My Worst Enemy

Chapter Six

I am confused now. I don’t understand.

With that kiss Atobe had totally broken the contract and I should be more than happy to leave him. Yet I continued to have lunch with him as if nothing had happened and now I find myself still calling him to say goodnight performing my “daily duty”.

Calling him to say goodnight for the past weeks have been dreadful. I just hate the thought that I am actually like one of his fan girls taking the initiative to call him. Fortunately Atobe had always made my life easier by picking up the call fast and I never had to do much other than, “Hi Keigo. I am calling to say goodnight. Goodnight, bye.”

However, after two weeks of that incident; our conversation has started to increase from one sentence to now a short normal conversation. He always sounded happy when I called and I can not help but think that he was happily waiting for it every night.

Of course he would. I sighed when I thought about the reason. Each time I call it was a constant reminder of his victory. Victory? I found my heart ached with the word. At the same time I quickly shook my head at the feeling. Why would it hurt me to see that I meant no more to Atobe than just a trophy?

While all these strange thoughts were going through my head, I heard the other end picked up.

“Hello, Keigo’s phone.”

To my surprise a sweet girl’s voice answered the phone. Not expecting a woman’s voice I quickly apologized as a reflex. “Sorry, I must have called the wrong number.”

Wait a second. Taking the phone away from my ear I took a second look on the display screen. It did say “Atobe Keigo” on it and most of all, the girl DID say, “Keigo’s phone.” With the discovery an unexplainable sour feeling whirled up in me as I took another look at my watch which displays 11: 15pm. What is a woman doing in Atobe’s room at this hour?!!

While my face twitched with the unpleasant thought, I heard Atobe’s voice in the background. “Oi, don’t answer people’s phone without permission.”

“Sorry, Keigo, it’s from a girl. Do you want to answer it?” The girl with the sweet voice giggled and teased Atobe.

“Give me that!” I heard Atobe grabbed the phone and answered quickly. “Hello? ?”

“….Hello Atobe-san.” I had found my voice extremely cold and calling him Atobe again.

Sensing the iciness in my tone, Atobe justified immediately. “Oi, it is not what you think...”

“I don’t think anything, Atobe-san.” I interrupted without any expression. “Anyway, I am just performing my duty for the day. Good night.” Without giving him a chance to say more I hung up. However immediately after I hung up, my phone started ringing again and when I saw that it was from Atobe, I rejected the call and not allowing him to call again I switched the phone off.

Throwing the phone away I lay down on the bed and covered my eyes. What is going on?! Why is there a girl in his room this hour and most of all, she calls him Keigo!! Immediately all the scenes of what they could be doing before the call in Atobe’s room entered my head uncontrollably and a rush of anger and jealousy hit me.

Why should I be jealous?! Stop it! I don’t want to feel this way! I already know that Atobe Keigo is the most popular man in school and there were always plenty of girls around him. So what is the big surprise that there is a girl in his room at this hour? However if I have known all these why is there such ache and pain in my heart? Is it because I was forced to see that I actually was no different to all those girls around him?

***

Atobe’s Point of View

“We regret the phone you have called is either switched off or not available…”

“Damn it!” Cursing after I heard the same message for the tenth time, I threw the phone onto my bed in frustration.

“Is your girlfriend?” At this moment the person that caused the entire disaster giggled and teased. “I mean, like a REAL girlfriend, someone very important to you, Keigo.”

“Shut up.” I cursed again and looked up at her. “If you have never answered my calls without permission this would have never happened.”

“That is not a very polite way to speak, Keigo.” She continued to chuckle as if seeing how pissed off I was makes her day. “I am after all your elderly; shouldn’t there be a respect in your tone?”

Sitting down on the edge of my bed I decided to ignore her as I crossed my arms and looked out the window instead. Seeing my reaction with a smile, she placed a book on my bed and said. “I am just returning your book, and I picked up your phone because you were in the shower. Well, if you want I can go and explain to your girlfriend for you if you like.”

