Authors note

Kyaa! Hi! Thanks for the reviews, Yue and Kari! And to start off my note. Yes, Yue! Yuki's bf is Kai (I hate him!) and yes, the last chapter was set before Atobe confessed to Yuki. Hope this clears it! Anyway, ask anything that bothers you, I don't mind answering! Anyway, I'm sorry I updated this one a bit later (you know, New Year and all and I have to start to concentrate on my exams)! So you will really have to sit tight for the time being but I promise that I'm constantly writing!

So this chapter is a double story of Seigaku and Hyotei, though it will concentrate more on Hyotei (as the title says…)! Anyway, I decided that this chapter will start the Hyotei story's Atobe's suffering arc… The title of the arc is going to be: Die Leiden des jungen Atobe Keigo (that's in German: The sufferings of young Atobe Keigo). I chose this title because of the book that I mentioned in the story which he read (Die Leiden des jungen Werther by Geothe) and it has a similar story line that I want to reflect in Hyotei's story but it is different of what I will make of it!

Anyway, this is confusing now and you will get the picture later on in the story (especially when he writes his essay on the book!). Anyway, this title will be always up until this arc is over and there will be under titles for this… Yay! If you're curious about the book… Read it! I recommend it! Huh… This was long! Let's start the chapter already! Prepare some napkins for this…

Previous chapter (chapter 18)

Atobe finally decided to confess to Yuki… As the next day came he started to become a bit obvious to her but she didn't give any reaction at all and he got a bit suspicious for a while but ignored it (bad idea, Atobe…). Anyway, he asked her on a date and she agreed but only if he won the first round of the tournament, which he did and got his prize. At the tournament, Yuki was there and she went to get something to drink after which he followed her and saw her with a certain brown haired boy (Kai!!! No!) talking to him and laughing. He started to get jealous but recognized his uniform after which he ignored it... again! (really bad idea, Atobe!)

After this he took her on a date on Wednesday and confessed to her on the same hill where Yuki had took him previously to. Yuki said that she has a boyfriend and loves him and not Atobe. Atobe got heart broken and couldn't breathe as he left for home… Now he is depressed and he even started crying… This really tore him apart (Sayaka did warn you, Atobe! You should listen to what people say! Mou!).

In the previous Seigaku chapter… Sayaka won her match against the girl's team of Kurōdo and proceeded to the second round. The boys did the same. During the mixed doubles Yumi and Fuji had to forfeit. Tezuka and Sayaka had their match against Kai and Misaki… Tezuka got his hand injure and Kai injured Sayaka's ankle. They still won this! Anyway, after this Sayaka told Tezuka about her previous coach and the real reason standing behind her mother's death. After this Yuki called Sayaka (it was Thursday, the next day after Atobe confessed to her) and told her what she did…

Saa, what will happen now? How will this turn out to be? Let's see!

Chapter 20

Die Leiden des jungen Atobe Keigo:

(The sufferings of young Atobe Keigo)

Rain from a cloudless sky… tears

Before we go back to Hyotei, let's see how the next day after Sayaka had her first round in the Kantou Tournament was. It was the next day and Sayaka was walking through the school gate and sighing. "Jeez! I can't believe I fainted and let Tezuka carry me again!" she put her hand on her forehead and sighed again. "But he really looked hot when he was wet…" she blushed, as she pictured him carrying her in the rain. "No! No! No! Stop this, Sayaka! Stop blushing! Ahhh! Mou!" she tried to deny her thoughts and didn't notice Eiji jumping on her.

"Saya-chan! How are you doing?" Sayaka almost got a shock and sweat dropped.

"Eiji-san… I'm fine, thanks!" Eiji sighed as he was still hanging on her.

"Mou! I got worried when you suddenly fainted yesterday! What happened? Fever?" Sayaka blinked.

"No, not really… I just over exerted myself, I guess…" at the same moment Tezuka was passing the both of them looking slightly dazed off and a shade of pink was showing on his cheeks. Eiji was about to jump off of Sayaka but didn't when he noticed that Tezuka wasn't looking their direction and just passed. Sayaka looked at him with stupidity.

"Tezuka?" Tezuka turned around and snapped out of it.

"Ah! Good morning, Koyumi…" Sayaka approached him and looked into his eyes. Tezuka blushed as she got even closer to him.

