Chapter 37
Flashback Chapter-Last Part
He was so happy while carrying the food for his boyfriend. Although he told him that he won't be home that night, but he decided not to take another shift for his part-time job and to come home when he remember it was their monthsary. He wanted to surprised him.
Sakuragi slowly went upstairs and go straight to their room. When his hand almost touch the doorknob, he stopped when he heard a conversation. The door was a bit open so he peek to check who is inside.
"Let's keep it a secret for now Akira."
"Until when Kaede. Hana-chan will understand if we tell him the truth."
"I don't want him to get hurt...just give me more time...I'll tell him later..."
"If you can't do it, I will. We can't hide it forever. I love you very much Kaede."
"I love you too Akira. So please..."
"Okay, if its that you want..."he answered then hugged him tight.
"Just wait..."
Seeing them both naked on his own bed, he knew that they did it again. He leave the house quietly, while tears flowing down to to his cheeks. And just like he usually do, he went to the place where he always sit and cried all the pain out in his heart.
Zzzzzzz
It was a cold, lonely night for him. How many times he's been on that park, sitting on the same bench. He needed to do something to stop the pain. He must make his decision now before he drown himself in misery.
"Are you okay?" Asked the tall man in a deep low voice, standing in front of him.
He looked up but he can't see him clearly. It was night and the light coming from the post wasn't bright enough to his face. And he asked. "If the one you love...fell in love with someone else...do you set him free?"
And the man sit next to him and answer. "If the person I love wants to be free...why not."
Sakuragi look at him and ask again. "What if the one you love fell in love with the person you trust and treat like a brother, what you'll gonna do?"
"I'll let that person go...if that person really loved the other one...and that will make them both happy..." The man replied calmly.
Sakuragi looked up the sky when he heard his answer. He thinks about it, and maybe he was right...absolutely right. Just like the most people often say...if you love someone ...set them free...to be with someone they really love. And he starts to cry again, while the man just staring at him.
Too shocked to react, the man sitting next to him suddenly cupped his cheek and kissed him. Rukawa kissed him many times before, but this man's kiss was different. It was so tender, so sweet and so intimate. He closed his eyes, embraced and couldn't himself from kissing him back. He could smell him and feel his warm body. Sakuragi found himself wrapping his arms around the man's neck. He's totally enchanted by him.
The man stopped to wiped his tears. He lookedat him again but he can't see him clearly. And the man starts to kissed him again, but this time...it was deeper, more passionately and his hands starts to touched him. He can feel his soft warm hands slid inside his shirts moving delicately to his waist up to his chest. When the man accidentally bit his tongue, he snapped. All of a sudden he punched him and run away without looking back. Leaving the man shocked, wiped the blood to his lips and smirked.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
At that moment, they were sitting at the bench of the public court resting after their one-on-one game.
"Kaede, do you think Hana-chan know about us?" Asked Sendoh while wiping the sweats on his body.
"No idea..."
"But I think if he know about us, I swear his gundam will gonna kill us." He said and smirked.
Rukawa pressed Sendoh's hand tenderly and look straight to his eyes. "We make a huge mistake..."
"I know Kaede...I know." And lead the younger guy behind the tree and kissed him. It was so deep and hot, not noticing that there is other people around aside them.
That moment, Sakuragi was very shocked and weakened to see them again kissing and hugging. Maki was also there and witness his pain. Kainan's ex captain immediately snatched the redhead away and take him to his car and help him to calmed down when he saw him struggle and tumbled on the floor.
Zzzzzzzz
While driving his car, he took a glance at the redhead still crying sitting at the passenger seat. He decided to take him to his house after witnessing the heartbreaking scene. Seeing his beloved boyfriend, kissing the person he trust and treats like his own brother.
Once they reach his house, he let the redhead to sit and to calm down. "Sakuragi-kun, drink this and please calm down."he handed him the glass of water and touching his back to comfort him.
After he drink, he suddenly hugged Maki and cried again. Kainan's ex-captain feel his pain at what he witnessed. Even though the redhead never say any words, he knew that the guy on his arms wanted to shouted and to cried as much as he can to take out all the pain he felt inside.