“No need.” Not accepting her help I replied coldly.

“Oh well, if you insist.” Shrugging her shoulders she winked before she left my room. “Next time bring to show me. I want to know what kind of girl can finally make you feel this way.”

Make me feel this way? I laughed at her words. Lying down onto my bed I placed my hand over my eyes as I let out a long deep breath. Yes indeed, something has gone terribly wrong with me. To me all women are the same, everyday I receive love letters and confessions from girls that I don’t remember knowing. If I wanted any girl, with a click of my fingers I will get it. However I have found myself working my brains out to try to get to smile at me. I worked to such an extent to strategize her into this contract for a month.

The moment I found her smiling at me from the bottom of her heart when I organized the game for her, when she actually appreciated for once something I have done I have found myself asking for a kiss from her. Immediately a mocking laughter escaped me when I remembered it. Me? Atobe Keigo asking for a kiss? Whatever it was that possessed me, it was totally worth it. When I saw her stunned face, how her beautiful cheeks turned pink with the act, how she trembled in my arms and how soft her lips felt.

Slowing sitting up from my bed I turned to the drawer on my bedside. Opening it I took out a tennis ball that has turned brown and hairless due to age. With a sigh I lay back down on the bed as I threw the ball up and down while my mind was flooded with the thoughts of the very person who gave me the ball. Would she still remember? Would this ball have meant as much to her as it had to me?

The next day, I sat as usual on the rooftop waiting for to bring me the lunch she made. I have found myself looking forward to a commoner’s meal everyday only because it was made by her. However frowning I looked to my watch and as expected already ten minutes into lunchtime, did not show. She is still angry, I knew it. I have never approached her about the misunderstanding last night. Of course, I am the king of Hyotei and I would never need to explain myself to anyone. However right now I sensed a dilemma inside me. Wouldn’t it all be nice and smooth if I had just let her know the truth about what really happened last night? But no way, and I mean never will I picture myself approaching a girl asking her to believe or forgive me.

While I was in my stubborn struggling, I sat up immediately in joy when I heard the metal door opened making the squeaky sound. I must admit I have never thought a squeaky sound made by that damn rusted metal door could sound so pleasant. However my heart sank immediately when I saw that it was not but the bigger one of the Kabaji family that was standing there.

“Arn~? Kabaji. What’s the matter?” I asked hearing the irritation in my tone.

Holding a lunch bag out before him Kabaji stood there like a rock. When I saw the lunch bag in Kabaji’s hand I knew immediately the answer. Not sure what facial expressions I have on my face I took the bag from Kabaji and asked. “She left already?”

“Usu.”

I did not reply immediately as I continued to stare at the lunch bag in my hand. did keep to her ‘contract’ and made me the lunch, yet she was not here to pass it to me or to eat it with me. I discovered immediately that lunch could never taste nice if was not here eating with me.

“Kabaji,” I said as my eyes continued to look to the lunch bag. “Is…your sister still angry?”

“Usu.”

“I see…” With a mocking smile I called. “Oi, Kabaji.”

“Usu.”

Finally placing that proud smile onto my face again I brushed my hand through my hair and said. “I guess it is just you and me for lunch today.”

“Usu.”

Sitting back down, I looked up toward the blue sky as I smiled scornfully to myself. Sometimes it is harder than you think being the king…

***

Tezuka’s Point of View

“Tezuka,” Fuji smiled and asked on purpose while his eyes followed the direction I was looking. “Guess who is here?”

I have noticed the presence of Kabaji way before Fuji did. Unlike how she had previously made her entrance she sat quietly on the lawn with her arms wrapped around her legs while she watched our practice.

“Is she here to see you?” Oishii asked as he too noticed my eyes have looked else where for a while already.

“Oishii, continue with the training.” I told Oishii as I walked out of the courts towards .

Although knowing I have approached her, Kabaji did not react as her eyes continued to look blankly toward our tennis courts.

“What are you doing here?” I asked while I stood beside her.

