I dedicate this chapter to aviann te and Hi Hikari no Kaze. Dudes, you rock!
This is probably one of the chapters that took me forever to finish. Lol, blame it on the Angst Contest and me staying in the city for more than a month. (But I quit the contest already.)
I am pissed. Know why? I stayed in the city for a month and only had gotten to watch TWO episodes of Alex-san my love. I got to watch his full blown appearance while I packed my bags for home (had the liberty to scream).
Trust me, that dude is the only person I stuck with for more than 4 years. Even if he's 4 years older than me (in the beginning of his 1st appearance), I still think this dude is the perfect guy. He's cute and badass without looking all moe. I mean, he has abs for goodness sake!
Review Corner
ZiaLiaLis- Girl you said too much! You shouldn't have said who you prefer because I know already since the beginning. Thanks for the reviews though. *Hugs you*
AlouetteXxx aka Ceruleanandgray- You can be honest with me and tell me that chapter sucked badly. I won't blame you. ;)
Cuore l'anima della-Lol, IDK.
EK12- Eh… threesome? Don't understand you there. XD
Taira-keimei- Lol thanks. Give me your e-mail add (via PM) and I'll be specifying what I need. :D
Aika Rainsworth- Thanks! So nice of you!
Hydro Dexter- Thank you very much! You are too kind. :3
Hi Hikari no Kaze- Thank you dear! Hope you like this chapter!
Lejoloce of namimori- It's actually (1-3). Kyoko won already in the baseball game. :D
aviann te- Lol, thanks for pointing that out. I appreciate it. :)) And tell me his name! (Let's SKYPE when we have the time).
Michiiyu- Thank you! Nah, this story isn't good. I admit it myself and it's probably popular because of the fangirl-inserts.
CrimsonStar10- Ok then. :D
Finally,'DalisaY-17', you owe me a reply. Seriously. It's been… five months? D:
Warning: You might become nuts reading this. Seriously, there's no logic here. And then I rushed it- again. Sorry.
'Super Bass'
(The author's been playing this on TTRIV for quite some time now)
~K27~
I never expected that there will be a quiz in Math.
I mean the teacher would often warn us about the quiz a day before.
And just after that- that- that- (ugh, I can't even call him names) distracts me enough to just stare at him once he's not looking. Even if I try looking away, my eyes seem to be moving on their own.
Oh gawd, something is definitely wrong with me.
And then sensei has to ruin it all by telling us there's a quiz- in the new chapter.
I know- I should've reviewed this already. I usually review but brainstorming for the defeat of Sawada Tsunayoshi kinda took more than half of my study time.
Well what I've sown will I know reap. And to be honest, what I'm going to reap is bad enough to tarnish my grades.
So the teacher gave us our test papers and I avoided seeing him as much as possible.
But I couldn't concentrate- his face- that incident two days ago and the incident before that keeps popping in my mind. The problems in the papers though seem a little familiar enough, but I couldn't answer most of them.
Guess who had the highest grade?
It wasn't Tsuna-san.
It was Haru AND Gokudera-kun.
Umm… twist of fate much?
Tsuna-san was higher than me by one point- as usual. But both our grades barely made it to passing.
And he was really okay with that!
Darn, I don't get him. He had sullied his good marks in this one incident and I swore to hearing this when Gokudera-kun talked to him:
Gokudera-kun: Tenth! What happened to you? You- your grades are lower than mine!
Tsuna-san: Hn? Ah, congratulations Gokudera-kun.
Gokudera-kun: I'm truly sorry Tenth!
Tsuna-san: It's nobody's fault. You may go now. I'll do better next time.
*Abrupt end of conversation*
Before Gokudera-kun could respond, Haru comes slamming into the picture.
"You freakin copied my test answers didn't you? Yes you did!"
"You just answered your idiotic question, stupid hag!"
"Shinee Baldie is now a copycat!" Haru didn't seem to be listening to him at all.