"Are you feeling okay? You seem a bit feverish…" she put her hand on his forehead and he got even hotter. He took a few steps from her.

"I'm fine! It's no-" he started coughing and Sayaka looked even more suspicious.

"You have a cold, don't you? It's because he carried me yesterday in the rain… You should go home for today-"

"No… I can't leave the team before our match against Hyotei-" Sayaka twitched.

"And what will your team do if you collapse? You go home! Right now!" she pointed at him. Tezuka widened his eyes and Eiji stepped a few steps away sensing a war coming. Tezuka ignored her command and just left. Sayaka twitched again.

"Fine! If you collapse, you'll remember my words later! Tch! He's so stubborn!" Eiji just sweat dropped and walked away before she could spot him. "They're really scary! I don't want to be involved…"

After class Sayaka noticed that his cold got even worse. His face got even redder and she was starting to get really worried. During practice the coach forbade her to do any physical exercise because her ankle wasn't well enough.

"But, sensei-"

"No "buts", Koyumi! What will you're team do if you're ankle gets even worse?" Sayaka sweat dropped. "You should be telling this to a certain someone who's having a fever right now…"

"At least let me do some light swings with my racket…" the coach sighed and agreed to that. At the same moment Tezuka ended his practice match and was feeling rather weak and blurry. Sayaka noticed his state. She was currently hitting her forehand with Fuji from one spot and noticed that he started breathing heavily after he talked for a while with Oishi. Sayaka stopped hitting.

"Fuji-san! I need a rest!" Fuji just nodded and went off the court. Sayaka came up to Tezuka looking seriously at him.

"Tezuka, you should really take a rest or you'll-" Tezuka's eyesight got even blurrier and he could barely hear her.

"I'm fine-" as he took one step forward he started falling but Sayaka caught him in time before he completely fell to the ground.

"Tezuka!" he was too heavy for her and she could barely hold him not falling herself. He was breathing even heavier and was barely conscious. "He's burning up!"

"Someone come quickly!" Everyone got shocked that their buchou collapsed and rushed towards him. Kawamura took him onto his back and dragged him to the infirmary. Sayaka went along. Everyone was still shocked and wanted to go as well but the coach stopped them.

"He'll be fine! You can check on him after practice!"

"But, sensei-" started Momo.

"Tezuka wouldn't want you to skip practice!" Momo lowered his head and looked worried. So did everyone else.

As Tezuka was already lying in bed, he was sweating like hell and breathing heavily. Kawamura left to look for the nurse. Sayaka just stood there and didn't know what to do. She got terrified seeing him like this. She tried to wipe his sweat off but it was no good. "This is my fault, he caught a cold! What should I do? Where the hell is the nurse?" She turned around to go and look for her but Tezuka grabbed her wrist. She turned around in surprise.

"Don't leave… Stay, please…" Tezuka whispered from underneath his breathing. Sayaka took his hand and didn't leave. "If that's what you want, I'll stay for as long as you want…" The nurse finally came rushing in and checked on him and gave some medicine. After a while he stopped breathing heavily and fell asleep.

"He should be fine now… He'll wake up in a few hours but he'll still feel feverish. You can go-"

"No, I'll stay… This was partly my fault that he ended up here…" the nurse sighed.

"As you wish…"

After a few hours the regulars had finished their practice and went to check on their buchou. As they entered Sayaka welcomed them with a grin. At the same moment Tezuka woke up and tried to sit up but Sayaka stopped him.

"You should rest for a while!" Tezuka looked up at her still a bit feverish but in his senses.

"Huh… What happened?"

"You idiot! I told you you'd collapse! But you didn't listen!" Sayaka started scolding him and the regulars just sweat dropped. "She really knows how to talk to a sick person…" Tezuka blinked at her and then looked around and saw the regulars standing there.

"Sorry, I made you worried-" he was cut off by Sayaka again.

"You got that right! You scared the hell out of us!" Tezuka widened his eyes again.

"You should rest before the tournament, Tezuka!" Fuji said with a light smile.

"I guess you're right… I think I'll take it easy for a while…" Sayaka grinned.

"That's right! We demand that you rest properly during weekend and no thoughts about tennis or school, got it!" she pointed at him. Tezuka smirked lightly and looked up at her.

"Then… How about you keep me company on one of the weekend days to keep my mind off tennis?" The regulars dropped their jaws open and were in awe. "Is he for real?" Sayaka just blinked and didn't get what he just did.

