Remember Me – Chapter Four

Disclaimer: The standard

Genre: Supernatural/Romance (Yaoi)

Synopsis: Coming back from the dead, he went back to his homeland intending to live a new life but was instead plunged back into those haunting memories when he met a certain pale, raven haired boy……

Dedicated to all those in AK ML and also to those who had taken part in the poll!!

//Italics// – Personal Thoughts

~Italics~ - Waves of thoughts sent out

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Standing hidden behind the gym door, Sendoh watched in awe as Rukawa successfully did another powerful dunk that sent echoes through the empty gym. He had seen the boy dunked countless times since he decided to make his stay in the gym a daily routine, but every successful dunk never failed to impress him. The boy was simply a genius in basketball.

It had a week since he first met the boy and his image never once left his mind, torturing him constantly by playing on the edge of his consciousness. It was all the more agonizing when he had to spend two hours everyday in the same arithmetic class with the boy by his side, taking in his raw beauty, memorizing his every move and yet not being able to speak to him…..he couldn't even bring himself to face the boy directly, much less speak to him. He was afraid…afraid of closing the distance between them, afraid of what would follow once the gap had been bridged, afraid of what he might do….

He could only watch him from a distance.

This was the only way the boy could be safe….safe from creatures like him….

//creatures like him//

A slight frown appeared on Sendoh's face. It had been five days since his encounter with his old mates back in the club named 'Eternal Euphoria'. Remembering the 'crowd' and his little conversation with Maki, Sendoh felt his blood run cold. If what Maki said was true, this town would soon be infested with his kind and no doubt, danger would lurk for all human kind…..including the boy standing right in front of him.

Including the boy standing right in front of him.

Sendoh's breath got caught in his chest as he found himself staring into the familiar fox-life eyes that had been plaguing his dreams every night since a week ago. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not notice the sudden absence of the sound of a thumping basketball, did not notice an orange ball rolling towards him, did not notice the sound of basketball shoes walking his way…..

Now it was too late, too late to flee….

Silence ensued as both boys stayed locked in each other's gaze…..none made any movements, as if for fear of breaking the moment.

It was a deliberate attempt on Rukawa's part. He had deliberately allowed the ball to run out of play. For days, he had been aware of Sendoh's presence despite efforts on the boy's part to keep himself out of sight. He had tried to catch the spiky-haired boy's eyes on several occasions in class but each time, he was met with rejection as Sendoh would turn his head away. Now being caught unaware, it was now or never…..

Bending down to pick up the orange sphere at his feet, Rukawa then spun the ball on his index finger and mumbled, "You are from America? One on one?"

His heart was thumping and his pulse raced as he said those words but his passive face betrayed none of his emotions.

"Coming from the motherland of basketball doesn't necessarily mean I know how to play." Sendoh finally managed to find his voice after a momentary loss. He was about to turn and leave when the voice rang in his ears again, this time a taunting tone.

"You are afraid of losing." There was no way Rukawa would let him go so easily after all the failed attempts, even if it meant starting out in the wrong way.

Surprise flickered across Sendoh's face as he registered the words. If there was one thing the spiky-haired boy couldn't take lying down, it had to be insolence. From within him came a sudden desire to prove the boy wrong, or at least give him a run for his money.

"Ok. So how is your game played? First to 21 points?" Sendoh relented as he shrugged off his denim jacket, getting himself ready.

"First to 20 points." Rukawa corrected as he turned and made his way onto the court, just in time to hide the slightest smile that was threatening to break onto his face.

*********************

The game was a close match with Rukawa the one having the more superior basketball skills. But whatever the difference in skills between the 2 boys was made up for by Sendoh's supremacy in speed and body reflexes. Even without utilizing his supernatural abilities, he could jump higher and react faster. Many a time, Rukawa found himself unable to get past the older boy based on speed alone. He had to use his skills and experience in order to breach the sturdy defense.

"Shit." Sendoh cursed under his breath as the raven-haired boy finally sped past him after a series of fakes.

With Sendoh still rooted to his spot, Rukawa ran on to complete an easy lay-up.

The game was now tied at 18-18.

Whipping around, sending droplets of sweat flying from his hair in the process, Rukawa softly retorted as he threw the orange sphere to the older boy, "This game is mine."

Narrowing his eyes, Sendoh felt something burned inside him. No one had ever spoken to him in such a manner, so filled with confidence, maybe even arrogance… no one….. not even his kind.

Dribbling the orange sphere between his paler than usual hands, Sendoh came to a stop in front of the defensively-prepared younger boy and bent himself as low so as to face the younger boy at eye level. "Really?" A smirk slowly formed on his face as he questioned the Rukawa's statement.

