*King Dracula*

A King's Apple Special

by: WhiteGloves

"If you miss Atobe, you're gonna have to read this!

If you miss Fuji, the more reason you have to read this!

If you miss King's Apple, what else are you hanging around for?"

xD

Enjoy Reading!

Chapter 1: Red and Black

The heavy air circulated in the closed space of the city where buildings were tantamount. It breezed steadily pass the halted cars on the road and the busy people walking by the crowded side street; still it was not enough to lift a piece of paper lying on the pavement. The limited number of trees standing by with measured distance from each other showed it was spring. It was that time of the day where people's hearts were at ease.

Until the red traffic light blinked, turned golden and then green.

The wind changed pace and people's heads turned as an upcoming sound buzzed the air. Wheels wheezed and the next thing—something red went pass people's eyes like a jet plane—something that resembles a car but was too fast for the eyes to even register in the mind.

Leaving people staring at a space on the road where what appeared to be dust of wind was left behind.

But the man behind the wheels could careless as he set his gearshift and floored it, accelerating his car more and leaving nothing behind but the turbulent wind. It was cool how he appeared to be calm despite the hazardous feat; it was as if he was so used to it that the action itself seemed too simple. It was not that he was reckless—that was one thing he had never experienced in life or rather—wouldn't let himself experience. Whenever he does something it was always with absolute beauty and perfection.

Accident? The very idea was laughable. He'd never stoop so low.

After all, it was nothing less to be expected from the man of his level; there will only be such a man. There can only be one person of high standards, calibre, beauty, perfection all together. There can only be one name that is allowed to be aligned to such nouns—

Keigo Atobe.

And the car increase speed again and disappeared from sight.

A man in his high school uniform remained immobile in the middle of the way out of the school gate. He was staring up a well bloomed sakura tree that was standing by the side walk. Other high school students went pass him while talking to their friends; others would look at him and even call his name for they know his face well. That brown haired man carrying a leather bag in one hand and a tennis duffle bag swung on his shoulder was particularly well known among his peers. But the brown haired high schooler wouldn't look back for he was too focused staring up the tree. The students couldn't blame him anyway. The tree was such a fond thing to look at.

"Fuji-kun!" a shove rather than a tap on his shoulder made the brown haired high school student looked at his attacker with a start. There beside him he saw a girl with black hair smiling at him in curiosity.

"Akane-chan?" the man called Fuji turned to face her quietly. He recognized her well enough— among all the new faces he met in high school, she alone stood out. Confident, well spoken and smart—she's the manager of the tennis club he recently joined upon stepping up in high school.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, still smiling, "don't tell me you plan to climb up this tree?" and gestured her head toward the sakura bloom for Fuji's liking in biology is also well known. He was a member of that club before Akane scouted him out and convinced him with all her power to join the tennis club since he was 'someone whose tennis prowess should not go to waste no matter the reason.'

"Oh, that..." Fuji was about to answer when he noticed another familiar person walking toward them. The tennis club manager looked behind her too and her face brightened once more as the club captain, Hiroki Kondo whose expression cannot be distinguished from a man named Sanada that Fuji knows, joined them.

Well built, serious features and well disciplined. This was the Hiroki Kondo that Fuji had come to recognize as captain.

"Fuji Syuusuke?" the captain stopped in front of the two with eyes on the player. There was a distinctive dislike on his expression that Fuji has gotten used to. For whatever reason, Kondo had been hard on the brown haired man; not that he wasn't on everyone else, but Fuji could feel disapproval on his eyes whenever they look at each other. Really Sanada like after all.

When his name was called, Fuji paused and then pressed his lips into a smile.

"Hello." He greeted his captain while Akane, who seemed to notice the usual tension between the two, clung her arms on the tall man.

"We're going out on a sushi house. Wanna join us?"

Fuji knew the answer was already on his expression and gently declined. He looked at his captain and saw that he was staring fixedly at him in a Sanada-ish way it made him amuse.

