Chapter Ten
“Nino?”
When Yamapi had gotten off the train, he found his best friend at their usual waiting spot, except that Nino was squatting by the pillar catching some much needed sleep. Must be lack of sleep. What exactly happened to him yesterday?
Shaking Nino once more, Yamapi decided that he might have to carry Nino to school if his friend didn’t wake up soon or they would be late. It was lucky that his friend was smaller and lighter than him, as Yamapi adjusted his bag and proceeded to piggy-back Nino. There were several onlookers but it was nothing new to Yamapi anyway. Neither did he care what people thought. As he stepped out of the station, he felt Nino stir.
“Pi?” Nino asked groggily. “Ah, gomen. You can put me down. I’m awake now.” Nino jumped off Yamapi’s back and rubbed his eyes to clear his vision.
The two continued walking to school in silence, with Yamapi holding Nino by the hand and Nino yawning every now and then. It was this sort of comfort between them that made them the best of friends and both knew that no matter what happened, they would always have each other.
When they reached school, Yamapi walked Nino to his classroom, still holding his hand, causing much chatter around them.
“We’ll talk later, k?” Yamapi winked as he reached out to mess Nino’s hair and left for his own classroom.
“Yamapi, what’s wrong with Nino today?” HaseJun asked as Yamapi took his seat. Yamapi shrugged.
“When I called him last night, he sounded really weird and today I found him sleeping at the station while waiting for me. Usually, all I need to do is nudge him a little and he’ll be awake but not this time. He must have not got enough sleep last night.” Yamapi explained. “Something must have happened yesterday that’s troubling Nino.” He added as an afterthought.
“Sorry, what did ya say? I didn’t quite catch that last bit.”
“Nah, it’s nothing. I could just be overly worried about Nino.” Yamapi decided to change topics. “Ah, you’ve got a game tomorrow right? How’s the preparations?”
* * * * *
“Pi!” Nino greeted when he pulled the back door of Yamapi’s classroom over. “I’m hungry.”
“Hai hai.” Yamapi replied as he allowed himself to be pulled out of the classroom by Nino. He stopped though when Nino suddenly halted in his tracks and dragged Yamapi away from the cafeteria. “Hey, I thought you said you’re hungry?”
“Shh!” Nino hissed as they hid behind the wall, the two peeking their heads around the corner.
“What are you looking at? Who are you hiding from?” Yamapi questioned.
“Shh!”
A while later, Yamapi noticed Sho walking towards the cafeteria with Okada, the two talking animatedly. He was about to make a comment when he heard Nino say something he thought he wouldn’t hear anytime soon.
“Sho-kun kawaii ne.”
A smile crept onto Yamapi’s face. “Nino thinks Sho-kun is kawaii? Aww… and Nino’s being shy. So that’s why he’s hiding from Sho-kun.”
Immediately, Nino turned around to twack Yamapi on the head, but Yamapi had ducked from the attack.
“Nino, why is your face all red?”
“Urusai!” Nino sulked as his hands covered his cheeks.
Yamapi just laughed and went on to probe further. “When did Nino realise that he likes Sho-kun?”
“I don’t!” Nino replied defensively. “I just said that he’s cute, that’s all. Like, I think you’re cute too. And Ryo-chan always goes around telling people — well with the exception of Kame — that they’re cute. But it doesn’t mean that Ryo-chan likes everyone he thinks is cute. In fact I think he likes Kame. So just because I think Sho-kun is cute doesn’t mean that I like him.”
“Hai, hai. Whatever you say.”
“Don’t ‘hai, hai’ me.” Nino grumbled as he managed to hit Yamapi this time.
“Ow. Ok, ok, forget that I said anything.” Yamapi said, deciding to find out what had happened yesterday. “So, I know you went somewhere with Nagase-senpai. What did he do to you?”
“I already told you that he didn’t do anything.” Nino rolled his eyes. “He just told me something that’s all. Some stuff that made me think about certain things and that’s why I was too distracted to pick up any of my phone calls. Plus I think my battery was flat.”
“You’re not telling me everything.”
“What? Why would I hide anything from you?” Nino feigned innocence at first, then seeing Yamapi’s glare, realised that he really couldn’t hide anything from his best friend. “Ok, fine, I’ll tell you, but don’t overreact.”
“It depends on what you’re gonna tell me.”
“Nagase-senpai said that he likes me and wanted to go out with me.” Nino told Yamapi.
“He didn’t try to molest you or anything right?”
