Notes:  sorry for taking so long to update, I had a lot of things that came up, plus I also had a little bit of writer's block.

This chapter is not my favorite. There is a bit of a sort of a flashback, I hope it's not overdone. There is a lot of Koshino here, but he is one of my favorite characters. It's a bit serious; but will get better (crosses fingers) as it progresses. I made it a bit longer this time as well.

Challenge by white andraste

Chapter 4: Jealousy all around

Sakuragi was becoming more at ease with Sendoh; he had gentle blue eyes and was very easy to talk to. Somewhere along the line he had switched places with Koshino and was now sitting next to him which didn't bother him.

Koshino, on the other hand, had lost all his appetite but pretended to be too preoccupied with his cake to glance at them or make any attempt at conversation.

'There is no need for me to be here' thought Koshino, 'I could explode on the spot and he wouldn't even notice.'

Koshino had gotten extremely grumpy in the last few weeks, ever since that redhead appeared in his life. He couldn't stand Sendoh paying so much attention to someone else.

'There is nothing worse in the world than falling in love with your best friend.'

He didn't know how it had happened either. Koshino met Sendoh when he was only ten; he was always quiet and studious. Even then, Koshino was known to have a temper problem, he couldn't stand people who weren't serious and wouldn't let anyone get in his way.

Sendoh and him sat next to each other every day. Sendoh was always being friendly and was always trying to make conversation and get him to smile. He never took him seriously though; he was too relaxed and unconcerned, so much as to be infuriating to him.

'Yet before I knew it he became a very important friend to me, my only real friend. I didn't think he was serious but in actuality he excelled in all aspects of his life. His grades were usually up to par with me, Me! The best in the school, for God's sake!'

Sendoh was never seen studying and he was so much fun to be with too. This made him a very valuable friend, for this reason Koshino pretty much agreed to everything Sendoh wanted to do.

When they both joined basketball early on, Koshino wouldn't let his lack of skill in the game bring him down. So he devoted himself for years to perfecting this game.

He could do it because he had confidence in himself. His motto was 'I can do it because I am better than everyone else.' And this was true, he told himself, it had to be true. If he couldn't succeed at basketball then he was a failure.

One day, Koshino noticed someone who tried even harder than him and was easily able to be beat him. It was Sendoh. When it came to basketball, he became completely transformed, Sendoh's true passion was revealed.

Sendoh wasn't so different from him, when it came to something important he gave it his all, he had natural talent. That was when ever-serious temperamental Koshino realized he was in love

'How ridiculous I believed it to be!  I've never been one to show my emotions but now he is trying to kill my love by courting this red-headed monkey!'

Koshino shot another one of his soul-killing glances at Sakuragi but as always, they remained unnoticed.

The door of the shop opened and Rukawa walked in nonchalantly. The only one who noticed him was Koshino, who found the coincidence eerily strange. Rukawa walked over sleepily toward them and bumped in to Sendoh's shoulder.

Rukawa raises his eyebrow, "Oh, its you"

Any bystander would think that Rukawa had no idea the three would be found on this shop, but Youhei knew better.

He was watching from his safe spot behind the tree, 'Damn what a fine actor that Rukawa is!'

He continued to look, it seemed as if Sakuragi was as shocked as the rest of them.

Sakuragi then stood up and exaggeratedly pointed at him," What is the Kitsune doing here? Are you following the Tensai?!!!"

"Do'ahou as if it wasn't unpleasant enough seeing you on normal basis"

Despite his words, Rukawa invited himself to sit beside Koshino and proceeded to stare coldly into Sendoh's eyes.

Sendoh: "Is it time for our weekly staring match already?"

Sparks flying

Rukawa reached out to Sakuragi and pulled his cheek hard, "Do'ahou. Why are you going out with this idiot?"

"Itai!!! Teme kitsune" slaps hands away and rubs cheek vigorously

"He's our enemy"

"Nyahahaha! Are finally admitting that I have great basketball skills which cannot be shared with the world! Nyahahahahaha"

"That's not it, idiot"

Rukawa glanced around nervously, 'Damn! What do I say now, I have no real reason to object him being with Sendoh! What do I say?…hmm…oh no they are looking at me…must say something quick'

"Gay bastard," Rukawa said.

Springs to his feet

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!!! TEME KITSUNE I AM NOT GAY!"

