Never Crossed My Mind

Summary: She didn't pay much attention to the Boy's Tennis Team, since most if not all of Hyotei's Academy's Tennis players, the guys in general, were all self-absorbed pricks! She didn't pay much attention...that is...until some annoying, bouncing, back flipping redhead insults her.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha/Prince of Tennis

Pairing: Kagome/Mukahi

Genre: Romance/Humor

Rated: M for Mature Content

-x-x-x-

Keigo was tightening his shoelaces when he saw Mukahi walking over to the courts. Looking exhausted as all hell, he watched him curiously come up beside him and slouch down on the bench he'd been sitting on. "...Gakuto-San?"

"Nai, Atobe-Sama, Higurashi-San is really amazing...and really unlucky. I walked her to school, and I think I need to reevaluate how I live my life. I'm sure it flashed before my eyes at one point."

"..."

"This must be Inari-Sama's way of telling me to better myself."

"..."

"I'm too tired for practice, Atobe-Sama. I think I'm going to go and sleep beside Jirou-San today."

Keigo watched him stand back up and leave, not sure what to say or which part of all that he should be focused on. Finally, he decided to focus on the part where Mukahi mentioned walking Higurashi-San to school. He sighed, 'that's not the approach he should have gone with.' He left the courts and headed to the courtyard, curiously looking around to see nearly everyone gossiping.

"Ah, Atobe-San..."

He turned and smiled charmingly at one of the female students, long brown hair held high in a ponytail, and soft brown eyes stared up curiously at him. "May I ask what has everyone so talkative this beautiful morning?"

"Well, I don't think it's right to gossip, but since it's you, Atobe-San..." she glanced around and sighed, walking away from the other girls, Keigo followed curiously. She turned to face him and frowned, "you didn't hear anything from me, but Sakimoto-San, Nanako-San and Sayakawa-San all saw Kagome-Senpai come to school with Gakuto-Senpai. They don't like her, and they aren't below hurting the people they don't like." As she said this, she brought a nervous hand to her mouth, as if she'd said something she shouldn't have.

"You can speak freely, don't worry about me repeating what you said."

She shook her head, "Atobe-San, the president of the Tennis Fanclub is scary...you wouldn't understand." He didn't think it were possible, but her voice had dropped even lower.

He grew curious about her worry and fear. "I'm not familiar with the hierarchy of the Tennis Club, could you explain it to me?"

Straightening a bit, she raised a finger, "Sayakawa, Momoko is the President of the Tennis Fanclub. You don't join without her permission and you don't leave without...her permission. Vice President Sakimoto, Hana has her fingers dipped into every social group and hears everything, she is the President's ears. Treasurer, Nanako, Sae is the smallest and most timid of the three, and that makes her the most dangerous of the three. She has a black belt in three different forms of Martial Arts. Aikido, Karate and Judo. Despite her size and looks, she's the muscle of the three."

Her eyes trailed over to the three girls who were talking amongst themselves near the entrance of the school, from their vantage point they'd easily see her talking to their King. She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back out of their line of sight so that he stood next to a tree and away from prying eyes.

He let her.

"Besides those three, there are four others." She glanced at her watch and frowned, "all seven girls are responsible for their individual Fanclub that makes up the Tennis Fanclub. Atobe-San's Fanclub is managed by Sayakawa-San, Oshitari-San's Fanclub is managed by Sakimoto-San and Nanako-San manages Gakuto-San's Fanclub. I have the most information on Nanako-San because I've been in school with her since we were elementary students, we attended the same martial arts classes and everything, but the others...I'm sorry. I have to go soon, I have Aikido practice soon...but, I can compile more information on the rest of the Seven if you'd like and bring it to you later."

He shook his head, "you gave me plenty of information. Tell me, how do you feel about Higurashi-San?"

"She's a good girl, good student. She's studious and can be a bit of an airhead, but she means well and isn't the type to purposely cause trouble for someone."

"Are you close to her?"

She shook her head, "no more than any of her other classmates,"

"Can you get close to her?"

Her eyes widened, "but why?"

"You mentioned that you attended the same martial arts classes as Nanako-San, right? Can I assume you'd be a stable match up against her?"

"M-maybe..."

