Ciel smiled to herself as she sped down the road towards Shoyo High, her head filled with cheerful thoughts. Mel's all right, we'll be staying here permanently, AND I'll be arranging for a game with Shoyo!
Getting games with Shohoku, Kainan and Ryonan hadn't been too hard. All they had to do was call up the coaches, arrange for a specific play date, and swear them to secrecy. That was why Anzai hadn't interfered when they played with Shohoku, and Taoka hadn't made a comment when they barged into the gym in the middle of practice when they played against Ryonan.
But since the coach of Shoyo also happens to be a player, I'll probably be forced to drag Kenji away for a while so I can talk to him, Ciel thought as she pulled into the parking lot. She got out of her car, and headed towards the gym, ignoring the stares of Shoyo students as she wandered by.
She reached the door of the gym, and noticed that it was partly open. From inside, she could hear the familiar thump of a ball against a wooden floor, and the squeal of rubber soles along it. Ciel lifted her hand, ready to knock, but then she heard shouting from inside. She stayed her hand, and listened…
* * *
Hanagata panted as he ran to the other end of the court to play defense. When he got into position, he yelled at Fujima, "Oi Fujima, pass!"
Fujima looked at him, and Hanagata flinched. The captain wore an expression of poorly concealed irritation on his face. Hanagata frowned. What's the matter with Fujima? He's been acting really weird lately…
Fujima didn't pass the ball to him, but ran past, and attempted to shoot. However, he failed miserably when he was blocked by one of the most junior and inexperienced members of the club.
Hanagata frowned. Now I know something is DEFINITELY wrong. He approached his best friend. "Fujima, daijobou ka?"
* * *
"Fujima, daijobou ka?"
Fujima looked up, and noticed Hanagata staring down at him with concern. Oh gods, no! The last thing I need right now is HIS sympathy! He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Hai, I'm fine, Toru."
"No you're not," Hanagata said with the quiet force that was his trademark. "No, you're not fine at all. Talk to me, Kenji. I'm not your best friend for nothing, am I?"
Fujima sighed, but kept quiet, his mind going back to the events of yesterday…
~ ~ ~
Hanagata rolled his eyes in an annoyed manner. "I really DO NOT understand why you'd want to go to the mall today, of all days. I thought that you were going to finish up your projects today."
Fujima grinned up at his best friend. "I told you, I need to buy a few materials from the bookstore! THEN I'll do my projects."
"I don't know how you dragged me into going with you, Kenji."
"I dragged you in because you're my best friend AND you have a car; I don't."
"True, but this is the LAST time I'm going to let you sit behind the wheel. You drive like a bat out of hell."
Fujima was about to toss back a remark about Hanagata driving like a snail, but the flash of silky black hair out of the corner of his eye made him turn. He frowned, however, when the hair belonged to another person, not the girl he had hoped to see.
Hanagata must have noticed his move, because he snickered then, and said, "Jeez Kenji, are you really THAT obsessed with her?! We've been meeting and talking with her for the past six weeks; at this rate, I'd have to say that you have an obsession bordering on insane."
"Who's got an obsession bordering on insane?"
Fujima whirled around, and beamed. "Ciel-san!"
Ciel – for it was indeed she – giggled at his obvious surprise. "How many times am I going to say it?! NO MORE HONORIFICS! And I'd hoped that after a month and a half we'd be close enough that there'd be no need for them!"
Fujima blushed, and nodded, remembering that Ciel had told him that midway through their regular meetings.
In the meantime, Hanagata grinned, and approached Ciel. "Alright Ciel, what are YOU doing here?"
The girl shrugged, smiling. "I was planning on going to the bookstore. I wanted to buy a copy of Madeleine L'Engle's book, 'Dragons in the Waters'."
Almost immediately Hanagata and Ciel walked off towards the bookstore, leaving a very irritated Fujima to catch up to them.
Fujima was very annoyed. He bit his lower lip to hold back a sarcastic remark when Hanagata opened his mouth to talk. Damn you, Hanagata Toru! His "best friend" practically monopolized Ciel. Though Ciel spoke to the both of them, Hanagata always gave a response that got Ciel's attention.
It was nearly lunchtime by the time the three of them finished shopping at the bookstore. Ciel checked her watch, and smiled. "Let's go grab a bite, shall we? I know this neat little café on the second floor. The food's good but pretty reasonable when it comes to prices."
Fujima quite literally jumped at the chance. He grinned broadly, and said, "Great idea, Ciel! C'mon, it'll be my treat!"
Hanagata shook his head. "Give it up, Kenji. I know you're strapped on cash. I'LL do the treating."
Fujima did everything he could to prevent himself from strangling Hanagata right there and then. I was the one who offered to take Ciel out, I offered to do the treating, but NOOOO, HE had to go around and say that HE would treat her out!
Ciel turned to him then, waving him over. "Aren't you coming, Kenji?"
Fujima followed after them, but stayed back by a couple of steps. From his vantage point, Ciel and Hanagata looked like a couple that was going steady. Which wasn't true; they were only friends, nothing more, nothing less. Unless there's something here that I don't know about and Hanagata's got a hidden agenda.
They reached the café, and they got a table in a quiet little nook near the windows. Ciel and Hanagata were still chatting with each other, though Ciel constantly glanced at him and attempted to include him the conversation.
