A Prince of Tennis fanfic.
SanaYuki pairing a.k.a. alpha pair
Story: Sugary Coffee - Chapter.10
Rating: T
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.
Author's note: I actually wrote this a month or so ago... but I just didn't have time to post it. So please enjoy, it's the last chapter. I feel so sad... BUT, because I love this story so much, and there was this inspiration that struck me a few weeks ago... I'm writing a sequel: Milky Tea.
Dedication: This chapter is for Iwa. Thank you for cheering me up and rambling with me about how godly Alpha pair is. Oh, and for your super long reviews as well.
Please review!
10. Sugary Coffee
Sanada looked into the mirror and ran the razor along his chin, wondering if he had changed over the past months. It had been almost six months since he had last seen Yukimura and depression had begun to exhaust him, suffocating him with insomnia and anorexia. He felt almost too tired, too worn-out. Life had morphed into nothing but a robotic routine, draining life out of him with every movement, every breath.
A quicker death was preferable.
He knew by the time his body would refuse to function, his soul would already be gone, crumbled and scattered among the howling gale. That day was not far away, for the fractured core of his body had already drowned in remorse. Shattered into fragments, his heart was no more.
He ate his breakfast gloomily, reading a pile of birthday cards as he forced down the tasteless porridge. As he placed the bowl into the dishwasher, he suddenly longed for Yukimura's cooking despite the sickening effect it always had. He looked around the room and realised, for the first time, how much Yukimura had left behind.
All of a sudden, everything reminded him of Yukimura. The mismatched cups were the result of his inability to do housework without breaking something, the azure curtains chosen because of their similarity to the colour of the sky, the shelf of CDs and DVDs were his, most of them French. And the car, Sanada suddenly remembered. His car was a gift from Yukimura.
Now, more than ever, he wanted to hold Yukimura in his arms. Gazing at the watercolour paintings Yukimura drew for decoration, his heart ached nostalgically.
Without warning, the doorbell rang.
Sanada turned away from the paintings and answered the door. The postman was outside with a large parcel. As Sanada accepted the parcel, he could not help but feel a wave of disappointment; somehow, he had hoped that it had been Yukimura at the door.
He unwrapped the parcel. There were a few books from his father, a calligraphy set from his mother and a voodoo doll from his older brother. Nii-san was as strange as usual, Sanada thought, putting the gifts next to the pile of cards. It seemed everyone he knew had given him some sort of present, whether it was a bunch of flowers or a hand-drawn card (from Niou). Everyone, that was, except for Yukimura. He was the one Sanada wanted the most to receive a present from. It was not the materialistic gift he desired, but rather simply Yukimura's presence and acknowledgement.
Yukimura probably felt the same though, Sanada thought, as he recalled that he had not given Yukimura presents on his birthday. Sanada wondered if Yukimura was disappointed. He could not care less, Sanada told himself. He felt as if he had faded into one of Yukimura's fans, watching from afar, desperately reaching towards him. He had joined the thousands trying to win Yukimura's love. And joined them, as well, in failure. Yukimura's love was neither theirs nor his, it was reserved for someone better. Someone who would return his love.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang again. This time, it was a delivery from Marui's candy store. The petit gateau was decorated with different types of fruits and laced with coloured icing. Sanada smiled; Marui's love of sweet things was still the same. He cut a small piece and allowed the saccharinity to overwhelm his tastebuds. It was certainly a treat for his gustation.
Just as he swallowed the last mouthful, the doorbell rang once again. Sanada prayed it was Yukimura. But it was Kirihara.
"Fukubuchou!" His kouhai had a radiant smile as he handed Sanada a large paper bag. "Happy Birthday!"
"Thanks," Sanada replied, unsure of whether he should be happy or disappointed.
"I've got to go," Kirihara said, winking apologetically before turning away, "my manager is looking for me!"
"Bye," Sanada said, watching as his kouhai disappeared into the elevator. He shut the door and placed the bag on the dining table, taking out the present carefully. It was not wrapped, but the thoughts put into it were obvious. The large photo album had a hard, golden cover with "21st" written in an elegant cursive font. He opened the book and found a card on the first page.
Dear fukubuchou,
Congratulations on your 21st birthday.
I hope you like my present. The photos are from everyone. It's nice to remember the past, isn't it? There had been good times and bad times, but I will always treasure those moments we spent together. Except for the time you chased me down the corridors after I flooded the girls' toilet. But besides from that, I hope you will always remember the times we, as team mates and friends, spent together.
I had only filled half the photo album. The other half is for you and buchou to fill in.
