Akira did his best not to take another glance at the captivating charm that was coating the youthful and innocent figure on the bed.
He opened the door for himself... to exit and murmured in a tone that only an ant could hear. "See you anywhere."
Feeling the pain of refusal... of wanting something he couldn't have... Hana-chan gripped on a white pillow and threw it ragingly at Akira's back. The man suddenly paused... but not because of the soft pillow that hit him... but because of the sleeping little girl outside the door.
"Rakeru?" Akira's face turned pale.
"Uncle." Rakeru groggily lit up her beautiful gem-like blue eyes and stood exhaustedly from the cold floor. "I saw you left with Hana-chan and tried to catch up. I rode a cab to reach you. I've been trying to knock on this door but perhaps you could no longer hear me... until I fell asleep."
Akira could transparently see how tired Rakeru had been from her weak knees and messy brown hair. He felt guilty.
"I'm sorry. You should have yelled my name." The spiky-haired man brought the girl's head on his ribs and caressed it gently. Then you helped on stopping what had happened.
"I tried but you didn't hear me and the people downstairs all stared at me."
"Oh."
Meanwhile... Hana-chan wondered what took Akira so long on the open door. He thought he wanted to leave... so why is he in stationary there like a statue.
Tiptoeing... the redheaded child inched closer to Akira and hugged him lovingly from behind. He nuzzled his long brown nose to send tickles on the other's husky nape.
"Did you change your mind?" Hana-chan asked seductively... as his right hand sunk inside Akira's polo... and fumbling along the hard muscles built by constant Basketball practice and the gym.
Rakeru felt the hand travelling inside her uncle's stomach... hitting her face... and she traced the origin of the hand... that led her behind Akira.
"Ha-ha.."
Hana-chan stared at the shocked blue orbs. There were no glimmer in them the way it had been last night.
"Wha-" Rakeru's angelic eyes began to swell in tears... as she switched her glances from her uncle to the redheaded boy and vice versa. She didn't know who to ask... so she just blurted it out. "What are YOU doing here?"
Akira squeezed his palms as he absorbed the scenery. Hana-chan was obviously naked behind him... and worse, the boy forgot that his arms were still around his waist.
"I HATE YOU!" Rakeru ran away while sobbing and suddenly... due to hastiness and tears fogging her sight... she tripped down and hurt her right knee.
"Rakeru!" Akira was about to approach and help the girl when the latter glared at her like he's the most hateful creature on earth.
The girl took the elevator and asked the man in-charge to close it soon because she's in a hurry... leading Akira to wait for the other elevator's turn to reach the fifth floor.
Back in room 510, Hana-chan was dumbfounded. His eyes barely blink... his lips numbed from the event and his feet were stuck on the floor.
His eyes popped so big as the dream absorbed his entire body.
His heart kept on banging on his chest... as blood rushes through his veins rapidly and consciousness filled his mind.
Hana-chan's left hand fumbled beneath the warm blanket and touched his own skin.
He was naked.
Nothing but the large piece of comforting cloth covered his skin... and he was lying in a strange bed... he'd never seen before.
He was stupefied as the night's event reeled on his mind like a ghost paralyzing his brain and body.
His anus never hurt as much as this.
Suddenly... a sobbing heavenly blue eyes appeared on his thoughts like it had on his dream.
"Rakeru." The air from his lips struck the pillow supporting his head.
What would she say when she knew about this? Would she also have those pearly tears of sadness and pale cheeks? Would she also run away and refuse to talk or see him again?
Would she hate me?
A sound of footsteps on the carpeted floor came as a background in his deep reverie.
His head inevitably turned 90 degrees upwards and his eyes watched on the newly-bathed man wearing a clean and ironed navy blue long-sleeved polo and black slacks.
Rukawa Kaede's french fragrance spread inside the room... and his raven damp hair fell freely on his head.
The famous sportsman bent slightly and took a chromium-plated 9mm Berretta pistol... then placed it at his back, partly covered by his pants.
Most celebrites have either licensed or non-licensed guns for protection. Hana-chan wondered if Kaede's pistol is licensed.
However, remembering the hands that travelled to so many places in his body... and the lips that shoved all the way to his skin... Hana-chan flinched.
"You have a buffet reservation in the penthouse restaurant." A voice as cold as snow spoke.
Kaede wasn't looking at the boy... so the latter thought at first... he wasn't talking to him.
"Yes." The answer came out of his mouth naturally... but his normal mind haven't returned yet. "With you?"
"No."
It happened like Kaede was talking to himself and left the room without any more words to utter.
Hana-chan ate his first batch of foods like a robot. His mind and eyes were far away... in a place no one but him could reach.
Not only did his red-dyed hair that caught attention... but his emotionless stature in a four-seater square table.
He only had a single sip of his hot Danish chocolate drink... and three sickly bites of pancake in maple syrup.
Afterwards... he had a slow walk around the hotel's grand floor... enjoying himself with the enchanting fountains of the garden like that in the Palace De La Concorde in Paris and various kinds of natural sea treasures in the aquariums inside the hotel lobby.
Hana-chan watched closely, that his nose almost hit the glass frame of the aquarium, the orange clown fishes with black and white stripes... swimming in the water.
