Konnichiwa! I'm still breathing, you know. O.o
I decided to write a one-shot. Yes, I wrote one despite the fact that I have three stories to update... (sighs). I just couldn't help it when plot bunnies kept on barging into my mind. They were driving me insane. So, I stopped them from coming by putting them into writing.
Anyway, this story is connected to my FujiRyo story on my Lj account entitled Love is Written by a Comic. You may think of this oneshot as its prologue, but it can really stand on its own.
In the story, Love is Written by a Comic, Ryoma is a shounen-ai mangaka, known to all, especially to girls, as Minami Chitose. (Why the name? It's a secret. Mwahahaha!) No one in his school, especially his teammates, know about this, but because of a major mishap, his secret was discovered by the resident genius of Seigaku, Fuji Syusuke, who has feelings for Ryoma since their duel in the rain.
So without further ado, here's my story...
Disclaimer: I will never own the whole Prince of Tennis series. I can't even afford to buy a personal laptop. (sobs)
Warning: This is an Alternate Universe (AU) oneshot. In this story, I imagined Ryoma as a mangaka. Also, characters may not be in character. They've caught the out-of-character syndrome. xD
Dedication: I dedicate this to my ever-patient beta reader, Rea (a.k.a. Sweet Obsidian Rain). This is my belated birthday gift to you. Thanks for helping me with my writing. And to all of you as well...Think of this story as my past-Valentine's and birthday gift for Fuji's birthday.
This means thoughts.
This means text message.
This means the prologue of the manga.
A SUDDEN INSPIRATION
Summary:Still tired from the Nationals and suffering from a major slump with his work, Ryoma was forced by his editor to create a brand new story. Where will he get his inspiration?
Ryoma was staring at a blank sheet of paper, tapping his pencil on his desk. He had no idea what story to write as he was still suffering from the so-called 'writer's block' after writing Secluded Love.
"I am getting nowhere with this." He slammed his pencil on the table, frustrated with himself. What's wrong with you, Ryoma? How did you suddenly lose your inspiration to write?
Deep in his thoughts, he didn't notice his mother coming in his room. "Ryoma?" Rinko asked hesitantly. "Someone wants to see you outside. It's Fuji-kun."
He glared at his mother. "Tell him that I'm dead," he said in an irritable tone, crumpling the paper.
Rinko was surprised with her son's choice of words. "Ryoma! I can't say that to him."
Ryoma took another piece of paper. "Mother, I'm sorry, but I have no time for chit-chat. I have important matters to deal with. Tell him that I don't want to see him." He started to draw.
His mother sighed. "Nothing made yet?" He scowled at her. "I told you before. Being a mangaka is not that easy. You're still tired from the Nationals. Why didn't you refuse Ichinose-san's request?"
Ryoma sighed wearily, putting down his pencil. "I did promise to him that I would write him a new one before the Nationals and send it to him, but I totally forgot about it."
"Okay." Rinko smiled. "I'll tell him that you're busy." She closed the door behind her.
As he heard the door close, Ryoma went back to his drawing...or he assumed that it was a drawing since it had lines and forms. He crumpled the paper again and stood from his seat, going over to the window.
Pushing back his curtains, he saw his mother talking to Fuji. Why would Fuji-senpai come here? He frowned to himself. There's no practice so...
Then he saw Fuji waving at him. What the-- He quickly pulled back the curtains. What was that about?
Still frowning, he went back on his seat. Why would he... He shook his head. I should be thinking about my work, not him.
Erasing his thoughts of Fuji, he took another piece of paper and started drawing again.
Meanwhile at Kawamura's Sushi Shop...
The rest of the team, excluding Ryoma and Coach Ryuzaki, were hanging out, talking about the recently concluded Nationals.
Tezuka, Oishi, Inui and Kaidoh were at the table near the entrance while Fuji, Eiji and Momoshiro were sitting at the farthest table.
"Ne, Fuji. I thought you were bringing Ochibi with you," Eiji commented while eating anago sushi.
Fuji ate his wasabi sushi. "His mother told me that he didn't want to see anyone."
"Really?" Momoshiro grabbed another plate of ootoro which was near Eiji. "Then can I have these, Eiji-senpai?"
Eiji sighed, eating another piece. "You already had it so eat it without hesitation."
Momoshiro smiled. "Thank you, senpai." He picked a wasabi sushi, which was secretly placed by Fuji. "So then, itadakimasu."
He chewed it and his face has suddenly turned red. "Tea! I need to drink tea!" He started coughing, unable to cope up with the spiciness of wasabi.
Eiji gave him a cup. "Here."
Momoshiro grabbed the cup and drank it immediately, the spiciness slowly washing away. "Thank you, senpai. Someone placed a wasabi sushi in my plate. I wonder who..." He trailed off when he saw Fuji eating the said food. "Er...never mind." He went back to eating his sushi.
