Eventually, Toudou returned to his team, leaving Yuusuke to tend to his rambling, amorous hero at his leisure, at least until the entrance of the tent rustled as Teshima poked his head inside.

"Makishima-san?" he called out, Aoyagi peering over his shoulder. "Shiraiwa-san is asking for you."

Yuusuke's eyes flitted from the messengers to Yasutomo. Teshima stepped inside.

"We'll watch Arakita-san while you're gone," he walked over with Aoyagi in tow. Yuusuke sighed.

"Thanks, sho," he released Yasutomo's hand, flinching as the other grabbed his wrist.

"Yuusukeee… you promised you'd hold my hand until I'm dead.." he whined. Yuusuke flushed crimson.

"I'll be back soon, sho," he pulled away, eyes averted from his juniors' inquisitive glances. "Stay alive until then, okay?"

"Okay…"

Yuusuke turned to them next, his face unreadable.

"He's delirious, so ignore everything he says, understand?" he glared them down. They swallowed. "Make sure he stays down. Good luck, sho."

With that, Yuusuke whirled around and fled. On the stretcher, Yasutomo made a futile swipe at the air, then heaved a heartbroken sigh.

"Can you believe this guy..? We've been married for ten minutes and he leaves me… That's it. Help me up.. I'm gonna burn everything."

Teshima and Aoyagi exchanged nervous glances.

Outside, Yuusuke joined Shiraiwa and Jin.

"Makishima, you're needed at the awards ceremony," Shiraiwa told him. "Arakita won a green tag, and a teammate has to accept it in his place."

Yuusuke's features darkened.

"Why don't you accept it, Tadokorocchi?" he turned to his friend. "It's a sprinter award, sho.."

"No, Makishima…" Jin lowered his eyes. "No matter how much I want a green sprinter tag, I won't settle for someone else's. I will only accept one that I've won with my own strength. You should go, Makishima. I'm sure Arakita would want it to be you."

"And I'm sure he would rather we didn't bother at all, sho," Yuusuke shook his head.

"But why? It's the fastest sprinter award!" pleaded Jin.

"Because he didn't want it, sho," Yuusuke's hands clenched by his thighs. "Hakone Academy thought he posed a risk to them, so they forced Yasutomo to take that checkpoint so they could leave him behind once he had exhausted himself, sho. It was meant to be the end of his ride when he was Sohoku's last hope of winning. Would you be satisfied with something like that, Tadokorocchi?"

"An award is an award, Makishima," interrupted Shiraiwa, who clearly wouldn't take no for an answer. Yuusuke sighed.

"Well… I suppose he might like the bouquet, sho."

"That's better," Shiraiwa tapped his arm. "Now go to the podium, they're expecting you, and for god's sake, please try to look presentable, Makishima! What's that thing on your hand?"

Yuusuke flinched as he remembered the plastic straw Yasutomo managed to tie into a knot over his fingers as a makeshift engagement ring. He pulled it off and sank it into his jersey's pocket.

"It's nothing, sho," he took off in a hurry. Jin shook his head fondly.

When the time finally arrived, Yuusuke accepted Yasutomo's award and complementary bouquet with a good grace. He only allowed himself a bitter smile at Hakone Academy's unanimous applause, and upon his return to Sohoku's tent, he passed the green tags to Jin for safekeeping, then walked over to Yasutomo's stretcher, where Teshima and Aoyagi greeted him in obvious relief.

"Yuusuke… look how the kids have grown…" Yasutomo gestured to them, then promptly lost his train of hazy thought at the sight of the bouquet. "Aww, you brought me flowers…"

"That's right.. Here, sho…" Yuusuke handed it over with burning cheeks as Teshima and Aoyagi slipped away. Yasutomo smelled it with a contented smile.

"Now it's a proper wedding…" he lurched upward, and before Yuusuke could stop him, Yasutomo wound up and cried, "Oi! I'm throwing the bouquet..!"

Teshima and Aoyagi stopped to look, and a moment later, the bouquet slammed into the latter's face and knocked him off his feet.

"I caught the bouquet.. Junta…" Aoyagi twitched on the ground.

