I'm very very sorryy! It's been a while since my last update. I had a breakdown because of class matters so please forgive me.. It's soooo hard having online classes. Video shooting is what really makes it difficult because I don't have a phone, like, since January, so I can't shoot videos. Not to mention, things like BP apparatus, injections, etc. are hard to get because mine was left on our school dormitory. Some deadlines are already 2 months due and its been getting to me. Anyways, rest assured that I'll really finish this story. Thank you for your continued support! Especially for those who left a review 3 :D
Again, sorry for any typos, wrong grammars, and writing style.
Chapter 6
"Hmmm. So Kaidoh senpai also thought the same thing", Echizen said as he and Tezuka walk towards Kaidoh who is by the tree looking at the view in front.
"E-echizen, buchuo", Kaidoh mused, surprised when Tezuka and Echizen arrived.
"Senpai, did you also read Fuji senpai's messages?", Echizen asked, solemnly looking at the view too.
"Hmn"
"If I wasn't so bu-"
"Tezuka buchuo! Mamushi and Echizen too!"
The three pros immediately looked behind them when they heard a very familiar voice.
"M-momo senpai!", Echizen called.
And not only Momoshiro arrived, the rest of the former Seigaku regulars too.
'Mina', Tezuka thought.
"Naanda? I guess we all thought the same thing, senpai tachi", Echizen said and grinned at them.
*silence*
"When did you arrive?", Oishi asked.
"Oh. Buchuo and I arrived early this morning. Kaidoh senpai left a day prior"
"W-well. Are you here also because of Fuji's message?", Eiji asked them.
"Heehh. So Kikumaru senpai isn't angry at Fuji senpai anymore?", Echizen teased the red-haired man.
"Echizen, I guess you too since you've been talking a lot", Inui retorted.
"C-chee", Echizen mused and pulled his cap down, realizing that he, in fact, have been talking a lot this whole time.
"So you are that child's precious friends"
All of them looked behind when they heard an old lady's voice.
"Obasan, what do you mean by that?", Kawamura asked.
"You know...", the old lady continued without answering the question asked. "He caught my eye the first he went here", she added.
"Huh?"
"He had this woe but excited and happy look on", the old lady continued and walked towards the rail on the cliff and rested her arms.
It's already past 3 in the afternoon. It's cold since it's still winter, but not too cold that they can't stand it.
They looked at each other, contemplating about what to do, but stayed where they are and just listened.
"At first, he was looking like that, and I was just observing him"
"Anoo, can I ask why are you observing him?", Oishi asked.
The old lady looked at them and then looked back at the view.
"I don't know. Maybe because of his expression?", the old lady answered.
"I was just looking at him because of his expression at first. I approached and told him to step away from the shed for a moment because I am going to clean it. After that, I allowed him to step in...
Later, I saw him excitedly take out containers of food and arranged it on that table", the old lady explained, without even pointing to the table since there is only 1 table.
"I was just looking at him, who looks excited. But then no one showed up", the old lady said, dragging the last 4 words as she slowly turn her back and look at them.
"W-we were busy", Eiji reasoned out, but clearly just trying to hide his guilt.
"Oh. I didn't say you are not busy", the old lady said and smiled apologetically at them.
"But you know, he came back again the next day. Same expression. But this time, different quality", the old lady added and looked at the snow flake that landed on her hands.
Slowly, her expression turned to a sorrowful one and again, turned her back towards them.
"Did you know he came here every night for five days?", she asked, not even expecting for them to answer.
"F-five d-days?", Momoshiro mused in shock.
"You didn't even know? I'm very sure he sends you a message everyday informing about seeing all of you...
He really is right. You didn't even see his message, or you just read it this day. Maybe yesterday", the old lady responded.
"For five days, he comes here. Same routine. He prepares containers of food in that table and arrange them 5 minutes before 7...
I really pitied him. I want to accompany him while he wait for you children to arrive. He would look at his phone, wait for 2 hours, and then with a sad smile on his face, he would close the dishes and put it back in his bag"
*silence*
The former Seigaku players can only listen to the old lady telling them what happened while they clench their fists because of guilt. No. To be exact, it's like the old lady is telling them what have they done, not what happened.
"I would always see him look at something in a box before he leaves. The fifth day he came, I approached him", the old lady continued.
"The color of his skin was porcelain-like the first time I saw him, but when I approached him the second time, it's pale. Too pale actually...
I thought it was just my eyesight playing me, but it was exactly like that. Everyday, he's getting paler and thinner, that's why I approached him that time", the old lady paused for a moment and just stared at the lights of the buildings in front of them.
