Happy Spring ee970!
Title: Love is Stronger
Recipient's name ee970
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Data Pair-Renji/Inui
Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em!
Warnings: written mostly in Inui’s point of view. Watch out for the crack
ending!
Author's or Artist's notes: Thanks so much Sweet Pea (You know who you are)
For all your help betaing, as well as listening to me whine and moan about
it! You’re the best. And, I hope that this is to your liking, ee970
Love is Stronger
It has been two years now. Two years and five days have passed between the time when I last stood across from the net from Renji. And it has been six years, two months, and twenty days since I have stood on the same side of the net with Renji. An abundance of change has occurred over the course of those two years. We both excelled onto our escalating high school of choice, and both of us are regulars our respective tennis teams as second years, ninety-one percent chance for Renji, and eighty-nine percent chance for me. I have to admit, part of me is still the same naïve boy on the tennis court, making silly and impossible life-long promises with another ten-year-old, wishing they were true.
“Let’s be partner’s forever.”
“If we team up, we can conquer the world.”
It’s been six years now since I’ve been able to trust completely. When Renji moved away without telling me, I was devastated, truly; wholly and utterly devastated. There is no other word to properly convey how it felt to be betrayed by my best friend in such a way. I made a vow to myself that I would never feel the same anguish that I felt when I was so young. It is true that I have made new friends and am relatively close with some people, but never on the same level I was with Renji. Even with Kaidoh, whom is quite possibly my best friend, I hold myself back for fear I will be hurt again.
I had never told a soul about how much Renji’s disappearance hurt me, not even my parents. Though, Kaidoh is very good at piecing puzzles together, and the smallest slip of the lip here and there has given the younger boy a general picture about what I went through. He did nothing but support me back in my senior year of middle school, to help me see that the past lies buried behind us. Silently, of course. Kaidoh and myself are not very talkative at all, yet if you pay enough attention, Kaidoh has a way of saying so much without having to open his mouth at all.
“We can’t afford another loss.”
“Inui-Senpai…”
I remember sitting there, watching Oishi and Kikumaru play their doubles match against Niou and Yagyuu, and a feeling that I could not identify fluttered against my breast bone. I would be on that court in a matter of minutes, face to face with a boy whom I had not seen for over three years, yet used to be my best friend. My palms grew sweaty, and my heart beat twenty-one percent faster than is normal. I had never experienced such body functions before, and I was caught off guard by these happenings. Yet, before I knew it, my match was being called. The match that had been delayed over those three years. Not to mention that the victory meant a grantee at Nationals.
A picture flashed before my eyes, all of Renji and me playing doubles together; the picture of our winning at Nationals, as I prepared myself by grabbing my rackets, and my Top Secret: Yanagi notes. I re-read all of the parts I had highlighted to keep it fresh in my mind, and with sweaty palms, steeled myself. ‘It’s finally time…’ And took my spot on the court, opposite of Renji.
“It’s been a while, Sadaharu.”
“Four years, two months and fifteen days”
“Just because we go way back, I won’t go easy on you.”
“Of course. That’s what I want.”
We smiled at one another across from the court, and my heartbeat faster--up to twenty three percent, as I readied myself for the first serve, moreover the whole game, set, and match. It was everything I had ever predicted, and so much more. We were both two long-time friends, and strangers meeting for the first time.
Game: Inui 1-0.
I felt like I had something to prove to you, Renji. On that court, I needed to show you what four years did to me, and in return, see what they did to you. We had known each other for so long, and knew each other' tennis style like the back of our own hands, four years absence or not.
Game: Yanagi 1-1.
Looking back on our last match before you moved away, I can see how different you were that day. It was hard on you to tell me in words that you were moving away, so you tried to convey it in that game, yet, we were interrupted. You know there were no words that would cover of magnitude that needed to be said.
"I was thinking that we’ve never played each other seriously.”
Game: Inui 2-1.
Renji has shaken me up by forty-nine percent, I can admit now. Guessing what I predicted and doing something totally different to throw me off was something I had never had happen. There wasn’t an opponent who knew me well enough to know what I was thinking. Renji did though, even after so much time apart.
Game: Yanagi 2-2.
But…Data did not lie…Did it?
Game: Inui 3-2. Change Court! (Double check the names and the scores. Do you have the right names in the right places?)
Renji…
If my data tennis is being read completely…
I will throw away all my data.
There was nothing harder than throwing all of my data on Renji, of our partnership, our feelings, out of my brain. But, I had been living too much in the past, too blinded to see the present.
Game: 3 All.
I have just thrown away my past.
My body began to react on instinct. I was playing on pure emotions that I could not identify
Game: Inui 4-3. Yanagi 4-4.
I could feel the tension within my teammates, and the calm confidence from Kaidoh, always silently bidding me to do my best.
Game: Yanagi 5-4.
Renji’s serve. 5-4, just like our last match. Renji had caught onto my manipulating plan, ninety-eight percent chance. My mind frame is blank now. A clean slate.
“I think this is where we continue.”
“There is no data beyond this point”
Game: Inui 5-5. Inui 6-5.
Everyone’s support was keeping me going, but Kaidoh especially. I could feel his presence in the back of the stands, and when I looked up at him, he was smiling with his thumb sticking out in a ‘thumbs up’. That alone gave me eighteen percent more strength to continue on. There was a zero percent chance of us not going to Nationals, as winners, is what they were all saying, and they believed in me enough to rest it on my shoulders.
Game: Yanagi 6-6. 12-point tiebreaker.
Each swing of my racket felt more difficult than the last, and each time I hit a ball that was returned to me, my heart clenched. Tighter and tighter. Not even playing Tezuka compared to this feeling. A feeling that was so indescribable, it was more than the thrill of the game, more than two people playing against each other on the court. I had to lock up the feeling-for further study later on. I had to focus only on the tiebreaker
16 all. 22-21. 24 all.
Neither one of us want to give this up. We are both playing over one hundred percent. Our reasons may be very different, but fuel our aching bodies the same way. I can not let Seigaku go home without fighting, and Renji can not let this match go on as he wants to bring the medal to his Captain who is awaiting surgery at the hospital.
26-27. 29 all.
Images flashed before me again, of our elementary school days, of our last match, my question of forever.
Winner Seigaku’s Inui. 7 games to 6.
I won. Renji lost. I was expecting immediate rush of relief and happiness; yet, the feelings only made me feel thirty-four percent better. The indescribable feeling was still there, in the pit of my stomach. And, though I felt happy that I won, I felt for Renji. After all, we had both given our all, and it just happened that I had luck on my side today.
