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Alternate Tracks 2nd Story in Rivalry Series	By : kurahieiritrJIO Category: +G to L > Initial D Views: 2560 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Initial D, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
CHAPTER 15

Itsuke decided during his drive to town to hide his best friend's disturbing secret. Takumi needed time to get back to normal. As nauseating as the situation was, Itsuke believed Takumi would never date another man if he was not as ill as Keisuke san had claimed. Tak's defense of Keisuke san's attachment to him was alarming Itsuke. Somehow Takahashi Keisuke had Tak so confused that he was doing things Itsuke knew his best friend would never consider. It was not revulsion with the scene that he had witnessed that made Itsuke the maddest. It was how Keisuke san was taking advantage of Tak's injured heart, and health problems to get into his pants. The thought of Tak being so sick he was getting misused was infuriating Itsuke.

When Itsuke arrived to meet his sempais, customers crowded the restaurant. "Hey, Itsuke."

His name tugged his head toward the picture windows. Kenji stood up and waved from a wall partitioned booth at the edge of the noisy room. Itsuke moved toward the pair of street racers, winding around other diners' chairs. He noted their casual clothes as he slid into the booth next to Iketani. The teen glanced out of the window and saw evening rush hour traffic flashing past.

"Whoa, you look like hell, Itsuke kun. Did something bad happen to Takumi kun and Keisuke san after all?" Iketani's voice was full of concern.

"I told you we needed to report it when Itsuke found Takumi and Keisuke san's cars abandoned at that lookout!" Kenji growled while glaring at Iketani.

"They're both okay. When I found them, I herd that Tak was pissed off yesterday, and took off on a hike. Keisuke san followed Tak, trying to calm him down. They got stuck on the mountain overnight because they couldn't see the trail to get back to their cars." Itsuke relayed the excuse they that had given him.

Their disappearance the night before was probably due to them doing something much more disturbing, considering what he had caught them doing earlier. Itsuke was not going to mention that to anyone. His stomach began rebelling over the image of Tak trying to get his pants zipped over his obvious erection. Considering the boner Tak was sporting, he must have been really enjoying Keisuke san's attention.

A waitress stopped at the table and sat two glasses of iced tea on the surface. "Can I get a melon soda kudasai?" Itsuke ordered out of habit. The waitress jotted his order down, and hurried away from the booth.

"Did they tell you anything else, Itsuke kun?" Iketani asked.

"Tak's telling Keisuke san his troubles, instead of me. Keisuke san said Tak's been really sick for a couple months. Something really stressful involving Mogi is making Tak even sicker. He said Tak's so stressed out that he's having bad headaches, bleeding ulcers, and is vomiting some days. Tak said he's better, and has almost finished his medication. He said Keisuke san's making things sound worse than they are. I'm pretty sure Tak's still really sick. He was acting really strange this afternoon. Keisuke san mentioned the possibility of Tak going to the hospital again."

Iketani spoke in measured tones. "That's very bad news, Itsuke. Takumi's very ill if he's developing bleeding ulcers. He shouldn't be doing things reckless like going for a hike in the evening. Lucky that Keisuke san was there to keep an eye on him."

Takumi zipping his pants over his respectable hard-on followed the image of Keisuke sliding back into the passenger seat of the hachi roku. Itsuke's gut churned as the two images flashed through his mind.

Kenji added his thoughts. "iie kidding. Takumi kun looks normal every time we see him. I can't believe he's so sick. We can understand you being so upset, Itsuke. He didn't tell you anything about his being sick, or having onna troubles. I'm surprised Takumi kept something this serious from all of us, especially you, Itsuke kun."

"Did either of them say anything specific that might help Takumi, Itsuke?"

The teen dropped his head onto his arms and leaned over the table top for support. He was afraid he would spill their terrible secret because he was so upset. The desire to tell Iketani and Kenji the truth was getting stronger. Itsuke fought to curb his unruly tongue to protect Tak's reputation.

