CHAPTER 21 - Tezuka Kunimitsu
Tezuka woke up to the persistent ringing of the doorbell.
Who the hell is making such a ruckus? Annoyed, he sat up and groped around for his glasses.
A sharp pain sliced through his head with the sudden movement, followed by a major pounding headache that seemed to be reverberating in resonance with the ringing.
Damn, I shouldn't have drank so much yesterday, Tezuka winced in pain.
His children had gone to his parents' place yesterday for a visit. Left alone with nothing better to do, he finally went along with Oshitari's invitation for a drink. He had been feeling miserable ever since that disastrous day with Fuji and his partner was trying to cheer him up.
One drink led to another, and before he knew it, Tezuka had drunk himself into a stupor in an attempt to drown out his sorrows. He vaguely remembered Oshitari sending him right up to his doorstep in his drunken state.
It must be his partner coming to check on him. Absently putting on the shirt that was carelessly discarded yesterday before he crawled to bed, Tezuka went to answer the door, almost stumbling along the way.
"I'm coming," he muttered irritably and yanked the door open.
Tezuka wondered if he was still dreaming as he stared at the apparition before him. Or maybe his drunken mind was playing tricks on him. He had the urge to rub his eyes.
"Fuji…" he whispered, almost afraid that the figure in front of him would vanish if he spoke.
But the Fuji before him didn't disappear. He stood there, looking at Tezuka with a mixture of uncertainty and vulnerability in his beautiful blue eyes.
It wasn't an apparition then. Tezuka felt an inexplicable joy coursing through him. He had though that he would never see Fuji again.
Neither of them spoke as they stared at each other silently. Tezuka wanted so much to crush Fuji to him but he was afraid that he might scare him away again.
Fuji finally broke the silence. "Did you really mean it?" he asked hesitantly.
Tezuka stared blankly back at him.
Fuji averted his gaze, a blush coloring his cheeks. "When you said that you love me the other day?" he added, his voice faltering.
Why was Fuji asking about that? Was he here to mock him? To give a final twist to the knife that was already deeply embedded in his heart?
But Tezuka was not going to lie anymore just to save his pride. He was tired of it all. He gave a slight nod. "I have no control over myself where you are concerned. But it didn't change anything, did it? You've stated clearly how you felt the last time…" Tezuka couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice. "If you are here to rub it in…"
"No!" Fuji cut in quickly. He bit his lower lip. "I…didn't come for that."
Tezuka blinked a couple of times. Did they have anything else to talk about anymore? "Then why are you here?" he asked carefully.
The answer was long in coming. Fuji finally held up his right hand, showing the plain platinum ring that was sitting on his ring finger. "I finally remember…the past…"
Tezuka swallowed hard. A small ray of hope began to grow in his heart.
"What are you saying?" he prompted, wanting to make sure he wasn't imagining it.
Fuji looked away in embarrassment. "I remember…how much I was in love you," he whispered at long last. "How much I still am."
It felt like the sun had finally burst out from behind dark clouds. Abruptly Tezuka pulled the tensai through the door and into his arms.
"Do you know how much I've longed to hear you say that?" he asked hoarsely, breathing in Fuji's heady scent.
The blue-eyed man clutched him back with the same intensity, all the while murmuring, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…."
He was never ever going to let him out of his life again. He had dreamed for this moment for so long that it seemed almost too good to be true.
Suddenly an uneasy thought occurred to Tezuka. "What happened to Ryou?"
"We broke up. Ryou and I…"
That was all he needed to hear. Without waiting the tensai to complete his sentence, Tezuka planted his mouth firmly on his.
He groaned when Fuji responded without reservation. Please don't let me wake up and find that it's all a dream, Tezuka thought fervently as he caressed every inch of that beautiful slender body, wanting to assure that the tensai was really there.
Fuji suddenly gasped out loud when Tezuka brushed against his arousal while running his tongue along his neck.
"Te…zuka, stop," Fuji pleaded half-heartedly. "The kids might…."
"They are at my parents' house. Please, don't ask me to stop. I've been waiting much too long for this…."
Fuji finally closed his eyes in acquiescence. It was all the encouragement he needed.
Tezuka took his time worshipping every inch of Fuji's body with his hands and mouth, savoring what he had been yearning for these past years. Fuji writhed in agony under him until he had to plead with Tezuka to end the sweet torture.
