constant and regular. If I were to complain about something that would be the strong air that was in much larger quantities than with what I’m used to, there barely being any oxygen near the forge.
I’m really dizzy now…
I took step after step, looking unshaken on the outside while in truth I struggled with only keeping my balance.
Thankfully enough nobody was able to tell as I was dead-last, neither students nor teachers minding me, ignoring me completely.
Heh, wow. I almost forgot how it feels to be ignored. Glad to see that not much has changed.
I smiled cynically then went on forward, trying to calm my rushing heart and taking smaller breaths until my body finally got used to the denser atmosphere, my mind clearing up completely.
“Hah, hah! I- I can’t… anymore…”
As I went on forward, Mira appeared before me while barely able to move anymore, sweat falling down her face, her eyes tearing from frustration.
“Hey, girly. How come you’re here?”
“Leon… uuh~…!”
“You glanced at me then started crying? Am I so terrifying to you?”
I grinned annoyed as she wiped her tears then after she calmed down for a bit, she started telling me what happened. It seems that Alice went on forward all excited on her own, leaving Marina and Mira behind. After a while, Marina also ended up too tired to become aware of her surroundings, completely forgetting about Mira that was more and more left behind. After that, other students from other groups tried to approach Mira but out of shyness and because of her rather introverted character, she refused all their help, ending up being left behind, the teachers having a hard time watching over every kid as we were more than 70 already.
“And so, after being left behind you started panicking, and when you finally saw a familiar face you started calming down then broke down crying? Don’t you have any other friends?”
“Yes…”
“… Not sure if funny or depressing.”
I sighed somewhat annoyed by this incident, but I couldn’t simply scold her for refusing everyone or not talking with the teachers. Shaking my head in thinking that chatting now would only waste more energy, I simply decided to carry her myself.
“Eh?”
“Here, come quick. Or else we’ll be left behind.”
I got down to one knee with my back to her, telling her to quickly get on my back. Glancing at her, I saw her face turning bright red but I knew this was neither the place nor time for such a reaction.
“B-but-“
“Put your embarrassment and shyness behind. I don’t care about myself, but if the teachers find out you’re not with them, they will ban you from going to another trip from now on. So hurry already.”
“A- alright… I’m sorry.”
She then got on and I easily started climbing, trying this time to readjust my breathing so it won’t be too costly for my brain, but still enough for my muscles to carry two people.
“Aren’t I heavy?”
“?!”
Her gentle voice resounded near my head and made me almost lose my balance, her warm breath tickling my ear.
“All good, just don’t suddenly breathe near my ear. I felt like my heart jumped out of my chest for a moment.”
She chuckled amused and held onto me firmly, giving me the possibility to focus on climbing.
Roots, rocks, holes, molds, slippery spots, hard or soft surfaces, this route has everything, doesn’t it?
I thought annoyed as I had to be extra careful now that there was one more person I had to take care of. After we walked a bit further, I saw our schoolmates how it took a pause at a halt where old wooden benches and tables were nicely built to be in balance with nature.
“Alright. The free trip ends here, girly. Now get off and meet with your group.”
I stopped at the edge of the halt and kneeled down again so Mira could get down. She remained for a bit more, making me look behind to her confused,
“Oy girly, you didn’t fall asleep, did you?”
–Kiss-
As I looked back, she suddenly surprised me with a kiss on my cheek, stunning me for a moment,
“This is the payment. Thank you.”
With a deep blush, she then got off and ran towards her group, leaving me to stare baffled at her,
Look at this little deer turning red while jumping around… Just when the heck it happened?
I felt like only troubles waited to come after me, still feeling the soft touch of her lips on my cheek.
One is enough, two are trouble, and three? Oh man, no thanks.
I got up while scratching my head a bit revolted, unaware when it became so easy to charm beautiful girls when before I tried so hard to barely have one girlfriend.
I better just stay away from the little girly… Hm?
As I followed her with my eyes, I observed Alice and Marina talking with four taller boys, being rather pushy with them as they wanted to bring them further away from the group.
Eh… Are they hitting on them by any chance?
I raised an eyebrow and as they distanced further away, I also followed after them while walking calmly, not raising any suspicions.
The teachers and students around didn’t mind me as I went to the other side of the woods, climbing a little dome to look at the naughty group from above. From there I was able to see how Alice suddenly stopped and asked the guys something with a frown on her face. Afterward, one of them walked closer to her and touched her shoulder, appearing all friendly.
What the heck? That guy sure is bold.
