Dark Chocolate
"I'm sorry Kunimitsu... there... is someone else that I like. You should give chan a chance... she would deserve you more than I do." The painful words finally came out of the lips of
Under normal circumstances, would be elated at Tezuka Kunimitsu's confession. Why, the most stoic guy in Seigaku, her dream guy, had actually confess to her! But alas, her best friend , also had feelings for the tennis club's captain. It was not that did not want to have a fair fight for Tezuka. She wouldn't have minded... if not for the fact that had barely six months to live.
was suffering from leukemia and knew that her greatest wish is to go out on a date with Tezuka.
" ... don't lie to me. I know it's because of san. How can you tell me to be with another woman when my heart only thinks of you? It's not fair." Tezuka grabbed 's wrist and pulled her into his embrace.
"Kunimitsu... please... don't do this. If you do... I might not be able to let go... Please... you know how much likes you... if you don't give her a chance now she would never have the chance again. This would be for the good of all of us." Gathering her remaining strands of will power, broke free from Tezuka and ran out of the classroom.
(A week later)
Heaving in a deep breath, walked into the hospital ward. She forced a weak smile as she braced herself to look at the scene before her. was smiling as she cradle the bouquet of flowers that Tezuka had just placed on her lap.
"Ah,
" chan! Look what Kunimitsu got for me? White lilies, my favorite!" grinned.
"So fast on first name basis already? And he already knows what your favorite flowers are? That's so thoughtful of you, Tezuka san." said dryly and earned herself a glare from Tezuka.
'Go on and be mad at me Kunimitsu... this way it would be easier for you to let go of your feelings for me.'
"Mou, you are so mean." blushed.
"Hey I'm not. Look at that blissful aura around you. Anyway I will go and look for a vase for the flowers yeah." Avoiding a pair of hazel eyes that had focused themselves on her, excused herself and went out of 's room. Walking as fast as she could, ran striaght to the ladies restroom and locked herself in one of the cubicles. Tears that she had been holding back, at this very point fell silently to the ground as their she lean against the cubicle wall. The angry look which Tezuka which had given her, flashed through her mind and burned her.
'Gomene... Kunimitsu... Gomene...'
Drying her tear-stained face, stepped out of the toilet to find Tezuka waiting for her by the corridor.
"This has got to stop ... eventually the one who would be hurt the most is not going to be us, but san." Tezuka folded his arms and looked at curtly.
"You are the one who is supposed to stop. It is impossible between the two of us... like I had said earlier; there is someone else that I like." Tezuka snorted at the white lie.
"Someone else? Who?"
"...Seiichi. Yukimura Seiichi from Rikkaidai." said without hesitation, making a mental note to ask the said boy for help later on. She had happened to bump into the tennis captain of Rikkaidai in the hospital two weeks ago when she had come to visit . They had become fast friends and would drop by Yukimura's ward to visit him whenever she was done with .
"...If that's the truth... I would give my blessings to the both of you. But even if your heart is with him... mine would always be with you. However, san and I will never be an item... because unlike you, I won't give up my feelings just to make someone else happy and let everybody's heart get broken as consequence." gasp when her eyes made contact with Tezuka. She could clearly see the sadness in the eyes of the bespectacled captain before her.
'Please Kunimitsu, don't give me that look... I might not be able to restrain myself anymore... don't break my last shield of defense...'
"Well... thank you for your blessings. I need to go back now. must be wondering what's been taking me so long." hid her face with her fringe and quickly walked past Tezuka.
She knew that even if this is going to torment the two of them badly, definitely deserved this happiness as part of her last memories for the remaining days of her life.
(Later)
After excusing herself, left Tezuka and alone in the room as she headed off to look for Yukimura. She sighed as she knocked at the door to Yukimura's room.
"Yukimura kun... sorry to disturb you at this hour..." bowed. The purpled haired tennis club captain gave her a warm smile and patted at the seat beside his bed.
"It's ok... did you have another fight with Tezuka san?"
"How did you..." couldn't help but thinks that Yukimura somehow reminded her of her classmate Fuji Syusuke. Both of them really had good and sometimes scary observation skills.
"Your eyes are red. , you really do love Tezuka san a lot don't you?" Yukimura frowned.
"Ne, have you ever eaten dark chocolate before?" looked at Yukimura with a confused expression and nodded her head.
"You know... most people would say that love resembles candies... I think it's more like dark chocolate. It's appearance may be pretty, like the chocolate wrappers, but once you bit into it you then realise it's acutally somewhat bitter. Ironically, even though people knew that it is bitter, they still go on and try it. Isn't it quite similar to love?" Yukimura smiled.
"But Yukimura kun, if I were to finish these dark chocolates it would mean that would be able to get the other chocolates which are sweet." returned a weak smile.
