Me and my Bride of Frankenstein -

Me and my Bride of Frankenstein -

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Time:	08:14 pm

tehlils? To try and make up for the travesty that is my Fuji and my sad attempt at writing sexy things, here's something that I wrote from one of your other pairing prompts. It's not the 35,000-word Jackal/Kaidoh epic that you were apparently pining for but maybe you'll like it anyways.

Title: Lessons Learned
Rating: PG-13
Summary: When you need information, it's best to go to an expert.
Thanks to:

pixxers for telling me this doesn't completely suck.
Warnings: The timeline is sketchy because there is such a short time between the end of the Kantou Tournament and the beginning of Nationals. Also, the plot is more than a little suspect. Please feel free to point out my mistakes. And the WTFness.

When Yanagi Renji opened the front door to his family's apartment, he was expecting to see Genichirou, Akaya, or perhaps the next-door neighbor asking to borrow a cup of rice. He was not expecting to see a Seigaku-attending, surly-expressioned second-year in a tank top.

"May I come in?" Kaidoh asked politely, with a frown on his face.

His eyebrows raised, Yanagi silently stepped to the side of the door. Kaidoh entered and removed his shoes in the genkan, muttering a quick, "Thank you for having me." Leading the way, Yanagi gestured to the low table in the living area and Kaidoh sat. Yanagi paused and then asked, "Would you like some tea?" Kaidoh nodded in response.

Yanagi left Kaidoh and quickly put together the tea things in the kitchen. His mind was whirling, trying to assimilate the unexpected appearance of a rival team member at his family's home. The corner of his mouth curled. At least it wasn't too difficult to discern why. They only had two things in common: tennis and Sadaharu. Since the possibility that Kaidoh would go to a rival team member about tennis was non-existent, that meant it had to be the other.

Re-entering the living area, Yanagi gracefully placed the tea tray on the table. Kneeling, he poured the tea and handed Kaidoh a cup. The other boy took it with a murmured thanks, his eyes lowered. Yanagi settled down with his cup of tea and studied his guest. Kaidoh didn't seem in a hurry to state his business. Yanagi would have to hasten him along.

"You are here about Sadaharu?"

Kaidoh's head jerked up and Yanagi smiled. "Why else would you be here, Kaidoh-san? I doubt you want to ask me for advice about your Boomerang Snake. Sadaharu is more than capable of helping you."

Kaidoh looked down again and took a sip from his teacup before speaking. "You were friends with Inui-senpai a couple years ago."

"Didn't you hear him at the finals? I believe he said it was four years, two months, and now quite a few more than fifteen days. But yes, you are correct." Yanagi sipped his tea also and waited.

"You know him well."

"Relatively so. But four years is not a short time." Yanagi placed his cup on the table. "Are you here to 'pick my brain' about Sadaharu? I would think that if there was something you wanted to know, you could ask him directly."

Kaidoh continued to stare determinedly into his tea.

"Which means," Yanagi continued, "that you can't ask him. How interesting. I wonder why." Yanagi leaned forward. "What brings you here?"

Kaidoh's hands clenched and then relaxed around his teacup. He looked up, his eyes intent. "I want to know what Inui-senpai likes, Yanagi-san. I want to know without him knowing I want to know. I want to because..." Here, Kaidoh faltered.

"You want to because you like him." Yanagi leaned back, amused. "And what about your Seigaku teammates? What about your own observational skills?"

"I'm...not good at that. Doing what Inui-senpai does, watching people, figuring out people. And the other senpai can't help me because Inui-senpai doesn't just give out his data like that. Not his personal data." Kaidoh flushed lightly but he kept eye contact. "I would ask him but he would figure out why I'm asking."

"And you want to make him like you before he figures that out," Yanagi finished. "As a result, you came to me."

"Yes." Kaidoh's gaze finally dropped. "I'm asking for your help."

Yanagi studied Kaidoh silently. Should he help the other boy? All he wanted was information on his own teammate, non-tennis-related information. It would not be detrimental to Rikkai. On the other hand, his teammates might not view it in that manner and if one of Seigaku's burgeoning doubles teams became closer, it could make things more difficult at Nationals.

