Chapter 7

Rehearsal finally ended for the day, and everyone headed home except for the Seigaku club members, who began making their way to the clubhouse to change for tennis practice. Tezuka, however, stayed behind, along with Fuji and Oishi, as the three conversed backstage away from earshot.

"Are you sure, Tezuka?" Oishi asked, frowning.

"Aa, there is no doubt about it. Whoever saw us was in the room today. I could feel that person's presence." Tezuka glanced down at the floor, his arms crossed.

"Hm," Fuji furrowed his eyebrows with closed lids. "If that's the case, then that means it's someone we know most likely."

"Aa, and possibly from Hyotei or Rikkaidai."

"Hyotei or Rikkaidai?" Both Oishi and Fuji exclaimed.

Tezuka looked up at them. "Those were the only two schools who were there during practice. It is most likely them, although it is true I cannot rule out members from the other schools just yet."

"So you no longer suspect Saeki," Fuji chuckled humorously.

Tezuka narrowed his eyes. "As I stated earlier, I cannot rule out members from the other schools just yet."

"But Tezuka, that means you think it's another guy who's going after Fuji?" Oishi asked, surprised. "I mean, well, yes, there was that incident with Saeki, but perhaps this time it's a girl. Maybe the secret admirer is someone on the girl's tennis team. They were practicing that day too, and they're right next to us!"

Fuji thought about this, his fingers resting on his chin. "Oishi, that may be true, but wouldn't the girl have done something long ago? I mean, it seems rather odd that she's suddenly picking this time of all times to make a move. The girl's tennis team has always been there near us, not that I mind."

"Fuji, you're not taking this seriously enough," Tezuka stated sternly.

"I don't think it's really anything that serious to worry about."

"Well, if it isn't someone on the girl's tennis team," Oishi quickly interrupted, "then that takes us back to our rival schools. But do you really think someone on Rikkaidai or Hyotei would pull something like that?"

"I can see which individuals would most likely pull such a prank," Fuji noted with an amusing smile. After all, those teams are filled with clever individuals.

"But we can't just narrow it down to them," Oishi argued. "I mean, if we're going to base our suspicions on who was there that day during practice, that would mean including Hyotei, Rikkaidai, and…" Here, Oishi trailed off as he felt his skin go cold at the warning gaze Tezuka was giving him.

Fuji, on the other hand, clearly knew already that Tezuka had considered that possibility even before Oishi brought all this up. He was also well aware of why the famous, strict Buchou, who is known for holding people accountable for their actions, was now hesitant about bringing up this particular subject matter. After all, it was quite obvious that the only other school that was there that day during practice…

…was Seigaku.

And that was a very unpleasant thought, at least for Tezuka, who cared deeply for his team and would never want to suspect any of his own teammates of such a rather tasteless prank, if it was a prank at all. The Seigaku captain put great faith and trust in the regulars, and his current stance on Oishi's suggestion was clearly showing that.

Oishi immediately backed away, ending his speech, as Tezuka began walking past him. "Practice is about to begin. We need to go change. It would be irresponsible of us to be late. Let's not get careless."

The vice-captain frowned, slightly chagrined as he watched Tezuka stroll ahead of them.

"It's okay, Oishi," Fuji comforted the taller man. "Tezuka is just stressed right now. And if anything, he really cares about everyone on the team as you can see," he smiled cheerfully.

Oishi blinked before returning a similarly warm smile. "Thanks, Fuji."


During practice that day, Oishi found himself reflecting on the events that had occurred earlier today. He was definitely troubled by the whole matter, not to mention slightly disturbed. Actually, slightly is an understatement. Who would steal soap from the showers and put it in someone's locker like that? Upon thinking about the showers, Oishi had felt compelled to ask Tezuka exactly which stall he was in since, well, just in case the stall hasn't been properly…cleaned up. Obviously that was a bad move, and Oishi didn't even need Tezuka to respond to know that he was lucky he wasn't assigned laps.

"Oishi, Nya~!" Kikumaru purred, jumping in front of the vice-captain to surprise him, except finding his partner barely flinch instead. He tilted his head and looked up with raised eyebrows, those cat-like eyes blinking curiously. "Oishi, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Eiji," Oishi responded. "Gomen, I didn't see you there."

Kikumaru questioned his friend's expression. "You look like you're worried. Ne, ne, what is Oishi worried about? Eiji can help cheer you up!" The acrobatic boy did a cartwheel before bouncing around the taller man excitedly.

