"Momo-senpai," Ryoma said.
"Hn," Momo replied half-heartedly, untangling the chains from the bike rack.
"Isn't that... -senpai?" Ryoma asked. Momo dropped his chains and looked up. Indeed, there she was, , Momo's best friend since elementary.
"Hi, Momoshiro-kun," said as she passed by.
"Hi, -san," Momo replied, and packed his chain into his bag. proceeded into the edifice behind them. Ex-best friend.
"What was that?" Ryoma asked.
"What was what?" Momo asked in return.
"That. It was pathetic," Ryoma pointed out. Momo frowned. "Weren't you two going out before?"
"No," Momo said, quick to reply.
"We were just friends."
It was true. They had been just friends, but they had been the best of friends. Momo would always look out for , standing up for her without thinking, knowing she would do the same. Their teamwork was flawless as well. Momo and could talk themselves out of any trouble as long as they were together. They had saved Momo the blame for many sandbox brawls because of it. And Momo and could both eat like racehorses. Many a cheeseburger was lost in their eating contest. would also shoo away Momo's fangirls, and Momo her fanboys. In short, nothing could tear them apart.
Or so they thought.
Upon reaching junior high school, Momo joined the tennis team and joined the volleyball team, two very respected and busy teams. Luckily for the pair, first years weren't allowed to do much in either team, so getting together wasn't much of a problem, except when they had games, and they'd go to cheer. But when their respective teams' schedules didn't clash, they'd bring each other along. However, they both noticed the time they spent together was dwindling, but neither one said a thing.
But things just got worse.
Second year came along, and both had managed to earn a spot as Seigaku regulars on their respective teams the semester before. They both were extremely busy, and they could barely make time to even hang out for ten minutes. Still, neither one said a thing. They even dropped the chan suffix on their names, even resorting to using Momo's last name, instead of his self-appointed nickname. It got worse and worse until their relationship had been reduced to a simple greeting in the hallways. And it ended.
"Oyasumi, -senpai," Ryoma said, entering through the gates into his home.
"Ne, oyasumi..." Momo said, then did a double take. Did he just...? "Ah! Ryoma, what did you call me?! Hoi!" It was too late, Ryoma had ventured far from earshot. "Hnnnn! That brat...!"
------------
"Mada mada dane."The familiar catchphrase rang through the courts. The game would end soon. And it did. Once again, Momoshiro's height proved little, if any at all, advantage to his junior. But Momoshiro was never one to show his disappointment; it was this that proved him to be a great sportsman. He had the ability to keep up appearances after a loss, and was respected for it. But Momo wasn't even paying attention long enough to do that. In fact, he had lost interest in the game on the final point.
"Momo-senpai, you're not even paying attention," Ryoma said to the second year, whose back was turned to him.
"What? Huh? Yes I am!" Momoshiro retorted, though he still did not turn around. Ryoma forced his eye to look past the tall second year and through the gate of the tennis courts. A feminine figure was walking by, and Ryoma's head turned with Momo's. Hn. So that was it. Ryoma bounced the ball on the hard court, and threw it up in the air. The tennis racket made impact, and the tennis ball flew across the court. Momo's head received it.
"Gah!" he yelled, turning around to glare at Ryoma. Ryoma merely smirked and pointed his tennis racket at him. No, not at him, behind him. Momo turned around once more, catching a glimpse of again. This time they made eye contact, and she was laughing.
"Konnichiwa, Momoshiro-kun," said after having her little giggle.
"Ko—Konnichiwa, -san," Momoshiro replied, thoroughly embarrassed.
"You might want to watch the ball next time, ne?" teased, and walked off, smiling all the time.
"Momo-senpai," Ryoma said.
"Shut up," Momo replied. Ryoma smirked and walked over to the bench. Ryoma knew his turn to tease Momoshiro was done, considering Eiji had decided to speak up.
"Momo-chan!" Eiji said, his teasing voice rising, echoing through the tennis courts. "Who was that? Wasn't that -san?" Momo's face flushed, but no one could tell. He had Ryoma to thank for that; the game had been a dynamic one. "She gets prettier everyday, nya? Is she single, do you know?" Momoshiro growled, but not loud enough for anyone to hear. Eiji chuckled, seeing that his teasing had taken an effect. "I remember your first year when you were hit by a ball too!" Momo looked up at his senpai. He remembered?
