Part 8
The gym was really packed today. There was lots of standing people. Everybody wanted to get a glimpse of today's fight.
It was the Shohoku vs. Ryonan game, the finals everybody has been waiting for.
Everybody was excited. Again, as always, I went to the locker room to check on Micchy.
I went inside. I found Sakuragi.
"Hanamichi, where's Mitsui?" I asked.
"I think he went to buy some Coke at the cafeteria," he told me.
"Coke? Why?" I asked.
"For glucose," Sakuragi answered while fixing his jersey.
"Glucose?" I asked.
"Yeah. I dunno if it's connected with his being an-, oh, I mean, never mind." Sakuragi said.
"Being a what?" I asked.
"Nothing." Sakuragi uttered.
"Is this what Kogure wanted to tell me also in the Shoyo game?" I went to him.
"I dunno what that Megane is going to tell you." Sakuragi said. "Ei, gotta go. Wish us luck!" Sakuragi left in a hurry.
I sighed. What could Sakuragi be talking about?
I sat down near the lockers to wait for Mitchan.
Then, I heard a conversation between the Megane, Ayako, Akagi and Ryota from behind the lockers.
"We will replace Mitsui with Kogure if he gets his attack again." Akagi said.
Attack? What attack? I wondered.
"Did he get anemic in his games in junior high, Kogure?" Ayako asked. "I don't remember watching much junior high games,"
"I think not. He was really very healthy way back then. That's why we advised him to take extra glucose before a game so that wouldn't feel that dizzy or something after so many running." Kogure said.
I was shocked. Mitsui? Anemic?
"Does Niki know that Mitsui has anemia?" Ryota asked.
"I think she doesn't know. Mitsui instructed everyone not to tell Niki that he has a low stamina level and that he is anemic so that she wouldn't worry too much about him. He loves the girl, you know," Ayako told Ryota.
I felt mad at Mitsui for not telling me immediately that he has anemia. I felt really irate at Mitsui for not telling me.
Then, Mitsui went inside the locker room drinking his final gulp of Coke.
"Hi Niki," he greeted as he threw the can into the trashcan, which was at the very far part of the room. "Shohoku number 14, Mitsui, three points!" he mimicked the basketball commentator's way of speaking. A big smile was plastered on his face. He sat down next to me. I know he's trying to be happy today though he's sad, but I really feel so mad at him.
"You didn't tell me you were anemic. Why didn't you tell me immediately?" I asked a bit angrily.
"You know.?" Mitsui asked. "H-h-h-how.?"
"I overheard Ayako, Ryota, Kogure and Akagi talking about it." I crossed my arms.
Mitsui sighed. He put one arm over my shoulder. "Simply because I don't want you to worry about me because I love you,"
"But you made me look stupid." I said.
"Are you mad?" Mitsui asked me. Then Ayako, Akagi, Kogure and Ryota looked at us.
"I'm not mad.I'm just disappointed." I said with a frown.
"I'm sorry, then. I'm very, very, very sorry." He sat down at the floor in front of me. He got Ayako's paper fan and gave it to me.
"Now I want you to slap me using this paper fan." He tried to say seriously although he was laughing a bit. "A hard one, huh?" he said.
I grinned. My anger was gone. Ryota's right. Mitsui can melt your heart in different ways easily.
"Okay." I said and slapped him in the head lightly.
"Ouch! That hurt!" Mitsui joked while rubbing the part I touched. He rolled over in 'pain'. "Dammit, ouch!!!"
Then, we hugged each other. "Good luck, Micchy." I said. I kissed him in the cheek.
"Thanks," he whispered as he returned the kiss on the tip of my nose.
"Eurrgh, what a sloppy kiss!" I laughed, pretending to puke.
"Yeah right! What kind of best bud are you?!?" he cried as he tried to wrestle me.
The four who were watching us including Kakuta and Yasuda were looking and laughing along. Then, the door opened. It was Rukawa.
Then, Mitsui and I stopped wrestling. We looked at Rukawa. He looked at us, too.
"Hey Rukawa, good luck," I said cheerfully. But he just left without a word.
