Chapter 28:

"I expect you to run to me and jump in my arms after I win." Atobe said.
"What?! Are you crazy?!" Mizuka exclaimed. "Sakaki will kill me!"
"He's not going to kill you. It will be after the game."
"But it's going to be in front of everybody!"
"Exactly." He smiled and brushed away her bangs and kissed her forehead. "I'm joking. You don't have to do it."

But now, after watching Atobe and Sanada play and win, she felt a surge of excitement that made her want to run to him. She knew he wanted her to even though he said he was joking. "What's up, Mizuka?" Sengoku asked.
"Hmm? Nothing. Why?"
"Because it looks like you want to do something." He said. "You should run and jump into his arms."
"That's what he wanted me to do."
"Go do it. Sakaki and Tezuka are watching from the other room. They can't stop you now." He gave her a small push and she started off running.
"Sakaki's going to kill her." Oshitari said.
"I don't think Tezuka will like that either." Fuji added.
"Well, it's too late to stop her now." Echizen said.
"Go Mizu-chan!" Kikumaru cheered.

Even though it was noisy, Atobe still heard his name being called quietly and turned just in time to catch Mizuka and spin her around before setting her down. "Silly girl, I told you you didn't have to do it." He laughed, seeing her blush from embarrassment.
"Didn't you want me to?"
"Of course I did." He lifted her face up and leaned in. "Give me my victory kiss."
She moved up and kissed him without hesitation and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer as the crowd cheered.

"Where is she?" Sakaki demanded once they gathered in the waiting room.
"Where's who?" Kikumaru asked.
Sakaki gave him a glare, making him hide behind Oshitari. "You know very well who I'm asking for."
"She's in the washroom. You're not going to follow her in there and yell at her, are you?" Atobe casually said.
"It was your idea, wasn't it?"
"Of course it was. You know how much I like the attention." He grinned. "Didn't you hear the crowd?"
Sakaki sighed angrily and stalked out of the room.

"You're so cute!" Mizuka smiled when she read the text that Yuki sent her as she left the washroom. It had been ten minutes after the game as she made her way back to the waiting room to see Atobe resting on the couch. "You're not going to watch the game?"
"In a bit. I'm exhausted." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Comere."
She slowly made her way over and he reached out, grabbed her jersey and pulled her down on top of him, wrapping an arm around her. "Keigo.."
"Hmm?" He looked so peaceful and happy with his lips normally curved to a smile and he opened his eyes to look at her curiously when she didn't say anything. "What is it?"
"Umm...congratulations."
"Thank you." He grinned tiredly and closed his eyes again. She gazed at him as he rested and brushed her lips against his. He gradually responded and slowly opened his eyes, cupping her face and smoothing his thumb over her cheekbone.

"You didn't tell him." Sengoku said as they waited in line to get food during the intermission after Oshitari and Kikumaru's game. "Why didn't you tell him?"
"It isn't exactly easy for me." Mizuka replied. "And besides, he's really happy right now. I don't want to ruin his mood."
"You two had the whole room to yourselves and you didn't tell him." Sengoku sighed. "Then promise me that you'll tell him tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?!"
"If not tomorrow, then soon. Before next week. Promise me, okay?"
"..I promise.." She frowned and got out of line.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"I'm..not hungry.." She said but he took her arm and pulled her back in line.
"Have you been eating properly? You're really pale."
"Am I?"
"Yes, you should eat."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about."
"Who says I'm worried?" Atobe snapped at his tensai.
"I'm just saying it just looks like he's trying to help her with something." Oshitari remarked.
"Then why can't she come to me for help?"
"Because she doesn't want you to worry."
"I've already played my game. I have nothing else on my mind but her." Atobe took another glance as Mizuka came over to them and she held out cash to him. "Why didn't you use my money?"
"Because I have my own money."
"You should have just used mine. I have more than you."
"That doesn't mean I should use yours!"
Oshitari chuckled at their tiny squabble as Mukahi came to join them at their table. "What are they arguing about?"
"Money."
"Really? Why?"
"Because Mizuka won't use his money."
Mukahi perked up and looked at Atobe. "Hey Atobe, can I have some money?" Oshitari smacked him on the head after he took the money Atobe handed to him. "Thanks, Atobe!" He stuck out his tongue to Oshitari and pranced off to buy food.

"Sorry..." Sengoku managed to say as Tezuka and his younger sister put his arms around their shoulders and carried him towards the waiting room.
"You did well." He said.
"Tezuka."
They stopped when Sakaki called for him and he glanced at his sister. "Can you manage on your own?"
"I'm not that weak." Mizuka replied as Tezuka lifted Sengoku's arm off him and followed after Sakaki.
"Sorry..Mizuka.." Sengoku chuckled tiredly.
"It's okay, we're almost there." She opened the door and dragged him inside. "Jeez, Sengoku. How much do you weigh?"
"Mizuka.." He was on the last of his breath and energy as he leaned onto her more for support.

