Title: Penny for Your Thoughts
Author: Crescent Quetzalcoatl
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Yaoi (you've been warned…)
Disclaimer: The usual disclaimers apply…
Chapter 6: Strife
Sakuragi's house, afternoon…
"NANI?!"
"Not so loud, Hanamichi!" Youhei scolded him, "And calm down."
"Calm—calm down?! Teme! How could I calm down?" Sakuragi pulled Youhei's shirt angrily, "I'm not allowed to play basketball for a week! A WEEK!"
"Onegai, Hanamichi. It was Anzai-sensei's orders," Youhei pulled Sakuragi's hand away. "Besides, you're still invalid."
"Nani?!" Sakuragi was exasperated, "I'll show you invalid!" He grabbed Youhei's head into a forceful headbutt. The redhead slumped into his bed grumpily. "If I know better, it was the baka kitsune who wanted me out. Baka! Baka! Baka!" Sakuragi grumbled.
Youhei lifted himself from the floor and touched a swollen bump on his top.
"Ite~Hanamichi… Rukawa just wants what is good for you, I guess."
"Ch! Why d'you have to tell him I was in a fight?"
"I didn't. He came here and found you badly bruised. I think he actually cares for you," Youhei said, waiting for his bestfriend's reaction.
"Cares? Impossible! He's just a good-for-nothing-kitsune!" Sakuragi snorted.
"Then I guess I just have to tell Anzai-sensei you're too stubborn, do'aho."
Sakuragi's and Youhei's heads snapped towards the voice full of the familiar icy-ness.
"Rukawa!!!"
"Hn."
The raven-haired kitsune walked towards the bed where Sakuragi and Youhei were sitting. He stopped in front of the redhead, looking down at him. Sakuragi could feel the intense gaze of his so-called rival that an obvious blush crept up from his neck.
"Ki—Kitsune! Wha—why—why are you here?" the redhead stammered.
"Rukawa-san, we didn't hear you coming," Youhei commented and noticed his best friend's weird color.
"The door's open."
"Stupid kitsune! You could've at least knocked!" Sakuragi's still looking up at Rukawa, the blush lingered on his cheeks.
"Exams next week, do'aho. Here's your notes," Rukawa moved from his position, and pulled out a notebook, placing it on the redhead's study table.
Sakuragi was relieved by not being under his gaze and stood up to grab the notebook to criticize it. "Haruko-chan could've done it for me," he said bluntly that Youhei choked in his own breath.
"Hanamichi! You don't mean that!" the shorter boy scolded his best friend then alarmed at what might be the kitsune's reaction.
Sakuragi looked quizzically at him. Doushite? Youhei's taking the kitsune's side? "Nani? Haruko-chan cares for me."
And you think I don't, do'aho? Rukawa thought bitterly but kept his thoughts unvoiced. Instead, he opted for something that will obtain a reaction from the redhead. "She's staying at my house tonight."
"NANI?!!!" Sakuragi jumped on him and grabbed his front shirt. "Why you sly fox!"
"Matte, Hanamichi!" Youhei tried to pull his best friend away from Rukawa. What are you doing, Rukawa?
Something that I should've done a long time ago. Rukawa must've read Youhei's thoughts and pushed Sakuragi away from him, even if it means losing the feel of his powerful arms. "She's the team's manageress. We'll talk about the game we lost to Ryonan."
Sakuragi stopped from grabbing the kitsune again when he heard his words. Never in his life would he hear the fox utter such long words and the impact of those words about their loss seemed an insult to him.
"You're blaming me, kitsune," Sakuragi narrowed his eyes.
Rukawa stepped backwards to the door. He doesn't want to be under those chocolate brown eyes' spell. "Exams next week." Then he nodded to Youhei and closed the door after him.
"Hanamichi…" Youhei called softly.
"Hn." Sakuragi was gritting his teeth in annoyance. "I'm calling Haruko-chan!"
