Rejection
Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Oujisama, Konomi Takeshi does
Fuji Syusuke lied back on the bed, his icy blue eyes dark with a stony grief. He glanced at the man beside him, a man whose name he did not even know. Feeling dirty and tainted, Fuji stepped into the shower, an icy burst of water brought him back to reality. He held his head in his hands, unable to look at his own reflection in the mirror, he felt dirty, contaminated and worthless, as he often did.
His dark eyes narrowed in pain as he reached for soap, memories of the previous night flooded his mind. He vaguely remembered; going to a bar ...getting drunk... and... it was an all-too-familiar routine. He no longer cared. Stepping out of the shower, he threw on his shirt, and left the house, quietly, without a sound, as he always did. Hailing a cab, he headed back to his apartment.
Fuji Syusuke knew he looked good, he knew that his beauty made him the object of desire of many, both men and women. His face may be solemn and sad, his piercing blue eyes clouded with unexplainable grief, yet his beauty was by no means compromised. Rather, his sorrow served only to enhance his elegant good looks, the gauntness of his face made him look more mature and beautiful than ever, his sorrowful blue eyes and slender figure gave a hint of vulnerability yet mystery. A strong and powerful aura surrounded Fuji, drawing countless admirers to him.
Despite all his beauty, Fuji hated himself for what he was; he hated his sinful lifestyle and often regretted his mindless actions. However, he was powerless to break free from it, he could not bear to return to reality and face what was once his life. His only choice was to continue, to continue drowning his pain in alcohol and sex.
Arriving at his apartment, he flicked on his laptop and started to work on his latest assignments. As a freelance photographer, his jobs mainly included photographing drugs addicts, drunks and sex workers, and anybody else considered the scum of society. Perhaps that was why he had joined them so easily, why he had been so easily lured into this easy route of escape from cold, hard reality.
As he edited the photos on the screen with a nearly dreamy expression, a sudden sound brought him back to reality. The mail icon at the left-hand side of the screen flashed threateningly. As he clicked on the flashing icon without thinking, a turmoil of emotions exploded in him. It was a long forgotten account, one that he had never bothered getting rid of mainly because he never thought it was worth the trouble, or rather... because he couldn't bear to face the past... the pain.
A single message appeared in the inbox. The sender? Inui Sadaharu.
Familiar images of the tall, bespectacled data collector appeared in his head as he read the message:
Dear all,
It has been eleven years, five months and sixteen days since we have left Seigaku, six years, three months and twenty-two days since we last met. In view of this situation, I propose a meeting on the evening of the twentieth of May, at seven pm sharp at the Blue Ocean Lounge. That is in exactly three days from today and all are expected to attend or face an undecided fate that will certainly be negative. In line with tradition, latecomers will be served my latest concoction, which shall remain unnamed as of this moment.
Yours Truly Inui
Fuji could not help but smile as he read the words, once Inui, always Inui. The man had apparently not changed much over the past years, his manner remained as always, calm yet threatening. His smile soon turned into a slight frown as he read the words again, this time fully taking in what they meant.
A reunion.
No.... absolutely no way
But... Inui...the words "undecided fate" should never be taken lightly...not when they came from Inui. Besides, a reunion meant seeing everyone else again...including...him.
A sudden pain engulfed him as memories, both good and bad, suffocated him. The pain was simply too much to bear... too much... Clutching his head in both hands, he forced his thoughts to return to the message on the screen and the upcoming reunion. Finally he made his decision; it was time, time to break free of his depression and mistakes, time to change things, once and forever.
That night, as Fuji stepped into the crowded bar, he promised himself that he wouldn't get drunk this time. Ordering a drink at the counter, he was determined that this will be the last time he stepped into this place, the last time he will allow himself to be polluted by the stale smell of cigarette smoke, the very last time.
"Fuji senpai"
Fuji spun around in surprise, his icy blue eyes looking straight into the golden ones of Echizen Ryoma.
"Echizen"
If he was surprised, Fuji didn't show it. Rather, it seemed like meeting his high school junior on the street was nothing more than a daily occurrence. He greeted the other boy casually and politely inquired on his current life.
The dark-haired youth remained sullenly silent to Fuji's polite conversation, his attitude practically rebellious, reminding Fuji of his high school days. Fuji finally gave up trying to get any decent conservation out of him and the two had sat in companionable silence for a moment when Echizen suddenly spoke.
