Unsure

Part Six: Inui Juice

Sakuno was determined to get the chain on her bike fixed. She didn't want another incident like this morning. It had been so awkward with all her upperclassmen staring at her this morning. Then when she'd asked for a hair tie from Tomo, she had wondered what had happened for Sakuno to forget to dry her hair of all things. Sakuno had explained the situation, including the part with Ryoma. Tomo had of course latched onto that part, and wanted to know everything. After telling her everything, Tomo had wondered about the 'date' yesterday. Sakuno had been reluctant, but even Ryoma had called her his friend in front of the regulars, so she told Tomo about how they had come to know each other a little more. By the end of the discussion, they had reached their classroom and started cleaning before the rest of the class had started to arrive.

"You know it's only a matter of time until Ryoma will want to take it to the next step, now that you're 'friends.' Though I still think it was a date no matter what you call it." Tomo said as she swiped the last bit of dirt into the dust bin with her broom.

"That's really how things are Tomo, Ryoma-kun and I are just friends who want to learn more about each other." Sakuno said earnestly. Tomo looked at her with a 'are you serious' look then blew out a sigh.

"If you say so." Tomo said, and then she finished with the sweeping. They pilled the dust into a trash bin, and Sakuno offered to take the trash to the burn receptacle. Tomo agreed to clean the chalkboard while Sakuno did that.

So Sakuno headed to the furnace, classes were starting in about 20 minutes and more and more students were arriving. When Sakuno passed some of them, they looked at her as though they didn't recognize her. Sakuno said "Good morning," and continued on her way. A few boys looked after her, asking each other if that was who they thought it was, before smirking they'd find out.

Sakuno was ignorant of this, as she continue around the school to the back of it. She had to pass the tennis courts, the gym and the art department, to get to the furnace. So as she passed the tennis courts she paused to look at the players.

Girls didn't have practice in the morning; they only practiced in the evenings. Sakuno had really enjoyed tennis in Jr. High and had participated for all three years, but knowing she wasn't getting any better she'd decided to not continue it into high school. She'd decided to join the photography and arts club instead.

They were doing laps around the courts, Sakuno could see them coming around the back. Inui was standing of to one side, a stop watch in his hands. Sakuno walked up to him. "Hello Inui-san." Inui turned his head to look down at her, his glasses glinting, before glancing at his stop watch again.

"13 seconds!" he yelled out, a large groan could be heard as the team speed up its efforts.

"What's going on sempai?" She asked.

"They're running timed laps, we're trying to increase their stamina. They have 13 seconds until the lap is up and if they don't make it, they have to drink this." Inui pulled out an opaque purplish colored drink that looked like mercury. Sakuno raised her eyebrows at that. She'd never been victim to one of Inui's drinks, so she wasn't sure what the big deal was.

"What's so bad about that. It's a drink, don't they want to keep hydrated?" Sakuno asked. Inui looked at her, then his glasses glinted and he smiled.

"Would you like to try it?" Inui asked. Sakuno thought about it, and knew she had time to hang out.

"Sure." Inui took one of the shot glasses from behind him and filled the glass. Sakuno took it from him when he offered it. She was about to drink it, when a rushing sound of feet and a yell of "NOOO." Sounded off to her left. Turning she stared as the pact of regulars and tennis members came barreling towards her.

The drink was already at her lips, and the sight of so many people rushing towards her that she stepped back and gulped the drink down. The group 'Ehhh-ed!' as they watched her swallow it. Ryoma stepped forward and asked.

"Sakuno, are you okay?" His hand was almost reaching towards her, his face worried. Sakuno looked at him strangely. Now that everyone had stopped moving at her, she was wondering what was wrong with them all.

"Of course I am, why shouldn't I be?" She asked. The group looked at her nervously.

"You drank Inui's drink." Eiji stated as though that explained it all. Sakuno nodded.

