Chapter XII. Confessions

The two went to another park near the harbor. Lae saw Yuki and her other friends waiting for her.

"Hey! Yuki! Sorry I was late…"

"Its okay princess…we um…"

"Sshh!" signaled Sendoh to Yuki. "Don't call her princess!! Sshh!"

"You guys did what?" as Lae turned back to Sendoh he kept his hands at his back.

"Nothing," answered Yuki.

"So, let's start?" asked Sendoh.

"You're on fat guy…I don't know if I still got It." groaned Lae.

"Sendoh-san, they're here," exclaimed Yuki.

"What's here? Nani?"

"You guys, what took you so long?" asked Sendoh as he gave each team member a high five.

"Tagokeshi had a hard time persuading Coach to have a break until Friday, but he did anyways." responded Koshino.

"Koshino-san…" whispered Yuki.

Lae nudged over to Yuki and taunted her, "I thought you never liked basketball jocks? Huh?" Lae laughed at Yuki secretly.

"Mou! Lae-san…ssshh!" irritated Yuki instantly stopped looking and day dreaming at Koshino.

"Hajime?"

"Yosh, ikoso!" howled Yuki and Lae with their team mates.

The two teams practiced hard for the up coming game on Saturday. Everyone went home as soon as dark overshadowed the sun's light. It was Friday night…

"Yuki-san…Ahum…so would you like me to set you up on a date with Koshino?" teased Sendoh as he saw Koshino glance up on Yuki.

"Sendoh shut up!" yelled Koshino as he blushed secretly.

"Sendoh, stop it, Yuki has no interest in basketball jocks…right Yuki?" Lae winked at Yuki.

"Uhm! Right." said Yuki. Koshino looked at Yuki as he went away and felt blue. "Ja na Lae-san, Sendoh-san!"

"Bye!" they both waved and bid goodbye to Yuki.

"Lae, are you okay? Your asthma? Has it been attacking you or what?"

"Nope, seems not, as I've said, I um…have recovered already… Okay? Don't worry a bit."

"You sure about that?"

"Yup, of course, I wouldn't want you to get worried again."


Koshino was just a few steps away from Yuki. Yuki was so shy to go close to him. He was pre-occupied by what Lae had told Sendoh. He wanted Sendoh to set him up a date with Yuki, that's what's on his mind. So with all his might he ran back but he stumbled upon Yuki himself!

"Koshino-san you're so heavy."

"Oh sorry. Um. About a while ago…what Sendoh said…I really want that to happen…"

"The what?"

"The set-up date…I umm.." sooner than he expected Lae tried to cling to his arms and they both went home together.


Lae and Sendoh heard a shout from the outside coming from Sakuragi. "Sendoh! Haruko's going to beat your girlfriend…because she was trained by the tensaii himself! Nyahahaha."

"Sakuragi…" The two were left blushing.

"Eh to…Sendoh-kun…I um… I'm going to take another shot before we go."

"I'll beat you to that."

Just as Lae was about to put in a lay-up shot she lurched upon a little rock, which had caused her to fall.

"Itaii!" she cried. Lae couldn't handle much pain, because when she was in Tokyo, she endured so many examinations. The examinations didn't even cure her asthma, only a bit. Sendoh kissed her cheek because when they were young, on every occasion that Lae had a bruise, Sendoh kisses her and she felt alright.

"What was that all about?" Lae blushed.

"You're still your clumsy self." (Flashback)

"Itaii" Little Lae cried because she always trips and finds herself being bashed up in pain.

"Really, you're so clumsy! Come on, stand up."

"No…huhu…it hurts really bad Sendoh-niichan."

"Iie, it will not be…come on."

"Itaii!" Sendoh blows on the knees of Lae as she cries in twinge. Sendoh kisses her cheeks and she stopped weeping.

"Come on hold on to my hand princess. I'll never let go of you."

Snap back to reality…

"It was just a kiss to make you feel better. Remember?"

"Oh yeah…I still had that big scar though." Lae was uneasy about Sendoh kissing her.

"I really wanted to Lae, ever since we saw each other again."

"What?"

"To kiss you…"

"As a sister right?"

"Why do you always think that way? Huh?"

"It's because…I'm so scared…that if I… Come on…Mom's waiting for me…" Sendoh thought that he was already dumped by what happened. So he just helped her get to her house safe.

"Wouldn't you like to come in?"

"No. I'm tired Lae."

"Okay. I'm scared for tomorrow's game."

"It's alright; you guys have practiced hard enough. Good luck though."

"You sound…different Sendoh-kun. Bye." Lae kissed Sendoh on the lips! Sendoh was astonished by the fact that Lae had kissed him. He situated his hand on his lips. A big smile never left his face after that incident. Sendoh ran while jumping. Lae hurriedly closed the door and liquefied on the floor.

What did I just do? Oh no. I'll never have the face to see him tomorrow! It sure did felt good.

What did her kiss mean? I'm so happy today…

"Sendoh? Is that you? What's that goofy look on your face sweetie?" asked Sendoh's mom.

"Nothing mom." Sendoh smiled to himself. He already forgot that he was angry at her a while ago.

"Hurry up and change. I cooked your favorite chicken curry."

"Alright." Sendoh was delighted.

"I feel that our son's in love…I know you're watching there. Guide him." said Sendoh's mom while she prays to her dead husband.

Both Sendoh and Lae slept soundly that night. They were still in shock for what took place earlier…but they had good dreams, for sure, they'll never forget what happened.