AN: This is puririn writing, just to note you all, in case you haven't gone to see my profile yet (which you probably haven't)
"Tachibana-san! I don't mind having a practice match, but can you please have it with anyone but them?" Kamio pleaded as he and the whole Fudomine team walked to the place Kamio currently dreaded the most, Hyoutei Academy Secondary Department. During their whole trip there, the brunette had been pestering the captain and demanding exemption from the match for a reason he refused to mention.
"I need your reason before I can consider your request, Kamio-kun." Tachibana sighed for the umpteenth time.
"I can't tell you. Tachibana-san. Just for this one match, please, Tachibana-san!"
Patience was truly a virtue blessed upon everyone in Fudomine's tennis team, or rather an antibiotic made towards the ruckus their two members always made. If they were to avoid the ruckus at the front,
"Kamio is acting really weird. It is unusual for him to refuse to have a match, and this match is against an opponent we have won against. He had told me about a guy in Hyoutei trying to date Tachibana's sister, but it shouldn't stand as a matter in tennis, after all, we are playing tennis, not taking revenge or anything and…"
They had to face a mumbling Ibu at the back. They all sighed in unison. At first Kamio's plea intrigued their curiosity, but having to hear the same thing without anything to satisfy their curiosity did grate their nerves. The mumbling, of course, served no help.
It took what seemed like an eternity for them to reach their destination, a fact that was oblivious to the frantic red-head, the mumbling bluenette and presumably the captain as well for the lack of acknowledgement. The three just continued walking inside as if the school was theirs, and the rest had no choice but to reluctantly follow behind while trying to shake the stares showered by the resident students.
Kamio was still trying to beg himself out when Tachibana suddenly froze in spot, prompting him to follow him and find out the cause. He turned his head to the road- something that he had not been doing at all along the trip- and found himself staring at a familiar meek tall boy with unruly silver locks giving him an incredulous face.
A Hyoutei tennis club member..! Kamio's eyes were as wide as a saucer at the realization. He felt something scathing inside his chest as guilt washed over him. His mouth hung wide open, unable to find his voice. He was not the man he had sinned to nonetheless, but he was in the same…kingdom.
"Ootori Chouratou from Hyoutei, is it?" Tachibana's reluctant question sliced through the atmosphere and broke the two out from their trance-like state. The Hyoutei student gasped before he shook his head in attempt to clear his mind.
"Ah, I'm sorry for dazing off," A small blush crept across his face as he smiled apologetically while rubbing the back of his head. "It's just that, I don't expect to see Kamio-kun so soon."
Beads of cold sweats trickled down his face as Kamio tried to brace himself for the inevitable. When Tachibana gave him the look, he was almost certain that he would have to elaborate on the disgraceful event that took place only yesterday.
"That will have to go later. I'm afraid we have a match to settle."
Apparently he could spare his breath for the future. Kamio couldn't help but to let out a sigh of relief, which of course didn't go unnoticed by everyone.
"Ah yes, the practice match!" Ootori made a hammering gesture with his hands as realization hit him. "Atobe-san has been waiting for you in Court A. We better go now!" The Hyoutei tennis team's sophomore turned and rushed to the said destination with quick steps, motioning everyone to follow.
With the confidence still fresh from the oven thanks to the victory in district pleminary, every foot of Fudomine's team members began to march proudly into the war- all but a certain redhead who had gone pale with his soul being sucked away by his distancing teammates. The aching pounding in his chest served nothing but a reminder of the mother of his fear, the sin committed last afternoon.
"You peasant are no match for my prowess!" The one standing boasted with his arms crossed, looking down at the slumped figure below him through the net. As if emphasizing his victory, his body coincidentally prevented the scarlet light from reaching the other side.
The last ray of light had gone. Don't even hope of defeating me, it said.
"Shut up Atobe!" The loser retorted, squinting to meet Atobe's eyes but only seeing his silhouette. He knew he had lost- no, he had a rout. It did not take a genius to see the difference in their abilities. One was the captain of a seeded school in Tokyo, the other was just a vice captain who was tossed around in his freshman days and would have remained so hadn't a lion from Kyuushu defended him.
That's what irked him. It was fate that made one into a king and the other into a peasant and definitely not his prowess.
And before he knew it, he spit his thoughts out.
"Your prowess only comes from your wealth anyway. You're not like us- you were born on top already, pampered and showered with all those expensive equipments. It was good luck, not your prowess that made you the person you are now!" He shouted spitefully to the towering figure.
"Ahn?" Though Kamio could not see Atobe facial expression, his ears could discern the fury his remarks had caused. Atobe did not reply afterwards, however. He stared at the redhead as if he was the lowest scum he had ever known. The latter did no differently.
