Chapter 7 – Stamp Rally
Tsubasa and Tsubaki made their way towards the astrology club's booth after Yuua and Noa had gone, knowing that Reika too should be done by now. They walked together in silence before Tsubaki finally broke it.
"If you have something to say, just spit it out." Tsubaki would be a fool to not have noticed the number of times Tsubasa had been glancing at her.
"… You're just being suspicious is all." Tsubasa flushed, not realizing that he must have been a bit too obvious.
"What do you mean?"
"The fact that you actually let Yuua go so easily. I thought you would have tried harder to make him stay." Tsubasa narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you planning this time?"
"You make it sound as though I'm an evil villain." Tsubaki scoffed, stopping to look at some cute accessories at one of the booths.
"You'd be perfect for the role." Tsubasa mumbled, though it was still heard by Tsubaki.
"What was that? I thought I heard you say I was perfect as an evil villain." Tsubaki turned to Tsubasa with a smile, which only looked sweet to others but meant a world of pain for Tsubasa.
"Eheheh, you must be hearing things, Tsubaki." Tsubasa chuckled nervously. "But really though, why'd you let him leave so easily?"
"Well, if you must know, he had agreed to pair up with me for the stamp rally later on." Tsubaki revealed, choosing to ignore Tsubasa's earlier transgression.
"What? Why would you want to join the stamp rally? The prize is just a pair of basketball shoes right?" Tsubasa asked, confused. "I mean, I understand if Yuua wanted to join but the way you said that meant you were the one to ask him."
"I didn't get to participate at all in the stamp rally in middle school since Yuuacchi was sick that time, so I'll definitely participate this time! I have to!" Tsubaki said with conviction, eyes blazing in determination. "I won't let anything stop me and Yuuacchi from doing so."
"Why is it a must for the both of you to participate?" Tsubasa asked, surprised at how intense Tsubaki seemed to ensure that she and Yuua participate.
"Oh, Tsubasacchi, don't you know anything? I learned about the secret of the tradition from Aunt Momoi that time she visited. It's our parent's legacy!"
"Huh?"
"I realized that you didn't necessarily have to win, just participating in it was enough!"
"What are you talking about?!"
"Of course, there is the possibility that it might not work, as it didn't work out between Aunt Momoi and Kuroko-san… but I choose to look at the optimistic side and hope it will happen as it did for our parents!" Tsubaki ignored him, musing to herself. "Winning might secure it even more too."
"I'm confused." Tsubasa said; giving up on understanding what his sister was trying to say.
"That's alright, Tsubascchi, you wouldn't understand the intricacies of such a tradition anyway." Tsubaki patted his shoulder in sympathy.
XXXXXX
"Reo-chan, are you gonna join the stamp rally that's happening later?" Reika asked as they waited at the side of the booth for the rest.
"Hm? I don't think so. Why?" She never asked him about it before.
"Oh, I thought you would because the prize would appeal to you. I guess not then." Reika replied, frowning a little at the thought that she might be wrong.
"Huh? What's the prize?" He hadn't bothered to find out and no one had told him anything so he thought it would be something inconsequential but if Reika had thought it was something he would want then he could at least know.
"A pair of Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 basketball shoes. I don't think they are your usual kind I suppose." Reika replied absently, nodding to herself as though she now knew the reason why she was wrong at first.
"The prize for the stamp rally is Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 basketball shoes?!" Reo gasped. That brand of basketball shoes was like vintage. How the Literature club managed to obtain one was miraculous.
And how could he have not known earlier?!
"I'm gonna join too!" Reo decided; his face set in determination. "I'm gonna win that pair of basketball shoes even if it kills me!"
Reika's face was unimpressed as she looked back at him. "That's a little extreme, Reo-chan. Even for you. I thought you weren't going to join?"
"I'm serious!" Reo snapped at her, adding a glare for good measure. She ignored him though, her gaze drawn towards the rest of their clique coming towards them. Reo looked too and his sight immediately locked on to Yuua. Yuua would definitely understand why he's want those basketball shoes.
"Yuua! Join the stamp rally with me!" Reo called out as he reached a hand to pull Yuua with him to register but his hand was swiftly slapped away by Tsubaki, who had rushed over from where she had been standing beside Tusbasa to insert herself between the two brothers.
"Hands off! Yuuacchi is going with me! I asked him first!" Hands placed on her hips, Tsubaki glared at Reo, daring him to take her Yuuacchi away from her.
"What?" Reo asked Yuua, a look of utter betrayal on his face.
"I'm sorry Onii-chan. I promised Tsubaki-san that I would go with her since I was sick the last time." Yuua replied apologetically.
Reo grinded his teeth in frustration as Tsubaki shot him a smug look, looping her arm with Yuua's.
