Chapter 11
Echizen opened the door slightly and peered through the gap to see Oshitari waiting for her with a bouquet of roses; she smiled as closed it quietly and waited for Yagyuu.
"Echizen?" asked a voice, Echizen turned around to see Yagyuu.
"Hey, thank you for coming," she replied and opened the door. "Here," she said letting him enter first.
"Thank you," replied Yagyuu. "So, a match against Sanada, you must be nerv-" He trailed of when he spotted Oshitari and the bouquet of black roses. "Oh! My goodness!" He gasped and smiled, he threw his arms around Oshitari.
"H-Hiroshi," stuttered Oshitari. Echizen smirked as she closed the door behind her and locked it shut.
* * *
"Hey, do you know where Yuki is?" asked Niou as he looked around the classroom.
"I saw her leave with Yagyuu and her tennis racket," replied one of her classmates.
"Thanks."
* * *
Echizen listened with a small smile on her face; she listened as Yagyuu pleaded while Oshitari continued to reject him.
"Yuushi, please listen to me," begged Yagyuu.
"No, Hiroshi! Listen to me," said Oshitari. "This was a mistake; we should have never gotten involved!"
Echizen could hear Yagyuu's world crashing around him.
* * *
"Anyone know where Yuki or Yagyuu are?" Niou asked as he entered the regular locker room.
"I saw Echizen-san on her way to the roof," said Yanagi.
"I think I saw Yagyuu go the same way," added Marui.
Oh no, thought Niou.
* * *
Echizen smiled as she listened to the desperate pleas of Yagyuu on the other side of the steel door, it served him right.
"Yuki?" asked Niou as he journeyed up the stairs. "What's going on?"
"You're needed," she answered with a smirk.
"What did you do?" demanded Niou, he pushed her aside and unlocked the roof door. There, stood Yagyuu, his eyes red from crying and Oshitari with a sober expression on his face.
"Niou-kun?" he whispered between sobs, Niou removed his jersey and placed it over Yagyuu's shoulder.
"What did you do Echizen?" Niou demanded again. Echizen just kept smiling.
"Nothing," she answered. "All I did was force them to face the truth, that's all." She turned her gaze to Oshitari and the bouquet of roses he held.
"You set us up?" he asked quietly.
"Not you," she answered. "You're not worth the time, but he-," she indicated to Yagyuu with her chin. "-is a different story."
"You bitch," muttered Niou wrapping his arms around Yagyuu.
"I know," she answered. "You're an idiot Yuushi," she said a quiet voice that was almost a whisper. "Be honest, did you really believe that I would have choose Niou over you? Did you really think that I'd cheat on you with him?"
Despite the situation Niou remarked. "Hey!"
"You knew?" asked Oshitari.
"Yes," she answered and exchanged a look with Niou. "We both did."
"Yuki I-" began Oshitari but Echizen held up her hand for silence.
"I don't want to hear it, you cheated on me, I got my revenge, there is no need for explanations," she interrupted. "Goodbye." With that she turned and left.
"Are you happy now?" asked Atobe as she closed the roof door behind her, he leaned against the staircase walls in the shadow.
"How long have you been there?" she asked walking down the stairs, he followed.
"Long enough to know you crushed that poor guy's spirit," he answered. "So, you got your revenge, you put him on cloud nine with Oshitari waiting with roses and then sent him crashing back down. Ahhh, that mean. I really should know better than to get on your bad side, your form of retribution really hurts."
"Why are you here?" demanded Echizen once she reached the bottom of the first flight of stairs she stopped and turned around. "And here I thought I finally smacked some sense into you."
"Don't take me for an idiot," said Atobe, she snorted and Atobe rolled his eyes. "Shut up, the moment I saw you a few days back I knew something was wrong. For one thing you dyed your hair blonde."
"I quite like it," replied Echizen a little defensive.
"Me too, it makes you look like a ho," replied Atobe, they shared a small smiled and Echizen hit him gently.
"Why are you here?" she repeated.
"When you hit me at the restaurant it was weak compared to the other times you've hit me." Echizen snorted again.
"What makes you think I wasn't just holding back?" He gave her a bewildered expression.
"You? Hold back?" he exclaimed in surprise. "You?"
"Alright, alright, I get it."
"The word restraint isn't in your vocabulary," replied Atobe. "Isn't it enough? I know you, better than you think, better than you realise, you're too kind, you can't help but feel compassion for the other side even when you hate his guts. What you did, it hurt you more than it hurt him." Echizen looked away. "You still love Oshitari, you began to fall for Niou, and yet here you are, and the side they take is Yagyuu's and that hurts you. Yuki," He turned her around and placed a finger on her chin, raising her eyes to meet his, they were red with tears. "Have you forgotten I'm here?"
"Tell anyone and I'll castrate you," she threatened and rested her cheek against his shoulder. Atobe chuckled and embraced her.
"That's a new one."
