Chapter Four
“Nishikido Ryo desu. Dozo yoroshiku.” Ryo greeted his new class with little enthusiasm.
Yamaguchi-sensei pointed at the empty seat the back of the class. “Nishikido-kun, you can take the seat next to Kamenashi-kun.”
“Huh?” Kame looked up, having heard his name, only to see the new student take the seat next to him as lessons began. Kame couldn’t quite recall the new student’s name, since he was too tired to pay much attention. Continuous training outside of normal practices made him exhausted, and he also realise how tough his buchou really was. When Kame had let on that he needed pointers, Tsubasa had gone on to the extent of drawing up a whole schedule, and even guiding him in one-on-one training sessions.
Kame felt a pair of eyes rest on him. He turned to see the new student staring at him. Kame looked back questioningly, but the other just continued to stare, getting on Kame’s nerves. Kame ignored the other, turning his attention to what was written on the board. But his weariness and the constant staring from the other meant that he was too distracted to really pay attention to the lesson.
The staring continued for the next two periods. Occasionally, Kame turned to stare back, hoping to scare off the other, but the other merely continued staring, not caring that Kame was annoyed and that it wasn’t actually a normal thing to stare at people for so long. The scary thing was, even when one of the teachers picked on the new student to answer a question, the other could do so effortlessly, as if he was paying attention to the lesson at the same time.
When break finally came, Kame couldn’t take it anymore.
“Sorry, but is there something on my face?”
The other shook his head. Kame wanted to just ask the other straight out what was it he was staring at, but the other replied before he could even ask. “You’re really ugly.”
Taken aback, Kame glared back, wondering what was up with this guy.
“Hey Nishikido-kun, want to join us for break?” Toma interrupted their confrontation.
“Sure.” The other replied nonchalantly, getting up from his seat.
“Why must you ask him to join us?” Kame turned to Toma.
“What’s wrong? He’s new in this school… no wait, he’s new in Tokyo even, since he moved over from Osaka. We should welcome him and make him feel as comfortable as possible so that he won’t get homesick or something.” Toma said simply.
“Yeah, don’t be so mean, Kame.” Taisuke added.
Me? Mean? Hey, who was calling who ugly? It wasn’t as if Kame had done anything to annoy the guy, yet he had to put up with the constant staring for three periods only to hear the other tell him he was ugly. Slightly irritated when he realised he had to face this weird guy almost every single day for the rest of his school life at Waseio, Kame cursed, but followed the others to the canteen anyway.
Unfortunately for Kame, Ryo still sat next to him in the canteen. Trying to ignore the other, he turned to Nino who was sitting opposite.
“Hey Nino, how’s your ankle?”
“Healed. I’m perfectly fit to train today.” Nino stated stubbornly, before gesturing at Ryo. “Anyway, who’s this?”
“New rude classmate.” Kame replied.
“Nishikido Ryo desu.” Ryo stated. “Nice to meet you.”
“Ah, nice to meet you. Ninomiya Kazunari desu. But you can just call me Nino.”
Ryo nodded. “Nino, you’re really cute.”
Nino looked at Ryo, surprised, while Kame glared at Ryo. Was this guy trying to start a fight?
“Eh? Uh… arigato.” Nino said awkwardly, yet amused by Ryo’s sudden compliment.
Yamapi soon arrived with his food and settled in the seat next to Nino. “Eh? Kame, is this your new classmate that Toma and Taisuke was talking about? Ohaiyo! Yamashita Tomohisa desu, but just call me Yamapi. You are?”
“Nishikido Ryo. Yoroshiku.” Ryo smiled back. “You’re Nino’s best friend?”
“Eh? How did you know?”
Ryo shrugged. “Sixth sense? And you’re cute like Nino too.”
“Eh? Thank you.” Yamapi replied. “Ryo’s cute too.”
“Hey! What is with this?” Kame asked, annoyed.
“Oh, Kame’s cute too.” Yamapi said innocently. “But I thought Kame always knew that since he looked so full of belief in himself, just like Nino.”
“Well somebody doesn’t seem to think so.” Kame glared at Ryo, who looked back as if he didn’t know what was going on. “Forget it.” Kame said, deciding it was not something worth getting upset about.
“I was just stating facts.” Ryo replied.
Nino started bursting out laughing then, and Yamapi joined in seconds later. They didn’t know exactly what Ryo had said to Kame, but was surprised and amused that there was someone who dared to risk the wrath of Kame.
