Hey guys! So here's Chapter II with an Epilogue! Sorry it took so long! I wrote like 3 different ending before I finally decided on a decent one soo... Plus I was all over town today so I didn't get much time to read it over. If you find any mistakes, tell me and I'd be glad to fix it :) Hope you guys like it! BTW, I used some lyrics from a song towards the end soo I don't own 'em

The next few days were awful. The Regulars lost their concentration and were constantly distracted. Tezuka heard from Oishi that Fuji's condition worsened. He wasn't responding to anything around him and he barely moved unlike before. He also learned that Fuji refused to go to the hospital because he already accepted his death. The captain cancelled afternoon practice. He knew they weren't going to be able to play their fullest anyway.

The Regulars wanted to visit Fuji again, but were all occupied after practice, even Ryoma. Tezuka didn't plan on visiting his teammate, but found himself in front of the Fuji residence, anyway. Yumiko let him in, glad he visited. She needed to head out to get more medicine and trusted her little brother to him.

When Tezuka saw Fuji's body, his knees almost gave in. Syusuke had a pale complexion, but it certainly wasn't paper white. He was still, panting, shivering, and sweating at the same time. The captain maneuvered over to his bedside. He admired Syusuke's features even if it wasn't in its best form. He missed him. He missed him a lot. He missed his blue eyes, his soft touch, his voice, his calm yet sadistic personality. Everything about Fuji he missed. He didn't want to admit it, but he also missed his love, his kisses, the attention he gave Tezuka, the loving gestures. Then he remembered what Oishi told him, he accepted his death.

Tezuka gently touched Syusuke's cheek, feeling the great warmth. "Fuji," he whispered, "wake up."

The younger boy stirred and opened his eyes. "T-Tezuka? What are… what are you doing here?"

"I want to take you somewhere. Sit up." The older boy helped Fuji's weak body sit and lean against the headboard. He noticed the white shirt that Fuji wore was soaked with sweat. He opened his closet and found another plain shirt.

Tezuka stripped off Fuji's damp shirt and carefully ran a cool cloth over the younger male's back and arms. Then he pulled the clean top over Syusuke's head and down his body.

"Okay. Come on." Tezuka turned his back towards the other boy and kneeled. Fuji got the idea. He climbed on and wrapped his arms around the captain's neck.

It wasn't hard to lift Fuji. He was light. Lighter than what Tezuka had remembered.

Outside was cool and cloudy; the kind of weather they've been having lately. Tezuka could hear Fuji's heavy breathing. They were walking towards a park that didn't have many people on cloudy days. The path was empty and the air was crisp and nice.

"It feels good to be outside again, doesn't it?" Fuji's head shifted forward.

"Thank you." His soft sweet voice whispered. Tezuka felt the soft brush of Fuji's breath when he spoke.

"When you get better, the team and I will take you back out here. Probably during a day when there's plenty of sun. They would enjoy spending time with you again. "

"Tezuka?" Syusuke's frail voice cut through the air.

"Mm?"

"Sorry."

The taller boy didn't question the apology. "When you get back, you're doing a double training session. The Nationals are coming up and you need to get back on your top condition in order to win. Besides, having you in practice again relieves the team. They'll focus better and train harder. You need to get better surrounding teams are disappointed everyone we play against them without you. Even if we have plenty of talented players, Seigaku needs you."

Tezuka continued his one-sided conversation. As he walked, he started to notice that Fuji got heavier second by second. He didn't feel the short breaths, didn't feel the arms tightly around his neck, and he knew he wouldn't feel his heart beating. The wind became colder and blew more often. Petals from nearby Sakura trees danced with the breeze's rhythm.

Kunimitsu Tezuka stopped at the park entrance, biting down on his lip to keep the tears in his eyes.

"I need you."

Say, Kunimitsu? Isn't life strange? One moment, a complete stranger can become your best friend, become your lover, and the next, that same person can become a complete stranger. It's strange isn't it? How I can know you one day and not know you tomorrow? To be honest with you, I had fun. I thank you, my dear friend, for letting me experience love with you, heartbreak with you, helplessness with you. I thank you for loving me even if it was for a short amount of time. But in the end…

…No one will ever understand how much it hurts…

Epilogue:

Syusuke's funeral was like the typical. Everyone wore black and gave their condolences to the family. Not a lot of people attended; it was mostly close families that were in Japan and to Tezuka's surprise, members of surrounding tennis teams.

Hyotei's Keigo Atobe and Jirou Akutagawa, Rokkaku's Saeki Kojirou, Rikkaidai's Seiichi Yukimura, Genichirou Sanada, and Akaya Kirihara, and the entire Fudomine team showed to pay their respects.

A small gathering following the service was held at the Fuji household. Everyone that came mourned the loss of someone that had affected them. Of course, Syusuke's family and Seigaku's tennis team were taking it the hardest. Out of everyone in the team, Eiji cried the hardest. Tezuka didn't cry at all.

In the house's dining room table, pictures of Syusuke from when he was little to the present decorated the wooden furniture. Small candles surrounded the frames. Some were pictures of when he was in Chiba with Saeki winning matches against him and other tournaments. He looked so… happy. Then there were some of when the Seigaku tennis club won Regionals, Metropolitans, and Kanto tournaments. The one that caught Tezuka's eye was a picture of him with Syusuke during practice. The shorter boy was looking at the camera and smiling as usual while Tezuka looked straight ahead with that emotionless face he wore.

"Tezuka?" He followed the sound of the soft voice to face a tear-stained Yumiko. He didn't want to look at her. He knew how much she loved her little brother; he didn't want to see her broken. "You and Syusuke had a lot of memories together, didn't you?" The captain nodded. Yumiko stepped closer and hugged the younger boy. "Thank you, Tezuka. Thank you for loving my brother and making him smile, even if it was just for a short amount of time."

The taller boy couldn't let himself hug her. His body was frozen and didn't listen to what his mind wanted. When Yumiko pulled away, she thanked him one more time and left to greet the other people.

Tezuka watched as his team gathered around him with pained looks on their faces. Eiji hadn't stopped crying and Taka shed a few tears. Everyone was on the brink of crying. Ryoma as well. Why couldn't he feel anything? Why couldn't he cry and bawl like Kikumaru? Did experiencing Fuji dying in his hold leave him numb to any pain inferior to death?

Ryoma didn't even accompany him home. He needed some space and time to think and recover. His parents didn't even greet him. The world surrounding Tezuka seemed so hazy and still, like nothing could save him.

You almost feel ashamed

That someone could be that important

That without them, you feel like nothing.

Tezuka studied his reflection in the bathroom mirror for a moment. Outside, he saw an emotionless face and a stern look. Inside, he wished he could say the same. But inside, he was vulnerable to an extent and filled with pride it was dangerous. Tennis players may deem him great, but he deemed himself pathetic, weak, and afraid. Blood suddenly dripped from his knuckles as the mirror cracked and shattered.

And when it's over and it's gone,

You almost wished that

You could have all that bad stuff back,

So you could have the good.