Standard disclaimers apply.
Wishing upon a meteorite, Chapter 2: Disaster on the first day
It hadn't even been five minutes before Kenji left her, but butterflies starting forming in her stomach. Why am I nervous, I've started new schools before, Mei thought nervously, playing with the ends of her long, glossy hair. It was a habit that started whenever she got anxious. What made her even more nervous was that when Kenji dropped her off, the whispers had started. The students started passing her and looking her over, none of them even friendly enough to give a smile. Mei tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and bit her lip, walking a few feet through the gate.
"Ohayo, are you new here?" A friendly voice startled her from behind. Mei turned around and saw a girl around her height, maybe even a few centimeters taller than her.
"Yes I am. Watashi wa Mei Matsura desu." Mei tested out her rusty Japanese.
"You're not from around here are you?" The short girl giggled. "I'm Haruko Akagi."
"No, I'm not. Actually, I've been studying." Mei trailed off thinking hard. I can't tell her that I've been studying in a small island all my life. Haruko waited anxiously for her to continue talking. ".I've been studying in Australia. Melbourne, to be precise. All my life now.hehehe." She fibbed, laughing uneasily. But Haruko didn't seem to be suspicious.
"Oh wow, I've never been to a foreign country before. So tell me all about it." Haruko carried on chattering, much to Mei's relief. Thank goodness she's naïve, at least now I can survive through the day.
~*~*~*~*~
For the whole day, Mei felt as though she were in a daze. The classes seemed easy to her. Maybe because the FBI trains their students with harder courses, she thought. The only thing she looked forward to was becoming the basketball manageress, because she had an unruly passion for basketball even though she hadn't played for at least 4 years now.
Haruko had introduced her to a lot of 'interesting' people that day. The one who caught her attention the most though, was a fiery redhead with an extremely loud laugh. He was also extraordinarily tall for his age and was followed around by four guys, each with a very different personality.
"Yohei seemed drawn to you just now, Mei-chan." Haruko interrupted her thoughts. Mei giggled. "I was just thinking about him, actually."
"Do you like him too?" Haruko questioned.
"How could I, Haruko? I don't even know him." Even though he was kind of cute, come to think of it.so was that redheaded guy, what was his name again? Mei racked her brain for his name but she couldn't remember it.
Suddenly, Haruko tugged at her sleeve and motioned for her to look at something. They had reached Shohoku's gym. Mei stared open mouthed at the spectacular view. Okay, it's not that spectacular, it's just that I haven't been in a gym for so long, she thought wistfully, remembering the past.
"Maybe you'd like to close your mouth soon, huh?" A male voice said behind her.
"Yeah, you wouldn't want to catch any flies." Another voice piped in. Both of them came from behind her and laughed teasingly. Mei closed her mouth and blushed, for in front of her were two good looking guys.
"Are you here to watch us practice?" The taller one asked, smiling. He has a very nice smile, Mei thought dreamily.
"Are you two part of the team then? I'm Mei Matsura."
"Konnichiwa, I'm Ryota Miyagi and this is Hisashi Mitsui. I play point guard and he's the MVP three pointer shooter." The shorter one with the cute mushroom hair answered this time. Mei also noticed that he had an earring in one ear.
"Really? I used to play point guard." Suddenly, Ryota's eyes brightened up a bit, Mei quickly added, "That was back then though, I haven't played for four years." The shine disappeared in Ryota's eyes but was quickly replaced but a grin.
"So why are you here then? There can't be two point guards on the team."
"I wanted to get the position of team manageress." At this statement, Ryota blushed and Mitsui let out a laugh. "Oh, did I say something wrong?" Mei asked curiously.
"No." Mitsui struggled to contain his laughter. "It's just that we already have a team manageress, who Ryota adores by the way." Mitsui whispered the last part, but unfortunately Ryota heard it and a quarrel broke out. Mei just stood out of the way and watched the two squabble, when suddenly a paper fan came out of nowhere and hit Ryota, then Mitsui on the head. Mei couldn't help but laugh at both of their wounded expressions. Then, a girl who looked a bit older than she was came out of the gym with a fierce expression.