"God, shut up! Don't call me a baldie you stupid tomboy!"
Haru gasps. "You dare call me a tomboy? Die!"
"But Haru-chan," I try butting in. "You are like, beside me in the seating arrangement. Gokudera-kun's in front of me. There's no way he could copy you then."
"Eh but Kyoko-chan-" Haru wails.
"Anyway, shouldn't we be worrying about what that baseball moron said earlier?" Gokudera-kun cuts in. "We should see what groups we're in."
"Eh, good idea," I try steering the argument clear out of the way. Gokudera is pretty smart enough to let us think ahead for tomorrow.
Haru folds her arms and races ahead of Gokudera-kun out of the classroom to check out the class bulletin.
"You alright, Kyoko-san?" Tsuna-san catches up with me as I open the door.
"I'm okay getting stomped on with my marks. Why? You don't like your grade?" I scoff when we step outside.
Tsuna-san shrugs.
"Figures. I don't really get you," I huff and proceed to the bulletin. There's the crowd already, pushing one another around to figure out who they're partners will be for tomorrow.
"Kyoko-san."
I turn and see him pace towards me until we were walking side-by-side.
"Let's just do our best next time then," he grins as he holds out his hand.
I stop. I could feel it- the beating- the beating inside of me pulsating faster and faster till I met his eyes.
"You shouldn't be minding me you know. Since we are rivals and all," I close my eyes as I shook his warm hands and feel the electricity coming from his fingers and flow into mine.
Tsuna-san merely grins at me as if what I said was a joke. "Kyoko-san honestly, you're the only one thinking that this is a competition."
"Don't turn it around. You started it!" Oh this guy… he says that I started this in the first place?
"Hn. You really are like your brother," he just lets me proceed to the board, where Gokudera grinning from ear to ear elbows me painfully. Geez, I'm not a boy for crying out loud.
"Kyoko-san! I'm your partner for the race tomorrow. It's going to go for two days and will start at Kokuyo and end probably by Namimori bay."
I just stare at Gokudera-kun. Did I just hear him right?
"Then Haru-chan's partner is-?"
Haru then began to dance as she made her way out of the throng of students.
"Yamamoto-san is mine!" Haru screams at me and dances me along. I couldn't share the same euphoria she had. Oh my gawd, how the hell then can we beat this?
"Then who the hell is Tsuna-san's partner-" I was cut off by the ringing of the bell. Oh gawd, the development is not in our favor this time! Why if there's a quiz in the next class I ought to-
"Gokudera-kun, meet me after school at my house," I tell him now before I forget. He just nods and gives a thumbs-up as he continues to class (and arguing with an ecstatic Haru on the way).
I'll be having an appointment with Reborn-chan later on the bike we'll use for tomorrow after this class.
~K27~
Onii-chan was just as surprised at Gokudera-kun when he saw him with me at the doorstep an hour later after school.
"You're letting the egghead sleep here?"
I nod. "Onii-chan, he's gonna stay in my room tonight."
"You're gonna let me stay in your what-?"
I just continue walking past onii-chan and open the door.
"You're not going into my house without my extreme permission."
"Onii-chan, this is our house, remember?"
"Yes. But to not extremely get my consent Kyoko-"
"You're not going to give your consent even if I tell you."
"Hmm.. that's true. But Kyoko-"
"Here," I search my bag and find the slip Reborn ordered me to give my brother an hour ago.
Onii-chan immediately snatches it and reads the contents. His expression softens as he finishes reading. He rolls it carefully and then hands it back to me.
"If you try to do anything bad to my little sister I will make sure to EXTREMELY punish you," he says as he goes inside.
I wink at Gokudera-kun. Whatever's written in there must've been cold blackmail. As I push Gokudera-kun inside I quickly unroll it and take a quick peek:
Ryohei,
If you consent to letting Gokudera Hayato sleep in your home for this night only. I will guarantee that your partner for the race tomorrow will be 'that person'.
