Title: Priorities~

Words: 728

Summary: [Slight Pillar Pair] "How did I add romance into my life so suddenly?!" Ryoma Echizen is a senior in high school. Sure enough, he's changed, and to him: it wasn't a good change.

Authoress: The Wonderful

Rating: K

[General/Humor/Romance]

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"It's been a while hasn't it?"

His words were like a lightning shock to the bones. I froze, caught 'off-guard' (Ironic, knowing that Tezuka always says "Yudan sezu ni ikou") for the billionth time of the day. Somehow, only he could manage to do that to me. "Y-yeah." A half-smile that turned out to be a smirk. I knew I wasn't doing so good to uphold my composure, if I had any. He gave me stoned look (it was actually a look of surprise, but no one could really tell because he was void of emotions) even though he was secretly laughing inside, damn it. I felt a lump rising in my throat and tugged my cap down― which then I realized I didn't have a cap. I completely forgot that we weren't allowed to have hats anywhere around campus now. Not even in tennis courts (and I thought that was absurd). Without my Fila cap to hide in, I looked the other direction; hopefully he won't think that I'm shy or anything, like Ryuzaki. Hell, why am I talking to myself so much? I hope Ibu's habits haven't rubbed off me, oh well, better then being Horio…

It is mid-Fall in Seishun High School, my senior year. I still remember when I was twelve and was so…simpleminded is the word? All I cared about back then was Karupin and tennis. How did I add romance into my life so suddenly?! Why do I suddenly feel so warm when I'm around him? I blame puberty. Entirely.

"Are you practicing lately?"

I nearly slapped myself internally, of course he would mention that, he's still tennis-obsessed, but then again, I'm just like him.

"Yeah." Now I'm back to using one word sentences. Smooth.

"I thought you weren't coming."

I noticed that he's been quite talkative, but it was statement that caught me. I was in America for most of my High School life after I graduated from my 7th grade year. After about 5 years Kikumaru-sempai finally decided to do a reunion in Japan and called my cell-phone 57 times while I was at a tennis tournament. Surprisingly, the bouncy acrobatics player persuaded my parents to visit back to Japan, and since I was staying there for a few months (again Kikumaru-sempai at fault) I enrolled into the Seishun High School. The only people I knew there was Ryuzaki, Osakada, and Horio, and no one I knew from the tennis club was there. All of them were in college.

It's after school, and then there's no school for us for a while. Momo-sempai found a hotel that all the old Seigaku tennis team Regulars could stay ("It's like a super-cool sleepover!" were his words). I said a quick "mada mada dane", and some people doesn't understood that it meant "No, you idiot, I'm not going to some childish party with college students". Forced to come by Inui-sempai and his revised Death drinks, I stand here to wait for the rest of the Regulars in front of a café with Tezuka-sempai, still trying to come up with an excuse. A savior went by, but it wasn't the one I had hoped for.

"Ah, Tezuka, Echizen." That damned voice. This is one of the reasons I didn't want to go.

"Fuji," Tezuka nodded.

"You gotten taller," Fuji's deep blue eyes widened with slight shock, he isn't lying. I was as tall as Tezuka, and Tezuka looked the same as he was 5 years ago; Fuji, I noted, looked a little bit different, his feathery honey-brown hair framed his face perfectly and was somewhat longer; his perfect face was less feminine and he was almost tall as I am.

Silence was the response from me, at least that didn't change.

"FUJIKO-NYA~~!" I was glad that wasn't me that was being hugged from behind.

Fuji staggered and smiled again. "Ah, Eiji, it's been a long time hasn't it?"

"Yeah! It's sad you went to France for photography projects, it was so lonely!"

I could see a small grin tug on his lips. "But Eiji, you had Oishi for whole 5 years to yourself."

"H-hey! Are you teasing me-nya?! Oishi~! Fujiko's being really mean to me!" Another hug, Kikumaru had gotten rid of his trademark band-aid but still looked the same otherwise. Oishi was no different either, but the mystery of his hairstyle still remains…

10/23/08

See that date? Yep, two months ago. I made Ryoma very OOC didn't I? Oh well, slight Pillar Pair to Twinny, whom I owe a lot too. I might finish this, but I have no intention to~ *very mean*