Hey! Thanks akari-hayashi for the review! :smiles: This chapter kind of took me awhile to type it out. Yep...Well on with the story! :grins:
Disclaimer: I dont own Prince of Tennis sadly...
Chapter 2: UnExpected News
Third period was just ending and Inui was already outside of Toriumi's class. It wasn't that he ran there, it was just that her class was right next to his and since he was doing Fuji a favor, he might as well do it right. It was lunch time and he couldn't leave the poor girl alone. 'Maybe she made some new friends,' said a hopeful voice in his head. 'Don't get your hopes up. You might as well stick with her for a day, show her around. She'll tell you when she doesn't need you anymore,' replied that voice again. Sigh 'And I was hoping to be able to eat lunch with Kaidoh in peace today. I'll guess I might as well eat with everybody else.'
"…ui-kun…?"
"Inui-kun!" Toriumi poked Inui on the arm hoping to get his attention.
"Ah! Gomen Toriumi-chan. I was just thinking," replied Inui.
She flashed him a smile that resembled Fuji's. "It's okay. Now that you're back to earth, would you mind showing me where the cafeteria is?"
"Ah. We can go and meet up with the others."
With that said, Inui and Toriumi walked towards the cafeteria ignoring all the looks of envy and jealousy they were receiving. Inui adjusted to the looks he was getting and just brushed it off. That's what he got for walking with the now prettiest girl in the school and by the looks of it, Toriumi was getting used to it. 'Thank kami-sama she's not like Atobe-san.' Inui let out a mental groan. 'Good thing I don't have to deal with someone like that.'
When they got inside the cafeteria they went straight to the table where all the Seigaku regulars were eating.
Inui was surprised to see Kaidoh eating with the rest of the team. He usually ate alone and occasionally with Inui in the classroom. Maybe Inui would get his chance to talk to him about the new training after all.
"Nyah! There you are Toriumi-chan! We were worried about you. I thought you got lost," said an overly excited Eiji.
Toriumi just shook her head. "I was with Inui-kun."
"Oi, Inui! You're so mean! Keeping Toriumi-chan here all for yourself," Eiji pouted.
Inui sighed. He was getting a headache from all the thinking he was doing already. He didn't need Eiji to make it worse. Yet something came to mind to stop the little red head from bothering him.
"Eiji…I have a prototype of my new Inui juice in my locker right now. Want to be the first to try it?" Inui's glasses glinted in the light.
The minute Eiji heard that, he bolted and was behind Oishi. "Waaah…Oishiiiiii! Help! I don't want to drink those horrible drinks."
"It's good for the body."
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"
"Kikumaru, quiet down or I'll make you run laps. You too Inui," growled Tezuka. When Tezuka had actually joined them to eat lunch, no one knew. Inui just shrugged and went to sit in the empty seat next to Kaidoh while Eiji dragged Toriumi to sit in between him and Fuji, a distance away from Inui just in case he had some Inui juice with him.
"Toriumi-chan, how was your first day so far? Did you make any new friends yet? Do you like Seigaku so far? Wanna go play tennis after school?" Eiji just kept bombing question after question at Toriumi and all she did was say three things over and over again. Okay. Yes. No. After a while of talking to Toriumi, Eiji went back to talking about the subject they were on before Inui and Toriumi came which was tennis.
"Ne, Oishi, can we work on the other formations…"
On the other side of the table
"Kaidoh, you should flex out your leg more before you run or else you'll get cramps," said Inui.
"Hai."
"And we should have some practice matches today. 78 percent that you'll need a new training menu after we practice due to the huge improvements I've seen coming from you. After that if we have enough time we can go to the street courts and challenge some people to work on the new formations I've come up with," Inui said after doing some reading out of his notebook. Kaidoh had given up on trying to find what kind of data Inui had on him in his book. It seemed like he had enough data that he wrote in it less and less and spending more time actually training with Kaidoh instead of sitting there, scribbling in his notebook and occasionally giving out instructions or advice.
Times like these made Kaidoh think that Inui was really easy to get used to. It was nice to have company at lunch. Before Inui came along, Kaidoh always sat alone in the classroom, eating his lunch, and glaring at those who dared bother him. Sure, it was nice to know that people feared him. It made him feel like he had power over them but that's what kept him from making any friends. He didn't really mind not having any friends. He didn't need them until Inui came along. Inui gave Kaidoh what he was really craving for on the inside; a friend. Someone who would trust him and vice versa; someone who cared for him; someone who liked him for who he was, and that someone was Inui.
/Kaidoh's awfully quiet. Well, he's always quiet, but he's just more quiet today. I wonder if something is wrong?/
Just as Inui was going to ask Kaidoh if there was anything wrong, the lunch bell rang, indicating that the period was over and it was time for class. They got up, gathered their things, and were about to walk off to class together when Inui just remembered he was supposed to be helping Toriumi. She was in his class so he might as well walk with her instead of Kaidoh. So he bid farewell to Kaidoh and went over to where Toriumi was, who was just finishing up her conversation with Fuji.
"Ready Toriumi-chan?"
"Yeah." And they walked off together to class once again.
