Author's Notes: Hey guys! Yes, this is one of my once-in-a-blue moon updates You see, I'll be I'll be gone for the U.S.A for one month since I 'm going to take my vacation there. This is my first Marui fic, although I have been a fan of his for quite a time now. Hope you guys enjoy! R&r!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story except for the plot.


Munch. Munch. Munch.

The crumbs of his consumed hazelnut-flavored donut lay still on his study table. Traces of potato chips were scattered on the floor as bits and pieces could be found everywhere within the perimeter of a red haired tensai's reach. Yes, his place was a mess. It looked like a pig sty, with particles of food visible everywhere. Yet Marui Bunta didn't care. In fact, he was oblivious to it all. He carried on eating like there was no tomorrow. He munched on the chocolate bar he was currently holding, yet no amount of sweetness could penetrate his taste buds. He didn't taste anything, nor feel anything. He was apathetic at that very moment, and there was only one reason why this certain tennis player was indifferent to the mess around him.

He was lovesick.

To the sight of any other person than himself, it seemed so amusing. The confident, happy-go-lucky tennis player of Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku who was usually seen being cheerful and carefree is now lovesick, with signs of anxiety now written across his youthful, baby-like face. His smooth, acne-free forehead had some lines on it which could momentarily disappear if only he would loosen up. His eyebrows curved together and formed a line, giving away his thoughts of worry and confusion. He tried oh so hard to lighten up and relax, yet he could not bring himself to do so. His body and mind just wouldn't apply the usual logic that he would apply if he was on court, and instead his present actions showed impulsiveness and irrationality. In short, he has definitely "got it bad".

He was currently thinking of a way to get the attention of a certain someone whom he wanted to impress. For weeks, he thought of a plan just to lure a certain raven-haired student whom he was very fond of to his clutches. He tried impressing the boy that he had a huge crush on with his techniques that usually merited him and his doubles partner victory in every game, yet he did not get so much as a mere glance from the object of his affections and more praises from a certain narcoleptic player from Hyoutei Gakuen who watched him from time to time. He also went far as to try to seduce Rikkaidai's ace by taking off his jersey in front of him in the locker room right after practice, but later on he realized that the other boy was also changing that he was too busy to even take a look at the tensai's toned body. Those were only some of the many schemes that he tried to come up with, yet all his attempts all ended in vain.

Marui sighed. After finishing his chocolate bar, he put the wrapper aside and muttered a curse under his breath. Burying his face in his hands, he asked himself, "What the fuck am I supposed to do?"

Drowning himself in his own misery, he was on the verge of losing hope. He was snapped out of his thoughts though when he heard his cell phone ring with his current favorite song "Champagne Gold" by AAA. He swept the contents that were scattered on his study table and reached out to the gadget that rang. "Hello?"

"Oi lover boy, stop moping around."

Marui was all too familiar with the voice on the other line, and he was in no mood to deal with Rikkaidai's Trickster as of the moment.

"Shut up Niou. I am not in the mood. I am currently trying to figure out how the hell I'm supposed to solve this Trigonometry assignment that was given to us earlier."

"Oh really now? It's not in your nature to lie, Bun-chan. I know you finished that five minutes right after Hamada-san gave us those exercises," Niou knowingly replied as he remembered his teammate scribbling in his notebook right before class ended. "Stop bluffing and just say that you've been busy trying to think of ways to get together with Kirihara."

"How are you supposed to know Niou?!? IT'S NOT THAT EASY!" yelled Marui, who did not show any signs of denial. He was, suffice to say, obviously pissed at his current predicament. The fact that he could not find the right timing to confess to Kirihara and that he was not certain of the junior's feelings for him already irritated him; he did not need Niou to rub it on his face that he hasn't done anything to be able to solve his current problem.

"Chillax, Romeo. Being a phone call Nazi right now will not do you any good. Besides, I, Niou Masaharu, have called to give you some love advice."

Marui snorted at this. "Advice my ass. Why the hell would I take any 'advice' from an idiot who can't even understand how lame pick up lines are these days?"

"Because you know that you have no other option, lest you want to end up in heartbreak hotel," Niou said smugly, ignoring Marui's insult. The truth was, he knew that Kirihara Akaya also liked the volley specialist. The short tempered boy had been running to him everyday for the past week now to ask for advice on how to catch Marui's attention. Sadly, Marui was too busy trying to impress Kirihara himself to even notice the latter's own attempts to impress him. Niou actually thought of telling both of them how they both liked each other back, but then seeing them in such a weird, paranoid and anxious state was just way too entertaining. At the same time, seeing both of his teammates in a love standstill was also irritating and downright idiotic, so he had no choice but to give each one a push and lend them some help. After all, some help wouldn't hurt, just as long as he doesn't let the cat out of the bag.

"Fine. Get on with the advices shit, Dr. Phil," said Marui after a long pause. He might as well listen to what Niou had to say since he himself can't think of any good ideas for him to advance from the situation that he was currently in.

"Hey, I'm the one helping you. Be more respectful."

"Shut up and just get it over with!"

"Fine," Niou chuckled. "Try asking him out. Like, ask him to go with you to the park or take him to the movies."

"Niou, ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!?!?!?!" yelled Marui over the phone like as if he was just asked to jump off a cliff. "He'll think I'm gay!"

"Well, aren't you?" Niou's question made Marui blush, and although Niou couldn't see his face at the time he chuckled. "Don't worry, the whole team knows about each others' sexual preferences anyway," he assured.

That somewhat brought Marui some relief, yet he could not help but ask, "So does that mean Kirihara's gay too?"

"Maybe. Why don't you see for yourself, Marui."

"B-but, I-"

"No buts. Just try it. It won't hurt if you ask him."

"Fine. But if it turns out that he's actually straight and that I had no hope with him in the first place, I suggest that you prepare your stinky Trickster ass for the worst."

"Are you threatening me, Bun-chan?"

"No, I'm merely stating the truth, Masaharu," Marui hissed before hanging up. He was pissed, yes, and he was more pissed since he knew that Niou was right; he had to take action. He had to do something now, or else his damn paranoid mind will not stop disturbing him with sadistic, morbid thoughts about Kirihara getting together with some other person and the like.

Leaning back on his chair, he heaved another big sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He looked intently at the Nokia 6280 handset that he held and dialed a number that he unconsciously memorized after staring at it for ten minutes. He readied himself and inhaled when someone picked up on the other line.

"Hello?"

Marui's heart was pounding in his chest, and he could have sworn it would have burst if he hadn't exhaled the oxygen he took in earlier. Taking in a large gulp, Marui spoke through the speaker.

"Hello Kirihara? It's me, Marui."