XXXVIII. The Tensai and the Artist

Yanagi was surprised when he reentered Kirihara's room and found no one else but the junior ace in there. The younger boy was sitting eerily quiet on his bed with his feet lifelessly hanging over its edge. He was facing away from Yanagi, staring at nothing in particular outside his window. His right arm was still chained to the bed rail but it seemed as if he didn't care about that fact anymore.

Kirihara didn't even look at the data man when he came in. That was Yanagi's last clue that something had happened in the room while he was gone. And judging from Kirihara's sudden melancholy and subdued attitude, it most likely had something to do with a certain twin-braided brunette who had just visited the room a couple of minutes ago.

Soundlessly, the data man walked over to the sofa in the corner of the room and placed the tennis bag that he was now carrying on top of it. He then turned to face Kirihara and attempted to start a conversation.

"You're no longer aggressive. The walls of this room must be grateful."

The second year ace ignored him.

One, two…three minutes passed and the junior ace was still quiet. When Yanagi finally decided that Kirihara doesn't intend to give him any reply, he tried a different tactic.

"You should understand why we're doing this, Akaya. It's for your own good."

The younger boy's head suddenly snapped towards Yanagi. Something in his words had ticked the junior ace.

"Hasn't it always been like that, senpai?" Kirihara uttered with frustration in his tone. His emerald eyes were slanted in anger. "Ever since I entered the tennis team, senpai-tachi have always protected me, acting like I'm some sort of brat who you guys must always put on a leash to make sure I don't get in trouble!"

The data man saw the junior ace make a hard fist with his left hand.

"Wakatteiru yo! I do get in trouble a lot because I make some mistakes—okay, maybe tons of mistakes," he added the last bit when he saw Yanagi raise an eyebrow, "—but that's how I learn, senpai!" Kirihara appealed to him in desperation.

"How do senpai-tachi expect me to grow up if you're always there to protect me? How do you expect me to make mature decisions if you're always there telling me what I can and cannot do? It's just…frustrating!" the junior ace exclaimed before he turned his head away from Yanagi once again.

An uncomfortable silence followed Kirihara's outburst. Yanagi didn't say anything to refute his words nor did he offer any answer to them. The data man just stood there and quietly observed his kouhai.

Then suddenly, Yanagi's lips curled slightly into a subtle smirk.

"That is because you are a 'brat,' Akaya," Yanagi uttered in his usual unperturbed manner. Kirihara was about to retaliate against his senpai's insult but Yanagi cut him off. "And there is a 99.9% probability that you will remain that way for at least 10 more years."

"Nan'su ka—?"

"However," Yanagi continued, exaggerating the conjunction word, "no matter how many times we scold you, no matter how hard we punish you…those have never stopped you before from pursuing whatever your heart tells you to do, am I correct? That is one of your most impressive qualities—you never give up, no matter how hopeless it seems."

Kirihara suddenly became still as he heard Yanagi's last words.

"So right now, Akaya…" Yanagi continued as he turned his attention to the tennis bag he had brought into the room. The data man grabbed the handle of the bag and turned it around so its other side was now visible to his kouhai.

Emerald eyes automatically focused on the last name that was written on the tennis bag.

It read "Kirihara."

His last name was on the bag—his own tennis bag.

"…What is your heart telling you to do?" Yanagi finished, looking back to watch the junior ace. He was satisfied when he saw a sense of comprehension get reflected on his kouhai's face. The data man returned the bag on the sofa once again, before he turned and headed towards Kirihara's bedside table. He took out a key from his pocket and laid it on the table, beside the forgotten yakiniku meal.

It was the key to Kirihara's handcuff.

"There is another corridor to the left of this room that'll lead to the stairs without having to pass the nurses' station. I shall now go back and report to the others at Atobe's mansion. Be a good boy, Akaya."

Yanagi sent him one last meaningful look, before he walked towards the door, and then left the room without another word.

For a while, the junior ace sat there frozen, unable to believe what just happened. But once he had snapped out of his daze, he quickly grabbed the key on his bedside table, and rushed to free himself from his handcuff. Finally liberated, he jumped off the bed and ran towards the sofa, on top of which stood the tennis bag.

The junior ace unzipped the bag and saw a fresh set of nondescript tennis clothes—a plain green sports jacket, a black shirt, and white shorts—neatly folded inside. Under the clothes was a pair of white tennis shoes in a clear plastic bag. On top of all of them were a cellphone and a wallet that contained money.

