Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina.
Pre-Read by: Zenapax & DeathofHell
Leap Year Birthday
The morning sun shines through my room, warming my face as I lay in bed, staring at the calendar. I've crossed off all the days in February. All the days, but one. The one day that I haven't crossed out is the day I been waiting for four years. February 29. I put cute little smiley faces, colored in little hearts and even drew beer bottles so I wouldn't forget this date. Yes! Today is not only the day that my long time childhood friend, Chokichi Kawai and I get to hang out, but it's also his birthday.
Feeling energize, I jump out of bed, getting ready for the day as I reflect on our friendship together. I've known Cho-chan since he was born. Both our mothers are best friends, so it was only naturally that we hung out together. When we learned to walk and talk, we really weren't friends since I used to tease him about not having a birthday every year. We didn't become friends until we were in the first grade. The class bully always picked on a girl in class every day before the teacher showed up. When it was my turn to be picked on, he dumped a bottle of paint all over me. All the boys in class were pointing and laughing at me as he prance around the classroom. I wanted to cry in embarrassment, but I notice that Cho-chan wasn't laughing. He looked shocked and enraged of what happened to me. When the bully pranced past him, he got up from his sit and slugged him. To make this short, Cho-chan got suspended for a week for knocking some teeth loose. I came to see him later that day and asked why he did that. He answered "No one does anything bad to you. No one." From that moment on, we became the best of friends. We always hung out together: going to the mall, playing basketball, watching TV. We even sat next to each other in school. Our classmates always said that we're dating because we were always together. We always argue that we weren't, but I did like him. I was heartbroken when he told me that his family was going to move to America, living in Oakland after the end of our first year in high school. I remembered crying, begging him not to go. He held me to calm me down, which worked. I wanted to kiss him and tell him how much I loved him, but I was too afraid.
Before leaving, he promised me that he'll come back to see me on his birthday so we could hang out and so far, he had kept it, even thought this is the second real birthday for him since he made that promise. No one got to meet him the first time he came back to Japan since everyone was at school. But then again, I don't think I could hide my feelings for him if they started asking if we were dating. So I was a bit nervous when he called last night, saying that he arrived and will meet me near the basketball court at our old middle school because no one ever calls me and I think everyone was listening to our conversation.
I get out of my room, doing my daily routine. I go downstairs, joining Shinobu and Mutsumi for breakfast. A few more join in before I finish eating. I go to the bathroom, take a quick shower and brush my teeth. I'm in somewhat of a hurry since I want to be with Cho-chan as soon as possible.
I go back in my room and try on a few different outfits. I'm not sure what we are doing together, but he better not make me play basketball in a skirt like last time! All those boys must have gotten an eyeful from looking at my panties, even those I was wearing leggings. But I forget that he can sometimes be dense since we don't hang out as much as we used to. After an hour of trying on clothes, I decided to wear my teal dress with matching heels. I also put on a put of black shorts, in case history repeats itself. Since it's very cold, I put my yellow coat next to the door so I can grab it later. Once that's done, I put on my make up. I know he won't notice, but I still want to look pretty for him. I begin to search for his present when I hear a knock on my door.
"Come in!" The door slides open and in comes Shinobu, Mutsumi and Su.
"A-ha! I knew it!" Su yells, pointing at me. "You have a secret date, don't you Kitsune?!"
"What?!" Like I said before, I don't how to them how to tell them about Cho-chan. "I don't have a date! What makes you think I do?"
"First off, the strange phone you got late night. And that dress you're wearing! That makes you look hot!"
"That doesn't prove anything Su."
"But Kitsune," Shinobu begins. "You been acting all weird this whole month. I mean, you been working a lot. And I do mean a lot! I figured you would gamble with your extra money, but you didn't. I haven't heard you listening to the race tracks in quite a while now."
"You even changed the way you look," Mutsumi adds in. "You grew your hair out a bit, put highlights and got a perm. And since when do you paint your nails?" Damn! I was hoping no one wouldn't notice. I saved my money to look sexy so Cho-chan would notice me this time. After watching Keitaro confess his love to Naru, I'm finally going to the same with Cho-chan.
