A/N: hey guys! I'm just curious on how you respond to a very unusual pairing…the tallest + the shortest in all Pot characters. I'm pertaining to Ryoma and Choutarou. Heheheh…just curious. Oh yeah… Ryoma's an OOC here… well only with Choutarou. To add, Ryo and Chou will not play/sing in every single chapter. There will be chapters when he/they are just listening to the radio or singing in the karaoke. It's quite clumsy to have them play all the time. It's not very convenient.

Disclaimer: the usual… I don't own the song "Cry". Faith Hill does.

P.S.: "" for dialogs, '' for thoughts, italics for flashbacks and italics are for the song lyrics. Oh! And () for text msgs. English conversations are in bold. And the scenes from the video tape will be in italics and those in bold italics are for duets.

And once again, thanks to my loyal reviewers! I wouldn't be here without you! (sobs!).

More A/N: the following four short chapters will not be ChouRyo centric. I just realized, I never gave time for some of the supporting characters to grow. The following four chapters will be centered first on Fuji/Tez, next is Kiri/Syl, then Yuki/Ryo and last on James/and someone. All four chapters are written on juxtaposition.

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

The walk that they had yesterday looked almost the same as what they had in the morning however, they walked in an amicable silence as if their appreciating each other's presence quietly. No, they didn't hold hands nor made any physical contact. Heck, you might think they're still mad at each other due to the lack of intimacy or conversation.

They were standing outside Ohtori's house for quite a while now. Neither had opened his mouth to talk since they left the park.

Ohtori caught the brunette's eyes and felt his insides lighten up when he saw those golden orbs devoid of any hatred or fear. "So…"

Ryoma pulled his cap lower to hide the blush on his face. "I better get going now. Nanako will need help in defining the last remaining documents of RJ."

Ohtori couldn't help but frown a little. "Oh, ok."

Ryoma hoisted his tennis bag. "So…see ya at the turn over. Nanako will be expecting you to show up." he was about to turn his back to the tall boy when a hand gently grabbed his.

"Ryoma…thank you." Ryoma swore he could see the stars twinkling in his ex-boyfriend's eyes. Before he drowned deeper into those hazel orbs, he looked away and smirked. He retrieved his hand and gave Ohtori is famous Echizen smirk.

"Mada mada dane."

Well…that's a start isn't it?

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

Republika de Jarina became a very busy place that Saturday morning. Every employee was in panic mode to get everything done by 8 am. By that time, the management of Republika De Jarina will be turned over to Ryoma, Sylvan and James while Nanako takes command of the two newest branches of RJ, RJ Shibuya (Clariel Branch) and RJ in Roppongi Hills. Everyone was in their best uniforms or in the owners' case, suits and dresses.

Their parents let the task of witnessing the turn over to the eldest sons, stating that they have more important things to do which is actually going to Akita to visit a mountain onzen. While RJ opened for the customers for the day, the EO's are having a meeting in the office.

"You three please be reminded that running a real business is different from your money-lending business way back in your Chilton heydays." Matt gave the three boys a stern look. He was tasked to be the head of the Take-Over Committee given that he already has 3 Clariel Hotels under his wings.

"Ease up Matt." James scoffed. "We're part of this big circle of family and business. We'll eventually take command of the family businesses in the future. We know what to do."

"It's not that simple, Royd." Rayver glared at his brother. He may not be really into the big communication business but he knew by heart how hard it was to handle such responsibility since he opened his own advertising company. "You're performance here will become the basis for Daddy to decide if he's going to leave the managing of Blitz Japan on your hands."

"Don't underestimate us." Sylvan snapped at the older blonde.

Dominic sighed. "We're just warning you, Sylvan." He kept on tapping his chin with his pen. "Especially for your case, you need to master the ins and outs of hotel and restaurant management." Jade eyes gazed at him sympathetically. "Given that Uncle Renz is already hell-bent in making you the future CEO of Clariel Shibuya. Bear in mind that that was one of the main reasons why he allowed you to stay here."

Despite all the high business talks and banters around him, Ryoma seemed like of a different entity. Everything that they're discussed seemed to loom around him in an invisible cloud that's surrounding the brunette. 'I wonder how Karupin's doing today.'

"I think the person whom you really need to talk to is this kid here." Nanako eyed her cousin. "Besides, he's the one who had stepped up as the leader of this small, young group of entrepreneurs. Ne Ryoma, tell us how you'll manage a store like this especially that you're in school."

Ryoma continued to stare at his glass of iced tea.

"Aherm." Still no reply. James crumpled a piece of paper then threw it at the brunette. Bull's eye!

