Sanada Genichirou, the cold vice-captain of the Rikkaidai tennis team sat idly at his desk, he was always early to class due to morning tennis practice. He sat in the very back of the room next to the window, watching as cherry blossoms swayed in the wind and gently fluttered to the lush green grass below. The bell suddenly rang and students began pouring into the classroom. The sensei walked in and begun, "We have a new student today, her name is Jessica Maiko. I know you all will give her a warm welcome and treat her with respect the way we do at Rikkai." A girl with light cherry blossom pink hair stood and bowed at the front of the class. She walked with grace and a sweet smile played on her lips as she took a seat across the room from Sanada. Sanada who had zoned out up until now gave little notice to the new student. His day went on as usual, it dragged and he counted down the minutes until the last bell.
Tennis was the best reason to live, the only reason to live in Sanada's mind. Rikkai's tennis club was no exception. Yukimura Seiichi, Yanagi Renji, and himself have built the foundation for the amazing reputation that the tennis club held. Ever since his first year along with his two closest friends, they had led the team to be ranked number one at Nationals. He would give up anything to be where he was now, but what he didn't remember was that he had in fact given up what had been his most priceless possession.
At afternoon practice, Sanada gave 20 laps to a group of first years for talking during practice. "Gomen nasai fukubuchou, we were just talking about this new transfer student." One of them quivered to explain. "While she was in the library she knocked over a shelf of books and it nearly toppled over her" Another piped in, "And she has unusual pink hair, I heard her name is Maiko." Sanada let them go with a wave of his hand to continue picking up balls. Sakura? Pink hair? Could it...? No, that's absurd, it can't be. He brushed his thoughts aside but he was still intrigued all the same.
"Genichirou, did you hear that?" Yukimura snuck up silently behind Sanada. Sanada did not need to turn around to know Yukimura was smiling innocently as usual.
At Yukimura's sudden appearance, Sanada flinched. "What do you want Seiichi?" Sanada replied in a flat tone.
"Do you remember, years ago when I first met you? Remember a similar clumsy girl?" Yukimura casually asked, letting the questions linger in the air. Yukimura smiled a rather solemn smile compared to his usual sunny one. "I wonder what's become of her. I still miss her terribly, don't you Genichirou?"
"Yes," Sanada's blunt reply, "but it's not her. It must all be merely coincidence, and you know I've put such mundane things behind me already" He stated confidently.
"Oh really, the same name, what a coincidence" Yukimura reasoned. "How do you know?" with that Yukimura left to wrap up practice for the day. Leaving Sanada alone and Yukimura's voice ringing in his head.
"Anyway," Sanada shouted at Yukimura's retreating figure, "Maiko is a very common name!" How do I know? I just know, I'm absolutely positive, I will find her and prove it. Seiichi I will prove you wrong. Because if there was anything else he loved more than tennis, it was beating Yukimura.
The next day, Sanada sat in his seat early as always after morning practice. Watching as the breeze brought a couple of flowers drifting his way, through the window, landing on his desk. He picked up a flower gently, feeling the velvety petals and dropping them out the window. The wind blew them to a soft stop on the blades of grass. Pink hair huh?
After the final bell, Sanada wandered aimlessly through the hallways before practice. Scouring the students for a certain pink haired girl. Which he found harder than expected knowing she was the only pink haired student in the school. Shit, I'm late for afternoon practice. Everyone better still be on time, I'll just give everyone extra laps tomorrow. After what seemed like hours, relieved, he saw a light flutter of pink drift around the corner of his eye, there! He saw her talking to another girl outside in front of the school gates, her hair dancing in the breeze, taunting him.
oOo
Jessica just transferred to Rikkaidai, and loved the atmosphere of the school. Her first day wasn't bad; she made some friends, mostly because she almost killed herself on the first day and they all probably felt bad for the foreigner. It wasn't exactly her fault, she was short, which caused her to climb the shelf to reach a book so really she should be blaming her parents.
