Princess Idol: THE ENGLISH VERSION
by: BEAFSTAKES
Stanza Two:
LUCKY BASTARD
Kaidoh's POV
The next day I just felt as worse as ever, as if the executioner was following me everywhere. I just woke up earlier than usual, then I had my breakfast, did my morning exercises, then I put on my jersey and ran to school which I always do each morning. Aside from those morning rituals, no manhole was waiting for me, no ugly dog to catch me, no bags flying around to throw it on me and frame me up. It was a miracle none of those happened to me that morning, that's why I though there would be a bigtime misfortune waiting for me at school.
But looking at the bright side, I also thought that doing my usual routine earlier than usual would be an indication that nothing bad will happen to me, or so I hoped, so I just unmindfully jog to school that mostly counts 30 minutes or less depending on what time I wake up.
I jogged with the rest of the students going to Seigaku that morning. Most students there only walk their way from their homes. Some go on bicycles (like Momoshiro), some were even taken by cars (the Girls' Team captain is a rich kid [1]) and some even come in their rollerblades (like Sohma [2]). But of all students coming to school every morning, there's only one person I know who actually comes by motorcycle—Naegino-sempai. [3] Probably she's the only person in Seigaku who actually uses a motorbike at that age. Good thing no one caught her, because I know that's illegal especially to a junior high student who doesn't have a decent license. I just wonder why. But there's one thing I'm sure of: that peach can't do that.
I just went in when I heard two boys whispering to each other.
"Hey, is that Kaidoh from Seigaku Tennis Club?"
"Huh? Yeah, he is!"
"Man, can't you believe that guy's a lucky bastard?"
"So you watched Kaya Supershow, too..."
"Of course, I just can't pass that especially if it's Kaya-chan! And, uh...let's keep this secret: I joined in her raffle, you see..."
"Man, we're just the same! We're soulmates!"
"Damn, I can't believe that he's also her avid fan!"
"Yeah, no one ever thought that his name will be picked among millions for Kaya-chan's concert next week!"
"Free VIP Pass..."
"A duet with Kaya-chan, herself..."
"And a date after that..."
"Man, KAIDOH KAORU IS SUCH A LUCKY BASTARD!"
I can't tell if those two were just making fun of me only because I came only to make my day. But the next thing happened was heck surreal when their classmate came in.
"Hey, guys! So you watched it, too?"
"You're too late for the news," one said.
"That Kaidoh from Seigaku Tennis Club," another added, "he also sent a postcard to Kaya-chan's show!"
"And would you believe that HIS name was picked?"
"Hands down to him..."
"So unelievable..."
"I'm darn jealous!"
"Why him of all people...?"
"Ssssh!" they were just scolded by the newcomer. "Lower yer voice! What if he hears you!?"
I just can't get any word they're saying, and I even can't get it more when they looked at me like a wandering ghost. What I only understood was that I'm one lucky bastard and my name was picked by a certain girl named Kaya. She seemed to be popular to guys. But the great mystery there was how in the world my name was included in that 'raffle draw'. I don't recall myself joining in such gimmicks because I'm not like that certain someone who joins such draws to gain attention. Besides...
I don't have any idea who the heck was that Kaya girl nor that 'Kaya Supershow'. I rarely watched television because of my training, even on weekends.
I was sure what they were saying was far too impossible in my kind. So I went ahead clearng my thoughts about those senseless rumors to change into my school uniform when...
"Kaidoh!"
It was Arai, another idiot like Momoshiro, but more of a slacking potato. He was once the leader of the bullying sophomores but later stopped when Echizen beat him in tennis a long time ago.
I intended not to look at him since I know he'll just ruin my day. "H-hey, wait!" he even followed me. "Don't be a snob, man! It's only because Kaya-chan picked you up it doesn't mean you'll act like a high and mighty!"
I knew it.
"Hey...don't tell me you didn't know about it yet! Haven't you watch the show yesterday?"
Since I can't hold my peace anymore, I just answered him. "So what if I didn't know?"
He retreated a bit. "H-hey man, chill out, I'm not edible! I mean, I'm just curious..."
"I don't know what you're talkin' about. In the first place, I never joined in that stupid raffle or whatever..."
"You can't deny it, man! The whole Seigaku knows about it already!"
"W-what!? The whole Seigaku--?"
"Kaidoh, my man, however you would pretend, it's useless by now, because to tell yon, almost all here in Seigaku submitted their postcard entries to Kaya-chan hoping to get a free VIP Pass plus a once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform with her and an after-concert date—all of those will happen in one Valentine night next week! And from almost, let's say, 1, 700 [4] students here who joined, your name was luckily picked by Kaya-chan! It was a shock to the whole school to find out that Seigaku Tennis Club's Mamushi will be picked a phenomenal teen idol who has an angelic voice and personality! Yeah, I admit I'm jealous since I joined there, too, but from now on, you can count on our support! Who knows, one day she'll fall for you..."
"HALLELUJAH!" the idiots around me suddenly sang ang shouted like they were on a congregation.
"But it can be possible!" he clinged to me. "As they say, opposites attract..."
But I freed myself from him and went on. He's one irritating charcoal. They're all bugging me. I just can't understand why they insist that I really joined in that draw, and if they can get something from bugging me. I just went straight to the club room to change, thinking that everything was just one plain joke.
"Wait, Kaidoh!" Arai kept on following me. "Why don't you believe me!?"
I had enough. "Why? Do you think I'm THAT desperate to join in such games, HUH!? Sorry, but you're barking at the wrong guy..."
"Relax, man! So what are you saying, someone set you up by including your name on a certain postcard but it happened that yours was picked, is that it?"
I never thought of that, honestly.
Surely there's a possibility that somewhone with a wily brain would drag my good name in that heck of a draw. I don't know what's on that idiot's mind to put my shame and humiliation in National TV. Unless..