Eiji clenched Oishi's coat sleeve and covered his mouth to suppress a sob, which made the others hang their head low, except for some who continued to stare at the old lady.
"Whenever he talked about all of you, he had this very happy expression. He would talk about your first meetings. Your tournaments, camps, and other things which he had spent with you...
Then he talked about what happened almost 2 years ago"
"2 years ago?"
The old lady nodded and looked at them again.
"When you confessed", she said and stared at Tezuka.
"W-wait. How did you know about that?", Kaidoh asked.
"He didn't exactly tell me what happened. It's that he was feeling very bad and guilty for rejecting the man he loved for... for 11 years", the old lady answered.
"E-eleven years?", Echizen mused in surprised.
"11 years... that would go back... to 2nd year middle school", Inui calculated and pushed his glasses, hiding his emotions and guilt.
"I don't know what exactly happened, but I'll ask this. Did you know the reason why he did what he did?", she asked, looking at them one by one.
When no one answered her, she continued.
"At some point, he is also wrong for not telling you about the reason and just ran off, but you have known each other for several years already. Maybe he was worried about something. And I assume he continued communicating with you all but you just ignored him...
Then again, I can't blame you since you have different lives to live and, maybe because you were just busy", she said and turned her back, again.
"But that time, he might just want to see you because he missed all of you, and yes it might be true, but there is also desperation in his eyes...
He wasn't able to continue his talk about you all because...", she stopped.
They looked at the old lady, waiting for her to continue.
"Because something happened"
"What happened? Obasan, can you please tell us?", Oishi pleaded.
"He had leukemia. And I would guess it's already almost stage 4 at that time", she said seriously.
"L-... Leukem-mia? Fuji had leukemia?"
All there eyes were wide and shocked. They weren't able to move their body. The cold of the night which they can bare, suddenly become unbearable to them.
"He didn't tell me anything about what he is feeling all the time, or what illness he had. He was just suddenly in pain, bleeding, and when I approached him, that's when I notice small patch-like bruises on his arms. Thankfully, he brought medicine with him and his brother arrived immediately after I called", the old lady explained.
"O-oishii", Eiji called, suddenly embraced the stunned Oishi, and cried.
"Chikuso!", Momoshiro and Kaidoh mused in unison.
"Can I ask a question?", Tezuka said while head hanging down.
Without waiting for the old lady's respond, he proceeded.
"How did you know about his illness? You told us that he didn't tell you"
"My child, I was once a doctor. But of course, there will come a time where you will retire", she answered.
"Then, how did you know it was me?", this time, Tezuka looked at her straight in the eyes.
The old lady smiled at him.
"Pictures. If I wasn't wrong, it was a group picture of your high school graduation, which I assume, is your last picture as complete together. It was his phone wallpaper, and in there, I saw the two of you looking at each other", she answered, remembering what she saw.
Tezuka smiled, reminiscing about that one spring day, which actually is one of the most memorable day for him.
"I-is Fuji senpai al-already...", Echizen asked, but wasn't able to continue, or more factly, don't want to continue or even think about it and just clenched his bag tightly.
"I don't know. The day after that was the last day I saw him. I didn't visit again because it would only give me pain, and I'm old already. He was awake, but already very weak and his complexion's very pale, which made the bruises in his body more visible. If you want to check, you can check him at xx Hospital, room #229", she answered and started walking.
But she stopped and turned around.
"Here..", she handed something to Tezuka. "It was one of the things inside the box he always looks at before he leaves. He said it is very important to him and was supposed to be his surprise gift to you all", she added.
"Then why is this with you?"
The old lady smiled and looked at them one by one.
"When he talked about all of you, he looked very happy and believes you will arrive. I believed in him, so I believed the precious friends he talked about will show up here someday"
After she told them that, she turned her back and walked away, leaving them in silence. Without talking, they adjusted their coats and bags and ran.
"Sorry Tezuka, I left my car", without even waiting for a response, Inui got inside Tezuka's car, with Echizen following suit.
Kawamura, like Inui, also left his and went to Oishi and Eiji's.
Momoshiro and Kaidoh went to their motorcycles and followed the two cars ahead of them.
Tezuka looked at his left hand in the steering wheel which holds the thing she gave, and saw a keychain. He saw that group picture they took, and then turned it around. Its a picture of both him and Fuji, smiling. The other two in his car just looked at him as he clenched the steering wheel tightly and fasten the speed of their car.
"Fuji..."
I actually put pictures of TezuFuji on the chapters on Ao3. If you want, you can check it 3