"Keisuke san said Mogi's bugging Tak on the phone almost every day, Iketani sempai. Tak told Keisuke san to shut up because he didn't feel right discussing Mogi's situation with me. We got into a big fight, and Tak peeled out of the lot. Keisuke san said some really harsh things to me too, then followed Tak."

Iketani sounded appalled. "Takumi told Keisuke san something he's refusing to tell you and you got mad. That's normal. It's hard to accept that he didn't trust you since you've always been Takumi's best friend. Naze would Keisuke san say anything harsh to you? Did you do something to make Takumi stop trusting you?"

"I think Takumi's girlfriend probably asked him to keep things quiet, especially if her problems are bad. Itsuke does speak without thinking about the consequences. Mogi chan knows Itsuke, and might've warned Takumi not to say anything to him."

"Damn it, Itsuke! Look at how your acting right now! Your actions are the reason I didn't bother talking to you about any of this mess! I knew you'd freak out and ignore everything I said to you! It sucks! I've always known you don't think before making blind judgements. You won't even try to listen to Keisuke san's side because your mind's already made up about him! Everything you hear gets lumped into all or nothing groups with you."

Itsuke recalled Tak's furious charges with a grimace. Now his sempais were saying something similar. It hurt to hear that Tak was not the only one who thought he was so unreliable.

"I suppose that's possible, Kenji. Takumi would protect his girlfriend's privacy even without being asked. If that's the case, naze would he tell Keisuke san?"

"Hm, I haven't got a clue. Speaking of Keisuke san, he doesn't know Itsuke kun very well. He must be thinking the worst about Itsuke now. We should sit him down and try to explain things to him."

Itsuke remembered the pained expression that flashed across the older racer's face. Itsuke lifted his head to look at his companions. "I doubt Keisuke san would listen to anything you say, Kenji sempai. Keisuke san said everyone but Tak sees him as a bank account, instead of a person. He's cool because he's rich, instead of cool because he's Keisuke san."

"Ouch. Well I guess that explains a few things." Iketani rubbed his chin.

Kenji looked horrified. "Whoa, . . . Itsuke? Nani the hell did you say?"

"I'm mad as hell that Keisuke san's taking my best friend, and turning him into someone I don't know! Everything he's doing to Tak's wrong!" Itsuke snapped the first thing that came to mind, and blanched when the words were out.

'Oh shit! Nani have I done? My big mouth just blew everything for Tak. I didn't mean to tell them about Keisuke turning Tak gay.'

Iketani's hand on his shoulder tightened. "Itsuke, they're on the same street racing team. Takumi's making great driving progress because he's working with the Rotary brothers. I thought you were down with all the things Takumi's learning. Takumi's problem must've adversely affected his place on the Project D team somehow. Otherwise Takumi would be talking to you, instead of Keisuke san. You said Keisuke san explained that Takumi kun so sick. That's got to be the reason he told Keisuke san about his situation first. I don't think Takumi kun's changed best friends, Itsuke."

"Guys, I'll catch up with you later. I don't want to be a downer." Itsuke knew his turmoil would end with him blurting the truth if he did not escape soon.

Iketani grabbed his arm as he slid out of the booth. "Hold on, Itsuke. We'll try to help straighten things out between you three. You don't need to leave. We understand you're upset over Takumi confiding in Keisuke san instead of you. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for everything."

"Iketani's right. Takumi knows that if he needs us, we're here for him, the same as we're always here for you, Itsuke kun."

"Kenji, we should talk with Takumi, so Itsuke can relax. I'm sure that things will work out if we can get them talking things out." Iketani said.

Kenji nodded. "Let's try to convince Takumi and Keisuke san to work things out with Itsuke the next time they train on Akina. Then, Itsuke, Takumi, and Keisuke san can settle this misunderstanding at the course head. We can remind Takumi that we're always here to help him out since we're his friends. He's done so much for us that we all owe him any help we can give him."

An elegant voice cut into the conversation. "May I join you?"

