CHAPTER SIX
"Why would you want to be friends with me?" Asked Kiku in her usual straightforward manner.
"Huh?" Izumi paused, seeming a little surprised at her question. "Well, I rather dislike those fakey, popular girls, but you seem like an honest person. And that's why I'm giving you an honest answer."
She sighed. "Are you sure that's the reason? Most people seem to want to be my 'friend' because of the fact that my family owns the Tajima Corps, or because I'm famous for basketball."
"Nah, I'm not like them. Besides, I don't even know anything about basketball."
"Then I don't understand. Why else would you want to be friends? I'm cold, mean and very straightforward. No one likes people like me." Kiku said, as if discussing a bad meal and not herself.
Izumi laughed. "This! This is why I want to be friends with you! You don't really judge people by their looks, and you're not sensitive either. It's more relaxing, I guess, to be around you than those girls who you have to try and impress all the time."
She shrugged. "Whatever. I don't care either way."
"Tajima." The history teacher called. It has been a few weeks into term already, and she has gotten to know the basketball team quite well, as well as Izumi, whom she never really managed to shake off.
She stood up. "Yes?"
"I want you to work with Akashi on this project."
"Yes." She replied monotonously. Ugh, to be honest she has gotten pretty sick of the 'absolute'-ly annoying brat, and especially how he always thinks he is so good at everything.
The other girls in the class weren't pleased either. "Why is she always with Akashi-sama?"
"It's totally not fair."
"Just because she's like, good at basketball or something." She caught snippets of their low whispering, and sighed. Girls these days were insane. All yandere freaks. Which she really hated. They all say they would 'kill whoever dares to get close to my Akashi-kun', but in real life, who does that? It was just stupidly stupid and completely useless. She doesn't even care about the redhead.
Giving another sigh, she quickly scribbled a message onto a scrap piece of paper and lobbed it at Akashi.
He frowned at the totally not ladylike way she went about it, but opened the note anyway, sighing a little. I mean, he thought, a little annoyed, she could just say it to my face, whatever it is.
'My place after practise today to work on the assignment.
I've got no other time so if you can't come today then I'll do it by myself.'
'Sure. Only because I don't trust you to do it.'
'Excuse me? I am perfectly capable of finishing this measly project by myself.'
'Oh? Would you be able to do it as perfectly as I would? Maybe I should just do it.'
'Pfft. No way. Meet you outside the gym after getting changed.'
The teacher coughed and picked up the piece of paper that was now resting on the ground. "What is this?" He sighed as he read through the hastily scribbled words. "Should I split you up if you don't work together well?"
"Please do." Kiku said, with a slightly rebellious and sarcastic tone. The redhead just kept a dignified silence.
He frowned. "Actually, you need to learn to work with different people so I won't split you up for now."
She rolled her eyes a little. "Fine with me, either way."
The teacher's eyes narrowed and sniffed haughtily again before starting to teach again. What a bore. She had learnt all of this years ago. If only...
Her older brother was actually supposed to take over the company, but never wanted to. Being the rebellious child he was, he didn't do what grandfather told him to do, but instead argued a lot. In the end he gave up and Ichirou went to Saotome Academy to pursue his singing dreams. As of recently, he joined a singing group called STARFISH or something...
Anyway, back to Kiku. After Ichirou confirmed that he would never join the Tajima Corps, all the burden fell onto the girl. Her grandfather watched her more carefully, planning out her future and everything in it. He didn't expect her to love basketball, and of course, he never anticipated her mother's death. But, in his opinion, all that didn't matter as long as she succeeded the company, and not let him down in any way.
"Tajima." A voice brought her back to reality.
"Yes?"
He huffed. "Do the question on the board."
She got up and walked to the blackboard, her piece of chalk making nasty scratching noises as she wrote. Then, not really bothering to wait for the teacher's nod of approval, she turned and went back to her seat. That same monotonous routine.
Sometimes, life just seemed too boring.
Akashi walked out of the changing rooms, a little tired from today's practice. Although that demon pushed them very hard, it was working and they all seemed to improve every day. He was about to walk out to wait for Kiku, but then realised she was already changed, and was shooting baskets on the other side of the court.
"Are you done yet or are you going to make me wait for you?" He said coldly to her.
A swish of the basket indicated another successful shot. "I was the one waiting for you. Now, since you've taken your dear time changing, let's go."
Carelessly chucking the basketball back into the crate, she grabbed her bags and followed the redhead out the door.
They walked in mostly silence, neither of them acknowledging each others' presence until the girl spoke up. "I'm missing dance for this, so you'd better be grateful." Not like she enjoyed dancing much, but it had to be better than suffering in the awful company of Akashi, right?
He stayed silent (most likely because he couldn't think up a retort, and didn't want to look stupid, Kiku thought) and kept walking.
What felt like 20 billion hours later (because of the tense atmosphere), he stopped in front of a large mansion. The house was made of white marble, and looked beautiful, if not a bit cold and uninviting.
A maid held the door open for them as they walked in, and Akashi was immediately greeted by a bunch of servants, lined up neatly.
"Welcome home, Akashi-sama." They chorused.
"Sorry for the intrusion." She whispered under her breath, since beneath everything she was still a polite and well-brought-up girl.
Hearing what she said, the male turned to her. "Father is away so you don't have to be so cautious."
She gave a little nod. Thinking back to the Teiko days, she remembered when all of the GoM came over, but they had to speak in low voices and whisper, because his father didn't was to be 'distracted'.
The two climbed the beautiful winding staircase that led to the study which they were to work in, and Kiku took the chance to look at the photos and paintings hung up around her. There was a pretty drawing of a lake, and she noted to herself that she has to try painting sometime... Well, when she has time, that is... Which is pretty much never, but a girl can hope.
She quickly fished out the poster paper, and her pencilcase.
"Look, why don't you work on part A of the assignment, and I'll do the other part. We'll put it onto the paper when we're done."
He gave a brief nod and they got to work. Silence engulfed them once again, but they were both too busy working to notice anymore. Being the smartasses they were, though, they finished in no time and Kiku was soon packing up her things to head home.
"I'll walk you home." Akashi stated rather emotionlessly, as if he was only saying that because he had to.
"No thanks, I think I'm capable of walking that short distance by myself." She rolled her eyes.
He didn't reply (again) but merely followed her as she walked out the front door. The girl honestly couldn't be bother arguing with him again, so she just went along with it and let him walk her home. Besides, it was good exercise and he still need to improve his stamina, even if it's pretty good already.
She stopped in front of her house and turned to the red-haired male beside her. "We're here so you can go now."
He was staring at the house, his expression slightly softer than usual.
"How is your brother doing?" He asked, out of the blue.
"Pretty good, I guess. He's loving Saotome Academy."
Akashi nodded. He seemed to be deep in thought for a while, then abruptly turned and started walking away.
"Well, I'll be off now." He called without glancing back.
"Yeah." Kiku sighed, unlocking the door and staring into the inky black that was her house. "Bye."