Disclaimer: Nothing in POT belongs to me. All OoC-ness, OCs, events, situations, venues and tournaments are just figments of my imagination.

Chapter 1 The Accident And The Disappearance

Fuji Syusuke flew past the reception and headed straight to the emergency unit. The hospital had called him earlier about an accident and his younger brother.

"Fuji!" A voice called him before he could step into the emergency unit. Pulling himself to an abrupt stop, he saw his old schoolmate Inui Sadaharu running up to him.

"WHERE'S YUUTA? WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM?" Fuji grabbed hold of Inui's white coat.

"Calm down, Fuji. He is fine for now. They have already taken him to a private room on the 3rd. floor." Inui explained as Fuji nearly sagged against Inui in relief.

They arrived at the ICU waiting room and found another person waiting outside Yuuta's room.

"Sakuno!" Fuji went to his wife and hugged her.

"Syu! I was so scared." Sakuno gripped her husband tightly.

Fuji pulled away to take a good look at her. Her forehead had a small bandage. Her armed were treated for cuts. Her dress was badly creased and blackened in some places. Her hair was wet and tussled by sweat and something else. 'Alcohol!'

"Sakuno, you smell like you had drank something alcoholic. What happened to Yuuta?"

Sakuno teared up at his question. 'He never even asked about me.'

"We were driving back from Obasan's place when .." Sakuno gulped down at the terrifying pictures sweeping through her mind.

"It's alright, Sakuno-chan. You don't have to continue. Please sit down and rest awhile." Inui interrupted and made sure Sakuno sat on a nearby chair,

He turned to throw Fuji a warning look. 'Fuji is too careless to let her relieve the accident when he should be comforting her.'

Fuji found himself startled at the fierce look from Inui. 'What? I just want to know what happened to Yuuta?'

"I want to see him." Fuji said and Inui gave his permission with a nod.

Before Fuji stepped into Yuuta's room, he turned back to Sakuno, "Has Yumiko-neesan been contacted?"

Sakuno could only nod in silence. Inui walked back to her and was about to ask her about her wounds when….

"Excuse me but may I speak to a Mrs. Fuji Sakuno?" A medium built man in an uniform stood at the doorway.

"I am she." Sakuno said shakily.

"Pardon for interrupting but I need to ask you a few questions about the accident."

With the absence of her husband, Sakuno looked to Dr. Inui Sadaharu, her former sempai and the doctor in charge of Yuuta for guidance.

"Are you up to answering the officer's question, Sakuno-chan?" Inui asked gently.

"I..I think so." Sakuno's pale face and sad hallow eyes did not escape the notice of Inui and the police officer.

"Tell me if you don't feel well, Ma'am, I could tell my superior that you are not well enough to answer the questions." The police officer kindly added.

"Iie. I'll be fine." Sakuno pulled the hospital blanket closer to her. Inui had kindly offered the blanket when he found her shivering in cold in the waiting room when he had finally settled his patient in his room.

"May I know where were you heading on the road before the accident?"

"We were coming back into the city from my Obasan's place."

"Do you know what had caused the accident?"

"I think an animal tried to cross the road and we tried to avoid hitting it."

"I see. But how did the car ended up on it's side, Ma'am?"

"I..I'm not sure. There was a loud thump before I felt the car flew up a bit. After that, I don't remember much. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Ma'am. Who was driving the car?"

"Yuuta-kun was driving."

"Hmm." The police office gave Sakuno a long look. "But Ma'am we found you hanging out from the window on the driver's side."

"Really?" Sakuno was confused, "I really do not remember."

"Okay. Was Fuji Yuuta or yourself drinking anything before the accident?"

"We had water. Obasan gave each of us a bottle of water for our trip home, that's all."

"Was there any alcoholic beverages among your effects?"

"Oh, Obasan gave us a bottle of sake for Syusuke. Yuuta-kun placed it behind the driver's seat before we left."

"I see. That is all for now. Thank you Ma'am."

The police office gave Sakuno and Inui a polite nod and left.

They found Fuji leaning against the wall near Yuuta's room. His blue eyes was opened in silent rage. His hands gripped into fists were by his side.

"You were drinking and driving, weren't you, Sakuno?"

"Eh?" Sakuno and even Inui were shocked by Fuji's questioning.

Inui walked to Fuji, "Fuji, you've heard the answers from Sakuno. She has nothing…."

Fuji's sharp eyes silenced Inui. In all his years of knowing him, Inui had never seen such cold hard glittering nerve-breaking look from Fuji.

Sakuno watched as her husband walked up to her. Her eyes saw the rage within her husband and for the first time since she knew him, she felt fearful.

