TALES OF TWO CHILDHOOD FRIENDS
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis
PROLOGUE
Fuji Shuusuke and Echizen Ryoma were once childhood friends when they were in America. But even though their age gap was 2 years, both friends adored each other, but unconsciously, their love grew more and more. Unfortunately, Fuji on the age of 7 needed to go to Japan due to his father's business. Making Ryoma (5 years old) left alone.
Then when Fuji told Ryoma that he was leaving after a week or so, Ryoma decided that she would spend time with him every single day playing tennis. And Ryoma understood this; she was after all an understandable and caring person. That's how Fuji described her.
When it was the day before Fuji will leave America and Ryoma they were in the tennis court, playing tennis once again. Both were running around the court, trying to retrieve the ball before it lands on the ground.
'Game and Set won by me 7-5,' Fuji said after he hit a slice that Ryoma couldn't properly hit. Ryoma had trouble returning it, making the ball hit the net with Fuji winning eventually.
'I lost to you again Shuu-chan,' Ryoma said while catching her breath, holding her racket in both of her two little hands. Even though Ryoma lost, she is still considered to be a prodigy. For her age, she was too good and she had already beaten a lot of great players, with Fuji's support of course.
'Don't worry, I'll bet you'll defeat me someday' Fuji told her. They had played a lot before but, Ryoma never won. She thinks that there is nothing she could do to beat the tensai, Fuji Shuusuke. Whatever she does, she only manages to continue the game and go on to a tie-break.
No one spoke a word for a while. They were just staring at each other, memorizing the face of the person standing opposite of them. They won't be able to see each other for a while and hoped that they would see each other sooner than what they expected.
Ryoma sighed and looked down. 'Ne Shuu-chan you're gonna leave tomorrow already right?' Ryoma sadly asked the boy. Him leaving would only make her saddened and maybe, she would stop talking to other people except her friends.
Fuji looked at the younger girl worryingly. 'Gomen Ryo-chan. We have to leave by tomorrow,' Fuji said disappointingly. He could already guess what the girl was thinking. He never wanted her to be that way, never.
'I'll miss you,' Ryoma muttered but knowing Fuji, she knew he heard her. She would miss him so, so much! He was her only true friend. The one who supported her better than anyone else, except her parents.
'I'll miss you too,' Fuji whispered while hugging Ryoma. Ryoma cried, letting all the emotion she felt out. She cried on her friend's chest, the friend that would leave her the next day.
The next day the Fuji family was at the airport, already about to check-in.
'Shuu-chan!!' Fuji heard that his name was called. He stopped walking. 'Shuu-chan!' Once again, the same voice called him. He then turned his head where the voice was coming from then he saw Ryoma. Ryoma ran speedily towards him, making some people look at her like she was some maniac. He was shocked that Ryoma came here to say good bye. He was going to just figure it out. Then when Ryoma caught up with Fuji she panted, catching her breath. 'Ryo-chan, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?' Fuji asked, too shocked.
'Mou, don't you want your friend to say good bye to you? Or give you a remembrance for you to remember her?' Ryoma just smirked and fished something out of his pocket.
'Gomen…' Fuji said with an apologetic look, watching Ryoma with his half-opened eyes.
'Mada Mada Dane… Here,' Ryoma blushed while giving Fuji a half silver necklace that has 'BEST' engraved on it. It was a silver necklace.
'Thank you Ryo-chan. But where's the other half? I bet it's with you,' Fuji chuckled at Ryoma's cute expression, watching as the girl fished something out of his other pocket.
'You sure are a genius Shuu-chan. Yup, it's with me alright,' Ryoma smiled widely while showing the other half of the silver necklace that she gave Fuji. But the necklace was different it has a 'FRIEND' engraved on it. She will hold on to it forever.
'Here, combine the two together,' Ryoma smiled while Fuji combined the two necklaces together. It spelled 'BEST FRIEND'. Fuji was overjoyed to what Ryoma did. He was grateful to have a friend like Ryoma. He then shed tears, crying as Ryoma patted his back soothingly…
'Hey. Shuu-chan, don't cry. You should know that you shouldn't shed tears in front of a girl. It makes you look weak,' Ryoma said this to make Fuji stop his tears, laughing quietly as he did so. 'I should be the one crying you know,' Ryoma joked but it was true after all.
'Please let me, Ryo-chan, please let me cry… I want you to know that I won't shed a tear in front of you anymore after I cry. This will be the last time that I will cry in front of you. So please let me cry for awhile. I promise you that,' Fuji said, still crying. He was saddened by the fact that he had let Ryoma give him something while he didn't.
'There, there…' Ryoma said while patting his back gently. Fuji then stopped crying, seeing Ryoma smiling at him. 'We'll see each other soon.'
'Thank you, Ryo-chan' Fuji said, already chuckling to himself. He remembered that he was already about to leave and all his laughter vanished.
'Shuusuke!!' A girl with long light brown hair that was exactly like Fuji's called his name and was running towards them. She was holding their tickets.
'Yumiko-nee…' Fuji and Ryoma muttered at the same time, afraid of what she was going to say.
'Oh, Ryoma-chan. Did you come here to say good bye to Shuusuke?' Yumiko the elder sister of the Fuji asked, smiling at the cute little girl.
'Umm… Well, yes…' Ryoma said shyly, looking down on the floor, trying to hide her blush. 'But we're finished though. I already did what I intended to do,' Ryoma continued, smiling up at the two Fuji's.
Yumiko thought that they could talk for one last time before they board the plane. 'Oh… Well, I'll just give both of you one last minute to talk,' Yumiko smiled, before she walked away.
'Thank you, nee-chan' Fuji thanked her sister. Yumiko turned around and smiled at her brother, giving him one of her beautiful smiles and saying, 'No problem, Shuusuke. I'll come back, alright?' Yumiko smiled then she left after seeing them nod.
'So this is farewell?' Ryoma asked sadly. Tears were already falling. She didn't want to cry, not in front of her friend! She wiped her tears away and waited for her friends reply.
Fuji sighed. 'I think so…' Fuji said sadly.
'I wish you luck, Fuji Shuusuke,' Ryoma smiled at her friend. She held his hand and gave it a squeeze.
'You too, Echizen Ryoma,' Fuji replied while giving his best friend a hug, a hug that they would never have in a few years, a hug that they would never forget…
It was silent for the two but, Yumiko appeared, making their worlds shatter…
'Shuusuke, time's up' Yumiko informed her brother. She saw Ryoma shake, trying not to cry. For a little girl, she was disciplined and brave.
'Hai!' Fuji answered. 'Bye, Ryo-chan,' Fuji bid farewell, giving Ryoma a sad smile.
'Bye, Shuu-chan,' her voice shook near the end. To her, saying goodbye was hard, especially if the person is special to her. But, Fuji was more than that. He was like her brother or the person she loved the most and, he would already leave her…
Fuji turned around and was about to walk away when Ryoma once again called his name. "Shuusuke!" Ryoma called. Fuji turned his head to look at her, and then when he turned his head, he felt that something soft touching his lips. It was Ryoma's.