“No, of course not! I already told you that Nagase-senpai isn’t like that.”
“Fine. And what did you say to him?”
“I said ‘no’ of course.”
“Good.” Yamapi heaved a sigh of relief. “And what else did he say to you that troubled you so much?”
“I wouldn’t really say that I was troubled… well, er… he said that I rejected him because I liked somebody else?”
“You should have said that you rejected him because you detest him.”
“I can’t say that! Anyway, why did he say that there was someone that I like when I don’t even realise that I like anyone?”
“Because you do.”
“I do? Who?”
“Sakurai Sho.”
“I already told you that I don’t like Sho-kun in that way.” Nino said, exasperated.
“Still in denial.” Yamapi rolled his eyes. “Can you tell me why you’re avoiding Sho-kun then?”
“I- Last night- Ah, it’s not important.”
“Last night you…? C’mon tell me.”
“Iyada!”
“Wanna stay over at my house for the weekend?”
“Eh? What’s with the sudden change in subject?”
“Well, since you’re not gonna tell me, there’s no point continuing that conversation, is there? So, wanna stay over for the weekend? It’s been a long time since we stayed over at each other’s place.”
“You just stayed over at my house the other time when you gave me English tuition.” It was Nino’s turn to roll his eyes.
“Ah, but that was for studying. I mean for fun!”
“Ok, ok. But you’ve gotta come with me to go get my stuff from my house first so we need to rush after school. Don’t dilly-dally.”
“Che, just an excuse to rush off so that you can avoid Sho-kun right?”
“I’m not really avoiding him.”
“Hai, hai. Whatever you say.”
* * * * *
“Sakurai Sho!” A voice called out sternly as a hand reached out to drag Sho by the ear.
“Itai na, Nagase-senpai! Where are you taking me to?”
“I’ve got something important to say to you.”
“But I’m still eating!” Sho whined to no avail as Nagase continued to drag him out of the cafeteria. “Ah, Bussan, help me look after my food and don’t let anyone steal it!”
Okada nodding his head as he continued eating was the last thing Sho saw before the doors to the cafeteria almost slammed in his face, as Nagase dragged him and entered one of the clubrooms that was nearby.
“Nagase-senpai, what is it that’s so important that you have to interrupt me while I was eating?” Sho whined again, though he had a sneaking feeling what it might be about.
“I’ll tell you.” Nagase said seriously. “Now, you’re a good kouhai, and I enjoy playing football with you. I always pass you the ball and assist you when we play, and let you score the goals. But that’s the only time I’m gonna give way to you.”
“Nagase-senpai, what are you talking about? Not all my goals were assisted by you.” Sho joked, but realised that he was the only one laughing. “Ah, gomen. I was joking.”
“I think you know what I’m talking about.”
“Erm…”
“I’ll let you know that I won’t give up so easily, not until I see that I’ve definitely lost to you. But you better know that if you win, you better appreciate what you have or I’ll come after you.”
Sho took in Nagase’s warning, and though he appeared like he didn’t know what’s going on, he knew exactly what Nagase was talking about, and Nagase knew that he understood. His senpai was challenging him, but Sho was thinking that there really wasn’t any challenge, was there? He thought he had already lost? The wheels in his head starting whirling as he tried to figure out what could have happened.
Maybe Nagase-senpai had confessed to Nino? And if Nagase-senpai was here challenging me, it must mean that Nino didn’t say ‘yes’. Did Nino say that he liked me better? No, that has to be wishful thinking on my part. But considering that Nagase-senpai, Yamapi, and possibly even Tsuba-chan — who has been giving me lots of hints about taking action before it’s too late — know that I’ve fallen in love with Nino, maybe Nino knows as well? Nah, Yamapi had said that Nino doesn’t realise such things. But even if I did like Nino, it seems to me that Nino probably likes Nagase-senpai anyway, and maybe was too shock to give a proper answer? Yet if that was the case, why is Nagase-senpai so worried about losing to me? Unless Nino DOES like me…
“Nino likes me.” Sho suddenly blurted out, before covering his mouth when he realised what he had said. But after saying it out loud, Sho started to feel that what he had said was right, and he couldn’t help smiling like a cheshire cat.
“Wipe that idiotic smile off your face.” Nagase scolded. “I can tell you that he probably doesn’t realise it anyway, so I can still change his mind. And I will.”
“No you won’t.”