HE did that.
I just stared at Arai. Well it was a miracle that he gave me an idea of my primary suspect, he made his brain function after a hundred years. He even thought he's the one I'm suspecting.
"W-wait, man...do you think I was the one who did that!? Yeah, I've committed several mistakes in my life but I'm not that suicidal to drag you into this! Even a guy like me can be an honest man, for Pete's---!"
"KAIDOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Speaking of primary suspect, he finally showed up.
His irritating voice from the depths of hell has just activated my destruction hormone. But I held myself for a moment, I have to wait. I saw him standing at the main building entrance. We stared for minutes that I forgot to count it. But it was strange that he stared at me so sharp that he could charge at me any second and he won't have scond thoughts to kill me in public. It's not what I'm expecting. I don't know why in the world that peach will be angry at me probably because of that raffle draw.
That Momoshiro...
He was shaking with rage. His teeth showing up like a mad dog about to bite anyone in sight—me first. That was another mystery that I have to uncover at that moment...
Unless I was wrong.
He was about to charge at me without thinking at his surroundings, as if he sees no monster but me. So I thought of giving him a consideration as I ran to him, too. He was probably not the person I'm suspecting for, but I just can't get rid of my thought that he set everything. Nor I didn't thought if what he was doing back then was just part of his act or he's just too thickheaded to notice it and think about the aftermath. I thought the same thing as well. If that's what he wanted, there's no reason to withhold his request.
We both didn't think about the tome nor the detention anymore. We just wanted to find out who's who and how in the name of God did my name included there. We're about to exchange punches, when...
"KAIDOH~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Someone pushed Momoshiro away and was thrown back to where he was standing before, and someone suddenly hugged me so tight I can't breathe. I know one person who kills another with his ultimate glomp attack of happiness, ugh...
"You are now the LUCKIEST guy in Japan, you know that!?"
"S-stop it, Sempai," I wailed. "I can't...breathe...!"
"Hail, Kaidoh Kaoru, full of grace, the angel Kaya-chan is with thee! Blessed art thou amongst men---!" [5]
Right, he just messed up one sacred prayer.
"Are you trying to kill him, Eiji?"
And then his (ex) doubles partner, Oishi-sempai, came along and saved me.
"And who gave you the freedom to ruin a Christian prayer? Being not a Christian doesn't mean you have to make fun at their prayers! It's offending to their creed, you know that!"
"G-gomen, nya..." it's a good thing he easly admits his mistakes that he finally let me loose.
"Daijoubu ka, Kaidoh?"
I nodded.
"By the way, congratulations!"
"EEEEEEH!???"
"I just heard from Eiji that you won in Kaya-chan's raffle draw. Wow, I just couldn't believe you're also her big fan!"
I'm all screwed up. "D-demo, Sempai..." I was about to tell them the truth when he noticed a corpse on my back. I almost forgot that bakamono peach who was about to kill me seconds ago but suddenly disappeared if not for Kikumaru-sempai's sudden attack at me.
"M-MOMO!?" he immediately rushed to him. His body was beaten as flat as a rotten peach. He deserved it, though honestly I don't remember the next thing happened whan I saw him like a fallen corpse. Oishi-sempai tried to help him.
"Itai...!" he groaned.
"Ano...daijoubu ka?"
"Shimatta," he tried to be at his feet, "someone pushed me for dead..."
Oishi-sempai suddenly darted at Kikumaru-sempai as if he knew that he did it. Kikumaru-sempai, meanwhile, just scratched his head as one innocent runt would do. Meanwhile I can't help but to be amazed at Kikumaru-sempai's sudden yet unusual strength when he pushed his own protege THAT hard, so I almost thought of seeking help from Inui-sempai if he could study Kikumaru-sempai and his hidden strength when he's in his hyper mode for my future reference, especially when he found out about my sudden turn of luck.
"What did I just do!?" he just asked as if he really doesn't have any idea at all. But then he slowly got what they're trying to show to him when he saw Momoshiro who was still trying to get up. Honestly at that moment if I only have enough money I could treat Kikumaru-sempai to his favorite restaurant as my token of gratitude for saving my butt.
"H-hey, Momo...so there you are," he snickered.
"Do I looked like a wall to you!?" the peach grunted.
He probably looked more than a scratchpost...
"By the way...did you watch it, too?"
He suddenly lapsed.
The devil went back to that peach's body as he went worse when he heard Kikumaru-sempai's question. He wanted to continue his assassination plot on me at that instant but it only backfires when our sempai-tachi came. And speaking of sempai-tachi, it seems like they don't know what was happening to Momoshiro at all since I came.
So Kikumaru-sempai felt that he's the one behind that peach's miery for today. "W-wait," he turned to Oishi-sempai, "is there something wrong with my question?"
"You know what?" and it seems that Oishi-sempai's head was about to explode with all that commotion. "It's better if you would just shut up in front of him for your sake." It seemed, too, that he already understood Momoshiro's position.
"...Huh?"
"Uh, anyway," he tried to check him. "M-Momo..."
"HE RUINED MY LIFE!!!" he totally exploded. It's a good thing that Oishi-sempai was good at controlling wild gorillas like him. Meanwhile the people around us were staring at us like they're really watching an untamed monkey in a zoo.
"C-calm down, Momo!" Oishi-sempai tried to stop him but the monkey really was so strong when he's is a bad mood, I doubt.
"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO MEEEEH!????" he even wailed.
His acting skills were no match to those award-winning actors I knew. They're too unconvincing to me. I know how he thinks, that peach. He'll pretend to be a weakling and a poor-wretched human. If you fall for his pretence, your life will forever be filmed in a practical joke show. You have no choice but to say goodbye to your pride and reputation that you honed for your lifetime.
But...