"Ryota, Mitsui-sempai, you're late."
"Gomen, it was my fault. They were talking with me so I hope you don't hit them again." Mei apologized, rushing to Ryota's and Mitsui's defense. The girl smiled and said, "That's okay, they're used to it." Ryota and Mitsui groaned but the girl pushed them in the gym to practice with their teammates.
"Sorry you had to see that, I'm Ayako, team manageress." The girl stuck out her hand. Mei shook it and said, "I'm Mei Matsura."
"So, what brings you here?" Ayako asked.
"Actually, I heard that Shohoku needed a team manager so I wanted to apply for the job, but I see it's already taken, so I guess I should go now." Mei smiled and turned to leave, only then noticing that Haruko was gone. I wonder where she went, Mei thought curiously.
"Chotto matte Mei, I think you can actually help me here. Would you like to be assistant manager?" Ayako inquired.
"Do you mean it? If that's okay, then yes." Mei smiled happily and Ayako couldn't help noticing how pretty the girl was if she didn't try to hide it behind her thick curly hair and overgrown bangs. "Come on in, I'll introduce you to the guys."
"Minna-san, this is Mei Matsura, who's going to be the new assistant coach. Please treat her as you would treat me." Ayako motioned for the guys to listen. Mitsui started elbowing Ryota, who was blushing once again, gazing up at his Aya-chan. To her surprise, Mei noticed a faint pinkish tinge on Ayako's cheeks as she looked over at Mitsui and Ryota.
"I'm Akagi, the captain here." A huge, big boned guy shook Mei's hand.
"Kogure, vice captain. Pleased to meet you." A small-framed guy with glasses said next. The total opposite of the captain, she noted.
"Ru." But before the guy with the icy cold stare could even finish, the redhead that Mei saw before, butted in.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi. The tensai in basketball, nyahaha! Maybe I could teach you a thing or too, Meimei-san." Mei cringed at the nickname that Sakuragi gave her, earning Sakuragi a hit on the head from Ayako's paper fan. "Itai, Ayako-san, why did you hit the tensai?" Sakuragi winced. But Ayako merely glared at him.
"Rukawa Kaede." The tall silent boy finished, glaring daggers at the redhead. Then he took a basketball and started dribbling before anyone else could say anything.
"Well everybody, what are you waiting for? Start!" Akagi boomed, his naturally loud voice echoing in the gym. Like obedient servants, everyone obeyed their captain, signaling that practice had just started.
"Come on Mei, you'll just watch and record today." Ayako dragged the girl to the benches where the papers were.
Mei watched the rest of the practice in awe, keeping her eyes especially on the three-pointer shooter and the ice-cold boy. Their shots went in one by one, some not even touching the rim, and Mei knew that took years and years of training. They probably shoot 1000 a day, she thought, her eyes flickering back and forth between the two amazing guys. Then, between the thudding of the basketballs, Mei heard a loud noise in the bleaches, her gaze sharply turned to the balcony and her reflexes made her go halfway up the stairs before the rest of the team could ask what that explosion was.
"Stay right there, let me check it out." Mei cautioned, her voice firmly discontinuing any arguments. She raced up the stairs towards where she thought she heard the noise. She heard a soft whimper towards the back and went to scout out the sound. There, she saw a girl trapped in between two bleachers; her body clearly stuck under the weight of the heavy metal seats.
"Help me, onegai." The girl whimpered, obviously in pain.
"Akagi, Ayako, I think I need your help. Hurry up!" Mei shouted, and everyone could hear the urgency in her voice. The whole team rushed up, lead by Sakuragi who looked very angry at not being called to help. But when he saw the girl trapped, his immediate action was to try and lift those benches. Akagi, Mitsui and Rukawa followed suite, as Miyagi and Ayako reassured the girl, Kogure calling for an ambulance. Mei looked at the girl's arms carefully to see if there were any marks, for sign of struggle between another person.
"What happened?" Mei asked sharply when the girl was free. The others crowded around to hear what she had to say.
"I was crouching under the benches so no one would see me, because I needed to do a report on Rukawa Kaede for the school paper and this had to be in secret so no one could stop me from doing it."
