I Did Not Know Pt. 1

Oh no. I got so worked up about yesterday's festival that I forgot today.

Azami pokes Inei in the arm repeatedly, trying to break him from his trance of desperation.

"Inei! Are you not excited for your mom to come to college? She's nice and fun!"

Yeah, for everyone else. My mother goes out of her way to embarrass me in front of everyone, like when everyone but Aneko comes for breakfast.

Azami shrugs.

"Whatever it is, you can always come to hang out with my older brother and me!"

That's right; she let me borrow her brother's clothes last time we were over the morning after the party. Now that I think about it, I don't remember returning the clothes.

Before Inei can complete his thoughts, they are disrupted once more by Azami.

"Anyway! That's not till today, and I'm sure you have to practice before it, so maybe you, your mom, my brother, and I can all meet up and do things together?"

Inei nods, and Azami grins, beginning to walk ahead of Inei, him following behind her.

It sucks that even sophomores must participate in the lower-class parent invitational. All first- and second-year students must come to an after-school party where not only the students that have made friends but the parents of the students can get to know each other and who they are hanging out with, even though we're technically adults, which is why it is stupid. But if it's required-

Inei gets the image of his coach and mom looking menacingly down upon him. He shakes his head.

I might as well get through it. Besides, if it's just Azami and her brother, what's the worst that can happen?

As Inei and Azami approach the classroom, the other four girls await them. Azami yells to them.

"Inei agreed!"

Oh, shit. I should have waited for more explanation.

All the girls smile, even Aneko, but hers is more of a sinister smirk. Chura speaks before the rest.

"Good! He's as much a friend as the rest, so why not? Besides, his mom has an amicable personality!"

Yui is next.

"Yeah, he'll get to meet our dad, and how nice he is!"

Yasu looks away, looking super nervous. Then Aneko smirks more.

"You have to meet my mother, and if you think I'm a handful, wait till you meet who made me."

Inei makes an agitated look.

Well, it's too late. Azami has already told my mom about it, and she agreed that it would have happened anyway.

Chura plays with the edge of her skirt.

"Um, I don't have a parent or a sibling; what do I do?"

Azami radiates a smile of joy, grabbing Chura's hand.

"You can come with Inei and me!"

Chura tilts her head.

"Oh? Were you planning to have alone time with him, his mom and your brother? I can't possibly intervene in that!"

Azami shakes her head, a faint and barely noticeable blush on her cheeks.

"No way! And it's probably not even how you thought of it; just come with us!"

Chura looks at Inei.

I better make her feel welcome. She would be super sad if she didn't feel that way.

Inei nods with a slight grin, which causes Chura to smile.

"Okay, cool. I will go with Azami and her brother. I'll meet you at your house, and then we can walk to the school."

With that, the bell rings, and they all enter the classroom, sitting and taking notes. As the class continues, Inei notices that Yasu seems slightly off, squirming a little in her chair. A little while later, she gets up and runs out of the classroom.

I hope she's okay. Let me text her.

Inei looks down at his phone, texting her.

"Hey Yasu, are you alright?"

A little while later, the vibration strikes his thigh, and he looks down to read a message from Yasu.

"Meet me in the courtyard in 10 minutes."

Inei looks up.

It may take me about three to get there, so in seven minutes, I should go.

Seven minutes pass, and Inei gets up, leaving the classroom. Yui noticed that he went after her sister. When Inei reaches the courtyard, he stands at the center alone. He looks around, then sees Yasu in a corner on a bench, leaning down with her hair covering her face. Inei walks up to her, and she looks up.

"I'm sorry. I haven't had a good morning."

Inei tilts his head, then sits beside her, listening to her.

"Yui says our dad is a nice person. But he's not."

Inei tilts his head again. She notices and continues, tears in her eyes.

"He plays favorites. He likes Yui more than me because she gets out there and adventures when I keep to myself. I'm super shy compared to her, and he hates me because he's outgoing like her. He always likes playing games and making friends, while I just shut people out."

