Hello, everyone !
I'm back with the thiry-fifth chapter !
I'm on roll ~
Enjoy :)
Disclaimer : I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL. IT BELONGS TO HIRO MASHIMA.
"Once, I fell deeply in love with a girl back when we were just a first year in junior high. I met her when my family went to our summer house for summer holiday. Both me and Lyon accidentally met her and we quickly became friends. I fell in love with her for the first sight. She was so beautiful, so cheerful, so enchanting. We became a couple a week after our first encounter."
"It turned out, she was a student from Blue Pegasus Junior High. Her name is Jenny Realight. I really really loved her. She made me so happy. My summer holiday had never been any better. I was so happy back then, just being together with her. I wished this relationship would never ends. And to my happiness, Jenny wished the same. Those three months of summer holiday was the best three months of my life."
"Or I thought that way at first. But I was wrong. Those three months maybe the best, but it was also the worst. Jenny broke up with me right when summer holiday ended. I didn't understand back then. I was so happy with her, she was so happy with me. The two of us enjoyed being together, so why did she want to end it? I asked her that, and her answer broke my heart into pieces."
"She told me she had never seen me as her boyfriend. She had one already, and all this time she was just looking at me as her friend. Nothing more. After I gave some more thought, I realized that we indeed had never become a couple. It was just my assumption. But even so, I was so broken heart."
Lucy stared at Gray who is taking a breath. She can't believe it! Gray had fallen in love once, and she didn't know about it?
"And then I realized something." Gray continues. His heart starts thumping louder right now, as he is approaching the one thing he knows Lucy ought to know. "I realized about you, Lucy. I realized how constant you are in my life, how you has always been by my side."
"And then, I thought.. I thought that.. It would be better if I fell in love with you to move on from Jenny."
Lucy widens her eyes.
Gray grabs Lucy's shoulder so she won't run away. Seeing her surprised look, now Gray feels scared to continue. But he knows he has to, so he did.
"I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't do that. I shouldn't fall in love with you just because I want to move on from Jenny. But, Lucy.. You remind me so much of her. Your cheerfulness, your smile, your kindness, your blond hair.. Everything about you reminds me about her, and I even thought.. I even thought to make you as her replacement."
Lucy loses her voice.
"But I was wrong, I know that." Gray's grab tightens. "I fell in love with you, and I had never thought that way anymore. I seriously love you Lucy, and I'm really sorry for ever think that way."
Lucy doesn't know how to react. Is this Gray's doubt that Lyon had told her?
"Lucy.."
Gray lets his hands down and looks at Lucy. His girlfriend is just staring back at him blankly.
All he has to do now is to wait. To wait Lucy to make her choice.
What Lucy does next surprised him. Gray thought Lucy will go away and leaves him once he told her. He thought Lucy will hate him for ever think that way. He thought Lucy will be pissed off with him. He thought Lucy will break up with him. He thought he will lose Lucy for good.
But she doesn't run away from him. She doesn't yell at him, and she doesn't look like she is upset with him. She isn't pissed off, and she doesn't break up with him. She doesn't leave him behind or hates him for it. Instead, she stands on her knees and wraps her hands around him. She tucks his head under her chin and she hugs him.
"Thanks for being honest with me, Gray."
"Have you told her?"
Gray closes his locker and turns his head to face his twin who is standing next to him. Gray immediately understands what Lyon is talking about. He nods.
"Yesterday?" Lyon asks again.
Gray nods again.
"How did she react?" Lyon asks.
"...Fine."
Lyon raises an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"She wasn't angry nor upset. She was fine with it." Gray answers.
"What?"
"She told me that since right now I chose her for who she is, the past didn't matter to her. She thanked me for being honest with her, and to give her the chance to try and love me more." Gray smiles.
Lyon sighs in relieve. "At least now the two of you has spoken about your doubts to each other."
Gray shrugs. "And we both are fine with it. We chose each other anyway."
"At least you two have sorted it out." Lyon pats his twin's shoulder.
Gray nods. "So clean your brain from the so called doubts in my relationship, dumbass."
Lyon hits Gray's head. "Watch your mouth you stupid sibling!"
Gray is about to hit his twin back when Natsu chooses the time to speak.
"Guys." he calls and all the members face him. He stands up from his seat and takes a good look to each of his team members. "We're here. In finals. And we're up against the same opponent like last year."
The members nod.
"I will ask you guys to do one thing for me." Natsu smiles encouragingly. "Give everything you have, play as the best as you can. Let's steal the cup this year!"
Roars and cheers are heard from Fairy Tail's room. Little do they know that a beautiful blonde girl is standing right in front of their room. She smiles as she hears the roars and cheers.
"Good luck everyone." Lucy murmurs. "Give your very best. Win this game, Natsu, Gray."
"Lu-chan, it's starting!" Levy squeals while grabbing Lucy's arm in excitement. Lucy simply nods and her heart is thumping out of nervous.
Seconds later, the two teams make its appearances.
Blue Pegasus enters first, and upon their appearance, the crowd goes crazy. Girls are squealing, some of them are screaming too.
"Hibiki-kun!"
"Eve!"
"Reeennn!"
"Go, Blue Pegasus! Go, Blue Pegasus!"
The three aces of the team—The Trimens—wave their hands and the crowd goes crazier. Right then, Fairy Tail enters the stadium.
The crowd also goes crazy and Lucy winces upon hearing her friends' screams.
"Natsu!"
"Go beat them, Fairy Tail!"
"Gray!"