"Did you just ask me on a date?" Tezuka sighed.

"Have a problem with that? It was partly your fault I got a cold…" Sayaka just smirked.

"Hou… So this is a request or are you really asking me out, Tezuka?" Tezuka sighed again.

"That's a request…" Sayaka grinned.

"Fine! I'll go on a date with you… This means one request fades away and that leaves you two that you can use!" The regulars were still in awe.

"I know…" Sayaka turned around and was about to leave.

"Then it's decided! This weekend we go on a date and I'll keep tennis out of your mind!"

"Before I forget! Tell Yuki to come by this Friday!" Tezuka said as she was walking. Sayaka just waved her hand.

"Hai… Hai…" she then left with that. The regulars were staring at their buchou in awe. "Is this really our buchou?" Tezuka looked at them with stupidity but they just shrugged and left. Tezuka sighed and put his hand on his forehead. "I can't believe I asked her on a date so bluntly! This is just a request I'm using and she said it herself that a date is incuded… So there's no reason for me to feel so awkward…"

Sayaka was currently walking down the hallway. "He really scared the hell out of me today! Why did I even get scared because of him? I don't get it… When he asked me out just now, I felt somewhat happy and nervous for a second… Ahhh! What am I thinking? I'll definitely make him laugh during the date and break that stoic mask of his!" Sayaka gave off an evil aura.

We leave Seigaku for a while and see how Hyotei is doing…

The day after Atobe confessed to Yuki… Yuki was walking through the school gate looking all flushed and depressed. "Why did this have to happen? I was so blinded by my own problem that I didn't see Atobe's feelings for me… How can I face him now? Why did I just say something like that? It's not that I hate him… I like him as a friend but I just don't have those other feelings for him…" She turned around and instead of the usual "Atobe-sama!" screams she heard some whining and moaning.

"Why is Atobe-sama not here yet?"

"Ah… Maybe he got sick… No!"

Yuki turned her look away and looked even more depressed. "This is my fault… He thinks I wouldn't want to see him after this… You're wrong, Atobe! I do want to see you! I want to say what I couldn't back then… I have to apologize to him! That's right!" she started walking again. "I don't want to lose any of my friends anymore!" She was walking in the hallway, when was stopped by Oshitari standing in front of her.

"Good morning, Aihara-san!" he grinned at her, with his usual tensaish smirk.

"Oshitari-san! Morning…" she mumbled the last sentence.

"May I ask, what happened to Atobe?" Yuki lowered her eyes and walked away.

"I don't know…" she lied and went to her class. Oshitari stood there looking at her with suspicion. "I have a bad feeling about this… I hope it's not what I think it is…"

Yuki was sitting in class not paying attention to the teacher but looking at the empty seat in front of her. This was unusual for her to see that very seat empty. During Greek she would often poke that person's back and ask what she didn't understand (Yuki hates Greek). That person would always turn around to her firstly giving her his smirk and then answer anything she wanted. Yuki stared at the very same seat not hearing what the teacher was saying.

"Aihara-san!" she snapped out of it and raised her head. "Could you answer the question, please?"

"I'm sorry, sensei… I wasn't paying attention…" the teacher sighed.

"If you're not feeling well, go to the infirmary… But pay attention next time!" Yuki lowered her head.

"Hai… I really have to clear this… I wonder how Atobe is doing…"

At the same moment Atobe was still locked up in his room and didn't let anyone in. Still lying on his bed, with his arm on his forehead, looking into emptiness, not hearing the knocks on his door or the screams behind it.

"Keigo-sama, open the door! Why aren't you coming out?" one of the butlers was worried. A made rushed to the butler.

"Did you call the mistress?"

"Eh! She said she'll come as soon as possible!" the butler sighed.

"We'll just have to wait before she comes… She's the only one who has a spare key to this room…" the maid turned her look to the door.

"I wonder what happened… I have never seen Keigo-sama act like that before…"

Atobe at the meantime had flashbacks of the previous day. The last sentence that Yuki said was piercing him like a knife over and over again. "The one I love is him and not you!" he gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. "Why can't I just erase this?"

