"Yes mam, but I really think my friend would-"
"I don't have this kind of time to talk around with you missy, good-bye!" The coaches office door shut with an echoing boom. An orange haired beauty stood speechless, and infuriated. Ayu was simply trying to ask why Takusa didn't make the team, and was rudely ignored by the office assitant to the athletic department.
"Doesn't that lady have any manners? UGH!" Ayu began to storm off. She then felt like she had run into a solid brick wall, and fell to the cold school floor.
"Urrrrrgghgh, oh gosh! I'm so sorry! I didn't see where I was-" She gasped at the sight. It was no wall she ran into. It was Tamaru… She froze for a minute, but cleared her head very quick.
"Hey, you're Murigami's little buddy arent you?" Tamaru said, offering her a hand to get up. She refused it and jumped up in an instant. Turning her head and refusing to look at him. She was a little intimidated when he spoke to her, but she held her emotions in.
"What's it to you? Leave me alone…" Ayu started to slide off, but her arm was yanked, and it pulled her back in close to Tamaru! Ayu began to panic. People were watching, wispering, and pointing; she couldn't handle all the attention she was getting, and she retaliated with a tactic her mother taught her how to do.
"Nooo, you PERVERT!" Ayu took her fist and slammed it right under the boys chin. He toppled over, holding his jaw and eventually fell to the ground. A nice, clean hit.
"AGHGAH! Wait come back! Ughh…" Ayu ran for her life. She wasn't in any real danger. She just HAD to tell her best friend what had just happened to her…
"What is up with girls this year? They're all psycho!" Tamaru said rubbing his chin. He realized that many people were gathering around him wondering why an underclass girl punch him, the soccer team captain and hottie of the school, in the face…
Ten minutes before class officially started for all third years, Tamaru had walked in with a bandage and tape on the bottom of his chin. Ayu had done some serious damage, and of course, Mayu and Konoha were all over him. They got teary eyed and asked a multitude of questions. Takusa was informed what had happen just moments before by Ayu, who had come from the first year hall from the other side of the school to warn her. Takusa hugged Ayu and apologized for Tamaru's behavior. Ayu just smiled and gave her a hug, then ran back to class. At that moment, Takusa wouldn't even move from the position she was sitting in. Konoha noticed her demeanor and got a little irritated. She knew he had done something… it was extremely awkward due to the fact that they were the only four people in the room. Takusa had sensed this, and walked out to another class to chat with a track girl. Konoha took this opportunity to question the boy.
"What's up with her Tama? Hmm? This has you written ALL over it!" Konoha grabbed his shirt collar and lifted him to his feet. Mayu came up to him, smacking a ruler in her hands.
"You didn't ask her did you?" Mayu said smacking it one last time, very loudly.
"…..I had to find something ou-AGAHAGHAG!"
"YOU IDIOT!" Tamaru had been kicked out of his chair with twice the power. The blondes pummeled him to the ground, with all of his books, and his desk very close by. "Why'd you have to go and do that? We told you we would do all the talking!" Konoha was infuriated. She wants to help Tamaru get Takusa back very badly; but him going and messing it up made her very mad.
"I know I just, had to talk to her myself…" Tamaru picked his stuff up very calmly. After he got things picked up, he sat at his desk, and his head laid down to rest. His morning had already been filled with too much commotion. The girls felt bad about knocking him over, and gave each other worry looks back and forth.
"Oh Tama…" The two said in sync. Just as they sat down, Takusa came back in, which caught Mayu and Konoha's attention. Takusa calmly walked over to her desk in front of the boy, and sat down. She opened her Algebra book, and began looking over her homework. Mayu and Konoha just stared at her. It was amazing to them how much she had changed. Tamaru's head did not move until the whole class was present in the room.
"I swear Taku-Chan! He cornered me! I had to punch him!" "Ayu! You dolt!" "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
The memory of Ayu scared, warning her about what Tamaru had done to her made Takusa mad. He dared to try and hurt the girl who is like my sister. She repeated this thought over and over. It really did bother her that he was trying everything to find out about Takuto, but his efforts were futile. Interrupting her thoughts, the class door swung open to reveal the light brown haired teacher. Mr. Souma walked over to his desk without saying a word. He was not smiling; relatively, he had no emotion whatsoever. Either something bad happened, something bad was going to happen, or he's joking. The class stood and said the school and national anthem. Then Mr. Souma silenced them to their seats.
"Alright class, settle down, I have an announcement." all of the students tensed up.
"There was a typing mishap for one of you students who tried out for a team yesterday. The person who was typing the team roster forgot to type in the captain's name." The class immediately turned their attention to the navy eyed girl in the back corner. Her classmates were smiling and silently clapping at her. She bit her bottom lip and smiled from her excitement.
"I am pleased to announce that the Girls Track Team Captain is none other than the lovely, Takusa Murigami!" The class immediately began to clap and cheer.
