It’s easier to run

Replacing this pain with something numb

It’s so much easier to run

Than face all this pain here all alone…

-Linkin Park

Nine:

The month of April had sped by so fast that May descended upon the inhabitants of Morton High School with a feeling of relief and yet trepidation, especially for the seniors who had to graduate that month. The lull of the coming long summer days and the intensified heat caused the school atmosphere to be filled with one of laziness and also anticipation for their long awaited vacations. Whereas most seniors tried to see to it that they graduated tops in their classes, others felt that their time would be better spent on something else.

As typical of most, if not all high schools, it was not uncommon to see that various groups had been established. Peer pressure and the need to belong to either of these groups was nothing new either. It was never a surprise to see the football team and their cheerleader girlfriends spending some ‘quality’ time after school around the football fields. Neither was it a surprise to find the track or swim team, both boys and girls, finding time to ‘chill’ after the long hours spent in the classrooms. Of course, there were the occasional meetings for the Chess, Computer, Business and Math clubs, but then again, who would want to waste time with students that were generally considered nerds.

And then of course, there were the groups that were established by the females of the school; exclusive clubs where either beauty or extreme wealth were your only requirements to belong. The most popular of these groups was one that was led by the infamous Keiko Asawa. A beautiful and well-endowed dark-haired Japanese girl, she had no qualms letting everybody know just how powerful and wealthy her father was at any opportunity she got. With black cat-like eyes that framed her heart shaped face, she was considered the Queen of Morton High and nobody - nobody had ever refused her for anything. It was even rumored that she had wheeled her way around some of the teachers to get high grades, but then, no one had ever had the guts to actually voice their opinions to her face or they were sure to get in some kind of trouble.

She was an avid smoker and dressed however she liked. While Morton High took pride in their simple short green skirts and white blouses for the girls - long dark pants and white shirts for the boys - Keiko and her crew – which consisted of four other girls, that were considerably well to do – could be seen wearing the exact opposite. Their skirts were so much shorter than the average knee-length and it had gotten to a point that many were sure they had seen her expensive thong underwear on more days than one. Not that she minded the attention. Her shirts were never buttoned up completely and they also exposed her clear, olive skin to the gaze of any hot-blooded male to fantasize over.

Keiko was spoiled and she knew it. She could get anything she wanted and once she made up her mind to get something, she always made sure she got it, no matter the consequences.

And at this time, she wanted him.

Pity, he wasn’t her homeroom teacher.

She flicked the lighter and burned the tip of the cigarette that dangled off the corner of her full lips, dark eyes narrowed as she swung her legs back and forth over the narrow wall that separated the football field from the main classroom area. She had a good view of the teacher’s parking lot and even though she gave the air of watching the boys practice, her sharp gaze never left the many cars that drifted in and out of the lot.

She took a drag of the cancer stick and shook her long hair away from her face. The wind was beginning to pick up and grateful for that little bit of cool breeze, she lifted her hands high above her head and stretched. This in turn caused her already half-opened shirt to expose more of the light pink bra that she had on. Her nipples became prominent and many of the junior boys who were forced to sit on the bench got a very good view of the luscious female.

“What are you looking at?” she drawled lazily as she caught the eye of a blushing boy. “Never seen a girl’s boobs before?”

“Ah…ah…”

“Forget it….tiny,” she finished with a smirk as she watched the humiliation fill his features. Boys. They were just small fish in comparison to the men that she had met over the years. She took another drag of her cigarette and sighed softly. Was he never going to show up today? What was taking him so long?

Duo Maxwell. The new teacher with the long braid and the killer smile. He had walked into Morton High on that fateful Monday morning and Keiko had realized that this man was going to be her latest conquest. She had begun by sending him little notes in between classes and always staying after school to help him out with his classroom clean-ups. It was something that Keiko would never have done for any other teacher, but she couldn’t understand why she wanted to get his attention so badly. Maybe because out of anyone else she had tried to woo, he seemed to be the only one unaffected by her advances. She had deliberately dressed even sexier than normal, but all she had gotten were either joking reprimands to dress properly or some kind of lecture on why she dressed in such a manner.