"Iie! Let them be!" Youhei gripped Sakuragi's arms.
"Why are you doing this to me?!" his chocolate brown eyes blazed with anger, feeling betrayed by his own best friend. "Why are you siding with him?!"
"Because I know this is right!"
"No! No! NO! Rukawa's taking Haruko-chan away from me! You are taking her away from me too!" Sakuragi pushed Youhei so hard that the dark-haired boy swore. "Get away from me! Only Haruko-chan cares for me! Get away!"
"Yamero, Hanamichi! She's not the only one! Yamero! Listen to me!" Youhei punched the redhead in order to restrain him. "Listen to me!" Sakuragi was out of control and Youhei knew why.
Sakuragi remained slumped on the foot of the bed. He hasn't had the strength to battle him; he hasn't had the heart to fight anymore.
"Why are you doing this to me?" he said in a mere whisper. Youhei kneeled in front of him and took the red-crowned head of his best friend.
"I'm doing this because I care for you… always remember that, Hanamichi. Haruko-san is not your life. She's not the only one who cares for you. She's not your world," Youhei said softly, stroking the red strands and hugging the almost frail being Sakuragi had become.
"The kitsune…" The redhead buried his face on Youhei's chest as if seeking protection from the world.
"Don't hate him…"
"He doesn't like me. He wants me to be unhappy." Youhei heard him stifle a sob. "I'm scared…"
"Shhh…don't be… I'm here, Hana…" Encircling his arms, Youhei gently rocked Sakuragi to sleep. If you only knew…
+++
Rukawa Mansion, seven-thirty pm…
"I didn't know!" Akagi Haruko faced the blue-eyed boy almost guiltily. They were sitting in the sofa, Rukawa opposite the brown-haired girl. "I never knew he'd be in trouble!"
"And all he wanted was for you to be safe," Rukawa said grimly. "Why did you invite him to the movie?"
"I—I want to—to have his company," she said, trembling after knowing the redhead's condition. "I—I didn't know the movie was too long."
"Do you like him?" Rukawa stared at her.
"Yes…" she nodded.
"Do you realize he likes you so much?"
"I do… but I only like him as a brother."
"Why don't tell him?"
"He'll get sad," she said as a matter-of-factly.
"Can't you see, he's so blinded by his infatuation that he'll take anything for granted just because of you," he gritted his teeth, he's using too many words just to make this Akagi-girl realize what Sakuragi has been to.
"But… whom I like is… you…" Haruko raised her eyes trying to meet Rukawa's.
"I'll take you home," Rukawa started to rise. Haruko moved from her seat and tried to hug the boy from behind.
"I like you, Rukawa-kun! Iie! I love you!" she hugged him tightly as she buried her nose in his shirt. "I love you!"
Rukawa stiffened. He cruelly pried her arms away from his torso and bore his icy-blue eyes in hers. "You're so SELFISH!"
"Rukawa-kun…!" she was crying.
"You're so selfish, Akagi-san!" Rukawa was angry with this girl who caused his do'aho's misery. "You're so selfish that you would not give him up even if you want me!"
"But Sakuragi-kun needs me! He'll get hurt if I tell him!"
"He's hurting now!"
Haruko buried her face in her hands. The love of her life was screaming at her, angry with her.
"What is it you want, Rukawa-kun?" she whispered.
"Tell him."
"Tell him… that I love you?"
"No," Rukawa gritted his teeth once more. "Tell him… you don't deserve him."
"He needs me." Her blue eyes challenged his.
"He doesn't need you," Rukawa said, bitterly. "You were like a security blanket for him, believing that you cared like he did. He shut the world from his heart believing you're the one that'll make him happy. For him, you're a necessity. For you, he's merely a convenience**."
Those words hit her like lightning. Never in her life would someone dared to talk to her like that. It hurts so badly because it had been Rukawa. It even hurts more because she knew it was true.
Haruko's eyes filled with tears.