Instead of replying me, she stood up from where she was sitting and smiled. “Sorry, I will be on my way now.”

“Wait,” I stopped her before she walked away. “I wasn’t sending you away.”

“I know. But I am stilling somehow distracting to your practice right?” She replied with a lost and lonely expression I have never seen from her. “Besides I don’t have a reason to be here.”

“Then why are you here?” I asked knowing something must have gone wrong but she did not know how to tell me.

“I don’t know.” She smiled bitterly to herself. “I guess I just thought if I saw you play tennis I would feel better.”

I did not reply as I kept my arms crossed and my face not showing any emotions. I knew she needed comforting but I am not the kind of person that knows how to comfort people. All I could do was stand beside her and wait for her to talk.

As if she also did not need me to say anything she just allowed me to stand beside her as her eyes returned once again to the tennis court where we were having our ranking games.

“Tezuka-san.” She broke the silence. “Have you ever been in love?”

Not expecting her to ask that question my eyes moved to look at her. “What?”

“Well, I just wanted to know for such powerful popular guys like you, is it possible to fall in love?” She blushed asking in embarrassment.

“I am not popular.” That was all I could say.

“No way!” Her eyes wide opened with my answer. “You are the president of the student union right? Also the buchou of Seigaku tennis club! With your looks and everything, I am sure you have lots of fan girls!”

“Kabaji-san…” I gave a sigh as I explained. “I don’t know where you get ideas like that from. But I was never aware whether I was popular or not. Besides,” I stopped as my eyes looked to the tennis court again. “Right now the most important thing to me is to bring Seigaku into the Nationals.”

“I see…” She gave a sigh at my words. “Seigaku is lucky to have you. With the same status you are very different...”

“You mean compared to Atobe?”

She looked up at me in surprise with my words but then looking away again she sighed. “Yes. I don’t understand why that man can be the head of Hyotei. He does not deserve the respect.”

“Atobe is indeed the man that can run Hyotei.” I disagreed however. From what I saw, the look in his eyes when he challenged me I knew Atobe would indeed be my strongest rival. “He is more capable than you think.”

“That’s only because you don’t go to Hyotei.” pulled a face. “He only got to where he is now because of his family, the power, the money…”

I remained quiet knowing finally the reason she is here. She is here because of Atobe, the man that seems to be the cause of the pain in her heart. Changing the topic I asked. “Do you have club activity today?”

Blushing she replied. “I am a bad buchou. I skipped practice and you must despise me right?”

"Kabaji-san," Instead of answering her question, I took a look at my watch. "I will finish the club activities in half an hour..."

"I’ll wait!" With a bight smile she nodded. Seeing that smile I am not sure if she noticed or not, but I felt my lips lifted a little. A little surprised with my own reaction, I turned and returned once again to the courts.

Noticing the strange smiles on everyone's faces, once again I crossed my arms to show I am not in the mood to be teased at. However I noticed Inui writing something swiftly down into his notebook.

"What are you writing Inui?" Eiji asked in curiosity.

"When Tezuka smiles, his lips moves by an angle of three degrees." Calmly Inui replied.

"Inui..."

Ignoring the look in my eyes Inui pushed up his glasses in satisfaction. "This data will be precious. Thank you Tezuka."

Knowing there is no point justifying I ignored them all and never looked to again as my eyes returned to the players on court.

It was not until after a while Fuji patted my shoulders and pointed behind me, "Tezuka, I think you better take a look."

Turning to where Fuji was pointing, I have found a few of our own girl's tennis players surrounded . From the look of them pushing her around, the conversation did not look too friendly. With a frown I headed towards them and heard one of the girls said in anger.

"Why are you here again?"

"Are you here to retrieve data from our school again or are you here to harass Tezuka buchou?!"

"I see," Unmoved by the unfriendly interrogations crossed her arms. "This is not about me defeating you guys or retrieving data from your school. This is about me talking to your Tezuka buchou." With a sigh mocked. "You guys really have nothing better to do? No wonder Tezuka-san only cares about tennis."