The atmosphere was so intense that it's suffocating. The Hyoutei onlookers, especially the regulars, had had the instinct to enter the court and draw the curtain. Choutarou actually tried to do so, but a look from the captain froze him in spot. Everyone immediately knew better than to do anything to stop or help. This was a battle between the King and the Peasant. No minister, soldiers or anyone was to step in between.
It took Ibu, Sakurai and Ishida to find and drag a frozen Kamio into the court. It was still a mystery as to why the redhead seem reluctant to enter the realms of Hyoutei's tennis club- dragging him was unnecessary until he suddenly froze at the sight of the court. Kamio also earned himself spiteful glares from the students along the way. When Ibu tried to ask,
"Hey Kamio, it is not like you to be stiff and all before the match. You seemed to earn some glares from the students around here, mostly the girls. Have you done something bad to the girls here that make you afraid of coming in? If you do, then your weird attitude since yesterday makes sense and…"
But even the onlookers found no way to answer Ibu's mumbling. Kamio was staring vaguely at where both team captains were at, his mind was empty but for a replay of a heart-piercing remark.
"If that is so, then stop playing tennis, you destitute."
Kamio was furious of the nickname given at the end of his reply. Fueled by his wrath, he stood up and grabbed Atobe by his collar. "You bastard! Don't you dare call me by such-!"
"I'll tell you this once again. You peasant are no match for my prowess. If you think you do, then come and challenge me for the throne- when you are richer, as you have just said."
"Shut up!" Kamio was panic. He knew that he was losing the debate he started even before he infuriated Atobe. When he lost the match 6-0, he was not exactly in any place to retort. He gripped the fabric even tighter that his knuckles turned white. "You don't know how we struggled to become a regular, to be able to join in the competition…"
"I don't." Atobe replied bluntly. "And you don't know how I become the captain of Hyoutei for three years either."
Kamio could not find anything to reply. Deep inside, he could sense that Atobe did not have a plain sailing to the top. But he refused to believe it, like how he refused to admit he lost to the captain of the team that lost to Fudomine recently.
He buried his face between his arms, clinging into the collar with an iron grip. Atobe, surprisingly, did nothing to free himself. He continued staring at the desperate brunette with a bland look. One had to look scrumptiously to find the intensity of the gaze.
As the two seemed to freeze in time, everyone couldn't help but to wonder:
Why would a king let himself be touched by a mere peasant?
"Kamio! Oi Kamio!"
After several calls and a not-so-gentle shaking, he finally snapped from his trance-like state with a gasp. The sight of him grasping Atobe was replaced by the worried face of his captain.
"Tachibana-san…"
The said person breathed a sigh of relief. "You make all of us worry, Kamio. Atobe even called-" Tachibana didn't have the time to explain everything when water suddenly splashed them both.
"WHAT WAS THAT?" The now emotionally-conscious Kamio yelled at the sky where the water originated-only to find the white clouds drifting innocently. He looked around to find the culprit, and found a redhead glaring at him from Tachibana's back.
"Atobe actually asked his teammate to bring a bucket of water to splash you awake, however…" Tachibana glanced at the brunette hiding behind him, hoping to portray the message to him silently. It was quite a wonder as to why Kamio was given a distasteful stare. Not only him, but everyone seemed to treat Kamio like a felon or something.
"So you're brave enough to come after the scene you made yesterday." Gakuto taunted with empty bucket still in hand, which he didn't bother to cover. He started to walk towards the soaked Kamio. "You don't have a brain or what? Certainly that humiliation you earned yesterday was enough to warn you that-"
"Stop it Mukahi." Atobe warned.
However Gakuto chose to ignore it. "-you are just a scum in front of Hyoutei. Heck, you even couldn't accept defeat. I'll tell you again since Atobe clearly hadn't made it clear: Fudomine only won because-"
"ENOUGH, MUKAHI."
The bellow rang through the court, petrifying everyone on spot. A furious Atobe was a rare event, and albeit the phenomenon had occurred yesterday, it was as terrifying as it had been at the first time.
"We Fudomine had to strive for a spot in the regulars." Kamio broke the silence by murmuring his history. "The coach had promised that we would earned it after defeating the whole regular, but he didn't.."
Despite the lack of response, Kamio continued on. "We continued to be abused by the upper-class men, that was until Tachibana-san transferred. He started the rebel against them in tennis. However, we were later ambushed by them after school and were beaten. The coach was there, siding with them. That was when Tachibana-san stood up and beat the coach, bringing an end to our suffering."
Kamio shot a look at Atobe. "So tell me, you filthy rich bastard, is there any of your so-called hardships that is comparable to that in your tennis career?" Kamio challenged.
"So…" Atobe started. " Fudomine is only worthful because of Tachibana Kippei, ahn?"
