One Step
Written by: Kiasidira Ixari
Co-written by: Aventria

Right. The last chapter drew quite a reaction from you lot, but well, that's to be expected. After all, none of you were expecting the story to suddenly refocus on Kevin, ne? After all, Ryoma and Keigo were the main focal points of the story for quite a while now, and the sudden shift is quite surprising. (And I enjoyed the reactions to the cliffhanger. Excellent reactions. Omigoto!)

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.

Warning(s): Angst and drama to the max.

Oh, and yeah, just to reply to one review: yes, this story is fast becoming a telenovela-ish/drama/soap opera type, ne… oh well, it's the entertainment that counts.

Step Twenty: Delayed Reaction
(Second Revision Version)

Keigo rolled to face the door and uncovered his eyes with the click of the door's closing. He watched his shaking young charge enter his chambers. He had heard of their exchange. Who wouldn't, what with all the racket they made. He sat up to survey the younger boy and sighed. Sometimes he got tired of this too, but he was neither willing to let Ryoma suffer alone, nor to abandon his childhood friend and let him fall into depression.

"Ryoma. Come."

With an unsteady gait, the smaller one half-staggered and half-shuffled into Keigo's embrace. He buried his face into Keigo's neck, and he could feel the elder resting his chin on the top of his head while rubbing his back in comforting circles. He hated it as much as he loved it, how Keigo was always there to comfort him. He couldn't help but be babied, and he supposed it was mostly his fault for acting the way he did.

If you hadn't locked yourself in Keigo's chambers all day, barring meals to mope and feel sorry for yourself, you wouldn't have this problem, a voice, unsettlingly sounding like his father, taunted him in his mind.

He tightened his hold on Keigo and unbidden tears spilled forth to soak through the elder's shirt. "He hit me. He never hits me. Kei, he hit me."

Keigo sighed ruefully. Sometimes, just sometimes, he wondered if he spoiled Ryoma a bit too much. "He was entitled to it," he murmured and the boy stiffened in his arms. "He was only worried, Ryoma, and you pushed him away. He—we take care of you, not because we think you are incapable of taking care of yourself, but because we care. Not because we pity you. Never because of that." Keigo stroked the boy's hair to calm his racking sobs. "Please don't shut us out. I'm sorry for stifling you. Honto ni gomen ne."

He gave the younger a squeeze before untangling himself from the boy. His hand tilted Ryoma's face to meet his eyes. "I know you've needed to vent, but Kevin did not deserve your anger. If anything, I should have been the one to take the brunt of your anger. I was the one who deserved it." He gave a bark of derisive laughter. "If anything, I should have known better than to make you feel caged."

"Kevin did not deserve your anger, although I cannot say the same for you. He was right you know. I will never abandon you, no matter what you choose, but it is simply not healthy to lock yourself in my chambers all the time. What of your other friends? Momoshiro, Kikumaru, the rest of Seigaku-tachi? I am certain they are just as worried as Kevin. Jiroh is complaining how much more sleep you're getting than him, and Oshitari overheard Inui commenting on counting two more added wrinkles on Tezuka's forehead."

That got a snort and a start of a smile on Ryoma's tear-stained face. Keigo smirked with satisfaction in return.

Keigo sighed. "Promise me you'll apologize, Ryoma," murmured Keigo, resting his cheek against the soft, silky strands that is Ryoma's emerald-tinged black hair. "Apologize to Kevin. He didn't deserve it. Kevin is a wonderful friend, Ryoma. Please don't ruin your friendship with him."

Ryoma tearfully chuckled against Keigo's night shirt. "I know. Promise…"

"I didn't hear it."

"Promise."

"Really promise?"

Ryoma drew back from Keigo and gave him a baleful glare. "Urusai na, saru-sama!"

Keigo let out a dignified snort, appalled at being called 'saru-sama' but letting his charge go for now. (An Atobe did not stand insulted unless under extreme circumstances.) Keigo heaved a silent sigh, before hustling Ryoma back into bed again, nestling him against a snoozing Jiroh.

"Go to sleep kitten."

Ryoma crossed his arms and pouted, sitting cross-legged on the bed. He looked absolutely adorable with the tousled hair and the emotionally exhausted eyes, and for a moment there, Keigo thought he would lose out to the childish pout Ryoma had on his face. But the boy was now exhausted from all that crying, and partly under his still-uncured depression. As such, he didn't manage to call out the puppy dog eyes that made Keigo buckle completely every single time.

Keigo inwardly smirked triumphantly. Not this time, kitten.

"Come now, don't be stubborn. You're sure to acquire a headache sooner or later because of all that… bawling you've done earlier."

If possible, Ryoma's pout lengthened, and sniffed in offense at Keigo. "I did NOT bawl!"

Keigo stood from the side of the bed unperturbed, reaching towards the bedside table and drawer where a pitcher of water and the medicine were ready, respectively. There was always a pitcher of water ready, fresh on his bedside every time he needed it, and he lauded himself for having acquired such efficient servants. (But of course. An Atobe doesn't settle for anything less.)

"Of course, you didn't, kitten," Keigo placated the younger with a straight face, not minding Ryoma's snarl. "Now drink this, and sleep. I'll wake you for dinner."

Ryoma huffed, but relented anyways. "Che."

Keigo smiled. Victory.

Darkness.

Knifing pain.

Silence.