"Lyoonn!"
"Sting!"
The Trimens look at Fairy Tail and smiles. "Well, well, we finally meet again." Hibiki says.
Natsu nods. "Be prepared. We're taking the title from you this year."
Hibiki smirks. "Let's see how good you are this year, Fairy Tail."
Blue Pegasus didn't become last year's champion for nothing. Even thouh The Trimens—Ren, Hibiki, and Eve—are such a lady's flaterer, they do have an amazing basketball skills.
Lucy watches with anxiety. It's nearing the end of the first half, and Fairy Tail is losing twenty points behind.
40 – 20.
"I can't believe that Blue Pegasus is so strong like this." Levy says.
"Now it makes sense why Quatro Cerberus lost yesterday." Erza adds. "Even with Bacchus on the field, I don't think the result will be different."
"What will they do then?" Levy asks in worry. "They are so determined to win!"
"They will win." Juvia nods. "Juvia believes in Gray-sama."
"Juvia's right." Erza agrees. "We have to believe in them. Fairy Tail won't let anyone who believes in them down."
The ten minutes is over and signals the end of the first half.
"Tell me how you are going to beat us when you guys are the same like last year." Hibiki mocks.
"We're not even starting yet and look how far you guys are behind us." Ren adds.
"Is this your so called determination? Some confidence you have there." Eve shakes his head in disbelieve.
Natsu grins and thrusts his fist forward. The other members also look back at Blue Pegasus and each one of them smirks.
"I'm all fired up."
Natsu's words turn back the tides. Right now, it's nearing the end of the third quarter, and Fairy Tail is leading.
46 – 50.
Hibiki realizes that on the first half, Fairy Tail play half-heartedly on purpose. They are saving their energy to play all out on the second half. Hibiki mentally curses for not realizing it any sooner.
"Ren! Block Gray!" Hibiki shouts.
Ren quickly blocks Gray though Gray passes to Lyon in an incredible speed. Lyon wastes no time and shoots in a three point.
46 – 53.
Another thing that Hibiki realizes. This year, Fairy Tail has something which they didn't have last year.
A magnificent teamwork.
They can pass to anyone without having an eye contact with them. Even if they had, it would only for a split second. Without a transparent eye contact, Blue Pegasus can't figure out whether it will be a pass or a shoot. It is as if each five of them can communicate through telepathy.
Natsu fakes a pass and dribbles through Eve. Eve runs back immediately and guards Natsu instantly. The Fairy Tail captain doesn't waste any time and passes to Sting, keeping his eye contact locked with Eve's. Sting shoots a lay up, and right on cue, the third quarter is over.
Fairy Tail keeps the lead.
46 – 55.
Blue Pegasus is 9 points behind. However, knowing them, 9 points behind is nothing. With Hibiki's accurate pass and Ren's agility and also Eve's stealing, Blue Pegasus will catch up in no time. Fairy Tail needs to widen the gap more.
"We need to widen it some more." Natsu says. "We're in trouble if we can't do it."
"How many do you want, Natsu?" Lyon asks.
"Around twenty." Natsu says.
"Should we use the tactic again like when we're fighting against Sabertooth?" Elfman asks.
Natsu stops to think for a while. "Let's change the order." he nods. "Lyon, you're the point guard. Sting, you're the shooting guard. Elfman, I'll have you stay as the center."
"Whoa, hold on!" Sting says and points at himself. "I'm the shooting guard? But my shooting rates is average!"
"Better than me, at least." Natsu grins. "I'll be the small forward, and I'll have Gray as the power forward."
"Natsu, I'm not confident here!" Lyon panics. "I've never been a point guard before!"
"Don't worry, just play as the usual." Natsu grins back. "We've practiced this position a lot, so I'm sure you guys will be just fine!"
"But about my skills.." Sting trailed off.
Natsu pats his shoulders and gives an encouraging grin. "You will be fine, Sting. Trust me. We can win this game and we will win this game."
Blue Pegasus stares in disbelieve when the bell rings. The second half is over and they can't believe the results.
Fairy Tail wins.
74 – 75.
Natsu's buzzer beater beat them.
"We.. Lost.." Eve says.
"Natsu got us." Ren smiles disappointingly.
Hibiki snaps from his disbelieve and smiles sincerely. "They really won, huh. They've gotten stronger."
"Let's congratulate them." Ren says and walks towards the celebrating Fairy Tail. He pats Eve's shoulder who is still can't believe the results. "Let's go, Eve."
"WE WON! WE WON!" Fairy Tail roars.
"Congratulation guys." Hibiki butts in. The members all let go their hugs and face Hibiki. Natsu grins at him.
"Told you we'll take the title from you this year!" Natsu says.
Hibiki smirks. "We'll take it back next year."
Natsu thrusts his fist forward. "Let's see about that!"
Hibiki also thrusts his fist forward, bumping it softly to Natsu's. "We'll meet again next year, Fairy Tail."
Natsu nods his head in high spirit. Just then, an announcement comes.
"Attention to all the teams who participated in this year's Winter Cup. To the winner of this year's Winter Cup, Fairy Tail High School, a gift has been prepared for the best player in the team. It has been agreed from the start, that the MVP of the winner's team will be send to America to study basketball for a year there. And the MVP from Fairy Tail High School goes to... NATSU DRAGNEEL."
Cheers and roars are heard upon hearing the announcement. Natsu is being thrown into the sky by his teammates. While the captain can't get rid of his enthusiastic grin.
America! He's going to America!
Done !
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