Japan.

Rukawa sipped on his drink as he silently listened to one of his admirers go on and on about how wonderful his latest composition was. As soon as the person stopped talking, the tall conductor/ music composer bowed his head in gratitude and gave a short 'arigato' before walking away, intending to hide from any more of his fans. Ming Mei would've handled them better than he did... or maybe Hanamichi...

Rukawa sighed as he reached the balcony of the building. It has been a year since he last saw him. Once he thought he saw the redhead sitting in a cafe but when he entered to look it was just a diner with red-dyed hair which in his opinion looked awful.
He would like to think that Hanamichi was listening to his latest piece of music or better yet went to one of his concert. It was their music that he was playing. His, Hanamichi's... and a little bit of Ming Mei's. Critics said that the composition was haunting and music so full of sorrow at the end. When the media asked what had inspired him, he just replied simply "from a dream".

The cool night wind blew across his face, ruffling his already ruffled hair about. Grooming himself was never his main priority. Sleeping, composing and eating were. And loving?
Rukawa thought that it was not possible anymore after having lost the two only dear ones in his life.

Hearing low voices and shuffling made the raven-haired man realise that he was not alone outside the long, wide balcony. He turned and saw a couple who were partly hidden in the shadows at the far end of the stone and metal structure. He could not see the other person but the young woman was standing in the light that spilled from inside the pent-house through the french glass doors. She was pretty with light brown hair and even from his spot, he could see that her eyes were green. Maybe a pair of lovers, thought Rukawa, placing his wine glass on the wide rail of the balcony before continuing to look out into the night where he could see the lights from the faraway buildings and cars, shining in the dark like stars in the sky.

"Rukawa-san?"

He turned around with a small sigh knowing that it was one of his fans as soon as he heard the timidness and adoration in her voice.

"My name is Akagi Haruko and I really love your music. C-Can I have you autograph please?" she said looking up at him through shy green eyes. He obliged by taking the cocktail napkin from her hand and signed it quickly, handing it back to her when suddenly he heard her partner approach. He looked up and his fox-eyes widened in surprise.

"Rukawa," Hanamichi said, his brown eyes also showing startlement.

"Hana... Sakuragi," Rukawa said.

The young woman looked at the pair in surprise. "Oh! You two know each other?" she asked, smiling.

"Yes, we met a long ago," Hanamichi replied, giving a soft smile towards Rukawa, making the man's heart skip a beat.

"That's wonderful!" she exclaimed, winding her arm around the redhead's, "You must tell me about it."

Rukawa's eyes narrowed when he saw the familiar hold Haruko has on the redhead. Hanamichi only chuckled at the woman's request and told her, "Maybe next time."
Haruko pouted.
Rukawa steamed.

************************

Rukawa endured the party as long as he could before he left after saying his thanks to his friends who had graciously invited him even knowing that he was not one to socialise. Listening long words of praises from the endless stream of admirers was another thing but to stand there and watch Hanamichi with the pretty girl by his side was another. The brunette had hoped to talk with the redhead to see if Hanamichi at least still felt a little something for him but with his admirers pulling him here and there and Hanamichi's date dragging the redhead to meet with different people one after another, it was impossible.

Rukawa was waiting impatiently for the valet to bring his car around when a female voice called out to him from behind, "Rukawa-san, are you leaving as well?"

Rukawa turned around to see Haruko hand-in-hand with Hanamichi walking down the posh hotel steps towards him.

"Aa," the brunette replied watching them approach. Suddenly a string of musical beeps came from the young woman's purse. Opening the purse she took out a handphone, bowing in aplogy.
"Gomen ne, please excuse me," she politely said, walking away from Hanamichi and Rukawa to answer her call.

"I've heard your latest music. It was beautiful."

Rukawa turned his head to look at Hanamichi in surprise. It was a praise that the fox-eyed man has heard countless of times but one which came from Hanamichi's lips was priceless.

"Thank you. What had inspired me was the time of us together," Rukawa said looking closely at the redhead. Maybe this time I can find out how he really feels about me... Rukawa thought.

When the redhead lifted his brown eyes to him, Rukawa's breath hitched. The brunette knew Hanamichi's eyes were expressive, as expressive as the person himself and what Rukawa saw in those eyes was untampered emotion that spoke volumes.

There was silence from both of them for a while before Rukawa made himself speak, "Haruko. She's your girlfriend?"

"Haruko?" Hanamichi said in pure puzzlement, "No, she's Yohei's fiancee - you remember Yohei, right? He was kinda busy tonight so I offered to be her date to this party."

It was at that moment that Haruko appeared next to them with a smile. "Gomen nasai," she apologised again before turning towards the redhead, "That was Yohei. Are we ready to go now?"
The valet appeared with Hanamichi's car keys and the redhead nodded, "Yeah, we need to get home now. It's late."

Hanamichi extended his hand towards Rukawa and said, "It's been great seeing you again, Rukawa. Maybe we can meet again soon."

Rukawa shook his hand and their fingers seem to linger with one another before they broke away.
"Maybe," Rukawa replied.

Then he stepped back as he watched Hanamichi walk away for the second time in his life.

