I'm back from skiing! ^^ It was fun, there had been lots of snow, but it was really cold too.
Anyway, here's the next chapter, though it's rather short I think. And more Rina and Shizuka! Yay!
Thanks again for the alerts and favorites!

Disclaimer: I don't own PoT, but the OCs are mine.

Chapter 9: How to organize a play

Tuesday had been normal up until now, meaning Rin had a morning jog with Kaidoh, had classes and now she was standing in front of a big group of students, who were chatting idly while ignoring her existence. It should have been a meeting to talk about the plans for the play.
"So-" She started for the fifth time, but no one listened. An angry mark appeared on her head and she clenched her fists.

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!"

Immediately everyone stopped talking and looked at her. She coughed and composed herself. Fuji, Eiji and Oishi were quite surprised, never had they imagined that she would raise her voice to this extent.
"So, first I want to decide the actors for the roles. Is there anyone who volunteers for the role of Cinderella?"
A girl was being talked to by her friends, urging her to take this chance. In the end she gave in and held up her hand. Rin mustered her. She was a pretty girl with long flowing brown hair and big blue eyes. As far as she knew that girl was in the drama club and quite popular at school. She was the only one volunteering for this role, so she got it.
"Okay, now for the prince."
Immediately all the girls turned to the seats of Fuji, Eiji and Oishi and started a discussion about who would be suited best for the prince.
"Of course it has to be Fuji, just look at his dazzling smile!" "No, a prince has to be cute, Eiji is the best for this role." "I think Oishi is better. He's gentle and kind, the ideal prince!"

The bickering continued for awhile, until Fuji interrupted it.
"I wanted to play the fairy godmother, if that is alright with everyone." And he smiled his above mentioned 'dazzling' smile, so that the girls only managed to nod, overwhelmed by his sparkling presence.
"Then Oishi plays the prince and I'll be his father, the king, nya." Eiji sounded excited.
"But don't the actors have to learn a lot of text? We won't have that much time because of tennis practice." Oishi worried.
"That should be alright, your roles don't have that many scenes. Also there will be a narrator who'll do a lot of the talking."
After this they decided on the remaining roles, found people to make the costumes and do the make-up and divided different groups. One would draw backgrounds and sceneries, the other one was responsible for the technological things like lighting, sound effects...
"Okay, rehearsals for the actors will be in the afternoon, I will put the exact times up on the board near the teacher's office. Costumes will be made at home and should be ready in two weeks. The group doing the backgrounds will work during rehearsals. There's enough space in the hall. The technology group will be needed starting next week, when I have a plan of the play. For the tennis members: You only have to learn your text this week, but next week you're also participating in the rehearsals. Meeting end, you're dismissed."
The school bell rang. The students were relieved and started blabbing about the play and the cast. Since now was lunch break, Rin got her bento and headed for the rooftop. Her friends would surely be waiting for her there.
She was stopped by Oishi.
"Moriyama-san, about tomorrows tutor lesson, can you come to my house? I have to look after my younger sister."
"Sure."
He looked relieved and he handed her a piece of paper. An address was written on it.
"Then, see you at practice." He left, following behind Eiji and Fuji who had waited for him.

"So, how did the first meeting go?" Shizuka was the one to start a conversation.
"Well, it was alright, nothing special."
"Who's going to play the prince?" Rina's eyes were sparkling with interest.
"We decided on Oishi."
"Ahhh, I wanted to see Kikumaru-kun in a prince costume. He would definitely have been cute..." She pouted a little disappointed.
"What's your class going to do?"
"A costume café. Rina will dress up as an angel and I will wear a traditional kimono." Shizuka answered and Rina added. "We'll offer lots of cake and sweets!"
"Seems nice..." Rin sighed. Why couldn't her class do something much simpler where you didn't have a lot of work to do, like a haunted house or a stall selling food. Though the play should be a lot of fun too.
"I've got to go to the courts now, see you!" Rin left her friends.

A few minutes later she arrived and was greeted by Eiji with a hug.
"Hi, Rin-chan! Who's that behind you?" Rin was confused, but then saw her two friends who had followed her without herself noticing. They were looking at her with pleading eyes, dying to meet their idols, Eiji and Fuji. Rin rolled her eyes, but gave in, not before sending them a glare: If you don't behave it'll be hell for you!
"...My friends."
"That's interesting data." Suddenly all the other regulars surrounded the four of them and watched Rina and Shizuka with interest.
"H-Hi! I'm Kageya Rina, Rin-chan's friend." She bowed.
"She's cute!" Eiji exclaimed and hugged her, making her nearly faint of happiness.
"And you are?" Fuji asked the brunette girl. "I'm Miyazaki Shizuka. Nice to meet you." She bowed in order to hide her blush because Fuji was smiling at her.
Inui had taken out his notebook and was scribbling something, while everyone else just stood there.
"Then, let's get back to practice. Eiji, let Kageya-san go, you're suffocating her." Reluctantly Eiji did as he was told and the others followed him.
"Well, we'll see you tomorrow, Rin!" And her friends were gone.
She sighed. They wanted to talk to the boys they liked and now after meeting them, they didn't have the guts to do so. She snapped out of her thoughts when she felt something warm on her forehead.
"Are you alright Moriyama-san? You've been spacing out for the past few minutes. Do you have fever or feel weird?" Oishi's face was only millimeters apart from hers, she blushed and stepped back.
"I'm fine, just had to think about something." She tried to convince him.
"But your face is red..."
"I'm alright, it's nothing. We have practice now, right?" She changed the subject so he wouldn't ask any further. "Then let's get to training."

