Chapter 54
The Perks of Golden Week
Why am I so UGLY?!
And SO insecure!
And SO stupid!
Huhu.
I hate myself!
And I hate Kate Miranda Kerr (Real Name, Age: Katherine Natasha Reynolds, 20.) She is no other than Tatsuya's first love! How can I compete with his FIRST LOVE when she taught him everything about LOVE! I just know she did. She is older, for god's sake! And rich too! She's apparently the daughter of some businessman that Tatsuya's parents are in-partner with. They've been in a relationship for more than a year when Tatsuya's 15 and she's 17. (source: Tatsuya)
Actually, I don't hate her. She's so gentle and kind. After she treated me with a drink last Sunday, she then treated all of us for a snack. How can you hate someone like that?!
That's why I hate Tatsuya. That jerk! I mean he could have at least told me about his ex-girlfriends! He doesn't have to wait for me to ask! (He actually did tell me about Kate the day I met her. Taiga and Alex must have told him). But then, he met with Kate and her friends last Wednesday without telling me! Actually, he told me AFTER they met since he wasn't expecting them at all. He assured me that there is nothing for me to worry about because they're just friends. Ack! Excuse me! I'm not worried...
I was JUST so jealous I shouted at him (over the phone) for the first time ever!
We had our first fight!
I hate being jealous. It's making me anxious and hurt inside.
I hate my ego. It made me ignore Tatsuya and I MISS him so much. I wanted to talk to him! I wanted to see him. And hug him. And kiss him. ARGGGG!
But I feel so ugly! And insecure! And stupid!
And petty! Why do I have to fight him over this!?
And now it's Golden Week!
We are going to be in a mountain for five days and I'll be too busy to even deal with this shit.
…
Travel Time: 6:00 am
Destination: Sugadaira Highlands, Nagano
Expected Arrival (via Bus): 8:30 am
Staff
Coach: Aida Riko (3rd year, Class A, Seat #1, Cook)
Assistant Coach: Aida Kagetora (Professional Sports Trainer)
Manager: Maya (2nd year, Class B, Seat #13, Assistant Cook)
Security: Nobu Tobemaru (Retired Policeman, Driver)
Mascot: Nigo (Pet)
Players
C
Kiyoshi Teppei (3rd year, Class C, Seat #8)
Rinnosuke Mitobe (3rd year, Class C, Seat #25)
Fukuda Hiroshi (1st year, Class A, Seat #7)
Inoue Seiya (1st year, Class B, Seat #9)
PG
Hyuuga Junpei (3rd year, Class A, Seat #8)
Izuki Shun (3rd year, Class A, Seat #10)
Kuroko Tetsuya (2nd year, Class B, Seat #11)
Suzuka Noa (2nd year, Class D, Seat #20)
Furihata Koki (2nd year, Class A, Seat #9)
Hoshino Tadashi (1st year, Class D, Seat #5)
Morioka Riku (1st year, Class E, Seat #15)
PF
Tsuchida Satoshi (3rd year, Class B, Seat #19)
Kagami Taiga (2nd year, Class B, Seat #10)
Fujita Maki (1st year, Class A, Seat #8)
Kajiyama Kanta (1st year, Class E, Seat #10)
Suga Daichi (1st year, Class A, Seat #22)
SF
Koganei Shinji (3rd year, Class C, Seat #11)
Kawahara Koichi (2nd year, Class A, Seat #13)
Tanaka Ao (1st year, Class E, Seat #23)
Watanabe Kouta (1st year, Class B, Seat #32)
Fujimoto Kanya (1st year, Class A, Seat #16)
Schedule
May 3: TRAINING
May 4: TRAINING
May 5: TRAINING
May 6: TRAINING
May 7: TRAINING
…
I should be happy that the SC finally increased our club fund BUT as the manager, I have to see to it that everything is provided for 25 people and a dog. That's too much! Luckily, Dad knows someone who owns a sports complex in Nagano and I was able to arrange a last-minute reservation for our training camp. A sports complex doesn't really require extensive preparations since all the equipments are provided for. Unfortunately, it's located at the top of a mountain. Mountains make Aida-sempai and Papa Aida happy. They relish the hardships it brings and like to inflict it on others.
