A/N: Here's chapter five! I really apologize for the wait on this one… Unfortunately, I'm moving back to my dorm right now, so things are crazy, and this chapter was a little more difficult to write than I expected. Still, it's finally finished, and I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you so much for the reviews so far! And, as always: I appreciate any and all feedback/critiques/reviews/hugs. Flames, however, will be ignored.
Warning: Shonen-ai/slash/BL/yaoi/whatever-you-call-it.
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Chapter Five: Miscalculated
"Worth is not determined by success. Worth is determined by how you deal with failure."
…
"And so it is with great regret that I am prepared to relinquish my position as captain of Hyoutei's renowned tennis club," their senpai was saying. It was the end of Gakuto's second year as a member of the Hyoutei tennis team, and he had finally gotten to play in his first match as a Regular. But the excitement he had felt when he had first entered the court at that time couldn't compare to the excitement he was feeling now.
It was finally happening. It had finally come.
It was going to be their year.
He glanced up at Yuushi, but his partner's eyes were fixed on the front of the room, where the captain was still talking. Even so, Gakuto thought he could detect the tiniest hint of anticipation in those deep blue eyes.
But really, why shouldn't his partner be excited? For the upcoming season, they were going to be seniors, and it was already unmistakably clear who the Hyoutei Regulars would be for next year.
And Gakuto already knew what that meant. Their lineup was going to be virtually unbeatable. There were even rumors already circulating that Hyoutei might actually manage to beat the invincible Rikkai for the Regional Championship in the coming year.
Gakuto couldn't wait. And there was something else that was making him look forward to the season even more, despite the fact that the acrobat would never have admitted it out loud…
"I am, however, pleased to announce that my successor has already been chosen," the captain was saying. "And for the first time in the history of this club, the vote for the strongest and most capable candidate was not only predictable in its results, but also completely unanimous."
An excited murmur rippled through the crowd of members, and many of the Regulars already had knowing smiles on their faces.
"Therefore, the new captain of Hyoutei's tennis club is none other than Atobe Keigo."
A cheer erupted from several of the lesser members of the club, and even Gakuto couldn't resist an ironic smile at the proud way Atobe was walking up to the front of the room, in acceptance of the position. It was just so him, really…
"Atobe! Atobe! Atobe!"
Hyoutei's new captain snapped his fingers, and the crowd was immediately silent.
"Thank you, everyone," Atobe began, in his most self-assured tone of voice. "I am happy to accept the position as the leader of Hyoutei's illustrious tennis club. Of course, I'm eager to get to know all of you better in the coming year… And most importantly, I am looking forward to leading you all to the National Tournament."
There was another burst of cheering throughout the room, with Atobe obviously enjoying every minute of it.
Gakuto almost laughed aloud, because really, it was too perfect. No matter how many times he had disagreed with Atobe as a friend, Gakuto knew he would make a perfect captain. And that perfect captain was right…
They were going to make it to Nationals. There was no doubt about that.
It was going to be a perfect year.
…
The season was over.
Gakuto still couldn't believe it, but the unnerving silence that was hanging over them all only confirmed the truth. Despite all the training they had done throughout the year, despite their careful preparation and their outstanding abilities, despite probability and expectations and everything that should have confirmed an inevitable win for their team that morning…
Despite all of that…
Hyoutei had lost to Seigaku in the opening round of the Kantou Regionals.
And now, the season was over.
The acrobat grimaced at the recollection. Despite the roller coaster of emotions that they had all endured that day, the only thing he could feel now was the sting of their defeat. And it had truly been a roller coaster, bringing both teams to the very end of their lineup, with the entire match being decided by a final duel between the reserve players…
…
"Game won by Seigaku, Kikumaru-Momoshiro pair, 6-4."
…
"Game won by Hyoutei, Shishido-Ootori pair, 6-3."
…
"Since neither side can continue the match, Singles Three is considered a No-Game."
…
"Game and match won by Seigaku's Fuji, 6-1."
…
"Game and match won by Hyoutei's Atobe, 7-6."
…
"Because the Seigaku versus Hyoutei matches ended 2-2 with one no-game, we will have one more singles match with the substitutes."
…
"Game and match. Seigaku's Echizen. Seigaku wins with a 3-2 and one no-game."
…
And with that, it was over. Everything had come to an end with six matches on the first morning of the Kantou Regionals.
