Sumire glanced back and realized that Sendoh was no longer following her. Taking this chance, she quickly slipped off behind a large pole on the inner side of the sidewalk. Good riddance. She thought as she exhaled in relief. But then, her curiosity got to her, and she peered from behind the pole to see what was going on.

She saw the girl. A pretty girl, yes. Just a little bit taller than herself. A delicate-looking girl with rosy cheeks and round expressive eyes. But she looked extremely uneasy, and troubled by something.

What is it?

And by just one look on Sendoh's face, Sumire knew immediately that the something must have been a history between them. And something inside her heart melted as she looked at him. Somehow she could never pictured him with a heartbroken expression on his face. Somehow he just didn't seem to be the kind of guy who gets hurt by the girl. He's supposed to be the heartbreaker, isn't he?

So the other guy must be…

Eh? Mitsui Hisashi?

* * *

"Ah, Mitsui." Sendoh finally regained his composure and spoke. "How are you?" he said again as he forced a smile.

"Genki da." Mitsui replied casually with a friendly smile. "And you?"

Horrible. A wreck. An absolute mess. A state of utter deterioration. "Couldn't have been better…" Sendoh replied as he glanced at Chie. Please don't look at me like that, Chie.

There was an awkward silence for a moment. Neither any of the three knew what else must be said or done. They were in a very awkward situation. Sendoh knew it. Chie knew it. And Mitsui most certainly knew it as well.

"Aa… Akira-san…" Chie finally started to speak again.

"Akira-kuuuuuun!" But suddenly a melodious voice called out behind Sendoh, and before he could turn around to see who it was, she had already pounced on him and hooked herself on his arm.

His eyes widened when he saw it was Sumire, and his face reddened when she coiled her arms around him affectionately. "Su… Sumire…!"

What on earth is she…

"What are you doing? Hayakute yo… the movie is about to start!" she winked to him as she spoke, then pulled on his arm and started dragging him away. "Sumimasen!" she smiled cheerfully at the two that looked somewhat… dumbfounded. "But I need to steal him away from you, all right? Nee… ja ne!"

"Oh… hai…" a still astonished Mitsui replied. "Ja… ne…" he said again, still dumbfounded as the two of them watch Sendoh being dragged away by the mysterious girl who they've never seen before.

* * *

"How ironic." Sumire started to speak after a long stretch silence as they sat down on a park bench. She didn't even pay attention as to how she had ended up there, sitting silently next to him. "You, of all people, being so silent. Where did all your wise words disappe…" she promptly stopped her words when she noticed his fists clenching and… quivering.

This is definitely a side of Sendoh Akira she never expected to see, or expected to exist.

Her voice seemed to have shaken him from the bad dream. He looked at her, and what came was none other that a feeling of ease. Taking a deep breath, and as if his despair melted away with it, his whole body relaxed and he leaned back on the bench.

"That was god-awful stupid of me…" He finally said, throwing his head back.

And so Sumire started listening as he continued to speak. He spoke of the day he met Chie in their middle school days; the way she slowly, by each day, captured his heart more and more; the way her eyes would drown him into a pool of adoration; the day his emotions finally spilled out into an honest confession of love; the two years of utter bliss…

And finally, the day she entered high school. Not into his high school, but Shohoku.

Where she met Mitsui.

Sumire was completely astonished. She was completely wrong about Sendoh Akira. What was in front of her is no longer the mindless, conceited jerk anymore, but more of a faithful and sincere heartbroken young man who is completely capable of a monogamous relationship.

"So, what's your story?" he suddenly said, as he looked at her with that smile on his face.

"Nani?" Startled, she turned to stare at him with a 'what-is-that-supposed-to-mean' look.

"I've told you my story. Now let's hear yours."

I spoke too soon. She rolled her eyes, completely appalled, and she stood up just like that, ready to leave. But he grabbed her hand as stopped her.

"Wait." He said. "I haven't thanked you."

"For what?" she asked grimly as she pulled her hand off his grip.

"For listening, for being here, for pulling me out of that mess, the list goes on." Sendoh smiled.

She nodded, and proceeded to turn around to walk away.

"How about a game, Sumire-san?" he called out as she continued to walk away. "Just some good, clean fun! 5 PM at the court near Shohoku! I'll be waiting there, all right?" This is definitely a shot in the dark. Sendoh shook his head in ridicule at what he had just said. Then he watched her walk away and disappear at the corner of the path. She's definitely Rukawa Kaede's sister.

But it was odd for him, how her presence had put him at ease. And he really liked having her around him. Somehow, she always managed to put a smile on his face.

And so she left him there at the park. But somehow, she couldn't help smiling. And two hours later, her foot had brought her down to the designated court near Shohoku where Sendoh was waiting for her.

"Good clean fun, right?" Sumire said as she stepped into the court.

Startled by her presence, Sendoh lost his words for a moment. He really did not expect her to show up. But she did. And he smiled. "I promise." Sendoh replied, dribbling the ball in his hand.

"Just lay off the smart remarks. I hate it when you do that."

"Whatever you say, Your Highness." He said as he folded his arm in front of his abdomen and bowed down to her.

"Oh, just shut up and play already." She said, rolling her sleeves.

Sendoh tossed the ball to Sumire. "Hey, Sumire-san. Did I mention you have an interesting line of names?"

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, curious of what he has to say next.

"No, really. A violet, then a maple tree. What's next? A cactus?"

Sumire stopped dribbling the ball, staring at him. But then she suddenly bursts out laughing for the very first time on Sendoh's account.

Now Sendoh was caught dumbfounded watching her laugh at his remark. Completely unexpected. Again. And what she said next was another unexpected bit.

"Hmm… I guess you're not so bad after all, Sendoh-san." She said as she looked at him with a smile curved on her lips.

"You're not too bad yourself, Sumire-san." Sendoh answered. "And please, just call me Akira."

She tossed the ball back to him at his remark. "And you can just call me Sumire."

====================================================================================

(to be continued)