"I'LL REALLY KILL YOU THIS TIME, STUPID MAMUSHI! YOU REALLY WANNA DESTROY MY LIFE, DONTCHA!? LET'S SETTLE THIS NOW, ASSHOLE! BRING YER RACKET AN' I'LL SEE YOU AT THE COURTS, Y'HEAR ME!???"
"I told you to calm down!" Oishi-sempai weaned him. "Whatever your problem is, we can talk about that nice and calm..."
"There's nothing to talk about, Sempai!" he'll never listen. "Listen, you!" he pointed at me. "Don't try pretending that you don't know! You really want me to vanish in this school!? How could you manage to submit the same postcard as mine!? And of all whom Kaya-chan can be picked, WHY IT HAS TO BE YOU!?"
And he sparked it: he actually gave me a clue.
That clue made my fists shook with such anger that I didn't notice it. My suspitions on who the hell shamed me in public went stronger as the peach umindedly spiiled his reason. I was about to do the same to him but Kikumaru-sempai stopped me by arms.
"Wait, wait, Kaoru-chan! You don't need to get angry at him! At least you won---!"
But hell that's not what I'm worried about.
"Eiji," Oishi-sempai scolded him again, "do you have to tell that to him in his face?"
Then Momoshiro's strength slowly faltered and, "It was supposed to be me...!" he cried like a baby, so gross. He even hugged Oishi-sempai for comfort, ugh. His wails were more suspicious to me...
"It's okay, Momo, just let it out..."
"No Sempai, it's not okay...! It's not...!" to hell with his acting skills. "How could he stabbed me in my back like that...? How the hell did we have the same postcards!? The picture...the decorations...even the dedication part were so identical to mine! I thought it's against the rules...?"
It really convinced me this time. "That's it," I reasoned out. "How the heck could you tell me that I really joined and won in that raffle if I'm really telling the truth that I didn't do it in the first place!? Nor I don't know that teen idol, let alone the raffle draw!"
"Don't try to deny it, snake!" the monkey's really anooying. "Why can't you admit that you did it to tell me you're greater that I!?"
He's not just annoying. He's also hell pathetic.
"Wait," Oishi-sempai interrupted, "Kaidoh is probably telling the truth--!"
Finally someone with a more functional brain believed in me.
"Demo, Sempai!" the peach almost wailed at his face. "Don't tell me you believe in that snake!"
"Seems like Oishi has some point there," and Kikumaru-sempai signed in my truth advocacy.
"You too, Sempai!?"
"The mechanics stated that one must submit a handmade, unique postcard about Kaya-chan. If that's the case, wouldn't be possible that there are some identical postcards delivered in her show? Not unless you and Kaidoh made postcards together that you got the same look as his..."
"Ne, Eiji," Oishi-sempai interrupted him, "how did you know that,"
"Well," he blushed, "I joined there, too...!"
But I though he's an avid The Chocolates fan [6]?
"Demo Sempai," the peach tried to reason out, too, "We're talking about Kaidoh here! KAIDOH! Remember?"
"And what has it done to me, moron!?" I yelled.
I really want to get out of those people. Go straight to the clubroom to change, then go straight to my classroom to have the rest of my day as quiet as possible. They've wasted my prescious time, and Oishi-sempai knows that, seeing him kneading his head which was about to explode in seconds due to the senseless commotion.
"So far," he halted as he still trying to ease tension in his poor head, "what we know is that Kaidoh won in Kaya-chan's raffle. If he really joined or not, of if someone set him up, or if Momo is behind this, is not on our concern anymore. It's their final decision and there's nothing we can do about it—even you, Kaidoh..."
And that's one painful truth. Fssssssh....!
"He's right," Kikumaru-sempai added.
"But if that's the case, how about next week's practice games? As far as I know, Kaya-chan's concert will be on Valentine's Day, and the Goodwill Games committee haven't ratify our schedule for the tournament but one thing for sure is that it will also happen the same week as the concert. What will you do if those two events will fall on the same day?"
"Oh, nya," I noticed Kikumaru-sempai biting his lip, "Oishi's right! How would you deal about that? If that would happen, we can't watch the concert—NO! Kaoru-chan can't decide which of those two will be given priority! You have to decide now, my friend! Or Touchan's tickets will only come to waste---!"
"EIJI!?"
"Nyah! I'll just shut up, sorry...!"
So that's it. The concert will be on February 14, and our game schedule is still tentative. And if happened that those two will fall on the same day, I really have to decide quickly...but it would be easy on my part. After all, it has nothing to do with me since I firmly insisted that I didn't do anything about that contest, nor I have any idea about that Kaya Supershow the whole Seigaku was talking about. I don't have time for television due to my studies and training, for crying out loud!
So I decided, "Of course...the Goodwill Games will remain my top priority."
"NANI!???"
"Oh, that would be a waste, Kaidoh-sempai. I just can't wait for you to show up onstage..."
Shimatta.
Mass media is sure powerful, because even the most dense and numb chibi baka I knew even heard about the news.
"Ohayo, Echizen!" Oishi-sempai greeted.
"Chuz..."
"Ne, ne, Ochibi!" Kikumaru-sempai glomped him. "So you heard it, too? Even a trying-to-be-cool kid like you can't get enough of the freshest news!"
"It just happened that I know since I saw my old man watching a certain show when I heard Kaidoh-sempai's name on TV..."
I thought so.
"By the way, congratulations, Sempai..."
"And what'ya tryin' to say?" I glared at him being so obvious...
"Cill out, Sempai. I don't have any misintentions about that, there's nothing wrong if I wanted to watch you onstage..."
He's a liar. "And then what? Make profit out of me? Jeer at me? Hah, sorry to disappoint you, brat, but I just decided..."
"It would be such a waste, then. And however you deny it, the whole Japan already knows that you'll be with that idol in her concert? Luck is just on your reach yet you'll throw it away?"
