Title: He chose you
Author: Hagane
Pairing: guess! XD

Disclaimer: wish they were mine. Sigh. wish I were rich. wish I could make them all come to life. You get the picture.

Author's note[s]: this might totally suck, not that I particularly care…. …. Flame me if you want. I couldn't care less.


Ten to ten wo tsunaga you ni..

            That familiar song they were playing…. Of all places…. At all times…..they were playing it now. Now. Just when he'd thought he'd be okay, that he'd finally get a move on. Just when he thought he was over it….. couldn't they have waited another day, or maybe, even another hour? To let it all sink in? Couldn't they have been more……sensitive?

            Mitsui closed his eyes, taking in a deep, shuddering breath. His heart was in his throat again- every time he was reminded of it, of him, he could feel himself weaken.

Sen wo egaku yubi ga nazoru no wa
watashi no kita michi soretomo ikisaki

            'Fuck,' he thought angrily. The world was cruel- why him? Why always him?

Sen to sen wo musubu futari

Yagate minna uni ni tadoritsuki hitotsu ni naru kara
kowakunai keredo

            And the irony of it all…. Why the fucking hell were they playing the song HERE? This was a club dammit- what the hell did they think they were doing, playing the fucking song here!
            "Hey Mitchy, you all right?" his friend leaned over, "you look pissed somewhat."
            Mitsui rounded on him, thankful for a release. "What kind of song do they think they're playing?" he hissed, eyes narrowing. "This is a fucking club damn it!"
            His companion laughed. "Well I don't know about the fucking part, but yeah, this is a club all right. And the song's not very…appropriate eh?" he winked at his friend.
            "The hell it's not appropriate!" Mitsui barked back savagely.
            Sakuragi drew back, surprised. "Whoa. What's gotten you so riled up man? It's just a song!"
            'Just a song?!' he thought angrily, 'It's not JUST a song- it's- -' Mitsui shook his head hard. Sucking in another deep, shuddering breath, he said, "Yeah. Sorry. Got carried away a bit."
            His redhead companion looked relieved. "It must be hard for you huh," he said gently.
            Mitsui opened his mouth, then shut it again. There was no point in feigning ignorance. This was Sakuragi- he'd weasel out the truth anyhow. "Yeah." He finally admitted, staring down at the drink in his hand.
            "Well, no use lamenting it all. It's over. You have to move on Mitsui."
            He glanced up at his friend, surprised. The expression on Sakuragi's face- it was so gentle, so…compassionate and full of understanding….so…unnatural.
            "Sa-Sakuragi….." he whispered hoarsely, touched beyond words at his friend's concern.
            "Hah. Got'cha." A huge grin replaced itself on his face and he laughed, "You should have seen your face Mitchy. NYAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!"
            "BAKA!" Mitsui flushed angrily. And he'd actually believed the idiot! How stupid could he get? Fuming, he stood up abruptly to leave.
            "Oi Mitchy, it was just a joke!" Sakuragi got up to follow but Mitsui shook his head.
            "I'm just going to the gents'."
            "Right-o," grinned Sakuragi, sitting back down again, "Don't get lost on your way back."
            Mitsui shot him a glare before turning away.

Ken to ken ga butsuka riau oto-o
shiru tame ni takusareta ken ja nai yo
sonna mujun de dare wo mamoreru no

Oh oh  nando mo sugata o kaete
watashi no me ni maiorita anata wo
kyou wa sagashiteruu

            "It's just a song." He told the boy firmly, watching intently as the boy looked back at him. He narrowed his eyes, so did he.
            "It doesn't mean anything…..anymore," the boy told him, "it's over Mitsui-san."
            He nodded.
            "You don't look very convinced though," chided the boy.
            "Neither do you." He grunted.
            "True, but granted that I empathize with you completely….I'd feel the same."
            They both grinned.
            There was a flushing sound and one of the cubicles opened. A tall boy stepped out.
            "Mitsui?"
            Mitsui started, then turned around to face him, a lopsided grin on his face. "Yeah, hey."
            "Why are you talking to yourself?" asked the boy, looking him up and down skeptically, then glancing at the mirror.
            "Err, no reason. Eheh. Was I?" he laughed, nervously, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
            The boy threw him another have-you-lost-your-mind look before stepping towards the sink.
            "See you around then," Mitsui told him, his voice overly bright when he opened the door.
            Hanagata shook his head. The boy must be hurting more than he'd thought.

