Part 9: Just Got Lucky

          Almost everyone had arrived when the sophomores and Kirin finished cleaning. When Yasuda arrived he asked everyone to listen,

          "OK, Captain will be late for practice today because he said he had to help his dad clean their garage. He gave me a list of what we should do today, I guess I'll be in charge."

          Ayako nodded to him and asked,

          "So what should we do today?"

          "He said we're not gonna have a practice game till he arrives, that means we have to warm up first or practice shooting and passing."

With this, Sakuragi, Mitsui and Ron scowled.

          "Why not have a practice game without him? I mean, why not let the assistant coach decide what kind of practice we should have today." Mitsui said

          "Yeah, I wanna have a game…but who's the assistant coach?" Sakuragi said as he gave Mitsui a confused look, everyone waited for Mitsui to answer.

          "Well, since I've been hanging around here for nothing, I asked coach if he'd take me as an assistant, and he, er, he said it was ok."

Everyone's eyebrows raised except Ron, who clapped and said,

          "I knew he'd appoint you."

Ayako couldn't say anything,

          "Well, congratulations Mitsui-sempai, so have you any plan for today's practice?" she asked as she remembered the number of times when Mitsui had pestered Mr. Anzai to appoint him asst. coach.

          "I'd still propose a practice game but a different set of team members. Let's see, how about Luka, Toki, Koshino, Rukawa and-" Mitsui paused, "Yasu, would you like to join team A?"         he asked.

          "Sure."

          "And we have the following for team B, Kirin, Sakuragi, Ron, Ishii and Kakuta. I'll be the ref." Said Mitsui dismissively. But, "Don't you think we have a mismatch here, Mitsui-san? I mean Ron, Kirin and Sakuragi in one team, they're the best rebounders we have," said Ayako.

          "It's only right, you know, Rukawa and Luka are tall enough to match them."

          "Yes but any idea about their height difference? Luka's 186, Rukawa's 187, Sakuragi's 188 and Ron's 192 not to mention Kirin who's 173 but a good rebounder. I say let's split Ron and Sakuragi."

Sakuragi placed his arms over Ron and Kirin's shoulders.

          "No." Mitsui said flatly.

          "But Mitsui-"

          "Luka and I can manage." Said a cold voice from behind. It was Rukawa.

          "For once I agree with Kitsune." Sakuragi declared.

          "I still think Ayako's right," Koshino decided to enter, "Trust me, I've seen that mismatch before in my former team and it ended up pretty bad, like, twenty point lead or so."

          Sakuragi snorted and said, "Oh come on, Kosh. Luka's one heck of a rebounder here too and Rukawa…" he smiled evilly, "Well, I heard foxes can jump really high." Ayako whacked his head.

          "Come on, let's split the dream team! This is an unfair height advantage even if Luka and Rukawa are excellent point-getters!" Hiroaki insisted.

          "Do you really want a fair practice or do you just like her?" Rukawa gestured towards Ayako's direction because he was so pissed off with this person undermining his abilities that he accidentally said Koshino's secret.          

          Koshino could feel everyone's head turn towards him. He heard Rukawa mutter a faint Sumimasen and he knew that he didn't really mean it. Mitsui held his forehead with his free hand. Ron looked away. Kirin dropped the mineral water that he was holding and a shocked expression covered his face. Luka turned his head to Rukawa without any expression. Everyone else's mouth was gaping. Ayako was smiling shyly and everyone could tell by the telltale blush in her cheeks that she was utterly embarrassed.

          "How did you know?" Hanamichi asked Rukawa, puzzled, frightened, angry and concerned at the same time.

          "I told him…" Kirin said meekly, "I didn't mean to! Sumimasen!!!" and he knelt in front of Koshino bowing apologetically several times.

          Koshino wanted to evaporate at that time. He felt all the blood in his body crawl up to his head but he refused to be embarrassed further and helped Kirin up to his feet.

He summoned all his courage and turned to Ayako, "This is not the way I wanted for you to find out," he paused, thinking of the right words to say at this incredibly awkward moment. "Well, it's true but I'm not asking anything of you right now except let's get on with the practice." Whew, he got out of that but he felt that his heart was going to pound its way out of his chest.

"All right, everyone," Mitsui started with a low voice, "Just as long as we keep this out of the captain's knowledge, we'll be okay. Anyone," he glared at Rukawa, Kirin and Sakuragi, "who blows this up will be suspended from the game and will be reduced to a bloody pulp by Ron here. Got it?" Sakuragi nodded fervently—not really afraid of Ron but Ryota and the suspension. Rukawa and Kirin nodded too and Mitsui flashed one of his fairest smiles.

          Mitsui agreed that Ron and Sakuragi should split and so the practice game ended. Koshino did well since he wasn't guarding Ryota.

          When Ryota arrived, the practice was over and almost everyone had left so all he was able to do was to say goodbye to Ayako.

          Koshino had not gone for home yet. He was waiting for Ayako outside the gate. When he saw her, he approached her and said hi.

          "Oh, hi Hiroaki." She said

          "Well, I'm sorry for what happened a while ago, er, I mean I didn't intend to let the whole team know…"

          "I know, it's okay. It wasn't your fault," she smiled shyly at him.

          "So you're okay with uhm… me… you and well that…" he stammered which didn't make much sense but Ayako understood.

          "Of course, it happens a lot," and she blushed again, realizing the bluntness of her statement.

"It does?" he raised an inquiring eyebrow.        

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so proud…" she chuckled lightly.

"It's not surprising, you're so…" he smiled at her.

"Hiroaki!" she stamped her foot in mock annoyance with his flirting but he was just so sweet.

"Ah, right, I'll see you, bye." she said

"Er, right, I'll see you too. Bye."

Koshino couldn't help it; he was smiling while he biked home.

          "It's okay with her, that means I have a chance." He thought hopefully.

TBC

A/N: Reviews please or we'll upload the chapter next week! evil grin Also, FYI, as we're working with our sister, Akin Sijin, you might want to check out her SD story which we've currently collaborated. It's a Ru-Hana shounen-ai attempt with all the sugar coatings of the world. ^_^ Have you noticed anything odd about the titles of the chapters?