Strange Magic [A JUMP fic] Chapter 18: Guilty Hearts
Welp, two posts in a day treat! (since I did not post yesterday urgh..)
Previously...
While the early morning brought Hideki Aya new perspective to Nakajima Yuto’s personality and graced Hitomori Yann the true relationship between the seto-kaichou and Chinen Yuri, it denying peace between Mitsuhiko Diei and Yamada Ryosuke yet again might be the end of anything that could ever start.
++++++
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“What?” Nakajima Yuto looked around to Hashimoto Ryosuke pointing at his face.
“That stupid grin on your face, man.”
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” Yuto turned his back on him as he entered the basketball locker room he and his teammates were told to use before their game. But he couldn’t keep his center player from seeing him carefully place two empty cups into his bag.
“What’s that?”
“What’s with the twenty-twenty questions?” his best forward Morimoto Ryutaro chuckled making light and changed the topic, saving Yuto. “C’mon, head in the game!”
“You tell that to captain, he’s creeping us out,” grunted Shigeoka Daiki, his substitute center player who looked like he didn’t pay too much attention to ribbing their team captain being slightly green in the face and believed in the superstition that being perky before a game makes them lose it, which is what he and the others chalk up Yuto’s overconfident behavior.
When the two had turned to take their showers Morimoto hung back with Yuto.
“Whew, tasukatta desu!” Yuto clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks man.”
“For letting you save face keeping cups for mementos like a pansy or for not coming back and ruin your coffee date with Hideki?”
“That was hot cocoa actually, but yeah both.”
Morimoto shook his head just as Yuto’s cellphone rang and he answered it.
“Hey Yann-chan!” Yuto leaned against his locker as he listened for a while. “Oh yeah, I heard of that.”
“What?” Yann said perplexed. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“Ehh, I only got to know after you left, heard it from Diei-kaichou herself.”
“Mou.. Yuto-kun tteba...”
“Warui, there was a lot going on and it slipped my mind, I should have told you,” Yuto apologized sincerely.
“Now I feel really foolish acting up,” Yann grumbled as she stroked the puppy on her lap sitting on the swing from the park where Diei and Chinen talked same time yesterday.
“Not as bad as that Chinen Yuri does.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s missing isn’t he? Because he felt turned away from the school and ran off.”
“What?”
“Blimey, okay, okay,” Yuto winced as he held his phone a little farther away from his ear as Yann got louder panicking from the other end and started berating him from holding out on her again, though he finally got through to her when she paused to catch her breath and told her everything he knew; from exactly how Diei announced it in the clinic to Aya and Airin going to try look around for Chinen at the school fair after the game. Only then did the other side of the line seem to have gotten quiet, too quiet.
“Err.. Yann-chan? You still there?” Yuto checked uncertainly.
“Ah, arigatou Yuto-kun.. hounto ni. Goodluck on your game, ganbatte.”
Yuto blinked at his phone as she hung up and exchanged looks with Ryutaro who heard.
“What in the world was that all about?” asked Morimoto bewildered.
~+~+~+~
None of the teachers bothered keeping their classes in check anymore on the last day before the semestral break; what with the students from the basketball team, those from an accident like Mitsuhiko Diei and those plainly skipping individuals missing. There was also leniency over the buzz of talking and gossip, some even joining in discussion opting to know what their students are planning over the class-free two weeks. Only class 2-A was inclined to hushing; because of Yamada Ryosuke.
No other day was there more stuff to be discussed but the THS Prince’s subdued manner was infectious, and probably because it wasn’t just him. Hitomori Yann’s usual exuberance was limited to only about her puppy in the lunch bag under her seatmate Aya’s desk, which the whole class agreed to ignore whenever it starts growling lowly at Yamada. Otherwise she was keeping quiet whenever the talk around her was about the seto-kaichou’s accident, the new taciturn Yamada, Aya surprisingly volunteering as a basketball team helper, or anything else that reminds her of Chinen Yuri.
“Yann-chan!”
Great concern was clear from Dah Gee’s and Kristina Merc’s faces as they caught her out of it during first break.
