Kizuna: Memories
ToxicTsukino
MEMORY ONE
'Ne… Do you remember the time that we all stood under the rain of cherry blossoms at the peak of spring..? I knew then, that nothing would ever be the same as it had been. That day we had all made a promise to all meet again when the cherry blossoms were long withered away-when the cicadas would sing. However, what I remember most is grasping the cut off second button of your gakuran tightly in my palm…. Those unspoken words… I remember that time well…'
The room was dingy and dimly lit with the curtains closed to shut out the bright afternoon light. Purple eyes scanned the cheap flat screen led television that sat in the motel room. Sounds of the neighboring freeway could be heard as the male sitting on the bed turned the volume up to hear the results of the game played. He hadn't even bothered unpacking his belongings the night before. There was no point. After this match, he would be on the move again to the next town.
Momoshiro Takeshi was twenty-four years old now, and was rather privileged. He was lucky to be capable of traveling all over the world. Privileged to be a trust fund grandchild, he decided to use the earnings towards his goal. He certainly knew that his grandparents would have never approved of such a careless throw away of their money. Instead, he should have been fresh out of university-a salary worker at the least. However, the bright eyed dark haired male couldn't stand for it. He never had desired a normal life. His life had been taken over usually by one of two things if not both.
The first, being tennis. He was fixated on tennis for as long as he could ever remember. Momoshiro couldn't recall a day in his youth where he wasn't at least throwing around a tennis ball, if not holding onto a racket.
However, as time went by Momoshiro found himself spectating rather than participating. That was the blame of the second thing that took over his life…
"Game, set and match! Echizen, Ryoma!" the announcer called out as the game ended.
Momoshiro grinned as he murmured to himself, "Fuck yeah kid… How many wins does this make in your streak? I can't even keep count..."
He felt proud even from afar. There was something about Ryoma Echizen that allured Momoshiro. He wasn't sure if it was the kid's snarky arrogant attitude or how the golden eyed male was still as childlike as ever in private-away from prying eyes. How Momoshiro knew, he wasn't sure...but he had a feeling Ryoma still had an affinity for cats, cans of Fanta, and leaving the strawberries on cakes best for last. It had been the longest time since he had heard from Ryoma. At the ripe age of 18, the boy had decided to take off to the United States-again. To professionally play tennis for big names.
It hadn't taken much to get him there. There had been a variety of different people who had already set their sights on swooping a name like Echizen up. After all, Ryoma was the prodigy child of Echizen, Nanjiroh. The heir-name was a bit of a pedigree in the tennis world. Not to mention the pride of Japan.
However, with Ryoma suddenly out of Momoshiro's life-he felt empty. He felt devastated even. At first, he had no idea why. Why the fuck was he so depressed over the kid? He tried play tennis to keep his mind off of it. Heck, he tried going to a community college for his first semester to please his folks. He played tennis as a hobby and tried to focus on his studies.
It took playing a match at the street courts with none other than Ibu Kamio and getting his ass royally handed to him for Momoshiro to realize that Echizen was a god damn problem.
His mind was everywhere. He tried reaching out to Ryoma but realized he had deleted his private facebook, his instagram was merely for PR and were ran by his overbearing manager-his phone number had obviously changed since he had left the country.
There was absolutely no way for Momoshiro to contact Ryoma-even just to hear his voice. He just needed to be put at ease somehow and wondered if just talking to him would help at all. When Ryoma took a selfie with Sakuno Ryuzaki; Momoshiro lost it. How the heck did Ryoma acknowledge a girl he barely even paid mind to back in their school days?! Why the hell was he back in Japan and didn't bother to say shit to anyone? Were they holding hands? His heart dropped into his gut making him sick and suddenly, he faced an epiphany.
Had he fallen in love with Echizen, Ryoma? Was he….jealous?
