I'm back! WOAH! So anyways, I have some typical news at the end of this chapter. But I'll tell you then. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

End of previous chapter

"Gouenji...?" He said, before noticing the blood on my face and on my clothes. "Oh my god... What the hell happened?!"

I tried to answer and explain why I was there, but nothing came out. I suddenly felt my body swaying, and I was unable to hold myself up right. I fell forward onto Endou, who lucky caught. I could hear him calling my name in a panic. But slowly his voice faded, and all I saw was black.

XxxxxX

My eye lids seemed heavier than usual. I always hated having to wake up from a deep sleep. Plus the light that blinded me when I opened my eyes never helped either. I finally was able to adjust my eyes to the light. It was strange, but I didn't remember falling asleep on the couch. I looked to the side to move my stiff neck. Wait... this wasn't my couch. I looked up and around the room. This wasn't my living room either. Where the hell was I? Suddenly a sharp pain ran to my forehead. I gritted my teeth and gripped it with my hand to try and relieve some of the pain, but realised there was a damp towel resting on my forehead. I pulled the towel away and saw it covered in blood. The blood ran through my memories, and I remembered everything that had happened. Me running through the streets. Finding Endou's house. Blacking out. My... my father hurting me... I gripped the towel in frustration from just thinking of that man.

"Gouenji?"

I looked towards the end of the couch and saw Endou a bowl of water and some bandages. His expression was a mixture of worry and relief. "Thank god you're alright."

"Yeah... hey Endou..." I said, trying to sit up.

"No Gouenji. Stay lying down," Endou said, as he quickly walked over and pushed me gently back down. "You're injured, and you need to rest."

I lay back down, before taking a deep breath. "Endou, I'm sorry I came around here all of a sudden."

"You don't have to apologise for anything Gouenji," he said, taking another towel and dipping it into the bowl of water. "I'm just relieved that you were able to make it here before you fainted." He squeezed the water from the towel, before placing it over my wound. "If you had fainted outside, I don't know what could have happened to you."

"Yeah... I guess you have a point..." I replied, closing my eyes. Although my head was pounding with pain, I felt safe and protected with Endou, instead of staying at home and not knowing what... he might do next. I suddenly felt Endou taking the towel off my head, and fiddling with something. I opened my eyes and saw him pouring something into some paper towel.

"Now this may hurt a little," he said, before placing it on the cut on my forehead. An excruciating pain ran from the cut to every area of my body. I couldn't help but flinch while gritting my teeth and gripping the couch fabric as hard as possible. I knew this wasn't water anymore, but disinfectant. Endou dabbed the wound to try and clean it.

"I'm sorry Gouenji, it'll stop stinging in a moment." I could tell from his voice that he felt guilty for hurting me. The pain started to die down, and I slowly loosened my grip on the couch. After another 30 seconds or so, Endou took the paper towel away from the cut before patting it dry and putting a padded bandage on it. He was so carefully and focused with putting it on, as if he was trying his absolute hardest to try and not hurt me in any possible way. Using medical tape, he stuck down the padded around, and slowly moved he hands away to see if it would stay.

"There. That should do," he said with a smile. "How does that feel?"

I slowly sat up to see if it would start. And luckily enough, it did.

"Yeah, this is good. Thanks Endou."

"Not a problem," he replied while packing up the first aid equipment he had out. "Is your cheek feeling ok as well?"

I didn't understand what he meant at first. I moved my hand to my cheek, and felt a large bump on it as if it were swollen, which made me remember that that was where he hit me.

"Yeah... It's fine..."

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but what exactly happened?" Endou asked once he was done with cleaning up. "I mean that wound on your head looked pretty serious."

I looked towards Endou. I refused to remember the whole experience completely, but he had helped me, and I could tell he was worried. So I considered that I should tell him what happened.

I retold what had happened with me coming home to a house full of drunk fools, followed by shouting and arguing, until he hit me and I ran. Endou's face throughout the story went from shocked to utter terror. I honestly didn't think he believed what I was saying.

"He hit you across the face?!" Endou asked loudly. "Did he give you that wound? Cause if did..."

