TITLE: Who Says College is Easy?

PART: Eight of Ten

GENRE: Yaoi/Shounen-ai

PAIRING: developing AkutsuShishido, developing AtobeTezuka, seemingly lost OhtoriMizuki.

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to does not belong to me… ^_^ only this weird story does.

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Part 08: Speculations

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Akutsu was ready to tear out his hair as he stared for the umpteenth time at the huge wall clock hanging on the mini living room wall. He was getting tired of looking up all the time, if he had his way, he would've just dozed off hours ago - or probably got out, making the world realize that there was someone who was as tough as he was. But that wasn't exactly the case. He wanted to just quit waiting - his patience was thinning bit by bit, and he was sure that soon, he was going to tear off the clock... after he had gone bald.

The stupid show was supposed to end two hours ago, and knowing Shishido, he should been home an hour and a half ago. Shishido hated late nights, that much he knew. Sighing, he slumped even more, burrowing his butt - and a shapely one at that - deeper into the warmth of the sofa cushions. Honestly, it was the only warm part of his body at present. His feet were cold from the frostiness typical of autumn nights, his body was shivering from the sudden draft of air permeating through the long crack on one of the windows, and his hands were sweaty with nervousness - and fear.

Fear.

It was ridiculous, the way he was fearful now, when he wasn't before. He was afraid of what the leader of the evil fraternity messing up with him declared just the other night - that it was not his war now... it was war with those close enough to him too. At least, he wasn't at that time... but now, he wasn't so sure. The closer the person, the higher the probability of being targeted... And who was closer to him than the infamous drama queen Shishido Ryo? He wasn't one to speculate, but he couldn't help doing it. And he couldn't help thinking what the fuck was wrong with him for even thinking that way. Maybe his mother was right - maybe he was becoming sicker in the head.

He looked up again at the clock. It was past eleven in the evening. Shishido was never out after ten. His esteemed roommate was late - and he was obviously in need of menthol patches just to keep his neck from stiffening permanently, angled towards the direction of the damned timepiece.

Where was he?

RING!

Akutsu jumped - a feat he was happy no one saw, his eyes straying to where the phone suddenly jangled in it's receiver. Glaring at the offending appliance, he tiredly levered himself up and went to answer it before it woke the neighbours up. His heart was unexplainably pounding in his ears.

"Hai." He growled, impatient, and yet seemingly expecting something - only, he did not exactly know what.

"Akutsu-san?"

Ohtori. Akutsu stood straighter, his body stiffening completely. He was breathing heavily now, and he berated himself for it, thinking that if this continued, he would hyperventilate. It would not do him any good for Shishido to come home and see him in such state. It would be a good blackmail material. Trying to calm down, he answered back as steadily as he could.

"Ah, Ohtori. Why did you call? It's almost midnight." He wanted to ask about the show, and ask about Shishido... but he couldn't. He knew he should, but the self-conscious part of him hesitated. It was definitely bad for his reputation to do just that, so he decided not to, settling for gripping the phone handle instead and staring at the front door.

"I wanted to talk to Shishido-san." Ohtori said sunnily - as if without a care in the world.

Akutsu stiffened even more. "He isn't here..." He said slowly, eyes narrowing into slits. "I thought he's with you..."

There was surprised silence before the younger boy answered. "Akutsu-san..."

"Ohtori." Akutsu demanded, his heart beating even faster - even more furious. His knuckles had turned white from gripping the handle too forcefully. He couldn't breathe... "Ohtori, tell me... he's with you, isn't he?"

"Iie, Akutsu-san. He went home earlier than I did..." Ohtori's voice was getting all panicky, and Akutsu was feeling very light-headed. He shouldn't speculate, but he couldn't help doing it...

He was afraid!

And the fear consumed him completely as Ohtori formed his next words.

"... He left right after the show... He should be home an hour and a half ago..."

And the phone slipped from his grasp.

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Atobe's words reverberated inside Tezuka's brain.

What did he mean by 'I'm sorry'? He thought as he walked down the tree-lined avenue leading to his condo. He couldn't understand it. No amount of logic would give answer to the questions pooling inside his brain. If he was not careful, he would drown completely in them - and he did not want that to happen... he was not ready to die yet, as opposed to his internal litany before the humiliating display he had been subjected to a couple of hours ago.

