DISCLAIMER: I don't own them. I think I'll never do.

A/N: At long last another chapter! Thank you for those who supported this story, this is my first one so thank you very much! After the long hiatus mode at last I'm given the chance to update. This would be my treat for myself and to everyone who supports me because I'm graduating from highschool tomorrow. Thank you everyone! Hope you'll enjoy!! Reviews! It would be a great gift for my part!


Ima kimi ga nozomu naraba

Honto no boku wo miseru yo

Now if you desire it

I will show you the real me

"We're here, buchou nya!"

Tezuka stood still and roved his eyes at the hotel that stood magnificently before them. Fuji must be getting more incentive from his obra maestras than he had expected. And to think he's this popular and successful even as a college student. Tezuka can't help but be proud of him again.

He turned his attention back to Kikumaru, who was studying him with a huge grin sprawled on his face. "Thank you, Kikumaru. Can you tell me what floor and room he's in?"

"Hai, hai. He's on the seventh floor. Fifth suite to the left as you step out of the elevator nya."

Grateful, Tezuka turned back to Kikumaru and bowed slightly. "Thank you, Kikumaru."

Utterly nonplussed, Kikumaru flashed his exuberating smile at Tezuka as he muttered happily, "Hoi hoi! You're welcome, Tezuka nya! I'll take my leave then. Good luck nya! Ja ne!" the widely grinning acrobat bounced off and disappeared behind a group of passing teenagers.

Swallowing the tension building up inside of him, he went inside and headed over the elevator. Inside, he suddenly felt claustrophobic; but he knew it was merely an exaggeration of the nervousness he was experiencing. After a few minutes standing still on his spot, the elevator door came to a halt and the sliding metal doors opened. Every step as he carefully threaded the direction Kikumaru had given him seemed to garner heaviness.

The door Kikumaru told him stood before, almost teasing in his opinion. He raised his hand to knock but it seems to follow the lead of what his feet felt back then. Heaving a breath, he pounded the door in a manner not akin to banging and waited patiently.

He waited and waited but it seems like the tensai has no intention to even answer back or open the door. It made the captain wonder if the tensai is really there or not.

Testing if he has luck, he grasped the knob and turned it, and it caught him off-guard that the door was indeed unlocked. Almost instinctively, he prayed that Fuji won't get mad at him for sneaking in as he entered the slightly darkened room.

Even in the darkness with the only light was emitting from what Tezuka presumed was the lamp in the small living room, Fuji's suite looked really extravagant. He roved his eyes around until his gaze landed on a slightly ajar door. As he approached it he saw a figure on the bed. Walking as quietly as he can without feeling as if he was some kind of thief, he approached the bed and saw Fuji sleeping peaceful yet positioned haphazardly on his bed. It seems like he was doing something and fell asleep without him intending to.

Feeling his feet carrying him unconsciously nearer the bed, he knew that even if the stress is evident he was still breathtaking to look at.

Awkwardly, he kneeled beside the bed and couldn't resist stretching his hand to stroke the tensai's face. His eyes widened as he saw the faint trail of almost drying tears on Fuji's face. Instinctively, he run his thumb on it and wiped it away carefully, with a solemn and wistful look etched on his face. Hazel eyes stared intently to the face he came to love so much, taking every detail he can lay his eyes on. His heart wrenched with the pain of what he had done, how could he survived these past years with the guilt of what he has done.

Suddenly, Fuji stirred with a faint groan. Tezuka withdrew his hand rather quickly and stood up, flushing slightly.

Time seemed to freeze when those enticing blue eyes opened up with the trace of sleep peering behind it as the gaze it held met that of Tezuka's hazel ones.

"Te—Tezuka?"

He sat upright in a bolt, a hint of flush in his face. Surprise was written legibly all over his face as the image of Tezuka standing before his bed.

"Fuji." Tezuka's tone was that of what he typically uses, but it sounds as if he's using it to mask his nervousness.

Still, Fuji looked perplexed with the fact that his former captain stood at his room and next to his bed to be precise without him even hinting that it would happen. It was his intention to stay here knowing that Tezuka would want to talk to him after what he'd seen. Is avoidance too futile on his part?

Still unable to find the right words to say, Fuji just let his gaze be held by Tezuka.

Finally speaking up, choosing his words correctly, "Wha—"

"I'm sorry I barged in here without notice." Tezuka said cutting Fuji off. He suddenly blanched as he realized his timing of speech was rather rude. "I'm sorry, Fuji…"

But Fuji merely ignored the intrusion and continued what he was saying, "What do you want with me?"

The hurt in Fuji's voice that he tried to mask still managed to speak volumes when he spoke, and it made Tezuka think twice of what he did.

"I just wanted to talk." Tezuka stared as Fuji shifted his position to sit more comfortably on the bed.

"How did you come in here?" Fuji asked his tone skeptical. It perplexed him with the fact that Tezuka managed to slip inside his suite without him noticing or hearing any intrusion.

Tezuka said honestly, "Front door unlocked, I guess you forgot to." Fuji gaped at him. Tezuka knew he was inwardly cursing himself for his untimely carelessness. But Tezuka knew better not to rub it in by reminding him once more of his 'Yudan sezu ni ikou' rumblings.

Fuji continued to probe on. "And—and how did you know where I'm staying at?"

"Kikumaru."

Fuji sighed. He knew Eiji's big mouth won't stop its ranting. He almost cursed himself out loud for being so careless. And he suddenly remembered that Eiji knew about his feelings to Tezuka. It made him sigh again.

"Saa…I knew it." He calmed down, for some reason his heart was racing and his sudden outburst seems to unnerved him. Tezuka merely stood, keeping his cool as he too was too nervous to think of what to do. The air between them was suddenly filled with heavy and awkward tension that both was not unaware of.