Ryoma…

Ryoma jolted awake from his sleep, a light sheen of sweat breaking out suddenly on his forehead. Beside him, Karupin mewled silently, readjusting her position before returning to her peaceful slumber. He tried to reassess his environment and remember why the heck he was sweating like crazy, up in the middle of his nap so suddenly. He frowned, trying to figure out where the unsettling feeling was coming from.

"Ryo-chan?" came a silent voice beside him. "Are you awake?" Jiroh asked, before yawning and stretching his back like a cat while remaining on his side on the bed.

"Jiroh-senpai," muttered Ryoma. "Did I wake you up? Gomen ne."

"Nah," Jiroh replied just as silently and even more sleepily. "I was already up. It's dinnertime soon. In fact, Kei-chan should come in any second now and hassle us down to the dining room."

"Sou ne," nodded Ryoma. He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Were you having a nightmare?" Jiroh asked, reaching over to pet Ryoma on the head, the sleep-mussed black head looking very cute on the groggy Ryoma. The younger boy practically purred under Jiroh's ministrations.

"I don't know," sighed Ryoma. "I just sort of… woke up with a bad feeling."

"Ah," nodded Jiroh. "Instinct, then. That's not good. It might mean something bad is gonna happen soon."

Ryoma groaned. "Come on. I'm having enough right now."

Jiroh chuckled. "You'll get through smoothly, pet. I'm sure you will."

A sigh. "Let's hope so."

Toushi buried his head in his hands, shaking slightly as he watched the medics stabilize Kevin before getting him into the ambulance. The police hadn't managed to apprehend all of the thieves, but they managed to nick the one who appeared to be the boss, and the other one who apparently shot Kevin. Half the loot was returned, and no one except Kevin was hurt. The old grandma and the girl Kevin had shielded from the shot were unharmed, apart from the grandmother's slightly high blood pressure.

"Sir, are you the relative?" asked one of the medics.

Toushi shook his head. "Just… close friend. He's got no relatives here in Japan—his mom's dead, his dad's in New York."

"I see," nodded the medic, a respectable-looking middle-aged man who was the head of group. He jotted down some notes. "Is there any other person we need to contact about his situation?"

'Y-Yes, you might want to contact his… well, the people we're staying with," nodded Toushi, before rattling off the address and phone number of Odaiba Manor in a monotone voice.

"Do you want to come along in the ambulance and go to the hospital with us?"

Toushi nodded blankly, before getting up slowly with a heavy sigh. He accepted the bloodied Seigaku jersey—well, the pieces of it at least, since they needed to cut open his clothes to get to the entry wound—from the head medic silently, holding it tight in his hands. Before he could make a move towards the ambulance, though, a young girl approached him.

"E-Eto… o-onii-chan?" voiced the girl.

"Yes?" Toushi smiled, lifting his expression so as not to scare off the already-shaken girl.

"Are you the friend of the onii-chan who saved us?"

Toushi's eyebrows quirked slightly. So this was the girl who Kevin saved. The grandmother was still sitting with one of the medics, resting and waiting patiently for the medicine given to her to work and lower her blood pressure.

"Yes, I am."

The girl smiled. "Can you please tell him thank you? Thank you so much!"

Toushi smiled and nodded. "Of course. I'll be sure to tell him that when he wakes up."

The girl bowed her head as she was reminded of what happened. "Gomen nasai."

"It's okay," chuckled Toushi. "Kevin is strong. He'll be up before you know it."

"Ano, onii-chan?" the girl started again, fiddling in her pocket for a small item Toushi couldn't see. "Kevin-nii-chan dropped this."

The girl held out a silver necklace to Toushi, whose eyebrows furrowed. He frowned slightly.

"Where did he drop it?"

"I just saw it on the floor when the policemen were taking the bad guys away," the small girl frowned, thrusting the necklace into Toushi's hands. "Give it to him for me?"

"Of course," smiled Toushi, taking the necklace blindly and slowly ushering the girl back to her grandmother. "I'll be sure to tell you, and grandma too, when Kevin wakes up, ne?"

"Arigato, nii-chan!"

Toushi simply nodded as the girl ran off towards her grandmother, who was beckoning her. As Toushi sighed and turned around, walking towards the ambulance, he fiddled with the pendant of the necklace he had in hand, the silver chain dangling in the air. He looked down.

The tiger eye stones glinted in the fading sunset.

"Kevin…"

Toushi climbed into the ambulance after the medics, and the door closed off behind them. He looked down at the blonde head, trying his best to ignore the blood-matted shirt cut open and the medics' white-gloved hands stabilizing Kevin's situation. He knew that they wouldn't be able to take the bullet out until they were in the hospital, and they were running a risk of infection and blood loss. He sighed again.

…if you were given a choice, Kevin, would you choose to be with the one whom you loved but didn't love you back… or the one who loves you but you don't love back?

Kevin's hand clenched instinctively around Toushi's hand as the white-haired youth reached for him.

…because if I were you, I'd choose to be with the one who loves me anytime. That way, I can learn to love whoever it is and be happy for the rest of my days…

Kevin softly moaned, slipping in limbo between consciousness and unconsciousness. "Ryoma…"

…but hey, I'm not you, and you're not me. Right, Kev?

Ryoma sneezed into his dinner for the fourth time that evening.

He sniffled, rubbing his nose. "Someode's dalking aboud me."

Keigo chuckled silently beside the younger player. Fuji and Tezuka were, for a good change, silent this evening. Keigo figured it was either the talking they did earlier before they found Ryoma, or it was because it was Regionals the next day.

