I'll wait for you……

That phrase kept repeating in his head like a broken recorder, but as much as he found it irritating, there was a sense of warmth that bubbled in his heart. This left him reassured but troubled, torn between his feelings of love and responsibility. He didn't sleep well that night, but drifted in the state of semi-consciousness. Between those moments he dreamt, to be more precise, he remembered the times that they were together. The gentle touches, the soothing voice of comfort, the smile, the passionate interludes and most importantly the bubbling warmth within his heart. He didn't realize it until then, how much he missed those moments. For the six months that went by, he buried himself in work, his new found leadership of the team and adjusting his new life in Kanagawa.

It was a relationship that was built over his insecurity and despite being bathed in his love, Kaidoh knew that one day he might leave him. Just because he was the eldest son and it was his duty to carry on the family line, and to provide his parents with grandchildren. Some may scoff at his old-fashion thinking, but he couldn't help it. It was the way he was bought up. He decided to end this relationship the day his father told the family that he was transferred to a branch in Kanagawa. And the family was to leave with him.

"I am sorry sempai……"

To put the distance between them, he built a wall to separate them. He knew he was selfish for picking such a moment to bring up the issue, when it was so close to his entrance exams for university, but he did it anyway. What surprised him was Inui's attitude when he placed his thought across. Overly calm wouldn't do justice to it, he felt his heart breaking when he saw his sempai sorrowful eyes. But he was so understanding of his position and so willing to let him go that it made him feel guilty. Kaidoh felt like he was a willful child and he was a loving parent. However when he saw his face again a week ago, he begin to wonder, whether he had regretted his decision.

I wish I could tell you I'm feeling better every day
that it didn't hurt me when you walked away
but to tell you the truth I can't find my way
and deep inside me I feel like I'm dying
I have to see you it's all that I'm asking.

That morning wasn't an enjoyable affair for him, as he tried to shrug off the grogginess of sleep by splashing his face with cold water as an added effort to wake himself up. The day went by uneventfully, as Kaidoh put all his energy in his classes in an attempt to concentrate on his lesson, fighting off the beckoning of the sandman. The situation didn't improve even when tennis training started. There was a significant drop in his stamina during the warm up laps, although he tried his best to hide it, it didn't escape the coach's sharp observation. When asked what was wrong with him, he didn't reply but told his coach that he was alright and didn't need to rest. Which was something that he learnt to regret later.

"Buchou, look out!" It was a warning that came too late. When he looked up, Kaidoh was just in time to see the tennis ball going for his face. Had he been paying attention during the practice match with his fukubuchou, he would have return the ball. In a feeble attempt to avoid getting hit in the face, Kaidoh twisted his head to the side and used his racquet to block the ball.

Kaidoh's racquet fall unto the court as he held his wrist in pain. Due to the angle and the force of the ball combined with the incorrect grip on Kaidoh's part, he had sprain his wrist. Leaving Kaidoh to ice his sore wrist, the coach dispersed the gathering crowd made up of the other regulars who were all concern of their captain's well-being. The coach, who was a rather matured man of his late thirties, a change from the female coach that he was used to, took out the first-aid kit and started to bandage the wrist.

"So what is on your mind today?" the man took a look at the wrist and decided that the swelling had gone down enough for him to start bandage.

"Nothing, Ishikawa-sensei, just tired, that's all." Pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, Ishikawa sighed. He knew that he wasn't going to get anything out of the reserved boy, if he wasn't ready to talk about it.

"There, all done." The older man said as he placed the last tape to hold the bandage in place. "I would still recommend you to go see a doctor about it though," he continued as he replaced the items of the first-aid kit back. "And go home and rest for a bit and sort out your problem soon. You are their captain, it wouldn't do for you to be distracted." Nodding his head, Kaidoh stood up bowing slightly he replied, "Thank you, Ishikawa-sensei."

As he was leaving, he saw a girl running towards the court. He recognized her, the short black hair, with pins to hold back the fringe from irritating the eye. She was a junior from the women tennis team of the school, at the same time the girlfriend of his vice-captain; he stopped to see what she was planning to do.

