I Cry, a prince of tennis fanfic

Hello again. Another songfic based on I Cry by Westlife.

The songfic is in the end part. To skip the looong but meaningful (?) intro, press CTRL+F on your keyboard and search 'PART TWO'.

Hope you like it.

"wants are yours, rules are mine, this love won't work, and silently you cry."

~PART ONE~

"Hey."

Jin was looking intently at his girlfriend. She was working with something, and Akutsu was being thrilled by the process.

Johanna was, on the other hand, un-amused by the process she was doing. Her notebook was full of scribbles, notes, cross marks and numbers, yet she could barely answer the questions.

"Hey."

She was getting irritated with her boyfriend. She tried to ignore him, though. This work was something important, and it has to be done soon.

"Pst."

She rolled her eyes and shared a few seconds of her attention with Akutsu. "What?"

Akutsu was still glamorous. His girlfriend found him irresistible always. She herself was having a hard time controlling it. Akutsu remained in his glorious form, despite the fact that he had quitted tennis for a few months now. He never forgets to exercise every day, that's why. His hair was always waxed upward, with style. To some his eyes were scary, but to her they were eternal, peaceful eyes that always see through her.

She on the other hand, was of a not-so-muscular body. She would spend most of the day sitting in front of her notes, always busy with pen and paper. Her hair reached the tip of her spine, her eyes were deep-set and brown, her cheek bones very obvious, her lips sensitive to temperature that she always fuzzes of having to put lip balm every now and then. She was tall, but when she stands next to Akutsu, she seems too small for him.

"What are you doing?"

"None of your business." She continued writing, her face starting to be contorted due to frustration.

Akutsu let out a light laugh, and put his head on his arms, which were rested on the desk. He leaned a little closer before continuing, "What exactly are you doing?"

Johanna, out of irritation, gave Akutsu a look. "Something important."

"Which is…?"

"Something important. Something called homework, something you don't value."

"I probably won't be able to answer it anyway."

"Well, at least you tried."

"I don't want to. My face would get as contorted like yours, and I would not like to ruin my 'glamour', as you say it."

Seeing that his girlfriend was more irritated, he gave another hearty laugh and stood up. "Well then. Finish that, I'll be giving you… 5 minutes. I'll just take a bath."

"And…?"

"We're going out. Get some fresh air."

"I still have a lot to do, unlike you."

"We will chill. You are too pressured, so you can't answer it properly." He smirked and left her to her frustrating work.

If only I don't like you so much, I would head home after school. I'd probably be finished with my assignments by now.

She sighed, closed her book and notebook, and placed her arms on her head. She took the time to relax and notice, as she always had, Akutsu's room.

It was dimly lit, with a single bed in the middle, windows on either side, a bedside table filled with useless stuff, a small desk were she was currently working on, and a few plastic chairs that Akutsu got from the kitchen downstairs. The room was simple; he had no wallpapers, only plain black paint.

Maybe Jin was right. Maybe I was pressuring myself too much. Maybe I really needed some fresh air. If only he did not have that… charm, I might have not been moved.

She suddenly felt tired, so she laid her head down, and not a few seconds later, was fast asleep.

As Akutsu stepped out of the shower and got dressed, he was wondering why the scribbling had stopped. Perhaps she decided to primp herself before going.

As he entered his room, he found her figure, slumped on his desk, off to dreamland.

He sat on the bed directly opposite his desk where she slept, and stared at her. All this time, all she would most care of was her studies. It was one of the things she promised her parents as a partial payment to the luxuries she receives.

She comes from a rich family, a very rich family. She was fetched from school by their driver, and everyday, students would be awed by the car they had. Very modern, and it had such features to get you really awed.

It somehow puzzles Akutsu why she chose him. He just came from an average family, his parents lived somewhere, he does not even know if they live together, and he decided to live on his own. Sometimes, he would get an allowance, which he has to budget for two to three months. She, on the other hand, can get anything she wants with a blink of an eye.

They really came from different worlds was what Akutsu thought.

It was raining, foggy, and she took an umbrella and got out of the car. Surprisingly, she was wearing an elaborate coat, those that she only wore when traveling. She sees Akutsu, who was standing, not minding the rain. She called to him numerous times, but it seemed that he does not hear.

From the back of her head, she hears some words.

Issues… priorities… wants… rules… separate…

What do theses mean? She was confused. She ran toward Akutsu, but for every step she took, it became foggier, and she was becoming more of a mass of air, a spirit. She was being eaten by an unknown force…

Jin! Wait! I need to talk to you. Wait… As she got dizzy, she felt the fog eat her up to nothingness.

She popped her eyes open. Without lifting her head, she touched her arms, her face. She was not a spirit anymore. It was all but a dream. She checked her watch. It seemed that she had slept for fifteen minutes.

God, I need more sleep.

Just as the thought of the time went through her again, she bolted upright. Of course, Jin said that we would go out in five minutes! How could I have slept?

As she fumbled with herself, she found Akutsu sitting by the bed, face unreadable. His hair had not been waxed yet, but it was halfway dry. She must have slept longer than normal.

"Sorry."

He scoffed and stood to leave. "I'll wait outside." He went out of the room, downstairs.

Again, he was glamorous, she found out. He was wearing a blood red tee and pants, partnered by black rubber shoes.

She searched for her bag, and brushed her hair, wiped the sleep off her eyes, sprayed a few of cologne, and went to follow Akutsu, closing the door behind her.

Akutsu reached into his pocket. Of course.

Since they became you-know-what, Johanna promptly requested Akutsu to quit smoking, and so he did, but he had a hard time. He waited for her to be done, kicking small pebbles by the lawn.

She appeared a few seconds later, all ready for the walk.

"Let's go."