Oishi chuckled and smiled warmly. "I'm all right, Eiji."

"Okay, nya~!"

Oishi laughed some more at the playful manner of the redhead before staring into those energetic eyes that looked at him expectantly. Kikumaru always looked adorable, and the vice-captain noted those cute expressions that his doubles partner likes to make. So adorable. Really adorable. In fact, he really wanted to hug Kikumaru tightly right now.

The image of the soap popped up in his mind.

And then, Oishi froze, gulping. Tezuka and Fuji were doing it in the showers…what if it had been…him and Kikumaru?

Oishi immediately glanced away in shock, face beat red at the thought as his friend blinked blankly at the taller man's sudden reaction. The vice-captain covered his mouth. Hugging Kikumaru…maybe he wanted to do more than that. Hm, the shower didn't seem to be a bad place.

"Oishi?"

"HYA!" Oishi nearly stumbled backwards in fright, surprising the other regular as well.

"Oishi, what's wrong?" the redhead frowned, watching the vice-captain now begin to get a hold of himself.

"Um, n-nothing, Eiji. Hehe," Oishi chuckled uncomfortably. "Break is over right now. Let's go back to our rallies."

Kikumaru blinked before breaking into a lively smile. "Hm, I'm going to beat you! Let's see who'll get there faster!" And thus, the redhead pranced away towards their previous court.

Oishi stared at his partner's back before lowering his head, hiding his blush. He really should stop letting his imagination get the best of him.


When practice ended, everyone returned to the locker rooms to change. The smell of murky humidity and sweat filled the air, but that was typical of the boy's locker room, which was always boisterous even after a long day of working out.

Echizen pulled a shirt over his head, complaining about the extra set of laps he had to run. "It's not my fault that you couldn't keep your mouth shut," he grumbled.

"Oi, Echizen, don't put all the blame on your senpai!" Momoshiro shot back, buttoning his own uniform. "You were just as loud."

"Well, it doesn't matter," Echizen snapped, giving his senpai an eyeful. "Because at the end, I will win this bet."

"Fat chance," Momoshiro snickered, straightening his school uniform top. "We'll find out soon that the winner will be me."

"SHUT-UP ALREADY! PSHHHHH!" Kaidoh hissed, completely annoyed as he slammed his locker shut.

"Hey, you got a problem with me, Viper?" Momoshiro glared, sticking his face in his rival's.

"Damn right I got a problem with you, dumbass!" Kaidoh shook his fist.

"Who you calling a-"

"Momoshiro, Kaidoh, 20 laps tomorrow."

"….!" Both sophomores dropped their mouths before lowering their heads, occasionally throwing dirty looks at each other silently.

"You two bicker like an old couple," Fuji teased, chuckling as he buttoned his shirt next to Tezuka's locker.

"Fujiko!" Kikumaru suddenly dropped his whole body over Fuji's shoulder. "You're so mean! You never told me you were getting gifts from a secret admirer!"

"Eh?" Fuji blinked, surprised as everyone directed their attention to the pair. "What do you mean?"

"Ne, I heard all about it! And mo, that's scary what the admirer did, you know…" Kikumaru lowered his head to whisper into his best friend's ear.

Tezuka, who has ears like a hound, immediately shot an angry glance at Oishi across from him, who scratched his face ashamedly.

"G-g-gomen," the vice-captain apologized with an uneasy chuckle.

"Oi, Fuji-senpai, so you have an admirer?" Momoshiro grinned widely, clearly interested. "What do we have here?"

"Fujiko has been receiving gifts," Kikumaru declared.

"Oh, gifts?" the second-year raised his eyebrows.

"Well," Fuji sighed in good humor, knowing the cat's out of the bag. "Just some flowers and chocolates. Nothing else, really."

"Hm, that sounds interesting, doesn't it, Echizen?" Momoshiro glanced at the freshman, who only shrugged and lifted up his foot onto the bench to tie his shoelace.

"This is really important data," Inui joined them, pushing up the rim of his glasses as he opened his notebook.

"But it shouldn't be a surprise to everyone, I mean, Fuji's very popular among the girls," Kawamura chimed in.

"Who said it's definitely a girl?" Momoshiro smirked. "I mean, we all clearly know that Fuji does men too…." Here, the second-year let out an uneasy laugh with his hands held up in defense, backing away from the rather frightening glare he was receiving from his Buchou.

