Love Lottery ~ Yagyuu Hiroshi Side

WARNING: THIS DREAM NOVEL HAS SUGGESTIVE SCENES IN IT. CONTINUE READING AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Morning of February 14. Yagyuu Hiroshi was fixing his tie in front of the mirror as he was preparing himself to go to school. Classes were suspended for the day, but the council was holding a Valentine's Day event, and he had decided to participate. It was true that he wanted to try something different for a while, but a part of him was hoping that he would find something – or rather, someone – on this day.

By sheer luck, yesterday's result of the "Matchmaking lottery" made him closer to what he was wishing for. He took that as a sign, and today was the day that would tell him whether taking this chance was all worth it.

Yagyuu glanced at his reflection one more time before finally leaving his bedroom.

**********

The girl was looking outside the window, watching her schoolmates go around and enjoy the day's festivities. With a lighted cigarette resting between her fingers, she looked back as soon as she heard the clicking sound made by Yagyuu upon closing the door.

"Oh, oh! Why it's the famous Yagyuu Hiroshi!" She stood up and went towards him. She looked at him and gave him a very seductive smile. "So we finally see each other again, huh?"

Yagyuu nodded in response, but then the cigarette that she was holding took his attention. "You've changed a lot, ."

chuckled as soon as she heard her name escaped Yagyuu's lips. She went even closer to him until their lips are only an inch apart. "Well... That's life, don't you think, Hiroshi?" She then laughed so hard and went back to her own nook. "Well, I want to say that you haven't changed at all, Hiroshi. The same quiet, patient guy I used to know."

Yagyuu just looked at and didn't say anything. Perhaps some of his friends, particularly his teammates, would be shocked once they discovered that he knew – the who has been one of the students that caused headaches to the teachers and sometimes, to their fellow students. The who smokes on school grounds, who drastically modifies her uniform to her liking, who hides her youthful face under heavy makeup – he knows her, and he used to spend his childhood days with her, playing ball games, eating snow cones, and drawing landscapes.

finished her stick, putting out her cigarette on the ashtray. She stood up and yawned, and wasn't a bit embarrassed when Yagyuu saw her smooth belly as she was stretching out her arms. Her school uniform had been altered as usual – the sleeves and the hem were shorter, her skirt was almost showing her private parts, and her socks were puffy. It was as if she was wearing a pair of leg warmers. Yagyuu looked down and adjusted his glasses.

"So, do you have anything else in mind for today?" Yagyuu politely asked. He was her childhood friend, but seeing her in this kind of state, it gave him the feeling that they didn't know each other at all.

's eyes glinted upon hearing Yagyuu's question. She slowly went towards him and gave him a provocative look. "I have something else in mind. Want to try it?" She whispered in his ear.

Yagyuu's skin tingled upon hearing her more matured voice, but he tried remaining calm. "I don't think I will entertain that invitation." He honestly said.

placed herself on Yagyuu's left leg and sat on it. She then let her finger travel on his uniform's collar. "Are you sure? You're missing out, Hiroshi," she purred.

"I'm sure, . So please stop what you are doing." Yagyuu answered, with conviction in his voice. 's ego was a bit hurt, but she wickedly smiled at him nonetheless. "Okay then, you said it."

"So what are we going to do today?" Yagyuu asked again. It doesn't look like it, but he didn't want to experience this meeting with in this manner.

stood there for a minute or so, and then went to the big storage behind her and took out a medium-sized, blank white paper. She placed it on the easel and then rummaged back to the storage to find some materials.

"I assume that you're going to paint." Yagyuu commented.

"I've decided to hold an activity that we used to do together. You know, for old time's sake." replied without looking back.

"Remember that I cannot draw. I used to watch you and that was it."

"Oh, there's no problem with that. I'll draw you. Oh, wait, here's a good charcoal." She beamed upon finding the right tools that she needed. She then turned around and looked at the bespectacled boy.

"Remove your shirt."

"Excuse me?" Yagyuu asked.

"Remove your shirt. You're going to be my subject, so remove your shirt."

"You can draw me while–"

"I cannot draw you with your shirt on. Plus, it's boring. I am an artsy person, don't you forget about that." interjected.

Yagyuu looked at her for a second, and then sighed. He first took off his vest, and then undid his bluish-green necktie. He pulled his shirt's hem out and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, one by one. At the corner of his eye he saw watching him while fixing the things that she needed for the charcoal drawing.

"You don't have to watch me, ." Yagyuu said. He noticed that was caught off-guard with his comment, but the rush of blood on her cheeks wavered off. "It just reminds me of the old days."

"I never removed my shirt in front of you." Yagyuu calmly said, but a soft smile crept on his lips. Maybe there were some things about her that didn't change, after all.

**********

was surprised by the turn of events. First, she picked her childhood friend, Yagyuu Hiroshi, on the "Matchmaking lottery" held by the Student Council. Second, she tried to seduce him, just like what she usually did with the boys that she likes. Third, she commanded him to remove his shirt and pose for him as she was going to draw him using her favorite art medium – charcoal.

Yagyuu was calmly sitting on a stool, his feet and upper body bare, only wearing his school-prescribed trousers. He also removed his glasses (because she had said so). He was leaning forward, his arms resting on his knees and thighs, as if he was contemplating about something. started taking command over the blank paper. It was bare at first, but now different shades and lines were already gracing its surface. She slowly drew Yagyuu's facial features. quickly glanced at the boy and soon enough, she was lost in her own labyrinth.

