Chapter 10 (Sorry for the grammatical errors, if there are any, and the
senseless things I've typed. Hope you'll enjoy my tenth chapter, and also,
please review. Thanks!)
I looked at Shigeki weirdly and tried to stop myself from blushing. Nobody has said that he loves me, I mean no guy (except my father of course, but he's exempted).not even Sendoh. He won't do a thing like that, to me. He treats me like a child most of the time, like I was still 6 years old. Shigeki removed his hand from my shoulder and walked away as fast as he could. I just stared at him going away. What was he thinking?
"Hey Nanami, are you going in or are you just going to stand there like a statue or something?" a classmate of mine, a girl named Madoka, asked.
"Yes.no, I mean I'm going inside the classroom now.." I uttered.
"Okay." Madoka said inquiringly
Madoka went inside the classroom already, while I stared at Shigeki one more time. I want to talk to him more, but I was too shy to do that. I don't even know what I'd discuss with him. I'll say, "What did you say when I was about to go to my classroom? I'm deaf you know? Please repeat." Why the heck am I going to say that if I know what he said? I have to avoid him at all costs. I've never thought a guy as cute as him would fall in love with a girl like me. My hair is usually messed up, because I always run around, and I don't even look like a girl sometimes, because I wear clothes for guys. I don't know what's in me that made him attracted to me.
"Hello?" I heard Madoka's voice say.
"I'm coming!" I shouted, and ran inside the classroom. I sat on my desk, without speaking to any of my friends, especially to Sendoh.
"Hey Nanami," Sendoh greeted.
"Hello there," I said, not looking to him, but twiddling my ball pen instead.
"Guess what?"
"What?" I uninterestingly said.
"I have a date tomorrow."
It broke my heart to hear that. But I tried my best not to show Sendoh that I was affected by the fact that he's dating other girls again, but he never even asked me out. Maybe I should be an actress one day. "So?"
"What's with the cold attitude?" Sendoh asked.
I didn't reply to that question. That's because I didn't know what to answer to him.
Sendoh suddenly yanked my hair playfully. I shot him an evil look and said, "What did you do that for?"
"I'm sorry, I just wanted your attention," Sendoh grinned.
"Well you got my attention alright," I said, then kicked Sendoh's chair.
Sendoh laughed, "You look cuter when you're angry."
I wanted to smile, but I just can't. He's so corny. I didn't say anything. I just clicked my ball pen repeatedly. click, click, click, click, click, click, click.
"You're being like Hikoichi," Sendoh chuckled.
"NO! NO WAY! I'M NOT BEING LIKE HIKOICHI.I'M NOT JUMPING AROUND, SAYING UNBELIEVABLE ALL THE TIME."
"Then stop clicking your pen, please," Sendoh grinned.
"Fine," I said angrily.
"What's with you today?" Sendoh interrogated.
I didn't have to answer him, because our teacher finally arrived. At last!
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
At lunchtime, I sat on a table with a few of my friends, for of course, I'm annoyed, not angry, with Sendoh. He shouldn't fall in love with Mitsuki! She doesn't even like him. that's what I know. I spotted Sendoh, walking with some of his friends, who are mostly guys. I don't love him, just because he's cute and all. I love him because. I just do love him. Love is really unexplainable. I loved him, when we were younger, as a friend. But now. I don't know what I'm really feeling right now. I've never fallen in love before like this. I never experienced "real love" before. I thought I was truly in love with my ex-boyfriend, whose name will remain a secret (clue: he's also living in Kanagawa and he's a basketball player). It was just puppy love, I realized one day. My love for Sendoh? Is it really true love.or.is it just a phase? I'm not really attracted with Shigeki. He's cute, he's nice, he's popular, he's kind of smart, but I don't know much about him. I knew Sendoh when I was about 6, and now I'm turning 17, so that's a long time. Imagine that, 11 years of knowing each other and he still hasn't asked me out yet! "You're thinking deeply again," Itsuki, a friend of mine, who has long brownish hair, thin lips, and almond-shaped eyes, said. "She's always like that!" another friend of mine, Hitomi, a smaller girl than I am wearing a headband and who has tomboyish brunette hair and brown eyes, exclaimed. I just smiled sheepishly then continued eating my lunch.