"Aoyagiii!"screamed Teshima as Yasutomo seized up and collapsed into Yuusuke's arms, unconscious at long last.

He slept for two days, then woke up at Yokohama General Hospital, with no recollection of anything that had transpired during his drug-induced stupor. The more Yasutomo grasped at the broken strands of his memories, the more they scattered, till nothing remained but a crushing emptiness in his chest and a pool of lead in his stomach as time looped backwards in sickening déja vu. He had failed everyone. He couldn't even avenge Kinjou, and if Yuusuke wouldn't forgive a coward, a horrible, lousy brute didn't stand a chance.

Yasutomo had five missed calls from him, but he ignored them until he was released from the hospital into the confines of his room, where loneliness gnawed at his heart far worse than fear.

He started with a simple text. I'm sorry for everything.

The phone rang so fast, he nearly dropped it.

"Yuusuke.."

"Yasutomo! What happened? It's been four days, sho! Are you alright?!"

"Y-Yeah, I'm.. I'm home now. Listen, Yuusuke… I'm sorry. Toudou was right. You deserve better, and I just wanna say… I hope you don't hate me, and we can still be friends."

"…What are you talking about? When did he say that, sho?"

"The third morning."

"What about after that, sho?"

"I… don't know."

"You don't remember..?"

"I remember getting ambushed by Shiraiwa, and then I woke up in Yokohama."

"Oh god…"

"What? What?"

"You don't remember anything? Are you serious, sho?"

"I'm serious! Why? Did I do something even worse than disappointing everyone?!"

Yuusuke's eyes fell to the plastic straw ring on his palm.

"No… you were, wonderful, actually…"

"Wait, so you don't hate me..?"

"I love you! I'm proud of you! You seriously don't remember, sho?!"

"No…"

"…Maybe it's for the best, sho."

"Yuusuke, you're worrying me! What did I do?!"

"Do you have time to talk, sho?"

"I do."

"Then brace yourself, because you were wild, sho."

They talked for two hours, and Yasutomo finally laughed more than he apologized, blushed more than he blanched, and seemed almost whole again for a while, until Yuusuke promised their next Inter-high would be different, and the illusion popped like a soap bubble. Yasutomo said goodbye shortly afterwards, and unwilling to push, Yuusuke let him be.

They talked very little after that, and the subject was only revived at the start of the next term, when Yasutomo finally visited the clubroom, and found himself staring down a counter laden with Inter-high memorabilia, including their colored tags, now framed, and his and Kinjou's vacuum-sealed jerseys.

"What's this?" he stepped closer, expression unreadable.

"The shrine of resolve," replied Jin.

"The seniors put it together, to inspire us to keep fighting, sho," added Yuusuke.

"Ah. How nice," Yasutomo's eyes fell to a plaque with messages from the third-years. "Mind if I make a small adjustment?"

"Go ahead, sho," Yuusuke nodded with a hopeful smile, but he couldn't catch Yasutomo's eye, who snatched up the jerseys, his tags, and an open copy of Cycle Time, and dumped them into the trash bin.

"Good riddance to this garbage," he said, his empty hands clenching into fists by his sides. "I'm going for a ride. Later."

He then left the clubroom without another glance. The others froze, speechless and pale, but after a moment, Yuusuke kneeled down and scooped the discarded relics into his arms. Jin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"He just needs more time, that's all," he said at last, unsure if he believed it himself.

"I should probably hide these somewhere," sighed Yuusuke. "I knew he'd get upset, sho…"

"I can't believe you were right about the green tags," muttered Jin. "How long have I been dreaming of these things, and he tossed them out like they were nothing!"

Yuusuke shook his head.

"To you, these tags would have been a badge of honor, Tadokorocchi, but to Yasutomo, they were just a bone thrown by Hakone Academy. If they hadn't been framed, he might have ripped them up, sho."

"Ripped up a fastest sprinter award?!" wailed Jin. "Madness, absolute madness!"

Yuusuke rolled his eyes.

By evening, he bound the forbidden articles in black plastic wrap, and stashed the packet in the hollow behind the clubroom poster. With that, the subject seemed closed for good… until two weeks later, they received a call from Toudou, to the effect that Fukutomi Juichi was on his way to Chiba.

