Disclaimer: Konomi-sensei has all the praises in making that sport anime - he is a tensai.

SKATEBOARDING

He looked at the girl in the skateboarding rink. A smile formed in his lips as he watched her gracefully manuevering the skateboard, how she flip it and do some tricks on it.

He began to wonder what made him fall in love so much to this red-headed girl. She was not as beautiful as any girls can be in Hyoutei, but he knew that she was one of the most unique girls around.

Especially that his girl specializes in the extreme sports called skateboarding...

He didn't know if he should be impress by her or get mad at her. He knows that skateboarding could endanger the life of his girlfriend.

His eyes began to fix in her slender, well-formed, smooth legs. A smirk formed in his face. How could such a girl like her be involve in this sports without injuring or wounding such beautiful legs?

He must be so lucky. His girl knows how to take good care for herself.

BANG!!

He ran immediately to rescue the girl - forgetting what he was contemplating.

"Hanako-chan, are you fine? Any pain you feel?" He asked with concern encircling his eyes.

The girl was sitting on the floor. She was trying not to twitch in pain. She smiled at him.

"Don't worry too much, Yuushi-kun. The only thing that hurts is my back." She replied shyly.

"Even so. Let me help you get up so I can bring you to the clinic." He lifted her up from the floor and slowly picked up her skateboard.

Maybe, he was wrong about that.

---o0o---

"I'll be just at the skateboarding rink. See you there!" The red-headed girl rushed at the school gate as she waved at Oshitari.

"Aren't you afraid that she might end up one day in the hospital?" Gakuto asked Oshitari.

Oshitari and Hanako have been going out since 6 months ago. He met her through Gakuto, who was Hanako's classmate. Hanako was a member of the Skateboarding's Society at Hyoutei, in which Atobe found the club a little annoying. It was because the club was getting more attention than the tennis club. Oshitari, on the other hand, wanted Hanako to quit skateboarding because she might end up with a fracture or even worst than fracture. But, Hanako's passion to skateboarding can't be bended by any risks. She actually knows the risks and willing to take it. She always said to Oshitari that pain is always part of perfecting one's talent.

He can't blame her. She was after all a relative of a famous skater in the country. But, seeing her happy and enjoying the sports made him smile. So, he let her on continue skateboarding.

"She knows what she is doing. Besides, she wouldn't be into something that she didn't know the consequences." Oshitari answered.

"But, you can't avoid accidents and her previous injuries might come back again." Gakuto replied with a tinge of anxiety in his eyes.

"I know - and she knows that." The navy-blue eyed answered.

Gakuto shrugged his shoulders. He was just only concern with Hanako and his doubles partner.

But deep inside, Oshitari was totally worried. Hanako have been confined in a hospital last few months because of knee fracture - all because of skateboarding. He had scolded her not doing such sports again, but his girlfriend was persistent. She was determined to become a skater and defy all odds. There was nothing he can do. Besides, he understands her passion for it - just like his passion for tennis.

----o0o----

Few days passed by and Nationals came in the scene. The tennis club was preparing for the coming event. Oshitari told Hanako about the Nationals, which Hanako found interesting. However, Hanako and her club was chosen to represent the prefecture for the Junior Extreme Sports Tournament in Tokyo. And, so as the argument about quitting the sports she's involved in started.

Oshitari felt butterflies running in his stomach. He learned from Atobe that the team would be flying to Tokyo sooner for training and at the same for the event. It was not that he was becoming overprotective of her, but he was afraid on what might happen. He was afraid that she might end up in the hospital again and he wouldn't last the day if he learns that. Last few weeks, repercussions of her knee fracture was coming back. So, Oshitari asked her to go to a clinic for a check-up.

"Your knee is fully recovered. You can continue your training. Just don't overdue yourself - and please maintain safety, Ms. Kisaki." The doctor said.

"See, Yuushi-san? I can now go to the tournament without worries. My knee is now fine!" Hanako stated.

"I know, but it might be injured again." Oshitari replied.

"No, it won't. I promise to come back without injuries." Hanako answered.

----o0o----

"Can I ask you one question, Hanako-chan?" Oshitari implied.

She was lying at the grass, with her head on the lap of Oshitari. Oshitari's hand was on her legs, drawing circles on them. Hanako looked at her boyfriend with utmost curiosity. It was unusual for him to ask permission when he wanted to ask something. He was straightforward and hard to read. But this time, she have seen an expression clearly on his face. He was worried, curious and puzzled.

"Yes? Anything bothering you?" Hanako replied.

"What's with skateboarding that you are obssessed about?" He pushed his glasses and looked down to his girl.

"Well, the same reason why you like tennis, and the same thing why Hanako is obssessed with you." The girl replied.

A smirk formed in Oshitari's face. He knew that she will not state an adjective to answer his question. She was a trickster. She had tricked him many times with her charisma and intelligence. Oshitari knew that she was the only who could understand him, the only girl who see through him - not as the famous vice-captain of an elite tennis club, but someone who is simple person with a simple dream. Hanako had seen him cry in front a television because of a sappy romance show, or even reacted in the fact that Atobe dislikes his girlfriend's club. She was the only one who can read him, chapter by chapter, page per page, between every lines.

"Just promise to me that you would come back without injuries. You know that I fall for you because of your legs, in the first place." Oshitari replied.

"You freaking leg fetish. I told how many times it will not be skateboarding that will damage this legs!" Hanako replied with a mischievous smile in her lips. She gave Oshitari a light spank on his shoulders.

Oshitari lowered his head. He slowly kissed her forehead.

"Is that all I get after know that you fell for my legs in the first place?" She rose up and gave Oshitari a smack.

"Why do always surprise me with your kisses?"