“It was luck. My percent of winning was 50.
Renji, you could be the winner next time”
I just got some more data. I couldn’t help but grin. That was Renji’s dry humor. I sincerely hoped there was a next time. Though Renji and I could not be doubles partners forever, we could still be friends.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I remember after the match was over, and Echizen had won the final match against Sanada, how relived we all were. We won, even without Tezuka standing beside us. Yet, this feeling; a fluttering butterfly like feeling in the pit of my stomach, my heart still beating fast against my breast bone, my palms slick with sweat, I could not categorize. I would have time to study the feeling when I was home later that night, I told myself as I quickly jotted down notes about the strange occurrence. There was a seventy-two percent chance of myself figuring out what the feeling was within thirty minutes of being home, after all.
The feeling had changed after he night we won, to a twisting, turning stomach feeling, a sadness that was unexplainable, and a loss of concentration. I had zero percent chance of knowing what the feeling was, but I was one hundred percent certain that they were related. I was also feeling anxious. I had slipped Renji my e-mail address at the final courtesies of bowing and shaking each other’s hands, yet, I hadn’t received an e-mail from him yet. And, to be certain my computer had not filtered it through to the junk mail, I had been personally opening each of the hundred various porn and enhancement products people tried to sell you over e-mail, just to make sure he wasn’t playing a trick on me.
Weeks later, at a point two-five percent chance, I had still not figured out the alien feeling. I almost considered asking for outside help, but declined. To whom would I go? I wasn’t particularly close enough with anyone to talk about something I felt. Except Kaidoh, but we didn’t speak about feelings or emotions, or really, anything but training. The Internet was no help in my research, as all I kept getting were love advice columns. The Library was no help either, as there was no book called ‘twisting of the stomach and other symptoms.’ There was a one percent chance that if I went to the doctors, I would get an answer, and I will admit, I felt embarrassed about telling a doctorate graduate about a loss of concentration and a twisting of the stomach, let alone my parents as to why I needed to see the doctor.
But, the Goodwill Games were right around the corner, and all eight of us would be participating. I estimated a ninety-nine percent probability of Renji being there as well, and the butterflies in the stomach came back full force, along with the earlier symptoms, in addition to the twisting and tightening of the stomach and the other symptoms.
I was thirty-one percent off my game, and it was Kaidoh, surprisingly, who came to me, asking if everything was all right. It was very hard for the younger boy to say, as it took our whole after practice-practice to spill the words from his lips. He had caught me off guard-there was only a five percent chance, I thought, of him asking me about it, and I had no idea what to say in response. I gave him the only logical explanation I could. I had a lot of Data on my mind. Being the good, un-prying underclassman that he was, Kaidoh just shrugged, and hissed something out of his mouth that vaguely sounded like “I’m here if you need.”
By the end of the night, while I lay in my bed unable to sleep, my anxiousness was unnecessarily strong, as well as the butterfly fluttering feeling in my stomach. Tomorrow we would be going to the camp to prepare for the Goodwill Game against America, and I would no doubt see Renji again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Memories seemed to replay in my mind very easily when I lay in bed, restless and waiting for sleep to claim me. Ninety-two percent of these memories revolve around Renji, and I find myself loosing sleep over the meaning of such memories.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I recollect seeing Renji in the red and black uniform that everyone was wearing, and it made my breath catch in my throat, and my stomach ‘flop’. Noticing that he was in fact heading my way made me realize that we must be on the same team, as Sakaki-san wanted us to meet outside the door of our office. Fuji had smiled at my old doubles partner and made a sound in the back of his throat, like he had just learned something interesting. I had to wipe my hands on the inside of my jacket pockets.
Once we were set to the courts, Sakaki-san called for a doubles match, with Fuji and Saeki against Yanagi and myself. I felt…almost giddy at the prospect of being able to stand on the same side of the court as my old longtime doubles partner and best friend.
It was like Magic. There is no other explanation possible for the feeling that rushed through my body as soon as Saeki served the ball. It was like those four years had never happened, and we had never stopped playing doubles together. My stomach fluttered and my adrenalin pumped and my mind was clear and focusing on nothing else besides Renji and our doubles play.
“Although it’s been a long time since we were partners, our bodies still have the knack, don’t they, Professor?” The last word slipped out of my mouth without thought.
“And I believe you were Doc.” Yanagi responded to his old nickname, Professor. The strong memories of those two words made me miss Saeki’s serve. Also, my cheeks reddened fourteen percent that had nothing to do with the game we were currently engaging in; it was utterly unbeknownst to me. I made a mental note to jot it down to analyze later.
The game ended before I knew it, unfortunately with our loss. It was very good data and experience though. Suddenly, it did not feel like four years ago was the last time I played doubles with Renji, and the feeling was strangely comforting. I would use this time to not only train my body for hopes of playing in the Goodwill Games, but to also become Renji’s friend, once more.
We spent the days together for the remainder of the camp, as well as time up until curfew. The strange feelings; the fluttering of my stomach, sweaty palms and lack of concentration were thirty-seven percent stronger during our time spent together, for reasons unknown.
In the end, neither one of us were picked for the Goodwill Games, but I had predicted five of the players that would be on the team; Sengoku, Oshitari, Sanada, Atobe, and Kirihara.
I was pleasantly surprised that Kikumaru was picked to play for the Goodwill Games. And it did not matter that I was not picked, the other players had shown more potential and I was proud of those that would be representing our country in the game.
But the experience I received, not to mention the re-bonding I got to do with Renji, was more than I had predicted. I once again gave Renji my e-mail, and phone number in after thought before we had to part ways.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I shake myself out of those past thoughts, as I have some data to compile. Kanto is right around the corner yet again, and I was asked to re-adjust some of the Regulars' members training menus. I also have Kaidoh’s training menu to tweak as well. Though Kaidoh is a first year and the current captain will not allow first years to try out for the Regular positions, we still train after school on most days when the homework is light enough for us to do so together. We occasionally work on Doubles formations just in case we are ever needed, as another pair like Oishi and Kikumaru has not been found for Seigaku yet. Though, Kachiro and Katsuo are shaping up to be a formidable team.
As I finish up the last training menu, I look at the clock-a quarter to midnight, and sigh as I stretch my back out. Finished with my homework and menus, it’s time to go to bed, and hopefully, get an actual good night of sleep.
