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Ep 14: The Auction

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The gym looked beautiful that night. Little white paper lanterns were lit up the entire gym with a soft glow.

In the middle of the school garden adjacent the gym there were fifteen tables for the fifteen bachelors that would be auctioned that night. The dates would be held there while the rest of the student body would be inside the gym enjoying the dance. There was a string quartet courtesy of the band, the HE club was preparing food and arts and crafts finished the bouquet the daters would give their datees.

Tomoe breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Relax boss everythings under control." Soujiro smiled patting her on the back.

"Looks like you did a good job Miss Tomoe." She jumped at Principal Saito's voice.

"I didn't know you'd be here prinicipal." She smiled trying not to look creeped out.

"Oh I just wanted to see if it was a disaster." He smiled at her, a wolfish smile as if he was full of mischief.

"Would you like to be auctioned off?" she asked afraid he would say yes.

"Sorry but I already have a date tonight." He winked. He turned around and waved goodbye. "Make sure those girly lanterns of yours don't burn my school down."

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"Good evening ladies and gentlemen." Soujiro smiled at the nervous wrecks. "Tonight for we auction off handsome gentlemen for charity!" he paused.

"Ok charity meaning our Christmas party." The crowd cheered. "Since we have conducted a poll which would determine who would be auctioned off first. Mr. Himura since you have the most number of votes you will be auctioned last. Those preceding you will be Aoshi Shinomori, then me, Sanosuke Sagara"

Misao looked up at him. There he was, as if nothing would be more natural for him then being on the stage. Soujiro would always be charming.

"Who's that?" Misao turned around to where her classmates were pointing.

Chou entered the gym with someone resembling Kamatari Sagara. He had on a simple white suit and a beige stripped shirt that were both open in the front revealing skin. He had on leather flip flops and seemed like he came directly out of some island romance novel.

"He's so dreamy! Is there a fourth Sagara brother?" people were starting to whisper.

The mystery man looked around the gym seemingly not to notice the girls' hopeful stares. He sighed then tucked the white rose from his button hole into his ear and started to talk. Then everyone knew it was Kamatari.

"Geez I'm beginning to think this was a mistake! I feel so bland! Ugly guy clothes." He ranted.

"Shut up Tari, you look great! If I wasn't straight I'd hit on you." Chou said absently not even looking at Kamatari. Tari broke a great big smile on his face, like a kid who just got the keys to the candy store.

"You think I'm pretty Chou?" he asked sweetly.

"Ummhmm." Chou agreed looking over the brochure.

"You know" Tari draped himself on Chou's arms. "Friends make the best lovers."

"Eeeewww, you're barking up the wrong tree Tari." Chou said letting him drop to the floor. Tari regained his composure immediately.

"Don't fight it! You know you're gay! I have infected everyone with it!" he said posing in front of his best friend's horrified look.

"Very, very wrong tree." He said turning his attention back to his name on the brochure.

"Thanks for the compliment Chou baby." Tari said putting his head on his best friend's shoulder. Chou smiled, Tari would always be his best friend. Sometimes he felt bad because he knew all Tari wanted was to have someone accept and love him for who he is. Although he couldn't give him the latter, he would always support him.

"Why'd you dress up like that anyway?" He asked trying to get him in a lighter mood.

"Aw nothing. I just wanted to try it out. Freak some of the guys out if you know what I mean." He giggled.

"You look good for a guy. Ever think of switching?"

"Ewww and go after boobs? Gross!" he stuck his tongue out at him. "The only girl I've ever loved is Tomoe. Shame on you for hinting I might be Bi!" He laughed he knew Tari liked Tomoe when they were in grade school and he was still in the closet. He never really liked anyone else, so they would always tease them the couple that never was, coz nowadays they were always together. Of course the only thing they talked about was make-up and clothes and guys.

"So who you gonna bid on?"

"Dunno."

"Wanna bid on me?"

"Who you kidding you just love the idea of pimping yourself off to one of these horny girls!" Tari said not even looking at him.

