Bribe me
By Jerui
Author's note:
Belated Happy New Year Everyone!
I would like to apologize, really, for not updating up until now. I am concentrating on my studies and I just never had the time to think of what to add to this story for the past year. This year, I promise I will continue this but please, please be patient. I'm doing something for my future until April that may affect my whole life (sorry for getting serious here).
You can contact me at (www . formspring . me / jeruikun) if ever you got impatient and you wanted to rant on me for not updating. Just remove the spacing. I'll answer anything you wanted to know as much as I can and read whatever you wanted to say about my crappy style and grammar or my cheesy writing or whatever.
For those who left reviews and continue to support this story, I'm very thankful for what you've done up until now. I'm going to do my best to continue this for you guys. Thank you for always waiting.
May I remind you guys that this chapter was never edited. If you got annoyed because it sucks, please be my editor. Lol. I know it stinks but I hope you guys still understand the story. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
Chapter 9 Jealousy
"You know what, Ryoma? Reality bites, that's why it hurts, but it's your choice if you want to make things stay this way or change it."
Anji's words burned in my mind together with what we witnessed this morning as I escorted her to the faculty office.
It's strange. Up until now, I haven't felt like this. It was as if a hot flat iron was shoved inside my throat when I saw the captain and that miss twin braids.
To catch my attention, Anji placed her hand on my arm. We're already outside the office. I knocked on the door, and opened it.
"Sorry to intrude," I said politely. "I brought Matsuyama with me, teacher."
I entered the faculty with Anji behind me.
"So you're Anji Matsuyama." Takano-sensei said. "You may leave now Echizen. I'll bring her to class with me at first period."
I tapped Anji's shoulder, and he did the same on my arm as I left the room.
Ahh. And we went here so early there are only few people in the school grounds. Only club members would go here this early. Thinking of which, I am a tennis club member now. I won't head out to the courts for now. I didn't bring my racquet with me. Guess I should tell the old lady I'm skipping.
I wandered around aimlessly since it's early, and people around me somehow went out their way to greet me. I just hn-ed or waved a hand without looking at them. After a few minutes, I found myself outside the coach's office. I knocked and when I heard her response, I opened the door and went inside.
"Coach," I started.
The office looked like a museum of trophies and medals. Both left and right walls have cabinets with 5 horizontal divisions, filled with gold and silver trophies and team pictures. The only difference is that it has a white board with random notes about the team's progress, blocking the row of trophies on the left side of the room, two desks in the middle, two plastic chairs in front of the desks and two office chairs behind the table, one of which was occupied by the coach.
She looked at me, without any signs of surprise "Ryoma, what brings you here?"
I walked forward until I reached the front of her table. "I'm skipping."
"Obviously, since I don't see you inside the courts." The courts can be overlooked in the window behind her.
"I didn't bring anything with me and I have to show my cousin around."
"Oh. It's Anji, isn't it?" she inquired.
"You know her." It was supposed to sound like a question but my tone left me.
"Yes. I heard from your mother."
"Oh." I guess there's no secret about me now.
I somehow hated being in Japan. My parents know the people around, and they were too close there can be nothing to keep. Not to mention how my idiotic father would have too many friends with that personality.
"So how do you find my club?"
I pursed my lips and thought of what to say. "Seems capable."
She laughed.
"You're very much like your mother." I'm glad. I don't want to be told that I'm like my father.
"But I don't understand why I have to be recruited in the club though." I looked past her, outside the window as I waited for a response. The skies were clear, good enough to practice, and no dark clouds on the horizon, no signs of rain for the day.
"It's not for your benefit," she said, as she examined a piece of paper on her desk. She tapped it with a pencil.
"Ah."
"It's for the team. Most of the third years will be gone by next year and the others will be in need of a competition. So most likely, you will serve as a support. A pillar."
"I don't see how," I told her.
"You will soon." As soon as she said it, there was a knock on the door. The old lady answered and the captain entered.
"Coach, Echizen." He said it as an acknowledgement.
"Ah, Tezuka, Echizen here have permision to skip just for today." Coach Ryuzaki informed him.
"Is that so. But he must run 15 laps tommorow instead," the captain said. "If he skips, it should be done."
"Ah yes. Is that okay, Echizen?"
Of course. I need no special treatment. Tsk. "Sure."
"You may go now." I nodded slightly to the captain and exited the room.
I went to the classroom and half of the seats were already occupied. I sat on the seat at the back, next to the window and stretched my legs under the table, my back resting on the backrest, my arms limp on my sides. I looked outside.
"You know what, Ryoma? Reality bites, that's why it hurts, but it's your choice if you want to make things stay this way or change it."
