04 | NOT Honest

I reflect back on my day while I'm getting ready to go to bed. After ten minutes of crying and throwing a temper tantrum, Kise had finally shut up and spent the rest of practice glaring at me. The coach had given me an ice pack for my head and told me about all my responsibilities as manager. It doesn't seem too hard. All I have to do is run errands, take notes, and hand out supplies.

I told Mom earlier that I joined the basketball team, but she didn't care. She was too busy gushing over how smart Hana is since she's been inducted into a decathlon team. The only thing Dad did when I told him was grunt and nod in acknowledgment.

Thanks, Dad.

I sigh and sit down on my comforter, biting my lip. It'd be nice if my family gave me some encouragement. I'm not even asking for a lot. A simple "wow, Mari, good job," or even a thumbs up would suffice. It stings when you're shoved to the back of your family's minds like a pet goldfish whose bowl never gets washed.

Maybe... maybe that's why I crave the acceptance of my schoolmates.

I clench my hands into fists.

Kise won't take this away from me.

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The next day's periods drag on forever just like how they did yesterday. Sensei would glance at me from time to time—I think Kobori told him I joined the basketball team. I swear I have gray hairs by the time the lunch bell rings, and I escape into the cafeteria. Hayakawa waves me over to their table. I smile gratefully.

"...keep an eye out for Moriyama. He's the third-year with the weirdly parted hair," Kobori says.

"Why?" I ask.

"He doesn't have much self-control around cute girls."

I stop chewing as I process what he said. Did he just indirectly call me cute? A blush rises to my cheeks, but I cover myself by holding my sandwich up and taking a huge bite.

"It'd be best if you don't tell other girls that you're our manager. Kise's fans are insane," Kasamatsu warns. "They made a fan club for him last month called the 'Kise is Life League;' ever since then, they've been chasing him nonstop."

The Kise is Life League club? Oh my God, the KiLL club. The kill club. A shudder falls down my spine, and I scan the area for any sign of them. If they find out that I'm out to get him, I might not live to see the next day.

"I'll be quiet," I promise.

"The only other person you have to worry about on the team is Kise himself. He slacks off and tries to get out of responsibilities whenever he can," Kasamatsu grumbles.

The bag of chips he's holding is crushed into a messy heap of crumbs. He clenches his jaw, and his neck vein flexes. I can clearly see the wrath darkening his eyes.

"Yeath, we hafta lookth outta fo hims 'cause hea runsth away a loth," Hayakawa adds.

I give myself a mental pat on the back; I actually understand what he was trying to tell me. "He runs away? Wow, he's a handful."

Kasamatsu nods in agreement, his shoulders sagging and head tilting down. Poor guy. Kise's ruining his youth.

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The final lecture ends in silence because everybody, including me, is half-asleep and trying to find the motivation to stand up and leave. I'm one of the first to go, and I catch the typical 'Crazy American' comments when my back turns to my classmates. My self-control's really amazing. Any normal person would've lit up those punks.

I hear squealing while I'm walking to the gym and poke my head around the corner to see what's up. Kise's standing there with his arm propped against the wall, laughing sheepishly as a horde of girls surround him. They giggle at everything he says and does, and I almost gag.

If only they knew the real him.

"Sorry, girls, but I have to run an errand," Kise apologizes, flashing them that apologetic grin he's given me who knows how many times already.

I frown. Kasamatsu said there's practice today. Is Kise seriously trying to skip?

One of them juts out her bottom lip and bats her eyelashes in a pout. "Aw~ Do you really have to?"

Another one lets out an excited gasp and clasps her hands together. "We could come with you!"

The final one beams ear to ear. "Yeah!"

"It's a personal errand," Kise objects, scratching the back of his neck. "I'll make it up to you all later."

Okay, so he'll make it up for them because they want to spend time with him, but he won't help me despite causing my problems because of his reputation? That asshole!

The girls let out annoying, high-pitched cries of delight and nod enthusiastically. They tell him to take all the time he needs. Kise poses for one last photo then struts off, leaving ecstatic fangirls in his wake.

I wait for the three to clear then run after Kise. He's at the entryway of the school by the time I catch up. I skid to a stop in front of him, panting heavily and holding my hand up.

"Where"—gasp—"are you"—shaky breath—"going?"

Kise groans and closes his eyes. Just because he can't see me doesn't mean he can ignore me. "What do you want?"

"We have practice," I say, straightening up. My breathing's finally even again.

"I have somewhere to be," he replies. He attempts to walk past me, but I move in front of him. "What's your deal?"

"My deal is that I'm the manager of the basketball team, and the ace of it can't skip practice," I retort in a sassy tone.

He lifts his chin and glares down at me. "Don't call yourself manager when you haven't managed anything yet. Move."

"No. I'm not going to practice until you come with me."

"I'm not going with you."

"Then I guess we're not going anywhere."

"It's not we. You're going to the gym, and I'm leaving to do something."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You're a pest."

"You're a jerk."

We glare at each other, neither of us wanting to back down. I can't believe I ever found him cute. Now that I see him up close I notice that his blond hair is dull in color and he has only one earring on. Who wears only one earring?

Kise puffs his cheeks out in annoyance then turns around and marches off. He's not getting away that easily. I follow him, but he ignores me. We make it all the way to the train station a few minutes away from the school before I say something.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

Kise rolls his eyes and refuses to reply. Great.

I follow him onto the train and awkwardly stand beside him. Old people whisper and point at us. What else is new? They probably heard of the Crazy American who's been terrorizing Kanagawa since her arrival. I can't catch a break.

The train suddenly jerks to the left as we hit a turn and I lose my balance. I squeak as I crash into Kise, and he narrows his eyes at me. He notices the old people watching us then flashes me a grin and straightens me up.

"You have to be careful, Suzuki-chan~" Kise chirps in a sing-songy voice.

"What a nice boy," an old woman says.

"I'm glad my granddaughter likes such a polite idol," another adds.

Kise laughs and thanks the seniors, and I shake my head. What a two-faced snake. He plays nice for the public just to save his own neck. It's obvious he doesn't care about who he has to shit on to look like a hero.

By the time we get off the train, I seriously have no idea where we are. I stick close to the blond, and we walk a long way to get to wherever he's heading. He doesn't talk, and I don't waste my breath trying to make him. A sigh of relief escapes my lips once he comes to a halt.

Kise shoves his hands into his pockets and scans the area. He says, "Oh, so this is Seirin. As expected from a new school, it looks nice."

"Why are we here?" I question him. Seirin sounds familiar. Didn't Kasamatsu mention it before?

"I need to talk to an old friend," he replies.

Whoever this friend is better be important.

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Question of the Chapter

How do you think Seirin will react to Suzuki?