oi oi oi...creates imaginary shield*. ahahaha gomen ne...i was just...well...really...hahaha sorry for the late update.^^ anyway there were some questions asked and I will answer them at the end of this chapter. ARIGATOU FOR THE PATIENCE!


Sharper than a Knife


He lost track of time. He also lost his sense of direction. It seemed like he was being dragged to some endless narrow place and the only thing he could do was get on with the flow. Io knew if he so much as counter or struggle, he'd see something terrible.

The oppresive aura coming from his 'boss' was too much that it was suffocating. And the hand holding his wrist was a little too tight he knew there'd be a mark on his skin.

Io breathed out, eyes at the winter sky. It was the only thing close to nature he could see. The walls of the establishments in Kabuki-chou were so much closely built from one another there was hardly anywhere to look at.

And then Io felt the hand holding him slide away. He stopped walking and he abruptly lowered his eyes as he watched the taller man walk more steps away from him. Like the man was making sure of a plausible distance.

That made Io's chest somehow hurt a little.

The dim lightings coming from some distant posts and reflections from the second floors of the establishments, it made them appeare paper white in that darkness. The more Io stared at Ijuuin's back, the more he couldn't see the man.

"What the hell...say something!" Io screamed inside his head. What after going to the trouble of walking round a maze of walls under the chilly night, they'd just stand there?

But Ijuuin just remained standing there with his broad back facing Io. And once in a while he would exhale loudly. The only thing Io would see was the white smoke that would disappear instantly.

Minutes passed. More minutes passed and when Io couldn't take anymore the silence, he didn't care anymore. He opened his mouth to complain.

"Look, if you have something to say, say it now," Io sternly announced, his voice sounding irrate because he got disturbed from his playing. He started massaging the numb sensation on his wrist while glaring at Ijuuin's back.

Ijuuin turned, his boots sounding loud as he made his move. And then after looking at Io for a meer five seconds, sighed and ran his hand over his face briefly.

"Your coat?"

"Duh?" Io raised a brow. "You just up and dragged me here remember?"

Not seeing anything clearly, Io was surprised to hear a low chuckle from Ijuuin. It was creepy in a way. What the hell was so funny? The question never made its way out of his mouth though as he was enveloped with black.

Annoyed, Io grabbed Ijuuin's own coat off him and scowled. "I can handle the cold myself. So stop like you care. What the fucking hell are we here for?"

"Shizuku Ishi," Ijuuin hissed. The first time Ijuuin called him like that in that tone and Io felt a shiver ran down his spine. It was like a name that was not his and Io shut his mouth. "I am not actually in a good mood right now...so if I were you, I'd choose my words very carefully."

Io for some reason wanted to suddenly walk and slam himself right through the wall. He was seriously getting annoyed himself but scared at the same time. He was angry at Ijuuin for no apparent reason. So there he rephrased his words, not hiding the sarcasm.

"Ijuuin-sensei, please do tell me why are we here?"

"Why are you here?" Ijuuin threw the question back.

"Well...the usual. Meeting friends, dancing...drinking...lots of stuff."

A deep sigh was what Io heard after a long silence. "Why are you trying to get attention the wrong way so much?"

"The wrong way?"

"Making out in public just when your image is already in the gutters. Just what do you want to do in your life?"

The music from all the distant clubs and bars combined into a one jumbled mess of indistinc sounds. It seemed to grow stronger as Io couldn't suddenly think.

"Didn't you agree to come to me, because you wanted to prove something?" Ijuuin stepped closer a little. "Then what is THIS?"

The teen scoffed. At first yes he did want to prove something. That Misaki wasn't just all there was. That he was still and could still be the one on top. But as the time went by,that simple minded goal became clouded. And truthfully, Ishi didn't have the answer anymore.

As Io pondered what kind of dead end he was already in, he started getting annoyed for being lectured all of a sudden. Lectured by this man who was Misaki here and Misaki there. So he snapped.

"What do you care?!" Io threw Ijuuin's coat on the cold and wet asphalt acting rebellious. "You act like it's your problem whether I get back on track or not!"