"It's alright. I have somebody to pick me up today."

"Heh?" Akane's eyes shone in curiosity, "who?"

"Akane." Kondo said in a well modulated voice that made the tennis manager pout. "You shouldn't intrude on other people's business."

"So what? Fuji-kun's rarely bring any friends around the campus knowing him! Hey, Fuji-kun!" she turned to him with such hope and interest that made the brown haired high schooler blink, "you promised to bring along your middle school friends right? Right? Kyahhh! I so want to meet that tenacious chibi Ryoma Echizen from Seigaku! Just remembering his game in that Nationals still brings chills on my skin! Nah, you promise, right? There's this event in your year right? Guests are welcome after all!"

"Y-yeah..." Fuji unconsciously clung on his leather bag and smiled.

"Kyaaaaah~!" she screamed while the high school tennis captain gave her a weird look.

"Akane..." there was a sweat drop at the side of his face that Fuji rarely sees.

"I'll be seeing the Seigaku members! It would have been good too if Tezuka Kinumitsu could come!"

"Akane, calm down." Hiroki said with a hand on her shoulder but she turned to him, her eyes twinkling.

"We got the Seigaku genius on our side, that's already an advantage! If we could also scout the others—"

"I get it, now calm down."

"Fuji-kun!" she held his hand, "you're so lucky to be in this school! I'm sure Irie-senpai would have said the same! And by the way—how about inviting those other captains from other districts too, huh?"

"I'm not so sure..."

"Ahhh~" she held her hands in a pleading way. Fuji would not have any way out if not for the tennis captain who gave Fuji a nod—had started ushering her away with a hand around her shoulder while she continued speaking, "that generation of middle schoolers, don't you just feel so young again, Hiroki?"

"Doesn't have to do anything with age."

"Don't be so snarky! You were so overwhelmed by their matches in the national too! Even Irie-senpai said so. Doesn't Fuji-kun have the same aura as Irie-senpai? You noticed it too, didn't you? And by the way speaking of Senpai, have you seen him lately? He said he'd still come around even after graduation..."

And their voices trailed off, leaving Fuji to himself and to reminisce of that person.

Irie Kanata was a graduate of the school... that person who was with him in the U-17 camp. That being said, Fuji didn't even know this fact until recently when Akane came to convince him. Although he did know that this gakuen was a famous tennis ground for high schools it was no wonder students around know of him too.

But that monster from U-17 camp that gave the middleschooler's Keigo Atobe his draw... Fuji paused as he remembered Akane's words...

"Doesn't Fuji-kun have the same aura as Irie-senpai...?"

He looked back at the school building.

Just what kinds of monsters were developed in this institution...?

He was then distracted by a meowing sound and Fuji had to look up the tree again, where a large cat was sitting on a branch, meowing. The genius turned his attention to the cat and stared at it. It gave a mighty yawn and stretched its back before lying comfortably on the branch once more.

Fuji looked thoughtful for awhile, and then he smiled.

"I guess you were really not asking for help after all."

And left his position and continued walking towards the school gate.

—It wasn't long before a screeching sound of tires followed by a sounding car break reached his ears.

And the wind blew so strong it sent the sakura petals lying on the ground into turbulent circles around him, even making his hair flutter and his eyes to open.

For then he knew that familiar screech of tires and knew what was in front of the school gates where he was headed. A group of people had already started gathering around and this made the genius smile a little.

"And after I bothered calling him this morning and told him not to make such a scene..." he whispered as he continued walking.

In front of the gates a red sports car was spotted by the highschool students who gathered near it for a better look. All their eyes were sparkling in amazement for what was such a car doing in front of the school.

"A show off, huh?" Hiroki muttered as he stood by while his girlfriend's eyes were that of the stars.

"Who's driving it?" students questions buzzed around as both male and female chatted in excitement.

And then the driver's seat door opened— and everyone's eyes widened—and Akane's mouth dropped open as she recognized that famous face from the famous school from that famous team—

"K-KEIGO ATOBE?"

