Disclaimer: Not myne.

A/N: The last was Hana-chan's birthday so here's a belated fic for Kae-chan's

Promise

"Well then Hanamichi just give my greetings to Rukawa."

"Yes mom," Hanamichi answered handing his mom her bag and kissing her as the train arrived.

"I'll be back on Saturday."

"Yes mom. Say hello to Auntie and Uncle Sato for me."

"Be sure to check all the appliances when you leave tomorrow."

"Yes mom."

"Double check the locks too."

"Mom! I'm not a kid! And this isn't the first time you've left to visit our relatives in Osaka. Go! The train will leave any minute!"

"All right! I'm going! Take care!"

"You too mom!"

Hanamichi waved and kept on waving his arm until the train was out of sight. Then he ambled back to his house whistling his favorite tune. He decided to make a detour to Youhei's house before going back home. It was dark by the time he left his best friend. He heard the phone ringing just as he entered the key to his door.

"Eh? Who could be calling?" he muttered, opening the door quickly. "Couldn't be Youhei…I'm coming! I'm coming!"

He picked up the receiver and was about to yell when he was cut off by a familiar voice.

"Finally. What took you so long?"

"Stupid kitsune!" Hanamichi moderately yelled. "You know I was supposed to take mom to the station today."

"It took you three hours to get back?" Kaede asked.

"Well, I decided to drop by Youhei's house for dinner."

Hanamichi could almost hear Kaede's lips turning down into a frown.

"Why didn't you just come over to my house?"

"Sheesh stupid kitsune! Why'd you call anyway?" Hanamichi growled, plopping onto the sofa. "Oi! Kitsune!"

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget about tomorrow," Kaede replied after a while.

"Of course! I promised didn't I? I even let mom go alone to my relatives so I could spend New Year with ya!"

"I just wanted to remind you. Idiot like you might have forgotten."

"Hey! What the hell did you say?"

The two insulted each other well into the night. The next day, Hanamichi woke up early. Just as he was leaving the house, the phone rang again. He debated for a second whether to answer it or not. Finally he just decided to answer it.

"Probably that kitsune again…" he grumbled. "Oi, kitsune I'm coming already—"

"Hanamichi?" a woman's voice asked.

"Huh? Who is this?" the redhead asked back.

"Hanamichi this is your aunt. Your mom got into an accident—"

"What! Where is she?' Hanamichi yelled.

"Your uncle took her to the hospital—"

"Which hospital?"

When he got the name, Hanamichi dropped the phone, rushed out, and headed for the train. All the way to Osaka he kept thinking of the worst possible scenario. His head also kept replaying the time when he had found his father suffering from a heart attack.

"Please let her be fine! Please let her be fine!" he kept mumbling over and over again.

In Osaka he managed to break all speed records as he rushed towards the hospital despite the snow that was starting to fall. When he reached it he almost got into a fight with the guards after he bullied the nurses into giving him his mom's room. Fortunately his uncle found him and immediately led him away.

He burst into the room.

"Mom!"

And found his mother with a foot in a cast.

"Hanamichi? What are you doing here?" his mother asked.

Hanamichi stared at her and hurried over to her side.

"Er…auntie called…said you had an accident…" he stuttered.

"I just twisted an ankle after slipping on some snow," his mother explained. "Didn't your auntie tell you?"

Hanamichi scratched his head then grinned sheepishly. His mother smiled wryly, sighed, then frowned.

"Hanamichi…wait a minute what about Rukawa? Didn't you promise?"

"AH! Oh no! Kaede! I have to call him."

He rushed out and used a public telephone to make his call but all he got was a busy signal. He went back to his mother's room.

"I can't contact him," he announced, fidgeting.

"Then go! You can still keep your promise if you go now!"

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, hesitating as he peered closely at his mother.

"I'm fine. This is nothing. Mother will be fine."

Hanamichi smiled and kissed her briefly

"Love you mom!" he yelled before rushing out.

He was halfway across the hall when his uncle called him.

"Do you have enough money for your fare?" his uncle asked, jogging after him.

Hanamichi's eyes went blank before his face turned red. His uncle fondly bopped his head.

"C'mon I'll drive you to the station. This person must be really special if you're this agitated."

Minutes later Hanamichi was on his way back to Kanagawa. Adrenaline seeping out of him, he fell asleep just as the train gathered speed. He woke up with a start when he felt everything become silent. He peered outside and noticed that they were at a station halfway towards his destination. A few minutes later a man's voice crackled over the intercom.

"We are sorry to announce that due to heavy snowfall travel has been indefinitely postponed. For your safety, please wait for a while."

Hanamichi felt his blood grow cold. New Year would be over if he got delayed.

"Please let the train move! Please let the train move!" he began to mumble nearly tearing his hair out as the minutes ticked by.

He wanted very much to smash something or someone but he kept himself in check. When he neared the breaking point, the train suddenly lurched forward.

It was almost midnight when he reached Kanagawa. He dashed all the way to Kaede's house. Once there he didn't bother to ring the bell but used his key to enter.

Inside, everything was dark. Hanamichi headed for the bedroom but a faint sound made him detour towards the dining area. He gasped when he saw the moonlight illuminating what was supposed to be a candle-lit dinner for two. Kaede was sleeping on one side of the setting.

"Kaede…" Hanamichi whispered, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

Kaede shifted and raised his head.

"Hanamichi…?"

Hanamichi walked over and kneeled in front of his boyfriend. Kaede sleepily rubbed his eyes.

"Where were you?" he asked. "I was waiting."

"I know. I'm sorry!"

Hanamichi tearfully recounted his misadventure that day.

"I'm really sorry!" Hanamichi wailed, exhaustion making him more emotional than usual. "I screwed up your birthday for you! I always screw up everything!"

Kaede sighed then pulled the redhead to sit on his lap.

"Stupid," he mumbled.

Hanamichi just sniffed, laying his head on Kaede's shoulder.

"You came didn't you?" Kaede asked softly. "You kept your promise didn't you?"

"But I was late!"

"Doesn't matter," Kaede replied dismissively. "You came. That's what matters."

Hanamichi began to relax. Kaede pushed him up.

"Come on. Let's go to sleep. We can just celebrate tomorrow."

Hanamichi glanced at the table then at Kaede. He smiled awkwardly then leaned forward.

"Happy Birthday Kitsune."

-end-

Epilogue:

Hanamichi scarfed down sushi as fast as he could without choking.

"And you got a busy signal when you tried to call me?" Kaede asked as he sipped his tea.

Hanamichi just nodded. The doorbell rang and Kaede stood up to open the door. Hanamichi also stood up but went to get more food.

"Mr. Rukawa…?"

Hanamichi stopped then peered around the door to the lounge. His eyes widened when he saw several policemen by the door.

"We're here to follow up the missing person call that you made for a Hanamichi Sakuragi…"

-end-