Floating in a cloud of pure contentment in the aftermath, Tezuka gathered the slender body close to him, wishing they could stay like that forever.
They settled in a contemplative silence as each of them was lost in their own thoughts.
"Do you love her?" Fuji's voice suddenly brought Tezuka out of his dream-like state.
It took him a moment to grasp what Fuji meant. Did he ever love Ayumi?
Tezuka thought carefully about it. "I did care for her once," he finally answered. "She was everything my parents could wish for in a daughter. That was what led to our engagement. I had believed then that I could grow to love her as well."
Tezuka turned to look into the deep pools of cerulean blue. "Until the day we met again. I realized how wrong I was then. I couldn't love anyone else but you, no matter how I tried to delude myself into thinking otherwise." Remorse filled his voice. "I still haven't forgiven myself for hurting you back then. If I had been stronger…."
Absently, Tezuka brought Fuji's hand to his lips, brushing a light kiss on it. The blue-eyed man stayed silent the entire time. "I truly believed that our encounter was god-sent. I promised myself never to let the only good thing in my life go again, so I broke off my engagement with Ayumi the next day."
"I never meant to hurt anybody, especially not you. I thought that what you didn't know wouldn't hurt you, because it was inevitable that I would break up with her. I guessed I might have been a tad untactful and callous about it, but I didn't foresee that she would come to harass you about it."
Fuji looked at him in surprise. "You knew?"
At that, Tezuka gave a slight grimace as if remembering something unsavory. But there will be no more lies and secrets between us from now on.
Steeling himself, Tezuka ploughed on. "She confessed it herself; on the day she invited me for dinner at her house and drugged me into sleeping with her. That was how the twins were conceived. It was never out of love. The marriage was a farce, for the twins' sake." Bitterness tinged his voice. "I couldn't even look at her without having the urge to kill her for driving you away from me…."
Fuji gently laid a slender hand on his chest. "But something good came out of it, don't you think? You have Kousuke and Syuri, the two most adorable kids one could ever wish for," he smiled.
Hearing that, the bitterness seemed to seep out of Tezuka. "You are right."
The silence resumed before being broken by Tezuka moments later. "Fuji, why didn't you tell me about Ayumi and your illness?" His voice held a faint reproach.
Fuji took an equally long time to answer. "You just started out you career and had a bright future ahead. But all your dreams would be destroyed if they ever find out about us. And I had an illness which I could die from anytime. It just wasn't fair for you to make you choose between your career and me, not to mention worth it."
"Didn't you trust me to make the right decision for myself?" Tezuka's tone was reprimanding. "Even if you have only a day to live, I want to spend it with you."
Fuji gave a tinkling laugh. "That shows what fools we were, uh?" He then let out a sigh and laid his head on Tezuka's chest. "When I thought that I had lost you, I lose my will to live as well. That was why I decided to go ahead with the operation, which offered only 50 percent chance of success. But who would've known that I developed amnesia instead? It was like I was given a chance to start my life again. I was lucky to have Ryou helping and supporting me during that time."
Tezuka stiffened at the mention of his nemesis' name. There was something he wanted to clear up once and for all. "That Ryou…did you love him?" he asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
"Yes."
It wasn't the answer he was expecting. It also annoyed him that Fuji had answered so quickly without having to think about it. "Do you love him still?" he persisted.
"He was there when I needed someone to depend on. I am very grateful for all that he has done for me, and I love him for that."
Tezuka's expression darkened. It all seemed to come back to the fact that he wasn't there for Fuji in his time of need.
Suddenly he felt Fuji sprawled on top of him, his beautiful blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "But the one who has the control over my heart is you, Tezuka."
Somewhat mollified by Fuji's rather corny confession, Tezuka's arms went up to encircle him, trapping the tensai in his current position. "Well, make sure it stays that way," he said gruffly, bringing Fuji's lips to his.
Chuckling, Fuji put up a feeble attempt to avoid Tezuka's kiss before finally giving in. As the kiss became more heated and intense, Tezuka felt the stirrings in his groin again. He pressed their body close together to let Fuji know just how excited he had become.
Fuji reared his head back and gasped. "Tezuka…again? But we just…."
Tezuka's hazel eyes were passion-glazed. "We have three years' worth of catching up to do. I'm not going to let you sleep a wink tonight," he told him seriously, and proceeded to carry out his promise.
