© 2010 Gold

Title: Beyond: A Tribute

Part Thirteen

Author: Gold

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is created by Konomi Takeshi. This work is a piece of fanfiction and no part of it is attributed to Konomi-san or any other entity holding any legal right associated with and arising out of Prince of Tennis . It was written purely out of fanservice and it is not to be used for profit or any false association with Konomi-san or aforesaid entities.

Part Thirteen

It was almost five-thirty in the morning.

The room was quiet and purposefully dim; the heavy curtains were fully drawn across the windows and the only light came from the reading lamp behind the sofa, which lent a soft golden glow to the room.

Tezuka Kunimitsu was stretched out full length across the sofa, head serenely pillowed on one sofa arm. His long legs were folded over the other arm of the sofa; otherwise he looked very comfortable, as if he was used to sleeping on couches and the like. His eyes were closed in slumber and his breathing was deep and even; a pair of glasses lay on the glass-topped coffee table nearby.

Someone knocked on the door; a few tentative but unmistakable raps across the wooden surface.

Tezuka's eyes fluttered open slowly, and the light in his irises grew to a sharp brilliance as his mind, too, awoke.

"Come in," he ordered in a low voice. His door was never locked.

Kaidoh Kaoru poked his head and shoulders round the door, but the latter half of his body remained outside, hidden by the half-open door. "Tezuka-sempai."

Tezuka, his glasses set firmly on his nose, looked at the newcomer. "Ah. Kaidoh."

Kaidoh ducked his head apologetically. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, sempai. Should I come back later?"

"No, it's all right. Come in."

Kaidoh quietly slid into the room and closed the door noiselessly behind him. He leaned back against the closed door and examined the carpet carefully for a few seconds before glancing up at Tezuka.

Tezuka waited.

"Tezuka-sempai… " Kaidoh cleared his throat. He hesitated, searching for the right words. "It's about Echizen."

Tezuka looked faintly surprised.

"Do you think that you could talk to him…?"

Tezuka did not reply.

"I feel worried about him, sempai," Kaidoh said slowly, choosing his words with care. "It has to do with the many things that have happened lately."

Tezuka gave a brief nod.

"These things..." Kaidoh paused, and then continued: "I think all this may have affected Echizen a lot. Maybe more than the rest of us, in some ways." Kaidoh's brows were furrowed. "First, there was you, sempai. Echizen is closer to you than he is to the rest of us. You have been his mentor for so long – even if you don't acknowledge it openly, sempai, everyone knows that you've helped Echizen more than anyone."

Tezuka listened quietly.

"Then Momoshiro disappeared." Kaidoh rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully, his frown becoming more pronounced. "Echizen was always close to Momoshiro, and I think that's still true, even if they don't walk the same path now, and even though they don't talk much anymore."

That was true.

"Tezuka-sempai, as if that's not enough trouble, there are all these other things happening, things that are hard to believe, but which have happened—" Kaidoh swallowed hard. "Even I feel peculiar, sempai, because nothing seems to be right. I don't understand what is happening and I don't know why it's happening. I feel… lost." His shoulders slumped unhappily.

Tezuka inclined his head. "And if you feel lost, what more Echizen…?"

Kaidoh looked up, grateful that Tezuka had understood. "It's all right for me, sempai. I think I understand a little why things like that can happen. But if you can talk to Echizen… it would be good. I've been sitting up with him. He won't sleep… and he doesn't say anything. I think it might help if you went to see him."

"You may be underestimating yourself, Kaidoh."

Kaidoh shook his head. "It's not that, sempai."

"I see," Tezuka said softly. "I apologise for this, Kaidoh."

Kaidoh shook his head fiercely. "Sempai, it's not your fault. None of it is," he protested.

"All the same, I am at its centre… and I feel responsible." Tezuka rose to his feet. "A moment, Kaidoh." He crossed the room in a few swift steps and lifted the jacket that was hanging neatly over the end of the bed, shrugging it on. "Come." Tezuka turned to Kaidoh. "Let's go."

Kaidoh exhaled with relief and stepped aside to let Tezuka pass.

Echizen's room was two doors away and the door to his room was ajar, allowing a chink of light to filter out and into the corridor.

When Tezuka stepped in, with Kaidoh close behind him, he saw that Echizen was lying on his back on the bed, the bedcovers half-flung off the bed, and his hands were locked behind his head. His eyes were wide open, and fixed blankly on the ceiling. They flickered away to look briefly at Tezuka and Kaidoh before returning to their fascination with the ceiling overhead.

Kaidoh opened his mouth to say something, but Tezuka motioned for him to remain silent.

