Chapter 2
Sendoh and I were walking to the gym for this afternoon's practice. "Umm… what are you doing this Saturday?" Sendoh suddenly asked.
'Is he asking me out?' a thought came out of my head. No way! I don't think so… Of course not! He's been my friend since I was a child and we always hang out. I admit that he's cute but he's my best friend.
"Nothing much." I replied. "Why?"
"It's because…"
"Because?" I asked inquiringly.
"I have a cousin who's coming over to Kanagawa I want to ask you if you could accompany me when I pick him up from the airport."
"Oh… Sure…" I answered. For a minute there I thought that he's going to ask me out. That'll never happen, would it?
"Do you still want to sleep before this afternoon's practice?" I asked Sendoh.
"Not today." Sendoh replied.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Why? You usually stop me from sleeping too much but now you're encouraging me to sleep." Sendoh laughed.
"I should be the one to ask you if you're okay because sleeping is your second most favorite hobby."
"I don't want to sleep right now. I have to do something before practicing."
"Huh? I thought we were both heading to the gym?"
"I forgot to tell you. I have to go somewhere else first." Sendoh said.
"Where are you going? Can I come? I want to come." I whined.
Sendoh looked down at me and smiled sweetly. "You're like a child when you're with me."
I smiled back. "Yeah. You too. You act differently when you're with me. So can I come?"
"No." Sendoh said quickly, and then ran away saying, "See you later."
I stared at him when he was running away. What was he up to? Instead of wasting my time trying to figure out what he was up to, I continued walking towards the gym silently.
When I arrived at the gym, Captain Uozumi was there chatting with Ikegami, other players were fixing their things or standing around, talking, and there were freshmen polishing the floor.
"Good afternoon guys." I greeted. The basketball club members greeted me back.
"Good afternoon Ms. Noboru." Hikoichi welcomed me cheerfully.
"Good afternoon Hikoichi. Just call me Nanami, okay?"
"Okay." Hikoichi blushed.
"I noticed that you are doing a good job here in the basketball club." I said.
"Really?!"
"Yes. Keep up the good job."
"Okay." Hikoichi said, turning red again.
After speaking with Hikoichi, I went inside the locker room and changed my clothes. Then, I grabbed a few towels and a first aid kit and carried them to the gym. I noticed that almost all of the basketball club members were there except for Sendoh and a few others. Koshino was already there, fighting with Yukino.
"Dumb ass" Yukino teased Koshino.
"Retard." Koshino countered.
"Nincompoop."
"Idiot."
"Jackass."
"Simpleton."
"Okay that's enough." I snapped. Koshino and Yukino finally shut up after I stopped them. I turned to Koshino and said, "We'll practice after a few minutes, so start warming up."
"Okay! Don't be too bossy." Koshino said.
I ignored Koshino's comment. "You better go." I told Yukino.
"Fine. Anyway, where's your boyfriend?" Yukino teased.
"You mean Sendoh? For the last time, he's not my boyfriend." I said in an annoyed tone. "I haven't seen him around."
"Oh. Maybe that's the reason you're so mad. And, it's quite obvious that Sendoh likes you a lot."
"I know he likes me. If he doesn't like me then we won't be friends."
"You two are like lovers, don't you know that?"
"NO. AND SENDOH IS NOT MY LOVER!"
"Whatever you say." Yukino sighed and walked away.
Uozumi ordered everyone to warm up, except me of course. I checked everyone's attendance. Everyone was there except for Sendoh. Where the heck is he? Any minute now, he's going to go inside.
Coach Taoka finally arrived. We greeted him and then a freshman came running to him and offered him a chair for him to sit on. "Coach," I told Mr. Taoka, "Sendoh's not yet here."
"What?! He must have overslept again." He replied angrily.
"Shall we start without him, sir?" I asked.
"We'll start without him. Just tell him to practice more. But next time I won't allow him being always tardy."
"Yes sir." I replied. Even if Coach says that, Sendoh convinces him not to get angry with him by acting normally. I approached Uozumi and told him that we will start practicing without Sendoh.
