Hi there! This is my first fic, so constructive critizism are welcomed
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. It belongs to Takeshi Konomi.
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It all started as a usual day for Ryoma. Yet again had his alarmclock failed to wake him up, and he was – yet again – late for morning practice.
'I wonder how many laps I'll have to run today' he thought while running towards the school 'It'll depend on his mood, definitely on his mood... Let's see... 20 if his normal, 50 if someone is starting to piss him off or a 100 if something's really ticking him off'
Ryoma finally reached his school and tried to sneak into the courts when;
"ECHIZEN!!!"
Let's just say it didn't work.
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When morning practice was over, Ryoma and the rest of the regulars headed towards the club house to change to their uniforms.
"Aaahh... Practice today was really hard, right Echizen" said Momoshiro while he pulled off his regular's jacket.
Ryoma turned his back against him and pretended he didn't hear what Momoshiro had said.
"Keh... Stupid brat" Momoshiro turned his back to the first year and continued to undress.
"Ohh, is Ochibi and Momo having a fight?" Ryoma heard as someone slung an arm around him and squeezed him tightly.
"Eiji-senpai, please don't cling on me when I'm changing"
"What's wrong? Oh... Don't tell me... You're shy ochibi?" Eiji released Ryoma and laughed.
"I-I'm not shy senpai I- "
"Mah, Echizen. I would never have thought of you as shy" Fuji smiled, but his smile was a little wider, making a shiver run down Ryomas back.
"Let's see..." Inui had dragged his notebook out from nowhere and were now writing in a nearly impossible speed. "Echizen has a weak spot for being touched while changing. Is it maybe because Eiji's a boy? Is it possible that Ryoma have something against other men doing so…" Inui let the question drag out while he continued to write in his notebook, failing to sense the change in the club house.
But Ryoma noticed it. There was an awkward silence and when he turned to look at his teammates he was met with cold stares.
"O-oi!! Don't believe him just like that" Ryoma almost shouted frantically. "I have absolutely nothing against homosexuals, I actually.." he quickly side glanced towards Momoshiro's direction before he fell silent and turned his back against the rest of the team to continue changing.
The silence was suddenly broken with a loud banging on the door.
"Ryuuzaki here. I have an important message for you, so I'm coming in".
Ryuuzaki opened the door and looked at the regulars.
"Everyone here? Good" She looked nervous for some reason. Something that disturbed the regulars a bit, seeing as Ryuuzaki was seldom nervous.
"What is the important message, coach?" Tezuka asked, breaking the silence.
"Well.. I guess I should just say it as it is. You see.. I got a request a few months ago from the Drama Club president. She wanted to use the Tennis Club regulars in a play they were putting up. I, of course, said no, but now I've gotten the same request again, and this time I really can't say no".
The regulars looked dumb founded at their coach.
Finally Momoshiro woke up from his own thoughts "They want us? Why?"
Ryuuzaki laughed a false laugh. "It seems as that the Drama Club president is a big fan of you regulars".
"But, you've already said no. Why did you have to accept this time?" Fuji asked curiously.
Again Ryuuzaki laughed that false laughter making the regulars sweat drop.
"Let's just say that stuff happened and we now owe the Drama Club a big favour"
"A play nya? That sounds fun nya, ne Oishi?" Eiji smiled a big smile while he jumped up and down.
Oishi merely nodded. He didn't seem too happy about this idea. Nor did Momoshiro.
"This is ridiculous Coach. I'm NOT going to be in a stupid play".
"Calm down Momo" Kawamura gently put an arm on Momoshiros shoulder to calm him down.
"The Drama Club president probably knows about us not being good actors. He has probably given us all small roles".
"It's not like you have any choice anyway" Ryuuzaki kindly informed them "I have already agreed. You're to meet up with Shima-san after school today"
"That's an unusual name" Fuji muttered to himself.
"But what about tennis practice?" Tezuka asked.
"There will unfortunately be no time for tennis practice. The play is going to be showed in a month from now, and you will have to use all your time on the play".
"WHAT???" the regulars cried out in unison.
"No practice for a month?"
"Coach that's way too much..."
"We're tennis players, not actors..."
BANG
The sound of the door slamming shut startled everyone.
"Remember to meet up in the Drama Clubroom after school" Ryuuzaki shouted from outside of the clubhouse.
The regulars were left in the clubroom absorbing everything that had just happened, no one saying a word.
Finally Ryoma broke the silence. "Did she just slam the door?"
Ryoma slowly opened the door to the Drama room. He was late since he had never been in the Drama clubroom before.
He quickly noticed the other regulars staring at him.
"Fssshh.. We have been waiting for you" Kaidoh seemed to be in an even fouler mood than usual.
Ryoma didn't answer, but sat down in the chair beside Inui.
The door opened with a loud bang, making Ryoma jump in the chair. He turned to see who had entered and saw a girl standing there.
She was a little higher than Ryoma and had long blue hair that reached her to her elbows.
She quickly went to the other side of the room and sat down behind the desk.
"Good of you to come"
Like we had a choice
"I am Ayane Shima, the president of the Drama Club. It was me who wanted to have you to play in the club's new play".
