A Hearts Desires

Info: I originally thought of this idea one day well doing absolutly nothing. Big shocker huh? Anyway, I loved reading all the different Looking Away Challengers. They all had one prompt, but each story was different in it's own way. So whilst doing nothing I came up with this idea. I encourage anyone to try it. Keep in mind that Ryoma does not have to be male if you don't want him to be ;)

Summary: Unknown to the famous Echizen Ryoma he was automatically engaged to the heir of Atobe Inc. the minute he was born. 15 years old and engaged to none other than Atobe Keigo, Ryoma is sent to Japan to meet the one he must spend the rest of his life with. Will Ryoma be able to love someone he has never even meant before or will he fall for someone else?

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

Prologue

Uncertainty

Nanjirou stood pacing back and forth around the small hospital room. His appearance was slightly dishevelled and a frown was fitted across his face. Dark brown hair was messed and tangled, large bags hung under dark brown eyes and broad shoulders were hunched in exhaustion. Doubt and uncertainty clouded his mind.

"What am I doing?" He muttered under his breath as he shook his head. He doubted whether he was making the right choice, but did he even really have a choice to begin with?

Nanjirou sat down at the miniature table in the corner of the room. He was careful not to wake his sleeping wife or the newborn baby held within her arms. They both looked so peaceful as they slept without a care in the world.

Nanjirou let out a long, drawn out sigh. Sometimes life could be just a bit to cruel. Rinko and him had finally been blessed with their new-born son. A precious gift indeed. Yet, at the same time they were heading into bankruptcy. A horrible road-block in their precious lives.

The past six months had been hard on the once prosperous couple. After Rinko had found out she was pregnant, she had been forced to quit her job; the stress that came with being a lawyer had become too much for her to handle. She had been unable to manage work and taking care of her unborn child.

Nanjirou of course, had done everything in his power to support him, his wife and their unborn child. Unfortunately times were hard and jobs were few and scarce. The jobs he was able to get payed very little. He was never able to hold one job for more than 3 weeks at a time.

The couple was nearing bankruptcy and were in danger of losing their once happy home. Nanjirou had pulled all the strings he could to keep their house until now, but unfortunately he had run out of ideas.

That was until three days ago.

It had all been a coincidence really. He had taken Rinko out to dinner at some fancy restaurant. It had literally been moths since they had done anything together. He wanted to have one more night just to themselves, before the baby was born.

Nanjirou had been about to go pay for their meal so the couple could go home and rest, when he had accidentally bumped into someone. The man he had bumped into was around his age, mabey a bit older. The biggest difference was that the man was dressed in a lot nicer clothes than Nanjirou himself had been dressed in.

Nanjirou had been about to apologize when the man's eyes had widened with recognition. "You wouldn't happen to be Echizen Nanjirou, would you?"

Nanjirou nodded. "Yes sir." He had instantly replied.

"I was a huge fan of you back when you played in the Australia and U.S Open," The man had continued. "Oh, where are my manners. I'm Keisuke Atobe."

Nanjirou's eyes had nearly popped right out of their sockets. This man couldn't be...no it was impossible...he couldn't mean the Keisuke Atobe? Owner to the ever-famous million dollar company Atobe Inc. Could he? Nanjirou could do nothing more than gape, mouth wide open. The man didn't seem to notice though and if he had, he didn't seem to mind.

"So what would bring you here on such a fine evening?" Keisuke questioned, eyes bright.

Nanjirou shuffled nervously. "Just here with my wife."

Keisuke raised an eyebrow. "Wife? Now that's news to me! Would you grant me the pleasure of introducing her to me?"

Nanjirou, not seeing any harm in Keisuke's request, nodded. He led the way back to the table Rinko was still sitting at.

"Rinko, this is Keisuke Atobe," Nanjirou told his wife. "Atobe-San, this is Rinko, my wife."

Keisuke shook his head. "Just call me Keisuke, no need for such formalities."

Nanjirou once again nodded. Keisuke turned to look down at Rinko's stomach. "How far along are you?"

Rinko smiled. "9 months to this date actually," She replied, placing a hand on her stomach.

"When are you expecting?" Keisuke questioned, eyes curious.

"In three days," Rinko answered softly.

Keisuke closed his eyes and placed a hand on his cleanly shaven chin. He looked deep in thought as. He suddenly re-opened his eyes, a determined look set in them. He turned to face Nanjirou. "Why don't you take a seat?"

Nanjirou, catching the hint, took a seat beside his wife. Keisuke sat across from them. "I have a proposition for you two. You see, I'm actually in America searching for a suitable spouse for my young son Keigo. I'm sure your all aware of arranged marriages?"

Nanjirou and Rinko both nodded. It was Nanjirou though who spoke up."What does this have to do with us though?"

Keisuke smiled. "Right to the point I see. I've been looking for a months and still have not found anyone that would spark Keigo's interests. I've completely run out of ideas. What I'm proposing is that your unborn child be engaged to my son."

Nanjirou couldn't help it when his eyes widened in shock. "You want us to sign off our child's hand in marriage? What if it's a boy?" Nanjirou spluttered out in bewilderment.

"Of course I would also be paying you a large amount of money for you two to do so. How's 1 million? That should be enough to last you the rest of your life if you use it well," Keisuke explained. "-And with the way things seem to be going I don't think gender will matter much to my son."

Nanjirou could only stare at the man in shock. Rinko was also in shock, but managed to get a hold of herself. "What exactly would happen after our child is born?" She asked.

"Well, he or she would live with you two until they reach the age of 15. Then I will personally escort them to Japan, where they would live with me and my son until the day he or she turns 18. On which day they will be married." Keisuke explained to the bewildered couple.

Nanjirou still could not believe this was really happening. "May we have a few days to think this over?" He asked.

Keisuke nodded, reaching into his briefcase and pulling out a slip of paper. "You said your child will be born in three days? Meet me back here at exactly 7 pm the day your child's born with these papers signed. I will leave the final decision up to you then."

Nanjirou could only nod silently in reply as he grasped the papers in his hand. Keisuke bid them farewell and exited the restaurant, leaving the couple behind to think over his offer.

...

Nanjirou sat hunched over the small table, hands massaging his temples. He glanced down at the paper and sighed for what had to be the umpteenth time that day.

He didn't know what to do. He would forever feel guilty about signing off his son's hand in marriage, but on the other hand, he and Rinko desperately needed the money, especially if they wanted their son to be raised in a happy home.

What to do, what to do? After a few more minutes of thinking it over he let out a frustrated growl. Coming to the conclusion that he wasn't going to let his wife and son starve to death, he grabbed the pen that lay unmoving beside the paper.

He bit his lip as he read over the paper one last time before scrawling down his signature at the bottom of the page.

His newborn son, Echizen Ryoma, was now officially engaged to Atobe Keigo.

A/N

How was it?

I encourage anyone to take on this challenge. I would love to read a bunch of different stories based on this prompt.

Anyway, please also take your time to review.