Facing Sendoh at eye level, all Rukawa saw was a darkening of those extraordinary blue eyes, made possible by a dilation of the pupils and the next thing he knew, the image of his opponent blurred before him and in an instant, Sendoh had evaded him and was on his way to the basket for a dunk.

Turning around, what Rukawa saw shocked himself to his spot….. Sendoh took off for the basket way before the free-throw line and flew through the air effortlessly to make a power slam…

The game was now 20-18, in Sendoh's favour.

Landing noiselessly on the court like a cat, Sendoh nonchalantly turned around to look at the boy still rooted to the same spot and declared, "I won."

The victory statement was delivered in a simple and matter-of-fact tone, as if it was destined to be.

Recovering from his shock, Rukawa gave the boy standing in front of him one of his infamous glares and without another word, he turned and walked towards the sidelines to get his duffel bag.

Slightly taken aback by the unexpected reaction, Sendoh chose to let it pass and instead, walked towards the exit of the gym. Looking out into the darkness, he realized that it was late in the night. Grabbing his denim jacket that was lying on the floor and without even thinking, he opened his mouth as Rukawa walked past him, "It's late. Where do you live? I'll drive you home."

Rukawa paused in his steps and before he knew what he was doing, he surprised himself by accepting the invitation, "I live a few streets away."

As soon as he let the words out, Rukawa smacked himself inwardly. He had to be out of his mind. He was acting so unlike his usual aloof self by accepting a ride from someone he hardly knew, especially someone he just lost a basketball game to. But somehow, deep down inside, he was glad about the invitation. It was something he had been hoping for since the first day he saw the spiky-haired boy.

"I will drive you home then. My car is just parked around the corner, outside the gym." Sendoh repeated his invitation as he came to a stop slightly in front of the Rukawa, as if waiting for the younger boy to follow him.

And Rukawa did what was expected of him. Together, they walked of the building into the cool, peaceful night towards a set of gleaming sleek, black wheels that was parked a distance away.

During the short walk, none made any attempt at conversation. The atmosphere was awkward and tense. Even Rukawa who was usually immune to such situations, felt slightly tense. Walking behind Sendoh with his hands in the pockets of his blazer, he tried to ignore the awkwardness by concentrating on the Sendoh's back view. Taking a top-down look with his sapphire blue eyes, Rukawa made out the boy walking in front of him to be slightly taller and his skin even fairer than his own. With a closer look at the taller boy, Rukawa noticed something unusual…. he was not sweating profusely, even though they just had a fierce game. No, he was not even sweating at all…. his neck was clean and dry and his knitted pull-over was just as dry… but before Rukawa had time to reason out, he was knocked out of his reverie by the beeping of Sendoh's car.

Getting himself into the driver's seat, Sendoh leaned to his left to unlock and pushed open the passenger door as a sign for Rukawa to get into the car.

As soon as Rukawa sat himself in the car, Sendoh's sharper than usual sense of hearing picked up a rumbling sound….

"You are hungry. Want to grab dinner before I send you back?"

A frown marred Rukawa's flawless face.

And when his question was met with no reply, Sendoh continued, "I take that as a yes. Any suggestions? I have yet to acquaint myself in this district."

A few seconds pass before Rukawa finally said, "Round this corner, there is an Italian restaurant."

"Sounds nice." With that, Sendoh drove out of the school compound, into the night….

******************

It was a small simple restaurant, situated at a quiet corner of the street. Pulling his wheels to a stop at the drive way, Sendoh got himself out of the car and locked the luxurious wheels with his remote control. With his hands tucked in the pockets of his faded jeans, he casually strolled towards the entrance of the restaurant where Rukawa was already waiting for him.

"Table for 2?" The waitress asked as she looked up at the 2 young men. She was obviously stunned by them.

"Yes, table for 2." Sendoh reaffirmed her guess with a trademark smile.

If it wasn't for her familiarity and routine habits of her job, the waitress would have stood rooted to her spot. Instead she dazedly led the 2 boys to a corner table, over looking the street.

Sitting themselves opposite each other, both of them were handed a worn-out menu by the still love-struck waitress. "Our dinner special tonight is Beef Spaghetti. It comes with a drink of your choice, a salad and soup-of-the-day. And the soup of the day is Clam Chowder." The waitress delivered the introduction of the dinner special in a practiced and repetitive manner, as if she had been reciting the lines the entire day. Her eyes all the while flicking to and fro from Rukawa to Sendoh, as if she couldn't decide which was better to look at.

"Give me a Dinner Special." Rukawa gave his order without much thought. He was famished, anything that was edible was fine with him. Besides, he couldn't bear another second of the waitress openly drooling at them.

"Sure, no problem. How about you, Sir?" The bedazzled waitress asked as she shifted her attention to her right.

"Just a coffee will do." Sendoh placed his order along with a generous smile.

The waitress looked like she was about to faint with happiness and bliss as she numbly took down the orders before finally making her way back to the kitchen.

