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Learning to Land	By : Suteishichic Category: Prince of Tennis/Tennis no Ohjisama > General Views: 11419 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis (Tennis no Ohjisama), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 106
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Learning
to Land by Suteishichic. Chapter One Hundred Six ~
Tachibana
Warnings: Yaoi, Love, Angst, Fluff, and Lots of Sex.
Some kink. You've been warned ;)
Disclaimer: Nope not mine. Still
in my dreams. ;)

As they reached the corner on the street where the hospital was,
Ishida very politely said, "Tachibana-san? Please know we are
all very grateful for all of your support and help. You've
been...very kind to us and we appreciate it from the bottom of our
hearts. The thing is, we really don't wish to involve you in this any
more than you already are or cause you any trouble. I've been to this
hospital several times—we all have through the years, and if
it's okay with you...well...see....there's a system we've come up
with to handle these kinds of things. Instead of tryin to explain it
to you because everything is so...complected, if you'd please just
allow me and the guys to handle things now, I'll be glad to answer
any questions you might have after we're done? Please?"

It was an extremely odd...request. The big freshman's tone and
mannerisms were as if he knew he was asking Tachibana for a huge
favor but there was a steely determination behind Ishida's eyes.
Tachibana was even more confused when he looked closer at Ishida. He
clearly could see the high level of stress stretching out Ishida's
normally handsome face turning his smile into one so fake it was
almost a grimace. The big freshman was so worried and intense about
whatever this was, he was practically begging. Tachibana seriously
worried that Ishida right there, on a busy city street in the middle
of a Thursday morning was going to collapse to the ground and
dramatically start kowtowing to him.

"Uh...sure...fine...okay. As you wish...?" Tachibana had
to agree because the last thing any of the freshmen needed was him
adding to their stress. After he agreed he watched amazed at how much
Ishida visibly relaxed. It was like when the big freshman was done
crying earlier, Ishida was able to put his emotions aside because
they were so on the surface. He expressed everything he felt the
moment he felt it. That's how these freshmen were. Totally open with
no shame over their feelings. It was unlike anything Tachibana ever
experienced before. Not even gentle, kind to a fault Yasuo was this
open. If he had been, Yasuo would have been prey. He would have been
too vulnerable and thus torn to pieces in his old school by the
vultures everyone secretly was.

A second after Tachibana agreed, a very relieved Ishida
practically fell all over Tachibana in his gratitude. The big
freshman hugged him bone-crushingly hard all of a sudden then
released him and patted him on the back. Hard. Not even realizing his
tremendous strength in his exuberance. Ishida must have also not
realized his volume because the strong freshman exclaimed,
"Tachibana-san, thank you! Thank you! I knew we could trust you.
I knew you were one of us, Tachibana-san! We all did! We just
knew it. Now, okay, I gotta warn you it's gonna look a little crazy
at first or kinda like we don't know what we're doin, but don't
worry. Please do not worry. You know us and if we say we're
gonna handle something, we are. I promise we can handle this. So
Tachibana-san, if you wouldn't mind when we get inside the hospital,
if you could just stand back and kinda outta the way? Let us handle
things? I'll explain everything once we get everyone outta here. Or
if you'd rather Tachibana-san, you can even go ahead on to school and
we can meet up with you later? That way you don't have to be involved
any..."

"No Ishida, I'm already involved and I'm going. I want to
make sure they're both all right, but as I told you, I'll let you
guys handle it and I will follow your lead in this." For now,
Tachibana silently added.

At least until he had a better grasp of what the hell really was
going on. He had no idea why Ishida was so stressed, or why he
wouldn't want Tachibana to 'handle' this situation. Tachibana felt
slighted and rather aggravated. He was their senpai after all
and as such they were his responsibility. Didn't they trust him by
now?

While these freshmen may have had a system, he couldn't
imagine that it was anything he didn't already know how to do. After
all, he was the only one out of all of them who had lived on
his own. Only Tachibana been out in the real world and already had to
make some adult decisions. He really wasn't at all sure if he should
let the freshmen take charge like this, but he reasoned to himself if
things got out of hand once he saw where the situation was going he
could jump in and take over. He knew these guys from playing tennis
well enough that he could predict how they would act.

Or so he thought.