That was whole different adventure as Momoshiro recalled. He then had to wonder if he was gay and how gay was he…? Right before he dropped out of college, Momoshiro called up the only person he knew was still in town at the time-someone who had been attending school at the local university.
Kaoru Kaidoh had begrudgingly came to meet up with Momoshiro, wondering why the hell he was calling him out of nowhere. They played a tennis match at a random court nearby and yet again, Momoshiro lost to the mamushi of all things…. He remembered arguing with Kaidoh at the net-even bringing up Ryoma.
"Where is Echizen when I need him?! He's not nearly as difficult to deal with as you are. He's way cuter than you too!"
"Fsshhhh… Would you like some water to dilute that all that salt with? Calm the hell down…"
"No, you know what?! Fuck you!"
Momoshiro grabbed Kaidoh by the neck of his dark green tank top and pulled him into a very sloppy kiss. The snake had panicked and Momoshiro remembered a pain in his left jaw and being thrown to the ground.
Spit landed beside him as Kaidoh wiped his mouth.
"If you like him so damn much then get off your ass and go find him! Don't take this shit out on me! Disgusting! Fucking idiot!"
That had also been the last time Momoshiro recalled seeing Kaidoh. After that, Momoshiro packed his belongings, researched where the US open was taking place, took out his savings, and booked the next flight out to the United States.
Here Momoshiro Takeshi was-years later, and still with no Echizen Ryoma to talk to. Every time there was a competition, Momoshiro had tried hard to attend. Tickets were often expensive and by now, he had ran through most of his savings. He was stuck to being confined to a cheap ratty motel room in the heart of Los Angeles watching the final match of the open on the screen. Ryoma had won. Again. For what seemed like the umpteenth time.
The only person who truly could challenge him was their previous buchou, Tezuka Kunimitsu who had gotten picked up to play in Europe alongside Atobe Keigo who was known to often play in France. It was more than likely that you would see Tezuka and Atobe play against each other than the two playing against Ryoma. It was strange but both of the older players liked to seek solace within Europe rather than aiming for international glory like Ryoma… It was something which was strange even for someone as eccentric and vain as Atobe Keigo-but Momoshiro learned not to question it. Perhaps the former ice king of Hyoutei decided to finally settle down…
Tezuka had no desire to play against Ryoma. That score had been long settled-and Tezuka was almost in fear of injuring his arm again playing against the more youthful male. The stoic former buchou rather play tennis forever and not be the best; than play against Ryoma in an attempt to be the best and end his career early.
Momoshiro jumped as he felt a vibration from the phone that sat beside him on the bed. The screen glowed bright-and suddenly he felt the color drain out of his face as he recognized a text message from a number that he hadn't seen in a very long time. It was his senpai-Fuji Syusuke messaging him in a mass text…
"The cicadas are about to sing again… I haven't forgotten our promise and nor should you. I'll be waiting for you…'
Below, was an address with directions to what Momoshiro assumed, was Fuji's large inherited house. From what he had heard, the tensai lived on the property alone. Fuji Yuuta refused to live with his older brother and was away dorming at a university in Kansai for graduate school. Yumiko Fuji was abroad studying design from what Eiji had told Momoshiro.
Eiji Kikumaru often kept in contact with Momoshiro. While Eiji was unable to always hear from everyone-whom the red headed boy couldn't contact; he would hear from from his roommate Oishi Shuuichiro (the only two who actually stayed together after their high school graduation). This is how Momoshiro knew as much as he did. Eiji often texted Momoshiro and kept him informed occasionally among their conversations.
Guilt plagued Momoshiro knowing he would not be going. He had Ryoma to follow. He was running out of money to travel and this was one of his last few chances to get into contact with him in person.