Yanagi lifted the teapot and poured more tea into Kaidoh's cup. "If I were to assist you, how would you repay me?"

Kaidoh jerked again, startled. "I don't know. I didn't think you'd agree."

"Why would you come if you didn't think I'd agree?" Yanagi asked, genuinely curious.

Fidgeting for a moment, Kaidoh finally mumbled, "Kaidoh Kaoru does not give up."

"Ah." Yanagi put down the teapot. "Perhaps you would simply owe me a favor. Would that suffice?"

Kaidoh's eyes narrowed. "Nothing to do with Nationals."

Yanagi shook his head. "That you would think it necessary to say that is an obvious sign of how little you know Rikkai and myself. Obviously yes, nothing that affects Nationals. Is that good enough for you, Kaidoh Kaoru?"

Kaidoh hesitated and then nodded unhappily. Yanagi smiled, satisfied.

"Excellent. I will give you knowledge on Sadaharu's likes and dislikes and you will owe me an undetermined favor. I would say that we could start today but I had not exactly planned for visitors. I have homework to finish." Yanagi got up and Kaidoh followed. "There is also a lot of data to cover. We will not finish in one afternoon. But we could start tomorrow, if you are free?"

Nodding again, Kaidoh said, "Tomorrow's fine."

~ ~ ~

That Kaidoh came the next day in casual clothing that consisted of jeans and a zippered-up sleeveless vest made of questionable material did not particularly phase Yanagi. Neither did the fact that he was punctual and unfailingly polite with Yanagi's parents when they poked their heads into their son's bedroom. ("Such an improvement over Kirihara-kun!" his mother had exclaimed and Yanagi had merely shook his head fondly.) Or that Kaidoh had insisted that they always meet at the Yanagi residence for the lessons so that Yanagi didn't have to waste any time traveling (and then later apologize that he was bothering the Yanagi family with his presence).

What was amusing was that Kaidoh pulled out a familiar-looking notebook from his book bag when they were ready to begin.

"Kaidoh-kun," Yanagi said after a lengthy pause. "Why do you have that?"

Kaidoh flushed lightly. "It's not Inui-senpai's," he said defensively. "It just looks like it. This type was all the store had. I bought one so I could take notes and study them later."

"Very sensible," Yanagi said, trying not to burst out laughing. "I'm certain Sadaharu would think so too."

Grumbling, Kaidoh pulled out a pencil and opened the notebook. "Can we start?"

Yanagi, without any preamble, started reciting with Sadaharu's basic statistics (height, blood type, weight, eyesight prescription, etc). They progressed to capabilities (physical and mental) and ended up on favorites.

"Favorite color: black. Favorite sushi: eel. Favorite racket type: Prince. Favorite flower: lotus. Favorite fish..."

"Favorite fish?" Kaidoh interrupted.

"...the pufferfish. Is there a problem?" Yanagi asked.

"Do I really need to know Inui-senpai's favorite fish?"

"Perhaps not. But what if you visit an aquarium with him? Knowing his favorite fish unprompted may give you a point in your favor," Yanagi pointed out easily.

With a look of uncertainty, Kaidoh wrote pufferfish down.

Yanagi continued. "Favorite moon-phase: full. Favorite insect: the grasshopper...."

Kaidoh frowned. "I don't think I'm going to go to an insect-place with Inui-senpai. I don't care what bug he likes best."

Yanagi sighed at being interrupted again. "Kaidoh-kun, you asked for information on Sadaharu and I am providing it. The easiest data to convey is superficial information. Favorites tend to be very superficial but it's necessary."

"It doesn't seem very important," Kaidoh grumbled, scribbling in the notebook.

"It helps provide an overall picture."

"How many people have a favorite insect, anyway?"

"Obviously, Sadaharu. I do as well, though," Yanagi said mildly.

Kaidoh shot him a skeptical look.

"The dragonfly. Don't you have a favorite insect?"

"No," Kaidoh answered promptly.

"Have you ever thought about it?"

"No," Kaidoh said again, slowly. He thought for a moment. "I guess...if I had to choose one, it would be the termite."

"A strange choice. Why?"

"Because they're small but they can bring down houses."

