Silver Chains 02: Raspberry Pies and Pride
Silver Chains 02: Raspberry Pies and Pride:
Silver Chains
Chapter Two: Raspberry Pies and Pride
“Aniki! Inui-san is on the phone!” Yuuta called out as he marched into the kitchen where the older Fuji was.
Syusuke turned around, smile wide. “Thank you, Yuuta.”
Brown eyes blinked as he took in what his Aniki was wearing and doing. Syusuke was wearing a fuchsia colored apron atop his blue polo. There was flour all over the countertop and some on his Aniki’s face.
“What’s this?”
“I’m baking raspberry pie,” he stated in a matter-of-factly voice. “The phone, Yuuta. Thanks. Yes, Inui?”
“There is a delicate subject that I need to discuss with you personally. Are you busy now?”
Syusuke chuckled. “It’s Sunday, Inui, I’m just baking.” Another chuckle. “Besides, I presume that you are already outside my door.”
“Aa. There was an 89 percent chance that you would hypothesize that.” Inui rang the doorbell.
A few moments later, Inui was sitting inside the Fuji kitchen. He watched as the tensai mixed the ingredients with such ease. Ii data, he thought. His teammate wasn’t only a tensai in tennis and academics but in cooking as well.
“What is this delicate subject, Inui?”
The data collector opened his notebook, scanning his notes. “It’s about our visit in Germany and about Tezuka in particular.”
Cerulean eyes almost opened, curious at what Inui had collected. But he his excitement and smiled casually.
“What about Germany and Tezuka?”
“Well, when we visited Germany, he seemed very different from the Tezuka we knew before he went there. He was stuttering when Oishi handed him the medal. He even laughed, did you notice that?”
Syusuke was picking the right raspberries. “Aa. Oishi told me that there was even a time that Tezuka apologized for mumbling.”
Inui raised an eyebrow. “Mumbling? Tezuka?”
A chuckle confirmed it and sounds of scribbling began. Syusuke put the pie in the oven, mind reeling. What was the cause of Tezuka’s changes? Who was causing them? He needed to know if his speculations were correct. And if they were and they were pointing to one person, then his plan was going full speed ahead.
“Did you see that framed picture near his bed?”
Washing his hands, Syusuke replied. “You mean the one with the regulars?”
“No. The one with Atobe, Akutagawa and Saeki.”
He closed the faucet and turned to Inui, eyes open and twinkling with excitement. “Saeki?”
Inui nodded. “And if I may add. Tezuka was smiling slightly while Saeki’s left hand was around his shoulders. There was a small curve, about…”
The doorbell rang.
“I know. I’m getting it,” Yuuta said, glaring at his Aniki as he passed by the kitchen.
The sound of pages turning was muffled due to the tensai’s thoughts. He tried to imaging Saeki grinning, his hand around Tezuka’s shoulders, with the buchou smiling. Tezuka was smiling. He didn’t care about the numbers. The thing was, Tezuka was smiling.
“Mmm… That raspberry pie smells good.”
Syusuke’s eyes widened at the sound of that voice. At the entrance to the kitchen stood the person who could, in his opinion, answer a lot of questions.
“Sae! What brings you here?” he asked, walking towards his friend, a warm smile on his face.
As the tensai approached, Saeki drew him nearer for a brief hug. “I sensed that you were baking today so I traveled from far away Chiba just to taste your cooking.”
Syusuke laughed, “Liar.”
Saeki held up his hands and laughed. It was hard to lie to someone who had known you for so long. Especially when said person was Fuji Syusuke.
“Your choice of clothes is as queer as always, Syu,” he said, eyeing the apron.
“Oh this? It’s neesan’s.” He turned to his teammate. “Sae, this is Inui, our data collector.”
Inui shook his hand. “Saeki Kojiroh, Rokkaku fukubuchou. 174 centimeters, blood type O, left handed. Has an older sibling who was recently married in Germany. Has a rather close relationship with the Fuji brothers.”
Saeki laughed. “Sasuga ni Inui-kun, ne?”
Syusuke chuckled as he gestured his childhood friend to take a seat. “So what’s the real reason for this unexpected visit.”
“I was wondering if I could borrow your German-Japanese dictionary. I know you have one because you used to collect a lot of dictionaries before.”
“German-Japanese? Yes, I do have one. Why do you need it?”
The silver haired lad glanced uneasily at the scribbling Inui. “Well, neesan married a German guy, right? Kunimitsu thought it might be best that I learn how to speak German so he won’t be translating for me all the time.”
The scribbling stopped. Azure eyes opened, unsure of what to feel first. Saeki sweat dropped.
“You and Tezuka are in first name basis?”
“Oh that? Yeah… we’ve become real close since a few moths ago.” Saeki grinned. “Not jealous are, you, Syusuke?”
The tensai smiled, closing his eyes. “Why would I be, Kojiroh? The dictionary’s in my room.”