"Have you received the message from Inui senpai?"
Fuji nodded
"You will be going?"
"Ahh, Inui said undecided fate."
Ryoma merely shrugged and frowned deeply. Fuji could not help but notice how the younger boy had changed so little over the years, he was still as petite as ever, his features delicate and child-like. Even his sullen attitude remained the same, the determination and pride present in his golden, cat-liked eyes. The younger boy exuded an air of innocence and arrogance. Fuji felt fascinated by this unusual combination; he was now drawn to the boy just as he was drawn to his uniquely astounding tennis skills so many years ago. Echizen had never defeated Fuji in the game when they were in high school, yet the other's amazing potential and surprising moves had never failed to earn his interest.
Tennis was apparently on Echizen's mind for his next words were, "Fuji senpai, what about a game?"
"The last time I heard, you were a pro"
"The last time I heard, you were a tennis prodigy"
"I was"
"Hm?"
"I no longer wish to play."
Ryoma Echizen did not appear interested in knowing anything else; he merely turned away with a sullen expression. The two sat in silence for a long time before Fuji finally asked,"Echizen, where do you stay now? At home?"
"With my moron of a father? No. I'll only be in town for a few weeks anyway, so I'm staying at a hotel. In fact, this is my first week back in Tokyo, Inui senpai is resourceful"
"I see. You can stay at my place if you want to."
Ryoma looked up in surprise, staying with Fuji senpai... Now that would be interesting... "Thank you, I'll take up the offer than", he replied carelessly.
That night, the two returned to Fuji's apartment together. The older boy went straight into the shower upon reaching home, eager to remove the smell of cigarettes and alcohol on him. As he mused over the unexpected events of the night, he found himself wondering why he had invited Echizen over. Memories flooded back when he thought about the time when they had once played tennis together, with the rest of Seigaku, with so much passion and love. Everything had seemed so simple then, so peaceful. But now...the flowing water mingled with his tears, for he could no longer control his emotions, as images of happier days filled his mind.
When Fuji came out of the shower, he found Ryoma deeply asleep. The other boy was apparently not the most desirable houseguest or most courteous one, for he was sprawled across the middle of the huge double bed, leaving minimal space for Fuji. He sighed as he tried to nudge Echizen to one side, but the other was like a huge rock and simply would not move. Finally, Fuji gave up and stretch himself out on the tiny space left, looking at the invader on his own bed, he found himself staring at the doll- like face, with its long dark lashes and delicate nose, enchanted by its innocent beauty. With that, he gradually fell into a deep slumber.
The next morning, when Fuji woke up, he found his bed strewn with various articles of clothing and the door of his wardrobe opened. Searching the place for the younger boy, it became apparent that Echizen had already left the house, with Fuji's favourite jacket. With a sigh, he took breakfast and started on his work.
Hours later, the doorbell rang.
"Sorry, I had to borrow your clothes, left mine at the hotel. I went to pick them up."
"I'm quite fine with you borrowing anything actually." Fuji replied politely
"Good. I didn't pack much."
Fuji worked quietly on his assignments for the rest of the day while Echizen Ryoma slept. Each ignored the other's existence except for mealtimes when they will either go to the nearby fast food restaurant or take instant food. Their routine for the next day was very much the same and would probably have continued for the rest of Ryoma's stay if the day after had not been the day of the reunion.
That morning, Fuji woke up with a sense of apprehension. Since he had stop going to the bar, he had decided to make a clean cut away from his previous drunken and sinful lifestyle and confront his pain. He knew, that the most painful and difficult moment would be at that night's reunion. Ignoring his worries, he had tried to carry on with his work as usual.
As he read Inui message for the fifth time, he started to feel slightly nervous, a feeling he had not experienced in years. He forced back all thoughts of the upcoming reunion and absorbed himself once again in his work.
That evening, at 6.pm., Fuji Syusuke stood at the door of his apartment, waiting patiently for Ryoma to be done dressing. The other boy had apparently not change his tardy habits and had refused to wake up until fifteen minutes before they were supposed to set off on the nearly hour long drive to the café. When Echizen finally emerged from the room wearing one of Fuji's shirts, it was already 6.10pm.
