Title: Colleague
Author: Kuroi Tenshi [kuroi_22@hotmail.com]
Pairing(s): SenKosh ::waves flaglets happily:: ; SenRu [but it won't last long]; RuHana
Warnings: Shounen Ai; Uhm, words? Cursing (A lot, so be warned!)
Rating: PG-13
NOTES: I'm starting to think that almost every time I update any of my fics, I always start with an apology for the long update. ^^;; How weird is that. But anyway, please keep those sharp and dangerous objects at bay. I know I've been slacking on Colleague big time, but the pull of Gravitation is simply too strong…can't resist. ^_^ Anyway, one of my on-going fic's about to end so that means I'll have more time for this SenKosh baby. Yay! So until then… ::wears full armor::
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Part 6
"Hiro-kun!"
Koshino looked up, feeling his face grow considerably warm as his friend neared. "I told you not to call me that!" He retorted irritably, though his heart was beating furiously. The annoying and somehow childish nickname his best friend had given him never failed to make his heart flutter. He wondered briefly what he did in his past life to have met such a guy.
He was nice and friendly. He never failed to bring a smile to his lips whenever he felt the foulest of his moods with a mere smile or an offhand remark. Koshino was like the cloudy sky with dark clouds hovering around him all the time and he was the sun, dispelling the darkness with his light. And he was golden like the sun too. His hair was of dark spun gold and his eyes were the warmest shade of blue, just like the clear blue sky in spring.
"HIRO-KUN!"
I must've done something terrible in my past life to merit this, he decided. Koshino slanted his eyes to glare at the young man next to him. "How many times did I tell you never to call me that stupid god-awful name?"
Sendoh grinned wickedly and he felt his frustration grow. "I lost count after the first week of school in first year."
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, praying for control. He knew Sendoh was an only child. His parents, though currently abroad, would surely miss their son if he strangled him. He stood up and clasped his hands behind him, looking around the rapidly filling gymnasium. His best friend had pleaded and groveled by his feet to accompany him at the practice game Shohoku had against Shoyo.
"I think that's Kae-chan!" his friend gushed, jumping up from his seat and leaning over the chairs to get a better look. "KAE-CHAN!" he called out, waving his arms wildly over his head in a vain effort to catch the player's attention.
"Oh, brother," Koshino muttered, covering his face with both hands with embarrassment. Trust Sendoh to make an idiot out of himself in front of Ryonan's rival teams. He shook his head in exasperation and subtly edged away from the other boy still wildly flailing his arms. He looked around and pretended not to known the spiky-haired boy. He knew that Shoyo was a private school and he wasn't the least bit surprised to see that some of the students who attended there looked down on them since they believe they were superior due to their parents' hefty pockets.
"Sit down, they'll start in about ten minutes," Sendoh said, pulling him back to his seat then turned back to the court where the players were warming up. "Do you think he heard me cheering on him?"
"I believe they heard you all the way to North Pole," he replied with a brief glare sent his way. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back on his chair sullenly. He knew he should grab the opportunity to spy on the other teams' progress since he was the vice-captain (and their captain didn't seem like he had anything but Rukawa on his mind to be bothered with such trivialities), but he wasn't in the mood. He wanted to be anywhere but the slowly warming and crowding gym. Someone stepped on his foot when he passed by and he growled.
"Sorry, sorr—Koshino?"
He stared at the familiar face of the boy in Shoyo's uniform in front of him. However, no amount of brain rummaging earned him a name to go with the face. "Uh, yes?"
"It is you!" he exclaimed. "How can you not remember me! It's Tsujitani Taku! Remember me? We went to the same junior high. You, me and seven other people suffered through the same classes since kindergarten. I didn't expect to see you after graduation. Everyone thought you went to America with Hiro!"
Again, I am beseeching to the gods watching me from above. Please, by your divine intervention, transport me to anywhere in this godforsaken planet but here. Please, please, PLEASE.
"I remember you and Hiro were inseparable!"
"Hiro?" Sendoh asked, looking at them with confusion. He didn't know Koshino knew students from Shoyo. Who was Hiro?