"What's happening?" Noa suddenly interjected into their conversation, having finished talking to Tsubasa and Reika. He startled back slightly when Reo swung his head around to look at him. Reo's eyes were wide and shining with hope so intense it alarmed him.
"Reo-chin? What's wrong?"
"Noa!" Noa ignored how he seemed to stop breathing as Reo said his name breathlessly, and he ignored how the skin of his arm where Reo had grabbed him seemed to burn, focusing instead on the bright red eyes fixed on him.
"Join the stamp rally with me!"
"EHHHH?!"
XXXXXX
"Everyone at the starting points!"
Reo looked around at all the couples lined up beside them, noting Yuua and Tsubaki's place a few couples down the line. Reika wasn't participating and Tsubasa had missed the registration period, what with the horde of girls that had wanted to be his partner and thus making it impossible for him to choose.
There was someone in front telling them of all the rules and the games ahead but Reo tuned it out, focusing his gaze on the stretch of land they would have to race across first. His attention was forced away though when he felt a tapping on his arm.
"Uh, Reo-chin? How exactly are we going to do this?" Noa asked uncertainly, looking out at the stretch of land ahead as well. "There are traps laid out there right?"
"Yeah. I was thinking of just running at full speed and following my gut feeling." Reo said sheepishly, feeling guilty that he had been so focused that he hadn't even thought of telling Noa or even discussing strategy with him. "What about you?"
"I don't have a clue to be honest, so I'll just follow your lead." Noa smiled at him though he still seemed nervous.
"What? Really?"
"Yeah, I trust you." Somehow the words seemed to pierce right through Reo's soul and he wondered what he had done to deserve such trust.
"O-okay. Then, to make it easier for us to run, I'll put my arm around here…" Reo wrapped his arm around Noa's shoulders, tucking him to his side and then he grabbed Noa's arm and placed it around his own waist. "And you'll put your arm – "
Reo looked up to see Noa's face only inches from his and his breath stuttered to see Noa's eyes up close. " – here." He couldn't think about anything other than how pretty they were.
"Alright. So which foot do we start out with?" Noa didn't seem to notice Reo's staring and he looked down, testing the band that connected their legs together.
"Uh," Now that Noa wasn't looking at him in the eye, Reo somehow could get his brain into working order again. "We'll start off with the outer foot, okay?"
"Mm, okay." Noa nodded, tucking himself tightly to Reo's side, his arm around Reo's waist firm and his other hand coming up to hold onto Reo's around his shoulder. Reo shook his head, clearing his mind and refocusing his attention to the race. He was determined to win.
The whistle blew and they were off, running at full speed from the get go, dodging the traps laid out according to Reo's instincts sometimes even taking sharp turns. Noa had his eyes shut tight, concentrating on matching Reo's speed and clinging to him for dear life while trying to ignore the screams of the fallen.
Reo however, had his eyes wide open, navigating through the obstacles effortlessly as he followed the tugging in his chest, trusting it to lead them. He had a moment to wonder at how natural it felt to be holding Noa like this though, how familiar the feeling. He had wanted to laugh at Noa's expression when he managed to sneak a glance, his eyes shut tight and the arm holding Reo almost hurting him with how tight it was.
Noa could vaguely hear the announcer commenting on their quick progress but its only when he feels Reo stop and the announcer exclaiming that they were the first pair to reach the next station that Noa dares to open his eyes. A short girl was standing in front of them with glasses so big they covered half her face.
"This section will be a quiz. Answer just one question correct and you will be able to move on to the next station. Please take off the band first."
"Alright, hit me with your best shot!" Reo said excitedly after they had removed the band connecting their legs together, ignoring the girl's raised eyebrow.
"First question: What was the symbolism behind the black cat in the light novel, "A Cat's Tale"?
"… Uhhhh, do you know the answer Noa?" Reo turned to him, eyes hopeful but Noa only shook his head, having a feeling that they weren't going to be able to finish this part as fast as they had in the first part.
Endless questions later and a fair number of other couples advancing before them, Yuua and Tsubaki finally came up to see Noa and Reo still there trying to get a question correct.
"You guys are still here?!" Tsubaki exclaimed in surprise when she saw them. She and Yuua were walking at a steady pace, her hand on his arm.
"Poor Noacchi, it must be hard for you when your partner is dumb Reocchi." Tsubaki laughed mockingly while Yuua bent down to remove their band.
Reo sneered at her while Yuua and Noa ignored the both of them, recognising their usual fighting.
"Like you're one to talk! If I'm dumb, then so are you!"
Tsubaki flushed at the accusation, knowing that she couldn't deny it since her exam results weren't exactly great. But then she smirked at him, hooking her arm to Yuua's again.
