Never Cry Again

sat on top of the three-storey building, one hand gently running across the keys of her flute. The slender third-year could usually be found here during lunch with her bento box tucked neatly into her bag and her instrument case lying open next to her.

Today, 's blue-black hair swayed with the soft wind that blew and she absently tucked a stray strand behind her ear.

As it was normally, her mind was clearly elsewhere. 's eyes focused only on the tennis courts directly below. Absently, she lifted the flute to her lips and played.

**********

Minami Kentarou walked onto the tennis courts for lunchtime practice. Exchanging a joke with his longtime doubles partner Higashikata Masami, they took their positions on the far side of the court in the Australian Formation.

Kita Ichiuma and Nitobe Inakichi, the other half of Yamabuki's nationally-ranked doubles, grinned with anticipation.

"You guys are going to have to do better than the Australian to beat us today," Kita called, his tone only slightly joking.

"We'll see who's talking after the match," Minami retorted.

Higashikata threw the brightly colored ball in the air and smashed it down for a service ace.

"15-0." Sengoku's voice rang out as he played referee.

"Oh, good shot, but the next one's not going past me." Nitobe smirked and returned Higashikata's second serve with a strong backhand.

**********

drew out the last note and let it fade softly. A sigh left her as she put the silver instrument away.

Picking up her bag and giving the tennis courts below one more glance, she left the rooftop.

**********

"Game and match, Minami-Higashikata pair. 7 games to 6."

Minami and Higashikata gave each other five and turned to grin triumphantly at the duo on the other side of the net.

"Told you that you should have waited till after the match," the brown haired buchou told Nitobe and Kita, smirk firmly in place.

"Yeah, yeah. So what? The Jimis beat us again." Kita replied, slightly disgruntled at the loss.

"DON'T CALL US THE JIMIS!" Minami and Higashikata yelled out, at exactly the same time.

The other doubles pair ignored the commotion and packed their stuff, talking. Sengoku Kiyosumi jumped down from the referee's seat and slung an arm around the victorious two.

"How lucky! You Jimis should give me some luck." He grinned and ducked as both took a swing at him.

"Sengoku…" Minami's eyes flashed and Sengoku had enough sense to turn and run.

Minami gave chase.

Kita and Nitobe exchanged a look before turning away. "We'll see you at practice after school today. Ja."

**********

After school, found herself under the shade of a tall tree. Her bag was at her feet as she leant against the trunk and watched the courts.

Sighing inaudibly, she looked around but still didn't see him. Turning her head away, stared down at her bag, feeling silly. I shouldn't even be here.

Grabbing her bag, she was about to make her way when another person spotted her. "! What are you doing here?"

"Kiyosumi!" clasped the bag to her chest and looked up at her best friend. "You scared me."

The cheerful, orange-haired third-year leaned a hand against the tree and smiled. "Looking for someone?"

They had known each other since grade school and had been great friends ever since. It helped that they lived almost next door to each other. and Sengoku teased and fought like siblings although they were the same age. Or almost the same age, Sengoku liked to brag that he was older by five days.

flushed and looked away. "No. I'm just passing." She prayed that he would let her go and say nothing about the fact that the school gate was in the opposite direction of the tennis courts.

Sengoku seemed to be thinking the exact opposite. "Ah. So the fact that I've caught you standing here, under a tree that gives you a perfect view of the courts, on a day that we have practice and completely in the wrong direction of the school gate is because you're just passing." A smirk crossed his face. "I see."

"Kiyosumi!" 's blush grew more pronounced. "It's true!"

He merely repeated his "I see," and gave her another mischievous grin. "Of course, you could always be here to watch."

The end of his sentence was muffled by a mortified who placed a hand across his mouth. "I am not!" She exclaimed and quickly looked around to see who could have heard.

Sengoku started laughing and rested his arms on her shoulders. "And you didn't even wait for me to say his name."

"It wouldn't be true anyway." retorted and turned away from him with her chin up.

"Right."

**********

Minami jogged out of the clubroom and headed to the courts, late. "Damn." He muttered.

He was imagining the jokes that Sengoku would be cracking at his lateness. Usually, he was more than on time, but…

Slight color infused his cheeks as he thought about the reason he was late. Minami would never admit it to anyone, but he had stopped by the orchestra headquarters hoping that he would catch a glimpse of her.