"Ne, but this is serious, I mean, it's actually scary," Kikumaru added, throwing out his arms exaggeratedly. "The admirer also gave soa-"

At this, Fuji immediately clasped his hand over his best friend's mouth just as both Tezuka and Oishi's eyes enlarged. "Um, what Eiji is trying to say, is that maybe the admirer is acting kind of…stalkerish, right now."

"Huh?" Momoshiro blinked, completely surprised. "What made you think that?"

Fuji released the redhead, seeing Kikumaru look up at him questioningly. "It's just that I haven't received gifts for a while now, so I didn't expect to suddenly get flowers and chocolates. Perhaps he or she is following me."

"Oh, okay," the second-year turned away, seemingly confused.

No one else spoke further on the matter. When only Tezuka, Oishi, Fuji, and Kikumaru were left, the tensai explained to his best friend how it'd be best to keep everything quiet for now while Oishi continuously apologized to Tezuka about being unable to keep his mouth shut around his doubles partner. After some more discussions and the decision to just be on their guards, the golden pair left the clubhouse first.

Tezuka picked up his tennis bag, throwing it over his shoulder as he waited for Fuji to join him. "Ready?"

"Hm," Fuji nodded cheerfully.

The two stepped out, locking the door behind them and about to continue on their path when they found an unexpected visitor standing a couple feet before them.

"Sanada," Tezuka blinked, surprised.

"Aa, Tezuka," Sanada spoke, still wearing his white buttoned shirt and striped tie, Rikkaidai's distinct uniform. "Can I have a word with you?"

Tezuka turned to Fuji, who nodded knowingly and walked away to stand by some trees where he would wait patiently. The Seigaku captain returned his attention to the vice-captain before him. "What is it, Sanada?"

"I apologize for coming this late, but I have a request."

Tezuka raised his head.

"I would like a match with you," Sanada stated.

Silence. The trees stayed still, their leaves reflecting the last rays of sunlight streaking across the darkening sky as two of the most powerful tennis players in the middle school world stood face to face underneath the dim orange hue above them. One could feel the stark tension camouflaged by the stillness that resided in the air.

Tezuka finally spoke. "I don't think it is appropriate for us to have an unauthorized match outside of the tournaments, given our positions."

"That is true," Sanada responded swiftly at that strict, serious wooden expression reflecting his own. "But I was hoping that we can make an exception."

"And what is the reason?"

Sanada lowered his gaze, a shadow falling across his face. "So that I can defeat you."

There was another pause.

"Oi, what are you two still doing here? It is late already!" Ryuzaki, the Seigaku coach, bellowed as she appeared out of nowhere feet away, her hands on her hips. "Do you know what time it is? And you there, aren't you from another school? Why are you here?"

Sanada bowed. "My apologies, Ryuzaki Sensei. I merely had something to ask of Tezuka. I will be going now." He made ready to leave. "Tezuka."

The Seigaku Buchou turned around.

"I will wait for your reply." And then he left.

The coach directed her attention to her bespectacled student. "Tezuka-kun, what was that all about?"

Tezuka tightened the strap on his bag, concentrating on his tennis equipment. "Nothing."

Ryuzaki raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "If there is anything, please remember, you can always come talk to me first." Although, she said that more as an order rather than an invitation.

"Aa," Tezuka merely replied before leaving to join Fuji.

Moments later, as the tensai walked alongside Tezuka on their home, he confessed that he had overheard the conversation. "What are you going to do, Tezuka?"

"I don't know."

Fuji opened his eyes, surprised. "You're not going to accept the challenge?"

"It is forbidden for us, especially someone in our positions on the team, to accept challenges outside of the tournaments."

Fuji chuckled. "But didn't we ourselves break the rule about club members not being able to play against each other unsupervised?"

Here, Tezuka stopped for a moment, remembering the time nearly three years ago when the tensai had approached him and asked to play a game with him. "That was…a long time ago." He continued walking.

Fuji giggled some more. He enjoyed knowing how the strict, obedient Buchou himself even breaks rules at times. And then, he grabbed Tezuka's hand, surprising the taller man. "Ne, want to come over today? Nee-san isn't home yet."

"Gomen, Fuji, but I have a lot of homework I need to catch up on."

The tensai sighed in disappointment. "I understand."

"Fuji."

Fuji glanced up at that serious face gazing down at him.

"I promise, when the interschool festival is finally setup, I will spend the whole day with you."

Those lips on the tensai curved into a wide grin as Fuji leaped forward and hugged the taller man, snuggling his face into that broad, strong chest. "I know."