The three Speed Stars turned to see Takahashi Ryosuke standing beside the wall partition at their booth. He had a hand in his pale blue tailored pants pocket, and a sardonic expression on his face. The black-haired driver wore a button-up shirt in darker blue, and reeked of sophisticated elegance.

"Takahashi Ryosuke san? Uhm, hai, have a seat." Kenji moved to the window while motioning for the respected ace to sit nest to him.

Itsuke looked outside while his midriff did a strange coiling sideways twist. Iketani and Kenji gave respectful greetings, and introduced themselves to the famed driver as Ryosuke accepted the proffered seat. The youth noticed that Iketani and Kenji passed questioning looks between themselves.

Itsuke found it hard to control his flaming cheeks as anger scorched through him. "Naze are you here, Ryosuke san?" He was too upset to flinch at his disrespectful tone as he stared at the traffic on the street outside.

"Keisuke asked me to inform you that he found Fujiwara. Keisuke has his hands full calming Fujiwara down, so he couldn't check on you himself. We convinced Fujiwara to tell us where you'd be, so I could check on you in Keisuke's place."

"Naze would Keisuke san send you to check on me?" Itsuke turned to face the dark-haired rotary brother, feeling suspicious.

"Hold on, Itsuke kun. It sounds like Keisuke san isn't mad after all. Naze else would he ask his onīsan to make sure you're okay?" Kenji rebuked him. Itsuke glared down at the table top.

'More like Keisuke san's making sure I don't say anything about how he was trying to screw Tak in the hachi roku this afternoon. If it got around that he's a fag, it would ruin Keisuke san's rep.'

Itsuke could feel Ryosuke san watching him. "Keisuke asked me to relay a message. He said he apologizes for causing your fight with Fujiwara earlier. He doesn't want to see you and Fujiwara at odds because of their situation. He also wants you to think twice before you end your friendship with Fujiwara because of this afternoon."

"Naze the hell does he care? He gets everything he wants either way! Doesn't he?" Itsuke's hands balled as he growled at the man sitting across from him.

"Keisuke knows you're one of Fujiwara's closest, and most important friends. He wants to avoid situations that will cause Fujiwara any more grief, Takeuchi."

The waitress stopped next to Itsuke and set a glass in front of his place. "Here's your melon soda. Would you like to order your meals now?" She looked at everyone at the table as she spoke.

Ryosuke's smooth, mellow voice dominated the booth. "We're still waiting for two people. Unless everyone here wants to order appetizers, I believe drinks will suffice for a while, Ojosan."

Iketani answered. "Sounds fine with me. I take it Keisuke san and Takumi kun will be here soon?"

"Hai. They should arrive in the next fifteen minutes."

"We'll wait until they get here then." Iketani's calm voice washed over Itsuke.

Dread snaked through his body. Itsuke was afraid of what would happen once Tak and Keisuke san arrived. They would assume he had told Iketani and Kenji. Things were going to get very bad once everything came out in the open.

"Nani can I get you to drink, sir?" Their waitress asked.

"Mint tea." Ryosuke answered.

"Would you prefer hot or cold?"

"Hot, please."

"We're really busy, but, I'll be back with your tea quick as I can, sir."

She darted from the table. Itsuke felt like an insignificant bug under the black-haired man's thoughtful gaze as he looked up to see Ryosuke watching him again.

Itsuke's stomach lurched, but knew he had to say something. "I know Tak's having a lot of trouble right now. Keisuke san should back off until Tak gets back to normal."

Ryosuke tilted his head as Kenji intervened again. "Whoa! Hold up, Itsuke. Man, that must have been some blow up! I can't believe your talking to Ryosuke san like this."

"Forget it, Kenji sempai. It's between Tak, Keisuke san, and me. That's where things need to stay." Itsuke again stood to leave.

Kenji and Iketani looked at him, and Ryosuke Takahashi with identical frowns.

"Matte, Itsuke. Sit back down. Everything will blow over in a day or two if you'll calm down and think things over."

"This is between Tak, Keisuke san, and me, Kenji sempai. Just drop it already."

