A/N: Okayy... So, this might not be a fail. Really, I mean, like, really. :)

It's not a fail, but it sucks, I mean, like my mood, they both suck. XD

Anyway, first trial at Silver Pair so I cannot guarantee you perfection, but instead, I guarantee you, failure. XD

So now I am luring you into not reading this fic; but I swear, I want readers.

And now I'm blabbering, so I must stop.

I disclaim everything.

OOCness is present.

And one more thing... brace with it. :)

XOXO

Two silhouettes emerged from one corner as the road fell in overcast. Walking silently, they listened to few cars passing and few men hurriedly walking. And as they walked in a deserted alley, they could hear nothing but the eerie chirp of night bats.

The taller of the two, with his bleach-white hair that seems to be glow in the dark, inched closer to his companion.

And even though their hands were entwined, neither of the two were looking at each other, and they, instead, were looking away with a mysterious pink tint dusting their cheeks.

The shorter one stopped, and his companion followed suit.

"So…um… Choutarou, we're here." He stated awkwardly, turning around and looking up to face his boyfriend—in disguise of a doubles' partner.

"Y-yeah… so it seems…"

Awkward silence.

Shishido gulped once before speaking. "Choutarou, lean down a bit," he said with a gesture of his free hand. Choutarou chuckled, but nonetheless complied. He leaned down, Shishido guiding his face, until his lips were pressed against his lover's ones.

And then Shishido pushed upwards and upwards until Choutarou had to take few steps backwards, with him stepping forward; and until Choutarou had to back against a wall with Shishido grinding against him.

Shishido pulled away after some while, feeling all the clumsiness thrown on him. Choutarou leaned down, smiling slightly, and gave his lover a chaste kiss. "Goodnight, Shishido-san."

xXx

Shishido absentmindedly traced his lips with his index finger, reminiscing what had just happened earlier.

The feel of Choutarou's warm and soft lips on his, and then his wet, slick tongue that was wrapping and clashing with his own. Hot. It was so unlike Choutarou. And Shishido would feel like melting. And then Choutarou's big hands would come stroking Shishido's tresses; warm, calloused, but they still are soft. And then, almost unconsciously, Shishido would stand on his tiptoes, desperately, in fraught of wanting Choutaro. He would s-

"Ryou-niichan," Shishido snapped out of his thoughts as his little sister called for him.

He sat up, looking down, masking himself with annoyance. "What?"

The little girl pointed at a silver-colored phone that was innocently beeping in some corner of his room. Shishido, too lazy to even stand up, crawled towards the direction of his phone. As he was about to reach his handset, long, slender fingers picked it up.

"Hello, Shishido-san!" Shishido's elder brother started, gazing at the phone, and smirking mischievously. "I hope you had gotten home safely. Goodnight. XOXO."

Shishido's elder brother had broken into a laughing fit, his deep voice annoying the hell out of Shishido. "How cute! Have you gotten yourself a girlfriend, ah, Ryou?" he scrolled down the handset. "Let's see…. This is from… Choutarou…" he paused. "Choutarou? Isn't that…?"

"Mind you own business, niisan." He grabbed the phone from his brother and pushed him out of the room, muttering some unintelligible curses.

"XOXO, eh? Ryou and his Choutarou are being lovey-dovey!" the elder brother laughed once more, prancing out of the picture.

Shishido grumbled. "What's so special with XOXO anyway? Does that even mean anything?"

xXx

Gakuto doubled over with laughter, gathering attention around him. "Ne, Shishido-imouto-chan, you sure you got it right?"

"Hai, Gakuto-niichan! Niichan and Niisama have been fighting last night over it. I don't know; something about XOXO and Choutarou. And then Ryou-niichan said that he doesn't know what XOXO means." The girl paused to lick the ice cream given to her by her Gakuto-niichan. "Ne, Gakuto-niichan, does that mean anything?"

"Yes, yes." Gakuto patted the young girl's head, acting like a real elder brother at his gesture. "But little kids still doesn't need to know that, eh?"

"Un." Shishido's little sister nodded vigorously, attention switching to her ice cream once more.

xXx

"Choutarou-kun~" Gakuto called in a singsong manner, gathering the attention of the whole Hyoutei Regulars even though he only called for a certain kouhai.

"Hai, Mukahi-senpai?" Choutarou replied, blinking blankly as he put his jersey on.

"I heard you were lovey-dovey with Ryou, ah?" Mukahi smirked, full-knowing that a certain Ryou had heard him. "With all this, xoxo, eh?"

As expected, Shishido's ears quirked up. He looked at Ootori, who was blushing in extreme embarrassment at Mukahi's shameless teasing.

"Mu-mukahi-senpai…" Ootori wrung his hands in utter discomfort. "I—I think that's not an appropriate thing to talk about here inside the clubroom…"

Oshitari's glasses glinted as he slammed his locker closed with a suppressed ecstasy. "I didn't know that Shishido is the type to appreciate those kinds of phony lines, don't you think?"

