Silent Wish

There were scream everywhere when Tezuka reached the hall. Everyone was running towards the exit not caring if they trampled on someone. The place was chaotic. It was tough, even for Tezuka, to get the situation under control. Apparently, the ghost just raced through the crowd towards one of the large windows and disappeared into the night. Fortunately, the creature didn't attack anyone. Although there were still injuries among the students, none were life threatening.

Tezuka was relived when the police officers and paramedics arrived. So many students to take care of but there were only few levelheaded people around.

When he saw Kyo among the crowd, Tezuka ran toward the soccer captain. "Rie-" Tezuka panted. He had wanted to find them sooner but the police had so many questions for him. "Where's Rie and Fuji."

"Fuji was holding on to Rie tightly so she rode with him on the ambulance," Kyo told him.

Tezuka tensed but tried to shove away a dangerous thought that invade his mind. "I see."

Kyo saw Tezuka went rigid and that was enough to confirm his suspicion. The tennis captain was expecting something to happen. "Where are you going?"

"Home if possible but it looks like I have to stay longer here and wait until everybody went home," he simply replied.

Kyo stopped him, holding Tezuka's arm. "You're not going to the hospital? Who's going to take her home later?"

"Fuji would want her to stay with him tonight. Rie will contact one of us if there's something happen." Tonight, Rie, Matsuhiro and I had made our choices and now it's Fuji's turn to made his.

Kyo frowned, disagreed with Tezuka's decision. "Fuji held on to her with the little consciousness he had and only let her go after she promised not to leave him... You knew, didn't you?"

Tezuka didn't say anything.

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Fuji was barely aware of the ambulance or the people scurrying around him. Even the IV didn't seem real. His eyes drooped and he lost consciousness again.

He woke several times briefly; once to see his sister, Yuuta and an officer with silver hair talking in the hallway outside his cubicle in the emergency room. For some reasons as feminine fingers caressed his hand gently and then slipped over his palm, his last thought lingered over a certain greenhead.

Later he woke to find his sister asleep in a chair at the left side of his gurney. Yuuta was leaning against the wall behind her. His groggy mind wondered why they were there and where he was. When he felt the familiar warm hand caressing his right cheek and another holding on to his right hand, he mumbled something that he could only hoped made sense. The movement against his cheek halted and the back of his hand was damp as drops of water fell on it. Even so, it was as if something had been lifted from his chest. Emotions whirled inside him left him feeling weak and drained. It didn't take him long before he fell asleep again.

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Asahina sat next to his bed the whole night. She was obviously tired, not being able to sleep last night. "Rie-chan," Fuji said, turning his head to the right side of the bed. He must have caught her perturbed look.

Asahina stared at him. Fear clutched at her throat.

"Can I speak to her alone?" Fuji asked both of his brother and sister to leave them.

They did, and soon only the two tensais were left in the room. For a moment they stared at each other. Fuji without a smile was almost unrecognizable. So he was going to question her. Two thoughts crossed her mind simultaneously. She was glad it was Fuji and that she was alone.

Fuji took her hand and brought to his chest. Her heart leaped into a gallop as she stared at him. "Yuuta told me about my confession to you last night." He stared at her for a while before turning his eyes to the white ceiling. "I guess there's no need to pretend anymore, huh?"

Suddenly she stopped breathing and looked away, fearing that he would see the answer to that question if they eyes connected. Why do you have to say it? She would have dismissed what he had said last night if he didn't brought it up. "You mean, like you always pretended in front of Kunimitsu because he's your friend? Well, I can't say that I'm surprise."

A hollow empty feeling engulfed him, resurrecting Tezuka face in his mind. A guilty conscience, no doubt. Still, that nagging feeling in his stomach didn't go away. Fuji turned his face to her. "You knew how I feel?"

"Sometimes I wondered why you're so bent on bringing Kunimitsu and I together. It makes sense when I think about it now."

He admitted to himself that he'd lied. He did want her. The puzzle of it was the less he wanted to, the more he did. "I rather lose to Tezuka than to Kyo."

"Yeah? So, I'm some sort of a prize?"

"That's not what I said."

"Then what are you trying to tell me? Heck, why are you telling me this now?" She wasn't angry. Really, she wasn't. Frustrated? Maybe. Wary? Maybe. Confused? Definitely! Asahina watched Fuji silently, allowing the boy time to think through his answer.

