CAT CAUGHT MY HEART: DAY VIII—FUJI SYUSUKE
"Should you be practicing this hard, Kisara-chan?" Taka-san inquired worriedly as Kisara and Eiji walked back from the Echizen tennis court. Unlike usual, Kisara was breathing hard. However, she insisted,
"I have to practice. The final is tomorrow. Even though I'm not playing, I need to be ready."
"You should be resting." Oishi cocked his head doubtfully. "You shouldn't be worrying about the game." Fuji, who was sitting by the side of the court and watching, said nothing. But after two hours of intense practice and Eiji and Oishi was leaving, he stayed back and followed Kisara into the house.
"Kisara-chan," he began, but concentrated in her own thought, Kisara failed to hear him.
"Agility and elegance…" She was muttering to herself. "Always jump before the ball is in hitting range… Never forget to twist ninety degree."
"Kisara." Fuji reached out and took her hand. Kisara whirled around, surprise.
"Fuji-kun!" She blinked. "I thought you went home with the others." Fuji tilted his head and smiled.
"You're pale, Kisara." He commented randomly. Kisara blushed and ducked her head.
"But I'm feeling fine." She persisted. Fuji studied her with a thoughtful expression. His fingers rubbed his chin and a frown twitched on his eyebrows. Then, with no warning at all, a grin lit up his whole face.
"I know, come home with me!" He looked very pleased with himself. "My mother's cooking will fix you right back to healthy."
"B-but I can't!" Kisara stuttered. "I-I—" She stopped talking when Fuji pursed his lips and stuck his face right into hers. Fuji was always a nice guy, but he could be really scary and dangerous when he needs to be.
"You…?" His face relaxed and the smile once again took over his features.
"I-I guess I could…there is nothing to eat at the house…" Kisara agreed weakly. Part of the reason she agreed was that Fuji looked scary enough to frighten any small child, and the other part is the fact that she had no food in the house.
"Good." Fuji nodded approvingly. "Are you ready to leave now? Or would you like to change?"
"Well…I suppose we could leave now." Kisara looked down at her white tennis skirt and shirt, the same thing she'd been wearing for days now, and shook her head sadly. She would love to change, but she doesn't have anything else to change into. She sighed wistfully, then took Fuji's outstretched hand.
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"Mother!" Kisara walked nervously behind Fuji as they opened the door to his house. "I'm home!" He turned back and saw Kisara. He smiled, as if knowing how tense she was in an unfamiliar surrounding.
"Fuji, you're home?" A male voice asked as a boy appeared in the hallway. His hair was a shade of cinnamon and instantly, Kisara detected the connection between the two.
"Yuuta!" She also noticed how Fuji's expression immediately lit up like sunshine. "What are you doing home?" Fuji's voice was friendly and cordial, but his brother only lifted his chin haughtily.
"Heh, Fuji, don't get so arrogant just because you live at home everyday. This is still part my home, you know. And also, you can—" That's when he noticed Fuji's guest. One eyebrow flew up.
"What's this, Fuji. You brought home a child?"
"She's in second year, Yuuta." Fuji ignored the wary look of his brother and nudged Kisara forward. "Kisara, this is my younger brother, Yuuta. Yuuta, this is Ryoma Echizen's replacement for tomorrow's final. She's a regular at the moment, which means she's just as good as you and I in tennis."
"A regular?"
"Yes," Fuji set down his bookbag and took of his uniform jacket. "I brought her home for dinner."
"Dinner?" Yuuta's head snapped down. His eyes startled. "But I brought someone home for dinner also!" The older of the two brothers looked confused.
"Who—"
"Hey, Yuuta," A third male voice came down the hallway from a boy with raven black hair. "Your sister asked me to come and ask you where you put the—" He stopped when he saw Fuji.
"You!" He cried, pointing at the tennis prodigy, who, on the other hand, had no idea who he was looking at. Kisara could tell that Fuji was trying hard to remember who he was talking to, but in the end, the same blank look resumed in his expression.
"I'm terribly sorry. You are…?" The raven-haired guy gritted his teeth, almost looking as if this conversation had happened before.
"Mizuki…from St. Rudolph's tennis team…"
"Oh, you're that guy!" Fuji smiled and looked happy with himself.
