You took me to your favourite place on Earth

to see the tree they cut down ten years from your birth.

Our fingers traced in circles round its history,

we brushed our hands right back in time through centuries.

"You... You're going to Germany?" You ask, a heavy feeling settling in your heart as you stare at the older boy in shock. The two of you were currently sitting on a tree stump by a fishing stream in the mountains, and he had just told you the news: he would be going to Germany to play pro tennis. "B-but what about the U-17 camp you all were invited to?" You asked desperately.

"I'm not sure if I'm going to Germany, [Last]. Don't be hasty." He says, but you can tell it's been sitting on his shoulders for a while. "If I go to the camp, then I may not go to Germany."

"B-but what if you don't go to the camp?" You ask.

As you held me down, you said:

"Then I'll go to Germany." He said, finally looking at you. Though his gaze was the same as it always was, cool and collected, you felt as if it bore the burden of a hundred weights. It kept you where you were, and you could only stare in distraught. "Don't look so sad, [Last]." He said, and it was then that you realized your hands were shaking, and your eyes were wide with a frozen expression of despair.

A moment of silence passes, where you're tracing the rings of the stump, and Tezuka is looking out over the mountains. "I-if you do go to Germany..." you say, catching Tezuka's attention. "Then I'll go to every one of your matches. No matter how far. Once I graduate from high school, I'll definitely follow!" A rare smile quirks his lips.

"Aa. I'll be waiting."

"I'll see you in the future when we're older

and we are full of stories to be told.

Cross my heart and hope to die,

I'll see you with your laughter lines."

You're walking down a path in the hills by your house when you get his text. You know it's him because the tune you set for his messages. With your heart pounding, you flip open your phone and scan over the text.

Fr. Tezuka

Sorry, [Last]. We'll meet again.

Looking up from your phone, you look towards the sky. It's grey and snowing, and even though he's not with you, the two of you are standing under the same sky, and you want to cherish it for as long as you can.

Even through your tears, you're smiling.

Changes on our hands and on our faces, oh, oh

memories are mapped out by the lines we'll trace.

In high school, it was rather lonely without Kaidoh, Momoshiro, and Echizen, but the rest of the team has managed. Takashi had stopped playing tennis to work with his father's sushi shop, but the other four hadn't stopped, and in his second year, Oishi was the captain of the boy's tennis team, you as their manager, and Inui as the vice-captain. They had almost made it to nationals, but were crushed in their last critical match.

It was at times like these you couldn't help but wonder how the others were doing. And Tezuka... Tezuka. Though you've kept in touch, his texts are short and becoming less frequent, his emails even less so. Eventually, they stopped completely, and you could only wonder with a heavy heart if it was time to move on.

As you held me down, you said:

Years passed, and soon, the team split up to go to university. Graduation was full of tears, and you were left with a bittersweet feeling, looking at the high school where you would finally depart from.

"[Last], are you really going across seas?" Fuji asked you one day. You nodded.

"My parents found a good music school in the States, and I'm pretty good at English, so I've decided to go." You say as the two of you walk to the bus stop. "I thought it would be a good opportunity, so I'm going. Besides..." you look up at the sky, bright blue and dotted with fluffy clouds. "Even if it's not tennis, I want to catch up to Tezuka as soon as possible."

Fuji smiles. "I know the feeling."

"I'm leaving in two days." You say.

"Eh? That soon?" Fuji asks. You nod.

"I've taken the tests, and they've accepted me, so I'm going to be leaving as soon as possible. It's supposed to be snowing hard there." You say.

"I hope you reach your goal." Fuji says, and you smile back at him.

"You too, Fuji. I know you'll do great."

"But, why the States?" Fuji asks as the bus drives into view. Your smile widens.

"I promised Tezuka I'd go see every one of his matches. And if I'm in the States, it'll be easier, I think. Besides, he promised me something, too." At Fuji's curious look, you smile widely jumping onto the bus.

"He promised we'd see each other when we're older!"

"I'll see you in the future when we're older

and we are full of stories to be told.

Cross my heart and hope to die,

I'll see you with your laughter lines."