But Keiko was not a quitter and she didn’t intend to start now. She was more determined than ever to get Duo to see her as more than just another student. She had gotten a bit bolder and had begun to buy him expensive gifts. She would either leave them on his desk for the entire world to see, or slip them into his office drawer or mailbox. Either way, she just knew that her messages were getting across to him. He would have to cave in to her demands sooner or later. Everyone else did.

“Hey, Keiko. What do you think of me wearing this to the school prom next Tuesday? Do you think this looks good on me?”

Irritated eyes glanced briefly at the picture of a horrendous looking fluffy ball gown that Kimi, a member of her crew, had drawn. Suddenly feeling extremely bitchy, she took the paper and crumpled it up before throwing it straight into the trash can a few feet away. “That’s what I think about your stupid gown,” she replied with a cold smile as she watched the flash of pain fill her friend’s face. “You don’t seriously think you are going to wear that thing to the prom now, do you? You are going to embarrass yourself and me. And you need to lose some weight too. You are beginning to get big around the waist.”

Ignoring the harsh intake of breath and the plaintive cry of ‘Keiko…why?’ from Kimi, she got off the ledge and began to make her way across the fields.

Her target had been spotted.

“Where are you going, Keiko?” Another asked as they all rose to their feet in readiness to follow their leader. “Can we….?”

“Stay right where you are!” came the cold reply that had them all freezing in their tracks. She tossed away the cigarette and took a deep breath, before spinning around to smile brightly at the bewildered girls. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be right back, okay?”

And not waiting to see if they had followed her instructions or not, she made her way across the lawn, almost running now as she noticed that he was about to make his way into the classrooms. She had to meet him now or she might never get the chance again.

“Mr. Maxwell!” she finally cried out loudly as the tall man was about to open the doors to the building to step inside. She couldn’t help the color that filled her cheeks as wide and surprised amethyst depths caught her now shy gaze.

“Ah, Miss. Asawa,” he replied with a warm smile as he held open the door. “Would you like to come inside?”

Oh, why did he have to be this cute?!

“Ye…yes…” She stepped in front of him, closing her eyes briefly as she inhaled his unique masculine scent. She was almost positive she could detect a hint of spice, but she wasn’t so sure. “Oooops!” She ‘tripped’ and couldn’t help the giddy pleasure that soared through her as she felt his strong arms tighten around her waist to lift her back up to safety. With a small sigh, she laid her head against his chest, closing her eyes as she allowed herself to dream of them being a real couple.

“Are you alright, Miss. Asawa?” came the deep rumble that was his voice as she melted in sheer delight against him.

“Yes, I am, Mr. Maxwell and please won’t you call me Keiko?” she asked softly, still not letting go of him.

For a few moments nothing was said, before she felt herself being pushed away gently. She frowned and pouted, but lifted her gaze to stare into warm and relieved depths, although she could detect some tension around him. “Keiko,” he began softly, now holding her at arms length. “I am glad to see that you are okay, but you are going to have to get back to your class now, okay?”

“Did you get any of my cards?” she asked quickly, desperate to keep him for just a few more minutes.

“Yes, I did, Miss…Keiko,” he corrected himself quickly as he noticed her frown deepen. “And they were all lovely cards, but I think I ought to tell you that…well…I really appreciate the gesture, but…”

“What about my gifts?” she interrupted, not having listened to a single thing he had said. She was trying to get closer to him again and Duo had to shift backwards, only to wince inwardly as he bumped against the brick wall. He could make out the students playing in the fields outside the window and he was sure that some of them might have begun to stare at them in bewilderment at this point.

“Your gifts? Yes, about that…”

“You liked them, didn’t you? I spent a lot of money on them you know.” She lifted his arm abruptly, causing him to gulp in growing worry as she noticed that the watch she had bought for him was not on his wrist. “Where is it?” she asked softly even though her voice was tinged with a hint of venom. “Where is the five hundred dollar Swiss watch I bought for you?!”

Duo tried very hard not to show the panic that was beginning to grow within him as he watched her beautiful features darken with fury. So, this was what an angry female really looked like? Scary.

“Listen, Miss. Asa…Keiko. I really, really appreciate you doing all of this for me, but you are going to have to stop sending me all the cards and gifts. I cannot have that kind of a relationship with you.”

She stepped backwards, her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she lowered her gaze to the floor. She was breathing heavily and Duo was sure that she was going to have a heart attack at this rate. She did not say anything for almost five minutes and growing even more concerned, he tried to get her attention again.

