Kogure walked out of the room feeling better than before for the day. He has decided to join the basketball club in the university and although they wouldn't be forming any teams for any matches, Kogure was pleased to meet people who were genuinely interested in basketball as much as Akagi and himself. Unfolding the paper the club president gave him before he left, the spectacled-boy noted that the first meeting that he would attend was at the same time that he and Sakuragi would meet for the week. Deciding the skip his and the redhead's date for once, Kogure hoped that Sakuragi would understand.

When he reached home that afternoon, Kogure saw that his father has came home early from work. Waiting after dinner, the spectacled-boy slipped out just when his father was watching television. He didn't feel like confronting more of his father's displeasure so instead of using the phone at home to call Sakuragi, he went to the public phone booth across the street. Dialing the redhead's number, Kogure hoped that Sakuragi would be at home and to his relief it was the redhead who answered.

"Moshi moshi," answered Sakuragi.

"Hana-kun. It's me," said Kogure.

"Min-kun?"

"Hai. I'm sorry I didn't call you earlier. I had to do something at school..." began the spectacled-boy.

"Something important," guessed the redhead.

"Hai. It's-"

"That's okay," cut in Sakuragi, "You can tell me tomorrow when we meet. I just came home and I'm really tired. See you tomorrow? Ja."

"Demo-" tried Kogure but he was already cut off by the flat tone of the phone. Sakuragi has hung up on him. The spectacled-boy sighed and began to walk back home. When he reached there, he went straight to Kaede's room and found the raven-haired boy on the floor reading a basketball magazine.

"Kaede. Can you do me a favour?"


~~~~

The next day:

The team were doing lay-ups one by one when Sakuragi broke off from the team to sit at the bench with a tired sigh.

"Hey, Sakuragi!" Miyagi called, "What're you doing?"

"Just taking a quick break, Ryonchin!" Sakuragi called back.

Miyagi yelled, "Don't call me that! That's captain Ryota to you!"

The redhead snickered but his humour died down as he felt the weariness seep back into him again. He wasn't aware that someone was walked towards him from behind until a feminine voice said, "Sakuragi-kun..."

The redhead turned around and smiled, "Hey, Haruko-san!"

"Here," the girl smiled, handing the redhead a folded handerchief, "I've dipped it in cold water. Put it over the back of your neck and you'll be refreshed in no time."

Sakuragi accepted the wet cloth in gratitude, thinking that Haruko was cuter than last year especially when she blushed so prettily after he thanked her for her concern.
Not wanting Haruko to worry over him too much, Sakuragi stood up after a while whether he was ready or not to join back into the practice.

Later in the day, Sakuragi headed to the cafe and waited for Kogure there. His mind kept wandering towards Haruko, realising how attentive she has been about him lately. She was a caring and sweet girl and Sakuragi was not surprised that he had a crush on her before he met Kogure. After a few more minutes of waiting, Sakuragi took a glance at the clock hanging on the wall and saw with concern that the Kogure has yet not shown up.
He has never been this late before, Sakuragi thought in worry as he stood up to make a call.

Mr. Kogure's voice resounded in his mind,
"I will not allow you to be with him! End of story!"

Sakuragi quickly placed the phone back on it's receiver and frowned.

Suddenly a hand clasp his shoulder from behind making him turn around to see Kaede looking at him curiously.

"What are you doing?" asked the fox-eyed boy.

"I was about to call Min-kun..." Sakuragi tried to explain, pointing to the phone.

"He's not coming," Kaede told him.

"Nani?"

"He asked me to tell you that he can't meet you today," the fox-eyed boy elaborated.

"Baka," said the redhead annoyed, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Sorry," Kaede shrugged carelessly, "When Anzai-sensei called me to talk to me about my play, I forgot."

Sakuragi growled and was about to stalk off in anger when Kaede held him by the arm, "I have apologised, but if you're this touchy then it's of no use..."

The redhead stared at his friend before turning away to walk back to his table. Kaede always has a knack for seeing into people's feelings and speak it out bluntly. True, he has been touchy lately but he couldn't shake it off no matter how much he wanted to. Only he knew why he was feeling that way and he imagined that Kaede could guess what it was.
He was about to walk out of the cafe when Kaede called him, "Sakuragi. Want to drop by the house?"


