Unattainable
by SIB

Author Notes: At last I can update! Sorry for the delay, I was sick and thenceforth unable to come to any idea. So, if you find this chapter to be a ‘little’ bit weird or boring, I ask for your forgiveness. This is the longest chapter I’ve ever written and perhaps the most difficult as well. But maybe it was just because of my disease. As for the characters I will introduce in this chapter, I take their names and perhaps also their characters from Prince of Tennis since the schools that will be involved much in the story are only Seigaku and Hyoutei (due to Fuji’s past). I will try to do it until this story is finished. For my reviewers, thank you for still supporting me. I have my replies at the end of this chapter. Have a happy reading!

DISCLAIMER: I own none of the characters in the story. I do mean it. You can see that every name I use is taken from Prince of Tennis characters. I own the plot only.

WARNING:

For the entire story: (read in the first chapter)

For this particular chapter: PG to PG-13 for a bit of violence and a devout question at the end part of the chapter’s story.

Italicized words mean the words are considered important by me.

/Italicized words in here/ represent the character’s thought, whose thought it is I think you can guess.



Chapter Four: The Life I Lived Library of Seigaku; Second-level

October 1 – 05:48 p.m.

Drops of water splattered on the second-level library’s window, distorting every shape beyond the see-through glass into blends of colours. Sitting alone amidst shelves filled with thick dull books was a bespectacled guy wearing a solemn expression. His head was bent down all the time as his keen eyes constantly scanned line to line written on his notebook.

The captain of Seigaku’s tennis club was notorious for his habit to bury himself in the library if time had let him to. Today was no exception, beside the fact that he had several numbers of unfinished homework, which needed a couple of references. The fierce rain outside was also another enticement for him to stay, even though none of them that had been mentioned above was his true motive. Perhaps even he had forbidden himself to be aware of the actual reason why none of his work had reached his most satisfaction.

Tezuka stared at a collinear equation inscribed in the uppermost of the current page he was confronting. If he had remembered correctly, when his teacher elucidated the particular subject, it was one the easiest question he had ever encountered. Then why did his brain refuse to cooperate now, as if it had never heard of the simple equation before?

More illegible scribbles began to fill the page and not even he could tell what they meant now. No wonder, for only a little part of his mind that had voluntarily worked. The rest was lost in the world of its own; a world that included a certain prodigy.

Incredulously he stared at his work. Things had gone even better. How the hell he could screw an x variable for a multiplication symbol?

Along with a frown, the captain let his pencil to slip off the twist of his fingers. It clattered colliding with the wooden table and the sound rang through the deserted room save for the librarian, an innocent looking girl who always blushed every time he caught her staring at him. The unexpected echo seemed to startle her as she quickly looked up from the book inventory she was listing. Almost apologetically Tezuka picked up the blameworthy pencil and spared a glance at the shocked girl. Nearly as soon, the red tone on her face turned even deeper.

Whatever.

The cool leader turned his attention to the blurred glass beside him. Fuji had never blushed; even during their lovemaking he had never caught any crimson shade staining his pale skin. He called his name several times and moaned appreciatively, yes, but never blushed, as if no blood was running in his veins. But then, he had never taken any interest toward flushing cheeks anyway. And he did like Fuji, a lot.

How unhelpful to think about the prodigy in a time such as this. Their little quarrel had yet to end since Fuji seemed to avoid him at any time, any place, and in any form. They attended different classes, it was obvious, but apart from their two-hour tennis practice, the captain hardly found any trace of him, not even a flicker of his light brown hair. The assassin must have exploited his ability to its full extent in order to vanish so perfectly from him. In that case, the title of tensai was indeed well-deserved.

Something was wrong. He could not say what exactly was wrong but his recent days had passed by in the company of restlessness, as if an important part of him had lost. Not to see that perpetual smile directed at him anymore was one thing, but too see Fuji deliberately ignoring him was much worse. He was furious by the sudden change of attitude. Was what they had nothing more but a game for the tensai?

That kiss he witnessed fortuitously also left traces in his mind to be tracked. He could feel nothing when he saw the captain of another team kissing his prodigy, only that his whole being was left cold and numb. Out of rage he chased him and spat out his anger, merely to obtain the most ludicrous answer he had ever got.

No, it was not the kiss that bothered him most. The way Fuji looked at him, lost and afraid, was what actually perplexed him. Never once it crossed his mind that an assassin that was worthy enough to be his opponent could stare at him in that most unlikely manner. And the dried tear that had left tracks on his cheek. He did not even know that Fuji could in fact cry. The only Fuji he knew was the intelligent, skilled murderer that by some unknown causes chose to enter Seigaku. Also a member of the tennis club that by some stupid reasons was attracted to his captain.

Of course he could easily slipped the thought that the whole lot purely was a game or merely a microscopic part of whatever major plan the prodigy had in his mind. It would be only too reasonable since he had a murderer as an opponent.

However...

/”I will if it can save us both...”/

That answer; it was what actually troubled him. It was far from understandable unless the tears and all were just an act. The string of words kept chanting in his head and the picture of cheerless aqua pools haunted his sight; almost as if he could see them with his waking eyes. Perhaps Fuji was asking him not to remember what they so briefly just had. But then, why?

A surge of negative theories shot through his mind. Perhaps the tensai chose his long-lost love, or out of some reasons he was afraid to develop such a relationship. Yet, a little voice in his head told him that it was not so. Something far greater than what he could possibly envision was at work and miserably Fuji was drowned in it. What it was, he could not tell for even a single clue he had not. Again it was just one of the theories.

To forget him. Tezuka snorted at the particular thought. It was pretty effortless to say and presumably would be easy to do as well. They were an agent and an assassin, two human as different as goodness and evil up to the point that their only resemblance was to share the same species. He was preserving peace and preventing Fuji from performing what he would naturally do. The reasons for them not to recall everything they had –as the prodigy probably implied- could rival the logics of why this world should not be blown up into pieces. They were that much different. Not to mention that he had suffered innumerable decreasing of skills since he let himself to be caught under the tensai’s spell, the knife incident for instance.

It would be only too right to let everything go, to let his days of old drew closer again, to avoid his faultless mind from infected by any irrational emotion. But, was it reluctance he was feeling?

