Edited \*O*/
Chapter 16:
~~~
Friday:
"Well fudge," I muttered as lean my head on the table and slowly spread my arms to reach the other edge of the table and then took a really deep breath.
"I'm worried, Ai-chan... Is there something wrong? And why is your dress shirt wet?" Reo asked, concern can be heard from the way he spoke.
"No, nothing is wrong," I mumbled in monotone, still in face-table position.
"Then why are you acting like that, kouhai?" Kotaro asked.
"I'm having a bad day, okay?" I answered.
"Everyone experiences bad days, Ai-chan," Reo spoke. "Yeah, I had a bad day before, too. I thinks it's worse than yours," Eikichi commented before shoving snacks in him mouth.
"Please, don't get me sarted," was my monotonic reply "Just tell us what happened," I felt Reo take a seat beside me.
I took a really deep breath again before sitting up straight, "My alarm clock didn't wake me up today and I end up falling out of bed when I realize that I was late for school. I slipped in the shower, got shampoo in my eyes and wasted 5 mins to do something about it. My hair won't stay in place as I quickly get dress.
"I needed to run from my condo just to reach here in time to be greeted by the close school gates. I had to convince the guard and even threaten him just to open the gates and let me in. I got in first period but was given a ticket to detention because when I got there, it was already half time. Had to skip lunch because I was asked to go to the office because of the trouble about the school gate. Luckily, I got to escape with it--"
"Breath, Ai-chan!" Reo said, cutting me midway my speech. I followed his advice and took another breath before continuing.
"---But unfortunately, on home economics time, I dropped my phone and when I was about to put it back on my pocket, the teacher saw me and accused me of using phones in class hours. She also gave me detention without even hearing me out and took my phone. I failed my history surprise quiz. I had to do all the paper checking works they were suppose to do as a punishment for me to get my phone back.
"Now that dismissal is over, I am drop dead hungry only to find ridiculously long line here in the cafeteria because of a limited food they're selling, A group of slutty biatches appeared out of nowhere and started to bug me, I tried to ignore them but they end up being annoyed at me. They spill a full glass of cold water at me and walked away like nothing happened before you guys came. So tell me, what's your bad day like? " I ended my speech.
"Awesome!" Kotaro exclaimed and I gave him a cold glare, "No, that's not what I meant. I mean, you said those stuffs really quick and we still understood it and it was awesome and --You could be a rapper, kouhai!" Kotaro leaned on the table with so much energy and handed me a bottle of water.
"Wow..." Eikichi stopped munching his food.
"That is... really a bad day," Reo said with his hand on his chin and shaking his head. "No, more like worse than bad."
"So Eikichi? What happened on your bad day?" I asked sarcastically. My mood was affected by all of those stuffs too, specially the part when the b*tches appreaad. "I.. peed my pants?" Eikichi said in a low almost inaudible. I simply stared at him.
"Gorilla!" the other two senpais glared at him for saying something like that.
"What?! I'm saying the truth!" he defended.
I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Whatever... Let's go. We still need to go and start practice," I said before standing up and carrying my things without waiting for them.
~~~
It's been a week after Cloud enrolled here and enter our school's basketball club. If it was me, I would bring him easily to the second string, not because his my friend or anything, he has the talent of a basketball player. But Akashi hadn't yet plan to have any reshuffling in players so it's still a no.
Akashi wasn't present today in school, why? No, he's not absent or sick. Today's the shogi competition so he was practically present still, he was just sent to Tokyo with the principal and the school's external events coordinator.
I quickly entered the gym door and was greeted by the members but I just gave them a nod. I entered the female changing room to change into a sport wear. Today's menu is pretty much hell than before, and of course, I won't let them slack around so I'll also be partially running as I give orders. My bad mood affects my words and work too.