Saeki nodded and headed towards the room. The teammates were silent, analyzing the new developments that took place. Inui started scribbling on his notebook again. Syusuke sat down and tapped his fingers on the table, thinking.
How it all happened, Syusuke was sure he didn’t know. And he needed to know how, he needed the details. But who could he ask? Saeki?
“Though there’s a 95 percent chance that Saeki would tell you everything, I don’t think that would lead him to not suspecting that you were up to something. And you are up to something, 100 percent.”
Inui was right, the tensai thought, not minding the fact that his friend just read right through him. He needed inside information from someone who’s been with Tezuka and Saeki for the past months…”
“We could ask Akutagawa or Atobe…”
Sapphire eyes glanced sharply at his companion. “Atobe?”
It was clear in those eyes, Inui knew, that Syusuke hadn’t quite forgotten what had happened a few months ago.
“My data shows that there’s a 97 percent chance that he’s know since he and Tezuka are friends of some sort.” He closed his notebook. “Fuji, you can’t be angry with Atobe forever if you want to help Tezuka and Saeki.”
The tapping fingers stopped, lips firmly pressed against each other. But before he could answer Inui, Saeki popped his head in the kitchen, dictionary on one hand.
“I’m sorry but I can’t stay for the delectable pie, Syusuke. Neesan called my mobile saying that Kunimitsu called.”
Eyes softened, a gentle smile curving his lips. “See you around, Kojiroh. I’ll just bake for you next time.”
Saeki waved and made a curt nod to Inui before disappearing. There was a teasing “Don’t eat up all the pie, Yuuta-kun, or you’ll end up very fat!” and a gruff “Baka, Sae-niisan” before the door closed. The younger Fuji appeared in the kitchen, looking straight into his Aniki’s blue eyes.
“Inui-san’s right, Aniki. And Tezuka-san has forgiven him, why can’t you?”
Syusuke leaned back and sighed, not minding how his younger brother knew what he and Inui had been talking about. They were right, he grudgingly admitted to himself. But there was a reason why hadn’t forgiven that diva. He ran his hands through his hair, the memory of that game, flashing in his mind. That pained expression on Tezuka’s face was just too much for him to shake hands with Atobe.
Suddenly, the memory of that legendary Singles One was replaced by two silver chains. Saeki and Tezuka’s bracelets. The destiny he had to link together. He sighed.
“Fine. I’ll go to Hyotei tomorrow.”
Inui smiled. There was a 100 percent chance that the tensai would give in. He loved those two too much.
.tsu.zu.ku.
Silver Chains
Chapter Two: Raspberry Pies and Pride
“Aniki! Inui-san is on the phone!” Yuuta called out as he marched into the kitchen where the older Fuji was.
Syusuke turned around, smile wide. “Thank you, Yuuta.”
Brown eyes blinked as he took in what his Aniki was wearing and doing. Syusuke was wearing a fuchsia colored apron atop his blue polo. There was flour all over the countertop and some on his Aniki’s face.
“What’s this?”
“I’m baking raspberry pie,” he stated in a matter-of-factly voice. “The phone, Yuuta. Thanks. Yes, Inui?”
“There is a delicate subject that I need to discuss with you personally. Are you busy now?”
Syusuke chuckled. “It’s Sunday, Inui, I’m just baking.” Another chuckle. “Besides, I presume that you are already outside my door.”
“Aa. There was an 89 percent chance that you would hypothesize that.” Inui rang the doorbell.
A few moments later, Inui was sitting inside the Fuji kitchen. He watched as the tensai mixed the ingredients with such ease. Ii data, he thought. His teammate wasn’t only a tensai in tennis and academics but in cooking as well.
“What is this delicate subject, Inui?”
The data collector opened his notebook, scanning his notes. “It’s about our visit in Germany and about Tezuka in particular.”
Cerulean eyes almost opened, curious at what Inui had collected. But he his excitement and smiled casually.
“What about Germany and Tezuka?”
“Well, when we visited Germany, he seemed very different from the Tezuka we knew before he went there. He was stuttering when Oishi handed him the medal. He even laughed, did you notice that?”
Syusuke was picking the right raspberries. “Aa. Oishi told me that there was even a time that Tezuka apologized for mumbling.”
Inui raised an eyebrow. “Mumbling? Tezuka?”
A chuckle confirmed it and sounds of scribbling began. Syusuke put the pie in the oven, mind reeling. What was the cause of Tezuka’s changes? Who was causing them? He needed to know if his speculations were correct. And if they were and they were pointing to one person, then his plan was going full speed ahead.
“Did you see that framed picture near his bed?”
Washing his hands, Syusuke replied. “You mean the one with the regulars?”
“No. The one with Atobe, Akutagawa and Saeki.”
He closed the faucet and turned to Inui, eyes open and twinkling with excitement. “Saeki?”
Inui nodded. “And if I may add. Tezuka was smiling slightly while Saeki’s left hand was around his shoulders. There was a small curve, about…”
The doorbell rang.
