Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ 10 Years Later ❯ Chapter 4

"Ten Years Later"

A _Price of Tennis_ Fanfiction

By Andrea Readwolf [andrea_readwolf @hotmail.com]

Chapter: 4

Rating: R

Characters: Shishido Ryou, Shishido Karina, Otori Chotaroh, Shishido Marika, and Hyotei

Genre: Drama-Angst

Warnings/Spoilers/Summary: 10 years after Otori decided to leave Japan, 10 years after Shishido married, Hyotei's Platinum Pair are destined to meet again.

 

Disclaimer: Tennis no Ohjisama, characters and settings are the property of Konomi Takeshi. Original characters are the property of Andrea Readwolf.

 

Started: March 2005.

Word Count: 2243

 

 

"10 Years Later" Chapter 4

 

The aggressive and fast paced violin allegro suited his confused and turmoil-filled mind perfectly. As his bow and fingers raced over the strings, he didn't hear the doorbell sound until the other person raised his voice and shouted.

 

"Oiya! Cho-ta-roh-kun~! I know you're in there! Open up!"

 

Otori snapped out of his daze, lowering his bow and violin and heading for the door before Jiroh could disturb any of his neighbors.

 

"Jiroh-san, you really shouldn't--" he managed to say before he was full-body glomped by the other man.

 

"Chotaroh-kun! I was beginning to think you were purposefully ignoring me," the blond man complained, dragging him back into the apartment. "So, how are things going? Gakuto was disappointed that you didn't show up last night to play cards with us. He and Yuushi were looking forward to seeing you again, you know, and Ryoh was being absolutely tight-lipped about the whole affair. Wouldn't tell us a thing 'cept to mind our own businesses, and well, you know how unsatisfying that is!"

 

"Jiroh-san, really, I'm, ah, kinda busy right now," Otori tried, wiggling free long enough to replace his bow and violin.

 

"Bah! You can play any old time," Jiroh scoffed, taking a pastry box out of the bag he was carrying, dropping the bag onto the couch and heading into the kitchen. "You got anything good to drink? Minami only keeps tea or coffee at the office, and Ono-san made us some sweet cakes--"

 

Otori pinched the bridge of his nose. It would be no good trying to get the other man to leave until Jiroh was good and ready.

 

"I don't know what I have in there anymore," he called in reply to Jiroh's question and set to putting his violin away properly. "Karina stopped by yesterday, though, so there much be something."

 

He realized it was the wrong thing to say the second when Jiroh's head popped out of the kitchen with an expectant look. "Oh, really... so you three are getting along pretty okay, then, huh?"

 

Otori flinched and flushed. "I'd rather not talk about it, thanks anyway," he muttered, turning away.

 

"Ah, well, see, that could be a little bit of a problem," Jiroh returned, carrying two glassed of milk and balancing a plate of pastry cakes, too. "Help yourself," he offered as if he were the host and not the guest here. "Listen, Chotaroh, I know you're probably really mixed up about this whole thing with Karina and Ryoh and all, but I'm not here just for a social visit today."

 

Setting his own milk glass down on the coffee table, Jiroh reached over for the bag he'd dropped earlier. He pulled out a paper file. "I need you to read through these, and if you have any questions at all, call me so we can go through them, okay? Karina wants as much taken care of as possible."

 

Otori felt stricken; staring at the papers Jiroh was offering, he was frightened to take them, as if, by accepting those papers, his life would be changed forever.

 

"Listen, Chotaroh," Jiroh said again, setting the papers down on the coffee table. "I know it's been a crazy couple of weeks for you, moving back and finding about Karina and Ryoh--"

 

Otori closed his eyes.

 

~~~~~~~~

"Ryoh's getting married."

"I heard."

"Will you at least come home and see him, I mean, visit?"

"I--I don't think that's a good idea, Jiroh-sempai."

"Auh, well, we all miss you, Chotaroh-kun. Couldn't you at least stop by just for a couple of days?"

"I--I'll see about it, but I can't make any promises."

"Just say the word, and I can arrange for a plane ticket in your name, you know."

"I know. Thank you, sempai."

"That's what friends are for, ne, Chotaroh-kun?"

