Whoever Said College is Easy?

Chapter Four: Voila! Unveiling the Masterpiece

"...and he threw my things all over the room, Sempai!"

The former Kainan captain chuckled as the enraged youth vented his anger. His longtime nemesis, recently turned roommate by the cruel threads of fate --- Rukawa Kaede.

Kiyota had been going at it for about...two hours now? Maki had been surprised when the boy was practically carried by a group of freshmen to his room. Within the short span of time that Kiyota had been staying in the dorms, the others more or less considered their "relationship" as that of brothers. He was the one to set the kid straight, so to speak, and whenever he gets out of hand, trust Maki-sempai to be giving the boy a piece of his mind.

He is my protégé. Imagine that...

The MVP smirked at the thought.

"...I'll get him. I'll get Rukawa Kaede if it's the last thing I'll ever do. Mwahahahaha!"

Great. With the two rivals rooming together, there's no telling what may ensue.

It seems like he will have his hands full for the next couple of years.

+++

"AAAARGHHH!!!"

A figure jerked at the sudden groan of...despair? It had almost been an hour of waiting, of leaning against the wall and bearing the singing of the anonymous "bather", which to his surprise, he found strangely comforting. Well, of course he wouldn't admit that to anyone. It was...weird. Bizarre.

What now?!

Rukawa was more than just a little impatient. He was annoyed, frustrated and exasperated. All he wanted to do was get a nice, 8-hour sleep then a relaxing shower. Is that so much to ask? Did he not at least deserve that, like any other normal person? Life was so unfair.

Kaede shook his head, as if shaking the thoughts away. He WAS getting emotional over a bad day. It was just that, and it was not right. Such trivial matters are not worth the fuss.

"BAKA, BAKA, BAKA!!!"

A black eyebrow raised at the outburst behind the now seemingly mysterious door, concealing the "mystery man" who was taking his own sweet time in the bathroom. What's going on in there, anyway?

Rukawa reached for the knob, pulls back, ponders. He listens to the little noises and angry mutterings behind the paneled door. He *really* did not want to get involved in some petty catfight again. School hasn't even started yet, and he did not want to get off on the wrong foot.

I could always knock, duh.

He rolled his eyes at his...slow state of mind. Now, don't get the idea that our dear rookie's this stereotypical jock --- fantastic in sports but dumb as a post. True, he may have failed some tests and all, but that doesn't mean that nothing seeps into his brain. On the contrary, he tends to absorb the endless blabbering of his teachers. He just happened to doze off most of the time, that's all.

Kaede snapped into attention as he heard the creaking sound. Finally! He could feel his muscles tense. He had a good mind to give this guy a piece of his mind...or fist...or...

"Rukawa?!"

Shock on shock. The freshman was oblivious to the steam that was coming out of bathroom door, or to the voice of the equally surprised man, whose piercing eyes bulged out in disbelief, yet scrutinized him at the same time.

Who was this, he did not know. Hell, he couldn't even think, when this...godlike Adonis was standing in front of him, skin damp and glistening under the halogen lights...

...in all his *naked* glory.

The stillness seemed to stretch on to forever, and it probably will, if not for the miraculous gust of cold air that brought Michaelangelo's David back to life. He eeped and hid himself behind the strong, sturdy door, like a virgin seeking for protection. Only difference was, there was no rapist. There was no psychotic serial killer wanting to slash his throat or chop his head off with some bloodied ax.

But there was the fact that he just flashed his "assets" to his rival.

He didn't know which was worst, because right now, he was silently praying that someone would just shoot him in the head.

And what about the star of our little story? Well, let's just say that his pale skin has taken a bit of color, he could hear some loud thumping noises, and that his palms were clammy. But other than that? He's just his normal, stoic self. Fortunately, he decided to play on with that concept in his mind. He continued the charade, acting nonchalant. Good for him, too, that he somehow managed to scrape up the brain that sloshed down his ears. And even though it was uncharacteristic of Kaede, it was he who broke the silence.

"Do'aho."

Smart, Kaede. Really smooth.

A chuckle turned into some low giggle, then almost to a full-blown laughter, but he composed himself before he did something else stupid, like breaking away from the wooden door and revealing...stuff, again. Besides, Rukawa was giving him the patented glare he knew so well.

"You haven't changed, Rukawa-kun."

Who the fuck is this guy, anyway? Acting like he knows me...hmm...voice sounds familiar, though...

Blue, fox-like eyes narrowed in inspection, as if sizing up his prey, minus the lust and hunger, of course. To him, it was merely an innocent inquiry. Wet hair that was plastered on the man's face made it quite difficult to see his features, and with the rest of him obscured by the door, there was really not much for examination.

"Whatsamatter, Rukawa-kun? Don't remember me? Awww...I'm really hurt."

The man DID feign some sort of melodramatic gesture, and Kaede snorted at the theatrics. Interesting as all these were turning out to be, Rukawa was not really a very patient person. Aside from that, he was irritable, tired and grouchy to begin with, and not even a two-second peepshow could easily shake him out of that mood. It might have eased it down a bit, but well, it was still there.

So he shrugged and turned to go.

Well, whatever. I'm gonna go find some other bathroom and...

"WAIT!!! RUKAWA!!!"

Now he was really getting pissed, and he had no qualms about saying so. So what if he made another enemy? Maybe college wouldn't be so boring, then.

"Umm...can I borrow your towel?"

The supah rookie smirked, half-annoyed at the other's moronic antics, half-amused by all that's happening.

"Bakayarou."

"HEY!"

Turn with the left foot, start to walk away again....

"Okay, okay. I'm stupid, a brainless, dumbass twit. Now would you just give me a goddamn towel?!"

"Are you shouting at me?"

Then again, maybe he could stay for a while. Sweet revenge.

That's for making me wait. Hah! An hour! Just to take a shower!

"No, I'm not shouting at you...I just...please!"

"Please what?"

"Please lend me your towel."

Rukawa could just hear the restraint anger in the voice. Oh yeah, payback's a bitch.

"This is mine. I don't want your germs. Who knows what kind of disesase you have..."

"I DON'T HAVE A DISEASE!...shit...I didn't mean to shout...anything...can you ask from some other guy...no, no...didn't mean that...don't want more of this embarrassing crap spreading around....damn...please, Rukawa-kun..."

Okaaay...he's getting weird. Kuso, he looks like he's about to cry...

Rukawa threw the prized, green towel on the other's face, who was grateful enough to forget all those "sufferings" he was put through.

"Return it to me tomorrow morning. WASHED and DRIED. Understood?"

"Arigato!"

"What's your name, just in case I'd need to hunt you down if you forget?"

"I'm Sendoh."

...

...

"Oh."

...

Sendoh?! Akira Sendoh?!

Surprise. And there Kaede stood, staring yet again at the rectangular piece of wood which concealed his long lost...enemy? Nemesis? Acquaintance?

And what now?

...to be continued...