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About Us

Chapter 3

By Miki

"What are you so happy about, da ne?"

Yuuta, sprawled on his stomach on his bed, looked up from his magazine in surprise. He hadn't heard the door click open and seeing Yanagisawa's face sort of ruined his mood.

Quickly shoving his phone into his pocket, he scowled, hoping Yanagisawa hadn't seen him grinning at it…

He might say something to Mizuki, and then who knew what would happen?

Yanagisawa noticed though, and waved his tennis racquet accusingly.

"You don't have to get grumpy just 'cause I'm talking to you, da ne! What's up with that, da ne? If you didn't want anyone to talk to you, you should've locked the door, da ne!"

Yuuta's scowl turned into a glare as he glanced that way and noticed Yanagisawa had left his door wide open and there were guys walking up and down the hallway and peeking in.

"It was shut, you know," he pointed out crankily, flicking the page and pretending to be interested in Shiba Saori's photographs of Echizen Ryoma. "Normal people knock first."

Yanagisawa frowned at him for a moment before he shifted his racquet so it sat on his shoulder and stared down at Yuuta.

Changing the topic, he asked "We're going to play doubles anyway. You want to come?"

Yuuta assumed 'we' meant Kisarazu and he shook his head. Hadn't they all had enough tennis for the day already? There was no way he'd tell it to Yanagisawa, but he was waiting for Atobe to message back. Not because they were talking about anything important or anything; just because he liked getting messages from Atobe.

So he was betting his phone bill was going to be a whole lot bigger this month than ever before.

His mother might ask him something funny, like whether he'd gotten a girlfriend who liked to talk on the phone or something…

Yuuta wasn't sure what he'd say if she did ask though, because…

He was sort of – well, he thought he was, but he wasn't that sure since they hadn't talked about it – dating Atobe, and Atobe was pretty good at chewing up money by making him send messages all the time…

Except that Atobe wasn't a girl.

On the other hand, Yuuta wasn't sure if his mother would get a chance to ask him because Aniki might just accidentally tell her before then. Though when Yuuta thought about it, Aniki was more likely to hint at it to Nee-san, who'd work it out, because Nee-san always worked everything out, just like Aniki always intended her to, and then Nee-san might tell his mother… Who might send him to counselling sessions with a shrink.

"But you're not doing anything, da ne!" Yanagisawa complained loudly, interrupting Yuuta's thoughts.

It was probably a good thing, as they were currently in the process of spiralling down into the depths of his worst nightmare.

Yuuta shot him a smouldering glare and Yanagisawa glared back.

Then the door was thrown wide open – as if it hadn't been open enough before – and Mizuki marched in, raising an eyebrow at the expression on Yuuta's face. "Come, Yuuta," he demanded, tennis racquet in his hand.

Kisarazu stuck his head around the doorway a moment later, and Yuuta scowled, knowing he was outnumbered. He sat up, feeling slightly tired. Then he rubbed at his hair and kept scowling when his three team mates didn't take the hint.

"Can I get changed without an audience?" he growled out.

Atobe probably never had to put up with idiots tramping into his room and demanding things like this.

"Well, I was going to leave, but if you're inviting us to stay, then I'll just…" Mizuki stepped further into the room and leaned against the wall.

Yuuta twitched.

"… make myself comfortable," Mizuki finished, smirking at the look of irritation on Yuuta's face.

Yuuta took a moment to process Mizuki's words, and then picked up his shorts and shirt and stalked past the intruders to his bathroom.

The door slammed shut a moment later, and Mizuki, regretfully, heard the sound of the lock clicking.

Yanagisawa pulled a face.

"I thought girlfriends were supposed to make you happy, da ne."

(S)

Atobe narrowed his eyes at Mukahi.

Obviously Mukahi thought he couldn't see him, since he was committing a sin and didn't even have the slightest look of guilt on his face, but Ore-sama had twenty-twenty vision and saw everything. And currently, what he was seeing was pissing him off.

Mukahi was clicking away at his phone. Atobe assumed he was messaging someone, though he could easily have been playing a game as well. Either way, it was annoying him.

"Mukahi."

"Huh?"

He looked up.

Behind him, Oshitari smirked.

"Don't 'huh' me," Atobe retorted. "What are you doing with your phone?" he demanded quickly, wanting to catch Mukahi out.

There was a pause and Atobe heard a blip come from the object in question. He twitched.

"FIFA '07," Mukahi grumbled, knowing that Oshitari was probably finding pleasure in his pain. Stupid sadist.

He stomped on his friend's foot accordingly.

Atobe twitched.

As much as he enjoyed watching Oshitari suffer once in a while, he didn't like it to be at the expense of his own time. He wanted to hurry up and get through Sakaki's notes so they could train so he could go home and call Yuuta. Not that he was going to wait that long.

He was intending to call him the moment he was safely inside his limousine, away from everyone else who'd been trying to eavesdrop on him as of late.

Having Mukahi play with his phone while he was trying to get through the pile of papers Sakaki had left him, was not doing anyone any favours.

"And why are you playing FIFA '07 when Ore-sama's talking to you?" he demanded haughtily.

Beside him, Kabaji stayed motionless. His eyes however, were following the movements of Mukahi's hands… which were currently the objects of Atobe's ire.

"Give me the phone," Atobe demanded, just as Gakuto opened his mouth to answer.