Iketani demanded in a soft voice. "Sit down and talk things out, Itsuke kun. Ryosuke san didn't drive from Takasaki so you could act like a jerk because you're upset. Keisuke san hasn't taken Takumi away from you. Takumi kun's still your best friend, despite whatever was said this afternoon. You need to calm down."

Itsuke stepped away from the table, intent on leaving the restaurant before he exploded. Ryosuke Takahashi's calm voice stopped him cold. "Keisuke hates keeping secrets from people that matter. You're all important to Fujiwara, so that means you all matter. Therefore the only questions that remain are, one; will you choose to make things even more difficult for Fujiwara? Or, two; are you going to back Fujiwara like real friends do?"

Itsuke whirled back to face the man announcing that his younger brother planned to declare his interest in Tak. Itsuke's legs felt like they would crumble under his weight. He grabbed the edge of the table to keep himself standing.

"He can't do that! Doesn't Keisuke san care about possibly damaging his rep? Doesn't he give a damn about Tak?"

"Keisuke knows better than anyone how this can play out. My otouto has already considered all methods to carry out as damage control. In fact he and Fujiwara were working out the steps they want to take when I called to find out the reason Keisuke hadn't come home when we expected him."

The hot-headed youth glared at the composed man facing him so calmly. Iketani moved to the edge of the booth and pulled him back into it. "Itsuke, sit before you fall in a heap. Ryosuke san, Nani's happened?"

Kenji looked worried as he spoke up. "You're making things sound kind of sinister. Is Takumi kun in some kind of trouble? Is there a problem with his being on your elite racing team, or something else?"

"Don't ask! It's nobody's business, minasan." Itsuke growled as he tried to stop the conversation.

Iketani leaned forward. "Itsuke kun, there's something more going on than you told us about, isn't there?"

Ryosuke san held up his hand. "Calm down, minasan. Unforseen circumstances brought a major change into Fujiwara's, and Keisuke's lives two months ago when Fujiwara was in an accident. The matter caused some tension for my expedition team initially, but that isn't an issue any longer. That's all I'm at liberty to say before Keisuke and Fujiwara reveal the situation, and their mutual decision to minasan."

He felt the blood drain from his head to pool in his toes when the word mutual sank into Itsuke's mind. "Ryosuke san, I'm begging you to make Keisuke san keep his mouth shut for Tak's sake. If he's as sick as Keisuke san said he is, Tak doesn't need any more trouble right now."

"Do you honestly think this can be kept hidden for very long? Keisuke can't back down any longer because of your confrontation on Akina this afternoon. This situation is much too important to my otouto, Takeuchi. Fujiwara realized that Keisuke was right to want to explain their circumstances because of this afternoon's disastrous argument."

'How could Tak let Keisuke san talk him into going public about how they are going fag together? Was Tak a fag all along, and hiding it from me? I never had a clue. How could I not know that Tak gets the hots for other men? He was dating Mogi, so I thought he was like the rest of us. Did her back stabbing change Tak into a fag because he can't deal with her betrayal?'

Tak's sad face, and angry voice combined with Keisuke san's painful, irritation tinged words. Both voices overlapped, echoing in Itsuke's head on a permanent repeat groove as he sought to understand how things could have gone so wrong with his best friend. Their arguments took on a counterpoint beat to the riotous slam of Itsuke's heartbeat reverberating within his skull.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. Keisuke san raked a hand through his hair, a flash of pain crossing his features. "Takeuchi, It's not easy to be a bisexual. I tried to ignore the socially condemned glitch in my personality, but my heart wrapped around Takumi before I realized it. . . . Bathump, Bathump. "I'm bisexual, and in love with Fujiwara! Can I get any more blunt, Takeuchi?" Bathump. Bathump. ". . . Takumi's the first person I've met who I can't walk away from easily. . . . That scared the hell out of me!" Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "You almost got it that time, Takeuchi. I don't want to battle Takumi anymore. I want him to be my boyfriend, mate, lover, or whatever term you can stomach to get the point across. I want Takumi to spend the rest of his life with me."

