Hi~ I'm back! It was rather fast, that I am already chapter 10 *yay* Thank you for still…erm…reading this silly fiction, which I write in my free time~

Chapter 10

"Where is everybody?" Ciel asks. Since he woke up this morning he hasn't seen much people inside Blue Koi Dormitory. His leg has gone better since he had some rest last night. Ciel walks the hall. He only caught a glimpse of Ronald, but then the guy himself disappeared a split second later.

Creakkkk. The door behind Ciel opens as he stands alone in the corridor.

"Hey, could I-" Ciel turns around and asks.

No one was there. But the door was opened. Ciel lifts his eyebrow and pokes his head out of the door.

"…no one?"

Tap. Tap. Tap. Ciel hears footsteps behind him. He turns around again.

Yet, nobody. Ciel swallows, and follow along. The dormitory is awkwardly silent. It's not like that everyday. Besides, last night Sebastian didn't return to their room. It was a relief for Ciel, since the person he wouldn't want to see most is him. But also, why though? Where did Sebastian stay?

"Ah!" Ciel hears a scream from nearby. So he runs forward and turns a corner.

"What the?" nobody is there. Ciel was a hundred percent sure that the scream was coming from this way. There is a door in front of him. Ciel steps nearer and nearer.

"…What is this thing?" Drops of red liquid are visible on the floor. Hoping that this is not any kind of joke, Ciel stares at the stains. Suddenly it gets cold behind his back.

"Ciel!"

"AHHHH!" Ciel jumps right up as a hand touches his shoulder. He turns around and sees Elizabeth.

"What's wrong?" She asks. "Did something happen?"

"Er…nope. I was just…forget it." Ciel tries to cover his embarrassment. "Besides, what is this?" He points to the floor. "Don't tell me this is blood."

Elizabeth burst into laughs. "Blood? What makes you think of that? And by the way, you are late. C'mon, let's go!" She holds Ciel's hand, while her other arm carrying a bucket of ice, containing a bottle of apple sparkling cider.

"Yo!" A guy greets them as Ciel enters the main dining room. People from their dormitory is celebrating and eating breakfast joyfully. Seems like their eating victory from yesterday earned them a credit to AkuMarine Academy.

"Thanks to Grell, we are at the top of the chart, also team Iolite." Elizabeth points to a digital screen at the end of the room, on the wall. It reads:

AKUMARINE MARATHON TOURNAMENT

Rank 1: Team Iolite – 275 pts. Team AkuMarine – 275 pts.

Rank 2: Team Meldera – 140 pts.

Rank 3: Team Canterbury – 120 pts.

"Wow…" Ciel looks up. "I thought we didn't do that good…" He spots Grell sitting from a distance. A lot of students are gathering around her, either chatting, or praising her.

"Grell. I saw you yesterday. Nice." Ciel comes over. Grell grins, exposing her pointed teeth.

"It was nothing! It was quite a long time since I ate anything that bitter~ My dad always make me eat chocolate gateau's or choux a la crème's and I've gotten so sick of them. I tell you, sick-of-them." She makes a whatever-you-say-dad-ish look.

"…by the way, I haven't seen the people from my dormitory. Do you know where they are?"

"Pfffft!" Grell nearly spits out her cookie. "If you ask me…I'd rather say go look inside the toilet, hahahaha~~ Since they ate a whole mountain of bitter chocolate last night, it's no strange thing they ended up in there!"

"But Sebas…" Ciel intends to ask her but he realizes and swallows it inside.

"Hm? Did you say Sebas-chan?" Grell asks. "Well, he did not eat the chocolates, but he is probably out for a walk. You know, with the other academy students…"

"Oh…Okay."

"Anyways," Alois joins them. "I think we are going to have our third task today. And I think it is taking place in the auxiliary gym."

"How do you know?"

"The upperclassmen told me. Like every year, it always happens. But we don't know yet what we are competing on."

"Just how many tasks are there?"

