Shin's Point of View

I sighed morosely. Football isn't any fun unless you're going up against an opponent that's actually somewhat of a challenge. Zokugaku must be one of the weakest teams in the high school football world. I didn't even break a sweat during the game.

*BEGIN FLASHBACK*
The announcer's voice rang throughout the stadium, "Oujo easily makes a return touchdown! Zokugaku is now on offense, will they be able to tie up the score, or fail miserably?"

It was too easy to crush their offense. They couldn't even get a first down.

That's how the entire game went, almost. When we were on offense, our punt returner would make the touchdown - or Sakuraba would. I even made a few touchdowns just from interceptions.

How disappointing...even Deimon's more challenging.
*END FLASHBACK*

Why is it that there are no more decent opponents?

Haruto's Point of View

It looks like Shin's moping over how easy the game was...again. The final score against Zokugaku ended up being 98 - 0, favoring Oujo. It seems that he's been like this at almost every game since the game against Deimon in the Spring.

Did Sena really bother him that much when he finally got past Shin's Spear Tackle?

Well, on the bright side, maybe he'll be able to convince the coach to organize practice matches against more challenging opponents.

Someone behind me suddenly cleared their throat, freaking me out. "What do you want?"

They calmly replied, "You did say that Shin and I could go with you to meet your father."

Oh, it's just Takami-senpai! I almost for got about him, but what's this about him meeting my father, along with Shin? I don't remember saying anything like that...I scratched the back of my neck in confusion, "Did I?"

He nodded, :"You did. Right after that one Italian guy got off the phone with some other person who I assume is also Italian."

I muttered under my breath, "Oh, right...how could I forget about that promise?" Then, I raised my voice and said, "Then let's change and get going already!"

*twenty minutes later*

Takami's still changing...what's taking him so long? I yelled out in frustration, "If you're not ready in five minutes, we're leaving without you!"

A figure rushed out of the locker room; it was Takami-senpai. He panted, "Why are you in such a hurry, anyway?"

I screamed at him, "Because the place I'm supposed to be meeting my father at is all the way by Namimori High!"

He blinked, "Why would he want to meet you there?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "How should I know? I just know that he's expecting me there by 3PM, it's a thirty-minute bus ride, it's already 2:30, and it takes five minutes to even get to the bus stop from here."

He snorted, "Then why don't we just get in a wagon and have Shin drag us over there?"

I answered, "Because he's expecting me to be by mys-"

I was cut off by Shin lifting Takami and I over his shoulders. Before I could ask him to put us down, he took off sprinting towards Namimori.

While he was running, I realized that Shin didn't know the exact location of where we needed to be. I tried to tell him, "Just go to the sushi shop!" However, by the time I finished my sentence - we were already at Namimori High School. My eyebrows twitched, "How did you get here so fast?"

Shin replied, "I jumped on top of a truck."

Why does that not surprise me?

A stranger's voice said, "Buon pomeriggio, signori." (English Translation: Good afternoon, gentlemen.)

I asked the strange man, "Who are you?"

He chuckled, "Yamamoto Takeshi. If I remember correctly, you were supposed to be meeting your father at my family's sushi shop."

That's when I took out the directions my father gave me...and it confirmed what the man said. I was supposed to meet my father at Yamamoto Sushi. That doesn't answer the real question I want the answer to, though. I asked him, "How did you know to follow us?"

He smiled, "It was just a feeling." He paused for a moment and then added, "Come on, I'll give you and your friends a ride. If you trust them well enough to let one of them carry you all the way here, then your father will have no problem telling them what he needs to tell you."

I nodded, "Okay, just wait a minute." I turned around, calling out to Takami and Shin, "I've got us a ride, guys!"

They quickly hurried over to where I was standing, Takami arriving somewhat later than Shin. Takami inquired, "Why are we getting a ride? I thought your dad wanted to keep whatever he wanted to tell you a secret."

Yamamoto-san laughed, "Don't worry. The fact that one of you literally carried him all the way here will be enough to convince him that you two can be trusted. He didn't say anything last week because your whole team was there, and he could not tell which of his son's teammates were real friends." He paused a bit before continuing, "I assume you would have followed him anyway - but it's good to know that he trusts you enough to let you come. That's all Cavallone-sama will want to here."

Shin crossed his arms, "Really? Sakuraba made it seem like the whole thing was a big deal."

Yamamoto replied, "It is a big deal. If the wrong people find out that you knew what you are about to be told, then you and your families would be in danger. Haruto-kun hasn't got a choice; people already know who his father is." He turned to look at me, "Your bodyguard has been more alert lately, correct?"

I nodded.

He sighed, "That's no surprise. You've probably received some death threats along with your usual fan mail, but this time - the death threats are serious...people out there truly do want you dead. You were only two years old when you were kidnapped. Most children don't live past twenty-four hours, yet you're right here, alive and breathing. The family couldn't be more glad."

Takami then asked, "Why do you say 'the family'? Don't you mean 'your family'? You're not related to Sakuraba-kun, are you?"

Yamamoto-san shook his head, "Not really, no...but it'll make more sense once you talk to Cavallone-sama, so be patient for now." He tried to smile reassuringly after finishing his statement before saying, "Now get in the car, Cavallone-sama's probably worried sick." Then he opened the back doors of his car, along with the door to the passenger side. "Haruto-kun, you can sit up front."

I tried to tell him that it would be better for Takami-senpai to sit there, but he ended up just pushing me into the passenger seat. Takami and Shin had already taken their seats in the back at this point, and, now, all that was left was to start the car and head over to Yamamoto Sushi.

Yamamoto looked at me, then glanced at the back. He sighed and said, "Let's go, minna."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here's chapter three, everyone! I'm not planning on any pairings, but you can make some up if you want. I can't write yaoi to save my life, so if you suggest a boy - I'll turn him into a girl. This basically eliminates all of Oujo, except Wakana. I'm not doing this because I'm against homosexuality, but because I have no idea how to write yaoi. I love reading it, but I can't write it - unless you're okay with Haruto/Gino dating a very flamboyant gay man, because that's the only way I could do it. (Sena is out already since I've already made it clear in chapter one that Sena was a boy. If you suggest Fem!Sena, she'll end up being Sena's twin sister)