Title: LONELY WITHOUT YOU
Series: 3
Chapter: 1 of 8
Author: Mist
Genre: Yaoi
Pairing: RuHana/HanaRu ... hint of AyaHana ... o.O
Rating: R
Archive: SD Fic ; Fanfiction.Net
Email: myst_sg@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: SD characters belong to Inoue Takehito ; WK characters belong to Project Weiss
Warning: Bad Language! Sexual References!!!
Note to readers: This is another series of shounen-ai/yaoi fiction. Hence if you decide to read it, I think that you (the reader) are receptive towards homosexual fan fiction. So please do not email flames to me (the author) ... For those who have other comments & opinions, I welcome your feedback ... Thank you ... ^_^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Kyoto - 02 December]
All sorts of thoughts ran through his head as the boy mentally replayed the sequence of last night's incident. The sounds that came out from between Sakuragi's lips were unmistakable. They were proof that his caresses had aroused the red head. Then the arrival of unwanted company spoilt everything. Was that man really a bodyguard? In a way, Rukawa had always imagined that such professionals would carry guns & wear a bulletproof vest. The katana had also a strange choice for a weapon. The red head's intervention might have really saved him from certain death. Was it not added proof that Sakuragi had felt something for him?
Kaede "Shit! Shit! Shit!" curses
The owner of the room had not slept a wink since the red head walked out. If anyone were to think that this was surprising, he or she would have been shocked to learn that the boy had also experienced uncontrollable mood swings that alternated between mindless anger & hopeless despair. Bloody crescents upon the palms of his hands were proof of the periods of anger. Reddish eyes & tear-stained cheeks were the evidence of his misery.
Kaede "Hanamichi ..." stares at the rays of the morning sun shining through the window
{Had I been wrong to want you?}
KNOCK! KNOCK!!! KNOCK! KNOCK!!!
Mrs Rukawa "Kaede" opens the door
Kaede "........." looks blankly at his mother
{Hanamichi ...}
Mrs Rukawa "Kaede ..." stares at her son's pale face in shock
Kaede "Leave me alone" speaks dully
{Hanamichi is leaving ... has left me}
Mrs Rukawa "You missed breakfast this morning. Are you sick?" notices tear-stained cheeks "What ..."
Kaede "Just leave me alone" eyes suddenly ablaze with anger "GET OUT!!!"
{Please leave me alone}
In reality, she had been more taken aback than hurt by Rukawa's brusque reaction to her show of concern. Though mother & child were not close; the woman had always thought that she understood the boy. Her son had always been prone towards prolonged periods of silences; he seldom said anything to express his thoughts & emotions unless someone posed a question to him. She had never known the boy to raise his voice towards anyone. So what had happened to the boy? His eyes were red. His eyelids were puffy. Had he been crying?
[Shohoku High School - 03 December]
Two nights ago, the red head had impulsively announced to Rukawa that he would be accepting his Grandfather's offer. Did anyone think that it was a rational decision? Of course not, it was an illogical choice. The teenager had been upset so he basically said the first thing that popped up in his mind. It took a day for him to calm down, but he knew that words once uttered could not be retrieved. What would Rukawa Kaede think of him if he were to change his mind about going to America? Furthermore, he had also asked Aya to inform the Old Man of his decision. Last night, his Grandfather had been so pleased with the news that he had insisted upon accompanying the red head to Shohoku High. Alvarez wanted to ensure that all outstanding matters were sorted out so that Sakuragi would be free to leave once the immigration papers were ready.
During noontime, the entire school had heard the news that the red head was quitting Shohoku High School. A number of the students knew that the 'troublemaker' would be continuing his education overseas. There were also rumours that Sakuragi Hanamichi was actually from a rich family because of his Grandfather's cash contribution towards the school to facilitate matters. Two or three of the other sports clubs had also started plans to petition the student council to redistribute a second sum of money that had been presented to the basketball club. Alvarez had written the second cheque in response to the boy's request. Sakuragi thought that the fellows would look forward to getting new uniforms & equipment. So he had been surprised by his team-mates emotional response. Naturally the red head had noted the absence of a particular individual, but none of the inner turmoil showed on his face.
