Chapter 006:
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis/Tennis no Oujisama does not belong to me. Sadly.
Bold is English. Regular is Japanese.
"Sugoi! Ryoma-kun is doing really well!" Kuni clapped.
"Yeah, that munchkin's pretty good." Miyuu agreed.
"Oishi-kun," I addressed him. "If you don't mind, I'd like to keep you company."
He put his hands up and shook his head. "Ah, no. It's okay."
I shrugged and took the empty seat. "I have nothing else to do anyways. I'm stressed over the song I have to teach to the glee club. And the teacher's just slouching around doing nothing."
Miyuu sat down on my lap. "Yeah, I have nothing to do either."
Kuni sat on hers. "Me too."
"GET OFF OF ME."
They didn't budge.
Oishi sweatdropped. "What about your lunch?"
I shook my head. "Lost my appetite." I pushed Miyuu forward, causing Kuni to lurch into the table. Kuni glared at me, but didn't say anything.
"Block D, Echizen, Ryoma, 6-0."
I peered over Miyuu's shoulder. "Ah! Chibisuke!"
He stared at me blankly for a moment.
Miyuu stood up and patted Ryoma on the head three times. "You're pretty good, kid!"
He glowered at Miyuu, who paid no mind.
"Yeah, you're doing really well!" Kuni smiled.
"Can I go eat now?"
I chucked a marker at his head. "Don't be rude!"
He simply dodged the marker and waved me off. "I'll see you later, Darcel-senpai. And Miss Showoff," he smirked as he looked straight at Kuni, whose face became a deep red. He just walked away.
"I'm guessing he's in your class?" Miyuu asked.
She nodded. "I just answered a few questions in my head, and suddenly I'm the show off of the class."
"You're probably the smartest person in that class," I said. "Ryoma probably being a close second. If he wasn't lazy about academics."
"Like you."
I twitched. "I'm not lazy about academics."
"You fall asleep during class every single day."
"Thank you, Oishi-kun." I pushed him. "Thank you for the help."
He laughed sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Kayde-chan! Kayde-chan!" I turned to see Amaya running towards me, her curly, blonde hair whipping behind her. "I have to ask you something!"
"Uh, yes?"
"Do you think I can suggest a song for us to do?"
"Ah, we just started working on one?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"E-eto… I just… I think that we should do something a little more… exciting than the song that you chose…" She twiddled her thumbs.
"Ahah! See! Even she thinks it's a stupid song!" Kuni pointed at me.
"I'm so sorry," I retorted, every word dripping with sarcasm.
"U-uhm…If you don't want to hear my suggestion… that's okay…" Amaya bit her lip. "It doesn't matter."
"Ah, no!" I put my hands up in defense. "I wanna hear it!"
"Let's do the song 'Mercy' by Duffy."
Kuni and I stared at her for a long while.
"E-eto… what?"
"Where did you hear that song from?" I questioned.
"U-uh… There's a video on YouTube that I searched 'glee club' and it was one of the top searches. They were a little bit older than us, but the main girl was around our age." She smiled. "It was kinda inspiring."
"Really? What did she look like?"
"Ah, I couldn't tell… They were all wearing, like, bandana masks."
"AHAHAH!" Miyuu cracked up. "It is you!" She pointed at me.
Oishi and Amaya stared at her like she just walked out of an asylum.
"Kayde-chan had won a competition last year, using the song 'Mercy,'" Kuni explained. "I think the video you saw was of her."
"Eh? Really?" Amaya's smile grew and her eyes lit up.
I shrugged.
"I didn't know you could dance that well!"
I shrugged again.
"Your voice is amazing too!"
I shrugged again.
"Yeesh, you really don't know how to take compliments." Miyuu said with an exasperated tone. She turned to Oishi. "You should really see her perform. She's awesome."
"Oh, really?"
I shook my head.
"She's lying." Kuni grinned. "One day, we'll perform in the auditorium. Our teacher's trying to set it up."
I laughed. "Yeah, right. He's not doing a single thing."
"O-oh, actually…"
I turned back to Amaya.
"Suzuki-sensei already booked a date…"
"EH?"