Yours,
Master Pao-Pao
P.S. If Gokudera Hayato manages to do something bad to your sister, you can do what you will. (Colon, close parenthesis and semi-colon, close parenthesis)
(Colon, number three)
(capital letter X, capital letter D)
"Kyoko!"
"Coming onii-chan!" I holler back as I stuff the slip in my school bag and hurry inside.
Who is 'that person'?
~K27~
"More soup?" I suggest meekly at dinner time. Gokudera-kun and onii-chan have already finished their fourth course and were silently throwing death-glares at each other across the table.
They never reply and eat whatever I shove on their plates. What's impressive is they never break eye-contact while doing it.
"Want some more cake?" I push forward the cheesecake I bought the day before and never got to finish.
I can still hear no reply.
I sigh and then stand up to take their finished plates and place them on the sink. Geez, men.
They continue to ignore me.
The minutes that I clean the table and wash the dishes were all in silence.
By the time I finish and wipe my hands, I come back to the table and tap Gokudera-kun's shoulder.
"Let's go to my room Gokudera-kun-"
"I WON'T EXTREMELY LET YOU COME NEAR MY SISTER YOU EGGHEAD!" Onii-chan finally bellows, throwing the table away and his fists up. Gokudera-kun had to shield me to prevent it from hitting me.
"I DON'T FREAKIN CARE WHATEVER YOU WANNA THINK!" Gokudera-kun shouts back, his right fist at the ready.
"WELL I EXTREMELY CARE (SINCE I EXTREMELY SAID IT)!" Onii-chan then prepares to deliver the first blow.
Ugh. This is DEFINITELY not the time for Onii-chan to go on berserk mode.
~K27~
"Onii-chan, why are you in my room?"
"I am sleeping here with you if you won't let the egghead sleep elsewhere!"
"Gawd, onii-chan I am not in the mood to argue with you ok?"
"Suck on it lawn head!"
"Gokudera-kun, don't involve yourself already."
I push and push onii-chan head-on to the door, but he won't budge.
"I am extremely going to sleep here Kyoko!"
"I'm so going to tell on you! I'll tell that Master Pao-Pao or whatever to shut you out!"
Onii-chan stopped.
"If you told him I will extremely- mpphhh!"
Satisfied of shutting him out, I roll the futon that Gokudera-kun will sleep in later. After that, I roll down the blinds of my window and lock it too in case Onii-chan will try another way to ruin our plans.
I dumbly ordered Gokudera-kun to sit on the futon as I lie also opposite him. Taking my bag with me, I unzip and take the blueprint Reborn-chan gave me earlier.
"Turned out it was Yamamoto-kun who asked about putting a survival/field trip (but I still think that Tsuna-san ordered him). Reborn-chan liked it though, and consented." I rolled the blue-print to reveal the bicycle design as well as the map of our 'racetrack' (I double-check to look at the dictionary for the right term later). "Reborn-chan said you're good at explosives, Gokudera-kun?"
"W-why did Reborn-san tell you all this sooner?"
"Umm, the kidnapping episode made me see the light?" I reply thoughtfully. "And you as… members of the Mafia?"
"I thought Kyoko-san was denser than that…" he muttered.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"
"D-don't ask!"
I eye him blearily before continuing. "We're racing under extreme conditions and according to the Race Rules: anything goes. So we're going to use a specially upgraded bike. Still haven't gotten much to the modifications yet, but I'll study them probably later. But we need lots of explosives. In case we get lost at least those will suffice in letting them find us?"
"Then it is okay for us to lose…"
"I didn't say that!" I snapped. Darn, just talking with him stresses my brain too much. "Losing is never an option for me. And especially with that- that- ughh I still can't call him any names- I cannot lose with Haru-chan's heart on the line!"
Gokudera was too dazed to answer back. He probably thinks that he can't lose either.
