Chapter 4

A/N: I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY! My computer wasn't working very well, and it decided to replace my second chapter with another file (or I just replaced it with another document without knowing, I'm not which it is). Plus, it decided that it hated me, so I was shut off from the internet for a while… I know that just sounds like a lame excuse, but it's true, I swear. So if you didn't know already, I rewrote my second chapter! Again, I am so sorry about all of the confusion that might have gone on with the story! I didn't notice until a couple days after I posted the third chapter, now I feel like an awful person… If you hadn't already, I suggest that you re-read the second and third chapter, just to be safe, but if you understand what's going on, then that's fine too. Again, I apologize for all of the confusion that might have gone on about this story. So with that said, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis

After the entire ruckus at National's died down, the regulars of Seigaku decide go out to eat at Kawamura's Sushi, like how they always do after a tournament. However, this time, they most of the regulars (with the exception of a few mature people in the group) was pestering their freshman ace about the little 'incident' that happened after Seigaku's and Rikkaidai's intense tennis matches. They were all curious about why on Earth their cocky little ace would just run after a person who he has never met before. But they were thinking otherwise. They thought that the freshman actually knew who the mysterious person was, and was lying when he said that he didn't know who it was. So they will not stop until they squeeze the information out of the poor freshman.

"Ochibi! Why don't you just tell us who that person was! If you do, we'll stop this whole thing! Simple right? So just tell us already!" Kikamaru whined obnoxiously. Ever since they have arrived at Kawamura's Sushi, most of the regulars tried to sit at the same table as their little freshman to persuade him into telling them who that person was. But since there wasn't enough room for all of them, they just got more tables and put them together to make a bigger table so they could all fit, thus, giving the poor boy a group of nosy tennis players to deal with.

Meanwhile, the regulars that just left him alone and were watching the scene were Oishi, Tezuka, Kawamura, and Kaido. Don't get them wrong, they wanted to know, but seeing that their ace had to deal with a handful already, two of them decided to ask later, another didn't wanted to meddle in someone's private life, and the other was too prideful to ask why he chased the person.

The freshman, who was trying to prevent himself from twitching and was getting extremely annoyed, just said, "Senpai, no matter how many you repeat yourself, I'm just going to say the same thing; I don't know who she is." He stated firmly.

If possible, Fuji's smile widens and would have had a glint of mischievous in his eyes if they were open. "But Echizen, if you didn't know who that was, then how do you know she was a girl?" he asked slyly.

The freshman flinched. Crap…

"Ah! That's true!"

"See! So you do know who she is! So tell us, is she your girlfriend?" Momo asked nosily while pulling the boy towards him so he can put the younger boy into a headlock.

"It hurts Momo-senpai…" he muttered crudely while attempting to escape the older boy's hold, but his effort was in vain when the older boy had just tighten his hold on him.

"Mah, I think that's enough Momo." Fuji said with that wide smile etched across his face, and then he turned towards the freshman. "But really, why won't you tell us anything about her?" he asked curiously. He wanted to know because he was amused and slightly curious as well. After all, it wasn't everyday they see their ace go after someone, more less, a girl.

Momo reluctantly let go of the boy and positioned himself to sit properly, while the said freshman sat back down, glaring at his best friend.

A couple of seconds of silence had passed by, and Fuji sighed. There was no helping this boy was there? He was known for his stubbornness and cocky attitude after all.

"I guess it can't be helped then…" Fuji had said unhappily while standing up to leave the table.

"Fuji! You're not going to leave by are you?" Kikamaru exclaimed while flailing his arms in the air a bit.

Fuji had just smiled at his friend's antics. "Regretfully, yes I am, but knowing Echizen, he won't give in easily will he?"

"Well, that's true… But…!"

"That's right. There's only a 17% chance that Echizen would actually tell us who that person was." Inui stated while pushing his glasses back to place.

Kikamaru just sighed at that. "Well, Inui's data is never wrong… But still! Ochibi! Why won't you tell us who she is?"

The said boy snorted. "I told you already, I don't know who she is."

Kikamaru pouted and sighed. "Ochibi… Fine! I'll let it go just this once! But don't expect me to give up if I ever see you with her again!"

"Fine, whatever, just let me eat already…" he muttered ominously.

So with that amusing conversation finished and left idly by, everyone went back to the sushi on their plates and moved on with their daily lives. Kikamaru and Momo stealing sushi from everyone's plates, which causes Momo and Kaido to start another fight, Inui scribbling in his notebook filled with god-knows-what, Ryoma eating his sushi while brooding about the misfortune of dealing with his nosy senpais, Oishi trying to prevent a havoc, Kawamura trying his best to make sushi for everyone with his father, Fuji smiling at the scene before him with a slight chuckle, and Tezuka sitting with their coach with the usual stoic look on his face while their coach's had one of amusement.

Honestly, what a troublesome group… She thought while mentally chuckling. She couldn't help but overhear their conversation with the freshman, and she had to say, thinking about the event that had just happened not too long ago made her frown. Why would he go to such an extent, just to chase after some girl? He shouldn't have to chase after a girl yet; he was still in middle school for Pete's sake!

Ah, but then again, he would grow up to be handsome young man someday. She chuckled at such a thought. True, he was still adorable; he even has his own fan club! But once he loses all that baby fat on his face and start to grow taller, he would definitely be extremely attractive and could flock a whole crowd of girls with just a look.

"Sensei, is something wrong?" Tezuka asked with slight concern in his eyes, but his face remained stoic.

"Ah… It's nothing, don't worry about it." She said indifferently. He had just nodded and continued to eat his sushi in silence.

Honestly, that boy is too tense! She inwardly sighed. She would always appreciate the help and support that he gave the team, but sometimes he would just overdo it! When his elbow was still untreated, he would still play for the team's sake, even if it were to shatter. As much as she admired his determination, sometimes she wanted to give the mature boy a whack in the head for his recklessness. He too, was just still in middle school as well! He had his whole life ahead of him, but he chose to take the risk of never being able to play tennis again, but to lead his team to the National's.

She mentally shook her head. Well, there's no point of dwelling on that now. Right now, they took the championship from that infamous school, Rikkaidai Fuzoku, and celebrating their win.

But she couldn't help but let her thoughts trail back to that person, girl she corrected herself, from that rather eventful incident that happened not too long ago. She had stopped herself from frowning. Who was that girl anyway? She couldn't be his girlfriend or a family member since she was running away from their ace rather than toward him. And if she was related to the freshman, then he would have noticed her, or at least she would have. After all, she has seen the Echizen family quite a few times, and she had never seen a girl near the young boy's age. So she concluded that the girl was most likely friends with the boy, but might be in a difficult predicament with him.

She mentally sighed for the umpteenth time that day. Really… It didn't matter did it? The girl most likely wouldn't see the team anymore anyways, since she ran away from them in the first place. She should just stop thinking about this already and just focus on celebrating their win. That's all she should be thinking about for now.

Little that she know, that they'll meet up a lot sooner than she thinks…

Nispedana: I'm sorry I didn't reply before, but I wasn't too sure if I should or shouldn't but since you reviewed and, I might as well. First of all, thanks for taking the time to review my story, I'm a big fan of your's, but not to the point where it's creepy, kinda like a person who looks up to you. Geez, I made myself look weird… But anyways, I'm happy that you're enjoying the story so far. And as for your question, there's a good chance that he might have done it for a reason, but there's also a chance that he might have done it for absolutely no reason whatsoever. But only time will tell, so until then~!