The next day, Tezuka let Fuji sleep in while he went to fetch the twins back from his parents'. Before leaving, he planted a chaste kiss on his lover's forehead. "Be good and wait for me to return," he ordered, which earned him a sleepy smile.
As Tezuka made his way through his parents' spacious home, he heard little footsteps headed his way. Just as he reached the front door, it burst opened and Kousuke flew into his arms. "Daddy, you are here!" he cried happily.
Moments later, his daughter appeared with her little arms outstretched. "Daddy!"
Tezuka smiled and picked Syuri up into his other arm. "Have you been good little children here?" he asked before giving them each a kiss on the cheek.
Kousuke nodded his head vigorously. "Grandma says we are her little angels, aren't we grandma?" he glanced at Ayana, who just arrived at the doorway and was standing there watching the little reunion.
Ayana smiled. "Yes, they have been perfect little darlings," she winked at Kousuke. Then she looked at her son, who hadn't made a move to enter the house. "Aren't you staying for dinner, Kunimitsu? Your father hasn't seen you for a while now."
"Sorry, Mother, not today. There's something that I need to attend to. I promise I'll stay for dinner the next time." Tezuka turned to his children. "Go put on your shoes now and get Shiroi."
He felt Ayana's penetrating gaze on him after the children left. "Did something good happen, Kunimitsu?" his mother's question startled him. "I haven't seen you this happy for a long time."
Tezuka's face flushed. His mother seemed to know his every little mood, even though he always prided himself on having such a poker face. But he wasn't ready to talk about what happened yet. He didn't want to jinx it.
Ayana seemed to understand. "Well, whatever it is, treasure it with all your heart now. Happiness doesn't come by twice."
Tezuka was once again amazed by how understanding his mother was. He nodded with a grateful smile. "I will. Thank you, Mother."
Ayana smiled back as the children returned, with Syuri carrying the white puppy in her arms. She beckoned to them. "Come here, darlings, and give your grandma a goodbye hug. I'm going to miss you so much."
As soon as Tezuka brought the car to a stop, Kousuke and Syuri flew into the house, followed by a yelping Shiroi.
On the way home, Tezuka had hinted to about a surprise waiting for them at home. The twins loved surprises, and were bouncing excitedly in the car seat while incessantly asking what it was. Tezuka just smiled at them and told them to find it out for themselves.
The children found Fuji in the living room, reading the morning newspaper.
They stared at him for a moment, before rushing forward. "Mommy!" Kousuke shouted joyfully and threw himself at Fuji.
"Kousuke!" Equally happy to see the children, Fuji received the little tot with open arms and ruffled his hair. "My, look how big you've grown."
"I can pee-pee myself now," Kousuke told him proudly.
"That's a very grown up thing to do," Fuji praised with a smile, and then turned to Syuri who was sitting patiently beside him for her turn.
"Look how pretty Syuri has become," Fuji commented with a tweak of her nose.
She giggled and climbed up to hug Fuji.
A short bark alerted Fuji to the little puppy at the foot of the couch, wagging his tail vigorously as if wanted to be acknowledged too. "And hello to you too, little guy," Fuji bent down and gave the puppy a pat on the head.
Standing at the doorway, Tezuka felt himself suffused with warmth and love as he watched his children interacting with Fuji.
Kousuke was wrapping his little arms around the tensai's neck. "Ne, Mommy will be staying with us from now on, won't you Mommy?"
Tezuka could see Fuji was slightly taken aback by that question. "Well, Kousuke, I don't think so. You see…," he tried to explain.
Kousuke pouted cutely. "Why not?"
"Yes, why not, Fuji?" Tezuka chipped in as he pushed himself away from the doorway. He wanted to praise the boy for speaking out his sentiments exactly. "Both Syuri and Kousuke really want you to stay. I want you to stay." He reached out to take Fuji's hand in his, hoping he could see his sincerity.
The tensai looked uncertain but Tezuka could sensed his resolve wavering. "Tezuka, I don't know, it's too early to….."
Tezuka cut him off. "You don't have a place to stay at the moment, right? This place is as good as any." He leaned over and added in a whisper. "I love you, Syusuke. I want us to be able to wake up in each other's arms every morning. Won't you say yes?"
"Say yes, please, Mommy," Kousuke and Syuri pleaded together earnestly.
That seemed to do the trick. Unable to win against their persuasiveness, Fuji finally agreed with a conceded sigh.
