Waking up seems to be a little more difficult than usual. My face feels as if it's being smothered by something, so I can barely breathe. Snapping open my eyes I throw the thing that's smothering me onto the floor.

Blinking in the filtered sunlight form the nearby window, I see that the life-threatening device was actually a pillow. Though, I don't remember having a pillow anywhere near me last night. In fact, I still seem to be downstairs in the living room where I was doing my project.

Hearing a faint breathing sound, I scan the room to see where it's coming from. Across from me on the opposite couch is a mass covered by blankets. Frowning at someone trespassing, stealing my blankets, and deciding to get a free warm room to sleep in, I grab the closest object to me: my textbook.

Silently creeping over to the sleeping mass, I hold the large, thick history textbook over my head. When I'm close enough, I decide to count to three, pull back the covers, and slam the book onto the intruder's head.

Alright. 1… 2… 3! When I throw back the covers, I see a mess of brown hair that I vaguely recognize before the heavy textbook comes slamming onto his head. Immediately, the figure snaps his eyes open and I catch the familiar blue eyes of a certain someone before ducking behind the couch I had previously occupied. The figure yells and clutches his head as I'm cowering.

"Shit! Kinta, it's me!"

Now, I definitely know that voice, but I'm smart enough to know that some people can copy others' personalities and voices.

"Me? Me who?"

"Dammit, Kinta, Fuji! Fuji Shusuke! Didn't you at least check to see if it was someone you knew before you decided to drop that hellish textbook on my head?" His voice is angry, but I bet it's mostly because of the pain he's in.

Standing up straight from my hiding pace, I lean against the couch looking skeptically at the tensai who's pressing his hands against his face.

"Why would I? The last thing I remember was falling asleep alone in my house. Which brings me to the question of why you're here." My eyes are still open, but Fuji can't bear to look at me anyways at the moment. Therefore, I can have them open without him noticing that I'm actually a girl.

Shit. I just slept… alone in my house… with Fuji Shusuke. Then again, he still thinks that I'm a boy. I close my eyes; so that there is no possibility that he could tell that I'm actually a girl. There are only four ways in which he could possibly find out that I'm a girl.

One is if I open my eyes. The oval, long-eye lashed pretty eyes would be a dead give-away. As well as my hair, which is why I can't let it get too long or have a hair band in it at any time. The third way is if I ever talk normally. My voice is naturally a sweet soothing voice, which is tons better than it being high and pitchy like those annoying fan girls. This type of voice is also perfect for impersonating a boy when need be. The only downside is that I can't talk all the time in my "boy voice" because then I'll start to slip.

Of course the last way to ever discover that I'm actually a girl is if someone sees me naked or touches me the wrong way. Eiji always comes so close to grabbing my small boobs that I feel as if I may die of too many heart attacks. Still, I don't think that anyone seeing me will be a problem since I always shower at home.

Fuji's voice snaps me out of my reminiscence. "Well, if someone wouldn't have his phone on silent then I wouldn't have needed to come all the way here."

He sits up and I watch him as he agonizingly takes away his hands from his face. I hold back my laughter as I see that he has a large red mark across his face from where I dropped the textbook. "I'll get you some ice." I say instead, walking the ten feet it takes to get to the fridge from the closest couch.

"Why did you come here anyway? I thought that you'd have been too pissed to talk to me for weeks." I place the pack of ice over his forehead, since that's the primary place of impact.

Fuji looks away from me and towards the television instead. "I thought a lot about what you said and realized how big of a douche I had been being; not only to you, but to all of my friends as well. So, I tried to call and text you a number of times, but you didn't ever reply. I saw that I had your notes and since you never answered my calls, I decided to return them to you."

He pauses and I jump at the chance to attack. "How did you get in?"

He hesitates. "The door was unlocked."

I want to smack myself out of stupidity. I've always had trouble remembering to lock doors, close them, and whatnot. "Then why did you stay?"

A loud sigh escapes his lips and I take it that he doesn't really want to share. I start to tell him that it's alright, but he explains anyway.

"I thought that someone may have broken in, and since you weren't answering, I wanted to make sure that nothing had happened. I saw that you started and finished a large portion of our project, so I decided to help out while you were asleep."

Sure enough, the diagram was dried, painted, and labeled correctly. Even the essay was completed and translated into the English component of our project.

"You didn't have to." He shrugs in reply. "But thanks. So I have to ask, why did I wake up with a pillow on my face?"

"I thought that you might suffocate and die."

"Really?"

"No, I just wanted the blankets for myself."

I nearly fall over. "Of course."