That was it. The third-years in Hyoutei's tennis club would be retiring. There would be no National Tournament. It was over.
Yes, it was over, and Gakuto already wanted to forget that the match had happened in the first place. At that moment, all he really wanted was to go home, take a cold shower, and collapse onto his bed to sleep through the rest of the awful day. But right now, it was completely impossible to forget about the match. It was impossible, because that reality was staring him in the face from every direction…
Yes, there was a reason that he couldn't forget.
The silent way that his teammates were filing onto the bus was the reason that he couldn't forget. The loss was written in all of their expressions, and Gakuto couldn't possibly ignore them. They were stunned, no, dismayed, even. Which was saying a hell of a lot, because they were Hyoutei's Regulars, after all. Nothing surprised them; nothing even bothered them. They didn't care. They were Hyoutei.
They didn't care. It was just tennis, after all.
Why should it bother them? It was just tennis. It was just the Nationals. It was just what their entire life had been about, for hours and hours of every single day for a whole year. It was every exhausting lap that they'd run during practice, every challenge match they had played as they fought tooth-and-nail for those coveted Regular spots…
And for what? For six matches on the first morning at the Kantou Regionals?
Damn that Seigaku.
Gakuto clenched his teeth, trying to will every single thought about the loss away from his mind. He climbed onto the bus and glanced around, in an attempt to decide where he was going to sit. His eyes wandered toward the back of the bus, where he and Yuushi had been sitting on the way to the tournament. Well, what did it matter, anyway? He would just sit there again…
It was then that Gakuto overheard the conversation that was unfolding in front of him.
"No, Jiroh, I really wouldn't know how to describe the mechanics of that Hakugei move… Probably because it completely defies the laws of general physics."
Atobe sounded almost drained, as he replied to Jiroh's question with nothing resembling his usual flair. The captain was sitting at the front of the bus, staring absently out the window and hardly paying attention to what he was saying. That, in and of itself, was nothing like Atobe Keigo, who was always focused on the task at hand and liked nothing more than to hear himself talk.
"Yeah, I guess it kind of does, doesn't it?… But that's what makes it really amazing, right?" Jiroh said, his eyes wide open. There was no smile on his face, but there was a distinct tone of admiration in his voice. "I mean, really, Fuji Shusuke is something else! And I actually got to play against him! I haven't been so excited since I saw Marui-kun play at Nationals last year…"
Listening to the way Jiroh was rambling on and on about his opponent was slowly starting to grate on Gakuto's nerves. He was trying to ignore it, because it was just Jiroh, and he was always like that, but really…
Did he have to go on and on like Seigaku had deserved to win?
"You know, you could just shut up already, Jiroh," he heard himself say, before he even realized that he had opened his mouth.
Jiroh stopped in mid-sentence and looked up from where he was sitting. Several of the other Regulars did the same, surprised at the way that Gakuto had snapped out the words.
"Uh… sorry about that, Gakuto," Jiroh managed, laughing a little. "I guess I was just excited…"
"Yeah, I know," Gakuto shot back, much too quickly. "You were excited, because Fuji Shusuke was just so great and all, and there's nothing more exciting than losing 6-1 in the opening round at Kantou…"
He'd already gone too far, of course. He knew that, but something in him couldn't stop.
"You probably think it was exciting that we lost the match, too!" he finished bitterly, glaring at his teammate, who looked almost stunned.
"Gakuto---!" The acrobat could hear Yuushi's voice somewhere nearby, as he tried to warn his partner to stop.
"Mukahi-senpai…" Even Ootori sounded concerned, despite the fact that it wasn't any of his business. But it was too late.
He couldn't undo it now. And there would be a consequence, of course.
"That is enough out of you, Mukahi Gakuto," a cold voice interrupted, instantly silencing all of the others. Atobe had risen to his feet, and he was now staring at Gakuto with those piercing eyes, those eyes that made him feel like he was shrinking into nothing.
"Ore-sama will hear no more of that kind of talk from anyone on this team, unless such an individual wishes to be expelled from the club immediately. What just occurred was a team loss, and we will endure it as a team, not as a childish rabble of petty individuals who are only interested in shifting the blame onto each other."
Nobody said a word in the pause that followed. Gakuto didn't even breathe.
And then the authoritative captain began again, as he glared even more pointedly at the perpetrator.
