As soon as they finished, Kasumi approached Kenshin and asked with interest, "So what's that fighting style?"
"Boxing. It doesn't suit shinobi much, but it gives a solid practical base for taijutsu," Kenshin said, catching his breath.
"Hm, a very strange martial art. The strikes are powerful, but maneuverability is minimal. Reminds me of the straightforward styles from Kumogakure. They love charging straight through too. Total opposite of our clan style," Kasumi said, examining the boxing gloves and helmet closely. The material and bright colors practically screamed "wrongness." She didn't know such lightweight materials or such vibrant dyes, but stayed silent, remembering she'd learn everything only if she married Kenshin.
"Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with your Nara Clan style... But I've heard about your intellect. Want to play chess with me?" Kenshin said with a sly smile. Eleventh and Twelfth decided not to bother father and quietly left the room.
"Chess? Hm... I'd love to, but what's the stakes?" Kasumi said, a certain plan forming in her cunning mind.
"Don't you play just for fun in your clan?" Kenshin asked, feigning uncertainty.
Kasumi swallowed the bait immediately and continued, "Hm, just for fun isn't interesting... How about if I win, you let me go right away?" the black-haired beauty proposed.
"Let you go right away?.. That's a hefty condition. And if I win?" Kenshin asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well... You'll get acknowledgment of your intellect from a Nara Clan member!" Kasumi replied proudly.
"And true, Nara Clan members are impossibly cunning!" Kenshin laughed, then added, "To make it fair, five seconds per move. If I lose, you're free the next second. But if you lose, you become my wife immediately. Agreed?"
"What?! Of course not! What cheeky terms, that's not fair! I'll be free in a week anyway; I just need to endure, no need for this lottery," Kasumi huffed.
"I have no need to play you for a thank-you either. Fine, here's the deal. If you win, your stay here shortens by three days, and you're home in three. " Kenshin said, and Kasumi couldn't help smiling for a second but quickly regained her serious face and kept listening.
"If I win, you'll let me kiss you anytime."
"YOU! You scoundrel, you kiss me whenever you feel like it anyway! The most shameless person in the world!" Kasumi flared up, not expecting such vile terms from this rascal.
"See, the deal costs you practically nothing," Kenshin said with a smile.
"How is that nothing?! The honor of the entire Nara Clan is at stake! And you're a total shameless villain!" Kasumi blurted, puffing out her cute cheeks in indignation.
"So you're not agreeing? Fine, forget the bet."
"You... You're even craftier than our great elder! So slippery, and you said something about the Nara Clan! Before I agree, state all the game conditions."
Kenshin smiled and fetched the chess set, inexplicably present in the gym. Maybe the "system" had scanned his subconscious by accident and added everything from his past life's school gym. The storage really had balls, jump ropes, and the like. Plus checkers and chess.
Grabbing the chess and a small rule booklet, he invited the girl to a more comfortable spot—his "office," which doubled as the observation center for his entire base. Outwardly, it looked no different from a prestigious office from his past world, and Kenshin wasn't worried Kasumi would figure anything out, as all formation nodes were hidden from prying eyes.
The girl followed the brazen guy to the farthest room without a second thought and was again surprised by the room's luxury and richness. While she read the basic rules of the foreign chess, Kenshin made two cups of coffee and sat across the table, enjoying the young kunoichi's beauty.
Finishing familiarizing herself with the new chess specifics, the girl looked up from the booklet and saw Kenshin grinning stupidly at her face. She blushed, cleared her throat slightly, and said, "I'm agreed."
"Good, so if I lose, you're free in three days. If I win, then?.."
"Then you can kiss me whenever you want..." the girl murmured. It was incredibly embarrassing to say aloud, but with no one else in the office, she managed.
Kenshin couldn't hold back his smile that such an incredible beauty had agreed to let him kiss her anytime. With special enthusiasm, he set up the chess pieces and placed small clocks nearby, deciding to time five seconds and stop them with telekinesis.
A minute later, the game began. At first, Kenshin showed no wonders and steadily lost. The Nara Clan girl's intellect was top-notch; plus, she'd played shogi and similar games since childhood, so cornering him was no problem.
But at the very end, when the girl was almost squealing with joy, Kenshin turned the game around and delivered "checkmate" in just a few moves. Kasumi was in total shock and couldn't believe she hadn't seen that combination right away.
"YOU! How did you do that?! That's a total random combo; impossible to plan! Let's play again!" Kasumi exclaimed, unused to losing at such games.
"Fine, but first let me taste my prize," Kenshin said and playfully blew her a kiss. At that moment, Kasumi looked like a cornered mouse. She knew she'd lost and had no choice but to let him kiss her anytime, but she decided to win it back.
"Wait! We haven't finished playing. Once we're done for good, then you get your 'win,'" Kasumi said, wincing at the thought of Kenshin kissing her all the time, especially in public.
"Fine. What are the new stakes?" Kenshin asked with a smile, also imagining how great it'd be to kiss this beauty anytime.
"Same stakes. If I win, I leave in three days. If I lose... You can kiss me."
"I've already won the right to kiss you anytime. Why play for nothing?" Kenshin smiled.
"Fine! What do you propose?!" Kasumi said in a displeased tone. Whatever he proposed, she already hated it.