Well, I was planning on making this chapter significantly longer and including more of the actual match in it, but I lost internet the other day and it would be highly possible that I lose it again soon and I want to update just in case. If not, then there will probably be another update with what I cut out of this chapter pretty soon. I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter in the first place but I'll try my best to make another update really soon. Gomen, ne? Enjoy!

SPOILER ALERT: Well, this chapter doesn't have the conclusion of any of the matches, but I figure I might as well say it anyway since it does start to explain what happens during Doubles 2 against Hyotei.

START

"Please, Miki-chan?"

"Iie, I told you I won't wear it!"

"But I made one just for you! See? It even has your name on it!"

Miki made a face at the headband Momo was holding out to her and turned her head indignantly. "You wrote the wrong kanji! My name does not mean tree trunk! It's written 'Beautiful Tree'. Why would I walk around with 'Tree Trunk' written on my forehead?"

He stared blankly at the headband before bursting into laughter and calling Kikumaru over to see and join in the teasing. Miki pouted looked away from the two, scanning the scene. It was the final round of the Kantou Tournament and everyone but Oishi had arrived at the courts to wait until they could register.

Momo had sobered up and knelt down in front of her with the headband clutched between his hands and a sad, pleading look on his face. "Onegai?"

That's not even fair, Momoshiro! She tried her best to resist his pathetic looks but finally cracked and held out her hand with a sigh. "I'll wear it around my waist, okay? That way it won't mess up my hair."

A wide grin replaced the sad look and he wrapped his arms around her hips to lift her into the air as he got to his feet. "Arigatou, Miki-chan!"

"Ah! Momoshiro, you put me down right now!"

"Don't you have anything better to do?" hissed a deep voice behind Miki. Momo almost dropped her in surprise as he faced Kaidoh's scowling face. "You're being annoying."

Momo started to fire something back but Miki gave him a look. He huffed and turned away to talk to Kikumaru. She spun around to look at Kaidoh too, but lost her words when they made eye contact. Their moment a week before was still fresh in her mind and she had barely been able to talk to him since without blushing. She broke their eye contact quickly and fastened Momo's headband around her waist with a grimace.

"Tree trunk?" Kaidoh asked quietly. She looked up and gave him a pathetic look.

"Don't ask."

Evil laughter drew their attention to Momo and Kikumaru, who had attacked one of the poor ichinen and attempted to color in his head with a black marker to make him look more like Oishi. Miki smiled to herself and shook her head. Those two are so much alike. Such troublemakers.

Ryuzaki-sensei's cellphone began to ring and everyone listened closely to hear about their missing teammate. To everyone's surprise, Oishi was in the hospital helping a pregnant woman who had fallen and started labor, and the woman was in no condition to be left alone.

Miki quickly made up her mind. "I'll go help the woman. The team needs Oishi-sempai more than they need a photographer with a broken camera."

Momo stepped forward right behind her. "There's 10 minutes left. I'll go to the hospital in his stead, too. If we hurry, we should be able to make it!" Miki looked back at him and smiled at his devotion to the team. She looked over at Momo just as they were about to leave and winked at him.

"Try to keep up."

:: Momo's POV ::

The two took off down the sidewalk towards the hospital, making sure to be wary of their time limit. Momo watched Miki suddenly take off down the path and almost faltered in his own pace. She was strides ahead of him in an instant before she slowed her pace so she was coasting at his speed just within sight.

"Since when was she so fast? We were even when I was running laps a few weeks ago."

He made sure to keep his pace up so she would stay in sight. Knowing her, she'd get lost on her own before even reaching the hospital, he thought to himself with a slight chuckle. Confirming his thoughts, he got the opportunity to catch up to her when she paused at an intersection, unsure of which way to go. Once she knew her route, though, she easily overtook him again.

The hospital came into view a few minutes later and Momo watched Miki make her way inside. The two met up just outside the obstetrics wing and made their way to Oishi and the pregnant woman.

"Oishi-sempai, we'll stay here instead. So please go to the tournament," Momo said with conviction as he moved aside to let Miki walk in and over to the woman. He heard her start whispering words of comfort to her and a small smile crept on his face. She even acted maternal to a soon-to-be mother.

The smile dropped from his face when Oishi looked down sadly. Momo and Miki watched him carefully, waiting for an explanation.

"What's wrong?" Momo finally asked him. Slowly, Oishi lifted his left hand and gripped his right wrist. Bandages... Momo thought to himself. Oishi explained the situation to the two, assuring the woman that it wasn't her fault. Momo's mind reeled, unsure of what to do. If Oishi-sempai is injured... we'll have to forfeit.

"Momoshiro." The serious tone of his voice caught Momo's attention as Oishi removed his Regulars jersey. "I'll leave Seigaku to you," he said with a smile, holding out his jersey.

"No way! I can't wear that!"

"Even if I play now," Oishi explained calmly, "It would be a burden for the team, right?"

"But-!"

"Momoshiro," Miki said quietly, walking around Oishi to put a reassuring hand on Momo's shoulder. "You can do this. We both know you can handle the weight of a Regular's jersey, even if it is Oishi-sempai's."

I wanted to be a Regular again, but not like this. Seigaku needs Oishi to play at this level. Without him...

"Hurry and go, Momo! There's no time left!" Momo jumped at the urgency in Oishi's voice but nodded. "Don't make me resign."

:: Miki's POV ::

"You do realize you just trusted Doubles 2 to a guy who had to write down the basics of doubles on his arm under his wristband, right?" Miki asked her sempai in a skeptical voice, trying to lighten his mood. She truly had faith that Momo would help the team to victory, but she wanted to cheer up Oishi. He looked so upset and worried.