"He didn't himself," I said, looking down at my hands. "My cheek is like this because he hit me, and I fell and hit my head on the corner of a table near by."

"Oh my god..." Endou muttered. "And then you just left?"

"Yeah... I couldn't have started there," I said, feeling my chest tighten with every sentence.

"Well there's no way you're going back there tonight," Endou said standing up.

"What are you talking about?"

"Hey mum!" He shouted.

"Mum? Your mum's here?" I asked. I thought it was only him and I.

"Yes?" Endou mother replied as he walked into the room with drinks. "Oh Gouenji-kun! You're awake. You had us worried there."

"Yeah... I'm sorry about coming here all of a sudden."

"Don't worry at all about it," she said with a smile. It felt strange. But to be talking so casually to Endou's mother like that, even though I've only met her once or twice, made me remember the times I used to talk with my own mother.

"Mum, can Gouenji stay the night?" Endou asked in a serious tone. I looked in his direction in shock once I'd heard he question.

"Stay here? Well of course," she said. "There's no way I would left you go home with that injury." I slowly stood up and bowed towards Endou's mother.

"Thank you very much."

"You're welcome Gouenji-kun. Now I'll go set up another bed, while Endou gets you something to wear for sleeping in."

XxxxxX

It was around 11, but I was already exhausted. Although I had slept, well, fainted, I was tired. Probably from all the blood I lost. Anyways, Endou got me an old t shirt and shorts to wear to bed, and I headed into the bathroom to get changed. As I took my jacket off, my phone fell out of my pocket. I picked it up and turned it on. It displayed 13 missed calls from my father, and about 10 message all saying "Where are you?" or "Is everything alright?" The last thing I wanted to do was talk to him, so I just turned my phone off again. I finished getting changed, and headed to Endou's room. As I headed down the hallway, I heard it starting to rain outside. It had been such a horrible night so far, and the rain just made it more miserable. When I made it to Endou's room, I knocked on the door.

"Hey Endou? Can I come in?"

"Of course! Come on in!" I heard him say from the other side of the door. I opened the door slowly, before it suddenly stopped moving, like something was in its way. I managed to squeeze in through the little gap of the door, and saw it was a futon set up next to Endou's bed that was blocking the down.

"Sorry about that Gouenji. But my room's so small it could only fit if it went in front of the door," Endou said with a smile as he scratched the back of his head.

"No, it's perfect. Thank you."

"Not at all."

As I closed the door behind me and got under the futon, I heard the rain starting to get heavier, with thunder booming and lighting flashing bright light into the room.

"Woah, it's getting pretty bad outside," said said say he turned off the light and got under the covers of his own bed. "You're pretty lucky that the rain didn't start when you were coming over here, huh?"

"Yeah..." I replied, looking up the the ceiling of Endou's room. We both went silence for a while, listening to rain hit the roof outside.

"Gouenji..." Endou said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Are you sure you're ok? I mean you lost a lot of blood. You don't want to got to the hospital of something to see if anything's wrong?" He asked with deep concern.

I didn't know what to say really. My head was still throbbing and aching, and I felt light headed from the loss of blood. Yet, somehow going to the hospital only reminded me of my dad. Plus if I were to go there, the staff would recognise me, and call him. And right now, that last thing I want to do it to see him.

"Yeah, don't worry. I'm perfectly fine."

Another silence filled the room, this time much longer, making me feel slightly anxious.

"Alright. If you need anything during the night, just wake me up, ok?" Endou said, sounding like his usual self.

"Ok, thanks."

"Well... good night then," he said, before turning over and getting comfortable before settling down. I, on the other hand, started awake, continuing to look at the ceiling. The light from the lighting came through the small opening in Endou's shades, filling his room with light for only seconds at a time. The light shone in his room, and I began examining his room after getting tired of the ceiling. I looked over to Endou's desk, where a framed picture of him and his family sat. The photo was clearly taken years ago from the ago of Endou, looking around 6 or 7 years old. Yet they looked so happy. And they still are happy. The three of them. A true, happy, honest family, that love one another. Endou was lucky to have such a lovely mother and father. To be honest I was a little jealous from the start, but after what happened a few hours again, I would kill to have a family like Endou's. To know that you're loved, that you have a safety place to sleep, to not be afraid... Yet that'll never happen.