"Ah YEAH!" Takusa couldn't control herself. She stood up automatically and raised her hands to the ceiling and jumped for joy. For Tamaru, it was like she was in slow motion. She was stunning in every way to him. It was a moment of pure bliss for him to see her so ecstatic. He tuned everything else in the world out, and focused on her smile.
"Oh, wow, thanks so much! I've worked so hard for this title! I will do my best to lead the team!" She smiled and jumped in little circles. The class was infected with her happiness and began to sing and dance along with her. Konoha and Mayu both looked at her with soft smiles, making Takusa feel floaty and even more happy than before. Tamaru watched her every move until lunch, making sure he caught every angle of her face and every motion of her body.
"OOOOOOOOHHHHH I NEW IT, I NEW YOU WOULD TAKUSAAAAAAA!" Ayu leaped across the light pink lunch blanket that Takusa and herself were having lunch on. Takusa barely cought the 13 year old girl, and smiled as she recovered from the surprise attack.
"A-Ayu, Ayu, calm down…." Takusa patted the girls head as Ayu dug her face into her stomach. Takusa giggled and finally got her partially off of her.
"No I will not! My best friend is a captain! Yay!" Ayu grabbed her hands and shook them every way possible. Ayu climbed back to her side of the blanket and the two began to eat their lunches. Right as Takusa popped a huge fried shrimp into her mouth and began to chew it, Ayu asked a very funny question in a nonchalant way.
"So, is it okay that I punched your boy-friend?" She shoved a huge amount of rice into her mouth and shut her eyes. Her face was completely serious and very cutthroat.
"Yeah, it's totally fi- WHAAAAT?! He is not my boy-friend!" Takusa spit out the shirp and it flew off the blanket. She slammed her chopsticks down and almost threw her lunch box at Ayu!
"Tee-hee! Taku-Chan! Your blushing! Your as red as an apple!" Ayu pointed with her fork and began to laugh.
"No- no I am not!" Takusa turned her head and her long pony tailed followed the motion. Ayu began to chuckle and she covered her face, waving her free hand at Takusa.
"Now, now, there's no need to be stingy Mrs. Fujisaki…" Takusa pounced on the girl and began to mess up her hair. Ayu stopped resisting Takusa's gruff behavior and looked to her right. She gasped at the shadows that stood before her. Takusa let go of Ayu and put her hands to her mouth in shock. The figures that stood before them so beautifully and elegantly were none other than Mayu, and Konoha.
"Uh, hi Murigami-San, do you mind if we, umm." Konoha pushed Mayu to the side a little bit.
"Do you mind if we sit here with you and your friend today?" Konoha said with a piercing face. She was neither smiling, nor frowning. It was almost like a neutral stare. "Uh, sure Ko- I mean, sure." Takusa caught her self before she called Konoha by her first name. The duo of blondes would have known automatically that she was Takuto. "Wow! Did you guys make all this yummy food by yourselves?!" Mayu squealed like a little child. She clapped her hands together and fell knees first onto the lunch blanket. Ayu giggled.
"Mayu! Be nice!" Konoha pounded her cousins head with her fist. But only lightly.
"Oh no, it's quite alright. Would you both like some? We make this much food so we both can have stuff for after practice." Ayu held up her bento box and Mayu's face lit up like a roman candle.
"Oh boy would I!" Mayu grabbed a pair of wooden disposable chopsticks and grabbed her favorite, an omelet.
"Have as much as you like!" Takusa smiled as she watched the two girls eat the food that she cooked. The four ate and chatted small talk for about 5 minutes. Then Mayu asked a very bold question.
"So, how is Taku-Chan doing?" Without even opining her eyes from eating. Konoha almost spit out her rice in shock.
"AH, MAYU!" Konoha yelled at Mayu after she finished her rice.
"What? I'm just asking." Mayu clenched herself and looked over to Takusa.
"He's good, great… But are you the two girls that were his good friends along with Fujisaki?" Takusa said. Of course she knew who they were, but she had to make herself invulnerable to them, and cover up the truth. Ayu just sat listening to the drama unfolding.
"Oh, yes we were! Very great friends! But, Murigami-San… y'see… I-"
"MAYU HAD A GINOURMOUS CRUSH ON YOUR BROTHER!" Konoha put her hand over Mayu's mouth before she could finish her sentance. Mayu squirmed to get out from her cousins grasp but it didn't work.
"MMMPHFGHGFH!" Mayu desperately tried to get her mouth freed to explain herself. Takusa was in total shock.
"Omigosh! Mayu had a crush on me!? Woowww…" Takusa's face was a little shade of pink from knowing this information.
"Oh, really? How much did you like him?" Takusa asked hesitantly.
"Y'no, I'll just say, the more time I spent with him, the more I grew to love him." Takusa jolted. The memory of the lunch that Ayu and Takusa shared that one day replayed in her head.
