Because I Love You - Chapter 1 - I - Everyone raced to the other end of the court as Sendoh passed the ball to Koshino who was in front of him. Koshino caught the ball deftly and spun around and aimed at the basket. Suddenly, everything around him started to shake and turn into a kaleidoscope of colors. There was a dull thumping in his brain as the lights seem to get brighter. He could dimly register Sendoh’s voice calling his name frantically before his world turned black. Just before he lost all sense of reality, he felt someone’s arms encircling his waist, catching him. And then, everything became blank. - II - Koshino stared at the bright blue sea in front of him. The doctor’s words echoed continuously in his mind. Flashback The man in front of him looked at him gravely across the desk. Koshino shifted in his seat uncomfortably under his scrutiny. “Koshino-san, have you been feeling unwell lately?” he asked in a stern manner. “I’ve had some migraines and nosebleeds. But I thought that the change in weather affected me,” Koshino answered, a feeling of dread washing over him. “And you fainted during your school basketball practice.” “Yes.” The man exhaled loudly and opened the file in front of him. “Koshino-san, we have done a thorough check up for you upon your admittance into the hospital. The CT-scans shows that there is a growth in the right side of your brain. We believe that is the cause of your…” “Sensei, cut the chase and tell me what is wrong with me,” Koshino said stonily. Numbness had taken over, enabling him to listen to the doctor calmly. Dr. Kanhara took a deep breathe before proceeding, “You have a brain tumor and it is growing rapidly in size. It is currently pressing on your nerves, causing temporary loss of sight, nosebleed, headaches, and loss of control over your limbs. I’m sorry, Koshino-san, but we believe that the growth is malignant.” “The growth is located in your cerebellum, the part of your brain that controls your reflexes. It is currently exerting pressure on your optic nerves. We cannot operate on that part of the brain because any mistake will prove fatal.” A strange sense of unreality surrounded him. He was only seventeen. He had an entire life in front of him. And suddenly, someone tells him he is going to die. “Am I going to die??” “We can try chemotherapy but from my professional point of view, the chances of your recovery are extremely slim. The treatment will only bring you a lot of pain, and in the end, it might be for nothing,” Dr. Kanhara replied in a business like tone. “I asked, am I going do die?” Koshino repeated. “There are miracles before, and we can only hope for one. Would you like the hospital to contact your family to inform them of your condition?” the doctor asked kindly. Koshino shook his head. “How long do I have left?” Dr. Kanhara shrugged helplessly, “Who knows? It could be months or even years.” “Thank you, sensei,” Koshino said abruptly as he stood up and walked out of the room.” Dr. Kanhara could only look on as the young man walked out of his office. It was a cruel thing to tell him he was going to die. But then again, it was part of his work. End of Flashback “Hey man,” Koshino turned around to find a tall boy standing behind him. “How’s it going?” Sendoh asked as he squatted down on the grass beside him and handed him some magazines. “Thought you might be bored, so I got some mags for you.” “Thank you,” Koshino said as he accepted the magazines. Sendoh sat down beside him on the grass and looked at the sea as well. A warm breeze blew by, lifting Koshino’s fringe away from his face. It didn’t affect Sendoh’s hair in the very least, since it was gelled tightly into place. “So, what did the doctor say?” Sendoh asked, trying to break the silence between them. It was a nightmare for him, that day when Koshino fainted at practice. The horror he felt when he looked at his friend’s pale face – he was so scared he lost him. And ever since then, there had been a strong sense of foreboding around him. Something in him told him that something bad was about to happen. And that he was powerless to stop it from happening. “Nothing,” Koshino lied. He continued to keep his gaze at the calm blue sea, unable to face his friend. He was afraid that Sendoh would be able to see through his lies immediately. He had always this uncanny ability to see what he was thinking. “Umm…the team sent you their regards,” Sendoh said after a while. “Coach won’t let the skip practice. They say they’ll come later” “And he let you skip practice?” Koshino asked in an amused voice. Sendoh scratched the back of his head sheepishly, “I’ve never exactly followed his orders till now, haven’t I?” “No, you haven’t. But it’s different now. You’re the captain; you have to set a good example to them. That means you can’t be late for practice anymore, and you can’t skip practices without a good reason,” Koshino started. “You’re a good enough reason,” Sendoh said solemnly as he looked into Koshino’s eyes tentatively. “You’re my best friend, and there is nothing more important than you.” Koshino looked away, blinking back tears. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Eh? Whatever for?” Sendoh asked in a puzzled tone. “For being my friend,” Koshino said as he suddenly leaned over and hugged the spiky haired Ryonan captain. Sendoh was genuinely surprised but he hugged him back. “You have to get out of here soon,” Sendoh said jokingly after they broke apart. “As long as you’re here, I’ll keep skipping practice to visit you. And I want to play one on one with you again – I’m getting rusty.” Koshino smiled, he knew his friend was trying to cheer him up. Sendoh never got rusty when it comes to basketball. Anyway, he was no match for him although Sendoh kept saying he gave him a chance. “I’ll be back very soon, I promise,” he promised. “In fact, I’m being discharged tomorrow.” “Yokatta! (Good!) I’ll come to pick you up since your parents are in the States,” Sendoh said happily. “Yes, but tell coach before hand. If he doesn’t let you, then don’t come. I can always take a cab home,” Koshino told him. Sendoh only looked around as if he never heard anything at all. “SENDOH!” “Okay!” Sendoh said as he held up his hands in a sign of defeat. His expression turned serious, “I don’t know – but I have this sense of premonition that something is going to happen.” Koshino didn’t bother to answer. - III - “That’s the last of it,” Sendoh said as he threw the duffel bag into the backseat. Koshino opened the passenger door as Sendoh started the car. “So, where do you want to go now?” Sendoh asked when they turn into the main road. “Home,” Koshino said. “Oh,” disappointment was evident in Sendoh’s voice as he made a left turn. “I was thinking of a little one on one. I missed them,” he confessed. “Missed beating the crap out of me?” Koshino questioned him sarcastically. “Iie (no),” just missed having you around.” Koshino’s expression softened. “Baka, I need to change into something more comfortable, and then we can go and play.” Sendoh’s infamous mega-watt smile lit his face as he happily said, “There’s no need to go to your house first then, cause I brought an extra set of clothes for you!” “Baka,” Koshino grunted as he folded his arms across his chest. “How sure were you that I will agree to play with you?” “100%” Sendoh answered him confidently. “You’ve never said no to me before, and don’t bother to glare at me because you know that it’s the truth,” as he hit the accelerator peddle. Koshino was jerked back into his seat as Sendoh drove like a mad man through the busy streets of downtown Kanagawa to the nearest basketball court. “Sendoh, slow down!” he exclaimed as an oncoming truck missed them by mere inches. Sendoh only laughed as he continued his mad driving. - IV - “Hurry up,” Sendoh called. “Be patient!” Koshino yelled right back as he opened the paper bag with the clothes in it. Even though it was only a thin plastic door separating them, their voices echoed in the silent public washroom. Koshino’s vein in his forehead began to throb as he took out the garish colored outfit. And right now, there was only a very thin plastic door separating him from killing Sendoh. The cubicle door was flung open and Koshino barreled out of it, grabbed Sendoh’s shirt front and pinned him against the tile counter. “What the hell were you thinking of?” Koshino screamed at the other boy as he waved the garment in his face. “Are you mad?” Sendoh tried valiantly to escape the shorter boy’s grip. “Will you mind loosening you grip?” he asked. “I think we’re too close here,” he said as he shifted uncomfortably under Koshino. Koshino flushed at how intimate their position was and stepped away as he continued to glare murderously at his friend. Sendoh calmly took the piece of clothing away from him. “What’s wrong with it?” he asked, inspecting the material. “I think it’s in good shape. Don’t see any holes anywhere.” Koshino’s vein began throbbing again. “Are you color blind or something?” he said as he grabbed the shirt and held it right in front of Sendoh’s face. “Neon pink sweatshirt with orange basketballs. And you have to have my name emblazoned my name in front of it. You might as well say, ‘Look at Koshino, Fool of the Century!’” he said angrily. “You’re not a fool. You’re a very intelligent guy. Besides, the salesclerk told me that this is the rage.” “Where did you buy it from?” Koshino demanded. “Bobbie’s, the shop down the street from the sports store.” Koshino looked at Sendoh incredulously, as he said in an awful voice, “Sendoh, Bobbie’s is a shop catering to homosexual men.” “Oh,” Sendoh said nonplussed. “I’m sure you’ll still look good in them.” “Oh, I wouldn’t trust your fashion sense or the clerk’s,” Koshino said darkly, as he turned his friend around to look at the mirror. “Look at yourself; I think your hair says a lot about your fashion sense, if you have any at all!” “What’s wrong with my hair? I think it looks great,” Sendoh said, patting his stiff locks. “This new gel is great, Kosh. The fragrance smells good too, wanna try?” “No, I do not want to try. I am not like a peacock who parades around in garish colors, hoping that some unlucky peahen will come and pick him up. And I don’t intend to stick my hair up like how those useless birds stick their tails out!” “Now, now, don’t get