Chapter 01: Love at First Squeal

"Wait... a B+? S-sensei... are there any ways to make this higher?" a red-haired girl pleaded to her grumpy PE teacher as she saw the bold B+ on her grade sheet. The teacher, a man in his fifties, firmly shook his head and said, "I've already considered your academic status for me to give you that grade, Mori-san, but still..." he sighed deeply, "You need to run at least 50 laps this school term lest you fail your Physical Education class." He showed the pleading student her track record and saw that she had only completed 45 laps... and mostly are completed because of brisk walking (and crawling sometimes).

In order to make up for the last five laps, she crammed five different reports from running and its advantages, most information came from her mom who's once a dietician and now an editor-in-chief for Japan's most popular food magazine. Well, it seems that he didn't buy it then.

Mori Hikari of Class 2-A can't accept this B+ for two main reasons: almost everyone on her class got A's on this subject... and that Tezuka Kunimitsu got a flawless A+ on running (obviously).

Tezuka Kunimitsu. The guy who's in her way on being Seigaku's top one student (in their year, at least) for the past two years. Just thinking that he surpassed her in a simple subject like PE didn't make her nerves calm down.

Her pride's at stake, so she said carelessly, "I'll make up the last five laps after class, Hiraga-sensei..." "You sure about that?" he said skeptically, with crossed eyebrows. They both know it's impossible for her to run that length in just one time, but Hiraga-sensei knows his student is desperate enough. "Fine, I will let you run 5 laps later. Meet me on the field." was Hiraga-sensei's last order and the contented (and challenged) Hikari thanked him and headed back to her classroom.

As she went to the open field after club activities, she spotted a familiar crowd cheering her on. In it were Kikumaru Eiji, Abe Miiko, Nobunaga Shina, and most of 2-A. "Uhh... guys, what are you doing here?" she asked Miiko as Hikari approached her best friends. "Isn't it obvious? We're going to cheer you on!" Miiko and Shina said in unison, and Hikari turned beet red. It wasn't really necessary for her three bestfriends and MOST of her classmates to see her helplessly complete 5 laps for that A+.

Well, at least Tezuka left for home already, so Hikari took a sigh of relief. "Well, Tezuka wants to say 'good luck' to you Hikari-chan, nya~" Eiji chirped and Hikari quickly said, "As if he cares about this!"

Hiraga-sensei finally came to the field and shooed the gawking students away. "Are you ready, Mori-san?" he gruffly asked as he got his paper and pen. Hikari took a last drink of water and answered, "Yes, I'm ready, Hiraga-sensei."

"YOU CAN DO IT HIKARI NYA~!"

"STILL LOOKING GOOD MORI-SAN! GANBATTE!"

"HIKARI! HIKARI! HIKARI!"

"DON'T FALL OFF!"

The spectators went wild as Hikari finished her first lap. She was already panting heavily as she turned again for the next lap. "You finish the 5 laps, you get an A+; you don't... your B+ will remain!" the teacher reminded her and Hikari gulped. Gosh, why won't her body cooperate with her?

"HAAAAAAAA!" as Hikari was on the middle of the third lap, her vision starts to blur. She tried to look at her three friends who gave her constant thumbs-ups and "YOU CAN DO IT!" shouts. She slowed down her pace and went brisk walking instead. She would rather walk this way out rather than die from exhaustion.

But, a certain memory of that four-eyed stoic boy upped her adrenaline and went back running for the fourth lap. "Don't push yourself, Mori-san!" Hiraga-sensei exclaimed with worry, yet Hikari wasn't moved. I need to finish this... I GOT TO FINISH THIS! It seems that the only thing that's making her move is her determination to beat Tezuka academically... or at least, be on his level. Her vision began to darken and darken, and as she finished her fifth lap, she went straight kissing the ground, eyes shut.

Before Hikari opened her eyes wide, she smelled a familiar scent of rubbing alcohol. The cool sensation felt good against her forehead. She also felt the weight of her legs gradually decreasing from all that running. Guessing she's in the infirmary, she finally opened her eyes and saw a familiar brown-haired guy (or... girl?) with perpetually closed eyes "looking" at her. Eyes still blurry, she asked in a dazed voice, "Are you my prince... or... are you a princess?"

The brown-haired person chuckled softly and replied, "I'm more of... the prince, Mori-san," and helped her get up. Removing the cool towel from her forehead, Hikari then rubbed her eyes and was shocked at what she saw.

"OH MY GOOOOSH! I'm so sorry, F-Fuji-kun?" Hikari instantly went red at the sight of the handsome guy. Wait, her memory failed for a while and remembering that "Hikari-chan, this is Fuji Syuusuke nya~! He's my clubmate nya~!" thirty-second introduction a few months ago confirmed her that he's indeed Fuji Syuusuke.

"Hmm..." he simply smiled at the sudden shriek of Hikari and handed her a cool glass of water. "Thanks," she said gratefully and downed the first glass in a matter of seconds. As Fuji got up to get another glass, Hikari asked, "What happened to me earlier? Did I faint? Who rescued me? Why are you with me in the infirmary? Did you... sorry for the many questions..." Fuji handed her another glass of water and as she drank - a little slower now - as he simply answered, "I just saw a cute cherry lollipop falling to the ground and I came to pick it up." with a cute smile.

That smile was so cute it made Hikari's heart skip a beat. Straaaange. Wait a minute though. Cherry lollipop? Falling to the ground? Is that answer even relevant to her stream of questions?

