*ring* *ring*
*ring* *ring*
"Moshi moshi, Kogure residence," answered the spectacled boy once he picked up the phone. When he knew who it was on the other line, his face brightened, "Ah! Mitsui-kun! How are you?"
After a moment of listening there was an outburst of disbelief from the brown-haired boy, "Nanda yo??!"
~~~~
Akagi gazed at the terrace houses and apartment buildings around him while Kogure switched his glance from the paper in his hand to the adress numbers on the gates, trying to find Mitsui's new residence.
"I still can't believe it," said Akagi pushing his hands in his pocket. He has never thought Mitsui as the one for commitment but there he was with Kogure, looking for Mitsui's new apartment which the young man and has just bought, with his fiancee.
When Kogure found the number they were looking for, he knocked on the white door slowly. Who answered their call was an attractive young woman of their age with smooth shoulder-lengthed hair and a sweet smile.
"Is Mitsui home?" asked Kogure uncertainly.
The young woman beamed and opened the door wide to let them in, "You must be Kogure-san and Akagi-san. Please, come in. Hisashi is inside."
"Doumo," Kogure thanked and the two walked in, looking around the house with curiosity and a mixture of awe. It was small as most apartment unit in Japan goes but it was neat and tidy, already decorated with small mix-matched furnitures to create a homely atmosphere.
"Kogure! Akagi! Welcome!" grinned Mitsui, clapping and shaking their outstretched hands, "Like it?"
"Very," Kogure commented, still looking around the unit before turning back to his friend, "It's been quite a while since we've met you."
"Yes it has," Mitsui answered as he motioned for them to sit down. They sat on the floor beside a low table when the young woman appeared with a tray of hot tea and cookies.
"I got work as an IT assistant at this small company near here so that's why I moved. Yeah, yeah I know I couldn't type a letter on a computer to save my life but that was before I met Toru in Ryonan, and this guy who taught me all I know that I need to get the job."
"That's great," smiled Kogure and Akagi nodded in agreement. Then the two looked meaningfully at the young woman who was serving them drinks before Mitsui chuckled and introduced her to them.
"This is Takahashi Mariko - soon to be Mitsui Mariko in about 2 years time."
Mariko smiled and bowed to them, "Pleased to meet you. I've heard so much about you two and he keeps on saying how great you three were when in Shohoku yadda, yadda, yadda..."
"But we were great!" Mitsui told her passionately, "Right guys?"
"H-Hai!" Akagi and Kogure nodded to indulge him.
Mariko patted her fiancee's arm and gave a peck on his cheek before she stood up, "Of course, dear."
Mitsui was smiling goofily when he realised that his friends were watching him with amusement, "What? Haven't you ever seen a guy in love before?"
The two grinned before they joined Mitsui eating the snacks prepared by Mariko. As Kogure sipped his tea he ducked his head to conceal his thoughtful expression at what has happened to his friend in such a short while. It has been less than a year and already Mitsui has a job, an apartment and a fiancee while he and Akagi were still studying for their degrees. He was not against the path Mitsui has taken after highschool, but he was envious of how happy and satisfied Mitsui looked.
~~~~
A hand suddenly waved in front of his face, shaking Kogure off of his daydream, "Yoo-hoo...."
The spectacled-boy looked up in a start and smiled when he saw who it was, "Hana-kun. Finished practicing?"
"Aa," the redhead answered sitting down, "What were you thinking about?"
"Akagi and I met Mitsui this morning after our class," Kogure told him, looking at the redhead's reaction. Sakuragi has stopped in his act of stirring his cold lemonade before he resumed his task and asked mildly, "Oh yeah? How was he?"
"Engaged," Kogure said and held his grin when Sakuragi showed a look of relief.
"He just moved and got an apartment because he got job at a small company near here. I met his fiancee and she was very nice. Mariko's her name and she works as a sales assistant at a cosmetics shop."
"Cool," said Sakuragi, taking a sip through the straw, "Times flies, ne?"
"Aa..." Kogure looked distracted.
"What?" asked Sakuragi, peeking down to see Kogure's eyes through the brown bangs, "Are you jealous of him?"
"No," Kogure said, turning his head away from the redhead's teasing expression, "I am not. Getting engaged and moving in with another person is a big step in life."
"Yeah," laughed the redhead, scratching his head. It was weird to be talking about grown-up stuff when you are just a second year in highschool ... ok, so having a boyfriend who was your senior does not classify as normal for a 16 year old teenager but that was besides the point...
"What I'd like is to know is where both of us stands."
Sakuragi stared at the brown head of his boyfriend who has not lifted his head to speak the words. Biting his straw, the redhead thought carefully before he said nonchalantly, "Umm... there won't be any practice tomorrow so... can I come over for a visit?"
Kogure looked up at Sakuragi and stared. Both of them knew that Kaede would be out doing extra tutorial lessons tomorrow after classes and Hanamichi coming over exclusively to visit Kogure when his parents were in only meant one thing. Hanamichi would be meeting his parents, this time not as Kaede's friend but as Kiminobu's companion. How his father would perceive it would be up to him because he intended to let him know what Hanamichi was to him.
~~~~
Kogure Kiminobu was restless, glancing at the clock one minute and watching his father who was sitting on a chair reading a newspaper the next. Mr. Kogure felt his son's eyes upon him and asked gruffly, "Is there something on outosan's face that you're interested about?"
"Ah! I-Iie!" Kogure stammered.
