Is he crazy? Asking the soon-to-be-gods of tennis to teach someone like me who hasn't even held a racket before...

"That's a good idea, Fuji…" Ryuuzaki-sensei added.

Not you, too…

I sweatdropped.

"I can teach Rei-chan, nya!"

"I will teach Rei-hime!"

"I will teach Rei-nee-chan!"

"Saa, it IS my idea, I should teach Rei-chan!"

"The Inui juice will greatly help in the training…"

"Fsshh…"

"Hn…"

I sweatdropped again, bigger than ever.

"I dont wanna be a problem!! With the Nationals nearing, you can't "slack-off"" I said while trying to point out my thoughts.

They all looked at each other. After a few minutes, they all burst into fits of laughter.

"Rei-chan! What makes you think that you're a problem, nya?"

"We have all year to teach you, Rei-hime!"

Apparently, I only have two months...

"Now, we just have to ask buchou's premission, nya!"

Silence soon followed. Everybody's eyes are perked to Ice-man's. He raised an eyebrow. The regulars were merely staring at him. He closed his eyes and continued to sip his tea. At one point, everybody's heart stopped beating. Even mine, too! He nodded stiffly and the regulars' hearts started beating again.

"That's good news, Rei-chan!" Eiji glomped me again.

"If Rei-chan has to study, won't she need a racket?" Oishi asked.

"Saa, why don't we go to the sports shop near here to select a few things?" Fuji said.

-Ryuuzaki-sensei's P.O.V.-

My whole team must really like this girl. Even Tezuka allowed her to play! It's quite unexpected that she didn't know how to play tennis. But then again, maybe after she learns how, she might turn out to be a genius as well.

I finished the last of my cake and proceeded to sip my tea and stole Tezuka a glance. He seemed to notice and stared at me with a cold look.

"You must really like this girl for allowing her to play tennis without even telling her the consequences and such.." I said while trying to keep my voice low.

"Hn.."

"Tell me, what is her relation to you?" I asked hoping to get information somehow.

Tezuka looked at Reina and sighed.

"We're just friends. Ryuuzaki-sensei.. Don't get your hopes up.." He said and stood up.

"Excuse me.." He said proceeding to the washroom.

I stared wide in shock.

Did Tezuka said that they are friends? Come to think of it... Tezuka doesn't even admit that he has friends! He doesn't even consider the regulars as his friends!

There just might be hope for the two of them..

I looked at Reina and saw her sipping tea while talking to Eiji.

-Back to Reika's P.O.V.-

I saw Ryuuzaki-sensei talking to Ice-man. I resolved to eavesdropping but I couldn't hear anything. They may be talking about something very important that they had to keep their voices down. I just proceeded to finish my tea and saw Ice-man took a glance at me and sighed. He murmured something that I couldn't hear.

Wait, was that a typo?

confusion.distress: no, it isn't.. I run Spell Check a few hundred times..

After the "incident", Ice-man stood up and Ryuuzaki-sensei stared wide in shock. I almost thought she had a heart attack when she turned to look back at me. I pretended to sip my tea and tried to start a conversation with Eiji. I took another glance at Ryuuzaki-sensei. She seemed to be deep in thought. Ice-man came back from the washroom and sat down.

Phew! That was close!

We finished and the regulars paid. Eiji and I stormed out of the cake shop followed by the regulars and Ryuuzaki-sensei. After a few strolls, I decided to turn around and walk backwards while my arms are crossed at the back of my head.

"So.. is the shop still far? Who knows, it might be at the other end of the world.." I said out of boredom.

No one answered and after 10 seconds,

"Are we there yet?"

"No, not yet.." Fuji answered.

Every 10 seconds, I turned to ask if we're there yet and every 10 seconds, the regulars would reply the same thing over and over again. After a few bazillion times of asking, Ice-man finally replied.

"We're here.."

Ryuuzaki-sensei seemed to be having a suspicious look and I decided to shrug it off. I came to the shop and shouted,

"Konnichiwa!!"

"Ahh.. The tennis regulars of seigaku are here.." A boy at about our age said while completely ignoring me.

I did an anime fall and looked at the boys..

They looked pretty cool when they stand in front of the doorway like that.. The sun's rays are right behind them and they look really, really cool... Uhmm.. did I mention that they looked cool?

I coughed the loudest that I could and the shopkeeper turned to look at me..

"I am very sorry for the inconvenience.." He bowed to the regulars and proceeded to shoo me out of his shop.

Ice-man took a hold of his arm and at tis realization, the shopkeeper let go of me and bowed low,

"I'm very sorry, Tezuka-san.. I didn't know that this beautiful lady is with you.."

He then turned to me, held my hand and kneeled,

"I am very sorry, milady.."

The regulars stared at the scene this boy is making..