"DON'T DODGE THE SUBJECT!"
"You all only win because Tachibana was in the team, like how you claimed my wealth accounted for my prowess."
"DON'T TRY TO JUSTIFY YOURSELF, ATOBE!" The grip went tighter.
"I try to justify nothing. It is correct in the first place."
"You little-!"
"ENOUGH WITH THIS TRASH TALKING." Atobe suddenly snapped, slapping Kamio's grip with what seemed to be little energy yet enough to make him lose balance and be dragged by gravity to the ground. Gasps of astonishment could be heard distinctly from the spectators. Atobe had just spoken with a volume never heard before- not even Kabaji had.
Atobe stepped forward to the centre of the small circle of Fudomine and Hyoutei's tennis members combined. He was like a magnet propelling everyone away. At this moment, no one was suicidal enough to get involved in anything revolving the King and the infamous Peasant.
Atobe stopped in front of a speechless Kamio and an annoyed Gakuto. "Run 30 laps, Mukahi." He ordered.
"What? Why do I have to run? He's the one-"
"RUN."
Gakuto glared at Atobe's eyes, trying to defend himself. However the idea quickly evaporated with an icy glance and he quickly took of, muttering curses at Fudomine's speed demon along the way. Atobe scrutinized the soaked sophomore, who seemed to be anticipating any physical or verbal lashings from him.
Much to Kamio's surprise, Atobe lowered his head with his eyes shut, of all things.
"I apologized on behalf of Mukahi Gakuto as the captain of Hyoutei." He spoke.
"A..tobe..san" And Kamio was too flabbergasted to say anything. Why did Atobe apologize to him? Of all people, he was supposed to be the one to bow down and ask for forgiveness. He was prepared to face a cold shoulder or wrathful lashings
"I am tired of listening to you wallowing in self-pity. Our match has ended. You have earned the information you craved for. Now go back and report that to your captain." Atobe dismissed Fudomine's vice-captain as he walked away from him, disgust was apparent in his voice. Kamio, being a sharp listener, couldn't help but to notice that. Once again he pushed his body upwards and lunged towards the arrogant captain.
At least he planned so, until he was halted mid-way with a swing of racket which landed several inches across his face.
"Before you start complaining again, tell me, what is your prowess in tennis?" Atobe asked nonchalantly.
"Huh? It's my speed, of course!" Kamio hesitated, but complied nonetheless.
"You said that my prowess comes from my wealth. Surely that goes the same with you." He said before he turned his back and continued to walk away.
It took Kamio some time to think before he realized what Atobe had meant. Again, he was furious, and he would have smacked him in the face if he was at an arm's length. "My speed DOES NOT come from my poverty!" He screamed at the distancing figure of Hyoutei's captain.
As the farewell finally commenced, both were oblivious, however, to the doubtful faces each other had behind their backs.
"You should change before you-"
Kamio couldn't hold it anymore. "I'm sorry, Atobe-san!" He shouted loud and clear accompanied with a bow from the waist. His eyes were shut tight, unable to face the consequences of his action.
He was prepared to have Atobe boasting at him. Heck, he was even ready to have hell fell onto him right at that moment. Those who challenged the king deserve fate worse than death, he had once heard. His actions would surely create a gap between the two teams that might cause disaster to his teammates. And Tachibana; his name would be tarnished as a Fudomine team member. Dear lord, he muttered silently, kill me right now!
"What are you talking about, ahn?"
"I'm so sorry-! What?" Kamio lifted himself at the unexpected response, and was greeted with a bewildered face. Surely Atobe knew what he was apologizing about- unless, his grey hair represented his memory capacity.
"I don't see any reason for you to apologize to me." Atobe shrugged.
"Don't act dumb Atobe-san! I know I have insulted you yesterday-!"
"Yesterday?" Atobe echoed, eyeing him with incredulity. "I held a practice among the regular yesterday. No other event took place during so."
Everyone was eyeing the two now, confusion present in their eyes. Who was lying between the two? The eyewitness of yesterday's event doubted that they were hypnotized any moment before, and Fudomine team members were certain that the resident speed demon would not apologize out of the blue.
Meanwhile, Gakuto, who had run a third of the total assigned laps, decided to take a break and join the crowd to watch the drama unfolding inside. Kamio was spilling the beans of his presence yesterday, yelling about how he came to spy on Atobe since he couldn't play at the preliminary. Gakuto snorted at him. Atobe would certainly humiliate him as a revenge.
To his puzzlement, he didn't. Atobe insisted that he was not present the day before- it was just him and the team. He even went as far as saying that they had never met before until the preliminary. What the hell? Gakuto cursed. What is Atobe doing? Defending him?