He just couldn't be bothered…
A press conference was about to be held right after the match that Ryoma had won. Momoshiro was eagerly waiting, his eyes fixated on the screen. He had waited and waited… It was odd for Ryoma to not being within sight somewhere. The interviewers were even questioning where he was, and the TV announcers were trying their best with impromptu commentary in an attempt to stall.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Ryoma's stiff dressed manager came out onto the stage. Momoshiro was familiar with the man because he was strict and it's who would often contact Momoshiro back in direct message with some stiff reply that "fans are fans and his dedication was appreciated.". It annoyed the hell out of him, all he was trying to do is get in contact with his former teammate to reconcile how he felt about him, and here was this douche in the way…
The manager's eyes looked stone cold and grim even as he walked up to the podium. There was still no Echizen in sight.
"I regret to inform you all that right after Ryoma Echizen's victory of the open, he has been nowhere to be found. Once I get in contact with him, I will keep you all updated on all of what's going on. Thank you all for your patience..," the manager announced. He seemed annoyed as he did panicked. Not even he had figured out where his star tennis prodigy had ran off to.
"What the hell Echizen..." Momoshiro muttered in disbelief. Ryoma had never not attended a press conference. Did something terrible happen to him? Was he okay?
Momoshiro's mind ran a million miles a minute trying to come up with some type of scenario or explanation for Ryoma's sudden disappearance…
'The cicadas are about to sing again….'
It just then hit Momoshiro what had just happened. He let out a string of curses as he threw himself out of bed and quickly began packing. Suddenly, Momoshiro knew exactly where Ryoma Echizen had disappeared to without a word. He finally had a one up on that pesky cockblock of a manager! While everyone else was puzzled as to where the infamous tennis star disappeared to after such a grand win-Momoshiro knew exactly where he was and where he was headed.
Momoshiro quickly dialed LAX knowing that he was about to seriously make a sudden flight request that might not be available to book online, "Hi, I'm inquiring about an availability of a flight out to Narita or Haneda airport tonight?"
Ryoma Echizen was known to be the first to win on serves alone. He was just that good, and he couldn't help it. Tennis has ran in his family since before he was born. Between him and his brother Ryoga, he had been the more talented player-his father's star child. With that came to thrills and pressures of victory and the obligation of being famous. The thrill was fine. The obligation and fame was a pain.
While fame might suit someone like the monkey-king Atobe, Ryoma liked to do what he was best at and get the hell out of there. Unfortunately, getting sponsored and making money required having public relations skills and abiding by your staff and manager.
So when Ryoma Echizen decided to quickly sneak away from his own press conferences after his victory without being noticed-he knew he was in trouble. If it weren't for Ryoma needing to discreetly hail a ride service to quickly get to the airport, he would have turned his cell phone off after his manager's third attempt at calling. He let each call carry over to voicemail.
As soon as he saw Fuji Syusuke's text...he was intrigued. It was suddenly a reason to go home. How he had truly missed home… Other countries were fun and exciting based on being in a new environment, but Ryoma direly missed Japan. He missed the familiarity of the streets and speaking in his own native tongue he grew up with. More importantly, he missed his friends.
Ryoma had quickly visited on certain holidays when he would finally have a break. Matter of fact, he had even tried his hand at dating for a quick second. Mainly because he was so lonely and needed some sort of familiarity to save his sanity at that point in time. Sakuno Ryuzaki had confessed to him on his first visit back to Japan. She had went out of her way to do so-trying to figure out when he would return. It had worked out for a couple of months, but Ryoma soon realized that long distance was difficult and while Sakuno was very pretty-she wasn't his type when it came to her personality.
Dating hadn't interested him since. The green haired boy fought back a smile knowing that Momo-senpai would have relentlessly teased him and would have given him shit if he ever figured out that he failed at dating a girl. He'd probably say that 'spitting game' was the only game he couldn't win or some shit…
Ryoma couldn't wait to be back in Japan and see his old teammates. He wondered how much people had changed and what they were doing. Usually, he would be apathetic about an invite back home. However, being homesick had humbled him and made him feel oddly sentimental. It would be nice to be around people who weren't out for a business deal with him for a change. There was something assuring and comforting about knowing that he would soon be around people who truly knew him.