"You're not controlling my life, you know..." I faced him. Honestly, I really want to smack him good in front of my teammates, I don't care, but it would be more diplomatic if I'll challenge him to a tennis match where I can get even at him at last, but...
"Cut it out, mamushi," Momoshiro tried to stopped me by grabbing my shoulder. "you're only messing with a kid..."
His grasp was so tight and shaking that he almost crushed my shoulder bone. Obviously he was still furious with what I 'did' to him. He really took his loss seriously, pathetic as always.
"Don't worry, man," I just said, "you're next here..."
"Calm down, you guys!" Oishi-sempai separated us. "You see, Momo, he just made up his mind. We have to respect it, okay?"
But I really had enough. Just for the chaos not to happen, I just left them and not minding about the rumors they're spreading. They thought I'm happy at that, they're wrong. They don't know anything. That time I didn't have the care not to find out on who really was behind all that, all I know is that they just wasted my time. I just thought that everything was just a dream—no, a nightmare, that was only playing at me.
And it really made my day. Again.
-*_*-
BC's POV
A stylish white car ran through the busy highway as it goes on its wat to Seigaku. Usui drives the car, while a young student in her official Seigaku uniform underneath her white winter coat and glasses is on the back seat, gazing at the round, gold carillion playing a sweet melody while passing time.
The female driver noticed her passenger listening to the music of the said object, while reminiscing old yet happy memories. She can't help her curiosity but to talk to her.
"You really are looking for him for a long time, aren't you?"
The girl closed the carillion as it stopped playing music to answer her driver. "Since I entered showbusiness, there's no time or day that I don't search for him."
"You even tried to go back to your old neighborhood while we're on Toyama Tour, didn't you?"
"I tried, but... I didn't have the courage to ask the people living there. Though the place has changed a lot..."
The driver just sighed. "You also said that you even failed to ask that guy's name."
The girl's voice traced sadness. "Hai..."
There was a short silence inside the car. But with that kind of silence Usui became a bit restless, thus she thought of a new topic to discuss.
"Dear," she called her, "Are you sure about this?"
"Huh?"
"What we're doing... I mean, setting aside your quest to find 'him', that childhood friend of yours... Does your father..."
"No," her snap reply.
Another silence followed though it only lasted for seconds.
"He didn't...know about this yet," she said feebly, wringing her fingers. "Though I'm planning to tell him soon... It's been two years since I last saw him. I rarely see him in the morning or worse...he rarely goes home."
"I know that, but that doesn't answer the main issue. About your...carrer...and about you staying in a condominium unit..."
"He doesn't know about it, either. And that's one thing that's hard for me to tell him."
"My dear...I know you're still upset with your dad, but you just can't make him suffer like this. If you only know what he feels at this moment... I know those things as his secretary, but I'm not saying this because I want to get involved in such family matters. My only job, after all, is to give sound advices."
"Honestly," as the girl played with the chains of the carillion, "my disappointment to him's already gone, probably it just faded away as time passed. I really want to tell him everything...only if I have the courage to do so. You know what will be his reaction if he finds out that his own daughter's a talent in his company. I don't wnat my career to end like that..."
"You really want to be an idol, don't you? But it seems that you are trying to run away from..."
"I'm not running away!"
"Calm down, dear, I know that, too, all right. You only want to go back to school like before. But what will the people say if..."
"I've already cut my hair and wore glasses, isn't that enough?"
Poor Usui sighed again at her talent's minimized look. "No need to fret... See, I almost didn't recognized you now. But in fairness," she grinned, "the Seigaku uniform's seem so cute..."
The girl smiled back. "How do I look?"
"Well, if the uniform's cute, so is the wearer. You know that you're good in everything you wear..."
A tint of pink kissed her cheeks. "Arigato..."
Their usual ardor came back as Usui picked another topic to go with it. "Seigaku...isn't that your mother's old school?"
"It is."
"But why not Hyotei? Your father's an alumnus there."
"Well," she blinked sheepishly, "it's just near the condominium I'm staying, that's why..."
The manager just sweatdropped.
"Also," her reminiscing look in her face came back, "since my mother's once an alumna of Seigaku, I want to know more about her by going to that school. You know that she died while giving birth to me. Otousama [7] told me that she's so beautiful and surprisingly a tennis genius."
"I can see that. I also read something about Seigaku months ago. They're this year's National Tennis Champion in the Juniors Division. That school's known for their tennis club, since your idol Echizen Nanjiroh (A/N: NO WAY!) also graduated there. He and your mom were both tennis legends produced by that school."
"It makes me more excited!" her smile widened as ahe imagined her new school.
"And also...your Lucky Fan...also studied there, isn't he?"
Her smile didn't fade.
The girl took out a postcard from her pocket, the postcard which he drew yesterday. Her autographed picture was used there, adorned with little pink paper hears around her picture that almost covered her face. And a dedication at the back of the card made her smile more to almost a snicker:
Dear Kaya-chan,
I'm yer no. 1 fan! I am! I want date to date! I can wait to duet you for yer cons concert. I really really crush you! I can wait see you. D Pick me or not pick me, I'm still no.1! I love you!
Gr Lovingly Yours,
Tak Kaoru Kaidoh
Usui just heard her talent laughing by herself as she reads the dedication. "What's happening to you?" her eyebrow arched.
The idol calmed herself. "Gomen," she said, "I just ca't help laughing at his letter...or her letter... But seeing the letter, I'd say it's a guy..."
"What's funny with...his letter?"
"His English was so wrong. There are too many lapses, and there are some unnecessary grammar usage...misuse of words..."
"What do you expect? Most fanmails I've read are like that, mostly are wrong grammar, either they use Japanese or English just to please you, or worse some would have double meaning that can be turned into indecent proposals! Do you get what I mean?"
The idol gave a heavy sigh. "But probably...of all mails I've received, this is probably the most special..."
And the manager knows that, too, and smiled.
