A Prickly Interaction
Cast:
Kiriya – Irizawa Kiriya – age 17
Randou Ichigo – Kiriya's friend – age 16
June, 2007
"How's it hanging, Our Ace?!"
From the moment he hears the other boy's voice, Kiriya tries to dodge, but it is too late. Within two seconds, the boy has his arm over Kiriya's shoulders in a gesture that looks -and is- entirely friendly, but which is also about as hard to escape as a quarter Nelson.
"I've asked you several times to call me by name," Kiriya responds.
"So? When we speak of Irizawa Kiriya, we are speaking of Our Ace, and when we speak of Our Ace, we mean Irizawa Kiriya! That's you, bro!"
"I am not your bro."
"So cold, brr! But maybe you'll warm up a bit when you see this." The boy pulls a small black notebook from his back pocket and waggles it in front of Kiriya's face.
"A Death Note?"
"The opposite, my friend! The very opposite! I have in this book the names, sizes, and hobbies of all the first year girls, ranked in order of hotness. It is the social calendar of the season, bro!"
"Hard pass."
"Pass?" The boy doesn't seem to believe what he's hearing, and his grip loosens enough for Kiriya to break free. "Dude, why? You ain't got a secret girlfriend, do you?"
"Between soccer and studying, I haven't got time for that sort of thing. Unlike the likes of you, I need an athletic scholarship and an academic scholarship if I'm going to get into a good university."
This gets the other boy good. He opens and shuts his mouth a few times without making any sound. After that, tears start streaming down his face.
"Dude! You really think I could get into a university?"