I looked back up to the ceiling, having been reminded of my own family picture on my own desk back at home. I remember I was happy back then. At peace. God, how naive I was. I wish we could be like that again. Yet I've slipped away from everyone in my family. My father, Yuuka, and... My mother... My vision went blurry, my breath became short and my heart ached. I turned myself over and covered my mouth before my voice escaped my lips.

"Oka-san... I wish you could you help me..." I thought, as tears ran down my face, dripping onto my pillow. "I just don't know what to do..."

XxxxxX

I woke to the sound of fry pans clanking together and the amazing smell of eggs and bacon. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, which were swallowing from the tears. I slowly opened my eyes and looked over to Endou's bed. His bed was a complete mess, with the sheets pulled off and his pillow on the floor. I couldn't help but laugh at the state of it. It was just like him to leave it like that. At that time, I had almost forgotten what had happened the night before. Yet just to my luck, a small spark of pain ran to my wound. It made me flinch and I grabbed it as usual to try and ease the pain.

The pain went away quite quickly after that. As it faded, I realised I no longer had the bandage from the night before over the wound. It was a smaller, thinner pad that covered it from becoming infected. I didn't remember waking up and changing the bandages during the night. I slowly took my hand away from my forehead, and noticed a bowl of water, towels and my folded clothes next to my bed. I stared cluelessly at them, a little confused. I then saw a note folded on top of the pile of clothes. I picked it up and read it, saying, "Hope you slept well. You were quite restless in your sleep, and had a slight fever. So I tried to cool you down with some wet towels. I hoped it worked. I also washed your clothes earlier this morning. Come down to breakfast when you ready this. Endou."

I couldn't deny it. He was an amazing friend. And one of the most selfless people I knew. I decided there was no point in me staying in bed, so I got up and changed back into my clothes, before I grabbed my phone and headed down stairs. As I made my way down the hallway, and down stairs, I could slowly start to hear the kitchen TV, with Endou and his mother in mid conversation.

"Are you sure he'll be alright?"

"I'm sure of it Oka-san. I even asked him that myself, and he said he was fine."

I could easily tell they were talking about me. They were a sweet family to have my for the night when I just random appear in the middle of the night.

"Your mood has changed you know," Endou's mother said.

"Huh? What was that? I didn't hear you," I heard Endou replied, sounding like he had just stuffed his face in breakfast.

"Really Mamoru? Where is all of that food going?" I couldn't help but laugh from his mother's remark. "I'm saying that last night, when Gouenji-kun was unconscious, you were in a state of panic. You were so concerned about him. Yet now you seem like yourself again, all happy and joyful."

Concerned? Well I did understand that he would have been worried after I randomly showed up at his house, then fainting all of a sudden with blood all over my face. There was a long pause before Endou replied, like he was thinking over his answer.

"Actually Oka-san... I'm still a little scared and worried about Gouenji right now."

What?

"Really?" His mother replied. "You just said he was fine. What's making you worry?"

"I know his wounds are healing, which is great. Yet... I know he's emotionally scarred."

I was shocked by the answer Endou had given. I wanted to say something, yet I wanted to know what he say to follow such a remark.

"Gouenji is strong. He's powerful and one of the toughest friends I have. I'm seen him take on opponents from all around the world, and he always was on top. However... So many things have happened to Gouenji over the past couple of years that would make anyone go insane from loneliness."

"What do you mean by that?" His mother asked, completely curious in what her son was telling her.

"He's lost his mother, had his sister on the edge of death, and having her kidnapped and threatened as blackmail. Now this?" Endou said, his voice becoming louder as he spoke. "Oka-san, I'm so worried about him. I'm afraid he won't be able to get over this, and that he'll hate his family and would never want to see them again. And..."

And what?

"And... And that... Everything would become too much for him... And he... Would..."

I couldn't take it anymore. I quickly ran down the rest of the stairs and stood in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Gouenji?!" Endou said.