Just then the doorbell rang and Kogure hurried on to answer it while his father watched him with puzzlement. The spectacled-boy opened the door and greeted the redheaded boy before him with a relieved but anxious smile, "Hi!"
"Hey," Sakuragi answered, giving him a two fingered salute.
"Come in," Kogure told him when he saw his father standing up from his seat and walking towards the kitchen.
"Otousan! Chotto matte ... I want to introduce you to someone..."
"I'm Sakuragi Hanamichi..." began the redhead.
"I don't want to know," Mr. Kogure cut in roughly.
The two boys went silent until they heard a familiar voice calling out at the front door, "Tadaima."
"O-Okaeri..." Kogure answered turning his attention towards his brother who has just came home.
"Yo," said Kaede when he saw his redheaded friend standing in the living room, "What's up?"
His father looked at Kaede and asked, "You know him, Kaede?"
"Hai," answered the fox-eyed boy slipping on his slippers, "He's my friend."
"We're classmates at school," Sakuragi added with a smile.
"A highschool student?"
Suddenly the man laughed and laughed until Hanamichi's smile wanned to form a frown.
"A highschool student! Hahahahaha!!"
After a while, Mr. Kogure's laughter subsided but his smug smile never left. It made Sakuragi more annoyed.
"There's nothing to discuss," said Mr. Kogure firmly as he turned to walk away.
The spectacled-boy cried out, "Outosan! I just want you to know about us. I hope you'll understand - I am already close to him!"
Sakuragi stared at Kogure, not believing that the young man has made that step in ascertaining their relationship. Kaede only watched on silently.
Mr. Kogure was stunned at first before be roared, "I will not allow it! He is a boy and a kid at that!"
"I don't care!" Kogure shot back adamantly, "Age and gender has nothing to do with how I feel about him!"
"No!" his father yelled, "I will not allow you to be with him! End of story!"
Amidst the shouts, Mrs. Kogure has come out of the kitchen to see what the noise was all about. She clutched her hands anxiously against her breast as her husband and oldest son continued yelling at each other again. This has never happened before for Kiminobu was the one with the highest restrain among her two sons.
"Whatever you say, I'll still hold onto my decision! I choose to be with him and that is what I wish!"
Mr. Kogure glared at his son who was looking at him resolutely with brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. He turned towards the redhead and asked, "What makes you think that you'll be able to be with Kiminobu? Have you any idea what people will think and act towards you? Do you even have a clue as to what you'll do when you leave highschool?"
Sakuragi thought for a moment before answering sincerely, "After school I'd like to try a career at basketball. It has been my dream since I was young."
"What?!" Mr. Kogure laughed again, "That means you don't have aspirations to enter higher learning?"
"If it won't help me in my goal, then no."
Mr. Kogure gave the redhead the darkest frown and turned away, "It is a waste of time talking with a person like you. I will not allow you to meet Kiminobu ever again."
"Outosan!" cried Kogure. He knew this would happen but why did he press it? He knew it would happen sooner or later but why did he have it happen now when he has just gotten together with Hanamichi?
As Mr. Kogure was about to walk away, Kaede broke his silence and said sarcastically, "Gomen ne. There is still a person who is narrow-minded in this house."
"K-Kaede!" Mr. Kogure sputtered, turning around to glare at his youngest son, "You are being insolent!"
"It is true," answered Kaede cooly walking towards his father who was shaking in anger but before the man could raise his hand against his son, Sakuragi pushed the fox-eyed boy back.
"It's okay, Kaede."
The redhead stepped up and confronted Mr. Kogure respectfully beside Kaede, "Whether you bless our relationship or not I don't care. I will not stop seeing Kiminobu."
And then he was walking away, leaving the three in stunned silence. When the door shut behind him only did Kogure break free of his amazement to run after the redhead with his father crying out to him, "Kiminobu! Come back! I will not allow it, do you hear!!"
~~~~
Kogure's footsteps were clear in the empty street as he ran into the night, trying to look out for any signs of the redhead.
"Hana-kun! Hana-kun!" Kogure called out but there was no reponse. Only the barks from the neighbourhood and stray dogs came to answer.
"Hana-kun!"
"Over here," a voice answered behind him. Kogure quickly spun around and saw the redhead leaning against the wall which he has passed by when he neglected to search the corner. Just seeing the boy after the terrible scene in his house made him feel so relieved that a tear slipped from his wet eyes. He was afraid that he had lost the redhead forever.
"G-Gomen nasai, Hana-kun..." began Kogure wiping his tear away in embarassment.
"That's alright," said Sakuragi gently, patting the young man on the shoulder, "I don't care. What I said about not going for univeristy - I meant it. I hope you don't think less of me."
"Iie," Kogure smiled, "Mitsui didn't go to a university and he seems fine. Outosan's wrong about that."
"But he is right about me being a kid. I am 16 and you're 18," said the redhead, allowing Kogure to step in beside him as they began to walk.
"But I'll be an adult soon, ne?" Sakuragi grinned.
"Hai," Kogure laughed shakily.
"It'll be alright," consoled the redhead slipping his arm around Kogure, "Although we don't get his blessing, as long as you and I care for each other, we'll make it."
"Hai," nodded the brown-haired young man snuggling closer to the the redhead's warmth, "We'll be alright."
Sakuragi smiled softly as he looked down on his boyfriend's brown head. Then that smile disappeared and was replaced by a troubled look Kogure would've been worried to see.