Exactly when everyone has finished warming up, Sendoh finally arrived. The crowd became noisier. And many girls shrieked. I hate the girls who shriek when they see Sendoh. Yukino once told me that I am just jealous. Why would I envy those girls?! They're so noisy and classless. They are the ones who should envy me for I am always with Sendoh, more often than any girl in school has been.
Everyone in the basketball club greeted Sendoh including me. "Where have you been?" I asked him. I was shocked and annoyed that he completely ignored me despite the fact that he is my best friend. He knows that being ignored is the one thing I hate the most but he still ignored me.
"Why are you late?" Taoka demanded.
"I overslept." Sendoh laughed as if nothing's wrong.
"Have you warmed up?" Uozumi questioned.
"Yes, I have." Sendoh answered.
"Great. We can now finally practice." Coach said.
"Let's start by having a shooting drill." Uozumi said. "Line up all of you! We'll be doing lay-up shots and jump shots."
"Lay-up shots? Again?" I heard Hikoichi whisper.
"Hey Hikoichi. Do you know that when you do lay-up shots, you improve your speed, agility and endurance?"
"Really?" Hikoichi said excitedly. "I better check that!" Hikoichi gets his notebook and writes something, as always.
After everyone did the shooting drill, there was a practice game and the club was divided into two teams. Uozumi was the captain of the first team and Sendoh was the captain of the other team. The game started and after a close match, Sendoh's team won. Uozumi's team congratulated Sendoh's team. Coach Taoka praised the players for doing a very good job. I also praised the players but I didn't speak with Sendoh. I was still annoyed at him ignoring me earlier. I saw him smiling at me but I looked away from him at once.
After a few more drills, today's practice was finally over. I gave the players the towels I took earlier from the locker room so that they can wipe off their perspiration. All players were wet with perspiration so I ordered them to change their shirts immediately.
Most of the players left were in the locker room, changing their clothes. I guess I should also change my clothes or else I will smell like a guy. I wiped my perspiration then changed my clothes (in the women's locker room of course). I also put on an exotic perfume that my aunt gave me a year ago.
I went outside the locker room. Koshino sneezed. Hikoichi sneezed too. Everyone in the gym sneezed.
"I don't smell that bad." I said, annoyed again.
"Your perfume does!" Uekusa said, sneezing.
Yukino arrived and moved beside me. "Are you having a sneezing contest here?" she mocked.
"I guess so." I replied.
"Your perfume doesn't smell that bad." Yukino said.
"That's because you're a girl." Koshino said, sneezing.
Sendoh went out of the locker room, and said, "What's that smell?" then sneezed.
"Nanami's perfume." Fukuda said, sneezing.
"Ok that's it! I'm outta here." I retorted, getting my bag and leaving the gym.
"Nanami, wait. I'll go with you" Sendoh said, also getting his bag and followed me out.
It was near the entrance of Ryonan High when Sendoh caught up with me. "Nanami, wait." He said, breathless. I stopped and waited for Sendoh. "What is it?" I asked dully.
"Are you angry at me?" he asked.
"No. JUST annoyed." I answered.
"I see…" Sendoh paused. "Why?"
"You ignored me earlier this afternoon. You know I hate being ignored."
"Yes and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. But I don't want to blow my surprise for you."
"What? What surprise?" I asked curiously.
Sendoh opened his bag and took out a box. "Open it." He ordered, handing it to me. I opened the box. Inside I found a heart-shaped locket.
"Thank you Sendoh." I said gratefully.
"Open the locket."
I opened the locket and saw bold letters carved into it saying, "Friends remain friends forever, no matter what happens."
I smiled when I saw that. That was the sweetest thing Sendoh has ever done for me, I think.
"If you think I'm gay, I'm not!" Sendoh grinned.
"No way. Never." I smiled back. I don't know why, I hugged him after that. That's the first time I ever hugged him and Sendoh seems to be surprised. He didn't know what to do, so I guess that's why he hugged me back.