"Shhh...Sakuragi-kun, calm down. Stop crying now, if you want to say something I'm here to listen. You have to say something .I know I can't do anything but at least to lessen the pain you feel."and he hugged him more tightly
He slowly looked at him. Maki saw the pain and sorrow from the redhead's eyes. "Maki-san, if you were me, will you do the same thing? To hide and walk away?"
"I don't know...I am so sorry Sakuragi-kun."
"I tried to ignored them. Not just once...twice...but many times I caught them sleeping in our bed. I did not say anything. They are both important to me. But...but..."
"Shh...Saku..."
"I endured everything because I don't want to lose them. Every time... I asked Kaede to have game with me, he's tired and he just played with Akira. I really do my best to study in the morning and work at night for him. I want to save money so I can go with him to college. But why...why...him...Kaede and Akira...why them...I trust them...both of them..."
"Sakuragi-kun, you have to talk...talk about it...maybe...just maybe you lack of something...
"Lack of something? What? Me...I tried so hard...Maki-san...so hard...and .that's killing me... Everything I do just for him...I try to reach him, to reach his level... Why them... He and Akira...Maki-san...why?!tell me what's the reason? Why they do this to me?'
"Talk about it Sakuragi-kun. Or else you have to set him free...set them free...that's all you can do for now... We're just human being Sakuragi-kun, we're not perfect, we make mistakes, whether we like or not..."
"Sometimes...no...most of the time, I want to kill my self...I just wanted to die...Maki-san..I'm an orphan, I only have the gundam, Kaede and Akira...but now...I don't know...
"Ssshhh...don't talk like that, Sakuragi-kun. You still have Anzai-sensei, the gundam...Haruko and the team. Remember, they're just Rukawa and Sendoh, and you're Hanamichi Sakuragi. And don't forget you also have me...from now on...you'll have me..." He said as he never let go and hugged him more tightly.
Slowly, he put the redhead's head on his lap. After few minutes, he found him sleeping with a few tears on his cheeks. He stared at the redhead, caressing his face and just to noticed how he looked so innocent as a child when he sleep.
Behind him, Fujima and Hanagata approached him and tapped his shoulder. They stayed together in the same apartment every time they had their sem break in college. "He will be fine Maki-kun. If we just stop him...he won't see them..."
Startled when he tapped him and asked "What do you mean Hanagata-kun?"
"We're on our way to the court when we saw them. We left and then Sakuragi on the other side coming...we can't do anything to stop him. And it's good you're there...or else...or else we don't know what will happen next..." Explained Hanagata looking at the sleeping redhead.
"It's better...it won't be helped to keep on going like this...I feel sorry for him...but I think it's better for him now to know about them..." Maki combing the redhead's hair with his finger.
"Ne, Shinichi-kun...he needs you now...take care of him..." Said Fujima and decided to went on their own room and leave them.
Xxxxx
A soft knock on the door interrupts him on watching the redhead sleeping on his lap. He puts a pillow to his head and walk slowly to open the door.
He was surprised to see Kogure in front of his door. "Kogure-san?... Come in..."he asked and let the ex vice-captain to enter his house. "What can I do for you?"
"How is he?" He asked in a very low voice and looked at the redhead sleeping on the couch.
"You know?... I think he's fine...for now. Better to let him sleep." He replied. He motioned Kogure to follow him to the kitchen. "So you know?"
"Yes." Both of them now sitting in the kitchen. "I do...and I saw what happen...just now so I follow."
"I see..since when?"
"Just recently...and I don't know if it's right to tell him...that I know about it..."
"I guess it's not...he's deeply wounded. Those bastard, how much pain they want to give him before they satisfied."
"Please Maki-kun...help him. Convince him to go and study in Tokyo...I know it will be hard for him...but that's the only way. Take him away from them. " and he sobbed. He can't hide it anymore..."He's more that a brother to me...but I have no guts to protect him, so please Maki-kun...help him."
"I will Kogure-san...I will...I promise...after he graduate high school I'll take him with me. Don't worry about his tuition...I'll pay it."
"About that...I think they already offered him...just convince him to take an entrance exam...I know he can do it..."
"I'll see what I can do..."
"Thank you very much Maki-kun,..and please let's keep it a secret for now...it'll be too much for him now if he found out about this..." And he looked again at th redhead who is peacefully sleeping at the couch.
