Yukimura Seiichi and Sanada Genichirou had always been good friends. They met when they were junior high and being the captain and vice Captain in both their junior high and senior high school. They said Sanada had the wits to discipline the junior, yet Yukimura had the bright personality to attract people and move them around as he wish.
At first Yukimura thought Sanada was just a stiff person with stiff personality but when they became close to each other he realized that Sanada was just too shy and too clumsy to express his feeling, he needed more than one year to break down Sanada's wall. The black headed man was too stiff and hard to understand at the first but as time went by, he knew how to joke and believe in others, especially Yukimura. He believed in Yukimura with all his life just like what Yukimura did to him. Their closeness brought Yukimura into new and bright world. He couldn't and didn't want to leave the tall man and constantly missed his presence everytime they parted away.
He finally realized his feeling to the vice captain when the senior high school graduation approached. He felt miserable when he knew that they wouldn't be together and meet everyday anymore.
"Gen-chan.. Congratulations on your graduation." Yukimura said with a smile. He decided to confess although he didn't know how the taller man felt for him. He would take the risks, at least he tried before they parted away. He didn't want to regret for keeping silent.
"You too, Seiichi." Sanada said while they walked into the club room. The graduation ceremony had just finished and they had to clean their locker before left the school.
Yukimura looked at Sanada's uniform and realized that the second button of it was dissappeared. "Your button.." He said unconsciously.
"Hng? Oh, they were taken by our juniors." He scratched side of his neck.
Yukimura knew that gesture, Sanada was embarrassed yet quite happy. He tightened his grip inside his coat's pocket which his second button was placed. He saved it for Sanada, yet the taller man gave his to another person easily.
Should he confess? He felt his heart wavered. He was afraid.
"I saw yours were taken, too." He replied when he saw Yukimura's buttons or rather the void of the buttons.
He grabbed Sanada's coat on his arm, "Gen-chan.. I'm very happy that I met you and become your friend. These years gave me many sweet memories which I would never forget. I'm happy that you stay with me although sometimes I am too much. I hope that.. In the future.. Well.. It will be the best if we can.."
"I understand, Seiichi." He placed his bigger hand on Yukimura's smaller one.
"You do?" He surprised. Does he really like me to? More than just friend? He eyed Sanada hopefully. When he ask me to be his boyfriend, I'll be the happiest man alive!
"Yes, don't worry. We will keep in touch just like this, I'll always be your must trusted man and I'll always be your best friend. Do you understand?"
"Gen-chan.. Do you really think so?"
"Of course! I won't be a stranger. You are the most important friend for me. I'm happy to meet you, too. You change me, Seiichi. I'm very thankful for that. Thanks." He patted Yukimura's hand.
"Gen-chan.. I don't mean it like that. Don't you understand? I like you!"
"Yes, Seiichi. I like you, too. You are my best friend and best thing that ever happened to me."
Yukimura felt he was falling into the darkness. The taller man didn't get it at all. It was totally different from his intention. How couldn't he feel it? Yukimura's subtle touch and hints anytime they were alone. How could someone just being so...so dense!
His heartbeat slowed for seconds and he felt like shivering. How he wished it could be stopped for eternity. Was he hoped for too much?
No, it's me who put too much hope into a guy like Sanada.
His hand slipped away from Sanada's coat and he emptied his locker quietly, the ex-vice captain didn't say anything and followed the ex-captain's action. They emptied their lockers in minutes since they had nothing much to bring anyway.
He knew it. He knew it already. He already anticipated it yet the wounds were still too deep.
"Seiichi, I had cleaned my locker. Do you need me to bring yours to your house? I don't think your condition is good enough to bring it by yourself." He frowned when he looked at his friend's pale face.
Another person would throw his things to a dense one like Sanada or shouted at the taller man or even ran away from him, he rejected Yukimura and then offered his help to Yukimura. But the smaller man didn't throw anything, ran away or even cry in front of his love interest. He knew Sanada didn't understand anything and he didn't mean to hurt him, not intentionally at least. He was just too oblivious. So, Yukimura would just enjoying the moments as long as it last. He knew these moments wouldn't last long and one day, there was someone who Sanada would appreciate and love more, that someone was not him, he was sure.