Sliding into the soft leather seat of his black sports car, Fuji could not help but stare at the shirt Echizen was wearing as fresh memories exploded in his mind. Ryoma nudge him as he wondered why his senpai was suddenly staring at him with an odd expression. Fuji finally forced his attention back to the road and started on the trip to the reunion.
The two reached the Blue Ocean Lounge at 7.03pm or at least that was what Inui had said when they stepped into the room he had reserved. He offered each a tube of blue liquid that Fuji promptly downed. Ryoma hesitated before gulping the lethal looking substance down as well and instantly turned green as he asked for a huge glass of water.
As Ryoma recovered from the effects of Inui's drink, he surveyed the room around him. All the regulars that used to be on Seigaku's tennis team were there. Everyone seemed to look exactly the same, yet so different at the same time. Kikumaru looked just as he did a decade ago, his eyes still filled with the same sparkle of mischief, yet he also seemed more mature and serious, and more weary than Ryoma had ever seen.
Fuji scanned the room, greeting everyone politely, before his eyes met those of Tezuka. Tezuka Kunimitsu. The tall boy had apparently retained his elegant good looks; his face was slender and aristocratic, perfectly complemented by his thin-rimmed glasses. His lips were turned up in a slight half-smile though his eyes remained cold and without expression. He exuded a powerful air of arrogance and self-assurance, drawing countless admirers.
Fuji walked deliberately towards the taller boy, a polite smile in place like a mask. He watched as Tezuka smoothly replaced his initially wary expression with a polite half-smile and held his hand out. Fuji chose however, to ignore the gesture and forced his voice to remain calm despite the sudden explosion of pain and desire deep within him. He had carefully avoided any eye contact with Tezuka since stepping into the room, for fear of allowing his emotions to run wild. Yet, he knew that this moment was inevitable; taking a deep breath, he spoke.
"It's been a long time"
It was a short and simple sentence, said without a trace of malice or blame, yet both men knew exactly how much it meant. Fuji fought to control his emotions even as he spoke, trying to stop the sudden flood of memories that filled him with pain and regret. He remembered that moment all too well, the moment when Tezuka had announced that he was going to marry his colleague. The exact words he used were firmly etched into Fuji's memory, the pain he had felt when Tezuka made his final speech would always remain deep in him.
"Syusuke, Hikaru and I are getting married next month."
"You know you don't love her."
"She will make a perfect wife for a lawyer, you know that as well as I do, besides, my parents love her. I'm sorry Fuji, but you always knew we will never amount to anything, we were nothing but a mistake right from the start"
Tezuka merely nodded at Fuji's statement. Fuji went on smoothly.
"Are you and Hikaru getting on well?"
Tezuka nodded.
"Are you happy?" He pressed on, the malice and venom in his voice barely masked.
"Are you happy with Echizen?" Tezuka's answer was short and matter-of-fact, yet it startled Fuji. Staring at the young tennis pro, he saw that Tezuka apparently thought he had a relationship with Ryoma and promptly decided to play along.
"Well...yes actually. We understand each other."
When Tezuka didn't react, Fuji continued relentlessly.
"In fact, you can join us if you want to... your wife too actually. I doubt Ryoma would mind"
Tezuka could no longer take it, he stood up quietly and mumbled a polite excuse before heading towards the door, but before he could reach it, Fuji stood up suddenly and walked swiftly towards him. He grabbed the taller man by the shoulders and pressed his lips against Tezuka's. The bespectacled former captain was too shocked too react; he surrendered briefly to the familiar sweetness, wishing that the moment would last forever. However, he soon summoned up all his willpower and pushed the tennis prodigy away, before leaving the room swiftly.
Fuji remained stunned on the spot for a moment, he did not know what had driven him to kiss Tezuka, and the pain of the second rejection was simply too much for him to bear. He turned around deliberately a moment later and bid a polite goodbye to the shocked regulars before pulling Echizen out of the room together with him.
Fuji didn't drive back to his apartment; he drove straight to a bar in one of the sleaziest areas, one that he had frequented in his drinking days. Entering the crowded and smoke-filled place, he headed instantly for the counter and started to drink. Ryoma merely ordered his own drink and observed Fuji quietly, making no attempt to stop or comfort him.