“It was rare to see you brooding.”

His heartbeat almost ceased as he suddenly heard the deep serene voice. The pencil, which was knocking the desk rhythmically, once more fell out of his hand. The captain immediately turned his head to where the sound came from and found his vice-captain leaning on one of the shelves with his hands folded neatly before his chest. An amused expression could be seen upon his usually calm countenance.

Fuji did have injurious effects on him. How in earth he could actually fail to notice that someone was approaching him?

Maintaining his expressionless appearance, the quiet leader lifted his pencil and faced his hopeless homework once again, which appeared as hopeless as before if not more. From the corner of his eyes he could see Oishi walk over and pull a chair in front of him. Not to relent was also a good point the vice captain retained, which could be painfully troublesome in such circumstances.

“Brooding over someone, Tezuka?”

“I reckon it is you brooding over me brooding over someone,” the captain replied evenly as his fingers hastily rewrote the bothersome equation on a scrap of paper.

The other guy merely smiled –rather mischievously if he was not mistaken- and stared at his work. Tezuka lifted his gaze and asked formally, “Is there anything I can help?”

“Oh, well, I just thought that I could find you here, which was proven right,” his tone modified itself into a semi-professional one, “I apologize if I have neglected my obligation for about –I don’t know- a month? I wasn’t worth a vice-captain much, to give you the entire burden. It was a good thing that I was unable to play back then during our match with Hyoutei, or else our situation wouldn’t be as well as now. Not that I hurt myself deliberately, but-” he took a deep breath and bowed low, his temple almost touched the desk, “I’m really sorry, Tezuka.”

The captain could have been amused by the somehow funny apologetic expression, but there was no way he would laugh in front of such sincerity. Not now, when he had learnt well how it felt to be ignored by someone you had fallen for.

“So, I guess you are fine now?”

A smile replaced anxieties which were displayed plainly on Oishi’s face, “Eiji talked to me about it and believe it or not it was but misunderstanding that we had. I’m so grateful that Fuji had straightened up everything with him.”

The captain’s gaze flickered to him at the mention of their prodigy, “Fuji did?”

“Well, yes, that was what Eiji told me. Fuji explained about our ‘date’, the one which had caused so many quarrels, and many thing else,” a blush appeared on his cheek as the vice-captain stammered, “and- you know, about that morning when- well, you know that I didn’t mean to, you know, just rush in but- you know, it’s not really Eiji’s fault that you guys were locked- it’s just, well...”

Tezuka was not really able to find an appropriate answer to this, while in the other hand Oishi was too busy extinguishing the reddening fire on his face to give further clarification. The matter was that in a morning about two weeks ago the vice-captain had unexpectedly found his leader only with the tensai in a very inappropriate way inside their changing room. Obviously this memory could not be so easily erased from his mind.

The captain cleared his throat –an action which made Oishi flinched a bit- and muttered, “I see.” The reply was so inadequate that seemed merely to immerse the black-haired guy even deeper in scarlet.

Incapable to find another subject to discuss, Tezuka diverted his stare to the window as if there was an object out there that greatly captured his interest. Quietly he tried to catch a glimpse of the tennis courts; they were only a hundred metres or so from the library, which was built on a small hill. From his high point, supposedly he was able to see them. Nevertheless his eyes continuously flashed to the person sitting opposite of him, who was as soundless as he was. When the uncomfortable silence was becoming unbearable, his trained eyes all of a sudden caught a sight of a figure in black along with dark blue ones –almost indiscernible for they blended too well with the dark tree trunks behind them save for the fact that these shapes were moving. The black silhouette –the way it moved- indistinctly reminded him of something, or rather someone he had encountered before.

That murderer.

Fear seized his heart once he realized who the black one was. Almost as immediate, he threw the pencil in his hand to the desk and rashly hurled the window open. Not even a glance he spared to the dampening pages of his notebook or the bewildered expression colouring his best friend’s visage, as he hastily hurdled the drenched window into curtains of rain and landed flawlessly on the ground several metres below. Water splashed on his glasses and soaked his face, yet there was only one thing within his mind. Fuji.

He arrived in less than ten seconds, lapping the track mostly with leaping and running, only to find motionless bodies smeared everywhere he set his eyes on. His panic was mounting as he realized amidst them crimson fluid could be seen, already diluted by the dense rain. Impulsively the agent took over and reached for one of the lying bodies –clad in blue attire as he had deduced before.

The unrecognizable man was breathing hard and shallow; there was blood dripping from his lips, yet he did not seem to spill blood from any other wound. After assuring himself that the man would be able to endure another hour alive, Tezuka sacked him back onto the ground. Sheltering his line of sight from the falling water, he scanned the area, searching for black amidst the browns. Half of him silently hoped that the assassin had already left unscathed, instead of lying there bleeding.

Apparently Fuji was not that blessed. A moment later, the captain noticed a figure leaning on a tree not far from the crime scene. He dashed instantly there and yes, it was Fuji. The prodigy was unconscious; his face was pale as if his blood loss was extreme, his black uniform’s coat was fastened tightly circling his chest. Tentatively Tezuka undid the bind and stared in horrid at a long ripped cut on his friend’s chest. The white shirt was soaking in red and the relentless rain obviously did no good to any wound. First thing of all, he must get him to the hospital.

The captain swiftly rebound the shirt and lifted the limp guy into his arms, as he realized a katana, which remained unsheathed, was clasped firmly by the tensai’s right hand. It struck him that any proof should not be left there, anything that could possibly accuse Fuji as the guilty one. He would not have that, not right now.

* * *

Fuji’s residence

October 1 - 06:46 p.m.

At his slightly disordered bedroom, Yuuta was pacing back and forth in tremendous uneasiness while his older sister was sitting silently at the edge of the bed. They would have to accomplish a mission tonight –a grand one, to make account of- along with the others, but the genius murderer had yet to turn up.

“Where the hell is he!?” the youngest one exclaimed, his voice was burning in panic.

His sister looked up from the wood-pattern floor beneath her to catch a pair of grey eyes staring at her almost accusingly. “How should I know? He said he would come home an hour ago, in case we would need more time for the preparation.”

