A/N: ok…Hanamichi's depressed. He emptied his house except for one room…the very same room that witnessed all his pains and joys as a child…the very same room where his "friend" comes to him and comforts him…the very same room he kept locked all the times with the shishiten. Please review!

"" are for dialogs and '' are for thoughts and texts in italics are for flashbacks and memories. Texts in ITALICS-bold are for Michi while Text in bold are for Hana

The 14th street was busy that early morning. Fuchikawa-san had set up the garage sale before first light and the early risers came to have a look. "Wow! It's a very nice table! I want to buy this one!" "How much is this pot?" "I want this pair of jeans."

The chaos attracted more costumers and one of them is a certain fox-eyed brunette. At first, the noise just woke him up from his usual stupor but the next thing he knew was he was inspecting some weird trinkets until he finally found a glass-encased wooden rose which is as big as his palm. It was held up by a chain. "How much is this?" Kaede asked. "Oh that's an antique. It's from France. It once belonged to a French woman named Hana." The saleslady said. "How much." Kaede insisted, getting annoyed with the stray explanation. "I'm sorry. It costs 2500 yen." The lady told him. "2500 yen!" Kaede asked in disbelief. He examined the artifact in his hand closely. Underneath it was a name engraved in gold. It says, "Hana Chautuex, 1963". He took his wallet and gave the lady 2500 yen. He attached the chain to the zipper of his bag. He didn't notice the hazy brown eyes staring at them from the room above.

Shohoku High

"So he didn't come to class?" Noma asked Yohei worriedly. "We came to his apartment this morning but Fuchikawa-san wouldn't let us see him. We thought he was to come today." Oukusu told them. Takamiya was unusually quiet. The last thing Hanamichi told him yesterday kept on bugging him. "You better indulge yourself in this Hanamichi. You'll never know, you night not meet him again."

"Ei fat boy! Are you ok?" Yohei asked Takamiya but the latter didn't answer. "Hey look! It's Haruko!" Noma broke the silence. The four of them turned to see Haruko walking towards them. Fuji was nowhere in sight. "We already know what happened." Matsui said.

"Where's Hanamichi-kun?" Haruko asked. She dared not to look at anyone of them. "He decided to play hooky again." Oukusu shrugged. "Let's go guys. We better go look for him." Yohei said without even recognizing Haruko presence. "Ano, Yohei-kun…" Haruko started but Yohei cut her off. "You've done enough damage to him. You better stay away from us now." He said the walked away. Haruko was in the verge of tears when the four of the disappeared.

Sakuragi Residence

A familiar redhead kept on scribbling on the floor. This room is his diary…his sanctuary…his paradise. He kept on humming a song as he continued writing on the floor.

"I will be here…if you feel like being quiet. When you need to speak your mind…I-I would…listen…" tears came falling down his cheeks. "Hana…I can't do this anymore…" "Michi, don't let go…they're not worth it. She's not worth it." "It hurts…it hurts so much." "The pain will soon disappear Michi…I promise you."

Gym

Akagi scanned the sight before him. The whole Shohoku team lined up except for the redhead.

"This is not right. Hanamichi is absent." Kogure murmured beside Akagi. "I think you better go look for him Akagi." Anzai-sensei suddenly announced. Everybody stared at the old man. "I mean, why? It's not such a big deal. He's been absent before." Mitsui said. 'I don't think it's good to give special attention to the do'aho. He might grow thick with it right?" Ryota added.

Anzai-sensei sighed. These young men don't understand how critical the situation is. "I saw him emptying his locker yesterday. I think there's something more to it than we know." Anzai-sensei told them.

"He's what!" Akagi asked in outrage. "Oh yeah Captain. He seemed a little off yesterday when we're cleaning." Ueksa butted in. "This is bad, captain. We better talk to him immediately." Ayako said worriedly.

Haruko came in running. "Hey, did I miss anything?" she asked in between gasps. "Sakuragi is missing." Mitsui filled her in. Haruko grew stiff. "Oh is he? Fuji's missing too." Matsui suddenly spoke up. The Sakuragi gundan appeared by the doorway. "So he' not here too." Yohei said gloomily. "I told you Mito! He seemed possessed by an alien when I talked to him yesterday." Takamiya cried in rage.

"What do you mean by that?" Ryota asked him. "Well, he's very depressed right now." Noma shrugged. "Depressed? Why?" Kogure prompted. "Ask her." Yohei turned to look at Haruko and the girl can't seem to look at him in the eye.

"What's happening Haruko? Did he tell you something?" Akagi asked his sister. "Ano…well…" Haruko stammered. "Go on, Haruko. They'll know eventually." Matsui encouraged her friend. "Eventually know what?" Mitsui asked. Rukawa stayed silent through the whole conversation.

