Chapter Twenty-one.
There's a freak in all of us.
"You know, Kazuyoshi-kun is really adorable!" Koharu stated as he was looking up at the ceiling. "He's so cute, so gentle, and he seems very nice. He also smells nice. His eyes look pretty. He..."
It was the night before their next matches. The whole team was able to play only one game after getting a 'bye' for the first round. The sudden downpour of rain also stopped the games. After having a hearty dinner with Kazuyoshi and Miu, Shitenhouji tennis team retreated back to the inn where they were staying for the night. Everyone was already done taking a bath, and all were preparing for sleep. Koharu's futon was placed beside Kenya's, so the latter didn't really have much choice than to listen to Koharu's continuous expression of admiration to his bestfriend.
Kenya sighed.
Koharu pouted. "You're not listening, are you, Kenya?"
"Can't you just make up with Hitouji so that you'll stop bothering me?"
"No!" He shook his head. "Yuu-kun betrayed me for Kazuyoshi-kun. And that's unforgiveable!"
"If Kazuyoshi is the reason why you're splitting up with Hitouji, then why are you still so amazed with him? Shouldn't you be at least mad at him as well?"
Shiraishi entered the room with Koishikawa.
"Well, I can't help if he's cute." Koharu crossed his arms. "I think you totally agree with me, Kenya-kun."
Koishikawa blinked. "Who are you guys talking about?"
Koharu pointed a finger at the coffee-haired boy and teasingly said, "This guy's boyfriend."
Kenya blushed madly and put a frown on his face. "Th-that's not true!"
Shiraishi chuckled. "You two met only a few weeks ago, and now you're lovers? I didn't know your speed also applies to dating, Kenya?"
"Sh-Shiraishi?!"
"I'm just joking, just joking." He looked straight at his friend. "But, Kenya, it seems that you're really attached to Kazuyoshi-kun. It's as if you're not just his friend."
Koishikawa said, "Seriously, though, do you like Kazuyoshi-kun?"
The guy in question chuckled nervously. "There's no such thing, you guys. I'm perfectly straight and there is no way I'd fall for a guy as myself."
Everyone raised a brow.
"B-believe me! And why are we still discussing this? I thought we're done with this a few chapters ago?"
"Fine, fine." Koharu went back to arranging his own futon. "But, you know, I want to really know what's up with Kazuyoshi-kun that you became so attached to him."
"I-I said I don't swing that way!"
"Koharu-san simply stated that you're attached to Kazuyoshi-kun," Koishikawa explained, "It doesn't mean that you're gay."
"That's kind of curious, though," Shiraishi said, "Actually, I am thinking the same thing. I know that you've said over and over again, Kenya, that you're not romantically interested in Kazuyoshi-kun but still there's something about him that just keeps you interested with him."
"That's true." Koishikawa nods. "Even Miu noticed that there's something odd with Kenya's behaviour. Moreover, she even told me that there is something about Kazuyoshi-kun beyond that meets the eye.' Although, Miu isn't telling me how she thinks of him specifically."
"W-well..." Kenya looked at the ground. Facing the pressure of his teammates, he was forced to speak up. "... I kinda..." his voice becomes softer and softer. "... like Kazuyoshi-kun. After all, he listens really well and... he sympathizes with me."
Everyone blinked, staring at him. They couldn't believe that the pressure they gave him was enough to make the coffee-haired boy to confess.
"Pfft." Suddenly, Hikaru entered the room. He was laughing while everyone else have frowns on their faces. "Oshitari-senpai, your straightness has been bent now," he teased.
"Z-Zaizen! Shut it!" Kenya annoyingly replied. "You have no idea how conflicted I am now with my romantic preferences."
Koishikawa smiled. "It's not like anyone here would criticize you for that. We're your friends."
"That's right, Kenya." Shiraishi placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll support you for whoever you like." He turned to Hikaru. "Right, Zaizen?"
Hikaru frowned. "This is really getting cheesy."
"Moreover…" Shiraishi glanced at Koharu. "We were able to manage with a Koharu-Hitouji pair in our team. There's no way we wouldn't accept you."
"I think Zaizen's right." Kenya laughed. "This is getting way cheesier." He smiled. "Well, this is actually weird, y'know. Before Kazuyoshi-kun, I only liked girls. He's the first guy I... really liked."
Hikaru scratched his head. He is never the type to explicitly help people out, but this time he'd let this kind of attitude slide. "Senpai, I hate to say this but he just might like you back. Why not give it a shot?"
"T-that's gotta be a lie, right?!"
Yume calmly takes a sip from her coffee. "You know, that's the sixth time you said that." She is sitting across Fumiko inside a cafe. Seeing that the other girl won't stop insisting to know the whole story, she decides to spill the beans if there is no word to come out. An hour later she regrets the decision.