"As for you, Gakuto," he said in his frostiest tone, the one he never used unless he was truly, dangerously angry. "I don't want to hear another word out of you for the rest of this bus ride. Do you want to know why I don't? I'll tell you why I don't. I don't want to hear another word out of you, because I find it both ironic and rather repulsive that you are blaming someone elsefor our loss this morning."
It felt like Gakuto's heart was sinking lower and lower in his chest, as he stood listening to Atobe's rant. He knew what was coming by this point, and everything in him wished that he had just kept his damned mouth shut, but it was too late…
"I hope that you already know why it's ironic, but just in case you don't, I will enlighten you on the subject. It is ironic because if you want something to blame for what happened this morning, you don't have to look any further than your own shortcomings. You and Oshitari were the first to lose a match today, and that loss was due in a large part to your own incompetence."
Gakuto winced at that. But as bad as it was to be blamed individually for what had happened, he wasn't prepared for the accusation that followed it…
"What's more, your loss was a disgrace to Hyoutei and a disgrace to your already-faltering status as a doubles partnership," Atobe remarked bluntly, shooting a significant glance in Yuushi's direction. "I hope I don't need to remind you of your unsightly loss to Shishido and Ootori in the intramural matches, but it goes without saying that they also vastly outperformed you as a pair today. And as far as I'm concerned, they are the only ones on this bus who should feel proud of their performance."
Atobe's words had already hit a nerve, at least for Gakuto. It had been hard enough to watch Shishido and Ootori pull off such an impressive win in the doubles spot that he and Yuushi had always been aiming for. But to hear Atobe praising the two of them on top of it all was almost unbearable…
Gakuto completely forgot about that irritation, though, as Atobe finally brought his harsh lecture to a close.
"Even if it is too late to redeem yourselves, you should both examine today's humiliation carefully, and determine exactly why it is that you lost for the second time in one week." Here Atobe paused, if only to emphasize his final thoughts on the subject. "I hope that the two of you will consider why it is that you play doubles together in the first place, if this is all that we can expect from your partnership. Now go take a seat, and be quiet."
With that last biting piece of criticism, Atobe sighed almost imperceptibly and made a slight waving motion with his hand, indicating that Gakuto should go sit down if he didn't want to hear any further tirades.
Hardly feeling his feet moving beneath him, Gakuto quickly turned away and all but ran to the back of the bus. He didn't even notice the way the other Regulars seemed almost stunned at the way Atobe had just lectured him, and he hardly even heard the way Yuushi immediately approached the captain afterwards, even though his partner actually sounded angry about something…
"That was uncalled for, Atobe," Yuushi was murmuring heatedly, his voice sounding even lower than normal.
"Perhaps it was," Atobe replied coolly, as he sat back down. "But if that is indeed the case, than you both can just ignore it, like you always do."
"Don't take your frustration out on us, Atobe. Just because your match didn't go the way you expected it to---"
"Take a seat, Oshitari," Atobe interrupted, sounded strangely furious about something.
Yuushi's eyes flashed for a brief moment, but he held his tongue and started making his way to the back of the bus.
If Gakuto had really been paying attention, he might have noticed that there was something strange about what had just happened. The strange part was that Atobe and Yuushi were visibly angry in the first place… Both of them were known for never losing their cool, even in the most frustrating situations, and even if something was irritating them, they never showed it in front of people.
But now, they weren't making any effort to hide it, which showed that something was really off in the Hyoutei Regulars' private universe.
Still, even though Gakuto might have normally taken notice of this strange phenomenon, he found himself hardly even thinking about it. Instead, he couldn't get his mind off of the last thing that Atobe had said to him…
…
"This is all that we can expect from your partnership."
…
What did Atobe mean by that, anyway? Was he trying to say that failure was all there was to them? That they were just a couple of inferior doubles players who would be expected to lose in a second doubles match in the Kantou tournament?
How could Atobe even imply that their loss had been anything more than a shocking upset? How dare he say such a thing?
Of course, Gakuto knew that he was to blame for the way the match had fallen apart at the end. His stamina problem had caused too many difficulties for them not to lose. But that unfortunate detail didn't have anything to do with their abilities as a doubles team. Atobe should have known that.
