CHAPTER 5: WAKAIKI
DISCLAIMER: I do not own PoT or any of its characters used in this story.
-oOo-
"Daijabou?" Choutarou asked the girl on his chest who lifted her eyes towards him before answering and trying to get up.
"Daijabou. Gomennasai, I was not looking where I was walking." The girl apologized as she was standing up.
"Oi! Choutarou, daijabou?" Shishido stopping to run back seeing his kohai on the ground with some girl.
"Aiko-senpai daijabou?" Tomoka and Sakuno asked in unison as they try to help their senpai get up from the ground.
"Are you sure you're not hurt?" Choutarou asked as he tried to get up from the ground.
"Hai. Gomen." Aiko replied picking up one of the Ponta can that fell down.
"Here." Choutarou handing the other Ponta can to Aiko.
"Gomen, hontouni, gomen." Aiko shyly bowed repeatedly trying to hide the blush on her face.
"You're from Seigaku aren't you?" Shishido initiated the question after noting the school uniform the girls were wearing.
"Hai." Sakuno replied first.
"You're Hyotei players, aren't you?" Tomoka asked in return.
"Hai." Choutarou replied blushing.
"A-Ano, we have to get going. Hontouni gomen." Aiko bowed again before tuning her back.
"A-Ano, Namae wa nan desu?" Choutarou called out to the girl as she was leaving.
"Ore?" Aiko turning her head towards Choutarou.
"H-Hai." Choutarou hesitated.
"Ore…Watashiwa Kentaro desu." Aiko replied.
"Ah…Atashiwa Ootori desu, douzu yoroshiku." Choutarou bowed before smiling gently to the girl standing holding two Ponta cans in her hands.
"Yoroshiku." Aiko replied and managed a small smile staring at the tall silver haired boy.
Shishido looked at Choutarou, then at Aiko, and that was when he figured out who she was. Ah, that must be her. He thought to himself. "Yoroshiku Kentaro-san, Shishido desu." Shishido also introducing himself.
"H-Hai, yoroshiku, Shishido-san, Ootori-san." Aiko bowed towards Shishido as well.
"Aiko-senpai." Tomoka catching her attention.
"Oh, kohai-tachi, Ryuzaki and Osakada." Aiko introduced her kohai.
"Yoroshiku." Choutarou replied with a smile to the two freshmen.
"Y-Yoroshiku." Sakuno hesitantly replied.
"A! We have to get back now." Tomoka noticing the Ponta in Aiko's hands, "Ryoma-sama might be thirsty."
"Oh, right, I almost forgot about these. Gomen, excuse us." Aiko bowed again before turning to run back to Seigaku's team.
"A-Ano…" Choutarou tried to stop the girl but she was already running.
"Ryuzaki-san." Shishido called out to Sakuno since she was the last to run away.
"H-Hai?" Sakuno responded, she was uneasy speaking with a senpai from a different school, especially a rival school.
"What is her first name?" Shishido asked while pointing to Aiko.
"A-Aiko-senpai?" Sakuno hesitantly asked.
"Aiko?" Shishido repeated.
"H-Hai." Sakuno nodded.
"Arigato." Shishido nodded to the younger girl.
Sakuno nodded again before running after the two girls who were already a distance from her.
"Aiko…Kentaro Aiko." Choutarou repeated while staring at the back of the black-haired girl he's been bumping into repeatedly.
"Ne Choutarou, that was her wasn't it?" Shishido now facing his kohai who was still following Aiko with his eyes.
"Huh?" Choutarou snapping out of his drifting and looking to his senpai who had a grin on his face. "A-Ano…"
"You're blushing Choutarou." Shishido teased before he started running again. "We still haven't finished our cool down."
"H-Hai." Choutarou running after his senpai, a smile painted on his lips.
-oOo-
"Aiko-senpai, daijabou?" Tomoka asked as Aiko stopped to catch her breath before they even reached the Seigaku group.
"You're out of breath senpai." Sakuno worriedly stated as she looked at her senpai who was bent over trying to catch her breath.
"D-Dai-Daijabou. Just a bit out of breath." Aiko replied.
"Why did you run so fast senpai? We're you scared of the two Hyotei regulars?" Tomoka asked.
"Which two Hyotei regulars?" Fuji interrupted as he was also returning to the group after going to the men's room.
"Oh, Fuji-senpai." Tomoka jumping up surprised by Fuji's sudden appearance.
"You were talking about two Hyotei regulars." Fuji very interested in what the girls had just said.
"Hai. There were two Hyotei members that we bumped into going back here. They were nice actually, they asked for Aiko-senpai's name." Sakuno replied.