Now he was late, and he didn't see her either. In fact…

Minami's thoughts trailed off as he spotted his fukubuchou, the ever happy-go-lucky Sengoku, with his back to him and chatting amiably with someone.

Minami was about to call out a greeting when his heart froze. A girl had pushed Sengoku so that he was backed against the tree and covered his mouth with her hand. She was flushed prettily. Sengoku laughed at something and pulled her to him.

… Her name echoed painfully in his mind. Turning away, Minami pretended he didn't see anything. A hand clenched painfully. There could be no doubt about that scene.

**********

Sengoku wiped a frown from his face as Kita and Nitobe approached him. Minami had been acting strangely all practice.

It could have been from the fact that he was currently over looking training for the team whilst Banji, their coach, recovered from a bad bout of infection. But somehow, Sengoku doubted it. Even though tennis season had finished this year and the school year was close to ending, they had continued training.

"For next year." Minami had said and Banji had nodded, approving.

Kita sat down next to him on the bench and Nitobe stood in front of both.

"Say, Sengoku," Nitobe started.

"Don't you think that buchou is…?" Kita continued.

"Kind of out of it?" Both finished.

Sengoku, ever so used their way of conversation, watched the said buchou play a practice match against his double's partner. The way that Minami's shots were like smashes and his eyes blazed definitely signaled that something was up.

"Hmm… Maybe. But he could just be under a little bit of stress with exams coming up and everything," Sengoku murmured to the pair.

They exchanged one of their meaningful looks and looked back to Sengoku. "Right."

All three watched in silence as Minami finished the game off with a hard smash.

"Game and match, Minami, 6 games to 2."

"Just stress, huh?" The murmured comment could have been from any of them.

**********

Minami panted as his game ended. With his hands on his knees he gulped in big breaths and clenched his teeth.

He could still feel the anger at himself, at Sengoku and at . Damn it. I'm over that crush. I was over it. But why… Why do I feel this way?

Grabbing his racquet from where he dropped it, he stopped by the bench to pick up his bag and stalked out of the courts with a curt, "Practice dismissed."

**********

walked home. She hadn't stayed long after Sengoku had caught her under the tree.

"If you like him, you should tell him." Sengoku had said to her in all seriousness.

continued to look away, in the direction of the courts, pretending not to hear.

She couldn't stop a soft smile tipping her lips and her eyes from softening as she spotted him.

"You have it bad. How long has it been?" Sengoku's voice interrupted her again as his sharp gaze picked up on her change of mood.

Her black hair fell across her face as the smile faded and looked down. "You don't understand… It's not about the time I've spent…"

He stayed silent and waited. They knew each other too well.

She completed her thought. "It's about not being good enough…" Her voice was soft as she turned and walked away.

**********

Minami lay back on his bed and ignored his younger brother's antics outside. Had it really been three years? Three years since he first saw her?

Minami panted as his senpai served ball after ball to him.

"You're slacking, Minami-kun!" The tall third-year across from the net called.

"Hai!" Feeling his strength wane slightly, the first year Minami gripped his racquet tighter and waited for the next ball. At that moment, a laugh, light and sweet, filled the air. Minami couldn't help but glance to his left, where several students walked past.

The girl who was laughing softly glanced over and met his eyes. He couldn't look away from her gaze.

Then she smiled.

At him, and he felt his heart beat accelerate at the smile. At that point, his senpai called his name again. "Minami-kun! Pay attention."

Forcing his attention back to tennis, Minami felt renewed determination to return each and every ball. When he glanced back at the fence, she was gone.

He never saw her again during that first year.

Minami thought wryly that that was when he fell in love with her. But he never even saw her again, not until second year.

Laughing with Higashikata, the two had made regulars playing doubles together and were determined to do it again, Minami walked into his second-year classroom.

His eyes scanned the class for people he knew and her…

Minami had never given up on the slight hope that he would see that girl again. Nevertheless, his heart still leapt when he spotted her sitting quietly in a corner, looking out of the window.

He took a glance at his seating arrangement and he drew in a deep breath when he realized that he had been placed next to her. Minami thanked whoever was watching him from above.

Ditching Higashikata, he walked over to the seat to her right and sat down. He didn't look over until he was fully settled. Taking in another breath, he turned and found her watching him with a small smile. That smile widened as he turned and she held out a hand.

