Mizuko: *sniff* Why do I still have a cold?

Me: What? Did you expect to get better in one day? Besides you can still use "that."

Mizuko: *tilts head to the side* "that?"

Me: Yep!

Mizuko: Ano...what is "that?"

Me: *giggles* (Don't you just hate it when people do that?) I'll tell you after you say the disclaimer.

Mizuko: *sighs* 32692010 doesn't own Prince of Tennis…*gulp* just me and an idea…

Me: *pats her on the head* =^_^= Okay come here *whisper*

Mizuko: Eto...you could've just told me that. r_r

Chapter 2: Week 1

If I didn't know any better, I'd say this cold got worse.

Mizuko sighed as she plopped the side of her head on her desk. Her cheeks kept a consistent pink shade and luckily the frames of her glasses covered the dark circles under her eyes.

Today is going to be terrible. As much as I tried, sleep didn't come until 2am. Maybe I should go home-NO! Come on, suck it up. I think I'll just go wash my face.

As Mizuko hastily made her way down the empty hall way, everything abruptly felt heavy. Her shoulders began to sag, her head drooped, and her legs moved even slower than usual. I know I'm out of shape, but this is ridiculous. As Mizuko's breaths slowed a bit, she tried to walk faster again, but then everything became blurry.

I better stop.

She gently placed her hand, but the side of her body quickly plunged against the wall, and she gasped for air.

Breathe, breathe, she tried to focus as she clenched her eyes shut. Calm down, heart calm-

"Are you okay?"

Mizuko flinched, and was embarrassed that someone had seen her like this. She kept her eyes closed, oh no…

"I…I'm fine, I just tripped, arigatou for your concern, demo excuse me," Mizuko stated as she looked straight forward and walked away.

Mizuko barely kept her eyes open for class, and after the bell rang for lunch, she didn't bother to open them again.

I'm such a wimp...

"…zu…izu…SHIMIZU!"

Mizuko blinked and slowly raised her head, Eh!

"Go to the nurse's office," her teacher ordered.

There's no point in arguing. Everyone's already staring at me. "H…hai," she feebily replied.

Momo watched with worry as Mizuko left. She looks worse than yesterday, AH! A chance while sensei's not looking. Momo took a huge bite out of his sandwich. A huge aura of fire rose from the teacher's turned back.

Uh oh!

The sensei turned with yellow glowing eyes "MOMOSHIRO TAKESHI!"

Crap!

After school, as punishment, Momo had to take over cleaning duty for the day while his teacher closely watched.

"You missed a couple spots."

WHAT! "Gomenasai," Momo groaned as he started over on the desk. Why does sensei have to follow and watch over my shoulder? It's kind of creepy-

"Ano, sensei?"

That voice, Momo and the teacher turned to see Mizuko slowly walk into the classroom. "Well, if it isn't my favorite new student, how are you feeling?" Momo decided to get back to work now that his teacher wasn't paying attention to him, but kept listening along the way.

"Eto…I'm fine, but I was hoping to get the homework that was missed while I was gone."

"Are you sure?" The sensei uncomfortably asked.

"Hai!" She smiled.

Well she seems better, Momo noted. While moving onto the next desk, he looked at the clock-

NO! I'M 15 MINUTES LATE FOR TENNIS PRACTICE, I need to hurry.

He picked up the pace, scrubbing and spraying each desk, and then dashed out the door while Mizuko and their teacher were still talking. After noticing Momo's absence, Mizuko made a consideration.

He must have been caught eating again. Maybe I should watch him practice soon, he seems like he's nice enough.

As the rain pounded the ground the next day, Kaidoh noted the weather and deliberated. It's another rainy day? I hate it, you're more likely to slip while running, but if it hadn't been for the rain, I never would've discovered my boomerang snake. As he pondered while hissing, all but one of his classmates flinched around him.

Mizuko pondered, should I ask him if that was supposed to be a snake hiss? He's a little scary, demo, everyone else around him seems to be scared too. Maybe he's just…similar to me...yeah, maybe, I want to know,

"Ano, was that a hiss?"

This time Kaidoh flinched. He turned to his left to see Mizuko curiously staring at him. He began to stare back with his intense glare, but, surprisingly, that only made her snicker.

Eh? "What's so funny?" He snarled.

Mizuko winced, "Eto, it explains why he calls you mamushi," Mizuko replied as she pointed to Momo. Kaidoh continued to glare at Mizuko.

Mizuko recoiled a little after seeing no positive change in her new classmate's visage. Oh no, I didn't want to make him angry, it's sugoi, just like a real snake. Maybe I should just tell him the truth even if he doesn't believe it.

"I-It's okay."

Huh? Kaidoh was stunned.

"Snakes used to be my favorite animals," Mizuko said with a faint smile.

"Hnn," Kaidoh distantly replied while turning his head straight. As Mizuko turned back, a slight flush rose on Kaidoh's face.

At the end of class, Momo came, again, to Mizuko's desk.

"How are you feeling?"

