DISCLAIMER: Futile. Useless. I claim nothing. I have no right.

A/N: Before reading this, i want you to know that this a SEQUEL to my Valentine's oneshot fic, Dread to Love. So, I suggest you read it first before this one to understand the story better. Hope you enjoy. Happy White Day! Reviews are encouraged.


True Pretenses

XxxX

"I love you."

Fuji gave off his innocent smile as he stared teasingly at Tezuka. They were studying together, and for Fuji's part, it was studying Tezuka.

"Fuji, stop it. Please." Tezuka said hastily, crossing out his solutions for the problem he'd been solving for the last thirty minutes already. The faint blush on his face never seems to waver as Fuji repeated his words over and over again.

"I love you."

Tezuka snapped the book shut and glared at the lithe boy.

"Fuji—"

Lips were suddenly on his, soft and tender, pressing up ever so sweetly.

Fuji released him and smiled again. "I love you." The captain merely stared, beaten at his own reprimand. The latter only continued watching him amusingly.

He saw the tensai shove a paper at him and he looked down to examine it. His eyes widened.

On the paper was the solution of the problem that was futilely solving earlier. He eyed Fuji, only to see him laughing.

"Ne, say 'I love you' instead of thank you, Mitsu."

And Tezuka glared yet again.

XxxX

When had it started again?

Oh, right. Valentine's Day.

Tezuka sighed as he remembered what happened to that day he had dreaded for almost all of his existence. It was not as bad as he expected, it was the absolute opposite of it. Who would have thought he would end his dreaded day with something he did not expect and something he had thoroughly enjoyed…liked or whatever adjectives he could not find. He ended it with a kiss. From Fuji to be exact.

The idea made him warm all over.

But ever since that, Fuji never lived a day without his annoying love declarations that unnerved him to no end. It was embarrassing, especially when Fuji would boldly declare it in front of his team.

That first day he blurted it out on them, Tezuka was sure that day imprinted forever on his head.

It was by the clubroom that Fuji came up with his twisted sadistic whim for the day. The timing he chose was early morning practice, peaceful and invigorating, perfect to muddle up with his games.

Tezuka was tying up his shoes that time, bending over the bench near Fuji's locker when suddenly Fuji sat in front of him, knocking his foot aside and almost loosing his balance.

"Fuji." The captain said in annoyance. Everyone around gaped at them curiously. Kikumaru and Momoshiro quickly covered their mouths with their hands to stifle their laugh. Seeing the ever so guarded Tezuka almost toppling over to the side was point blank hilarious. Tezuka almost gave them laps if it weren't for the open eye stare with hidden intent that Fuji wore in front of him.

"Fuji, what do you think you're doing?" he retorted as he straightened up, smoothing his jersey, pretending nothing that embarrassing happened just now and keeping his cool. The others, especially Inui continued to stare with interest. Fuji in action is always something to witness. Especially when Tezuka is the victim, it's hard not to miss it.

But Fuji retaliated the only way he knew of, a sweet smile. Sweet that is synonymous to trouble. And trouble was never enough to describe the tensai's intentions.

Tezuka gave up the lost battle and was about to turn back to his locker when the silent ,astute tensai reached out and grab him by the collar.

What happened next…needs no clarifying anymore.

All he knew that Fuji's lips were suddenly on his and everyone around him went into an uproar. Surprise. Surprise.

The Regulars' reaction seemed to coax something from Fuji for he deepened his kiss and moaned. Yes, he moaned. And that was enough to paint Tezuka's face with deep red and have the whole faces of the crowd in the room blush faintly.

Wrenching apart as the air thinned and his mortification grew, Tezuka couldn't believe what just happened. Fuji merely smiled cheerfully as usual but with satisfaction almost brimming from him.

"Fuji…" Tezuka said through his gritted teeth, hearing the excited whisper of Kikumaru in the background, Inui's ecstatic mumblings and Echizen's 'mada mada dane' retort. His team is definitely going through hell that day.

Again, the sweet smile with his breath-taking azure eyes obscured his vision and those lips who claimed his opened up. "I love you, Kunimitsu."

"500 laps outside. NOW!"

Everyone scrambled outside the door in fear and groans.

