A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews, everybody! I can never stop thanking you for your precious support! ^.^ Enjoy the last chapter! -heart-

The school building was just as ominous as he remembered it. Hayabusa parked his bike at the entrance gates and walked onto the terrain, trying to ignore stares from surrounding Mannouzaka students he thought he saw. Tengawara players probably weren't exactly welcome after they beat Mannouzaka flat. Nearly knowing Mitsuyoshi's school schedule by heart at this point, Hayabusa made straight for the soccer building, which was attached to the school. He was sure Mitsuyoshi's classes were over, so the midfielder figured he could only be in the club room. At least, he hoped so. Hayabusa remembered the route after Mitsuyoshi had dragged him there and soon neared the locker room. He flinched when he heard someone shout from inside: "What is the meaning of this, Mitsuyoshi?" Hayabusa recognized the voice of the fearsome Mannouzaka captain, Isozaki Kenma. And Mitsuyoshi was here after all. What was happening?

Very carefully, Hayabusa slid open the door just enough to peek inside. All of the Mannouzaka soccer team was present and currently surrounding their Seed forward, while Isozaki barked him in the face.

"You claimed you were sick the other day, but Shinoyama saw you play soccer at the riverbank near Tengawara! With a Tengawara player, no less! Is that what you've been doing, Mitsuyoshi? Have you been skipping practice to play with a different school?"

Hayabusa widened his eyes in shock. Skipping? Mitsuyoshi had been skipping practice with his own team for the sake of their meetings? So that's why he always said yes when Hayabusa asked if he had time… because he would make time. Hayabusa himself always said no when he had to practice with his own team, but Mitsuyoshi appeared to feel differently.

Since all Mitsuyoshi did was stare at the floor in guilt, Isozaki growled and snapped: "Shinoyama says that player from Tengawara is Hayabusa Hideki. Have you lost your mind, Mitsuyoshi? He's the one that humiliated us only a few months ago! And besides, didn't you claim you've always hated him? What is wrong with you, Hayabusa is an enemy!"

Mitsuyoshi's head shot up. "How is he an enemy? He's a Seed like us, Isozaki-san! And even if he wasn't, you can barely call other schools enemies when Fifth Sector arranges all our matches for us!"

Isozaki stared at him in complete disbelief. "What are you saying, Mitsuyoshi…?"

Mitsuyoshi didn't respond, but his challenging expression said enough. He had been thinking about what Hayabusa told him yesterday, when he expressed happiness about being able to bring out his full potential during a match. Mitsuyoshi had never done the same before, but he shared a similar sentiment, always having fought hard in order to overpower him. He started to like the idea of having to do his best during all matches more and more – which was only possible if Fifth Sector stopped intervening.

Isozaki sent the forward a dark stare and repeated: "What are you saying, Mitsuyoshi? Are you turning your back on Fifth Sector?"

"What if I am?" Mitsuyoshi shouldn't have said that. He cried in pain when Isozaki's hand flew across his face, leaving a red mark on his cheek. Hayabusa gasped quietly, but the other Mannouzaka players seemed unfazed by their captain's offense. That meant hurting each other wasn't unheard of in this team… How often had Mitsuyoshi suffered from this custom?

"You little brat…" Isozaki hissed while Mitsuyoshi rubbed his stinging cheek, trying to suppress upcoming tears. "Have you forgotten your place? You're a Seed, your duty is to represent what Fifth Sector stands for! You have no future if you betray us now! Are you willing to doom yourself just for one stupid Tengawara player?"

Mitsuyoshi managed a surprisingly intimidating glare despite the pain in his face. "Don't call him stupid…"

"Aha! I knew it!" Isozaki ceased him by the collar, easily lifting the shorter boy off the floor. "Tengawara always was iffy towards Fifth Sector… Have they brainwashed you with their ideas?" he hissed, his face mere inches apart from Mitsuyoshi's. "Did Hayabusa Hideki turn you, Mitsuyoshi? Is that what happened?"

Mitsuyoshi shook his head. "I made my choices by myself. And I'm happy I did." He managed to rip out of his captain's grasp and took a step back, continuing to glare at him. "I used to support Fifth Sector's approach, but now I realize: how can I support something that doesn't let me play freely? That's what soccer is all about! That's why… that's why playing with Hayabusa made me happy! Because he lets me play the way I want to, unlike you control freaks! I don't regret a single time I chose him over you!"