"Mari Kawai right? School reporter." Miyagi said suddenly, his eyes narrowing. Mei waved an arm to shut him up and asked Mari to continue.
"And then a shadow fell over me and before I knew it these two benches crashed into me." Mari winced as Ayako tried to move her arm.
"Ayako-san, I think it's broken, we should leave it till an ambulance arrives." Mei told her senior wisely. "Do you have any enemies, Mari-san?"
"No, at least I don't think so." Mari whispered and then lapsed into unconsciousness. Mei sighed and rubbed her forehead. It's my first day here and already someone's been injured, she thought tiredly, getting a worried gaze from Ayako.
~*~*~*~*~
Soon after Mari had been taken to the hospital, and the school informed, Kenji came to pick her up, creating stares from the Shohoku basketball team. As she prepared to leave with Kenji, Ryota grabbed her arm and asked in a loud voice, "Are you his girlfriend?"
"Don't be silly, Ryota-kun." Mei blushed, aware that Fujima had heard too.
"We're just friends." Fujima came up and took her arm. "So how's the Shohoku basketball team? Akagi." Fujima nodded at the captain out of respect.
"Good, and what about Shoyo?" Akagi asked.
"Always good." Fujima grinned turned away tugging Mei along.
"Oi, Captain of Shoyo, why are you walking away from the tensai huh?" Sakuragi's voice roared. Fujima turned around and laughed.
"Still the same, ne Sakuragi? I've got to go home so I can't talk but I'll definitely confirm a game between Shoyo and Shohoku, Sakuragi." Fujima said smoothly and saluted the hot-tempered freshman.
"Hey Shorty, don't think you can get away from the genius!!" Sakuragi insulted, complimenting himself on the way.
"Sakuragi, continue this later okay? I have to talk with Kenji-kun about something." Mei snapped impatiently. And without waiting for a further answer, she dragged Fujima to the car, waving absentmindedly to her new friends.
~*~*~*~*~
"So, she was absolutely sure about someone pushing those bleachers?" Fujima asked seriously after Mei had recounted the day's events. "And that also means that Shohoku's bleachers are getting old and rusty, unlike Shoyo."
"That's not the point, Kenji." Mei frowned. "That means that someone isn't stopping those crimes anytime soon. And why her?" Mei fell backwards onto the sofa. There was silence and then Fujima came and sat next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"First of all, were there any clues around?" Fujima wondered.
"None, and Ayako didn't see anything either."
"You mean that hot chick who's always gazing adorably at Shohoku's point guard?"
"Yes, I mean no, wait, that's not what we're supposed to discuss. What's wrong with you? First you started acting all serious, and now you think it's a joke. Just because it didn't happen in Shoyo!!" Mei shouted, extremely agitated now.
"You're just looking too much into it now. We have no proof who did it, no clues, no witnesses so all we have is just facts from the victim herself. You're still an FBI trainee; don't try to be so much like the officers yet. Its not our time." Fujima's voice softened.
"But I need to do something before it gets out of hand, this has been the third time in Shohoku.two things happened when I wasn't here yet." Mei reminded him.
"Don't stress too much over it." Fujima advised then tilted her head towards his. Before Mei knew it, she was lip locked with a guy she only knew for two days. His lips are so soft, she thought gleefully. No, now isn't the time. Mei pushed away from Fujima, breaking their intimate contact.
"What was that? To someone you don't even know?" She asked shifting to the other side of the couch, consciously.
"Oh, stress reliever." Fujima smiled at her. "It relaxes everyone, you know."
A/n: Okay, I admit the ending is a bit lame, but I couldn't help it. Everyone knows that of course Fujima's kisses are stress relievers!! *starry eyed* Anyway, I hope this chapter interested you more. Btw, sorry if the characters are OOC, I'll try to make them so they don't change that much but plz forgive if I do. About the bleachers collapsing with Mari Kawai under it.to be honest, I don't like her at all, but if you do.sorry but I had to make that happen. And for all you readers, who want gore, don't worry. Some gory crimes are about to happen real soon.r&r plz!!
Editor's note: See! Isn't her story great? And you guys have to review it! Bwahaha!