"Even so, that would only be temporary. The sweetness doesn't stay in her for too long but the bitterness in you would. And Tezuka san is also forced to finish the bitter chocolate with you as well so as to leave the sweet chocolate for . Is it fair to him?" remained silent. Perhaps it was really not fair to Tezuka, but then again, who is fair to ? should be having a reasonably carefree and happy life with her peers, and not be stuck in some cold hospital.
"You know, there is someone I love too. When I fell sick, I thought that it would be good to let go of that person. But instead I denied my feelings and tried to push him towards the girls in the school..."
"Him? You mean Sanada san?"
" grinned when a pink blush spread across the tennis club captain's face.
"Yeah... Sanada. You know what he told me? He said that even if I were to deny my feelings, my heart would never lie. Every time it aches, it speaks of my true feelings for him. So he said that if I could tell him straight in the face that I do not love him without my heart aching, then he would stop his heart from loving me too. So , your heart must be feeling the ache now right?"
stared at Yukimura, totally speechless. Yukimura pull her into his embrace and the tears that had just dried out once again flowed from 's eyes. As Yukimura gently caresses 's hair, he knew, it wouldn't be long until the girl in his arms learns how to follow her heart.
(Three months later)
It was like a nightmare for as she helplessly watched the decline of her best friend's health. By now, was so sick that she was bedridden and most of the time, relied on an oxygen tank to breathe. Looking at who is desperately fighting to live on, is fighting hard to ignore the ache in her heart concerning the situation with Tezuka. She knew that compared to her friend's sufferings, hers was nothing but a small ant's bite.
"Ne... chan..." the soft voice pulled away from her thoughts.
"Ah , what's the matter? Are you feeling uncomfortable? Are you feeling any pain somewhere?" gave a weak smile. She enjoys seeing the anxious look on 's face as she fuse over her.
"Nope, I'm not the one hurting... it's you who is hurting, ."
"What are you talking about ? You must have too much sleep." forced a chuckle, while avoiding eye contact with her best friend.
"You like Kunimitsu don't you? And Kunimitsu likes you too..." 's tone was serious.
"I... I don't know what you are talking about. Tezuka san likes you... so don't imagine..."
"STOP LYING TO YOURSELF!" shouted, taking by surprise.
"You are not making me happy at all you know. I feel more miserable with knowing the fact that you decided to let go of Kunimitsu because I was sick. I want a fair fight , and it's a fact that I am destined to lose this even if I am not dying. Because Kunimitsu chose you right from the start." sobbed.
"... You... knew it all along? How? Since when?" pulled her friend towards her and hug her tightly.
"The way Kunimitsu looks at you is different from the way he looks at me. He always had that forlorn look in his eyes whenever you are around. He was trying to be really nice to me but I knew his heart wasn't there. And that day, after you left to look for Yukimura san, I saw those look in his eyes again. So I asked him if the one he loves is you and you know what? Even though he was shocked at first, he replied yes without hesitation."
For the next few minutes, the room was filled with silence as the two friends embraced each other.
"...I'm sorry ... I thought that letting go of Kunimitsu would at least bring you happiness. I know how much you love him... that's why I..." apologized, which was the only thing she can do at the moment.
"If you are really sorry, please be happy with Kunimitsu. That way, when I die... I can be assured that the two persons whom I care most are not suffering because of me." whispered.
With tears streaming down her face, noded her head as she mumbled a thank you. Smiling, hugged her friend tightly as she closes her tired eyes.
(Eight years later)
"Ah ! Be careful!" sighed as her daughter chase after a butterfly.
"This daughter of mine is starting to have a similar character as someone ne?" Yukimura laughed.
"Correction Yukimura, she's your goddaughter..." Sanada quickly added as he noticed 's biological father twitching.
"Oh there's not much difference anyway. I'm sure Tezuka doesn't mind sharing with me." Yukimura smiled evilly. Sensing a deadly aura coming from Tezuka, hurriedly walked away and called for her daughter to follow her to a nearby marbled tombstone.
"It's been eight years ne... . I'm sorry for not visiting you until now. Tezuka's been doing really well as a professional tennis player and we just came back from America. We have a daughter and we decided to name her ... she's three years old now." smiled as she gently caress the picture of her best friend. had passed away in 's arms the same night after she had given her blessings to and Tezuka.
"I do agree that our daughter is starting to act like in certain ways..." Tezuka made a noise that sounds like he's groaning. laughed and nodded in sentiment. Entwining her hand around her husband's, bid her friend goodbye.
As they headed down the hill, the little Tezuka who was in the arms of her father notice that the butterfly which she had chased after earlier had appeared behind them. It suddenly disappeared when the toddler tried to reach for it. And it it's place, a young teenage girl appeared and smiled lovingly at .
"Please be happy forever..."
"Be happy... forever!" Little giggled. The Tezukas looked at their daughter and then at each other before letting out a chuckle. Perhaps their daughter did inherit their friend's character after all.
Love is like a box of dark chocolates. Even though it may be bitter, it is only through the bitterness that people can learn to value what they have.
~ Owari ~ 04.10.2006 babysyusuke