A/N: Sorry for taking too long to update!
And I hope this story isn't boring... OTL
And yeah. I accept dedication requests. Haha. If ever anyone wants them.
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Kise Ryouta

Where the heck is she?!

It has been two days since that 'tomorrow'! I haven't seen the slightest sight of her. Not even her shadow!

Don't get me wrong! I'm not crushing on her or anything! (Woah. I sounded like Midorimacchi!) I seriously am not! It's just that she's comfortable to be with. And due to that simple reason, I want to be friends with her!

I let out a sigh, shooting a ball into the basketball ring from the three point line. Of course, being the awesome basketball player that I am, it went in. I passed the ball to Moriyama-senpai who was behind me. The few girls who were watching the practice clapped their hands cheerfully, squealing my name. I winked at them with one of my charming smiles before running back to the end of the line. It's so heartwarming how my fans are so supportive of---

OUCH!

I fell face flat on the ground as if the basketball that thinks it was a meteor from outer space with the special mission of hitting my head pushed me like it's a person strong enough to do so. It hurt! I sat up and rubbed the part where I was hit, hopefully subduing the pain. Suddenly, I was in the shadow of our team captain. Yikes! What did I do wrong now?!

"Get your head in the game, Kise! Where the heck is your mind today?!" Kasamatsu-senpai scolded me with his usual annoyed face. Ever since I sneaked out of practice to visit Kurokocchi, he's been more uptight with me! He wouldn't even let me leave the basketball court to buy something to drink for our short break! And when I tell him I need to pee, I have to be escorted by someone in the team! It's so embarrassing!

"But senpai! We've been just shooting baskets for the past hour! It's boring!" I complained, standing up. We're just doing those boring three-point shots. It's not as flashy and cool as dunks and lay-ups! "But your aiming has gotten a real lot better!" I commented on his assault as if it didn't hurt and knock me off my feet, grinning ear-to-ear.

He shot me a sharp look that could very well mean that I must be serious with the practice. I pouted like a kid in reply, giving him the childish do-I-really-have-to look. His thick eyebrows furrowed deeper, his eyes filled with murderous intent. He grabbed another ball with one of his hands. Not good! I have to run for it! I stood up and ran away from him as fast as I could. He was about to throw the ball with full force at me when a tall guy in the second string called for him. "Kasamatsu-senpai! A freshman here wants to see you." He glared at me again before dropping the ball and heading towards the door where his guest might be waiting for him.

Phew. I sat on the glossy wooden floor, watching senpai's figure grow smaller as he walked further. A freshman, huh? Could this be a confession?! Who would've thought that there'd be someone who'd like him?!

If he heard what I just thought, I would've received a painful beating.

There were two freshmen who wanted to see him. He conversed with the girl (who I couldn't see clearly because Kasamatsu-senpai was blocking the view) as the guy with longer-than-usual gray hair who was slightly shorter than Kurokocchi just watched the two. For a moment there, I thought he was a girl! He should get a make over or something!

Kasamatsu-senpai then faced me, the frown missing from his face. He was even grinning! Is the girl who confessed to him is that cute? I want to see her! But now's not the right time for us to go out with someone. The Winter Cup's getting near. Senpai gestured me to go where they were. He probably wanted me to meet the girl or something! I nodded with a charming smile, standing up and walking to their direction.

As I got nearer, I noticed a few more details about the girl. She was kind of small; I think I'm at least thirty centimeters taller than she is. Her gray Kaijou sweater was tied around her waist instead of being worn on top of her collared shirt. When Kasamatsu-senpai moved a little away from her, I've found the characteristics I've been looking for the past two days --- long layered silvery locks and amethyst orbs. It's Mashiro-chan! I didn't realize I was already running to approach their little group, my lips stretching up into a huge grin.

Wait, she can't be the one who confessed to Kasamatsu-senpai! It simply can't!

But why am I feeling unnecessarily uneasy? Their love life has nothing to do with me!

"Yo, Kise-kun!" Mashiro-chan waved her right hand, her left hand holding a small bag.

I grinned in reply. "Nice seeing you again!" I couldn't simply say that I was looking for her for days, right? I'd seem stalker-ish! "So... What brought you here? A confession for Kasamatsu-senpai?" I asked casually, wiggling my eyebrows. For some unknown reason, I didn't want her to say 'yes'. Or maybe she actually came for me!