Practice was rather uneventful. Rin stayed with the first years again, while the regulars did their daily training menus. She noticed Oishi sometimes glancing over to her, but ignored it. He just worried too much. After practice Rin got some towels to bring the tennis players who were drinking water from a water tap. She stopped when she heard someone mention her name and instead listened in to the conversation.
"Nee, Oishi, you like Rin-chan, right?" She heard some coughing noises probably from Oishi.
"Where did you get this idea from?"
"Well, you were watching her the whole time during practice." Rin could imagine Eiji's smirking face as he said that.
The other regulars agreed with Eiji.
"You weren't concentrating during practice, even though the finals are only four days away." Fuji added.
"Your accuracy was off by 10%." Inui commented.
"Well, Rin-senpai is really cute, so I can understand you, Oishi-fukubuchou."She heard Momo's voice.
"Momo-senpai's right." Rin was a little bit surprised to hear Ryoma call her cute, but felt happy about it as he didn't show much emotion normally.
"Guys, you're misunderstanding it, I was only worried because she was spacing out and her face was red, it seemed like she had caught a cold..."
"Don't try to deny it, we know what you're feeling. It's nothing you have to be embarrassed about, we support you." Eiji said, making Oishi sigh desperately.
"Listen, it's really not like tha-"
"What are you doing here, senpai?"
Rin was startled. Kaidoh was standing behind her and she hadn't noticed him.
"Oh, I thought I'd bring you guys some towels." She laughed nervously, hoping that Kaidoh didn't notice that she had been eavesdropping. Luckily, he believed her and they joined the others who had stopped talking. Eiji was sulking, while the other regulars stared at Oishi with an accusing look, except Fuji who was creeping him out with his smile. Poor Oishi was relieved to see Kaidoh and Rin.
"I've brought towels." She handed them to everyone who accepted them with thanks.
"You're getting used to your job as a manager." Fuji remarked.
"Thank you." Rin was happy to hear his compliment.
"Hey Oishi, why don't you accompany Rin-chan home, a girl shouldn't walk around alone when it's getting dark." Eiji had stopped sulking and had a cheeky grin on his face instead while pointing at the sky where the sun was setting.
"B-But it's not that dark." Oishi tried to protest.
"It will be in a few minutes."
"Also you, Rin and Inui still have to talk with coach about tomorrows practice."
"You live the nearest to her, so it shouldn't be a problem."
"I-I get it!"
Eiji started bouncing around. "Then it's decided, nya!"

Thus Rin was on her way home with Oishi while being followed by some suspicious persons a.k.a. Seigaku's tennis regulars. Only Inui wasn't seen because of his experience in collecting data without being noticed.
"So,..." Rin tried to ignore the rustles behind her back. "...you live nearby?"
Oishi was uncomfortable with this situation, but tried his best not to show it.
"Ah, yes. Just on the next street. Well, you'll see tomorrow."
Now there were whispers that they could clearly hear.
"Stop pushing, Eiji-senpai!"
"But I can't see anything!"
"Why am I also here?"
"We shouldn't spy on people."
"Fshuuu..."
"Now everyone, be silent, alright?"

Immediately the voices stopped talking, but soon after six persons fell out from the hedges.

"Ow, Eiji-senpai. You're sitting on me."
"Ochibi, my head!"
"I'm moving, I'm moving..."
"Fshuuu!"
"Sorry, Kaidoh."
"Didn't I tell everyone to keep quiet and not to push?"
Everyone stared up at Fuji whose smile had grown even larger, making him even more intimidating.
The regulars lying on the ground shivered and immediately started apologizing.
"Sorry, Fuji-senpai. But Eiji-senpai pushed me." Momo made Eiji the scape goat.
"That was because Ochibi stepped on my foot, nya!"
"...I couldn't see anything in the dark..."
Oishi coughed in order to get their attention.
"You'll run 50 extra laps tomorrow at practice." He said with the most authoritive voice he could manage.
"What! That's unfair!" They exclaimed in unison.
"I'm now the captain and you have to do what I say."
"B-But-"
"No buts, I'll see you tomorrow running around the courts."
He left the stunned boys and motioned Rin to follow him. She had watched the scene with great amusement and was now giggling.
"Wasn't that a bit harsh?" She asked him while she tried to stop laughing.
"It's alright, at least I hope they learned something from it." He sighed.
"But you know, I think you would be a great boyfriend." Oishi stopped in his tracks and stared at her. When he realized the meaning of her words, he blushed furiously.
Rin just laughed and waved. "We're at my home already, I'll see you tomorrow!"
After closing the door behind her, she smirked. Who would have known teasing people could be so much fun?
Outside Oishi was still standing in front of her house. There was no hidden meaning, right? It was a joke, he calmed himself. And he headed home.
From behind a tree Inui appeared.
"That's some interesting data."
His glasses glinted.