A Time For Us
(Sequel to Something Akin To Love)
By Yoshi
Yaoi- Pg13
Pairings: MitMiya and ref. to MitKo and RyoAya
Disclaimers: I'll own SD and it's characters someday... but until then, they are not mine
Archive: Ask me nicely and I'll give it to ya
Okay people, forgive me if this is short and a poor excuse of a sequel...
Oh, disregard the poor seasonal effect- on July, Japan is a bit rainy but on this fic, it's not, although there's no need to be too technical. Kogure's bday is on July, right?
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A slight chilly breeze blew making golden-brown leaves dance in a mute rhythm. Rhododendrons and other flowery bushes offered the hilltop scenery a pleasant mood, which was further accentuated by the golden glow of the setting sun. Autumn is fast approaching, but the place graciously retained the radiance only spring can offer.

Running a hand over his cropped dark hair, Mitsui stood over a familiar headstone.

"Happy Birthday, Kiminobu," He smiled, tracing the engraved characters on the gray headstone with his fingers. "You thought I forgot,huh?" He added as if Kogure could actually hear him. He placed a bouquet of roses beside the slab of stone before kneeling down. He kept talking about the things that happened in his life. Poeple may find this crazy but it was his way to relieve the pain. A year had already passed but still, memories are enough to bring forth the pain and loss he felt on that fateful day.
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flashback

// White. Everywhere he fixed his gaze there seemed to be a never-ending expanse of white. Just one of the reasons why Mitsui always hated hospitals. The place makes him remember the time of his downfall back in his high school days. For someone of his age, this seems to be the worst place imaginable. The sterile aura reeked of helplessness; Helplessness for those who are injured, praying to the gods for a miracle to help them pull through. Helplessness for those who are very ill as they wait for the time they die. But most of all, the helplessness one feels waiting for any news about someone significant in his life.

"Kami! Please let them be okay..." Haruko brokenly sobbed. "Please...please...please..." She murmured over and over. Akagi was beside his sister trying his best to calm her down.

"They'll be fine! You'll see!" Mitsui finally snapped, more of convincing himself than Haruko. A car accident- who would've ever thought something like this would occur? Fate seemed to deliver tricks on his life when he least expected it. Never had he ever felt this helpless in his entire life as he looked to the observation window. "I'm sure they're okay!" He trailed off, fighting the urge to break down while leaning his head on the glass.

Everyone literally held their breath as the doctor came out of the room, awaiting the news about their friends. Somehow, everything seemed to be in a trance as the elderly man shook his head sympathetically. Just that- a simple gesture that speak volumes, no words, but enough to feel as if ice-cold water have been poured on them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ryota sat down beside Ayako in the ICU. The eery silence was deafening, save for the constant beep piercing the air. Looking at the dark-haired girl lying on the white sheets, he couldn't help but feel pain. He wanted to see her smile, to see the sparkle oh her eyes and to bask himself in the liveliness that was simply Ayako. He kept telling himself that the person lying in front of him was just a feint image of her.

Three years... they've been together for three years through thick and thin. It's not fair of fate to deliver something like this. Sure, their relationship was not the epitome of perfection, but they've always managed to get through all the obstacles. Now is the time for them to be together. He wanted to Ayako to assure him that everything will be alright.

Raising his hand, he took Ayako's hand and gently kissed the fingertips. Tears moistened his eyes, and his voice exposed his pain as he whispered, "Don't you go and die on me... we've been through together for a long time. I can't lose you now. We've got great plans and years ahead of us. Not now. I love you."

He got up and leaned over Ayako, brushing his lips on her forehead. Then he looked up to see her ashen face, hoping to see her smile at him. "I love you," he repeated softly. "Please. Don't leave me."

He sat down again and furiously brushed the tears on his face. As much as he hated to admit it, never in his life had he ever felt this fear. Fear leads to vulnerability, which in turn leads to pain.

Gentle hands tightening on his grip startled him, and he looked up to see Ayako's eyes slightly open. At last! He saw her smile weakly at him through her oxygen mask. Her eyes shone with unshed tears.

