Super thanks to the two people who reviewed me! Thank you, thank you... Here's my second chapter after days of 'estivation' (hey, it's summer).
Chapter 2
Stalker
"NANI?!" Haruko exclaimed, looking incredulously at her friend, Hana.
"I told you, you're asked to be the school's representative in Kanagawa Boys' College," Hana explained.
"Representative for WHAT?!"
"Well, you'll be attending school there with two other senior girls for a week."
"WHY?! I thought that was an exclusive school for boys!" she said, not believing her ears.
"I think you're just going to observe," Hana said, and winked. "And maybe you'll get a hunk boyfriend. Get me Sendoh's autograph, will you?"
"No – way!" Haruko said, saying the words slowly and forcefully.
"Please," Hana pleaded.
"No."
"I'll give you money."
"No."
"I'll buy you some clothes."
"No."
"I'll treat you for food for a month."
"No."
"Please."
"NO!" Haruko said firmly. "Are you this desperate to get his autograph? You're willing to give me anything?"
"Yup," Hana answered. "Or maybe, I could just give you a one-week trip to U.S."
Haruko knew that Hana came from a rich family, but she never took advantage of that fact. She frowned at this.
"What? I thought you missed your family."
"Yeah, but I don't want to use other people's money," Haruko said, looking at her best friend seriously.
"Fine, fine," Hana said. "What's wrong with you anyway? I was only asking a small favor. And besides, you're an extremely pretty girl; maybe he'd give you one instantly."
"Ha ha," Haruko feigned her laugher, rolling her eyes. "I don't really like him. I think he's pompous."
"Pompous?!" Hana said, frowning. "How'd you know?"
Then, Hana's face dawned in comprehension. "Oh, I get it. You're still bitter over Rukawa Kaede for dumping you, so you think all basketball players are like him."
"Shut up," Haruko said. "You may be right, but I do see Rukawa in Sendoh. I mean, they both live for basketball and don't care about anything else."
"Well, at least, compared to Rukawa, Sendoh knows how to smile and socialize, even if his company is not girls," Hana defended. "I have a brother who knows a friend of Sendoh's and says that he's really down-to-earth."
"Then just ask this friend of your brother's to get Sendoh's autograph," Haruko said, picking up her bag.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Actually… I'm a bit shy…"
"Shy?" Haruko said, surprised at seeing her friend's blushing face.
"You see, my brother's friend is Mitsui Hisashi, one of Sendoh's teammates."
"Ah! Mitsui-senpai!" Haruko exclaimed, smiling. "I know him! He's on the same team as my brother back in high school."
"Well, you see," Hana said. "I have a bit of a crush on him."
Hakuro's eyes widened. "Now you're talking. But, if Mitsui's your crush, why ask for Sendoh's autograph?"
"For collective purposes. And I already have Mitsui-san's autograph and picture."
"How'd you get it?"
"I persuaded my brother."
Haruko laughed. "I could hook you up with him some time. We're really good friends."
Hana shook her head in worry. "No! That would be too embarrassing."
"Don't worry. He's not a jerk."
"So, will you still get Sendoh's autograph for me?" Hana insisted.
"No," Haruko said, sobering.
"Why?"
"Iie… ano…" she started, tucking her hair behind her left ear.
Hana knew that whenever Haruko did this gesture, she was nervous about something.
"Don't tell me…" Hana said, on the brink of laughter.
"It's not like that!" Haruko said heatedly. "It's just that yesterday when I was walking home, I was nearly run over by Sendoh's fan club from our school."
"And then?" Hana said excitedly. "Did he help you? Did he carry you all the way home?"
"No," Haruko said, alarmed. "I got mad and stopped the ballistic girls, giving them a long lecture about how 'Sendoh's not all that' and that 'you all look silly and stupid and he's thinking the same way.' I totally busted the guy's ego. And he stood there, just shocked. And I told him to thank me for saving his life and left."
"He was there?!"
"Yep," Haruko replied, smiling weakly. "I didn't really care."
"If you didn't care, why are you embarrassed in taking his autograph for me?" Hana protested.
"Well, he would think I'm not a lady of my words when I go ask for his damned signature," Haruko said sarcastically. "Breaking my pride will kill me. And I think I sort of offended him even though he didn't show it. Maybe he won't grant me my request."