After all, they were Hyoutei's only set doubles partnership, or at least they had been, up until just a week ago. They had been practicing together for years, and they knew more about doubles than Shishido and Ootori ever would. They weren't just some makeshift pair who didn't know what they were doing. They had worked hard together, and they…
Well, they had lost, so it didn't matter now.
Gakuto buried his head in his arms, not even noticing when Yuushi sat down near him. If he had, he might have noticed the way that his partner was looking at him, with some unreadable emotion hidden behind his glasses.
But Gakuto never saw it, and he never said a word to Yuushi for the rest of that awful day.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"So, you two want to play doubles together? Are you sure about that?"
…
Gakuto collapsed right onto his bed, completely exhausted. It had been a long bus ride home, and a long walk back to his house. And the match had been tiring enough, even without all of that on top of it. Not to mention all of the nerve-wracking stares he had been getting from his teammates, and the horrible silence that had lingered over them all for the entire ride home, that silence that had felt like a heavy weight pressing down on his shoulders…
In all honesty, by the time the bus ride was over, Gakuto had wanted nothing more than to get out of there and away from his teammates. If he had only had the energy, he would have run all the way home.
At least now he was home, where he didn't have to think about it.
About his mistakes, about the loss, about what Atobe had said…
Gakuto rolled over onto his back and glared at the ceiling, nearly growling in frustration.
Why was he still thinking about it?
It wasn't like it really mattered. After all, he and Yuushi had lost the match, and they weren't going to get a chance to make up for it. There was no point in dwelling on their mistakes. The tennis season was over now, at least for Hyoutei, and the third-years would all be retiring from the club…
Retiring.
That word alone was enough to give Gakuto that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was so sudden, and it just sounded so final… The third-years in the Hyoutei tennis club wouldn't be a team anymore. They would just be classmates and acquaintances again. It seemed so strange to Gakuto, because until now, they had always been members of the tennis club year-round. There had always been something to work for, whether it was just trying to make the team or preparing for the tournament season next year. Now, there was…
Well, there was nothing. Tennis was over.
Of course, it wasn't the end of the world. It was just tennis.
… But then why did it feel so awful?
Gakuto pressed his hands to his forehead, as though he was trying to force all of the thoughts about that morning out of his mind. He didn't want to think about what had happened. He just didn't… It wouldn't do any good…
…
"Even if it is too late to redeem yourselves, you should both examine today's humiliation carefully."
…
"Why should we?" Gakuto snapped bitterly at the ceiling. "What's the freakin' point, Atobe? We lost, and there's nothing we can do about it!"
Gakuto sat up, grimacing at how sore his legs felt. He could tell they were going to hurt even worse in the morning, and he wasn't looking forward to it. Peeling off his socks, he rolled his ankles a few times to make sure they weren't stiff.
"Anyway, it's not like I know why we lost," Gakuto added in a low voice, as he started stretching out his legs in an attempt to keep his muscles from tightening up.
It was a true statement, of course. Gakuto didn't know why he and Yuushi had lost the match. To him, it just didn't make any sense. There was no reason why Kikumaru and Momoshiro should have won against them, except maybe because of a few clever tricks and a lot of luck.
Of course, Atobe was implying that there was more to it than that. Which didn't make any sense at all.
… Did it?
…
"It goes without saying that Shishido and Ootori vastly outperformed you as a pair."
…
The acrobat grimaced in disgust.
It was putting it lightly, to say that Gakuto resented the fact that Shishido and Ootori had managed to pull off a win that morning. After all, it was bad enough that they had managed to beat him and Yuushi in the challenge match only a few days before. But the fact that they had pulled off such an impressive win against Seigaku was even worse. Logically, they should have lost that round. They were a new doubles pair, and their opponents had been very talented players, the type that probably could have beaten them in a singles match.
But they had won anyway.
It was easy to dismiss the win from two days ago. It could have been an upset, some kind of mistake, maybe an incredible stroke of luck…
But because of the win against Seigaku, Shishido and Ootori were no longer a doubles pair that had gotten lucky.
They were a genuinely good doubles pair. No, they were even more than that…
They were a perfect combination.
Frowning angrily, Gakuto unzipped his jacket and yanked it off, throwing it onto the floor by his closet.
Why were they a perfect combination, anyway? It didn't make any sense! It wasn't like their abilities seemed particularly well-matched, at least not in any special way. And up until that week, Gakuto had never even noticed them acknowledging each other's existence, much less talking together…
…
"Hey, Shishido-san? … I had fun playing doubles with you today."
