The day of the date went fine. Probably because both friends were pretending like the night before never happened. Well, that is, after they unglued themselves.

Oishi was at first mortified but Eiji made him laugh enough so that it was okay. Nothing weird happened after that, much to Oishi's relief.

Oishi finished the laundry. Eiji made breakfast. They cleaned up, then played a computer game, and talked about what movie they might see. They weren't meeting the girls until three and it was only around ten in the morning so they went to play some tennis. They played one game against each other when some guys older guys there asked them to play doubles. They lost the first game but then won the rest of them. They played against each other a bit more Oishi working on his Moon Volley and Eiji racing and leaping to catch it.

Before they knew it, it was after 1:30 and they had to race back to Oishi's to be ready in time. They each showered, dressed, and had to practically run to be there on time despite Eiji not being happy with his hair using Oishi's shampoo. They met the girls. Oishi was disappointed that the girl who had been calling him, Kiko, was not as pretty as he remembered. She was kind of plain and like many of the women he had dated, seemed to be a little too into Oishi without really knowing him.

Kiko seemed nice though, and so did her best friend Kiku. They could have been twins. Eiji charmed both of them immediately, first making jokes out of their similar names, and then finding out that they collected things his sisters liked. In just under ten minutes Oishi had already run out of things to say or talk about so he was very glad Eiji was there. They had not decided on a movie yet, and were discussing it when Kiko asked Oishi if he had another friend that could join them.

Kiko explained that her cousin from America, Eve, had just moved here and was living with Kiko and Eve's grandparents. Eve would be attending Seigaku and would be in their grade as a matter of fact. Kiko thought it would be nice if Eve met some people before starting a new school. Eiji overheard and immediately suggested Fuji. Oishi agreed and Eiji went to call the tensai. Kiko went to call her cousin.

Oishi thought this was working out quite well as he was not really interested in Kiko. While Kiko was giving Eve directions on how to meet them and where, Kiku pulled Oishi aside. She told Oishi to warn his friend Fuji to watch out for Eve. Kiko told Kiku that Eve had been in serious trouble. She was very wild when it came to partying and guys and had been thrown out of her school in America. As a last resort her parents sent her to live with her grandparents hoping that in a stricter environment the girl could get her life together.

Fuji agreed to meet them and arrived first. After he arrived, the boys went over to buy the movie tickets for the film the girls wanted to see, while the girls waited for Eve. Eiji was telling Fuji about his sister's crazy friend and that he spent the night at Oishi's.

"Ah," the tensai said in his velvet voice," that explains it."

"Hoi?"

"Yes, you both look a bit tired. Were you up late?"

At the same time Eiji said, "Nya. We got up early!"

And Oishi said, "We were up late!" Oishi felt his face turning scarlet.

"Which?" Fuji asked smiling.

"Both Fuji-senpai." Eiji jumped in and finished with, "And we played tennis all day today before we came here."

Eiji rambled on about their day and Oishi breathed a sigh of relief. Or did he? He felt close to Eiji but still prayed that he still would not say anything by accident or otherwise. Oishi was all for keeping busy and having this entire situation be over as soon as possible. Things with him and Eiji did not seem any different but Oishi too well remembered the sounds of them moaning as they came and the feel of Eiji's hungry, hot, mouth against his. He shook his head from his momentary reverie to hear Fuji ask Eiji quietly: "Ne....Eiji, did Oishi teach you what you wanted to learn?"

Oishi felt his face flush again but it was his turn in line so he did not hear the response Eiji gave the tensai. He bought the tickets with his heart pounding and walked back to where his friends were waiting, dreading every step back. He was saved from any further humiliation by the arrival of the girls with Eve.

Eve was a beautiful girl and she knew it. Actually on second glance, she looked like much older than any of the girls in his school. She looked 18 or older. Eve had long blonde hair and was very tan. She was dressed in a very short skirt and a half shirt that fit her overly endowed chest like a glove. She wore high little heels that clacked as she walked and a lot of makeup for the day. Oishi didn't really like girls who wore much makeup or who tried too hard to get guys to notice them. She was pretty but overall it was too much. He was not sure if what Kiku told him was the truth or if they were just very jealous of the girl. By the looks Kiko and Kiku were giving Eve, he guessed it was probably more the latter.

The one thing the girls did not mention was that Eve spoke very poor Japanese. Fuji within a minute noticed this and said smoothly in very good English, "Eve, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to help me with my English accent? Would it be all right with you if we talk in English tonight so I can learn from you?"