When they walked through the sliding glass automatic doors into
the hospital, Tachibana wondered if he somehow made a wrong turn into
an alternate universe. Utter chaos and pandemonium did not even begin
to describe the scene before them.

It seemed to be nothing less than a three-ringed circus with the
freshmen Tachibana thought he knew so well all acting outrageously
and inappropriately.

Mori and Uchimura on his left were loudly and animatedly arguing
the best treatments for a sprain including some crazy-sounding folk
remedies with two young doctors. Sakurai to his right was bothering
three of the nurses. He asked first for directions to the toilet,
next for the telephone, and then for the water fountain. He
apparently couldn't find any of them on his own so the giggling
nurses started drawing him a map. Kamio stood before him in the
middle. The red-headed freshman was busy doing what could only be
called outright flirting with the other nurses. He was actually
juggling what looked to be a dozen or so tongue depressors while
telling the serious-faced nurse closest to him she looked dazzling in
her uniform. "...like an angel of mercy. I wish I had a sister
as pretty as you. I wish any of my friends had a sister as pretty as
you!"

With his mouth hanging open, Tachibana turned to look at Ishida
but the big freshman was gone.

Ishida already was jumping in next to Kamio and his normal quiet,
polite demeanor disappeared. His personality completely changed in
the span of three seconds to what Tachibana could only call
aggressively obnoxious. The tall freshman bumped Kamio which caused
the freshman to lurch to the side and the tongue depressors flying
through the air to clatter to the ground like pick-up sticks. Loudly
Ishida said, "Kamio-kun why is it that you are always
surrounded by the prettiest women in town and all you can do is
play with wooden sticks? Look at the mess you made. You're such a
little kid. I'm so sorry, has this clown been bothering you, ladies?"

To Tachibana's surprise the nurses didn't tell Ishida to be quiet
or apologize. Instead the group of them girlishly...laughed.

Kamio loudly said while he quickly picked the depressors up, "Oh
please! You're just jealous because I'm cute. I didn't get the
bright idea to cut all my hair off." Kamio rolled his eyes and
said to the women in a loud fake whisper, "Be kind ladies, he's
sensitive about his hair—or lack of it. Don't say anything
about how scary and egg-shaped his head is...whatever you do!"
He pushed Ishida back and stepped in front of the big freshman.

Tachibana thought Ibu was going to get angry or possibly even push
Kamio back for his harsh and insensitive remarks. Truth was Tachibana
always thought Ishida was one of the few people who looked good
without hair. Tachibana certainly didn't look at all good when he
shaved all his hair off before he left his old school. Even Yasuo
just looked at him like he was worried Tachibana just lost his mind.
Tachibana was about to reprimand Kamio for his behavior—especially
inappropriate in a hospital where sick people were, but before he
could move the nurses surrounded Ishida and asked him to remove the
scarf from his head. When the big freshman reluctantly did blushing
and smiling, the nurses all cooed and touched his head. One after the
next fawned on him and told him having no hair made him look very
handsome—and much older.

Tachibana's jaw dropped open wider and he looked around trying to
make sense of the madness. He couldn't.

Amid the chaos he noticed for the first time, Ibu sitting off in a
corner alone—forgotten.

Ibu said nothing as usual but he wiggled his fingers in a brief
greeting. Tachibana wondered if anyone remembered him at all over the
ruckus that was being made. Poor Ibu. It was almost like his friends
were going out of their way to ignore him. Ibu was the one who was
injured after all. Tachibana didn't know what happened, but Ibu's
white school shirt was covered in blood. Ibu looked fragile and pale
and when their eyes me, the freshman stood up. It looked like he was
a little shaky on his feet so Tachibana's instinct was to go to help
him. Despite his friends being all around Ibu looked completely alone
in the world. Their eyes locked and Tachibana felt his heart go out
to the guy. Whatever happened must have been bad, and his friends
were all ignoring him when they should have been helping and
comforting him.

For a moment, Tachibana remembered the last time he was in a
hospital. He had been waiting for news in a very hostile environment
with no one on his side. No one except Yasuo. If Yasuo hadn't been
there, Tachibana is sure he would have gone crazy with grief. He
might have even hit some of the people who challenged him to a fight
as soon as they noticed him there. He would have fought them and
probably lost on purpose just to try to right things, but Yasuo,
loyal to a fault Yasuo, quietly asked him not to. He asked Tachibana
to go home together with him. Yasuo stopped the fight by pointing out
to everyone there was nothing more there they could do. That hurting
Tachibana for what happened wouldn't undo any of the damage done. All
they could do was wait and see.

