He looked like nothing the pink haired boy expected. He had sharp, beady silver eyes, a long pointy nose, sharp looking teeth, a thick mustache that curved upwards at the ends, a really pointy goatee that looked like it could be took off and used as a weapon and not to mention, crows feet. Marui blinked.
"So you're… Hanamaru Itayushi? (1)" The creepy man nodded, "Well I can see why you're on a dating site, pretty desperate huh?" he nodded once again, "Well I honestly thought you were more attractive online."
"I get that comment all the time." Marui looked down and puffed out his cheeks.
"Whelp, I'm going home, sorry guy." He nodded.
"Its fine, I'm used to it." They both turned to leave.
- (Rikkaidai High school - clubroom)
"Still partner searching?" Yukimura asked in amusement as the pink haired boy groggily slid down into his seat.
"He has a partner Yukimura; he's looking for a mate." Jackal said in defense; Marui needed no other partner; in Jackal's eyes, Marui was his doubles partner, no one else's, they could have him as a lover but not as a doubles partner. Jackal glared into the air as he thought that fact over.
"Sorry Jackal, are you still, boyfriend searching?" Marui sneered; more at himself than anything else, and slid down into the seat some more.
"I think I'm just going to give up, really what's the point anymore?"
"Funny you should ask that Marui," Sanada said walking into the room.
"What do you mean, Sanada?" Marui asked staring at the man.
"What I mean is-, it's FUKUBUCHOU!" Marui snickered, "Anyway, what I mean is that, why should you have a boyfriend, you're fine by yourself aren't you?"
"Wow Genichirou, you're actually putting yourself in other people's lives huh? That's new." Yukimura said, chuckling at himself afterwards. Sanada glared at him but then realized what he was doing was life-threatening then put his glare onto Jackal instead, confusing the poor half-Brazilian boy.
"It will probably interfere with his tennis." Was all he said before leaving the room.
"Well, I understand why you're doing this Marui!" Niou said popping in through the window.
"W-T-F!" The three in the room yelled in unison.
"You're looking for weird people to date online because you're feeling self conscious about your body and-," Marui shut the window before he could continue.
"Anyway," Marui started, sounding a little exhausted, "I'm going to be meeting someone else tonight, I'm a little worried though, the person last night looked like a pedophile so I left."
"That's good that you left, Bunta." Yukimura said smiling at him, "if you want, I could come with you tonight." Marui shook his head.
"Naw, that would be a little weird don't ya think?" Yukimura looked up in a questioning way.
"Well, I could hide in a tree or something, Jackal could come too." Jackal looked at him with a confused face.
"Me!" He asked pointing towards himself.
"What, you don't want to go?" The two asked him at the same time.
"W-Well I mean… fine, I'll go." Marui shook his head.
"Wait a second, I think I'll be fine though, nothings happened yet-," Once again the door opened revealing a sweating Sanada.
"That doesn't mean nothing could happen." The three looked at him, they just stared, not saying a word, they just…. stared…
"Why are you sweating?" Yukimura asked breaking the awkward silence.
"Oh uh, Niou lit a leaf on fire and, um, that's not important right now, Marui, you must be careful when meeting these people-,"
"I know, I know." Marui interrupted, "It's just; I'm pretty desperate right now… I'm tired of feeling alone."
"You're not alone!" Jackal yelled feeling offended. Marui sighed.
"I mean sexual relationship wise." Yukimura's eyes widened.
"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, wait a second, you mean you're meeting these people… to have sex with them?" Sanada walked out.
"Well I don't actually mean that, I just want someone to love…" Marui sighed and looked down, "Never mind, you wouldn't understand…" at that moment the door opened once again to reveal the white haired trickster.
"Of course I understand, Marui." He said smirking at the boy, "its all clear to me now."
"Go away Niou, you don't know anything." Marui snapped glaring up at him, "I really don't feel like playing with you right now, I'm depressed." The petenshi feigned a sad face.
"I'm just trying to help you out." He batted his eyes.
"Well it's not working," Marui sighed and started towards the door, "I'm going to go run some laps." Everyone, including Niou, mostly Niou; was shocked at the rare occurrence, really, Marui was actually going to run laps, just for the heck of it!
"Poor Marui, he must really be depressed." Yukimura said giving the space where Marui was just standing a look of pity.
Niou frowned, this wasn't his friend, he would never-; no, this was not his Marui Bunta, this guy was an impersonation, it was an alien that just wanted to know how human life works, yeah that's what it is, because surely that guy is not his best friend.
The spiky haired boy looked back at the door and stared at the boy who was about to start his laps, no, it couldn't be his friend.
- (In front of a random restaurant, 5:46 PM)
Marui sighed as he finally got to his destination, it seemed he was a few minuets early; no one was there yet to meet him. He frowned to himself, what was he doing with his life? That's what he thought as he sat himself down onto the curb of the side walk.
"I'm pathetic…" He placed his head down into his head, he heard the sound of bushes rustling across the street; no cars were driving at the time so he could hear it, yes he probably has good hearing, he looked up but saw nothing.
He grinned to himself as he started thinking about squirrels; it was then when he noticed someone was standing beside him.
He looked up and saw a man with large glasses, a small mustache growing on his upper lip; he had on a striped shirt that was tucked messily into his jeans, and one sock had clouds on it while the other was stripes; you could tell because one pant leg was pulled up really high while the other was pulled up only a little lower than the other.
"C-Can I help you?" Marui asked looking up at him.
"Yes, could you direct me to the Natural Beauty Salon?" He asked, Marui blinked, "I have to get my hair fixed." He continued pointing to his rat nest hair.
"Um yeah… it's over there… I think…" He looked and smiled revealing an abnormal gap in his bottom teeth.
"Oh thank you very much! My girlfriend will be so shocked when she sees the new me!" He cheered running over to the salon.
'Oh my god I can't believe it, that goof ball can get a girlfriend but I can't even get a boyfriend? Really? Something is not right here!' Marui sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, he could have sworn he heard snickering coming from the bush. "Oh great, now the squirrels are laughing at me."
- (Rikkaidai High school – hallways)
"I take it your date didn't show up last night?" Yukimura asked looking at Marui in pity. Marui yawned and looked at him.
"How'd you guess?" Yukimura gave him a warm smile.
"Because you look terrible, not to mention Jackal, Akaya, and I were in the bushes across from you." Marui's eyes widened and he blinked.
"You mean those weren't squirrels…?" Yukimura chuckled and patted his back like a mother.
"No Marui, the snickering did not come from the squirrels." Marui bent down in shame.
"What do I do Yukimura, I'm so pathetic!" Yukimura frowned.
"Oh Pishaw, don't talk like that," he pulled the boy up until he was standing once more, "Hey I know what'll cheer you up, let's have a group outing tonight, it will be better for you to get away from the computer and stop trying to force yourself on other guys." At that moment Marui burst into tears.
"He didn't even come Yukimura!" he screeched, Yukimura sighed. Marui ran up and buried his face into the captain's shoulder, not even realizing that he was making him feel a little uncomfortable. Yukimura began awkwardly rubbing the boys back.
"Um… I know Marui… I know…. I was there…. And Jackal was too…. And Akaya...Even though he fell asleep…." Marui sobbed once more.
- (End Chapter)
(1) – lol I totally made that name up off the top of my head! X3