Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ Just a Little Love Story... ❯ Chapter Seven: Deal! ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter Seven: Deal!

Akiko and Mitsui started out with him trying to learn the difference of pronouncing `grass' and `glass'. When she asked him to pronounce `grass', he said `glass' and when she asked him to say `glass', he said `grass'. She knew that the `r' and `l' pronunciations were the toughest with Japanese; `as if I mastered them immediately' Aki scolded herself. She tried again - “Mitsui sempai, say `Glass'.” He muttered back - “Grass.” “Glass” “Grass” - he growled. The two of them had now shifted into a McDonald's across the street, knowing that their way of teaching might be loud and annoy other students working hard in the library. “No” - said Aki - “Glass.” With an irritated look, he tried again - “Grass.” Aki noticed and she whispered softly to him - “Sempai, are you angry with me?” He grinned back and replied - “No. Not at all… Just at my damn English sensei.” He grimaced and stuck a tongue out at her. He looks so cute, Aki thought dreamily; imagine me and him sitting here with some coke, slurping away and talking about something else… Like Love… “So, Aki-chan, have you given up on me?” - Mitsui sighed - “You look busy with your thoughts. Hope that it's not something bad.” She shook her head violently and replied quickly - “Absolutely not! I was just thinking of a way to help you; that's all.” He smiled lopsidedly and she realized that she had it bad when she felt her heart start to pump blood rapidly into her face. “You're lying Aki-chan” - he told her, still smiling at her. She was about to continue arguing when he shook his head and continued - “You can't lie with a face like that. So pure, so innocent. You just can't. Even your blush proved that you were afraid I'd embarrass myself.” He saw me blush! She thought self-consciously. Damn! That's bad! He sighed a lot deeper this time and breathed out hard enough to make his short bang rise up; he continued - “I'll just assume myself as a pathetic student of English.” He nodded his head and smiled grimly. She really wanted to cheer him up. She wanted him to grin at her again. She wanted to help him. She wanted to… Her emotions halted for a while, she opened her mouth and was about to speak up. Of course, she thought, why didn't I think of it before? She closed her mouth again before telling her sempai - “One thing you could do is switch all your pronunciations of `r' and `l'.” He gave her a strange look, raising one of his eyebrows in a high arc and then muttering - “Heh?” Aki wanted to help him so badly, how could she make her sentence clearer? How?? “Well” - She started a little slower this time - “When sensei asks you to say `Grass', you think of `Glass' and pronounce that in your way. No need to copy hers.” He nodded carefully, and beckoned her to go on. She smiled, gaining her confidence - “When she asks you to say `Glass', think of `Grass'! When she wants you to say anything that is a little tough in pronouncing the difference of `r' and `l', just use the other word to say it right!” He gave her a wide grin. I deserve it, she thought silently, smiling back at him. “Kid, you're definitely brains, unlike most girls who have dirt in their head. Dirt!” - Mitsui told Aki, all the while jabbing at his head. She laughed a little; this dude was certainly cute. Very cute.

 

Akiko never noticed her brother entering McDonald's and hearing her laughs and giggles with Mitsui, sometimes even blushing. Rukawa had just quickly followed her out of the school compound when he saw her with Mitsui. He had this little feeling of who was crushing on whom; she was his sister after all, and whether or not she was a long-lost person, he knew her mind. Kid sis, he thought, so you like bad guys, eh? He had to smile. Well, she certainly knew how to choose. Miyagi would have been too short for her, besides he was already attached to Ayako. Akagi was a little too large and gorilla-like to suit her. Sakuragi - well, Rukawa just didn't like him, so he would definitely not let her date that dude. Kogurei? He was too silent and quiet; he would be boring for her as a date, though maybe not intellectually. Hmm… He thought. Aki, you chose well.

 

“Want some coke?” - Mitsui asked Akiko, just about the moment when she finally spotted her brother, sitting just a few tables away. He waved at her, with an amused expression on his face. Umm… She thought; what's he doing here? She heard a voice and realized that it was Mitsui's. “A penny for your thoughts” - he said, twirling a coke in between his fingers. She blushed and had to restrain herself from running out of the shop because she was starting to get embarrassed. She bent her neck and whispered to him - “Excuse me sempai, what did you say?” He grinned at her and repeated again - “Do you want some coke?” She tipped her face and saw his hand extended towards her, the coke cup in hand. Nani? Aki thought; he wants me to drink from his cup? “Go on” - he said again, shifting his hand closer towards her. “I…” - she stuttered, not knowing what to say. “You're disgusted of bacteria? Don't worry; I'll take care of you when you're sick.” He's flirting with me, Aki realized; would he flirt with anyone or only a girl that he liked? However, she didn't mind. She remembered herself drinking from Akira's straw all the way back in her kid days. But she was no longer a six year old; she was going to be sixteen five days from now. She stared at his large but beautiful hand, wondering whether she should take it from him or not. Or what would follow afterwards, whether she took it or not. “Okay” - Mitsui said, sounding slightly disappointed - “I take that as a no.” “I…” - she stammered again, regretting that she had not reacted quickly; but how would she react? She hadn't decided yet. She heard someone tut-tutting near her table, so she glanced over that way. She saw a middle-aged lady cleaning the table, but looking at Aki; she seemed disappointed too. The lady whispered to Aki as she came closer -“Child, you can't risk it. He's a handsome and nice chap. Why'd you refuse his drink?” Aki didn't know what to say. She was about to reply that she really wasn't used to sitting down with guys and sharing a drink with a single straw, especially with someone she just knew two days ago. Besides, she wasn't even sure if the guy remembered her name… Unless, he was truly interested in her and wanted her to be his. But, she really wasn't used to guys hanging around her when she was alone, with no friends nearby although her brother was just a few paces away, so he could protect her. However, since the two of them had agreed to keep their relationship secret, he wasn't really going to jump into a difficult situation. He… Aki halted her thoughts when she saw that the lady had moved away, and a younger lady had brought two cokes and a burger, and dished it out in front of the two of them. “Smaller coke for you” - said Mitsui - “and larger one for me”. Aki felt guilty again. I wonder if he's playing with me, she thought, I hope it doesn't get out of hand.