Chapter 47: Screening Event (Clash)
During the celebration, at Kousuke's suggestion, we decided to watch 'Riverside Duel: Tachibana VS Aoi.'
※ The content of Tachibana VS Aoi and the reactions of the members watching it alternate. This episode features the usual members commenting on flashbacks from Chapters 28 to 31. Love<Comedy
On the large TV, the date and time are first displayed on the screen.
A rustling sound, like 'Zaa Zaa,' comes from a distance.
From afar, Aoi and three companions approach.
It's evening in a residential area.
Aoi "Ah! Tachibana! How dare you on Friday!"
Tachibana 'Huh? I got hit too, so we're even, right? I let it slide on Friday, so you should be grateful!'
Aoi "I'll never forgive you!!"
The atmosphere is on the verge of exploding.
———————
While watching.
Tachibana 'Ah! Is this the footage from the smartphone I had tucked in my chest? It captured everything so clearly! Amazing,'
Aoi 'Why was I so mad back then?'
Obata 'Be quiet.'
We decided to watch in silence.
————————
Aoi charges at Tachibana! Tachibana runs away!
Aoi's hand grazes him.
Middle schoolers dash past someone waiting, at an incredible speed.
With Aoi's demon-like expression, the three companions run behind him.
Obata-san, probably holding the camera, films Tachibana and Aoi dashing past. Obata-san calls out to the three following them.
'Ah! About the beautification committee, just a sec—'
The three dash past without making eye contact with Obata-san.
A subtitle appears, saying 'Failed to stop them.'
————————
While watching.
Tachibana 'Aoi's hand grazed me, right? If he had caught me there, it would've been over.'
Aoi 'That's why I chased you, thinking I'd catch you right away.'
Tachibana (That was really close...)
Obata 'More importantly! I called out to them to stop them, and they didn't even look at me!'
Aoi 'I get how they felt.'
Obata 'What's that supposed to mean?'
Tanaka 'I helped with the editing, and they really didn't make eye contact at all, did they?'
Obata 'So rude!'
————————
The screen shows Aoi in pursuit.
Aoi 'Wait! Wait, you jerk! If you don't stop, I'll beat you up!'
Tachibana runs in silence.
Aoi "Wait, damn it. Hey, enough already...!"
Aoi, shouting while running, starts to lose his breath. The three companions lag behind.
————————
While watching.
Aoi 'Huh? Was I really like this? Was I this rough?'
Saho 'Yeah, you were like that.'
Aoi 'What? Seriously?'
————————
From Tachibana's perspective camera, Kashii-san comes into view ahead.
The camera switches to Kashii-san's perspective.
Tachibana and Aoi dash past Kashii-san! About 10 seconds later, Aoi's three companions follow!
Kashii 'Sorry, can I have a moment?'
Three companions "Kashii-san! What's up? Haa haa."
Kashii 'Sorry, are you busy?'
Three companions 'Not at all!'
A subtitle on the screen reads 'Successfully stopped them!'
From the screen, Kashii-san's voice can be heard.
While explaining briefly, it's mentioned that for tomorrow's sports festival, they need help getting headbands and happi coats from the storage and distributing each color to the classes.
By the time the brief explanation is done, Aoi and I are completely out of sight.
————————
While watching.
Obata 'I'm not convinced. Is this a difference in femininity?'
Kashii 'Maybe Obata-chan seemed scary?'
Obata 'Reina, that's not helpful at all, you know?'
————————
On Tachibana's camera, Tanaka-kun is visible at the entrance to the riverside park, and a subtitle reads 'Preparation complete.'
Tachibana 'What, you're not fired up enough!'
Aoi 'Haa haa, Tachibana! Wait, damn it.'
On the screen, Tachibana is getting tired too. But Aoi is staggering.
Tachibana 'Aoi, come at me!'
Aoi 'You come at me!'
Watching the screen, Aoi is so exhausted he doesn't even make a move toward Tachibana. Tachibana on the screen sticks out his butt with a 'peroon' gesture.
'!!'
Tachibana on the screen, without saying a word, slaps his butt.
————————
While watching.
Everyone ''Ahahaha wwww''
Tachibana 'Stop it!! No, delete this! You recorded this?! Don't watch it!!'
Kousuke 'Come on, just watch.'
Kashii-san and Obata-san stare intently at the screen.
Ise-san is rolling with laughter.
————————
Aoi '! You bastard! Hey!'