But how do I change it? This is the first time I'm this way, you know. Who knows how long that Twin braided woman liked that stoic captain? It could've been days, months, or even years! I couldn't compete with time. I only knew her for sometime. I wasn't even sure of what I feel, if I should fight it or if I should fight for it.
Now that I think about these things, they are blackmailing me with that recording. What if I just admitted it? It might be better, just admitting it and move on because I was rejected right? I just don't know what got into me, agreeing to that absurd offer, joining the club and insisted on her becoming my girlfriend. There was one thing that's bothering me. Why did she agree on the last part?
My classmates hurriedly went to their seats as the door opened, distracting me from my thoughts. The teacher entered, with Anji behind him. She smiled and waved at me, and all of them looked at me suspiciously. I kept my face expressionless.
"Okay. This is Anji Matsuyama. She's from America, but don't you guys worry, she speaks the language."
She introduced herself. "Good morning. You can call me Anji. I'm very pleased to meet you."
There was a chorus of wows and she's cute.
Okay. No intro that I'm her cousin?
"Matsuyama, your seat is at the back beside Echizen, near the window."
Oh wow, the space beside me magically sprouted a desk and a chair. Anji headed at the back and sat beside my seat. She gave me a wink.
"Echizen. Show her around the school if you have time."
"Okay siiiiir." I responded lazily while doing a salute.
Feeling a piercing gaze, I looked around and found Ryuzaki looking suspiciously at me from the second row, two seats at the front.
I smirked.
I went to the rooftop with Anji after I showed her around the grounds. I didn't asked for her plans yet and I just pretended I didn't know her. It was fun, really, with Anji being here, though we gained more stares being together.
She brought two shares of packed lunches.
"Why do you have two? Did mother made you bring it?" I whispered, so as not to be overheard.
"Yep. Aunt Rinko specially did this for today."
"I don't think so. Did you make it?"
"Ohh I got caught. Ha ha."
I opened the door to the rooftop and found Horio, Kachiro, Katsuo and Miss twin braids gathered around.
"Echizen!" the three called. We both approached near Ryuzaki.
"Matsuyama-san, did you enjoy your first day?" Ryuzaki asked her.
"Yes I did. Ryoma here showed me around. It was so different from my previous school and I find this place cute," she smiled. "And you can also call me Anji. I'm not used to be called Matsuyama."
I saw them exchange glances when she said my name.
The group formed a bigger circle to include Anji and I. I sat in the middle of Anji and Ryuzaki. The trio seemed to be quite speechless at this moment, nobody attempting to engage in conversation.
Anji placed a two meticulously prepared lunch with my favorites in front of me while Ryuzaki was about to do the same.
"Wooow. That's awesome!"
It was then that Horio decided to break the silence.
"Anji-san, do both of you know each other?"
She smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Yes."
"Eh. If that's so, what's your relationship?"
"I don't think Ryoma here would be happy if I tell you."
"Hn."
Ryuzaki looked at what she prepared and seemed to compare with what Anji brought. She looked pale. Okay, that got me worried. Just a little.
"Do you guys want to share, just for today? I brought these to make friends!" Anji asked cheerfully. She handed me chopsticks.
The others agreed and laid their lunch boxes in the middle of the cloth we're sitting on. We all ate as the trio bombarded Anji with questions about herself, avoiding the relation-with-Echizen topic.
I ate silently as I watched miss twin braids eat, still pale, eyes seemed blank and seeing nothing.
When we're done, the four was still talking while heading inside when I hear Ryuzaki call my name.
I stopped walking. Anji looked back and I gestured that they go ahead. The door closed.
"So, who is she?" she asked, nonchalant. I faced her.
"She's Anji Matsuyama. The transferee."
"No, that's not what I'm asking," she said. She appeared irritated.
"Well, then. I'm afraid I couldn't tell you." Ha. As if I'd tell you. You and your senpai might use her to your scheeming, If I didn't know better...
"Why not? I'm your girlfriend."
"Nah. Just in name." I answered. I couldn't read her expression. She looked like she swallowed a whole candy.
"Are you attending the practice later?" she asked again.
"Nope. I got permission from the captain and the coach."
"Are you okay?" I asked. "You looked pale."
"N-none of your business."
She walked past me and went out the door without looking back. Now that's news to me.
I planned on walking home with Anji when the class is over. I promised to play tennis with her at the shrine later. But the thought was slightly pushed away as I watch miss twin braids as the class went on. She wasn't talking at all the whole time, not even performing a small talk with her noisy friend. I wonder what went wrong with her. She seemed fine when the captain fetched her this morning.
Was she jealous?
...
...
...
...
No. That's impossible. Something might have happened earlier.
But there was a something inside me hoping that she might be jealous, even if just a little.
To be continued.