Sanada made his way off the Seigaku campus, his hands stuffed in his pockets. The air was already starting to get chilly, not that he minded, and he noted how quickly he needed to get home just in time for dinner. His parents and grandfather were very strict, so being punctual was absolutely necessary in his family. At the same time, he observed the architecture of Seigaku's buildings, comparing them to his own school's. He had to admit, Seigaku is a rather nice school, but Rikkaidai will always be the best, and he and his team will make sure that it stays that way. Their reputation is unsurpassable, with the only other school worthy of possibly having the same caliber being Hyotei, although he can't say the same about their captain. Sanada looked up, remembering those eyes. Bold and strong, just as they were three years ago that time on the court. Turning a corner, he got onto a sidewalk when he found, much to his surprise, Yukimura sitting patiently on a bench with his legs and arms crossed.

"Yukimura," he stopped.

"I thought I'd find you here, Sanada," the blue-haired captain eyed him closely. "A challenge?"

Sanada noticed the serious look on the other man's face. It was a look that Yukimura only shows when he is ready to finish an opponent on the courts. Sanada glanced away. "It is nothing."

"You never asked for my approval," the strongest tennis player of Rikkaidai slowly stood up, emitting his presence. "As your captain, I do believe you are required to go through me first for permission."

Sanada, although always stern and serious, found himself feeling slightly chagrined as he continued to look away from those eyes bearing down heavily on him. "Gomen, Yukimura."

"Let's go. We will discuss this later," the captain ordered.

The two walked alongside each other in silence, staring at the ball of light just about to set on the horizon. To everyone else, it was normal to see this powerful duel together, whether it be after school, on the way to class, during practice, and even before matches. They were two of the most feared in the tennis world, having dominated the nationals in the past two years, and they plan on continuing to do so during their final year. Together. Even now, on this supposedly ordinary day on another school campus, one could clearly see the unique strong presence emitting from the two. However, neither spoke much at the moment.

Yukimura looked up and noticed far ahead of them two other individuals walking in their school uniforms - two individuals who were probably just as equally feared in the tennis world. He saw the back of those disheveled brown locks on the tallest male, who was listening to the shorter one next to him converse with him inaudibly. The Rikkaidai captain lowered his gaze. Deep, ocean gray eyes sharpened with a silent glint as the sun disappeared into the horizon.


That evening, Tezuka sat at his desk and concentrated on his assignments, swiftly answering all the questions and finishing up his essay. Occasionally, he would look up at the velvet pouch that sat neatly on the surface next to his books. It was a rather well-made pouch, and he noted the intricate details that must have gone into weaving such a craft. He grabbed the pouch and emptied out its contents, feeling the two rings glide fluidly into his palm. He stared at the silver bands that occasionally glistened underneath the desk lamp, the only light in the room. And then, he put the rings back into the pouch and continued with his homework. At around 8 o'clock, his cell phone went off. "Moshi moshi."

"Tezuka."

The bespectacled third year paused at that unexpected familiar voice. "Atobe."

"Ah, yes, I believe this is a good time to call."

"How did you get this number?"

"That is not important," the Hyotei captain waved it off nonchalantly over the phone. "I have much more pertinent matters to talk about," he smiled.

Tezuka sighed, albeit clearly, into the receiver. "What is it, Atobe?"

"Remember this, Tezuka," Lips curved invisibly into a confident grin. "No one else is allowed to defeat you, because I will be the one to defeat you."

Click.

Tezuka stared at the phone in his hand, hearing the silence before setting the phone to the side. For a few seconds, he sat there, not moving as his eyes continued to gaze at the cell phone screen. And then, he hunched over and rubbed his temples with a groan. Deciding to take a break, he stepped away from his desk and walked across the room, sitting at the edge of the bed next to the wall. Peering out the window, he noted the streetlights that illuminated the dim sidewalk on the street. He remembered the days back then when Fuji would constantly wait outside his house to walk with him to school in the morning. Now, the tensai didn't do that as much, given Tezuka's unpredictable schedule. The bespectacled student council president found himself slightly missing that.

And then, a sudden movement.

Tezuka's eyes shot wide open. He stood up, staring down the window at the shadows in the road. The houses on the street laid still, and neither the cars nor the trees stirred.

Everything was quiet.

The bespectacled man took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before putting them back on. The tall lamps continued to light up the street with a dim hue, the dark night surely normal like any other night of the week. Breathing out silently, he decided to retire from the window to go back to his school work. Strange, he thought he saw something just now.


