Fourth chappie! Enjoy, minna!
Shirodachi: Thanks for waiting!
Kka: Wouldn't you?
Fiery-ice: Thanks for reviewing – and for giving me a candy! Wahaha! Enjoy!
Fer-chan: Oh, gosh, Mai was really violent in your self-insert! *shudders* But hey, you deserved it. Who told you to tell her what Maki gave you?? Ha ha! I pity Porka. Hope you didn't bully her too much – cuz I need her. : )
Rapt142: Thanks! How do I make conversations interesting?? *looks baffled* you mean, my conversations are interesting?? Whoa! *blushes at the compliment* ka ka ka! My butt's grown twice it's size. I dunno how, actually. It just flows out of my brain, into my fingers, into the keyboard and onto the screen and walla! I put it up on the net!
Lambie: In my school, dozens of people enter more than one sport, believe it or not. There's this one girl who's in cheerleading AND netball – I'm surprised she hasn't collapsed yet! Ha ha!
Patty g: Glad you like Maki this way!
Tensaispira: ke ke ke! You're right, Mai would've bulldozed you if she heard you loved maki! Wahahaha!
Joy: Me glad you're back to writing! Hooray! *throws confetti* Tell me when and where, and I'll read it!
Jo-sen7: Updated again! Thought slightly late… heh heh!
sLL: *continues the 'rusuhan' to support Mai down the streets with sLL by her side* Enjoy!
Alexia: I've always wanted to play piano – but I have no talent! Waaaaa! Have fun!
December Morning Owl: Interesting name there! Thanks! Me glad you like it!
Tiran: Yeah, I wish RUkawa and Sendoh would come to life too so I can marry them on the spot. Thanks! Keep on reading!
Lazuli: he he! *thumps Maki on the head* You hear that? She said you were cold. So be un-cold! *thumps Maki again*
Akane: I'll see about making Maki suffer … *gruesome ideas start popping*
KOFleona: Yeah! Go Mai! Go mai! Go, go, go Mai! Glad you like her!
The tiring private sessions went on quietly for a few more weeks. Again and again, Mai dribbled and delivered and dribbled and delivered and so on. It didn't help that she was still undergoing volleyball practices, and having two sorts of sports activity back to back usually left her with barely any energy to drag herself home.
But all in all, in wasn't so bad. At the very least, she was spared the humiliation of not knowing anything next to the more experienced basketball girls – who were mostly her juniors, which kind of doubled the embarrassment.
In fact, she found that she kind of enjoyed the private sessions, though, of course, she had firmly banished improper thoughts of Maki and had moved on in life like a sensible person. Even the volleyball team was doing fine.
The volleyball semi-finals had been postponed due to a mistake in arrangement. Apparently, the date fixed collided with a university match which had caused several heated arguments with the sponsors and management board.
The officials might get their necks hot over it, but Mai thought it was convenient for her. More time to practice, more time to get her nerves settled.
Things were good.
Then Maki had to go and spoil it by making her practice shooting.
Shots were important in a basketball game, that Mai knew. How else were you supposed to get points? But the technique of it was simply not designed to be understood by her. She simply couldn't do it, no matter how hard she tried. The ball seemed to take pleasure it going at least 25 degrees off mark and bouncing triumphantly back at her.
"Do I have to do this?" she moaned to Maki one day, after a series of forty consecutive failed attempts to put the ball in the hoop. "Can't you like, just put me in a position where I'm not required to score points?"
He looked blankly at her. "There's no such position."
"Well, can't you create one then?"
"Every player has to be good in scoring a basket or two," he told her patiently. "Because, whether you like it or not, there will be times when you will have to shoot by yourself. You can't just rely on others to do it."
"Why not? It's all about teamwork, isn't it? I'll do all the stealing and passing, and someone else can have the honour of scoring points."
He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Don't argue with me, Mai. Do what I tell you to do."
And so she did, for the next two weeks. She improved little – maybe not at all, and even at her two thousand and fifth try, the ball still stubbornly insisted on avoiding the hoop. Mai could feel her patience wearing thin day by day, and the frustration and exasperation that mounted up and up in her heart was a little too unbearable.
Maki too, seemed to be getting more and more anxious. Her stagnant state annoyed him and he couldn't understand nor see what was it that was keeping her back. His comments and instructions grew more curt as time passed, and it only added to the burden on Mai's shoulder.
It was the third week since they first practiced shots, and still, Mai had not even one goal to brag about. Having endured a gruelling three hour practice in volleyball AND another two hours of basketball AND experiencing another failed attempt, she dropped herself onto the floor and closed her eyes against the hopelessness of it all.
Maki was positively livid. "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU??" he yelled loudly, slamming the ball out of his way. "IT'S JUST A HOOP! I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO PUT THE BALL THROUGH A NEEDLE! CAN'T YOU EVEN DO SUCH A SIMPLE THING??" He stomped over to her. "HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG?? HOW MANY BLOODY TIMES MUST I SHOW YOU THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT??"