~~~~~~~~

 

Otori shook his head, chasing away memories from so long ago. He set his mug down on the table and stared at the papers haphazardly organized into several piles. Jiroh had left several hours ago, and Otori had dutifully sat himself down and tried to read through the papers, but he became more and more sick the more he read until finally he just couldn't read anymore.

 

He kept remembering Karina asking him if he liked children, if he thought he would be a good father... He had tried to push away what it was she was implying, but... It was difficult to deny something you wanted. Didn't he know that from experience?

 

 

~~~~~~~~

He hadn't planned on going up to him, on letting the other man know he was back, but then he'd seen him there, sitting on his bar stool, staring forlornly at a can of beer, and he wondered where the others were. Why weren't they all partying up and teasing him on his last night of bachelorhood, he wondered.

The other man was very drunk, he realized when he stepped up next to him and asked if the neighboring seat was taken.

"I'm getting married tomorrow," Shishido replied, somewhat slurred as he titled the Sapporo can forward and stared into it. "She's a real good girl. Yep. You would like her." He took a pull from the can before adding, "Ain't too great in bed, but I guess it's too late for that, huh?"

He wondered just how much Shishido had had to drink and asked, but the other man couldn't remember. "You should go home, Shishido-san. It's late, and you're getting married tomorrow."

"I know that, dammit," Shishido growled, folding his arms over the bar counter. "Do you think I don't know my own wedding date?"

He called for a taxi, giving the driver the address as he helped Shishido into the car.

"Don't go," Shishido mumbled, grasping at his hand. "Stay, please. Don't leave me."

What could he do? It was what he wanted to do, even if he knew it was wrong. And it was wrong, on so many fronts--it was wrong, because there was a young girl about to get married to this man tomorrow, because Shishido was intoxicated and probably wouldn't even remember, because... because he was the one who had chosen to walk out three years ago. Because Otori was the one who'd called it off between them so he could go off and concentrate on the career that was just now beginning to take off.

Because.... because... because...

But Otori forgot all about those reasons, and for a few blessed hours, he drowned in the sensation of touch and taste and feel that was Shishido. And then, when reality came crashing back down on him, he felt sick with himself.

Slowly, carefully, he untangled himself from the naked body pressed up and wound around his and climbed out of bed, guiltily thinking that tomorrow there would be a different body sleeping in this bed with Shishido....

"Chot'roh, love you," Shishido mumbled in the same sleepy way he always had since they'd first started sleeping together, and a fierce pain shot through him, staggering him, and Otori was sure the pain hurt enough to die from, but he didn't die. As he carefully went about the room, retrieving his clothes, he focused on breathing, in and out, until he was fully dressed again and standing over the bed.

He set the alarm clock for the sleeping man and then just stood there, staring down at Shishido's sleeping form.

Three years. It had been three years since they had last seen each other, since he had cut Shishido free and moved to a different country to pursue his music. It had been three years, and Shishido still had such a powerful effect on him, just like when they were teenagers. Even back in high school and junior high, Otori had always had an unhealthy habit of not being able to say no to Shishido.

He left, quickly, quietly, before he could change his mind.

The next day, he snuck into the back of the chapel, noticed by only a few people as the two people exchanged their nuptials. Then he just left.

~~~~~~~~

 

With an angry exhale, Otori got up off the sofa and took his cup into the kitchen. Unfortunately, there wasn't much more to do in his kitchen then in the rest of his apartment. The maid service that came twice a week was very thorough.

 

The idea of playing one of his instruments was distasteful. He didn't own a TV yet, so he couldn't watch anything or even set up his game station to waste a few hours. He had nothing new to read, and there was no place he really wanted to go. Besides which, it was already dark outside, which meant any cybercafes or hang out areas would be packed with teenagers, and dance clubs and bars just weren't places Otori liked to frequent by himself, anyway.

