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Lately, I’ve noticed that Senpai is starting to grow cooler.
It’s hard to put it into words, but lately, whenever he plays and instructs and leads the team during practice, I swear I could see him sparkle and glisten like some sort of a prince-like male lead role from a shoujo manga. I’ve told him this once, but of course being the tsundere he was, he only kicked me on the head and threw it back at me, only to realize how embarrassing that sounded and hitting me even more.
It’s not just me fawning over him like I usually do, because the Kaijo girls seem to think the same. I’ve heard one or two cheers of “Kasamatsu-san!” among the fans who come to the court usually to watch me play – and that’s exactly what’s been making me restless.
One day, I whined about this to Kasamatsu-senpai himself. “Senpai, you should probably stop emitting those pheromones before you attract the whole Kaijo female population!”
“What, are you afraid I’ll take away your fans?” he said, shrugging me off. “Don’t worry, it’s not like I’ll cheat on you or anything. You know I can’t handle girls, right?”
Exactly – Senpai has never been good at handling women, much less those preying on him. I’m not jealous of him. I’m worried about him because he can’t handle girls; I’ve seen how some of them can become persistent beasts behind their pretty faces. What if a pushy one clings onto him and forces him to go out with her? What if someone deceives and manipulates him into going out with her?
Okay, maybe I’m a little jealous. But not because Senpai gets the girls’ attention. I’m jealous because the girls might take his attention away from me.
Either way, my worst fears come true as I one day witnessed a senior (from Senpai’s class) confess to him, and ask him out on a date. He agreed, much to my disapproval.
“What’s the meaning of this, Senpai?” I confronted him as soon as we met again that day. “Why would you go on a date with her that easily?!”
“Tsk, so you heard, huh…” he muttered. “I told her I didn’t see her that way, but she said she wanted me to go on a date with her to see if she had a chance.”
“But you should have turned her down! I don’t think you can handle her by yourself, the way you are…”
“Hah?! Is this you being jealous again, or are you just looking down on me?” He accused. “I can handle it, I’ll show you! Don’t forget who’s older here.” He blurted, socking me in the face. “You better not follow me around like last time.”
–is what he said, but now I’m here anyway. In disguise, of course. As a famous model, I have the convenience of owning an (utterly cliché) outfit of sunglasses, a detective hat and a top and bottom that doesn’t stick out.
Peeking from behind the utility pole, I see that the girl is the first to arrive. She evidently dressed her best for today with her frilly top and annoyingly short shorts, and make-up and jewelry. I feel a vein popping in my head at the sight as I glare at her from the side. Hah, Senpai won’t be swooned with just that, I think to myself.
Soon after, Kasamatsu-senpai arrives. I inwardly sulk at the fact that I’m not the only one who has seen him in casual clothes anymore. However, on the bright side, I’m glad I get to see him now. He was wearing rolled-up long sleeves, a beanie, and a trouser high enough to show his high socks and rubber shoes and his nervousness was showing that I almost squeal like a fan boy at his adorableness. (Did I mention how cute I’ve always found those socks of his?) Senpai, why can’t you be this adorable when we go on dates? That’s so unfair, I think to myself.
Just before I finally couldn’t resist and pulled out my camera, they go on their way.
The first place she drags him to was the theater. Rolling my eyes at the cliché, I follow them and sit right behind them, my eyes glistening like in the Zone as I paid attention not to the movie, but to the space between them and the distance between their bodies – hands, in particular. If the girl was going for cliché, then there was a possibility she’d try to hold Senpai’s hand in the dark.
I’ll make sure you will not get away with holding his hand, I threatened her inwardly.
To my relief, she didn’t. After leaving the movie of which name or genre I didn’t even bother checking, I tail them into the jewelry shop.
“Wow, that necklace is so pretty…”
“Huh- Uh, yeah… It looks nice.”
The girl bought the necklace for herself, but Senpai is too nervous and awkward to notice that she actually wants him to buy it for her. And she doesn’t notice him looking fondly at the dog tag necklace right beside it. I quickly bring it to the cashier to purchase as soon as I was out of sight.
The last destination is a quaint café in front of the park.
I settle down at the table a little ways from where they were and order a regular cup of coffee.
They’re chatting lightly about mundane things like their classes together, colleges to go to, teachers, part-time jobs, and the like. Somehow, it makes me kind of sad, thinking about how Senpai will leave Kaijo soon. He said we’d keep in touch, but I know the team won’t be the same without him and the other third years.
But what truly makes my heart clench was how distant he feels. Here he is, talking to a girl who I thought was no match for me and yet I realize they’re in a different world from mine – a world of the senpais filled with college and the future, a world I could never catch up to fast enough.
“Oh, right. Kasamatsu-san is in the basketball club, right? Your team looks promising.”
Suddenly, Senpai’s face somehow brightens up. “Ah yeah. I really want our team to win the Winter Cup.” He answers wholeheartedly. “Our opponents may be strong, but I know that with me and my teammates supporting each other, we’re going to win.” He asserts, eyes cast downward and a gentle smile on his face.
The girl seems to have been mesmerized – I can’t really blame her. “You really are a cool person, Kasamatsu-san.” She praised, smiling at him.
To my surprise, Senpai blushes deeply at this compliment. I feel a slight sense of betrayal. How could he show this face to anyone else other than me? Rather, how could this girl make my Kasamatsu blush?
“Ah, Kise from Kaijo?” A vaguely familiar voice calls me out from beside the table. I look up – Takao.