Of course, the thought that he was watched with amusement by some of the people he knew ever since junior high was an added bonus to his thoughts. Fuji smiling his crazy smile in the background, huddled with Shishido who was doing the same thing, and then there was Mizuki standing opposite of where Fuji was, eyes troubled, but lips parted with mirth. At least, Hiyoshi and Ohtori were trying hard not to laugh - even if they ended up laughing anyway. For him the thoughtful and tactful gesture was enough... at least for now. All of them would taste his wrath when he was officially on duty next week.

It seemed as if he was a starlet overnight... stared at even by people that were not from TouDai. He swore he saw Sanada smirking at him from the back, followed by a smiling Saeki beside him. Oishi and Eiji who, at first seemed deep in a sort of reconciliatory discussion, was then ogling him... and knowing Eiji, probably commenting on how he looked in a stupid 'frilly skirt' (and he was forever infuriated with Inui for describing it as such...). And then he saw his juniors; Kaidoh whose lips were stretched so wide with laughter over what Inui had just whispered (which he knew was definitely about him... and his legs...) that Tezuka swore four microphones would fit effortlessly in, Momoshiro who was guffawing with most of the crowd, pointing at his display as if he was something to be laughed to death at.

And then there was Atobe, standing by his lonesome in the wings... and his features were full of guilt.

Guilt.

Why was Atobe feeling guilty? That, he didn't know - and the fact that he apologised for something he must have done was slowly eating Tezuka's supply of naturally-borne common sense. He just couldn't get it. First off, Atobe Keigo was King of the World, or so he regarded himself as such... and normally, kings with the same ego as him the size of Siberia did not do apologies. They wave mistakes away like some sort of dust particle they were particularly allergic to... and Atobe was no different. Second, Atobe Keigo was never guilty - or at least, Tezuka thought he wasn't. He distinctly remembered him saying that he was not the least bit guilty over the fact that he injured Tezuka's left shoulder to the extent of his trip to Germany for treatment. Atobe called it "Necessary Sacrifice"... not even admitting the fact that he was not the one doing the sacrifice, but the one opposing him in tennis matches. And last, but definitely not the least...

Atobe Keigo never cared two bits about Tezuka Kunimitsu.

For him, Tezuka was just a former opponent.

For him Tezuka was just a regular in the tennis team.

For him Tezuka was just his current doubles partner until, by unspoken contract with the captain, the next three games.

For him he was just Tezuka Kunimitsu, the 'necessary' baggage he was saddled with until they graduate two years later.

So why was Atobe guilty? For the life of him, he did not have the faintest idea why. He hated speculating, but he couldn't help it. The only things he could think of that would make someone like Atobe guilty was, one, he accidentally put arsenic in the cup of water Tezuka had asked for ten minutes before he was dragged of towards the direction of the stage, and two, Atobe was guilty because he was late and did not see the costume changing from the beginning when he promised Fuji he would watch it and give him the details just as soon as his night classes were over. The ideas were crazy, he knew, but if one knew Atobe like he did, the that person would think up weird reasons when placing the revered name and the word "guilt" together in a sentence.

And then, there was a voice nagging him from the back of his mind. It was as if a blindfold was taken off from his eyes and he could see again. But what exactly did he see? He did not have the faintest idea what. Maybe I should write down what had happened ever since the start of the filing for the elections. He thought as he entered Ougon Jidai Biru's main elevator. He pushed the button of his floor number and waited as he was sent to where he was lodging in. The poing-ing sound of the elevator promptly halted his thoughts, and hastily, he ran to his unit.

It took him quite a while before he finally located his trusty spiral-bound notebook. Upon seeing it lying carelessly under the growing pile of clothes underneath his bed, a drastic change from his usual ways that made him think he was turning into a slob every passing day (and thinking too that maybe Atobe was really rubbing off on him...), he quickly took off to the living room and sat down, fishing a pen from the pocket of his backpack.

Then, he settled down to think... and surprisingly, these were the items he had written down.

Atobe...

1. ... Acted all responsible and all knowing - even if it was obvious that he wasn't... he ruined the first draft of our research project.

2. ... Was insistent that I sign some piece of paper so that he can 'admire' my signature.

3. ... Looked at me funny when I told him Oishi phoned me a few days ago.

4. ... Looked at me even funnier when I told him that he should vote wisely in the next student body elections

5. ... Grasped my crotch in the park by accident when I woke him up.

6. ... Kept me from going to the student council hall by some reason or another.

7. ... Invited me to his home for project-related work... and ended up playing poker instead. (Note: This happened often!)

8. ... Teased me about my 'frilly skirt' (damn Inui's knack for making incredulous descriptions!).

9. ... Got himself squished when Ohtori-kun slammed the door open. (That was hilarious by the way...)

