Sakuragi
I told Gori. He said okay. So now I'm officially out of the team and am a free woman. Girl. Either or.
I don't have to see the dratted kitsune anymore.
I'll miss Ayako-san, Megane-kun and Ryochin though. And Mitsui-san. Especially Mitsui-san. For all his skirt-chasing and flirting, he's a really nice guy. And who can forget his kiss. After he's kissed you, that's all you think about whenever you see him. Of course, I don't let him know it.
Anyhow, I won't be seeing much of them anymore. Which is quite a pity. I was beginning to like them.
Well, never mind. I have Mito and gang. They're my friends.
Haruko
I wonder why Sakuragi-chan's not here yet. She's really late! I saw her just now in school and she said something that I couldn't catch. Maybe she's got other appointments.
Onii-chan looks angry. Is it because of Sakuragi-chan?
"Onii-chan, please don't get mad at Sakuragi-chan. She'll be here soon," I tell him.
He turns to me, vein throbbing in his forehead.
"Soon? Soon? She quit the team!" he yells.
I cover my ears. Onii-chan can be very loud.
"Sakuragi-chan quit basketball?" asked Ayako-san, stunned.
"When?" prompted Miyagi-san.
"She quit?" Mitsui-san stated with disbelief.
"Sakuragi-chan quit?" Kogure-san and I chorused together.
Yasuda-san and the others also looked quite startled at the news.
Ayako
"What was her reason?" I ask.
"Said she wasn't good enough and it'll be for the best if she withdrew," snarls Akagi.
"The best?" I repeat incredulously.
"For her you mean," snorts Miyagi.
"And you let her, Akagi?" Kogure looks at him skeptically.
"What was I supposed to do? She ran up to me during break, shot her mouth off and dashed away before I even sputtered a single word!"
"I'll get her back," vows Mitsui.
"Me too," agrees Miyagi.
Akagi holds up a hand to stop them from leaving. "Let her. We don't force anyone to join or stay. If she wants to quit, let her quit. She'll be happier not playing with us."
"But- -" both of them protest.
"Sempai's right," I nod gravely, "it's her choice."
Rukawa
So she quit the team. Why the fuss?
Haruko
Everyone seems very lethargic..they don't seem to want to play...only Rukawa-kun doesn't seem to be affected by Sakuragi-chan's departure.
I'm still shocked. Why did she quit? She was doing so well! I'll go find her now!
Mito
Sakuragi decided to enroll in the swimming team. They took her in eagerly, upon seeing her junior high records. I'm impressed. She was a state swimmer and runner then..... well, I haven't heard it before since Sakuragi only moved to Kanagawa this year.... I wonder why she even signed up for basketball in the first place.
Perhaps she wanted to try her hand at something else?
Perhaps she joined because of Rukawa?
Not likely, but not impossible either. You never know when Sakuragi is concerned.
Anyhow, we're on our way to Danny's all five of us...I'll pay for her again- I don't mind.
Haruko
She's not in school! I can't find her anywhere!
I guess I have to wait till tomorrow to talk to her.
Several weeks later..
Haruko
I tried to ask Sakuragi-chan to return to the club but always she refused. She said she's happier in the swimming team. I have to admit that she does seem more cheerful...and she's made lots of new friends.
Sakuragi-chan's become very popular now. The boys are all after her and the girls want to be her friends. They're so fake. They only want to be friends with her because she's popular. Everywhere she goes, she's surrounded by a group of people. I can't talk to her in private!
Basketball sessions still go on with or without her. Everyone has gotten over her, but I can't help but feel like there's something missing. I think everyone feels it too.
Sakuragi-chan wasn't exactly very noisy when she was around- she always kept to herself and practiced her shots on her own. There was only the occasional outburst when Mito and the others laughed at her. But somehow, she made her presence felt and known.
Now, it's just so empty...I wish those people would go away so I can talk to her.
Sakuragi
Why are there so many people hanging around me all of a sudden?
Mito says it's because I'm very popular in school, especially among the boys, but what has that got to do with anything?
Forgive me. I may be smart and athletic, but I'm completely clueless when it comes to all this social issues.
The swimmers are very nice people. They're very normal people. I must stress on the 'normal' part. They're not freaks like the members of the basketball club. And the best thing is that the swimming club is very established. They never fail to qualify for the inter-high every year and came in second last year in the National Championships. Which makes them the second-best in Japan. And I'm a member of their team. Which makes me one of the best swimmers in the country.
That's a very nice title.
I'm content.