I did take health class in my second year of Junior high, and I was completely ready for the hormonal changes my body was gearing up to go through, and I did a plethora of research on my own about the subject, yet, I was still caught off guard by thirty-five percent when the wet dreams started senior year at Seigaku Middle. Waking up sticky and having to change the sheets wasn’t the problem, or even waking up halfway though the dream and having to take care of the problem while awake wasn’t either. It was who those dreams were about.
My wet dreams all focused on Renji. And while the dreams themselves may differ, Renji is the main attraction in one hundred percent of my thrice-weekly nighttime dreams. When I am not having polite dreams about Renji, I am up late at night pondering such dreams. The mere thought of such activities between my old doubles partner and myself leave me mind boggled and breathless, not to mention tight in the nether regions.
At first, I was very surprised about such dreams with Renji, and not some quiet girl with glasses and a shy smile. But, after further thinking and some more research on the Internet, I concluded that the wet dreams were connected, somehow, to the strange feelings I had not been able to shake over the past six months.
It was Kaidoh in the end, to give me the bigger picture and the long sought for answer to my body’s strange happenings. We were down by the river for our weekly training session; we only had so much time free between his vice-captain duties and my new workload at Seigaku High. We were stretching out our muscles for a five-mile run, when he asked me a very strange question.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Fffsh. Senpai.” Kaidoh grumbled out, as I pushed on his lower back to stretch his muscles out properly. Talk was usually not something we did much of, except for talk of his training menu, so I assumed he had a question about his latest menu regiment.
“Yes, Kaidoh?” I asked as I slowly let the pressure applied to the younger boys back decrease in a nice slow stream. Holding out a hand to help Kaidoh up, I blinked behind my glasses, as he seemed to have trouble looking at me. That, or my left shoe just became very interesting. After a couple minutes of silence as we packed our belongings, we both took off together in a steady jog. I knew Kaidoh well enough by now not to press him. The second year would speak when he was ready.
Two and three-fourths miles later, Kaidoh was ready. Hissing to get my attention away from calculating my heart rate, he opened his mouth. “Senpai…have you spoken to him yet..?” He asked, slightly panting from our run.
The question made me frown. Kaidoh’s question was very random and unexpected-eighty-seven percent so. “Who have I spoken to, Kaidoh?” I asked as we turned right to follow our normal jogging route. We’d be stopping for a break before starting on our home trail. Only a quarter mile to go.
And done. We both slowed down at the same time, and before coming to a complete stop, took a couple moments to stretch out our muscles again. We would not want to risk the seventy-two percent chance of a cramped muscle. When we were both finished, we went to our respective tennis bags for water while making ourselves comfortable under a tree.
“Yanagi-san.” Kaidoh answered quietly before gulping some water down. The name made my breath catch-that had nothing to do with the run we just finished. Renji. I still hadn’t heard from him since the Goodwill Games. I simply shook my head. Not since Nationals last term, I hadn’t.
Kaidoh stayed silent after that for the remainder of our ten-minute break. We would both be jogging the rest of the way to our respective homes separately, as our houses were in different directions. As we were packing up, Kaidoh turned to me once more. “Inui-senpai…Some things are worth holding onto, right…?”
Adjusting my glasses, I pondered the question for a moment, before answering. “Ah. Of course, Kaidoh. But…what are you talking about, exactly?” This was very interesting-Good Data.
Kaidoh hissed, and ducked his head, before starting to jog off. He threw his last words over his shoulders. “Your feelings for Yanagi-san.”
Shocked to my core at those words, I slid down to the grass and sat. My mind started to process Kaidoh’s words. My feelings for Renji? What did he mean by that? I pondered the potential answers, but found none that seemed to fit. This was Kaidoh, who never spoke much unless it was important.
Two hours later, I was in my room, going over my latest data on myself, specifically, my strange feelings/symptoms since my reunion with Renji. Feelings. Such a broad word, yet each individual piece so interwoven within another. I found my answer on an Internet website, while trying to research the word feeling. Mistakenly, I had clicked on a site that was all about fond feelings of the heart. There was a list of all the symptoms I had recently collected, and found the feeling to be frightening and serene.
And the feeling was…Love.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Everything made sense suddenly, once I admitted I had feelings for Renji. Even memories of us together while in elementary school pointed to reason that I had a crush on my best friend, but at that age, I only identified it with feelings for a best friend. All the emotions and ‘symptoms’ as I called them) became clear. I felt idiotic for not being able to piece this together myself, but then, sometimes the best data you can take is when you step away from the situation.
And for Kaidoh, I couldn’t thank him enough. The fact that Kaidoh knew, and even helped put me on the right track, spoke volumes, and made myself re-think Kaidoh’s gruff exterior. I knew how he acted with his family, and his love for animals, yet while he was always brusquely polite to everyone, including me, he wasn’t cold hearted. And maybe, fifty-four percent chance that Kaidoh thought of me as more than a senpai-but a good friend.
~*~*~*~*~*~
In the end, I tried to get in touch with Renji, with the hopes of renewing our friendship, but e-mails were never returned, phone calls left unheard, which I had to trade information about Fuji to with Mizuki. It was frustrating, but Kaidoh’s words kept me from giving up. I was not a quitter. Plus. There was a three percent chance that Renji did not know that the e-mails were from me, nor the phone calls.
Another year passed, and once again, I was a Seigaku Regular within two months time. At a nine percent chance, Fuji was the one that did not get a spot on the Regulars. I believe it had something to do with a certain St. Rudolph manager who wouldn’t quit calling, and showed up at the match.
It was nice to have Kaidoh, and Momoshiro with us once more. Even though they were first years and could not play. Their bickering was somewhat of a norm now, but it wasn’t as heated as it was before us seniors left Seigaku middle. A year with them having to work together had done them good.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
By the time the preliminaries for Nationals began, our upcoming match was against Rikkai Dai. I was apprehensive. I was not allowed to assist the Captain with the strategy, and ended up the ‘extra’ eighth player. I was fairly disappointed, but relieved at the same time. I would not be facing Renji. My heart clenched at the thought. Would I have been able to play well, or would my feelings toward the data player from Rikkai Dai interfere with my playing ability? After pondering the line-up for a moment, I decided it was a good thing the current captain went with his usual way to make the singles startup-by drawing straws.
The energy was almost electrifying. High school tennis was more popular than middle school, and especially, the amount of girls that show up to cheer on the boys has increased by several hundred percent since I was last a regular. Not to mention the fact that, at least in the second year’s cases, there was a fierce rivalry. We were, for the most part, evenly matched, and knew each other’s secrets and weaknesses, thanks to Renji and myself.
