Disclaimer: Anything appearing here that has previously appeared in any other form does not belong to me. No copyright infringement intended.

AN: For me, this is the turning point of the story but it could just be me. I guess there are a lot of other points that could be turning points. Well, happy reading and please review!

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Kiss Me Twice, Girl

5: The roar of the crowd was deafening, a resounding throbbing in her ears as she made her way slowly into the stadium. She swallowed. It was just as she had suspected: the Eitoku basketball stadium was packed, filled so the number of people still filtering in behind her would be pushed in like a frantic jam of groceries into an undersized bag.

She racked her brains, trying desperately to remember why she had agreed to come in the first place…but all she could draw up was the memory of the touch of his lips on her trembling cheek and his words as they rolled smoothly, repeatedly, through her head.

Come to the game tomorrow, Kei. I'm playing…I'll play for you.

He would play for her. She was laughing hysterically inside her head. The vow she had made a while ago about never falling for Akira's lame lines and clever smile seemed, indeed, a while ago and here she was, appearing at a basketball game, mixing with people from all walks of life for him.

She made her way down the steps of the benches, searching nervously for an empty seat, or a place to stand. Then someone called, calming all other noises as most people turn to see what had caught the attention of one of the F4.

"Kei!" Akira called, his long legs easily eating the distance of three steps at a time as he endeavored to reach her. "I'm glad you came. Now I won't be wasting my playing on another girl."

Then he slid her hand into his considerably larger one and pulled her down towards the court where fourteen players decked in blue and black warmed their reflexes, their rippling muscles providing eye candy to the females populating two thirds of the assembly. She casted a sidelong glance at her attendant, himself wearing the ingratiating colours of the Eitoku basketball team. He was striking in them, undeniably so, and his attractiveness was accompanied by a vast enthusiasm that brought an engaging smile to her lips.

He saw it, and congratulated himself.

"The game's starting in half a minute and I'll be on court for pretty much the whole game," he said apologetically. He glanced around and beckoned to a nearby figure. "This is Sugo, he's one of our reserves. Sugo, take care of my baby tonight."

"Sure thing," the burlier player said easily.

Akira smiled. "I'll play for you," he said lightly, again, then he was gone, leaving the two of them alone. Sugo lead her to the sidelines, where he offered a chair with a polite smile.

"So you're here to watch Akira play?" he said conversationally.

"Well, naturally," she replied dryly as she took off her Prada coat. "Didn't all the girls here come to see him play?"

He laughed, delighted; the last few girls his teammate had brought had possessed no inkling of humour. "Well, actually, some come for Tsukasa, some for Rui, a lot for Jiro. My own girl came to watch me warm the benches tonight. Or at least that's what she told me." He scratched his head.

"Is it always this packed when they play?" she asked, glancing up at the full bleachers ominously.

"Always," Sugo confirmed. "And they always play, so our games are always full house."

"Always play?" she exclaimed. "But that takes up four out of five court positions for your team! How bout you and that other guys on the teams? Isn't it a little unfair?"

He shrugged, falling silent for a moment as the whistle was blown and the game started at a furious pace. She averted her eyes too, watching the seamless interaction between the four F4 players, with an occasional thought for their fifth member. Their opposition was helpless, their defence falling apart as Soujiro and Akira stole the ball time and time again. The first shot was scored by Rui, an incredible three pointer that made the stadium explode into cheers and Sugo answered her question, a barely missed bitter smile on his face.

"They are F4, you know. I've known them for quite a while, but to argue with them is kinda stupid no matter how long or how well you know them."

"You seemed to be in Akira's good books."

"You seemed to be in better," was his quick reply and he glanced at her slyly. Then he laughed. "Akira has always been easy to get along with. And the others, well, basketball makes them agreeable. I can treat them as friends, but I still have to watch my step."

"I suppose."

Akira's steal this time was slick, earning him an annoyed glare from that particular player, number fourteen. The crowd cheered their appreciation and when he had disposed of the ball, Akira turned to grin at her. He mouthed, again, playing for you, and she groaned in embarrassment as catcalls followed from the more unscrupulous members of the audience. His grin grew wider before he turned automatically to receive a pass from Rui. And then he was off to the opposite end of the court, tossing the ball confidently through the hoop, readily accepting the roar of applause that came.

"Not that they aren't good," Sugo added. "That's one of the reasons why the coach doesn't really mind them playing at every game."

"I can see that," Kei said dazed. "That was another three pointer from Hanazawa Rui! And it's only been…" she glanced at the clock, "…fifteen minutes into the game."

"Rui's good," Sugo agreed, almost proudly. "He takes every chance possible for a three pointer…and he gets it every time too. Well, pretty much every time."

"Really?" Kei looked at the lanky boy drifting past her with new interest. So close was the attention she paid him, she failed to notice the action on court had now drifted her way and she jumped a little as Rui lunged to intercept a pass. But just as quickly as he had obtained the ball, it was gone again as the quietest F4 member was shoved aside by the familiar Number Fourteen. The crowd fell silent before a scattering of shocked whispers was heard.

