Written from inspiration from Epi.83 or so, where Shinjyou Reiji plays against Ryoma. We can all see that he's in love with Hanamura, the coach. And the coach's in love with him. So let's write about them, shall we? Their love has been neglected for too long in the world of FanFiction.

And so here is the affair of Shinjyou and Hanamura.

Sit back, relax, get your popcorn, and have retching skills ready.

R and H
By HTheaven
It was yet another day of intensive training, day to night, dusk till dawn, morning to night, breakfast to dinner, and any other way you can describe Shinjyou Reiji's training schedule.

However, just another of that intensive training meant yet another day playing with Hanamura-sensei as coach, and that was good. Shinjyou really couldn't ask for a better sensei. No matter what other people said, Hanamura-sensei's coordination tennis was flawless. The time he lost to Echizen...

Shinyjou growled as he hit the ball back to Wakato. That was a learning experience, he kept telling himself. A stepping stone that sank, that taught me which stones to not step on in the future.

Still, Hanamura-sensei's enthusiastic interest in the boy had irritated him. Wasn't one 'best masterpiece' enough? He was not yet perfect, the finishing touches of the brush had not yet been stroked, but was this not good enough for Hanamura-sensei?

No, Shinjyou thought to himself, as he returned yet another snake -Wakato seemed infatuated with mastering Kaidoh Kaoru's techiniques, the bastard- even if it was good enough for Hanamura-sensei, it would never be good enough for himself.

It was as if someone had painted a potrait, and they needed to add the sparkle in the eyes to finish, but all their brushes were just too thick. The thin brush lay just out of reach, and if the painter could just get up from the chair he was chained to...

A potrait without the final dot, the final little detail, the finishing touch, would never be good enough for Shinjyou. No. He had to be perfect, and that was one thing he had not yet accomplished. Shinjyou's eyes narrowed, returning the ball with force and sighing when Wakato returned it.

With another snake.

Hanamura watched her masterpieces carefully.

The two doubles teams were playing against eachother, and they were doing well, effectively reading each other's motions and playing in total coordination. Buchou-san was running laps, and Wakato was playing Reiji.

Making notes on her clipboard, she looked back up and frowned at Reiji. Something wasn't the same about the boy today, and Hanamura couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Was it his hair?
No, he had started to grow it back out half a year ago, and they were all used to it styled like Shinji from Fudoumine's now...

His irritation at Wakato?
No, he was always irritated at Wakato.

His... form! That was it. Hanamura watched closely as Shinjyou pulled off another mirage shot. That one was going to be...

"Hard, Shinjyou-sempai!" crowed Wakato, predicting the strength of the shot accurately and returning it with a running snake.

And this next one... he arm was lowered by a mere 5 centimetres, but...

"I can see it! I can see it! It's a soft one!" Wakato said happily, easily catching up to the ball and catching it lightly near the net.

Shinjyou seemed to be caught off-guard, or his mind was simply in La La Land, because, for the first time ever...

Shinjyou Reiji missed a ball from Wakato.

The tennis ball bounced softly on the hard gym floor, rolling to a stop a few feet away from the court.

Wakato hissed triumphantly.

And Shinjyou swore that someday, he'd hit the Deep Impulse straight at Wakato's face and shred his stupid change over hat into bits.

"Reiji, a word before you go please."
"Hai, Hanamura-sensei."

Shinjyou knew what this talk was going to be about. Over the last few practices, he had been slipping out of his top condition. He was missing easy shots and sweating from chasing the balls all around the court. Even now his head was spinning.

Now, not only had the sparkle been unable to be added to the potrait, the painter had accidentally scraped some paint off from the face as well. Great.

"Reiji, I'm sure you know what I want to tell you," said Hanamura icily as the other members left.

"Hai, Hanamura-sensei."

"I want you to explain why you've been so out of it these past practices," demanded Hanamura. "Are you overworked? Are you feeling tired? Do you feel that you're-?"

She never got to finish her sentence. Shinjyou had just collapsed.

"He's going to be alright," said the school nurse. "He has a fever, and over exerted himself. A bit of rest and some food and he'll be alright, Hanamura-sensei."

Shinjyou kept his eyes closed. He did not feel good right then. He had just collapsed right in front of Hanamura-sensei, and that was absolutely mortifying. And who has a fever and doesn't know it? What a loser he must seem. Added to that was the burden of illness. Almost never a good thing.

"Arigatou gozaimasu..." whispered Hanamura.

"No problem," smiled the nurse, walking away.

As the nurse's footsteps faded away, Shinjyou mustered up some courage and opened one eye cautiously, and was instantly bewildred into opening both.

Hanamura-sensei was crying...

"H-Hanamura-sensei?" stammered Shinjyou.

Hastily wiping away her tears, Hanamura beamed at him.

"You passed out in the gym," she said quietly. "I was so worried, Reiji... don't scare me like that again ..."

"Gomen-nasai," said Shinjyou sincerely, sitting up on his bead. "I should've told you I wasn't feeling my best."

That was true, but it wasn't his fault he was insensitive to raised body temperatures and was lacking a thermometer his house in accessible places. He remembered there was one in the attic, but no-one went to the attic. It was just too damn cluttered.

"No, no..." Hanamura murmured. "It was my fault... I failed to notice... you, the one I'm always watching the most..."

"Sensei, since I'm already -pardon me for sounding arrogant- but since I'm already more advanced than some, don't you think you should concern yourself with others?"

Hanamura chuckled.

"But don't you like it this way, Reiji?"

Shinjyou blanched.

"Well, it certainly does help with my tennis," he confessed. "I must thank you for that."

"No, Reiji," whispered Hanamura, placing her head on Shinjyou's chest. Shinjyou stiffened, but relaxed after a moment. "You know what I mean."

"..."

"I guess... I do know, Hanamura-sensei."
"Good. I always knew you were bright."

And that was good as any masterpiece could ever get.

I am hoping for reivews. My first fic, and please don't flame. If you have any constructive criticism -fine. Just make sure you voice it... constructively.

Thank you! Please point out any mistakes I had perhaps made, and don't forget to review review and... what else? review!!

-HTheaven