so many reviews for one chapter...i almost peed myself! kisses for:
CynicalDream, Artic-Fox 14, AkaKitsune133, GataAgua, mana1134, elex88, Empress Satori, OliveInk, Kuroki-Ryomi, 1xmocha, xbleedinglotusx, tomphi, Sapphirewood, animesrule9, kumalu01, WinglessDreams, ryoka-chan, Sugoi Sugiru Obocchama, thfourteenth, JacksBoonie, NoLeaveItButTakeIt (hahaha i love the name!), Youkai Kisaki, Bankotsu's Sexy Bunny Girl
okay, i know it's not very special to have your name in a list, but it's also not very special for me to write you a crappy two words (thank you!) pm. i hope to get around to real messages with in the next couple days. but for now, just know, that i am writing this story for you, there is no one in the world more special than you, and i FREAKING LOVE YOU.
sd'gfoijsafd;cnlmcoitjrdsaf;lcjmsd;lgithfvns;ldkfjdlkwp40t9uirjesdpfovma'sdp0t5984urw[0ujfwmaesdoi58ti395'hjnv;osdisxt5u05re09djnvewa;osl!whire9tpghejnfoxdirhjvnt8dfoixtjgnrvtediofzxthfngrvf
does this keymash convey the depth of my gratitude?
what about this extra-long chapter?
After that, the courts exploded into noise. High fives and screams and camera flashes…because this was real. Countless hours of practice, and this is what is amounted to. They had proven their determination to friends and family, to all of Japan.
They had won.
"We…we did it," Ryoma whispered. He looked at the expectant faces of his team, wanting to talk to them – thank them for listening, for surprising him with their spirit, their strength, for helping him get through today. But he couldn't find the words.
"We know, buchou!" Takeda shrieked, launching into a hug.
Then came handshakes and hugs and kisses, and the victory finally sunk in. He knew he couldn't be more proud - he had put so much sweat and blood into this team, spending almost every evening going over schedules and drills and lineups. And in the end, it was his team that pulled him through.
"Oi! Echizen!"
"Ochibi!"
His world suddenly tilted sideways, and from the squealing in his ear it appeared to Eij's fault.
" Get off him, Eiji-senpai!" he heard Momo say, but Momo also appeared to have the same goal of suffocating him.
"Alright, that's enough."
Momo and Eiji immediately let go, and Ryoma scowled at them before meeting Tezuka's gaze. His former captain was even smiling a bit as they shook hands.
"It was a good year, Echizen. You did well as captain."
Ryoma caught his breath at that, hardly believing that Tezuka, of all people, thought that of him. It was the best compliment he'd ever received.
"Buchou, I – "
"BURNING! ECHIZEN, YOU'RE ON FIRE!"
"Congratulations," Inui put in. "As usual, your playing style surpassed all data to secure victory. Even though modifications were made for your broken wrist, I obviously did not take into account – "
" – HOT, BABY! BURNING LIKE FIRE!"
"You played well," Kaidoh grunted. They shook hands, and Ryoma was almost positive his senpai was actually proud of him.
"Your team says you're an absolutely wonderful captain," Oishi said, a wide smile on his face. "I believe it, too. I'm looking forward to – "
"CONGRATULATIONS! BUUUURNING!"
Oishi's smile suddenly looked rather strained. "The game is over, Taka. There's no need for the racket - ah, just give it here…"
That left Fuji. He said nothing, but Ryoma could tell the happiness in eyes was genuine.
Ryoma hesitated, fighting the urge to launch into an Eiji-style hug and tell the truth - because maybe Fuji didn't want that anymore. But then he had to focus on breathing, because Fuji swept him up into a hug, and Ryoma thought, again, that he would stay there forever. Just like that, the noise of the crowd lost in the sound of Fuji's heartbeat, the tiredness in his muscles forgotten as Fuji pulled him closer.
Forever ended all too soon. Fuji pulled back, smiling, and Ryoma looked into those blue eyes with a mixture of regret and happiness. It ended when he looked away, realizing Momo was trying to talk to him.
"The after party, Echizen, everyone's leaving. "
"I'll…I'll meet up with you later," Ryoma said slowly. "There's something I have to do."
Momo stared, open-mouthed, at the middle schooler. "You can't do that! You're the captain, this is practically your party! And what could – "
"I have to talk to someone," Ryoma said abruptly, reaching for his tennis bag.
"But – "
Surprisingly, it was Kaidoh who came to his rescue. "You have all summer to celebrate, baka."