I've finished training- coach made us do 12 laps today. I'm a bit restless though, and for some reason, I feel drawn to the gym. Fine. I'll just go in and peep awhile. It's late anyhow. Practice ended hours ago. Maybe there's no one there.
I hear someone dribbling a basketball. Maybe it's Gori..nah. Can't be. He should have left by now. Mitsui-san? He stays behind sometimes to throw some hoops. I've seen him before.
No. It's Rukawa.
*sigh*
Oh well, nothing to see then.
I make to leave when a ball comes flying out of nowhere and trips me. I crash unceremoniously on the floor.
I curse. Stupid Rukawa. All he ever does is infuriate me. He seems to derive pleasure from grinding my nerves. The sadist.
"D'aho."
I flip myself over and glare at him. He towers over me and looks down at me with a blank, expressionless face. My legs hit out and kick him in the shin, making him lose his balance. A priceless look of surprise crosses his face as he falls. Damn it. He's going to fall on top of me.
I put my hands out, palms up to stop him from creaming me. And close my eyes to brace the impact.
Oh. He's not very heavy is he?
I'm not using that much force to hold him up and away from me. Or is that because I have been blessed with superhuman strength? Not very likely.
I open my eyes. And almost withdrew my hands.
I'm staring right into those pools of sapphire.
Rukawa
The stupid girl kicked me so I lost my balance and fell on top of her.
She stuck her hands out to supposedly stop me from flattening her but if it hadn't been for my quick reaction, she would have been a pancake by now.
My arms are around her, and I'm propping myself up. Her hands are on my chest.
I don't know why, but this position is awkward.
When she opened her eyes, I almost flinched. I never knew she had such beautiful eyes.
Sakuragi
I hold my breath. My heart's pounding madly in my chest and I can feel the blood rush through my veins. I don't know what's happening but I do know it can't be good. Anything to do with the kitsune can't be good.
"Get off me," I say. I'm panicking a little. If he doesn't move away soon.... I don't know what'll happen. I just want him to go away.
"Why should I do as you say, d'aho?" His warm breath tickles my face.
"Stupid kitsune. You're stupid, that's why you should listen to a tensai," I retort.
"D'aho would suit you better."
"Teme! Get away from me!" I growl angrily.
As if to purposely infuriate me, he relaxes the pressure in his arms and presses down on me so that his face is inches away from mine.
"D'aho," he repeats.
I breathe in sharply. His lips are hovering less than two centimeters above mine. I can feel his every breath caressing my face.
"Why did you quit?" he asks, surprising me.
"Huh?" I say stupidly.
"Why did you quit?" he repeats.
"Why do you care?" I snort.
"I don't."
"Fine. Then don't ask!" I snap.
He moves as if to get up and I relax.
"Tomorrow."
"What?" I say.
"Tomorrow. One-on-one. I win, you join the club again."
I blink. He can't be serious.
He looks dead serious to me though.
The next day...
Sakuragi
I told Youhei about it. He's my best friend- he deserves to know everything. Anyway, he wasn't too happy at the news. He said I shouldn't take up the challenge. I have no obligation to, and besides, basketball is Rukawa's field so the results should be obvious.
I told him this- "I have no intention of taking up the challenge anyhow."
He had grinned like a nutcase.
So, come evening, Rukawa will be waiting for no one. I'll be at Danny's with the boys.
Rukawa
She should be here by now. I hate waiting damn it!
27 minutes later...
Oh freak. She stood me up.
Sakuragi
I'm so tired. My body's aching all over. I laughed too much for my own good. Now I feel so utterly weak I have to drag myself around the house. Tired as I am, I need to do the housework- I've neglected the house for nearly three days now, and the dust has begun to set in. So I grab the broom and sweep.
And the doorbell decides to ring.
I wonder who it could be. Youhei? But he just left after dropping me off at the doorstep. I open the door and peep out.
Oh.
"What do you want kitsune?" I ask in an exasperated voice, "And for that matter, how did you find out where I live?"
The boys couldn't have told him. How else then?
"I had my dad's secretary search the records," he replied.
My eyes widened. No kidding. He's been acting funny....I don't know when he's joking or when he's being serious. His sense of humor is very twisted.
"What do you want then? There's nothing worth stealing."
"You stood me up," he says flatly.
My eyebrows arch up in surprise. "You were not stood up."
"I was."
"You weren't. I never agreed to meet you."
I saw a flash of irritation cross his face and smiled. "Well, if that's all, I would appreciate it if you would kindly leave without treading any dirt on my doormat. Thanks." I close the door in his face, feeling unbelievably smug.
