Chapter 36.
Yukimura thought he would never stop smiling. He was beyond ecstatic. He felt like he could take on anyone and win. He felt like he could fly, like he could walk on water, like he was on top of the world. Even when Sanada opened his locker and lizards scampered out, Yukimura was still smiling and oblivious to the world around him (and the lizards). It was the best feeling ever, he decided, knowing that she was his and no one else's.
Yukimura opened his locker, humming that song his mother used to sing to him. He didn't even notice his vice-captain walking up to him, slightly shaken.
"Seiichi, Niou is trying to kill me," Sanada said. "And apparently the first years are afraid of reptiles."
"Sorry, Genchirou, what was that?" Yukimura asked.
"Seiichi," Yanagi said as he walked up to the two, holing a lizard in his hand, "what exactly happened yesterday? You texted me last night saying you had a wonderful day, but refused to say anything else."
"Koga-chan and I are going to the aquarium this weekend," Yukimura said with a bright smile. "After the awkward does-this-mean-we're-going-out?-talk we made plans for Saturday. She's coming to afternoon practice again. Why are you holding a lizard?"
"You're dating her?" Sanada asked in a tone that Yukimura couldn't quite put his finger on.
"Well, not officially. We're just going on a date. How many dates does it take to be official?" Yukimura asked, looking at Yanagi. "Again, why are you holding a lizard?"
"You're only official once you're on facebook, according to Niou," Yanagi said. The lizard was squirming in his hand. "However, I do not believe there is a set number. It depends on the people."
"Speaking of Niou, he put lizards in my locker," Sanada said, finally answering Yukimura's question. The vice-captain felt something hit his ankle and looked down. A lizard was on his shoe, its tail rubbing against his ankle. It was scaly and cold and gross. Sanada shook it off. "Seiichi, we can talk about Koga-chan later. Can you please do something about the lizards?"
"How many ran out?" Yukimura asked curiously.
"Six," Yanagi said. "Niou is running sixty laps, ten for each lizard."
"And how many have been caught?" Yukimura asked.
Yanagi held the one in his hand up a little higher. "One. Oh, and it had a note. Genchirou, it's for you. At least, I'm assuming it is because the lizards were in your locker."
Yanagi reached into his pocket with his free hand and handed Sanada slip of paper. It had been tied around the lizard. Sanada unfolded it, reading the note over. He swallowed hard. "'Prank War IV has begun,'" he read.
Yukimura's smile might have faltered at that moment, but it returned full force when he saw that Koga had texted him. Even the Trickster and his lizards couldn't dampen his mood.
.
Everyone from the tennis club was forced to stay inside the locker room until they gathered the lizards. They put them in a cage they found in Niou's locker. When they arrived late to class with the excuse our-crazy-senpai-put-lizards-in-a-locker, the teachers were certain there was some new drug craze. Yukimura went to every single classroom and apologized during lunch. When he stuck his head into Koga's room to explain, he ended up talking to her for ten minutes. In the end, he had to go to the main office so attendance records could be fixed.
Afternoon practice couldn't come soon enough. As Yukimura walked by the courts with Yanagi and Sanada, he saw Koga sitting on the hill, playing a game on her phone. The captain called her name and she looked up, waving at him. He waved back.
He changed as quickly as he could. He ended up with his shorts on backwards twice, which he didn't even think was possible. He jogged out of the locker room, heading straight over towards Koga. He sat next to her, kissing her on the cheek.
"Senpai," she said softly, "isn't that practically screaming that we're – you know?"
"Does it bother you if people know?" Yukimura asked. "If so, we might have a bit of a problem."
She shrugged slightly. "Not really. I'm just – Well, I've only dated one other guy and that didn't last long. I'm just not used to this sort of thing. It's kinda embarrassing, kissing in public and stuff."
"No PDA?"
"No PDA."
"Duly noted," Yukimura said with a nod. She smiled, wondering when she last heard someone use that phrase. She wasn't even sure if she had heard anyone use that phrase outside of a movie before. A moment later, Yukimura added, "You can drop the 'senpai.'"
She nodded and pulled her knees into her chest. "Alright, Yukimura."
.
"She's distracting him," Sanada said as he jogged alongside Yanagi. "He hardly practices as it is, and now he doesn't do anything."
"Genchirou, think of it this way: Seiichi is a selfish person and dating someone like Koga-chan will be good for him," Yanagi reasoned. "He'll begin to practice once we begin matches. However, until that time, I think it's best to let him be happy. He hasn't smiled that way in months."
"I suppose," Sanada murmured. "He's going to be a wreck when they end it."
"We should stop talking about this. It's rude," Yanagi said. Sanada nodded once. Niou ran past and Sanada stiffened. "Genchirou, are you afraid of Niou?"
"He declared war, Renji," Sanada said in a very serious tone. "I can't let my guard down."
Yanagi smiled slightly. "You sound like Tezuka."
"I understand why he says it."
They continued their laps in silence. Occasionally, Niou would run by. Sanada figured he got a kick out of torturing him. Niou always had a weird, twisted sense of humor that Sanada never understood.
"I'm leaning towards going to Italy," Yanagi admitted, breaking the silence. It took Sanada a moment to realize what Yanagi was talking about. "I haven't told Seiichi. I don't plan to tell Seiichi."
"But you still haven't made a finalized decision about the study abroad program?"
"No. Though the more I look into it, the more I like the idea. I was exaggerating about it affecting my family. We're fairly well off, and the program pays for almost everything besides food, which the school provides."
"I see..."
"The language program really is amazing." Yanagi sighed heavily, something he rarely did, let alone during laps where anyone could see. "Seiichi changes the subject whenever I bring up Italy. He told me he didn't want me to go and refused to say anything else."
"You know how he is," Sanada said. To anyone else, it would have been a vague statement. To them, it was crystal clear.
"I know." Yanagi sped up slightly, finishing up his last five laps. Sanada sped up as well, listening as Yanagi continued. "He's just been more distant than usual it seems. I think it's his form of mental preparation for leaving high school. He's mentally stressed."
"He has tennis. He has Koga-chan. Obviously he's fine."
There was a hint of bitterness in his voice that took Yanagi off guard.
"He has you. He's your best friend," Yanagi said. Sanada opened his mouth to say that they were both his best friends, but Yanagi kept talking. "Yes, I am his friend. However, I know you two are closer. You're there for him in a way that I can't be. Close friendships aren't my forte."
"They're not mine either."
"Yes, but you have seen Seiichi at his worst. It was you who he called after his mother's death, not me. You're his vice-captain. You're the one who sat with him the night before his surgery. He trusts you more than he does me."
Sanada wanted to believe Yanagi's words, but he didn't. Yukimura was cold, distant. As far as Sanada was concerned, Yukimura didn't give a damn about him.
They finished their laps in silence.
A/N: Any guesses on what's wrong with Sanada? (No, it's not love.) I've been hinting (screaming) that something is wrong for quite some time. I'm curious, what do you guys think?
Anonymous reviewer: I'm glad you like the story and the humor. This story does have some more serious plot lines (Kirihara and Sanada), but those don't start/finish until around chapter 50. Koga sticks around for a bit, and Yukimura's always a bit of a softie around her :)
T/N: Sanada and the lizards ahaha! And I really love Yanagi's characterization. He's such a boss. XD