It had been ten minutes into the intense Singles 2 game before Atobe checked his phone from a vibrate. "Help" Was all that was written on it and he hurried to the waiting room to see Sengoku unconscious and on top of Mizuka. He laughed at first as she was red-faced, trying to push the heavy Sengoku off her. "Keigo!"
"This is an interesting site." He mused as he lifted Sengoku up and helped her put him on the couch. She was panting and damp from his sweat as Atobe took her hand and pulled her into one of the washroom stalls with him. "Take it off."
"W-What?" She blinked a couple times in confusion and held his hands from lifting the hem of her shirt.
"I refuse to let you smell like another man. Take it off."
"What am I going to wear?!"
He took off his jersey and pulled off his red shirt. "My shirt."
She blushed at the site of him half naked even though she had seen him like that many times before. She turned and slowly pulled off her shirt but straightened up when she felt his fingers slide up her bare back. "It's been a really long time." He slid his hands around her waist and pulled her into an embrace. She felt his warm chest against her back as he breathed in the scent of her hair.
"Kei-"
"Just let me stay like this for a bit longer."
She sighed and leaned against him, putting her hands over his as he kissed her head, moving his kisses to the side of her face as she turned to face him. He kissed her lips before pressing his forehead against hers. "Keigo.." She could see in his eyes that he would understand anything she would say to him but she couldn't bring herself to tell him and she frowned, burying her face into his chest and sliding her hands up his smooth back.

"Sengoku!" Mizuka called when he finally opened his eyes halfway.
"Mi..zruukaa..?"
"Do you need water? I'll get you some water."
He closed his eyes for a second and opened them to see her back with a bottle of water. She moved her hand to his back to help him sit up and drink. "Wha..what happened?...How long..Have I been out for?"
"I think an hour or so." She said. "You were so exhausted that you collapsed."
"Yeah..And I lost too.." He sighed.
"You didn't lose! You got a tie. I don't think anybody else would've gotten a tie if they played against him."
"Thanks, Mizuka." He smiled gratefully at her and slowly scanned her. "..Your shirt..that shirt is one of the..." He thought. "You guys didn't do it, did you?!"
She paused, caught off guard by his sudden question. "..No! Are you crazy!" She blushed madly from being embarrassed.
"Then why are you wearing the shirt?"
"That's because..that's because.."

"Mizuka.." Sengoku leaned onto her for more support as his vision blurred.
"Sengoku, hold on!" Mizuka could barely stand with the weight of him as he leaned onto her more. She widened her eyes when he started to topple over onto her and they fell to the floor. She cried out having the weight of him crush her. "Sengoku!" She called, trying to push him off. After multiple attempts of trying, she fumbled for her phone and hastily texted "Help" to Atobe.

"And you were sweating a lot so he wanted me to change." She explained. "You are SO heavy."
"It's not my fault I have all this muscle and you don't." He teased and flexed.
She grunted in dissatisfaction, stuck out her tongue to him and looked away.
"Where is he, anyway?"
"He's watching the rest of the games."
"Did you end up telling him?"
"..No." She frowned. She didn't know how long they ended up staying like that in the washroom but it wasn't until he spoke,

"Mizuka.." Atobe said. "If we stay like this any longer...I don't think I would be able to control myself." She felt his hand slide under her bra strap on her back. "Unless you don't mind... if we do it right here." She tensed and stepped back and he gently pushed her against the door. "I'm..kidding.." He lifted her chin up and gave her a passionate kiss before he slowly pulled away even though she still wanted to kiss him.

Mizuka gasped when Sengoku snapped his fingers in front of her face. "So, you wanna stay here and daydream about Atobe or watch the rest of the games?"
"I..I wasn't daydreaming!"
"Right, right."

"I didn't know we were going to the beach right after the tournament.." Mizuka stared out at the afternoon horizon.
"Well, it's a good time, isn't it?" Yuki said. " They won!" She tugged at the towel Mizuka had around her. "Come on, Mizuka. Don't be shy."
"At least you prepared!"
"Atobe prepared for you. He bought you a new bathing suit. Come on, I'll give you five minutes before I come back here and rip the towel off you." Yuki stretched and gave her a wink before she went off to Shishido.
Hyotei, Seigaku, even Rikkai Dai was there. The beach seemed even more crowded than the last time they were there. "Isn't it a bit too hot?" She heard Atobe say as he hugged her from behind. He tugged at the towel and she slowly allowed him to pull it away, showing the white bikini he bought her.
"Thank you...for the bathing suit."
"You're welcome." He chuckled softly and turned her to face him. "Just as I thought, you look perfect in it."
"Mizuka! You look amazing!" Yuki exclaimed as she hugged Mizuka. "Come! Bathing suits are meant to get wet!" She took her arm and pulled her off before she could say anything.