"Don't wait up," Ryoma told them, pulling out his phone. As he walked towards the exit, he glanced back one last time at his team. Tezuka looked so understanding, Fuji was so gentle…it almost hurt, what he was about to do.
***
He did not call Nanako.
The phone call was for information only. He got the address to the Riveredge Psychiatric Center, and caught the next bus heading west.
With the championship safely behind them, Yamada should have no more threats to give. Only answers. But there were so many questions…
Maybe this isn't such a good idea...
By the third stop, Ryoma was imagining his friends' reactions if they discovered where he had gone. He wondered if he should have told them, but quickly dismissed the thought. It was a tossup whether Eiji or Momo would get him in a death grip first, but Momo would undoubtedly be yelling at him to "stop acting so fucking stupid". Or something along those lines.
Of course, he'd also be running laps for the rest of the summer. It was bad enough convincing Tezuka to accept his "I fell" excuse, but explaining his sudden need to visit Yamada? Yeah, that would go over spectacularly well. Fuji's reaction was even more dangerous territory, but he was saved further contemplation as a woman suddenly settled down on the seat to his left. She smiled at him, primly rearranged her purse and began scanning the newspaper.
That's right. He was on a bus, with not one of his friends in sight. He should be thankful for that, but the more irrational part of his mind wanted someone there with him. Fuji would have been good company, once he finished all his dangerous smiling and accepted where they were going .
No. That was stupid. He depended on Fuji for too much already.
It wasn't like he was afraid of Yamada. He couldn't do anything to Ryoma, now. And people who won National Championships were not afraid of simple hospital visits.
The bus was fast approaching Riveredge Psychiatric Center, so Ryoma shouldered his tennis bag and prepared to get off. The woman who had sat next to him flicked her eyes to the sign, and then back at him. What was that? Disgust? Pity? Fear?
It didn't matter, anyway. He wasn't doing this for her.
***
Atobe took a sip of his punch and tried to hide his disgust. The punch was okay, but this…silly inconvenience was not. "That's not the point," he said icily, cutting Momo off mid-rant. Another social faux pas, but who was counting? "You don't just let someone walk away from their own party."
"It's not his party, entirely," Momo managed to get out.
He was clearly unsettled by the Hyotei player, which pleased Atobe. If he could silence this bumbling idiot, his intimidation techniques were almost as good as Tezuka's. "Oh, now I understand," he said sarcastically. "Echizen was only team captain, and winner of the determining match. How silly of me to think he actually mattered."
It was so much fun to toy with the Seigaku players. Momo face was roughly the color of a tomato as he ground out a response. "Listen here, Monkey King – "
"Monkey King?!" Atobe fairly shrieked. "What gives you the right to address ore-sama in such a manner?! You stupid, uncreative – "
"Saa…more punch, Atobe?"
Both of them fell silent, gaping wordlessly at the new arrival.
"No thanks," Atobe answered, breaking the awkward silence. He suddenly remembered why he didn't like tormenting the Seigaku players. He just couldn't get away with it…not when Fuji Syuusuke was around.
For his part, Fuji looked rather pleased. "If you had said yes, I would have made you get the punch yourself."
Momo laughed, loudly and nervously, and began to edge away. Fuji's expression made it perfectly clear that Atobe did not have the same luxury.
"Echizen is attending to a personal matter," Fuji said, once Momo was out of earshot. His eyes were very sharp in the sunlight, and Atobe tried not to look uneasy.
"Something about his cousin, I presume?"
Fuji nodded. "There was a bit of a complication last night."
Atobe hesitated. "Nothing too bad?"
Fuji's expression darkened. "It depends…" he trailed off, frowning at someone in the crowd. "Tezuka wants something."
Without another word he took off, and Atobe, never one to be left out of the action, followed.
***
It was a place of sickness. It was always the same, whether it was physical or mental.
He passed two teenagers crying over a blank-eyed little girl. A nurse giving a lecture to a group of pale, stringy-haired skeletons. And then, a doctor pushing by him, fumbling for a pager and offering no apology. Ryoma understood.
"Saitou Ayane, please?" he inquired at the desk. The receptionist did not look up, staring at her phone as if it were a lifeline.
"Do you have an appointment?" she finally mumbled. She sat stiffly, curled in on herself, hesitantly breathing the air around her.
"No," Ryoma answered.
"Hold please." She reached for the phone in front of her, ignoring the scream echoing from the hallway. Ryoma watched, horrified and fascinated by her detachment. He wondered if that's how she survived.