The next morning, the Seigaku student council president headed on the sidewalk towards the auditorium, his school bag and tennis equipment still hanging over his shoulders. He had some urgent matters to attend to earlier, and did not have the time to stop by his locker, so he decided to wait until break to drop off his belongings when he caught sight of a student sleeping soundly on the bench. Stopping right next to it, he glanced down, his large shadow hovering over the young man.

Jirou stirred, feeling a strong presence around him when he slowly opened his eyes and yawned, focusing his vision on the figure before him. "Oh, good morning, Tezuka!" He greeted cheerfully.

"Aa, morning."

"By the way, I was hoping I'd run into you because I got you this." Jirou rummaged through his bag next to him and pulled out a clear, plastic bag filled with brownies. "I just baked these last night, so they're still fresh."

The bespectacled man slightly gaped, staring at the bag nicely tied with a pink ribbon at the top. "Thank you," he said stoically, accepting the brownies.

"Well, I gotta' run on ahead first. Atobe wanted us to meet earlier this morning, and I'm already late! See ya'!" he waved with both hands before quickly running into the auditorium, leaving the Seigaku captain staring rather dumbfounded.

"Oi, Buchou is even popular around guys," Momoshiro quietly laughed along with Echizen, the two having just arrived and witnessed the scene a couple feet away from them.

"Momoshiro, Echizen, 20 laps at practice," Tezuka said without turning around.

The two younger regulars gaped before hanging their heads low with a sigh and dragging themselves dejectedly towards the auditorium for rehearsal. They had forgotten about Tezuka's sharp sense of hearing.

Meanwhile, the Seigaku captain continued to stare at the bag in his hands. This is a problem. He doesn't like sweets.

"What did you get today?"

Tezuka nearly flinched at the sudden appearance of the tensai walking up next to him. "Aa, Fuji. I don't know what to do with these. They look too sweet."

Fuji beamed and took the bag away from those large hands. "Don't worry, Tezuka. You can give these to me."

"Fuj-" Tezuka didn't have a chance to finish his sentence as he watched the tensai immediately undo the ribbon, open the bag, and dump all the brownies into his mouth at once.

Upon successfully emptying the bag, Fuji glanced at Tezuka with hamster-like cheeks of brownies, smiled, chewed and chewed, and swallowed every last bite before letting out a sigh. "Hm, that was delicious."

The bespectacled man nearly felt sick just watching the whole thing. "Fuji, eating that many sweets at once is bad for you. You already ate those cookies from yesterday. It is dangerous. You can get a stomachache!"

Fuji opened his blue eyes, those piercing orbs staring coyly into brown ones. "Ne, Tezuka, are you saying you're worried about me?"

Tezuka gulped at those watchful, striking eyes and subtly looked away. "Sweets are not good for your health. Come, let's go." He began walking towards the auditorium.

"Ne, Tezuka, wait up!" Fuji quickly made to run when he suddenly found his face planted against Tezuka's back. Rubbing his nose, he looked up questioningly when he saw the bespectacled man seemingly gazing out into the distance. "Tezuka?"

"Aa, nothing." He continued walking.


That morning, rehearsal went on as usual, with Tomoka barking out orders into the megaphone, earning the usual chuckle from her tennis club captain, who was amused by how bossy the young freshman has become. But Atobe was one who was definitely not amused, and he constantly found himself head to head with the first year who was starting to drive him insane.

"Ne, Monkey King, are you developing a man crush on Fuji-senpai too? Hahaha," Momoshiro yelled out from the back of the stage, receiving threatening glares in return as he continued to mock the Hyotei captain. And then, noticing his favorite freshman on the floor hammering away at the board, he nudged the first year playfully. "Echizen, did you see his expression that time?"

But the first year only gave a small growl of frustration as he stopped, set the hammer down on the floor, and held up his hands. Large green eyes stared at fingers that were all bandaged around the tips and sides. "Stupid bet," he uttered.

"Ochibi, what happened to your hands?" Kikumaru stopped by, bending over.

"Looks like the famous tennis prodigy of Seigaku is not so great at everything, especially craftsmanship," Saeki walked by, smirking with a raised eyebrow.

Echizen stared at the Rokkaku senior blankly before remarking, "And it looks like the famous senior of Rokkaku known for being able to detect the motions of his opponents beforehand is not very good at tennis."

"Eh?" Saeki's face was smeared as Kikumaru doubled over in laughter along with Momoshiro.

