An Autumn's Dream (Aki no Yume)

About the Story

Basically, this is a Golden Pair and tensai of Seishun Gakuen centric. The other members of the team are also in the fic, but Oishi, Eiji, and Fuji will be in the spotlight. A drop of lemon essence and a bit of cotton-candy fluff here and there. Do not read if you don't like slash . Please give my first fanfic constructive criticisms. Arigatou gozaimasu.

PS: I own only Fuji. No wait... FUJI ISN'T MINE TOO?! That can't be... TTTT Okay. I own only Akiko, my made-up character.

End of Chapter One

Inside the local eatery, Oishi and Eiji were enjoying a bowl of piping-hot ramen. Outside, it was raining heavily. The calm weather that preceded the evening's storm was a stark contrast to the raging storm.

"Oishi, the ramen's ooishi, ne?"

Eiji chortled at his own joke. Oishi, when pronounced the wrong way, sounds exactly like the Nihongo term for "delicious". This was a playful stab at Oishi's name, and Eiji, although not finding it exactly very funny, laughed all the same. Just then, the doorbell tinkled.

Chapter Two

Just then, the doorbell tinkled, and in walked a sodden girl. The umbrella, which was hanging limply by her hand, was obviously no match for the heavy rain outside. She walked to a corner of the ramen shop, sneezing and leaving small puddles of water on the floor as she went along.

Eiji

That's the girl! The girl I had a crush on for so long... And here's she now! This is the perfect chance for me to express my feelings for her.

"Oishi, I..."

The words piled on the tip of my tongue wouldn't come out.

"Yes, Eiji?"

I glanced at the girl, and stupidly pointed in her direction, hoping that Oishi would get my meaning.

"Eh? The girl? What's wrong with her? She seems very wet... I hope she doesn't get a cold!"

Obviously, he didn't. I groaned and tried to explain to him again.

"That's the girl I've been talking to you about! Akiko! Ireallylikeher..."

As I had forced the words to get out of my mouth, they tumbled out and tripped over each other instead. However, I know that Oishi caught my words. If my eyes hadn't been playing tricks on me, I swear could've seen a trace of a frown on his face. Then, the dominant worry took over. Doesn't he approve of Akiko? She's really kind, clever, sweet and not forgetting to mention beautiful... Aren't we perfect together? Oishi seemed to be having a battle inside him. His face was contorted, and if the atmosphere hadn't been so tense, I would have burst out laughing. Finally, he seemed to have reached a decision.

"Eiji... If you like her, then tell her before it's too late!"

So he doesn't disapprove after all! I beamed and nodded enthusiastically. And here goes my first attempt at trying to get myself a girlfriend...

Oishi

I wonder if I should have told him to go for it. Was it truly a right thing to do? However Eiji is really crazy about her... He doesn't seem to be able to concentrate properly on court whenever she passes by. What was her name again? Aiko, I think. I believe that she is a virtuous lady who is worthy of Eiji's love, but yet again... I feel disturbed. I see him lending her his jacket. And now they're giggling together. I feel so much like a castout, but I believe the loyal Eiji wouldn't throw his friendship away just for an infatuation with that girl.

Infatuation... Is that the same feeling love gives you? Many a times I have heard Momo boasting about the girls he had dated, and how good he would feel. "Hah, if you haven't fallen in love before, you wouldn't know how great it actually feels! Love gives you butterflies in your tummies, and candies in your mouth. It's really sweet..." Those were his exact words. Candies in your mouth? That part I didn't understand. Did he mean that love has a sweet taste to it?

I played with the ramen in my bowl, gazing intently at the noodles. I feel so flustered when Eiji's with a girl, and I want to know why. Maybe, just maybe, I am in love...? NANI?! That couldn't be! I was so shocked by that thought, that I dropped my bowl onto the ground.

CRASH.

The heads of the other customers swung around sharply. My dropped utensils have caused such a racket that even the patrons at the other end of the restaurant were gazing at me. Bowing my head appologetically, I tried to catch a glimpse of Eiji. Had I embarrassed him by making such a din? Had his new "girl friend" been turned of by me? But to my utmost relief, they were acting as if nothing has ever happened. Aiko, or whatever the girl is called, was blushing. Had Eiji popped the question already? Although I am relieved that both of them hadn't heard me, or ignored me on purpose, I was disappointed at the same time. Were they so into each other that they were oblivious to their surroundings?