"Your name?" the girl asked him.
"Echizen Ryoma."
She jabbed at the volume button, trying to hear over the screaming. Ryoma caught snatches of their conversation, and it seemed bleak until the receptionist mentioned his name. "Of course, I'll send him right up."
The girl hung up and returned her gaze to the floor. "Seventh floor. Take the elevator on the right, and follow the signs to room 717. Your bag?"
"What?" His tennis bag?
"Security check," she clarified. She zipped it uninterestedly, but paused when she caught sight of the rackets. A long moment passed, and Ryoma wondered if she would say something. But she only sighed and pushed the bag back towards him. "A reminder that this is a non smoking facility. Please refrain from using your cell phone."
With that said, she returned to her texting. Ryoma rode the elevator with nervous energy, thinking about which words to say and which ones to avoid.
Saitou pounced on him as soon as the elevator doors open. "Ah, Echizen. It's wonderful to see you! Yamada has mentioned you quite a few times already – wait, you are here to visit Yamada, aren't you?"
Ryoma only nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Yamada had mentioned him before…what did that mean? He wanted to apologize? Break his other wrist? Hurt his friends?
"This way, Echizen."
***
This was the boy who refused to let Tezuka be captain.
This was the boy who caused Fuji to quit the tennis team.
This was the boy who had made him promise he would never play tennis again.
But he didn't look like it. Yamada was sitting on the bed, staring at the window. There was a bouquet of tulips there, but he was looking beyond, to the gray expanse of a rooftop. He didn't seem very impressed with it. He didn't seem happy, or sad, or much of anything, really.
"Yamada-kun, I brought you a visitor," Saitou said cheerfully. The words cut awkwardly in the silence, but Yamada didn't look up. "Don't you see who it is? It's your friend, Echizen."
Friend? Was that the right word for their relationship? Ryoma didn't even know anymore. He tried not to look anxious as Yamada swung his head around in a slow, deliberate movement. They stared at each other, Yamada's expression blank while Ryoma struggled to make his face equally emotionless.
"I want to talk to him alone," Yamada suddenly announced. His voice was rough from disuse, but Ryoma still recognized that steely undertone. It was what Tezuka used, as captain, but darker.
"Talk?" Saitou babbled. She seemed overjoyed at the idea, and Ryoma wondered what things were like here. "Well, talk away."
"Alone," Yamada repeated. Saitou frowned, and Ryoma was glad for her refusal. He wasn't ready for that, just yet.
"I won't do anything. Besides, you can watch from the monitor." He flicked his eyes to the camera in the corner, and assumed a look of false innocence.
To Ryoma's horror, Saitou fell for it. "Communication is, of course, one of our goals here," she said, beaming. "I'm so happy you've started talking to your friends." Before Ryoma could get a word in edgewise, she was gone.
Yamada sprawled back on the bed, looking a little more like a teenager and less like a prisoner. "So, what trick did that bitch use on you?"
Ryoma's eyes widened in surprise, then confusion. "I'm sorry?"
"To get you to visit," Yamada clarified. "Saitou must have done something."
"Um, no," Ryoma said gingerly. "Well, we…talked, earlier this week. But I came here from Nationals, because I wanted…" What did he want? An apology?
"Strange," was all Yamada said, turning his gaze back to the window. He did not at all look dangerous. Just thin, tired, lonely…Ryoma tried to feel the slightest hint of anger, but it was impossible.
"There's no radio here," Yamada said suddenly. "Did you win your match?"
"Yes," Ryoma said, sinking into the chair next to the window. "6-2."
No radio. Ryoma looked around the room, took in the blankness of the walls and the empty desk. It reminded of him of a hospital. He supposed they were at a hospital, in a way.
"You're sick," he blurted out, before he could stop himself. It was just so surprising, to view Yamada as a patient.
Yamada only shrugged. "That's what they say." He tapped his fingers on the bed, as if contemplating something. "I tell them my parents beat me."
Ryoma bit his lip, tried and failed to swallow his immediate frustration. "Is that supposed to be an excuse?"
He felt terrible after he said this. Maybe it had been a long, painful process for Yamada to admit this, to entrust someone with his secret. Ryoma opened his mouth to apologize for his cruel response, but hesitated. There was something strange in Yamada's eyes…something that didn't quite fit.
"You're lying."
Yamada sat up, and his amused smirk confirmed it. "I'm impressed, Echizen. You catch on much quicker than Saitou."
