Title: How to say I love you

Author: Hikari Manganji

Pairing: Pillar Pair (Kunimitsu Tezuka/Ryoma Echizen)

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. I have no beta reader so I'm sorry for the grammatical mistakes. Gah, I'm so inspired by reading Kish's drabbles in LJ that I went and wrote my own.

Summary: My take on what is going on in Tezuka's mind when he slapped Ryoma.

Till now, Tezuka had never raised a hand on anyone no matter who they are. He strongly believed that making people run laps is enough to punish them for their transgressions. So when he slapped Echizen Ryoma, he was just as surprised as everyone when he had done such a thing.

When Kunimitsu was but a young boy, his father never spanks him for being a bad boy. Instead, he gently scolds him but grounds him from playing tennis for that day then teaches him how to amend his mistakes. His grandfather on the other hand, believes that a good spanking is due in order to teach proper discipline and drill it in the mind of youngsters. Wielding a cane, his grandfather would ask him to bring out his palms and strike it hard, only once but painful; Then his grandfather will go on about his lecture on how to behave properly and how youth during his time will never be disrespectful as he is.

But what Kunimitsu appreciates the most is how his mother deals with him. Once when Kunimitsu accidentally shattered his mother's blue China vase that his father gave to her for their 10th year anniversary by lobbing the tennis ball too high inside the house making it bounce to the ceiling then hitting the vase, his mother calmly approached him and used her palm to strike his face. Like the cane, it was hard and painful. Clutching his cheeks and wincing at the pain, he looked up to his mother and saw her closing her palm into a fist. Despite his indignation at being hit, because he believed that being lectured for his carelessness is enough, he noticed that his mother's palm was as red as his cheeks. Being inquisitive in nature, he asked his mother why she hit him using her hands when she could have easily used the belt that was easily at her arm's reach.

Her eyes softened as she brought her arms around his son. "Because I want to share the pain that I may have inflicted upon you so that I can remind myself that even if I don't want to do this, I need to do this because I love you and I want you to learn your lesson."

Trying to hold back his tears, he hugged his mother back as he quietly sobbed on her shoulder. "Mother, I am sorry. I have forced you to do something that you do not want to do because of my carelessness."

"Yudan sezu ni ikou, ne?"[1 His mother said as she stroked his head gently.

"Un," he nodded, "yuden sezu ni ikou."[2

Tezuka smiled inwardly at the fond memory as he looked at his reddish palm.

I hope my message reaches you, Echizen Ryoma.

Owari

Translation

[1 Let's not be careless, ok?

[2 (Yes) Let's not get careless.

OMG… I can't believe it! It's done. But why do I think it is not yet done!!! Read and Review please. Hope you like it!