Tezuka regarded Echizen's still form for perhaps a full minute.

Echizen did not move.

Kaidoh glanced anxiously at Tezuka.

Tezuka's gaze shifted slightly to the ceiling. Then he looked back at Echizen.

Still Echizen did not move.

The clock ticked the minutes and seconds away.

Five minutes.

Eight minutes.

Kaidoh was beginning to get more than a little anxious. He glanced at Tezuka, seeking some sort of clue, but the latter's face was expressionless. Tezuka seemed simply intent on observing Echizen.

Another two minutes passed.

Then Tezuka spoke.

"That was the worst match I have ever seen, Echizen."

Kaidoh happened to be looking at Echizen just as Tezuka said that, and to his astonishment, he thought he saw Echizen twitch a little.

"Emmelmann is an excellent player."

Kaidoh blinked, puzzled. Tezuka was talking about… the match Echizen had lost? In the Cincinnati Masters? What…?

Tezuka went on:

"But you have no excuse."

Silence.

"Do you know why?" Tezuka's voice was calm, but stern.

Echizen closed his eyes.

Five whole minutes went by.

Kaidoh stopped holding his breath.

Then –

"Maybe."

Kaidoh's eyes widened. Had Echizen just… spoken? He looked quickly at the bed. –Echizen's eyes were still closed.

Tezuka's voice was matter-of-fact. "Then it will happen again."

A longer silence this time.

Kaidoh was getting used to the long pauses now. Evidently Echizen's brain was working – the processes were a little slower than normal, but at least he was responding to Tezuka.

"No, it won't." Echizen's voice echoed in the room, a little stronger this time.

"Aa." Tezuka looked impassive. "So you do know why."

Echizen fidgeted in bed, but kept quiet.

"…yes." It was a soft mutter, but it reached Kaidoh's ears clearly nonetheless.

Tezuka's gaze skimmed the bed, Echizen, and finally rested on the ceiling. "Are you done re-playing the match in your head?" His gaze travelled back down to Echizen.

This time, Echizen's reaction was almost immediate.

"…sempai." Echizen sounded indignant. "I'm winning the match in my head."

Tezuka's lips quirked faintly.

Kaidoh, looking from Echizen to Tezuka, let out a deep breath of relief.

Echizen opened both his eyes. "It won't happen again." He slanted his gaze towards Tezuka and Kaidoh. "I'm okay. I should've known better."

Tezuka nodded slowly. "Momoshiro would have said the same thing."

Echizen grimaced a little. "Yeah," he said quietly.

"It's hard not to worry," Tezuka said. "I know that."

Echizen blinked.

"Sleep, Echizen," Tezuka told him gently. "Regardless of everything that has happened, you have to get some rest. Kaidoh says that you have not slept for a long time."

Echizen cocked his head to one side, looking at Kaidoh, who cleared his throat and looked away. Echizen's eyes flickered from Tezuka to Kaidoh. "You too, sempai."

Kaidoh said gruffly, "We're fine. It's already past six, anyway."

It was time to rise and shine, going by his daily routine.

Echizen asked absently, "What time are you meeting the lawyers, sempai?"

"Eight," Tezuka answered.

Echizen pursed his lips. "Sempai…"

"Hm?"

"What happens next?" Echizen's gaze was troubled.

Tezuka said nothing.

"The tests were positive," Echizen pointed out. "It's strict liability, sempai – even if it's not your fault, they will penalise you."

Kaidoh frowned. "Echizen—"

Tezuka stopped him. "It's fine, Kaidoh." He turned to Echizen. "Sometimes, some things cannot be helped." Tezuka's voice was gentle.

"It wasn't your fault," Echizen said, looking mutinous. "You shouldn't have to face a hearing."

Tezuka's voice was firm. "I will discuss with the lawyers accordingly and make a decision. Don't think about it anymore, Echizen. Concentrate on getting some sleep."

Echizen didn't look happy, but he also knew better than to argue with Tezuka at that point. "Well, if you're meeting them at eight, then there's still time for a nap, sempai." He pointed to the leather sofa in the corner of the room. "You can sleep there. I've got space."

Tezuka inclined his head. "Thank you, Echizen, but I have some things to look through before the meeting later." He glanced at Kaidoh. "Kaidoh will stay with you."

Kaidoh nodded.

Echizen shrugged. "Okay. You're looking tired, though. You'd better get some sleep before Atobe comes knocking on your door again."

Tezuka merely nodded.

"And… Tezuka-buchou."

Tezuka lifted an eyebrow.

"Fight-o."

Tezuka allowed himself a very faint smile. "Thank you, Echizen."