Anzai "Sakuragi-kun, when will you be leaving Japan?" pats Sakuragi's shoulder
Hanamichi "This weekend" shrugs "Immigration papers will only be ready on Thursday"
{I have four more days}
Takenori "Sakuragi, are you really ..." turns away to hide the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes
Kiminobu "Sakuragi, I wish you the best" sniffs sadly
Hanamichi "Gori, Megane-kun" looks down
{I do not really want to but I have to go}
How ironical it was that the sum of his experience at being rejected by fifty girls now seemed insignificant when compared to the hurt that he now felt. Then Ayako's soft exclamation interrupted his thoughts. Quite a number of the people present were shocked by the sight of Akagi Haruko running into the hall with tears streaming down her cheeks. The girl was headed straight towards Sakuragi. Akagi Takenori had a strange expression on his face, but he remained silent. A muscle in his cheek twitched when his sister stretched out her arms to hug the red head tightly.
Haruko "Please do not go!" sobs "Did not tell you about my feelings ... I like you a lot ... please do not leave"
Takenori "Haruko ... everyone will miss him, but we must respect his decision" looks sadly at his wailing sister
Ayako "Hanamichi, behave yourself when you are overseas or else" smacks the red head lightly with her fan
{What will become of the team without you?}
Everyone had a lot to say to the boy that would be leaving the team. Mitsui Hisashi tried to lighten the mood by commenting that the red head would be able to play basketball in America. Unfortunately, his words only served to remind Sakuragi of Rukawa. The former gang leader thanked his junior silently. Mitsui knew that if the boy had not shown up near the tracks where the bunch of hooligans was attacking Tetsuo, he would have lost the chance to play basketball again.
Hanamichi "Play basketball in America? I am not sure ... maybe I will take up another sport ..." shakes head
{Will I be able to look at the ball without thinking of him? Why does my heart hurt so much when I think of him?}
Ryota "Hanamichi ..." cries openly
Miyagi Ryota might be a tough fighter, but he has a soft heart. His tears did not surprise the guys that knew him well. There were quite a number of things that he wanted to express, but found it difficult to find appropriate words to express his thoughts.
Hanamichi "Ryota" pats the shorter boy awkwardly "Thanks for everything"
Yuki "Sakuragi, can I have your new address?" smiles
{This is absolutely WONDERFUL!!!}
Hanamichi "Not sure ... Grandfather has houses all over the country" shrugs "Will let you know later"
Almost everyone noted the relative newcomer's positive reaction to the news that Sakuragi would be leaving Japan. Whilst the seniors chose to ignore his odd cheerfulness, the other juniors wondered about it.
[Denny's Restaurant - 04 December]
Yesterday evening's farewell session at Shohoku had turned out to be a drawn-out affair, but eventually he did manage to say his goodbyes to everyone that was connected with the basketball club. Coach Anzai was supportive of his decision, but reminded the red head that he was to take care. At that point, Sakuragi almost cried. The boy had come to experience an important lesson in life. A person could learn to stomach physical pain or even to ignore certain physical injuries, but emotional anguish was in a class of its own.
Waitress "Irasshaimase" bows
It was a standard welcome that the Japanese would extend to any customer that had just stepped into a restaurant. Could it be the four of them? The red head looked up & waved. The guys were late. If this had been one of their regular outings, he would soon be asking them to pay for his dinner as a form of 'apology'.
Yohei "Sorry" looks at the clock "Late for twenty minutes"
Hanamichi "........." shrugs
Okusu "Order whatever you want to eat" grins
Takamiya "This is the money" puts an envelope on the table
Noma "The shop owner has agreed to pay us a week's advancement" smiles
This was a simple act of friendship, but the red head was touched by their generosity. The sight of the white envelope made him smile. Several months ago, the boys had worked part-time during their summer vacation. Their hard-earned money was spent on helping him improve his shooting skills.
Hanamichi "Thanks" shakes head "But I will pay for dinner tonight"
{I am not sure if I will ever return to this place}
Takamiya "Really?" blinks
Okusu "Unbelievable" wonders
Noma "Look at that" points at the Sakuragi's bulging wallet
Yohei "Hanamichi?" notes the red head's lack of enthusiasm
{What is wrong?}
Mito Yohei watched as red head pointed out various items on the menu to the waitress. Soon the young lady walked away from their table with a look of disbelief on her face. The young fellow had ordered enough food to feed a dozen healthy teenagers. Before the food was to be served, she moved the boys to a larger table for ten persons so that there would be enough space for the dishes. Dinner was a happy event because there was plenty of delicious food & fizzy drinks. The hours passed quickly. Soon it was time for Sakuragi to say farewell to Noma, Okusu & Takamiya. The three boys managed to stay dry-eyed but the strength of their hugs told Sakuragi what they could not express with words. Then the red head starting walking home with Yohei.
Yohei "Hanamichi" nudges Sakuragi "Want to share a few beers?"