He stand up and sit next to him. Watching him sleeping was more like watching a sleeping child. He was looks so innocent...so fragile. Wondering why Rukawa and Sendoh betrayed him. How can they do that to him. He can't think of any reason for that. "I am very sorry Sakuragi-kun...Forgive me..." Lightly kissed him on the forehead. And he left. Feeling so down that he can't able to help his kouhai.
Xxxxxxxxxx
Hana, are you okay?" Asked Kaede while he sitting next to him. "You call me here to talk about what? You have work tonight?"
"I'm okay. It's my off tonight." He answered while staring at the sky.
"Did you eat?"
"Yeah."
"What you wanna talk about?"
"Kaede, you know what I want to talk about?"
"Hn?"
"Haven't you noticed, we live in the same house, we go in the same school but we know nothing about each other."
"Hey, are you sick?" He chuckled and check Sakuragi's forehead. After that he stared on his eyes and saw that he meant what he just said.
"I am fine Kaede. And I'm serious. When was the last time we talk like this. When was the last we sit and eat together." He asked painfully from his wounded heart.
"Hana, what are you talking about?"
"If we keep going on like this, it will be much harder for us. We have to decide on what we really have to do.
"What are you trying to say?
"You, Kaede what do you think I am trying to say."
"Wait, Hana..." He stopped when Sakuragi stared at him. It was cold and sad. And it makes shivered.
"Yes Kaede..."
"You want us to break..."
"Break-up...that's the only way Kaede. We have to admit it, we're not the same as we before. There's so many things changed about you, about me. And if we go on like this, we'll just continue to hurt each other. " he breath deeply, looking up the sky trying not to let some tears to fall.
"Is that what you really want Hana?"
"We want Kaede, we want."
"How about the team?
"Don't worry about it, nothing will change about the team. The truth, I was planning this after the Winter Cup. But I realize I can't wait any longer. I can't bear it anymore. That's why I decided to end this now. I realize it's better to end it up now before it gets complicated.
And he left without saying goodbye to him. He can't allowed him to stop him or to hear him ask to ask an explanation on why he decide to break up with him. This the best thing for them. The very best thing he can do for him.
As he walk away, dark clouds seen upon the sky. Heavy rain started to fall with the tears his trying to hide in front of Rukawa. And all of those people around him.
"I will forget you Kaede...someday." he whispered in the middle of the rain.
"Hanamichi..." Called Youhei from behind. "Are you okay with that?" And he handed him the other extra umbrella he bought for him.
"I am, Youhei...and this is the best thing for us... I can't take it anymore...and you know that..."
"I' swear if it's not because of you...I'll kill them both...they're so ...I just can't ...why you didn't stop them...why..."
"Please don't say that Youhei...no one must get hurt. I bear too much pain...so it's enough..."
"But Hanamichi...they betrayed you...both of them. You must at least do something."
"And this is the least I can do Youhei...please...don't tell the rest...you know what might happen to Kaede and Akira if they found out..."
"You're so stupid Hanamichi...after what they've done to you...you still want to protect them..."
"Like you and the rest...they still important to me." He sadly looked at him.
"Fine...just because of you Hanamichi."
"Thank you Youhei..."
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
"What?! Are you sure about that?" Yelled Takamiya at the redhead. They were in his sitting around the table while Sakuragi preparing dinner for them. "But why Tokyo? We thought we will all study here in Kanagawa?"
"I have my reason..." He replied. He's putting the plates in the table. "And besides they offered me scholarship in Tokyo..I think it's a great opportunity for me to grab it."
"But why..." Noma asked. "Is it about Rukawa and Sendoh...that's why you want to move away?"
"To tell the truth...yes. I told you guys. I don't love him anymore. And because I'm close to Akira, I don't want to be in between them. I don't wanna make problems for them."
"Are you sure that's all?" Asked Ohkuso. Knowing that the redhead was hiding something from them. "It seems that you lied about that. Does Rukawa cheats on you that's why you broke up or Sendoh steal your boyfriend. Come on tell us."
He looked frighten but he tried to hide it. He just smile and answer. "Of course that's not true. I thought I'm in love with Kaede...but I am not. And I think Akira was perfect for him, so I don't want to bother them.. Heck I'm so tired of being around them."
