A/N: Wow! Hello! Chapter 50! We are really here! I can't believe it! I never thought I'd see the day this story got this far! I'm sorry for my absence. Long story short, I had a major loss in my life and dealing with the aftermath of all that left no time for anything else. I am finally getting back to my life and doing things I love again. Including this story!

Thanks for being so patient :') You guys are the best!

Please enjoy!

Chapter 50: Onto the next

.

With Spring fully in bloom, Akito realized how much he really despised the brace he was forced to wear. It was itchy, and sweaty, not to mention uncomfortable. He was due for his four-week checkup later this week and hoped for good news.

But he knew that if anyone was suffering more than him, it was Sana. Watching her crutch away in this strange spring heat was almost unbearable. And it wasn't because of her misfortune. It was because she wouldn't shut up about how miserable it was.

"This suuuuuucks! It's so hot!"

"I hate this. I hate everything."

"Why is it hot in April!? It's supposed to be SPRING. Not Summer!"

And the complaints went on and on. He wanted to drive screwdrivers into his ears just stop hearing her screeching.

Unstrapping the brace around his arm, Akito flexed his hand and gave the stress ball a good squeeze. The physical therapist he was forced to see instructed him to keep his hand loose and strong to prevent his muscles from locking up.

So, at least twice a day, he would do such that.

Closing his eyes, he let his mind wonder to nothing as he mindlessly flexed his hand. The sun stung his skin as it blazed through the large windows. And he would have fallen asleep.

But the door swung open abruptly, making Akito open one eye.

Tsuyoshi walked in, grumbling something as his eyes were glued to the floor. Akito raised a brow, watching as his longtime best friend marched to his seat at the back of the class.

Strange.

Akito thought. The first thing Tsuyoshi did when he entered a room was scan it and greet whoever was inside. But today, he didn't even acknowledge anyone's existence. Akito continued to watch him as he sat in his seat, rummaging through his backpack.

He was glaring, still muttering something under his breath. His phone vibrated and he looked at it with urgency. The blond watched as he read his screen quickly, sighed loudly and placed it down. He took a deep breath through his nose and exhaled loudly.

"Why are you sighing like that?"

Tsuyoshi almost jumped out of his seat before Akito could finish his question. With a look of fear, he turned to him, grabbing his phone and stuffing it into his bag.

"Oh! Akito-kun! I didn't know you were in here!" He was the only one in here but that was neither here nor there.

Akito knitted his brows together slightly. "I know."

Nervously, Tsuyoshi bit his lip.

"So, why are you sighing like that?" He asked again, not really wanting to repeat himself again.

"Um, it was just a… a project for history that I need to get done and my partner… well they aren't getting their part done! So, I'm a little frustrated by them!" He rubbed the back of his head and now Akito was narrowing his eyes at him.

"You are a terrible liar."

Tsuyoshi's mouth fell. "I – I'm not lying!"

His voice squeaked and Akito snorted.

Yep.

He was definitely lying.

"Okay… I'll bite. So. Who's this partner?"

Akito watched as his eyes went wide and then started to bounce around. His foot was shaking nervously on the chair, his bottom lip almost enveloped by his top lip and an overall unease radiating from him.

"It's umm… it's Haneda-san!"

"Haneda?"

Tsuyoshi nodded firmly, like he was trying to convince himself.

But Akito called bullshit because Haneda was in his English class at the time Tsuyoshi had History.

"Right…"

"Yeah! So, just a little frustrated but everything is okay! A-okay in fact!"

Now Akito rolled his eyes because Tsuyoshi was trying too hard at this point.

Considering the predicament, he wondered… should he squeeze out the truth now? Or abide his time? He wasn't particularly in the mood to deal with drama…

But this was Tsuyoshi.

And their friendship was still recovering from his (and Tsuyoshi's) past actions.

"Whatever you say."

