Disclaimer: We don't own Prince of Tennis.
Title: Three In One
Pairing: RyoxSakuxKevxKin (And possible hints of FujiSaku, SenSaku and KiriSaku)
Summary: And talking about "love square". . . What will most likely happen if they will be stuck in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? It all started with the business man's plan. –With a slight touch of Futari no Samurai.
A/N: Words written like "these" were spoken in English. And the words written in the usual way were spoken in Japanese of course.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 1: My Misfortune- I'm Lost!
The fat well-to-do business man stood there in front of twenty-three people inside a dark conference room. He was talking about various tennis players of different tennis techniques as he pointed through the screen that reflected the light coming from the projector. He never liked tennis and that was for a fact, it was the tennis players themselves and how they moved to and fro the courts that drove him crazy.
The smile that traced his features never left since he started blabbering about the gifted tennis players. It was for the fact that he, Mr. Shijo, a well known business man, had the idea that once and for all he never thought would enter his intellect. An extravagant plan that would surely make all things out of order on the lives of what he called the. . . "Brilliant players".
"We're done," Mr. Shijo declared echoing his voice in the big, dark, and hallowed room. "Eighteen players it is. I think there would be questions no more so dis--"
But even before he could bring his sentence to an end, a guy who wore an elegant tuxedo cut through his words and queried, "Why not Tezuka and Atobe? Or Sanada? I think those could give us the better success. . . You chose amateur players and yet you have the audacity to say we're dismissed?"
"I think you're getting the whole ordeal wrong, mister. Those players that you have just mentioned were not. . . juicy I may say. I'm the head and I'm the master. My decisions were irreplaceable. And do you think I would choose them for nothing? Don't be silly, you're the amateur here, you don't even know the business world itself. How come you have the face to criticize my masterpieces?"
Lengthy, the business man slowly mortified the young man with the sophisticated dress. He couldn't help it for he never imagined, not a second, that his "masterpieces" would be measured nothing but amateur players. There could be no other word excluding "masterpieces" or "scrumptious players" could he describe to them—not at least if he did consider them as gods. But needless to say, he did regard them with high respect so don't even dare to belittle them. Let alone the delicious players.
"If that's all, please excuse me." With one last shrug, he strutted and headed his way towards the door.
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The strange sound was rather annoying for the Echizen's household (nine o'clock to be precise) when a postman came striking their door with sharp blows that bemused the old tennis samurai, Nanjirou Echizen. He lazily dragged himself towards the entrance and opened it with mixed frown and drowsiness in his face.
"You're harassing me dearie mailman! What's with the early ruckus?" Nanjirou greeted, obviously pissed off by the postman.
"I came to deliver a letter to Mr. Echizen Ryoma."
"Obviously, since you're a mailman. Anyway, what could that brat now up to be?" the older Echizen whispered, praising himself silently for his diligence that never failed him; he sure has some luck, for he was granted the honor of answering the door this morning.
"Thanks!" Nanjirou exclaimed, turning his enraged self earlier to a kind and cheerful man as he received the letter from the baffled mailman. "Ryoma is my son in case you haven't noticed." And with the assurance of an evil grin, he shut the door close and almost felt like dancing madly in utter joy.
Not long after, Nanjirou hurled his way towards Ryoma's room. With a loud 'seishounen', the tennis prodigy snapped out from his bed as he silently mumbled curses to whoever the person opposite the door of his room was. With a last grunt, he opened the door and eyed his ever handsome father irritatingly.
"Ne, seishounen, someone sent you a love letter," his father teased enthusiastically, annoying him all the more.
"Oh yea? Thanks for disturbing my sleep anyways," Ryoma muttered in a sarcastic tone and tried to close the door from his father to get himself back to peace yet again.
But Nanjirou was Nanjirou, and he would always be there to ruin and intrude every second of Ryoma's serene life; in short, bother him, annoy him and all that. Even before he shot the door close, Nanjirou already placed his arm in between the edge of it and the adjacent wall to prevent his son from doing it so. He wasn't called Ryoma's father for nothing, for he sure knew and memorized his son's actions well.
