hotaru_kun | (FanFic) TeniPuri: Life at Rakuren High chp 2

Chapter 1 ~~Chapter 2~~ Chapter 3

Title: Life at Rakuren High; chapter 2
Author: Hotaru
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters/Pairing: Kaidoh, Akaya, future KaidohAkaya
Rating: K (may go higher in later chapters)
Summary: Kaidoh is finally able to continue his studys. He starts at Rakuren High, and ends up with a room-mate he didn’t expect to see. Kirihara Akaya from Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

It took a while for Kaidoh to find his way to the school, after he had gotten off of the train. But he managed, with the help of an old lady who gave him directions.

Once he found his way to the dorms, he was told the number his room had, what way to go, and was handed a folder and a key in a small chain.
He headed the way he had been directed as he repeated the numbers in his head. 264.. 264… 264…

Finally, the door with the right number appeared and he fiddled with the key for a while before managing to unlocking the door successfully.
There were two levels in the room; one lower region and one higher, a staircase leading up to it. The residing areas was about the same size, but the lower region also held two closets and a door into a small bathroom.
The bathroom contained a combined tub and shower, a washing basin and a toilet, as well as a small closet for towels and other necessities. Above the basin was a small mirrored cabinet. He noticed all of this upon closer inspection.

Kaidoh instantly claimed the upper bunk, putting his bags on the bed before starting to move his boxes from the lower region. He would definitely not have the lower part, because he didn’t want some random guy walk past him all the time. Kaidoh would have all the privacy that he could get, that was for sure.

It wasn’t until he had carried up his boxes that he noticed that there were only two left that weren’t his. Double-checking to make sure he hadn’t taken any box that wasn’t his by accident, he realized that no, these boxes were all his.
He decided to not let it bother him. He shrugged and started to pack up.

When he finished putting away his clothes and he hung his new uniform on a hook at his own part of the room, the door opened. Kaidoh looked up, and dropped the books he had just picked up. They landed on his toes and he hissed in pain.
“Ah, it’s you.” That was the greeting he received from his new room-mate.
He glared at the other boy. “Kirihara Akaya.”
Akaya smiled cheerfully as he put down his two bags by the door. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I haven’t seen you at any tournament since nationals last year.”
Kaidoh let out a low grunt, then he bent to pick up the books again. Kirihara seemed somewhat disappointed, but did not pursue the question. At least for the moment.
He started to unpack his belongings as well.

Kaidoh stared in disbelief at the item Kirihara just picked up from one of his two boxes. “A rice-cooker?” he questioned
Kirihara glanced back up at him for a moment, then placed the item under his bed. He then picked up a water-boiler, which he placed on one of the shelves. “Yes.”
“Fshuuu..” Kaidoh hissed, and Kirihara looked up at him again. “You still haven’t stopped that?” was the question aimed at the viper. Kaidoh just glared at him. “Ah, kowai, kowai.” Kirihara giggled in amusement. He put up a few books on a shelf, then folded the cartons, pushed them under the bed and plopped down on the floor. “You haven’t stopped playing tennis, right?”
For a moment, Kaidoh stayed silent. But he did reply. “No, I’m still playing.”

“That’s good.”

Kaidoh glanced at Kirihara, hearing both melancholy and amusement in the other boys voice. Kirihara was leaning against the bed, head resting against the unmade mattress. His eyes were closed. His lips slightly parted.
Kaidoh found himself staring.

As he pulled his gaze from Kirihara, he said; “You should fix your bed.”
“Oh, shut up. You sound just like my mom.” Kirihara commented, sounding somewhat tired.
“Just saying.” Kaidoh retorted. “So you have it done.”
Kirihara sighed and pulled himself to his feet. He obediently made his bed.

They didn’t talk much more, except when Kaidoh asked a question he got a weird reply to.
“And are you still playing tennis?”
The answer was “So-so”. When he asked what exactly that meant, Kirihara shrugged and didn’t say anything more about it.
That evening was sort of awkward. Kaidoh was laying in his bed, when he realized something.
Kirihara was his age; wasn’t he supposed to be in second year now? But since he was sharing room with Kaidoh – and had a first year uniform – he had the be a new student as well. Why? He had heard that the boy from Rikkaidai Fuzoku had gone to a new school right away but… Well, he didn’t know more than that. He really knew nothing about Kirihara Akaya, did he?
For some reason, that bothered him.