"Reborn-chan still hasn't told me who Tsuna-san's partner is but we really have to be cautious. We will be disqualified if our bike is ripped apart and if Tsuna-san tries that Dying Will Zero Point Breakthrough trick of his we'll probably be screwed," I add and fold my arms.
"H-how did you know the Tenth's-"
"Asked me brother, asked Reborn-chan," I roll my eyes and take from my bag the pushy-pushy-pen. "This also has a Dying Will Bullet, which I can use only in dire situations. You think that curiosity can kill the cat once I find out the truth? I still don't know much of the mechanics, but I guess I can pass up."
"Y-you- Kyoko-san you've really changed…" he says in awe. "F-for you to know this stuff and be okay with it…"
I laugh. "You did too. You now want to get a girlfriend."
"But Kyoko-san I said I only like arguing with her-"
I pat Gokudera's shoulder. "Guys, guys, guys- you people are really dense."
Sigh, being a cupid is so hard.
"Obviously, you still haven't found your feelings for Haru-chan. I'll make sure you do." With that, I roll back the blue-print and continue discussing our plan.
"-so obviously we'll need to get our teamwork together. And if possible, Gokudera-kun, I want you to dish major punishment for Tsuna-san if he gets in the way, got it?"
"A-are you kidding me?"
"Don't die on me, Gokudera-kun. This is not about him. It's about you and Haru-chan. If he tries to use that skill on us, you must know what to do."
"Y-you want me to-to harm the Tenth?"
"I didn't say that. I just want you to get him out of the way. Don't panic, Gokudera-kun."
With that, I quickly had to plop his head with a pillow to stop him from hitting his head.
I smile warmly.
"Gokudera-kun?"
He doesn't answer. He really fainted, oh gawd.
"Tsuna-san's really lucky having someone as loyal as you." I remark and walk up to my desk to continue my work for tomorrow.
Gokudera-kun really puts his Tenth on top priority more than himself.
I slam my hand on the table.
That's one thing I want to get rid of to make him like Haru more.
~K27~
"O-oh?"
"Kyoko-san?"
I look up and then notice the blanket draped on my shoulder. It's none other than Gokudera-kun, with a mug of hot chocolate on both his hands, to which I quickly took the other one and thanked him.
"What time is it?" I ask.
"About 1 AM."
"Oh…" I answer meekly. Goddammit, I wasted four hours!
"Well… here," I handed him the paper I made. "I made a quiz to know if you've read the list I gave you."
He took it without protest and begins to scribble the answers.
"Gokudera-kun, you seem strange."
He looks up alarmingly. "Why's that, Kyoko-san?"
"Eh, you didn't complain when I gave you the paper."
"Ahaha, well it'll be no good if we don't maximize or time."
"T-that's exactly what I mean!" I look at this guy and notice the hot chocolate he gave.
"H-how were you able to prepare this?"
"Had to ask your night-owl brother. Told him you were sleeping and we had to prepare for tomorrow. He made us this."
"He did?" Gawd, my brother can really be sweet when needed. "Umm… well you can continue with your answers then Gokudera-kun."
I eye the pushy-pushy pen in my hand and safeguard it in my chest pocket. The pencil flicked to life once I scribbled more plans for tomorrow.
The more minutes I toiled though, somehow, they continue to not make any sense. My mind's getting fuzzy, I guess.
"Kyoko-san, I'm done."
"Gokudera-kun, I think you're freaking me out. You've been awfully quiet."
"S-sorry Kyoko-san then!" He mumbles as he bangs his head on the bed.
"Gokudera-kun, I'll check it now then," I panic as I literally throw him back to his futon and grab the test sheet. Immediately, I raise my pencil to check when…
Uh…
I eye him beadily.
"You're score's f-ing perfect." I swore again. Oh gawd, I picked the toughest questions like when Haru's seventh date was and where was her fifth field trip where she kissed her sixteenth guy. This guy… how was he able to-?
"Gokudera-kun?" My face is expressionless.
"Y-yes?" he eyes me with dread.
