Ficlet Series (ES21)

Things hadn't really changed; they had just lessoned. Or so Sakuraba decided, weeks after he had quit modeling, and though he still didn't get quite as many love confessions per day he still received quit a few. He didn't think anything of them, never had, and he certainly never pondered over why he had such a nonchalant attitude towards them. Perhaps, if he had, he would have explained it away as his own sense of jadedness... after all, there were only so many love confessions one boy could take before becoming completely desensitized to it.

So, as he and Takami were walking down the hallway one very ordinary afternoon, when Sakuraba spotted a cluster of giggling and squealing girls (giggling and squealing girls who kept pointing in their direction), he assumed that he was about to receive another love confession. It wasn't arrogance that made him assume it... just experience. Sure enough, one of the girls finally detached herself from the group and jogged shyly up to them, eyelashes fluttering as she blushed down at the floor.

"Sakuraba-sempai?" And it was more of a hushed giggle than any kind of speaking voice. "Will you... take this?"

The group of girls in the background giggled as one, and Sakuraba looked down to see a small piece of triangle in the girl's outstretched hands. A love note.

"It's just... you see... you're on the amefuto team, and, well, you two are such good friends... and, well... couldyoupleasegivethattoShinSeijirouformepleasethankyouverymuch!"

And then the girl dropped the note into his hands, attempting to run back to the safety of her friends while at the same time catching her breath. Sakuraba figured he probably looked fairly shocked right now, though Takami looked vaguely amused.

"Shin?" Sakuraba finally gasped out, and then the two boys laughed a little about it before headed to class.

For one thing, Sakuraba had never expected Shin to get something as trite as a love note. Not that Shin wasn't good looking, or even popular... no, Sakuraba decided, Shin was very handsome, though he shook that thought out of his head as soon as it appeared. It's just that Shin was widely perceived as intimidating and highly inapproachable, and perhaps girls felt that he'd be none to skilled at "important" things such as romance and non-football related activities.

After Sakuraba took a seat in the classroom he started to flip the love note around in his hands... the girl had folded it into a triangle, a little paper football, and had colored in with brown marker. She had even drawn in the stitches. So Shin had an admirer... Sakuraba figured it was about time. Shin was the star player on the amefuto team, even if most people in the school didn't even quite know what amefuto was. He tried to imagine Shin on a date, and almost laughed out lout at the thought of a stoic, serious Shin bringing flowers to a girl before taking her to some silly romance flick.

No, Shin wasn't that type of guy... but what would a date with Shin comprise? Taking in an amefuto game, Sakuraba surmised, would be ideal, but no girl would ever go for that. Training... he could imagine Shin having 'training' dates, like other students had 'study' dates, but couldn't think of any girl who would have fun lifting weights and running. Perhaps a hike. That would be fun, a hike on some trail, maybe a little rock climbing, and then they could make potato guns like they did when they were little and shoot them at people... wait, what was he thinking about? Sakuraba shook his head again, and looked up to see Shin taking the seat next to him.

"Oh... Shin, this is for you." Sakuraba smiled as he slid the note across the table, but then the teacher was calling for the class to start, and he turned his attention back to the front of the room.

Shin looked down at the little piece of paper Sakuraba had just given him. It was folded like a triangle, and colored like a... football? As all the other students took out their notebooks Shin opened the notes, and quickly read the contents to himself. And in the next few moments, even if Shin's expression remained as dour as ever, a faint blush rose to his cheeks. He snuck a glance at Sakuraba, but the other boy was facing front, chewing on the end of his pen. Sakuraba... liked him?

Shin didn't know what to make of it... but Sakuraba had given him this note, confessing his feelings. His mind turning over the concept, Shin was a little confused, and... flattered? It surprised him, but then Sakuraba was very good looking, and they did spend so much time together. But Shin didn't know that much about romance or dating... what would they do, if they were dating... he wondered if people ever had training dates. But then he trained with Sakuraba all the time, it wouldn't be that special. Maybe they'd take in an amefuto game? Or maybe they could go hiking. That would be the perfect date... hiking, rock climbing, and maybe they could make potato guns like they did when they were little and shoot them at people.

Yes, Shin decided, dating Sakuraba would be... pleasant.

"I feel the same way," Shin whispered, and felt his insides warm as Sakuraba smiled at him.

Sakuraba smiled, happy for his friend though a little shocked that Shin actually had feelings for a girl. Some bit of annoyance tugged at his periphery, but he pushed it down. Through out the day, though, he grew more and more agitated without really knowing why, until he was practically slamming doors as he got home. So Shin liked a girl... so what... why was it bothering him? Then it dawned on Sakuraba... how he spent more time with Shin then with anyone else, how he valued Shin's advice the most, how much he respected the other boy... did he like Shin?

"Argh..." Sakuraba threw himself into his bed. This was such a mess.

He was still depressed about it when he went to sleep that night, and even more so when he woke up the next morning. So, when his doorbell rung, and Sakuraba opened the door to find Shin there, he wasn't sure to make of it. But when Shin held up a bag of potatoes and some pvc pipe, everything became a little bit clearer.

.end.