Classes, classes, classes, classes. I need to get out of here! It's so boring. I looked at my watch curiously to see what time it is. 5 minutes left before dismissal!
4 more minutes.
3.
2.
1.
0!
After a long wait, it's dismissal time already! I got my things and hurried out of the room. I was like running through the halls, with nothing to stop me. Until, a crowd of students appeared right in front of me.
"What's going on?" I asked, irritated.
Some of the students in the crowd looked at me questioningly. It's like they were saying, "Who are you?" I had to go through this crowd of annoying people to get to the other side.
"Ouch, watch it, hey, excuse me please," I was saying repeatedly.
"Nanami!" an acquaintance waved to me.
"Oh hi there, Otaku, uh. what's going on?"
"Haven't you noticed (uh.no?)? We have an exchange student who's absolutely gorgeous (not again.). He's an honor student (can't be Shigeki), he's a model (can't be Shigeki.),and he's also a soccer player in his school! He's so CUTE... have you met him?"
"Uh. you haven't told me his name."
"His name is. Man, I totally forgot his name. His name's not really familiar with me. Oh, I remember now! Shigeki. That's right! Shigeki."
"Oh yeah, I met him. He's uh. nice. He's the cousin of Sendoh, you know? Second cousin only, I think."
"Oh really? So you're close to him?"
"Not really. Sort of."
"You're so lucky!!!" Otaku then sighed, "But I don't even have a chance to go out with him."
"Why not?"
"I'm only in first year high school, and rumor has it, that he likes somebody in his level, an unknown girl was always seen with him. Hmm."
That's me, obviously.
"Do you happen to know who that is? I really need to meet her." Otaku asked.
"No." I have to lie because Otaku is such a blabbermouth.
"I see."
"So, who told you that gossip?"
"I just heard that from another girl in second year high school, who has seen Shigeki earlier this morning."
"Okay," I noticed Shigeki talking to a group of girls, and he then looked at me, straight to my eyes, and then shyly looked away again. Yeah, he's cute, I admit that, but I'm not truly attracted to him. I didn't know that he's an honor student, nor he's a model. He was more talented than I thought he was. I looked at him once again before I leave. He looked helpless and tired of speaking to all the girls who adore him (obviously). He looked at me once more with a look that said, "Help me, please, I beg you."
"Nanami." Shigeki said timidly.
"Oh, hi.Shigeki." I said.
I heard people say, "Who's that girl and what's his relation with Shigeki?" "She's the manager of the basketball team," "I don't care if she's the manager. What is her relation with Shigeki?"
"She's just a friend," Otaku whispered to one of the persons beside her.
"Oh."
I uneasily passed through the crowd, and walked to the other side, as fast as I could. I could see at the corner of my eye that Shigeki was glancing at me, like he wanted to talk to me. I didn't have time to talk to him, so I didn't mind him.
I was walking to the gym when I saw Mitsuki and her legion of frustrating and stuck-up friends. I ducked under a bush next to them to hear what they're talking about.
"I have news for you." Mitsuki said.
"What?" her friends asked in unison, looking interested.
"I have a date tomorrow, with this guy, who's kind of cute." Mitsuki said in her shrilly voice.
"Wow." her followers said excitedly.
"Who's he?" a girl with long black hair and a big mouth, asked.
"He's popular, and that's all that matters. I just met him this recess," Mitsuki answered.
---What an answer.that's all that matters eh? Wait till Sendoh hears about this. Is she really Sendoh's date? I still don't have the exact proof. I have to hear Sendoh answering me, personally.
Then Mitsuki suddenly stopped babbling. "I think someone's listening to our conversation." She's smarter than I thought.