"Are you going to watch her all day or are you going to play, Atobe?" Oshitari asked as he came to stand beside Atobe.
"Both." Atobe watched as Mizuka rose from beneath the water, having the water glistening on her body with the sun shining. "You seem relaxed for being the only team that lost."
"Come on, Atobe. It was a difficult game."
"The Griffins looked like they were trying to lose too."
"Give me a break..." Oshitari sighed. "Are you going to play or not?"
"Yeah. Let's go." Atobe started off towards the beach courts with Oshitari following.

"Yuki!" Mizuka giggled. "Stop it!" She was wiping her eyes after Yuki had splashed water at her before her eyes were covered.
"Guess who."
"Keigo." She smiled when she heard Atobe's voice as she removed his hands to see Yuki looking bewildered. She turned to see blue eyes that had a playful gleam to them as his lips pressed against hers. Mizuka widened her eyes as she tried to pull away only to have his hand on her neck, holding them in place as he forced his tongue into her mouth and his hand around her waist. Yuki finally snapped out of her daze and tried to pull Mizuka from his grasp before Mizuka slapped him and he finally released her. "What the hell is your problem?!" Yuki angrily yelled.
He had silver-gray hair in a rat-tail style with a mole on his chin and he wore a grin as he rubbed his red cheek. "Now that wasn't so nice, was it?"
Mizuka who still had her hand on her mouth, turned away and hurried towards shore as her eyes searched for Atobe.

"20-20." Hiyoshi called from the umpire chair. The team consisted of Atobe, Oshitari, Momoshiro, Inui, Yanagi Renji, and Marui Bunta while the other team had Sanada, Kirihara, Sengoku, Kikumaru, Kaido, and Shishido. The other court had Tezuka, Fuji, Mukahi, Otori, and Echizen while the other team had Kabaji, Mukahi, Oishi, Kuwamura, and Jackal Kuwahara. It was Atobe's turn to serve as he stood at the baseline. "Give us your best shot, Atobe-o." Kikumaru cheerfully said.
Atobe chuckled and threw up the ball before he was surprised when Mizuka hugged him. "Mizuka.."
"Mizu-chan! Did you want to play too?" Kikumaru called.
She was shaking, pressing her face into Atobe's chest as Yuki hastily came running towards them. "Mizuka!" She gently tugged Mizuka but Atobe put his arms around her and held her to him. "Continue without me." He said as he took Mizuka's hand and pulled her with him.

Atobe sat on a beach chair and pulled her onto his lap, having her legs on either side of him. She was still shaking with her hands holding his shoulders firmly. "Mizuka, what's wrong?" He rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. He gently pushed her back and lifted her face to see her trying to hold back her tears before she pressed her lips against his. "Mizu-mmm" She kissed him as he tried to speak pushing her tongue into his mouth to play with his. "These are Keigo's lips.." She closed her eyes and her tears slid from her eyes and he flipped her down onto the chair and kissed her softly, wiping her tears from her face. "Mizuka. Tell me what's wrong."

"What's all the fuss about?"
Yuki turned to see the same guy that kissed Mizuka. "You." She said in a malicious tone and charged for him only to be held back by Shishido. "Let me go! He's the one that kissed Mizuka!" She struggled to free herself.
"Nio? You're..the guy..? Atobe's..going..to kill you.." Shishido tried to say as he wrapped his arms around Yuki and held her to him.
"It was just a kiss. Relax." Nio Masaharu yawned.
"JUST a kiss?"
"NIO." Shishido groaned, trying to hold Yuki. "Aren't you going to do anything about your teammate?!" He said to Sanada.
"What my teammates do outside the club isn't my problem."
"Good." Atobe said as he spun Nio to face him and punched him in the face, knocking him down on the ground.
"YES! Punch him, Atobe!"
"Yuki! Shh!" Shishido covered her mouth and pulled her down with him to sit on the ground.
"What's going on here?" Tezuka asked as his court had stopped playing to witness the commotion.
"Why don't you ask him?" Atobe glared at Nio who was rubbing his cheek.
"It was just a greeting kiss." Nio smirked. "Her lips were soft..but her tongue was softer.
Oshitari and Sengoku both held Atobe from charging at him. "Atobe..Calm..down.."
"Calm down?!"
"Don't you think Mizuka would need you right now?" Oshitari whispered in his ear.
Atobe let out a breath and stood still. "Release me."
They did so immediately and parted a path for Atobe to leave.