I sat up in the stands with Kaidoh and Momoshiro, ready to cheer on my fellow teammates and friends. Sitting on the bench in front of us was Tezuka, Oishi, Kikumaru and Fuji. Kawamura had also come to cheer us on though he doesn’t play competively anymore and was sitting with Momoshiro. This would be very good Data for me, to see how much stronger Rikkai Dai had gotten since we had met last time.
The matches began. A tug-of-war of points between the teams. I pulled out my green notebook and began to scribble every once in-awhile with an occasional calculating mumble. Niou and Yagyuu had become a better team, by twenty-two percent. Our Captain and Vice Captain pair lost the game, but their improvement was twelve percent from the last time I had analyzed them. The Kuwahara-Marui pair lost to our Oishi-Kikumaru pair by a landslide. I did not take any data on Marui, as it seemed that someone had misplaced his cake before his game, but Kuwahara has improved his defense by eight percent. Our Golden Pair were at the peak of their game, improving nearly five percent since the beginning of the school year.
My eyes wandered over to the Rikkai Dai side of the bleachers, and stole a glance at Renji. It turned out that he was the eighth player as well, and would not be playing. My heart sped up as I took in how my friend had matured since the last time I saw him, before loud cheering brought me back to the game taking place. It seemed that Tezuka had made a quick win for our team, beating a Rikkai Dai third year six to one. When my eyes scanned the opposite side, I found that Renji had gone missing. The second singles match began, and my attention was rapt on Sanada playing against our Hiroki-a third year speed demon. I didn’t even take notice when Sanada won his third game that Kaidoh had gone missing too.
Rikkai Dai ended up winning, as after Sanada crushed Hiroki-senpai, Yukimura was quick to go in for the kill. It was obvious that the second year had fully recovered and gained three times the amount of strength and power back from when our team faced him at Nationals.
I wanted to talk to Renji, and had the chance when Tezuka, Oishi, Kikumaru and Fuji went to congratulate the winning team. There was no doubt that we would once again be facing off at Nationals, and prove ourselves to them. I was quickly surprised, eighty-seven percent so, when Renji walked over to me without any trying on my part. We smiled easily at each other.
“Sadaharu, may I speak with you in private?” Renji asked politely. Nodding, I followed the boy to an empty court. Looking over at the other, the first thing I noticed was a bruise. A fist shaped bruise on his face.
“Renji…what happened?” I asked, concerned. The bruise was not there before he had left during the singles-one match.
Smiling, Renji reached up to touch the swollen cheek. “Ah…I believe the term is called ‘someone knocked some sense into me.’ And don’t worry. I have already applied ice to stop the swelling.”
My heart started beating fast, and the butterflies in my stomach started to flutter once more-like always. One hundred percent chance. I licked my suddenly dry lips. “Did Sanada…?” I asked. I had heard rumors that Sanada tended to strike people when his anger level was high.
Renji just shook his head and took a deep breath. “It…doesn’t matter. Just…He made me realize that I have been making a mistake. I…am sorry for ignoring your signs to rebuild our friendship. I was too busy blaming myself for not telling you, and hurting you, that I had not seen the chances you gave me. But, if you would be so gracious enough to let me make it up to you…Doc.” A slight blush scorned Renji’s cheeks, and mine as well.
I was speechless. This was like one of my dreams-number 186 to be exact. After a moment to digest my friend’s words, I nodded. “Ah….Professor.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I found out the next day, from Kaidoh, that he had been the one to sock Renji in the eye.
Kaidoh saw Renji slip off, probably to stretch his legs, and after waiting a minute as to not arouse suspicion, left the game to follow the other. Catching up to Renji fairly quickly, Kaidoh opened his mouth. “Yanagi-san.”
Pausing in front of the water fountain, Renji looked back to see a boy calling out his name. It was someone from Seigaku…Kaidoh. The one that was always around Sadaharu. He bent down to take a sip of water before nodding at the younger boy.
“I…Inui-senpai wants to be your friend.” This was hard for Kaidoh, speaking out feelings.
Cracking his eyes open, Renji idly eyed the boy, before closing his eyes and bending back down to sip from the water fountain.
Being shown such disregard, Kaidoh hissed. Just because the other was older, he could treat him like this? Well, not this time. He was sick and tired of how Inui-senpai seemed to miss his former best friend. And he had a feeling…well. He didn’t have a feeling. Fuji-senpai had cornered him one day last month and told him that Yanagi was having similar problems that Inui was having, thanks to an informant of his…anyway. He wasn’t going to let Inui-senpai be so unhappy anymore.
Kaidoh hissed again. “Ffffffsh. He forgave you after he beat you, you bastard. Although, if it were me, I wouldn’t have. He opened himself up to you again and again, hoping that you’d understand. But, from what I understand, for being the genius, you sure are stupid. Excuse me, Senpai.” He turned on his heels, ready to walk away, yet, before he thought better of it, he quickly turned back around to literally knock some sense into Renji with a upper-cut to the cheek. “He’s still waiting for you…” He growled, before making his exit.
Renji stood there stunned, holding his bruised cheek, for over fifteen minutes, dissecting Kaidoh-kun’s words, before remembering he had to ice the bruise from coloring further.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been six years since I have been able to fully trust again, that is to say, fully trust my heart to someone. And it has been six years since Renji Yanagi has been my friend. But now, with the help of Kaidoh, I have been able to finally let the past go, and open up my heart to those I hold dear. From this time forward, the past is behind me, and the future and nothing but bright, with a hundred percent chance of success.
The End
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Crack Ending
“Chance that Hanamura-san and Sakaki-san are discussing which tennis players in the Tokyo region they would like to see in bed together…” Inui said as he spotted the pair eating at an out door café, sipping at wine with their heads bent close together. Renji opened his left eye slightly; the right was still swollen thanks to Kaidoh, and gave his friend a smirk.
“I would love to see your Atobe-kun and my Wakato-kun together. It would be stunning. The best masterpiece ever created!” Hanamura gushed as the data pair walked past their table discreetly, of course.
“While it may be stunning, Aoi-chan, there would not be enough pain killers in the world to deal with those two’s ego’s.” Sakaki answered matter-of-factly.
“And what about that sweetie pie of a Aggressive baseliner on Seigaku’s team…” Hanamura was squealing, ignoring her partner’s words, as they turned the corner.
Grinning at his boyfriend, Inui adjusted his glasses. “One hundred percent.” he said at the same time as Renji did, who smirked and took the other’s hand. They had a date to start.
