Title : Sounds of Unheard Footsteps

Category : Sket Dance

Disclaimer : All thanks to Kenta Shinohara, Shueisha, Tatsunoko Pro, and TV Tokyo.

Character(s) : Bossun

Rating : T

Summary : Maybe, just maybe, he already aware of those very situations.

Notes : Canon and spoilers, for you who only watch the anime.

Random Mumblings: I like Enka-styled!Dante.

[Earlier, Saaya came to talk to me.]

[She said, 'What do you think of Himeko-chan?']

It was so small, so tiny, and so faint. It was almost unnoticeable to him.

It was like somewhere hidden in him; something that had been ignored by him for a long time was showing itself more clearly at that time. It was a like a flame was being ignited on a candle.

Unfortunately or not, slowly but sure, the flame was getting nothing but bigger. He didn't know why. It was like him being in darkness for a long time, and that flame was the only light for him. It was so tempting to touch it, to hold it for the rest of his life.

But he didn't want it. Something was preventing him for doing that. It had been a long time for him to be that way, and he was always okay with that. Not that he was obvious of it, of course.

But now, the pressure of whether if he ignored or touched the flame was both unbearable, it actually left him stunned for a second.

At the same time when the flame was getting bigger and bigger, his heart skipped a beat for once. And this had made his eyes unconsciously widened, as he was speechless for a second.

He tried and tried to put off the flame, but how will he do it? No, can he actually do it?

['She's just a friend.']

That was why when Himeko said that it was her answer; it felt like the flame was getting tamer and tamer. He was thankful for that, and he finally let the safest answer for now.

[I think I would have said the same thing.]

Not knowing that simple sentence had left a sting for both of them.

He thought that at last the flame had already disappeared. He finally could back to his comfort zone, where he could live his life as always. But that thought was disappeared again for a second, when this certain thought was came to mind.

[Well, I had never thought about that kind of thing…]

[…until now.]

Some part of him finally fully realized that this flame was not completely disappeared. In fact, maybe it would take a longer time for it to be put off completely. And this part of him already more or less had come to acknowledge it. Though when will the time come, no one would ever know about it. Not even him. But it would surely, certainly come to both of them.

Not like he was obvious of it, of course.

*From chapter 138: 'School Trip Rhapsody Part 7' and episode 64: 'School Trip Rhapsody Part 2'.

[I'm interested in you, Onihime.]

[I'm so happy that you're going out with me!]

Or that least, that was how their conversation going in Bossun's mind.

He didn't like it; he hated it to be precise. Whether Katou's and Himeko's closeness or this weird, unpleasant feeling. He felt like he being left out! Or so what he believed.

Anyway, that was so blatant! Reading that very damn of ninja novel in front of him, even knew things about them! And she dared to go for a date with her new boyfriend even without telling him first! Was it her first date, huh? So that was why she really wanted to get a purikura album with her so called boyfriend even though she never got it with him for even once?

Argh! Why he was agree to come with her to this damn mall in the first place? And why the hell did she get so happy? What if her new boyfriend found them together and abducted him? He really should leave them two on their happy world right now, and he would back to an old, childish and lonely Bossun that everyone knew.

Like hell he would. The idea of him being abducted was already scary, but wasn't enough for him to back up. Maybe… or perhaps he better goes home right now.

Then it happened, Himeko was being hit by someone. Usually he let it off, considering that she on herself could scare a grizzly bear, let alone with her Kunpuumaru.

Though, suddenly, the same ol' flame was ignited once again in him. It made him to be brave enough to stand up over her. It was the same feeling when he wanted to protect his friends. But it was a bit different. Rather than him protecting her… it was more him being overprotective of her. And this certain part of him fully understood what it meant.

Not that he was obvious of it, of course.

[I don't have a boyfriend, okay?]

[I'm not interested in Kiri Katou!]

Wow. Just wow. He didn't know the reason and he only sure of one thing. Only those simple sentences that could make everything seemed well than before. It was like a heavy burden was finally being lift from him.

He didn't know that he could be this relaxed. So relaxed that the flame was hiding again somewhere in him. Once again, he was oblivious of why Himeko was angry with him.

Nevertheless, both of them were feeling happy over their first purikura. Not that they showed it clearly to each other.

Not that he was obvious of it, of course.

*From chapter 158: 'Lonely Boy'.

[Ooh, are you jealous that your little brother was stolen from you?]

[Why are you talking to him? Are you the enemy?!]

Seriously, it was pissing him off.

He didn't really care about Tsubaki! He could just go to anywhere he wanted! He could be the enemy! He didn't need to mad over that!—okay, he was a bit mad, but it was only a bit, or so he thought.

But Himeko. Did she need to become his enemy too?

He just happened to see them talking with each other. With a friendly atmosphere.

Such. Friendly. Atmosphere.

This time, the flame had ignited again. But it just made him more furious about what he saw.