“Wah, you’ve got a lot of guts speaking like that to your senpai. No wonder that cute little devil likes you.” Nagase remarked. “Like I said, I won’t give up so easily.”
“You should. Cos the Tensai never fails. Especially not to ojisans like you.”
Nagase snorted. “Hmph, you’re really damn annoying when you get into that competitive mode of yours.” Turning to leave the room, Nagase stopped at the door. “Hey, you better get back to your food or I might go snatch it from under Okada’s nose.”
“Oi, Nagase-senpai!”
* * * * *
“Hey Kame!” Sho jogged towards his junior who was walking ahead of him. It was after school, and Sho was on his way home. “Have you seen Nino?”
“Nino?” Kame pondered. “I think I only saw him this morning with Yamapi. Haven’t talked to him all day. He looked pretty listless and it looked like Yamapi had to drag him to school.”
“Really? Is Nino sick?” Sho asked, getting worried.
“Nino’s fine. I saw him with Yamapi during break.” Ryo, who was with Kame, interrupted. “Super genki and kawaii.”
Kame rolled his eyes. “I guess if you can find Yamapi, you’ll find Nino.”
“Ah, ok. Thanks. And sorry to bother you guys. See ya next week.”
Waving goodbye, Sho watched as the two first years walked towards the other station as he headed towards his. He hadn’t seen Nino all day, and was beginning to wonder if Nino had taken sick leave. Why he wanted to see Nino… there really was no reason. He just wanted to. Especially after he realised that Nino does like him after all. That thought had made his day, but still, he hadn’t seen his object of affection all day and it was starting to get depressing.
Sighing, he took a quick glance around the station to see if Nino was around before he stepped onto the train that had pulled in. As it had been all day in school, there was no Nino in sight. You need to stop behaving like some desperate, lovesick puppy. Sho reprimanded himself, when he suddenly thought of Nino’s dog and how Nino had puffed out his cheeks going ‘Buu-ruu, Buu-ruuu’. He laughed at the thought, then smacked himself on the forehead. Sakurai Sho, get a hold of yourself!
There was no time for gushing over Nino in his head. As Tsubasa had tried to hint at him through some analogy about how ‘Sho doesn’t play baseball but he might wanna buy himself the expensive glove anyway’, Sho decided that he should take action soon. He wasn’t gonna lose to anyone after all, and definitely not to Nagase-senpai.
* * * * *
“So, do you wanna tell me what exactly is going on?” Yamapi asked as he and Nino lay side by side on their futons, staring up into the darkness.
“Must I?”
“I’m your best friend.”
“Who has a big mouth.”
“I’ll promise not to tell anyone unless I feel that I have to for your own good.”
“That’s comforting.” Nino said sarcastically. “Fine, I’ll tell you. No wait, what else is there to tell you? I thought I already told you about Nagase-senpai?”
“C’mon, I know there’s more you’re hiding from me. And don’t even try to lie cos I can tell.”
“Yare yare.” Nino sighed.
“Why are you sighing? I should be the one who’s exasperated.” Yamapi rolled his eyes even though he knew Nino couldn’t see.
“I… I had a dream.”
“Are you going all Martin Luther King on me?”
“No, you baka.” Nino reached out to whack Yamapi on the head. “I had a dream that was kinda disturbing ok?”
“As in a nightmare?”
“No, I won’t call it a nightmare… It wasn’t that bad a dream. It’s just that when I woke up because you called me, and realised what I had been dreaming about, it got a little disturbing, y’know?”
“Oh, no wonder you sounded odd when you picked up the phone last night.” Yamapi commented. “So, are you gonna stop beating about the bush and tell me what your dream was about? Otherwise, I can’t help you. Hey, in fact, I think I might have a dream book somewhere.”
“I really don’t think you can help me with this one.”
“Try me.”
Nino hesitated. He usually told Yamapi everything, especially when he had troubles, but he wasn’t exactly sure if he wanted to share this dream he had with his best friend. It wasn’t that Yamapi couldn’t keep a secret. In a way, he was sorta afraid to say it out. “It’s… it’s about Sho-kun.”
“Oh, yeah, like I didn’t know that it had to be about Sho-kun.” Yamapi quipped.
“Hey, you don’t have to be so sarcastic. I don’t exactly have to tell you, y’know.” Nino shot back.
“Ok, gomen, gomen.” Yamapi apologised. “So, what exactly happened in this dream? What about Sho-kun?”