"Sure." He smiled weakly.
But even if Sanada never seen him in that way, he would always trasure and keep his love for the taller man. At least they were still best friends just like before.
###
One year ago,
"Happy birthday, Gen-chan!" Yukimura said when Sanada welcomed him and his cousin at the taller man's terrace. He handed over Sanada's present, a box of tennis shoes and a coupon of free meal from Sanada's favorite restaurant.
"Thank you, Seiichi."
"Let me introduce you to my cousin, this is Fuji Syusuke, my cousin. Syuu-kun, this is my best friend, Sanada Genichirou."
Both men said their greetings and then Sanada brought them to the livingroom where all his families gathered. They sat around the traditional room annd chatting around themselves. The foods on the table were already emptied away. Sanada left them to bring some refreshments, Yukimura and Fuji sat at the big long table placed on the livingroom.
"Ne, Sei-chan.. I don't think this is a right place for me, too. I can go to my friend's house and meet you at the station when you are done." Fuji said from his right side.
"Don't be silly. Your friend isn't at home at this moment, right? Where do you plan to wait? At his front door? His neighbor will call the emergency services and told them there is a bulgar next to his house. Imagine it, an officer from the Emergency Hotline service is caught by the police from an emergency report." He teased. His cousin just started working at the emergency call unit so he knew his sentences were too much.
"It's not! I can wait at the cafe near here if he isn't at home. I don't know all the people here. Ne, Sei-chan.."
"No, Syuu-kun. I don't want you wandering around and meeting another problem while I can't watch over you. You are safer here and you get free meal to eat, too." He messed Fuji's hair.
"I won't cause problems. Never." He pouted.
"Right." He replied.
Sanada came back with orange juice and cake. "It's an honor being served by the birthday boy. Why don't your house assistance help?" He asked while Sanada was put their glass and cakes on the table, then he took a seat on Yukimura's left.
"They are busy cooking and serving the guests. I don't know that my mother invited so many people. I thought she invited only families and close friends, yet.. You can see by yourself." He grimaced. "Besides you are my best friend so it's fair for me to serve you." He added.
"I see." He tried to ignore the hurt inside his heart but failed miserably. "How old are you again? Thirty something?" He tried to change the topic.
"Twenty three." He voice was sounded offensed but there was a glimpse of teasing in his eyes.
"So, Fuji-kun, what does Seiichi use to drag you here?" He asked the brown haired man casually.
"Gen-chan, I don't have to blackmailed my cousin to make him come here." He rolled his eyes. But three of them knew the best.
"My apartment key. He took both of them and refused to give them back to me. He said something about someone precious to hi—" suddenly a big slice of cake is stuffed on his mouth.
Fuji's eyes bulged when Yukimura did that. His eyes cried 'what the hell' to his cousin. Yukimura gave him a scary smile and then Fuji looked away while enjoying the cake which shoved into his mouth.
"He entered the emergency call unit last week and doesn't leave his work for days. I got worried about him so I had to drag him here. I'm afraid that he would become a cave man without realizing how the world has changed in front of him." He explained to Sanada.
"I see. That's great. It's a rare occasion for a young man working in that area." He added.
"Yeah, my little cousin is a genius boy with a warm heart. He just tends to forget about the world around him."
"Sei-chan.. I'm sitting right here and I'm only one year younger. My age is irrelevant to my actions." Fuji huffed.
They spent half an hour chatting about the party and Sanada's family. Yukimura never knew that Sanada had a large family. He always thought that Sanada was raised in a solitude and small family since he was an introvert one yet it was proven wrong. Sanada looked so relaxed around his families. Sanada helped his younger cousin to open the soft drinks, scold them when they did naughty things and sometimes tease them.
Suddenly Fuji stood up and walked out of the room. Yukimura let him go and continued talking to his Sanada.