Back to Yuki… It was lunch break and she decided not to have lunch with the regulars and headed to the rooftop. She was leaning on a wall there and holding her cell phone with Atobe's number on her screen. She hesitated to call. "Why am I so afraid? It's just a call! Maybe because I think he'll hang up and won't want to talk… But… still I have to do it…" she pushed the call button and it started ringing. It rang and rang and rang but no answer. She stood there still with her phone to her ear and waited like for an eternity but there was still no answer. Yuki lowered her phone and stared at the ground.

"He won't even pick up… I hope he doesn't do anything stupid because of this…" she dialed again and tried to reach him the whole lunch break. At the meantime the regulars were sitting in the cafeteria.

"Ne, Yuushi, where's Atobe?" Oshitari didn't raise his head from his book.

"And why do you think I should know?" Mukahi grinned.

"Because you always know everything!"

"Hou…"

"What about Aihara-san?" he asked again.

"Ah… lurking around school looking depressed…" said Oshitari in his usual calm manner. Mukahi raised an eyebrow.

"Depressed? Why?"

"Saa… I have a good guess about this…" Mukahi turned back to his cake.

"Anyway, I hope Atobe is back by practice or the coach will be pissed! Our next match IS against Seigaku…" said Shishido leaning on the table looking quite bored. Oshitari closed his book and stood up.

"Yuushi, where are you going?" Oshitari turned his look at him with his sadistic smirk.

"Class is about to start, Gakuto!" he walked off after this, leaving Mukahi sweat dropping and not getting his coolness about this. "Isn't he worried even a slightest bit? Sometimes I just don't get him…"

At the meantime Atobe's mother was back and went straight to her son's room. "Keigo, I hope it's not what I think…" She reached his door and unlocked it going straight in. She saw him lying on the bed still looking into emptiness. She looked at him with worries and approached him. She sat on the side of the bed and put her hand on his forehead. He didn't even look at her.

"I warned you, didn't I? And now she's with someone else…" he turned his eyes slowly at her.

"Came to laugh at me?" His mother smirked lightly and hugged him gently.

"Baka… How can I laugh about something like this? It hurts me seeing you like this… That is what mothers are for: sharing the pain and happiness with their child…" She pulled away and sat up again. Atobe widened his eyes.

"Mother…" she smiled at him gently.

"I know it hurts, Keigo... But you can't stay like this forever. You're young and you'll find someone else-" he turned his look away.

"I don't want anyone else… It has to be her!" his mother widened her eyes and then smirked.

"Then don't give up hope! Stay by her side…"

"I won't stand seeing her with someone else…"

"If you bare that pain, it will make you stronger and you'll prove to her that you love her… But if you end up whining and avoiding her, then you're love was weaker than you proclaimed… If you give up, you'll lose her forever. But staying with her, there will come a time when you'll get what you gave to her…" Atobe smirked at her.

"It's easy for you to say-" she kissed his forehead. Atobe widened his eyes. His mother smiled at him.

"Words are said easily but feelings are hard to explain… You have to get some fresh air, Keigo! I'll see you later!" with that she left. Atobe was still lying on the bed thinking about what she said but still couldn't find the strength to get up. It was so heavy… Too heavy for him to carry. This pain that was bottled up during the whole day…

His mother closed the door and leaned on it for a second. The butler came up to her.

"Mistress, what's wrong with Keigo-sama?" she sighed.

"He'll be fine! He needs to rest for today… Don't bother him. I'll check on him from time to time… It's her fault he's like this!"

Back to school…

Yuki ended her practice and went in the direction of the tennis courts in hopes of meeting Atobe there. When she reached the courts she saw that Atobe wasn't there and the regulars were talking to the coach and he was really pissed. "H-He wasn't-"

"Aihara-san!" at the same moment Oshitari approached her from behind. Yuki turned around in surprise.

"Oshitari-san! Isn't Atobe here?" she asked in hopes of a positive answer.

"He wasn't here the whole practice and the coach is pissed because of our upcoming match… Why are you here?" Yuki lowered her eyes in shock.

"No reason… He wasn't here the whole day!" she was about to turn around and dash off but was stopped by Oshitari. He was holding her wrist. Yuki turned around.

"Is the reason for his absence you, Aihara-san?" he asked this time seriously. Yuki blinked.

"Huh? I don't-"

"If the reason is that he confessed to you and you rejected him, then this is the worst that could happen before our match!" Yuki widened her eyes.

"How did you-" Oshitari sighed.

"So it is, huh? Jeez! I had a feeling that this is your fault this is happening…" Yuki lowered her eyes and gritted her teeth.