Sendoh and I were walking to the gym for this afternoon's practice. "Umm… what are you doing this Saturday?" Sendoh suddenly asked.
'Is he asking me out?' a thought came out of my head. No way! I don't think so… Of course not! He's been my friend since I was a child and we always hang out. I admit that he's cute but he's my best friend.
"Nothing much." I replied. "Why?"
"It's because…"
"Because?" I asked inquiringly.
"I have a cousin who's coming over to Kanagawa I want to ask you if you could accompany me when I pick him up from the airport."
"Oh… Sure…" I answered. For a minute there I thought that he's going to ask me out. That'll never happen, would it?
"Do you still want to sleep before this afternoon's practice?" I asked Sendoh.
"Not today." Sendoh replied.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Why? You usually stop me from sleeping too much but now you're encouraging me to sleep." Sendoh laughed.
"I should be the one to ask you if you're okay because sleeping is your second most favorite hobby."
"I don't want to sleep right now. I have to do something before practicing."
"Huh? I thought we were both heading to the gym?"
"I forgot to tell you. I have to go somewhere else first." Sendoh said.
"Where are you going? Can I come? I want to come." I whined.
Sendoh looked down at me and smiled sweetly. "You're like a child when you're with me."
I smiled back. "Yeah. You too. You act differently when you're with me. So can I come?"
"No." Sendoh said quickly, and then ran away saying, "See you later."
I stared at him when he was running away. What was he up to? Instead of wasting my time trying to figure out what he was up to, I continued walking towards the gym silently.
When I arrived at the gym, Captain Uozumi was there chatting with Ikegami, other players were fixing their things or standing around, talking, and there were freshmen polishing the floor.
"Good afternoon guys." I greeted. The basketball club members greeted me back.
"Good afternoon Ms. Noboru." Hikoichi welcomed me cheerfully.
"Good afternoon Hikoichi. Just call me Nanami, okay?"
"Okay." Hikoichi blushed.
"I noticed that you are doing a good job here in the basketball club." I said.
"Really?!"
"Yes. Keep up the good job."
"Okay." Hikoichi said, turning red again.
After speaking with Hikoichi, I went inside the locker room and changed my clothes. Then, I grabbed a few towels and a first aid kit and carried them to the gym. I noticed that almost all of the basketball club members were there except for Sendoh and a few others. Koshino was already there, fighting with Yukino.
"Dumb ass" Yukino teased Koshino.
"Retard." Koshino countered.
"Nincompoop."
"Idiot."
"Jackass."
"Simpleton."
"Okay that's enough." I snapped. Koshino and Yukino finally shut up after I stopped them. I turned to Koshino and said, "We'll practice after a few minutes, so start warming up."
"Okay! Don't be too bossy." Koshino said.
I ignored Koshino's comment. "You better go." I told Yukino.
"Fine. Anyway, where's your boyfriend?" Yukino teased.
"You mean Sendoh? For the last time, he's not my boyfriend." I said in an annoyed tone. "I haven't seen him around."
"Oh. Maybe that's the reason you're so mad. And, it's quite obvious that Sendoh likes you a lot."
"I know he likes me. If he doesn't like me then we won't be friends."
"You two are like lovers, don't you know that?"
"NO. AND SENDOH IS NOT MY LOVER!"
"Whatever you say." Yukino sighed and walked away.
Uozumi ordered everyone to warm up, except me of course. I checked everyone's attendance. Everyone was there except for Sendoh. Where the heck is he? Any minute now, he's going to go inside.
Coach Taoka finally arrived. We greeted him and then a freshman came running to him and offered him a chair for him to sit on. "Coach," I told Mr. Taoka, "Sendoh's not yet here."
"What?! He must have overslept again." He replied angrily.
"Shall we start without him, sir?" I asked.
"We'll start without him. Just tell him to practice more. But next time I won't allow him being always tardy."
"Yes sir." I replied. Even if Coach says that, Sendoh convinces him not to get angry with him by acting normally. I approached Uozumi and told him that we will start practicing without Sendoh.
