Very very very very late chapter! Gomen gomen gomen! This time, my excuse is valid. No, I wasn't lazy or lazy. My flippin' internet connection went crazy. I was depressed for one whole month. T^T I can't believe I survived a month without any internet. That was a huge achievement. [I went insane though]. So yesh, I finally got my connection back so here's another chapter! Hope ya'll like this one… and the other one as well… hehe.

Chapter 31 – In the eyes of other people

"I've been thinking..." Kise said. "Want to go out this Saturday?"

"I thought you have a modeling job." Yachiyo said in a plain tone. She had a pocky stick on her mouth.

"I declined the offer. ahaha. And plus, I want to spend more time with you, Yachiyo." he looked kinda embarrassed as he said her name.

"Ah, I see." No reaction, she just stared at him with half-closed eyes as she nibbled on the pocky.

"Eh? Aren't you gonna say something?"

"'It feels weird to hear you call my name' something like that?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Well. I think I like it." she nibbled on the pocky stick. She looked out of the window and placed a hand under her chin. "Hey, can I call you Ryouta?"

"Eh?...EHHHHHH?!"

"What's with that reaction? I've called you that way before."

"Yeah, but that was unconsciously! And this time— uwaaaaaa! Can I hug you?!" he stood up but she glared with a red glow which made him sit down swiftly. "Sorry ma'am."

"Jeez, you're so cold, Yachiyo." he pouted. "By the way, where are our classmates?"

She raised her index finger and lazily pointed at the door. When you look close enough, you'd find a dozen pairs of eyes peeking.

"Uwaaaa, they're so sweet~ It's fun to watch those two */*"

"Shush Mikage, they're having a moment." A fat man with a focused expression said. Oddly, he's the teacher. And what's more, he's coach Takeuchi.

"Uh… have they been there all the time?" Kise asked with a twitchy smile.

Yachiyo nodded.

GYM

"Here." Yachiyo handed a towel to Kise. He smiled and started patting her head; "How sweet of you~"

"You're ruining my hair." the cool tone of her voice was unmistakable. A ball rolled near her feet and she picked it up. She looked at it and at the basket, and then she stared at the ball again.

"Can you shoot?" Kise asked as he placed the towel over his head.

She replied with a shake of her head.

"Really?" I thought you're good at sports.

"I am. I'm just not good with basketball for some reason. It's a sport I can't play."

"I'll teach you then." Kise stood behind her and used his arms to position her hands correctly. "You go like this, and then…" He held her hand and moved it to proper place. The atmosphere turned pink once more, but she elbowed Kise hard.

"Sorry, force of habit." she said in a not so sorry voice.

"Jeez, why are you so cold?!"

"Because you are a blonde idiot." she glared at him.

"I'm not doing anything!"

"Those two don't really seem like they're dating." Moriyama shook his head in dismay. The two just kept on arguing as he observed them.

"That's just how they are in public. You should have been here yesterday." captain said.

The other members gathered around him with eager faces. "Why? What happened yesterday?" they said in chorus. "Well, uh… you see… it's nothing much but…. maybe I should just show you guys."

What happened next was like a group huddle.

…

After practice.

Yachiyo held the ball in the air and tried to position herself correctly. No one was around so it's okay to fail. She threw it upwards but missed. The ball just hit the side of the net but didn't go in.

"That wasn't so bad, Yachiyo." Kise appeared out of nowhere and picked the ball.

"It is bad. It's ironic how the basketball team manager can't even shoot a ball, it's embarrassing."

"Embarrassing? You're not a player, so I don't think anything is wrong with that." He shot the ball and it went it effortlessly. "Show off." she said.

"Ahaha. And besides, you don't seem like you're embarrassed at all." Kise picked the ball. He handed the ball to her and said; "Of all people, I'd know when you're embarrassed or not."

He stood behind her and positioned her hands correctly. His height towered over hers.

"What do you mean by 'of all people'?" she murmured.

"Because I've seen it….. and it's distinctly adorable, Ya-chi-yo." Kise taunted in a singsong whisper directly near her ear. "I'm guessing I'm the only one who has seen that face of yours. Ahahaha."

"No. Tetsuya has."

"Just as embarrassed?" Kise smirked. "Just as you were at the school fest?" He asked knowing the answer was 'no'.

She didn't answer. Silence means yes. Then Kise laughed. "Even though I'm not seeing your face right now, I can tell that you /are/ embarrassed."

"No I'm not." she denied. But her hand shook as she held the ball.

"Oh really?" Kise bowed his head and seemed like he would kiss her cheek but instead he whispered; "You're shaking, Yachiyo." She turned to a shade of red that contrasted with her blue hair.

"Stop that." she diverted her eyes.

"That didn't sound like a 'stop that'." Kise softly laughed.

/A dozen pair of eyes came glowed from the small crack on the door. There, peeking from outside the gym; was the other basketball members and coach Takeuchi.

"W-what the… is that really Kise and Yachiyo-chan?!" Moriyama half-screamed, half-whispered.