"Where are you headed out to from LAX?" the driver asked attempting to make small talk from the front seat.
"Tokyo," Ryoma answered.
"Ahh! Sounds like fun. Are you heading out to party and shit? I hear that place is notorious for bars and clubs! I bet it's an awesome time out in those parts. The States are just chaos… Especially in this traffic. Man, what I would give just to take a train everywhere.."
"Actually, it's home. I'm going home," Ryoma corrected with a smile.
Pondering was a constant occurrence lately in the fawn haired tensai's life. After a long while of debating with himself, he had finally managed to do what he had been on the fence about for weeks. He had finally mustered the courage to text everyone and invite them to his spacious home for the summer. It had taken Eiji encouraging him and reassuring him that it was a great idea and that everyone had too much of a history with each other for it not to be a good idea or obligation at the least.
The whole ordeal had been a visiting Atobe Keigo's fault.
Fuji Syusuke had retired from the tennis scene to pursue photography. He now was a freelance professional photographer in multiple genres. One job required working with Akutagawa Jiroh, who was a well known stylist for models now (especially in Japan)-and more importantly Atobe Keigo's lover. They were open about their relationship and Jiroh was the envy of many women. He was literally treated like a princess. While one would think that Jiroh was head-over-heels in love with Atobe; it was actually the other way around. Atobe was utterly taken by the usually sleepy stylist.
Atobe while he played tennis professionally, focused on being an heir to his family business and fortune. He adored Paris and decided to reside there with Jiroh who was just as smitten with the city of love as his partner was. Atobe spent every last moment he could near Jiroh and often took him back to Japan to do stylist work while visiting both of their families.
This, was how Fuji had decided to finally take initiative on the team's promise. He recalled the encounter with both Atobe and Jiroh clearly.
"Fuji Syusuke, well if I never… Ore-sama is shocked to see you here of all places!" Atobe Keigo announced as he strode into the studio. Jiroh was cleaning up his station after a long day's work with Fuji being a photographer. A couple of models heads shot over to the echoing voice-the females in the room blushing in awe at the presence of the corporate heir.
"Keigo!" Jiroh exclaimed in greeting. He had a wide happy grin on his face as he bounced over towards his boyfriend and literally hung off of him, kissing him chastely nut lovingly on the lips.
Fuji couldn't help but be envious of the couple… Both seemed so happy…
"I could say the same for you," he acknowledged.
"Ore-sama is here to pick up his boyfriend of course. However, Jiroh didn't mention at all that he was working with you."
"Ah, I didn't think it was important Keigo! I didn't think you would show up to the studio. Plus, Fuji-kun is super well known in the industry! I guess I thought you already knew that," commented Jiroh.
Fuji couldn't help but shake his head and smile, "It's was a pleasure to work with you. And it is also nice seeing you as well Atobe. You both seem very happy."
Atobe smirked, eying Fuji's lithe form up and down as if he were examining an item for purchase rather than a human being, "And you are alluring as ever. I can see why Tezuka is still so taken with you…."
Fuji felt his breath nearly choke him at the mention of Tezuka. He played off as if he were blinking confused at the mention of his former tennis team captain and friend.
"Taken with me? I beg to differ. I haven't heard of such a name or from him in years. I'm quite sure he's content in Germany winning tennis championships and climbing the mountains there," he scoffed. He knew he had hit a nerve with Atobe mentioning Tezuka's recent victory in Europe. Atobe had actually played him and lost. Something that most likely did not settle well with the ice king at all. Fuji considered it a slight revenge for Atobe mentioning Tezuka in the first place. If he wanted to talk about Tezuka, then fine, they'd talk about Tezuka.
"He doesn't keep in contact with you..?" Jiroh inquired concerned.
"All of our tennis team have lived our lives separately. I do keep in contact with Eiji and Oishi-however, everyone else has drifted apart. I haven't heard from anyone else in years. I'm sure they're all doing fine though," dismissed Fuji.
