Slam Dunk Fan Fiction ❯ April 1st - The GIFT ❯ Torn ( Chapter 9 )

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PART 09: TORN

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"Hana!" Rukawa shouted as he opened the bedroom door, frantic to see his redhead but the scene that greeted froze him dead on his tracks.

[Rukawa? What is he doing here?] Fujima thought in shock, unconsciously removing his hand from its stroking of Sakuragi's member that made the latter squirm from the lost of the touch. Having heard the whimper, he turned his head away from the raven head and gazed tenderly at the boy beneath him.

"Er… I hate to be rude, Rukawa, but ummm… Could you leave? Hana-chan and I are in the middle of something," Fujima called out without even removing his gaze from the brown orbs that were staring up at him.

Any guy would have bolted right out from that room or act like a crazed jealous lover out to murder the guy looming over his loved one, but not Rukawa. Though the ice prince had every inclination of doing either of the two, his perfectly practiced show of nonchalance, not to mention his will to get his redhead back, automatically kicked in and he was able to stand his ground. He would not let jealousy get the better of him this time even though the image of his boyfriend lying pliant under another man's body would be forever etched in his mind.

After calming his shaky nerves a little, Rukawa balled his hands into fist and stared murderously on Fujima's side view. "Get off of him right now!" Rukawa spat with venom as he started to walk sternly towards the bed with the intention of bodily removing the former Shoyo guy when he was suddenly hindered by a hand on his arm and an accompanying voice saying, "Not so fast Rukawa."

Surprised to hear another voice,[What the heck is going on? Have I posted this address or did Sendoh have the party moved to this location?] Fujima mentally cried, exasperated to see Sakuragi's dark haired friend.

Mito was glad that he was able to catch up with the fox but was stunned to see Hanamichi sprawled on the bed with another guy. [What are you doing Hanamichi?] He thought in dismay, removing his hand from its tight grip on Rukawa's arm and was surprised to find it slightly bloodied.

"Rukawa you…" Mito started, but stopped when he saw the ominous look marring the handsome face. Rukawa was undoubtedly beyond caring if he had cuts and scratches, or if his left arm was in need of attention after breaking in through the window to gain entrance into the beach house, since his entire focus was definitely on getting his 'aho. Thinking that he had to do something before the ice prince really looses control, he stepped forward and addressed the seeming undaunted guy. "Move away from him Fujima if you value your life."

"Move?" Fujima chuckled, not even flustered. "I don't think Hana-chan would let me." Proving his point, Fujima lifted himself off the redhead but only managed to raise his chest before the arms around his neck tightened to pull him back down. "Stay with me," he heard Sakuragi whisper then felt the latter's wet lips traveling down the baseline of his throat complemented by the hardness that was being grinded against his and the wandering hands roaming on his body.

Caught unprepared of having Sakuragi tease him instead of the other way around, Fujima's initial reaction was to moan aloud, desire welling up through the tumult of sensations rocking his body. Within seconds, the effeminate Shoyo ace had completely forgotten his guests, his entire focus, centered on the aggressive redhead.

By the door… Having watched the couple on the bed made Mito speechless and completely bowled over. He could not believe that his bestfriend was actually making out with someone, even with Rukawa in the room! Then, amidst being dumbstruck, it did not fail his notice that Sakuragi had not once acknowledged their presence. As he turned to say something to the fox by his side, he was suddenly taken aback to see the latter's demeanor. "Hey, Rukawa, are you okay?"

[This must be killing him inside.] Mito thought as he took in Rukawa's appearance; hands tightly balled into fist, body quivering from either anger or something else, he really did not know, but what arrested him was the fox's expression. Though he had seen Rukawa stripped off of his mask twice for that day alone, still, the look of naked pain now painted across the latter's ashen face was something he would rather have missed. Looking towards the bed again, [Why is Hanamichi doing this anyway? Did he and Rukawa had a fight or something and this is his way of punishing him?] He pondered but then again, [no, Hanamichi's not like that. He would punch and beat the hell out of Rukawa, but not like this. This is slow torture! But then, why…] Getting tired of contemplating, "Damn it, Hanamichi! What the hell are you doing? Can't you see that you're hurting Rukawa?" He hollered, but it was as if his friend had not even heard him for the latter just arched his neck to give Fujima's wandering lips more access.

