Author's Notes: This was originally for another challenge group, which I've since dropped. I've decided to use this as a launching point for my fanfic 100, instead. Enjoy!

The plastic button clicked under his fingers, the display flashing 'sold out' in neon red. Shindou let out his breath in a huff, brushing the bleached bangs from his eyes as he contemplated kicking the black grate at the vending machines bottom.

It was one of those unimaginable things. How could one soft drink that not only had three slots in the vending machine, but was popular solely among sports-conscious teens be sold out at a Go institute? The fact that he himself was the only one he ever saw with the trademark neon green and yellow can with the letters 'jolt!' along it's side made it even more boggling. It was just one of those many things that set him apart- alongside his dyed hair, trendy clothes and Shonen Jumps he was often found with during breaks. It was a wonder the worst he'd been called in such a conservative environment was 'that punk kid.'

And yet, it was sold out. Every last one of them. Shindou briefly wondered if he'd been the one to buy them all.

He tapped the grate with his toes, flinching at the soft scraping of metal his actions produced. He entertained the notion of giving the machine a swift kick in the plastic, wondering if he could dent it. Glancing around for witnesses, he glared at the occupied lobby, where a group of young girls were giggling over some couple kissing on a teenage drama. He tried to remind himself he wasn't twelve anymore, he wouldn't walk away from assaulting a vending machine with just a warning.

Smacking his hand lightly above the display, he glanced over the other options, settling on an iced tea, which made a satisfying thump as it fell into the bucket. He bent to pick up the cool glass- and hit his head against the machines hard plastic covering.

Swearing out loud- drawing attention from two women looking at the map next to the front desk-Shindou straightened and thrust the beverage into his messenger bag. This just isn't my day, he thought.

Trudging up the institute steps- bypassing the elevator after seeing a line of people waiting for it's return- Shindou kept his face at his feet, baggy jeans covering most of his shoes.

He was a creature of habit despite what most people might think. He relied on the simplest of things. Loud and sporadic he may be, of which he himself would freely admit, but seeing unreliability in other people always made his blood boil. Especially in people he cared about.

Especially when it came to his friends.

Especially in friends he defined as reliable.

Were the epitome of reliable.

Which, of course, chose the least convenient time to prove otherwise.

Realizing that he was stomping up the steps, Shindou let out another breath of air. Deciding it wasn't too juvenile to jut out his lower lip in a pout as long as no one was watching- which, of course, on the empty stairwell no one was- he did just that.

Yes, Shindou Hikaru was a creature of habit. He liked buying his Shonen Jump on the way to his tutoring sessions Tuesday mornings, he would always make his way to the 2nd floor to buy his favorite soda, and on Thursday nights he would always, always walk with Touya after the evening shidougo lessons to his fathers salon to play a game of go.

Which was why when he left the stuffy room to find the hallway empty of his friends presence he was briefly shocked, confused, then inexplicably furious.

They had never said they'd always meet Thursday nights, of course; it had never been set in stone, it just always seemed to happen. I can't get too angry, he thought. It's not like he stood me up if we never officially agreed to meet in the first place.

But no matter what he told himself, he couldn't contain the feeling of betrayal- and jealousy.

Reaching the fourth floor, Shindou pushed the door open and turned left, hoping to catch Waya and Isumi before they left after their games so he could con them into hanging out. If Touya was going to forget about him, he was determined to forget him too.

He wouldn't even think of Touya's favorite iced tea weighing down his bag.