Later Usui caught sight of a familiar clock tower half a kilometer away from them. He signalled her passenger.
"We're almost there," she said. The girl immediately fixed herself, the postcard and her carillion were put inside her bag. "This is it. Be ready for your first day...
Kaoru-jousama... [8]"
-*_*-
Kaidoh's sudden leave made Eiji swallowed hard with such guilt. "He's angry..."
"He's in a bad mood," Ryoma yawned.
"It's Oishi's fault," he glared at his former doubles partner. "You made him decide so hard!"
"What did I do just now?" the Vice-captain's brows arched.
"You forced him to throw a big opportunity of his life for the next week's game!"
"Tell me, Eiji," Oishi faced him. "if you're in Kaidoh's shoes, what will you choose: the corcert or the game?"
"The concert, of course, especially if The Chocolates will perform!"
"Oh, so that means the game is nothing to you? Is it ok for you to forfeit just for the concert?"
"Huh!? Of course not! But hey, we're seniors, we're preparing for the exams and so we seldom go to practice with the others--!"
"So are you still choosing the concert over the exams, is that it?"
"Man, that's not fair! Seniors aren't suppose to join in games, and..."
"That's what I'm telling you, Eiji. What if the concert and the game will fall on the same date and time next week? I'm not even forcing Kaidoh to choose the game since as an incoming third year, it's an important game. But still, it's his decision."
"But that's actually not the reason," Ryoma countered his sempai's opinion.
"What is it?"
"...His ego."
"Ochibi's right," the catlike senior snapped. "He's not the type of guy who would join in such contests, and the whole Seigaku knows that. So it has become a shocking revelation that he's also an avid Kaya-chan fan! And for our beloved little mamushi, as a man and as a respected Regular, his pride has been stained because of that. He should have been happy if it isn't for his reputation at stake... Ne, Momo?"
Well, speaking of Momo, his dismay and rage doesn't cease yet as he kept on stabbing a poor innocent cherry blossom tree which they were sheltering, uttering curses as if he was performing an odd ritual. The three other members can't stand his mumbling as they moved away from him, especially poor Ryoma who clinged to his Kikumaru-sempai's uniform for protection, perhaps.
"What the heck are you doing Momo!?" Eiji scolded the warlock. "You're scaring poor Ochibi away!"
"Hey, Momo!" Oishi scolded him, too. "Do you want to get fined by the school!?"
But "It was suppose to be me..." he cursed as he kept on stabbing the tree with his stained pen. "It was my postcard... Why didn't they say just my name...?"
"Get a hold of yourself!"
"He's pathetic," Ryoma sighed.
"Do you thing that will help? Even if you stab all the rees here, you can't take back that Kaidoh won, either he joined or not."
"Besides, if Kaidoh-sempai really said that he didn't join there, why are you acting like a pathetic monkey?"
Suddenly Momo glared at his cocky kouhai.
Ryoma suddenly shifted backwards, fearing that he will be next to be stabbed and be offered to the God of Bad Luck. He hid his face at his Kikumaru-sempai's back. But gradually Momo dropped his sacrificial pen and sat on the ground like a raped teenager. He sighed at gazed at the branches of the sakura tree about to bloom a month from now. Meanwhile others just glanced at each other with enigmatic looks.
"To tell you honestly," his senses gradually came back as well, "I also wonder how that happened..."
(Hell, he suddenly changed over! Ryoma's brows were surprised.)
"I know Kaidoh. He doesn't sell himself in those kind of promos and such, though he wanted to, that's why it was so weird and his name was among those on that draw box and was even picked..."
"Are you sure you're not into this?" Ryoma asked him casually.
"And just what do you think of me, some kind of a leprecaun [9] who gives anyone some luck? I'm not that stupid to share away what I'm planning and I'm not generous enough to give my luck especially to that mamushi!"
But instead of being convinced, none of his own teammates bothered to look at him in sympathy and instead looking at each other with agreed minds that made Momo's brows rise.
"Why the hell are you looking at me like I'm some kind of a bad guy here!?"
But they didn't bother answering him. "He's really upset," Ryoma said and his sempais all agreed.
"Ain't that obvious!?"
"Demo," Oishi halted, whether he joined or not, or whether someone set him up, one thing is for sure: Kaidoh was picked and everyone knows it. He can't take it back however he denies it. It's better if we just support him until Kaya-chan's concert begins."
"He's right!" Eiji agreed. "It's also a good start for him to change his social life rather than wasting himself on training alone! He might even thank that guy who set him up for that! Let's make an oath that we, the Seigaku Tennis Club, will help Kaoru-chan to reach for his dream to be Kaya-chan's date and to make him an ULTIMATE POPSTAR!"
"But Eiji, Kaidoh's just a Lucky Fan, not a leading man!"
"We just hope that he won't scare Kaya-chan with his face," Momo mumbled.
"You're just one bitter guy," the cat teen hooted.
It seems that the Nelly-wannabe ex-Regular is determined to get their antisocial kouhai an extreme makeover, while the poor spiky-headed teen was still protesting to his own misfortune, although he slowly conceded and also became astonished as to how his eternal rival doesn't have any idea about Kaya-chan, the concert, and the raffle draw. It only made the two remaining normal-brained members sighed for their shocked friends. However...
"Ano...Sempai," Ryoma poked at his Oishi-sempai, "who's Kaya, by the way?"
There was a sudden pause.
Eiji and his protege were stunned with their youngest crewmwmber's question to their motherly Vice-captain, Well, that's just normal for a certain Echizen Ryoma who doesn't have any nip of idea about showbiz or anything related if they have nothing to do with tennis, of course. Aside from that, they are also aware, especially his Momo-sempai, that he has a memory span of a goldfish [10].