The next morning, Fuji Syusuke woke up and felt something warm and soft beside him. He turned around and found himself staring right into the peaceful, sleeping face of Ryoma Echizen. Lying straight on his back and staring at the blank ceiling, Fuji found himself remembering vaguely the events of the previous night. They had gone to the bar...gotten drunk...and he had kissed Echizen...things had simply progressed from then.
Looking at Ryoma again, he was once again struck by how innocent and adorable the younger boy looked. As he leaned over and gently kissed his cheek, Ryoma open his eyes yawning, he appeared unfazed by Fuji's presence and merely smirked lazily as he return the kiss.
For the next two weeks, the two treated each other with comfortable indifference; each ignoring the other as usual in daytime, yet sharing passionate moments after sunset. Echizen Ryoma soon became a source of comfort for Fuji, a temporary replacement for Tezuka. Both men knew there was no true love in this arrangement; it was merely a convenient one. Echizen was bored and Fuji needed a distraction, and that was all, both understood clearly that there were no emotional bonds or feelings involved in their relationship, it was a purely physical one.
Fuji thoroughly enjoyed being together with Ryoma, however he knew too that this could be a temporary solution, the pain of Tezuka's cruel rejection will never be forgotten. Fuji knew too that he could afford to be attached to Echizen in any way, for the younger man would be leaving soon, and he simply could not cope with another loss.
However, despite his deep feelings for his former captain and the understanding that his relationship with Echizen should only be a loveless but mutually benefiting one, he could not help but feel something each morning, as he gazed at Ryoma's child-like features. The youthful innocence, delicate beauty and air of vulnerability that surrounded the other's slender form often struck him. Fuji often found himself wanting to reach out and run his fingers through the soft black hair framing Echizen's face so perfectly and stroke the soft, smooth cheeks with their perfect complexion. Gradually, he found himself dreading the day of his companion's departure, he found himself relying more and more on Echizen, he found himself falling in love the dark-haired youth.
Fuji struggled long and hard with his emotions, he refuse to admit that he loved Echizen. The pain left by Tezuka's rejection was still fresh and Fuji was reluctant to commit himself to a relationship once again. Each time he glanced at Echizen, memories of his previous relationship returned to his mind, the flirting...the trust...the betrayal...
The failure of his previous affair had left a permanent scar in his heart and he held a hidden fear of being rejected again. Fuji was scared, very scared, he did not wish to have to pick up his life again after having his heart and soul shattered into pieces once more.
The morning of Echizen's departure, the two drove to the airport in total silence. They carefully avoided each other's eyes as Fuji weaved skilfully through the morning traffic. As the car pulled to a stop at a traffic light, he finally opened his mouth to speak first, unable to bear the uncomfortable silence any longer.
"I'll miss you."
The lone statement hung in the air, Echizen did not reply immediately. He simply didn't know what to say, for he was unsure of the current status of their relationship. Initially, everything had been very clear, their relationship had absolutely no commitment or love and had been a purely physical one. However, as things progressed, he was no longer sure. He found himself starting to feel an emotional desire for Fuji and sometimes even felt that Fuji seemed to feel the same way.
However, he soon tossed these ideas aside as he remembered how Fuji had reacted after Tezuka's rejection and he knew that the prodigy's heart undoubtedly contained only the former captain. A sudden jealousy and sadness filled him at this point as he remembered how Fuji had kissed Tezuka. Of course, they had shared moments more intimate than a kiss, yet he knew that the passion in their most intimate moments would never match the fiery intensity and passionate emotions of that seemingly chaste kiss.
Finally, Ryoma decided on an appropriate response to Fuji's statement, he paused for a long moment, before deciding that he did not wish to hide his emotions, he didn't want to regret years later for not clarifying his feelings here and now. Wordlessly, he turned towards Fuji and kissed the other man firmly on the lips, he kissed him with a passion unmatched by any other, except maybe by that passionate moment Fuji and Tezuka had shared.
Fuji was stunned, yet he surrendered easily to the gentle pressure of Ryoma's lips, ignoring the fact that cars behind and beside them were protesting nosily. He no longer cared what anyone else thought, all he wanted to do at that moment was to kiss Ryoma; he wished that this moment would never end.
