Egao no Tensai
Chapter 4.
Drabble, 900 words exactly, wheee (I knew this one would be the longest).
First person.
Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi owns Tennis no Ohjisama. I own my socks, which I'm going to microwave in a minute or so.
Warnings: Shounen-ai.
Category: Enter the romance. Well I think it's kind of fluffy anyway. And it remains a little AU.
Pairings: Yay, finally a pairing!
Slytherinette: I would slow down if this was a real 'story'. But for drabbles background information seems a bit redundant. I'll try to keep that in mind for my longer stuff though.
Yuki-mono: Yaaaay, you think I write them right? That makes me so happy! huggles
ruji: Ooh, repeat reviewer. And yes, this is (probably) the last one. Writing the others might have been fun, but… I have this other project I want to post. More about that at the end of this chapter.
Ok, here we go then. And no, it's not Taka-san, though that was a good guess, and I probably should have done one with him. But drabbles like these just HAVE to end with…
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People ask me sometimes, why do I smile? Why do I go through life with my eyes closed? Why do I pretend?
Ne, would you believe me if I told you I'm not really sure myself? Well no, that's not quite right. I do know why I started behaving this way. Why you ask? Now, I don't remember saying I'd tell you, I'm just musing to myself. The look on your face now is entertaining. Did you really want to know that desperately? I'll give you this much; I know how it started, I do not know why it continues. That should give you food for thought.
I know you're curious about something else. Why did I join the tennis club? Maa, now there's a story. I wonder if it will surprise you. Probably not. You've been talking to the others haven't you? Ne, did you really think you could hide that from me? Now now, don't make such an impatient face. I'll tell you the story.
When Eiji brought me with him to practice that first time, I admit I wasn't all too happy about the idea. You see I had been asked by Yuuta to not go near the tennis courts. Why, do you ask? Maa, that's our little secret isn't it? Eiji was adamant however, and I knew Yuuta wouldn't be there that morning as he had a dentist appointment. I wonder if he'll get braces. That would be so cute on him. Ne, I'm digressing, aren't I? Gomen ne? At any rate, I went with Eiji. I knew he had some ulterior motives for bringing me there. Eiji can be so cutely predictable sometimes. Almost as cute as Yuuta. Oh, there I go again.
I don't play tennis to win. Now you look at me as if I've lost my mind. That's not very nice of you. The senior that played me that day was rather good really. I didn't really throw the game, as Eiji accused me of doing. I simply didn't allow myself to win. There is a difference, I assure you. Losing didn't bother me, as I rarely win these kind of matches. Also, the defeat had the added outcome of flustering Eiji, which was quite amusing. I probably shouldn't have allowed myself to win against him in the match we played in our freshman year, but I felt like I should be at least somewhat honest with him. He is my friend after all.
The ranking matches were pretty entertaining. I watched the one Taka-san played in. He won, I think partly from frightening his opponent so much he nearly ran off the court. Split personalities can be such party heighteners, ne? I had some trouble finding where Eiji would be playing later, so I asked a rather distant boy whom I knew to be named Oishi Syuichiroh for directions. He kindly showed me the way there. He was even more distracted then usual that day for some reason. When we arrived at the C-block courts, I decided to stand next to him while watching the game. Saeki once told me I'm a curious person in every sense of the word. I'm sure I have no idea what he was talking about.
Eiji lost to Inui, and I let my mind wander as I comforted my redheaded friend. I didn't know Inui all that well back then, although I sometimes felt as if befriending him could be an interesting experience. If I had done so, the next match would probably not have had the impact it did on me. Inui versus Tezuka. I didn't know Inui very well, like I said, but I had at least talked to him at times. With Tezuka Kunimitsu it was different. I had heard of him. Little whispers in the corridors of the school, girls in my homeroom swooning while mentioning him, people on the street courts speaking his name with awe, and even Yuuta mentioned him at times. But for all talk of the handsome and talented boy, the most I had seen of him were brief glimpses at a distance. He seemed a very busy person, and a very serious one. For all the amusement it could have brought to try and break through that cold exterior, I never really felt compelled to.
All these thoughts eddied through my head. I was used to it. I usually had several thoughts in my head at once. Yuuta used to be jealous at my ability to think of more than one thing at once, until I told him it confused more than helped, and made it difficult for me to concentrate at times. In truth, I told him, I'd prefer to have no such ability. Now I watched the game and my thoughts slowly stopped swirling. It felt as if each loose strand of reason began to home in with pinpoint precision on the one thing that remained. For the first time in my life, I felt as if I could completely let go. I admit, it frightened me. I didn't even notice I had opened my eyes, or that the people around me were suddenly silent; I was told about it afterwards. All I remember seeing are brown eyes, messy hair and a determination that shone through in every move made. And I remember realising something.
I will let go only if he catches me.
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The End
Yeah I know, MUSH!
For those who may not know:
He has a habit of using words/sounds like maa and ne. Maa kind of equals well, and ne is a simple inquisitive sound, if I remember correctly.
Do I have to write the meaning of gomen? Nah, I'll just skip it. If you really don't know (which is inconceivable), go google!
Were you surprised? Did I write him ok?
Review and tell me please.
Next project: InuKai PG-13 humour one-shot. I've actually already written it, I just need to go over it again. Hope you'll read it.
Suain, the sockaholic, out.