Prince of Tennis – We Are Here for One Another
Disc. : I DO NOT own Prince of Tennis either its characters. It goes to Konomi-sensei.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to HalfMoon-Smile, Different Child, and Crenius-kun. I love you all! To HalfMoon: I hope we can meet soon! I'll contact you asap!
I AM BACK! YEAH! I AM BACK! So sorry for the wait, everyone! Here I present to you, the 11th chapter. I hope all of you still want to keep on to this story. Please, do leave reviews. They encourage me and they keep me writing. Doumo~~
Chapter 11 – First Surgery
Yukimura sighed. He was already back to his home, but somehow he felt very hesitant to leave his precious Ryo-kun. Ryoma's first surgery would be held tomorrow. Yukimura remembered his last meeting with Ryoma.
"So, I guess, I will meet you later again after your surgery, Ryo-kun," said Yukimura, ruffling Ryoma's hair, smiling. "I have to go back to school and my team."
Due to his tumour, Ryoma's behaviour was a bit different from his natural one. He tilted his head and asked in a high-pitched voice, "Are you coming back, Seiichi-nii-san?"
Yukimura smiled sadly. Somehow hearing the tennis prodigy acted this way made him wanted to cry. Yukimura forced a chuckle as he caressed Ryoma's cheek, "I will come back, Ryo-kun, I will, don't worry. I promise I will see you after your surgery. So, please, be strong, ok? Promise me that you... will come back."
Yukimura's words seemed too much to Ryoma for racking. It took two minutes for Ryoma to understand Yukimura's words. Then he smiled cheerfully just like a five-year-old boy, "I promise!"
Yukimura nodded. "Good. That is Ryoma-kun, right? Now, I believe that you should take your rest. Remember, don't get too tired. I will leave now."
Ryoma's face darkened a bit, "You will go now?"
"Look, Ryoma-kun," Yukimura sighed. "I have to leave now. You have to take your rest now, and I have to go back home. School will be starting tomorrow. After that, I will come back here."
Eventually Ryoma smiled, "I will wait!"
Yukimura smiled again and he stood up as he patted Ryoma's shoulder, "Yeah. Then, bye, Ryoma-kun." And he left the room.
Once the door closed, Yukimura's face darkened and a glint of determination flashed on his eyes, "I won't let you die, Ryoma-kun. I won't. I will make sure you will go through this, I will."
He took a step forward, but then he turned back again, facing the door, "And I will make sure to get Echizen Ryoma back. I still owe you a match, Echizen Ryoma."
The morning after before practice, Tezuka gathered the regulars including Momoshiro in the club room. Ryoga and Ryuuzaki-sensei were with him.
"Everyone," he started, taking a deep breath. "As you have known before, Echizen is going to have his first surgery today."
His blunt statement somehow made the regulars went dead. All of them were frozen on their spots, unable to say anything.
"So," Ryoga stepped forward, shaking his head, "I just want to say... please... pray for Chibisuke. I – I - well... I just..." but Ryoga stopped, and he stormed off from the room, his body was trembling.
"Echizen!" Kawamura was about to go after Ryoga, but Fuji grabbed his arm, preventing him from to do so.
"Let him," said Fuji softly. When everyone looked at Fuji's opened eyes, the only thing they can saw was softness and warmth. "Let him alone for a while. He must be very nervous about Ryoma's surgery."
"Fuji..." Kawamura was speechless. Fuji smiled at him sadly. "All we have to do are pray and support Ryoma. Tezuka, what did Yukimura say to you?"
"The last time he talked with Echizen, Echizen was... acting different," Tezuka said with an effort, however, his face kept emotionless. "Due to his tumours."
"Could be understood," Fuji nodded, "then, I guess we should do our best while Echizen is fighting his sickness. We as well must do our best at practices and our upcoming matches, for Echizen."
"Of course nya, Fuji!" Eiji bounced and he grinned. "Of course we will do our best! This is for Ochibi! Ochibi is so brave, so we must not let our guard down, hoi!"
"Eiji-senpai, it was Buchou's quote!" Momoshiro laughed.
"Mou Momo, it's ok!" Eiji pouted. "After all it's Ochibi!"
"If he could hear you, Echizen would probably say 'mada mada dane', Eiji," Ooishi said, smiling.
"Saa..." Fuji chuckled.
