just one of the boys

diclaimer: I dont own them...

**not yet edited** pls. excuse some typo and gramma errors

Just one of the Boys

Fan Fiction
Yoko Yamamoto and Akira Sendoh

“All right! I like sports and I do extremely well on them. Sometimes, I outshine boys especially in basketball. How can help it if all those boys are just clumsy jerks? They keep on telling me that I’m like a tomboy and if I don’t stop this not-so-demure act, I’ll never get a boy. I don’t care because boys don’t have any place in my mind right now. Not unless I can find a ‘real guy’ who can catch my attention… I’m still searching…” –Yoko Yamamoto

***
CONGRATULATIONS, YOKO YAMAMOTO FOR WINNING THE INTERHIGH SWIMMING EVENT… She let out a sigh. It’s nothing new. She always excels on everything - from academics to sports. But, she is not popular among her co-students because she’s just a transferee to the Shohoku High. Being a freshman and a transferee kind of pushes her to the empty corner.
A group of popular girls giggled as they passed Yoko. One of the girls was Ayako, the manager of the school’s basketball team. Yoko watched Ayako’s long brown curls dropping from her cap’s side.

“Excuse me, Ayako-san…” She approached Ayako.

Ayako turned to her with a curious look in her eyes. Somehow, she envied Ayako. She is the only girl who can defeat her academic and athletic skills. It always makes her wonder how an intelligent and super sporty girl like Ayako managed to maintain a sweet lovely image. And most of all Ayako has a boyfriend, and not just any boyfriend; she has Ryota Miyagi, the number one point guard in the prefecture, marvelously cute and a true gentleman! The thought about Ayako and Miyagi-kun makes her tremendously envious.

“What is it, Yoko-san?”

“You know my name?” Yoko felt very honored that a famous girl like Ayako knows that there is a person named Yoko Yamamoto roaming around the planet.

“Of course, who wouldn’t know the first placer in the inter-high competition? Anyway, what is it?” Ayako smiled.

“Uh, I… I was wondering if you need an assistant manager… you know…” She stammered secretly hoping for Ayako’s approval.

“To tell you the truth,” Ayako began “the inter-high finals is near and I might need a little help.”

“Sugoi!” Yoko exclaimed throwing a fist to the air. Realizing what she had done, she blushed. “Oh, I mean… thanks!”

“No big deal! Meet you at the gym at four… don’t be late.” Ayako winked and started walking away with her popular friends.

Feeling much better, Yoko breathed deeply. Well this is a good start…

************************************************************************
The final bell rang…

Yoko gathered her book from her wooden, vandalized desk. She’s feeling excited about the whole basketball thing.

She stepped outside the room to a student-filled corridor. Students in their building were all loitering at the side of the dust-stained blue wall. Taking a right turn from their classroom, the locker corridor went into her sight.

She searched for locker number 155 from the yellow-painted lockers. While searching for the locker, she tried to feel the piece of paper the office secretary gave her which contains her six-digit locker combination. Honestly, the locker color sucks –yellow paint for lockers? Pitiful! She thought.

Upon reaching her locker, she was held aback because of shock –there was a couple kissing blocking the door of her locker.

She tapped the brown-haired girl. The couple stopped their little intimate session at looked at Yoko as if she was an alien.

“I think we should run a schedule here…” Yoko suggested.

Laughing the couple started walking away from her. Weird and wild…she thought. She opened the locker, put her books in, and got her working clothes. Staring at her working clothes, she smiled. At last, I could find tough guys –real guys!!! She sighed loud.

She headed to the ladies’ room to change and after that, she stared at her mirror image. She looked good in her short denim shorts and mid-rib top. The cream color of her top made her brown hair really stand out. She brushed her hair up into a tight bun and smiled at her reflection, feeling satisfied.

She started walking outside the building towards the gym. A red steel gate appeared in her sight –the gym. From outside, she could hear shouts, bounces of the balls and whistles.

She held the gate knob and sighed. Here goes nothing…
Her heart pounded. Tough guys…

She opened the door and a shiny floor welcomed her. All the players stopped at their routine upon feeling her presence. She felt shy, for the first time she saw guys with well-built bodies and toned skin. Real Men.

But one particular guy caught her attention –a boy in faded red shirt. He didn’t even turned around to look at her. He just continued to warm up. She found him handsome… but she didn’t let him distract her.

“Ko… konichiwa!” Her voice trembled.

Nobody said nothing and nobody didn’t even blink –well, except for the unusual guy.

“Oh!” A female voice spoke and broke the silence –Ayako. “Boys, this is Yamamoto, Yoko. Yamamoto-chan will help me manage you boys until the inter-high. Be nice!”

The curious looks of the boys were changed to shy smiles and a tall gorilla-resembling guy approached her.

