"Sumimasen, does anyone know which way the principal office is?"

Oshitari and almost all of the tennis club members at the court turned their respectful heads to the voice.

    'Long skirt, eh? But...' Oshitari smirked. 'Sweet.'
 

Valentine Kiss
-oshitari's side-

    "She's in our class," Taki said at practice the next day.

Oshitari's ears tingled as the word 'she' reached his ears.

    "Hmm?" Atobe turned his head responsively to the ex-regular, looking unusually amused. "When you say 'she', do you mean the girl from yesterday?" He glanced left and right, counting the number of boys reacted to his last sentence.

And, of course, Oshitari was one of them.

Walking to the two, he smirked as he saw a somewhat-panic expression on Atobe's face. So he was right. Atobe was targeting her as well.

    "Yep. Her name's , just transferred from Kyoto," Taki answered Atobe's question. "I heard she does shuji, and is very good at it. That's all I know."

    "Shuji, eh?" Atobe smiled smugly, then turned his head to his blue-haired teammate. "Sounds interesting, Oshitari, ah~n?"

The tensai's lips drew his wolf-like smirk. "Indeed."

Seeing Atobe's reaction was fun. His lips formed a perfect frown, nearly lost his confidence as a thought of having Oshitari as a rival came to his mind, but then smiled again as his confidence was back.

The prodigy could even read his mind: ore-sama can't lose to Oshitari.

    'Well then,' he thought amusedly. 'I can't lose against you too, Atobe.'

---

    'I bet he wonders why I'm interested in that girl,' Oshitari thought as he put off his glasses and sat on his bed. 'Yes, she was wearing long skirt, which ain't my type of girl, but she had this... thing that made me just can't resist her. 'Bet he thinks the same way.'

He stretched his body before lying on his bed and closed his eyes.

    'Saa... Let's see who's the real winner this time, Atobe...'

---

    "Would you go out with me?"

Hearing that sentence from in front of Taki's classroom door, Oshitari knew exactly whose voice it was. So Atobe had already made a move. Oshitari actually wanted to talk to Taki and Jirou, but it seemed like he had come at a perfect timing for something interesting.

    "I don't even know you."

Right on the spot! He could imagine Atobe's expression after that. Maybe it was his first time being rejected by a girl, and indeed he was not experienced at it. After all, who in Hyoutei could resist being asked out by the Atobe?

    "Then, please excuse me. I'll come again," Oshitari heard Atobe said. He smirked as he saw his rival coming out from the class.

    "Bein' rejected already?"

Atobe turned his head. "You have no right saying that. You haven't even made a move."

Oshitari just smiled at the very expected sentence from his buchou's mouth. "I ain't in a rush. When I target someone, I will make sure that she will be mine. It's just a matter of time."

Atobe smiled challengingly to the tensai. "Do you think you can win against me? You can't even beat me in tennis."

Oshitari smirked. "Tennis and life are two different things, Atobe."

---

    "Sumimahen(1), that girl in the long skirt."

turned her head to the voice and found yet another familiar face from the one coming to ask her out this morning. She wondered why familiar people, whose name couldn't be remembered by her, seemed to like talking to her so much. "And you are...?"

    "Oshitari Yuushi, class 3-4, tennis club member," he bowed politely. "I suppose we've met before, -han(2), but it seemed like you've forgotten 'bout me. It's okay, I ain't one of those easy-to-be-remembered persons—like Atobe."

    'Kansai,' was the first thought of her about the blue-haired. 'And very NOT like Atobe.'

    "What can I do for you?"

    "Nothin', just thought that maybe I can accompany you t'your house," he said. "Mind me doin' so?"

At times like this, would usually go for 'no', but something just made her answered the exact opposite than usual.

    "I wouldn't mind."

He smiled (very adorable, compared to Atobe's annoying smile, she thought). "Sweet."

    "Errr... Shall we go then... Oshi—What was your name again?"

    "Oshitari Yuushi," he said understandingly, since he sometimes had troubles remembering people's names too.

    "Oshi—tari? That's really hard to remember... Can I call you 'Yuushi-kun' or something?"

WHAT WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT?! Why had she suddenly become so friendly to a stranger like him that she had just met twice?! And 'Oshitari' was NOT that hard to remember—she just wanted to call him by first name... For some reason.