"Okay, everyone, let's take our breaks! Be back in twenty!" Tomoka finally hollered over the megaphone as everyone immediately began dispersing, eager for the rest.

"Jirou!" Atobe called out as his teammates gathered around him near the front of the stage. "We're hungry. Where are the brownies?"

"The brownies?" Jirou repeated blankly.

Still behind the stage, Momoshiro nudged Echizen again, whispering excitedly, "Oh, this is going to be good. How is Atobe going to feel that his own teammate is crushing on his own crush?"

"Yes, the brownies! Dumb block, where are they? You said you would bring us some," Atobe bellowed.

A suddenly realization of horror overcame the sleepy Hyotei regular, for he had completely forgotten about making extra brownies last night for his very own team. And now he was on the brink of suffering the wrath of the great Hyotei King. "U-um, I'll be right back!" He immediately turned and ran in the other direction, leaving Atobe gaping and calling out to him vainly. Jirou ran into the first year Sakuno, who nearly fell back at the presence of the rather cute looking senior. "Ne, gomen, can you tell me where your home economics classroom is?"

"Ano…" the young girl stammered, blushing at the cute boy before uttering the directions rather poorly.

"Thank you," Jirou threw a charming smile, unnoticeably making the girl blush even more as he ran fast out of the side doors, bumping against Sanada, who stumbled and glared for almost being knocked over by what he considered a lowly regular compared to his level.

Grumpily, the Rikkaidai vice-captain straightened himself and returned his attention to the front, just in time to see Tezuka step down the small stairs from the stage on the side. "Tezuka."

Tezuka glanced up. "Aa, Sanada."

"Regarding my request yesterday, will you accept?"

The bespectacled man paused.

"Ne, Tezuka," Fuji stepped in, unknowingly interrupting the conversation. "Ready to go?"

Sanada watched as the tensai adjusted the straps of his bag and glance up eagerly with a smile at the taller man next to him. Dark, black orbs continued to observe those mysterious eyes that nearly always stayed closed, just as he witnessed in the matches he had occasionally attended when Seigaku competed. And then, the tensai noticed the Rikkaidai regular standing in front of them.

"Oh, Sanada," Fuji spoke.

"Tezuka, I can receive your reply later." He promptly turned around and left, leaving the Seigaku pair alone.

Fuji addressed Tezuka. "Ne, did you accept yet?"

The serious, bespectacled Buchou sighed. "I have some things to consider."

The tensai grinned cheerfully. "Well, in the meantime, let's go to the locker room. I forgot to drop off my things this morning too."

On their way to the other building, the perfect pair found themselves occasionally receiving some bashful glances from the girls in the hallways before finally reaching the locker room, where they ran into Oishi, who was looking for Kikumaru.

"Gomen, I'm not sure where Eiji went," Fuji responded as he proceeded to open his locker. "Have you checked his classroom-Oh!"

Tezuka arrived right behind the tensai, almost expecting it as he watched the shorter boy take out three incredibly large roses bunched together by a ribbon. "My my, they even took the time to de-thorn them. Look at the stems – they're clearly cleaned and smoothed out-" Like before, Tezuka immediately snatched the roses from Fuji's hands and tossed them into the trashcan. Fuji didn't even bother to protest this time, sighing, "Mo, they went through all that trouble to remove the thorns."

"Fuji, this isn't funny," Tezuka scolded as he opened his own locker.

Oishi frowned. "I have to admit, it does seem wasteful to throw away such roses." And then, he glanced up upon noticing something strange in the air. "Tezuka?"

Tezuka was staring at his locker, his hand slowly reaching in to pull out a piece of paper.

Both Oishi and Fuji looked at each other and quickly joined the serious Buchou as they peered over his large arms and read the note.

Stay away from Fuji.

The vice-captain felt the air turn cold, the chills trickling down his spine as his eyes enlarged at the message. The note seemed to be torn out of a small notepad, the words written rather hastily in black ink, but the penmanship was unrecognizable. "Tezuka, this…"

Tezuka swiftly and calmly tore the piece of paper into pieces, his demeanor wooden and stoic as he dumped the torn note into the trash. And then, dropping off some of his school supplies, he shut his locker and proceeded to walk out when he stopped at the door and glanced over his shoulder. "We still need to visit the clubhouse. Why are you two still standing there?"

Both Fuji and Oishi, who were staring rather confoundedly, glanced at each other before silently finishing up their business and following Tezuka out the door.


