Memory Nineteen
Inui wouldn't tell Kaidoh where they were going. They walked a long way, until they reached a store that sold ramen. It was a small place and Inui ordered ramen to go.
"We're not eating here?" asked Kaidoh curiously.
Inui shook his head no.
"I have something better planned."
The carried the bagged ramen over near the river and went down to their training spot. Kaidoh shuddered a little remembering what happened to him just night ago down here. Inui had ended up saving him along with everybody else.
"I know this place holds some bad memories because of a couple nights ago. But nobody will hurt you while I'm here. This is our spot. This is where we trained for hours and hours here. This is also the place where I tried to get you to play doubles with me, and where I tried to get your memories back when you got hit by a tennis ball. There's good memories too, that's why I wanted to bring you here. So we could think of it as back in highschool and junior high," said Inui.
Kaidoh smiled.
"Thank you Inui. This is something we would've normally done hm?" he replied.
Inui nodded handing a pair of disposable chopsticks to Kaidoh who accepted them. They opened up the ramen both saying 'Itadakimasu' before eating.
"Is this place nice enough for you? Were you expecting something better?" asked Inui.
Kaidoh shook his head.
"No. This is perfect."
"I haven't been here with you truly watching the sunset like this since I told you I was leaving," said Inui.
Kaidoh nodded taking a big bite of ramen.
"You told me you were leaving for Europe the day before you were actually leaving. It was all too soon," he commented.
The setting sun reflected off of Inui's glasses as he gazed at the river and ate ramen at the same time.
"I didn't know how to tell you. I planned to tell you I was leaving on the day before I was leaving so I could leave and not be broken for days on end if I told you a week before," he said.
"Did the idiot tell you how screwed up in the head I was?" asked Kaidoh.
"Momoshiro told me when he found me at the college in London. He told me you still practiced, but he didn't tell me you quit tennis. He told me you were broken though that you felt nothing was the same without me. So I decided to come from the holidays and take you with me or stay here," replied Inui.
"Senpai…would I hold you back if I said that I wanted to stay here?" asked Kaidoh.
Inui smiled and reached over to kiss him.
"Never you never hold me back Kaoru. You push me forward as I once told you. I will stay here with you and help you grow stronger," he said before kissing Kaidoh fully on the lips.
The pulled away watching the sky turn from an orange, to purple, to a navy midnight blue. They stargazed for a while telling one story or another to only be drowned in silence for a long time before telling another story for the situation to repeat. They walked back up to the main road and threw away the empty ramen cups and walked home hoping they weren't late coming home.
Everyone was quickly getting ready to go out and party for the night. Fuji smirked at his outfit a tight black jeans and a dark red shirt. He actually had placed a little bit of eyeliner on his eyes. Tezuka rolled his eyes at the sight.
"That eyeliner looks ridiculous," he said.
Fuji just smiled.
"It's just for tonight Kunimitsu, you wouldn't look bad with some on either, and your nails painted a dark blue would look nice too," he replied.
Tezuka didn't even bother to reply to that. If anything, Mizuki...Saeki…SOMEBODY, had introduced the tensai to cosmetics. Tezuka didn't even want to know who. He slid on a dark aqua marine long sleeved shirt on himself knowing that Fuji was watching him.
"There's some ground rules to this tonight," said Tezuka.
"You're not being fun Mitsu."
"One you're not going to drug Oishi or Eiji into liking eachother. Two you keep your hands off of everybody, I'm the only one you're allowed to touch in that way and same goes for me. But there's no kissing or anything like that when we go out tonight," ordered Tezuka. He really didn't care weather he was being fun or not, there were rules and they were going to be followed weather Fuji liked it or not.
"I'll follow everything except the not being able to kiss you and touch you part," replied Fuji.
" Fuji you're following that rule too weather or like it or not," said Tezuka sternly.
Fuji placed his arms around the hazel eyed buchou pouting.
"Tezuka please? Eiji and Oishi are going to be touching and kissing tonight, what will be the difference with us. I want to be able to claim you in front of everyone," he said.
"I'm a famous tennis player Fuji. Word gets around fast and my reputation and yours doesn't need that at the moment. At least not until we can defend our relationship without loosing what we have for a living," replied Tezuka.
"Our reputation is all you care about Tezuka? You don't care about what we have together?" asked Fuji coldly.
