TITLE: Delusions
PART: Three of Three
GENRE: Yaoi (Alternate Universe/Psychological/Angst/Drama)
AUTHOR: Simply Kim
PAIRING: Atobe Keigo x Tezuka Kunimitsu
FANDOM: Tennis no Oujisama
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the stuff, characters and series mentioned here, except this... (Piece of crap?) story. ;
NOTE #1: Blah or Blah is for emphasis. /Blah/ is for conversations over the phone or flashbacks (if any). /Blah/ is for the conscience or whatever inner voice there is talking. Blah is for thoughts or random Japanese words.
PART THREE: TRUE REALITY
It was the final day of the month, and Sanada was sitting in his office with a stack of paperwork waiting for him when a sudden knock jolted him out of his thoughts. Pressing the buzzer for the automated door to open, he straightened his tie and composed himself.
"Genichirou."
It was Oshitari.
"Yuushi." He nodded, motioning for him to sit down, which, he readily complied to. "Would you care for some coffee or tea?"
The bespectacled man shook his head. "No thanks." He responded heavily. It was then that Sanada felt something was bothering the other man, and was going to talk about it with him. His intuition had never been wrong... and he knew Oshitari's was almost never wrong as well.
I have a feeling it's because of –
"I'm worried about Keigo."
Keigo. Sanada took a deep breath. "I am too."
Oshitari fidgeted in his seat. If it were an ordinary day, it would have given him much amusement. But it wasn't – just like every day of the last week of every month since university graduation was not. It had been years, but the problem they thought would fade after some time, hadn't lightened up. Instead, it worsened.
"We shouldn't have told him the truth."
Sanada had to agree. It was one of the worst things he had ever done in his life, and he was sure all of the others felt the same way about themselves too. "If the Tezuka family didn't push him to an arranged marriage, this wouldn't have happened. They are all to blame."
"But it's understandable, Genichirou." Oshitari responded pensively. "They are bound to tradition, since they are an old clan."
"Keigo and Kunimitsu suffered a lot because of their decision, and look what happened."
"They suffered as well."
"In theory." Sanada declared, suddenly incensed.
Oshitari took off his glasses and slipped them in his coat pocket. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he let out his bated breath and made a small noise of distress. "You're making things worse." He muttered reproachfully. "They already offered their deepest apologies."
"You're taking their side."
"No I'm not."
"Then why are you being so..."
"I'm just saying that we shouldn't blame anyone. It was normal for them to do that, take Tezuka away. Keigo's family had just been too open when it comes to sexuality."
The other man's words sunk into Sanada and he placed his chin on his interlinked fingers, deep in thought. Finally, he let go and straightened up. "You're right." He started. "But I'm still worried... Keigo... it's just like before..."
"Yeah, unfortunately. It has been a year now... it seems as if he's clinging to Tezuka or something." Oshitari said after taking a deep cleansing breath. "His parents are expressing their concerns. His situation is worsening. I've been noticing that a lot too."
"I don't think everything would go back the way it was until things are settled between those two... but I don't think that's possible anymore." Sanada allowed. "And we can't hold out forever if every month he relives his last moments with Kunimitsu."
"He's on medication since graduation."
"Then the doctors should increase the dosage."
"That's going to kill him, idiot."
There was a long moment of silence before Sanada spoke. "Then we don't have any other choice but to stick with the routine... and hope we would do a better job of making him realise he's still in a dream..."
Oshitari turned away and nodded unhappily.
R.E.A.L. I.S. T.A.N.G.I.B.L.E.
"You think they would be happy to see you?" Atobe asked as he picked up the phone. As he dialled, he snuck a glance at the bespectacled man and grinned slyly. "They would go crazy once they see you – then they'd know I'm not playing with them about you being here."
Tezuka, in turn, gave him a small smile before turning back to his newspaper. "Mitsu-chan, why are you still reading that? It's dated years ago! I have newer ones downstairs, in the living room!"
"This is today's newspaper, Keigo – and don't call me that."
Atobe rolled his eyes before focusing on his impending talk with –
"S & Co., this is Oshitari Yuushi speaking, how may I help you?"
Atobe's eyes bulged in surprise. "Yuushi?" He began incredulously. "What are you doing there?"
"Keigo." Oshitari answered, his tone a bit edgy. "You want to talk to Genichirou, right? I'll just call him... for a while..."
As soon as Sanada was on the phone, Atobe began his barrage of questions. "You two are keeping something from Ore-sama, aren't you, ahn?" He asked lightly. "Does Mukahi-kun know about your little episodes in there?"
As predicted, Sanada growled. "Keigo, damn you, we're not doing anything! We're just talking!"
"Talking about what, ahn?"
There was a slight pause. If it was any other day, it might've been nothing. However, Atobe couldn't dispel the feeling of something resembling dread as he waited for his friend's answer. For a split second, he thought he heard an inner voice say they were talking about him. But that was stupid, why would they talk about him? Ore-sama was popular, but it was pointless to talk about him and his current love life, not when it wasn't anything new to them, right?
"We're gonna have a tennis game tonight." Sanada finally allowed.
As he started another round of teasing, there was another twist in Atobe's gut. There isn't any reason to doubt him, is there? But why is it that I feel like he's not telling the truth?
R.E.A.L. I.S K.N.O.W.N.
By the time he finished talking to Sanada over the phone, Tezuka was gone. Confused, he looked around.
"Mitsu-chan? Where are you?"
"I'm right here, Keigo."
