"You play?"

A nod.

"Che, well then play me. The great ore-sama."

"Kay...monkey king."

-Break-

"So your family is from America?"

An a affirming grunt.

"You don't talk much do you."

"You just talk too much."

"That's just because there's so much to say about the great ore-sama."

A roll of the eyes.

"Che."

-Break-

"You're a girl!"

The girl glared at him with venmon in her golden eyes.

"Che, of course I am monkey king!"

"But your hair is so short and you're always wearing a hat! And guy clothes..."

The girl just smirked, "What, are you afraid of girls?"

"Y-you brat!"

-Break-

"You know something monkey king?"

"Hmm what?". The boy looked up from the book he was reading.

The girl took a quick sip from her ponta and answered, "You're my first friend."

The boy just started to laugh.

"Same here."

-Break-

"Oi, Ryoma."

Ryoma looked up in shock, that was the first time he used her name.

"Let's play another match."

Ryoma just smirked, playing tennis was their way of making up.

"Sure...Keigo."

Keigo looked up at her wide eyed then smirked, "Heh, brat."

-Break-

That was all a while back, back when Atobe was only eight years old. Together the two had grown up, been through everything together. Despite going to different highschools,they knew each other like the back of each others hands. They knew what the roll of the eyes meant, what a "che" meant, and what an "I'm sorry" looked like. They knew when the other was upset, and how to comfort them.

"Ryoma come on talk to me!", Momo shouted at her in his usual loud voice. The two were sitting in the usual park, under the usual tree. It was summer. It was hot, and Ryoma was annoyed.

"About what, Momo-senpai?" Ryoma opened one of her closed eyes to gaze lazily at him.

"About you know...", Momo looked away and sighed loudly, "I'll see you later." And with that Momo gave up and went home.

"He lasted longer then I thought he would."

"Che, monkey king." This time Ryoma opened both her eyes and stared placidly at Atobe. Atobe just smirked back and sat down next to her.

Atobe just sat there in the quiet and stared at her, hard. For awhile Ryoma pretended not to notice till eventually, "What?"

"You're a girl."

Ryoma just glared at him and laid back down, closing her eyes in mock sleep. "Stupid monkey king."

"Ore-sama is just saying as a girl you can cry you know."

"That's sexist."

"I know."

Ryoma just smiled a little at Atobe's audacity before crinkling her face. A wave of silence passed over with neither speaking. All there was to concentrate on was the heat and the soft sound of breathing.

"He wasn't supposed to just die."

Atobe laid down next to her and closed his eyes. He nodded even though no one could see it. All he could do was pretend he understood.

"He was supposed to be there, you know?"

The last part came as a strangled whisper. Atobe held out his hand and almost surprisingly Ryoma took it.

"I know."

-Break-

"This sucks."

Atobe rolled his eyes, Ryoma was as blunt as always.

"It's detention, what did you expect?"

Ryoma glared at him and rolled her own eyes. Seriously, was the monkey king that dense?

"Che, whatever. I'm outta here."

"Ore-sama thinks that is not a good idea." Again Ryoma gave him the look.

"You're not a normal ten year old."

Atobe for once glared back. "Neither are you!"

"Oh yeah? At least I'm not an egomaniac!"

"Well I'm not a brat!"

"Monkey king!"

"Brat!"

"Monk-!"

Ryoma and Atobe both looked up at the same time only to see their teacher staring at them.

"ECHIZEN, ATOBE! TWO MORE DETENTIONS!"

-Break-

"B-but we could be so good together!"

Ryoma couldn't believe her eyes. Atobe watching one of those super lame and super confusing soaps. And the poor sap was blubbering too! Ryoma smirked as she just got a great idea.

"No, Betty you can't leave him!", shouted Atobe at the screen. Atobe quickly grabbed a tissue and wiped his tears away. If anyone saw him watching this his reputation would be ruined.

"Oi, monkey king."

Atobe jumped up out of his seat and hastily switched the television off. "Ah, Ryoma. I didn't see you there."

Ryoma glanced over at the t.v then back at Atobe. Slowly a sly grin surfaced on her face, her cat like eyes shimmering with amusement.