Kirihara was stunned.

So Yanagi had planned to let him go even before his outburst, after all. His earlier accusations concerning the data man and the rest of his senpais now seemed silly to the junior ace. They had always believed in him. Their support just manifested itself in different ways than he saw them as…

A thankful grin unconsciously appeared on Kirihara's boyish face and he shut his eyes in gratefulness as he whispered words that genuinely came from his heart.

"Arigatou, Yanagi-senpai."

Wednesday, 2:10 pm

Only about half of the regulars remained in Atobe's mansion. The other half, lead by Atobe, returned to the dome in order to re-inspect the place and also to serve as look-outs. They wisely figured that if the dome is ever going to be rigged, it would most likely happen between now and tomorrow. It's better to be safe than sorry.

For the mean time, the regulars who stayed in the mansion debated on how to pursue the second riddle. The threat letter they received the day before stated that they need to be at the dome by 4 am tomorrow morning; the tournament is scheduled to start at around 7 am. That means they basically have fourteen hours to solve the riddles, figure out how to rescue the hostages, and to prepare for whatever's in store for them tomorrow.

On top of it all, there is the discomfiting "fake bomb" that they also need to consider. As the second riddle said, they are running out of time.

In a corner of the room, Inui was carefully watching Fuji from behind his shady glasses. He noticed that the tensai has been observing the bomb with opened, calculating eyes for a long time now. It was not the first time that the data man's curiosity was piqued by the sudden quietness and scheming expression on the tensai's face. In fact, he has been doing that ever since they discovered the first riddle. It almost seemed as if Fuji is keeping something from all of them. But then again, when has he not? Silent scheming has always been a part of the tensai's character.

Though still, Inui thought that it wouldn't hurt if Fuji would share whatever went on in that genius, sadistic mind of his from time to time. It'll ease his burden of trying to figure the tensai out all the time.

Inui was jolted out of his brooding when the tensai suddenly looked up from his distant examination of the bomb, and then turned his attention to the Rikkai regulars. "Yukimura, you wouldn't mind if I borrow Niou for a while, would you?"

The random question caught the other regulars' attention immediately. Although they were all curious as to what Fuji had in mind, none of them voiced their curiosity. They simply held their breaths and waited for the Rikkai buchou's answer.

For a while, Yukimura silently regarded Fuji with his own probing eyes. The tensai's blue eyes daringly met his and they stared at each other in what seemed like ages to the other players. An unspoken conversation went on between them—from one sadist to another. When Yukimura decided that he found whatever he was looking for in Fuji's eyes, he turned his head away and looked at the bomb on top of the meeting table.

"Make it worthwhile," the buchou assented.

Fuji's eyes instantly closed and he smiled. "You won't be disappointed." The tensai walked over to the table and grabbed the deactivated bomb. All eyes in the room watched his every movement.

"Saa, we'll leave the riddle for you guys to figure out then?" Fuji asked to no one in particular as he carried the bomb in his arms.

"O-Of course," was Sanada's stiff answer. He wasn't exactly at ease with the way Fuji had asked to borrow Niou from them. Not to mention, how the tensai also took the bomb with him. Who knows what the sadistic tensai was planning?

But if Yukimura thought it wise to let Fuji do as he pleases, then Sanada would not object. He trusted Yukimura with all his being.

Fuji flashed his infamous smile one last time, before he sent a nod to Niou, signaling the trickster to follow him out of the meeting room.

Kirihara swiftly glided through the corridor that Yanagi had "suggested" for him to take. He saw the door that lead to the stairs at the end of it and felt excitement course through his veins as he thought of finally escaping the hospital. It was a horrible place to him. He never did like it.

The junior ace was now clad in the sporty clothing that the data man had brought for him. Bandages were still on his forehead and his arms and legs but he looked much more legit in casual clothes. At least now he looked more like a bad-ass teenager than a boy who got badly hit by a truck. Kirihara opted to leave the large tennis bag behind to avoid suspicion, but he took the cellphone and the wallet. They were both in his shorts' pockets.

He was almost at the exit door when his peripheral vision caught a form of a person on top of a bench in another hallway near the exit door.

Kirihara instantly froze, his instincts recognizing the person even before his brain had time to process the information.

It was Sakuno.

She was on top of the bench, in a semi-fetal position with her knees drawn up to her chest and her face buried in her knees. Beside her was a white cap with the letter R embroidered inside a blue rectangle frame.