"I hate you! I HATE YOU, Rukawa Kaede! I HATE YOU!" she screamed, beating her chest with her fist.
"Hate me," he said, "Hate me… as I have hated you."
Her blue eyes blazed, she stopped beating him. And she swung her hand across his cheek.
"You'll never be happy," she swore and reached for her bag and slammed the door on her way out.
Rukawa's face was stoic. He's left cheek was red with pain.
The next day, Akagi Haruko quit on being a manageress.
Sakuragi was still not attending his classes. He acquired a fever the day the fox came.
-tsuzuku-
Crescent speaks:
** I think this line belongs to Tina Caps. Gomen nasai, I guess I've been reading too many fics I didn't know I was unconsciously borrowing some of their lines, and thank you for pointing it out! ^__^
Yosh minna! I have driven Haruko away! Muahahaha!!! *Haruko fans throw knives and plates at the author* WAAAHH!!! Tasukete!!!
*hides behind the monitor* *Haruko fans proceed to the next room to hunt Crescent* Whew!
Okay! I promise on the next chap, Rukawa and Youhei will save him! I just need the Akagi-girl out of the picture… hehehe! I'm bad… . Rukawa's talkative ne? Youhei loves Hana as his best friend… demo… its up to you if it's the same as Rukawa's love. *wink*
Gomen nasai for not updating sooner. Christmas vacation's very near and school's giving us a lot of work before then. Hope you'll like this chap!!! Review please!
akane – yeah, don't kill me yet okay? *smiles* gomen, akane-san… um… the next fic will reveal the thugs. Thank you!!! Ur the lazy neko, am I right? ^__^
kristel – here's the next chap! ^__^ haruko's here! but I kicked her out again! *evil grin* (really gomen for haruko fans) thanks for helping me hunt her! *glomps kristel-san* you like the development? *teary-eyed* thank you! Here's another, hope u like it! RuHana forever!
sLL – whew! And I thought you guys wud puke at a sappy chap! But saps always get to me too! *wide smile* the thought conversations were spur of the moment really, but it did help, did it? gomen 4 not updating sooner… Thanks!
Dr. Jigen – really? Great? *teary eyed* thank you so much! Don't worry I'm bent on finishing this one! Thanks!!!
Annachan – I never thought it'd be like this… *smiles sheepishly* thank you for reviewing and you liked it! I guess something like this flowed out from me when I'm depressed and happy at the same time. Did I make sense? Oh well… I'm really sorry for making him suffer, when I started out like that the feeling just lingers… hope you'll still read this… thank you so much!!!
Tina Caps – oh Tina! I was just joking! Really gomen 4 saying that, I'm just used to reading such long reviews from you that it surprised me when I saw that. But really I appreciate anything that'll come from my readers! ^__^ When I thought of making Hana beaten up I realized I have to do something abt it lest everyone might think of this fic as a slow one. T__T and Youhei made his entrance! What a best friend! Here, another development! Thank you so much!!!! oh and Haruko's out of the picture now… (really Haruko fans please don't read this!)
Hikaru Itsuko – Next chap for you! Me too, I don't hate her but I want Rukawa and Hana together! Thanks for reviewing! Hope you'll like this, and Youhei's in it. hope you like Youhei, he's the best bestfriend Hana could ever have… AWEEE!!! You liked it!!!
Rivers – thank you for reviewing! I was really worried that my fic was slow. *scratches head* I'm trying to find every angle of the story so that I won't miss anything out… don't worry, it'll have a happy ending. Enjoy reading! ^__^
Yenny – Thank you so much!!! more of sweet Rukawa! ^^;;; okay… maybe a talkative Rukawa… ^^;;; RuHana rulze!!!
Arisfilan – you think its sweet? The best chap? *glomps Arisfilan* thank you!!! Herrr… Hana will reveal his feelings in the next chapters… no, not the next one… maybe the others… *scratches head* err… please read! Thanks again!