{The best way to get him to talk is make him tipsy}
Hanamichi "Yosh!" brightens up a little
With the shorter of the two leading the way, they walked into one of the liquor stores along the street. Minutes later, they came out with two-dozen cans of their favourite beer. The balding shopkeeper had initially said that he could not sell beer to schoolboys, but a deadly glare from Sakuragi did the trick. The man revised his decision immediately.
[Sakuragi's Apartment - 04 December]
Events had moved so quickly over the last couple of days that the red head did not have an earlier opportunity to let the others know that he had recently acquired two housemates. When the red head rang the doorbell, Yohei was expecting Sakuragi's aunt to open the door for them.
Bombay "Hi" notes Yohei's presence
Yohei "........." takes a step backwards
Hanamichi "Yohei, this is Omi" looks around "Where is Aya?"
Bombay "Shower" points at the bathroom
In response to the reply, the red head told Omi to inform Aya that he was to be left alone. Sakuragi reinforced his request by giving the fellow a look that said 'I Mean What I Say ... So Do Not Disturb'. Meanwhile, Yohei stared at the slight figure dressed in light blue pyjamas. Who was this guy? What is 'Aya'? A person? Or was it the boy's pet animal? Then there was the sound of a familiar voice calling his name.
Yohei "Huh?" blinks
Hanamichi "Come on" beckons at his friend to follow him
Yohei "Oh" takes another look at Omi
As soon as the door was shut, Yohei settled into his favourite spot on the spacious bed. Then he reached over the edge for a can of ice-cold beer. There was a brief period of silence as both of them waited for the other person to start speaking.
Yohei "Do you want me to ask? Or would you rather tell me at your own pace?" pops open the can
{Something must have happened to you}
Hanamichi "........." shrugs "Pass me a beer"
After two sips of beer, Sakuragi started talking about his past. Yohei listened in silence. Sometimes he nodded his head as an indication that he was familiar with certain parts of the story. The boy sat up straight when the red head spoke about his rich Grandfather, Aya, Omi, Youji & Ken. When the tale was finished, Yohei quietly evaluated what he was told. Then he decided that Sakuragi was not being totally honest with him.
Yohei "Hanamichi ... what about Rukawa?" notes the flash of pain across his friend's face
{My guess is correct}
Hanamichi "There is nothing between us ... now" sighs "How did you know?"
{Had I been so obvious?}
Sakuragi spent the rest of the night pouring his heart out to Yohei. Once he got started, it was difficult to stop. At the end, the red head cried. The sight of his childhood friend in tears caused a number of old memories to resurface. The relationship between this pair of friends had been rather different when they were children. Few people could remember that Sakuragi Hanamichi used to be a timid little boy. However most of the neighbourhood kids did not dare to tease the chubby red head. They knew that Mito Yohei would trash them if they had the nerve to make his best friend cry.
Yohei "R-U-K-A-W-A" growls
{I will never forgive you}
Leaning back against the wall, the dark-haired boy watched the red head that had already fallen asleep. Yohei took sometime to sort out his thoughts.
[Sakuragi's Apartment - 05 December]
What time was it? The figure on the bed turned his head slowly to peer at the clock. It was already midday but he was very reluctant to get out of bed. Then he noticed three slips of paper on the table that was beside his bed. Yohei had left a note reminding Sakuragi to call as soon as he has settled into his new home. The other messages were from his housemates. Omi had written in a rounded script asking if the red head wanted anything to eat. Aya's message asked if he needed any help packing his bags.
Hanamichi "........." emerges from the room
{I hate cold weather}
Hours later, the red head started pulling clothes out of the closet. Then he moved to stand in front of his bookshelf that was filled with hundreds of mangas.
Abyssinian "Are you sure that all that can fit into your sack?" eyes the pile of assorted items on the floor
{Your eyes are still red}
Hanamichi "........." shrugs
Abyssinian "Forget about clothes" picks up a shirt "You can get whatever you need over there"
{Do you care so much for Rukawa Kaede?}
Hanamichi "Where?" looks at the older man
The man started talking about the range of shops along Fifth Avenue in New York, and then he fell silent because the red head did not display any active interest. Aya felt like telling the boy to forget the source of his unhappiness, but was interrupted by a call from Youji.
[Sakuragi's Apartment - 06 December]
After having to pack & unpack his bags several times, the red head was finally ready to leave. He took one last look around the apartment that had been his home for the last couple of years. Then he locked the door & made his way downstairs. Youji & Ken had arrived in their rented vehicle to pick up Sakuragi & the other half of their team. As the car cruised through the dark roads, Ken & Omi kept up a regular chatter, while the others remained silent. Being an observant person, Youji soon noticed Aya's concern for Sakuragi. He even counted the number of times that Abyssinian had looked at the red head's reflection in the mirror.