"What the hell?" Sugo mumbled, glancing furiously at the referee who seemed to have noticed nothing. "That was obvious enough to be a foul. That stupid ref didn't even blink!"

Her companion for the night fell into silence as the game continued, and she glanced at him, amused, but he failed to notice, his dark eyes watching the offending player sharply. Occasionally, he would draw in a sharp intake of breath at another shove or grab, followed by a glare at the time and time again oblivious referee.

Then the uproar came as Fourteen barreled into Akira and the boy stumbled back before falling, his shorts squeaking him across the floorboards. An irritated expression flitted across his face, but it disappeared as he leapt to his feet, along with the rest of the stadium. Kei realised Sugo too, was standing, balancing on the edges of the court, his face contorted and gesturing explicitly with his hands.

"That was definitely a foul!" he yelled. "You ignore that one you friggin ref and I'll come on and pound your face in, you hear me! It was a FOUL! FOUL, you fool!"

She was almost afraid as Sugo's angry claims disappeared amid the rest of the crowd's and glanced on court to see what Akira had to say about it all. While the embarrassed ref rushed to fix the problem, he talked fast and furious with the rest of his team and they listened, though edgily, turning around often to glare at the Fourteen, who was currently arguing with the ref. She saw Tsukasa crack his knuckles menacingly before barking out a few, short instructions and the team separated with no violence to follow.

Her eyes followed over Akira as he left, secretly embarrassed to find herself anxiously checking for signs of injuries be it physical or knowing him, egoistical. As if he could read her mind, he turned and a reassuring smile spread on his face. The reassurance turned to cheek as he lifted a toast to her with the ball the referee handed him. In return, the grace of a smile lingered on her lips as the game continued.

Sugo returned to his seat, a bashful apology on his face.

"Sorry," he said. "Got a bit caught up there…but you understand, the stupid ref…" He shook his head furiously, not allowing himself to continue. She assured him that it bothered her not one bit, and they began a discussion on people who never did the job they were paid to do, all the while keeping a steady eye out on the game. It ran smoothly for a while and the previous incident went by, forgotten, as Fourteen played a bitterly subdued game.

When her discussion with Sugo had ceased, Kei turned her attention back onto court. Akira was a character, she thought, grudgingly admiring as she watched him play with every enthusiasm perceivable. The realization that there was more to him than savvy good looks and amazingly proficient dressing skills, was at times, a little disconcertingly, but nevertheless left a tingling sense of pleasantry in her. Perhaps, she admitted to herself a little reluctantly, perhaps there was someone worth knowing beyond the smile after all.

Her dreams fell apart when rough yells pierced through the air. She shook her head to dispel any lingering thoughts and focused on the source of the trouble.

Tsukasa held Number Fourteen by the front of his uniform and Kei watched, horrified, as he slammed the player onto the ground brutally and proceeded to climb on top of him. A look of utter loathing and disgust filled every line on his face, and his fist was drawn back into the air, ready to plummet cruelly into the quailing Fourteen's features when another strong arm stopped him. Almost kindly, Akira pulled his friend off his would have been victim.

A heated argument ensued between F4. Tsukasa appeared less than happy as he gestured heavily, the meaning of his angry shouts lost underneath the pandemonium of the crowd. He only stopped when Akira lurched forward having been pushed from behind.

Player Fourteen had recovered and he stood there, a glaring challenge in his eyes as he gave the four boys a piece of his mind and snatches of his argument came to her through the roar of the crowd.

"…just because you're F4…don't rule the…arrogant swines…fair game for all…"

She thought his claims were a little off considering he had been the one to have started the foul play. The loathing gaze on his face made her conclude that he was an unreasonably angry man. Averting her eyes to F4, she almost fell off her chair.

F4 stood still, locked in place and unmoving, listening. Their faces were blank, a careful guard from any emotion or thought that might have been running through their heads at that point in time; their stance was unmoving but unwelcoming, menacing in their lack of reaction…it would have sent her running and she felt a little abashed at Fourteen's obvious oblivion. They listened politely, if frostily, to Fourteen's end before one of them moved. In half a moment, Akira's face had split into a clenching fury and his fist fell heavily onto Fourteen's face with a sickening crunch.

Kei heard a gasp of horror nearby and as her feet brought her out of the stadium, her footsteps peltering rapidly onto the wooden ground as she sought to escape the roar of approval from the crowd, as she tried to rid the image of Akira's delicate fingers balled up and no longer gentle, slamming into the other's jaw, the image of the angry but almost eager expression on Akira's handsome face, she realized the gasp had been her own.

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AN: Thanks for reading and thanks to all reviewers! Thanks to yukihana, lelepanne, BlackAmoria, martian doll, cuppajava.