"Oh no.. It's nothing!!" I said while waving my arms in protest and laughing nervously..

At the moment I stopped speaking, he held my hand again and said with dreamy eyes,

"May I know your name, milady?"

I sweatdropped while out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ice-man adjusting his glasses.

"Uhmm.. Hinotoko.. Hinotoko Reina.."

"Well then, dear Reina.."

Since when did he...

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

OMFG... Stalkers again?

Ice-man coughed and said,

"We need some tennis equipment.."

At the sound of Ice-man's voice, the stalker.. I mean.. the shopkeeper bowed once more and said,

"I am very sorry that our moment is interrupted, my ever dearest Reina.. I will be back soon.."

He then led half of the boys to the other side of the shop mumbling, "Right this way, sir" I continued to stare off at Ice-man's direction and wondered at what he just did..

He did save me from that evil shopkeeper didn't he..? What a true friend..

I smiled and turned around only to see a weird re-enactment starring Eiji and Momo,

"Will you be my girlfriend, nya?" Eiji said in a weird lovey-dovey voice.

"Of course, creepy shopkeeper!" Momo said in a very high girly voice.

"Saa, and they lived happily ever after.." Fuji concluded.

"Hey guys!! Cut that out!! It's not funny!!" I pouted.

"Rei-chan's so KAWAII!!" As Eiji was about to glomp me, the creepy shoopkeeper appeared out of nowhere and stopped Eiji.

"Dearest Reina, Right this way.." He led me off while I mouthed "help me" to Momo..

He instantly got it and took me away from the shopkeeper's clutches.

"Now, that wasn't hard.."

We quickly run off and dashed towards the other regulars. We stopped in our tracks and panted heavily. When we looked to our side, we saw the shopkeeper from hell making a mad dash towards us while shouting, "Give me back my Reina!!"

I shuddered at the thought and hid behind the one that I knew he was afraid of..

Ice-man..

I stood behind him, grabbed his jacket, my face close to his back while mumbling "Pleasesaveme. Pleasesaveme. Pleasesaveme." A few dozen times that's loud enough for everyone to hear. After a few minutes of talking which I couldn't hear, Ice-man looked behind him and mumbled,

"You can let go now.."

"Are you sure?"

"Hn.."

I slowly loosen my hold on him and poked my head out. I saw the evil shopkeeper with hopeful eyes shouting,

"Oh my dearest..." He was cut off when Ice-man glared at him.

Being friends with Ice-man sure have COOL benefits.. Haha.. Get it? Ice-man? COOL benefits..? Uhmm.. Oh well, never mind..

"Thanks a lot, Ice-man.." I said while patting his back.

I got out of Ice-man's shadows and saw Ryuuzaki-sensei with a suspicious look on her face. I shrugged it off for the second time and decided to pick out some stuff.Well, The regulars had to pick most of the stuff since I haven't got the slightest clue on what the hell do I have to choose..

I was about to give my credit card when Eiji drew out money. Since Eiji had a "refuse-my-money-and-you-will-die--sooner-than-you-thought look", the evil shopkeeper took his money instead.

"Aww, Eiji.. that was so nice of you!!" I said while hugging him.

"Rei-chan! That wasn't my money.. It's the team's, nya!"

When we got out of the store, I bowed deeply that I thought I may have hit the pavement and looked up again.

"Thank you very much, guys.. for everything.. though I'm not that sure what I did to you that you made me experience this wondrous event of being with you and spending the day with you. I wish that we could still have more of these days to come.. I really enjoyed being in your company.." I said while looking at the sun which was almost setting.

"I'll cherish the time we still have together..."

"Oh well.. I guess Ryo-kun and I could.." I turned to look at the regulars and saw the look on their faces that took me aback.

I saw Eiji wiping the tears in his eyes and Momo silently mumbling words while looking at the sunset. Most of the regulars are looking away and all of them never said a word.

"Oh come on, you guys!" I said while giving them a huge hug.

Eiji burst out laughing and the others gave out fits of smile as we fell on the walk way. I even saw Ice-man smiled the tiniest bit. I got up and dusted myself while others followed my lead. I saw Ryuuzaki-sensei smile and turned to leave. I would have asked the guys to walk her home but she already disappeared.

"Since it's my day.. You guys get to walk me and Ryo-kun home!"

"No, problemo Rei-chan!" Eiji said while jumping and raising his fist up in the air..

-Fast Forward-

"Thanks again, guys!!" I said while waving them goodbye.

Is It me or is Ice-man slowing down?

He was the last to walk away but before he could I heard him say,

"Hinotoko-san.."

"Uhmm.. Yeah.."

"Don't be late for tomorrow's practice.. 6:00 a.m sharp.."

"Oh, okay!" I said while saluting him.

"Don't let your guard down.."