"Whatcha doin?"

Atobe's eyes started shifting nervously back and forth, trying to think of a manly excuse. But he knew that there wasn't much he could get pass Ryoma.

"I was ah..."

"Heh." From the look on her face Atobe knew he was caught. Looking for any chance for escape is futile, once she got you she got you. Atobe sighed and bowed his head.

"What do you want?"

By now Ryoma had broken into a full out grin, "A months worth of ponta."

-Break-

"Hey, are you crying?"

Ryoma bent down next to her best friend. This was the first time she had ever seen him cry. His cheeks were tear streaked, his eyes red. Ryoma frowned a little and stared at him, sitting patiently.

"No." Atobe wiped his face with his sleeve, hiding his face from her. It was embarrassing to be seen crying and everyone knows Atobe's don't cry.

Ryoma fixed him a pointed look that basically told him to cut the shit. She heard a sigh emit from his sightly huddeld form.

"Okay I was. There, now just leave me alone."

"No."

Atobe gave her an angry look. "I said just leave me alone!"

"I said no." Ryoma gave him a stern look, staring straight into his eyes and holding his gaze.

A sigh. "You're so stubborn."

"So are you."

"You got a point there." Ryoma glared at him, a sign he should get on with it.

Atobe looked at his knees but proceded, "I'm never good enough for them. Everything I do isn't enough. Even being captin of the tennis team and having straight A's isn't good enough!"

Ryoma frowned but didn't say a word. When someone is venting it's best to just let them finish, or so she'd been told.

"I don't even know why I care! I try so fucking much and it's either not good enough or they don't even notice! I hate it.." Atobe managed to choke out the last few words when Ryoma put an arm around his shoulder.

"You're good enough." Atobe scoffed but didn't resist the gentle tug on his arm. He rested his head on her shoulder and began to cry.

"You're good enough."

-Break-

"This sucks."

Atobe stared down at Ryoma's face, her head on his lap. It was a few hours after the funeral and they were laying down under the usual tree. Ryoma had decided staying was too boring and left before Atobe could talk her out of it. They hadn't gone home to change so both were still in their black clothes.

"That's the usual sentiment when talking about a funeral."

A glare.

Atobe just grinned at her and began playing with her now long hair. It wasn't unlike Ryoma to skip things when she found them too tiresome. But really her own father's funeral?

"I can't believe we buried him."

This time Atobe didn't make a joke. Unlike him and his father,Ryoma was close to her dad. He'd always threaten Atobe everytime he came to their house. No matter how many times she'd tell him they weren't dating.

"He's dead, like, really, actually, dead."

Ryoma's dad had always been a smoker, it probably just caught up with him. Though Ryoma had always thought that her dad was invincible. Unbeatable.

"I'll never get to beat him."

Atobe could feel her tears leak onto his pants and in her hair. He began to wipe them away and she had closed her eyes, not caring if they fell or not. Atobe gently stroked her hair, making little cooing noises in attempt to comfort her.

"It's okay."

-Break-

"Get out of my sight."

"He said that?"

Atobe nodded. He had gotten into another fight with his father, the fight had started when his team didn't make it into the nationals. And it ended with him refusing to enter the incoming piano recital, even at 15 he can't make his own decisions.

"No offense, but your dad's a douche."

Atobe smirked back at her, "None taken."

-Break-

School had finished 10 minutes ago and he was still waiting for Ryoma. Ever since elementray school the two would walk home together, spliting up at the usual park. But every once in awhile Ryoma was late.

"Monkey king."

"Ryoma." Atobe looked up at the sound of her voice and smirked. He could see she was holding an envelope, but that didn't answer the question of why she was late.

When she noticed him staring she smiled an almost sheepish smile. "It's an application." She knew the question without him even having to say it.

Atobe rasied a delicate eyebrow, again another unspoken question.

"Seigaku."

"Mmm? And why pray tell are you transferring there?"

Ryoma sighed and shrugged. That meant only one thing.

"Your dad?"

A nod.

"We'll still be best friends right?"

Another nod only slightly more vigorous this time.

"Che, stupid monkey king."

-Break-

"Get out of my house."