Here? Atobe stood in the middle of the room, a sudden cold seeping into his bones. Even with Tezuka answering...
He couldn't see him.
R.E.A.L. I.S. T.R.U.E.
"Any news on Tezuka, Genichirou?"
Why did he have to bring this up again... right after I just talked to Keigo... Sanada sighed and banged his head on his table. "No. And I don't want to talk to those accursed parents of his. If his grandfather is alive, he wouldn't have to suffer like this – Keigo too."
"I know." Oshitari sighed. "I hope his own medication is working. His depression almost made him kill himself back then."
"Do you think he's on the same boat Keigo is?"
Sanada nodded. "Most probably." He acknowledged. "He loved him just as much and forcing him to marry some girl he doesn't know is another reason why he must be experiencing the same thing."
"If things were different, they wouldn't have to attempt a double suicide after our graduation ceremony. Now, Kunimitsu might still be studying in Germany and Keigo a successful CEO."
He nodded imperceptively. "Sometimes I wish they didn't get to know each other better, that they were better off established as rivals..."
"If only we knew things would turn out like this..."
"But we didn't." The former Rikkai student grated out. "Now Kunimitsu is on the verge of madness and Keigo is living a life that doesn't even exist. He calls me almost every night to tell me stories and escapades, his time spent signing papers in his own office, his celebratory parties with you and your other Hyoutei friends... and then what clinched it was the one when he said he finally beat me in a tennis game and told Tezuka about it. If I had any more tears to shed over their plight, I would have cried right then and there!" He groaned in frustration. His normally stern disposition dissolving to that of agony as he recalled all time spent listening to his friend.
"But we really can't do anything, Genichirou." Oshitari sighed sadly. "All we can do is sit still, watch and wait."
R.E.A.L. I.S. T.A.N.G.I.B.L.E.
Atobe ran.
He could feel his clothes billowing as he dashed away from the confines of his office but he didn't care. All he wanted was reprieve. He was panicky at most and a voice was still whispering in his ear. For whatever peculiar reason, he followed the instructions given and soon enough, he was outside, scratched, but otherwise free to go about and search for answers.
"Be careful, Keigo, you might fall."
He could hear Tezuka, he could still hear him answer his every call... but why wasn't he able to see him at all? A semblance of peace ran through him as he saw the familiar building, which was what his destination was. But soon enough, the dread returned as the dearly familiar voice reached his ears once more, telling him it was futile to ask for help...
"There's nothing they can help you with, I'll always be here, why are you running away?"
With hurried steps, Atobe clambered straight to where he knew Sanada and Oshitari were. "S & Co., second floor..." He muttered to himself, feeling a bit better now that he was in front of the office door. With decisive motions, he knocked; panic seeping into his movements.
"You'll skin your knuckles, Keigo..."
There it was again, Tezuka's chastising voice. But he couldn't see him. He was physically unavailable, so why? He was hearing things again! That must be it!
When the door opened, Atobe flung himself into the room, eliciting a surprised sound from the one who opened it.
"Yuushi!" Atobe cried out in relief upon seeing the familiar face.
"Keigo? What the hell are you doing here? Genichirou, Keigo's –" Oshitari called out in panic.
"Keigo? What are you doing here?" Sanada growled, bounding over to the panicked pair.
The sound of Sanada's voice did little to ease Atobe's anxiety, instead, it added to it. It was perhaps the disbelief and open dislike for his presence that was the key. But it didn't matter now, he had to tell them what was happening – maybe they could help him! Tezuka may be in trouble and he, Atobe Keigo, his own lover just didn't know it!
"Genichirou, remember during our tennis game, I told you that Kunimitsu came back?" He asked wildly, noting in passing that the two men were staring at him in absolute discomfort. "Well, he just disappeared right after I called you a while ago! Do you have any idea where he may have been?"
"Keigo..." Sanada began, but was soon cut off as Atobe plowed on.
"But listen to this, even if he's not with me, I can still hear him... like he's still around!"
There was a long moment of silence before Oshitari finally spoke.
"Genichirou, call Keigo's parents, tell them he got out of the mansion again."
R.E.A.L. I.S. R.E.A.L.
He was in the white room.
He was in the white room he detested with all his heart.
He didn't open his eyes... He didn't want to... but he could hear them... just as he heard Tezuka's voice whispering close to his ear, reassuring him that everything was going to be alright.
"We have no idea how he got out ma'am,"
"I thought the fences are wired?"
"Well sir, Atobe-bouchan went through the servants' quarters and we couldn't just wire that area since the household help goes in and out that way..."
"Ah, I see. Then we must make extra precautions to make sure he doesn't stray out the mansion anymore."
"This is all the Tezuka family's fault... my poor Kei-chan..."
Atobe wanted to shut his system down so he could stop hearing them talk. They made him seem crazy... like he was some animal they kept in a gilded cage!
"Then why don't you come with me then, Keigo?"
He flinched in surprise and his eyes snapped open. A whisper of a touch ran through his cheek, and a small smile flitted across his lips. "Mitsu-chan. I thought you left me. How you seduce Ore-sama so..." He murmured almost inaudibly. "Of course I'd go with you... just don't leave me again like you did this afternoon..."
And Tezuka smiled down at him, caressing his face some more before leaning close to kiss him. And as he felt the warmth of those familiar lips press down on his own, everything around him fell silent.
"Let's leave him alone to rest for awhile... Come, Sanada-kun, Yuushi-kun."
Atobe didn't even hear them.
He simply didn't need to.
ENDE