“Anou sa! What’s happening?” Taisuke asked as he, Toma and Hasejun joined the table.
“I’m done eating. See you guys later.” Kame stood up, not liking the fact that he was the one being laughed at and pissed off with himself that he had no rebuttal towards Ryo’s curt comments.
Moments later, just after Kame had left the canteen, Ryo stood up. “I’m done too. Nice meeting you guys. See ya later.”
The others watched as Ryo followed Kame out of the canteen.
* * * * *
Was this what it felt like when you were being stalked?
For some odd reason, Kame found himself being followed by Ryo. The guy told him he was ugly, and yet seemed determined to follow Kame wherever he went, as if trying to annoy him further.
“What is it that you want?” Kame snapped at Ryo.
Ryo tilted his head slightly, before smiling at Kame. “Can you show me around?”
“You want me to give you a school tour?” Kame asked, exasperated.
“Not just the school. Around the area, everything.” Ryo replied calmly. “We live rather near each other after all.”
“Eh?!” Kame looked at Ryo. He was thinking that maybe he really did have a stalker after all.
“I wasn’t stalking you, just that I saw you on the way to school.” Ryo replied, as if reading Kame’s mind.
Kame took a moment to internalise what was happening. “You saw me, so you recognised me when you came into class. And for some odd reason, you’ve been staring at me, even telling me I’m ugly when I asked you why. Then you insult me further by complimenting on how cute my friends were, as if trying to get me riled up. Then you follow me around, whether it is to the toilet or to my locker or walking back to class now. And you expect me to show you around? Not just give you a tour of the school but of the town?”
“Yes.”
Kame stopped in his tracks, his jaw dropped a little in disbelief. “You’re one rude and weird guy.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Will you stop following me around?”
“No. I’m afraid of loneliness.”
Kame rolled his eyes. “Why the hell should I be nice to you when you’ve been mean to me?”
“The only reason I’m mean to you is cos I love you.”
“EH?!?!” Kame exlaimed, attracting looks from some of the other first years in the corridor.
“So, will you show me around?”
* * * * *
“Yosh. Haven’t done anything for a week. Let’s have a good practice today.” Arms crossed behind his head, Nino walked along with Kame into the locker room before Monday practice. “Hey, is Ryo gonna join basketball too?”
“Er, I hope not.” Kame made a face. “Think he said something about joining tennis. Anyway, don’t you still have to stay off heavy exercise? I don’t think Tsubasa-senpai’s gonna let you play today.”
“But it’s not swollen or anything. I’m playing.” Nino stated stubbornly, as they both put set down their duffle bags. Nino’s face brightened as the locker room door opened again.
“Aho, Aho, let’s have a game before practice.”
“No way. You’re supposed to be resting. And stop calling me ‘aho’.”
“I don’t care. I’m playing.”
“No. The most you’re doing is upper body training in the gym later. Higashi-san said a minumum of two weeks to a month.”
“Tsubasa-senpai said I could.”
“He won’t let you. I won’t let him let you.”
“Wah. Who do you think you are? Aho.”
“Don’t call me aho. I’m your senpai y’know.”
“Fine. But since when do you want people to call you senpai, Sho-kun.”
Sho just smiled brightly.
“Why are you standing there smiling like an aho?”
“Betsuni.” Sho continued grinning.
Nino started poking Sho in his side, who yelped, ticklish. “Ne, Sho-kun.”
“Stop it… it’s ticklish na!” Sho tried to fend of Nino’s attack.
“Not stopping till you agree to let me play.”
“Kame. Help me here!”
“Eh, are you sure you’re not enjoying it?” Kame stated in mock innocence.
“Kamenashi, you watch it- Ow!” Sho leapt back at the latest poke just as the locker room door opened.
“Wah, what’s the fracas about?” Tsuyoshi asked as he, Koichi and Okada stepped in. “What are the two gakis doing?” He turned to Okada. “It’s not some new Cat’s Eye ritual that Sho’s got Nino involved in as well right?”
“Of course not.” Okada muttered nonchalantly, as the trio dumped their bags, ignoring Sho’s pleas.
“Oi, stop it. Nino!”
“Looks fun.”
Nino stopped in mid-poke and everyone else quietened down when they realised Kimura-sensei had walked into the locker room. Kimura-sensei hardly ever stepped into the locker room, so the older players knew that something must be up.