Her followers looked at the wrong places for me, but they didn't even look around the bushes. Even their leader, posh but stupid, Mitsuki cannot find me. Just like I thought, she IS stupid.
"It must have been my imagination," Mitsuki laughed, which was like a forced laugh actually.
"C'mon, let's talk about this guy in another area, it's getting so hot and stinky in here," the girl with the big lips said.
Stinky? What an exaggeration. It's not stinky in here. Sheesh. They're trying so hard to be popular and classy, but they're not. I crawled out of the bush, when they were far away already, and proceeded in going to the gym.
"Ouch!" Hikoichi exclaimed while I stretched his right arm.
"It's not really painful, is it?" I grinned, dropping his arm.
"No," Hikoichi said, sounding unsure.
"Is this painful?" I asked, pinching his cheek good-humoredly.
"Yes!" Hikoichi cried.
I laughed loudly, "You're like a little kid."
"Just because you are taller than me doesn't mean that you can bully me," he said pitifully.
"Hey Nanami, are you bullying Hikoichi again?" Ikegami inquired.
"Nope, just teasing him," I said, resting my elbow on Hikoichi's shoulder. "We're good friends, right Hikoichi?"
Hikoichi looked up at me and said, "Err. right."
"Okay, back to warming up!" I shouted.
"Yes."
Sendoh then approached me from behind, "I'm sorry," he said.
He's always like that. He's always saying sorry, for what he has done, even though he doesn't know exactly what he did to offend me.
"I'm not angry with you. I was just in a bad mood this morning. My head hurt badly," I clarified.
"Oh ok. So we're friends again?"
"Of course we are. We're always friends," I smiled. That's why I want you to know that I have feelings for you. I don't want us to just be friends. I want us to go to the next stage.
"So, is your head okay?" Sendoh asked, looking concerned.
"Yes, it is. How about you? Um. I mean. who's your date tomorrow?"
"I just met her today. Then we've been talking a lot after that."
"Yes, but who is she?"
"Her name's Mitsuki. Mitsuki Matsuda."
"Meeehhh-tssss---keeeh?"
"Yeah, Mitsuki. Do you know her?"
"Yeah I know her," I said harshly. "She's really."
"Nice? Funny? Smart?"
Huh? No she's not nice, funny and smart. She's the exact opposite of those words! "Uh, she's.a snob."
Sendoh looked surprised. "A snob?"
"She is a snob. I can tell by her actions and what she says," I said insensitively.
"So you two know each other?"
"No, I know her, but she doesn't know me."
"Then you don't exactly know her. Why do you have to judge her at once?"
"I always overhear her conversations with her fellow.snobs! They're the ones who are judgmental, not me. Mitsuki said that she hates the guts of basketball players, as if she knows that each and every basketball player has a bad attitude.."
"Okay, stop it! Why do you have to spy on people."
".I'm not spying on people. I just overhear their conversations."
".and why are you so hypercritical? You haven't even met her face to face and."
".why do you defend her so much? You just met her for a day, so you too don't know everything about her! Why don't you at least take my side, your friend's side? Why don't YOU listen to my side of the story."
Sendoh paused, then said, "I'm sorry.I."
".I what?"
"It's just.I'm in love with her."
"WHAT?!?!" I exclaimed, then shook Sendoh, "You can't fall in love with...that.that.girl! Wake up, would you? She's the type of girl who uses people."
"Hey, go back to practice! This isn't a conference room!" I heard coach shout behind me.
Sendoh gazed at me, and said, "You really need to relax for a while," then ran to the other players.