The peach just sighed at his kouhai's social sickness. "You were really born with a brain tumor, weren't you?" he said. "You don't even have the slightest idea about Japan's Siren of the 21st Century [11] who is none other than Kaya-chan! Her current TV Program has only ranked the highest among all the late afternoon TV shows in different TV stations across the country..."
The little genius whistled at the teen idol's achievement...
"---She only started last year. She was only twelve when she was discovered in a karaoke bar..."
Everyone's heart jumped with surprised at the sudden appearence of...
"INUI!?" Eiji almost scolded him in his face. "You really wanted to kill me!?"
"Hi..." the Dataman greeted.
"Is that all you can say!?"
"Anyway," and he flipped the pages of his cherished green notebook, "though Kaya's already that popular in only a short time, the data I've gathered about her's still incomplete."
Everyone sweatdropped. "You even researched on that," Eiji scratched his head.
Inui continued. "Her birthday's on June 30. Her height is 162 centimeters, she weights 46 kilos. Vital statistics are 32-24-34. Voice range is from mezzo soprano to soprano. She likes strawberries ans strawberry-based desserts, salmon roe sushi, pasta, and likes dogs, too. She is after a guy who is true to himself, with great sense of responsibility, and determination to face everything. She hates pretences. Ever since she started, 1.5 million copies of her first single, 'Angel Paint' [12] were instantly sold in just a week. After that several product endoresements, movie projects, and TV and event guestings were offered to her. Her own TV show has been aired for almost a year now and it garners an average of 50% of its audience share every month. Her first major concert happened on her birthday with over 50, 000 fans came to see her. And as her Valentine Concert's fast approaching, 20, 000 tickets were sold in just a day since its first release, and it has been already sold out to almost 200, 000; it was more than they've expected. Good thing I've bought some tickets for all of us," and he even swivered two fans of Virgin Love Tickets (don't bother count them all) to his teammates, that made their eyebrows twitched.
"Uh...Inui..." Oishi tried to ask, "just how many notebooks did you sell for that?"
"None," he replied simply with a glint on his glasses. "They're from my own account."
"Thanks a lot, Sempai," the two kouhais sarcastically thank him.
"However," as Inui turned another page of his notebook, "just as I said earlier, my data's still not that sufficient about her being new in the industry. When it comes to her personal information such as her birthplace, address, school she's in, and especially her real name and family background, all of them are higly confidential. For members of the entertainment press, it would be a great scoop if they could get at least one of any information about her that I mentioned earlier. There's one incident that a paparazzo was caught and been jailed by Kaya-san's manager for followeing them from a birthday party they've gone to."
"Wow," Eiji became more fascinated after hearing his batchmate's data, "she's not just popular, she's also as mysterious as Kaoru-chan!"
"So that's it..." Ryoma scratched his chin after getting some information though it doesn't concern about tennis at all.
Until DING-DONG-DING-DONG...
"Shimatta!" the former Golden Pair was startled at the sound of the bell.
"WE'RE LATE!" the Ah-Un Pain cried.
"Not yet," and Inui looked at his wristwatch, "we still have three minutes..."
"But three minutes is so darn short for us!" Oishi scolded. "Let's go!"
"HAI!" and they rushed to the main building, changed into indoor shoes, and headed to their respective classroom before their teachers could catch them.
-*_*-
"We're here," as Usui opened the door to the passenger seat for her talent. The young mistress got off, raising her glasses, pat her coat and checked her bag if everything is there. She also held her entrance papers on her hand to be submitted to the Principal's Office. As they stepped on the school entrance, she couldn't contain her amazement.
"So this is Okaasama's [13] former school," she gasped. "It's so huge...!"
"Seishun Gakuen's a private institution," her manager explained. "This is just their Middle School Division. The other divisions can be found in other parts of Tokyo. Almost whatever you need can be found here."
"I just can't wait to see their tennis courts!" her excitement aroused.
"You really want to try their courts though you know there's no time?"
Hearing that fact made the girl just sank in disappointment. "Yeah...if only there's more time... That's why I didn't bother bringing my gear with me..."
The manager pat her shoulder. "That's ok, you still have the chances, but maybe this is not yet the right time for you... Anyway, are they all there?"
"Hai, they're all ready."
"God. Let's go..."
But Usui was surprised when she noticed her talent not moving at all, that she even thought that she's starting to feel not so well.
"Something the matter, Ojousama?" she went to her.
"Gomen nasai, Usui-san," the girl apologized, "but from here I have to work alone."
"D-demo, Ojousama..."
"Starting today I'm now an official student of Seigaku. I have to do things by myself. Besides, if they see you here, they might found out who I am and they might also suspect me of something..."
"It can't be helped to be worried about you. The school's so big that you might get lost..."
"Don't you trust me?"
"Of course I do, but I just want to make sure. I just can't believe that you have to cancel all your morning appointments just to go to school of your first day. I know education is important to you, but..."
"Are you worried that someone will recognize me? Usui-san, do I still look like a pop star in this?" and she twirled herself to make her manager realize how she looks now. "Look at me...do you know any pop star who wears glasses and uniform like this?"
Usui can't help herself but to give a heavy sigh for her comment. "Yes, yes, I can see it, I get your point. As a matter of fact, I almost didn't recognize you because of your new hair..."
Kaya suddenly paused and stepped back seeing her manager so upset with what she did to herself. "Are you angry...because I cut my hair...?"
Usui was trapped by her talent's innocent eyes, that she sighed, Well she can't resist her cuteness especially if she's guilty of something. "N-no, I'm not angry. It's just... your beautiful hair's such a waste that you have to cut it to hide your identity. Even though you still wnat to make use of your remaining hair for your wig when you go back to the limelight, having a natural hair is still different... But still I don't have the right to complain about it because it's your hair..."
Later the school bell rang as the first period is about to start.
They have no more time to talk more about her decision, so Kaya just held her manager's hand for support. "You have to promise," she said.
"What is it?"
