Rewritten: 2013/10/3

May the Best Man Win

Niou Masaharu is bothered. Typically whenever this lad had any negative energy those around him would bail within a second flat, getting a few kilometers head start before the Trickster of Rikkai did something about this bothersome feeling which would lead to hell freezing over. He's hiding his gloom fairly well however. He didn't want anyone to pester him even more and rub the thing that is the current center of his anxiety into his face more than it already is.

A girl had caught his teammate's attention. Marui Bunta has been obsessing over her and she's all he heard him talk about lately. It's pathetic...

Ahh... But maybe he's the pathetic one for being so aggitated by Marui becoming smitten with her.

The center of his aggitation started around two weeks ago when he first saw her at the trainstation being picked on by a High Schooler. Such a scene wouldn't make the Silveret blink but since he had gotten to the metro station early and had nothing better to do, on a whim he helped the girl out. Stuffing a bag of dogshit he found on his way to the station (Was planning to put it in Sanada's hat) down the the pumpose male's pants. The guy panicked and made a run for it to clean himself up in the facilities.

She did not approve of his method but soon warmed up and thanked him over and over to the point when Niou knew she really did apprciate his help.

Niou didn't think he'd meet up with her again but surprise, surprise, he found her wandering around the campus of his school completely lost. He didn't think much of it and played the good guy since she did become a 'hero' to her earlier that day.

She asked him for his redheaded teammate.

The Trickster was a little thrown off by this but took her to the courts nevertheless.

When they reached the courts a flash of red thrown itself towards the girl in a tight squeezing hug, only letting go after their captain told Marui that the color in her face was becoming unnatual.

After she thanked Yukimura as well as Niou for leading her to the courts she gave the redhead a box. Most of the regular crowd around Marui, curious about the little gift. It was a box of homemade cookies.

Through those weeks he learnt her name is Ryuzaki Sakuno. She often watch their team practice whenever she had the time and encourage the redhead with her presense. Oddly enough he became weirdly drawn to Ryuzaki.

He didn't like that.

Niou took it out by playing crude pranks on the poor girl. So she would see that he isn't that good person who rescued her the other day. So she would stop giving him warm smiles... So she would stop giving him the same treatment as she did with Marui.

Despite his efforts to distance himself from that girl he still became irritated by the affect she's having on both him and Marui.

Marui announced Ryuzaki is going to be his future wife.

That triggered something in him that made him get into a heated brawl with the redhead.

The Trickster and the cake crazy boy were scolded by the principle for hours. They had detention for three weeks, much to Sanada's chagrin because they had to skip practice to serve their punishment.

xxx

"What's up with you lately Niou? If you had some beef with me the Trickster would usually get back by playing a nasty trick... But this was way too far!"

Niou remained silent. He cast a dark look to the side, eyes narrowing.

"All I said was Ryuzaki-chan is going to be my wife!"

That got a responce from him. The silveret snapped his head to Marui's direction, giving the redhead a harsh glare. "No she's not..."

Marui huffed. "Why are you getting so hot and bothered over it? You don't even like her."

Niou lowered his head, his eyes shadowed as he clinch his fist. "I-I just don't know alright! It makes me so mad that you would say those things about Ryuzaki so lightly... I-I just…Forget it." Niou stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I'm leaving."

Marui paused and let this sink in. He sullenly look toward Niou as he walked pass him.

It clicked in.

"You like her."

Niou stopped at his tracks. "W-What?"

"You heard me, you like my Sakuno-chan…you like her." Marui shook his head and sighed. The pieces were connecting. "So this is why you've been angry with me lately. The truth is she is not really my girlfriend, but I love her, Niou. So I will not let you have her," He confessed.

Niou turned fully to Marui, eyes narrowing further.

"I'm serious Niou. I can't let you have her."

This has become a challenge Niou never thought he'd ever have with Marui.

"May the best man win, Niou."

Owari