Title: Colleague

Author: Kuroi Tenshi [kuroi_22@hotmail.com]

Pairing(s): SenKosh ::waves flaglets happily:: ; SenRu; RuHana

Warnings: Shounen Ai; Uhm, words? Cursing

Rating: PG-15

Notes: A sudden twist suddenly developed in my head. Hehe. This fic will now focus more on Koshino [in a way]. Hehe. Bear with me while the evil plot bunnies invade and leave my head in total shambles, okay? In a way it was inspired by Yuuki's fic, Secrets. So chocolate cookies for her! ^_^

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Part 3

Sendoh smiled as he nodded to Rukawa. "So," he said, feeling himself blush. He was giddy with excitement he was sure he would burst in sheer ecstasy. The most beautiful boy in Kanagawa—next to him of course—was right in front of him, saying goodbye after their "date."

"The game was fun," the boy with the gravity-defying hair said, hoping inwardly that Rukawa would invite him inside for coffee or something. He'd die happy if Rukawa did.

The boy in front of him nodded. "Yeah, it was good," he replied. They tied; 10-10. He was a bit exhausted from the third one on one with Sendoh that week but he wasn't complaining. It helped him train better. "Hey, do you want to come in for coffee or something? Juice maybe?"

Sendoh didn't need to be asked twice. "Sure, I'd love to," he said instantly, feeling the smile widen. He was making progress. And it was only the first week. Maybe winning Rukawa's heart wouldn't be so hard after all.

Rukawa nodded and opened the door for him. "My parents are out of town this week," he said.

Now seated at the comfortable sofa in the Rukawa's living room, Sendoh felt his beating heart hammering against his chest. The younger boy excused himself few minutes ago to change his clothes, leaving Sendoh to himself to have a near-cardiac arrest. The mere thought of being in the house Rukawa lived in was enough to make his dizzy with happiness. He patted the empty space beside him lovingly. "Rukawa's couch… the couch he sits on when he's in this room…" he mumbled to himself incoherently as he had a mental image of Rukawa sitting on the spot he was touching.

The object of his affection returned after a while (after Sendoh had finished patting and caressing each and every chair and spot there is to sit on at in the living room). Sendoh immediately shot up and smiled at him. "Rukawa, hello."

The boy looked at him strangely for a moment then shrugged. "How's the coffee?"

Sendoh glanced at the mug set on a coaster on the table. He had forgotten about that. He picked it up and half-emptied the mug in one gulp, not minding the fact that it burned his throat the least. Rukawa made this coffee. I don't care if I had to swim in this steaming caffeine-induced brown liquid. I'd gladly synchronize swim in it if I had to. Made by Rukawa! Wow! He grinned at the boy in front of him as he finished off the mug.

Rukawa stared at him. "Sendoh, wasn't it hot?"

"Nothing's too hot for me, love," he replied happily. Then straightened up. He saw the antique clock on the display shelf and saw it was already late. "Hey, it's late. I better go," he said, setting the mug down on the coffee table lightly. "I really had fun today. And the other days too," he said with a smile. "I hope I can see more of you soon."

Rukawa nodded. "Shall I see you to the door?"

Sendoh shrugged. "If you want to." He started for the entrance. And paused in front of the door, with Rukawa following him not too far behind. He walked out and smiled when Rukawa didn't immediately close the door. "It was really nice knowing you. Not just the Rukawa on the court," he said softly. He gave him one last smile before he started to walk away.

But Rukawa's quiet voice made him turn. "It was really nice knowing you too. Not just you on the court."

Sendoh smiled and nodded. "I'll be seeing you around then, Rukawa. Goodnight."

Inwardly, he was pumping his fist in the air. Rukawa, Rukawa, Rukawa! He had to tell Koshino about this! He'd be so happy to hear that I'm making progress.

"Hey, Koshi. It's Sendoh," he said automatically when someone picked up the phone.

"Hiroaki's in the shower right now. I'm persuading him to let me in so would you mind calling back a few minutes later—scratch that, don't call back. Talk to him tomorrow at school," the one on the other end of the line replied.

Sendoh frowned. He recognized that voice. "Lance?" What was he doing answering Koshino's private line? That only meant he was in Koshino's room!

"The one and only. Look, Sendoh, I know you're itching to tell Hiroaki how your afternoon was with that boy—did I mention how beautiful he was?—but I wouldn't want anyone calling and interrupting me and Hiroaki later."

"You and Hiroaki?"

"Yup!" the other boy replied cheerfully. "Look, the boy with the beautiful ass barricaded the door of that bathroom and I'm kind of busy trying to break it down so tell him all about it tomorrow, alright? Bye!"

