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Chapter 11: Kogure's Shock of the Century!

It's 1st of January and the Japanese would go to the temple to pray and ask the Gods their fortunes for the New Year.

Kogure woke up in the morning and after eating his breakfast and wishing his parents a Happy New Year, he went to call Hiroko.

"Moshi moshi, Gouhara's residence." said a voice on the phone. It's a boy's and it sounds familiar, but Kogure couldn't make out who's on the phone.

"Moshi moshi? Are you there?" asked the voice in puzzlement.

"Um, hai." said Kogure in his 'Kimiko' voice. "I'm looking for Hiroko."

"Chotto matte." said the voice in politeness. "Hiroko, phone!"

"Hai, Hiroko here." said Hiroko.

"Happy New Year, Hiroko." said Kogure happily.

"Happy New Year to you too. Why are you calling?"

"I'm asking you whether you want to go to the temple." asked Kogure.

"Okay."

"Good. Then maybe we will go for lunch, is that okay with you?"

"That will be fine."

"I'll see you later at the temple in 20 minutes." said Kogure and he hang up.

As it was a special occasion, Kogure put on his traditional costume and went out. Kogure was wearing wooden sandals, so when he noticed that he was getting late, he couldn't run faster than usual with them on and he ended up a few minutes late at the temple.

"Gomen, I'm not used to run in these sandals." said Kogure as he tried to catch his breath.

"It's okay." said Hiroko.

As soon as Kogure had steadied himself, he looked at Hiroko and smiled. Hiroko was wearing her pink kimono with white cherry blossoms printed on it. Her waist was tied with a red sash. Her hair had a red ribbon on it. With Kogure in his own robe, they looked very good together.

"You looked nice." said Kogure sincerely.

Hiroko smiled. "Arigato." Then she blushed slightly and lowered her head. "Um… Kiminobu…"

"Nani?"

"My parents thought I was going out with Kimiko, so they asked my cousin to come along… He has just come to stay for a few days…" said Hiroko slowly. "I hope you don't mind… I have told my cousin that I'm going out with a boy…"

"Oh…"

"But you two have the same interest, I'm sure you can get along." said Hiroko quickly.

Kogure smiled. "I don't mind." he said cheerfully. "As long as it's not my basketball team mates… where is he?"

"He has gone to look around…" said Hiroko and she looked over Kogure's shoulder. "Ah, there he is!" she waved merrily.

Kogure turned and he went pale. "Ah!"

It's Akira Sendoh, the ace player of Ryonan!

Sendoh stared at Kogure with his mouth slightly open. "It's you!"

Hiroko looked at Kogure, then at Sendoh in puzzlement. "You two know each other?"

Sendoh smiled. "Sure, Ryonan lost to Shohoku because of him and Sakuragi."

"What did he do?" asked Hiroko in excitement while Kogure still looked rather stunned.

"3-points shot." said Sendoh. "You should have been there to see it, Cousin. He practically saves the team with his shot."

"I couldn't, you know that, Akira." said Hiroko, but she was smiling.

"So you are Hiroko's boyfriend?" asked Sendoh politely.

"… Hai." said Kogure finally. No wonder he found the voice on the phone familiar…

"And you are Hiroko's cousin?"

Sendoh nodded. "Our mothers are sisters."

Kogure laughed nervously. "What a coincidence."

Sendoh shrugged helplessly.

"Um… you are not going to tell Gouhara-san, are you?" asked Kogure worriedly.

Sendoh smiled again. "Of course not. I know Ojiisan's character. He will kill you if he finds out that you are going out with Hiroko. I will keep it as a secret. Anyway, it's not my idea to tag along and play gooseberry. So I will just walk around the place until you two are done…"

He turned. Kogure got over his shock and realized that it wasn't very nice to let Sendoh go, he's Hiroko's cousin after all…

"Ah, Sendoh!" called Kogure quickly.

"Nandayo?" asked Sendoh.

"Why don't you join us?" asked Kogure.

Sendoh looked surprised. "Are you sure? I don't want to…"

"Join us, cousin." said Hiroko.

Sendoh hesitated, then he smiled slowly. "Okay."