“I said,” the foreign exchange student repeated slowly thinking her speech was being misunderstood as usual. “I want Ame-chan if you worry your mom not allow you keep him.”
Pull yourself together Yann, you’re making your friends worry, she scolded herself and forced out a smile. “Ah thanks but don’t worry, my mom loves him already.”
“Okay!” Kristina only looked too happy that she didn’t have to actually take care of a puppy but was doing so for some other purpose; her eyes batting at Yamada’s way probably had something to do with it. “Yamada-sama like dogs?”
Oh yeah, he likes cursing people into one too not caring if their sister or friends worry about them, Chinen popped his head out of the bag raising his hackles at Yamada who had his head in his arms on the desk and looked at no one.
“He’s so hyper!” Dah Gee simpered reaching to ruffle the puppy’s head.
Sighing, Yann started to stand up. “I still have to make sure Ame-chan doesn’t have a worried owner around here though...”
You prick, went Chinen’s incessant growling translated only to Yamada’s ears. Stop looking regretful like you really meant -
“Yann-chan,” Yamada suddenly called at her without looking up. “I really don’t think that dog has any owner and at the moment its content with you, so why don’t you just enjoy each other’s company?”
This surprised Yann blinking down at the puppy and Chinen into shutting up. Whether Yamada helped him out of conscience or he finally got tired of the racket Chinen had been making he didn’t bother to know anymore, and started to earnestly paw and lick at Yann’s face.
“Ahaha, yeah okay, okay, I’ll keep him,” said Yann cheering up a little to Chinen’s and Yamada’s silent relief. “Arigatou, Yamada-kun.”
Yes, yes! Just keep her happy until I can get back to normal!
“Arf! Arf! Arf!” Chinen’s barks broke out making students outside look around in alarm.
“Oh no, I think he’s hungry, I’ll grab something from the cafeteria!”
Yann only chose the place because it was the nearest and least crowded; she could get away with being seen with Ame-chan there, though it made her feel guilty again.
“I hope they do find Yuri-kun and bring him back,” Yann told the puppy as she fed it biscuits. “I have so much to apologize for…”
The puppy nuzzled the back of her hand, and taking it as if it was berating her to be truthful, she admitted, “Oh fine, it’s because I miss him so much too!”
“Nice puppy Yann-chan!” Inoo Kei said from behind her who got curious of the puppy tail wagging from the bag on Yann’s lap when it slipped out the zipper opening.
“Oh no, Inoo-sempai found you!” Yann jokingly scolded Chinen and hurriedly slipped his tail back inside the bag looking apologetic. “I’m sorry I -”
“Hey, hey, don’t sweat it on my account,” Inoo patted her shoulder, winking. “I used to like dogs, but then I met Yuya...”
They were still laughing when Cerezo Kai came over with her rosy cheeks and looking embarrassed though Inoo positively cheered. “Please tell me she said yes!”
“Yes, yes, she did!” Kai couldn’t believe her luck. “Nica-chan agreed to cover for me to my mother; I can come with you for the article now -”
“It’s a date then!” Inoo declared and threw her arms around the girl’s middle causing three first year girls from the next table to choke on their slices of apple tart. “Yatta!! I thought I’d be going all by my lonesome now that Yuya abandoned me from going to the Nationals at Kitagawa -”
“Kitagawa Academy?” Yann jumped to her feet so fast Chinen-puppy fell out on the table. “You’re going there? Now?”
“Well, yeah,” Inoo shifted uncomfortably, thinking Yann knew about the newspaper assignment from Jeyn who was his managing editor. “I know we’ll get there late, but I can just interview Nakajima-kun after the game - there’s the school fair - I hear there’d be a ferris wheel..!” which was obviously what he was after, his tone pleading for Yann to understand.
“So Inoo-sempai wants to go on a date with Kai-chan but is pressed for time for the article?” Yann stated tactlessly on ignoring Kai’s blubbering about not being so loud, “what if I do it for sempai - if you take me with you? I promise, I’ll get out of your hairs as soon as we get there,” to the delight of the two, Yann’s eyes shining with her own agenda.
