Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis doesn't belong to me. But the plot is mine (as always).
A/N: This story took place before Kirihara Akaya became a regular in the Rikkai Tennis Club.
Every child once believed that Santa Claus is true. That someone will give you the thing that your heart really wished for. However, once that child mature, he will realize that Santa is not true, that his parents were the ones who really bought the gifts and they just leave it under the Christmas tree for you to think that the fat man in red suit was the one who gave the present. But let's just say that Kirihara Akaya never really matures.
"Hey, Akaya, what do you want to receive this Christmas?" one of Akaya's classmates asked.
"I want to receive the title of being the best tennis player in Japan!" Akaya declared.
"Huh?"
"You see, I enrolled here in Rikkai to be the best in the best school in Japan. I tried to, but along my journey to be the best, the three bakemonos of Rikkai crushed my dreams!" Akaya said while he clenched his fists, and with a hint of depression in his eyes.
"That's why to become the best is what I wished to Santa this year!" Kirihara said, actually almost shouted, while he threw his fists on the air, his eyes filled with happiness and hope. If you wanted to know how he recovered that quickly, I do not know. Mood swings, maybe?
His classmate just sweat dropped on that.
"So you still believe in Santa Claus?" teased his classmate.
Akaya lowered his fists and glared daggers at his classmate.
"You got a problem with that?"
'Wow, this guy has a major mood swing problem,' he thought. "No Akaya, I don't have a problem with that. A lot of thirteen year olds still believe in Santa anyways," Akaya's classmate just rolled his eyes. Sarcasm was really intended on that statement. Akaya is just so stupid to notice that.
"Anyways, why don't you just wished for material things, like a PSP or a laptop?" he asked again.
"If I would ask Santa to give me a gift, of course I would ask for the thing that I really want," Kirihara answered.
"But don't you think it's too much? Being the best takes a lot of time and effort, you know," his classmate reasoned out.
"Well, if I'm correct, it's still three weeks before Christmas, right? Therefore, Santa still has three weeks to prepare my gift. I think that's more than enough."
'He just doesn't get it, does he? He is hopeless' Akaya's classmate thought.
"Well, have a great Christmas and winter vacation" his classmate told him as he packed his things and prepared to go home. "Oh, and good luck with Santa Claus."
"Goodbye!" Akaya waved happily to his friend.
Akaya's excitement grew and grew as Christmas drew near. He kept on wondering on what he will do when he finally received his gift. Akaya really is an idiot.
I guess a little explaining would really help. Akaya believes that Santa Claus is real because, just like what other parents do, Akaya's parents buys the gift that he wanted and they places it under the Christmas tree for Akaya to believe that Santa gave that present.
After a few weeks Christmas time arrive.
But that Christmas is not like any other Christmas. Mr. and Mrs. Kirihara thought that their son is old enough to know that Santa Claus is not the one that gave him the presents that he received these past Christmases. When midnight arrived, they woke Akaya up and brought him to their living room where their chimney and Christmas tree were in order to show Akaya that the fat man in red suit is not true, that no one will park his sleigh on their roof, that no one will come to their house through the chimney and leave their child's present under the Christmas tree.
"Mom, dad, why did you woke me up? Don't you know that Santa won't give me any presents if I'm still awake? Oh, wait, did you forget to prepare the milk and cookies?" Kirihara asked his parents.
"Hey Akaya, before we tell you everything, here is your gift from us," his dad said while handing the present to him.
'Wow! This is the first time that I received a present from mom and dad during Christmas!' Kirihara thought. Wow, his parents really tricked him.
Akaya was so amazed that he didn't care to listen to what his mom and dad were saying.
"Do you understand Akaya?" Mrs. Kirihara asked her dear son.
"Yeah mom, I understand." Kirihara answered even though he didn't know what his parents actually told him. 'Its probably not important anyway.' He thought.
"Okay then, now go to your bed," his father ordered. 'He didn't even show a single reaction. Maybe he knew already. Hah, we troubled ourselves for nothing' Mr. Kirihara thought.
The next day, Akaya hurried to their living room to see if Santa left his present there. He was expecting some letter or some other thing saying that he is the best. But when he got there, he saw nothing. No gifts under the Christmas tree for him. Kirihara began to question himself.
'Why? Haven't I been a good boy? Or is it because Santa has some sort of detector to uh, detect if a child is still awake, then maybe Santa decided to move on to the next house because I'm awake till midnight! Oh no!' Kirihara thought. And just like what I said , uh typed (posted?) a while ago, Kirihara really is an idiot.
Days passed by very quickly, and without Akaya noticing, schooldays finally came.
"So, how's your vacation, Kirihara-kun? Did Santa grant your wish?" Akaya's (annoying) classmate asked.
"Don't bug me, okay? So what if Santa didn't give me what I wished for?" Akaya answered his classmate, obviously annoyed.
'He's hopeless' Akaya's classmate thought.
Days passed and still no gift from Santa Claus came. Not even a card that says 'You are great!', 'I'm your biggest fan' , 'Come visit me here in the North Pole sometimes' not even a one saying 'You're hopeless' Akaya began to think that Santa Claus is not true (finally!).
"If I want to be the best, then I have to do it myself. No one can help me. Only I can help myself' Akaya thought.
Kirihara trained and trained so that he can be the best. He didn't stop. Nobody can stop him. He kept on challenging his senpais, but of course, he still can't beat the tree bakemonos of Rikkai.
Then on the day when the ranking tournaments began, he saw something laying on the floor. When he picked it up, he saw a postcard with the picture of Santa riding on his sleigh printed on it. Then at the bottom of the card, there's a message. It read 'Do your best.'
'Huh? This is a Christmas card, right? Then why the heck does this Christmas card has a 'Do you best' message written on it?' Kirihara thought. 'Is this Santa's gift for me?'
Akaya went to where the names of the players and which court they will use are written.
'Court D, huh? Too bad, the three bakemonos belong to the other courts. I still don't have a chance to be the best, eh? No matter what, I will do my best.'
Kirihara went to court D. He defeated every opponent that came on his way. He became a regular. After giving the paper that says what is the size of his jersey will be, he went to their classroom again.
"Hey Akaya! Wait up!" Akaya's classmate shouted. "I heard that you finally became a regular! Congratulations!"
"Thanks a lot. But being a regular is not exactly what I've wished for. But still, I'll consider it as a stepping stone towards my dream. Hey, do you know where I can send my Thank You letter to Santa?" Akaya asked his classmate.
"I'm sorry but I don't know where" Akaya's classmate replied. 'He's hopeless'
A/N: Hey there! Thanks for reading this fic. I really appreciate Constructive Criticisms! Please leave some!