Hidden Beauty

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Basket Eighteen: The Stay {Part Three}

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At first, Kuroi wasn't worried. But, now that she was actually standing in front of practically every guy who came on the trip, in the dining room, about to reveal her secret, the fear had managed to seep its way inside her mind.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, leaning towards Kasamatsu (who twitched ever so slightly). "Maybe I can just tell them later?" She chuckled quietly, fingers gripping her sweat pants as she watched all the curious stares focus entirely on her.

"Y- You have to do it now." Kasamatsu whispered back, elbowing her. "Or I'll hit you." He added, frowning.

"You just did."

"Oh..."

Kuroi shook her head, standing up straight. She cleared her throat, almost choking on her own spit. "U- uhmm... I have so- something important to tell you..." She winced, wishing that she was somewhere very far away from here. All the curious or bored stares were getting to her, making her almost shake with nervousness.

'You won't be bored for long once I tell you...' Kuroi thought, wetting her lips before clearing her throat again. "So," Kuroi twitched, starting to get angry with herself. She kept stalling.

"Alright, I'm gonna say something... But I don't want anyone to freak out. I-"

"You're gay!?" Someone shouted.

"What!" Kuroi clasped her head, partly from shock and partly from embarrassment. "No!" She cried, shaking her head. "That wasn't what I was gonna say." She huffed, almost missing Kasamatsu's face palm. "Gah- Why is this so hard." She whined.

"What! You're hard!?"

"NO!" Kuroi was ready to burst into tears, her eyes shut tight as she wished they would all just shut up.

"ALL OF YOU SHUT UP BEFORE I GIVE YOU 500 LAPS!" Kasamatsu yelled, making everyone freeze in place.

"A- as I was saying..." 'More like trying to say.' Kuroi thought, scowling. "Uhm, I'm... a girl." She almost whispered that last part, but managed to choke it out. Her gaze was fixated on the tiled floor of the dining room, idly kicking at a speck of dust.

If tumbleweed blew by... Kuroi wouldn't even know what to do.

"So... you're not gay?"

Kuroi face palmed, turning her gaze into a glare. "No. I am not gay." She seethed, barely managing to contain her angry. She swore to herself she was it the same exact guy who kept saying such stupid stuff. She was gonna hurt him.

She looked at Kasamatsu, who looked down right annoyed by everyone and possibly everything, and then to Kise, who was smiling like an idiot. She sighed, and faced the crowd of boys again, fiddling with the edges of her sleeves.

"HAHAHAHA!" Kuroi blinked, looking at Moriyama weirdly.

"I knew there was something about you! I'm actually quite glad you're a girl, 'cause now I can work my magic." Moriyama sighed almost blissfully, licking his palm to slick his bangs from his eyes.

"Not a chance." Kuroi smiled rather eerily.

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Kuroi was glad she had got that all over with. It was awkward during dinner time, but she figured that it needed some more time to sink in. Feeling tired, she glanced at the clock, yawning loudly when she saw it was almost 9:30. She rubbed her eyes, and rolled over in her bed, staring out the window.

"Yasuhirocchi!" Kise yelled as he literally burst into their shared room.

"What!?" Kuroi shot up from her bed, looking bewildered.

"Let's go! Everyone is going to th-..." Kise's happy grin was replaced by a small frown and a blush that crept its way up to his cheek, as he let the door handle go.

Kuroi blinked, staring curiously. 'Is this the first time that I've seen him blush like that?' She thought, before realizing that her own cheeks were beginning to heat up. She turned away, staring out the window. "G- Going to the what?" She asked almost hesitantly.

"I was gonna say hot springs... but then I remembered you're a girl. Wait! You can just go on the girl's side! Hooray!"
"Stop parading around the room like an idiot." Kuroi said, making Kise stop with a sheepish grin on his face. "And I guess I could go..." She mumbled, pouting and uncrossing her arms.

"Yey!" Kise ran into the bathroom, grabbing towels for the both of them. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" Kise jumped around, excited like a little kid. "The hot springs here are always so awesome!" He informed her rather loudly, earning a 'shut up' from Kasamatsu, who was waiting in the other room.

"Okay, jeez, just calm down." Kuroi huffed, grabbing her bag and the towel from Kise. "Thanks..." She murmured, following the blond out of their room.

Kise and Kuroi met with Kasamatsu and Hotaka, and the four made their way towards the onsen. They soon met with the others, and Kuroi felt awkward from all the sudden stares.

"Yeah, I'm gonna go int-... Moriyama-sempai, why is your nose bleeding?" Kuroi asked, giving her sempai a blank look.