The Old Man nodded when he caught sight of the party of five. As their flight was scheduled to depart after midnight, they had plenty of time for a good meal. Alvarez told the boy that he knew of a restaurant that served excellent Japanese food. The red head simply nodded in reply. He was not enthusiastic about food, but the others were hungry.
Bombay "Come on" tugs Sakuragi
Hanamichi "........." allows the short fellow to pull him along
{This is it ... I am really leaving}
Siberian "Dinner at last!" grins
Balinese "We will join you a bit later" signals for Aya to follow him
Abyssinian "What is it?" checks the toilet cubicles to ensure privacy
Balinese "Is there anything that I should know about?" looks at Aya straight in the eyes
Abyssinian "What are you trying to get at?" eyes narrow with a hint of irritation
Balinese "The red head" brushes a strand of hair off his jacket
Abyssinian "There is nothing between us" splashes some water on face
Balinese "Is that so?" hands Aya a hand towel
As he had expected, Aya did not answer his last question. The purple-haired man simply walked off after saying that they should get back to the others before anyone was to come looking for them.
[New York City - 07 December]
Though it was a long haul flight to New York, they had a comfortable trip as the entire party was seated in the First Class section of airplane. Everyone appreciated the luxurious seating, excellent food & attentive service. Then the plane landed smoothly at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The entire group cleared immigration in a record time of fifteen minutes. Despite his weary state, Sakuragi noted that all persons had Alvarez with respect. It was rather amusing to watch these people trying their best to be polite & helpful. Finally the party left the airport behind as the cars moved along Interstate 678. This route passed through New York City, crossed over the East River into Bronx.
Balinese "Sakuragi, how do you find New York so far?" looks at the rear-view mirror
{So quiet ... too quiet}
Hanamichi "........." shrugs
{Wished that I had paid more attention during English language lessons}
Balinese "True ... it is too soon to ask you this question" smiles
{What does Aya see in this fellow? The hair?}
Then Ken told the red head to prepare for a surprise. The red head asked why, but the other guy simply smiled. Sakuragi was about to fall into another period of silence when Aya decided to reply the boy's question. The man said that his new home was located in an exclusive area in Mamaroneck called Premium Point. Its original owner had named the Mediterranean-style estate Beau Rivage.
Abyssinian "There is also an excellent view of the Long Island Sound" accepts a canned drink from Ken
Balinese "The estate is close to 2.2 acres with tennis courts, sauna, indoor & outdoor pools" whistles
Hanamichi "Oh" blinks
Abyssinian "Your room is on the 3rd level with the rest of us" looks at the red head
Balinese "Private beach & marina" smirks "The women will love you"
{They will practically fight to get you into their beds ... or themselves into your bed}
Abyssinian "Enough! I do not want you to put funny ideas into his head!" glares at Youji "Do you understand?!"
Three pairs of eyes stared at the man in amazement. The other members of the team knew that Aya was generally a silent individual. The purple-haired man seldom expressed his thoughts or emotions. Hence such a display of protective anger was very, very unusual.
Hanamichi "Oh" looks out the window
{Okay ... we have just passed the gates, so where is the house?}
Eventually the cars did come to a stop in front of the house. Sakuragi looked around his new surroundings in astonishment. There had been truth in Ken's words. The size of the structure was staggering to the mind. It was also more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. The poor boy's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when the Old Man asked Aya to show Sakuragi around the house.
Abyssinian "How do you like this place?" leads the red head into his new bedroom
{A fresh start ...}
Hanamichi "Is this really my room?" stares "This walk-in wardrobe is even more spacious than my old bedroom"
Abyssinian "........." studies Sakuragi's expression
{So very striking ... yet so simple}
Hanamichi "Hmmm?" catches the older man gazing at him
Abyssinian "Get some rest. Do you want to go shopping later?" pulls Sakuragi out of the wardrobe
{You are so different from me}
Hanamichi "Okay" yawns
Abyssinian "See you later" shuts the door
{Could this be the reason?}
Following a long soak in a spacious bathtub to ease the aching muscles, Sakuragi picked up the phone & dialled his best friend's telephone number. Mito Yohei was not at home, so the red head left details of his new address & contact number with the boy's mother. Then he climbed onto the bed & slept.