"Thank You."

Fuji wrenched his gaze away from the floor and locked it on Tezuka's hazel eyes. His smile was forced again, he felt very heavy inside that it's already threatening to spill out.

"I'm honored with what you did. Thank you."

Fuji felt drained. Is Tezuka really that dense?

"Really?" Fuji retorted, not controlling the hint of spite that he let out. He saw Tezuka twitch with his sharp word.

Tezuka answered right away, feeling the disbelief of the tensai before him. For a moment he was confused with what he was seeing. "Yes. Of course."

Fuji tore his heavy gaze away from Tezuka and settled his gaze back on the floor again.

"Anything else?"

Somehow, the way Fuji let those words out, it almost sounded too disappointed, as if he was asking for something that Tezuka failed to give to him. But what is it? He fell silent for a moment, thinking hard.

Thinking he might have offended the latter in some way, he muttered "I'm sorry."

Fuji's eyes held his again; the startling intensity it holds made Tezuka hard to breath.

"For what, Tezuka?"

Old flames shouldn't be brought up, but why does Fuji feel like every gaze he throws are implying so?

Tezuka's answer was not the one he expected. "Everything."

Ignoring the feeling of his face heating up, he attempted to stow the conversation away from where it's heading.

"There's no need for that—"

"Why me? Why choose me Fuji?" Tezuka interrupted, suddenly taking a few steps nearer to Fuji, but Fuji stayed on his position.

"Isn't it obvious?" The spite he slipped out earlier on was now speaking volumes in Fuji's tone. Tezuka wants to reach out to him, but he was afraid it will anger Fuji more.

Fuji never tore his gaze away Tezuka. "Just tell me, I want to hear it straight away from you."

"You know the reason." was Fuji's cryptic reply.

But Tezuka probed on. "Tell me."

"Figure it out yourself, Tezuka."

"Why won't you tell me?"

Fuji's eyes flashed. The disappointment, sadness and anger mixed in his voice as he retorted, "Damn it, Tezuka. It's been years! How stupid can you get?"

Those words seared like knife. "Don't call me stupid."

"But you are, seeing as you're still playing dumb." Fuji didn't back down, seeing the expression of utter irritation on Tezuka's face.

"I'm not dumb."

A sarcastic smile formed on Fuji's face. "You sure do act one."

Tezuka sighed and dropped the retaliation he had in mind. No, he doesn't want Fuji to act like this in front of him. This is not at all what he thought would happen.

In a tone that is far from anger, he said, "Just tell me, Fuji."

Fuji calmed himself down and took a moment before speaking up again.

"Would it make a difference?" whispered Fuji.

"It would, I'm sure of it." Tezuka blurted out, not knowing what he said.

Fuji gaped at him again, with an unexplainable expression on his face.

"Then you know the reason already." Fuji piped back.

"No."

"You knew it will make a difference."

Tezuka shook his head slightly, wanting to know what the reason is to settle his wildly thumping heart.

"Just tell me please." He repeated again, stepping closer again to Fuji.

This time, Fuji's face softened as if he was letting himself be controlled by the gamut of emotions trapped inside him.

"You sure you want to hear?" He whispered almost inaudible.

"Tell me."

Something akin to hurt clung on Fuji's voice as he asked, "You won't run away?"

Tezuka felt everything felt warm when those words thick with emotions came out of Fuji's mouth. Something in the way Fuji's eyes softened as he held his gaze made him feel that something's really up.

"No…I won't…Fuji."

"Promise?" Promises, hard to ought, but this time he swore he won't back away.

"I promise."

He watched as Fuji drop his gaze to sigh heavily and locked his gaze again to Tezuka, his face starting to get flushed. A smile, full of longing flashed before him.

And as if in slow motion, those soft lips opened up to speak.

"I love you."

Mou nani mo kakusanai sa

Saa ikou ka

I won't hide anything anymore

"Well, shall we get going?"

Words oscillated repeatedly on Tezuka's head. He felt his breath got rugged as those striking three words registered onto his head. All he can do was stare at Fuji who rose up from his seat, his gaze disappearing behind his bangs as he ushered past Tezuka.

Tears were streaming down Fuji's eyes, but he attempted to hide it from Tezuka.

As he went past him, Tezuka grabbed hold of his arm and swing him into his arms in a warm, reassuring embrace. Fuji shivered, tears spilling from his beautiful eyes.

"Tezuka…"

The captain patted him gently and let him cry his eyes out on his shoulders. The words still echoed on his head, the words he longed to hear for so long. It was the words he never expected to hear from Fuji. He was wrong. His love was not unrequited at all.

And he left Fuji for his stupid mistake.

Fuji loved him.

He hugged Fuji tightly, as the realization of his actions came crashing down at him.

And slowly, his tears streamed down his cheeks and landed on Fuji's exposed neck.

Feeling this, Fuji looked up with wide eyes.

"Te—Tezuka?!"

"Fuji…I'm sorry."

Fuji's heart ached with what he heard. Can it be that Tezuka doesn't really love him?

Tears so foreign silently slid from Tezuka's eyes. Fuji felt his own tears do the same.

A pair of hands managed to hold his face steady, making him remain his wet eye contact with Tezuka.

"I love you, too."

Before Fuji closed his eyes, he saw Tezuka lean in nearer and smiled. And then soft lips covered his own.

And the tears that flowed were no longer of sadness and anguish.


A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews!! Glad for the support and so glad that I was able to update. Only two chapters and this would end. Thanks for the support again. If anyone's interested for some info on my new stories, it's in my profile. Thank you very much again! Reviews!! Hope I can update soon. I'll update The Lapse of Oblivion by the weekend. REVIEWS!!