“His cell phone is inactive too,” Yuuta tossed his own phone to the covered bed as it landed with a soft thud, “he is not one who will break a promise, and at least he can call to tell us what’s wrong if something forces him to do so! For God sakes that’s why he has a cell phone!” he sank helplessly to the floor and leant back to his sister’s leg, whispering quietly, “I wish we don’t have to always worry like this every time we’re going to a mission. I’m tired, Nee-san, of all this, of my life...”

Unable to reply in shape of words, she softly ran her fingers in the short dark-brown threads of her brother’s hair. He was only a sixteen year-old boy and Shuusuke was only seventeen in spite of the fact that he probably was the most skilled assassin in the long history of Fuji clan. As an older sister, she was totally powerless to protect them, ironically from their own mother. Her heart was breaking to see her brother, the one she loved too much, sinking in despair and anguish, with her, even though sitting so close beside him, only could be a bystander no matter what.

“For how long we have to suffer this?” the quivering voice distracted her from her own grief, “and what if mother finds out about...” they shared a look of horror and both fell silent. Indeed if the tyrannous woman learnt that her finest asset with some implausible reasons failed to follow this simple rule of obedience, he would end up in the confinement again perhaps tomorrow night.

A phone ring cut the uncomfortable stillness and abruptly the two stood up, sprinting to the phone which placed precisely in front of Yuuta’s room. Being the agile one although less in strength, Yumiko was able to snatch the receiver first.

“Fuji’s residence here.”

A polite gentleman’s voice replied cautiously from the other line, “Am I speaking with Fuji Shuusuke’s family?”

She stared at her brother who seemed about to die out of curiosity as his lips perpetually mouthed ‘aniki?’, which was entirely ignored by his sister. Whoever the caller was, apparently he could enlighten them about their missing brother. “Yes, I am his sister,” she eventually answered, “May I know with whom I am speaking?”

There was a pause as if the guy was pondering what to be told next. “I am his tennis captain, Tezuka. Fuji is injured and I brought him to the Central Hospital. The examination has yet to finish, thus I cannot tell you how serious his wound is.”

The news struck her instantly. Probabilities were running in and out her brain; it must be one of their rival clans’s doing –many of them were more than just intimidated by a genius presence in the Fuji clan. It was true that failure had never reached the clan since Shuusuke undertook most of the missions, which meant less and less client for the other clans as well. But, if they managed to hurt her brother even a bit, they must have mobilized all numbers they possessed, except if somehow the prodigy was preoccupied by something when all of a sudden he was ambushed.

With a trembling voice, she asked, “Do you know when the examination will be finished?”

“Momentarily, I reckon. As far as I can see the wound will not claim his life,” the caller answered in a low voice, still she could catch a quiver in his voice before it passed.

Yumiko squeezed the receiver even harder, completely oblivious of her brother’s hand grasping her arm in an equal state of intensity. She heaved a deep breath and said, “Tezuka-san, I apologize if I will trouble you much with this request, but can you look after him at least for this night? I promise I will fetch him at the first daylight tomorrow morning.”

The captain was silent for a moment, obviously puzzled by the weird demand. Any family would be anxious if their son was injured, but apparently Fuji’s family was not a common one. Yet eventually he replied, “Yes, of course.”

“Thank you,” she smiled faintly and put the line off.

“What is happening!?” Without letting his sister to have a gulp of air, Yuuta bombarded her with questions, “Was that Tezuka? Seigaku’s tennis captain? Did he say anything about Aniki?”

“He-“

“Who was it?”

A voice cut her words and both siblings turned in shock. At the end of the alley stood their mother clothed in lavender kimono, her eyes were clouded with suspicion. Their hearts shriveled under her gaze, yet the older one effused to relent. She would not have any of her brothers to spend another night in the cold pitiless prison. She set her jaw and answered calmly, “It was Shuusuke, Mother. He said he had to spend a night at Oishi’s house in order to do a school task. It is an excellent chance to view from close the level of security of his house, too good to be let pass.”

There was a silence as the mother was eyeing both of her children in utter distrust. Yet she could find no trace of dishonesty –or perhaps she taught them too well of the art of concealing?

Yumiko could never be more relieved when her mother chose to walk away, above all thankful to the fact that no word was even spilled out of her usually snappish mouth. The Fuji siblings waited in silence the rustles of her pretentious kimono to pass then they stared at each other. Deciding that the alley was a dangerous spot to establish another furtive conversation, both returned to Yuuta’s room.

“And?” The younger one could barely restrain his curiosity.

“Yes, it was Tezuka-san,” Yumiko answered, a little inattentively, “He said Shuusuke was injured and now he is in the hospital. He didn’t know how he was, so-“ Suddenly she covered her face with the two of her hands, her voice was tremendously shaking, “I wish I could go now and see how he is...”

Yuuta gently took her in his arms. Any expression, which was possibly written on his countenance, was buried in the long brown hair of his sister’s. In a slightly steadier voice, he murmured, “Don’t worry, Nee-san, we both know how stubborn he is. He won’t let death come to him so easily. You see, he has gone through a lot more perilous missions than we have and he still manages to live. Beside...”

He was continuously tried to sooth her, while his heart endlessly chanted his own prayer.

/God, when will this ever end.../

* * *

Central Hospital

October 1 – 10:52 p.m.

Tezuka watched doctors and nurses in white outfit ran to and fro in the wide corridor where he was standing in waiting. It was four hours after he managed to get Fuji to the hospital and the examination had yet to be over. Such wound should not take too long time to manage. Then what happened?

He had sent a message to the I2 of the occurrence in Seigaku, which should have been taken care of by now. Vaguely he gave a reason of his absence in escorting a victim of the incident to the hospital. An innocent student, he had said, who happened to wander off to the crime scene at an absolutely wrong time –the quarrel must have been going for a while when he suddenly stepped in. And since the ‘innocent’ one was his friend, he had an obligation to keep an eye if he was safe and sound, which every I2 was taught to do. Beside, other agents could take care of the crime scene as fine as he could and he should be able to study their reports later.

So, why the hell it took so long!?