angry. You should take care, at this rate, you’ll have a stroke before you reach twenty five,” Sendoh advised. That is if I live till twenty five, Koshino groused mentally, feeling a tinge of fear. “And besides,” Sendoh continued, oblivious to the change in his friend’s expression, “The shirt goes well with the shorts.” - V - “Onee-chan is going to kill me!” Hikoichi exclaimed breathlessly as he cycled harder on his bicycle. He whizzed past the public basketball court. From the corner of his eye, he saw the weirdest thing ever that made him turn back. There were two guys playing one on one. One of them seemed to be sporting Sendoh-senpai’s infamous hairdo whilst the other looked awfully a lot like Koshino-senpai from his height and built. Only that guy was wearing an out fit that Koshino-senpai wouldn’t be caught dead in. Hikoichi rubbed his eyes to make sure he didn’t need a pair of glasses. His eyes must be playing tricks on him, or else Koshino is wearing a neon pink sweatshirt with orange blotches and an awfully contrasting pair of lime green pants. “Captain! Koshino-senpai!” Koshino’s stomach gave a lurch when he heard that voice as he abruptly dropped the ball. He turned around, praying that he was hearing things. Maybe it was the tumor doing something weird again. But then…of all people, why Hikoichi’s voice? He’ll rather hear Sendoh’s voice any day. But his prayer wasn’t answered, because Hikoichi was right in front of his eyes, wheeling his bicycle in their direction. “Hi, Hikoichi,” Sendoh greeted him cheerfully. “What are you doing here?” Koshino managed weakly. He hoped that the sun was in Hikoichi’s eyes, because he’ll rather die that moment than let Hikoichi see him in that ridiculous outfit. “My house is just too blocks away,” Hikoichi informed him. “I’m glad to see you are well, Koshino-senpai. We miss you very much. By the way, nice outfit,” he said awkwardly, looking at Koshino from head to toe. Now, Koshino really wished the tumor will act up – make him faint or something. Preferably, land him in a coma. Somewhere where he didn’t need to listen what the Ryonan School will be talking by tomorrow. Of all people to bump into – it had to be Aida Hikoichi, that loudmouth. “Like it?” he heard Sendoh saying. He gasped in horror at his next words. “The man at Bobbie’s said it was the rage.” Koshino saw Hikoichi’s eyes light up as he registered the name Bobbie’s. Nothing can be more damning at the moment. He was barely eighteen, has a malignant tumor on the right side of his brain and he has just turned into the fashion disaster of the century. He could just die of humiliation right there and then. “Oh…” Hikoichi said when suddenly his phone rang from within his gym bag. “Excuse me,” he said as he opened his bag and fumbled around for the phone. “Moshi moshi?” “Baka…where the heck are you now?!” Hikoichi winced at the volume as he held the phone at arm’s length away from his ear. The three of them could clearly hear the threats that came from the other end, which all identified as Hikoichi’s sister, Yayoi. “I’m sorry, kay. Yeah, I’ll come home right away. Yes…don’t worry…I’ll make it on time!” Hikoichi said, trying to appease his sister. He then snapped the phone shut. “I’m sorry; I’ve got to go now,” he said in an embarrassed manner. “Oh, by the way captain, coach was looking for you at practice. He nearly sent us all out to comb the entire district of Kanagawa for you.” Sendoh scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, carefully avoiding Koshino’s accusing gaze. “Aa –“ “Got to go now, see you! Hope you get well soon, Koshino-senpai!” Hikoichi yelled as he cycled away. “Sendoh…” Sendoh turned to face him. He could see the miniscule vein throbbing in his friend’s forehead. “Let me explain,” he began nervously. An angry Koshino was not on his list of favorite people. “What did you promise me yesterday?” Koshino continued in the same dangerous tone as he advanced menacingly upon his friend. “I can explain,” Sendoh started to back away nervously. “I couldn’t find coach, you see… and I thought I was late…” “Sendoh…” Koshino repeated. Despite him being in general able to cope with anyone and anything both on court and off court, the one thing or rather person that always threw him balance was Koshino – especially when he was in his wait-till-I-get-my-hands-on-you mode. Like the one he was in now. In his sheer nervousness, our spiky haired friend trip over his own two legs. Feeling himself fall, he just reached out and grabbed whatever was in front of him. Which unfortunately for Koshino, it happened to be him. “Gyah!!!” Koshino screamed as Sendoh pulled him down with him and they landed in a heap on the floor – with Koshino right on top of him. Both of them were breathing heavily, so aware of each other’s presence and the intimate contact of their physical bodies. They were so near; they could feel the other’s breathing on their cheeks. Koshino opened his mouth, intending to recite the list of curses and epithets he had specially reserved for Sendoh. But his mind forgot everything when Sendoh pulled his head down and kissed him softly on the lips. To be Continued... ** Next **