"So where were we?" Eiji sipped his tea. "Oh yes. Why does Ochibi not want to see us? I haven't seen him a lot lately. He doesn't even come home with me and Momo anymore."
"Maybe he has a girlfriend or something," Momoshiro remarked off-handedly while eating his sushi.
"Momo, want to eat some more?" Fuji offered his plate, giving him a sweet yet insinuative smile. "I can't finish them all so--"
"No thanks, Fuji-senpai." Momoshiro continued eating, trying his best to avoid looking at Fuji.
Eiji sighed again. "Fujiko, will you quit that? You're starting to scare me with that smile of yours."
Fuji frowned at him. "I really wish Echizen was here with us." He ate the last sushi on his plate. "It would have been more entertaining."
"Don't worry, Fujiko." Eiji smiled brightly. "He might be present tomorrow."
Fuji smiled. "I guess so." He glanced at Kawamura, who was making sushi at the counter. "Taka, we need more sushi and tea here."
As Kawamura brought them their order, they continued with their conversation.
But Ryoma didn't appear at practice the next day or the day after the next.
Fuji had had enough of waiting for Ryoma to appear, so he went to his classroom one day during lunch time.
Horio saw him enter the classroom, after noticing a bunch of girls starting to crowd outside. "Fuji-senpai, what are you doing here?"
Fuji looked around him, ignoring the girls' chatter and whispers. "Is Echizen here?"
"He just left a minute ago, senpai." Horio sat on a desk. "He's been like that for days."
"Oh?" Fuji raised a brow. "Doesn't he stay here after class?"
Horio shook his head. "No. Our class adviser told us that he's exempted from doing any after-school work for three weeks. I assumed that Ryuzaki-sensei also knew about that; that's why he hasn't been practicing."
"Did your adviser tell the class the reason why he's exempted?" Fuji curiously asked the freshman.
"She told us that it was a family matter." The freshman shrugged. "Besides, the principal even approved of it, thus extinguishing all of our doubts."
"I see." Fuji mused, tapping his finger on his chin. Something's not right here.
He smiled at Horio. "Thanks for the information, Horio-kun. I'll see you at the courts this afternoon." He left the room, trying to pass through the girls who wanted to have his autograph or to take a picture of him with their cell phones.
When he arrived at the main stairs, Tezuka was waiting for him.
"Tezuka, what are you doing here?" Fuji smiled wryly at him.
Tezuka stared at him. "I've noticed that you've been asking about Echizen's whereabouts these past few days."
"I'm just being concerned about his welfare as his senpai and his teammate."
"I see." Tezuka walked ahead of him. "I accidentally bumped into Echizen at the public library yesterday."
"Really?" Fuji was a bit surprised with the information. "He doesn't seem the type of a library-goer."
"Echizen is his class's library representative, Fuji. He and I often meet there."
Their talk ended as the school bell rang, signaling the start of the afternoon classes; they quietly went to their respective classes.
It was six in the evening when Fuji left the school building.
He was on his way to the train station when he remembered that he had to borrow a book for his English report, so he went to the public library.
As soon as he walked inside the library, he immediately went upstairs and found the book that he wanted. He was about to climb down the stairs when he finally saw Ryoma, who was returning a book to a shelf.
I finally get see you, Echizen-kun. Fuji watched a bespectacled Ryoma as he picked another book from the same shelf and sat back in his seat, reading it. You've deprived me of your presence for many days. Yet here you are, having a grand time with books. He smiled devilishly. I think it's time for me to make my presence known to him.
He strode towards his Ryoma's seat; his thoughts were on how to distract the freshman from his books.
Meanwhile...
Ryoma was really focused on his reading when he suddenly felt someone caressing his nape. Who the heck--
Then someone whispered in his ear. "Echizen..."
He quickly recognized Fuji's voice. "Fuji-senpai." He looked beside him and saw Fuji leaning against the wall.
Ryoma removed his glasses. "What are you doing here?" he asked Fuji in a curt tone.
"I came here to borrow a book for my English report tomorrow." Fuji showed him the book.
Ryoma glared frostily at him. "Now that you have your book, will you please leave?" He went back to his reading. "I have to finish reading this--"
All of the sudden, his book was taken away by Fuji, who placed it back to the shelf. "Oi! What are you doing?" He glared angrily at the brunet. "Give it back."
"No," Fuji firmly replied and then suddenly grabbed Ryoma's arm. "Now, come with me." He forced Ryoma out of his seat.
"What the--?!" Ryoma protested indignantly, his cheeks turning red in anger. "What are you trying to pull here, senpai?"
"You owe me a date." Fuji smiled sweetly at him.
Ryoma stared blankly. "Huh?"
