How Do You Tell Someone You Like Them?
Prince of Tennis
Pillar Pair Tezuka Kunimitsu and Echizen Ryoma

Things written in italic are thoughts

Chapter Two: Oishi Syuichiroh and Kikumaru Eiji


When Echizen walked into the clubroom, there were only a few members left inside and only two members of the regulars. Luckily for him they were the exact people Echizen was looking.

"Hoi! Hoi! Ochibi! You're here! Why are you late today? Practice started ten minutes ago!" yelled Kikumaru.

"Oi! Eiji! Be quiet! Don't worry, Echizen. Momo called me earlier this morning and told me that the two of you would be a little late for some reason or another and I've passed the message on to Tezuka. He's allowed a fifteen minute time slot for you guys to arrive. Tezuka seemed to know that the only reason the two of you would be late was because one of you had woken up late," explained Oishi.

"Eh? Momo Senpai actually thought ahead of time?" gaped Echizen. "Anyway, Senpai, I was hoping that the two of you could help me out with something before we go out to the courts," Echizen continued.

"NANI?! Ochibi is asking us for help?!" yelled Kikumaru. To say that they were shocked would have been an understatement. For their youngest Kouhai to ask for help when he was usually so aloof, well, that was just strange. If Inui was there, he would probably say that there was only a 0.05% of that ever happening. Or something even smaller than that!

"Well, what is it that you wanted our help on, Echizen?" asked Oishi. Already, he was imagining a number of different things that would cause Echizen to ask for help. "Does it have to do with school? Homework? Classmates? Teachers? The club? Other freshman? Arai and his friends? Practice? Are you sick? Is everything okay? Girl problems? Were you confessed to? Or do you want to do the confessing?" Oishi would have continued if he hadn't noticed the immediate blush that took over majority of the freshman's face.

"EEEEEEEEEEEHHHH?! Ochibi-chan likes someone?! Who is it, who is it?" squealed Kikumaru though he would later deny it.

"I'm not telling you," said Echizen.

"Demo, how are we supposed to help you if we don't know who they are?" whined Kikumaru.

"How did you confess to each other, Senpai?" Echizen asked bluntly. He was becoming annoyed with his Senpai's constant questions. And if they kept this up, he would end up being late for the grace period that Tezuka-buchou had set.

"Well, Oishi gave me a basketful of all my favorite fruit and took me out to eat. When we were eating he gave me a box of my favorite toothpaste and said that he wanted me to spend forever just smiling with him and that he loved me," said Kikumaru.

"Eiji! That's private! Who else have you been telling that to?!" squeaked Oishi.

"Just the regulars who asked and my siblings," said Kikumaru.

"So basically everyone knows with how fast news is spread around the tennis club," groaned Oishi.

"Well, what else was I supposed to do? You know that I'm no good at keeping things from people, especially Fujiko," Kikumaru said with a pout.

"Yes but when I confessed to you I meant for only you to know what I said," Oishi replied.Mattaku, Eiji. He's always been like this though so no point in trying to change him. Now, who could Echizen possibly like?

"Ano, Senpai, can you help me before I get in trouble with Buchou?" interrupted Echizen.

"Ah, right. Can you at least describe this person that you like? That way we can think of an appropriate way for you to confess," said Oishi.

"OR! He can just tell us who the person is! Ooooh! Oooh! Ochibi! Can I ask questions to see who it is?" exclaimed Kikumaru.

"You can ask questions about what kind of person they are and take turns asking questions. Only twelve questions each, or you will never stop. Oishi Senpai first," conceded Echizen knowing his hyperactive Senpai would not leave him alone otherwise.

"Mou, oh fine. Oishi ask a good one!" Kikumaru pouted.

"Is there person you like a boy or a girl?" asked Oishi. He had to be sure that his youngest Kouhai was serious and not just experimenting with his sexuality.

"Oishi! What kind of question is that? Of course Ochibi likes a-" said Kikumaru before he was cut off by Echizen.

"A boy."

"It's a boy?! Okay...Ochibi, is he on a tennis team?" Kikumaru asked with a gleam in his eyes.

"What's wrong with the person I like being a boy? The two of you are boys and you seem to be just fine! And yes, he is on a tennis team. Did you really need to ask that?" snapped Echizen.

"Mou, gomen Ochibi. Just shocked," Kikumaru said, pouting again.

"That's enough, you two. Is he on our tennis team?" asked Oishi.

"...Yes, he is," said Echizen, though it was done reluctantly. Oishi Senpai just had to ask the one question that would significantly lessen the number of possible people.

"Is he a regular?" Kikumaru quickly followed up.

"...Yes, he is," Echizen answered again reluctantly. Kikumaru Senpai just had to ask...

"What does he like to do?" asked Oishi. If we asked anymore questions like that we would easily find out who it is. But, Echizen wouldn't like that. But if I knew who it was, I could find out if they would make a good pair.

"Read, study, play tennis and I don't really know what else," answered Echizen.

"Hm...then maybe you can buy him some books that you know he would like? Do you know if they like nature or anything like that?" suggested Oishi.

"Oi! Oishi! It's not your turn!" exclaimed Kikumaru.

"Ah, gomen but we need to finish. Echizen only has another three minutes before Tezuka comes looking for him," apologized Oishi. Neither of the third years noticed the slight reddening of Echizen's face at the mention of their buchou.

"No, he is a very private person. But, I have seen him looking at some books and hiking gear whenever the team goes out together to the shopping district," Echizen informed them. He knew that this information was very revealing about who he liked but he still held onto the hope that his Senpai wouldn't figure it out.

"Then perhaps you could buy him books that are similar to those that you saw him looking at. Books on nature. I can ask Tezuka for which books are good, he also likes those things," said Oishi. Echizen would have face-palmed when he realized that his Senpai still did not notice who he liked even when he said they liked the same things.

"Aaah, no it's okay. I'll just take a look around the district later to see what they have," said Echizen before Oishi Senpai actually went to go looking for Buchou. How oblivious can my Senpai be?

"Well, okay then. That's what I would do if I were in your place. Get him something that you know he would like, that he would appreciate and would be useful at the same time," advised Oishi.

"Nya, Ochibi make sure when you tell him how you feel, be nice about it! Don't be so blunt like you usually are!" added Kikumaru.

"Hai, hai. I have to go check in with Buchou now," sighed Echizen before he made his way out of the clubhouse. The two seniors merely looked as he left but they were sure they heard Echizen mumbling as he left.

"Gah. How am I supposed to know what books and stuff he already has without directly asking about it," mumbled Echizen.


A/N: That's it for now! Sorry if it seems shorter or something. I don't have a word count to let me know.