CHAPTER 0
"Oi oi oi! Hurry Fujiko-chan! They are already there!", a certain red-haired man called as both of them ran.
Fuji just smiled as he watched the back of his best friend, until they arrive at the place where it all started.
They opened the court doors and went inside.
"Kita kita! The two senpais who are late", Momoshiro commented and laughed.
"Momo-senpai commented like he isn't late also", Echizen responded and drank his oh-so-favorite ponta drink.
"Kuno yaroouu", Momoshiro mused and head locked the echinen.
The others just laughed, other than Tezuka, their buchuo and pres. of their SC, and Kaidoh who only went 'fushuuu'.
"We're late because Fuji had so many fangirls who wants to take picture with him-nyaaa", Eiji informed, looking a bit tired from escaping them.
"Oohh. Now that would be 100% true. I thought you are going to blame Fuji again", Inui said.
"Oi Inuuiii! What does that mean?", Eiji asked a little bit pissed as he put his arms around the shoulders of his long time partner and a little bit taller, Oishi. Fukubuchuo of their famous tennis club and SC.
"I remember before, both of you were late once during morning practice because you just had to stop by that animal shop and watch when your favorite turtle delivers her baby, but you blamed Fuji and reasoned out that he forgot his assignments", Kawamura said, recalling that memory.
"Ah soso! I remember it!", Momo mused.
"Kikumaru senpai's reason is unbelievable since I don't think Fuji senpai forgets to do his homeworks", Echizen inserted.
"Oi ochibi! It's not like you haven't done it also! I remember that time you were late saying you saved a pregnant woman", Eiji shot back that made Echizen choke on his drink.
"Chhee. I don't remember it"
All of them laughed at the conversation about being late, recalling memories they know will never happen again.
"Omidato Tezuka", Fuji smiled and said as he stand at his usual spot beside Tezuka's right. Both of them watched as their teammates exchange embarrassing memories.
"Ah. Same goes to you too, Fuji", Tezuka replied.
Fuji just smiled while looking at their buchuo.
"So. I tell you have escaped your fans since you are already here?", Fuji asked.
"Ah"
"Sasuga Tezuka. You have many so I thought for once, I will be able to see you late", Fuji smiled.
"..."
"Nanda?", Tezuka asked catching Fuji staring at him.
"Ah. Ya. Nandemonai", Fuji said embarrassingly and looked away.
Tezuka fished something out of his pockets and handed it to Fuji.
"What is it, Tezuka?", Fuji asked and laid out his left hand.
"My second button", Tezuka answered and put the buttons down.
"S-second button?", Fuji said shockingly. Blushing wildly.
"Ah"
"D-demo, there are two?"
"It's my second button in middle school"
"Eh? You haven't given it to someone?", Fuji asked, gripping his right hand tightly inside his pocket.
"No"
"T-then why did you give this to me?"
"..."
Fuji sighed, already noting about the quirks their buchuo have.
"I just wanted to give it to you, or let you receive it"
Fuji immediately looked at Tezuka. Eyes wide of the statement.
"Then I will g-give mine too", Fuji said eagerly and pulled his right hand out of his pocket.
He also handed Tezuka his 2 second buttons and smiled. Under that spring day, the two of them exchanged the second button they had during middle and high school
"So da, Fuji senpai. Did you really cancel your pro contract?", Kaidoh asked, which made the others stop from recalling memories and look at Fuji, who surprisingly looked red considering the exchange he had with their buchuo.
"C-come again, Kaidoh?"
"The pro contract. Why did you cancel it senpai?", Kaidoh asked again.
"Ah that. Well, I thought pursuing other career would be thrilling", Fuji replied.
"Ehhhh? Don't you want to become pro Fuji senpai? You said you wanted to become one", Momoshiro commented, shock to know what their tensai player decided.
"Fuji senpai, you already signed that contract right? You can play alongside buchuo since the agency who scouted him scouted you also, so why cancel it?", Echizen asked, wanting to know the reason too.
"A-ah. Yeah. That. W-well.. Maybe I wanted a change of- change of phase?", Fuji answered, trying to conceal the truth behind it.
"Demo—"
"Ma ma. Fuji decided it, and it's not like we haven't received pro contracts too but rejected it", Inui said.
"He's right. We can also try other things", Kawamura added.
"Yeaahh"
"Ah we almost forgot!", Momoshiro exclaimed then pulled Kaidoh and Echizen beside him.
"Senpai tachi, please turn around", Momoshiro said.
"Huh-nya? What's this all about?", Eiji asked.
"It's a secret Kikumaru senpai", Echizen answered.
"Hurry hurry"
The seniors turned around, following what their kouhai's wanted.
"Echizen hurry, grab it. Mamushi, you have it ready?", Momoshiro whispered.
"Fusshhuu. Atarimaida", Kaidoh answered.
"Okay ready", Momoshiro said.
"Senpai tachi, turned around"
"*pop* *pop* OMIDATO GUZAIMASU ON YOUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, SENPAI TACHI!", the three shouted.
"Ohhhh! I never thought about you guys preparing this!", Kawamura said.
"Me too senpai! Mamushi here is the one that suggested it", Momoshiro answered, pointing at the shying man beside him.
"Fusshhuu"
"Oh really? That's nice", Oishi smiled happily.
"Saaa. Why don't we take our last group picture together with the banner and the pops? It's also beautiful since its spring. The cherry blossoms are pretty falling", Fuji said and raised his camera.
"Fujjiii, you said it like it is really our last time together", Eiji said, tears starting to form in his eyes.
Fuji just smiled at his best friend and hugged him. Then the 'graduation cry' started.
"Maaa. We can still see each other, maybe when Kaidoh and Momo graduates, then Echizen's", Kawamura suggested wiping his own tears.
"Hmmm. That might be nice. I'll take note of it", Inui mused and wrote down on his notebook.
"We need to go get Ryuzaki sensei-nya", Eiji said.
"Okay. But I know Ryuzaki sensei is still busy, so maybe after we take one", Oishi suggested.
"Okaaayyy"
"Now on position", Tezuka said commandingly.
"Hoohh. Tezuka buchuo still as authoritative as he is", Momoshiro commented.
"Momoshiro—"
"Kidding, Tezuka buchuo", Momoshiro immediately said, afraid of running laps on that day.
"Okay. I'm gonna set the timer to 8 seconds so you can position comfortably and to your liking. Okaayy start", Fuji informed and ran towards the group.
They immediately positioned their self in front of the camera.
8
"Tezuka, you can smile a bit you know", Fuji said.
7
"No need to"
6
"I really wanted to see the smiles you made whenever we won nationals"
5
Tezuka looked at their tensai who was just smiling towards him.
4
"It just makes me warm seeing it", Fuji added.
3
"Really?"
2
Fuji nodded and smiled to him again.
1
This made Tezuka think and smile while staring at him too.
Tititiit CLICK!
TAKE NOTE: They are already graduating high school students here. They attended Seigaku High School, where the seniors' former captain, Yamato, attended. Ryuzaki sensei is still their coach since I don't know who is their HS coach, and I can't imagine someone other than Ryuzaki sensei to be theirs. The part of them being in high school is just fictional. However, it is true that there is Seigaku High School and that Yamato is studying there.