Sighing, I stand up and walk over to the kitchen, past the completed project.

"For all your hard work, why don't you stay for breakfast?" I ask, starting the oven and getting out ingredients for omelets.

"Sure…" He sees that I'm the one cooking and asks why.

-Kirin-nii and Rei are both gone until later today. I hope you don't mind."\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

"Saa… I was just curious is all. Is Rei the one who makes your bentos?"

"Hai. She makes food a lot better than I do, but I manage not to starve."

We both laugh and he stands up to sit down at the counter instead of the couch.

"Would you mind if I took a quick shower? I think I have papier-mâché stuck in my hair from last night."

I chuckle. "Sure, it's down that hall and the last door on the right. These should be done in about ten minutes. Any specific requests?"

"Hmm… just eggs, bacon, cheese, and peppers would be good."

I nod and turn back to cooking as he walks away.

Fuji forgets which door I said it was and unknowingly opens the lat door on the left; my room. He notes how it looks more colorful and brighter than the usual guy's room. There are posters of tennis players and moves everywhere, as well as photos of various places around the world. The layout of the room is simple and a bit cluttered, like the usual guy's room too. The only difference is that instead of a standard bed, it's a queen; a little odd, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

While perusing my room, he decides that it'd probably be okay if he borrowed some clothes to wear after the shower. He takes a light blue collared short sleeved shirt and a pair of beige shorts. Walking out of the room he calls out to me.

"Where are the towels, Kinta-kun?"

"The door next to the bathroom."

He opens it and grabs a single white towel. Pushing the door ajar next to it, he walks in and starts the shower. I hear the water turn off a few minutes later, just when the omelets finish.

"Shusuke, the omelets are-"

The bathroom door opens and Fuji walks out wearing nothing but a white towel around his waist. I quickly turn to face the stove to hide my blush from the fact that he looks so hot with his hair soaked, toned body littered with droplets of water, blue eyes alert, smile plastered on his face, and-

'Kita! Stop thinking of Fuji like that! Act like a guy and don't worry about how sexy he looks! Remember the plan: school, tennis, and friends. Boys are for later.'

I really want to steal a quick peek at him one last time, but the plan keeps me from doing so. The plan is what's allowing me to go to school, play tennis, make friends, and get into the Pros. College is there too, but I don't know what I even want to do yet, aside from playing tennis.

"Ah, gomen, I meant to ask you if it's alright to borrow some clothes. However, you wear a smaller pants size than me."

I blink and my face nearly becomes beat red. Still turned away from him I mutter something about borrowing Kirin's clothes and that his room is in the other hall.

He caught it. "Arigatou!"

Once I heard the door squeak open from Kirin's room, I turn to the sink and splash some cold water onto my hot face.

"Get a hold of yourself, Kita! He's your friend." I mutter, but think 'a hot friend'.

Shaking my head, I grab the two plates of omelets and set them down on the counter. Getting two glasses out of the cupboard, I open the fridge and take the orange juice out to pour us both some. When I put everything away, I hear footsteps and turn to see a fully-dressed Fuji wearing my blue shirt and Kirin's beige pants. The pants keep slipping as he walks, even with the belt around his waist, so I could see the dark blue hem of his boxers every now and then.

I hold back the blush threatening to creep up my face. "Mmm… smells good Kinta-kun."

"Thanks, Shusuke." I sit down next to him, uttering a small 'itadakimasu' before digging in.

Halfway through the meal Fuji looks at me for a moment.

"You eat like a girl."

I nearly choke. "N-nani!"

He chuckles. "It's not a bad thing. It's just that you look so concerned that you don't get anything on yourself or make a mess. I don't mind."

I chuckle awkwardly, but then he asks a strange question.

"Why do you always call me Shusuke?"

I blink and put down my fork. Facing him, I deny it blatantly.

"You really do." I look at him skeptically, trying to detect any hint of teasing.

"Shusuke, I do not!" I deny loudly, stuffing a piece of omelet into my mouth.

"Ahh, just did!"

For a second time, I nearly choke. "G-gomen!" I apologize, realizing that I really did just call him that. "I didn't even know that I was doing it! I don't even remember when I started to either. In my head I call you Fuji, but-"

"It's alright, Kinta-kun. I don't-"

"No! I shouldn't call you Shusuke, Shu- Fuji! Gomen!"

He laughs, eyes open. "Really, I kind of like it. At first, I was angry, but now that it's been nearly half of the first semester and I've gotten to know you better, I'm okay with it."

I frown. "I don't think we really know that much about each other, do we?"