Tezuka's law firm partner, Oshitari Yuushi, didn't usually come to the office. More often than not, he would be entertaining clients outside, leaving Tezuka to do the paperwork. So it came as a surprise when he suddenly showed up at his office that day.
Oshitari seated himself across from Tezuka, chin rested on his clasped hands while throwing peculiar looks his way.
Finally, unable to take it any longer, Tezuka closed the file he was studying and leaned back against his swivel chair. "All right, out with it." He looked hard at his partner.
Oshitari smiled and readjusted his glasses. "I just want to see for myself the validity of some of the rumors I've been hearing lately."
Tezuka frowned. "What rumors? And since when do you have time to gossip when you are absent from the office most of the time? "
"Ah, I have ears everywhere, Tezuka. Do you know what has been circulating around here?" Oshitari asked, a lazy grin etched on his handsome face.
"I don't have time to listen to rumor mongers."
"But this time the rumor concerns you, my friend," Oshitari told him with a satisfied smirk. "Aren't you even a little curious to know?"
Tezuka sighed. "What have they been talking about this time? That I'm too cold and aloof? That I don't smile enough at them?"
"Quite the contrary, actually. Our staff, especially the women seemed to notice something different about you recently. They swear that you are getting more and more attractive everyday. There is a glow around you or something. Tezuka, you won't believe how many of them are swooning over you right now and setting their caps on you."
Tezuka scoffed at that. "That just goes to show how you can't believe rumors. I don't act or feel any different." Except that I am insanely happy each day, knowing Fuji will be there waiting for me when I get home….
Oshitari gave him a sideward glance. "But you are different, now that I have personally seen it. You looked…livelier." He sat back on his seat and nodded knowingly. "It's definitely the power of love. So, who is the lucky girl, Tezuka? It has been so long that I have almost given up hope on you finding someone. You always rejected all the women I introduced to you in the past."
When Tezuka remained silent, Oshitari pressed on. "Come on, you can tell your old partner. She must be some lady to be able to snare your attention. Do I know her?"
"Stop jabbering here, Oshitari." Tezuka evaded his friend's question and started packing his briefcase. "If you work as much as you talk, we would've been able to expand our firm by now."
"Ouch, you hit below the belt, Tezuka." Oshitari acted as if he was wounded. "I was only concerned for your well being. So, are you going to tell me whether I am right or wrong?"
Tezuka's mouth quirked into a half smile. "I'll introduce both of you later," he said by way of answer, and made his way out of the office.
As Tezuka let himself into the house, he heard giggling coming from the living room and noiselessly made his way there.
He found Fuji sitting on the floor with Syuri and Kousuke. Colored papers of various sizes were strewn all over the place as the tensai patiently taught the children how to fold them.
Tezuka walked quietly up to them and wrapped his arms around Fuji from behind. "I'm home," he whispered, nuzzling his nose at the nape of his neck and breathing in the sweet fragrant.
Fuji turned around, momentarily startled. Tezuka took the opportunity to plant a deep kiss on his lips.
"Welcome home," Fuji managed to answer back after they broke off, sounding slightly out of breath.
Tezuka smiled. He leaned over his lover's shoulder. "What are you doing?"
"I'm teaching the twins origami," Fuji replied.
"Daddy!" Kousuke called out.
Tezuka turned to his son. "Yes, Kousuke?"
Kousuke climbed onto his father. "Daddy, I want a kiss too! Like the one you gave Mommy!" He pursed his lips at Tezuka.
Tezuka saw Fuji flushed in embarrassment. Amused, he tried to detract his son's attention. "No you don't. Those kisses are reserved for Daddy to Mommy only. Children will get this instead!" Tezuka started tickling Kousuke until tears ran down his cheeks. "Daddy's Ultimate Tickling Session!"
"No, Daddy! Stop!" Kousuke giggled and tried to wriggle away.
At the plea, Tezuka ceased his tickling and hugged the boy to him until he quieted down. He then turned his attention to his daughter. "Want to show Daddy what you have made so far, Syuri?"
The little girl held up a green piece of folded paper. "It's a frog, Daddy," she told him with a proud smile.
"My, what a clever child I have," Tezuka praised her with a wink. He nudged at Kousuke, who was sitting comfortably on his lap twiddling his thumb. "Did you make anything, Kousuke?"
"I made a fishy," the boy replied immediately.
"No, you didn't," Syuri countered. "Mommy made the fishy."
Kousuke stuck out his tongue at his sister. "I helped too."