"Wow."

Atobe just nodded and closed his eyes. Slowly he put his head on Ryoma's lap. It was their tradition, go to the usual tree, then whoever had the problem got to put their head on the others lap.

"The worst part isn't that he said it, it's that my mom didn't do anything." Atobe had always thought he was closer to his mom than to his dad. He'd always thought if worse came to worse he could count on her to stand up for him. It was like a punch in the gut to discover he was wrong.

Ryoma hummed in response, quietly running her hand through Atobe's hair. Whenever he had a problem she would listen till the end, before giving her opinion of course.

"It was probably the most violent fight we ever had and still she did nothing. Sometimes it's like she's a blind puppy and he's holding the leash. And he has the nerve to think I would do the same!Can you believe that?"

"I've met your dad."

"Oh yeah."

Ryoma held in her laugh, "So, where are you going to stay?"

Atobe closed his eyes, "I don't know."

"Oshitari's?"

"Him? As if."

"Gakuto's?"

"Never, he's so hyper he'd probably find a way to kill me in my sleep!"

Ryoma would give him that one, Gakuto would probably try to summer sault or something like that and would end up landing on Atobe's throat.

"Ahh, Jiroh?"

All Jiroh does is sleep, he'd have to be a safe choice.

"He snores."

Ryoma frowned, but continued to stroke his hair. "Then where?"

Atobe opened his eyes and said, "I was hoping I could stay at your place."

Ryoma blinked, at least Atobe had the decency to look abashed. "Well I guess you could. After all it's not like my dad will be there to chase you out anymore."

Atobe gave her a little smile, "I'm glad you said yes because I already went to your place and dropped off all my things."

Ryoma who was still stroking his hair grabbed some tuffs and pulled. Hard.

"OW!"

-Break-

The first day of highschool felt weird. Without Ryoma there everything felt different. He still had his teammates, but still it was like missing a limb. You knew it was gone, but you could still feel it's echoes.

Not to mention the guys kept making fun of him for missing his 'girlfriend', even though he told them she wasn't his girlfriend.

Atobe sighed as he walked out of the school,he would have to get used to walking by himself. At least he thought he would when he noticed Ryoma standing outside the gate.

"Che monkey king." Atobe just smiled and the two walked the usual route.

-Break-

"Why do you like ponta so much?"

Ryoma gazed up at him sipping on said drink. She just shrugged, it was the usual non-answer.

"Why do you ask stupid questions?"

Atobe just glared at her, "I'm only asking because it's all you drink."

Ryoma smiled and said simply, "I like it because it tastes good."

Atobe just smiled back, sometimes you ask a stupid question and you get a reasonable answer.

-Break-

"You're moving back to your parents house?"

Atobe nodded. Ryoma and Atobe were lying side by side, in the usual spot under the tree. Atobe was proped up by his shoulder, but Ryoma lay flat on her back. It had been three days since Atobe's fight with his dad and just last night he had come over to apologize.

"That's good?"

Atobe breathed in and out loudly. A sign he wasn't sure. "At least it means he's trying. At least it means he cares. He even said it, that he cares." Ryoma raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I know. So, it has to count for something."

Ryoma turned over onto her side and smiled slightly. "If you ever need a place to hide, you can stay at mine."

Atobe grinned and began playing with her hair.

"I've learned something through all this."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah and I have a theory."

"Oh, a theory now."

Atobe pretended he didn't hear that and continued. "Life is ironic in the cruelest way. For no matter how much you want to, turning back is impossible. Often times you find your self living with mistakes and regrets. But all you can do is keep living."

Ryoma stopped smiling and tried to absorb his words.

"Anyways I hypothisize that-"

Atobe stopped talking when he felt a pair of lips on his. After the initial shock of Ryoma kissing him, Atobe just decided to enjoy it, for it was something he had been hoping for.

"What was that?", he asked when they finally came up for air.

Ryoma just smirked.

"Just living is all, like your theory said."

Atobe grinned.

"Che brat."

-Break-

A/N: Longest think I've ever written. Oh and to clear some confusion: The present is always when Ryoma's dad is dead.

Unedited