Disclaimer: Every character appears in the original Prince of Tennis are the properties of Konomi Takeshi. While the others, are belong to me.

--Chapter 10--

The day was usual for the Seigaku Tennis Club. Half of the ichinens were swinging their rackets, another the other half were picking up balls. The second and third years were running laps around the courts, and so were the Regulars with Inui's new invention to spice it up. It was time to get serious since the next tournament, the Nationals, was less than a week. Even so, no one could forget the events on the days prior, neither was it brought up. It was suicidal enough if the rest of the members learned about it. Imagine the damage that would've caused. That was how it had been for the Regulars until the Nationals...

The arena for the Nationals was grander and much more crowded than those previous games they'd played. It hadn't been an easy task to reach to the top, but Seigaku had done it. The team had beaten up its rivals from St Rudolph to Rikkai Dai yet no matter how ridiculous it was, these rivals would exchange words like 'good luck' or 'win, or else' or 'we won't lose to the same team twice' before alternate glares came rolling in. To Seigaku members, none of them ever realized that there was anything, but the innocent plot planned ahead on the opposite direction...

"Yo."

"Geez, you've scared me." Wataru Suzuku of Aoyama High glared at the culprit creeping behind the tree he was leaning on. "I should've with my team if I'd knew this would happen."

"Then why shouldn't you?"

Wataru rolled his eyes at the joke the culprit commented with arms crossed. "Split it. Who is it this time?" wasn't the word he meant to speak at first, but after watching that look on his ex-partner's face, he just couldn't hold back the mischief grin of his own. The 'Oni Pair' was once what they called themselves as. Whoever had them picked on had a same wish that they would never been born as long as the pair lived. None had ever escaped from their games but one. Wataru had not known who because he had been forced to move away due to their last prank, apart from felt certain his friend would carry on with that name after his departure.

Wataru was astonished when he learnt they had an escapee, though it was nothing compared with name whispered in his ear. His grin broadened at the affirmative nod at his doubt. He had to admit how cruel destiny could be when it worked like charm, and almost felt pity for a particular Echizen on their reunion day. Almost.

"How's Echizen doing?" the Monkey King, Atobe, asked while his attention fixed at the game played before him.

"Nothing out of ordinary." the Buchou of Seigaku Tennis Club replied since the apparent question was dedicated to him. He too, had the same attention like Hyoutei's Buchou, his eyes on Echizen, who was currently serving the ball.

"Why'd you ask?"

Knowing the Seigaku's Buchou meant no offense, Atobe shrugged.

"Just helping looking out for him."

It took a moment later for Tezuka to digest that sentence. "You knew." was all he could say. He didn't have the chance to ask how because the diva had beaten him with a word, which didn't clear his confusion still.

"Yukimura was on the same hospital wing." and he delibrately left the next word 'He was just next door' unsaid. One could drop his or her jaw at the sight of the expressionless Buchou bowing deeply before them but not for a certain rich diva, whom placed a comforting gesture on the bowing captain's shoulder. Words weren't important because his action had said it all: What are friends for?

Just then the spectators cheered. It seemed that Seigaku had won another game. It was only the third game played so far for the day, and if it was correctly calculated, that would mean 2 more games were needed for Seigaku to win in order to to proceed to the semifinals. Perhaps it was of ego or perhaps it was because Seigaku had beaten his own team to a game, Atobe threw his own way of expressing congratulations, 'He did well, but I was better', to Tezuka before moving himself to where his team was. So was Atobe was friend or a foe? It didn't matter.

"What does Monkey King want?"

Tezuka wasn't sure how to respond to Echizen's question. He couldn't tell the young prodigy that Atobe knew could he? He didn't want to think of the consequence if he said they, the Regulars, learned of his condition. The outcome would be what he had predicted, and he didn't want that to be happening, neither did he want to affect Echizen when he still had games to play.

As if on cue, Oishi came to the rescue to inform that he was needed by Ryuzaki-sensei. What the vice-captain received in return was an ambiguous nod. To thank him for the information and for the interruption.