Though Rukawa had heard and slightly flinched after hearing Mito's yell, his eyes had never left the scene that was slowly killing him inside. There were no words to explain the torment that he was going through and not even the pain caused by his twin sister's death a few years back could match the gnawing ache Sakuragi's betrayal was causing him. But even so, there was still that belief in his heart, that belief which his sanity was still clinging on to, that his 'aho LOVES only HIM and would NOT betray him!

[Is that what you call love? Just look at him!] Rukawa's mind jeered, mocking him as he watched Sakuragi's wanton compliance to Fujima's ministrations.

[No! He… He…]

[What? He what? You still don't get it do you. This is Hana's way of showing you that he got tired of waiting for the right moment, unlike you!]

[No! That's not true! We both agreed!] Rukawa countered.

[Really? Then explain that!]

Having no inkling that Sakuragi had been drugged, the raven head had no way of defending his boyfriend's actions even to himself thus he just looked on and his muscles remained numb to the core, rendering him motionless.

[See? You can't even begin to explain why he's doing it? You can't even do anything about it. Face it Kaede, Hanamichi no longer belongs to you. He no longer loves you.] Rukawa's mind gibed.

[No! Hana loves me!]

[Deny all you want. The truth is right there, face it!]

"Stop it!" Rukawa voiced out loud, covering his ears and shutting his eyes, totally missing Mito's inquisitive gaze on him. [Hana loves me! Hana loves me!] He kept chanting, willing his mind to shut up but then, [Why? Why can't I do something?] He inwardly bellowed, frustrated over his lack of action. He wanted to shake Hanamichi for answers but, truth be known, he was scared, scared of what he might hear from the latter.

Hearing a moan, Rukawa's eyes flew open. Looking towards the bed, his aquamarine eyes widened and his face became ghastly white as he saw where Fujima had turned his teasing. "No! Stop!" He cried, loud enough that it made Fujima look up from where his tongue was languorously teasing one of Sakuragi's nipple.

Smiling devilishly, "He's now mine, Rukawa," Fujima said before he turned his attention back to the pinkish bud that grew erect and hard as pebble inside his mouth.

< He's now mine >

< He's now mine >

< He's now mine >

Even though Fujima's words had a shattering effect on the raven head, it was just the thing that pushed the latter to the limit of his endurance, thus after reaffirming his belief that … [Hanamichi loves me and no one is taking him away from me!] Rukawa literally flew towards the bed, shocking Mito, as he hauled Fujima off the redhead.

Stunned and shaken, Fujima cried, "What the… let go of me!" But the only answer he got was a fist right smack on his face that sent him staggering backwards with stars dancing all around him, and if Rukawa had not grabbed his collar again, he would surely have fallen face down on the floor.

Drawing the former Shoyo captain's face closer to his, "You can't have Hanamichi!" Rukawa gritted and he was about to hit Fujima again when his left arm was suddenly grasped painfully by a widely waken horror stricken Hanamichi crying out, "No! Let go of him!"

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{Downstairs}

Sendoh looked up from the threshold of the beach house upon hearing the cry and hastily sped into the house without waiting for his two companions.

"Hanagata, wait!"

Hanagata stopped and turned to stare at the hesitating figure of Maki. "What?"

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{Upstairs}

Startled, Rukawa unconsciously let Fujima go and turned to face his boyfriend, wincing slightly when the latter's nails dug deep into his wound. "Hana?" He softly called out but the other ignored him and instead tried to stand up using his arm as leverage, all the time trying to reach out at something. All of a sudden, he saw Sakuragi pitch forward, and the redhead would have fallen if he had not managed to tug the hand clutching his wounded arm, making his 'aho lean onto him instead.

Having noticed that Sakuragi had fainted in Rukawa's arms, "I think you better lie him down again," Mito suggested.

Without really needing to be told, the raven head effortlessly carried the supple body and laid it back down onto the bed. Ignoring the other occupants of the room for a moment, Rukawa sat down beside the prone figure and stared longingly at Sakuragi. [What's the matter with you Hana-kun? Why were you with him? Did he… had he taken you away from me?] His anguish shone in his eyes after mentally voicing out the last question that was the root of his present torment.

