Beneath Closed Eyes

By: The Demise of the Fallen Angel


Summary: Pain. Anguish. Self-hatred. Fuji has to put on a smiling mask to hide from his past. He had to hide his guilt and agony for he abandoned a very special person a long time ago…


Math midterms coming up! But I'll try my best to update next week!

This chapter is for SmartOotori, my first ever reviewer! Arigatou gozaimasu! Also for lovemoonlight, Midnight Strawberry, and kikumalu01 for the wonderful reviews. Thanks a lot! *bow



"Normal Conversation"

"English"

Disclaimer: Yes, I wish I owned Prince of Tennis. Unfortunately, I don't.


Chapter I

"Here, Kazuki." 10-year old Fuji held a wrapped box. "Yumiko-neesan baked this herself."

They were playing tennis in the tennis court at their school. It was a fine Sunday and since there's no class, they asked permission from their coach to use the courts, in which the coach agreed. After all, they had to keep their skills honed.

"Hmm…" A dark-haired girl the same age sniffed then smiled. "I smell melon bread!"

She then grabbed the box and opened it hastily. Her caramel-colored eyes twinkled in delight upon seeing the contents.

"It's for you. Neesan knew you don't like to eat meals during lunch so she made you bread instead."

"You mean, you told her I like melon bread and you asked her to make these for me. You're so sweet Syusuke." She smiled brightly at him.

He smiled back at the girl, amusement dancing in his azure orbs as he watched the girl devour the bread.

"Saa…"

Then they fell into a comfortable silence as he opened his own bento.

Her sister made his favorite, unagi sushi. He uttered a silent 'Itadakimasu!' before lifting a piece into his mouth.

They were in the middle of a meal when someone grabbed him from behind. He struggled when he heard Kazuki's yelp, obviously in pain.

He tried to scream before a handkerchief was abruptly shoved into his nose.

He inhaled something foul-smelling and his vision started to blur, his head becoming heavy.

'Kazuki…'

It was all he remembered before darkness enveloped him.

-o0o-

When Fuji woke up, he was already in an old abandoned building. His hands were tied behind him and his feet were bound as well. He noticed his back was on pain and realized he must have been shoved into the wall earlier.

He looked around and was relieved to see Kazuki just a few feet away. She was leaning on the wall, and just like him, her hands and feet were bound too. Her head hung low, her bangs covered her face. Obviously, she hasn't awakened yet.

He scooted towards her and nudged her with his elbow.

"Kazuki…" He whispered.

She moaned and raised her head. There was a gash on her forehead. It seemed like she got cut on something in the process of being abducted. The bleeding has stopped but there was blood around it.

"Syusuke, where are we?"

He shook his head. "I don't know."

She looked at him and presented a pair of fear-stricken orbs. She started to cry silently but she couldn't hold back the trembling of her whole body.

"I'm scared." A tear fell down on her cheek. Fuji's eyes softened and he scooted closer.

He murmured words of comfort to her ears to at least stop her from shivering. To his relief, she had calmed down a bit but she started to chew on her lower lip. She rested her head on his shoulders and he leaned his head on top of hers.

"Ooh, what a touching sight!" A male voice boomed through the empty space.

Kazuki's head shot up and looked at the man. Her fear doubled when she saw the man's face.

It was a burly, large man. His exposed arms were covered with scars and burn marks. What made him so frightening even to Fuji who's rarely afraid, was the big ugly scar on his face. The dark scar ran from his forehead, through his left eye down to the center of his upturned nose and onto his chin.

"Syusuke…" Kazuki pressed herself on Fuji's side and he felt her tremble again.

"What do you want?!" He snarled at the man and tried to break free.

The man bent down and looked at him intensely.

Fuji reacted based on his instincts and before the man knew it, he banged his head against the man's forehead.

The man cussed and slapped him hard on the cheek.

"Don't you dare do that again!"

"W-What do you want with us?" Kazuki's soft and trembling voice showed her fear clearly.

"Don't worry little girl, once were through with the transaction, you and your friend can walk out of here." The scary man smirked before leaving.

Fuji, though afraid, kept his brains working. And what he found out added another wave of panic on his mind.

One, this is kidnap for ransom. Kazuki came from a rich family, not to mention famous. Kazuki, however was kept on low profile by her parents to avoid situations like this. Apparently, that plan of theirs failed for they were in this horrible situation.

Two, their captors were already negotiating with Kazuki's parents, and since he's here, with his own parents as well. His family may not be as rich as Kazuki's, but they are well-off, since his father has a high position in a big company operating abroad.

And three, the most frightening of all, the man didn't plan on letting them out alive.

'Who,' Fuji thought, 'in his right mind would kidnap someone, flash his face around, and let his captives go?'

Fuji grimaced. The man definitely won't let them out alive. He looked at Kazuki and kept this information to himself.