"But I just can't believe it!" Fumiko shrieks.
A deep breath. "Right." The queen is a lot noisier and overreacting than she had anticipated.
Fumiko blinks and leans over the table with her face coming closer to Yume's. "Maybe it's because you're so pretty that I started liking you?" She gasps. "Though, I don't really mind going out with girls, too."
"I'm straight, though. But good for you and your discovery of your bisexuality."
Fumiko sits back onto the couch and crosses her arms. "Why? Why do you choose to be seen as a guy? Did something happen in the past that led you to become a cross-dresser?"
Yume shakes her head. "Nothing. It is simply my passion to crossdress. Even my older brother does it."
The queen pouts in disappointment. "And here I am, thinking that there's some dramatic back story behind all this."
"Sorry to disappoint you, but there really is nothing."
"Hmm..."
"Hmm..."
The silence engulphs them. Fumiko clears her throat and pretends to look outside. "You know, the sun still hasn't set. I feel like doing something outside… maybe, watch a movie?"
"Are you inviting me out to a movie?"
She crosses her arms. "It's not like I need someone to watch with me. But, y'know, the live action of 'Heaven Warriors' is in the theaters."
"R-really?!" Yume smiles in excitement. "I want to watch it!"
'Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?'
Yume arrives to her house only to find that there's no one home. Zaki must have left for a while since the lights are still out. Fortunately, she has her own set of keys. She turns the lights on and closes the door gently. Upon entering the living room, a little piece of paper is seen on top of the living room table. She picks it up.
'Went to my Mom's for a break. Will be back tomorrow morning. Food is in the fridge. Just heat it up. Love, Zaki.'
She smiles. Zaki has always been there for her since she was young. They basically grew up together. Since they were living abroad, he barely goes home to visit his family in Japan. Their current stay in the country is an opportunity for Zaki to frequently visit his own family. After all, his parents are conveniently also in Osaka.
Yume stretches her arms upward, holding a breath and releasing it as she puts her arms down. "Well, this only means one thing: a ME TIME!"
She places her bag on the couch and rushes to the bathroom. After turning the faucet open, she gleefully removes her clothes. Wearing a wide grin on her face, Yume watches as the tub gets filled with water. She jumps into the tub even without washing beforehand.
"Aahhh... this is the life." Yume leans back and closes her eyes. She now rarely gets this kind of 'me time' after Zaki moved in. And this is one of those moments that she gets to relax and free her mind.
'...I want to spend those last few days more with you.'
"And he seems so serious then." She pouts and cuddles herself. "Does he really mean it?" She buries her face down into the water as she shrieks. After lifting her head, Yume gasps and catches her breath. She smiles.
"Oh, dear, am I starting to like Oshitari-san?" She slaps both sides of her cheeks. "Wait. He asked me if it's okay for him to call me by my first name. Isn't that an indication by Japanese standards that he wants to be closer to me?" A frown appears in her face. "If he becomes closer to me, can I also start calling him by his given name?" Yume stares at the water. "K-Kenya-san…?" Her cheeks turn red.
A realization suddenly hits her, however, and the smile fades. "But he'll never call me by my first name. He doesn't know that I'm not a guy, let alone my real name." She blinks. "Unless if I tell him. Can I do it?"
Ding dong.
Yume blinks. "Is that Zaki? He's here early. I thought he was visiting his parents."
Ding dong.
She steps out of the tub, reaching for a towel. Yume wraps it around her body and hurries to the door.
Ding dong.
"I thought you'll be home tom-" She opens the door and freezes upon seeing a guy whom she least expected to be there. It is not anyone from the Zaizen household and definitely not Zaki. "O-O-O..."
Equally surprised, Kenya's mouth gradually opens in awe at the sight of the girl before him who has similar facial features as his bestfriend. This person is wet and naked, only wrapped with a white towel that barely covers her thighs. He easily concludes that this girl has just come out of a bath. "K-Ka-K-Kaaa..." In confusion, he does not notice himself staring at the girl's breast cleavage. When his eyes avert to her face, his face turns redder upon noticing that the other is also madly blushing, looking at him as well.
He turns his head away. "Uhh...uhmm... K-Kazu- I mean, Yuki-kun, y-you d-drop this!" he shrieks as he shows a pair of earphones with his shaking hands.
"T-thank you!" Also shaking and looking away, Yume takes her earphones careful not to have any direct skin contact with him.
"..." Kenya takes a peek in her direction. He smells the scent she always carries around her, now only stronger – the smell of lavender, probably from soap. The male has always seen her as a gentle person, but he just notices how she seems far vulnerable than he usually views her. Especially that she currently has nothing else on her body but a towel. He averts his eyes away once again when he notices that his eyes are gradually moving below her chin and neck. His face heats up.