"Yes, I'm 'that guy'." Mizuki looked ready to strangle Yuuta's brother. He quickly turned back to Yuuta. "Anyway, Yuuta, your sister wanted to know where you put the blueberries for the pie she was going to make."
"Wha—? I put it on ice." Yuuta looked back. "We're almost ready to eat."
"Come on, Kisara." Fuji looked behind him and for the first time, Mizuki saw the child behind Fuji.
"Ah…" He looked around Fuji. "And who is this adorable creature?" His eyes widened and Kisara swore she saw stars in his eyes. She stepped from behind Fuji shyly and bowed.
"Hi. I'm Kisara and I'm filling for Ryoma-kun while his muscle is healing." Mizuki gasped.
"Charming. I'm charmed, I tell you, charmed!" He gave a heavenly sigh and fixed Fuji with a cold glare. "Wherever did you find such a sweet, precious child, a guy like you?"
"Child?" Fuji repeated mildly. "She's no child, I assure you. Perhaps she may look like one, but she's wise beyond her age. And she plays wonderful tennis."
Mizuki scowled. "Too much of a darling for you, Fuji." With that, he stomped off, after ruffling Kisara's hair.
Kisara and Fuji both stared at the back of the leaving boy, then simultaneously looked at each other, before turning back to Mizuki.
"Shall we go to dinner?" Fuji finally smiled. He tapped her nose lightly. "We're here to make sure you eat right before the finals."
"Fuji…are you home?" They walked into the kitchen and saw two women busily preparing for a meal. One was busily stirring from a bubbling pot. The other was preparing a pie. The younger woman looked up. Kisara caught her breath as she found herself facing the most beautiful woman. Her eyes were soft and warm, her lips in a generous smile. Her long, wavy hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail.
"Yes, sister." Fuji walked over and peeked over her shoulders. "Blueberry pie? Oh, I brought someone home for dinner." He directed over to Kisara. The other woman looked up from stirring.
"Why, Fuji, wherever did you find her? She looks so young!" She smiled warmly and Kisara could see the resemblance between her and Fuji's sister.
"Nah…she's a killer player, mother." Fuji went over to the fruit basket and picked out an apple. He took a bite. "Give her some of your love, mom, she's been sick and our tournament is tomorrow. She's been living alone by herself."
"Oh, poor child." Mrs. Fuji wiped her hand on her apron and walked over to Kisara. "Come here, dear." Fuji's sister also put down the rolling pin where she was rolling the piecrust.
"She's so cute, Fuji." Her eyes lit up as she patted Kisara's head.
"Heh, I knew you would like her, sister." Fuji gave her one of his rare grins. "Sometimes, I wonder if you get tired of having only brothers around."
"You know I'll never get tired of you, Fuji." She smiled and looked over at Yuuta. "And you too, Yuuta, even though you don't live at home. Don't worry, Kisara, a good meal's all you need to put you right back to normal."
"We're ready to eat, Fuji." Mrs. Fuji looked over at all the boys. "Have you boys washed your hands?"
"Yes!" They chorused.
"Um…Fuji-kun," Kisara grabbed the older boy's sleeves before he sat down. "I need to get home earlier today. There's something I've got to do before the finals tomorrow."
"It's okay, Kisara," Fuji's sister smiled down at her as she sat a plate of hot food in front of the younger girl. "I'll drive you home after we're done with dessert."
"It's important?" Fuji whispered back. Kisara looked down and fingered her tennis outfit, then looked back and smiled.
"Yes. Very important."
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"Hmm…let's see." Kisara rummaged through Ryoma's closet. She stopped for a moment and looked at the shirt she held in her hand. Her eyes grew velvety and teary all of a sudden. Is this love…? She wondered to herself as she buried her nose in the soft fabric of the shirt, and took a deep breath of Ryoma's scent. What is this feeling…? This feeling…that I've never felt before… I wonder if all girls experience this sort of sadness when they're in love… It feels like stars are falling in my chest.
I…
…I'm in love…
I knew that from the beginning, but how could I fall in love with Ryoma-kun…? We're from two different worlds, and now I know I can never fit into his.
"It matters not now." She said aloud. "I have things I need to do." She shuffled through the clothes once again and brought out Ryoma's Seigaku Tennis Club uniform. She studied them.
"A little altering necessary, but it would work."
Kisara she stared out the window into the night sky, scattered with thousands of diamond-like stars.
This is for you, Ryoma-kun…