Nanjiroh chortled from the end of the table. "Maa, seishounen, doesn't that mean you're famous?" he said. "People are talking about you!"

"Shuddup," Ryoma grumbled, digging back into his dinner.

Fuji sighed from his corner imperceptibly, a nagging feeling settling in his veins as he eyed the two empty seats beside him. Kevin and Toushi were both missing.

"Syuusuke," Tezuka voiced silently. "You're ignoring your dinner."

Ryoma paused his eating slightly as he heard Tezuka concernedly chiding a strangely preoccupied Fuji.

"Ah, gomen," Fuji apologized with a small, uncharacteristically uncertain smile. Ryoma's brow furrowed. Fuji turned towards Ryoma unexpectedly. "Ano, Ryoma-chan… I was wondering if you knew where Toushi and Kevin are?"

Ryoma raised his eyebrows, before shaking his head in negation. He didn't want to speak, for fear of his voice breaking suddenly under the onslaught of emotion. He wanted so much to go back to Fuji and Tezuka, but he had already made his decision. He had to show Fuji and Tezuka that he was serious, and until they could figure it out and start explaining things to him, start talking to him, he wouldn't budge.

Fuji sighed, nodding in acquiescence. "I understand," Fuji said in a bare whisper. Around them, the other players tried to ignore the downcast mood Tezuka, Fuji, and Ryoma were in—and Eiji was making a good effort at it. Too good.

No one even realized that Kevin and Toushi were missing.

"Sou da, sou da, Kevin and Toushi were missing!" Eiji exclaimed, now effectively drawing everyone's attention.

Fuji chuckled silently. "I'll admit, the two of them grew on me."

"Where are they?" Ryoma asked suddenly, reminded of his earlier spat with Kevin. "Where did they go?"

"I'm sure they're just out somewhere knocking themselves out with alcohol," Keigo waved his hand dismissively.

Ryoma placed his utensils down on his plate slowly, his eyes cast down.

"Ryoma?" Keigo asked worriedly.

"I…"

Fuji sighed.

"I'm sure Kevin didn't mean any of it, Ryoma," Fuji muttered. "I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you; it was just the stress getting to him."

"B-but…!"

"Ryoma… don't blame yourself!" Tezuka admonished.

Keigo looked back and forth from Fuji and Tezuka to Ryoma, half his mind pondering happily on the fact that the three are slowly getting in tune with each other once again, and the other half rejoicing on the fact that Kevin had finally opened up about his feelings, no matter how explosive the result was.

"Nya, you look happy, Atobe-nya," Eiji frowned.

Keigo shrugged, a small, satisfied look settling on his face, much to the bewilderment of Ryoma.

"Excuse my rudeness, but Keigo-bocchama, I need to talk to you for a moment," came the majordomo from the side door, holding a phone in his hand. Keigo's brows furrowed. His majordomo knew not to disturb him unless under extreme circumstances. He hoped this had nothing to do with Ryoma's bout of 'unpleasant premonition' earlier.

Keigo nodded, dabbing his lips with the napkin before standing from his seat and following his majordomo towards the anteroom right next to the dining room.

Ryoma's frown deepened as his eyes followed Keigo. He knew that this had to be something serious, and he didn't have a good feeling about it. The nagging feeling remained as he continued to pick lifelessly at his food—he mentally apologized to the piece of shrimp being toyed around on his plate—before forking the flesh and taking a soft bite. He then lifted his glass of water as the spicy sauce seared his tongue.

About five minutes later, Keigo re-emerged from the room, face solemn and drawn.

"What is it, Atobe-nya?" asked Eiji, bouncing on his chair as if expecting some news that would make his day even better.

Keigo's face was contorted into a worried expression.

"It's Kevin. He's in the hospital, in critical condition. He's been shot."

Glass shattered on the floor.

Toushi sighed for the hundredth or so time that night, rubbing his forehead in worry and clutching the bloodied Seigaku jersey in his hands. The operating room's light was on, and they were performing emergency surgery on Kevin. Apparently, after inspecting the gun's barrel, the forensic medics found out that there was a possibility that the bullet was not clean, and the risk of infection was quadrupled for Kevin. As such, the doctors immediately rushed him to the operating room upon arrival.

It had only been an hour so since they arrived, but Toushi felt like it was forever. The surgery on Kevin wasn't supposed to take too long; it was just a bullet wound, and compared to other cases handled with surgery, this was nothing. However, the doctors did say it would take quite a while to heal, and it was a certainty that the young man wouldn't be able to compete for Regionals. About two weeks, though, and the wound would close. There were no ligaments or tendons torn, and the muscles were intact. Kevin had one hell of a lucky strike.

The operating room's doors opened, and out came the doctor with specks of blood and something clear white that smelled like chemicals—hydrogen peroxide for cleaning the wound, perhaps—on his apron. "Toushi-kun," greeted the doctor. This doctor was very familiar to his patients, apparently. "I'm sorry for this," he began, gesturing to his aprons.

Toushi shook his head. "It's fine, I'm… not really squeamish."

The doctor merely chuckled and muttered something that sounded like 'maybe that's because you people haven't seen anything to be squeamish about'. Toushi frowned at this, but shrugged it off; after all, this was a doctor, and he probably had seen more types of gross and icky stuff in actual life than he had.

"I take it the surgery went well?"

The doctor nodded smilingly. "Two weeks tops and he should be fine. A little rehab, and he should be up and running again. No severe and lasting damage whatsoever. His career—tennis, is it?—is safe, rest assured."

