Part 1

The September morning was brisk and the autumn sun shone down onto the Seishun junior high tennis courts. The Seigaku team sped over the deep green courts, seeming only as bluish white blurs. One of the boys near the front, a short muscular young man by the name of Fuji, Shusuke, broke away from his peers and strolled, casually, over to his team captain and manager sat. He grinned from ear to ear with his eyes squeezed shut. He ruffled his, stick straight, honey brown hair as he reached the other two boys.

"I am not running any more laps."

He exclaimed cheerfully. The team manager, a tall fourteen year old with spiked black hair and glasses, raised a single eyebrow.

"But Fuji…Tezuka-Buchou assigned 50 laps. You have only completed 35…"

Inui, Sadaharu, for that was the team manager's name, scribbled something into his data book. Tezuka, Kunimitsu, the highly feared and respected Captain of the Seigaku tennis team, narrowed his sharp eyes at his team mate. Fuji's odd behavior could never be explained, not even by the team's data man manager.

"Very well then. Inui, he's in your hands."

Tezuka muttered stoically. An evil grin twisted Inui's lips. He reached down and snatched up his tennis bag.

"I have some new juice for you today… I assume that is the reason for you sudden abandonment of your laps?"

Fuji, who was still grinning with his eyes shut, cocked his head to once side. This simple action made him seem a little too sweet and innocent.

"Why Inui-Kun, how could you say such a thing?"

Inui's eyes narrowed ominously. From inside his bag he drew a water bottle filled to the brim with something that looked completely foul. It was brown and sloshed sickening around as Inui handed it to Fuji.

"I have to chug this right?"

Fuji's smile never faltered. Tezuka's eye twitched as Fuji downed the syrupy substance. It glugged slightly as Fuji finished Inui's creation. He emerged, smiling, if possible, even more intensely than before.

"Yummy!"

Tezuka closed his eyes, slapped to hand to his forehead, and sighed heavily. Just watching one of his top players do that to himself made his insides squirm.

"It tastes like lemonade!"

The other two boys were not at all surprised. Any other action would be unlike Fuji and would be quite worrisome.

"Nya!"

It was second period. Fuji and his best friend, Kikumaru, Eiji, sat in their home economics class. Eiji had succeeded in stabbing himself with his needle for the seventh time that week. The silver stuck out absurdly from the broken skin of his thumb. Fuji frowned with his eyes shut.

"Nya! Fujiko, it hurts!"

Fuji sighed and shook his head knowingly.

"Hush now Eiji… Here, hold still…"

Fuji wrapped his fingers around Eiji's wrist.

"Owie!"

"Don't move now."

Fuji plucked the sharp sewing instrument from his friend's hand.

"See? That wasn't-"

Without warning, a terrible, sharp pain shot through Fuji's gut. He let out a soft 'ah…'

"Fujiko?!"

Eiji's big blue eye blinked at Fuji. They were filled with mixed curiosity and concern.

"You sick?!"

Fuji raised his head and gave a half smile, without opening his eyes.

"Saah, Eiji… Don't worry; I have a small stomach ache… It will be fine."

The beginning of afternoon practice went as usual. The club room was packed with tennis players. Tezuka, Kunimitsu was finished changed early and set out to the courts.

"Tezuka-Buchou!"

The captain stopped walking abruptly. The team manager jogged toward him.

"I just wanted to point out a few notes I took while watching the team change.

"It had better not be like last time when you were writing down every inch of Kaido's body down. That was pig headed and quite unprofessional."

Inui adjusted his glasses as he kept up with his captain's brisk pace. He smirked at the memory. The shade of red Kaido, Kaoru had turned after spotting the older player staring at him made Inui smile.

"No, it's nothing like that this time. It's Fuji."

"Were you staring at him too?"

An unrecognizable emotion bubbled up inside of Tezuka and his ears grew hot.

"No, he has just been 30% slower this afternoon and nearly 80% less devious. I just thought you should know, being the captain and all."

"Thank you Inui."

Was Tezuka's flat response. When the team assembled, he gave Fuji a quick once over. Inui was never wrong. Fuji sat on the bench with Kikumaru, Eiji. His eyes were closed, and he was smiling, yet the smile was quite strained and the corner of his lip kept twitching. He figured that this would not last. Fuji always bounced back. And yet, this slight change disturbed Tezuka. This behavior was not Fuji like at all. Fuji did not even seem to have enough energy to poke fun at Kaido, Kaoru and Echizen, Ryoma as they passed the bench.

"All of you, forty laps around the court, now!"