Fuji knew he had reached a decision when he returned the kiss with a vengeance, he was clear that the memory of Tezuka Kunimitsu would always remain in his mind. Yet, at the same time, he was also sure that the one he truly loves now, is Echizen Ryoma.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Oujisama, Konomi Takeshi does
Fuji Syusuke lied back on the bed, his icy blue eyes dark with a stony grief. He glanced at the man beside him, a man whose name he did not even know. Feeling dirty and tainted, Fuji stepped into the shower, an icy burst of water brought him back to reality. He held his head in his hands, unable to look at his own reflection in the mirror, he felt dirty, contaminated and worthless, as he often did.
His dark eyes narrowed in pain as he reached for soap, memories of the previous night flooded his mind. He vaguely remembered; going to a bar ...getting drunk... and... it was an all-too-familiar routine. He no longer cared. Stepping out of the shower, he threw on his shirt, and left the house, quietly, without a sound, as he always did. Hailing a cab, he headed back to his apartment.
Fuji Syusuke knew he looked good, he knew that his beauty made him the object of desire of many, both men and women. His face may be solemn and sad, his piercing blue eyes clouded with unexplainable grief, yet his beauty was by no means compromised. Rather, his sorrow served only to enhance his elegant good looks, the gauntness of his face made him look more mature and beautiful than ever, his sorrowful blue eyes and slender figure gave a hint of vulnerability yet mystery. A strong and powerful aura surrounded Fuji, drawing countless admirers to him.
Despite all his beauty, Fuji hated himself for what he was; he hated his sinful lifestyle and often regretted his mindless actions. However, he was powerless to break free from it, he could not bear to return to reality and face what was once his life. His only choice was to continue, to continue drowning his pain in alcohol and sex.
Arriving at his apartment, he flicked on his laptop and started to work on his latest assignments. As a freelance photographer, his jobs mainly included photographing drugs addicts, drunks and sex workers, and anybody else considered the scum of society. Perhaps that was why he had joined them so easily, why he had been so easily lured into this easy route of escape from cold, hard reality.
As he edited the photos on the screen with a nearly dreamy expression, a sudden sound brought him back to reality. The mail icon at the left-hand side of the screen flashed threateningly. As he clicked on the flashing icon without thinking, a turmoil of emotions exploded in him. It was a long forgotten account, one that he had never bothered getting rid of mainly because he never thought it was worth the trouble, or rather... because he couldn't bear to face the past... the pain.
A single message appeared in the inbox. The sender? Inui Sadaharu.
Familiar images of the tall, bespectacled data collector appeared in his head as he read the message:
Dear all,
It has been eleven years, five months and sixteen days since we have left Seigaku, six years, three months and twenty-two days since we last met. In view of this situation, I propose a meeting on the evening of the twentieth of May, at seven pm sharp at the Blue Ocean Lounge. That is in exactly three days from today and all are expected to attend or face an undecided fate that will certainly be negative. In line with tradition, latecomers will be served my latest concoction, which shall remain unnamed as of this moment.
Yours Truly Inui
Fuji could not help but smile as he read the words, once Inui, always Inui. The man had apparently not changed much over the past years, his manner remained as always, calm yet threatening. His smile soon turned into a slight frown as he read the words again, this time fully taking in what they meant.
A reunion.
No.... absolutely no way
But... Inui...the words "undecided fate" should never be taken lightly...not when they came from Inui. Besides, a reunion meant seeing everyone else again...including...him.
A sudden pain engulfed him as memories, both good and bad, suffocated him. The pain was simply too much to bear... too much... Clutching his head in both hands, he forced his thoughts to return to the message on the screen and the upcoming reunion. Finally he made his decision; it was time, time to break free of his depression and mistakes, time to change things, once and forever.
That night, as Fuji stepped into the crowded bar, he promised himself that he wouldn't get drunk this time. Ordering a drink at the counter, he was determined that this will be the last time he stepped into this place, the last time he will allow himself to be polluted by the stale smell of cigarette smoke, the very last time.
"Fuji senpai"
Fuji spun around in surprise, his icy blue eyes looking straight into the golden ones of Echizen Ryoma.
"Echizen"
If he was surprised, Fuji didn't show it. Rather, it seemed like meeting his high school junior on the street was nothing more than a daily occurrence. He greeted the other boy casually and politely inquired on his current life.
The dark-haired youth remained sullenly silent to Fuji's polite conversation, his attitude practically rebellious, reminding Fuji of his high school days. Fuji finally gave up trying to get any decent conservation out of him and the two had sat in companionable silence for a moment when Echizen suddenly spoke.
