Delivery

"! Want to come with us to the mall?"

"Gomen! Maybe next time!" responded over her shoulder as she left through the school gates of Rikkai. She put an extra step in her pace to the bus stop, passing by other students. She arrived just as the bus was about to leave and was able to get on. Releasing a sigh of relief, she took a seat and looked at the familiar buildings passing by through the window.

, a second-year at Rikkai dai, was an average junior high girl. She didn't have any extraordinary talents that made her stand out from the rest like some students of the prestigious school. She was just like any other junior high student. However, there was one thing she liked to do that others her age probably never have done.

At her stop, she got off the bus and went inside the small white building before her. With a big smile on her face, she greeted those in the area. "Konnichiwa!"

"-kun, right on time!" An older woman greeted from behind the counter. "I need you to do something for me."

"What is it Sakai-san?" asked from the back room as she changed her uniform.

"Well, we don't usually do this but someone hasn't come to pick up their order yet. I'd hate for it to go to waste," Sakai informed, turning to the young girl when she stepped out from the back room. "I want you to deliver this to the person they intended to give it to."

"Eh? Demo, do you know who or where the person is?" asked, questioning look on her face.

"Well, considering the message on the cake, it'd be safe to assume that the person is in the hospital," Sakai responded, taking out the said cake and showing the message. The cake itself was the shop's specialty – strawberry. On it was the message, Get Well Soon, Yukimura!

"What should I do if this person is not at the hospital?" asked, as she prepared a box to put the cake in.

"Just bring it back, I guess. If that happens, I'll contact the people who placed the order somehow," Sakai resolved, placing the cake in the box and sealing it. She then put it in a bag, handing it to . "The hospital's not too far from here, but be careful, okay?"

"Hai!" assured with a bright smile, taking the bag and heading out.

worked part-time at the small pastry shop. She lived with her grandparents who had long retired and she didn't feel right in asking them for things even when they insisted. Although she was a bit simple-minded and a little clumsy at times, she seemed to have a knack for making sweets. She decided to put the skill to good use and was now employed at the local pastry shop.

She quickly but carefully made her way to the hospital so as to deliver the cake, undisturbed. Once she arrived, she took a precarious step past the automatic sliding doors, not all too comfortable being at the hospital. It was where her parents passed away, after all. Taking a deep breath, she summoned out all her courage and walked to the reception desk.

"Anou, sumimasen," said, a hint of nervousness in her tone.

"Hai? What can I do for you?" The nurse asked nicely with a smile.

"Eeto, I was wondering if someone named Yukimura is staying here?" inquired, showing her bag that contained the sugary confection.

"Yukimura? Ah yes! Room 204 on the second floor," the nurse informed kindly, gesturing toward the direction of the elevator.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," thanked with a bright smile. She made her way to the elevator to continue her task. She hoped that this was the person that was supposed to receive the cake. She'd hate for it to go to waste. Once the elevator stopped on the second floor, she got off and took a glance around, noticing that she wasn't far from the room the nurse told her. She walked down the hallway, looking at the numbers as she went along.

Once she found the room she was redirected to, she noticed that it was slightly opened. She knocked on the door and stuck her head inside. "Excuse me." When her eyes landed on the figure that was sitting on the bed looking out the window, her breath was caught. Never before had she seen someone so pretty. Of course there were models and celebrities but this person had a natural beauty to them.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

snapped out of her thoughts at the question and fully entered the room. "Ah hai! Are you Yukimura-san?"

"I am," Yukimura confirmed, his questioning gaze directed toward the unexpected visitor.

Before could say anymore, a greeting came from the door. "Yukimura-buchou."

Turning around, was shocked to see her school's boys' tennis team crowding the doorway. She wondered what they were doing here then suddenly thought back to the greeting given. Did they call Yukimura-san buchou? Then does that mean…?

"Ehh?!" let out, her face turning into a ripe tomato. She bowed her head in embarrassment.

"What's the matter?" Yanagi Renji asked the female, staring curiously at her and wondering who she was.

"You called Yukimura-san buchou, right?" said, fidgeting for being on the spot.

"Hai, we did. Is that so odd?" Niou Masaharu replied, glancing over the girl. He noticed her self-conscious posture, and then looked over to Yukimura who had let out an amused smile. The trickster was able to put the vague pieces together easily. "You mistook Yukimura for a girl, didn't you?" He stated more than questioned, amusement coloring his tone.

"Eh? Yukimura-buchou a girl? That's a good one!" Marui Bunta mused loudly, popping his bubblegum.

"Niou, Marui, I think you should stop," Yagyuu Hiroshi advised to the two. He gestured to who looked about ready to die from all the embarrassment. He approached the female and placed an assuring hand on her shoulder. She jumped at the initial contact but calmed down a few seconds later.