"You're playing with them," Ryoma snapped. For the first time, he felt anger – anger that Yamada could do so much harm and get away with it. "It's not helping anyone."
"It's helping me," Yamada countered. "Saitou thinks we've made tremendous progress. I'll be out of here within a month."
This was all wrong. Everything he'd thought in the past hour had been turned upside down and inside out and then back again. And he still wasn't any closer to figuring things out. "I could tell Saitou this, you know."
"I don't care," Yamada said dismissively. "I'll make a new story, pretend it's the truth. They'll swallow it soon enough."
His phone rang, but Ryoma made no move to answer it. He just sat there, trying to understand what he'd learned. He knew he was safe, for now. Yamada viewed him as a tool, something to play nice with and prove he had gotten over his issues. But what would he do once he was released?
"One missed call," Yamada announced. He had dug through Ryoma's tennis bag and was now staring intently at Ryoma's cell phone. "Atobe Keigo…I remember him."
He tossed the phone to Ryoma, who caught it with tangible relief. It wasn't about Nanako, then.
Yamada sneered at the other boy's expression. "You still think your cousin is going to make it?"
Before Ryoma could formulate a question – something along the lines of how the fuck do you know about that? – his phone rang again. Ryoma bit his lip and silenced the call, deciding Fuji would have to wait.
"Don't look so surprised," Yamada told his stunned visitor. "Rumors are started all the time, and I know this one's true."
"How?" Ryoma felt a little sick. Fuji wouldn't have told, right? Maybe something he had said to Momo, or someone from Nanako's university. Whichever way Yamada had found out, Ryoma didn't like it.
They were interrupted as his phone rang for a third time. Ryoma answered it, fervently hoping it wasn't some sort of an emergency. Atobe, Fuji, and now Tezuka.
"Where are you, Echizen?"
"Um," Ryoma said, scrambling for an appropriate answer. "Hello, buchou."
A shuffling noise, and then some swearing in the background. Tezuka continued, still sounding perfectly unconcerned. "Horio says you got on a bus."
There was no point in denying it now. "Yes," Ryoma said, hoping that would be enough.
"Where did you go?"
"I'm fine," Ryoma said, not really answering the question. He could hear Atobe in the background, demanding answers. "I'm sorry, buchou, but it's not a good time. I'll call you later." He hung up before Tezuka could say anything else, and immediately regretted it.
"That's right, Echizen," Yamada said, his smirk widening. "You shouldn't ignore your friends. They're all you have left, now that you're family is worried about poor, sick Nanako."
"How do you – "
"Sh, don't worry," Yamada cut in, a strange expression in his eyes. "I'll come and help you. I know what it's like."
It was too much. Ryoma turned and fled, Yamada's smug words still echoing in his mind.
Saitou thinks we've made tremendous progress. I'll be out of here within a month.
***
Fuji was angry. He could hear Ryoma putting away his tennis bag, and his anger only intensified. He had so many things to say: about trust, about selfishness, about how worried he'd been. About how he'd thought Ryoma had gone to America, and how unfair it was he would even have to think that.
Two things stopped him from taking his anger out on Ryoma. The first was Yuuta kicking him under the table, hard enough to bruise. This, in turn, made him realize the second thing: Ryoma's expression.
Gone was the confidence and pride of someone who had won the National championships. The shyness, the sorrow was back…because Ryoma was still coming to terms with the fact his cousin – his family, his life – was changing forever.
Ryoma slid into the chair without looking at anyone. Fuji felt his anger dissipate – replaced by horror as his mother stood up and abruptly slapped the back of Ryoma's head.
"Where were you?" she snapped.
Hands went up to clutch emerald hair, golden eyes widened in shock. Another day, Fuji might have laughed, but it was today and Fuji couldn't stand it. Why would his mother do that? Fuji knew the slaps didn't hurt, but it was something Natsumi only did when she was absolutely livid. Ryoma didn't need that, not now…
"Kaasan!"
"Don't!"
"You didn't – "
"I am talking!" she said icily. The two Fuji children fell silent, and even Hajime shrank back. They knew from experience that Natsumi couldn't be stopped, not when she had something to say.
"Please – "
"I will not tolerate one more word from you, Syuusuke. Is that clear?"
Fuji nodded, but his eyes were wide and anxious.
"Echizen is a part of this family and I do not let my children go cavorting all over the city without letting someone know." Natsumi glared especially hard at Syuusuke and Yuuta, as if daring them to argue. There was only silence, so she turned to address Ryoma.
