AN: I don't own Prince of Tennis, Hyundai Motors, Maserati, or McClaren and/or any company I may mention in the following story.
BTW: IS there anyway to upload multiple chappy's at a time? I hope so...
Friday nights in Tokyo are always hopping; the city is alive and traffic is at a standstill.
"Man, we should've really taken the subway," says An Momoshiro as she looks over at her travelling companions.
"Yeah, but then we wouldn't have been able to drive your new Maserati around town," Sakuno laughs at An and smiles at Tomoka.
"True, your car is definitely better than mine or Sakuno's. Since you are pro now, I guess you can afford any car you want. I almost envy you, except when it comes to the payments."
"Well, Takeshi-kun won't let me near the McClaren he bought last year, so I had to settle on this baby. Plus, I have to take my clients out in style, don't I? I had to win a few tournaments to afford this baby. She drives like a dream." An just laughs and swings into the parking lot of a fancy Japanese restaurant. Running past the photographers, they race to the entrance.
After she sits down, Sakuno pulls out her notepad and pen and gets ready to ask a few questions for "Monthly Pro Tennis". Since she is a reporter for the magazine, she is still able to keep up with the tennis world and some of her friends she's made along the way.
"Sakuno-chan, Sakuno-chan, this is no time to be working. Here, eat a little, enjoy some wine, and then we will get down to business," Tomoka chides as she orders some appetizers for the table.
"Besides, Sakuno-chan, I want to hear what's been happening in your guys' world; you know all about mine, so fess up." An sees her friend blushing.
There hasn't been much of a change in her shyness since highschool. Through college, they roomed together at Tokyo University, and then Sakuno got offered an internship at "Monthly Pro Tennis". An, at this time, decided to go pro at the behest of her husband and Tomoka had entered the world of advertising. Thus, they were all here and just having girl talk like they used to back in the day.
"Ano..um..well, I am still single, of course. I just came back from America where I did an interview with Kevin Smith-san. He just married Karla, that blonde model from "Sports Today Swimwear". The interview went well and he is still irked that he's number two in the world. Karla is pregnant and he plans to retire once his child gets old enough to hold a racquet."
"OH really? Who's number one then if he is number tow?" asks Tomoka as she sips her sake.
"You're looking at him." An just smirks and points through the window to a billboard across the street.
"Ryoma-kun..." Sakuno sighs to herself. Some memories should be left in the past she thinks to herself.
"RYOMA-SAMA! Oops, sorry, bad habit. Wow, he's really number one?"
Deciding this is still a sore spot for one of her friends, An decides to change the subject. Watching her friend just stare at the ad tore An to pieces. She sees the heart break and the 'what-if's" crossing her friends features and mentally notes not to bring him up again.
"So anyway, Sakuno-chan, I heard you got yourself a pretty good set up since you are hired on as a full time writer." An and Tomoka exchange glances.
"Um, yeah, actually. I actually have a desk with a window view. Of course covering local tennis and the occasional pro-circuit, I am never really in my new office. Access to the junior and highschools tennis circuit is real easy since I know several of the coaches. The pro-circuit is harder to cover. You always need a pass for this and a pass for that, and the players are much more arrogant. But, I love it all the same. My new apartment is great, you all will have to help me decorate. That is, of course, after you win the French Open, An-chan."
"Well, here's to the French Open. May you succeed and hopefully go for the Grand Slam title." Tomoka toasts as she fills each one's glass.
"Cheers." All three women clank glasses and drink.
"So, Tomo-chan, when are you and Dan-kun going to tie the knot? Since you did such a great job on the Hyundai ads, and got the promotion, I figure it can't be too much longer." Sakuno asks as An spits wine through her nose.
"Dan Taichi-san? I didn't know you were an item. Wasn't he the kid from Yamabuki who used to say 'desu' after every sentence?"
"The very same, although the 'desu' is kept to a minimum now." Tomoka flips her hair over her shoulder and winks.
"Gee, I always thought you'd end up with Horio-san. They way you two used to bicker on the courts was just funny." An remembers the heated arguments followed by several warnings from the referee.
"Well, we did date, but realized that we were better off friends. Too much adrenaline between the two of us. So we are friends and he is dating a wonderful young lady. But Dan and I were pure accident," Tomoka sighs.
"I love this story. You have to tell her, Tomo-chan."
An takes another sip and arches her eyebrow.