"Hi!"
It startled his quiet state.
Beside her... a beautiful young lady appeared with a priceless smile to give a reason to a good morning.
His eyes froze at the angelic sight and the girl, Rakeru had to snap her fingers in front of him to get him back on earth.
"Do.You.Re-memba.me?"
Hana-chan woke from his fantasy. Rakeru looked more radiant and pretty without make-up... but merely with her brown shoulder-length hair in low-twin-braids and simple denim pants and jacket.
"Of course. Why would I forget someone with such beautiful eyes and smile?"
Rakeru's cherry blush on the cheeks and curly bangs imitated an aristocratic Spanish doll and left Hana-chan dumbfounded.
"Sankyu." She stated in a shy and soft manner.
"What are you doing here, anyway?"
"Ma-my fadAh Vi-sIt a frend."
The truth is, when Fujima Kenji told her that he's going to visit a friend in Kanagawa Front Hotel, she volunteered to come with, knowing that Hana-chan was staying in the same hotel.
"Oh. Where is he?" He turned his head in different directions. "Are you alone here?"
"A-actu-a-ry."
She hesitantly glanced towards the burgundy carpeted area with luxurious wooden sofa sets where a brown-haired six footer man was standing nearby and gazing at them.
"Is that your father?"
"YEs." Rakeru smiled and automatically tugged the boy's hand... then ran excitedly to Kenji. "Hana-chan... I... wAnt-yu to mIt my fadAh, Fujima Kenji."
Hana-chan just smiled amicably. He didn't expect to meet Rakeru's father right on that moment.
"Sakuragi Hanamichi the Second." Rakeru cheerfully introduced the redheaded boy to her father.
The name startled Hana-chan like it wasn't his name at all. The second? It sounded awkward and ridiculous.
"How are you, young man?" Kenji extended his right hand.
At first, Hana-chan was surprised and reluctant... but he easily gained his normal self and shook the hand with a smiling face and a friendly manner.
"Never better."
"Are you sure?"
Kenji didn't withraw his hold on the redhead's right hand. He learned English the way Sendoh Akira did since they had been players of the Japan Team. Kenji stayed in the Japan team for seven years... then transferred to a team participating in the national Basketball league where he started as a regular player... and after three years he became both the playing captain and coach. There he remained until the present.
"YES!"
Kenji watched as the boy grinned with lush... and his chocolate brown eyes danced with joy and laughter. He never had the chance to be with Sakuragi Hanamichi, the boy's father, closer than playing Basketball with him on court... but only by seeing and studying his moves... he was amazed of his abilities and confidence.
"You seem to be a carbon copy of your father."
The older man spoke as the original Hanamichi appeared on his mind. He was absolutely amused to see Hana-chan speaking with such exuberance the way his father used to... except for the medium language.
"You know him?" The boy asked with wonder and mirth.
"My fadAh wAs the coach, cap-ten and manei-jah of Shoyo team when yOh fadAh joined Shohoku." Rakeru meddled proudly. "Sakuragi Hanamichi alsO hAv rEd hair."
Hana-chan lost all the voice to speak. He couldn't nod or disagree or say anything but to absorb the informations he learned about his father. He was like a little child being toured in a place he'd never been to.
"Well, I guess it's by instinct that I colored my hair red." The boy slid a hand over his semi-bald head as he spoke innocently.
"Where's Rukawa, anyway?" Kenji queried.
"I don't know." Hana-chan shrugged... less happy about it.
Kenji smiled slightly. He was aware about Kaede's cold attitude with Hanamichi's son from Akira who heard it from Uozumi.
"Aren't you going to look for him?"
The older man was testing the boy and trying to make him speak his mind about the man who adopted him and raised him only... financially. However, Rakeru noticed the boy's hesitations to talk about that topic so she discreetly pinched her father at the back to stop him.
"Maybe." Hana-chan's face went sullen.
"I'm sorry Hana-chan, we have to go." Kenji glanced at her white gold wrist watch. "See you... and say hello to your father from me. Fujima Kenji."
"I'll never forget your name."
Rakeru also bid farewell and they walked away.
"Dad... are you going somewhere?" The girl asked as they went farther from Hana-chan.
"Nowhere. I have no work for today."
"What? Then why do we have to leave him this soon?" Rakeru's brows knitted from the great impact the answer had on her.
"Why won't we?"
"Dad, you could've at least invited him for a coffee or a brunch... or whatever."
"Ok." Kenji suddenly pivoted his foot and faced the area where they left Hana-chan.
"Are you serious?" Rakeru gripped her father's hand tightly."
Kenji smiled at his only child... his little princess. "Rakeru, if you want the boy, go GET him."
The man walked back and followed Hana-chan who was returning to the aquariums. His daughter tugged by him.
"Dad, are you sure about this?" With nervousness creeping on her body, she asked.
"Yes my princess. Just watch and learn."
Rakeru followed her father until they reached Hana-chan.
"Hey." The man said and caught the boy's attention instantly.
"Oh. You're back."
"Do you want to go out with us?" Kenji invited with a pleasant look. "I have this wonderful place to show you."
-tsuzuku-