DISCLAIMER: I do not own Prince of Tennis, its characters, etc. I am merely borrowing them for this fanfic. I own Akumi and the other original characters and the idea of this story, though.
xxxninja-akatsukixxx1231vw Well, the angst isn't really over yet... There's still more to happen....I'm not gonna give spoilers, though...hehe
Scarlette Shizuru Thanks! Well, I do love Atobe and his attitude, so I guess I'll work on him, not final yet, though... Yeah, I know... I have read some yaoi or something and even if some of them are pretty much nice, I still don't think it's actually nice...
Sooo sorry for not updating sooner... I got a new laptop so I worked on transferring my files first so I didn't have the time to upload this... Not to mention school work's really eating a lot of my time... Once again, I'm sooo sorry... To the story then...
A/N: Italics are in flashbacks...
A Samurai for the Buchou
Chapter 9
It's been a week since Tezuka's 'accident.' Echizen is back at school and the tennis team. Everyone can barely practice since they can all feel the deadly glares and dead talk the captain and vice captain give each other. Even though they maintain their cool attitudes, everyone can see that Echizen and Tezuka are hating on each other at the moment. They don't know what happened, but Inui and Fuji seem to have an idea on what, or rather who they're fighting about. It all started the day Echizen came back to Seigaku after disappering for a week, which was also the time when Tezuka 'fainted because of the heat.'
It's the usual morning in Seigaku. The first years doing some easy exercises while the second years, third years and the regulars start on their practice matches. Before starting, though, Eiji suddenly shouted excitedly -
"Nyaa, O'chibi's back! Where were you huh?"
"Eiji-senpai... Can't breathe...." Said the first year who was slowly turning into color blue because of Eiji's glomping.
"Eiji, stop that. You're suffocating Echizen." Interfered Tezuka's one heck of a mother-hen. He quickly grabbed Eiji and restrained him so that he won't pounce on the first year again.
"Doomo, Oishi-senpai. Sorry I'm late."
"Saa... Echizen, where were you the last week?" Asked their blue-eyed tensai with his usual smile on plastered on his face.
"I went to New York. Family thing." He said nonchalantly. He didn't came from New York, though. He really came from Hokkaido, in the Hidaka-shicho (subprefecture) since that was where the clan war between the Tsugumi clan and Kinomiya clan took place. It doesn't have a huge population so there was less chance of them being seen by civilian people. Of course, he wasn't going to say that he came from a war and now he's back. Only Tezuka knows about it since he learned it from Akumi the day they were attacked.
Tezuka eyed the first year prodigy warily. He knew his captain-teammate relationship with Echizen is already done for and he probably won't talk to him anymore. Well, he was pretty much right. Although Echizen did talk to him, he could feel the aura surrounding Echizen which says 'back-off.' Once after practice that same day, he approached Echizen and talked to him.
"How is Akumi-chan?" He was worried for her, and he misses her, but he kept his poker face intact.
"I don't know. Haven't seen her."
"What do you mean you haven't seen her? You see each other everyday."
"Really? Didn't know that. Bye buchou. See you at tomorrow's practice." He waved his right hand while he slung his tennis bag to his left shoulder. Tezuka was frozen to where he was standing. He can't believe that his teammate, and his junior actually did that to him. They might have had a misunderstanding but he shouldn't bring his attitude and problem inside the court. He mentally noted that he would talk to Echizen again tomorrow regarding his attitude.
After afternoon practice the next day, he went back to the locker room. He was relieved to see that Echizen was still there. He moved closer and talked again.
"Echizen." 'What's wrong with you?' The words didn't need to be said. He knew Echizen already got the question.
Echizen just shrugged his shoulders and went back to arranging his regular's jersey back to his locker and his racket back to his tennis bag. When he finished packing, he turned to Tezuka. "Buchou, nothing's wrong." He said, with sarcasm in his voice.
"Then why are you distracted during practice? You shouldn't let your guard down even if this is just practice."
"I'm not distracted. I'll go home now if you have nothing to say to me anymore."
He walked towards the door when an angry Tezuka spoke, or rather shouted -
"Echizen!"
He turned to Tezuka again, looking really irritated. "What, buchou? I have to go home. And besides I told Momo-senpai that we'll be going to the burger shop together. He'll come back here if he doesn't see me at the gate sooner."
Tezuka didn't speak. Rather, he gave Echizen a stern stare, then went back to his poker face. "Gomen. Alright, go now. I have to go somewhere else anyway. But make sure tomorrow you are not distracted anymore." With that he turned to his own locker and started arranging his things too. Echizen went out of the locker room and headed towards the school gates where Momo, Eiji and Oishi were waiting for him.
