Momoshiro Takeshi//The key to my lock\\20

Recap: "Come with me." He stood up.

...........................................

I followed him to a park, then deeper into it where the trees are so thick sunlight hardly shines through them. After winding through some trees, Momo came to a stop in a small clearing with a stream.

"Here it is."

"Where is here?"

"Where I come when I need to be alone. I've never shared this place with anyone. You're the first one."

"Oh. It really is perfect." It really was- surrounded by nature. Momo sat down on a large rock and beckoned me to sit beside him.

We sat in silence for a few moments.

Gosh. It feels like eternity. Why'd he bring me here? I rested my head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around my waist. I closed my eyes.

"Shinera?"

"Hm?"

"You don't... you don't... like anyone else... do you?" He asked uncertainly.

"Nope."

"Sure?" His voice waivered.

"Yup."

"Eiji included?" His voice shook.

"Yup. Why'd you ask?"

"Uhm.. well... The past few days... You seem to be very close to him."

"So?"

"So? Uh...uh... well...I-" I cut him off by planting a kiss on his lips. He was a little shocked at first, then he wrapped his arms around my waist and deepened the kiss. I didn't want to part, but I had to say something.

"You doubt me?"

"No... b-"

"You're the only person I could trust. I thought you trusted me too. You don't, do you?"

"It's not that I don't... I-"

"You what. You're the only person that meant something to me. More than a friend. More than a best friend. But I don't understand. Why do you not trust me?"

"I can't-"

"Can't what? I thought you should know that I-" He suddenly hugged me tightly.

"I can't lose you."

My eyes brimmed with tears.

"I was so afraid. My parents had a failed relationship. My father went through so much pain he made sure that I ebdured the same pain he did. But I know that my physical pain is nowhere near the heartbreak my father felt. For half my life, I kept to myself because I didn't want to endure the same pain as my father. Because I was afraid to. I was afraid of getting hurt. So I found a way to keep other people from hurting me- and that turned me cold to everyone and everything. I numbed myself from everything, even my father's whip didn't scare me. I erased everything from my memory- pain, fear, happiness, sorrow, love- everything. It kept me safe. It kept me safe until you came. It wasn't your look or you tennis skills. It was because you were the only one who cared for me. It made me realise that maybe, deep down, I do need someone to love me. I did need to know that someone loved me. You unlocked the doors to my heart. You made me feel safe. I can't lose you, you know? I can't go back to my past." Tears flowed down my eyes as I hugged him tightly.

"I sensed the love that you needed. I saw everything you needed through your eyes. I won't let you go back to your past. I can't lose you either." Those words comforted me. I love Momo, the key to my locked heart.

"I love you, too much."





....................................The End..........................................

Momoshiro Takeshi//The key to my lock\\19

Recap: "You wanna... wanna... gooouutwiimi?"

...............................................

I heard him properly, but just for fun...

"Huh? Couldn't hear you properly. Come again?"

Momo went another hundred shades of red.

"Want... want... wanna... wanna... gooo... wanna go out with...me?" He took a deep breath and force it out.

My heart went on another speed-drive at 987654321 beats/min.

"So... do I say yes?"

"Eh? Uh... uh... It's up to you... I guess?" He answered dejectedly.

I stood up and kissed his cheek lightly.

"Yes of course, dummy."

"YO-" I cut him off my putting my hand over his mouth.

"Quiet you baka. You don't wanna wake up the entire house, do you?"

"Uh... Maybe not..." He smiled sheepishly.

"Right then." I relaxed my hand. "When?"

"Saturday. Won't tell ya where we're going though." He winked and smiled mysteriously at me.

"Ooh mystery. I love suspense." I returned the wink and brushed my fingers on his cheek. He took them and planted a kiss on my hand.

"Goodnight then." He smiled.

"Night."

I can't wait for Saturday.

Next day. More swimming, tennis, glomping and piggyback-ing from Eiji. I'd even tried out my first Inui juice. Didn't taste as bad as it sounds. Hm. Fuji found a friend. Everyone else went out cold except for us two.

"You like them too?" He smiled at me.

"Not too bad. Could use some sugar though."

"Saa~ It always does." He nodded. Some guy. He never seems to be NOT smiling.

The next few days to Saturday seemed to drag on like forever. I can swear that my back is much stronger, like Eiji rides on it everyday.

Finally. Saturday morning. I'd decided to go for my morning exercise earlier, and then go back to sleep after that.

"Morning sleepy." A soft, soothing voice woke me up. A warm habd rested on my face and a thumb stroked my cheek gently.

"So early. Who's it?" I yawned, and turned my body around so I was on my side.

"You haven't forgotten, have you." That hand moved up to my hair and stroked it gently.

"Alright I'm up. Who's it who are you." I sat up, yawned, stretched, and squinted. "Oh. Oh-ohayo Momo." I stiffled a yawn. "Watcha doing in my, uh, room.

"You haven't forgotten, have you?" Momo took my hand.

"Huh?" Mornings usually made me very blur. It usually takes some time for information to sink into my head. "Oh. Oh yes. Give me a second, I'll get ready." I chased him out of my room. I quickly brushed my teeth and changed into a grey hoodie over a slim denim jean, and went down, still yawning.

"Finally." Momo smiled.

"Oh. Sorry did I take that long? I'm not really a morning person."

"It's okay. Come on, let's go." We went outside and he took my hand and pulled me along with him. I wondered where were we going.

"You hungry?" He suddenly stopped outside a cafe.

"Yeah." I guess I was, I haven't had breakfast yet. So, we went in.

Momo ordered almost the entire menu- waffles, sandwiches, cakes etc. Well, I should have known him long enough to know already. I chose a random number and counted it off from the menu to get the food I wanted. Strawberry shortcake. YUMMY.

Hm. There're some crumbs on his lips. I wiped it away with my thumb, like I did the last time, trailing along the sides of his lips, following it as it turned up into a smile. Momo took my hand and leaned in towards me. He kissed me lightly on my cheek.

"Come with me." He stood up.

Momoshiro Takeshi//The key to my lock\\18

Recap: "Hn." I downed my last burger.

...........................................

Afterwards, outside the burger restaurant, Momo and I bid everyone goodbye and went back. Eiji glomped me as a goodbye.

"Bye nyaa~!" He ruffled my short hair.

"Right. Bye Eiji." I gasped. I couldn't have been more thankful when he released me. Momo gave a very wry smile. I wondered what it meant. No, it can't be. Don't tell me he's thinking about Eiji and- nah. Not a chance. I guessed. Scary enough, my guesses tend to be correct. That's why YOU'RE a tensai. Damn you Shinera. Like how could you NOT know. Eiji's been jumping on and off you ever since you met him this MORNING. How'd you expect Momo NOT to be JEALOUS? I sighed.

"Nani? Shinera-chan? What's wrong?" I guessed he heard me sigh.

"Huh? Oh. Nothing... Nothing's wrong..." I looked at the ground, and then looked up and smirked at him playfully.

Oh god what is she thinking. I could almost hear him think.

Without warning, I slipped my hand into his and held on tightly. His eyes travelled from me, to our locked hands, then back to me. After 98777662525 years, he finally smiled.

"Let's go then!" and we ran off back home.

Gosh. His hands are so HUGE, and there's something about them that's so... warm. And just HOLDING his hand, it feels so... right. I don't really want to let go, no, I never want to let go. But why?

We stopped outside his house.

"You wanna play some tennis? There's still some time before you start coaching the kiddies."

"Okay then, but you'll have to lend me your racket. I don't have my own."

"No problem!" He grinned. He went upstairs and brought down a few tennis balls, two tennis rackets, and we headed for the tennis courts. There wasn't many people this early, only a few beginner kids in the other court. We got an open court, set down our stuff and started playing.

"One set match?" called out Momo.

"Go easy on me. I can't play very well." I called from the other end of the court.

I served first. The ball hit the net, rolled all the way up, and dropped down the other side.

"How'd you do that?" Momo gaped.

"I don't know." I was equally astonished.

My next serve went properly, as in bouncing over the net, but it bounced the opposite side of where Momo was going to hit. The first game ended in my favour with me keeping my service serve.

The next game, Momo's serve was good- in a way that I couldn't get it. But I got his next one, and returned it with a lob. BIG MISTAKE. Momo returned it with a dunk smash. I couldn't return that- not many people could anyway. For the rest of the game, I tried out some of the other regulars' moves, and the game ended in my favour.

"Not bad Shinera! You even beat me!"

"Nah. You weren't doing your best."

"Come on. Admit it-you're good."

"I'm not! OK this argument isn't going anywhere."

"Right. Anyway, it's almost time for the kid's swimming class right? Let's go back then." We went back home and got our stuff and went to Mrs. Kanagi's. The kiddies were exceptionally hyped up today.

Back at home kater, I was getting ready to sleep. Momo came into the room.

"Hey Shinera. You uh... you uh... you wanna... you wanna uh..." He scratched his head.

"Huh?"

"You wanna... wanna... gooouutwiimi?"

Momoshiro Takeshi//The key to my lock\\17

Recap: Tennis is WAAYY easy.

..................................................

I experimented with different hits, sometimes giving it extra topspins or backhand spins and alternating between right and left hands, literally sending the ball rolling all over the wall. Hn. Not VERY useful, I decided, unless you hit it to the net or something

"SUGOI Shinera!! How'd you do that?" I heard Momo's voice somewhere behind me. I turned around to see all the regulars, like this morning, behind me.

"Huh?"

"You're making the ball roll everywhere nyaa~!" Eiji span round and glomped me again.

"Eiji... Not again." I gasped for the third time that day. Hyper kid. It's not like HE can't do it HIMSELF.

"Eiji, get down of her." I heard Oishi say, for the second time that day.

"AWWW~~! I want a piggyback nyaa~!" Eiji pouted.

"I'll give you one if you'll stop holding on to my neck."

"Ah! Gomen gomen! YOSH! I get a piggyback!" He got down only to jump back onto my back again. Well, at least he isn't HANGING on my NECK.

"Get down Eiji. She's a girl, you know." Oishi had a tiny note of finality in his voice.

"AWWW~~! She agreed to piggyback nyaa~!"

"It's really okay, Oishi. He isn't that heavy anyway."

"See? She said okay nya!" He gave Oishi a cheesy grin and a peace sign. Because he let go of one hand, I felt him slide down one side, so I jumped to balance both sides.

"Wow she can still jump?" I heard someone say. Maybe Taka-san?

"Why not? He's so light." I jumped some more, then ran a few rounds around all of them.

"I'm LIGHT? Even Oishi says I'm heavy nya." Eiji said groggily. I guessed he was giddy or something because I ran so many circles around them.

"Yeah..." Everyone gaped at me, even Inui, before he returned to his book.

"And you're not even giddy nya." Eiji wobbled off me. I glanced around me. Isn't this like normal? All of them were staring at me like I'm weird or something. But you ARE weird, a small voice in me said. OK besides the fact that I really AM weird.

"Hey! I'm hungry! Wanna go eat burgers?" Momo called out.

"Yeah! I'm hungry too nyaa~!"

"Let's all go then!"

"YEAH! Let's go!" I started walking, and they followed.

After a while...

God they really walk SLOW. I was already in front of them. WAAAYYY in front of them.

"Hey! Shiny-chan! Slow down nya. You really walk fast!"

"It's her normal speed. Just, whatever you do, don't try running with her." Momo whispered the last sentence into Eiji's ear.

"Heard that!" I shouted loudly from in front. Momo sweatdropped.

"Nya? That's your normal speed? Then how fast do you run?" Eiji was curious.

"Race me then!"

"Oh gosh you really don't want to Eiji."

"Nya come on Momo, it won't hurt

"Fine then."

"NYA~!! Race you to that tree!" He pointed to some random tree some 50m++ away.

"Right. 1...2...3.. GO!" We counted, and off we sprinted.

I kept neck and neck with Eiji for about half the way just to keep him happy, then I ran off in front of him.

"First!" I slammed into the tree.

"Nyaa~! You're really fast!" Eiji touched about 5 seconds later than me.

"Nah. You're the slow one."

"See! I told you not to race with her. She beat me flat too." Momo came into the picture.

"Oh? She beat Momo too? Wow..." Eiji's jaw fell. I saw Inui writing stuff down in his green notebook.

Some tennis players. And I wasn't even sprinting. I shrugged on my bag. And he wasn't carrying his bag like I did.

When we reached the burger place, Momo and Ryoma ordered almost a dozen burgers, as usual, I ordered three, as usual, and the rest ordered one, as usual.

"Wow! You can really eat nya!"

"Hn." I downed my last burger.

Momoshiro Takeshi//The key to my lock\\16

Recap: Momo was awed.

.................................................

"NYAA~!! SHINY-CHAN! I thought you said you couldn't play tennis?" Eiji jumped on me after we finished the game.

"I only copied you all playing. It doesn't count."

"YES IT DOES!! Like how many people can hit O'chibi's twist serve after only watching it being played nya?" I didn't know how to answer.

"Oioi Shinera-chan! You're good!" Came Momo's voice.

"Nah." I waved it off.

"Yameshu Shinera. Captain of the swimming club. Won every single swimming competition and tournament ever since she joined this school. Always wears the guy uniform." Inui jotted down the new information in his green notebook.

"Hey. How'd you know my name? I don't remember telling anyone else other than Momo and Eiji." Hell. He was still writing in that bloody book of his.