"Suzuki-sensei—"
"I already booked it."
"We haven't had much practice."
"You have two weeks."
I wanted to strangle him. "Two weeks isn't enough, sensei."
He dismissed me with his hand. "You asked for a booking, and I got you one. Now, if you would please excuse me." He just walked right on out.
"Uh… Kayde-chan…?" Kuni placed her hand on my shoulder. "Please calm down. You're fuming. Your hair is frazzling."
I breathed in deeply. "Alright! Let's get to work!"
"We only have two weeks," Haru grimaced, the dread apparent in his onyx eyes. "We're not going to do well."
"Ah, come on, Haru-kun!" Midori, another boy with a grin always on his face and untameable green hair. "You gotta believe that we can do it!"
"Yeah, because Midori-kun is always right," Reika, a raven-haired, cold green-eyed ninth grader, said.
"EY!"
All heads shot towards me.
"We can do this. I know we can." I stood in the front of the room. "All we need is to practice, and we can't waste any time just sitting on our butts, so I need everyone to get up."
Reika simply scoffed. "Make me."
I grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her up right to my face. "Do you want to be here? Because I'm willing to kick you out."
A slight flicker of fear appeared in her eyes. She simply uncoiled herself from my grasp and walked back to stand next to Haru.
I smirked at the rest of the group, many of whose faces were paralyzed with terror. But they all stood with their heads held high.
"We can do this."
"So, you made the team?"
"Yeah. Of course."
"Wow, I can feel your ego from all the way over here." I placed the cupcake tray into the oven. "I was just calling to ask you if you wanted some cupcakes tomorrow. I'm making a batch of 36."
"What kind?"
"It's white cake, but it's rainbow colored. With rainbow chip frosting. It's so freaking delicious," I swept up the icing with my finger from the carton. "I can eat the icing by itself."
"Why 36?"
"Because I live with 3 other people, there's 11 people in glee club, not including Kuni and I, there's 8 Seigaku regulars, and Inui-san, and I know that most of you won't take just one."
"I call three."
"Of course, you do."
"IS THAT KAYDE'S FAMOUS CUPCAKES I SMELL?" I heard Miyuu's voice from the doorway.
"Ohp, gotta go, Chibisuke."
"Bye."
Miyuu ran into the kitchen and waft the smell straight from the oven to her nose. "Oh, how I love your cooking and baking. I'm glad that we finally went to the grocery store."
I nodded. "I'm getting tired of to-go stuff."
"Did you already cook dinner?"
"Yeah, it's on the table."
"OOH, PASGHETTI!"
"There's spaghetti?" Kuni walked into the kitchen, rubbing her eye. She was already tuckered out from today's practice, and had taken a nap. She was sporting one of the pajamas I had bought her for Christmas. They were Hello Kitty pajamas.
"AW!" I pinched her cheek and she pulled away quickly. "KAWAII KUNI!"
She rolled her eyes at me and went to get a plate from the cupboard. "Where's Giselle-chan?"
"Right here," Giselle walked in, with bandages up and down her arms.
My eyes grew wide. "What the heck happened?"
She shrugged. "Just working hard on Archery. They said I should take a break." She rolled her shoulder. "I've been putting to much stress on my body."
I sighed. "Go eat now, please."
"Yes, mother."
After cleaning up my baking supplies and waiting for my cupcakes to finish. I look back over at the girls. Miyuu stuffed her face with spaghetti, but made sure to have a napkin by her side so sauce wouldn't get everywhere. Kuni was twirling the pasta on her fork and ate between sentences. Giselle was just poking at the pasta.
"Giselle, can I talk to you?"
She looked up at me. She half-smiled. "Sorry… I'm just not hungry…"
I sighed. "Then come over here, I'll finish it for you."
She walked over to the island and placed her plate in front of me and walked out of the kitchen. We made eye contact for about a minute before she spoke up, "I'll, uh, we'll talk tomorrow. All of us."
Kuni pushed up her glasses and shook her head. Miyuuu piped up, "It's okay, Giselle-chan. You don't have to yet. Just do it when you're comfortable."
Giselle simply looked at her and laughed lightly. "Thanks."
"No problem." Miyuu grinned.