Wishing upon a meteorite, Chapter 2: Disaster on the first day
It hadn't even been five minutes before Kenji left her, but butterflies starting forming in her stomach. Why am I nervous, I've started new schools before, Mei thought nervously, playing with the ends of her long, glossy hair. It was a habit that started whenever she got anxious. What made her even more nervous was that when Kenji dropped her off, the whispers had started. The students started passing her and looking her over, none of them even friendly enough to give a smile. Mei tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and bit her lip, walking a few feet through the gate.
"Ohayo, are you new here?" A friendly voice startled her from behind. Mei turned around and saw a girl around her height, maybe even a few centimeters taller than her.
"Yes I am. Watashi wa Mei Matsura desu." Mei tested out her rusty Japanese.
"You're not from around here are you?" The short girl giggled. "I'm Haruko Akagi."
"No, I'm not. Actually, I've been studying." Mei trailed off thinking hard. I can't tell her that I've been studying in a small island all my life. Haruko waited anxiously for her to continue talking. ".I've been studying in Australia. Melbourne, to be precise. All my life now.hehehe." She fibbed, laughing uneasily. But Haruko didn't seem to be suspicious.
"Oh wow, I've never been to a foreign country before. So tell me all about it." Haruko carried on chattering, much to Mei's relief. Thank goodness she's naïve, at least now I can survive through the day.
~*~*~*~*~
For the whole day, Mei felt as though she were in a daze. The classes seemed easy to her. Maybe because the FBI trains their students with harder courses, she thought. The only thing she looked forward to was becoming the basketball manageress, because she had an unruly passion for basketball even though she hadn't played for at least 4 years now.
Haruko had introduced her to a lot of 'interesting' people that day. The one who caught her attention the most though, was a fiery redhead with an extremely loud laugh. He was also extraordinarily tall for his age and was followed around by four guys, each with a very different personality.
"Yohei seemed drawn to you just now, Mei-chan." Haruko interrupted her thoughts. Mei giggled. "I was just thinking about him, actually."
"Do you like him too?" Haruko questioned.
"How could I, Haruko? I don't even know him." Even though he was kind of cute, come to think of it.so was that redheaded guy, what was his name again? Mei racked her brain for his name but she couldn't remember it.
Suddenly, Haruko tugged at her sleeve and motioned for her to look at something. They had reached Shohoku's gym. Mei stared open mouthed at the spectacular view. Okay, it's not that spectacular, it's just that I haven't been in a gym for so long, she thought wistfully, remembering the past.
"Maybe you'd like to close your mouth soon, huh?" A male voice said behind her.
"Yeah, you wouldn't want to catch any flies." Another voice piped in. Both of them came from behind her and laughed teasingly. Mei closed her mouth and blushed, for in front of her were two good looking guys.
"Are you here to watch us practice?" The taller one asked, smiling. He has a very nice smile, Mei thought dreamily.
"Are you two part of the team then? I'm Mei Matsura."
"Konnichiwa, I'm Ryota Miyagi and this is Hisashi Mitsui. I play point guard and he's the MVP three pointer shooter." The shorter one with the cute mushroom hair answered this time. Mei also noticed that he had an earring in one ear.
"Really? I used to play point guard." Suddenly, Ryota's eyes brightened up a bit, Mei quickly added, "That was back then though, I haven't played for four years." The shine disappeared in Ryota's eyes but was quickly replaced but a grin.
"So why are you here then? There can't be two point guards on the team."
"I wanted to get the position of team manageress." At this statement, Ryota blushed and Mitsui let out a laugh. "Oh, did I say something wrong?" Mei asked curiously.
"No." Mitsui struggled to contain his laughter. "It's just that we already have a team manageress, who Ryota adores by the way." Mitsui whispered the last part, but unfortunately Ryota heard it and a quarrel broke out. Mei just stood out of the way and watched the two squabble, when suddenly a paper fan came out of nowhere and hit Ryota, then Mitsui on the head. Mei couldn't help but laugh at both of their wounded expressions. Then, a girl who looked a bit older than she was came out of the gym with a fierce expression.
