Sakura Sonata: 02, Futari
title: Sakura Sonata
chapter: 02, Futari
author: yumeyana
fandom: tennis no oujisama
cast: tezuka, fuji, atobe, saeki, sanada, sengoku, kajimoto, tachibana, shishido
(pairings are finally revealed *grins*)
summary: With their lives changed by a decision made in the past, three people start over again in separate directions. But the world is small and somehow they manage to meet again. Will the flowers that once faded bloom again? Or will they go against nature?
previous chapters: Sakura Sonata
crossposted over @ potfics, tenipuri_yaoi and @ my fic journal quilled_dreams where it sleeps.
Author’s Notes: Hi! I know it’s been really long since I last updated this but my muses just won’t come home. I will try to tie them down so I’ll be able to write faster. I hope the readers are still there…
Disclaimers: Tennis no Oujisama and all its characters belong to Konomi-sensei. Only the plot is mine.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sakura Sonata
Chapter Two: Futari
It excited Tezuka, the prospect of seeing this certain someone after so long. He couldn’t remember feeling like this ever before; even when Shishido came home from traveling. It was supposed to make him feel guilty, but somehow he wasn’t.
Ryou has always been gone for months but not years. It’s different.
Tezuka tried to concentrate on lay-outing, playing Okiayu’s songs on loop on his media player. It helped that his office was sound proof; he needn’t put on his earphones. Especially since Atobe was out for the morning to visit the graves of his parents.
“I see that you still love Okiayu-san’s voice after all these years.”
Tea-tinted eyes looked up from his monitor, widening then softening. A gentle smile graced his lips as he stood and walked towards him. He still could not believe it…
“And you haven’t learned to knock, Syusuke.”
Fuji’s cerulean eyes revealed themselves, a smile placed on those lips. It had been long and they looked a little older but other than that, he knew that they were still the same people who played tennis back in Seigaku.
“Saa…” He walked over and gave the other man a warm hug. “I’ve missed you. I hope Shishido’s been taking good care of you.”
Tezuka raised an eyebrow. “You’ve just marched into my office and you immediately want details on how Ryou’s been taking care of me?”
“Of course, ‘Mitsu. I’ve been away for so long I wanna know if he’s treating you like he should.”
“You haven’t changed one bit,” Tezuka said, shaking his head as he gestured the tensai to take a seat. “Even seemingly innocent words become tinted with innuendoes.”
Fuji chuckled. It really was a good decision to come back to Japan.
_o0o_
“Tadaima, Kaasan, Tousan.”
It was a funny and ironic whenever he thought about it nowadays. In his formative years, he had never been fond of his parents; never even liked them. But when the family’s company suddenly had the biggest crisis in all its years of operating, he had found himself finally having a family.
Then, his parents had to die.
It was the last straw. With his parents dead and the company at the brink of falling, the people had completely lost their trust in Atobe. He couldn’t understand why they didn’t trust him that he could run the company without his parents’ help. He had done it before; they trusted a junior high student to run the company what was different after he had graduated from college?
Sometimes he wished he didn’t come back at all.
He wished he hadn’t left the life he wanted for the life he had always hated.
Atobe closed his eyes, his arms wrapping around himself as the wind around him blew colder. No matter how much he convinced himself that he had gained a family in replace of his best friend and a special someone, he still couldn’t find it in his heart to believe himself. Especially since he didn’t even explain why he left them.
And now, he can’t even treat Tezuka like he used to. He no longer had his best friend and frankly, he deserved it.
He deserved what he was getting now.
_o0o_
“You don’t get it, Genichiroh. You’ll never get it.”
“If you tell me what it is, then maybe…”
“It wouldn’t make any sense!”
Tachibana watched the lovebirds, amused at their current situation. It was rare that Kajimoto ever made a big deal about anything and it was usually about small things Sanada failed to understand. Perhaps, if Yukimura was here, he thought, things would go more smoothly. After all, the former Rikkai buchou was Sanada’s best friend.
“What seems to be the problem with those two?”
He glanced at the person beside him. In the corporate world, it was rare to see someone dressed like he was - leather pants, sleeveless velvet turtleneck with a silver chain hanging on his neck. The person beside him seemed to notice his stare and smiled. There was nothing nervous or sheepish - he expected him to be - but there was this confidence that he seemed to be used to the attention.
