Hagane: hai! ^^ SenHana is my second fav. Pairing so surely he will stand a chance with our lovely redhead ^_^
sLL: No I'm not a genius ^^; I'm just weird =P You thought Makoto would go with Sendoh? o_o … … ^^; because he grabbed her after they just met?
C.Q: Sendoh certainly spice things up ^^ I'm getting impressed with the people who like Makoto… (was afraid she was too bossy .___.)
M.S.Renae: Don't run away!!! I appreciate you telling me my mistakes ne!
Arigato to minna-san who have reviewed ^_^ I'm terribly encouraged.
Notes: Makoto sounds a little off at the end… and.. big WARNING. Things are getting a bit cornier after this turn of events ^^
Cupid
Chapter 10
"Sou desu...so do you intend to reject Fuji?"
"Baka! Of course I'm going to reject her! I may look like a guy but I'm a girl, for goodness' sake! But I'm scared..."
" I thought you were kinda popular back in junior high, Mak-chan..."
" Damn it! Don't remind me! Ever since I replaced the point guard during that particular game-"
"???"
"Arrggh! But I didn't know those girls, and...and Fuji is my friend...!"
Youhei laughed at Makoto's current predicament. She looked particularly hysterical and had pulled him to the roof to pour out her troubles. He liked the way Makoto took things. Serious, honest and straightfoward. She was like Hanamichi in some ways but was a little more mature. Makoto sighed and stood up suddenly.
" I better tell her before I lose my guts."
Youhei watched the retreating figure from the end of the roof. Makoto had grown popular ever since she came to Shohoku High, second to Rukawa and Hanamichi. Somehow, he was glad that Makoto was going to reject Fuji.
***********************
" Gomen, Fuji-san. But I already have someone that I like a lot. But I hope we can still remain friends." Makoto rushed through the words in one breath, and then almost went blue as she held her breath, waiting for Fuji to respond. Fuji looked down in disappointment, but acknowledged the truth sadly. Makoto released a sigh of relief. One problem down, one more to go.
***********************
Hanamichi walked towards the school gate, bored to death. He had extra lessons after school and his guntai had suddenly decided that the day was fine for pachinko. Makoto was nowhere to be found. Hanamichi cursed his teacher out loud and muttered something about betraying friends and pachinko addicts. But he stopped, stunned when he reached the gate. A boy about his height with a unique hairstyle no one could mistake was standing just outside the school gates, girls occasionally throwing him shy glances. The boy turned and saw Hanamichi just steps away from the school gate and waved over to him. Hanamichi let out a growl out of irritation. '
Why can't that guy show some other facial expression sometimes? Funny, he reminds me of the kitsune...'
At the thought of Rukawa, Hanamichi's face went aflame again. Cursing himself inwardly, Hanamichi grudged towards the patiently waiting and always-cheerful person at the gate.
"What are you doing here, Sendoh? Spying on the enemy? That's too bad cos there's no basketball practice today." Hanamichi puffed out one of his trademark tensai stance when he reached Sendoh.
Sendoh just smiled and got closer to the slightly shorter boy.
"Akira."
"Huh?" Hanamichi's eyebrows shot up, curious at Sendoh's strange answer.
'Kawaii' Sendoh said to himself before reaching out both hands towards the redhead's face.
"Call me Akira, Hana-kun." Sendoh murmured, before pulling in Hanamichi in for a deep kiss.
Hanamichi's eyes widened in surprise. 'What the heck did the hentai think he was doing!?' Hanamichi tried to protest, but Sendoh took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside. At this, Hanamichi really panicked. It was the worst thing that ever happened to him. Firstly, they were only outside the school gate, even though no one seems to be passing through, and secondly, although the kiss felt good, Hanamichi DID NOT want to be kissed by Sendoh! If only it were a certain someone, he would not have minded. Struggling with all his strength, Hanamichi squirmed in Sendoh's embrace, attempting to fling the Ryonan captain off him. But he could not. Damn it! Must be because he had not been in a fight for too long! When Sendoh finally loosened his grip a little, Hanamichi took the opportunity to knee him in the gut before running away frantically, red-faced.
"Hana-kun..." Sendoh was disappointed that Hanamichi had not returned his kiss, but kicked him in the stomach instead. Fortunately, it was not a very powerful kick.
'At least I finally made a move on him. Boy, does he taste good.' Sendoh got up from the ground, just in time to catch a basketball flying at full force with a single hand. He took the basketball down to waist level and was met with a pair of cold, murderous blue eyes.
"You, me, one on one."
Sendoh was not surprised. He gave a grin that said I won and passed the ball back to Rukawa, hard, before walking to the nearest public court. Rukawa stared at his back even more coldly, vowing to himself that he would kill the hentai if he had the chance to.
********************************
Makoto dragged Rukawa to a far end of the school to have a private talk with him.
" What do you think you're doing!!?? I've never seen you so cowardly before! You always rush forward to achieve what you want, is that not true?"
" I thought I told you the reason. I don't want to risk getting hurt like you d-"
Makoto grabbed Rukawa by the collar, frustrated.
"I am telling you, Kaede! Hanamichi looks like he has feelings for you! Why don't you just try and make peace with him or something!"
"Looks like..."
Makoto played her last card, and it worked.
"Do you want to lose Hanamichi to Sendoh? I'm sure you heard what he said last Saturday. He's going to make his move on Hana soon!"
Rukawa froze. Sendoh was not afraid to show his feelings openly towards the do'aho. Rukawa was sure he felt a jealous streak. Rukawa fumed silently. By what right did Sendoh have the right to feel jealous? Hanamichi belonged to him! Not Sendoh. He looked at Makoto straight in the eye and agreed.
Makoto beamed in satisfaction, happy that she had gotten rid of the strange fear in her friend. She half-dragged, half-pushed Rukawa towards the school gate.
"He should be leaving the school now, just after his extra lessons. Come on, Kaede, we might miss him! You won't want that, would you?"
But the very moment they were in view of the school gate, Makoto wished she had not witnessed the scene before her. She pulled Rukawa behind a bush when they heard two girls talking in front of them.
"Hey, isn't that Hanamichi?"
"??Who's that with him?"
"I don't know. But that spikey head guy's cute, ne?"
"EEYYAAHH!! They're....kissing!"
"Wow! Eye-candy!!!!"
After a while, the two yaoi-crazed girls left. Makoto took a peek at Rukawa as they witnessed Hanamichi run off after kicking Sendoh. A throbbing vein was about to burst. At the first mention of spikey head, the both of them had looked up, unfortunately, to see Sendoh and Hanamichi's lips connect. Makoto, clenched her fist hard, but kept a firm grip on her friend, almost able to feel the heat emanating from him. Rukawa's eyes were gleaming with rage as he watched on. When Sendoh had made their rivalry clear, she wasn't expecting him to move that fast! Sure, she had no intention to go after Hanamichi, but she still harboured feelings for him anyway. When Sendoh prolonged the kiss, Makoto had to root herself to the ground in order not to let Rukawa storm in and beat the hell out of Sendoh, aka make Hanamichi embarrassed at being discovered by the 'kitsune'. If he did, Hanamichi was sure not to give Rukawa a chance, for the sake of his ever-growing pride.
"Maa, Kaede. You can go and take revenge for me as well once Hana is out of the scene, ok?"
This seemed to calm Rukawa a little more. After Hanamichi had run off, Makoto threw Rukawa a basketball before turning away.
"This is your rival. Do as you wish since both of you are alone now. It's better than ruining your chances with Hana, right?" Rukawa looked at the basketball and nodded appreciatively as he willed himself to win against Sendoh this time.
tbc