"Oh leave me alone! It's nothing. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a few errands to go on. So get out of my room!" I watch them leave quickly, breathing a sign of relieve. I grab my coat and purse before leaving my room. Going down the stairs, I see Naru and Keitaro, kissing on the couch. I wonder if Cho-chan and I will be doing that today? "Damn you two! Go to one of your rooms and do that!" They stop kissing and look at me.
"Why? Are you jealous?" Naru devilishly ask.
"Oh shut up."
"Say. Why are you dress up like that? You going to meet your mystery date that called you?" Keitaro ask.
"NO! This is the only thing I can find to wear. Anyway, I won't be back until way late, so tell Shinobu not to make dinner for me."
"Will do," they say together.
I put on my coat and leave the Hinata Sou. I walk to the bus stop and take a ride to the middle school. I haven't been there since the last time I saw Cho-chan. Once I reach my stop, I get off and walk to the basketball court. When I get there, I see him lying on the bench. I don't yell him name or anything. I just walk slowly, making sure not to make a sound and look at him overhead.
"Long time no see huh Cho-chan?"
"Mit-chan!" He gets up and smiles. He's wearing sneakers, blue windbreakers with orange stripes to the side and a dark blue shirt with some guy on it. From the picture, it must be a basketball player from that Warriors team he likes so much back in America. He still looks the same with his clean cut flat top hair, but it's strange to see him with a goatee. "I missed you so much!" He comes over to hug me. I begin to blush and feel nervous when he pulls back, looking at me. "So, what have you been up too?" Good! He's still dense.
"Fine. How about you?"
"Great now that you're here."
"You been waiting long?"
"Nah. I got here a few minutes ago. Just remembering what I used to do on the court." It's like this every time we meet. He always talks about basketball! But I have to admit he's good. I remember going to watch the school's basketball team just to see him play. I watched him swiftly move around defenders, gracefully shoot the ball into the basket and the way he would handle the ball was like watching a magic show. But I also remember playing with him, we usually play on the same team. But when he played against me, he would always guard me. Still, those were fun times.
"You and your first love. Basketball!" I take a hint of anger from his face. He gets a little touchy when I sarcastically say anything bad about basketball. "So, what do you want to do, birthday boy? Shoot some hoops?"
"Maybe later. I heard about this movie that I wanted to see."
"What movie?"
"Something that's only playing in Japan."
"All right. Let's go." I wait for him to grab his jacket before going to the bus stop. Sitting together in the back, I watch him stare out of the window, looking at the city. I want to talk to him, but he hasn't been here for four years. I know that he misses being in Japan. I wonder if he misses me like that?
"So, have you finally gotten a descent job yet?" Cho-chan ask.
"Nope. I'm pretty much the same. How about you, college boy?"
"You're going to have to stop calling me that. I'm not in college anymore."
"You're not?" I'm a little surprise with this. We're both too busy to write each other; and even if I did write to him, what should I tell him besides drinking and betting on horses? "You mean you finally graduated?"
"Yeah. I'm a teacher now."
"A teacher?" I never thought of him as a teacher because he was always complaining about school. "What do you teach?"
"A lot of things right now. I'm just a substitute."
"But what will you teach when you're no longer a substitute?"
"I got my degree in physical education, so maybe a gym teacher."
"Maybe? What do you mean maybe?"
"Well, I like to be a head coach of a school basketball team." Now this is new. But it's still basketball, so I'm not surprised.
"That's great. Hope you'll be one of the best. By the way, who's the guy on your shirt?" He pulls open his jacket, showing the shirt to me.
"Him?" I nod. "That's Jason Richardson. He's the best player on the Warriors and two-time slam dunk champ. He would have gotten his third, but that damn Fred Jones beat him a few weeks ago at the all-star game." That's a little too much information for me.
I notice we're at our stop. We get off and walk a block to the theater. I look at the movie posters, wondering what we're going to see. I didn't notice him purchasing the tickets until he tugs my coat, telling me to go inside.
We grab a slice of pizza, a box of milk duds and a soda from the concession stand before going to our seats. We wait a few minutes before we are shown the previews. Once they're over, the movie begins. I'm a little surprised at his selection because the movie we're watching is suppose to be one of the scariest movies Japan had made in the last five years! I remember him getting scary from movies like Friday The 13th and Nightmare On Elm Street when we were younger. I guess now that he's older, he had gotten over it. I usually don't get scared easily, but I did freak out at this one scene.