"Not so loud dumb dumb!" Chou clamping his hand over Tari's mouth.

"Oh yeah as if the entire school didn't know how sleazy you truly are!"

"Hey Chou Youjin does not sleep around!" he said in his defense.

"Uh huh, you just date a minimum of five girls a month!"

"That is not considered sleeping around. There's just a lot of Chou to spread around." he smiled.

"A lot of STDs to spread around is more like it." he said snatching the brochure from his fingers. "Aoshi starts bidding at $25? How preposterous!"

Chou laughed. Tari could be cute sometimes, although "Hey stop spreading I have STD!" he hissed at him.

"Ok fine, fine. Announcement! Announcement! I declare Chou Youjin free of any Sexually Transmitted Disease, he is and will remain a virgin for the rest of his high school life!" he yelled at the top of his voice, even Soujiro heard him.

"Why you little" Chou started chasing him around the gym. Soujiro sighed, he knew the calmness of the evening was too good to last.

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Mr. Himura looked over at Coach Makoto. He was going over some plays. He smiled he knew how much Shishio loved the game, how much he was devoted to it. Nothing, nothing could break his concentration.

"Heya Coach. I'm gonna bid on ya tonight!" Tari smiled, blowing a kiss to him.

Shishio Makoto suddenly became a nervous wreck.

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"Ok Sold! Chou Youjin for $300! Thank you." Chou walked off the stage with a smug look upon his face.

"Ugh look at that idiot! He could at least look a little shy." Tari commented. Tomoe just smiled.

Both of them stopped when Chou was carted off toward the voluptuous woman he was sold to. "That's a high school student?" Tomoe stated stunned.

"Nah, that girl's in college. She stalked Chou last year when she was just a senior, they dated for a while I think but Chou dumped her. Man she is soo obsessed." Tari shook his head.

"Hmm I don't think Chou is complaining though." She pointed in the direction of the two, the girl grabbed Chou and started kissing him, Chou was hardly fighting back.

"Ugh, now he really will get an STD." Tari said sticking his tongue out. Tomoe looked at them blankly.

"Hey To, you ok?" he asked wrapping Tomoe in his arms. "Who ya gonna bid for sweetie?"

Tomoe's eyes shifted to the last two men to be auctioned off. Her heart sank. She didn't know even now. "Its not likely I'll win anyone for $50 Tari." She laughed.

"Does it really matter?" he asked smiling. She knew he was right. Tonight a choice would have to be made.

"Oooh Coach Makoto is up!" Tari smiled.

"You aren't gonna bid are you?" Tomoe laughed.

"Nah, I'm just shake him up a bit." Tari giggled.

"Ok now ladies and gents, we have Coach Makoto! Yes our beloved coach of the basketball team. An alumni of our great school, used to play for the team he now coaches. Great abs, uhm great personality lets start the bid at $10."

"Here!" Tari waved. A cold sweat broke on Coach Makoto's forehead.

"Do I hear $20?" he asked

"Twenty!" as if a shinning angel had come for his salvation, Ms. Komagata bid on him. And he could have died right then and there and not have cared. This was the first sign of any affection she had toward him and

"Fifty!" Tari.

"A hundred" Ms. Komagata.

"150!" Tari. It was almost comical how Coach Makoto's face would change, he would look all dreamy when Ms. Komagata bid on him and look like he was on the verge of falling into hell whenever Tari raised his hand.

"300!"

"350!"

"Really Tari do you want to spend that much just to freak him out?" Tomoe laughed watching the poor Coach.

"Nah that's my last bid." Tari laughed

"400!" Ms. Komagata really looked pissed by now.

"Wow what an exchange!" Soujiro said clearly amused. "I have $400! Does anyone want to bid?" No one answered. Ms. Komagata looked like she was ready to tear off someone's head if they even muttered a sound. Never had she looked so ready to kill.

"Going?" Shishio's eyes turned nervously to Tari.

"Going?" Tari blew him a kiss and waved bye bye.