"Saa… probably not, but it feels like it."

True, I do feel different around Fuji than anyone else. I just thought it was because he's been so sadistic towards me lately.

"Well, why don't try?" I ask, really wanting to give it a go.

"Maa… let's wait until after the district tournament."

I frown. "That's not fair. How do I know that you won't forget?"

"Well, then let's make a deal." Fuji's smile turns into a smirk, so I become wary.

"Like what?"

"If I lose my match, I'll tell you. If you lose your match, you'll tell me."

"What happens if we win?"

"If either of us wins, then we tell. If one wins and the other doesn't, then only one tells."

I look at him skeptically, but Fuji is one to keep his word; today proved it.

"Fine, deal."

We spend the next hour looking over the project to make sure that everything is accurate and correct. Fuji says that he has to go home since he didn't tell anyone that he wasn't staying out. At about eleven he leaves, so I take the opportunity to change clothes and clean up the project mess.

I slip into my room and put on a dark red shirt and white shorts. I see the beige shorts that Fuji couldn't fit into lying on my bed. I blush when I think of him walking out in just a towel and even harder when I remember that he's wearing my shirt.

Sometimes it sucks to be a girl.

Putting my shorts away, I finish cleaning my room by sorting out all the dirty clothes to be washed later and clear off my bed. I sit on it, recalling the past weeks. It doesn't seem like it's been almost two months, but it has. The district tournament is coming up and Saturday, then finals two weeks after that, and then summer vacation for a little more than a month after that.

I've heard about training camps being scheduled for a couple of weeks during the vacation, but nothing's been set in stone. Worrying about whether or not I can get away with being a girl won't do me any good. The best thing to do is to do my best and not get caught, especially by Fuji. I'm not sure how he'd take it.

Meanwhile, at the Fuji household, Fuji Shusuke walks into his house to see that… no one is home. He looks around the living room, kitchen, and bedrooms, but there's no sign of anyone having been home after he left last night. Checking the phone, he sees that there aren't any messages.

Sighing, he throws himself onto the bed face first. It's been like this for awhile, but it still gets to him. Yuuta is at a boarding high school somewhere away from him, Yumiko has gotten married and moved out, Kaa-san spends every moment with Yumiko or at her part-time job, and otou-san… Well, he hasn't been around for most of Fuji's life. The few times he had been were to tell him that he wasn't good enough to bear the family name or disapprove of his life choices, especially tennis.

Everything in Fuji Shusuke's life is either wrong or going wrong. The only good things that have happened to him were joining the tennis team in middle school, taking up photography, and meeting Sato Kinta. Everything else, from the neglect of his father and betrayal of his childhood best friend to Yuuta abhorring him and everyone forgetting about him, it seems like he can't do anything right.

A chime comes from Fuji's pocket and he picks it up to see that it's from his okaa-san.

Shusuke,

Spent the night at Yumiko's but I'm sure you're fine. Won't be home again tonight. Use the credit card I gave you to get take-out.

A growl escapes his throat when he realizes that he'll be alone once again. It was better last night when he at least knew Kinta was nearby. He even cared enough to make breakfast. Fuji feels envious of Kinta, but there's little time to dote on that since the front door opens.

"I'm home." A muffled, low voice says.

Immediately Fuji knows exactly who it is. A smile creeps up his face, but the envy is still present in his heart. He knows how much Yuuta hate it when he tries to act like a normal big brother. It bothers Yuuta, because he feels so overshadowed by him. Though the feeling as lessened considerably, Fuji wants more than anything to be close to him. Knowing that it'll probably drive him away, Fuji stays in his room just watching the ceiling fan whirl.

"Aniki?" A voice calls as footsteps are heard climbing up the stairs.

"Hai, Yuuta."

Yuuta opens the door to Fuji's room and frowns when he sees him still lying on the bed, just staring at the fan. Even his estranged brother can tell that something's bothering him. Why else would he be quietly lying there instead of glomping all over his favorite brother?

"What's up?" Yuuta tries to act casual, in case his sadistic brother is trying to pull some kind of trick on him.

"Just thinking about everything I guess."

Yuuta blinks, surprised that Fuji actually responded with an almost straight answer.

"Everything, like…" He presses, a frown visible on his face, but eyes skeptic.

"Mostly about family, tennis, and my new friend."

Yuuta is frozen to the spot. His brother never acts like this. EVER. Something big has to be going on, and no matter how he looks at it, it's his duty to find out; regardless if it's something he wants to know or not.

"Shusuke," he says, making said boy sit up and look at him curiously. Yuuta rarely ever uses his first name. "What the hell is going on?"