He went to the gate and opened it. Just as she thought that Akutsu would leave her again, he turned around and motioned for her to go out before he closed the door.

"Let us really go." She said with a smile.

It was already dark outside, and children were most of the time inside, eating dinner with the whole family. These two were different though.

"Hey."

The other continued to walk, not minding the question of the other.

"Heeeeeey." It was Johanna's turn to ask, and most probably irritate, her boyfriend.

"What?" Akutsu turned and answered with a little hint of anger, a little more than he intended to show.

"Uh…" She was looking down, hands holding the strap of her bag tightly. At this state, Akutsu knows that she was either embarrassed, shy, or in a loss of words.

"Well? You called me to say anything?" He turned to walk again.

"W-wait." She walked haphazardly toward her boyfriend and locked her arms with his. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Akutsu did not mind his girlfriend action. Actually, he liked it, every time she shows that she loves him.

"For sleeping on you."

"WHAT?" He looked at her with unbelieving eyes.

She blushed furiously. "N-no!! You took it the wrong way. I mean, I was sorry that I slept though you told me that w-we are g-going for a walk… and… and…"

Akutsu gave a laugh, a long, wholehearted laugh. He tried to stop to speak, but rather, he laughed harder, causing the other to blush harder and be confused.

"You… look cute when… you go like that. Red-faced and stammering…" He took a moment to fully stop laughing. "It makes me like you more."

"Stop making fun of me!" She said it a little angrily, but deep inside, she thought that it was also quite okay, at least Jin was happy and all that.

"C'mere."

As she went near him, her boyfriend placed his hand on her shoulder. "Let's get the pressures off, shall we?"

"Yessss."

They continued walking past small houses, and when they got by the woody parts of the town, Akutsu detoured.

"We… are not going in there, are we?" The fearful Johanna asked, and she might have just regretted it, for it only made her heart sink deeper, pressures increasing.

"Yes."

She shot him a glance, a glance of fear, and he went beside her to comfort her. "It will be fine. I am right beside you. And besides, it is not very much the likes of you to be scared anyway."

"I don't know… I just feel weird today."

"Then…" Akutsu entwined his hands with hers, "let me take off all the fears and weirdness, and not to forget, the pressures, from you today."

With a light tug of his arm, Akutsu made the smaller female walk with him through the dark forestry.

Not too long enough later, they were surrounded by nothing but trees, dark, scary trees, like those in horror films. Their branches looped and made weird curves, and the fallen branches from them accentuate the spookiness of the scene itself.

Johanna waited for a moment, the right moment to intervene. She wanted to pick the right time so that the other will not have any comment of her being this and that. After a hoot from an owl, she finally gathered all her courage and dared to ask.

'Where are we going, anyway?"

"Why do you ask?" Akutsu was hiding a smirk from his face.

What could he be up to?

"Hmmm.."

Akutsu said nothing, only squeezed the others hand tightly.

"Somewhere special."

"Huh?"

"Huh. Just follow me. You'll see it soon."

Mystified by the other, Johanna kept silent and quickened her pace to match that of Akutsu's. She let the eeriness of the forest surround her, but never get through her. She had to be patient.

A quarter hour later, Akutsu turned to her, and let go of her arm. He covered her face with his pale hands, and told her to go straight.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing. Just go straight."

"But-"

"I'll guide you. I'm right behind you."

After a few minutes of stepping on dead branches and mossy ground, Johanna suddenly felt a different kind of terrain under the soles of her sandals. It was of smooth texture, somewhat slippery. A misstep, and some of the sand went inside her sandals.

"Sand."

"Yes."

"Where are we, Jin?"

As he removed his hands from her eyes, he said a contented, "Here."

The serene scene of a shore surrounded Johanna. They were enveloped by the blue sky, and rays of moonlight shone on different parts of the shore.

"Well?" Akutsu had to make sure that the other was still with him.

"It's… beautiful."

"No. You are."

"What?"

Akutsu blushed for a short instant at the thought of saying things directly to his girlfriend, but the feeling quickly dissipated.

"Let's sit over there." Akutsu had made a quick change of subject, and as he walked, he held her hand.

They sat by the sand, and Johanna leaned close to Akutsu.

"Did you like it?" He inquired again.

"Very much."

"But I like you more."

"What?"

He tingled inside. "N-nothing."

They stayed there, in each other's arms, before Johanna untangled herself and fumbled with her bag. "Let's take a picture, shall we?"

"Uh…" Of course, Akutsu was always uncomfortable with these things. But whatever would make her happy, he would do. "Fine."

After a couple of pictures taken, Johanna leaned close to Akutsu again, and it was the same silence that cloaked them.

"Jin?" She shuffled to face him.

"Hmm?" He kept his stare on the sea.

"You… haven't been beating up anyone, have you?"

The hair on his neck stood on end. These questions always threw him off guard. "No."

"Okay."

Ever since he was young, Akutsu had the habit of beating the face of anyone who gets in his way, even if it was the slightest trouble ever made.

He held her closer, hoping that the interview will be done soon. To his surprise, the other kept silent for a long time. As he looked to face her, he saw that his girlfriend was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He just smiled at her and kissed her head, and let her get the sleep she wants.

She woke up not soon after, probably because there had been a sudden drop in the temperature.

She shouts in frustration.

"What's wrong?"

"I slept on you again!"

Akutsu smiled. "So, the sea does not relieve you of any pressures, eh?"

"Actually, I feel better. Maybe I just needed sleep."

"So? Why don't you go home now and get a good night's rest?"

"…"

"Okay," Jin stood up and reached out a hand to her, "I'll call your driver…"

"Can you take me home?"

"Of course, but it'll be a long walk."

"It's okay."