"Sa, who were they?" Fuji continued.
"A-Ano, the two who played Inui-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai, what were their names again Sakuno?" Tomoka answered.
"A, I think it was Ootori-san and Shishido-san." Sakuno answered.
"Aa, Shishido and Ootori e?" Fuji had a mischievous look in his face.
"Fuji-senpai…" Aiko started but was cut off by Fuji.
"Sa, let's all go back, daijabou Aiko-chan? Can you walk now?" Fuji assisting his kohai to stand straight.
"Hai." Aiko replied, she knew Fuji understood.
"Ne, Sakuno, what do you think Fuji-senpai is thinking?" Tomoka whispered to Sakuno as they lag behind the two.
"I don't know Tomo-chan, but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." Sakuno assured her best friend.
-oOo-
"Oh you're back." Gakuto hissed as Shishido and Choutarou walked back to their team after doing cool down.
"What's going on here?" Shishido asked noting the commotion.
"Kabaji's doing well against Kawamura." Oshitari replied.
"Kabaji is a very good player, I'm not surprised." Choutarou replied.
"How was your cool down?" Atobe asked not really looking at the two but keeping his eyes on the court.
"It went well, right Choutarou?" Shishido said in a teasing voice.
"H-Hai." Choutarou replied blushing a little.
"What was that?" Gakuto noticing the mischievous look on Shishido's face, and knowing Shishido all these years made him realize there was something going on with Choutarou.
"What was what?" Shishido responded to Gakuto.
"That!" Gakuto pointing at Shishido's face.
"What's wrong with my face?" Shishido asked in an irritated manner.
"You have your evil face on." Gakuto replied.
"Nani?" Shishido replied more irritated by what Gakuto said.
"Oi! Yamero. This is not the place to argue about silly things." Oshitari reprimanded the two.
"You owe me a story Ryo." Gakuto whispered to Shishido before sitting down on the bench.
"How was your cool down Ootori?" Atobe asked the younger tennis player meaningfully.
"Huh? It was okay buchou." Choutarou replied hesitantly. Could Atobe-buchou be using his Insight on me? He thought nervously.
"Choutarou, don't be so obvious." Wakashi whispered to his best friend as he sat beside him watching the game.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Choutarou cluelessly looked at his best friend.
"You are so dense." Wakashi answered a bit annoyed.
"What do you mean?" Choutarou repeated.
"You met her while doing cool down didn't you?" Wakashi whispered to avoid the other team members from hearing.
"H-Hai." Choutarou blushed and scratched his head.
"Thought so." Wakashi stated bluntly and returned to watching the game.
"I know her name now." Choutarou whispered back.
"Good for you, let's talk about this later." Wakashi replied.
-oOo-
"Taka-san lend me this racket." Fuji asked Kawamura as he picked up the blood stained racket from the ground as Ryuzaki-sensei was preparing to take Kawamura and Kabaji to the hospital.
"Fuji-senpai…" Aiko whispered as she saw the look in Fuji's eyes.
"Aiko, daijabou?" Kaidoh asked as he noted the worried look in Aiko's face.
"Look at Fuji-senpai's eyes." Aiko replied.
"I see determination." Kaidoh replied.
"Fuji-senpai is scary when he has determination in his eyes." Aiko turned her head towards Kaidoh.
"What happened earlier?" Kaidoh suddenly changing the topic.
"What do you mean?" Aiko puzzled by the sudden question from Kaidoh.
"When you left to get drinks, what happened?" Kaidoh asked again.
"We met the players from Hyotei that you played against Kaidoh-senpai." Tomoka answered for Aiko.
"Tomo-chan." Sakuno reprimanded her best friend.
"What happened Osakada-san?" Kaidoh asked the younger girl, he was obviously not getting an answer from Aiko.
"The taller one, what was his name again Sakuno?" Tomoka turning to Sakuno.
"Ootori-san." Sakuno replied.
"Ah, yes, Ootori-san bumped into Aiko-senpai by accident, but it was nobody's fault they were both not looking at where they were going, so they bumped into each other and fell on the ground." Tomoka elaborated.
"They fell? Did you hurt your self Aiko-chan?" Kaidoh asked a bit worried for his friend.
"Daijabou, Ootori-san broke my fall." Aiko replied a tint of pink shading her cheeks.
"What do you mean he broke your fall?" Kaidoh asked like an older brother.
"He caught Aiko-senpai just in time and twisted his body so he fell first and Aiko-senpai kind of fell on top of him." Tomoka continued.
"What do you mean fell on top of him?" Kaidoh's eyes widened.