I'm not really excited about mountains. It lost its beauty when I cried my heart out last night – which I've been doing for the past week! My eyes are now permanently puffy and red. It swelled so much that it gave everyone a fright.
"Maya-senpai, are you all right?!" Fujita-kun (Eight-pack Abs #2) worriedly asked.
"All right?!" I sniffed, on the verge of crying again. How can I be all right!? I fought with my one true love and now he's NOT even attempting to contact me!
"Hoho! Did your boyfriend finally break… mpfh!" Suzuka wasn't able to finish because Taiga punch him in the stomach dragging him away from me. Tetsu did the same with Fujita-kun before I could properly answer him.
Teppei-nii appeared and praised me for reserving the sport complex in Nagano.
"Usually, the Nagano prefecture is full all year round for training camps. It's impossible to get a reservation." He said. I looked at him unbelievingly. He's actually now making sense!
"Dad knows the owner. At the end of the day, it's all about connections." I said.
Izuki-sempai nodded his head in agreement. He's the previous treasurer so he knows the pain of arranging trips like this.
"And hopefully nothing happens like that of the last time." Hyuuga-sempai said.
The juniors and seniors closed their eyes as they recall the summer camp last year. Everyone shuddered. The freshmen demanded the story and so Koga-sempai took the lead with Tetsu and Taiga adding bits and pieces of the story.
"I expect you all to be serious in the next five days. All we are going to do is to practice!" Aida-sempai stated.
"Hai, onegaishimasu!" The members answered energetically.
"Yosh! That's the spirit!" Papa Aida remarked.
"Also, we will be sharing the place with another school so mind your behaviors." Aida-sempai added and looked at me for further explanation.
"Actually, they will be sharing the place with us." I corrected. "They reserved the entire sports complex but the owner was able to get a permission for us to share the facilities since they will not be able to use everything anyway." I said.
"Hm. Hopefully it will be a basketball club. If we are lucky, they'll allow us to have practice matches with them." Aida-sempai said.
After two-hours and thirty-three minutes, we finally arrived at the base of the mountain. Spring is almost over but ice is still everywhere. To everyone's (with the exception of the staff) surprise, Nobu-san parked the bus instead of continuing at the top.
"Oh, no." Hyuuga-sempai paled. The third years gulped ominously. I credit that to past experiences.
"Oh, yes! Take all your stuff and get out of the vehicle!" Aida-sempai instructed. Everyone did as what they were told.
Shining brightly at the players in an akimbo, Aida-sempai finally dropped the bomb.
"There's a mountain trail over there that leads to the top. With all your belongings, I want you all to follow it." She pointed at the steep and dangerous looking path.
"What?!" The freshmen were the first one to complain.
"The average time to complete it is thirty-minutes." Aida-sempai continued.
"WHATTTT!" Everyone complained. Aida-sempai grinned wider.
"Heehee! Welcome to the Seirin's Golden Week Training Camp." Aida-sempai declared.
"Don't worry boys, I'll be with you!" Papa Aida's eyes glowed red as he smiled evilly. He was carrying a large duffel bag. The last time I checked it's filled with all sorts of equipment, including but not limited to the following: guns, rocket launchers, bombs and fireworks. We used the club fund to buy those stuff. The boys backed-away from Papa Aida for safety.
I gave Taiga the responsibility of taking care of Nigo since he will be coming with them.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Taiga shouted.
"YES! You're the only one who has been neglecting his duties to take care of him and you are hurting his feelings!" I shouted back.
"He's a dog!" He roared in protest.
I scowled at him. He took the leash grumbling at the unfairness of it all.
I handed Tetsu the first-aid kit. It's pretty heavy and big compared to the normal ones. He took it hesitantly.
"Is this really necessary?
"It might not be enough. But be safe anyway!" I said.
The Seirin Basketball Club members gasped their last breath as Papa Aida laughed eerily in the background.
And thus the training camp commences.
…
Aida-sempai and I rode a mini-van to transport the food that Aida-sempai planned to cook at the top of the mountain. It's supposed to be the boys' prize in completing the first part of the training but we all know it's more of a torture. We reached the top in merely ten minutes. And the whole time, I heard screams of anguish and pain coming from the mountain trail. I'm serious! When I looked, I saw flashes of explosions and clouds of smoke. It's really a wonder that we are not getting sued about it.
