Snow in a Spring's Day
Chapter 6: The End of the Practice Tournament
"KYAAA!" Yui squealed and did something that startled everyone. She GLOMPED and CLUNG on Yagyuu.
"Onee-chan..." Yuna muttered with a blush. She couldn't believe her older sister can do this... to a complete stranger.
Yukiko face-palmed once again. "Mou, onee-chan..." She sighed. Why did these happen to me?
This made some regulars drop their jaws and freeze and some smile with interest. Yagyuu stood there, petrified at the action of the girl. Why wouldn't he? A girl whom he just knew by name was clinging on him. Wha... What a fearless girl...
And once again, silence covered them as the warm wind blew.
Yukiko couldn't help but get annoyed at her older sister's action. Who in the world would cling to a stranger? Her patience was already at the limit. Hah. Too late. Nobody can stop her now. She walked towards her sister with a dark aura around her and scary face that scared the hell out of everyone (except for Yukimura and Yanagi).
"Onee-chan." she said grimly. Of course, Yui sensed this and got off Yagyuu.
"Ye-yes?" Yui asked, shivering in fear.
"I told you not to cause trouble, right?" Yukiko asked, slowly lifting her head and revealing her demonic angry face. Yui nodded.
"Then why are you causing one now, huh?"
Yui shivered even more. Once Yukiko's patience erupts, nobody can stop it, as far as she knows her sister. She swallowed her pride, knelt and begged "I'm sorry Yuki-chan!" for a few times (hope you get the sarcasm).
Good for her, Yukiko snapped out of her demonic state and just sighed. "Onee-chan, you will be cleaning the bathroom for one week as your punishment, 'kay?"
"Ye-yeah," Yui agreed with relief. I can get Yuna-chan to help me there, you know?
"And don't you dare ask help from Yuna-chan. Do you understand?" Yukiko added, making Yui shiver once again. How did she know?
"If you're wondering how I knew it," she smiled and turned to point a certain someone, "Renji-kun told me."
Yui knelt there, shivering in fear.
Yukiko walked towards Yagyuu and said, "I'm sorry for my sister's umm... actions. She may be like that, but she is a nice person."
"I-I don't mind it," Yagyuu replied, pushing his glasses up. Yukiko-san is quite intimidating, he remarked. "It was a shock, however, that... you know..."
"Hey, hey, feeling embarrassed aren't we, Yagyuu?" Niou teased, slinging one arm around Yagyuu's shoulders and having 'the look'.
"Of course not!" Yagyuu denied. "I was just..."
"'Intimidated' is what you're going to say, right?" Yanagi interrupted, causing Yagyuu to blush like mad.
"Yanagi!" he roared a little too loud, causing everyone to erupt in laughter.
Yui, having recovered from the shivers she had, stood up with a bright smile and said, "Awww... What a cute boy! I think I like him now!" After that, she giggled.
"Congratulations, Yagyuu-kun," Niou teased once again, wiggling his eyebrow as he said 'Yagyuu-kun'. Oh, he really loved making the gentleman blush.
"Congratulations, Yagyuu-senpai! You finally found a girlfriend!" Kirihara cheered.
Everyone clapped along, muttering words of congratulations to the *cough* 'new couple'.
Yukiko tapped her sister's shoulder, not to sermon her but to ask her. "Ne, onee-chan? Are you serious that you like him?" Yukiko whispered.
"Yeah," Yui nodded with fondness in her face. "He may be the prince that will save me from the loneliness that I feel."
Yukiko blinked. Realization dawns to her when her sister glanced at Yukimura Seiichi, the one that caused her first heartbreak, the man who rejected her three years ago, and the reason behind her agreement in going to U.S.
"Is that so?" Yukiko smiled. "If you're sure that he will make you happy, I'll support you all the way." Even though these two usually fight, they truly understand and support one another. Well, what sisters are for?
After some interruptions, the practice matches still went on. However, there are some changes.