Before he could say anything else, Lance ended the call. Sendoh stared at the black cordless on his hand in disbelief. He certainly wasn't expecting that. And him breaking down the door while his best friend showered?

He grinned. Maybe it was time his friend wasn't such a virgin anymore.

~*~*~*~

"How was last night with Lance?"

He was answered by a glare. "Don't say that name in front of me. Would you believe that boy had the nerve to sweet-talk me into opening the door of the bathroom while I showered? And when that didn't work, he started trying to break it down. Thank God Reiko thought of having a thick door for my bathroom when she redecorated it last year," he shook his head as he walked toward his class.

Sendoh, who was having study period that time, shrugged. A lot of people smiled and waved at them as they passed by the hallway. "I thought you liked him."

"Before he opened his mouth. The guy can't stop talking. And he talks about nothing but himself. Or…" He blushed; he averted his eyes and kept them trained on the ground for a while as they walked.

"What else does he say?"

"Nothing. It's none of your business." Koshino blushed harder. Damn that Lance!

"Come on, you can tell me. I'm your best friend. It's got to be something if you're blushing like that!"

"He kept telling me how he liked my ass!" Koshino finally hissed; eyes widening as his hands flew toward his face to cover his mouth. "Don't you dare laugh!"

Sendoh couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing, making Koshino blush harder, if that was possible. "I told you you had a fine behind."

"Well, I don't appreciate him hovering around me like a vulture because of that ass. Besides, he's the type who'd seen better behinds than mine. I just wish he'd stop. He's starting to get to me."

"But don't you feel flattered of the attention he's giving you?"

Koshino halted mid-stride. Wasn't he flattered at all? It does feel good being appreciated once in a while. At least not everyone thought he wasn't good-looking. And Lance is more than gorgeous. He knew a lot of girls (and guys) would kill to be in his place.

He shrugged, trying to keep the stupid grin from spreading across his face. But failed.

Sendoh raised an eyebrow at him. "Someone pinch me. Koshino's grinning! And it's the one that I don't see often. Does that mean you like this guy?"

"No," he growled. He knew Sendoh would never let him hear the end of said topic about him and his beautiful behind so he settled for diversion. "How was last night with Rukawa?"

Sendoh's face immediately brightened and he grinned happily. "It was great. He invited me to his house for coffee then showed me to the door. I think he's in love with me."

"Is it just me or was there something odd with the way you said that? Invited you for coffee then showed you to the door?"

"You're just jealous I'm making progress," the ace player said smugly. "I don't see Lance offering you coffee."

"He's too busy breaking my door down," Koshino mumbled under his breath. "Unlike you, Sendoh Akira, I'm not that shallow that I'd let something like coffee offered by the one I think I love be the highest point of my life."

"You'll never understand," his best friend said airily, to which he replied with silence. Satisfied with his friend's lack of response and thinking it as Koshino's defeat, he grinned. "You need love in your life, Koshino. Then you'd understand. You have to experience it to understand it."

"I already know how painful rejection is, thank you very much."

~*~*~*~

Koshino stared at the green board in front of him blankly. The words of his History teacher droning on about the revolutions that transpired in the past entered and exited his head through his ears, not a word registering in his brain.

Around him, most of his classmates were slumped on their chairs, a good number drooling on their desks as they slept. Only about eight of the twenty-something students were relatively interested, the group which Koshino on other days would be among. But not that afternoon.

He was seated by the window, overlooking the beach near the school and as his eyes strayed from the board to the beautiful yet feral waves against the shore, he couldn't help but hear words of memories buried deep inside of him echo in his ears as the sounds of crashing waves resonated in his head.

"Hiro-kun!"

"I told you to stop following me, didn't I?"

"Look, I don't know what the hell set you off but I wanted to make sure you're okay." The boy who was hot on young Koshino's heels almost tripped on a rock lying on his way. "Dammit, Hiroaki! Will you stop?"

"Why the fuck should I? Stop following me!"

"Are you angry because of the whole Asato thing?"

"I didn't realize you were so close that you're on first name basis."

"Why are you against him so much anyway? I thought you said he was nice and that he was cool. What's wrong now?"

"KOSHINO HIROAKI!"

Koshino looked up, snapping out of his reverie and jumping up from his chair in surprise. "H-hai, sensei?" He asked, feeling red wash over his face. One of the things he detested the most was public humiliation, but then again, who doesn't?

He had always been a consistent honor student and his attention being called by the teacher was something that doesn't happen very often to him. He could feel the eyes of his classmates on him, even those of whose desks were pooling with drool just moments ago.