"..." Tears are welling up at the corner of her eyes. Yume certainly wants to tell him the truth, but she did not expect that the big revelation will come as early. She hasn't even explained anything yet. Her secret has been exposed and her clouded thoughts prevent her from thinking the next step. The only thing she needs to do is to explain.
"T-then, I-I'll be going now," Kenya says as he takes a step backward.
"T-t-t-tea!" she stutters.
"E-eh?" Kenya shyly turns to her. His face turns redder.
"Uhm, I'm...well... I'm going to prepare some tea if you want." She is still looking away. "Maybe, we can talk?" Her eyes dart to the ground.
"I-is it alright? Are there no one else home?"
Yume blushes. "He's out for tonight. I'll just finish taking a bath quickly."
Kenya's whole body freezes in tension. He takes a big gulp.
She looks at him shyly. "C-can you wait?"
Images are running inside his head. His imagination runs wild as he stiffly sits in the living room, waiting for the girl to come out of the bath. The television may be currently playing a few moving scenes, yet these are not enough to distract him from the thoughts.
'You! There's nowhere to go. Surrender now in the name of justice.'
'Justice? Stop playing the good cop now, will you? I already know your own sins'
"S-sorry. Did I keep you waiting for so long?" Yume enters the living room, holding a tray of tea and cookies. She sees Kenya's red face. "A-are you alright, Oshitari-san? Are you feeling hot? Do you want me to turn the air condition on?"
Kenya shakes his head frantically. "I-I'm fine!" He refuses to look at her in the face as his thoughts become louder.
Yume gently places the tray on the table and sits on a couch separate from his. "Uhmm..." she nervously chuckles as she scratches the back of her head. "I don't really know how to explain this, but..."
"Y-you... are you really a girl?"
She gulps and looks at the ground. "Yes. I am actually a crossdresser."
"B-but why?"
"Well, it's kind of a hobby. Actually, you can say that it kinda runs in the blood." She nervously chuckles at the little joke.
"Is there someone else who knows about this?"
"Just Zaizen-kun and you. And probably, Koharu-san and Hitouji-san." Yume bites her lips. "I'm sorry."
Kenya looks at her. His clouded thoughts suddenly clear. She is at the brink of tears. "Why are you apologizing?" He coolly chuckles. "You, idiot."
"I thought you would feel betrayed that I didn't say it earlier. That's why I-"
"No need for that." Kenya smiles. "You have your own reasons. Maybe I did feel bad that you did not tell me from the very start, but I don't think I am in a position to criticize you for your decisions."
She slowly lifts her head to look at him. Yume smiles. "Thank you."
'You kill my son! How dare you call yourself a cop?!'
'Madame, please calm down. This is a police station. We can talk things out here.'
'Talk things out here? When this guy killed my son?!'
"Well then..." He stands up as he sensed that there seems no more conversations to be reaped. "Now that we have settled this fine, I think I can go now."
"W-wait, you haven't touched your tea yet." Yume gasps. "Ah! I forgot that it's already dark. I'm sorry for keeping you too long. If you really have to go now, then you should probably go."
Kenya blinks. "Well, I can still stay." He approaches her and sits beside her. "If you want to talk, that is." He chuckles. "If you're not a guy, then is there a real name? Or is your name the same as the name I know?"
She blushes. "K-Kurumizawa Yume."
He has been watching her get bashful. Kenya feels a relief after knowing the truth since he does not have to be entirely confused about his romantic preferences. She looks best in her 'real image.' He gently smiles. "You're beautiful," he softly mumbles mindlessly.
"E-eh?"
"N-nothing." He shakes his head in embarrassment.
"Oh! I just remembered! How was the tournament?"
He scratches his head. "Well, we actually lost in the semi-finals."
"I'm sorry. You must feel so bad right now."
"I'm fine now, though." Kenya stares at her eyes. "I think you're more than enough to make me happy, Kurumizawa-san."
"What the hell? That's so cheesy." She shyly looks away from his stare. "And i-it's fine if you call me by my first name, K-Kenya-san."
'Kenya-san.' She just called him by his first name. His heart starts beating faster and his blood flows faster through his veins. "Y-Y-Yume-chan!" On impulse, he holds her shoulders and pushes her down on the couch.
Yume feels his breath lightly brushing her lips. She feels his heavy breathing as she feels the pace of her own speeding heartbeat. "Kenya…san?"
A few moments later, he finally snaps out and realizes that he had pinned her down on the couch with his face close to hers, his lips almost touching hers. He has been staring at her confused eyes. He immediately moves away and closes his eyes shut.
"What are you doing?" a confused Yume calmly asks.
"I-I'm sorry!" he pronounces, "I'm just an adolescent boy having these weird hormones!" After then, Kenya runs off outside the house.
Yume sits up. "W-what was that?"
~ End Chapter ~
