This was the result of a fifteen-minute word challenge. The challenge word is stated at the end of the ficlet.

Two Minus One (Prince of Tennis)

By Haruka (email: haruka at ymail dot com)

Tanaka Youhei gazed forlornly out the classroom window of Jyousei Shounen. The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect, but he was depressed.

"Youhei-kun!" the teacher snapped. "Pay attention! This is the second time I've had to warn you, and if there's a third, I'll send you to the Principal."

"Yes, Sensei," Youhei answered. If he was sent to the Principal's office, he would surely be punished by missing tennis practice, and he couldn't allow that.

Although, he realized as a weight of sadness draped over him, today's practice would be no fun, anyway.

Youhei drifted through the rest of his classes in the same distracted fog, and was reprimanded several times as a result. He never let any of his teachers reach that third-time warning, even if he almost didn't care. His friends steered clear of him at lunch, and he was just as glad. In his state of mind, he didn't feel like making small talk.

He trudged to tennis practice; the usual eager anticipation absent. He was the last one to arrive.

"Youhei-kun, you're late," Kajimoto-buchou told him.

"I'm sorry," he replied, unable to put much sincerity into the words. He looked around. "Where's Hanamura-sensei?"

"I'm right here," their beautiful red-haired coach said as she came from her office. "I had to take a phone call. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"We were already waiting for Youhei-kun," Kajimoto-buchou remarked, and Youhei wanted to stick his tongue out at him. Didn't he understand what kind of day this had been for him?

At least Hanamura-sensei did. She smiled at him kindly and put a hand on his shoulder. "If you would rather go home and skip practice today, I'll understand, Youhei-kun."

The thirteen-year-old's expression instantly changed to one of hope. "Really, Sensei? It's okay?"

"I'm sure you feel out of sorts without the other half of your unit." She winked. "Go ahead, go see him."

Impulsively, Youhei flung his arms around her. "Thank you, Sensei!" he exclaimed and ran out, hearing Hanamura address her remaining Masterpieces about their upcoming game against St. Rudolph.

Youhei knew he should have stayed. Tennis was an important part of his life. But there was something else far more important, and Hanamura-sensei had hit it dead on – he just hadn't felt complete today. He couldn't wait to get home.

He found his twin brother and doubles partner, Kouhei, in bed. His blue hair was out of its usual ponytail and fell loosely around his shoulders. He was surrounded by comics, schoolbooks, the tv remote, a box of tissues, and a glass of orange juice on the nightstand. He was using one of those tissues to blow his nose when Youhei ran in and jumped on the bed, hugging him. "Boy, did I miss you today! How are you feeling?"

"Better, but I'll be glad when this flu is gone." Kouhei looked at his twin suspiciously. "Hey, you're supposed to be at tennis practice!"

Youhei grinned. "I have an excused absence from Hanamura-sensei." He felt his brother's forehead. "Great, your fever's gone!"

"Yeah, but I might still be contagious – you should be careful. I don't want you to catch it."

"I'll take my chances," Youhei said lightly, and settled back beside Kouhei to tell him what he missed in class. It had been a long, lonely day, but both halves of their unit were reunited and all was now right with the world.

(Word challenge – Complete)

(2005)

Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.

This fic is not to be re-posted.