"Wakashi-kun, you'll be the umpire now, ne?" Yukiko requested.
"I thought you wanted to try it," Hiyoshi raised an eyebrow. He really liked being an umpire.
Yukiko grinned. "But I did say 'for once', right?"
Hiyoshi just sighed and agreed. He couldn't disagree to his favorite senpai, after all.
Everyone noticed this, of course. "You don't want to be umpire anymore, Yukiko-senpai?" Ootori asked. Yukiko shook her head. "It's too hot today and I might collapse."
"Yukiko-senpai collapsing? I think it is impossible," Ootori remarked.
Yukiko smiled and tapped her kouhai's shoulder (Wow, she reached it. Way to go, Yukiko!). "You shouldn't worry about me. Worry about your match."
"Ah, I forgot. My bad," Ootori said.
"Do your best, Choutarou-kun," she said. A good senpai wouldn't forget to wish her luck to her favorite kouhai, wouldn't she?
"Yes, senpai," Ootori nodded and then called his doubles partner out. "Let's go, Kabaji-kun."
"Usu," Kabaji replied, following behind Ootori.
Rikkai side...
"Jackal, we mustn't lose this, ne?" Marui asked as he munched his strawberry-flavored cake. Even though he already conquered his stamina problems, he continued to eat cake before a match. Habits can't be easily avoided, they say.
"Aa," Jackal responded as he shaved his head. Same explanation goes to him as well.
Marui licked his lips, picked up his racket, stood up, and went to the court with Jackal beside him. "Let's do this!" Marui exclaimed.
"Aa," Jackal replied.
The next match was a Doubles Match between Ootori-Kabaji pair vs. Marui-Jackal pair.
(A/N: Just like I did at the previous chapter, I'll be just stating the score and why. Sorry folks. I'm not that good with describing matches in detail. Wah, shame on me. Again, sorry pips.)
Since it's Ootori's service game, he used his specialty, the Neo Scud Serve, making the two of them take the first game. The next game was dominated by them too because Marui and Jackal weren't playing seriously at this point. They were still analyzing their opponents' play style. Unfortunately for them, the third game was taken by Ootori once again, due to his nonreturnable ultra-fast Neo Scud Serve. For there, Marui and Jackal realized that it was time for them to get serious.
Marui used his Tsunawattari (A/N: Is the spelling correct?), making them dominate the game. The next game was taken by Ootori and Kabaji, thanks to Ootori's Neo Scud Serve, making the score 4 – 1. Marui used the Tsunawattari again, making them win 15-0. However, Kabaji copied this for many times, and taking this game. But, but, but... Marui and Jackal won't let them win that easily. Marui tried hitting Tsunawattari again and Ootori tried to return it. Unfortunately, his shoulder slammed on the pole. (A/N: This wasn't intended by Marui, pips.) Yukiko got worried and even attempted to go where Ootori was but was fended off by Ootori himself, saying "I'm fine, senpai." Due to this, however, Ootori couldn't hit his special serve. Marui and Jackal took this to their advantage. Another thing was Kabaji couldn't hit more Tsunawattari (ask him why). They were now playing an even match, a match of patience and teamwork. In the end, Marui and Jackal won the match with the score 7 – 5.
The two doubles teams went to the net and had a handshake. "You two are good," Marui complimented, "but my genius skills are better."
"Thanks for the match," Ootori bowed. He turned to Kabaji and said, "It was a fun match, ne Kabaji?"
"Usu," was Kabaji's reply, as always. And then, he added, "It was fun.*"
Hyotei side...
Ootori and Kabaji went back to the benches. Ootori bowed his head, saying, "I'm sorry, everyone. That we lost. If it wasn't because of me, we should have..."
"Choutarou-kun." Yukiko tapped her kouhai's shoulder. "You did your best, that's what matters now. You showed your strength and that is enough. Do not regret something that you put your best on. Ne?"