When the movie's over, we wait for everyone to leave before leaving ourselves. I'm about to ask where he wants to go next when he looks at me and giggles.
"What's so funny?"
"You should have seen the look on your face when you got scared from the toilet being flushed. It was priceless!"
"Oh be quiet! They made it all suspenseful and I thought a hand would pop out or something."
"Sure you were. Anyway, lets get some drinks now." I know there's a bar a few blocks from here, but I know another one that's far from here, but he might like it, so I led him there.
We go back on the bus and wait for our stop. I never went from the theater to this bar, but the time from Hinata Sou to the bar is 45 minutes, so it's going to be a long wait.
"Hey, Cho-chan." He looks at me. "I noticed that you were the only one there who didn't get scared. How come? I mean, you always got scared when we were little."
"There were only a few things I did in college: study, play basketball and play video games. Since the only games I played were survival games, the scariness got scared out of me." He smiles at me and I smile back. Then his smile turns into a frown. "Uh oh."
"Don't tell me that you're not potty trained."
"No. But my tiredness is catching up to me."
"What?"
"I was so happy to see you again that I couldn't sleep for most of the night. I think I got three or four hours of sleep." I can tell he's mad at himself for doing this to me, but couldn't sleep because of me?
"It's all right. You should sleep and get some rest for drinking."
"You sure? I mean, how far is the bar?"
"The way the bus is going, I think a little over an hour." He looks surprised that it's going to take that long to get there. Without realizing it, I put my arm around him. "You can go to sleep here."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. But if you touch my boob, you're permanently going to sleep!"
"Don't worry, I won't." He makes himself comfortable on my shoulder. "And thank you Mit-chan." Having him in my arms makes me all funny. From all the years I have known him, this is the first time we held each other like this. We have hugged before, but not for long.
I hold him the entire ride and lightly wake him when we reach our stop. We get off and walk a block to the bar. When we go inside, I watch him looking stunned, seeing people playing pool, shooting darts, watching TV, singing karaoke and playing the basketball machine.
"WOW! I never been to a bar like this before." I notice him staring at the basketball machine. I slap him on the back to get his attention.
"Go ahead and shoot some hoops birthday boy. I'll get us the drinks." With a smile, he runs to the machine. I go over to the bar, grabbing us some cups and a bottle of sake. I pour some for myself and take a little sip, watching Cho-chan shoot the basketballs in. After a few minutes of shooting, he comes over and joins me for drinks.
"You did great," I tell him.
"You're just being nice. I'm a little rusty. Missed the last two or three."
"But that still great. You're just being hard on yourself."
For the next hour, we either talk about what we have done in the last four years or play the basketball machine.
Before we leave, Cho-chan suggest we play some pool. At first I didn't want to, but it's his birthday, so I give in. I wasn't doing so good. I missed making the balls in the pockets and when I did, the cue ball went in too. Cho-chan on the other hand was great. He some how got three balls in the pocket with one shot! The way he was playing pool was like the way he played basketball. After a few games, we were about to leave when a tall, long haired man approaches us.
"Hey. Do you think I can play you?"
"Play me?"
"Yeah. I think I can take you. How about one game of eight ball, say a thousand yen?"
"For the game?"
"No. Per ball." Uh oh. He's a hustler. I think he'll play badly for a few games, then at the last game, the man will increase the money and shoot better, causing Cho-chan to lose a lot of money. And with his density, he won't know it. I grab the sleeve of his jacket.
"We should go now." He looks at me with a smile before turning back to the man. Oh gosh! He's going to challenge him and he doesn't know...
"You know what? I agree with my friend. I'm going." HUH? Did he refuse the challenge? He usually accepts them, paying for it later.
"You saying you won't play me?" Cho-chan nods. "Why not?"
"It's my birthday today and I don't feel like hustling money from you tonight." Him hustling money? Isn't it the other way around?
"Hustling money? What are you talking about?"
"You know what I'm talking about. I do this act with a lot of people. How many games were we going to play before we rise the stakes and you suddenly get better?" The man seems surprise that Cho-chan caught him. But he continues to deny it.