It was back to rehearsal again, and despite the stoic manner of the famous Buchou of Seigaku, Fuji could clearly see that Tezuka was on edge. As he practiced his lines, the tensai would occasionally steal a glance at the bespectacled student council president, finding those watchful eyes either focused intently on him or scanning the room like a hawk, and the tensai knew just what Tezuka was searching for. Unfortunately, it made it rather difficult for him to say his lines, as he was constantly distracted and would stumble over his words, surprising even Atobe. In fact, Fuji found himself sighing much more than usual. It's not that he didn't care about what has been happening lately. It is true it is hard for him to take anything seriously. Honestly, there was only one thing that he would be serious about, and that was his love for Tezuka. With that thought, he remembered the velvet pouch with the rings, the item now sitting safely back in his room at home on his bed. The thought of proposing to Tezuka made him giggle quietly inside. He wondered how the always serious, robotic man would feel. Perhaps he should propose during sex.

"Ahem," Atobe crossed his arms, waiting for Fuji to recite his lines.

"Oh, gomen," the tensai apologized, continuing as his mind still wondered about the note in Tezuka's locker earlier today. It was rather unsettling, but because nothing really dangerous has happened yet, Fuji figured it wasn't one to waste ones time worrying about. It was most likely some tasteless harmless prank, and if anything, no admirer or anyone will be able to separate him from Tezuka. He belonged to Tezuka, and Tezuka to him.

"Okay, let's take another short break," Tomoka shouted. "Be back on time!"

Everyone scattered from the stage once more as Atobe joined his Hyotei team on the side. "Oi, has that blockhead not returned yet?"

"Gomen!" Jirou huffed at the entrance, having just arrived with a large baking pan in his hands. "I'm sorry for missing rehearsal just now, but these took longer than I thought!"

Atobe gaped as he and his team watched in amazement their teammate run down the aisle, nearly stumbling over his own footing before reaching their end of the room.

"Here," he held out the pan towards them. "These are freshly baked."

All leaned in on the lovely aroma. "Oh, these smell really good," Mukahi hovered over the pan.

"I say we eat now," Ohtori drooled eagerly at the brownies.

"Hmph," Atobe huffed. "You idiot. You didn't have to go bake them now if you had forgotten!" he scolded. "That was a total waste of time. We're not even hungry anymore-WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING?" the Hyotei captain glared at his team who all had brownies already stuffed into their mouths, chewing in mouthfuls like starving chipmunks.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the stage, Fuji was conversing with Tachibana, who he had grown to become close friends with.

"If you have some time, I can also show you where to get the grip tape I got for my racket," Tachibana offered.

"Hm, that sounds good," Fuji nodded.

"By the way, I don't mean to sound rude, but, Tezuka seemed to be rather…agitated today."

"Oh?"

"I mean, I can understand, given the amount of responsibilities he has. Our own student council president looks like he's about to have a mental breakdown at times. But, during rehearsal, I can't help but notice he seems to be …preoccupied with something. Is everything all right?"

"Hm, he just has a lot on his mind with the festival and all," Fuji smiled. Secretly, he sighed. He needs to get Tezuka to relax more. Perhaps a hand job would do. In fact, the tensai felt an itch to devour the uptight male very, very soon.

Speaking of which, just below the stage, the bespectacled student council president was observing the room some more, his head darting left to right. He could feel his nerves being pushed. It was like there was a pair of eyes constantly following him, or was he being paranoid? Tezuka furrowed his brows. Whoever was pulling this prank was definitely going to take responsibility.

"Tezuka."

Tezuka blinked and looked down to find the sleepy energetic and easily excitable Hyotei regular beaming at him.

"We have some more leftover brownies that I baked just now. These are fresh," Jirou offered the pan that was almost completely empty. "You can have some more to eat."

Tezuka stared at the pan as he slowly took it into his hands. "Um, thank you."

"Chow," Jirou winked before prancing away.

There was some crackling, and the Seigaku Buchou saw out of the corner of his eye Momoshiro and Echizen stifling their laughter in a corner. He let out a quiet sigh.

"Looks like you got some more sweets."

Tezuka turned to find Fuji approaching him. "Aa, Fuji. Maybe I should just finish these instead since you already-"

"Nonsense." Fuji gracefully took the pan and, with a smile, scooped up all the leftover brownies in one hand and stuffed them into his mouth.