Despite being so exhausted, Aoi, with a furious expression, chases after Tachibana.
Tachibana's camera captures the battlefield at the riverside park, under the overpass, and then switches to another camera upon arrival.
Then, Tachibana and Aoi glare at each other.
(From this point, it seems they filmed from three locations using Kousuke's tablet and Tanaka's smartphone and tablet.)
The time is just past 5 PM. It's still bright, but the riverside is tinged orange by the setting sun. Tension fills the quiet park.
The showdown approaches.
————————
While watching.
Ise 'This is so funny! Editing this must've been tough, right?'
Kousuke 'It was tough.'
Tanaka 'It took three months.'
Ise 'You guys were doing this! I wish I'd seen it live!'
————————
The subtitle explains that at the battlefield of the riverside park, under the overpass, three pitfalls have been dug, with their locations shown on an overhead map.
Aoi's legs tremble like a fawn's, and he's barely breathing. He's clearly at his limit. Tachibana is tired too, but the difference in their condition is obvious at a glance.
The camera zooms in super close on their faces, with subtitles added to their lines for dramatic effect.
Tachibana 'Aoi, I'll give you three minutes. Catch your breath.'
Aoi 'Haa haa, Tachibana, you're so composed!'
A quiet, tense BGM plays in the background.
Three minutes have passed. Aoi's complexion and breathing have clearly improved compared to earlier.
———————
While watching
Aoi 'Man, I know I got beaten, but doesn't Tachibana look super cool? Seriously, I kinda want this footage.'
Obata 'It's passionate.'
Ise 'Seriously cool.'
Kashii 'Yeah, she's really cool.'
———————
The two glare at each other for a while.
Tachibana 'Aren't you coming?'
Aoi 'Shut up!'
A fist with incredible force passes in front of Tachibana.
Aoi 'Always smirking! You're so annoying, you introvert!'
Tachibana 'I don't get it.'
Sparks practically fly between them as they clash intensely.
———————
While watching
Aoi '...Hey, was I really like this? You didn't edit this with malice or anything, right?'
Obata 'You're always like this, aren't you?'
Aoi 'No, I mean, come on... ugh, I can't accept this.'
———————
On the screen, Tachibana dodges Aoi's attack while Aoi is already out of breath.
Tachibana 'I'm already bored. Aoi, I won't dodge next time, so come at me for real, okay?'
Aoi 'Don't underestimate me!!'
———————
While watching
Tachibana 'I'm not used to fighting, and my attacks weren't landing, so I decided to just go for a mutual hit right here.'
Aoi 'Seriously? My attacks weren't landing either, so your composure scared the hell out of me!'
Tachibana 'It was a bluff. Also, I was making sure you didn't fall into a pitfall and self-destruct on your own.'
Aoi 'You were even watching out for me so I wouldn't fall into a pitfall on my own...?'
Obata 'If you'd ended it by falling into a pitfall on your own, that would've been even funnier, right?'
Aoi 'Maybe losing the fight was for the best.'
———————
On the screen, it's finally the climax.
Aoi's right fist lands on Tachibana's left cheek, and you can see Aoi's victorious expression in slow motion. Huh? Is the slow motion just editing?
Even while taking the hit, Tachibana swings a powerful right fist with a small motion! The next moment, it lands on Aoi's left cheek.
As Aoi's legs wobble, Tachibana then swings a small left fist like a hook into Aoi's jaw.
Aoi collapses unconscious. Three cameras capture Aoi falling in slow motion from different angles.
Tachibana also falls on her butt.
——————————
While watching
Ise-san is throwing punches in the air,
Ise 'It's so intense. Seriously passionate!'
Kashii 'It's a bit scary. Don't do this again, okay?'
Tachibana, Aoi 'Yes,'
—————————
On the screen, there's a scene of Tachibana talking to Kousuke.
Tachibana 'Sorry, I thought winning with traps would leave bad blood... I changed the plan on my own, sorry.'
Kousuke 'Sho won, so it's fine, right?'
Kousuke uses zip ties to bind Aoi's wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles so he can't move.
Saho 'Finish him? Finish him?'
———————
While watching
Saho 'Back then, I really thought about finishing you off, but now I'm glad I didn't.'
Aoi 'Saho, I'm really sorry.'
To be continued.
—————————
Ise-san is engrossed in the edited video.
Tanaka, Saho '...'
Tanaka and Saho are captivated by Ise-san's bouncing chest as she shakes with excitement.
(That's why they aren't saying much.)