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Response to annonymous reviewers:

Seii-chan: I hope you didn't have to wait long for this update!

Emethyst: Don't worry, I'll have more Fuji-torturing-Ryoma stuff in the next few chappies!

kellypoon: You'll find out later!

sue: Thanks!

kelly: I'm glad you do! I hope this chapter was soon enough!

Part 3

Ryoma really hated this damn deal her parents made. She only had about half a year before she could dress regularly again. Curse her father for thinking of this damn idea.

She quickly put on the school uniform and ran out so she wouldn't be late to morning practice. This was the other reason she dressed as a guy. The teams were always segregated by gender and she knew the only challenge was in the boys' tennis team. Tezuka-buchou was an example of that.

The girls tennis team lacked some stability as they always focused on the boys tennis team. Their giggling was annoying. There were times that she wished she had a 'pain-killer', if you get the double meaning.

Ryoma made it to morning practice. She couldn't catch up with Momo when she spotted him. Her senpai wanted to tease her about being late and running laps. Uncaring jerk! She thought to herself while thinking of the many ways to randomly make him fall into an 'accident'. Oh the possibilities…

She was brought out of her homicidal daydream when an arm snaked around her waist and a breath breathing down her neck. She fought a shudder. Whoever it was, they better let go before she-

"Ryoma-chan, it's rare to see you late."

Ryoma growled in annoyance. It was the bane of her existence. She pulled away to glare at him. "Can you leave me alone for one second!" she told him. Fuji faked a pained look.

"Oh Ryoma-chan I'm hurt you think of me that way. I never thought you'd put me in the stalker status."

"Fuji-senpai, I need to get changed. You better leave because you'll be late for practice."

"I don't mind."

"Pervert."

"Ah Ryoma, you're going to make us later if you don't start. Do you want help?" Fuji ignored the comment proceeding to grope the defenseless girl by using his said excuse.

Ryoma slapped his hand away and glared. She was not in the mood for this. If only I had a 'pain-killer'. She thought to herself. Her tennis racket was sitting oh-so-innocently next to her locker that she was standing in front of. Her hand twitched to grab it. She wondered if he would live after one hit. That was a stupid question! Of course he'd live! It wasn't like she wanted to go to prison because of him. He wasn't worth it.

ARGH! Her morbid side had been coming out recently.

-X-

Momoshiro was curious. Of course, it's amazing that curiosity hadn't killed the 'human' yet. He, along with a curious Kikumaru Eiji, found it strange that both Fuji and Ryoma would be late to afternoon practice. That itself was a rarity and a cause for developing conclusions.

"Nya, where's Fuji and Ochibi?" Eiji spoke looking around in wonder. He was rather curious and wondering if his developed hypothesis was correct. "Ne Momo-chan, have you seen Ochibi today?" Eiji asked his kouhai that was equally curious as he was.

"Eh… He was here this morning," Momo stated.

"Oi, you think Fuji and Ochibi would be doing something?" Eiji piped up.

"Eh!" Momo shrieked.

"C'mon, let's see what they're doing!" his senpai said dragging him towards the locker rooms. They were, however, unlucky that Tezuka caught them sneaking out.

"Momoshirou, Kikumaru, twenty laps!" He told them. He reminded himself to give Fuji and Echizen thirty laps for being late. He was satisfied as the two regulars gave an 'eep' and went running to do their laps.

-X-

Ryoma sulkily ran his forty laps. It was all Fuji's fault she was late. The 'pervert' wouldn't leave her to dress herself. God how she wished she could hit him with her tennis racket. She noticed that Fuji was now running next to her. She promptly ignored him.

"Isn't this fun, Ryoma-kun?" Fuji spoke. Ryoma didn't answer. She was not amused.

"Ryoma, do you blame me?"

"…"

"I won't know anything if you don't communicate Ryoma-kun."

"…"

Fuji then stopped with the questioning. Something else had popped into his head to get her to talk. He was always persuasive. Soon enough, they finished their forty laps. Ryoma wisely avoided the tensai in favor of playing a match against Momo. She was still pissed off this morning. She was going to make him pay.

The next few moments the crowd heard the repeated words of 'ow', 'watch it', 'what's wrong with you', 'Echizen!'

Fuji smiled at the scene. Ryoma became interesting by the moment. Looks like the day was looking up.

-X-

Ryoma growled softly, irritated. Tomoka and Horio ended up in her class, which annoyed her to no end. She'd rather have Sakuno for a companion than these two. Unfortunately, Sakuno wasn't here to save her. She was lucky that Sakuno's infatuation of her stopped. Of course, that was after Sakuno found out, secretly, that she was in fact a girl. Ohh didn't that go well? Surprisingly, it did. She became a good friend. Telling Tomoka and Horio about it was tempting, but she was sure they couldn't keep their mouths shut. The secret would be over the school within an hour. But the good side was that the deal – blackmail – Fuji had on her would be lifted. She wanted to see the tensai's face.

It was lunchtime. She was hoping for some salvation. Instead, she had to endure their sqabbles and squealing and yelling. Damn, her eardrums! Would they stop if she threatened to rip out their vocal chords?

"Fuji-senpai! What are you doing here?" Horio yelled out snapping Ryoma from her thoughts. She glanced to see the senior there. She glared. Damn, it's the bane of her existence.