"Ryota, Mitsui-sempai, you're late."
"Gomen, it was my fault. They were talking with me so I hope you don't hit them again." Mei apologized, rushing to Ryota's and Mitsui's defense. The girl smiled and said, "That's okay, they're used to it." Ryota and Mitsui groaned but the girl pushed them in the gym to practice with their teammates.
"Sorry you had to see that, I'm Ayako, team manageress." The girl stuck out her hand. Mei shook it and said, "I'm Mei Matsura."
"So, what brings you here?" Ayako asked.
"Actually, I heard that Shohoku needed a team manager so I wanted to apply for the job, but I see it's already taken, so I guess I should go now." Mei smiled and turned to leave, only then noticing that Haruko was gone. I wonder where she went, Mei thought curiously.
"Chotto matte Mei, I think you can actually help me here. Would you like to be assistant manager?" Ayako inquired.
"Do you mean it? If that's okay, then yes." Mei smiled happily and Ayako couldn't help noticing how pretty the girl was if she didn't try to hide it behind her thick curly hair and overgrown bangs. "Come on in, I'll introduce you to the guys."
"Minna-san, this is Mei Matsura, who's going to be the new assistant coach. Please treat her as you would treat me." Ayako motioned for the guys to listen. Mitsui started elbowing Ryota, who was blushing once again, gazing up at his Aya-chan. To her surprise, Mei noticed a faint pinkish tinge on Ayako's cheeks as she looked over at Mitsui and Ryota.
"I'm Akagi, the captain here." A huge, big boned guy shook Mei's hand.
"Kogure, vice captain. Pleased to meet you." A small-framed guy with glasses said next. The total opposite of the captain, she noted.
"Ru." But before the guy with the icy cold stare could even finish, the redhead that Mei saw before, butted in.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi. The tensai in basketball, nyahaha! Maybe I could teach you a thing or too, Meimei-san." Mei cringed at the nickname that Sakuragi gave her, earning Sakuragi a hit on the head from Ayako's paper fan. "Itai, Ayako-san, why did you hit the tensai?" Sakuragi winced. But Ayako merely glared at him.
"Rukawa Kaede." The tall silent boy finished, glaring daggers at the redhead. Then he took a basketball and started dribbling before anyone else could say anything.
"Well everybody, what are you waiting for? Start!" Akagi boomed, his naturally loud voice echoing in the gym. Like obedient servants, everyone obeyed their captain, signaling that practice had just started.
"Come on Mei, you'll just watch and record today." Ayako dragged the girl to the benches where the papers were.
Mei watched the rest of the practice in awe, keeping her eyes especially on the three-pointer shooter and the ice-cold boy. Their shots went in one by one, some not even touching the rim, and Mei knew that took years and years of training. They probably shoot 1000 a day, she thought, her eyes flickering back and forth between the two amazing guys. Then, between the thudding of the basketballs, Mei heard a loud noise in the bleaches, her gaze sharply turned to the balcony and her reflexes made her go halfway up the stairs before the rest of the team could ask what that explosion was.
"Stay right there, let me check it out." Mei cautioned, her voice firmly discontinuing any arguments. She raced up the stairs towards where she thought she heard the noise. She heard a soft whimper towards the back and went to scout out the sound. There, she saw a girl trapped in between two bleachers; her body clearly stuck under the weight of the heavy metal seats.
"Help me, onegai." The girl whimpered, obviously in pain.
"Akagi, Ayako, I think I need your help. Hurry up!" Mei shouted, and everyone could hear the urgency in her voice. The whole team rushed up, lead by Sakuragi who looked very angry at not being called to help. But when he saw the girl trapped, his immediate action was to try and lift those benches. Akagi, Mitsui and Rukawa followed suite, as Miyagi and Ayako reassured the girl, Kogure calling for an ambulance. Mei looked at the girl's arms carefully to see if there were any marks, for sign of struggle between another person.
"What happened?" Mei asked sharply when the girl was free. The others crowded around to hear what she had to say.
"I was crouching under the benches so no one would see me, because I needed to do a report on Rukawa Kaede for the school paper and this had to be in secret so no one could stop me from doing it."