"Now that you say it Kaidoh-senpai, it is kind of weird hearing it that way." Tomoka blushing after hearing what Kaidoh said.
"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno also blushing.
"He broke my fall Kaoru-kun, nothing to be worried about." Aiko patted Kaidoh on the shoulder.
"Why are you going all worried like that Mamushi?" Momoshiro interrupted the discussion, "Are you jealous?" Momoshiro teased.
"Nani? What are you driving at Momoshiro?" Kaidoh defensively replied to his rival.
"You're blushing Mamushi!" Momoshiro teased some more.
"Oi! Quiet, the game is still going." Oishi reprimanded the two juniors.
"Gomennasai." The two said in unison.
"I'll tell you all about it later when we walk home, iiyo?" Aiko whispered to Kaidoh.
"Iiyo." Kaidoh agreed and went back to watching the game.
-oOo-
"Hiyoshi-kun, ganbare!" Choutarou called out to his best friend as he grabbed his racket to prepare for the tiebreak.
"Gekkoukujou." Was all Hiyoshi replied.
"You sure you two are best friends?" Shishido asked the taller boy frowning.
"Hai, Hiyoshi-kun isn't very expressive, heh, Shishido-senpai." Ootori replied scratching his head.
"More like, no expression at all. Is he a robot or something Ootori?" Mukahi asked rather insensitively.
"Gakuto!" Oshitari eyed his doubles partner. "Pardon his rudeness Ootori."
"What?!" Mukahi protested.
"It's alright Senpai-tachi, sometimes, Hiyoshi-kun is just difficult to understand. But he's a good guy really once you get to know him." Ootori defended his best friend.
"He's just weird." Shishido added.
"See, even Ryo thinks so." Mukahi defended while pointing at Shishido.
"Ai, no wonder you two are friends." Oshitari rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Choutarou chuckled at his senpai's arguments. Hiyoshi-kun maybe weird, but he is one person who understands me. He thought to himself.
"Oi Ootori!" Atobe called out to the junior.
"Hai, Atobe-buchou?" Choutarou responding enthusiastically to his buchou's call.
"You've been staring at Seigaku's bench for some time now." Atobe stated unexpectedly.
"Buchou?" Choutarou caught off guard.
"Is there someone you like from Seigaku?" Atobe asked making the rest of the Hyotei regular gasp, except Kabaji who only turned his head towards Choutarou.
"What do you mean buchou?" Choutarou felt his heart wanting to jump off from his chest from the nervousness he felt.
"Don't tell me you're gay!" Mukahi concluded with a shocked look on his face, making the silver haired boy blush like there's no tomorrow.
"Gakuto!" Oshitari reprimanding his doubles partner.
"Oi! Choutarou's not gay!" Shishido defended.
"How would you know?" Mukahi argued.
"Because he's my doubles partner!" Shishido argued back.
"And so? Yushi's mine but I'm not certain if he's straight!" Mukahi argued more.
"Oi! Don't drag me into this!" Oshitari jumping in the discussion.
"Silence!" Atobe shouted to stop the commotion.
"A-Ano…" Choutarou began to speak.
"What is it Ootori? Speak up." Atobe instructed his junior.
"What exactly do you mean buchou?" Choutarou managed to ask still recovering from the embarrassment his senpai-tachi caused him.
"Simply put, I see only four girls in their bench, that reporter lady from Monthly Pro-Tennis, two ichnen girls and a girl who I would guess to be either a junior or a senior. So Ootori, which one is it?" Atobe asked so bluntly it made everyone in the Hyotei bench sweat drop.
"That's a bit too blunt Atobe." Mukahi commented.
"Yeah, too blunt even for you Atobe." Shishido agreed.
"Oh, so now you two agree on something." Oshitari added.
"Shut up Yushi!" Mukahi sticking his tongue out at his doubles partner.
"Very mature Gakuto." Oshitari adjusting his glasses.
"So, Ootori, who is it?" Atobe repeated.
"A-Ano…" Choutarou tensing up and blushing as if he was going to die right there and then.
"Let's not force the kid." Oshitari came to his rescue.
"Yeah, stop harassing him Atobe." Shishido added.
"Do you know anything about this Ryo? After all he is your doubles partner." Mukahi taunting Shishido emphasizing on the 'your doubles partner' part.
"I know nothing of sort! You want to taunt someone go taunt Hiyoshi!" Shishido eyed Mukahi.
"You guys are too noisy." Jirou yawned then went back to sleeping.
"How can he still sleep? How? Tell me!" Mukahi venting out his frustration on Yushi.
"Gakuto, sit. It's Jirou after all." Oshitari trying his best to calm the acrobatic player.
