CHAPTER 1: cheering

"Kukai-sama we love you!!! Go Kukai-sama!! Go! Go! Go!!!" the cheerleading team shouted vigorously as they preformed their routine. The other players scoffed.

"he's not playing by himself ya know!!!" one of them shouted. Kukai just shook his head as he and the rest of the team concentrated on the game. Unknown to kukai or the rest of crowd a disguised pop-star was hiding in their midst. Once more kukai had stolen the ball from the other team, the crowd fired up as he and the other players began rushing towards the net.

"KUKAI-SAMA!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!" many girls shouted. Utua held an indifferent expression, while inside she was shouting for him to be victorious. Eru and iru floated beside her releasing the feeling she keep inside

"come on you jerks!! Outta his away!!! Keh bunch girly boys!! Come on pass it already!!" Iru demanded .

"team work!! That's the spirit!! Kukai! Daichi we believe in you!!! Go kukai! Go! You can do it!!" Eru cheered. of course no one but utua could hear them so she let them do as they pleased. Utau watched him in silent admiration. Even though he was tired and exhausted he still wore that persistent shining smile.

"he's amazing isn't he utua-chan?" Eru asked, utua blushed slight and nodded.

"yes…he's great." She softly replied. Kukai had just passed the ball to one of his teammates; the young blonde readied himself to kick the ball, only to have it intercept it by an opposing player. A sea of groans arose from the stands as the other player was now midfield from his goal.

"Jakkin, micheal! Come on!" Kukai shouted as him and the young men he mentioned sped off beside him raring to go reclaim the ball.

The stands were filled with roaring fans, each of them shouting at the top of their lungs!! Utua watched all in silence.

"utau-chan don't you want to cheer Kukai on, I'd bet he'd really appreciate it." Eru suggested, utua's face had melancholic look to it.

"I don't want to embarrass him…last time he-

"wow heh you were really shouting." Kukai commented cheerfully huffing for breath as he had just finished the game.

"I'm sorry, Iru chara changed with me out of nowhere, I should've held back." Utua apologized. He gave her a comforting smile and patted her shoulder.

"nah it's fine, a little weird but other than that no biggie right?" he asked unaware he had discouraged her."weird…he thinks I'm…weird." She thought painfully.

"yeah no biggie." She replied quietly.

"that guy!" Iru seethed. "after I cheered my hardest, keh doesn't matter, he could lose for all I care!"

"but Iru, that was the first time Utua had ever cheered like that, I bet he was just surprised." Eru countered.

"keh yeah right!! All these other girl are screaming their heads off what makes them so special!! Why can't we cheer!!" Iru retorted angrily. Utua clutched her hands in anger as her chara's played out her internal feelings.

"what's so special…why am I different…shouldn't I be the most impor-." She stopped herself midsentence, blushing brightly at her realization. She was jealous of those girls…she was jealous for Kukai.

"but Utua-chan maybe it's not them that are special…maybe you are, do you remember the expression on his face when you cheered for him.

"KUKAI DON'T YOU DARE LOSE!! ANY MAN THAT'S BEATEN ME IN A CHALLENGE CAN'T POSSIBLY BE A WEAKLING!! SHOOT DAMN IT SHOOT!! I BELIEVE IN YOU!" Utua shouted as little invisible batwings sprouted from her back.

Kukai froze at the sound of her voice, his eyes widen as he blushed "she's here? And she's…she's shouting for me to win!?!" his exhausted body suddenly felt lighter, his smile widened as he felt his spirit reenergize as he ran. "she's gotta see me .. she's gotta seem me make this shot…she's gotta see me win… I gotta win!"

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!! SHOOT THAT SUCKER RIGHT INTO THAT NET!!" She demanded as many lookers were now starring at the disguised popstar.

"well we can't disappoint the lady can we?" Daichi commented floating above him.

