"You're really sharpening that spur of the moment steal, Ryouchi!" Kise compliments, he's using the male version of my name as we're not yet close enough to home.
"I'm still surprised that it had worked the first time, when we played against Midorima-kun!" I admit.
"His face when you passed that Takao guy with it!" Kise laughs, arm around my shoulders as we head toward the suburbs. There are fangirls around but they're clearly assuming that this is platonic boy behaviour, when really it's weird protective Kise behaviour.
"Takao-kun seemed quite amazed too." I note with a small laugh.
"Both of them were shocked that you were the golden bullet." Kise adds.
"I didn't go all out. They would put two and two together if we had to face them and Okenok played in exactly the same way as Koneko." I shrug.
It's been three weeks since I met up with the power duo from Shutoku. Kise has tried to arrange something but it never appeals to Midorima. He doesn't like his pest of a fan, clearly. Regardless of the limited practice with Midorima Shintaro himself, my technique of long distance shooting is becoming much more refined and therefore a lot more successful. I am about 30% likely to score with a three pointer. That's great progress if I'm honest, considering that if I were to shoot a three pointer four weeks ago, I would have never succeeded.
Kise and I have been training together in order to copy Midorima. I think Kise called this skill he's playing with 'perfect copy'. While he has been working on more technical shots, I have been at the drawing board, practising the most basic of three pointers. I'm glad to have Kise scrutinising me, it's not always fun but the blond means well. That's clear.
Recently, he's been meeting me at the park before school so I can take out my hair extensions in the public toilets and put them in my bag. He waits for me because he seems to have a newly established obligation to keep a protective eye on me. After basketball practice, he hangs out at my house, lurking downstairs as I shower and change out of my boys uniform and take off my boyish make up, then we watch previous games of the Generation of Miracles. Today we're going to watch the game that I got to see live.
Today is no different from any other, average day; meeting my friend in the park, going to school, Kise being swarmed by fangirls and then basketball practice. As the two of us head toward my house only for us to lock eyes on a male figure outside of my house.
"Konekochi!" Kise says quietly but clearly with alarm, as we draw nearer to my home.
"Ry'?" I'm asked, the voice all too familiar. I feel a harsh stab in my stomach. I rub the back of my neck, laughing falsely and weakly. Why. The. Hell. Is. He. Here!?!
"Hi Nate...long time no call." I greet, speaking English, tone a tad sour.
"Konekochi..?" Kise looks uncertain.
"Kise, this is Nate." I introduce my former captain to Kise, speaking Japanese.
"Nate, this is Ryouta Kise." I repeat the introduction, the other way around and in English.
"Nice to meet you!" The bubbly blond beside me holds his hand out to Nate. Other than P.E, Kise's strongest subject is English. At least that'll make communication a lot easier.
"Come on you guys." I open the door, heading upstairs. Kise files into the living room, he'll kick back in the recliner. Nate will be sprawled out on the sofa.
"I'm going to shower and stuff." I call downstairs, glancing to the living room. "Help yourself to the contents of the fridge." Kise stands and heads to the kitchen.
"Can I join you?" Kise's jaw drops. My face burns as Kise's golden eyes study and judge me.
"No." I state harshly and coldly.
"Buy Ryoko~." Nate tries to convince me and the judgement from my friend becomes too much to take. I find myself stomping upstairs and slamming the door shut. I scrub my make up off and jump into a fast body shower, shower cap over my hair so I don't have to blow dry it. Once I'm out of the shower I bolt into my room, slamming that door shut too.
Embarrassed blush stains have not left my face. I dry myself off and select something to wear. What am I going to do? What if Nate tells Kise about America? Like in his twisted way? The way that Nate "soiled his reputation" at home because he had interest in me? That served him right! Choose which Ry' you want to be seen with, don't just be all over both of them! How I kept rejecting him? That was his fault! You don't just try and be sensual at the tournament that we just got to the next round on!
What if Nate fills my overly affectionate friend, my only friend's head with lies? He can't! He won't! Will he?
Oh god, emotions are attacking me! I need to calm down. What's the worst thing that can happen? Both of them are smart. Surely they will be at a stalemate. I hope so.
I head downstairs, now in a pair of jeans and a hoodie. Nate is in the recliner! I head to the sofa and sit beside Kise. God, it took a while for me to be comfortable with him as Ryoko. After he found out I had intended to avoid him but of course, that was impossible.
I look at Nate from my place beside Kise. Nate looks exactly the same, except a little bit bigger; bulkier. His eyes, despite being the same shade of mahogany brown, are hard with experience and burning with anger. Nate's mousey brown hair has been cut and styled in a new way. We used to laugh at idiots with that hair cut. Clearly he is now the object of many girls' affections and I bet he has no reservations about giving those foolish girls what they want.
"Tch. I thought maybe I would get to come and visit so I could see my dear dear Ryoko in all her glory. Hasn't your chest got bigger? Is that why your hiding behind your friend over there?" I seize a sofa cushion and throw it at Nate. Rude!
"Konekochi..."
"You don't care, Nate. You can have all the busty girls you want back home...." I stand up. "So why is it." I lean over to him, as if I am about to kiss him. The judging eyes of Kise Ryouta are searing my skull. I seize a fistful of Nate's wirery hairsprayed hairdo.
"Why is it that you're here?"
"I'm not going to answer to you, Ryoko, you're a devious bitch. Can wrap any fool around your finger."
"You're more than a fool." I start to tug on his hair.
His teeth clench and the sudden jerk of his stiff hair.
"Is it wrong to come and visit my dear Ryoko?"
"It is." I nod, pulling again. "When I never mentioned when, where and why I was going. So who put you up to this shit!"
Kise looks dumbstruck. He looks mortified.
"It wasn't mum!" My emotions are taking hold. "Because she watched me waste weeks crying over you and your sorry ass! No way she would opt to subject me to this!"
Nate says something. Kise is stunned still. A cocky grin slithers onto Nate's face.
"Oi, Ryouta!" Kise's eyes snap onto Nate. "You're clearly stupid. Pretty and stupid. She's just going to play you like a basketball and when you're all smooth with nothing to give, don't be surprised if she tosses you aside!"
I let him go, pulling my hand out of the wirery mess of Nate's hair.
"Nice to see you Nate. It's been great. Now...GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!"
"Well where am I meant to go?" My old captain is in the front garden.
"I model at the Sekai hotel in central Tokyo from time to time, it's nice there, not too far from here. Bye now!" My friend shuts the door on Nate.
And once the door is closed, I fall apart. Kise holds me as I let out my emotions.
"Konekochi, don't cry." He murmurs into my hair.
"How can I not!" I'm staining his school shirt with my tears.
"Konekochi... He was someone to you, wasn't he...?"
"H-how did you know?" I choke out.
"The anger in your eyes was of heartbreak. I've seen it a lot." Kise admits.
"I'm okay." I state, lying.
"No you're not, Konekochi. And until you are, I'm not letting you go!" He declares. I roll my eyes, doubting it.