I hate it when he doesn't even catch I word I say. Sendoh? In love with Mitsuki? And Mitsuki's not even in love with Sendoh. And Shigeki's in love with me. And I'm in love with Sendoh. Nuts.what'd I do now? I think I need time, away from Shigeki, Mitsuki and especially, time away from Sendoh. I remembered what I said a while ago, that Mitsuki's the type of girl who uses people. She'd use Sendoh to get.what.or who? For the question what, it must be popularity. Mitsuki's not even popular. I didn't even recognize her when I saw her the other day with her "friends." For the question, who, I think she likes someone, someone close to Sendoh. I think she wants Shigeki, who wants me. My head ached severely when I thought of Mitsuki, using Sendoh, who's in love with her, to get to Shigeki, who's in love with me. I have to protect Sendoh, somehow, and also protect even Shigeki. I really hate Mitsuki, more than Yayoi Aida, Hikoichi's sister, who looks like a gay. We hated each other, after I told her that she'd never get Sendoh, and her obsession with him doesn't lead her anywhere. I wouldn't tell her that for no reason at all, but she insulted me by thinking that I was one of the basketball players, because I looked like a boy according to her, and she doesn't even recall about knowing me. My head hurt more, that I groaned in pain.
"Are you okay?" one of the freshmen asked me.
"I'm fine.really."
"You don't look good," Mr. Taoka commented, "You need to take some rest."
"No, I can't. How about our practice?" I said silently.
"You can't accomplish anything during our practice if you're sick. My best advice is for you to go home," Coach said. I agreed with him, because he looks like he's decided, so I just left the gym, with my things. I walked slowly, looking at my path. My mind is full of thoughts that I haven't noticed that someone's in front of me. I bumped him feebly, but I still said to him that I'm sorry. Then he suddenly grabbed my hand. "Nanami, it's me."
"Shigeki?" I said, surprised "Why are you still here? Why haven't you gone back to the hotel?"
"I was waiting for Sendoh.and for you," he replied.
"Why are you waiting for me?"
"I just wanted to say, that I'm serious, when I talked to you this morning. I really like you."
"Why me? Why not other girls, other models like you?"
"Who told you that I'm a model?"
"I just heard it from an acquaintance, who knows all the latest rumors. Why haven't you told me that?"
"I thought it might make you more comfortable if I don't tell you that."
"You lied."
"I never lied to you. I just never mentioned it."
"Fine. But you never answered my question. Why me? There are millions of girls in Japan, but why do you like a person like me? I'm crazy.um. I'm clumsy.I'm selfish sometimes."
"I like you because, you're not like other girls, not like the other girls that I recently dated. You're so unpredictable."
I shrugged. "So you like me because I'm unpredictable?"
"No, more than that. I like you because you're attractive, you're smart, and you're humble."
"Okay, please.just stop. Stop showering me with kind words. I don't even know those words describe me. Can't we just continue our friendship?"
"No, I can't do that. I can't help it. I want you to know.I love you."
"Why do you love me?"
"Love is so unexplainable. I can't explain why I love you through words, but through actions, I can. Can you just give me a chance?"
"A chance on what," I said dumbly. Of course I know what he meant by that. I just want to test him.
"A chance on you. May I accompany you home?"
I feel my head aching again. I crossed my arms, "Sure, if you're willing to carry my things. I'm not feeling good."
"Oh, sure," Shigeki said, picking up my bag.
"I was just joking. you can accompany me home."
"I'm more than willing to carry your bag for you."
"No, it's okay." But Shigeki already picked up my bag.
"Oh, alright. If it's okay for you."
Having Shigeki around made me feel uncomfortable. On the way home, we haven't said anything much. Shigeki just babbled about how nice my school is, and that he enjoyed his first day, as if. I told him that I know he's lying and he just smiled and said, "Your school's great, but except for the people who follow me all the time." I agreed with him and told him that Sendoh's facing the same problem. When we reached my house, he suddenly and softly said, "Can we go out on a date tomorrow?"
"Um." I thought for a while. I remembered Sendoh and Mitsuki having a date tomorrow. I might as well say yes to forget about Sendoh and Mitsuki for a while. "Sure."
"Great." Shigeki smiled triumphantly, "See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, see you tomorrow," I waved and went inside my house. I slammed the door, and lied down on the couch. The reason I said yes? The primary reason for that is to make Sendoh jealous. I can't wait to see Sendoh's look on his face when he finds out that his cousin and I are going out.
