The two boys sat at a corner table in the cozy café, laughing and talking about their childhood, future ambitions, school, tennis… anything to pass the time.

“…and then the teacher gave me detention for it! What do you think Fuji?”

The silver haired boy noticed his best friend’s attention was suddenly elsewhere, and turned to follow his gaze. When he saw what had drawn Fuji’s attention, he wasn’t sure how to react. Or how his friend would either.

“I’m sorry, Saeki. I’ll be right back…”

A Change of Heart

The sun was shining brightly on the courts of Seigaku. The team was practicing hard, getting ready for their next tournament. It was once again the time for the ranking matches.

The ones watching who weren’t the team members were the team’s cheerleaders and one silent girl whose eyes were glued to the slender frame of her boyfriend, Fuji Syuusuke. He was running up and down the court with the grace and power that had entranced a large portion of the female populous of the school.

Being the prodigy of Seigaku, he won his matches quite easily. Even the other regulars Oishi and Inui did not give him much of a challenge.

The girl’s eyes beamed with pride as Fuji once more secured his position among the Seigaku regulars with no losses. But her eyes also showed sadness, because now she knew what she had to do. She lowered her head and clenched the folds of her skirt tightly. This wasn’t going to be easy.

The team was heading to the showers now, everyone congratulating Fuji, Echizen, Tezuka, and Kaidoh for winning all their matches. It was a fairly normal occurrence unless they played each other, but still, the members of Seigaku were all good sports.

“Oy, Fuji-senpai!”

The summoned boy turned to see his kouhai Momoshiro running to catch up to him. The younger boy wrapped an arm around his senpai.

“You’re coming to eat with us, right?”

“Heh. I don’t know, Momo.”

“Aww, come on. You can bring your girlfriend, too.”

Fuji’s smile broadened ever so slightly at the mention of her. He couldn’t help it. Her presence made him feel a kind of peace he had long been searching for.

“Alright, Momo. I’ll ask her.” 

Momo grinned. There were few things certain in life, but he knew that if Fuji asked her to go somewhere with him and his teammates, she would never say no. He ran off to the boy walking ahead of them in the white cap.

“Oy Echizen! Fuji-senpai is paying today!”

Fuji chuckled and shook his head. He should have known that Momo would have ulterior motives for inviting him along.

They had almost made it to the showers, but he turned to look for her. But when his eyes finally rested on her, he could immediately tell that something was wrong. Her head was drooped, her hair draping down to cover her face. He stopped walking. Showering could wait. She was more important.

“Oy, Fuji. Are you coming?” called Kikumaru, who was standing by the door waiting for him.

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

He walked towards her, watching her the whole time. She didn’t move from her spot until she felt his hand on her shoulder. Her head lifted to look at him.

“Is everything alright, ?” he asked, his voice full of concern.

The girl sighed and stood up to face him properly. She took a deep breath. “No, not really. We need to talk.”

Fuji’s eyes slowly opened. Those were the words that anyone in a relationship dreads to hear. They almost never indicated anything good.

“What is it?”

She bit her lower lip and looked determinedly at the floor, unable to hold his gaze.

“I can’t see you anymore. I’m sorry, Syuusuke.”

“But…” Fuji paused. He was rendered utterly speechless by this unexpected announcement. “I don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, still unwilling to make eye contact. “I have to go.”

She was forced to run at that moment before the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes appeared. She left him standing there, confused and alone.

Fuji could do nothing but watch her run away from him. What had he done wrong? He thought they were happy. They were always together, and he cared more about her than he ever had for anyone who wasn’t a member of his family. But he had never told her...

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was in the wrong place at the wrong time. All she had wanted to do was buy a white chocolate mocha from the local coffee shop, and then have a nice leisurely walk home. Instead of that pleasant, uncomplicated plan, she had run into her ex-boyfriend, Fuji Syuusuke. Literally. Half of her white chocolate mocha was currently being wiped off of Fuji’s jacket with a paper towel by the blue-eyed boy himself.