"You fill me with your nonsense words that I could not follow! You act like you are freaking my guardian and you act like you know me!" Io continued shouting.

"What is up with you? Weren't you all Misaki here and there!?" the teen took a step closer.

"Stop grooming me like your Misaki because I will never be like that angel of yours even if I lived inside a shrine!"

After all the outburst, Io was left panting like he just ran a mile. His eyes hot. His chest like there was something tight around him.

"Seriously, I can't get used to your meddling with my business, so stop it," the last sentense came as just barely a whisper. With Io catching up his breath, Ijuuin just stood there. Like he just really waited for the teen to finish exploding.

"Once I get my hands on to something or someone," Ijuuin finally broke in. Io thought his voice just went into thin air and deaf ears. "I naturally make their business my business. So get used to it."

For a few moments, both of them just listened to a far away honking of cars. And some cats crying because of the cold or because they were in heat.

"Fuck shit," was Io's reply. He didn't even know why he was acting like that. Where was the high and mighty Io? Where was the shameless, manipulating stud that he was once, he wondered.

Flicking his tongue as if his thoughts couldn't just fall into the brunette's hard head, Ijuuin threw a sideway glance at Io, sizing up the direction of this conversation. From all the things Io was saying, Ijuuin could only come up with one thing; the brat was so immature. The kind he was so annoyed with but just couldn't wash his hands off of the brat.

"'Get used to it'", Io repeated as if spitting gum. "Look, getting used to it is the last thing on Earth I'd want to happen. I don't want to get used to your nagging. To your acting so friendly and over protective. And to your acting like a caring older brother. I don't want to get used to anything."

Talking to Io was a tad harder than talking to a kid. Ijuuin thought that but he decided to lenghten his usual very, very short patience for the sake of this teen who seemed to be spiralling down the wrong path.

Inhaling deeply, Ijuuin started on a more calmer tone. For he knew having a shouting spree with this emotional teen would go nowhere. He was the adult one here right? So he should give way right? But in truth, he was quiet getting annoyed himself.

"But didn't you want to prove to those who mocked you that you're worth something? I thought you wanted to catch up with Takahashi? So then don't ruin your image anymore than it already is, is what I'm saying."

"Misaki, Takahashi, Misaki, Takahashi," Io know he shouldn't. But before he could stop himself, his tongue already rolled mercilessly. "And then what? At my condition what? Become second to Misaki? Just like how you are always second with Usami Akihiko?"

Despite it being dim, Io thought he felt he just saw something in Ijuuin's eye flicker. An old wound that still wouldn't close completely. And he just clawed on it even if it didn't have anything to do with what they're talking about at all.

A soft sensation fell on Io's face. His green eyes darted to Ijuuin a few feet away from him. He just watched Ijuuin raise his hand to his own cheek. It felt cold and wet. Snow. The snow that melted right away after hitting his warm skin started falling down. It looked glowing as they fell from the dark sky. And the silence, and the sudden serene feeling while watching them fall silently rendered Io speechless.

Io waited for the smart comebacks of Ijuuin. But they didn't come.

The taller man walked and stopped in front of Io. And then giving the teen a solid pat on the shoulder, walked away.

"I'll drive you home."

It would have been better if Ijuuin got mad. Or if Ijuuin came up again with his crazy little riddles about life. But when Ijuuin just walked away silently, Io thought he just said something terribly bad that Ijuuin didn't deserve.

And even if Io take his words back and said it was just because of the booze or spur of the moment, the damage has been clearly done.


When morning came, Io didn't really want to show his face anymore. But he had Ijuuin's pass still in his hands. And he also felt the need to see Ijuuin for the sake of his own conscience. Naturally, he thought of saying sorry. But he was usually being the one being asked for forgiveness so this situation was a little off for him.

So like a shivering coward he was, he just waited outside the building for Ijuuin Kyo. Io waited there with Ijuuin's scarf wrapped around his neck. He had forgotten to return it the last time and he figured he could use it as an ice breaker.

But the seven o'clock became eight, and the eight became nine and the deserted streets became teaming with office workers going in all directions, flooding Io's vision with the working force of Japan.