I looked at Shigeki weirdly and tried to stop myself from blushing. Nobody has said that he loves me, I mean no guy (except my father of course, but he's exempted).not even Sendoh. He won't do a thing like that, to me. He treats me like a child most of the time, like I was still 6 years old. Shigeki removed his hand from my shoulder and walked away as fast as he could. I just stared at him going away. What was he thinking?
"Hey Nanami, are you going in or are you just going to stand there like a statue or something?" a classmate of mine, a girl named Madoka, asked.
"Yes.no, I mean I'm going inside the classroom now.." I uttered.
"Okay." Madoka said inquiringly
Madoka went inside the classroom already, while I stared at Shigeki one more time. I want to talk to him more, but I was too shy to do that. I don't even know what I'd discuss with him. I'll say, "What did you say when I was about to go to my classroom? I'm deaf you know? Please repeat." Why the heck am I going to say that if I know what he said? I have to avoid him at all costs. I've never thought a guy as cute as him would fall in love with a girl like me. My hair is usually messed up, because I always run around, and I don't even look like a girl sometimes, because I wear clothes for guys. I don't know what's in me that made him attracted to me.
"Hello?" I heard Madoka's voice say.
"I'm coming!" I shouted, and ran inside the classroom. I sat on my desk, without speaking to any of my friends, especially to Sendoh.
"Hey Nanami," Sendoh greeted.
"Hello there," I said, not looking to him, but twiddling my ball pen instead.
"Guess what?"
"What?" I uninterestingly said.
"I have a date tomorrow."
It broke my heart to hear that. But I tried my best not to show Sendoh that I was affected by the fact that he's dating other girls again, but he never even asked me out. Maybe I should be an actress one day. "So?"
"What's with the cold attitude?" Sendoh asked.
I didn't reply to that question. That's because I didn't know what to answer to him.
Sendoh suddenly yanked my hair playfully. I shot him an evil look and said, "What did you do that for?"
"I'm sorry, I just wanted your attention," Sendoh grinned.
"Well you got my attention alright," I said, then kicked Sendoh's chair.
Sendoh laughed, "You look cuter when you're angry."
I wanted to smile, but I just can't. He's so corny. I didn't say anything. I just clicked my ball pen repeatedly. click, click, click, click, click, click, click.
"You're being like Hikoichi," Sendoh chuckled.
"NO! NO WAY! I'M NOT BEING LIKE HIKOICHI.I'M NOT JUMPING AROUND, SAYING UNBELIEVABLE ALL THE TIME."
"Then stop clicking your pen, please," Sendoh grinned.
"Fine," I said angrily.
"What's with you today?" Sendoh interrogated.
I didn't have to answer him, because our teacher finally arrived. At last!
~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~
At lunchtime, I sat on a table with a few of my friends, for of course, I'm annoyed, not angry, with Sendoh. He shouldn't fall in love with Mitsuki! She doesn't even like him. that's what I know. I spotted Sendoh, walking with some of his friends, who are mostly guys. I don't love him, just because he's cute and all. I love him because. I just do love him. Love is really unexplainable. I loved him, when we were younger, as a friend. But now. I don't know what I'm really feeling right now. I've never fallen in love before like this. I never experienced "real love" before. I thought I was truly in love with my ex-boyfriend, whose name will remain a secret (clue: he's also living in Kanagawa and he's a basketball player). It was just puppy love, I realized one day. My love for Sendoh? Is it really true love.or.is it just a phase? I'm not really attracted with Shigeki. He's cute, he's nice, he's popular, he's kind of smart, but I don't know much about him. I knew Sendoh when I was about 6, and now I'm turning 17, so that's a long time. Imagine that, 11 years of knowing each other and he still hasn't asked me out yet! "You're thinking deeply again," Itsuki, a friend of mine, who has long brownish hair, thin lips, and almond-shaped eyes, said. "She's always like that!" another friend of mine, Hitomi, a smaller girl than I am wearing a headband and who has tomboyish brunette hair and brown eyes, exclaimed. I just smiled sheepishly then continued eating my lunch.