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To be continued ... ... ... as usual, I look forward to your feedback ... ^_^
Series: 3
Chapter: 1 of 8
Author: Mist
Genre: Yaoi
Pairing: RuHana/HanaRu ... hint of AyaHana ... o.O
Rating: R
Archive: SD Fic ; Fanfiction.Net
Email: myst_sg@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: SD characters belong to Inoue Takehito ; WK characters belong to Project Weiss
Warning: Bad Language! Sexual References!!!
Note to readers: This is another series of shounen-ai/yaoi fiction. Hence if you decide to read it, I think that you (the reader) are receptive towards homosexual fan fiction. So please do not email flames to me (the author) ... For those who have other comments & opinions, I welcome your feedback ... Thank you ... ^_^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Kyoto - 02 December]
All sorts of thoughts ran through his head as the boy mentally replayed the sequence of last night's incident. The sounds that came out from between Sakuragi's lips were unmistakable. They were proof that his caresses had aroused the red head. Then the arrival of unwanted company spoilt everything. Was that man really a bodyguard? In a way, Rukawa had always imagined that such professionals would carry guns & wear a bulletproof vest. The katana had also a strange choice for a weapon. The red head's intervention might have really saved him from certain death. Was it not added proof that Sakuragi had felt something for him?
Kaede "Shit! Shit! Shit!" curses
The owner of the room had not slept a wink since the red head walked out. If anyone were to think that this was surprising, he or she would have been shocked to learn that the boy had also experienced uncontrollable mood swings that alternated between mindless anger & hopeless despair. Bloody crescents upon the palms of his hands were proof of the periods of anger. Reddish eyes & tear-stained cheeks were the evidence of his misery.
Kaede "Hanamichi ..." stares at the rays of the morning sun shining through the window
{Had I been wrong to want you?}
KNOCK! KNOCK!!! KNOCK! KNOCK!!!
Mrs Rukawa "Kaede" opens the door
Kaede "........." looks blankly at his mother
{Hanamichi ...}
Mrs Rukawa "Kaede ..." stares at her son's pale face in shock
Kaede "Leave me alone" speaks dully
{Hanamichi is leaving ... has left me}
Mrs Rukawa "You missed breakfast this morning. Are you sick?" notices tear-stained cheeks "What ..."
Kaede "Just leave me alone" eyes suddenly ablaze with anger "GET OUT!!!"
{Please leave me alone}
In reality, she had been more taken aback than hurt by Rukawa's brusque reaction to her show of concern. Though mother & child were not close; the woman had always thought that she understood the boy. Her son had always been prone towards prolonged periods of silences; he seldom said anything to express his thoughts & emotions unless someone posed a question to him. She had never known the boy to raise his voice towards anyone. So what had happened to the boy? His eyes were red. His eyelids were puffy. Had he been crying?
[Shohoku High School - 03 December]
Two nights ago, the red head had impulsively announced to Rukawa that he would be accepting his Grandfather's offer. Did anyone think that it was a rational decision? Of course not, it was an illogical choice. The teenager had been upset so he basically said the first thing that popped up in his mind. It took a day for him to calm down, but he knew that words once uttered could not be retrieved. What would Rukawa Kaede think of him if he were to change his mind about going to America? Furthermore, he had also asked Aya to inform the Old Man of his decision. Last night, his Grandfather had been so pleased with the news that he had insisted upon accompanying the red head to Shohoku High. Alvarez wanted to ensure that all outstanding matters were sorted out so that Sakuragi would be free to leave once the immigration papers were ready.
During noontime, the entire school had heard the news that the red head was quitting Shohoku High School. A number of the students knew that the 'troublemaker' would be continuing his education overseas. There were also rumours that Sakuragi Hanamichi was actually from a rich family because of his Grandfather's cash contribution towards the school to facilitate matters. Two or three of the other sports clubs had also started plans to petition the student council to redistribute a second sum of money that had been presented to the basketball club. Alvarez had written the second cheque in response to the boy's request. Sakuragi thought that the fellows would look forward to getting new uniforms & equipment. So he had been surprised by his team-mates emotional response. Naturally the red head had noted the absence of a particular individual, but none of the inner turmoil showed on his face.