Sensing Mito from behind, Rukawa hastily suppressed the forming wetness in his eyes and reluctantly removed his hand from its tender stroking of Sakuragi's face. Taking huge deep breaths, Rukawa calmed himself and schooled his features before he stood up and faced the source of his pain. "You! I don't know what you did to Hanamichi but you are not taking him away from me."

As Rukawa made a move to bridge the gap between him and the silently watching Fujima, he suddenly stopped in his tracks when he heard a loud calling of his name. "Kaede! No! Don't go!" There it was again. Brows furrowed, Rukawa turned around and locked gaze with a pair of misty brown eyes shrouded in fear. Mystified and baffled, he sat back on the bed and took one of his boyfriend's clenched hands in one of his.

"I'm here Hana. I'm right here," Rukawa tried telling Sakuragi but the chocolate pupils that he adored so much to gaze into were blank. Disturbed and getting worried, "Hana, it's me!" He said a little louder and grasped his beloved's chin, forcing the other to look straight into his eyes but to his shock, all it did was to make the former recoil from his touch.

As if frightened, Sakuragi curled his body sideways into a ball and wrapped his arms around himself protectively. "Kitsune…" He sobbed before the lifeless brown eyes hid behind closed lids and shed silent tears that reflect his sorrow of not having Rukawa by his side.

Mito turned away. He was having a hard time in accepting the fact that the sobbing and frightened young man on the bed and the Hanamichi that he knew were one and the same. [No. Hanamichi is stronger than that,] he thought, but deny as he might, there was no mistaking the voice that was sobbing Rukawa's name.

[Rukawa…] Mito pondered. Taking a deep breath, he turned around and stared at the couple on the bed. [Is this what being in love has done to you, Hanamichi?] He mentally berated his bestfriend. But then again, a conversation after yesterday's game slowly floated back in his mind.

< Be happy Hanamichi, that's what we wish for you on your birthday tomorrow. >

< I am Youhei. More than you'll ever know. >

[And it was true,] Mito thought. The four of them had only wished for Hanamichi to be happy, and they got their wish after they saw how jubilant the redhead was after the fox had acceded to reveal their relationship in public.

[He was so happy yesterday. But now…]

"What the hell is the matter with him?" Mito voiced out his vexation. Hearing something from behind, he turned and saw Fujima sitting on a chair at the far side of the room, cradling his head between his hands. Bridging the distance, "You! What did you do to Hanamichi?" He questioned in a low deadly tone that made the other snap his head up. For a moment, he was staggered to see remorse on the substitute's face but he immediately recovered. He was not buying it nor did he care for Fujima's troubles, grabbing the latter by the collar, he hauled him up and gritted, "Feeling guilty?" Hearing no response, "Hey, have you gone deaf or something? Answer me, damn it!" He cried.

Mito's voice resounded around the room but it did not even reached the fox boy's ears. No, he did not switch into trance mode, as part of him subconsciously thanked, but rather, the curled figure on the bed had his entire attention.

One would have found it a funny scene if they had witnessed the normally cool and composed stoic boy going frantic with worry over his once bickering partner. Rukawa kept checking for signs of injury, sickness, or something that could explain why his redhead had first acted like a wanton lover to Fujima and then a frightened little boy who kept calling for him.

After being satisfied, happy, and yet maddeningly frustrated of not finding any physical signs that could explain his boyfriend's behavior, Rukawa then resorted into talking to Sakuragi, this time hoping that his voice would be able to reach him. "Hana…" He called in a low voice, lightly shaking the curled figure at the same time. "Hey Hana, wake up will you?" Still nothing. Feeling the rising panic, "Please wake up Hanamichi," he softly pleaded then reached out and wiped the redhead's face dry of any remnants of tears. After what seemed to be as another long stretch of silence for him, "Kaede…" he heard and it was again the only response he got, bothering him to no end with the thought that he was the cause of his 'aho's obvious pain. [But why? I'm right here and I won't leave you. Why can't you hear me?]

Reaching the end of his wits, Rukawa turned towards the very guy he wanted to erase from the face of the earth and half-shouted, "What did you do to him?"

Still holding the guy by the collar, Mito shook Fujima none too gently and said, "Getting sick of hearing the question aren't you? Well, are you going to answer that one now or are you really that keen on meeting your maker?"