After tennis practice, the team went to their usual routine of going back to the locker rooms to have their quick shower. They then stuffed their regular's jersey back to their respective lockers while they changed to their school uniforms. As usual, Momo and Kaidoh would get into a fight and Oishi has to break them apart before they start boxing each other. Fuji is smiling (he doesn't stop smiling does he?), Inui scribbling something in his notebook, Tezuka and Echizen still giving each other the silent treatment. When they all went out of the locker room, they went straigh to the school gates. Momo and Echizen were together again since they'll eat at the burger shop, again. Fuji went straight to the direction of his house, just like Eiji, Oishi, Inui and Kaidoh. Tezuka, however, went to another direction. He walked straight to the bus stop, hoping to catch the trip before the last trip. It was a thirty-minute ride from the bus stop to Tezuka's destination. Rikkai Dai.
He went inside the huge school gates. Of course he already anticipated that the students would be whispering to each other, wondering why a Seigaku student is in Rikkai. He approached one student, most likely a first year since he was smaller than him.
"Excuse me, do you know where the tennis courts are?"
"Hai! It's at the back of that school building." The boy pointed to one tall white building, it had five floors and lots of students where at the windows, enhaling the nice scent and feeling of fresh air."
"Doomo Arigatou."
He then went straight to the place the student directed him to. Surely enough, he wasn't fooled. The sound of the tennis balls hitting the rackets and the walls was very audible that even if he was still a bit far away from the tennis courts, it can already be heard. He saw that it was the girl's team's tennis courts. On the other side, the boy's tennis courts could be seen.
He took a deep breath before continuing his walk when a third year student, about the height of Akumi, stood before him blocking his path. She had red hair that was chin-length, just like Marui Bunta's, with green eyes, wearing the regular's uniform of Rikkai Dai, which was a yellow shirt with a black collar and a yellow skirt.
"Excuse moi. Who are you to trespass in the Rikkai Dai Girl's tennis club?" She said with her high, childish voice that was almost like Tomoka's but this one has a much better control in controlling her voice.
"Tezuka Kunimitsu. Is Kinomiya Akumi there?"
"Eh, Tezuka Kunimitsu? I'm sure I've heard about you before." She put her left index finger to the temple of her left forehead, as if she is in deep thought. Then she talked again -
"Oh, Tezuka Kunimitsu. Yeah I know you from Seigaku. I'm Marui Sumire, twin sister of Marui Bunta. By they way, why are you looking for Akumi-buchou?"
"I'm a friend of hers. Can you call her?"
"Nope, sorry. No can do. Genichirou-fukubuchou strictly told me not to let any student from Seigaku, well, except for Ryoma-kun, to go near Akumi-buchou."
"But, I have to talk to her. Just for a second."
"Told you, I can't let you. And besides, you're wearing a school uniform. You're not allowed to go inside the tennis courts if you're not wearing proper uniform, oh and one more thing, we're practicing so -"
A familiar voice to Tezuka cut Sumire's talking. "Sumire-chan, what's taking you so long?"
"Great! Thanks for letting my captain know that I was missing!" She told Tezuka. She was already annoyed at him and and now she's more annoyed than ever. "Be there in a sec, Akumi-chan. Gomen."
"What's taking you so long anyway? I said we have to concentrate for this year's nationals and -" She looked at Tezuka with surprise and sadness mixed in her eyes. She didn't know how to react but at the same time, she doesn't want to see him.
"Er, Akumi-chan, do you know this guy? He's telling me that he knows you and that he wants to talk to you."
Suddenly, from the other side of the court appeared Sanada Genichirou who is approaching them, fast, with an angry look on his face. When he reached Tezuka, Akumi and Sumire, he placed himself in front of Akumi so that she will be blocked from Tezuka's view. "What are you doing here? You're trespassing." He said with a stoic yet angry voice.
"Eh, Akumi-chan, Genichirou-san, I'll be going now, okay. I'll supervise the team while you're here." Sumire can sense the not-so-good aura that was developing from the three of them so she quickly made her escape. She was as hyper as her twin brother, Marui Bunta, except that she doesn't have stamina issues unlike him.
"Excuse me, but can I talk to Akumi-chan? I wasn't exacty looking for you, I was looking for her."
"Sorry, you're disrupting our team practice and that can't be tolerated. It's best if you go now. Come on Genichirou, Seiichi's probably looking for you." Akumi said confidently, as if she didn't care if that was Tezuka she was talking to. She wanted to talk to him, of course, but she was afraid that he would just ask her about what happenend to them the last time so she didn't want to take the chance. She loved him, yes, but that doesn't mean she can't protect herself from the inevitable hurt that she might experience again, just like the last time. She held, or more likely grabbed Sanada by the wrist and turned towards the court and started walking.