Yasuo is the one who made Tachibana realize he was making things
worse just by being there. Tachibana was angry. No, furious with
Yasuo for making him feel stupid. He grew even more enraged with
Yasuo for the way he finally tricked Tachibana into leaving by saying
they would just stop by home for a change of clothes. Only when they
were out the hospital doors and down the street did Tachibana realize
they weren't going to be returning. That Tachibana's presence was
making things worse for everyone and Yasuo knew it so he was dragging
Tachibana home.

They walked home in silence. Tachibana was so angry and upset he
could barely see straight and it was only Yasuo walking beside him
that kept him going in the right direction. His smaller roommate
matched him step for step. Yasuo said nothing the entire way. He
didn't make a sound. They walked the entire way. They never even
talked about getting a cab or hopping on a train. Nearer home after
all this walking, Tachibana started to calm down.

He realized Yasuo was right to make him leave. Tachibana was a
stupid, angry, malevolent idiot. All he was good for was destroying
things and hurting people who didn't deserve it. People relied on him
and cared about him and all Tachibana did was let them down. He
figured Yasuo never wanted to talk to him again after what he had
done—there was no way they were ever fooling around or anything
like that ever again. It was over. Everything was over. With one
clever shot Tachibana ruined everything and there was nothing he
could do to fix any of this. Tachibana knew he was going to lose his
only friend in the world, and hell he deserved it after the monster
he had become did so much damage when unleashed.

As they walked towards home Tachibana went from being furious at
Yasuo to now only feeling bitterly angry and disappointed in himself.
Yasuo leaving him that night and not wanting to be his friend ever
again hurt so much that he still felt the pain of that loss stuck in
the middle of his chest now sucking the life out of him. It hurt
worse than anything. It hurt worse than Fuji. It still hurt to think
about it now.

Even though that wasn't what happened.

Instead, when they got safely to their room, Tachibana was
surprised to see Yasuo had been crying. He never cried—not even
when he was badly hurt. He once saw Yasuo get his kneecap smashed to
pieces during a match. His roommate never shed a tear when that
happened. Hell, he wanted to keep playing but their coach stopped the
match. Tachibana wasn't even aware how bad his injury was until later
when the doctors said Yasuo needed surgery, but that night walking
together from the hospital silently, Yasuo must have been weeping.
His face was tear stained and puffy—a mask of sorrow and loss.

He waited to hear Yasuo say that he couldn't stand Tachibana
anymore and that it, whatever it was that they had and
whatever it was that they were to each other, was now over.
Yasuo would tell him that he finally figured out what a bastard his
roommate was and to get the hell out. He waited for Yasuo to tell him
to go sleep somewhere else that night and that he never wanted to see
Tachibana again, but that didn't happen. Before Tachibana could
respond or say he would get his things and go. Before he could even
do that to try to cling to just a shred of his pride, Yasuo was
clutching him tightly.

Tachibana protested. He told Yasuo to let go. He told his roommate
he would leave. He tried to push Yasuo away. He thought in his
heartache Yasuo was just doing this because he felt he had to.
Tachibana would not let someone pity him. He said it was fine and
that he understood. He understood it was for the best although he
felt his heart breaking worse than it ever had.

He didn't tell Yasuo that.

Tachibana never said how bad it hurt or how bad he knew it was
going to hurt for Yasuo to let him go, but it scared the hell out of
him because he didn't think this time he would recover. Not like he
had from Fuji because this time he wouldn't have Yasuo at his side.
Tachibana bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from crying. He
bit down so hard he tasted the salty copper tang of his own blood and
still had a scar back there. He refused to cry. Yasuo didn't deserve
to see him weak like this after discovering what a ruthless monster
bastard he was. He didn't want Yasuo to feel guilty.

Yasuo didn't say a word. He just kept holding onto Tachibana with
his damn strong hands. He held on to him so tightly that Tachibana
realized he would have to hurt him to break his grip and pry his
hands away. For a smaller guy, Yasuo was incredibly strong when he
wanted to be. And that's around when Tachibana realized that Yasuo
was being strong and holding him—not letting him go because he
wanted to. He wanted to hold Tachibana. Wanted to be there for
him. Wanted to...