“I’m sorry; I was rude. You must’ve forgotten who I am. After all, it has been a long time.” Tachibana was sure he hadn’t heard about him but to the other, that didn’t seem to be the situation. “I’m Saeki Kojiroh. If all goes well, I’ll be working with you soon.”
“If all goes well?”
Saeki grinned. “Yeah. If Syusuke gets to convince good old Mitsu.”
“It will make sense, ‘Hisa! Because I’ll get to understand!”
Kajimoto glared at his boyfriend, stopping short of Tachibana and Saeki. It was clear that whatever was bothering the chestnut haired, he wouldn’t let it go that easily. Sanada waited for an answer - he wanted to know what was wrong, for goodness’ sake! Why couldn’t Kajimoto just tell him?!
“Ah, Ichi-chan, I think you need to let it go for now,” Sengoku said, appearing out of nowhere. “If you don’t, you’ll be answering to both Kaji and Mit-chan.”
“Tezuka?” he asked.
The orange-haired nodded. “He’s glaring at you right now.”
Sanada turned around and saw that his boss was indeed looking at him. Wrong word - piercing was more like it. He would be a fool to make both his boyfriend and his boss angry at him at the same time.
“Now that some of you have started to act like people again,” came Tezuka’s voice. Tachibana tried to contain the snort coming from him. “I have an announcement to make.”
“Hey,” Sengoku whispered to his officemates. “Where’s Be-chan?”
Saeki’s eyes widened. “Be-chan?” he echoed.
The Kreuz’ sports and health editor turned his attention to the silver-haired one. Kajimoto would’ve raised an eyebrow and hit the other on the head if he wasn’t mad at someone. He could read the other like a book.
“Be-chan is Atobe.” Sengoku gave his most dazzling smile, extending his hand. “You’re… Saeki, right? From Rokkaku Chu?”
Tachibana blinked. Rokkaku? Why hadn’t he remembered that? He was becoming too old…
Saeki shook it. “Yup, Saeki Kojiroh. Call me Sae, please.”
“Sae it is then.”
Tezuka cleared his throat. What was happening to his editors? Did he not command enough respect anymore?
“Sorry, Mitsu,” said Saeki, grinning. The editor-in-chief was suddenly not so sure if he was making the right decision. “Go on.”
“Thank you.” He looked around. Where was his secretary? His eyes met Shishido’s and he mouthed his question. His boyfriend shrugged. “Since Yukimura-kun and Niou-kun’s departure some months ago, we have been looking for talented people to carry on their job. Thanks to Shishido-kun-”
Shishido fought the urge to roll his eyes. His boyfriend was so damn formal.
“-we now have on our team two of the most talented people in their fields.”
Tezuka was a bit taken aback when Fuji suddenly held his hand. He was used to the tensai’s tricks but they were in front of everyone. In front of his Ryou…
“Please welcome our new fashion editor,” Tezuka gestured across the room. “Saeki Kojiroh.”
The crowd clapped and a few girls smiled his way. Saeki smiled, winking at Sengoku as he glanced his way. Sanada rolled his eyes.
“And our new chief photographer-” The applause died down. The silver haired’s grin turned sly when he saw someone come out of the elevator. “Fuji Syusuke.”
Teal eyes widened, his feet suddenly glued to the floor. He did not expect this to happen - did not even expect to hear that name again after so long - not after visiting his parent’s grave. Fuji smiled just like he always did, eyes closed. The tensai, he observed, had become more beautiful in the time they had spent apart.
Fuji’s grip on Tezuka’s hand tightened as their eyes met. The photographer’s blue eyes were now open, not quite happy that the latter didn’t tell him about that certain person’s presence in the company. It had been years but this was an encounter he was not ready for. Did Tezuka and Shishido plan this?
The editor-in-chief’s thumb slowly caressed his hand, trying to calm him down. Fuji closed his eyes, glancing the other way. He could deal with that situation later on. He was sure Tezuka had an explanation for all this.
Shishido’s eyes narrowed at the gesture. Suddenly, he wasn’t so sure that it was right to put Tezuka and Fuji together again.