"Syusuke, I love you. More than anything else on earth. I'm not exactly concerned about me, but I'm concerned about you. I don't want you to get hurt again," explained Tezuka.
There was a long silence.
"I could care less about getting hurt again Tezuka. As long as your there with me I'll never be hurt. And if there is some comfort tonight, only our old friends and maybe their friends will be there tonight," said Fuji.
"Which club are we going to?" asked Tezuka raising an eyebrow.
"You'll see," said Fuji in a singsong voice as he walked out the room.
Eiji grinned at Oishi who was checking to make sure he had everything before they left.
"We're going to have fun Oishi right?" he asked.
Oishi nodded.
"Just be careful okay? Try not to get lost in crowds of people or drugged…and maybe-" he began.
"Shuichiro I'll be okay. If anything I'll stay with you the whole time," cut of Eiji.
"That seems like a good idea," said Oishi as they walked downstairs. Everyone was already there waiting. Ryoma and Momo were leaning against the wall holding hands, Kaidoh and Inui were quietly talking among their selves, and Tezuka and Fuji were also in a conversation until Fuji spotted Oishi and Eiji walking into the living room together.
"Ah, alright everyone I think we're ready to go. We're going to take two cars. Tezuka, Eiji, Oishi, and I we'll be in my car. And Oishi do you mind Inui driving yours with the others?" asked Fuji.
"As long as he doesn't wreck it out," said Oishi.
Everyone departed from the house got into the two separate cars.
"Momoshiro, Kaidoh, all three of you at the matter. Don't get into arguments while I'm driving, I promised Oishi I wouldn't wreck out the car," said Inui.
Ryoma rolled his eyes.
"Then leave Kaidoh in the passenger seat with you and I'll sit in the back with Momo," he said.
"Sounds like a good plan," said Inui as he got into the driver seat unlocking all the doors on the punch buggy car. A nice red punchy buggy that Eiji had insisted on buying for him and Oishi.
Both cars soon exited out of the driveway, the red punch buggy following the dark blue Eclipse.
"Nya where are we going Fuji?" asked Eiji from the backseat.
"It's a surprise," replied Fuji.
"It better be a good place Fujiko," said Eiji.
Tezuka sighed. If it was a shady little club then he was going to be mad at Fuji for bringing him and his friends here because usually shady little places like that tended to cause trouble and heaven knew that Tezuka needed no more trouble. Nor did anyone else really.
They ended up parking into a building that had a huge indoor parking lot. Both cars parked next to eachother and it seemed like not many people were here tonight because there weren't many cars. Everyone exited out of the two cars and Fuji led them to the front entrance of the place. It looked huge and Tezuka was wondering if Fuji had the money to actually reserve the whole place. There was not even a line at the door. But once they were let inside by one of the people who worked there, music played from every angle and the place was the size of a mall.
If anything this club had five or six levels onto it. The first floor was only a bar with an arcade and a couple pool tables. Fuji told them that they were being expected on the second and third floor. Everyone walked upstairs where the techno-like music had gotten louder. There were people there. A lot of people actually. And Ryoma had recognized a few before anyone else did.
"Ah, Ore-sama has been waiting for your arrival. Welcome all of you," said a drawling voice that came from beside them.
"Ah Atobe nice seeing you again," said Fuji.
"Nice seeing you again as well. And Tezuka I see you've finally returned to Japan. How nice. How about we all reacquaint ourselves in the dining area of this place… It's quite loud in here," said Atobe.
Everyone agreed and went up to the fourth floor where you could only hear maybe the bass of the music a couple people from downstairs but that was all.
"Sugoi! Fuji you're here! Ah at long last, and you've brought your captain with you too!" exclaimed an excited voice.
"You're going to scare them off Jiroh, please try to calm down while they're here," said Atobe as the sunset haired boy clung onto Atobe's arm.
They were led into a dining room where two other people sat. Shishido Ryou and Ohtori Choutarou. They hadn't changed much, Shishido looked the same as he did back before he had cut his hair off to keep himself in the regulars position. He had the fronts of his hair pulled back but the rest was down. Ohtori still looked the same. The same boyish face and smile that they saw as he spotted them.
"Hello," he said politely.
"Hoi Ohtori hi!" exclaimed Eiji hugging the grey haired boy. Ohtori hugged back and they both pushed away.
"About time you guys got here, I think Atobe had three glasses of wine and was about to get drunk before you guys came," said Shishido resting his elbows on the table.