Tachibana shook off the memory because he realized he was standing
there in the hospital stupidly staring at the scene unfolding before
him because he was stuck in the past again. Hell, he could call
Yasuo later that night to talk to him instead of putting it off like
he had been. He didn't know why the hell he kept putting it off. He
wanted to talk to him, didn't he? He did. Hell, remembering
back then just now made him miss Yasuo for a moment with an almost
overwhelming ache.

Almost. Because it was an ache he promptly put aside.

Again.

He had to focus and handle this terrible situation right here and
now. This was no time to drift off into things that already happened.
He went to go to Ibu to help him. Tachibana decided after he helped
Ibu, he would reprimand the other freshmen for ignoring him. But
before he could move, Ibu shook his head silently no. Tachibana had
barely taken a step towards the freshman when he was told no and
stopped short.

His urge had been to go over and hold on to Ibu like Yasuo had
done for him. Just hold him in his arms, make Ibu feel safe, and let
him know someone cared about him. Someone cared a lot about him. Ibu
might cry. Tachibana knew that and decided he was okay with it. He
cried. That night when Yasuo held him. It had taken a long time, but
eventually Tachibana broke and a flood of tears poured out of him. He
ruined everything and they both knew it.

Yasuo didn't say a word for what felt like hours. Tachibana cried
in racking sobs that hit so hard that he pulled the both of them down
to the floor, but Yasuo held him firmly even then. Eventually when
Tachibana's tears wound down, probably because he wept so much he
cried himself dry, Yasuo kissed him.

He kissed his lips and his face as he held him. Instead of asking
Tachibana why he was such a monster or why he had to ruin everything
they had that was so good, all Yasuo said was Tachibana's given name.
Over and over again he whispered it as he kissed him,
"Kippei...Kippei...Kippei..." Yasuo
didn't say it in a singing kind of baby comforting way or in a fake
everything is okay way, but in the sweetest way possible. Every time
he said Tachibana's name, Yasuo was letting Tachibana know that he
was okay with what happened. He accepted what happened and even the
consequences. Yasuo was saying he would stick by his side. Yasuo was
saying he forgave Tachibana even if Tachibana wasn't able to forgive
himself yet. If ever.

Okay, so Tachibana wasn't going to let things with Ibu go that
far or anything, but he wanted to be there for the freshman like
Yasuo had been there for him. Tachibana figured he could just hug the
freshman and let him know that even after whatever happened, he was
okay and everything was going to be all right. Apparently Ibu didn't
even need him to do that. Tachibana felt stupid and useless as he
stood there. His feelings were hurt, not to mention his pride. He
wondered why the hell he was even there. He should be on his way to
school before he was late. Maybe he should just leave and he wondered
if anyone would notice if he left. Or care.

He also noticed that Kamio had blood on his shirt. It must have
been Ibu's blood. Kamio now held an ice pack in one hand that the
nurses kept laughingly reminding him to put on the back of his head.

In the maelstrom of activity, a passing nurse accidentally knocked
over a huge stack of papers and Ishida was blushingly helping her
pick them up. Eventually everyone else within earshot seemed to join
in helping with the cleanup. Even waiting patients and people just
watching moved to help. Everyone was participating in Kaimo's jokes
and the rest of the freshmen's antics and it looked like a comedy
sketch from one of the stupid shows Tachibana's little sister and
grandmother liked. They were all laughing and smiling like the
freshmen were a comedy team sent in to entertain everyone that day.
Everyone except for Tachibana and Ibu.

Several of the nurses and even one doctor were all laughing along
with the freshmen as Kamio told a story about when the freshmen were
kids in a club learning archery. It was a story Kamio told to
Tachibana before so he knew how it went. Somehow by accident Kamio
shot Ibu in his left butt cheek with an arrow during their archery
lesson. The arrow even with a blunt tip hit its mark. It stuck there
like a peacock's plume and Ibu ended up needing to have it removed
and get several stitches. He still had a scar and although Tachibana
never saw it, Kamio said it was a heart and Ibu's future wife was
going to wonder what girl Ibu once got a tattoo for. The way Kamio
told it this time though with everyone focused on Kamio and laughing
at Ibu, Ibu might as well not even been in the room.