The brunette was so still—so frozen that it seemed as if she had lost the will to live.

Kirihara tried to put two and two together in order to process what happened to the girl. It didn't take long for him to realize it.

That arrogant bastard hurt her again!

What else is new? He's the only who can hurt her like this.

He felt heaviness in his chest as he continued to stare at Sakuno. An almost inaudible hiss escaped his lips in a poor attempt to control his emotions. Seeing her in pain like that was already bringing out the demon in him again.

No!

The junior ace quickly closed his eyes and willed his other persona away. He can't afford to lose himself right now.

Sakuno needs him.

And darn it, he will be there for her.

When Kirihara opened his eyes again, cloudy emerald orbs appeared. He had temporarily won the battle inside him. The junior ace then proceeded to slowly approach the brunette.

She didn't look up even as he neared her. She was so lost in her own world. It was only when he gently placed a hand on top of her head—in his usual manner of showing his affections to her—did she move to look up at him.

He saw agonized brown eyes try to focus on his face. He saw the next batch of unshed tears that were threatening to fall as her chocolate orbs widened in recognition.

"Akaya-kun—"

Kirihara caught her right hand before she could wipe her tears away.

"Dame'su," he lightly scolded, taking her hand softly in his as he sat beside her on the bench. He had carelessly brushed the white cap aside, taking its place beside her as it fell on the floor.

"Don't you dare do that to me, Sa-chan," he firmly told her. The junior ace let go of the hand he kept captive and put his hand on her head again. Though this time, he also pulled her head down toward his hard chest.

"You might be able to fool them, but you can't fool me," Kirihara continued. "I know you better than that."

As soon as Sakuno heard his words, tears flooded from her eyes again. And pretty soon, she was sobbing uncontrollably on his chest.

It felt so nice to cry on him like that.

She was so tired of being ignored, so tired of being hurt, so tired of trying so hard to be liked…that it just felt good to let it all out on someone who she knows would never push her away—someone who likes her for who she is.

So she cried and cried.

He held her gently and listened—listened to each sob that shook her fragile body and simultaneously landed blows on his chest. It pained him to listen to her cry like that. More so because he knew that she was crying because of someone else.

But his pain didn't matter to him.

He would gladly feel pain that is ten times worse than he was feeling at the moment if it meant she would start smiling again—anything to make her pain go away.

Before long, he felt her sobs gradually die down. She still held onto him though, her face pressed against his now drenched shirt and one of her arms around his back.

When he felt that she was feeling a bit better, he finally asked the question that he had been dying to ask her ever since he first saw her in the heart-wrenching position she was in a while ago.

"Can I at least break his face for you this time?"

The only response he got was a muffled protest from his chest, which was soon followed by a gentle tightening of the soft arm that was wrapped around his back.

"And to what do I owe this honor, tensai-san?"

The sadist genius had led Niou to an isolated room further down the hall where the meeting was held. He nonchalantly observed Fuji as the tensai walked towards a cabinet. Fuji set the bomb he was holding on top of it and took out a book from the cabinet's first drawer.

The tensai didn't turn to face the trickster when he answered.

"I have a favor to ask—a huge one."

One of Niou's eyebrows shot up at that statement.

"I'm flattered but I'm not so sure this petenshi deserves the honor," the trickster uttered cautiously.

"Our 'adversary' plays with bombs. Taking that into consideration, I know that if anyone has the abilities to do this favor, it's you, Niou." Fuji finally turned to meet the trickster's eyes. The Rikkai player was almost arrested by the serious—almost guilty—look in Fuji's darkened blue orbs.

"But saa, I must tell you that I'm not playing fair. This favor I ask of you is selfish—selfish enough that I'm sure I'm asking more from you than I'm entitled to. Though please be aware that I wouldn't be doing this in the first place if I know a better way to go about the problem."

The infamous charming smile suddenly returned to the tensai's face, serving to lighten up the atmosphere even as his words did the exact opposite.

Niou sighed and randomly raised his right hand to massage a sore spot on his left shoulder.

"What's the catch?" he lightly asked Fuji.

"I'll let you assess that for yourself." Fuji maintained the smile on his face as he glanced down at the book in his hand. He soon tossed it to Niou, who caught it easily. It was a medium-sized hardbound book. Surprisingly, it wasn't as heavy as it first appeared to be.