------------
It was a hot, sunny day, and Momoshiro had invited to watch the tennis team's practice, since the volleyball team had an out of town tournament, one 's stepfather wouldn't let her go on. Since they were freshmen at the time, Momo didn't really get to do anything until after the tennis practice. So he challenged to a game, not realizing that she had been playing tennis for a few years. It was a tough game, but Momoshiro's height proved a great advantage over the short . The game even caught the attention of his senpai-tachi, Eiji and Oishi, the Golden Pair."Ah, go easy on me, Momo-chan!" said, breathing heavily.
"Shut up and serve," Momo said, the teasing in his voice ceasing to quit since the beginning of the game.
"Fine," said, pouting. She bounced the ball a couple of times on the ground, and tossed the ball up in the air. It had caught Momoshiro off guard, since she had been doing underhand serves. 's fake pout turned into a smirk, and she smashed the tennis ball, twisting her racket, causing it to bounce at a weird angle. "Hunh..?"
"Ah!" Momoshiro groaned, bending over. The ball made contact with a rather...delicate body part.
"Momo-chan!" yelled, jumping over the tennis net to her best friend. Momo, who had been hunched over, was now on the floor, covering his sensitive area. 's face contorted into worry. "Momo-chan, are you okay? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't even know it was going to do that! It was my first time trying an overhand serve!" was panicking. Through his pain, Momoshiro managed a smile. stopped panicking and smiled in return. "Momo, you should keep your eye on the ball next time, ne?"
"Yeah, but how can I when I'm playing against you?"
------------
"At least it wasn't in that spot, huh?" Eiji said, continuing to taunt Momoshiro."Shut up, Eiji-senpai," Momoshiro retorted, rubbing his head. It seemed Ryoma had hit it a little harder on purpose. He gave Ryoma a look as their coach called for practice to end.
"Feel up for some burgers today, Ochibi-chan? Momo-chan?" Eiji asked the two. What? Eiji was asking them if they wanted burgers? It felt suspicious to Momoshiro, but he couldn't deny his empty stomach. They both nodded. "Okay, let's go!" Momoshiro rode his bicycle there, pedaling slowly so he wouldn't venture too far from Eiji or Ryoma. Once inside, the banter ensued.
"Hey, Momo-chan, didn't you used to come here all the time? With -san?" Eiji prodded.
"Yeah, but what does that have to do—" He didn't even get a chance to fight back.
"I thought you two weren't going out," came Ryoma's retort.
"We weren't, but—"
"Hey, Momo-chan! You two used to have eating contest, right? Who would win?"
"How could Momo-senpai lose to a girl?"
"Who knows? Maybe he would let her win!"
"That sounds like him."
"Hey...cut it out!"
------------
Yes. He and would have countless eating contests in that place. Momoshiro thoroughly enjoyed it. It was one of his favorite pastimes. Why wouldn't it be? He was eating as much as he possibly could, and it was with his favorite person in the world. It was true that Momoshiro would sometimes let win, to avoid the guilt trip she'd employ on him later, but that wasn't the only reason. But Momo was too proud to let anyone else know that reason. Or maybe it wasn't pride. Maybe he was shy. Besides, he wouldn't let her win all the time. Sometimes she'd win on her own."Ah, that was a great one, -chan," Momoshiro said, exiting the burger place. "You beat me."
"Or did I?" she asked, a suspicious gleam in her eye.
"What are you saying?" Momoshiro asked.
"Momo-chan! I've won all this week. Don't you think it a little odd?" asked.
"Odd? No," Momoshiro lied.
"Momo-chan! You've been letting me win, haven't you?" she asked, angered. She never did like freebies like that. She hit him in the arm. Momoshiro feigned pain, or so it seemed, rubbing his arm.
"That's not true!" he told her. "You won rightly!"
"Hn..." mumbled, crossing her arms. She couldn't help it, she believed him, even though there was still that sliver of doubt. But no one but Momoshiro knew that the first two days he had let her win, but the last three days, she had beaten him fair and square.
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A familiar and catchy tune rang throughout the fast food restaurant, snapping Momoshiro out of his reveries. Momo and Ryoma both looked at Eiji, distinguishing the recognizable ringtone. Eiji swallowed the food in his mouth, smiled at the duo and picked up his phone."Moshi moshi!" Eiji greeted gleefully. "Oh! -chan!" Momo's head snapped up, an evil eye setting on Eiji, but he didn't notice. Or, at least, he pretended not to notice. "Eh? Momoshiro? No, he's not here!" The evil eye increased its intensity, so that neither Eiji or Ryoma could ignore it, but Eiji continued on. "No! He's not here! But I am!" Momoshiro couldn't take it anymore. He reached for the phone, but Eiji, swift as he was, quickly moved out of the way. "Hey, -chan! Do you want to go out on a date? Really?! Okay! I'll meet you at the park swings tomorrow at 5! Sound good? Okay, great! Bye!"