“I… can I keep something from you for once? It’s kinda… er, embarrassing.” Nino said as he stuffed his face into the pillow, afraid his face was gonna start turning red as he recalled his dream.
“Oooooooohhh.” Yamapi sat up and started shaking Nino. “Tell me! Tell me!”
“Urusai! I’m sleeping!”
“Ah, lemme guess then. You dreamt that Sho-kun kissed you?”
“How did you know?!” Nino blurted out, before realising his mistake and hiding himself again.
“I’m right? Oooh, I never knew that Nino dreamt about such things.” Yamapi chided. “Wait, I’m sure there’s more right? I mean, if it was just kissing, what’s so embarrassing about it?”
“Well, it’s not embarrassing to you but it is to me!” Nino mumbled into the pillow.
“Did you guys do any hentai stuff as well?” Yamapi asked mischieviously.
“…”
“Oh my god. Nino, you’re such a hentai. I can’t believe you had such a dream.”
“We didn’t have sex ok, if that’s what you’re thinking!” Nino protested. “And anyway, it’s just a dream!”
“Shh, Nino. You’re gonna wake the whole house up if you shout any louder, then everyone would know you had a hentai dream that involved Sho-kun.”
Nino grabbed the pillow and smacked Yamapi hard on the head.
“Ah, I know. Nino’s angry with me cos I must have interrupted when I called right?” Yamapi chuckled.
“No, actually, I should thank you. Cos I think if the dream had gone on I’ll probably turn psychotic by now.”
“Yeah. Anyway, why dream about it when you can experience the real thing.”
“Nani itten da yo?!”
“What? It’s logical. See, since you like Sho-kun, Sho-kun likes you, now all you two have to do is tell each other, get together, and bam!” Yamapi smiled.
“What makes you think Sho-kun likes me?”
“Of course he does. Why else would he be so nice to you? Anyway, you admit that you like Sho-kun?”
“Sho-kun’s nice to a lot of people. Does that mean he likes everyone? Anyway, I think there’s somebody else he likes. And as for your last question… I don’t know anymore.” Nino said, defeated.
“What do you mean you don’t know? What do you feel?”
“What do I feel?”
“From our observations, Nagase-senpai and I can tell you like Sho-kun. But our observations could be wrong cos we could have taken things the wrong way. Maybe deep down, you like Sho-kun a lot, but not in that way. Only you will truly know.”
“…”
“Am I confusing you further?”
“No. Maybe. I dunno.”
“What does your heart tell you?”
“I dunno.” Nino slapped his own face. “Argh! All I can think of now is Sho.”
“Isn’t that your answer?” Yamapi looked at Nino, head tilted to one side, a smile on his face.
“I like Sho-kun?” Nino looked at his best friend, still confused. Yamapi merely nodded. Taking a deep breath, Nino tried to say it with more conviction this time. “I like Sho.”
“That’s the way.” Yamapi gave Nino a pat. “Now that we’ve managed to get this sorted out, let’s go to sleep. I need my beauty rest.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hm? Yeah. If I don’t have my beauty rest I’ll look super ugly tomorrow morning.”
Nino rolled his eyes. “I don’t mean that. Doesn’t bother me if you’re ugly or not. I was talking about Sho.”
There was no reply from Yamapi, as it appeared that his best friend had fallen asleep. Or maybe Yamapi was trying to ignore him by pretending that he had fallen asleep. Deciding that he didn’t want to pursue the matter further until he was forced to do so, Nino tucked himself in.
“Goodnight, baka Pi.”
* * * * *
© Copyrighted by O-Baka! | Home
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Didn’t you say your muses had gone on strike? *ggg* Glad to see they returned to you ^o^ *gives them an other cookie* (and an extra one for squeezing in some PiKame love ^.~)
Nino is so cruel by playing hard to get at the end *laughs* And by teasing Sho and making him repeat himself.. poor guy *pats Sho-chan* *lol*
But at least they FINALLY ended up together… somehow… I hope… XD”"”
The part about Ryo interrupting Pi’s date with Kame made me crack up X3
I’d soo~ love to read about this in detail *nudge nudge*
And I need to bribe your muses in favour of the sequel ^_______^
Konnichiwa..i’ve read the whole fic already and I have to say that I am impressed. I love your writing style a lot and the pairing is refreshing. The way the everyone was portrayed in here is great and makes the story smooth going. Keep up with the good work. Ganbatte XD
P.S I luv Kame-kun lol Of course I love others as well. They are so cute but if possible could you finish the sequel. I’m so excited