"Wha-what?" Ryoma snapped out of his daze. The people around him sighed in exasperation.

"I asked how you are going to manage RJ while in school." Nanako said in a clipped tone.

Ryoma scanned the expectant faces around him. "Promote Tsubame to become manager?"

Everybody sweat-dropped upon hearing his predicament.

"What? I'm boss." Ryoma scoffed. He stood up and took a peek at the door which was ajar. "You don't question your boss." He's eyes drifted at four familiar figures who are sitting together.

"What do you see out there?" Rayver came up behind the brunette.

Ryoma scoffed. "Funny, I thought I new them all…every last one of them." his eyes were glued at Fuji's sad face. "I always wanted to know what will make them loose their cool, these calm reserved people."

"Now you know," they heard Dominic spoke up. "Love."

Ryoma turned around to study their expressions. A particular face caught his attention and it made him look back to Fuji's table. He frowned a little upon seeing Kirihara's serious face.

"Is there something that you guys know that I need to know?" Ryoma crossed his arms on his chest.

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

Fuji's POV

I've been sitting here for quite a while and everyone in my table looks funny. If it had not been for my tensai skill I wouldn't have noticed. By picking up my glass of apple juice it gave me a chance to study them without being that obvious.

"You know it's not healthy to keep your eyes closed like that all the time, Fuji." Yukimura said calmly while picking on his cheese cake. Haha, I think it gives them the creeps. I, Fuji Syuusuke, was able to give the calm and serene Yukimura Seiichi goose bumps. What an achievement.

"Sure hell it is." I turned and saw Kirihara grimacing. Hmmm… something is not right here. I turned to my other side and saw my baby brother kept on patting his cheek with his iced-up glass of shake.

"Yuuta…" I need not to squint closer to tell that it was a bruise. "Did you get in a fight?" my blood started boiling the moment his eyes started darting around. I reached out to touch it but he averted his face from my touch.

"It's nothing aniki." Yuuta replied. "It was just some misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about."

"Now, if you've got problems—" I started but I was rudely interrupted by a hand on my shoulder. I froze up, recognizing who it was and by judging from the looks on my tablemates' faces, I could swear it was…

"Syuusuke…"

Only God knows how that voice cleaved through my heart. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself.

"Looks like you've got one right here." Kirihara muttered before downing the rest of his soda. I gave him a pained smiled before I stood up and faced the man I've been trying to avoid for the past few days.

"Tezuka…"

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

The walk that they had to a nearby park took only five minutes but each agonizing, silent second felts like years that passed by.

Fuji stood a good 6 feet away from Tezuka and has been studying the bespectacled boy for quite a while. The latter was doing the same thing, trying to find viable emotions of the tensai's face.

"What do you want Tezuka?" Fuji asked in a curtly. Even with his eyes closed he could still sense or rather see the stoic captain, in a full-blown, vivid picture.

"Amends." The boy's reply was brief. However that one word almost blew the tensai's world apart.

"You sounded so sure when you said it." Fuji slowly opened his eyes, revealing his unearthly blue eyes. "Tell me, do you really believe you'd get that after this?"

Tezuka pushed up his glasses and met Fuji's challenging gaze. "I know you, Syuusuke…"

"And I know you too, Kunimitsu." Fuji cut him off. His mind was going a mile a second, trying to organize the things he wanted to say to his ex-lover. "You know after what happened during camp, I've never felt so broken up. I used to be in control of my emotions, my temper, of myself. But I didn't notice it back then that I made you my everything, which by the time that I had learned the truth I had nothing left." The tensai took a deep breath.

"I'm Fuji Syuusuke damn it! Everyone thought I was impenetrable, invisible but you shattered me up into a million of pieces like it was a thing that you do normally." Blue orbs almost glowered in anger. 'No, I'm not going to crack in front of him. If there's one thing I've learned from Echizen's idiotic ways, that is to hide my vulnerability at all cost.'

"Syuusuke let me explain…" Tezuka mumbled but the handsome boy just turned his back on him.

"Tell me Tezuka," Fuji shivered a little when the wind softly caressed his body. "How do you do it?" he turned around to face his captain.

"How do you keep that cool, reserved expression especially when you're dealing with another person's emotion?"

"People tend to be irrational when they're emotionally galvanized. It takes one person to stay as calm as possible to rationalize everything." The stoic boy replied. What he didn't expect was Fuji's hand landing hard on his cheek.