I suddenly felt a hand crash harshly into my head, pain immediately coming out from it. "Ouch!" I exclaimed, looking at the direction where the attack came from. I met the eyes of an annoyed Kasamatsu-senpai. "Idiot! Get those girly stuff outta your head!" he scolded me.

And that's twice from senpai!

"Then... Mashiro-chan didn't confess?" I asked, rubbing the part where it hurt. My eyes unconsciously went over Mashiro-chan's direction. She was staring at us like she's a little girl in her first time getting inside a water park, her cheeks turning pink. Eh?

"I didn't!" Mashiro-chan, after being nudged by her gray-haired male companion, immediately answered for senpai. "Seriously, Kise-kun? You get pretty bizarre ideas!" She laughed but it seemed forced. I awkwardly joined in with her laughter. That's a relief. Wait, what?

"Anyway, thanks a lot, Mashiro-san. I'm looking forward to it!" Kasamatsu-senpai told her, the smile back to his face. Does he like her or something?!

Mashiro-chan nodded, smiling genuinely. "I'm glad to be of help!"

O...kay. What are they talking about?

"Ehhh? What's that about?" I asked curiously the two. They replied by looking at each other with a grin, then at me. "It's a secret!" said the two.

I pouted, showing my displeasure on how they could keep a secret from me. The two didn't seem to mind though. That made me even more displeased.

"Well, see you some time, Mashiro-chan," said Kasamatsu-senpai with a really friendly smile I had never seen. "And you," he turned to me, the smile automatically evaporating from his face, "Don't think about escaping! You'll be in a world of pain if you attempt to..." With a threatening glare, he strode away and continued facilitating the shooting activity.

"Kise-kun," Mashiro-chan called my attention. I immediately jerked my head towards her, grinning ear-to-ear. She did want to talk to me, after all! I can't help but feel gleeful with the thought. What would she want to chat with me?

She brought out the small bag she was holding earlier. "Here," she said with a contagious smile that I couldn't help but smile back.

I took the bag and immediately opened it out of curiosity. Did she make something for me? Did she want us to eat some snacks together?

Inside the bag was a water bottle, a face towel, and some crackers --- the stuff I forgot to bring for today's practice. I looked at her in awe. I was definitely grateful for these; I would've died of thirst since Kasamatsu-senpai wouldn't let me buy something outside.

And since she was good, I decided to give her a little fanservice. I gently placed the bag on the shiny wooden floor, then clasped both of her hands with both of mine. I noticed her hands were really smaller than mine but they were soft and really pleasing to touch. I made one of the most dazzling smiles a model like me could make, sure that I would definitely make her heart melt.

Taken by surprise, she looked at me with those wide purple eyes then tilted her head. She was obviously unaffected by my charm. Again. What the heck is up with her?

No worries. I have another attack!

"Thank you for these, Mashiro-chan!" I said enthusiastically, smiling even wider. It would be what the girls call 'the killer smile'. I probably have that that pink sparkly background with flower petals falling around me in any girl's vision. "I wouldn't be able to survive today's training without you!" I winked at her, doing it as if it was a beam that should make Mashiro-chan's heart flutter. It's just a little reward~

Her heart, however, was protected by several layers of titanium that my smile beam wasn't able to penetrate through her shield. She just stared at me with that confused look on her face!

"Ah..." she pulled her hands away from mine. Unbelievable. "You're welcome, I think?" She tilted her head cutely. "If there's anyone you should thank, it should be Ryumi-senpai. She told me to bring it to you when I told her I was going to tell Kasamatsu-senpai something..."

 My enthusiasm was flushed out of my body and was replaced by disappointment. So I wasn't the main reason she came to the court, huh... 

Wait, she knew my older sister?

"You know Ryumi-nee?!" I asked her. I should've asked Ryumi-nee if I knew she's acquainted to Mashiro-chan!

She nodded, smiling widely and clasping her hands together. She now looked more animated than ever. "She's the Anime Club's leader, after all! I'm so jealous of you, Kise-kun! Ryumi-senpai's your big sister! She's so awesome!"

I wanted to beat myself up for being such an idiot. How did I overlook that connection! I should bang my head to the wall until it breaks and crumbles into powder-like pieces later!

"Ah... Is that so..." I forced a smile. It felt as if all the energy that I had earlier were being transfered into another body --- probably Mashiro-chan's. "Send her my thanks, then..." I added. I meant that, actually. My sisters are the best in the world. It's just that it wasn't enough to defeat the weird disappointment lingering in my chest.

