Disclaimer: All characters are property of our dearest Takehiko Inoue. Thank you for everything!

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Help me to heal

"Although... which one is Fujii-san?" Sakuragi asked rubbing his chin.

The friends occupied two swings while they talked. Yohei gave him a summary of what had been happening in recent weeks, until Hanamichi interrupted with a confused face.

"She's the one with short brown hair, very shy," he clarified, laughing. It was just like him not to retain those features in his memory, unless they were of some girl he was interested in.

"And her name is Fujii-san?" Damn," he murmured, "I forgot. Uhm..." he remembered when she congratulated him after the practice match with Ryonan. "She's pretty… I'll take a closer look tomorrow when we get to school."

"I'm sure you won't even remember this talk as soon as you see Haruko-chan!" Laughter got the best of him again. "And I prefer that you don't stare at her, you're going to put me in trouble and I still don't have anything clear..."

"Yohei, you lucky bastard!" Sakuragi exclaimed, reaching out to put a hand over her shoulder and give him a friendly shake.

"Man, I'm telling you, I haven't…

"Shut up! Do you think after fifty rejections I'm going to let you play dumb?"

"Uh...hey..."

"You're going out with her, period. We could go on a double date with me and Haruko-san…" His eyes turned dreamy. "Be a good friend: tell Fujii-san to convince her to finally forget about that Rukawa asshole."

Hanamichi made his own plans with the situation, and in all he benefited from fulfilling her dream of being Haruko's boyfriend to walk with her daily to school, back and forth. Yohei gave him a look that was as amused as it was exasperated.

"Will you say something to the trio of idiots?"—So they affectionately called the rest of the members of the «Sakuragi's Army».

"Nah, not yet. Although if she rejects you… be prepared," he announced with a fanatic gleam in his eyes.

Yohei was unaware that Hanamichi felt very mature for that attitude, almost about to kiss himself out of pride for not behaving like them during high school, where every rejection he received was celebrated like a party. He always ended up headbutting his friends, leaving the place so sad that, they could swear with bible in hand, they heard a devastating song playing in the background while Sakuragi made an exit between furious tears.

Both continued talking for a while longer, teasing each other and making bets on what would come as usual in their friendship. By the time they said their goodbyes, Yohei felt a little less confused. As he talked to Hanamichi, he noticed details that he had missed, like certain looks he had caught from a distance. He believed that they were of fear or distrust, but now they could have a different meaning than the one attributed by him in the first place. Genuine interest, then?

He took out the handkerchief he hadn't returned to her in the infirmary. The smooth texture of it reminded him a bit of Fujii. There was something about her, not yet named, but that could grow with time. He wasn't desperate to go out with someone like other guys, but if the circumstances were right…if it was with her, he definitely wasn't going to refuse.

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Notes:

I want to apologize in advance for the mistakes you've found in this chapter (and the previous ones). Since english isn't my main language, I know I lack of the knowledge of grammar rules in this kind of literature. So I'm doing my best to get better writing in english :)
Thanks for your support!

Love and happiness for everyone.
Stacy Adler.