Fujima's expression hardened as he shift gaze from the redhead to the slightly shorter guy holding him. Freeing himself, he was about to retort something when suddenly… "Hana has been drugged," supplied by the newcomer standing in the doorway. Two heads and one shocked raven head then turned to stare at him.

"WHAT?" Mito exclaimed incredulously.

"Sendoh." Fujima mouthed.

"Drugged?" Rukawa gasped. [Was that why he...?] He trailed then returned his gaze back to his curled redhead who had burrowed deeper into the pillow. "Hana..."

Mito, who had been intently watching Rukawa's expression, had a smile of understanding on his face as he said, "Stay with Hanamichi and let me handle Fujima, Rukawa."

Without turning, Rukawa just nodded his head in silent assent for his mind was no longer on maiming the Shoyo guy but onto the prone figure of his beloved. Heedless of the people inside that room, he leaned down and placed a chaste kiss over the hand adorning the ring that symbolizes their unity before resting his chin above it. "You have to fight that drug 'aho. I still have one last surprise for you then after that, I'll fulfill my earlier promise and we'll spend the entire night together, just the two of us," he whispered before reaching to place a light kiss over the parted lips then sighed somewhat in content for having his Hanamichi by his side again. The realization that his boyfriend was just under the influence of some sort of drug had somehow alleviated some of his worries and fears, though it did not lighten the heavy feeling in his heart.

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{Downstairs}

"I never knew you to be a coward Maki." Hanagata mocked, getting quite irritated.

"Cowardice is not an issue here Hanagata. I just don't want to confront Kenji with all those people." Maki explained, uninterestingly inspecting the house that was supposed to be a gift for him. "Besides, I don't think Kenji would want to see me right now." He softly added.

Hanagata scowled at that. "I don't think Kenji would want you to be in Kanagawa either but you came anyway. So, what's stopping you from going upstairs to whisk your boyfriend away? Wasn't that what you've been wanting to do ever since you've arrived at the airport?"

Crossing his arms, Maki leaned against the wall and said, "Yes but… "

Having sensed the hesitation again, Hanagata threw his hand up in the air and cried, "Man! What is the matter with you? Your boyfriend is right upstairs doing God knows what with three people who would not even hesitate to hurt him and here you are being melodramatic?"

Snapping, "What do you want me to do then? Burst right in and demand an explanation? Carry him away amidst the very people who are hurting as much as I am?" Maki shouted. Raking his hand on his hair, "Call me anything you like. I won't go upstairs with you. I'll wait till I could get Kenji alone, then we'll talk."

Shaking his head, "Unbelievable! You sure are one piece of work. A man of unbendable determination on the basketball court where no man could deter and yet here you are, daunted just by the mere fact that you are afraid of what you might witness and hear upstairs. Isn't that what's holding you? The TRUTH?" Hanagata scorned.

Maki turned his face away and said, "Just go Hanagata."

"Yeah I will. I've already wasted so much time as it is." Waving a dismissal hand, Hanagata turned around and was about to leave when suddenly, "Don't let them hurt Kenji." Maki said in which he replied, "There's no need to tell me that." Then hurriedly went upstairs, leaving a despondent Maki on his own devices.

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{Upstairs}

While Maki and Hanagata were having their conversation downstairs… Sendoh ventured further inside the bedroom and towered over Fujima with a look of disdain on his face. "Surprised to see me or are you surprised that I know what you did to Hana."

"How did Fujima managed to drug Hanamichi? I know he could be gullible sometimes but he is not stupid," Mito intervened.

"How? Care to tell them or would you rather I tell them how you manipulated everything for your twisted reasons?" Sendoh jeered, looking straight at Fujima with anger in his eyes.

Fujima looked away but nonchalantly replied, "Be my guest."

Shaking his head in disgust, he turned towards Mito but not before glancing at the couple on the bed and felt his heartstrings pull. Tearing his gaze away, he took a very deep breath, calming his nerves, and then started telling his story, starting from the time Mito and the others left Sakuragi alone with him after their arrival.

Mito listened with rapt attention and it was only when he heard the latter say…"Kiyota, Fujima and I coerced Hana into agreeing to spend an hour each with the three of us and …" did he raise his hand to interrupt and ask, "Whose idea was that?"