Akito nonchalantly said and went to put his arm brace back on. But from the corner of his eye, watched as his brown-haired friend sighed in relief and looked back at his phone with terror.

Totally strange.

.

It had been a few days since his weird interaction with Tsuyoshi, and Akito hated to say it's been nagging him in the back of his mind. At home, at school, during his runs. It was always there. Every time he saw him, he just wanted to blurt out "why did you lie?"

But he's kept his tongue tied and watched.

From his interactions with their friends to when he disappeared on his own. Akito felt like something was… off.

For some reason, his friend kept looking over his shoulder. Like someone was going to hurt him. He has always checking his phone. And whenever someone pointed it out, he would make a different excuse up.

No one seemed too concerned.

But at one point, he did catch Aya looking at him strange. When Tsuyoshi was picking at his noodles, Aya had scrunched her brows together and had this concerned look in her eyes. Akito watched intently form the other side of the table, waiting to see if she would say something.

But his focus was disturbed by Sana's nagging.

Akito decided to do some digging.

He went around, asking their friends if they had noticed anything different.

"Hmm, can't say that I have. I mean, he's been skiddish, but isn't he always like that?"

Fuka said, not entirely focused on the conversation as she tied her PE shoes.

"Tsuyoshi? Acting weird? Nothing out of the ordinary. Have you noticed anything, Mami?" Hisae asked the raven-haired girl, who shook her head.

"I mean, he's already weird. But that's just Tsuyoshi. Besides, wouldn't Aya say something if he was being weird? Like back then."

And by back then, they meant when Tsuyoshi had this innocent crush on their elementary school teacher and was teased for it. It was before he and Aya started dating and he was attracted to every girl that gave him attention or a treat. Weird, yes. But he grew out of it.

"Classmate Tsuyoshi was acting kind of weird in History, but that was just him being normal when reading from the textbook!"

Yunichi was no help. And he knew the other idiots wouldn't be any help either. Tsuyoshi had always been quirky. If something was wrong, they wouldn't see it because they probably couldn't tell the difference.

"Hmm? Tsuyoshi acting weird?"

Sana tilted her head as she looked at him with a weird look. He almost glared, annoyed with the same question being asked back to him.

"I guess he's been a little weird… but isn't he always?" she smiled and this time he did sigh.

The former actress scrunched her eyes together and put her pencil down.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"No. Yes. I don't know." Akito tapped his finger on his crossed arm, biting on the inside of his cheek. "He lied to me the other day. Horribly."

Now he had her attention, because she straightened her back and a look of concern washed over her.

"Is he okay?"

"I think so? I don't know. But I wanted to see if anyone else has noticed."

"Have they?"

He shook his head.

"This is bad! What if something is seriously wrong with him! We have to investigate this!"

She tried to stand, but Sana often forgot she had a cast on her leg. And in her haste, smacked it on the table. The auburn-haired teen hissed in pain as she sat back down, reaching for her already injured leg.

"Just relax, will you?" Akito huffed as he rolled his eyes. People were now staring at them as he found her in the library, surprisingly. And she threw a glare at him.

"How am I supposed to relax when my friend might be in trouble!"

Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. "Look, just calm down. We don't know anything yet. Maybe he's just being Tsuyoshi. And maybe he isn't. But let me figure it out."

"I want to help too!"

"Right now, you're more of a burden than anything." Akito's eyes pointed to her leg, and he saw as she mouth opened her mouth to object. But he cut her off before she could get a say in.

"Once I know something, I'll let you know."

The conversation pretty much ended there. But he knew it only tempered Sana's curiosity, and worry. Since that conversation a couple days ago, she had texted him every night and day for updates.

Grabbing his backpack, he slung it over his shoulder as he made his way out of the classroom and to the gym.

When he arrived, he scanned the court, and made a bee line across the gym.

"Aya."

He called out, and said girl stopped bouncing the volleyball in her hand as she turned towards him.

"Akito-kun?"