~+~+~+~
It was the last three minutes till the game ends and the last chance for Nakajima Yuto’s team to score at least a free throw to get to overtime that Aya was pacing about in restlessness behind them while they gather around the coach giving some last minute talk-through as Airin handed around face towels and Gatorade.
“You can do it,” Aya whispered to Yuto taking his towel when the whistle signaling the end of the time out both coaches asked for came and took to standing by the water dispenser.
“Don’t worry,” someone behind her from the front row said quietly just as Yuto got past half the court cleverly dodging two defenders from the other team. “He’ll get it.”
Aya felt Airin turn to the speaker but she was so fixated to the game.
“Come on, Yuto-kun!” Aya screamed his name just as he shoots for a three-points score - and won the game.
The stadium boomed its cheers just as Aya and Airin hugged each other in elation.
“Yaaaay! We won, he won!”
Aya was still screaming when Yuto got away from under his teams’ strangling congratulatory hugs to embrace Aya who returned it just as tightly.
Only when the captain was dragged off to receive the MVP award did Aya finally turned to Airin and an elderly woman with a big handbag smiling beside her.
“Tomogawa Kiyone, Airin’s aunt,” she introduced herself as they shook hands. “I’m so glad for your boyfriend, honey.”
“Iya ba-chan, they’re not together,” Airin rescued Aya who was sputtering beet red.
“Yeah? Well, not yet maybe, but you’ll get there,” the woman patted Aya on the shoulder saying it just as surely as she declared Yuto’s win.
While Aya and Airin assisted each of the team members into their jersey jackets before they’re called forward one by one to receive their medals and the championship cup, Morimoto Ryutaro said very softly, “thanks so much for giving him that extra push in the end Hideki-san!”
“I didn’t do anything, that was all him,” Aya beamed as she straightened his collar.
“You still came though, that was a really big motivation from his long-time crush.”
“What are you..?” asked Aya slowly.
“Eh, didn’t you come to the game with him as his date?” Morimoto asked back mildly surprised.
This time Aya knew he was pulling her leg starting to grin. “No we’re not dating, and I’m not his crush, like you don’t know he’s just a flirt with any girl in a skirt -”
“Nah, he does that to practice being comfortable around you, and probably to make you a little jealous; I told him that was unsightly,” revealed Ryutaro shaking his head. “Don’t tell me you still have no clue, he’s been trying to dazzle you with his basketball skills all year -”
“Morimoto Ryutaro!” the speakers barked making them jump.
“Just be patient with him, or ask him outright or something,” Morimoto advised hurriedly before sprinting up the stage. “But don’t throw me under the bus; you didn’t hear it from me!”
“Aya-sempai, daijobu?” Airin inquired watching Aya stalk off without leaving word to the team of their departure with flushed cheeks that had nothing to do with exhilaration and more of outrage.
“Well girls, I guess I’d better hurry up to my stall,” Kiyone said walking beside them while looking around at the big crowd fondly.
“You have something to sell around here Kiyone ba-san?” Aya asked distractedly.
“Dear no, I do it for free,” she proudly told them as she pulled out purple robes with a hood from her bag that made both girls exclaim in unison.
“You’re the mystic!”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tasukatta desu - used as ‘thanks for the help there’ here ; informal way to say ‘Tasukari masu’ meaning ‘I appreciate that’
-chan - suffix used by speaker for younger female names/close people/cutesy namecalling
-kun - suffix used by speaker for younger male names or males close with
Mou - usual japanese exclamation version for emphasizing the speaker's feelings
-tteba - usual japanese suffix for sounding whiny / berating someone to listen
warui - no good / my bad ; used as very informal way to say sorry here
Arigatou - Thank you
hounto ni - really / truly
ganbatte - do your best
Ame - Rain
-sama - suffix for both sexes ; used for admired/respected people
-sempai - suffix used by speaker for a senior / respected upperclassman or upperclasswoman
Yatta - Hooray
Iya - No ; casual way of saying "Ie"
Ba-chan - Auntie ; informal/cutesy way to say ‘Oba-san’
-san - suffix for both sexes ; used for formality
-sempai - suffix used by speaker for a senior / respected upperclassman or upperclasswoman
Daijoubu? - okay ; used as ‘are you alright?’ here
Previously...