"They're also considered a cousin to the cockroach and are, in general, pests," Yanagi said, smiling.

"It's not like the dragonfly is much better," Kaidoh grumbled.

"Dragonflies have a field of vision of nearly 360 degrees."

"Oh." Kaidoh pulled his notebook closer to himself and wrote something down. "But what good is that if they can't destroy buildings?"

Yanagi just shook his head in response.

~ ~ ~

During the subsequent meetings, the information given turned from straight data to insightful commentary to nostalgia. Specifically, it turned to nostalgia concerning Sadaharu and himself as children.

For example: "And then, he decided that we should prepare for the future of tennis by finding and affixing small rockets onto our shoes. Since the future of tennis was going to involve flying in the air. I didn't think there were shoe rockets strong enough to lift us without blowing off our feet. Sadaharu insisted that we go to the library and see if we could find an equation to support it one way or the other. I think we got distracted by a book on bottle rockets and the question was never answered. The future of tennis has suffered as a result, I'm certain."

And: "We were becoming tired of our typical training. My mother suggested that we go to a local playground and see if there was a way we could incorporate the playground equipment to make our training more enjoyable. Once we arrived, I noticed that the majority of the equipment was situated rather close together and said that we should play two-person tag but with the stipulation that our feet could not touch the ground. The exercise went fairly well until Sadaharu clothing got stuck in the chains on one of the wall climbs. He almost had to go home without his shorts. I believe my mother lodged a complaint to the neighborhood association about that playground."

Also: "It was our first big doubles tournament. We were both nervous, of course, and determined not to show that we were nervous. It wasn't a tournament where seeded teams received a bye and, due to bad luck, our first opponents were a doubles team that was expected to win first place. Sadaharu went to serve and he was a bit too nervous; he swung early. The ball hit him on the head and his racket went flying. He looked like he wanted to run away in embarrassment but that is not Sadaharu's style. Instead, I picked up his racket and gave it to him, he served again, and we ended up beating the favorites. Of course, I made a few mistakes myself but you don't need to know that."

Kaidoh didn't precisely laugh during the stories but he smiled more often than not. Kaidoh's smile was by far more attractive than his scowl. And invariably, the second-year would tell a story or two that had involved Sadaharu at Seigaku. The one involving the "cursed" racket had been particularly enjoyable, although when he questioned how Kaidoh had been during the disturbance, Kaidoh had turned red and said it wasn't important.

The stories began to grow thin after awhile, though. Yanagi decided, after spending a half hour talking about the horror of Sadaharu's juices yet again, that the next meeting would be more interesting.

~ ~ ~

"Today," Yanagi announced when Kaidoh arrived, "we are baking."

Kaidoh took a step back like he was going to try and escape but the apartment door was already closed. "No," he said firmly. "I refuse."

"Yes, we are," Yanagi replied and held out his mother's apron to Kaidoh. "We are baking a cake today. It is part of your instruction."

"Only girls bake cakes," Kaidoh said determinedly, staring at the apron that Yanagi offered him in an outstretched hand.

"Sadaharu likes cake," Yanagi countered smoothly. "He likes his cake a little different than normal. It would be very useful to know this."

There was a long moment of hesitation and then, very reluctantly, Kaidoh took the apron and tied it on. Yanagi supposed that many mothers had girly aprons but his mother was a practical person. The apron Kaidoh now wore had a very respectable paisley pattern on it. Unfortunately, the orange was really more his mother's color than Kaidoh's.

"Have you ever baked before?" Yanagi asked, as they stepped into the tiny kitchen area.

Kaidoh shook his head. "I helped my mother when I was small, sometimes."

Yanagi hummed in response and began to take items out of the various cabinets. "It is not difficult. As long as you can follow instructions, everything should be fine."

"Like a training menu."

"If you prefer." Yanagi placed a mixing bowl and baking pan on the counter. "What you need to know about Sadaharu and cake is that he likes them with nutritional purpose."

"Nutritional purpose," Kaidoh said slowly and suspiciously.

"Granted, cake by definition is not supposed to have a great deal of nutritional purpose, but it's the thought that counts," Yanagi said as he pulled some bananas out of the food pantry.

"Banana cake," Kaidoh said, looking relieved. That is, until Yanagi pulled out the olives.

