Chapter 4

"Alright! Today's training is over!" shouted Sanada, there were cheers and sighs of relief from the tennis club members.

"Good work," said Yukimura, Sanada nodded.

"Oi Marui, want to go get something to eat?" asked Kuwahara.

"Sure, you guys want to come?" suggested Marui.

"Sure," replied Yagyuu, Niou nodded as did Yanagi.

"Shall we go?" asked Yukimura.

"You guys go," said Sanada. "I'm not in the mood."

"Shall we invite Yuki-chan?" asked Niou, his nickname for Yukimura Lenali, everyone called her by her first name or 'Yuki' as if they called her Yukimura two people's head would turn.

"Ask me what?" asked Lenali, she had a book in her hand and her school bag over on shoulder.

"Were you waiting for me?" asked Yukimura, she nodded.

"Want to come?" asked Kuwahara, only Marui and Niou noticed the exchange between Sanada and Lenali.

"No thanks," she replied. "Well, since you're going out, I'm not going to wait for you." Yukimura nodded as she waved goodbye and left.

"So, what are we getting?" asked Akaya.

* * *

Sanada took out his keys from his pocket and opened the front gate to his house; two hands covered his eyes from behind.

"Guess who," said Lenali. Sanada didn't bother and just turned around and kissed her. Sanada opened the front door for her, she took off her shoes and put them in her bag in case anyone visited she could sneak out the back undetected.

Sanada's family home was built in a traditional Japanese style with sliding doors and wooden floorboards. Lenali had been here quiet a few times but she found his house like a maze, almost every part of the place was identical. "I never liked this place, it's so…well…hard to describe", she said to Sanada sitting down on the floor of his room.

"We could go to your place," offered Sanada.

"You really want to have Yukimura in the room next door while we have sex?" she asked him.

"You've made your point," said Sanada, he sat down beside her and kissed her. Within seconds she had unbuttoned his shirt and Sanada had completely removed hers, he was practically on top of her, he broke away from her kiss and began to caresses her neck while Lenali unzipped his pants.

* * *

Lenali woke up warm in Sanada's arm, they had fallen asleep on his bedroom floor with their clothes scattered everywhere. She watched as he slept, he turned and whispered, "Yukimura." Lenali smiled sadly and stroked his cheek. She knew…she always knew…

* * *

"Sanada, let's stop this," said Lenali as she buttoned up her shirt, she knotted her tied and them slipped on her jumper. Sanada pulled up his pants as he asked.

"What?"

"This," she waved her hand at Sanada then at her. "Let's stop it," once fully dressed she put on her shoes and picked up her bag. Just as she opened the door Sanada held it firmly shut.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Our relationship is just a physical thing so I don't exactly care but…you… whenever you touched me you were thinking of Seiichi weren't you?" Sanada froze. "You called me 'Yukimura' when we had sex, at first I thought you were addressing me, but then I realised, isn't there a saying that when you have sex you call out to the person you love?"

"And yet you let me touch you."

"You were horny and I was willing," she replied. I sound like a slut. "Just tell him already, how you feel, his reply may surprise you."

"Thank you," said Sanada softly kissing her on the cheek, she felt as if someone had reach into her and squeeze her heart. Lenali pushed open the door and ran out of the house as fast as she could, tears forming in her eyes. She suppressed them, she ran and ran and ran, and stopping when she reached the local park she sat down on the bench.

Why did I do that? Why? She looked up, the sun was setting. Sanada you idiot! I don't let just anyone touch me… maybe…I just wanted to stop lying to myself…he doesn't love me, he never will…ever…never ever will he look at me that way…

"Ah! Lenali-chan!" Lenali looked to her left to see Marui; he walked towards her a white paper box in his hand. "You okay?"

"I was just rejected by the guy I had a crush since I was in year 3," replied Lenali honestly, strange, she felt so comfortable around him she blurted it out without thinking.

Year 3? That's…5 years, calculated Marui. What do I do? She doesn't look upset, stoned, a bit but she's not crying or anything… He looked at the box in his hand and held it towards her; he closed his eyes as he made the tremendous sacrifice. "Here, Japanese green tea lava cake," he said, his face the same shade as his hair. Lenali opened the box to see a flat cylinder shaped cake inside.

"Thanks," she said, there was a plastic fork inside, she took out the fork and took a bite of the cake. "Just what I needed."

"How is it?" asked Marui, Lenali smiled.

"Excellent." Maui felt his face go red.

"I-I'm glad you like it," he replied looking down at his hands. What do I do? I've never comforted anyone in my life let alone a girl…Argh! My head feels like it's going to explode…"It's his loss…I mean…he doesn't know a great person such as yourself who was right in front of him." I sound like a complete idiot. "You know, if you want to cry you can," said Marui. "You don't have to keep it bottled up inside, if you bottle too much inside you'll explode." Explode?! What the hell am I saying?

Lenali scooped the last of the cake and ate it; she rested her head against his shoulder. There was silence, but it wasn't awkward, neither side wanted to talk. He felt his shoulder dampen as she hid her tears.