A/N: Okay, this is chappie 16, Enjoy! Please review both (preferably lol) or either one! Arigato!
Before that, thanks to all those who reviewed and stayed with the story all this while! I really appreciates your support!
Here goes...
CHAPTER 16
"Waya, are you sure you can walk?" a worried Isumi asked.
"Don't worry. I'm much better compared to yesterday."
Isumi helps Waya to make his way to the lobby and then to the van as they are going to Ki-In today.
"Maybe it's better if you rest in the hotel."
"No. it's too boring. I'll be sitting down all the time when I'm having matches. I'll be fine." Waya reassures him.
After everyone came down and got in the van, it moves to Ki-In.
"Waya! How are you feeling?" Yang Hai waved at him. They had a brief chat and then everyone took their place and start challenging each other.
Yang Hai and Kurata stood near the counter.
"Kurata, you might be right. Sometimes watching how these kids grow could be more interesting than the game itself."
"Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"
"I don't know… I just have this thought suddenly. Shindo Hikaru changes a lot after the Hokutohai championship. Truthfully, I am surprised to see him progress so much in just a few months' time. Japan has talented kishi like him and Touya Akira and no doubt life will be more interesting with them around."
"Oh this is really rare for you to compliment me. I hereby thank you for the wonderful compliment."
"Oi, I did not compliment you. Did you listen to what I said?" Yang Hai asked in an annoyed tone.
"Well, I am really anticipating their growth. Just thinking about this makes me excited all the time."
"Ha… what about our growth? Nobody wants to anticipate that?" Yang Hai said with a smile.
"Yosh, let's settle for a match." Kurata replied.
"You are always not listening to me…" Yang Hai shook his head and followed.
The following day, they have a free day on their own. Waya who had been resting since yesterday night is nervous. He didn't know why but something just doesn't feel right.
"Ne, Isumi, did you see Hikaru?"
'Hikaru again?' Isumi spoke to himself. "No. what is it?"
"I don't know… it feels weird."
"Weird?"
"Yea… like something is going to happen…"
"What will happen?"
"I don't know."
"Hm… worry about yourself first. How's your leg?"
"I'm alright. It's nothing serious actually."
"Ah, I just remembered, I need to call home… I'll be down at the lobby for a while. Do you need me to get you anything?" Isumi stuffed his wallet in his pocket.
"Nope." Waya answered. And before Isumi could step out of his room,
DING DONG DING DONG
"Waya, how's your ankle? I brought some crackers." Hikaru peeked inside the room with Isumi standing in the doorway.
'Well, he comes in the right time. He can keep Waya accompanied…' Isumi thought.
"Hikaru!" Waya beamed happily.
"Hm? Isumi, where are you going?" Hikaru asked, seeing Isumi leaving the room.
"I'm going down to make a call. It's cheaper using the public phone instead of the hotel phone."
"Ah…" and the door closed with a bang.
"Is he angry?"
"Isumi? I don't think so. Why did you ask?"
"He looks angry."
"Nay, you think too much."
"Maybe…"
There was an awkward silence. Waya's heart is thumping louder with every passing second. Only he and Hikaru in the room… just the two of them… back in Japan, he had sworn that he would confess his feelings when there's a chance and now is the perfect opportunity. What is he waiting for!
"Hi… Hikaru…"
"Nani?" Hikaru mumbled in reply between pieces of crackers…
'ugh how can I confess when he's eating? And the sound of those crackers is loud enough to cover my voice… wait. This is a serious situation. I want him to take me seriously.' Waya battled with his own thoughts.
"Hikaru, stop eating. I have something to tell you."
"What is it? I can hear you." He continued to munch.
"I am serious. Please. I might not have the courage to tell you this afterwards."
Hikaru was bewildered at Waya's seriousness. He put down the packet of crackers and looked at Waya with a straight face.
"I… I have always thought of you as my best friend… and a… inseparable friend… I didn't know when… when it started to change…"
"What changed?"
"LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY!"
"Gomen." Hikaru was a little taken back.
"My feelings… have changed… from liking you as a friend…" he mumbled. That's it. He had said it. Waya had his head hung low. He's blushing madly and he didn't want Hikaru to see it.
There was no response.
"Oi…" Hikaru poked Waya's head with his finger.
Waya looks up.
"What is it you want to say? I waited for you to finish your sentence."
Waya looked at Hikaru in an unbelievable manner.
"Don't you understand what I said?"
"Maa… you mentioned something about changing your feelings what-so-ever…"
"NO! It's not What-So-Ever! I am serious! Can't you see it?"
"Yea… but, I mean… what are you trying to say?" Hikaru is starting to lose his temper as well.
"I'M SAYING I LIKE YOU, YOU IDIOT!"
Hikaru did not know how to react. This is too sudden. Way too sudden. He just stared blankly at Waya.
"Ne…" Hikaru began but got interrupted.
DING DONG DING DONG
Hikaru hesitated for a moment but then walked slowly towards the door and opened it.
"Hoi, you are here too?"