"I know you're here to watch the game with your friend," Tsujitani said, slanting his eyes in Sendoh's direction, "but for old time's sake, sit with us! I know you and Hiro planned on attending Shoyo with the rest of us, if he hadn't gone to America. It'll be just like before, except Hiro's not here. But still!"
Koshino threw his friend a helpless smile before he allowed himself to be dragged row after row to where his other friends from junior high sat. He saw the familiar faces once again and this time, the names came with the faces. He remembered the times they spent together in detention hall for the mischief they all caused, lead by their notorious leader and his best friend, Morikawa Hiroshi.
He remembered the time when Hiro sawed one leg off the teacher's chair on the last day of school. The time they all went to the rest house in Izu owned by the Tsujitanis to cram for the coming exams. Hiro had held his hand while they hiked the dense mountain where the house was situated then. He remembered clearly the way he smiled at him, giving his hand a squeeze when he stared at the hanging bridge in horror.
He smiled at something one of his friends said. That's right. Hiro must be happy in America now.
~*~*~*~
"Who's Hiro?" Sendoh asked, looking at his friend at the corner of his eye. They were sitting at the Koshinos' immense den, watching taped games between Ryonan and Shohoku. Since Koshino spent the afternoon with his friends at the game, they both decided to watch the tapes together; Sendoh assumed Koshino was feeling guilty for leaving him earlier.
"A friend from junior high," Koshino replied flatly. "I noticed you've been improving since that last game with Shohoku. Maybe the one-on-one with Rukawa helps after all."
"Doesn't he study here?"
"He's studying abroad. Are you gonna eat the fries?"
"Why is—"
"Sakuragi certainly improved a lot since the first practice game," Koshino interrupted, leaning closer and giving his full attention to the wide screen in front of him, hoping his friend would drop the topic. He didn't want to talk about Hiro. He wasn't ready. Hasn't been ready for the past year and a half.
"Does he play basketball?"
Koshino knew Sendoh. No matter how much he hoped he would drop the subject, he wouldn't since he was too curious to know. He yawned, looking at him with bleary eyes. "You won't mind if I take a short nap, would you? I'm a bit tired."
The spiky-haired player merely stared at him.
"Wake me up before Reiko gets here," he mumbled before closing his eyes. He continued with his charade for a few more minutes until he was sure Sendoh believed he was indeed sleeping. Then with half-lidded eyes, he gazed at the other while he watched the games.
Koshino's eyes softened. He liked watching Sendoh during his unguarded moments. He knew the he wasn't merely a smiling baka, as everyone thought him to be. When Sendoh was alone, he didn't smile so wide or as often as he did when someone was there to see him. He would still smile on occasions, but his smiles were real, unlike the grins he often flashed. He treasured those smiles, because they were the ones he knew Sendoh really meant.
His breath hitched when he noticed a small smile gracing Sendoh's face when the camera focused on him stealing the ball from Rukawa then passing it to Koshino. Him again. He knew all the smiles sent the super rookie's way were genuine. Koshino briefly wondered when Sendoh would throw him a smile like that.
He bit his lower lip and turned his head away, shutting his eyes and willing himself to turn deaf from the sounds from the TV and the cheering done by Sendoh for Rukawa. He was the best friend. He had no business wishing for smiles to be sent his way. His only purpose in life was to help Sendoh get together with Rukawa at all cost. Sendoh's happiness was top priority. Best friend's happiness comes first; he learned that lesson well enough.
Sendoh glanced at the curled form to his left and sighed. He lowered the volume so Koshino wouldn't wake up. He knew he was hiding something, but he didn't know how to ask what it was. Koshino's volatile temper was pretty much infamous. He didn't want to risk his friend's wrath for having asked a question he clearly didn't want to answer.
But why not?
He thought before that they knew almost everything about each other. Apparently, Hiro—whoever Hiro is—was part of the things not included to the 'almost everything.' He couldn't help but feel a little hurt. He never hid anything from Koshino. Didn't he trust him enough to talk about his old friend?
And why was he suddenly feeling a bit…jealous? He had Rukawa, didn't he?