"Hm?" Alois wonders. "Maybe three to four? The tournament takes place for three days."

"Ciel~~~" A taller boy approaches Ciel. "Do you know where Sebastian is? Headmistress needs him."

"Um…I think he's out there?" Ciel answers.

"Can you get him for me? I have an errand to do. Thanks!" Then he just rushes away. Ciel didn't get the chance to deny.

"Fine… Right at the moment when I don't want to see him most…" Ciel goes to look out on the track. He sees other people from different academies. Canterbury in red, Meldera in green and Iolite in violet uniforms. They seem to be having fun, though. Ciel sees a bunch of girls in front of the basketball gym.

"Kyaaa~ That boy is so cool!"

"Who are you talkin about? Boy? He's nineteen!"

"Really? No way! But he's a first year!"

"Yes, but he's older than you think."

Ciel takes a step inside and sees a match going on. Sebastian and the upperclassmen in the other academies are battling. No, to be more specific, he and his cousins are playing against each other. Girls are screaming over Redmond and Bluer, even the other players look cool and mighty.

"There! Did you see Greenhill?"

"No way! He's our national team member! How come he's here?"

"Didn't you know? Ms. Dalles is his relative!"

"Eh? Really?"

"And there's Violet! I thought Iolite just only famous for art, not sports?!"

"You betcha, but Violet is a really good basketball player!"

They must be referring to the people playing on the court. Ciel thought Violet has always been gloomy. Even when playing basketball, she wouldn't take her hood off. But being that tall for a girl makes it weird. Suddenly, he feels a gaze on himself.

"Aahh~ Did you see? Michaelis just glanced over here! He looked at me!" Says a girl next to him.

"No! He looked at me!" The other girl snaps back. Ciel keeps watching in silence. He's never seen Sebastian played like that before. Sebastian scores a point, although there were four guards on him. He looks over and their eyes met, Ciel turns away, as if doesn't know him. The coach blows his whistle to announce break-time, and Sebastian raises his hand.

"Hm? What's going on? Sebastian's leaving the court, he's not playing anymore?" The girls asks. Remembering Ciel has work to do with him, he exits and makes his way back door.

Where is him? I was so sure he went out this way…Ciel thinks. He scans around. No sign, just trees and trees.

"…Looking for me?" A hand on Ciel's shoulder.

"AAAAH!" Ciel jumps.

"Pfffftt!" Sebastian laughs. "Did I scare you?"

"What? No-anyway, Ms. Dalles wants to see you." Ciel looks on the ground. "That's all, I'm just told to tell you that. Bye-" Sebastian clutches his arm.

"Wait! Did you just some to say only that?"

"… What do you want?"

"About yesterday…"

"I got nothing to say to you about that." Ciel turns and walks away before his mouth could slip out anything more unnecessary.

"Ciel!" Sebastian won't let go. He turns him over and kisses him.

Five seconds…

Sebastian releases him. Still no expression on Ciel's face. It's like he's paralyzed.

"…Ciel, are you okay?" It's not like him at all, Sebastian thinks. Usually he would slap him and calls him a 'pervert'.

Sebastian waves his hand in front of Ciel's face. Suddenly it turns really red like a whole bucket of tomatoes' been smudged all over his face.

"Gah!" Ciel uses his hand to cover his mouth and runs away.

…Sebastian stands grounded onto the grass.

What was that? His face surprised. It's not like him. But…his blushing face…

…cute.

"Okay, is everybody here?" Ms. Dalles says. It's time for the third task. Teams are sitting on the bleachers. Not many students are here since the gym isn't outdoor and there has to be space for whatever sports they are competing on.

She blows her whistle. "Alright! Right now it is noon, quite warm for a day out today! The task for today is…freestyle swimming!"

"Ha, ha, ha." Sebastian couldn't lift his lips to express a single smile. "What a nice day, you say."

"Since I know not all of you like to, nor knows how to swim, I am going to let each team to pick their competitor. Choose two from your group, then. And then we will meet at the pool after 15 minutes."