Akito gestured his head to follow him, and she looked at him for a moment in confusion. But then eventually caught on to him and nodded. She looked back to the girls and gave an apologetic smile.

"Sorry girls. I'll be right back!"

The girls didn't give her too much of a hard time, but they did groan about having to play with one girl down. The sand-haired girl grabbed her water bottle and gave him a blank look.

"What's up, Akito-kun?"

"Let's talk outside."

Tilting her head, she sighed and resigned herself to follow.

He and Aya had been friends for a long time now. As long as he and Tsuyoshi as they all grew up together. Along with his best friend, she had also seen the best and worst of him. During the worst parts of him, she had tried to talk sense to him. She tried to reason with him. She even comforted him when his mother passed.

Their friendship was strange as she was more than just Tsuyoshi's girlfriend but never a best friend. He never considered her like a sister but didn't think she was just an acquaintance.

They had honest conversations about Tsuyoshi, about his own actions. Despite the things he did, she still found a way to forgive him. She was frank with him, and like Tsuyoshi, saw a goodness in him Akito still had trouble seeing himself.

He respected her.

And knew that if there was something wrong with Tsuyoshi, she would tell him.

"I can't imagine you just wanted to talk." She laughed and he turned to her, eyes trained on her. Her laugh was cut short, and she frowned.

"What's going on with Tsuyoshi?"

Aya's eyes widened as her shoulders straightened.

"Wha – what do you mean?"

"I'm not an idiot, Aya. I know you see it too. So, what is it? What's going on with him?"

The walls around her eyes immediately fell and her shoulders slumped. A concerned sadness overshadowed her face and her lip quivered.

"I don't know." She whispered.

Akito raised a brow.

Looking back at him, she sighed again. "A few months ago, I noticed that he started to look at his phone more. And every time he does, it's always with this worried look on his face. I asked him about it a couple times, but he's always saying it's for school."

"Do you believe him?"

Aya's face turned guilty.

"No." She whispered, voice hurt.

They sat in silence for a moment, Akito watching as Aya hugged herself.

"You… you don't think he's cheating on me, do you?"

When Aya looked at him, Akito didn't think he had ever seen her look so heartbroken.

"I mean… it's silly to even think that, right?" She half laughed, half cried. "Tsuyoshi-kun is the sweetest boy I have ever met. He is so loving and kind. And I know he has a temper sometimes, but he's never been angry with me. And he showers me with love always. The way he holds me and kisses me… I just, there's no way someone who does all those things could hurt someone like that, right?"

Akito felt a strange pull in his chest as tears pooled at Aya's eyes. She hugged herself closer, biting on her lip hard. Her sadness made him uncomfortable as he didn't know how to comfort her. Because he didn't know if what she asked was a possibility.

Tsuyoshi? Cheat on her?

He guessed that his weird behavior with the phone could be seen as cheating. But it could also be a million other things.

"Have you noticed him doing anything else?"

"Well… he hasn't really invited me over anymore. Every time I ask him, he says he's busy. Or that he has to help his mom at home. Or he's babysitting Aono-chan. Which, is strange because we would watch her together a lot of times."

This caused Akito to raise a brow.

That really was strange.

"He – I know you two have had your differences, but he hasn't mentioned anything to you, has he?"

"You know I wouldn't be asking you if he did."

He hated how seeing Aya so dejected upset him so much. There was that pulling feeling in his chest again, and Akito had this sudden urge to hit something, mainly Tsuyoshi. The eldest Hayama didn't think Tsuyoshi was cheating on her.

No.

That boy loved her so damn much. It was almost impossible.

But there was definitely something going on.

"Akito-kun… I'm worried. I don't know what to do anymore."

He hated how much Aya resembled his sister, so helpless. Her cry for help reminded him of his mom, not knowing what to do with his father anymore. The thought of it made him purse his lips, ticked the vein on the corner of his forehead.

