♥Dissonance♥Prince of tennis♥Shitenhouji♥

♥22♥ Withering cherry blossom

"Oh...it's Senpai." 

"Chinami...?" Chitose wondered what that was about. 

"S-sorry...I just..." 

"N-no, it's okay. Um, why did you quit being our manager?" 

"I don't want to talk about it." 

"Chinami..." 

"I just want to continue with my studies and spend more time with my Dad, okay?" 

"I am not saying it's wrong but it's happening so fast. The Regional Tournament is coming up real soon and..." He caught up with her and touched her shoulder again, "We would be happy if you're there-" 

"Don't touch me!" Chinami got very defensive over a touch on the shoulder again, looking at Chitose as if he was her enemy. "Don't touch me..." 

"Chinami..." The tallest member of the team couldn't work out why she was being like this. He was afraid to touch her again. "What happened to you?" 

"Nothing happened. I just don't want you to touch me..." She quickly excused herself, saying that she will be late for class. 

"Chinami..." He couldn't help but think there was something very wrong going on. Something was wrong, very wrong...

When Chinami finally made it to her classroom's door, she opened the sliding door. All eyes rested on her but Zaizen reacted the most. 

"Chinami!" She has finally showed up for school! She's late but it was better than nothing. 

Before the teacher can reprimand Chinami for being very late, the bell rang for lunch and everybody ignored the teacher. Zaizen was quick to grab Chinami's hand and dragged her to somewhere quiet so they can talk...

Zaizen took her to the school roof. They sat against the wall and while he was looking up at the blue sky, she was looking to the side, avoiding looking at him. 

"Chinami, why are you wearing makeup?" He was not stupid. He has been sitting next to her since they first met. He noticed the slight skin color change on her face and he can tell she's wearing foundation on her face.

"What are you talking about?" 

"You're beautiful without it. Why are you wearing them now?" 

"I want to look grown up." Chinami said to him. "Why are you asking me so much questions anyway?" 

"If you wipe off those make up off your face, what would I see underneath them?" 

"Nothing. Just my face." 

He knew she was lying to him yet again. Why was she lying to him? Why did she feel the need to lie? 

"I sent you a message and ended it with I love you..." 

"And?" 

"'And', you say? That was our secret code. If you type back 'I love you too', that is how I know you are in trouble." Chinami smiled a little that he still remember making such thing as a secret code. However, it was a bit pointless now because even if she was in trouble, there's no one she can rely on. 

"Hikaru, nothing is wrong." She got up from the floor and was about to walk away but he stopped her.

"You're lying!" 

"I am not." 

"Then why did you type back you love me too?" 

"...what if I really mean it?" Chinami looked into his eyes, making sure her confident face wouldn't falter in front of him. "What if I am serious?"