"Usually, people would need weeks to read and learn everything that is inside that book. But since I have reason to believe that you already know the 'basics,' I'm sure you'll be able to finish it in an hour or so," Fuji said as he approached the door.

"I'll be waiting outside. Meet me when you're done."

With a last smile and the soft shutting of the door, the tensai was gone and Niou found himself alone with the book. He idly glanced at the title written on its cover.

It read "Personal Explosives Workshop: Everything You Need to Know About Modern Bombs."

An amused smirk played on his face and he soon looked up in order to glance at the fake bomb that was left on top of the cabinet.

"So that was what it's here for."

Everyone in the room looked up when Yanagi entered the meeting room to join the others. They had already figured out the location of the next item in the riddle and were just dividing people into groups in order to make more efficient search parties.

"How's Akaya?" was Sanada's urgent question to the data man.

"He went to follow Ryuzaki-san as I predicted," Yanagi uttered as he took his place next to the fukubuchou at the end of the meeting table.

His answer was followed by a heavy sigh from Sanada. A deep frown was on the fukubuchou's face. He was worried about the youngest member of their team. "I was afraid that it would come to that. Perhaps it will be wise to send Marui or Jackal to help them."

"We need them here," Yukimura gently interjected from Sanada's other side. "Not to mention, we can barely spare any more men to help them. If we are to send someone, it will be more appropriate to send someone of their age group."

Yanagi caught the concealed reasoning behind Yukimura's last words. He gave the buchou a silent scrutinizing look.

"Sore nara, then allow us to send someone from our—" Shiraishi, who overheard the Rikkai players' conversation, gallantly offered before he was cut off by Kin-chan, who saw the opportunity as a chance to rejoin Ryoma and Sakuno in their investigation.

"Wai! Wai! Pick me! I'm the same age as Sakuno-chan and I will—Mmmffff! Mffffff!" The poor red-haired prodigy was soon restrained by Chitose, who clamped a hand on his mouth to shut up the young boy.

"Although I have no objections in sending Kintarou-kun to help them, perhaps it will be wiser to send someone who is not as emotionally-attached to Ryuzaki-san. Their situation is already…bad as it is," Yanagi advised, remembering the charged atmosphere in the hospital room when Ryoma and Sakuno visited the junior ace. Another boy who would fight for the girl would certainly only make their situations worse.

"Then how about Zaizen? He's around their age group," Shiraishi suggested, ignoring Kintarou's furious glares as he struggled against Chitose's grasp.

The regulars who were involved in the conversation turned to look at the apathetic second year. It wasn't a bad idea. From what they had observed, Zaizen would actually be a good candidate to accompany the young ones in their investigation. His rational and calm demeanor will prove handy if he needs to play as an arbitrator between Ryoma and Kirihara.

Zaizen stared back at the expecting regulars neutrally. He knew what they were really up to. They were trying to minimize the number of young players involved in the current dangerous business. Their mission to send him as a 'babysitter' for the others was part of that scheme.

"Gomen, but according to Yanagi-san's statement, I'm not qualified either," the second year easily rebutted.

"And why not?" Sanada challenged in his thunderous voice.

"I'm also in-love with Ryuzaki-san."

Zaizen's deadpan answer was so blunt and random that it sounded as if he just commented about the weather that day. The others stared at him in surprise.

Beside him, Kenya sputtered and gawked as if he just swallowed a live fish.

"What? Since when—But you—? You can fall in love?" the speed star asked incredulously.

"That's kind of a mean thing to say, Kenya-san," Zaizen answered apathetically, lacking the emotions needed to support his conviction.

Kenya was still gawking at him. But unlike the speed star, Shiraishi had immediately caught onto his kouhai's real intention. He smirked to himself and nonverbally acquiesced to Zaizen's decision.

"Then how about someone from the Hyoutei team?" Shiraishi asked, turning his attention to the people on the far side of the table.

Shishido perked up at the question and glanced at his doubles partner. It was a chance to get Choutarou to at least a 'somewhat' safer situation, so he's all for the idea. "I guess Choutarou would be good for the part."

The second year jolted at his senpai's suggestion. He honestly wanted to stay with his team to help too, so he gathered up his courage and humbly protested against Shishido's wish.

"Gomen nasai, Shishido-san, minna-san, but I also would prefer to stay here and help everyone," he bowed his head along with his apology.

Shishido frowned. "Don't be stubborn, you could help us too by—"

"If it's a second year you want, there's another one from our team who would be perfect for the task you want done," Choutarou uttered, meeting Shishido's eyes in gentle defiance for the first time.

