"It doesn't matter. They'll still have to practice," Kunimitsu replied nonchalantly, his piercing gaze still resting on the team.

    "That's not why I asked…" said under her breath. She shifted her gaze to the tennis teams as well, her eyes continually shifting to the team, then to the sky.

Rain

    "Oh wow!" Eiji said as he stepped out of the locker room. "That was a great practice, nya!" Just as he uttered those words, a towel was thrown in his face, and extra body weight was added to his back. "Wah!" He managed to both keep his balance and keep the towel from falling. " -san!"

jumped down from Eiji's back.

    "Eiji-kun! Weren't we lucky! It didn't rain today!" she said, rather enthused.

    "Right! But I'd still have no problem on the courts if it did!" Eiji said, tossing the towel around his neck, grabbing both ends. They heard a chuckle behind them.

    "Momo-kun!" Eiji said.

    "Hey you two lovebirds!" Momo teased, slapping his hands on their shoulders. Ryoma could be seen emerging from the locker room.

    "We're not lovebirds!" said, shrugging his hand off, feigning grumpiness.

    "Meh. Whatever," Momo replied coolly.

It was a complete and total lie. It was obvious enough to all that Eiji and had a thing for each other. Eiji's energetic side did not let his emotions hide. was rather energetic as well, a perfect match for the acrobatic player. The only difference was that was better at hiding her emotions. However, their feelings for each other were obvious. What was also obvious was why they weren't girlfriend and boyfriend yet. Eiji simply did not know how to progress the relationship. So why didn't make the move? A simple question, but one with no answer. No one knew.

    "Eiji-senpai! Let's go get something to eat!" Momo prodded.

    "Hoi hoi!" Eiji protested, pursing his lips. "I'm taking -san out today!"

    "But shouldn't senpai-tachi look out for those below them?" Ryoma asked, his eyes hiding underneath his cap.

    "Oi…" Eiji muttered, hanging his shoulders.

    "It's OK!" said, interjecting. "I've got to go home now anyway." Before Eiji could utter a response, had already turned on her heel. "Sorry Eiji-senpai, Ryoma-kun, Momo-kun!" waved as her footsteps coincided with the splashes of the newly formed puddles. It had started to rain.

"Baka-senpai," Ryoma muttered, calling her by her nickname, applied because of her ‘accidents' and forgetfulness. "She didn't bring her umbrella with her." Eiji stared dejectedly at 's retreating figure.

    "I wonder why she didn't just come along?" Momo asked, scratching his head. "She usually does…"

    "Maybe she knows I'm broke!" Eiji said, grinning sheepishly.

    "What?!" Momo asked incredulously, then shook his head. "And you wanted to take her out today?"

    "Actually…I packed something," Eiji explained, the grin still on his face.

    "Somehow, I think it's more than that…" Ryoma muttered to himself as his senpai-tachi's conversation droned on in the background.

The next day, it was very sunny.

    "Strange weather we're having, ne, Inui-kun?"

    "Actually, my data told me there was a 78% chance of sunshine today."

    "Wah…Inui-kun…is there anything you can't predict?"

    "Yes."

    "Eh? What is that?"

    "The direction yours and Eiji-kun's relationship is heading."

    "N-nani?"

    "…"

    "…"

    "Why are you stringing him along?"

    "I—I'm not!"

Vehemence.

    "Then why don't you move forward? Take initiative…! My data tells me Eiji-kun is unsure how."

A sigh and a pause.

    "…For reasons not even your data could tell…"

    "My data tells me, though, that you don't like rain…"

    "…"

    "Oi! -san! Can we have some drinks over here?"

    "Right away!"

The smile returned to her face, matching the sun in its radiance.

    "So tired! So hot!" Eiji complained, coming out of the locker room. Once again, a towel was thrown onto his face, and extra body weight was added to his back. "Aiya! -chan!"

    "Chan, ey?" teased, jumping down to walk alongside him. A bright, rosy color appeared on Eiji's cheeks. giggled. "Kawaii!"

    "N—no I'm not!" Eiji protested. "You're the cute one!" giggled again. "C'mon, let's go before Ryoma-kun and Momo-kun get out."

    "Why?" asked innocently.