The agent sank himself to an unoccupied chair, looking downward to the glossily polished floor. An ironic smile bred on his lips; it was ridiculous that he had to fret as if his world had been turned upside down, over someone who was trying his best to keep away from him. Someone who had no longer cared for him. He could almost hear ominous voices in his head, whispering mockery over himself.

His knuckles turned white. Yes, it should not be this way. To leave him lie there, bleeding to his death was probably a much better option, but not the one he had taken nonetheless.

“Tezuka-san?”

A tall white-suited woman stood before him. Her red hair was tied into a high knot and the long taper fingers were holding a green map. The captain instantly rose from his seat. “Yes, I am Tezuka.”

She opened her map and said, “I am Doctor Hanamura. We have finished an examination and treatment over the person who was brought in on your name.” Her keen eyes flickered to the silent guy appraisingly before she eventually resumed, “I believe you would like to know the details. The long cut over his chest is not deep, yet we found several shards –I presume they came from the blade which wounded him- in the wound that it took some times to remove them all, or else there would be worse infections later on. No internal organ is infected. Heart rate, blood pressure, everything is normal. For the blood loss, we should be thankful to the shirt which was fastened around his chest, and now he was fairly all right.”

The map was closed and the doctor stared at Tezuka questioningly, “Just out of my curiosity, what exactly was happened to him? For he suffered a quite odd wound to my judgment.”

“He was accidentally involved to a brawl,” the captain answered cautiously. “It is as far as I know, since I didn’t witness the happening with my own eyes.”

“A brawl,” she re-stated evenly, her voice mirrored everything but trust. “Well, Tezuka-san, I have seen a lot victims of brawlings, more than you can possibly think of and none of them, mark my words, none suffers an akin wound to your friend’s. There is no other injury but the cut over his chest and brawl’s victims generally have bruises all over their bodies. Don’t you think it’s a little bit unusual?”

The tall guy spoke nothing afterwards, merely staring back to her eyes. She smiled flatly and resumed, “You can see him now, at room 614. He will be sleeping, but he should have woken up by tomorrow morning. He will recover fast for he seemed to carry out a lot of exercise regularly, which should help him to endure better. Are you planning to stay tonight?”

He nodded and the doctor handed him the green map, “Very well. I will have a visit tomorrow to see how well he is. Good night,” she nodded and turned around, pacing along the corridor.

Tezuka swiftly made his way to the particular room. As quiet as possible, he opened the door, before his brain had the chance to remind him that Fuji must be asleep –there was no need to be so stealthy. The room was dark, save for a dim lamp hung over the motionless body. Clearly he could hear steady beeping sound filled the room, a sign that the body was not a corpse. Slowly he approached the bed and took into his sight, a white pale face of his friend. An infusion was attached to his right wrist, which was laid next to his covered lower body.

To see him like this, it was not what Tezuka had accustomed to, nor was it something he had wished to behold. Where was the smiling-always-confident prodigy he used to have beside him? But this person, so weak and faint in his helplessness, was Fuji, no matter how much he wanted to deny it.

For a moment he stood beside the bed, powerless to do anything in front of this Fuji. And before he had the chance to decide what to do, suddenly soft knocks at the door cracked the silence.

The captain turned around to see Atsushi Kisarazu, one of his agents stood before the threshold. He raised his eyebrows in assessment; pretty impressive, since the Central Hospital was not a place you could just walk in offhandedly without a clear understandable purpose and in this case, he was sure the I2 wished to keep it secure from inquiring eyes. Quietly he signaled the other agent to close the door as he himself moved away from the bed.

“I bring the printed report, Tezuka-san,” Atsushi said in a low yet clear voice. “We have twelve agents along with ambulances scouring the field as soon as your notification came. There are twenty-three persons found in the area, all unconscious and injured. We have brought them to this hospital as well, taken care by several of our doctors. As for the crime scene, it was quite rough to locate any evidence except for the blood because of the rain. All that we managed to gather are written there, in the report.”

Tezuka took the report and opened the first page. As expected, all were written systematically; it continuously surprised him how they could provide him with such a complete flawless report within a short range of time. Not that he objected of course. It was one of the few things which helped him to find working in the I2 bearable.

“Have you inspected the twenty-three victims yet?” he asked without lifting his gaze to catch the others’s.

“Yes,” Atsushi answered in his even tone, “we have gone through their clothing and had a doctor to inspect the bodies in case there is a clue which can direct us to who they are. We ultimately found one; a crest inscribed on each of their katanas. I have it printed on the fourth page, Tezuka-san.”

He observed the family crest; a circular symbol with flowing water in the middle of it. An idea set alight in his mind. “The Saeki Clan?”

The other agent nodded, “We have kept an eye of this particular old family from two years ago and perhaps we will be able to catch their tail now. What we still need to investigate further is the person –one or more- who did the injuries to them. No trace have been found up to now, but of course we need more light in order to resume more meticulous search. For the moment the investigation is adjourned.”

Tezuka closed the report and replied flatly, “We will not be able to even ask the Saeki Clan regarding this matter if we don’t find more evidence soon. They will claim that irresponsible people were using their family crest and they have nothing to do with this incident. Anybody can have a katana with this symbol if they intend to make one. They are a highly respected family in our community and has a great authority at hand; we cannot risk a reckless accusation.” He stared at the silent agent standing in front of him, “Who is appointed to take care of this matter?”

“Tachibana-san, the Second Vice,” Atsushi answered.

Quietly, Tezuka pondered at this answer. If it was Tachibana, this problem was in a good hand. The Second Vice should be able to handle it well for he was recognized as a sharp intelligent agent. But then, disguising the true villain would be ten times more difficult, something that with some questionable reasons was attempted to do by him.

“What about the rest?” he asked, trying to push the grim thoughts to the back of his mind.

“We have spoken with the Seigaku School’s Board and they agreed not to draw attention more than what was needed. Until now, the incident was still a secret, yet we don’t know for how long we can keep this. Tomorrow they will place an announcement for anyone not to enter that area because of minor landslide –they will confirm that one of the little hills crumble due to today’s rain- thus we can continue the inspection. Fortunately for us the place is deserted from any building and students rarely amble there.”

“Very well,” the senior agent spoke up, “you can go now.” Atsushi inclined his head and slipped out of the room soundlessly, leaving no track of his presence but the report.