Under the Bridge that evening
Kaidoh was doing his usual jog around the park where he and Inui always trained. What was unusual was that Kaidoh was alone this time. Inui had called and said that he'd be late. Kaidoh decided to do some warm up laps before he got to start his practices. From 6:00-9:00, Kaidoh waited but Inui never showed up. Kaidoh figured he wasn't going to come after the first hour passed. He just continued with the self training he was doing already. By the time Kaidoh got home, he decided to call Inui to see if anything had happened. He usually wouldn't miss a training session and if he did he would have called earlier to let Kaidoh know he wouldn't be able to make it. Kaidoh dug through his bag for his cell and dialed the numbers to Inui's house.
"Moshi moshi, Inui Sadaharu speaking."
"Inui-sempai, its Kaidoh."
"Is there something you need? It's kind of late."
"I, er, wanted to know if you're okay. You didn't show up at the park today."
"Ah about that, gomen Kaidoh, I forgot. You see Toriumi called me earlier and asked me to help her with her Japanese History homework and since I was free for a while I decided to go and help her. When we were done she wanted to repay me by playing a match against me. I was only willing to comply. We got so into the game that I lost sense of time. I just came back from Toriumi's a couple minutes before you called," said Inui
"hisss…its okay sempai. I was just wondering if anything had happened to you that's all. Sorry for bothering you so late at night."
Inui raised an eyebrow. /Kaidoh was worried? Data…/ "No need to apologize Kaidoh, you're not bothering me at all."
Fast scribbling could be heard on other side. "Well I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight sempai." And Kaidoh hung up. He was only at Toriumi's house. It's nothing. He just missed one day. It doesn't matter. /It does or else you wouldn't feel that light pain in your chest, now would you?/ a voice said in Kaidoh's head.
"hissss…shut up," Kaidoh muttered and headed upstairs to start on his history homework.
The next week passed by normally. Toriumi was considered to be part of the regulars since Eiji kept dragging her to sit with them at lunch everyday. She was getting around the school alright which meant that Inui didn't have to spend that much time with her but he was hanging with her not with the excuse "I'm suppose to show her around" but with "We're friends". He spent more time with Toriumi than Kaidoh, which upset Kaidoh even though he said that he didn't mind but deep down inside, his hatred for her was slowly growing each time Inui ditched him for her. After a couple more days, Kaidoh went back to thinking he didn't need friends and that it was better to be alone. He went back to the way he was before Inui and he had become doubles partners in a matter of days.
Later that day Toriumi and Inui were in Kaidoh's class doing some kind of demonstration. Kaidoh just pretended that he was paying attention since he was actually a good student. Kaidoh drowned out the demo (just because Toriumi was the one giving it) and was thinking of tennis. After class it was lunch, Inui and Toriumi was outside of Kaidoh's class so they could walk to the lunch room together. At lunch Inui and Kaidoh were sitting together at the Regulars table talking about tennis…again while Eiji was bugging Toriumi about her day and tennis. Tennis was the main topic at first among the regulars but then it had turned to be others talking to each others about something not tennis related. Kaidoh and Inui's discussion had somehow gone to the talk of the demo he and Toriumi did in Kaidoh's class.
"So what did you think of the demo today Kaidoh?"
"Oh. I didn't really get it," Kaidoh answered truthfully.
"Well, we could go back to your house after practice and I could explain it to you again, and if we still have time we could go through some formations and I'll help you study for that English test you have tomorrow," said Inui. "And try to pay attention next time…yes, there will be a next time Kaidoh," added Inui in a wearily amused voice when he saw the look on Kaidoh's face.
Kaidoh gave a nod. "Okay," and went back to eating.
Kaidoh Residence, Kaidoh's Room
After what seemed like forever to Kaidoh, Inui was finally finished with explaining the demo again to Kaidoh.
"So…that's it. Do you get it now?"
"Yes," lied Kaidoh. Kaidoh couldn't or more like wouldn't admit that he didn't understand a single thing. He only said yes so that his sempai would shut up. Who thought that would have been so boring. It took Kaidoh everything he had not to fall asleep during the explanation.
After the long explanation, they went on talking about the new formations for their doubles pair. Inui stayed for dinner after lots of persuasion from Kaidoh's mom. When dinner was done, and all the dishes were clean Inui and Kaidoh headed back upstairs to Kaidoh's room to study for the English test Kaidoh had the next day.
The room was all silent for a while until Inui spoke up.
"Uh…Kaidoh?"
"Yes sempai?" said Kaidoh without looking up from his book. They were both sitting on the floor against the side of Kaidoh's bed. If Kaidoh had looked up he would have seen his sempai opening and closing his mouth a lot, deciding on what to say.
"You know the…Winter dance is…coming…right?" asked Inui uneasily.
"Uh huh. What about it?" Kaidoh answered automatically. He was getting irritated by Inui who was obviously stalling to the point of what he really wanted to talk about.
"Umm…I…uh…wanted to ask…erm…someone to the dance. Do you think they'll say yes?"
Kaidoh was getting really irritated. He let out a big sigh. "Inui-sempai, get to the point," said Kaidoh who was at the point of blowing up. Inui said he would help Kaidoh study for his English test which he would be having tomorrow and here he was, blabbing away about something Kaidoh didn't want to pay attention to now.
Now it was Inui's turn to let out a sigh.
"I Like Toriumi."
Uhh...how was that? it was bad right? :runs and hides: Is it too much to ask for at least 5 reviews? The next chaper will be up soon i hope! :smiles:
