47 Practice

"What are you doing here, Suzuki-kun? Shouldn't you being helping your classmates or practicing for the festival?" Ando-sensei tilted his head in a way that reminded me of a golden retriever.

"Oh, uhm, they're doing fine without me. Besides, I will be practicing soon." I tried my best making excuses.

"Hm? Should I be concerned?" Ando looked at me with wet eyes that, again, very much resembled a dog's.

"Oh, no! I'm not being bullied or anything." I shook my head and put the newspaper back on the rack. "Really. I'm okay." I reassured him as I pulled out my phone. "It's about time I start heading to the field."

"Alright, but if you ever have any troubles, you can come to me, Suzuki-kun, okay?" Ando smiled warmly and patted my shoulder.

"Okay." I nodded with a smile of my own before getting an idea. "Ando-sensei, you wouldn't happen to need any help, would you?"

"Hm." Sensei put his hand under chin as he thought. "I could use help stapling some worksheets."

"How about I help?" I promptly offered.

This would be a good excuse to skip practice, right?

"Didn't you say you needed to head to the field?" Sensei innocently asked.

"Oh, uh, I can postpone. We still have plenty of time." I waved off his concern. "You need help now, right?"

"Suzuki-kun, are you really not being bullied?" Sensei asked in dismay.

"No, not at all. I just don't like exercise." I sheepishly scratched my head. Sensei looked at me doubtfully. "Is that a no?"

"Not at all. If it's fine, then I see no problem." Sensei smiled again. I nodded.

"Let me just text my... friend." I quickly started typing the message since Ando looked worried again when I hesitated to say the word "friend."

You: Hey, something came up, so I don't think I can come to practice.

The reply was instant.

Y: What?

Y: Why?

You: Ando-sensei said he needed some help.

Y: So? You already said you'd practice with me first! You can't just ignore me to help someone else! '^'

Y: Tell him to get someone else and that you have practice! :>

I tightened my grip on my phone. I suddenly felt like this wasn't going to go as planned.

You: But, I just said I would help him.

Y: Haru

Y: Listen to me

Y: Unless you want your secret exposed? ^v^

What?

I narrowed my eyes at the screen.

You: Do you mean my gender?

You: If so, I could expose you for putting cameras in my house.

Y: Haha! So you found out about the cameras again! Good girl~

I blinked.

You: Again?

Y: Oops!

Y: Don't worry about that! :p

That only made me worry more.

Y: Anyway, you broke and threw them away, didn't you? 

You: How would you know? What if I didn't?

Y: Mm, but I don't think you're levelheaded enough to not smash them after finding out~ You would want them gone as soon as possible, right? 

Y: I'm right, aren't I? =)

I gnashed my my teeth together.

How does he know me so well? Oh wait, he's been watching me!

Y: Seeing as you're not replying, I'm know I'm right~

Y: So you have no proof. But if you still want to say I did it, go ahead. It'll only hurt you, not me :D

Y: Anyway~ Would you like your little secret exposed?

Y: If not, reject him

"Suzuki-kun, you don't look so well." Ando whimpered from the side. "Are you sure you're not being bullied?"

No, sensei, I very much am getting bullied. Blackmailed, even!

"Uhm, looks like I can't postpone practice." I awkwardly told him. "My friend seems very adamant about practicing today. I'm sorry I can't help." I bowed during my apology.

"No, that's fine. It wasn't pressing work anyway. More importantly," Ando gently laid a hand on my shoulder, "if you are being harassed, let me know. I'll help anyway I can, okay?"

Ah, I'm not so sure how much you could help. If anything, with how Yuu's reacting right now, you might get killed if you help me.

I could only nod as I felt my phone vibrate again.

Y: You're not missing practice, right? >:(

You: I'm coming. Let me go change first.

Y: Good!

He has me in a collar and leashed, doesn't he...

I don't have PE this semester, luckily, so I never had to change with my fellow male students and deal with that mess. Even then, I could've worn an undershirt and been fine, probably. However, I will admit, the idea of changing in the same room with so many other boys was not appealing in the least.

Anyway, I headed to the bathroom and changed into the PE clothes I'll hopefully never have to use again after these practices.