"Amamiya-kun, you forgot your bottle for training!" Kaidoh heard her say as the vice-captain walked up towards her. "You shouldn't have taken the trouble to come by. Didn't you say that you have a test tomorrow?" the gentle reply of his vice-captain was heard as he came up to her to take the bottle from her, at that moment their fingers overlapped each other's.

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.

The phone at the Inui residence rang again. Footsteps was heard before the phone was picked up, "Moshi Moshi? Inui residence." Being the only one at home at the moment, Inui Sadaharu had no choice but to answer the phone.

"Sempai?" came a strangled reply, but he recognized the voice at once.

"Kaidoh?" he asked, but was greeted with silence, "Kaoru?" he tired again, concern evident in the voice.

"Gomen nasai sempai…." The call then ended abruptly.

"I am sorry sempai…." It was the same phrase that Kaoru had told when he asked to end the relationship, and today he repeated the same line to him again. Did it meant that there was no chance for them to resume their previous relationship? Inui didn't want to think of such a possibility but his mind couldn't stop steering the thoughts towards that direction. He stood frozen at the spot as the phone slipped out of his grasp, but he made no move to pick it up. The silence in the room was deafening, as the sound of water dripping onto hard surface was audible. Slender fingers ghosted passed the porcelain white face, feeling the moisture. He didn't realize that he was crying.

I'm sorry I 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.

By the time he reached Tokyo, it was already evening, and the dark clouds had started to gather overhead. He had not told anyone about his trip back to his old hometown, much less informed his parents. For once, he couldn't care less whether he was going to arrive home late, because he made this decision in the heat of the moment, and he knew that if he was given time to think about it, he wouldn't have went through with it.

That moment when he saw what was shared between Amamiya and his girlfriend, it struck a chord in his heart. For that moment, that overlapping of fingers of the couple reminded him of Inui's match with the Rikkai Dai's third single Yanagi. At that point of time, the data man was still courting him. As he passed him the green towel after the match and congratulated the upper-class man, their hands overlapped each other's as well. He couldn't forget that moment, the heat of Inui's hands after the game that was warm and reassuring. Perhaps it was at that point, when he came to terms that he loved that man, and when the scene replayed itself the feelings were still there, it might even be stronger.

He couldn't wait.

The evening started as the clouds gave way and sheets of pearl like droplets rained upon the ground, much like he was feeling now. Inui stared at the sketch book in front of him as he flipped through the pages. In it was photos, notes, memories of their love together. Kaidoh was embarrassed when he found out that he was making a detailed record of the events that happened between them. He still remembered the blush on his face. Inui once joked that when they are old and wrinkled, they would sit in the porch and flip through these books remembering about the time when they were still hot-blooded youths.

He should really burn the book now.

The knock on the door was sudden, as he begins to wonder who would be visiting on such a rainy day. It was impossible to be any of his parents' friends as they were out of the country, and none of his friend had informed him that they would be visiting. As the door opened, the sight surprised him. It was Kaidoh, totally drenched and dripping wet from the rain. He noticed the bandaged wrist immediately and noted that he was in his tennis jersey and was still carrying his racquet bag; he just came from school. What shocked him more was his actions afterward, as Kaidoh without warning, dropped what he was carrying and hugged him.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry…." The voice was lost in the sobs, but Inui could no longer recognize whether they were his tears or the rain water wetting his shirt. His mind had lost the ability to process logical thoughts for the moment, as he looked at the boy that was embracing him. Could he interpret this the way he wanted to?

The words he heard confirmed his thoughts, "Could you give me another chance?" Kaidoh said with conviction in his voice, and like the sun it drove away the dark clouds in Inui's heart. There was no better reply than the passionate kiss they shared at the doorway, which cemented the foundation for their second love.

Author Notes:

Finally! I have finished the Happy Ending…Why is it so long?!

Please read the Sad Ending as well?

I think I tortured Inui too much in this fic, I even made him cry. I am so sorry Inui.

dies of Aozu