"I'm . I guess I'm your neighbor this year. Yoroshiku."

Minami took the hand and tried a smile of his own. To his relief, his voice was steady. "I'm Minami Kentarou. Yoroshiku, -san."

From then on, Minami and had become fast friends. They shared many interests and would often eat lunch together. Sometimes, Aiko even went along to cheer for the Yamabuki boys' tennis team at their matches.

He didn't know when the decline started.

Minami had prepared himself to ask her out before the year ended. But the distance between them started growing, he was seeing less and less of her. Even in class, began to talk less and less with him and she stopped using his first name. She started eating lunch with other friends and, to Minami's dismay, Sengoku. The orange-haired boy and seemed to get along extraordinarily well from day one. Minami dreaded the possibility that she had fallen for the happy-go-lucky Sengoku instead.

However, when he did gather up the courage to ask Sengoku, offhand, about the relationship, Sengoku had looked at him strangely. " and I are friends. We've been friends for a long time."

They ended the year silently. Minami had thought that he was over her by the time third-year started. But he couldn't help but feel a pang of envy when Sengoku had told him that and he were in the same class the next year.

" is sharing a class with me this year," Sengoku winked at Minami. They were in the change rooms for the tennis club.

"Oh?" Minami tried to be casual about the whole thing, but his chest hurt for some strange reason.

Sengoku watched him carefully for a minute. "Last year you got her. This year it's my turn." A carefree smile and Yamabuki's lucky charm bounced out of the change rooms.

The brown haired buchou resisted the urge to slam his fist into the lockers. 'It doesn't matter. What is past is past.'

However, the thoughts did little to soothe him.

Now, Minami was forced to reconsider the small question of whether his feelings towards her were as dead as he thought.

**********

let the melody carry her along. Her fingertips touched and pressed the keys of her silver instrument.

As she played the familiar tune, felt free to let her mind wander. Unintentionally, it wandered back to the first time.

was walking to her audition. She almost shook from the nervousness. Her teachers in grade school had told her she had great talent in music, but felt none of it as she took step after step in the direction of the music rooms.

"Hey… relax. They don't bite, you know." Her new-found friend and senpai, Awayuki Sara grinned and patted her shoulder.

This surprised a laugh out of her. Feeling slightly more relaxed, picked up unfamiliar thuds and thwacks coming from the area beside her. Turning her head, she watched as a boy, a freshman by his uniform, grip his racquet tighter and hit back ball after ball.

"That's the tennis club." Sara had noticed the direction of her gaze.

"Ah." At that moment, the boy turned his head and their gazes met and held. 's eyes widened at the strength and determination in his eyes.

Feeling her confidence come back, sent a smile to him, to thank him silently.

"Minami-kun! Pay attention," a slightly irritated sounding voice called from across the court.

The boy turned back immediately and flushed slightly, sorry to have gotten him into trouble.

But there was a smile on her face as she went in for her audition and one name that revolved around her mind. ‘Minami-kun…'

finished the orchestral piece with a trill and sighed.

Then second year.

looked out of the window. If she looked hard enough, thought that she could see the tennis courts from her seat.

She hadn't gone back to the courts again after that day, but often thought about the boy. When she had told her closest friend, Kiyosumi, he had laughed and ruffled her hair.

"You've got a crush…" He had told her grinning. "I'm in the tennis club too! Tell me what he looks like and I'll find him for you."

She hadn't told him anything after that, no matter how he tried to get it out of her. suppressed a sigh and thought that she may be just too obsessive, especially if it was only a guy that she had seen once.

Hearing a chair scrape next to her, glanced over once and did a double take. Her eyes widened disbelievingly.

It was him! Sure, he was taller and a bit more built now, but wouldn't make a mistake like that. The same spiky brown hair and the same light brown eyes…

blinked and almost flushed since he had just caught her staring with a stupid smile on her face. She tried to be natural and held out her hand. "I'm . I guess I'm your neighbor this year. Yoroshiku."

To her relief, neither her voice nor hand shook.

He smiled then and shook her hand. "I'm Minami Kentarou. Yoroshiku, -san."