"Date, Echizen. D. a. t. e." Fuji started to gather Ryoma's belongings and placed them into his bag. "I know a coffee shop near here. Shall we go?" He walked ahead of Ryoma, clutching his bag.
Seething in anger, Ryoma furiously grabbed some books on the table to borrow and followed his senpai.
At the coffee shop...
Ryoma glowered at his iced coffee as if it was laced with poison while Fuji sipped his cappuccino.
"Don't worry, Echizen." Fuji smiled assuredly at him. "I didn't place anything suspicious in it."
Ryoma then sipped his drink, glaring at him. "Why are you doing this, Fuji-senpai?"
"I'm doing this because I'm starting to worry about you as your senpai and teammate."
Ryoma gave him an incredulous stare. "You're worried about me?"
"Of course I'm worried about you."
Ryoma snorted. "Yeah right, if pigs could fly," he muttered to himself.
Silence came between them as they drank their beverages when minutes later, Ryoma noticed that Fuji was staring at him.
"What is it this time, Fuji-senpai?" Ryoma asked irritably.
"You're starting to look like a panda, Echizen," Fuji commented blithely.
"What?!" Ryoma was outraged as Fuji continued.
"Your face is getting thinner and paler. You looked tired and hassled. Even my grandmother looks better than you--"
"That's it!" Irritated, Ryoma drank the rest of his iced coffee and stood up from his seat, grabbing his bag. "I have had enough of this nonsense. I'm leaving."
Suddenly his hand was grasped by Fuji. "Let go of my hand, Fuji-sen--" He was silenced by Fuji's piercing stare.
"Unless someone really died from your family, you will tell me the truth behind your two-weeks absence, Echizen."
"Fine." Sighing in resignation, Ryoma sat back in his seat. "A week after the Nationals, I suddenly have migraines and headaches. My mother got worried, so she made me go to the doctor for a check-up," he lied blandly.
"Uh-huh. And what did the doctor tell you?"
Ryoma shrugged. "Oh, he only told me that it was just the aftereffect of the Nationals with all that training and pressure so he advised me to unwind myself and avoid anything stressful."
He gazed away from Fuji's intense stare. There's no way I will tell him that I'm a well-known shounen-ai mangaka, Minami Chitose, and that I'm trying to draw a brand new manga right now.
"Really?" Fuji narrowed his eyes, still suspicious of his answer. "Then what about your panda eyes or that pale-looking face of yours? And isn't reading a stressful activity?"
Ryoma sighed exasperatedly. "Look, Fuji-senpai. I understand that I'm your kouhai and teammate, but what's with the sudden concern? I was expecting Momo-senpai or Eiji-senpai to be the ones whom will bombard me with questions, but I didn't expect that it would be you." He combed his hair in frustration. "You even ask that mouthy Horio about me. Geez! Are you that concerned about me?"
Fuji replied firmly, "Yes."
Ryoma looked quizzically at him, but he merely smiled as he finished drinking his cappuccino.
"I know that you're not going to tell me the truth, Echizen." He placed his cup on the table. "If that's what you want, then I'll find it out myself and use it to my advantage." He stood up from his seat.
"Fuji-senpai," Fuji gazed at Ryoma, who was staring oddly at him. "Why?"
Fuji smiled enigmatically. "Saa...I'll see you after three weeks."
He walked ahead of Ryoma, leaving the freshman bewildered and confused.
When he arrived home and retired to his room, Ryoma dumped his bag and books on the table and lied in bed; his thoughts were on his 'date' with Fuji.
"Why is Fuji-senpai acting like that?" he mused. "I was surprised when I heard that he came to my room today. Even Buchou told me about his sudden concern for me at the library yesterday."
He never fails to amuse me. He smiled faintly. That guy. He always manages to get my interest. So annoying yet…
He sighed. I wonder if he's already taken-- Wait a minute.
He suddenly sat up from his bed. Why am I thinking about him recently? Since that day--He shook his head. No. I've been thinking about him when I first met him, but I've managed to keep them at bay. Yet now...
He tapped his chin. Come to think of it, I have been inspired to write those stories because of Fuji-senpai. He furrowed his brows. This may be odd, but I never thought that I have been harboring these feelings of him for so long.
He sighed in resignation. I guess I am falling in lov--
His line of thoughts was disrupted when his cell phone rang. "Someone sent me a text message."
He opened his inbox. I wonder who would send me a mes--
He saw Fuji's name flash on the screen. Great--It has to be from him. He reluctantly read his message.
"Echizen...forget about seeing you after three weeks. I'll see you tomorrow at school."
Yare, yare. He turned off his phone and placed it on his side table. He's really that persistent to see me. I haven't met anyone like him before...
He trailed off when an idea ran through his mind. "What if..."
He went over to his desk, grabbing a few sheets of paper and a pencil and started drawing what would be his best story that he ever wrote.