"For me, it is, but you, I don't think so. You are a little too tired."

"I can do it."

"Fine."

Once again, Johanna entangled her hands with him, and as Akutsu started for the 'forest', she held her ground.

"I thought you wanted to go home."

"Yes, but not through there."

"Okay."

They walked further the shore, until they were by a small bridge over a pond. A few minutes later, they were back in the city, no branches stepped on.

"Tell something."

"What?" It was followed by a yawn.

"Anything. Just to keep you awake."

"I got nothing to tell." She yawned again.

Akutsu stopped. "Now. Yawn once more, and I will really call your driver. Please, you are too stressed already, don't stress yourself more by walking a long distance home."

"Okay. Fine. I'll talk."

Not even halfway through, they spotted a 24-hour store, and Akutsu paused in front of it.

"Let's get some drinks inside."

She nodded.

As Akutsu opened the door, the cold air from the air conditioning unit pushed outside the store. Johanna suddenly stepped aside.

"I'll just wait here."

"Why?"

"Too cold there."

'It's fine."

"Please. Too cold."

"Fine." Akutsu stepped in and was lost in the dozens of shelves and counters.

"Hey, Takayanagi, isn't this the bitch that took your money?"

Johanna raised her head just to find three men, probably drunk, in her direction, one pointing a finger at her, all three looking at her.

"Yeah. That really is that bitch."

"So? Wanna beat the crap out of her?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course! I'll--" He stopped as his companions eyed him. "Okay. WE'LL beat her face to a pulp."

Seeing them approaching her, and knowing that they were talking of no one but her, Johanna was starting to fill with fear. She was panicking. Of course, she did not do anything, it was just a misconception, but nonetheless, being beaten for a crime you did not commit could be very painful.

Stand your ground. If they trouble you, talk to them nicely; tell them that they have thought wrong. Johanna set her mind up. She should be calm, for that is what she really should be.

"BITCH!!"

She pretended no to hear.

"I said BITCH!"

She was about to ignore them when one of them when she was grabbed her by her shirt. She tried to resist, but these men were, though skinny, too strong for her. The man gripped her shirt too hard that she could not breathe.

His companions were snickering behind him, and as their man gave Johanna a huge blow of harsh words, they cheered, and added to the foul play. Takayanagi slapped her hard.

"Takayanagi, is it not bad to beat females?"

"Shut up. She made us do it, anyway."

And they continued, shouting, slapping, pushing her. She stood, unwavering, though painful all over. You are innocent.

Takayanagi was having fun. His companions stopped. They were looking at inside the store. They saw a man, tall and pale, looking at them. Then they looked at the girl.

Rubbing their eyes, they looked at her once more. "No. Way."

Takayanagi stopped beating and cussing her. And looked at his mates. "What?! You act like COWARDS! Beat up this BITCH with ME!!!" His voice was undeniably loud, and it would make someone wonder why no one hears the commotion.

"We got the wrong girl."

"WHAT?!"

Takayanagi let her go, and as she rubbed the swollen parts of her face, all three of them bowed. "Forgive us. We did not mean it. Please."

They bowed so many times, so fast, that it was making Johanna dizzy. "It's fine, sirs."

"No, we… we have beaten you and said foul words for no reason! You did not even deserve to hear those."

They bowed once more.

"Sirs, I recommend that you leave. Immediately."

"But—"

"I am fine. You are forgiven, sirs, but you will not be forgiven by someone, so it will be best for you to leave."

"But—"

"Please." She said it with indignation.

"Well then. Sorry."

They walked away, and as they walked farther away, Johanna wished that it was not too late.

As Akutsu entered the store, he quickly made his way to the refrigerated drinks. Juice? Tea? Iced coffee?

Ah. Soda.

He took two cans, and looked around for anything else to buy. He made it quick, though. Leaving Johanna outside was an idea that made him uncomfortable in a great extent, but he knows that she really feels bad. Best not to make her mad.

He fell in line, waiting impatiently for his turn. The cashier was a pretty slow person.

Come on.

She made a slow, very slow progress.

Akutsu's brows were creased deeply now. He opened his mouth slightly to shout. But…

Patience. Calm down. She would hate it if I cause trouble.

He exhaled deeply, and waited.

Carrying the small grocery bag, he went outside, a little bit glad that he would finally be with Johanna again. He just hopes that she did not do anything stupid.

Outside, through the glass, he sees three men, one grabbing Johanna by the collar, others snickering at her, as if teasing her.

Akutsu's blood suddenly boiled. His fists curled into two balls of steel. His brows creased deeper than ever.

He dropped the bag and walked outside.

The men were still in a daze. They beat someone up, and the worst is they have beaten someone innocent.

Well, the girl said that it was fine, but they were still bothered. What did she mean by someone, or rather, who?

As they walked in fear, a familiar voice called out to them, and a faint sound of steps.

"Run, sirs!"

As they looked, they knew that they were too late.

A man, not more than eighteen, clad in a blood red tee and pants was running toward them. He looked like a devil, pale, small irises, brows curled upward, and fuming with anger. They knew they were wrong to have beaten the girl, the beating they received, without a single hit returned to the devil, was enough to explain why the girl wanted them to leave immediately.

"Jin! Stop it already!"

He continued beating them. "How dare you—"

"JIN!" She approached him, not minding that she would be hurt, and pulled him.

He still beat them up.

Johanna took a step back and closed her eyes. In her firmest voice she said, "Jin. I am telling you one last time. Stop."

Trouble. I knew it. This thing…

He let them go, three men, bloodied, lying helplessly on the streets.

"Let's go."

"So, you'll just beat them up and leave them like a stain on the streets?"

"I said let's go."

"You just don't get it, do you? I—" She rubbed her face in frustration. "They made a mistake. They said sorry already, and now, you beat them up and leave?"