“Keiko? Do you understand what I am trying to say? I cannot…”

“YOU FAGGOT!!!”

He reeled back in shock at the words, his face draining of color as at that moment, a group of students, obviously from the track team, had just walked into the hallway. All stopped to stare at the couple with bemused and curious glances, low murmurs beginning to rise from the group as they watched the drama unfold.

Composing himself quickly, he tried to still his thudding heart as he took a step towards her. “Keiko, you are just…”

“You are! I just know you have to be!” She continued to bellow as she finally lifted her gaze to pin cold, angry and hurt eyes on him. “Nobody can resist me! Why you?! What makes you think you are so special, huh?! I can make you leave this school, you know that, don’t you? I could get you in some serious trouble and I don’t have to do much to do it! All I have to do is show everyone who you really would like to fuck!”

“Mr. Maxwell! What is the meaning of this?”

Everyone spun around to stare at the thunderous expression on Principal Handrake’s features. He was flanked by two other administrators and from the looks on their faces, Duo knew that there was no way he could talk his way out of this one. His short but eventful stay at Morton High was finally coming to an end.

He wasn’t really sure he had gotten over the bitterness of having been accused of things he had not done. He had had to sit through hours of interrogation from teachers who had brought in Keiko and her friends as witnesses to his ‘crimes’. Even though, he had a few supporters here and there to put in a kind word for him, he had hardly been in the school for a year and so barely had the time to establish himself as a trustworthy member of staff.

He had sat in his office after the entire ordeal with his face buried in his hands, ignoring the soft knocks and the occasional whisper of condolence or pity from students and some teachers alike. All he had ever wanted to do was to share his knowledge of the world as he knew it with the young students, but somehow, petty jealousy and a psychotic teen had brought his world to a screeching halt.

Kindness and patience.

He sometimes wondered if it was too much of a responsibility for a teacher to have. It was the cardinal rule for them to always have a listening ear and an encouraging word for their wards. But who was there for them? Who had the time to listen to a teacher’s woes and worries? Days when he felt like he wanted nothing more than to smash everything in his office had occurred to him on more than one occasion. He had spent hours wondering if he ought to just call it quits and find something else worthwhile, but remembering the smiling faces of the children he had taught in elementary school always made him feel a dull sense of pride.

That was the only thing that kept him going. The knowledge that his words and teachings could make an impact on someone else’s life was all that he lived for.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, allowing the memories to fade away as he opened them again to stare at the beautiful stone groundwork on his patio. Whoever had taken the time to do this was extremely well gifted in his or her job. The intricate detail was breath…

“Did you hear me, Duo?”

Relena’s voice jarred his melancholy thoughts and he gave a heavy sigh, before nodding softly. “Yes, I heard you, Relena. And what exactly do you want me to say to that?” he asked in a voice that was completely devoid of emotion.

The girl looked taken aback by the direct question, but gathering her wits about her, she laughed shakily and replied. “What do you mean, Duo?” She moved closer to him, smiling warmly as she reached for his hands to raise them to her lips. “No one else has to know about this, you know? I won’t tell if you won’t.”

Keiko. He could see Keiko all over again and for a moment an anger that he had not felt in a long time rushed through his body. The insane urge to hit Relena filled him and realizing where his thoughts were heading, he pulled away quickly to run shaking fingers through his bangs. He turned away from her and tried to put as much distance between them as possible. He had let go of his violent ways, he tried to tell himself desperately. The days of giving in to quick anger had long gone and he was now a teacher – filled with responsibility and…and…kindness.

“I can’t do it, Relena,” he muttered thickly. “I just can’t do that with you. I would be disrespecting not only your parents but Heero as well…”

“I told you no one has to know,” she interrupted curtly as she walked up to him to wrap her arms around his waist tightly. She laid her head against his rigid back, not caring that he was hardly responding to her. “Don’t you find me attractive?”

Duo’s hands tightened around the edge of the balustrades as he tried to think through the situation quickly. Relena was beginning to rub herself against him and gritting his teeth he decided that it was time to get some things straight with her. He spun around quickly to place hands upon her shoulders. And in a stern voice, eyes narrowed in seriousness, he spoke clearly.

“Listen to me, Relena and listen very carefully, because what I am about to tell you might change your perception of me for a very long time.”