I sighed. Mitsui hugged me. "It's okay. Rukawa will soon forget this. You'll be friends again in no time,"
"You think so?" I asked.
"Of course I know. I'm your best bud that's why I know!" he exclaimed.
"Hey, this jersey looks good on you." I said.
"Really? Thanks," Mitsui thanked the compliment.
I pinched his cheek. "You're sooooo cuuuuuute!!!"
"Oooooouuuuuch! That hurts!" he cried.
"Oops, sorry. I'm going now! Good luck!" I kissed him again on the cheek. "Don't faint or I'll murder you on the court."
Then I closed the door.
I leaned against the door. I covered my face with my hands. Now you're making me worry so much.
+++
I bought some Pepsi from the vending machine. As I bent down to get my change, I overheard Rukawa's private cheering squad talking about him.
"He's so cute. If I had the guts I would go right up to him and ask him." One said.
"But he doesn't love anything but basketball," one answered.
"No! He loves a girl but the girl dumped him for the juvenile delinquent jerk Mitsui," one cried.
"Well, that Mitsui is cute but I don't like his past. He's a real jerk. He's a big troublemaker!"
I ran to them. "Excuse me, but Mitsui is NOT a jerk!" I shouted.
"You're saying that because you're his girlfriend," he said. "You're so stupid not to pick Rukawa. There are many girls who love him but you rejected him! Our poor Rukawa!"
"Well, that's because he ain't my type-"
"You're crazy!" the three girls screamed in unison.
Then, Yohei went to the rescue. "Excuse me, girls. There's no use in fighting. Besides, it's a plus point for you if Niki didn't answer Rukawa. It means you have a better chance of getting Rukawa!" Yohei cried.
"Oh yeah. You're right, Mito! Thanks!" then they started rehearsing their stupid Rukawa cheers again.
"Did those girls try to murder you?" Yohei asked jokingly.
"Oh yeah. I was scared." I answered with a laugh.
"Yohei." I said, my mood suddenly changing. "Mitsui has anemia,"
"I know. He didn't want you to know." Yohei replied silently.
"Yeah. Mitsui told me that awhile ago. I just tried to joke around with him because I don't wanna be mad at him again. But the truth is, I'm so worried about him!"
"That's why Micchy didn't wanna tell you. If he told you that he had anemia and a very poor stamina way before the other games then you'll be worrying like a sicko all the time," Yohei said.
"You're quite right." I said. Then, I heard the commentator talk already.
"Omigosh! It's starting-"
I bumped into a Ryonan player. Number 7.
"A-a-akira Sendoh..?" I asked.
"Yes. And you're Hisashi Mitsui's girlfriend?" he asked with a broad smile.
"Uh, um, how'd you know?" I asked.
"The Shohoku team is popular and so are the people close to them. I heard Rukawa also likes you but you dumped him."
I looked down. "Sort of,"
"I'll help you get back together." Sendoh said, smiling. "After all, Rukawa and I will come face-to-face again to continue our battle."
"Battle?" I asked.
"Your admirer sees me as his biggest basketball villain and, he wants to beat me. Also, he got mad before because I beat him." He looked at me with shining eyes. "But who knows what'll happen later? The world is round so maybe things can be turned around, right?"
"Are you from really from our opponent's team? You seem more like a comrade to me than an enemy,"
"I'm not very serious about it. Really-"
Then, a voice blared from the loudspeakers. "AKIRA SENDOH! COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW! YOU'RE THE MOST ANNOYING MEMBER OF THIS TEAM! WE'RE GONNA START NOW! IT'S TOO BAD YOU'VE BEEN CALLED THE ACE PLAYER OF RYONAN!!!"
"Oops. It's our coach. Gotta go, Mitsui's girlfriend." He ran back to the gym gulping down his Pepsi as quick as the lightning.
I looked at Yohei. "He's the Ryonan ace player?" I asked loudly. People looked at me as if I lived under a rock for one million years.
"Yup. Akira Sendoh."
"So that's why Rukawa considered him as a major archenemy," I said.
"Let's go." Yohei said.
Then we walked back inside.