"You take that back Shishido. Ore-sama does not get drunk, tipsy maybe but not drunk," said Atobe as all of them slid into the booth seats. Jiroh decided he was going to rest on Atobe again, but kept wide awake at the arrival of Fuji Syusuke.
"Psh same thing," muttered Shishido.
"By the way Tezuka, I still want a rematch from when we played in Italy," said Atobe.
"You'll play me and him in the spring," said Ryoma.
"Ore-sama has already proven to the world that I can beat you Echizen. You're no challenge to me," replied Atobe.
"Oi! That was in Junior High, he can beat you now. For your information he'd a professional whose beaten his brother Ryouga three times within the two years he's been gone," snapped Momo.
"Yes Atobe, you shouldn't underestimate Ryoma or Tezuka. Both have gotten very good," said Fuji.
"We'll see in Chiba then," said Atobe.
"Ohtori do you still play tennis?" asked Oishi.
"Sometimes, I've became more dedicated to playing the violin. I'm a composer now," replied Ohtori quietly.
"Yeah! Ohtori is so cool! He's composed thinks for anime soundtracks!" added Jiroh.
"Nya! Cool! You're that good?" asked Eiji his dark blue eyes glittering.
"Um, I'm okay," replied Ohtori shrugging.
"Stop being so shy Choutarou. He's the best. He's won bunches of competitions and earns a lot of money for what he's doing. He's so good that he's holding a concert in America in June," said Shishido.
"While you work for me here. You should be grateful that Ore-sama takes care of you so well Shishido," said Atobe.
Shishido gritted his teeth in frustration and Ohtori whispered something to him that obviously seemed to have calmed him down. And then the doors opened at a dark haired man with glasses and a laptop around his shoulder entered the large dining room. A smaller red headed male clung onto his other arm that was free from the laptop.
"Sorry Atobe, I was caught up with my editor," said Yushi Oshitari.
"Ore-sama forgives you. Have they published your novel yet?" Atobe asked.
"Still in the process of editing, Gakuto tends to get distracted easily," replied Oshitari.
Gakuto pouted.
"I do not get distracted and what is Kikumaru doing here? Hell what is all of Seigaku doing here?" he asked.
Oshitari and Atobe gave eachother knowing looks as both Gakuto and Oshitari sat down at the table.
"That's what you get for having your lover become your editor," said Atobe.
Fuji smiled.
"Ah, Yushi and Gakuto are a couple now? I saw that coming," he commented.
"And did you ever get Tezuka?" Oshitari asked.
Fuji smiled and snuggled up against Tezuka who was beside him. Tezuka tensed up and was blushing ever so slightly.
"Mn, of course. So keep your hands off, he's mine," Fuji replied.
Atobe smirked.
"The tensai and captain of Seigaku. What a surprise, Ore-sama congratulates you both," he said.
"So who is the seme and who is uke?" asked Gakuto teasingly.
"You'll never know," said Fuji opening his eyes dangerously.
Shishido snickered at that.
"I suggest you shut up Shishido, we all know that innocent Ohtori is the seme in your relationship," snapped Gakuto.
"Does it really matter who the damn uke and the damn seme is? We all know you're the slut in the room," shouted Shishido.
"You did not just call me a slut. Yushi let me go! I'm going to knock is teeth out of his face. And maybe break a jaw or two while I'm at it!" hissed Gakuto.
Momoshiro leaned over to Kaidoh and muttered, "Those two are worse than us."
"You two could give Shishido and Gakuto a run for their money though," said Inui.
"We should lock the four in the same room one day and see who eats who," added Ryoma.
(A/N: it's hard writing Atobe. >> Really now it is. He's way to arrogant for my style of writing. > EIJI AND OISHI GOODNESS! You know the little preview I gave you of the last chapter once upon a time ago...that's all coming next chapter...THE LAST CHAPTER FOLKS! Anything for You and my mini-Inu/Kai-fic will be coming up after the next chapter so please look forward to it. Eto...I don't think I mentioned it since I was in a hurry to post the chapter before this before I had to go to school. So I would like to thank FallingSilver with much love for sending me some beautiful "Memory" fanart that featured Ryoma and Momoshiro. Ryoma with his earrings completely rocked! -snugs FallingSilver- Thank you so much! It's not often I get gifts! Anyway until next and last chapter!)