Title: The Line between Love and Hatred

Disclaimers: See Chapter One.

Notes: I wanted to thank all the people who took their time reviewing and giving helpful opinions. It helps a striving writer like me to continue a story that has a pairing I don't even support.

I also want to apologize if the characters seem to be OOC. It's just a matter on how people see it as it is.

Anyway, your opinion is as important as any other opinions. And I am not stopping you from doing so. Although I must admit that unpleasant reviews highly discourages me and damages my psychological way of thinking, I am still willing to accept opinions because everyone is entitled to that. It also helps me decide whether to continue or not the story.

Again, thank you for supporting this story!!!

(And if you're going to ask why am I still continuing this even though I'm not a ToFu fan myself, I just don't know...yet.)

Third Encounter

"I'll have Tezuka in the palm of my hands," Atobe announced arrogantly and Fuji, for the longest time, fell silent, his eyes looking straight at Atobe.

"What?" Atobe snapped when Fuji did not bother to respond with a witty remark or insult as what Atobe was expecting. Fuji's lips pursed at first and Atobe had to eye him with the least minimal sound, waiting for the other guy for his next move. There was a long, excruciating silence between them and Atobe did not like the sound of silence at all.

It gave damn too many meaning in Atobe's mind.

And Atobe always hated complications.

Suddenly, Fuji laughed so hard at Atobe.

"Just what is wrong with you?" Atobe demanded, thoroughly offended. Atobe found his laughter quite pleasant—pleasantly annoying that is.

No one has ever made fun of Atobe Keigo—ever. Fuji wiped his teary eyes all the while trying to stop himself from laughing.

"I never knew that you want so badly to be a comedian," Fuji finally responded, his every word coated with insult. Atobe looked at him with a smug face.

"Do I look like I am in the mood for joking?" Atobe asked his jaws quivering in bottled fury. It was quite new to him to meet a person who's so willing to insult him and shame him out in the open and Atobe find it highly infuriating.

But more than infuriating, he found it exhilarating.

It was quite confusing, really. Seeing a stranger with a strange smile laughing, taunting him, Atobe found it gladdening.

And then again, Atobe reminded himself that he hated complications.

"Well, you certainly are one delusional man I'd say," Fuji quipped delicately, his lips twitching his usual smile.

"Well it's not far from the reality. You'll see," Atobe replied venomously. Fuji raised eyebrow in response.

It's a dare. Atobe thought.

"Show me what you have," Fuji's voice was ringing with melody.

"Atobe? Atobe…Atobe!" a snapping voice brought back Atobe in reality. Atobe looked around. He was still in the classroom but the room was almost empty. Oshitari was standing next to him and looking expectantly at him.

"You've been preoccupied since the seventh period," Oshitari said mildly. Atobe realized it no sooner than Oshitari did, and there was no point in pointing that out too bluntly. Atobe finally picked up his bag and walked out of the classroom.

"Says who?" Atobe retorted.

"Says the teacher who can't even scold you for the fear of being sacked," Oshitari answered tactfully. Atobe replied no more.

"You've been doing strange things as of late Atobe," Oshitari couldn't help but comment as he swings his bag on his shoulder.

"You're just imagining things," Atobe answered loftily.

"Oh, really?" Oshitari sneered.

"Yes," Atobe insisted. Oshitari didn't press any further. There was no sense in asking if Atobe does not want to talk about it.

"The captain wants a rematch," Oshitari reminded after a comfortable silence. Atobe smirked, finally able to talk another topic.

"He never learns."

"The ball," the captain grunted. Fuji was standing still at the base line, looking so lost in his own world. He was looking at the sky, basically and Inui had to take down notes of Fuji's peculiar attitude yet again. The captain, however, was in no mood for waiting.

" Fuji, pick up the ball!" the captain bellowed, this time, several tennis members turned their heads at Fuji. Fuji snapped at his reverie and looked at them quizzically.

