Zero Sum Game by Cody L. Martin Read Free Book Online

victory. Some of the girls were afraid this would cause him to lose.
    "You have to hold the other's person's hand down for three seconds. Understand?" said Yoshikawa. Ozaki seemed surprised at this new rule but nodded in agreement.
    Azuma strode to the desk and put his hand on top of Ozaki's and Yoshikawa's. "Ready," he said in a referee's voice. "One. Two. Three. Go," he shouted and stepped away.
    Both combatants stalled, their arms locked against each other. The boys and girls began cheering for their victor: most of the boys for Yoshikawa, most of the girls for Ozaki. Hina was surprised, Ozaki looked smaller than Yoshikawa but he held his own. The baseball player gritted his teeth and pushed harder, moving his hand towards the desk, but Ozaki came back and soon had the boy's hand pinned underneath his.
    Azuma counted, "One. Two…"
    Before "three", Yoshikawa raised his hand back up a couple of centimeters, pushing against Ozaki. The teacher pushed harder and slammed Yoshikawa's hand against the desk. Azuma counted again, and at "Three!" the girls broke out in cheers while the boys patted Yoshikawa on the back even as they teased him for losing to the teacher's weak arm.
    Before Ozaki could return to his place behind the desk, Ami shouted, "Hina. Hina. Arm wrestle Hina."
    Many boys jeered but Ami wouldn't hear of it. Hina shook her head at her friend, waving her hand in front of her, as if trying to swat the idea away.
    "No, no, it's impossible. Impossible."
    Ami grabbed her arm and tried pulling her towards the front of the class. "She's strong, like, scary strong," Ami said to Ozaki. She looked back to Hina. "Come on, please. Do it."
    Ozaki glanced away in embarrassment. He held up a hand to get everyone's attention. "If I do this, do you promise no more wrestling matches and we can get back to class?"
    "Yes!" the students agreed in a loud chorus.
    Resigned to the match, Hina walked up to the teacher's desk, taking Yoshikawa's spot. "I'm right-handed," she told her teacher.
    Most of the students cheered for Ozaki. A few of Hina's friends cheered for her, Ami loudest of all.
    Hina put her right arm on the desk, and Ozaki clasped her hand. Ozaki appeared embarrassed to be arm wrestling a girl. But Hina didn't want him to fake it and let her win to appease his class. "Don't hold back," she told him. She noticed his hand felt soft and nice. She pushed down her embarrassment, and her face grew serious.
    Ozaki nodded once, seeming to understand this match was as serious as the one with Yoshikawa. Ami put her hand on top of theirs and matched Azuma's referee tone. "Same rules. Ready. One. Two. Three. Go." She lifted her hand and moved aside.
    Ozaki surprised Hina, he may have been slim but he was strong. His face serious and his grip tight, he put in as much effort as he had against Yoshikawa. But it didn't matter. Hina pushed the young man's arm towards the desk and pinned him. Ozaki struggled to get his arm up but she held his hand firmly on the desk. There were cheers and jeers from everyone.
    "Ami, start counting," Hina said.
    Ami had forgotten her referee duties, Hina had already been holding Ozaki's hand down for more than three seconds. He tried to bring his hand up but it never left the desktop.
    "One. Two. Three." Ami hugged Hina as she disengaged her hand from Ozaki's.
    Hina nodded her head towards Ozaki. "Thank you," she said.
    Ozaki grabbed his shoulder and moved his arm in a circular motion a couple of times. He nodded at her compliment and moved behind his desk. "All right, settle down. Go back to your seats."
    The students retook their chairs, and class began.
     
    — — —
     
    Ichihara slumped in his chair at the kitchen table, his tie loose and his jacket unbuttoned. He glared at the employee photos, surveillance pictures, and personnel files scattered across the table top. A half drunk and cold cup of coffee sat to one corner. Even though it was summer, Ichihara had the air conditioner off and the windows