Buchou, I'm leaving. Thank you everyone, goodbye.

"Eiji-senpai, do you think Ochibi-chan is really coming back?"

"Hoi! Of course he will! Don't you think so?"

"Iie."

Eiji looked at Momo, who had a bitter smile on his face. "Why do you say so, Momo?"

"Because, Eiji-senpai, after the US Open… who would want to come back to this dump," Momo said, walking towards the courts.

Oishi put his hand on Tezuka's shoulder. "Tezuka. What are we going to do now?"

"First, we warm up with a few laps before we go onto stretching and fitness exercises. I expect-"

"Iie, Tezuka. That's not what I meant."

"I know. The next round is next week - I expect Hyoutei to be less kind this time around. Our main focus is to get the synchronization in the second doubles. We'll pick the team early for this one match. The line-up will be crucial. We will be ready."

"It's going to be a brutal round with Rikkai's Yukimura recovering. I also heard that Sanada has been training with special programs that Yukimura has made for him and Akaya. Although he's been through surgery, he seems to have progressed drastically since the last time. Tezuka… your opponents are stronger."

"Tezuka is stronger too, Inui. Don't you know?"

They turned to Fuji who was looking at Inui with open eyes.

"H-hai. That's not what I meant, I-"

"That will be enough, Inui. Thank you for your information. Now, everyone go ahead with the warm up and come back here to receive your personalized programs."

"Hai!"

As they began to run, Eiji caught up to Oishi. "Oishi… why is Tezuka being nice?"

"Hu'… Tezuka is always nice, Eiji."

"Iie! And you know it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Oishi replied and sped up.

"Oooiiishiiiiiiiii!" Eiji exclaimed, running faster to catch up with Oishi.

"Nanda iyo, Fuji?" Eiji said after warm up as they were approaching the captain once more for their instructions.

"Iie."

"You seem distant."

"Demo, isn't it Tezuka who seems to be the distant one among us?"

"Tezuka is always distant."

"True but never distracted."

Eiji blinked then turned to their buchou, who was looking somewhere beyond the courts.

"I think buchou misses Ochibi already."

"Buchou no baka."

Fuji ran faster.

"Ja, Eiji."

"Fuji...?"

Ryoma Echizen sat down at the window seat and immediately looked out. As the plane started moving, the pang in his heart returned full-fledge. "…Buchou."

The sun reflected on the plane's wing as it took off and out of Japan's air…