"course not!" He replied kicking the ball with all his might, his blazing kick left the crowd speechless of a moment and then the entire field erupted in sound.

"GOOAAAALLLLLL!!!" the crowd roared

"I remember…it's just…" Utua felt her doubt consume her.

"you said it yourself dozen of girls were cheering for him, but who did he stop for? who did he just have to turn around and see?" Eru questioned.

"me?... it was me wasn't it?" Utua replied blushing motivated by Eru's words. At the moment kukai and his team had just gained back the ball from the opposing team.

"This is it!! this is the tie breaker!!!" Iru shouted.

"do your best kukai!! we believe in you!! Go! You can do it go! Go!" Eru cheered.

Kukai ran to and fo dodging all opponents from any side, his teammates backed him up.

"kukai-sempai go for it!" one of them shouted.

"for the team!" another added.

"KUKAI-SAMA!! GO! GO! WE BELIEVE!" The cheerleaders began shouting. Kukai paid no mind to them and kept going while Utua was seething in jealously. She balled up her fist in frustration.

"come on Utua-chan! Us too!" Eru encouraged. Iru nodded in agreement.

"GO KUKAI! HE CAN DO IT! YES HE CAN!!!" The cheerleaders continued, Utau felt her heart strings being pulled. "WE BELIEVE! YES WE DO!" Utua felt suffocated by her inner shyness and her boiling jealousy the added pressure from her chara's wasn't helping.

"does he really want to hear me cheer…does he even care…" she thought sadly.

"Come on Utua he's about to make it!! we gotta cheer!!" Iru shouted.

"KUKAI-SAMA! GO! GO! HE CAN DO IT! YES HE CAN!!" The cheerleaders recited. Utua sent a nasty glare their way. Kukai was dodging some advancing opponents right in front of the goal. Iru lost her patience.

"That's it!! we're gonna cheer!! CHARA CHANG-

"No!!" Utua interrupted. "from my heart! I wanted him to hear it from my heart!" she stood up in the midst of the crowd her cheeks the color of a tomato.

"KUKAI-SAMA WE BELIE-

"KKUUUKAAAIII!!! I-I BELIEVE IN YOU!!! DO YOUR BEST!!!"Utua declared at the top of her lungs interrupting the cheerleaders. She heard the jealous whispers of the girls around people turned around to stare at the costumed idol, she flushed bright red. Kukai turned for a second and flashed her, his signature smile.

"alright!! I gotta make this one." He stated running faster. "UTUA I'M WINNING THIS GAME FOR YOU!!!" He shouted. Utua felt her heart stop at those words, she didn't even care about the death glare she was receiving from most of the girls in the stands. He kicked the ball in the air and flipped kicked into the goal before the goalie could blink the ball had past him.

"GOAALLLL!!!!" the people shouted. Kukai had won the game, all his teammate flooded towards him as he caught his breath.

"that was amazing!!" one shouted

"sempai where'd you learn that move!"another commented

"who was that girl souma-san!" a younger one asked.

"wow I didn't know you were so bold Kukai-sempai winning a game for your girlfriend." Another praised. Kukai blushed bold red.

"girlfriend? Uh you see- I was just really pumped and well I mean you heard her cheer like that how could let her down!! And beside like John said I'm not a team of one! We won this right!?!?" he declared.

"RIGHT!!" they shouted back throwing their fist in the air. Many more people came to congratulate Kukai and the team, Utua waited alone in the corner, her heart still beating rapidly from his declaration. Through her rose colored sunglasses she watched him smile and laugh.

"neh utau-chan don't you wanna go congratulate him?"Eru suggested. Utau shook her head.

"no it's alright…" she smiled as she placed her hand on her heart. "for today that was more than enough."

Kukai noticed her out of the corner of his eyes and dug his way through the crowd.

"Oii! Utua wait up!" he called out as he finally escaped, she turned around to meet his smile.