"Sadaharu also likes surprises," Yanagi said with a small smile. "I'll teach you how to make this cake and then inform you of several different combinations that would work well in it. You can write them down later in your notebook."

The mixing of ingredients went quickly and there were no mishaps nor arguments, unless the argument over how many olives to include counted. After finishing, Kaidoh was given the job of stirring while Yanagi greased the baking pan.

"Are there many people interested in Sadaharu at Seigaku?" he asked, simply to make conversation. "Do you think you have a great deal of competition?"

Kaidoh frowned, carefully mixing the batter in the bowl. "I don't think so. Girls sometimes ask him after tennis practice to take their data. But he always says that the first thing he wants to take data on is their reaction to his juices and they usually run away."

"They are not very determined then. You are fortunate in that respect." Yanagi paused as he thought of how to word his next question. "And your teammates? Are none of them interested?"

Frowning deeper, Kaidoh seemed more uncertain. "Maybe. I don't know. It doesn't matter," he said forcefully. "If they are, I'll defeat them."

Yanagi didn't think that 'defeat' was the right word for that possible situation but simply nodded amiably. In the resulting silence, he finished greasing the pan and put it down.

"Are you interested in Inui-senpai?" Kaidoh suddenly asked, his attention completely on the batter.

Yanagi laughed lightly, having expected this question at some point. "No. Why do you ask?"

"You know so much about him. You were friends."

"Best friends," Yanagi corrected. He leaned forward on the counter and rested his chin in one of his palms thoughtfully. "Sadaharu and I, for all that we are the same, are also very different. His use of data is rather...simplistic at times. Data tennis is not comprised only of measurements and he couldn't understand this when I tried to convince him otherwise."

Kaidoh's stirring slowed as he listened. "That's not a real reason to be uninterested."

"Well, no." Yanagi took a few moments to organize his thoughts. "Part of it is distance and part of it is that Rikkai Dai has changed me, much like Seigaku has changed Sadaharu. Also, we are a bit too similar. I would be bored listening to all of Sadaharu's statistics and analyses."

"He's not boring!" Kaidoh said, transferring his frown from the bowl to Yanagi.

"But it can be boring if I already know everything he's thought of and can predict what he will say. Not that it isn't nice talking to someone who can understand your point-of-view completely," Yanagi said wryly, before Kaidoh could interrupt, "but I'm not looking for that in a partner. I want someone who I don't know so thoroughly. Someone who can surprise me."

"Huh." Kaidoh stared into the batter. "Inui-senpai surprised you at the Kantou finals."

"Well, yes. But that has been the only time."

"He played head games with you."

"I suspect he only could with me," Yanagi admitted.

Kaidoh thought about this and then looked straight at Yanagi. "I think you're wrong about knowing everything about him."

Yanagi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"You can know a lot about someone and still not know them. You can still surprise them. They can still have secrets from you. Inui-senpai talks a lot about other people. He doesn't talk much about himself." Kaidoh put the bowl down on the counter. "Being with someone isn't all about knowing everything about them. It's about knowing things about the both of you. And that's something you can't know unless you're together."

Yanagi considered this. "That's certainly a different viewpoint. I suppose we won't know who is more correct as I doubt you would want me to date Sadaharu to prove the point." He smiled slightly at Kaidoh's immediate glare. "I think the batter has been stirred enough."

They didn't say anything else as Yanagi poured the batter into a cake pan. But as he bent to put it into the oven, Kaidoh suddenly spoke up.

"You were wrong about the fish."

"The fish?" Yanagi pushed the cake pan into the small oven and shut the door.

"He likes sardines best, not the pufferfish."

"And your proof?"

"...You don't want to know."

~ ~ ~

The Rikkai regulars' locker room after tennis practice was predictably chaotic. But with the prospect of a non-tennis-related event taking place, it became extra noisy.

"Karaoke!" Kirihara shouted, punching a fist into the air. "I'm going to sing that song by Rip Slyme!"

Yukimura smiled. "I don't think any of their songs will be available for choosing, Akaya," he said.