Not knowing if she was looking for comfort, Akito held her eyes for a moment.

"I don't think the idiot is cheating on you." He said confidently. Because he really didn't believe that to be true. "But there is something going on. And I am going to find out what it is."

He was almost on the floor before he caught himself as Aya threw herself at him. She enveloped him in a tight hug and the blond was immediately uncomfortable with the idea of that.

"Thank you so much, Akito-kun!" She squeezed tighter and he was eagerly waiting for it to be over.

Aya must have felt his unease as she squeaked and released him immediately. Her face was red with embarrassment, and she couldn't look him in the eye. Akito coughed, straightening himself out.

"I'm sorry! I just – I can't thank you enough for trying." She blurted, holding her fists to her chest. "I know it's been hard for you two, but knowing you care… well that means so much to me."

He nodded in his reply and Aya smiled again, this time a little brighter than before.

Their conversation ended there, with Aya running back inside to finish her game of volleyball. Akito stayed put for a moment, her words filed in his mind. Tsuyoshi's behavior was entirely strange and so unlike him. It made his head itch not knowing the truth behind it all.

His phone vibrated and Akito fished it out of his pocket. Looking at the message, he rolled his eyes.

From: Sana

Well? Have you learned anything yet?

To: Sana

Just like I told you a couple hours ago.

NO.

From: Sana

You suck at detective work.

Why don't you let ME handle it?

To: Sana

Yeah, fat chance of that.

From: Sana

GASP. I'm a GREAT detective I'll have you know! I followed one once to play a child detective on a TV drama and ROCKED it.

To: Sana

Great. But this isn't TV. This is Tsuyoshi.

From: Sana

EXACTLY. It's even more important!

Btw, how'd it go with Aya-chan? Did she say anything?

To: Sana

Nothing I didn't already know. But he did stop inviting her over to his house, which is weird. She thinks he might be cheating.

From: Sana

Hahahahahaha. Oh please! That boy is so obsessed with her! There is no way.

Though, him not inviting her over anymore is really weird. Well, weirder than usual.

What do you think?

Akito tapped his screen as he thought it over, not sure what conclusion he had ready. There were so many things that could cause Tsuyoshi to be like this. But which one was it?

To: Sana

I don't know.

I need more time to think on it.

Shoving his phone back in his pocket, he walked away from the gym and down to the softball field. Ayame had a game today and she had asked him if he was going to come watch. Promising to be a better brother, he knew that meant supporting her.

Mind deep in thought, he made his way to the softball field with different scenarios in his head.

.

"Hey batter batter! Hey BATTER!"

The cheers and clapping hands were loud around them as he sat with his friends to cheer on Ayame. He was sitting at the very end of the bleachers with Sana directly to his right. Tsuyoshi wasn't here today, which was strange considering he was a huge supporter of Ayame's softball career. Kotetsu Kyo was sitting over with a group of friends from her class and Akimoto Hiro was sitting a few rows behind us.

Everyone she loved was here to see her, except for one.

The bitter taste on his tongue ruined the piece of chocolate he was working on as he thought about his father.

He didn't give him much thought these days.

His father's return was imminent. Hayama Fuyuki was only scheduled to be gone six months. But it was highly possible his father would extend. Though, something told Akito it wasn't likely to happen his time.

A loud roar of cheers brought him out of his thoughts. The blond focused his eyes on the field and one of the girls from Ayame's team was rounding second making her way to third.

"Nice hit, Emiko!" Kyo shouted as he stood, hands circled around his mouth.

There was a sharp elbow to his side, and he glared at the girl to his right.

"Ayame-chan is up! Are you paying attention?"

Sana looked at him and he huffed. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"Let's go, Ayame! You got this kid!" Hiro shouted somewhere behind him.

"Kick some ass, Ayame! Show em what you got!" Kyo continued to shout.