Tears begin falling from her cheeks from her head hanging over.

"Even the five friends I have isn't enough for him. Yui has the whole volleyball team, and I don't talk to anyone in the book club. Why do you think I didn't know anything about the books to get for the festival?"

Wow. Yasu talks a lot compared to what I was expecting.

"I want to be appreciated for being me. I don't hate Yui for it. Because she's just her, being her is going out and making friends like our father. I don't know why he hates me."

Inei looks at her, shocked.

Yui and Yasu having different enough opinions is the first time I've seen them two be different other than their personalities. But people do always say that there are two sides to a story.

Inei pulls a tissue out of his pocket, handing it to Yasu, who reluctantly takes it and wipes her eyes.

"Now that you're closer to us, and you didn't tell Chura about me telling you how to cheer her up, I trust you with this information. Inei, please don't tell anyone. I just needed to get it out."

She looks at Inei, her eyes showing the plead she has for him not to say a word. He nods with certainty.

She trusts me with this, so I will not break it.

Yasu gives a smile.

"Thanks. It means a lot. I know I don't talk much, and you don't talk at all. At least we both agree on that and get along that way."

Inei smiles, looking off at the large tree in the center.

"Beautiful. The tree, I mean."

Inei nods. Yasu notices this.

"You know, it's a cherry blossom tree. You are saying that makes me curious. But you don't talk. So, asking questions are useless."

Inei looks down.

She's not wrong, yet I am now curious about what she curiously wants to ask.

She stands up.

"I'm going to head back to the class. You can return a few minutes later, so it doesn't look strange. Thank you again for listening to me."

She walks off towards the building, then she stops, looking down at her phone, then back to Inei.

"There's no point. The class ends in fifteen minutes. Might as well stay."

Her phone vibrates, and she looks at it, a message from Inei.

"I won't tell anyone what you told me. Also, you can ask me your question, and I can answer it this way."

Yasu looks up, looking at Inei, who looks back at her. She smiles.

"Okay, well, you think the cherry blossom tree is beautiful,"

She grabs her wrist behind her back nervously.

"Does that mean you think Azami is beautiful? That's almost the same color as her eyes, and you two are usually always together."

Inei smiles, looking at his phone and typing away. The message sends to her phone.

"It's not about being pretty on the outside. Azami and this tree are similar, not only by color but by purity. You see this tree to be pretty because of its color. I see its beauty based on its purpose. Azami is why I'm friends with any of you today because of her kindness. And this tree is kind enough to bless us with its shade. I think everyone and everything can be beautiful."

With that, Yasu looks up, shocked and amazed. Her eyes sparkle as she looks at him. Then her phone buzzes again, looking down.

"You talk a lot more when you're with one person. And you're honestly really nice to talk to."

Yasu blushes, then look away nervously.

"Don't go saying things like that! It isn't very comfortable! You talk a lot by text for not talking at all!"

Inei shrugs, and the bells ring. Yasu nervously turns away.

"Let's go to the study grounds."

She begins to walk, and Inei follows suit behind her. When they arrive, the other four girls are already there, Chura looking at Yasu closely, examining every part of her.

"Well, she's clean."

Yasu tilts her head as Chura walks away back to her seat; Yasu looks at herself, then with a shocked expression blushing majorly.

"Out of all of us, I'm the last one who would do that!"

Aneko shrugs.

"The quiet ones are usually the wildest. We didn't know what to expect, especially you just running out and then Inei following after a few minutes."

Yasu covers her face sitting down.

"I can't believe you'd think I'd do that!"

Inei rolls his eyes and sits down. Chura looks at him sinisterly.

"Don't think you've gotten away with it yet. We'd check you, but that would make us pervs ourselves. Honestly, not like we wouldn't want to check your body, to begin with, friend to friend once again, it's excellent."