"Sei-chan, I need to go. The Emergency Hotline need another hand. One of my colleagues can't make it today." He said when he walked back into the room, he then put away his phone into his bag.
"Syuu-kun..." He sighed. Fuji was too motivated into his new job. He wanted his cousin enjoyed the world, too. His cousin had passed through many things in his earlier life.
"I'm sorry, Sei-chan." He grabbed his coat hastily and walked out of the room.
Sanada wanted to send him to the station bit Fuji refused.
"Seiichi? Are you okay?" Sanada put his hand on Yukimura's shoulder when Fuji dissappeared from the door.
"Hm? I'm okay,, Gen-chan. Don't mind me." He smiled weakly.
At the front door, Fuji put on his shoes quickly. There was an accident near the station so they need more officers to manage the ambulans and the aid. He didn't dare to imagine what happened at this moment, he needed to reach his destination first.
He opened the sliding door and walked out to the stone path, surrounded by plants and artificial stones which placed as a stony road. Luckily it was spring so he didn't have to put on his coat, his phone then was ringing again. He regretted that he put away his phone, now he had to search for it once again. He was rummaging his bag when suddenly he tripped and fell into something hard yet warm.
"Mbph.." It mustn't be a wall because it is so warm and so comfortable, Fuji thought.
"Are you okay?" a voice awakening him from his daydreaming.
Fuji gazed upward and saw a man with glasses. It was quite dark there so he couldn't see the man's face clearly.
"Oh.. Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry for tripping on you, sir." He stepped back from the man and just realized that the man's hands were placed on his arms to keep him balance and secured.
"Hn.. Just be careful next time."
"Thank you, sir. Excuse me." He bowed and then ran away from the tall man. His phone rang again and this time he managed to pick it up.
"You finally decide to show up this time." Sanada said when the glasses man stepped into the livingroom.
"Aa.. I get a week off before starting another training."
Sanada stood up and hugged the glasses man. "Welcome back."
"Aa.. I'm home. Happy birthday, by the way. My present will arrive next week."
"Don't bother with something trivia. Come here, let me introduce you to my friend."
###
Yukimura didn't need a long time to get closer to Tezuka. The glasses man was so similar to his Sanada yet different at the same time. Sanada was simply stoic and traditional man but Tezuka knew how to balance and adapted to his environment quickly. If Sanada was too conventional and hard to please, Tezuka wasn't. He appreciated difference between himself and people around him and would change his mind if he thought it was the best.
From that day, Yukimura and Tezuka met occasionally. Tezuka just started his professional track in tennis so he still have more time to spend in Japan. They met and had matches anytime they seemed fit. Sanada wa too busy with his work so it always been Yukimura and Tezuka. Yukimura spent his time talking about Sanada and Tezuka would listen to him, he would add some informations regarding the ex-vice captain whenever Yukimura asked.
He was surprised that Tezuka also loved plants, especially bonsai. Yukimura would take Tezuka to his favorite parks and plants exhibition. They also shared informations about the newest way to plant and keep the flowers healthy.
As time gone by, their meeting became more often. Tezuka always sought-after Yukimura whenever he had days off, Yukimura would gladly following the glasses man around. Yukimura's togetherness with Sanada became less, consequently.
Yukimura always hoped that Sanada would have Tezuka's attentive and understanding inside him. No, just half of them was enough for him. After meeting Tezuka he often daydreaming about Sanada with Tezuka's personality and if that happened, he was sure that Sanada would know how he felt toward the black haired man.
He knew he shouldn't compared Sanada to Tezuka, yet he couldn't help it. How he wished that one day, one day Sanada would come and understand his attention. The truth was, they were drifting apart.
Four months after Sanada's birthday party, he met Tezuka again. They had tennis match and then had lunch at Yukimura's favorite restaurant as usual. Yukimura had found a new interesting activity, teasing Tezuka. He found it interesting because Tezuka never got angry whenever he teased him, he would blush and cough instead. Yukimura wanted to know how to break the tennis athlete's mask. He never got angry or irritated.
"Tezuka, do you ever thought about getting a lover?" He started his new way to tease the taller man.