Recipient's name ee970
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Data Pair-Renji/Inui
Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em!
Warnings: written mostly in Inui’s point of view. Watch out for the crack
ending!
Author's or Artist's notes: Thanks so much Sweet Pea (You know who you are)
For all your help betaing, as well as listening to me whine and moan about
it! You’re the best. And, I hope that this is to your liking, ee970
Love is Stronger
It has been two years now. Two years and five days have passed between the time when I last stood across from the net from Renji. And it has been six years, two months, and twenty days since I have stood on the same side of the net with Renji. An abundance of change has occurred over the course of those two years. We both excelled onto our escalating high school of choice, and both of us are regulars our respective tennis teams as second years, ninety-one percent chance for Renji, and eighty-nine percent chance for me. I have to admit, part of me is still the same naïve boy on the tennis court, making silly and impossible life-long promises with another ten-year-old, wishing they were true.
“Let’s be partner’s forever.”
“If we team up, we can conquer the world.”
It’s been six years now since I’ve been able to trust completely. When Renji moved away without telling me, I was devastated, truly; wholly and utterly devastated. There is no other word to properly convey how it felt to be betrayed by my best friend in such a way. I made a vow to myself that I would never feel the same anguish that I felt when I was so young. It is true that I have made new friends and am relatively close with some people, but never on the same level I was with Renji. Even with Kaidoh, whom is quite possibly my best friend, I hold myself back for fear I will be hurt again.
I had never told a soul about how much Renji’s disappearance hurt me, not even my parents. Though, Kaidoh is very good at piecing puzzles together, and the smallest slip of the lip here and there has given the younger boy a general picture about what I went through. He did nothing but support me back in my senior year of middle school, to help me see that the past lies buried behind us. Silently, of course. Kaidoh and myself are not very talkative at all, yet if you pay enough attention, Kaidoh has a way of saying so much without having to open his mouth at all.
“We can’t afford another loss.”
“Inui-Senpai…”
I remember sitting there, watching Oishi and Kikumaru play their doubles match against Niou and Yagyuu, and a feeling that I could not identify fluttered against my breast bone. I would be on that court in a matter of minutes, face to face with a boy whom I had not seen for over three years, yet used to be my best friend. My palms grew sweaty, and my heart beat twenty-one percent faster than is normal. I had never experienced such body functions before, and I was caught off guard by these happenings. Yet, before I knew it, my match was being called. The match that had been delayed over those three years. Not to mention that the victory meant a grantee at Nationals.
A picture flashed before my eyes, all of Renji and me playing doubles together; the picture of our winning at Nationals, as I prepared myself by grabbing my rackets, and my Top Secret: Yanagi notes. I re-read all of the parts I had highlighted to keep it fresh in my mind, and with sweaty palms, steeled myself. ‘It’s finally time…’ And took my spot on the court, opposite of Renji.
“It’s been a while, Sadaharu.”
“Four years, two months and fifteen days”
“Just because we go way back, I won’t go easy on you.”
“Of course. That’s what I want.”
We smiled at one another across from the court, and my heartbeat faster--up to twenty three percent, as I readied myself for the first serve, moreover the whole game, set, and match. It was everything I had ever predicted, and so much more. We were both two long-time friends, and strangers meeting for the first time.
Game: Inui 1-0.
I felt like I had something to prove to you, Renji. On that court, I needed to show you what four years did to me, and in return, see what they did to you. We had known each other for so long, and knew each other' tennis style like the back of our own hands, four years absence or not.
Game: Yanagi 1-1.
Looking back on our last match before you moved away, I can see how different you were that day. It was hard on you to tell me in words that you were moving away, so you tried to convey it in that game, yet, we were interrupted. You know there were no words that would cover of magnitude that needed to be said.
"I was thinking that we’ve never played each other seriously.”
Game: Inui 2-1.
Renji has shaken me up by forty-nine percent, I can admit now. Guessing what I predicted and doing something totally different to throw me off was something I had never had happen. There wasn’t an opponent who knew me well enough to know what I was thinking. Renji did though, even after so much time apart.
Game: Yanagi 2-2.
But…Data did not lie…Did it?
Game: Inui 3-2. Change Court! (Double check the names and the scores. Do you have the right names in the right places?)
Renji…
If my data tennis is being read completely…
I will throw away all my data.
There was nothing harder than throwing all of my data on Renji, of our partnership, our feelings, out of my brain. But, I had been living too much in the past, too blinded to see the present.
Game: 3 All.
I have just thrown away my past.
My body began to react on instinct. I was playing on pure emotions that I could not identify
Game: Inui 4-3. Yanagi 4-4.
I could feel the tension within my teammates, and the calm confidence from Kaidoh, always silently bidding me to do my best.
Game: Yanagi 5-4.
Renji’s serve. 5-4, just like our last match. Renji had caught onto my manipulating plan, ninety-eight percent chance. My mind frame is blank now. A clean slate.
“I think this is where we continue.”
“There is no data beyond this point”
Game: Inui 5-5. Inui 6-5.
Everyone’s support was keeping me going, but Kaidoh especially. I could feel his presence in the back of the stands, and when I looked up at him, he was smiling with his thumb sticking out in a ‘thumbs up’. That alone gave me eighteen percent more strength to continue on. There was a zero percent chance of us not going to Nationals, as winners, is what they were all saying, and they believed in me enough to rest it on my shoulders.
Game: Yanagi 6-6. 12-point tiebreaker.
Each swing of my racket felt more difficult than the last, and each time I hit a ball that was returned to me, my heart clenched. Tighter and tighter. Not even playing Tezuka compared to this feeling. A feeling that was so indescribable, it was more than the thrill of the game, more than two people playing against each other on the court. I had to lock up the feeling-for further study later on. I had to focus only on the tiebreaker
16 all. 22-21. 24 all.
Neither one of us want to give this up. We are both playing over one hundred percent. Our reasons may be very different, but fuel our aching bodies the same way. I can not let Seigaku go home without fighting, and Renji can not let this match go on as he wants to bring the medal to his Captain who is awaiting surgery at the hospital.
26-27. 29 all.
Images flashed before me again, of our elementary school days, of our last match, my question of forever.
Winner Seigaku’s Inui. 7 games to 6.
I won. Renji lost. I was expecting immediate rush of relief and happiness; yet, the feelings only made me feel thirty-four percent better. The indescribable feeling was still there, in the pit of my stomach. And, though I felt happy that I won, I felt for Renji. After all, we had both given our all, and it just happened that I had luck on my side today.