"This is only between the two of us. No one must get involve with my quest. Is that okay?"
She sighed. "There's no need to worry, Ojousama. My lips are sealed... But you have to promise to me something in exchange."
"What is it?"
"...Please take care of yourself. I'll not be at your side to attend to your needs since this is what you wished for. But for now, I just wnat you to enjoy your stay at Seigaku. I strongly believe...in your case, you could easily gain friends."
The young idol nodded. They kissed each other's cheeks before Usui finally left her in the campus entrance. Kaya then immediately set foot to Seigaku's territory for the first time before the teacher-in-charge finally closed the gate so that latecomers couldn't easily be tolerated. As the gate's lock has been set, her adventure as a disguising teen idol in an unfamiliar environment begins as well.
Kaya began to walk her way to the Principal's Office.
It has been a minute past eight, but she didin't notice it a first. She haven't started to stroll around the campus but she paused and looked around. Her excitement and awe prevailed as she can't still believe that she's already in her deceased mother's old school. Being in her school was like she was also embracing and kissing her mother whom she never met since her death while giving birth to her.
She went on strolling around, her steps began to go slow as she kept on looking around and being amazed at Seigaku's glory. "It's so wide," she said while walking. "If you could see it in the distance, you will think it's just a small school, but looks can be deceiving. It's really huge inside! Where are their tennis courts, by the way...?"
Her thoughts about being in a hurry drifted away as she went on strolling and be fascinated by the school as if she thought of finding the tennis courts by herself at that time. With such enthusiasm in her heart, she didn't notice where she was going...
"Ah!"
"Ow!"
Due to impact her entrance papers she was holding fell off her hands and were scattered, as she, too, almost fell on her knees.
"Ouch..." she pressed the lump on her forehead due to the collision, but she eventually stood erect, fixed her glasses that almost fell off, and patted her crumpled coat. There she noticed who she has been bumped into: a certain tall and fat man who doesn't look like a junoir high student yet a student of Seigaku as his uniform could tell, buttons popped out and wears a black shirt with a skull design, and wears an old-school mohawk hair. At his back was his companion who was so thin and looked like a zombie that Kaya thought he was only disguising as a student to scare the kids in the campus. The thin guy's uniform was stained with octopus balls he was eating at that time since he was knocked off by his friend's elbow causing the fat guy's elbow be stained, too, because of her.
Kaya then realized that she just made her very first mistake—and there's a hight possibility it could be fatal to her—in her new school. She was about to apologize to the two boys when she noticed her wristwatch that it has been three minutes past eight.
"Son na! [14] I'm late!" she gasped. "G-gomen nasai!" she bowed to the boys as she squatted to pick up the scattered documents, but one of them intentedly stepped onto one of the papers she was about to pick up.
The poor idol even thought that the drug-faced boy did it on accident. "Uh...ano...s-sumimasen..."
"Just a sec, missy," the thin guy called her, "you just can't get away after what y'did to my uniform and to my boss..."
"B-but I apologized already," Kaya began to feel nervous. "I..I'll be late for my first day..."
"Yer first day?" the snickered, and the fat guy suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Well you heard my compadre here," he snickered. "You won't get away unless you apologize properly...especially that you're only new here, as you just said..."
"Itai...!" the girl squirmed. "I told you I said sorry...!"
"Ain't enough, babe," his grip tightened. "Don't tell me you only want to escape yer responsibility. Too bad it won't work for me especially if I rule here..."
"Boss is right," the corpse guy interrupted. "You just bumped to no one but Seigaku's King. You've just made yourself an enemy, cheekypie!"
But Kaya remained as calm as she could. "If that's the problem, then I can pay you right away! Name your price, just let me go!"
They only laughed at her like they have just heard the funnies joke they have ever heard. "You should have told that earlier," as the big jerk lifted Kaya by her wrist. "But sorry, my pride can't be paid for money or even by cheque, especially if a pretty girl like you will offer that," and smirked.
Their rough actions finally made Kaya irritated and glared at the big jerk eye to eye. "Wait a minute, do you guys always do this those who have debt on you? Do you not even know the meaning of the word 'sorry' or are you probably asleep when your teacher taught you that? It's probably a miracle that you were able to reach junior high without knowing what that word means, I feel sorry for you guys..."
"So what if we are?" the guy's grip on Kaya's delicate wrist might break her. "In the first place, it's not your business to butt on others, y'know. To tel you now I hate people who tells me what I shall do. This is to remind you that you're making an enemy to the Student Council President who's handling you right now, so better be careful wit your words, missy," and make a bickering laugh.
But it only made Kaya feel more irritated. "If you're really the President, why are you acting like that to your fellow students?"
"It's just simple," and whispered to her, "to show these idiotic students who is their boss."
"You're not!" she finally lost her temper and shouted at her opressor in his face. "You're nothing but a sore loser who only wants to gain attention! Just to remind you, Mr. President, that a school is supposed to be a place for learning and for freedom, and it's definitely not the place for a jerk like you!"
But instead of listening to her, the fat guy grabbed her other wrist that made her drop her bag. "You really are something," the zombie guy took his turn to speak. "You sound like an old politician. You need a placard or a streamer to shout yer thoughts to the whole school!" and made a crazy laugh.
"And that," the big bully's greasy face almost touched Kaya's cute nose, "is the act one student must NEVER do as long as my dad rules here: One slight complaint will lead one to total expulsion."
"You're terrorizing the whole school!" Kaya was almost in verge of pain.
"No, we're not. We're just straightening things up," and lifter her more. "You have some nerve to talk like that being a neophyte in this school. I guess you need some more educating...from me, of course."
For Kaya, those jerks' snickers are bad signs. She never thought that her first day in Seigaku would end up in the hands of two lowlives trying to be school leaders. She was on the verge of tears, trying to struggle but ended up defenseless in the big President's tight grasp. How she only wished that she let her manager come with her to the Principal's Office...