"Yeah, it was fun, wasn't it?"
…
Gakuto tried to ignore the knot that was forming in his stomach. He didn't know why they were such a good team, but somehow, he couldn't deny it anymore…
They were a better doubles team than he and Yuushi were.
Maybe that was why it bothered him so much. After all, it just wasn't fair. He and Yuushi had been playing doubles together almost as long as they had been in the tennis club. They had worked hard, and learned everything about doubles formations and doubles strategy…
So why had they never made it to the first doubles spot?
Surely it wasn't because of what Gakuto had overheard in the locker room. The very thought of it made him shudder. But it was stupid, to think that the strange relationship that Shishido and Ootori seemed to have would help them on the tennis court. It didn't even have anything to do with tennis, at least not really, and anyway…
And anyway, it made Gakuto uncomfortable just thinking about it.
Trying to ignore the way his face was getting hot, Gakuto mumbled to himself, "It's just plain stupid, that's all. That's not what doubles partners are supposed to be like… That's not what Yuushi and I are like!"
He couldn't see it, but he could feel himself blushing even redder.
The truth was that ever since he had overhead that particular conversation, it had felt awkward to even be around his partner. Of course, the two of them weren't like that at all. He and Yuushi were just friends, more like teammates than friends, even. But the mere knowledge that there happened to be a doubles pair at Hyoutei that was like that…
Well, it sickened him.
Maybe it even scared him.
… Why?
Gakuto found himself remembering the match that they had just lost. He could remember how frustrated he had felt, when he knew that they were falling behind, and how he had suddenly been so worried that they were going to lose. And he could remember the sound of Yuushi's deep voice, ringing in his ears, the one that was always saying the same thing…
"Leave it to me, Gakuto."
Gakuto shivered a little, getting up from his bed and walking over to his closet. After picking up his jacket and safely hanging it on the rack, he rummaged through his other clothes, trying to find something more comfortable to wear.
It had always been that way, Gakuto thought to himself. They always played doubles like that, with Gakuto showing off all of his flashiest moves, and then with Yuushi covering up all of the holes that he had made. Gakuto was always relying on Yuushi, and it went without saying that Yuushi was a better tennis player than he was.
Of course, Gakuto knew that Yuushi was a much better player than he was…
Suddenly, Gakuto realized that he didn't know why Yuushi played doubles with him in the first place.
He was a much better player than Gakuto was, after all, and everyone knew that. He was always getting complimented on his skills, and Atobe even called him a genius. If Yuushi played singles, he might have been contending with Jiroh for the second singles spot, just below Atobe's level. He was an intimidating singles player already, but he never really tried in his singles matches. If he had ever been forced to really compete, he would have been a formidable opponent, maybe even a challenge for someone like Atobe.
So why did they play doubles together, anyway?
It was with a considerable amount of shock that Gakuto realized that he didn't remember why.
…
"I hope that the two of you will consider why it is that you play doubles together in the first place."
…
When had they decided to play doubles together, anyway?
It had been a few years ago. Gakuto knew that much. It had been in their first year of middle school, when they had just started playing practice matches against each other to get used to the feeling of a real game.
But Gakuto couldn't remember why they had decided to play doubles together.
He had the strangest feeling that there had been something odd about it, like it hadn't just been a coincidence or a random idea…
But what had been odd about it?
Gakuto pulled a red t-shirt over his head, shaking the hair out of his face. He then started browsing through the laundry at the bottom of his closet, trying to find an extra pair of gym shorts.
Even if he couldn't remember exactly why they played doubles together, Gakuto knew that they had both consented to it. It wasn't like Yuushi had been forced to play doubles… He had never even mentioned wanting to play singles. It was almost like he just accepted the situation, like he didn't care enough to change it. For the first time in their partnership, Gakuto wondered why. It didn't really make sense.
Maybe it didn't make sense that Shishido and Ootori were a perfect doubles pair. But it didn't make sense that Yuushi played doubles, either.
So why did they play doubles together?
For some reason, it bothered Gakuto that he didn't know the answer.
Still frowning to himself, Gakuto walked over to his tennis bag and started taking out some of the personal things he had brought along for the bus ride. He set his CD player and his textbooks down on top of his desk, hardly giving them a second glance, and started searching in his bag again.
