Chapter 3

"Nina! Hey nina! Wake up! You're gonna be late!" a small boy with gray hair was shaking nina. "stop it rio! Stop it! I'm already awake okay?!?!" nina was frowning . "You better hurry. It's already 7:00"

"WHAT?!?! I'm gonna be late! Help me find my notebook rio! I can't find it!" nina was looking furiously all over her room. "I found it nina!"

"Thanks rio! I gotta go! Bye!"

She was running so fast that she tripped. Someone was in front of her offering a helping hand. Nina held to the hand so that she can stand up. When she got to her feet, she thanked the person who helped her. But to her surprise it was tsujai.

"Ohayo nina!" She didn't reply. "Hey nina! Are you okay? It seems you're in the clouds today."

"I'm okay, there's nothing wrong."

"Okay. Let's go then. We're gonna be late."

So they both hurried to go to school and they finally arrived in their classroom. Ayu and kaji greeted them.

"Hey you two! You were almost late!" kaji said.

"Yeah, I'm glad we made it."

And then a teacher came in. "Talk to you later guys! Mikami-sensei is here." So the four of them went to their respective seats.

And then it was already lunchtime. Ayu and Nina were gonna go outside to chat when Kaji and Tsujiai came.

"Hi Ayu! You're gonna watch me practice later right?" kaji asked

"Yeah! Nina is gonna come too. Ne nina?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Nina replied

"Come on! Tsujiai is also gonna be there because the tennis club has a practice." Kaji said

"Yup! And if you guys like we can go to the new shop near the park. I hear they make good desserts there. So please come nina!" tsujiai said.

"That sounds really great! You should definitely come nina!" Kaji and Ayu chorused.

"Okay… I'll come." Nina replied.

So the two girls agreed to go to the new shop after practice. When kaji and tsujiai left, ayu was so happy because she's gonna spend more and more time with kaji.

"You're happy. That's good." Nina said.

"Of course I am! How about you? You don't seem pretty happy about it. Anyway, have you thought about what I said last night? I mean, you being in love with tsujiai?" Ayu asked.

"Shhh! Not so loud ayu! Someone might hear you! And yeah, I've thought about it and I think you're right. You know, this is the first time I've ever been in love." She said

"I know nina! But don't worry. I'll support and help you!" ayu encouraged her friend.

Nina smiled. It was really hard for her to spend time with tsujiai because ever since she heard what he said, she has been lonely and been trying hard not to get close to him because that will only hurt her more. But she was quite happy to know that she has a friend who supports her and who will never leave her alone.

"Thank you very much ayu! I appreciate this very much… you are always there when I needed you. You're the best!" nina said with a smile on her face.

"You're welcome nina! I will do anything to help you! After all, you are my very best friend! And besides, you've always helped me with kaji so now, I'm returning that favor! So don't you worry okay?" ayu said.

Nina was beginning to cheer up because of what ayu said. She wasn't that lonely anymore. So they continued chatting and when lunchtime was over they went back to their classroom.

Time goes by… then the bell rang. Mikami-sensei dismissed the students.

"Come on nina! Let's go and watch the baseball and tennis club practice!" ayu said cheerfully.

"Coming ayu! Just a minute, I have to look for something… oh, here it is! Let's go!" nina replied.

So the two girls went to the baseball field to watch the practice game. (they can also watch the tennis club there because it's near the baseball field)

"Hi ayu! Hi nina! You're just in time, we're about to start. Anyway, tsujiai is also gonna watch my practice because he said that their practice was cancelled." Kaji said

"Oh ok. So where is he anyway?" Nina asked

"I'm right here" Tsujiai answered

"Woah! You startled me tsujiai! Anyway, we better take our seats because they're gonna start now." Nina said

"Yeah, you're right nina! Hey kaji! Hit a homerun ok?" Ayu said

"Sure! I'll do it for you!" Kaji said

Then they took their seats to watch the practice… after a few minutes it was Kaji's turn to bat. Ayu encouraged kaji to hit a homerun (even though it's not yet the tournament game) then kaji gave a reassuring smile to ayu. Then there's the pitch and Kaji Tetsushi has hit a homerun! After an hour and half minutes the practice game was over.

"That was great kaji! You did hit a homerun!" Ayu said with a smile on her face.

