3 Wishes

A/N: OHMYGOSH HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN? OKAY, kill me for not having any shame and showing up here but I couldn't resist! FORGIVE ME! But, as an apology…. Cookie, I have a new story. So I totally know that I've got like, a THOUSAND others (not really a thousand but you get the idea) but I REALLY REALLY wanted to write THIS particular one. AND… It's mystery/suspense, AGAIN (or was chain mail thriller? Bah). DUNDUNDUN! SO PLEASE… ENJOY :DDDDDDD

3 Wishes

Prologue

Rikkai Dai.

A well-known school. Outstanding students, unbelievable prestige, but not all the well, unlike Hyoutei that boasts of wealthy education.

But if there was one thing Rikkai U was proud of, it just had to be their tennis club, led by Yukimura Seiichi with his second-in-command Sanada Genichirou, and Yanagi Renji not following that far behind. All in all, Rikkai was full of well-rounded achievers. Every now and then, they might get that unexpected asset, like Marui Bunta, or even a foreign one, like Kuwahara Jackal.

But what no one from outside the university walls really knew was the secret of Rikkai.

The infamous rumor about the murder of one of its students within the so-called perfectly safe campus.

No one knew if it was true, of course.

But you know, daredevils always had a way with ghost rumors. They had a habit of trying things out just to see if they'd piss in their pants if those things were actually real.

And in this story, those daredevils were named Kuwahara Jackal and Marui Bunta.

"I'm not really sure about this, Marui.", Jackal said, quivering slightly.

The redhead just kept on walking in the dark, the night-air trying to stop them from doing something they'll obviously regret.

"Relax, baldy. We're just here to see if the rumor's true.", he said nonchalantly, as if unafraid of the impending danger. Though both of them knew he was shaking harder than Jackal was.

Marui struggled to keep the flashlight straight in his hand. He was concentrating hard. One wrong move and he'd drop it then run away for his life. Jackal would laugh at him if he did, then the whole school would know the university's cutie was a chicken. He didn't want that. No one in their right mind would, not that Marui was exactly in his right mind. If he was he wouldn't be doing this right now.

"What if it is true?", Jackal countered.

He had a really good point.

But no.

"Look, Jackal.", Marui said and turned to look at his partner. "I'm pretty much as scared as you are. But this is a dare, and if Yukimura-buchou hadn't been there, honestly, we wouldn't be doing this. But he was. Now, do you want to get embarrassed?"

Jackal pondered about the thought for a moment and answered with a low disapproval.

"Good. Now get a move on before it gets any darker."

If it could get any darker.

The duo could practically hear the cold night air whispering in their ears.

And then they stopped, albeit in perfect synchrony.

"Marui, if you could think this over one more time, I'll be real happy.", Jackal pleaded.

But his words reached deaf ears.

"Let's get this over with, par'ner.", Marui mumbled, almost to himself.

They stood there, in front of the elevator and stared at its steel doors, shut tightly. Their reflection on the surface expressed the same fear they were feeling. Jackal watched his image trembling, knees weak, forehead sweating. Wow, he looked like he was suddenly paler.

"So we just have to go inside the elevator and then what-?" The tanned tennis player asked.

"We sing that song… What was that song again?"

"Ughhh… That. That song."

"Oh yeah, the one that, yeah. Right."

"Then what do we do?"

"Well," The volley specialist rubbed his chin, buried in deep thought. "I remember Niou saying something about another floor…"

The gulp Jackal took almost made Marui go deaf as the sound reverberated through the walls of the isolated corridor.

"Then we go to the comfort room, make a wish and run away on our way out?" Jackal asked, mumbling the words together in a slight panic.

"That's the plan."

"Why do you seem so confident?", he just had to ask. Marui acted like he was just gonna go to his room.

"Sometimes you gotta lie to yourself about your fears, Jackal. So far, this is one of my greatest."

He was reassured, a bit.

"Shall we?", Jackal asked.

Marui made a little gentleman bow his fan girls would've said it was cute. "After you.", he said with a small smile on his lips. Jackal sighed and shook his head. He was completely dumbfounded at the fact that Marui still had the nerve to joke around. He pushed the up button and stuck his tongue out at his partner.

"Forgot to push the button."

"You're the one close to it. What, do you expect me to do everything for you?"

Both of them stared at the digit on the side getting lower and lower, the elevator nearing their floor.

When the indicator displayed a red "G", a loud click resounded about the area.

"Well, here goes." The cake lover fidgeted as the doors opened and presented a slightly uncomfortable emptiness.

The two shared a look and nodded at each other. They stepped inside the enclosed space and hit the button to close the doors.

"Top floor, was it?" Marui asked despite having already pushed the button.

"That's the one."

An awkward silence grew around them and Marui could've sworn he was suffocating.

