PART 10: AS LONG AS IT MATTERS

          On his way home, Hiroaki was singing again to himself, "Kowareru hodo aishitemo sanbun no ichi no tsutawaranai junjou na kanjou wa karamawari I LOVE YOU sae inaideiru MY HEART."

          At dinner he seemed to be in a very good mood.

          "You seem to be enjoying your basketball practice with your new schoolmates, eh, what's up?" Koshino's brother, Waki, asked.

          "Well, it's a good team, I'm so glad I entered the school." Hiroaki answered.

          "You seem to be in-love." Waki said

Hiroaki blushed and just smiled, his father looked at him intently and asked sternly,

          "So who is this person? Who seemed to be the reason why you're being so happy these days?"

Hiroaki didn't know how to answer, but he sure wanted to tell his dad that he was in-love with a girl. His mother, who didn't know anything about his love life, was looking excited.

          "Well, there is this, er, cute girl who happens to be our team manager and she's, er, so cool and I think I really like her."

His father's face lit up a bit,

          "Well seems like you want to get yourself a girlfriend, son? Good luck with this new love."

When they finished eating, Waki sat on the sofa and watched TV. Hiroaki sat beside him.

"Are you sure this girl is not beyond your reach?" Waki asked

"I don't know. You see, I have a teammate and he's our captain and he likes her a lot too, probably as much as I like her. He's a good player no wonder he was chosen as the captain, I think I'm behind…"

"Well, you may be wrong. I don't know Hiroaki, I mean who knows, things don't usually go as they seem…"

"You probably are right, there's a little chance though. Hey, I think I should have a short walk, can you tell mom and dad?" Hiroaki said

"Alright then, be back before midnight or mom will cut me upside the head."

Hiroaki didn't know why he had to take a walk but he went. He went to the park and sat on a bench. He didn't notice the time went by. He was watching the stars when he was interrupted by a voice.

          "Hi." It was Sendoh.

Hiroaki didn't know what to do; this was the last thing he wanted to happen at the moment. But he didn't mind he greeted him back.

"Mind if I sit down?" Sendoh asked.

"No, not at all." They were silent for a while until Sendoh finally spoke,

"So I've heard, your brother told me, that you're in love with a girl."

Hiroaki didn't know what to say, he knew he needed to explain, so he said,

          "How fast news travel these days."

          "Yeah, I tried to call you a while ago, your brother told me you were going to the park and brought me the news."

          "Listen Akira, whatever was between you and me before, it's over, I've told you that."

          "I know and I haven't forgotten. And I don't blame you for you promised before that you'd be always honest to me."

          "Akira, you're making this hard for you as hard as it was to me, but I don't want you to feel this way, you know that. I don't want to see you hurting like this."

          "I've been wondering, does everything have to end like this, I mean do we have to throw everything away? I'm not asking anything of you right now but I hope what you're doing right now is good for you."

          Koshino felt the loneliness.

          "You're telling me all the bitterness that's inside you, and it's all because of me, but I want you to know, I'd still be your friend as I have always been and it hurts me so to hear that you think everything is over."

          "Tell me, do you look at me now the same way you did?" Sendoh asked.

          "I'm afraid I don't, but I care for you as much as I did before. Always have I cared for you," came the reply.

          "Then I want to tell you that always you are dearest to me, my friend."

          "Then I am glad to tell you as well that you have always been my best-friend."

          "As always."

          "You ease my mind, Akira, I knew you'd learn… I really have to go now, it's late. I guess we'll see each other later." Koshino said as he stood up, "See you later."

          "I'll see you then."

Sendoh watched Koshino until he disappeared into the dark street.

TBC

A/N: Reviews please or we'll upload the chapter next week! evil grin Also, FYI, as we're working with our sister, Akin Sijin, you might want to check out her SD story which we've currently collaborated. It's a Ru-Hana shounen-ai attempt with all the sugar coatings of the world. ^_^ Have you noticed anything odd about the titles of the chapters?