10. ... Helped me practice my 'routine' and then pushed me towards the stage.

11. ... Said sorry.

Tezuka stared at the list, eyes staring as if trying to read between the lines. Something was wrong with the whole set-up, that, he was sure of... But what?

He chewed at the end of his pen, trying to understand the tiny voice inside his head that seemed to know how to put two and two together. What the hell was wrong with the scenarios? Then, he stared at number five and frowned. Could it be possible that Atobe was saying sorry about the crotch thing? Tezuka wasn't sure. Atobe hadn't said sorry after he told him to shut up already the day after the incident, so he knew it couldn't be that. He crossed out sentence number five. He read throughout the whole paper and went straight back to number one.

What if he was apologising for the first draft fiasco? Tezuka thought more about it... and it sounded pretty rational. That was it! Sighing in satisfaction, he leaned back and closed hi eyes. Tomorrow morning... erm, today, later... he would tell him that it was fine, that Atobe had nothing to think morosely of... that he had been forgiven already...

His heart quieted a bit...

But strangely, his mind didn't.

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Mizuki was currently resting against his armload of fluffy pillows when the phone rang. It startled him though... no one ever called him before... well, except Ohtori, of course. His heartbeat sped faster. What if it was Ohtori calling him? What if he was ready to forgive him now? Hastily, he got up and answered the phone.

"Moshi moshi..." He said as quietly as he could, hoping that it was Ohtori calling him to reconcile... "This is Mizuki."

"Ohayo, Mizuki."

There was painful disappointment in his heart when recognition came. It was not Ohtori...

It was Inui.

"Oh... Inui-san... what is it?" He asked, sitting back down on the floor, slumping dejectedly.

"Nice hearing from you too." There was no sarcasm in Inui's voice... just amusement. "I'm so happy I called."

Mizuki couldn't help cracking a small smile. Inui was definitely not one to pout whenever faced with such tone... although Mizuki conceded that it was quite a feat if ever he saw him do that just once. A pouting bespectacled Inui, with glasses flashing under the glare of lights. Hmmm... Not bad - not bad at all.

"Sorry..." He apologised, straightening up a little. "So... what is it you want to talk about?"

Inui took a deep breath and spoke, voice laced with a bit of panic. "Ohtori called." He started, pausing a moment for effect. If only he knew how the mere mention of that affected me. He thought wryly, eyes focusing on one of the scrolls decorating the opposite wall. "Shishido - he's missing."

Mizuki's eyes widened as comprehension dawned. Shishido... MISSING? His heart pounded even louder than before. The thought of Shishido being mauled by hungry lions suddenly entered his mind, making him cringe at the vision filled with much blood. "What do you mean he's missing?" He croaked, ignoring his momentary show of weakness. "He could just be out to party or something..." His voice took on a desperate edge. Shishido was someone he cared for, with them being roommates and all, so it was not a new feeling to worry over him like what he was doing now.

"He isn't with Ohtori... he said Shishido told him he would go straight home after Tezuka's performance. He isn't with Akutsu either because Ohtori called him to ask if he could talk to Shishido." Inui revealed, his normally calm voice showing his roiling emotions, finally breaking down and disintegrating into a quiet pseudo-whisper. "Tezuka hadn't seen him since after he changed his clothes, Atobe told me he hadn't seen him after the show either... and Fuji - he said he was feeling something... like something was going to get nasty, and you know how Fuji's 'feelings' always come true..."

Oh. My. God.

He gripped the phone with shaky hands, trying to make sense of every single thing dancing around inside his brain. "We have to find him..." He whispered almost inaudibly. "We have to."

"That was the same thing Ohtori said to me." Inui voiced out. "And he told me to call you and go to the student plaza if ever you don't get a hold of Shishido after ten minutes."

Ohtori. The name intruded upon his morbid thoughts, his head filling with the shocked features of the younger man. He shook his head, exhaling soundly. He really is mad at me huh? He should've been the one to call me if he was not the least bit irked about what he saw earlier... He thought forlornly before shaking his head and berating himself for not focusing on more important matters.

"Got it." He answered his friend's unspoken question. "I'll go there after a few."

"Okay then, ja."

"Ja."

His vision blurred as he set down the receiver. It was a good decision to shorten the conversation. Shishido needed him too - now more than ever.

And the sooner he finished, the sooner he could wallow in self-pity for what personal tragedy had come to pass.

It was easier to take it all that way.

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TBC

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A/N: Sorry for the delay! My practicum took most of my time away. L Please tell me what you think! ^^ Wan! Only two more chapters to go! ^^