Thankful for the breather, "His," Sendoh answered, pointing at Fujima who was standing by the window.

"Damn!" Mito cursed under his breath.

[And the four us thought that among the four volunteers HE was the most harmless and less prone to create a scene or something.] Mito thought and had a sudden urging to whack himself for conjuring up the whole stupid idea. [Next year, we'll just settle in treating him a whole day's meal. Costly, but easier.]

[Yeah, but would the fox let you? Just look at what happened to your innocent prank?] Mito's mind chided and he groaned unintentionally.

Kneading the back of his neck, "So what happened next?" Mito urged Sendoh to continue his story but could not help thinking, [I bet Rukawa's just itching to kill me now for leaving his fiancée alone with those three.]

Though try as he might, Mito could not see any expression from Rukawa since the latter had his face now buried in the crook of his bestfriend's neck. Blushing suddenly, he turned away and refused to entertain thoughts of hentaish nature.

Sendoh followed Mito's vision but immediately looked away. His own personal feelings for Sakuragi could not yet handle Rukawa's blatant show of adoration for the former but still he thought, [Mentioning what Kiyota had done would not be a good idea right now.] Thus, he carefully omitted that part and continued with his story only to face an obstacle when he reached that point where Fujima was about to give that statement to Sakuragi, the one that he had remembered earlier in the car. Nevertheless, he had to say it, albeit cautiously.

For Rukawa... He would have been all too willing to block out Sendoh's voice from the very start since each word smiley had uttered seemed to have a one-way ticket jabbing him straight in his heart. Nuzzling his face deeper into his beloved's neck, [If only I did not let you go without me…] He berated himself, guilt stricken upon remembering his Hana's forlorn expression when he had told him that he would not be accompanying him to the party.

As if sensing the other's pain, Sakuragi disentangled his arms around himself and loosely wrapped it around the warmth, soothing and chasing his fears away with the belief that his kitsune was again safe by his side. "Kaede…" The redhead softly uttered and tightened his embrace, no longer afraid.

Surprised and elated to have those familiar arms wrapped around him; Rukawa lifted his head to check if his Hana had wakened… "'Aho?" Nothing. No answer. Sakuragi still had his eyes closed though there was now a faint smile on his lips.

Dropping his head onto the pillow beside the red tresses, Rukawa traced the closed lids with one finger and said, "Please wake up soon, Hana-kun. I need you and I miss you so damn much. Please just…" Rukawa stopped his words right there, too choked up with the emotions that were threatening to engulf him the moment he decided to continue. Squeezing his eyes shut to quell the tears from falling, Rukawa turned around so his back would be pressed against Sakuragi's chest and snuggled closer, needing to feel as much warmth of the redhead's as he could possibly get then sighed in content when the latter hugged him closer.

Just for that moment, all of Rukawa's earlier worries, heartaches, and pains flew right out of the window and he could care less for the other people inside that room. All he could feel and all he could sense was his 'aho's love for him as he was wrapped in that loving embrace where he could always forget everything except for the person who was holding him.

Oblivious to the couple on the bed, "… I am such an idiot!" Sendoh cried.

"Why do you say that?" Mito questioned.

Sighing, Sendoh kneaded his forehead and just said, "Because I was idiot enough to have believed that Fujima's intentions were harmless when I left Hana alone with him."

"Oh…" Mito mouthed.

Turning towards the guy who was standing by the window, "You! You scheming manipulating sick bastard! Why did you kidnap Hanamichi?" Mito questioned but Fujima's attention was not on him but on the couple cuddled on the bed.

Looking at how Sakuragi was protectively embracing Rukawa close to his side was making Fujima's feelings torn into two. A part of him, the still drunk to the redhead's taste and jealous of the raven head part of him, wanted so badly to go over and fight for his twisted belief that the former was his, at least for the day. However, his feelings had somehow changed after the raven head had almost knocked him unconscious earlier. Seeing the redhead cry and obviously hurting had pained him more than his jealousy of Rukawa. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the windowsill and thought, [It was my entire fault!] He knew that Sakuragi would not have faced his greatest fear and be hurt in the process if he had not given him the drug. Having studied and researched about its effects in the university, he should have had a foresight that once any of the user's sensory was stimulated, it would brought about a chain of reaction and an example of which would be pleasure and pain in its extremities. Hence, Sakuragi had experienced those effects the moment the latter had believed that he, Fujima, was Rukawa.