Once I was done, I sluggishly headed to the field Yuu said we'd meet at. I've never been to the fields at the back, but I've heard from Akira and have a little bit of a view from our classroom. I have some idea of where it is.

After flitting around for a few minutes, I saw the light brown curls in the distance. To my surprise, there were quite a few people around him.

Hm. I thought he'd isolate us... Not that I'm complaining! Now, I'm not as scared as before.

As I walked over, I saw Yuu perk up and wave at me.

"There you are, Haru!" Yuu excitedly yelled. I stiffly waved back.

The others around him didn't exactly seem as welcoming...

"Some of the team wanted to practice, too, so they followed me." Yuu spoke with a smile, but I could tell he was not happy. I sweatdropped.

"O-Oh, that's why they're here." I was very uncomfortable. I was dealing with an irritated Yuu and irritated groupies.

This sucks.

"Are you fast, Suzuki-kun? Can you even keep up with Yuu-kun?" One girl went on the offense right away!

"I-I won't say I'm fast, but I'm not slow either." I weakly defended.

"And that doesn't matter!" Yuu cut in and stood in front of me as he defended me. "The three legged race is more about being in sync than being fast."

"R-Right. I knew that." The girl backed down in the face of her idol.

"Let's go, Haru. We'll practice over there." Yuu declared and grabbed my wrist. I was dragged, still taking in what happened. As I looked back at the fans, they were huddled around the one girl, comforting her.

She was the one who attacked me first! Give me your pity! And more importantly, save me Yuu!!!

"Are you okay, Haru?" I turned my attention back to Yuu when he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It wasn't anything too harsh." I reassured him and slowly looked down my arm to lock onto his hand around my wrist.

Please let go, sir.

"Of course, you are. Haru is strong, after all." Yuu gave me a squeeze before letting go. "We should get to practicing now."

I nodded and looked up to see Yuu staring at me.

"What is it?" I asked anxiously.

"I thought you would push your hair back. Won't it get in the way when you get sweaty?" Yuu innocently pointed out.

"Nah, it's fine." I waved him off.

While there's almost no point to hiding my face anymore, it's come to feel like a shield. If I were to move it aside now, I'd feel vulnerable and naked, especially in front of Yuu.

"Ehhhh~" Yuu whined in disappointment. "Fine, fine. Come here." Yuu waved me over as he pulled out a cloth.

Ugh, already?

"I just have to stand next you, right?" I asked as I stood beside him while still trying to stay as far away as possible.

"For me to tie it, yeah." Yuu bent down and yanked my foot closer.

"Woah!" I yelped at the sudden movement.

"Oops, I should've warned you~ Sorry!" Yuu looked up at me apologetically. Reflexively, I looked away.

"W-Whatever." I stuffed my hands into my pockets.

"Wow~" I heard Yuu lowly gasp.

"What?" I looked down in curiosity.

"I knew you were pretty small, Haru, but seeing our feet next to each other really makes the difference noticeable." Yuu giggle and then started poking my ankle.

"Hey!" I reflexively pulled my foot away, but Yuu already had the cloth wrapped around, which almost made me trip. Almost.

"Oh, are you sensitive, Haru?" Yuu laughed as he stopped and continued to tie the cloth.

In that moment, I came to the realization that this was going to be a very tiring and long hour.

"Just hurry up." I complained.

Once our ankles were firmly attached to each other, Yuu stood up. When he did, I grasped just how close we were going to be this hour. Yuu looked at me with a smile, obviously pleased with the situation, while I pointedly frowned.

"So, how are we going to practice?" I asked as I watched the others. They looked to be stretching.

"First, we need to come up with how we're going to move together." I heard Yuu answer.

"What do you mean?" Just as I asked Yuu grabbed my hand and held it up.

HEY! HEY!!

"We could hold hands or," Yuu let go of my hand but wrapped his arm around mine, "we could do this. But," Yuu pulled his arm away, "I want to do this way." He then threw that arm around my waist.

BRO!??!?!

As my brain processed all the touching Yuu just did and is still doing, Yuu tightened his grip around me.

"This way's the most stable. It's easier to move as one like this." Yuu didn't even bother to hide his smirk.