As Chura's sentence progressed, it sounded less and less friendly and more and more dreamy. Aneko and Yui look at her, uncomfortable, both saying in their heads.

"How can you just be so straightforward like that?"

Inei doesn't react, getting out his textbook and reading over the section he had missed. Chura squints.

"You know, you can say thank you when someone compliments you!"

Inei looks at her, nods, and returns to his book, reading more. Azami looks over to Chura.

"Hey, Chura, would you like something to eat after school?"

Chura looks over to Azami with a smile.

"Sure, as long as Inei pays."

Azami tilts her head.

"Who said Inei was going? He has practice after school."

Aneko lifts an eyebrow at Chura.

"Why would it matter that he went, to begin with, Chura?"

Chura becomes visually nervous.

"No, I assumed he was since we were meeting later; my apologies. I'd still like to go, though."

Azami beams.

"Okay! We hardly get to hang just us two together, so it should be fun!"

Chura smiles, nodding to her, then looks back at Inei.

"Why are you not paying attention to us?! We're just trying to have some fun, and it's not supposed to be a boring day!"

Yui looks at Chura.

"You're the only one trying to talk to him, Chura. All of us are doing something."

Chura is shocked, then looks at each person doing something efficiently. She blushes.

"I'm sorry."

She sits down with her face red and grabs a packet and a highlighter, looking at certain things; Yui smiles.

"You don't have to be sorry. We can all talk if we need to. Just not so crazy today. I think we're all still a little tired from yesterday."

Aneko nods twice, stretching with one arm bending over her head, her other arm holding the stretching one.

"For sure. Cheerleading is not as easy as I thought it was."

Chura now smiles, the rose color on her cheeks still present.

"Alright then, I am going to work on this, though. It is due tomorrow, so I probably should."

She looks down, reading her packet, and the other girls continue working on their things. Inei looks up, shocked that it is silent.

You know, I'm happy it's quiet.

He examines each of the girls individually.

But it's not them. This behavior is not the five girls I'm used to witnessing. I'm used to them being loud, crazy, and obnoxious, like how Chura was before Yui intervened. It wasn't enjoyable, and I should study this, but the silence is not fun.

Inei closes his textbook.

You're a moron for doing this. Just know that me.

Inei looks up from the textbook, all five sets of eyes resting on him with confused looks. He puts it away and motions for them to follow him. They pack up their things, and now very confused, they get up and follow, whispering. The first is Chura to Yui.

"Do you think we may have pushed him over the edge?"

Yui shrugs.

"I don't know. But I trust Inei; he wouldn't do anything terrible."

They reach the sports facility, and Inei sends all five of them the same message.

"Just come in. There are spare clothes in the locker room. They won't tell me no because my coach has told them to let me and anyone with me through without question."

They all look at each other and follow him, the desk person speaking.

"Oh, Inei! Just go ahead in! Your coach allows you to allow anything by for you. So, these five girls may enter with you."

He nods to them and continues forward, the girls following. He sends them the message.

"I don't like seeing you guys quiet. So, we're going to play. Get changed and meet in the gym."

They all five look at him at one time, him already walking towards the locker room. Yui smiles.

"I see what we're doing, although we cannot just let it go his way, can we?"

The other four girls look at her, smiling.

Inei walks out, changed into a practice uniform, he looks, and the volleyball net is up. Inei tilts his head.

When did this get up? Well, I guess we can't play then. I'll wait for them to come out and apologize.

However, when they come out, all five wear volleyball uniforms. Inei, shocked, hesitates for a moment, then Yui speaks.

"We are not just going to let you whoop us at basketball. We're going to play a sport that most of us stand a chance against you. I may be the only team member and probably the last pick; however, these four also played volleyball."

They all look at Inei with a grin. Inei smiles, nodding.

As long as they are enjoying themselves, it's okay with me.

Then Yui speaks.

"Alright! Since I am on the team, I'll get the worst player, Inei, and the middle player, Chura!"