The small amount of conversation between the two of them was awkward. Just looking at them, anyone would be able to tell who had done the breaking up. seemed upset to have run into him, and although Fuji was courteous to her his heart was filled with a well-hidden sadness that showed only the slightest hint in his eyes.

stood by the door, dreading the long walk home in that downpour. If only she hadn’t been in such a rush to get out of the house this morning, she would have her phone and could call her parents for a ride home.

“...”

She took a deep breath. Right now, the last thing she needed was more time talking to him. But she couldn’t be rude. They had ended on fairly friendly terms, after all. She turned around to face him but avoided making eye contact.

“What is it, Fuji-san?”

Fuji hated hearing his name pronounced so formally by her lips, but his usual smile remained planted on his face. He didn’t want to fight with her here, but in his mind there were a few unresolved issues that needed to be dealt with before he could truly let go of his feelings for the girl standing in front of him. They needed to talk in private. And soon, before he drove himself insane.

“You shouldn’t walk home in this mess. My house isn’t very far. You can call for a ride there, if you’d like.”

Conflicting emotions raced across ’s face before she nodded slowly. She didn’t want to go with him, but at this point it seemed like the best alternative considering she had no phone. A cold or worse was waiting for her if she tried to walk all the way to her house in this storm. She really didn’t have much choice. Not wanting to spend any more time with him than absolutely necessary, she opened the door and stepped out into the rain. The sooner they left, the sooner she would be away from him again.

--------------------

Even though it was a short distance to his house, both Fuji and were completely soaked by the time they got there. waited in his room while he retrieved the phone and some hot drinks for the both of them.

As she waited, she took her old familiar place by the window ledge and looked out at the street, watching the rainfall that seemed like it would never cease. Even the gutters in the street were overflowing now. She was grateful at that moment that she had taken Fuji up on his offer, even though it put her in a somewhat awkward position.

She tried not to look around the room too much. Just being in his house brought a wave of nostalgia, and the slightest bit of regret that she told herself wasn’t there at all. It didn’t help that she was currently sitting in the same position she had during all the times previous to this that she had been in his room. Her thoughts drifted to memories of the two of them during much happier times.

--------------------

“-chan…”

“Yes, Fuji-kun?”

Fuji took a deep breath. Right now he would rather be playing matches against professional tennis players instead of doing this. Well, maybe not, but it would be easier. Why was it so easy for him to create ways around his obstacles on the court, even to the point of creating new counters, but when it came to asking out a girl that he had been admiring for a long time, he couldn’t even figure out which words to say? After days and weeks of deliberation, he had decided that, with , the direct approach was the best one. So here it went…

“Will you go out with me? I know that the one you like is Eiji, but…” he stopped talking when broke eye contact with him to gaze at her own feet and blush.

Her eyes fluttered back up to meet his. She smiled. “Kikumaru-san is not the one I like, Fuji-kun. Yes, I will go out with you.”

He reached out and took her hand, and in that instant neither of them could remember ever being happier.

--------------------

Fuji shook his head to clear it. He wasn’t sure why that memory had popped up for him just then. Having her back in his house was bringing back all these thoughts and hopes that he had tried to suppress. He was starting to hope that he had a chance of winning her back, somehow. But why that memory? Why now? She probably never thought about it anymore anyway. Maybe it was all useless after all…

With a large, heaving sigh, he picked up the teacups and began his ascent back to his bedroom where she was waiting for him.

--------------------

Looking back on those memories made feel lonelier than she ever had. Those few months that had gone by in the blink of an eye had been some of the best of her life. For the six months that they had been together, they had been practically inseparable. And that was the way they had both wanted it. They had been truly happy together, as one of the few high school relationships that people actually thought would last through the years. But now it was all gone, and had to admit to herself that she felt empty inside. Despite everything, she missed him.

--------------------

Fuji was unprepared for the vision in front of him when he reentered his room. Despite being a little disheveled, she was just as gorgeous as she had been the first time he saw her. Her sweatshirt was discarded and she stood next to the window in her usual skirt and a white collared shirt. Typical school uniform wear, but to Fuji she would look like a princess in a brown burlap sack. But the expression on her face was what truly caught his attention; thoughtful yet somber at the same time. Fuji couldn’t help but wonder why there was so much sadness in her face. He cleared his throat softly to draw her attention.

was drawn out of her reverie by Fuji’s arrival. He offered her a cup of tea and she took it gratefully, muttering a thank you before taking her first sip. It was scalding in her mouth, but right now it was exactly what she needed.