Classes, classes, classes, classes. I need to get out of here! It's so boring. I looked at my watch curiously to see what time it is. 5 minutes left before dismissal!
4 more minutes.
3.
2.
1.
0!
After a long wait, it's dismissal time already! I got my things and hurried out of the room. I was like running through the halls, with nothing to stop me. Until, a crowd of students appeared right in front of me.
"What's going on?" I asked, irritated.
Some of the students in the crowd looked at me questioningly. It's like they were saying, "Who are you?" I had to go through this crowd of annoying people to get to the other side.
"Ouch, watch it, hey, excuse me please," I was saying repeatedly.
"Nanami!" an acquaintance waved to me.
"Oh hi there, Otaku, uh. what's going on?"
"Haven't you noticed (uh.no?)? We have an exchange student who's absolutely gorgeous (not again.). He's an honor student (can't be Shigeki), he's a model (can't be Shigeki.),and he's also a soccer player in his school! He's so CUTE... have you met him?"
"Uh. you haven't told me his name."
"His name is. Man, I totally forgot his name. His name's not really familiar with me. Oh, I remember now! Shigeki. That's right! Shigeki."
"Oh yeah, I met him. He's uh. nice. He's the cousin of Sendoh, you know? Second cousin only, I think."
"Oh really? So you're close to him?"
"Not really. Sort of."
"You're so lucky!!!" Otaku then sighed, "But I don't even have a chance to go out with him."
"Why not?"
"I'm only in first year high school, and rumor has it, that he likes somebody in his level, an unknown girl was always seen with him. Hmm."
That's me, obviously.
"Do you happen to know who that is? I really need to meet her." Otaku asked.
"No." I have to lie because Otaku is such a blabbermouth.
"I see."
"So, who told you that gossip?"
"I just heard that from another girl in second year high school, who has seen Shigeki earlier this morning."
"Okay," I noticed Shigeki talking to a group of girls, and he then looked at me, straight to my eyes, and then shyly looked away again. Yeah, he's cute, I admit that, but I'm not truly attracted to him. I didn't know that he's an honor student, nor he's a model. He was more talented than I thought he was. I looked at him once again before I leave. He looked helpless and tired of speaking to all the girls who adore him (obviously). He looked at me once more with a look that said, "Help me, please, I beg you."
"Nanami." Shigeki said timidly.
"Oh, hi.Shigeki." I said.
I heard people say, "Who's that girl and what's his relation with Shigeki?" "She's the manager of the basketball team," "I don't care if she's the manager. What is her relation with Shigeki?"
"She's just a friend," Otaku whispered to one of the persons beside her.
"Oh."
I uneasily passed through the crowd, and walked to the other side, as fast as I could. I could see at the corner of my eye that Shigeki was glancing at me, like he wanted to talk to me. I didn't have time to talk to him, so I didn't mind him.
I was walking to the gym when I saw Mitsuki and her legion of frustrating and stuck-up friends. I ducked under a bush next to them to hear what they're talking about.
"I have news for you." Mitsuki said.
"What?" her friends asked in unison, looking interested.
"I have a date tomorrow, with this guy, who's kind of cute." Mitsuki said in her shrilly voice.
"Wow." her followers said excitedly.
"Who's he?" a girl with long black hair and a big mouth, asked.
"He's popular, and that's all that matters. I just met him this recess," Mitsuki answered.
---What an answer.that's all that matters eh? Wait till Sendoh hears about this. Is she really Sendoh's date? I still don't have the exact proof. I have to hear Sendoh answering me, personally.
Then Mitsuki suddenly stopped babbling. "I think someone's listening to our conversation." She's smarter than I thought.
Her followers looked at the wrong places for me, but they didn't even look around the bushes. Even their leader, posh but stupid, Mitsuki cannot find me. Just like I thought, she IS stupid.