Blunt and to the point. Politeness is not one of the boy's strong points.

"What do you mean Yuuta? I already told you." Fuji asks, concerned for his brother's behavior. He has long since learned that Yuuta is his own person and he should keep his space. Though, with Fuji being who he is, he has a hard time with it. Except for today at least.

"Like hell you did!"

"Language, Yuuta."

"No!" He yells back, pushing himself off of the doorframe of Fuji's room and standing to his full height of six feet. "I'm tired of the game aniki. I hardly know who you are anymore."

"The same can be said of you, otouto."

Yuuta frowns. "How so? I'm not the one acting all out of character and secretive."

"Well, you are the one who can't stand to be around me in public. You are the one who's ashamed of me, won't even come home often to even be near me, or even talk to me like a normal person! Do you know what it's like without you here? Kaa-san doesn't even come home anymore unless you're coming. Otherwise she's either at work or with Yumiko and Daisuke. Do you know how that feels when you come home and no one even cares to tell you that you'll be alone?"

Fuji's eyes are open and flashing a menacing blue at Yuuta. Everything that's been pent up is now coming out. Somehow, it just seemed like the right time, since someone has finally given a damn about him.

"Aniki, I-"

"Don't, Yuuta, I know what you think of me and I'm sorry that my very name makes your life hell."

Yuuta grows visibly tenser and his become shaded.

"Why have you never said anything until now?"

A silent moment passes by before Fuji responds. "Maybe because I had friends who cared, but when I stopped caring about them it all became more messed up."

Fuji finally looks at his brother. "I finally found a new best friend, Yuuta." He cracks a weak smile. "I think that I finally can let go of some things and start to be better."

Yuuta can only stare at his brother, wanting to tell him everything he's been holding in.

"Shusuke, I don't hate you and I never did. I was always envious of you and being compared to you every day only made it worse. Now that I see that I could've done it differently… I'm sorry. Not about transferring schools, but that I blamed you for it. It's not your fault."

Yuuta turns to leave. "I only came back to get a pair of shoes I left, so I'm not staying, but aniki… we may never be like we once were, but it'll be better. And whoever it is that's making this change in you, tell them thank you."

When he walks out the door and shuts it, Yuuta says quietly "I like this you better."

On the other side of the door, Fuji Shusuke's chest feels lighter. Not everything has change, but at least it's something. Maybe… maybe he let himself fall this far to see just how much work he needs to do.

Smiling, Fuji runs out of his room to catch Yuuta at the front door. He throws his arms around him in a tight hug.

"So, now that's going better, I think I'll continue with the traditional welcome home hug."

Yuuta groans. "Ugg… Aniki!" However, there's that small smile that wasn't there before.

Back at the Sato residence, I open the door to see Rei with her hands full of groceries.

"You went shopping? I thought that it was a business trip."

She laughs. "I figured that you would've eaten everything in sight."

I pout. "Not everything. So, how'd it go?"

"Not important, so what'd you do while we were gone this time?"

"I went to practice yesterday, chewed out Shusuke, got my regular's jersey, warm-ups, and the bag's coming soon. Then, I came home angry, worked on my history/English project, fell asleep, and Fuji came to finish it. So, he spent the night, I made breakfast, and he left about… four hours ago."

"Oh, is that all?"

"Hmm…. Oh! He borrowed a pair of Kirin-nii's pants."

Rei's eyes shift and a small smirk forms on her face. "Kita-chan~ you had a boy spend the night and shower while you both were alone!"

I blush, recalling the pleasant and fresh memory of Fuji in a towel. She squeals.

"No! Nothing like that happened!" She gives me the 'I-don't-think-so' look and I sigh.

"He thinks I'm a boy remember?" Her smile falls. "Even if I did like him, there's nothing I could do. I'm only there for tennis, school, and friends. Love life is for later. Besides, he probably wouldn't like the girl-version of me anyways."

Rei sighs. "Kita, you're still you! All you're doing is putting on boy clothes, a boy attitude, and that's it! The personality is all you."

I scowl in defeat. "I guess you're right, but he won't ever find out anyways."

Rei gives me a knowing smile that I choose to ignore.

"Oh, and you only have school and tennis, because if I recall correctly, the only people you hang out with are from the tennis team!"

I roll my eyes and walk to my room, yelling back, "That's only because either the other guys are jealous or the girls like me!"

I hear her laugh as I close my door and lock it, so Kirin-nii can't barge in and pour cold water on my head. He did that once, so he could see if I'd actually do anything. Jerk.