"I know it's my fault but it's not that I don't care!" she dashed off with that, leaving Oshitari in a slight shock. He smirked.

"Now I see why he loves her. She really cares for her friends and doesn't care what people think… I hope she can bring him to his senses…"

Yuki ran to her car and drove off to Atobe's place. She reached his house and was about to enter, when she was stopped by his mother, who was standing in front of her.

"Yumiko-san? Is he here?" Atobe's mother looked at her with a serious look.

"Eh… And he doesn't want to see anyone!" Yuki widened her eyes.

"Please, let me through. I need to talk to him!" his mother sighed.

"Sorry, Yuki-chan… But I can't let you in right now. He has to come around himself and I don't know what will happen if I let you see him now… After all, it is your fault he's like this now. I know you didn't mean to do it but the fact is that it was because of you!" Yuki got depressed and tears started dwelling up inside.

"Yumiko-san… I-" Atobe's mother looked even more serious.

"Leave! You will only hurt him even more right now!" Yuki looked at her in shock and tears started flowing on their own. She dashed off back to her car and drove off. Atobe's mother followed her for a while and then walked inside.

"I'm sorry, Yuki-chan. But you have to understand… He has to get over this on his own and make a decision…" she looked up. "Keigo…"

Atobe was currently lying on his bed finally thinking about what his mother said. "I guess she's right… I have to get some fresh air and think about this. I don't even know how Yuki is feeling after this… I don't want to see her sad because of me…" he finally sat up and put his hand on his forehead. "I want to see her… But I'm so scared to face her because I don't know if she still would want to be friends with me. I'm afraid to lose her…"

He walked to his table and sat down. He saw his essay on one of the books that he was reading. He looked up at it and then turned his look towards a blank paper. He took it and a pen and wrote something down. His stomach growled. "Darn! I haven't eaten since yesterday! Guess I'll go down…" He walked down and was attacked by his mother.

"KEI-CHAN! You feeling better now?" she was hugging him and rubbing her face against his. Atobe twitched.

"Mother…" she let him go.

"Ne, what did you decide? Will you see Yuki-chan?" he walked away.

"I'm just hungry…" his mother smirked and followed him with her eyes. "I guess he's still in that state but slowly recovering… I shouldn't tell him that Yuki-chan was here…"

Back to Yuki…

She got back to her house and was crying. "My fault! My fault! I know it's my fault! But it hurt even more when hearing it from Yumiko-san… I want to talk to him! I want to apologize! But what should I do, when he doesn't even show himself? I lost once Sa-chan and was all alone… I don't want to experience the same thing again! What should I do?" She went up her room and sat against her door. She took out her cell phone and dialed Sayaka's number.

"Hai, Yu-chan! What's wrong-" she heard her best friend on the other end.

"Sa-chan, I need to talk you!" she said with a trembling voice.

"Yu-chan, what happened?" Yuki wanted to talk to her, only her because she knew no one who could help her right now. Sayaka already waited for the worst.

"I did something terrible! And the only one I wanted to call was you…" Yuki finally said it and was waiting for Sayaka to talk.

"Is it something I can help with?" Sayaka knew the answer but still waited. Yuki was afraid to say it and it felt like she had said it for eternity until it reached her.

"It's about Atobe…" she heard her best friend sigh as though she saw this was coming. Sayaka put her hand to her forehead.

"Don't go anywhere! I'll be right over!" Sayaka hung up and dashed from her house. "Yu-chan, this is not your fault! If there is someone to blame, then it's me! There is no reason for you to be hurt…"

Yuki put her cell phone down and hid her face in her knees. It felt like she waited for an eternity, when she heard a knock on her door and her best friend's voice.

"Yu-chan! Open the door!" Yuki raised her head and opened the door in a flash which was followed by her throwing herself into her arms and crying.

"Sa-chan! I didn't mean it! I really didn't want this to happen! It's my fault that he's hurt! I just don't know what to do!" Sayaka looked at her with a worried look and hugged her.

"Don't cry… It's not your fault. Calm down and tell me what happened!" Yuki stopped crying and told her everything what happened until now.

"I see… So Keigo is in love with you and you told him that you love someone else, namely Kai… That bastard! And now he's not answering any calls and didn't come to school or practice even though the next match is against our school… This is troublesome…" Sayaka sighed and Yuki raised her head.