"Akumi-chan, wait." He was breaking down now. He was out of his wits to come marching to Rikkai Dai's grounds, but he already did, so why not take the chance to do everything he can to talk to her. Akumi halted her walking, then turned to Tezuka, her eyes almost teary-eyed, but she held it back.
"Tezuka-san, I am sorry for what happened last time. I promise you that you will never experience a horrible scene such as that one. I also apologize for Ryoma-kun's attitude towards you. I'll talk to him and see what I can do." She turned her back towards him and started walking again.
Sanada stopped and said, "you go Akumi. I'll talk to him first."
"Alright then, see you later."
Akumi disappeared while Tezuka finds himself face to face with Rikkai's emperor.
Sanada took him near the club room. He slammed Tezuka to the wall and seized his collar while trying to keep his temper from exploding.
"What the hell are you doing here? Marching in here and asking for her like nothing had happened. Idiot!"
Tezuka kept his calm and stoic face, but deep inside, he was trying to come up with something to make Sanada calmer or he might just get his face smacked by the emperor's big fists. "I only intended to talk to her and apologize, nothing more."
"Oh, shut up! Do you think I'll believe you? After what you acted in front of her the last time, she thought you were thinking of her as a murderer!"
"I did not say anything about that. I was surprised, yes but the thought that she was a murderer never crossed my mind."
"Oh, you never said anything, but your actions said so. Freezing in front of her, looking at her wide-eyed and not even talking to her. What does that mean?" He shouted back at him, his hold of Tezuka's collar becoming more and more tighter.
"I... I'm sorry." That was all he could say. He wanted to say many things, but to Akumi, not to him. He wanted to apologize, tell her that nothing has changed and that he still loves her. But all of it is impossible now. Seeing that Sanada will never let him come near her again. Why did she have to have a very protective bestfriend anyway? 'Wait, what if he's not just her bestfriend anymore?' He asked himself. His face broke down again and revealed a sad expression. Sanada guessed what was on Tezuka's mind and even had the guts to break his heart again.
"Yes, Akumi is not just my bestfriend anymore, Tezuka, so better get lost." He said, emphasizing on the word 'just' and the dropping of the honorific when he spoke Akumi's name. Sanada let go of his collar and walked away, going back to the tennis courts, leaving a shattered and broken Tezuka behind.
When his wits came back, he resolved not to tell Akumi anymore as he didn't have any chance against him anyway. He went out of the corner where Sanada almost punched him and walked towards the tennis court, again since to get back to the school gates, he had to pass the tennis courts. Seeing Akumi smiling at Sanada with that smile that he longed for the most, he felt something in his heart that could rival the disappointment he felt when the doctor told him that his injury might never recover again. He stared at them for a moment. Somehow, he was imagining himself the one beside Akumi and talking and hugging her? Sanada hugged her and she didn't protest, which confirms Sanada's confession that they were dating. He felt another twinge in his heart. He can't bear to watch anymore of this so he regained his composure and went out of the school as quickly as his feet can run.
…............................................................................................................................................
It's been a month since Tezuka went to Rikkai Dai to try to talk to Akumi, which ended in a very sad way. The team noticed that Tezuka's energy and fighting spirit was down. It's only a week now before the Nationals Tournament and they would be facing Rikkai Dai again. And with their captain down and almost not noticing that it was almost the Nationals, the team's chances of winning basically went down to from 50 percent to 10 percent, according to Inui's calculations.
"Saa... We have to get Tezuka's attention back to the game before the nationals." Said Fuji with a grave look on his face. He knew what was bothering their captain and it's definitely not Echizen's attitude towards him.
"But Fuji, how do we do that when we don't even know what is bothering him?" Oishi asked in his mother-hen tone.
"Maybe Inui can come up with something."
"Are you telling me that I know what's bothering Tezuka, Fuji?"
"Hai. I know you know that it's because of her, right?"
Oishi suddenly became out of place. He didn't even know what or who the heck the two sadists are talking about. Inui was muttering about Rikkai Dai while Fuji was saying something about Sanada. So did that mean Sanada was bothering Tezuka? Oishi shook his head, 'Tezuka will never be bothered by Sanada-san's skill, he's as good as he is, or maybe even better.' Oishi thought. Whatever Fuji and Inui were thinking and planning, he just left the two of them, not wanting to get into any trouble.
Again, sooo sorry for the super late update! I'm almost near the end, maybe two more chapters and I'll post my other fanfic. Thoughts? R&R please! Thanks a lot! :-)