Mai's head whipped up sharply. Her face was pale – and streaked with hot helpless tears. "Shut up!" she screamed back. She struggled to her feet, her pose defensive. "I never wanted to do this stupid thing, all right?? You were the one who dragged me here and made me go through all this ridiculous torture!" She shoved him angrily, tears pouring down her cheeks in alarming speed. "Who the hell do you think you are?? I can't do it, okay? I told you I don't play basketball, didn't I??! I'm not a basketball player! Can't you see that I was never meant to be one??"
She wrapped her face with her hands, sobbing harshly.
Speechless and still struggling to control his temper, Maki said nothing.
"I can't do it," Mai murmured brokenly, disappointment and frustration oozing out of her. "I don't know why I can't do it. It's not my fault. Don't yell at me as if it's all my fault."
"I have to yell," Maki retorted back angrily. "It's so you'll hear me through that thick head of yours. And don't you dare say that you can't do it. I hate people who say they can't do it."
Mai closed her eyes miserably, trying with all her might to stop crying. "Leave me alone, Maki."
"You're not trying hard enough," he scolded her relentlessly. "You're fooling around as if it's all a game. Stop it, all right? You're doing everything wrong. This is not volleyball. I don't need you to slam and smash the ball into the hoop. The unnecessary energy puts the ball off-mark. I need you to push it in gently. GENTLY. Do you hear me?"
"Shut up. Just shut up."
He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. It was then that he realised she was as limp as a boiled octopus. Her wet and weary face turned up and she stared at him with half-closed eyes. "I'm so tired," she murmured. "I'm just so tired. Let me go home."
He took in deep breaths to calm himself. The girl was exhausted, damn it. He should've let her rest before starting the practice. And a closer look at the bag under her eyes bespoke to him of sleepless and worrying nights. "I'm sorry, Mai," he apologised then, sincerely and regretfully. "I didn't know you've had a hard day."
A hard day? More like a hard month. She couldn't bring herself to retort the reply. Her energy had been wholly drained and she limply leaned into Maki, sobbing away the last of her disappointment and frustration.
"And I'm sorry I screamed at you," Maki continued. "I keep forgetting that you're not one of the guys and I keep treating you like one." He absently drew her into his arms. "I have big plans for you," he said quietly, and a little wistfully, "and I am not going to let you disrupt them just because you think you're pathetic."
His arms were comfortingly warm and strong – and distracting. "To hell with your plans," Mai managed spitefully. "You can take your plans and stick it up your arse."
He had to smile. "I doubt it'll fit."
They didn't say anything after that and stood close together quietly, each entertaining their own thoughts. She leaned her entire weight on him, taking some time to gather some leftover energy. He didn't mind all that much, really. Her hair smelt nice, and she fit in just nicely in his arms. Without even thinking about it, he started to run his hands back and forth across her back.
Mai felt her cheeks turning hot. With some effort, she lifted her head up slightly to say something to him. He grunted and looked back down at her. Mai realised with a start that his face was very close to hers and unthinkingly, she leaned forward and kissed him.
He didn't respond for a moment, frozen by surprise, and then he kissed her back, most probably without even realising it. It was gentle at first, as if he was unsure what on earth he was doing, then the confidence came back and he got a bit rougher and demanding.
Mai had a little trouble breathing.
Then, as if realising something, she released a strangled sound and backed away. "I'm sorry," she muttered, eyes wide. "I'm so sorry." Letter and chocolates too direct, is it? Well, what do you call this then, Mai?
Maki lifted an eyebrow. "Why? It was great. Come back here."
She shook her head and with a rather haunted look, turned around and desperately searched for her bag. Maki took hold of her arm. "Where are you going? We weren't finished yet, were we?"
Mai's cheeks burned all the more. Stupid! She cursed herself. What the hell were you thinking, you idiot?? "I-I have to go," she found her bag.
"Relax." He seemed very amused and the smile he gave was downright flirtatious. Now that he was in the mood for it, he was ten times more lethal than he originally was. "No one's going to peek."
"No, I can't." She looked around for the exit. "I really can't. It shouldn't have happened. I'm really sorry."
He frowned then. "Why not?"
"Because," she bit her lip, eyes a little wild and untrusting. "Because I'm with someone else."
A deep line formed over Maki's forehead. "Who?" his tone was a little testy.
"Enrio."
Volleyball captain. "You're with him? Since when?"
"Since a week ago." Since I decided you're not worth the trouble. And since Enrio seems to like me a bit more than you ever will. It was supposed to make me forget you, darn it! Why isn't it working??
"Why on earth did you kiss me then?"
Mai raised her hands. "I don't know," she confessed a little helplessly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. It was a big mistake."
His eyes narrowed. "I don't think so."
Mai decided a quick escape was desperately due. "I'll … see you tomorrow." She scurried away before he could stop her.
Maki watched her go, eyes narrowed and lips pursed. "You'd better."
Short chappie – but I think enough to get a reaction from you readers! Tell me, what do you think Mai is now?
a. a slut or b. someone very confused or c. someone retarded or d. someone who can't control her feelings
Me want to see feedbacks – to tell you the truth, I also don't know what sort of a person I'm making Mai into! Ha ha!