"You make me so proud!" I extend my arms happily and gave him a hug.
He looks like he saw hell.
"You know so much about Haru-chan! You even know what her favorite pairing in her least favorite movie is! That's so sweet~"
"K-kyoko-san?"
He has one of those dumb expressions again. I pat him on the back.
"What's wrong?" I laugh idiotically. "You've been really quiet… Got something on your mind?"
He turns a quick glance at me before looking at his test sheets. I put an A plus grade on it.
"Well this is my first time having a time like this with a girl," he whispers. "Except with my sister, that is."
"O-oh…" I sip my chocolate which is now speedily getting cold. Gawd, I really wasted what my brother brought. "And you feel… uncomfortable?"
"A little, I guess… yeah," he replies monotonously. I titter a little and pat his head.
"I think you're a really good guy, Gokudera-kun. You're honest and really sweet. Plus you really do your best to get to know a girl better. Haru-chan will appreciate that," I smile and show the blanket I drape on my shoulder. "If I were Haru-chan, I'd honestly date you."
He looks away when I had said those words. What was the matter with it?
He grins, still looking away.
"The Tenth was right to get interested in you. You see the good in people easily."
"What? Of course he can get interested in me! I'm his rival, after all." I scoff.
Gokudera laughs. "You don't get what I mean."
"Gokudera-kun, just don't forget okay? Sometimes, when it comes to issues of the heart, follow what's yours and not Tsuna-san's." Good. At least I'm telling him some tips for later.
He doesn't try looking into my eyes again.
"I think it's best not to," he replies back, his voice shrinking and less like the firecracker Gokudera-kun I see Haru often argues with.
"Why? Because Tsuna-san ordered you to?"
"No it's because it's- it's you."
"What's me? He told you to avoid me too?"
"No!" Gokudera punches the bed."I… Kyoko-san I…"
"Just spit it out!" I pat his head to soothe him. My voice is telling me the opposite though. Hehe.
"I don't like the hag."
"B-but you said-"
"I liked her, Kyoko-san but-"
"W-what-?" Oh god, Tsunayoshi Sawada what did you do?
"I- I- dammit- I- Kyoko-san," his eyes bore into mine and I cannot even look away. "You act like you know what the hell this love business is when you are the densest of the lot."
"How the hell can I be dense?" I ask him angrily. "It's you who are dense, Gokudera-kun! Can't you just see that you like Haru-chan?"
He smirks again, just like what that Tenth of his would do as he breaks eye contact with me. "Forget it, Kyoko-san. It's probably better if you didn't know."
And someone aside from Tsuna-san makes me "_".
Because I understand what he means.
And I didn't share my plans for the race to him after that.
Gokudera-kun… Gokudera-kun likes me.
~K27~
"Sweeeet," I whistle as I look at our bike a couple of hours later.
Nah, it looks like your ordinary two-seater bicycle but under the seats are some special buttons that'll help us from the conditions that Reborn-chan mentioned earlier. And… to protect us from most of the other teams' surprises along the way.
"Got Giannini to do some modifications. It'll be ready for whatever those guys throw at you," assured Reborn with a little 'fedora-swipe'.
"Want some cake in return then?" I say gratefully and hand him the Ice cream cake I bought early morning before we went to take the field trip bus.
He thanked me and proceeded walking probably to the podium to signal the end of the race.
I sigh. We're just outside Kokuyo land, entering it later and following the arrow signs to our destination. It looks so desolate and pitiful-looking. Wish that this happy place didn't turn into something like this.
I only have my small backpack with me, putting few clothes as possible to not create much hassle. Gokudera-kun did the same earlier, and he looks really cute with the clothes I told him to wear… not that I picked them for my sake… they're for Haru's!
"Looks like we don't need the basket on the back, then?" I ask him, pointing at the basket, yet my eyes weren't meeting his as I did.