Heero could see nothing except the limousine that was looming closer by the second. He was running so fast that everything else seemed to be a blur around him. He really had no idea why he was suddenly so desperate to see what was going on, but he was sure that Relena being in Duo’s house without letting him know, was an occurrence that was rather strange and unorthodox.

He wasn’t blind. He had noticed the way Relena looked at Duo on several occasions, and needless to say the white-hot jealousy that had welled up each time was something that Heero had tried desperately to control.

How funny would it be, if both of them were fighting for the same man when they were supposed to be getting married to each other?

Not that anything was funny to Heero at this point as he burst through the bushes and into Duo’s driveway. Besides Duo’s familiar black 95 Mazda, there was no mistaking the limousine that was parked alongside it. The Peacecraft insignia was plastered on its side and growling softly beneath his breath, he began to make his way towards the front of the house, trying to control his breathing as he made the turn around the corner.

But his footsteps froze as the words floated towards him, causing his eyes to widen in disbelief at what he overheard.

“But I want to make it special.”

“I know that. But you know that I cannot enforce this on you. You are just going to have to trust me on this.”

“I trust you…”

“Then tonight, okay?”

“Yes, Duo. Tonight…”

Heero refused to listen to anymore as he coughed and glared coldly at the couple standing above him. Duo still had his hands on Relena’s shoulders and the girl’s cheeks looked flushed. They looked as if they had been…

“What are you doing here, Relena?” he asked coldly, getting a dull feeling of satisfaction as he watched them jump apart in surprise.

Guilty!

He refused to look at Duo, not sure that he could keep his feelings of disappointment from reaching the teacher. He chose to pin his frustrated and angry depths on his fiancée as he folded his arms across his chest and waited patiently for an explanation.

“Heero!” Relena swallowed and glanced at Duo for help, but seeing that the teacher looked even paler than usual, she placed a bright grin on her features and walked down the stairs to him. “What are you doing here yourself?”

“Don’t try to switch the questions around,” Heero barked coldly. “I want to know what you are doing here.”

For a moment, a look of irritation flashed across Relena’s visage before masking it with another smile. “I was just here to pay Duo a visit, Heero. That isn’t a crime now, is it?” She made an attempt to reach for his arm, but he stepped away gently, his glare not easing in the slightest. Giving a small snort of exasperation, she stopped with the pretense and fixed him with a matching scowl – which had Duo doing a double take. He was aware that the girl had a temper, but he had never gotten a chance to actually see it unleashed on the young heir. “I don’t really know what you are getting so upset about, Heero. It’s not as if he belongs to you. I have a right to speak to him if I want to.”

He belongs to me and only me, damn it!

Unsuccessful at hiding the blush that filled his cheeks at the comment and at his errant thought, Heero shook his head and forced himself to concentrate on his anger. “You should have told me you were coming by to visit.”

“Why? And spoil the surprise?”

“What surprise?!”

“I was going to give you a surprise tonight, Heero and that was what Duo and I were talking about!”

The young heir looked taken aback for a moment, wondering if he had again jumped to conclusions. Was that really what their conversation had been about? Were they really planning some kind of a surprise for him? But what could it be? It wasn’t even his birthday.

He finally faced Duo and asked curtly. “Is this true?”

The teacher looked stunned at having been asked a question for he had planned to sneak into his house while the two were still arguing. But feeling cornered now, he could only nod with a light cough and a laugh. “Well, yeah. You caught us in the middle of our plans and now you are just going to have to wait for the…eh…it.”

“So…” Heero stopped as he noticed Relena’s raised brow. It was as if she was daring him to ask another question and ignoring it, he went ahead. “Why were you two so close together?”

“Oh, for god’s sake,” Relena cried out as she placed her hands on her hips and scowled at her stubborn boyfriend. “We were just talking. I wasn’t pawing him or anything…” She stopped and frowned again, her gaze now narrowed as she took a good look at the boy before her. If she didn’t know any better, she could have sworn that Heero was acting like a jealous boyfriend.

“Are you jealous?” she asked with a light smirk. It hadn’t been part of the plan, but if Heero was getting angry over her being with Duo, then it would mean that he loved her, not so?