He smirked. "Ee yan(3), -han."

She stared at him as the two turned at an intersection. "You seem to like smirking a lot."

    "People say it's my characteristic," he said, again, with a smirk. "Well, I myself don't know why I always do that. It's just my nature, y'know?"

She giggled. "I understand, I understand." She then looked up to the sky. "People say my way of speaking is my characteristic."

He glanced at her. "Characteristic? In what way?"

    "I'm a mean person when I talk," she laughed. "I don't really mean it. It's just how I talk."

    "Hmm," he nodded. "Then... You didn't mean what you said to Atobe this mornin'?"

    "Eh? she turned her head quickly. "No... Not like that! For that case, I really meant that. I mean, he suddenly asked me out all of a sudden on our first—well, second—meeting. I mean, what else should I say to him?"

    "True, true," he laughed. "Atobe is very much like that. But it seems like this is the first time he fell in love at the first sight. With you, I mean."

    "You're kiddin'," she said in Kansai-ben all of a sudden, which startled her. It seemed like talking to someone who talked in Kansai-ben made her talked like him, too.

    "So anyway," she stopped in front of an apartment building. "This is my apartment building."

    "Mind if I walk you to your apartment?"

She thought for a moment, then nodded. "I wouldn't say no."

They went into the building.

    "But why were you so unfriendly to Atobe?" He suddenly asked. "Yes, he is a stranger to you indeed, but ain't I the same? Yet you let me to walk you to your apartment."

    "Hmm? Maa... I guess..." she said as she pressed the button '12'. "He seems... Errr... How do you say it? Umm... Annoying."

Oshitari chuckled. "Annoying eh? That's how I sometimes think of him, too. But he's a really interesting person, and he never lost in any match, so that's a plus."

    "Yeah? Well—good then..."

Having a feeling that she did not like talking about the captain, Oshitari quickly changed the topic. "Are you free this Sunday?"

She blinked. "Well—I guess so. Why do you ask?"

    "Well, I was wonderin'..." he stopped as the two of them went out of the elevator. "There's this new Italian restaurant near the park, I heard the pizzas there are delicious. So maybe you can come with me there? Or if you don't like Italian..."

    "N-no!" she quickly said. "It's amazing—you just read my mind. I love Italian food! Actually, Akutagawa just recommended me to go there, so I was about to go anyway."

    "Sweet," Oshitari said. "Then, how 'bout a movie afterwards? I heard The Ring 2 just came out."

She laughed all of a sudden. "Yuushi-kun, have you been stalking me or something? I love horror movies, and I was about to see the movie on Sunday!"

    "Really? That's great then!"

    "Yes, and—"

    "-chan~ Okae—" The man opened the door in front of the two blinked. "-chan, it's only your second day of school and you've already got a boyfriend?"

    "'Tou-san, shut up," she whispered, a slight blush appeared on her face. "You're embarrassing me."

    "Konnichiwa, -han. My name's Oshitari Yuushi," Oshitari bowed politely. "Unfortunately, -han ain't my girlfriend yet." raised an eyebrow for the word 'yet' he just used, but let it slide.

    "Domo, just call me Otou-san, it's okay. It's good to see my future son-in-law so fast—-chan has really grown up..." he said, sobbing mischievously.

    "'Tou-san!!" she pushed the door quickly, preventing her dad to say more than that. "Errr... Yuushi-kun, sorry 'bout that."

He chuckled. "Ain't your dad a very interesting person? I really liked him."

    "Well, thanks," she sweat dropped. "Anyway, This Sunday?"

    "Yep. I'll be pickin' you up."

    "Okay. See ya!"

---

DING! DONG!

    "I'll get it—'TOU-SAN, GET AWAY FROM THE DOOR!!" Oshitari heard yelled. He snickered. She really was an interesting girl.

The door in front of Oshitari opened. "I'm ready—somewhat."

    "Why, you look great, -han," Oshitari said. She blushed at the rare compliment.

    "Ah, so you two are finally—" 's dad stopped talking as she shot him a galled look. Oshitari couldn't help his lips from forming a small smile.

    "Shall we go then?"