Ignoring Sendoh and Mito, Fujima strolled towards the bed. Clear blue eyes took in the tranquil aura that now enveloped the sleeping redhead and those blue orbs shone with jealousy and sadness that it was all because of the curled raven head he was hugging. "I'm sorry if I had sent you to that private hell Hana-chan. I didn't mean to and I hope that you could…" he stopped then cried, "Hey," when he felt someone dragging him away from the couple.

"What's your problem?" Fujima grimaced.

"You!" Sendoh said. "You're my problem. Were you devising another plan to tear them apart?"

Freeing himself from Sendoh's grasp, "No, I am not!" Fujima answered.

"Then what were you doing over there?" Sendoh persisted.

Fujima turned his eyes away and said, "That is none of your business, Sendoh. Stay out of it!"

"Stay out of it? You've made a fool of me inside my own home and you expect me to be okay with it?" Sendoh mocked and shoved Fujima none too gently against the wall. "I care for Hana too whether you wanted to know or not but I would not intentionally hurt him by doing what you did! For that alone I ought to beat the hell out of you and free Rukawa the burden of burying you alive," he snarled.

"Not a bad idea, Sendoh. How about... We make it a birthday gift for Hanamichi instead," Mito suggested and flexed his fingers before advancing ominously towards the blue-eyed college guy.

Unbeknownst to Sendoh and Mito, a still puffing brunette had just entered the bedroom and was in time to catch Mito's last statement. Thus…

"Stay away from him!"

The shout startled both Mito and Sendoh, stopping them from whatever harm they might want to inflict on Fujima and faced the spectacled person from the doorway.

"Toru!" Fujima gasped, his eyes widening at the sight of his bestfriend.

"Nice timing, Hanagata-san. You alone?"

Reaching Fujima's side, Hanagata intentionally ignored Sendoh and asked, "Are you alright Kenji?"

"Your friend is still in one piece, though he won't be for long," Mito imparted, still flexing his fingers.

Heedless of Mito's comment, Fujima faced his spectacled friend and said, "Don't you think I could handle myself, Toru?"

Smiling his relief, Hanagata replied, "I'm glad to hear that." Turning to face Sakuragi's dark haired friend, "I can understand your feelings for Kenji right now, but there is really no need for anyone to get hurt. I mean, I don't think Sakuragi's been harm in anyway," he stated, remembering the sleeping couple as he passed by the bed that was now blocked from his view by Sendoh's frame.

Dumbstruck, "What?" Mito thundered. "Are you that thick on your friendship that you would ignore what your friend had done to Hanamichi?" He questioned in pure disbelief. "Man, you Shoyo guys make me sick!"

"No! It's not…" Hanagata started but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

With his expression grim, "I really don't care what you think of me right now, and I don't intend to explain my actions to you either," Fujima remarked and then added, "But just for the record, hurting Hana-chan was never my intention."

"Then, what was…?"

"You just intended to rape him." A cold and icy voice suddenly cut through Mito's angry tirade.

All eyes turned towards the direction of the voice and found the owner to be widely awake and sitting sideways, facing them from the bed. Though Rukawa had allowed himself to be lulled to sleep within Sakuragi's warm embrace, Hanagata's shout had easily jolted him awake and it only took him a minute or so before everything came flooding back to him; the pain, the frustration and the burning anger towards the former blue-eyed ace of Shoyo high.

Not really sure that he had heard him right; Hanagata inched nearer to Rukawa and asked, "What did you say?"

Transferring his gaze towards the spectacled player, "You heard me," was Rukawa's clipped reply.

"How…?" Sendoh tried saying but was too shocked to continue. Sure, he had thought that Fujima might take advantage of Sakuragi, but... rape? It was something that he had refused to equate earlier with the facts presented to him. Mito, on the hand, had an expression of aghast and confusion on his face because only then did he give attention again to what he had seen when he had first entered the bedroom. As for Hanagata… He refused to accept the accusation because not only did it sound condemning, accusing, and downright tainting his friend's reputation, but it was also unbelievable. "Rape is a strong word Rukawa. I have known Kenji long enough and I refuse to believe that he could do that."