He was fed up with the afternoon, and he couldn't be bothered trying to do anything in a less confronting manner. He couldn't even be bothered making Kabaji do it for him, which was really saying something.

Two minutes later, Gakuto's phone having been confiscated and Atobe still droning on through Sakaki's notes, there was a buzz.

Atobe twitched.

Now whose phone was it?

He cursed whoever's stupid phone had the audacity to ring while he was speaking, and looked around the room; eyes scanning the possible culprits.

"Didn't I just say-"

Ootori blinked back at him.

Gakuto sniggered.

Oshitari smirked.

And then Atobe realised the vibration was coming from the table behind him.

He spun around and stared. It was his phone.

Snatching it off the table, he glared at it, peeved at whoever was interrupting him and making him look stupid. Peeved at it because, damnit, he didn't have time for this because he wanted to get out of here and call Yuuta already!

Then he blinked at the display. Yuu.

He debated for a moment whether to answer it or not, but curiosity and want won out, and he quickly exited the club room.

He answered the phone as he shut the door behind him and leaned back against it.

"Yuuta."

(S)

Oshitari glanced at Mukahi, wondering if he'd seen it as well. Mukahi glanced back.

"You saw it, Yuushi?"

Oshitari smirked and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Curiosity reignited, he gestured toward the door. "Shall we?"

Mukahi grinned.

(S)

"You're not at training?" Yuuta asked.

Atobe thought he sounded a little odd.

"Actually I am," he corrected. Then he paused.

He didn't want to give Yuuta the impression he didn't want to talk, so he added "but I'm free to talk to you."

"Oh," Yuuta breathed out.

"Aren't you training today?" Atobe asked, curious because he'd have thought Yuuta should be on court.

Hyoutei had hardly started.

Yuuta snorted. "No; we finished early because Mizuki was peeved about something."

"Ah."

Atobe wasn't about to say he was surprised. Mizuki had always struck him as a boy who needed to grow up a little more before he could manage a team without bringing his personal life into it.

"Anyway…" Yuuta began. He hesitated a little before blurting everything out.

"It's just that… We were going to do something this weekend, right? But Nee-san wants me to go home, so would it be okay if we met up for dinner on Saturday? I can't meet up Sunday because I promised I'd be at home then but… do you still want to… do something?"

Atobe considered his options quickly.

So Sunday was out of the question. He wasn't sure why they couldn't meet up Friday night, but if Yuuta was offering Saturday dinner…

"I was thinking we could go to a place near my house… Or if you want, we can go to a place near here and I'll go home afterwards," Yuuta continued. "I have to do something with Mizuki at lunchtime."

Atobe thought he sounded a little uncomfortable. Still analysing his options, he wondered if Fuji would be home. He wasn't particularly keen to see the boy, he couldn't really say he wanted to see Yuuta's sister either, and he hadn't even met Yuuta's parents yet. But he couldn't help but want to be…

A greater part of Yuuta's life.

More important to him, perhaps…

He wanted to be the person who was allowed in when no one else was. Not Fuji, and not Mizuki, and not anyone else.

He realised it was a big ask, but right now, it was what he wanted.

"Why don't I just come to your house, hm?"

He could hear Yuuta swallow on the other end of the phone, and for a moment, he thought the answer might be no.

"I…"

Atobe stayed quiet. He pressed his free hand back against the surface of the door, needing something to get rid of the slightly nervous energy in his fingers.

"Mm…" Yuuta said, sounding worried.

Atobe held his breath.

"Okay…"

Atobe breathed out.

"I mean, I'll ask my mother first, but I think it's okay," Yuuta clarified.

"Okay," Atobe said, not knowing what else to say.

What was it that commoners did in situations like this? Oh, that was right.

"I'll bring a cake," he said decisively.

There was silence on Yuuta's end of the phone again, but Atobe guessed he was probably grinning.

"Then, I'll call you later after I've asked my mother…"

Atobe relaxed a little against the door. "Then… I'll expect your call later."

(S)

Hiyoshi didn't think it was a good idea to be doing this. He didn't think Atobe was going to take it very well when he realised that all his regulars had had their ears pressed up against the door the whole time he'd been out of the room.

He didn't think he'd want to know they'd heard bits and pieces of the conversation. And he didn't think Atobe would like it much that Mukahi and Oshitari were whispering so excitedly.

But it didn't stop him from pressing his ear up against the door too.

When he'd protested at first, Mukahi had told him to shut up because he wasn't obliged to listen, and he could just go back to his little corner and sit in it if he wanted.

Besides, Atobe was answering his phone during training time, and that meant they were allowed to listen in.

Hiyoshi refused to go back to his 'little corner', as Mukahi put it.

Kabaji didn't say anything when they all plastered themselves next to each other against the door, but he didn't look happy either. So when Atobe finished his conversation and opened the door, he found a pile of boys sprawled in front of him on the floor.

Hiyoshi thought from the expression on his face, that he should have listened to Gakuto and sat in his little corner.

"I see you're all eager to start training," Atobe drawled, pushing his phone into his pocket. His eyes rested on Gakuto for a moment. "Well, I won't stand in your way then."

He pushed the door wide open and stepped back to allow them to step out.

"Thirty laps."

(S)

Atobe watched the regulars running. He stretched his arms above his head, and then pulled his right leg behind him, stretching out his muscles.

Today was a good day but if everything went his way, Saturday would be even better.

.tbc.