Gakuto found the ability to use his straw for blowing bubbles into his drink rather convenient. It was a great method to avoid Yuushi's questioning glance. Because, if Yuushi looked at him the right way, he knew he would just spill everything, and that would be embarrassing. It had been bad enough that he had run into him after he had basically fled from Hyoutei, having to tell him what made him do so would be mortifying. Though he was sitting across from Yuushi, who always knew more than he should anyway. He did not doubt that was the case this time as well, though one could always hope. Then again, most likely the deer-in-the-headlights look Gakuto had worn when he had run had probably given Yuushi all the clues that he needed.

"So, how far did he take it with you?" Gakuto almost blew into his straw hard enough to make the drink come out of the glass. Cheeks reddening he tried shooting his Doubles partner a baleful glare, though failing miserably.

"I don't know what you're talking about." he replied, displeasure evident in his voice. Why did Yuushi always have to be so terribly direct about everything? It wasn't fair. And he wasn't supposed to know about this. As the other just lifted an amused eyebrow, Gakuto grit his teeth, blush intensifying. "He kissed me."

"That's all?" Gakuto watched him blink, apparently in surprise. "With all that pent-up sexual frustration I thought he would have pinned you to the floor and ravished you." Gakuto was fairly sure he would have made a nice impression of a fish right then, while Yuushi just glanced at him, tapping at his nose. He always did that when he was thinking. That was beside the point though. He had been sexually harassed, by Jiroh nonetheless, and all his supposed best friend was thinking about was why he had not actually been raped?

"What the fuck, Yuushi! A bit of constructive advice would be nice here, you know. If you already go sniffling into other people's life…" Gakuto was seething. He should be worried if he was okay, damnit.

"Well then. How was it?" An inquiring look was sent his direction, while Gakuto merely blinked, confused about what the other meant.

"Huh?"

Yuushi rolled his eyes, exasperated. "How did you like it, of course. Silly." How did he…. huh?

"What the fuck, Yuushi! I'm not gay!" Gakuto all but screamed, making half the restaurant they were currently sitting in stare at them. He shot a half-hearted apologetic glance into the room, but really, there were more important matters to attend to right now than worrying about potentially getting kicked out or being glared at. What the hell was Yuushi thinking? The only ones he had ever tried dating before were girls (not that that had ever worked out, they always claimed he was either "too short" or "too girly"), and he hadn't even thought about going out with a boy. That was just plain gross. Although, he had to admit, some of the guys he knew (and Yuushi and Jiroh definitely belonged to that group) were not exactly hard on the eye. That did not make him gay though.

"Let me guess." Yuushi wore that smirk again. That 'I-know-something-you-don't-and-I'm-going-to-rub-it-in-right-now' smirk. Sometimes he really thought Yuushi should be forbidden. "It did not feel all that bad, and you actually kind of liked it." Gakuto blushed. He had not liked it at all! Even though Jiroh's lips had been so very soft, and he had smelled of vanilla, and there had been some sort of spark and butterflies in his stomach when he had kissed him, and… okay, so maybe he did like it, just a little bit. But that still did not make him gay… right?

Gakuto blushing and drifting off into his own little world was all the confirmation Yuushi needed. He would have to go and have a little talk with Jiroh later.

Jiroh was happy. He had actually gotten to kiss Gakuto this time, and it had been really nice. He had tasted so good (not like cherries or strawberries or all that stuff you could read in some trashy romance novel), he had just tasted like Gakuto. Which was actually more than just nice. He would certainly have to do that again. Gakuto himself having run away did not really disturb Jiroh. Of course he was going to run away, after all the boy thought he was straight, but the way his hands had been shaking, Jiroh was sure he had liked it at least a little. Jiroh curled up on his bed, smiling. Really, so much better than just dreaming about doing stuff to him. He closed his eyes, ready to indulge in his favorite Gakuto-Fantasy, when suddenly the phone in his room started beeping. Jiroh pouted, answering it with a slightly sleepy "Yeah?"

"Young Master, Oshitari-sama is downstairs in the entrance hall, asking to see you." Yuushi? What was he doing here? Well, he probably had found out that he kissed Gakuto, but why did he want to talk to him? Before, he had only ever thrown glances and made annoying comments no one needed to hear, but he had never searched Jiroh out himself… strange.

"Bring him up to my room, please." he answered the maid who was waiting on the phone for orders. Even if this was Yuushi, he didn't exactly feel like making his way over to the entrance. It took far too long, and he would have to take the stairs. And Yuushi wanted to talk to him, so he could come up here himself, period.

When there was a short knock on the door, Jiroh was almost asleep again. He had stayed up all day after all, and he needed to catch up on his sleep (besides which, napping was fun).

"Yuushi…" he mumbled in greeting, barely registering when the other sat himself on the side of his bed, uninvited. He grumbled lightly. Bet Yuushi wanted him awake, and for that he would have to sit up again, when his bed had just been so very comfortable.

"So you finally made your move, huh? Though I honestly must say, I thought you would do more than just kiss him." Yuushi's gaze was unreadable, as Jiroh pouted back at him. So that was it.

"I also told him I like him." he said, tone slightly reproachful. In his eyes that certainly counted as 'something more', and to hell with Yuushi. He probably thought he should have seduced Gakuto or something. Just because he fantasized about that (well, not only that, but he needn't know that), did not mean he would actually try it on Gakuto, especially not when he had just confessed. Stupid Yuushi.