Exactly when everyone has finished warming up, Sendoh finally arrived. The crowd became noisier. And many girls shrieked. I hate the girls who shriek when they see Sendoh. Yukino once told me that I am just jealous. Why would I envy those girls?! They're so noisy and classless. They are the ones who should envy me for I am always with Sendoh, more often than any girl in school has been.
Everyone in the basketball club greeted Sendoh including me. "Where have you been?" I asked him. I was shocked and annoyed that he completely ignored me despite the fact that he is my best friend. He knows that being ignored is the one thing I hate the most but he still ignored me.
"Why are you late?" Taoka demanded.
"I overslept." Sendoh laughed as if nothing's wrong.
"Have you warmed up?" Uozumi questioned.
"Yes, I have." Sendoh answered.
"Great. We can now finally practice." Coach said.
"Let's start by having a shooting drill." Uozumi said. "Line up all of you! We'll be doing lay-up shots and jump shots."
"Lay-up shots? Again?" I heard Hikoichi whisper.
"Hey Hikoichi. Do you know that when you do lay-up shots, you improve your speed, agility and endurance?"
"Really?" Hikoichi said excitedly. "I better check that!" Hikoichi gets his notebook and writes something, as always.
After everyone did the shooting drill, there was a practice game and the club was divided into two teams. Uozumi was the captain of the first team and Sendoh was the captain of the other team. The game started and after a close match, Sendoh's team won. Uozumi's team congratulated Sendoh's team. Coach Taoka praised the players for doing a very good job. I also praised the players but I didn't speak with Sendoh. I was still annoyed at him ignoring me earlier. I saw him smiling at me but I looked away from him at once.
After a few more drills, today's practice was finally over. I gave the players the towels I took earlier from the locker room so that they can wipe off their perspiration. All players were wet with perspiration so I ordered them to change their shirts immediately.
Most of the players left were in the locker room, changing their clothes. I guess I should also change my clothes or else I will smell like a guy. I wiped my perspiration then changed my clothes (in the women's locker room of course). I also put on an exotic perfume that my aunt gave me a year ago.
I went outside the locker room. Koshino sneezed. Hikoichi sneezed too. Everyone in the gym sneezed.
"I don't smell that bad." I said, annoyed again.
"Your perfume does!" Uekusa said, sneezing.
Yukino arrived and moved beside me. "Are you having a sneezing contest here?" she mocked.
"I guess so." I replied.
"Your perfume doesn't smell that bad." Yukino said.
"That's because you're a girl." Koshino said, sneezing.
Sendoh went out of the locker room, and said, "What's that smell?" then sneezed.
"Nanami's perfume." Fukuda said, sneezing.
"Ok that's it! I'm outta here." I retorted, getting my bag and leaving the gym.
"Nanami, wait. I'll go with you" Sendoh said, also getting his bag and followed me out.
It was near the entrance of Ryonan High when Sendoh caught up with me. "Nanami, wait." He said, breathless. I stopped and waited for Sendoh. "What is it?" I asked dully.
"Are you angry at me?" he asked.
"No. JUST annoyed." I answered.
"I see…" Sendoh paused. "Why?"
"You ignored me earlier this afternoon. You know I hate being ignored."
"Yes and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. But I don't want to blow my surprise for you."
"What? What surprise?" I asked curiously.
Sendoh opened his bag and took out a box. "Open it." He ordered, handing it to me. I opened the box. Inside I found a heart-shaped locket.
"Thank you Sendoh." I said gratefully.
"Open the locket."
I opened the locket and saw bold letters carved into it saying, "Friends remain friends forever, no matter what happens."
I smiled when I saw that. That was the sweetest thing Sendoh has ever done for me, I think.
"If you think I'm gay, I'm not!" Sendoh grinned.
"No way. Never." I smiled back. I don't know why, I hugged him after that. That's the first time I ever hugged him and Sendoh seems to be surprised. He didn't know what to do, so I guess that's why he hugged me back.