Tenma: Wheezy! Last chapter was too short to my liking… *pouts
Wheezy: Sooo sorry, Tenma-kun. Here's a big one for you.
Tsurugi: I'm so not going to let her live.
Shindou: Why aren't you chasing her then?
Tsurugi: Matsukaze made me promise that I won't hurt Wheezy.
Tenma: Kyousuke! You're still angry with me? *sad and hurt
Tsurugi: Yes, I am! She's putting me through stupid emo and you expect me to sit still! *shouts at Tenma.
Tenma: I'm sorry… *scared
Tsurugi: Whatever! I'm sick of you taking her side! And, to you, readers, I don't belong to her and neither do my other team mates. Bye! *walks away angrily.
Tenma: Kyousuke! I'm sorry! *runs behind Tsurugi
Wheezy: It's all because of me… *sighs
Shindou: Tsurugi needs to learn to be mature, Wheezy. It's not your fault.
Wheezy: Really?!
Shindou: Yes, now, on with your story…
Tsurugi's POV:
Ah! It's done! The managers will take care of these filled bottles now... I'll freshen up a bit. I hope that Matsukaze had unlocked the door! He's so annoying, now that I think of it. Why did I even love a person like him in the first place? I don't even know. Atleast now, after getting to know his true colors... Its Good Riddance! All the members were present at the soccer club room, even Shindou-senpai! Ever since these changes occured in our lives, Shindou-senpai seemed to be very busy discussing strategies with the adults. He rarely has time to pay a visit to the club room. Well, that's none of my business. I'm better off without butting in whatever he does.
I press down the latch, only to find it closed, still! My anger leveled up to its peaks and I started banging the door loudly.
"Matsukaze! Open the damn door or I promise to break your bones! Open, now!" I yelled and gained the attention of everyone.
"What's wrong, Tsurugi?" I heard Shindou-senpai ask me.
"What's wrong?!" I yelled at him, "Ask that to your boyfriend! He's been in there for half-n-hour and he won't open the damn door!"
"For one, stop cursing and two, Tenma's not my boyfriend," Shindou-senpai said calmly, to my astonishment.
"Yeah, well, whatever! Get him out or break the door," I said and walked away to the back of the room.
Shindou's POV:
I am exhausted, really. Literally, I don't sleep for more than 2-3 hours a day and I put all my time to make things right. Even coach Endou's condition is the same. He's currently living in Gouenji-san's apartment because Natsumi-san won't allow him in their home. I feel sorry for him because I have never seen him cry. He's a man of smiles and this sudden incident put out the light in our coach. Tenma, Hikaru and I have been lifeless too... I could put it in this way, we are living zombies. That's all...
Now, this arrogant brat is cursing and I don't have the strength to argue or fight with him. I haven't seen Tenma since morning and Tsurugi complains that Tenma locked the bathroom door and stayed inside for half-n-hour. It isn't like Tenma to lock himself in the bathroom. Something must've happened.
"Tenma, open the door," I said gently.
He's dying... He can't open the door... Let him die...
I heard a strange voice and I shivered. Tenma's dying?
Who is it? I asked.
We'll meet in the future. All you need to know is that Tenma chose me… He'll come with me and so will all the people of the broken bonds...
What do you mean Tenma chose you?! I screamed at the top of my lungs. I knew I was earning stares from my team mates but I need to settle this matter with that strange voice.
You will know soon... Takuto-kun... I will free you too... For now, it's Tenma-kun's turn... I shall take leave now... Until next time, alvida!
Wait! Who are you! I asked, looking at the ceiling. I received no response.
"Shindou, who are you talking to?" Sangoku-senpai asked me.
"Uh? No one. Get me a soccer ball immediately!" I yelled as the realization of Tenma dying at the other side of the door struck me.
When Sangoku-senpai handed me a ball, I ordered everyone to clear my way and performed Fortissimo and broke the door into pieces. What we saw scared us to the core. It was Tenma, surrounded in a pool of crimson.
"Tenma!" I let out a ear piercing howl and ran to his side.