While the Mannouzaka players gasped at the forward's rebellious words, Isozaki started to fume with anger. "You ungrateful little shit!" He lifted his hand to hit the other side of Mitsuyoshi's face, but just as he was about to lash out, a sudden grasp on his wrist held him back. The team, including Mitsuyoshi, gasped again when Hayabusa appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He was suddenly standing next to the Mannouzaka captain, preventing him from hurting the forward a second time.

Isozaki widened his eyes in shock and tried to pull his arm back, but Hayabusa held it in an iron grip. "You bastard…!" he hissed through gritted teeth. "What are you doing here?"

Hayabusa didn't say anything. He didn't even look at him. He kept his head down for a moment, and when he lifted it, he startled even the frightful captain of Mannouzaka with the sharp flare in his eyes. In a flash, his free fist collided with Isozaki's face, almost sending the captain flying. While the awestruck Mannouzaka players ran over to help him, Hayabusa lowered his fist and sent Isozaki a death glare. "Don't ever touch Mitsuyoshi again, you filthy scumbag."

Isozaki needed little to no time to recover, looking like he was about to explode at this point. He threw a sharp finger at the midfielder and screamed: "GET HIM!"

Hayabusa widened his eyes when the others did exactly as he said, but suddenly had his wrist caught and felt someone pull him along. Mitsuyoshi started dragging him out of the locker room and shouted: "Hurry, let's go!" Hayabusa nodded and took him by the hand as they fled from a raging Mannouzaka soccer team. Seeing as there were only two of them, they easily managed to slip past other students, while their pursuers needed to push themselves through in a group of ten.

Once they were outside, Hayabusa ran over to his bike. He sat down and gestured to the back. "Hop on!" Mitsuyoshi did as he said and held on tight while Hayabusa raced away. He turned his head to watch how the Mannouzaka players chased them briefly after leaving the school terrain, but they gave up when Hayabusa rounded the closest corner.

"What have I done what have I done what have I DONE!" Barely after Hayabusa dumped his bike next to the river, Mitsuyoshi grabbed the sides of his head in total panic. "I just insulted my captain! My own team! And Fifth Sector altogether! I'm so dead!"

"Hey, I'm the one that punched the guy," Hayabusa reminded him, but Mitsuyoshi turned to face him and stammered: "It's not just us! Tengawara will hear of this too! They won't forgive you until they've destroyed you! You have to decline the next match with them, even if they don't take no for an answer!"

Hayabusa stared at him in confusion. He had never seen the forward so panicked before; sad, yes, but not panicked. "How much can they do?" he scoffed. "We beat them last time, and I doubt they can win without their star forward."

Mitsuyoshi widened his eyes at those words. "W-what?"

Hayabusa shrugged. "Or do you intend to go back and beg for forgiveness?"

Mitsuyoshi lowered his head. He hadn't even thought about that. He would definitely lose his position as Mannouzaka forward, and Mannouzaka player altogether. He had little desire to return and own up to his actions, but… the realization did terrify him. He had no place now. Not in Mannouzaka and not in Fifth Sector. He had beaten two birds with one stone by admitting he preferred Hayabusa over them both. Mitsuyoshi reddened when he remembered that moment. Had the midfielder heard that…?

"Mitsuyoshi," Hayabusa said, making the forward flinch out of his thoughts. The moment the younger boy regained eye contact, Hayabusa avoided it by awkwardly gazing at the river. "If… if you're not playing for Mannouzaka anymore… you're welcome in Tengawara."

Mitsuyoshi's jaw dropped. What did he just say…? "T-Tengawara?"

Hayabusa nodded. "Kita never did take a liking to Fifth Sector... I reckon they'll change their minds sometime soon. They want to play soccer without limits, just like you…" He turned back to the forward and smiled softly. "… and me."

Mitsuyoshi stared at him in awe. Playing in Tengawara instead of Mannouzaka… He had to admit he didn't dislike the thought. Tengawara seemed much friendlier than Mannouzaka, and the more time Mitsuyoshi spent with Hayabusa, the more he longed for that air of respectfulness, rather than Mannouzaka's rough way of doing things. He had definitely changed since he started playing with Hayabusa so much… Perhaps, in a way, the midfielder had turned him after all.