"Thanks ayu! I have hit a homerun because of you! You encouraged me so much… don't worry, I'll do better than that in the tournament… So, are you guys ready to go?" Kaji said

"Yeah, I'm ready! How about you ayu?" nina asked

"I have been ready minutes ago!" ayu giggled

"I'm ready too. It seems you're a lot happier now than you were this morning." Tsujiai asked nina

"Well… yeah. Ayu cheered me up. But I still got a problem but I don't want to talk about it. So let's go then!" nina said

As they were making their way to the new shop, tsjiai suddenly said to nina…

"You know I overslept this morning that's why I was late... been thinking about you all night… I mean, I've been thinking about what you asked me" tsujia said

"Oh, so do you have the answer?" Nina asked him

"Well… yeah, I'm quite sure that I am really in love with her… but I still don't know how to tell her… it's hard for me, really." He said.

"Ah okay, now I know why you were late… so who's the lucky girl?" nina asked him.

This conversation was beginning to hurt her but she wanted to continue it so that she'll know who the girl is.

"Umm… I can't tell you right now. Maybe some other day just not right now." He said

"Okay, if that's what you want. But to tell you the truth, I was also up all night thinking about something that's why I was also late." She said

Tsujiai was surprised to know that she was also up all night trying to figure out something… he was curious what was it all about.

"So, what were you thinking that kept you all night?" he asked nina

"Well… I've been thinking about you. I mean, thinking about you being in love with someone… that's all." Nina explained not noticing that she was blushing.

"You were thinking about me? Why?" tsujiai asked her.

He was more curious this time. He never thought that nina would stay up all night just to think about him.

"Oh don't get me wrong! I mean, it's just so weird that you love someone in our class and you didn't even bother to tell me not unless I asked you. We are close friends aren't we?" nina asked

"Of course we are! It's just that I didn't know that you'd be interested in knowing."Tsujiai explained

"Of course I am. And besides, friends should tell some secrets of their own right? Anyway, this girl you're saying… do I know her?" nina asked

Tsujiai hesitated for awhile but he remembered that nina would probably get mad at him if he didn't answer her question.

"Well… yeah… you know her real well" Tsujiai said

"Is it Ayu? Maya? Tomoko?" nina was so curious.

"Nope, Iie, No" Tsujiai answered

"So who is it then?" Nina was getting impatient

"Uumm… I'll tell you at the right time okay?" tsujiai said

But nina didn't answer. She was getting really curious and impatient. She thought that maybe tsujiai had really no intention of telling her. That really hurt her.

"Hey ayu, what do you think those two are talking about?" Kaji asked referring to nina and tsujia

"I don't know, but it seems that it's a serious conversation, don't you think?" ayu said

"Yeah, maybe it's about the two of them… do you think they're arguing about something?" kaji asked curiously

"Nah, I don't think so." Ayu said

Ayu knew what was going on. She had the feeling that it has something to do with the topic of tsujiai being in love. She saw that Nina's face was back to being sad and that the two of them weren't talking anymore.

"Well… here we are! Here's the shop I was talking about. So, what are we waiting for? Let's go in!" Tsujiai said cheerfully as if nothing has happened.

"Yeah! I can't wait to eat. I'm already hungry!" Kaji said

"You guys go ahead. I have to talk to nina." Ayu said

So the two boys went in the shop to order food for the four of them while ayu and nina stayed outside to talk. Ayu wanted to cheer nina because it seems kinda cruel for her that she's having fun while her friend has a problem.

"Hey nina, wanna talk about it?" Ayu asked

"Nah, don't worry about me. I'm fine." Nina said

"Oh, come on nina. Are you gonna lie to me again? Just forget about it. If you don't forget about it, you're gonna get fat because you're depressed and you'll eat and eat and eat. You don't want to be fat at the day of the dance right?" Ayu was trying to make nina smile.

"Yeah, you're right. It's not much of a big deal. I'll tell you everything when we get home okay? For now, let's just eat because all this talk is makin' me hungry." Nina said with a smile on her face.

Ayu was happy that she cheered nina up again. She doesn't wanna she her friend sad specially because valentine's day is coming. So the two girls went in the shop.

Chapter 3 is done! Well… it's longer than the other two chapters. I hope you liked it. Just continue to read the next chapter. R & R please.