He looked at her dead in the eye.

"I'm leaving." This is too much.

"Then go. I am not gonna stop you."

Jin left, and Johanna was left. A few minutes later, she looked at the men, still bloody, but now standing.

"I told you what would happen."

"Is…he your… boyfriend?..."

"Yes. Hardly."

"I… advice you… to leave him…"

Johanna looked at the distant sky and pondered. After a while, she assisted the men in going home, and walked back home herself.

The next day, Jin woke up dreadfully, and as he dressed and walked to school, he feared the might be causes of his attitude last night.

He walked a little bit faster. He needed the most time he could get, knowing that Johanna always went to school early.

"Are we ready to go, Miss?"

"Oh, I am gonna walk to school today."

"I see. Is it with Jin?" It was their family driver, whom she has treated more like a brother. He was sill young, in his late teens. He took the job for he needed to work for his family.

"No."

"Then who is it?"

"A friend."

"Okay. Take care."

"And you too." She gave him a sweet smile and left, after kissing her parents goodbye.

"Well? What made you want walk to school today?" It was Sengoku.

"I just felt like it."

"This has nothing to do with Jin, right."

"Oh, look at the time, we must be running now. We're late!" She ran off.

"Hey! Don't change the subject!" He went off to follow her.

Jin was a little bit nervous, but more of irritated. Why is she still not here?

He was then filled with another emotion as he saw her walking by the hall. With Sengoku. She waved goodbye to Sengoku as she entered the room. Sengoku, of course, belonged to a different class, so he went to his own room.

As she took her seat in class, Akutsu rushed beside her.

"Hey."

She was not listening to him.

"Hey."

She looked at him irritably. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

Of course, she was doing her notes again. Only that Akutsu did not know that she was really doing nothing there, only using it as an excuse.

Before he could say another word, the school bell rang, and students took their respective seats as the professor walked in.

As the professor chattered in front of class, students were either playing, having their own discussions or dozing off. This time of the day, Jin would probably be looking outside, looking for anything of interest. Then he would sleep. Sitting at the back of the room has its own advantages.

This time though, he has a mission, to pursue Johanna again.

She was fumbling with her notes, which means that she was not listening, a very rare occasion.

Of course, it was English time, one subject that these Japanese students like to avoid as much. They really want to learn, yet it seems that their tongues were a little bit untrained with the words of the English world.

The professor stopped writing words on the board. He placed the chalk on the table, and patted his hands to remove chalk dust.

He knew that his students could sometimes get inattentive. Who would not be? Their class was the first of the day. Some students would continue their cut sleep at this time. It was time to get their nerves working.

"Johanna, please read the paragraph in English."

Johanna, though unsurprised by being called, was a little bit displeased. She lifted the book from the desk and began reading: "This pace isn't like me, this love isn't quite, getting a response, and this careless bet and nonchalant technique have me throwing up my hands. Cold within a heart full of riddles, you are mysterious. Is everything part of your plan, including your sexy eyes? My strong manner hides the weakness in my heart. I cannot lie to you any longer. Do not pretend you do not know what I am talking about; I cannot beat you. You know that we are being torn apart. You have scattered this love like a little child. And now, we are breaking down, like robots overheating. We need to go..." She realized something weird with the words. Then the book itself. She looked up to her professor. **

"W-what?" The professor looked at her, obviously confused.

Her classmates, who have not been listening before, were now all-eyes on her.

Darn. Wrong book.

Of course, what she read was a paragraph that she has written a while ago. As the professor called her a while ago, she forgot that she placed the notebook on top of the textbook and absent-mindedly picked it up.

"S-sorry, Sir. Wrong book. I'll just..." She fumbled with the books on her desk.

"No, it's fine."

"Sir, I'll just look or the page and…"

"I said it's fine."

"I'll just read the passage…"

"I said it IS ENOUGH. You are one exemplary student in this subject, but it would be better if you dedicate those passages of yours to the English club. Right now, I need students. But, nonetheless, you did a good job." He smiled at her.

The class exploded in cheer. They were really awed by her. After she have read the passage, they had their jaws dropped, all in amazement as she spoke the words clearly.

The professor sat down his chair, rather tired-looking. Today, it seemed that none wanted to participate.

"I could read an English passage and translate it if you want to, Sir."

"Yes?"

"I—" She started blushing.

I am harvesting too much attention. "Let us just continue the lesson, shall we?"

"Good recommendation. Well then."

He returned to talking and writing on the board.

Jin was still wondering. The passage, it fits their status. Their love was dead, not getting a response in one way or another, she always told him about his eyes, and she described vividly of what they were going through. Could it be that she has given up on him already?

He looked at her, longer than normal that the professor had to catch his attention.

"Jin, please explain the English passage to your classmates."

He was not like her. He did not even bother opening the pages of the book. He knew that he needed to ask someone, and that 'someone' was currently mad at him.

She turned the book a little slowly, and he saw the page. He quickly went to that page and found words. Hundreds of words. He was not told to translate the whole passage, was he? Because if he really was, he was in great trouble.

Jin had a hard time translating. But after a long time, he was finally done with it. All his other classmates were actively participating now, all of them anticipating to learn the language and be as fluent as Johanna.

The class was having fun, and soon the bell rang.

"Today started off a little unwell, but it seems that this is one of the best days this class gave. You had recited, most of you, and you were all active. I am much pleased. I am looking forward to these kinds of discussions for the next days." After saying goodbye, he left the room.

Johanna and the rest of the class sat down after thanking him, and she returned to her notes.

"Hey, you are so great!"

"Yeah, I know you came from a different country, Philippines, right?"

"Y-yeah." She did not like being the center of attention.

