Title: Stalker

Author: Wowie

Status: 1/12

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Humor/Mystery

Archive: Ask permission first

Summary: Someone is sending gifts to Hanamichi. Who could it be?

Warnings: Shounen-ai (Boy X Boy Love) and some mild swearing.

Author's Note: This is the revamped version where I removed the Japanese phrases and just retained those that are used for references like "san", "sensei", "kun", etc. and some Japanese words that is better off not being translated into English.

Standard Disclaimers Apply

...

Strike 1: A Box of Chocolates

"I'm the genius BASKETMAN!! Everything's okay when I'm here! Here goes a slam dunk!" Sakuragi Hanamichi [1] sang cheerfully as he walked down a dimly lit road that led to his house. It was only past eight in the evening, yet this particular street was deserted already... or so he thought.

After a few walks, he arrived at their gate and was about to go inside when he heard something rustle from behind. At first, he didn't pay attention to it but then another loud rustle came. His curiosity got the better of him so he abruptly turned around, hoping to see someone or something. To his dismay, he found nothing.

"Oi! Whoever you are, you'd better show yourself!" he demanded. Still, there was no response. He was about to look for the source of the noise when a black cat suddenly leaped out from the trashcan on the nearest street corner.

"Hmp! Just a cat," he shook his head then went inside his house, totally forgetting to close the gate. With this, a tall figure of a man emerged from the shadows.

'Whew! That was a close call!' The figure looked around if there were not any people in the street. When he was sure the coast was clear, he walked slowly and quietly to Sakuragi's doorstep. He peeped through the window and saw the redhead watching TV while lying on the sofa with his one leg propped up. The figure smiled as he watched the unsuspecting redhead in all his oh-so-comfortable position.

Sakuragi was laughing loudly with the gag show he was watching on TV when he heard something move from the plants in their yard, which made him go quiet all of a sudden. The figure noticed this so he ducked just as the redhead turned to the window where he was peeping. It was such good luck that the phone rang that the redhead was distracted for a while. The figure slowly peeped in the window again and saw Sakuragi answering the phone.

"Hello, Youhei! Why did you call? What? When?"

Sakuragi was still talking on the phone so the tall mysterious guy thought it a good opportunity for him to get out of there. He was about to leave when he thought of something. The figure smiled then opened the knapsack he was carrying and there brought out a small box. He tiptoed to the front door and left the box on the doorstep. After doing this, he deliberately knocked on the door then hurriedly left the place.

"Hold a moment, Youhei. I think someone's outside. What? Ah okay then, I'll just see you tomorrow," Sakuragi put the handset to its cradle then went to the front door. He secured the chain lock first before opening it, only to find out that there's no one outside. He unhooked the chain lock so he could fully open the door and look out, then he noticed a small box on his doorstep.

"What the—? What's this?"

...

"Oi! Hanamichi! What's up? You look very happy today," Youhei greeted a very cheerful looking redhead.

"Of course! It's not every day a genius like me would find something like this on his doorstep!" Hanamichi said then showed his gundan (army) a box of chocolates.

Takamiya looked at it closely then shifted his gaze to Hanamichi suspiciously and said, "If I hadn't known better you just bought it from some convenience store in town."

"I don't think so. We all know how broke Hanamichi is," Ookusu stated with Youhei and Chu both nodding in agreement.

"I'm sure it's from Haruko-chan! Nyahahaha!" Hanamichi was blushing hard though it didn't stop him from laughing out loud. But he stopped when he saw the four of them shook their heads.

"I don't think it's from her. I don't even think it's from a female at all," Youhei said solemnly. The gundan went quiet for a full minute, looking gravely at each other. Those who were passing by on the corridor were thinking a fight was coming up so they had better back off so they would not be tagged in.

"But how can you ever think that the one who gave me this is not a she?" Hanamichi asked disbelievingly.

Youhei looked pensive for a while then said, "You said you heard noises outside your house and it was past eight in the evening. Surely, no female would roam the streets that late, especially on your side of the street."

Another silence ensued.

"And girls always put letters and fancy stuff like ribbons on their gifts, even if it's just a short note or a long letter. But this one looks very plain to pass as a female's gift. I think that person didn't really plan to give this to you and it just so happened that since he followed you to your house and he was practically at your doorstep, he wouldn't miss the chance to give you at least something," Youhei continued.

"Maybe someone's stalking you, Hanamichi," Chu said.

"A male stalker," Ookusu added in.

"No! A gay stalker who would kill you when he gets tired of you," Takamiya finished with an evil grin.

'A stalker that would kill me...? A stalker who would kill me...?' It kept ringing in Hanamichi's head that when he looked at his gundan, they looked like demons chanting 'A stalker's gonna kill you! A stalker's gonna kill you!'

"Aaahhh!" rrriiinnngg! Hanamichi's scream drowned in the sound of the bell. The Sakuragi gundan tried hard not to laugh but failed miserably. What they got in return was one lump on each of their foreheads. Little did they know, a pair of sharp eyes watching them secretly.

-Tsuzuku-

...

[1] There's no such word but Hanamichi refer to himself as a basketman (direct Japanese translation from BASUKETTOMAN). Also, for the sake of consistency, we'll be using the normal Japanese way of referring to somebody (surname first before the real name).