"Why does she have to tell us that right now? We could have done better if she told us right off from yesterday!" Ronald groans. "I am terribleeeee! I say, terribleeeee!"

"Me too! I could swim, though, but only 50 meters. I lose my breath and I got cramped!" Elizabeth says.

"I…would have to say no to this." Sebastian with his depressing face, gloomily walks away from the bleachers.

"Um…" Ciel was about to say…

"Ciel~~~ I know you would be able to do this!" Grell jumps and hugs him dearly.

"Yeah! Totally! We all know how good you were at the pool while training!"

"…Alright." Ciel slightly smiles. But in front of all these people? Cannot be assured he could swim comfortably.

"Alois, you too. I heard you got a championship last year, no?" Grell pokes his chest.

"Well-but it was just a minor prize. Besides, I was the oldest member, so-"

"No worries! Get down there, you~" Grell points to the door.

"Hah…" Alois sighs heavily and walks away.

"Ciel~ Good luck!" Elizabeth shakes his hand.

"I know you can do this, pal, tee-hee~" Undertaker grins.

Ciel changes into his swimsuit and meet up with the others at the pool. Well, it is not an enclosed environment, though. The pool is indoor but the ceiling is see-through so people can take advantage of the sunlight pouring through. The water gleams reflecting the lights.

As soon as Ciel sees the water, he wants to dive in immediately.

The task is, each team is going to have two people taking turns to swim. The team that has the fastest time wins. But the thing is, if they want to have bonus points, each team member must do a fifteen-meter jump from the diving board, into the cold water below. Yes, cold water. Well, but not as cold as the kind that would freeze everyone. But dropping from this height would increase tension to make the person even colder as if being shut inside a fridge.

Ciel and Alois stand in a line in front of swimming block number 3. Next to them is Violet and Redmond. Next to Redmond is Bluer. Compared to them, Ciel is just like a newbie in a midst of professionals. Violet keeps fidgeting, as being annoyed.

"URGHH! That's it! I am too hot!" And she…takes off the upper shirt.

"Gahhh!" Ciel covers his eyes. How could a girl-? But then he hears the others squeals in excitement too. He opens his eyes.

"Ehhhh?!" Ciel cannot believe it. Violet is a guy. He has great muscles though. Redmond and Bluer did the same, and the fangirls keep cheering. Except for Ciel, he doesn't want to take off his swimming shirt or anything. So is Alois.

"Okay! The person standing in front is going to go first! Then upon his return, the other partner is going to keep going and dive in, got it?" The coach says.

"Roger!" They all say.

"Three-two-one!" And he blows his whistle. Ciel slightly heard the cheering of the students, then for a split second later he is already down under the water, all nice and calm. The water isn't that much of a cold thing, if he says so himself. Ciel keeps swimming, and for a moment later he thought this is not a competition anymore.

Exactly every single time he is underwater, Ciel recalls the memory when his mother and father hasn't divorced. Ciel and his parents would always enjoy themselves outside, along with that person. Dad has forbidden him to talk about him, so Ciel switched his mind to something else.

Image flows through, and suddenly there is a vision of Sebastian being wet by the water and express annoyance towards the water when they were training the other day. That makes Ciel giggles remembering how Sebastian hates water. He used to have a cat when he was young, and it hated water just as the same.

"Ah!" Ciel accidentally swallowed a mouthful of water while laughing about all that stuff that he's forgotten about the race. As long as he knows, Ciel's already touching the wall where he had started from. Alois jumps right down on the water as Ciel climbs up and keeps on moving.

"Phew!" Ciel shakes the water off his hair. Apparently he is the fastest person to return. Ciel takes his break and waits for Alois to return.

"Good job Ciel!" Ciel hears a familiar voice from the crowd. He glances to the bleachers and see Soma and Agni sitting in the front row.