"What a shame… What type of captain neglects his own team?" Atobe mused.
"Our lives go beyond just our junior high and high school days. We are different people," Fuji pointed out.
It was true. People would grow and change over time. Fuji had braced himself for it; but he hadn't know that the transition would be as painful as it had been...or that it would be so lonely. He knew that everyone would be at different ends of the worlds, walking different paths in their lives, and fulfilling their dreams. However, Fuji had always thought that Seigaku would always return home. They had promised each other the last day of the third year's graduation that they'd place in the effort each summer to return home to visit each other and make plans. Fuji had chosen the summer knowing that it possibly might be easier to receive a vacation holiday during the warmer months. Especially if it were abroad.
What had hurt the most was Tezuka… It was something that Fuji never spoke of openly. His heart was much too broken to talk about it, even fully with his best friend Eiji. One the last day of high school, right before their graduation ceremony-Fuji had put in great effort to call Tezuka away from his duties and obligations as class president. He remembered the cherry blossoms falling all around them and the trees swaying sounds like an ocean of leaves. The area was discreet and he often attempted to have lunches there with the other third years on the tennis team during their break periods on the days with nicer weather.
That day however, it had been just him and Tezuka. He remembered handing his second button to Tezuka placing it in his pants pocket. Fuji was not one to be nervous, but he had been. The second button of his was a silent subtle confession. Fuji helped himself to Tezuka's own second button on his school uniform, snatching the button quickly with a rough yank. He told Tezuka that if he wanted his button back then he would have to catch Fuji and ask for it back himself. Fuji nervously ran off, back with his classmates who were gathered in front of the school auditorium for their graduation ceremony.
During the whole ceremony, Fuji found himself glancing in Tezuka's direction. Even as he gave an ending speech as class president he couldn't help but fidget. Especially as a couple neighboring girls murmured between themselves noticing that he had been missing his second button-thinking he had confessed to a lucky girl when in reality, Fuji was gripping the button tightly in the palm of his hand.
After the graduation ceremony was over, Fuji had met up with his family first to speak and receive praise for finishing his time in high school. Being separated from his classmates and Tezuka helped ease his nerves. His antics with his youngest brother Yuuta helped distract him as did hugging his sister whom had flown in from abroad just to see his graduation. That soon ended however, when the other second and first years of the tennis team began to gather to congratulate the third years. Everyone had been energetic and full of life despite the melancholy atmosphere. It had been as if everyone was trying to ignore the fact that nothing would be the same. This wasn't like back in junior high school when they all knew they would be reunited at Seigaku High. Everyone was about to truly go their own separate ways. It placed the usually composed Fuji in a panic.
Unlike most who were going to go off abroad for their studies, Fuji was intending on possibly applying for an art school and partaking in freelance work on the side for extra income. His life would no longer be about tennis and more importantly, his silent admiration for Tezuka Kunimitsu would come to a close. If he did not say anything-it would be left unsaid. His feelings would have been left floating.
Fuji suggested a plan then and there for his own reassurance. One that everyone at the time, seemed to be up for. In five years, they would meet again during the summer. The regulars would play tennis again regardless of its place in their future lives. They would spend the summer together. Regardless of obligation or where they were.
Tezuka had not acknowledged Fuji the entire time during their meeting with their other teammates. To make matters even worse, he kept his distance. Fuji was very used to having Tezuka by his side. They stood together frequently. Especially with the team. They'd quietly comment about a game or talk casually between one another. However, Tezuka stayed far away from Fuji the entire time and ignored his presence. Nobody had even once questioned it-that, or they chose to ignore it knowing that they'd be getting in too deep.
There was a dinner among them at the Kawamura family sushi restaurant and Fuji remembered sitting at the end near the door. Everyone was merrily talking and being their usual selves.