+++
The gym was really packed today. There was lots of standing people. Everybody wanted to get a glimpse of today's fight.
It was the Shohoku vs. Ryonan game, the finals everybody has been waiting for.
Everybody was excited. Again, as always, I went to the locker room to check on Micchy.
I went inside. I found Sakuragi.
"Hanamichi, where's Mitsui?" I asked.
"I think he went to buy some Coke at the cafeteria," he told me.
"Coke? Why?" I asked.
"For glucose," Sakuragi answered while fixing his jersey.
"Glucose?" I asked.
"Yeah. I dunno if it's connected with his being an-, oh, I mean, never mind." Sakuragi said.
"Being a what?" I asked.
"Nothing." Sakuragi uttered.
"Is this what Kogure wanted to tell me also in the Shoyo game?" I went to him.
"I dunno what that Megane is going to tell you." Sakuragi said. "Ei, gotta go. Wish us luck!" Sakuragi left in a hurry.
I sighed. What could Sakuragi be talking about?
I sat down near the lockers to wait for Mitchan.
Then, I heard a conversation between the Megane, Ayako, Akagi and Ryota from behind the lockers.
"We will replace Mitsui with Kogure if he gets his attack again." Akagi said.
Attack? What attack? I wondered.
"Did he get anemic in his games in junior high, Kogure?" Ayako asked. "I don't remember watching much junior high games,"
"I think not. He was really very healthy way back then. That's why we advised him to take extra glucose before a game so that wouldn't feel that dizzy or something after so many running." Kogure said.
I was shocked. Mitsui? Anemic?
"Does Niki know that Mitsui has anemia?" Ryota asked.
"I think she doesn't know. Mitsui instructed everyone not to tell Niki that he has a low stamina level and that he is anemic so that she wouldn't worry too much about him. He loves the girl, you know," Ayako told Ryota.
I felt mad at Mitsui for not telling me immediately that he has anemia. I felt really irate at Mitsui for not telling me.
Then, Mitsui went inside the locker room drinking his final gulp of Coke.
"Hi Niki," he greeted as he threw the can into the trashcan, which was at the very far part of the room. "Shohoku number 14, Mitsui, three points!" he mimicked the basketball commentator's way of speaking. A big smile was plastered on his face. He sat down next to me. I know he's trying to be happy today though he's sad, but I really feel so mad at him.
"You didn't tell me you were anemic. Why didn't you tell me immediately?" I asked a bit angrily.
"You know.?" Mitsui asked. "H-h-h-how.?"
"I overheard Ayako, Ryota, Kogure and Akagi talking about it." I crossed my arms.
Mitsui sighed. He put one arm over my shoulder. "Simply because I don't want you to worry about me because I love you,"
"But you made me look stupid." I said.
"Are you mad?" Mitsui asked me. Then Ayako, Akagi, Kogure and Ryota looked at us.
"I'm not mad.I'm just disappointed." I said with a frown.
"I'm sorry, then. I'm very, very, very sorry." He sat down at the floor in front of me. He got Ayako's paper fan and gave it to me.
"Now I want you to slap me using this paper fan." He tried to say seriously although he was laughing a bit. "A hard one, huh?" he said.
I grinned. My anger was gone. Ryota's right. Mitsui can melt your heart in different ways easily.
"Okay." I said and slapped him in the head lightly.
"Ouch! That hurt!" Mitsui joked while rubbing the part I touched. He rolled over in 'pain'. "Dammit, ouch!!!"
Then, we hugged each other. "Good luck, Micchy." I said. I kissed him in the cheek.
"Thanks," he whispered as he returned the kiss on the tip of my nose.
"Eurrgh, what a sloppy kiss!" I laughed, pretending to puke.
"Yeah right! What kind of best bud are you?!?" he cried as he tried to wrestle me.
The four who were watching us including Kakuta and Yasuda were looking and laughing along. Then, the door opened. It was Rukawa.
Then, Mitsui and I stopped wrestling. We looked at Rukawa. He looked at us, too.
"Hey Rukawa, good luck," I said cheerfully. But he just left without a word.