Mitsuyoshi bit his lip and nervously asked: "B-but what if they don't want me?"

Hayabusa chuckled softly. "Nishinosora is rude and loud-mouthed, Kita is a passive prude, and I'm pretty sure Andou has a crush on himself. You'll fit right in. Besides…" He gently placed his hand under Mitsuyoshi's chin, lifting his head until their eyes met on a direct line. "… if you join us… we'll get to see each other every day."

Mitsuyoshi felt his heart bounce at the sound of those words. That's right… He'd see Hayabusa every day, be it on Tengawara grounds or at the riverbank. He suddenly liked the idea much more. "… I'll consider it," he answered, his face lightening up with a smile.

Hayabusa smiled back and then moved his hand to Mitsuyoshi's cheek, finding it was still a little red. "How's your cheek?"

"Oh…" Mitsuyoshi blushed when he felt Hayabusa's palm on his skin and shyly pulled away. "It'll be fine. It's not the first time he hit me."

"I thought so," Hayabusa frowned. He was starting to feel more and more relieved Mitsuyoshi wouldn't return to Mannouzaka. That place had an unhealthy influence. He glanced to his lost soccer ball, which he'd left at the riverbank in his haste to get to Mannouzaka, and looked back at Mitsuyoshi. "Wanna play soccer?"

Mitsuyoshi hesitated for a moment, but then slowly shook his head. "I… I think I just wanna relax for today. I-I mean, playing soccer does usually make me feel better, but…"

"I understand," Hayabusa reassured him. Mitsuyoshi had taken a tough blow after all, losing his position as both forward and Seed in less than a minute. Now that he thought about it, Hayabusa figured he might lose his right to be a Seed as well. Isozaki would definitely let Fifth Sector know about his recklessness today… Hayabusa shrugged to himself. Oh well. Fifth Sector may have taught him valuable lessons to become stronger, but he didn't doubt he'd manage simply practicing with his friends from Tengawara. Especially if Mitsuyoshi became one of them.

"Come on, let's go to my place," the midfielder said, taking hold of his soccer ball. He sat on his bike, waited until Mitsuyoshi did the same and started riding away. Mitsuyoshi almost instantly resorted to holding his waist in a tight grasp, pressing his injured cheek against his back. Unbeknownst to each other, the boys smiled in unison at their close position.

Mitsuyoshi couldn't sleep. He was staying over at Hayabusa's place, once again dressed in his friend's pajamas. He had completely forgotten to take his schoolbag out of his locker after the rest of his team chased him and Hayabusa out. Oh well, he could always get it tomorrow – at a point the Mannouzaka locker room was unoccupied. Mitsuyoshi blushed when he picked up the familiar scent from the clothing he was wearing. He had gotten used to the way Hayabusa smelled, considering he spent countless nights in his room. The only thing that didn't smell like Hayabusa at this point was the futon, just because Mitsuyoshi used it so much. The forward kept rewinding today's events in his head: being cornered by his teammates, Hayabusa defending him, Hayabusa offering him a seat in Tengawara… Mitsuyoshi smiled contently at the thought of getting to see the midfielder every day. He liked that idea very much.

"… Hayabusa?" he whispered, hoping the other boy wasn't asleep yet.

"Yeah?" Hayabusa instantly replied. Seemed he lacked just as much sleep as the forward.

"… I… I never thanked you… you know, for sticking up for me today…" Mitsuyoshi said softly. He pulled the blanket up to his nose, blushing a little more.

"Of course. Like I'd let those bastards get away with hurting you," Hayabusa answered, an angry tone in his voice.

Mitsuyoshi lowered his blanket slightly, gazing at the edge of Hayabusa's bed. "Tengawara never does that?"

"Nope. I think Kita would get a heart-attack if we started pummeling each other," Hayabusa snickered. "The guy hates violence. Actually, I used to be the most violent player on the team, having to enforce the rules of Fifth Sector and all. But I calmed down eventually… Now I only hit other teams."

Mitsuyoshi cackled cutely. "Improvement, very good."

"Thanks," Hayabusa smirked. "By the way, you still up for practicing with our Keshins tomorrow?"

"Of course," Mitsuyoshi answered smugly. "And I'm still gonna kick your ass."

Hayabusa snorted. "We'll see about that." Mitsuyoshi heard him shift and sat up when the midfielder called his name. The room was mostly dark, but the forward managed to make out the sight of Hayabusa facing him on his side, holding up the covers in an inviting fashion. "Wanna come in?"