I observed them for a few more minutes. Finally, the girl's lips parted and moved, and Eiji's head hung down. I couldn't see his face, but his body movement tells me that he is dejected. The girl's eyes were also no longer twinkling with glee. Instead, a new look of hope and enamouration gleamed in her eyes. She started talking again. Eiji nodded miserably, and walked back to his seat, shoulders sloping, and head down.

Eiji

CRASH.

I wonder what that noise is? Doesn't matter. I want her to be my girlfriend and I will ask her right now. I mustered up my courage, took and deep breath and...

"Ano.. Are you one of the tennis regulars in our school?"

"Ah.. Hai! Why did you ask about that?"

I saw her twiddle her thumbs, and a small smile formed on her thin lips.

"Um... There's a somebody... Whom I like..."

Time stopped momentarily. My eyes widened and my heart froze. I clenched my fist and unclenched it. In a robotic voice which doesn't sound like me, I asked her who was the one she fancied. I wish I hadn't ask that question, because it tore open wound upon wound and finally pierced my heart, causing it to crack and finally splinter into a thousand pieces. Both of us kept quiet for a few minutes.

"A... A... Are you sure you... Like him? Are you certain?"

"Hai desu... Fuji-san is the most amazing person I've ever met... He's a tensai on-court, and a gentleman off-court. He's really polite and... Eh? Where are you going? Do you still want your jacket?"

I had walked off when she was talking halfway. The pain is too much for me to bear. The crush that I had bore on her for a year and eight months was nothing after all. She likes someone, and unfortunately I am not that someone who has taken place in her heart. What is worse, is that she is enamoured of my good friend... Oh I feel such despair!

The duo left the diner's for home. The rain had became much lighter, to nothing more than a slight drizzle. As they walked along the narrow pavement, glumness was evident in the air. Eiji felt this way because of an indirect rejection, and Oishi was sad for his pal. A couple with kids walked past them.

Eiji

I see a couple walk pass Oishi and me. Oh, if only this was Akiko and I! How joyous would I be feeling now. All of a sudden, I felt someone kick my feet and I lost my balance. Oishi, who was in front of me, had turned around. I fell towards him so quickly that both of us had no time to react. And then...

My lips touched his.

The droplets of precipitation ran over my skin. I lay on top of Oishi, and our lips were still locked. I dare not open my eyes, because two rejections in a day is simply too much. I needed something to fill the emptiness within, and Oishi... Although he wasn't the most kiss-worthy person, I didn't want to pull away. Besides, he would have initiated for us to stop if he had really wanted to let go. But he didn't, and in the light drizzle, we shared a passionate kiss.

Oishi

It all happened so fast. I saw one boisterous young boy running in my direction, but I had dodged him and he tripped Eiji instead. Then, he fell onto me and...

My heart was set racing and my emotions were all over the place. So this is how a kiss feels like? I don't think Eiji really wanted this kiss, but maybe this would comfort him after being turned down. And I'd be too embarrassed to break the kiss anyway. Thus, my best friend and I osculated.

I must say that our show of "affection" for each other was not fiery and full of passion like the kisses in movies. It was really plain and simple. If kissing someone is equivalent to saying that you're in love, I'd say so. I know the answers to my questions now. I know why I've been running away. I was running away from guilt and my conscience. But now, my conscience is clear and I shouldn't be guilty.

For I love Eiji.

TBC!

Author's notes: Actually I must admit, I didn't want Oishi to nuzzle Eiji at all. I am crazy over the both of them, and it hurts when they get to kiss each other when I can't kiss any one of them at all! Oh well. So here's chapter 2 of Aki no Yume. I hope that it had turned out alright so far, and please review! Arigatou! Oh btw, those who are wondering about the title, please do not ask me about it. I know it's stupid and doesn't fit this fic, but oh well... By the way, watashi no Nihongo wa wakarimasu ka? Watashi wa jouzu-ni Nihongo ga manase masen. Nihongo wa watashi ni muzukashii desu!! (Btw, can you understand my Japanese? I can't speak Japanese well. Japanese is difficult for me!!) I've just picked Japanese up, so if you don't understand, hontou ni gomenasai! May I ask a favour of you? Please review! Domo arigatou!