There was blood everywhere and the source was a cut on his left wrist. I tied my hand towel over the cut tightly to staunch the blood flow. Tears streamed out of my eyes without a stop. I couldn't hear the gasps and screams of others and I lashed out at Tsurugi when he came to Tenma's aid. It was because of him!
"Shindou-senpai, please! Let me help!" he pleaded frantically and I was not one to listen to that heartless guy.
"Stay away from Tenma!" I yelled as I pushed him away.
I carried Tenma in my arms and started to rush out of the room. I need to get some help.
"Shindou-san! Wait!" I heard Tsurugi again!
"Instrumentalist Maestro!" I unleashed my avatar and shot the ball at Tsurugi, that sent him flying into the wall.
Tsurugi's POV:
I couldn't believe what I saw when Shindou-senpai broke open the door. Tenma was bleeding and it was a sight I never wished to see let alone occur because of me. I cried, yes, I did. The last time I cried was when I heard the news that nii-san couldn't play soccer. It's now again. My body moved auto pilot towards Tenma, the one I loved like I loved my brother.
"Tenma," I whispered, tracing my fingers on his pale cold cheek.
My hand was slapped away by Shindou-senpai.
I pleaded to let me help him but he wouldn't listen. He kept accusing me of Tenma's suicide attempt and kicked me into a wall. The impact hurt but not more than the wound on my heart. I got up and rushed towards Shindou-senpai, only to be stopped by Kirino-senpai.
"Kirino-senpai, let me go!" I started thrashing as I watched everyone follow Shindou-san.
"Tsurugi, get a hold of yourself!"
"He's dying and you expect me to stay calm!?"
"It's because of you!"
That had quite an effect on me. I stopped struggling and looked into the glazed eyes of Kirino-senpai. He was crying too.
"Because of me..." I said as I collapsed onto the floor.
"Yes and everyone is angry at you right now. Don't intervene... Let them get him to the hospital. Then, you can personally visit him. What do you say?"
"Yeah, you're right. I didn't expect Tenma to..." I couldn't get the words out of my mouth.
That was unbelievable! Fresh tears started to roll down my cheeks.
"Hey, everything will be okay, Tsurugi," Kirino-senpai said as he wiped away my tears.
"He lost a lot of blood," I whispered, looking at the pool of scarlet on the bathroom floor.
"I never expected Tenma to do this. After all, he's Tenma!" Kirino-senpai said in a restless tone.
It was as if my brain had blocked my every sense as it replayed my times with Tenma. The first kiss we had, our first fight because of my jealousy, his tears of pain that day, his little surprises for me – sometimes a chocolate bar, sometimes roses (very cheesy and embarrassing), his touch, his kiss, his care, his love… Everything played like a non-stop movie and I couldn't hold back my tears. Tough, I may seem, but when my loved ones are hurt, and that too, BECAUSE OF ME, it's unbearable. Guilt stabbed my heart like a thousand knives.
"What should I do, to make things right? To save you?" I whispered, hoping for an answer.
"Let's end whatever it is we're doing, Tsurugi. I don't want Shindou to be in the same position as Tenma," Kirino-senpai said.
"Yeah, you're right," I nodded and got up.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"To the hospital. I need to know that he's safe."
"Wait a minute, I'll too come with you."
And so, we started to the hospital.
Shindou's POV:
Will he be okay? Kami-sama, please save him! This is not the right way to call him to your side. The doctor said Tenma lost a lot of blood and also that he needed stitched since the gashes were too deep. All of us are worried about him and Yuuichi-san was also with us. He seemed to be confused and shocked at the same time. I guess Tsurugi did not let Yuuichi-san know about his shameless acts. Speak of the devil and here he comes! I was ready to kick him out but Yuuichi-san saved me the trouble.
Tsurugi's POV:
"Kyousuke!" I heard nii-san practically yell at me.
"Yes, nii-san? Why are you out of your bed?" I asked with concern.
"You hid something from me," it wasn't a question, I knew it.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, looking ashamed.
"Tenma is in there, Kyousuke. He's on the verge of dying. Do you know why?" he asked and I knew that he was holding back his anger.
