Set during the National Finals after Fuji wins his match according the manga.
With everyone cheering, it was hard not to feel ecstatic. After all, he had just won against the Swindler of Rikkai and, effectively, Tezuka and Shiraishi. Or what was supposed to be Tezuka, anyway. He really was no comparison.
Fuji Syuusuke approached his team, grinning as usual, of course. Tezuka rose to meet and congratulate him, accepting the challenge of a real match once he'd healed. Fuji felt quite happy. In the past, they'd both avoided having a rematch, just out of shear fear of the results. But now…maybe he could win and not feel guilty for it.
Fuji noticed Echizen staring at him out of the corner of his eye and couldn't ignore the sudden acceleration in his heart rate. Of course, it was probably just after-match euphoria. But when Echizen murmured his name with a look of what could almost be recognition, he knew that wasn't it. His heart was pounding in his ears, and the match had nothing to do with it. At that moment, he forgot everything. All he knew was the insatiable urge to hug the boy. He quickly plopped himself down on the bench and gripped the sides to prevent himself from doing something he normally wouldn't.
After a while, he glanced back at the super rookie, and immediately wished he hadn't. Ryoma was staring at him, with this adorable look on his face, as if he were deeply confused about something. Syuusuke gulped and faced the court again, hoping the heat on his face wasn't too noticeable.
He stared determinedly at the match as Eiji and Oishi fought on, until Momoshiro suddenly jumped up and grabbed the special kohai. "Momo, where're you off to?" Taka-san shouted.
"We're gonna make you remember all of your forgotten memories!" Momo declared to the young boy, clapping him on the back.
As Momo dragged his friend up the stairs in the stadium, Fuji felt another grin spread across his lips, this one more sincere. 'Saa, we'll leave to you then, Momoshiro-kun.'
During the match with Yukimura, Syuusuke found himself unable to take his eyes off of Ryoma. Sure, you couldn't really tell because they looked like they were closed, but in reality, they were tracing the boys figure, watching as his shirt rode up his torso during jumps, watching the way his body twisted to catch the ball. Everything about him held Fuji's attention, enticing him with each small movement. Dammit, did that brat know how unfair this was?
That kid really did have a feminine body, but Fuji could see the faint muscles he bore, hidden by his soft complexion. His skin was so smooth, it almost seemed fake, yet at the same time, it looked the most natural on the planet. Really, wasn't it legal to be that pretty?
The kid was destroying himself, Fuji could see that, but he wouldn't stop. That determination, that pure strength of will, that left its mark on Fuji. He watched the child overcome his loss and push himself into perfection. It was a remarkable sight, the way Ryoma's face stretched into a grin, the way his whole body just relaxed, and he looked like he was having fun. Of its own accord, a matching smile rose on Syuusuke's face, one he had a hard time confining to his normal parameters.
The look Tezuka gave him later informed him that he had indeed seen the unusual smile adorn Fuji's face, but at the moment, they couldn't be bothered with it. Tezuka actually smiled himself, and that was something Syuusuke could blackmail him with to the end of times.