"Saa… I came to join Ryoma-kun for lunch," Fuji answered. Ryoma growled a bit loudly this time. "Ryoma-kun, have you eaten yet? Starving yourself isn't good you know."

"Stop that before I-" Ryoma caught herself before making any more threats. Damn her homicidal mind. "Never mind. I haven't eaten yet because I'm not hungry and besides, my lunch hasn't been here all day." She finished. Sakuno usually brought her lunch since they were on good terms. The girl cooked way better than she did anyway. Ryoma frowned at Fuji's smile, which looked like a smirk.

"Ah, it's good then, that I have enough."

"I'll get you in your sleep."

"Hmm? Did you say something Ryoma-kun?"

"I said do you have green tea?"

-X-

Lunch was uneventful. Well, for Ryoma, that is. Afternoon practice is not what she came for. Maybe she could pull a favor from Ryuzaki, who became coach in this high school, since she knew her 'dirty little secret' and if she didn't want to attend, it was okay. After all, it was a request from Nanjirou and Rinko, mostly Rinko, to watch over her should something happen or someone found out.

Dammit! Someone already found out!

It has been one week and she is still bitching about this. Argh! Why can't she get over these things?

Thinking about it, she should just skip practice and report it personally to Ryuzaki. Oh, not to forget, and demand to know why Sakuno was not at school today to feed her lunch!

Well, if anyone bothered her on the way there she would just hit them over the head with the English book, which was conveniently clutched in her hand. She was in a hurry to get out of class to avoid the after school rush; let's not forget Tomoka and Horio. We can't forget about them because they're always 'there'. Note the sarcasm.

She quickly made it to Ryuzaki's office. She seemed surprised to see her. Ryoma was rather amazed at the athletic woman still alive. You'd think she'd retire by now. That aside, she had to ask to skip the day.

"Ah, Ryoma-chan, what can I do for you?" Ryuzaki asked amusingly. Ryoma twitched at the suffix. Ryoma was okay, -chan was just pushing it.

"I wanna skip today," Ryoma responded.

"Why?"

"Because…" Ryoma couldn't come up with an excuse. The 'time of month' thing wasn't going to work; Ryuzaki had very good memory, and she already used it. "I don't feel like it." You get points for telling the truth, right?

"Ryoma, I can't make up every excuse to Tezuka because you don't want to." Ryuzaki pointed out.

"I know… But just tell them I'm sick!"

"Oh? When you were well enough this morning?"

"Lunch was dangerous?" Ryoma came up with it. Lunch was dangerous, to her anyway.

"I'll tell them you weren't feeling well. They'll buy it. Go before someone sees you."

Ryuzaki sighed. Taking care of Ryoma wasn't a troublesome thing before. She was rather surprised when her former student, Nanjirou, told her about this. She knew that he had a daughter. When he told her of this crazy deal, which she thought he was really way off his rocker, she was rather disturbed…

But she accepted the fact and decided to go through with it, even if she thought of it as a stupid idea. Only her former student would come up with it. She was rather surprised Rinko even went through with it. Hmm… She wondered, what would the others' reactions be when they realized they've been beaten by a girl?

-X-

Ryoma groaned. It was too damn early to wake up. She got up and slowly walked downstairs. She didn't feel like going to school today. She'll force her baka oyaji to call the school to let them know. She was happy that at least her mother was also part of the influence. Who knew Mother was creative with tort – she means eliminating – the other… unwanted party.

Nanjirou glanced up from his hidden magazine behind the newspaper to look at his only child. He was still stunned at how his daughter had grown. His little lecherous comments were true but more of a teasing kind of way. He would never really be attracted to his daughter that way. Besides, he'd most likely be buried six feet under before even reaching her. Rinko was one demented woman but he loved her all the same.

He was surprised when Rinko agreed to let Ryoma charade as a boy. That was a miracle. Well, now that Ryoma started to dress like a girl at times, Rinko stayed home more often saying she needed to be there to help Ryoma through 'girl' things, something she didn't want him to teach about. Ryoma did reach that age. He glanced as Ryoma took a seat in front of him to eat breakfast. He noticed she was underdressed.

"Oi, bishoujo, why aren't you ready for school?" he asked. He felt her glare on him. Menacing it was.

"I'm not going. Tell the school I'm sick or something." Ryoma responded grabbing the abhorrent American breakfast. Didn't her mother know she liked Japanese breakfast? Looking at it she thought for a moment. She might as well complain. No matter how many times she told Mother that she liked Japanese food, it never sinks in her mind.

"Okaa-san!" she called out. Ryoma was startled as her mother came rushing in.

"Yes, dear?" Rinko asked.

"You know I don't like American breakfast." Ryoma said grudgingly.

"Ah, we didn't have any so I'll get some later. You're just going to have to deal with it." Rinko finished and went to rush to work. She knew she was being particularly evil today but Ryoma just had to deal with it.

-X-

Fuji glanced around the tennis courts searching for their youngest regular. It seemed the younger decided to skip morning practice claiming to be sick. Saa… he should pay a home visit later on today…

TBC------------

BLK Angel of Destruction: There's chapter 3! I think it was kind of an added chapter that I probably didn't need to add. Anyways thanks for the reviews! I really appreicate them!

Review! No Flames! C+C accepted.