"Sa-chan, I-" Sayaka smiled at her and wiped her tears away.

"I know! It's not your fault… You just didn't know how Keigo felt towards you and took the chance when you had it to be with your love since Junior High. This is just something that had to happen and you can't change anything…" Yuki lowered her head again.

"But I hurt him and I don't want to lose my friends… What should I do now? I want to talk to him but-"

"Everything will be fine! Just give him time to get over this, although time is running out before the match… Anyway, I'm sure he wouldn't want to see you with that look on your face!"

"Sa-chan…" Sayaka stood up and was about to walk away but then turned around.

"Try calling him tomorrow… And I want to ask you something… Do you think what you feel for Kai is love?" Yuki blinked at her.

"Eh… You know I had a crush on him since Junior High. Why do you ask?" Sayaka just smirked and left off.

"No reason… A crush, huh? There are some signs of hope for you, Keigo…" She stopped again.

"A! I almost forgot! Tezuka told me that you can visit him tomorrow after school! That's all! Bye!" Yuki blinked. "I almost forgot about that… I should visit him," she lied down on her bed. "I need to clear my head and calm down a bit. Maybe Sa-chan's right; I should try reaching Atobe tomorrow. I'm just too scared of being alone again…"

On the next day Yuki tried to call Atobe again in the morning but he still didn't answer and she got even more depressed. During class she didn't pay attention to the teacher again. When the class ended, the teacher asked her to stay for a while.

"Aihara-san, the deadline of the report is next week! What's wrong with Atobe-san? Haven't seen him for two days… Is he sick?" the teacher looked worried. Yuki lowered her head.

"Probably… Thanks for warning, sensei!" she left with that. Yuki was walking in the hallway. "I almost forgot about the report! But… This is not what's most important right now… Why won't you let me talk to you, Atobe?"

At the meantime Atobe was lurking around the house still looking depressed and didn't know what to do. He was walking around the house randomly, when he stopped at his table and saw the book that he was reading for the report.

"I almost forgot! The deadline for the report is near… Yuki would probably want to talk about it. But… I don't want this to be the reason for me to talk to her. I want to know if she still wants to see me as her friend… At least her friend!" he picked up the book and looked at the title. He gave a light smirk. "I guess I ended up the same as the main character in this book: falling for a girl, who's been taken away by someone else… How ironic!" He put the book down and walked towards the exit. "I need get out of here…"

Back to Yuki…

She finished her practice and went passed the tennis courts in hopes of seeing Atobe but he wasn't there. She got depressed and walked off to visit Tezuka. The regulars were currently talking to the coach, who got pissed that Atobe neglected practice the second day and the match was at the doorstep.

"If Atobe doesn't come back by Monday, he will be dropped from the regular spot! This is all!" the coach left. The regulars were surprised that he'll drop Atobe from the regulars and actually didn't want that to happen (although he was rather bitchy all the time and a real diva but he still was their buchou and they had respect for him), so they decided to bring him back. They left off for his house to drag him to the courts if necessary. They reached his house but the butlers told them that he left without telling where to. They decided to split up and look for him.

"Jeez! He's so troublesome! Just what is he thinking? The world doesn't only turn around you, Atobe!" thought Oshitari as he was running randomly down the streets, when he passed a certain black haired girl who was wearing the Seigaku uniform. It was Sayaka who followed with her eyes the running tensai recognizing the uniform. "Hyotei?" She turned around and called out to him.

"Oi! Are you from the Hyotei tennis team?" Oshitari turned around and recognized the girl who was talking to Atobe the day he got jealous of Tezuka. He walked up to her.

"Yeah! You must know Atobe right?" Sayaka blinked.

"Yeah! We're good friends… Why are you here? You should be able to find him at home…Shouldn't you be practicing for the upcoming match against us?" Oshitari widened his eyes.

"Ah… He left without telling where to! If you're friends, then tell Atobe to get his ass back to the tennis courts or he'll be dropped from the regulars! I really don't have time to tell you anything else, so if you see him, tell him this! Bye!" he dashed off after this. Sayaka stood there for a while looking worried. "I guess he wasn't at practice again… That idiot! Just what is he thinking? Baka! Leaving without telling where…" she started walking in the opposite direction. "I have a guess where he might be…"

At the same moment Yuki arrived at Tezuka's house and had something to eat with his parents. They talked for a while and got to catch up. Afterwards she went up to Tezuka's room because he clearly told her with his look that he needed to talk to her about something.