Toushi slowly let go of a large breath he didn't realize he'd been holding all this time. That was a great relief; he knew that Kevin wouldn't be able to bear it had the news had been otherwise.

"All you need to do is support him and make sure he rests up and drinks his antibiotics on time," the doctor quipped. "And then guide him through the rehab stuff. I'm sure it'll be easy for him to re-utilize and 'warm up' himself since he's an athlete. He just needs to rework the muscles after his rest—they deteriorate after some disuse, so he will need to build more. But for now, let's take it easy on his shoulder. We don't want the wound to dehisce."

"Understood," nodded Toushi, standing up and bowing to the doctor. "Thank you, sensei." (1)

Toushi waited for the doctor to give him the room number where Kevin was confined in—apparently, this hospital's operating rooms had back doors where they pass the patients through—before sweeping smoothly out of the waiting lounge. His actions betrayed his feelings; he was so shaken inside, and yet his grace was undaunted. A couple of other bystanders in the other lounges he passed regarded him with curious yet detached stares; he guessed it was because of the bloody jersey in his hands.

Well, suckers, this is a hospital. Blood is totally acceptable. If you're squeamish, go find a washroom and barf.

He was startled out of his reverie when his own feet shuddered to a stop. He wasn't even consciously thinking on where he was going, and he didn't even realize that he was already there beside Kevin's bed, waiting patiently for the nurses to clear out and leave him alone inside the room. Slowly, as the last of the equipment were taken care of, the nurses filed out of the room one by one, each regarding him with smiles and respectful glances.

As soon as they were out, Toushi pulled a chair towards Kevin's bedside, settled the bloody jersey on the vacant bedside table, and sat down contemplatively. He knew he had to calm himself down; the others would no doubt be arriving soon. He wouldn't break down in front of them, no. He would be strong. For Kevin.

Keigo frowned, at a loss on how to reassure Ryoma. The boy had been silent ever since they left for the hospital, and until now that they were entering the hospital, the boy hadn't uttered a single word. He wondered inwardly if it had anything to do with what happened earlier. Probably, the boy was too caught up thinking about Fuji and Tezuka's changed behaviors, as well as worrying about Kevin.

Ryoma shuddered as he, Nanjiroh, Keigo, Tezuka, Fuji, Tachibana, Yukimura, and Sanada bustled out of the manor's huge entrance hall's oak double doors and into the limousine prepared for them, gleaming an elegant black against the bluish moonlight. He jumped slightly as he felt cloth drape over his shoulders, and his head whipped around only to meet Fuji's gaze.

"Syuu—Fuji…"

Ryoma inwardly flinched as he saw a flicker of pain cross Fuji's face, and immediately berated himself for his slip. But before he could even register it more closely, it was gone, replaced by the usual smiling and gentle façade Fuji always wore in front of other people. This time, the pain twanged inside him.

"Ryoma-chan, you should have worn something warmer," muttered Fuji as he ushered Ryoma into the limousine. "It's a cold night tonight."

"U-Uhn…" nodded Ryoma blankly, not even registering that he was sitting in between Tezuka and Fuji again. He was too preoccupied with the recent events, and his mind refused to process anything that wasn't related to Kevin's current predicament. Though Fuji's obvious pain was strong enough to pierce through his worry, it still didn't last long enough. He was far too worried and immersed in guilt over his unwell best friend.

In his large, spacious seat, Keigo smiled inwardly. The relationship was indeed mending. This was good. At least, this time, he wouldn't have to deal with being Ryoma's shock absorber alone once again.

God knows it was hard and tiring, and once alone was enough. He was not willing to let Ryoma suffer like that again, with only himself as his support.

He sighed.

Sometimes he wished he had access to Ryoma's thoughts. The boy was so hard too figure out.

The group started moving up the stairs, Nanjiroh having politely asked the front desk about Kevin's room. It was a subdued atmosphere in the hospital, and the lay over between the day shift and night shift nurses were starting. Without any of the naturally sugar-high players they had—namely Eiji, Gakuto, Momoshiro, and some others along with it—they had no source for cheer.

Keigo silently groaned. Was it such a bad idea to exclude Kikumaru in this trip? Because These people are too gloomy.

He glanced at Tezuka, who had his normal neutral mask on, and Fuji, who had a contemplative expression on his face. Sanada was as menacing as ever—Keigo inwardly sneered as a couple of nurses half-swooned and half-cringed at him—and Yukimura didn't bother hiding the worried look he had in his shimmering eyes. Nanjiroh was silent as well, not making his normal snide, playful comments towards the sexy nurses for once. Tachibana was the serious, commendable captain he usually is, and it was not helping the case.

Then Keigo's eyes landed on the last member of the group as they entered the room where Kevin was in.

He flinched. Then again, maybe I wouldn't really want to know what he's thinking, considering that look on his face…

Ryoma's emotions were warring fiercely out in the open as he remained frozen by the doorway behind the others. He gazed at Kevin on the bed, his eyes flitting over towards the table where the bloodied jersey was; he was guilty. He saw the machines beside the bed and the dextrose tube leading to Kevin's wrist; he was worried. He saw Toushi sitting on Kevin's bedside, clutching the limp hand; he was jealous.

Why wasn't I here? Why am I not doing what I should be doing—the job of a best friend? Why is it Toushi, and not me, who's sitting beside Kevin; taking care of him, paying him the attention he deserves, being the good friend? What happened? Where did we go wrong? Where did I go wrong?

