Author's notes: Sorry for not being able to update sooner… Just hard to be motivated to write…
I haven't had much motivation to write…
Maybe some of you could offer motivation?
In a nutshell, please review.
(06/30/10)
Saturday…
The Sports committee responsibilities were basically… easy.
I'm the head and chairman of the sports club, Rio is the activities coordinator and the one who chooses the club colors, Kenji is head of reports, accounting and which foods to use for our teams, Yuko is the head business manager in charge with the supplies, making sure every sports clubs are adequately supplied and finally, Minako is the head of funds and the auditor of the Sports Committee.
Our hangout, ironically, was at the library's spare room that the librarian was kind and generous enough to lend it to us raucous Sports Jocks, which we called the "Pub".
Which makes it easy to go in and about with our Sports committee responsibilities and our Library Club duties.
Also, it was meticulously chosen by Kenji as a location for his locker, located inside the pub.
Of course, we had lockers there as well… but he chose the one between Minako's and my locker.
Even I have to admit, he chose a great location. It's the safest place in school, in theory, for a locker.
But enough about that.
Usually, we would speak to the leaders or representatives of each sports club about financial compensations, auditing materials needed and appointment of club leaders.
Boring, but sometimes it was very nice.
Yuiri Kamika, Captain of the Fencing team, Mitsuru's successor, who looked like a cross of Yukari and Mitsuru, asked for a raise in the funding and us to appoint the officers of her club, Minako, our head of funding and audit, jokingly said:
"You want a promotion? Break out some lotion." She said with a wink, "If you know what I mean…"
Yuiri seemed a bit uncomfortable, so Rio spoke up.
"She's kidding, of course…" Rio said, trying to reassure her, "Right, Minako-chan?"
"Maybe… hehehe…" Minako snickered evilly.
"Don't mind Minako-chan… she's… very... spirited." Rio said.
Then, one day, Cato came up to the Sports Committee room.
Strangely enough, he was alone.
"Are you lost or something?" Kenji said flatly.
Cato glared at Kenji.
"I don't want to be associated with you… people, so let's make this quick." Cato said.
We waited.
He shrugged his shoulders, "Well?"
"The exit is over there." Minako said as she looked up boredly as she points at the exit.
Cato's nose flared.
"I am a proud member and head of the Discipline Committee and I demand the respect and dignity that is to be accorded to one as such!" Cato hissed.
"Shhhh!" the librarian said.
"Sorry…" Cato said, "As I said countless times, I am to be accorded with utmost respect. That's how it works here. I am of higher importance than you... plebian."
"Big deal. You're in Sports Committee turf now, bub! No one gives jack shit who the hell you are!" Minako said.
"SHHHHH!" the librarian chided.
"Sorry." Minako apologized, "Sports Committee. Discipline Committee. TWO different things."
"Is that how you Sports Committee riff-raff treat the aristocrats of this school?!" Cato growled.
"SHHHH!" the librarian said.
"Sorry. Once again, the keyword is ARISTOCRAT." Cato said.
"Aristocrat?! Your uncle sells shrimp at the back of his Nissan Sentra!" Rio pointed out.
Cato looked at Rio.
He had a charming, yet menacing smile.
"Sorry sweety, what my idiot uncle does is none of your concern." Cato said as he winks at Rio.
Kenji bashed his fist on the table and stood up.
Cato just raised one of his eyebrows.
"What's up, Tomochiko?" Cato said snidely.
"It's Tomochika, pea-brain!" Kenji said, "And that's my girl you're talking to!" he hissed.
Rio seemed rather pleased with Kenji's reaction.
"Aw Tomatoes, Potatoes!" Cato said, "How a hottie like Rio ended up with a goof like you, I'll never know!"
"Dumbass!" Kenji said, "As if my Rio-chan would go out with a creep like you!"
"Hush!" the librarian said.
"Sorry!" Kenji said, "But really, Rio would rather date me than you!"
"Yeah!" Rio said.
"Why are you here, Cato?" I said tiredly.
Cato looked at me.
"Finally." He said, "I would like to register my claim for captaincy for the society of the noble sport of pugilism." Cato said grandly, "I am the Captain."
"The captaincy of the what?" Kenji said.
"Pugilism? You guys specialize in copying stuff? I thought its plagiarism?" Minako said.
"Idiots and buffoons!" Cato said, "Pugilism means boxing!"
"There… this whole nauseating conversation would've been much faster if we called a spade a spade." I said.
