DISCLAIMER: What I said earlier.
Author's Notes: Uh…a tinge of OOC-ness. Gomen, it's unavoidable.
Nakkie: Thanks for pointing it out to me. I guess I'm so used to writing humour that sometimes these kind of things go unnoticed. Hontou ni gomen na sai! *bows*
jaded-puppet, Keitsu Han'ei, sLL, and akane : Thanks a lot for your generous reviews! Hope you'll enjoy the continuation!

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            Sakuragi, now conscious, was pulling his blanket. Apparently he had nothing to see, so his fingers played with the white sheet.
            Rukawa's shoe, upon entering, made a tiny sound. He had waited the whole time Sakuragi was out cold, and just when he was about to go home, he noted the redhead was awake.
            Sakuragi froze almost immediately. His ear listened intently, his mouth shut.
            "Who is it?" he asked, his voice still shaky. "Micchy?"
            Silence.
            Must be my imagination…His thread of thoughts was cut by another similar sound.
            "You're not the nurse, are you?"
            Still no reply.
            "Youhei? Don't play tricks on me, Youhei…" Realizing it would not work, Sakuragi was getting impatient. "Who the hell are you? I can't see you so don't make fun of me like this! I want to get some sleep! Buzz off before I call someone!"
            "It's still early."
            "It doesn't matter to me! My whole world is nighttime now! So just get the hell out of here, Rukawa!" Only then did he recognize whom his mysterious visitor was. "Rukawa?"
            "Hn."
            "I should've known you wouldn't make my life easier even if I'm on a verge of dying…"
            Rukawa kept silent. It crushed him unreservedly to stare at the hazel brown eyes that were once so full of determination, enthusiasm and naturally, life. But the radiance in his eyes was history. Blankness, infinite blankless.
            "Go away, Rukawa, I don't want to see you."
            "You're blind; you can't see me," replied Rukawa without thinking.
            "You insensitive, heartless—" Sakuragi shot curses at Rukawa.
            Inside, Rukawa was blaming himself. Nice going, idiot. Now he's really mad…
            Sakuragi, assuming Rukawa was right in front of him, lunged forward. He stumbled over the bed. Rukawa was, in fact, too far to catch him.
            "Damn, damn, damn…" muttered Sakuragi, his eyes watery. "Leave, Rukawa, please! I beg of you!" There were sobs in his speech.
            Rukawa stood still; staring at the figure sprawled on the floor. He kneeled and held Sakuragi's arm. The blind boy, however, swatted his hand away.
            "Don't touch me!" he warned Rukawa.
            If Sakuragi was not in a deplorable circumstance, Rukawa would have gladly given him a black eye. No, make that two black eyes.
            "I'll help you get up, then I'll go," promised Rukawa, negotiating.
            "I don't need your help either!"
            "Do'aho, don't be stubborn."
            "I know you're enjoying yourself, Rukawa, seeing me so helpless. Go away and don't come here anymore!"
            "…No."
            "Don't be so adamant about this, Rukawa! I know you'll be laughing any moment now that you've seen my pitiful state!"
            "Do'aho, I wouldn't come here simply to laugh at you—"
            "Liar! Go and play basketball, do whatever you want to do—just leave me alone!" He proceeded to punch Rukawa but the shorter lad avoided it gracefully—and in the nick of time.
            "Damn it, Rukawa, stay still so that I'll be able to give you a broken nose!" After several unsuccessful tries, with Rukawa far beyond his reach, he head-butted his own head on the wall.
            Rukawa seized him. "Do'aho, what are you trying to do? Kill yourself?"
            Sakuragi tried to break free from the iron bind. "Yes! I've become a disabled person! There's no use for me to live anymore!"
            Rukawa pulled him away from the wall.
            "I know what I'm doing, Rukawa!" said Sakuragi. "If I hit at the exact spot, I might be able to undo the damage—"
            "By then you'll be long dead."
            "How would you know? And what do you care?"
            "Shut up, you're too noisy."
            "If you want me to be silent, I suggest you leave now. You've seen me, so get moving!"
            "Lie on your bed."
            "How dare you tell me what to do?"
            "Shut up, do'aho."
            "GO!!!"
            Rukawa, knowing Sakuragi could never tell his presence without his sight, stepped out of the room. And he waited.
            Sakuragi stood unmoved for a while. "He's gone." With his hands in front of him, he tried to feel his way. He sat on the bed, his cheeks wet with tears.
            It took all of Rukawa's mind power to prevent himself from marching straight back into the room and dry those tears away.
            "Why me?" Sakuragi was almost choking. "Why must this happen to me?" His trembling hands clutched his sweaty forehead. "Haruko-san…"
            Rukawa's eyebrows quivered. He still remembers her…
            "Now that I'm sightless, she's bound to go after Rukawa…and forget all about me…that sly devil Rukawa gets all the luck…and he had the nerve to come right hear and pretend he's sorry for me…"
            Rukawa could not bear listening to his moans about the captain's sister and himself. Tearing his gaze away, he walked away in silence.

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Author's Notes: Sorry for the short chapter. It can't be any longer. Author's block is attacking me again! Reviews, anyone?