I felt both amused and annoyed at this sight. Amused as I knew Alice won’t take this quietly for long, and annoyed after seeing some bastard touching her just like that.
I surely want to just go there and smash his pretty face… but I guess I should do so only in case Alice has a hard time.
Remembering what she said to me before, I wanted to let her prove her words as I tried to control myself. This way, I was also training myself into trusting her better.
“Ha!”
The next moment, that punk tried to hold Alice’s hand and she instantly took it and threw him to the ground with a loud shout, making me laugh from atop my spot where I was looking at them.
That’s my girl!
I applauded amused but I was still too far to be heard. There were four dudes in total, one now lying on the floor in pain. Other two quickly rushed her way and just like the first one, they both were thrown in the air. Mira and Marina quickly ran away to call the teachers, like this also getting out of her way.
Nice, nice-… hmmm…
After I looked at the last one then at Alice’s big frown, I understood that something wasn’t right and quickly moved myself. The last one quickly grabbed a thick branch that seemed a bit too heavy and long to be used as a helping stick for climbing mountains and prepared to rush at Alice at any moment.
Because the terrain was as bad and faulty as possible, trying to throw two guys one after the other gave Alice a hard time to quickly readjust her position, feeling tired and with her breath cut after using most of her strength to throw two guys bigger and stronger than her.
Damn it! I’m not used to this type of terrain!
She looked troubled as the third came rushing at her with a large branch in hand, swinging violently towards her. She was able to evade one swing, but then she immediately tripped, her ankle now hurting from twisting it while throwing the third guy.
“Got you, bitch!”
Seeing the guy swing the club-like branch towards her head so violently, Alice decided to at least block it with her arms even if that meant harming herself greatly. After she placed her guard up, a large frame appeared before her, making her stare surprised at the person in front.
“You dare!”
I shouted annoyed and with my forearm I blocked the branch, breaking it in two after using a blocking position learned from karate. While the guy was in a daze at my sudden intrusion, I used a strong yet quick fist right into his solar plexus, sending him flying for two meters, crashing on the ground, and rolling for another two meters, having him close to losing consciousness.
I then glanced at the other three that were on the ground and went to one of them, his eyes shining with fear.
“W-what are you going to do?”
“Oh, nothing. However-“
I then grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head upwards, with a burning glare looking into his fearful eyes and saying in a rather amused tone,
“If you fuckers don’t get lost right now, I might have to try some throws as well, just like my girlfriend did. Understood? You fuckers?”
“Y-yes, yes!”
The three of them quickly got up and took the one I just punched away, that guy himself trying to get up but with no power.
“Leon?”
She looked surprised at me and just as I turned I pinched her cheeks annoyed,
“You damn idiot. What the Hell are you doing following some shady dudes just like that? Next time will you follow another stranger after receiving candies from him?”
“W-wahit! Ai thaughth thaht thei’e fuom ouhr ghouph!”
She tried to free herself from my pinchers but then I grabbed her arms and pulled her up, forcefully helping her stand up as I already knew which of her ankles was harmed.
“I know they look just as dumb as our schoolmates, but try to at least ask for some basic info, Goddammit!”
“I’m sorry…”
This was the first time I got so mad at someone else in a year now, and Alice was also greatly shocked by how worried I was, lowering her head while apologizing weakly.
“Sigh…”
I couldn’t really blame her either because I initially thought that they were from our school as well until I started to question their guts into hitting on Alice.
I looked at her and saw her blushing, understanding that she did so because I was at the moment embracing her closely, just like lovers do.
“Err… It’s your ankle okay?”
“Eh? Ah… not really.”
“Thought so.”
I sighed then got down and had her get on my back, carrying her in a piggy-back. She felt a bit embarrassed but after hugging me tightly, it appeared that she calmed down. The other two also appeared with some teachers coming from behind, and Mira looked with a pout at us two for some reason, evading my eyes as if annoyed.
“Good timing Leon! I saw everything, you’re quite strong, aren’t you?”
“I did my share of training. Now let’s return.”
“Indeed. Your strong-looking body isn’t just for show after all.”
“Let’s return I said…”
Marina looked at me from below interested and I simply turned to leave, feeling like I might seriously raise another flag without even knowing. As I walked I couldn’t help but feel frustrated inside,
I swear it wasn’t that easy before. What the heck? What changed?!
Remembering my many failed attempts to talk with girls and try not to be awkward around them made me feel just so ridiculous now…
It’s like, after you no longer chase something, it will come to you even if you want it or not anymore… I swear, life’s such a sassy bitch at times.