 

He was tempted to just attempt to call it an extremely early night and try going to sleep when the phone rang like a saving grace from lethargy.

 

"Yo, Chotaroh," Shishido's voice sang in his ear. "You got some time? Was wondering if you'd mind coming over here for a bit?"

 

And Otori mentally sighed as he became victim to the memories from the other night.

 

~~~****~~~

 

Otori was playing a string quartet piece when the knock on the door came. He'd been half expecting it, of course, but was still a little afraid to actually believe the other man would really come to him. After all, he'd been the one who'd left; he hadn't stuck around like any of their other friends.

 

He glanced at the clock, surprised to see it was already after eleven as he went to get the door.

 

"I've been kicked out," Shishido whispered dazedly, staring at Otori in a mixed state of hurt and confusion.

 

Otori held the door open for the other man to enter. "Have a seat," he offered. "Can I get you something to drink?"

 

"You were playing?"

 

Otori shrugged. "I was just fooling around. Nothing special," he answered, returning his violin to his case.

 

"No, it's okay," Shishido stopped him. "Play something for me?"

 

He was startled by the request to say the least. "But, you used to hate it when I played," he sputtered.

 

"I used to get annoyed when you'd get up at five a.m. and start playing," Shishido corrected, his lips twitching. "But I always liked to listen to you play."

 

"I...never knew," Otori replied weakly, retuning his strings. "Was there anything in particular you wanted to hear?"

 

Shishido stretched out on the couch, throwing an arm over his eyes, shaking his head. "Whatever you want is fine."

 

Otori thought for a moment and then brought his instrument up. He was half-way through the piece when Shishido spoke up.

 

"That's one of yours," he commented, surprising Otori. "It's on your Dedication album."

 

"Aa." Otori hesitated between continuing or stopping. "This was the piece I wrote for you."

 

"I know." Shishido sighed and sat up. "I mean, I suspected, and all... you used to play that same theme all the time in high school." Shishido looked over at him, and he looked so weary and tired and...

 

Otori's arms fell to his sides.

 

"Karina says I'm still in love with you, you know that?" Shishido said lightly, as if it could have been some amusing joke. "As if, after thirteen fucking years, there could still be anything between us."

 

"It's... been quite a long time," Otori agreed softly.

 

"Fuck it, though, if she ain't right," Shishido hissed, and Otori turned away quickly, focusing on putting his instrument away so he wouldn't have to look at Shishido right then. "I never stopped loving you, Chotaroh."

 

"I--" He cut off the word 'sorry', knowing how much Shishido hated empty apologies. He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed hard. "I--me neither," he finally admitted.

 

"Then why the hell did you leave like that?" Shishido finally exploded, hitting the couch in frustration.

 

"Because," Otori swallowed and forced himself to turn around and face Shishido. He'd known that eventually they would have to have this conversation. He knew he owed Shishido a reasonable explanation for his actions. "I had to know," he answered softly, "whether or not I had it in me to be this great musician everyone seemed to think I was, and I didn't know how long it would take or how far I would have to go, and I didn't want to be holding you back from whatever it was you decided you wanted to do."

 

"That's bullshit," Shishido grounded out, standing up. "What was there to hold me back from, Chotaroh? I understand why you left Japan--I just never understood why you had to leave *me*, too... Like that. And in a fucking, goddamned letter." He gestured wildly. "Fucking shit, Chotaroh... that was.... that was way uncool of you," he finished lamely.

 

"I left for me, too," Otori whispered. "I had to know who I was... if I was more than just Shishido's younger partner." He shook his head. "Somewhere, I guess, I lost myself... It's only taken me thirteen years to find myself again..."

 

Shishido was standing right in front of him now. So close.

 

"Funny," he added, reaching out to touch the other man, "that I couldn't find myself, until I found you again."

 

~~~***~~~

 

TBC