"Have you received the message from Inui senpai?"
Fuji nodded
"You will be going?"
"Ahh, Inui said undecided fate."
Ryoma merely shrugged and frowned deeply. Fuji could not help but notice how the younger boy had changed so little over the years, he was still as petite as ever, his features delicate and child-like. Even his sullen attitude remained the same, the determination and pride present in his golden, cat-liked eyes. The younger boy exuded an air of innocence and arrogance. Fuji felt fascinated by this unusual combination; he was now drawn to the boy just as he was drawn to his uniquely astounding tennis skills so many years ago. Echizen had never defeated Fuji in the game when they were in high school, yet the other's amazing potential and surprising moves had never failed to earn his interest.
Tennis was apparently on Echizen's mind for his next words were, "Fuji senpai, what about a game?"
"The last time I heard, you were a pro"
"The last time I heard, you were a tennis prodigy"
"I was"
"Hm?"
"I no longer wish to play."
Ryoma Echizen did not appear interested in knowing anything else; he merely turned away with a sullen expression. The two sat in silence for a long time before Fuji finally asked,"Echizen, where do you stay now? At home?"
"With my moron of a father? No. I'll only be in town for a few weeks anyway, so I'm staying at a hotel. In fact, this is my first week back in Tokyo, Inui senpai is resourceful"
"I see. You can stay at my place if you want to."
Ryoma looked up in surprise, staying with Fuji senpai... Now that would be interesting... "Thank you, I'll take up the offer than", he replied carelessly.
That night, the two returned to Fuji's apartment together. The older boy went straight into the shower upon reaching home, eager to remove the smell of cigarettes and alcohol on him. As he mused over the unexpected events of the night, he found himself wondering why he had invited Echizen over. Memories flooded back when he thought about the time when they had once played tennis together, with the rest of Seigaku, with so much passion and love. Everything had seemed so simple then, so peaceful. But now...the flowing water mingled with his tears, for he could no longer control his emotions, as images of happier days filled his mind.
When Fuji came out of the shower, he found Ryoma deeply asleep. The other boy was apparently not the most desirable houseguest or most courteous one, for he was sprawled across the middle of the huge double bed, leaving minimal space for Fuji. He sighed as he tried to nudge Echizen to one side, but the other was like a huge rock and simply would not move. Finally, Fuji gave up and stretch himself out on the tiny space left, looking at the invader on his own bed, he found himself staring at the doll- like face, with its long dark lashes and delicate nose, enchanted by its innocent beauty. With that, he gradually fell into a deep slumber.
The next morning, when Fuji woke up, he found his bed strewn with various articles of clothing and the door of his wardrobe opened. Searching the place for the younger boy, it became apparent that Echizen had already left the house, with Fuji's favourite jacket. With a sigh, he took breakfast and started on his work.
Hours later, the doorbell rang.
"Sorry, I had to borrow your clothes, left mine at the hotel. I went to pick them up."
"I'm quite fine with you borrowing anything actually." Fuji replied politely
"Good. I didn't pack much."
Fuji worked quietly on his assignments for the rest of the day while Echizen Ryoma slept. Each ignored the other's existence except for mealtimes when they will either go to the nearby fast food restaurant or take instant food. Their routine for the next day was very much the same and would probably have continued for the rest of Ryoma's stay if the day after had not been the day of the reunion.
That morning, Fuji woke up with a sense of apprehension. Since he had stop going to the bar, he had decided to make a clean cut away from his previous drunken and sinful lifestyle and confront his pain. He knew, that the most painful and difficult moment would be at that night's reunion. Ignoring his worries, he had tried to carry on with his work as usual.
As he read Inui message for the fifth time, he started to feel slightly nervous, a feeling he had not experienced in years. He forced back all thoughts of the upcoming reunion and absorbed himself once again in his work.
That evening, at 6.pm., Fuji Syusuke stood at the door of his apartment, waiting patiently for Ryoma to be done dressing. The other boy had apparently not change his tardy habits and had refused to wake up until fifteen minutes before they were supposed to set off on the nearly hour long drive to the café. When Echizen finally emerged from the room wearing one of Fuji's shirts, it was already 6.10pm.