Ibu was smiling, but the smile never reached his eyes.

Tachibana wondered what the hell all this was about. Why everyone,
especially the freshmen were completely ignoring Ibu. Was it a
strategy? Why? What could it possibly do? What could it...?

Slowly, it dawned on Tachibana that maybe the entire thing was
done to distract the adults from Ibu—although Tachibana had no
idea why.

Within the flurry of activity, stories, and laughter somehow the
group of freshmen paid for both Kamio and Ibu's treatments. They paid
in cash so fast Tachibana wasn't sure which one of them actually
paid. He guessed only by the speed it was Kamio who settled the bill.

Just after they met Kamio told Tachibana the freshmen all pooled
their meager amounts of money together and shared everything they
had. Birthday money, gifts, and anything else got thrown together
into a communal pile. The subject of money came up when Kamio asked
to borrow some of Tachibana's video games and CDs. He discussed
arranging a trade if the junior needed or wanted anything that the
freshmen had. Kamio explained how if one of them got a new CD, movie,
book, video game, or anything Ibu was very good at making everyone
copies. The original would be re-sold for cash. Kamio joked he ended
up being the treasurer but Ibu was the banker. He said the freshmen
did better when they kept their financial assets liquid and pooled
for rainy days. Apparently today was a rainy one.

Luckily, from the instructions Tachibana overheard the nurse
giving Kamio, it seemed Kamio did not have a concussion. All he had
was just a painful knot on his head which he kept forgetting to hold
the cold pack to. The nurse who seemed to have the stern face when
Tachibana walked in with Ishida now actually giggled as Kamio brushed
his hair out of his eyes and flirtilly said to her that he should
warn her he had a hard head and a soft heart.

Ibu's injury apparently was more serious judging by the amount of
blood on their clothes. Tachibana listened closely to the
instructions on how to care for the stitches and what the nurses were
saying. Something or someone cut Ibu behind his ear so that when he
and Kamio first walked into the hospital, as one nurse joked,
"...your friend's poor ear was hanging off his head. Imagine a
good kid like that getting mugged for his lunch money. What is the
world coming to?"

With several more jokes and laughs, somehow the freshmen got Ibu
out of there. They got the staff to give them a written excuse for
being late for school. They even were able to dismiss the stern
nurse's who insisted that Ibu's parents come to pick him up.

She said Kamio could return to school with his friends, but Ibu
should go home and rest. The nurse said she would call Ibu's parents
to come get him, but Uchida was the first to respond. He stopped
debating the doctor long enough to coolly lie. He said Ibu's mom
didn't have a car and if they called she would be very worried.

Before anyone could ask any other questions and having a sudden
inkling that this was what they freshmen were trying to
distract the adults from, Tachibana volunteered. He wasn't
even aware he was going to lie, but somehow the words just flew out
of his mouth. Tachibana knew he could sound older and more
responsible when he needed to and he used that tone of voice to talk
in.

He said he and Ibu lived right down the street—practically
around the corner. He said as Ibu's senpai he could walk Ibu home
before Tachibana returned to school and this way it wouldn't be a
shock to his mom. The hospital staff at first resisted. That one
gruff-faced nurse Kamio had been flirting the most with said she
wasn't sure. She said Ibu really shouldn't be alone but Tachibana
assured her the freshman wouldn't be. Tachibana promised her Ibu
would be with him and then home with his family in under five
minutes.

If someone insisted that an adult be called, Tachibana quickly
thought to himself he could have the hospital call his home. His
parents and his grandmother were out at work but his
great-grandmother was home. Even at her age she was active and did
most of his family's cooking while everyone else was busy working.
The bonus was his great-grandmother pretty much refused to speak
Japanese. She usually pretended she didn't understand it but he knew
that she did. Tachibana just hoped if someone did call his house they
didn't speak very much Cantonese. His great-grandmother loved to
babble on and on for hours in her native tongue.

As luck would have it, after Tachibana volunteered to take Ibu
home and mentioned again it was less than a block away, that stern
nurse and the rest of the hospital staff agreed.

With big smiles plastered on all their faces he and the guys left.
In the end, no one needed to call anyone's parents. Tachibana sent
the freshmen on to class and went with Ibu to his home. It was the
first time Tachibana had been there though he knew where it was from
walking past it.