I was afraid to answer him. Afraid of his words, his accusing looks, afraid of losing my brother along with Tenma, most of all, afraid of being alone.
"Answer me, Kyousuke!" he snapped at me finally and all the heads in the room shot up at us.
"Because of me, nii-san," I heard my voice crack.
And then, he asked me why I broke up with an angel like Tenma. I clearly explained him what I saw, when and where. He listened patiently without even sparing a glance at me.
"So, you saw Taiyou-kun and Tenma-kun together?" he asked and I nodded.
"Go to the hospital desk and refer to the records on the day when you saw them," he ordered calmly.
"But why?" I asked.
He didn't answer, he looked at me with those eyes, the looks I got when I betrayed soccer to save my brother. Yes, that did the work and I left. I understood what he meant when I looked through the records. Tenma was visiting my brother while I was doing my grocery duties and found them making out. But, how could one person be at two places at once? With that thought in mind, I walked back to my brother.
"Got your answer?" he asked.
"He was with you. But, believe me, I saw Tenma," I explained.
"You still don't trust him, do you? He came to me to know more about you so that he can give you a surprise on your first month anniversary and you ruined that special day of yours by casting him out of your life. Right, Kyousuke?"
"It's not that I don't trust him, nii-san. I told you what I saw and I am one hundred percent sure that it was Tenma!" I was getting angry and sick.
"Don't talk to me in that voice!" Nii-san chided me.
"Forgive me, nii-san, but you have to trust me!"
"Maybe, he was an imposter," Shindou-senpai piped in.
"I heard a voice earlier and that voice told me that Tenma was dying and Tenma chose him."
"Shindou-senpai, I heard that voice too when I was in the club," Hikaru said.
"You heard what I heard?" Shindou-san asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, I did. It also said something about people with broken bonds," Hikaru continued.
"Yeah, well, at least we got some clues now. Minna! Everything will be alright!" we heard Kidou-san say.
"Endou, I guess I might know someone who will help us with this. I've heard about this but I don't exactly remember," Gouenji-san said scratching his head.
"Really?! Who?" Endou-san questioned eagerly.
"Supporter X and Fei Rune. They will surely help us with this. This is a paradox, I assume. Also, Doctor Aruno might know more about what's happening and also about that mysterious voice. What do you suggest?"
"I leave that to you, Gouenji. Just, please, do something at a faster pace!" Endou-san said, holding his head.
"I'll be on it. Consider it done," Gouenji-san said as he left the room.
"You should apologize," I heard nii-san tell me.
"He won't forgive me," I said sadly.
"Why do you think so?"
"I hurt him a lot, both mentally and physically," I whispered the last few words.
"You molested him! I found him naked on the riverbank, Tsurugi. You're an animal!" Shindou-san accused and he was right. I am a monster.
"Kyousuke! Were you out of your mind?!" Nii-san screamed at me.
"I'm sorry, nii-san but I'm depressed right now, more than anyone else present here. So, I'll explain myself later. For now, let's concentrate on Tenma," I said.
"Yeah, okay. If anything happens to him, believe me, Kyousuke, your rights as my brother will be seized from you that very instant," he said sternly and I widened my eyes.
He was the only family I got and he's ready to disown me. A huge lump formed in my throat, constricting my ability to form words. So,
I nodded.
Wheezy: Anything to say?
Shindou: …...
Kirino: …...
Tenma: …...
Tsurugi: -
Wheezy: You people are unbelievable!
Tsurugi: So are you, for making me cry here. *shrugs
Wheezy: Won't you cry if your precious, dear, lovely, cute, angel Tenma dies! *screams angrily at Tsurugi.
Tenma, Shindou, Kirino, Tsurugi: *big shock and jaw drops*
Tsurugi: Ye-yeah… I will… You're right.
Wheezy: You're cute! *winks at Tsurugi* Now, politely ask the readers to review…
Tsurugi: No!
Wheezy: You don't want Tenma to live, Kyou-kun? Should I kill him in the story? *asks with a devilish grin
Tsurugi. Wait, no! I'll do it! Please review and save my Tenma…
Wheezy: Well, you heard him… XD