The bespectacled man felt nauseated as he watched more brownies disappear down Fuji's throat. If he was one to show emotions, his face would clearly exhibit disgust. "Fuji, you really don't have to finish them for me. I can always take them home and put them in the fridge to eat the rest slowly myself."

"It is not a problem," Fuji mumbled, swallowing the last few bites before sighing. "Hm, these are delicious too. Freshly baked."

Tezuka has always been stunned by the tensai's idiosyncratic tastes, such as Fuji's tendency to put wasabi on everything. And yet, he still continues to be surprised by new discoveries of Fuji's iron stomach, which can even withstand most of Inui's special drinks.

"All right, everyone, return to your places! Break is over!" Tomoka ordered, bellowing into the megaphone once more.

"Fuji," Tezuka began. "I need to go make my rounds around the school, but I also have a meeting with the student council at lunch today, so I won't be able to join you."

The tensai nodded. "I'll see you at practice today then."


Lunch has taken on a new meaning at Seigaku. It was no longer just a time for everyone to get away from classes and lectures, or to have the chance to laugh and gossip with friends. It was now a time for everyone to escape the current horridness of constant stress, uncooperative peers, and meeting deadlines for the interschool festival. But for Echizen, it was a wonderful break from hearing all the cheesy lines he has to endure all morning. He didn't care much for Shakespeare, nor any classical romantic dramas for that matter, and at times he found himself cringing at the lines the Monkey King was spewing during rehearsal. Thus, lunch was a breather for the freshman, who was taking a solitary stroll by himself through the grassy lawn as he held up his hands. Frowning, he noted the bandaged fingers that still felt sore. In fact, he felt rather stupid having these bandages on him. He wondered if this would actually be annoying during tennis practice today.

Suddenly, Echizen heard some odd sounds, and he blinked and headed in the direction of the noise throug the bushes, passing by some trees before arriving at the public fountain where he often goes to rinse his face during breaks at practice. There, hunched over the sink underneath the running faucet, was the tensai hurling rather loudly. The hazelnut-haired boy reached up a hand slowly to turn off the faucet, stopping the water before sighing.

"Fuji-senpai?"

Fuji raised his head, pausing for a moment, and then looked over his shoulder, revealing a rather pale face. He smiled meekly. "Ne, what are you doing here?"

Echizen gaped at how terribly green Fuji looked. "Fuji-senpai, are you all right?"

The tensai turned away, still smiling rather weakly as he stared at the fountain. "I'm…okay." And then, unexpectedly, he hurled again into the sink, throwing his head downward and turning on the faucet as the running water washed away the contents. Burping, he turned the knob shut, coughing and gasping deeply.

Echizen blinked at this, watching his senpai silently drape his head over the sink. And then, the young freshman smirked. "Is Fuji-senpai…jealous?"

The question threw the tensai off, and for a moment, the third year stood there hunched over the sink, unmoving. After a few seconds, the hazelnut-haired regular gazed over his shoulder, a strange smile on his face as piercing blue eyes appeared. "Do you mind repeating that, Echizen?"

Every inch of hair flinched and turned white on the first year, his blood gone cold as he trembled at the frightening, dark aura slowly gathering around the tensai, who was grinning widely with bits and pieces of brownies falling from the corners of his mouth. "F-Fuji-senpai, I think I hear Momo-senpai calling me." And within an instant, the cocky freshman bolted out of there in a flash, escaping with his life still intact.

Fuji stared for a moment before returning his attention to the sink and rinsing his face off underneath the running water. Wiping his mouth, he leaned up for a moment, felt that nauseating feeling rise again, and threw his head back into the cavern to release some more as the sound of water camouflaged the unpleasant sounds and trickled down the drain. Luckily, the cool, crisp liquid washed over his head refreshingly. It was a wonderful relief. Gasping, he breathed in deeply and dried himself with his shirt when he suddenly felt his heart throb loudly once. The tensai shot up, and he whirled around. "Echizen?"

No response.

Furrowing his eyebrows as droplets trickled down his wet cheeks, he slowly turned his head, sharp, piercing blue eyes scanning the area.

The bushes were still.

The trees were quiet.

The grass stayed unmoved.

There was no one else there for all he can see.

Fuji eyed his surroundings slowly, suspiciously, crystal clear orbs moving at a careful pace around him while soaked hazelnut locks continued to drip. That friendly masked smile was gone, replaced by one of a predator scouting for an unknown prey in the jungle. The normally playful, carefree tensai was definitely serious now as his instincts alerted him and he narrowed his eyes.

He is being watched.