Next day, at the Fushigi Publications...
His editor, Ichinose Makoto, scanned over the rough drafts that Ryoma drew last night, reading its prologue.
"I'm Yukimitsu Ryouya, a.k.a. the Ice Prince of St. Lawrence's Academy. Why the title?
Despite ofmy beauty and intelligence, no one dares to talk me. Even if they talk to me, they can't manage to get a single word or sentence from me. I don't like talking much. I only talk if it's necessary.
You can say that it's sad to be alone, but I'm used to it. It has been that way since I was in elementary school.
As high school came, everything changed when this foreign upstart named Matsuhiko Soujirou came into my life. Thus, my story begins..."
"Wow..." Ichinose placed the rough drafts on the envelope.
"What do you think?" Ryoma yawned, still tired from drawing. "Is that passable?"
Suddenly he was hugged tightly by his editor. "Ichinose-san, will you let go of me? I can't breathe." He gasped for air.
But Ichinose didn't let him go. "This is more than passable, Ryoma." He sobbed. "This is a masterpiece."
He then released Ryoma. "Thank you for doing this for me." His eyes sparkled with joy. "Suzubishi-san will be so pleased with this."
Ryoma stood up from his seat as he walked towards the door. "So I guess I'll start making those pages. I'll bring them here next week." He opened the door.
"Yes." Ichinose nodded absentmindedly, still ecstatic with Ryoma's new work. "I'll see you next week, Ryoma."
"Aa." Ryoma sighed, closing the door behind him as he strode out of the building.
Fuji had just come out of the sports shop when he saw Ryoma walking out of the convenience store right across from the shop, sipping Ponta.
"Echizen!" He called out to Ryoma and walked over to him. "I haven't seen you in school today."
Ryoma stared at him for a while before he sipped his drink. "I called absent today, Fuji-senpai."
"I see. By the way, did you receive my text last night?"
"I--" Ryoma hesitated momentarily before he decided not to tell him that he had read the message. "I haven't turned on my phone yet, senpai. Perhaps later, I will read it." He threw his empty can into a trash bin.
Noticing Ryoma's hesitation, Fuji smiled a bit. "You don't have to read it. It was just some random message that I wrote."
"Aa." Ryoma was flustered a bit. Random message, huh. He sighed inwardly. Yeah right.
They walked quietly, enjoying the amicable silence between them until they passed by a public park.
"Ne, Echizen."
Ryoma gazed up at Fuji, frowning slightly. "I think I'm in love with you."
What?!Ryoma was totally dumbfounded with the casual confession, though his heart skipped a bit. "You're kidding, right?" He stammered a bit.
Amused by the freshman's stunned expression, Fuji chuckled. "I was just kidding, Echizen. You don't have to overreact that way."
Ryoma clenched his fists; he was starting to get irritated with Fuji. Overreact?! You nearly gave me a heart attack there. He started to walk ahead of Fuji. Why doesn't he just leave me and my betraying feelings alone?
"Echizen..."
Ryoma halted as he stared back at Fuji, who also stopped and stood not so far from him. "What?" he asked in a rather irritable voice.
"What if I told you that I have really fallen for you?" Fuji asked gravely, his piercing blue eyes suddenly fluttered open. "What would be your answer?"
For the first time in his life, Ryoma felt utterly vulnerable under Fuji's piercing gaze on him. I really love this guy.
"Echizen..." Ryoma snapped out of his reverie as he saw Fuji frown at him. "What is your answer?"
He's really serious about it. Ryoma sighed inwardly. I guess I have to answer him.
"Do you think I will answer you that easily?" He smirked at Fuji. "Fat chance, senpai." He turned his back on him and started walking away.
Fuji smiled at Ryoma's response. He's making it hard for me, isn't he? He stared at the boy's retreating figure.
"You just wait, Echizen." He murmured. "I have no intentions of letting you go." He started to walk again, his heart fully resolved of his feelings for Ryoma.
A month later...
A poster was seen at a bookshop's window, showing the new issue of Fushigi Bishounen Journal. There on the cover, two beautifully drawn young men were asleep under a blooming sakura tree in their school uniforms.
The first one, who was leaning against the tree, had deep green hair tied in a ponytail; while the other, who was asleep on his lap, had soft chestnut brown hair. If one really looked closely, they were rather similar to Fuji and Ryoma, if the two ever show their softer side.
The title of this new series was...Eternal Snow.
Okay...This was supposed to be posted last week but I got tired rewatching all those anime for a contest. (I do wish my answers were correct. All that hardwork...)
By the way, I have a poll at my profile for my story, The Connection between Us. You see, I was planning to kill off Reiko in this story (but I won't tell why) but I decided to put a poll so please VOTE. Reiko's life is at stake here.
What do you think? Please do read and review.