    "I—I want to be alone today," Eiji replied, stifling a stammer. He grabbed 's hand and interlaced their fingers. It was 's turn to blush. "Come on!" Eiji took off running, barely able to keep up, and Momo grinning mischievously at Ryoma as they were left behind.

    "E—Eiji-chan! Wh—where are we going?" asked, panting.

    "So I'm ‘chan' now too, huh?" he asked teasingly. blushed, but it was barely noticeable. They had been running for quite some time, and the color was already in her cheeks. After didn't respond, Eiji answered her question. "Don't worry! You'll love it! It'll take your breath away!"

    "If you couldn't tell…I'm already out of breath!" said, wheezing in between every few words.

    "Don't worry! We're almost there!" Eiji said. had no idea where they were headed. They'd been running through an empty field, the grass tall and unkempt. She was afraid there would be snakes, and she was constantly swatting bugs away.

    "It better be worth it!" said as they made a sharp turn.

    "Well…see for yourself!" Eiji said, parting the particularly tall grass. A waterhole. But it was so much more than that. One would think that because it was left alone for so many years, it would appear dirty and ugly. But it seems that Mother Nature was fond of this particular waterhole. The water was so pure and clear, it seemed perfectly fine for Eiji or to drink from it. The surrounding trees and tall grass added to its mystery and awe. was speechless, and as Eiji looked at her, he smiled. "Didn't I tell you?"

    "You're right, Eiji-chan…it's breathtaking," said. She took her eyes off the scenery and looked at Eiji. "Thank you." She leaned in and gave him a small peck on the cheek, and left a furiously blushing Eiji behind as she approached the edge of the waterhole.

Their happiness was short-lived. Shortly after they had the picnic that Eiji had packed, rain clouds appeared in the sky. looked up worriedly, hoping against all odds that those ominous clouds did not drop any rain. It came. Pouring. stood up abruptly from her Indian-style position, causing Eiji to fall back.

    "Gomen, Eiji-chan! I—I must go now!" she said, and took off running, once again leaving Eiji in pure and utter confusion, alone. But, he wasn't alone.

    "Eiji-senpai! Why do you always let her run off like that!" came a deep, familiar male voice.

    "Eh? Momo-kun?!" Eiji asked, shocked. "Where—how—what?" Momo emerged from behind some tall grass. Ryoma was seen soon after, drinking a grape Ponta, looking uninterested, as always.

    "Eiji-senpai…sometimes you're so dense," Ryoma said after gulping down a mouthful of the sugary drink. "It's raining again."

    "What?" Eiji asked once again.

    "Ai…maybe we should call you Baka-senpai!" Momo retorted, throwing his hands up in the air. "Go after her!" Momo stuck his long leg out and gave Eiji a shove, Eiji stumbling forward a few steps and turning around with an unsure look. It was Ryoma's turn.

    "Go," he said, taking another sip of the carbonated beverage.

Eiji grinned, giving them a peace sign. "Thanks guys!" And he took off.

    "Maybe we should call him Baka-senapi," Ryoma sighed. "Forgot his umbrella, too."

    " -chan!" Eiji said as soon as the dark-haired girl was in sight. It wasn't hard for Eiji to catch up. His speed and added training could match up with the best of them. " -chan!" Seeing as to how she didn't stop, he called out once more. " -chan! Chotto matte!" Once again, she didn't stop. Eiji sighed, and sped up, restraining himself from muttering ‘I feel the rhythm' for a temporary chuckle. Eiji had almost caught up with her.

    "G—go away, Eiji!" yelled, trying to speed up, falling in the process. She lay in a broken heap on the floor. "Go away…"

    " -chan! What's the matter!" Eiji said, fully distressed and exhausted. did not say a word. Her shoulders shook slightly, and Eiji reached out a tender hand to her face. The raindrops were warm. No, they weren't raindrops. They were tears. Warm, salty, bitter tears. " , I didn't—"

    "Sumimasen, Eiji," said, barely audible.

    " …why? Di—did I do something wrong?" Eiji said, hoping that he wasn't the cause of her despair. A wave of relief hit him as she shook her head. "Then why…why are you always running away from me?"

