Title: Changes, Chapter Two

Author: Archangel

A/N: Again, this is a fic for SenRu Day 2004. To those who reviewed in AKML and here on , for those who declared that Changes is one of their favorite fic, thank you very much!

Genre: Still sappy...

Changes, Chapter Two

by Archangel

"So you're telling me, it's Rukawa?" Hiro's voice echoed at the corners of our hotel room.

"Definitely." I said. I finally had the courage to tell Hiro what I've been lurking about and by the looks of it, my one and only best friend does not approve about it.

"Are you fully aware of what you're putting yourself into, Sendoh Akira? I'm sure you know he's a man – "

"I know that, alright." I interjected.

"And he's a minor." And I do know that.

"Well that's not much of an issue, Hiro. The thing is, I think I know where Rukawa is in my life. And I think –"

"And you think that you love the guy." Hiro concluded.

"Yes." I finally said with conviction.

The truth of the matter is, I feel that I do love Rukawa Kaede. But where that came from and why I love him...

I honestly don't know.

"No." Hiro said. "If you're looking for love, it's not Rukawa. It's not meant to be."

"Well, how did you know it's not meant to be?" I asked. If I can't produce some answers to myself then maybe Hiro would. But in the way we're talking now, I really feel irritated on the fact Hiro doesn't seem to like Rukawa.

"Well, how did YOU know it's meant to be?" Hiro reciprocated in his equally irritated tone. "Just because you prayed for the coming of your long- awaited love and you're physically attracted to the boy since God knows when and here you are in the same resort and hotel for what seemed to be a product of destiny, or should I call mere coincidence, does not mean he's the one."

"It's not like that, Hiro." I dejectedly reply.

"What is it then? Sendoh, it's not meant to be. Rukawa is a man and you're Sendoh Akira. It just doesn't fit."

Case closed for Hiro and me...it just doesn't fit.

It just doesn't fit? Again, things that people saw about me...I am Sendoh Akira.

Why do I feel as if I was being talked about like some form of non-existent being? It felt like I was only a reputation, not a person. [1]

Once again, I lived in the context of the books...and now I'm a sole reputation, that in the context of the books.

It just doesn't fit, Hiro said. Well, maybe yes, maybe no.

Maybe he's right...

But I really hope that he's wrong.

For what I feel for Rukawa isn't as simple as it seems. And I just don't have any words to define nor explain what I feel because words mean nothing when you love, right?

I took the effort of getting my feet to the ground and walk along the shore. Maybe the summer breeze tonight would put some sense into me.

And in every step that I take, a question runs in my mind... do I really need love?

While my feet embeds itself in the warmness of the sand, a certain person invades my mind... Rukawa Kaede.

Do I really love Rukawa Kaede?

I looked up the sky, never bothered to count the stars. Hoping that maybe I'd see love in the sky...but still I thought, where is the love I'm looking for?

But then God said, the love I'm looking for is not in the sky...

The spark I'm looking for is not found in the twinkling of the stars...

It's here on earth, playing silently with the waves...

And there I saw, here on earth, playing with the waves is Rukawa Kaede, oblivious of the company that silently watches him. And as he explores the breadth of the wild sea, I watch with excitement and awe at the innocence right in front of me.

"It's not advisable for young gorgeous men to be swimming at this rate." I said. "Don't go too far, Rukawa-kun. It's high tide tonight, I don't know how to swim."

And it was true, I barely swam since childhood and all I thought about was fishing and basketball. Well maybe fishing was my alternative to swimming...

But tonight, I never knew the reason why I blurted out to my love prospect, my inability to swim...

"I didn't know Sendoh Akira didn't know how to swim. That's the biggest surprise of the year." And maybe tonight I am glad that Rukawa seemed to be in a good mood. He walked his way and sat down on the ground beside me...still far apart but he's just in reach.

"Hey, I'm just kidding." I said...a lame excuse to cover up my shortcoming in skills. "I do know how to swim. I just like you to be safe, that's all."

"Admit it, you really don't know how to swim." He said.

"I know how to swim, Rukawa-kun." Period.

"Don't kid around. It's obvious that you don't know how to swim. You never even got close to the ocean." Well was that too obvious? I checked on my feet and indeed they were dry. Well I guess these are my automatic defense mechanisms on drowning failing to hide themselves tonight.

"Fine. But I could at least swim up to seven feet." I admitted. "It's some story...don't tell anyone."

I let out a small laugh, trying to exhale some of my anxieties, "That's one of my biggest secrets, and here you are, lured me into exposing it."

"Knowing how to swim doesn't elevate your status as a man. It's not much of a story to me." He said. And I looked at him with half shocked eyes that he doesn't seem to have noticed as he played with the sand in his right hand.

"Whoa there, is this Rukawa Kaede I'm talking to?" I manage to say.

"I could always leave you." He said. Then I knew that the Rukawa I'm with now is still the Rukawa we all know and love. He'd always give out at least one sarcasm in an entire conversation.

"No really, it's like on court we're the biggest of rivals and now – "

"Now that we're on the same place at the same time apart from our so-called friends I'm suddenly turning into an angel."

"Yeah, suddenly you have become one." And indeed he was my angel. And I said that in a sense that he's really become the angel of my life more than the mere implication that he's suddenly become kind to me.

"Well you told me last time that we ought to be friends. I believe you have forgotten that." He said as he looked into me.

And I tried to cover the admiration in my eyes.

"Yeah, I do remember that." I replied "And honestly I'm glad you complied to that request but you know...it's all too shocking. Summer fever, maybe? Or maybe tomorrow you'll give me that cold glare again...kidding!" I again gave out that nervous laugh.

"Depends." He replied.

"Depends on what?"

"Nothing. Forget about it." He said. And all was quiet. I looked into the horizon and so did he.

And I felt good despite the eating silence.

And I thought maybe because he was here.

And he's so good to me.

"Come on." I said, breaking the silence. I came back to my feet and held out a hand. "You don't seem to be doing anything. Maybe being friends would need some bonding time together, ne?"

"Where are we going?" He asked me with his questioning look that I find very amusing and ultimately cute.

"Somewhere...I really don't know. You would come with me, anyhow." I said with confidence. And somehow I felt so at ease with him that I never wanted to end the night with merely silence.

"Well you look decent enough to be trusted. I could come with you." He took my hand and stood up.

I felt so comfortable with him that I would want more time with him.

"Hey, what do you mean by that?"

That I felt so high being with him.

"Why don't we go swimming?"

Felt so free in his company.

"I guess we should walk instead..."

Felt so in love with him.

A/N: Okay...again, whatever it is, tell me. - Archangel

[1] Idea from Fall-chan