The Art of Flirting Chapter 7
Flirt Five: Oishi
A.N: Okay, I know I never update. I'm sorry, but thanks for the reviews. They mean a lot to me, and it also means a lot when people add me as a favorite author or add this story as a favorite story. Thank you!
The sun smiled down warmly on Tomoka and I as we walked to one of the buses that would be taking us to the beach. I couldn't help but smile back at the sun. It was such a beautiful day. It was also the last few days before school ended. Summer reminded me that I might not see Ryoma-kun again… I shook that thought out of my head. Why should Ryoma-kun bother me today? In fact, I decided that today was a flirt-free fun day. No mention of tennis, the Regulars, or embarrassing flirting. Just a day of relaxation with my classmates…which unfortunately included Ryoma-kun, although we were in different classes. The whole school had to go to an overnight beach trip, and all the freshmen were going to be rooming with each other. Good thing Ryoma-kun is a guy…I'll be able to avoid him since we won't be in the same room or anything.
"You know Sakuno…" Tomo-chan said, bringing me back to reality, "There's only a few days left." I looked at her in confusion. "You know, to flirt with the Regulars before summer?"
Oh no. I am not going to flirt with them today! "While the whole flirting thing has been fun, I think it will be okay if I skip today…" This comment got Tomo-chan fired up.
"WHAT?! SAKU-CHAN!? DON'T YOU LOVE HIM?! IF YOU DO, YOU'LL WANT TO CONTINUE FLIRTING! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU WANTING HIM TO NOTICE AND APPRECIATE YOU?!" I blushed bright red at the comment of "don't you love him?" I did love him. Or I held some feeling for him that was like love. I always wondered why I did love him, or even liked him. He was rude, cold, and only cared about tennis. He was dense around girls, and acted cold towards me, even when I try my hardest to be nice to him. But the other Regulars…they were kinder. They appreciated what I did for the tennis team. They helped me study, they took me out for walks…but I didn't love them. I held deep respect for them, but love? Why is it that of all of the kind Regulars, I picked Ryoma-kun? "WELL?!" Did Tomo-chan's voice have to be so loud?
"I guess you're right Tomo-chan. I-I do l-love him…but there's a reason I don't want to flirt anymore." I told Tomo-chan about my mixed feeling about the Regulars. How I was starting to fall in love with all of them, which was a bad thing. How I felt the whole thing was backfiring. Tomo-chan was silent as stepped into the bus, and took a seat near the back. I was about to put my backpack filled with miscellaneous items for the overnight when I realized it wasn't there. "Oh, no, Tomo-chan, I-I left my bag outside!" I quickly got up, and slammed into a muscular body. My head was pounding as I fell down on the dirty bus floor. I let out a tiny "Ow.." and tried to get back up. It was unsuccessful; I felt a pair of strong arms lift me. I looked up…and saw Tezuka-senpai. I blushed; could my luck get any worse? "G-go-gomen, Tezuka-senpai, I-I…"
He gave me a stoic look, and handed me my bag. "It was outside." I don't know why, but I found myself blushing.
"Oh, t-thank you." Then it hit me- why was a senior on the freshman bus? Tomo-chan must've thought the same thing because she echoed my thoughts.
"This is the senior bus…" Fuji-senpai came up behind Tezuka-senpai. "Unfortunately, I think the freshmen bus already left…"
Behind Fuji-senpai was Oishi-senpai and Eiji-senpai. "Oh, no!" Oishi-senpai cried, "This is horrible! Everyone on the freshman bus will be really worried!"
I tried to process everything that was happening. We were on the wrong bus, which just happened to be filled with senior Regular members of the tennis team. I guess my whole 'avoid-Ryoma-and-the-tennis-team-at-all-cost' plan failed.
"WHAT?!" Tomo-chan yelled, and then she apparently decided it wasn't a big deal because she said, "Oh well, I guess we'll meet up with the others later." I gaped at how flexible she was acting. The Tomo-chan I knew freaked out if they even changed the type of soap in the girl's bathroom. Everything then settled into a pretty awkward silence. The Regulars were all giving each other these strange looks, and then they would look at me. Tomo-chan decided to end the awkwardness when she asked, "Where's Inui-senpai and Taka-senpai?"
"They are on a different bus." Fuji answered, "Tomoka, would you mind sitting with Eiji and I? We have something to tell you…"
I thought Tomo-chan was going to outright deny. No matter how surprising that statement was, she wouldn't abandon me, right? But then I heard her answer, "Sure."
"Tomo-chan!" I whispered.
"Sorry, Saku-chan, maybe you'll understand later…?" Her statement sounded like a question. I was outright shocked. My best friend was ditching me?! I had to sit alone on a senior bus?! My thoughts of confusion were interrupted by thoughts of surprise when Tezuka-senpai and Oishi-senpai sat next to me instead. I made room for them, and in the process I ended up hitting Tezuka-senpai's hand. I blushed extremely red, and turned away. If Ryoma-kun was the prince of tennis, then I was the princess of awkward situations.