"Eiji-senpai!" Momoshiro groaned. "Why did you ask her out?"
"You said you weren't going out," Ryoma pointed out.
"And it's not like you guys talk anymore, right?" Eiji added. Momoshiro was too angry to argue. He stormed out of the restaurant with the remains of his burger and rode away on his bicycle. Eiji and Ryoma looked at each other, and Eiji grinned at Ryoma.
"Need a ride home?" Eiji asked.
"You owe me that much," Ryoma retorted.
------------
The next day, Momoshiro's anger had subsided somewhat, but he was still stalking and sulking around the school like Frankenstein. He had bumped into countless people, and being the person he was, had apologized countless times as well. But none of these hit and apologize moments measured up to the final one."Sumimasen," Momo said.
"Momoshiro-kun?" came a feminine voice. He'd recognize that voice anywhere.
"-ch—er—san!" Momo said. Momoshiro had asked to go to the restroom, so the halls were empty due to the fact that everyone was in class. He knew it was probably an inappropriate time, but it would probably be his only time to catch up with her. "How have you been?"
"Great. And you?"
"Great, too."
"How's the tennis team?"
"Awesome. And the volleyball team?"
"Pretty awesome, too."
"Hey. I heard that you have a date with Eiji-senpai."
"Huh? Oh...oh yeah. Yeah. This evening."
"I see..."
An awkward silence. Momoshiro could not recall ever having an awkward silence with before.
"—"
"Momoshiro—"
"Oh. Uh. You go first."
"No, you go ahead."
"Actually, I really didn't have anything in mind to say." laughed. How he missed that laugh.
"Momoshiro-kun. Can I tell you a secret?"
A secret...?
"Sure. Tell me anything."
"Momoshiro-kun. Did you know...that I used to have a crush on you?" Momoshiro stood speechless, leaving an embarrassed standing there, speechless as well. Momoshiro opened his mouth to speak.
"!" It wasn't his voice. "Momoshiro!" And that wasn't hers. It was the school administrator. They were loitering during class time. "Get back to class!"
"Hai!" they both said.
"So...Good-bye...Momoshiro."
She made it sound so final. Momoshiro forgot all about the restroom and headed back to his classroom.
------------
He'd made up his mind during his English teacher's lecture. He would follow and Eiji on their date. He'd done it before, following Ryoma, and had done a good job at not getting caught. That is, hadn't the first years held him back, and until Ryoma made her cry. Sure, it turned out not to be a date, but no one could deny his stealth skills. At least, that's what he told himself. Tennis practice ended, and as per usual, everyone was packing up."I'm glad I didn't sweat too much today!" Eiji said, packing up his racket and zipping up his bag. "I've got a date!" Momo glared at his senpai, but he didn't seem to notice. So instead, Momo ran off to situate himself where he could see them both clearly without being seen. Upon reaching the spot, was already there, sitting on a lone swing. Momoshiro situated himself in the bushes nearby, watching sway back and forth slowly.
------------
It was a breezy autumn evening in their first year. had called Momoshiro earlier, her voice filled with distress, telling him to meet her at the swings in the park. He found her there, swinging lightly back and forth. Momoshiro approached cautiously, knowing that she was emotionally fragile at that moment. His footprints made little sound, but 's acute hearing picked it up. She looked up from staring at the ground below her. A small, false smile was plastered on her face. There was something different about her, but he couldn't see it all too well. Her face was covered by her hair."Momo-chan," she said softly. "You came."
"Of course I came," he said, sitting across from her on the floor, seeing as there was only one swing on the swing set. They sat in silence for awhile, not wanting to make eye contact. Momoshiro grew tired of it, and held her legs, ceasing her swinging. "..." Before he could continue, he felt moisture on his arm. He stared at the small drop of water.
"Gomen," mumbled, her voice cracked.
"Gomen...? For what?" Momoshiro asked.
"You...you told me never to cry," answered.
"Well...you know, it depends, -chan," Momo told her. "What happened?" looked up at her best friend. Tears were running down her cheeks, and Momo could see clearly now why he felt something was different about her. There was dried blood above her right eye, and the eye itself was black and blue.
"!" Momo exclaimed. "Who did this to you?"
