KOF Evolution(1)
written by kyoji

Chapter 1: Fiery Relations

"Oniichaaaaan! Wake up! Breakfast's ready! Mouuu!!" the fiery-blond haired girl shook at the sleeping lump in bed that was desperately trying to hide under the pillow. "If you don't wake up, I'll eat your portion!".

"What?!?" the lump in bed promptly sat up, tossing the pillow into the girl's face. "Hey! Don't you dare touch my breakfast Asuka!"

"Bii~dah! See you at the table!" she smirked and whacked him with the pillow before zipping down the stairs. Kenji groaned and scratched his head, causing locks of his reddish-brown hair to stick up in tufts.

"Geez...you HAD to wake me in the middle of a dream Asuka..." he turned and yelled downstairs. "NEXT TIME WAIT FOR THE DAMN COMMERCIAL BREAK!"

"What if it's a pay-per-view movie?" came the reply.

"Then you're paying for the movie!" Kenji shot back, hurriedly dressing and looking at the time. "Oh shit! We're gonna be late!"

"So what else is new?" Asuka grumbled as he slid down the stairs and vaulted over the handrail. She gave her brother a rather annoyed look as he took his place at the table adjacent to her.

"What's that look for?" he asked, picking up his chopsticks and rice bowl. She shook her head and sighed.

"I wish you'd get up on time for school WITHOUT me having to kick you awake every morning bro..." she muttered, following suit with her bowl. "Tanaka-sensei gave me hell the other day about us always being late...I wouldn't be late if not for you!"

"What?! Hey, it aint my fault they make school start so early! Go tell THEM that!" he shot back, shoveling some rice into his mouth.

"Now what're you two fighting about again this time?" Yuki sighed, walking out of the kitchen.

"Nothing Mom...just telling bonehead here to do me a favor and get up earlier." Asuka muttered. "I swear he takes after Dad too much. Luckily I got my share of the good DNA in the family" she smirked.

"Uh huh, sure." Kenji deadpanned, "...Though since when did 'good' consist of being an annoying little brat with a mouth the size of Mt. Fuji?"

"Hey! You take that back bro!" Asuka glared, dropping her rice bowl.

"What? Truth hurts?"

"Take it back or I'll kick your ass!"

"Stop it, both of you!" both children looked down at the table at Yuki's outburst. She shook her head and sighed. "I've told the two of you many times to not pick on each other's flaws. No one's perfect, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Take your father as an example..."

A loud snore came from a room upstairs. Both children snickered and Yuki simply shook her head. "He's lazy, forgetful, thick as a brick at times..."

"Uh, Mom...you're not doin' him any favors here." Kenji interjected as Asuka struggled not to simply crack up laughing, both hands clapped over her mouth.

"It's as you said, truth hurts." Yuki rolled her eyes. "But still, despite all his faults, he still has many shining qualities that are easily overlooked if you simply look at the flaws. It's that way with everyone, that goes for both you and Asuka-chan too." she looked over to both her children for a long moment, then let her breath out slowly. "Now...Kenji-kun, apologise to your sister."

"Yeah, yeah...sorry sis..." he muttered. Asuka looked over to her brother.

"Geez...at least say it like you mean it!"

"Now, Asuka-chan, don't make things worse okay?" she looked back down at the table when she caught her mother's reproaching gaze.

"Sorry Mom...sorry bro..." she added after a moment's hesitation.

"Forget it." Kenji replied with a light tone, putting his bowl down. "Come on, we're gonna be late..."

"Oh no! Look at the time! Bye Mom!" Asuka grabbed her bookbag and ran out the door after her brother. Yuki gazed at the door with a long, wistful look on her face for a while, then shook her head, smiled, and proceeded to gather up the dishes.

******************** 

"Hey bro, wait up already!" Asuka ran up alongside her brother, then paused for a moment to catch her breath, leaning against the wall. "Like, what's the big rush anyway? Don't tell me you actually WANT to get to school on time?". Kenji rolled his eyes at the smirk on her face.

"Are you kidding? I just wanted to get outta there before Mom started another of her sermons..." the two of them walked at a brisk pace toward the school.

"Yeah, I know what you mean..." Asuka sighed, shaking her head. "I kinda wish Mom didn't have such a set role model type outlook on how we oughtta be, you know?"

Kenji shuffled along, falling behind slightly as he paused to punt a few discarded cans over a nearby fence. The sign on the wall nearby read, 'Kanran Ikkoku (inn)'

"She was right about Dad though, hehe." Asuka cupped a hand over her mouth and stifled a laugh.

"Hey, he's not that bad..." Kenji muttered. "Sure he's lazy and bums around all the time but STILL..."

"Uh huh, hehehe." Asuka skipped around her brother a few times, giggling at the irritated look on his face.

"Like...you can cut that out sometime you know sis..." he muttered, shaking his head at his overly-hyperactive younger sister. "Don't you get tired hopping around the place all the time? Sheesh, I'm getting tired out just watching you."