Right after I walked out of the room, some members stood stiff. I went straight to the bleachers, placed my bag down and took out the folder and clip broad. "Aihana-san!" a cheerful male voice reached my hearing as the guy neard me. I'm sure it was Cloud.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, not removing my eyes from the files. The club training were always: first string with second string while the thrid string practice on the other gym with Reo or sometime me because they have a larger number of members.
"You should be on the other gym. Practice starts in 10 minutes right after I finish here, please get back there and tell them to do warm ups," I continued without glancing to him and walking to get the other members attention.
"What the? Ehhh?" Cloud turned to me with a confuse look. "Aihana-san.."
"She's having a bad day, Tomo" Eikichi placed his arm around the boy's shoulder before giving him a pat on the back and moving towards where I was giving orders. "And she's also in a bad mood because of her bad day," Kotaro said before running after Eikichi to listen to me.
"So don't add fuel to the fire, okay, pretty boy? It's also the first time we saw her like that and it looks like it's gonna effect the practice too. So I suggest you follow her orders and go back to get some warm ups," Reo patted his back and join us. After giving orders and starting their practice, I went to the other gym first and Reo followed after a minute.
After a couple of times in training. I excused myself to Reo to check on how Kotaro and Eikichi were maintaining the fast pace training on the 1st and 2nd string. I must say, Akashi had a really hard work to do back then but still, he's Akashi Seijuro afterall.
Checking on the first gym and saw that they were doing fine, I exited the gym. Clipboard still in hand, I waked through the garden hallway to return to the other gym when my head started to throb and my eyes started to blur. I felt the world was spinning as I place a hand on my head and lose my balance.
Lucky, someone caught me. After shaking the sudden dizziness, I looked at the person who caught me and was greeted by a good-looking guy with his fashionable messy black locks and sea blue glinting eyes. Yep, it's Cloud.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked in concern. "Yeah, I.. um.. suddenly felt dizzy," I said as I slowly stood up with the help of him. "You're pale. Had you eaten lunch or anything?" he asked again and I wasn't able to answer.
~~~
Cloud treated me snack after realizing that I haven't eaten anything since morning, he accompanied me as I eat the food he bought while the two of us just sat on one of the benches in the side part of the gymnasium. He kept on telling stories that happened to him in class and it didn't fail to make me smile.
"...I kinda felt disappointed when you walked pass me and didn't even glance at me earlier while I was trying to talk to you, you know?," he said out of the blue.
"Yeah.. Sorry, I was just really having a bad day that it affected my mood and I didn't want to say such mean things to anyone so I just simply ignore them to avoid it," I explained and he just glance at me. He held out a hand and pinch my right cheek. "Eih?!" I suddenly felt a little embarrass but he then let go and he smile at me with one of his sweet smile.
After finishing my snack I told him to go back to practice without me 'cause I'll be getting a drink from the vending machine before going back. He waved at me before going back inside the gym as I walk towards where the machines are. I placed the bill in the machine and was about to pick a drink when someone suddenly pressed a button of a drink that I wasn't familiar of.
I thought it was Cloud fooling around again so I turned around, "Come on, Cloud..." but then I realized it wasn't him.
"Oh, sweetheart is expecting the prince charming, aren't you?" the blonde chick spoke in a very annoying tone. She also has another new pair of girls to back her up, maybe because the other two just realize what kind of girl she is.
"Kahara-san," I said in monotone. Just by seeing her face, I really want to avoid her. [Kahara Marine from Chapter 9 if you still remember]
"Aihana Hakino. What a surprise to see you still here?" her high-pitch tone really annoyed me.
"Obviously. I'm the basketball club manager, remember?" I know it sounded rude but come on, I seriously want her to go away.
"Oh, is that a sarcastic tone I hear from you?" she smirk.
"No, maybe it's your high-pitched voice you're hearing," I commented rather loudy that made both of the girl standing behind her chuckle.
She gave a glare at the two to shut them up and made a grumpy face before covering it up with fake smile of hers again, she chuckled, "Oh what a joker you are, Aihana~" she spoke my first name.