*I love you too...* She mouthed on her full lips. It was not an assurance but a goodbye. Ryota's eyes widened as Ayako gently closed her eyes and gave a last squeeze on his hand. He needn't any confirmation as the beep echoing in the room changes as she flatlines.//

end of flashback
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Farewell
He traced the engraved letters. Oddly enough, he was indeed saying farewell now. He took out a small envelope on his pocket and stared at it for a long time. "I might not see you for a long time," he finally said with a faint smile. "But I promise that I'll be back someday, okay?"

Mitsui stood up and turned to leave, casting a last look to the headstone.

"Goodbye, Kiminobu..."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was already dark and streets were almost empty when Mitsui walked his way home. Kanagawa sure did underwent a lot of changes for the past years. Buildings and houses created a breathtaking panorama of lights. He'll miss this place for sure...

Finally, he stopped over his place. *Their place.* The place seemed dark so he assumed that Miyagi went out. Quietly, he eased inside and started for the bedroom when he heard a soft sigh. Glancing at the direction of the sound, he saw the brown-haired young man sleeping peacefully on the couch.

Sitting back, he drank in the sight of Miyagi, who slept like a child. It is a fact that Miyagi was small but in this position, he seemed so young and small. Mitsui drew his finger along the bridge of the Miyagi's nose, smiling as he gently pushed stray locks of hair out of the young man’s face.
He promised himself to start anew and he had made up his mind. The two of them had been together long enough that he can finally admit that he loved Miyagi. Yes, now it was love. Back then, calling it so would be a terrible lie. Lust was more appropriate, but isn't there a thin line between lust and love? Uncanny as it may seem, time can teach a heart to soften and love again.
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flashback

A reunion. Strangely, this was not least bit a normal gathering. Chrysanthemums and white roses are everywhere. A wedding? Then why are the people crying? Everyone was there; The former Shohoku team and some from other teams. Reunions are supposed to be for a happy cause, aren't they?

Happy? There was nothing happy in the reunion. Akagi silently wept while doing his best to calm Haruko. It was unnatural scene- him being always so strong and contained. Sakuragi's angry tears and even Rukawa's sad scowl didn't pertain to happiness. Miyagi desperately trying to conceal his tears, but failing. Bunch of emotions tumbled everywhere, misery one moment, anger the next, then despair...

Then there was Mitsui. He looked like a marble, so emotionless and detached. He just kept on staring at his bandaged hands. He felt a need to punch a wall or something, just as he did until his knuckles bled when he learned that Kogure and Ayako died. There are a lot of things he should have done and said...

He watched as the caskets are lowered slowly on the ground while his friends threw flowers.

...but then, it's already too late.

end of flashback
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Mitsui kissed Miyagi on the lips and this time, Miyagi stirred and woke up. "Hey," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Guess I've dozed off while waiting for you. Where have you been?"

"Places..."

Miyagi raised a brow. "Places?"

"Uh huh," he replied biting Miyagi's nose playfully. "Listen, I have good news. I just got accepted in a job in the U.S."

Miyagi stiffened visibly. He had never prepared for this. He should have anticipated the time that they will be going on separate ways. It was foolish of him to hope that they'll be together, and most of all, hope that Mitsui would return his love. "Oh," he managed to croak, "When do you leave?"

Mitsui chuckled and ruffled Miyagi's curly locks. "When do I leave? You mean when do we leave?" He reached on his coat pocket and handed his lover a small envelope.

Miyagi took the envelope and his eyes widened at its content. "Oh," he finally said, at loss of words. "This is-"

"Yes, that means you're coming with me," he smiled. "Did you honestly thought that I'd leave you behind?"

Miyagi's eyes shone before embracing the dark-haired young man tightly. "I love you," he blurted, almost regretting doing so when he felt Mitsui became tense. Damn. There he go again. Sticking his foot on his mouth. Such words of endearment were never used in their year-long relationship. "I-I'm sor-" he said but were cut off as a finger shushed him.

He kissed Miyagi, but this time, it was more of an assurance. "Don't be sorry, I love you too." He said, feeling relieved that he finally said that aloud. He assured himself that this time, there will be no mistakes. Just him, Miyagi and the years ahead of them.

The time to start anew is the time for us

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ArggH! please forgive the messy outcome. DEATHFICS are really appealing to me now...oh, the flashback was a bit on 2 perspective: Ryota and Mitsui's so I hope ya didn't get confused. And if you've read 'Something Akin To Love', you'll notice the connection of the dream sequence.
Ja!

sorry for the errors... I'm really in a hurry

T.T Wah, pretty sad fic you got there, but a great happy ending.
The way you described the surreality and cold fear of the 'waiting for news on Ayako and Kogure' thing was really good!
I felt so sad reading the bit between Ryota and Ayako... sniffles
But the ending left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, and that's a good thing!
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Autumn [is]was fast approaching, but the place graciously retained the radiance only spring can offer.