I told Gori. He said okay. So now I'm officially out of the team and am a free woman. Girl. Either or.
I don't have to see the dratted kitsune anymore.
I'll miss Ayako-san, Megane-kun and Ryochin though. And Mitsui-san. Especially Mitsui-san. For all his skirt-chasing and flirting, he's a really nice guy. And who can forget his kiss. After he's kissed you, that's all you think about whenever you see him. Of course, I don't let him know it.
Anyhow, I won't be seeing much of them anymore. Which is quite a pity. I was beginning to like them.
Well, never mind. I have Mito and gang. They're my friends.
Haruko
I wonder why Sakuragi-chan's not here yet. She's really late! I saw her just now in school and she said something that I couldn't catch. Maybe she's got other appointments.
Onii-chan looks angry. Is it because of Sakuragi-chan?
"Onii-chan, please don't get mad at Sakuragi-chan. She'll be here soon," I tell him.
He turns to me, vein throbbing in his forehead.
"Soon? Soon? She quit the team!" he yells.
I cover my ears. Onii-chan can be very loud.
"Sakuragi-chan quit basketball?" asked Ayako-san, stunned.
"When?" prompted Miyagi-san.
"She quit?" Mitsui-san stated with disbelief.
"Sakuragi-chan quit?" Kogure-san and I chorused together.
Yasuda-san and the others also looked quite startled at the news.
Ayako
"What was her reason?" I ask.
"Said she wasn't good enough and it'll be for the best if she withdrew," snarls Akagi.
"The best?" I repeat incredulously.
"For her you mean," snorts Miyagi.
"And you let her, Akagi?" Kogure looks at him skeptically.
"What was I supposed to do? She ran up to me during break, shot her mouth off and dashed away before I even sputtered a single word!"
"I'll get her back," vows Mitsui.
"Me too," agrees Miyagi.
Akagi holds up a hand to stop them from leaving. "Let her. We don't force anyone to join or stay. If she wants to quit, let her quit. She'll be happier not playing with us."
"But- -" both of them protest.
"Sempai's right," I nod gravely, "it's her choice."
Rukawa
So she quit the team. Why the fuss?
Haruko
Everyone seems very lethargic..they don't seem to want to play...only Rukawa-kun doesn't seem to be affected by Sakuragi-chan's departure.
I'm still shocked. Why did she quit? She was doing so well! I'll go find her now!
Mito
Sakuragi decided to enroll in the swimming team. They took her in eagerly, upon seeing her junior high records. I'm impressed. She was a state swimmer and runner then..... well, I haven't heard it before since Sakuragi only moved to Kanagawa this year.... I wonder why she even signed up for basketball in the first place.
Perhaps she wanted to try her hand at something else?
Perhaps she joined because of Rukawa?
Not likely, but not impossible either. You never know when Sakuragi is concerned.
Anyhow, we're on our way to Danny's all five of us...I'll pay for her again- I don't mind.
Haruko
She's not in school! I can't find her anywhere!
I guess I have to wait till tomorrow to talk to her.
Several weeks later..
Haruko
I tried to ask Sakuragi-chan to return to the club but always she refused. She said she's happier in the swimming team. I have to admit that she does seem more cheerful...and she's made lots of new friends.
Sakuragi-chan's become very popular now. The boys are all after her and the girls want to be her friends. They're so fake. They only want to be friends with her because she's popular. Everywhere she goes, she's surrounded by a group of people. I can't talk to her in private!
Basketball sessions still go on with or without her. Everyone has gotten over her, but I can't help but feel like there's something missing. I think everyone feels it too.
Sakuragi-chan wasn't exactly very noisy when she was around- she always kept to herself and practiced her shots on her own. There was only the occasional outburst when Mito and the others laughed at her. But somehow, she made her presence felt and known.
Now, it's just so empty...I wish those people would go away so I can talk to her.
Sakuragi
Why are there so many people hanging around me all of a sudden?
Mito says it's because I'm very popular in school, especially among the boys, but what has that got to do with anything?
Forgive me. I may be smart and athletic, but I'm completely clueless when it comes to all this social issues.
The swimmers are very nice people. They're very normal people. I must stress on the 'normal' part. They're not freaks like the members of the basketball club. And the best thing is that the swimming club is very established. They never fail to qualify for the inter-high every year and came in second last year in the National Championships. Which makes them the second-best in Japan. And I'm a member of their team. Which makes me one of the best swimmers in the country.
That's a very nice title.
I'm content.