"Oh… It's a girl" Ryoma heard Kawamura mutter embarrassed.
Fuji raised his hand as if he was were asking permission to speak from a teacher.
"Yes, Fuji-san?"
"I was just wondering what play we were going to perform?"
"Oh, yes. I'll tell you right away". She stood up and went to some drawers that were on the side of the room. She looked around a little bit before she took out a piece of paper.
"We had a vote to see what plays we were going to perform, and it was decided that we are going to play Romeo & Juliet. Now, I believe that everyone here has heard about this play..." She waited a few seconds to see if anyone was going to object, but continued when no one did.
Ryoma didn't like the idea of playing in Romeo & Juliet. He had never understood the meaning of it. And he didn't like tragedies. He never understood why people liked them so much.
'It's like they WANT to feel miserable'.
"We have also given you roles" Ayane continued.
"If you don't have any objections, I will tell you them now".
Ryoma wanted to go home, but also felt a little curious about which role he was going to have.
"OK, we'll start from the bottom then…Tezuka-san"
Tezuka didn't show any signs of excitement. Not that he ever did.
"You'll play the Prince of Verona"
Ryoma smiled a little. A very fitting role.
"Inui. You're going to play Father Lorenzo"
Some muttering and a little laughter were heard from the other regulars.
"Kikumaru-san. You'll be Mercutio"
Eiji smiled a bright smile and hugged Oishi.
"Oishi-san. You'll be the nurse"
This time Ryoma had difficulties trying to restrain his laughter. It was just TOO funny.
He looked over at Oishi. He didn't seem so very happy about his role, but kept quiet.
It wasn't only Ryoma who had reacted to Oishi's role. Nearly the whole team was in tears or were trying really hard to control their laughter. Even Tezuka's face looked strained.
"I'm sure you'll be fine with the role in no time Oishi-san" Ayane tried to reassure him.
"Then I'll announce the rest of the roles… Kawamura-san, you'll play Mr. Capulet."
Kawamura put a hand behind his head. "I'll do my best Shima-san"
Ayane gave him a big smile before returning her gaze to the paper.
"Fuji-san, you'll be Mrs. Capulet"
Fuji blushed?
Ryoma blinked. He didn't just see that, did he?
"Kaidoh-san, you'll be Paris"
"Fssshh…"
"And lastly Momoshiro-san, you'll play Romeo".
Utter silence.
"WHAT?" Momoshiro nearly screamed. "I'M gonna play Romeo?"
"Yes, I- ehm I mean us in the Drama Club thought that you would be perfect for the role as Romeo.
"… Why?" was the only thing Momoshiro could get himself to say.
"Well... You look present"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It's a theatre saying. It would be stupid to explain it, because then it would loose its meaning."
Momoshiro didn't even bother to think about it. He DID NOT want to play stupid Romeo.
Ryoma tried his best not to fall on the floor. It would ruin his reputation.
'I wonder who's gonna play Juliet'
Romeo had to kiss Juliet right?
This reminded him…
"Senpai, which role am I going to play?"
The group quieted down when he spoke, all curious about the freshman's role.
"Oh yeah. Sorry Echizen-kun, I forgot. Let's see... You'll play the role as...
She fell silent.
"What? Which role do I have?"
Ayane blushed furiously. "Now, Echizen-kun, this was not my idea..."
Ryoma got a foul taste in his mouth.
"Just give him the goddamn role" Momoshiro said, still in a bad mood.
"Fine... Well, you'll play the role as Juliet".
Ryoma blinked. "Say that again".
"You're going to play Juliet"
"Oh..." Ryoma wasn't really sure about how he was going to react.
He looked at Inui, who was biting his lip. Ryoma turned and looked at Eiji, Taka and Oishi noticing that all three of them were looking everywhere except at him or at each other.
Ryoma then looked at Kaidoh, who tried to hold his face unaffected, Momoshiro who definitely looked like he REALLY needed to go to the toilet ASAP and finally he looked at Fuji and Tezuka. Who looked right back at him.
Silence…
Then...
"Hehe...Hehehe... Hehehehe...HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!" Momoshiro broke the silence.
"Goddamnit Ryoma, you got an even worse role than me" he managed to say in between laughing.
Momoshiro's laughter triggered over to the other team members and soon after everyone was laughing in one way or another. Some high, like in Momoshiro and Eiji's case, and some more cautiously, like Fuji and Tezuka. Yes, Tezuka WAS indeed laughing.
Ryoma blushed and dragged his cap down to hide his face, when it suddenly hit him.
"Ayane-senpai"
"Yes?"
"Aren't Romeo and Juliet supposed to kiss?"
Suddenly Momoshiro wasn't laughing so much.
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Eirin: So what do you think? Good? Bad?
If you got some ideas on what's going to happen later, I'll love to read them. A writer always need something to sparkle her/his imagination. And I'm pretty lost now... hehe!!! Anyways, I'll upload the next chapter soon, since it's already done.
Ehh.. Some info. Ryoma calls Ayane by her first name. They're not close, it just ended up that way...
