Title: Differing Circumstances

Author: Koichi

Series: Prince of Tennis

Pairing: InuKai

SongFic inspirsed by Purest of Pain

Italics- lyrics

Summary: Sometimes, you have to choose between what you can have and what you want to have. And love becomes a luxury when you shoulder more responsibility……

"Moshi Moshi…" the voice of the only son of the Inui household traveled through the phone, but what greeted him was silence. Mentally counting the odds of whether it was a prank call, Inui Sadaharu decided to hang up the phone.

Sorry didn't mean to call you but I couldn't fight it
I guess I was weak, couldn't even hide it
and so I surrendered, just to hear your voice.

It has been six months, 4 days and 30 minutes since the moment he told him that they should break up, and every night that same line repeats itself in his dream.

"I am sorry sempai."

But he couldn't resist seeing his face again, so he was here at Shohoku High, watching him play the qualifying matches to the Nationals, hoping to see him play, his smiling face when he wins, and the concentration that he displays when he is into the match. The sky darkens as the clouds begun to gather, covering the sun and bringing showers to the court. The sound of thunder resounded, and the droplets of watch continued to bring it nutrishment to the earth. With no sign of the rain stopping soon, the two teams decided that they had no choice but to postpone the match to a later date when the weather was better. Inui concluded that this wasn't his lucky day. Not only he wasn't able to watch Kaidoh play his match as captain of the team, he was drenched by the rain. Casting one last longing look at the boy with his ever present green bandana, he turned his back towards the court and walked away.

It could be a twisted play of fate as at that moment when Inui was leaving, Kaidoh caught sight of the spiky head and familiar gleam of the reflective glasses that he always wore. He felt a pang of guilt and heartache course through his body as he watched the lonely figure disappearing through the sheets of water.

"Sempai!" he thought his ears were playing tricks on him when he heard that voice. He thought that because he wished that this would happen so much that his mind created the mirage of the man in front of him. However, perhaps there was a God and he was beginning to take pity of him, because Kaidoh was indeed standing in front of him, holding an umbrella over him. "Sempai….I…." Kaidoh stuttered, not knowing what to say. He didn't even understand why he chased up to Inui, but he did and he was standing in front of him now. "…I think you would need this." Kaidoh continued, holding the handle of the umbrella towards Inui. The data tennis player smiled, as he took hold of the umbrella from Kaidoh, their fingers brushing pass in an instant as Kaidoh retracted his hand like he was shocked by the touch. "The umbrella wouldn't be much of a use when I am soaking wet right? But thank you." Inui said. Feeling a blush coming up his face, Kaidoh muttered a quick excuse and ran back into the school ground, but this incident created an opportunity for Inui to look for him again.

Don't know how many times I said I'm gonna live without you,
and maybe someone else is standing there beside you,
but there's something, baby you need to know.
That deep inside me, I feel like I'm dying. I have to see you;
it's all that I'm asking.

Exactly one week after their meeting in the rain, Inui decided that it was time to pay Kaidoh a visit to return the umbrella that he had loaned him. This one week, he felt more alive than anytime in the past year ever since he broke up with him. There was hope that he could recover the relationship that Kaidoh and he once shared, and this hope pushed him on. Entering the school ground, he headed towards the tennis courts to see Kaidoh having a practice match with his team mate. Not wanting to disturb him he stood in the corner and watched on, mentally assessing how much he had improved over the period of time that they didn't meet. Time passed quickly as he watched the match proceed in favor of Kaidoh. Soon the practice was over and he approached the mamushi after he dispersed the group.

"You have improved." Inui remarked as he walked toward him, catching his attention. "Thank you." Then an awkward silent reigned until Inui cleared his throat, "Your umbrella," he said, passing the item back into his hands, but it was as if the heaven wanting to create an opportunity for them, it started to rain again. Instinctively, Inui opened the umbrella and pulled Kaidoh closer to him to shelter the pair. Kaidoh first reaction was to pull away, but soon found out that it wasn't a good idea as his right arm would be exposed to the rain, therefore he moved closer, although still trying to keep a gap between them.

"Shall we have dinner together?"

"Hai…." Until now he still couldn't refuse his ex-sempai and ex-lover.

Vida, give me back my fantasy. The courage that I need to live,
the air that I breathe.
Cariño mio, my world's become so empty. The days are so cold and lonely
and each night I taste the purest of pain.

It didn't take long before the rain was reduced to a drizzle, as the pair entered a family restaurant and was seated beside the window. Watching the pedestrians walk pass in the dwindling light, Kaidoh tried his best not to look at Inui. He was afraid, afraid that he would fall for the man sitting in front of him again. That face, that voice, and even the way he smiles, had not changed for the six months that they didn't meet. He allowed his thoughts to drift back to the happier times when they were together. However it seems that the relationship was doomed even before it started, because he couldn't bring himself to go against the traditional upbringing that he was brought up with. He was the eldest son of the family and it was his responsibility to carry on his family line and his younger brother. So he chose responsibility over happiness, but try as he might, he could never forget the times they had together.

"Kaidoh?" Inui looked at the boy who had been stirring the same cup of tea for around five minutes. "Kaidoh?" he called again, this time louder, but like the previous attempt, it fell onto deaf ears. "Kaidoh!" he tried for the last time, reaching out at the same time to tap on the hand that was holding the cup. The contact jolted Kaidoh out of his thoughts causing his hands to jerk, toppling the cup and its contents at the same time, the scalding hot water leaving angry red marks on Kaidoh's hand. Concerned, Inui got out of his chair and went towards Kaidoh, holding up his hands, he said, "I think you'd better run your hands under cold water, or there might be a 40 chance that……" Before he could finish, Kaidoh retracted his hand and ran out of the restaurant.

"Kaidoh!" Realising that he was causing a scene, Inui took out his wallet and threw some notes on the table before grabbing the umbrella that Kaidoh left behind in his rush and dashed out after him. The droplets of water sliding off his spectacles told him that it was still drizzling and it wasn't healthy for Kaidoh to be running under the rain. Quickening his steps, he finally caught up with the boy at the final turn before reaching his house.

"Kaoru!" This was the first time after six months that he heard that voice call him with his given name. He didn't want to stop, because he didn't know how to face him. But, it seemed that the heavens were against him as he felt the vice like grab on his shoulders. Much like the times where the regulars would try to escape from the Inui juice, and he would grab hold of them to make sure they can't run away. "Your umbrella." Inui simply said, thrusting the item into his hands, "You have matches coming up, you can't get sick now." After finishing what he said, he left, turning his back against Kaidoh.

Gazing at the lonely silhouette of the man, Kaidoh could feel the bitter bile build up at the back of his throat as his vision started to cloud with tears. "Sempai I……"

Turning back to face him, Inui smiled. The same knowing and understanding smile that he showed him that day when he had asked to end their relationship. "Kaidoh, I will wait for you as long as time permits."

Shohoko High: Anyone familiar with the series Slam Dunk would know that Shohoku is a school located in Kanagawa.

Yes…Kaidoh is in Kanagawa now.

Author's notes:

angst fic! I can't believe I actually went ahead and wrote it.

Anyway….the fic idea came when I heard the song Purest of Pain by Son by Four on the radio late in the middle of the night.

In the end I repeated the song so many times in the process of writing the whole fic that I started to feel sad a some point or another.

I couldn't decide on the ending, therefore I ended up writing 2. Do try and read both.