Disclaimer: Nope, nothing of Prince of Tennis belongs to me.

A/N: School is CRAZY! I haven't been able to do much writing, but well, I just had to write this one-shot. This one-shot was triggered by a particular event that happened in the past week, so part of it actually happened, but i won't be saying which part, so you all can guess which particular event it is in the story!;)

Thanks: Terry-May, thank you once again for helping me with the beta-reading:) I hope you'll get well soon!


For all sad words of tongue and pen -

The saddest are these,

"It might have been."

- John Greenleaf Whittier

--

There is one more month till the day of graduation. There is just one more month for her to hold on to him. Even if there is just so little she can hold on to, just that little is enough. She just wants him to be happy; she just wants him to remember.

--

The first time she heard him speak was at the start of their second year in Seishun Academy. He was about to make a speech that day in the hall. It was the day of elections for suitable candidates who wished to be nominated for a place in the school's student council. She arrived at the hall just in time for his turn to speak. Unlike others who took ages to deliver their speeches, in the hope of convincing other students to vote for them, he took a bare minimum of less than five minutes to say two sentences.

"I will be a pillar of support for Seigaku. And I will give my all to bring this school to greater heights."

It was nothing spectacular; in fact, for those who didn't know him, it sounded like he was being arrogant and overconfident in his own abilities. The reason why she ended up voting for him was not because of his good looks and the unusual charisma he had (70% of the girls voted for him because of those reasons). Rather, she voted for him because of the look in his eyes. It was a look of determination. The passion in his eyes was what struck her. On the outlook, he appeared to be distant, and a little stiff in his behavior. But when he allowed his gaze to roam around the hall, she happened to catch a glimpse of the emotions in his eyes. It was that strength she saw in those brown eyes of his that made her believe him and his promises.

--

Now, as they approach the end of their third and final year in the school, she finally builds up enough courage to approach him and to talk to him. Sure, the past two years of being schoolmates and later classmates with him have given her many opportunities to talk to him and to work with him. But this time around, it will be different. Earlier in the year, she made up her mind to tell him of the respect she has for him. It is already their last year, and if she does not take the chance now, he will probably never know what she feels for him.

So as she makes her way towards the tennis courts where she knows she will find him, she reminds herself not to expect too much from the meeting with him. She knows that there is a high possibility that he may not have much to say in return to her words, and that she might even end up stumbling over her words and all, but for now, all that remains in her mind is the want to just talk to him.

--

The scene that awaits her at the tennis courts is one that she would never have expected.

--

He is just standing there with a schoolmate of theirs, with a girl called Nakajima Ayumu.

--

'I am not angry, nor jealous.' As she struggles to pin down the feelings in her heart, she realizes the feeling is that of disappointment. For the past two years, she has held on to the belief that he is just the kind of person that does not smile much and does not talk much. And she is okay with it, or rather; she was fine with it, until now. As she sees how comfortable he is in Nakajima-chan's presence, she feels her chest tightening in pain. Perhaps, if there is a sense of envy in her, it is this wish that she can make him smile that soft, gentle smile that he has on his face now. Nakajima-chan seems to be able to do it so effortlessly, like she does not even need to put in extra effort to bring out such a rare side to him, albeit for such a short while.

She feels this pain and disappointment precisely because for the past two years, no matter what she did or said, nothing was able to incite any effect that was even close to what he is displaying on his face now. It is as if the simple reason why he is able to smile so easily and so comfortably is just because she is by his side. It is as if all Nakajima-chan needs to do is just be her own self.

--

She closes her eyes, hoping that by shutting them, she can also block out the overflow of emotions in her heart- feelings that threaten to burst out. 'Why am I hurting this much? I should be happy for them…'

She opens her eyes just in time to see him holding Nakajima-chan gently by the arm and talking to her like he would with people like Oishi-san and Fuji-san. There is this trust in his eyes and this small sense of protectiveness in his actions that she has never seen in him.

As she stands there, she feels a strange sense of detachment. It feels as if she isn't really standing there, that she isn't really witnessing the scene before her, and that somehow, she feels as though she is really a million miles away. She fails to notice how cold it is beginning to get, she is oblivious to the sound of people walking past her, wondering why she is just standing there looking into the distance.

No, they are unable to see what she sees. They are unable to feel what she feels. They do not know what she knows so clearly above all else. Even if it is a truth she fights hard not to believe in, she knows it is real no matter how hard she struggles against it. She is not sure if they are already in a relationship, or rather, she questions if he is even aware of it himself, but the truth is plain as day.

Tezuka Kunimitsu likes that girl.

She wouldn't call it love, no, not yet. But there is no denying the sense of affection Tezuka-san has for Nakajima-chan.

--

She has never known the depth of her feelings for him until now. She has always thought it was just a deep admiration for her peer; her classmate. Perhaps, the feelings might have been a little of affection for him. But no, she never realized the feelings could be a real liking for him. 'Can you lose something you have never had? Can you love someone you do not know?'

As these thoughts burn in her mind, she takes one last look at the couple ahead of her, and with the same determination she has always seen in those eyes of his, she turns around and walks away from them.

--

She wipes the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, hoping that the strange tightness in her chest will just go away. As one last image of his smile resurfaces in her mind, she knows deep down in her heart that they are both going to graduate from this school, and after that, they are both going to lead their own individual lives.

She knows in due time, this pain in her heart will fade into a dull ache, and with enough time, one day, all that will be left behind will be the memories of loss. She knows they will both be happy, and it is this belief that keeps her walking. It is this assurance that keeps her from breaking down in tears again. They will be happy. They must.

But for now, she will continue to smile that smile of hers. She will continue to smile at him, for she knows he does not need to know what she has been through.

The only regret she has is that she missed the chance to tell him, to tell him this simple sentence from her heart, "Thank you".

Thank you for being the pillar of strength that I needed in my life. Thank you for being the one I could always depend on. Thank you for the times where just a nod of your head was all that mattered. Tezuka-san, I just want to thank you for being you.

Tezuka Kunimitsu, I just want you to remember.


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