I looked at my watch and said, "What do you really want Marine?" I also said her first name just to annoy her to.
"Oh, I don't know. Any guesses? " she batted her fake lashes in which I rolled my eyes. My patience is wearing thin and my mood is not helping any better.
"Please just talk to me if you know what you really need from me, SWEETIE. You're wasting my VERY. PRECIOUS. TIME, you know? I rather spend it on something WORTH it. And also, I'm certainly not in the mood to keep up with your attention seeking, so please. Leave me alone," I said in a sweet way and emphasize some words to annoy her.
"Are you picking up a fight? Huh, b*tch?!" she raged.
"Please don't hurt yourself, that would rather confuse you," I commented coolly before turning around and walking back.
"YOU SLUT! I'M STILL TALKING TO YOU!" she shouted before running up to catch me and pulled my hair to face her. I flinch as I felt my hair being pulled with such force. "You know what? I'm really annoyed with you," she said.
"I feel the same," I confessed, which made things worse as she pulled my hair again.
"I'm not finished, stupid whore! I really hate you. First, you'd be going for the emperor of the school," she started and I realize that she was referring to Akashi, "and because you don't seem to have succeeded in getting him. You are going for the new guy, huh? Such a slut you are! I'm ready to beat the sh*t out of you, honey. If I were you, I would stop it and just go far far away from here and never come back," she hissed at me.
I took a deep breath, "Please stop referring yourself to me," I stated calmly and it really hit her spot. She pulled my hair and suddenly push me away before placing a fast slap on my face. Ouch. It wasn't a simple slap, she used one of her nails to cut through my skin. I slowly touch my cheek and flinch at the pain it inflicted. I felt that there was a small blood dripping from it.
"Oh my, did I just ruined your oh-so-pretty face?" she laughed with her back ups. Okay, that is the end of the line. I quickly made a fist and let it kiss her face. She was shocked and step backward as she cover her broken nose. "W-what the?!" she was a little confuse and it made me smirk.
"You have crossed the line, Kahara Marine. I've been waning to do that since the first time I saw you, and as expected, it felt nice. Let me just remind you one thing: If I were you, I would certainly be ugly," spoke and she ran to me to place a punch but I stopped her and it was then when the other two joined the cat-fight.
I was already winning but I didn't mean I didn't feel pain from what she's doing. I was about placed another punch on her face while her to back ups were already having there worse hair day when a strong hand stopped me and held it to tight that made me flinch. I turned my attention to the hand owner and saw two large figures. The hand-owner held me high as if I was weightless and I saw that I was almost half a person's height high.
"She's a fierce chick," the other huge male commented as I try to remove the other's hold on my wrist. The blonde chick slowly stood and wipe the blood running down her nose.
"She hit me, babe! Look!" she dramatically said. "Why did you do that?!" the hand owner shouted.
"They started it!" I defended myself.
"WHY YOU?!" my eyes widen as he slowly held his other hand back and was aiming to punch me. Then I closed my eyes and just waited for the pain that was sure to be expected. But then I heard someone speak, "It's not very nice for a guy to hit a girl."
It was Cloud, I was sure base on the voice. I slowly open my eyes and saw that the punch was being held by Eikichi. While Reo took hold of the other male. "And what are you going to do?" the hand owner mocked then he receives a punch in the guts by Eikichi.
He suddenly let go of my wrist and I ended up landing on my right foot before completely sitting on the tiled hallway. Reo manages to avoid larger trouble while Kotaro kept the other members back to practice.
Cloud offered his hand to help me stand up and when I took it and pulled myself up, I ended up falling back again with a hiss. I felt a sting on my right ankle as I try to move it. When Cloud saw it, he slowly carried me. I blushed. It was damn embarrassing, okay? He carried my bridal style to the clinic.
~~~
Clinic
"Ouch!" I hissed as Cloud tried to clean my wounds. Yes, wounds, the blonde scratched me everytime she had her chance and it wasn't a lovely thing to do. "Can you just let me clean it myself, you kinda add more pain to it," I said bluntly but he didn't seem to take it badly.
