Sorry if there are grammatical errors. I was too lazy to check if there were any. Nobody's perfect, right? If you spot some grammatical errors or if you want to tell me your comments or suggestions, email me at kenji_sendoh@yahoo.com or just post them in your review, if you want to. Thank you!

Chapter 6

I told Yukino privately about what Teijirou said to me earlier when we were in the comfort room.

"Shigeki has a big crush on me." I mumbled.

"What? That's great!" Yukino said, smiling widely.

"No it's not." I said.

"Why not? He's just your type."

"What about…Sendoh?" I said in a low voice. I think I said the wrong thing.

Yukino grinned, "So I'm right all along. You really looooove Sendoh."

"NO, what I mean is that, he'll get jealous if I chose Shigeki over him."

"Why would he get jealous?"

"I don't know…he looks like he's jealous when I talk with Shigeki."

"Hmm…"

"So what will I do?"

"Nothing. Just do nothing. Let them make their move."

I didn't say anything. I think I should follow Yukino's advice. It's the best thing I can do so I wouldn't hurt Sendoh or Shigeki. Yukino and I went out of the comfort room and saw the boys waiting for us outside.

"What do you girls do in the comfort room anyway? It takes you ten minutes just to pee?" Teijirou said in his bratty voice.

"We don't just pee if we go to the cr." I said nicely.

"Then what do you do?" Teijirou said disrespectfully.

"That's a mystery we cannot solve." Koshino laughed.

"So what do you guys want to do next?" Sendoh asked.

"Let's go to the arcade." Teijirou said excitedly.

"But you've already gone to the arcade this morning." Shigeki said.

"But I just played for only 5 minutes! Sendoh came and immediately took me with him."

"It was your fault anyway that you weren't able to finish playing. You ran off when we weren't looking." Shigeki said calmly.

"Let's just give him a chance." Sendoh sighed.

"Yeah, give that pipsqueak a chance." Yukino said.

"We are supposed to have fun, aren't we?" I added.

"I guess so." Shigeki responded.

"Then, let's go the arcade." I smiled.

"Right!" Teijirou agreed.

We entered the arcade. It was very noisy, so I have to cover my ears. Teijirou excitedly ran away to some video machine, Koshino and Yukino were playing a fighting game and Sendoh, Shigeki and I just stood there, covering our ears.

"Hey, let's play that game over there." Sendoh said, pointing at a video machine.

"What? I can't hear you!" I shouted, "It's too noisy."

Shigeki pointed at my hands. I forgot that I was covering my ears. "Sorry." I said, not looking at Shigeki's face. I was too shy to look at his face after I found out that he has a crush on me.

"How about if we play that game over there." Sendoh repeated.

"Sure. But that game's for only two players." I said. "Why don't you and Shigeki play while I'll just watch?"

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" Shigeki asked.

"I'm sure. You guys go ahead."

"Okay…you sure?" Sendoh questioned.

"I'm sure!" I laughed.

"Okay." Shigeki said, and then turned to Sendoh. "Come on, let's play for old time's sake."

"Yeah." Sendoh replied and went with Shigeki, looking behind him to signal me to follow them. I went after them like I'm just their servant.

Shigeki inserted coins in the machine and Sendoh and he started playing. "I'll beat you." Sendoh smiled challengingly. "No you won't. I'll beat you like I did when we're younger!" Shigeki replied. Shigeki was beating Sendoh in the video game. But amazingly, Sendoh caught up with him. "You're losing your touch!" he said. "But I'm still leading with 1000 points." Shigeki said, perspiration dropping from his face.

I sighed. "You guys are so serious with that game. It's only a game okay?" Then a voice inside me said, "No it's not only a game. They're fighting for…YOU. Don't you get it? Whoever loses in this game has to give up from chasing you. Look at how serious they are. They are trying their best just to win your love. Of course, one of them HAS to lose. I wonder who'll it be?"

"What the heck am I thinking?" I said aloud by mistake. Sendoh and Shigeki looked back at me with puzzled faces. "What ARE you thinking?" Shigeki questioned me.

"Oh, never mind that. Go back to your game…" I said, making a fake laugh. Sendoh and Shigeki looked at me one last time and went back to their game. Because of boredom, I went away for a while and played a "hit the mole" game. I violently and quickly bashed every mole that came out from its hole. I was sweaty and tired because of exerting too much force when I hit the moles. But, at least I made the top score because of too much effort.

"Hey, don't you think you're being too much serious in bashing those poor little moles?" Sendoh said, behind me.

I turned around to face Sendoh. "Nope. I don't think so. I'm glad I made the top score." I laughed. "What happened to your game?"

"Shigeki won." Sendoh said, not showing any disappointment or anger.

