Hello to everyone! I, CrystalKitteN-MeW, am back and here to present to you the second chapter! Please enjoy reading it!
In the last chapter, I think I switched Ryoma's name when he introduced himself to Tezuka. See, Tezuka introduced himself as 'Tezuka Kunimitsu' (his family name first) as opposed to Ryoma who introduced himself by his given name first: Ryoma Echizen. It doesn't make any difference in the story, really, I just wanted to point it out and correct it. In Japanese tradition, I think when people introduce themselves, they say their family name first for courtesy, right? But, oh well, it's just the slip of my typing fingers, I suppose.
I won't be able to update on Friday or Saturday this week because I'll be going out on a contest so I'm updating my 2nd chapter now.
0-0-0-0-0
Oh yeah, I have to add that I'm currently busy with schoolwork so updates won't happen very often… But I try to update once a week, specifically Friday or Saturday so check those days out.
Unya, just so you know, to all those who reviewed, messages for you from me will always be found at the end of the chapter, in my ending author's note!
Note: I watched the whole Prince of Tennis series on a Japanese-dubbed, English-subtitled DVD so please bear with me if I accidentally add Japanese honorifics to the characters' names.
Bold- English
Italics- Flashback
'Dialogue'- Thoughts
"Dialogue"- Spoken Dialogue
Complete Summary: (AU) Tezuka is a rich teen but all he wants is tennis. Enter Ryoma, a bratty tennis-loving kid whose family is having a money crisis because of his father's 'accidental' spending of the money for his magazines. He meets Tezuka and makes a deal: play tennis with him in exchange for helping him get out of the mess. As they grant each other's wanted wishes, will they also grant each other's love wishes? TezuRyo
Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Grant my Wish
CHAPTER 2: DEALing With It
"6 games all. Tie-break."
Ryoma's sweat trickled to the ground as Tezuka announced the current score.
Tezuka looked at the younger boy on the other side of the net as he got ready to serve. As he gazed at Ryoma, the latter's words were still ringing in his ears.
0-0-0-0-0
"Play a match against me."
Those words of challenge had such an impact on Tezuka that he wasn't sure how to respond so he asked, "What for?"
At this, the younger squirmed a bit and blushed. "Err… I'm… I mean, my family's having a… money crisis right now… and… I'm graduating as well so I need money… But I'm too busy with school to do a job… So I was wondering…" he stuttered.
Tezuka couldn't believe what he was hearing. It seemed unlikely to be coming out of the kid who long ago looked a bit cocky… and bratty. But seeing the formerly smug kid acting all shy and stammering like that was making him snicker but he resisted it.
"If I could borrow some money from you. Well, from your uniform, I can tell you're from Kyoryu Senior High… But I don't suppose you'll just be giving free money away so I decided to turn it into a deal", he continued.
"So, will you accept my challenge?"
Tezuka thought about it. "Hmm… How much do you need anyway?"
This made Ryoma fidget even more. "Ah… Erm… F-five m-million yen…"
Tezuka fought the urge not to shout out 'Five million yen?!! What the hell?!'(Though he would never actually do that in reality) His stoic mask was a gift from the heavens. So he settled with saying "So the deal is…"
Ryoma explained, "We play a tennis match. If I win, you pay my family's debts. If I lose, I'll leave you alone and never approach you again."
'Never approach me again?' Tezuka thought. That would mean he'll never see the young boy. He would never see the… kind-of-cute boy again.
But… If he were to lose the match, he will pay. Well, it's not like his grandfather's company will go bankrupt, it's just that when his grandfather learns that he just cashed in 5 million yen, he'll surely be questioned.
Yet he was also curious to see the junior high schooler's skills. He'll just worry about the deal later so he said…
"All right then, Echizen-kun. I accept your challenge."
0-0-0-0-0
And so they went to the tennis court and began their one set match which was now on its tie-break.
Tezuka bounced the ball again as he prepared to serve the first ball in the tie-break. Echizen was certainly skilled as he had a lot of special moves though he managed to return them. Furthermore, he was left-handed, just like him. But what made him impressed the most of all was that Echizen managed to get into a tie-break with him because usually the only ones who can make him go into tie-break were really good, National-level players. Yet Echizen was only in junior high and he managed to do so.
He served the ball and Ryoma caught it easily. Tezuka noted that the boy's motion vision was incredible. They began another rally and as the scores soared to 26-25 with him leading, a strange feeling was welling up inside him.
He felt like he was in another world, completely oblivious of what was happening around him. He was completely focused into the game and there was nothing that could stop him. And then it struck him.
He had finally felt the heat of the game. He was excited.
'It's a wonderful feeling' Tezuka thought. Throughout his life, no tennis game has ever made him feel like this. He looked at the boy in front of him and wondered what was in Echizen that made him feel like this.
0-0-0-0-0
Ryoma had to admit, Tezuka was really good. He managed to return the Twist Serve, which usually gave his opponents a lot of trouble, as well as the Drive A and Drive B. And he was left-handed too.
But he didn't feel down at all.
Despite the fact that he wasn't playing this match for fun, he had never felt… so happy playing a match.
With every ball he hit, it felt like he wasn't actually even playing a serious match, rather he was really playing. It made him happy even more than training against the old wall.
'I feel so happy. All my troubles are melting away. This feeling was certainly different. He looked at the senior high schooler across the net. 'Is he the reason why I feel like this?'
0-0-0-0-0
The two players were both giving it their very best. The scores were now 50-50.
