Chapter Six: Spite

"Arigatou," Mitsui says dryly. "Very much. In fact, why don't you just hit me harder?"

This time, I crack up for real. Mitsui's sour face make me wish I had a camera with me so that I could capture this beautiful, hilarious moment forever and haunt him with my glorious photograph years after we've graduated (assuming Mitsui is able to graduate) and settled down, with kids of our own. It would be a moment cemented in human history, for Mitsui Hisashi's sour face is one that is incredibly priceless. It is one of a kind, it is precious and it is comical in its own rights. His eyebrows are turned down and they connect to form a V, his eyes are narrowed, presumably menacingly, at me, and his lips are pursed, like a disgruntled two-year-old whose mother refuses to let him eat ice-cream before dinner at six o'clock.

I admit. He looks adorable. But that is beside the point.

"You're welcome," I say cheekily. "I'd grant your request anytime you want me to. Just say the word!"

"Very funny," he mutters. "If you weren't the only friend I have in this stupid school, I would've severed ties with you already. So consider yourself lucky."

"Consider myself lucky? Hisashi, I think it's the other way round. I'm the only friend you have in this wonderful school, so without me you'd be all lonely and sad. I mean, who'd listen to you spew your usual shit about mostly nothing? Who would accompany you on the school field during lunch when normal people are actually having lunch? Who would -- "

"Oh, shut up!" he snaps. "I can't believe how annoying you've become. What happened to the mysterious, nice girl whom I met in Shohoku? Who the hell is this monster before me?"

"Please, lay off the flattery here, will you?" I think he's gone completely mad. As in insane. He's just brought up the past. That is reason enough for me to bring him to Woodbridge* and personally slap him in a straitjacket and automatically grant him the right to plead insanity before the judge when I sue him for mental distraught.

We were getting along nicely before, and I don't want history to come along to mess things up.

"Anyway," I say quickly before Mitsui can continue with his unfortunate tangent. "I was just messing with you but surely you know that."

"Yeah, I do, of course."

"Of course."

Silence. Just what I was dreading. The word 'Shohoku' did it. I just knew it. I just knew the past is better left untouched. Call me a coward, but I believe in dealing with problems only when you absolutely have to, only when you have exhausted all other resources. In other words, I believe in running away until the problem solves itself.

This situation can solve itself, for I know just the solution.

"Come with me," I say, shaking off the last slivers of discomfort. "I'll take you to the basketball court."

*****
Mitsui lived for basketball. That much was obvious from the way he charged up and down the court, expertly shaking off half-baked defenders from his trail and hitting one perfect three-pointer after another. But his fervour and passion for the game showed not only in the way he played; it also showed in the way he responded to good shots.

His response was still guarded and tentative, however, seeing as he'd rejoined the team for less than three hours. But the signs were there, a little smirk when his shots, mostly from the outside, were on target, a shake of the fist when he made successful lay-ups. He was truly in his element.

I watched Mitsui's first basketball practice in his third year of high school from the sidelines. After his explanatory three-pointer, Mitsui had asked me to stay and watch. I couldn't find any reason not to, so I happily complied.

I sat quietly with a girl named Ayako, who managed the team. She was a fiery but friendly person who initiated conversations and asked me about my 'relationship' with Mitsui.

"How did you get to know him?" she queried.

"Um," I said. "Tough question. I'm not sure. His first words to me were, 'What are you doing?' And..." I trailed off as I thought of the incident at the basketball court. I shrugged. "I don't know, really."

Ayako shot me a curious glance but she didn't pursue it any further.

"So what do you think of the team?"

"They're good," I answered. "NBA-good. Who coaches them?"

Ayako smiled, obviously pleased with my positive assessment of the team. "Well, we have a coach, but Akagi, the captain, is the one who does the training."

"Oh," I said, although I didn't know who Akagi was.

We lapsed into silence as we focused on the practice session. Some tall red-head accidentally jabbed his elbow into an unknowing defender's face, causing him to cry out in pain.

Next to me, Ayako lept out of her chair and blasted her whistle. "Foul, Hanamichi!" she yelled. For a demure-looking girl, she sure packed a lot of punch.

I looked at Mitsui again. He was taking a break, drinking from the water cooler and wiping his sweaty face with his towel. He was panting rather heavily, like he'd collapse from exhaustion any minute.

I excused myself and went over to him. To my surprise, he was actually wheezing.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Mitsui started at the sound of my voice. "Oh, Allison! I didn't see you coming." Pant, pant. "Yeah, I'm fine." Pant, pant. "I just" -- pant -- "have really bad stamina."