"Ooh. Where is he anyway?"

"He's looking for his brother, who's always running away."

"Okay." I said. I want to ask Sendoh if he's jealous or anything, but now is not the right time. Maybe later, when it's nighttime. "Let's go find Yukino and Koshino."

"They're just around here somewhere." Sendoh said. "Look, there they are!" he said, pointing at the wacky couple (couple, huh?).

"I won, fair and square." Koshino told Yukino, while they were walking around.

"You didn't! You cheated! You cheated!" Yukino exclaimed.

"I didn't! You were the one who was cheating! You were pulling my hand away from the controls!"

"So were you!"

"Okay, we were both cheating, but I still won."

"No you didn't! I did."

"But the machine said I won." Koshino said proudly.

"That's because you cheated more."

"Stop it!" I shouted. Koshino and Yukino stopped babbling. "It's only a game!"

"He started it. He was cheating!" Yukino said, as if she never cheated.

"But you also cheated." Sendoh grinned.

"I know. But he cheated more." Yukino complained.

"You guys are so shameful! You are already in high school and you're fighting because of a stupid child's game? And you also cheated? What kind of example will you give to others?" I said righteously.

"It's not…a child's game." Koshino muttered.

"Don't be too much dramatic. Just tell us to shut up. That's all you have to say." Yukino said edgily.

"I know." I grinned. "I just feel like saying that."

Sendoh, Koshino and Yukino sighed. I then saw Shigeki holding Teijirou's hand, or should I say, pulling Teijirou's hand and walking towards us.

"Let me go. I want to play some more." Teijirou insisted.

"I don't think so. By the age of twenty-five, you're already as blind as a bat." Shigeki told his brother.

Teijirou made a face. He's so spoiled! I'm really annoyed with kids like Teijirou. "You'll look like that forever if you don't stop making faces." I suddenly said. Good thing I said that one nicely.

Shigeki laughed, "She's right. Stop making faces okay. It really makes a lot of people annoyed."

"Like me." Yukino said softly. Teijirou didn't even hear her say that because of the noise.

Teijirou pulled his hand from his brother and crossed his arms. "Okay I'll stop. I just want to have some more fun."

"But it's time for us to go back to the hotel and rest. Aren't you even tired from our flight yesterday?"

"Nope." Teijirou answered.

Shigeki sighed, "Come on. You'll go home in about two days anyway. You still have school, don't you remember that?"

"How about you? Don't you also have school?" Koshino asked Shigeki.

"Yes, I have…"

"Then why do you have to skip school just to go here?" Yukino asked.

"Well, this should be a surprise, but I guess I have to tell you right now. I'm…"

"He's going to be an exchange student in your school." Teijirou interrupted. Shigeki glared at his brother and just said, "That's right."

"Really? That's great." Yukino said.

"Yeah. I agree. That would be fun." Koshino said.

Sendoh said nothing, but just smiled to show his excitement. I didn't know what to say. I just kept silent. I should be happy, but I don't really know what I'm feeling right now.

"That's nice." I said dully, but while smiling. "Where will you stay? If you still stay at the hotel, it would be too expensive."

"How about if you stay in my house?" Sendoh suggested. "My parents said that if you don't have any place to stay in, they'd be delighted to let you stay in our house."

"Sure! Thank you. Please also express my gratitude to your parents for me." Shigeki said thankfully.

"Sure. No problem." Sendoh said.

We left the mall after that. Koshino and Yukino told Sendoh and I that they'd just meet us at the gym later at 4. Sendoh and I accompanied Shigeki and Teijirou in their hotel room.

"I'm sooo tired." Teijirou complained.

"I thought you said that you weren't tired." Sendoh said.

"I only said that because I want to play some more." Teijirou grinned.

"Just go to sleep now, okay." Shigeki said, sitting on his bed.

Teijirou yawned loudly and lay down on his bed. Then he quickly fell asleep.

"That was fast." I smiled.

"He's always like that. As soon as he lies on his bed, he falls asleep." Shigeki chuckles.

"Are you going to sleep?" Sendoh asked Shigeki.

"I'm not really sleepy. I slept in the airplane for a long time." Shigeki replied.

"So what are you going to do?" I interrogated Shigeki.

"I don't know…" Shigeki said.

"Do you know how to play basketball?" I asked Shigeki.

"A little. I know the basic rules and skills." Shigeki replied.

"So we can play basketball sometime." I said merrily. "Akira's really a genius when it comes to basketball. He's unbeatable when he's serious. He's the most amazing basketball player I've ever seen in the basketball club."

"Umm… I'm not really a genius. There are better players than me." Sendoh said humbly.

"Akira told me that you're also great in basketball." Shigeki said. "I'm looking forward in seeing you play."