"Imagine my feelings when Yuuta and Syuusuke tore into the house a half hour late for dinner – and worried that you disappeared!"
"I told them not to wait up," Ryoma said weakly. "You could have started without me." It was the wrong thing to say.
Natsumi made a strangled sort of scream and grabbed Ryoma by the shoulders. "This is not about being late for dinner! This is about your personal safety."
She tightened her grip, and Ryoma came to dazed sort of realization: Natsumi had been worried about him. He tried not to let his happiness show, but it had been a long time since his own mother had shown she cared. Ryoma met her gaze and tried to look contrite. "I didn't think – "
"A simple phonecall, Ryoma, would have fixed everything." She sighed and let him go, and everyone started breathing again. "You are only fourteen. Start acting like it."
"I'm sorry," Ryoma said honestly. "I promise I'll call next time."
"Family dinner starts at 6:00 sharp on Saturday nights," she reminded him, settling back into her chair. "Don't be late next time."
"Where were you?" Yuuta asked curiously, figuring he was allowed to speak again.
Everyone was waiting for an answer, and so Ryoma sighed and gave them one. "At the hospital."
Yuuta was taken aback. "Nanako isn't in Japan, is she?"
"I was visiting someone else," he said listlessly. He let them think that it was someone he'd met while visiting Nanako, because he didn't know how to explain (You know that boy who broke my wrist and then Fuji-senpai went and beat up? Well, I just wanted some closure or something. I don't know. Oh, that would go over splendidly).
Sensing his dark mood, Natsumi thoughtfully changed the subject to her work. She talked about some new physical therapy techniques for awhile, and then Hajime about his latest article, and then Yuuta about the final he'd bombed.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Hajime said. He went to the counter and returned with three official-looking manila envelopes. Yuuta caught sight of the St. Rudolph logo on one and immediately made a grab for it. Hajime, however, was quicker, and jerked them out of reach.
"This one says 'To the parent/guardian of Fuji Syuusuke'," Hajime teased. Ryoma thought his smirk looked very Fuji-like at that moment. "Well, I guess I should open it."
"Just give me mine!" Yuuta protested. "I'll tell you what my English grade is, but I just want to see it first!"
"'To the parent/guardian of Fuji Yuuta'," Hajime said, his smirk widening. "Bad luck, Yuuta, this one is also for me."
Yuuta successfully retrieved the last one. "Ne, Ryoma, we've got yours too! Dad, I'll trade you – " His success was short-lived, as Natsumi reached over and plucked the envelope from his grasp.
"'To the parent/guardian of Echizen Ryoma'," was all Natsumi said. "Hm…it's still for us."
"Yuuta, maybe you'll have to repeat freshmen English," Fuji said gleefully. He had somehow acquired his own envelope, and was in the process of opening it. "I offered to help, but no – "
"No teasing about grades, and that's final," Hajime said. "Yuuta, Ryoma, here are yours. No surprises, I hope."
"Depends on what you mean by surprises," Yuuta said glumly. "For instance, I'd love to be surprised by a passing English grade."
Ryoma turned his attention to his own envelope. The cover envelope was the same as it had been every year, and he discarded it quickly. Blah blah blah, it's the end of the year, your kid did fine, please continue the "Seigaku experience" in high school, etc. etc…
Flipping to the next page, Ryoma was surprised to see his grades were damn near perfect. Even after all that had happened…well, the teachers must have cut him some slack. He noted with some satisfaction his science overall was a 96.6%. So there, Maeda-sensei. Perfect 100% in English, 99.8% in gym, 97.9% in Japanese history…the lowest grade he had was a 94.6% in math. How did that happen?
"Syuusuke, I'm so proud of you!" Natsumi exclaimed. She swooped down to kiss her middle child on the cheek, and Syuusuke accepted it with a sideways smirk at Yuuta.
"And Yuuta, you too! A C+ in English is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact – "
"Not as good as Syuusuke," Yuuta muttered.
"Oh, don't say that, dear! Look, you scored much higher than him in math." She cast a disgruntled look at Fuji. "Syuusuke, you really must learn respect. She took off five percent for your attitude."
"An overall 97.7% in English," Syuusuke said smugly, ignoring his mother's remark. "Is much, much higher than – "
"What did I say, Hajime interrupted, "about – "
"What did you get in English, Ryoma?" Yuuta cut in, looking eagerly towards the younger boy. "I know you're good at it – please tell me your overall was 98."
