Chapter Six~ A New Rival?
(Part 1)
"Go! Kagami!" someone shouted when Kagami was about to dunk, but the ball never reached the hoop, since he didn't jump high enough. Instead he landed roughly on his injured leg.
He tried to hide his pained expression by looking at the ground, but Akira knew that it would've hurt like hell.
She thought about telling her sister about it, even though she promised not to but she didn't want to break her promise.
'Is Riko blind? Can't she see that he's hurting himself?' she thought.
This day's practice, along with all the other ones that week had just been painful for Akira to watch. But that week had also been the best of her life.
Ever since they started dating that night, everything was going perfect for Akira.
She spent most of her day with Kagami but that wasn't a problem to her piano practice since she got permission from the teacher that was in charge of the music club, Yoshida-sensei, to practice in the music room, after the music club was done with it's practice.
The competition was scheduled the same day as the team's first match at Inter High ,which was in a week but even though her practice was going perfect she still had to practice everyday.
She had a good feeling about the this year's competition .
The fact that the piece she was playing, Love's Joy, was originally a violin piece, made her feel differrent, and she felt that maybe this year, she actually had a chance.
The team's practice was almost over when Akira decided to leave and go to practice for the competition at the music room.
'I wasted enough practice time, watching him hurt himself already!' she thought and left the gym without talking to anyone.
At first the room seemed empty but when Akira opened the door, she saw a boy playing the piano with two girls around him.
"Wow...Takahashi-senpai is so awesome!" one girl with the bright blonde hair screamed.
"I know right!" agreed the other; rather chubby girl.
The boy, listening to their comments, smirked with satisfaction. Akira walked closer and tried to listen to the piece he was playing.
'Chopin' she thought.
Akira stood and watched as the the boy played the piano.
'Woaah he's good' thought Akira
'But not good enough' she whispered and started walking towards the boy, a competitive smirk pinned on her lips.
When she got close enough for the students to notice her, the boy stopped playing and turned to Akira.
She knew this guy. He was the third year that was the pianist in Seirin's music band.
"You!" he screamed pointing his finger at her.
"You're the girl who asked permission to play the piano from Yoshida-sensei!" the boy said with a snobbish smirk, his eyes wide open, scaning her whole body.
'Whooaa what's with this guy?'
"I bet she's not as good as Takahashi-senpai" the blonde girl whispered to the chubby one, rasing her eyebrows.
'Who are these two again?'
She looked at them ,full of curiosity.
'Blue uniforms! They're second years!' she thought and hid her competitive smirk, while facing down, looking at her red uniform.
"Umm..hello... Im Aida Akira. It's a pleasure to meet you." she said with a fake closed-eye smile.
"Im Takahashi Kosouke" the boy said, smirking, pointing at his chest.
'What an egocentric piece of crap...' she thought, the fake smile still pinned on her lips.
"Why would you want to use the piano if you are not in the music club, Akira-chan?" He asked in a challenging and overconfident tone.
'He went ahead on first name basis already!?'
"I haven't joined this club because Im the manager of the basketball team" she said smiling, trying to be as polite as possible.
"Huh? And what does the basketball team's manager want to do with the piano?" The chubby girl asked abruptly.
'What do I want with piano? I swear if you weren't my senpai I'd talk back!' she thought.
"That's because I am a pianist"
'These guys think im useless just because they are older... why dont you ask me to play something, huh? ' she thought.
Akira had always been really competitive and that's one of the reasons she liked sports.
"Why don't you play something for us then? Young pianist? " said the boy challenging her and the two girls laughed, looking down on her.
'Ha! Now you'll see' she thought and smirked.
"What should I play?" Asked Akira in an innocent tone.
"What about the piece I was playing before? Do you know it? The sheet is there" he said pointing at the piano.
"Sure" said Akira and sat in front of the piano.
She reached for the sheet in front of her and read out loud: "Chopin Valse 10, Op. 69, No. 2."
She could hear the laughter of that chubby girl that didn't even bother to introduce herself.
'We'll see who's gonna have the last laugh' she thought and placed the sheets in order.
She took a look at the notes and a faint cunning smirk appeared on her lips. It was so easy that she could play it while reading it, eventhough she was never particularly good at it.
