Disclaimer: I don't own it so there will be no talk of sueing. Got it?
A/N: After the Nationals, Ryoma left for America. Fast-forward two-years and Kachirou is captain, the tournament is drawing nearer, and it's his responsibility to hold up the legacy of Seigaku. With Ryoma back, Kachirou might just have what it takes.
1.
It was an odd experience. The whispered comments and awe-filled gazes. The deference given, even by his own classmates (most of which hadn't even known who Kachirou was back in first year).
For a boy such as Katou Kachirou who was more used to being one of the crowd, his elevation as the object of girlish giggles and bright blushes was more than a little unsettling.
"That's Seigaku's tennis buchou!"
Kachirou didn't have to turn around to know they were pointing at him. He did however have to resist the urge to squirm uncomfortably. That certainly wasn't conduct befitting a buchou.
Kachirou knew he didn't have the commanding presence of Tezuka-buchou or the easy comradice of Momo-chan-buchou. He'd always been a good-natured presence that had never strayed too far from the acceptable and easily-dismissible.
Even having the honor of being a regular in second-year hadn't exactly pushed him into the light (not when his double's partner was Arai-senpai). It was entirely too easy for Kachirou to fade both within his own club and in the minds of rival schools when such volatile presences like Momo-chan-buchou, Kaidou-fukobuchou, and Arai-senpai had all at one time or another been one step from decking the opposition both before and after matches.
And it was exactly for those reasons that Kachirou found himself floundering for the reason Momo-chan-buchou had thought Kachirou of all people would make an appropriate selection as Seigaku next tennis club captain.
"I know you'll have a lot of doubts—it comes with the territory, but you should always remember, Katou, no one cares as much about the tennis club as you do. Whatever decisions you make I know you'll make them for the good of the club."
Somehow it was easier to have faith in those words when Momo-chan-buchou stood on the other side of the court, the two boys saying their goodbyes in a farewell match. A lot easier to believe when he didn't have expected stares and star-filled eyes peeking at him from behind corners. A whole lot easier when he didn't have an afternoon meeting with Ryuzaki-sensei to decide exactly who would face who in the upcoming intramural matches.
"You wanted to see me Matsuo-sensei?"
The classroom had a few early students discreetly chatting as they waited for the beginning of class but no one Katou was particularly acquainted with. As luck would have it his best friend Mitzuno Katsuo was in another class (perhaps unluckyly with Horio).
"Yes, Katou. There's a transferring student assigned to this class, if you could be his guide till he settles?"
And despite knowing Kachirou really shouldn't accept any more duties that would just bring about his nervous breakdown all that much sooner, he still smiled and said, "Hai, of course."
"Thank you, Katou; I'll assign him the seat next to you."
"Sensei, what is his name?"
Matsou-sensei frowned as he rummaged through his desk, looking for the attendance roster. "Aa…here it is, Echizen. Echizen Ryoma."
Unsurprisingly Katou was helpless as he tried to settle his suddenly dry throat.
It wasn't unusual for the three freshmen to find themselves invited alongside the Regular members to a celebratory dinner. Considering the amount of time Kachirou, Katsuo, and Horio spent trailing them it would be odder had they not been invited alongside.
Despite the fact that two of the three freshmen wouldn't even be competing officially till third year all the freshmen were just as much incoherent messes as the rest of the Regulars.
They had won the Nationals.
Through impossible dream, formidable teams, and worrisome injuries, Seigaku had won the Nationals. Taken the Championship from invincible Rikkidai. It had been their year. Their time to step into the light and show everyone exactly what determination could accomplish.
No one watching would ever believe there would be another team quite as unique—or eccentric—as that one. And for six of the acknowledged nine Regulars it was also their last year in Middle School.
So they celebrated wildly and roaringly, manners forgotten in the face of such an impossible accomplishment. Kachirou knew no matter what repeat feat they might later accomplish, nothing would ever compare to that night.
"…who do you think will be the next buchou, nya?" Kachirou remembered Eiji-sempai asking Momo-chan-senpai, his own quiet presence allowing the two seniors to gossip unabashedly.
"Who do you think it's between?" The tall second-year asked slyly, no doubt aware only he and Kaidoh-senpai had ever made a showing as Regulars among the second years.
"You never know," the acrobatic player teased. "Buchou's always broken the rules for Ochibi."
Together both turned to stare at the first-year quietly stuffing his face, one with a look of glee of his face and his younger classmate sporting one of horror.
"Hn?" Echizen quirked an eyebrow at his strange senpais.