"Sakuno-chan, are you excited to become a second-year?" Oishi-senpai asked me. He was probably the most caring of all the Regulars.
"I have some mixed feelings. It's harder than being a first year, right?" For some reason, I never found myself stuttering around Oishi-senpai. He was just a really easy guy to talk to. I was happy that Eiji-senpai had a crush in him…Why couldn't my crush be as easy to talk to? Ryoma-kun was about as easy to talk to as Tezuka-senpai.
"It's a bit harder. I wouldn't say extremely difficult. I'm sure you'll be fine though." He smiled, and I couldn't help but feel he had such a nice smile. At least he didn't smirk like Ryoma-kun did…
"I hope I will. How about you? Are you nervous about high school?" It was weird to think all the third years were actually leaving, and that I wouldn't see them again for another two years.
"It's kind of difficult to imagine myself leaving Junior High, but I'm going with my friends, so it won't be that bad."
"It's not scary." Tezuka-senpai randomly said out of nowhere. His random burst caused me to stop talking. While it was light and easy around Oishi-senpai, the atmosphere around Tezuka-kun was dark and awkward. I wondered how Fuji-senpai, his best friend, could deal with such a stoic personality. The rest of the bus ride was quiet. Finally, after an hour of traveling in silence, we had reached the shore.
I quickly grabbed my bag, said "Excuse me," as I made my way out of the bus. I was flustered from sitting on the wrong bus next to two people I was hoping to avoid. At least they hadn't tried flirting with me. I giggled as I imagined Tezuka-senpai flirting. The image of him saying something that would make a girl like me blush was extremely funny. With my mind distracted, my clumsiness kicked in. As I was walking down the three stairs to get off the bus, I tripped on the second stair and started to fall. I braced myself; I put both my hands out in front of me. My right ankle twisted trying to stop the fall, and I ended up landing on my back, dangling off the first step. Pain overcame my whole body. I wondered why I was the only person to fall twice at the same place.
"Saku-chan? Are you okay?" Tomo-chan's worried and loud voice entered my ears.
"No…" I tried to get up. I could hear the murmurs of everyone, and I could also feel their stares. The whole situation was just plain embarrassing. I used my left foot to help myself up. "But I'm fine now." I said positively.
"Then why aren't you getting off the bus?" Fuji-senpai asked. Of course, I couldn't walk because of my right ankle, but I didn't want them to worry about me. Slowly, and painfully, I made my way down the step. I waited on the ground for Tomo-chan, who was talking about how sorry she was for leaving me, and she continued to walk on. I finally gave in to the pain, and asked Tomo-chan for help.
She had a sly look on her face. "Why doesn't Oishi-kun help you out? He wants to be a doctor." Did she just say Oishi-kun? When did they become so close?
"Tomo-chan…" I started, but Oishi-senpai said he didn't mind. He wrapped my arm around his shoulder. Again, I didn't blush. Oishi-senpai had such a calm aura around him.
We awkwardly made our way down to the nurse station. The walk was long, due to the fact the campground was spread out. There were five cabins for third years, four cabins for second years, and four for first years. At the end of the cabins was a path to the shore. On the side opposite to the cabins were the dining hall and the nurse station. When we got there, the nurse clucked her tongue at me, but she started to wrap my ankle. Oishi-senpai, for some reason unknown to me, stayed. The nurse finished wrapping, and she said I should rest my ankle for an hour before I went out. She led me to a bed in a separate room, and she said she would come back when needed. I put my head on the soft pillow, wondering how things turned out like this. Nice, non tennis day at beach was ruined by the sight of the Regulars. I heard the door open, and, speak of the devil, there was Oishi-senpai.
"Oishi-senpai, you don't have to stay…"
"I'm worried about you Sakuno. You got hurt twice today. I'm worried there will be a fourth time." He seemed genuinely concerned, which was pretty cute.
"I'll be fine. I'm used to falling." I smiled at him.
"I'll make sure you never fall again, Sakuno." He walked over to me, and smoothed my hair. I blushed. His gaze was intense, but he then turned away and shut the door. I was beyond surprised, but I was also way too tired to make sense of the situation. Lately, everything was just weird, and sleep was what I needed. I closed me eyes, and found myself drifting into a nice, peaceful sleep.
Oishi walked out of the nurse station, trying to hold in a huge fit of laughter. He walked jauntily to his cabin with the other third years. He found Inui, and said, "Stage one complete. Sadly, Ryoma wasn't near, but I'm sure he'll notice the other three."
Inui smiled. "Good. Time's running out. Fuji told Tomoka about the plan during the bus ride. She's on the same page now. She did tell us some horrible news that the plan is backfiring."
Oishi was surprised, "How?"
"Something about how Sakuno is getting confused about her feelings, and how she may like…us. But that won't be a problem if we go into stage two quickly. How did sitting with Sakuno go?"
Oishi shrugged, "It was fine, except Tezuka wasn't talkative as usual."
"Don't worry, we'll make him talk…"
Oishi shuddered, "Does your plan involve any kind of special juice, or any embarrassing photos?"
"You'll see." Inui answered, as his sunglasses glinted evilly.
