"You're kidding me, right?" Mizuki scratched the back of her head in awe. "A pie-eating contest? Really?"
Nakatsu threw a friendly arm around her shoulder, resting all his weight on top of her as he got right up in her face and began to whisper secretively.
"That's right, and it's a big deal here, Mizuki. We can't lose, understand?" He checked over both shoulders before continuing. "We have to beat the other classes no matter what. I expect at least seven out of you!"
Mizuki forced a grin and pulled herself away – he was a little too close for comfort. Once in the safety of open space, however, her smile became genuine and she couldn't help but laugh at the bleach-haired boy's serious take on all forms of competition.
"Sorry, Nakatsu, but seven what?"
He looked aghast. "Pies, of course!"
"WHAAAAAT!"
"C'mon, Mizuki, you can handle that, can't ya?" He shook her by the shoulders. "Can't ya?"
Sano looked up lazily from his plate of ramen, eyes scanning the noisy cafeteria. Nakatsu was not the only one over-enthused about the upcoming event.
He fixed his cool stare on the harassed-looking Mizuki. "Don't they have contests like that in America?"
"Well, I'm sure they do…" she looked grateful to have an excuse to step away from Nakatsu. "But they don't make it a school event, if that's what you're asking."
A sudden thought seemed to occur to her, just as Sekime and Noe took their usual seats at the table.
"Say, Sano, we can be in it together! You are going to be in it, right?"
"I hate sweets," he replied impatiently, irritated that she hadn't remembered, though he'd told her several times.
"Oh, right," her face fell.
"Don't worry, Mizuki," Nakatsu cut in. "We can enter as a team! No one will be able to beat the mighty Nakatsu, Pie Eater Extraordinaire!"
"Oh, the pie eating contest?" Sekime asked, lifting his chopsticks and digging in. "It should be fun."
"And there'll be girls there!" Noe added with a sparkle in his eye.
"That's right," Sekime added. "Lot's of girls. They come from the neighboring schools to watch. It's a big deal."
"Give it a rest, already," Sano chimed in, his chin resting absently in his hand. Mizuki probably couldn't care less about a bunch of girls…after all, she is one.
A young boy with a porcelain complexion had come up behind them. "You aren't going on about that dumb contest too, are you?" His tone was heavy with disgust.
"Nakao!" Mizuki called to him cheerfully.
"I for one wouldn't dream of indulging in something so tactless," he said with a dignified air. "There's no sense making a fool of yourself and getting covered in cherry filling just for a bunch of girls. Think of the mess that would stick in my hair! I'd never bother." He put a hand to his cheek, as if he felt faint at the mere thought of it.
"Yeah, you wouldn't, would you?" Nakatsu growled in a low voice. "You fruit…" Then he stopped. I called him a fruit, but here I am always thinking about Mizuki… There's something wrong with me. Oh, no! I'm doing it again! His pretty eyes! That gorgeous hair! Ahh, Mizuki, why does this always have to happen when I'm around you!
"Na…Nakatsu?" Mizuki asked tentatively, quite stunned by his sudden withdrawal.
Sekime watched the tears pour down the soccer player's face, then shook his head knowingly. "He's at it again…"
"He always does this," Noe observed. "It's best to just ignore it."
"R-right," Mizuki answered, a large drop of sweat forming on the back of her head. I wonder if it was something I said…
"Anyway," Nakao cut in, drawing the attention back to himself. "I've got to get ready for sixth period. I'll see you later, Mizuki."
"'Bye," she waved cheerily. "What's sixth period?" she asked Noe suspiciously once he was gone.
"Gym," he answered slyly. "Upperclassman Nanba is assistant coaching today."
"Oh, well that explains it…" she watched him fade into the distance. He's still holding out for Nanba. I wonder if he'll ever tell Nanba how he feels?
"Let's go, Mizuki," Sano piped up suddenly, taking her by the arm and drawing her away from the table. "I forgot something in the dorm room."
"S-Sano?" she sputtered incoherently as he led her out of the bustling cafeteria. He's so close to me right now…
He didn't say a word until they had reached their room. Once inside, he collapsed onto the bed.
"What did you forget?" Mizuki asked in concern.
Clueless, as always, he thought before he responded. "I didn't forget anything. I just wanted to get away from that lot."
Mizuki grinned. "They can be over the top, but really, Sano, they're nice people. Even Nakatsu."
"Do you want to come to my practice today?" he asked, laying back on the bed and changing the subject.
He looks so calm lying there like that – so still. A small flush crept its way onto Mizuki's cheeks, but she fought it back. No! He still doesn't know I'm a girl. Come on, Mizuki, you can't blow this now…
"I'd love to watch you jump today, but are you sure you don't mind?" Her heart fluttered. Even after half a year of living with him - watching him do the high-jump - seeing him in action still gave her the shivers. He was the reason I came to Japan, after all…
"I don't mind. Why don't you take Yujiro with you when you go?"
Mizuki smiled as an image of the huge dog bowling her over and licking her face was brought fondly to mind. "I'll do that."
"Right then," he sighed and picked himself up wearily. "I need to study for a while."
"Okay. I think I'll go with Nakatsu and the others to watch the track team practice. We have a free period. You could come, you know, Sano."
"It's all right." He ran a hand through his silky black hair and pulled out a clean sheet of paper.
"See you," Mizuki shut the door quietly behind her.
A/N: So what do you think? Hana-Kimi is my favorite manga, and I just had to try writing all those fun characters. There really doesn't seem to be that much Hana-Kimi fanfiction out there – maybe I can start a trend! Stay tuned for more, because I'll be updating. I can't wait to add Umeda in to all of this…