"Miki-chan, could you do me a favor, too?"

"Hai, Oishi-sempai. What do you need?"

He glanced at the door Momo had just run out of with a concerned look. "Go back to the team and support Momoshiro and Eiji. They're going to need confidence to work together. Oh, and if I take to long here, could you send me a message with some updates?"

She gave him a wide smile. "Sure, I'd be happy to. Are you going to be okay here?"

"Her husband is on his way. I'm just here for support until he arrives."

Miki nodded and waved at him as she followed Momo's path out the door and back to the courts. Since she was alone she let herself run as fast as she could. The sting on the wind felt pleasant on her skin, a feeling she'd missed while stuck in bed. It felt so free, so safe.

The first thing she realized when she arrived was that Seigaku had moved from the front steps. I guess that's a good sign. If they had to forfeit I imagine they would have come to see Oishi in the hospital and I would have passed them, or they'd be moping on the steps. Now I just have to find them. She pouted to nobody. I hate having to find them. There's always so many people here.

Taking a slower pace so she could scan the crowds, Miki jogged up and down the paths in search of a familiar face. Unbeknownst to her, the headband Momo had made her was loosening around her waist and migrating down to her hips, then thighs, then...

Miki fell flat on her face, the white strips from the headband woven around both of her calves. She was aware that people were staring at her, but ignored them as she quickly untied the headband.

"Tree trunk? What an odd name. Ore-sama has never heard of such an unfortunate name."

The icy voice made her freeze and looked up at the person talking about her with such blatant rudeness. The speaker held himself regally, brushing aside a piece of his grey hair and staring down at her with a superior look in his eyes. His intimidating aura made it hard for Miki to find words to reply, and she felt her hands start to shake. He continued to stare at her with a cocky smirk and piercing eyes.

"You're in our way. You need to move so we can reach the court."

A quick glance behind the boy made Miki realize that an entire team was with him, all staring at her with various levels of interest. Breathing became hard as she realized there were eight boys around her and she was all alone. In a quick, jerky motion, Miki ripped the headband from around her legs, jumped to her feet, and took off as fast as she could away from the team.

"Congratulations, Atobe. You scared her enough to make her faster than Shishido," one of the boys quipped before Miki was out of earshot and eyesight. She weaved in and out of people desperately, seeking the comfort and safety of being around the boys she trusted.

In her frantic state Miki sprinted right past her boys before realizing that she had found them. She skidded for a moment and turned to run behind Kaidoh, placing her right in the center of the group.

"Miki-chan, daijoubu ka?" Kikumaru asked worriedly. "What were you running from?"

She took a moment to slow her heavy breathing and calm her nerves before plastering a big fake smile on her face and facing the worried Regulars.

"Daijoubu. I was just lost and wanted to find you guys before the match started. You know how my sense of direction is!" She forced a chuckle at herself, aware that half of the team was giving her suspicious and worried glances. It was a stupid reaction. They don't need to know.

As Ryuzaki-sensei explained to everyone about the line-up, Miki zoned out, considering what had just happened. I'll have to be more careful about making sure not to be alone in those situations. It's a good thing Kumo-kun's at home too. I'm no match for eight tennis players, even with my speed.

"I'M BURNING!"

"Gah!" Miki squeaked in surprise, stumbling backwards to put distance between herself and Kawamura's Burning Mode outbursts. A strong hand caught her right between the shoulders and pushed her forward until she regained her footing. Her face flushed as she looked up at Kaidoh's scowling face.

"Ano... Arigatou, Kaidoh."

"Fshhh."

Miki took a spot in the stands closest to the court and started to get her camera ready before deciding against it. With this level of opponents there's no way I'm going to catch anything with this stupid camera. Hopefully Kaa-san will send me some money soon so I can buy a new lens. With a sad face she put her digital camera away and turned her attention back to the court. For a moment she froze, realizing that the opponents were the same team she had run into earlier, but relaxed knowing that she was safe with her boys now.

Very soon into the game, Miki and the rest of Seigaku realized that Kikumaru and Momo weren't attuned to each other enough to play on par with the Hyotei pair. Kikumaru's acrobatics were easily sealed by the superiority of the other net player. Even the hope of Momo's Dunk Smash was crushed by the other opponent's ability to perform a Higuma Otoshi, much to the surprise of Fuji. The two just didn't have any type of partnership that dictated who would control the pace. Without Oishi, there was no gamemaker. Without a gamemaker, they couldn't win.

END

Time to thank the reviewers!

Grenny851: My little grammar mistake comes from writing my notes in present tense but my story in past tense :P It's probably a bad habit but it helps me write. I fixed it so it should be all better now. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and that it made you laugh :) Thank you for the detailed review!

MoonlightChaos: I know, right? I enjoyed the fluff. It's hard making fluff while keeping Kaidoh in character, but it was fun too. Thank you for reviewing!

darkheart1991: I thought it was cute too. I tried, anyway. I'm glad you enjoyed it. As always, thanks for the review!

yvonna: Well I'm very glad you like my story :) I hope you continue to read and enjoy it. Thanks for the review!

CRdragonPyro: Everyone has to make peace, or it would be ultimate sadness. Could you imagine the Golden Pair being permanently broken up? It would be awful... You have to love Kazue, even if he is embarrassing. He makes it funny. Thank you for the review and I hope you keep enjoying it!

Okay, for real this time, the next chapter is gonna be more about the match against Hyotei. If I had done what I wanted to, this chapter could have easily been double the normal length. Sadness that it didn't work out the way I wanted. More is on the way soon!