"Um, 100?" he said tentatively. He didn't quite believe it himself, because teachers were prone to taking off points for the smallest things – not dotting an I, not pausing after a comma, putting the stress on the wrong syllable. Even Ryoma, as a native speaker, had to be careful.
"What?!" Yuuta screamed out, jerking the paper towards him. "Oh, I don't believe it, you actually beat aniki in his best subject! By over 2% - this is gold!"
Ryoma chanced a look at Fuji, who only looked highly, highly amused.
"Wait just a minute," Hajime cut in. "You're being very rude – "
Yuuta ignored him, still gloating over Ryoma's superior grade. "I'll buy you Ponta for the rest of the summer if you'll let me frame this. And hang it in his room! With little letters – mada mada dane – "
"Excuse me, I'll be doing the framing in this house," Natsumi said, snatching the report card out of Yuuta's hands.
"Um, the middle school finals aren't really that much," Ryoma tried. "Just little ones, to prepare us for high school. And I'm a native speaker, so it's not very hard."
"Modest, at a time like this?!" Natsumi suddenly shrieked, startling them all. "Ryoma, you're valedictorian!"
"What?"
"Seriously?"
"Oh, how brilliant!"
They all clustered around Ryoma's chair, as Natsumi handed the cover letter back to him. "See, right here, 'we are pleased to inform you that, because of his outstanding academic and athletic achievement, Echizen Ryoma has been awarded the position of valedictorian for the graduating class, Seigaku' oh, blah blah blah," Natsumi finished, beaming. "Just like Syuusuke."
"All the smart people are in the tennis club," Yuuta clarified. "When he graduated, aniki was valedictorian 'cause he beat out Tezuka-senpai by 0.01%. Just to piss him off, I think."
"Not important," Fuji said, a wide smile on his face. "Ryoma, this is really great. The colleges will come after you any day now."
Ryoma blushed and ducked his head at their praise, feeling woefully shocked and unprepared for the third time that day. Winning Nationals and Yamada and now this…it was a bit overwhelming. He should probably call his parents, but the thought of them made his stomach lurch. It was irrational, but he felt like they would have more bad news. Just a little while longer, and then he would.
Sighing, Ryoma pushed them out of his mind and turned his attention back to the envelope. The third page held the details of the graduation ceremony and two tickets…one for each parents. Ugh. He thought of an auditorium full of friends and family, but none of it for him. Everyone would look at those seats and then at him, sympathetic and disgusting as he tried to graduate on his own…
"Front row seats," Natsumi said happily. "But only two tickets...yes, Syuusuke, you may go…if that's alright with Ryoma, of course." She looked up at Ryoma, remembering the reason for the two ticket rule. "Will your parents…"
"Probably not," he said, but the thought suddenly didn't seem to bother him. He could easily picture his second family (as he now thought of them) cheering him on. He wouldn't have to be alone after all.
"I want to go to," Yuuta announced. "Ryoma, don't let that Momoshiro hear about this or he'll come after you. And I bet that Kikumaru-senpai will throw a fit. So just me and aniki."
"But I know your mother and I wanted…" Hajime said, and sighed. "Ryoma, you know it's your decision."
That said, Natsumi caught sight of the time and stood up. "Clean up! Ryoma, wash. Syuusuke, dry. And Yuuta – no, you do not get off for passing English. I don't care, Ryoma's valedictorian and he's doing his chores."
Yuuta shot his mother a dirty look as he stomped over to the broom closet. "Why don't you give aniki my share, since he lost to Ryoma in English?"
"Lost?!" Nastumi demanded, hands on hips. "Yuuta, for the last time, GRADES ARE NOT A COMPETITION!"
***
okay. so. meelikey this chapter. even the pointless humor at the end. sorry if ryoma as valedictorian is over the top...i just wanna make him give a speech.
yamada is my villain and he pwns at it.
next chapter (the last! ay dios mio!): ryoma talks to takashima, tezuka gets to be captain + celebration, eiji makes ryoma take a romance quiz (for no reasons relevant to the plot...well...fluff, i guess), ryoma graduates from middle school (it's about time, because writing about middle schoolers getting it on kind of squicks me out).
but it's not all happy sappy!!! there will be drama for everyone.
so maybe that won't fit into one chapter (i'm 2000 words in already and have gotten 10% of the stuff i want put in). but y'know. stay tuned.
again, much love to reviewers.