But then his hand brushed against something that he'd forgotten about, and he paused.
Slowly, he took out his notebook, the one with all of his notes for geometry in it. And as his eyes scanned over the notes, some written in his tiny, simple penmanship and some in Yuushi's scrawling, sweeping handwriting…
He realized something.
…
"Simply declaring that the picture looks like an equilateral triangle does not actually prove that it's an equilateral triangle."
…
The notebook slipped from his hands and fell to the floor, with a crinkling crash.
Now Gakuto knew why it bothered him.
There wasn't a reason.
He couldn't remember why they had originally decided to play doubles, but there was no particular reason that they should be playing together. Over time, they had become a decent partnership by becoming familiar with doubles techniques and practicing as a pair. Their abilities were fairly well-matched, and there was certainly a reason for Gakuto to be restricted to playing doubles… His moves were too flashy to use in singles matches. The acrobat had always known that much.
But the truth was that there had never been a reason for Yuushi to be his partner, except that he was good enough to cover up Gakuto's mistakes.
And because there wasn't a reason for them to play together, at least not a reason that Gakuto knew about…
Because of that, they weren't really a doubles team at all.
Sure, they played like a doubles team… Some people even said that their style was like the Golden Pair, despite the fact that they had never shared that famous partnership's success. And they knew all about doubles, about techniques and formations and sign play… Yes, they had even won their share of matches, and they had been on the Hyoutei Regulars for over a year, which proved that they were competent enough to get by.
But at the end of the day, were they any better than a makeshift doubles pair of comparable skill?
If Kikumaru and Momoshiro had beaten them, apparently not.
…
"If I can see that it's supposed to be equal on all three sides, why can't I just say it's equal and be done with it?"
…
That was why they had lost twice in the same week, to doubles pairs that hardly even knew what they were doing. They were an uneven partnership. And what was worse, they were an uneven partnership that was playing together because… they just were.
If that was all that they were, then it was no wonder that they had reached their limit as a pair. The only wonder was that it hadn't happened sooner.
They weren't a perfect combination. They were just… a combination.
Nothing more.
Gakuto just sat there on the floor, staring into space. He didn't even touch the notebook, which still lay forgotten on the carpet.
Why hadn't he realized all of this sooner?
Slowly, the acrobat rose to his feet again, but he immediately felt that strange sensation of losing his balance, like he had landed one of his flips badly or tripped over something while he was walking…
…
"This is all that we can expect from your partnership."
…
Stumbling across the room, he reached out and flicked off the light switch. The faint light of sunset was still glowing behind his curtains, but Gakuto ignored it, as he walked back to his bed and collapsed onto his mattress.
He closed his eyes, trying not to think about the dizzy feeling that was swirling somewhere around his head, making him feel almost sick to his stomach…
He had never thought about it before, but it made sense. He and Yuushi just happened to play doubles together. It was like tying your shoes… it wasn't something you thought about, and it was just tennis, after all… Of course they weren't a perfect combination. And of course they had lost. It would have happened sooner or later, and it made sense to Gakuto now. Why wouldn't it make sense? Anyway, it didn't matter, because they would probably never play doubles together again. The season was over, and it didn't matter now. It still made sense, though.
…
"It's just about learning to think logically. That's all."
…
Yes, it made perfect sense.
What didn't make sense was how it made Gakuto feel absolutely miserable.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"And so now it's time for the third-years to give up their Regular spots, and the second and first-years will begin training for the coming season."
…
Gakuto frowned irritably at the piece of paper that had just been placed on his desk.
70 percent.
It was better than failing, but he really needed to start scoring better on his math tests, if he didn't want to be scolded by his parents when report cards were sent out. The last thing he needed was another lecture about how he wasn't "applying himself," especially not when he'd actually studied for the damn thing.
Somehow, though, he still just didn't get it.
"Now, class," the teacher was saying, with a slightly displeased expression on his face. "I was fairly disappointed with your scores on this particular test. We've been spending a lot of time on the subject, and I want to make sure that you understand it before we move on."
He turned around and picked up a piece of chalk. And then he quickly began writing something on the board…
X plus two equals three.
Gakuto raised his eyebrows at the simple equation. What was the teacher trying to say by reverting back to algebra? This was geometry. And anyway, everybody knew the answer to that. What was the point?