Cold glinting sapphire colored eyes were almost not visible through narrowed slits as they sought to lock gaze with a pair of dark grey eyes that were staring back in defiance. "Why? Were you here when I arrived?" Rukawa asked in a low deadly tone.

Before Hanagata could answer Rukawa's question, "Wait! Sorry, Rukawa, but, it did not seem that Hanamichi was being raped. If anything, he was even participating," Mito intervened.

Though the intervention and the reminder annoyed Rukawa to bits, the remark made him turn towards Fujima and curtly asked, "What was that drug that you gave him?"

Bearing responsibility as the owner of the said drug, Hanagata volunteered to explain. "It's a hallucinogen drug. It disrupts once capability to perceive between what is real and what is not. It feeds on human emotions ranging from sadness, anger, fear, happiness, and pleasures… that sort. It's not really lethal if that's your concern."

"Not lethal?" Mito choked.

"Have you ever seen the effects of this drug?" Sendoh queried.

Shaking his head, "No. I haven't," Hanagata answered.

Throwing icy glares towards the spectacled brunette, "Then you didn't know what it did to Hanamichi," Rukawa deduced and then added, "I suggest that you shut up and leave. This is none of your concern."

"No! It is my concern." Hanagata said, shielding Fujima.

"No, Toru. I don't want you to be caught in the middle. Just let me handle this," Fujima tried saying but Hanagata stopped him.

"Too late for that Kenji. I have already told them everything that I know and whether both of us like it or not, we are in this together. I will not abandon you and let anyone hurt you," Hanagata remarked though he was staring at the raven head by the bed.

"Hurt him?" Rukawa then shocked two persons inside that room when a small devilish smile graced his lips. Slowly removing the hand that had found its way inside his shirt, he gave the palm a kiss before laying it down onto the bed. "When I get through with him… pain would be the least of his concern," He declared and stood up, not hearing the soft whimper from Sakuragi.

Mito and Sendoh just stood and waited breathlessly for what the raven head would do. Rukawa the player, rival, and schoolmate was already a force to reckon with, but... Rukawa the crazed and jealous lover?

With his vision focused only on the slightly shorter blue-eyed brown-haired guy, Rukawa walked predatorily towards Fujima with his intentions clear and evident on his face and if Hanagata had not placed himself in between them…

"Move!" Rukawa said in a low and deadly tone, stopping in his strides when he encountered Hanagata's taller and wider frame.

With arms outstretched, "No! You're just in pain, Rukawa, and you really don't want to hurt Kenji or anybody. Please calm down," Hanagata cajoled.

"I think he's beyond that, Hanagata-san," Sendoh remarked.

"Calm down?" Rukawa said through clenched teeth, resisting the urge to render his punishment to the spectacled guy instead. "Your friend had kidnapped and almost raped my boyfriend and you want me to calm down?" He questioned in sarcastic disbelief.

Unconsciously backing away, "I know it was painful but…" Hanagata started but Rukawa cut him off by unexpectedly saying, "Pain?"

Unclenching and clenching his hands, Rukawa took a step forward and there was no mistaking the pain meshing with anger on his face. "Pain could not even begin to describe what I felt at the thought that Hanamichi was taken away from me," he spat then closed his eyes, tormented by the remembrance. Shaking his head from side to side, "It hurts," he mumbled before he opened his eyes and gritted, "It hurt like hell!" Tearing his gaze away from Hanagata, his icy blue eyes then sought a pair of eyes with almost the same hue as his but with an indiscernible expression in them. "Why… Why did you do it?"

Unfazed, Fujima defiantly held the icy glare for a moment then said, "Because I love him."

Sendoh and Mito both had the same incredulous expression on their faces as they exclaimed, "What?" Whilst Rukawa stared back at Fujima with mixtures of expressions akin to jealousy, anger, and surprise.

"Kenji, you…" Hanagata started but Sendoh interrupted and said, "You can't love him! You already have a boyfriend for God's sake!" There was confusion and disbelief in Sendoh's eyes, as he could not believe that someone could actually love two people at the same time.