"Your mind has been wandering. Would you like to share all about your little trip to the class? I'm sure your classmates are all brimming with curiosity," the woman in her late thirties said, hand visibly gripping the chalk tightly.

Koshino gulped inwardly. She was rumored to having been a great pitcher in her youth and if the rumors were true that she still practiced merely for exercise, he was sure the chalk would hit his head with deadly accuracy. "Nothing, sensei. I'm sorry for having disturbed the class."

"I don't believe so. I'm afraid you'll have to tell me all about it by writing a ten-paged essay about the French Revolution this afternoon. I'll be expecting you at room 706 at exactly three this afternoon then." The bell rang after her announcement and she gathered her things and gave him a small smile. "I'll be looking forward for our little meeting later, Koshino-san. And I'll make sure you're not seated by the window this time."

After she left, Koshino slumped on his chair glumly. Mrs. Muraki had never been on his favorite teachers list and nobody had her on their list as well. She was inhumanely strict and would give you detention if you ever speak louder a whisper in her presence. And the work she gives a student was not to be taken lightly. She was expecting him to hand her a ten-paged essay on the French Revolution after his two-hour detention.

Someone patted him on the shoulder and he looked up, seeing Sendoh smile at him. "I heard about you spending the afternoon with Muraki. Will I call for Reiko?"

"How'd you find out about that? And don't you have a class right now?" It never failed to amaze him that even though they weren't classmates, Sendoh still manages to find out about all the details that happens to him in class just seconds after it happened.

"The old bat's out, probably having too much fun in Hawaii in his honeymoon so we were given the substitute teacher instead. I told her I needed to relieve myself. Fuji told me about it when we passed by the hall on her way to the girl's room on my way back."

"How nice, my detention is being talked about by people as if it were a major news," he commented dryly. "Anyway, the teacher will come in any second. I think you better go back to your class."

His friend nodded. "I know. I'll see you later then!"

"I have detention, remember? I won't be able to go to Shohoku with you this afternoon."

Sendoh shrugged. "That's okay. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow then. Later!" he waved a bit as he made his way for the door, passing by several girls (and boys) who sighed and practically worshiped the ground he walked on.

The shooting guard just sighed, having witnessed the same thing over and over since his first meeting with the spiky-haired boy. Somehow, it felt familiar. And it brought back a tinge of pain that he quickly dismissed and tried hard to forget about.

Forget about it, Koshino. Don't be stupid, it's over. Been over for a year and a half, as a matter of fact. Don't even think about it.

Opening his Biology book as the teacher walked in, he turned his attention back to the ocean again. This time however, it was only the gentle lapping of waves that filled his ears.

~*~*~*~

As he handed his paper to Ms. Muraki, she regarded him closely and sighed. Seeing they were the only ones in the room, she tried to make him talk. "I know I'm not the most approachable teacher in the world and me asking you what the hell's up your ass is something close to the first sign of Armageddon. But I can't help but notice something's bothering you."

"It's nothing, really. Just the stress from school, don't worry," Koshino assured her.

"I've always thought you were a fine actor. But you seemed to have left your mask at home this afternoon, boy. I know about Sendoh—that smiling baka—and from what I've observed the past few weeks, it's starting to get to you."

"What about Sendoh, sensei?"

She took off her glasses and she looked straight into his eyes. "Most of you may see me as nothing but an old hag but I do have eyes and believe it or not, I'm sensitive to these kind of things. I don't think I need to say it, you know what I mean."

Koshino only looked down, not knowing what to do or to say.

She sighed and patted him on the back. "I know there's something more to it that what meets the eye, Koshino-san. And I'm not saying that whatever's bothering you is bad or wrong. My only advice is that you do your damnest to be honest to yourself. All right then, they're paying me to teach History, not to play guidance councilor. You better leave before I make you stay for another thirty minutes just for the heck of it."

Koshino nodded and quickly made his way toward the door. He knew it was just a joke to the teacher but she was also known for taking her own jokes seriously. He didn't want to risk it.

He shoved his hands deeper in his pockets, shoulders slouching as he did. Above him, the sky was starting to darken, signaling the end of the day. Someone slammed into him and Koshino staggered back to avoid falling flat on his ass but the one who bumped into him didn't even give him so much as a second glance. He shook his head and resumed walking, making sure to sidestep every possible collisions with other walkers.

He couldn't understand it but he felt so damn heavy that time.

He could feel the small device hidden deep in his pocket vibrating but he paid it no heed. He knew it was Reiko, ready to demand where the hell he was. Hiking his backpack higher on his shoulders, he looked around him and what he saw, for some reason he couldn't understand, made him feel all the more desolate.