Fuji's eyebrows furrowed in concern. He shot Tezuka a glance, before swerving his eyes toward Atobe, who shot him a similarly worried look. The tensai sighed and tentatively reached out towards the young teen, who was obviously deep in his brooding. He petted the black mop of hair down against Ryoma's head, before slowly drawing him into a soft, comforting embrace.

"Don't blame yourself, Ryoma-chan," muttered Fuji. "I'm pretty sure there's a reason for all this. Don't judge before you've seen the entire scenario."

Ryoma remained silent in Fuji's embrace, but Fuji was glad to note that the younger boy did slightly lean into his touch. Tezuka's forehead notably relaxed a notch, and Keigo even thought he saw a crease disappeared. Toushi was silently conversing with Nanjiroh, who was checking on Kevin's condition and his own condition. The bodyguards slash servants following them gave food and a new set of clothes to Toushi, who smiled a subdued smile appreciatively at them.

"Toushi-kun," started Tachibana. "If you could explain…?"

Toushi sighed and nodded, before opening his mouth to start his long monologue.

This was gonna be a long night.

Ryoma chugged from his water bottle robotically, following the routine trained and etched hard into his system. He still remembered Nanjiroh ranting loudly over his small, four-year-old head that after any workout, water should follow. Lots of water.

"Oi, Ryoma!" chided Momoshiro, snatching the water bottle away from his kouhai abruptly, almost making the younger teen choke. "Don't drown yourself; we need you for the next match!"

Ryoma simply grunted and sank into his seat, staring blankly into space. Momoshiro, blatantly put off, huffed and crossed his arms, throwing the half-empty water bottles towards the waiting arms of the ichinen trio. Horio whined to his two disgruntled companions about the 'menial labor' his 'five-years-of-tennis-experience' behind was put under.

Behind Ryoma, Fuji sighed. He sent one of those worried glances towards Tezuka again, who returned it with just as much concern. The crease that had initially disappeared had reappeared after a worrisome, trouble-filled night. Ryoma's current drone of a condition wasn't helping the case. Oishi was deeply worried that if Ryoma happened to face someone strong enough, they might manage to get past through Ryoma's lifeless play. However, Eiji protested loudly and immediately contradicted his doubles partner, claiming that Ryoma wasn't anywhere near letting go of his undefeated streak.

After all, they were only in Regionals, and this was a Wimbledon and US Open Champion they were talking about.

And Tezuka had to agree.

Still, it was a very troublesome situation.

Inui approached the group as they rested under some trees, sprawled on the green grass while letting the dappled sunlight ripple through the foliage before shining down on them with warmth. It was a very nice day, with a cool breeze and a moderately warm temperature; and as Fuji remarked, perfect for his Hakugei.

The dataman adjusted his glasses and opened his notebook before standing over the others. "Minna, I gathered enough data to safely conclude that our next opponent will be Fudou Koto Gakkou."

Unsurprised grunts came from the group as they lazily half-dozed under the warm sun. It was lunchtime, and they had two more hours before their next match with Fudou. Everyone had expected it was Fudou who would eventually be their opponents in the Regionals Final. They were, after all, the only time that managed to match Seigaku in all terms. (Well, okay, not all terms—Seigaku still was the 'perfect team', having all the different kinds of players—but still worthy enough to be called a challenge of sorts.)

Fuji sighed, leaning over to Nanjiroh, who was humming peacefully beside him, reading a porn magazine. Fuji shot the magazine a disinterested and detached glance—ladies' bare butts and breasts didn't appeal that much to him compared to Tezuka's skin and Ryoma's innocent allure—before nudging his coach. "Nanjiroh-sensei?"

Nanjiroh grunted.

"Will Ryoma be fine?"

Nanjiroh paused his humming, before chuckling silently. "He'll be fine, Fuji. Don't worry. I'm pretty sure sooner or later he'll be back to his old self. Something will happen that will return him to his former grace."

Fuji narrowed his eyes. "How can you be so sure?"

"Well, I'm just sure," grinned Nanjiroh, before returning to his magazine with a careless shrug.

Fuji inwardly groaned. Talk about vague people.

Meanwhile, Inui continued his announcement. "Consequently, I have also received information that the match will be moved an hour and a half earlier, which would mean it would be less than twenty minutes away."

This time, his announcement was met with loud shrieks and protests.

"NANDAYO, THEY CAN'T JUST DO THAT, NYA!"

"Unfair! Unfair, unfair, we haven't lunched yet!"

"Fsssssssssshhhhh, that's too early, senpai…"

"I-Inui, why weren't we informed earlier?!"

However, even through the chaos, Ryoma was silent and gave no reaction whatsoever.

Fuji reached over towards Ryoma and placed a gentle hand on top of Ryoma's head. "Ryoma-chan?" Fuji silently asked. "Daijoubu?"

"Un," Ryoma nodded blankly, not even registering the question.

Fuji heaved a sigh and moved towards Ryoma, before drawing him into another embrace. Ryoma instinctively moved into the touch and closed his eyes as he leaned against Fuji's chest. Fuji enclosed him in warm arms and started petting his hair, while humming a low, nondescript tune that was unheard from the other players' position. It was only meant for Ryoma's ears.

Tezuka smiled slightly as the sight greeted his eyes. He was glad that Ryoma was warming up to them again. He had wanted so much to take the young teen back into his arms, just like before. Fuji sent him a slight smile over Ryoma's head, before planting a soft kiss on top of Ryoma's head.