"Like I need the background music. It's a rap song. I'll rap and everyone can stomp on the floor for the backbeat." Kirihara jumped onto one of the benches in the locker room and struck a pose. "Yo, minna say what, SAY WHAT!"

Jackal pushed Kirihara off the bench. "You're a white, Japanese shrimp. You're not allowed to rap."

"Hey! Rip Slyme are white and Japanese and they rap." Kirihara frowned. "Just because you're bald and Brazilian doesn't mean that you can...harsh my creative buzz!"

"Akaya, stop being ridiculous," Sanada said, pulling on his cap. "Or I'll do more than 'harsh your buzz'."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Sanada-fukubuchou," Kirihara grumbled.

"So, myself, Genichirou, Renji, Akaya, Jackal, and Marui are going karaokeing," Yukimura mused, looking expectantly around the room. "Niou, Yagyuu? Are you two coming as well?"

"Like I'd miss the chance to see fukubuchou sing. I dare you to do Nana Kitade's 'Kiss Or Kiss', Sanada," Niou said, slinging an arm around Yagyuu's shoulders.

"I have always liked her song 'Purness' better," Yagyuu commented, trying to shrug off the arm and failing.

"I am not singing anything by Nana Kitade," Sanada said, frowning.

"Because he's gonna sing something by KAT-TUN instead!"

Before Sanada could smack Kirihara, Yanagi spoke up. "I'm sorry, Seiichi, but I won't be going."

"You're not coming with us, Yanagi-kun? Why?" Yagyuu asked, ever polite, but his gaze sharp from behind his glasses.

"Aw, Yanagi-senpai! You should come," and here, Kirihara drew himself up, closed his eyes, and adopted a solemn tone, "to make sure that we do not sing a song that is outside of our register."

The others laughed and Yanagi smiled slightly. "Unfortunately, I have other plans, Akaya. Perhaps next time I'll go to approve of your song choices."

"Are you meeting a girl?" Marui asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. "Because you can't be blowing us off for homework."

"No," Yanagi said with complete honesty. In the corner, Niou suddenly grinned and whispered something in Yagyuu's ear. "I am helping someone with a project," he clarified.

Picking up his tennis bag, Marui grimaced. "That really sucks."

"If you finish earlier than you expect, you should come to the karaoke place afterward," Yukimura said. "The one we went to last time, with the tambourine and maracas. I expect we'll be there for quite awhile. Right, Genichirou?" The vice-captain nodded, looking resigned.

"Maybe you should bring the person you're helping too," Niou called, still grinning. "Nobody would mind," Yagyuu added, a pleasant smile on his face.

"I'd mind!" Kirihara huffed, slamming his locker shut. "If they're not a Rikkai tennis regular, then they're a loser and we'll kick their ass in karaoke and they'll run crying home and what fun is that?"

Jackal sighed and mussed Kirihara's hair. "Akaya, not everybody who isn't a regular is a loser."

"Dunno, I kinda agree with the squirt on that one," Marui said with a grin.

"I will remember that," Yanagi said carefully, directing his words to Rikkai's current D1 pair. "But I expect the project to take awhile. Don't wait for me too long."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Yanagi," Niou said, his eyes glinting.

Yukimura stood, pulling his tennis bag over a shoulder. "I think we've wasted enough time lamenting Renji's plans and discussing our karaoke superiority. Yes? Don't work too hard, Renji. And try to stop by."

"Of course, Seiichi."

~ ~ ~

"Kissing?" Kaidoh stood in the genkan, a shocked look on his face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Yanagi explained patiently, "that Sadaharu prefers a certain style of kissing. Since I am aware of what he prefers, the most practical way for me to impart this knowledge to you would be to show you. Therefore, I suggest we practice kissing."

There was a long moment of silence as Kaidoh stared at him. Yanagi knew that he desperately wanted to ask how Yanagi came by that knowledge. Yanagi also knew that Kaidoh would never ask.

"Of course," Yanagi continued as the silence lengthened, "if you don't think this sort of information would be useful, I suppose we could review some of Sadaharu's previous data. There is not a great deal of new information left to tell you."

"No," Kaidoh said slowly. "It would be useful if...when I'm with Inui-senpai."

Yanagi nodded. "Why don't we go to my room as usual? We would be more comfortable there."