Goodness, everyone is so nosey, "I'm okay," she replied. "Is it fine for me to come and watch you practice tomorrow?"

Momo's face brightened, "Un! I'll even show you my dunk smash as a treat."

"Sounds good," Mizuko civilly replied.

"We'll show her the strength of the Seigaku tennis team!" Momo excitedly announced with his voice echoing throughout the gym. However, everyone just stared at him like he was crazy.

"I don't get what's so special about this girl Momo-senpai," Ryoma bluntly muttered.

"Isn't it obvious ochibi, he-" Momo quickly clasped Eiji's mouth shut before he could say anymore, and nervously chuckled.

"She's new, and I'm simply welcoming her here. Is that a crime?"

Fuji maliciously answered, "Only if there's an ulterior motive behind it."

"FUJI-SENPAI!" Momo's mortified face said it all.

"Heh heh," Fuji innocently smiled. Momo's shock lightened his grip and Eiji struggled out, gasping as if he hadn't been able to breathe.

"THAT WAS SO MEAN MOMO, HOW COULD YOU TREAT YOUR SENPAI LIKE THAT?"

Momo sighed. I'm starting to worry about how this is going to turn out.

The following day spawned gentler weather, and pleasant breezes. Mizuko realized during class, finally, my cold's starting clear up. It looks like a nice day for tennis, so there's a good chance they'll have practice after school.

As the bell rang for lunch, Mizuko dashed out of the classroom as quickly as her unfit body allowed. They'll come bombarding me with questions again, and I'm running out of rational excuses. She stopped not too long after she started to catch her breath. That reminds me, I haven't done "that" for a while. She decided to walk around a bit since she didn't have a lunch, and didn't bother to buy one. It's almost too nice out, Mizuko pondered as she slowly progressed.

"Hey what do you think of that Shimizu girl?"

Mizuko stopped dead in her tracks, and quickly hid behind a nearby tree as a few girls passed by. No good has, and ever will, come from this, demo…

"I guess she's polite, but very evasive, I mean it's been 4 days and we still don't know anything about her. She seems…suspicious."

Mizuko found herself on auto pilot, and following them. Another girl added,

"Maybe we can get Momoshiro-kun to ask her, did you notice how he's been talking to her a lot?"

They all nodded. Then the final girl pretentiously said,

"She could stand to lose a few pounds too," that made all the girls giggle.

The wind gracefully continued its course, and the leaves rustled in the tree Mizuko stood behind. As the girls slowly disappeared, Mizuko's slight frown began to curve upward into a smirk.

"Pitiful, that's the best they've got?" She whispered while sarcastically chuckling.

Momo decided to eat his lunch outside today (if 20 packages of junk food count as lunch). As he was about to eat a mochi ball, the three girls approached him.

"Yo!" Momo casually greeted.

They looked at each other, smiled, and said in unison, "Momoshiro-kun can we ask you for a favor?"

Eh? "I guess so what is it?" Momo curiously asked.

The first girl took one step closer to Momo, "We want to know more about Shimizu-san."

Momo gave them a confused look, "Ano, what does this have to do with me?"

The second girl stepped closer, "She talks to you, right?"

Momo thought about it, "Not really, she's been sick, so I've let her have some privacy, but how come you aren't talking to her yourselves?"

There's a guy for you, we don't work that way, the three thought in unison.

The last girl stepped forward, "She won't talk to us, personally, I think she's pretty stuck up-"

"How can you say that about someone you don't even know?" Momo snapped. The first girl replied,

"Come on now! Don't pretend that you don't judge people."

Momo slightly gasped but looked downward. That's right, I did judge her. I'm not much better am I? Momo stood up, looked at all three of the girls, sternly replied,

"If you girls want to get to know Shimizu-san, quit being cowardly and respectfully talk to her yourselves," and walked away.

Mizuko continued with her stroll, occasionally looking at the clock-

"THWAK, THWAK!"

Huh? Is someone hitting a tennis ball? She continued walking towards the sound and looked at the clock on the building one more time. 12:45, so I have about 15 minutes until-

CRASH!

Mizuko tripped and found herself on the ground next to someone. Crap, I would do something like this.

"Gomenasai! Are you oka-"

The guy sat up and scowled at her with big, intense eyes.

His look is a little intimidating, oh no what have I done? She blushed from embarrassment.

"I'm fine, but watch where you're going," he replied with a yawn.

"Un, ano, I heard someone hitting a tennis ball was that-" Mizuko stopped when she noticed he wasn't even holding a racquet, and, after that yawn, realized he was sleeping.

"Ah, g-gomen," Mizuko nervously laughed, "Excuse me," she yelled as she ran off.

The boy rested again to go back to sleep, smirked, and said,

"Mada mada dane."

Translation corner:

Arigatou: Thank you

Sugoi: Awesome, amazing, incredible, etc.

Gomenasai: Formal way of saying "I'm sorry" with remorse.

Ochibi: It's Eiji's nickname for Ryoma, it literally means "kiddo"

-kun: a suffix to address guys in highschool or of the same age.

Thanks for reading!