Ibu's house was a tiny old dwelling down an even older side street
that was more alley than street. It was too narrow for even a small
car to fit through. The house was small, with fading paint and looked
dark because it rest in the shadows of larger multi-family dwellings
all around it. It leaned more to the left side resting on the house
next to it. It looked rundown, but outside there were lots of plants
and it looked orderly and well maintained. Everything was neatly
arranged as if a great effort was made to make what little someone
had seem welcoming and presentable. When they got to the front door,
Ibu bowed in thanks and went to go inside, but Tachibana insisted, "I
promised everyone I would make sure you were all right. I'll stay
with you for a while, that is, if you have no objections?"

Ibu shook his head no, shrugged, and gestured for Tachibana to
step inside after he unlocked the front door. Tachibana noticed that
the home seemed dark and empty. It had a feel as if no one lived
there. Almost like it was abandoned and when he thought about it,
sometimes that was the feeling he got from Ibu. As if he too was left
behind, neglected, and forgotten. Ibu did not turn a hallway light on
while they removed their shoes. The house slippers he loaned to
Tachibana were soft but so well-worn they were almost worn through
the soles. The house was cold, felt damp, and their every sound and
footstep rang with a hollow echo.

As they entered the kitchen, Tachibana asked Ibu if he could use
the phone. He figured he should call his great-grandmother and
explain why he was missing school that day. He figured it would be
better to say it was due to a classmate's illness. He had never gone
to public school and had no idea if he was absent if they would try
to call his home. At his old school, attendance was considered a
student's responsibility, but at this one he was unsure of the rules.
This way at least if the school did do anything his great-grandmother
could tell his parents when they got home or if there were any
questions. Tachibana knew his parents trusted him and they would
understand probably without asking any questions. He had told his
parents earlier he might be late coming home because he intended to
try to get answers out of Kamio. Somehow ironically he ended up with
Ibu who wouldn't say a word to him.

Ibu handed Tachibana his cell phone.

Tachibana wondered about it as he waved the portable phone away.
He hated cell phones and detested that he had one. His family
insisted he needed it. He never used it when he was away at school.
He carried one but only used it a few times at school when he would
have Yasuo meet him for dinner or something.

All the freshmen used their cell phones frequently and were on
some pay as you use it plan Kamio showed Tachibana. They text
messaged each other constantly. Every time Tachibana was with one or
two of them, they text messaged the others at least once if not many
more times.

Kamio and the other freshmen often text messaged Tachibana. He
never answered. He thought texting was annoying. If you had something
to say you could just call the person and it would take less time
than trying to type out each message. He never sent anyone a text
message in his life and was rather proud of that.

When they first met Kamio showed Tachibana how he and the other
freshmen were on some combined pay as you use it plan that really
cost much less than the one Tachibana and his family used.
Tachibana's phone was paid for by his parents so he really couldn't
switch to the freshman's plan. He explained this several times
although Kamio still tried to get him to switch usually after a long
sales pitch. Sometimes even now Kamio asked Tachibana to reconsider
by saying his joining the freshmen would cost all the rest of them
less every month. Kamio was quite a salesman. He offered Tachibana
everything from a free phone to a month for free never getting that
Tachibana hated his phone and never used it.

The only phone number he had programmed in was Yasuo's and that's
only because his roommate put it in there for him. He didn't even
know how, although Kamio offered to put all of their numbers in for
him. Tachibana didn't see the point when he could just remembered
their numbers. He remembered Yasuo's too but something wouldn't let
him delete the entry. Not that he called the number much. He really
should give Yasuo a call later today.

Since he moved back home the one who called Tachibana the most was
his little sister. Usually she was calling to bother him with
questions like when he was coming home, where he was, and who he was
with. It was annoying. At least Yasuo never did that. Not even when
they lived together. Now Yasuo sometimes called him and left
messages. He usually just said hello and that Tachibana could call
him back whenever he got around to it. Sometimes he noticed Yasuo
called and didn't leave a message. He was probably busy. No pressure.
That was nice.