Slightly disbelieving, found second year to fly by. She and Minami had gotten along extremely well. They laughed and joked and quickly became close friends.

could never believe that she could be so happy. She saw him everyday and he would always stop and talk when they met each other out of school or bumped into each other.

That all changed one day.

Sengoku walked with her home. His tennis practice had been canceled for the day.

"Ne, ?" found him watching her with an amused expression. "You know that boy you used to rave on about?"

flushed. "I did not 'rave on' about him. I merely mentioned him a couple of times."

"Yeah. Him. Is it, by any chance, Minami?"

Sengoku's words almost made her choke, but kept her calm façade on show. "Why would you say so?" She was grateful that her voice didn't shake.

Her longtime friend watched her carefully, "Just a hunch. So am I right?"

She didn't say anything; instead, she prayed that her face wasn't betraying her.

When had no response, Sengoku looked away and continued, "Hmm… I was just going to tell you that he's been name fukubuchou of the club. Word is that he's almost sure to lead us next year."

A fire lit in Sengoku's voice, he loved his sport. "With him as buchou, we'll definitely do well."

felt slightly sick at her friend's words. She didn't know… Hadn't known how much popularity Minami had received.

She had always known that the tennis club boys were sought after. But this put Minami squarely out of her reach. He wasn't outstandingly good-looking, like girls thought Sengoku was, but he was cute in a quiet way and his smile could light up her entire day.

had already found plenty of girls who hung around the tennis courts to chat and flirt with the boys after training or games. Being shy by nature, hung back during those times and watched with an aching heart as Minami flirted back a little and smiled at them. It was during one of these practices that decided to try and forget about him. Slowly, she broke off their contact little by little.

By the time they moved onto third year, Minami barely smiled at her when they passed each other in the corridors and they didn't talk much at all. Her heart felt empty and, strangely, full at the same time. sighed when she found out that she and Minami didn't share class in third year. She got Sengoku instead.

Maybe it was a good thing after all.

**********

Sengoku, strangely, had never brought up the subject of Minami being her secret crush. Not until now.

"Ne, ?" They had been walking back from school in silence but Sengoku spoke up.

"What?" didn't look up, she watched the ground instead.

"Have you given any thought about what I said the other day?"

looked up to see her oldest friend stop and turn to watch her.

Her eyes fell to the ground again. But she answered anyway. "Yes."

"And?" he kept his voice neutral.

let out a sigh and continued walking. "I've decided. Since it is our last year of junior school… I'll give it one more shot."

Sengoku said nothing for a while, and then he slung an arm around her shoulders. looked up see him smile gently at her. "That's good. I believe that it'll work."

He let go of her and took a couple steps forward. "Besides," he turned back to her with a wink, "I just want to see the two of you together. It'll definitely be cute."

flushed. "Kiyosumi!"

Laughing, he ran and she gave chase. "Take that back!"

Sengoku felt pleased. was back to her old self again.

**********

It had been a couple of weeks since her decision. But had never gathered the courage to do it. To actually approach Minami and talk to him.

Every time she thought she could, found him surrounded by his friends, his teammates and others. Her courage always let her down.

Frustrated by the whole thing, felt pushed. Exams were now over, she had passed with flying colors, the orchestra was preparing for its last concert and most other club activities had stopped. The tennis club was still running, recruiting and training new members for next year.

The whole school was humming with the excitement of graduation, in two weeks time.

"Hey, , " Sengoku popped out from behind her with a heavily laden tray and dumped the whole lot down on her table.

"Kiyosumi," 's reply was kind of dead.

"Hey, what's wrong?" The bright-haired boy hadn't seen his friend in such low spirits for weeks.

"I've got no time left. It's almost graduation." lowered her head onto her arms and sighed.

Sengoku immediately knew what she was referring to but didn't look very concerned. In fact, he started tucking in. "Oh. Well, you could always use Valentines' Day. It's in a week."

's head shot up, Sengoku noted with some amusement that her cheeks were tinged pink. "Really? That's a good idea. I was going to give everyone in the club chocolates anyway."

Thinking furiously, started putting together her plan.

**********

Taking in a deep breath, tied the bow on the last one and put it with its fellows. Tomorrow was the day, February 14th, and she had just finished her task.

"There," Sitting back with satisfaction, surveyed the brightly-wrapped packages. Eight in total, one for each member of the tennis club.