"Tee hee! I still love Tamaru with all my heart…But y'no, the more I'm near him, the more I grow to love him…"
Mayu clasped her hands and closed her eyes. "I loved him since the first day I saw him." "But Mayu, weren't you guys in the same class since like, kindergraten? Just until our second year of Junior High.?" Konoha finally piped up into the conversaton.
"Yes, but he didn't even pay attention to me, all he did was stay with Tamaru. He never even talked to girls like he did when he became best friends with us." Mayu looked up to the sky and thought hard.
"Oh…" Takusa was hurt by the sentence. She didn't realize she was hurting Mayu… and she didn't realize she spent so much time by Tamaru.
"Huh? What's wrong Murigami-San?" Mayu asked.
"Oh its nothing, I just thought my brother hung out with everyone." Takusa was becoming very interested in this conversation. She was finally getting to know her other self. And even though sometimes the traits he carried were bad at times, she was happy there were a lot of great things about Takuto she didn't realize herself.
"He was such a nice person," Konoha spoke up. "He was always calm, cool and collected," Takusa just gazed at her. "Yeah sure, he was sometimes a jerk, but he came around for me and Mayu…" Mayu smiled at her cousin. She then began to talk.
"Yes, your right, and he didn't know it but we both watched him for a long time, of course, after five years, Konoha went to Tamaru." Mayu sipped some of her tea.
"What? You liked Takuto too Hayase-San!?" Takusa jumped.
"NO, NO, NO! THAT'S NOT, WHAT I MEAN IS….Ughh…" Mayu began to talk again.
"Oh yes she did! She's such a nice cousin! When she learned that I liked him, she gave up on him for my sake!" Mayu patted Konoha and Konoha crossed her arms.
"No-NO I DIDN'T!" The four girls laughed and Takusa began to speak.
"Wow! I didn't know you girls are cousins! The beauty must run in the family!" Takusa politely said.
"Oh, thanks! But we are nothing compared to you Murigami-san! Your very pretty!" Mayu said.
"She's right, your way more than just a beautiful face Murigami-San. I heard you're outstanding at track and felid." Konoha asked slightly.
"Well, thanks!" Takusa smiled her pretty smile, then allthe attention was turned to Ayu.
"Your friend is very pretty too! You're a second year right?" Mayu asked as she looked at Ayu's auburn hair.
"Me?! You must be joking! I'm as ugly as a post!" Ayu was swinging her head back and forth very fast and protesting.
"NO! Your not!" Konoha retaliated.
"Yeah, don't put your self down like that!" Mayu and Konoha exclaimed. Konoha then got very funny and bold.
"Well of course you pretty, you and Mayu have practically the same name! People with the same pretty name are naturally pretty!" All the girls laughed at Konohas' sarcasm. The quartet was interrupted by the sudden sound of the lunch bell ringing.
"Oh? Well Senpai, I'll see you later!" ayu collected her things and began to hustle to the First years building. Mayu and Konoha were baffled.
"WHAAAAAT?!" The duo exclaimed while they stood up.
"SHE'S ONLY A FIRST YEAR?!" The blonde's looked at each other astonished.
"Yeah," Takusa is cleaning up the lunch residue. "You guys didn't know?" Takusa looked over to the girls and gave a rather silly look.
"NO! She looks so much older than a first year though… Almost all first yars are twelve right?" Konoha looked over to Mayu as she nodded her head in response.
"Well, she is older than a lot of first years." Takusa said folding the lunch blanket. "What?! What are you talking about Murigami-San?" Mayu asked.
"Well, when Ayu was a baby, she almost lost her life…" Takusa looked over to the two with a slight frown.
"WHAT?!" The blondes were taken by surprise by the statement. Takusa then continued.
"Ayu had a serious illness called Sarcoma, a cancerous tumor in her throat, and she had to be hospitalized to the point where she couldn't even talk…" Takusa stood up and held her head low.
"Oh…." Konoha said. Mayu and Konoha exchanged looks of worry. When Takusa noticed this, she smiled at them both. "Its okay you guys. Ayu's not the kind of person who begs for sympathy. She takes one step at a time and enjoys life to the fullest. She loves meeting new people, and the simple things she dreams about makes her day. So please, don't feel bad!" Takusa looked up to the sky and took a huge breathe of the fresh air.
"Ok, would you like to walk back to class with us Muriga-" Konoha started.
"Oh please, don't be so formal! You can call me Takusa if you like! I hate formalities." Then Takusa skipped off. Her long brown ponytail followed behind in the motions she was skipping. The cousins just stood there watching. Mayu finally snapped back to reality and said,
"Takusa… Takusa-Chan! Yep, that's what ima gonna call her!" Mayu then ran off after her, screaming her name.
"That silly Mayu…. You truly haven't given up on Takuto have you?" Konoha stood there and smiled, and listened to the wind flicking her hair against her uniform. A sense of nostalgia came over her, and tears began to fall.