//A coffee? That's all he is going to have for dinner?//

Rukawa tilted his head slightly as the thought ran through his mind. He was considered a light eater by standard and here he was, about to die of starvation and yet, all the boy in front of him ordered was a cup of coffee.

"Oh… I am going home for dinner." Sendoh quickly explained as he read Rukawa's thoughts. As soon as he said that, Sendoh cursed himself silently for his carelessness and lack of composure. In his haste to prevent the young man from suspecting anything amiss with his diet, he had succeeded in making things worse by reading his mind. He was never this careless or un-composed before. Anxious to quash any unwanted questions that might come his way, Sendoh flashed the raven-haired boy one of his most charming smiles.

Looking at the smiling face in front of him, Rukawa remained expressionless. Even though he was attracted to the smile, he couldn't help but feel that the smile was somehow guarded and trained, as if it served as a shield to something secret, something personal. The smile seemed warm but yet at the same time, it seemed to keep one at a distance.

"So, you have been playing basketball for a long time?" A question by Sendoh jolted Rukawa out of his thoughts.

"Since I was 5"

"Oh… that's really young." Not expecting such a short and direct answer, Sendoh was at a loss in continuing the conversation.

"You?" Came the soft question. Rukawa was never one who indulged in conversation but the spiky-haired boy in front of him was an exception….

"Erm…" Caught unaware, Sendoh wrinkled his nose as he thought of an appropriate answer. "Well, about a couple of years ago. Saw a bunch of boys sweating their way through the game. They looked like they were enjoying themselves a whole lot. So decided to take up the game… more like out of curiosity. But I only get to play once in a while."

"Why?"

Sendoh felt bitterness swelling up in him. //Who can I play with?//

As much as Sendoh loved basketball, there were only rare chances where he got to play the game with the people he occasionally acquainted himself with. He never dared to get too close to them for fear of the bond of friendship that might develop, for fear of the danger he might bring to them or worse, for fear of the exposure of his secret….and over time, they slowly start to exclude him from their games.

With a wry smile, Sendoh looked out the window and lied, "I hardly have the time."

An image of the spiky-haired boy doing a power slam flashed across Rukawa's mind as he said, "You are good." He had never seen anyone capable of that kind of dunk, not even his idol, Michael Jordan.

Surprised, Sendoh looked away from the window and faced the boy. A smile slowly spread across his handsome face, "Thank you."

Once again, Rukawa found it hard to breathe as he looked into those incredible depths of extraordinary eyes. They were hypnotic. His magnetic eyes, together with his pale translucent skin were compelling. His beauty was eerie, unearthly. It was mesmerizing yet at the same time, his beauty was scary….

Pain coursed through him as Sendoh found himself staring into those fox-like blue eyes. It was a perplexing feeling. It was painful to look into those eyes, to be reminded of his past but yet at the same time, he found comfort and peace in the very same pools of sapphire blue. Torn between the 2 extremes, Sendoh was at a loss.

Time seemed to stand still as the 2 boys remained locked in each other's gazes.

 "Here are your food, please do enjoy." The magic was broken by the untimely arrival of the waitress with their ordered food…. The waitress who had earlier drooled over them blushed as she started out to place the respective orders in front of the 2 boys.

Too entranced, Sendoh was startled by her entrance and broke the gaze with a slight jerk of his head as he look in the direction of the waitress.

"Oh. Thank you." His voice softer and less sure than before. The staring incident earlier had drained him emotionally.

With his usual passive face, Rukawa picked up his fork and set out to finish his dinner in silence. He was never one to carry his feelings on his face, no matter how strong they were. For some reasons, he was grateful for the untimely arrival of the waitress. The emotion, the passion that raged through him when he looked into those cobalt blue eyes scared him. Never in his life did he experience such strong emotions…..

******************

Closing the door behind him, Sendoh stepped out into the cool night with Rukawa walking slightly ahead of him. The dinner earlier had passed mostly in silence with the occasional conversations on mundane topics.

"You have to direct me. I am still pretty clueless about the street names here." Sendoh reminded the younger boy as he got into the driver's seat.

"Just turn left, drive straight and turn right to my house." The instructions were dished out in typical Rukawa-style.

"Oh. Ok. Just let me know when to turn." Sendoh said as he gently steered his car. He was slightly amused at the straightforward manner in which the boy seemed to always conduct his conversation in. It was always a yes, no or a direct answer, never once was there any unnecessary dialogue that normally occupies typical conversations.

It was a cool evening with the sky lighted by numerous stars. It was the type of evening that Rukawa loved. He was a night person. Unlike most people, it was during this time of the night that he usually felt more energetic, more alive. A slight breeze blew as the Porsche moved through the street, sweeping his silky black bangs away from his near-perfect face. Closing his eyes, Rukawa revered in the caress of the wind in his face. Feeling cold, he unconsciously dug his hands deeper into the pockets of his blazer as he pressed his arms closer to his taut body.

