Disclaimer: Tezuka Kunimitsu and Fuji Shuusuke aren't mine.
A/N: This is an alternate ending (a happy one). While reading this, forget all about the real ending because I made lots of major changes. I advised you to read the first chapter and jump straight to this chapter.
Dedicated to the readers who want me to write a happy-ending version.
Raft
Chapter 2 (alternative)
"Shuusuke… pick up…" Tezuka muttered continuously while tapping a finger against his thigh. He pressed his cell phone harder onto his ear, searching for a sign of answer from the other end.
"Mitsu?"
"Shuusuke!" Unable to contain his anxiety that had been suppressed for what seemed like an eternity, Tezuka bolted up from the bed. "Where are you?"
"Me?" There heard a light chuckle. "In a vacation. Are you with Hiyagi-san now?"
"No, I've told him I can't make it," Tezuka grabbed his car key and headed for his car. "Are you alone there?"
"Saa… Who am I supposed to be with right now, hmm, Kunimitsu?"
Tezuka was dumbfounded for a cold second, but there was no hesitation when he answered, "Me."
A rather eerie silence occurred before the sound of vehicle machine broke it.
"You're coming here?"
"Where are you exactly now?" Tezuka replied with a question.
"Somewhere in the middle of the sea," Fuji answered lightheartedly. A loud sound of waves confirmed it.
Tezuka froze. "Shuusuke…"
"I bet you have read my check-up result, ne, Mitsu?" Fuji's tone turned into a deep, serious one.
A chill ran down the bespectacled man's spine. "Yes, I have."
"Then you know what shall happen in the future. I—"
"Future is future," Tezuka cut firmly, running his car out of garage and onto the road. "Present is present. If there remains only this day with you, then I'll spend it with you."
A faint sound of oar hitting the water was heard. "Just last night you said your career is your top priority, Mitsu," the tensai reminded in a voice that resembled a sigh. It sounded solemn and somehow tired.
Tezuka's lips went thin and his hazel orbs gleamed softly. "Fortunately I didn't even need half a day to realize... my career is indeed what I need to do."
"That—"
"But you…" Tezuka cut in before Fuji could continue. "You are what I need to live."
Silence. Now it was Fuji who couldn't utter anything.
"What happened last night is my mistake," Tezuka spoke again. "I'm sorry."
"Mitsu…" Fuji called softly. "I'm also sorry. I behaved so not understanding yesterday…"
"No, you didn't. Thinking all over again about what I've said and done, even I myselfcannot understand," Tezuka inhaled deeply. "Shuusuke, please tell me you will come back, come home to me. So I'll have no regret."
A brief silence that issued felt like a stretched eternity.
"No regret…" Fuji uttered softly, so softly that Tezuka had to strain to hear. "If I won't?"
If the situation were not that serious, Tezuka might think Fuji was tantalizing him. But now the stoic manager advisor was at a loss. Does Shuusuke really want to leave…?
The bespectacled man shook his head as vehemently as a currently driving man would be allowed. A morning without Fuji was a hell. A lifetime?
"Then I guess I have to drag you home."
Fuji laughed bemusedly at this. "I'm supposed to wait to be 'dragged home' then, ne?"
Tezuka eased his car's way into one of the parking spaces at the station. "Wait for me, Shuusuke."
"I wil—AH!"
"Shuusuke?" Tezuka called anxiously. "What happened? Shuusuke?!"
A sound of something crashing onto water answered him and the line went dead.
I think of you day and night
All I wish is that you'll be alright
A lone figure was sitting still at the shoreline. He hugged his knees up against his chest. The humid ocean breeze played happily with his silky hair, but the young man paid no mind.
Beside him, a small wooden raft sat quietly. Its drenched state indicated that it had just come back from a short journey on the sea. A lighter oar was put on top of it.
Small waves continuously kissed the tip of the young lad's bare feet. Sometimes bigger waves would splash and shower his entire body with salty droplets. He accepted all those without grudge. Only one thing occupied his mind for that moment.
A pair of arms quietly sneaked around the curling figure from behind, and the man didn't have to turn his head to know whose arms they were.
"Mitsu…"
"Naughty boy," there came the reprimanding rich deep voice. The bespectacled man nuzzled the other's neck affectionately with his pointed nose. "I thought something bad happened to you."
"Saa, I'm fine. Sadly, I can't say the same about my cell phone. I accidentally dropped it into the water," sapphire blue eyes peeked from behind creamy eyelids and the tensai craned his neck to find traces of worries and frustration all over his lover's face. "You sure took your time to get here."
"Mind you, Shuusuke, you never told me which beach you are at," Tezuka replied, inhaling the sweet fragrant emanating from his lover that mixed with that from the sea. "I stopped at every beach available along the way."
Fuji laughed lightly at this, averting his gaze to the raft. "Must be very tired, ne?"
