Title: BELOVED
Characters: The Fujis, mainly Yuuta and Syusuke, mention about Perfect Pair, Tezuka/Fuji
Genre: Family Drama (I guess...)
Rating: PG
Summary: Yuuta always thought that being Syusuke's brother was a curse until he found his brother acted differently that night. Slowly Yuuta understood how important Syusuke was for him.
Warnings: AU fic, not related with tennis. Tezuka was Yumiko Fuji's peer. Syusuke was about four years younger than them.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Konomi sensei.

Chapter 1: The Change

Yuuta had thought that being Syusuke's little brother was a curse. He really could not stand how people always compared them. Syusuke was good at everything. Syusuke was a genius; he had been the best and the fastest graduate from his university. He was a good musician; he successfully took the highest level's certificate in their mother's music school and won some competitions as well. He was a student council's member. His good manner and good looking face had made him even more popular among the girls. He was even excellent in non-musical department. It was ridiculous that he, the sport freak, had always failed to win any kind of family matches against this slender guy who preferred music and art stuff.

Besides, Syusuke's behaviors had made everything worse. His fondness in teasing Yuuta to his limit always annoyed him very much. Yuuta had once tried to ask why Syusuke seemed to like teasing him so much. The thing that had upset him further was Syusuke's calm-obvious-and -matter-of-factly/em answer, which sounded like, "I don't mean to tease you. I just like to see your face flushed. It's cute, you know?" or, "You're sweet and cute. I thought you like being hugged," or other pointless ramblings like those. He wondered if Syusuke could give more reasonable words. Yumiko, their sister, did not help much either. When Yuuta run to her and complained about Syusuke's, she just commented thoughtfully about something like "Syusuke's right." Feeling like he was fooled, Yuuta stomped away.

Yuuta felt that his patience in dealing with Syusuke's antics had reached its limit. He did not mean to hate Syuusuke personally, but it was still a long way to go before him admitting that he might adore his brother. Is it too much to ask for him to be better than Syusuke for once? Would there be a little chance for him to see Syusuke's weakness, so that, at least, he could satisfy himself by knowing his brother was not as perfect as he (and the other people) had thought before? Yuuta sighed. Syusuke's perfection had haunted him completely. Unconsciously he wrote his mind somewhere on a random paper in front of him.

I hate you, Baka Aniki!

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It was a rainy evening. Yuuta had just come back from hanging out with his friends when he found his brother sitting on the chair in their foyer alone. There was something different about Syusuke. His slumped shoulders and gloomy face told Yuuta that something was wrong with him… or maybe something had happened with his family member. The thought worried Yuuta even more.

"Why's the room so dark?" Yuuta tried to steal Syusuke's attention but his brother did not seem to respond. "Aniki! Why are you sitting there?"

Syusuke turned his head slowly to face him and smiled.

"Okaeri, Yuuta."

Yuuta frowned for forgetting his manner and was surprised with the greeting. Syusuke's voice sounded too weak. His reaction was too calm. Besides, the smile was too faint and too fast to disappear. He could say that Syusuke might've forced it. This was not the usual annoying Syusuke he knew.

"Tadaima..."

Yuuta said as he approached his brother.

"Aniki, is something wrong?"

"No."

"But you do look wrong."

"Do I?"

"Yes."

Syusuke sighed.

Yuuta grunted. That kind of pointless reaction would usually make him mad and stomp away. Like always, Syusuke tried to tease him. But he could say that his brother did not really in the mood tonight so he tried to bear with it and stay.

"They've found out."

"What?" Yuuta asked with confused look.

"They knew that I've fallen in love with Tezuka Kunimitsu."

"You what?!"

Yuuta almost jumped when he heard this sudden confession. Syusuke lifted his head. His eyes were opened as he looked at his brother. Those cerulean blue eyes which usually looked bright and warm now seemed dark and gloomy. Yuuta had never seen Syusuke as desperate as now. For a moment he did not know how to react. The heavily pounding rain outside brought a bitter symphony of nature. Somehow, he shivered. He did not know whether it was because of the cold outside or the silence between them.

"You've fallen in love with Tezuka-san??" Yuuta repeated hesitatingly. "You are…" He gulped. "… gay?" His face reddened and suddenly he felt ashamed for some unknown reason. Syusuke did not respond. "Are you serious?" asked Yuuta as he realized there was no answer escaping from his brother's mouth.

'Baka Aniki, are you making a fun of me again?'

"I have fallen in love with Tezuka Kunimitsu."

Fuji repeated with emphasizing tone.

Yuuta was stunned. His mind was trying to process what he had just heard. It was shocking and confusing. As far as he knew, Syusuke had a very normal life and peer group. Although he had no steady girlfriend, he had dated some random girls before. He never imagined Syusuke would turn into this. Could he assume this as a disgrace? Yuuta was flustered for a moment. He should've been happy to find Syusuke finally fell into a deep trouble which he could not handle. But to his own surprise, he didn't. He just did not understand why his brother had chosen this path. This confession was too sudden….. and… too… gross?? Surprisingly, a small voice within his heart denied this. The words "Syusuke" and "gross" could not be suitable for each other.

'My brother isn't that gross. No, he isn't gross at all!'

"Please, say something, Yuuta."

Syusuke's voice had snapped Yuuta back to the reality.

"But, aniki…"

Yuuta did not continue. He still couldn't believe that he did not have the urge to jump happily for celebrating this news. He even had no will to blow it up as something weird. On the contrary, a strange feeling was tingling in his heart when he saw Syusuke's face fell. The teasing smile and tricky blue eyes were all gone. Beyond his expectation, Yuuta found that he wanted them back to his brother's angelic face.

"What?"

Yuuta looked at his brother and found that Syusuke's eyed was staring straight at him. There was a light of uncertainty within those blue eyes. Yuuta figured that Syusuke might be really insecure about this situation. Or, had he been cornered before? Yuuta let out a heavy sigh. He did not know whether he could accept the fact that Syusuke had fallen in love to a guy. But, beyond the issues, there was another point of more importance to not be overlooked. This was about the guy named Tezuka itself.

"I don't know." Yuuta thought for awhile, and then he asked. "Has okaa-san known about this?"

His brother nodded slowly.

"We've had a serious discussion just before you came." Syusuke paused for a moment as he threw his gaze to the imaginary spot in front of him. "A very heated one. Maybe even the most difficult one that I've ever gone through," he mumbled to himself. A bitter chuckle escaped from his lip before he sighed and rest his back weakly on the chair. He did look exhausted.

Yuuta frowned.

'Is it that bad?'

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to be continued.....