Chapter 342 - Just Who Are You?
When Kyle entered Sage Class, he swept his gaze over everyone in the class, making sure not to focus on anyone in particular - even though he was. One particular girl that was in the far corner and who was trying hard not to pay him any attention.
Which was really bad, actually.
Not about the fact that she was doing a bad job about 'not looking' but rather, the act of 'not looking' itself was bad. She is a new student, and the Sage Class Leader has returned. Not to mention, he is the Student Council President.
It wasn't that Kyle was pretentious or big-headed, but it is a fact that a normal person in her position would have paid attention to him arriving. So her act of actually 'not looking' was much more glaring and obvious.
Thus, it would have caused her to stand out more, rather than blend in.
Kyle smirked.
Looks like her agitation towards him has impaired her judgment.
Kyle knew from the records that he and Kay compiled that Sayuri is, despite all appearances right now, very skilled. She was almost a female version of Kyle. A much lower version and probably a prototype, but a female version nonetheless.
Genius from a young age. Budding CEO. Skilled ninja-in-training.
There were obvious flaws but she was good. Just not good enough. Kyle remembered what Master Shifu had said. Not to make it difficult for her.
Didn't mean that he was going to make it easier either.
He saw that she had immense potential, so he would drop certain hints and see how it goes from there. Since this was her initiation test, then it would be remiss of him not to help out, right? The Kylie in him would help train her, the Kyle in him ... well, that's another story.
As Kyle walked through the door, he shouted, "I'M BACK!!"
Then with a big grin, he posed, running his hand through his hair as he said, "Admire my greatness".
Sayuri, who was busy with her head down and yet trying to look at Kyle, nearly splat her head on the desk at that.
THAT was the Kyle that was so great?
Xing Han was beside him and started ooohing and aaahing, bowing and saying, "Oh great Kyle! I am cleansed by your awesomeness shining bright like a diamond upon me."
"Kids," Kay said while rolling her eyes and glided to her desk.
Kyle flung an arm around Xing Han, then forced Xing Han's head down as he rubbed his hair vigorously.
"KYLE! Noooooo!! NOT THE HAIR!!" Xing Han shouted, trying to get free.
He was flailing his arms all about, while moving his feet to the back. He then grabbed Kyle by the waist, trying to get him to let him go but Kyle held on tight.
While both of them were struggling there, Ali suddenly came from behind and pounced on Kyle.
Or, at least, tried to.
At the last minute, Kyle made a slight step to the side and Ali flew past him.
Sayuri's eyes narrowed at this, her heart beating rapidly.
Just what was that? That move of his ... to others, it may have just been a fluke but she knew better. He had his back to Ali, but the stance of his feet was ready at a certain position. When Ali rushed forward, he made a move that was a slide and a step, a move so slight that it appeared normal.
But it wasn't.
The precision and timing had been perfect. It was not a fluke.
She started paying closer attention to the three stooges.*
Ali rushed to Kyle again, and he moved to the side while bringing Xing Han along.
"Kyle! I'm getting dizzy ..." Xing Han said, holding on to Kyle's waist tightly.
Ali lunged at Kyle's head, his arm reaching for his hair when Kyle leaned back and fell, right onto the cushions and bean bags. Ali also fell and the three of them were laughing like crazy on the floor, with Kyle in the middle while Xing Han was on his left and Ali on his right.
Everyone else in Sage Class was ignoring them, which just meant this was a normal thing.
Sayuri twirled the pencil in her hands, concentrating hard.
The old Sayuri would have scoffed at Kyle, at his rather playful nature and the way he was just goofing off. The 'trying hard to improve' Sayuri, however, saw something she would have normally missed.
The first sidestep was the hint. After that, she concentrated on all of Kyle's movements with an open mind.
Okay, fine. It wasn't quite that open as she had to repeatedly tell herself, 'focus, focus' ... but it was a start. Because of that, she saw how his seemingly random movements were actually all meticulously done. The side step, the swipe, the tilt ... and the way his feet moved, avoiding tables and somehow, bringing them all the way to the bean bags and cushions.
From start until the end, everything had been within Kyle's control.
Yet, he made it look like he was only goofing off and everything was 'coincidental'. No one thought anything was out of the ordinary.
With that thought, her mind went blank for a second.
He had training. True, the report said he had self-defense classes but the moves he made were not ordinary.
She looked up, and coincidentally, met his eyes.
He gave her a knowing smirk, raised an eyebrow and turned his head to talk to Ali.
Her heart almost jumped out of her chest.
He knew!
He knew that she knew.
Worse ...
The only reason she noticed his skill was because he had let her see it. He had deliberately done those moves for her to observe.
Her pride in being able to notice something about him became deflated immediately.
She stared at his back, as he got up and straightened his clothes.
<Just who are you, Kyle Smith?>