Fujima sighed irritably. Three's a crowd, as foreigners say, especially if it's two boys and one girl. He grinned at Ciel, pointedly ignoring Hanagata. "Excuse me, but I'll leave you for a minute. I need to go pick up a few photos I had developed."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay and order first?" Ciel asked.
Fujima shook his head. "Nah, I'll be fine. You be the one to order for me; the French have good taste in food, ne? I trust you won't feed me poison." With a wave of his hand, he left the café.
He huffed to himself as he walked to the photo shop. Though the part about picking up some pictures was indeed true, he also went out to blow off some steam. Why am I so mad anyway, he raged at himself. It's not like Ciel and I are going out together or anything – wait, we ARE – but only as friends! She's only my friend…isn't she?
His thoughts drifted to Hanagata. Why is it that whenever I see him with Ciel, it makes me want to kill him? If he and Ciel end up together, it shouldn't affect me, should it? I should be happy for them, actually. Ciel does deserve to have a boyfriend. But does Hanagata deserve to have someone like her?
He groaned. What am I thinking?! WHY am I thinking this way?!?!?! Am I jealous? When a sharp twinge hit his heart, he knew immediately how he felt.
He was now inside the café, and walking towards their table. But then, something about the way his two friends sat told him something was going on. He held back, and listened.
Hanagata leaned forward slightly. "Ciel, what do you think of Kenji?"
Ciel blinked. "Kenji? In what sense?"
"Uh, whatever…"
"Well, he's nice and very smart, and rather cute, now that I think about it, but then again, so are you."
"What do you think of me?"
"Toru, why are you asking me this?"
"I just want – need – to know. I mean, I know we've been friends for quite a while, but I could never really figure out what you thought of me. So please Ciel, tell me. And be brutally honest, if you have to."
"Okay…uh, Toru, you're really nice, and you've actually got something between the ears, if you catch my drift. I hold you in pretty high esteem, actually, but Kenji's a little higher on my list. All in all, you're a pretty good friend."
"Is that all I am to you? A friend?"
"Why? What else is there? Okay, you and Kenji are two of my best friends, and are the first guys to have ever gotten to that status. Now, you can tell me anything you want about me. I'd like to have Kenji do this later, but since he's not here, you can go first."
Fujima noticed that Hanagata took a deep breath, as if he was going to say something that would determine his fate. After an agonizingly long moment, Hanagata said, "Ciel, you're an awfully nice girl, nicer than any other girl I've ever met. You're beautiful, intelligent, and have a kind heart. I don't think I've ever met a girl like you, and I doubt if I ever will." He coughed a little, then added, "Ciel, I…" He stopped.
"Yes?" Ciel coaxed.
Hanagata took a deep breath, and said, "Ciel, I like you a lot, more than just as a friend. And I was wondering – no, HOPING – that you would consider going steady with me."
~ ~ ~
"Oi Fujima!"
Fujima prickled slightly when Hanagata poked him in the ribs to get his attention. "Leave me alone Hanagata. There's nothing you can do to help me." Since YOU'RE the root of the problem, Toru.
But Hanagata wouldn't let it be. "Please Kenji, at least TELL me what's wrong! I might not be able to help, but I'd like to know what's on your mind."
"You REALLY want to know?!" Fujima exploded, all his pent-up emotions finally getting a chance to show. "You really want to know WHAT my problem is?! It's YOU, Hanagata Toru!!!!"
Hanagata blinked; stunned by this sudden display of rage from the person he least expected it to come from. "Me?"
"Yes you!" Fujima yelled back. "You don't think I don't know about you're asking Ciel if you could date her, eh? Well I do! When were you going to tell me, huh?!"
"I-" Suddenly Hanagata's eyes narrowed, and his lips froze in a grim straight line. "Oh, I get it. You like Ciel too."
Fujima snorted. "GREAT observation, Hanagata. If you didn't notice that till now, then I don't know if you're really going blind or just plain stupid! Maybe you need to change your glasses, or have your brain for a tumor!"
"Stupid?! ME, STUPID?!?!" Hanagata let out a cold, mirthless laugh. "I'm neither blind nor stupid, Fujima. I knew all along that you liked Ciel, but being the cowardly yellow-bellied slug that you are, you didn't approach her about it!!! That's your problem, Fujima Kenji! Ever wondered why you could never land yourself a girlfriend?! It's because you're too damned SCARED!!!!" He smirked then. "And besides, what makes you think she deserves a guy like you? She's much too good for you!"
"What makes you think YOU'RE good enough for her?!" Fujima clenched his hands into fists. He knew where this was going, and he was ready for it. Hanagata strode towards him, ready to fight.
The door to the gym suddenly slammed before any of them could land a punch, making the both of them stop in their tracks. Fujima looked towards the door, and asked, "Who was that?"
It was Ito who answered. "It was that girl, Fujima-san. The girl with black hair and purple eyes."
* * *
Ciel got into her car, forcing her tears back and trying to turn the ignition in spite of her trembling fingers. By some miracle, she managed to start up the engine, and get out of Shoyo.
Am I the cause…of everything, she asked herself as she sped down the highway. She had heard and seen the entire fight between Hanagata and Fujima, and she knew it was SHE they were fighting over.
She swallowed hard. I don't want to be the cause of their friendship falling apart! She sighed. A little distance…yeah, that's what I should do. A little distance will be good for all of us.