Soon enough, Tezuka had the whole team up stretching and finishing up their lunches. The order was already announced an hour prior, and everything was well taken care of. Though the Regionals was nothing to worry too much about, as Tezuka went, one cannot afford to be careless. After all, carelessness only led to one thing for them: defeat.

"Good afternoon. It is now half past one. The Regionals Finals will begin soon. Players, please report to the courts in ten minutes. The players are the Seishun Gakuen Koto Gakkou team against the Fudou Koto Gakkou team. I repeat, Seishun Gakuen Koto Gakkou team against the Fudou Koto Gakkou team. Players, please report to the courts in ten minutes. Thank you."

The loudspeakers echoed slightly as the female announcer's voice faded away. Tezuka then turned to his team with a determined look on his face.

"This is the finals. Just one more team to beat," he said to his team. The whole Seigaku team was listening intently—except maybe for Ryoma, who was still gone in his own little world—and were all attentive and determined to win. "We can do this, I'm sure, but I don't want anyone to be careless. Yuudan sezou ni ikou!"

"Hai!" came a chorus of replies.

"YOSH, LET'S RUMBLE!" yelled Eiji, startling several bystanders out of their skins. Momoshiro sweated at his senpai's increased—if possible—hyperactive behavior.

The team trooped over to the main courts, where the spectators were starting to mill around. Fudou was already there, it seemed. The crowd started buzzing excitedly as the two teams started depositing their stuff on the benches and then filed up in front of each other by the net. The referee started stating the rules of the game and introduced each team; the captains shook hands. Tachibana gave Tezuka a hint of a respectful smile and a challenging glance, which Tezuka sent back just as fiercely.

Kaidoh was already in battle mode, hissing aggressively at Kamio, who was hissing—uncharacteristically so—right back at him. Momoshiro was chuckling and shaking his head, muttering under his breath about the racket the crowd was making. Eiji was chipper than ever, and was matching Asuka's enthusiasm on the other side of the net. The two were practically bouncing in their places, and their partners struggled in vain to control them. (Well, Oishi struggled. Shinichi just… let his partner kill himself.)

Toushi, however, was not pleased.

He frowned, his eye bags swollen from lack of sleep, and his eyes bloodshot from staying up much too late and getting up much too early. After all, they did stay up quite late in the hospital the previous night, and only went back home in the early dawn to get ready for the Regionals. Rinko and Nanako both volunteered to look after the still unconscious Kevin while they were off for the games.

(Momoshiro pouted. How come he manages to stay drool-worthy even if he's practically the walking dead? That's unfair. I want that too.)

However, that was not what Toushi was upset about.

No. What he was upset about as a certain someone who was standing in front of him right that moment, staring off into vacant space.

He curled his lips in a mixture of a sneer and a snarl, his annoyance at Ryoma surfacing. You… owe Kevin…

"—irst match will begin shortly!"

The referee's raised voice snapped Toushi out of his reverie and effectively snapped his attention back to the matter at hand. He flexed his fingers. He knew the supposed order for the Seigaku team pretty well—he wasn't as bad a listener as Kevin was—and he was pretty sure that he would end up with Ryoma on his opposite court.

He swerved from his spot sharply, retiring towards the benches with a hardened and determined look on his face.

I can't wait.

A mop of jet black hair bobbed up and down.

"Well, this is nice…"

A tanned, masculine hand reached up to ruffle the already mussed mop of hair, before adjusting the dashing black sunglasses perched on an immaculately shaped nose.

"I wonder where the airport money exchange teller is…"

Fine eyebrows raised and golden eyes peered over the rim of the sunglasses intently as a couple of Japanese girls wearing fashionable sexy summer attire pranced by up front, laughing and cajoling with each other.

"Mm-hmm. Nice rack, babe."

A tennis bag and a packed duffel bag was slung on a toned, well-formed shoulder, before the young man of early twenties started swaggering forward, dividing the throng of other passengers boarding and leaving planes in the Narita International Airport.

Perfectly shaped lips curled into a mischievous smile as a hand pulled out a piece of paper with "Atobe Odaiba Manor" and an address printed on it.

"They're gonna be surprised…"

Echizen Ryoga smirked as he walked out into daylight, his sunglasses glinting under the bright warm light.

Loud cheers echoed through the courts as the crowd surrounding them erupted in applause. Doubles 1 had just finished, and Eiji and Oishi had just finished showing the world just why they were called the best doubles pair in Japan's junior tennis scene: the golden pair. On the other court, Asuka was cheering his heart out for Eiji. Having been placed as reserve, he didn't get a chance to play Eiji like he had wanted. All throughout the game, he was torn between cheering for his own team and cheering for his idol. In the end, he simply opted to stay put and silent—which required much effort on his part—for the length of the game, and simply cheered whoever won.

Kamio and Shinji were initially placed in Doubles 1 against Momoshiro and Kaidoh, and though it was a fierce match, in the end, Seigaku won. Momoshiro had several tricks up his sleeve, having greatly increased the capacity of his Insight, while Kaidoh had completely mastered his Tornado Snake and adapted it into all his shots. Quite impressive feats they were.

The referee, after five minutes of pause for the teams to rest and rearrange, raised his voice over the crowd's chatter once again. "Singles 3: Kairou Toushi-kun for Fudou Koto Gakkou team versus Echizen Ryoma-kun of Seishun Gakuen Koto Gakkou team! Players, please proceed onto the court."