Sakuragi slammed his head into Rukawa's at full force.

Collapse

Sendoh could not help but chuckle at Rukawa finally getting what he deserved but stopped as Sakuragi turned to him.

Gulp

"THIS IS ALL YOUR DOING!!!"

Sakuragi stomped over to him and headbutted Sendoh and Koshino as well, much to his surprise. He then stormed off in a foul mood.

From some distance away,

Youhei stops watching.  "Why am I not surprised? How can I tell which one Sakuragi likes if he gets so violent? I may have to break my promise after all, but not unless my next plan works. It's time to get serious."

Youhei pulled out his walkie-talkie, "Alpha Goose here. Report your location, Rambo. Over"

Static

"Rambo here, standing nearby. Over"

"Do you have the target on sight?"

Crackle

"Yes, target's on sight. Temporarily unconscious."

"When they recover, follow Sendoh and Koshino, and then report on their doings. Over"

"Affirmative"

He put his walkie-talkie away. He would take care of Rukawa himself, he needed to add a little fuel to the fire.

Five minutes later,

Koshino and Sendoh went back home after they found themselves on the floor of the ice cream shop with a huge bump on their heads.

Sendoh was in an incredibly good mood though, "Hmm, Hanamichi is sure scary when he is angry."

"How can you say that so happily? God knows how long we were unconscious!"

"Well I will admit that our first date left much to be desired but it's a step in the right direction."

Koshino just about had it, "NO IT ISN'T!!! Didn't you hear him say he was not gay? Not to mention that he seemed very angry at the both of us. I am ready to throw the towel; I don't see the use of putting ourselves in danger for that bloodthirsty maniac!"

Sendoh slapped him in the back, "You are too serious Koshino. All Hana needs is a little friendly persuasion, I mean who can say no to me? And he is not angry at us, he is…hmm..he likes me!"

"I see"

'He's crazy!'

Sendoh puts his arm around Koshino, "You don't believe me, do you?"

blush

"Don't touch me! Anyway, that's not the point Sendoh, I also happened to notice something else earlier. I saw something quite unusual. You would've picked up on it yourself if you weren't drooling over Hanamichi."

"What was it?"

"I saw the ice prince blush!"

Eyes grow wide

"Rukawa?!?"

"That's right. When he touched Sakuragi's cheek there was a slight blush on him. Plus if you think about it, why would he care who Sakuragi hangs out with. I think he's jealous."

"Even if that were true, he can't be counted as my rival. No way would Sakuragi be interested in him."

"Don't dismiss him so easily. I am never wrong! Rukawa likes him!"

"So what?"

"Well he gets to spend more time with him, for one. Sakuragi talks about him all the time, it's always 'I have to beat that damn kitsune etc etc' He could like him in his childish monkey way. Not to mention how handsome Rukawa is, he has a strange sort of elegance and …"

Whimper

"Of course you're no match for him!" Nervous laughter

Pout "Ok"

Koshino begins to walk faster, he doesn't like it when Sendoh is unhappy, it never fails to bring him down as well. Sendoh has that effect on people, he can easily lighten the mood when he's was happy, but he's no fun on the rare occasions of foul mood.

Sendoh seemed to be in deep thought, "I know! If Rukawa is that much of a problem then you could keep him busy."

"How would I do that?"

"You would go out with him of course!" Sendoh turned and faced him, "I mean, it sounds as if you like him, right?"

Koshino sighed; he felt he was going to be forced to do something he didn't want to again. It was useless to refuse, so he listened to Sendoh's plan to seduce Rukawa and keep him away from Sakuragi. What a big mouth he had!

A strange blonde-headed guy was following them the whole way, and meticulously wrote down their whole conversation while attempting to muffle his laughter. He hadn't had this much fun, since the last time Sakuragi had been rejected. (Not that long ago too, he had been ready with his confetti when it happened…memories!)

'Youhei is gonna find this very interesting, we could definitely use this.Hehehe'

Next day,

Youhei caught up with Sakuragi.

"Hey Hana, Sendoh wants to know if you guys are still up for basketball after school today"

Super-deformed Hana

"Smiley? The bastard that challenged my manhood?!!!"

"No no no, no one challenged your manhood, he didn't mean it. It was just a bad joke aimed at the kit-I mean Rukawa. It's good to tease Rukawa, no?"

