Must Love Basketball

When Takao happily mentioned that he had to go see his girlfriend after practice one evening, the members of the Shūtoku basketball team weren’t so much as surprised as they were curious. Takao was one of the more dateable guys on the team, after all, so having a girlfriend wasn’t that much of a stretch.

However, none of them had ever seen a girl that might fit what they imagined a girlfriend of the Hawk Eyed first year would be like at any of their practice matches or official games. When asked about her absence, Takao just grinned and casually announced that she wasn’t a fan of basketball, before excusing himself to go see her. Unknowingly, he left his teammates in various states of shock.

What kind of girl not interested in basketball would date a basketball player?

It just didn’t make sense to any of them, but what’s more… almost simultaneously they silently agreed that they needed to see this girl for themselves. There were quick, mumbled excuses between the remaining team members of having to go somewhere and do something elsewhere, but every single one of them were intent on following after their point guard.

By the time the Shūtoku basketball team finally caught up to Takao, he had already met up with a girl at the school entrance. It was the girl, or so they surmised as much from the familiar way he had his arm slung over her shoulder, their fingers lightly yet steadfastly linked, and his head resting comfortably on her shoulder. Takao was grinning cheekily up at her, his eyes bright and shiningly warmly as they conversed.

They were talking in hushed tones, as if everything between them was meant for each other and no one else. The hiding members couldn’t hear a word that the couple was saying, so they tried to get closer without being noticed. From what they could observe she was apparently a member of Shūtoku High and looked to be a first year. She was also a member of a school club, if the extra bag now slung over Takao’s shoulder was anything to go by.

The girl laughed softly and hid a pretty blush behind a smile when the sixteen year old whispered something in her ear. He grinned triumphantly and she rolled her eyes playfully at his boyish, yet undeniably endearing antics. Honestly, if he wasn’t so cute and sincere she would be put off by his infinite boldness. They were in full view of the public and he was being so touchy-feely. But, she reasoned, as long as it was him then she would never mind.

“How was practice?” She inquired softly, gently squeezing his hand to let him know that she did care about his day, even if she never would care about his favorite sport. He smiled softly and squeezed her hand in return before he began to tell her. She was extremely lucky that he understood her so well; otherwise she would be without a best friend and miserably single.

She listened intently to everything he had to say, making sure to not miss a thing: every cocky grin, every exasperated sigh and even the lowering of his voice when he was dead serious about something. She noticed it all and responded accordingly. She laughed and frowned and gave what little encouraging advice that she could and silently held him closer when he needed it.

Basketball may not be her thing and it would never be her thing, but Takao was and he loved basketball so she accepted the sport into her life for him. There were very few things that she wouldn’t do for him if he asked. He didn’t know it but, she was actually planning to go see her first basketball game ever, at the Winter Cup. He hadn’t asked her to come and she knew that he wouldn’t, but she was going to be there.

She was going to be there to support him with her whole heart and soul, because she cared about him that much.

She would never ask him to choose between her and basketball, just like he would never ask her to choose between him and martial arts. She often wondered how she had been so lucky as to be dating someone so kind and understanding as Takao Kazunari. It was an A-plus that he was equally sweet and funny too.

She never thought that she would get a first date, let alone a boyfriend, since she was considered to be such a tomboy and also a member of the Shūtoku Judo club. Those two things coupled together seemed to ward off the opposite sex better than, well, better than punching a boy and bloodying his nose for nasty name calling.

When she told Takao of having done such, as a warning when he had first asked her out, he just laughed and told her that the nameless boy had it coming. She had been speechless and had punched him in the arm, lightly mind you, lightly, to hide her embarrassment before storming away. He had only grinned at her violent outburst, not taking it to heart and continued to worm his way into her life.

Less than a week later, they went on their first date.

The rest, as they say, is history and a wonderful history at that. She bit her bottom lip to hide the ridiculously giddy smile that threatened to overtake her features at the fluffy memory and glanced away from her smiling boyfriend to help keep her composure. All the while she never loosened her hold on his hand or tried to distance herself from him.

She had been wary of him and his intentions in the beginning, mainly because of her own insecurities. But he had quickly charmed his way into her heart and her daily life. She wanted him to remain a permanent fixture in her life, although she had never told him such. One day she would tell him, but for now things were beyond perfect and she didn’t want to mess it up.

“So,” Takao cooed nuzzling impossibly closer to his sweet smelling girlfriend. He loved the way she smelled, even though she thought it was an odd fetish of his or something. It wasn’t. He just loved her scent. “Any plans? Or are we just going to hang out?”

Her gaze flicked back on him, silently observing his relaxed posture and content features. She smiled at the sight and mindlessly her thumb rubbed gently against his knuckles in a loving gesture. “I don’t have any plans, so anything is fine.” She told him as they made their way down the sidewalk. “What do you feel up to doing?”

She felt him sigh against the sensitive skin on her neck and almost instantaneously goose bumps erupted all over her skin. She then felt his lips turn up in a mischievous grin against her skin and she shot him a glare that lacked any true menace. She already knew what was running through his mind.

“You’re a pervert.” She muttered, still clutching his hand in her own.

He laughed his tone slightly husky as he pulled her closer. When he had her like this, he never wanted to let her go. “I’m a healthy teenage boy.”

It was her turn to laugh at his excuse. “You’ve used that before. Try again.” He silently noted that her tone was almost sing-song like and was comforted by it.

“Oh, really?” He inquired lightly, talking more to himself than to her.

He made a soft humming noise in the back of his throat as he mulled over what purposefully lame excuse he could come up with next. It was a game they played, him being the instigator almost all of the time. It was just a way for him to get her to laugh and smile. She knew it of course and always played along.

Her free hand unwound itself from his waist and began to play with the longer ends of the dark strands on the back of his neck. Whatever they decided to do or not do was fine with her, just as long as she got to spend some time with her boyfriend. She knew that he felt that same way when he squeezed their linked hand a little firmer than he had before and reluctantly lifted his head from her shoulder but didn’t release her.

Now that he stood to his full height she had look up at him. He wasn’t exceptionally tall, but he was a few inches taller than her. She liked it. She liked being able to lean back into him and fit like a perfect missing puzzle piece. He liked being able to hold her close and comfortably rest his cheek on the top of her head.

“How about we pick up something to eat and then just see what happens?” He offered not really having any true plans and still feeling the effects of his basketball practice. She seemed to understand his weariness and made a noise of agreement.

They locked gazes, before he bent down and kissed her on the lips. The kiss was pleasantly firm and lingering. After a few moments he pulled back slightly and smiled down at her, before pecking the corner of her mouth and gently pulling her under his arm. Their hands never unclasped throughout the whole exchange nor as they turned to continue on their way.

They walked a few paces before Takao pulled them to a stop. She glanced up at him and smiled at the smirk that tilted the edges of his lips. He tilted his head to the left, before raising his free hand to acknowledge and bid farewell to their not so stealthy followers. Takao called out to them his tone friendly yet undeniably smug before the couple continued on their way with him grinning widely and her stifling her laughter behind a smile.

The boys were one again left in a momentary state of shock. They should have known, better than anyone that nothing gets past Takao’s Hawk Eyes, especially such a conspicuous group.

“Your teammates, they’re certainly an interesting group.” She murmured thoughtfully her features soft. Takao turned to her, his expression curious. He really wanted to know what she thought of them and he hoped that it was positive. “I like them.” She told him with a smile that he returned full heartedly.