'Piece of cake' she thought and started playing.
(Part 2)
A warm applause followed the ending notes of her playing.
She stood up and looked down from the stage only to see that Riko, Kagami, Izuki and Hyuuga were also there. She could also see Kuroko, hidden behind Kagami.
'No wonder I didnt notice him at first. He's the phantom man after all' she thought.
She smiled at their applause and felt her blood pressure rising, resulting in her looking red like a tomato.
'When did they get here anyway?'
"Yes,yes...you did amazing Akira-chan!" the brown heaired boy in green uniform shouted while clapping slowly.
"You even played it better than I did! Congratulations! "
'Umm what's with his reaction!?'
Akira stared at Riko. She was cracking her fingers looking at Takahashi Kosouke, ready to beat him up.
"Oii Takahashi! Don't you dare underestimate my little sis or I'll beat your ass" screamed Riko messing with the boy's hair.
'Everyone!' a deep low voice was heard from the door and everyone stopped and looked at that direction.
It was Yoshida-sensei.
"Kosouke-kun, Kaede-chan and everyone from the Basketball club... How about leaving Akira-chan to practice her piece?
Im not sure clapping or making her play something else, like Kosouke-kun's solo piece, will help her".
Silence fell in the room.
'Thanks a ton Yoshida-sensei' thought Akira and nodded with a smile when he looked at her.
"Yes...we're sorry sensei" bowed Takahashi Kosouke and left the room along with the chubby girl, Kaede, or whatever her name was. The Basketball team members also followed them outside the door.
"Akira! Don't forget to lock the gym after you're done!" screamed Riko while waving her goodbye.
'For god's shake!Can't you do that yoursef?'she thought. Only the thought of having to go back inside to lock made her feel bored.
"Yes ne-chan! I'll make sure" she shouted with a boring tone in her voice.
She sat infront of the piano once again and closed the book that was open.
'Chopin Valses huh?' she thought and all the memories of her failing to pass the competition came to her mind.
She held the book and threw it off the stage not wanting to remember. She was gonna make it this year! She had to!
"You'd better pick this up after you're done, Akira-chan" Yoshida sensei said walking towards her.
'Shit! He's still here? Just when I thought I was alone!'
"Yes! Im sorry sensei, I'll pick it up" she said embarassed.
"I understand that Kosouke-kun can be a little...erratic at times, but that's no reason to throw th-"
"It wasn't because of him..." Akira said interrupting him.
"Its just...this album of Valses sort of... brings back unwanted memories" she said facing the ground.
"Is that so? Then leave it there" he said laughing.
'What? That was unexpected...' thought Akira suprised.
"I'll make sure to pick it up" said Akira laughing.
"Why don't you play Love's Joy then? I want to ask you something afterwards." He said, taking a seat off the stage
Akira nodded and started playing.
(Part 3)
It was 8 p.m. when she finished practice.
Everyone had left the school and it was starting to get dark.
She was heading to the gym to lock, as she promised to Riko, with a bored and tired expression on her face.
"Im so hungry!' she thought and tried to guess what she'd have for dinner at home.
'I wonder what mom will say about what Yoshida-sensei told me...to play in Serin's music band concert eventhough Im not part of the club...It sure is an honor, right?' she thought.
'But playing a duet with Takahashi Kosouke!? Not a good idea...'
'So troublesome...' she exhailed.
She was almost at the gym when she heard the sound of a basketball bouncing.
'Who's still inside!?'
She opened the door only to see Kagami Taiga playing basketball by himself.
He was wearing his jeans and a red T-shirt, matching his hair and eyes.
"Yo!" he said when he saw her, walking towards her.
Akira moved a few steps back out of instict.
"Don't worry im not stinky this time" he laughed pulling her into a tight hug.
"What are you still doing here?" she asked suprised.
"Hmm...I wonder.." he teased looking at her in the eyes.
"Maybe...waiting for you?" he said smiling.
"Thanks" she said placing a small kiss on his lips.
"Wanna go grab a bite?" he proposed, putting his arm around her neck as she was locking the gym.
"Your treat!" she said with a smirk on her face.
He smirked too and held her hand, walking out of the school ground.