Tezuka was the first to leave, receiving a phone call from his parents over an important matter. He stood near the door and Fuji remembered that it was the last time he was close to the spectacled boy at all. His face showed no emotion as he parted, only a slight smile as he bid everyone goodbye. He took only one glance at Fuji-the first and last sign of acknowledgment he ever received from him before leaving.
Fuji's heart broke.
It had been more than five years since their promise. Nobody met up. Fuji hadn't bothered to try. He did not have the courage to be the person to reunite everyone….
"Plus, it's not Tezuka's responsibility to look after us anymore. He did his part during our school years. The rest would be up to us now," continued Fuji.
"Mn.. While that may be true, I know he does reminiscence about his team's old glory days. I keep in contact with him to know. Ore-sama is fairly sure if someone were to get into contact with him; he would come in a heart beat. Especially if it were you tensai..."
Jiroh smiled knowingly as if he were aware of something Fuji wasn't. It perturbed him. What did Atobe and Jiroh know that Fuji didn't? Fuji knew what happened well. If he and Tezuka were to meet again, it would be forced and awkward. The fawn haired tensai had already received his answer to his confession long ago… There was no need to push or pry.
"Like I mentioned, I'm sure Tezuka is happier away in Europe. He was never one to like to stick too long in the past," dismissed Fuji.
"You know… I've has seen him looking at your instagram account on a couple of occasions when he has the time to. He loves your photos… I'm very sure he misses you. Why would he lurk o your account if he didn't…? Ore-sama has his number if you would like..?" Atobe pointed out with a chuckle. He had a bemused look on his face as he spoke.
Fuji's azure eyes widened at the offer. Atobe suddenly was the bridge between him and Tezuka… It was an opportunity to perhaps reconcile things with him and apologize. The shock came mainly from Atobe mentioning Tezuka scrolling through his instagram feed that he used for his photography… How exactly had Tezuka found that anyway….? Atobe wasn't one to lie either…
Atobe grabbed a piece of paper from a receipt from his rather large and fancy billfold and scrawled a phone number and e-mail address onto the piece of paper with a pen. He handed it over to Fuji.
"Consider it Ore-sama doing you...and him...a huge favor," the heir said.
Jiroh smiled as he grabbed his lover's hand, "I'm sure you won't regret contacting him. You both should plan a reunion with your team. Keigo and I meet up with ours all the time. It's really fun and we all enjoy it."
"Thank you both. Perhaps I'll consider it..."
Since then, Fuji had idly fingered the piece of paper he kept stashed away in the pockets every outfit he wore as he debated on what exactly to do with this piece of information. He was afraid of contacting Tezuka on his own. Fuji knew it was unlike him. He was usually smooth and confident. When it came to Tezuka, Fuji couldn't help but lose his cool. Kunimitsu Tezuka was the undoing of the tensai on multiple occasions.
Weeks later, Fuji called Eiji. At first, it was for the need of reassurance from his best friend. Eiji Kikumaru was bubbly and bright-and had Oishi by his side. Something Fuji was rather envious of because despite Eiji never confessing to Oishi; he had managed to keep the volley player by his side post-high school and was happy just having the boy in his life. Eiji often stated that confessing to Oishi wasn't worth possibly ruining their friendship.
It was as sad as it was wise of his red-headed friend.
Eiji was excited. He knew of Fuji's feelings well despite not knowing the full details of what happened during their high school graduation. He encouraged Fuji to call or even text him if he was that nervous to have a voice to voice phone call with their former buchou. Fuji had insisted he couldn't. It might sound too desperate or random.
Oishi chimed in on the phone that Eiji had clearly put on speaker, that it wouldn't be. That even he had kept in contact with Tezuka vaguely and that it wouldn't be a problem at all.
Fuji still rejected the encouragement stating that they did not know what he knew about Tezuka.
Eiji eventually brought up the promise.
"Hey Fujiko! Nyaa..remember our promise?"
"Promise?"