Akaya.
Sanada smiled. His kouhai had become quite a sentimental one. So different to that cruel demon he was in high school. Sanada flipped through the album and his memories were retrieved from his mind like hidden jigsaw pieces. He recalled the gaiety they celebrated with when they won their second consecutive national finals. And the bitterness they felt when the title of Ouja Rikkai was taken from them.
It all seemed very clear now. Going slowly through the photos one by one, he would try and remember that particular moment the photo was taken. Strangely, the miniscule details would always appear first, followed gradually by bodies and faces.
Some photos made him laugh, like the one that captured the moment when chocolates poured out of everyone's lockers one particular Valentine's Day. Others made him frown, especially the one of them accepting their first – and last – silver medal in their third year of junior high. He remembered how hard Yukimura pushed them after that defeat. Looking at all these past memories, Sanada suddenly realised how much he had been through, whether it be good or bad. He was thankful that Kirihara had included not only good times, but also disappointing and sad ones, because by looking at those, he could remember and appreciate his team mates' comradeship through even the toughest tests.
Memories concerning Yukimura were especially vivid. They appeared as if they happened only yesterday. The reason soon became apparent when Sanada finished flipping through the photos. Yukimura was in every photo.
Sanada let out a hopeless laugh; Kirihara had undoubtedly chosen the photos carefully to achieve the intended purpose. Sanada closed the album and placed it back into the paper bag when he found a roll of grip tape at the bottom of the bag. Black, padded, not too thick – it was clearly Kirihara's. He had probably left it in the bag after purchasing it hastily this morning when he realised he had ran out of new grip tape. It was just like high school, when Kirihara would always forget his grip tape on the train or on the bus.
Sanada took the tape out of the bag and placed it on the shoe cupboard by the door. Kirihara would probably be back soon to retrieve it. Then, just as he expected, the doorbell rang. Picking up the grip tape, Sanada opened the door.
A wavy-haired boy stood outside with a nervous smile. It was not Kirihara, but Yukimura.
Sanada stared, his mind blank from shock. His heart thumped against his ribcage forcefully and his breaths were short and pulsed as his eyes met Yukimura's. He could see the anxiety in Yukimura's hazel eyes, tense as he waited for Sanada's response. But Sanada was too shaken to offer any type of reaction, his mind still questioning this sudden visit.
After another five minutes of awkward silence, Yukimura finally said, "Happy Birthday."
"Thanks," Sanada said. He wanted to say more, but his words were chocked, unable to be projected by his raspy voice.
Yukimura smiled slightly, finding Sanada's lack of emotions a little unsettling. "I have a present for you," he said and reached for the brown paper bag beside his feet. He took out two teddy bears, one white and the other honey-coloured. The white one held a heart with the words "Be mine?" written on it. Sanada recognised it as one of the twenty presents he had bought Yukimura and wondered how Yukimura managed to obtain it.
"This one's mine," Yukimura said and held the white one with his left hand. Then, he held out the honey-coloured one and in a voice barely above a whisper, he added, "and this is yours."
Sanada took the teddy bear from Yukimura and gazed at it. This bear held a heart too, but instead of a question, it contained an answer:
I'm yours.
Finally believing it was not simply a dream, Sanada could not contain his emotions anymore. He threw his arms around Yukimura and hugged him tightly. He closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against Yukimura's hair, breathing in the familiar smell of rose shampoo, and tightened his embrace.
Yukimura buried his head on Sanada's shoulder and placed his hand on Sanada's heart, sensing the quick, excited pulses beneath his touch. His other hand wrapped around Sanada's waist, clutching at his shirt firmly. He had forgotten how warm and comforting Sanada's body was. He was never going to let go again.
They held each other motionlessly, enveloped by overwhelming emotions of longing, passion, and love. They did not – nor wanted to – move, wishing they could be in each other's arms for eternity. All of a sudden, one of the doors to the other apartments swung open. Sanada quickly pushed Yukimura away, in fear of tainting his reputation. Yukimura's eyes sprung wide open in shock when Sanada released him and immediately, he reached for Sanada's hand, holding it forcefully.
"I don't want to ruin your reputation..." Sanada muttered into Yukimura's ear. Yukimura nodded, although his eyes showed his unwillingness, and allowed Sanada to lead him into the apartment.
"It's still the same as when I left..." Yukimura walked into the living room as Sanada shut the door. Yukimura's eyes wandered around the room, noting there were still two places set at the table, two umbrellas by the door, two pairs of slippers next to the doormat; everything was arranged as if he had been living there for the past months. Even the vases were filled with orchids, just like they had been when he lived there.
