Title: Alone… and Forgotten… A/N: Hey once again!! Yeah, I've updated… yeah!! I realize that I've been putting a little too much angst in it… Meia was a little too bitter wasn't she?... and considering all of you… well most of you were asking for Sendo to come into picture… well, here he is!! This chappie has angst too… to tell you guys the truth, I can't really relate to Meia anymore, she's too angsty… gomen, gomen!! I hope this chapter will be better than before (though I do very much doubt it) if you're bored, just skip this authors note, I'm going mad here… hopefully you all will like this chapter…

Supergal: Yeah, I'm trying to veer from the angst… hope you like this chappie… though I would say that I didn't do all that good a job trying to not make the whole chapter angst! Rap? You like rap?

Slamdunker88: Told ya not to peace me out!! Nyahahaha!! Sendo? *lifts an eyebrow* you'll see… yup, basketball…. Wouldn't you love to be in her shoes?

 Teh Tarik: ow….. everyone seems to hate Meia now…. Don't worry… let's hope she changes, ne?

Miracle: Really? Whew I'm glad… you can call me Angeline… uh… read your review for the Unknown thingie… yeah we're pretty close friends… mind you, it's not like I pried into their review, everyone is allowed to look at other's review, right??? Nyahaha!! Ok, I better stop, I turning more and more into a Sakuragi Hanamichi….

Chalce: Thaw?? We'll see… Shut her out?? In a way, he did…. But for his own reasons… and he does care for here…. Just read on a little more and you'll see…

Chapter 4- Hatina?

            'Hey! Sendo!' A guy's voice broke through the morning's silence. The rhythmic thumping of the ball stopped abruptly as Sendo looked up, wondering whether he was hearing things. It was only six forty five in the morning, and only mad people like him would be out at this time of the morning.

            'Oi! Akira, you blind idiot! Over here!!' the voice called out again. An image flashed passed Sendo's mind…

            That voice sounded so like him… but it can't be… he would definitely inform me… wouldn't he?

            This time, Sendo spotted a pair of waving hands. He blinked.

            Damn you! You didn't inform me?

            'Hiroaki?' the figure stepped over to Sendo, giving him a big hug.

            'Koshino! You're back! Why didn't you tell me??!!' Sendo practically shouted for joy… and irritation, smiling broadly. Suddenly, a more petite figure appeared, seeming a whole lot grouchier compared to the former.

            'Hi-nii! Why the hell did you drag me out here at this hour for? I still could have at least an hour of sleep… I only slept for four hours on the plane!!'

            'Four hours and fifteen minutes! Don't lie!'

            'Ch… like it makes a difference.' The voice huffed.

            'Hey! I just wanted you to meat the ever-so-famous Sendo Akira… and anyway, you won't be sleeping in my room… well at least as far as I can help it, you are going to stay AWAY from my room, and that is why I brought you here,' Koshino said, ending the last sentence with mock sweetness.

            'Baka!' the girl shouted at him.

            'Where am I going to sleep then?' she continued.

            'Oh… you know where… right?'

            'TEME!!!'

            'Maa, maa… no need to get so worked up, I know you're tired,' Koshino said, rolling his eyes, 'Anyway, Sendo, this is Hatina Natsumi, my cousin. Ti-chan, this is Akira Sendo, my best and most irritating friend.'

            'Ohayo!' Sendo said cheerfully.

            'I'm not having a very good morning, as you can see!' was Hatina's reply. There was a pause, then both burst out laughing at the same time.

            'Do you guys know each other or something?' Koshino asked, curiously.

            'Not really… I met him during the game between Shoyo and Ryonan… practice game. You called in sick that day. We went to support Ken-chan… anyway, who wouldn't know him… most famous guy in Kanagawa… at least where basketball is concerned,' Hatina replied.

            'Oh…. Of course I knew you'd know him, but I was wondering how'd he know you… you just a nondescript…'

            'Urusei!' Koshino held his hands up in mock surrender. Sendo smiled at their antics.

