Disclaimer: I don't own Rival Schools/Project Justice But I'm willing to rent.

Evergreen

Chapter Two: Confrontation

They all stood there in silence. Hyo looked at the adults behind then and then turned to the rest of the group.

"I suppose I owe you an explanation," he began.

"You're alive," said Batsu.

Hyo laughed nervously. "Yes, I am..." he then looked up at Kyosuke. "Kyosuke..."

Kyosuke grew tense as Hyo approached him. He trembled as he stared at his brother with fear in his eyes.

"S...Stay away from me," he screamed.

Hyo froze.

"This is a lie," he snapped. "You're dead!"

"Kyosuke, it's me, your brother," said Hyo. "I know that this may be confusing but--"

"--No! If I accept you..."

He started to back away. He then turned an ran out the door. He was sure that everyone was yelling after him but he didn't care. It was all just static. Background noise. Tears ran down his face as he bolted down the street.

Hyo...

As much as he hated running, it was the only thing he could think to do.

If I accept you...you'll just disappear again.

He started to slow to a halt. His lungs ached and his legs burned. He doubled over as he took huge gulps of air.

"Kyosuke!"

Through his labored breathing, he could hear footsteps. He turned to see Hyo approaching him. He turned to him.

"Kyosuke, I know that this may be hard...," he began. "But can't we try to recover?"

"You..." he breathed. "You're dead to me! You'll always be dead to me."

Hyo remained still. Kyosuke glared at him.

"So you think that you can just live and die at anytime? That's fine," he said as he turned around. "I don't care...you're nothing to me."

He began to walk away, when he suddenly collapsed. Hyo ran to him. Kyosuke looked up to see his brother. Hyo was saying something to him. He wasn't sure what. It looked as if someone had pressed mute on a strange movie.

Hyo...I'm so sorry.

His vision was failing. Things were melting in to black, like the last scene.

It should have been me who died that day...not you...it should have been me...

Darkness surrounded him.

Kyosuke sat up in bed and looked around. For the first few moments, his room seemed like a new place.

"So you're awake," said a stern voice.

Michiko sat in front of him, on the end of the bed. Her dark eyes caught the light, making them seem doll-like and sinister.

"Are you going to scold me for how I was acting?"

Michiko shook her head. She then looked off into the distance.

"You know," she said as she stood. "Even now...even though you continue to reject him...he worries about you."

She walked out, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Several days passed. Everyone went through enrollment and orientation. Kyosuke seemed to be the same, save for the conscious effort he made to avoid Hyo. Hyo on the other hand had stopped trying to communicate with his brother. It had gotten to the point where they no longer even acknowledged each other.

This day, Kyosuke spent most of the afternoon in the den, reading a passage for one of his classes before the actual lecture. Batsu then walked in, shattering the quiet.

"You know what," said Batsu. "You know what we need?"

"Therapy," said Kyosuke.

Batsu shook his head. "A pool! I'm gonna go start on it, right now!"

Kyosuke sighed and rolled his eyes. As Batsu struggled with the tools in the shed, the redhead tried his best to ignore him. Once Batsu found a shovel, he then walked off and began to dig. Kyosuke shifted to a more comfortable position in the chair.

"Finally, some quiet," he muttered.

After a few moments, the door opened and Ayane walked in.

"Yo, I'm home," she sang as she walked into the den. She threw her books down and then flopped onto the couch. She flung her legs onto the table and crossed them.

"So, where's Batsu," she asked.

"Outside, digging a pool," said Kyosuke.

"I see."

She then proceeded to finish her drink. Once it was gone, she still continued to slurp at the ice at the bottom of the cup. Kyosuke slammed his book shut, glaring at the girl.

"Why are you so annoying," he snapped.

"Batsu doesn't think I'm annoying," she shrugged.

"Batsu is just as annoying!"

"Fine," she said as she stood up. "I'm gonna go and hang out with him. At least he values my company."

"Like your company has value."

"Hmph," she scoffed as she stormed outside.

Kyosuke took advantage of the newly attained silence and continued to read. When he was finished with the required passage he put a marker in the book and closed it, placing it on the table. He then looked up at the half-open door.

"Ayane and Batsu have been awfully quiet," he thought aloud. He then stood up and walked out.

Ayane was leaning on a shovel, looking down at Batsu who was digging vigorously. So far he had already made a rather deep hole. Kyosuke walked up and stood a good distance away from the hole but close enough to be heard.

"What the hell!"

"It's what pools look like before they get their sex appeal," said Ayane.

Suddenly Batsu's breathing grew labored as he struggled with something in the hole.

"Batsu, you okay," asked Ayane.

"I'm fine," he called up. "I just ran across this metal root."

Clanking rose up from the hole as Batsu began to strike it with his shovel.

"There's no such thing as a metal root," said Kyosuke.

"Let me help," said Ayane. She then jumped down and joined him.

By the time Kyosuke got to the edge they were almost through it. The redhead looked down at the two as the attacked the so-called root.

"Hey," said Kyosuke. "I don't think that's a root..."

"Of course it it," said Batsu. "It's in the ground!"

Ayane rolled her eyes at Kyosuke. "Duh!"

"Wait," said Kyosuke. "I think that's a pipe!"