"Oh, sure, I guess," Eve said with a cool appraising eye, "but I gotta tell you, you have a really heavy accent. I may not be able to understand what you're saying."

"I would really appreciate it, Eve. Thank you." Fuji lead the girl inside, asking her questions about herself. Oishi and Kiko, Eiji and Kiku, followed in pairs. They bought snacks for the girls and themselves and then they all went to take their seats.

In the theater, Kiko and Kiku wanted to sit next to each other with Oishi and Eiji on the outside. Oishi suspected Eiji wanted to sit near him or near Fuji but Fuji sat next to Oishi with Eve on his other side. Both girls seemed to prefer to talk to each other and Eiji rather than Oishi, although Kiko once the lights went down said softly brushing Oishi's arm, "Thank you Oishi-kun. I'm glad your friend was able to come also and make Eve feel welcome. You're so nice." She leaned against Oishi although she kept talking mostly to her friend throughout the previews.

Oishi didn't see much of the film because about 2 minutes into it Fuji leaned over very close and whispered into Oishi's ear, "Ne...Oishi, I hear you have been teaching Eiji a few new things."

Oishi turned to look in terror at Fuji. The tensai's face was calm and smiling. He was still looking towards the screen. Oishi turned to look back as well and tried to say casually. "Oh?"

"Mmmm." It sounded like Fuji was purring to Oishi's alarm. Fuji leaned over closer to Oishi so that his lips were just millimeters away from Oishi's earlobe (the same earlobe Eiji had nibbled the night before!). To Oishi's horror Fuji said softly, so softly that his voice was only a silky whisper that only Oishi could hear, "Maybe I could use some lessons Oishi-kun? Eiji said he was getting very good."

Oishi just sat there and felt his palms sweating and his heart pounding. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and a sinking nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach. The only good thing about the situation, the one and only thing, was that the theater was mostly dark. He was blushing furiously and completely mortified. He could not even think about how Eiji could DO this to him when he PROMISED....

Fuji, who was still by his ear, just kept breathing softly, tickling the little hairs there. He said, "So Oishi-kun, when will you teach me? Because, I'd really like to learn......" Fuji paused and took a breath. Oishi felt it on his sensitive ear.

Just when Oishi was seriously considering jumping up and running out of the theater, Fuji finished with, "How long do you think it would take me to learn.....the Moon Volley?" Oishi froze. While Fuji continued, "Ne, its a great move and Kikumaru said you do it very well. He said you're a wonderful teacher...."

Moon Volley? That's ALL?!

Oishi turned to look at the leaning so close to him (now more than close enough to kiss) tensai who had traded in his characteristic benevolent smile for an evil grin. The tensai's bottomless dark blue eyes were fixed on Oishi's and Fuji's smile deepened like a predator assessing his prey.

Oishi realized his own eyes must have mirrored only utter abject fright and confusion while the look on his face was probably one of pure horror. Finally Oishi found his voice, remembered to breathe, relax, look back at the screen, and stammered a whisper back, "Fuji-senpai, I would be, honored, to teach you, anything, anytime, you would like...." Oishi tried to keep his breathing steady and watch the movie, or at least look like he was.

Fuji leaned back to his ear and said, "Mmn. Thank you Oishi-kun, I just may take you up on that most generous offer someday...." He whispered it sounding like he was purring. As if he was enjoying this.

The tensai kept smiling maliciously as if waiting for Oishi to say something more, or maybe even to confess something, Oishi wondered panicking. When Oishi continued to stare ahead at the film and not respond, Fuji then slowly turned away from Oishi and back to the film and Eve. He seemed almost disappointed that Oishi wasn't going to stammer and squirm anymore. Oishi saw out of the corner of his eye the tensai was still grinning wickedly though, still looking dangerous.

Oishi fought to keep from putting his head into his hands in worry. Just then, Kiko leaned to him and said, "Oishi-kun, what did your friend ask you? I heard him say something about Kikumaru-kun?"

Oh god. "It was....it was nothing, it was just about.....tennis."

"Oh." Kiko leaned in a little closer, "Do you think I look nice Oishi-kun? I bought this outfit just for you and our date today."

"I....Yes. Very....nice." Oishi could not remember anything about her in the dark theater. He didn't even remember what she was wearing. He couldn't even remember the color of her eyes.

Oishi never noticed a second of the movie after that. Only that his date had put her small cold hand into his at some point and said disgustedly, "Oishi-kun, your hands are all rough!"

"Sorry," Oishi tried very hard not to think about Eiji's rough hands, "its from playing tennis."

