Distance
Disclaimer: Do Not Owe Prince of Tennis!
Warning: boy/boy (Tezuka/Ryoma) Do Not Read If This Offends You.
Author: It has been awhile since I've written Prince of Tennis. So, no flames please!
"I've finally decided to go to Germany so that I will be able to heal my arm in order for me to play in the Nationals"
Tezuka said as he had just announced his decision the next day during Tennis practice.
Ryoma's jaw dropped as the tennis ball had dropped from his racquet and onto the ground. Was this some sort of illusion and was dreaming it instead? He tried pinching himself but instead, he yelped in surprised as he saw that everyone was staring at him.
"Echizen, are you alright?" Momoshiro asked who was standing beside him.
"Its nothing," Ryoma murmured as he looked at Tezuka who was staring at him.
"How long will you be gone, buchou?" Momoshiro asked suddenly.
"I am not sure. I am hoping that I will be back in time for the Nationals," Tezuka replied."But in the meantime, Oishi will be the captain until I get back from Germany," Tezuka continued.
Oishi nodded, "I will do whatever I can to get our dream to the National," he said confidently.
Tezuka nodded in return, "That's all I'm asking for. You are all dismiss," he said. He watched one-by-one as the Regulars'
started to go for the tennis courts with Ryoma lacking behind Kaidou and Momoshiro.
"You really made him depressed, Tezuka," Fuji's voice said as he stood beside him and was watching the other Regulars' go into the tennis courts.
"I don't know what your talking about Fuji," Tezuka said with a straight face.
Fuji chuckled, "Before you leave Germany, perhaps it is wise to tell a certain someone how you feel? Or else he wouldn't be able to concentrate at all during the tournaments," he said and with that, he left Tezuka as he joined the others.
"Mou, I can't believe buchou is really leaving," Kikumaru was saying as he was walking alongside Oishi, Momoshiro, and Kaidou as Ryoma and Inui were behind them listening in.
"He has to. If it weren't for him, I don't think this tennis club would be going to the Nationals," Oishi said.
Fuji nodded as he had finally caught up with them and heard what Oishi said. "It has always been a dream for Tezuka to go to the Nationals ever since he had joined Seigaku," he said.
Ryoma sighed suddenly, "I think I'll call it a day and go home," he said.
"Is something wrong, Echizen?" Oishi asked worriedly.
"Iie. I just don't feel too well," Ryoma murmured.
Inui's eyes glinted as Ryoma and the others halted at the sensation that they were feeling. "If anyone goes home before practice is even over, that someone has to drink my Deluxe Penalty Tea," he said as he took out a vial and showed it to them.
Everyone paled except for Fuji. "That's the same Penalty Tea from last time!" Momoshiro exclaimed as the vial had a dark red liquid in it.
Inui nodded, "Saa, do you like to drink some Echizen?" He asked.
Ryoma gulped, "On second thought, I think I'll stay for practice," he said.
"Hmm. Too bad, this stuff is really good," Inui said as he drank the vial and everyone except Fuji made disgusted faces as Inui licked his lips. "Very good," he said to himself.
"You got everything Tezuka?" Fuji asked with a smile as everyone was saying goodbye to Tezuka in the airport as Ryoma was being his gloomy self.
"Ah," Tezuka said.
"I'll email you once in awhile to update everyone's progress," Oishi promised with a smile.
"Nya! I wish I was going to Germany! I heard that place was an amazing place to visit!" Kikumaru said.
"Will stop by your folks to see how they are doing," Kawamura said.
"You really don't have to do that," Tezuka replied.
"But we want to," Kaidou said.
Ryoma yawned, "Excuse me. I have to go to the restroom really quick," he said as he made a beeline to the restroom.
"Nani? Echizen sure has been acting strange lately," Kikumaru said.
"Mmm, I wonder why," Fuji said as he glanced at Tezuka.