"Hmn. So Ootori, not yet ready to admit it eh?" Atobe again trying to get Choutarou to talk.
"C-Can we just watch the game senpai-tachi?" Choutarou nervously answered.
"Yeah, let's just watch the game." Shishido agreed in defence of his partner.
"Hiyoshi, crush him already!" Mukahi shouted at the Enbu Tennis player as he passed them on his way to change court.
"Don't vent your frustration on me just because you lost your game Mukahi-senpai." Wakashi answered as he passed by.
"Oooooh, busted." Shishido commented.
"And by a junior at that." Oshitari added.
"Shut up!" Mukahi irritatedly replied to the two.
Atobe-buchou knows…what do I do? Will they be able to accept it if admit to it. It's a good thing Shishido-san kept defending me. But Mukahi-senpai looks irritated by the fact that I like someone from a rival team. Why did she have to be from Seigaku, of all the school in the district why Seigaku? Choutarou kept asking himself but kept his eyes on the court so no one would notice.
-oOo-
"Omedetou minna!" Aiko greeted the team after winning against Hyotei, "Can I take a picture of the whole team for the paper? I'm sure the sports section will feature you guys again this week."
"Aa. Gather everyone." Tezuka called out to the team to pose for a team picture.
"Arigato minna, omedetou!" Aiko bowed after taking the team's picture.
"Aiko-chan, I'm happy for you." Fuji whispered and smile before walking ahead to catch up with the rest of the team.
"What was that about?" Kaidoh asked as he step up beside Aiko.
"Nothing. Just Fuji-senpai being Fuji-senpai." Aiko smiled back at Kaidoh.
"So, what was that about? What happened a while ago?" Kaidoh getting straight to the point.
"Ah! I forgot my camera bag!" Aiko suddenly realizing her camera was hanging on her neck without its bag.
"I'll go get it." Kaidoh offered.
"Iie, I'll go." Aiko running back before Kaidoh could even make a step.
"I'll go with you." Kaidoh offered.
"No, need. Ah! Sakuno-chan could you and Tomoka-chan go with me?" Aiko calling out to the two-ichnen girls who were trailing behind the rest of the group.
"Sure senpai." Sakuno replied.
"No need to worry Kaoru-kun I have company, see? Go on ahead with the team." Aiko waved at Kaidoh before running back with the two-ichnen girls.
"I-Iiyo." Was all Kaidoh could say as he watch his childhood friend run back.
-oOo-
"Hiyoshi where are you going?" Atobe called out to the junior who was walking back to the court.
"I left something buchou, I'll be quick." Hiyoshi replied his face expressionless.
"I'll go with you Hiyoshi-kun." Choutarou offered.
"Make it fast both of you." Atobe waving his hand to gesture the two juniors to run quickly.
"What did you leave behind Hiyoshi-kun?" Choutarou asked as they both ran back to the courts.
"I think I left one of my rackets in the bench." Hiyoshi replied. "So, what's her name?" Hiyoshi got to the point.
"Huh? Oh, her name. Kentaro." Choutarou replied with a smile.
"And her first name?" Hiyoshi glaring at his best friend.
"Aiko, if I'm not mistaken. Shishido-san was the one to ask her first name." Choutarou scratching his head.
"You're hopeless." Hiyoshi rubbing his temples.
"Gomen." Choutarou blushing a bit.
"Here, it is." Hiyoshi picking up his racket from under the bench.
"Hiyoshi-kun it's her." Choutarou noticing the three girls picking up something from other side of the court.
"So, go talk to her." Hiyoshi pushed his best friend.
"O-Ore…" Choutarou hesitating.
"Hurry up she's leaving!" Hiyoshi pushing his best friend as hard as he could, the other boy was so much taller than him after all.
"A-Ano, Kentaro-san!" Choutarou called out making the three girls turn around and stop walking.
It's him! What was his name again? Oh, crap! What was it? Ori…Tari…What was it? Aiko squeezed her brains out, she lost all memory after seeing the silver haired boy.
"Ah, it's Ootori-san!" Sakuno exclaimed.
Ootori! Aiko exclaimed to herself at the same time. "K-Konnichiwa." She bowed.
"K-Konnichiwa Kentaro-san." Choutarou bowed back.
"Completely being ignored." Tomoka interrupted.
"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno blushing at her friend's action.
"Ah, gomen, Osakada-san, Ryuzaki-san, Konnichiwa!" Choutarou also bowing to the two.
"Ehem." Wakashi clearing his throat.
"Oh, this is my friend and team mate, Hiyoshi Wakashi-kun." Choutarou introduced his best friend.