Chura walks over, grinning, standing next to Inei. Aneko smiles.

"Then that means me, the second best, gets the third best, Azami, and second to last, Yasu."

The other girls smile. They take their positions, Inei not knowing what to do. Yui serves the ball, Yasu hits it after her, then Azami sets it up, and Aneko hits the ball hard. Yui dives, saving it.

"Inei! Set it for Chura!"

Inei panics and gets under the ball, and tries to hit it up, but it goes to the side, hitting the floor. Aneko, Azami, and Yasu celebrate by cheering. Yui and Chura laugh, walking over to Inei, taking his hands and palms in her hands.

"Like this."

She motions his hands forward on how to hit the ball. But as she motions, her body pushes against him, Inei blushing and trying to keep focus.

"Just hit up like that, and you'll be good."

Inei nods. Yui grabs the ball and sets up, starting the rally once more. She serves it over the net, being hit by Aneko, then to Azami, then the ball flies back over, being hit by Yasu. Chura saves it, hitting it toward Inei. Inei makes the motion that Yui taught him, the ball going up but not in perfect placement, and Yui makes it work, spiking it over the net. Aneko saves it by putting her foot out, the ball bouncing off her foot, Yasu sets it up, and Azami spikes it. Inei trips to keep it and face plants, the ball bouncing off his head to Yui, who sets it up for Chura, who hits it over the net in a perfect spot, scoring a point. Inei gets up.

Ouch! Hitting my face like that hurt, but that's fine. I've been through worse.

Yui walks up to him, laughing.

"Don't save it with your head because Aneko saved it with her foot. If you can, save it with your hands, you make the fist like this."

She takes his hands in hers again, forming the shape with the hands and putting it through the motion. Her body pushes against him again, making his focus harder. He nods with a blush, and they set up, Aneko serving the ball. She intentionally hits hard toward Inei, who goes through the motion, hitting it forward, and Yui sets it up.

"Inei hit it over!"

Inei runs up as the ball rises, moving his arm like he's going to hit it hard, the girls backing up, then he taps it enough to go over the net barely, the girls unable to reach it—Chura and Yui approach Inei with smiles.

"Yeah! Good job! You scored on your third rally!"

Over time, they end up coming to the last rally, both sides winning a round, Yui, Inei, and Chura up 25-24. Everyone breathes heavily, including Inei.

I didn't think this would go this long. I'm going to be super tired after this practice. Good thing I planned it to give me thirty minutes to rest.

Aneko serves the ball, Inei receives it, and Yui and Chura hit it, going over the net. They laugh as they do not communicate about hitting it. Azami stops it from hitting the floor, Aneko sets it up, and Yasu hits it back. Yui stops it, Inei sets the ball up, and Chura hits the ball, the ball slamming against the floor. Yui and Chura celebrate. The other three girls catch their breaths, smiles still on their faces as they try to speak through their tiredness—Azami speaking first.

"It's been so long since we last played."

When they finally catch their breaths, Inei buys everyone water, and everybody relaxes. Yui is speaking up.

"It was fun, but now the boys have practice. We have to take down the net."

They all take down the net, putting it away in storage. The girls start heading out, laughing and smiling as they leave, leaving a smile on Inei's face.

I rather see them happy and laughing than to be like me.

Inei then goes to grab a rack of basketballs, warming up.

Inei arrives home, his mom readying herself for the event without Inei telling her.

Yeah, Azami told her.

His mother sees him.

"Oh! Hello Inei! Are you ready for your mom to meet your friends' parents?! I'm so excited! It's been a while since I've gotten to make friends with your friends' parents!"

Inei doesn't respond, going upstairs. He showers and changes into casual clothes.

That's one good thing about this. Casual clothes are okay.

Inei sees the clothes that he borrowed from Azami's brother.

I can return these today since I will be with him and thank him. The only reason I have them is that I offered to clean them since I wore them. It's only polite.

