This takes place BEFORE 'Sleepy Kisses' and after 'Another Story'. If you haven't seen it you should go to YouTube and watch it. It's the second one and it stars little Hyoutei! Kawai!!! So they are all twelve in this besides Hiyoshi, Choutarou, and Kabaji, but they aren't in this. This is pre-Dirty Pair with a bit of pre-Adorable Pair. Please read and review! Oh, and even if they are a bit young to be feeling these feelings I really don't think they are, so, whatever.

Summery: Gakuto doesn't understand his feelings for Oshitari-san, and asks Jiroh how he feels around Atobe to see if he can possibly have the same feelings for the blue haired boy that his friend has for their first year captain. Takes place in first year after 'Another Story'.

Rated: K+ for kids and older.

Disclaimer: All I own is the plot, the rest belongs to someone who isn't me, nya!

Beginning Crush

Gakuto didn't understand the odd feelings he had going on inside of him. He was only twelve after all.

The redhead was so confused. These feelings and emotions never showed themselves when he was around Ryou or Jiroh or Atobe or any other person he knew, but for some reason, every time Oshitari-san was within his sight, he just went completely red.

It probably wasn't the fact that he was so brilliant at tennis because (though he was) Atobe was better and Gakuto hated that jerk.

But there was just something about the bespectacled (though, he doubted the actual need for those glasses) that caught his attention.

Most of the people that went to the school favored Atobe. He and Ryou were the only ones who didn't (even the sempai-tachi had started to favor him). Ryou favored nobody but himself, but Gakuto preferred Oshitari-san over anyone else. Which was strange as they never really talked.

Jiroh had said not that long ago that he thought he had strong feelings for Atobe. Gakuto hadn't known what he meant by that but—for once—Jiroh hadn't even looked a little tired, and instead had a huge grin on his face and stars in his eyes.

It was one of the first times the acrobat had seen his friend look like that.

He knew that he never looked like that when he got near Oshitari-san, so that meant that he couldn't be having the same feelings for him as Jiroh was having for Atobe (for some strange reason), right?

But what did that make his feelings?

They had to be something because he was always red and nervous when he saw the taller blue haired boy.

The acrobat glanced away from where he was tying his shoe in the Club Room over to the other side where Oshitari-san was dressing.

After everyone else left, Gakuto walked over to Jiroh and shook the narcoleptic boy awake.

"Ahhhhh," Jiroh rubbed his eyes and sat up to look at his friend blearily. "Hm?"

Gakuto turned a little red and looked down at his hands. "Um, Jiroh, when you said you thought you had strong feelings for Atobe, what did you mean?"

At the sound of the name "Atobe", the sunset haired boy's eyes lit up and all tiredness he had felt before automatically disappeared.

"It means what it sounds like. I feel different for him then I do for you or anyone else; you're my friend, that's what I feel, but my emotions tell me that I like Atobe more than that. Everyone—including you—thinks that he is a jerk or conceited even if they do listen and admire him. I don't though. I'm positive that Atobe is actually a very caring person. Don't know why, but that's what my heart tells me and even if he is very arrogant, he is because he has the skills and the money. I'd be happy about just being able to talk to him." He smiled and hugged his legs to his chest.

"Uh, but how do you feel when you're around him?"

Jiroh grinned even more. "Why do you want to know? Do you like somebody?"

Gakuto's cheeks tinged red. "N—no, of course not!" he denied, looking away indigently.

"Is it Ryou? No? Didn't think so. Anyways," Jiroh ended his teasing. "What I feel when I'm around Atobe is… happiness. I'm wide awake because there is no way I can be tired around him even if I have narcolepsy. I'm excited that I can even be anywhere near him at all, even if I can't talk to him. When he does talk to me—even if it's only a few words—I can hardly pay attention to what he is actually saying and instead I'm just listening to his voice. I'm nervous when I get within sight of him, but looking forward to any confrontation it might bring. Never felt this way for anybody else, I guess Atobe is just… special."

It was quiet for a minute before Jiroh sighed and turned to his thoughtful looking friend. "Why do you ask so many questions about my feelings Gakuto? I know you like somebody, but who?"

"N-nobody," Gakuto stuttered as the door opened.

They looked to the entrance and the acrobat nearly melted in embarrassment right there.

"Oshitari-san, what are you doing back?"

He merely glanced over shortly. "Forgot something," he opened his locker and took out a book before closing it again. "Shouldn't you two have left? Atobe nor Sakaki-sensai will like it if they found out the two of you are in the club room after hours."

Gakuto tried to come up with a response but—thankfully… he thinks—Jiroh beat him to it. "Gakuto was just waking me up."

Oshitari raised a skeptical eyebrow. "It shouldn't take so long to wake someone, should it?"

"I—"

"He has narcolepsy!" Gakuto shouted.

When he realized this he froze and blushed the color of his hair.

Jiroh looked at him.

"Okay then," there was an awkward silence as Jiroh continued to look between the other two first years. "I'm leaving," he opened his book and walked out, not casting another glance back at them.

Gakuto stared after him.

"It's Oshitari-san, isn't it?" Jiroh smiled.

The redhead's head snapped toward his friend. "Of course not! I—I don't l—like Oshitari-san! He… he's a jerk!"

He crossed his arms and huffed.

The volley player set his feet on the ground. "Whatever you say Gakuto. But you shouldn't deny it or it will never get you anywhere." He yawned. "I'm tired and I need to get home or my parents will get worried. Last time I fell asleep in a park where there was almost a murder at. Not fun." He got his stuff and said good-bye before leaving.

Gakuto sighed before resting his head on his hands.

Never get him anywhere, huh?

Well, maybe it just wasn't supposed to.