"You have to stop him, Maki-chan!" he pleaded even as Yuusuke's phone exchanged hands.

"Yo, Toudou," Yasutomo took over. "What's up. Uh huh… Yeah.. Yeah… It's unfortunate, but we're counting on you. You'll be captain now, so pick a new vice-captain, and we'll send back the remains in a cardboard box. Look forward to it.. Later."

He pressed End Call and muted the phone. Yuusuke and Jin stared at him dumbstruck.

"You two should leave now," Yasutomo cracked his knuckles. "I'm gonna finish what I started."

Five minutes later, Kinjou walked in on a heated debate over the desirability and consequences of homicide, which died an abrupt death when his friends finally realized that Fukutomi had followed him inside. The new arrivals then watched in growing discomfort as Yuusuke flung himself onto Yasutomo to restrain him, and Yasutomo repeatedly asked to be released, his tone unnaturally calm. Yuusuke refused to comply. The captive sighed.

"You're lucky I'd never hurt Yuusuke, or I would've killed you by now," he told Fukutomi, who hummed in acknowledgement.

"What do you want?" asked Kinjou. Fukutomi bowed down.

"I came to formally apologize, and to talk to you."

"Then talk to me while we ride," was Kinjou's answer.

"Oh yeah? Then I'm coming, too!" Yasutomo squirmed in Yuusuke's hold, but Yuusuke only hugged him tighter.

"Please stay put, sho!"

"He may come along," Kinjou and Fukutomi said in unison. Yuusuke gurgled.

"You lose, lover…" Yasutomo whispered in his ear. Yuusuke disentangled from him with a glare.

"You'd better behave, sho!"

"No promises."

The three of them soon stocked up on water bottles and took off, Yasutomo riding between them as if shielding Kinjou.

"Well, what do you want?" he squinted. Fukutomi stopped. The others did, too.

"Kinjou.. I… I have a favor to ask. Will you race me again at the next Inter-high?"

Yasutomo bared his teeth. Fukutomi persevered.

"I am thankful to you both. You taught me a lesson I will never forget. Kinjou.. You showed me how weak I am, and how I must overcome that and become stronger, or I cannot call myself an ace. And Arakita.. you taught me to value the support of my teammates. To beat Kinjou, and for Hakone Academy to win next year, we will not rest until we produce an assistant of your caliber."

Yasutomo stared at him bewildered, then gave a strangled sound as his complexion went up in flames.

"Haaah?! What the hell was that? Are you trying to be chummy?! I'll kick you thirty feet in the air, you stone-faced jerk!"

"He's flattered," interpreted Kinjou.

"SHUDDUP! You can't buy me!" screeched Yasutomo. "You think nice words will win me over,huh?!"

"I'm serious," replied Fukutomi.

"Tch! As if you have any other mode, you bottle blond robot!" Yasutomo jabbed him in the chest. "What you running on, huh? The rest of the bleach?"

"How did you.." muttered Fukutomi. Yasutomo barked a laugh.

"Your goddamn eyebrows, that's how! What were you thinking? You could learn a thing or two from Yuusuke, who had the common decency to dye his eyebrows!"

"Makishima is anything but common," Kinjou flashed a sly smile.

"You're right," Yasutomo took the bait. "Yuusuke's ultra rare! You hear me, blondie? You can't even reach Yuusuke's feet!"

"Toudou speaks of him very highly," conceded Fukutomi. Yasutomo scoffed.

"I'll speak of him even higher!"

"That would be nice, Arakita," said Kinjou, then watched in amusement as comprehension dawned on Yasutomo, who scratched his neck and fell into awkward silence.

"Kinjou…" Fukutomi spoke again. "I know I'm being selfish. If we ended up riding neck and neck next year, and you told me to let you win, I would not refuse. I know I'd deserve it. But in order to atone for my actions, and to become stronger, I want to fight you fair and square, and win."

Yasutomo gave him a revolted look, but Kinjou's lips curled upward.

"Don't worry, Fukutomi. If we end up in the same situation again, I won't lose. I want to become stronger, too. And like you said, I have an excellent assistant."

Yasutomo choked.

