Isui clapped with his fingertips. He observed the newly appointed class representative write her name on the chalkboard in the front of the classroom. She let the brittle chalk glide over the green surface like a calligraphy brush. It read 'class representative Sumire Kakai.'
At first, Isui raised an eyebrow when Shino-sensei decided to vote for such a position on the first day. After he had heard the string of responsibilities, however, the paint on the wall became exceedingly engaging. He did not know how the decision fell onto the violet-haired girl. Her appointment probably followed the hock-line and sinker method. After that, the grasp of peer pressure strangled her. Paired with her nervous character, it decided her fate. She had only unclenched her fists when their teacher told her to write her name down for everyone to see. Surime sat the chalk down, turned, and bowed toward the class.
"T-thank you for having me."
Shino-sensei nodded behind his podium.
"Thank you, Kakai-san. We will discuss your duties after school."
"Of course, Sensei."
The bell rang, signaling the start of the lunch break.
"Very well, class. We will continue after lunch."
The sound of chatter broke free like backwater from a dam.
Isui spent the lunch break with Shikadai and Inojin at the mensa.
"Isui-kun."
A girl's voice rang through the hall. The boys looked up and spotted the newly appointed class rep Sumire Kakai at the entrance of the mensa.
"Isui-kun, please come fast."
Her voice was frantic.
"Sarada is in a fight!" she called without further preamble.
Isui and Sarada had been trained and raised as ninjas and knew more than a little about hand-to-hand combat. Fighting was a central part of their culture, built on a strict hierarchy. Today was the first day at the ninja academy. Being challenged to fight to prove oneself and to cement or defend your place was expected.
Sarada dueling someone did not faze him much. His sister's taijutsu was as strong as his, and her fists hurt. Also, she had full marks on the entrance exam, which was public information.
Isui, Shikadai, and Inojin, too, had felt the eyes on them over the whole lunch break.
Isui felt no need to react to any glares or measured stares of the upper-grade students unless someone directly spoke out a challenge into his face, then he sure as hell would defend himself.
Shikadai would probably skillfully avoid or settle his fights verbally, and good luck on pissing off Inojin without losing it yourself. The blonde knew how to mess with your mind by utilizing his snarky comments and uncaring attitude.
"It's three of them against one."
Isui was instantly on alert. He jumped onto his feet and speed-walked over to Sumire.
"Who is it?" he demanded. "What's the story?"
Sumire started to lead him. She explained the story as they ran down the hallways.
Sumire repeated that three boys had challenged Sarada in the schoolyard. The girls wanted to eat under the cherry blossom tree, enjoying the pink blossoms, which are as synonymous with the twin family as the red and white fan on their backs.
These bullies had been looking for an excuse to start a fight, calling Cho Cho fat and commenting about Sarada's surname and her glasses. It did not sound like a fight started because of a wimp. Sumire's retelling was all over the place, and she swallowed many words by sucking in the air due to them running. It was remarkable she was not stuttering the whole time. Isui concluded that at least one bully had more information about Sarada than Isui wished for.
Sarada had kept together until they started to sneer about Isui. Then they'd finally been successful. It made Isui feel for his sister. He was the same as her. He tried not to care about what other people said about him, but when they slandered Sarada in front of him? He admitted that would make him fly off the shelves.
As they arrived on the scene, Isui's heart got torn between two decisions.
Cho Cho kneed on the ground with Sarada standing between her and the three bullies.
They were bigger, clearly upperclassmen. Isui fixated first on the one with moos green curly hair, a skinny build, and long legs. He was holding Sarada's left arm in a twisted way, making it impossible for her to move. To Sarada's right side was a plain boy with short brown hair. His hand pressed against his sister's shoulder blade. The third one was over one hundred sixty centimeters big, muscled, and had short blonde hair. He was the archetypical leader type, intimidating in height and frame for most other students. He cast a shadow over Sarada's skinny frame.
Sarada was staring up at the guy. She wiggled in the grasp of the other two boys. Isui could see her analyzing the situation, plotting how to proceed. It made him feel proud of his sister and divided his heart even more.