The captain walked to the bed and with him pulled a chair which beforehand was placed behind the desk. Searching but a little light, he put the chair beside the bed and started to read. Not that he doubted what the Second Voice was able to reach; on the contrary he was anxious of what Tachibana could find out from the information written there.

From what he could get, the clues and proofs which the investigators could lay their hands on were pretty harmless for Fuji. The prodigy, habituated to act vigilantly due to his profession, covered himself impeccably. If Fuji had not been so intimate with him, even the captain had doubts he would ever suspect him at any rate. But then, again he was facing the Second Vice, whose abilities rivaled even himself. Patiently he evaluated each evidences, struggling to think if they could possibly touch the tensai in any way. To have Tachibana as his opponent made every corner seem perilous, which almost drove him mad. He could cover a number up, but these many?

Suddenly he froze. What the hell he was doing, trying to save someone who was so hostile to him these passing days? Why would he want to help him so much up to the point that he had to betray what he had believed? Ridiculous...

/I’m the one who will catch him, that’s why. I won’t allow anybody else does it.../

Was it for real?

Tezuka shut the report close all of sudden, deciding that he had gone absurd under too much pressure. Absurd, but perhaps true. Silently he looked upon to the face he had wanted to see so badly in the last seven days. Moonlight streamed down from the unveiled window, illuminating the sleeping face with a silvery white glow. Someone who had not known Fuji as much as he had, would say it was an angel resting, without knowing that the hands of the ‘angel’ were covered in so much blood. But he did. He knew. And he still fell in love with the murderer.

Almost hesitantly his right hand reached out, to touch the seemed so innocent face. The skin felt so soft under his touch, so frail and so cold. He almost thought that he was not noble enough to lay a finger on such a fair being. So fair, yet an assassin nonetheless...

Suddenly he took his hand off, as is there was an electrical wave ran through his body. For a second, his hand stopped in the mid-air, torn between to sense longer the sinful smoothness and to slap himself back to reality. Helplessly he chose none of them and sank even lower in his chair. All were so unfair. From all of the people he could fall in love, why it had to be a murderer?

Unconsciously he brought his hands to his temple that they covered both of his eyes. Tears which had not fallen since perhaps he was born, were threatening to fall. Not out of pride he had covered Fuji all of these times, never out of pride. He just could not lose this person, not while he was still able to protect him. How pathetic he was, to let himself overrun by emotion. Still now, everything was too late. He would turn back the time if he could, to the moment before they claimed their love to each other. He would forget that they had indeed known each other if only he could. Two people who were never meant to be, why God had let them meet?

Pain stabbed his heart ceaselessly, a single tear ran down his cheek unhindered, as his brain continued to ask, why...

* * *

Seigaku High School; The Crime Scene

October 2 – 00:27 a.m.

A man was standing in the darkness of Seigaku High School. Opened in his left hand was a book as his right hand moved incessantly up and down scribbling notes at the book.

“You can still write here?” A voice rose from the blackness surrounding him as a shadow slid down from a nearby tree. The newly arrived guy approached the first, his steps were barely audible even in the absolute stillness of the night. He was shorter in stature, nevertheless the agility and vigilance he possessed were not to be taken lightly by any kind of opponent.

“I used to write in the darkness of my room,” said the taller one, not lifting his gaze to the newcomer. “Found anything worthy of note up there?”

“Mud,” his friend growled, “these guys aren’t really professionals, leaving this kind of trace. I get the pattern, the clearest one I can find. Make a note to check that spot again tomorrow.”

“Very well,” he answered before staring back to a pair of gleaming eyes of his friend, “there is something you need to look at.”

He took his companion to another tree, ten metres from their standing point. They squatted under the tree, careful enough not to maim the place. The taller one lit his flashlight and sent the bright little beam to the grass below, which was slightly disheveled. Most of the green weed was leveled with the brownish surface of slightly wet soil where it grew.

“Someone was lying here before?” the shorter guy guessed in growing interest.

“It is my thought as well,” his friend voiced his agreement, “Since this spot is sheltered well thanks to the dense leaves, I do not think this is caused by the rain. Perhaps we have found a critical inkling to the murderer and yet perhaps we have not.”

“If he or she could walk from the fighting point here alone and then flee, why would bother to sit for a minute?”

“To gain his or her strength probably,” the taller one replied, already writing once more, “or perhaps,” his right hand stopped all of a sudden as his eyes flickered to the doubtful spot, “actually there was someone who helped him, or her.” He turned to his companion at once and asked, “Who is the very first person telling I2 there was an incident here?”

“The First Vice,” came the low answer and both stared to each other eyes in deep contemplation.

* * *

Central Hospital; Room 614

October 2 – 04:37 a.m.

Tezuka snapped his eyes open. Just for how long he had fallen into slumber? His neck was throbbing painfully for he had bent his head all the time he was asleep, not to mention the hands which had been suspending his head were as stiff as rocks. He straightened his position and glanced to the motionless figure on the bed. Fuji was still under the power of sedatives.

He walked to the private bathroom which was in the room as a part of a VIP room’s facility and took several handfuls of water to refresh his face. The cool liquid seemed to penetrate his skin and clear his mind as well. Now that he was back to his sense, the memories of the tears he had cried before felt unforgivably disgraceful. To lose his control that way was not something expected from a respectful I2 agent, moreover from the First Vice who probably would inherit the Solff title in the near future.

The figures at his watch showed it was nearly five in the morning. Fuji’s sister said that she would pick her brother up in the morning. Pick him up. Silently he wondered how she would ever since her brother had yet to show a sign of consciousness, except if she planned to drag him all the way.

The captain claimed his seat once more, staring at the peaceful face. Something stirred inside him; yet he chose not to chase it. Enough. Unintentionally he caught a mark close to Fuji’s Adam’s apple; a medium-sized almost invisible scratch, like a wound that had faded through time. Instinctively he brought his hand up and touched the mark. Whatever it was, he did not like to see it so close to the prodigy’s throat.

All of a sudden strong fingers seized his wrist, stopped its movement of exploring the rough part of Fuji’s skin. Automatically Tezuka glanced upward and found a pair of blue orbs was gazing at him angrily.

“What are you doing?” the murderer hissed, his eyes were gleaming menacingly.