"Now what?" Obliviously, Ryoma uttered impolitely as his glares continued to intensify.
"Read it," Nanjirou ordered daringly. "Be thankful, actually it would be my first time not reading a letter before presenting it to you for all you care."
It interested the prince to say the least, it wasn't that he expected that someone might have sent him a penned confession but it was the fact that he felt nostalgic remembering the days when he was invited for the US open. He would surely fall to his father's traps no more.
"So what does it say?"
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
Cring! Cring! Cring!
The telephone rang in such a piercing tone that made Sakuno screech from where she was seated. It was vacation after all, a perfect time to have a relaxing rest. She was a human and she needed peace like any other individual. But it seemed that words such as rest and peace were not on other people's vocabulary that she didn't have the choice but to took hold of the phone and push the little red button to connect to whoever the person was on the other line.
"Hello?" Sakuno greeted with a question that unsubtle indicated the person on the other line to tell his or her name.
"Sakuno-chan!" the voice exclaimed which did tell her identity, it was Tomoka Osakada, Sakuno's loud-mouthed friend. "Do you want to go on a vacation?" she offered casually.
"Vacation?" Sakuno repeated unsure of what to say.
"Yea, a vacation," Tomoka confirmed in delight. "My uncle said that he would treat us to a free cruise for two weeks! Wonderful idea, isn't it? Just meet me at Tokyo Port Terminal after two days at ten o'clock in the morning, okay? Be ready and don't be late!" And after her last exclaimed point, Tomoka hung up, leaving a speechless Sakuno on the other line.
"A-anou. . ."
Beep!
It was the only sound that reached Sakuno's left ear after her friend dropped the call from the opposite line. She never wanted to disappoint Tomoka, but if she would examine things out, there would only be a twenty-five percent chance that she could go to the proposed free trip, which meant it was impossible for her grandmother to say 'yes' to her request. She already thought of different tactics, though it was the consequence she should consider first and foremost that made her finalize the whole notion with a dejected sigh. To say it briefly- all would end up nothing.
"God, Tomo-chan," Sakuno couldn't fight the urge to thump her head at the table next to hers, for once again, her best friend brought a sudden dilemma that should be solve in two days, much to Sakuno's misery. "Mou. . ."
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
Pok!
"Oi seishounen, need a handicap?" Nanjirou asked in a sarcastic tone as he danced through his feet in joy for he had defeated his son unmercifully once again.
"Bastard. . ."
"Why thank you. Anyway, would you ignore the offer? The free vacation?"
"Not interested. Bring it up Oyaji, let's settle this," Ryoma replied keenly and stood up from the ground (which he got from the last rally) not even giving attention to the wonderful request of the business man for his presence in a said trip.
Flashback
"So what does it says?"
"Dear Mr. Echizen Ryoma,
We're pleased to inform you that Mr. Nakamura Shijo has chosen you to be one of those lucky eighteen legendary players to join a wonderful celebration in a cruise, two weeks, for free. The trip starts within two days, nine thirty sharp and we would be leaving. And if so you were interested about it- you were very much welcome to come at Tokyo Port Terminal. We shall be waiting for you. . .
Sincerely yours,
Shijo Group of Companies"
Ryoma read the letter with a slight twitch in his eyebrow, a result of slight confusion, true to be told he was a good player but if the Shijo business man was talking about legendary players. . .shouldn't he be referring to his father? But it was rather clear that the letter was addressed to him. It sounds fishy though he chose to ignore it for it has nothing to do in improving his tennis skills- it was after all, a vacation- must his excuse.
"Legendary player is it?" he muttered as he gave his father a short confident gaze, boastful that he was chosen as one while the older wasn't.
"Che, stupid brat. I thought it was someone who would give you another breathtaking confession," he grumpily retorted well aware of what his son was thinking.
End of flashback
"Hmm . . . don't you think you would find hot and sexy babes with nice curves there?"
"It's not like I'm perverted like you."