"Happy [B]birthday, Kiminobu," [H]he smiled, tracing the engraved characters on the gray headstone with his fingers.

"You thought I forgot,^huh?" [H]he added as if Kogure could actually hear him.

P[oe]eople may find this crazy but it was his way [to]of reliev[e]ing the pain.

A year had already passed but still, memories [a]were enough to bring forth the pain and loss he('d) felt on that fateful day.

The place make[s]d him remember [the time of] his downfall back in his high school days.

For someone of his age, this seem[s]ed to be the worst place imaginable. The sterile aura reeked of helplessness; [H]helplessness for those who [are]were injured, praying to the gods for a miracle to help them pull through.

Helplessness for those who [are]were very ill as they wait(ed) for the time they die. But most of all, the helplessness one [feels]felt waiting for any news about someone significant in his life.

Akagi was beside his sister(,) trying his best to calm her down.

"They'll be fine! You'll see!" Mitsui finally snapped, more [of]to convinc[ing]e himself than Haruko.

Never had he ever felt this helpless in his entire life as he looked [to]through the observation window.

Everyone [literally] held their breath as the doctor came out of the room, awaiting the news [about]of their friends.

Somehow, everything [seemed to be in a trance]trance-like as the elderly man shook his head sympathetically.

Just that^- a simple gesture that [speak]spoke volumes, no words, but enough to(make them) feel as if ice-cold water have been poured on them.

The eer[y]ie silence was deafening, save for the constant beep piercing the air.

He wanted to see her smile, to see the sparkle o[h]f her eyes and to bask [himself] in the liveliness that was simply Ayako.

He kept telling himself that the person lying in front of him was just a f[e]aint image of her.

Three years... they'[ved been together for three years through thick and thin.

Sure, their relationship was not the epitome of perfection, but they'[ve]d always managed to get through all the obstacles.

Now [is]was the time for them to be together.

He wanted to Ayako to assure him that everything w[ill]ould be alright.

"Don't you go and die on me... we've been through(so much) together for a long time. ..."

He sat down again and furiously brushed(away) the tears on his face.

He needn't any confirmation as the beep echoing in the room change[s]d as she flatline[s]d.//

He took out a small envelope [on]from his pocket and stared at it for a long time.

Kanagawa sure [did] underwent a lot of changes [for]in the past years.

He'[ll]d miss this place for sure...

Finally, he stopped over(at) his place.

Glancing [at]in the direction of the sound, he saw the brown-haired young man sleeping peacefully on the couch.

The two of them had been together long enough that he [can]could finally admit that he loved Miyagi.

Strangely, this was not(in the) least bit a normal gathering.

Chrysanthemums and white roses [are]were everywhere.

Then why [are]were the people crying?

[T]the former Shohoku team and some from other teams.

Reunions [are]were supposed to be for a happy cause, [aren't]weren't they?

It was(an) unnatural scene- him being always so strong and contained.

[Bunch(es) of] emotions tumbled everywhere, misery one moment, anger the next, then despair...

He looked like a marble(statue), so emotionless and detached.

There [are]were a lot of things he should have done and said...

He watched as the caskets [are]were lowered slowly [on]into the ground while his friends threw flowers(onto them).

...but then, it['s]was already too late.

"Listen, I have good news. I just got accepted [in]for a job in the U.S."

He should have anticipated the time that they [will]would be going [on]their separate ways.

It was foolish of him to hope that they'[ll]d be together, and most of all, hope that Mitsui would return his love.

He reached [on]into his coat pocket and handed his lover a small envelope.

Miyagi took the envelope and his eyes widened at its content(s).

"Oh," he finally said, at loss [of]for words. "This is-"

There he [go]went again.

"I-I'm sor-" he said but [were]was cut off as a finger shushed him.

He assured himself that this time, there [will]would be no mistakes.




























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The definition of normalcy is relative.

I'm not hentai ... just twisted!

When all of your wishes have been granted, many of your dreams will be destroyed.