The campus was beautiful, and she enjoyed the gorgeous scenery of cherry blossoms. They were planted all around the building and were in full bloom. She twirled some strands of her hue matching hair between her fingers.
"Maiko!" A sudden shout caught her attention and she whirled around to see Yumiko running her way.
"Hello Saito-san" Jessica smiled brightly.
"Hi Maiko-san" Yumiko panted, "I wanted to ask you about our homework. Could you help me?"
"Of course, but the only subject I'm good at is English." Jessica unhelpfully pointed out.
The two strolled to the front gates. "I finally get it!" Yumiko exclaimed, "Arigato Sakura-san, you're so smart." Yumiko gushed.
"Arigato, but not really." Jessica modestly defended. All you asked was to translate pick up lines. Just then Yumiko's eyes widened, mouth slightly agape and a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. "What is it Saito-san? Are you okay?" Jessica curiously asked and cautiously peered around in case there was something else she had accidentally tipped over.
"I-It's Sanada-sama." Yumiko said as if that explained it all. "He's the fukubuchou of the boys' tennis team and he walking towards us right now." Yumiko continued to answer Jessica's confused look. Yumiko smoothed out her hair and patted down her uniform and silently eyed Jessica as if asking she looked okay. Jessica smiled affectionately and gave a quaint nod in answer. "I'm part of the team's fan club, though Niou is my favorite." She looked to the sky and covered her heart with both hands to express her unyielding love.
"Sanada..." Jessica said in a light whisper almost to herself.
"Yeah, Sanada Genichirou." Yumiko finished her blush slightly deepening as he walked closer. Jessica wasn't facing him, but she didn't make a move to turn around when he approached them.
"Hello Sanada-sama!" Yumiko cheerily bounced and waved.
"Hm" Sanada grunted in reply barely acknowledging her, and faced Jessica who still hadn't turned around. "Maiko-san?" Sanada questioned to confirm if he had found the correct girl.
That voice, I've heard that irritating voice before...No... Just before Jessica turned to look at his face, as she spun she said, "Gen-kun?" Sanada was slightly caught off guard being called a pet name he hadn't heard in a good ten years. He looked at the girl standing before him. She had straight bangs that tickled her thick, dark eyelashes, long, straight pink hair that reached her waist. A thin, slender frame and rather petite compared to him (she reached his shoulders). Her face looked pale and smooth and her features were delicate. He started into her power blue eyes that shone with recognition and shock that mirrored his hazel ones.
She looked so familiar yet so different. Then realization dawned on him, "Jessica." He stood in part awe part disbelief, that his eyes may be deceiving him and she only be an illusion.
Yumiko faintly gasped in amazement and pouted in jealousy, "Maiko-san, how do you know Sanada?" Yumiko looked between the two, unmoving and not speaking, like stuck between two statues. She waved a hand between the two faces in hope of some sort of acknowledgement. Then heaved a sigh and left the two behind, who did not notice her absence.
"I-It's been quite a while. I see you're still wearing that hat everywhere." Jessica stuttered and tore away from his unnerving gaze. She could feel heat rising to her face and a blush on her cheeks camouflaged with her hair. She was flustered but at the same time hatred flared inside her.
"Yeah..." Sanada responded adjusting his cap, "It's been too long."
"Well we should catch up sometime." Jessica suggested still not bringing her eyes up to meet his. All she wanted was for this conversation to end. She was torn between jumping and hugging him to slapping him across the face, but restrained herself from either. "I have to get home soon and I assume you must get to tennis practice." She said uncomfortably partially hinting his tennis bag that was slung over one shoulder.
"Oh...um...yeah, I should get going too." Sanada said realizing he had not even changed out of his school uniform yet but was late anyway and figured it didn't matter anymore.
"It was nice to see you again." Jessica forced the sweetest smile she could as she retreated to the gates, finally turning and walking out of his sight.
oOo
"We should give fukubuchou laps for being late." Akaya Kirihara pouted in a huff.