He decided that he should announce the truth.
"What are you doing Atobe?" He yelled out loud. The bickering immediately subsided as the spotlight was on him. He walked towards Atobe with a frown while pointing at Kamio.
"You clearly beat him in a match 6 games to 0 yesterday! The brat insulted you about-mmph!" Someone had his hand covered Gakuto's mouth and around his neck, preventing him from speaking and moving any further. He managed to yank the obstruction away from his mouth, but not from his neck. "Let me go Yuushi- Mmph!" He kicked the air around him like a child.
"I'm sorry for the ruckus Gakuto made." Oshitari drawled, dragging a trashing Gakuto away from the spotlight. "Let's go, Gakuto."
As the doubles pair faded away, the attention was once again turned to the captain and the vice-captain.
"I admit it, okay! I'm sorry for justifying you as a rich bastard. I know that you have to defeat all the regulars to make it to the top, and that you have to struggle back when you're in Europe. I'm really sorry!" Kamio bowed once again.
Oblivious to the redhead, Atobe smirked before turning his back from him. "I have no idea what you are talking about," He said. "But my prowess is big indeed. Be awed by the sight of it!" His bragging echoed as he left the crowd, followed by his fans demanding him answers to the ambiguous facts.
Even so, Kamio remained frozen at his gesture. Tachibana walked up to him and shook him, "Oi Kamio, what did you actually do yesterday?"
Kamio stood up and looked at the small figure of the crowds following Atobe. It seemed awfully familiar, with him yelling on the other day instead of smiling. "Nothing…I was just given a revelation." He answered.
"So…will we have a practice match today?" Uchimura asked, looking at the setting sun ahead of them.
"I guess so- oi Kamio! Where are you going?" Tachibana shouted at Kamio who was running to where Atobe had left.
"I will demand a match!" He turned his back to give his excuse before he dashed towards the sunset.
At that night, Kamio received two anonymous emails.
To: Speedace21
From: Icetango47
Subject:
Adel sitzt Gemut, nicht im Geblut.
To: Speedace21
From: bluemegane52
Subject: A little advice
You may want to read the attachment below, and you can thank Seigaku's data man for it.
Kamio didn't know what to do with both anonymous mails at first. He considered deleting them, considering them as spasm. But thanks to plain curiosity, he decided to put the sentence in the online German dictionary and opened the attachment. And he regretted that he did, for he spent a relentless night afterwards.
"Atobe-san!" The beckoned person stopped in his track at the call. Kamio cringed when Atobe's fan girls, who had been following him and asking what became to be rhetorical questions like a reporter, shot him deadly glares. Thankfully Atobe acknowledge him instead of throwing him into the 'shark tank'.
"What is it?"
"Let's have a match!" Kamio challenged with a smile. Atobe looked taken aback at first, but it soon changed into a smirk. His fangirls were making a commotion about Kamio's challenge, him being rude and obstinate and such.
A click of a finger easily shut them off. Atobe turned his gaze towards Kamio.
"Adel sitzt Gemut, nicht im Geblut."
"Huh?" Kamio's eyes were as wide as saucers. He was not familiar with foreign languages, but he knew he had recently been taught that on a certain night from a certain mail.
Atobe's smirk grew wider.
"I will show you what it exactly means."
Note: Since Kamio called Tachibana 'Tachibana-san', I figured that he is polite enough to call his senpais with honorifics- except when he was furious.
And the mail part, I couldn't post a proper e-mail address up there, so I just used the name.
And I apologize for any OOC-ness. Those two interacted with each other only once, I wonder how could they become a pair..?
And one more thing. Atobe's hair.. Is it blonde, grey, or lavender?
AN: Distance makes love grow fonder. Damn, I'm starting to hate it. It's painful to say goodbye, even though your mind knew it won't be permanent…
Again, damn... I don't know which is worse: paranoia, longing, or the pain of the loved one. I don't...I really don't know what to do, what to expect. When the two closest person to you is fighting (a supposedly secret fight), trusting that things will be fine is a really damn hard thing.. I begin to loathe my younger self, who thought that things are going to be happy forever...
Okay, back to business. I have several ideas in mind for writing currently, and I would like you readers to pick a path for me. Since this one is an Kamio-Atobe fic, should I write:
An Atobe- Kamio fic? Or,
An Atobe- Others fic?
The first path will be similar to these two stories: Hakase and Kyouju, where the relationship is reciprocal. As for the second path, it will be like a chain mail. For example, the next will be Atobe-Ann fic and next will be Ann-Ryoma fic and so on. (It's only an example, mind you)
You can share your thoughts on the reviews. For those who would like to pick the second path, you may, of course, give suggestions on who will be paired with Atobe.
See you again on the next one shot!