-*_*-
Kaidoh's POV
Because of that stupid peach and his henchmen, I already forgot the time. I was about to go to the clubroom when I heard a girl sreaming.
I instantly spied her near the gate entrance, with her two lowlives picking her. I know those two. The big-assed, fat jerk who was holding the girl was Nishidata, [15] son of another lowlife of a board member, and believe it or not he's the Council President back then. The oher one's just one of his men, but I recocnized him being the one who always follows him in his 'patrolling' missions. As usual, they pick up any latecomer they could spy on, or someone who will bump them either intentionally or not, or they would just randomly play on somebody. That fat jerk just want to show to the whole Seigaku who's the boss around.
But it was the first time that I saw them picking on an innocent girl.
I noticed scattered papers around, and I'm sure it's from the girl. They didn't even care to pick it up, they even dared to step on them like dirt. I don't have any idea what came into their puny brains to harass such an innocent girl, probably a latecomer or she bumped into them, or she's just unlucky that they randomly picked her. But to be honest, I never saw her around for once. But either way, I don't care if he's a year my senior but that's no way to treat a girl. Even Momoshiro knows that!
"You really are a bunch of idiots," I told them when I approached them. "You even dared to scare a girl."
Both looked at me like nothing, but Nishidata's right hand suddenly moved back and whispered something to him, sure thing about me.
"He's from the tennis club," I heard the fatass said it.
"We should scram, Boss, that's Kaidoh Kaoru, the most feard in the Juniors Assembly!"
"Don't mind him. So what if he's the scariest man in their department? He'll lay a finger on me or he'll have to say goodbye to the tennis club of his..."
But when he met me in my eyes he suddenly petrified like I put a spell on him or something. I know it's weird, but sometimes I thank my parents for bringing me up with this face since it can be put to good use especially for smartass jerks like Nishidata. Though almost everyone gets scared with my looks, most of the time they mistook me as a bully or even worse, a thief or a lowlife outlaw.
He didn't move an inch for seconds when he stared at me and looked so wet—when someone seemed to whistle at us. We thought a teacher saw us, that made Nishidata throw the girl at me like a ragged doll and we both fell so that no rounding teacher will catch them.
"Run!" he warned his fellow jerk and they left us like nothing. It only pissed me off that they left us without any usual warnings and all, probably because they're scared of my looks, seriously. But what pissed me the most was how they treated the poor girl. We both fell, thanks to him, and then...
For the first time, our eyes met each other.
Her eyes, their big, blue, and beautiful. Like those of a doe. Or rather, like a doll. Her face was pinkish white, smooth like porcelain. Her lips were small and cute that suited her face perfectly. Her hair, black and fragrant as ebony. I felt that Snow White's in front of me, she fell to me from her world, or suitable enough, an angel fell to me from the sky. My thoughts began to flash things up and everything smashed in my head when I felt warmth in my lips, until I realized...
Our lips touched each other.
I felt eletricuted after that. I want to my body away but it won't move at my will. My being suddenly ceased to flow because of that, that's what I felt at that moment—I don't know about the girl I just saved. Nor I didn't realize my face flushing, and hers, too. I felt my brain being mashed up into pulp. At that moment, I can't think of any curse to utter to myself but...
...Kawaii da... [16]
-*00_00*-
NOTA BENE:
Meet the new characters:
[1] You'll find out more of her in the next chapters, but to give you a hint: She's known as Seigaku's Angel
[2] Hatoko Sohma, classmate/childhood friend/neighbor of Takeshi Momoshiro. Known as Speed Fairy in their team. You'll also know about her soon.
[3] Maki Naegino, Inui's only classmate and the only Seigaku student who can dare to ride a motorbike back and fourth. You'll find out why and how.
[15] Hongo Nishidata, son of Seigaku's Vice-Chairman, a typical bully who became the school's Student Council President which was supposed to be Tezuka's position (according to Genius 10.5). he might be a lowlife, but he's actually scared of mice and takes orders from his father. In the next chapter you'll find out how that happened.
FOOTNOTES:
[4] The entire population of Seishun Gakuen Middle School is 1, 750 to be exact (from genius 10.5)
[5] A messed-up prayer based on the original Hail Mary. And please, don't take this seriously.
[6] The Chocolates, popular female teen idol group whom Eiji adores.
[7] A more honorific Japanese term for 'father'.
[8] Literally meaning 'princess' or 'young mistress'.
[9] Leprechaun, a popular Irish creature, an elf-like being clad in green who guards the pot of gold that can be found at the end of the rainbow. They are also hard to find since they easily disappears the moment you blink even once. They are also known as gods of fortune, or good luck. Some say they can appear to anyone, whether you have a pure heart or not, since the fortune they bring can also act as their judgement to those who managed to see them without disappearing in their eyes. They are also associated with four-leaf clovers which also symbolyzes luck in Irish folklore
[10] According to scientific study, a goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
[11] Derived from 'Juliet of the 21st Century', second ending theme of Wedding Peach.
[12] 'Tenshi no Enogu', Lynn Minmay's immortal song in Macross Flashback 2012. If you know about Macross or If you're a Macross fan, you probably heard this song. Mika Nakashima also has a version of this hit.
[13] A more honorific term for 'mother'
[14] 'Oh no!' Or 'no way!'
[16] So cute
NEXT STANZA: And so our poor little neophye still ended up standing outside—with her savior, and a new acquaintance. And there would be more than just standing outside. Meanwhile it seems that Sumire will suffer another heart attack because of a certain teacher that will lead her to reveal something...
(BS: Sorry for the LOOOOOOOOOOOng delay... I'm having a hard time translating my work, I already have my dictionary at my side and still doesn't help, waah...! Anyway, thanks for bearing with me! Enjoy reading! And just wait for the new chappie that will, again, be taken time to finish it... :D)