Nights like this are my favorites. No school tomorrow, just tennis, tennis, tennis, and Renji and I have to be up so early that we spend most Saturday nights over each other's houses. I like Renji's house better than ours; their backyard is bigger by 1.1 meters square and Renji's mom lets us eat candy. Mine only gives lectures about how sugar is bad for our teeth before telling us about kilocalories and fat content, as though the two of us don't already know that. Renji and I know everything.

There aren't any clouds out tonight, just a lot of stars, and little cardboard cups (mine strawberry, his chocolate) lay next to our sleeping bags, empty now, the crackers only crumbs, the pink and brown frosting food for the ants. I think Renji's flashlight is under my back, but I'm tired and relaxed and Renji's head is resting on my belly and I don't want to bother him. When I breathe in and out his head rises and falls, making his bangs fan every time my stomach moves. He looks ridiculous.

"Sadaharu," Renji says and I can already hear the warning note in his voice. He always knows when I'm laughing at him.

"Renji," I say in mock seriousness, adjusting my glasses even though I'm lying down. I wish I could get the sun to catch the lenses right now, but that trick doesn't work on Renji anyway. He can always see right through me.

"You're an idiot," he says fondly, voice laced with exasperation.

I snort. "Takes one to know one."

I stick my hands underneath my head and gaze up, focusing on the pinpoints of light and attach the lines and angles in my head: Orion, Canis Major, Leo, Hydra. Little things, so far away from us and from each other, all joined together, making connections.

"Hakase, what's your favorite constellation?" Renji asks out of the blue. He's probably mind-reading again, but I'm used to that.

"Gemini," I reply instantly.

Renji makes a disappointed noise. "Your birth sign? How unexpected for a scientist."

"It's your birth sign, too," I remind him. "I don't believe in astrology. I just like the story."

"The story?"

"You know it!" I say accusingly. "Two brothers, one mortal, another immortal, separated by death and reunited in the constellation. It's nice."

Renji laughs. "You're such a girl, Sadaharu."

"Shut up, Kyouju."

He doesn't, but I didn't really want him to. "Look, it's a shooting star. Make a wish."

"A wish? How unexpected for a professor."

"Just do it."

"Fine." I squeeze my eyes shut and make my wish, the only thing I know I've ever really wanted.

Renji rolls so he's facing me, and I prop myself up on my elbows to look back. "So?" he asks, almost accusingly.

"So what?"

"What did you wish for?"

"There is only a 2% chance it will come true if I tell you."

"It doesn't count when it's your best friend."

I grin at him and stick out my tongue. "It does, too. Stop ruining my chances at ultimate happiness."

"Is that what you wished for?" Renji is even more serious than usual, and I wonder what's happened to make him look that way.

"No. No, I wished for us," I say, wanting to cheer him up. I don't want anything to bother him, not ever. "We're going to dominate everything one day, Kyouju. Next year, Seigaku won't know what hit it."

"Seigaku?"

"Yes, I know Hyoutei looks better on the surface, but our odds of becoming regulars sooner are much better at Seishun Gakuen, and besides, my data indicates they're overdue for a national championship. I've outlined everything."

"Of course you have." Renji is smiling again, just a little, and I can see his eyes. I like seeing them as often as he lets me; he likes to say I can see right through him, too, but I've never been 100% sure about that.

"Do you want to see?" I ask tentatively. It's in my bag, stuffed into the front cover of the bulging notebook filled with handwritten data and schedules and notes. I wish I could keep it all in my head like Renji does; my mother probably wishes that, too.

"Tomorrow at practice," Renji promises, and my mind is drawn back to tennis, tennis, tennis. "We should sleep."

He rolls off my stomach and looks around for his flashlight, so I sheepishly pull it out from under me.

"Hakase is an idiot," Renji says, snatching it away and flicking it on and off, lighting my face.

"Kyouju smells!" I retort, blocking my eyes. Then I laugh and so does he, and I settle into my sleeping bag, Renji next to me as always, and I'm sure as anything that my wish will come true. His, too, whatever it is.

"Sadaharu," Renji mumbles sleepily. "Are you awake? I have to tell you something..."

"We're gonna conquer the world," I mutter and drift off.

END.