"If he's not coming, he should say so!" Io grumbled as he stood there on the sidewalk waiting for that familiar figure. Ijuuin was taller than the average height of most men so he should see him right away, but there was no one. Just a bunch of faces he couldn't recognize.

Io watched the tractors shove the snow that accumulated on the road to the side. He watched the little children happily jumping on the snow. Every moment that passed, Io thought that perhaps, last night was the end of Ijuuin Kyo's patience for him. And he couldn't blame the man at all.

He frowned as he made a circle with his foot. With his stubborn personality he still tried to reason to himself that it was still Ijuuin's fault in the end.

"I don't like him anymore. I was just caught up with the moment because it's his mug I always see...Fuck him making me wait...shit..." he bowed even more, sniffing his real emotions that he was really, actually, honestly sorry.

"Io?"

The teen turned his back, not wanting to show his near crying face. "What blondie? Came to laugh at me?"

"What are you talking about?" Minase replied hurriedly. "Waiting for Ijuuin-sensei?"

"Is it not so obvious?!"

"He's already here..." Minase mumbled distantly.

Io slowly looked at Minase with a disbelieving face. There he was near freezing from seven in the morning and he didn't even got a simple call or even a damned mail that the person he was waiting was already there in the warmth of his freaking office. He felt like he was slapped hard.

The brunette walked past Minase towards the entrance. He swiped his pass without thinking and went inside the elevator not even allowing Minase to get in.

He was ready confronting Ijuuin Kyo. Yell at his face and then cut ties with everything.

As Io was nearing Ijuuin's office, the teen passed some murmuring ladies taking morning coffees on the hallway. They were serious but also looked giddy.

"I think we should bring him coffee right?"

"Heh...but I'm shy," the other one mumbled softly. "Besides...he didn't look so happy. The guard said he was yelling when he came here last night."

Io flinched a little. Yelled? Who? Ijuuin did?

The teen found himself standing in front of Ijuuin's office, with its door wide open. Its glass pane seemed to have a crack. When Io darted his eyes a little lower, he felt his mouth open a little. Was that an android phone broken into pieces he was seeing?

"What..." Io was about to step inside.

But he was suddenly nailed on the spot.

"Did you pull everything back like I told you?" Io gulped. He wasn't sure but he knew whose voice that belonged to. The urgency and hint of menace was there. "Good."

Ijuuin was standing facing the busy view of Tokyo through his windows covered with snow. On his hand was a cordless phone. And Fuji, his secretary was just standing there waiting for Ijuuin to finish. They looked so serious somehow.

"And also, may I ask?" Ijuuin continued, and Io noticed Ijuuin was wearing the same thing the man was wearing last night. "Don't your paper have anything good to write? You try to get publicity by using someone's affairs?"

From behind Io, he felt someone come up to him. It was Minase, looking at the back of his mentor.

"What did you do last night?" Minase asked quietly. "Sensei was up almost all night stopping a picture of you half naked and making out with a guy from being published. I know you said you're gay. But you're not thinking about others at all, are you?"

Io turned his head to look at Minase's blue eyes. Surprisingly, the accusing look Io was expecting wasn't there. That made him even more lost.

"I heard sensei even had to pay some because a lot has been published already," Minase explained. He gave Io an understanding look before patting the brunette once on the back. "If you're that sorry enough to make you cry like that, apologize to him."

Io exhaled, his throat itchy. He was indeed crying as he watched Ijuuin's back and all the things he said at the man last night came flooding back to him.

How childish he'd been. How unreasonable he'd been. How selfish he'd been. How immature he'd been. Io realized all his faults parading before him. His faults he had ever since he was still the Io on top, and the faults the Io right now should try to leave behind.

Ijuuin's back started taking a cloudy form as Io's tears blocked his vision.

"Aren't we very fortunate to have someone as sensei take our sides that far?"

The two young men under Ijuuin's supervision watched the man's hand fall on his side. Even from where they were standing, they both heard how deep Ijuuin's sigh was.

"Done?" Fuji asked.

"Yeah. That's the last one," Ijuuin replied fighting a cough. He was still looking out the window as if he just finally then felt the tiredness from all he did since the other day till that morning. "Message Usami's side that Minase and I will still arrive at the said time."