While the early morning brought Hideki Aya new perspective to Nakajima Yuto’s personality and graced Hitomori Yann the true relationship between the seto-kaichou and Chinen Yuri, it denying peace between Mitsuhiko Diei and Yamada Ryosuke yet again might be the end of anything that could ever start.
++++++
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“What?” Nakajima Yuto looked around to Hashimoto Ryosuke pointing at his face.
“That stupid grin on your face, man.”
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” Yuto turned his back on him as he entered the basketball locker room he and his teammates were told to use before their game. But he couldn’t keep his center player from seeing him carefully place two empty cups into his bag.
“What’s that?”
“What’s with the twenty-twenty questions?” his best forward Morimoto Ryutaro chuckled making light and changed the topic, saving Yuto. “C’mon, head in the game!”
“You tell that to captain, he’s creeping us out,” grunted Shigeoka Daiki, his substitute center player who looked like he didn’t pay too much attention to ribbing their team captain being slightly green in the face and believed in the superstition that being perky before a game makes them lose it, which is what he and the others chalk up Yuto’s overconfident behavior.
When the two had turned to take their showers Morimoto hung back with Yuto.
“Whew, tasukatta desu!” Yuto clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks man.”
“For letting you save face keeping cups for mementos like a pansy or for not coming back and ruin your coffee date with Hideki?”
“That was hot cocoa actually, but yeah both.”
Morimoto shook his head just as Yuto’s cellphone rang and he answered it.
“Hey Yann-chan!” Yuto leaned against his locker as he listened for a while. “Oh yeah, I heard of that.”
“What?” Yann said perplexed. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“Ehh, I only got to know after you left, heard it from Diei-kaichou herself.”
“Mou.. Yuto-kun tteba...”
“Warui, there was a lot going on and it slipped my mind, I should have told you,” Yuto apologized sincerely.
“Now I feel really foolish acting up,” Yann grumbled as she stroked the puppy on her lap sitting on the swing from the park where Diei and Chinen talked same time yesterday.
“Not as bad as that Chinen Yuri does.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s missing isn’t he? Because he felt turned away from the school and ran off.”
“What?”
“Blimey, okay, okay,” Yuto winced as he held his phone a little farther away from his ear as Yann got louder panicking from the other end and started berating him from holding out on her again, though he finally got through to her when she paused to catch her breath and told her everything he knew; from exactly how Diei announced it in the clinic to Aya and Airin going to try look around for Chinen at the school fair after the game. Only then did the other side of the line seem to have gotten quiet, too quiet.
“Err.. Yann-chan? You still there?” Yuto checked uncertainly.
“Ah, arigatou Yuto-kun.. hounto ni. Goodluck on your game, ganbatte.”
Yuto blinked at his phone as she hung up and exchanged looks with Ryutaro who heard.
“What in the world was that all about?” asked Morimoto bewildered.
~+~+~+~
None of the teachers bothered keeping their classes in check anymore on the last day before the semestral break; what with the students from the basketball team, those from an accident like Mitsuhiko Diei and those plainly skipping individuals missing. There was also leniency over the buzz of talking and gossip, some even joining in discussion opting to know what their students are planning over the class-free two weeks. Only class 2-A was inclined to hushing; because of Yamada Ryosuke.
No other day was there more stuff to be discussed but the THS Prince’s subdued manner was infectious, and probably because it wasn’t just him. Hitomori Yann’s usual exuberance was limited to only about her puppy in the lunch bag under her seatmate Aya’s desk, which the whole class agreed to ignore whenever it starts growling lowly at Yamada. Otherwise she was keeping quiet whenever the talk around her was about the seto-kaichou’s accident, the new taciturn Yamada, Aya surprisingly volunteering as a basketball team helper, or anything else that reminds her of Chinen Yuri.
“Yann-chan!”
Great concern was clear from Dah Gee’s and Kristina Merc’s faces as they caught her out of it during first break.
“I said,” the foreign exchange student repeated slowly thinking her speech was being misunderstood as usual. “I want Ame-chan if you worry your mom not allow you keep him.”