"Hai," Ootori replied. Yukiko ruffled Ootori's hair. "Good kouhai," she praised Ootori.
"I'm not a dog, senpai."
"Yeah, yeah. But you are as cute as one." Yukiko grinned.
Yuushi stood up. "I guess we can't afford another loss."
Gakuto cheered. "Go Yuushi!"
"Hai, hai."
"We'll be counting on you then, Yuushi-kun," Yukiko said.
"Maa, Yukiko, don't put too much burden on my shoulders," Yuushi said. Yukiko grinned to him. "Don't just stand there, Yuu-chan. The match won't be waiting for you."
"Hai, hai," Yuushi murmured, walking towards the court with a mixture of hot and cool aura.
Rikkai side...
"Oi, Seaweed brat, go for our third win!" Marui cheered.
"And if you lose, you will be running laps until death," Niou said with a wicked smirk plastered on his lips.
"Naked," Renji added, "As your punishment for being late."
Everyone snickered. Akaya scowled. "You still remember that?"
"Saa, Akaya-kun, go now," Yukimura said as flawless as ever. "Don't lose," he added with his infamous smile.
"Ye...yeah, Buchou," Akaya replied, shuddering at his buchou's smile. My senpai-tachi are so scary.
He walked to the courts with the feeling of the need of winning. He doesn't want to suffer the consequences made by his sadistic senpais.
Akaya was the one who served first. He used the twist serve. Yuushi, on the other hand, was carefully observing the serve. When the score reached 40-0, Yuushi decided to take action by showing 'some' of his moves, thus making him win the first game. He also controlled the next 3 sets. Current score? 4-0.
Akaya went into Devil Mode just now, taking two games with him. However, in the end, it was Yuushi who claimed the victory with the score 6-2. The two shook hands at the net and went back to their respective teams.
Hyotei side...
"Good game, Yuushi-kun," Yukiko remarked, tossing a canned juice to Yuushi.
"What's this?" Yuushi asked, catching the canned juice. Yukiko smiled and answered," Let's just say that it was a victory reward. You deserve it, anyway."
"No payment needed?"
"No payment needed."
"Well then, thanks," Yuushi said, opening the can. He was about to drink it when Shishido slammed his tennis bag too loudly at the bench and said with a clearly annoyed face, "I'm going to buy a drink."
This made everyone erupt in fits of laughter. Yukiko blinked in confusion. She didn't get it. Why are they laughing? And what's with Shishido? She sighed. I do have weird friends, don't I?
"Uhmmm, excuse me. What's so funny, guys?" Yukiko asked, making the Hyotei boys stand there dumbfounded.
"You didn't get it, Yukiko?" asked Gakuto with a bewildered look in his face. Yukiko nodded innocently.
"WHAT?!" they all exclaimed.
They laughed once again, although this time, harder than before. She mentally concluded, My friends are truly crazy.
Gakuto was clenching his stomach and was rolling all around in his uncontrollable laughter. Jiro was waving his hands in the air. The others were doing the same with Gakuto, except for the 'rolling around' part.
"Shi...shishido-san... is jealous...!" Ootori exclaimed in between his laughter.
"Shishido-kun is jealous? Of what?" Yukiko pouted.
This time Atobe was the one to answer her. "Of Oshitari, obviously."
"I'm not jealous of Oshitari! And I'll never be!" Shishido roared with a blush on his face.
"Oh yeah?" Gakuto faked a doubtful face and voice.
Yui joined in, "But your face says otherwise, Shishido!"
"Onee-chan!" Yuna reprimanded.
"Ryou-chan is jealous! Ryou-chan is jealous!" Jiro chanted while bouncing around. Yes, bouncing around.
"Am not!" Shishido retorted for the last time and then stormed away from his team mates.
Ootori commented, "He's really jealous."
"Why would he deny something so obvious?" Hiyoshi deadpanned, crossing his arms.
