Here's chapter 8 Enjoy deshita. I tweaked some of Zaizen's lines since I think that they're more close to what will he say than the ones in the previous chapters.


Chapter 8: The orphanage


Kenya's mother & younger brother went back from their shopping just this early evening. "Ara? Hi'ki-chan won't be joining us for dinner?" she asked her eldest son. "Nah, that free-loader won't be staying for dinner since her parents might get worried" Kenya lied, changing the channels from the television. "Ken-niisan doesn't want her here since he gets distracted by Hi'ki-neechan" the youngest son snickered. Kenya gave a fake cough & said, "I'd rather get 100 laps with 50g of weights in my power ankles than being paired up with her." (A/N: Ken-chan, Go run 150 laps with 50g of weights in your power ankle XP shot'd What? It really is a Kenya/OC pairing & he said, he'd rather run than being paired with her XP)


Two days after the overnight, everything became normal again. "Kenya-san" Hiraki called from behind as she walk towards him down the hallway. "What?" he asked grumpily. "You two are close, kyaa" Koharu teased. 'Close?! Hell we are not that DAMN close to each other' Kenya thought at the back of his mind. "Ah, we're close because I partly work in the broadcasting committee" Hiraki replied to Koharu. "I see... Well then,we will be off now" the Baka Couple said, going somewhere else.

"It's something not important right?" he asked, raising a brow on Hiraki. "Don't forget, okay?" she smiled & then left Kenya on the hallway. He just sighed, scratching his head.


Later at tennis practice, Osamu was out for 2 days so everyone has a free play in tennis practice. The regulars decided to do something else besides tennis. "Hey Kenya-sempai, let's go hang-out later after practice" Hikaru suggested. "Mind if we tag along too?" Shiraishi asked the tensai with Koharu & Yuuji behind him. "That sound fun. Mind if-" "Yes, all of you can tag along" Kenya said, changing from his school uniform to his regular jersey. Hikaru stared at the "Speed Star" for a few seconds & asked, "Something's bothering you Kenya-sempai?" Kenya sighed & closed his locker, grabbing his water bottle & drank some water. "No, there's nothing wrong, Zaizen" he paused for a bit & continued drinking. "It's about Hi'ki-san nee?" Koharu teased. Kenya choked from the water he was drinking. "What?!" he flustered. "Hm, I think Kenya likes her since he got riled up about the topic" Chitose joined Koharu in teasing Kenya.

"Ah, I didn't know that you like her, Kenya" Shiraishi smirked sarcastically. Yuuji & Hikaru snickered because of Kenya's reaction. "What the heck?! Why did you even thought of that in the first place anyway?!" he asked, embarrassed. "It's because you two are very close recently" Koharu's meganes gleamed. "Now that I've thought of it, you two did get very close recently" Chitose pondered, grinning mischievously at Kenya. "The reason why we're close is because-" Kenya was about to expose her secret but he suddenly remembered about her blackmail.

'You keep everything you hear after this conversation a secret. If you couldn't oblige in this, I'm afraid that I would let you fail in World History & ruin your reputation on the whole school...' her voice replayed in the back of his mind.

Kenya mentally shivered as he remembers her blackmail. "Because what?" Hikaru asked, curious about what Kenya was going to say earlier. "Sorry, I can't join you guys. I need to take care of the house today" he said as he grabbed his racket & went outside. All of the regulars inside thought of one thing: "He definitely likes her."


After practice, Kenya along with Hikaru went towards the school gate & they saw Hiraki waiting for someone. "Don't tell me you two have a date today?" Hikaru gasped. Kenya eyed on Hikaru & said, "No we don't have a date or me being her boyfriend." Hiraki noticed the two tennis players & waved at them. "Konichiwa, Kenya-san, Hikaru-san" she greeted politely. "Hello Hiraki-sempai" Hikaru greeted back. "I must get going on my appointment today" Hikaru coughed & tried to leave them two of them alone, but he was caught by Kenya. "I thought you wanted to come along Hikaru?" Kenya asked dryly to the tensai. "Uh, Nowhere?" the tensai stuttered.

"I think Hikaru-san needs to go home to take care of his nephew" she smiled. "Okay, 'til tomorrow Kenya" Hikaru waved, emphasizing the word "tomorrow" as he was heading towards the direction of his house. "So where are you dragging me this time?" Kenya asked as he rolled his eyes. "You'll see" she said coldly as she pulls Kenya by the sleeve.


As the two of them walked towards the street, Kenya asked her "I thought you were going to your part-time job today?" She kept walking, not listening to what Kenya says. "Nice talking" he scoffed. Hiraki stopped walking in front of a Chapel-looking building. "So, why here?" He asked her. "I just want to visit someone, that's all" she just gave him a doubted innocent look. 'I knew it. She just dragged me along for no reason...' he thought to himself.

"Ara, Mikucchi, you came" a familiar voice called from the opposite direction. When the two teenagers looked, they saw a middle-aged priest, holding a baggage of groceries in both his left & right hand. Hiraki dashed towards the priest & gave him a glomp. "Shin-niichan, I've missed you" she wailed cheerfully, letting go of Ryushin. "You're the man that I've bumped in to 2 days ago" Kenya was surprised that Hiraki & Ryushin knows each other. Hiraki blinked, dumbfounded about what Kenya was talking about. Ryushin chuckled & said, "I guess it was fate that let us meet each other again."

"If you're here, then..." Kenya paused. "Yes, this building you see is the "Inori no Hoshi" orphanage" Ryushin continued, pointing to the building on their right. "Come inside & have some tea" he offered the two teenagers as they enter the orphanage.


When they opened the door, a flock of children dashed towards Ryushin, eagerly asking "Ryu-niichan, do you have any presents?" Some of the children there went towards Hiraki, greeting her "Welcome back, Miku-neechan!" Kenya just stood there. "Okay children, Miku-neechan & her friend are visiting us so please behave well" the priest said as he was going to the kitchen, being trailed by the children.

It was a bit quiet in the living room. "Take a seat" Mikuni sat on the couch. Kenya sat on the sofa comfortably. "Did that guy asked you to bring me here?" he asked, being suspicious to Mikuni. "I didn't even know that you two know each other" she sighed, crossing her legs. Ryushin entered the living room with tea & a few snacks. "Sorry, this is the only thing I can offer to the two of you" Ryushin placed the tray on top of the coffee table. He sat on the side of Kenya & gets his cup of tea, sipping it slowly.

"Since you two know each other, there's something I want to talk about with Kenya-san" he said, smiling towards the brown-haired boy.


Okay, Ryushin is a minor character that has major role for Hi'ki-chan's life. Though you'll know why in the next chapters Dakara, Keep on reading