The Guy I've Always Loved (Anime Story)

Chapter 4: Basketball

- Takami's POV -

I sat back down on the bleachers and watched Akihiro's tryout.

"Hey, I didn't know Akihiro played basketball." Sachie laid back and kicked her feet back.

"Well, he does, just like when we were younger." I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

She sat back up and got serious. "Are you sure that's the Akihiro Kaneko that you know?"

"I really don't know..." I put my hands on my chest and looked down. "...but there's only one person who can make my heart beat... and that's him."

Sachie held in her laugh. "What if that's not him."

"Hey! That's not funny!"

Akihiro ran toward the basket and made a three-pointer. "Nice, now let's see you get past our star player, Haru Tsuji."

"Oh my god! I love you, Haru!!! Marry me!!!" A girl in the crowd yelled.

Coach Goto had cross-popping veins and turned around. "Go to class!!!" He then blew the whistle.

Akihiro dribbled the ball while watching Haru's every movement. He quickly ran with the ball, avoiding the Haru and threw it. However, Haru immediately noticed what he was doing and blocked the ball. The whole gymnasium was silent. My heart started to beat really fast once Akihiro started playing.

"Woo! You go, Haru!!!" The girls squealed.

Haru walked up to Akihiro and put his arm out. "It's been a while."

Akihiro smirked and grabbed his hand. "Yeah."

Coach Goto walked up to them. "Akihiro, was it?" He nodded his head. "Even though you lost, you still got potential. You start tomorrow." Coach Goto walked away, trying to act cool.

"Who would've thought Day One the transfer student would be on the basketball team." Sachie crossed her arms.

"From what I remember, Aki used to be really good at basketball," I told her.

"Aki? Your childhood crush?" Junto scared me as I was standing there.

"How did you know?" I asked.

He chuckled, "You think that news won't spread when the popular girl in school said her crush's name?"

I tried to avoid eye contact. "Hey, childhood crush."

"Okay, go take a shower!" Coach Goto yelled to the team.

Sachie and I left the gymnasium and headed to class. "It's great that Akihiro is in the basketball team, that means you can go stalk him now." She grinned as she leaned closer.

"I'm not gonna stalk him!" I looked to side thinking, will I stalk him.

In the Classroom

The basketball team has finished taking a shower and headed for their classrooms. I looked to the side and saw Akihiro sitting in his chair trying to sleep but also trying to stay awake.

"Akihiro! You know you can sleep, right?!?!"

He looked at me weirdly. Oh my God! Why did I say that! Of course, he can sleep here! The class hasn't even started yet! What was I thinking!

"Um... okay."

After School

"Oh my God! Why did I do that!" I slammed my head down onto my desk.

"It's not that big of a deal. He's probably not even thinking about it." Sachie sat on her desk.

"But I just said something stupid..." I looked out the window and saw Junto being confessed to. "Now that I think about it when are you gonna confess to him?"

Sachie looked outside the window as well and sighed. "Never. I'm not really good with confessions."

"Just be your cheerful self." I got up from my seat and smiled. "There isn't a single person who doesn't like you."

Sachie smiled. We headed out of the school and saw Haru coming our way. "What you doing, Haru!" Sachie yelled as she waved her hand.

"I just getting some tissues." He walked into a random classroom as we decided to follow him.

Outside of School

"Thanks for your confession." Junto tried to comfort the girl. Haru walked closer to him and put the tissues in his hand. "Here, have some tissues." The girl grabbed the tissues and ran away.

"I feel bad for her." I frowned as I looked at her ran away. "She was just trying to confess her feelings and she got rejected."

"This scenario sounds soo familiar." Junto turned around and faced me.

Then it suddenly came to me. "I'm sorry." I immediately bowed down. "I totally didn't realize how it must've been for you when I turned you down."

"You said you weren't ready to be in a relationship so I've decided to wait for you. You didn't technically turn me down." I looked up at Junto surprisingly.

Suddenly Sachie put her arm around my neck. "What's with all this lovey-dovey stuff? It's time to go home!"

At Home

"I'm home!" I took off my shoes at the front.

"Welcome home, sweetie." My mom walked out of the living room.

I looked down at the floor and saw a pair of shoes I've seen before. "Is Mrs. Suzu here?" I walked into the living room and saw an elderly woman sitting on the couch. "Mrs. Suzu!" I ran over and gave her a hug.

She started to giggle. "How have you been, Takami?"

"Good. I haven't seen you for so long!" Tears started to run down my face.

"It hasn't been that long." Mrs. Suzu patted my head.

"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked her.

She smiled, "I have a surprise for you." 

"A surprise?" I got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen. "Would you like anything to eat?"

"No, it's okay. Your mother has already some prepared food for me."

I heard footsteps coming downstairs. "Akihiro," Mrs. Suzu said.

I turned around and my eyes widened. "So it was you... Aki..."