Shishido blinked, realizing what his partner was suggesting. 'That person' is helping Atobe's group at the dome at the moment but a quick call could easily solve the problem.

The first thing she became conscious of was a sense of moving.

Then a familiar, comforting scent—the scent of pine trees. It was so familiar to her that she felt like she's known it for forever.

Somewhere, in between all that realization, she was able to feel dull aches coming from wounds and bruises that were all over her body. The pain killers that she had taken before parting with the Shitenhouji players were mostly likely wearing of. However, the pain from her wounds wasn't the one she was most conscious of. No, there was a more painful ache that was coming from her chest.

Sakuno was curious when she realized that her arms were loosely around an object and hanging on to it.

Tiredly, she forced her eyes to open a bit. A green cotton jacket was the first thing that assaulted her sight. It was soon followed by a mess of black hair. Then from her peripheral vision, she saw blurs of her surroundings moving past her.

'What is going on? Why is the world moving?'

"Yo, Sa-chan. Okita?" A cheerful, boyish voice came from somewhere in front of her. Sakuno felt the slight swoosh of the soft, black hair on her face as the person slightly turned his head towards her when he asked the question.

'That was…'

"A-Akaya-kun!"

She jolted straight up as she finally realized what was going on. She was being carried by Kirihara—in a piggyback ride fashion! Feelings of embarrassment and guilt simultaneously came to her and she tried to struggle away from the junior ace's grasp in a panicked manner. It took all of the strength, balance, and coordination that Kirihara mastered from playing tennis just to keep both of them upright.

"G-gomen, I'll get off you—"

"A-Ah, d-d-dame, Sa-chan! Stop moving or we'll—"

"—you just got out of the hospital and I'm—" she pleaded anxiously as she wiggled her legs to free them from Kirihara's hold. The junior ace desperately tried to hold on to them.

"—Sa-chan, I'm not kidding, we'll both fall—"

"—Baka, baka, baka, I'm such a useless person—"

"—if you don't stop struggling, I'll make sure that we fall into a suggestive position like those seen in overrated, romantic shoujo mangas!"

That effectively stopped the brunette from struggling.

Kirihara let out a loud sigh of relief before moving to readjust the petite girl on his back so she would be more comfortable. And then, he continued carrying her as he walked along a residential street. Fortunately for the two, it was fairly deserted.

"Would you please let me explain first before you start panicking again?"

Sakuno nodded guiltily and buried her face on his back again to hide the mad blush on her face. To make things easier for the boy, she also opted to loosely rewrap her arms around his neck. She can't believe how stupid she just acted.

"Y'see, I couldn't let us stay in the hospital for much longer since the nurses might catch me and put me back in that horrible prison they had the nerve to call a 'hospital room.'" A scowl appeared on the Rikkai player's face as he said the last two words in disgust.

"But then, Sa-chan had fallen asleep. You were sleeping so cutely and innocently that I didn't have the heart to wake you up so I just ended up carrying you." Kirihara's face noticeably reddened upon his admission.

"I was planning on carrying you in my arms like a b- bride. But anyway! Yeah, people might think I kidnapped you or something so I just settled for a piggyback ride. Suman if it was uncomfortable for you…" he trailed off guiltily at the last part.

Sakuno just listened quietly to his rant. She vaguely remembered the last few moments that happened before she passed out on Kirihara. She had cried on his chest like a little baby.

"Besides, I wasn't sure when the last train for Kyoto would leave the station so—"

"K-Kyoto?" her soft voice uttered in confusion. That startled Sakuno from the guilt trip she was silently casting on herself.

Kirihara glanced at her briefly from the sides of his eyes. "Sou'su yo! Wasn't that where you were headed earlier? You need to find evidence to prove your nii-san's innocence, right?"

A new wave of depression came over Sakuno as she was reminded of the problems she tried so hard not to think about.

"I think Yanagi-senpai gave me enough money to purchase two tickets so—"

"Mou ii kara…Akaya-kun."

Kirihara suddenly stopped walking. He wasn't sure he heard her correctly but then she repeated herself.

"M-mou ii. It's no use. I'm just a burden to everyone so it's okay." Sakuno shut her eyes, hating and blaming herself for everything that has happened recently. "It's okay…just let me go."

"Like hell am I ever going to do that!" Kirihara suddenly exclaimed. His voice was deeper than usual, a clear indication that he was pissed off by what she said.