"Then I'd like you to stay by Higurashi-San's side until I can find her better protection. You aren't obligated to agree, mind you, it would merely give me some peace of mind. We seem to be causing her trouble as of recently and I'd like to guarantee her some safety."

She nodded, "then, I guess I can do that. I don't know if I'll be of much help, but I'll do what I can."

"Thank you, and I apologize, but I failed to get your name."

She sighed but smiled a bit, "my name is Taijya, Sango."

-x-x-x-

Kagome was sitting in the courtyard at lunch time, her eyes on her book, too enthralled to notice the presence of someone beside her until they sat down. She nearly jumped out of her skin until she saw who it was. "Oh, Oshitari-San!"

"Higurashi-San, I hope you don't mind but I brought a friend."

She looked around before leaning forward and peering past Yuushi on his other side. "Gakuto-San, good afternoon."

He waved his hand but said nothing.

"He's been a bit out of it since you two got to school. Keeps talking about how you are prone to disasters."

"That's not true!" She cried out indignantly.

"It's true!" He rolled onto his knees, one arm over Oshitari's shoulder held him up as he pointed a hand at Kagome in an accusatory fashion. "A bucket of paint almost hit you! You could have died!"

"Hm?" She smiled, "maybe your right."

"See!"

"If Gakuto-San hadn't pulled me into his arms, I would have been severely hurt," the evil look that settled in her eyes as she smirked at him, was beyond unsettling.

Oshitari turned his head to Gakuto who's whole body had seemed to go rigid, "pulled her into your arms? To save her? You saved her? You left that part out..."

His cheeks were learning all the shades of red, it seemed, "I-it was instinctive, I only acted without thinking! Besides, if I hadn't wouldn't you be visiting her in a hospital by now?"

She laughed, "the fact of the matter is, nothing bad happened. I trust that even if I might pass through dangerous situations, I will continue to come out of such situations in one piece. If you hadn't been there with me today, I'm sure of it, something else would have deterred any long-term injury."

"You're sure confident,"

"Why shouldn't I be? Isn't today a testament that in bad situations, something good can come from it?"

"What good came from today? My blazer is ruined, your uniform shirt has―"

Kagome held her hand up as she grabbed for her bag, "I found out that Gakuto-San is a trustworthy person, who is respectful of my boundaries even in awkward situations and is keenly aware of those around him, which makes him fast acting in scary situations. It was nice not having to be on guard today."

"Y-you did it on purpose?" Everything he thought he knew about her, shattered into a million tiny shards scattered across a desert.

She shrugged as she pulled an envelope from her satchel and held it out to him, "I'm sorry about your blazer though, that was unpredictable."

He seemed to be losing energy the more she talked. Lifting his hand as a new wave of exhaustion seemed to slap him in the face, he opened it with mild curiosity and peered inside. A thin piece of paper, that's all there was. Pulling it out, his eyes widened as he turned his eyes to Kagome who'd already returned to her bento.

Oshitari was talking to her about something concerning literature, she nodded at whatever he said, but Mukahi couldn't hear him. He wasn't wrong about her. He had been so worried for a moment there that he'd just made some delusional character up in his head, but she was truly the person he'd thought she was. Albeit, ten times more cunning and clearly more cognizant to her surroundings, but perception aside, she was just as kind and endearing as he'd thought!

In his hand was a receipt for a new blazer. She'd ordered one with the front office and even made sure it was the size they had on his file from his last order. Address to be shipped to and paid in full. Not that he couldn't have afforded the blazer, but she'd done this on her own.

"Thank you,"

She blushed.

It was the first time he'd seen her cheeks become such a color. It wasn't rosy, it was life...the color of Sakura blossoms. Watching it paint its way across her cheeks, he couldn't help but conclude his victory over her for once. Not that he was keeping score!

"Don't mention it,"

The three continued to eat in relative peace, mostly ignorant to the onlookers in the distance. While Oshitari and Gakuto assumed it to be the eyes of their fans, Kagome knew who it was. She only wished she were wearing her shoes too at the time of their glaring.

-x-x-x-

Me: Here is chapter five, because I love you guys soooooooooooo much! Merry Christmas from the bottom of my Heart and Review so I know you care~! I'll see you all in next months BIG BULK BATCH update!