And so the strenuous rally once again had begun. The game wasn't as swift as usual, and Nanjirou had to compliment his son for that. Ryoma's moves weren't the typical ad hoc; he gained composure and the fact that he applies it to their current game made his father smile slightly for he knew his son had somewhat learned from his experiences - though it was still mada mada dana (1). His father wanted him to discover his own style, and that would probably be the reason why he was to enthusiastic for his son to join the offered trip. He knew that the business man wouldn't gather good players for nothing. A tennis player without tennis for two weeks was a little bit incomprehensible, he must note. And he was certain that with his son's attitude he would surely challenge someone or the other way around.
"Oi seishounen, don't you think you'll miss the chance of having a girlfriend with blonde hair and long legs?"
"No. Should I repeat it? I'm not Nanjirou Echizen, which means I'm not a pervert," Ryoma mumbled firmly and obnoxiously.
He wouldn't agree to his father anyway, not a chance, when pigs fly to say, at the least. "Che." So Nanjirou didn't have the choice but to find a new and better way to get his son on the cruise.
"Echizen!" someone shouted somewhere down the temple breaking the scene's serenity.
"For goodness sake, we're both Echizens here," Nanjirou mumbled with a slight frown on his face mixed with some uncertainty for the voice was rather unfamiliar to him.
But his doubts were answered as soon as an appearance of a man with black and spiky hair came into vision, Ryoma's closest friend from God knows where, the powerhouse of Seigaku, or in short, Momoshiro. After the young man reached the top of temple, he called Ryoma as soon as he saw the cat-eyed boy's appearance.
"I'm bored, want to have a match?" was his offer to the perspiring and shivering tennis prince excluding the older Echizen's presence.
Though it gave Nanjirou an idea, "Hey, hey," Nanjirou butted. "Do you know that this brat was offered by someone named Shijo Nakamura on a free trip to a cruise? Do you know him?" Nanjirou asked, getting a glare from Ryoma in return.
"Shijo Nakamura? Oh! That was the one that Inui-senpai was talking about when I came cross to him this morning. He told me that he was an affluent business man who gave high importance on each tennis player's ability. You're lucky to be one of them - he would give you luxury, I should note. Some of junior high players here in Japan were chosen too - just like Fuji-senpai from Seigaku of course, Sengoku Kiyosumi of Yamabuki, Kirihara Akaya of Rikaiddai, and oh! Kintarou Tooyama of Shitenhouji was counted on the list, he was from Osaka right? And as far as my memory could remember, there was still an unfinished business between the two of you…" he stated that made Ryoma twitch his eyebrow as his attention was gotten hold for a split second.
"My source told me that this Shijo likes newly risen players with high capability to mark a legend in the tennis world. No wonder why he didn't chose Tezuka-buchou or Atobe Keigo, too much exposure I must say. I only knew seven players out of eighteen counting you. Billy Cassidy and Kevin Smith from America were on the trip too. Others would be from various countries, a lot from the continent of Europe as I have researched. They would surely join the wonderful trip if they would know you would come. Are you even interested?"
"I thought I just asked you if you knew that Shijo, you elaborated too much. Anyway, seishounen would go," Nanjirou butted in rudely with a tinge of sarcasm.
"Not a chance," was Ryoma's cool and rapid response.
"Really huh?" Nanjirou whispered, not trusting his son's reply. 'I could even bet all my newly bought magazines for a hundred percent certainty.' He added mentally and let an obvious grin to trace his features.
The night came and still, positive sign was nowhere to be found as for Nanjirou's case. After he and Ryoma finished their match (it was the old monk's victory as usual), the tennis prince by no means showed himself to anyone. Not known to everyone, Ryoma himself was getting a hard time making his decision if he would join or not. He plotted to beat up his father this vacation and the thing was; how he could be able to do such if he wasn't around? Though he still made the cruise as an option for a practical pastime, a lot of good players would be there; so why would he resist joining? It was so random that he found it hard to get himself up from the bed to eat.
After some time, he made up his mind and rose up from his comfortable position to haul his body towards the dining room, and saw his family eating as the usual setup inside their house. Yet, it wasn't that customary subsequently when he gulped his last breath and blurted out, "Please allow me to go to the cruise," that settled everything.
It was when he weighed everything and realized that after he defeated the legendary players or newly risen ones; whatever you call them, he has the whole time making his father cry. He wasn't being boastful he must take notice; mark his words for he was sure he would do it.