"No. I never thought about it."
"Hmmm.. Well, let's say, if you have to decide your criteria now, what kind of lover do you want?"
"Should I answer that?" Tezuka frowned.
"Yes! Come on, I know you have it, don't you? Answer me in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2... 1.."
"A strong-willed person with broad heart. It's better if they are hard worker, too." He answered quickly.
"My.. I thought you would say a tennis athlete, too. What about their appearance?"
"Hn.. It's not important, inner beauty works more than outer one." He sipped his green tea.
Hard to crack as usual. "I see. If appearance isn't important than who would you choose, a stranger but they have your criteria or me but I don't have any of your criteria?" He tilted his head and looked so proud.
Tezuka seemed thinking hard before finally he answered, "You."
Yukimura gasped, he never thought that Tezuka would answer it seriously . "My.. Tezuka you are just flattering"
"No. It's true. I have something to tell you, I have wanted to say it for times now actually but I never found the appropriate time. Yukimura Seiichi.. would you like to be my boyfriend?" He said in a confident way and his eyes never leaving Yukimura's.
Yukimura couldn't believe it, Tezuka asked him to be his boyfriend! Was he dreaming? "Tezuka.. You are.. Joking, right?" He let out a forced laugh.
"No.. I'm serious. So what do you say?"
Yukimura didn't know what he thinking that time. He was in a dilemma, on one hand he wanted to try a relationship, a new one with someone who truly appreciate and love him. On the other hand, he didn't know if he could let his feeling for Sanada go.
"Tezuka.. It's... I'm flattered, really.. I—"
"Why don't we try this and let it flow, first. I know it's too sudden but I think we will work." He brought his hand and placed it on Yukimura's.
Yukimura looked at Tezuka and saw his determined eyes. He never ever seen Sanada with these eyes. He did hope it was Sanada who said it to him. Yet, it wasn't. He was tired of waiting for someone who never thought about him.
I'm sorry, Gen-chan.. I think I need to let you go.
###
In the mid summer he announced to Sanada about his relationship with the tennis athlete. He tried to decipher what was written on Sanada's face yet he couldn't find any. His best friend looked surprised but didn't say anything except congratulations, it's like Yukimura never said and confessed to him before, it's like
Yukimura's feeling wasn't important at all.
That night he spent all night crying over his meaninglessness love.
###
"Gen-chan! I'm coming in!"
Yukimura walked into the traditional bedroom with a tray filled with healthy breakfast.
"I can do it by myself, Seiichi." Sanada said with a little frown.
Last night Yukimura appeared in front of his house and insisted to stay and watch over him. Sanada refused it and scolded him to go home but his ex-captain didn't listen his protest and continued to invade his place. Yukimura was always like that, his appearance and attitudes were like storms, they were happened quickly yet deadly.
"Nonsense. I'm here to help you to get better. The doctor said that you shouldn't overuse your foot yet. You must rest, you know." He smiled and arranged the tray in front of his teammate. He then sat next to the black haired man.
"Here I made some salad, sandwiches and juice. Don't forget to take your medicine after that."
"Thank you, Seiichi." He bowed.
"Why, it's my pleasure." He waved. "How are you feeling today? Is it better? Same as before?"
"I don't know. I feel no difference from yesterday since you prohibit me to walk around. You don't have to fuss about me, really. I know you are busy, too. I can take care of myself."
"Silly boy, you helped me a lot in the past so it's fair for me to help you now." He smiled. "What do you want for your lunch? Japanese food or Italian?" He asked again while the muscular man was starting to eat.
"Anything is fine. I don't want any oily food, though. It's unhealthy." He drank the juice.
"I know! I'll make unacha. It's healthy and good for your body, right?"
"Alright." He knew he couldn't change the smaller man's mind. "Have you met Tezuka? I heard he injured his eyes. Is that bad?" He wanted to know about it badly, since the delicate man stepped into his house but decided to wait until the time was appropriate.