"Itsuke, are you okay, dude? You look really sick suddenly."

Kenji sounded distant. Itsuke felt a hand on his shoulder but could not find the strength to answer his worried sounding sempai. An icy claw began digging toward his spine through his guts.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. "Look, Itsuke, I know you don't want to understand. I know you'll hate me over anything I do say." Bathump.Bathump. Tak looked very sad as he spoke again. "You've never understood how I think, Itsuke." Bathump. ". . . I'm not the person you used to know." Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "It's been rough the last two months, Itsuke. I haven't been sure about a lot of things. Bathump.""Keisuke's right. The things going on between Keisuke and me . . . it's different. I had to decide whether our situation is right for me." Bathump. Bathump. He's too important to me for me to be a jerk. I refuse to write Keisuke off without trying to understand how he came to love me, Itsuke!" Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "If you discard Takumi's lifelong friendship simply because I'm in love with him, then you're still an immature brat that needs to grow up, Takeuchi." Bathump. Bathump. Keisuke's not playing games. . . . That's the main reason I told him I'd give him a chance to prove we belong together! Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "I can't agree that Keisuke deserves hatred for his feelings. He didn't decide one morning that he wanted to fall in love with me."

Ryosuke Takahashi's melodic voice sliced through Itsuke's spinning thoughts. "I can see that you're very upset by this news. Did you really think Keisuke would disappear without a fight once Project-D's complete? Maybe you concluded that my brother was playing a game with Fujiwara? Both assumptions are dead wrong. I want to stress to you that I have come to realize this change is positive, and necessary for them both." Piercing eyes collided with his as Keisuke's older brother confronted him.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "If I could've walked away from Fujiwara, I would have, baka! By the time I realized I was in love with him, it was too late for me to leave Takumi alone!" Bathump. "Takeuchi, I didn't understand my getting pissed off that Fujiwara spent so much time with my onīsan after we began the active phase of Project D. I couldn't stand seeing them together, but I couldn't face the truth either. Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "Keisuke was afraid that his onīsan was the one I liked because he's bisexual. Without knowing my orientation, Keisuke began comparing himself to his onīsan trying to figure out which one of them I would like more. Ryosuke and I never were, or ever will be interested in each other in a romantic way." Bathump. Bathump. ". . . started a stupid rivalry with Fujiwara to make myself believe that if I beat him in a battle, I'd stop obsessing about the attention Aniki lavished on him." Bathump. Bathump. "When I had the wreck, . . . a lot of things changed. . . . Keisuke and I have, . . . we've had to work out, . . . several things. I needed to figure out, . . . I needed to, . . . to make things right."

Itsuke ran a shaking hand across his face. He wasn't certain what he had expected, but knew it was not this. He could not accept that Tak was going to let Keisuke san declare that he was gay to everyone. Tak had never followed the crowd, but he had never made scenes or waves that had such dire consequences either.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. Bathump. Bathump."Because you went with the crowd's opinion. Getting into a fist fight with a classroom full of rabid, homophobic hate-filled lunatics wasn't an option. It didn't matter to me if those two guys were in love with each other. . . ." Bathump. Bathump. "Bisexual means it doesn't matter to me whether they're onnas, or men, Takeuchi! It means I love Takumi's attitudes, actions, and personality more than anything. Hopefully I used simple enough words that you can get the facts into your thick skull."

'Tak saying that kind of stuff must mean he thought that being together all along was fine for men, and hid it from me. I know Tak doesn't trust me because of everything he said this afternoon. Seems Tak never really trusted me at all, or I would have known long ago about how Tak felt. Keisuke san said that he gets off on personalities. Is that how Tak is too? But, can it really be that simple?'

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. I don't agree that people who fall in love with someone that's their gender are automatically bad! It's a lie! Falling in love doesn't change who a person is, Itsuke! We got involved with onnas who didn't love us back! That didn't change who we really are! Did it? How did falling in love with me change Keisuke into a bad person? . . ." Bathump. "Everyone decided they had some disease because of how they felt about each other. If love is a disease, then we all get it, not just gays."