“It was luck. My percent of winning was 50.
Renji, you could be the winner next time”
I just got some more data. I couldn’t help but grin. That was Renji’s dry humor. I sincerely hoped there was a next time. Though Renji and I could not be doubles partners forever, we could still be friends.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I remember after the match was over, and Echizen had won the final match against Sanada, how relived we all were. We won, even without Tezuka standing beside us. Yet, this feeling; a fluttering butterfly like feeling in the pit of my stomach, my heart still beating fast against my breast bone, my palms slick with sweat, I could not categorize. I would have time to study the feeling when I was home later that night, I told myself as I quickly jotted down notes about the strange occurrence. There was a seventy-two percent chance of myself figuring out what the feeling was within thirty minutes of being home, after all.
The feeling had changed after he night we won, to a twisting, turning stomach feeling, a sadness that was unexplainable, and a loss of concentration. I had zero percent chance of knowing what the feeling was, but I was one hundred percent certain that they were related. I was also feeling anxious. I had slipped Renji my e-mail address at the final courtesies of bowing and shaking each other’s hands, yet, I hadn’t received an e-mail from him yet. And, to be certain my computer had not filtered it through to the junk mail, I had been personally opening each of the hundred various porn and enhancement products people tried to sell you over e-mail, just to make sure he wasn’t playing a trick on me.
Weeks later, at a point two-five percent chance, I had still not figured out the alien feeling. I almost considered asking for outside help, but declined. To whom would I go? I wasn’t particularly close enough with anyone to talk about something I felt. Except Kaidoh, but we didn’t speak about feelings or emotions, or really, anything but training. The Internet was no help in my research, as all I kept getting were love advice columns. The Library was no help either, as there was no book called ‘twisting of the stomach and other symptoms.’ There was a one percent chance that if I went to the doctors, I would get an answer, and I will admit, I felt embarrassed about telling a doctorate graduate about a loss of concentration and a twisting of the stomach, let alone my parents as to why I needed to see the doctor.
But, the Goodwill Games were right around the corner, and all eight of us would be participating. I estimated a ninety-nine percent probability of Renji being there as well, and the butterflies in the stomach came back full force, along with the earlier symptoms, in addition to the twisting and tightening of the stomach and the other symptoms.
I was thirty-one percent off my game, and it was Kaidoh, surprisingly, who came to me, asking if everything was all right. It was very hard for the younger boy to say, as it took our whole after practice-practice to spill the words from his lips. He had caught me off guard-there was only a five percent chance, I thought, of him asking me about it, and I had no idea what to say in response. I gave him the only logical explanation I could. I had a lot of Data on my mind. Being the good, un-prying underclassman that he was, Kaidoh just shrugged, and hissed something out of his mouth that vaguely sounded like “I’m here if you need.”
By the end of the night, while I lay in my bed unable to sleep, my anxiousness was unnecessarily strong, as well as the butterfly fluttering feeling in my stomach. Tomorrow we would be going to the camp to prepare for the Goodwill Game against America, and I would no doubt see Renji again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Memories seemed to replay in my mind very easily when I lay in bed, restless and waiting for sleep to claim me. Ninety-two percent of these memories revolve around Renji, and I find myself loosing sleep over the meaning of such memories.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I recollect seeing Renji in the red and black uniform that everyone was wearing, and it made my breath catch in my throat, and my stomach ‘flop’. Noticing that he was in fact heading my way made me realize that we must be on the same team, as Sakaki-san wanted us to meet outside the door of our office. Fuji had smiled at my old doubles partner and made a sound in the back of his throat, like he had just learned something interesting. I had to wipe my hands on the inside of my jacket pockets.
Once we were set to the courts, Sakaki-san called for a doubles match, with Fuji and Saeki against Yanagi and myself. I felt…almost giddy at the prospect of being able to stand on the same side of the court as my old longtime doubles partner and best friend.
It was like Magic. There is no other explanation possible for the feeling that rushed through my body as soon as Saeki served the ball. It was like those four years had never happened, and we had never stopped playing doubles together. My stomach fluttered and my adrenalin pumped and my mind was clear and focusing on nothing else besides Renji and our doubles play.
“Although it’s been a long time since we were partners, our bodies still have the knack, don’t they, Professor?” The last word slipped out of my mouth without thought.
“And I believe you were Doc.” Yanagi responded to his old nickname, Professor. The strong memories of those two words made me miss Saeki’s serve. Also, my cheeks reddened fourteen percent that had nothing to do with the game we were currently engaging in; it was utterly unbeknownst to me. I made a mental note to jot it down to analyze later.
The game ended before I knew it, unfortunately with our loss. It was very good data and experience though. Suddenly, it did not feel like four years ago was the last time I played doubles with Renji, and the feeling was strangely comforting. I would use this time to not only train my body for hopes of playing in the Goodwill Games, but to also become Renji’s friend, once more.
We spent the days together for the remainder of the camp, as well as time up until curfew. The strange feelings; the fluttering of my stomach, sweaty palms and lack of concentration were thirty-seven percent stronger during our time spent together, for reasons unknown.
In the end, neither one of us were picked for the Goodwill Games, but I had predicted five of the players that would be on the team; Sengoku, Oshitari, Sanada, Atobe, and Kirihara.
I was pleasantly surprised that Kikumaru was picked to play for the Goodwill Games. And it did not matter that I was not picked, the other players had shown more potential and I was proud of those that would be representing our country in the game.
But the experience I received, not to mention the re-bonding I got to do with Renji, was more than I had predicted. I once again gave Renji my e-mail, and phone number in after thought before we had to part ways.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I shake myself out of those past thoughts, as I have some data to compile. Kanto is right around the corner yet again, and I was asked to re-adjust some of the Regulars' members training menus. I also have Kaidoh’s training menu to tweak as well. Though Kaidoh is a first year and the current captain will not allow first years to try out for the Regular positions, we still train after school on most days when the homework is light enough for us to do so together. We occasionally work on Doubles formations just in case we are ever needed, as another pair like Oishi and Kikumaru has not been found for Seigaku yet. Though, Kachiro and Katsuo are shaping up to be a formidable team.
As I finish up the last training menu, I look at the clock-a quarter to midnight, and sigh as I stretch my back out. Finished with my homework and menus, it’s time to go to bed, and hopefully, get an actual good night of sleep.