"What is it, Kunimitsu?" He sat on his chair and Yuki sat on his bed.

"I just wanted to ask you… What happened? You seem a bit depressed and lost…" Yuki lowered her eyes and smirked.

"I guess I can't keep anything from you… The past two days were really hard for me. I really did something I shouldn't have…" Tezuka widened his eyes.

"Is this about Tsudeyoshi?" Yuki raised her head.

"So, you know, huh? No, it's about someone else…" Tezuka widened his eyes in surprise.

"Huh?"

"The thing is… I'm friends with Atobe, at least I was until two days ago and I really cared for him as a good friend but I hurt his feelings…" Tezuka was a bit surprised by her reply.

"I can't believe you're friends with him… Anyway, what happened? Like I would care what he has to go through…"

"Atobe confessed to me-" Tezuka dropped his jaw open and saw what was coming because this was obvious. "-and I said that I love someone else… He got really hurt by this and now he doesn't attend school or answer his phone. I just don't know what to do!" Tezuka was really shocked and felt kind of sorry for the arrogant monkey.

"Do you consider him a good friend?"

"Eh! I even let him call me by my first name… I just feel guilty about what I've done and want to apologize but he won't even show up for practice and the regulars are getting worried about him as well!" Tezuka really got shocked by this. "Of all things- He was always determined about playing against us and now he just throws it away!" Yuki looked at her watch and stood up.

"Yuki, don't you call him by his first name?"

"No, why?"

"If you would really consider him a close friend, you'd call him that…" Yuki widened her eyes and was about to walk away.

"Won't you stay for while longer? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"I'm sorry, Kunimitsu! I have a date…" Tezuka twitched because he knew that she will meet up with that bastard Kai. He stopped her again.

"Yuki! Be careful with your feelings towards him… Don't let your guard down!" Yuki turned to him and grinned.

"Don't worry! I'll be fine… Promise!" she gave a last light smile and left. Tezuka still sat there in a slight shock. "So Atobe can actually act like that towards a girl, huh? I hope Yuki gets this cleared and drags him back, so that I can take the liberty in beating him and making him stay away from her!" Tezuka sighed. "But… this really turned out rather messy…"

At the same moment Sayaka was walking towards some park and looked around, when she finally spotted Atobe sitting on one of the benches and looking up at the sky. She smirked and walked up at him. He didn't notice her coming. Sayaka put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. He looked at her in surprise as she sat down next to him.

"I knew you'd be in a place like this! Huh…" she sighed. Atobe turned his look at her.

"Why are you here?"

"That's my line! Aren't you supposed to be at practice? You ARE facing us in the second round! So why are you lurking around and making everyone worried?" Atobe widened his eyes and smirked.

"I don't think they're quite worried about me… Especially Yuki…" Sayaka sighed and hit his head.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

"Baka! You're in love with her and you still don't get what kind of person she is?" Atobe widened his eyes.

"I'm just saying that she wouldn't want to see me-"

"You still don't get it, do you? You're hopeless! Yu-chan really likes you and she cares for you! She wouldn't just go and say to some random person to become friends with her! If she trusts that person and likes being around him, she lets him into her world… You think she doesn't want to see you but you're wrong!"

"How can you be so sure! I pushed my feelings onto her and scared her…"

"Eh… At first. But she really wants to talk to you…" Atobe sighed.

"How do you know?"

"Jeez! I talked to her! And that's not the only thing that proves that she cares for you… Check your cell phone!" Atobe widened his eyes and pulled his cell phone out and noticed 94 calls missed and all were from Yuki. He lowered his cell phone and smirked to himself.

"How can I talk to her? I'm afraid to see her and at the same time I know I won't stand her seeing with someone else… I love her but she loves someone else. Even if I stay as her friend, she'll still be out of my reach… I really will end up like that character from Goethe's book!" Sayaka looked at him and smirked.

"Ah! You mean "Die Leiden des jungen Werther"?" Atobe looked at her in surprise.

"How do you-?"

"I read the book! Yuki recommended it to me…" she looked serious again. "If you really love her, Keigo, you won't leave her alone… Because that's what she's mostly afraid of in this world: to lose her best friend. She lost me once and she doesn't want to experience the same again… I'll let you on something… There will come a time when she will need you the most. You say you'll end up like that guy in the book… Then don't! Make your own ending! And make it a happy one for both of you!" Atobe really listened to her and got the encouragement he needed. He smirked at her.