It was already 8 o'clock in the morning when Yohei woke up. He had spent the whole night working on a business proposal and was thankful that he managed to finish it so that he could still go out with Haruko and Hanamichi on they picnic they planned to have this afternoon.

Maybe Haruko can find a friend for Hanamichi and bring her to the picnic as well, thought Yohei as he headed to the bathroom for a refreshing shower.
After a shower, a shave and clean clothes, the young man drove off towards Hanamichi's apartment with the proposal file in hand so that Hanamichi could take a look at it as they take their usual weekend breakfast at Danny's.

Thirty minutes later, Yohei stood outside Hanamichi's apartment door and pressed the bell button thrice and then three more times, expecting to have Hanamichi berate him again for playing with the bell when the redhead opens the door. What he did not expect was to see a tall dark-haired man with familiar blue fox eyes instead looking down at him cooly.

"R-Rukawa Kaede? What are you doing here?" Yohei asked in amazement.

Rukawa arched an eyebrow as if the shorter young man had half a brain.
"I thought it is plainfully obvious," he said boredly. He was using a t-shirt a bit too big for his lean frame that had the words 'The Tensai' printed on the front in big bold letters and his black throusers looked rumpled.

"I.. uh...," Yohei stammered before he took a deep breath and gathered himself, "Is Hanamichi in? I want to talk to him."

Rukawa opened the door wide to let the shorter brunette in when Hanamichi walked out in a bathrobe with his hair wet.

"Yohei! Ohayo!" the redhead greeted him before turning towards Rukawa, "You can use the bathroom now."

When Rukawa left, Yohei asked calmy, "Where did you meet him?"

"At last night's party," Hanamichi said toweling his hair distractedly as he took a seat on a chair. Yohei sat down on another chair and pressed on, "How?"

"Y'see, I was talking with Haruko. She was trying to make me go on this date with one of her friends when she saw Rukawa at the other end of the balcony. When she approached him, only then did I realise that he was there," Hanamichi stopped as he leaned back on the chair.
"I was shocked, y'know," he continued, "I dreamed of meeting him again and to find out if my feelings for him has changed. I didn't think they did because I suddenly got all tongue-tied and flustered that I couldn't think right. After that I never had a chance to talk to him at the party because he's always with his fans and friends. When Haruko and I were about to leave I couldn't find him to say goodbye but we met again downstairs when he was waiting for his car."

The redhead smiled. "Do you believe he thought Haruko was my girlfriend? Heh, well, he did. At that moment I felt like I wanna jump him and tell him how much I still care for him when Haruko came back after you've called."

~flashback~

Rukawa watched with clenched fists as Hanamichi walked away from him with Haruko towards the car. As Hanamichi was about to enter the driver's seat, he called out, "Hanamichi!"

Hanamichi lifted his head in surprise as Rukawa strode towards the redhead with an intent expression on his face. Finally, reaching him he pulled Hanamichi forward for a short but forceful kiss.

"Come with me," he demanded, fully realising that the words he has spoken were the exact ones he had used the first time he met Hanamichi.

The redhead blinked stupidly. Then he looked at Rukawa and said seriously, "No."

Rukawa dropped his hand from the redhead's arm and stepped back, his voice cold, "Souka."

As Rukawa was about to walk away, a hand grabbed the brunette's arm and the redhead said, "I don't think you do. I meant that I'm not gonna come with you. You're gonna come with me to my apartment. At least this time I'll know for sure that we'll have a bed to sleep on."

Rukawa looked at the madly grinning redhead in surprise. His lips twitched in a small smile before he suddenly pulled the redhead into a fierce embrace.

~end flashback~

"And so here he is," Yohei concluded.

Hanamichi blushed and nodded. Then Yohei carefully asked, "Are you sure both of you are okay with this? I mean... about Ming Mei?"

"I... I guess, we needed some time away from each other to heal the pain," Hanamichi said, "I still feel guilty about Ming Mei's death but it has kinda... faded away. All I can think about is him now."

Yohei let out his breath slowly and leaned forward to hold his friend's hand. "I'm happy for you, that's all I can say. Ne, I need to go out and get some breakfast. Since you have company I'll go and call Haruko to join me."
Then he stood up and asked, "Will you two be coming to the picnic this afternoon?"

"We'll try," replied Hanamichi as he walked Yohei to the door.

"Say goodbye to Rukawa for me, okay? Ja," said Yohei giving a wave.

"Ja." Hanamichi gave a wave back before closing the door.

Yohei was about to enter the elevator when he remembered that he still has the proposal file in his hand. Walking back towards Hanamichi's door, he lifted his hand to press the bell when suddenly he heard an angry voice coming from inside, "What do you mean I can't cook to save my life?! I don't see you doing any better!"

A low response from the other person made the redhead demand in a loud voice, "Oh yeah? Like what?"

There was silence and Yohei was afraid that something bad has happened. Pressing his ears to the door he listened before he heard a short giggle from the redhead. And then a moan.

Yohei sweatdropped.

Stepping away from the door he blushed and walked quickly away. I do not want to hear any more, he decided.

When the elevator door closed and started to move down, he thought ruefully, If they carry on arguing like that all the time it's a wonder if they can stay together for more than a year. He then shook his head in amusement, taking back his doubts.

I mean, they have loved each for more than 2000 years, right?

~End of Epilogue~