Art of Flirting Chapter 8
Flirt: Taka and Kaidou
A/N: Sorry I haven't been updating as fast as I would like to. I've been really busy!
Thanks for all the reviews, adds, and what-nots! And I know you all want Tezuka, but it's important to the plot that he is last.
I woke up with my head spinning. Ugh, I rubbed my head, as I slowly got up out of the not-so comfortable bed. I tried recounting what had happened before I went to sleep. First, I fell. No surprises there. Afterwards, Oishi-senpai took me to the nurse. That must be where I am now. Before he left, Oishi-senpai said some surprising words. Was he flirting with me? I shook my head away from the thoughts about flirting. In fact, I had three senpais left, and school ended in two days. I would never be able to cover all of them in the span of one day, or could I? I would have to confirm with Tomo-chan.
After reassuring the nurse I was okay, I walked out of the nurse's station and into the bright sunlight. I still had all today and tomorrow to play at the beach. I followed the sound of classmates laughing, and I eventually found the beach. I spent a few minutes marveling at the waves. Feeling lonely, I scanned the area for Tomo-chan. Instead of finding her, though, I found the Seigaku tennis Regulars. I groaned inwardly; this was just my luck! I could either be a loner or join them. Today, being a loner seemed like a good idea.
I sat on the sand, and I looked at the Regulars out of the corner of my eye. Eiji-senpai and Oishi-senpai were building a sandcastle; Momo-senpai and Kaidou-senpai were wrestling; Fuji-senpai was trying to get Tezuka-senpai into the water; Taka-senpai was watching Eiji-senpai and Oishi-senpai; and, finally, Ryoma-kun was sunbathing. I felt my cheeks heat up when I saw Ryoma-kun. Did he always have to look so…hot?
I realized that either I was blushing, or my skin was starting to burn. I knew I hadn't put on any sunscreen before falling. If I didn't get my self covered in sunscreen, my fair skin was going to get burned. Getting sunscreen meant that I had to walk over to the Regulars. If I did that, another flirting episode would most likely occur. On the other hand, if I walked to random people, they would never give me the sunscreen. For my skin, I would walk over, but I would walk away as soon as I got some. Following my plan, I walked over to the Regulars.
"Uh…hi guys…" I stuttered, "um…could I borrow some…uh…sunscreen?" I mentally slapped my self for stuttering.
"Sure Sakuno-chan." Fuji-senpai answered. I caught his quick glance to Taka-senpai. I gulped; of course there was going to be some flirting involved.
"Uh, I'll just squirt some on my palm, and, uh, go."
"Oh, no, Sakuno-chan, you can't leave so soon!" Eiji-senpai jumped in. "Right o'chibi?"
I looked at Ryoma-kun, waiting for his answer, but he just glanced up coolly at Eiji-senpai, glared at me, and he went back to sunbathing. I looked down in embarrassment. Of course he would hate me. I suddenly wished I hadn't listened to Tomo-chan.
"Uh, well, I guess my skin isn't too burned…so, uh, I think Tomo-chan's calling me..." I started to walk away. I just couldn't stand there after Ryoma-kun showed he hated me.
"Wait! Sakuno!" Momo-senpai shouted. "Echizen's just mad because he lost to me in tennis." Ryoma-kun opened his mouth to disagree, but Momo-senpai continued to talking, "I'm sure Taka-san would like to give you sunscreen."
I paused; Taka-senpai? Without his tennis racket, he was almost as shy as me, and I was pretty sure there was no racket in sight. I realized that this was a ploy by Momo-senpai. But, I wondered, why would he want to set me up with Taka-san? I was left with two choices; go with the ploy, or walk away with my dignity.
I had no idea why I choose to go with the ploy. As I laid on a beach towel, and Taka-san nervously spread sunscreen on my back, I could see my dignity slowly dissolving. At least Tomo-chan was proud since she screamed, "Get 'em Sakuno!"
Wow. Thanks, Tomoka-chan! I mentally reminded myself to next time choose my dignity. I was happy my face was looking at the towel and not Taka-san. I was pretty sure both of our faces were bright red. Out of the blue, Fuji-senpai said, "You're doing well, Taka, but I'm sure your tennis racket would be beneficial."
Tennis racket plus Taka-san equaled… Suddenly, Taka-san's spreading turned rougher, and he turned me over and started to viciously rub my belly. His racket also hit me and pain emerged. "Taka-san, please..." I winced.
I heard Momo-senpai whisper to Fuji-senpai, "She kind of sounded like she was having a…" But he was cut off by a cough from Tezuka-senpai who was right next to Fuji-senpai.