They were already tired but it didn't matter. What they were feeling right now was driving all the exhaustion away.
It was Ryoma's turn to serve. He hit the Twist Serve. The ball landed in front of Tezuka before bouncing towards his face. Tezuka managed to return it easily. As the rally droned on, he hit a drop shot. As Ryoma went to hit it in front of the net, the ball rolled backwards upon contact with the ground.
Ryoma was surprised. 'That ball… did it just roll backwards?'
Tezuka was even more surprised. No, not because he can't do that. It was because he actually used it without thinking. That was his trump card, the Zero-shiki drop shot. He usually uses it on his opponents on purpose. Why did he use it instinctively?
51-50. It was back to Tezuka's serve. The feeling that was gripping him right now was pushing him to use his special moves. He used his high-speed serve and Ryoma almost didn't get it. As Ryoma hit the ball, it returned to Tezuka.
With every return Ryoma made, the ball just returned to Tezuka who hadn't moved from the center of the baseline so far.
'What's happening? Is he controlling my shots?' Ryoma thought.
'I'm using the Tezuka Zone? What's happening to me? Why do I feel the need to win?' Tezuka thought.
Once more, he hit Ryoma's return with a Zero-shiki. Ryoma didn't expect it and the ball rolled back towards the net again.
Silence.
"Game and match, Tezuka-san. 7-6.", Ryoma said.
0-0-0-0-0
Ryoma walked towards the net and Tezuka did the same. They shook hands and Ryoma smiled. "I lost, Tezuka-san. Looks like I won't be seeing you around. Good-bye." He let go and started to walk away.
Tezuka actually felt sad as he watched the younger boy walk away as if leaving him forever. The latter's words were like parting words. With him, he had felt the true heat and excitement of tennis. No, he didn't want him to go away. He wanted to experience that wonderful feeling again. And… he also couldn't bear not being able to see the young boy again for a reason he couldn't understand.
Without realizing it, he had shouted, "Wait!"
Ryoma turned around. "What is it?"
Tezuka approached him. "Although I won, I will pay your family's debts."
"Hah? Are you serious? But I lost the match."
"No, I'll do it in one condition."
"And that would be?"
"Well, I want you to play tennis with me."
"Play tennis with you?"
"Yes, here every Friday."
"…"
"Is that alright with you?"
"You really don't mind?"
"No. I just want to play tennis with you."
"Okay. Every Friday in here, it is then."
Ryoma kept his racket in his bag. As he prepared to go, Tezuka added, "Make sure you remember. Because if you don't keep your end of the bargain, I can easily take away the payment."
"Yup. I won't forget. Well, I'll see you around then." He walked away.
0-0-0-0-0
Tezuka kept his racket in his bag as well and zipped it up. Deep inside, his heart was doing a dance. He felt happy that he will get to see Echizen-kun again and even more, play tennis with him.
As for the money, he'll take care of it later.
But something else was bugging his mind. Why was it that every time he looked at Echizen-kun, his heart thumped hard against his chest? He was pretty sure it wasn't because of tennis. What could that feeling be?
0-0-0-0-0
Ryoma walked slowly home as he felt a little at ease that his problem was somehow solved. He managed to DEAL with it. He chuckled.
Other than that, he couldn't figure out why he felt color rising to his cheeks when he looks at Tezuka-san. It can't possibly be because of tennis. Maybe he was just tired? He took a deep breath and hurried home.
0-0-0-0-0
Meanwhile, as Tezuka started to walk away from the tennis court, five shadows were watching him.
"Maa… What do you think?" one of them spoke.
"90 chance that he actually agreed to that deal was because he was starting to get infatuated with that young boy. 100 chance that he doesn't know what pushed him to do it."
"Hmph… It was obvious. Though I have to hand it to that bratty-looking kid, to be able to fight Tezuka evenly. I, ore-sama, am the only one who can fight against Tezuka like that. Also, Tezuka still agreed to that brat's deal. That's unusual of him."
"Hoi! We should investigate that little kid! Tezuka must really like him at first sight to actually agree to that deal nya!"
"No! We're not stalkers! We shouldn't do that! We'll get in trouble!"
The first one who spoke smiled. "Don't worry. We won't be stalking him. We'll… just find out what's with him that made our wooden captain turn soft. Through OUR ways, of course."
"70 chance that we'll succeed and I've calculated a 95 possibility that what you're planning is what I think it is."
The other replied, "Well, this should be interesting…"
To be continued…
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Nya! The second chapter is done! How is it so far? I'll gladly welcome comments and suggestions from you, dear readers!
Thank you for reading and reviewing the story!
---Messages to Reviewers:
DemonGirl13
-Uwah! You got it exactly right! Well, that's what I said in my summary anyway. Ehehehe! Umm, I've already read some of your fics and put them on alert and fave… I think it was the story entitled Gone Wrong… Though I don't remember the others… Anyway, thank you very much!
FlyingShadow666, Dreamfreak336, Dreaming Celestine, kitsune16487, liar-just-a-liar
-I'll try to update.
LadyCrazyMonkeyPants
-Those four are here to make the couple's life a little more 'interesting'… Hehehehe…
otaku3kagome
-You got the general idea of the answer… Really great!
0-0-0-0-0
In the next chapter, trouble begins as Tezuka's 'friends' show up and meet Ryoma. Giggle…
Oh yeah, favor please. Can someone give me the Japanese for the following? I desperately need it for the upcoming chapters.
Butterfly
Black flower (Literal pls.)
Diamond
Star
Thank you!
See ya in the next chapter!
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