"Ho?" the man wearing a tight suit and black shades covering his eyes leaned on his car and smirked as he heard his name be call in the group of blundering people about. "So even this school is graced of knowing me by name... ahn?"

He removed his shades, revealing his dominant eyes, superior expression and his mole. There was no question— it was the real King.

And the girls couldn't help but go wild.

Atobe had so gotten used to cheers that he merely closed his eyes and continued smirking.

" ."

The King opened his eyes and stared at that one person. Now only that voice could make him lift his head like that when not even the loudest of cheers can. His smile widened.

"Did you wait long, my prince?" he winked at him to which Fuji merely sighed.

The car door opened, then closed and the car accelerated away, leaving all the high school students staring around in disbelief with the air still circulating around them in turmoil.

"Oi, Akane." Hiroki called the tennis club manager who was still gaping at what happened in front of her.

"T-that just now...?" she slowly started with mouth trembling, "w-was the real Atobe Keigo!?"

"Looks like it."

And before the tennis captain knew it, she was on his arms and screaming—

"THE REAL ATOBE! Kyaaaah~~~! So Fuji-kun's friends with him too! I can't understand it but kyaaaaa!"

"Oi!"

"You keep telling me to have a low profile at school to avoid anyone's advances," Fuji said as he sat comfortable beside Atobe inside the red car, "but what you did just now... didn't you just make me someone everybody will desire to look for?"

"On the contrary, I just declared a war, didn't I?" the King said with a winning smile, "anyone who plans to come near you should know what kind of wall they are getting themselves at."

Fuji glanced sideways at him and a smiled played on his lip. Atobe noticed it.

"What? Did I make your heart skip, ahhn?" he flashed Fuji his brilliantly white teeth.

"On the contrary," the genius said, imitating the King, "I just thought you were acting like a kid."

"?"

"You know nobody would stand a chance against you, so why are you bothering like this?"

"Heh," Atobe had that haughty look in his eyes, "what's wrong with me keeping guard with what's mine?"

And the next thing Fuji knew, the car suddenly made a dangerous swerve and curve—then a halting break that nearly threw him off his seat if not for the seat belt—where in the confusion he felt a hand over his head to protect him from hitting his head—and Atobe's lips sealed on his own.

But he responded with a fist on the King's chest the moment he realized what was going on.

"Atobe, you idiot!" he said the moment the King pulled away a little, "that was dangerous!"

"Like I'd let anything dangerous happen to you."

Fuji shoved Atobe away and the King was reminded yet again how incredibly powerful Fuji's arms were even though they were so skinny. And then that flashing look on the genius' eyes—

"I told you many times to drive carefully." Fuji was frowning, "I know you're not careless but it's still unthinkable to be doing feats like this. Stop acting like an idiot."

Once upon a time people would glorify him and call him King.

But today he's been called an idiot twice.

"I told you it's fine," he responded quietly, "I won't hurt anybody, least of all you."

"That's not even the point." Fuji's voice had gotten calmer, "how do you think would I feel knowing this is how you drive when you're alone? It's worrisome."

Atobe gave a long pause.

And reached for the wheel without a second word.

"Let's take dinner outside." He said, pulling the car over as Fuji straightened on his seat, looking mildly surprised for it was rare for Atobe to just be quiet and be on with it.

But if it wasn't dark inside the car, the genius would have noticed that Atobe's ears had gotten bright red.

"HAH? A SCHOOL PLAY?"

The King looked up to find Fuji nodding at him as they ate inside one of the expensive restaurants in the city. The genius was in the middle of cutting his chateaubriand when he noticed Atobe intently looking at him.

"Hmmm?" the innocent look in his eyes made the King falter.

"W-why did you just tell me this?"

"Because I'm not entirely sure of it myself until they confirmed it with me yesterday. It's a class project in Literature and Arts, two sections are combined for it. The first meeting of the cast is tomorrow so I was thinking I'd take the cab back home."