“Ah, Nino. Looking lively today.”
Everyone looked at Nino.
“Eh?”
“By the way, I noticed you sneaked out during the Hyouyama-Owasaki game last Thursday. As a punishment, you will be cleaning all the basketballs, lockers, and bringing towels and water for everyone for the rest of the month. Basically you can do the team manager’s job since we don’t have one.”
“Eh?!” Nino exclaimed in indignance. He couldn’t believe that Kimura-sensei had seen him. “That’s extreme! I only missed part of the game!”
“It’s final. Or I could add another week or maybe another month.”
“What? I’ll quit if that was so!”
Kimura-sensei shrugged. “You can quit but you’ll still have to do the punishment.” Then he turned to look at Sho, who was about to speak. “Sho, don’t even bother trying to argue for him.”
Nino stopped stunned. Really, he knew he was fighting a losing battle trying to argue with Kimura-sensei’s brand of logic.
“Ninomiya will be polishing for the next three weeks.” He looked at Nino. “Okay? Alright then. Tsuyoshi, let Tsubasa know. Ja.” Kimura spun round, with a sharp wave as he stepped out. “Ah, atsui na…”
* * * * *
Stupid sensei number 31. Nino mentally counted in his head, as he polished the 31st basketball with vigour, imagining it was the coach’s head he was pummelling. He was seated, cross-legged on the gym floor by a collection of basketballs that he was meant to polish as part of his punishment. With nowhere else to direct his disatisfaction, Nino attacked those basketballs with a vengeance.
“If you rub that basketball any harder, it’s gonna burst.” Sho said as he took a gulp of water from his cooler. The regulars had just finished their practice game and Sho had made his way over to Nino’s corner of the gym in a bid to sooth Nino’s anger before he self-imploded. Sho, however, need not have worried about Nino imploding. The basketballs on the other hand seemed to be in danger as they beared the consequence of Nino’s displeasure.
“Well, I am hoping someone’s head does.” Nino sent a grouchy look towards the glass windows of Kimura’s office that overlooked the gym. “I hope it explodes.”
Sho knew Nino didn’t mean it to be at all funny, but somehow, he couldn’t help but find amusement in the way Nino expressed his anger, his elfin face all scrunched up in annoyance. “Aren’t you’re going to pack up? You can continue on Wednesday.” Sho said as he started helping Nino move stuff back into the storage room.
“Don’t remind me.” Nino muttered unhappily as he finished cleaning up ball number 31 and got onto his feet. He threw the ball into the basket with its newly polished companions. “Argh I’m all dirty.”
“Well, I agree. There’s a spot right here.” Sho chuckled, as he rubbed Nino’s cheek with his thumb. “Ah-Oops.”
“Sho-kun, your hands are dirty too, and you’re making it worst.” Grumbling, Nino rubbed his own cheek as the others walked over to them.
“Nino, you stink!” Taisuke jabbed playfully, not realising that Nino was glaring at him. “See, you should have just stayed and watch the match like a good boy.”
“Oh, so how was the game anyway?” Sho asked, trying to divert the topic from Nino’s punishment before Taisuke finds himself suffering the fate of ball number 32.
“Oh yeah, it was a great game!” Yamapi caught the hint.
“Akanishi Jin was very good.” Kame added, before Taisuke butted in.
“Chigau yo! Aiba Masaki is their best player! He’s so kakkoii! When he was playing they literally trashed Owasaki cos no one could stop him, that’s why Hyouyama could afford to substitute him and bring on a first year.”
“Akanishi’s not bad either. He’s the MVP for our year after all.” Yamapi pointed out when he saw Kame sulking. “But I agree that Aiba’s really a good player.”
“Who’s this Aiba?” Nino asked.
“Oh please, Aiba’s even better than Akanishi!” Taisuke ignored Nino’s question and continued. “C’mon, he’s Sho-senpai’s rival! Ne, Sho-senpai?”
“Ah, not really.” Sho replied in a small smile.
“But the both of you can do all those moves that the rest of us can only dream of, except for Ueda Tatsuya, but that doesn’t count because he beat the two of you to win the MVP. But remember, senpai, in tournaments when we played Aiba’s school everybody always looked forward to the Sho vs Aiba match-up. And last year when I watched Waseio’s match against Hyouyama, the two of you made the game so exciting!”
