The Untypical Duo Of Hyotei
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis as that is work of the respected Konomi Takeshi.
Summary: Middle School isn't all about love. It's about getting good marks to get into the high school you want to go to. This is the goal of the traditional and down-to-earth girls, Junko and Riko Sato plan to do with their life.
Chapter Summary: How Junko and Riko met Oshitari Yuushi.
Prologue- Blackmail Brings the Best of Buddies
A year ago…
"Hi Junko! How's work?" a cheerful girl greeted, a bright smile on her face as she ran energetically towards her best friend, Junko. In the process of running towards Junko, she tripped over the blue carpet rug, twisting her ankle in the process. And making a huge 'THUMP!' like noise accompanied with a "OUCH!"
Looking over the counter, Junko saw the cheerful girl, looking a little dazed. Soon enough Junko sighed exasperatedly, looking a little agitated.
"Shhh. Do you want me to get fired?" Junko shushed from her side of the counter, a finger on her lips to signal her friend to be quiet.
"Sorry!" The fallen girl apologised quietly, as she got up slowly. "It's not my fault the carpet HAPPENED to have caught my foot!" The girl dusted some dirt and dust off her denim blue skirt and black leggings.
"Besides it's my break so I have nothing to do and no one to talk to." The now smiling girl replied, leaning on the counter with her hands supporting her face and the counter supporting her arms.
Junko smiled, "Why don't you talk to the flowers? I read somewhere that talking to them will make them grow faster."
The girl now leered at Junko, "They're cut flowers, Junko. They won't grow. And besides…" The girl broke out into a cheesy grin as she placed two band-aids into an X on her forehead, "I don't wanna look like a dumbo."
Junko nodded in response, smiling widely, as she scanned a few returned books and placed them in the trolley for her colleagues to take and put back. Soon the golden silence of the library fell upon the two with the exception of a few 'beeps' and 'boops' from the library computer and scanner.
Deciding to break the unbearable silence, Junko's friend decided to ask her daily question. "So did any new dr-" was all the girl managed to say when Junko interrupted.
"Yes Riko, the recently subtitled 'Princess Hours', 'He was Cool' and 'My Girl' just came in. Also the English romance movies have been recently subbed as well. Movies such as 'Twilight' and 'Ella Enchanted' have came in." Junko knowing full well what her little friend would ask for.
"Oh~, They sound interesting~" Riko replied in a sing-sing voice, smiling widely as she plugged in her Mp3 player, place her earphones into her ears and started humming along with the song.
"Ha–, please keep it down. You're gonna get me fired…" Junko sighed as she mouthed the words and used sign and hand motions to Riko who currently can not hear her but can see her.
Riko flashed her older sister and friend a peace sign, a small smile and a nod as she leaned on the counter enjoying the remaining time of her lunch break. Junko sighed and lightly smiled as she waited a bit for the next person to serve. All while waiting, Junko sat down on her stool, tapped and rapped her fingertips against the cold marble countertop to a tune that sounded vaguely familiar to any passerby. As time pass achingly slow, she started thinking quietly to herself as her fingers tapped and rapped against the marble counter.
'Thank goodness that no one from Hyotei come here. I don't want to be caught working when I'm not suppose to. Stupid rich students, the only good thing their good at is screaming and exclaiming as well as –'
"Excuse me miss..." a deep voice interrupted, derailing Junko's train of thought and cutting her internal rant mid way.
"Ah! Excuse me for spacing out like that!" Junko apologised as she bowed slightly, not wanting to hit her head on the hard counter.
Looking up, she saw a blue-haired young man with circle-round glasses, not much older than herself only a year older, with a stack of reference books on the topic of Chemistry. Wedged in between the thick books of Chemistry was a video still in its case. Junko looked at the video with suspicion but shrugged it off.
"How may I help you today, sir?" Junko greeted and smiled courteously to the oddly familiar young bluenette.
"I'll like to borrow these under my name for at least two weeks, please." The young man asked handing the items over to the oddly familiar female for scanning.
"How long would you like to borrow 'Stairway To Heaven' for?" Junko asked as she scanned the books over, stamped the due date behind and in front of the inside covers.
The tip of Riko's ears twitched. Sharply she looked up, yanking out her earphones as she rushed to the bluenette, exclaiming in a serious tone, "Did I just hear 'Stairway To Heaven'?"
Junko sighed as she took one of the scanned and dated books and lightly bonked the book onto the eager Riko.
"Shhh. This is a library Riko. Do you want to get me fired?" Junko whispered lethally as she gave Riko the evil leer.
Shrinking back at the evil leer, Riko replied apologetically and quietly, "I'm sorry~ I didn't mean it~"
Reverting back to her eager self she rebutted with a smile, "But still, I can't believe that someone is gonna watch 'Stairway To Heaven'! It's the most wonderful and romantic movie I've ever seen!"
Junko scanned the video and wrote the due date for the movie. As she handed the books and video back, she took one long look at the young bluenette.