Kaidoh followed Yanagi and they ended up in the small room, kneeling across from each other on Yanagi's futon. By then, Kaidoh had developed a full-on blush. Yanagi found it rather endearing.

"Kaidoh-kun, I am going to be Sadaharu. I will show you how he prefers to kiss. From this, you will be able to modify your own style. After you have received enough information, we will practice with you as Sadaharu. Is this acceptable?"

Kaidoh nodded, his hands fisted on his thighs. Yanagi inched forward and placed one hand at the nape of Kaidoh's neck. He took a moment to say, "Relax, please," while Kaidoh blinked nervously. Then he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Kaidoh's mouth.

From there, it was all soft kisses, one on Kaidoh's cheek, one of the opposite corner of his mouth, several full-on his lips. Kaidoh's rigid posture slowly relaxed and he leaned forward a little more as Yanagi pulled away after each kiss. He sighed eventually and Yanagi took that as a cue to nudge Kaidoh's lips with his tongue.

Kaidoh's jaw loosened and his lips parted and Yanagi carefully pushed his tongue in. He was slow and deliberate, brushing Kaidoh's tongue lightly. The tenseness of Kaidoh's neck gradually relaxed under Yanagi's hand and the other boy began to respond tentatively. The only sound in the room were the inevitable wet sounds and Kaidoh's grudging sighs.

Yanagi ended the last kiss and leaned back, gently removing his hand. Kaidoh swayed forward for a moment and then sat back, his eyes opening. He gazed hotly at Yanagi and Yanagi had to take a deep breath to calm himself. "Do you understand?"

Kaidoh licked his lips. "I think so. Can I try?"

"That is the plan." Kaidoh blushed lightly, again, and Yanagi wondered briefly why it was so cute. Kaidoh reached with an open hand and lightly rested it on the back of Yanagi's neck. A second later, he pressed his lips determinedly to Yanagi's.

Yanagi noted that Kaidoh was a fast learner; no wonder Sadaharu enjoyed training with him and developing menus. The other boy repeatedly kissed Yanagi's lips and copied Yanagi, kissing Yanagi's cheeks, his temples, his closed eyes. The hand did not stay still at Yanagi's neck, but gradually cupped of the back of his head, the fingers twining in his hair. The kisses stayed light and almost cordial until Yanagi couldn't stand it anymore and opened his mouth slightly. Kaidoh took the hint.

The second-year leaned even closer, his other hand going to cup the side of Yanagi's face. Kaidoh's tongue slid into Yanagi's mouth, swirling around eagerly. The hand in his hair tightened, but not uncomfortably.

With a start, Yanagi realized that he was not breathing properly, that his pulse rate had sped up higher than it should have, that he was clutching Kaidoh's bare shoulders. This cumulative realization resulted in a burst of surprise and Yanagi pulled back, eyes opening. Kaidoh's eyes were already open and entirely focused on him. Yanagi opened his mouth to say something, to congratulate Kaidoh on being a quick learning, when Kaidoh surged forward, knocking Yanagi flat onto his back.

Letting out a startled gasp, Yanagi had enough time to see that Kaidoh was completely serious before the other boy was kissing him again. These kisses were different from Yanagi's teaching kisses, they were harder and stubborn. Kaidoh's hands did not stay still either and rubbed Yanagi's arms and chest. When the hands started wandering a bit too far south, Yanagi found the presence to mind to shove Kaidoh away from his mouth so he could speak.

"You're going too fast," Yanagi stated, panting. "Sadaharu would not want you to go so fast."

Kaidoh hissed and shoved a leg between Yanagi's. "I don't care. I want to go this fast." And before Yanagi could say anything, Kaidoh was kissing him again.

Really, who was Yanagi to argue with that?

~ ~ ~

During homeroom the next day, Yagyuu leaned over to Yanagi. "How did the project go yesterday, Yanagi-kun?"

Yanagi flipped through a couple of pages in his Japanese Literature textbook and began writing down an answer to one of the homework questions. "It went well enough. We made significant progress."

"Significant progress. I see. May I ask what type of project you were helping with?"

Pausing in his writing, Yanagi looked at Yagyuu carefully. "Why are you asking? It is just a project."

