Tezuka was leaning against the window pain, and was looking at the outside view when Fuji entered the room. The taller guy glanced at his direction and sarcastically smiled.
"Invading other's quarters without even knocking?..Interesting habit indeed." Tezuka commented.
Fuji frowned. 'Here we go again' ..he thought. He never liked the fact that he was welcomed by a sarcastic greeting when his intention was no other than to express his gratitude in behalf of his sister. He was now starting to believe that they're really destined enemies - both in manners and profession. Well, what more logical conjecture can you draw from two persons who couldn't even get along well in some simple circumstances? Nice point.
But why does he hate Tezuka that much, anyway?
"Look…I didn't come here to pick a fight or something. You helped my sister, so I guess I'm obliged to thank you on her behalf." Fuji declared, trying his best to sound as natural as possible.
He came there out of goodwill, and he had no intention of ruining the mild atmosphere he've been trying to carry out just to gave in to his disgust.
"What do you expect from me, then?" Tezuka mused.
"Accept my sister's gratitude. That's all. No more, no less."
"And if I don't?" Tezuka teased with a grin.
Fuji frowned. He didn't like the flow of their conversation, for he felt like the other guy is up to something. And whatever it was, Fuji had swear not to give the vantage point to the other. 'You're trying to act like an angel to get revenge, ne?' he thought.
Tezuka held his own left wrist and gently massaged it.
"Too bad….my injury's quite severe.." he muttered, faking a regretful look.
Fuji smirked.
"And so?"
Tezuka moved closer to the bedside table and draw out a bundle of clipped papers.
"..and so you have to do this for me." he casually declared, as he threw the bundle on the bed.
Fuji sarcastically smiled and carefully picked up the papers. It was Tezuka's unfinished copy of his next novel – a hand-written copy to be more precise.
"Nice hand writing." Fuji commented, as if trying to tell the novelist that he was not a bit interested with its content.
"Thank you. Well as you can see, I'm currently unable to finish that due to the circumstance I'm currently in, and I would gladly appreciate if you become my hand for the meantime, Syusuke.."
"Fu-ji." the blue-eyed boy corrected.
"Whatever…so would you be – "
"I won't." Fuji snapped.
Few moments of silence passed. Both men held each other's gaze.
Finally, Tezuka decided to withdraw as he adjusted his glasses.
"Wakatta.." he muttered.
"…it can't be helped then. I'll just have to ask your sister to do it for me instead. That sounds fair I guess." he added.
Fuji clenched his fists. He can almost feel the surge of outrage within him, that was trying to burst. So that was it. Tezuka was planning to blackmail him from the very beginning, and had carefully laid out the plot that would surely leave his prey no doors for escape. He was a legendary novelist after all….and this situation was just a portion of the story that he would use to obtain the tragic climax that he wanted.
Great.
Just great.
"What do you think, Syusuke Fuji?" Tezuka teased.
"Urusai!" Fuji snapped. He found no point in pretending to be kind when he's facing the master of all evils, the originator of all misfortunes in his life, the faithful slave of literature, Kunimitsu Tezuka.
Fuji flicked an angry look at the novelist before he held back his ground.
"Don't you ever show yourself again to Yumiko." he warned.
He knew he sounded absurd, but he just can't do anything than to make sure that Tezuka wouldn't lay a finger to his sister. Leanne's defeat in objectivity was enough of a proof that the latter is not reliable, and Fuji would never let such person ruin the existence of his onee-san.
Over his dead body.
Tezuka smiled triumphantly.
"I'll see you tomorrow night." he declared, more like of a command than a simple statement.
Fuji turned on his hells, and slammed the door behind him.
Author's note:
3rd chapter in a day..(not bad..)
Thanks for the read!
N.S.C.M.