A/N: Hi there! Thanks so much to everyone who has been reading this story, and double thanks to those of you who reviewed :) The first part of this chapter was a pain to write, but the second part has a scene I have been looking forward to for a while. So I hope you enjoy it too!

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis

As he swung his racket for the fiftieth time, hearing only his own heavy breathing, Shishido admitted to himself that he had no idea what he was going to do. His path had always been so clear—join the tennis club, make it onto the pre-regulars, make it on to the regulars, go to Nationals. Now, he had to forge his own path, and his first try had been a disaster, because he had failed to prove that he belonged on the regulars.

So, now what?

He had to get stronger. In yesterday's game, he had seen his own weaknesses. He had to improve his endurance and his reflexes. He would give training his full effort, not only in order to overcome his shortcomings as a player, but because if he trained and sweated so that he had no spare moments left, he would not have to think about what he was going to do next. With sweat and exhaustion, he could become numb.

But one thought kept intruding, creeping its way into his consciousness from beneath the mindless repetition of forehands and backhands. He could forget his confusion, his anger, and even (sometimes) the game with Tachibana, but he could not bring himself to forget Otori Choutarou.

Shishido remembered the crumpled look on Otori's face after he heard his angry words, and the way he had turned away without saying anything. He still felt that peculiar mixture of pity, rage, and too many other feelings to count or unravel. He hated how he felt after he had lashed out at Otori, something that seemed to happen every time he talked to him. Why couldn't he control himself? He had screamed, and had been rude, and that wasn't the way to behave to an opponent…or a teammate. To taunt or mock was not dishonorable, but to lose control and be ruled by your emotions was shameful.

It was Otori's own fault for being upset, he decided. Shishido had only spoken the truth, and if Otori was going to cry about that, it was his own problem and not Shishido's. No, it hadn't been wrong to warn Otori. Maybe he would even last longer on the regulars than Shishido had.

But Shishido wasn't going to feel right about the game until he apologized for his behavior. He didn't usually believe in apologies, but the guilt was driving him crazy. Maybe if he could set things right with Otori, he would be able to forget about the whole thing, and focus on something else.

"Shishido," Oshitari whispered from behind his textbook.

"Huh?" Shishido mumbled, looking up from the sentence he had been staring at for the last five minutes.

Oshitari shrugged. Shishido assumed that he wanted to know why he was spacing out, but wouldn't go so far as to actually ask.

"How is practice going?" he asked, instead of volunteering information. Let Oshitari glean what he could from that.

"Fine," Oshitari said. "The match against St. Rudolph is coming up, and of course, it's a priority if we want to get into Kantou." Well, obviously Shishido knew that already.

They looked at each other for a minute, until Shishido decided that the game had gone far enough. Of course, Oshitari had known that Shishido had much less patience for such things.

"How about Otori?" he asked at last. "Is his playing all right?"

"So-so," Oshitari said, waving a hand. "He won't make a singles player, but that was never the plan. Hyotei is always drowning in singles players. Otori-kun just needs the right doubles partner, to cover his weaknesses. If he and Taki have a good combination, everything will be perfect. If not…"

The teacher's voice ended their discussion.

"Shishido-kun! Focus on your work! Oshitari-kun! I'm surprised at you!"

Oshitari only smirked.

Shishido went looking for Otori at lunchtime. There was always a chance that Otori was eating with the regulars now, but it seemed unlikely. He checked the back of the library, but found it empty. Well, probably Otori was not going to go anywhere he thought he might meet Shishido. Which left the entire school to search.

In the distance, he thought he could hear the sound of a piano, and he wandered towards it, in the direction of the music room, since he had no idea where to look anyway. He listened with more care as the notes became clearer.

Shishido didn't know much about music, but he found it oddly calming. It wasn't a beautiful song, but wash of frenzied and confused sounds, as if the player was venting his anguish on the instrument. The rhythm was unpredictable and jerky, and many of the notes clashed against each other as if they were fighting for dominance. It was hypnotic.

Shishido thought that if he could play piano, he would be making music like that. It expressed so perfectly the way he felt, the dissonance and confusion.

He peered through the door of the music room, and caught his breath. There, bent over the keyboard, was Otori. His back was turned, but the silver hair and long limbs were unmistakable.

Shishido wondered if he should leave, but instead, he slipped inside. Otori did not seem to hear him.

He watched Otori at war with the piano, the agility of his long fingers dancing across the keys, at once gentle and threatening. His body swayed from side to side as he played, his eyes closed, completely lost in the music.

Gradually, a melody appeared out of the chaos, a sweet and simple line that fought its way over the clashes and snarls and floated above the fury. Shishido felt a warmth in the pit of his stomach, as if that music could lift him out of his body.

At last, Otori's tense shoulders relaxed, and his hands fell limp at his sides.

Shishido took a step backwards. Otori turned at the sound of his footsteps, and opened his dark eyes. Neither of them spoke. Shishido felt as if he had been caught spying on some intensely personal moment.

"Um…" Shishido said into the silence, tugging at his hair. "Sorry?" It was not exactly the apology he had been intending to make. He tried again. "I mean, about yesterday, and getting mad and stuff, and yelling, and, I mean, I'm also sorry for coming in like this when you were playing, but I was just listening, and…no, I mean, about yesterday, I didn't want to make you upset, and you looked upset, and…" He slapped a hand over his face in embarrassment. He hadn't wanted to mention that Otori had cried. It was the sort of thing a man should pretend not to notice.

"Shishido-san…" Otori said. "You don't need to apologize." He ran a hand over the piano. "I just like to play sometimes, when I can't work something out."

Shishido nodded. It made sense. "You sound really amazing," he said.

Otori blushed.

"It's nothing," he said, suddenly very interested in the floor. "I was just making things up."

"No, really," Shishido protested. "I mean, it really made sense, what you were playing. I usually just play tennis and stuff if I feel confused, but it hasn't been helping. But after hearing you, I feel a lot better."

Otori looked up, a small smile on his face. That made Shishido feel better too, for some reason.

"You were right, yesterday," Otori said quietly. "It's true, what you said. Maybe I don't have any hope of staying on the regulars. But I think I just need to do my best as long as I can. I'll work hard!"

Shishido shrugged.

"That's all you can do, I guess. Same for me."

"I felt bad yesterday," Otori said. "Because of what you said, but also…no, never mind."

"What?" Shishido said. Otori's eyes widened.

"Thank you," he blurted. "For being angry for me! After all of your own troubles, you were still angry for my sake, even though I took your place, even though nobody else thought about it at all." He spoke very quickly, and Shishido thought he might try to run away. No, Otori didn't do things like that.

He felt his own cheeks burning.

"Well, thanks," he mumbled. "For being upset for me. So let's forget about the whole thing, okay? I'll definitely beat you next time."

Otori started to laugh. Otori's laughter was soft, and musical, and somehow infectious, and he found himself joining in, even though tennis was a serious matter, and not something he would have found funny.

"We should play again sometime," he said. "Just for practice. Which we both need."

"Of course, Shishido-san," Otori said, beaming. "Oh, I need to go back to class! See you later, Shishido-san!"

Shishido was still completely confused, but for the time being, it seemed like he had found himself an ally.

A/N: Please review!