"COME ON, AYAME-CHAN!" Sana stood, or at least tried. Akito had to hold her up before she completely tumbled down the bleachers. He cursed her under his breath as he balanced her.

She gave him an apologetic smile and went back to cheering for her.

Akito sighed, shaking his head at her clumsiness. He turned his attention back to his sister and watched as she took a clear ball for a strike. There were some murmurs, but the cheering continued.

"Strike 2!" The umpire shouted and Akito narrowed his eyes.

"Is that ump blind? The ball was nowhere near the strike zone!" Hiro complained behind him, and Akito pursed his lips in agreeance.

"You got this, Ayame! Foul it off until you find the one you want!" Kyo encouraged her but when the umpire called strike 3 on a ball two feet off the floor, the crowd grew louder in frustration.

Ayame went back to the dugout, shaking her head, and her eyes pissed as hell.

He saw pats on her shoulders as she pulled her helmet off and sighed in frustration. He could see her shaking her head, saying something and her teammates agreeing wholeheartedly.

"What was that!? Is that umpire blind?! He can't see balls and strikes?!"

Sana complained as she sat back down, and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Sometimes they get it wrong."

"Well, they are getting paid to get it right!"

The crack of the bat pulled them from their conversation and the third baseman was fielding the ball smacked to her. She threw the ball across the diamond for what should have been an infield single. But the umpire called the girl out, and the entire crowd erupted in protest.

"What?! She was SAFE. Are you joking right now!?" Kyo shouted and the yelling continued.

"Man, this guy SUCKS!"

Ayame's coach was visibly frustrated as the girls walked back into the dugout and Ayame grabbed her glove and ran out to centerfield.

As the girls warmed up for the next inning, Sana turned back to him.

"Tsuyoshi's not here today."

"Yeah, he told me he was too busy to come."

"Doing what?"

Akito shrugged his shoulders. "He told me schoolwork, but I think he's lying."

"We should tail him!"

Akito turned to look at her and she had a shit eating grin stretched on her lips. For someone who was concerned about their friend, she seemed a little too excited.

"And why would we do that?"

"I thought you were supposed to be one of the smartest people in our class? To find out why he's being so weird, DUH!" Sana exclaimed, but Akito just sighed.

"If we are going to tail him, it's just going to be me."

Sana puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms at her distaste in that answer.

"You don't know the first thing about detective work!"

"And you do?"

She huffed and he rolled his eyes.

"I have experience!"

"Acting does not count."

"Yes, it does! I even got to put a costume on and everything!" Sana argued and he sighed roughly, shaking his head at her insistence.

Before Akito could reply, there was a chorused groan across the home side of the bleachers. Both he and Sana's attention turned back to the field.

"BLUE! Are you BLIND!? She was clearly safe!" Kyo was shouting as others in the crowd joined in the ruckus.

Ayame was in the batter's circle, shaking her head, clearly frustrated with the officiates of the game. Akito could tell by his sister's body language that she was one bad call away from losing her cool.

Unfortunately, both Hayama siblings got their temperament from their mother. The same mother who used to be in a school gang back in the day. Just like their mom, Akito sometimes let his anger best him. And though Ayame tried her best, she couldn't contain her frustrations either.

Where Akito used physical violence, Ayame was sharp with her words.

"I swear! They probably paid this jerk! There is no way this officiating is real right now!" Kyo complained loudly, their friends muttering in agreement.

His sister stepped up to the plate, readying herself in the box.

"You got this, Ayame!" Hiro shouted from behind him.

"Kick some ass, Ayame-chan!" Sana screamed in his ear. He shot her a glare and she just grinned at him. Moving his eyes back to his sister, he narrowed them as the umpire called a strike two feet off the plate.

Ayame turned to the umpire, saying something he couldn't make out. The umpire nodded his head and his sister turned away shaking hers.

This time a ball was pitched in the dirt, the appropriate call made.