Anyway, for a guy who never talked and who was supposed to be so
short on money, why would Ibu even have a cellular phone? It confused
Tachibana and he often wondered who answered Ibu's phone for him. On
accident one time Tachibana called Ibu to tell the freshmen that he
was going to be five minutes late meeting them in the morning because
his sister that day had a morning club meeting. She got in the
bathroom first and took so long doing her hair and things he couldn't
get in the bathroom to even brush his teeth. Kamio smoothly answered
Ibu's phone and talked as if it was his own. It wasn't until he was
on his way to see them when Tachibana realized on accident he'd
called Ibu and not Kamio. Their numbers were only one off from each
other. All the freshmen's were. Kamio said that was part of the deal
from the store they got their phones and the plan at. It was
owned by the father of a childhood friend of theirs that now went to
another school somewhere else. They were no longer friends, but they
still got a discount.

Still he wondered if Kamio wasn't around, who answered Ibu's phone
and said hello?

Ibu was looking at him so Tachibana explained, "I have a long
distance call to make later today. It's going to be a long call
probably and I don't want to waste any minutes on a local call. I'm
just going to call my house to tell my parents that I'm with you and
not going to be in sch..." As he talked, Tachibana picked up the
receiver to Ibu's house phone and put it to his ear. There was no
dial tone. He stated the obvious, "This phone doesn't work."

Ibu shook his head no and as Tachibana watched a blush spread
along his face.

"Do any of your home phones work?" Talking to Ibu was
like playing twenty questions. The only thing more annoying was
trying to get Yasuo to admit when he was mad or upset about something
stupid Tachibana inadvertently did. When Yasuo was mad it was often
like talking to Ibu, Tachibana realized. You had to ask a million
questions while he sat there silently and would occasionally hint by
shrugging when you got close to what was bothering him. He wondered
if it was his practice with Yasuo that made it easier for him to get
to know Ibu. "What if someone needs to reach you or the school
calls or something?"

Ibu shook his head no and shrugged. He pointed to his cell phone
and handed it again to Tachibana.

Tachibana gave up and dialed his home number on Ibu's phone. When
his great-grandmother answered, Tachibana quickly filled her in and
told her she could call him if she had any questions, but otherwise
he would try to give her an update later. He was just getting off the
phone with her when Ibu gestured to get his attention and pointed to
the tea kettle on the stove. It was only then that Tachibana noticed
how many stumps of burned down candles were spread all around the
room. A few on every surface it seemed.

Tachibana shrugged and then remembered Ibu was supposed to be
resting, "Sure, but you sit down and let me do that. You're
supposed to be resting. Thank you for letting me use your phone."

He handed the phone back to Ibu who set it on a counter next to a
charger but not in it. He wondered if the power was out and glanced
at the stove to make sure it was gas and not electric. It was. There
was water in the kettle so he turned the burner under it on.
Tachibana thought Ibu was going to protest or not budge but after a
moment of being stubborn, the freshman did sit finally down.

The counter tops were bare so he asked, "Where do you keep
your tea...?" Tachibana opened the first cabinet to find it was
completely empty. He opened the one next to it to find it was the
same. He opened the next but all that was in there were some plates
and cups. He started opening cabinet after cabinet and other than
utensils, pots, or candles he found nothing. No tea, no food, and
nothing else. Not even any spices. He opened the refrigerator and Ibu
was on his feet. Except for a large pot of what looked like water,
there was nothing in the refrigerator. Or the freezer. In fact, they
must have been unplugged because the light was off in both and there
was no sense of cold coming from either.

He closed the doors to find Ibu standing there with his head
hanging down as if in shame. His face was red again in a blush.

Angry and worried Tachibana demanded to know, "What have you
been eating?"

Ibu gestured to the top of the refrigerator. There was a box that
was one of those huge industrial packages of instant ramen noodles.
The gross too-salty kind laden with chemicals instead of anything
nutritious that you had to choke down once you were over the age of
five. Tachibana reached in the box. There was one packet left and a
small resealable bag with three tea bags in it. The tea was the cheap
brand their school used. Tachibana suddenly suspected Ibu had been
drinking tea-less tea—hot water during the week and pocketing
the bags for...? Really, he had no idea why. It was all strange. And
heartbreaking.

Ibu was gesturing that he would "cook" his last ramen
packet for Tachibana and the junior knew that the freshman was most
likely starving. He probably hadn't eaten anything since the day
before unless he ate one of these disgusting ramen things for dinner
the night before. Thinking of yesterday, Tachibana remembered how
everyone gave Ibu some of their lunch. They always did. Ibu never
brought or bought lunch.