Taka-senpai still hadn't relented. "Please, stop, you're hurting me…" He started to slap on sunscreen on my legs, and the pain was still there. My stomach was bright red from the vicious rubbing. "Stop!" I meant to scream it, but it came out as a whisper. All the tennis boys were laughing. Even Kaidou-senpai and Tezuka-senpai looked amused! Was my pain a joke to them? I prayed someone would stop Taka-san…
Taka-senpai's racket was jerked out of his hand by Ryoma-kun. I gasped in shock.
"She said stop." He put the racket on the ground and walked away.
"What was his problem?" Momo-senpai asked. The rest of the Regulars were still in awe. I left the scene by saying I had to meet Tomo-chan. A guilty feeling was gnawing at me. I knew Ryoma's problem; it was me.
The mood was dark and solemn where the Regulars were. They all understood that their plan completely failed, and Sakuno and Ryoma's relationship was going downhill. However, Inui still felt he had to say, "Well, that failed."
"Thanks for stating the obvious." Kaidou hissed. He was in a very bad mood since he knew it was his turn next.
"Was it my fault?" Taka asked shyly. He felt bad that he had hurt Sakuno physically and hurt Echizen mentally.
"No way! It wasn't your fault Taka-san." Fuji said, a bit too brightly for the rest of the Regulars. "So we failed once. We still have two more lucky men that can fix the situation!" He looked expectantly at Tezuka and Kaidou, wanting them to be as excited as he was. In return, Tezuka glared at him. Maybe Tezuka should go later, Fuji reasoned. "And Kaidou, it's your turn!" The snake-like boy's mouth fell open.
"Me?" he grumbled. "No thanks."
"Aw come on mamushi! We all had to do our share of flirting!" Nods and 'yeahs' were the result of his statement.
"What about Tezuka?" Kaidou argued, trying desperately to not be next. Everyone looked at their captain; he gave a solid glare back.
"It's all you! Go get her, tiger!" Momo cheered at Kaidou's back as he began to walk towards the direction of his kouhai. If he survived this, Kaidou decided, Momo was going to die.
I was still trying to find Tomo-chan when someone tapped my back. I turned around, surprised, and I saw Kaidou-senpai. Before I could say anything, he handed me a conch shell, turned around, whispered "That bikini is looking hot on you," and left. I was speechless.
Inui was puzzled. He was shocked at how Kaidou flirted efficiently that Ryuzaki's face was as red as a ripe tomato and quickly that he was back in about a minute.
"There is a 97 percent chance you complimented her in a way that was nothing like you." He calculated.
"Do all the calculations you want; you are never figuring out what happened." Kaidou felt triumphant. He did exactly what he wanted to do: get out of the situation fast and alive.
"So Tezuka, looks like it's your turn!" Eiji said brightly. Tezuka gulped; did he really have to?
"Haven't we tortured the girl enough?" Oishi asked, in defense of Tezuka.
"Torture?" Fuji laughed sadistically, "This isn't torture. But, Tezuka, if you won't go, I could make a change of plans and turn our great cause into torture…"
Tezuka was defeated. Sometimes, he thought, Fuji was too much to handle.
I was walking back to the cabins with Tomo-chan. I retold the events that happened today, from waking up in the nurse's station to Kaidou's actions. When I finished, she was delighted.
"You know what that means Sakuno?" I shook my head no. "It means Ryoma is so jealous! He wanted his hand on your back, not Taka-san!"
"Uh, Tomo-chan, I really doubt…" But she continued to rant about how jealous he is, and how the Regulars are doing her a big favor by making him more jealous. I didn't tell her Ryoma was mad at me. She didn't need to know her plan backfired because she was only trying to be a good friend.
"And then he will just want to sex you up!" Tomo-chan yelled. My face was burning; how can she yell that in public!
"T-T-Tomo-chan!" I was so embarrassed…
"I wouldn't want that tease, even if she paid me." That voice; it came from my left. I looked, and it was Ryoma-kun. The one person I didn't want to hear Tomo-chan's ranting.
"Tease?" Tomo-chan got angry. She might seem like an airhead, but she is a very loyal friend and gets very defensive if her friends are attacked. "What gives you the right to say that, Echizen?"
"The way she has been get close with all of the tennis team. One boy couldn't suffice for you, right Ryuzaki? Had to have the whole team?" I paled. I could feel tears springing into my eyes.
"You are so oblivious Echizen. You should know Sakuno wasn't doing that for herself, she was doing it for—" I started crying, which stopped her from announcing to practically the whole school that I was in love with Ryoma-kun. My tears turned into sobs because I was so hurt that Ryoma-kun thought I was a slut. The whole school probably agrees with him since he is popular. I ran back to the beach, just trying to get away from everything, ignoring Tomo-chan's calls of "Sakuno!" I felt so stupid. I betrayed myself and Ryoma-kun.
I sat on the soft sand, and I drifted to sleep. I felt someone put my head on their lap. A warm lap felt nice, I thought, as I entered dreamland.
A/N: Only a few chapters left! Tezuka is next; you can bet on that! Review!