Noma wasn't convince on his reasoning but he still listen to him. "Fine...but at least one of us must be with you in Tokyo. Let's all take the exam...what do you think...ha...Youhei."
Youhei startle. He know that the other three guys don't convince on what Sakuragi just told them. But he just ignore it and answer. "Sure...one of us must pass the exam. Of course we can't our little Hana-chan here..." patting Sakuragi's back. "...to be alone in a big city of Tokyo...hahaha..." He teased pretending nothing bothers him.
"Okay it's a deal. One of us must pass the exam. And that's a promise...and you Hanamichi Sakuragi...you're that one who must pass the exam...okay.." Noma said. He and the other guys know that it's better not to asked him anymore.
"Of course...I'm the tensai basketoman...nyahahaha..." He laughed...but a obvious sadness seen on his eyes.
Xxxxxxxxx
They were all excited and at the same time feel nervous. Hearts beating like crazy when one-by-one were looking and reading in the board to find their names. It was the entrance exam result. The other three guy feel disappointed when they couldn't find their names, it means they failed.
Sakuragi along with Youhei appraoching them with a huge grin in their faces. "We did it!" Yell Sakuragi and hugged the other three guys.
"Amazing...congrats! " said Takamiya and the other two.
"Glad you make it...Hana-chan... And also you Mito-kun...congrats." Said Maki. He was so glad to know that the two younger buy actually passed the exam. "I'll help you to find your apartment. If you want you can stay with me for a while."
"Ow...Maki...you're studying here in Tokyo Uni...that's great. Stay with him Hanamichi Youhei, so you don't have to pay the rent,...hahaha" said Ohkuso.
"Stupid! Of course we can't. And beside we still have school. After graduation we will move. Thanks for help Maki-kun."
"No problem..." He said, smiling at them. "Anytime...so Hana-chan...see you soon okay..."
"Ja Shin-chan.. Thank you very much. Thanks for everything. " said Sakuragi. He took Maki's hands and pressed so tight. "Thanks..."
Maki suddenly pulled him and embraced him, "Don't worry about it Hana-chan...I'm here to help." And he patted Youhei's head. "Mito-kun...just let me know if you come back here. I'll wait."
"Okay.. And please say our regards to Fujima-kun and Hanagata-san and thanks for helping us for the reviews. "
"Sure...bye."
The other three called Maki. "Maki! Please take care of our friends."
Maki smile and look at the younger guys. "I promise."
Xxxxxxxx
"I feel bad...I heard that Sakuragi-kun won't continue to study in college. I thought if he do, Kanagawa College will be the strongest team this year if he study here. " Hikoichi litany, disappointed while writing on nis notes.
"How did you know Hikoichi? Asked Koshino, they were eating at Danny's that afternoon.
"Well.. After graduation in Shohoku, he suddenly disappeared. Some people said that it was because of Sendoh-san and Rukawa-san. But all I know is they're already end their relationship before that happened."
"Maa, maa Hikoichi-kun. That's true that Kaede and Hana-chan broke up when he had our relationship. Maybe he had other reason?" Explained and asked Sendoh when he approacehd them.
"You're late again Akira!" Koshino yelled at him for being late on their usual meeting place. "By the way who tell you that and where did he go?" He asked to his kouhai.
"From the other Shohoku players. Some said that he's in Tokyo with Mito-kun. And from what I've heard he won't study college there..." He replied sadly.
Koshino elbowed Sendoh when Hikoichi went to that restroom. "Are you happy? That's what you want right?" He asked with a anger on his voice.
"Hiro-kun...I never thought that he'll do that..."
"And what do you expect...to congratulate you both? To expect him to say he's very happy for both of you... I have no idea why you turned out like that.." He just shook his head to show how disappointed he is to his friend and left without saying goodbye.
Sendoh thinking about the word he said. He sighed and feel bit sad to hear that his 'friend' Sakuragi suddenly left Kanagawa. He looked at Koshino as the other guy leaving the place. He felt guilty, sad and at the same time frightened that what Koshino might said happened soon...
Xxxxxxxxxxx
end of flashback
A/N: Thanks everyone for reading my fanfic... Too bad I can't update my story as fast as i can like I usually do...hang on pls...it'll finish soon... thanks :)