Kachirou knew if not for his age there would be no question whatsoever over who would succeed as buchou. Despite his anti-social tendencies, Echizen would in fact be their strongest player next year and definitely one of their more knowledgeable ones. If the young boy ever bothered to impart the numerous styles gleaned from a childhood seeped in tennis on the rest of the club, there was the potential to build another National-level team.
"Like I'd call him buchou!" Momo-chan-senpai protested.
Echizen just gave his two senpais an annoyed look before returning to his meal. Eiji-senpai just laughed at the looks of dismay Momo-chan-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai seemed to give their oblivious kouhai.
It wasn't till most of the club had already left with the exception of the Regulars and some unnoticed first years that Tezuka commanded their attention.
"We came a long way thanks to everyone's willingness to give their all both to the tennis club and to their teammates. And while for most of us official matches have ended for the next few months and most of our time will be dedicated to bringing up the skills of the second and first years I don't need to remind all of you not to get careless. Tonight is the culmination of all our handwork and the night many of the Regular members pass on their position to the next year, we leave our legacy in the hands of Momoshiro and Kaidoh and trust they will continue their hard work."
As Tezuka paused, Kachirou found his eyes drawn to the bowed head of Echizen. Tezuka-buchou didn't make mistakes, not when they involved the tennis club.
"Nya…what about Ochibi?"
Tezuka-buchou glanced silently to the young boy, seemingly all the response he was willing to give.
Eiji-senpai had never been one to be ignored. "Ochibi! Ochibi! What does buchou mean by that?"
"…Echizen?" Was the more hesitant question asked by Momo-chan-senpai. The first year raised his hand to tug at an absent cap before lowering it half-way.
The rest of the Regulars waited expectatively. After eyeing the exit and thinking over his chances on a quick escape (small to begin with—both Inui-senpai and Fuji-senpai had conveniently drifted over to block his exit), Echizen sighed. "…I'm returning to America."
Silence.
"…Nya?! Why?"
"They waited this long to let us finish the National Tournament."
"Not that! Why are you leaving?" Oishi asked anxiously.
Echizen scowled sullenly, forever the brat. "My family's…"
"What?" Momo-chan-senpai choked out.
"It doesn't matter." Echizen said with rising irritation.
"Of course it matters!" Momo-chan-senpai scolded.
Echizen gave the other boy a bored glance, making it clear what he thought over the whole subject.
"Saa…when can we expect your departure?" Fuji-senpai finally interjected, stepping in between the easily-riled Momo-chan-senpai and the subject of his vexation.
Echizen eyed Tezuka-buchou somewhat resentfully. "Two weeks."
"Two weeks?!"
"Will…will you be back?"
"Who knows." Echizen sighed before divulging something more. "My…aunt is ill."
The Regulars eyed each other. The end of their era had come from an unexpected source months earlier than predicted.
Echizen had been an unknown opponent, an unplanned ninth edition that should have fractured the eight member nucleus. Only he hadn't; rather he'd been the push to wake Inui and Kaidoh, the pillar that had held Seigaku in Tezuka's absence. And now he was leaving.
Echizen shifted uncomfortably. "Whatever. I'm going home. See you Monday."
"Uh…Wait! Echizen, I'll walk with you."
The younger boy gave his senpai an odd glance. "Don't you want to stay? This is a free meal…"
"Let's go, I'm full."
Echizen and everyone there gave Momo-chan-senpai an incredulous look. No one believed him but after a moment Echizen merely shrugged, "Whatever."
Awkwardly Kachirou remembered excusing himself along with Horio and Katsuo, all of them suddenly aware of the tense air present as the Regulars exchanged looks.
Most had already figured Echizen would never have actually divulged even that much information. It would have been typical for Echizen to have announced his departure the day he left, almost as an afterthought. Unfortunately for him Horio had been among the newly informed. Unsurprisingly it only took till the end of Monday for the rest of Seigaku's tennis club to be in the know.
It wasn't long after that that Echizen left to America, with only an occasional tidbit of news filtering from Momo-chan-buchou on down to the rest of the club the following year.
"Katou! If you could complete the problem on the board?"
Kachirou flushed lightly, refusing the urge to duck his head. He wasn't one to usually day-dream. Soft snickers followed him and he had the very real suspicion it wasn't the first time the teacher had called him.
Nervously he eyed Echizen, half-relieved and half-annoyed to find the other boy's glazed eyes starring out the window. That was the moment he remembered one other thing about Echizen Ryoma besides his tennis skill and ability to taunt most everyone he met—Echizen Ryoma was annoyingly perfect. And he very much doubted he as a third-year could have measured up against the specter of freshman Echizen much less a newly-returned third-year.
TBC...