A pair of arms wound around Yukimura's waist suddenly and Yukimura could feel Sanada's soft lips tracing the nape of his neck lustfully. A breathy moan escaped Yukimura's lips when Sanada's hands moved under his shirt, rubbing against his hard, defined abdomen. He felt his muscles tensing to their own accords as his shirt was removed. His body jerked involuntarily as intense pleasure shivered up his spine.
"Wait..." Yukimura said in a hushed, raspy voice, his body hot and sweaty already.
"Mmm..." Sanada acknowledged Yukimura's request, but ignored it, sucking Yukimura neck tenderly.
Another moan escaped Yukimura's parted lips. "Sanada... wait..." Yukimura tried to wriggle away and get a word in before Sanada managed to coax him into giving up.
But Sanada was occupied, his mind captivated by the smell of sweat and shampoo intermingled and the sound of Yukimura's raspy, shallow breaths. Yukimura finally gave up resisting when Sanada turned him around, and pressed their lips together. Sanada's mouth crushed against his feverishly, as if making up for the time they had lost. Yukimura's arms encircled Sanada's waist and pulled their hips together, rubbing against each other, their bodies writhing with pleasure. Sanada pulled his own shirt off as well and began to unbutton Yukimura's jeans. When Sanada finally managed to yank them off in between kisses, Yukimura had already loosened Sanada's belt. They stumbled onto the couch and Sanada pinned Yukimura down, his mouth moving down to Yukimura's neck, attacking with quick kisses. Yukimura ran his hand through Sanada's hair, tugging forcefully as the pleasure intensified suddenly.
And then his phone rang.
"Let it be," Sanada murmured, pressing his cheek against Yukimura's taut abdomen.
But the caller was very persistent. Every time it was connected to voicemail, the caller would hang up and call again. At last, Yukimura gave Sanada an apologetic smile and picked up the call. "Moshi moshi," he said, sitting up.
"Yukimura-san," his manager was on the other side, "is it possible for you to arrive half an hour earlier? I forgot about those girls who won that meet-your-idol-backstage competition."
Yukimura covered the receiver with his palm and looked at Sanada, "Will you come with me?" He asked.
"Where?" Sanada said.
"I'll tell you later," Yukimura said, pleading with an affectionate smile.
"Of course," Sanada said and wrapped his arm around Yukimura's waist as Yukimura returned to the phone conversation.
"I'll be there by 3pm then," Yukimura said and hung up. Then, he turned to Sanada and added, "I have a concert tonight."
"I see," Sanada said, curling a strand of Yukimura's damp hair, and gazed into Yukimura's eyes. They looked back at him blankly and suddenly, Yukimura seemed out of his reach again. "Seiichi..." Sanada said softly.
Yukimura blinked a few times before standing up to create distance from himself and Sanada. "There's something I have to explain to you," he declared seriously, his eyes solemn. Sanada nodded. "Remember the time when I was filming at Nara?"
Sanada flinched at the memory but Yukimura paid no attention, continuing his explanation. "Akaya was wrong about the reason as to why I was able to kiss her like that. It wasn't because I was trying to make you angry. I wasn't motivated or driven by your pain. I was able to kiss her like that," Yukimura paused and swallowed, his eyes still focused and determined, "because I was thinking of you."
"You were the one on my mind. You were the one I imagined kissing. I'm sorry for inflicting so much pain on you..."
Sanada stood up and hugged Yukimura, cutting him short. "I'm glad. I'm really glad to hear that," he whispered into Yukimura's ear. Then he let go and with a straight face, he said, "I have something to explain to you as well."
Yukimura knew instantly it was about Atobe. The vivid image flashed into his mind again and his body shook uncontrollably, his lips trembling as he came close to tears, once again consumed by anger and distress. Sanada took Yukimura's hands in his, and began slowly, in a deep, hushed voice.
"I worked for him because I wanted to buy a bigger apartment. It sounds selfish, I know, but I just couldn't watch you living in this place anymore. You are Yukimura Seiichi, the super idol. You deserve to live in a better place than this tiny apartment. I didn't want you to feel ashamed and embarrassed, but I just...."
"Why would I feel embarrassed?" Yukimura interrupted.
Sanada looked at Yukimura, at a loss for words.
"Idiot!" Yukimura suddenly snapped, "if I could buy you a car for a Christmas present, I could easily afford a bigger apartment! You're so dense! Can't you see that I wanted to live with you?!"
Sanada was speechless.