Yukimura laughed and ruffled Kirihara's hair, "Why don't you tell him that then Seaweed Head." Kirihara gave Yukimura a horrified look and widened his forest green eyes. He gave off the expression of a terrified puppy and even whimpered like one before he jogged off to join warm ups. Yukimura smiled to himself and swiveled around to come face-to-face with Sanada. "Well speak of the devil." Yukimura chuckled.
"I don't think I want to know why you were conversing about me." Sanada shot him a sideways glance but let the comment slide.
"Looks like you took your time. How did it go?" Yukimura nonchalantly nudged Sanada when he arrived at the courts to practice 20 minutes late. Sanada gazed and noticed the closer courts listening to their conversation. How often was this strict fukubuchou ever late? "Tarundoru!" Sanada yelled, "Get back to practice!" And all members immediately started warming up again.
"Not now" Sanada said through clenched teeth in reply to his previous question. Yukimura didn't press and decided to absorb himself in Renji's explanation on each players daily practice schedule.
Farther down the courts Niou Masaharu gossiped to Marui Bunta, "As I was coming down to practice, a member of our fan club comes up to me and tells me Sanada was talking to a girl." Niou smirked as Marui laughed, "A girl?" Both were in utter disbelief, "We should see if it's true." After practice the two started devising plans to prank the evil-lap-giving fukubuchou.
After practice, changing in the locker rooms, "You were right" Sanada growled, he hated admitting he was wrong, but Yukimura absolutely loved it. He basked in the praise as a plant might flourish in sunlight.
"I told you so," Yukimura taunted, "I haven't said hello yet but I knew the moment I first saw her. She hasn't changed a bit." He smiled reminiscing. "Invite her to catch up with us, I'll even cancel practice tomorrow."
"You can't cancel practice tomorrow, not with Nationals so close by." Sanada opposed. "I'll just have her come practice with us."
Yukimura laughed and agreed, "Who knows, by now she may even be better by our little ace, Kirihara."
"Now who might this mysterious girl be?" Renji interrupted and the three walked out of the clubroom, locking up behind themselves.
"A girl from a long-lost, long forgotten memory. A childhood friend, even before we met you, Renji." Yukimura replied airily.
"A childhood friend..." Renji trailed off, thinking of a time with Inui. The three traveled the rest of the way home in silence.
oOo
Jessica sat in her bedroom, still filled with boxes, as she was not done unpacking. She fell to her back, sprawled on her comforter. Her school uniform in a heap in her closet, she lay in a crisp white tank top and jean shorts.
Her peace shaken when her Obaasan bellowed, "Jessica-chan, there is someone here for you!" Confused, Jessica walked from her bedroom, made her way down the stairs to the front door where...where Sanada was standing. He was wearing jeans, a hoodie, and looked unrecognizable compared to when in his uniform. Sanada had made a small detour on the walk to the park he told his parents he was going on.
Baffled, Jessica asked, "How did you know where I lived?" Sanada felt himself flush, at least it was dark out. "My mother still talks to yours, she told me you moved in here."
"Oh.." Jessica couldn't find any words to get off this awkward topic.
"Want to go on a walk with me?" Sanada offered.
Jessica hesitated a moment, "Sure" she said sounding partially reluctant. They walked in silence to the park and came to a lone cherry blossom tree perched on a small hill. They stopped and sat under the tree, star-gazing before Jessica broke the silence. The breeze was light and cool, though it threatened to take the hair out of the bun Jessica had twisted on top of her head.
"You haven't changed much Gen-kun" She stated matter-of-factly.
"Neither have you," Sanada said in reply. He tried to create a conversation to break the tension, "Why did you move here?"
Jessica shrugged and hugged her knees to her chest, "I have my reasons, such as I'm sure you had yours." Sanada felt a surge of pain as he remembered.
It was ten years ago when he had moved to the Kanagawa prefecture, but before that he lived in Tokyo, waiting to attend Seigaku. There he had first met Jessica; she had moved in next door to him and was eager to make friends. Being persistent and stubborn as she was, Sanada gave in and became Jessica's first friend, and Jessica became his. They grew up together, were as attached as twins might be. They did everything together, not once leaving the other's side.
