A/N: Here's the second chapter. Enjoy. And, oh, I'm somewhat dramatic here, heheh...again, just bear with me! Comments are encouraged!


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Mada osanasa wo nokoshiteita

Ano hi no futari ga ima mo

Even now, the two of us still have

The childlike innocence from that day

'You were smiling, like you always do. But I can tell that it was forced, strained and most of all, sad. Why? Is it because of me? If only you knew how I felt, seeing you this way. You were the reason that I came back, I wanted to see you again. But why are you avoiding me? Why are you pretending to be happy when inside you're breaking down?'

'I wanted to reach out, but I'm afraid that you'll run away. I guess I deserve this, because it was my decision to leave. It was bound to happen, I expected that this will happen, it was my fault anyway.'

'Will you ever forgive me, Syusuke?'

Everyone was very that night at Kawamura's place. It was a rare yearly reunion mainly because Tezuka was never there for he was busy with his name in the tennis world in an upsurge and with him being a college student at the same time. This was actually their first with Tezuka surprisingly present.

Tezuka sat quietly, his eyes taking the familiar ruckus of his old team that he missed. Beside him sat Fuji, his chin resting on his hand in a contemplative manner while the other holds his chopsticks and idly turning over his wasabi sushi. The buchou felt a little tense with the tensai sitting within his reach, as if it were a torture to his senses.

"Ne, buchou, have you met your special someone in Germany?" queried Momo out of the blue, surprising the captain along with the one sitting behind him, who nearly choked on his sushi. Momo grinned from ear to ear, knowing that this time; his teasing won't garner 20 laps from his buchou.

"No, I have not."

Momo's eyes glinted with mischief again, "Ne, does that mean buchou has someone to return here in Japan? Maybe—KIKUMARU-SEMPAI! DON'T STEAL MY SUSHI!" The captain stared at Momo who was trying to snatch back the sushi Kikumaru just swallowed whole.

"Mou…I'm still your sempai, Momo-chan, so be a good kouhai and give me that sushi nya." whined Kikumaru, his voice all gooey like a child begging for some candies.

Fuji smiled as he set down the drink he just drank and coughed slightly. Choking up on a very spicy sushi is pretty hilarious for a very careful person like him. Shaking off the thought, he boldly turned to Tezuka to start up a conversation.

"Ne, Tezuka, why did you return in such short notice?"

Hiding his surprise, he answered curtly, "I have something to do."

"Saa, it must be really important, for you to just fly back here in a jiffy."

He nodded, "Yes, it's very important."

"What about college?"

"I'm thinking about transferring here, I want to stay here in Japan for good."

"I thought you'd go PRO, isn't your name garnered millions of attention in the tennis world? That's what I've heard here."

"That can wait. Besides…" His voice trailed off, not wanting to let Fuji get the hint that HE is the important reason why he's here right now.

"Besides what?" Fuji tilted his head in inquiry.

"I need to settle something before I ruin it more."

"Aa…" Silence went absolute after their conversation. Fuji shifted his attention back to his other friends who were too busy chatting and making noise to notice the swelling tension between Tezuka and Fuji.

Ryoma, who was not joining the ruckus caused by his sempais, listened stealthily to the conversation of Seigaku's former top players. He was surprised that those two never even noticed him eavesdropping, who is known for their sharp senses that they might as well have eyes on their sides and back. He was feigning sleep, but you could easily tell that he is, but it made him surprised, especially that sadistic tensai, whose alert with all the things happening around him with his eyes closed. But what took him off guard was the sudden change of atmosphere around the two, immediately filled with tension.

Smirking slightly, he came to understand what was happening and muttered silently to himself, "Mada mada dane, sempai-tachi."

'I've always thought that you weren't coming back, perhaps, even hoped that you weren't coming back. But now, you're here, you're back and for the first time in my life, I didn't know what I must do. Deep down, I'm very happy to see you again yet so sad because there are so many things left unsaid between us and your return unearthed everything back again.'

'You told me that you'll stay, I don't know if I have to be happy or not. The past that I've tried hard to lock away is opening up again. I've had it with all the pain; how could I face you again after all of this? I guess I could avoid you, but you always catch up, it's like you're using your Tezuka Zone on me, and that I couldn't get away.'

'I guess I could only treasure our friendship, Tezuka. It's the only thing that holds us together and more importantly, what brought us together. Funny, isn't it? I'm acting like a hopeless girl blinded by her love for a sensational heart throb from some cheesy cliché TV drama, all just for you, Tezuka. I'd swallowed up my pride and what's left of it for you. I still love you Tezuka, it wasn't a choice, and everything was just beyond my control.'

Ima kara demo osoku wa nai

Hajimeyou ka

It's not too late to start now

"Shall we get started?"

'It was like salt rubbed on fresh wound when I decided to study and stay at Germany right after junior high, because I'm leaving all of you, especially you, Fuji, behind. I left because I can't control my emotions anymore, I don't want to hurt you, so I chose to walk out of the picture. Every single time I see you, I longed to be with you, I longed for you. I got scared; the least of what I wanted to do was to hurt you by telling you that I love you. I wouldn't risk our friendship. I want things to stay the same, yet at the same time I'm yearning for more.'

'So I left. That was the best decision, I presumed. Leave and try to shun away these forbidden feelings. Try to forget about my mistake. Try to forget about you.

'But I was entirely, mistakenly wrong. The more I deny, the more I run away, the more I fell deeply for you. It wasn't a mistake; nothing was to be considered a mistake. And trying to forget you, I've decided I'd rather throw my life away than to do such thing.'