She nodded quickly. "I definitely will!" She flashed a determined grin. "See you, then, Kise-kun!" She hooked arms with the gray-haired guy she was with (I actually forgot he was here) and began walking away.

And that's when I thought of the idea I should've done days ago.

"Mashiro-chan!" I called, running after her. I beamed at her, showing her my empty open hand. "Give me your phone."

Again, her forehead creased, her face becoming a proof of her curiosity. She took out her wisteria-colored phone with a chibi anime character as its cellphone charm from her skirt's pocket and placed it on my palm nonetheless.

I grinned at her and unlocked her phone, typing in my email address and my phone number then saving them to the phone's memory. I returned it to her. "Send me a message." I winked at her before I ran back to the basketball court, not giving her a chance to reject my little request.

With that, I felt more energized than ever.

***

"Ryouta. That's the hundredth time you glanced at your phone," said my eldest sister as she crossed her legs and twirled her long slightly curly blonde locks.

"It's not," I answered, focusing my attention back to the anime program being showed in the television. I had no idea what was already happening.

The three of us --- Ryouko-nee, Ryumi-nee, and I --- were all huddled around the living room, watching Ishuukan Friends. The anime looked pretty much the type that would get really emotional somewhere in the middle or the end of the plot. 'Tear-jerking' is how Ryumi-nee would describe it.

"Got yourself another girlfriend?" Ryouko-nee inquired. She wouldn't let this go, would she?

"Nope. Didn't I tell you that I'd be more picky with girls this time?" I pointed out. Apparently, most of the girlfriends I had back in middle school only wanted to be in a relationship with me because I was the popular Kise Ryouta. It's annoying, actually.

I glanced again. There's still not a single message from her.

Ryouko-nee groaned, obviously unsatisfied with my answer. "Ryumi! What's up with him and the phone?!"

Ryumi-nee hugged her legs, sitting on the carpet and her back leaning against the sofa. "A Future Diary was installed to his phone. Ta-chan's now part of the killing game," she answered monotonously, her facial expression dripping with seriousness.

Leave it to Ryumi-nee to give unrealistic otaku answers to normal everyday questions when she's engrossed in the world of anime.

I looked at my phone again. Still no message. I even expected that she'd be excited like the other girls to send me a message.

Again, I did my best to drown the idea of her texting me with the current anime's story. I don't even know why I'm expecting a lot!

Ryouko-nee furrowed her half-shaved half-drawn eyebrows, her lips narrowing into a thin line. "Give me a decent answer you two, dammit!" she demanded, pounding her fists on the poor innocent throw pillows. "I'm being a curious big sister here!" Her eyes shot daggers at me then at Ryumi-nee, who was already frowning at the two of us. She hated being bothered whenever she's doing otaku stuff and she's really scary when she's mad!

As if on cue, my message alert tone rang. My heart suddenly skipped a beat as my hand scooped up my phone, a notification that I received a message visible on the screen. Adrenaline rushing to my fingers, I unlocked the phone and viewed the message.

From: [email protected]
Subject: Messaged you~
Content:
It's Mashiro Yuki! I messaged you as you wished! (~ ^ u^)~
Do I get a cookie? (LOL)
Say hi to Ryumi-senpai for me! Please~? ( • u • )?

Before I could even press the reply button, the phone was swiftly snatched off my hand! I gaped at my empty hand for a few seconds before looking at my sisters with my now accusing eyes. Ryouko-nee was staring at the two of us in surprise. The phone was in the grip of Ryumi-nee's hand. She was a mighty lioness with the phone as her prey and the two of us were the lowly hyenas who were threatening to steal her game. She emitted a scary aura as she loomed over us who were sitting. "No one's getting this phone!" she proclaimed. "Not even you," she pointed to our eldest sibling, "Ko-nee!"

"Y-Yes, Ma'am!" Ryouko-nee and I replied nervously.

Ryumi-nee didn't return my phone until the end of dinner. Wasn't she aware how much I wanted to reply?! Mashiro-chan might've thought I was a snob!

"Here," said she with a supposed straight face. I thanked her with teary eyes. 

"So... Yuki-chan, huh..." she muttered with a mischievous smirk before walking away. I suddenly had a nervous feeling. She smirks like that whenever she's plotting something.

Oh no.