"Well, at least I have Yuuacchi~"
Damn her. Reo growled, about to take a step closer to give her a piece of his mind when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked down to see Noa glaring at him.
"Reo-chin, focus."
"Right. Sorry." Reo huffed in frustration, glaring at Tsubaki one last time. "This isn't over!"
Tsubaki only stuck her tongue out at him.
Reo tried, he really did but he just doesn't know. He groaned in irritation, glancing to where Tsubaki and Yuua were standing close together, discussing their answer for their own question. He and Noa failed yet again when he heard the girl say congratulations to the other pair.
"You got it right?!" Reo asked, stupefied that they actually got the answer right on their first try.
"Of course we did~" Tsubaki replied, grinning in satisfaction of winning over Reo.
"We'll see Onii-chan and Noa-kun later." Yuua smiled encouragingly as they turned to head to the next station.
"Bye, loser!" Tsubaki called out, directing the insult to Reo and waving at him tauntingly.
"You wanna fight?!" Reo growled, cracking his knuckles threateningly.
"Reo-chin, calm down."
"Onii-chan, you shouldn't pick a fight with a girl." Yuua interjected, all serious and Reo wanted to scream in frustration as Tsubaki practically sparkled in smugness.
XXXXXX
"Right. Well, that's the last of the questions we prepared, so you're just free to go to the next station." The girl said, obviously tired.
"Thanks." The two of them said together, tired from wracking their brains to try and answer any of the questions.
"Ahhh those questions were all so hard!" Noa complained as they trudged to the next station which was a maze that they had to get out of but it was encased in darkness and there might be obstacles trying to scare them.
"Yeah." Reo replied, feeling mentally exhausted as though his brain had gone through a washing cycle and then wrung out to dry.
They entered the maze without much fuss, keeping close together and bumping their shoulders together occasionally or speaking out to make sure of the other's location. They heard a few screams here and there but otherwise passed through the obstacles unfazed. They had been walking for quite a while before Noa noticed a pair that was walking in front of them.
"Hey, Reo-chin, is that Yuua-chin and Baki-chin up ahead?"
"Huh?" Reo looked towards where Noa was pointing, finding two short silhouettes ahead that somewhat resembled Yuua and Tsubaki.
"Do you think it's really them and not some other couple? They are holding hands and all." Reo wondered aloud but he grinned a moment later. "Either way, it's definitely a boy/girl couple so let's have some fun hm?"
"Huh what do you – " Noa stopped short when he felt something furry brush against his arm. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Probably." Noa could practically hear Reo's grin and knew it probably was as big as the Cheshire cat's.
"You actually swiped some?"
"I'm just borrowing it, relax."
"Please don't tell me that you're planning on throwing that at them." Noa's voice was exasperated but he couldn't help feeling excited too.
"Then I won't tell you."
"We're going to be in so much trouble for this." Noa chuckled, hearing Reo's responding laugh beside him.
XXXXXX
"Yuuacchi… did you hear that?" Tsubaki whispered, fear making her sensitive to every little sound.
"I didn't hear anything…" Yuua reassured her, squeezing her hand in his a little. They had a mini crisis beforehand, where they had to go through a part where fake tarantulas were hanging on strings and it had set Tsubaki off in a screaming fit throughout. Yuua had grabbed her hand and held on tight to it as they went through the ordeal and hadn't let go.
They continued walking a little more and Tsubaki was starting to feel safe again when she felt something – quite a number of somethings – hit her.
Was that….
"GYAAAAAAA!" Tsubaki shrieked as she felt the furry legs of the fake spiders, jolting backwards so hard that her hand was ripped away from Yuua's. "GET THEM OF MEEEEE!"
"Tsubaki-san!"
There was a thud of bodies colliding and a shout and then silence.
"Oww…." Tsubaki winced as she got up from where she fell but froze when she noticed the feeling of soft skin beneath her.
"Yuuacchi? Is that you? Did you save me?" Tsubaki asked, hopeful as she patted the body beneath but it was short-lived when she noticed the red hair through the dim lighting and the groaning didn't sound like Yuua.
A light blue eye opens and there's a beat where they just stared at each other before Reo broke the silence.
"Get off me, you're heavy." Reo groaned, rubbing a hand at the back of his head where he hit it when they fell. Tsubaki broke out of the shock with the words, screeching as she leapt off of him. She couldn't even find the words to express her anger as she screeched at him again, kicking Reo for good measure.
"Fucking OW!"
"That was very mean of you, Onii-chan." Yuua's icy cool voice floated from in front and they could hear muffled laughter if they concentrated. Reo shivered involuntarily at Yuua's tone. But it wasn't like he was afraid or anything like that. It was just chilly on the ground.
"Yuuacchi!" Tsubaki wailed, intense anger and disappointment making her voice wobble halfway. She tensed slightly when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder but relaxed, sniffling lightly as it travelled down her arm and slotted back into her palm, recognizing who the hand belonged to.
