Disclaimer: I don't own POT

Summary: "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." [Ryoma x Tomoka

A/N: I know, I love Tomoka!! I think the idea of Ryoma finally falling for Tomoka is kinda cute. I encourage all POT writers to give this pairing a shot!

Mystery

Ryoma stood with his racket poised to play. The familliar scenes of a match flashed before his eyes. The tennis ball rose before him.

Pok!

The referee called the match, "Game. Set. Match. Echizen!"

The cheering erupted around him, but Ryoma just tugged his hat and smirked at his opponent.

"Mada mada dane."

He grabbed his bag and walked off court, only to be surrounded by his team members.

"Great match, ochibi! You really showed him, ne?" Eiji patted him on the back, a grin devouring his face. The other regualrs all gave their various amount of praises which he disregarded as usual. Something seemed stange. There was no loud "Ryoma-sama" in his ear. In fact, he hadn't seen the talkative girl all day, and she usually showed up to every one of his matches, tagging along behind him like some sort of stalker.

He looked around at the faces around him. Sure enough, Sakuno was there but not her obnoxious friend. He should be relieved he thought, she was always getting on his nerves after all. Ryoma shook the empty feeling in his stomach and walked off.

The next few days were the same. Sakuno would come by during practices, stuttering and blushing around him but that Osakada was nowhere in sight. No matter how hard he tried to ignore her absence it just wouldn't leave his mind. The other regulars had noticed too, especially Eiji who was whining about how lonely it was with no one to cheer them on. Ryoma just scoffed, he didn't care anyway.

But everytime he turned towards the fence, he could hear her overly loud voice in his ear. And he decided enough was enough. It was interfering with his tennis and god forbid, nothing ever interfered with his tennis. After practice, he walked over to a blushing Sakuno and asked her in his usual smooth manner, "Your friend...Osakada, is she sick or something?"

Sakuno looked down, "No, she's j-just..." She didn't finish her answer, instead she bowed, whispered a quick sorry and ran off. Ryoma stared after her, stunned.

That night, as he lay in bed, he couldn't get his mind off her. He didn't understand why he cared so much. That Osakada was always annoying him with her stupid cheers and idol worshipping tendencies. But he was so used to having her and her rambuctious personality around that when she just suddenly dissapeared, he couldn't get his mind of the absence. Ryoma sighed, burying his head in his pillow. He'd have this figured out by tomorrow so he could finally just go back to concentrating on tennis.

As he walked to school, his thoughts were again occupied with a certain redhead and how to corner her. Ryoma shook his head and groaned, wondering where that idotic girl had ran off to.

"Echizen!" Momo appeared behind him, "Geez, you don't even wait when your sempai calls you."

Ryoma paid no heed to the upperclassman.

"What's wrong with you lately? Do you have a crush or something? Your conenctration hasn't been on tennis these last few days. And-

Before Momo had a chance to continue, Ryoma turned towards him, "Have you seen Osakada?"

Momo scratched his head, "Osakada-san...oh yeah, I saw her by the cherry tree near the side of the school on the way here."

Ryoma stopped for a second, before turning around and rushing off in the opposite direction, ignoring the cries of "Wait, you're gonna be late!"

He stopped in front of the tree that Momo had told him about and scanned the area around it. The red haired girl was nowhere in sight. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he caught sight of a familliar hairdo and walked closer. Sure enough, an unusually quiet Tomoka was sitting underneath the tree, scribbling down words on what seemed like yesterday's homework assingment. Ryoma rolled his eyes, just like her to be doing this right before school started.

"Oi, Osakada!" His gruff greeting caught her attention and she turned towards the source of the voice. Her face immediatly paled and Tomoka quickly grabbed her bag and got up. She was about to rush off but Ryoma caught her wrist. He turned her towards him but she only cast her eyes down. He didn't like this side of Osakada, she was usually lound and quirky, not shy and quiet, like Sakuno. '

"Ryoma-san." She acknowledged him, and he noted that this time there was no 'sama' attached.

He opened his mouth to question her but at that second the bell rang. She broke his grasp and rushed off, not turning to look at the surprised Ryoma. He wasn't used to people ignoring him like this, especially if it was his self proclaimed number one fan. Ryoma stared after her form, confused beyond hell and determined more than ever to get an answer out of her.

The day passed by slowly, and his thoughts were consumed by questions. Had he done something wrong to her? He had always ignored her antics but that was simply his nature. Didn't she understand that? Ryoma glanced at the blue sky outside, head propped on his hand. He just wanted this stupid girl out of his thoughts.

Practice went as the same as ever, minus a certain cheerleader. Ryoma tried to steer clear of Momo, lest the older boy tried to bring up the topic of crushes and try to link Ryoma's outburst about Tomoka on to the same tangent. He played hide and seek from Momo till the teen got tired of chasing him around.