"Sa-chan, this guy—this murderer, whoever he is—is trying to break our bonds with each other. He has no idea how hard we worked for those! It took a heck a lot of luck, hard work, and guts just to have our bonds the way they are right now and I'll be damned if I ever let him destroy those."

He stood still for a moment, his bangs covering the expression in his eyes.

"I almost lost them…the most important bonds I've ever made in my life and if it wasn't for what you did that night, I probably would've."

He paused briefly.

"But you didn't let me give up. So don't you give up on yours, Sa-chan. I won't let you. I know how special those bonds are to you. So, no matter what happens, I won't let you give up on them, alright? Don't you dare let go of those bonds."

Kirihara waited for a response from the brunette, but when nothing came, he started panicking. "Ah, I'm probably not making sense. I'm no good when it comes to these things. Darn it, maybe I should've played those dating games Niou-senpai gave me last Christmas—"

He was cut off when he felt her arms tighten around his neck—just enough, so as to not choke him, and then he was confused.

"Sa-chan?"

The sniffling he heard from the girl only made him more anxious.

"A-ah, suman! Did I say something wrong—?"

"A-arigatou…" Sakuno weakly voiced out, the word coming out as a broken sob.

"A-arigatou, Akaya-kun."

The junior ace frowned, not sure if he should accept her gratitude. He made her cry, for pete's sake! But then she repeated that word again.

"Arigatou, arigatou, arigatou."

Over and over—as if she cannot say it enough to express her feelings.

"Arigatou, arigatou, arigatou, ariga..tou."

Because in reality, she really couldn't. No amount of "thank you's" could ever express how thankful she was to him for always being there for her—for always putting herself before himself, sacrificing his own happiness for her own.

And she felt guilty, because deep down, she knows she can never repay him—she can never return his feelings enough.

But fortunately for her, Kirihara's not the type to make her feel guilty for not being able to return his feelings for her. Even from the start, he knew how hopeless it was. Yet, he never gave up. He never gave up on her because he knew that every moment with her was precious—that she was worth all the pain and trouble.

"Baaaka," Kirihara muttered kiddingly. "I'd expect tons of home-cooked yakiniku meals for all these troubles, y'know. And not cooked by just anyone, they have to be specially cooked by Sa-chan. Heck, I heard that that annoying red-haired boy from Shitenhouji receives more home-cooked meals from you than I do! That's not fair, Sa-chan."

"G-gomen," she lamely apologized for lack of a better response. She was still crying silently on his back, but her burden somehow felt so much lighter now. When she's with him, it always felt lighter.

"And don't worry, unlike some jerks," he emphasized the last words as if they were poison, "I won't ever abandon you. That's a promise, Sa-chan."

Sakuno felt so touched—so warmed by his words that she had no idea how to reply. So she just tightened her arms around him, not knowing that she was starting to choke him already. When the boy started gasping and coughing, she guiltily loosened her hold though they still remained firm around him.

"Demo ne, I'm also serious about what I said earlier," Kirihara suddenly added.

Sakuno blinked, not sure what he was referring to. "N-nani?"

"About breaking that jerk's face for you! I can't wait to make that guy blee—"

He was stopped when he was "accidentally" choked again—though in a much, much tender way this time.

He gave him roughly an hour.

He came out after thirty-two minutes.

Fuji smirked. As expected from one of Rikkai's star players—Masaharu Niou is really something.

But the serious face the trickster wore when he walked out of the room told the tensai that the Rikkai player had finally realized the gravity of his favor.

"So were my suspicions correct? That missing piece inside the compartment of the bomb was really 'that thing'? And the time limit—?" Fuji asked , though he already knew the answer.

Niou just nodded.

"I was afraid of that."

There was a brief, tension-filled silence.

Then Fuji asked, "Is there any way we can get away from it without compromising our goals?"

The trickster stared at the floor and brooded. Fuji was holding his breath for an affirmative answer.

"There is, but the chances are really slim. After all, I haven't tinkered much with those kinds of things. It might as well be nothing."

"But it isn't nothing. So we'll take that. No, let me correct myself. You will take that, I have other businesses to take care of," Fuji admitted boldly. Niou looked up and stared at him in slight surprise.

"I won't have any problem if it's just me. But the plan I have in mind will most likely involve more people."

The news did not seem to disturb Fuji. "How many?"

"Four—six at the most," the trickster uttered with a heavy tone.

A pause.