"Can you teach me how to do that?"

"Sure, if we have time."

After a series of questions and remarks, the next class began. Jin was, all of those times, trying to formulate a plan on how to get her attention, without getting the teacher's.

He first poked her arm and tried to get her to look at him. Fail.

He torn a part from his notebook, scribbles something and passed it to her. She ignored it. Fail.

He called her name silently. She pretended not to hear. Fail.

He tried irritating her, as he was desperate. She stayed unwavering. Fail.

The classes were through and it was time to go home, yet he has still not even caught her attention.

As the least bell, signaling the end of classes, rang, Johanna was more than glad. At last, no more of the boy who kept on bugging her. She immediately packed her things and left the room as quickly as possible. She passed by Sengoku's homeroom and waited outside. As he saw her, he quickly got his things and walked to her.

"Hey."

"Hello."

He shuffled her hair, as if she was a little dog. "Do NOT do that again, Sengoku-sempai."

"Yeah right." They walked off to practice, laughing.

Jin saw that she was with Sengoku. Again. His fists curled into balls of steel again, but he resisted the urge to beat him up. This was Sengoku. A friend. Control.

As much as he hated to go to the tennis courts, he had to, for they were heading that way.

Well, that was what he thought, for a little time later, they headed for the canteen. Together, they ate lunch, and all the time, Akutsu was hiding, watching them intently, seeing the joy in their faces.

Before he even neared the clubhouse, he had a better hold of the situation. Even if I pursue her, she would not notice me. I would just have that Dan kid to bother me…

He spun around and headed home, disappointed with himself and mad at a friend.

Or maybe, an ex-friend.

He reached home, went to his room, threw his bag elsewhere, and lay on the bed. He stared up the ceiling, lost in thought.

He surrounded by black, nothing but the blackness of his room and the gloom in his heart, the depression of his soul. If he had not been temperamental in the first place, this room would not be like this. It would be filled with the sound of scribbles, and nearby would be the face of a girl, contorted in frustration.

Her image by the table was too good, it seemed true, only that it was far from the truth.

He wanted to turn back the time, to a time where he was still glad to be with a girl, and that his temper had still not gotten the best of him.

But it was impossible.

Akutsu looked forward to a better tomorrow. But the next days had the same pattern. She would be going to school late, with Sengoku, ignoring him during classes, and not even muttering a single word to him. Akutsu said to himself that even the worst words of irritation would make him feel better. It was better if she talks to him, no matter how much she despises him, than if she keeps quiet and all that.

Akutsu got frustrated with each day. He wanted to end it, or even halt the pattern they had been following.

Akutsu finally got a plan. It was dirty, and it involved the breaking of some past relationships.

But it was the only way.

This is the day. The day that the dirty plan will be carried on.

And it was as if the whole day had sensed it.

Today, Johanna went to school early, without Sengoku. She was quiet the whole time.

He sat in front of her. "Please, talk to me." And I might change the plan.

"What will I tell you?"

"You can start with why you are avoiding me."

"I am just trying to prevent you from hurting anyone."

"But."

"No more. I don't need any of your reasons." She stood and went somewhere else.

"Can you not give me another chance?"

"I am tired, Jin, of all this. Let us… just let it as it is, and when the right time comes, we will solve it. If this is really love, or whatever you call it, it will remain. Otherwise, it will dissipate like air." She left him alone again.

And now you forced me to do the inevitable.

A man was walking home from school. He had the smile on his face, as always. Today, he decided to take a shortcut and went by the alleys.

Another man had been following the first one ever since he went out of the school premises.

Knowing the twists and turns of the alley, he chose one that was well hidden and waited there.

Every second was essential to the success rate of the plan.

The man continued walking, but inside, he felt that something was better. He swallowed the slight fear and continued walking, whistling to himself to at least lessen the fear. Just as he passed by an alley, an invisible figure clutched him and gave him a hard blow in the face.

Being a sporty man, he evaded, but was a millisecond too late. The fist made a loud contact with his face. He felt his face all crushed with just a single blow.

He tried to resist, but the grip on his collar was too tight.

Blows on his face and torso were continuous. He was bleeding here and there, face broken. He tried to fight, but he was getting weaker and weaker. He tried to evade, but his instincts became slower.

After a while, when the first man had enough, he threw the other.

"Stay away from her."

It was the last thing the man heard, for the next thing, he was falling into a deep sleep.

By a dark alley, people started encircling the scene. A man, still wearing his uniform has been badly beaten and was very bloody. Too much bad.

The news had spread fast. Three days after, suspects were being given. Jin knew that all the suspects they were pointing out were innocent.

He kept his cool, even if Johanna had been absent for the past three days just to stay with Sengoku at the hospital. He was almost out of life when they found him, and it was good that he was still able to make it to the hospital alive.

For the past three days, Akutsu heard mumbles around him. Only the professors inside the rooms would postpone it for a while, and after that, it will return to the mumbling again.

And just like other days, it passed by quickly. It was Friday, and he decided to stay late to hear all of the murmurs of the people.

He started walking to the school gate.

Johanna washed an apple and sliced it into small pieces. One by one, he put them into Sengoku' mouth, which were still a little swollen from the beating.

They have been like this, silent. Johanna would try to ask him questions, and if it involved anything about the beating, he would simply say that he was tired and wanted to sleep.

Today, she was taking another chance.

"Was it Jin?"

He kept his gaze away.

"Was it him that caused this?" She lightly tapped his cheek.

He squinted in pain. No matter what Jin had done, he did not want to harm him. He knew how protective Jin was of her, even if in the past week she has been hanging out more with him than her boyfriend. He kept his mouth shut despite the other's inquiries.

