We spend our lives waiting. Waiting for the right moment to come, the right moment to talk. Waiting for almost anything. No matter how automatic our life is, we still wait. But sometimes, it's foolish to wait when you know it will never come. But that's the beauty of being one of life's gullible. Waiting is that wonderful high that makes life crazy. -ML

Chapter I

I feel like every thing's a dream where I'm having a fight and keep swinging with all my might and my punches have more force than if I had feathers for arms. I stood indignantly on top of the utility ladder, my hair and uniform drenched and stained with the unsightly yellow paint. My head still reels from where it collided with the darn wall, and I could feel my fellow students' eyes on me. I deliberately ignored them. All I can see now is Kaho-chan, ten feet away from me, her violin case on hand, laughing with her friends. This is it, Hihara Kazuki! I'm telling her, and I'm telling her NOW. To hell with the rules.

My failed attempts seemed so uncannily stupid now that I think of them. Wait--what is this?! My life is flashing before me! I'm not going to die, for Kami's sake! I risked another glance at the statue of the fairy where I propped the ladder on. It was then that the ladder wobbled underneath me...

---

"Oi! Kazuki! We're in the middle of a match! How dare you space out?!!" someone shouted. I flipped my head to the direction of the angry voice. It was aniki, my older brother. He wore the cap I bought him for his birthday. A ball landed on my hands. I blinked. A ball?

"Go, go! Shoot!"

My instincts prevailed, and I stepped back. I shifted my weight on my back, crouched and lightly sprang from the ground. I aimed on the ring and hoped for the best.

Shoot.

"Yeah! Wooo!"

"That was one bloody fade-away shot!"

"Good job, Kazuki!"

"Ahaha, I taught my brother that move!"

"Shut up, you useless idiot."

I jogged towards the table on the side of court. I fumbled on the zipper of my duffel bag, pulled a face towel and mopped my sweaty face and neck. I dropped myself on the grassy ground. The smell of freshly-cut grass with a faint hint of lemons that was sprawled carelessly on the ground stirred my appetite. What the--I just ate breakfast! My internal food time clock ticked, and I'm sooo looking forward to eating lunch.

My teammates cheered wildly on the background, and I could hear the friendly banter between my friends--mostly aniki's college buddies. We won by a margin of two points. My winning shot. Not bad. Normally I would have flaunted my genius, but somehow, today, I don't feel like it.

I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. Space out, huh. I had given much thought to a red-haired junior these past few days. Weeks. Alright, months. Geez. I met her during the concours. I never really expected to get picked, but still...I don't want to get into the nitty-gritty of it all. I'll definitely bore anyone to death. So she plays the violin.

Ah, Kaho-chan. I don't know what it was that drew me to her. Drew four other guys, as well, actually.

I've made awkward and outrightly stupid blunders with her before. Blame it on my carefree attitude. I drank at her bottle of tea! Okay, it was accidental and unintentional but still...I think of it as an indirect kiss. Heh. And the episode at the boy's room! Tsuchiura and I played tug-of-war on the pillow. Yeah, lame. It tore in half, and, outbalanced, I fell. My crush got a hold on my hand, however, and the fall reversed. So I fell on top of her. Literally.

My first real encounter with a girl! Kaho-chan smelled...well, nice. Nice is right. I remembered inhaling the mild scent of strawberries. My pulse quickened as I stared at her flushed face. Hey, my face felt hot as well! I still feel slightly mad at Tsuchiura for hoisting me up, away from from her. She felt...soft, yeah, how else could I put it?

Gah, what am I thinking?!

I shifted my weight on my side and closed my eyes. I have never gone out with girls before. Sure, they see me as a cute boy, but for some reason they fail to see me as a guy. Huh. I had often wondered when I would become sort of like Yunoki, the girl magnet. Heh. In my dreams.

"Oi, Kazuki. What's up?" my brother asked. I opened my eyes and fixed my gaze at the azure sky.

"Er--the sky?" I replied. "Birds. Clouds."

"Moron."

I dragged myself up. If there was someone who could and would hear me out, it would be my brother.

"Aniki, how does it feel to be with a girl?"

He looked momentarily surprised, and then he roared with laughter.

"What, you planning on getting yourself a girlfriend?"

"No, not really. It's just that--"

"Same thing."

"Ugh."

"Is she the girl who played the screechy instrument?"

"Yeah, er--no, I mean--"

"Ahaha, you dummy. You mean to tell me you still haven't made a move? Not one?"

