Disclaimer: I do not own POT

Chapter 26: Reason Decison

Fuji had never been more surprised and shocked at the reaction Sakuno had when she saw Tezuka, it was almost just as frightening to watch from his perspective. He could only imagine and get a small fragment of what Tezuka would've probably felt when she stared at him in that manner and screamed. Fuji could only question why? What would've possibly made her so scared of Tezuka in the first place? That was when a sneaking suspicion occurred as he turned to Kaidoh who was very pale.

"Kaidoh, what did Orochi look like?"

"…"

Kaidoh pressed a hand to his mouth, it seems that Sakuno's fear really affected the people in the room as he slowly slumped back into the armchair and answered

"…Orochi was dressed very sloppily. His hair was messy and tangled, he was growing a beard… he had dark circles in his eyes."

"How quick can you pull up a picture of him?"

Kaidoh simply used the base of his fingertips and rubbed his eyes answering tiredly

"Just type in the words Orochi Tezuka should give you enough details."

Fuji slipped his phone out of his pocket and started flicking through the pictures, just as he was coming to look at the person he took the picture and began to photoshop the photo on his phone. Oishi who seemed relatively shocked sat beside Fuji leaning over just as Fuji added the finishing touches, his voice drew in everyone else's attention

"I thought you were looking at a picture of Orochi Tezuka, why are you looking at Kunimitsu Tezuka's picture?"

It was at that moment that Kaidoh raised his eyebrows and Momoshiro slapped his hand across his eyes saying

"Please don't tell me."

"…I am looking at Orochi's picture. That is him if he had gelled his hair up in a certain fashion and shaved. Not to mention tidied up a little here and there."

"! I cannot believe, I hadn't seen the resemblance."

Kaidoh muttered in disbelief, just as Momoshiro pressed his fingers deep into his hand and he gritted his teeth.

"That piece of scum…You can't tell me he…"

"Impersonated Tezuka to get to Sakuno, knowing if it was him, she would lower her defenses."

Oishi pressed his hand tightly on his mouth as to stop himself from throwing up. At that point, Fuji slipped his phone back into his pocket and headed towards Tezuka's room.

"What are you planning to do?"

Oishi asked Fuji, Fuji stopped midway to Tezuka's room as he answered

"Talk to him. I saw the look on his face when he left the room. He was just as tortured as Sakuno."

They all nodded in agreement as Fuji knocked on the door and one could hear the calm and strict voice

"Come in."

Fuji slipped inside the room, he saw that Tezuka was looking out the window in his room. He had a lovely night view of Hokkaido. Bustling and full of energy whereas Tezuka simply looked tired and haggard by the whole ordeal, it was hard on Tezuka, and Fuji understood that very well.

"…"

Silence fell in the room, or perhaps it had always been there and had never left. Fuji didn't exactly know what to say to Tezuka to make him feel better, because reality is harsh and for Tezuka it was worse. Fuji had heard of the incidence where his father collapsed mentally the moment his wife was in a coma. That was a few years ago when Tezuka decided to officially take over his father's business and had been running that company since then… he had no one to lean on when his own mother went into coma, his father's weakened state paralyzed him, leaving him incapable of smiling… not to mention that incident happened 2 years after Sumire Ryuuzaki passed away. 3 years ago it happened when he found out that Orochi, his cousin raped Sakuno and finally now, he had just come to realization, that bastard hadn't the guts to go as himself but as someone Sakuno really trusted, the one person Tezuka cared the most about apart from his friends and family… that was female.

"Fuji."

His voice calm and devoid of any hurt that he may be experiencing at this very moment. Fuji did anticipate that he would close himself up. Close as Tezuka may be with his friends, he has always kept his distance when he was emotionally vulnerable.

"Yes?"

Fuji asked with that same neutral smiling face, he knew that Tezuka would appreciate it if they were not to make a big deal and acted normal. Fuji was the only person in that room capable of pretending that nothing really important and distressing just happened.

"Right now I need someone to look after Sakuno…"

"You intend to send me over to talk to her?"

Tezuka's shoulders seemed to tense at the thought but he was quick to relax or return to an indifferent state of mind as he continued

"Yes. But I require you and Oishi to help in this matter, I would not trust anyone else to visit her."

Fuji figured as much, since it was his very own cousin that raped her, who else can he trust but people who cares the world about her and he had seen evidence of that. Fuji still took note that Kaidoh and Momoshiro were not exactly allowed either, he was probably being considerate.

"I see. So you would like a weekly report of sorts?"

"…Do what you wish, if it is not you… I would like you to talk to Ann and Tomoka in aiding in a report."

"What was your plan, watching her vicariously through us?"

Tezuka turned around, the city lights flickering and casting light otherwise not present in his eyes as he addressed Fuji with his plans

"I intend to make sure she will be well taken care of financially and yes, it is probably better if I watch from a distance."

Fuji sighed

"I say this not because I don't care about her, but are you sure that you are fine watching her in the distance knowing how much you hurt by doing so?"

Tezuka turned around and in his voice quivered with a mixture of determination and sadness.

"On Sumire Sensei's death bed, did I make my promise… And even if I didn't, nothing will stop me from watching over her. Not even my own self."

Fuji knew he had a lot he wanted to say to Tezuka but lost all of his strength reasoning with him because he felt unable to respond when Tezuka says things like that. Fuji had always known that Tezuka had taken on everything very seriously and for Sakuno it was like he tried even harder, Fuji wonders if Tezuka realizes that what decision he has made was going to make him suffer even more.

"I sure hope you don't regret the decision."

Fuji responded before he turned around and started walking away, thinking to himself that there has to be something that Fuji could do to intervene with the decision Tezuka has made so that he would not suffer the consequences of that.