When Inei returns down the stairs, he and his mom lock the house, enter the sports car, and drive over to the campus. When he arrives, he and his mom get out, walking.

"I can't wait to meet everyone! I'm sure it's going to be fun."

Inei looks away, thinking.

I have more than one thing to do this evening. I need to study Yui and Yasu's dad to see which of the two girls he seems like the most. I must keep my mom from embarrassing me to death to my friend's parents and try to make Aneko's mom understand who I am. Hopefully, both Aneko and her mom don't try to torment me.

Inei continues walking, her mom getting distracted.

"Oh, Inei! What is that over there?!"

She begins to walk off, and Inei tries to get her attention, but she is too focused on the thing. They walk over, and it's a stand for a school t-shirt.

"Hello, ma'am. Would you like a t-shirt to support your son's college work?"

Inei's mom puts her hands together with a big grin.

"Of course, I would!"

The man takes a closer look at Inei.

"Say, is your son Inei? If so, we have shirts that the basketball coach made that have his name and jersey number on them."

Inei looks away, frustrated.

So much for not making a big deal out of the situation; now, everyone is all about me playing.

Inei's mother looks in shock.

"Oh! I did not know my son was so famous! I will take one of those shirts!"

She takes one, at once putting it on and patting Inei's arm.

"Look, Inei! Imma put that I'm your momma on the shirt when I get home!"

Inei rolls his eyes and takes her hand, pulling her toward where they're supposed to meet Azami, Chura, and Azami's older brother. He then hears a sniffle, looking at his mom, who has tears.

"Are you finally playing like yourself, Inei? Like how you played in high school?"

Inei nods. Her smile grows.

"Good. I'm so proud of you, son. You know I'll always be there to support you, and I will be in the front row on Saturday when the game strikes."

Inei hands her a napkin to wipe her tears away. He then turns out smiling, still dragging her along once she finishes.

My mom can be annoying, and she can always try to embarrass me. But in the end, she still wants what is best for me, even if it's not in a way I like. So, in the future, even if she is annoying and intentionally tries to embarrass me, it's okay, and I should stay calm about it.

Whenever Inei and his mom reach the spot, Azami and Chura still haven't arrived. Inei's mom begins to become herself.

"Oh! Who are we meeting here?! Which one of the lovely girls you made friends with will be seeing us here?"

Inei begins to turn red.

They are all pretty girls, but it's not about being that way. It's about them being my friends.

Inei doesn't respond. His mom is looking at him.

"Okay, I'll guess; nod yes, shake your head for no. How many of them are we going to see?"

Inei squints his eyes.

Fine, if it will calm you down and make you quiet.

Inei puts up two fingers, his mom smiling.

"Wow! Is it the two twins, Yolanda and Yotsuba, right?"

Inei shakes his head.

Regardless they're not the ones we are precisely here for yet.

"Is one of them Azami? She seems to be your best friend."

Inei nods.

I'm equally friends with all of them, but Azami is one.

She ponders, putting a lip to her bottom lip.

"Chura? I can't see that Aneko girl wanting to meet up with you."

You would be surprised, Mother.

Inei nods again. His mother cheered.

"Woohoo, I guessed right! So, it's the best friend and the hot one!"

Right about that time, Azami, Chura, and Azami's older brother walk up behind her. Chura tilts her head to her.

"Hello, Ms. Hoshi. Who is the hot one?"

She turns around, smiling at her.

"Oh, hi Chura, we were just talking about you!"

With that, she looks at Inei with a superior blush, all pigment of her face dark red.

Great. Now my mother did it. Now Chura thinks I think she's hot.

"THIS is the friend you mentioned, Azami?!"

Inei looks to who has spoken, his eyes shrinking with worry.

Oh no. Azami's older brother is the point guard guy I replaced for starting point guard?!

Azami gives her brother a radiant grin.

"Yes! I figured you two would know each other since you're on the team!"

He does not like me; this is not going to be good.