She was never like this, a gaudy, rebellious middle school student. In fact, she was very simple and gentle – the complete opposite of what she was right now. So what really happened? She didn't know exactly. She couldn't remember.

The surge of emotions made the lines that she was drawing a bit darker and it took her a while to notice it. She saw Yagyuu quietly posing for her, but the guy sometimes moved his head to look at her.

Yagyuu Hiroshi. He was her only guy friend when she was growing up. They used to do the same things together: reading mystery novels, solving puzzles on the local detective drama shows, eating ramen served by Yagyuu's mother, or just hanging around. But things changed, since when? She had no idea. The only thing that remembered was that as soon as they stepped in to middle school, things had been different. They drifted apart, and that was it. Or maybe something happened that she didn't really want to remember.

She continued drawing the lines that make Yagyuu's arms and shoulders. They looked stronger now, she thought subconsciously. It was probably because he took up another sport. Was it tennis? His muscles on his arms were more defined now. smiled at the thought.

"Your arms look great." commented.

"Ah. You think so?" Yagyuu asked, tilting his head a bit to look at her. She didn't reply, for her attention was drawn on what she was doing, or so Yagyuu thinks.

**********

Yagyuu was also surprised upon finding himself agreeing to 's demand. He was now sitting quietly while his childhood friend draws him.

Drawing was something that no one could take out of 's system. She had been drawing and sketching all her life. It was the reason why they became friends back in elementary school. They were paired by the teacher and were assigned to do a small art project. He was an intelligent kid, but lack the right skills to draw, and being paired with an equally smart and talented student was the best thing for him. draws as if she was in her own world and cares about nothing around her. It was as if it was just her and the one that she was working on.

Seeing drawing again, it was a surreal experience. Behind the thick colors that covered her face, she was still the same girl that he knew. She was the same girl that he grew up with. And still the same person he fell in love with.

He never told her how he really felt about her. He felt threatened upon realizing that there was this foreign emotion that hit his heart every time they spend time together. He was scared, and Yagyuu didn't want her to know that he was afraid. She might think that he was weak, which was the total opposite of the image that she normally saw of him. So as soon as they stepped in to middle school, he let things drift away, including .

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard 's voice.

**********

"I'm done. Well, not really, but I can add stuff later on." said, trying to get Yagyuu's attention. The boy had been pretty quiet for a while as he attentively sat there for an hour or so. stood up and stretched her arms and back, while Yagyuu went towards her to see how the charcoal drawing went.

"It's good." Yagyuu commented as soon as he wore his glasses back.

She looked at him, carefully examining his reaction. "So is it good as in hey, it's freaking awesome or hey, it's fine, not bad?"

Yagyuu looked at the girl beside him and smiled. "I don't think my reaction can be categorized on the words that you mentioned, but I guess it is safe to say that it's the first one."

's eyes gleamed. "Well, that's fine I guess. Thank you."

There was silence between them. Yagyuu immediately noticed how 's eyes shone when she thanked him. He went closer to her and looked at her.

"Your eyes."

was quiet. She noticed that Yagyuu's hands were holding her shoulders as he tried to make her face him. Yagyuu was looking at her.

"Your eyes. I remember singing something the first time I saw your eye color up-close." Yagyuu said.

remained silent. She tried rummaging through her memory. What was that song again?

"I miss you more than words can say, what I would do just for one more day... ^[2]" She softly said.

"To be lost in your eyes, and at the mercy of your touch..." Yagyuu answered back, continuing the lines of the song that muttered. He cupped her face and looked in her eyes.

"It's still the same shade of sapphire blue that I used to remember," he whispered.

"Just like your birthstone, right? It symbolizes the purity of soul. Although I am not as pure as this eye color represents." chuckled, as she prevented herself from getting lost in Yagyuu's gaze. She felt his hand leaving her face.

Yagyuu was silent. He then went to the nearby table to pick up his clothes. He looked at her with sadness in his eyes.

"I now know why we drifted apart."

"Excuse me?" asked, turning towards Yagyuu's direction.

"I think we were hiding something, and it pushed us apart." He started to dress up while talking. "I do not know what I was hiding, but this time around, I am willing to reveal it as soon as I learn about it, and I will not be afraid of the consequences that it might bring."

just watched Yagyuu put on his shirt and his tie. A couple more minutes and he was putting on his sweater.

feigned a laugh. "What on earth are you talking about, Hiroshi? I am not hiding anything. And I really don't care much if you have something in you. We were friends, but that was before, right?"

Yagyuu stiffened upon hearing her harsh words. Why does it feel so... familiar? This discussion, it was as if it had happened before. The same denials, the same pain.

"I think we are going to have the same arguments like what we had three years ago. If that is the case, I better leave." Yagyuu said as he tried to avoid the impending argument. Yes, he was going to escape again without even telling her how he felt.

's face started to express her rage. "Fine. Leave. You always did that remember? You left me hanging–"

"It was my fault, true, but you also kept yourself away from me, ," Yagyuu calmly replied, as he was about to exit the door. "You never let me reach out to you." He finished his sentence by closing the door behind him.

was left alone. Again. She slumped on a chair in front of the easel with Yagyuu's sullen image. She touched the drawing with her fingers gently. Did she really push him away?

A sudden jolt went right through her. stood up and quickly went to the door. She didn't know what was going on, or what she really felt. All she knew was that she would do anything to prevent seeing Yagyuu walk away from her again.

##########

January 22, 2006
Written by: Megane-ko
Edited by: Kurohane

^[1] The stand that you use when you're painting using a canvas
^[2] From the song, "Sapphire" by The Waiting Room

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