“I’m Akagi, Takenori. I’m the captain of Shohoku’s Basketball Club.” He reached his hand so Yoko would shake hands with him.

Then after a little while, Ayako toured her around the gym. She showed her the locker room and the CRs. She also told her the names of the club’s members and their respectable positions. From Ayako, she knew the unusual boy’s name.

The boy’s was is Sendoh, Akira. She learned that he was a transferee. Previously jersey number seven in Ryonan High, his former school; he was now wearing jersey number eighteen since Ryota Miyagi was the original Shohoku number seven.

She watched the club’s performance and requested a meeting after the training.

At exactly seven in the evening, the training ended. The players were given thirty minutes to fix them selves.

The meeting was held at the middle of the court were all players were requested to sit down the floor and listen to what Ayako and Yoko have to say.

Ayako was the first one to speak. “Everybody, as you know Yamamoto-chan is my assistant. I want you to respect her as much as you respect me.”

After that reminder, she gave the spotlight to Yoko. All the players’ eyes were glued to Yoko and she felt nervous.

“First of all you can call me Yoko to avoid formal address, ok?” She forced a smile to the players.

The guys all nodded and returned her smile.

“Now let’s get back to business.” She picked a ball and walked to the center of the court.

All of the boys are wondering what she is trying to say, but they kept their mouths shut except for a red-haired guy –Sakuragi.

“Don’t be a fool. You can’t shoot that! A girl is a girl! You’ll lack force, I bet!” Nyahhahaha! He let laughter escape his mouth.
Yoko turned to Sakuragi and smiled then she looked at the basket…aimed…and…shoot! The ball went in the basket swiftly.

“Ahhhhhhh!” Sakuragi let out a scream. “Is she a she?” He asked.

Akagi smashed a fist at Sakuragi’s face. “Ba-ka…” Then he turned to Yoko “Gomen, Yoko-chan.”

Everybody was stunned not because she did the shot, but because they didn’t expect a girl could throw in much force.

She returned to the group’s front. “I’m sure all of you can do that. All of you are good individual players. But you’re only problem is you lack teamwork.”

Akagi felt ashamed at his members especially Sakuragi who was always showing off.

“I’ll let you think about that issue. But for now, let’s all go home so you guys can sleep and rest…” Yoko said in a calm voice. “Thank you for attending this meeting. See you guys tomorrow.”

********

She felt great being in front of the club’s players. She was satisfied to see real men. These men have respect and endurance.

She walked towards her home. The road was dark softly lit by the houses lights. The evening breeze kissed her cheeks and the soft sound off the fireflies seemed to hug her ears.

She was enjoying her walk but her problem visited her thoughts once again. ‘How can I find a guy if I’m always acting like a boy like I did back in the gym?’ Oh my God! Now that I found the guys I’m searching for, the question is ‘will they still like me after what I just acted back in the gym –all the I-was-able-to-shoot-half-court thing’ KUSO!!!!

Her mind went in circles until she heard someone calling her name. She spun around and saw the unusual guy back in the gym –Akira Sendoh. What the…

“Matte!” Akira shouted from a distance.

Okay, he ran after me… Am I missing something here? She thought. Why would he ran after me… does he like me? Her heart pounded.

Akira Sendoh reached her.

“What is it, Sendoh-kun?” She shyly asked.

“Well, I just want you to know that you did well today.” He smiled a sweet smile, which made her weak at her knees. She thought that Sendoh was even more handsome at his freshly worn plain white shirt.

“Honto-ne?” She can’t believe her ears. Are her ears playing tricks on her? Are her ears actually telling her that the ‘real guy’ she’s been looking for is actually talking with her? Oh my God! I’m going to have a nervous breakdown!

“I think you’re boyish skills are good!” He added

Boyish! Did he say that? He doesn’t find me as a girlfriend material. Maybe he just admires my skills! Darn!

“But I also think you’re pretty and I would love to know you better…” He continued while playing with the strap of his blue backpack.

He thinks I’m pretty! And he wants to know me better… Now I’m really going to have a breakdown! She smiled at looked at his warm smiling eyes.

“So, how about a tea tomorrow right after the basketball practice?” His eyes were filled with hope that she would say ‘yes’ to his offer.

‘Hmmm… okay!” She was just so happy! Wow! My first date ever!

“Great!” He let out a smile of relief. “See you tomorrow! Good night and take care!” Then he turned away from her and ran towards the opposite direction –the direction of his house, she guessed.

She was left in the middle of the road –stunned! Okay… breathe Yoko-chan. She told herself. She let a deep sigh smelling the fresh evening breeze.

Maybe this is a good school...

Maybe I’m not that bad after all...

Maybe Sendoh-kun is quite cool...

Maybe he likes me…

Maybe he likes me and he’ll love me in the long run…

Maybe…