He had unwittingly walked his way toward the park and now, couples walked hand in hand around him. He saw a young woman with long brown hair throw her arms around her boyfriend who just got there and he gave her a kiss on her lips. He averted his eyes. Displays of affections like that shouldn't be witnessed and ogled at by strangers. It was like seeing a secret part of those lovers and he knew he shouldn't look, he wasn't permitted to.

"Hiro-kun!"

"Hiro-kun, let's walk down the park. What do you think? Why are you frowning? It'll be permanent if you don't stop it now. You wouldn't want to have frown lines at such a young age, do you? Hey! Are you even listening to me? HIRO-KUN!"

"HIRO-KUN!"

Hiroaki glared at the source of the voice and scowled. "I told you not to call me that!" he hissed angrily at the smiling boy hastily making his way toward him. "What're you doing here?"

"Just finished another game with Ru-chan. Why are you here?" Sendoh replied, looking at him closely. "Why are you frowning like that? Don't you know it'll be permanent if you don't stop now. You wouldn't want to—"

"SHUT IT!" Koshino exclaimed, surprising his best friend with his outburst.

Sendoh took a step back and held up his hands. "Okay, okay, no need to be so snappy about it. I'm just worried you'll have permanent frown lines at such a—"

"Didn't I just tell you to shut it? Or are you that stupid that I have to repeat everything before you understand what I'm saying?"

Koshino saw the look of hurt that flashed Sendoh's features for a second before being replaced by his usual sunny smile and he felt sorry he got so mad. But Sendoh was annoying the hell out of him without doing anything. And he felt annoyed at himself for taking his anger out on his friend. But the damage has been done. "Look, it's getting late. I better head home before Reiko sends the whole army looking for me. You know how that girl overreacts."

Sendoh nodded, his smile still not leaving his face. "Sure, I'll see you tomorrow?"

Koshino shrugged. "Yeah, tomorrow." Not even looking back or anything of the sort, he turned around and started walking away, leaving the basketball star standing in the middle of the pathway, hands shoved in his pockets and eyes cast down.

Koshino, for his part, walked all the way home frowning at his own rudeness and meanness while wondering why he was feeling so snappy—snappier than usual anyway—the past few days, especially that afternoon. More so when it concerned his best friend. Did something happen that he didn't notice?

~*~*~*~

"Koshino!" Sendoh exclaimed, running toward him the minute he got out of the shower room. He gave his best friend a big hug then jumped around happily, holding his hand the whole time.

Koshino, for his part, just stood rooted in his place, covered with nothing but a towel to keep himself decent as he waited for his friend to climb Cloud Nine down and explain what it was all about. Practice that afternoon was over and Sendoh had—surprise, surprise—ditched it to go see Rukawa.

"THANK YOU!" Sendoh exclaimed, throwing his arms around his friend again. "I would never have gotten this far without you. You're the best!"

The shorter boy just frowned. "Yes, I know I'm great, tell me something I don't know. But what's this all about?"

"He said yes!"

"Who said yes?"

"Rukawa!"

"As in 'yes, I'll marry you'?"

Sendoh paused from his ecstatic jumping and stared at him. "That would be great. But I'm taking things slow for now. We just have a movie date, no need to alert the parental unit and relatives yet… Though that could work too, who knows? The wedding may not be too far behind."

"There's a saying about counting your chicks before the eggs hatch."

"Who cares about sayings? He's going out this weekend with me!" Sendoh said, smiling happily. "And it's all thanks to you. Thank you, man. Really. I wouldn't have gotten this far if you hadn't helped me. You're the best."

That brought a smile to the normally frowning boy's lips. "It's okay, really. What're friends for, right?"

"Look, I gotta go prepare for the date. I'll see you tomorrow morning, 'kay?"

"The date's not until Friday. It's only Wednesday."

"I know. But I have to really work on the Sendoh charm for Friday. I have to make sure not to botch things when we're together, know what I mean? This is real, Koshino. I want this to work," Sendoh said seriously. "That's why I have to get ready this early." He grinned.

His friend nodded. "You're right, he's The One, right?" The biting chill of being exposed with nothing but a towel came to him and he shivered. "I better get dressed or I'll catch pneumonia. I wouldn't want to miss the wedding—your wedding," he said, winking.

"That's jumping way ahead," Sendoh laughed but you could see the obvious delight in his eyes. "Get dressed then. I'll be off now, see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Koshino replied, watching his friend turn and head for the door. Once the door closed, he sighed and sat on the wooden bench wryly. It was good that he was the only one left in the gym. Being the assistant captain, it was his duty to take over when Sendoh's out. He dismissed the team early that afternoon since he really wasn't feeling up to it anyway.