I did take health class in my second year of Junior high, and I was completely ready for the hormonal changes my body was gearing up to go through, and I did a plethora of research on my own about the subject, yet, I was still caught off guard by thirty-five percent when the wet dreams started senior year at Seigaku Middle. Waking up sticky and having to change the sheets wasn’t the problem, or even waking up halfway though the dream and having to take care of the problem while awake wasn’t either. It was who those dreams were about.
My wet dreams all focused on Renji. And while the dreams themselves may differ, Renji is the main attraction in one hundred percent of my thrice-weekly nighttime dreams. When I am not having polite dreams about Renji, I am up late at night pondering such dreams. The mere thought of such activities between my old doubles partner and myself leave me mind boggled and breathless, not to mention tight in the nether regions.
At first, I was very surprised about such dreams with Renji, and not some quiet girl with glasses and a shy smile. But, after further thinking and some more research on the Internet, I concluded that the wet dreams were connected, somehow, to the strange feelings I had not been able to shake over the past six months.
It was Kaidoh in the end, to give me the bigger picture and the long sought for answer to my body’s strange happenings. We were down by the river for our weekly training session; we only had so much time free between his vice-captain duties and my new workload at Seigaku High. We were stretching out our muscles for a five-mile run, when he asked me a very strange question.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Fffsh. Senpai.” Kaidoh grumbled out, as I pushed on his lower back to stretch his muscles out properly. Talk was usually not something we did much of, except for talk of his training menu, so I assumed he had a question about his latest menu regiment.
“Yes, Kaidoh?” I asked as I slowly let the pressure applied to the younger boys back decrease in a nice slow stream. Holding out a hand to help Kaidoh up, I blinked behind my glasses, as he seemed to have trouble looking at me. That, or my left shoe just became very interesting. After a couple minutes of silence as we packed our belongings, we both took off together in a steady jog. I knew Kaidoh well enough by now not to press him. The second year would speak when he was ready.
Two and three-fourths miles later, Kaidoh was ready. Hissing to get my attention away from calculating my heart rate, he opened his mouth. “Senpai…have you spoken to him yet..?” He asked, slightly panting from our run.
The question made me frown. Kaidoh’s question was very random and unexpected-eighty-seven percent so. “Who have I spoken to, Kaidoh?” I asked as we turned right to follow our normal jogging route. We’d be stopping for a break before starting on our home trail. Only a quarter mile to go.
And done. We both slowed down at the same time, and before coming to a complete stop, took a couple moments to stretch out our muscles again. We would not want to risk the seventy-two percent chance of a cramped muscle. When we were both finished, we went to our respective tennis bags for water while making ourselves comfortable under a tree.
“Yanagi-san.” Kaidoh answered quietly before gulping some water down. The name made my breath catch-that had nothing to do with the run we just finished. Renji. I still hadn’t heard from him since the Goodwill Games. I simply shook my head. Not since Nationals last term, I hadn’t.
Kaidoh stayed silent after that for the remainder of our ten-minute break. We would both be jogging the rest of the way to our respective homes separately, as our houses were in different directions. As we were packing up, Kaidoh turned to me once more. “Inui-senpai…Some things are worth holding onto, right…?”
Adjusting my glasses, I pondered the question for a moment, before answering. “Ah. Of course, Kaidoh. But…what are you talking about, exactly?” This was very interesting-Good Data.
Kaidoh hissed, and ducked his head, before starting to jog off. He threw his last words over his shoulders. “Your feelings for Yanagi-san.”
Shocked to my core at those words, I slid down to the grass and sat. My mind started to process Kaidoh’s words. My feelings for Renji? What did he mean by that? I pondered the potential answers, but found none that seemed to fit. This was Kaidoh, who never spoke much unless it was important.
Two hours later, I was in my room, going over my latest data on myself, specifically, my strange feelings/symptoms since my reunion with Renji. Feelings. Such a broad word, yet each individual piece so interwoven within another. I found my answer on an Internet website, while trying to research the word feeling. Mistakenly, I had clicked on a site that was all about fond feelings of the heart. There was a list of all the symptoms I had recently collected, and found the feeling to be frightening and serene.
And the feeling was…Love.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Everything made sense suddenly, once I admitted I had feelings for Renji. Even memories of us together while in elementary school pointed to reason that I had a crush on my best friend, but at that age, I only identified it with feelings for a best friend. All the emotions and ‘symptoms’ as I called them) became clear. I felt idiotic for not being able to piece this together myself, but then, sometimes the best data you can take is when you step away from the situation.
And for Kaidoh, I couldn’t thank him enough. The fact that Kaidoh knew, and even helped put me on the right track, spoke volumes, and made myself re-think Kaidoh’s gruff exterior. I knew how he acted with his family, and his love for animals, yet while he was always brusquely polite to everyone, including me, he wasn’t cold hearted. And maybe, fifty-four percent chance that Kaidoh thought of me as more than a senpai-but a good friend.
~*~*~*~*~*~
In the end, I tried to get in touch with Renji, with the hopes of renewing our friendship, but e-mails were never returned, phone calls left unheard, which I had to trade information about Fuji to with Mizuki. It was frustrating, but Kaidoh’s words kept me from giving up. I was not a quitter. Plus. There was a three percent chance that Renji did not know that the e-mails were from me, nor the phone calls.
Another year passed, and once again, I was a Seigaku Regular within two months time. At a nine percent chance, Fuji was the one that did not get a spot on the Regulars. I believe it had something to do with a certain St. Rudolph manager who wouldn’t quit calling, and showed up at the match.
It was nice to have Kaidoh, and Momoshiro with us once more. Even though they were first years and could not play. Their bickering was somewhat of a norm now, but it wasn’t as heated as it was before us seniors left Seigaku middle. A year with them having to work together had done them good.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
By the time the preliminaries for Nationals began, our upcoming match was against Rikkai Dai. I was apprehensive. I was not allowed to assist the Captain with the strategy, and ended up the ‘extra’ eighth player. I was fairly disappointed, but relieved at the same time. I would not be facing Renji. My heart clenched at the thought. Would I have been able to play well, or would my feelings toward the data player from Rikkai Dai interfere with my playing ability? After pondering the line-up for a moment, I decided it was a good thing the current captain went with his usual way to make the singles startup-by drawing straws.
The energy was almost electrifying. High school tennis was more popular than middle school, and especially, the amount of girls that show up to cheer on the boys has increased by several hundred percent since I was last a regular. Not to mention the fact that, at least in the second year’s cases, there was a fierce rivalry. We were, for the most part, evenly matched, and knew each other’s secrets and weaknesses, thanks to Renji and myself.