"He asked me if I'd like to try it." Sakuno was still looking at them weirdly. "Are you all alright. You were all yelling and it scared me. I thought something was wrong." The group sweat dropped, they were afraid to say anymore, since the effects of the drink weren't affecting her. Yet. They just shook their heads no. Sakuno looked confused but shrugged it away. Turning to Inui she smiled and handed the shot glass back to him. "Thanks sempai, it was very good, I think. I didn't really get a chance to taste it."

Inui took the shot glass back and smiled. "Would you like to try again?" Sakuno looked at him and smiled.

"Okay, sure." "No!!" Sakuno jumped. The others stood in front of her.

"Inui I think that is enough." Oishi said.

"Sakuno, you shouldn't let your guard down." Tezuka said, giving Inui a look. Just because the first drink hadn't done anything, there was no sense in testing that theory by letting her drink another.

Inui looked disappointed, for like a millisecond, then he let out a very sinister look that made the others back away in fear. "None of you finished the lap on time. That means." Then he held out a glass of his drink. The other's blanched and moved back, even Fuji moved and he was usually the only one who could stand Inui's drinks. Yet that didn't keep Inui from handed out the drinks to each of the players, and the players had no choice but to take the offered cup of liquid. Sakuno watched them all, she really didn't get what was so scary about the drink, she'd had it and she was fine. But the way the others were acting, it was if they were facing some kind of poison. When the last person had their cup, Tezuka looked down at his drink and willing himself to be strong gulped it down in one swig. The others followed his example and they too downed the concoction. The response was almost immediate as gasps, gags and choking noises sounded out among the tennis club members.

Sakuno watched as they all headed in the direction of the water fountain, well those of members that didn't faint after a couple of seconds. Sakuno was shocked. 'How had she not been sick?' Looking at Inui, she grabbed the jug he'd used to pour the drinks and poured herself another drink. It looked the same and there was no smell, so she plucked up her courage and downed the drink. There was no taste at first, but there was a pleasant after taste. Sakuno looked at her empty cup as though it would give her the answer then at Inui.

"Inui-sempai, that's pretty good. Could I take some with me? I want Tomo to try it."Inui just stared at her then he nodded to her and gave her his extra thermos. Sakuno smiled. "Thanks I'll wash it and bring it back." Looking at her watch, Sakuno noticed she only had five minutes before she needed to return to the classroom and she had yet to dump the trash. Turning she ran quickly over to the furnace, dumped the trash and then ran back towards the courts. The tennis members seemed to have collected themselves and were heading inside to shower and change before class started. Sakuno waved to a few, when she noticed the regulars standing around and talking. So as she approached, they turned towards her and the thermos. Eiji, Momo, and Kaidoh all jumped back and away from it, pointing towards it.

"Sakuno-chan is that Inui's thermos?" Momo asked. Sakuno looked down at the thermos she was carrying and nodded.

"Yeah Inui-sempai gave me the rest of it. I want Tomo to try it. It's really good." The group stared at her like she was an alien.

"Are you sure? I mean Inui give you the same thing as us, right?" Eiji asked. Sakuno nodded.

"Actually after you all ran away, I took the container from him and had another glass." Sakuno smiled sweetly. "At first I couldn't taste anything, but it did leave a refreshing pleasant taste." Sakuno looked at them. "Why did you all act that way? It seemed like you were all dying." Then her face cleared and she giggled. "You were trying to scare me weren't you. Ha-ha, you guys are so silly." Sakuno smiled, and the boys just grimaced but tried to act cool as though that was what had really happened. After all they'd all just made themselves look like complete weenies. "Well I have to go now everyone." Sakuno bowed and started walking off, before she remembered something. She turned back and walked to Ryoma. "Ryoma-kun I forgot to tell you earlier but you have afternoon cleaning duties. I was looking at the list to sign in and I noticed your name on the afternoon list. That's all. See you in class." She waved and turned walked back towards the school. Ryoma waved her off, and he and the others headed inside to change.