Standing up, he made his way toward his locker and slowly got dressed. Then smiled, smiling at his reflection on the mirror hanging on his locker door. "Things are going great between Rukawa and Sendoh. All thanks to me. I'm good," he said to his smiling reflection. "They're gonna get together 'cause of me. I'm really good…"

"I'm dead."

~*~*~*~

"So where's Sendoh?" Reiko asked, plopping down on the couch next to him. She grabbed the Sports magazine he was reading and turned to him. "I haven't seen him for a while. You guys fighting?"

"He's got a date," the boy replied flatly, snatching his magazine back and resuming reading.

"Don't you have a date?"

"No, I don't like wasting my time doing stupid things like that. I have better things to do."

"Anything's better than reading a Sports magazine two years outdated on a Friday night," Reiko said, shaking her head when her brother just turned the page noisily and pointedly ignored her. "Lance said I better housetrain you before he comes within a mile of you again."

"Good for him."

"You broke the guy's nose. Aren't you the least bit guilty?"

"He was annoying the hell out of me. Like you are now."

A sigh.

"I only thought it would cheer you up to have Lance around. He seemed nice. He's gorgeous, admit it. And he likes—liked you. What's wrong with him?" Reiko asked, taking the magazine and throwing it across the room. "Hi-chan, why do you keep pushing all the guys I set you up with away? What's worse, medical bills are piling up because you always do bodily damage on them. You're lucky no one's filed a lawsuit!"

"I don't like them. I have no interest whatsoever to have anything to do with the guys—and girls—you keep setting me up with. I wish you'd stop."

"Sayaka will roast my ass if she comes home next Christmas with you still unattached," she said, mentioning their older sister who was studying at Tokyo. It was Sayaka's insistence that their baby brother be attached the next time she's at the same country. [1]

"You'll survive."

Reiko sighed and stood up, placing a hand on her slim waist. "Okay, fine. Here's the deal. I'll cancel all your dates this weekend if you leave the house tonight."

"My dates this weekend?"

"Yes, the one I was going to surprise you with," she said, ignoring the look of horror on Hiroaki's face. "But only if you leave the house and have a night out in town. Seeing Sendoh's on a date—at least one of you knows how to live a little—I'll settle for you going out by yourself."

"I have nowhere to go."

"I don't care if you go to the ends of the earth. I'm locking the doors until midnight so you better damn well find a way to keep yourself occupied and sheltered until then. Maybe, by some divine intervention, you'll meet someone while you're out and my prayers will be answered."

"What makes you think I'll leave the house just because you're telling me to?"

"Does psychological terrorism mean anything to you?"

"Damn her and her threats," Koshino muttered under his breath, shoving his hands deeper in his coat pocket. Walking along the brightly-lit downtown, he was clueless at where he was going. He had no intention of leaving the house that evening. His plan for the night was: 1) avoid psychopathic bitch to keep himself relatively sane, 2) relax for the night and 3) retire early for the night. Obviously, he had to redo his plans for the evening. Plan number one had already been a failure and now he was paying for it.

First thing's first, he said mentally. I need to figure out what I wanna do to pass time.

You know what you wanna do. You knew it even before she forcibly kicked you out the house. You just don't want to admit it, a tiny voice in his mind said.

I have no idea what you're talking about, he answered the annoying voice. Maybe I ought to worry because of the constant arguments I have with myself, Koshino pondered thoughtfully.

When did lying to yourself become a hobby, Hiroaki?

And when did arguing with myself become a natural? Koshino sighed and followed the voice in his head, albeit unwillingly. His feet seemed to have a mind of its own and he just sighed in defeat. It's not what you think, he frowned at the voice smiling smugly at him. I'm just tired of you yakking in my head. Me doing this—going there—means NOTHING at all.

I'm losing my mind, Koshino shook his head as he allowed the voice in his head dictate how he'd spend the night. This is it, he thought as he glanced at his watch. Seven o'clock at the evening of March 23, Koshino Hiroaki has officially lost his mind.

Tbc

Liked it? Hated it? Loved it? Lost your lunch? Gifts? Threats? Praises? Mail me and tell me! ^_^ Send 'em over at kuroi_22@hotmail.com

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NOTES:

[1] I'm aware that I have this unexplainable delight in creating family backgrounds for characters. Most of the characters' backgrounds are made up—by yours truly. ^^V The series never really divulged much about them (and I've never read the manga) so I kinda made things up to suit my twisted lil' quirks. So yeah, Sayaka and Reiko, Koshino's sisters, are mine. Just thought I'd clear that up (we don't wanna let other people think they're really from the series, neh?). ^_^ Oh, well.