"I don't think we've caught your name," Yanagi said politely.

"Ah hai! Hajimemashite, desu," greeted with a quick bow.

"-san, was there something you needed from me?" Yukimura repeated the earlier question.

"Eeto, I was wondering if this cake was supposed to be for you. The person that ordered it did not come by the shop to pick it up at the time they were supposed to. So my manager suggested that I deliver it," explained quickly, showing the bag that held the mentioned cake.

"Oi Marui, weren't you suppose to pick it up?" Niou asked the self-proclaimed tensai.

"Ah! That's right! Jackal was supposed to remind me," Marui exclaimed in realization.

"Where is Jackal anyway?" Yukimura asked, wondering where the half-Brazilian was.

"He should be with Akaya right now," Yanagi informed.

"Akaya? Do you mean Kirihara Akaya?" questioned with a tilt of her head.

"Ah, do you know him?" Yagyuu inquired right back.

"He sits right next to me in class," answered sheepishly.

"You poor, poor girl," Niou said in mock sympathy. That earned him a reprimanding look from Yukimura. He brought his hands up in a surrender gesture. "Anyway, we should make sure this is the cake we were supposed to give to Yukimura."

"Ah hai! Here you go!" handed over the box to the ever-smiling captain who gladly accepted it.

"How will we know if it belongs to this Yukimura?" Yanagi questioned as they all gathered around to look at the cake.

"Because of the special design that I requested," Marui boasted proudly.

And it was indeed a special design. The decorator of the cake had been able to put the boys' uniform colors in a way that made it look elaborate but it was still unmistakable that this cake was meant for the Rikkai captain. The message of 'Get Well Soon, Yukimura' was done in bold coloring to make it stand out from the rest of the cake.

"Marvelously done. Arigatou gozaimasu," Yukimura said appreciatively, with a gentle smile. Having that smile directed at her made a blush blossom on her cheeks.

"Iie, doomo arigatou for getting the cake from our shop." thanked in return with a bow.

"Ne buchou, can we eat the cake now?" Marui asked anxiously, eyes on the said cake.

"I don't see why not," Yukimura said, handing the cake to the volley specialist who eagerly took the pastry so he could cut it.

fidgeted in her spot for a few seconds before deciding to leave. "Well then, I'll be going then. Again, arigatou for getting the cake from our shop."

"Why don't you stay and have a slice?" Yukimura suggested before the girl could bolt out the door.

"Oh! I wouldn't want to impose any more than I already have." turned down the offer quickly, with a shake of her head.

"You wouldn't be imposing at all. I feel bad that you had to make the trip to deliver the cake to me," Yukimura explained with a smile. His tone of voice had the slightest bit of underlying pleading that only the trickster really picked up on. Niou let out his usual smirk as he watched the interaction between the sophomore and their captain.

"Yeah, -chan! I feel bad too!" Marui added, still cutting the cake.

"Make sure you cut enough for the others too," Yagyuu reminded the self-proclaimed genius about their missing members. The gentleman went over to the red head and made sure there were enough slices.

"We-well if the others don't mind –" started, shyly glancing at the other members.

"We don't mind at all," Yanagi responded, smile on his face.

"Here you go!" Marui handed her a slice happily before proceeding to hand out the other pieces to the rest of the regulars.

"Arigatou," said and began taking small bites of the cake.

"Why don't you take a seat, -san? You must be a bit tired, coming from the pastry shop to the hospital," Niou suggested with a mischievous smile as he gestured toward the spot next to Yukimura on the bed.

"Iie, I'm fine!" responded with a squeak, blush coming three-fold.

"It's all right -san. There's plenty of room," Yukimura encouraged, patting the spot next to him.

"O-okay," stuttered, taking the offered seat. She blushed to her roots when she saw a smile directed at her from the blue-haired captain.

It wasn't until an hour later that made her way back to the shop. Within that hour, she had stayed in the hospital room with the Rikkai regulars, listening to their conversations of tennis and school. Occasionally, Yukimura made sure to include her in the conversations, not wanting her to be left out. smiled at the time she spent with the tennis members.

"-kun, where have you been all this time?" Sakai questioned the girl once she entered the shop. A curious look came upon the manager's face when she saw the young girl in high spirits. "Something good happen?"

"Ah iie, nothing happened," denied, though the smile on her face gave her away.

"Hmm, if you say so," Sakai said, a teasing tone in her voice. "Well let's get to work."

"Hai!" As she prepared to make the batter for another cake, she wondered when she would be able to visit Yukimura again. Maybe next time she'd give him a cake she had made herself.

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February 23, 2007
Written by: Kurohane
Edited by: linchpin