When Tachibana asked why Kamio with a shrug joked that Ibu was
their garbage disposal and never let anything go to waste. Why Ibu's
friends didn't know how bad things were, or why if they did know they
didn't do anything, Tachibana had no idea. But the freshman might
have not eaten any dinner the night before either. Certainly nothing
healthy or good.

"Where is the store nearest here?" Tachibana asked and
tried to sound gentle. Yasuo always told him he was too abrupt when
he spoke. He said Tachibana often sounded gruff when he didn't mean
to. It was a bad habit.

Ibu looked at him confused, or perhaps exhausted. Tachibana turned
the burner under the kettle to off. "Never mind, give me your
house key. I'll be back in a little while, go get some rest."
Ibu blinked at him. He looked even a little unsteady on his feet. He
still had his bloody school clothes on. "Come on. Your room is
this way?" There was only one hallway so it could only be in
that direction. Tachibana put his arm around Ibu to steady him and
lead him down the hall to his room. He tried to switch on the light
when it occurred to him that indeed the lights were out. Tachibana
wasn't sure if they were shut off for Ibu not paying the bill or if
it was something the freshman did on his own. The small bedroom felt
very cold but more lived in than the rest of the house. He managed to
get a sleepy Ibu out of his clothes and back in his pajamas.

Adorably, even though he lived alone, the freshman folded his
pajamas up and put them under his pillow to use again.

In fact, everything in Ibu's room was neat. Everything was
exceptionally clean, but his entire room was comprised of basically
things most people would have long ago discarded as trash or
replaced. Certainly everyone Tachibana formerly went to school with.
The students at his old school had nicer furniture in their dorms.
Even Tachibana did although the better stuff he had actually was
Yasuo's things that they shared.

It was almost literally a bed room. Ibu slept on a huge mattress
that took up most of the space. It lay right on the threadbare and
worn floor. Tachibana was surprised that Ibu didn't sleep traditional
style since he was almost doing that anyway, but he didn't for
whatever reason. There were more used unlit candles scattered
everywhere but the majority were around around a table made of milk
crates in one corner of the room. Tachibana guessed by the
spine-split and dogeared books piled high this was where Ibu must do
the majority of his studying. He must study while sitting on another
milk crate which seemed to have only a thin worn square of cloth as a
cushion.

On Ibu's bed there was only a top sheet, very worn and repaired in
places, six old flat pillows piled up where one side of the bed
touched the wall, and a very big very worn and repaired comforter. So
repaired it looked like the Frankenstein of comforters. His room was
freezing cold but the curtains were open to the little bit of
daylight the buildings around his little house didn't steal.
Tachibana folded the tattered blanket in half to let Ibu sleep under
both halves for warmth, but before he was finished fixing it, Ibu
snuggled between the halves with an exhaled contented little sigh. It
seemed as if that was how he slept and he was comfortable. The
freshman was clearly exhausted. He needed to rest and he needed to
eat.

Tachibana took Ibu's bloody shirt and uniform and went to stand
up. Ibu grabbed his arm though and looked up at him in question.

"I'll be back in a little while. I want you to rest while I'm
gone. Don't worry, okay? I'll leave your phone here right next to you
in case you need to reach me for anything. Is there anything you
need? Or anything you would like me to bring you?"

Ibu was looking at him dazed and half-awake as if the questions
were strange ones.

Tachibana smoothed his hair back, and when he got Ibu settled back
down he was finally able to notice all the tiny ugly black stitches
that ran up behind the freshman's ear. Why someone would hurt this
sweet, gentle soul Tachibana had no idea. It made him angry and
afraid for Ibu and the other freshmen, both at the same time. They
were doing the best they could. They didn't deserve this. It wasn't
fair. Not when other people had so much and never appreciated it.

On impulse, Tachibana kissed his temple after he smoothed back his
hair a little more, "I'll be back before you know it. Rest now.
If you need me for anything just call my phone and I'll come running
right back. I won't be long or far."

He stood and closed the curtains.
"I'll be back soon," he promised and closed the door to
Ibu's cold, dark room.

More soon XD
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Learning to Land