Pairing: Fuji x Atobe
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis does not belong to me
Part: 4/?
Warning: Few background facts regarding the characters have been altered
Italic implies Fuji talking
A.N. As always the grammar is all over the place - - (sorry).
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Color
Without any warning my life is starting to change again, but this time I should be happy. I have been waiting for this chance ever since I lost my eye sight. I know I am supposed to be happy, but somehow I can't twitch my mouth in an upward motion. My father is giving me a once in a lifetime opportunity to give me back my old life but the uncertainty just won't disappeared.
It was the same uncertainty that I felt when I realized that I was blind. It was the same uncertainty that I felt when I realized that I was going to be alone. I don't want to admit it, but going through change and leaving my comfort zone both scares me down to the core. I had managed to seal away everything that scares me but enough is enough. I have to stop running away from my problems. I can't hide behind a brick wall forever and I don't plan on to.
"Keigo? Is there something wrong?"
I can't accept this, not an ending like this, but I need to tell Shusuke what is going on. He deserves to know.
"Shusuke, I saw my dad yesterday."
"Did something come up?"
"My father is planning to take me back to America for an eye transplant. It turned out there was a major break through in the research lab and I have a ninety percent chance of making a full recovery if I go through with the surgery."
"That is great news Keigo. There is a very high percentage that the surgery will be a success and that means you will finally be able to see again. Aren't you glad?"
"Yeah, I guess I am."
I was right. It never occurred to Shusuke that we won't be able to see each other once I leave for my surgery. I wouldn't be missed at all. I should know that my presence wouldn't matter to Shusuke. He probably has many friends and taking me out of the picture wouldn't influence his life. Not one bit.
"Keigo, do you think you will be back?"
"Coming back?"
"Do you think you will come back to Japan when your surgery is finish?"
"No, I won't be coming back. My father had already enrolled me in the top private school over there."
"Oh, so when are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning, father has a very busy schedule and we are not to waste time for unnecessary errands."
"Keigo. I feel like taking a walk, do you think you can come with me?"
"Yeah."
"I wish you can see the scenery with me right now. Everything looks so peaceful but that is precisely why I feel scared now. I was never afraid of thunderstorms because knowing what was going to arrive doesn't scare me. It was always the unknown that scared me the most. All day I had this feeling that a hidden tidal wave was coming and I guess six senses never lied. Keigo, I want you to leave here with no regrets."
"Shusuke, what makes you think I have regrets?"
"Because I can see through your act and it is not a pretty sight. I wasn't prepared for this. I was hoping that we would have till end of the summer before we have to say goodbye to each other, but I guess I was wrong. Keigo, promise me that you will take care of yourself and don't ever sell yourself short."
"Hah, why would a rich brat sell himself short?"
"Keigo, I already told you that you don't need to pretend with me. I know you are just protecting yourself by never letting other people get close to you. Money can't buy happiness and money can't buy friendship."
"Sorry, Shusuke I don't know what came over me."
"It is okay and I am really happy for you. On the bright side, when you get your eye sight back I can fulfill my promise of taking you to the best tennis match ever."
"Shusuke, why do you like tennis so much?"
"I don't know if I really like tennis or not but I started playing tennis because I was good at it. I continued to play tennis because of my opponent. There is this one particular opponent that I want to play, his name is Tezuka Kunimitsu. I had never met an opponent like him, always striving to become better. His tennis ability never seized to amaze me."
Tezuka Kunimitsu, a person that Shusuke spoke so highly of. I wonder what he is like but for some reason I know that I wouldn't like this Tezuka person.
"Huh?"
I felt something warm hugging me or rather someone. Is that Shusuke? It felt so right having Shusuke in my arm, so very warm and soft. Last time I felt a genuine hug was from my mother.
"Shusuke, I wish I can see you."
"But you can Keigo, trace your hands over my face and you can imagine my face in your mind."
Shusuke feels perfect, so perfect that I felt this burning sensation inside me because the need to see his face is growing stronger and stronger. Something wet starts to trail down my face. I forget when it started to rain. Then it hit me, it wasn't raining at all but that means they are tears. How long had it been since I cry? I guess if you bottle up your emotions long enough they were bound to over flood.
"Five years."
"Huh?"
"Keigo, I am giving you Five years. If you don't come back before I graduate from Middle School I will hide myself from you forever."
"Shusuke!!!"
"Hah, mark my word Keigo, I am being completely serious."
Shusuke is trying to be scary again but ironically him being like this makes me feel better. I guess this isn't goodbye at all. Five years. The world is fair place. A person cannot gain anything without sacrificing something. I am willing to sacrifice five years of being alone if it means I will gain something of an equal value in return. It is way of life.
"I will make it back in time for your deadline Shusuke."
"That is good to know, because you don't want to know what I am capable of doing."
5 years.
60 months.
260 weeks.
1,820 days.
43,680 hours.
2,620,800 minutes.
157,248,000 seconds.
Yes, I will make it back in time. Just you wait Shusuke. I will make it back before your deadline or else my name isn't Atobe Keigo.
TBC
A.N. This story was supposed to be heavy on the angst but since I started reading "Remote" I have been dying of laughers. I swear "Remote" and "In which there is no Tennis" are examples of pure genius :) by Link and Luigi.