Mizuka lay curled up on a beach chair, under a towel. She didn't know why she felt so emotionally distressed, feeling a weight in her chest. She felt somebody lie next to her on the chair and quickly turned to see Atobe. "It's okay. It's me." He put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.
"Keigo.." He looked down at her as she bit her lip. "Can you..Can you kiss me?" He lifted her face and kissed her softly, going on top of her as she hugged him closer.
"Why are you angry at me?" Shishido asked.
"Because you held me back." Yuki shoved her bikini into her duffle bag after she had changed.
"What were you going to do? Punch him?"
"Uh, yes. He kissed Mizuka! That was disgusting!"
"It wasn't a big deal."
"Oh. Really?" She crossed her arms. "I guess you wouldn't find it a big deal if some random guy just kissed me, would you?"
"I'd beat the living hell out of him." Shishido said.
Yuki couldn't help but smile and she turned away from him, rearranging the stuff in her bag.

"How was the beach, dear?" Their mother asked when Tezuka and Mizuka arrived home in the early evening. "I thought you two would be staying longer?"
"It ended early." Tezuka said.
"And I thought you would be staying at Atobe's." Their father added as Mizuka went upstairs.
"Not today." She replied when she was already on the second floor, closing the door to her bedroom. She flopped down on the bed and sighed, feeling horrible about what she said to Atobe.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. They had changed and now she was in his arms, in an embrace. She felt Atobe's arms tightening around her.
"I hate it." Atobe said. "They always target you. They always kiss you."
"I'm sor-"
"Words can't do anything, Mizuka! It's already done. You can't take back the fact that a man other than me has kissed you!"
"Then what do you want me to do?! I can't do anything!"
"Why are you so blind! You can't see what other men want to do to you!"
"Stop saying that!" She pushed him away. She bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears and she turned away from him.
"Mizuka.." He touched her shoulder and she flinched away from him.
"P-Please..don't touch..me...I-I don't want to be with you right now."

Atobe punched the wall in the hot shower. He cursed himself for saying such words to her. He knew all she wanted him to do was be there for her but he couldn't help but feel angry. "I should have just embraced her. Made her stay with me." He groaned and punched the wall again, this time having a tile break with the trickle of blood streaming down from the wall.

"Master Keigo." Sebastian said. "Your dinner will con- Master Keigo! Your hand!"
"It's nothing."
"Get the first-aid-kit. Quickly now." Sebastian ordered to a maid and she bowed and left quickly.
"Sebastian, stop it. That's an order."
"Fire me if you want, Master Keigo. I will leave once I have fixed your wound and you have had your dinner."
Atobe sighed in annoyance at his always caring butler and sat in a chair, resting his arm on the armrest as the maid came back, letting Sebastian put antibiotics on his knuckles. "You must take better care of your body, Master Keigo. You don't need me to feed you now, do you?"
"Sebastian."
"Yes, Master Keigo." He bowed and signaled for the maids to leave with him as Atobe ate.

"What do you think of this, Mizuka?" Yuki asked as she held a summer yellow dress in front of her.
"I dunno. It's okay."
"That was your opinion for the last five dresses! Are you even paying attention?"
"Sorry.."
They had went shopping the next day and the mall was crowded. "How long are you guys going to take?" Shishido came into the store looking bored, glancing around at the clothing. "Why did I have to come?"
"Because I want your opinion too." Yuki replied.

"Hey..is that her?"
"Yeah, it is her."

They all heard the bunch of schoolgirls not too far away, holding a Monthly Pro Tennis magazine, whispering and pointing at Mizuka.
"Jeez, whisper any louder and the whole world will hear you." Yuki called over to them.
The girls looked surprised and walked away but kept taking a look back at Mizuka. "Why do they keep looking at me?"
"They're not the only one." Shishido remarked as many other schoolgirls glanced in her direction.
"Hey!" Mizuka was startled when a girl shouted behind her. "You're the one that kissed Atobe-sama, aren't you?!" She shoved the magazine in Mizuka's face for her to see a photograph of them about to kiss at the cottage and kissing at the tournament yesterday.
"Wha-"
"You bitch! How could you?! You're not even rich!"
"Hey! Back off, would you?" Yuki went between them and shoved her. "We already got a look at your ugly face and we don't need a zoom on that!"
"What did you just say?!"
"I didn't know you were deaf too."
"Yuki!" Shishido took her arm and Mizuka's and pulled them away. "We don't need to start fights.."
"What are you talking about? SHE'S the one that started it!"
"Hey, you!" A hand clamped down on Mizuka's shoulder and spun her around for her to see a bunch of different schoolgirls. "You're the one that kissed Atobe-sama, right?"
"Ye-"
"Yes, she is. Got a problem with that?" Yuki replied for her.
"Yes. And no. We have always admired Atobe-sama and will always be his fans. We envy you and would like you president of our fan group."
"What...I'm sorry but I'm not his fan and I couldn't because we're not even in the same school."
"Oh, no. We operate outside of schools. Anybody from any school is welcome to join."
"Ah..no, thank you." Mizuka politely rejected as Shishido took her arm and pulled her away with Yuki.