"Well, I haven't visited him yet. My schedule was opposite of his visiting hours. I went to his hospital once and they said he already slept. I didn't want to disturb him and I heard from his coach that his condition is getting better. He still has to rest, though."
"I see. Seiichi, you shouldn't be here actually, you should be with him. I can't monopolize you for my own benefit."
"I know but he is surrounded by his family, friends and even friends. I'm sure he doesn't need me to get into the crowd, too. You otherwise, your family are too far away and almost all of our friends are moving out from here, too. You need someone to take care of you, right?"
"I'm not a kid anymore. Tezuka would feel lonely there although there are so many people around him. You know that he is a lonely person."
"Gen-chan, do you or do you not want me to be here with you?" Yukimura pouted and crossed his arms.
"I... I..." The injured man couldn't muster the right sentence when he looked at the pouting man. He was so cute and lovely with his bulging cheeks and pinkish lips pouted. Sanada wanted Yukimura to stay with him, forever.
"Seiichi, I'm.. I'm..." He tried to arrange the right words to express his gratitude to the smaller man.
"I want you to stay." He said finally. "But only until my foot is better. You have to go back when I can walk on my own. Understand?" He said while trying to brush away his blush.
"Of course! Don't worry! You just need to recover quickly, right?" He giggled.
The smaller man continued to talk about his days and sometimes about their days in high school.
At first he was irritated by the smaller man, he was just too girly to his liking. A man should be muscular and strong but Yukimura was quite opposite l, he was so delicate and had a weak body. He was afraid that if he held him wrong, the smaller man would break into two. Nobody knew what was in that small pretty head. He was too difficult to understand but as he spent his time with the ex-captain, he knew he was a lovely person with an unique personality. When Yukimura said he like him, he was so happy. No one had ever told him that they liked him. He wanted to trasure his friendship with the smaller man.
Sanada pretend to listen and ate but actually he looked at the smaller man with a hidden longing stare. His hands were balled in his fists so tightly that they turned into white. He wanted to touch the lovely man in front of him yet he didn't. He was his cousin's boyfriend now.
It was him who introduced Yukimura to Tezuka. That time he didn't think much about his relationship with his ex-captain. He thought that they would be always together, there was nothing which could separate him and his ex-captain. Sanada would be always right beside Yukimura and vice versa. Little did he knew, their relationship was imperfect from the start. He was too clumsy with his feeling so Yukimura never caught up what he wanted to express to smaller man.
When Yukimura told him about his relationship with Tezuka, Sanada realized that all these time he took them for granted. He wasted to much time to ponder until someone snatch his beloved one away. He deserved it, he knew it. So, now he only tried to patch up his shattered heart and hoped that Yukimura and Tezuka would be happy.
"Gen-chan? Do you hear me? Do you feel hurt somewhere?"
"No. I'm just thinking about something, it's not important."
"Now. Now. What is it? Is it about certain person?" He teased.
"Yes."
"Who is it? Do I know them? Come on, you can tell anything to Daddy Seiichi!" He giggled.
"It's about Tezuka." suddenly Yukimura felt into silence.
"What about him?"
"What did you tell to him when you decided to come here?"
Yukimura didn't say anything for seconds, then, "I told him nothing."
"What do you mean?" Sanada was confused now.
"It's okay. I handled it well, okay? Don't worry." Yukimura tried to smile brightly to the injured man.
"Seiichi." Sanada said with a low tone. He used it when he wanted to intimidate someone or make them to tell him the truth. It was the latter one for Yukimura, though. He never ever could intimidate the smaller man, actually.
"Well.. I asked my cousin to replace me to visit him." His eyes never met Sanada's.
"What do you mean? You asked your cousin to take care of Tezuka? Have they ever met? Does Tezuka know about your cousin?"
"Well.."
The third chapter,, we didn't have much Tezuka Fuji moments, did we? Don't worry,, I prepared it for the next chapter. Stay tuned! RnR, please?
P.S thank you for mY reviewers: tightpans-san, Fujiyuki-san, supremekikay24-san, saya-san, babekanon-san and all of my readers. I appreciate it so much! Thanks!