A/N: I HAVE NOT ABANDONED THIS STORY! THIS IS CHAPTER TWO, RIGHT HERE! THIS IS NOT ABANDONED!
I have found that in my extremely long absence (which I profoundly apologize for... while I'm on the floor begging for mercy from my readers... Please don't torture me. I'm sorry! Very, very, very sorry! I'm so sorry!) people are beginning to think I have abandoned this. I have not! I have not been able to write for numerous reasons (I'm not going to bore you with my sob story. My more, eh, scary readers will take it as excuses...) and deeply regret it.
BUT I'M BACK!
So please, don't accuse me of abandoning my story. I won't ever abandon this story (any story, really) or give it up. It's my work, and it holds a special place in my heart. If you see anyone that has "adopted" this story, please let me know. I have not given anyone the right to "adopt" this. It would crush me to know that someone has stolen my story (which could result in me leaving ffn . net forever).
One more thing before the disclaimer: BETA? Is there anyone willing to be a beta-reader for me? I need someone who knows Japanese culture and the Japanese language pretty well. I want to make this as realistic as possible. I read all reviews, so feel free to offer there. Thank you.
I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS! (and now on to chapter two! For some reason, I am unable to use a line break. Please bare with me. I'll try to edit this as soon as I am able.)
Line Break
Ryoma and Yuuki stood outside the door of classroom 1-A. It was their first day at their new school, Seishun Gakuen. They would be in grade ten this year, freshmen by senior high school standards. They hoped that they wouldn't have too much of a hard time explaining their 'conditions' to their teachers.
"Echizen Ryoma, Echizen Yuuki. Please come in and introduce yourselves to your new classmates." Nagasaki-sensei called from the classroom.
Glancing at each other once, the Echizen twins walked in. They stood in front of the class, watching silently as the other students whispered amongst themselves… and the twins knew why. Yuuki's right eye was covered with a plain black patch, simple in design, but still a dark contrast on her pale face. Ignoring the rising buzz, Ryoma handed a manila folder to their teacher. It held a note from the chairman as well as medical documents, proving their 'conditions.' Their mother had figured it would be easier to tell the school straight out, instead of having the twins explain.
Nagasaki-sensei looked at the chairman's note first. He briefly skimmed the enclosed documents. A frown settled on his face. He glanced at his two new students and nodded to show he understood. They returned the gesture in unison, and Yuuki turned to face the class. "Hajimemashite. My name is Echizen Yuuki, and this is my twin brother Ryoma. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu." The class replied appropriately to their greeting.
"Ah, well then, there are two empty seats near the back. You may take the seat of your choice." Nagasaki-sensei said, gesturing to said seats. For whatever reason, both were near the windows with one in front of the other. Yuuki took the seat in front, letting Ryoma have the seat behind her. Class began.
After Class
"Oy! Echizen! Wait up!" Horio called. Ryoma and Yuuki paused and turned around, waiting for the brunette to catch up. "You wanted to join the tennis club right? Well I, with my two years of tennis experience, also want to join. So let's go together!" He paused. "Ah, but Echizen-chan, you don't have a bag like Ryoma. Are you going to join the girls' tennis team?"
"Iie. I can play tennis, but I prefer not to. I'm only coming to watch." Yuuki replied. Horio soon began to ramble on about the greatness of Seigaku and his "two years of tennis experience." Fortunately, the tennis courts weren't too far away, and the trio reached them in no time. Horio and Ryoma were able to sign up easily and were soon put with the other freshmen.
I wonder how long it will be until Ryoma decides to show his skills, Yuuki thought to herself. She was sitting under a tree in the shade, simply watching. Then, suddenly! She saw it! A perfect subject! She pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw him. By his jacket, she concluded that he was one of the regulars. She didn't know who he was, but that didn't matter. Though it was a bit hard to draw him because he was constantly moving, she was very happy with the final product. She held it up to compare the likeness to the actual subject.
"You're quite the artist."
Yuuki gasped and whipped her head around to face the speaker. He had approached from the right side, her blind spot. It always scared her if something came from her blind spot, which was the reason Ryoma always, always walked on that side. The man, however, looked genuinely sorry.
"I didn't mean to frighten you. You were very absorbed in your drawing, but I thought you would have seen me coming from the corner of your eye. I apologize for the assumption." The brunette looked at her with kind cerulean eyes. He also wore one of the regular jackets. "My name is Syuusuke Fuji. I'm a third year and one of the regulars on this tennis team. The man that you drew is Kaidou Kaoru, a second year regular."
"Ah, arigatou Fuji-senpai." Yuuki proceeded to write the second year's name at the top of the page. She wrote the date and signed her name with a flourish.
"Echizen Yuuki? You wouldn't happen to be related to the Echizen Ryoma who just joined, would you?" Fuji asked. He sat down beside her, still staring at her with those cerulean eyes. However, even though she looked, she could find neither pity nor sympathy in those eyes. She smiled. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless.
"Hai. He is my twin brother." Yuuki looked over at her twin then. He was easily completing all the tasks set for the freshmen. It was no surprise. Some of the regulars even seemed to be observing him. They were most likely the third years.
"He's played tennis before, right? He's very good, but he doesn't speak." Fuji observed Ryoma as well with those sharp eyes of his.
"He cannot." Yuuki looked at him then. Her golden eye stared at him, daring him to ask something or to look with an unfavorable emotion. He merely smiled sadly and said nothing. He eventually left to go back to practice, but before he did, he made Yuuki promise something. She would meet him after practice and show Kaidou her drawing. She had agreed, as long as she could bring her twin. Fuji had only smiled and closed his eyes, walking away without giving anyone the view of those cerulean eyes.
After Practice
"Ryoma. Fuji-senpai wants us to meet with Kaidou-senpai." Ryoma nodded. He shouldered his tennis bag and walked with her to the mysterious third year. He had already changed into his uniform.
"Saa, I realized something just now." Fuji said as they approached. They cocked their heads to the side in unison, silently asking him to explain. Fuji chuckled at the sight. The pair was so cute! "I don't know how to address either of you; after all, you've the same last name. Would Ryoma-kun and Yuuki-chan suffice? Or is that perhaps too familiar?" The Echizen twins glanced at each other before shrugging at their senpai. Fuji smiled once more.
"Fuji-senpai." The trio turned to the gruff voice behind them. It was Kaidou. He was also in his uniform, and his bandana was nowhere to be seen.
"Kaidou! I would like you to meet Ryoma-kun, who just joined our club, and his twin sister Yuuki-chan! Yuuki-chan has something to show you." Yuuki pulled out her sketchbook. She turned to the correct page and handed it to Kaidou. His eyes grew wide.
"You drew this?" Kaidou asked as he looked at her.
"Hai."
"It's good." He handed the book back. Ryoma reached out to take it for Yuuki and looked the drawing.
The page showed a profile view of Kaidou in deep concentration. It only went a little past his shoulders, but there was a sliver of his racket in the picture. It was done in pencil, with a great attention to detail. The design of the bandana was exact as were the lines on his face and the shape of his eyes. Ryoma looked at Yuuki fondly, placing one hand on the back of her head. He handed back the sketchbook. Yuuki smiled at him in return. It was all the conversation needed between the two.
"Saa, I think Kaidou is embarrassed." Fuji remarked. The twins looked at the junior. His ears and park of his neck were a little redder than they had been. Ryoma smirked widely, and Yuuki covered her quiet laughter with her hand.
"FUJI-SENPAI!"
"See?"
Line Break
A/N: I apologize once again for being away so long. Thank you for putting up with me. Please review!