"I didn't think it was possible, but it seems like Kise could tame our horrible violently abusive cold-mannered manager." captain said./

"Shoot the ball, if it enters I'll buy you 70 ice cream cups." Kise challenged.

"And if it doesn't?" she asked.

"I'm still thinking, but I'm pretty sure you won't like it. Ahaha."

Kise backed down from her and teased; "Good luck."

"If it enters, besides the 70 ice creams I'll make you do something very embarrassing." Yachiyo seemed really focused as she placed her arms properly. "If it enters." Kise smirked thinking it definitely won't. She moved her right wrist and shot the ball in the air. Kise's eyes widened. The peeking guys' eyes widened. After 7 more seconds of slow-mo, it got in perfectly.

She turned to the surprised Kise with a confident posture and a cold scary expression. "So, Ryouta, are you ready for the most embarrassing experience of your life?"

"W-wha— " he turned blue. Not sad, but literally blue.

"Stop pushing—OW OW OW. WATCH OUT!" The guys from the door fell like dominos.

"Uhm… Hi?" Moriyama meekly raised his hand.

The flames of pure anger fired up inside of Yachiyo's eyes. Oh yeah, and the background was on fire.

You could guess what happened next.

Walking home…

"Don't you think that's too much ice cream?" Kise asked.

"What do you mean? It's just 60 instead of 70."

"That's not really a huge difference."

"Oh right, I'd give you the papers coach was asking for. It's at my apartment. I won't be around tomorrow so just give it to him."

"Huh? Why?"

"I'll be with my Dad, Auntie, Uncle, Tetsuya and my other cousins." She paused for a while then added. "It's my mom's death anniversary."

Kise was shocked because of what she said. He was about to say something but she cut him off.

"We're here."

They got to inside her apartment with an awkward silence.

Kise sat at the sofa and thought; "What am I supposed to say? Is it okay to ask?"

"Here, don't forget to give it to coach." she handed a pile of papers to Kise and sat beside him.

"It's okay if you want to ask something." she said after a little silence.

"… I don't even know where to start….. I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Yachiyo pulled her feet up and hugged her knees. Kise looked at her intently as she curled into a ball. Her eyes looked plain but rather sad. "I'll listen." Kise said.

She let out a little smile and told her story. "Remember the story I told you about how I was left at the school while it rained? There's more to that memory. That day, my mom was supposed to fetch me. But the rain was just too strong and the road was slippery. She got into a car accident and died. And then…"

Kise grabbed her hand to reassure her. She smiled and continued.

"From then on, my dad focused so hard on his work and not much time for me. I lived with my dad until he got assigned overseas. Then I lived with my dad's sister for a while, and that's Auntie, Tetsuya's mom. She's kinda like my mom as well. She's kind and caring. I still wish my mom was alive but she's in a better place now. I'm not lonely anymore. I have a lot of people beside me and… you're here so—"

She stopped when Kise suddenly hugged her.

"Oi oi. Stop being so emotional."

"You're the one who's emotional." Kise said in a muffled tone. "I want to know more… about you."

"Hmn.. there's not much. I studied at Kaijo because I need to adjust to the new environment. I came from an all-girls school remember? Kaijo's perfect since it has a huge female population. I'm supposed to study at Seirin but I don't really want to transfer anymore. I like Kaijo. Even though Tetsuya is at Seirin, I still want to stay at Kaijo." Kise moved a little and asked. "Because I'm there?"

She diverted her eyes and nodded once. The pink tone of her cheeks was undeniable.

Kise chuckled softly and kissed the top of her head. This made a puff of steam come out of her face.

Kise laughed. She grew furious. The red tone of her face was a combination of anger and embarrassment. "You blonde bastard." Kise touched her chin and made her face him. He leaned in closer and closed his eyes.

"Kise-kun. That's not allowed." Tetsuya's voice pierced the silence.

"HIEEEEEEEEEE?! KUROKOCCCHI?!"

"Te…tetsuya. Since when… you… how…"

"I've been here for quite a while now." he said in a plain voice. "Kise-kun. As much as I like seeing that Yachiyo's happy and loved, that is crossing the line Kise-kun. So, may I have a word with you?"

"Yachiyo, please go make some tea."

"H-hai." she stood up and went to the kitchen but she still listened at their convo.

/

"Kise-kun."

"Yes sir? I mean—yeah?"

"Let's set some rules shall we?"

"Rules?"

"Yes, rules. As of what I've seen, you really like Yachiyo. But don't cross the boundaries. I'm like her brother so I care about her safety."

"I—I promise I'll keep her safe!"

"Yes, I know. But don't go overboard." Tetsuya talked as if he was Yachiyo's dad.

"Y-yes sir!"

"If I find out that you are mistreating her, I will transfer her to Seirin, understood?"

"Understood!"

"If you go on a date, don't let her out of your sight. Understood?"

"Understood!"

"If she ever gets hurt, I'll make you pay 10 times worse. Understood?"

"Understood sir!"

"Too much physical contact is not allowed. Don't bother her too much with her studies."

"Sir yes, sir!"

Yachiyo held back her laughter to the point where she turned red and teary. Who could blame her?

Next chapter will be… uhm… no spoilers for now.