He barked. Watching them run was oddly comforting. He kept his sharp eyes fixed on his players. Kaido, Kaoru and Momoshiro, Takeshi sprinted at the front, racing each other. Echizen, Ryoma fallowed close behind. Shortly fallowed by Inui, Sadaharu, Oishi, Shyuuichirou, and Takashi, Kawamaru. Fuji and Eiji brought up the rear. Eiji could tell that Fuji was in some sort of great pain. He never ran this slowly. Not even to "bun watch" as he called it. Eiji yelped and halted and Fuji collapsed on the court.

"Nya, Fujiko!"

Taka swiveled around and sped to Eiji's side.

"Is he okay?"

By this time Tezuka had made his way over. Eiji dropped to his knees.

"Fujiko, get up!"

He shook Fuji's arm vigorously. Fuji did not stir. His eyes were closed and face stood out chalky white against the green of the court. Eiji was shoved aside and Tezuka knelt on one knee where he had been. He scooped the smaller player up in his arms and sped off in the direction of the school.

"Hurry Buchou!"

Taka called after his captain. Tears showing on his kind face.

Something hard pressed against the back of Fuji's honey brown head. He did not know, nor much less care where he was. All he knew was that his insides felt as if they were about to free themselves from his body. The room was stiflingly hot. He would have wanted water if his stomach didn't hurt so badly. His eyelashes fluttered.

"So you will be on your way to pick him up? Great. See you soon. Good bye now." Fuji sighed heavily and pushed his bangs away from his sweaty face.

He opened his eyes. Anyone else would have jumped out of their skin. Tezuka's emotionless face swam into view.

"Aren't I the luckiest boy on the block to get this view?"

He grimaced slightly.

"Nurse, he's awake, and quite himself…"

Fuji could hear the clopping of heals and a hand on his face.

"He has a fever."

Fuji wanted to wine and whimper. His guts felt as if they were being shoved all out of place.

Tezuka hoisted a limp and ill Fuji Shusuke up into his arms. Fuji made a small noise and grabbed a hold of Tezuka's shirt and his heart jumped, skipping a beat. Maybe Fuji was getting him sick. After all, Fuji had passed out, developed a fever, thrown up twice, and passed out again before his sister had arrived to pick him up. Tezuka stayed only to make sure he got home alright, but hoped he wasn't contagious.

"Get better quickly and don't get sick again."

Tezuka muttered flatly.

Fuji looked so helpless that he wanted to run after Fuji, Yumiko's shiny red car as it retreated toward their home. He shook himself. He really had caught something, and it had to do with that little Tensai.

Fuji Yuuta sprinted down the sidewalk, shoving anyone and everyone who got in his way. He had to know if it was true. Without pausing to say sorry to a woman whom he had almost knocked over, Yuuta turned the corner. He doubted it, there were always rumors flying around Saint Rudolph Exchange. Still, he had to make absolute sure. No matter how much he denied it, Fuji, Shusuke was his older brother. Earlier that day, Mizuki, Hajime had informed him of a rumor that Shusuke had not been seen at school or tennis practice for several days. A week to be exact. He had pestered Yuuta for answers. As if Yuuta knew. He had been out of touch for a longer time than that. Other boys in his dorm had also poked and prodded, inquiring if it was true that Shusuke was terminally ill.

'Is it true Fuji's gonna kick the bucket?'

He had been sent to the dean for punching these boys in the mouth

Yuuta banged into the house.

"Hey! What is this I hear about-"

"Yuuta…"

His mouth slammed shut. His older sister sat on their lumpy couch. It sagged where she and their mother were slumped.

"We wanted to call you-"

"So it's true?"

Yumiko nodded, numb.

"The doctor is in with him right now… Sit with me Yuuta, I'm scared."

Yuta couldn't comprehend it. Yumiko? Scared? She was the bravest person, other than Shusuke, he had ever met. Silently, he obayed and plopped down beside his sister. Questions flooded his mind.

"Why didn't you call?"

"Shusuke."

Yumiko answered flatly.

"He didn't want to worry you."

"Worry wart son of a bitch!"

Yuuta punched the table, almost breaking it. He felt Yumiko's comforting hand on his arm. The doctor stepped from the hall. Yumiko stood and bowed

"Well?"

"Sit down little lady."

Still numb, Yumiko fell back to the cushions of the couch.

"I must warn you, it is pretty shocking. Who is that?"

The old doctor had spotted Yuuta.

"He is my other son. Please continue."

"Well, I think I know what is causing the incessant fever and vomiting. In examining him thoroughly, I found… uhm… organs that weren't there before he was ill are growing inside of him."

"You expect me to believe that bullshit!?"

"Yuuta!"

"Calm yourself son… you need to be calm in order to hear this next part…"

Yumiko rose and pulled her youngest brother to a sitting position.

"I can't guarantee he'll live through the week. In fact, I don't know if he'll live through the night."