"Wait a minute… You're the new captain?" Kenji said.
"That's right. What, are you both dumb AND deaf at the same time?" Cato said.
"Just be silent, Kenji... choose your battles." I said, wanting Cato to shut up and leave, taking out the papers and handing it to him, "All you need to do is fill in these papers and you can leave."
He wrote on it.
He handed it to Rio with a wink.
"There you go, sweetie. Treat it gently."
"Sure." Rio said as she crumpled it, "Oops."
"That's it. It's finally official…The Boxing club's going down the drain." Kenji said.
Cato narrowed his blue eyes.
"I happen to be a World Class Boxer." Cato said just as he was about to leave.
"Yeah? Prove it, hotshot." Kenji said, "I bet you couldn't punch the Teddie bear in your sissy room!"
"Are you issuing me with a challenge?" Cato asked.
"You heard me!" Kenji said, "Do it, if you think you're man enough!"
"With… Pleasure." Cato said as he pulled back and laid a monstrous right haymaker at one of the lockers, severely damaging one.
To be exact, the one between Minako's and my locker.
He shook his right hand coolly and blew on it.
"My locker!" Kenji moaned.
"Oh my, my, my! Was that your locker?" Cato said, "Good. If you have any more lockers, feel free to tell me."
And with that, he left.
"Sonofabitch!" Kenji yelled.
"SHHHHH!" the librarian said.
"S-sorry!" Kenji said.
Rio shook her head.
"It seems as if Kenji-kun can't get a break from his locker-woes…"
"Yeah… as if someone had cursed him!" Minako said.
Kenji suddenly went stiff.
"W-wait… are you saying that I'm cursed?!" Kenji said.
"That's… plausible." I said.
"Holy crap! I need to get out of here! Purify myself and burn my clothes!" then, Kenji ran out screaming.
That's when Yuko and Ms. Toriumi went in.
"What's wrong with Kenji-kun? He ran out of here like a bat out of hell… Did he hear about a free all-you-can-eat Ramen Restaurant?" Ms. Toriumi said.
"Nah… the guy thinks he's cursed." Minako said, "Of course, I tricked him."
"Also, I saw Cato come out of the library, with a look in his face that'd spoil fresh milk… what happened?" Yuko said.
"Aw nothing… he went in here to file for his Captaincy for the Boxing club…" Minako said.
"Give me that for a minute…" Ms. Toriumi said, "It says here that he was recommended a position to the Boxing club by Mr. Ekoda…"
"Figures." I muttered, "What, is he Ekoda's Golden boy or something?" I said.
"Most likely. Ekoda's been buttering him up. Did you know he did the same thing for Cato and his lackeys by appointing them as representatives for the Discipline Committee?" Ms. Toriumi said.
"We knew that already…" I said, "Hidetoshi-senpai told us."
Ms. Toriumi made a disgusted sound.
"Seriously… I hate that guy…"
"Who, Hidetoshi-senpai?" Minako said.
"No, Ekoda of course!" Ms. Toriumi said.
"Oh, yeah… it wouldn't have made sense if you hated Hideto- I mean, proceed."
"Anyway, you're all free for today." Ms. Toriumi said, "Go home, all of you." she said.
That we did.
Rio and Kenji were now officially dating and since they live right next door from each other, Kenji walked her home.
Minako and I were in the same situation, both of us living right next door from each other, but the only difference was that we weren't a couple.
Although, we've been mistaken for a couple for more than a few times.
They say that we look perfect for each other; others say that the way we move when we're together says we're more than friends.
It's true, but Minako is my special friend. She means quite a great deal to me.
"So, whaddya have planned tomorrow?" she said.
"I dunno… I guess… nothing." I said.
"How about I hang out with you?" she said, "You could use a girl in your life." she said before grimacing, "I think that sounded a bit dirty… let me rephrase… You need a girl in your life. There!" Minako said.
I scoffed, "Like you need an invitation to come over! You come to my place whether I want you to or not."
"And don't you forget it." she said.
"Yeah, sure, friend." I said.
After that exchange, she went back to her house and I went to mine.
I decided to call Yukari.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hey Yukari!" I said.
"Oh, hey Minato!" she greeted kindly, "Did you need something?"
"Oh, no… I just sorta missed you as all… how are you?" I said.
"I'm fine… I guess I kinda missed you as well…"
"That's great! So… uh… are you free tomorrow? Wanna go out?" I asked.