A stupid remark -- "But you're an athlete!" -- almost shot out of my mouth, but I forced it back in time,

I started to reply, but a collective gasp from the players caught my attention. I whirled around just in time to see Rukawa Kaede grab the basketball in mid-air, do a hundred-and-eighty degrees spin, and slam the ball into the hoop.

The ring rattled noisily. His teammates started to cheer, but Rukawa paid them no attention and muttered something under his breath, apparently directed at that red-head Hanamichi, who'd scowled and yelled something that sounded like, "Baka kitsune!" after Rukawa made his dunk.

Beside me, Mitsui grunted. "That's Rukawa for you," he muttered. "Super rookie."

"Yeah..." I said slowly. He sounded resentful, and even looked slightly resentful. "He's really good."

"Sure," Mitsui replied curtly. Taking one last sip of water, he walked back to the court without a word.

*****
It was towards the end of basketball practice that I remembered Michiko.

"Shit!" I exclaimed loudly.

Heads turned in my direction, including, surprisingly, Rukawa's. Too worried to be embarrassed, I got off my chair as quick as lightning and began to panic.

"Dammit!" I say again, this time softer and mostly to myself.

"What's wrong?" Ayako asked. She looked concerned, and understandably so; she had to sit next to a lunatic who'd swore out loud twice without warning.

"My friend!" I rambled as I grew more and more anxious. "My surrogate sister! Or whatever! I was supposed to meet her three hours ago!"

"Why don't you just give her a call?"

Mitsui's tone was matter-of-fact, which immediately made me feel silly. It was obviously the only thing to do under such circumstances, seeing as it wasn't as if I could turn back time and make things better.

"Oh. Right." I whipped out my mobile phone and quickly dialled Michiko's number, at the same time going off by myself to one corner so that I wouldn't serve any further as a possible source of distraction. Michiko picked up on the first ring.

"Allison!" she screeched, piercing my eardrums. "Where in the world have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you for the past three hours and I'm beat! Why didn't you tell me you couldn't meet me? Do you know how worried I've been?"

"I'm sorry -- "

"And you know what? My parents blamed me for not looking after you! They blame me! Allison, you better come up with a decent explanation or it's the first plane back to Singapore for you!"

"Okay, okay! Just hear me out!"

"Fine. I'm listening."

I drew in a deep breath. That Michiko could really sound like a slaughtered chicken when she wanted to.

"Okay. I'm in the gym, and -- "

"You are where?"

Frustrated, I gave the nearest wall a vicious kick. The stupid wall quickly retaliated by giving my toe an awful sore.

"Dammit!" I yelled, at both Michiko and the freaking wall. "Just listen to me!"

"I'm in the gym," I went on when Michiko didn't answer. "It's a long story, but I'll tell you everything when I get back. I'm sorry I left you waiting, it was shitty of me and I've absolutely no excuse. I'll explain everything when I get back, okay?"

She was silent. I was beginning to think that she'd hung up on me. I even turned my phone over to check; she was still on the line.

"You're at basketball practice, aren't you," she finally stated flatly.

"Um, yeah, but -- "

"Who invited you?" she interrupted.

It finally struck me where she was heading with that question. I had no doubt, and proof surfaced within the next few seconds:

"Mitsui did."

Another drawn-out silence. I felt myself beginning to sweat.

"Oh," she said. "I see."

Then the line went dead.


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*Woodbridge: Mental asylum in Singapore.

Oh my god. I didn't know that I've already written this. I completely forgot about it. Oh my god.

Sometimes, I am so clever that I truly amaze myself.

Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapters. I appreciate it. I have a feeling that this fic has been long forgotten, but who said I gave a shit?

fehrocious: Aww thanks. Your review made me smile. Even though that was back in December '02, I remember smiling when I read your review, so there. Thanks a lot.

sakura88: Mitsui is sooooo swoon-worthy, isn't he? Gad, I love him so much. I'd put my sanity on the line for him. I'd give my life for him. I'd even give up my right to write for him!...okay, I wouldn't. That's too much to ask for. But yeah. Thanks.

moomoo: love the nick. :P Thanks for the review.

frozenfemale: She doesn't know 'cause she's a transfer student and 'cause Mitsui has just returned to the team. Not a lot of people know he was MVP. I think. Ack, it's been so long since the last I touched this thing so yeah, kinda forgot. Bleah. Anyway, thanks for the review.

super rookie: What can I say? Thanks a bunch. You should write more though. Your fics are great.

Swiftfire: Um, okay. *looks around* Yeah, it's just you. No, really, thanks for the feedback. Appreciate it.

I think I've written Chapter Seven. I'll go and check.

-Yelen, Hisashi's 'blur' soulmate.