"I was just thinking that we could go into the mixed ba-"

"Absolutely Not. Now wipe that smile off your face before I do it for you." Kuroi all but said with an angered grin plastered on her face.

"Yes ma'am." Came Moriyama's instant reply.

"... Goodbye. For now." Kuroi awkwardly said, slowly stepping into the women's part of the hot springs. She sighed, and dropped her bag.

"I guess I don't need these anymore... Well, for this stay, at least." Kuroi said as she took her shirt off in order to take the bandages wrapped firmly around her chest. She let another long sigh out, and stripped down to nothing and headed towards the shower area. She looked around, and saw no other girl around, which was probably good, since she might be mistaken for a guy... Stupid hair.

Kuroi quickly showered and washed off all the soap before grabbing the towel that Kise had given her, and made her way towards the onsen. She dipped one foot in, wincing from the heat. She eventually sank in, and put her towel right behind her head so it was resting against the slippery rocks.

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Kise ran and jumped into the hot water, splashing everyone. Kasamatsu was lucky enough to cover his face, and he turned to give the first year a death glare.

"Kise! Don't do that! I'll hit you!" Kasamatsu yelled, splashing water at the blond rather childishly. Kise only laughed, and tossed his damp towel at Kasamatsu, watching it land on his head with glee.

Moriyama shook his head, and leaned against the rocks, sighing in content. "THIS IS SO AWESOME!" Hayakawa yelled, following Kise's example and diving straight into the water. Moriyama twitched, thankful that Kasamatsu had punched him when he resurfaced.

He watched with minor interest as Hayakawa floated away, his back the only visible part. "Being stuck with a bunch of naked guys is boring." Moriyama randomly spoke, lifting his head to look at the dark starry sky.

"What are you suggesting?" Kobori asked, giving his friend a suspicious glance.

"What I'm suggesting is..." Moriyama went silent, turning around to look at the wall which separated the men's from the women's onsen.

"Oh, no, absolutely not. She's going to kill us, and I barely even know her." Kobori raised his hands from the warm water, shaking them in denial.

"But, Kobori! Aren't you curious!? I mean, does she have big wonderful boobs? Or small little cute on- nngh!" Kasamatsu had somehow made it to the opposite side where Moriyama was, and punched him in the face.

"Thanks." Kobori nodded at Kasamatsu, who was seething silently.

Moriyama sprung up from the water, a serious look on his face. "Hayakawa, Kise, come. We shall see together!" He shouted, pointing to the wall.

"OKAY!" Hayakawa yelled, punching the air with his fist excitedly.

"E- ehh!?" Kise stood, looking more shocked and embarrassed rather than excited. "I- I can't spy on Yasuhirocchi!" He wailed, grasping his head.

"But it's part of your manly pride!" Moriyama huffed, crossing his arms.

"That's tru- I mean, never!" Kise cried out.

"That's enough! All of you!" Kasamatsu yelled, trying to pick whoever was close enough to hit.

"Hey. I found a peep hole."

"Kobori! WHY!?" Kasamatsu gaped.

"Kobori, nice!" Moriyama and Hayakawa gave him a thumbs up.

"I CAN HEAR YOU, YOU KNOW! I'LL SLAUGHTER ANY EYEBALL THAT I SEE LOOKING THROUGH!" Kuroi's threat was as clear as day, making them all shudder.

"NOOOOO!" Hayakawa dived for Moriyama, who was just about to look through the small peep hole.

"Se- sempai! I won't let you!" Kise claimed loudly, also diving for Moriyama.

Unfortunately, Kise and Hayakawa both ended up crashing straight into the boy, sending the three of them tumbling into the wall, knocking it over.

Kasamatsu could only watch in horror along with the others, as the wall slowly broke down, crumbling on top of his three friends.

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Kuroi's heart nearly leapt from her chest as she heard a god awful loud bang. She watched in shock as the wall literally crumbled on top of some people.

Complete silence filled the area, and her eyes slowly met with a shocked navy blue pair. "I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO LOOK!" Kasamatsu hollered, managing to push past their teammates to run out of the onsen.

Kuroi twitched, watching as Kise, Moriyama, and Hayakawa emerged from the wreckage, groaning. "YOU'RE ALL DEAD!"

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Thanks to Reimei-Jennoir for the wonderfully awesome hot springs idea! This chapter is for you~ xD I couldn't stop grinning like an idiot while I was writing this chapter, and now my cheeks hurt D; (This also reminds me of that chapter in KnB, when Kagami was wearing swimming trunks in the water. lmao.)

Anyways, getting so close to twenty chapters. That'll be an accomplishment for me. Can't wait~ I still have a few ideas left. MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHH!

~Love me or Hate me~