They stood there in awkward silence for a long time before Fuji spoke again. He couldn’t hold it in anymore. They were alone now and if he waited much longer she would be calling her parents for a ride, and be out of his life once again. This might be his last chance.

“... can I ask you a question?” he asked softly.

“What?” she replied harshly, a little more so than she had intended. Not even herself really knew why she was reacting this way to the boy she had been crazy about only weeks ago. He was being such a gentleman. But her anger was only thinly veiling her fear.

She should not have come to this place. She had been trying for weeks to convince herself that any feelings she once had for him were gone. But being here, with him, was weakening her resolve. She had to be strong and stand firm, no matter what the question was or what he said until she left the house. It wouldn’t matter. At least, that was what she was hoping.

Fuji could tell that something was bothering the girl. Her inner turmoil was visible in her eyes. He had always been able to read her well. He took a step toward her, looking down at her with his blue-green eyes peering softly down at her.

He asked his next question in the same soft voice as he had the first. “Why did you break up with me?”

It was the question that had been burning in his mind for weeks now. It was all he really thought about nowadays. If she told him that she simply wasn’t interested in him anymore, or that there was someone else, he could take it. Not that it would be easy, but at least then he could stop wondering and finally have some closure.

’s heart skipped a beat. Her eyes widened. That was not a question she had expected, or was prepared to answer. Although, looking back, it should have been obvious to her that he would be wondering about that. She just wasn’t prepared to answer him. Her eyes quickly travelled to the floor.

“That’s none of your business.”

Fuji’s eyes opened and he looked down at her. He took a few steps toward her, cutting the distance between them in half.

“Of course it is my business. You broke up with me. And I thought we were...”

“Well, you were wrong!”

She turned her back to him and walked back to the window, putting her cup down and looking out. Why did this have to happen now? Why did her heart have to be so uncertain? Things had progressed so differently than she had anticipated, and now all she wanted was to get out.

“But why, ? What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?” The pain was evident in his voice, despite his attempts to hide it. He didn’t like admitting to himself how much this girl affected him. And, more importantly, he had never told her how much he cared.

She was about to make a reply when Fuji’s phone rang. Saeki. One of the few people in the world who could read Seigaku’s tensai like a book. And one of the few who could tell exactly how much Fuji cared about . In all his rush to talk to , he had completely forgotten about Saeki in the café. He was probably wondering if or when his friend was going to return. He ignored the call and placed the cell phone on a table at the foot of his bed, then turned his attention back to the girl in his room.

Her demeanor had changed since Saeki’s phone call. When Fuji had initially asked the question, when she turned around her face had shown surprise and a tenderness that he hadn’t seen directed at him in what seemed eons. But now her walls were back up. She had picked up her teacup again and sipped at it slowly before answering his question.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. What’s done is done.”

Fuji’s eyes narrowed and he grabbed her shoulders, gripping her more tightly than he had realized. She winced slightly, and his grip instantly lessened. He couldn’t remember ever getting this worked up over anything short of someone picking on his brother. But this girl made his blood boil. Several weeks’ worth of frustration and desperation were all coming to the surface. struggled to get free of his grip but he held firm.

“Just tell me. I need to know,” he said urgently, his need for some kind of closure overtaking even his usual calmness. “Did you stop liking me? Was it another guy? The fan clubs? What?”

didn’t want to answer, but a flash of lightning made her practically jump into his arms. She hated the fact that it scared her so much; it really made her feel like a kid. But Fuji had always been very understanding about that, and had never made fun of her for it. Before she knew it, the words came spilling out of her mouth. Words she had promised herself never to utter to another human being. Especially not this one. But being here, in this room, in his arms, was taking its toll on her resolve.

When she finally did begin to speak, her voice was quiet. “It was… because I liked you too much. I would have done anything for you. But tennis was always the number one priority in your life. Even when we were actually alone together, we spent most of that time talking about tennis. Upcoming matches, other players... I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

She stopped there, before the tears that were already threatening to break free became a reality. She had been deeply in love with Fuji Syuusuke. But the thought that he would never feel the same way about her had been killing her. That was why she had ended their relationship over a month ago, and avoided him ever since. She looked away from his intense gaze and bit her lower lip.