"Nyahahaha! Damn teme kitsune! It's great to tease him"

"Don't be so harsh on Sendoh. He needs your tensai skills on the court today you know."

Youhei: 'Oh God, I said tensai skills! I…must...not…laugh'

Sakuragi looks at a very blue Youhei quizzically

poke poke

"What hehe should I say to him hehe?"

shrugs shoulders

"I do sort of feel bad about yesterday; I sort of went overboard for no good reason. I will see him then"

Maniacal laughter from Youhei

Sakuragi walks away with a sweatdrop on his head, 'Youhei gets weirder every day!'

Koshino was waiting near the basketball court after school.

Sigh

'Chaperoning again! Well sort of, in order to make sure the same doesn't happen today, I am supposed to scout this place and if I see Rukawa, take him away. I will do this how? With my boyish charm?!! I am no good at this, why would Rukawa come here anyway? If he doesn't show up, I am supposed to find him in my own time and ask him out.

I have never asked anyone out, much less a guy!'

Sendoh and Sakuragi were already on the court and were in the middle of a match. Of course Sendoh was easily winning by ten points and Hana was getting very competitive.

Rukawa came nearby and observed them, 'So Youhei was right! That slippery hentai has struck again and so soon…Sendoh's winning? Can't beat him, huh?..... Won't score any points like that do'ahou'

Koshino was becoming bored, 'Maybe it's about time I leave, I doubt that Rukawa would show up…'

That was when he saw him, he was watching the match between Sendoh and Sakuragi, a faint smile was on his lips.

'What the hell?! He actually showed up? And for that monkey?!!! Might as well get it over with.'

Koshino walked over to Rukawa, he tried his best to smile but failed miserably, "Hello Rukawa-kun"

Rukawa lifted his gaze to Koshino, "Ah, are you here to seduce me already?'

shock

'Wah! How does he know?!'

That was the same question Rukawa had when Youhei told him, but then again he didn't care. That Youhei was a weird fellow, he had to be in order to be Sakuragi's friend.

Rukawa cast his glance on the game again, "There is no need for lies. And don't worry I won't disrupt the date this time"

"Gomen, Rukawa"

Sakuragi was tired; all this had taken so much energy from him. "Okay, Smiley I think we should take a break now."

"Okay"

Sakuragi went over and cleaned himself with his towel while Smiley sat down next to him and drank his water.

Glance

"Ah Smiley let me have some of your drink"

"No"

"AHHH! Why not?"

"I'll need some kind of payment"

"Ok ok anything, but let me have a sip"

Smirk "Here you go Hana"

Sakuragi drank the whole bottle in one gulp and stood up, "Nyahahahaha, now the tensai is all charged up again!"

"What about my payment?'

"What payment???"

"For the water"

"Eh? What do you want?"

Sendoh stood up and walked towards him. Sakuragi too confused to react, Sendoh leaned in and pinned him to the wall. Hana's heartbeat speed up rapidly and he began to blush, Sendoh leaned in slowly and gave him a deep kiss.

Too shocked to stop it, Hana got very hot as Sendoh proceeded to use his tongue on him.

"Hmm"

Sendoh caressed Sakuragi's cheek lovingly.

Rukawa's mouth was hanging open, this was just like that dream he didn't remember!

The same dream which he had this very morning, but of course he DIDN'T remember it, really.

Koshino was also aghast and found himself following Rukawa into the court.

Meanwhile, Sendoh slid his hands inside Hana's shirt and started to run his hands on his warm muscular chest, unfortunately for him that was when Sakuragi grasped the reality of his situation and proceed to push in away forcefully.

"I am sorry Hana, don't get angry"

Sakuragi just stared at him, he wasn't really angry but…

"No Rukawa don't go in there," Koshino said as he followed him.

Rukawa faced him, he seemed very serious, "Do you really wish for that to continue?"

Koshino didn't want to admit that he was very angry at Sendoh despite the fact that he knew this was his goal. He almost felt like getting back at him

That was when Sakuragi and Sendoh also heard voices from the other side of the court and looked their way.

'Damn! We've been spotted, sorry Rukawa.'

Koshino slid his arms around Rukawa and proceed to kiss the very stunned boy.

Both Sakuragi and Sendoh, "What the hell!!!"

TBC

Next chapter: The Triumphant Plan!