All she got for her efforts was a light snort and his averted gaze as he stared at the rows of azaleas that blossomed beside the house. But that didn’t stop the girl from giggling in giddy pleasure. She wrapped her arms around his neck and before Heero could open up his mouth to protest, she had pressed her lips to his, softly coaxing him to respond to her ministrations.

Duo sucked in a harsh breath as he watched the couple. Turn away. Just turn your eyes away.

Easier said than done. There was no way he could tear his gaze away from the sight below him and he could feel that now familiar ache sear through his chest as he watched Heero give in and wrap his arms around Relena’s waist. Since he was facing Relena’s back, he could not tell her expression, but he could clearly see that Heero was enjoying the kiss or was he? The heir, whose eyes had closed at the contact of his fiancée’s lips, opened them up slowly to pin amused depths on the flushed teacher above them.

Heero was clearly enjoying teasing Duo with this and the older man could only clench his hands into tight fists at his sides as he struggled to maintain a nonchalant air about him. So what if Heero enjoyed being with Relena? That would make things so much easier for both of them, right?

Gah, get some air already!

Just when he thought he couldn’t watch them a minute longer, Trowa and Quatre burst into the driveway, both breathing harshly as they took in the scene before them. Heero and Relena had finally broken apart and everyone stared at each other in surprise for several minutes before Quatre broke the silence with a light cough and a sheepish grin.

“Sorry for barging in like this, but when we noticed Heero running down here, we just assumed that he might…he might…” He couldn’t finish as he noticed that said heir was daring him to continue. However, it seemed like Relena was more than willing to complete the sentence for him.

“You mean the last time he barged in and threw a tantrum?”

Trowa chuckled softly as Quatre tried to hide his grin behind a hand. Heero on the other hand looked like he was ready to kill someone while at the same time wishing the ground would open up and swallow him. Was Duo laughing at him as well? He wasn’t proud of his random outbursts, but he would be damned before he allowed his friends to make fun of him in front of the teacher.

“I do not throw tantrums. I simply like to voice my opinions…”

“Yeah and you have a very nice way of voicing them, Heero sweetheart,” Relena cooed with a light kiss on his cheek. “I have to get going now.” She looked flushed and a bit too happy for Duo’s liking as she spun around to wave goodbye to him. “Don’t forget…tonight.” And giving him a wink, she made her way down the driveway and back towards her car, as four pair of curious eyes watched her departure.

As soon as the long black vehicle was out of sight, the three boys spun around to face Duo, who suddenly felt as if he was in front of a firing squad.

“Uuum…,” he cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head. “So…eh…do you guys want a drink?”

Later on that night, Heero tried to think through the events of the day. It was a bit hard to do considering the fact that he was sitting in the living room with his mother and father, who were not speaking to each other at the moment. The soft and soothing tones of Sarah Bightman – his mother’s favorite singer – drifted from the expensive stereo system and almost absentmindedly, the words seemed to hit quite close to home for him for some reason.

When he passes me by, he’s a ray of light

Like the first drop of sun from the sky

And I know he’s a king, who deserves a queen,

But I’m not a queen

And he doesn’t see me.

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Duo did see him…just not in the way he would have liked.

And the closer he gets I can’t help but hide

So ashamed of my body and voice

There are boundaries we pass in spite of the war

But on our own, we can’t seem to cross

He groaned weakly and closed his eyes, trying desperately not to think of what Duo and Relena could possibly be doing tonight. Well, he wasn’t going to accomplish anything by sitting here doing nothing. The best course of action was to sneak over to Duo’s house and to find out for himself.

There are things we can change

If we just choose to fight

But the walls of injustice are high

He eyed his parents. His father was still buried behind the pages of the Business Weekly, while his mother was currently watching a talk show, although the volume had been turned down. He wondered how Hikari could understand a thing, but that was his mother for you. Seeing that his absence wasn’t going to be questioned, he rose to his feet, only to freeze as the loud chime of the doorbell filled the house. He glanced at the clock. It was after nine in the evening. Who could possibly be here to visit them?

“Oh, yes!” Hikari exclaimed as she rose to her feet. “I completely forgot to tell you that your cousin will be dropping by to spend the weekend with you, Heero.”

His cousin?? The only cousin he was aware of was none other than that…

“What?” Odin cried out in disbelief as he put down his paper to stare at his beaming wife. “What do you mean? Don’t tell me you invited those…those…people to our house again?!”