"Whatever," Hana said, giving up. "I guess you should be worried then, since you're staying for a week in their school."
"I'm not worried at all," Haruko said. "I just don't like the idea at all."
"That's one way of saying you're worried," Hana said, as they went through the school gates.
A limousine was waiting for Hana by the entrance, a chauffeur in 'The Matrix' clothing waiting.
"Neo's waiting for you," Haruko whispered, giggling.
Hana scoffed. "Yeah."
She ran off to the car when she offered her, for the thousandth time this month if she wanted a ride.
"No thanks," Haruko replied. "My house is only a few blocks away."
"Suit yourself," Hana said, waving at her friend as she departed.
As Haruko was walking home, she had an uncomfortable tingling sensation behind her back, as if someone was following her. She constantly looked back, but she saw no one.
You're imagination is running off. You're just tired, she reminded herself.
"Ow…" a voice behind her said.
She turned and saw a disgruntled Sendoh Akira massaging his bottom.
So what I felt was true.
"Why are you following me?" she asked angrily.
Sendoh stood up, surprised. "I'm not following you, miss. It just so happens that this wall over here –" he said, smiling kindly and pointing to the high wall beside them, "– belongs to my school. And I was just making my way home which is –" pointing at the direction Haruko was going, "– that way."
Haruko blushed. She was embarrassed now and Sendoh was only standing a few inches away from her. He really smelled good, she thought. NO! Bad mind!
She regained her composure and gave him the best frown she had. "Whatever," she said. "I'm still standing by the fact that I felt someone was following me, even if it wasn't you."
"Be careful then," Sendoh said playfully, as he watched the beautiful girl walk ahead of him stubbornly.
"So what's your name?" he asked.
Haruko's eyes widened and she looked at him. She opened her mouth to speak when…
"Haruko-chan!" a masculine voice called out.
She stared at the direction of the voice and saw Mitsui-, Riyota-, and Kogure-senpai waving at her fondly.
"Hi everyone!" she replied, smiling back warmly.
Jeez, that smile's breathtaking, Sendoh thought, feeling himself smile with her.
"Sendoh-kun," Riyota said. "What're you doing here with Haruko-chan?"
"Oh, we're not together!" Haruko said quickly.
Kogure eyed them suspiciously. "If that's what you say. So, how are you?"
"Really, Kogure-senpai, we're not together," Sendoh said, smiling. "I was on my way back home when she saw me fall over."
"Oh," Kogure said. "You're really very tall now Haruko-chan."
"Yeah, you're as tall as I am," Riyota said, grinning.
"And you look really beautiful," Mitsui said, ruffling her hair.
Haruko laughed. These guys were like her brothers, always caring and protective of her.
They're like her brothers, Sendoh thought. So this girl's clearly from Shohoku before and friends with the basketball team. I wonder why I've never seen her before.
"So, you know her?" Sendoh asked, voicing out his question.
"Yeah," Mitsui said, surprised. "I thought you saw her before."
"Oh I've seen him before," Haruko said sarcastically.
Sendoh laughed at this. "I can't recall."
"Well, Sendoh Akira, this is Akagi Haruko, big gorilla's younger sister," Mitsui explained.
Nani?! Akagi Takenori's sister?! That simple (a bit pretty) girl who always cheered for Hanamichi, especially for Rukawa?! That soft-spoken and shy girl?!
"Well, you certainly look different," Sendoh said, ignoring his surprised thoughts.
"I changed for the better," Haruko said, looking directly at him. "Well, I have to go guys."
"Haruko-chan, we'll take you home," Kogure suggested. "It's getting late and you might as well have four bodyguards with you."
"Four?" Haruko repeated, sending an uncertain glance at Sendoh's direction.
"Sendoh should come," Mitsui said. "He can't say no to a senior."
"Hai," Sendoh said, smiling.
"And besides, the more the merrier," Riyota added.
"Yeah right," Haruko murmured.
The second chap! Thanks to the two people who reviewed!
I am a great believer that no one should abuse the male characters of an anime show by making Yaoi fics. It's simply unacceptable to my rule book. It makes characters look bad and they look GAY. So, I don't make these sorts of fics.
Even though the pairing is unusual, they're actually good together. And I made Haruko's character progress since I don't like her original personality much.
Thanks again! Pls read.
