After shattering, all that is left are haunting remains of what once was.
Thunder clapped as the rain kept falling.
"Goodnight, Mitsu."
Tezuka nodded. "Goodnight."
Fuji left the clubhouse to his sister waiting outside, leaving Tezuka to lock up.
Tezuka picked up his bag as the door opened once more.
"Forgot something?" he said, turning around, and froze.
"Sort of."
"Echizen."
Thunder clapped once more.
"What are you doing here, still?" Tezuka said. "You look pale."
"I came to say goodbye."
Tezuka's breath hitched.
"I've had enough of Japan. I've had enough of this feeling. And, most of all, I've had enough of you - or of not having you." Echizen shrugged. "You're obviously happy - I won't touch that." He looked at his space then approached it and placed his jacket and jersey in neatly. "I enrolled in Saddlebrook, Florida. I'm leaving."
Something large made its way halfway into Tezuka's throat as his heart became heavy.
Echizen finally looked directly at him. "I'm not coming back, buchou." His pleading eyes looked up. "I love you." Then, his voice dropped in almost a whisper. "Goodbye."
He turned around and walked away into the rain.
The lump in Tezuka's throat expanded.
As thunder clapped once more, the remains of a brutal shattering echoed through the night before fading into the pounding rain. Neither knew what it was - but the remaining emptiness it left behind in the place of what once was left everything very cold and very still. And even the pouring rain couldn't wash away those hollow remains.