“I know. I’m getting it,” Yuuta said, glaring at his Aniki as he passed by the kitchen.
The sound of pages turning was muffled due to the tensai’s thoughts. He tried to imaging Saeki grinning, his hand around Tezuka’s shoulders, with the buchou smiling. Tezuka was smiling. He didn’t care about the numbers. The thing was, Tezuka was smiling.
“Mmm… That raspberry pie smells good.”
Syusuke’s eyes widened at the sound of that voice. At the entrance to the kitchen stood the person who could, in his opinion, answer a lot of questions.
“Sae! What brings you here?” he asked, walking towards his friend, a warm smile on his face.
As the tensai approached, Saeki drew him nearer for a brief hug. “I sensed that you were baking today so I traveled from far away Chiba just to taste your cooking.”
Syusuke laughed, “Liar.”
Saeki held up his hands and laughed. It was hard to lie to someone who had known you for so long. Especially when said person was Fuji Syusuke.
“Your choice of clothes is as queer as always, Syu,” he said, eyeing the apron.
“Oh this? It’s neesan’s.” He turned to his teammate. “Sae, this is Inui, our data collector.”
Inui shook his hand. “Saeki Kojiroh, Rokkaku fukubuchou. 174 centimeters, blood type O, left handed. Has an older sibling who was recently married in Germany. Has a rather close relationship with the Fuji brothers.”
Saeki laughed. “Sasuga ni Inui-kun, ne?”
Syusuke chuckled as he gestured his childhood friend to take a seat. “So what’s the real reason for this unexpected visit.”
“I was wondering if I could borrow your German-Japanese dictionary. I know you have one because you used to collect a lot of dictionaries before.”
“German-Japanese? Yes, I do have one. Why do you need it?”
The silver haired lad glanced uneasily at the scribbling Inui. “Well, neesan married a German guy, right? Kunimitsu thought it might be best that I learn how to speak German so he won’t be translating for me all the time.”
The scribbling stopped. Azure eyes opened, unsure of what to feel first. Saeki sweat dropped.
“You and Tezuka are in first name basis?”
“Oh that? Yeah… we’ve become real close since a few moths ago.” Saeki grinned. “Not jealous are, you, Syusuke?”
The tensai smiled, closing his eyes. “Why would I be, Kojiroh? The dictionary’s in my room.”
Saeki nodded and headed towards the room. The teammates were silent, analyzing the new developments that took place. Inui started scribbling on his notebook again. Syusuke sat down and tapped his fingers on the table, thinking.
How it all happened, Syusuke was sure he didn’t know. And he needed to know how, he needed the details. But who could he ask? Saeki?
“Though there’s a 95 percent chance that Saeki would tell you everything, I don’t think that would lead him to not suspecting that you were up to something. And you are up to something, 100 percent.”
Inui was right, the tensai thought, not minding the fact that his friend just read right through him. He needed inside information from someone who’s been with Tezuka and Saeki for the past months…”
“We could ask Akutagawa or Atobe…”
Sapphire eyes glanced sharply at his companion. “Atobe?”
It was clear in those eyes, Inui knew, that Syusuke hadn’t quite forgotten what had happened a few months ago.
“My data shows that there’s a 97 percent chance that he’s know since he and Tezuka are friends of some sort.” He closed his notebook. “Fuji, you can’t be angry with Atobe forever if you want to help Tezuka and Saeki.”
The tapping fingers stopped, lips firmly pressed against each other. But before he could answer Inui, Saeki popped his head in the kitchen, dictionary on one hand.
“I’m sorry but I can’t stay for the delectable pie, Syusuke. Neesan called my mobile saying that Kunimitsu called.”
Eyes softened, a gentle smile curving his lips. “See you around, Kojiroh. I’ll just bake for you next time.”
Saeki waved and made a curt nod to Inui before disappearing. There was a teasing “Don’t eat up all the pie, Yuuta-kun, or you’ll end up very fat!” and a gruff “Baka, Sae-niisan” before the door closed. The younger Fuji appeared in the kitchen, looking straight into his Aniki’s blue eyes.
“Inui-san’s right, Aniki. And Tezuka-san has forgiven him, why can’t you?”
Syusuke leaned back and sighed, not minding how his younger brother knew what he and Inui had been talking about. They were right, he grudgingly admitted to himself. But there was a reason why hadn’t forgiven that diva. He ran his hands through his hair, the memory of that game, flashing in his mind. That pained expression on Tezuka’s face was just too much for him to shake hands with Atobe.
Suddenly, the memory of that legendary Singles One was replaced by two silver chains. Saeki and Tezuka’s bracelets. The destiny he had to link together. He sighed.
“Fine. I’ll go to Hyotei tomorrow.”
Inui smiled. There was a 100 percent chance that the tensai would give in. He loved those two too much.
.tsu.zu.ku.