"This, of course, is a simple algebraic equation," the teacher began, turning back to his rather perplexed students. "Can anyone tell me what makes it different from basic arithmetic?"
A girl hesitantly raised her hand, and the teacher nodded.
"Because there's an unknown?" she offered quietly.
Gakuto resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Well, obviously. Everybody knew that.
"Exactly," the teacher confirmed with another nod. "And can anyone tell me how you solve for the unknown?"
A guy wearing glasses quickly raised his hand, and answered confidently, "You solve the unknown by subtracting the two from both sides of the equation."
"Why?" the teacher prodded.
"Uh… why?" the boy repeated, looking confused. "Because that leaves the unknown by itself?"
"Yes, but why? Why do you want the unknown by itself?" the teacher persisted, staring very intently at his students. But the boy was silent, and for a moment, no one said a word.
As for Gakuto, he was completely lost. And as far as he was concerned, he couldn't make any sense of what the teacher was apparently getting at.
Why? Because that's how you solve an algebraic equation! What does it matter, why? And what the hell does this have to do with geometry?
Finally, the girl who had answered the first question raised her hand again.
The teacher nodded, and she took a deep breath before answering in a clear voice…
"Because it proves the identity of the unknown."
"Precisely," the teacher affirmed, turning back to the board and drawing an equilateral triangle.
"Now, when it comes to proofs, you are doing nothing more than regarding the triangle as the unknown and attempting to prove its identity." The teacher underlined the geometrical figure for emphasis. "This is your unknown. Strictly speaking, there is no arithmetic process for finding an unknown. In the case of the algebraic equation, you are simply using what is given to you to prove the unknown's identity. Additionally, you are only using what is necessary to prove that your final answer is correct. And that is how you must use the geometrical definitions you have studied, to prove the identity of this geometrical unknown."
The teacher had barely finished his train of thought, before he was interrupted by the bell. Almost instantly, the sound of papers rustling and students scrambling for their books pervaded the classroom. The teacher just sighed.
"Well, that's all for today," he concluded. "We'll have one more review session on proofs tomorrow, and then we'll be moving on to the next chapter."
Gakuto breathed a sigh of relief. Any change was a welcome one, as long as they wouldn't be doing proofs anymore.
He stood up from his desk, shoving his notebook back into his schoolbag. But for a split second, he panicked.
Where was his tennis bag?
…
Of course, it didn't take long for him to remember where it was, as a fresh wave of disappointment swept over him. His tennis bag was sitting in his room at home. He didn't need to bring it to school anymore.
Yes, the third-years had already retired. The meeting had been held yesterday, the one where their coach had announced that the senior players would be giving up their places on the Regulars. That way, the second-years and first-years could start competing for the open spots. Since it was still so early in the year, however, there would be no immediate vote for the new captain. Instead, the time that they spent on training would help the club members determine the best candidate for the position. Additionally, the third-years would still spend a few days a week helping the underclassmen with drill practice. So the lockers in the Regulars' clubroom still hadn't been cleared out, and Atobe didn't have an official successor…
But those were just minor details. It was still over.
And it was still hard for Gakuto to believe it.
Reluctantly, Gakuto picked up his schoolbag and slung it over one shoulder, making his way out of the classroom. The hallway was buzzing with all kinds of chattering voices, but Gakuto hardly paid any attention to the chaos as he headed toward his locker.
It wasn't like it mattered, after all. It was time to go home.
Balancing carefully on one leg at a time, Gakuto removed the soft shoes that students were required to wear indoors and set them back inside his locker. Just as carefully, Gakuto slipped on his own loafers, first the right foot, then his left…
"Long time, no see, Gakuto."
Gakuto thought that he might have a heart attack.
"Y-Yuushi!" he sputtered, grabbing on the locker door to keep from falling down. "Don't scare me like that!"
Gakuto couldn't quite look his partner in the face, but he knew by his voice that he had an amused smirk on his mouth.
"I apologize, Gakuto," he offered calmly. "I keep forgetting you're so high-strung."
"Do not," the acrobat mumbled under his breath. "You just like watching me freak out…"
"What was that, Gakuto?" Yuushi began, raising an eyebrow. But the shorter boy interrupted him, attempting to change the subject.
"What do you mean, 'long time no see,' anyway? We just saw each other yesterday at practice." Gakuto tossed his head and slammed the locker shut.