"I mean…well…he…" Haruko was now wringing her hands.

"You were not so shy when to you told him that yesterday." Yohei commented bitterly.

"No what is the meaning of that tone?" Akagi turned to the short brunette.

"I told you, ask your sister." Yohei shot back.

"He proposed to me yesterday." Haruko suddenly blurted out. An eerie silence filled the gym.

"HE DID WHAT!" Akagi, Ryota, Mitsui and Ayako cried in unison.

"He proposed. Come on! Didn't you clean your ears this morning?" Oukusu snorted.

"And what did you say?" Akagi pressed in.

"I-I told that I'm not ready yet." Haruko stammered.

"Oh come on! That's a whole lot different from what you actually told him. We were there Haruko." Yohei snarled at her.

"And why are you up on her grill?" Ayako defended Haruko. That struck a nerve in Yohei's head.

"You're asking why I'm so up in her grill. You want to know why?" Yohei shot back, anger creeping in his voice. "Yo man, calm down." Noma told him.

"No, Noma. You really want to know why?" He challenged everyone in front of him. Haruko is in the verge of tears, again. "Certainly." Ryota backed Ayako. "Because that bitch you have for a sister told my best friend that she's in love with someone else and that might be the reason why Hanamichi snapped. Do you understand that? We don't even know if our friend is still alive because of that bitch you call your sister!" Yohei cried, letting all his frustrations out. Everybody was shifting glances from Yohei to Haruko who suddenly burst into tears.

"But I've got to be honest with him, Yohei." Haruko tried to reason.

"Yeah…be honest for all I care. You didn't even think how he's gonna take it, didn't you? You know what your problem is?" Yohei was not about to back out.

"And what is it!" Akagi snarled, furious that this boy called his sister a bitch.

"Your problem is that you don't realize that Hanamichi is just a human being. He's not a stone for crying out loud! Don't you think he's affected when you pick on him? When you call him names and stuff? You don't think that one day your insults will take its toll do you!" Yohei shot back.

Everybody was dumbstruck. No one was able to talk after Yohei had a roll on them. Only Haruko's sobs echoed inside the gym. "I'm so sorry….so sorry…" Haruko sobbed.

"He told me something that kept me bugging all day." Takamiya broke the silence. Every eye was on him. "He told you something and you didn't tell us!" Oukusu just exploded. "Shut up ok!" Noma glared at the blonde.

"What did he say?" Anzai-sensei asked calmly.

"He was so serious when I saw him yesterday. He—he asked me why we enjoy making fun of him so much." The fat boy started. "And?" Ryota prompted. "Well he told me to honest so I told him that we loved making fun of him because he is so expressive. Then I asked him why he looked to serious. I even told him that if the reason was Haruko then she's not worth it." Takamiya continued while eyeing the crying girl.

"So what did he say?" Kaede suddenly asked. Everybody was stunned to hear him speak. "He—he told me that I should indulge that Hanamichi because I may never know, that would be the last time I'll see that side of Hanamichi." Takamiya told them. A sudden twinge ran up Yohei's spine. "We better look for him." He told his friends. "Yeah. If we're too late, we might end up with a cold, dead Hanamichi." Noma added. Haruko's eyes widened in fear. The four boys turned around and started to walk out of the gym.

"Hey wait! We're coming with you!" Ryota and Mitsui snapped back into reality. "Ch! Suit yourselves." Yohei muttered. "You better follow them Akagi. If anything happens to that boy, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." Anzai-sensei told them. It only seconds before they snapped back into reality. A minute later, the whole team was out in the streets of Kanagawa…looking for a certain redhead.

Sakuragi Residence

I don't want to be here…I don't like this place anymore: then we'll leave this place you practically sold everything we have…including mom's last memento.

But to where? : I don't know where we'll settle permanently…but I know a place where we can feel love…

Where? : fix yourself…we're going to visit daddy today…

Somewhere in Kanagawa

Akagi, Kogure, Ayako, Mitsui, Ryota, Rukawa and Haruko met up. "I don't know where to look next. We've searched the whole damned district but no do'aho in sight." Mitsui complained while trying to catch his breath. "Stop calling him do'aho Mitsui. The person isn't even here to defend himself." Kogure snapped at the ex-gangster. "Well, do you have any ideas?" Mitsui challenged him.

"Cut that out! I don't need you two arguing at this very moment." Akagi told them off. "Well, did anyone tried to go to his house?" Ayako asked. A flashbulb sparked. "Good idea Ayako. Let's go!" Akagi said enthusiastically. "Um Akagi, we have a problem…." Kogure murmured. "What is it? Come on! Ayako already found a solution." Akagi asked him impatiently. "Well, do you know where Sakuragi lives?" Ryota asked his captain. 'Oh yeah…I forgot…' Akagi's shoulders slumped. "I'm so sorry, Onii-chan." Haruko whispered. "It's ok. He's gonna be ok." Akagi assured his sister. He knows that she's in a fragile emotional space right now.