Sliding into the soft leather seat of his black sports car, Fuji could not help but stare at the shirt Echizen was wearing as fresh memories exploded in his mind. Ryoma nudge him as he wondered why his senpai was suddenly staring at him with an odd expression. Fuji finally forced his attention back to the road and started on the trip to the reunion.
The two reached the Blue Ocean Lounge at 7.03pm or at least that was what Inui had said when they stepped into the room he had reserved. He offered each a tube of blue liquid that Fuji promptly downed. Ryoma hesitated before gulping the lethal looking substance down as well and instantly turned green as he asked for a huge glass of water.
As Ryoma recovered from the effects of Inui's drink, he surveyed the room around him. All the regulars that used to be on Seigaku's tennis team were there. Everyone seemed to look exactly the same, yet so different at the same time. Kikumaru looked just as he did a decade ago, his eyes still filled with the same sparkle of mischief, yet he also seemed more mature and serious, and more weary than Ryoma had ever seen.
Fuji scanned the room, greeting everyone politely, before his eyes met those of Tezuka. Tezuka Kunimitsu. The tall boy had apparently retained his elegant good looks; his face was slender and aristocratic, perfectly complemented by his thin-rimmed glasses. His lips were turned up in a slight half-smile though his eyes remained cold and without expression. He exuded a powerful air of arrogance and self-assurance, drawing countless admirers.
Fuji walked deliberately towards the taller boy, a polite smile in place like a mask. He watched as Tezuka smoothly replaced his initially wary expression with a polite half-smile and held his hand out. Fuji chose however, to ignore the gesture and forced his voice to remain calm despite the sudden explosion of pain and desire deep within him. He had carefully avoided any eye contact with Tezuka since stepping into the room, for fear of allowing his emotions to run wild. Yet, he knew that this moment was inevitable; taking a deep breath, he spoke.
"It's been a long time"
It was a short and simple sentence, said without a trace of malice or blame, yet both men knew exactly how much it meant. Fuji fought to control his emotions even as he spoke, trying to stop the sudden flood of memories that filled him with pain and regret. He remembered that moment all too well, the moment when Tezuka had announced that he was going to marry his colleague. The exact words he used were firmly etched into Fuji's memory, the pain he had felt when Tezuka made his final speech would always remain deep in him.
"Syusuke, Hikaru and I are getting married next month."
"You know you don't love her."
"She will make a perfect wife for a lawyer, you know that as well as I do, besides, my parents love her. I'm sorry Fuji, but you always knew we will never amount to anything, we were nothing but a mistake right from the start"
Tezuka merely nodded at Fuji's statement. Fuji went on smoothly.
"Are you and Hikaru getting on well?"
Tezuka nodded.
"Are you happy?" He pressed on, the malice and venom in his voice barely masked.
"Are you happy with Echizen?" Tezuka's answer was short and matter-of-fact, yet it startled Fuji. Staring at the young tennis pro, he saw that Tezuka apparently thought he had a relationship with Ryoma and promptly decided to play along.
"Well...yes actually. We understand each other."
When Tezuka didn't react, Fuji continued relentlessly.
"In fact, you can join us if you want to... your wife too actually. I doubt Ryoma would mind"
Tezuka could no longer take it, he stood up quietly and mumbled a polite excuse before heading towards the door, but before he could reach it, Fuji stood up suddenly and walked swiftly towards him. He grabbed the taller man by the shoulders and pressed his lips against Tezuka's. The bespectacled former captain was too shocked too react; he surrendered briefly to the familiar sweetness, wishing that the moment would last forever. However, he soon summoned up all his willpower and pushed the tennis prodigy away, before leaving the room swiftly.
Fuji remained stunned on the spot for a moment, he did not know what had driven him to kiss Tezuka, and the pain of the second rejection was simply too much for him to bear. He turned around deliberately a moment later and bid a polite goodbye to the shocked regulars before pulling Echizen out of the room together with him.
Fuji didn't drive back to his apartment; he drove straight to a bar in one of the sleaziest areas, one that he had frequented in his drinking days. Entering the crowded and smoke-filled place, he headed instantly for the counter and started to drink. Ryoma merely ordered his own drink and observed Fuji quietly, making no attempt to stop or comfort him.