She hesitated awkwardly.
"Uh… thing is… I have plans." She said.
"Oh… uh… maybe next time then…" I said.
"Sure."
"Is this the part where I leave?" I said.
"Oh no, let's talk for a while! What's the rush?" she said, "I hear you're the head of the Sports Committee, good for you!" she said.
"Thanks. If you want, I can offer you a position." I said.
"That'd be great!" she said enthusiastically, "I'll hold you to it!" she said.
"It's a done deal."
"Hey… you know something?" she asked.
"What…?" I said.
"… I really miss you." she said.
That took me aback.
"I… I miss you too… why can't you and Minako ever be friends?" I said.
"I don't like her… you know that fact very well…" she said.
"Please… let's try, okay?" I said.
"But… I don't want you to hang with her. I know you're never gonna go out with her." She said.
"Why not?" I said.
"Because… you're too nice and she's… well, she's Minako."
"Point taken, but aren't you jealous?" I said.
"Yes I am, but I want to avoid having to fight you. That's why I can't be friends with her." Yukari said.
"I see…"
Then, a voice called Yukari for dinner.
"That's Mom…" she said.
"Oh! Glad to see you've patched things up with your mom again." I said.
"Thanks to you… by the way, that's not my mom… My real mom's at Kyoto. The mom I'm talking to is the mom of my friend, Yuiri."
"Yuiri, the chick captain of the fencing club? Who else do you live with?" I said.
"Fuuka and the new girl, Pink." She said, "Pink is actually a nice girl… Peer pressure sucks." She said.
"Agreed."
"Now, I need to go before Mom chews me out again. Bye!" She said.
"Bye."
It was the usual thing we do on a Saturday night… dancing like drunks and playing chess using the same sketch pad we used for messaging.
Usually, two things would happen.
One, I win. Two, she cheats and she wins. Three, I win and she throws the chessboard in the air.
After that, we slept at the usual time of 10 PM.
In the morning, she went over and had second breakfast with me, Junpei, Akihiko and Leah and then we watched the Tanaka show with Leah, Akihiko and Junpei, where Leah accused Tanaka of being a rip-off artist.
While flipping through the channels, we caught the X-Men Origins movie and watched it.
Midway into the movie, Junpei cracked up.
"*sigh* Leah, looks like you forgot to give Junpei his meds…" Minako said.
"Wouldn't it be funny if Wolverine decided to give you a prostate exam?" he said.
"Ew… that'd probably hurt a lot..." Akihiko said.
"Do people like him even need prostate exams?" Junpei said.
"No way! His prostate is probably made with adamantium or something…" I said.
Junpei whistled.
"I wouldn't want to give him a prostate exam…"
"Can we stop talking about prostates, PLEASE?" Leah said, "I'm trying to watch my man Hugh Jackman slice and dice villans!"
Minako noticed me checking my cell.
"Expecting a text from me or something?" she said sneakily.
"No, it's not that…Yukari was supposed to go give me a call or something…" I said.
"Oh yeah? Why don't we take a stroll?" she said.
"Sure. Beats staying in all day like SOME people I know who shall not be mentioned…" I said.
"Hey!" Junpei said.
But we were already out of the house.
We passed by the strip mall, when I saw a familiar face.
Yukari, drinking coffee with her friend, Yuiri at the café.
Captain of the Archery club and Captain of the Fencing team drinking coffee…
"Whoa! It's Yukari!" I said.
"And so?" Minako said.
"She was supposed to go out with me." I said sadly.
"What are you gonna do about it?" she said.
"Buy ice cream!" I said.
"Yeah! And smash it into her face?" she said.
"No. Lock myself in my room and eat the ice cream while trying to cry myself to sleep." I said.
"No, genius, I have a plan. A plan that'd make Yukari love you again!" Minako said.
"What?" I said.
"I'd pretend to be your girl." She said simply.
"What?! That'd cause the opposite thing to happen!" I said.
"No it won't. Listen, I'd drag you to a big lovey-dovey relationship that's so demanding and at the seventh, I'd break up with you, and you come to Yukari so as she can comfort you. Next thing you know, you two would be lovers again! And get this… at the seventh, is also the number for the Lovers Arcana! Smart, eh?" she said.
I thought about it and it seemed like a swell idea. It sounded fool-proof and the lovers arcana thing that she mentioned was pretty clever for her part.
"Great idea. Let's go!"
With that, Minako and I made our move.