He fell silent, as if his body grew numb under the tensai’s touch. A moment passed until Fuji took in his surrounding; an unfamiliar room with familiar smell –of course, the Central Hospital- and his captain was sitting beside him. He stared searchingly into the deep brown eyes, trying to find out how the hell he could end up in this place.

“You brought me here.” It was clearly a statement, not an inquiry in any rate.

Both were looking at each other, unable to think what to do in such inapt circumstances. Slowly Fuji’s fingers ascended from his captain’s wrist to the palm, letting them lie there for a moment too long to be claimed unnoticeable. Still maintaining their contact in the eyes, he moved Tezuka’s hand to where it appropriately had to be, in front of its owner.

The captain was observing quietly all the time, even though his heart was far from serene. It thumped so loud when Fuji’s fingers gently touched his hand that he almost suspected himself to be deaf of any other sound. Yet it sank in disappointment when the prodigy decided to restore it to its place. From the aqua pools, he knew that the killer was not as calm as he seemed to be. There were too many emotions fighting in them; pain, guilt, fury, and amidst so many agonizing ones he could see a hint of joy, probably because he had brought him there.

He sighed inaudibly and started to speak, “I called your home last night. Your sister said she would come in the morning.”

The look Fuji obtained in his eyes was adequate to lure him into guilt –they were cold and bare, as if a fleeting moment of battling emotions seconds before was merely a fragment of his imagination. The next second the tensai replied in a detached tone, “You brought us none but doom with your call.”

“Your family has the right to know,” Tezuka pulled his patience longer. There go the cold assassin again.

Fuji chose not to reply and diverted his gaze to the dark sky. No sign still for the crack of dawn, except for each minute the night steadily became paler. It was hard to maintain the conversation, now that he felt he was in debt with this person –an I2 agent for God sakes! Gritting his teeth, he let anger corrupted him. He obviously did not plan to faint there in the crime scene. He had foreseen this day to come, when one of the rival clans eventually lost their patience and came to a decision to eliminate the genius’s presence in any form; yet it was no outcome he was prepared for.

“Why were they attacking you?” All of a sudden his captain’s voice sent him back to present.

“Why do you think I want to break your Tezuka Zone?” The return volley was flat.

Envy. A will to be the first and victor. Great desire to be the strongest. Tezuka could list so many answers he had in mind but none of them was what he wished to converse. /Why were you avoiding me?/ The question rang in and out his brain, so thunderous that it put his sanity at stake if it were not to be spoken out loud. Yet, before he could take any step further, the prodigy’s voice chimed through the room.

“Why did you save me?”

Yes, why? The captain had questioned himself that night, even in his dream, of lots of ‘why’s and he was indisposed to hear another ‘why’, nor to think another answer of that ‘why’. Impassively he answered, “I have the hobby not of leaving an injured person whom I come across to bleed away until he dies.”

“I will survive,” Fuji said, remained unimpressed by the answer, “even though usually I manage to escape them unscathed. But I will admit that they mobilized quite a number in this occasion.” Suddenly a contented emerged on his lips, “Ah, they are getting impatient.”

The particular sentence caught Tezuka’s attention almost instantly. “This has happened before. A lot.”

“Welcome to my world.”

The captain stared at the smiling prodigy before his eyes. Yes, he smiled casually as if he enjoyed it, as if his life was nothing if it were to be wasted in envious quarrels. To think that he himself had done so much to save him vaporized his patience at once.

“Do you care not for your life?” he demanded, forced his anger down as low as he could.

“I don’t have a life.”

The answer truly stunned him. Occasionally he met killers who put their life in the tenth number on their priority list, but never once he had encountered the like of Fuji. To admit that he did not have a life so off-handedly... All of a sudden he lunged forward and grabbed the tensai’s shoulders, ignoring the slight wince which appeared due to his harsh manner.

“Look at me,” he ordered heatedly, “and tell me once again that you don’t have a life.”

A look of defiance covered if there indeed was any other emotion on the prodigy’s face. “I’ve never had a life. What kind of life that I have if parts of it can be easily robbed from me?” He brushed his captain’s hands off, so briskly that Tezuka found it hard to believe that his friend was wounded. The blue orbs were blazing into his brown ones, “It will be better if you have the hobby of leaving an injured person bleeding to his death.”

The captain was taken aback for a moment. His mind was spinning madly as it kept chanting, /This is not Fuji, I don’t know him, this is not Fuji, I don’t know him.../

“Why are you doing this?” Tezuka hissed in a low tone, regardless how much he had hated the word ‘why’ a mere moment ago.

If Fuji’s eyes were threatening enough if they were to be opened in normal situation, the agent found himself facing more bloodcurdling ones at the moment; almost inhuman with frost filling every corner and cleft they had. It was not human, it was the look of a hurt beast that tried to conceal its fright and pain behind the mask of ice. The words which flowed from behind those cold lips were even. “Stay away from me.” /To protect you from myself.../

Tezuka could hardly believe his ear; yet he refused to relent. Severely he grabbed his friend’s hand, still asking, “Why, Fuji?”

“Don’t you know the meaning of stay away?” /She will find out and I shall forget.../

“Why were you avoiding me?”

The expression on Fuji’s face hardened. “I can kill you, Tezuka,” his voice rose both in desperation and anger, “right now if I want to. Do not compel me to make that mistake.”

“Answer me.”

All of a sudden the tensai grasped his captain’s shirt, the infusion stand beside him clanked in revolt. “I don’t want to forget you, is that enough!?” Fuji almost shouted at this, his eyes were flashing frantically. “What do you have me do to distance yourself away from me?” His last sentence was barely a whisper and despite their intimate proximity, Tezuka was by a hair's breadth convinced that he had heard the ludicrous question correctly.

Before his mind provided him with the way to response, Fuji had disentangled himself from his touch. They locked their gaze, exchanging unspoken words they wished to say. Both were unaware of dim light of dawn began to pour into the room, nor of a little sparrow perching silently on a branch of the tree just outside the window. The captain wanted to reach out and sense the pain which protruded so clearly in those azure eyes, to know why it appeared there; yet his being refused to move. The little something they found in what could be love was trivial, almost nothing, incomparable to the life they had woven during seventeen years. It was the chance to end the chaos, he knew, and it merely waited to be taken by him. Because some loves were never meant to be.