"Ichiro," said, scorn obvious in her tone of voice. Her stepfather. "Mo—mother won't do anything about it...and she's much worse off than I am...and...and Momoshiro...I'm so scared!" fell off of the swings and into Momo's arms. Momo's arms were ready, and he embraced her tightly, silently telling her that things would be all right, because he would never let go.
"..." Momoshiro said softly, not knowing what else to say.
"Momoshiro...I don't know what to do..." Her sobs increased and her shoulders shook.
"There's nothing we can do. Not right now." Momo held her tighter, his face contorting with rage. How could that man do this to such an innocent girl and her mother? "When we're older, , I'll take you away." And they sat there, Momo embracing her tightly, basking in his hold and comfort.
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Momoshiro was snapped out of his memories as Eiji appeared. He restrained himself from getting up and beating the crap out of his senpai and watched. Eiji approached and she greeted him, smiling widely. Eiji sat across from her, on the ground. Momo felt a pang of jealousy as the familiarity of their position hit him. It seemed as though they weren't planning on going anywhere, so Momo moved in closer. 's head turned around as if she had heard him. Momo froze in his spot, but she did not move on it. Instead, she turned back around and continued speaking with Eiji. For five more minutes. Five more excruciating minutes for Momo. He did not move for fear of getting caught again. And he still had not gone to the restroom after his run-in with earlier.It ended finally with Eiji standing up from the sand and dusting the remains from his black Seigaku uniform. He smiled at as she stood up as well. They embraced and Eiji left, leaving to sit on the swing again, all alone, swaying back and forth slowly. Momoshiro was awed. Was that it? Was that their date? What kind of a date was that? All these questions roamed through Momo's mind, all unanswered.
"Momo-chan," said, causing Momo's jaw to drop. He was so surprised that she had said his name at all that he didn't even notice how she had reverted back to calling him by his nickname. And he was so surprised that he didn't move from the bushes. "You can come out now."
"Huh?" he said, unable to suppress it any longer. turned around to face the bushes. She was smiling. The smile that Momo couldn't help but return.
"Please?" she said, her face matching the pleading in her voice. Getting over the initial shock, Momo finally exited his hiding spot to sit across from .
"Hi," Momo greeted casually, his usual grin plastered across his face.
"Hi," replied just as casually, her smile matching his.
"Uh... ."
"Hm?"
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Sure. Anything."
"Did you know...that I used to have a crush on you?"
"I kind of figured." Once again, she made Momo's jaw drop. "What?" laughed, and Momo couldn't help but smile.
"Well then, can I tell you something else?"
"Go ahead."
"I don't anymore."
"O—oh." 's look of disappointment made Momo wish he hadn't said it. smiled softly at him, her eyes avoiding his.
"Hoi...you're supposed to ask why."
"Huh?" looked up at him, and his heart wrenched even more. Her eyes were watery. "Why then?"
"Because you can only have a crush when you're a youth, like Ryoma-kun."
"Wha?"
"I don't have a crush on you anymore...because..." Momo found he couldn't say it. Maybe he was shy after all. 's face turned from sadness into confidence. She smirked at him.
"Because?"
"Because." Momo mumbled. It wasn't audible at all. "Becauseiloveyou." It was enough for . She fell into his waiting arms, and he held her in a tight embrace, silently telling her once more that he'd never let go. broke the embrace and stared deeply into his eyes. Momoshiro stared back into her brown pools of adoration.
"I love you too," she said, knowing she didn't need to. And finally, their waiting lips met in a sweet kiss. Now it was Eiji's turn to pop out of the bushes.
"Congratulations!" he said, energetically giving Momoshiro a slap on the back, causing their first kiss to end. looked up at Eiji, smiling.
"Arigatou, Eiji-senpai," she said.
"Arigatou?" Momo asked, not knowing what to think about that.
"Yes! Our plan worked great, nya?" Eiji replied, completely ignoring Momoshiro.
"Plan?" Momoshiro asked again.
"Don't worry about it. I got what I wanted," said, poking Momo in the chest. "And he got what he wanted."
"Wha—what did he want?" Momoshiro asked, intrigued.
"To see your first kiss!" Eiji said, grinning. "Now I can tell the whole team!" And he walked off. Momo began to stand up to chase him, but firmly held him down.
"Nuh uh,"
said. "You're mine now." She then proceeded to keep him grounded with a
kiss. Momoshiro forgot once again about going to the restroom.
end
soh
28.June.2005