The siblings stared with blank faces at their mother who sat still for a moment, twitched, then lowered her face into her hands and began to weep.

"Oh Mama…"

Tears were brimming out of Yumiko's eyes as well.

"Spend as much time with the boy as you can. He might not have much time left."

Yuuta did not want to look weak. He wanted to be strong for his mother and sister. Still the tears welled up and the tears fell. Yuuta stood in the doorway. This was, to his knowledge, impossible. You don't just grow organs after you are born. It just does not happen. He left his mother and sister in the living room with Shusuke's doctor. He had to see for himself.

Shusuke's room was dark. The curtains were drawn, letting in little sunlight. The cream colored pillow was nothing compared to Shusuke's face. It seemed almost green in the light. Yuuta was convinced that the doctor was full of shit, but this made him wonder. He sunk into the chair beside Shusuke's bed, heaving a heavy sigh. He stared at one of Shusuke's neglected cacti, as if he had any interest in it at all.

"Sah… Yuuta…"

Yuuta jurked his head in the direction of the bed.

"You're home… Come here Yuuta. Let me give you a hug."

Yuuta grumbled that he didn't wanna, but crossed the room and let his older brother put his arms around him. Shusuke was very warm to the touch. He gave a little hacking cough, and Yuuta felt his white shirt grow wet.

"Sorry…"

Yuuta drew back and saw something crimson on Shusuke's lower lip.

"Now your shirt is going to stain."

Shusuke pouted as he whipped his mouth with a napkin. The doctor had said vomiting, but not vomiting blood. Yuuta stepped back. He now wished he had been home more often.

"Is that all you are worried about?!"

Yuuta couldn't believe him. He was terminally ill with some wacked out organ thing and he was worried about staining Yuuta's school uniform.

The two brothers talked for several hours about nothing in particular until Shusuke fell asleep again.

For the next week, Fuji's friends all came down to the house to see him. Eiji came twice, wining loudly that he missed his best friend. Oishi accompanied him one of the times, fussing over Fuji that he needed to drink some water and stay hydrated. Next came Taka, who seemed very sad. He brought Fuji a cactus that said "get well soon" on the pot. Inui dragged Kaido, who was quite upset, but did not want to seem like a sissy. Fuji threw up on them too. For once, Inui saw in appropriate not to bring his data book. Momo and Ryoma showed up together. Momo brought food and Ryoma brought nothing but the words "Don't die on us Fuji-Senpai." The freshmen all brought big balloons. At the end of the week, everyone, even the girls who liked Fuji had come to see him. Everyone, except for one person.

"Kunimitsu, isn't a friend of yours ill?"

Tezuka's mother asked him. He had drowned himself in homework since Friday and it was now Sunday.

"Yes mother."

"Why don't you go and see him. You really need to take a break from all of these assignments."

Tezuka had dreaded the time he would have to go see Fuji. It was his understanding that the Tensai had gotten worse. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but seeing Fuji that ill had scared him out of his wits. Yet he knew he would regret it if he didn't.

When Tezuka arrived at the Fujis' house, the sun had begun to set. Fuji Yumiko showed Tezuka to Fuji's room. Fuji was lying, already asleep in bed. He seemed thinner to Tezuka. Tezuka sat down on the edge of Fuji's bed. He had worn himself out with homework. It had always been his way of dealing with a crisis. Schoolwork. Fuji's body felt hot in his hand. Maybe, if his tensai really was dying… It was fine… Just this once…

Fuji stirred. He could feel something warm on his waist. Opening his eyes a crack, he saw a familiar face inches from his nose. Tezuka lay, fast asleep, beside him He beamed. He knew Tezuka cared about him. He knew that his Buchou would show up. Slowly, so as not to wake him, Fuji removed Tezuka's glasses and placed them next to his beloved cacti. He wrapped one arm around Tezuka's head and let his fingers get lost in the dark hair. The other hand he pressed against Tezuka's chest. He could feel his heart beating. In that moment, Fuji was overjoyed to be alive and breathing. Happiness engulfed him as he let sleep take him once more.

Tezuka couldn't breathe. His eyes flew open and his head jerked back. His face had been pressed up against someone's clothes. A shiver ran down his spine as he realized that somebody's hand was in his hair. He pulled away, remembering that he had gone to see Fuji, but not remembering anything about going home. How long had he been there? Had he missed school? And most importantly; had he been cuddling with Fuji? At least Fuji's fever had broken Tezuka found his glasses. Stood hurriedly, and marched out. His face brick red.

"Good morning Tezuka."

Fuji's sister, Yumiko giggled. Tezuka grunted and sped up. She had seen. He hoped that nobody would ever find out about this… ever…