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
Two days had gone, yet still, the petite Ryuzaki Sakuno hadn't told her grandmother about the whole notion of getting her self to an unknown trip. It was eight in the morning and she still had two more hours to confess everything to Sumire. But then again, she thought everything would be useless, for the old lady wouldn't say yes anyway. She was also clueless about the idea of telling it to her friend for chances of chaos would definitely upsurge. All she could do was sigh and close her eyes to pray that someone would save her from the awkward situation she was in.
"Come on Sakuno!" she exclaimed, berating herself. "How could you solve this if you just sit here and cry?" she supplemented with a louder tone.
It was getting noisier as time passed by; really, the older Ryuzaki couldn't help but to scratch her head in confusion. No it wasn't the noise that bewildered her, but it was the thought of the girl still up in her room, not even daring to take her shower and pack her things up. It was for that reason that the old lady had remembered Sakuno's friend, Osakada Tomoka, who asked for her permission to let her granddaughter to come for a sea voyage. At first, she hesitated with a 'no', for Sakuno might get into trouble - it was two weeks that made her even more anxious. But Tomoka, as a keen person as she always was, assured the elder Sumire of her granddaughter's safety and said her uncle would come so there was no need to worry. All she could do was to agree for the loud-mouthed girl was too incessant about it.
But sad to say, Sakuno was totally clueless about Tomoka and Sumire's conversation that put her to an exasperated despair not letting her to move an inch for the whole time.
"This is ridiculous!" she shouted and knocked her head unto the pillow carelessly.
"Sakuno, when are you planning to go to the shower? You only have one hour and thirty minutes to prepare. The cruise's departure is ten if I got it right. You should hurry or you would be late," Sumire called, surprising Sakuno that instinctively forced her eyes to open wide and made her immediately up from bed.
"Obaa-chan, what do you mean?"
"What do you mean what I mean? Wasn't it today? The trip?"
"Oh yea! That's. . .great, I guess. Y-you're allowing me?" was her startled yet restrained statement.
"Think so."
"No. Way," Sakuno stated in disbelief, "But how?" rubbishy she added.
"Hmmm…I think you should mull over that thought when you got yourself in time for the trip."
Silence.
"What are you waiting for?"
In swift speed, Sakuno rushed through the bathroom and bathed herself as fast as she could. But she couldn't resist the thought to suspect, for there was something underhand going on, and being Sumire's granddaughter for how many years, it was too perplexing for the typical old hag to say 'yes' on occasions like this. She couldn't help but to wonder what threat Tomoka did to convince Sumire. But whatever that was, she would worry no more for what was more important now was for her to catch up to the trip.
Within thirty minutes (that says it was exactly nine o'clock), the entire job was well done. With the entire commotion and loud bangs here and there inside the Ryuzaki household - the older Ryuzaki was busy preparing the luggage whilst the younger was busy preparing nothing but her self.
At last, she had made it just in time. Maybe?
"Bye obaa-chan!"
"Take care dear, and don't forget! Wolves are everywhere."
"Wolves are everywhere?" Sakuno stopped on her trails immediately when she heard those words, and turned around to face her grandmother with so much of a flabbergasted face.
Sumire scratched her head sheepishly, "Wolves . . . you know . . . like young lads, old perverted man and all that. . ."
"Eh?"
"When guys turn to wolves, heck! Geez, anyway, go, go, go! You need to catch up on the cruise!"
"Ye-yes!"
With her final bow, Sakuno left leaving her grandma and say . . . a piece of something that was foremost important in every trip as the upcoming situation may say. The trip from her house to Tokyo Port Terminal was only in a span of thirty minutes that she could most likely come thirty minutes ahead of time, regardless of her preparations and in case she was lost due to her inept sense of direction.
But sure, the word trouble was synonymous to Ryuzaki Sakuno or even in math problems, misadventures would always be the reflexive property of that name. No, not her name but she was the chaos herself. Let us just say whether late or not, hitch would always be tagged along her.
