Author's Note: This is the last and longest chapter of this stupid story. I rushed to have this finished as soon as possible because it's sickening and tiresome. This was supposed to be a one shot fic but I couldn't put in 1 chapter everything there is in the plot. You see, I couldn't make out if I have to write in a first person view mode or in third person so I decided to just do both since it's the most convenient way to have it. You might not like the ending but heck, you can say that it sucks right in the ear, alright. And man, I'd like that. : )
Disclaimer: I don't own SD boys, Inoue does. The events that follow are not included in the original plot but enjoy anyway, anyhow, anywhere, anytime.
7:20 in the afternoon. Don Rafael's Coffee
The three rolls of paper are placed on an empty ashtray on the middle of the round table. Mitsui can feel the heavy thuds of his heart amid the drowsy feeling of nervousness rising inside him. The long awaited joy of his life is now dependent on trifles; on papers containing names known to him. One movement of his fingers can mean apocalypse or salvation. 'This is as foolish as trying to forget the whole Katakana alphabet.' He mumbles desperately to himself.
He speculates on the three people before him. Ryoji Ikegami; tall, defense master, sensible, mature, cute enough, and crazy over him. Akira Sendoh; Senior High basketball jock, tall, sick in the head, extremely talented, childish, whimsical, garrulous, cheerful, and unbelievably good looking. Hiroaki Koshino; looks very much like me in my junior high days. He thinks. Sigh.
'Come on. We can't wait forever.' Ikegami's voice shakes Mitsui out of his reverie.
He moves his right arm toward the ashtray. Every eye is upon him now; not a single trembling movement of his reluctant hand is omitted by those watchful glances. 'Do they honestly want to go out with me? What if this is just a bummer?' His nerves are racking violently, striving to slit open the outer walls of his covering.
'I can't,' Mitsui suddenly pauses, completely stoned by the absurdity of Akira Sendoh's idea. 'Why can't I just choose among you three?'
'That would be absolutely unfair and unscrupulous,' Koshino answers sternly. 'If we do that, the odds will be in your favor. You see, the chances of each of us getting what he wants must be, well, 25 percent. All of us must take the risk and the unlucky ones would have to cut the corner. In that way no one will complain because we do it randomly.'
'Man, is this the way Ryonan people think? Justice, equality, and parity? What kind of humanity talk do their teachers deliver during lessons? What a bore.' Mitsui says to himself. No matter how hard he tries to understand the principle, a notion of shrewdness prevails over him as a cab driver would handle a rusty car's steering wheel.
'Fine. I'll do it if that makes you happy,'
He picks up the roll nearest to his forefinger and lifts it up for everyone to see. A sickening enthusiasm plays on the young faces of Ryonan boys as their lips crease into a somewhatmenacing grin. Mitsui opens the paper carefully and reads the first letter of the name on it: A.
Sendoh gathers the two remaining rolls of paper from the ashtray and stuffs them inside his pocket. Mitsui is stunned stiff by his own carelessness of picking among the draws.
'Can you believe my luck? Of all people...hmmmph...not in my craziest delusion...' Mitsui's words trail off as he spreads out the paper that reads 'Akira'. Everybody reads it too.
'Congratulations, Akira.' Koshino's voice pops out like a gunfire from a forlorn, gloomy habitat, breaking the lonesome silence that hang over them. Ryoji Ikegami isn't able to conceal his frustration and stays silent.
'Wow. It sure is a great idea after all. So Mitsui, where d'you suppose we're going after this?' Sendoh addresses him excitedly.
'Come on, you don't even like me for Christ's sake! Can't we just put it off and go home? I've got enough loose screws on my skull to go around arm in arm with you for a single minute,' Mitsui complains to him loud enough for everyone to hear. He is feeling cheated outright.
At this point, Mitsui wishes so much to have just stayed home and helped his mom in whatever chores available that day. He feels that Sendoh's frolicsome ideas and habits are inescapably contagious and far-fetched that's why nobody should get near him or something bad would happen. 'He's as dangerous as a tethered rabid wolf in a bunny costume. He clowns around like everything's fine and pretty and worries about nothing...who would hang around with him in the same couch?' He says to himself, hyperbolyzing the other boy's oddities.
'Whoa, what's the flout all about, Mr. Senior? I'm not goin' to bite you, I'm just here to have a good time and so are you,' Sendoh tells him and drags him out of the coffee shop before he can protest. Ikegami and Koshino stay behind and watch both Mitsui and Sendoh engage in a catfight-looking argument.
Later...
Mitsui can't break free from Sendoh's clutches; his stamina is drained to the very last drop to restrain the other's impulsive rigor. Sendoh decides they dine in an Italian restaurant down R------- street.
8:00 in the afternoon,
'My treat. I have a feeling you're not too pleased with all this,' Sendoh offers him as they sit quietly inside the restaurant.
'I can't understand why you have to do this. I mean, I thought you've got the hots for our freshman boys and now you're here to watch me sulk over my misfortunes instead of asking them out. Why do this?' Mitsui says as if trying to solve a conundrum written on the other's face.