Taken back with what she said, the other girls blushed with anger as one of them stretched out her arm and pushed hard towards the ground. Seeing that; I quickly stretched forward my arm and held onto before she falls.

Surprised with my appearance, the faces of the Seigaku girls turned white when they saw me helping onto her feet again.

"What's going on here?" In a strict voice I asked.

"Tezuka buchou!" The girls panicked when they saw me. "We...we were just talking."

"Talking..." I frowned. "It is no wonder the girl's team lost. 20 laps around the court now."

"But...Tezuka buchou!!."

Unmoved with a frown I repeated coldly. "20 laps."

Noticing the tone in my voice, the girls left quickly in panic and started running the laps as I told them. Turning to look at I asked. "Are you okay?"

"See?! You do have fan girls!!" To my surprise was not at all upset but rather she smiled and pointed to me in tease.

She really always surprises me. It is really hard to know how to answer her sometimes. I could only do what I do best, avoid the point with something else. "Anyway, I have just about finished so we can leave soon."

"Alright, Tezuka buchou." In tease she saluted and gave me that bright smile again.

***

Atobe’s Point of View

My eyes looked to the girl’s court again and still I have not seen a sign of . It had become obvious now that she was avoiding me since she not only did not show for lunch, neither did she show for the student union meeting. Here we are at practice and already soon to finish I still have not seen that face of the very person who is causing this restlessness inside me.

"Oi, Horie." Finally I approached 's best friend Aya at the end of our club activity. "Where's ?"

"Ugh..." Moving her eyes away Aya replied. " -chan wasn't feeling well so she left straight after class."

"You are a terrible liar, Horie."

"Well, that's what she told me to say!" Horie replied pulling a face.

“Che,” In annoyance I returned to the men’s courts and found Oshitari grinning at me as usual with the look as if he knows everything.

“Shut up Oshitari.”

“Hey, I did not say anything.” Shrugging his shoulders Oshitari laughed. “What did you do this time, Atobe?”

“Arn~?” Lifting my eyebrow I asked. “What are you talking about?”

Pushing his glasses up Oshitari smirked. “Let’s see. When Atobe buchou makes everyone run the laps; it usually means he is in a bad mood. Today you made us run 50 laps, it shows right now your bad mood have reached its maximum.”

“Humph,” Crossing my arms I snorted. “Are you finding an excuse to not run?”

“Please Atobe,” With a sigh Oshitari begged. “Whatever it is that happened between you and -chan. Can you please sort it out soon and not make us take the blame for it?”

“Yes!” Gakuto ran up panting like a dog. “Atobe, are you trying to kill me?”

“Arn~?” My anger turned to Gakuto instead. “Stamina is your main weakness, what’s wrong with making you run the laps?”

“ATOBE!!!” Joining the riot Jiroh pointed his finger at me. “I am going to tell if you wouldn’t stop torturing us!”

Jiroh threatening me? Closing my eyes I laughed in challenge. “Jiroh, are you ready to break the promise you made to ? I don’t mind because she didn’t ask me to keep the secret.”

“ATOBE! You are cruel!” Jiroh’s jaws dropped with my words, but it was already too late when everyone turned their focus onto Jiroh.

“What promise?”

“Jiroh! Tell!! Tell!!”

“Wah…leave me alone! I can not break the promise! It’s all Atobe’s fault!” Holding onto his head Jiroh groaned.

“Threatening me?” I brushed my hand through my hair in victory. “Jiroh! That will be extra 10 laps for you.”

“ATOBE you are a monster!!!” Jiroh cried and ran off to continue his laps.

Seeing the outcome of poor Jiroh, the rest sighed and continued their laps without complaint. Of course, my orders are to be obeyed as always.

Although in murmuring and groaning, after the practice the boys still invited me to join them at the family restaurant as our usual routine after practice. Well, once again they would expect me to pay for the food, but since they have worked hard today I guess buying them some food isn’t that much a big deal to me.