She nodded. "Okay."

The two of them went out of the apartment building and took a bus to the restaurant.

    "Uwah~ So big..." she blinked in disbelief.

    "Ain't it?" he smirked. "I knew you'd like it."

    "And—oh my God—those pizza... They look so yummy! Sugoi! Sugoi!" she cried, making Oshitari sweat dropped at the very Jirou-like sentence.

    "Shall we go in then?"

    "Yes!"

Oshitari certainly did not know, for him never to be in a serious relationship with a girl nor being in love, that just talking with a very special girl to him was really— enjoyable. Usually he would just sit, eat, go to the movies, and go home with his previous so-called-'girlfriends', but this time... It was really different. Listening to her laugh every time he made a joke, seeing her blush every time he complimented her, looking at her smile every time he talked about himself—it was pleasing him.

    "I can't eat another bite..." she said after eating her last piece of pizza. "Man, I'm full. And as you and Akutagawa said, really delicious."

    "Glad you liked 'em," he said. "I think the movie's starting in thirty minutes. Want to go there now?"

    "Sure thing."

The couple walked out of the restaurant and strolled towards the theatre.

After seeing the movie (though did not do something like hugging him at the climax like he wanted her to, Oshitari did not really mind) and walked out of the theatre, he asked, "How about an ice cream? My treat."

She laughed. "You're a mind-reader aren't you? I can't say no to that."

---

    "Oshitari, what were you doing with on Sunday?"

Oshitari turned his head, amused. He knew Atobe would do something like stalking her. "Why, we just went to eat lunch, go to the movies, and eat ice cream. Why d'you ask? Wait—more importantly, why d'you know? Don't tell me..." he adjusted his glasses. "Y'were watchin'?"

He looked at him in somewhat annoyed face. "I sent my attendant to see her. I did not expect him to say that she was with a boy, and worse, I did not expect him to say Oshitari was the one being with her all day."

    "I see. So y'were spyin'."

    "I sent my attendant."

    "That's the same thing."

    "No, it's not."

    "It is," Oshitari said somewhat playfully—amused by the fact that Atobe was desperately trying to win against him—then added before the captain could say anything else, "Now why don't we start practicin' before Kantoku comes?"

Just a second after the prodigy said that, Sakaki, in his usual brownish purple suit, came. Without saying anything else, Atobe, who had been back to his confident self, snapped his fingers, a sign that commanded all members to start practicing.

---

    "You know that people say 'the more you hate a person, the more you love him', ah~n?"

Oshitari stopped walking. It seemed like every time he went to 's classroom, Atobe was there.

    "Unfortunately, that doesn't go for you."

    "So you do like me after all."

    "Shut up."

Feeling annoyed—for some reason—to Atobe at that time, he quickly came into the class.

    "Atobe, whatcha doin' to my ?"

The couple turned their heads to the voice, both surprised by the use of the possessive pronoun before her name, but , nevertheless, walked towards him.

    "You know Atobe," was all she needed to say.

Being the most understanding person, Oshitari adjusted his glasses and nodded. "Aah."

    "I see," Atobe said, tapping Oshitari's shoulder. "So the intruder has come. Ore-sama will come again."

He walked away from the two, leaving them staring at him with a who's-the-real-intruder looks on their faces.

    "Really, what was he doin' to you?" Oshitari asked worriedly. "He didn't ask you to go out with him again, did he?"

    "Well, he did, but I said no," she answered. He let out a sigh in relief. Actually, had been talking about Atobe more than usual, he was afraid she finally came to like him.

    "Ja, I'll be goin' to my class. I think I forgot to do my math homework..."

---

    "No, you said?"

Oshitari's hands shook a bit. He could not believe what he just heard.

    "I'm sorry Yuushi, but..." she let her sentence uncompleted.

He could not believe he just heard saying that. It was a dream. Yes, it should be a dream.

    "I'm not giving my chocolate to you," she repeated.

    "Then who'll you give your chocolate to? Atobe?" he said stiffly—which made and him himself surprised since he had never used that tone when talking to her.

    "No, not him either," she said as she shook her head. "Gomen, Yuushi."