Kiko turned and whispered to her friend a moment then turned back to Oishi and said, "Kiku says Kikumaru-kun's hands are all rough too." Oishi almost closed his eyes. Almost. In the dark theater he kept thinking about last night knowing it wasn't the time or the place. Kiko asked him to put her arm around her because she was cold. Oishi did.

"Oishi-kun I really like you." She whispered to him settling closer to him. "I've been thinking about you a lot since we met. Do you think about me? Do you like me?"

Breathe he kept saying to himself. Breathe. "Sure. I....I enjoy talking with you." Oishi could not find another thing to say. This was all going so different from how he had planned. Maybe if he could just somehow talk with Eiji and make sure he never said anything to Fuji, even by accident, then he could relax. But how was he going to get Eiji two seats away to talk to him. That was no good. What was he going to do?

Kiko leaned into him a little more. She seemed so tiny and frail after Eiji's strong shoulders. "Oishi-kun, will you, kiss me? Please?"

Oishi was going to say no, not here, maybe later, and turned sideways to face his date a little more. He was trying to think of a reason why not here or find something to say to her when he noticed behind his date who was turned sideways to face him he could just see Kiku and Eiji. They were obviously kissing. Eiji didn't even know her. She was a girl Eiji had just met!

So Oishi realized he was, most likely, all worried about nothing.

Eiji apparently had no problem with what happened. He was kissing Kiku and they seemed to be doing just fine. In fact they seemed to be really into it.

He could see Eiji's hands on the dark sweater of Kiku's back like they had been on Oishi's back the night before. Oishi stopped looking. He had to stop looking at that point. So Oishi put his hand on Kiko's smiling, delighted face and leaned in to kiss her.

It did not help that Kiko was terrible at kissing. Not at all.

Kiko met his kiss with an eager wide open mouth like a gasping fish. Her tiny bowed mouth now loomed huge to Oishi. It felt like she licked his chin and then stuck her tongue into his mouth. Then she went in broad sloppy wet strokes in a big circle counter-clockwise like her tongue was running laps in his mouth. She must have had an odd mint in her mouth before kissing him because she tasted like medicine or antiseptic mouthwash that stung. It actually burned a little. She was pinching the muscles on Oishi's arms as she leaned into kiss him more with her cold hands and it was almost as if she knew every spot where he was sore from tennis and aimed for them. She leaned more into him and was practically in his lap.

Oddly enough, Oishi remembered there was another girl a while back who kissed him nearly the same way. He couldn't remember her name. He found that he almost laughed out loud and fought to suppress it. He thought to himself that if he had let the bubble of laughter come out he would not be surprised if it sounded a little hysterical.

Just when he thought it was probably the worst kiss on the worst date he had ever had and things could not possibly get any worse, the scene on the movie changed to a bright day shot. The theater was much lighter now that his eyes were used to the dark. Kiko put her arms around him drawing him closer. Oishi was just trying to keep his tongue away from hers because it tasted so terrible. Oishi found he was looking again past Kiko over to see what Eiji was doing.

Behind Kiko and Kiku he could just see Eiji's eyes looking back at him. Oishi was not even aware that he was looking at Eiji again until his eyes and Eiji's eyes met. And locked. Oishi felt totally strange. This was weird. Too weird. Oishi broke the kiss with Kiko off telling her he wanted to see the rest of the movie and sat there with his arm around her for a long time, trapped, and trying to resist the urge to wipe his mouth that felt stinging, wet, sticky, and tasted gross.

Kiko seemed to be fine for a while and then to Oishi's new horror, started snaking her hand towards Oishi's lap. He could clearly see her pale white hand slithering across his dark pants further and further creeping slowly towards his crotch. She started maneuvering her mouth towards him again. And she had put a fresh foul mint thing in her mouth like she was going to kiss him again. "Oishi-kun?" She said it softly. He pretended he didn't hear her and wished it was all over.

She put her hand on his crotch and found nothing. He was soft. Oishi was not even remotely turned on. He froze at her touch there.

He was mortified knowing Fuji could probably see and would watch. Oishi felt bad for some odd reason that he was not hard. Not even a little bit even with her touching there.

Kiko started pressing her hand in, digging her fingers in like she did to his arms, and moving around tracing his outline as if she was looking for some reaction. As if she expected him to not be able to resist her.