On the one hand, it was important for Sarada to stand up for herself, to prove that she was not afraid of the bully, to prove her worth, and to prove she was not to be taken advantage of. On the other hand, Isui wanted to jump right in and take over since he did not want to watch Sarada seriously get hurt in a fight that was not strictly necessary. In a blink of an eye, he made his decision.
A group of students spectated, fear evident on their faces.
Isui pushed past them. In the nick of time, he jumped, seized the plain boy by his neck, and kicked him in his back. The surprised boy toppled to his leader's feet. Isui locked eyes with the said leader.
"Three against one makes me think of you as a scaredy-cat."
"Who are you, you shitty brat."
"I am the one who will make sure the fight that you picked with my sister is a fair one, scaredy-cat."
"Isui", he head Sarada murmer.
"Do not call me scaredy-cat. I am the Toma the Smascher. Your sempai and I am just setting an example of who to respect around here."
Upon hearing his name, Isui snorted as an image of his mother pulverizing a rock the size of their house came to his mind.
"Well, you should have no problem proving your namesake in a real one-on-one, don't you?"
"With you?" Toma's eyes tightened in suspicion. One could think he was overthinking the situation earnestly, but his fisted hands spoke differently.
"No, with Sarada."
Sarada freed herself from the grasp of the green-haired boy. She leaned into Isui.
"Isui, I do not want to fight. Defending myself, yes, but actively searching the fight, no." She whispered into his ear.
"Sarada, this is still your defense," he said quietly. "I get that you did not choose to pick the fight. Just stick to the rules Mother taught you when she trained you in ninja martial arts. Don't hit first. And use only enough force to make him back off."
Isui held a fist before his sister's face. He uncurled his fingers, revealing a single cherry blossom petal.
"Mother is watching you."
Saradas eyes hardened again behind her glasses before a bolt of lightning struck the tip of a match. She backed away from Isui, who directed his attention back to Toma.
"One against one. Like it is honorable." He repeated the rules, removing himself from the battle side.
Isui stepped back, watching his sister as he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"It is me."
Shikadai appeared on his left side with Inojin.
"Seems like things get interesting," Inojin commented. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Are you okay with Sarada taking on such a big guy," inquired Shikadai.
"In a one-on-one, yes, I am."
The tension rose not only between the two fighters but also in the crowd. There were whispers about who would win and the overconfidence of those freshmen, of the presumed idiocy to go against Toma.
To keep his cool, Isui followed Inojin and crossed his arms, concentrating solely on the fight.
No one told them to start at a particular time as Sarada and Toma started to circle each other.
Toma attacked first. He threw a fairly predictable right hook. With no one holding her down, Sarada danced away.
Isui saw their mother in every move she made, and a giddy feeling started to bubble in his gut.
Toma was slower than her, and his posture lacked any form of elegance. His fighting style only relied on his mass and raw strength. That is why he picked on the younger students, Isui concluded.
The fight was nothing spectacular and pretty much a textbook example of why it is important to stay level-headed in a conflict, to never judge an opponent by looks alone, and why never to challenge his sister.
Exchanging empty punches and kicks, Sarada kept her composure, kept a distance, and only used enough force to make the bully back off.
And when his sister finally found her opening, a catlike grin appeared on Isuis's face.
It was a nerve wreaking gut punch. Not only did Toma's body get folded in half, but his mind too. From experience, Isui could verify that Sarada punches tended to bend reality. Even if she had not managed, cracking open a stone, a meat bag on unsteady feet was another case.
Toma flew back flat onto his back. His arms and leg wiggled helplessly in the air like a bug flipped upside down.
The crowd started to cheer for Sarada.
She had stood up for herself, just like their mother would want her to. And she had won.
"Hey, stop what you are doing!" A teacher unknown to Isui arrived with Sumire on his heels. Isui had not even realized that she had been missing.
"Stop the fighting."
"The fight is already over, Sensei," said Inojin. He and Shikadai matter-factly explained what had happened, not shying away from manipulating or swaying the teacher onto the twin's side.
Toma had been angry after the fight but with a sensei on the scene and too many witnesses eager to step up for Sarada. He and his so-called friends stood no chance and got a detention.
After the lunch break, Isui found a note on his table.
"After school. Hallway of the basement. One-on-One. No spectators."
Iwabee Yuino.