"It must have been my imagination," Mitsuki laughed, which was like a forced laugh actually.
"C'mon, let's talk about this guy in another area, it's getting so hot and stinky in here," the girl with the big lips said.
Stinky? What an exaggeration. It's not stinky in here. Sheesh. They're trying so hard to be popular and classy, but they're not. I crawled out of the bush, when they were far away already, and proceeded in going to the gym.
"Ouch!" Hikoichi exclaimed while I stretched his right arm.
"It's not really painful, is it?" I grinned, dropping his arm.
"No," Hikoichi said, sounding unsure.
"Is this painful?" I asked, pinching his cheek good-humoredly.
"Yes!" Hikoichi cried.
I laughed loudly, "You're like a little kid."
"Just because you are taller than me doesn't mean that you can bully me," he said pitifully.
"Hey Nanami, are you bullying Hikoichi again?" Ikegami inquired.
"Nope, just teasing him," I said, resting my elbow on Hikoichi's shoulder. "We're good friends, right Hikoichi?"
Hikoichi looked up at me and said, "Err. right."
"Okay, back to warming up!" I shouted.
"Yes."
Sendoh then approached me from behind, "I'm sorry," he said.
He's always like that. He's always saying sorry, for what he has done, even though he doesn't know exactly what he did to offend me.
"I'm not angry with you. I was just in a bad mood this morning. My head hurt badly," I clarified.
"Oh ok. So we're friends again?"
"Of course we are. We're always friends," I smiled. That's why I want you to know that I have feelings for you. I don't want us to just be friends. I want us to go to the next stage.
"So, is your head okay?" Sendoh asked, looking concerned.
"Yes, it is. How about you? Um. I mean. who's your date tomorrow?"
"I just met her today. Then we've been talking a lot after that."
"Yes, but who is she?"
"Her name's Mitsuki. Mitsuki Matsuda."
"Meeehhh-tssss---keeeh?"
"Yeah, Mitsuki. Do you know her?"
"Yeah I know her," I said harshly. "She's really."
"Nice? Funny? Smart?"
Huh? No she's not nice, funny and smart. She's the exact opposite of those words! "Uh, she's.a snob."
Sendoh looked surprised. "A snob?"
"She is a snob. I can tell by her actions and what she says," I said insensitively.
"So you two know each other?"
"No, I know her, but she doesn't know me."
"Then you don't exactly know her. Why do you have to judge her at once?"
"I always overhear her conversations with her fellow.snobs! They're the ones who are judgmental, not me. Mitsuki said that she hates the guts of basketball players, as if she knows that each and every basketball player has a bad attitude.."
"Okay, stop it! Why do you have to spy on people."
".I'm not spying on people. I just overhear their conversations."
".and why are you so hypercritical? You haven't even met her face to face and."
".why do you defend her so much? You just met her for a day, so you too don't know everything about her! Why don't you at least take my side, your friend's side? Why don't YOU listen to my side of the story."
Sendoh paused, then said, "I'm sorry.I."
".I what?"
"It's just.I'm in love with her."
"WHAT?!?!" I exclaimed, then shook Sendoh, "You can't fall in love with...that.that.girl! Wake up, would you? She's the type of girl who uses people."
"Hey, go back to practice! This isn't a conference room!" I heard coach shout behind me.
Sendoh gazed at me, and said, "You really need to relax for a while," then ran to the other players.