"…What…are…you…gonna…d-do…if…it…w-was…Jin?" He took a long time just to get the words out from his slightly swollen mouth.

"Then… I would leave him. I'd break up with him…"

"…but…he…loves…you a lot… doesn't…he?"

"He loves me in a wrong way. So I have to end it."

I need to hide the truth. I cannot make her break up with Jin. He is a good friend… Only that he simply just cannot remove the beating from his vocabulary.

A knock on the door brought her back to her senses. She excused herself. It was the doctor. He asked if she could go outside.

Sengoku knew that something was wrong. There was someone else outside. He looks like a civilian. He fears for the secret.

A few minutes later she came in, face calm.

"What… did he say…?"

"He said that you could come home today. There are only some documents to be arranged, you'll be out before noon."

Sengoku was comfortable now, but the fear still lingered inside.

Home, at last, Sengoku was back home. His body still aches, but now he could walk.

As he was made to lay back in bed, he was asked to rest, again.

"Please, Sengoku-sempai?"

"Alright." He pretended to be asleep, hoping to find out the reason behind her contorted face since the doctor talked to her back at the hospital.

A few minutes later, her fists curled into balls. She spoke in a very low voice. "I'd do what I said Sengoku-sempai. I would break up with him. So it was really him."

She ran off, and before Sengoku could stop his pretending, she was gone, and the last thing she heard was her car driving off.

Jin kept his stare down. He was walking home, but although there was nothing to bother him, he walked fast. Soon, he was back home. Out of tiresome, he threw his things here and there and lay in bed. Still in his uniform and shoes, he fell asleep.

He woke up to the sound of footsteps, loud footsteps.

"AKUTSU!"

It was the voice that has been lost to him in the past few days. Now it was back, with him again, and he was starting to get glad until he saw her expression.

Her face was red with anger. So she knows now.

He stood up casually. "??"

"How could you?"

"…"

"How could YOU beat Sengoku-sempai? He WAS your FRIEND!"

"Was?"

"I don't think that he'll be treating you like one after this one."

"…"

"Akutsu…" She was calmer now.

He lowered his gaze. The time has come.

"It was hard for me to make this…decision"

At the mention of the word, Akutsu looked at her, fear building up inside him.

She sighed heavily, and started. "You want violence, I despise it. You had bad acts here and there…"

"But I quit smoking."

"Yes, you did. But not with the violence."

"It was just beating them so that they'll know their lessons…"

"Sengoku has no lessons to learn from you! He was just being a friend, a good friend to me, and now you come barging in teaching your lesson?" She sighed again. "You know what?"

He looked at him, and his eyes said 'What'.

"I don't think we'll work out."

"We will. We already are."

"Jin, spare me those lines of yours! We are NOT working out!"

"But—"

"NO. You have your own wants, I have my own. If you cannot follow the simple rule I said, no beating, then… it is obvious that we are from different worlds. It would be better if we go separate ways."

"No. We, we are gonna work this out. I'm gonna change."

"You can, but it will be very late by then."

"Please…don't leave me." He was starting to be drained of all energy.

"Jin, I've told you before that I'm gonna leave you, but I am still here…"

"You haven't left…"

"Yes. Because I thought YOU would CHANGE!"

"I'd really change this time."

"Three times, right? I told you that I would leave you the third time you beat someone up. Jin, Sengoku-sempai was the eighteenth victim. Eighteenth!"

"No. Please, this time it is for real."

"No. Let us stop this. Forgive me for being selfish, but if protecting me would cause you to beat someone up, then I'd rather leave."

"No."

She started walking out of his room.

He grabbed her arm and knelt in front of her. "Please."

"No." She broke her arm free and left.

As Jin was kneeling by his room, full of grief, she left.

~PART TWO~

Jin kept his head down as he heard her footsteps getting fainter, and as her car zoomed off.

He kept his head down as his eyes started to water.

He kept his head down as he started to realize the mistake he has done.

It was his fault. He caused it. He planned it. Yet his mind was still trying to blame someone else.

He was blaming someone or something else of why he liked beating people up. And now he blames that someone, or something, for Johanna's leaving.

He does not know what to do now. He sat by his bed and buried his face in his hands.

You said goodbye, I fell apart…

A dark conscience talked to him.

Now that you are a free man, you can go beat people up.

And a good conscience quickly opposed.

Now that she's gone, you should know your lessons. You should change, and maybe she'll return.

He knew that whatever the outcome will be, whether she can have her back or not, she can do nothing to change it.

He stood up and went outside. He started walking to wherever his feet would take him. Might as well walk the hurt away…

Unfortunately, his feet took him to the central park. As he suddenly felt tired, he sat by the benches, and quickly, their memories flooded his mind.

A couple was sitting by the benches, side by side, smiles spread across both of their faces. The male has silver hair waxed upward, wearing a shirt and pants, while the girl had her long hair put down plainly, wearing a simple blouse and a long skirt. They were laughing, and the girl sooner asked if they could get a picture…

Damn, Akutsu, forget her already. It was the dark conscience again.

This was then opposed. She means the world to you, doesn't she?

Will both of you fucking consciences shut up?

And his mind was silent.

A few minutes after staring at the sky, watching the sunset and the stars starting to dominate the sky, Akutsu rose to his feet and started walking home.

He was deeply bothered, for, it seemed that everywhere, there would be a couple, either laughing, snuggling, or holding hands. He would then remember the past.

I fell from all we had…

to I never knew, I needed you so bad…

As he walked home, he remembered what she said the morning before the plan was to be done. "I am tired, Jin, of all this. Let us… just let it as it is, and when the right time comes, we'll solve it. If this is really love, or whatever you call it, it will remain. Otherwise, it will dissipate like air." It was a sign that she was starting to give up on their relationship.