"True. I saw you at practice, in any case. But the way you were completely ignoring my existence does make me wonder whether you saw me."
Gakuto could feel his face getting hot again, and it irritated him to no end.
Dammit! Why can't I stop blushing?
"I saw you," he snapped, lowering his head and trying to walk past his partner.
To his surprise, Yuushi's hand immediately grabbed onto his shoulder, and Gakuto froze. Yuushi was holding onto him firmly, but not so roughly that Gakuto couldn't have slipped out of his grasp…
But somehow, Gakuto couldn't move.
"I'm not stupid, you know," Yuushi was saying, right next to his partner's ear. That low voice of his was sending chills up and down Gakuto's spine…
"I know you're ignoring me, and I came to ask you what I did wrong this time," the tensai concluded, staring intently at his teammate.
Gakuto's heart was pounding so hard that he could hear it in his own ears.
"It's… it's just that…" He stammered out a few attempts at a reply, and was shocked at how small his own voice sounded, like he was barely squeaking out the words.
What is wrong with me?
"It's nothing!" he finally blurted out, furious with himself. "You didn't do anything! Maybe I just want to be left alone!"
"Gakuto…"
That knowing voice was almost too much for him, but the acrobat clenched his teeth and wrenched himself out of Yuushi's grasp.
"You know, Yuushi, not every little stupid thing is about you," Gakuto muttered, barely loud enough for his partner to hear him. And then he almost shouted his conclusion, as he stomped out of the locker bay. "Now leave me alone!"
He didn't look back, of course. Not even once. But if he had…
He might have been surprised by the look in his partner's eyes.
"Stupid Yuushi," Gakuto was mumbling as he marched down the hallway. "Stupid, stupid, stupid Yuushi…"
As he continued walked quickly toward the exit, he thought he heard two voices that had become all too familiar to him lately. But it must have been his imagination…
It was with disgust that he realized that he wasn't imagining it.
"Oh, hey, Choutarou. What are you doing here?"
"I thought I would wait for you, Shishido-san."
Gakuto saw both of his teammates out of the corner of his eye, standing next to a classroom door.
"Oh… Well, thanks," Shishido said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry for making you wait and all… Our teacher talks too much."
"It's no problem, Shishido-san."
What with the way Ootori was smiling, the tall second-year may as well have had a halo hovering above his head.
It was with something like shock that Gakuto realized that Shishido was blushing, of all things. He was so stunned that he didn't even feel himself stop walking.
"Right… So, do you want a hitting partner at practice today?" Shishido offered after a moment, taking his hat out of his bag and putting it on his head.
"I would really like that, Shishido-san," Ootori replied, in a voice that was warmer than sunshine. "But do you think Coach will mind?"
"Nah," and the older boy shrugged. "I'll just ask him. I'm sure he won't care."
"Thank you very much, Shishido-san," Ootori said, sounding genuinely excited. He even bowed a little, probably out of habit more than anything else. "I really appreciate it!"
But Shishido just shook his head, and took his cap off again, placing it on Ootori's bowed head. The taller boy blinked in surprise, and Shishido laughed aloud.
"You're too much, you know that?" He shook his head again. "Anyway, it's no big deal. It's the least I can do for you."
And the third-year put his hand on the blue cap, rubbing it against Ootori's hair.
"You know, it looks good on you."
"Shishido-san!"
Now they were both laughing.
And Gakuto couldn't decide whether to groan, roll his eyes, or just ignore the pleasant way that their laughter melted together into one harmonious sound.
It only took a moment for him to decide on the last course of action, and he began walking away again, only to hear Ootori suddenly call out after him…
"Oh, Mukahi-senpai! I didn't see you standing there! Is something wrong?"
But Gakuto never even responded. He shoved his arms against the door, storming out of the exit and into the courtyard.
"What in the world is his problem?"
"Shishido-san…"
Gakuto clenched his teeth, trying not to think. He didn't want to think about any of this. He didn't understand it, and anyway, it didn't really matter. He could just ignore it… He could ignore them, he could ignore him, he could ignore everything…
…
"I know you're ignoring me, Gakuto."
…
He could ignore the simple math that was staring him in the face.
One plus two equals three.
Shishido plus Ootori equals a perfect combination.
Gakuto plus Yuushi equals unknown.
…
"There is no arithmetic process for finding an unknown."
-End of Chapter Five-