Just as he said that, they cracked it open. A dark crude substance spewed out in a massive spray, coating all three of them.

"Oil," said Batsu happily. "We've struck oil!"

"We're rich," said Ayane.

"This doesn't smell like oil," screamed Kyosuke. "It smells terrible."

"That's why they call it crude oil," said Batsu.

"No, this is--"

They all fell silent for a moment. Once they realized what it was, they all screamed. Michiko and Hyo dashed out the door to see Batsu, Kyosuke, and Ayane covered in sewage.

"I don't even want to know," he sighed.

Hyo hosed them off as he chuckled. The three of them were fuming as they stood at the mercy of the stream of water.

"Don't laugh, you jerk," said Batsu.

"If you had gotten a permit then they would have told you where to dig," said Hyo. "But I suppose that would take more time than you would have liked to wait..."

He looked over at the hole. It was now filled with bubbling sewage.

"At least you have some sort of pool," he added.

"Was that a joke," asked Ayane.

"Somewhat," Hyo shrugged.

"There's hope for you yet," Batsu teased.

"Kyosuke," said Hyo. "Once you clean up, I would like to talk to you."

Kyosuke looked at his brother with slight confusion. Hyo looked content. He wasn't smiling but he looked like he was in a good mood. Still it was strange. Hyo never asked for any sort of conversation before...Before...he suddenly felt a pang of sadness. He looked away as he fought off tears.

"We have nothing to talk about," he snapped. He passed his brother as he stormed inside. Hyo sighed as he rolled up the hose. Michiko put a hand on his shoulder.

"Perhaps, I should give up," he sighed.

"Keep trying, Hyo," she said quietly.

Hyo grew quiet as he stared towards the direction his brother had gone.

Kyosuke paced back and forth outside of Raizo's study as he debated on whether or not to go in. Finally, he gave a sigh of defeat and turned to go to his room. A voice came from the study.

"What are you doing?"

Kyosuke turned to the older man.

"Nothing," he muttered.

"Liar," said Raizo. "You've been pacing outside my door for the last hour and a half. Either you have forgotten how to enter or you have something on your mind."

Kyosuke sighed as he tried to search for words.

"It's your brother, isn't it," asked the man.

"No," Kyosuke grew defensive. "I could care less about Hyo! I hate him!"

He then eased as he grew sad.

"I know he hates me..."

"No you don't," said Raizo. "How do you know? You've been avoiding him ever since he returned!"

Kyosuke turned and walked off.

"Where are you going," asked Raizo.

"Where do you think," he retorted.

Kyosuke stood at Hyo's door as he steadied his nerves. Why was this so difficult? He finally hardened his resolve and moved to open the door. Just as Kyosuke was about to turn the knob, the door swung open. The redhead stood there, facing his brother. Hyo stared at him with slight shock. His face then melted into a smile.

"Kyosuke-kun."

"Don't bother with such childish titles," he said coolly. "Let's get this over with."

Hyo conceeded as he moved out of the doorway to allow Kyosuke to enter. The redhead walked in as the other shut the door.

"I believe that this is where I explain everything..." he sighed.

Kyosuke sat and listened, with a cynical expression. He folded his arms across his chest.

"So have you come here for revenge," he asked.

Hyo blinked. "Why would I do such a thing?"

"You hate me, don't you," he asked. "After all that happened--"

"You are not to blame--"

"I killed you!"

Hyo looked hurt.

"You did what you had to! If anything, you should hate me! I should have never forced such a grave choice on you! I should have...done it myself...but I was afraid..."

"Ni-san..."

"I was sure that I would fail at ending my own life...I was so sure...so I didn't bother to try...I shrugged off my own responsibility because I was scared..."

Hyo then turned away from him. Kyosuke looked at him with concern. He reached out, hesitantly but then pulled his arm back. After a few more moments, he suddenly lunged towards him, embracing him.

"You didn't have to be brave for me," he said quietly. "I was just happy knowing that you were by my side..."

A drop of moisture his his face and he looked into the face of his brother. Tears streamed down Hyo's eyes.

"Is that all," he asked. Kyosuke nodded. Hyo smiled.

"..I'm glad..."

At dinner, the atmosphere was less tense. They all sat and ate together as a family. There wasn't much talking or joking but still the house felt more whole. The two brothers walked off to the living room. Batsu ran up and put his arms around both of them.

"Welcome back," he said to Hyo. "Things wouldn't be the same without you."

"So did you miss us," Hinata appeared in front of them.

Hyo grew stern. "No. Why would I miss any of you morons?"

Hinata's eyes grew wide with tears as Batsu grew furious. The young man got into a defensive stance as he started yelling at Hyo.

"Who the hell do you think you are, you jerk," snapped Batsu.

"...And we mourned for you, too," whined Hinata.

Hyo crossed his arms. "Of course, sheep will mourn for their shepherd."

"How about this sheep kickin' your ass!"

Hyo scoffed. "I'd like to see you try."

As the two continued to bicker, Hyo looked at Kyosuke with a warm smile on his face. Kyosuke smiled back.

That night, Kyosuke stood in the window. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the city. The redhead smiled. For the first time in a while, he was looking forward to the next day. He shut the curtains and got ready for bed.