"'Cause Inui's the dataman." I turned to see a blond-haired guy smiling with his eyes closed. Must be Fuji. He ALWAYS smiles. "And a diehard stalker." He mouthed. Heh. No wonder.

"Eiji, get down her. She can't breathe." Came Oishi's voice. It was true- I was already gasping for breath.

"Ah! Gomen gomen Shiny-chan! Daijobu deska?"

"Dai-daijobu." I gasped, massaging my neck. Kaidoh just hissed at the back of the crowd.

"Gah. It's almost time for class. Let's go." I grabbed Momo's hand and my stuff and we ran back to class. That blasted Inui was still taking down notes.

"You really play well, ya know. Sure it's your first time playing?"

"Yeah, it was."

"Wanna consider joining our club? You're really good."

"I prefer swimming more." I smirked.

"Hm. It's your choice then." He smiled at me. We reached class soon.

After I drilled out swimming practice that day, I went back to the courts to find the regulars. They were finishing their last game, and two girls were cheering for Ryoma- no, one was screaming out Ryoma's name, and the other one was blushing like crazy. But Ryoma didn't seem to give a second thought. Seesh. Fangirls. Not my favourite breed.

I sat down somewhere and watched them play. Eiji pranced about gracefully, doing his speciality acrobatics. Taka-san was in burning mode and screaming out english phrases, like "GREATO!", and "BURRRNING!!". Kaidoh hit a boomerang snake shot. Momo did his "super-great-Momoshiro-special-dunk-smash or something like that, and made a big hole on the ground. SUGOI. Fuji did a Tsubame Gaeshi, and Ryoma did a Drive B. Tezuka watched over them with Inui, but for a different reason- Inui was still writing down more stuff in that little green book of his. *Sweatdropp* Boy they WERE good.

I found a ball and a spare racket that didn't seem to belong to anyone, and hit the ball continuously on a wall, in the same spot.

Tennis is WAAYY easy.

Momoshiro Takeshi//The key to my lock\\15

Recap: "Hoi? Momo-chan, who's this nya?" Eiji suddenly noticed me.

....................................................

Eiji hopped off Momo and landed in front of me, his face inches from mine. I stared at him as he stared back at me.

"NYAA~~!! Momo! Your girlfriend is KAWAII nyaa~!" He jumped up and down, and then onto me.

"Ooffh!" He knocked the air right out of me. Gosh. This guy's really hyper, AND in the morning also.

"Uh, Eiji-senpai? Could you please get off her?" Eiji was on my back, and rubbing his cheek against mine.

"Ah. Gomen gomen... uh.. what's your name nyaa~? He hopped off me.

"Yameshu Shinera." I gasped, trying to get oxygen back into my lungs after Eiji knocked it all out.

"Nyaa~! Gomen Shinera-san! Nyaa~! Shinera is such a long name. I'll give you a nickname! SHINY-CHAN!!" He grinned broadly.

Oh god. Not another one. Ah well, it's Eiji. Can't REALLY blame HIM, can I? But, then again, is my name really THAT long?

Eiji was now prancing about doing all sorts of cartwheels and shouting my name for the entire world to hear. Momo and I sweatdropped.

"Eiji-senpai? We really have to get to morning practice, or Tezuka-bouchu will KILL us."

"NYAA~! That Tezuka-meanie. I don't wanna run LAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPS~!!" He grabbed both mine and Momo's hands and we flew all the way to Seigaku. Yeap. you got me right. FLEW.

Once there, Momo and Eiji went to change, and I found a place to sit. I found a tennis ball lying around on the ground, and Momo's racquet was sticking out of his bag.

Guess he wouldn't mind if I borrowed it for awhile. Just for precautions, I decided to hit the ball on the tree beside where I was sitting. There was a circular thingy on the tree, and I aimed for it, continuously hitting the ball in that little circle. I followed the pace of the ball, hitting it left and right and changing hands accordingly, while maintaining the same spot. Hm. This is quite easy eh. What I DIDN'T know was that the regulars were starting to crowd behind me, until-

"SUGOI NYAA~~ SHINY-CHAAAAAN~~!" It just HAD to be Eiji. I turned around to see 9 guys in Seigaku regular jerseys. Eiji jumped on me, again.

"Ooffh!"

"I didn't know you could play tennis nya!" Eiji glomped me.

"I CAN'T." I gasped.

"But I saw you hitting that ball nya! It always hit the same spot! ANNNDD you can change hands too nya~!" Eiji was really excited, he started bouncing on me, knocking the little air I had in my lungs all out.

