Hey, guys!
This NiouxYagyuu fanfic goes paralell with the Kinky Pair-Version which has the same title.
You should read the other version first, but there's no problem if you don't.
I hope you will like it :)
DON'T HATE THE PLAYER, HATE HIS TENNIS STYLE (Platinum Pair)
Chapter 1 - Distance
"Bucho, can you tell me again why I have to be paired up with him??"
"Look, Yagyuu… This is the third time Akaya has asked." I smirked and rested my elbow on his shoulder. "Poor guy… Puri."
Yagyuu watched them, but didn't say a word.
"My, my... Don't you like Yanagi? He's a nice guy, you know?" Yukimura said to Kirihara with a smile.
"Bucho called Yanagi nice. I wonder why he has never called me that…"
"That's because you're nothing close to the word 'nice', Niou…" I sent him an irritated glance. Was he insulting me…?
Yagyuu pushed up his glasses. "But… I guess I like you that way…"
"That's cute of you, Hiro-kun," I hugged him from the back.
"You're heavy, Niou…"
"Just a little longer," I grinned.
"…"
Yagyuu was always like that. I knew he liked when I clung to him, but he always denied it.
"It's not about that! I'm just asking WHY on earth I have to be paired up with him. Why exactly HIM?!" Akaya yelled.
"I feel sorry for Yanagi…" Yagyuu mumbled. "To hear Akaya saying those things must have hurt him."
"Oh?"
"We all know how long he has had his eyes on Kirihara…"
"Since the first time they met, wasn't it…?"
"Yeah. He said that Kirihara could give him some interesting data. Still, I doubt that's the only reason…"
"But how can someone as calm as him like a scary person as Akaya, anyway?"
"…" Yagyuu looked at me.
"What??"
"They are not the only ones who're like that…"
"What are you talking about?"
Yagyuu blushed lightly.
"Aah~ You were talking about us, right??" I laughed and poked at him. "So the calm Yagyuu does like a scary trickster like me…"
"O-Only as a doubles partner…" He looked away and pushed up his glasses.
"I see~"
"D-Don't look at me like that…"
"Heh heh heh~"
"…"
"But I don't want to be paired up with him!" We heard Akaya continue.
"Right now, I don't want to be with you either," Yanagi mumbled while writing in his notebook as he always did.
"Don't come with those kinds of unnecessary comments! If you don't like me, don't tell me about it!"
"Man, they sure are loud… Puri."
"And you're heavy…"
"…And you are cute…"
"…"
"I got you, didn't I?" I laughed and gave him a light kiss in the cheek.
"Niou! Don't do stuffs like that!" His face was red.
"Heh heh heh… Puri." I loved to tease him… "You know, I'm happy we get along…"
"We're called the 'Platinum Pair', it would have been unacceptable if we didn't get along…"
"True, true… You are always so logical. Puri."
"Why do you guys always have to be against me?!?! Why can't even one single of you be on my side and understand my side of the story for a change?!?!" Oh shit, Akaya has lost it…
"I didn't know you felt that way," Yukimura began. "If you feel that we don't understand you, why not talk with us about it?"
"I don't care anymore! I'm leaving for today..."
"Wait Kirihara," Marui spitted out his gum and put a hand on Akaya's shoulder.
Akaya pushed his hand away and left with the words "I hate you all..."
"And here I was, spitting out my gum to try to talk seriously with you!" Marui shouted after him.
"He has already left, there's no point in shouting, Marui…" Jackal said.
"I know, but… We are a team, aren't we? I just wanted to help…"
"You are such a kind person…"
"Yanagi…" Yukimura didn't sound happy…
"Yanagi." Renji was too concentrated on his notebook to notice his captain.
"Yanagi!!"
"Eh? H-hai??"
"What are you doing?"
"I'm making the training schedule for Kirihara," he answered.
"What's the point to make a schedule when you don't even get along with your partner?! He's feeling lonely!"
"Is he… Feeling lonely…?"
"Didn't you hear what he said before he left?!"
Yanagi looked confused, like he didn't understand what the captain was talking about.
"Renji! Kirihara Akaya is your partner, which means that you have the responsibility to take care of him!"
"Yukimura-bucho, I-"
Sanada stepped in front of Seiichi and slapped Renji.
"Ouch…. THAT's gotta hurt! Sanada-fuku bucho really knows how to slap!"
It just slipped out of me.
"Hush, Niou… You shouldn't provoke him…" Yagyuu whispered to me.
The vice captain stared angrily at me, but then turned to Yanagi.
"Renji! This is a shame for Rikkai!!! APOLOGIZE TO YUKI-"
"Sanada…"
"Yukimura?"
"It's okay… He knows his faults…"
"I'm… I'm sorry, Yukimura-bucho…" Yanagi looked depressed.
"As long as you understand… Now… Everyone, we'll call it a day. The training is over… Dismissed!" Yukimura turned around and walked away with Sanada right behind him.
"Yanagi… Are you okay…?" Yagyuu asked.
"…hn." Yanagi said and left.
"What kind of answer is that??" Marui wondered, but no one gave him an answer.
"The mood is kind of chilly…" I said. "So, what are we going to do now?"
"Heading home," Yagyuu answered coldly.
"That's boring, Hiro…" I clutched his arm.
"N-Niou… Don't…"
"Let's go on a double-date together!" Marui suggested. "Ne, Jackal??"
"Uhh…"
"I'm heading home…" Yagyuu collected his things and started walking.
"Yagyuu!" I ran after him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing… I just don't like that Marui's making fun of dates and love… We all are just doubles partners, nothing more…"
"Why are you always like that? The boy was just kidding… You shouldn't take it seriously…" Even saying that, my thoughts are something else…
"I guess you're right…" Yagyuu smiled and slowed down so I could walk beside him.
"Puri." Even acting like I don't care, I actually do…
"N-Niou… Don't hold my hand while we're in town, it's embarrassing."
"It's okay, isn't it? Just for a little."
"I-I guess…"
"Hehe… Puri." Even acting like normal, my heart beats faster…
You're so close, yet I can't reach you…
Are we going to stay this far from each other forever…?
-End of Chapter 1-