Even at the early age of 2, from the first moment he could grip a racquet. He was interested and pulled towards tennis. Jessica learned with him to please him, she met Yukimura practicing at the club one day. She introduced Yukimura to Sanada, soon the three became inseparable, and but unlike her other two friends, Jessica wasn't a top player at their club. She felt rather like the Ugly Duckling.
During this time, Jessica became good friends with Tezuka Kunimitsu as well as Fuji Syusuke, the other top players. It was like this for 2 years before life as they knew it shattered, and Sanada had moved away. He left without warning, one day he was there the next we wasn't. Jessica didn't even know where he went, but Yukimura knew and would never admit it. So the three became two once more and then down to one when Yukimura too had gone. Leaving Jessica alone, to wallow in her own despair. She truly felt deserted, unwanted and decided she was better off without them anyway.
Yukimura had moved to Kanagawa prefecture to follow Sanada, who wanted to attend Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku for their reputation of winning. There, reunited with each other once again, those two met Renji. All memories of Jessica dismissed and faded in both their minds, while to Renji, that was the same way he felt about Inui. She had been replaced, no longer needed, unnecessary. Without her, the new trio happily created memories, built lifelong friendship, and shared their loving passion for tennis.
For Jessica, she quit the sport, refusing to ever pick up another racquet. Even at the urging of Tezuka and Fuji to play for Seigaku, though she was sure even if she tried she wouldn't have made the team. She took up gymnastics, having filled all her free time and her mind with it. It gave her an escape, it helped clear her mind of clutter. It was also the reason she had transferred from Seigaku to Rikkaidai. The school's reputation of perfection, she wanted to excel in gymnastics. She was abandoned broken by those closest to her, but they filled her with a new fire of dedication. Though her friendship with Tezuka and Fuji kept her content, they supported her motivation. A strong trait she knew Tezuka found unique. To surpass everyone else, the only thing she had left was the drive to win. Jessica's eyes brimmed with tears, those were memories she did not want to look back on.
Sanada noticed and although uncomfortable with the situation because he was never goof with feelings, decided it was best to ask, "Are you okay?"
Jessica buried her face in her palms, "Take me home." Sanada did, they walked back not another word exchanged between them.
oOo
In attempt to vent, Sanada told Yukimura what had happened at morning practice the following day. Yukimura's usually smiling face was obviously depressed now. "Genichirou, after you left, the first day you had gone. Jessica was heartbroken, if you saw her, the way she broke down. Did you realize we were the only ones there for her and we left?" Sanada now felt utter guilt building inside him, he took of his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. Breathing deeply, if anything or anyone, Yukimura was the one to tell.
Sanada rubbed his temples and said something he had never wanted to tell anyone, "Seiichi," He started, "The day before I moved, I knew I was leaving and never going back. I was spending the day with Jessica, I said to her something awful. It was terrible I would understand if she never forgave me. I had told her, 'I never wanted to be your friend, I never considered you one. I don't need you any longer.' I saw the look on her face, it might have hurt me more than it hurt her. That was the last thing I had ever said to her as I just turned my back to her and left her there. I never saw her again until now."
Yukimura just stared, "You thought that would make it hurt less?" Sanada looked down, ashamed to even think he had said that to someone who had meant so much to him. Yukimura rest a hand on his shoulder, "She was my friend too you realize, it hurt all three of us." Yukimura continued, "Genichirou, remember what you confessed to me when we reunited here? She needs to hear what you have to say even if that is no longer what you believe."
oOoOoOoOoOo
Disclaimer: Who wouldn't want to own Prince of Tennis? But sadly, it's not mine.
Author's Notes: This is my first fanfic, thanks for reading :) I greatly appreciate all reviews, please notify me if any characters seem out-of-character. Please review! Rewritten, slightly tweaked here and there.