She was being too friendly with him! Couldn't she understand it that he was an enemy? Don't talk to him that friendly! Heh, then let him see that his so precious President would be beaten by him!

And after that, it was like the world had turned upside down to him.

He saw it very clearly. She was being lift by the ninja with unnecessarily bridal-style.

All of his concentration was shattered in one go. The scene was very good much for his disliking.

What he disliked about too, that Kiri was the one who beside her at that time. At that time, it was like his mind was shouting, 'don't touch her as you like.'

In the end, he just unleashed his rage to the ninja. Poor him that no one didn't understand it even for a bit.

Just like that, both of Bossun and Himeko still didn't know why he was so angry at Kiri back then.

*from chapter 183: 'The Courtyard Battle of Winter'

[By the way, what happened between you and Umeko-san in the end?]

[I'm kinda curious too!]

There was nothing of unusual in this case. Most people like to dig out some details of someone's love story. He was not one of the exceptions.

But for some reason, he really wascurious of it. Like, he really was. Because, for some reason again, it was like he was hearing a story from his future self. Even though in this case was more likely from he himself but in the different period. What could he say? It was too same with his Sket-dan!

Perhaps that was the reason why he was feeling so down when he heard that the Director was eventually rejected by Umeko. No, really. He pitied the Director, but it more like he pitied himself. But it was Director's story, not his! He didn't need to feel so down over this! The Director really should heed his own advice!

What was quite interesting in here, the Otasuke-gumi stories was indeed very much the same with the Sket-dan's. Cyclops', Umeko's, and Shuuichi's personalities were likely the same with theirs too. Even the useless activities were the same too, and the three of them ended up admit it as the Showa version of Sket-dan.

If he thought about it more, and if their story was going to be more or less the same with the Otasuke-gumi, would he realize why did he feel down over hearing Cyclops' rejection?

*From chapter 195: 'Stories of Otasuke-gumi'.

[But her feelings… Surely…]

[You're always losing your composure whenever Himeko is in a danger.]

Did he realize it?

Did he actually know it?

Why did he not realize it?

That he already let the world knew—at least, to Switch and Sumi—it all clearly. That he cared for her more than anyone else. That he was willing to do anything if it was for her, even if he must dirty his hands.

He, the usually spineless boy when it came to and an amateur of fighting, was ready to kill anyone if they tried to mess with her. It was clearly a new side of him for everyone; even he didn't fully realize it.

[Thank you.]

[Sorry I'm late.]

Another thing that he didn't know of, that the flame was ignited once again in him, ever since when they even hadn't arrived at Osaka. It was bigger, greater, and more visible even to anyone.

When he wanted to see her hometown.

When he was panicking over her lost.

When he unleashed his rage to the guys who had kidnapped her.

When he finally found her face-to-face in a piece.

The last and the greatest, when she hugged him out of relief.

It felt like nothing was mattered anymore. Everything seemed okay at that time. Because they finally met with each other.

Both of them didn't know how much each other's presences meant to them. They didn't know that they could be this glad.

And once again, the flame was getting unbearable for him. He thought that he could hear her loud heartbeat. Or could be that was his? Or even both?

Having of this, he actually felt loss whether he should returned her embrace or not. Some part of it told him to do it, and the other told him the opposite. The pressure of both of those choices was way greater than when they were in the school trip.

Believe it or not, some part of him who wanted to do the first choice was won over him. That was why his hands were really almost there.

But sad to be said, it was only almost. For some reason, his 'friend-centered' mind was won over the flame at the last seconds. And that was why, he only hovered his hands, right then and there.

Fortunately, the flame didn't go hiding again as quickly as always.

He didn't want her to go anywhere without him knowing; he needed to know that she was well. At least for one night, let him knew that she was safe and sound with them.

That she was safe with him.

*From chapter 227-232: 'Trouble Travel'

_Fin_

A/N: Believe it or not, I finished this before the fourth chapter of 'The Not-So Secret, Special Rendezvous'.

If I could write it properly, there were quite many chapters that have hints of BosuHime. Especially for you who already read chapter 227-232 in Chinese or Japanese raw—it's in every chapter of that arc, it's even in every panels of the chapter damn it. No really, it's quite many for this kind of manga (Even though I was likely realized it at 'Lonely Boy' chapter). But for the sake of this fic, I only adapted the ones which were from Bossun's POV.

And the anime make it more visible than in manga (like You Got Mail! Arc, Otaku and Occult, It Feels Great to Be Little Princesses, School Trip Rhapsody). But they also didn't animate some of it (The Curtain Falls/Pixie Garden-hug scene, 1 Pervert, 8 Weirdoes, School Trip Rhapsody-bath scene-, The Problematic Member of Student Council Comes Again!-jealousy part-)

And for the Trouble Travel arc, I know few of Japanese words and I had read the raw, so it was pretty much what they said. Thanks to some sites too.