"All right, children. No more arguing," Fuji interrupted them before the bickering went any further. "Since Daddy's home, let's clear up and have dinner, OK?"
The children obediently did as told. Tezuka followed behind as Fuji made his way to the kitchen.
"Need any help?" he offered but the tensai just shook his head. "Go keep the children company. Dinner's almost ready."
"Something smells wonderful," Tezuka commented as he took a peek at the dishes.
"I made your favorite unagi curry, sour plum rice, stewed beef and pickled radish. Here, try some of the beef." Fuji held up a piece of meat with his fingertips and offered it to Tezuka.
Tezuka took the meat in his mouth, and licked the stew off Fuji's fingers longer than necessary. "Hmm…you sure do know how to win a man's heart," he bantered lightly.
Fuji grinned. "Don't I always?"
After dinner, they split up to do the chores. Fuji took the children for a bath and tucked them into bed while Tezuka cleaned the dishes.
That done, Tezuka went to take a shower in his chamber's adjoined bathroom. When he came out, Fuji was already in bed with his laptop in front of him, totally engrossed in his work. He was wearing silk blue pajamas, and the soft glow of the bedside lamp made his chestnut hair shone with tones of burnished copper.
Outside, it looked like a storm was brewing. Lightning flashed in the distance and a strong wind howled. Tezuka went to close the window before climbing into the bed.
"Researching for your new novel?" he asked as he snuggled up to Fuji.
The blue-eyed man nodded. "I'm contemplating writing a thriller."
"Any progress so far?"
"The plot has been set. I just need to put it into words," Fuji replied with a preoccupied smile.
"Hmm…" Tezuka looked at the tensai. His blue eyes were concentrating hard at the article in front of him, a faint frown marring his eyebrows. He was unconsciously biting his bottom lip.
Tezuka didn't know why, but he found the working Fuji incredibly sexy. Feeling aroused, he moved closer to the smaller man and planted a kiss on his exposed neck.
Fuji jerked in response. Tezuka chuckled inwardly. He had found out long ago that the neck was one of Fuji's erogenous spot.
"Kuni…mitsu," Fuji protested weakly. "I'm working…"
"We promised not to bring work into the bedroom, remember?" Tezuka chided him gently. "Don't you think this call for a punishment…"
Setting aside the laptop, Tezuka trapped the tensai beneath him and locked their lips in a deep, hungry kiss. Fuji completely lost his will to resist.
Outside, the thunder rolled and rain started to fall in sleets.
Tezuka himself was caught in a storm of his own making. Fuelled by Fuji's passionate moans, his hand eagerly unbuttoned his lover's silk shirt to reveal skin of equal fineness. It found a hardened pink nipple and devoted some time there before journeying down.
Just as he was about to slip his hand below the waistband, he was suddenly being pushed away hastily.
Dazed, he looked at Fuji in confusion. The tensai was breathing heavily; his face flushed as he quickly readjusted his clothing.
What's wrong? Tezuka thought, before catching sight of a small figure running towards them.
It was Kousuke. Tezuka was so caught up in that kiss that he failed to notice his son opening the door to their bedroom.
"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Fuji asked placidly as Kousuke came crying into his arms.
"Mommy, scare…d!" he hiccupped. "Thun…der…."
"It's alright, honey. We are here." Fuji soothed him.
"Mommy, can Mr. Pinky and me sleep here tonight?" Kousuke asked once he calmed d own, one hand holding his favorite rabbit, and sucking hard at the thumb of the other.
"Of course," Fuji murmured, throwing Tezuka a glance. "Let's ask your sister too. Where is she?"
Another head poked in from behind the door. Fuji saw the little girl and gave her an encouraging smile. He patted the space beside him. "Come over here, Syuri. You are scared too, aren't you?"
Syuri reluctantly nodded as she approached them.
"Let's all sleep here tonight, OK?"
Syuri smiled and nodded again happily before climbing onto the bed.
Of all the luck…Tezuka thought with frustration as their intimate moments were interrupted for good. A wave of jealousy washed over him before he could realized it. Then he shook his head in resignation. It couldn't be helped. Fuji didn't belong only to him anymore.
With a wry smile, Tezuka turned off the light as the twins snuggled down between him and Fuji. "Good night, kids," he said, giving each of them a chaste kiss on the forehead.
"Good night, Daddy," they replied sleepily in unison.