"What do you mean "there will come a time when she will need you the most"?" Sayaka lowered her eyes.

"Because the one she's dating won't make her happy in the end… She'd be better off with you. That's what I think!" Atobe widened his eyes but didn't ask a thing because he heard what he wanted and finally made a decision.

"Thank you, Sayaka! It seems that you're the one giving me encouragement this time!" he stood up and was ready to leave, when Sayaka stood up as well. She grinned at him and hugged him.

"Trust me! The decision that you will make, will be the right one!" He hugged her back and pulled her away smiling at her.

"Thanks again! I'm glad I ever met you…" Sayaka gave him a final grin and turned around to leave but remembered something. She turned around again.

"A! I met one of your regulars on my way home and he was looking for you!" Atobe raised an eyebrow.

"He said to get your ass back at the courts or you'll be dropped from the regulars! Was what he said… Well, anyway, bye!" she dashed off leaving Atobe sweat dropping at the last sentence. "Drop me from the regulars? Like hell that will happen!" he started walking and as he was walking down a certain street he saw something he really wished he didn't.

Yuki walking with the same guy he saw her talking to after the match. He was holding her waist and she was blushing slightly. Atobe was in shock and walked away because he couldn't stand seeing her with him. He gritted his teeth but then stopped and looked down on the ground.

"No! I made a decision! I will bare this and stay with her… I didn't listen to what people said about being careful and to confess to her as soon as possible and now I regret it! But this time… I will listen to what people say and prove to her that my confession weren't just empty words!"

On the next day Yuki was depressed and walked out of the house for fresh air. She didn't know for how long she walked but she was so deep in her thoughts that she reached the same park with the hill where this misfortune all started. She decided to face her fears and walked up. As she stood there observing the view, tears started flowing on their own. She had flashbacks of the same day when Atobe confessed to her and tried to erase this moment in time but it wasn't something she could change or cut out.

At the same time Atobe was heading unconsciously to the same place Yuki was. As he reached the top he saw the same familiar red and wavy hair hanging down her back. He thought this was just a dream but it was real. She was standing there no matter how he looked at it.

"Yuki…"Yuki heard someone call her name and recognized the voice that resonated in the breeze that blew at the same moment when she decided to turn around still in tears. As Atobe took a few steps, a slight breeze blew and she turned around with her eyes in tears and her hair wavering to the wind.

He thought it was because of him, that she was standing in front of him with the look that he didn't want to see on her face. The look that made him tremble in fear and thought that she might not want to see him. Yuki walked a bit in his direction.

"A-Atobe…" she was happy to see him again. It felt like eternity when they saw each other last … Atobe lowered his eyes and turned around. Yuki widened her eyes and felt a part of her world crack and start to fall to pieces. She didn't want to let it happen again… She didn't want to hear those parts falling and scattering into pieces. Atobe was starting to walk but he was stopped.

"Ato-" Yuki grabbed his wrist. "Keigo…" Atobe stopped and turned around as he couldn't believe what he heard. He didn't care what would follow, he just wanted to hear her calling him by his name. He looked at her and didn't want to see anything else right now… He wanted to see her but was afraid to see her look at him like that. He only wanted to change this to the same sweet and gentle smile that he loved to look at so much…

Yuki stared at him with tears flowing even stronger… She wanted to apologize in any way that she could… She wanted to tell him what she couldn't back then in the very same place: the fateful park with the hill and the most beautiful view…

Next chapter

We continue the double story… Yuki and Atobe finally meet! What will happen? Will Yuki get to apologize? Will Atobe accept it? What happens when he returns to practice? How will he bare his pain, seeing Yuki with someone else? Kyaa! Tezuka and Sayaka go on a date! Yay! How will that go? Will Sayaka manage to see Tezuka laugh? And what will happen if he does? Kyaa! Read and find out!

Authors note

Man, this was long! I hope this was interesting! I left a cliffhanger… hehe! Don't kill me! I hope I didn't confuse you with the title thing… Anyway, I will post the next chapter as soon as possible and then you will have to sit tight! As I mentioned before, I won't be able to post so soon because of exams and all… But yeah! That's just me! I will try and make the next chapter as dramatic as possible! So be prepared! Kyaa! Review! See ya!