Oh oh doko demo ukeirerareyou to
shinaide ii you
jibun rashisa to iu tsurugi wo minna
sazukatta

            He sighed. The bloody song was still playing. Making up his mind, he threw open the door, the music blasting in his ears, but, unflinching, and almost unfeeling, he strode purposefully towards the deejay.
            Knocking on the glass panel did nothing to announce his arrival, so Mitsui Hisashi took the initiative and let himself in, shutting the door with a soft 'click' behind him. It was dark inside, but silent.
            The deejay was still too preoccupied- he was humming along to the song, oblivious to the new arrival. Mitsui stepped towards him but a voice halted him in mid-stride.
            "Hisashi."
            And a cold wave of…..fear…and dread washed over him. He stiffened considerably, but stepped forward regardless, willing himself to believe that he had been hearing things.
            "Hisashi." This time it was louder. Stubbornly, Mitsui pushed it away, and strode determinedly towards the unwitting deejay.
            A hand grabbed his firmly. He froze.
            "Hisashi. Don't."
            Mitsui shut his eyes. This had to be a bad dream. A horrid, awful nightmare. He opened his eyes again, expecting the grip on his hand to disappear, but it was still……
            "Hisashi…." The grip tightened, and Mitsui was whirled around to meet him face-to-face. Something leaped in his throat, and he tried to swallow it down.
            'No, don't look at him. Don't cry. That's what he wants. That's what he won't get,' he told himself desperately.
            "Oh…oh….toki ni wa nagare wo kaete….nani mo matazu ni…." Sang the oblivious deejay to himself, still unawares.
            Two pairs of blue eyes traveled over to where he was, innocent and unknowing. The grip on his hand loosened, and Mitsui yanked his arm away immediately.
            The other boy stared helplessly at him. "Hisashi, please. I…..I just want to talk."
            "What if I don't?" Mitsui glared at him defiantly.
            "Just….just hear me out….okay?"
            "I don't have to."
            "No you don't," the boy agreed, "but I really hope you will. Please." He looked searchingly into his eyes, searching, searching…..looking for any sign….any….
            Mitsui closed his eyes and turned away. "There's nothing more that needs to be said. It's over."
            "Hisashi….please….."
            "It won't work Akira. No matter how much you beg, it won't work." He told the boy stubbornly.

            Sendoh sighed. "Then I guess I've no choice."
            "What?" Mitsui's eyes narrowed dangerously.
            Sendoh stepped swiftly over to the deejay, tapped him on the shoulder- making him start, and lifted his headphones to whisper into his ear.
            Curious as he was, Mitsui forced himself to turn away and leave. If this was a chance to escape, there was no way he was going to blow it.