She knew all of the boys quite well, through being in the same class or from Sengoku. There was no school for third-years tomorrow, but would drop them off before their afternoon practice and stick around.

gulped in another breath. If everything went as she had always wished, Minami would get her note and hopefully meet her under that tree.

After that… shied away from thinking. It was best to think when she got to that point.

**********

Minami looked curiously at the little basket sitting in the change rooms. "What on earth is that?"

Kita and Nitobe looked up, mouths full of chocolate.

It was Muromachi Touji, their sole second-year, who answered. "-senpai dropped these off. She wished the whole club a happy Valentines' Day."

Minami felt his chest tighten briefly at 's name. "Ah."

Higashikata threw a package at him. "I think that's yours. Only Sengoku's and yours are left anyway. It's a fifty-fifty chance. Dan and Tsubasa have already gotten theirs."

Identical smirks lit Kita and Nitobe's faces as they watched their buchou investigate the little package. "Say, Minami, you guys used to go out right?"

Minami almost choked and fought back a flush as he glared at the two. "We did not. We just used to be really good friends."

"Hmm? I wonder what happened…" Higashikata was also enjoying the game.

Minami refused to rise to the bait. Instead, he turned away to hide a slight smile. He flipped the little piece of paper on the string open; it was sweet of to make chocolates for the whole team.

The smile faded as he read the little note attached to the bag. The words on the bottom caught his eye and refused to let go.

Lots of love,

His gaze immediately rose to the name on top.

Dear Kiyo,

Kiyo.

Kiyosumi.

It could only be Sengoku. Minami's fist clenched and he dropped the package back into the basket.

"Hmm? Oh… Did I give you the wrong one?" Higashikata smiled innocently. "Oops…"

Minami didn't notice as he moved out of the clubroom. He needed some fresh air…

Watching their buchou walk out, Muromachi piped up. "Don't you think that's a bit too over the edge?"

Higashikata stretched and smiled again. "Nah. It's past time he confronts the issue. Maybe this will force him to actually do something other than mope."

"Besides," This was from Nitobe. "Sengoku and -chan are only friends."

When Muromachi still looked unsure, Kita ruffled his hair. "Don't worry. Everything will work out just fine."

**********

's breath caught as she watched Minami get closer and closer. Her cheeks flushed and she tried to concentrate on the speech that she had spent hours practicing. It was still too early And she wasn't at the right place…

But all of that didn't matter.

Minami walked into earshot. Taking a deep breath, called him, "Minami-kun?"

He stopped still at her voice and turned.

She stood smiling hesitantly at him.

All his anger came flooding back. "I don't want to talk to you." With that abrupt statement, Minami stalked off.

Confusion flooded before shame and embarrassment. Her fears had come true.

**********

Sengoku found her there a little later. had her arms around her knees and she stared at nothing.

"?" Sengoku pulled her up, slightly worried at her non responsive attitude. " ? What's wrong? What happened?"

The girl couldn't say anything. Instead, she clung to Sengoku's warmth and burst into tears.

Sengoku hugged her to him and stroked her hair. He had a pretty good idea of what occurred, but it was still important to make sure. "Tell me what happened."

Between sobs that calmed a little as time went by, told Sengoku.

When she finished, the usual happy-go-lucky Sengoku was extremely angry. He held her tighter. "It's going to be alright. I'll make it right."

**********

Minami regretted his words almost immediately. As soon as he had spoken and watched the way the smile drained out of 's face, he had wanted to apologize.

But his pride wouldn't let him, so Minami had turned away from her and gone away.

Now his guilty conscience weighed him down so he decided to head back in the direction that he had left her. He needed to return to practice anyway.

As he walked towards the spot where he had last seen her, he saw the distinctive bright orange color of Sengoku's hair heading in the same direction.

Minami stood still and watched the scene unfolding before his eyes.

Sengoku pulled the sitting up into his arms and she clung to him.

Even from this distance, Minami could tell that she was holding on to Sengoku tightly and vice versa.

Turning away, Minami swore that it was the last time that she would ever break his heart.

"Just friends…"

**********

To Minami's surprise, or not, Sengoku didn't turn up for practice. However, the remainder of his team looked highly startled when he reappeared and ordered them to start warm up laps.