"This is valuable data," Inui murmured as he wrote in his notebook.
"I should go to the restroom as well," Tezuka said suddenly as he went and followed Ryoma.
"Hoi? Anybody else..." Kikumaru didn't finished as he felt an aurora around him and he looked and see and saw Fuji was staring at him with an cold stare that could rival Tezuka's. "On s-second thought, I'll pass," he said as everyone nodded in agreement.
Luckily, nobody else was in the bathroom besides Ryoma who was washing his hands in the sink. Ryoma looked up and was surprised to see Tezuka entering the restroom. "Buchou, what are you doing here?" He asked stupidly.
Tezuka frowned, "This is a restroom, is it not?" He asked teasingly.
Ryoma blushed in embarrassment, "It is," he murmured as he returned to what he was doing.
"The others are saying that you are feeling under the weather lately," Tezuka said as he was washing his hands beside Ryoma.
Ryoma reddened, "Its nothing to worry about buchou," he murmured.
"It is. If a person is feeling under the weather, that someone wouldn't function at all during the tournaments. It's better to spill it out for whatever they are worrying," Tezuka explained.
"I-I just can't buchou," Ryoma said as he was standing in front of Tezuka but with his back turned.
"Echizen, it's only 'us' in here. You could tell me," Tezuka said slowly.
"I-I'll mi-miss you," Ryoma stammered.
Tezuka looked surprised at that statement and his heart leapt up hoping that Ryoma would be able to return his feelings. "I will miss all of you as well, Echizen," he said.
Ryoma shook his head, "No! I'm trying to say that..." this time, he turned around and saw that Tezuka still has his straight face on without showing any emotion through it. He growled in annoyance, "Screw it," he murmured as he went forward to Tezuka and leaned up as he kissed him on the lips.
Tezuka was so surprised by the sudden movement as he didn't respond to the kiss until a minute later. The two kissed until they were needed to breathe air.
"I guess this answers your question why I was feeling down," Ryoma said as his face was still beat red.
"Echizen," Tezuka began but the younger one stopped him.
"Ryoma," he said as Tezuka nodded.
"Ryoma, you may have not know it, but I do have feelings for you. Although, only Fuji knows about it," Tezuka said.
"Really?" Ryoma asked as he perked up.
Tezuka nodded, "I just couldn't tell you if I were certain about how you feel towards men. I told myself to tell you once I get back from Germany, but now..." he said.
Ryoma smiled, "Things changed buchou," he said.
"Ryoma, use my first name," Tezuka said playfully.
Ryoma nodded, "So, where does this leads us, Kunimitsu?" He asked.
"I'll go to Germany and once I've recovered, we will continue our relationship," Tezuka said.
Ryoma just then lit up. "Kunimitsu, may I have your email address?" He asked as Tezuka nodded and they exchanged email addresses right before the intercom had said that the flight to Germany was now boarding passengers.
The two looked at one another before giving each other a kiss. The two left the bathroom and went outside where all the others were waiting.
"Kya! You two sure had taken long enough!" Kikumaru complained.
"Hmm, you know how the bathroom is Eiji," Fuji said with a smile as he saw that Inui had lit up and was writing down in his notebook furiously as he knew that Inui had finally figured it out.
"Do your best in the Kanto tournament," Tezuka said.
"We will!" Everyone chorused.
"Tezuka, recover quickly," Coach Ryuzaki said.
Tezuka nodded, "Ah," he said and with one last glance at Ryoma, he picked up his bag and left to go to the boarding terminal. He sighed, this was going to be a long trip, he thought.
TBC...
me: I just did this when my mind gotten the idea of it. It's only gonig to be a 3-part story. Right now, I'm using "Notepad" instead of "microsoft word" since it isn't working still. (Growls).
Tezuka: Will be onto the next chapter soon.
me: Hopefully this story isn't too abrupt since I started doing it somewhere yesterday.
Fuji: Review and update.