"Fuji, the same goes for you." He watched the tensai stand up and brushed up to him muttering as he passed the madly blushing captain "Don't forget that I love you."

If only it could be possible to punish someone to run laps forever, he could have done already.

XxxX

And today, it was White Day. Another day he wishes hadn't been labeled as such.

Girls who bombarded him gifts last Valentine's Day stared him down with their hopes of returning back all of what he had received. And this is why he hated going to school at that particular day. He can't afford seeing their hopes being crushed down in front of his eyes. But he won't reciprocate back. It would mean reciprocating to almost the entire girls' population of the school.

During lunch break he went on the rooftop to avoid any confrontations. He began to wonder where Fuji might be. From what he knew, the latter received as much chocolates as he had last Valentine's too.

As expected it was empty. The cheerful blue sky above him hovered with the light wind blowing ever so gently. He walked over the edge and leaned on the fence, relaxing his nerves and cooling down. At last some peace and quiet.

Or so he thought.

"Tezuka! What brings you here?"

Tezuka, startled, turned to see the person he was thinking about a minute ago. He was right here all along.

"Fuji. I'm not hungry so I went for some air."

He watched as Fuji leaned on his back on the railings, sighing.

"Something wrong?"

"I just don't feel like going through this day. I can't bear the look those girls have on their eyes. They are expecting too much when they know from the start that I don't reciprocate back." Just as what he thought, both of them are burdened by this day.

"I do feel that way too." The captain murmured back as he leaned back too.

"Aa…" They fell silent. Fuji fidgeted. He was making awkward sounds with his shoes drawing small circles on the ground. It seems he was hesitating to say something.

"Ne, Tezuka…" he begun, head bent down. He paused for a while. He was really hesitating. And for some reason, Tezuka saw a flush beginning to appear on the tensai's cheeks.

"What?" He was facing Fuji now, trapping him between the railings. He saw him back away tentatively, blushing redder and redder.

"Ah…since it's…aa…" the tensai was stuttering, looking thoroughly uncomfortable with what he was about to say. He hadn't looked up; he was still busy staring at his shoes.

"Saa…we—we need to go. Lunch's almost over." Fuji stepped sideways in a hurry and turned to his heel and began to walk away from Tezuka, who looked confused. "We can't afford to be late! See you at practice!" And then he was gone.

The captain wondered what was up with Fuji as he too made his way down.

And then he realized. Fuji hadn't said a word about his usual love declarations.

And today is White Day.

XxxX

Later that afternoon after practice, the team bustled around the club room to get dressed for Kawamura announced that he would treat them all for free. Nobody except Tezuka noticed Fuji's silence. Earlier on they were attacked by Kikumaru's curious questions on how they will both spend their White Day. It ended up with Kikumaru running additional ten laps around the court.

He was in the middle of Mathematics period that afternoon when he realized what Fuji inkling was all along.

"Fuji."

He saw the blue-eyed boy gape at him with a smile.

"Can you wait for me for a while?"

"Aaa…hai." Tezuka nodded his head in appreciation and pretended to be preoccupied with something.

The team started to clear off. Kikumaru tugged Fuji with him but the tensai shook him of saying that he would come with Tezuka.

"Fuji and Buchou. Nya, of course, we have to leave the two love birds alone. Some quality time nya!" Kikumaru said loudly, grinning comically as Fuji did the same. "Have fun then, nya. Don't take too long or else I'll eat your share!!" Kikumaru winked playfully at his best friend before closing the door behind him.

And then they were alone.

With Fuji's back on the captain, he heard him zip up his bag and approach him. He hesitantly turned around to face him.

He watched as Tezuka bent down to claim his lips in a gentle and chaste kiss. It was short, but almost too long for Fuji. He flashed a genuine smile as Tezuka leaned back.

"Thank you." Fuji muttered in a very grateful voice. It was always him who has the initiative to kiss the captain. It was a first coming from Tezuka.

Tezuka stepped in nearer to him and bent down again. But it was only to whisper something to his ears.

And those words made Fuji's day. Every bit of it.

"I love you, Syusuke."

~OWARI~


A/N: How was it? Thank you for reading! Please do give some reviews. I would very much appreciate it if you do. Happy White Day everyone!