Cheers rose from the crowd as Ryoma's name was called. Apparently, news of his fame was not unknown within the crowd of spectators they had today. However, Ryoma was not in any mood to appreciate the loud cheers around him. After all, he was on his auto-drone mode.

Both players rose from their seats, one with a blank expression, and the other with an similarly undisturbed expression yet a raging fire in his eyes. The two of them stood point blank in front of each other on the court, effectively ignoring the mix of cheers and jeers coming from all around them. That was one skill a player needed to master: concentration.

However, even though Ryoma appeared like it, Toushi knew he was not concentrating. No, the younger boy was far from focused. He inwardly snarled. He didn't like this attitude.

Well… it'll be up to me to correct that.

He reached over and shook Ryoma's hand, before turning his back on the other teen and walking to the service point. It was his service game.

Time for the chess master to sit up and play.

Toushi grinned a feral grin, bouncing the ball and eyeing Ryoma's position on court.

"Here I come."

From the sidelines, Inui sighed deeply, the scratching of his pen against his notebook's paper stopping abruptly.

"Nya, something wrong, Inui-nya?" Eiji quipped, noting Inui's sigh. The acrobatic player didn't notice Momoshiro's baleful glance at Inui, nor Kaidoh's unusual indifference. He also didn't notice that for once, Momoshiro and Kaidoh were sitting side by side and not arguing about anything; they were just being quiet.

Fuji, however, was more attentive, and caught the hint. He frowned. He knew that he shouldn't interfere with the business of his teammates, especially their love lives, but he was slightly concerned about Kaidoh. It seems Inui was starting to neglect his own boyfriend. Fuji's piercing blue eyes flitted towards Momoshiro, and his face gained a smile. Well, there was a solution to every problem.

"I'm worried about Ryoma," Inui muttered. "I didn't expect Toushi to be in Singles 3. Rather, I expected him to be in Doubles 1 with Shinichi, who is a perfect doubles match for him since their styles complement each other. I was under the impression that it was what Tachibana had planned. It was a 95 percent certainty."

"Really?" Taka-san quipped. "Then why was the line-up rearranged?"

"I have a feeling that Toushi requested to be matched with Ryoma," replied Fuji. "It would make sense; I did overhear Tachibana reciting their line-up last night to Kamio."

"Sou da ne," nodded Inui. "However, this does not change the fact that we should be worried regarding their match."

"Whaddya mean-nya?"

"Toushi is a chess master, and he is very witty and is great with strategies. He incorporates chess into his games and uses hard-to-predict moves with his own personal style. Unless his opponent is well-versed in chess as well and is able to figure out just how Toushi incorporates the chess into his game, there is little chance of winning. The chess master will manipulate the pawns and pin the king. Before the opponent even knows it, it's check mate. This much I've gathered," Inui rattled off.

"He's an expert strategist, and unless Ryoma's exceptional skill manages to come up, he will win. This attitude Ryoma has right now won't get him anywhere near winning," Inui finished, stopping his writing at the same time.

"…"

Tezuka sighed, rubbing his forehead. "For now, let's just watch. It's not like we can still do anything to stop the match. It's already midway."

And indeed it was.

Ryoma and Toushi were already exchanging shots on court, and while the game looked like an awesome, spirited game in the eyes of an amateur, to the weathered players' eyes, they saw the lifelessness of Ryoma's play. Toushi was slowly baiting the boy, but even Fuji could see that even the ever-patient chess master was slowly getting more and more impatient.

"4-1, to Fudou!"

Cheers rose over the crowd, as well as wondering whispers. After all, it was Ryoma who was losing here.

Ryoma didn't react as the score was announced; he simply bowed his head for a moment, before walking back to the benches and taking his water bottle with a vacant nod from Horio. Fuji could clearly see the boy was still wallowing in guilt from what had happened, but he couldn't say anything about it; he'd said enough. It was either up to someone else or to Ryoma himself to recover.

Wordlessly, Ryoma trudged back to the court, going to the receiving position.

Toushi served. Ryoma volleyed back.

"Oi, Ryoma!" snapped Toushi from across the court as he shot a topspin with precise control, aiming it at the edge of the court lines. Ryoma was too fast though, even under drone mode. The boy managed to return the ball.

"What?" Ryoma grunted back as he returned the ball.

"You suck, you know that?" Toushi sneered, giving a slice shot.

On the sidelines, Shinichi snorted, while Eiji and Asuka bit their fingers and gasped in surprise. Tachibana simply shook his head, getting the gist of where Toushi was going. Fuji and Tezuka remained expressionless, knowing that it was either this or nothing. They needed something to provoke Ryoma.

"You suck, not only as a best friend—"

Ryoma momentarily froze, failing to register Toushi rearing for the next shot.

"—but also as a sportsman and team member!"

Ryoma's eyes widened as the ball whizzed past the side of his head.

"30-15!"

Toushi landed gracefully from his smash, a half-sneer half-smirk painted on his tired—yet still handsome—face. He knew Ryoma's sore spots, and he understood that in order to wake him up, there was no other way but to let him experience the pain. It was the best wake-up call, anyways.

"You're dratted lucky, you know that?" snarled Toushi. By now, the whole court was listening to the exchange, silence pressing over the crowds. "You have Keigo's affection, Kevin's love, Fuji and Tezuka's entire focus, and even Yukimura-san and Sanada-san's favor! You're filthy rich, you're famous, you have nothing to worry about in the world. And yet you act like hell and heaven collided in front of your face and shattered your world!"

There was silence as Ryoma's hand twitched.

