Chapter Three
The blonde kept staring on the picture, unable to cast his eyes away from a certain figure. The two figures in the picture were holding each other's hands and they looked happy together, well even though the Iceman only smiled a little bit. 'Hmm… now I know why you left me. This is the reason. You're such a lucky guy, Tezuka-kun. Finding such a beautiful lady like Mrs.. umm..' Then he realized he hadn't known her name yet. He sat on a wooden bench and started to search again for an ID. "Let's see. Her name is Syusuke Fuji, oh so it's Mrs. Fuji then. Marital status… single? What? But, didn't she say that she was a 'Mrs', didn't she? So, she isn't Tezuka's wife after all? Oh, good then I still have a chance." He started to think about a certain brunette. He directed his attention back to the ID card. "Gender… male. Blood type…" He kept reading it without noticing something odd. "Hey, wait a minute. I think something is wrong." He read the ID again. "gender… male?!! What the… it's a he not a she?? Whoa, how could I be so stupid?" I'm not a Miss. "Oh, that's what she, err... he meant. So, he's Tezuka's boyfriend?! Tezuka…" The man clenched his fist in anger.
***
When he was about to read his LOTR novel, he heard a knock on the door. He rushed downstairs to answer it, because he was the only one in the house. When he opened the door, he was completely shocked. A familiar guy wearing a navy blue cap was standing in front of his door. "Tezuka…" He mumbled. He started to clench his fist. Suddenly he felt anger.
"Umm… Fuji-san, I'm sorry to disturb you, but…" The man reached in his pocket and gave him his wallet. "I came to return this to you. You dropped it." He gave a cheerful smile. And he opened his cap to reveal his blonde spiky hair. "Is there anything wrong? You've been starring." The brunette was gazing at him for a while.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that you look like someone." 'Oh, it's not him. But, how could he look so much like him?'
The blonde just grinned. 'Look like someone, I look like him, don't I? Tezuka… Of course I do. Anyway, I'm his…' His grin became wider when he thought of the certain man.
"Thank you. I'm sorry to put you into trouble. Please come in." He put his usual smile-all-day mode. "Please sit down, umm... Mr..." He gestured towards the sofa.
"Tetsu." He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"I'm Syusuke Fuji. Nice to meet you, too." He reached out for his hand.
"Umm... Syusuke-kun. Can I call you that?" The other guy just nodded. "I want to apologize. Umm… for calling you Miss. I thought you were a girl. I'm very sorry."
Fuji just laughed. "It's fine. I'm used to it. You're not the first person to think that I'm a girl."
"Yeah, sure with such a beautiful face like that who wouldn't." He mumbled. "Well, it's strange. A big house like this, why is it so quiet? You live here alone?"
"No, well it used to be. But, everyone's out now. My sister lives with her husband. My brother lives in the school dormitory. My parents are in New York." Suddenly he looked sad, but he quickly replaced the emotions with a bright smile.
"New York? For vacation? Or are they in a business trip? So you're alone now?" The blonde's curiosity kept rising. He wanted to know as much as he could about this beautiful guy.
"My parents are diplomats. They work for the United Nations. And they want me to move there too." The sad expression came back. This time, the other guy realized it.
There's something about that brunette that makes him want to embrace him, comfort him. But he couldn't do that, they just met more ever both of them are men. Then, he patted Fuji's shoulder. "It will be okay, Syusuke-kun." Then he gave Fuji his most cheerful smile.
Somehow, Tetsu's smile lightens him up. Something in the man made this warm fuzzy feeling in his heart. Have you ever met someone who makes you see the world from a different point of view? He doesn't know who this stranger is, why he is there, he doesn't know how, but he knows that 'the stranger' does have a part in his life.
Sometimes people come in your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there.
You'll never know who these people might be,
But when you lock eyes with them,
You know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way
***
While our sweet prodigy was opening his gateway to a new future, our poor lonely Tezuka was still stuck up in the past. He was sitting on his bed recalling the days that just have passed, recalling all his attempts to win his Fuji back, recalling all the rejections he got. He's been spending these couple of weeks watching Fuji from afar that was the only thing he could do. At least he could still see his beautiful Fuji, even though Fuji doesn't want to see him at all. The brunette was still the 'smile-always' Fuji for everyone, except for him. Every time he is around the brunette's expressions change, nevertheless no one realizes it except both of them.
"Fuji, wait. I need to talk to you." He caught the other man's wrist.
The brunette looked right to his eyes with a fierce look. "Leave me alone. I believe we don't have anything to talk about." Struggling to release Tezuka's grip, but the other man was stronger then him so his attempts failed.
"Fuji, please… let me explain." He didn't know why he was begging. He never did, never will. Not to anyone else. But this is a different case, this is his Fuji and he's willing to give up everything even his pride for this certain brunette.