"Yashiro…" Hikaru stared blankly at him. Actually, he still hasn't got over the shock he just received a minute ago.
"Huh?" Yashiro stared back. He is wondering why Hikaru is giving him that idiotic look. Yashiro somehow had a bad feeling about this.
"Ne… I just remembered that I need to see Kurata-san on some matters. Em… Waya, I'll see you later." And Hikaru left.
'He ran away!' Yashiro is haunted by a terrible thought after seeing Waya's red face. 'Something must have happened before I arrived… damn! Why do I always come at the wrong time and get caught in situations like this?'
"Er… Waya, maybe I should go… I just came to check on you…"
"It's alright. You can come in."
'WHAT! Calling me in when I planned my escape? I am really out of luck these days…' Yashiro sighed quietly while closing the door.
In the room, none of them spoke. Yashiro felt pressure pressing in on him.
"How… how's your leg?"
"Fine."
Silence.
"Where's… -gulp-… Isumi-san?"
"Making a call."
Silence.
"… want a drink?"
"No."
Silence.
'Shindo Hikaru! I hate you! Leaving me to take care of this situation! Running away like a coward!' Yashiro cursed in his heart.
"I did it."
"Huh?" Yashiro is back to reality.
"I confessed to Hikaru."
'Uwaaaaaaa masaka! And he ran away!' Yashiro spoke in his heart. He did not know how to answer Waya nor does he know how to response.
"I finally told him. I knew it would be a mistake … I thought I was prepared for it… but I wasn't." Waya shook his head sadly and tears are brimming in his eyes.
"Ne… don't think too much. He… he well, he hasn't answered you right? Don't jump to conclusions." Yashiro panicked. What should he do in such situations? Someone help him!
"No, no. it's no good! If he felt the same way, he wouldn't have run away just now!" Waya started sobbing.
"Well… maybe it was a little too sudden for him… he um, he needs to think it over I guess." Though he said them but he knew they were partially a lie.
"You really think so?"
"Maa… it's just my opinion." Gosh, did he just give the boy a false hope? He wouldn't want to do this to Waya but there's nothing he can do to help now (A/N: at least don't worsen the situation!).
CRACK
The door opened and Isumi walked in.
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"Hm? Yashiro? Where's Hikaru?"
"Um… well, he said he needs to see Kurata-san…"
"Sou…" and then Isumi divert his attention to the red-eyed boy. Is Waya crying? Isumi looked at Waya's disappointed face and knew something happened. On the part of Yashiro sitting here with Waya is where the confusion comes in.
"… Since you are here now, I'll just go back to my room… Um, Isumi, please take care of him." Yashiro pointed at Waya.
"Yea… don't worry." but that sentence sounded as though they were meant to comfort himself. His heart aches to see the motionless Waya sitting on the floor.
"Waya, are you alright?" Isumi bent down and look at his friend.
"Em… I'm fine." Waya took out his Game boy and started pressing the buttons furiously.
"Is there anything you want to talk about?"
"… … …"
"If you don't tell me I can't help you…"
"You can't."
"Can't what?"
"You can't help me. There's nothing you can do." And Waya goes back to his game.
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BANG!
Hikaru ran to his room and slam his room door.
"Hikaru? I thought you went and see Waya…" Akira questioned him.
"Yea… just came back…" He went straight to the mini bar and took out a cold juice from the refrigerator.
"What's the matter?" Akira is more puzzled than ever to see Hikaru behave so unlike himself.
"Nothing…" and finished the juice in a gulp.
"Fuuuuuuh" Hikaru sighed and slumped on the bed. What should he do now? He was nervous back then. Waya's confession is too sudden… there wasn't enough time for the words to sink in his head. Now he just needs to calmly recall what the boy said earlier…
Akira stole a peek at Hikaru. That peculiar boy is staring at the ceiling. Is he thinking of something? Akira wished that Hikaru had been more honest with him. Share his thoughts and mind more openly… wait, HE himself couldn't even do it, what is he expecting from others?
DING DONG DING ODNG
Hikaru sat up on his bed. He reacted so fast that Akira jumped at the sight.
"… Akira, if anyone looks for me, just says I'm not in." he can't specifically say 'Waya' or Akira will suspect something.
"Why?"
"Just do it…" Hikaru went hiding in the bathroom, listening intently from inside.
Akira closed his book and walked towards the door.
"Yashiro…"
"Touya, is Shindo inside?"
"He… um, he…"
"I'm here. What is it?" Hikaru came out from the bathroom, knowing the person looking for him is not Waya. He doesn't think he can confront Waya for a while now.
"Shindo, a word with you."
"Alright." Hikaru grabbed his wallet and followed Yashiro out gloomily.
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"Well, what is it?" Hikaru asked while both of them walked towards the lift.
'Great. Asking me "what is it?" as if he doesn't know it… That's not funny! No it isn't!' Yashiro spoke in his mind.
"Um…" It's hard for Yashiro to say this. Although he knew the situation well, he just doesn't know what he should say to Hikaru. Plus, when the other side is a guy, it worsens the whole thing!
