Teasing Master Takagi-san (からかい上手の高木さん)

Self-Study!!

Hey, Nishikata.

Whatcha doing?

What is that?

Just a little something I bought yesterday.

Take a good look, Takagi-san!

This is the cool grip strength thingy the guys in athletic clubs always use!

Bet you're jealous.

Wow. That's neat!

It's so compact, you can use it anywhere.

You got that right!

So, what are you training your grip strength for?

You're not in any athletic club. So what's the point?

Let me guess.

You're just doing it because it's cool.

No freaking way!

Don't be ridiculous!

There's a ton of things I can do with good grip strength!

Oh? Like what?

Uh...

Opening bottle tops!

Why not just use a bottle opener?

Hanging on for long periods of time.

From where?

Crushing apples...

What for?

Anyway, those are just a few examples.

By the way.

You stopped training.

The Grip Strength Thingy

The Grip Strength Thingy!

One, two... One, two...

One, two...

What? One...

Just keeping a rhythm, that's all.

For my own amusement.

Uh, okay.

One, two... One, two... One, two...

I know what you're up to, Takagi-san! This is a challenge!

I have to keep up with the pace that you set or I lose!

That's right, isn't it?!

However!

That takes a physical toll on me, while Takagi-san does nothing but use her voice!

I'm at a huge disadvantage, no matter how you look at it!

One, two. One, two. One, two.

Her pace is getting...

even faster!

Ugh, my arm!

But at this rate, Takagi-san shouldn't be able to keep going much longer!

She screwed up by not thinking this one through!

Gotta push through it!

One two, one two, one two, one two.

One two, one two, one two, one two.

All done.

I won...

For once in my life... I defeated Takagi-san!

You really went hard!

Or not?!

Uh oh...

Maybe it wasn't even a challenge in the first place...

Hey.

I get it! This was her real plan all along!

Challenging me to a grip contest after wearing me out!

But it's not that easy, Takagi-san!

I'm more than a match for you, even when I'm tired!

Uh, Nishikata?

I just wanted you to let me try the grip strength thingy.

W-wait a sec, I thought we were having a grip contest!

So you haven't had enough of holding my hand?

Wha?

WHAAAAAAA?!

H-how'd we get here?

Wait, Takagi-san?!

Takagi-san!

Takagi-san!

Takagi-san!

Hey, Nishikata.

Hey, Nishikata.

I'm over here, Nishikata.

Takagi-san!

Is the Takagi-san you're looking for...

this Takagi-san?

Or is it this Takagi-san?

Hey, Nishikata.

N-NEITHER!

Oh?

Then perhaps it's this Takagi-san?

Or this Takagi-san?

Hey, Nishikata.

Hey, Nishikata!

Nishikata! Over this way!

What were you looking at?

KYUNKO?!

Please welcome our new transfer student!

Hey. How you doin'?

Squee!

Come closer, baby.

Whoa, hold on!

My hand is over here.

Moo! Nishikata!

Moo!

Darn her! Moo!

Darn her!

Moo!

She's taking this teasing thing way too far! Moo!

She's taking this teasing thing way too far!

She's taking this teasing thing way too far! Moo!

Takagi-san! Baaaah!

Hey, Nishikata.

Taking advantage of your opponent's weakness...

is unfair, wouldn't you say?

Even Dandy?!

It's called strategy.

Bang!

Ta... Takagi-saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

Takagi-san....

Oh crap! What about school?!

August

Sunday

August 25th

It's still... summer vacation...

I was using the grip strength thingy while doing homework and then fell asleep, huh?

So, the whole thing was a dream...

Wait a second!

Was the festival from yesterday a dream, too?!

Even in my dreams I can't escape from Takagi-san's teasing!

Tan

Tan!

Hi!

Hi.

Haven't seen you since the festival.

It's been a while.

Uh, really?

I mean, I just saw you in a dream...

Dream?

Oh fudge! I shouldn't have said that!

Wow. I'm honored!

What kind of dream?

D-dunno. I forgot it the instant I woke up.

Was it a naughty dream?

It most certainly was NOT!

Huh? But I thought you forgot what it was about.

So, what'd you ask me here for?

You know school starts back up tomorrow.

Is it something urgent?

Before we get to that, are you free now?

Well, yeah.

Great.

Then, will you walk with me for a bit?

Today's the last day of summer vacation, huh?

Unfortunately, yeah.

I wish it was a little longer.

Did you enjoy the time off?

Oh, totally!

I went for a swim at the beach yesterday! Check out my tan!

Whoa. That's impressive, Nishikata!

I went to the beach a few days ago myself, but I didn't get much of a tan.

Uh-huh...

This is bad. I shouldn't have mentioned my tan.

If Takagi-san finds out I actually burned my back and it stings, then...

Bam!

So, you got a little sunburnt!

She already figured it out!

C'mon, tough it out. I can't afford to back down!

Not at all!

It doesn't hurt in the slightest!

Okay, one more pat on the back-

NO! I LIED! IT HURTS LIKE HELL!

Crap. I gotta do something. Sooner or later, she'll...

Are you thinking "sooner or later, she'll get me again"?

No.

It's written all over your face.

Okay, let's make a deal.

Take a guess at the reason that I called you out here today, Nishikata.