I sat up in the stands with Kaidoh and Momoshiro, ready to cheer on my fellow teammates and friends. Sitting on the bench in front of us was Tezuka, Oishi, Kikumaru and Fuji. Kawamura had also come to cheer us on though he doesn’t play competively anymore and was sitting with Momoshiro. This would be very good Data for me, to see how much stronger Rikkai Dai had gotten since we had met last time.
The matches began. A tug-of-war of points between the teams. I pulled out my green notebook and began to scribble every once in-awhile with an occasional calculating mumble. Niou and Yagyuu had become a better team, by twenty-two percent. Our Captain and Vice Captain pair lost the game, but their improvement was twelve percent from the last time I had analyzed them. The Kuwahara-Marui pair lost to our Oishi-Kikumaru pair by a landslide. I did not take any data on Marui, as it seemed that someone had misplaced his cake before his game, but Kuwahara has improved his defense by eight percent. Our Golden Pair were at the peak of their game, improving nearly five percent since the beginning of the school year.
My eyes wandered over to the Rikkai Dai side of the bleachers, and stole a glance at Renji. It turned out that he was the eighth player as well, and would not be playing. My heart sped up as I took in how my friend had matured since the last time I saw him, before loud cheering brought me back to the game taking place. It seemed that Tezuka had made a quick win for our team, beating a Rikkai Dai third year six to one. When my eyes scanned the opposite side, I found that Renji had gone missing. The second singles match began, and my attention was rapt on Sanada playing against our Hiroki-a third year speed demon. I didn’t even take notice when Sanada won his third game that Kaidoh had gone missing too.
Rikkai Dai ended up winning, as after Sanada crushed Hiroki-senpai, Yukimura was quick to go in for the kill. It was obvious that the second year had fully recovered and gained three times the amount of strength and power back from when our team faced him at Nationals.
I wanted to talk to Renji, and had the chance when Tezuka, Oishi, Kikumaru and Fuji went to congratulate the winning team. There was no doubt that we would once again be facing off at Nationals, and prove ourselves to them. I was quickly surprised, eighty-seven percent so, when Renji walked over to me without any trying on my part. We smiled easily at each other.
“Sadaharu, may I speak with you in private?” Renji asked politely. Nodding, I followed the boy to an empty court. Looking over at the other, the first thing I noticed was a bruise. A fist shaped bruise on his face.
“Renji…what happened?” I asked, concerned. The bruise was not there before he had left during the singles-one match.
Smiling, Renji reached up to touch the swollen cheek. “Ah…I believe the term is called ‘someone knocked some sense into me.’ And don’t worry. I have already applied ice to stop the swelling.”
My heart started beating fast, and the butterflies in my stomach started to flutter once more-like always. One hundred percent chance. I licked my suddenly dry lips. “Did Sanada…?” I asked. I had heard rumors that Sanada tended to strike people when his anger level was high.
Renji just shook his head and took a deep breath. “It…doesn’t matter. Just…He made me realize that I have been making a mistake. I…am sorry for ignoring your signs to rebuild our friendship. I was too busy blaming myself for not telling you, and hurting you, that I had not seen the chances you gave me. But, if you would be so gracious enough to let me make it up to you…Doc.” A slight blush scorned Renji’s cheeks, and mine as well.
I was speechless. This was like one of my dreams-number 186 to be exact. After a moment to digest my friend’s words, I nodded. “Ah….Professor.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I found out the next day, from Kaidoh, that he had been the one to sock Renji in the eye.
Kaidoh saw Renji slip off, probably to stretch his legs, and after waiting a minute as to not arouse suspicion, left the game to follow the other. Catching up to Renji fairly quickly, Kaidoh opened his mouth. “Yanagi-san.”
Pausing in front of the water fountain, Renji looked back to see a boy calling out his name. It was someone from Seigaku…Kaidoh. The one that was always around Sadaharu. He bent down to take a sip of water before nodding at the younger boy.
“I…Inui-senpai wants to be your friend.” This was hard for Kaidoh, speaking out feelings.
Cracking his eyes open, Renji idly eyed the boy, before closing his eyes and bending back down to sip from the water fountain.
Being shown such disregard, Kaidoh hissed. Just because the other was older, he could treat him like this? Well, not this time. He was sick and tired of how Inui-senpai seemed to miss his former best friend. And he had a feeling…well. He didn’t have a feeling. Fuji-senpai had cornered him one day last month and told him that Yanagi was having similar problems that Inui was having, thanks to an informant of his…anyway. He wasn’t going to let Inui-senpai be so unhappy anymore.
Kaidoh hissed again. “Ffffffsh. He forgave you after he beat you, you bastard. Although, if it were me, I wouldn’t have. He opened himself up to you again and again, hoping that you’d understand. But, from what I understand, for being the genius, you sure are stupid. Excuse me, Senpai.” He turned on his heels, ready to walk away, yet, before he thought better of it, he quickly turned back around to literally knock some sense into Renji with a upper-cut to the cheek. “He’s still waiting for you…” He growled, before making his exit.
Renji stood there stunned, holding his bruised cheek, for over fifteen minutes, dissecting Kaidoh-kun’s words, before remembering he had to ice the bruise from coloring further.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It had been six years since I have been able to fully trust again, that is to say, fully trust my heart to someone. And it has been six years since Renji Yanagi has been my friend. But now, with the help of Kaidoh, I have been able to finally let the past go, and open up my heart to those I hold dear. From this time forward, the past is behind me, and the future and nothing but bright, with a hundred percent chance of success.
The End
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Crack Ending
“Chance that Hanamura-san and Sakaki-san are discussing which tennis players in the Tokyo region they would like to see in bed together…” Inui said as he spotted the pair eating at an out door café, sipping at wine with their heads bent close together. Renji opened his left eye slightly; the right was still swollen thanks to Kaidoh, and gave his friend a smirk.
“I would love to see your Atobe-kun and my Wakato-kun together. It would be stunning. The best masterpiece ever created!” Hanamura gushed as the data pair walked past their table discreetly, of course.
“While it may be stunning, Aoi-chan, there would not be enough pain killers in the world to deal with those two’s ego’s.” Sakaki answered matter-of-factly.
“And what about that sweetie pie of a Aggressive baseliner on Seigaku’s team…” Hanamura was squealing, ignoring her partner’s words, as they turned the corner.
Grinning at his boyfriend, Inui adjusted his glasses. “One hundred percent.” he said at the same time as Renji did, who smirked and took the other’s hand. They had a date to start.