"I don't get it!" Kirihara exclaimed for the fifth time.

"Oh, of course you do! You're just saying that because you don't want to do it," his senpai, Niou, replied. "I mean, how difficult is it? In a situation where a girl says that you're too good for her, it means that she's too good for you. In a situation where a girl says that it isn't your fault, depending on the circumstances, it means that it's your fault. In a situation where—"

"I don't get it! What the hell do you mean by 'depending on the circumstances?'"

Niou rolled his eyes. "Wow, you're more hopeless than I thought." Kirihara was about to protest, but Niou cut him off. "When I say 'depending on the circumstances' I mean like when you spill soda on a girl at the movies or spit food out onto her hair, and she says it's not your fault, it is your damn fault. But when some kid tries to look under her skirt when you're not looking or something, then when she says it's not your fault then it isn't your fault—wait, it is your fault for not watching her the whole time so it is your fault. Hmm. Let me think."

While Niou was contemplating on the circumstances, Kirihara murmured to himself, "I think I would have preferred buchou as my coach…"

---0----

"All right you guys, that's it for today!" An cried to her team. While her team wrapped things up and rushed to the locker rooms, her fukubuchou, Nakamura Hinako, observed her as An grew more and more uncomfortable. "What?" she asked her friend.

Hinako smiled nervously and said, "No, it's just…I was wondering if you were feeling okay." When An threw her a questioning look, Hinako added, "Well, you've never ended practice this early. I mean, it's only 4:45 right now." An's gaze flickered to the ground while her mouth shaped to for an "O." "And lately, An, you've been acting kind of strange."

An raised an eyebrow. "Really? How so?"

Hinako pursed her lips. "Well, lately, you sigh a lot more than before, and I thought it was only because we had a lot of projects assigned lately and because of the upcoming championships but… I don't think it's just that."

"So, why else do you think I'm sighing like an idiot?" An inquired.

"I never called you were an idiot, I just said that you were sighing a lot." Hinako cried.

A small smile lit An's face. "It's ok, I was just exaggerating. Well, go on."

"You see, An," Hinako began, "….I don't really want to say because you might get mad at me."

"It's alright. You're one of my closest friends. Why would I get mad at you for telling me your thoughts about me?"

"Well, fine. I think…you promised not to get mad ok?" An nodded. "Well, I think it's because…of a boy."

An blinked twice before she comprehended those words. Then she laughed out loud. Hinako turned to look at her, surprised, before she asked what was so funny.

An replied, "Me? Thinking about a boy? That's just so ridiculous!" And she continued laughing.

"Oh…Well, if you have a problem or anything, you can just talk to me." Hinako said as she smiled. An watched as she left for the locker room in silence.

After she was gone, An thought about her friend's statement and her reaction to it. Her thoughts drifted to Kirihara, before she went into the locker room herself.

---0---

"Let's just skip that one then. So now—"

Kirihara held his fists back. "Niou-senpai! I was waiting for thirty minutes in silence for you to think of different scenarios about me and this insignificant girl!" He exclaimed.

"Well, well, Akaya! Your vocabulary has expanded! You actually know difficult words like 'insignificant' and 'scenarios' and 'silence'! Well done!" Niou retorted sarcastically.

"Unlike you, I'm not some idiotic, stupid, brainless dumbass!" Kirihara screamed.

Niou stared at him in shock. "My, my, Akaya, you matured! If we were in middle school or even last year, you would have pummeled me at the spot." Kirihara clenched his fists. "You've matured, Akaya! And to think it's because of that girl too—"

The next day, Niou woke up to see one of the worst black eyes he had ever had in his long 19-year-old life.

---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0—

A/n: sorry I haven't updated in a while, but some things got me motivated to write this chapter. If you guys have time or if you guys already haven't, you should go and read "Six Feet Under the Stars" by Neon Genesis. It's a really good story and it has KiriAn, so if you like my story, you're bound to like that story.

Well I don't know when I'll update again, but please review. Also, if you could give any feedback or constructive criticism, that would be great. I'm currently trying to move this story along, but I find it going a little too fast, and I'm not sure how I'm going to end it, because there are too many possibilities and I just can't decide. Well, I hope you guys all stick with me to the end.

-animemangaotaku