Itsuke raised his head and jutted his chin. "Look. I'm not going to say I like the way this is turning out. I think it's wrong, Ryosuke san."

"I understand that it takes time to adjust to unexpected news."

Itsuke felt defeated and it wasn't a pleasant sensation. "Tak's been my friend since we were little kids. I never had any clue. I never expected to learn something, . . . this, . . . radical about him.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. "You don't understand, Itsuke! . . . "I knew that if I tried to talk to you, you'd wig out over everything that's happened since the accident." Bathump. Bathump. "Itsuke, I know you're really angry and hurt . . . You've never understood how I think, Itsuke." Bathump."I know Keisuke loves me. . . . He's not playing games . . . That's the main reason I told him I'd give him a chance to prove we belong together! I know he's being honest. Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "Keisuke's still a good person, Itsuke! I can't ignore the good things about him."

Iketani and Kenji remained silent as Ryosuke leaned forward and gave him a stern look. "It isn't half as radical as you want to believe, Takeuchi. I know you're shocked, but it isn't as if Fujiwara was aware of the potential until Keisuke entered the picture."

The image of Keisuke Takahashi sliding back into the passenger seat and Takumi's racing bucket returning to an upright position flashed in Itsuke's mind. Keisuke's aggressive stance and Takumi trying to re-confine his erection by putting his pants back in order as he got out of the hachi roku flashed to the fore.

"Nani are you saying?" Itsuke did not want to hear the answer once the question popped out of his mouth.

"Fujiwara left no clues, because he didn't know he could do something of this nature. Keisuke's the only person that Fujiwara's willing to trust enough to attempt something of this magnitude, Takeuchi."

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump.Bathump. Bathump. "Because society says that same gender relationships are wrong. Bisexuals usually recognize an attraction to someone of the same sex and run, Takeuchi! That was my policy before Fujiwara blind-sided me!" Bathump.Bathump.Bathump.Bathump."I forced Fujiwara to tell me everything going on, Takeuchi! Fujiwara almost killed himself by bouncing off the side of a mountain, and I had to box hachi roku in with my FD to keep him alive. The isha sans said he was in really bad shape from not eating, or sleeping when they checked him into the hospital that night." Bathump. Bathump."I fight with him every time I see him to get any kind of information. Fujiwara's having migraine headaches and stomach problems caused by long term acute stress. He's even had several vicious panic attacks because of everything he's trying to handle, Takeuchi."

Itsuke grumbled, "Tak's at a really bad place in his life, and Keisuke san might be using that to his advantage if you ask me. Tak wouldn't be doing things like this if his problems weren't messing with him." His hands balled into fists again.

Ryosuke's answer came out as a deep, and low rumbles that made everyone at the table aware of how angry he had become. "You're wrong, Takeuchi. Keisuke's the one at a serious disadvantage because he's the one with the stronger commitment. They need each other for both to get into professional racing. Keisuke believes in Fujiwara without wavering in his conviction. Fujiwara desperately needs his positive influence in his life to accept that he truly is a great driver with solid skills. Keisuke also gives Fujiwara ideas, and focus so he can reach out for any kind of dream."

That dark blue gaze was glacial as Ryosuke san lectured him for daring to disagree with his younger brother's agendas. "Fujiwara, in return, keeps Keisuke from becoming obsessed with only one thing at a time. Fujiwara helps Keisuke balance his own life so he can continue to make any progress. Can't you understand that they make a formidable, and complimentary team that have to stay together? This development insures they'll remain a team, Takeuchi."

"I don't have a problem with them being teammates, Ryosuke san! Naze does Keisuke san have to take this to such an extreme?! It's crazy!" Itsuke glared at the black-haired man who sat across from him.

A black eyebrow rose as Ryosuke demanded in an iron edged tone, "Explain how this situation seems so extreme to you, Takeuchi."