Nanjiroh and Rinko were in their frantic states. First,they have to deal with their son's hair being shaved. And now, they have to deal with the upcoming surgery in any minute.
Ten minutes later, their son was being taken from his room the surgery room.
"Is there any word you willing to say to Ryoma-kun?" asked Misaki gently. He smiled down to Ryoma.
Rinko sobbed slowly as she grabbed her son's skinny hand to her hand, "Ryoma... we love you, dear. We want to say that we will always love you and always. So... do your best, okay? We will be waiting for you. Do your best... and never give up."
Ryoma tilted his head as he smirked. Nanjiroh was stunned at this, "Ryoma..."
Then, the words came out from Ryoma's mouth, "Mada mada dane, Oyaji."
Rinko and Nanjiroh exchanged their glances in surprise and they laughed.
"Goes the same to you too, seishounen. Well! Don't dare you to give up in front of your old man, will you?" Nanjiroh grinned and caressed his son's forehead.
"I won't, Oyaji," and with that, Ryoma vanished into the awaiting surgery room.
"... Mura! Yukimura! Oi, Mura!"
Yukimura jolted and he turned back, "Bunta?"
"Mura, are you all right?" asked Marui, worried. "You were spacing out! Are you sick?"
Yukimura smiled. "No, don't worry, Bunta, I'm okay. I'm just... thinking about something."
Marui was silence. "It's Echizen, isn't it?"
Yukimura sighed. "Yeah. He is undergoing his first surgery today."
Marui nearly bumped to the porch, "To... today?!"
Yukimura nodded. "Today."
The other regulars suddenly appeared. "Why didn't you tell us early?"
It was Sanada. "Genichirou..."
"Seiichi." Sanada approached his captain. "You know, you don't have to keep all of your feelings by yourself. Weren't you the one who said that to Echizen?"
Yukimura jerked in realization. "Gen-chan..."
Kirihara shrugged. "We care for that Echizen too, Buchou. So you don't have to think about that all by yourself."
Yukimura nodded and smiled, "Thank you so much, everyone. Anyone want to go with me after practice to see Ryoma-kun?"
All of the Rikkai's regulars raised their hands up. Yukimura chuckled, "That's my boys."
"Game, set, and match, won by Momoshiro, 6-5!"
"Yosh-aa!" Momo punched his fist into the air.
"Tomorrow is our first match in the district preliminaries, eh," Fuji said, smiling like usual, walking to Eiji's side.
"Speaking of preliminaries... I wonder will Ryoga-chan be able to participate with us?" Eiji put his index finger on his chin, looking up.
"Saa... he won't miss his first match with us, right?"
"I guess so." Kawamura added behind them. "Er... Tezuka told me to get all of the regulars in the clubroom now. I think... we will leave now."
"Yeah, Echizen's surgery must be have done by now," said Ooishi, tried to calm himself, even he had to admit that he was very worried and he can't wait any longer to see Echizen, and could the other quickened their...
"Calm down, Ooishi-senpai," suddenly Kaidoh hissed. Ooishi turned back, facing the sophomore.
"Kaidou..."
"Fssshhh." Kaidou left the court, heading to the clubroom, hand shoved in his pants pocket.
"Then, I think we should go now, Ooishi-mama," Eiji teased his doubles partner. Ooishi's cheeks blushed slightly, "E... Eiji!"
"Oi, Momo, Inui! Go to the clubroom now!" Kawamura shouted, waving his hand to Inui and Momoshiro. The latters nodded and they headed together to the clubroom. Fuji opened the door. Tezuka and Ryuuzaki-sensei were already inside, waiting for them.
"Gather here," Ryuuzaki commanded. The Regulars stepped forward. "I know it's still three, but Ryoga called in five minutes ago."
The Regulars said nothing, waiting patiently for the next upcoming words. Momoshiro felt as his stomach was twisted. Could it be...?
"He said that Ryoma's surgery has just done," Ryuuzaki continued, smiling, "and he said Ryoma made it through. At least, he is ok now."
Ooishi exhaled his breath in relief, he almost cried. Eiji bounced up and laughed. Momoshiro grinned, Kawamura smiled, Kaidou hissed, and Inui closed his notebook. While Tezuka... he remained stoic as ever, even though his lips were twitched a bit.
"You go to the hospital now, I will dismiss the club. After that, I will catch up with all of you," Ryuuzaki smiled. "Tezuka, I will leave them to you. Make sure you don't lose one of them, especially Eiji and Momoshiro."