And he took it.

“Very well,” he sat back to his chair. A fraction of him was relieved for he was released from a great burden, while leaving most parts of his heart vacant and cold. Yet he pushed them aside, promising himself silently that everything would be put back into order once he had gotten used to the emptiness.

Knocks from behind the door marred the absolute stillness and both the room’s occupants looked up. Before any of them could move from their spots, the door had swung open. A longhaired graceful woman holding a handbag stepped soundlessly in. Her vigilant eyes were searching across the room before they rested in relief at the figure of her brother.

“Shuusuke, how are you?” The shadow in here eyes was partly lifted at the sight of her seemed-healthy sibling, as she approached the two guys.

“Not too bad,” her brother answered with a smile, already glided into his usual cheerful persona. She flashed a return beam and turned to the Seigaku’s tennis captain who was standing quietly watching as well. She bowed low to him, “Tezuka-san, I truly thank you for taking care of my brother so well.”

The taciturn guy repaid the bow, “My pleasure as well.” Unconsciously he noted how the heavy atmosphere of the room had dissolved as his eyes flickered to the smiling prodigy; how skillful he had played his charms. It must be countless the many occasions Fuji had used this expertise of his. Then he appraised the young well-dressed lady standing before him. It was difficult to ensure himself that she could have been involved in killing works at any rate. Not that her smiling brother had the face of a murderer himself. He would have agreed if someone nominated these murderers to receive the Oscar.

“This is perhaps odd,” the sister smiled sheepishly, “but our mother is incapable to go to look after Shuusuke and she wants to know how he is as soon as possible. Since he seems well enough, I will take him home right away and thus he can meet her.”

“Please do so,” Tezuka nodded courteously. She reached inside her handbag to take a set of clean clothes out and passed them to her brother. “Change into these, we have to go now.”

Fuji took the clothes and stepped down from his bed. At the moment when his feet touched the cold floor, he soon lost his balance, a combined result of sedatives and his loss of blood. Before his knees reached the floor themselves, a pair of strong arms prevented his fall, as his hand unconsciously reached up and took a hold on his captain’s shoulder. He sat back to the bed and looked at the taller guy, smiling, “Thank you for that.”

His sister raised her eyebrow. “Not too bad?”

His smile brightened at this and he steadied himself once again. “Look, I can manage.”

Yumiko watched her brother made his way to the bathroom and questioned herself if she had indeed done the right thing. As well as he seemed, she knew of how much her younger brother hated to be pitied by anyone –his siblings were no exception. He could act toughly as nothing had been wrong in a moment and later she would find him in a state of challenging the death. Yet they had no option but to go, unless she had decided to put him into the stone confinement again, which was absolutely unhoped-for.

“He is strong enough.” Suddenly she heard Tezuka’s voice penetrating her dark bottomless thoughts. She looked at him and wondered silently if there was any concealed implication behind the words. The captain seemed so reserved and undisturbed by her weird hurriedness. A thought that he might know their true identity crossed her mind but soon she hurled it out. Perhaps he was merely too polite to inquire further. Nevertheless, the soothing words were taking an effect on her.

“Thank you,” she smiled sincerely. Almost as immediate, half of her was drowned in another depressing idea. Was there any chance that her brother and his captain-?

/Please, no.../ She prayed silently as the thought grew darker. She could bear not the idea to have her beloved brother once again immersing himself in wistful dreams of life he could never obtain.

--- ---

Fuji Yumiko’s Car

October 2 – 06:01 a.m.

“They are really reaching the brink of their patience for planning such an ambush,” Yumiko declared as soon as her brother had finished reciting the whole yesterday incident to her.

“Seems so,” he chuckled lightly, “But no need to worry, I had hindered my blood from dripping with my coat back then. There should be no blood of mine at the crime scene.” He leant back to his seat, uttering the upcoming words half to himself, “I have to be more careful in the future if the situation has reached this rate. It is embarrassing to faint and be found by someone, even if he is acquainted to me.”

Silence embraced them as she gave a sidelong look to her brother who was staring silently outside the window. The look he had when his friend caught him really bothered her. But was there indeed such coincidence, to think that unconsciously he fell for two guys who had the same authority as tennis captain? Of course there was always a possibility in any case. And if he did, what to do then? She loathed the thought of seeing her brother had his memory erased once again out of emotion. She had to know.

“Who is he?”

The younger of the siblings glanced at his sister in part of bewilderment and part of doubt. “I thought you knew already that he was my tennis captain, judging from the way you act.”

She did not divert her attention from the scarce traffic ahead their car. “Only a tennis captain?”

“What do you expect?” Fuji asked casually.

“I do hope it is as you say,” she replied in an apologizing tone, “I’m only worried that you will be carried off, Shuusuke.”

Restoring his gaze back to the window of his side, he remained silent. She of course would never guess that he had gained his lost memory back. Not that he intended to tell her –his sister had enough matters to be worried of at hand.

Atobe. Fuji bit his lips fiercely as the name crossed his mind. Even now, when seven days had glided pass, the pain refused to wear off as well. Yet, he could find no one to blame, since he knew it was his fault to fall for the arrogant Hyoutei’s captain. He was his target, and the assassin fell in love with his victim. No wonder his mother was furious and decided that to forget was the best aid to restore him entirely to an emotionless killing machine. Thus, no one to blame. Whose fault was it that he was born in the Fuji family? Who to be blame of his meetings with the two captains? Could he blame God?

/No./ Fuji closed his eyes tightly to calm himself down. He had hurt Atobe that much, but he would not have Tezuka to suffer it as well. It should be easier for the Seigaku captain if they had ended it before it went deeper. Still, why the pain he felt was still so great, perhaps even surpassing the one he had endured from his past love?

Why should it matter anyway? Fuji tried to smile to his vague reflection; he would not even give a damn care if it was much more overwhelming or if he had to live the rest of his life with this excruciating pain throbbing in his chest. As long as he could save Tezuka, he would take everything. He could have hurt everyone else, he could have killed everyone else, but never him.