"It's better if we do put them there. So handling the bike is easy." He says in his business-like tone, almost pretending that he's the same Gokudera-kun again.
I nod absentmindedly. I see Yamamoto-kun and Haru nearing our way with their own, normal-looking bike. I frown. So… this is it? Should I stop believing that Haru and Gokudera-kun will be together? I.. have lost again to Sawada-san?
Haru's smile changes when she sees me and Gokudera-kun. Before I could say 'hi', she runs to us, a palm held high and-
She slaps me.
Her eyes are watering. Her mouth's becoming like the ones I usually see when she cried for hours.
"So you think I'm some kind of fucking prize?" she thunders, and I see Yamamoto-kun, his grin becoming blank the more he notices the situation. "You think that you can force that- that- baldie- to win? You think that he- you- you can meddle with my feelings and do whatever you want?"
"Haru-" I try to explain when I know that what she had said was right. Oh gawd, this is the first time in my life I ever had this feeling in my stomach.
"Forget it! I thought you were the bestest friend I ever met and for you to do this to me, I won't ever fucking forgive you!"
Oh gawd, I… oh gawd… what have I done? Everything's not going according to plan.
"Yamamoto-san, before anything else happens I-" she was about to say those dreaded three words when-
"It wasn't Kyoko-san's fault, stupid hag."
Only when his hand brushed on my face did I realize tears were falling placidly from my eyes.
"It was mine. I only told her to help me. To know about you and to get close to you."
Oh, Gokudera-kun… oh god, you're so wrong. You're just turning things around. I- I can't-
"Then this is your entire fault!" Haru says furiously as she tries to attack him, only to be stopped by Yamamoto-kun who tries to coax her out. "You fucking made me say such mean things to Kyoko-chan! You made me feel like such an idiot! You sick son of a bitch! You really think… you really think I'll just fucking argue with you nicely like before? You honestly believed that? You- you- dammit, forget it! Let's just go, Yamamoto-san."
With that, she tugs Yamamoto-kun away and leaves us. For some reason I was happy people didn't know what was happening here. Somehow, it made me seem that this is just a small quarrel. No one will get hurt. It's just something insignificant, compared to the things happening in the world.
"Are you alright, Kyoko-san?"
But I just got people involved… including Gokudera-kun.
"Who told her about this?" I murmur as I wipe away the tears that just refuse to stop. He carefully helps me up. "You shouldn't have gotten yourself involved. Those things she said… it would probably be better if she… if she… said those things at me."
"I wouldn't like seeing Kyoko-san hurt," Gokudera-kun smiles bitterly as he supports me on. "The Tenth wouldn't like that too."
And here he comes.
He comes, in that black and silver bicycle of his, with a Namimori stamp in each handlebar. He's wearing a uniform, surprisingly without the jacket.
And I noticed the wheels. A long blade was in the middle of each wheel. There were numerous blades too on the front and the back. It almost looks like a war weapon.
In the seething peak of my rage I walk up to him.
"Did you… tell Haru the truth about this?"My voice is barely a whisper as I grip his arm with all my strength.
He must have felt it, for he recoiled and looked at me straight.
His nod is enough for me to punch him in the face.
"And you're okay with that? You heartless bastard," I say, still suppressing my voice and containing the deepest anger that I ever felt for anyone, ever. "That's your good quality right? Breaking friendships apart?"
"I had to tell her the truth," he replies, massaging his cheek.
"I hate you."
I just can't stop the tears. They continue flowing even if Gokudera-kun takes me back to our bike and to the game. This is all his fault. I am not going to lose. Not now. Not ever.
He remains planted on the spot. His plastic brown eyes staring into the horizon from my words… and his partner walks up to him-
-then uses his tonfa to bash that- that- bastard back to consciousness.
His partner, Hibari-san orders him to get to the starting line.
I now realize just how tiny- and how impossible is our chance of winning the race.
And I don't fucking care.
Next Chapter: Just the way you are.
The next part will be uploaded this week.