"Are you serious? Did you think I was going to kill myself?" I asked in utter shock.

Endou just stared at me, his expression filled with fear and pity.

"You... Heard all you that?"

"I think I should go," Endou's mother said, before quickly leaving the kitchen.

"I would never go that far Endou," I explained. "And I could never hate my family. It's just... Ota-san... He..."

"Gouenji! You're father doesn't hate you!" Endou shouted grabbing my arms tightly. "A father would never hurt their son without a reason."

"Then what's my father's reason?" I snapped at Endou, glaring at him, waiting for an answer. "Was it pressure from his co-workers? Or was it because I have such a hittable face?"

"GOUENJI!" Endou shouted. His voice echoed through the room, leaving me speechless. "I don't the reason why your father did what he did. And if you ask me, he had no reason to hit you like he did. But you can't just ignore him and run away from what's in front of you. You've done this before, remember?"

I did. With Yuuka accident... I gave up soccer... And if it wasn't for Endou... I...

I placed my hands on Endou's, and took them away from my arms.

"How do you always know the right things to say?" I said quietly.

"Huh?" Endou asked, confused about what I had said.

"Nothing. Anyway, I have to go. Thanks for everything Endou. And really... I mean everything," I said, before heading for the front door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" He asked.

I turned around, and answered, "To go talk to my father."

XxxxxX

I quickly ran to my apartment building to see my father. I had no idea what was going to happen, if he would be angry at me for running away and ignoring him, or somehow happy to see that I was alright. It scared my to see what lay ahead. But I had to stop running away from my problems. I had to face this head on and talk to him.

I quickly entered the building, ran to the elevator and hit the button for my floor. I ran through my reasons for ignoring my father's calls and texts, and for running away through my mind. Yet nothing could prepare me for what my father might say and how he will reaction. The doors of the elevator opened, and I slowly walked out and to my apartment. I could the keys out of my pocket, and slowly put the key in the hole in the door. My hands were shaking, and my heart was pounding. I couldn't believe that I was scared to confront my own father. But it had to be done. I turned the key and the door slid open. I walked in and looked around.

"I'm... Home..." I said, expecting my father to come charging out of his office to scold me. Yet... Nothing. I headed into the living room, and found Fuku-san sitting on the couch... Crying...

"Fuku-san...?" I said softly, trying not to scare her. She looked up slowly, before noticing it was me, and soon after shot up out if her sit and ran over to me.

"Shuuya-san! Thank goodness you're alright!" She yelled as she hugged me and continued to cry. I was shocked by her reaction. I had forgotten about how I could have affected Yuuka and Fuku-san. I felt terrible for making her worry.

"I'm so sorry Fuku-san for this."

"Where were you? And why did you have your phone off?" She asked in sorrow and anger.

"My... Phone...?" I asked, slightly confused. She couldn't hold an angry face for long before she broke down into tears and ran off into another room.

I didn't know what she meant about my phone being off. I get that she was concerned that I wasn't answering, but why would she run off like that? I got out my phone and turned it on, soon having a large amount of text messages and missed calls coming through. A lot were from my father, like the night before. Yet when I continued to look through them, they began to start coming from Fuku-san. All of them... Voice mails. I decided to listen to them one by one, to see if that was the reason behind her crying.

It started off with, "Where are you Shuuya-san?" And "Are you alright?" Then soon turning into, "Shuuya-san... Please pick up..." And "Please call me when you get this..."

Then the last voice mail, that was sent from early in the morning, with Fuku-san saying, "Shuuya-san, I'm not sure if you will hear this... But... I had to tell you... Your father... He's... Dead..."

My phone hit the floor with a loud thud as I remand motionless.

...Dead...?

Heyyyy... I'm here... And I will soon be gone again... That's right. My second term of my second semester starts in on Monday. And it's exam term so... I won't have time for updates ;_; I'm so sorry to do this again. I thought I would have more time for updates these holidays. Yet I was in Hong Kong and had no time... I need a years break from everything... Really... I'll keep everyone posted with updates, and hopefully have some free time after exams in the next few weeks. So until tell, have a good life!

See you next time! :D

P.S What a cliffhanger, right?