18 Sakura Yamauchi’s Little Schemes

By the time Kyosuke Hojo reached the ground floor, Sakura Yamauchi was already standing by the side of the road waiting for him.

Under the glow of the streetlamp, Sakura stood with her fair, slender arms tucked behind her back, head bowed as she playfully stepped on her own shadow. There was no trace of the urgency she had displayed just moments before. The golden light, dancing in shifts of shadow and brilliance, perfectly accentuated her graceful silhouette.

"Would you like me to just hail a taxi to take you back to school?" Kyosuke asked as he approached her.

"Huh? Isn't your motorcycle parked over at the shrine? Why would I need a taxi?" Sakura looked up at him, her expression one of curious confusion.

"Weren't you the one who said you were running out of time to get back?"

"Oh, that? I was just making it up," she replied casually.

"Huh?"

"Kyosuke, you're such a dork. Do you really think my uptight school would allow students to be out this late? I already got permission to leave."

"Then where are you staying tonight? Not with Shoko and the others?"

"Definitely not. It’s rare to have some time alone with you, Kyosuke." Sakura suddenly looked at him with a hint of indignation. "How long has it been since we were truly alone?"

Kyosuke was taken aback. He paused to reflect and realized she was right. Ever since he had met Shoko and his relationship with Naohana had deepened, their outings had almost always been as a trio, save for his morning exercise routine.

"I don't care, take me for a ride now! That 'thief cat' beat me to your graduation button, so I’m claiming the first motorcycle ride!"

"Do you have any idea what you're saying? Those are some wild things to be blurting out."

"Just let's go!" Sakura moved behind him, pushing him forward by the waist.

They soon reached the spot outside Nezu Shrine where Kyosuke had parked.

"I should warn you, this is my first time riding this bike. You won't get that 'whoosh' sensation you're probably looking for; I’m going to have to take it slow."

"Hehe, 'whoosh' sensation? Kyosuke, you’re so funny," Sakura laughed.

"Alright, hop on." Kyosuke mounted the motorcycle and patted the pillion seat.

"I’m so excited! The second-generation leader of Tokyo’s most notorious delinquent gang, the 'Runaway Angels,' is taking me for a spin!" Sakura teased, her voice filled with playfulness. She knew that while Kyosuke appeared to be a lazy, indifferent heartthrob, he actually had a very low threshold for embarrassment regarding such chuunibyou antics.

*Smack.*

After the sound, both of them fell silent. Kyosuke pulled his hand back, recalling the elasticity and warmth he had just felt, and brought his fingers to his nose for a faint sniff.

"Kyosuke!" Sakura, stung by the slap to her backside and burning with sudden shyness, shrieked in indignation.

"Ah, sorry, sorry. Couldn't help myself. Hold on tight, I’m starting it up." With a twist of the throttle, the exhaust roared to life.

"Hmph," Sakura let out a small sound, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face firmly against his back.

"Here we go," Kyosuke warned, pulling the bike out onto the road. "Is there anywhere you want to go, Sakura?"

"Not really. Let's just follow this road and turn left at every intersection."

"Got it!" Kyosuke picked up a bit of speed.

April in Tokyo was at its most pleasant. As the bike cruised along, the lights on either side flickered by, creating the sensation of traveling through time. Feeling the chill in the air, Kyosuke slowed down and pulled over to the side. He brushed Sakura’s arm and asked, "Sakura, are you cold?"

He had felt the cool breeze on his own face and realized she was wearing very little. Sure enough, after just a short while, her arms were icy to the touch.

"Just a little bit, but it’s fine. Kyosuke, you’re so warm."

"Dummy, you have to tell me the second you feel cold!" Kyosuke said, taking off his tokkō-fuku (delinquent jacket) and handing it to her.

"Haha, now I’m a delinquent too!" Sakura put on the jacket, playfully waving the sleeves, which were far too long for her. "Kyosuke, Kyosuke, get off and let me sit on it. Take a photo of me so I can scare those rich girls at school tomorrow!"

Suddenly, her face lit up with excitement as she tugged at his arm.

"If that’s what you want, how about I take you to the Tokyo loop to find Masaki and the others? We can have them help you with the photoshoot," Kyosuke suggested. Aside from matters regarding her health, he was essentially unconditionally indulgent toward her requests.

"Oh my god, that sounds amazing! I want to go, I want to go, hurry, hurry!" Sakura hopped onto the bike, wrapped her arms around his waist, and reached a hand toward the sky, shouting, "Go, go!"

Kyosuke found himself caught up in her excitement. Sakura possessed a certain power—as if she could transmit her own vitality to those around her, making everyone as happy as she was. After sending a message to Masaki to confirm they were still cruising the loop, he asked them to wait at a designated spot.