Thursday passes, and it's finally what we've been waiting for all this time.
Or at least Kuni.
"IT'S FRIDAY, FRIDAY, GOTTA GET DOWN ON FRIDAY!" Kuni's voice trailed all throughout the house. "7AM WAKING UP IN THE MORNING, GOTTA GET DRESSED, GOTTA GO DOWNSTAIRS!"
"WE LIVE IN A ONE-FLOOR HOUSE, YOU IDIOT!"
"KAYDENCE REI DARCEL."
I groaned. "Whaaaaaaat?"
"WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD!" Kuni jumped right on top of me, causing me to shout out in pain. "GOTTA GET READY FOR SCHOOL!"
"If Friday's so awesome, why does it feel like every other day?" I groaned, pushing Kuni off the bed and propping myself up onto my elbows.
Kuni shrugged. "Because… PARTYING AND PARTYING, YEAH!"
"Please get out."
"OKEI!"
"Why does my energy suddenly come back after class is over?" I jumped around Oishi-kun in a circle. "It's like, a miracle, or something."
"Or something." He laughed.
Overhead, I heard thunder booming in the sky. I looked out the window to see rain crashing down onto the earth, like thick ropes just pouring down. "Uh, are you going to be having practice in this rain?"
He blinked. "Uh, well, I guess not." He paused. "What's that?" He pointed at the large tupperware I was carrying.
"Oh! It's rainbow cupcakes!" I grinned. I took the lid off and handed him one. "It's delicious! Ah, just take the whole lot of them. I'm done with them anyways. You can give them to your teammates."
He blinked. "Uh… Okay."
An idea occurred to me in my head. "Doesn't photography club meet every Wednesday and Friday?"
"Yeah, their first meeting was this past Wednesday."
I facepalmed. "I knew I was forgetting something."
"Why? Are you interested in photography?"
I smiled. "It's just a side thing."
"I haven't really seen you do it."
I shrugged. "I haven't exactly had time to, but hopefully next week will be less busy. Plus, I can use my video camera to record the glee club to see how our performance is going from an audience's point of view."
"Photography meets in Class 6, by the way."
I smiled and gave Oishi a quick side hug before running off. "Thanks, Oishi-kun!"
"Oh wait, Kayde-chan!"
I stopped abruptly in my tracks and turned around. "Yes?"
"You should get two of these."
"Why?"
"One for you, and one for someone else."
"Eh? Who's the someone else?"
"One of the members of the team. I think he's going to the photography club today too."
"Oh, okay."
Running around the corner and I just so happened to slam into someone.
Of course. Only me. It's a rare chance. But with my luck, anything goes.
"Ow, ow, ow!" I grasped my head and attempted to push myself back onto my feet. "You should really watch where you're going!" I looked down at my shirt and saw icing all over my bow. Of course! I looked up, ready to go off on someone.
I blinked. "O-oh. Uh…"
"Saa, I'm sorry," Syusuke frowned. He extended his arm out to me and pulled me up. "I didn't think anybody would be running in the halls. My mistake."
I shook my head fervently. "Ah, no. It's mine. Sorry. I really shouldn't have been running. I was just trying to find Classroom 6."
"Oh, for the photography club?"
I stared up at him. There was a good four inch difference. "Uh, yeah?"
He pointed to the door right next to us. "This is it."
I looked up at the sign. Classroom 6. "Oh…" I blinked for a moment. "Wait, Syusuke-kun?"
"Yes?"
"Are you here for the photography club too?"
"Yes, I am."
"Oh, then, Oishi-kun said to give one of these cupcakes to you."
I handed him the one with the most icing.
"Ah, Oishi-san baked these?"
I shook my head. "I did. But, I gave the rest to him, and he said I would be seeing someone from the team here. So, I guess that's you."
He unwrapped it and took a bite. He licked the remaining icing off his lips. A smile returning, this time, it had some genuinity. "It's really delicious, Darcel-san."
"Just Kayde-chan's fine." I laughed. I could feel my face being slightly pink.
He popped the rest of the cupcake in his mouth. He looked at the other one in my hand. "Ah, are you going to eat that?"
