Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. Takeshi Konomi-sensei does.

[7/14/11] Edited.

Wednesday, March 3 - Two days before Yukimura's birthday

It was a sunny afternoon in the Kanagawa District. The blue sky was clear, the presence of fluffy, white clouds hid the bright sun. Most of students from Rikkai Junior High School were already in their respective homes resting, relaxing, and doing the piles of homework that their strict teachers keep on giving them. Others were around town, gimmicking with their friends. Sanada Genichirou was one of those students who were going around the town. He had been allowed to do whatever he wanted because they didn't have tennis practice today. He was all by himself, though. He had spent several frustrating hours on trying to find a nice gift that his best friend and captain, Yukimura Seiichi, would like.

'What am I supposed to give him?' Sanada had thought, almost panicking, but since he was Sanada, he didn't. He had already run out of gift ideas. Last year, Sanada had given Yukimura a nice set of art materials. The year before that, Sanada had given Yukimura several pieces of calligraphy that he wrote himself using his own talent for calligraphy. Yukimura liked both of those gifts, because he liked painting and art. He even framed the letter and hung it on his bedroom's wall. Sanada remembered himself blushing at his captain's actions. Sanada is a man of few words, like a certain brick wall-captain from Seigaku, and Yukimura appreciated the fact that Sanada made him a letter that doesn't only consist of one sentence and also had feelings in it. Sanada knew that he had been blushing redder than a tomato when Yukimura smiled brightly at him after telling him that, not that anyone saw it because he hid his face under his cap and had his head bowed down, but he knew that Yukimura could easily guess what happened because of his actions.

Now, Sanada just wanted to see that smile back on Yukimura's face. A true and sincere smile. If he made Yukimura smile because of his previous gift, then he would make sure to get another gift that would make Yukimura smile like that again. But Sanada's problem was: The other gift ideas that he had thought of were already taken.

Sanada asked the regulars what they would give Yukimura on his birthday. Some of them told Sanada what they would give instantly, knowing that Sanada wouldn't dare tell Yukimura their gifts. Or get an identical gift, for that matter. Some were quite hesitant in telling, but told Sanada after a few minutes of thinking. Rikkai's baby, however, had a different way of his own. He made Sanada pinky swear not to tell Yukimura what his gift would be. Kirihara knew that real men wouldn't break pinky swears.

Apparently, Yanagi gives Yukimura his favorite grip tape every year, accompanied by another tennis-related gift. There was no doubt that it was what Yanagi would give Yukimura again this year.

Marui and Jackal would combine their money to buy Yukimura a special cake. There were some special times when they gave Yukimura cakes which they baked themselves, like when they won the Nationals in their second year.

Kirihara would give Yukimura something hand-made, but still related to tennis. "So it would be special.", Kirihara said when Sanada asked him why he chose to give Yukimura a hand-made gift.

All that Niou and Yagyuu said was that their gift is a 'surprise'. How shocking... not. It was to be expected from the Trickster and his partner. Niou and Yagyuu's gift was always a surprise, much to Yukimura's discomfort, as the blue-haired captain of Rikkai never did like surprises.

And, according to Yanagi, Yukimura gets a new sweatband and wristband on his birthday every year from his younger sister, Yukimura's parents always gives Yukimura a brand new racket, and then the whole family would go out to eat dinner in Yukimura's favorite restaurant to celebrate Yukimura's birthday. Yukimura would also sometimes get gifts from the other tennis teams, but Yanagi didn't specify what kind of gifts they were.

Sanada was stumped. He needed help on finding the right gift that would be rewarded with that stunning bright smile. Normally, he would have called Yanagi to ask for some help, but since the data master was currently sick in bed because of a fever and a cold with a certain Second Year Ace to keep him company, he decided against it. Sanada had decided to call Yagyuu instead, but when he had called Yagyuu and told him about his problem, Yagyuu apologized and told him politely that he was quite busy that week, and couldn't help.

Because Sanada knew that Jackal was busy babysitting his neighbors' kids, that Marui would just give him a name of a bakery that sells delicious cakes then take off, that Kirihara would refuse to leave his sick "Yanagi-senpai's" side, and that Niou, being Niou, was reason enough not to call him, Sanada had called a certain Seigaku regular to ask for help in finding a gift, and said regular had agreed to help Sanada in his problem.

And that was why Sanada was currently boarding a train headed for Tokyo, ready to step inside an enemy territory just to buy a gift for his best friend.

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY YUKIMURA SEIICHI ! This is my first story. This is one is just a prologue to the story, but hey, at least I was able to post the start of my very first story on Yukimura's birthday ^^. Coincidentally, Yukimura's new mini birthday album is also named "Prologue", from what I heard. Please review!