"You're so... thick! You're an idiot! Sometimes you just don't get anything!"
"Sorry," Sanada muttered, a deep blush colouring his cheeks.
Yukimura sighed and smiled, "I love you. I really do. You're so cute. By the way, you've been slacking off, haven't you?" Sanada gave Yukimura a quizzical look. "I'm referring to your muscles," Yukimura grinned and poked Sanada's anterior muscles, "they're not as hard as they used to be."
Sanada pried Yukimura's hand off and holding them, he placed them on Yukimura's face. "You should care more about yourself, buchou , you have no idea how much weight you've lost."
"You are to blame," Yukimura poked his tongue out. Sanada smiled sheepishly but a sharp pain of remorse stabbed his heart. Although Yukimura had a healthy, energetic appearance, Sanada could see the dark rings beneath the make-up. He was pallid, his wan smile barely sufficient to keep up with his persona. Sanada wondered how many sleepless nights Yukimura had endured to become so emaciated, so pale.
A kiss on his cheek disrupted his thoughts. Yukimura stood beside him and held his hand, the corners of his lips curled in a tired smile. "I'm fine now," Yukimura said, understanding Sanada's pained expression, "don't worry..."
"You are by my side now."
Tokyo Stadium was drowning in the deafening cheers and thunderous applause. Loud rock music was pumped through the speakers to entertain the fans until the concert began. Beams of bright cyan cut through the darkness, moving in random directions. The anticipation was irrepressible, screams and shrieks shouting the name of their idol.
Finally, as the music faded away, the beams of light gathered together, focusing on the centre of the stage. Everyone held their breath, their eyes staring intently on the spot of light. Slowly, the stage rose.
And their idol appeared.
The stadium erupted. Yukimura lifted his head, tossing his sleek, wavy hair back and raising his arm into the air. A brilliant smile brightened his beautiful features, radiating energy from his body. Screams reverberated in the thrilled atmosphere; this dazzling smile Yukimura was renowned for had finally returned after disappearing for the past five months.
Yukimura bathed in the fanatic commotion and closed his eyes, adrenaline pumping through his blood. Then, the music began and he opened his eyes, staring into the dark sea of cheering fans.
Sanada watched as Yukimura parted his lips. His sugary voice was astonishing, its tone even more alluring than it previously was. On stage, everything about Yukimura seemed different. An infinite amount of energy poured out of his body. Every action was deliberate, without a single mistake. Almost seductive, his voice captivated the tens of thousands fans. Difference was acceptable, Sanada thought as his eyes followed Yukimura across the stage, as long as Yukimura remained his and his only.
The night continued with unceasing excitement, fans shouting louder than ever despite beginning to lose their voices. Yukimura began to feel weary as well, but it was already near the end. "Thank you everyone for coming tonight," Yukimura addressed his audience and once again, the stadium exploded. "I have one last song I want to sing. This is a new song and it's going to be released in my new album."
"This final song is for my best friend," Yukimura said solemnly and the stadium quietened. He took a deep breath and searched for Sanada in the sea of neon glow sticks. Finally locating him, Yukimura smiled and said, "Happy Birthday."
"This is my dedication to you: Sky."
The music began and the excitement amplified. Yukimura walked down the stage as he sang, giving high fives to fans as he walked down the aisles. When he was about to return to the stage for the final chorus, he passed Sanada. Their eyes met and Yukimura's smile widened, winking with the slightest movement before walking on stage again.
As the drums drove in a crescendo towards the end, Yukimura looked at Sanada in the eye. The last note ended and dispersed into the air, immediately swallowed by the thunderous applause and deafening screams.
Yukimura beamed. He turned off his microphone, still looking at Sanada in the eye. Then, barely moving his lips, he murmured, "Aishiteru."
"Me too."
Both of them smiled; their love was warm and clear, just like a cloudless summer sky.
Living an empty and meaningless life,
The first time we met was under the cloudless sky.
Together we looked at tomorrow,
Dreaming about our future hand in hand.
My love, your love...
Under the never-ending sky,
I pledge my faithful love.
But fragile like butterfly wings,
My dreams were easily scattered.
I looked towards the darkened sky,
Telling myself that tomorrow will be better.
My love, your love...
No matter where I am,
My love for you is forever.
Unexpectedly, you turned around and smiled,
Melting away my misery with your embrace.
Look at the sky...
It's the same cloudless summer sky.
My love, your love...
Do you still remember the blue sky
On the day we first met?
Owari.
Please review for the last chapter!!!
Sequel: Milky Tea (Uploaded)