“Jiroh, you still haven’t told us what the promise was about.” Gakuto brought up the topic again as we sat at the family restaurant occupying an entire long table.

“Go ask Atobe…” Jiroh mumbled as he took a sip of his strawberry milkshake.

With that all eyes landed on me, but ignoring all the looks I sat calmly with my legs crossed and my hand holding the coffee cup in perfect pose. Knowing they will not get an answer out of me, everyone turned back to Jiroh knowing he would be easier to break.

“Jiroh, how can you keep secrets from us?” Gakuto asked again.

“What do you know about Atobe and -chan?” Oshitari asked with a warm smile.

“I don’t know anything.” Jiroh looked to me for help not able to face Oshitari’s smile.

“Really Jiroh?” Oshitari continued to smile. “How would it feel if you are not allowed to sleep at practice anymore?”

Jiroh looked Oshitari’s threat in horror. Taking his sleep time away from him?! It will kill him! “You can’t do that!”

“Oh we can,” Gakuto joined in. “Each of us will take turns to wake you up, make you practice with us.”

Looking around the table, Jiroh calculated that there are seven of us to take turn to do that to him, he will die. Finally giving in Jiroh held onto his head. “Fine! Fine! I will tell! I saw Atobe and making out on the rooftop!”

Upon Jiroh’s confession everyone including myself was dazed. As expected all eyes landed on me in anger and condemnation.

“Atobe, how could you?”

“Are all those girls around you not satisfying enough for you?”

“Arn~?” Upon all the questioning and accusations I replied. “I was not making out. Were you dreaming Jiroh since you slept too much?” However no one seems to believe what I said as they continued to stare at me in unfriendliness.

“You think we are going to believe you with your reputation with girls?” Gakuto asked.

“Che,” I muttered hearing that; I looked away in annoyance. What he just said reminded me of the same misunderstanding has towards me—my bad reputation with girls. It was bad because I never bothered to explain myself and neither am I going to bother to explain to any of these boys. “It is none of your business.”

“Atobe,” Shishido gave a sigh. “ is different to all the other girls around you. She is not like one of your fan girls that you can just play around with. ”

is different? I sensed the irritation arousing in me. I know better than anyone here that she is different. It is because she is so different I do not know how to deal with her. It is because she is so important to me that I have found myself restless and disturbed all day.

Seeing the cold unpleasant look on my face, Shishido attempted once more. “Atobe, if you do not treasure her you will lose her…”

“Shishido,” Oshitari stopped Shishido as he signaled him to look outside.

Upon Oshitari’s reaction I looked towards where Oshitari was looking and I felt a thump against my heart when I saw just entering the family restaurant with a tall man next her.

“ -chan and Tezuka?” I heard Jiroh whispered in surprise. “What about Atobe?!”

“Shh! Jiroh!” Shishido hushed Jiroh noticing the look on my face.

However ignoring what Jiroh said, my eyes continued to look to Tezuka and . The frown increased when I saw the smile on ’s face as she turned to Tezuka in excitement. “The strawberry short cake here is really nice!”

“Why am I buying the cake when I was the one that won?” Tezuka sighed although I saw the tenderness in his eyes.

“Of course, because you are the…” Stopping finally noticed my existence. Immediately her face turned white as she looked away again. “Let’s go to another shop.”

Tezuka’s eyes looked to me too when he noticed ’s reaction. As usual unmoved he nodded to greet. “Atobe.”

“Tezuka.” I stood up from my seat as I approached them. I frowned even more when I sensed how uncomfortable became when I came near her. “There is no need to go to another shop. We will be leaving now.”

Pretending I did not notice or cared about ’s existence I paid for the bill and as I walked pass Tezuka again I whispered in affirmation. “I will destroy you Tezuka. I will take tennis away from you forever.”

Noticing the pale look on ’s face with my remark; I smiled victoriously as I walked out of the shop like a king.

***

Kaho