Kyosuke carried Sakura toward the meeting point, following the navigation. On the other side, once Masaki relayed that their leader was on his way, the delinquents began to howl with excitement, anticipating their first motorcycle rally with the boss.

Once they hit the Tokyo Expressway loop, Kyosuke opened the throttle, letting the beast beneath him show a glimpse of its power. Sensing the increase in speed, Sakura clung to him tightly, a small gasp escaping her lips. Her warm, sweet breath tickled his neck, making his heart race.

Feeling the softness and elasticity against his back, and remembering the beautiful curves he had felt earlier at the shrine, Kyosuke glanced into the rearview mirror. Her brown hair was dancing in the wind, her lips parted slightly, and her face flushed with excitement, her amber eyes shimmering with light.

"Kyosuke, I caught the wind!" she shouted happily, holding one hand up high with her fingers spread wide. "Wow, Kyosuke, it turns out what they say online is true—it feels exactly like grabbing a breast!"

Kyosuke was stunned by her words, barely able to process them. "Sakura! Stop reading those weird things."

"What? What’s weird about that? Oh, I see, Kyosuke doesn't know what that feels like yet~" She giggled, her clear, crisp laughter carried away by the wind on the expressway. Her raised hand rhythmically clenched and released in the air.

"Kyosuke."

"Yeah?"

"Didn't you ask me where I was sleeping tonight?"

"Yeah, I was going to take you to Shoko's place later, right?"

"No way. Tonight, Kyosuke belongs to me!"

"Then what are we going to do?"

"Sleep with you, of course!" Sakura said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Cough!" Kyosuke choked, startled. "Don't joke around."

"I'm not joking. Did you forget? Your pillows, your duvet cover, your bedsheets—I bought them all. Didn't I tell you that back then?"

Kyosuke was speechless. Fortunately, the mass of motorcycle headlights appearing ahead saved him. "We're here. That's Masaki and the others."

"Hehe, Kyosuke is a coward," Sakura said, lowering her hand and pressing her face back against his spine.

*Beep—*

Seeing Kyosuke’s bike, the delinquents honked in unison. The massive blare of horns shattered the silence of the night. Thankfully, they were already on the outskirts of the city, so there was no need to worry about disturbing the residents. Looking out into the distance, the circular headlights in the dark looked like a pack of wolves hunting at night, or perhaps some unknown monster, emitting a deafening roar as if ready to pounce on its prey.

Kyosuke waited until the honking subsided before pulling up to them.

"Boss!"

The familiar shout rang out. Kyosuke was mostly used to it by now. Only Sakura, behind him, was startled by the roar before she hid behind him and giggled, clearly finding it amusing.

"Everyone, relax. I’m here to learn from you guys how to actually enjoy riding," Kyosuke said with a smile, seeing his subordinates tense up upon his arrival.

His eyes, inherited from his mother, were exceptionally gentle whenever he wasn't angry. And since he was smiling, a few of his subordinates even began to blush as they looked at his handsome face.

"Hahaha, enjoying a motorcycle ride doesn't need to be so complicated! Just twist the throttle and take a lap, and you'll feel it!" Katagiri Daishi of the Oya-koh branch laughed loudly.

"That's right, let's ride together!" said the soft-spoken Haitani Rindo, smiling as he sat on his rugged Harley.

"Then let's go!"

Kyosuke took the two helmets Kisaki Tetta handed him and put them on himself and Sakura. He had asked Kisaki to prepare them when he contacted Masaki earlier. The delinquents might have been "heroes" who laughed in the face of death, but Kyosuke was quite afraid of it. No matter how spirited his subordinates sounded, he had no intention of riding too fast.

With the large helmet pressed onto her head by Kyosuke, Sakura couldn't stop giggling—he was still that same health-conscious, death-fearing Kyosuke.

...

The night passed quickly as they rode with the subordinates, and their rapport grew significantly. By the end, even that guy Onizuka Eikichi dared to mock Kyosuke for riding as slowly as a turtle, which infuriated Kyosuke enough to tighten the throttle just a fraction, increasing his speed by a measly 0.1.

Kyosuke also tried to communicate with his subordinates to see if they could give him a new nickname—even if it wasn't as cool as "Big Brother Masaki," anything other than "The Handless Demon" would do. Unfortunately, this request was mercilessly rejected.

"The Handless Demon—how imposing! From now on, anyone who opposes you will have to spend most of their energy watching their own hands during a fight. What an advantage that is!" the delinquents argued logically.

Fine. Kyosuke decided then and there that he would switch to a different school of combat; the "Hokushin Hand-Chopping Style" could go as far away as possible.

Refusing Masaki’s invitation to continue the spree to the next location, Kyosuke carried Sakura back to the city.