Fuji was gazing out of the window, with a book propped open on his lap, when the doorbell rang. He stood up and opened the door, revealing a brightly smiling Eiji.

"Eiji?!"

"You weren't expecting me, ne, Fuji?"

Fuji smiled at his best friend as he let the redhead enter his apartment suite. "Saa, this is a surprise, Eiji. You actually came here without Oishi."

"He's out somewhere again nya. Besides, I wanted to visit you alone, Fuji nya."

Fuji let out a smile. "That's thoughtful of you Eiji. Would you like some tea?"

"Hai. Arigato, Fuji nya," He sat down in one of Fuji's couch as the latter bustled around the small kitchen to make some tea.

"Saa, is there something you want to tell me, Eiji?"

"Yeah, I guess I do have."

Fuji strolled over him, carefully setting down the tea at the table in front of them. "Then tell me, Eiji."

"Actually, Fuji…" he took a sip off his tea before settling it down again, and looked straight to Fuji, startling the tensai. "I was wondering if you could tell me what's bothering you."

The tensai's smile faltered, but he quickly patched it up with another one. But Eiji, who has excellent eye sight, noticed it. "I see, you do have something bothering you, Fuji and you're trying to hide it."

"It's really nothing, Eiji."

"Tell me, Fuji." Eiji locked his serious gaze on his best friend, whose smile was completely replaced by a sad frown and his cerulean eyes opened with suppressed sadness.

"Tell me,…is it…Tezuka?" As soon as the words came out of Eiji's mouth, he'd instantly regretted doing so for Fuji's well-carved mask shattered in front of him. Maudlin tears leaked out of his eyes, a sight Eiji never once saw, or even dreamed of seeing on his best friend's face. "Fuji..."

"Why did he return?" His voice cracked with frustration and anguish. Eiji felt suddenly confused, seeing as he never expected Fuji to cry over their captain in such dejected manner.

"You don't want him around?" What possible reason would the tensai have for not wanting Tezuka around? He, of all people, is the one closest and dearest to Tezuka, according to Oishi.

"I don't want to feel all those pains he'd caused me again!" Angry tears were pouring down his face, and Eiji felt his heart being twisted, seeing Fuji in this state. He searched his mind for any possible time wherein Tezuka might have caused Fuji pain, but he knew the captain would never do that. But then, it hit him. The only reason that might be the cause of this shattered Fuji sobbing in front of him.

"You…you love him?"

"I did! I do! And I still do! Even if it hurts me, I still love him." He noticed the unmistakable longing was present in his voice. Gently, Eiji gave his best friend a hug, letting the tensai sob uncontrollably on his shoulders.

"So, it has been a long time and you haven't told him. Fuji?"

"You know I can't tell him. He's the perfect Tezuka Kunimitsu. I won't let myself get on his way. I wouldn't pull him down now that he's already above just because I love him."

Then, Eiji slowly realized that Fuji has always loved Tezuka. The answer was there before his very eyes. Everything that Fuji do is for Tezuka, it's like he dedicated his life for Tezuka already. But since when? Since when did his best friend hid all his feelings away and almost gave it all up?

"Fuji, since when did you came to love him?" Eiji felt Fuji reached out tightly to him, as if the question had wound him again. "I see…so, it has been so long, am I right?"

"Since the first time I've met him."

"You mean since our first year in Seigaku?"

"Yes…"

Eiji felt tears stung his eyes too. It was just too painful to even think about it, let alone seeing the way his best friend known for being head strong and intimidating crumble in front of him just because of the love he never got. In fact, this was the first time he saw the real Fuji, the vulnerable and fragile Fuji. Now, he understood why his best friend tried his best to hide beneath his façade.

The redhead slowly let go of the tensai, who was still sobbing, wiping his own tears.

"Eiji---why?" Fuji mumbled through his sobs, noticing the tears leaking out of his best friend's eyes.

Eiji let out a shaky smile. "I can't help but cry seeing you like this, Fuji nya."

Fuji felt his familiar smile crept back to his face, "Thank you, Eiji. But please don't cry I hate seeing you like this. And," his soft voice cracked as he attempted to laugh "Oishi might have my head for making you cry."

"No, he won't Fuji." He paused, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. "Ne, Fuji, tell him. Tell Tezuka what you feel. It's not too late for everything."

"No, it's been years, I don't want to get my hopes up again and regret it in the end."

"But you, of all people, deserve to be happy! Both of you deserves to be happy, Fuji!" Fresh tears came out of Eiji's eyes, as well as Fuji. The tensai understood the redhead's intention. But he just couldn't do it that easy. Silence fell between them, with Fuji trying to fix his breathing and Eiji wiping his tears away.

"Listen Fuji, I'm positive that it'll go alright. It won't hurt if you try." And with that Eiji grinned. He gave the now slightly smiling Fuji another one of his bear hugs.

"Thank you very much, Eiji."

"Don't worry Fuji nya. I'm here for you!" he said sweetly, returning to his usual cheery self. "If buchou hurts you again, you can count on me if you need someone to lean on. And if you can't cry anymore, I'll be willing to cry for you nya!" he chuckled as he said that, Fuji even manage to flash his friend a genuine smile as he let go of Eiji.

"Hoi, we're best fiends nya! I'd be a bad friend if I leave you in this state!" he finished his statement with a toothy grin and Fuji can't help but feel comfortable now.

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