Here, in the shade of the wooded path behind the school, Kotei Jin strolled back towards the dormitory from class. He was taking the long way - after all, it was a beautiful day and classes were over, he had plenty of time.
To be honest, Jin doesn't look like much at first glance. Dark blue school uniform, average height, straight black hair that had just grown long enough to start getting in his eyes again. But he has an open, honest face and eyes that gleam with shrewd intellect.
Suddenly, a shout sounded from the run-down tennis courts further down the path. Jin's head snapped towards the sound, then he broke into a run. Around the corner, an unpleasant scene was playing out.
"She's holding out on us," the skinnier of the two scruffy upperclassman said casually to his counterpart. The girl's eyes darted about, looking for a way past the two thugs.
"I swear, I don't have any more money!"
"We don't believe you," said the skinny one. The other, a broad, square-chinned brute, shoved the girl. She hit the chain-link back fence of the court, dropped her bag, spilled books over the clay.
"What's going on here?" queried Jin as he rolled into view. The two upperclassmen spun to face him.
"Keep walking," advised the skinny one - who Jin had already mentally labeled "Ratface".
"Yeah," added the brick helpfully (Jin thought he looked more like a pitbull).
Jin ambled towards them. "Shame on you, harassing a young lady like that." There was a deliberate playfulness in his voice, but his face was fixed in a deadly-serious stare.
"What's it to you?" asked Ratface.
"Yeah, what're you gonna do about it?" added Pitbull, sliding between Jin and Ratface. His hand darted out with surprising speed and grabbed Jin's collar. He lifted Jin up slightly so they were eye-to eye. He grinned scornfully. "You gonna hit me?"
"No." Jin's voice was quiet.
"That's what I thought." Pitbull dropped him unceremoniously. "Now get out of here." He started to turn away.
"No."
Pitbull stopped. "What was that?!" He spun around to see Jin pointing his index and middle fingers right in Pitbull's face, separated in the universal symbol of a challenge -"scissors."
Pitbull recoiled.
"I challenge you to a duel," said Jin.
"A duel... like...?"
"Yep." Jin nodded.
"What about me?" asked Ratface.
"I'll duel you once I've beaten him." Jin was smiling confidently now.
"You little punk!" growled Pitbull.
Ratface grinned. "Sure, we'll duel you." He nodded at Pitbull. "Show him what you're made of."
Jin tossed his bag to the side, and he and Pitbull faced each other a short distance apart.
"Ready?" he asked. "We'll do best-two-of-three."
"You're dead," Pitbull said flatly. Jin shrugged.
They each raised a fist. Together, pumping their arms, they said:
"Rock! Paper! Scissors! SHOOT!"
"Tch," said Pitbull. Jin's Paper had beaten his Rock.
"Ah, that's okay, you've got another chance!"
Pitbull just snarled at that and raised his fist again.
"Rock! Paper! Scissors! SHOOT!"
Jin threw Scissors, and Pitbull threw Paper. Jin's victory again.
"You got lucky, you little..."
"Luck has nothing to do with it." Jin looked serious again. "I knew exactly what you would throw. My victory was guaranteed."
"How the hell could you know what I would throw?!"
"Simple. You would definitely open with Rock. Amateurs like you always start with Rock." Pitbull growled. "Then, you were angry. Looking for a strong sign, you reflexively used the one that beat your last throw - Paper. So I just threw Scissors, and you walked right into my trap."
Pitbull lunged at Jin, but stopped short. Ratface had grabbed the back of his shirt.
"Out of my way, you piece of trash," sneered Ratface, and shoved him aside. Pitbull sprawled on the court. "You were too easy to read. How pathetic."
"You shouldn't be so hard on him," said Jin. "After all - you're even easier to read."
"What?!"
"I can tell you right now - you're going to throw Scissors."
Ratface frowned. "Just get ready."
Jin raised his fist.
"Rock! Paper! Scissors! SHOOT!"
Ratface's mouth hung open. He had thrown Rock... and Jin had thrown Paper.
"You said I was going to throw Scissors! Why would you throw Paper?!"
"I said you would throw Scissors... so I knew that was the one sign you wouldn't dare throw. You would have to use Rock or Paper. Which means if I threw Paper, the worst that could happen would be a tie."
"You think you're so smart? That's just one point, and now that you've explained it, that trick isn't going to work again."
"Really? Is that what you think?" Jin cocked his head back. "Then listen up - you're going to throw Scissors."
Ratface started to sweat. "WHAT?! Do you really think that would work twice in a row?!"
"... Are you ready?"
"Fine! I'll wipe that look off your face!"
They raised their fists.
"Rock! Paper! Scissors! SHOOT!"
Ratface recoiled, tripped over his feet, and fell to the ground. "Im- impossible!"
Jin looked down scornfully, his hand still showing Rock. "Not at all. Of course you would use Scissors. Your desire to prove me wrong - by doing what I predicted when I said you wouldn't - was stronger than your caution. Because of that, it was obvious that you would use Scissors." He swept his hand out to encompass both of them. "Now get out of here."
The two defeated duelists scrambled to their feet and bolted.
Jin watched them go, then turned again. He handed the girl one of her books. She stared at him, stunned. Suddenly, she seemed to realize she was staring, then turned away, blushing.
"Thank you, Kotei-san," she mumbled, gathering up the rest of her things, then ran away without bothering to put her books in the bag.
Jin took a moment to catch his breath.
He bent down to pick up his bag. When he looked up again, there was someone standing at the entrance to the courts.
He was tall, strikingly beautiful, with long, flowing, blond hair - Ryoichi Kei. Jin almost didn't recognize him without throngs of admirers striving to earn his notice. Easily the most popular, admired, and envied boy in the school.
He was also the captain of Bosatsu Academy's dueling team.
Ryoichi tapped a long, folded paper fan on his shoulder.
"That was quite impressive... Kotei Jin."
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