"I can't heeeeelp it bro!" she chirped, spreading her arms wide and running laps around him then running on ahead before stopping next to a lightpole and waving across the road at a number of patrons at a sidewalk cafe. "It's such a beeeautiful day! How can you not feel good?!?" Asuka spun around the lightpole a few times. "Come oooon! Cheer up bro! Genki ge~nki!!"

"There is such a thing as being a little TOO 'genki', you know..." Kenji muttered under his breath as he passed the lightpole. "Come on, we're gonna be late."

"Mouuu!" Asuka groaned and fell back into step alongside her brother. "So what else is new? We're always late as is! Can't you wake up on time for ONCE?"

"Hey! I'm a growing boy okay? I need my sleep!" Kenji punted another can across the road. This one bounced a few times and struck a cat, promptly causing it to achieve vertical liftoff to a height of about 10ft before falling, accidentally, into an open manhole. "It's not my fault they make school start so early!" Asuka observed the short chain of events with a rather annoyed look.

"Geez bro, you're hopeless!"

"Why thank you, I love you too sis." Kenji deadpanned, smirking at his sister. Asuka simply shook her head and threw her arms up.

"Okay, I officially give up...Come on, let's move it, I don't wanna cop any more crap than the usual Hidemi-sensei gives out..." Kenji slumped over and exaggerated a sigh, then took off running after his sister.

*************** 

The pair barely made it through the gates as the final bell sounded. Only a few remaining stragglers remained outside, most of them heading for the entrance. Asuka ignored the usual stares she got from the more perverted members of the male student population and headed inside along with the rest of the stragglers. Kenji however, simply lagged behind, not caring.

"Hey! Kenji!" he turned to look at the source of the voice.

"Oi Hiro-chan, dou?" he replied with a bored look, yawning. Hiroshi gave him a hard look.

"You know I hate being called that!"

"Yeah yeah, so what else is new..." Kenji muttered, walking up to the little group. His friends, more commonly known as the resident Underachiever's Club at Takaya Minami HS, comprised of four people; Sakuragi Hiroshi, Minamoto Keisuke, Bushiko Taka and himself. They were famous, or rather, infamous around campus for their 'activities', which comprised of anything from failing exams, cutting class to peeping on girls.

"Yo Ken-man, whassup?" Taka quipped, grinning. "Asuka have to wake you again? Damn, you sure are lucky." Kenji rolled his eyes at the comment from the rather well-proportioned Taka.

"Heh, yeah...She can wake me aaaanyday, hehehe!" Keisuke drawled, staring up at one of the windows on the 3rd floor.

"You wish, she wouldn't even give you the time of day!" Hiroshi quipped. "She doesn't like drooling perverts you know?"

"Oh yeah? Well hey, she doesn't like four-eyed wimps either, right Kenji?"

"You know...you can cut the shit out anytime..." Kenji muttered in a low voice.

"Hey, woah! You're defending Asuka? I thought you and her didn't get along? What? Hell freeze over or something?" Hiroshi asked with a major shit-eating grin on his face. Kenji groaned. Just like usual, give them a wrong idea and you know the rest.

"No, I'm not! It's just..." he hesitated a moment. "...Just...sheesh! It ain't the kinda shit I wanna deal with first thing in the morning okay? So just drop it!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure...Man, you're no fun at all." Taka grumbled, then turned to look at the gate. "Hey, look, it's whatsisname, that freak." Everyone turned to look.

A limosine had pulled up just outside the gates and the driver had disembarked to open the door for the passenger. From inside, a tall, lanky boy dressed in a rather exaggerated version of the school's uniform stepped out, pausing to flick his long blonde hair back. Female voices, well, screeches could be heard from the windows on the 3rd and 4th floor.

"Eeee! It's him! It's Kuniharu!"

"Ooooo...he's SO handsome!"

"Over heeeere! Kuni-samaaaaa!"

"Waaaaa! Why doesn't he notice me?!?" Kenji shook his head and clasped a hand to his forehead at the noise coming from the windows above. His 3 companions nodded in agreement.

"Hey! You girls keep it down! Geez!" Keisuke yelled up to the 3rd floor. "Talk about getting excited over nothing!"

"Drop dead you wimp!" one of the girls yelled back.

"Yeah! Just because no one's yelling for you! Right Sayuri?" another chimed in, poking her head out above the girl named Sayuri.

"Ano...Mika...you mind getting off me? Geez!..."

"Iyaaa! Gomennasaaaaaai!' Mika wailed.

"Oi! Baka! Get in here now!" Asuka yelled out at her brother. Kenji shot her an annoyed look and didn't budge.

"Hey! Look, it's Asuka!" Taka pulled on Hiroshi's sleeve and pointed up. "Asuka-chaaaaan! Kocchi yoooo!"

"Such petty annoyances these mortals be..." 3 sets of eyes turned to look at the advancing figure of Kuniharu. "It would not be wise to proceed further in your quest to acquire the heart of the beautiful flower you call 'Asuka'..."