"Konnichiwa, Kentaro Aiko desu." Aiko introduced herself.
"Osakada Tomoka desu." Tomoka gladly followed.
"A-Ano, Ryuzaki Sakuno desu." Sakuno shyly added.
"Yoroshiku." Wakashi replied coldly.
"The team went on ahead?" Choutarou asked Aiko.
"Ah, hai, I left my camera bag so I had to run back here. You?" Aiko replied as comfortable as she could.
"Ah, Hiyoshi-kun left his racket so we had to come back to get it." Choutarou replied with a shy smile.
"I see, well, ja, we'll be going now." Aiko waved at Choutarou.
"A-Ano, we'll you be there in the next game for Seigaku?" Choutarou asked just as Aiko was about to step away.
"Uhm, most probably, unless I'm given a different assignment by my Editor." Aiko replied with a smile.
"So dane."
"Ja." Aiko waved again before continuing her walk.
"You're into photography right?" Hiyoshi called out to Aiko.
"Uh, hai." Aiko again stopping in her tracks.
"There's a photo exhibit in the mall this coming weekend. Right Ootori-kun?" Hiyoshi giving Choutarou a meaningful stare.
"Huh? Ah! Hai, Nee-san did say something about that last Sunday, would you like to see it Kentaro-san?" Choutarou invited Aiko his chest just about ready to explode.
"A photo exhibit? I did hear there was one this weekend." Aiko thought aloud.
"Would you want to come see it with…us?" Choutarou grabbing Wakashi by the shoulder a smile plastered on his face.
"Hmn, sure, I'll ask Fuji-senpai if he can come along, he's into photography too." Aiko replied.
"Aa, iiyo, we'll see you Saturday afternoon then? Around two?" Choutarou nodding vigorously.
"Aa, but I have to ask Fuji-senpai first, if he doesn't agree is it okay if I take Kaidoh-kun with me?" Aiko asked with a smile.
"Who's Kaidoh-kun?" Wakashi whispered to Choutarou.
"The bandana dude." Choutarou whispered back, "Aa, sure no problem." Choutarou answered Aiko.
"Iiyo, I'll see you guys at the mall then, Saturday at two." Aiko waved before finally walking away.
"Come see it with us?" Wakashi perplexed repeating everything Choutarou agreed too. "Yes you can invite Fuji-senpai too?" Wakashi now glaring, "It's okay to take bandana dude along?" Wakashi just about to explode. "Ootori!"
"Gomen ne, I was so nervous." Choutarou melting under his best friend's gaze.
"So you had to drag me into it? And allow her to bring someone along?" Wakashi frustrated and feeling a headache coming.
"What's taking so long?" Shishido shouted at the two juniors who were still discussing.
"Shishido-san?" Choutarou surprised by the sudden appearance his doubles' partner.
"Atobe is getting impatient so he sent me. What's taking so long?" Shishido asked again before noticing he black haired girl walking from a distance. "Oh, that's what's taking so long." Shishido concluded making Choutarou blush.
"Ootori has a date on Saturday." Wakashi said bluntly.
"Hiyoshi-kun!" Choutarou surprised by his best friend's statement.
"Date? Oh, so you're fast eh Choutarou." Shishido teased the younger boy making him blush deeper.
"A-Ano, I wouldn't call it a date." Choutarou defended.
"Because he's dragging me along, and he let the girl take someone with her, her senpai I think or that bandana dude who ever agrees." Hiyoshi irritatingly explained.
"Third wheels? Choutarou, geki daza dase." Shishido glared at Choutarou.
"Gomen, I was just too nervous." Choutarou reasoned out.
"Never mind, we'll have to figure out something." Shishido with his evil face on.
"Shishido-senpai, can you go in my place?" Wakashi asked his senior.
"Nani? No way!" Shishido refusing like there's no tomorrow, he didn't want to be a third wheel.
"Aiko-senpai, you do realize what just happened don't you?" Tomoka asked her senpai just as they were catching up to the rest of the team.
"Huh? What do you mean Tomoka-chan?"
"He just asked you out on a date." Tomoka said with a big grin on her face.
"No, he didn't. Besides Hiyoshi-kun will also be there, and I'm asking Fuji-senpai to tag along, if not I'm sure Kaoru-kun won't refuse me." Aiko explained to the younger girl.
"But what if they ditch you and you end up alone with Ootori-san?" Tomoka getting all excited.
"Tomo-chan!" Sakuno covering her best friend's big mouth.
"That won't…" Aiko suddenly realizing the possibility and went snow white pale. Oh my, I just agreed to go out with him.
-oOo-
That was a really long introduction…whew! Sorry about that, still working on it.