"Sorry," he apologize before giving me the cotton. "You're good at hand-to-hand combat, huh?" I looked at him in confuse to get his real point.
"Ms. Blondy from earlier got you scratches all over but it wasn't enough compare to the damage you've done to her face," he try to avoid laughing while telling it. "Where did you learn those moves of yours?" he asked, fooling around.
"Online games, " I joked. We talked for a minute when Reo suddenly opened the door. "Ai-chan, are you all right?" he asked, concern written all-over his face.
"Hai, I'm not gonna die from scratches," I joked.
He sighed in relief as he took a side on the edge of the bed. "Where are Kotaro-senpai and Eikichi-senpai?" I asked.
"They are just dismissing the other members," was his answer.
"Ah. Well..Thank you for earlier, Cloud-san and Reo-senpai," I bowed.
"It's okay/ No problem," they replied but there was something on Reo's face that made me ask.
"Reo-senpai, are you okay?"
"Yep, Ai-chan. I was just thinking...
Sei-chan will surely not be happy after he hears about this..."
~~~
Saturday: 3rd Person's POV
Reo just got out of the shower room while a towel was covering his private parts and another towel used to dry his hair. He went straight to his dresser and got himself some pair of boxers and pants, wearing it, before heading to the mirror and using the blow dryer to totally dry his hair.
He ruffled his hair as the dryer blows it. His mind was filled on what happened yesterday ans he was having a problem on how he will be able to tell Akashi about it. Akashi will not be pleased after hearing the news, that he was sure of, but what worries his most is what action Akashi will do. He knew Akashi too well to know that he will handle the situation on his own alone.
Midway what he was doing, a ringing sound interfered his saturday morning routine. He turned off the dryer and walked towards his bed's side table where he placed his phone before taking a bath. He grab the device and pressed a button to show the caller's name.
He gulped before pressing the answer button, "Moshi... moshi?"
"Reo" an authoritive voice was heard from the other line.
"Sei-chan," he tried to cover up his voice with cheerfulness, "Good Morning. Why did you call~?"
"Inform me about what happened on yesterday's training," orded the person on the other line.
"Umm.." he hesitated for a moment, " Everything on training went fine, just like what was written on the training menu," Reo said rather lively. He didn't want to lie to his Sei-chan and partially, he wasn't lying. He was just telling the half-truth, "How about your Shogi competition, Sei-chan? Did it go--" he tried to shift the topic.
"I'm still asking you, Reo. I want a full answer," the redhead speaking on the other line didn't sound amused.
"Well... A fight kinda started.. but it wasn't on training exactly. It just happened on training hours," Reo tried his best to tell the truth while avoiding to stutter.
"Hmm" the redhead hummed on the other line, waiting for him to continue. "And.. Ai-chan got involved," Reo bit his lip after saying those words to the redhead.
There was a long pause on the other line before a venomous voice spoke, "What happened?"
Reo froze on the sudden change in the emotion of Akashi's voice. He didn't sound amused nor angry and it scared him what was running in the redhead mind now. "I-it's.." Reo stuttered now and it made the redhead impatient.
"I am asking you, Reo. What happened?" it sent chills down Reo's spine and he had no choice but to tell the truth, more detail for the redhead's satisfaction.
Right after speaking, Reo took a deep sigh. "Is that all?" Akashi asked on the other line. "That is only what I know and heard, Sei-chan," Reo answered
"I suddenly had some business to finish. Cancel today's training," and right after that, the beeping sound greeted his hearing. "Wait! Sei-chan?! Oh gosh, please don't do anything scary!" he said on the line even though he knew the call ended.
~~~
End of Chapter 16
Yehey! Finally finished it! I don't know if I'll be able to update before Dec 20 but there will surely be an update on 20 and 22 :) Thank you for the reads, comments and votes. It's my motivation to right the next chapters in the future :)