"Well… "Just say it Yashiro, say it! Why can't he? Why is it so difficult?
"Sorry about it."
"What?" Yashiro blinked twice.
"I mean, sorry for leaving you in the middle of the situation." Somehow, Hikaru could guess that Yashiro knew about it. No point in hiding anything now.
'Oooooh yea, you owe me one apology alright. Leaving me like that' Yashiro scratched his head.
"It's alright (A/N: somehow, what he thinks and says are different –grins-)…"
"So he told you?" Hikaru asked without looking at Yashiro.
"Yeah…" Yashiro answered. 'Oh god, we are going nowhere like this Why does this conversation sound so weird?' he stole a peek at Hikaru.
There was a pause. A long one indeed when none of them said a word.
TING.
The lift door opened. Both boys got in and Hikaru pressed G. They are heading to the coffee house. They have to pass by the lobby to get to the coffee house. It's situated on the far right of the lobby.
"Hey, Shindo, Yashiro!"
"Honda."
"Where are you guys going?"
"To the coffee house. What are you doing here?" Hikaru asked.
"I met up with Isumi few minutes ago… both of us wanted to call home. He left after that. I have been sitting at the lobby and reading papers. It's great to see you guys here… let's go."
"To where?" Yashiro asked.
"Coffee house. Aren't you guys going there?" Honda looked at Yashiro
'WHAT?' Yashiro had never felt worse than this. 'Just when I was about to have a serious discussion for ONCE, this birdbrain have to come in my way… why, of all times, must he be here to interrupt?' Yashiro is raging with fire.
Honda sweats when he looked at Yashiro… that boy looks as though he's having some really bad trauma inside him (A/N: by the way, he is. Thanks to you Honda).
"Honda, I don't think it's a good time. Both of us have something to talk over." Hikaru said. This really surprised Yashiro because he always thought Hikaru is a senseless cow. He thought that this time, Hikaru would happily invite Honda with them and he (Yashiro) was about to reject Honda when Hikaru makes the move first.
"… Uh… o-okay… I'm sorry for interrupting…" Honda's face wears an extremely shocked and unbelievable expression. He just stood there and watch as Hikaru and Yashiro headed to the coffee house.
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"What is your answer?"
"I… I…"
"Say it. Do you accept me or not?"
"We are not suitable for each other."
"How can you be so sure?"
"We just don't click together."
"I feel that we click well."
"I don't feel the chemistry…"
"But I do."
"Oh boy, I heard it… I heard it…" a blonde hair boy screams in excitement in his head. He has some big news now… Afraid he will be caught, he left hurriedly.
"Don't you understand? I just don't—"
"Whoa whoa, stop there Shindo."
"Huh?"
"You don't speak like that when rejecting someone."
"Then how should I speak?" Hikaru asked irritatedly. That is the way he speak, like it or not.
"If that is the attitude you are showing, I feel sorry for Waya."
"Well, I tried!"
"Not hard enough."
"Then what am I supposed to say?"
Yashiro sighed. This guy is totally clueless when it comes to love. Although he (Yashiro) is no expert, he somehow knows how to reject properly without hurting the other person's feelings… he knows them by natural instinct or do you call it common sense? Though it is again, none of his business, he doesn't want to see his friends hurt or loath each other due to some relationship problem.
Anyway, Yashiro thought they better get through this soonest possible. It makes his hair stand to just imagine about it. Two guys talking about LOVE.
"At least try not to use that 'hard' tone when you talk." Yashiro advised him.
"Was I hard?"
"No, I mean yes. I mean… what I was saying is that don't sound so stiff. And don't get irritated and annoyed when he responds with answers like that. You'll never know what he might say."
"This is tough."
"Not as tough as you thought. It can be easier if you have more emotions and not so hard on pushing him aside."
"I am not. I like Waya… but as a friend." Hikaru's expression softened.
Yashiro took a sip of his tea.
"Then?"
"What?" Hikaru asked.
"You sound like as if there's something else you wanted to say."
"… Will you keep it a secret if I tell you?" Hikaru looked at him earnestly.
'Oh no! Why did I have to ask? Just reject him! You don't want to hear anymore, you don't want to be involved anymore Yashiro!' Yashiro's inner voice said.
"Yea…" he answered, adjusting his seat.
-------OWARI--------
A/N: So do you think that Yashiro should just stay out of trouble and not listen to Hikaru? He is not busybody by nature but he's a nice guy who wants to help his friends 'sometimes' lol. Anyway, anticipate what our dear protagonist is going to whisper to Yashiro and who's that blonde hair boy who overheard part of their conversation? Find out and more in the next chapter!
One more thing... i had a hard time updating the fic coz this is written quite some time ago and well, after writing so many chapters for SG Boarding School (my tenipuri fic), my writing style had somewhat changed and i was, surprisingly, a little not-used-to my previous writing style which comprises of shorter, simpler sentences. But since these had been written and i don't the time to re-type them all (there's so many chapters...), i just edit them a little. All these are done for your reading pleasure so please enjoy!