            'Thank god the fucking song's over,' he thought as he made his weaved his way back to the table where Sakuragi was waiting. As soon as he slid back into his seat, the familiar tinkle started….all over again.
            He groaned and looked to Sakuragi for help.
            "What's up?" the latter grinned, "You took quite a while. Thought you'd really got lost."
            "Baka!" he snapped, "Why are they playing the stupid song again?"
            He shrugged. "Beats me Mitchy. Maybe the deejay set it on repeat or something."
            "Baka!" he glared at his incompetent friend, "Of course it's on repeat! Why the hell would it still be playing then? I'm asking why!"
            The redhead smiled sheepishly, "That I can't answer. Why don't you ask Smiley over there?"
            Mitsui tensed, then he looked to where Sakuragi was pointing. Sendoh had just stepped out of the deejay booth. Their eyes met.
            Mitsui made to leave when Sendoh started towards him. "I'm leaving Sakuragi. I- I'll see you in school….uh, soon."
            But the redhead wasn't listening, he'd started singing along.
            "Oh….oh….subete wo ukeireru nante..shinakute ii you….watashitachi no itami ga ima tobidatta….."
            Mitsui sighed, then, as he moved away, Sakuragi's arm shot out, holding him back.
            "Let go of me baka!" he hissed, eyes darting over to Sendoh who was approaching rapidly.
            Sakuragi shook his head, eyes still closed, still humming along.
            "Baka! Let me go!" Mitsui's voice wavered, "Please Sakuragi, let me go…he- he's coming."
            Sendoh was less than 3 meters away….and closing in…..
            "Sakuragi!" he hissed urgently, tugging at his arm.
            "….That's why……"
            "Shut up and let me go!" his voice was rising in his desperation.
            "……That's why….."
            Sendoh was now almost at his side.
            "…….That's why he chose you." Mitsui froze. Slowly, he looked at his friend, who had opened his eyes and released his arm. There was something in his eyes….he was trying to say something….putting across some message…..only….what was it?
            "Hisashi."
            "Go away Akira." He said coldly, not looking at the other boy.
            "We really need to talk."
            "No. We don't."
            "I'm leaving this song playing till you hear me out."
            Mitsui looked at him icily. "Play it all you want. I'm leaving."
            "He chose you." Mitsui's head snapped around to look at Sakuragi. "He chose you Mitchy."
            "No he didn't."
            Sakuragi closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat indulgently. His lips were moving and he was singing again, ever so softly.
            "Hisashi?"
            Mitsui shut his eyes tightly. Trying to block out his voice, trying to push everything out of his mind. He was not really here. He was at home. He was in his bed. He was crying.
            Crying.
            Crying.
            Over him.
            His body trembled and he opened his eyes, staring right at Sendoh, but not really seeing him.
            "….jibun rashisa to iu tsurugi wo minna sazukatta…" he whispered, almost to himself.
            But the boy caught it, and started to sing as well.
            "….toki ni was nagare wo kaete…nani mo motazu ni….ataerareta namae to tomo ni……" they sang together softly, lost in their own world.
            They hadn't realized that Sakuragi had motioned for everyone else to stop and listen.
            They hadn't noticed that it was just them who were singing, and swaying slightly to the music.
            They hadn't….hadn't felt the silence that suddenly enveloped the area.

            They were aware only of each other. Only aware how close they were. Only aware of the emotions that were rushing through them.

            Sendoh reached out to twine his fingers around Mitsui's, half-afraid that the other boy would pull away, but he did nothing.
            "………shiokaze ni mukai toritachi. Ga ima…tobidatta……"
            Sendoh leaned in, his lips brushing against his lightly. Mitsui opened his eyes, an unreadable expression on his face. Again, afraid, Sendoh pulled back.
            But then he smiled. After weeks….Mitsui Hisashi smiled again.
            "What was it that you wanted to talk about?" he whispered.
            The younger boy's eyes widened, and a slow, uncertain smile spread over his features. "I…." He faltered, then, more confidently this time, "Nothing." And he leaned in for a real kiss.
            There were sighs all around, and exclamations of how 'unbelievably romantic' the two of them were. Somewhere amongst the crowd, Hanagata nodded at Fujima, who tugged at Maki, who rolled his eyes at Jin, who beamed at Kiyota, who threw a thumbs-up at Hikoichi, who noted something down in his notebook and passed it to Koshino, who read it and smacked him at the back of his head, and nodded curtly to Ayako, who smiled sweetly at Miyagi, who swooned over her, then, recovering somewhat, grinned idiotically at Sakuragi, who winked at the deejay….who laughed and turned to his three friends. One of them shook his head, chuckling softly. "Nice job Youhei."

            And the two of them still hadn't realized….still lost in their own world.

Song: Utada Hikaru's Deep River- lovely isn't it?