Sendoh just gives him a strange smile and calls for the waiter. They give him their orders and talk a little bit more.
'We could've just had a one on one game or better yet, watch a game. But this? I don't know...' Mitsui rambles as Sendoh continues to watch him with the same meaningful smile on his face.
'I never had a good look at you until this afternoon. I used to think Sakuragi and Rukawa look a lot cuter but now,' Sendoh grins pathetically and goes on 'well, I learned that I'm mistaken...I should've asked you first on a night out,'
'Excuse me?' Mitsui asks in amazement, lines on his face begin to appear as if drawn by an invisible pencil. He didn't miss a word but Sendoh's confession shakes him out of his wits which makes him lose control of his speech and action.
'There. You wear that smug on your face again. It wouldn't help, you see, I can damn well tell you everything I want here and now and none of your vehement reactions can stop me. If I say you're cute and hot and gorgeous, then you really are, I mean it. What will I get lying to you anyway? Will it make you want me or hate me? No. But this I want to tell you, Hisashi; that you look even better when you're irritated. hahaha. Now I've said it. Silly me. Well, that leaves me no choice but to annoy you even more, it makes me like you even more. hahaha.' Sendoh tells him very quickly.
'You're a complete nutter. Really. Do you usually behave like this in front of people? Rukawa and Sakuragi wouldn't stand this harlequin; they might even pull a nice kick on you if you say crazy stuff like that,' says Mitsui, still shocked by the hilarious straightforwardness revealed to him.
'But you're not them, are you? You're a lot better than that that's why I know I made the right choice in you. You're not kicking me out and we're both gonna have a good time tonight,' Sendoh says in an avid, frightening tone..
'Just quit playing the jester and I might change my mind running away in a minute,'
'Okey-dokey. I might like it too if I see you smile a little.'
Their meals are served as both of them fill their empty stomachs. They are quiet for a while but Mitsui suddenly remembers something.
'Koshino doesn't happen to go out with you, does he?' He asks Sendoh hoping there's nothing between them.
'Well, er, um...' Sendoh stammers and thinks for a minute, 'Well, we don't go out as you-know-what but we, er, we're like very close friends and I do like him and I think he likes me too. It's a very hard question you're asking me, even subliminal. There's no formality between us but we don't take it seriously otherwise I wouldn't be here with you.'
'I see. You must be really lucky then.'
'I don't know,' Sendoh pauses and looks at Mitsui, 'Why can't we just put Hiroaki aside for today and have a share of our good time?'
'Sure. Whatever you say.' Mitsui answers blankly. He doesn't know if he's taken a liking to Sendoh after saying the words. 'This is insane. I can't just fall for him in the spur of a moment. I mean, I never even dared look at him during games...surely, he's nice and cute and everything but that doesn't make him anything desirable or likable, he's probably not even eligible. But what about Koshino? Do I really like him or is it just because he looks like me? How come I've forgotten about him in a few minutes?' Such thoughts trouble Mitsui to the limits of his patience, It strains him to do something necessary. But no matter what pretext is there available, he can't make ends meet or think straight, not in front of someone like Akira Sendoh.
They talk for several hours more and have a few good laughs. The subjects of their chatter range from hoops and moves to boys and sneakers, the usual petty stuff queer teenage basketballers immerse themselves into.
'It's getting late. I told my mom I'll be home by 12:30. I'm really sorry. Do you want me to walk you home?' Mitsui asks Sendoh.
'Okay,'
They walk for a long time not uttering a word. Something inside them begs time to be still, to be frozen by their own will and power. They pass through several streets whose names they don't know or even bother to know. The wind sways against their faces, sending their hair to produce a long flux of unseen force following its undirected path. Lifeless leaves are scattered on the road like light weight corpses waiting to be collected and cremated, as the branches they have fallen from dance softly and quietly to an unheard evening melody. It sure is a windy night.
After a while,
'That wasn't so bad. Was it?' Sendoh suddenly asks Mitsui.
'It was nice, to say the least. I've had a wonderful time, and you?'
'You bet. And, oh, we're here.' Sendoh says as they reach his house.
'Oh. Well...'
An awkward feeling crowds around them as both restrain themselves from what they're dying to say to each other. Sendoh feels the need to start an exchange of words and says,
'Well, bye then.'
'Oh, okay. And...Are you free next Friday?' Mitsui says in an unrelenting, low whisper.
A smile breaks on Sendoh's sleepy face. His eyes suddenly flash a rare sparkle, brilliant enough to cast away the shadows around his sockets. Anyone could've said his wish has just been granted.
'Sure. I'll give you a ring soon.' Sendoh answers in inexplicable delight and watches Mitsui disappear in the dark.
Sendoh smiles to himself again and holds out the other two rolls of paper he slipped inside his pocket earlier after Mitsui picked his share. These are those that have the names of Koshino and Ikegami on them, supposedly. He crumples them slowly and dumps them on the nearby trash bin. Both read his name: 'Akira.'
END