"They found you hanging from the window of the driver's side. You even smelled like you have been drinking sake or beer. How do you explain that?" Fuji struggled to keep himself from lashing out at Sakuno.

"Syusuke, I don't remember."

"DON'T REMEMBER? IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY? YUUTA IS WOUNDED BECAUSE OF YOU!" Fuji yelled at his wife for the first time in his life.

"HE..He..He could have died, Sakuno. And it's would be all your fault!" Fuji just turned away from Sakuno.

Sakuno could only sit there with hurt in her eyes and heart. 'Syusuke, you thought that of me?'

Inui could not believe that this is Fuji Syusuke. 'He rather accused his own wife than finding out the truth behind the accident?. I know he is devoted to his siblings but he has gone too far with his accusation. '

"Syusuke! Sakuno!" Yumiko, Fuji's older sister came into the room that very moment.

"Sakuno-chan, daijobu. Thank God you are alright." Yumiko gave Sakuno a hug and turned to Fuji and Inui. "How is Yuuta?"

Fuji said with a sad smile, "He's fine."

"Fine? That's all? What injuries did he sustain?" Yumiko turned to Inui.

Inui took out his PDA and made a few taps on it, "He had a bad concussion, 3 broken ribs, bruises and cuts and a broken leg."

"So kah. Can I see him?" Yumiko asked. Fuji took her hand and led her to their brother's room.

Sakuno was left forgotten by the Fuji siblings with Inui to accompany her.

"It'll be alright. Fuji will apologize when he realize his mistake." Inui tried to pacify Sakuno who sat like a statue since Fuji's outburst of anger.

"Iie. It's too late for that." Sakuno said in a tight voice before getting up.

Inui watched Sakuno who folded the blanket and laid them down on the chair she had vacated. Turning back to Inui, she gave him a smile and a bow before walking away.

"Are you going home, Sakuno-chan? Fuji and Yumiko-san will be out soon." Inui called out but the silent Sakuno kept on walking toward the lift. 'I hope she will be alright.'

"Yokata, Yuuta is alright." Yumiko came out from the room without Fuji. She looked around and found the waiting room empty. "Inui, where's Sakuno-chan?"

"She left a minute ago."

"I could have sent her home myself. I hope I could catch up with her." Yumiko was about to leave when she found Inui blocking her path.

"We need to talk."

A few minutes later, Yumiko found herself holding back her tears after hearing from Inui the latest updates on her brother and sister-in-law. 'That baka Syusuke! What had he done to poor Sakuno?'

"It might be best for Sakuno to have some time by herself to recover. Since Fuji insisted on staying with Yuuta, I'll go over tomorrow to see Sakuno." Yumiko outlined her plans to Inui.

Inui Sadaharu was the only former classmate who kept in touch with Fuji. He had spent time with Fuji and his siblings for many years. When Fuji and Sakuno start dating, Inui was the one who gave Yumiko and Yuuta the data on Sakuno so that they would get to know her better. When Fuji and Sakuno got married, the 3 Musketeers, as they called themselves, celebrated like crazy for getting Fuji hitched to Sakuno. But the years that followed caused them to doubt if Fuji is the right person for Sakuno.

"Then I will have a good heart to heart talk with Syusuke about Sakuno." Yumiko cracked her knuckles much to the consternation of Inui. An irritated or angry Yumiko is not a pretty sight.

"Fuji may be in a lot more trouble than that. Sakuno looks as though she had given up on him."

"How can you tell, Inui?"

"It's just a hunch this time, Yumiko-chan. But I always find my hunches 95 percent correct."

"Sakuno deserves more than what Fuji had done. If I was a man, I would have snatched her for myself."

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Yumiko rang the bell for the fifth time and tried to be patient. 'Sakuno, answer the door, please.'

After the tenth try, she gave up and used the spare key Fuji had given to her many years ago. Out of respect for her sister-in-law, Yumiko had never used it until now.

The house was quiet and cold. Yumiko had looked into every room since she found the master bedroom empty. With a slight hesitation, she went to the master bedroom and opened the wardrobe. The half empty wardrobe explained more that she wanted to know. Sakuno had left.

"Fuji, you are in trouble." Yumiko sighed and called up Inui on her mobile.

"Ohayo, Yumiko-chan."

"She's gone, Inui."

"I know. She's here at my place with a suitcase."

"I'm coming over."

"You can't. She asked me not to tell Fuji."

"Then why are you telling me?"

"She said Fuji, not Yumiko. But if you show up, she might run off somewhere again."

"I see. I understand. How is she?"

"She's fuming mad, if you can believe it. But don't worry. My mom and sister are here and I have explained the situation with them."

"Thanks, Inui. Should we tell Fuji?"