Why? Yeah, why indeed. Perhaps, since it was already out there, he may as well take the risk to see her reaction to it. He didn't know. But one thing for sure was that he could write it off as one of those foolish moments he rarely had. Nevertheless, this shouldn't be a problem. He was a tensai after all. There were ways he could do so they would disregard this issue. "I thought I was going to die, last night."

"I know. I was there and that's why when you asked me not to let you go, I didn't."

"It could have been to anyone," he tried.

"No, you specifically said my name."

She was right. It had to be to her. In fact, she was in one of his flashes that kept him going throughout the whole ordeal. "I was not in my right mind when I said…"

"I cried for you, Syuusuke. You looked at me and wiped my tears. You promised you'd fight back if only I'll be here for you-"

"And I told you that I'm in love with you," Fuji finished for her.

Her gaze clung to his, the expression on her face one of stark fear. "I've been in this road before with Kyo. The answer I gave him will be the same one that I'll give you."

Then give me the answer! He wanted to say… but he won't. Why? Because he wasn't ready to hear it. If he were, he wouldn't take this long to tell her. Besides, it was not as if her answer would change how he felt. "Are you going to tell Tezuka?"

"I should."

"But you won't."

"Yeah, I won't."

"Because he is the only person we won't hurt."

"…"

"I'm not going to acknowledge last night since I was obviously influenced by the drugs I was given. You are emotionally exhausted after what had happened so there is no reason for you to dwell on it either."

"Just like that?" Asahina objected.

"Unless we want to tell Tezuka about this. Fuji noticed Asahina disagreement so he added. "Because if we do, I'll also will tell him about my plan to pursue you after he leave for Germany. How do you think he'll feel about it?"

"You won't dare!" Asahina narrowed her eyes.

No, he won't but he won't tell her that since his threat was working. "You are welcome to try and see if I dare or not."

He could see her eyes darken in anxiety before she turned away but he was glad that he didn't have to think that much about it when he saw Tezuka and the rest of the regulars came to visit him.

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They were walking side by side. They were so close, their arms were touching. When Asahina glanced at Tezuka, he turned away from her, intentionally avoiding eye contact.

"So you found out about it?"

Tezuka tensed. He knew her, she won't waste time to get straight to business. "About what?"

"The pool. Anything about the pool."

He relaxed. "There used to be a pool there but they sealed it off."

"Why?"

He asked the principal about it but all he was told was it always had been the students' best interest to disregard this issue. It was not as if he was going to turn a blind eye on the matter, but for now it was the best answer he'll accept. "It's none of our concern."

"I want to know."

"I don't want you to think about it."

"Someone had died, isn't it?"

Tezuka sighed. "That doesn't mean anything."

Asahina ignored him. "I can feel it. It was not a suicide but rather... an accident."

"It doesn't matter anymore. The place doesn't exist."

"Yet we stumbled into it."

"I told you, it doesn't exist. The police confirmed it. I even tried to find it. It's not there anymore."

"Impossible. What about Syuu-" Asahina paused, swallowing the bitterness in her mouth. "Someone got hurt last night. The ghost… We've seen it."

"We should stop discussing about what happened at school last night."

"Well, too bad. I'm going stay here until you answer me."

Tezuka watched her. It was like she was looking for a fight, intentionally provoking him. Why? Well, he had a pretty good guess of what it could be but he rather avoid confrontation. "Fine, stay. I'm going home."

What? "Wait!" She couldn't believe him. He's just going to leave me here? Just like that?

"We both know that the ghost is not the thing what bother you." Okay, he didn't mean to say that. Now, they would have to deal the real issue.

None of them said anything for a while. Asahina purposely keep her silence so he would address the issue and Tezuka stubbornly refused to bring up the issue first.

"You are not going to ask me what's bothering me?" Asahina asked. She waited but judging from Tezuka's reaction, he didn't seem to intend to volunteer an answer. Asahina sighed and walked over to a bench outside the hospital. She sat and bent forward, covering her face with her hands. Tezuka walked over to her and when he tried to reach her, she pushed his hand away. "Are you aware of Fuji's feelings for me?" she asked, Tezuka nodded but still didn't say anything. "Since when?"

"Does it matter?"