You need to let this go..

and though you told me so

I've been through hell to break the spell..

Trying to ignore them, all of them, he walked home, feeling the harshness of the world on him. It might be his fault, but now, he awfully regretted it.

As he reached his room, he sat by his bed. He saw the picture frames, all made and given by Johanna. One was of them on their favorite place, the park. She took the picture when they were at the fair. It was broad daylight, and there were mascots and rides. There were various food sold here and there, and as they walked, she suddenly thought of taking a picture of them. Akutsu quickly disagreed, but she insisted. She asked someone a favor of taking their picture. Seeing how happy she was, of how the genuine smile beamed across her face, Akutsu was warming up inside, too, so he smiled. That was one of the few moments he ever smiled warmly.

The second picture was of them in the beach. It was nighttime, but the smiles on the faces of the couple can still be seen clearly.

Akutsu, just by seeing the pictures, have brought back memories, her fresh memories.

The consciences have argued again.

The bad one said, Destroy those pictures. You two are not anymore, so why keep a memory? DESTROY it. It will make you feel better.

The good one said, Can you really do it? Can you just ruin the memories you had? It is the only mark of her that you can hold on to in the moment. You still love her, so do not forget her. Not yet.

He stared at the pictures for sometime before burying his head in his hands.

Why did I ever let you slip away?

can't stand another day without you

without a feeling I once knew..

Hot tears started running down his cheeks.

I cry silently

I cry inside of me

I cry hopelessly

'cause I know I'll never breathe your love again

I cry 'cause you're not here with me

'cause I'm lonely as can be

'cause I know I'll never breathe your love again

Akutsu rose from bed and after dressing himself up, he went to school. It was still a burden to him, knowing that they were no longer that. As he passed by the alley where he beat Sengoku up, he regretted the moment, and wished that he had just controlled himself.

He was filled with more dread as he found out that she had not gone to school.

I'd just… wait for her to go to school and… I'd talk to her… clear things out….

As the classes ended, everyone he met in the halls was normal, as far as he was concerned.

He went straight to Sengoku's homeroom. At the sight of him, Sengoku felt a slight pang of fear inside him. What if…

Ignoring the feeling inside him, he forced a smile, grabbed his things and greeted Akutsu.

"It's fine, Akutsu. I understand." It was Sengoku accepting Akutsu's apology.

Akutsu still cannot believe how easy his apology was accepted. It was sincere, but because of the degree of his mistake, he thought that it would take weeks, or even more than that, to be forgiven.

"It's fine, really. I know the situation, and it was also wrong for me to, you know, hang around."

"What about the injuries?"

"Oh, I was just made to rest for a few days… but look, now, I could resume practice again!!"

"Oh… Well, then. Good luck."

"You need not wish me luck. It's always with me." He gave him a grin, patted his shoulders and excused himself from Akutsu.

Now, there's only one person I need to ask an apology.

The phone made a loud contact with the floor. It did its best not to break. It did not regret that it came from Jin's hands, though.

Akutsu's face was buried in his hands again. Just a while ago, he had read a message from Johanna saying "We're over." Short, but enough to break his firm world.

He was filled with anger as he read every letter. When she left before, she had not said that they were officially done, but now, she did.

Akutsu tried calling her, but her phone was unreachable.

And tonight, he was suffering again.

If you could see me now

You would know just how,

How hard I try

Not to wonder why

I wish I could believe in something new

Oh, please somebody tell me it's not true

I'll never be over you

He grabbed his phone and typed some words. He hopes that, sooner or later, she'd be able to read it, be able to know that she is still part of him. It was the same pool of words.

Why did I ever let you slip away?

Can't stand another day without you

As the message was sent, tears rolled down his eyes again.

I cry silently

I cry inside of me

I cry hopelessly

Cause I know I'll never breathe your love again

I cry, cause you're not here with me

cause I'm lonely as can be

I cry hopelessly

Cause I know I'll never breathe your love again

She has not gone to school. It has been a week. He has not tried going to her house, he knows that she would only be a lot mad if he does so. He keeps on waiting for the day that he could talk to her without her being mad at him.

Today has been different. His feet seemed not to be in the mood for a walk. His body did not even want to rise from bed. His mind hated to go to school. Nonetheless, he forced himself. And with that, Jin forced himself to find out about the truth.

It surprised him for their homeroom was closed. It was quiet inside. As he shoved the door open, he found his classmates, sad looks on their faces.

He went to his seat, keeping his gaze at them. They kept their faces down. And even when Akutsu would ask them what happened, they would just shake their heads and say "Nothing."

This silence stretched on, exemplified by Johanna's absence.

Before heading home, Akutsu tried once more to ask, to no avail.

He sat there for half an hour, 'til the room was cold and deserted, save from him.

He then went to practice to look for Sengoku.

Who was not there.

Puzzled, he went home.

He took a shower, and put on a black shirt and jeans. He went to the park.

Where he found Sengoku.

Whom he have quickly asked of the happening, not caring if it may have been an in-room problem.

"She's leaving, Jin."

"What?"

"Their silence, your classmates', I mean, may have been because she have told them earlier that morning, when you were not yet around."

"And?"

"Then she left."

"You were not in practice."

He looked at Jin, hands waving. "I was not with her. I did not feel so well, so I asked for an excuse."

"Oh…." His brows were curved sharply upward, though.

"As far as I know, her flight is tonight, at 9."

"…"

Deep inside, Jin knew that he should not be staying here, that he should run after her, but it would also not be a good idea to leave suddenly.

"Akutsu, I know that you're thinking of leaving, but considering that leaving me would be impolite. Go. It's fine. You'd still catch her. It's…." He frowned at the sight of the time. "5 minutes to nine."