"Stop buttering me up, dammit!" he whipped his head away. "I never said I'd do it again! The Inter-high scarred me for life! Literally!" he gestured to the marbled patterns of his left arm.

"A small price to pay for being a hero, Arakita," smiled Kinjou. Yasutomo's lips quivered. "Makishima called that evening, and told me he'd give anything for you to have a great Inter-high next year."

Yasutomo flushed pink. Kinjou gave him a look.

"He's waiting for you, Arakita. How long are you going to keep mourning your losses, when you could be moving forward together?"

Yasutomo's face scrunched up, but in the end, he broke into laughter.

"You're right, Kinjou..!" he threw his hands in the air. "Who am I kidding? I hate moping!"

"Will you race me, then?" asked Fukutomi. Yasutomo huffed.

"You're damn right we will! And you won't stand a chance, blondie! By the time you find an assistant, I'll get even stronger! You're gonna be staring at our asses the whole way!"

Despite himself, Fukutomi smiled.

They soon parted ways, no longer enemies but respected opponents, and when Yasutomo and Kinjou returned, Yuusuke and Jin rushed forward to meet them.

"Is everything alright, sho?" Yuusuke furrowed his brow, then blinked as Yasutomo threw his arms around him, squeezing tighter than he had in ages.

"Yuusuke… everything's fine…" he purred, his grin growing wider as the other hugged back, shoulders quaking. Yasutomo caressed his hair. "Did you miss me..? Huuuh?"

Yuusuke drew back just enough to slip his hands onto Yasutomo's cheeks, his smile lapsing into a grimace as his fingers clamped onto the corners of Yasutomo's lips.

"Took you long enough to stop moping, didn't it, sho?" he pinched and tugged every which way, his playful tone on edge. "You shrug me off for six weeks, but one ride with Fukutomi and you're suddenly fine, sho? Are you a Fukutomi boy now, is that what you are, sho?!"

"Wuufukeh, wou'r hurthin meeh..!"

"Serves you right, sho!"

"Isn't true love great, Kinjou?" quipped Jin. Kinjou smothered his grin.

"Makishima, go easy on our new vice-captain."

Yuusuke's fingers froze in place. Yasutomo stared back in shock.

"I am now confident Arakita's the right choice. I'll make the announcement tomorrow."

"Wou shust wahha piff off Shihaiwah.." mumbled Yasutomo, then fell silent as Yuusuke grabbed his jaws and kissed him. Finally, everything was fine… absolutely everything.

END NOTE:

Even in his haze, Yasutomo recognized Teshima and Aoyagi as his kids, so naturally he told them the Stupor Version of how he had met their "father," and so confirmed that he and Yuusuke were dating. His juniors then had to endure another talk as Yuusuke swore them to secrecy, and corrected all the details Yasutomo had added or exaggerated. For their silence, they were allowed to take pictures of themselves with Yasutomo's bouquet and green sprinter tags.

That evening, Yuusuke tried to call Yasutomo, but Kinjou was the one who answered the phone. They were still in the ambulance bound for Yokohama General Hospital (where Kinjou was to be transferred to another ambulance that would take him to Chiba), and though Yasutomo was unconscious, Kinjou held out the phone to his ear so Yuusuke could talk to him. Yasutomo remained unresponsive, but Kinjou told Yuusuke that his words must have reached him deep down.

During his hospital stay, Yasutomo received fruit baskets, health recovery charms, and even a few visits from his followers, who received word of his condition by tracking the Inter-high's online feed. Thanks to them, Yasutomo ended up with so much fruit that he didn't know what to do with it, so on a whim, he called the nurses, and they hauled the baskets over to the children's ward so the kids could have them. Yasutomo ended up going back because the kids wanted to know what had happened to him, and gave away most of his health recovery charms to them. The next day, several kids were released earlier than expected, and one kid's removed tonsils grew back completely healthy.

When Fukutomi returned to Hakone Academy in one piece, Toudou hugged him with tears in his eyes and said, "I'm so glad you're alive, Fuku! I was going to pick Shinkai, but it wouldn't have been the same!" Not knowing what to do with this information, Fukutomi thanked him and went off to eat dinner.