Disclaimer: POT and HXH don't and will never belong to me.
Chapter 16: New allies
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"Ann-chan, please explain it to Fuji-san"
"Explain? Soo… the engagement…"
"Hai…"
"Neh, Fuji-kun, we broke it off five years..." with a cold stare and a subtle clearing of throat, Ann caught herself.
"Hai, I decided that Mitsu-kun is too stiff for me…he likes to lecture me, neh, Fuji-kun, did you know he nags a lot?"
"Tachibana-san, let's take a seat, it would be rude to make our host stand." With that, he carefully but firmly steered her to her seat.
For the first time in so many years, they sat across each other, and for the first time in so many years, both finally stopped and saw what they had been running away from.
What they saw scared them silly.
Love that was what they were running from,
The dream they once lived in,
The faith they once had,
The past they shared,
And the love that never fade.
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The tension in the air seemed to be thickening; all Ann could do was chatter away, desperately trying to cover up the silence which lurked like a trap between Fuji and Tezuka.
Ann knew, from one of Tezuka's drunken ramblings, that the both of them once shared heart and soul. Suddenly she felt a pang in her chest, although they seemed to be distanced and cool towards one another, their eyes reflected what their hearts felt clearly. No matter what they say, both held the other party close to their hearts.
As an outsider she saw clearly what was going on, although Tezuka had never admitted it before or even show an indication that he still cared about Fuji, she knew that deep within Tezuka's heart Fuji still remained number one.
After the abrupt proposal, Tezuka was a little awkward around her, but upon some clearing up from Ann, he finally fell back to his usual self with Ann. Yet oddly, after she had made it clear to him that she wasn't really interested in a relationship; he seemed to be more opened up with her.
She was surprised when five years ago, shortly after the mock proposal, Tezuka had called her out for a drink. What surprised her more was the pale visage of Tezuka; he seemed faded and…washed out. At the expensive pub, Tezuka told her all about his life and how it got entwined with Fuji's. It took that one story to stir Ann's heart. Since then, she couldn't resist Tezuka's invitations out for a drink. But she never heard Fuji's name again.
So she was shaken when Fuji appeared in front of her that night. She didn't know that Fuji was back; in fact she was hoping he won't be back anytime soon.
Fuji was a threat.
He's a rival.
Ann had fallen in love with Tezuka Kunimitsu.
Five years ago, in one particular pub.
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Fuji…Syuu…you are here again…so near like before, but the gap between us…what would it take to breach it?
I missed you…no matter what I said or thought before…time had proven something…time had told me I couldn't live without you for long…
I want a chance…one last try at this…Syuu…
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He came, he came…he is so near like before, I could almost hear his heartbeats. But lies and distance had separated us for so long…is my love enough to breach the gap that yawns between us?
I want you back Kuni-chan…no matter how I try; my heart wouldn't let you go…
Let's try again…Kuni-chan…
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They were still staring at one another, with the need to put down all defenses so evident in their eyes. Feeling a twinge in her heart, she again forcefully smiled and told another stupid joke.
She knew, no matter how she wanted to deny it, they were just waiting, waiting for the smallest sign, looking for the smallest indication that the other party reciprocate their feeling. Somehow her presence seemed to stick out like a sore thumb.
Frenziedly she tried to think of another topic to talk about. Even though she knew that this two belong together, her heart was crying out to her to try to stop it. She was in love with Tezuka Kunimitsu, didn't that gave her some right?
Looking up briefly from her plate, she saw something that made her feel suffocated.
Such love, such intense love, shining so brightly, even beneath all the doubts and past hurts, seemed to fill out all the distance that gapped between them. Just one word, one look and one touch, they would find themselves again, with all the love they had tried to ignore. Suddenly the jealousy she felt and tried to curb flared. She wanted to break them up; she wanted to claim Tezuka as her own.
But her conscious poked fun at her, how could you even think of breaking them up! They are in love with one another!
So that means I have to sacrifice? It's not fair…I love Kuni-kun too…I can't just give up like that…
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Fuji looked at Tezuka. So many words left unspoken, so many apologies left unsaid and so little time left. For a moment, Fuji regretted leaving five years ago. Although it wasn't obvious, he could see the possessive way Tachibana-san acted towards Kuni-chan.
And at that moment, when he saw Tezuka couldn't tear his eyes away from Ann, a snide little voice mocked at his attempt to repair their relationship. If it weren't him who initiated this meeting, he would have left immediately. He couldn't bear seeing the admiration in Ann's eyes, but it was the appreciation he saw in Tezuka's eyes that hurt him the most.
Lowering his eyes swiftly, he missed the longing look Tezuka gave him. Fuji wanted to ask Tezuka, he wanted an answer. Can we start anew, with all the lies and doubts put behind us? Yet he never did.
The night dragged on, Fuji's nerves were frayed and his patience worn thin. Perhaps their love didn't deserve a second chance, perhaps he didn't deserve one. Then why was he here, watching the attraction between Tezuka and Ann, breaking his heart anew.
What had he done to deserve this, what had he done to have his love looking at other girl…
You lied to him, right from the start, by retaining part of the truth, you were cheating him. You lost the right to have him trust you the day you left him, again.
I lost him, haven't I?
Tezuka, I lost you haven't I?
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He was waiting again like before. Waiting for a small hint, a little clue that Fuji wanted to start anew, he sat in his seat, his eyes lingered overly long on Fuji. But whenever Fuji seemed to sense his stare and look up to look at him, Tezuka would immediately look at Ann. Ann was a safe outlet.
For the past five years, Ann Tachibana was a constant he could rely on. Never had she failed him, when he needed alcohol to numb him after watching Fuji leave, she was there. And in the years to come, when he needed a person to listen to him, when his work worn him out and when he missed Fuji almost painfully, she had always been there for him.
He knew that Ann had feelings for him, but he was too…too cowardly to face them. So he always used coolness to thaw her, but when he felt the aching hollowness in his heart, he would reach out to her. Her cheerfulness and her sensitivity made her the best drinking companion.
Yet when the next day came and he would remember drowning in alcohol and her presence the night before, he would cringe. He was using her, for he missed the feeling of someone paying attention to him, just him, not the executive, not the rich playboy, not anyone except himself.
After Fuji left him, he lived in a state of half-sleeping and half-dead. He used his work to occupy his days, but when night fell, he couldn't make out who was he, what his past, his present and his future would be. Living in a world stripped bare by the absence of Fuji, he was dying slowly. Yet he spent his waking hours ignoring that fact and his sleeping time to feed his hungry soul with dreams of Fuji.
Now he had the chance to see and talk to Fuji again, he seemed to lose the ability to tell Fuji about his love. No matter how his heart screamed for Fuji to hear of his pain and need, his mouth would say the words. To do so and not get anything back, it would be a torture; it would kill him for sure.
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Leaning against the window, Kurapica saw what Ann had saw, the love and the need to reach out.
It hurt him, it pained him, and it strengthened his resolve.
Ann Tachibana, the class one heiress, was in love with that pitiful person, that person who had hurt and abandoned Fuji.
For the first time in his life, his lips curled into a mocking and mirthless smile.
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With the debate still going on in her head, it took her awhile to realize that her cell phone was ringing. Excusing herself from the table, she walked behind a potted plant, all the while, her eyes glued to the now alone couple in the room.
"Moshi Moshi…hai, I am…"
"…I see…alright then, I would expect you there then…"
"Thank you…ten thirty at the back of my house. I am looking forward to meet you…Kurapica-san."
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"Me too, I hope we can deal well together…"
"Ja, partner…"
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