.
The rain is getting heavier, and my clothes are getting soaked. The blood from my forehead is running into my eye, and my head hurts.
.
The woman is trying to pull me away, but I'm resisting.
"Argh, why have you to be so stubborn, If you didn't put up a fight, it would be much easier for you too."
.
I was hoping passersby would help me, but there's no one around—especially since it's raining so hard.
?
'Huh, why is she letting go?'
The woman loosens her grip a little.
"Let go of him!"
I was hoping Olivia would come looking for me, since I've been gone for a long time. She's probably worried and might think I've run away again.
So I was happy when I heard a familiar voice.
But it wasn't Olivia; it was the employee from the phone store running through the rain
.
"Huh, is that you?"
she said as she came closer
The question is directed at me, but I don't feel like answering right now.
"I didn't expect to see you here Hana. Do you want to play the hero again?"
said the woman who harassed me
"So it's you."
the red-haired employee replied
'Huh? What's going on here? That question from a moment ago wasn't directed at me, but at the other woman. Do the two of them know each other?'
.
"Hey redhead! Stop yapping and help me."
Now she notices me too.
"Huh? Aren't you the guy from back then!"
"Oh, you know that handsome boy too, Hana?"
said the woman and let go of me
"Get away from her!"
Hana called out
And i did
I run towards Hana and take shelter under a shop's awning.
I am completely soaked from the rain, and the cold wind is freezing me.
"Hana is your name right? Do you know this woman?"
Her expression darkened.
"Yeah, her name is Kuroha.... we have some history."
Hana looks more serious than I have ever seen her.
She is now standing on the street with Kuroha, even though the rain is falling even harder—much harder...
...The rain came down so hard that the city looked like it was drowning.
Water poured from rooftops, flooded the streets, and turned every neon sign into a trembling smear of color across the asphalt.
I can barely see 50 meters ahead.
But I can see them.
Hana stood in the middle of the street, soaked from head to toe.
Across from her, Kuroha stood completely still.
She looked almost relaxed.
'That's going to be bad.'
"Hana" I called.
She didn't look at me.
"I know."
Her voice was steady
.
Kuroha took one step forward.
Hana immediately moved.
Not backward.
Forward.
She sprinted straight at Kuroha.
!
Hana's fist passed through the space where Kuroha's face had been a fraction of a second earlier.
"damn it!"
Hana suddenly stopped.
Kuroha suddenly appeared behind her.
Hana twisted her body and drove her elbow toward Kuroha's ribs.
But Kuroha blocked it with her forearm.
The impact cracked through the rain.
Hana followed with a knee.
Kuroha caught her leg.
For a moment, the two of them were locked together.
Then Kuroha twisted and Hana was thrown sideways.
'She is strong.'
Hana hit the hood of an car hard enough to dent the metal.
She rolled off the car before Kuroha could reach her.
Her boots splashed into the flooded street.
She immediately turned.
Kuroha was already there.
A punch.
Hana ducked.
A kick.
She stepped back.
Another punch.
She leaned away.
Kuroha's fist stopped only a few centimeters from Hana's face.
Hana's eyes narrowed.
Then she smiled.
"Got it."
Kuroha's expression changed.
Just slightly.
Hana moved first.
She stepped inside Kuroha's guard and struck her stomach.
Kuroha blocked.
Hana struck again.
Blocked.
Again.
Blocked.
Then Hana changed direction and slammed her palm into Kuroha's jaw.
Kuroha's head snapped to the side.
'She actually hit her.'
Kuroha took two steps backward.
Hana didn't hesitate.
She chased her.
Left hook.
Kuroha parryed it.
Right straight.
Blocked.
Low kick.
Kuroha jumped over it.
Hana spun and attacked with her heel.
Kuroha caught her ankle.
"Too predictable and on top of that, you have the detection ability."
Kuroha pulled.
Hana lost her balance.
But before she could fall, Hana planted one hand against the ground.
She used the momentum to swing her body around.
Her free leg smashed into Kuroha's shoulder.
Kuroha released her.
Hana landed in a crouch.
She was reading her.
Not completely.
But enough.
from what I found out on the internet Hana's Detection Ability shouldn't simply be sensing someone's presence.
She should detect movement and changes in pressure, muscle tension and shift in weight.
Even though her ability isn't that strong, it should be better than I initially thought.
In combet, it let her predict what an opponent is about to do.
Against an ordinary fighter, that ability would be terrifying.
But against Kuroha, it looks like it's just enough to survive.
.
Kuroha wiped the rain from her cheek.
"Interesting."
Hana raised her guard.
" You're still an asshole, Kuroha.."
"Yes, i am."
.
Kuroha disappeared.
Hana's eyes widened.
She turned instantly.
Too slow.
Kuroha's fist struck her side.
Hana was launched across the street.
She crashed through a metal railing and hit the pavement.
I started running towards Hana.
"Don't!"
Her voice stopped me.