"Just wait a second!—You're telling me you're gonna be joining practices and partner up with some guy I don't know and let him leer over you and be fine with it!?" he slammed his hand on the table, his expression incredulous, "Oi, Syuusuke! Quit that role! I can't have you playing the prince or princess and leave me to watch you get all close to some random person! I won't allow that!"

"It's okay."

"It's not okay!"

"I'm not on the lead role anyways."

"No! What if there's physical contact I'd smash any guy—eh...huh?"

Fuji took a bite on the meat on his fork and stared at Atobe.

"I'm not the lead. Basically I'm an extra character whose role is at the last part of the story. And yeah—I've only got two scenes so there's really no need to worry like that."

"Teme..." came Atobe's sudden cold voice that surprised the genius, "who the hell gave you such a short role!? Who do they think you are, ahhnn? You should have been the Prince or Princess! Those common people...You want me to go there and handle this project, Syuusuke!?"

"What's gotten into you? I thought you don't want me to have any roles—?"

"They're underestimating you!"

"Not really—and what's with you?"

"Like I'd forgive anyone who'd let you take such an extra role! Who's the person responsible for this!"

At the memory, Fuji Syuusuke gave a gentle smile.

"Well, she's a great writer, quite unique too... and likes horror themed stories. That's what the story is to tell you the truth."

Now Atobe had to stare in disbelief this time with one of his eyebrows reaching height—

"HAA? A horror play in the middle of spring?"

Fuji smiled. "Yeah. Isn't that interesting?"

"Interesting?"

"So then, would you come and watch it?" And Atobe had no way to counter that smile for Fuji himself, as the King knows, was quite peculiar himself.

But a horror play?

"It's Count Dracula Tale of Rise and Fall!" shouted a bright young woman with tiny skirt as she called every participants in the play in a classroom with the script at hand. There were claps and cheers from everybody as she nodded her head with a grin. There seemed to be little thought that it was a horror play and Fuji enjoyed the fact that no one was against it as he stood with everyone around. The woman in front was Ai Kuzonomi, the leader of the section.

"So the scripts have been given and the props department is already working on our materials at the back stage! All we need to do now is practice the major characters so let's do our best!"

"YEAH!"

There were buzz of students around as Fuji opened his script which was at the last page. He read it and gave it some thought.

"... I didn't think it was this short."

"NANIIIII?"

The writer-slash-director of the play department's voice rang around the room that made everybody stare at him and at her assistants who looked as problematic as she is. Fuji stared at them.

"What do you mean the Dracula is missing!?"

"Well, we can't find him anywhere," whispered the girl in front of her apologetically, "and we even made sure to remind him this afternoon."

"THAT BASTARD...!"

"Hmm?" a tall blonde with his student uniform practically lose and unbuttoned stared back at the school building and smirked.

"What's the matter?" purred a girl waiting by his black sports car, "aren't you getting in?"

"Aren't you impatient?" he answered smiling as he took the car keys from his pocket. As he turned to get in his car, he noticed another red sports car drive toward him and stopped behind his car. The blond stared at it.

"Hmm?"

But he was given a blast of horn as if telling him to get off the way.

A frown appeared on his face and without ado, gave the driver of the red car the middle finger.

And he received another horn blast.

"Tsk." The highschool blonde muttered and entered his car.

"Isn't that the car from yesterday? The one that fetched Fuji Syuusuke from the tennis club?" the girl beside him was saying as he turned the gear shift with a smirk on his face.

"Seemed like it."

And floor it—leaving a huge amount of black smoke from his car that nearly swallowed the red car whole.

"Eat that, bastard."

And the black sports car disappeared and was out of sight the moment the smoke had subsided...

Inside the car, Keigo Atobe's eyebrows twitched.

"Who the hell...?"

-ToBeContinued-

A/N: Has been in my mind lately! Will be short really!

But it's a special!

See you in the Next Chapter: FANGS!

Thanks for reading!