I've finished training- coach made us do 12 laps today. I'm a bit restless though, and for some reason, I feel drawn to the gym. Fine. I'll just go in and peep awhile. It's late anyhow. Practice ended hours ago. Maybe there's no one there.
I hear someone dribbling a basketball. Maybe it's Gori..nah. Can't be. He should have left by now. Mitsui-san? He stays behind sometimes to throw some hoops. I've seen him before.
No. It's Rukawa.
*sigh*
Oh well, nothing to see then.
I make to leave when a ball comes flying out of nowhere and trips me. I crash unceremoniously on the floor.
I curse. Stupid Rukawa. All he ever does is infuriate me. He seems to derive pleasure from grinding my nerves. The sadist.
"D'aho."
I flip myself over and glare at him. He towers over me and looks down at me with a blank, expressionless face. My legs hit out and kick him in the shin, making him lose his balance. A priceless look of surprise crosses his face as he falls. Damn it. He's going to fall on top of me.
I put my hands out, palms up to stop him from creaming me. And close my eyes to brace the impact.
Oh. He's not very heavy is he?
I'm not using that much force to hold him up and away from me. Or is that because I have been blessed with superhuman strength? Not very likely.
I open my eyes. And almost withdrew my hands.
I'm staring right into those pools of sapphire.
Rukawa
The stupid girl kicked me so I lost my balance and fell on top of her.
She stuck her hands out to supposedly stop me from flattening her but if it hadn't been for my quick reaction, she would have been a pancake by now.
My arms are around her, and I'm propping myself up. Her hands are on my chest.
I don't know why, but this position is awkward.
When she opened her eyes, I almost flinched. I never knew she had such beautiful eyes.
Sakuragi
I hold my breath. My heart's pounding madly in my chest and I can feel the blood rush through my veins. I don't know what's happening but I do know it can't be good. Anything to do with the kitsune can't be good.
"Get off me," I say. I'm panicking a little. If he doesn't move away soon.... I don't know what'll happen. I just want him to go away.
"Why should I do as you say, d'aho?" His warm breath tickles my face.
"Stupid kitsune. You're stupid, that's why you should listen to a tensai," I retort.
"D'aho would suit you better."
"Teme! Get away from me!" I growl angrily.
As if to purposely infuriate me, he relaxes the pressure in his arms and presses down on me so that his face is inches away from mine.
"D'aho," he repeats.
I breathe in sharply. His lips are hovering less than two centimeters above mine. I can feel his every breath caressing my face.
"Why did you quit?" he asks, surprising me.
"Huh?" I say stupidly.
"Why did you quit?" he repeats.
"Why do you care?" I snort.
"I don't."
"Fine. Then don't ask!" I snap.
He moves as if to get up and I relax.
"Tomorrow."
"What?" I say.
"Tomorrow. One-on-one. I win, you join the club again."
I blink. He can't be serious.
He looks dead serious to me though.
The next day...
Sakuragi
I told Youhei about it. He's my best friend- he deserves to know everything. Anyway, he wasn't too happy at the news. He said I shouldn't take up the challenge. I have no obligation to, and besides, basketball is Rukawa's field so the results should be obvious.
I told him this- "I have no intention of taking up the challenge anyhow."
He had grinned like a nutcase.
So, come evening, Rukawa will be waiting for no one. I'll be at Danny's with the boys.
Rukawa
She should be here by now. I hate waiting damn it!
27 minutes later...
Oh freak. She stood me up.
Sakuragi
I'm so tired. My body's aching all over. I laughed too much for my own good. Now I feel so utterly weak I have to drag myself around the house. Tired as I am, I need to do the housework- I've neglected the house for nearly three days now, and the dust has begun to set in. So I grab the broom and sweep.
And the doorbell decides to ring.
I wonder who it could be. Youhei? But he just left after dropping me off at the doorstep. I open the door and peep out.
Oh.
"What do you want kitsune?" I ask in an exasperated voice, "And for that matter, how did you find out where I live?"
The boys couldn't have told him. How else then?
"I had my dad's secretary search the records," he replied.
My eyes widened. No kidding. He's been acting funny....I don't know when he's joking or when he's being serious. His sense of humor is very twisted.
"What do you want then? There's nothing worth stealing."
"You stood me up," he says flatly.
My eyebrows arch up in surprise. "You were not stood up."
"I was."
"You weren't. I never agreed to meet you."
I saw a flash of irritation cross his face and smiled. "Well, if that's all, I would appreciate it if you would kindly leave without treading any dirt on my doormat. Thanks." I close the door in his face, feeling unbelievably smug.