"Aren't you going to rest first? You should really get some sleep. You look terrible."

"What's sleep? I need to have that meeting with Usami and Takahashi done. Otherwise my schedule would get ruined."

Fuji scribbled something on his tablet shaking his head. "You're Mr. Workaholic again. Did something happen?"

Ijuuin turned to look at Fuji but then caught a glimpse of his two 'students' standing just outside the door. For a long while he just looked at Io who had bowed his head abruptly avoiding eye contact.

"Oi...come on...what are you waiting for? Apologize..." Minase whispered, poking Io on the side lightly.

The boss of the floor walked to the middle of the room, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Pssst," Ijuuin made, directed at Io. "Come here. What on Earth are you crying there so early in the morning? The scowling face suits you better."

Io just stared at the floor wanting to melt at the embarrassment of the hassle he just caused.

"Sorry," Io mouthed.

Ijuuin smiled a little. "I didn't hear that."

Fuji and Minase started to look the other way. They just couldn't stop smiling themselves.

"So-sorry. Are you-are you deaf?" Io barked, still looking at the floor.

"Didn't hear that. I said come here," Ijuuin ordered. "Five..."

Minase slightly pushed Io forward, but Io still refused.

"Four..."

Eyes glued on the floor, the brunette unwillingly took a step closer.

"Three..."

"Two..."

"One..."

Ijuuin gave an exasperated sigh. "Zero."

Io only made a step forward and didn't move anymore on his spot. When Io looked up, it was Ijuuin who made the remaining steps towards Io.

"That's fine with me," Ijuuin mumbled leaning down. "You make one small step forward, and that'll make a huge difference," the man was smiling as he said this. It just made Io cry like stupid there.

Wasn't Ijuuin mad at him at all?

"Sorry for last night..." Io muttered in a small voice so out of his character. "I-I said something I shouldn't..."

Ijuuin sighed and ruffled Io's hair for a short while. "Did you realize anything?"

Io looked up at the dark smiling eyes at him. And Io just nodded.

"Then that's alright," Ijuuin announced, tugging at the familiar scarf around Io's neck. "Apology accepted. So stop crying already. Your snot is all over my favorite scarf now, how dare you?"

Minase couldn't hold it anymore and started snickering outside the room. All the while Fuji was just watching. Who knows what was going inside his head?

To Fuji, Minase and to Ijuuin's surprise, Io held on to Ijuuin abruptly. Clinging like desperately holding into a strong branch that wouldn't break.

"I want to catch up to him...I really do..." Io finally admitted after centuries of holding back. "I want to surpass him..."

Understanding fully who was the 'him' Io was talking about, Ijuuin gave Io a slight tap on his back. "Hai hai. I know. But one step at a time now."

Having the leisure of hugging the man in front of everybody like it was nothing, Io clung tighter. And though Io wanted Ijuuin to hug him back, the man just patted him on the head.

"Oiiii...don't you fall in love with sensei now Io!" Minase teased.

Io closed his eyes inhaling deeply. Too late, he was already head over heels.


chapter end notes:

THANK YOU FOR THE PATIENCE..WWAHHH hahaha my time rewatching all the episode of slamdunk ate all my freetime..hahah gomen gomen!

-shuusetsu

Ps. can i do announcement here for those who're reading 'FALLING FEATHERS'. Update will be on friday my time. i guess for most that'll be thursday? ehe whatever...before this week ends! that's a goal! Fight fight!

questions from LINA

FIRST: thank you sooooooooooooooo much! i am so happy to receive such heartwarming words and encouragements and your interest with the story just...*sniff* touched my heart. ehe..

Uhm...Io's under in a sort of apprenticeship but he's still doing some minor jobs for Ijuuin so he's still being paid. Though i didn't focus on that set-up much.^^

As to Misaki's case...since winning Sonate Competition automatically lines him up with the organization. aside from his winnings, he's also getting a salary like how an employee-in training would.^^

AHAHA..I AM SO BAD AT Q AND As BUT I AM HAPPY TO RECEIVE THEM. THANKS! THANKS ONCE MORE!^^

-shuusetsu