Anzai "Sakuragi-kun, when will you be leaving Japan?" pats Sakuragi's shoulder
Hanamichi "This weekend" shrugs "Immigration papers will only be ready on Thursday"
{I have four more days}
Takenori "Sakuragi, are you really ..." turns away to hide the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes
Kiminobu "Sakuragi, I wish you the best" sniffs sadly
Hanamichi "Gori, Megane-kun" looks down
{I do not really want to but I have to go}
How ironical it was that the sum of his experience at being rejected by fifty girls now seemed insignificant when compared to the hurt that he now felt. Then Ayako's soft exclamation interrupted his thoughts. Quite a number of the people present were shocked by the sight of Akagi Haruko running into the hall with tears streaming down her cheeks. The girl was headed straight towards Sakuragi. Akagi Takenori had a strange expression on his face, but he remained silent. A muscle in his cheek twitched when his sister stretched out her arms to hug the red head tightly.
Haruko "Please do not go!" sobs "Did not tell you about my feelings ... I like you a lot ... please do not leave"
Takenori "Haruko ... everyone will miss him, but we must respect his decision" looks sadly at his wailing sister
Ayako "Hanamichi, behave yourself when you are overseas or else" smacks the red head lightly with her fan
{What will become of the team without you?}
Everyone had a lot to say to the boy that would be leaving the team. Mitsui Hisashi tried to lighten the mood by commenting that the red head would be able to play basketball in America. Unfortunately, his words only served to remind Sakuragi of Rukawa. The former gang leader thanked his junior silently. Mitsui knew that if the boy had not shown up near the tracks where the bunch of hooligans was attacking Tetsuo, he would have lost the chance to play basketball again.
Hanamichi "Play basketball in America? I am not sure ... maybe I will take up another sport ..." shakes head
{Will I be able to look at the ball without thinking of him? Why does my heart hurt so much when I think of him?}
Ryota "Hanamichi ..." cries openly
Miyagi Ryota might be a tough fighter, but he has a soft heart. His tears did not surprise the guys that knew him well. There were quite a number of things that he wanted to express, but found it difficult to find appropriate words to express his thoughts.
Hanamichi "Ryota" pats the shorter boy awkwardly "Thanks for everything"
Yuki "Sakuragi, can I have your new address?" smiles
{This is absolutely WONDERFUL!!!}
Hanamichi "Not sure ... Grandfather has houses all over the country" shrugs "Will let you know later"
Almost everyone noted the relative newcomer's positive reaction to the news that Sakuragi would be leaving Japan. Whilst the seniors chose to ignore his odd cheerfulness, the other juniors wondered about it.
[Denny's Restaurant - 04 December]
Yesterday evening's farewell session at Shohoku had turned out to be a drawn-out affair, but eventually he did manage to say his goodbyes to everyone that was connected with the basketball club. Coach Anzai was supportive of his decision, but reminded the red head that he was to take care. At that point, Sakuragi almost cried. The boy had come to experience an important lesson in life. A person could learn to stomach physical pain or even to ignore certain physical injuries, but emotional anguish was in a class of its own.
Waitress "Irasshaimase" bows
It was a standard welcome that the Japanese would extend to any customer that had just stepped into a restaurant. Could it be the four of them? The red head looked up & waved. The guys were late. If this had been one of their regular outings, he would soon be asking them to pay for his dinner as a form of 'apology'.
Yohei "Sorry" looks at the clock "Late for twenty minutes"
Hanamichi "........." shrugs
Okusu "Order whatever you want to eat" grins
Takamiya "This is the money" puts an envelope on the table
Noma "The shop owner has agreed to pay us a week's advancement" smiles
This was a simple act of friendship, but the red head was touched by their generosity. The sight of the white envelope made him smile. Several months ago, the boys had worked part-time during their summer vacation. Their hard-earned money was spent on helping him improve his shooting skills.
Hanamichi "Thanks" shakes head "But I will pay for dinner tonight"
{I am not sure if I will ever return to this place}
Takamiya "Really?" blinks
Okusu "Unbelievable" wonders
Noma "Look at that" points at the Sakuragi's bulging wallet
Yohei "Hanamichi?" notes the red head's lack of enthusiasm
{What is wrong?}
Mito Yohei watched as red head pointed out various items on the menu to the waitress. Soon the young lady walked away from their table with a look of disbelief on her face. The young fellow had ordered enough food to feed a dozen healthy teenagers. Before the food was to be served, she moved the boys to a larger table for ten persons so that there would be enough space for the dishes. Dinner was a happy event because there was plenty of delicious food & fizzy drinks. The hours passed quickly. Soon it was time for Sakuragi to say farewell to Noma, Okusu & Takamiya. The three boys managed to stay dry-eyed but the strength of their hugs told Sakuragi what they could not express with words. Then the red head starting walking home with Yohei.
Yohei "Hanamichi" nudges Sakuragi "Want to share a few beers?"