The sun was setting by the time Tezuka told them all to go home. Ryoma quietly packed up his stuff and headed out of the school. What did he care about that Osakada anyway. He was halfway home when a sudden realization dawned him, he had left one of his rackets at the courts. Grumbling, Ryoma turned around and started to trek back to the school. Great, now he was forgetting things because of this girl.

As he entered the school grounds, the familliar sound of a tennis ball bouncing of a racket met his ears. Curiously, the tennis prodigy entered the courts quietly and observed a familliar figure practicing serves. The skill was beginners level, but still quite good. Ryoma strained his eyes to get a glimpse of the player's face and his eyes widened when he realized it was the elusive Tomoka.

His eyes hardened in determination, this time he wasn't going to let her get away. He walked quietly behind her, watching her form as she threw the ball in the air.

"Throw the ball higher, and bend your knees," he commanded. Tomoka whipped around, startled to hear his voice.

"Ryoma-san, what are you doing here?"

He gestured towards the lone racket on the side of the court. She nodded in understanding.

"Well, then, I'll should probably leave. Ja Ryoma-san..." She turned to leave but he wasn't going to let her go anywhere.

"Wait, Osakada."

She turned to look at him.

"Is there something wrong...?" Ryoma felt odd asking such an inquiring question. He had never really cared much either way what happend to her.

Her face froze and she quickened her steps to the exit. Ryoma ran after her and grabbed her arm, this time strengthening his grip.

He groped for words to say as she faced him, "Your acting different."

"Let me go."

"No."

He saw the glint of anger in her eyes. But he wouldn't leave until his mind was at peace. When his grip didn't losen, Tomoka struggled but to no avail.

She sighed, "I just thought I was annoying to you, okay."

He saw through the lie written across her face.

"Don't lie to me."

She was getting more and more frustrated. Tomoka thought that this was what he wanted but then he just had to come chasing behind her with his 'I'm so cool' attitude.

"Why do you care anyway, you only have eyes for Sakuno." Her words were like poison.

Ryoma's eyes widened. "Ryuuzaki...?" He had never liked Sakuno liked that.

Tomoka tried again to loosen his grip but when he didn't let go, she finally snapped.

"Let me go! Do you think just because I decided to cheer for you that I have to do it my entire life?! Stop being so full of yourself! Just let me go, you never cared in the first place, so why care now?!" Her cheeks were red with anger and her eyes flashed dangerously. Ryoma wasn't used to getting reimpranded, especially Osakada. He frowned in frustration. She wasn't making this easy. Tomoka attempted to walk off again but Ryoma pulled her back, causing her to land headfirst into his chest.

They both stiffened but just as he was about let go. Tears started to soak through his shirt. He let go of her and but she clung on to his shirt.

"I don't want to come between you and Sakuno. People have always told me to lay off you, told me I'm annoying. I know you feel the same Ryoma-san," she looked up at him with teary eyes, "from this day forward, I won't ever bother you again."

A lump formed in his throat. Though he would never admit, he had rather liked her cheery personality and outgoing ways. He had grown accustomed to her boisterous presence. He hated to see people act emotional, especially Osakada, she was so strong all the time. Ryoma sighed, and pulled Tomoka's face from the front of his shirt.

He looked directly into her eyes, "You're not annoying, and I don't like Ryuuzaki." He rolled his eyes when she gave him a skeptical look.

"Really," he reassured her, "and come back to watch, Kikumaru-sempai is driving everyone crazy saying its boring without you." Ryoma knew it was a lame way to hide his true feelings but he wasn't just about to tell her that he missed her cheers.

A small smile tugged at Tomoka's lips, before she could boast, Ryoma walked toward her discarded racket and picked it up.

"Come on, I'll teach you how to serve."

Tomoka bounced happily behind him, as he taught her the correct way. The sounds of tennis echoed long into the night.

"RYOMA-SAMA! DO YOUR BEST!"

Tomoka, Sakuno and the rest of the team stood by the fence as Ryoma's latest opponent faces him. He threw the tennis ball into the air and 'BAM'.

They all gathered around him when he's won his match. Tomoka pushed her way to the front of the crowd with a quiet Sakuno in tow and congruglated him loudly, throwing her arms around the boy. When Ryoma didn't protest, Sakuno (who's gotten over her crush on Ryoma and is dating Fuji-sempai) and the other regualrs raised their eyebrows.

"Ne, Momo isn't that weird?"

Momo smiled, shaking his head when he recalled the day that Ryoma ran after Osakada. 'So the brat cares afterall.'

Nobody missed the tiny smile on Ryoma's face.