"Feeling cold? Do you want me to use the hood?" Sendoh offered without taking his eyes off the road, breaking the silence in the process. He had seen the subtle body movements from the corner of his eyes and had understood the meaning.

"No. We are reaching my house soon"

"Oh ok."

Silence ensued.

Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, Sendoh tried to think of a simple conversational topic to ease the awkwardness. "So you live with your parents?"

"No. Most of the times they are in Tokyo." Another simple, fuss-free reply that do not allow for further exchange.

"Any other siblings liv…"

"Turn right!" Sendoh's question was cut halfway by Rukawa's sudden interruption.

"Huh?"

"We just missed the turn to my house." Rukawa explained in his deep monotonous voice. Somehow in the exchange of words, he realized the usual turn to his house a tad too late.

"Oh… is there any U-turn here?" Sendoh turned his head slightly to look at the younger boy as he asked.

"No. This is a one-way street. We will have to drive all the way till we come to another right turn."

"Sorry, I should…"

"It's not your fault. I told you too late."

Once again, silence ensued.

Driving along the street, Sendoh kept his attention on the road for any other right turn, he did not want to miss another turn.

Finally, he spotted a turn 20 metres away. "Is that the one?"

Rukawa merely nodded.

Turning right into the street, Sendoh at once noticed something familiar. Neon lights littered both sides of the street. As he expected, a dark and simple club soon came into view. This was the club he saw Maki and Mitsui.

"Have you heard of this club, Eternal Euphoria?" Sendoh asked in a serious tone just as they drove past the club, flicking his head in the direction of the club. His face devoid of the usual smiles.

Surprised at the change in tone, Rukawa turned his head in the same direction indicated. He was greeted by a simple signboard that read 'Eternal Euphoria'.

"Yes. From the girls in the class." Usually, he wasn't the least bit interested whatever topics his classmates are discussing but the girls in his class had been raving on and on about this new club in town and the gorgeous patrons who frequent the place, that he couldn't help but catch a bit here and there. Besides, the unique and unusual name stuck in his mind.

"Have you been there or anywhere near that place?"

"No. I detest places like these." A slight frown was forming on Rukawa's face.

"Good. Stay away from this place." Sendoh's mind immediately conjured up the image of Mitsui as he dished out the warning. A guy with such stunning good looks like Rukawa would no doubt attract a blood-lust Mitsui. Knowing Mitsui's disregard for protection of their identities, he just could not take the risk. The last thing he wanted was for history to repeat itself…..

"Why?" Given his usual self, Rukawa would never care to ask, for the chances of him visiting such places were as good as zero. He was never one who liked crowds. But somehow, he just had to know this particular time.

Too concerned for the safety of the boy beside him, Sendoh was taken by surprise at the unexpected question. His explanation came out at a slow pace as he tried to think of an appropriate answer, "Well… I have…. I have been there a couple of times and there are well…. there are always nasty brawls around the area, so its kinda unsafe."

A brief narrowing of his sapphire blue eyes was all Rukawa did as he absorbed the words before he turned his head to look out the window once again. He knew that was not the real reason but chose not to pursue. After all, there was no reason for him to….

"Third house at the left." Rukawa spoke up to indicate his residential area as Sendoh finally managed to turn into the correct lane.

Driving slowly along the exclusive row of posh private houses, Sendoh pulled up his wheels in front of the said house.

"Thank you." Rukawa mumbled in a low tone as he stepped out of the car.

"Welcome. I want to thank you too." Sendoh meant the game they played earlier. It had been a long time since he last enjoyed himself so much in a game.

Rukawa nodded. He knew what Sendoh was referring to. Giving Sendoh one last look, he turned and started to walk towards his gate.

Just as Sendoh was about to start his car, Rukawa suddenly paused in his steps. Turning around, the younger boy looked straight into the cobalt blue eyes as he murmured in a tone so soft it was hardly a whisper, "See you in class tomorrow." His eyes all the while, never once left the older boy's face.

It wasn't simply just a parting pharse…..

It was a simple statement but yet Sendoh had no idea how to reply. His mind went back to the past few hours he spent with the younger boy…..was this what he wanted? To accept the younger boy and permanently close the distance between them? To say yes would mean that he was ready to accept Rukawa, would mean that they were no longer strangers or even just acquaintances in class…. his mind was exploring the possibilities and implications from moving from a impersonal space to a more intimate space…..

"Yeah… see you in class tomorrow." Sendoh finally replied just as softly. His handsome face breaking into a gentle smile.

A tiny, rare smile crept into Rukawa's face as he took in the reply. And without another word, he turned around and walked towards his house.

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TBC