Fujima's lips broke into a cynical smile before he bowed his head low and said, "A boyfriend that I had to break up with since my conscience couldn't handle the guilt upon realizing that I am in love with someone else." Lifting his head, he stared at Sendoh then straight at Rukawa before saying, "I do love Hana-chan whether you believe it or not."

Mito, being the person still left in the dark, was confused and bewildered by the information made known to him. [Fujima's in love with Hanamichi… God what a mess,] He mentally cried since that was the only information his brain could digest at that moment. Hearing something, he turned towards the bed and saw the redhead moved. "Hanamichi?" He inched closer in hopes that his friend had wakened. Upon reaching Sakuragi's side, he then heard the latter moan out Rukawa's name and fidgeted fervently on the bed. [The drug…] Worried of what the drug was currently doing to the redhead, he sat on the bed and gently slapped his bestfriend's face to jar him awake. "Hanamichi! Hey, Hanamichi, snap out of it."

Unaware of what was happening to his boyfriend, "Love?" Rukawa spat after the shock of the admission had receded. Taking another step forward, "Do you call drugging someone as an act of love?" His voice broke.

"No, but I …"

Ignoring Fujima's attempt to reply, "Didn't you even think of what it might do to him?" Rukawa continued as undisguised hatred for the former Shoyo point guard marred his paler than usual handsome face.

Though a bit flustered after being reminded again of his mistake, Fujima's expression darkened and faced the Shohoku ace with a look that had no trace of guilt. "No, I didn't. I want him. So, I took the only means I could think of to get him," he stated in an icy tone that could easily match Rukawa's.

Hanagata, Sendoh, and Mito all gasped after hearing that.

Taken aback, Rukawa stood still for a moment before a sudden surge of intense rage and loathing for Fujima made him cry out, "You selfish bastard!" Then he pushed Hanagata aside and made a lunge at Fujima, kicking and hitting where his fist and feet could reach, shocking everyone in the room with the vehemence of his actions.

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{Downstairs - outside the Verandah}

Maki was lounging on one of the chairs outside the verandah with an untouched can of beer in one hand while he stared at the bright color of the setting sun.

"Sunset…" Closing his eyes… "It's breathtaking, right, Shin-chan?" Maki suddenly heard his Kenji's voice in which he would answer, "Though not as breathtaking as you Kenji" and he could just see the blush creeping up his blue-eyed angel's pretty face. "Perfect!" He softly mouthed.

Opening his eyes, sunsets were something that he had always enjoyed watching and his boyfriend had always teased him about it. Saying that he was a sentimental old goat underneath that ominous exterior, he projects.

"Kenji…"

Closing his eyes again, how many times had he called his boyfriend's name after they arrived at that beach house? Countless times. He loved how his beloved's name rolled so smoothly on his tongue. [It fits. Like it was meant to be.] "It's like we were meant to be." He chuckled after saying that aloud and knew it to be true. His blue-eyed angel was his first love or rather his only love. Regardless of what people might think about his fixation of basketball, Fujima was still number one in his life. [Though not according to Hanagata.]

< You were never there for him Maki. >

< I remembered one time that Kenji came to me drunk all the way from Tokyo just because you have forgotten your anniversary when your parents had made you stay longer than necessary. >

< How about the time when he needed your support? When he had that trial dispute against one of his professors for sexually harassing him, I was the one who lend moral support since you were out practicing. >

"Shut up!" Maki shouted in the wind and covered his ears. He did not want to listen anymore. Each accusation was like a razor blade cutting his heart and he was still reluctant to accept that he might have pushed Fujima into the arms of another. Still caught in his denial, his head suddenly shot up when he heard a loud thud coming from upstairs, "Kenji!" He thought in alarm and sped into the house.

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To be continued.....

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As always, crits and comments are most welcome.... self-edited so pardon the mistakes and hope that it did not in any way, jar you from reading this chapter. One more to go minna and it's done. Sorry for the delay. This chapter took longer than necessary to edit and rewrite some scenes. My mind just did not stop from shifting one scene to the next thus, I decided to post this chapter in fear that I might have another scene in mind and that would require re-arranging the whole thing again. sorry again and hope that this chapter did not send you guys confused or disappointed with its outcome.

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email add: dbrrk@yahoo.com