"Bunta Nii-san?" The kid looked at Jackal, wondering.
"He's not here. I thought Nii-san was with you? " The kid could recognize Jackal, because the older was one of his brother's friends who usually come to their house.
"He's not at home?" Jackal tried to look inside the house to make sure Marui's younger brother wasn't lying to him.
"Nii-san said he will be back very late tonight." The smaller one came out from the house.
"So Bunta is not yet come back?"
The two childs looked each other, and then shook their head. "No..."
"O-Oh...Then I will take my leave. I'm sorry for bothering you guys" He smiled and left the two brothers.
.
The half-Brazilian tried to call the redhead using his phone but he couldn't reach it. Where are you Bunta? He searched the entire sweets store around there. He even searched all the place where Marui liked to visit the most, but he couldn't find him anywhere. The sun started to set. He almost gave up and decided to wait at Marui's house, but suddenly he remembered one place. The place he hadn't looked for. He quickly ran.
When he reached the place. He looked at the building in front of him. This was the place where he spent his 3 years with his teammates, Rikkaidai Fuzoku. He opened the gate, continued ran to the tennis court. He looked around, and saw someone stood on the court alone. He found him.
.
"Bunta!" Jackal ran towards him.
The redhead turned his head. "Jackal? What are you doing here?" He startled.
"I ask you the same question. What are you doing?" The man who being called to have 4 lungs, panted hardly. Sweat all over his face.
"Jackal, you...look so lame! Pfft..." Marui said as he tried not to laugh.
How could you laughed at a time like this? Jackal didn't say a word. He was afraid to guess that maybe Marui put that mask again, because this time he couldn't read the redhead at all. He didn't know which one was real or fake.
Marui stopped laughing, his expression changed, a smiled crossed on his face. "This place is really nice isn't it?" He said it quietly. "I can't believe it, we'll be a highschooler next month. It just too fast."
"It doesn't matter!" Jackal said quickly. "I-It's not like we are in different school anyway. We will be together, the seven of us. And next year Akaya will follow us."
"You're right..." The redhead smiled. The color of sunset reflected on his face. It was beautiful because it matched his red hair perfectly. But somehow it gave a sense of loneliness.
.
"Bunta..." Jackal looked at him with serious expression.
"Hmm?"
"Tell me everything. What happened to you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"About why you decide to quit tennis and all...please...?" The taller guy begged to him. He wanted Marui told him everything directly.
"Hey, don't look at me like that, -! "
Jackal suddenly grabbed the other guy's right wrist. A slight pain showed on Marui's face. "You injured your wrist, didn't you?" The half-Brazilian asked in low voice.
Marui flinched for a second but then he smirked and pulled his hand away. "And what if I did?"
"Why you didn't tell me?"
"It's not that hurt you know."
"You're lying."
"I'm fine, Jackal." The redhead smiled.
"No, you're not fine at all."
"I'm fine."
"Drugs..." Jackal looked down, there were sadness showed on his face. "You use it, didn't you?"
"..."
"Bunta-"
Marui laughed. "Well, it's not like I will continue to consume it anyway." He said plainly. "Don't worry. I quit tennis, and I won't use any kind of drugs anymore."
"No no, I mean, yes you should stop about the drug things and focus on your recovery. But don't ever think to stop playing tennis. After you recovered we can play tennis together like before. And-." Jackal tried to explain, hoping the redhead could understand.
"I won't play tennis even if my wrist fully healed." Marui continued. "I told you, tennis makes me bored."
"You're lying, Bunta. You love tennis. You always do." Jackal looked at him in the eyes.
"Don't talk like you know everything." Marui averted his gaze.
"Niou told us what happened after National match..."
The redhead's expression became tense. "...Please don't talk about it..." He said in a low voice.
"You know... We can win next time." Jackal said flustered.
"Stop..."
"No, Listen Bunta... We-"
"I told you to stop!" Marui said sharply, he looked at Jackal with his cold eyes. "I'm sick of all this." The mask was gone. The grin and the smile he always used were gone. They were changed with an expressionless face. "I'm tired to try." His voice was so low that made it so much real.
Jackal shivered. "W-We can through this together." The taller guy moved towards Marui. He wanted to do anything if only it would make things better.
"Leave me alone." Marui's voice became colder than before.
Those words stabbed Jackal on his heart. He could felt a gap formed between them. "No." He shook his head.
"...Then, I'm the one who will leave." The redhead started to walked out from the court.
"Bunta!" Jackal called him out loud. But Marui just kept walking. Why? The half brazillian didn't want this.
.
He shouted again, this time a bit louder. "Just remember one thing, Bunta! You're not alone! We will always be there for you! No matter what happen! No matter how many times you push us away! We will always come for you! Keep that in your mind!"
That was when the redhead stopped for a moment. But rather than turned his body to the tanned guy, Marui continued his walked. "I'm sorry". He whispered to himself.
Jackal didn't see it. He could only saw the redhead disappeared from his eyes.