.tsuzuku
chapter: 02, Futari
author: yumeyana
fandom: tennis no oujisama
cast: tezuka, fuji, atobe, saeki, sanada, sengoku, kajimoto, tachibana, shishido
(pairings are finally revealed *grins*)
summary: With their lives changed by a decision made in the past, three people start over again in separate directions. But the world is small and somehow they manage to meet again. Will the flowers that once faded bloom again? Or will they go against nature?
previous chapters: Sakura Sonata
crossposted over @ potfics, tenipuri_yaoi and @ my fic journal quilled_dreams where it sleeps.
Author’s Notes: Hi! I know it’s been really long since I last updated this but my muses just won’t come home. I will try to tie them down so I’ll be able to write faster. I hope the readers are still there…
Disclaimers: Tennis no Oujisama and all its characters belong to Konomi-sensei. Only the plot is mine.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sakura Sonata
Chapter Two: Futari
It excited Tezuka, the prospect of seeing this certain someone after so long. He couldn’t remember feeling like this ever before; even when Shishido came home from traveling. It was supposed to make him feel guilty, but somehow he wasn’t.
Ryou has always been gone for months but not years. It’s different.
Tezuka tried to concentrate on lay-outing, playing Okiayu’s songs on loop on his media player. It helped that his office was sound proof; he needn’t put on his earphones. Especially since Atobe was out for the morning to visit the graves of his parents.
“I see that you still love Okiayu-san’s voice after all these years.”
Tea-tinted eyes looked up from his monitor, widening then softening. A gentle smile graced his lips as he stood and walked towards him. He still could not believe it…
“And you haven’t learned to knock, Syusuke.”
Fuji’s cerulean eyes revealed themselves, a smile placed on those lips. It had been long and they looked a little older but other than that, he knew that they were still the same people who played tennis back in Seigaku.
“Saa…” He walked over and gave the other man a warm hug. “I’ve missed you. I hope Shishido’s been taking good care of you.”
Tezuka raised an eyebrow. “You’ve just marched into my office and you immediately want details on how Ryou’s been taking care of me?”
“Of course, ‘Mitsu. I’ve been away for so long I wanna know if he’s treating you like he should.”
“You haven’t changed one bit,” Tezuka said, shaking his head as he gestured the tensai to take a seat. “Even seemingly innocent words become tinted with innuendoes.”
Fuji chuckled. It really was a good decision to come back to Japan.
_o0o_
“Tadaima, Kaasan, Tousan.”
It was a funny and ironic whenever he thought about it nowadays. In his formative years, he had never been fond of his parents; never even liked them. But when the family’s company suddenly had the biggest crisis in all its years of operating, he had found himself finally having a family.
Then, his parents had to die.
It was the last straw. With his parents dead and the company at the brink of falling, the people had completely lost their trust in Atobe. He couldn’t understand why they didn’t trust him that he could run the company without his parents’ help. He had done it before; they trusted a junior high student to run the company what was different after he had graduated from college?
Sometimes he wished he didn’t come back at all.
He wished he hadn’t left the life he wanted for the life he had always hated.
Atobe closed his eyes, his arms wrapping around himself as the wind around him blew colder. No matter how much he convinced himself that he had gained a family in replace of his best friend and a special someone, he still couldn’t find it in his heart to believe himself. Especially since he didn’t even explain why he left them.
And now, he can’t even treat Tezuka like he used to. He no longer had his best friend and frankly, he deserved it.
He deserved what he was getting now.
_o0o_
“You don’t get it, Genichiroh. You’ll never get it.”
“If you tell me what it is, then maybe…”
“It wouldn’t make any sense!”
Tachibana watched the lovebirds, amused at their current situation. It was rare that Kajimoto ever made a big deal about anything and it was usually about small things Sanada failed to understand. Perhaps, if Yukimura was here, he thought, things would go more smoothly. After all, the former Rikkai buchou was Sanada’s best friend.
“What seems to be the problem with those two?”
He glanced at the person beside him. In the corporate world, it was rare to see someone dressed like he was - leather pants, sleeveless velvet turtleneck with a silver chain hanging on his neck. The person beside him seemed to notice his stare and smiled. There was nothing nervous or sheepish - he expected him to be - but there was this confidence that he seemed to be used to the attention.