Oshitari walked out of her classroom in disbelief. Why, of all people, did she refuse to give him a chocolate? Well, she definitely said she wouldn't give one to Atobe too, but...

A thought startled him. What if... What if she lied to him? What if she was going to give her chocolate to Atobe? She indeed said something like she was going to dinner with Atobe, did that mean...? Well, she had never lied to him before, but what if she didn't want to hurt his feelings by saying that she had already been going out with Atobe? She was a really kind girl, so it wouldn't be weird for her to do something like that. But...

Oshitari shook his head. He should not think something like that about .

---

    "I've already told you, I'm not giving anyone my chocolate," Oshitari heard said. He stopped walking. Atobe's fangirls were in front of the girl, so most likely she was talking to him. He felt a little relieved that Atobe didn't get her chocolate either.

    "If you say it that way," he waved and walked away. "I'll come again after school in case you have changed your mind."

It seemed like Atobe did not notice his teammate in front of the door and just went away. Oshitari entered 's classroom, only to find she was holding two tidily-wrapped boxes. Startled, she quickly hid them under her desk, but he had already seen his name on one of the boxes. And, unfortunately, Atobe's on the other.

    "So Atobe's not getting your chocolate either?"

    "I'm not giving my chocolate to anyone," she said.

    "Then what are those boxes under your desk?"

She blinked, then sighed. "I don't know, Yuushi. I thought I would give you my chocolate—but then suddenly Atobe asked me to give him one, and I got so confused..."

Oshitari frowned. She did have feelings for Atobe, after all. Though he was the one being with her all the time. Did she forget? But, he thought, people's feelings do change. But why to Atobe?

    "I'm sorry, Yuushi..."

---

    "Why don't you go to a chocolate factory or something and buy like, a truck of chocolates, than waiting for me to give you a chocolate, which will never happen anyway."

Oshitari blinked. That voice and that stiff tone— had never used it to anyone but Atobe.

    "Then would you give me something else?"

    "Eh?"

Oshitari quickly looked inside the classroom as he heard Atobe's last sentence. He somehow had a very, very bad feeling...

And his feeling was right. Not even in his worst nightmare he would see the scene in front of him now.

Atobe, and , kissing.

That was...

But she...

Atobe and her...

He felt his head got heavy all of a sudden. Was it really happening? Did he really see what he just saw? It was a nightmare. Yes, it should be a nightmare...

He landed himself on his desk, putting off his glasses. What was this feeling called again? Sad? But it was not the same as when he and Gakuto lost to Seigaku... It was a different kind of sadness. And there was another feeling... He felt... Hurt.

    'Why do I feel like I want to cry?'

Just after Oshitari thought of that, he saw the girl he was thinking about, with a scarlet flush all over her face. He wanted to scream and cry to her.

    "Yuushi—Atobe—he—I—" she said, hardly breathing.

    "You two were kissing."

She turned her head, surprised at the unexpected sentence.

    "You..." her face heated up. "...Saw?"

    "Classroom ain't a good place to do that kind of things. People can see from outside, y'know."

It was the first time he had ever seen 's face that red. Did that mean she liked Atobe? Better than him? Did that mean Atobe had won against him—again?

Oshitari could not think anymore. He walked unconsciously to the girl. He placed his right hand on her shoulder.

    "Yuushi?"

He leaned forward.

His lips met hers.

Surprised, just about to shriek away when she suddenly felt so warm, and comfortable.

She closed her eyes.

If only time could stop like this...

    "Yu—Yuushi..." she pushed him all of a sudden. How many times did that have to happen today?

    "..." he bit his lips.

    "I—I—" she touched her lips, blushing hard. She quickly ran outside, not wanting to look back at him.

Oshitari heaved a long sigh.

Had he lost to Atobe again?

[ owari ]
// ichigo akira 2006.02.14

Note:
(1) Sumimahen: Kansai-ben for the word "sumimasen" ("sorry" or "excuse me")
(2) -han: Kansai-ben for the suffix "-san"
(3) Ee yan: Kansai-ben for "ii jan" ("it's alright")
I'm sorry if I had made any mistakes at Kansai-ben forms, since I'm not very familiar with it.
Shuji: Japanese calligraphy
Valentine Kiss is Oshitari's and Atobe's singles