Teiko's basketball III: Three's a charm

Reasons

"Who?"

"You know the girl with the auburn hair who sits a few desks away from me..."

"On second thought, I don't care," said Sora.

"Don't belittle true love, Soracchi!"

"I wouldn't if it were that..." muttered Sora.

"What were we talking about anyway?"

"I forgot," admitted Sora. "Oh and Kise-kun... I'm curious. Why did you join the club?"

Kise turned up his collar and looked thoughtfully into the distance. "I was passing one of the open – courts out front when I saw Aominecchi playing. He was... I still don't know how to describe it. Well, I just knew. When I looked at him, I knew that I would face him one day. But what satisfaction that has given me..."

Sora paused. "And... When you joined... Would you have let anyone keep you out?"

Kise gave a short laugh. "Death by gorgeousness. Have you heard of that? Terrible fate for anyone, really. Don't mess with the deredere."

"I've heard more of death by ego," said Sora. "It's said to be prevalent especially among people with weird hair."

"Mou, Soracchi!" whined Kise. Sora laughed. "On second thought, you're right. After talking to you, I forgot what I was worried about. Derederes are helpful I suppose."

"Any time. You look a bit like a ghost nowadays," commented Kise. "My manager says that worry wreaks havoc on your skin. Tell you what, why don't we play one day? Just the old crowd..."

Sora hesitated. "I'd love to!" she said with false cheer thinking of one person who was currently in no way disposed to play with her. "Okay!" said Kise who had missed the undercurrents in her tone. "See ya then!"

"Right," said Sora turning.

"Oh, and Soracchi..."

"Hmm?"

"I am willing to advise you, you know. No matter what the issue is."

"For the last time..."

"Okay. I get the drift. You aren't lying and you two don't have any problems... As of now..."

"Kise Ryouta!"

"Or possibly ever. Jeez, yanderes..."

Sora walked off shaking her head. But Kise's reply had given her an idea. Sora knew that her experiment tomorrow would either confirm or dispel her doubts completely. For better or for worse, she would at least have a concrete answer although there were equal chances that she was completely wrong. Sora walked in to the court and was relieved to see that the girls were still at practice. They ceased once Sora entered and she found herself the object of several curious gazes.

"Umm... Senpai..." said Mai hesitantly.

"What is it?"

"Sorry!" said Mai abruptly.

"What for?" said Sora sounding bewildered.

"Nothing... It's just..."

"Never fret, kouhai. All's well that ends well," said Sora.

"Okay."

"Oi, tell us the whole story here!" said Yukiji.

"What?"

"I don't like that look on your face."

"Eh?" said Sora rubbing her palm across her face.

"Don't act. I know that expression... Are you planning something or what?"

"Oh that..." said Sora. "A thought just occurred."

"What?"

"Why don't we have a small match tomorrow?"

"With whom?"

"Just the six of us."

"Six?" said Mayu confused. "What are you talking about? There's you, me, Yukiji, Aoba, Akira... Who's the sixth?"

"Mai-san, do you want to play?" said Sora.

Mai swallowed. "I think so..."

The practice came to an end shortly after that dialogue. Mai sat down on one of the benches outside the courts to organize her thoughts. She was followed a few minutes later by Akira. Akira sat down next to her. Mai knew what Akira was going to say.

"Don't play tomorrow."

Mai had been expecting this. But if she didn't, it would only indicate that she had been bluffing all along. She wanted a real shot at the game. "I have to..."

"You don't! Call in sick or something. Can't you see she's messing with you?" demanded Akira.

"There's nothing I can do! If I don't play, people will only talk about how I chickened out. How I couldn't play when it came to it..."

Akira ground her teeth. "People need to go to hell."

"I know... But Akira-sama, give me a choice and I will take it."

"I... have no ideas to offer."

"Do you still think that I shouldn't be playing?"

"No. But make them cry tomorrow."