"Look! I don't know what you're talking about. I just wanted a game of eight game with you for some money." Cho-chan looks really upset now. He goes to an empty pool table, moving the balls around. When he's finish, he turns back to the man.
"You know...your stupidest act is bad, but if you really want to play me, you need to make this shot." The man looks over at the table, giving a confusing expression. I look over and see why. On one side of a corner pocket lies the cue ball standing a few inches away from six other balls lined up together. Along the same line on the other side lies another ball next to the other corner pocket.
"What is this?" The man ask.
"Your chance to play me. All you have to do is to hit the cue ball around these set of balls and make the eight ball in the corner pocket. You can't hit the set of balls or scratch. If you make the shot, I will not only give you a chance to play me, but we'll triple the stakes and I'll give you five thousand yen for making the shot. What do you say?"
"Hell no!" Cho-chan acts surprises.
"Why not? You're not losing any money." I notice a crowd forming as they argue. Some are stun to see the set up he made.
"Man, no one can make that shot! It's impossible!"
"Impossible?" Cho-chan reaches into his pocket and takes a handful of money. "I bet you ten thousand yen that I can make that shot on my first attempt." I remember him talking his ways out of bad situations and sometimes taking action, but I'm not sure he can pull this one. I watch him put the money on the railing of the table as the man laughs hysterically.
"All right! But I'm so confident that you won't make it, I'll put twenty thousand yen." The man reaches into his pocket, pulls out his money and puts it on top of Cho-chan's.
"Damn." Cho-chan looks worry.
"What's wrong? Thinking of backing out?"
"No." I didn't notice until now that he's set up for the shot. His hand is on the rail next to the cue ball, but the stick is pointed high. All this while looking at the man. Without checking his set up, he hits the ball causing it to hit the rail of the table, which curves over the set of balls and hits the eight ball into the corner pocket. The crowd cheers while the man is astound at what happen. "Just thinking how this is the easiest money I ever made." Cho-chan takes the money and pockets it.
"Oh hell no!" The man grabs Cho-chan by the collar of his shirt. "The Assassin loses to no one! Give me my money back!"
"The Assassin? Sounds more like the Crybaby the way you're complaining from beating you fair and square."
"GIVE ME BACK MY MONEY!" The man looks like he's about to hurt him, but Cho-chan doesn't seem to be afraid.
"Crybaby! Crybaby!" The man is about to punch him when three men from the crowd grab him and pull him away. Cho-chan brushes himself off, then looks sternly at the man. "You are lucky it's my birthday or I'd really hurt you."
"Like you can birthday boy!" The man struggles to break free from the other men holding him.
"Anyway, I'll give you a chance to not only win your money back, but I'll give you double from what we bet together." The man stops fighting, listening to his suggestion.
"How?"
"All you got to do is what I did. If you do, I'll give you sixty thousand yen. You get all the attempts you want. However, for every attempt you miss, you own me seven thousand yen."
"Why should I own you anything?"
"You wanted to play me a thousand per ball. You'll be using seven balls, not counting the cue. It's only far that you pay me seven thousand yen for every attempt missed. Is that a deal?" The man breaks free from the hold.
"If you can do it birthday boy, then I can." Cho-chan sets up the shot for the man.
On his first attempt, he ends up putting the ball in the side pocket. His second attempt was much worse, hitting a few balls from the set. His third attempt was a little better by hitting only the last ball he needed to clear. Frustrated, he throws his stick to the floor.
"Forget it!" He takes out the money and gives it to Cho-chan. "I don't know how you did that, but you're a freak of nature!"
"Oh, I'll show you how." He puts the cue ball back where it belongs. But when he takes he shot, he's pointing towards the lined up balls then to the side. When he hits it, he makes the cue ball jump over the line of balls and hits the eight ball in the corner pocket. "I'm a snooker player." He grabs my hand and we quickly leave the bar. We walk back to the bus stop, checking to see if we're being followed, but no one does. Once we get in the bus, he seems relax. I'm still amazed that what he did.
"Where did you learn how to play like that?" I ask.
"A few months after I arrived in Oakland. I heard about this pool hall from some friends I made and since then, I always went there to play, then improve my game."
"Did you play in college too?"