“Er, Aiba-chan’s not really a rival na. In fact, I think he’s better than me.”
Aiba-chan? Nino’s ears perked up. He had not watched this guy playing so he had no idea who Aiba was and how good he is. But Nino wondered how it was that Sho had come to address the other on such familiar terms.
“Noo..!” Taisuke objected. “Both of you are very brilliant players! Don’t put yourself down, Sho-senpai!”
“Ah, I agree that Sho-kun is good. But what’s the big deal about Aiba Masaki.” Okada, who seldom commented, much less put down anyone, looked sceptically as he packed his stuff. “Aiba-chan this, Aiba-chan that.”
“Bussan, you’re just jealous because your girlfriend’s a fan of Aiba-chan right?” Sho quipped.
“Yeah, she never shuts up about him once she starts. And I still don’t see what’s the big deal.” Okada said as he slung his bag over his shoulder and started to leave.
“Ah!” Yamapi suddenly exclaimed. “I’ve to go to! I hope the showers are not taken up. Gotta bathe now or I’ll be late!” He stated as he scurried off.
“What’s his hurry?” Kame asked, nonplussed.
“Pi has to dash off for his date.” Nino answered. “Fully recovered from his last tragic break-up a few weeks ago, our young protagonist, Yamashita Tomohisa, has started seeing people.” Nino’s imitation of a dramatic news report elicited Sho’s light laughter. “It’s not surprising, considering that various girls from our old school have called him to try and pick up from where where his last girlfriend left off… ”
“Oh, so you know who’s his date today?” Taisuke asked.
“Saa, who knows. Can’t keep track.” Nino shrugged as the they trotted towards the shower room. “Guess it’s just the two of us on the train home today, Sho-kun.”
“Hey Kame.” The boys looked up, and realised that Ryo was just standing outside the shower room, freshly scrubbed, his hair wet.
“Oh Ryo.” Taisuke greeted. “You’re done with tennis tryouts? So how was it?”
Ryo shrugged nonchalantly. “Yeah I’m in.”
“Great!” Taisuke grinned as he headed into the shower room. “Ja, ne!”
“Hey Kame,” Ryo turned towards Kame, who was just about to follow Taisuke and escape from Ryo. “I’ll wait for you out here, then we can go home together.”
Kame frozed, then sighed. “Ah. Whatever.”
Nino snickered, amused, before he was nudged by Sho. “Ja, later then Ryo. C’mon Kame.” Nino placed his hands on Kame’s shoulders as he herded him into the shower room. “You can see your Ryo-chan later.”
“Shut up Nino!” Kame hissed as Sho couldn’t help but join in the snickering and followed the boys in.
* * * * *
“You really shouldn’t have missed the match.” Sho, being in his responsible mode, was reminding Nino on their train ride back.
“But I’ve been waiting for the launch of this series forever! And the first 50 people would get the special limited edition of game which has extra features!” Nino defended himself.
“Hai, hai.” Sho chuckled, mussing Nino’s hair.
“Oi, don’t talk to me so patronisingly. And don’t mess my hair. I just combed it.”
Sho just laughed, as his mobile phone beeped. “You just have to bear with the consequence then, Nino.” He mussed Nino’s hair again, before he flipped open his mobile to check his message.
“Oi, I just said don’t mess with the hair!” Nino patted his hair in place. “And what’s with that expression?” He added when he noticed Sho laughing as he read his message. “What so funny?” Nino peered, poking his head near Sho’s mobile screen.
“Look at this.” Sho chuckled as he showed Nino the picture on his screen. “Omoshiroi ne?”
Nino squinted. “Eh, what so funny about this? And who sent you such a stupid picture?”
“Eh, but the gnome is- Ah never mind.” Sho continued grinning, amused. “Aiba-chan sent it.”
Aiba-chan again? Nino rolled his eyes as the train came to a stop.
“Ah, it’s my stop.” Sho flipped his phone shut, and got up from his seat.
“Eh, you’re getting off here?” Nino looked nonplussed. Didn’t Sho usually get off at the same stop as him?
“Yeah. My house is just down the road from here.” Sho grinned.
“Then why have you been getting off at my stop all this while?”
“Himitsu desu.” Sho smirked, before he stepped out. “Ja, Nino. Mata ne!”
Nan no himitsu da yo. Nino pouted. Stupid Sho.
* * * * *
© 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