"Hmm, I see…" Yuushi's eyes crinkled in amusement at Jiroh's display of almost-innocence. He knew the boy lusted after Gakuto, had seen that look in his eyes far too often, but it was sort of cute how he would try and take care of Gakuto's feelings first before attending to his own. Though that wouldn't do. "I ran into him today, you know." he continued, eyes still fixed on Jiroh's. "He told me he was not gay. Though I might have started to convince him otherwise." So he still thought he liked girls better. Jiroh nibbled on his lower lip. That wasn't good. He needed Gakuto. Him rejecting Jiroh, just because he thought girls were the better choice was something he didn't even want to think about. But Yuushi was trying to convince him that boys were equally good, right? And Yuushi was on his side… right?

"Well, Gakuto is coming over to my house to study tomorrow anyway." Yuushi smirked, sort of evilly, Jiroh thought, leaning down and speaking in a low voice. "If you're not quick I may well take him for myself." With that Yuushi (elegantly as ever) turned around, swaggering from the room. Jiroh stared after him, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He had been after Gakuto for so long, it was just plain mean of Yuushi to go and try doing something like this. Just when he had finally confessed to Gakuto. He clenched his hands into fists, biting his lower lip once again. He would not cry. Jumping up he began to get dressed again, intent on finding Gakuto. He would absolutely not let Yuushi snag him from under his nose.

When Yuushi watched Jiroh rushing out of his house from the alley next to it, he nodded to himself, smiling. "Mission accomplished."

The street courts had already emptied when Gakuto was still sitting there, thinking about what Yuushi (and, most of all, Jiroh) had said. His parents wouldn't care. They were away on some sort of business trip for the next few days anyway, and the maids were used to him not coming home at all, or at least only very late. They never told on him either.

So, Jiroh liked him, huh? And he was supposed to have liked what he did. Well, there was not much use to him denying that, he could not very well lie about his own feelings (besides, he wore his heart on his tongue anyways). But liking Jiroh back? Thinking about going out with him? Gakuto really didn't know what to do. What would his parents say? What would other people think? Of course, none of the Regulars would mind. They would nod (probably tell him it was about time) and go on about their own business. Hiyoshi had something going on with Atobe, Shishido and Ohtori were together (they were so obvious, it was painful sometimes) and Yuushi generally could have whomever he wanted anyway. Maybe he was the weird one for being the only one not gay on the team. Or maybe there was something in the water.

Gakuto almost jumped when his cell phone started ringing. Who in the world would call him at this time of the night? Normal people should already be asleep, for heaven's sake. His heart almost jumped into his throat when he saw it was in fact Jiroh calling him. What could he want now? Getting up and pacing around he finally pressed the 'receive' button.

"Yes?"

"Gakuto!" Jiroh sounded abnormally out of breath and not tired. Frowning, Gakuto slightly wondered what had happened. "Where are you? The maids at your house said you hadn't returned home since school and no one knew where you would be either. Are you alright?"

Bloody hell, Jiroh was starting to sound like Ohtori, worrying about everyone and everything. He was 17, he could very well take care of himself. "I'm fine and at the street courts. Really, there's no need to—"

Jiroh cut him off, however, just answering with a "I'll be right there!"

"Wait a second, you don't need to…. bastard hung up on me." Why the hell had Jiroh been calling anyway. And what the fuck had he meant… okay, why had he been at his house? Gakuto caught a strand of red hair and started chewing on it. That was not good. Not good at all. He did not know what Jiroh wanted, but the point was, he was coming here, and now, and Gakuto still hadn't sorted his feelings out.

"Shit." He kicked at a little pebble. What did Jiroh want? He couldn't possibly demand an answer so shortly after he had…. he had… Gakuto felt a blush creeping back onto his cheeks. He did that way too often recently, and he was not happy about it. If anyone other than his friends saw that his reputation would be completely ruined. But no matter. He had to figure out what he would say to…

"Gakuto!" …Jiroh. Before he arrived. He was so screwed. His heart started beating a little faster at the other boy approaching. That big grin he always wore when he was excited really looked cute, he mentally noted, right after berating himself. Jiroh was a guy. He did not like Jiroh that way. He was not… but why wouldn't his heart stop beating so fast?

Either way, Jiroh was too fast approaching. Gakuto backed away slowly, almost sure of what was to come. Jiroh jumped, embracing Gakuto and effectively tripping them both, making them tumble to the ground. Gakuto rubbed his head, grumbling.

"Goddamnit, Jiroh, I told you not to try and glomp me. You're way too tall for that now." He was absolutely not going to say he was the one who was too short and couldn't handle the weight. Nu-uh. Not happening. Nonetheless, he couldn't deny how it felt sort of nice to have Jiroh lying on top of him like that, nuzzling his head against Gakuto's chest. He blushed. Again. Definitely something in the water.

"Ne, Gakuto… won't you please go out with me?" Puppy eyes. Oh, how he detested them. He used them himself far too often, but they worked on him just as well. And god, Jiroh was just so cute.

Swallowing his pride, Gakuto nodded. "Alright." After all, his heart still had not slowed down, and he couldn't help thinking how sweet and cute Jiroh actually was, and giving it a try wouldn't hurt.

Jiroh literally beamed at him. "Great, because I won't let Yuushi have you." And then pressed a big, loving smooch on his new boyfriend's cheek.

Gakuto stared, comprehending what Jiroh had just revealed. Yuushi had planned all of this. Both of them had been totally manipulated into getting together.

"Yuuuuuushiiiiiii!" Gakuto wailed out into the night. Oh, he was so going to give him hell for this. And then, maybe, he would thank him afterwards.