"Weird guy," Yukiko remarked, raising an eyebrow. "He was never like that before."
Jiro wrapped an arm around her. "Yuki-chan," he said, "let's just say that every one of us underwent puberty."
Yukiko pouted even more. "Huh?" And then she remembered something. "Ah! That's it! I know why Shishido-kun is jealous!" she exclaimed.
"Do you mind telling us?" Yuushi asked with amusement.
"Shishido-kun is jealous of Yuushi-kun because I treated Yuushi-kun!" she explained with glee.
Everyone stood there, dumbfounded once again. "Yukiko didn't get it, huh?" Gakuto said.
"Yuki-chan is so dense," Yui remarked in a soft voice.
"She will never find a boyfriend easily like that," Atobe added.
"I agree," Yuushi nodded.
Yukiko raised an eyebrow. "What now?"
They immediately regained their composure. "No-nothing..."
My friends are indeed the weirdest people on Earth, she concluded once again. Yukiko then started running off, telling them that she'll be treating something to Shishido.
Rikkai side...
"Niou-chan, aren't you gonna be jealous?" Yukimura asked/teased Niou.
"Of whom? And why would I?" Niou glanced away at Yukimura with a scowl on his face. He might pretend that he didn't know, but he did. And another thing? He was heating up with rage inside. His theme song for now is "That Should Be Me". Hah, as if he will let them know.
"Of Shishido, because he is currently chased by Yukiko," Yukimura stated.
"And I care why?" Niou asked.
"Well, because you love her...?" Yukimura answered, smiling a little too widely.
"My, my, Niou-kun. I can't believe that you will be developing feelings for my cousin," Renji, who appeared out of nowhere, said.
Marui and Akaya's sharp ears caught this and went to the place where 'the talk' was being held. This also caught the curiosity of the rest of the regulars, making them tag along.
"NIOU'S IN LOVE WITH YOUR COUSIN, RENJI?" Marui said in disbelief. "However, I wonder who."
Akaya suggested, "It is obviously Yukiko-san. She's the coolest out of them."
"What do you mean, Kirihara-kun?" Yagyuu asked.
Akaya explained, "Your (Yagyuu) girlfriend is... well... not that much of my type and the youngest one with the black neck-length hair..."
"Yuna-san?"
"Yeah," Akaya continued, "That girl keeps staring at me and I find it creepy. But Yukiko-san is so cool! She beat the hell out of the thief earlier! Plus, she helped me in carrying Niou-senpai and I had a lot of fun talking to her."
"Why would you carry Niou?" Marui asked.
"He collapsed," Akaya replied.
"Eh!? When?" they asked and exclaimed in unison (hey, even Sanada joined the unison).
"Uhmmm," Akaya thought for a while. They all waited for his response.
"I think it was when Yukiko-san introduced herself. I must admit that..." Akaya blushed a light shade of pink. "...she looked cute that time."
Renji smirked. "Good data," he muttered. "I can't wait to tell these to Yukiko."
Akaya and Niou glared at the data master. "You wouldn't dare."
"Oh yes I would."
"You wouldn't."
"I would."
And so, Akaya and Niou ended up chasing the data master.
Due to many distractions and the fact that it was almost late, they stopped their practice touurnament from Akaya's match.
The practice tournament was a success, or so they thought. Rikkaidai was the one who won, obviously. The two teams bid each other goodbye and went home with smiles and memories that they will never forget.
How was it? Crappy or not? Gekidasa daze or not? REVIEWS, PLEASE! XD
I made EVERYONE, yes, EVERYONE, OOC here so, again, GOMEN NASAI!
So far, this is the longest chapter that I've written. Just sharing~!
And thanks to the lovely reviewers of the 5th chapter namely MissMeep, ScherzoVivace and Xxdreamergirl95xX ! I appreciate it with all of my heart~!
I hope you enjoyed the chapter, pips! :D