"I'm not really good in playing basketball. Maybe he's exaggerating too much." I said. "Oh, may I please go to the bathroom? I have to change my clothes for the practice later."

"Sure you can. Go ahead." Shigeki smiled.

I grabbed my bag and changed my clothes in the bathroom. I looked at myself at the mirror. My curly hair looks curlier because I didn't brush my hair properly this morning, but amazingly, it looks neat. I got a brush from my bag and brushed my hair. While I was brushing my hair, I heard Sendoh and Shigeki talking to each other. I picked up a glass cup near the sink and placed it on the door so I can hear clearly what they're talking about.

"I know you have a crush on Nanami." Sendoh said.

"Do you…also like her?" Shigeki said slowly

"Of course I like her…" Sendoh replied. I suddenly blushed. My heart pounded rapidly. I felt something I never felt before… could it be that I'm in love with Sendoh? He's perfect for me. He's kind, he's thoughtful, he's caring, he's cute, he enjoys most of my hobbies, and he likes me. Why did I realize just now that I love him so much?

"You like her?" Shigeki said low.

"…As a friend." Sendoh continued. I was stunned to hear this. I love him and he doesn't even love me back as I love him. But maybe I'll MAKE him love me as much as I love him. But I can't control someone's feelings. However, he does tell me hints that he likes me, like the locket he gave to me and when we were children, he always gave me flowers.

"Oh. So is it okay for you if I…court her?" Shigeki said softly.

Sendoh paused for a while. It's the perfect time for me to go out of the bathroom. I quickly went out and that stopped Sendoh from answering Shigeki's question. Shigeki and Sendoh were both sitting on Shigeki's bed, and Shigeki hastily changed their topic to Ryonan High. I gazed at Sendoh's face. He's so…cute, so adorable, so…. dreamy. So this is what being in love feels like.

"Hey, Nanami's back." Shigeki said in a quite excited voice, smiling at me.

"Am I ruining your conversation?" I asked, as if I don't know what they were talking about earlier.

"No. Not at all." Sendoh smiled. I smiled at him back. "Shigeki said that he wants to go with us when we'll practice later…so we can show him around the school."

"That's…. okay." I said, not showing happiness in my voice. Deep inside of me, I said rudely, "Shigeki, I don't want you to court me. Hope you'll understand. I love Sendoh. Isn't that obvious?"

"Great. So when are we going to leave?" Shigeki asked.

"Practice starts in," I said seriously, looking at my watch, "twenty minutes."

"I'll just tell Teijirou that I have to leave him here for a while and then, I'll change my clothes." Shigeki smiled. "Hey Teijirou." Shigeki said, waking up his sleeping brother, "I have to go away for a while. So I have to leave you here. I'll be back at 5. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, sure." Teijirou said sleepily, with his eyes still closed, "What will you do? Will you date Nanami?"



Shigeki blushed a little. "What are you talking about? No, I won't date Nanami. I will go with Sendoh and her to their school."

"Very well. Just lock the door when you go out."

"I will." Shigeki said. Then he got a shirt and a pair of shorts from the cabinet and went to the bathroom. It's now my opportunity to talk with Sendoh. But I remembered that Teijirou is in the room, who may not be sleeping at all but listening to conversations instead.

"Umm… Sendoh… are you having a good time with your cousins?" I asked.

"I am…" Sendoh said lifelessly.

"You don't look like you're having fun…"

"Well, actually, I am." Sendoh said, giving me one of his wonderful smiles.

"Are you having problems or anything?"

"No. Why did you ask?"

"I asked that for no reason at all…" I started. "I just want to tell you that if you have problems, feel free to talk to me about them. I'm always with you if you need me." I said, sitting down beside him.

"Uhh…okay. Well I don't have problems… but I do need your help when I'll train for the Inter High elimination games, and for the practice game between Shohoku and Ryonan on Thursday."

"What can I do to help?"

"You could…cheer for me."

"But that doesn't help much, does it?"

"Actually, it does. It makes me feel more… more powerful and matchless."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah…" Sendoh said, "you know what? You're the most wonderful girl I've ever met."

"Oh shut up. You're just trying to flatter me as you did one year ago, then you'll laugh at my facial expression…"

"No…" Sendoh said, moving closer to me. "Seriously, you are…"

"Err… okay…" I said nervously. My heart was beating faster and faster, and faster. Then I heard the bathroom door open, and Shigeki came out, wearing the shirt that he bought earlier and baggy shorts. I admit that he looked great, but still, my heart is still for Sendoh.

"Are you in the middle of something?" he asked

"No. We're not." I quickly said.

"Okay. So let's go." Shigeki said.

"Yeah. Let's go." Sendoh repeated, standing up.