            'So, how old are you, Hatina-san?'

            'A year younger than you.'

            'Are you in Ryonan?'

            'Ugh! Why would I be in the same school with this pest?!' Hatina muttered, pretending to be disgusted.

            'I'm in Shoyo.'   

            'Oh? My sister…'

            'Hey Sendo, could I borrow some money?' Koshino asked, already ransacking through Sendo's wallet.

            'NO!'

            'Ei? Oh, well, not like I care anyway,' Koshino answered, pulling out a couple of bills.

            'Then why did you ask m…'

            'Hey! You got a new picture of your sister!' Koshino exclaimed, cutting him short. Sendo picked his ball up, executed a perfect three-pointer.

            'Yeah, so?'

            'That's like the fifth time you've changed it in three months!'

            'Can I see?' Hatina asked, walking over to her cousin. Sendo shrugged.

            'As I was saying, Hatina-san, she's in your school. Anyway, Hiro-kun, how was your two months hols?' Sendo asked, while wiping away some of his perspiration away.

* * * * * * * *

            'Students, there's a new student today. Natsumi Hatina will be studying in this class as of today!' the teacher announced. In front of Meia, Mintei and Varoa suddenly sat up straight, while the new girl walked right to where they were all sat. She settled into the last empty space, which was beside Meia, smiling broadly.

            'Ti-chan! You're back! Idiot! Why didn't you tell us?' Varoa shot as Hatina as soon as she was seated. The latter just shrugged that statement away.

            'Hey, Ti-chan!'

            'Ohayo!'

            'By the way, Ti-chan. That's Meia Hitomi, a new girl. She's also an assistant manageress in out team. I signed up for you too… you're on, right?'

            'Sure!'

            'Ia-chan, this is Hatina Natsumi. One of our closest friends in…'   

            'Varoa Fujima! If you turn back again, I'm going to give you a detention!' the sensei roared, veins popping out of his head.

            'Whoops!' Varoa giggled.

            'God, save me…' Mintei moaned. Hatina smiled. Then, she turned to the girl beside her, fully intending make friends with her. However, her smile froze over as she really looked at the girl for the first time. She was shocked at the striking similarity of that girl with the person in Akira's picture. Straight, short dark brown hair. Oval-shaped face with a slight tan… but the most prominent thing… her eyes. Sad… and far away.

            However, she recovered quickly, and unfroze her smile.

            'Hey, I'm Hatina Natsumi, pleased to meet you!'

            'Meia Hitomi, the girl muttered back, a smile stretching over her lips… but Hatina felt something was out of place. The smile… the name… they didn't seem to suit the girl in front of her.

            'Hey, Ti-chan, could you…'

            'Varoa FUJIMA!! DENTENTION!!'

            'Err…'

            'Oh, God, I beg of Thee, free me from this suffering,' Mintei moaned. Hatina started giggling, a warm sensation spreading through her. She missed her friends dearly. They were one of the most popular trio in junior high, and she could still remember all the scraps Varoa had brought them into, all with her wild imaginations and never-thinking-before-acting attitude.

            She turned to her left a little, catching a glimpse of Meia, who was also smiling.

            This smile suites her better.

* * * * * * * *

            'Gather around!' Fujima ordered, looking around for missing people. Sighing softly, he turned to Mintei.

            'Mi-chan, what did Va-chan do this time?'

            'Err… detention?'

            'I know that much… geez!' he muttered, his eyes still roving about looking for missing someones… however, this time it fell on Hatina.

            'Oh, Ti-chan, you're back! Okay, Minna-san this is our third-year assistant manageress, Natsumi Hatina, okay?' Nods went around.

            'It's not like they can even disagree,' Hatina muttered, earning a giggle from Mintei.

            Things continued normally… for five minutes. It was then, Varoa appeared.