I sighed. Mitsui hugged me. "It's okay. Rukawa will soon forget this. You'll be friends again in no time,"
"You think so?" I asked.
"Of course I know. I'm your best bud that's why I know!" he exclaimed.
"Hey, this jersey looks good on you." I said.
"Really? Thanks," Mitsui thanked the compliment.
I pinched his cheek. "You're sooooo cuuuuuute!!!"
"Oooooouuuuuch! That hurts!" he cried.
"Oops, sorry. I'm going now! Good luck!" I kissed him again on the cheek. "Don't faint or I'll murder you on the court."
Then I closed the door.
I leaned against the door. I covered my face with my hands. Now you're making me worry so much.
+++
I bought some Pepsi from the vending machine. As I bent down to get my change, I overheard Rukawa's private cheering squad talking about him.
"He's so cute. If I had the guts I would go right up to him and ask him." One said.
"But he doesn't love anything but basketball," one answered.
"No! He loves a girl but the girl dumped him for the juvenile delinquent jerk Mitsui," one cried.
"Well, that Mitsui is cute but I don't like his past. He's a real jerk. He's a big troublemaker!"
I ran to them. "Excuse me, but Mitsui is NOT a jerk!" I shouted.
"You're saying that because you're his girlfriend," he said. "You're so stupid not to pick Rukawa. There are many girls who love him but you rejected him! Our poor Rukawa!"
"Well, that's because he ain't my type-"
"You're crazy!" the three girls screamed in unison.
Then, Yohei went to the rescue. "Excuse me, girls. There's no use in fighting. Besides, it's a plus point for you if Niki didn't answer Rukawa. It means you have a better chance of getting Rukawa!" Yohei cried.
"Oh yeah. You're right, Mito! Thanks!" then they started rehearsing their stupid Rukawa cheers again.
"Did those girls try to murder you?" Yohei asked jokingly.
"Oh yeah. I was scared." I answered with a laugh.
"Yohei." I said, my mood suddenly changing. "Mitsui has anemia,"
"I know. He didn't want you to know." Yohei replied silently.
"Yeah. Mitsui told me that awhile ago. I just tried to joke around with him because I don't wanna be mad at him again. But the truth is, I'm so worried about him!"
"That's why Micchy didn't wanna tell you. If he told you that he had anemia and a very poor stamina way before the other games then you'll be worrying like a sicko all the time," Yohei said.
"You're quite right." I said. Then, I heard the commentator talk already.
"Omigosh! It's starting-"
I bumped into a Ryonan player. Number 7.
"A-a-akira Sendoh..?" I asked.
"Yes. And you're Hisashi Mitsui's girlfriend?" he asked with a broad smile.
"Uh, um, how'd you know?" I asked.
"The Shohoku team is popular and so are the people close to them. I heard Rukawa also likes you but you dumped him."
I looked down. "Sort of,"
"I'll help you get back together." Sendoh said, smiling. "After all, Rukawa and I will come face-to-face again to continue our battle."
"Battle?" I asked.
"Your admirer sees me as his biggest basketball villain and, he wants to beat me. Also, he got mad before because I beat him." He looked at me with shining eyes. "But who knows what'll happen later? The world is round so maybe things can be turned around, right?"
"Are you from really from our opponent's team? You seem more like a comrade to me than an enemy,"
"I'm not very serious about it. Really-"
Then, a voice blared from the loudspeakers. "AKIRA SENDOH! COME BACK HERE RIGHT NOW! YOU'RE THE MOST ANNOYING MEMBER OF THIS TEAM! WE'RE GONNA START NOW! IT'S TOO BAD YOU'VE BEEN CALLED THE ACE PLAYER OF RYONAN!!!"
"Oops. It's our coach. Gotta go, Mitsui's girlfriend." He ran back to the gym gulping down his Pepsi as quick as the lightning.
I looked at Yohei. "He's the Ryonan ace player?" I asked loudly. People looked at me as if I lived under a rock for one million years.
"Yup. Akira Sendoh."
"So that's why Rukawa considered him as a major archenemy," I said.
"Let's go." Yohei said.
Then we walked back inside.
+++