Little that he knew that his captain underwent no less pain. Only a sparrow, perching silently on a branch of the tree outside of room 614’s window knew since it witnessed how the guy inside the room sat on the bed and held himself tightly.

To be continued

Added Explanation:

In case you’re getting confused of the story or the characters, I will try to elaborate some.

Furthermore about I2: I have mentioned before that a commissioner called Solff leads I2. This organization also has two vice-commissioners, the First Vice and Second Vice. I think you have been able to guess from the story that Tezuka is the First Vice and the Second Vice is Tachibana. Several agents work under each Vice, as you can see Atsushi Kisarazu works under Tezuka. At first I wanted to make it Kamio Akira from Fudoumine, but then I though Kamio would even give his life for Tachibana, so it would not fit if he worked so faithfully for Tezuka. Beside the two vices, I2 has an Elite Board, consisting five persons who continuously supervise the whole work of the organization. Tezuka’s grandfather is one of them.

Fuji Siblings: Ah, now about the murderers. You see, the three siblings are suffering almost nervous breakdown due to their mother’s doings. A point that I must say is that they don’t exactly understand that killing is wrong, at least the two younger ones. They have started their works as assassins from a very young age and that is how they are raised. Take a look at Rapunzel, who spent her life locked in a tower since the wizard who had locked and altogether raised her said the outer world was perilous, that she never dared to go out. Fuji and his siblings suffer the same at this rate. But then Rapunzel met a prince and he changed her life and way of thinking. I’m waiting for this to happen, you know, because in Fuji’s case I hope it will be Tezuka ^.^ Just wait for the little nudge, then Fuji will start to think of his own life without his mother.

Rival Clans: Even in the dark world, there is rivalry. In short, many of them envy the Fuji clan out of Fuji Shuusuke’s presence as a genius murderer there. And you may have notice the name Saeki I’ve given to one of the clan ^^ Ah well, that’s naughty of me, creating more trouble for myself. I know there are several topics concerning Saeki/Fuji out there ^0^

Characters Information:

Doctor Hanamura: Hanamura-sensei from Jyousei Shounan. I know she doesn’t appear in the manga but she seems so fit as a doctor, especially since she has worn that white doctor coat in the anime.

Atsushi Kisarazu: He is from St. Rudolph but since I won’t expose this school much, I will use him working under Tezuka. He seems reliable and calm enough to be an agent who periodically reports to Tezuka. As a note, the First Vice does trust him in doing many works.

Author Ramblings: There goes chapter four! And I have decided to separate them, for a while at least. More still wait for them ^.^ About the love triangle I made at the last chapter, well, I don’t really know what I’m doing... I just want to make it that way and Atobe seems suitable for this kind of character. Actually I’m surprised to see that many of you are intrigued to the bit of Atobe/Fuji I put, regardless of the fact that you prefer Tezuka/Fuji at any rate. Really thank you, I’m so scared that all of you are going to hate me for that. But don’t worry, this fic is still Tezuka/Fuji, though perhaps you will meet more Atobe/Fuji in the next chapter ^^ I have always believed that true love doesn’t have to be first love and I think it’s what happening here. Because things have too gone unfair for Atobe, do you have any suggestion what should I do to make some amend for him? To find someone else for him doesn’t feel quite right... And the question is, with whom? Really, I make a big mess... >_<

By the way, can you guess the two characters that are speaking at the middle of the night there in the crime scene? I only had the idea to make it a little bit covered there, the reason of why is unknown. And have you guys heard or seen the fifth opening song of PoT? I think the title is ‘Fly High’. I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard it. Believe it or not, in the first time that song reached my ear, the scenes of Tezuka and Fuji’s wedding filled my mind! I mean, come on, that song is so lively and what the hell I’m doing to think of such supposed-to-be-romantic scene? Oh well, forget it, just a crazy part of me ^_^* Thank you once again to my dear reviewers and please review this chapter too. Hope we can meet again not so long after! And happy belated Valentine! ^^

My Replies:

^^ : We have quite a likeness it seems ^^ I have watched LOTR for 6 times now... Actually I haven’t seen ‘A Walk to Remember’ so I don’t really get the resemblance you meant. And of course Tezuka is the only one for Fuji. I merely play with them for now ^o^

peta : I do thank you for saying that. It really keeps me going, you know. Hope you like this chapter too!

Shieru : I understand what you mean, that’s why I’m making a love triangle, right? ^^ Sorry if I don’t have much of the love-triangle in this chapter, but the next one should, if I can manage.

hellen : Yes, Atobe is Fuji’s first love but he is not our Fuji’s true love. We both know who is Fuji’s true love right? ^.^ About how far the relationship between Atobe and Fuji was, I regretfully have to say that it was quite deep. Atobe is the first person for Fuji who can actually make a way into his heart and if you see Atobe’s character, it’s hard not to think that they have gone that far. I know it is sad un unfair, but some loves are never meant to be, right?

firefly : Thanks for the praise, I really love your review ^^ I hope the Atobe/Fuji doesn’t bother you so much.

N3th3r^v^l@nd : It was Tezuka who held Fuji’s hand. I’m sorry if I described that scene a bit too vague. And I really thank you for your complete support of this fic ^^

Angel_of _Godess : Sorry if I make you wait too long. So, how do you like this chapter?

blue^^ : I love your review ^^ I don’t know why but I just do. I’m really sorry for the lack of Atobe/Fuji in this chapter but I need this chapter, partially to convince myself that I’m still a Tezuka/Fuji fangirl ^.^ Just kidding, I haven’t reached that state yet... I hope you like this one as well. By the way, your e-mail address seems familiar to me, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen it before.

nall : Well... I don’t think Fuji can have both... It’s a little too unfair to have two gorgeous guys at the same time ^o^ But I won’t be surprised if Fuji actually does XD Actually I have the idea to write the dialogue between Tezuka and Oishi at the beginning of this chapter from your review, thank you for that. I feel that I have to explain a bit of what happened ‘that morning’. I will leave the rest to your imagination... ^^

Mistress Ethereal : Am I that evil? I hope I will be still alive at the end of this story... ^.^

Cheeseburger of Doom : Glad to see you reviewing me because you make great stories yourself ^_^ Hope you enjoy this chapter too!