Though he was very afraid himself, he steeled himself, kept himself from shivering. He was pondering on how to escape from this place.

Through the only source of light in this large but almost empty room, a small window about 5 feet from the ground, he saw nothing that could aid them for their escape.

Then something clicked in his mind.

"Kazuki, did you wear that pretty sakura-like bracelet today?" He whispered softly.

She looked up and confusion replaced fear on her eyes.

"Is this your idea of a joke in a live-or-death situation?" She hissed.

She didn't like it that despite the whole confusion and frightening situation, despite her blatant fear, Syusuke was thinking about the accessories she was wearing.

But Fuji calmly answered, "No, this is my idea of escape in a live-or-death situation."

Her eyes sparked with hope. "Really? Why didn't you tell me?"

He chuckled at her fast changing mood. "But I just did."

She sighed and nodded. "It's on my left hand."

She shifted and let him see that she was indeed wearing the sakura bracelet.

He shifted in his seat and reached for her wrist. He secured a finger tightly on the string and pulled sharply. The string broke and the beads scattered around. He looked down and found the piece he was looking for. He picked it up awkwardly and scratched it repeatedly on his rope.

One of the sakura beads on the bracelet has a rather sharp edge. Kazuki often complained on how it would brush her wrist sometimes, causing a faint red mark. But she really treasured the bracelet so she still wears it often. It was a gift from her father. Not just any gift, it was the first and only gift she received from her father. She didn't have good relationship with her father so she treasured the gift a lot.

She must be really afraid to overlook his action. She just waited patiently until Fuji could untie himself.

Finally, after grueling hours of trying to break the rope, it finally snapped. Luckily, not one of their captors came inside the room during the time he was cutting the rope. He pulled his wrists free and rubbed it. There were ugly red rope marks as well as cuts. He sometimes scratched his own skin and it was slightly bleeding.

After he untied his ankles, he quickly untied her wrists and ankles and rubbed the sore red parts.

"Come quick, Kazuki." He motioned her to follow.

The room was obviously an underground since he could see a dimly lit road. The window must have been just at the bottom part of a wall.

Just below the small window was a small container. It wasn't that tall but it would do.

He stepped on the container about a foot tall, and jumped. He got a hold on the open window's edge and he struggled to pull himself up. He sat on the edge and secured his leg on the ledge. He then held his right hand down. She grabbed the hand and he started to hoist her up. Luckily, they were both small in stature and they could just barely pass through the small opening.

But before he could pull her up completely, the door suddenly opened and the same guy earlier came. He was shocked to see them both escaping but he quickly drew his gun and shot at the dangling leg.

BANG!

"Kazuki!" Fuji screamed and with a surge of strength pulled her up in one stroke. She was crying in pain.

He carried her on his back and ran.

He hid behind a pile of containers nearby. He can't go on further. The whole situation was taking a toll on his frail body, he was just too tired. Even with the adrenalin rush, he just managed to carry Kazuki a few feet away. He wasn't that muscular after all.

He saw that the bleeding wasn't stopping at all. He ripped his sleeve off and pushed it on the bloody leg. He ripped the other sleeve and tied it tightly around the wound.

She winced in pain, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"It hurts." She sobbed. "It's burning."

'Shhh…" He cooed. "They might find us."

He hissed when he saw the blood flowing out like a dam. The bleeding just won't stop even when he applied pressure. She clamped her hands on the wound to stop the flow of blood.

She started to panic when she saw the blood pooling around her. He helped her lie down. He pulled his whole shirt off and wrapped it around the wound.

"Syusuke, the b-bleeding won't s-stop." She hiccuped. She fought hard to keep from wailing, the pain was unbearable!

"Syusuke, don't leave me." Her eyes were starting to get unfocused.

"I-It's cold." She whispered. Her eyes were hazy. She wasn't even looking at him!

"Kazuki, stay awake! Don't close your eyes!" He panicked when she dropped her eyelids.

Her eyelids fluttered and she looked at him.

She gasped. Her breathing turned to wheezing. Her body was starting to get limp too.

"Syusuke! H-help me!"

A bloodied hand reached for his own trembling ones.

"I- I don't want t-to die yet. P-please help m-me."

The voice faltered. Shallow breaths came from the limp body. All energy was robbed off from the frail frame. Blood was pooling around the body.

"S-Syusuke! Please save m-me."

A small, cold hand was clutching his hand tightly as if it was a lifeline.

"Hey, where did those brats go?"

"They can't be that far away. One of them was shot."

His breath hitched as he heard the voices. It was the same voices as their captors.

Fuji felt his whole body tremble in fear. His cheek stung on the part where one of their captors hit him.

"Syusuke!"

The cold hand tightened its grip. He looked at the bloody mess surrounding the body. He's quite sure that even if they were to escape from here, the gunshot was too deep and the lost blood was too much, the body won't survive.