Fuji couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Rationalize everything?" he clenched his fists harder, feeling his nails digging into his skin. He took a few full breaths to calm himself. "So that's it. There's nothing to talk about anymore." With this, he started to walk away but Tezuka's quick hand held him back.

"Hear me out, Syu—"

Fuji yanked his arm from Tezuka's grip. "For what?! For you to rationalize everything that I say?!" his lips started to quiver as he tried to suppress his tears. "Could you give me a rational explanation why you mentally and emotionally cheated on me while we were still together?! No Tezuka…" that was the time that he finally left his tears flow freely down his fair skin.

" you know sometimes it takes a little bit of emotion to convince someone that you're sincere in your efforts." with one last look at the person he loved dearly in the past, Fuji Syuusuke decided to walk away…from him and out of his life.

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

Fuji did not know where to go next. After what happened in the park, he wandered around, stopping from store to store, trying to divert his attention. He soon found himself in a café not far from RJ. He doesn't want to go back in there in this state. 'I'll just freak out everyone and the celebration will be ruined.' The tensai frowned as he stared at his cup of coffee while a new song played from the café's radio.

If I had just one tear rolling down your cheek

Maybe I could cope maybe I'd sleep.

Fuji didn't even bother to wipe his eyes dry when he came in the café, and would not bother to mind its steady flow down his cheeks as he contemplates on the day's events. "You sure know how to keep your emotions intact."

If I had just one moment at your expense

Maybe all my misery would be well spent

Yeah

'If only I had seen a hint of sadness or a single teardrop, I might've considered your apology. I might've welcomed you back with open arms but I still damn love you so much, Kunimitsu. I really do.' Fuji lazily picked up a teaspoon and started stirring his coffee.

Could you cry a little, lie just a little.

Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain

I gave now I'm wanting something in return

So cry just a little for me

'Is this how you treated Echizen when you left him for me?' Fuji wanted answered but he doesn't know where to get them. Of course he knew that the one person who has those answers was the same person he left standing all alone in the park a few minutes earlier. 'I can't face him now. If I get to take another look in his eyes, I know I'd be back in his arms in a flash.'

If your love could be caged, Honey I would hold the key

And conceal it underneath the pile of lies you handed me

Fuji let himself get absorbed by the continuous swirl of the black liquid. 'Maybe I'm just like this cup of coffee. I've been confined for so long and everything in me churned into an endless swirl of void. I'm nothing but an empty void.' Fuji absent-mindedly wipes the tears of his cheeks before going back into staring at his cup.

And you'd hunt those lies,

They'd be all you'd ever find.

That'd be all you have to know, for me to be fine

Yeah

'If only he knew how much he pain he had inflicted on me, maybe it'd make his granite heart crack and that's all that I wanted." Fuji's glossy hair kept him veiled from the public's prying eyes. "That's all I wanted."

And you'd cry a little, die just a little

And maybe I'd feel a little less pain

I gave now I'm wanting something in return

So cry just a little for me.

'If I could only see you cry… somehow it'll give some reassurance that I meant something to you. It'll make me feel so much better.' Fuji closed his eyes for a moment, trying to ease the stinging pain in his heart.

Give it up Baby, I hear your goodbye

Nothing's gonna save me, I've seen it in your eyes

Some kind of heartache I'm giving a try

I don't want pity I just want what is mine

Yeah

'You went so far for your feelings for Echizen. So far that you're even willing to hurt Ohtori-kun. Why can't you give me what I deserved?' Fuji bit his lip as the harsh memories came flooding back in his head. "I want to see if I'm even worth your tears Kunimitsu…'

Could you cry a little, lie just a little

Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain

I gave now I'm wanting something in return

So cry just a little for me

"… For I wasn't even worth the truth from the start. This is the least that you could do to ease my pain."

Could you cry just a little for me…

It took him a few more minutes to gather his thoughts and fix himself a close-eyed smile before he decided to return to RJ.

"So much for me now…" Fuji muttered to himself as he stepped out of the café. 'I better get back to the cake shop before they get too suspicious and besides, I still have Yuuta's bruise and Echizen's mutilated love life to mind.'

potpotpotpotpotpotpotpot

A/N: I know, I know…I made Tezuka the bad guy in the story. Well, I figured that since getting too much love from most of the fics that I have read it'd be nice to turn the table and let him be the villain for once.

You might be confused… I am too. I don't know what got into me for doing this but I felt that I need to give some of the characters some justice.

The point of collaboration of these four short chapters is the take-over meeting. It might be the future or the past.

And last but not the least….

MAKE ME HAPPY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! KIRIHARA AND SYLVAN'S SENTIMENTS ARE UP!!!!