"Thank you!" Ciel shouts back for him to be able to hear through the splashing water and beams. It was also when Alois gets up from the water.

"Alois!" Ciel runs towards him. "Congratulations! You did it! We were first place!" Ciel gives him his towel.

"Alois?" He doesn't reply, but walks unsteadily and falls into Ciel's arms. His body is like on fire, it nearly burns Ciel.

"Alois? ALOIS?" Ciel says panicky. "Help!" He shouts out to the coach. He approaches them first and then Ciel's team members too.

"What happened?"

"I don't know! He just got up from the water and…"

"Whatever it is, take him to the infirmary!" And they set off to the nurses. Alois' expression was pale, he closes his eyes but exhaling hard.

"Are you sure he didn't drown?"

"Of course! He himself got up from the water!" Ciel replies.

Alois coughs harder and harder.

"I'm afraid…" The nurse says. "This is asthma."

"ASTHMA?!" They all exclaim in horror.

"How in the world didn't he tell us right from the beginning?"

"It must due to his overwhelmed strength while swimming."

"…"

About twenty minutes later, the nurse applies a nebulizer mask onto him and he starts breathing normally again. Alois slowly opens his eyes.

"Alois!" They all tear up.

"Thank god!"

"I was so panicked!"

"…What happened?" He groans. "Urgh."

"You finished your swim lap and then collapsed right onto Ciel. What happened?"

"I…I just, I think I overdid too much, so my disease starts happening again."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" The nurse says worriedly.

"…It was not a major problem. But it only happens when I am swimming. I am allergic to pool chlorine." He says.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want to disappoint you! You guys were counting on me!" He speaks louder and coughs again. Ciel puts his palm onto his forehead.

"It's okay. Guys, don't you think we ought to let him rest? He's tired."

"..Okay." They nod.

"I think you should sleep, Alois. That's the best way to do. C'mon, let's go." He beckons the others. Alois snatches Ciel's hand.

"Ciel! What about the race?"

"I assume that we got first place, if my vision is not that bad." Ciel smiles.

"But what about the diving board task?!"

"…I can't do it. It's probably over by now. But we've got to take care of you first!"

"Please! I want you to do it! Swimming is your strong point, remember?"

"But it doesn't matter. It only adds us a few ten more points."

"But it could cause a difference! Please! At least I want to feel that we've accomplished something. Don't get down because of me!" His eyes are serious.

"…Okay. I will try. But I am afraid that now might be too late-"

"Then what are you waiting for? RUN!" Alois yells. Ciel hastens and runs towards the swimming pool. People are assembling to look for their team.

"Coach! I still want to do the diving board challenge!" Ciel raises his arm.

"Very well. Because your team had a problem, we'll take that as an excuse."

"All the other teams went already?" Ciel asks.

"No. Only Canterbury did. The others said they 'didn't feel like it'."

Ciel swallows, pressure on him. "Okay. I'll give it a try."

"Alright!" He hears cheering on the other side of the bleachers. His friends are encouraging him. Ciel climbs the ladder upward, and walk on the big diving board. He could feel the eyes on him, the cheering and talking. Ciel closes his eyes and remembers his childhood.

"I'm scared!"

"Don't worry! It seems high, but it feels like flying!"

"I…I…"

"C-mon! I'll hold your hand! Now, jump!"

"Nooooooo! No, don't!"

SPLASH!

"SOL! NO! SOL!"

Ciel opens his eyes. That event was just an accident. Now he is only on his own. It is time to overcome the fear. He takes a deep breath.

And jump.

It really feels like flying, Ciel does his freestyle spin, and lands on water. The water becomes silent. Ciel climbs from the handle and hears cheering again. This loudness, happy yet annoying. It reminds him of that incident.

"Ciel! Well-done!" They pat his back and cheers for him. Ciel smiles, trying to shake off his memories.

"…I think I should go see Alois." He says and goes to the locker to change. After that, he goes straight to the infirmary. Alois is lying there, half-asleep.