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. Bathump."When I saw the hachi roku bounce off the mountain I realized I was about to lose the best thing that has ever happened to me, or ever will, Takeuchi. Both onnas I've dated, and loved, never saw me. People that I've called friends have the same problem. They all see my bank account, the trust fund I control, instead of me. I've learned to pick up on that really quick." Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. It also hurts like hell to find out that people only pretend to want you because you have a rich family. People want to gain wealth and status by latching onto you, instead of actually giving a damn about you."

"Look, I get that Keisuke san has problems with people seeing him as a trophy, and Tak isn't like that. I think it's good for Keisuke san to have friends who like him for himself. Minasan at this table accepts him for himself, the same as Tak. Keisuke san's getting way confused this time. He's making a mistake because Tak is . . . Tak." Itsuke heard desperation in his tone. He felt an overwhelming urge to sway the older rotary brother to his side.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "Takeuchi, Takumi hid our situation because he believes you'll turn on him. . . . Fujiwara's still your friend, and you're damn important to him. You need to believe that if nothing else about his accepting me into his life makes sense." Bathump. Bathump. "No. Baka! It's not gender that matters to me. It's the personality when you're bisexual! Gays only like their own gender! I'm drawn to both men and onnas."

"So, you're upset because you think Keisuke is going to wake up one morning and say, oops, I made a mistake." Ryosuke's eyebrows climbed higher as his chin dipped toward his chest. Itsuke hadn't thought that getting any colder was possible for those eyes, but Ryosuke Takahashi managed. Kenji leaned closer to the window as he and Iketani both exchanged alarmed glances. Ryosuke Takahashi radiated his barely contained fury.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump.Bathump. Bathump. "Fujiwara has never cared about my social status, or money. He only sees the person I am. He respects me, and my skill as a driver. I've never met anyone like him. Aniki hasn't either. Fujiwara's special because he only sees our achievements."

Itsuke felt cornered. "Keisuke san said that Tak's special because he didn't think or act like minasan. He doesn't see, 'Keisuke san, the rich guy'. He sees 'Keisuke san, the person.' That means it's possible that he's reading things into Tak's actions that aren't there, Ryosuke san. Most people do that at some point in their life, so it's possible."

Ryosuke's cold expression lost much of the anger before which it had held a moment. He sighed and shook his head. "It's natural to go into denial when a bombshell gets dumped in your lap. I was almost as bewildered as you when I learned about this situation, Takeuchi. Nevertheless, I know my otouto very well. I can assure you that Keisuke won't change his mind, or say he's made a mistake. He's very serious. In fact, I've never seen Keisuke get half so serious about anything else in his life, including driving."

Itsuke flinched and took a drink from his soda. He tried to think of a way to stop both Takahashi brothers from saying something that would hurt Takumi's reputation. Even if Itsuke felt sickened that his friend had agreed to try being gay, he did not want Takumi destroyed over making a bad choice to get over the pain Mogi had caused.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. I'm tired of arguing with someone who refuses to consider that people are people despite the gender their partner has. I'm not going to fight a useless battle with someone who wants to write you off because of me!" Bathump. Bathump. "Keisuke's not playing games. He's not holding any debts over me, blackmailing me, or anything else underhanded." Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. Can't you see it from Keisuke's perspective? You know how it feels to fall in love! How is it any different for Keisuke than it was for you, Itsuke?" Bathump. "I don't believe anybody really decides to fall in love with someone. It just happens! If it didn't, you wouldn't have gotten your heart broken. I wouldn't have gotten hurt because of Mogi's actions either."

Iketani and Kenji both wore baffled expressions Itsuke observed from the corner of his eye. He could not find any argument that would prevent the situation from becoming clear to the pair sitting next to the window. It was probably clear enough for them to piece together if they tried. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. Itsuke knew that Keisuke would tell them that he was in love with Tak, and had gotten Tak to agree to dating him.

"I won't be a hypocrite." Bathump. Bathump. "Takeuchi, wanting to beat Fujiwara was a lie I told myself to ignore the truth. I couldn't leave him alone because Takumi's the first person I've met who I can't walk away from easily. I honestly thought Aniki held all the cards. That scared the hell out of me!" Bathump. Bathump. Bathump. "I've had two months to get used to how serious Keisuke is about me. He honestly loves me, Itsuke."