"Did we go wrong somewhere?" Higashikata muttered to Nitobe and Kita. No one could miss the fact that Minami had cooled down. Too much in fact.

His face was now impossible to read but his stiff, forced movements said that Minami was one very angry buchou.

"I don't think so," Kita muttered back. Everyone was still doing laps. Minami had ordered an inordinate amount of them. "The thing with handing him Sengoku's chocolates was to motivate him to actually go and find her and demand an explanation."

"I don't think that happened. Or if it did, Sengoku and are actually going out now," Nitobe informed the other two.

Muromachi ran past with a resigned expression. "I told you so."

"Hey, you brat! Come back here. I'll teach you to show more respect " Higashikata yelled and gave chase.

Everything on and around the court stopped, however, when Sengoku came marching in. The look on his face made everyone, apart from Minami, take two steps back and a deep breath.

"I've never seen him so furious," Higashikata whispered to no one.

Sengoku's azure eyes flashed dangerously as he walked up to Minami and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"What the hell do you think you're going on about?" The orange-haired boy hissed as he shoved his buchou against the wire fence.

Minami brushed Sengoku's hand off and straightened his shirt. "What do you mean?" His face and voice were all emotionless.

The buchou drew himself to his full height and looked down at his fukubuchou. The shorter boy's eyes glared daggers. " . Does that name mean anything to you?"

At Sengoku's words, the other boys quietly packed their stuff and headed out. They all understood that this was a private conversation. The courts were soon empty of everyone apart from the two boys facing each other.

Sengoku turned away as Minami didn't reply. He pulled out a package from his bag and threw it at Minami.

Startled by the action, Minami caught it via reflex. Looking down, he realized that it was one of the little wrapped chocolate packages from before. Minami was about to throw it back, but Sengoku's voice stopped him.

He was already a couple of meters away and had turned his back on his buchou. "I don't know why I'm helping you, especially when shed tears over you. But the fact is her heart is set."

Walking out of the courts, Sengoku left his parting words. "If you ever make her cry again, I'll personally take you out."

At the fading words, Minami re-assessed the package and opened the little note. His heart couldn't help but beat faster when he read the first few words.

Kentarou-kun,

These are my gift to you this Valentines.
Please accept them.
Also, if you would be so kind, please meet me under that tree.
I have something that I need to say to you.

Yours,

Minami closed his eyes. He felt like such a fool.

With the package in hand, he ran towards the place she referred to. It was that huge tree that they used to eat lunch together under.

, please. Just one more chance…

**********

Leaning back against the tall tree, let her mind wander one last time before she gave everything up.

"…" A smile tipped her lips as she looked up. Now she was imagining him calling her name.

"," She blinked and looked forward.

It was Minami. He skidded to a stop directly in front of her and watched her.

"?"

She felt her heart melt a little, hearing him call her name so gently. However, she forced herself to look away and reply without expression. "What is it, Minami-kun?"

Minami suppressed a wince and told himself that he deserved it. "Please, , hear me out."

She still didn't look at him.

He ploughed on, regardless of her interest. "I… I thought that you and Sengoku… I didn't know. Every time I saw the two of you, you looked so close… I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you cry. I swear. I'll make it up to you. Please, , just give me another chance."

Looking up, Minami found her watching him with a strange expression in her eyes. Tears gathered there as well. His eyes widened and he began apologizing again, "I'm sorry. I've made you cry again, ."

Feeling hopeless and not a bit helpless, the buchou of Yamabuki's boys' team was at a loss of what to do.

wasn't. She stepped forward and placed her head against his chest and arms around his waist.

Minami's eyes widened but a small smile tipped his lips as he carefully wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her tighter to him.

"I love you and I have loved you since the day I saw you." He murmured to her.

raised her face and kissed his cheek, "So have I. That's why I was so hurt when you said…" Her voice wobbled a bit and then trailed off.

Tipping her chin up, Minami wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. "I swear, to you, that you'll never have to cry again."

A mischievous smile tipped her mouth, "Why?"

He was perfectly serious as he answered her, "Because, I'll protect you and watch you. Always." His lips brushed against her cheek and moved onto hers.

Her first kiss tasted like the winter that had yet to finish and the summer that was to come.

##########

October 27, 2006
Written by: Linc
Edited by: Kurohane & linchpin