Believe

Disclaimer: I don't own Yukimura Seiichi or anything to do with the Prince of Tennis. I officially own this little one-shot and my OC.

Author's Note: This is a challenge fic for the OC contest in the forum, "The Fireplace." Any constructive criticism is loved.

"It's hard, don't you think so?" Blue eyes stared into purple ones. The wind blowing made the room colder than it was. The hospital room that they were in looked gloomier than it usually does. The two people felt the atmosphere changing every time the visitor visited the patient. The room always having different moods.

"Of course it's hard, but I want to do this," the owner of the purple eyes gave the visitor, a female, a smile filled with determination. "No, I know I need this! The surgery is the only way that will allow me to play tennis. Without it, I don't know what I would do!"

The girl gave the boy a sad smile, knowing that he spoke nothing but the truth. She reached out a hand and placed it on his pale cheek. The boy leaned into her hand with his eyes closed. It was not often that the boy was able to relax. Knowing that he was unable to play the sport that he cherished broke his heart. Even if he still had his friends all around him, he wanted nothing more then to be in the tennis court again, swinging his racket and hitting the tennis balls. He was willing to sacrifice his life to play again, without being able to play the most passionate thing he cherishes; living the remaining time in the hospital because of his disease would be the hardest thing that he would ever have to do. The surgery has a low percentage of coming out of it alive, but he was willing to take the risk.

"Seiichi-san," she gave the boy another sad smile, not being able to stand watching him looking so down. "We're all here for you, and we respect your decision to do the surgery. Don't worry, Rikkaidai will go to the Nationals again and I know that you'll be there with us and you'll play. That you will." She lowered her hand and looked away slightly to look at the outside, becoming aware of the tension that was building between the two of them at the mention of tennis.

"Heh, you can still tell when I'm worried about the team," Yukimura tried to lighten the atmosphere with a joke the two shared since they were young. He gave the girl a smile that he reserved for her and her alone. One that she often tells him that makes him look like an angel sent to protect her. However, they both know that he is a monster when he enters the tennis courts. He is one of Rikkaidai's three monsters after all, with Sanada and Yanagi with him. "You never really change, Harumi-san. We're childhood friends and all, but you still act like you need to be perfectly obedient, as if I'm just the boy's tennis captain and not your friend," Yukimura teased her, knowing that his planned worked when a her eyes lit up with apparent joy in them.

"I called you Seiichi, I don't know how much more you want," Harumi pouted, deciding to let the topic go. However, she never showed Yukimura that losing him was the worst possible scenario that ever came to her mind. "You're acting like I'm stiff around you all the time…"

"I know you're not, but watching you pout is a nice change from the lady of etiquette that you usually display. No wonder you and Yagyuu-san get along so well," Yukimura let out a laugh as he saw Harumi pout even more. Amusement blatant in his eyes, he continued, "That's much better. You know you can act however you want when we're alone."

"I know, but I like acting the way I do," Harumi confessed, looking at him rather sheepishly. "My parents always told me that being ladylike will help me when they pass on the family business to me and my siblings. Though Oni-san and Ni-san are going to take over majority, I just have to stand and look pretty."

"If you don't like it, shouldn't you say something?" Yukimura raised an eyebrow, relief surging in him for the change of topic. Though he loves tennis, right now, talking about it brings a terrible longing that brings his attitude down at times to the point of mild mood swings.

"Actually I'm rather glad that's all I have to do. They're going to let me take over the hospital part of the empire of my family seeing as they know I want to be a doctor one day," Harumi smiled at how thoughtful her brothers were to her. Unlike most sibling relationships, theirs were one that is rare, when all the siblings get along as if they was best friends. "Otherwise, I'm actually free to pursue whatever I want."

"Not many are lucky to have what you have," Yukimura reached out for her and held onto her hand. Squeezing it gently, he pulled her closer to him and set her down on the bed, letting her sit. "You never let it go to your head unlike that friend of yours," he referred to the captain of Hyoutei's tennis team, Atobe Keigo. The narcissist who hardly cares for anyone other than himself, though once earning his respects, he will respect them back.

Harumi laughed, shaking her head slightly at Yukimura's words. "Seiichi-san, many are raised to be like that. I just had a family that mingles with commoners is all. Moreover, that's how we're able to understand many of the commoner ways." She sweatdropped at her own words, knowing that everything she just said was the blunt truth, but at the same time, cruel all the same.

"If you say so, my dear Harumi-san," Yukimura smiled at her, laying back down onto his hospital bed. A forlorn look crossing his face, "The Kantou finals are approaching, aren't they?"

Harumi raised an eyebrow at the question. She was sure Yukimura did not want to talk about tennis at the moment, so why was he bringing it up again? "Yes, Sanada-san and I have been training the team as hard as possible. Though I'm a bit worried…"

"Worried?" Now it was Yukimura's turn to raise an eyebrow. Never had he heard her say that she was worried about another tennis team, as she believed – like many others – that Rikkaidai would bring its third straight win. From that brought concern to him, even if he did not show it.

"That Echizen-san is quite a player from what I've seen. I've been to only two of his matches and even I'm awed at how well he played," Harumi looked down on her lap, fiddling with her hands, a nervous habit that she hopes to break on day.

Yukimura catching her in that small act, asked, "How well did he do, and who did he play against?"

"He played against Jyousei Shounan's Shinjyou Reiji and beat his Mirage technique that made my eye hurt, he even beat his power play that could match up to Akaya-san's knuckle serve and he played against Hyoutei's Hiyashi Wakashi, who he beat like it was nothing."

"So that's what worrying you the most. Not the Golden Pair?" Yukimura closed his eyes and relaxed, feeling himself slowly drifting off.

Harumi, noticing that, smiled and answered, "Niou-san and Yagyuu-san are more than enough a match for Seigaku's Golden Pair. You won't have to worry about the double matches. The singles are the ones that I worry about." She stood up slowly, trying to disturb Yukimura as little as possible. "For now, rest all you can. Your operation is going to be the day of the Kantou Tournament Final. We'll be waiting for you at the Nationals. Never give up hope, Seiichi-buchou."

"Thank you Harumi-san…"

"It is I that should be saying thank you, for you have brought me to show emotions that I once thought I had lost." Harumi smiled at Yukimura, watching him drift off into a light slumber. She let out a soft chuckle and left the room. Leaning against the close door on the outside, she sighed. Harumi gave one last smile and spoke to herself, "It's a definite that we're going to the finals. Buchou's going to be alright. His will and passion for tennis, along with his immense care for us will bring him through and let him have a full recover. I believe in him..."

I'm hoping that I kept Yukimura in character. It's slightly hard to write about him because he only showed up more recently to give a grasp on his personality.