"Kukai…" she felt at loss for word. "that was a good game… I guess." She said regaining her aloof demeanor. He smirked and raised a brow.

"keh you guess? that was one of the best this season!" Daichi replied.

"hmp could've used more hussle." Iru countered.

"I think you did a splendid job! It was wonderful game… especially that last goal." Eru praised. Kukai and Utua blushed.

"ha… yeah that was…those chara changes huh?" He replied flustered. Utua blushed a ball her fists up.

"That- that wasn't Iru… I cheered- just me!" Utua admitted turning bright red. Kukai followed suit as his face resembled a lobster.

"oh…th-that's awesome! I mean you know- that you wanted to do that, it really pumped me up you know! you should come to more games." He suggested smiling at her. she smiled widely.

"then you don't- you don't think it's weird that I cheer for you?" She questioned in a sort of relief tone.

"weird? Not really I mean kinda outta character but it was really great! If you were here all the time I bet I'd win every game." He replied smiling kindly. Utua felt her heart skip a beat and clutched at her chest. Kukai gave her a concerned look.

"hey you okay?!" he asked, utua looked up at him with grateful eyes.

"I'm fine, it's just-

"love! Love!! The angel of love declares it so!!!" Eru shouted interrupting.

"Eru!!" Utua seethed "I can't believe you!" Kukai just laughed at the scene.

"you and your charas man, always a riot." He chuckled.

"I'm glad you won." Utua admitted. He smiled at her and took her hand.

"I told ya didn't I? that I'd win this game for you." He said kindly she flashed him a smile.

"yes… yes you did." Utua replied she embraced him softly.

"whoa wait I'm all sweaty, you sure-

"it's fine." She replied sinking into his arms. He just shook his head and smiled.

"a girl like you Tsukiyomi Utua could make a man lose his head trying to figure you out." He commented as wrapped his arms around her.

"it's fine this way though, what's a girl without a couple mysteries?" she asked her eyes closed soothed by his heartbeat.

"yeah… that be too boring." He agreed unconsciously holding her tighter. She smiled into his chest.

"wooo go Kukai –sempai!! You scored the goal and the girl!!!" a bunch of guys from his team shouted. The rest sent catcalls and whistles.

"oii! Oii! Enough you guys!" Kukai replied blushing. "it's not…uhhh it's like that isn't it?" he mused tapping his chin. "hmm … alright carry on." Utua giggled into his shirt.

"you're not too skilled on the whole going out thing are you?" she teased.

"sports keep me too busy, but since you're schedule's just as frantic we kinda make it work." He replied. She blushed.

"so we're a … you know a couple?" she asked in flustered manner barrying herself into his chest.

"I guess we are…sort of." He replied blushing himself.

"good… cause I don't cheer for just anybody." She replied regaining her indifferent tone.

"goodness you can't be honest for too long can yo-

A soft kiss on the cheek silenced the sports fanatic.

"actions speak louder than words." She teased as she had left the star player speechless.

"kukai… kukai! wake up!!" daichi called snapping his fingers in front of him, the boy was too spaced out to hear him.

"might as well give up, he'll be in a daze for a while." Iru stated.

"the love kiss of death." Eru added in English. Utua giggled.

"This is just the beginning… my heart, who I am… It doesn't have a limit anymore, my wings can soar higher than anything… high enough to reach the brightest star in the sky." She thought looking up at him with loving eyes. "my star…" she whispered holding him tighter.

"uh you say something?" he asked snapping out of his daze.

"no, nothing." She lied blushing. He smiled nervously

"man you sure drive a guy crazy I'm even hearing things." He replied, she giggled and took his hand as she let go of the embrace.

"come on lets go a victory has to be celebrated!" she declared.

"that's what I'm talking about! Whoo! All you can eat ramen!!" he shouted.

"alright!!" the charas shouted. She gripped his hand softly and smiled. He did the same.

Sometimes life is a little easier when you at your own pace.