Hikari bristled and held her head up high. “Those people just happen to be my family, Odin! And you will respect them in that way, understand?!”

Why in the world were his parents arguing again over them? It wasn’t as if there was anything that spectacular about his cousins. It was just the girl that gave him the creeps.

Leaving his arguing parents presence, Heero made his way into the hallway only to find himself caught in a headlock and his already ruffled locks now being mussed up a bit more.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my little cousin, Heero! How are you?!”

Heero pushed himself away from the death grip, his hands moving to his neck to caress the skin there as he glared at the grinning visage of the slightly taller girl before him.

“Hello, Keiko,” he replied coldly as he spun on his heels and began to make his way upstairs.

“Whoa. Is that the way you greet a cousin you haven’t seen in such a long time?” she asked with a pout as she motioned for the butler to take her things to her bedroom. She gave a glance into the living room and seeing that her parents had already made themselves comfortable with the Yuys, she ran up the stairs, past Heero who was still sulking and straight into his bedroom. Bouncing on top of his bed, she snickered and then sat still, her long legs exposed beneath the short and rather tight mini skirt she had on. The red halter-top completed the outfit and Heero shook his head in disbelief as her ample bosoms heaved beneath the small piece of clothing.

She reached for a cigarette from her bag, only to find a hand stilling her movements. “Geez, don’t tell me you still have that no smoking policy thing going now, do you?”

“This is my bedroom and I do not appreciate you…”

“Blah, blah, blah. God, you are such a bore, Heero.” She rose to her feet and made her way towards the patio.

It was a beautiful night and leaning over the balustrade, she lit up the cigarette daring her cousin to refute her actions, before taking a drag and staring out towards the lawns. Her sharp gaze caught sight of the lights from one of the guesthouses and she cocked her head to the side in curiosity.

“Eh? You have guests at this time of the year, Heero? Who are they?”

The boy, who had no real intentions of speaking about Duo, knew that there was no way he could avoid the issue. If he knew Keiko, she was bound to nag and pester him for answers until he gave in.

“It’s my tutor,” he finally muttered as he sat down at his reading desk and slipped his glasses on. Hopefully, she would get the message and get out of his room.

Obviously not.

“A tutor? What’s it been now? A year since we last met and you already need a tutor?” She gave a light snort and exhaled another small cloud of smoke. “Who is he?”

“Who’s who?” He asked. Oh, god, not her too.

Keiko’s giggle filled the night air and Heero could feel the dread creep up his spine. “Who is the teacher, dummy? Or aren’t you sharing?” He yelped in surprise as she draped her arm around his shoulder. The smell of the cigarette was stifling and it took all of his strength not to push her off. But he still couldn’t stop the blush that filled his cheeks at the feel of her breasts against his back or her soft breath against his skin. “Come on, Heero,” she crooned huskily. “Tell me who he is…”

“His name is Duo Maxwell, okay? Now, please let me go…”

The words died on his lips as Keiko had already released him and was now staring at Heero as if he had grown an extra head. The boy was surprised at the look and scowling, he asked sharply. “What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

The girl licked her lips and whispered softly. “What…what did you say his name was again?”

Heero wasn’t sure he ought to tell his mental cousin about the older man, but unable to stop himself, he repeated the name again. “His name is Duo Maxwell. He has been my teacher for a few months now. Is there something wrong?”

Keiko Asawa shook her head gently and took another puff of her cigarette, her eyes now trained on the burning lights in the distance. A smug look of satisfaction had now come to her features and for a moment, Heero felt as if he really shouldn’t have said anything to her. Her dark eyes were now lit with something that was akin to mischief and malicious intent.

“Keiko…” he began softly, not really sure of what he planned to say.

“Oh, don’t worry, Heero,” came the cheerful reply, as she grinned at him and began to make her way out of the room. “I think my stay here will be veeeeeery interesting. You had better make sure you introduce me to this teacher of yours tomorrow morning, okay? Toodles!”

Before Heero could say a word, the door had closed with a resounding slam behind her, leaving only an uneasy silence in its wake.

Extras: The character of Keiko was inspired by Yuriko Nishiyama’s ‘Kim Yabe’ from her best-selling manga, Harlem Beat. Kim is a strong female character that is kick-ass in everything she does. And no, she is not as slutty as my Keiko here; just the mannerisms were what caught my eye. ^^