Jin rose from his seat, thanked Sengoku, and ran off.

"Bring her back, Jin!" Sengoku shouted as loud as he can, for Akutsu was for sure far off in the distance.

"You sure you don't want to drive to his house? Just pass by and say goodbye?"

"Yes."

"Not even call him?"

"No."

"What about te—"

"To the airport, please." Before I change my mind.

Akutsu ran, as fast as he could. He reached the airport at exactly nine. As he searched frantically for Johanna, he saw a plane take off. As he checked the flight schedules, he had came to the fact that the plane, the only one left for the day, for Philippines has left just a few seconds ago, and yes, it was that one that he saw take off.

It's not over just like that, right?

Akutsu's fists were curled into balls. His eyes were getting heavier again.

I… I am not late, right? I have just… She's not even riding that plane!

Even his tired feet did not agree. It started running again.

"Uh…"

"Yes?"

"We'll be going somewhere…"

The driver's lips curved up to a smile. "Okay…"

"This was your entirefault!!"

The night sky became darker. Storm clouds started to gather.

But Akutsu did not care. He kept on running. To that familiar place in his mind.

To the only place he knew now that his world was ruined.

He ran, leaving behind him dead air.

As his feet went on, his mind raced, too.

If I could have you back tomorrow

if I could lose the pain and sorrow

I would do just anything

to make you see, you still love me

The storm had dropped. Strong rain, heavy on his skin. Every drop made a loud contact with the ground, made big splashes, like hopes and dreams stopped by the harsh ground. It will bounce away, but will keep on falling down, until at last, it becomes tired and rests there. These little scattered hopes will lie there, on the ground that broke them, waiting for the sunlight to take them back.

Just like what he feels. His heart came crashing down. And now he needs his sunlight, Johanna, to take him back to life.

After a while of thinking and running in the rain, he was there.

The beach. Once serene, now it only shows ferocity. Waves crash wildly on the shore, making larger waves.

The sand was flowing down with rainwater, and on the far side, thunder can be seen reigning the sky.

In the middle of all this terror, Akutsu shouted, loud enough that his voice could be distinguished among the rest.

Loud enough for it came from the bowels of his heart.

Loud enough for it was what he really felt. He wanted to release all the emotions that is inside of him.

And he did so.

cause I know I'll never breathe your love again…

He kneels in the sand, weak, still speechless, and most obviously heartbroken.

He cries, tears flowing like the storm around him.

Unlike those in the past, he did not cry inside of him, he shouted here and there as the tears found their way down his pale face.

He shouted every bit of humanity, every last bit of emotion, left in him.

"Umbrella?"

"Thanks."

"Good luck!"

"This is really your fault."

"Go now, before he leaves." The driver made a shooing motion, and Johanna opened the car door, welcomed by the storm outside.

The jungle. Yes. The fastest way to the beach was through this creepy, desolated jungle. The jungle she despised. The jungle she needed to confront before Akutsu disappears.

"I'll wait here. And I want to be greeted by a couple…."

Johanna slammed the door at him and started to take the journey. She just hopes she would survive.

Wasn't that an owl staring at me?

Hey, I thought I heard a snake hiss.

I'm being bitten by a dozen bugs here.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!"

Amidst the heavy storm, the hits of the tide on the shore, and the clapping of thunder, a shout was heard.

It came from a female, a female who had to confront the jungle and the storm at the same time.

I wouldn't have done this if I do not love you…still.

Her steps went faster. Her heartbeat getting frantic. The faster she got out of here, the better.

Hey, isn't that… Yes! The exit!

Akutsu kept his face down, tears still flowing. The raindrops have already mixed with the pool of tears, but he let them be.

Behind him, deep in the forest, he heard a shout. He did not mind it though. The pain in his heart was just too much to bear that he did not even care of what happened around him.

Just too much.

I cry silently

I cry inside of me

I cry hopelessly

'cause I know I'll never breathe your love again

I cry

'cause you're not here with me

cause I'm lonely as can be…

Johanna took small steps as she finally saw the outline of Akutsu. She held the black umbrella tightly. Slowly, she approached the only man in her heart. despite the circumstances.

Akutsu was still crying. Although the burst of emotion was over, the tears, though gradually decreasing, were still flowing. He was caught off guard when the downpour of rain on his shoulders ceased, and a light shadow was on top of him.

"Why are you here?"

"You don't own this place, do you?" He tried to sound as firm, as unaffected, as he can.

"Why are you…crying?"

"I'll tell you." He stood up, and as he spun around to face her, wiped away the tears and raindrops from his face. "I'm crying 'cause I still love you. I'm crying 'cause I know I'll never breathe your love again. I'm crying 'cause I know I'll never get over you."

The shock was obvious in her face. "W-what?"

"I still love you, no matter how hard I try to deny it."

"Don't cry…"

"And why?"

"Don't cry, for I won't leave you. I can't cease loving you."

Akutsu's face lit up.

"Prove it."

"No. You prove it."

A smirk spread across his face. His girlfriend still did not know what was running through his mind.

"You won't be mad at me for what I'll do?"

"…No?..."

In an instant, Jin Akutsu hugged his girlfriend tight and gave her a long, sealed kiss in the middle of the storm.

There you have it. another fix.

sorry for the crappy ending. that was the original plan, and I am still wondering why it did not work out well..

oh...

** = some parts are from the song mysterious by Janne da Arc, translated in English. I changed some parts...

before saying goodbye, lemme tell ya a story..

seeing that no one has reviewed for my first fic…

i got depressed and said that i am not inspired in writing…

(but obviously, Jin brought me back, and I'm still here)

so you have to review!! please!! :))

hope you liked it.

REVIEW!

Ciao!

~vaLcRisT_kuTsu~