Pull yourself together Yann, you’re making your friends worry, she scolded herself and forced out a smile. “Ah thanks but don’t worry, my mom loves him already.”
“Okay!” Kristina only looked too happy that she didn’t have to actually take care of a puppy but was doing so for some other purpose; her eyes batting at Yamada’s way probably had something to do with it. “Yamada-sama like dogs?”
Oh yeah, he likes cursing people into one too not caring if their sister or friends worry about them, Chinen popped his head out of the bag raising his hackles at Yamada who had his head in his arms on the desk and looked at no one.
“He’s so hyper!” Dah Gee simpered reaching to ruffle the puppy’s head.
Sighing, Yann started to stand up. “I still have to make sure Ame-chan doesn’t have a worried owner around here though...”
You prick, went Chinen’s incessant growling translated only to Yamada’s ears. Stop looking regretful like you really meant -
“Yann-chan,” Yamada suddenly called at her without looking up. “I really don’t think that dog has any owner and at the moment its content with you, so why don’t you just enjoy each other’s company?”
This surprised Yann blinking down at the puppy and Chinen into shutting up. Whether Yamada helped him out of conscience or he finally got tired of the racket Chinen had been making he didn’t bother to know anymore, and started to earnestly paw and lick at Yann’s face.
“Ahaha, yeah okay, okay, I’ll keep him,” said Yann cheering up a little to Chinen’s and Yamada’s silent relief. “Arigatou, Yamada-kun.”
Yes, yes! Just keep her happy until I can get back to normal!
“Arf! Arf! Arf!” Chinen’s barks broke out making students outside look around in alarm.
“Oh no, I think he’s hungry, I’ll grab something from the cafeteria!”
Yann only chose the place because it was the nearest and least crowded; she could get away with being seen with Ame-chan there, though it made her feel guilty again.
“I hope they do find Yuri-kun and bring him back,” Yann told the puppy as she fed it biscuits. “I have so much to apologize for…”
The puppy nuzzled the back of her hand, and taking it as if it was berating her to be truthful, she admitted, “Oh fine, it’s because I miss him so much too!”
“Nice puppy Yann-chan!” Inoo Kei said from behind her who got curious of the puppy tail wagging from the bag on Yann’s lap when it slipped out the zipper opening.
“Oh no, Inoo-sempai found you!” Yann jokingly scolded Chinen and hurriedly slipped his tail back inside the bag looking apologetic. “I’m sorry I -”
“Hey, hey, don’t sweat it on my account,” Inoo patted her shoulder, winking. “I used to like dogs, but then I met Yuya...”
They were still laughing when Cerezo Kai came over with her rosy cheeks and looking embarrassed though Inoo positively cheered. “Please tell me she said yes!”
“Yes, yes, she did!” Kai couldn’t believe her luck. “Nica-chan agreed to cover for me to my mother; I can come with you for the article now -”
“It’s a date then!” Inoo declared and threw her arms around the girl’s middle causing three first year girls from the next table to choke on their slices of apple tart. “Yatta!! I thought I’d be going all by my lonesome now that Yuya abandoned me from going to the Nationals at Kitagawa -”
“Kitagawa Academy?” Yann jumped to her feet so fast Chinen-puppy fell out on the table. “You’re going there? Now?”
“Well, yeah,” Inoo shifted uncomfortably, thinking Yann knew about the newspaper assignment from Jeyn who was his managing editor. “I know we’ll get there late, but I can just interview Nakajima-kun after the game - there’s the school fair - I hear there’d be a ferris wheel..!” which was obviously what he was after, his tone pleading for Yann to understand.
“So Inoo-sempai wants to go on a date with Kai-chan but is pressed for time for the article?” Yann stated tactlessly on ignoring Kai’s blubbering about not being so loud, “what if I do it for sempai - if you take me with you? I promise, I’ll get out of your hairs as soon as we get there,” to the delight of the two, Yann’s eyes shining with her own agenda.
~+~+~+~
It was the last three minutes till the game ends and the last chance for Nakajima Yuto’s team to score at least a free throw to get to overtime that Aya was pacing about in restlessness behind them while they gather around the coach giving some last minute talk-through as Airin handed around face towels and Gatorade.