The next morning, Fuji Syusuke woke up and felt something warm and soft beside him. He turned around and found himself staring right into the peaceful, sleeping face of Ryoma Echizen. Lying straight on his back and staring at the blank ceiling, Fuji found himself remembering vaguely the events of the previous night. They had gone to the bar...gotten drunk...and he had kissed Echizen...things had simply progressed from then.
Looking at Ryoma again, he was once again struck by how innocent and adorable the younger boy looked. As he leaned over and gently kissed his cheek, Ryoma open his eyes yawning, he appeared unfazed by Fuji's presence and merely smirked lazily as he return the kiss.
For the next two weeks, the two treated each other with comfortable indifference; each ignoring the other as usual in daytime, yet sharing passionate moments after sunset. Echizen Ryoma soon became a source of comfort for Fuji, a temporary replacement for Tezuka. Both men knew there was no true love in this arrangement; it was merely a convenient one. Echizen was bored and Fuji needed a distraction, and that was all, both understood clearly that there were no emotional bonds or feelings involved in their relationship, it was a purely physical one.
Fuji thoroughly enjoyed being together with Ryoma, however he knew too that this could be a temporary solution, the pain of Tezuka's cruel rejection will never be forgotten. Fuji knew too that he could afford to be attached to Echizen in any way, for the younger man would be leaving soon, and he simply could not cope with another loss.
However, despite his deep feelings for his former captain and the understanding that his relationship with Echizen should only be a loveless but mutually benefiting one, he could not help but feel something each morning, as he gazed at Ryoma's child-like features. The youthful innocence, delicate beauty and air of vulnerability that surrounded the other's slender form often struck him. Fuji often found himself wanting to reach out and run his fingers through the soft black hair framing Echizen's face so perfectly and stroke the soft, smooth cheeks with their perfect complexion. Gradually, he found himself dreading the day of his companion's departure, he found himself relying more and more on Echizen, he found himself falling in love the dark-haired youth.
Fuji struggled long and hard with his emotions, he refuse to admit that he loved Echizen. The pain left by Tezuka's rejection was still fresh and Fuji was reluctant to commit himself to a relationship once again. Each time he glanced at Echizen, memories of his previous relationship returned to his mind, the flirting...the trust...the betrayal...
The failure of his previous affair had left a permanent scar in his heart and he held a hidden fear of being rejected again. Fuji was scared, very scared, he did not wish to have to pick up his life again after having his heart and soul shattered into pieces once more.
The morning of Echizen's departure, the two drove to the airport in total silence. They carefully avoided each other's eyes as Fuji weaved skilfully through the morning traffic. As the car pulled to a stop at a traffic light, he finally opened his mouth to speak first, unable to bear the uncomfortable silence any longer.
"I'll miss you."
The lone statement hung in the air, Echizen did not reply immediately. He simply didn't know what to say, for he was unsure of the current status of their relationship. Initially, everything had been very clear, their relationship had absolutely no commitment or love and had been a purely physical one. However, as things progressed, he was no longer sure. He found himself starting to feel an emotional desire for Fuji and sometimes even felt that Fuji seemed to feel the same way.
However, he soon tossed these ideas aside as he remembered how Fuji had reacted after Tezuka's rejection and he knew that the prodigy's heart undoubtedly contained only the former captain. A sudden jealousy and sadness filled him at this point as he remembered how Fuji had kissed Tezuka. Of course, they had shared moments more intimate than a kiss, yet he knew that the passion in their most intimate moments would never match the fiery intensity and passionate emotions of that seemingly chaste kiss.
Finally, Ryoma decided on an appropriate response to Fuji's statement, he paused for a long moment, before deciding that he did not wish to hide his emotions, he didn't want to regret years later for not clarifying his feelings here and now. Wordlessly, he turned towards Fuji and kissed the other man firmly on the lips, he kissed him with a passion unmatched by any other, except maybe by that passionate moment Fuji and Tezuka had shared.
Fuji was stunned, yet he surrendered easily to the gentle pressure of Ryoma's lips, ignoring the fact that cars behind and beside them were protesting nosily. He no longer cared what anyone else thought, all he wanted to do at that moment was to kiss Ryoma; he wished that this moment would never end.
Fuji knew he had reached a decision when he returned the kiss with a vengeance, he was clear that the memory of Tezuka Kunimitsu would always remain in his mind. Yet, at the same time, he was also sure that the one he truly loves now, is Echizen Ryoma.