            'Gomen, I'm late!' Fujima stormed over to his sister, shouting something about tardiness and 'how many times did I tell to not make a teacher angry!' After a minute, he paused.

            'Wait a minute! What the hell are you doing here? Your detention won't end till half an hour later!' he asked. Varoa merely smiled mischievously.

            'One day, Varoa's going to give Fujima a heart attack,' Hanagata muttered to Hatina, who doubled over with laughter. Fujima shifted his blazing eyes to her, as she struggled to keep a straight face, looking at Hanagata accusingly. Hanagata, however, performed a perfect jump shot without so much as a smile.

            Actually, Hatina reflected after Fujima looked away, it wasn't all that funny. It was just that I missed my friends, especially the way they could make me laugh… hols were fun, but they are funny… Hi-nii too… but still…

            However, her thought were cut short as her eyes fell on Meia.

            Who the hell is she? I'm 60% sure… hell, I'm almost 99% sure that she's Sendo's sister… but then, why won't she say so? Why would she use Hitomi as her sir name? Why is she so different compared with him? Hatina mused silently.

            Hours later, after her showers, Meia left the gym quietly, alone. Suddenly, she heard thudding footsteps behind her… and panting breaths.

            'Ia-chan! Ia-chan!' Hatina called. Meia turned.

            'Hey, mind if I walk you home?' Meia looked surprise for a fleeting moment, then that look left her face as the corners of her mouth turned up into a smile. This smile was similar to the smile that Meia had on her face when Varoa was given a detention. Later on, Hatina would name the two different smiles that Meia sometimes had on her face. This one would be the true smile, the other, the fake.

            'Nope, it's alright by me.'

            'Which Junior High School were you from?' Hatina asked as they walked out of the school compound.

            'Takeshime,' Meia replied.

            'Oh…' they were quiet a while.

            'Where do you live?' Meia suddenly asked. It was quite dark that night. The cold wind was swirling around them, refreshing them. Somehow, Meia felt really at peace.

            'My parents are still on vacation, so I'm living with my cousin instead. Hiroaki Koshino. Mintei said, hoping for a reaction. However, Meia did not show any signs of shock, and if she did, she was definitely good at covering it.

            Koshino? Onii-chan's friend? Who the hell is she? Does she know about… is that why she's pretending to be friendly… damn it…I …

            'Ia-chan,' Hatina called out, breaking through Meia's thoughts.

            'Do you happen to know a Sendo Akira?' Meia stopped in her tracks, trying to hide her worry, irritation and frustration.

            'Why do you want to know?' she asked hostilely.

            'Well,' Hatina gulped uncomfortably at the bitterness her voice held.

            Maybe this is a bad Idea…

            'He's my cousin's good friend, and kinda cute too. Real jolly… just wanted to know whether you knew him… no biggie… you know what, let's just for…'   

            'Forget? You want me to forget it now, after you've asked?! Who the hell do you think you are, prying your nose into other's business? Why don't you just mind your own, huh?' she sounded really hysterical.

            'Wh..a..t? I… I was just curious to know whether you know him…. Well, by the tone of your voice I do know that you know him… and hate him too…. I didn't know you guys are acquainted…. I'm sorry.'

            'Sorry? Curious? Don't talk crap! Why don't you just shut the hell UP!' Hatina was surprised that her voice was still rising due to fury.

            Why does she hate him so much??

            'What makes you think that you can prick into my business? Why can't everyone just stop mentioning him?!' Meia screamed. Her voice however, was mellowing down… until it was a mere whisper, and Hatina was left with a sobbing girl.

            'Ia-chan…'

            'Urusei!' With that, Meia ran off, leaving a very confused Hatina. Sendo seemed to genuinely love his sister… so why does she hate him so much?

A/N: So? I'm trying to veer from the angst!!! I'll try to explain a little more in the next chapters…. Was it boring?? Pls tell me seriously, ne? I really need your comments!!! Arigato for even reading this far… ja!