    "It's just that…"

was a wide-eyed 12-year-old in South Korea. She had lived there for a few years, when her father was really sick. Her grandparents were really strict about who his doctors should be. They felt he should be brought home for such intensive treatment. 's father was Korean, making her half. She picked up the language rather quickly, seeing as how her grandparents didn't know any Japanese at all. It was how she was able to talk to Kim Ba-jin. If you could call it being ‘able' at all. She was stuttering half the time, and saying things wrong. He would laugh and tease her all the time, and it made her feel stupid, but it felt good. He was two or three years older, but that didn't matter to her. One day, having a regular conversation, Ba-jin did something extremely unexpected. He leaned in, planting a firm but gentle kiss on her lips. The rest of the stay was a dream.

Her father healed, making a miraculous recovery. She was overjoyed. But…it also meant it was time to leave.

    "Ba-jin," said, approaching the auburn-headed boy, panting. She had been searching all over for him.

     " !" Ba-jin said, smiling, cocking his head to the side.

    "Ba-jin, I'm leaving this afternoon!" said, her eyes tearing up. "We—we'll still stay together, right?"

    "Stay…together…?" Ba-jin asked innocently. His eyes were nothing but innocent.

    "Ba-jin…the ki—" began, but was stopped abruptly by something unexpected. A kiss. But…not hers. A girl appeared behind Ba-jin, wrapping her arms around his slim neck.

    "Ah! Ba-jin!" said the nameless girl. "Is this the kid you were talking about?" Kid…?

    "She's so cute!" she continued. "Hi, ! I'm Jung! I'm Ba-jin's girlfriend of three years!"

Ba-jin looked at with pleading eyes, extremely visible through the large drops of rain. He didn't want her to say anything. Their three weeks of a dream meant nothing to him. Rejection. Pain. She wanted to stop feeling. But she stayed strong.

    "Oh, I just want to say…good-bye to Ba-jin," she said, her eyes looking down. "So…goodbye." She stayed strong when she left. She stayed strong while packing. She stayed strong until noon. She stayed strong on the plane ride back to Japan. She stayed strong for three weeks. And then it rained. She broke down.

    " -chan…why didn't you just tell me…?" Eiji said, staring down at the broken heap on the floor.

    "Because…it only happens…when the rain falls," she said, her voice cracking.

    " …"

    "Have you ever…felt rejection, Eiji-chan?" He couldn't say that he had. He remained quiet.

    "It hurts. It really does. And to know you were just a pawn in the game. It's tough…so tough sometimes…I—I can't get closer to you Eiji…"

    "Why not?" Eiji asked passionately.

    "Because…the rejection…is unbearable."

    "What rejection? , I would…I would never reject you. You…mean so much to me. Your positive outlook, your sparkling smile, your piercing eyes, your melodic voice, your pure determination, your…your everything…" They sat in silence.

    " . If it would hurt you, I would never ever do it."

    "Then…can you stop the rain?"

    "That I can't do…but perhaps…" Eiji's slender fingers reached out for 's heart shaped face. He cupped her chin in his hands, and gently tugged it closer to his. His eyes closed at precisely the right moment, leaving it for the last thing could see before their lips met. It was short kiss, but it was sweet. Eiji pulled away, lingering for a few seconds with their lips barely parted.

    "E—Eiji…" said, breathless.

    "Now, you have another memory to replace that old one." gave Eiji a close-mouthed smile, but a serene and peaceful one.

    "Arigatou…Eiji-chan," said. Eiji stood up, and offered his hand to the soaking wet girl.

    "You weren't supposed to get wet like this, nya! We were supposed to swim in the waterhole!" Eiji joked as he pulled her up. sneezed. "Ah! You're sick! Oh no! I must nurse you back to health!"

    "Eiji, it's no big de—" began, but Eiji had picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder.

    "I'll make you some soft and fluffy omelets…! And maybe I could get Inui to make some kind of juice to help…"

    "I—iie, Eiji!" yelled. Eiji laughed and gave her a playful slap on the thigh.

    "Now now, you must obey the doctor's orders! Or else he won't give you your special treatment!"

    "Special treatment?"

    "You'll have to wait and see, nya!"

fin
soh
20.June.2005