I WANTED to be worried for their welfare but at the moment, all I care about was the absence of any call or messages from Tatsuya. I almost crushed my iPhone into pieces. Arg! The jerk!
I told Aida-sempai about Tatsuya and Kate. I REALLY have to tell someone or I'll go insane! Besides, female camaraderie dictates it.
I was expecting some kind of encouragement from my senpai BUT no!
She snorted at me instead!
SNORTED at me!
UUUGGGGH!
The sports complex is a state-of-the-art facility for athletes. The area covers the whole mountain so there's a lot of means to train the guys. It will also not be a problem to share the place with another school.
I immediately looked at the notice board in front of the building to see what school was so selfish to reserve the whole place to them. I blinked twice just for good measure and hoped that I read it wrong.
I read it just fine. I'll surely pass my Japanese next time. I'm now really good at it!
Lo and behold, it's the school that holds the number one spot in the country – the Rakuzan High School Basketball Club.
I did what I thought I should do.
I screamed.
"What is it!?" Aida-sempai and Nobu-san hurried to my side. They looked where I was looking.
While Nobu-san stared in confusion, Aida-sempai choked.
When we regained our senses, Aida-sempai laughed hysterically. She finally lost her freaking mind.
"Aida-sempai?" I looked at her worriedly.
"I think this is a golden chance for us to take the crown away from them." Those are big words. Aida-sempai went back to the car looking cool and everything.
I gulped.
I'm having the same foreboding feeling I had during our summer camp last year with the Shuutoku guys.
…
Aida-sempai is unbelievably cruel.
She called her Dad to tell him to extend their trekking for another thirty minutes because she wasn't done with whatever she was cooking. She should have told Papa Aida to kill the boys. I lost any hope that they will arrive at the top of the mountains.
I was in the kitchen waiting for Aida-sempai to ask me to help her with the foods so that I could snort at her, but the request never came. I was left looking at my phone instead waiting for Tatsuya's name to appear on the screen. It never came. I started to make whimpering, heart-wrenching sounds. Why is he doing this!? I haven't attempted to contact him just the same but as THE boyfriend, he should text/call me first EVEN if it's my fault. He should know! He had two girlfriends before!
"Maya! If you are going to cry do it outside!" Aida-sempai admonished.
"But I'm here to help you cook." I whined.
"Thank you but I don't need any help."
See. Unbelievably cruel.
I took a box of Gatorade before I got out of the kitchen and waited for the boys outside. I do care for them. I'm pretty sure that they're going to remember this day when I gave them the elixir of life. Fufufu!
I just came out and haven't even put the box down when three mini-buses and a car arrived. The Rakuzan HS Basketball Team finally arrived. With their number, they could seriously fill-up a small village.
One by one, they walked out of the vehicles wearing their sky blue and white jerseys. They really lived up to their reputation - looking nothing but the number one basketball team. My eyes automatically searched for Akashi Seijurou since he's the only one I know. He's actually easy to find. I immediately identified Akashi since he's all but supremacy and all that stuff going on with him. Our eyes met and I grinned. I would have waved my hands too except that I was still holding the box. It's also a good thing that I hadn't because instead of smiling back, he squinted at me in confusion.
I wanted to poke his eyes right then and there. The nerve! We've spent our winter break together (err, you know) and he's acting like he didn't know me! I mean, my eyes weren't that swollen to disfigure my face!
I was in front of the entrance so he has no choice but to walk towards me.
"Hey!" I called, frowning. Several heads turned to me but I only looked at Akashi.
"Do I know you?" He said irritatingly.
I glowered at him. "Haha, very funny."
He was startled at first and then his eyes got big. "Maya?!"
He sounded so shocked I shoved him the box in my annoyance.
Okay, it's my arms. They were starting to have cramps. I'm so weak.
And ugly.
And insecure.
And petty.
And loveless.
I hate my life.
He looked at the box, now in his hands and then he glared at me. I tilted my chin in challenge.
"What happened to your eyes?" He asked.
I gasped.
Akashi Seijurou is unbelievably rude.
to be continued.