"I can't believe there were so many of them." Mizuka said after they left the mall and were on their way home.
"Here." Shishido handed her a Monthly Pro Tennis magazine. "I got you one."
She took the magazine and flipped through the pages to the article that took up one whole page. The pictures were in heart shapes and were huge.

"Atobe Keigo, also known as the King of Hyotei Gakuen, is training at his gigantically wonderful and fabulous cottage. He is seen with a beautiful girl by the name of Tezuka Mizuka who also goes to Hyotei Gakuen. She is the younger sister of Tezuka Kunimitsu, Captain of the Seigaku tennis team of Seishun Gakuen, Hyotei's rival. As the younger sister of a Seigaku student, shouldn't she attend the same school as her older brother, might you ask. Yes, it is true that siblings do tend to attend the same school but not in this case. Her feels for Atobe made her transfer to Hyotei instead of going to Seigaku. How romantic!"

"Oh. My. God." Mizuka let out a huge sigh as she tore her eyes away from the article.
"Wait! There's more!" Yuki said as she read the next article.

"The reigning King of Hyotei, Atobe Keigo, is once again seen at the Kanto Region Tournament and with none other than Tezuka Mizuka, Queen of Hyotei!"

"Queen!" Mizuka exclaimed. "Please Yuki, don't read anymore." She begged but Yuki continued.

"After the hard work put into winning the Doubles 2 game, Mizuka was quick to run into Atobe's arms and give him a kiss of victory. Who knows what else she might have in store for him."

Yuki flipped through the rest of the magazine, scanning each page. "There isn't anything about the moves that were used."
"Who wrote this article?"
"Uhh..Shiba..Saori.."
"Awww Shibaa.." Mizuka sighed.
"Well, Atobe's got problems too." Shishido said as he got back from a phone call.
"What problems?!" She demanded.

"Atobe, it's me. Apparently there's this article of you and Mizuka in the Monthly Pro Tennis magazine."
"I know. I get one very month." Atobe sighed as he stared down at the article. "The pictures are quite dashing, don't you think?"
"Haha, very funny. We were at the mall today and a bunch of girls from different schools kept saying shit to her."
Atobe clenched his fists. "A bunch of Nekos are outside my gates."
"Are you serious!"
"Don't tell Mizuka." He sighed again. "I wish I can just send Beat out to chase all the Nekos away."
"Stop joking around, Atobe! Some of the things they say to Mizuka AREN'T nice. Why don't you send a message out or something?" Shishido said and added. "Besides...Beat's too nice anyways. They'll probably kidnap him."

"Yeah, you're right."
"Yea-"
"I wouldn't want them to kidnap my Beat."
"Atobe!"

"I know, Shishido. Later."

"Uhh.." Shishido paused as Mizuka looked at him questioningly. "His shoulder still hurts from the Tannhauser serves he's been practicing." Mizuka blinked a couple times as Yuki gave him a knowing look.
"Well, we should get going. Too many people are looking this way." Yuki looped her arm through Mizuka's and started ahead, leaving Shishido behind. She turned her head and stuck out her tongue to him for lying and he sighed in frustration and followed them. They were stopped multiple times on the way home by girls and boys in middle school, high school, university, college, etc.

Atobe couldn't help but stare at the picture. The picture, especially the one of them in the cottage attracted him the most. The way they were looking at each other with the same passionate affection for each other when they were about to kiss made him think of Mizuka and want her there with him so he could kiss her.

By the time Mizuka got home, it was late and her parents had already gone to sleep. "Where have you been?" Tezuka questioned once Mizuka collapsed on her bed.
"I told you I was going shopping today.."
"Till ten?"
Mizuka sighed and turned away from him. "Please...I'm t-tired." Her stutter was all he needed to know as he sighed and turned off the lights and quietly closed the door. He knew she was crying but he didn't know what to do. He leaned against her door and sighed.