Iketani sounded uneasy as he spoke into the stretching silence. "It kind of sounds like Keisuke san decided Takumi's his best friend now, and being territorial."

Itsuke raised his head, afraid of Ryosuke Takahashi's reply. The brunette looked startled as he turned back toward Itsuke. His expression shifted to a look that made Itsuke think Ryosuke was examining him with great care.

Kenji spoke. "Itsuke kun said he's mad at Keisuke san for stealing his best friend because Takumi kun said Itsuke kun didn't need to know about his girlfriend's problem at the lookout this afternoon. Yet if that's the case, Keisuke san's wrong. Itsuke and Takumi have been best friends since elementary school. Keisuke san can't just come in and force Takumi to choose him over Itsuke."

"Hm, That's not the situation at all. However, it seems you do care about Fujiwara, Takeuchi. Otherwise, you wouldn't have insinuated misleading things to protect him. I commend you for your protective instincts, even if they aren't necessary." Ryosuke spoke in a firm, yet soft voice. He continued as Itsuke fidgeted. "Keisuke and Fujiwara need you in their corner. Try to understand that this isn't a bad situation such as you've convinced yourself."

Kenji sounded angry as he jumped into the conversation. "Matte! Are you claiming Itsuke lied to us about their fight this afternoon?"

Keisuke Takahashi slapped the table surface. Everyone jumped at his unexpected, and forceful entrance. "Aniki meant precisely that. I'm not trying to force Fujiwara to choose between me and Takeuchi, and never will. That's got nothing to do with our argument this afternoon so I really find it annoying that Takeuchi gave you that line of shit!."

"Keisuke san? Where's Takumi kun?" Iketani asked, once he recovered his wits.

"I'm here, Iketani sempai." Takumi stepped next to the tall spiky-haired blond. He pushed Itsuke in the shoulder to make him move over. Itsuke looked up at his best friend, worried about what was coming. He slid closer to Iketani so Takumi could sit.

He ran a hand through the top of his bowl-cut as he spoke. "Tak, look, Gomen about earlier, and Iketani and Kenji sempais misunderstanding. I know I freaked out. You guys don't have to talk about anything. I'll keep my mouth shut."

Keisuke grabbed a vacant chair from one of the closest free standing tables, and sat so that his knee was brushing Takumi's. "Che! It figures. You said you wanted to tell your sempais the truth, Fujiwara."

The blond frowned at the silent man who sat next to him, then turned to him and shrugged. "You're sure this is their misunderstanding, Takeuchi."

"Hai, Otouto. Takeuchi said he felt like you were taking his best friend from him, and they figured that it meant you've decided to take Fujiwara away from his childhood friend completely." Ryosuke surprised him by coming to his rescue.

"I see. Sumimasen for jumping to conclusions, Takeuchi. I felt I had to take off even with you looking like you were going to pass out, or get sick. I had to catch Fujiwara before he did something I was going to regret."

Iketani smacked the table top to get everyone's attention. "Would someone explain this mess? Itsuke's upset because he got into a fight with you both. Now you're saying he lied to us about the fight. Takumi kun, nani's going on? Not knowing anything but Itsuke, and Ryosuke san's weird conversation has things sounding really sinister to us."

Kenji nodded and raised his glass to take a drink. Fujiwara looked over at Keisuke and exhaled hard. Itsuke could tell he had closed his eyes by the way his posture shifted. He nodded once, and motioned with his hand at Keisuke. The blond rotary brother gave both Iketani and Kenji a hard stare each to insure he had their full attention.

"I'm going to be blunt to save minasan time. Takeuchi finds the idea of me being in love with Fujiwara, and adamant to convince him to become my life mate hard to swallow."

Itsuke watched as Kenji's iced tea glass slid from his hand, thumped on the tabletop and rolled, spilling its contents.

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Alternate Tracks 2nd Story in Rivalry Series