Mitsuyoshi flushed deeply. The two of them often made physical contact and even shared a couple of baths together (not to mention the little moment when he tasted Hayabusa's lipstick right off his lip), but the thought of sleeping in the same bed as the midfielder easily managed to embarrass him. Still, he couldn't say no to the offer. He wanted it too much. Mitsuyoshi crawled into the bed and lay down, feeling Hayabusa drop the duvet on him. The forward turned to face him and was sure the midfielder returned eye contact, which embarrassed him even more. "I-if you tell anyone I did this, you're dead, understand?"

Hayabusa chuckled and patted his head. "So I can tell my teammates how you still can't defeat me, needed me to save you from your own team and licked me on the lip the other day?"

Mitsuyoshi's blush spread to his ears. Shit, he remembered it. "N-no! You can't tell them any of that!" he stammered, trying (and failing) to sound stern.

Hayabusa simply grinned and wrapped an arm around his waist, gently pulling him closer. "Don't worry," he whispered, and Mitsuyoshi could now feel his warm breath on his skin. "I'm just as guilty as you right now. It's our little secret."

Mitsuyoshi wasn't sure why Hayabusa was acting so familiar, but he had to say he enjoyed it, lying so close to him and enjoying the comfort of his embrace. Hayabusa emanated that affection he only used to direct to his parents, and Mitsuyoshi felt his heart flutter when he realized the midfielder was now sharing it with him as well. He liked Hayabusa… very, very much. The forward was about to close his eyes, thinking he might be able to sleep now, when he suddenly felt Hayabusa's hand shift below his waist. His eyes shot back open and his cheeks flushed a dark red. "H-Hayabusa?"

"Yozakura…" Hayabusa merely whispered, and Mitsuyoshi felt his other hand lift his chin like before. He could barely move when Hayabusa's tongue suddenly touched his lip, licking it in a two-second span that felt more like twenty. Mitsuyoshi gawked at the midfielder in shock, at a complete loss for words. "W-what are you…?"

"Just returning the favor," Hayabusa clarified, and Mitsuyoshi knew he was smirking even if he couldn't see it. He frowned in discontent and leaned closer, mimicking the gesture. "Take that."

Hayabusa was taken by surprise for a moment, but then grinned again and licked Mitsuyoshi's lip a second time. Feeling challenged rather than embarrassed now, Mitsuyoshi did the same thing, and two continued their little game until they stuck out their tongues at the same time. They both blushed at the contact and shifted back a little, staring at the other. "Sorry," they said in unison, blushing even more now.

"It's okay," Hayabusa said a millisecond before Mitsuyoshi would. "It was an accident…" He stopped talking when Mitsuyoshi grabbed the fabric of his shirt at chest height. He felt the boy move closer and shut his eyes, doing the exact same thing. Mitsuyoshi moved his hands to Hayabusa's back when their lips met, sharing a soft kiss that soon became intimate. The boys parted lips at the same time, letting their tongues clash once more. Hayabusa and Mitsuyoshi wrapped each other in a tight embrace while the lip-lock grew more and more passionate. Hayabusa kept one hand on Mitsuyoshi's butt while he ran the other though his purple locks, and Mitsuyoshi threw his leg over the other's waist, clutching onto his pajama shirt. Hayabusa used the opportunity to slide his own leg between Mitsuyoshi's thighs, wanting to feel the other boy as close as he could.

The boys parted after what seemed like a lifetime, panting for air and staring into each other's eyes. Hayabusa and Mitsuyoshi both felt like there was so much that needed to be said, only to declare any explanations unnecessary. They had just kissed the one they desired with all their heart; what else was there to comprehend?

After a short silence, Hayabusa whispered: "Let's keep this a secret too." He brushed a few strands out of Mitsuyoshi's face, making the other boy grin happily. Kissing Hayabusa and holding him close might just be the most natural thing he had ever done – a sentiment Hayabusa returned.

"I vote for yes," the forward whispered back, and he planted his hand on the back of the midfielder's head to push him into another kiss.

A/N: And that's it for this story! I truly hope you liked it! =D For interested HayaYoshi fans, I also wrote a drabble I didn't submit here, you can find it on my Tumblr (Vera9). Until next time! ^_^ -glomp-