After a while, the twins' breathing became regular. Tezuka glanced over at the tensai, hoping to detect some movement but there was none.
He is probably asleep as well, he thought in disappointment. He was still reeling from their earlier kiss. He squirmed a bit, feeling uncomfortable in his current state of arousal.
There's no help to it then. Quietly, so as not to wake up the children, Tezuka slowly extricated himself from the bed and headed towards the bathroom. He needed a shower, a really cold one.
Tezuka stepped into the bathtub and turned on the faucet. He shivered slightly as a gush of cold stream hit his heated skin.
He had just managed to calm himself down when he felt a pair of slender arms encircled him from behind.
"Ne Kunimitsu, why are you taking a cold shower in the middle of the night?" he heard Fuji's husky voice asked.
Tezuka turned around and found the tensai standing there in all his naked glory, looking up at him innocently. The effect was immediate. His earlier effort was wasted, swiftly replaced by red, hot excitement.
"Whose fault do you think it is?" he glared at the tensai, trying his hardest to dampen down his arousal.
Fuji cocked his head to a side and grinned mischievously. At that moment he looked very much like the sadistic tensai Tezuka knew years ago.
The slighter man reached over and turned off the shower. Then, holding Tezuka's gaze with his hypnotic blue eyes, Fuji lightly ran a long slender finger down his chest, deliberately brushing against a nipple along its descend. "Let me be of service," he whispered.
The said nipple tautened. "Syusuke, the kids are sleeping just next door…" Tezuka hissed, having an extremely hard time not to lose his head.
"We'll have to be really quiet then, won't we?" Fuji countered with a wink before dropping to his knees in front of Tezuka.
He took him into his mouth and moved expertly. Tezuka's already fragile restrain broke. He bit back a moan, his knees nearly buckling in ecstasy.
He plunged his hands into the silky chestnut hair when he felt his climax nearing. "Syusuke, please….stop," Tezuka gritted out as if in pain.
Fuji paused and looked up. "You don't like it?" he asked, sounding disappointed.
Tezuka pulled the slender man up against him and whispered huskily into his neck. "No, it's not that. I… want to come inside you."
"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" Fuji chuckled, his cerulean orbs dancing with mirth. Gently disentangling himself from his lover's embrace, he led Tezuka to a stool.
Fuji firmly pushed him onto the seat before climbing up to sit snugly on Tezuka's lap. He draped his arms around his shoulders. "Is this more to your liking?" he teased.
Tezuka's mouth was gently sucking on the skin overlying Fuji's left clavicle bone. "Much, much better," he replied with ardor.
They made love in the bathroom. Tezuka felt more excited than usual; probably due to the fact that they had to keep their moans down to avoid waking up the twins who were sleeping in the next room.
After climaxing three times, Fuji finally collapsed into Tezuka's arms, exhausted to the bone.
"Syusuke…?" Tezuka called out, gazing down at the blue-eyed man's flushed face.
Only a soft sigh came out from Fuji's slightly swollen lips. Tezuka smiled tenderly as he brushed a strand of sweat drenched hair from the tensai's face. He felt tired himself, yet his mind was strangely revived.
Gently carrying Fuji's light weight to the bathtub again, he cleaned both of them up before returning to their bed. Except for a few incoherent murmurs, Fuji did not wake up at all. Tezuka hadn't realize he had been working so hard lately for his new book.
After tucking the tensai in, Tezuka finally climbed into the other side of the bed. The twins were still sleeping soundly. As he gazed at his small family, he felt an inexplicable surge of love and protection towards them. He was, without a doubt, the most blissful man in the world. Even if he lost his everything, he would still be satisfied to have only Fuji and the kids by his side.
A/N: I am so sorry minna, for the late update. I can't write as often now, because I am taking my entrance exam soon and I really, I mean really, need to buckle up. I may not be able to update as often as I like now, so please bear with me.
Thank you so much for all those wonderful reviews, and your private messages (luvracci, sheyryoma, Epsilon.5, mem05, Marik-Yuki, maldita08) because of them, I managed to persevere and finish this chapter. ;) Once again, thank you very much. Keep the reviews coming!
Marik-Yuki: I am deeply honored that you think that my fic is good enough to be published in your diary. I have no objection. I am very glad that you like it.
I hope all of you enjoyed this chapter. After all those hardships, let's give Tezuka and Fuji some time enjoying the calm before the storm, so to say. :P Haha, I'm so evil. Stay tune…