Theme: 04 - A FOX'S SPECIAL DAY

Title: I'll be With You

Rating: PG

Genre: Romance?

Hal: Gaaaa Yuuki asked for a Sequel for I Can't Handle and I was looking for something to write on the last day of this theme... and so, I thought why not, a sequel is a good idea. I can't stand sad ending stories myself so I should not leave my own story end in such a way. 

And this is my first fic of the new year so Happy New Year, minna!

Disclaimers: Slamdunk doesn't belong to me. It's Inoue-sensei's.

I'll be With You

Today...was the first day of January, my birthday, the first day of a new year, the first day on which I should say goodbye to the past year. But I could not. I could never let go of the days that I spent with him. Not even the last few weeks of the past year that I spent thinking of him with every single painful beats of my heart. Yes, even those torturous nights, I could not let go. I knew I must let go but I kept going back. Going back to the day when he said to break up with me. Going back to the day when I saw him smile with tears rolling down his cheek. And going back to the day when he waved goodbye and faded away from my life. That baka saru! That do'ahou! That... that... Sakuragi Hanamichi had totally and successfully destroyed and crumbled me that day.

"Ha...ha...hahaha..." I laughed. The low chocked bitter laughter echoed in the empty messy apartment. Dirty laundry, magazines and CD cases were thrown all over the place. The bed was unmade and the dishes and mugs piled up in the sink. The ashtray is filled with cigarette stubs and the coffee table is clustered with more mugs with coffee stains, some mugs were still half-filled with cold coffee. I had not cleaned or moved anything from the apartment ever since he left three weeks ago. I did not want to clean away the traces and evidence of his presence that used to be in this apartment.

That bastard. He could have left early or later. Why did he have to choose to leave when Christmas was near, especially when my birthday was near? I had everything planned out weeks before. I had planned how to spend our days but he left. He left me. He just left like that. And I had done nothing to stop him. For I was so shocked. I thought he was joking but when I realized he was not, he's disappeared. He did not even take all his clothes away. He just took his passport, his bank account book and some clothes. He changed his phone number and quit his job. I asked his friends for his information but nobody know anything. Or maybe he told them not to tell. He did all these within 2 days of our breakup. I did not know how he could do these so quickly. Maybe he had planned it for some time already.

Thinking of this, I banged my fist against the bedroom door. Right on the spot where he carved "Tensai's Room" on. Taking my coat, I left the apartment and wandered into the busy street.

Since it was New Year, there were many people on the street but I could not feel any warmth from the people. All that I was feeling was cold, bitter cold that bit into my bone. It was really amusing that it was my birthday and yet I felt like I was going to hell soon with all the pain that was eating my heart and soul away. I snickered and broke into an uncontrollable laugh. Passers-by were giving me weird stares but I did not care, I just continued to walk. I did not care where I was going. I just need to be away from the apartment that was threatening to suffocate me with the dense atmosphere that was called misery.

When I came back to sense, I found myself at the basketball court. The one that we liked to go to and had one-on-one whenever we felt like it. Then I sensed something, or rather someone. I snapped up my head and saw the back of a man. A man with red hair, though that redness seemed to have paled. But it was still him. Then he turned his seemly-thinner-than-before body and he stared at me while I stared back. He had a shocked look on his pale face which turned to sadness for his lips were quavering. But after I blinked, I wondered if I was dreaming about the sadness and the quavering lips for his face was stoic without expression. He then bent his head and walked towards me and past me.

The moment his arm brushed against mine and his body was almost past my back, I had an electrified feeling that told me to grab him if not I'll lose him forever and so I did. And I hugged him tightly. His muscles tensed up and attempted to get away. But I hugged him tighter despite his struggle. After a way, he slumped against my shoulder.

"Why?" I croaked. And a tear drop splashed on his neck that was exposed from the collar of his windbreaker.

Silence followed. Suddenly his body started to shake and I felt hot liquid on my neck too. I released him from my embrace and forced his face up to look at me. He was biting his lower lips as he cried. I reached out a finger and wiped away his tears.

"Why?" I repeated, whispering.

"Ki...kitsune!" He cried harder and pulled me into his arms. "I...sob...I loved you so much that I thought I could die. And I thought..."

I remained silent and waited for him to continue. He suddenly hiccupped. He always hiccupped when he cried in cold weather. I did not know why.

"I thought...hic... if I leave you before...hic...before I sink any further in, it would be better. Hic. And that the society does not...hic... accept gay lovers so I think it would be better for you too. Hic. But... hic...everyday after I left you...hic... I was so miserable that I can't do anything. Youhei said I should really think through again. But I said...hic hic hic... that I must be strong and this misery will be...hic... over in no time when I get used to it. And when...hic...when I remembered that it was your birthday today, my...hic... heart was just so painful that I know I can never get over the misery...hic...hic...hic..."

"Do'ahou. You're really a baka! Do you think I was any good without you around?"

"But..."

"Shh! Let me finish." I did not care if I was going all weird and start talking a lot or whatever for all I wanted was to get this do'ahou back. "I think I had gone to hell, do you understand? You said it would be better if you leave me because you love me too much. Then why do you want to stop loving me? Is loving me so painful and miserable for you that you want to leave me?"

"No, I love the times...hic...we had together."

"Then please forget all about the society's view on us, please forget about the maybes you have and come back to me. Please. If you ever have these thoughts again, talk to me. For I'll be there for you and let you know that I love you and nothing is going to change that. I'm not letting you go unless you stop loving me. So come back to me please."

"Kitsune..." he started but I captured his lips with mine and mumbled a "yes or no" against his lips. We proceeded to a full kiss after he nodded.

"Thank you for coming back for it saved me from hell, really," I said seriously after we ended the kiss.

"I'm sorry for being stupid enough to try to throw our love away just like that... I..."

"You don't have to say anymore."

"Oh, happy birthday, Kitsune. I didn't expect to meet you today so I didn't... didn't prepare any gift..."

"No. You gave me the best gift ever by coming back."

"Kitsune..."

"Let's go home." And I held his hand tightly in mine and we walked slowly towards our apartment, with snow softly falling onto the street.

Today...was the first day of January, my birthday, the first day of a new year, the first day of having the do'ahou back in my life. Today... was a special day.

Ninmu Kanryou 3:29 PM, Sunday, January 01, 2006

Hal: Haha. Another fic done. Now this is called a fic and I made it in time before the theme ends. Nyahahaha. . Ok ok, Happy Birthday to Rukawa Kaede aka the Kitsnue and Happy New Year to everyone!

Hana upon stepping into the apartment: Kitsune! What did you do to our apartment? Or rather, what did you not do?

Ru: ... ... ...

Hana: BAKA KITSUNE!

-owari-