It squeezed hers in silent apology before she heard Yuua speaking again.
"If you're done, we would actually like to find the exit without any more disturbances." Yuua's disapproval was clear and Reo had no doubt of the unimpressed look Yuua was probably sporting on his face. Not good.
"Yeah… sorry. Let's go find it together, yeah?" Reo apologized reluctantly but eager to get back into Yuua's good graces. He heard Noa apologize as well and thought that he probably knew that it would mean hell if Yuua stayed angry with them for too long.
"No. I want the both of you to stay far away from us." Reo and Noa could practically feel the sting as the words cut at them; they were that sharp.
"Look, I'm really sorry! I didn't know it was you guys, for real! Right, Noa?"
"Y-yeah! We're really really sorry!"
There was a tense silence as Reo and Noa listened to the other two whisper among themselves before Yuua spoke again.
"Fine. If we work together, we can probably get out of here faster." Reo and Noa sighed in relief at the words. Yuua's tone also sounded more resigned than angry now. Which was all good.
XXXXXX
Moments later, the two pairs finally managed to stumble out of the dark maze into bright light.
"The last part of the race is the same as the first, so you just need to put the band back on and the fastest pair will win the race." The guy waiting outside told them as he handed over a pair of bands for their feet.
Reo immediately grabbed it and tied their legs together, his energy emerging again as adrenaline kicked in. He was so focused that he didn't even wait to see if Noa was ready; he just grabbed him and started off sprinting, leaving Yuua and Tsubaki in the dust.
Reo relied on his instincts again to manoeuvre past the traps, gaining speed and passing by couple after couple. Noa hadn't even had time to put an arm around Reo; the only thing keeping them together was the bad around their feet and Reo's arms around him.
Reo was so focused that he could literally only see the finish line in his vision.
They were so close. The finish line was right there. Reo could practically taste victory in the air.
Of course, it was that exact moment that he had to go and trip himself up.
Shit.
Reo went down, bringing Noa down along with him. Their momentum caused them to roll and Reo could do nothing but brace himself as they hit the ground over and over. They stopped after a few rounds and Reo quickly looked up as the whistle blew, signalling that there was a winner.
"Congratulations!" The person said to him, her eyes shining with awe. "You won the race!"
"YES!" Reo's fist pumped the air in glee. He actually won the best pair of basketball shoes to ever grace the earth! Reo could hardly believe it. He looked around and saw that the finish line was behind him. He and Noa must have rolled over it when they fell.
Noa…
One moment Reo was grinning in ecstasy and the next the grin was wiped off his face as he heard a groan from beneath him.
"Noa… Hey, you alright?" Reo asked, placing a hand behind Noa's neck to lift his head high enough for Reo to slide his other hand under Noa's head so that he wouldn't be lying on the hard ground. His fingers twirled unconsciously with strands of Noa's hair as Noa blinked up at him before giving him a tired smile.
"Yeah, I'm good. Did we win?" The sudden brightness in his purple eyes as he looked up at Reo with such a hopeful expression had Reo catching his breath.
Noa with his long black hair splayed out like a halo around his head, the setting sun casting soft rays of light on his pale skin, and his big and gorgeous purple eyes.
He's beautiful.
"Ano, are you guys alright?" The both of them started when the girl came up to them and Reo flushed when he finally realized the somewhat compromising position – he was practically straddling Noa! He got off him so fast he almost tripped over his own feet while Noa yelped as his head hit the ground again.
"S-sorry." Reo apologised, extending a hand to help Noa up and not quite meeting his eyes. He had no reason not to though right? It's a fact that Noa was beautiful; anyone with eyes could see that. That calmed him down and he could even give a sheepish smile to Noa.
"Don't worry about it, Reo-chin." Noa smiled back as he accepted the hand. They couldn't say anything more though as Yuua and Tsubaki joined them.
"Gongratulations, Onii-chan, Noa-kun."
"I can't believe I lost to Reocchi!"
"You really were serious huh Reo-chan. That fall looked so painful I thought you and Noa would have died." Reika said as she came to join them with a tearful Tsubasa in tow. "But I guess idiots really are more resilient than others."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
TBC
A/N: So sorry for the long wait! My muse took a break so I got stuck writing this chapter since I didn't have her to bounce ideas off of. Unfortunately, I have a feeling the next chapters will take as long or longer. In a way I'm going to take a break from this story for a while though I'll still be working on it. Just that I have other stories too that I want to work on as well.
I'm close to finishing up an AoKuro oneshot so fans of that pairing can take a look too if you want once I upload it.
Special thanks to a Guest for the names though! I've chosen one already and it'll be revealed in the next chapter!