Together, Sendoh, Kogure and Hiroko walked around the temple. Unlike Kogure's friends, Sendoh was being respectful. He often kept a distance away from the couple and kept quiet, as if he was pretending he didn't know his cousin and her boyfriend.

"Akira, don't just stand there, come and take a fortune." called Hiroko to her cousin.

Sendoh came over and the trio prayed to the gods before they took their own fortune slips.

"Ah" groaned Hiroko as she looked at her slip. "It's a bad fortune. Look at the prediction for my love life: break up with your lover before it's too late."

Sendoh was frowning but he didn't say anything.

Kogure looked at his girlfriend's. "Well, mine isn't very good either. I guess there are no good fortunes in here…"

"What about yours, Akira?" asked Hiroko.

Sendoh smiled, crumpled up his slip and put it in his pocket. "It's nothing."

"Let me see." said Hiroko.

Sendoh shook his head.

Hiroko pouted.

"All right, stop pouting." said Sendoh quickly and he took out his paper.

Hiroko and Kogure looked at the fortune in awe. "It's a good fortune! Continue to do good things this year and you will be blessed…but look at the other prediction… You will lose someone you love very soon…" read Kogure.

"Told you it's nothing." said Sendoh. "It will not come true."

"How do you know?" asked Kogure.

"You two are such a loving couple, what could tear you apart?" said Sendoh sincerely.

Kogure blushed while Hiroko said uncomfortably, "Akira, don't…"

Sendoh put his hands in his pockets. "By the way, are you two done? If it's all right with you, Kogure, then I think Hiroko and I should go home…"

"Actually I did ask Hiroko to go for lunch…" said Kogure slowly.

Sendoh thought for a while, then he smiled.

"You two go ahead, I will go back to your house myself." said Sendoh to Hiroko.

"Are you sure?" said Kogure.

Sendoh nodded. "Go on, Hiroko, I will find my way back myself…"

Sendoh arrived back to Hiroko's house and found his aunt and uncle in the living room. "I'm back." he called.

"Eh? Akira, where's Hiroko?" asked Mrs Gouhara.

"Her friend asks her to go for lunch. I don't want to tag along, so I come back." explained Sendoh.

Mr Gouhara frowned. "Akira, don't you know that if you spend more time with Hiroko, you will get to know her better?"

"I know her enough." said Sendoh, shrugging. "She's my cousin and we grew up together."

"Yes, but if you are marrying her in the future…" started Mr Gouhara patiently.

Sendoh frowned slightly. "Ojiisan, I don't want to talk about it." he interrupted. "Call me when lunch is ready. I will be in my room, practicing my basketball."

He went to the guestroom and closed the door.

Mr Gouhara sighed and shook his head. "I don't know what is it with boys and basketball…" he turned to his wife. "I just hope that he won't be a basketball coach in the future, how is Hiroko going to live if she's married to a boy who does nothing except chasing after basketballs…"

Hiroko didn't get home until 3pm and when she did, she saw her cousin standing at the door.

"Hiroko, can I talk to you for a moment?" asked Sendoh, his face filled with trouble.

"Okay."

"Let's go to the playground nearby."

With his arm around Hiroko's shoulders, Sendoh and Hiroko looked like a couple as they walked together to the playground.

"Sit down." said Sendoh to Hiroko, indicating the swing.

Hiroko sat down. "What's wrong, Akira?"

Sendoh sighed and he sat down beside Hiroko on another swing. "Ojiisan is talking about our marriage again."

Clutching on the chains of her swing, Hiroko asked, "Akira, why don't you just tell my father to cancel the whole engagement? It's ridiculous. I can't marry you, you are my cousin."

"I know that, you know that, but do our parents understand that?" asked Sendoh quietly. "If only I'm not a boy. Then my parents won't betroth you to me and you can like Kogure freely."

Hiroko sniffled.

"So what are you planning to do now?" asked Sendoh in concern.

Hiroko shrugged. "I don't know, as long as I can be with Kiminobu, I will be happy. Enjoy it while it lasts."

Sendoh was quiet. Hiroko then smiled at her cousin. "Push me on my swing?"

Sendoh smiled and got up. He went to his cousin from behind. "You just won't grow up, huh?" he teased.

Hiroko giggled as Sendoh pushed her on her swing.