"P-Please, Syusuke. Save me!"

Tightening his resolve, he clutched the small hand and brought it to his lips. He then leaned down to kiss the bloody forehead, careful not to press on the wound.

Blood smeared on his lips. It was salty and it made him a bit nauseous.

His tears kept on flowing out of his eyes.

"Gomenasai!"

It was all he said before he stood up and ran for his life.

"Syusuke!"

The voice rang with desperation and betrayal.

Rapid footsteps of their captors were heard, heading towards their direction.

"Syusuke! Syusuke!"

The voice kept on shouting his name.

"Syu-"

Tears flooded his vision as he ran and ran for safety.

"Gomenasai, Kazuki. Please forgive me."

Fuji whispered as he continued to run away.

"SYUSUKEEE!!!!!"

BANG!

A loud scream, a gunshot and there was silence.

All Fuji remembered were the distant sound of sirens before exhaustion completely took over and he dropped unconscious on the cold cemented alley.

-o0o-

"Neesan?"

Kazuki heard Ryoma's voice.

She tried to open her eyes but she only saw a blurry image of a moving blob.

She blinked and cleared her vision. The image of the worried greenish-black haired boy greeted her view.

"Ryoma, you look awful." She wrinkled her nose. She's not used to seeing Ryoma with this kind of expression. He's always poker-faced, smirking when his arrogant side takes over, and frowning when something annoyed him. Sure, he smiles too, he only shows he genuine smile to a few select people consisting of her and Rinko, which is Ryoma's mother.

She reached up and Ryoma, thinking that she would caress his cheek, closed his eyes. She smirked, and then slowly trailed her fingers on the smooth cheek before pinching it.

"Aww! That hurts!" He yelped and stepped back, his hand rubbing the red cheek.

"That's for showing that stupid worried face." She got up and put her shoes on.

"I think you'll be fine." Ryoma said, with a cute scowl on his face.

Then she remembered something. "Am I still in school?"

He nodded. "You were out only for a few minutes. I was excluded out for morning practice since I have to watch over you."

"Then, it's still early." She stood up and walked towards Ryoma.

"About half an hour until classes start." He handed her tennis bag and she accepted it with a smile.

"Thanks, Ryoma."

His eyebrows wrinkled, "What for?"

"For watching over me, what else brat?" She stuck out a tongue at the boy.

He just shrugged and ignored her.

"Hey brat, want to play a game? I'll let you beat me this time as a sign of my thanks." She grinned at the boy who grimaced.

He turned his back and pulled his cap, "No, thanks. I'll beat you on my own."

"Che, you're such a brat!" She chuckled at the boy who just snorted a reply.

"Well then, let's go the Administrator's Office. I still need to get my schedule, remember?" She asked at the boy.

Ryoma and his parents arrived at Japan earlier than her because she had to take care of some minor things in America. After settling all problems, she immediately booked a flight to Japan. It had been about two weeks since school started but with the help of Nanjiro-san and Ryuzaki-sensei, she was enrolled at Seigaku.

"Sure, I'll take you there."

She then grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open.

"Kazuki? You're awake now?"

Fuji's glorious face greeted her view. Shoulder-length chestnut hair, piercing azure orbs, and a delicate, almost effeminate face.

She fought the urge to faint. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at the smiling boy.

"Fuji." She spat out the name like it was dirt on her mouth.

Fuji noticed that she called him 'Fuji' and not 'Syusuke' like she had always done but he shrugged it off. He looked worriedly at the girl.

"I'm glad you're awake now." He smiled, "I'm so worried when you fainted out there. I can't escape practice but I ran here the instant practice ende—."

"Fuji." She cut off his ranting. She noticed a bouncing red-head and a guy with a weird haircut behind Fuji but she chose to ignore their presence. She's just too angry right now, seeing the face of the man who had been the center of her rage for a long time.

"What is it? Do you need anything? I could get it for y—"

She smiled menacingly, "Don't you find it weird, Fuji?"

"Weird? What's weird?" Fuji was confused.

"You know, it's weird to be worried over someone who you abandoned to die. Don't you think so?"

She left Fuji at the door with his companions. Ryoma trailed silently behind her. He fully understood Kazuki's feeling.

And he thought, 'So, Fuji's the bastard who left her dying at the alley.'

He then felt anger rise to his chest. Anger directed at his senpai. His protectiveness overtook him and he vowed to himself, 'I won't let Fuji get close to neesan even in a 5-foot distance.'


Unagi Sushi– This is a type of sushi made from freshwater eel.

Itadakimasu – This is being said right before a meal, roughly translating to 'Thank you for the food!' or something like that.

Sakura – Cherry blossom. You know, those pretty pink things. I love cherry blossom!


Well, that's it. How was that?

Reviews are very much welcomed.