"Oy, Shiraishi!" called Kenya. For the fifth time that day, Shiraishi was forcefully jolted out of his daze. Al of them were on the rooftop again and Shiaraishi had been gazing out to the ground where Tooyama Yuki sat with a few girls who had forcibly dragged her to hang out with them. He had been watching her talk to them, the different emotions that flashed across her face. She seemed to be cordial enough, but something about the way she was behaving felt false. As though she could feel his gaze, she turned upwards, then quickly looked away as a friend engaged her in conversation.

"What is it Kenya?" he asked, not bothering to hide his irritation. Zaizen snorted from the side. "He was trying to say that you look like some kind of deranged stalker. And that your plant and withering." Kenya shot his kouhei a dirty look.

"I wasn't stalking her." Shiraishi explained, but one look form the rest of his teammates told him that they didn't believe a a word of what he was saying. "It's not that Yuki-san isn't pretty, it's just that you might be taking it a bit too far." explained Chitose, not bothering to hide the grin that threatened to burst.

"By the way, how was your project with Yuki-san?" asked Kenya. Shiraishi shrugged. "Well we worked on the plants that we would be doing, what all information that we wanted to include. She stayed for dinner. My sisters were quite taken with her." he said. Zaizen's eyebrows shot up. "You mean to say that both of you are already spending meals over at each others?" he asked. Shiraishi refused to meet anyones eye. "It isn't like that." he said, his voice unconvincing to his own ears. Chitose snickered. "Yeah, it definitely isn't. You invite the girl you like to your house, invite her over for dinner, introduce her to your family. There's definitely nothing going on."

"There isn't!" exclaimed Shiraishi. He was seriously wondering about his team. Though it wasn't for lack of effort. He did rather like Yuki-san. She acted cold and aloof, but when it came to her passions she shed every mask she ever adorned and aloud everything to show. In that way she reminded him of WhiteLily. He had fallen for WhiteLily, and he had fallen hard. And then Yuki turned up. Frozen and mysterious, she had reminded him of WhiteLily.

His teammates shook their heads, but dropped the subject, most probably planning on grilling him later on. He wasn't looking forward to it.


WhiteLily: How was practice?

PPP: It was fine, I suppose.

WL: What did your teammates so this time?

PPP: You know me too well.

WL: Well?

PPP: Well, they were teasing me.

WL: About?

PPP: . . .

WL: Do you want me to use question marks through the entire conversation?

PPP: That seems tempting.

WL: Fine, then. I'll phrase it like this. If you don't tell me I'll punch you.

PPP: Okay, okay. They were teasing me about a girl.

WL: No duh. They were teasing you with a guy. Why were they teasing you?

PPP: I prefer girls actually. She's actually my Biology partner for the project and they are under the impression that we have something between us.

WL: . . .

PPP: Hello?

WL: Oh, nothing. So do you like this girl?

PPP: . . .

WL: I'll take that as a yes.

PPP: You know me too well.

WL: The hazards of being your friend. Is she pretty?

PPP: Yes, actually. What about your partner?

WL: . . .

PPP: Well?

WL: He's kind of okay once you get past the perfect thing.

PPP: You like him.

WL: You know me too well. Anyway, I have to go and help out my sister with an essay. Bye.


Shiraishi wasn't sure what he felt. It was obvious that WhiteLily liked this partner of hers more than she was letting on and that hurt him a lot more than he thought it would. Well, the guy was a tennis captain, maybe he had met him.

These thought continued to flit around his head as he polished his gold gauntlet.


2 months later

"Here's the Atropa Belladonna," Shiraishi said with a grin. Yuki blinked at him in surprise and grinned in delight. "It's gorgeous," she said in delight.

If you had told Shiraishi two months earlier that he and Tooyama Yuki were going to become more or less best friends, he would have probably thought that he was having a wishful daydream. But here they were spending most of their time together, finding many other common interests. He had even managed to coax her into coming for a few of their matches ( even if it was by using Kin-chan as bait).

"So, where's the aconite?" he asked. Yuki flushed, shifting from foot to foot. He knew her well enough to know what that ment. "Yuki," he sighed. "I won't get angry, alright," he said. "I know you won't Kura," she snapped. "It's just that, well. . . Bah, just look at it." she growled, and held out a completely wilted stem, brown and drooping.

She scowled at the startled look at his face. He quickly attempted to rectify his facial features. "It's, well. . ." he trailed off lamely. Yuki sighed and said "I know. At least this one actually sprouted. The last time I tried to grow something it didn't event germinate." She pouted slightly, a habit she had whenever she expected a scolding.

"You did do the introduction, right?" he asked, knowing she would probably get even more upset if he tried to comfort her. She nodded, brightning ever so slightly. Ever since she started opening up more, she showed her more childish, playful side. It was one of the other things that Shiraishi grew to love about her.

Yuki handed him the introduction. He read though it. It was colorful, informative, with a bit of extra information, and definitely not boring. "Great," he said with a grin. She rolled her eyes at him. "It is enough information, right?" she asked, sounding suddenly anxious. "No, it's just right." he said assuringly. She relaxed. Then checked her watch. "I've got to go know anyway," she said with a sigh. He nodded, WhiteLily would chew him out if he made her wait. "Coming for the district finals tomorrow?" he asked, though knowing the answer. She glared at him playfully. "You should know," she said. "You're the one who blackmailed me into coming." He laughed as he started to walk home. "See you tomorrow," he called. "Gah, shut up Kura!" came the shriek.


Don't worry they'll find out soon enough. Hope you enjoyed, and please review.

SilverFox