"Pretty much. I was a great pool player within a year, so when I attended Berkeley, I was one of the best. It was also my course of income. On weekends, I would go with my roommates to pool halls around the Bay Area and hustle money from people. They got a small percentage, but it was always going towards rent."
"How come you didn't tell me this before? And what did you mean by 'snooker player'?"
"The last time we met, you said you gambled a lot. I was afraid that if I told you, you might drag me to one to get you some easy money." He's right. I would have done that to him.
"Is that why you didn't tell me?"
"That and I been in a few fights because of the hustling. I didn't want to get in a fight with you around." Same old Cho-chan. Always protecting me. "And what I mean by 'snooker player' is I'm a pool player who can do trick shots. A few months after my last birthday, I saw an exhibition in San Francisco where pool players where doing something like I did. After watching that show, I got bored of eight or nine ball and just practiced that. It took me forever to get figure a few moves, but I'm glad I can did. I hope I'm good enough to go on tour with masters like Charles Darling, Andy Segal and my favorite, Mike Massey." I'm startled in the way he had changed since going to America. Seems that he had grown into a better, smarter man who still watches himself and others. I wish he lived here. We could spent more time together, plus he can get me extra money.
"So, where do you want to go next?"
"How about we go to an expensive restaurant? My treat." I giggle, knowing that he wouldn't make that offer if he didn't hustle the money.
"Sure." I look in my purse to find my compact map of the city. As I'm trying to find it, I realize my present for him isn't in there. I sweat profusely, thinking that I left it at the bar. Then I remember the argument I had with Shinobu, Mutsumi and Su. "Oh no."
"What's wrong Mit-chan?" I look at him sadly. I didn't want to tell him, but I do anyway.
"I forgot your present." He looks a surprise, but not really taking it hard.
"It's all right. You can get it for me later."
"Actually, I like to get it now." I told myself that this is the day I'm going to tell Cho-chan how I feel. I want to give him the present to show how serious I am. I'm not sure if he'll agree, since it is his birthday and all, but I'm not fully sure since he's smiling like that.
"If you want to give it to me that badly, then we can do that first." I'm surprise when he puts his arm around me. "You're my tour guide!"
The good thing is that this bus leads back to the Hinata Sou. I look at my watch, knowing that bad thing. By the time we get there, everyone should be having dinner. I don't want them to meet Cho-chan. At least, not until after, so I better think of a plan to get the present without being seen.
When we arrive at our stop and go up the stairs, a plan comes to mind. I grin like I always do, knowing that this will work. I can tell Cho-chan's overwhelming look when we reach the top, looking at the Hinata Sou.
"Wow! You..."
"Shhh!" I cover his mouth and lead him to the front of the entrance way. "You stay here. I'll be back in a few minutes. Oh." I take off my heels and hand them to him. "Hold these for me." He smiles before I goes through the door.
Entering the sitting room, I hear them eating. The food smells wonderful, but I rather be alone with Cho-chan. I slowly make my way up the stairs. I make a few little creaking sounds, but no one comes by to check. Once I'm at the top, I make a mad dash to my room.
I check everywhere for the present: under my bed, under my couch, in my drawers, behind bottles of sake. And I still can't find it! Feeling like I lost all hope, I look at a picture of Cho-chan and I when we were little. Now I remember where I put it! I go over to the picture, lift it up and find a small leather box with the tag hanging out.
"There you are you naughty, naughty boy!" I tell the present, putting it in one of the coat pockets. I leave my room, feeling confident that I can tell Cho-chan how I feel. As I'm going down the stairs, I hear people talking.
"So, what's your name?" recognizing Keitaro's voice.
"Chokichi Kawai." What?! I jump from the third step to the floor, seeing everyone around Cho-chan.
"Why are you inside? I told you to stay out there!"
"It was really cold. So I went inside and the next thing I knew all these people showed up." Great! I should have handed him my coat.
"I'm guessing you know everyone?"
"He sure does...Mit-chan!" Naru sarcastically says, making everyone else laugh. She turns back to Cho-chan. "I'm guessing you are the one who called last time, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
"So...how was your date with Mit-chan?" I sweat profusely, angrily walking up to Naru.
"Be quiet Naru! It's not a date!"
"Come on! You're all dressed like a runway model and with a handsome man. What are we suppose to expect?"
"Runway model?" Cho-chan says.