"A-a match in Japan? Are you serious?!" Momoshiro said over the tables at Kawamura Sushi. "Wh-when?!" Apart from Tezuka, the whole team had managed to grab ahold of one another, and were reuniting over sushi that their best friend had inherited from his father. You were the last one to arrived, having caught a plane as fast as you could, but not before you could text them all the news. Fuji nodded.

"It's supposed to be in Akita, and [Last] wanted us to all get together to watch him play."

"Let's do it! I'm dying to see how Tezuka has improved!" Kikumaru smiles widely, popping a piece of sushi into his mouth.

"It'll be a good chance to update my data." Inui says. The door slides open, and a familiar female voice catches their attention.

"Wow, I haven't seen this place in years, but it hasn't changed!"

"[Last]!" They all cheer, and you smile, raising a hand to greet them.

"Long time no see, everyone. Even Ryoma-kun came."

"Not like I had a choice..." he mutters, but you smile brightly.

"Now, let's talk about the game."

Ashen faces in cold breeze,

ashen faces in cold breeze,

all the stories you will leave,

all the stories you will leave.

"Wow! This place is huge!" You stare in awe at the size of the tennis stadium. "I've never seen a place this big!"

"I hear it was recently built." Oishi says, looking at the pamphlet they got at the street corner. "It's amazing it's already been reserved for matches. The tickets were even almost sold out."

"It's a shame we got tickets so far back. I wanted to watch Tezuka play up close." Takashi says, and the others can't help but agree. You clap your hands together.

"Don't worry guys, I've brought binoculars! Just be sure not to hurt your eyes..."

The nine of you settle in the seats, waiting eagerly and impatiently for the match to begin. Momoshiro and Ryoma bought ridiculous amounts of food, and were gorging themselves, much to the annoyance of Kaidoh. Fuji, Oishi, Kikumaru and Takashi were talking excitedly, and you smiled at the nostalgia.

"Oh, the match is starting!"

Your heart nearly bursts when Tezuka comes onto the court, and the nine of you make as much noise as you can, despite the overwhelming roar of the full stadium. "Good luck, Tezuka!" Oishi yells.

"You've got this!"

"You can do it!"

"Kick his ass!" You scream, and the others smile slightly as the people around you turn to stare. You merely grin, flashing a peace sign.

'She really hasn't changed.' They all think.

I'll see you in the future when we're older

and we are full of stories to be told.

Cross my heart and hope to die,

I'll see you with your laughter lines.

With each point Tezuka got, your heart seemed to soar, and with each point he lost, you would cheer him on, along with the rest of your teammates and the other people in the huge crowd. And when the game finally ends, 6-3 Tezuka, you're so happy, you don't realize the tears running down your face.

"E-eh?! [Last]-senpai, are you crying?!" Momoshiro gapes, causing the others to turn and stare.

"E-eh? Am I?" you ask, raising a hand to your cheek, feeling wetness there. Fuji takes out his handkerchief , dabbing at your tears.

"That's no good, [Last]." He smiles. "Tezuka won."

"I-I know, I just..." you sniff. "I'm so happy. I'm so happy." You say, smiling.

I'll see you in the future when we're old.

The nine of you wait after almost every clears out, and when the former captain of the middle school boys tennis team finally emerges, eight people jump at him, startling the poor tennis player and everyone within hearing distance.

"Buchou! You were great!"

"That was amazing!"

"I'm so pumped!"

"BURNINGG!"

"Wha—" He looks so startled and confused, you cant help but giggle, and then he sees you.

"It's been a while." You say, clasping your hands behind your back and smiling. The others climb off of him—Oishi has to restrain Kikumaru—to let Tezuka get a clear view of you.

"[Last]..." he says, looking speechless. Your smile fades, and he next thing he knows, you've run into his arms, wrapping your arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"Tezuka... Tezuka..." you repeat his name like a mantra as tears run down your face, and you cling to him, burying your face in his shoulder. Through all the stares (happy from his former teammates) and camera flashes, Tezuka can't bring himself to care as his arms wrap tightly around you, and he presses his face into your hair. "Kunimitsu..." you whimper. His own eyes sting, and he's not ashamed to let his tears freely fall.

"[First]."

I'll see you in the future when we're old.