"I don't think so. It might be good for Fuji to learn to value his wife more with her disappearance."

"What should I do?"

"Act concerned that Sakuno was not in the house and take it from there. We'll inform Yuuta once he's awake."

"Okay. I'm going to the hospital now."

"I'll see you there. I'm leaving now myself."

"Ja!" Yumiko closed her mobile and said, "Sorry, Syusuke, for what we are about to do but you are in need of a good lesson."

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Fuji couldn't sleep all night. Thoughts of Sakuno, the accident and Yuuta haunted him. 'Sakuno, how could you do this to Yuuta.'

The door opened and Yumiko walked in with a bag.

"Here's some clothes and toiletries for you, Syusuke."

"Thank you, Neechan. Where is Sakuno? She should be the one to do this and not you."

"You…" Yumiko tried to swallow the anger about to spill from her lips, "She's not home when I was there this morning. She might have gone to the morning market."

"So kah." Fuji just shrugged his shoulder and went to the attached bathroom to change.

Inui walked in a few minutes later and found a refreshed and changed Fuji and a silent fuming Yumiko sitting next to Yuuta.

"Ohayo, minna!"

"Good morning." Fuji greeted him while Yumiko gave him a smile.

"Mmmhh" A noise came from the bed. Fuji and Yumiko jumped up while Inui walked to the bedside.

Yuuta began to open his eyes. Everything was blurred so he blinked his eyes a few more times before he saw Fuji, Yumiko and Inui surrounding him.

"Wh..what happened? Where..am..am I?"

"Yuuta, we are so glad you were okay." Yuuta found himself squeezed between his brother and sister.

"Help me!" Yuuta called out to Inui. Two nurses walked in to assist Inui-sensei and found the comical display. Both giggled and broke the atmosphere.

"Hai, Hai! I need to examine Yuuta-kun so you two need to step out for a while. Please."

Fuji frowned and Yumiko pouted but both complied with Inui's request. They knew better than to contradict Inui in his doctor mode.

After getting a health clearance from Dr. Inui, they went back into the room.

"Where's Sakuno-neechan? Is she okay?" Yuuta's questions froze the other three people in the room.

"Yuuta, do no be concern about Sakuno!" Fuji said in a cold voice.

"What are you saying, Aniki? Sakuno-neechan was almost killed by my driving."

"What do you mean, Yuuta-kun? The police found her hanging from the driver's window. They thought she was driving." Yumiko asked before glancing at Fuji.

"Iie. I was driving the car when that stupid animal ran across our path. I sweaved the side but the car hit a large rock and tilted the car. Sakuno-neechan was unconscious and I tried to get her out since the car landed on her side. I remember trying to push her out through my window. I guess I loss conscious before I could completely get her out."

"Wh..what about the..the alcohol? I ..I smelled it on Sakuno…I thought she was drinking." Fuji turned pale and stammered.

"Drinking? Since when did Sakuno-neechan start drinking? She even threw up after drinking that little cup of sake at your own wedding, Aniki."

"Yuuta-kun, the police found you and Sakuno soaked in some alcoholic beverages. Care to explain?" Inui asked knowing what the answer would do to Fuji.

"That's Sakuno's Obasan's gift for Aniki when she found out that Aniki had won that photography award last month. It's her homemade sake."

"Wow. Since when did Ryuzaki-sensei learn to make her own sake?" Inui exclaimed.

Fuji got up and left the room without a word. Yumiko and Inui looked at each other knowingly. They knew Fuji is heading home.

"Hey, why is Aniki acting all weird? Is Sakuno-neechan really okay?"

"Yuuta, there have been some developments when you were here sleeping."

A few minutes later, Yuuta found his mouth gaping wide in disbelief. "Ani….that baka aniki did THAT?"

Yumiko and Inui nodded. Yuuta said something rude and turned away.

"Did Sakuno-neechan tell you that she's pregnant?"

It was Inui's and Yumiko's turn to gape.

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Fuji did not know what to say. The empty and cold house, the half-empty wardrobe with a missing suitcase and an envelope with his name on it clearly explained what he had done to himself.

His hands shook as he tore open the envelope and read the letter.

Syusuke-san,

By the time you read this, I would have left the house.

Sorry but I cannot tolerate it anymore. It has become obvious to me last night that I would never be a true wife and love to you.

Please don't look for me. Once I settled down, I will engage a lawyer to file our divorce papers.

Sakuno.

Fuji sat on their bed and for the first time since the death of his parents, he cried tears of sorrow.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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Author's Note: My apologies for any errors. I'm a newbie author. This is my second fanfiction and I will do my best to improve. So, please read and review. I welcome constructive criticism. However I will delete degrading and abusive flames! Please be aware of the characters' OOCness.