She pushed herself up.
Blood mixed with the rain running down her face.
"I'm fine."
She wasn't.
But she was standing.
Kuroha walked toward her.
Hana's breathing became slower.
Her eyes changed.
Focused.
"Come on."
Kuroha stopped.
Hana closed her eyes.
For a second, she didn't move.
Then—
Her eyes opened.
Kuroha attacked.
Hana moved before she did.
She ducked under the first punch.
Stepped around the second.
Blocked the third.
Then she struck Kuroha's wrist.
Kuroha's hand opened.
Hana immediately followed with a kick to her knee.
Kuroha stumbled.
Hana drove forward.
One punch.
Two.
Three.
Kuroha blocked the first two.
The third connected.
Then Hana grabbed her jacket and slammed her into a concrete wall.
The impact echoed through the street.
'Hana won'...I thought
Then Kuroha smiled.
"You're getting better."
Her hand grabbed Hana's wrist.
Hana's eyes widened.
Kuroha twisted and Hana's body followed unwillingly.
Kuroha stepped behind her and drove her elbow into Hana's back.
*Argh*
Hana gasped.
Kuroha kicked the back of her knee.
Hana dropped.
Before she could recover, Kuroha grabbed her shoulder and threw her onto the street.
Hana rolled.
*Woosh*
!
Kuroha's foot came down.
*Bang*
Hana barely moved her head.
The heel smashed into the asphalt beside her.
Cracks spread through the pavement.
Hana kicked Kuroha's leg away and scrambled backward.
*Huff..huff..huff..huff..huff*
She was breathing heavily now.
Her left arm hung slightly lower than the other.
This wasn't a fight anymore.
She wiped blood from her mouth.
Then she stood again.
"One more time."
Kuroha looked at her.
"You can't win."
"I don't need to win."
Hana glanced toward me.
"I just need to keep her busy."
She charged and Kuroha met her halfway.
Their fists collided.
Hana immediately changed angles.
Kuroha followed.
Kuroha kicked.
Hana ducked.
.
Kuroha kicked again but much harder
Hana blocked with both arms.
*Woom*
The impact sent her sliding backward.
She planted her foot.
.
Hana closed her eyes
...
"There..."
Hana moved.
She avoided the next strike and countered with a punch toward Kuroha's ribs.
Kuroha twisted.
The punch missed.
But Hana had expected that.
She turned her fist at the last moment and caught Kuroha in the shoulder.
Kuroha staggered and Hana stepped forward.
For the first time, Kuroha looked genuinely surprised.
Hana struck again.
And Kuroha blocked again.
Hana struck again.
Blocked.
Again.
Blocked.
Then Hana suddenly stopped.
Kuroha's eyes narrowed.
Hana's breathing was ragged.
But she smiled.
*Huff...Huff*
"I know what you're going to do."
Kuroha vanished from her vision.
Hana immediately turned.
She was right.
Kuroha appeared behind her.
Hana twisted away from the first strike.
But Kuroha hadn't attacked with her fist...
Her leg swept underneath Hana's feet...
And Hana fell.
Kuroha caught her by the collar before she hit the ground.
Hana's eyes widened.
!
Kuroha pulled her closer.
"Detection isn't the same as experience."
Then Kuroha drove her knee into Hana's stomach.
Hana folded.
Kuroha released her.
Hana collapsed onto the flooded street.
For a moment, she didn't move.
The rain hammered against her back.
She tried to push herself up.
Her arms shook.
She couldn't.
Kuroha stood a few meters away.
She didn't pursue.
The fight was already over.
I dropped beside Hana.
I don't know what it is, but I know I'm done for without Hana. Kuroha wasn't even remotely serious when she was messing with me. The same goes for Hana when I swiped the phone.
"Hey. Stay with me."
She coughed.
Then she gave me a weak smile.
"Did... I buy enough time?"
I looked at her.
Blood was running from the corner of her mouth.
Her breathing was painful, but steady.
"Yeah."
'I don't even know what she's trying to buy time for—did she want me to run away? But then she wouldn't be asking me this now.'
But I know that hardly anyone ever tried to help me when I was in trouble. And now Hana is doing it—and doing more than anyone ever has. I really appreciate that... thank you.
I clenched my fists.
"You did."
Hana closed her eyes.
"Good."
she said with a faint smile
...
...
She finally let herself fall still.
I'm checking on her.
'She is still alive.'
'Damn it, why is she doing this for me anyway?'
...
I looked up at Kuroha...which came closer.
The rain continued to fall between us.
She hadn't even broken a sweat.
That was when I understood the difference between them... them and me.
Hana fought hard with everything she had.
Kuroha had been fighting enough to make sure she didn't kill her.
And somehow, that realization hit me more than anything else.
Kuroha is now standing right in front of me, looking down at me with sharp eyes
She slowly opens her mouth.
"I didn't even really use my ability..."
"...I told you I'd show you... that women are superior."