“You can do it,” Aya whispered to Yuto taking his towel when the whistle signaling the end of the time out both coaches asked for came and took to standing by the water dispenser.
“Don’t worry,” someone behind her from the front row said quietly just as Yuto got past half the court cleverly dodging two defenders from the other team. “He’ll get it.”
Aya felt Airin turn to the speaker but she was so fixated to the game.
“Come on, Yuto-kun!” Aya screamed his name just as he shoots for a three-points score - and won the game.
The stadium boomed its cheers just as Aya and Airin hugged each other in elation.
“Yaaaay! We won, he won!”
Aya was still screaming when Yuto got away from under his teams’ strangling congratulatory hugs to embrace Aya who returned it just as tightly.
Only when the captain was dragged off to receive the MVP award did Aya finally turned to Airin and an elderly woman with a big handbag smiling beside her.
“Tomogawa Kiyone, Airin’s aunt,” she introduced herself as they shook hands. “I’m so glad for your boyfriend, honey.”
“Iya ba-chan, they’re not together,” Airin rescued Aya who was sputtering beet red.
“Yeah? Well, not yet maybe, but you’ll get there,” the woman patted Aya on the shoulder saying it just as surely as she declared Yuto’s win.
While Aya and Airin assisted each of the team members into their jersey jackets before they’re called forward one by one to receive their medals and the championship cup, Morimoto Ryutaro said very softly, “thanks so much for giving him that extra push in the end Hideki-san!”
“I didn’t do anything, that was all him,” Aya beamed as she straightened his collar.
“You still came though, that was a really big motivation from his long-time crush.”
“What are you..?” asked Aya slowly.
“Eh, didn’t you come to the game with him as his date?” Morimoto asked back mildly surprised.
This time Aya knew he was pulling her leg starting to grin. “No we’re not dating, and I’m not his crush, like you don’t know he’s just a flirt with any girl in a skirt -”
“Nah, he does that to practice being comfortable around you, and probably to make you a little jealous; I told him that was unsightly,” revealed Ryutaro shaking his head. “Don’t tell me you still have no clue, he’s been trying to dazzle you with his basketball skills all year -”
“Morimoto Ryutaro!” the speakers barked making them jump.
“Just be patient with him, or ask him outright or something,” Morimoto advised hurriedly before sprinting up the stage. “But don’t throw me under the bus; you didn’t hear it from me!”
“Aya-sempai, daijobu?” Airin inquired watching Aya stalk off without leaving word to the team of their departure with flushed cheeks that had nothing to do with exhilaration and more of outrage.
“Well girls, I guess I’d better hurry up to my stall,” Kiyone said walking beside them while looking around at the big crowd fondly.
“You have something to sell around here Kiyone ba-san?” Aya asked distractedly.
“Dear no, I do it for free,” she proudly told them as she pulled out purple robes with a hood from her bag that made both girls exclaim in unison.
“You’re the mystic!”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tasukatta desu - used as ‘thanks for the help there’ here ; informal way to say ‘Tasukari masu’ meaning ‘I appreciate that’
-chan - suffix used by speaker for younger female names/close people/cutesy namecalling
-kun - suffix used by speaker for younger male names or males close with
Mou - usual japanese exclamation version for emphasizing the speaker's feelings
-tteba - usual japanese suffix for sounding whiny / berating someone to listen
warui - no good / my bad ; used as very informal way to say sorry here
Arigatou - Thank you
hounto ni - really / truly
ganbatte - do your best
Ame - Rain
-sama - suffix for both sexes ; used for admired/respected people
-sempai - suffix used by speaker for a senior / respected upperclassman or upperclasswoman
Yatta - Hooray
Iya - No ; casual way of saying "Ie"
Ba-chan - Auntie ; informal/cutesy way to say ‘Oba-san’
-san - suffix for both sexes ; used for formality
-sempai - suffix used by speaker for a senior / respected upperclassman or upperclasswoman
Daijoubu? - okay ; used as ‘are you alright?’ here