"Oh yeah?!? Who're you to talk FREAK!" Keisuke snapped back at the blond-haired youth standing a good 3 or 4 inches above him. Kuniharu leveled his gaze at the speaker.

"You will address me as 'sempai', and no other." he stated impassively. "For trash such as yourself do not deserve the honor of addressing me by name."

"Ooooo! He's SO cooool! Kuni-samaaaaa!"

"Over heeeere! Kuni-samaaaa!" Kuniharu turned and waved at the girls above, blowing them a kiss. Several of them fainted.

"Geez, now that is just sad..." Taka remarked.

"They are simply overwhelmed by my imposing presence." Kuniharu said rather evenly, running a hand through his hair. "As such would be so to any young lady exposed to the presence of pure beauty such as myself."

"You know, I've had just about enough of your bullshit, freako." Keisuke snapped, pushing up a sleeve. "Come on, I'm gonna shut that trash mouth of yours!"

"You, would deign to challenge me?!?" Kuniharu regarded the former like an insect to be trodden on. "Do not waste my time...You are not my match."

"We'll see about that! Ikuzo! KYAAAAAAAAAA!!" Keisuke screamed and rushed at Kuniharu.

"Keisuke! Wait! Don't!" Hiroshi yelled after his friend. The warning came too late however, as Kuniharu deflected the clumsy fist thrown by Keisuke with shocking ease, and moments later, rammed his own up into the younger boy's stomach. Keisuke hit the ground, doubled up and groaning, holding his stomach. The girls watching from the windows above cheered.

"Keisuke no baka!"

"Thinking he even stood a chance against Kuni-sama! Hmph!"

"Kuni-samaaaaaa!" Kuniharu looked up and bowed slightly to the 'audience'.

"Baka na..." Kuniharu sighed, almost as if tired. "...It is like the rabbit challenging the lion...There is but one outcome..."

Hiroshi and Taka rushed over to help their fallen friend.

"Oi! Keisuke! Daijobu ka? OI!" Hiroshi slung one of Keisuke's arms over his shoulders and helped pull him up, with Taka supporting the other side.

"A...Ah...Daijobu...." Keisuke gasped, winded. "Kuso...Kono yarou...ore o...ugh!"

"Baka! You know we can't take him!" Taka grumbled. "What were you thinking?!?"

"Yes...That is correct...You, even if you were to train for a hundred years, you would not be worthy to lick my boots...Now begone, your presence offends my asthetic sense." Kuniharu stated, waving them away as if they were lackeys.

"Ki...Kisama..." Taka growled.

"Oi...Matte iru..." Everyone turned to look at Kenji, who had been leaning against a tree watching the whole time. "...Kore de juubun da ze..."

"Wha...What're you talking about?" Keisuke gasped, still trying to regain his breath.

"You guys get inside, I'll handle this." Kenji replied, a-matter-of-factly. "Take Kei-chan to the nurse's office."

"Don't *cough* call me that! Temee!" Keisuke spat.

"Yeah, yeah, move it!" Keisuke shot Kenji a glare but didn't resist as Hiroshi and Taka helped him into the building. Kenji turned to face Kuniharu.

"...Kimi da..." Kuniharu spat, looking almost sick to be even breathing the same air as Kenji. "...Who do you presume to think you are? Ah yes, you are the so-called brother of that beautiful flower known as Asuka, are you not? To think that one so brazen would share the same surname as one so beautiful."

Kenji simply rolled his eyes and groaned. Up above by the windows, several girls gave Asuka jealous looks. She simply shook her head.

"Baaaa~ka..." Asuka muttered. "Kenji! Get up here already!"

"Shut up already! Keep your nose outta this sis!" Kenji yelled back. Asuka stuck her tongue out.

"So anyway...you...whatsyername?...Dildo was it?" Kenji looked back over to Kuniharu, who promptly reddened with anger at the name.

"My name is Nikaido!" he growled, visibly pissed-off. "...You shall NOT repeat this blasphemous mistake again, Kusanagi!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Dildo..." Kenji waved off the retort. "...Doesn't change the fact you beat up my friend, so now I'm gonna kick your ass."

"You dare challenge me, Kusanagi?!?" Kuniharu half-screamed. "You shall regret this day!"

"Yeah yeah, like, WHATEVER..." Kenji groaned, clasping a hand to his forehead. "Geez, look, forget it...listening to you made me dizzy anyway."

"Wha-WHAT?!?"

"You heard, ciao!" Kenji turned and walked into the building, waving. Kuniharu simply stood still for a few long minutes, unable to believe what had just happened. That a commoner, a nobody had talked into his face and had walked off like he was just another person on the street. HIM, a Nikaido! This was unforgivable!

"Kusanagi...You will pay for this insult!..." Kuniharu seethed for a little longer, before the undeniable fact that he was late to class hit him like a ton of bricks...

To Be Continued...

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