He withdrew his arm from around her back and took her hand away. He moved it back to their shared armrest holding her hand lightly trying not to touch any of his calluses, which she made a face at before, to her cold skin. He tried to pull himself slowly farther away in his seat, away from her but as if he was just getting more comfortable. "Oishi-kun, Is everything, okay?" Kiko asked finally. He could not take her asking him to kiss her again. He felt embarrassed and he felt a bit....angry although he really couldn't say why.

"Yes. Fine. Excuse me, I am just....going to the washroom. I...I'll be right back."

"But....but......Oishi-kun, the movie is going to end soon."

"I'm sorry, you can tell me what happens, okay?" He tried to smile and then get up as calmly as possible and walk, not to run, to the exit. He was checking over his shoulder every few steps to make sure she wasn't behind him, following him.

He was so focused on getting away that he almost knocked Fuji over exiting the men's room while he was going in.

"Oishi!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry Fuji-senpai! I...I didn't see you!"

Fuji followed him into the room, gave a little chuckle and said, "Ah. Eiji was just here a minute ago."

"Eiji, oh?" Oishi hadn't even noticed he was gone.

"Mmmm, he said something about, medicine drops?" Oishi made a face and nodded glumly. "Would you care for a candy?" Oishi went to gratefully take one and then withdrew his hand. Fuji enjoyed flavors that most other people tried to avoid. "Don't worry Oishi," Fuji said smiling, "they're only orange flavored."

"Oh! Thank you. Thank you very much." Oishi took one and went to wash around his mouth and face before eating the candy.

Before he had a chance Fuji glided in closer to him and said, "Ne, Oishi, can I smell your breath to see what it was?" Oishi did not even have a chance to answer. Fuji leaned closer still, putting his lips and nose right below Oishi's mouth and sniffed, nearly kissing him. "Mmmmm, actually that smells interesting, I'll have to find out what it is. Do you know?" The tensai was so close, and staring up into his eyes. His voice was a velvet purr. Any tiny movement and they would be kissing.

Oishi hurriedly took a back step away, and wiped his mouth shaking his head no before Fuji decided to taste! "No." He said. Then he put the orange candy in his mouth, "No, but, it burned."

"Ah. Eiji said so too." Then Fuji walked out smiling and Oishi followed completely bewildered.

As it turned out the movie had just let out so both he and Fuji had to wait for everyone to exit to find their friends. Kiko marched up to Oishi asking if everything was okay. She looked annoyed. He assured her he was fine, everything was fine, and he took her hand trying not to touch his calluses to her cold skin so they could exit. For some reason he could not look Eiji or Fuji in the eye right then. His date, placated, was telling him how the movie ended, but he all heard was Eiji talking about the movie to his date who was of course laughing at everything he said.

Fuji was next to him on his other side, and he suddenly said to Eve, "Dancing? Yes I know a very good place to go dancing. We should all go next Saturday."

Kiko said, "Oh Oishi-kun won't that be fun? Another triple date." Oishi nodded trying not to show how down he was feeling. What he wanted to do right then and there was go home, get into bed, and put the covers over his head for a week or longer. But then he thought about his bed and what had gone on with Eiji in it and he shook his head.

Kiko looked at him shaking his head and looked confused. To cover it he said, "You can go, right?" He asked Kiko hoping she said she could not.

"Yes!" She said smiling.

Fuji, surprisingly, finally ended the date from hell telling the girls he had to be their good senpai as they had practice before school early the next morning. Kiko realizing the date was over, latched herself onto Oishi as if she wouldn't let him go. Wanting to escape, Oishi gave Kiko a peck on the lips and a chaste hug goodbye, (well he tried, but her mouth was wide open again so it was awkward at best), he saw Eiji hugging his date, he couldn't tell if they were kissing, figured they were, and then he turned away to see Fuji really kissing Eve, right there on the street.

If Tezuka did something like that Oishi could not have been more stunned, well, maybe a little, but almost as much. For the first time in a long while Oishi found he and Eiji were looking directly at each other, mirroring shock at Fuji. Then they both looked away.

When Fuji let her go it looked like she was reeling a bit and unsteady on her tiny high heels. Fuji smiled and said as calm as could be in English, "Thank you Eve, I had a nice time, have a good first week in school. Maybe I will see you." Fuji smiled and shrugged. Eve for her part looked surprised and flushed, and then she looked amazed as Fuji walked away from her.

Soon after the guys and girls parted company.

Oishi and Eiji had not eaten "real" food in hours and Fuji suggested a burger place nearby. There again everything seemed normal. Oishi thought to himself that he would only really talk about his date if Eiji asked and maybe only if Fuji wasn't around. He then wondered if Eiji didn't have a good time. He seemed to, but if Eiji did then he would have invited the girls to come to eat with them. But he hadn't. Interesting.