I hate it when he doesn't even catch I word I say. Sendoh? In love with Mitsuki? And Mitsuki's not even in love with Sendoh. And Shigeki's in love with me. And I'm in love with Sendoh. Nuts.what'd I do now? I think I need time, away from Shigeki, Mitsuki and especially, time away from Sendoh. I remembered what I said a while ago, that Mitsuki's the type of girl who uses people. She'd use Sendoh to get.what.or who? For the question what, it must be popularity. Mitsuki's not even popular. I didn't even recognize her when I saw her the other day with her "friends." For the question, who, I think she likes someone, someone close to Sendoh. I think she wants Shigeki, who wants me. My head ached severely when I thought of Mitsuki, using Sendoh, who's in love with her, to get to Shigeki, who's in love with me. I have to protect Sendoh, somehow, and also protect even Shigeki. I really hate Mitsuki, more than Yayoi Aida, Hikoichi's sister, who looks like a gay. We hated each other, after I told her that she'd never get Sendoh, and her obsession with him doesn't lead her anywhere. I wouldn't tell her that for no reason at all, but she insulted me by thinking that I was one of the basketball players, because I looked like a boy according to her, and she doesn't even recall about knowing me. My head hurt more, that I groaned in pain.
"Are you okay?" one of the freshmen asked me.
"I'm fine.really."
"You don't look good," Mr. Taoka commented, "You need to take some rest."
"No, I can't. How about our practice?" I said silently.
"You can't accomplish anything during our practice if you're sick. My best advice is for you to go home," Coach said. I agreed with him, because he looks like he's decided, so I just left the gym, with my things. I walked slowly, looking at my path. My mind is full of thoughts that I haven't noticed that someone's in front of me. I bumped him feebly, but I still said to him that I'm sorry. Then he suddenly grabbed my hand. "Nanami, it's me."
"Shigeki?" I said, surprised "Why are you still here? Why haven't you gone back to the hotel?"
"I was waiting for Sendoh.and for you," he replied.
"Why are you waiting for me?"
"I just wanted to say, that I'm serious, when I talked to you this morning. I really like you."
"Why me? Why not other girls, other models like you?"
"Who told you that I'm a model?"
"I just heard it from an acquaintance, who knows all the latest rumors. Why haven't you told me that?"
"I thought it might make you more comfortable if I don't tell you that."
"You lied."
"I never lied to you. I just never mentioned it."
"Fine. But you never answered my question. Why me? There are millions of girls in Japan, but why do you like a person like me? I'm crazy.um. I'm clumsy.I'm selfish sometimes."
"I like you because, you're not like other girls, not like the other girls that I recently dated. You're so unpredictable."
I shrugged. "So you like me because I'm unpredictable?"
"No, more than that. I like you because you're attractive, you're smart, and you're humble."
"Okay, please.just stop. Stop showering me with kind words. I don't even know those words describe me. Can't we just continue our friendship?"
"No, I can't do that. I can't help it. I want you to know.I love you."
"Why do you love me?"
"Love is so unexplainable. I can't explain why I love you through words, but through actions, I can. Can you just give me a chance?"
"A chance on what," I said dumbly. Of course I know what he meant by that. I just want to test him.
"A chance on you. May I accompany you home?"
I feel my head aching again. I crossed my arms, "Sure, if you're willing to carry my things. I'm not feeling good."
"Oh, sure," Shigeki said, picking up my bag.
"I was just joking. you can accompany me home."
"I'm more than willing to carry your bag for you."
"No, it's okay." But Shigeki already picked up my bag.
"Oh, alright. If it's okay for you."
Having Shigeki around made me feel uncomfortable. On the way home, we haven't said anything much. Shigeki just babbled about how nice my school is, and that he enjoyed his first day, as if. I told him that I know he's lying and he just smiled and said, "Your school's great, but except for the people who follow me all the time." I agreed with him and told him that Sendoh's facing the same problem. When we reached my house, he suddenly and softly said, "Can we go out on a date tomorrow?"
"Um." I thought for a while. I remembered Sendoh and Mitsuki having a date tomorrow. I might as well say yes to forget about Sendoh and Mitsuki for a while. "Sure."
"Great." Shigeki smiled triumphantly, "See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, see you tomorrow," I waved and went inside my house. I slammed the door, and lied down on the couch. The reason I said yes? The primary reason for that is to make Sendoh jealous. I can't wait to see Sendoh's look on his face when he finds out that his cousin and I are going out.