An Autumn's Dream (Aki no Yume)

I own Kin-sensei and Akiko and a water bottle.

End of Chapter Two

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.

Chapter Three

Oishi

I awoke three hours ago, way before the day broke. A sudden realisation hit me: I must not like Eiji. Yesterday was a grave mistake I have commited. I have been extremely selfish. All I cared about was my own desires, and I had neglected Eiji's feelings. Had he wanted the peck at all? Perhaps he was afraid to pull away, afraid to hurt my feelings. And yet, the stupid me thought that I would be the one who would be embarrassed. I caressed my throbbing head, still thinking about the accidental show of affection. After an hour, I was still unable to sleep. Thus, I decided to turn on the computer. A game was what I needed most to escape from reality. My bleary eyes were not accustomed the the glare of the monitor and my hand came up instinctively to shield my eyes from the brightness. The humming of the CPU sort of calmed me, it drones on and on without a change in pitch ceaselessly. Just then, a popup informed me of a new email.

It was from Eiji. Half of me was eager to see what the email was about, while the other half was unwilling, afraid of its contents. After a minute of hestitation, I gave in to the inquisitive side of myself. The message was short and simple.

'sankyuu, oishi.'

That was it? I had overestimated the letter. I breathed a sigh of relief, and for the first time since yesterday, my heavy heart lightened. I was heartened to know that instead of blaming me for anything, Eiji expressed his gratitude to me. In a voice barely audible, I whispered to the night,"I should be the thankful one, ne Eiji?" Now that I feel so much at ease, I could go back to sleep again. Yawning, I turned the machine off.

Once again, I mumbled to myself in the darkness,"Good night Eiji..."

Just before I fell asleep, I questioned my own sanity. I must be one heck of a crazy man to have been talking to myself.

Eiji

Oddly enough, I feel assauged by the snog Oishi and I shared. My pain is gone. The cracked heart of mine is glued back with just that one kiss. If I were to have my breath taken away by a female again, I would wish to be bowled over by a female version of Oishi. He's everything a girl can be -- kind, caring, loyal, good-looking... Oishi's good points can go on forever. In short, if Oishi had been a she, he would be the ultimate one for me.

Daybreak is just a few hours away -- I had spent the rest of the night replaying the kiss in slow motion over and over again, feeling a bizzare sense of mild elation each time. Sometimes I feel a light pressure on my lips, as though I was getting kissed again. Other times, a bittersweet kind of sensation surged through me, numbing my pain and soothing my soul. I thank the exurberant little boy who tripped me, for without him, I would most probably still be bitter over the "rejection". And yet, I ask myself if I am losing my mind. A relationship with the member of the opposite sex is not very common in conservative Nihon, and the society shunned homosexuals. The pitiful people are stigmatised, and although I sympathise with them, I am not ready to join their numbers... Not yet, anyway. Tired after all the thinking, I wondered if I should go to sleep. I had very nearly decided to go to the empty street tennis courts to work on my aerobic tennis, then I suddenly recalled my habit of zoning out and succumbing to sleep in lessons had I not enough rest. I massaged my fatigued eye. The somnolent me must have been too exhausted, for I heard a ghost of Oishi's voice calling out to me. "Good night Eiji," it said. My body's natural reaction was to reply him, and I did. "Good night Oishi."

The next morning, the acrobat walked into the school grounds with the blond tensai as always.

"Ne, ne Fujiko..."

"Hai, Eiji?"

Eiji's imitation of a scholar in deep concentration was so comedical that passing by students laughed at him discreetly. Fuji, however, was able to look beneath the acrobat's try to mask his feelings, and he sensed vexation.

"Nandemonai, Fujiko-chan!"

"Ii desu... Ah, there's Oishi."

Fuji noticed a warm and blissful smile creeping into Eiji's visage.The look is remniscent of that of someone thinking about and eagerly waiting for a long-lost love, and Fuji was slightly ruffled. 'The look on his face... It irks me! Why? Why is he looking at Oishi-kun this way? I don't understand!' the blond tensai smouldered in ire silently.

"Ah... O... Ohai... Ohaiyou, Oishi!" Eiji sounded unnaturally high-pitched, suchlike a fazed fangirl who had ran into her much-admired idol.

'The voice... The look... I... WILL STOP MYSELF. Control the anger, stop the fist from shaking. There is nothing between them... Absolutely nothing!' Slowly, the jealous Fuji's burning rage died down. A forced grin was plastered onto his porcelain face, showing no trace of his wrath. Unlocking his gritted teeth, he seethed,"Good morning Oishi."

"Ohaiyou, Fuji and Eiji! Let's get to class! Lessons will be starting soon,"

Eiji

I could hardly pay attention to the sensei. In preferance to listening to the humdrum pedagogue, I look outside the classroom at the blooming Sakura trees. I stared at the twirling Sakura blossom petals, and they look as if they're dancing to the rhythm of the wind. The trees hung over the paths languidly, lacking life. Were they bored like me too? I hear the wind whisper to me... "Whoosh... Whoosh... Hai... It's so boring today... Whoosh..." The gale blew through gaps between the branches, and the tree sways. More petals float to the ground. The vast azure blue in the background is dotted with cotton candy clouds, and it was an excellent backdrop for the scene in front. I feel my eyelids getting heavier, and before I knew it, I was dancing along with the Sakura trees.

I was in such a state of exhilaration that I was laughing away. I twirled, swirled and leapt. This must be the nicest place on Earth! Then, I heard someone from a distance away calling out to me. "Kikumaru!"

At first it was soft and faraway. "Hoi hoi, can't you see that I'm enjoying myself?! Shizukani!" I waved my hand at the person, whoever it was, in annoyance. The bothersome baka started shouting. "KIKIMARU EIJI-SAN!" I shook my hand again. Then it started raining. Very heavily. "Ahh! I do not have an umbrella with me! I'm gonna get... Eh?"

I awakened from my slumber. A glaring teacher stood in front of me, tapping her leg and frowning in utmost displeasure. My classmates were having stitches from guffawing too much. The class was in a laughing riot and the lecturer did not seem to mind. "Well?" Sensei's impatience was building up in slowly-increasing amounts.

"Uh... Kin-sensei, gomen! Hontou-ni gomenasai!" Her carefully drawn eyebrow twitched convulsively. This apology was obviously not enough.

I tittered sheepishly. Kin-sensei's eyes gleamed and in a spine-chilling voice, she commanded, "You will not attend tennis practice today, Eiji. Meet me after school," The whole class burst into fits of laughter all over again, and I whimpered. No tennis practice? That couldn't be... What a rotten day!

Author's notes: Well? How was it? This chapter had been difficult for me, because the exams are only two days away! I should be studying instead of fanfic-ing. But bleah, I need to release "pent-up stress", nya hahaha! Honestly I'm more than just a little worried. My self-expectations are high, and I want to achieve my goals... I have not been studying though. Please wish me good luck and all the best!

ko-inu-128: Gomen, wakarimasen... I know only the second line: Watashi no Nihongo wa sukoshi My Japanese is sukoshi? I'm so sorry! But thanks for reviewing anyway!

Dementia-12: Oishi angst? Not much wuhuhuhus! Maybe I'll consider some angst-ridden Oishi. Just maybe!