"Thank goodness I made it on time. Wait, what time is it anyway?" She thought that made her glance at her left wrist, "Eh? I left my watch? Mou, how could I be so forgetful?" she stopped berating herself yet again. "Anyway, I'm here, so there's nothing to worry about." But then again, she halted once more when she saw two vessels preparing to leave, one named R. M. S. Johnson and the other was named Chef-d'ouvre (2).
"So, which one should I choose? Well, better call Tomo-chan—"
Honk! Honk!
"Miss, are you coming or not?" one of the ship's crew exclaimed as he detached the ropes from a short, thick pole at the adjacent terminal that held the big ship restraining it from leaving, aside from the anchor.
Sakuno, as naïve as she always was, never gave a second thought and responded making her way near the ship's entrance. "O-of course! W-well, are you leaving already?"
"I think untying these stuffs will answer your question," he said ironically as he waited patiently whether the maiden would attend the cruise or not. "Hop on, we're leaving," he offered with a slight smile as he lend his right hand to support the clumsy lass (as it may seem) for there was a small gap between the ship's entry and where Sakuno was currently standing.
"Thank you!" she responded cheerfully and bowed as a sign of gratitude to the crew's polite gestures.
"Welcome." With a last nod, Sakuno hurriedly rushed through the open-roofed part of the ship so she could muse over the sun's beautiful scenery and the blue scenario of the ocean reflecting her beautiful features.
Breathe in . . . breathe out.
"I'm glad I made it on time. Now all I need to do is to find Tomo-chan." Then she rested herself at the edge of the boat as she fiddled through her bangs that were blown by the breeze of the wind. "But, give me a break, Tomo-chan can wait. Besides, I need to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere that this view is creating on me. After all, this doesn't come everyday."
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
"Kevin, where are you going?" Billy Cassidy called to his friend as he slowly unpacked and sort his things out from his luggage.
He was one of those said participants that Shijo referred to as "brilliant players", from the wonderful country of America, formerly under the hands of Coach Baker of the American team and was nicknamed- "The Shot Gun Boy" for his magnificent serve (Bull Rope serve) and volley (Shotgun Volley) that was last seen at Japan- America Goodwill games. He was, and still Kevin's buddy that could possibly the only person to withstand the young lad's arrogant and cocky attitude.
"To grab some fresh air and this wasn't my room in case you haven't notice, what makes you think I would bother to stay here?"
"Whatever you say. . ."
"Che," Kevin huffed and in a second or two the small figure of his was out of sight.
"Geez, how come he's so intense?"
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
"I'm da kwin of da word!" Sakuno exclaimed echoing her voice throughout the whole ocean, trying her best to speak the language that wasn't really her forte with her horrible accent and pronunciation.
"Hmmm . . . I think that was king . . . or queen? Oh whatever! This place is wonderful. . ." she added, gaped, obviously mesmerized by the wonderful sight that continued to engulf her whole consciousness.
But for all who cares, Sakuno wasn't the only person on the boat that with her unusual loud voice, someone from behind was disturbed and evidently annoyed for his peaceful rest was once and for all broken by the maiden. But after seeing that she was a girl after all, he decided to cool down a bit and try to lessen her noise in a calm manner.
Right it was Kevin Smith himself that was behind the shadows who was currently amused by watching the girl's weird actions. The "Valiant Hero" from America who had almost produced a clone of Ryoma's playing style. His determination of defeating the tennis prodigy hadn't lessened even a bit that gave him the opportunity to have this vacation. Fortunately, Ryoma was there himself.
"This is as big as Titanic! Awesome. . ." Sakuno shouted yet again catching Kevin's attention. "No. Way. But R. M. S. Titanic sank hasn't it?"
Sakuno fell unto her knees as she closed her eyes and muttered words of prayers, "Kami, I still have my grandma, please let me live. I rebuke the works of the enemy!" She laughed out heartily, "Oh what am I thinking? I should be looking for Tomo-chan to show her this scenery. . . She would probably agree that this was exactly like Titanic in the year 1912."
After all the blabbers about Titanic, how the sun shone through her face perfectly, and how the water reflected her image and the ship as her background wonderfully, finally, Sakuno stood up from her knees and spun around only to find Kevin starring at her with mixed entertainment and bewilderment to her dramas.