~~~~

"Tadai-"

Suddenly Kaede appeared, scaring Kogure half to death.

"What-" began Kogure but Kaede put his finger to his lips in a signal of silence. The fox-eyed boy stepped closer to his brother and said lowly, "Sakuragi is upstairs in your room."

"Nani?!" hissed Kogure in shock, "Why? What is outosan finds out?!"

Kaede shook his head, "He doesn't know. And I asked Okaasama to keep it a secret."

"D-Demo-" stammered Kogure but Kaede was already pushing him up the stairs.

"Talk to him," the teenager told him. Kogure felt suddenly anxious. He has been thinking about his and the redhead's relationship all week but he couldn't afford to speak it out for fear of distancing both of them further apart. What was he supposed to say?

Entering his room hesitantly he saw the redhead sitting on the floor with his back towards him. Kogure sat a few metres away and asked tentatively, "Hana-kun. How are you?"

"Fine," the redhead answered without turning around, "I heard you joined a circle in the university."

"Hai," Kogure smiled, "A circle interested in basketball. I went to one of the sessions today and it was fun..."
The teenager's voice trailed off when the redhead turned around to look at him. Sakuragi did not look pleased.

"Why didn't you tell me?" asked the redhead.

"How could I?" Kogure began in a hurtful tone, "I tried to tell you last night but you just hung up on me. Why did you do that?"

Sakuragi looked away and mumbled, "Gomen. I was tired."

"Tired," laughed Kogure bitterly, "You're always tired. And you said that you're bored. What is it that you're really bored of, I wonder. Me?"

The spectacled-boy's voice wavered and the redhead didn't need to turn around to know that Kogure's eyes were full of tears, hurt because of his cold attitude.

"I-I'm sorry..." apologised Sakuragi again uneasily as he made to stand up.

"Hana-kun..."

"I said I was sorry! Stop crying, okay!" yelled the redhead spinning around quickly to glare at Kogure but the other boy was too busy staring at something on the floor. When Sakuragi looked down he saw that it was a handkerchief that dropped off from his pocket during his outburst. Wordlessly, Kogure shifted forward to pick it up. Knowing that Sakuragi was not the type to carry a handkerchief on him, Kogure dared himself to ask, "Whose it this?"

"Ah, it's Haruko-san's," Sakuragi told him, sitting down again with a weary sigh, "I forgot to give it to her just now."

Kogure dropped his head to allow his brown bangs to cover his eyes, "H-Haruko?"

"Yeah."

"Akagi Haruko? The one that you-"

"You want me to say it?" Sakuragi cut in with a jeer, "Even if she was the girl that I had a crush on, you're still the one in my heart. There. Satisfied?"

Kogure bit his lip, "Oh..."

"What?" demanded the redhead turning away.

"It's just... the way you said it," said Kogure, not caring anymore that his tears have begun to flow freely down his cheeks.

Sakuragi went silent and suddenly Kogure couldn't take it anymore. Stamping his hand on the floor he yelled, "Yes, I wanted you to say it because you are my boyfriend! But not like that! It is not difficult for you to say that because I am yours!"

"Damn it!" cursed Sakuragi, "I'm tired of all this! I am your boyfriend but your dad won't even acknowledge me as an equal! I can't stand it!"

They were already lost in their heated argument that they didn't notice the door opening.
The spectacled-boy's vision grew blurry because of the tears in his eyes but he was able to hear the frustration in Sakuragi's voice, "I can't stop thinking about it! I can't let you go through with what I feel!"

When Sakuragi stopped his tirade all they could hear was the sound of the redhead's harsh breathing and Kogure's quiet sniffling.
They did not realise they had an audience until Mr. Kogure spoke up, "Kiminobu. Look up and you can see."

Kogure did not have to obey his father to understand what he meant.

"It is clear that he is still a young child," continued Mr. Kogure bitingly, "Just a highschool kid."

Suddenly Sakuragi stood up and ran out of the room, pushing past Mr. Kogure and Kaede. The spectacled-boy couldn't move anymore. He only allowed the redhead to run away, vaguely listening to the boy's rapid footsteps fade away out the door.


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