I shook my head and handed it to him. "Do you want it?"
"Of course."
And he downed that one pretty quickly too.
Well, at least I know he likes my baking. I looked down at my outfit. "Well, I guess I'm gonna have to go clean this off."
"Would you like for me to wait for you?"
I shook my head. "No, it's okay."
"Really, it's no issue for me."
I shrugged. "If you say so."
"I do have to warn you, you might want to walk into the classroom as quickly as possible."
"Eh? Why? Do you have a fanclub or something?"
"Perhaps."
I shook my head. "I can handle them."
He simply chuckled and opened the door, he gestured for me to go first. And then he followed right after me. He whispered in my ear. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
And the blood came rushing into my face.
"AH! THERE HE IS!"
And then suddenly it's gone and I'm suffocating under a group of fangirls.
"Uh, can I get thr—?"
"SYUSUKE-SAMAAA!"
"OH, SYUSUKE-KUN, I KNEW YOU'D BE HERE! I KNOW THAT PHOTOGRAPHY IS ONE OF YOUR PASSIONS!"
"FUJI-SAN! DO YOU REMEMBER ME? I GAVE YOU CHOCOLATES LAST YEAR FOR VALENTINE'S! AND COOKIES ON CHRISTMAS!"
Goodness freaking gracious. Who are these people?
After a few pushing and shoving, I found myself, alive, out of the stampede. I took a few moments to catch my breath before limping towards the seat closest to the window. I grabbed my camera outside my bag and scanned it to see if any damage was done, luckily, the lens only needed a polish.
After wiping down my camera, I looked back at the door where the girls were still all over him. He gazed over at me, a pleading look on his face.
I snorted. Like I was going to help him.
Eventually, all the girls found their seats and he took the seat in front of me. Causing me to be surrounded by fangirls too.
"…I hate you…" I muttered under my breath.
"OI! DID YOU HEAR THIS GIRL? SHE SAID SHE HATED SYUSUKE-SAMA!"
All of them stood up and immediately I jumped on top of my desk with a notebook in hand, swinging aimlessly. "GET AWAAAY!"
"EVERYONE, PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS!"
I looked at the front of the room to see a woman with a tight, black, bun, a bony face, and thick framed glasses. These features made her look a lot older than she was, but she was probably middle aged.
All the fangirls sat down and I hesitantly took my seat as well.
I could feel their heated glares.
Syusuke turned around to smile apologetically.
Suddenly the glares went away, and all you could hear was the girls sigh dreamily. I rolled my eyes. These girls should really get lives.
"My name," The woman at the front began. "Is Mai-san. Please call me nothing else. I am the sponsor of the photography club, and I see we have a few new faces this year. A few first years, and well, a new third year."
All heads turned to me.
"Care to introduce yourself?"
I blinked and slowly stood up. "Uhm… My name is Darcel, Kaydence…"
"And what class are you in?"
"Year 3, Class 1."
"And where are you from?"
"Uh, I was born in Tokyo, raised here for a bit, then moved to New Jersey when I was 6. Lived there 'til I was 10. And then lived to Texas until now."
"Wow, so you're from America?"
I nodded.
"What's it like there?"
"Uh… Free…?" I attempted to joke.
The girls started whispering.
"Wow, she's dumb."
"Is that how all people from America are?"
"How stupid can she be?"
I clenched my fists and felt blood rushing to my face. I hung my head and could feel the tears coming on. I bit on the inside of my cheek. I hated it when this happened. I always make a fool of myself.
"I thought it was funny."
My head shot up to see Syusuke smiling. His eyes wide open.
Oh, his beautiful eyes.
And then all the embarrassment just disappeared.
A/N: Ending it here 'cause I lazeh~
REVIEW, PLEASSEEEEE.
The reason I'm writing a lot is because I'm trying to put as much chapters up before I go on my road trip back to my home state. (NEW JERSEY, BABAY.) And then we're gonna be in New York for a weekend, then hopefully we get to chill in South Carolina again or Florida.
And I dunno, I don't like to leave people hanging.
Although it only seems 3 people really read my stories. Haha.
THANK YOU ALL. I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
You three are my favorite people.