“I’m sorry; I was rude. You must’ve forgotten who I am. After all, it has been a long time.” Tachibana was sure he hadn’t heard about him but to the other, that didn’t seem to be the situation. “I’m Saeki Kojiroh. If all goes well, I’ll be working with you soon.”
“If all goes well?”
Saeki grinned. “Yeah. If Syusuke gets to convince good old Mitsu.”
“It will make sense, ‘Hisa! Because I’ll get to understand!”
Kajimoto glared at his boyfriend, stopping short of Tachibana and Saeki. It was clear that whatever was bothering the chestnut haired, he wouldn’t let it go that easily. Sanada waited for an answer - he wanted to know what was wrong, for goodness’ sake! Why couldn’t Kajimoto just tell him?!
“Ah, Ichi-chan, I think you need to let it go for now,” Sengoku said, appearing out of nowhere. “If you don’t, you’ll be answering to both Kaji and Mit-chan.”
“Tezuka?” he asked.
The orange-haired nodded. “He’s glaring at you right now.”
Sanada turned around and saw that his boss was indeed looking at him. Wrong word - piercing was more like it. He would be a fool to make both his boyfriend and his boss angry at him at the same time.
“Now that some of you have started to act like people again,” came Tezuka’s voice. Tachibana tried to contain the snort coming from him. “I have an announcement to make.”
“Hey,” Sengoku whispered to his officemates. “Where’s Be-chan?”
Saeki’s eyes widened. “Be-chan?” he echoed.
The Kreuz’ sports and health editor turned his attention to the silver-haired one. Kajimoto would’ve raised an eyebrow and hit the other on the head if he wasn’t mad at someone. He could read the other like a book.
“Be-chan is Atobe.” Sengoku gave his most dazzling smile, extending his hand. “You’re… Saeki, right? From Rokkaku Chu?”
Tachibana blinked. Rokkaku? Why hadn’t he remembered that? He was becoming too old…
Saeki shook it. “Yup, Saeki Kojiroh. Call me Sae, please.”
“Sae it is then.”
Tezuka cleared his throat. What was happening to his editors? Did he not command enough respect anymore?
“Sorry, Mitsu,” said Saeki, grinning. The editor-in-chief was suddenly not so sure if he was making the right decision. “Go on.”
“Thank you.” He looked around. Where was his secretary? His eyes met Shishido’s and he mouthed his question. His boyfriend shrugged. “Since Yukimura-kun and Niou-kun’s departure some months ago, we have been looking for talented people to carry on their job. Thanks to Shishido-kun-”
Shishido fought the urge to roll his eyes. His boyfriend was so damn formal.
“-we now have on our team two of the most talented people in their fields.”
Tezuka was a bit taken aback when Fuji suddenly held his hand. He was used to the tensai’s tricks but they were in front of everyone. In front of his Ryou…
“Please welcome our new fashion editor,” Tezuka gestured across the room. “Saeki Kojiroh.”
The crowd clapped and a few girls smiled his way. Saeki smiled, winking at Sengoku as he glanced his way. Sanada rolled his eyes.
“And our new chief photographer-” The applause died down. The silver haired’s grin turned sly when he saw someone come out of the elevator. “Fuji Syusuke.”
Teal eyes widened, his feet suddenly glued to the floor. He did not expect this to happen - did not even expect to hear that name again after so long - not after visiting his parent’s grave. Fuji smiled just like he always did, eyes closed. The tensai, he observed, had become more beautiful in the time they had spent apart.
Fuji’s grip on Tezuka’s hand tightened as their eyes met. The photographer’s blue eyes were now open, not quite happy that the latter didn’t tell him about that certain person’s presence in the company. It had been years but this was an encounter he was not ready for. Did Tezuka and Shishido plan this?
The editor-in-chief’s thumb slowly caressed his hand, trying to calm him down. Fuji closed his eyes, glancing the other way. He could deal with that situation later on. He was sure Tezuka had an explanation for all this.
Shishido’s eyes narrowed at the gesture. Suddenly, he wasn’t so sure that it was right to put Tezuka and Fuji together again.
.tsuzuku