However that gesture wasn't discreet enough to someone who wasn't the type to be easily fooled. Echizen, while eyeing the duo suspiciously, could sense something fishy about the exchanging glances. It was like a secret, a secret they didn't want to let him know. One solid proof he could pick up was that the Regulars had been quite overprotective of him over the past few days. It didn't mean they weren't so before the sudden change in attitudes but following him wherever he went meant something else. The Regulars would sometimes approached him either in pairs or in groups, never leaving him alone with just himself or one person. Even so, he couldn't blame them because he himself had secrets of his own.

A loud congratulation of "You've won, Ochibi! You've won!!" pried away Echizen's inner thoughts. It was the Regulars that came one by one with the hyperactive third year on the lead, who literally bounced towards them before giving his kouhai a deadly hug.

Hours later, somewhere under a giant tree, there gathered 9 representatives from Seishun Gakuen and 5 ichinens who were having break after the busied morning. The group couldn't be more usual than they already been - the continuation of bickering between 2 rivals, a bubbly conversation between the Golden Pair, a discussion between a future sushi chief No.1 and the data man, a silent treatment from the 2 top players of the club, plus 4 ichinens suffering from 2 impossible ichinens, especially a certain rookie whose mouth was stuffed with food.

"Kimi." it wasn't Kevin Smith neither was their coach disturbing their peaceful moment, but rather a by-passer whose finger pointed directly to Echizen informing, "You've got some visitors asking for your presence."

Despite of having doubts who those 'some visitors' could be, Echizen followed the kid passed through the crowds. He thought nothing more than to put blame on his baka oyaji for making the family losing their way, and therefore missing his game, and now causing him to retrieve them. He made a mental note to himself that he had better not to let the former pro watch "Dennis the Menace" ever again. Never ever.

Back to the group, the Regulars thought they deserved a stretch at Echizen's departure. However, never had it occurred to them that leaving Echizen unattended was a huge mistake, so when they did, it had been too late. How did they realize they were being set-up? Because no sooner Echizen left, Echizen Nanjiroh came along with his wife.

"Yo." the elder Echizen squatted while greeting the seishounen-tachi. Scanning through the surrounding, he asked where the gaki was. That gaki Echizen Nanjiroh referring to was his bratty son, who he noticed wasn't with the group he was supposed to be with.

"Wasn't..." the Regulars instantly tensed up as soon as they were being asked. Why would the father ask them when the younger Echizen was away to meet them? They were the one requested for him, weren't they? And he did go, didn't he?

"Wasn't what?" Nanjiroh's heart skipped as he sensed the tension from the seishounen-tachi. He and Rinko had just managed to put aside all their errands before rushing to the tournament as soon as they could. Moreover, they reminded Nanako-chan to take care of the family cat before their departure. The reason to that was because they had been tricked once thinking that Karupin had fall onto its captor, which happened to be a false alarm. Therefore, the cat couldn't be the reason his arrogant son left his guardians. So what could it be?

As alarmed as the ex-tennis pro, the Regulars stood up despite of their food splilling all over the place. To them, their current appearances weren't as crucial as to search for the freshman. It had better for them to start their search before the situation came much worse than it had been. Moments later, the spot they had once occupied now left the mother of Echizen along with the ichinens.

Nothing was wrong at first, for Ryoma to follow the person in front to meet his 'visitors', but the pair had yet to reach their destination. Noticing it had been quite a distance from where they had left, Echizen stopped his pace refusing to move any further until his questions had been answered.

"Who are you? Why and where are you taking me? What do you want from me?" heck, he didn't even know this kid. If he had only knew, then he wouldn't have tag along. Though what Echizen didn't know was that he had asked the question to the wrong person. The kid in front was only did what he had been told. How would he give him answers when he wasn't the one behind all this?

Fuming at how he received no reply, Echizen would rather walk back than to waste his time trying to make the person talked. He would do so if it wasn't for someone who decided to show himself.

"You!" exclaimed Echizen.

--End of Chapter 10--

Glossary:
Ichinens: 'freshmen' or 'first years'

Kouhai: a junior

Oni: demon

Kimi: you

Baka oyaji: stupid dad

Seishounen-tachi: young boys

Gaki: brat

Cdgal: OMG!! Who was this 'you'? What did he wanted Echizen for? How would Echizen react towards the reunion? To me this is the best place I call for the suspense. Ho! Ho!! Ho!! but stop the instant she received a numbers of murderous glares