"…Ciel? Is that you?"

"Hi. I did the dive for you." He smiles.

"Heh, thank you." He says. *cough*

"Are you still feeling unwell?"

"No, *cough*, it's okay. It will end in two or *cough* three days. I had this thing before, *cough*!"

"Now rest. Don't talk, it will hurt your throat. I brought chocolate chips for you.

"…Why?"

"Eating your favorite food is going to heal better. But since cookies are dry, I chose the 'stuffy' type, they are soft to chew for, and it won't hurt your throat as bad."

"…How do you know I like chocolate cookies?"

"I saw you having a bunch of them this morning breakfast, don't you?"

"….Thanks."

"And after that, you need to have a glass of hot lemon tea. It cures better than having pills. I also brought a tea bag with me."

"…How do you know these things?"

"…It's just common to me. I…got a person who used to have all the asthma like you, and I used to take care of him...Never mind that now, eat these." And the hands Alois the pack of cookies. Ciel brews the tea for him and leave it at that.

"…I gotta go now. They are probably looking for me. See you later." And he bids goodbye to the nurse.

Back to the dormitory, his friends are celebrating. Grell is making a mess, screwing up those decorative banners, and popping up balloons.

"Ciel! How is Alois?" Elizabeth asks.

"He's doing fine. I gave him a bunch of cookies."

"That's great! C'mon, you gotta try this bun, a friend ordered this from Zen Palace and it's still hot!"

"Zen Palace? The restaurant with a Chinese guy who closes his eyes all the time?" Ciel couldn't describe Lau better than he could, since it is the only impression he got on this guy.

"Yup, that's him. Oh, and by the way, tomorrow is the last day of the tournament. Ms. Dalles asks if you could take care of Alois, she contacted his parents and they were to pick him up tomorrow." Elizabeth says. "She said the nurse is fine, but it's better if he has a friend next to him, you know? Besides, she said you know how to treat asthma. Well, but if you don't like to-"

"No! It's fine! I could stay with him!" Ciel thought. "But what about the fourth task?"

"Since you have participated in two categories already, you don't need to go again. We will draw out new people tomorrow." She smiles.

"Oy, stop talking! C'mere!" Ronald Knox beckons them. Ciel and Elizabeth join them and ate…a bunch of pork buns until they're deeply full.

"Arghhhhh! I think I can't stand anymore!" Ciel says as he lungs onto his bunk bed. I'm too sleepy…

…Wait, but I had a feeling I forgot something…Ciel couldn't remember it, and he falls asleep.

Oh…I forgot about Sebastian…

The next day, Ciel spends his day next to Alois. A few times his asthma got worse, he keeps coughing and breathing hard, then the nurse helps him with the nebulizer and he took a deep sleep.

"Huh…At least he's fine now…" Ciel sits next to him and falls asleep. By the time he wakes up it is already in the evening.

"…How long was I asleep?" Ciel scrubs his eyes. He is lying on his bunk bed. "Hm? Why am I back here?"

"Awake?" He hears a voice. Sebastian is sitting opposite, in a bad mood.

"… Sebastian?" He hasn't talked to him for a whole day. "What…what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Do I need to tell you what's wrong?" He pins Ciel onto the bed.

"What are you talking about?" Ciel blushes.

"I need to hear your answer! I cannot take it anymore!" He looks angry.

"…I, I don't know what you are talking about!" Ciel squeezes his shirt.

"You lie! If you don't answer I will not stop this time!" He undresses Ciel's shirt.

"Wait! Wait! Give me a day! Just one more day, please!" Ciel grasps onto his arm. His heart is beating fast and he wants to make clear of it. Sebastian sighs, and leaves him be. He climbs up onto his bunk bed.

"It's up to you." And they don't talk anymore. Ciel thinks about the things that are going to happen tomorrow.

"…We'll know the results of the tournament tomorrow…"

"…I'll have to answer Sebastian tomorrow…"

"I can't sleep tonight."