I had to go to the Internet cafe to upload this, because the internet in my community is still not working ... annoying.

Chapter 13: Smile

"That's it?", Kirino asked doubtfully while watching the scenery before him. Shindou had lead him to the Riverbank and Kirino couldn't understand what his friend had meant. Sure it was a nice day today, the sun was shining and the sky was cloudless – but how was that suppose to do any good to him?

Shindou felt Kirino's questioning glance at him and immediately looked away, focusing his view at some kids playing soccer at the field below them. He didn't know how to face his pink haired friend after last night. Last night he had had a weird dream, a dream that had felt actually very real … It was as if could still feel Kirino's lips touching his own, however when Shindou awoke this morning, he had been alone in his room – no sign of his friends presence.

Now the former captain of Raimon was more confused than ever, not even knowing what was reality and what was only a dream … But his wish to help Kirino was greater than everything else and so he didn't avoid his friend, which would probably have been the easier option.

Trying to act normal Shindou pointed at the soccer ball the kids were playing with. "Look over there, Ra-"

But then he stopped. Should he really call him by his first name like Kirino had ask him for last night? Still not knowing if it had been reality Shindou hesitated at first, before a smile came over his face.

"Look at the kids, Ranmaru." Dream or not, there was nothing wrong with using first names, wasn't it?

Kirino looked surprised at him, but Shindou couldn't determine if it was because of the name or because of what Shindou pointed at. "There are just some kids playing soccer ... Honestly Takuto, I don't get what you're up to", the pink haired boy added impatiently. "And you're acting weird today, sure you're all right?"

"I'm not acting weird!" But aware of the worry in his friends voice he added more calmly: "I'm fine, really. Just look at their faces, how happy they are."

"You mean the kids?"

"Come on, let's join them." Shindou didn't give his friend the time to answer, he just grabbed his hand and pulled him downstairs to the field.

Kirino wanted to complain, but solely the fact that he was holding hands with his friend silenced him and made him follow the brown haired boy obediently until the two reached the soccer ground.

"Takuto, I don't think that's a good idea", he finally managed to say as Shindou was about to enter the field.

The brown haired boy turned around and looked at his friend. "Why not?", he asked then surprised. "It's just for fun."

Seeing Shindou's expectantly smile made it hard for Kirino to decline. "Well you see … I didn't have my soccer uniform with me."

"Neither have I", the former captain of Raimon objected still smiling. "But you'll see, it'll be fun. It's just playing soccer without any worries, nobody will get hurt. If you don't want, do it for me … just this one time I want to play with you like it was back then, Ranmaru."

Now it was Kirino who smiled as he looked into his friends brown eyes. "I don't have a choice then, haven't I?"

…

Minutes later the kids were crying. All of them.

"Ranmaru, how could you? They're just kids! There is no need to use hissatsu techniques or to play so seriously." Now Shindou honestly wondered what had happened to his friend. It wasn't like him, this play style just didn't fit him – and definitely wasn't appropriate when they were up against kids.

Hearing his brown haired friend shouting at him, Kirino stopped immediately, as if he hadn't realized before what he was doing. "See, I knew it wasn't a good idea … ." He sank on the ground, his voice trembling. "I don't have fun playing soccer anymore."

"Ranmaru … ." Shindou didn't know what to say. Instead he sat down next to his friend and put his arm around Kirino's shoulders.

The boys remained silent for a while, when Shindou finally began talking, the kids had already left the field and the two were alone now.

"Later I'll play with you again, Ran. And the day after we will play with your team, the Silent Strikers as well. And after that Raimon." Shindou paused. "And after that everything will be all right again, you'll see."

"How can you be so sure about that?", Kirino asked doubtfully his view focused on the ground.

"That's easy", Shindou smiled. "Because I know that soccer is fun."

"Baka."

But now Kirino's voice sounded a lot more positive than before and Shindou knew that his friend had understood what he had meant.

Kirino lent himself against his friend. "Thanks Takuto", he whispered silently, before he changed his position to be more close to his friend.

"I have thought about something", Shindou began slowly. "I hate to say this, but … I think you should return to your place today."

As an answer he got a surprised view from Kirino. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to disturb you … I must have been pretty intrusively … ."

"That's not it!" Shindou hurried to say. "I just thought keeping you all for myself is quite egoistic, isn't it?" He smiled while looking at his pink haired friend. "Your parents must be worried about you after all."

"Yeah, it's probably best to return … ." Kirino thought about it. "We'll meet tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is Sunday", Shindou answered as if it weren't obvious. "So let's just do something relaxing." Then he hesitated. "Maybe it's a bad idea, but there is this movie in the cinema … I would like to watch it, so … ."

As he realized what his friend had just said, Kirino blushed, leaving Shindou clueless about the reason.

"Well", Kirino began as he felt his friends questioning view on him. "It's … a date then."

Now it was the former captain of Raimon who blushed deeply. "I didn't mean … If you don't want … ."

"No." The pink haired boy smiled. "I would love to go with you."