"It's paid," Tezuka tightened his embrace and place a light kiss on Fuji's cheek. "My raft has sailed back to me…"
The lithe lad held Tezuka's arms dearly, leaning onto the other man's broad and toned chest. He looked back at his lover's solemn face, "Would you raft with me now?"
Tezuka nodded. Ignoring the fact that sun was slowly creeping to the west, the couple settled themselves on the raft. The waves were not wild; they could just float safely without even rowing. Tezuka, however, handled the oar and rowed slowly as Fuji laid his back comfortably, settling his head on his lover's thigh.
They sailed in convenient silence for some while. Fuji gazed up at the sky above. The blueness went darker as each second passed. When he felt the breeze get chillier, Tezuka finally broke the silence, "It's getting cold here. Do you want to get back to the shore?"
Fuji slowly shook his head and answered softly, "A moment more."
The lithe lad sat up from his position. Beckoning Tezuka to uncross and straighten his legs, Fuji settled himself between his lover's thighs. Tezuka blushed at this compromising proximity, moreover, to have Fuji's bottom against his…
"Mitsu," Fuji craned his neck to look at Tezuka and giggled lightly at what he saw. "You're all red."
Flustered even more, the ex-captain mumbled, "Sunset."
Fuji turned to look forwards. The sight that greeted him was a splendor. A huge fiery half-moon orb that was sun displayed a magnificent scene of shimmering twilight. Its radiant reddish glow created perfect harmony of blue and orange upon the sea surface.
Carried by the peaceful melancholy, Tezuka carefully enveloped Fuji in his arms, bringing the slender body closer to his body. Reaching for Tezuka's warm hands that were holding the oar, Fuji rowed together with his lover.
After an enchantingly breathtaking moment, Fuji finally broke the romantic silence. "Mitsu, about the check-up result…"
"There is always a hope, Shuusuke," Tezuka stated firmly; his eyes met those of Fuji's. The hazel orbs blazed with strong determination, trying to convince the hesitating cerulean ones.
"Kidney failure… I wonder where I got it," the tensai looked down before fixing his eyes on the last moment of twilight before him. Heaving a long sigh, Fuji sank deeper into Tezuka's arms. "The doctor said it is a rather acute case."
"Surgery… transplantation… there are plenty of ways in front of us. Don't give up before trying, Shuusuke, so that you will have no regret."
"No regret…" Fuji purred softly. "You know what, Mitsu, I seriously thought about leaving for good earlier."
"Naughty boy," Tezuka responded huskily, burying his nose into the mop of Fuji's honey hair. "You planned to take away my heart and soul along with you?"
Fuji hummed softly. "I thought your heart and soul are devoted to works."
Inhaling Fuji's scent like breathing for dear life, Tezuka brought the slender body closer with an arm and gently tilted the pretty head upwards. Looking straight into the deep blue eyes, Tezuka spoke, "I need you to live."
Fuji closed his eyes as Tezuka's soft lips slowly descended onto his. "I need you too… to sail further, to climb higher, to break through my destiny…" Fuji whispered into the kiss. "Anything, everything… with you."
I pledge and vow by star
I'll stay wherever you are
Long brown eyelashes fluttered open as hidden sapphires behind their protection peeked. It took several seconds to bring the world into focus.
White… everything is white. Where is this?
"Shuusuke," a deep voice called his name. "How do you feel?"
"Mn… Mitsu?" Fuji called groggily. He tried to sit up but a pair of hands gently laid him back.
"How do you feel? Do you need something?" Tezuka asked softly.
"I feel… alright. But I'm tired…"
"Just lie down. I'll call the doctor."
A faint 'bip' was heard as Tezuka pressed the 'call' button and soon a doctor with two nurses entered the room.
After a series of checking this and that, the doctor informed that Fuji's condition was all stable.
"It's a good thing that we were not late to find a donor and transplant the kidney," the doctor said while beaming. "Last but not least, it's the patient's fierce determination to live that let him survive."
"Thank you for your help, sensei," Tezuka bowed to the doctor.
"Now if you have no question, please excuse us," the doctor smiled and headed for the exit.
As the doctor and nurses retreated from the room, Tezuka walked back to Fuji's side. Enveloping his lover's hand with his own, Tezuka let a rare warm smile to blossom.
"Welcome home, Shuusuke…"
Fuji smiled serenely back at the ex-captain. "Would you raft across the ocean of life with me? Together… never leave me from now on?"
Tezuka took a seat without releasing Fuji's hand or looking away from the angelic face. He lifted the tensai's hand and kissed it ever so gently. "Isn't that what I'm doing right now?"
Fuji smiled wider, his eyes gleaming with bliss. Tezuka bent forward to kiss his lover's forehead before sealing the enchanting pink lips.
"Stay by my side…
Angel of my heart."
Our feelings are the logs
Our love is the bond
Only when we love each other
We could sail across the ocean of life
A/N: How is it? Because I never really planned to write a happy-ending version, I don't know if it were as satisfying as the real ending or not. I wrote it in a haste, too.
Tell me what you think, ne?
Thank you for reading and please review!