"You should have told me you would be on an earlier flight," Mitsui admonished gently as the other boy yawned and snuggle further into his arms. "I would have gone to pick you up. I already told my mom you'd be staying over."

They were cuddled on Mitsui's bed. In the past few hours, time had flown. Kogure seemed excited about how everything was going. He was studying psychology, and was settling in just fine. That very perceptiveness which had steered him towards his course of study sharply noticed that Mitsui was in fact hardly paying attention as he drew lazy circles on Kogure's arms.

"Mit-kun?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"What's bothering you?"

A heavy sigh answered him, and Kogure was surprised. He looked up at Mitsui quizzically, and softly brushed a lock of hair of the other boy's forehead. Tenderness flashed endearingly back at him as Mitsui gave him a grateful smile, then his hand snaked down and caught the one which was just leaving his face, clasping the slim fingers loosely. "Something happened with Hanamichi and Rukawa. I think I know what it is."

When he had told his lover everything, Kogure pondered for a moment. "And Rukawa was all bent out of shape during practice, Min-kun. Normally he's bad, but today he got worse. It was like he was playing against himself, and once I noticed he bit his lip so hard it bled, but he barely noticed. Hanamichi was nowhere to be found. Ayako and Haruko…I have nothing to say to them," he concluded finally, pulling Kogure's head to his chest and comforted by the touch as always.

@@@

Rukawa stepped out of the gym showers, his hair throwing glistening trails along the sides of his face and dripping down to his neck as he pulled on a blue sweater and black slacks. The mask that was his face slipped for a moment as he looked at himself in the steam-cloaked mirror and allowed his confusion and pain to surface, before the expression hardened. I'm going to find you, do'aho. I'm not going to let us end like this.

@@@

"Well then, Mit-kun, there's only one way to find out what really happened," Kogure smiled and sat up, ignoring Mitsui's protests. "We find Hanamichi and talk to him."

Five minutes later, they were bundled up in warm clothes and ready to leave when Mitsui's mother suddenly leaned out of the kitchen doorway. "Mitsui! Are you going out?"

"Hai!"

"I just spoke to your Aunt Numiko, and she has something she'd like to pass to me. Can you get it for me, please? She has left it at the neighborhood grocer's."

"Mother!" Mitsui sighed in exasperation, "I'm going out-" his disagreement was suddenly cut short when Kogure turned. "It's okay, Mit-kun," he said softly, trying hard not to chuckle, "You can get your mother's things while I visit Hanamichi, and we'll meet up and walk back here together."

Mitsui hesitated as his mother glared at him. "All right, all right!"

They left.

end of part 6