"That was random hitting." I spluttered. I saw Momo's astonished face, and Tezuka's emotionless one. Boy, his face could really match MINE.

"20 laps. Everyone."

"nyaa~! Bouchu!"

"Eiji. 30 laps."

"Awwwww~~fine then." All of them truged off, leaving me gasping for breath. Damn you Eiji. I'm REALLY gonna GET you for that. It's the SECOND time today.

"You too. 20 laps."

"What for."

"Disturbing practice."

"Look, they found me, NOT the other way round."

"Take it, or it's 30 laps."

"Fine." I ran off. Seirously, with my 5km morning jog, this was peanuts. I overtook everyone at least 5 times, even Kawamura in burning mode, and finished my 20 laps faster than everyone else did.

"You've finished?" Came Tezuka.

"Yeah." I put my arms behind my head and leaned on the fence.

"Fast."

"Nah. Wasn't sprinting yet. Not fast."

"But still-" He pointed to the other regulars who were still running. "-you're faster than them."

"They're slow."

"What club are you in?"

"Swimming."

"Harsh training?"

"So-so."

"Who's the captain?"

"Me."

"Hn. Don't let your guard down. Keep it up." Tezuka eyed me carefully.

"Right." It's amazing how this conversation passed without a single facial emotion.

I watched the team play for the rest of the practice, studing each player's strokes and moves.

"Hey! Shinera-chan! Wanna play a match with me?" Momo called out to me. I shrugged.

"Whatever. Lend me a racket." Momo tossed me his spare racket, and we went down to the courts to play.

I tried out the few moves I saw earlier. I used Ryoma's twist serve, and Momo hit a lob, looking very surprised. I took the point with a smash. The 1st game ended in my favour. For the rest of the game, I tried out some of the other regulars' specialities: Oishi's Moon Volley, Kaidoh's snake and Fuji's Tsubame Gaeshi. The game ended in my favour, 6-4. While I tried out the moves, sometimes I fumbled, so Momo took the point. All the regulars watched, awestruct as I performed thier signature moves. Well, except for some, like Eiji's acrobatics, the Tezuka Zone and Inui's Data Tennis, for reasons obvious.

Momo was awed.

Momoshiro Takeshi//The key to my lock\\14

Recap: "Gonna." I pulled the string and cut it off, then I tied a dead knot. "Done."

...................................................................

"There's tennis practice tomorrow morning. You wanna come see us play? Provided you don't have swimming, of course.

"Morning practices haven't started yet. There're starting next week though. I'll come." I hung up my mended uniform.

"Yosh! It starts at 7.30, so we'll have to leave here by about 7."

"Noted. I'll see you tomorrow then." I leaned in towards Momo and whispered in his ear. "Goodnight." And gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight." He smiled and hugged me lightly before going back to his room.

I set the alarm to 4.30 for my usual morning exercise, turned off the lights and went to sleep.

RR-RR-RRIIIINNNGGG!!!

"Gah stupid alarm clock." I shut it off and threw it on the floor. Yup, that's how my alarm clock always spoils. I dragged myself out of bed and into the toilet to get ready. I changed into my sport things, with my swimming costume underneath. I was gonna run first, the swimming pool doesn't open till 5.30am. I stretched and did my usual 5km run and 5km swim before returning back to Momo- no, MY home. It was almost 6.45am, and Mrs. Momoshiro was already up preparing breakfast.

"You're early." She beamed.

"Just went out for morning swim and run." I put my bag down.

"Oh look! Takeshi's up." Momo just walked out of his room, all dressed up but looking half-asleep and still yawning.

"Oh-oh-ohayo mum. Oh-ohayo Shinera-chan." He yawned as he sat down to eat his breakfast. "You both are early."

I took a piece of toast and bit into it.

7.15am. We were walking to school.

"You play tennis well?" I started the conversation.

"Not bad... Not too bad. I play power tennis. You'll see later." He smiled.

"Hm. Right. I'm hopeless at tennis, can't play it even to save my life."

"Then I'll teach you to."

"Great. Oh. There's Eiji, right?" I saw a redhead walkin- no- SKIPPING some distance in front of us.

"Oh. Yeah. I'll call him. OI!! EIJI-SENPAI!!" Momo cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled.

"Hoihoi? Ah! MOMO-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAN~!" Eiji turned, ran, and jumped right onto Momo. Momo staggered under the sudden increase in weight. I watched all of this with interest.

"Hoi? Momo-chan, who's this nya?" Eiji suddenly noticed me.