They were both silent for a few minutes. Once again she sighed deeply. What was she suppose to do about Fuji's confession. But more importantly, now that she knew, how was she supposed to react in front of the tensai? She always showed her affection towards Fuji as she did to Momoshiro and Echizen. Hugging him when she met him. Conspiring with him. Laughing openly with him. No doubt his friendship was precious to her and she didn't want to lose that. "How do you feel about this?"

Tezuka took his time to reply her as she waited anxiously. "If you are waiting for my answer to make your decision, then I'm giving you none."

Asahina was about to snap at him but saw truth behind his words. He was right, she needed to decide what to do with Fuji on her own. "He's my friend and nothing is going to change that," she finally said. This time she softened. She loved Tezuka too much to stay angry at him.

"Are you sure?" His expression was pensive.

She laughed without humor. "No, but this is Fuji we are talking about. If he had wanted something more between us, he would have done something about it." Asahina took his hand and watched his tense body eased a little.

Taking her in his arms, he held her close for a moment and then planted a kiss on her forehead. His lips were firm and warm. "He could try but I won't let him." His voice was controlled. "You're mine."

Tipping her head back, she invited his affection with her eyes. "Jealous?" His somber gaze met hers and then drifted to her lips. Lowering his head, his lips touched hers. His kiss began softly, slowly gaining passion. Reluctantly she pulled away, her pulse and respiration in a race. "Really? In front of these people?"

His eyes twinkled. "You don't want to?" He reached for her again.

That delicious chocolate gaze drifted over her face reflectively, bringing a blush to her cheeks. Humor danced in his eyes and twisted those smooth lips. "I mean, I'm not used to seeing you openly showing your affection."

"Get use to it," he said, pulling her into his arms again.

This time her hands felt their way up his smooth muscular chest - up to his shoulders and then up the back of his neck. His expression had to be the tenderest one he had ever given her, and it made her melt. Pulling his head down, she surrendered herself to those warm lips again. "Kunimitsu," she whispered softly against his lips. "I love you so much."

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Fuji smiled watching his favorite couple from the window of his room. Not that he was worried that he might be seen. Those two were too busy with each other, ignoring everything around them. Which is a pretty sight. Tezuka, with his hands cupped on Asahina's face, and Asahina's fingers his wrists. See how their eyes meet and hold, he thought. How her lips tremble slightly, how gently he brushes them with his. And how they stay there fixed in that bare whisper of a kiss.

"He's so in love with her," Fuji murmured to himself as emotions churned inside him. Apparently he had managed to trick most of the regulars to drink Inui's newest 'healthy' juice invention. New record for Fuji!

'That's was just too cruel," Eiji said from behind him.

"What is?" Fuji returned to his usual smiley façade.

"You'd been in love with her that whole time and always care for her. Yet, you sacrificed her to be with Tezuka."

"…" He thought he had masked his feeling perfectly. And yet, Eiji was able to see right into me.

"He's so insensitive."

"He's just being Tezuka." That's why he's the one.

"Don't you love her?"

"It's completely one-sided."

"Why do you do to such a lengths to get her to be together with him?"

"Saa... why indeed." Although I know she would never feel the same.

"Fujiko-"

'Being able to stay beside the one you love is one of the privileges of being a friend.'

'If you really love her, you should just cast him out of the picture and have her for yourself.'

'I do but Tezuka means the most to me too. It was difficult for me to watch Tezuka after Rie left him. It seemed like half of him went with her. That's why I don't want him to hate me," Fuji said. "Look at him, Eiji. You can see that more and more of him is coming back ever since she's here. Besides, Rie is so naïve that she could only sees me nothing more than a friend.'

"It's only gonna hurt that way," Eiji warned him.

Yet I can't bring myself to stop loving her. And I don't think that I can stop liking her that easily."I'm prepared. From the very beginning, I knew that feelings like these don't just slip away and disappear simply because she didn't return my feelings."

"But you never know right? You never told her!"

"A silent wish."

"Huh?"

"Silent wish..." Fuji repeated. With final glance, he wore his usual smile and walked away.

Kikumaru looked down the window and saw how happy the couple was and shook his head. "You spoiled him too much."

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Tadaaaaa! The chapter is finally finish... Hopefully the twist made sense... Yep, and I finally have time to write and that is only because I broke my leg... No, seriously I did... Anyway, hope you'll like it especially to the last few reviewers who reminded me that I have unfinished business here to take care of... To the rest of this story's fans, I love you all for your support!