"Well, I had just gotten off work from my internship with the local talent agency when I stopped by a local cafe for a cup of tea. I sat outside and the wind picked up and scattered my papers and files. As I was picking up the last one, I stood and turned and smacked straight into a guy. It was embarrassing. He helped me back on my feet and asked if I was OK. He then apologized and used "desu" and I thought to myself, "he sounds so familiar." When I looked up at him to get a view of his face, I heard a bunch of giggling behind me. I looked and recognized the Yamabuki uniforms and saw eight teenage boys.
"I am so sorry," I said to him and he just smiled at me. I recognized him immediately. He still had the mop of black hair and green headband, but it had been a coouple of years since I'd seen him. He grew a couple of feet it seemed and his voice had deepened considerably. I melted on the spot. Stupid I know, but something in that smile of his captured my attention.
"Taichi-san, it has been a long time," I said. He just looked at me and then it clicked
"Osakada Tomoka, right? From Seigaku,desu? Wow, I haven't seen you since highschool. That was like four years ago, almost five."
"Yes. Glad you remembered. That would've been awkaward, ne?" He just laughed and the tension broke. I asked what he was up to now and he said after college, he was offered a coaching job for the boys tennis team after a couple of his friends recommended him. So he took it. Of course, he played tennis recreationally through college, so he was glad to take the job, even though he was going to be an environmentalist. He then introduced me to his team and they reminded me so much of our own sempai-tachi that I had to laugh. He said they were in the area shopping for sports equipment as a team outing, and that he wasn't watching where he was going when he bumped into me. Since Sunday afternoons are "Sunday School Tennis" sessions at Kachiro's, I gave him my number to call so he could hang out with the freshman gang. The rest is history."
"That is so sweet. To be twenty-three and in love...ahh...those were the days," Sighs An.
"That was last year for you, silly. You and Momo-chan-sempai have been married what? Three years?" Sakuno laughed at her friend.
"Yep and it's been the best three years of my life." All the girls giggled and it was An that asked the question.
"What is Sunday School Tennis?"
"OH, well, the local networks randomly record matches between schools and air them every Sunday for folks to watch. It's a great idea to promote school athletics. Plus, you never know what you will see. Last week it was Hyoutei High against Rokkaku Chu High, and the week before it was Fundomine Jr. vs. Rikkaidai. The show runs about five hours and they highlight the weeks top plays. It's kinda like the American ESPN, except its local only. But we all get together and watch our old teams beat each other and we have a cookout. HEY! I KNOW! Since you are in town, why don't you come by. I am sure they boys would love to see you and Momo-chan-sempai. It would be great."
"Yeah, it will be like a send off party for you to the French Open." Sakuno clapped her hands together in exitement and it was set.
"Sure, let me check my calendar and we will be over after I visit with family. Since Takeshi and I jetset all over the world, we like to spend some time at home. I think this will be great for him as well to see his old pals again. I may even do a little matchmaking while I am in town. Watch out Sakuno-chan, I have a few friends here and there."
"Yeah, who knows? I heard her brother Kippei-san is still single as well as Katsuo-kun. OOH, there is also Kaidoh-sempai and Aoi-san. Gee, there is all kinds of guys we know that you would look cute with. We might get you fixed up yet. An-chan, we have a mission." Tomoka and An are high- fiving and Sakuno blushes and protests to the roots of her hair.
"Hey, wait, not fair. I am only here for the interview..." Her cries fall on deaf ears as her two friends start to plot.
She looks out the window and sighs as she stares at the billboard. Familiar olive eyes, a Fila cap and that arrogant stance, though well earned after 2 consecutive grand slam titles, look back at her. Granted, she hasn't seen him in years except for the occasional tournament, but she has put him behind her, or so she thinks.
After highschool, he joined the pro circuit and never looked back. His primary sponsor was "I. J. S." He was being paid a bundle to be the poster boy for "Inui Juice Systems, Inc." where thier slogan was "The Drink of Champions, everything else was mada mada dane." In a way, she felt mada made dane and the old feelings she had locked away, suddenly unlocked themselves.
"Sakuno-chan, you don't look so good. Maybe we should do the interview Sunday when we are all together again." An looks at her friend with concern.
"Yeah, that's fine, I guess all the wine and sake got to me. I am such a lightweight." The other two girls at the table aren't convinced and they just let the topic drop.
They all pile into the new car and head home to their various residences. As they pass the billboard, Sakuno gives herself a mental kick for being an idiot. He is out of her life and she is out of his; she has been for years.