“You were this perfect guy, this unattainable genius that no one could ever hold onto. At first I was so happy that you picked me. Then I realized that no matter what I did, you could never truly reciprocate my feelings.”

Fuji blinked. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Had she been holding these feelings inside her the whole time they were together? It was hard for him to believe that she could think that way. But then again, it was understandable. He had never told her, and by hiding how he had felt all this time he had unknowingly driven her away.

“Why couldn’t you have just...?”

He leaned in and pressed his lips onto hers to keep her from saying anything else. She responded to him after a few seconds, returning his incessant kiss. Passion exploded between them, and Fuji knew that this feeling was exactly what he had been missing. This thing that only she had ever been able to bring out in him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and crushed her body against his. It felt so good and so natural, but she pulled back and gave him a scolding look.

“Fuji, wait...”

“What is it?”

opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She wasn’t really sure what to say. She felt humiliated for having told him the truth, but that kiss had completely taken her breath away.

Taking her silence as a good thing, Fuji kissed her again softly this time, holding the back of her neck so she couldn’t escape. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away just enough for her to look in his eyes. Her head was spinning from the intensity of the first kiss and the emotions that were currently flowing through her. But that didn’t mean everything was okay again.

couldn’t look him in the eye, but kept her arms extended to keep him a comfortable distance away. “Just because I told you the truth does not mean we’re back together...”

“I know, . But I still feel the way I did back then. And so do you.”

Saying that was a daring move on his part, but he could tell by looking in her eyes that she still cared for him. He wanted her back in his life, and he knew that she wanted this as much as he did. She just wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t be hurt again. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his forehead against hers. It was impossible to avoid eye contact now, and knew that Fuji could never lie to her while looking her in the eye.

His hand lightly brushed the side of her face. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, . I just... I thought that tennis was the reason you liked me. For most people it is. I worked so hard at it because I thought it would keep us together...”

He paused and his gaze faltered from hers. He wasn’t sure how to say what was going to come next, but he knew that he had to. She needed to know so she could make an informed decision about whether or not she wanted to be with him again. He swallowed hard and returned his gaze to ’s.

His lips hovered over hers, barely grazing them as he spoke. “Because I loved you so much and I didn’t want to lose you.”

froze completely. Had he really just said…? No, it couldn’t be true. He would have told her before now if he loved her.

She broke away from him and returned to her old spot at the window. It wasn’t necessarily true that he would have told her. After all, he was probably the hardest to read and most secretive boy had ever known. Before his confession, she had had no idea that he thought of her as anything more than a friend. Maybe he really did love her. She knew for certain that she was still deeply in love with him.

He was waiting expectantly for her when she turned to face him once again. When she first broke away from him he was afraid that he had been wrong about her still caring about him, but the look in her eyes told him all he needed to know about her reaction to his declaration. She wasn’t entirely certain if she believed it, but she was hopeful.

She nibbled on her lower lip and took a small step toward him. “Do you mean it?”

Fuji nodded. “Every word. I always have.”

“Well, why didn’t you…”

“I didn’t know how. I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings to others.”

And she knew it was true. Throughout their relationship he had slowly opened up to her, but she still knew that there were many things about him that she didn’t know.

didn’t know what to say anymore. She wasn’t sure that her mind could fully comprehend what she had just heard.

Fuji didn’t know how to take her silence. He took a cautious step toward her.

“?”

The girl smiled, and her next words sent Fuji’s heart soaring. “I love you too, Syuusuke.”

The next few seconds were a blur. They rushed into each other’s arms and just held each other for a few precious moments. Fuji lifted his girlfriend’s chin to give her a gentle, loving kiss.

He pulled away from her after a moment and smiled at her. “So does this mean I have to quit tennis?” he asked jokingly.

buried her face in his chest happily. “I didn’t say that. Just don’t talk about it all the time.”

“I think I can handle that.”

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Candiicane

Edited by Marishka