{The best way to get him to talk is make him tipsy}
Hanamichi "Yosh!" brightens up a little
With the shorter of the two leading the way, they walked into one of the liquor stores along the street. Minutes later, they came out with two-dozen cans of their favourite beer. The balding shopkeeper had initially said that he could not sell beer to schoolboys, but a deadly glare from Sakuragi did the trick. The man revised his decision immediately.
[Sakuragi's Apartment - 04 December]
Events had moved so quickly over the last couple of days that the red head did not have an earlier opportunity to let the others know that he had recently acquired two housemates. When the red head rang the doorbell, Yohei was expecting Sakuragi's aunt to open the door for them.
Bombay "Hi" notes Yohei's presence
Yohei "........." takes a step backwards
Hanamichi "Yohei, this is Omi" looks around "Where is Aya?"
Bombay "Shower" points at the bathroom
In response to the reply, the red head told Omi to inform Aya that he was to be left alone. Sakuragi reinforced his request by giving the fellow a look that said 'I Mean What I Say ... So Do Not Disturb'. Meanwhile, Yohei stared at the slight figure dressed in light blue pyjamas. Who was this guy? What is 'Aya'? A person? Or was it the boy's pet animal? Then there was the sound of a familiar voice calling his name.
Yohei "Huh?" blinks
Hanamichi "Come on" beckons at his friend to follow him
Yohei "Oh" takes another look at Omi
As soon as the door was shut, Yohei settled into his favourite spot on the spacious bed. Then he reached over the edge for a can of ice-cold beer. There was a brief period of silence as both of them waited for the other person to start speaking.
Yohei "Do you want me to ask? Or would you rather tell me at your own pace?" pops open the can
{Something must have happened to you}
Hanamichi "........." shrugs "Pass me a beer"
After two sips of beer, Sakuragi started talking about his past. Yohei listened in silence. Sometimes he nodded his head as an indication that he was familiar with certain parts of the story. The boy sat up straight when the red head spoke about his rich Grandfather, Aya, Omi, Youji & Ken. When the tale was finished, Yohei quietly evaluated what he was told. Then he decided that Sakuragi was not being totally honest with him.
Yohei "Hanamichi ... what about Rukawa?" notes the flash of pain across his friend's face
{My guess is correct}
Hanamichi "There is nothing between us ... now" sighs "How did you know?"
{Had I been so obvious?}
Sakuragi spent the rest of the night pouring his heart out to Yohei. Once he got started, it was difficult to stop. At the end, the red head cried. The sight of his childhood friend in tears caused a number of old memories to resurface. The relationship between this pair of friends had been rather different when they were children. Few people could remember that Sakuragi Hanamichi used to be a timid little boy. However most of the neighbourhood kids did not dare to tease the chubby red head. They knew that Mito Yohei would trash them if they had the nerve to make his best friend cry.
Yohei "R-U-K-A-W-A" growls
{I will never forgive you}
Leaning back against the wall, the dark-haired boy watched the red head that had already fallen asleep. Yohei took sometime to sort out his thoughts.
[Sakuragi's Apartment - 05 December]
What time was it? The figure on the bed turned his head slowly to peer at the clock. It was already midday but he was very reluctant to get out of bed. Then he noticed three slips of paper on the table that was beside his bed. Yohei had left a note reminding Sakuragi to call as soon as he has settled into his new home. The other messages were from his housemates. Omi had written in a rounded script asking if the red head wanted anything to eat. Aya's message asked if he needed any help packing his bags.
Hanamichi "........." emerges from the room
{I hate cold weather}
Hours later, the red head started pulling clothes out of the closet. Then he moved to stand in front of his bookshelf that was filled with hundreds of mangas.
Abyssinian "Are you sure that all that can fit into your sack?" eyes the pile of assorted items on the floor
{Your eyes are still red}
Hanamichi "........." shrugs
Abyssinian "Forget about clothes" picks up a shirt "You can get whatever you need over there"
{Do you care so much for Rukawa Kaede?}
Hanamichi "Where?" looks at the older man
The man started talking about the range of shops along Fifth Avenue in New York, and then he fell silent because the red head did not display any active interest. Aya felt like telling the boy to forget the source of his unhappiness, but was interrupted by a call from Youji.
[Sakuragi's Apartment - 06 December]
After having to pack & unpack his bags several times, the red head was finally ready to leave. He took one last look around the apartment that had been his home for the last couple of years. Then he locked the door & made his way downstairs. Youji & Ken had arrived in their rented vehicle to pick up Sakuragi & the other half of their team. As the car cruised through the dark roads, Ken & Omi kept up a regular chatter, while the others remained silent. Being an observant person, Youji soon noticed Aya's concern for Sakuragi. He even counted the number of times that Abyssinian had looked at the red head's reflection in the mirror.