Shaking his head lightly, Sendoh attributed his weird train of thoughts to his curiosity. The Hiro-guy seemed to be Koshino's best friend from junior high. It was only natural to feel a little jealous. He was Koshino's best friend now, after all. That's right. He was Koshino Hiroaki's best friend now; whoever Hiro was, he doesn't matter.
~*~*~*~
The next day found both busy with geom. assignment, both teens sprawled all over the living room's carpeted floor. Koshino had a considerable pile of crumpled paper by his feet and Sendoh was frowning a little while he punched on the buttons and scribbled on his notes.
Reiko opened the front door even before the butler got there and grinned when she saw them working on their assignments together. "Sendoh! It's been a while since I saw you here; what a surprise," she remarked as she walked into the room and plopped down on the sofa.
"I was a bit busy the past few weeks, with you know," Sendoh replied, flashing her a wicked grin. "Your brother, the soul of intellect, finally persuaded me to pause from my love life to catch up on schoolwork," he replied with a wink.
Koshino's cheeks tinted faintly, but rolled his eyes. "Such an ungrateful friend I have. Is that the way to say thank you from saving me from remedial classes?"
Reiko chuckled, relieved to see the old Hiroaki back. "Well, guess what? Remember the dance you were supposed to escort a young lady to?"
"It was canceled?" the brown-eyed teen asked hopefully.
"No, it's on Saturday. This Saturday?"
"Sorry, I'm having a fever this weekend. But I could find her a date to take my place," he answered. When he was rewarded by Reiko's insane laughter, he sighed. "Fine. What's the dress code?"
"Nothing fancy. I already asked May to get your tux ready."
"WHAT?"
"Well, I wanted you to wear the tailcoat but I figured you wouldn't sit well with that. Then there's the Armani suit. I think you look great in dark blue. What do you think, Sendoh?" She turned her brother's best friend and grinned.
"Yeah, dark blue becomes you, Hiro-kun," he replied with a shrug. Reiko stared at him. Sendoh raised his eyebrows in inquiry. What?
She glanced at her brother whose grip on the pencil tightened. She forced a smile. "See? I'll go for dark blue." She stood up and tossed the throw pillow in Hiroaki's direction. "Don't you have several tests coming the following week?"
Koshino shrugged. "Yeah. English, History and Math. Why?"
"Sendoh, why don't you stay over the weekend so you can keep Hi-chan company? Make sure he studies for the exams," she suggested, playing with the diamond pendant of her necklace.
"Shouldn't I be the one keeping an eye on him?"
"I'm not sure, Reiko…" Sendoh replied uncertainly. "I wouldn't want to impose."
"Impose? Since when did you learn that word?" she snorted. "You're almost family, Akira. Besides, you'll earn your keep by making sure Hi-chan doesn't run away on Saturday."
"I don't back out on my word!" Hiroaki protested from the floor, glaring at her. Then turned to the other boy. "Stay for the weekend, Sendoh. She'll pester you to no end until you bend to her will. She's the friggin' queen around here when Sayaka's not around."
"Ooohh, speaking of dear Queen Saya, she's coming home!" Reiko exclaimed, clapping her hands happily.
"Do you think it's possible for me to stay at your house until things go back to normal?" he asked Sendoh when Reiko started laughing like a maniac again.
"You'd like that won't you? Staying at your best friend's?" When he didn't respond, she shrugged but he could see the devious glint in her eye. "Anyway, Sayaka said she'd be here prolly by Friday. That sister of yours of having problems deciding how she's going to pack her entire wardrobe."
"Tell her I want the leather jacket she promised me months ago. Then a new watch, a pair of shoes would be nice too."
She rolled her eyes. "I'll tell her you send your love, darling." Then grinned. "Well, I haven't finished my list yet. I better let her know about it lest she complains about me rushing her with the things I want and all. Stay for dinner, Sendoh!" With one final wave, she sauntered out of the room and bounded to the stairs.
"Your sister's nice," Sendoh commented.
"She's crazy," he replied. Then looked up from the solutions in front of him to spy on Sendoh still staring at the stairs Reiko had disappeared off to. "But she's right. Stay for dinner."
Tbc