"I don't need any explanations everything is very clear. I hate you. I don't want to see you anymore." He ran off, fighting the tears that were ready to spill out of his eyes.
"Fuji…" He could only watch the brunette run away. The look in his eyes never left his thoughts. Hurt, hate, betrayed. Hate. To him.
After spending a few hours of doing exactly nothing than thinking of the brunette, he came back to his senses. He needed to relax. He took his bathrobe and entered the bathroom.
***
Useless. The bath wasn't relaxing at all. How could it be? All he could thing of was about the brunette. When he looked at the water, it reminded him of a pair of blue orbs. When he looked at the brownish wall, it reminded him of the owner of beautiful brunette hair. Everything reminds him of Fuji. He couldn't stand it anymore. He had to talk to Fuji. No matter what. He picked up the phone and dialed some numbers.
"Moshi moshi." When a particular cheerful voice answered at the other line, his heart almost stopped beating. He realized how much he missed to hear this voice. The voice was never cheerful to him anymore. All he got was hatred. "Moshi moshi. Can I help you?" The voice repeated.
"Fuji… I…" Despite the words he's been thinking of all day, that was all he managed to say.
"You… what do you want?" His voice suddenly was covered with such hatred.
"Fuji, we need to talk. Please…" He felt his heart was throbbing to hear that kind of tone.
"I believed I told you that I don't want to see you anymore. Goodbye, Kunimitsu Tezuka." He hung up. And Tezuka felt like someone just ripped his heart out. He felt like crying. But, he can't, even if he wanted to. He can't. He is 'the great captain' Kunimitsu Tezuka. He is the Iceman. Kunimitsu Tezuka doesn't cry.
While he was lost in his thoughts, a voice caught his attention. "Don't force him. He needs some time." A blonde guy smiled to him.
"You…" Both of them just stared in each other's eyes for a while.
"So… how are you, Tezuka-kun? It's been so long. You still look as gorgeous as always. Just like the old days." The owner of the voice grinned to him.
"What do you want?" He snapped out. A bit irritated.
"Hmm… what a polite way to greet your… umm…" The younger man smiled mischievously.
"Just get to the point. Why are you here?" Tezuka said with a cold tone.
"Just want to see you." He sat on Tezuka's bed.
"…" The taller guy still focused his gaze on the blonde's eyes, trying to read through his thoughts.
"Fine. I just want to ask you about something." The blonde gave him another sly smile. "But, you have to promise me you won't be angry" Maybe it's his habit to do this, or maybe it's because of Tezuka, he keeps on smirking.
"…" Tezuka got more annoyed with the little guy. The guy really played on with his nerves. "Okay."
"Hmm… Tezuka-kun, I just want to know do you still… love… umm…" Naughtily he cupped Tezuka's face while giving another sly smile.
"Everything over. Everything between us is…"
"Nu-uh… you didn't let me finish my sentence." He placed one of his fingers on Tezuka's lips. "I wasn't talking about us. I mean do you still love… him?" Confusion appeared on the taller man's face. This time the blonde grinned.
"Huh?"
"Yes, him. Him. Syusuke Fuji. Do you still love him?"
"How did…" His gaze became more intense this time, analyzing the other's thoughts.
"Just answer my question."
"…" The stare became more intense.
"Tezuka-kun… I don't have all day. Is that a difficult question? All you have to answer is yes or no. That's all." The little man happened to like teasing our sweet captain, once again he cupped Tezuka's face and forced the captain to look straight through his eyes.
"That's not important now. It's all over." He managed to release the grip. He chose to stare on the floor than to gaze on the man in front of him.
"Well, if that's so. Then if he's going out with someone else, will you be mad?" Not giving up his effort, he tilted Tezuka's face up. The he gave him the 'look-at-me-while-you-speak' look.
"I have no right to." The captain returned to Look back at the floor.
"Hmm… that's all I want to know. See you, Tezuka darling." He gave him another roguish smile.
"…" But, man with the glasses only stared at him.
"Umm… Tezuka-kun…" He leaned forward and pushed Tezuka on the bed.
"…" He looked up at the blonde.
"Nice bathrobe…" He said in a low husky voice then placed his palms on Tezuka's chest. He just couldn't get enough on teasing the older man. 'Tezuka is just too cute.' That's his excuse for always teasing the poor captain.
"Uh…" Abruptly on his cheeks began to form slightly red.
"Umm…" Unexpectedly, as usual, he kissed Tezuka's cheek. "Tezuka…" One minute he became so forward. He leaned and whispered huskily in Tezuka's ear. The other minute, he turned back to the carefree guy as he usually is. "Goodbye, Tezuka-kun! See you around!" He said in a happily voice, while he left the room. When he exited, he leaved a stunned Tezuka behind him. 'Hmm… still as surprising as always, that guy…'
TBC…