"And while you go 'drone mode' and ignore everyone else around you, you put your own reputation, your father's reputation, Kevin's reputation—heck, your whole team's reputation in jeopardy! And while I know that it is a certainty that your team will be the champions here in the Regionals, I know that by losing this game and ruining your team's straight win streak, you will lower the ratings for your team. Did you know that? I think not. You were too busy bawling your eyes out and being miserable anyways, right?"

Gasps, narrowed eyes, and murmurs greeted Toushi's statements. The people were all too muddled within the controversy unfolding on court that they failed to realize Hyotei and Rikkaidai arriving on opposite sides of the bleachers.

Keigo came up behind Tezuka and Fuji, before nudging the two and demanding status of the game. Tezuka relayed the story for Keigo while Renji and Inui happily converged together in one corner, not noticing a sulking Kaidoh and a glaring Momoshiro off to one side.

Meanwhile, Toushi continued his tirade.

"—here you fucking go playing his 'I'm-the-miserable-little-Ryoma' act and jeopardizing your team's standing while insulting us, your opponents!" snarled Toushi loudly. "Wake up, Ryoma!"

With that, Toushi served again, a sharp bullet-like ball whizzing across the court.

Kevin groaned as the nurse succeeded once again in coercing him into taking the foul-tasting medicine.

I wonder why those blasted chemists didn't bother improving the taste even if just marginally.

Beside him, Rinko chuckled, mussing his sun-kissed golden hair fondly. "Bear with it, Kevin, it's for purging your body of the possible viruses and bacteria."

"Damned parasites…" moaned Kevin, clutching at his shoulder. No matter how much he tried to suppress it, his instinct was to speak in English, his mother tongue. Every time he was in extreme pain, rage, or any other extreme emotional state, he reverted back to speaking English.

Nanako worriedly fussed over him. "Kevin-kun? Is it hurting?"

"No, duh," Kevin snorted sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Of course wounds don't hurt. Wounds aren't meant to hurt. Especially those big gaping ones that needed surgical treatment, or those nasty bullet wounds that rip apart your flesh and bleed you to death."

His tone, however sarcastic, lacked the venom and aggression. Nanako giggled, while Rinko merely chuckled amusedly.

"Well, I'm sure Ryoma and the others will be relieved to hear you've awakened," Rinko said with a motherly tone as he patted Kevin's head. "I'll tell them, but not now. I don't want them all rushing here to see you and ditching their games, which I'm sure they will."

Kevin remained silent and closed his eyes, recalling what he could from the previous night's events. The doctors had said his shoulder would be fine in two weeks when the wound closed. A little rehab and he'll be up and running again. There was no lasting damage.

Boy, that has got to be the most heavenly sentence ever spoken to me in my entire life.

He couldn't even begin to bear to think about not being able to play tennis anymore, or even just not being able to play the caliber he used to play at. No, that was absolutely unacceptable. He would throw a tantrum worthy of being dubbed Godzilla's tantrum if that was the news given to him.

I wonder if the grandma and the little girl are safe…

Kevin shifted slightly on his bed, his eyes reopening and landing on the bedside table. He tuned out Rinko and Nanako's conversation, contenting himself with his own thoughts. As the fluorescent light hit the fork lying on the plate on the bedside table, it glinted silver to Kevin's eyes.

…silver…

Kevin gasped.

"The necklace!" he exclaimed, startling the two women with him.

"W-Wha?"

"Kevin?"

"Oba-san, did you see a necklace with me? Did I have a necklace with me last night?!" Kevin suddenly asked, sitting up on the bed.

"H-Huh?" Rinko asked, befuddled. "I-I don't know! You'll have to ask Toushi, Kevin, he was the one with you the entire night and he was there when you were shot."

"…Toushi?"

"Yeah, weren't you together?" asked Rinko. "I thought you were shopping together or something."

"N-No, I was alone…" Kevin replied, startled by the fact that it was Toushi there and not Ryoma.

Wait a second. Why am I thinking Ryoma would be there? Am I that far gone?

"Really?" Nanako voiced. "I wonder how Toushi came to be with you during the accident then, ne."

"Sou da ne, they never really got around to tell us the whole story. Nanjiroh was too much in a hurry this morning that he didn't get to explain everything to me properly," muttered Rinko. Then, she turned to her second adoptive son. "But Kevin, you should really thank Toushi. He was here the entire night, and the doctors told me he was the one who took care of you and everything. I think Nanjiroh was also saying something about him struggling to get to you when you were shot…"

Kevin's mind blanked out.

Toushi? Why was he with me? Why did he take care of me the whole night? Am I missing something?

"You know, in a way, you two are kind of alike, ne, Kevin-kun," Nanako smiled. "Toushi-kun's almost like you are with Ryoma. Dedicated."

Then it clicked.

Toushi… feels that way?

Tsuzuku
(Second Revision Version)

(1) In Japan, they call doctors 'sensei' as well, normally attaching it at the end of the name as an honorary for formality. Even though the word literally means 'teacher', it gives of a respectful air towards the doctors. After all, doctors are well-versed enough to be teachers.

An unlikely ending, I know. But well… I kinda figured it would be nifty to end it here.

(And my hands are aching, my neck is aching, my legs are aching from supporting the laptop, and I want to watch—well, more like re-watch—Rurouni Kenshin already.)

REVIEW!

Kiasidira Ixari / Aventria
First Publication Version: 03.06.07
First Revision Version: 03.09.07
Second Revision Version: 03.11.07