I grinned sheepishly and spread myself lazily over the grass again. How refreshing.

"I compete with three others, you know. One is my best friend. How am I supposed to squeeze myself into the picture?"

"Say, 'excuse me, may I squeeze in?'"

"Aniki!"

"Don't worry about them. Tell you what--the trick is to keep it real and simple. Just tell her."

"Ehh--but isn't it supposed to be dramatic? I've seen those kinda stuff in movies."

I received a playful blow in the head.

"You're confessing, not proposing, you dummy. Oi, the others are calling us now. Rematch! C'mon!"

Right.

---

These English texts are so annoying. Translate the blah and the blah and blah blah blah. I walked around the empty school garden and settled myself on the bench, my nose buried on the English book we were assigned to read. It was then that I noticed Kanayan seated on a bench about three feet away from me. A teacher. Gee, I should ask him.

"KANAYAN!" I called, and waved playfully.

"Dummy. Couldn't you see this cat's asleep?"

"Eh, sorry, sorry. Well, Kanayan, I'm in trouble. Er--what does 'flabbergasted' mean?"

He raised his arm and cupped his chin. "Flabbergasted. Flab...um, to be overcome with astonishment that despite excessive dieting, you still haven't lost a kilo, I think."

Oh, okay. Weird. I traced the page for other English words I couldn't quite understand and asked, "How about this, Kanayan? 'Flamboyant.'"

"You have a thing for flabs, huh," he chuckled. "It means to proudly display one's girth."

"Yay, thanks, Kanayan!"

"Shoot. It's a thankless job, but I've got lots of karma to burn off."

Hmm, now that I'm at it...

"Wait...Kanayan...I want to ask you something..." I hesitated. Acting all school boy-like in front of Kanayan, gee, he'll only laugh at me. I can imagine him laughing his heart out; they all do. I don't know what's so funny about me asking questions. I decided to press my case, anyway.

"Uh--"

"Are you going to ask me how to confess?" he asked impatiently. I blinked.

"Huh? How did you know?"

He exhaled forcefully. "You kids really don't get it, do you? Heck, do I like a friggin' people person?"

"Huh?" I gave him a blank stare. What on Earth is Kanayan talking about? He looks like an eggplant gone mad. All I know is that I'm getting desperate. I'm about to graduate, and I haven't uttered so much as a single word about my feelings for Kaho-chan.

"Kanayan?"

"Alright, I'll tell you, as I told the others, and then get the hell out of here. Rule Number One: The mood is important. It doesn't necessarily have to be ultra romantic, although with most girls that's counted plus points. Rule Number Two: You should catch her alone. Get me? Alone. Rule Number Three: Look your best. At least, look human."

Gee. He turned his back on me! I struggled to lodge all the information inside my head, verbatim. Blah, blah, blah, look human. Got it. Rules, huh.

"I'm competing with three others here, Kanayan..." I added meekly. Really, now that I think of it, I don't stand a chance against them. A violin prodigy slash bocchama, a close friend who's helped her through a lot of sticky situations, a--sniff--a girl magnet-whom-everyone-loves-and-adores and blondie, the perfect transfer student. Me, a meaty bun boy. Oh, boy.

He yawned. "Well, y'know what they say...If you can't beat them..."

"...join them?" I supplied. How on Earth would I 'join' them?

"Huh? That is a cliche. If you can't beat them, then arrange to have them beaten. Hahahaha."

I frowned and folded my arms in front of my chest. Not a good joke, but it wouldn't hurt for me to keep that in mind. Heh. "Eh--Kanayan--you're so annoying!"

"Hm, did you know that when someone annoys you, it takes forty two muscles to frown?"

I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him. Instead, I replied, "Really? Well, it only takes four muscles to extend your arm and smack them in head."

"HIHARA!! I'M A FRIGGIN' TEACHER!!"

I couldn't help myself at this point--I ran away and stuck my tongue out at him. Waving playfully, I yelled, "Thanks, Kanayan!" and then I ran the route to the main grounds. Tenenenen! Off to find Kaho-chan!

---

tehe. alright, so i sort of updated this post. cheers to pathetic rainbow and enemrizza for the first two reviews! i hearts hihara (second only to len, of course). i initially planned a one-shot, inspired by my 'abusive tendency' that manifested itself during the course of 'one and only tune.' gyahaha. okay, so i give you your happy ending, hihara-shi! ^-^ good day, minna-san! ^-^