Letting go

by akiyume kye

Disclaimer: Until the day I become Takeshi Konomi, I will not own pot.

Pairings: TezuFuji

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Chapter 6: Betrayal

It wasn't easy.
Really, it wasn't.

The tensai was slowing down, but still, he couldn't stop.
If he did, everyone would know.

The secret.
That dark secret that he had been hiding for such a long time.
That secret that was eating into him, destroying him, crushing him.

No, he couldn't afford that.
No one should know.

Not even Yumiko or Yuuta.

No one, no one at all.
He would rather suffer alone in silence than have the whole world suffer with him.

He had to endure, to persevere.

120 more laps…

Just keep going… just keep going…

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"Tezuka! You've got to stop him! Look how much he's struggling!"

The buchou looked up.
"No," was his reply. "He deserves it."

Oishi was shocked.
Shocked to hear those words coming from Tezuka.

He had long known of Tezuka's feelings for Fuji, perhaps, even before the other had realized it himself, but he didn't dare to venture into the latter's personal affairs.

Had there been a quarrel? Had Fuji rejected Tezuka?
Thousands of questions flooded his mind, each harder to imagine than the last.

Oishi was worried for Fuji, yet at the same time, content, to know that things were not going well between the two prodigies.
He had fallen for Tezuka ever since they met each other years ago, but he doubted that the buchou was aware of it at all.
Tezuka was probably thinking of Fuji most of the time anyway, right?

Right.

And that was what angered Oishi.
It spurred him to hold on firmly to his position as fukubuchou of the Seigaku Tennis Club.
It forced him to practice everyday in order to secure his place as a regular.

Yet he could never win Fuji.
The blue eyed tensai was, well, a tensai. And such people were not easy targets to defeat or overcome.

Lost in his thoughts, Oishi didn't notice that Tezuka had taken hold of his hand and entwined his fingers in his.

Only when the buchou pulled him into his arms, did he realize how close they were.

Confusion played its tune in Oishi's head, preventing him from saying anything audible, as the buchou moved in to close the distance between them.
He could only stare blankly at Tezuka, the one he desired to own.
The only one who could make his life complete.

Tezuka… tell me this isn't a dream…

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Each breath seemed to be harder to take in than the last.
Every step was pure torture.

The pain, the agony, the torment.
Fuji let out a soft groan.

It was too much for the delicate tensai to bear.
It wasn't fair. Not to someone like him.

He deserved better, he deserved more.
Not more laps, but more love.

More fairness, not despair.
More joy, not sorrow.

Fuji felt betrayed.
What had he done? Why were things the way they were?
Why couldn't he have the chance to be with the one that he loved?

Why? Fuji screamed inside. Why? Why me?
There were many questions, but no answer.

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Tezuka held Oishi close to him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fuji turning round the bend, running towards where he and Oishi were standing.

5, 4, 3, 2 … He would be approaching very soon.

The buchou's heart was palpitating. A drop of sweat trickled down his neck.
He was uncertain. He was afraid.

He shouldn't be doing this.
He shouldn't be.

But Tezuka wanted to show him.
To show Fuji that he didn't need him.

I'll show you, Fuji… I'll show you…

Taking in a deep breath, he leaned over and placed his lips on Oishi's.

There… do you see it now, Fuji? I don't need you.

I don't.

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It was as if the world had crashed down upon him.
A thunderstorm that drenched him in a sea of sorrow and hopelessness.

At that instant, Fuji's heart broke into a million fragments.
The instant he had seen Tezuka and Oishi… kissing.

It couldn't be true. It just couldn't be.

Not Tezuka, not Oishi.
No, it just wasn't right.

He wanted to scream. He wanted to grab Tezuka and ask him why.
He wanted to run away from what he had seen.

He wanted to escape from everything around him.

He wanted...
to die.

To be continued…

How was this chapter? I would greatly appreciate reviews:)

Next chapter: Fuji continues to run. But this time, away from crushing reality. His ability to pull through will only depend on his will to go on. With the sorrow that grips his heart, will he be able to?