"You don't believe it is out of friendly interest?" Yagyuu moved his head slightly and the glare from the overhead lights turned his lenses opaque. "Let's say that I'm curious about the hickey on your neck. I wonder who the lucky girl is."

"Ah." Not even bothering to tug the collar of the Rikkai uniform up any higher, Yanagi smiled serenely and then turned back to his assignment. "I'm surprised you would ask. Surely you know that a gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."

The left side of Yagyuu's mouth twitched slightly. "As expected of you, what a masterful answer."

~ ~ ~

When Kaidoh arrived for their last Sadaharu meeting, he had a cake in his hands.

"You didn't have to," Yanagi said, a little surprised. "I appreciate it, though. Did your mother make it?"

Kaidoh shoved the cake forward for Yanagi to take. "I helped her," he muttered. "It's pineapple and squash."

"You were practicing." Yanagi took the cake carefully and turned to go to the kitchen. "Shall we have some as we finish our final review of the data?"

"My mother won't mind if we don't."

They did anyways, with both of them carefully eating around the pieces of squash embedded in the cake. Kaidoh kept fidgeting with his notebook as he recited important facets of Sadaharu's data with little prompting. Yanagi kept prolonging the session by asking difficult questions and watching Kaidoh think through to the appropriate answers.

Eventually, though, there was nothing more to say. Kaidoh shoved his notebook into his book bag and stood up awkwardly. "I appreciate what you have done for me, Yanagi-san."

Yanagi nodded and stood as well. "It has been...interesting, Kaidoh-san. Remember, you owe me a favor."

Kaidoh frowned but nodded back. "Let me know when you decide what it is."

They both walked slowly to the front door of the apartment. Kaidoh looked like he didn't want to leave and, to be perfectly honest, Yanagi didn't really want him to go. As Kaidoh reached for the doorknob, Yanagi said, "You are certain you know everything you need to?"

Hesitating, Kaidoh looked at him confusedly. "What do you mean?"

"Do you think you have a good grasp of all of Sadaharu's data?" Yanagi said, expecting that Kaidoh will understand what he is really asking.

There was a long pause, long enough that Yanagi opens his eyes slightly. Kaidoh has his closed and he has an expression on his face like he wants to clutch his head and yell.

"It's a simple question," Yanagi added, his eyes remaining slightly open and a small smile creeping onto his face.

"No, it isn't!" Kaidoh snapped back. He grimaced for a couple more seconds and then opened his eyes. "The cake wasn't very good."

"Oh?" Yanagi said, his eyes falling shut.

"My mother would ask too many questions if I practiced a lot of baking at home," Kaidoh continued slowly. "I still think Inui-senpai's favorite fish is sardines but I don't know that for sure. It wouldn't be good to have bad information. And I...a couple days ago...during the..."

"Yes?" Yanagi encouraged.

"During the...kissing...I went too fast. I need to learn to go to slower." Kaidoh's cheeks were tinged pink. "I can't practice that by myself."

Yanagi's slight smile grew steadily larger. "You could try but it would be rather difficult."

"I'm used to training a lot. I haven't really trained that much for Inui-senpai. Maybe...maybe we should meet some more," Kaidoh finished. "For practice."

"Maybe we should. After all, I wouldn't want to let you go to capture Sadaharu's heart without being fully prepared. It would reflect poorly on me." Yanagi placed a hand on Kaidoh's shoulder. "We'll continue a few more sessions. Until you feel ready."

~ ~ ~

The next time he sees Sadaharu, Sadaharu says, "I hear that you have developed a passing interest in kouhai-stealing."

Yanagi just smiles.

comments: Leave a comment

Comments:

todaythesamesky

Link:	(Link)
Time:	2007-01-10 02:01 am (UTC)

This is awesome.

And the last lines? Brilliant.

(Reply) (Thread)

alice_and_lain

Link:	(Link)
Time:	2007-01-11 02:26 am (UTC)

Well, I don't know about brilliant but I'm rather attached to the ending. I typically have a truly difficult time ending stories and was pleased that I came up with this ending with relatively little trouble.

*grins* Thank you for your kind comment!

January 9th, 2007

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