Super Spark of Duper Pride [OB] - Act I: Motivation

0-11: Crush Teasing (Ninja 1 & Spider 11)

Ninja 1:

Game: "KO!"

The announcer shouted those words as they appeared on the arcade screen.

Shinobu Kusama, aka me, has once again lost to Hiiro, as usual.

"Don't get cocky, Skanda. I am catching up, y'know?"

I exclaimed, and it is true that I am catching up.

Ever since I started training under Hiiro, I have gotten a lot better at fighting games.

She has been teaching me and the Childhood Couple how to play and we have improved at a lightning fast pace.

I said that I will beat her someday, but really, that's just an excuse to hang out.

I have always tried my best to be the life of the party, so that I can be popular and have lots of friends, at least that was the plan anyway.

When that stopped working as people started to treat my antics as white noise, I started to focus on helping them to get them to like me.

But in the end, people don't really care about me beyond what I can provide for them.

They only acknowledge my existence when they ask me to run errands for them.

Except for Sachi, who told me to stop letting others, especially Merei and Kengo, take advantage of my overeagerness to help.

Though I end up bugging her to let me help her out instead out of gratitude, much to her annoyance.

I am also grateful to Hiiro, Asaka and Kuniyan for hanging out with me at the arcade so often.

They may not actually care about me as a person but this is still a step up from ignoring me.

"So, how are things between you and Kyouya?"

I asked teasingly.

Ever since the incident where Kyouya defended Hiiro from Merei, there has been a spike in rumours as to who Hiiro actually likes.

I decided to be cheeky and set up a pool where people can bet on who Hiiro is going to end up with.

My bets are on Kyouya so I have actual stakes in Hiiro's romantic life now, y'know?

Hiiro: "Not happening."

Her voice is monotone as always but she is definitely annoyed.

She's undeniably got an ego problem, thinking herself as above everyone else when really, she is just a loser like me.

Which is why it's so much fun to knock her down a peg by teasing her.

"But I bet you're super scared when it looked like Merei was going to beat you up, and super grateful that Kyouya came to your rescue. He's just so cool, isn't he? Like a shining white knight coming to the rescue of-Ouch!"

Hiiro: "Start match."

She said in a monotone voice right after karate chopping my head.

Asaka and Kuniyan giggle at that.

Pretty sure I hit a sore spot there, as for whether Hiiro actually likes Kyouya though, I'm not actually sure.

Still, heh-heh, she is like the stuck up older sister I never had.

"Say, how goes the preparation for the election?"

I asked seriously.

Sachi plans on becoming student council president and I want to support her.