"Gone! Sold to Ms. Komagata." The crowd cheered, no one louder than Shishio himself.

"Now we can get married!" he stated as Ms. Komagata went up the stage to retrieve him. Ms. Komagata rolled her eyes; it seemed for all his goofiness he actually did catch her eye.

"That's my gift to you Coach." Tari whispered.

"Was this all planned?" Tomoe smiled.

"The guy deserved a break!" he smiled. "And Ms. Komagata has got to learn that playing hard to get is sooo 80s."

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"Tsubameeeee!" Sano's cry for help echoed through out the entire gym. Tsubame just shrugged her shoulders. He did just give her $100. The group of junior's that bid on him carried him off.

"Man who would've thought the bids would go this high." Yahiko whistled. "Oniisan sold for $400! Yuck who would shell out that kind of cash for him!"

Tsubame just smiled. "Hey you won't get jealous and start crying will you?"

"What? Are you crazy! He isn't my boyfriend!" she muttered defensively.

"Could've fooled me with the way he's always hanging around." he huffed.

"Why Yahiko Sagara, I do believe you're jealous." She laughed watching as her best friend turn red.

"Am not!" he vehemently denied

"Oh don't worry, I'll always have a special place for you in my heart." Tsubame teased him in a baby voice. For all the times he teased her back in grade school now she was getting her revenge.

"Come on, escort me since I have no date." Tsubame smiled wrapping her arm around his.

"No way man! People might think we're together or something." Yahiko said while extricating himself from her hold.

"I'll tell Sano on you." She said putting her arms on her waist.

"Geez blackmailing your best friend? How low can you go Kitano!" Yahiko said giving in.

"Hehe, thanks Yahiko-chan." She whispered kissing him on the cheek.

"Eeeewww!" he exclaimed but a smile was on his face nonetheless.

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"Sold for $700!" Soujiro exclaimed as he auctioned off himself. "This is kinda weird." He laughed.

Misao smiled. She couldn't off bid as high as that. And Soujiro was one of the last draws. She looked at him wistfully. This was they way it will always be, him up on that stage and her in the faceless crowd, always wondering what if. Her eyes wondered to the group of people to the right, someone over there bid $700 for him.

That girl is lucky whoever she is.

"May I request the name of my patron? And could she go up on stage so as I can give her a kiss?" he asked shielding his eyes from the spotlight. All the girls sighed as he broke out into a smile.

"Misao Makimachi!" one girl yelled. It took Misao all of five seconds to realize the spotlight was on her.

"What?" she yelled shaking her head. She recognized her classmates carrying her over to the stage. Soujiro was smiling at her. They dumped her on the stage. "How graceful!" she yelled at them.

"I don't know anything about this upperclassman Seta!" she blushed as Soujiro stepped toward her.

"If they said you bid for me then you've won me." he smiled kissing her on the forehead. The entire class laughed as Misao turned redder than humanly possible. "Is it ok if I leave you for a while though? I still have two people to auction off."

"Yeah sure." Was all she could mutter. She stepped off the stage dazed, still unsure of what happened.

"What did you do?" she shrieked at her class, which covered their ears immediately.

"We pooled our money for you Misao!" Omasu smiled. "We wanted you to get the date with Soujiro. Here's your chance."

Misao's heart softened. "You guys did this for me?" she smiled almost in tears, for once in her life she felt that the class really did care for her. "Oh you guys, you don't know how much this means to me!" she hugged them.

"You should thank Tanada, he alone gave $500 for your bid." Omasu said pointing to Shiro.

He was in the back of the gym. Misao looked at him, he had on a white Doraemon Shirt, a beige suit, jeans and a pair of white sneakers. He waved at her and gave off a small smile, he looked so different from the Tanada in class. So different.

She mouthed. Thank you to him and her eyes welled up.

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"Ok ladies, I know you held out for the last two! Let me hear bids going up to the four digits for these two!" Soujiro pointed to the two men left seated on the stage.

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