He gave her a sweet smile. She always caught him out of his guard. She always kissed her in front of Gakuto or Atobe in surprise.

And just like skateboarding, his girlfriend was unpredictable.

----o0o----

It was few weeks since Hanako left for the tournament. Oshitari was calling her three times a day, asking how she was doing and how was the tournament. Just like what he was experience in the Nationals, his girlfriend mentioned that they were a lot of better skaters than she is. But, his girlfriend was still determined to bring something for the school.

Hanako was pushed to win something because she knew that Oshitari would be playing his best for Nationals. She knew that his boyfriend was one of the best doubles' player around the prefecture. She would be so embarrassed if she ever lost in the tournament.

"Oshitari, how is your skater girl doing in Tokyo? I have heard that the competition is tough." Atobe asked.

"She called up to me earlier that she was doing fine so far. They were included in the finals." Oshitari answered reluctantly.

"Your girlfriend is such a risk-taker. Ore-sama envies you." Atobe replied.

"But, she is hard to manage." He pushed his glasses then proceeded in wearing his jacket.

"Well, Ore-sama sees that and that makes me so envy. There are only few girls with such strong postive personality. Right, Kabaji?" Atobe turned his back and looked at Kabaji.

"Usu." Kabaji answered.

"What's the point, Atobe? I know how you hate the club she is into, but don't hate her." Oshitari looked at Atobe with sparkling sharp eyes.

"Just take good care of her, that's all I wanted to say. I don't hate her. I actually like her so much. I think she deserves you very much." Atobe went out of the locker room, followed by Kabaji.

Anxiety formed in Oshitari's heart. He felt again the butterflies in his stomach. Atobe knew something that he didn't knew. Out of the blue, Oshitari's cellphone rang in the middle of their conversation.

----o0o----

Oshitari was walking back and forth outside the emergency room. He was gritted his teeth and clenching his fist.

The team captain of the skateboarding team called him up during their training. Hanako got involved in a car accident while she and few of her teammates went outside the hotel to get some materials they needed for their skateboards. A car crashed on the taxi where Hanako and the other were into. It was said that the driver was drunk which causes him to crash into the taxi. Hanako was sitting beside the driver which indicates that she got the worst condition than her teammates.

Every member of the tennis club was there. They heard the news. It was actually Atobe who first received the news, but thought twice about telling it to him. After learning what happen to Hanako, Atobe immediately dismissed the practice and got his team into his personal airplane to fly to Tokyo. As a captain, he knew how the event would affect Oshitari's performance for the Nationals.

"Oshitari-sempai, does Kisaki-chan got any relatives here? Maybe we should call them up and inform them." Ohtori asked him.

But Oshitari was quiet. He was guilty over the accident. If he didn't let Hanako go to the tournament and stop her from skateboarding, this wouldn't happen.

"Hanako doesn't have any relatives here. Both of her parents are on America and so as her brothers." Gakuto answered.

Oshitari buried his face in his hands. He was shaking. His whole body was perspiring. He was afraid that he might lost Hanako.

The door of the emergency room suddenly opened. The doctor came out with his mask still on. Gakuto ran to the doctor.

"How is she?" Gakuto asked.

----o0o----

"Nice flowers you got there." Hanako said while looking at the vase beside her bed.

Oshitari looked at her with a faint smile. His hand on hers, sitting at her bedside.

The doctor told Oshitari that Hanako's legs were fractured. They were under a heavy metal while retrieving them from the accident. Also, she lost so much blood that she needed blood transfusion. It was all funny because she and Oshitari have the same blood type, so he volunteered himself to become her donor. It was few weeks since Hanako woke up with cast in her both legs. She was first terrified, but days passed by but she began accepting. Oshitari thought that it was skateboarding that will make this kind of damage to her girlfriend. But he was wrong. Hanako told her once that it was not skateboarding that will damage her legs, but it would be something else. He also knew that Hanako became sad because the team captain eliminated her from the team because of her injury.

"How's the Nationals?" Hanako asked.

"We lost from Seigaku" He answered while peeling the oranges that Ohtori bring for her.

"I see. Don't worry, I know you did your best. So, no regrets." The girl replied while looking at her legs.

Oshitari looked at her. He looked at her in pity and love. He never saw his girlfriend this sad before.

"I should have listen to you and Gakuto..." The words went out of her girlfriend's mouth. "If I did, this kind of things wouldn't happen. Now, I would be bedridden for months and will be running to a surgery. None of this happen if I listen to you and not let my hardheadedness lead the way."

Oshitari wrapped his arms around the girl. Hanako buried her face on his shoulders and wrapped her hands around his waist. He felt the shoulder getting wet of his girlfriend's tears.

"You said once that you have to experience pain to achieve perfecting one's talent." Oshitari whispered.

"I did. But not like this."

"You also told me once that everything happens for a reason, like getting a knee injury in order for you to become more aware that skateboarding is risky." Oshitari looked at her face. He wiped her tears by his fingers. Hanako clenched his fist. She looked at her bandaged legs. Oshitari looked at her legs too.

"I'm so sorry. I damage the reason why you fell for me in the first place. I feel guilty over it." She lowered her head while touching the ugly bandaged leg she has.

"It might be the first reason why I fell for you... but it doesn't matter." Oshitari cupped her chin and slowly kissed her.

"It was all about you that I fell for - even if you're not in skateboarding or don't have those pair of legs." He thought to himself.

A/N: I'm finally back in writing - and this is my 2nd Prince of Tennis one-shot fanfiction. I would like to apologize for being absent for how many months. I've been terribly busy at school and other aspect of life. I'm already graduating so, the pressure is getting heavier. Please do watch "War Of The Hearts" - the chapter 4 will be soon -crosses fingers- be posted. Thank you and have a nice day!