I immediately panic and shoot a glance at Senpai before pulling the Shuutoku point guard to sit beside me on and manage to hide him from Senpai. Hopefully, he didn’t hear him say my name – it would be bad if I got caught now of all times. I shush him for now, and send another look toward the other point guard.
Takao quickly catches on. “Ah, isn’t that Kasamatsu Yukio-san? Looks like he’s having fun.”
“Please don’t call him over. I’m… undercover right now.”
“Heeh?” Takao raises an eyebrow. “Someone’s being overprotective.” He teases.
“I’m just looking after him, geez… Anyway, why are you here? Where’s Midorimacchi?” Somehow it seems unnatural to see Takao without Midorima and vice versa… I wonder if people saw me and Senpai like that, too. Then again, probably not – after all, those two are a special pair.
“Ah, yeah. I’m actually supposed to meet him here right now.” He explains, the slight unease in his eyes unable to go unnoticed.
“Eh? Is it for practice? Ah, but it’s Sunday…” Now that I think about it, how close are they, really, to be meeting up even on Sundays… could it be that they weren’t just ‘partners’ as I thought?
“Um, not really. We’re just… meeting up, haha.” He laughed nervously.
…I knew it. Now I have another piece of information to blackmail Midorimacchi into treating me some fruit shakes. Lucky~!
My thoughts of food are interrupted as the point guard tapped me on the shoulder. “I think your senpai is leaving, look.” He informs, pointing to Senpai’s table.
I turn around, and I wish I hadn’t.
“H-Hey, come on, let go… I gotta go to the bathroom for a second.” Kasamatsu-senpai looks nervous as he’s half-standing, evidently interrupted by the smaller hands clasped against his.
I suppress the urge to charge towards the girl who smiled innocently up at him as if she weren’t aware of what her hands were doing. And as soon as Senpai fled to the bathroom, I stand up from my seat, ignoring Takao’s confused call.
“Huh? Kise-kun, why are you here?” She looks surprised, staring up at me in confusion as I feel the jealousy and irritation control me.
“Don’t you dare touch Kasamatsu-senpai so easily like that again.”
“B-But Kise-kun, I like him.” She explains, stumbling for a moment under my intense glare. I can tell her feelings are whole-hearted and pure from the look in her eyes, but of course my anger gets the better of me. “It’s not like me going out with him will affect the team’s performance-”
“Senpai will never choose someone like you who’s no match against me.” I chuckle maliciously. “You think you can beat me?”
“Eh?” She looks bewildered and terrified.
Venting my frustrations, I ramble on. “He’ll never like someone like you, because Senpai loves-”
“Kise?” A familiar voice calls from behind me.
I turn around, and I’m met with the wide-eyed Senpai. My reason returns and my anger subsides at the sight of him. The girl takes the chance to run off, bumping against Senpai as she stormed out the door.
“O-Oi…” The point guard follows her with his gaze, confused. Then he turns to me, and I prepare for the worst. “What did you say to her? And why are you here? Didn’t I tell you not to follow me?!”
“Then… Then how could Senpai let her touch you just like that?! This is why I keep telling you, you’re way too unguarded!” I retort.
“Hah?” He looks at me, confused. See, this obliviousness is what I’m talking about… he doesn’t even realize how unguarded he is!
“It took me a whole month for you to let me touch you but she held your hand so easily and it pisses me off!” This is no good… I’m basically taking out my anger on him, and I can’t stop.
I take a deep breath. It’s never any good to fight Senpai’s rough personality with similar force. “…Senpai’s blushing face, and smiling face, how could you show them to her so easily?” I sulk, inwardly regretting how uncool I’ve been acting for the past few minutes since I lashed out at the poor girl.
“Enough. I’m going to look for her.” He says in a low voice, and I could feel my heart clench for disappointing him so much. He’s going to go out with her, and leave me and my immaturity… Worst of all, I couldn’t bring myself to stop him. Tears begin to form in my eyes at my predicament.
Then I feel his rough but warm hand reach up to ruffle my hair.
“I have to turn her down properly, right?”
As I realize what he meant with those words, I gasp and squeeze him into my arms in immense relief, the tears finally freeing themselves from my eyes and soaking Senpai’s shirt.
He puts his arms around me and pats me on the back. “Okay, okay… Now, sit down; we’re making a scene here at the cafe.” He guides me to his seat, and I smile slightly at the thought of being pampered by him like this. ”Just wait for me here. I’ll come back as soon as I talk to her, okay?” He tousles my hair lovingly.
I let myself smile a little, relishing in this rare chance to witness Kasamatsu-senpai’s honest, refreshing side. And I may have wanted to tease him a little when I said, “Nee, Senpai… can I kiss you?”
I never would have expected that he’d budge even a little about it, but then he leans down, his hands on the table and on the back of my chair and his lips meet mine.
It lasts for only a second or two, — far inferior to the ones I give him all the time, but it was the sweetest and possibly cutest one we shared.
“J-Just this once is fine…”
Naturally, my mind went into overdrive and my heart rate reached the ceiling. “S-So cute…!” I blurted out.
“H-Hah?” He asks, confused. His cheeks are red, so cute…
“Senpai, one more time!!” I insist.
He tries to hide his flushed face from me, but I can still see it clearly. “…You stupid idiot! Don’t be getting all cocky towards your senior!”
He lands a foot on my head, and it hurts a lot, but I giggle when I notice his high socks. “So adora- owowowow, it hurts!”
…Well, bickering like this is fine, I guess.
Meanwhile, on a certain table…
“The idiot and his boyfriend are making a scene-nodayo.”
“Naa, Shin-chan, won’t you have PDA with me too?
"Not a chance.”