"Mari Kawai right? School reporter." Miyagi said suddenly, his eyes narrowing. Mei waved an arm to shut him up and asked Mari to continue.
"And then a shadow fell over me and before I knew it these two benches crashed into me." Mari winced as Ayako tried to move her arm.
"Ayako-san, I think it's broken, we should leave it till an ambulance arrives." Mei told her senior wisely. "Do you have any enemies, Mari-san?"
"No, at least I don't think so." Mari whispered and then lapsed into unconsciousness. Mei sighed and rubbed her forehead. It's my first day here and already someone's been injured, she thought tiredly, getting a worried gaze from Ayako.
~*~*~*~*~
Soon after Mari had been taken to the hospital, and the school informed, Kenji came to pick her up, creating stares from the Shohoku basketball team. As she prepared to leave with Kenji, Ryota grabbed her arm and asked in a loud voice, "Are you his girlfriend?"
"Don't be silly, Ryota-kun." Mei blushed, aware that Fujima had heard too.
"We're just friends." Fujima came up and took her arm. "So how's the Shohoku basketball team? Akagi." Fujima nodded at the captain out of respect.
"Good, and what about Shoyo?" Akagi asked.
"Always good." Fujima grinned turned away tugging Mei along.
"Oi, Captain of Shoyo, why are you walking away from the tensai huh?" Sakuragi's voice roared. Fujima turned around and laughed.
"Still the same, ne Sakuragi? I've got to go home so I can't talk but I'll definitely confirm a game between Shoyo and Shohoku, Sakuragi." Fujima said smoothly and saluted the hot-tempered freshman.
"Hey Shorty, don't think you can get away from the genius!!" Sakuragi insulted, complimenting himself on the way.
"Sakuragi, continue this later okay? I have to talk with Kenji-kun about something." Mei snapped impatiently. And without waiting for a further answer, she dragged Fujima to the car, waving absentmindedly to her new friends.
~*~*~*~*~
"So, she was absolutely sure about someone pushing those bleachers?" Fujima asked seriously after Mei had recounted the day's events. "And that also means that Shohoku's bleachers are getting old and rusty, unlike Shoyo."
"That's not the point, Kenji." Mei frowned. "That means that someone isn't stopping those crimes anytime soon. And why her?" Mei fell backwards onto the sofa. There was silence and then Fujima came and sat next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"First of all, were there any clues around?" Fujima wondered.
"None, and Ayako didn't see anything either."
"You mean that hot chick who's always gazing adorably at Shohoku's point guard?"
"Yes, I mean no, wait, that's not what we're supposed to discuss. What's wrong with you? First you started acting all serious, and now you think it's a joke. Just because it didn't happen in Shoyo!!" Mei shouted, extremely agitated now.
"You're just looking too much into it now. We have no proof who did it, no clues, no witnesses so all we have is just facts from the victim herself. You're still an FBI trainee; don't try to be so much like the officers yet. Its not our time." Fujima's voice softened.
"But I need to do something before it gets out of hand, this has been the third time in Shohoku.two things happened when I wasn't here yet." Mei reminded him.
"Don't stress too much over it." Fujima advised then tilted her head towards his. Before Mei knew it, she was lip locked with a guy she only knew for two days. His lips are so soft, she thought gleefully. No, now isn't the time. Mei pushed away from Fujima, breaking their intimate contact.
"What was that? To someone you don't even know?" She asked shifting to the other side of the couch, consciously.
"Oh, stress reliever." Fujima smiled at her. "It relaxes everyone, you know."
A/n: Okay, I admit the ending is a bit lame, but I couldn't help it. Everyone knows that of course Fujima's kisses are stress relievers!! *starry eyed* Anyway, I hope this chapter interested you more. Btw, sorry if the characters are OOC, I'll try to make them so they don't change that much but plz forgive if I do. About the bleachers collapsing with Mari Kawai under it.to be honest, I don't like her at all, but if you do.sorry but I had to make that happen. And for all you readers, who want gore, don't worry. Some gory crimes are about to happen real soon.r&r plz!!
Editor's note: See! Isn't her story great? And you guys have to review it! Bwahaha!