His sister was always talented in softball. Did he think she would made the national team? No. But, she was better than the average person. She was fast in the outfield, getting to nearly every ball hit out there. And she was even quicker around the bases. Ayame didn't hit for power, but she didn't need too.

Her strength was putting the ball in play.

Often lead off, she was always getting on base and usually lead her team in runs scored. Not just that, but also singles and doubles. She was a valuable player and it frustrated him that he allowed her to give up the sport she loved for so long.

The next pitch was above the hands, strike 2 called. Another round of displeased choruses and Akito furrowed his brows.

"Next pitch, Ayame! Get the next one!" Hiro continued with his encouragement. Sana and Kyo added their own words of encouragement.

It was the called third strike at a ball below her knees that finally snapped his patience.

Akito didn't realize he was standing when the words left his mouth.

"Are you a fucking moron? Do you not know how to call balls and strikes? Get your ass out of there if you can't do your job!"

The umpire called time out immediately and pointed into the crowd, at him, and made the tossing gesture.

"You're out of here!"

Akito scoffed, glaring at the man behind the plate.

"Do you fucking job right." The blond barked, his eyes sharpening into a tense glare that made the umpire's own eyes go wide. The officiant was caught off guard by Akito's death glare and watched silently as the blond made his way out.

"Akito!?"

Sana called out to him, and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Just stay here. I'll wait by the end of the field."

The auburn-haired teen stared at him with slight disappointment at first, sighing when she realized there was nothing she could do.

But then she snorted, and Sana smiled softly at him. It was the type of smile that made his heart jump to his throat. The type of smile she rarely showed herself.

"You're such a softie." She teased and then nodded.

"See ya after the game!"

Not wanting to deal with his feelings, Akito waved a hand and started walking off the ballpark. But before he could go too far, it was the cluttering of helmets and gears that got his attention.

"Nii-chan!"

Turning around, Ayame was gripped the metal fence, staring at him with… admiration?

"You didn't have to do that."

Akito scoffed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I know."

"Then why?"

Looking up to the sky, he closed his eyes. Memories of the weekends spent at the ballpark with their mom filled his mind. He remembered how worked up she would get.

"Because someone has too." Akito smirked and Ayame's eyes went wide.

Her brown eyes softened as her lip quivered. Tears accumulated in her eyes while a sad, yet sincere smile lifted on her lips.

"Ayame-chan! Let's go!" Her teammates called out to her.

His younger sister wiped away the tears and gave him one last look. He nodded his head towards the field, and she grinned that ever so famous Hayama grin. She threw her visor on and grabbed her glove, shouting something towards the rest of the girls.

Looking back up at the sky, Akito closed his eyes.

Mom… I'm trying.

.

His hands wouldn't stop shaking.

He had to put his phone down so it wouldn't fall from his hands. His heart was racing, and he could hardly catch his breath. He thought that he was over this, over the raised voices, the slammed doors.

He thought time had healed him. He thought that the separation would make the fear go away.

But it hadn't.

His mom was standing in the kitchen, shuffling through their mail while his sister was sitting at the coffee table in the living room, finishing her homework. No one said anything. No one muttered a word. The tension in the house was palpable.

If it hadn't been for him, things wouldn't be like this.

"Tsuyoshi…"

The glass eyed boy looked to his mom in distress, and she smiled anxiously at him.

"It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong."

He felt like a little kid again. Hiding in the corner, covering Aono's ears while he clutched his eyes closed, hoping the shouting would go away.

"He won't come back."

Tsuyoshi lifted his eyes to his mom and felt the tears gather. He squeezed them shut and felt the water fall down his cheeks.

One could only hope.

A/N: I'm excited for this next arc that we're moving into! We'll see more characters and more interactions that we haven't really seen as much! Also, of course, more Akito and Sana moments. I think most of you know where this is heading but I can't wait to see it get there :)

As always! Comments, reviews, criticism, etc. are always welcomed! Till next time!
- Dark Waffle