On a bright and sunny day, the team of Raimon eleven where out doing their normal practice. The tournaments where over but each and every one of them wanted to continue and get stronger, so they all continued to push themselves to be the best. However there was one team member that was not practices his hardest. He was not even practicing. It was Kirino Ranmaru, the ace defender of the team.
For the past few days he has been very depression. No one knew why however. Not even his childhood friend Shindou Takuto. Shindou worried about him, and he was not the only one. The teams' trickster Kariya Masaki worried too. He hasn't known Kirino for very long but even he could tell the blue eyed boy was very down. He wasn't even fazed by the tricks he played on him earlier. Which to him was a great disappointment.
After practice Kirino quickly got ready and left leaving all the team members to worry.
"What is wrong with Kirino?" Shindou asked. No one could answer. They all had no clue on what was wrong. Kirino never talks about his problems, so this response was not too surprising.
Kariya looked up at the worrying Shindou and asked, "So what can we do?"
Shindou looked at Kariya and it was obvious that he was worried too. "I don't know." Shindou responded. After that he left as well. Then soon after Kariya left too.
On the way out Kariya saw Shindou looking at something in the hallway. He stopped in his tracks and watched Shindou. He looked like he was in deep thought and it gained Kariya's curiosity.
"What is he looking at?" He wondered.
Shindou left and once he was gone Kariya rushed over to where Shindou was to have a look. When he got there he saw a poster of an upcoming festival. Kariya looked at it and began to wonder why Shindou was so interested in it. Sure it looks fun but even so most people would just take a glance at it then move on. This caused Kariya to think really hard on what he could have been thinking of. After awhile he gave up and left for the day.
The next day at practice Kirino was still depressed. So depressed he left practice early. As Kariya watched him leave he suddenly thought of what Shindou might have been thinking about. He thought of taking Kirino to the festival to try and cheer him up. With the thought in mind he continued to practice.
After practice he went straight up to Shindou and asked, "Are you taking Kirino to the festival?"
Shindou was stunned but the sudden question and answered. "Yeah." He had a sad look on his face and continued. "He has been upset for the past few days and as a friend I want to help him."
Kariya, for some reason, was interested in the idea. "Can I come too?" Shindou looked at him in confusion. "Well… I want to help too so I figured…" Before he could finish Shindou interrupted.
"Sorry but I think it would be better if it was just me." Shindou then walked away.
Kariya was annoyed but his answer. "What was that?" He asked himself.
That day he went home annoyed. He didn't eat dinner and went straight to bed. In his bed he kept remembering Shindou's reply. Each time he got more and more annoyed. "What is with him?" He said in agitation. "I am his friend too." That was when he realized it.
Was he a friend to Kirino? He thought about all the trick and pranks he pulls on him. He wouldn't be surprised if Shindou knew. If that was the case then of course it would seem to be better if he wasn't there but still in annoyed him. So that night he made his own decision to try and help Kirino too. Whether Shindou knew it or not.
So the next day he tried to go to Kirino to ask if he would go to the festival with him but he soon found out that Kirino was not there. He looked around and saw that Shindou was not there either. Kariya knew what that meant and got desperate and decided to go to Kirino's house. But there was one problem. He didn't know where Kirino leaved.
He wanted to ask a team member but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. After all they knew how he was towards Kirino and they know Kirino is depressed, so he thought they wouldn't tell him. At that point Kariya began to regret teasing him so much.
"Guess I will just find him at the festival." He told himself, hoping his guess was right.
On the day of the festival Kariya got ready and left. On his way he was surprised to see Kirino and Shindou walking there as well.
"Well… that was easy." He told himself.
He got closer and was completely stunned by Kirino appearance. True he was still depressed, maybe a little more depressed, but he was wearing a beautiful green and pink kimono and his hair was done. Instead of his usually twin tailing it was in a high pony tail with hair decorations. To Kariya and most other people apparently he looked like a girl.
"I bet he hates this." He said laughing at himself.
During their walk they stopped at an open shop and went inside. Kariya was curious and wanted to going in but if he did he could have been seen. However he didn't wait look for after a few minute they both came out. However Kirino was now in his casual cloths and his hair was back to normal.
"Can't believe my mother made me go out like that." Kariya heard Kirino say.
"So he did hate it." Kariya said to himself. After that they continued to go to the festival.
On the way there Kariya could see that Kirino was in no better mood then before. He still looked sad and was sighing an awful lot. Kariya began to really worry about him, but then his worries shifted to something he never thought off.
"How can I help cheer him up without Shindou knowing if Shindou is with him?" Then he had to stop in his tracks to think things through. "Now what?"
