How Ryoma Echizen learned that he was a father/The two incidents in which Ryoma was the last to know

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN!

Two months after Ryoma and Sakuno married, they learned that Sakuno was pregnant. In fact, the first person informed was Tomoka.

Sakuno had been feeling ill so had gone home, leaving work early. Tomoka had heard, so she had stopped by the Echizens' house during lunch. Tomoka had been the one to offer the option of Sakuno's 'stomach problems' being morning sickness and had talked the other girl into trying a pregnancy test (Ryoma's dad Nanjirou had not so secretly left a box of them in every bathroom, to his son's great embarrassment).

While they were waiting, Sakuno nervously contacted her grandmother about the possibility and Tomoka texted Inui (who had been calculating the likelihood of Sakuno being pregnant by the second month of marriage). Inui then informed all of the ex-Regulars (excluding Ryoma, who had left the practice early because he had heard Sakuno was sick) and texted Yanagi (who immediately e-mailed the news to all of the ex-Rikkai Dai Regulars). An was called by Momo and told announced the news to everyone present at the Fudomine tennis team reunion.

The test had been positive.

Ryoma, who had been entering the house at that moment, heard the news when Tomoka screamed: "YOU'RE PREGNANT!"

Congratulations had been given and the happy couple had been left alone. About an hour after Tomoka left the couple received a multitude of flowers from their many well-wishers (who included Atobe, who had somehow heard the news).

A little more than months later, Ryoma kissed his very pregnant wife good-bye.

"Are you sure that you don't want to come?" he asked.

Sakuno smiled "good luck at your match Ryoma-kun" she said "you've been training very hard for this. I will watch from home with Oishi-sempai and Taka-sempai."

Oishi and Taka had been deemed the most responsible of the Regulars willing to babysit Sakuno (Ryoma had refused to allow Eiji and Momo anywhere near his pregnant wife without his supervision).

Ryoma nodded, reminding himself that Sakuno's due date was the next week (the reason why the match had been scheduled that day instead of later).

Unfortunately, when the score was 2-0 in Ryoma's favor, Sakuno went into labor. Oishi began to panic, and Eiji (who had stopped by) fainted. Luckily An (who had come along with Momo to visit the soon-to-be mother), kept a cool head and managed to get Sakuno into her car. An then drove herself, Sakuno, Oishi, Eiji and Momo (the latter of whom were mumbling about how the baby couldn't be born without Ochibi Sr. being present).

Sakuno was carted off to the delivery room and Oishi went with her (Eiji accompanying him). An immediately called her brother who contacted the rest of the old Fudomine Regulars. Momo called Kaidoh, who informed Inui, who immediately called Tezuka, Taka, and Fuji.

Yanagi, who was with Inui when he was called, immediately contacted all of his old teammates (most of who were in the area and decided to visit). Atobe (who had been contacted when the wife of Echizen Ryoma arrived at his hospital) stopped by to say hello and ended up rescheduling his old team's reunion to take place in the hospital. A stunned Fuji Yuuta also ended up showing up due to Inui calling the Fuji household to try and find out Fuji's new cell-phone number (Yuuta had told him the number and then left for the hospital, figuring that his brother would have told him to do so).

Momo then remembered the future godmother and called Tomoka, after sending Ryoma another text.

Ryoma stood on the court, tapping his foot as he waited for his opponent (Fuji) to finish checking his phone. Ryoma's own phone was properly turned off and he couldn't understand why his sempai didn't show him the same courtesy.

"Players to the court!" the referee announced.

Fuji's eyes widened as whatever he was reading surprised him.

However, it was the shriek of a very familiar voice to the two ex-Seigaku Regulars that finally told Ryoma what was going on.

"WHAT? SAKUNO'S HAVING THE BABY ALREADY?" Tomoka screamed.

The question wasn't finished before Ryoma was exiting the court at a speed that was close to breaking the world record. Fuji merely smiled, closing his own phone and quietly suggesting a rematch. The next match agreed and had no problem with competing earlier than expected.

Ryoma was rather nonplussed to find himself the last to arrive (Tomoka and Fuji had come by car instead of foot, since Ryoma had realized that he didn't have his keys when he was halfway down the block—luckily the hospital was close and a taxi driver who was a fan had heard the news over the radio and offered him a free ride, Ryoma gave him three autographs before jumping out of the car).

Needless to say, the birth was very simple (Ryoma got to hold Sakuno's hand, but was rather embarrassed to find his wife's grandmother holding his spot for him). The baby was introduced to everyone who came to visit, and Atobe ended up invited all of the well-wishers to dinner at a Kawamura's (his treat) in honor of the occasion.

Needless to say, Ryoma refused all competitions up to a month before the due date of the next child (who was born late, not premature, to his great annoyance) and also ensued that Sakuno called him every time she felt even slightly queasy.

Though, quite frankly, everyone who was at the hospital for that first birth enjoyed telling the story for years to come and never let Ryoma forget that he was the last to know of his child's upcoming birth.