Eiji in fact said nearly nothing. He just kept eating bite after bite while Fuji who sat between them did all the talking. Oishi could barely eat and felt very depressed. He couldn't really say why though. The date was bad but his friends were there, right?

Before they went their separate ways Oishi on his and Fuji and Eiji on theirs as they lived nearer each other, the subject of the terrible medicine mints came up. Eiji really made Oishi laugh describing their stinging, terrible, noxious taste.

All Fuji said was he forgot to ask them what they were. They smelled so interesting too.

Oishi walked home and was nearly there when Eiji called his cell phone.

"Hoi, Oishi are you mad at me? Is something wrong? Did I....did I do something wrong?"

"No Eiji. Not at all. Why do you ask?"

"Nya! Oishi........you seemed.......you were far from me."

"Eiji, I'm sorry. I really didn't ignore you or anything. We had dates. Its different when its just you and I. Right?" A flash of last night, kissing Eiji, tore through Oishi and he shook his head to dismiss the thought.

"Oishi, did you like her? Do you like Kiko?"

"She's nice."

"oh."

"You seemed to like Kiku, Eiji." For some reason that really bothered Oishi. Eiji did not even know her.

"She's okay. Hoi she tasted really, really bad! And that stuff burned!"

Oishi laughed, "It was awful!"

Eiji laughed. "Hoi! Oishi you really kiss much better!" Eiji was still laughing and did not notice over the phone that Oishi had stopped laughing. In fact he even had stopped walking and just stood there, standing frozen ,with his mouth hanging open. Yes, he had thought about it, and yes, it was very true, and yes, last night was, well it was the best kiss Oishi had ever had, but he would never SAY it.

There was along pause.

"Oishi, Hoi? Oishi! I....I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry. Don't worry. I'm your best friend. I won't ever tell. Not even Fuji-senpai."

Oishi closed his eyes and tried to just take a deep slow breath. And then one more after that. "I know Eiji. I'm not worried."

Eiji laughed. "L-I-A-R!" He said in a singsong voice. "Your lips are probably pressed together tight and there is a wrinkle between your eyes."

Oishi laughed a little and forced his face to relax. "How did you know?"

"Because I know you. G' night Oishi. See you tomorrow."

"G' night Eiji."

He hung up and put the key into the lock of his house. He took off his shoes, said hello and goodnight to his family, and got ready for bed. He was going to take a fast shower and then decided to take a quick bath to help him relax. He felt grungy. He put some of the last of his sisters bubble bath into the bathtub on impulse, reminding himself to buy more for her. He lay down in the bathtub in the same spot Eiji was only about 24 hours before, and smiled at the memory of his friend splashing bubbles and water everywhere, and wanting him to get into the bathtub with him. He relaxed back noticing he was stiff and sore in different places than normal. The different muscles he used grinding against Eiji he thought and tried to dismiss the thought.

He dried himself off and dressed for bed. He put his stuff for school together for the morning, set his alarm, made sure his fish were fine, and lay down. His bed felt huge with just one person in it and almost unfamiliar. He realized as Eiji talked to him and said goodnight he probably was in his bed where they slept two nights ago. Oishi wondered if that bed felt big to Eiji and if Eiji was asleep by now.

Oishi lay on his side, and considered masturbating. Then he decided not to because he was tired, his skin was a bit sore and raw from the friction of the night before, and most of all because he was a bit afraid of what he would think about. He was worried he would not think about Kiko or her cold snaking hands, or awful kiss, all of which certainly were more appropriate, right?

He was worried he would think more about Eiji's warm, wet, mouth, his full lips, his soft skin, the moan he made when Oishi sucked gently on his tongue, and his strong callused hands. He was worried he would think more about the noises his friend made when he came and how his friend just knew to press his hips up while he pressed down, or the way Eiji kissed his fingers and asked him to please......kiss him.

Oishi shook his head to clear the thoughts that were making him hard again. Amazing that Kiko had said nearly the same thing to him and it did nothing for him. He lay there, thought about things, and worried for a long time.

Finally frustrated and exhausted, he flopped over to his back, noticing that one of his pillows, the one Eiji mostly used besides his shoulder, smelled a bit like Eiji. Oishi pushed it away and lay on his other one.

Oishi fell asleep finally a long while later. He slept fitfully, without realizing he had the pillow that smelled like Eiji on his chest, covering his chin, near his nose.

He slept with his arm around it.