"Anou…sorry, I-I didn't no-notice you," Sakuno said as she felt her cheeks rose its temperature instantly.
"It doesn't matter, are you also one of those players chosen by Shijo?"
Sakuno tilted her head in so much confusion, the guy was speaking in different language which happened to be English and which happened to be the worst language Sakuno had ever known.
But though, she would do her best. She would make sure her English teacher's hard work would not be in vain. "Yes!" She replied not even aware of what the guy was talking about.
"Ow . . . But how come that I haven't seen you in the conference just a while?" Kevin spoke straight English with a remarkable accent.
Yet pushing it wouldn't work.
"Sorry, but . . . do knew you . . . ahh, e-etou . . . language, another? My friend no told me that foreigners is here." She verbalized as she shook her head slowly trying to make things comprehensible for the lad. "You knows Tomoka? He was say it to me."
Playing stupid, Kevin twitched his eyebrow to show his puzzlement, though the meaning of what the girl said was clearly obvious despite her grammar. "You could be the person with the most atrocious grammar and accent I have ever met. But I guess I must praise you for the effort."
Atrocious. A new word, sounded deep and wonderful that Sakuno couldn't help but to say, "Thanks!" Instincts drove Kevin to laugh like a mad man.
"Eh? Why is you laughing at? Am I a joke?" Impatiently the girl couldn't take it anymore.
She walked towards the lad, encircling him and said, "If you would speak in English then I should speak in Japanese as well to be fair!"
Sakuno tapped her chin with her index finger and started to analyze Kevin from head to toe, "Hmmm. . .You're quite handsome. Oh? Why are you looking at me like that? You like me ne? Am I that beautiful?" She uttered with a soft tone and slight seductive gazes. "See? You Mr. Foreigner were pathetic as equally as I am when I'm speaking in my native language!"
Kevin was enjoying this, the girl hardly knew that he could speak both their language fluently that he took advantage and play stupidly to know what the girl would say next, "Have we met before? You seemed to be familiar, with those beautiful eyes and wonderful smirks…adorable. I like your hair anyway. How about a date?"
Sakuno had never acted like this for her entire twelve years of existence on earth, it was too much unbearable for her, but with the thought that the person she was with couldn't understand the language she was talking, she could have the audacity, boldness as bold as a lion (as in) to do such.
"Thanks for the compliment." Kevin suddenly spoke in . . . Japanese language? Fluently?
"You know how to speak in . . .?"
"Japanese? Yes." he replied coolly and let an obvious grin to trace his features.
"Oh. My. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I never told you I didn't. You know, assumptions weren't always correct so better not rely on it."
'Stupid Sakuno,' was the only thing that entered her mind as she battled the urge to tore herself into pieces or jump to the ocean and let herself be eaten by sharks and die.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Thank God her phone rang.
"Hello?" Sakuno greeted still embarrassed of what had just happened.
"Sakuno? Where are you? We're leaving already!"
"Eh? But haven't we left thirty minutes ago?"
"Thirty minutes ago is nine-thirty!"
"Don't tell me…"
"What is the name of the ship you're in?" Tomoka interrogated with a worried tone and face that her friend on the opposite line could barely feel it.
"What's the name of this boat?" Sakuno addressed towards Kevin.
"Chef-d'ouvre, why?" was his reply, now getting even more confound of the maiden's action.
"Chef-d'ouvre," Sakuno repeated with an anxious emotion plastered on her face as if she was going to pee any moment right now.
"Chef-d'ouvre? But our vessel is named R. M. S. Johnson!" Tomoka whined in such a piercing, loud tone that Kevin could almost here it.
"I'm . . . lost?" Sakuno uttered slowly.
"Think so. . ."
"Hoooooeeeee!!" she cried out.
And so, the voyage had begun…
To be continued…
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
A/N:(1) Variation of Echizen Ryoma's "Mada mada dane"; used by the former Samurai Nanjirou in his glory days.
(2) Literally means "Masterpiece."
Special Thanks to Eternal.Angel for the lovely beta. XD