"Didn't you see her outfit?" He shakes his head. It's been so cold outside that I forgot to show him my dress. "Well then, let us show it off for you." Naru and Su comes after me, trying to take off my coat. Everyone else just watches us fight. I struggle to get them off of me. I manage to push Su away, but she ends up knocking Cho-chan to the floor. Concerned, I run over to him.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. It's been a while since I seen you..." His eyes start wandering around my body with a surprise look. "Whoa. You do look like a runway model."
"What?" I look at myself, realizing that I'm not wearing my coat.
"Told you so!" Naru yells, holding my coat. I walk up to her, grab it from her hands and put it on before I help Cho-chan up.
"Come on. We're leaving." I put my heels on and begin to walk towards the door.
"Why?" I hear Mutsumi say. "We would like to get to know Chokichi better."
"And there is some extra food," Shinobu says. "You two could have some of that." I turn around towards them, looking furious. Don't they know that I just want to be alone with Cho-chan!
"Dammit! We're not done with our date! I forgot something because of you two and Su this morning. Now if you'll excuse us, we're leaving!" I grab Cho-chan by the hand, walking out of the apartment. I'm very angry at them while waiting at the bus stop. They didn't have to tease me in front of him like that!
"Mit-chan." I'm red from embarrassment when I turn to him, looking furious. He hesitates a bit before continuing. "Do you really like me? I mean, more then friends?"
"Huh?" I blush harder all over, wondering what he's saying. "What do you mean?"
"For starters, that dress. And when you told your friends that this was a date..."
"Date! I said that?" He nods. Now I feel like the dense one.
"I got to know. Do you like me?" I don't want to answer him, in fear of his reaction. But I also don't want to deny his request, being that it is his birthday and all. I pull his present out of my coat pocket.
"Here." I hand it to him, looking down at the ground.
"What's this?"
"Open it and you'll find out how I feel for you." I hear him opening the leather box.
"What the? A locket?" I look up at him, seeing him open the locket, looking bewildered at what he sees. "This picture. Is this from..."
"The middle school dance? Yes it is."
"Where did you get it?"
"From Eriko Otsuka. We met a few years ago and remembered that she had that picture. She gave it to me and I made a reprint to put in that locket."
"Why?" My heart hurts from hiding my true feelings from him. I can't take it anymore.
"Because I love you." I put my head down again, not wanting to see his reaction. "Please listen to me. I have loved you for a long time. I think of you everyday. I care a lot about you and miss you whenever I think of you or see your picture or..." I hear him laughing. Looking up I see him trying to cover up his laugher. "The hell? You think I'm joking?!"
"No! No! It's not that!" I notice that he's wiping away his tears, laughing lesser. "It's just...that's exact how I feel for you."
"What?"
"It's true. I love you too." This can't be possible! He feels the same way I feel for him? I walk up to him, look deep into his eyes and slap him across the face. "Owww! What was that for?" I jump into his arms.
"IT'S NOT A DREAM! IT'S NOT A DREAM!"
"Why not slap yourself? That hurts!"
"I'm sorry." I kiss the cheek where I slapped him. "Feeling better?" I watch him blush, avoiding eye contact.
"Yeah." Holding him in my arm while looking at his smile make me feel wonderful all over. But the silent between us feels awkward.
"So..."
"So..."
"Guess this changes things huh Cho-chan?"
"Guess it does." I can't help but smile, knowing that we love each other. But I also know that we won't be like this forever.
"Man! I wish you lived here instead of America."
"Maybe I can."
"Can? What do you mean?"
"I been calling schools around your area to see if they're hiring. So far not are, but I'll keep trying. One school is bound to be hiring teachers!" I giggle a bit. I'm so happy that he's determine to have a relationship with me and will stop at nothing to achieve it.
"I hope so too. But let's concentrate on you birthday."
"Oh? Have something else planned in mind besides dinner?"
"Yeah," Flashing a sly smile. "Let's forget dinner. How about this: You, me, a hotel room, a bottle of sake, some handcuffs..."He flashes a sly smile of his own.
"You know what? I think you read my mind." We both laugh as the bus arrives. We board it, hand in hand, ready to celebrate the rest of Cho-chan's birthday.
GOOD OR BAD, PLEASE REVIEW =)