"Hey!" Eiji and Momoshiro protested at once.
"Kidding! Then, get your things and off you go!" Ryuuzaki-sensei laughed.
"Thank you so much, Ryuuzaki-sensei," Tezuka bowed and he nodded to Ooishi. They gathered up their things and ten minutes later, they stormed off from the room.
Once they arrived at the hospital, Ryoga was waiting for them in the lobby. He looked tired, his eyes were rather red. He smiled, "Hey. Thanks... for coming, you know. Ryoma's been moved to the general room, but he hasn't woken up yet. This way." He led his teammates to the lift nearby and pushed the number 4 button.
"How was the thing going?" suddenly Tezuka asked, looking straight at Ryoga. The others' eyes widened in slight surprise, except for Fuji. Fuji just chuckled.
"Oh..." Ryoga, too, apparently, was a bit surprised too. "Everything was fine. I mean, Chibisuke didn't show any sign of decreasing progress."
Tezuka nodded. "That's good. I hope he will wake up soon."
Eiji blinked. "Nya... Tezuka..."
"Saa..." Fuji chuckled again. "Then, as expected from Tezuka, ne?"
"What?" Tezuka glared at Fuji.
"Nothing." Fuji's smile grew wider. "Ah, we're here."
The lift stopped and the door slid opened. They walked out from the lift, Ryoga led them to the left. They stopped at the room with plate number 423 banned on the door.
"Two by two, I guess," said Ryoga, and he opened the door slowly. The Regulars looked at their captain.
"Kaidou and Inui first," Tezuka decided. The said persons nodded and walked in. Ryoga closed the door, sighing as he sat on the couch.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. Eiji blinked, "For what nya?"
"For skipping practices so often, of course," said Ryoga casually. "But don't worry, I will come tomorrow for our match."
"Don't say sorry, we don't need it," Tezuka resisted. Ooishi nodded in agreement. "Echizen – I mean, Ryoma – is more important than it now."
Ryoga nodded. "But," he stared at Tezuka, smirking, "let me assure you... less of pratices didn't make my skills progressing down. I will show you, Tezuka-buchou-san, the beautifulness of the Echizens' tennis. We weren't named Echizen for nothing."
Eiji and Momoshiro rolled their eyes, "As expected from Echizens, after all. Arrogant."
"Don't let your guard down," was all Tezuka said in response.
A minute later, Kaidou and Inui finished with their visit. Again, everyone looked at Tezuka.
"Kawamura and Fuji," said Tezuka. The two nodded. And after Kawamura and Fuji's turn, it was Tezuka and Ooishi. The last were Eiji and Momoshiro.
"Don't be noisy," Ooishi reminded the two. Eiji and Momoshiro nodded in excitement at the prospect of seeing Ryoma soon. And so, the two made their way into the room.
Ryom was sleeping soundly on the bed, with masker on his face. His head was covered by a head-cover. Eiji's eyes widened, "Momo..."
"What, Eiji-senpai?" asked Momo as they approached the bed.
"Look at Ochibi's head... could it be...?" Eiji's voice turned low.
Momo followed Eiji's eyes and his as well widened a bit too, "They shaved his hair...?"
Finally they reached the bed. Ryoma was completely looked very fragile, they wouldn't guess that the boy on the bed was Ryoma who they knew as a cocky brat. He was completely looked innocent.
"Who cares about that?" Momo shrugged and he grinned. "I know he will make this through. He is Echizen, after all."
Eiji nodded and he smiled. "Good one, Ochibi! You did it, nya!"
Momo and Eiji looked at each other, and then exclaimed at once, "Mada mada dane."
They laughed. Everything is going to be okay. Once defeated, he will come back twice stronger.
-Chapter 11 – First Surgery / fin-
A/N: English IS NOT my first language, so please be patient. And if there are grammatical errors occurred, please let me know with PM to me. NO FLAMES, C&C reviews are highly welcome.
A/N: I want to say, again, sorry, for this late update. Maybe some of you will notice, that there are so many grammatical errors occurred in this chapter. So if you saw any mistakes, please forgive me. And I'm looking for a beta-reader because of this... thank you so much. PM me if you want to become a current beta-reader for this. And last but not least, please, reviews. Also I'm sorry if there are not much in this chapter, but I plan to put the medical things and details on the next chapter. So, please, let me know what you think.