"Mouuu! You don't remember and yet you're the one who suggested it? The weather is getting warmer. It's been more than five years now… You have a big house of your own. I'm sure it gets lonely..."
"Are you suggesting that I have a stay over at my place with our team?"
"That's exactly what I'm suggesting! Me and Oishi can help you get into contact with everyone. Oishi still talks to Inui and Taka...Tezuka too on an occasion. I can give you Momo-chin's number and Kaidoh's too! Though I don't have Ochibi's..."
"Do you think everyone would be up for it…?"
"It was a promise. They'd have to be up for it. That way, you could talk to Tezuka-buchou again without it being weird! I'll be here for you even if it gets that way..."
"Okay…."
Oishi cut in immediately, "I can get into contact with Tezuka...but I'm not asking him to come to Japan for you. You are the one who suggested this, so you'll be the one to fulfill it. The only thing I'm bothering Tezuka about will be Echizen's contact information. I know he is the only person who has it."
Here Fuji was, his hand feeling vibrations of energy from pressing the send button on his phone as he mass text messaged the former regulars of Seigaku… He had sent a date to meet at his home and an address with the message:
"The cicadas are about to sing again… I haven't forgotten our promise and nor should you. I'll be waiting for you….
-Fuji"
(A/N: Hello! Long time no speak TeniPuri fandom! It's been a very long while. For those of you who don't know me, hi! I'm ToxicTsukino, formerly known by the username BluAyu. More than ten years ago at the age of 13/14, I wrote this really cheesy fanfiction called "Memory". Ten years ago, I wrote a re-write of Memory called "Kizuna" that never quite got finished. Lately, I've been really nostalgic and revisited some of my old work. I suddenly had the strongest desire to write TeniPuri fic again. I thought, why not TRY AGAIN to do a re-write of the premises I wrote a very long time ago?
I feel like this rewrite is very meaningful because I am 26 years old now versus 13 and 16 when I wrote both of of the other fics. I thought it would be special to do an anniversary rewrite because now I am the age of the characters in this fic and my life experience of views have really changed from when I wrote both stories. Plus, I would also like to think that my writing style has drastically improved versus the last two.
The title Kizuna is inspired from two very famous J-Pop songs as well as the Japanese meaning. Kizuna in Japanese means "bonds" or a "connection". But also I took the inspiration from An Cafe's "Kizuna" as well as Kamenashi Kazuya's "Kizuna" both of which have not only meaning but make me myself feel very nostalgic because these are songs from my own youth/teenage years. Hence, why I kept the title and combined it with the original plot title "Memory".
Anyway, hopefully I don't fall off of writing this story like I did with Kizuna. I AM working on a Sailor Moon fic at the same time (and Caste Heaven fic that is much shorter ending wise than this and MSE will be) so updates will vary. Plus, I'm in school still/studying very hard too and that can change things as well.
I apologize for how much this chapter jumped around with flashbacks and such. I'm trying to set up the story to where things are explained for when we really get into some stuff. We literally had an inception flashback..lmao -facepalms- I'm so sorry. Less jumping and flashbacks in future chapters I promise!
ALSO, I am not very informed with what the heck has happened in the Prince of Tennis series post the original anime series. I casually watched Shin TeniPuri but that was a long time ago and none of the new people stuck. I also recently watched the movie that took place in Europe which is what kind of rekindled my love for the series (also I really fucking loved that they used an AAA song for the movie ahahaha I fangirled because I'm a J-Pop nerd). Because this is a re-write of "Memory" and "Kizuna", I'm going to keep this fic extremely simple and not add the new teams in for my own sanity's sake! I really hope you don't mind and I hope it doesn't deter you from this story.
I'm also sorry if things aren't as accurate. It's been awhile since I've dabbled in this fandom and its characters so it will take me a moment to get into things yet again. I know everyone seems slightly out of character right now-mainly because it's people's innermost thoughts about not exactly how they portray themselves outwardly but that will change soon!)