The Old Man nodded when he caught sight of the party of five. As their flight was scheduled to depart after midnight, they had plenty of time for a good meal. Alvarez told the boy that he knew of a restaurant that served excellent Japanese food. The red head simply nodded in reply. He was not enthusiastic about food, but the others were hungry.
Bombay "Come on" tugs Sakuragi
Hanamichi "........." allows the short fellow to pull him along
{This is it ... I am really leaving}
Siberian "Dinner at last!" grins
Balinese "We will join you a bit later" signals for Aya to follow him
Abyssinian "What is it?" checks the toilet cubicles to ensure privacy
Balinese "Is there anything that I should know about?" looks at Aya straight in the eyes
Abyssinian "What are you trying to get at?" eyes narrow with a hint of irritation
Balinese "The red head" brushes a strand of hair off his jacket
Abyssinian "There is nothing between us" splashes some water on face
Balinese "Is that so?" hands Aya a hand towel
As he had expected, Aya did not answer his last question. The purple-haired man simply walked off after saying that they should get back to the others before anyone was to come looking for them.
[New York City - 07 December]
Though it was a long haul flight to New York, they had a comfortable trip as the entire party was seated in the First Class section of airplane. Everyone appreciated the luxurious seating, excellent food & attentive service. Then the plane landed smoothly at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The entire group cleared immigration in a record time of fifteen minutes. Despite his weary state, Sakuragi noted that all persons had Alvarez with respect. It was rather amusing to watch these people trying their best to be polite & helpful. Finally the party left the airport behind as the cars moved along Interstate 678. This route passed through New York City, crossed over the East River into Bronx.
Balinese "Sakuragi, how do you find New York so far?" looks at the rear-view mirror
{So quiet ... too quiet}
Hanamichi "........." shrugs
{Wished that I had paid more attention during English language lessons}
Balinese "True ... it is too soon to ask you this question" smiles
{What does Aya see in this fellow? The hair?}
Then Ken told the red head to prepare for a surprise. The red head asked why, but the other guy simply smiled. Sakuragi was about to fall into another period of silence when Aya decided to reply the boy's question. The man said that his new home was located in an exclusive area in Mamaroneck called Premium Point. Its original owner had named the Mediterranean-style estate Beau Rivage.
Abyssinian "There is also an excellent view of the Long Island Sound" accepts a canned drink from Ken
Balinese "The estate is close to 2.2 acres with tennis courts, sauna, indoor & outdoor pools" whistles
Hanamichi "Oh" blinks
Abyssinian "Your room is on the 3rd level with the rest of us" looks at the red head
Balinese "Private beach & marina" smirks "The women will love you"
{They will practically fight to get you into their beds ... or themselves into your bed}
Abyssinian "Enough! I do not want you to put funny ideas into his head!" glares at Youji "Do you understand?!"
Three pairs of eyes stared at the man in amazement. The other members of the team knew that Aya was generally a silent individual. The purple-haired man seldom expressed his thoughts or emotions. Hence such a display of protective anger was very, very unusual.
Hanamichi "Oh" looks out the window
{Okay ... we have just passed the gates, so where is the house?}
Eventually the cars did come to a stop in front of the house. Sakuragi looked around his new surroundings in astonishment. There had been truth in Ken's words. The size of the structure was staggering to the mind. It was also more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. The poor boy's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when the Old Man asked Aya to show Sakuragi around the house.
Abyssinian "How do you like this place?" leads the red head into his new bedroom
{A fresh start ...}
Hanamichi "Is this really my room?" stares "This walk-in wardrobe is even more spacious than my old bedroom"
Abyssinian "........." studies Sakuragi's expression
{So very striking ... yet so simple}
Hanamichi "Hmmm?" catches the older man gazing at him
Abyssinian "Get some rest. Do you want to go shopping later?" pulls Sakuragi out of the wardrobe
{You are so different from me}
Hanamichi "Okay" yawns
Abyssinian "See you later" shuts the door
{Could this be the reason?}
Following a long soak in a spacious bathtub to ease the aching muscles, Sakuragi picked up the phone & dialled his best friend's telephone number. Mito Yohei was not at home, so the red head left details of his new address & contact number with the boy's mother. Then he climbed onto the bed & slept.
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To be continued ... ... ... as usual, I look forward to your feedback ... ^_^