Ootori blushed even more. "O-oshitari-san…"

Shishido frowned slightly. 'Why are they making such a scene with some xoxo?'

xXx

"What are you laughing about, ahn?" Atobe inquired as he noticed Gakuto laughing discreetly in his own little world, also known as a certain corner on the bleachers. It was in the midst of practice, and all of them—except those who were currently taking their water break—are in the middle of the court, practicing, so Atobe had absolutely no idea as why Gakuto would laugh out of particularly nothing funny.

"Shishido…. Xoxo…. And… and…" And Gakuto almost rolled on the floor as he laughed his guts out. When you think about it, what's funny with Shishido not knowing what xoxo means, anyway?

Oshitari picked the spare towel beside Gakuto and dried his hair, sighing as he cast a glance at Atobe, then at his doubles' partner. "You still haven't gotten over it?"

"Gotten over with what?" Atobe inquired still, now looking at Oshitari with suppressed interest in the subject.

Oshitari looked mockingly at the Hyoutei captain. "Get back to practice, Atobe, ahn~"

Atobe's eyebrow twitched; and Gakuto stopped laughing rather abruptly, getting his Yuushi's cue. He stood up, on his tiptoes, and leveled his face with Atobe's. "Curious, aren't we?"

"As if Ore-sama will be!" Atobe flipped a strand of his locks, heaving his used towel in the air, which was magically caught by Kabaji, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "Ore-sama will go back to practice."

xXx

Shishido was utterly curious.

Unpredictable? Of course not.

It has been a day and Gakuto still kept squawking about the xoxo thingy. Ootori has been saying that since they started dating; and Shishido never wondered if that means anything. He thought that was only an expression; a senseless expression to beautify the SMS.

But, with the way Gakuto talked (to himself) about that, it's as if that actually means something.

Shishido noted the lone presence of Hiyoshi as he entered the clubroom to get his forgotten water bottle. He nodded to greet his kouhai and proceeded to do his business.

When he had decided to seize the opportunity.

"Oi, Hiyoshi!" he called, effectively stopping the Regular in his ministrations as he looked at Shishido curiously. "Ah… etou…" oh well, maybe today still isn't the time. Shishido raised a hand to give a gesture in negative-

"You know what xoxo means?"

-but before he knew it, his sinful mouth had gotten over him.

He gazed at his kouhai to find any reaction or answer, but Hiyoshi, instead, found it more entertaining to just respond an equally blank stare.

Stare.

And then Shishido scowled, and a smirk discreetly found itself linger along Hiyoshi's lips as he opened the door to go out. "Gekokujyou."

'So that means something!'

xXx

Of course, Shishido wouldn't dare to ask any Regular about that. But then though, he has to know what that means. It's like; he's betraying any affection Ootori is giving him if he didn't even take the effort to know what freakin' XOXO means.

'But how?'

Shishido had raked his head to hit upon any way that he should do to know what the heck does xoxo mean; but every time he does that, the very image of Mukahi Gakuto marches into his mind.

He growled, slumping into a bench beside the vending machines as he waits for the object of his thoughts.

"Shishido-san!" Choutarou shouted from afar, waving his arm wildly as he ran towards his senpai. Shishido waved back, moving to the edge of the bench to give space for Choutarou. The white-haired boy does so, sitting beside him. "Here," he handed him a piece of paper; and as he noticed his confused expression, he opened his mouth to explain. "From Mukahi-senpai."

Shishido's eyes trailed around the innocent-looking piece of grey-colored paper between his fingers. He gulped absently, still giving it the elevator eyes.

"Eh? Na ze?" Choutarou leaned closer to him, trying to peer on whatever's written on the paper. Shishido, startled, leaned back, falling down the bench had not Choutarou grabbed him back by the collar.

He blinked repeatedly, a blush slowly creeping on his cheeks and ears. "Not now, Choutarou!"

Choutarou blinked as well, confused. "Huh?"

"A-ah… um…" Shishido stammered, embarrassed. "L-let's go home." He stood up rather hastily, momentarily cursing himself at the mess he's been doing subconsciously.

Choutarou followed suit. "Okay."

xXx

If Shishido had not minded Choutarou's nightly SMS before, now, he does. And as his phone beeped, he did a whole lot thinking if he should read the message, or let one of his family members read it for him. Again.

Of course, he will never choose the latter.

He crept—as he always does—towards his phone. And shakily flipped it open, punching certain buttons.

"I don't know if it's only a trick f my mind, but, you were awkward today, Shishido-san. Anyway, a goodnight's sleep is perfect. Goodnight! Xoxo~"

He blinked. 'He noticed?'

And he flipped his phone shut, flopping down his bed to think things over. But as he shifted, a paper crumpling resounded against his bedroom. He tilted his head upwards, looking at his jersey.

And then he remembered the letter given to him by Gakuto.

He yanked it from his jersey, folding it open and gazing at the characters written.

XOXO - *hugs and kisses*

~gakuto. XP

Ahhh…

And then it hit him.

Mukahi's face grinning flashed before his eyes and he started wondering…

What the heck will happen to me tomorrow?

R&R!