"Very well."

There was a slight shock in Niou's eyes as if he couldn't believe what he just heard. "Oi, tensai-san, I don't think I was making myself clear—"

"We all agreed to this, knowing the dangers that lie before us," Fuji interrupted in a serious manner. Niou narrowed his eyes, clearly not liking the other player's tone at the moment.

The tensai just stared back and smirked a bit. "I know, I'm horrible. But I'm prepared to do anything to save my brother's life." Fuji then averted his eyes and glanced outside a window that was located in the isolated corridor.

"He is a smart guy. He's managed to corner us to play his game exactly the way he wants it. So, I figured, if it meant saving some lives while sacrificing others, why not give him that satisfaction and play his game the way he wants us to?"

There was an undertone to that statement and any oblivious person could've easily missed the hidden message behind the tensai's words. But Niou didn't. He quickly caught what the tensai is trying to suggest to him.

"By the way, have I ever told you how much I admire your Illusion?" Fuji added, somewhat randomly.

At that moment, something occurred to Niou and a crazy idea started to formulate in his head. And then suddenly, the tensai's favor did not seem that irrational to him anymore.

Kirihara carefully lowered the brunette to a bench that was located on a side street near Tokyo Train Station. He was digging in his shorts' pocket for his wallet when he noticed the girl's flushed and somewhat pained expression from his peripheral view.

"Sa-chan, doushita?" he uttered, not hiding the concern in his voice.

Sakuno tried her best to ignore the pain in her shoulder. It most likely started bleeding again. On top of that, she felt like her entire body was on fire. She's obviously not feeling well, but she forced her face to display a pleasant smile for the junior ace.

"Daijobu," she said softly, beads of sweat clinging to her forehead. "Just…tired."

The boy's face indicated that he did not believe her, but he nodded anyway. He has no idea of the injuries she sustained. Yanagi and Sanada purposely did not mention those details to him. "You can rest on the train. I'll just grab our tickets then we're good to go," he gave her an energetic smile, which she tried her best to return.

"So, which part of Kyoto do we need to go to?" the junior ace soon asked.

At the question, Sakuno just blinked and upon realizing something, started to lower her head and hide her eyes underneath her bangs in embarrassment. She felt a flush in her cheeks that she suspected had nothing to do with the burning feeling all over her body.

"A-ano…"

Kirihara sweatdropped and forced himself to continue grinning nicely at the girl. It helped that she looked so cute blushing and hiding from him like that. Yap, that definitely helped a lot.

"You don't know the address, do you?" he asked condescendingly, but not unkindly.

Sakuno flushed even more. "Gomen nasai! Ryoma-kun had the address and I—"

The junior ace simply let out a sigh and started to take out the cellphone Yanagi left him. "Shouganai naa. I guess I'll just ask Yanagi-senpai—"

"And here I thought I was supposed to be 'catching up' to you guys," a familiar, sarcastic and arrogant voice interrupted the duo's conversation and both teenagers glanced towards their left to see who had spoken.

They saw the form of a person, holding out a tiny sheet of paper, in which an address in Kyoto was scribbled. The guy soon pocketed the address and stared directly at Kirihara.

The junior ace's eyes widened in alert at their unexpected 'visitor.'

"O-omae wa—!"

Author's Notes:

Has it been that long already? I can't believe it. I'm sorry, I've just been so busy lately that I couldn't find the time and energy to write.

I'm pretty sure most of you guys who are nice enough to continue reading this ridiculously looong story just want it to end already. And I'm with you guys, honestly! Sometimes, I just want to write the ending and leave it at that. But then, I'll realize how lame that is, not developing things at the right moment, and then I'm back to square one.

But I'd like to thank all of you who continue to support my story!

If not because of you, kind reviewers, I would've abandoned this a long time ago :3

Japanese Vocab:

Wakatteiru yo – I understand; I know

Nan'su ka – What? ('su is an abbreviation of 'desu' used most often by bratty boys like Akaya)

Arigatou'su – Thank you

Dame'su – don't; you can't; stop

Petenshi – imposter; crook

Sore nara – If that's the case

Okita? – Did you wake up?

Suman – sorry

Sou'su yo – That's right

Mou ii kara– it's enough

Baka – idiot

Demo ne – "But hey"

Nani – what?

Doushita – what's wrong?

Shouganai naa – I guess it can't be helped

Omae wa – You!

Abunai – Look out! It's dangerous!

Onegai- please