Widening her eyes in fright, she finally realised and recognised the person in front of her.
"S-Senior Oshitari?!?!?!?! W-What are you doing here?!?!?!?!" Junko stuttered, pointing a shaky finger at the bluenette, who was her senior.
Her eyes displayed fear and utter fright at the person in front of her. The bluenette, Oshitari, soon recognised the oddly familiar girl in front of him as a Junior from his Junior High School, Hyotei. Remembering one of the rules that the principle had given, he reprimanded the Junior.
"You're not allowed to work after school. Actually you're not allowed to work at all during your schooling at Hyotei." Oshitari scolded as he gather his books and video and headed towards the exit.
Suddenly a hand on his shoulder prevented him from going any further and its grip was a strong one. Turning around Oshitari saw it was the Junior, however she didn't have the calm poker face she had during school nor was it the courteous smile she had on before. The smile she had on was evil almost sadistic even, her eyes held a mischievous glint to them and her shoulders were trembling slightly. It was only then that Oshitari realised that she was giggling a quiet and ominous giggle.
"Hey Senior Oshitari. Let's make a deal." The smile turned into a smirk, "Don't tell anyone at Hyotei about me working here at Tokyo Library and I won't spread the news of you, the 'Cool and Composed Genius' of Hyotei, being a sensitive, crying sap to the most sappiest romance movies."
Oshitari was shocked. How did this Junior knew his secret?! Only his closest friends and family knew about his obsession with romance movies?! Or better yet, how did she knew he cried during the movies?!
"I have a security videos of the study rooms with television sets in them." Junko answered, as if reading his mind, still giggling ominously.
"One of them has you borrowing that room to watch a little bit of 'Stairway to Heaven' to see if its good or not. I also have the information of the romance movie loan on the computer." The smirk turned a whole lot eviler and the giggle never ceasing.
"If you don't say anything about me working here, then those little bits of precious information won't be leaked to the whole school assembly." Junko stated her tone implying that this is not a mere and idle threat.
Oshitari for the first time felt cornered. Did the people, he too, blackmailed felt this way too, when he presented the dirt he had on them? No, they probably didn't felt as threatened as he was now. They didn't build a reputation and hold it as dearly as he did when he was building his reputation as the 'Cool and Composed Genius'.
Not wanting to risk, all the effort he had made to keep his reputation he, Oshitari Yuushi, agreed to his Junior's demand, albeit reluctantly. The courteous smile was back as on her face and she let go of her Senior's shoulder as well as bid him a good day.
Soon enough, Riko's lunch break was over. Junko bid her friend goodbye as she continued to work as though nothing that had happened in the last fifteen minutes or so. Riko skipping happily towards the Tokyo Library exit and towards the flower shop she worked at, which was conveniently located next door.
A year has passed since the 'Library Incident', Riko and Junko Satou as well Oshitari Yuushi had all become friends unexpectedly along the way. This is due to the fact the Tokyo Library that Junko works at. Apparently, it is the library that Oshitari usually goes to when he has time or had important school projects to do.
Every time Oshitari was at Tokyo Library, he would always ask Junko for what books he needed for his school assignments, because she was a student who was known to be the 'hard-working A+ student' among her teachers except when she gets to Greek and Physics. So asking her about the best books on his school assignments were a good option. Also as a bonus she would keep Oshitari updated about the latest romance movies and novels that Tokyo Library has recently received and majority of the time allowed him to be the first to watch (along with the condition that her sister Riko would watch as well.)
Spending time with Riko was often enjoyable because they both love good romance movies. By agreeing to Junko's condition about the movies he borrowed, having Riko around to have a discussion about the movie would be enjoyable as well as watching with her.
Soon both Junko and Riko became good friends to him even though he is often a little agitated by the fact that Junko has some blackmail on him. When the time came where Junko told Oshitari that he was no longer blackmailed, due to her seeing him as a trustworthy person to confide her secret to and hope he would feel the same way. Oshitari felt uncertain on the inside, as Junko looked at him with so much trust yet he felt agitated about being blackmailed. With a little persuasion from Riko, Oshitari forgave Junko but would not forget that she blackmailed him.
Junko was satisfied with that and gave him a genuine smile. Oshitari looked away from her. Both Riko and Junko smiled at each other, as they both knew it would take awhile for Oshitari to forgive Junko but they knew that he would eventually put it aside him.
It would be a long wait but it was worth the wait.
Author's Note #1: Um, I'm trying to not put Japanese words or phrases in this besides the -sama, -chan, -kun, the names and some of the Prince of Tennis character's catch phrases. So... um don't kill me when I write 'Senior So and So' or 'Mrs Blah and Blah' and others.
Author's Note #2: I'm trying not to the OCs Junko and Riko not too Mary-Sueish since people hate those, so if you think they are then please tell me. I'm really interested in the areas I need to fix these characters in.
Author's Note #3: I'm sorry, if Oshitari sounds OCC. I was trying to make him in character as possible but if he isn't, I apoligise.