"It's you silly," Fuji chuckled at the sight of Hikari's confused look... Actually, it's Fuji's not-so-secret-anymore nickname for Hikari, as her face gets red instantly when she blushes. Add her red hair to the list, and voila! Hikari looks like a cherry lollipop (for Fuji that is). "Uhh... okay... Fuji-kun..." Hikari had an array of nicknames... but CHERRY LOLLIPOP? Okay.

"So, you were watching me doing that lame race, right?" Hikari asked him. Fuji nodded and told her that most of her classmates were really in panic when she passed out - including her bestfriends and their PE teacher. Since Fuji was the nearest person to the passed-out Hikari, he didn't hesitate to pick her up and headed her to the infirmary. Fast.

"That was a close call, Mori-san," the two were interrupted by Hiraga-sensei with his unusually sunny smile, holding up Hikari's grade sheet. The B+ was erased a little roughly and was replaced by an A. Finally. But... an A?

"You failed to finish the last lap by a few meters, so an A would suffice, right?" Hikari just nodded in defeat. Well, she definitely hates physical activities of any kind, and hey at least she got an A...

"HIKARIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" her three friends welcomed her at her own house afterwards. Hikari wasn't surpised that they went ahead of her; it was already 6 in the evening. (Actually, Fuji walked her home because her legs are still a little twitchy) Looking at her bright-red face, Eiji was the first one to ask, "Ehhh... what's wrong Hikari-chan? Do you have a fever nya~" And the two girls nodded. Not only she's as red as a cherry, she tried to hide a rape-like smile from them, resulting to a psychotic look. "Heeheehee this is nothing guys," Hikari composed herself as she sunk into the plush sofa at their living room. Still, it's pretty obvious Hikari's hiding something from them.

"Ohmygoooooosh girl, are you in love?" Shina asked in curiousity, taking a seat next to her. "Who's the lucky guy?"

Man, these people can read my mind easily, Hikari thought. But it's already a given fact: Mori Hikari can't hide her feelings so people can easily see if she's happy, sad, angry, or, for this time, IN LOVE. Still, don't jump into conclusions Hikari-chan. Just because some crazily good-looking guy saves you from falling to the dirt ground face first and rushes you to the infirmary without further notice doesn't mean you've already fallen head-over-heels over him!

That's what the brain would tell us... but young love permits us to use our brains less and our hearts more... so the still-wonderstruck Hikari replied:

"I guess I'm in love... with that Fuji Syuusuke."

Miiko choked on her jasmine tea. Eiji almost fell down from the chair. Shina held Hikari by the shoulders and shook her hard enough to help her regain her sanity.

"Hikari-chan... ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

"You don't even talk to that guy!"

"Eh? I thought you like Tezuka, nya?"

"Get yourself together MORI HIKARI," Miiko instructed, "Well, as much as we do find Fuji-kun cute... don't you think it's a bit too... soon for you to... well... love... him?" "I agree with Miiko-chan, nya~" Eiji looked at her worriedly. "What's not to like about him?" Hikari looked at the three with skepticism flashing before her eyes. "He's cute... and he's... uhh... good-looking... and... attractive... and..." "Hikari, you just noticed those are synonymous with 'cute', right?"

Hikari was stumped at Shina's comment. Besides his looks, and charming smile, she knows nothing else about Fuji Syuusuke. Well, at least she knows he's from the tennis club too.

"Well, it's not my fault that I know nothing about him!" Hikari cried out in exasperation, "and I just had my first conversation with him today... and I think I fell in love at first sight." Or something like that. She held a throw pillow and buried her face on it. Geez.

"I guess you're just mistaking your physical attratction to him as love, dear," Miiko said and explained something about love and infatuation that Hikari understood a little. She's still reminiscing the moments she and Fuji shared in the infirmary and at the same time how Fuji helped her travel from school all the way home with no rush whatsoever.

"Hikari... Hikari? Oy." "Yes, Mii-chan?" Hikari replied meekly. "I repeat: if you love one person, you should be ready enough to know him and his true self." "Uhh... okay I will," she simply answered, although deep down inside she's clueless on what to do. She's one of the socially awkward people out there, even though she is Ms. Popular, Hikari is not the one who can approach anyone so easily and say "Hi!" or "Can you tell me what's your favorite color?" Especially not with her newfound love... or... crush.

"Fuji?" Tezuka called on his teamate as he saw him walking past his house... with a smile more cheerful than the usual. "Ah, Tezuka... so you live here?" Fuji peered into his house. Oh, seems decent, and the best part is just it's only a lengthy walk from Hikari's. Interesting.

Tezuka nodded, and asked Fuji where he was and what's he up to. "I just walked Mori-san home earlier. Her legs are still aching from the running," as Fuji mentioned Mori's name, Tezuka immediately opened their house gate and let Fuji in. "How was she? Did she finished the requirement?" Tezuka asked with the slightest hint of worry on the tone of his voice. "Not quite, Tezuka," Fuji continued telling him what happened next, from Hikari passing out until the walk home.

"I... see..." Tezuka's voice gradually dropped and Fuji chuckled. "Why... you're jealous that I spent time with her today, Tezuka?" he teased him, tapping him a little hard on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I have no intention of winning her over." "It's not that way, Fuji," Tezuka said, but Fuji just shrugged his shoulders and bid his goodbye to the stoic captain.

"Neesan has made an apple pie, so I need to arrive earlier than Yuuta," Fuji told him and went outside of the gate. "See you tomorrow, Tezuka." "Ah. See you tomorrow too, Fuji," and Fuji finally bid goodbye. As Tezuka closed the gate and went back inside their house, he received a text message from Fuji, saying:

Tezuka, why won't you try talking to Hikari tomorrow at school? ^^