"I know where he lives." Somebody spoke up. Everybody stared at that certain person. "Come on. Anzai-sensei is counting on us." Kaede said before he sped up. "Nice timing to have Rukawa's brain working." Ryota murmured to Mitsui.

Sakuragi Residence

"Yohei, Fuchi-baa-chan already told us he's not there." Oukusu said. "Do you really believe her, Oukusu? I'll bet 500 yen that she's trying to cover up for Hanamichi." Yohei told them. They were standing outside Hanamichi's apartment. A few seconds passed and Akagi and the others arrived.

"What are you doing here?" Yohei asked them. "We're looking for our teammate." Kogure said with an encouraging smile. "Ch! I think it's too late for you to say that." The short brunette snorted. "I'm telling you Yohei…one more smart remark like that and I'll rip your head off." Mitsui warned him. "Oh you and what army?" The younger boy challenged. "Shut up you two!" Akagi snarled at them.

An old lady went out of the adjacent unit. She was shocked to see so many people outside Hana-kun's house. "I already told you Mito-kun. Hana-kun is not in there." The old lady insisted. "Can't we just see for ourselves, Fuchi-baa-chan?" Yohei asked. Instead of answering the young man's question, Fuchikawa-san's eyes were plastered on Rukawa.

"Have I seen you before?" she asked the pale boy. "I bought something from your garage sale this morning." Kaede answered. Fuchikawa-san's eyes widened. "Oh! So you were that young man who bought the glass-encased wooden rose." The old lady said. The Sakuragi gundan gasped. Yohei was the quickest to give a remark.

"You bought the glassed Hana?" he asked in disbelief. "The what?" Ryota asked again. "The glass-encased rose once belonged to Hanamichi's French mother. It was the only remembrance she left him before she ran away or returned to France." Yohei told them. Kaede took something from his pocket and showed it to them. The glass glistened under faint rays of the setting sun.

"Ok fine you can come in but it's pretty useless. We emptied the house yesterday and practically sold everything in the garage sale." The old woman fumbled in her pockets for the keys. "Everything?" Takamiya asked worriedly. "Well not exactly everything. I saw him burn his jerseys last night. That boy…he thought we were already asleep. I managed to salvage his white jersey but the red ones are hopeless." The old woman said.

"He burned his jerseys!" Ayako murmured in outrage. "He's a goner." Ryota murmured when he saw Akagi's expression. 'That idiot! I know he has a grudge against the team but burning the jerseys! That's practically an insult!' Akagi raged silently. Fuchikawa-san opened the door. They came inside a clean yet empty apartment.

"He sold even his furniture? How's he going to sleep?" Ayako asked in disbelief while staring around the spacious room.

"Well, there's one room upstairs that we didn't empty. That's probably where he's sleeping. But I don't think you can see it. He kept it padlocked ever since his father died." The old lady said sadly.

"You mean you didn't touch the shishiten room?" Noma asked. "Well yes, I mean…he said that's all he needed to survive." The old woman told them. "Let's go upstairs." Yohei suddenly said. He bolted up the stairs, leaving Fuchikawa-san crying after him. "He won't like it if you go in there, Mito-kun!" the old lady yelled. "Let's go." Akagi beckoned his companions and followed the gundan upstairs.

"Kids these days…" Fuchikawa-san murmured.

Cemetery

The wind blew gently over the overgrown weeds. A tall redhead kneeled in front of an old tombstone…

Hello daddy…how are you: Michi…you know very well that he can't talk.

But we came here to talk to daddy, right Hana: We'll do the talking…he'll be listening.

Sakuragi Residence

Akagi and the others found the gundan motionless in front of an opened door. It was Oukusu who started to back away.

"What it is? Is he in there?" Akagi demanded as they walked towards them. The four of them were still speechless.

"Come on…you're freaking us out." Mitsui added. The fear in their eyes is really getting into his nerves. "What's in there?" Ryota asked, trying to peek past Noma. Akagi grew impatient so he softly pushed Yohei aside.

"Well?" Kogure asked his friend. "What the hell!" Akagi blurted out. The rest became more intrigued so they elbowed their way to see the room. Their eyes widened with what they saw.

Tears started falling down Yohei's face, so as Ayako's. The room was filled with writings in two different colors but what shocked them most in the horrible inscription that looked like blood on the window.

"I'M ONLY HUMAN…I'M NOT A STONE!"

A/N: ok….you might have guessed that Hanamichi turned into a complete nut overnight. Well, it can happen. Next chapter is entitled "Writings on the Wall"…you'll get to know who Hanamichi's little friends is.