"Jackal," he croaked. "In case this is my last few minutes here on earth, I just want you to know that it was a pleasure knowing ya. I never really told ya but I appreciate you always helping me with stuff. "

Jackal chuckled a bit nervously. "Yeah. Don't mention it. And Marui, you've been a great partner. I'd never imagine standing on our half of the court with another person."

They laughed for a while before their voices fading away into the eerie confines of the elevator walls.

"Uhm, Jackal. Aren't we forgetting something?"

"No… Not that I know of, no—The song!"

"Oh right!" Marui joined in.

They stood there for a while as they were raised higher and higher.

"Yubi kiri—"

Marui, who started, was cut off by a loud ding and the opening of the doors.

Panicking, he checked which floor they were in.

"Last floor. We failed. QUICK CLOSE IT I DON'T WANNA SEE WHAT'S OUTSIDE!"

They both tapped on the close button, which was obviously too small for two fingers.

Though afraid out of his wits, Marui caught a glimpse of the dark corridor and swore he saw something move. He stared at nothing but air as the doors came to a close.

Jackal wiped away the sweat that formed while he was busy keeping himself from wailing out loud about how scared he actually was and that he didn't want to do it anymore.

Good thing they forgot about the song.

"I don't get it."

Jackal stopped and looked at the short man beside him.

"Get what? I'm pretty sure it was because we didn't sing—"

"No, this is different."

"What… Is?"

For some reason, the sweat started to form on his forehead again and his knees wobbled. Marui was giving him another thing to be scared of when he just barely escaped the previous one. What exactly was wrong with this guy? Did he like being scared?

"I just… I'm just messin' around with ya!" Marui said, pointed at Jackal and laughed out loud.

Jackal gritted his teeth and hit the redhead square on the head.

"I was freaking scared out there!"

Marui snickered, tears forming on the corner of his eyes.

"You should've seen your face!"

They reached the ground floor and walked outside, heading towards their dorms. Jackal was muttering some low curses while his partner was busy trying to breathe.

"But honestly, Marui. What are we gonna say to Buchou?"

Marui shrugged.

"Let's just tell 'em the ghost took a dip or sumthin'."

Jackal snorted at the answer.

"That is one lame excuse."

"I know. Doesn't matter. The only one who'll mock us is Niou, anyway."

Jackal nodded.

They neared their dorms and entered.

They were roommates, Marui and Jackal. Though they were mostly stupid and crazy and wild, their room was well-organized and had the most space. So whenever the club wanted to hang around, they stayed there, since any other place was unavailable. It was against the rules a bit, but being a part of the tennis club did have its advantages.

The tennis players were sprawled everywhere. Well, not all of them. The Sannin-Bakemono were carefully seated on Marui's bed. As soon as everyone of them noticed Marui and Jackal enter, they transferred their full attention to the two; Niou sitting up straight and Kirihara setting down the deck of cards he was playing with.

"So?", Niou asked almost too enthusiastically. "Did you do it?"

"The ghost took a—"

"Yep."

Jackal, who had been cut off by Marui, stared at his partner with wide eyes.

"You did?" Kirihara asked, looking at Jackal for some truth.

"Ah… Yes, yes. We did." Jackal laughed nervously and scratched his head. What was Marui thinking? He was just about to say what he was told to say as an excuse, and now Marui thought up of a new lie?

"So? What happened?" Yukimura looked at them, arms crossed.

"Nothing. Rumor ain't true. It's what it is." Marui replied in monotone.

Jackal was confused.

"I don't believe you." Niou remarked.

"Suit yourself, trickster, but I'm telling ya. Rumor's gonna get ya nowhere."

"Well," Renji butt in, "So much for waiting. I'm heading back."

Renji stood up and exited, the other two following short after. Kirirhara, Yagyuu, who was completely quiet all throughout, and Niou, seeing no fun in continuing a mindless conversation, went out of the room. The latter shot a glance at the redhead, still suspicious.

Marui shrugged and smiled.

When the door closed, Jackal spazzed.

"What was that all about?"

"Easy there, cowboy. If we told them we didn't make it, sooner or later, they're just gonna try out again."

"What?"

"You know Niou and his brain. And I don't really wanna see Yagyuu getting pulled into something he never signed up for."

Jackal inhaled a large mass of air.

"Fine. You win. I'll just take a shower."

"Make it quick. I'll use after."

The rest of the night was pretty silent. It wasn't comfortable, just plain awkward. None of them wanted to say anything about what happened.

Marui plopped down on the bed.

He couldn't stop thinking about what he saw.

But he was glad it was over.

Though something told him he was in for something he wasn't expecting.

Was it really over?

That's where the story begins.

-End of Prologue-

A/N: Okay, I dunno if Rikkai had dorms but in this, they do. Pardon any errors. R&R! I love 'em reviews!