"Ah? What, the ball?" Fuji mouthed when he saw Eiji pointing discreetly somewhere on the ground.

"Oh, sorry," Fuji replied absently as he picked the random ball lying on the floor and returned it to the basket.

"Five laps," the captain ordered. Fuji followed suit. Tezuka then joined him into running laps.

"What are—"

"The captain did not specify any order—to me," Tezuka answered. Fuji smiled.

"Thanks," he muttered.

"Why are you acting so detached to this tennis practice?" Tezuka interrogated; the sweat on his face dripping down to his neck.

"Nothing in particular," Fuji answered as he smiled tightly.

"I see," Tezuka responded with resignation. Fuji cast a quick glance at Tezuka and felt ashamed. He knew that Tezuka was just trying to help.

But of course, the problem is Tezuka himself. Fuji couldn't tell it, could he?

"Tezuka," Fuji called on, as they turned into the corner of the court already done with two laps.

"Hn," Tezuka grunted in reply but Fuji was still contemplating to ask or not to. Fuji's curiosity got the best of him.

"Do you have …are you… are you dating someone?" Fuji asked quietly, not even the wind could pick it up. Tezuka remained placid as before.

"I don't have time for those," he replied. Fuji sighed in relief.

"I see," he replied, throwing a genuine smile at Tezuka.

"Did he tell something?"

"He evaded my question," out came Tezuka's short reply.

" Fuji's bothered by something, I'm sure of it," Oishi continued, still worried. Tezuka opened his locker and pulled his tennis bag.

"You worry too much," Tezuka commented, his voice softening.

"But Fuji has never—"

"If he has problems, he'll deal with it by himself. That's what his attitude is," Tezuka concluded, not even bothering to look up at Oishi.

"What if he knows? What if he blames himself?" Oishi whispered, his eyes slightly dimming with fear. Tezuka zipped his bag and looked at Oishi, his calm, collected amber eyes piercing.

"He doesn't know and will not know," Tezuka declared with a final tone. Tezuka looked threatening for a fraction of second.

"But you can't keep it to him forever, he's bound to know," Oishi insisted. Tezuka stood up straighter, his head slightly aching. He and Oishi were talking about something they've vowed not to discuss in school anymore than before. It made Tezuka anxious on the inside.

After minutes of thinking, he then sat on the bench propped at the corner of the locker room, he's head buried on the palm of his hands.

"I'm not yet ready to tell him that," Tezuka admitted, his shoulders slightly slumping. Oishi approached Tezuka with a depleted expression and touched Tezuka's right shoulder. Tezuka's face contorted ever so slightly.

"You can't keep this forever now that you're going to be the captain next year."

"Oh, I forgot my keys," Oshitari mumbled to himself as he retracted his steps back to the shower room. There was a note hanging on the door that says, "Out of Service" but Oshitari knew what that means.

It means that Atobe was using the shower room all for himself again.

'That selfish brat,' Oshitari mused as he opened the door ever so quietly. One of the showers was turned on as expected. Oshitari proceeded to open his locker to get his keys when he noticed Atobe's bag lying still on the bench.

Oshitari was not the person to mess other belongings but the thought of Atobe's properties lying still out in the open gave Oshitari a new idea of prank. And as he hide Atobe's notes on Shishido's carelessly opened locker, a white folder fell. Oshitari almost cursed. It was a good thing that the tiles are clean and dry.

Oshitari picked up the folder and hastily returned it to Atobe's bag but a paper fell and Oishitari had to picked it up. But what lies inside the folder made Oshitari more confused and intrigued, his hand still clutching the paper.

Investigative Report: Fuji Syuusuke.

Author's Note: It's not too much to ask, but if someone knows the name of the hospital Tezuka goes for check up then it would be highly appreciated. I also want to know the name of the hospital where Tachibana was admitted to.

So what do you think?! Reviews are much appreciated!!