Author's notes: Sorry for the very late update. I have some time on my hands and therefore decided to continue writing this story.
A large part of this chapter was already written; I just had to end it...
I will try to update this story as much as I can. However, my chapters are getting longer as compared to the past. Therefore it will take a much longer time for me to update as compared to my speed in the past.
Please do leave your reviews and comments as well and no flaming please!
Thank you and please enjoy the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters.
Chapter 3: A Party Back Home
Ryoma slumped down into the sofa, utterly exhausted. He had never felt so physically and mentally drained before; not even the most formidable tennis opponents could push his physical and mental states to their limit. A bunch of "doting" senpais, an annoying foster brother, a perverted oyaji, and an avalanche of his peers and kouhai, add them together and you have the toughest opponent Ryoma had to face in his 28 years of existence. He was almost convinced that the neighbours would come banging on their doors and demanding a stop to the boisterous racket that was going on. However, much to his dismay, nobody did that. The next morning, they would even find gifts outside their door from them congratulating him on his return! His parents had such considerate neighbours to the point that it maddened him. Why couldn't their neighbours be a tad more inconsiderate?
Ryoma busied himself with his inaudible grumbling, completely oblivious to his surroundings which led to a slight jump in surprise when someone decided to not-so-delicately let himself down in the seat next to him.
"Momo-senpai…" Ryoma uttered, surprise tainting his words.
"Echizen." Momoshiro casually slung his arm over the shoulder of the younger man and passed him a can of Ponta which he readily accepted. "Why aren't you having fun with the rest of them?"
Ryoma opened his can of grape Ponta chugged it down in large mouthfuls. The cool, sweet drink quickly refreshed as well as extinguished the dull fire than had been burning within him. Letting out a gratified sigh, he came to the conclusion that his annoyance was caused by a drop in his blood sugar levels which this can of Ponta swiftly rectified.
"Echizen yo." Momoshiro continued. "This party is for you. You should enjoy it more!"
"I don't." Ryoma gave a curt reply.
"Ikenai na, ikenai yo." Momoshiro playfully scolded. "You should learn to relax a little you know. Besides," he paused meaningfully. "Everyone gathered here just for you."
Upon Momoshiro's words, Ryoma's golden eyes perked up and glanced around his house. The respected, stoic, former captain of Seigaku, Tezuka Kunimitsu was leaning against the wall, having a quiet drink and a sparse conversation with Inui who had yet to abandon his note-taking habits. Both the older men were married, and Inui had risen to the ranks of a parent last year with the birth of his son. Tezuka turned pro after he graduated from high school and was touted as a rising star in the tennis world, just like Ryoma when he debuted. Unfortunately, his professional career was marred with a string of injuries and he was forced to retire before his time. The tennis world could only lament the loss of a rare talent when he finally succumbed to his chronic injuries and left the professional tennis scene for good. Ryoma knew that the pain and disappointment his former captain experienced was enormous; his brilliant future and dreams shattered in that instant. It was a hard time for him and Ryoma didn't know how Tezuka had pulled through. If he was put into that situation, he had no confidence of not falling into despair and giving up on life altogether. Tennis was and still is his life, being a professional tennis player and to reach the pinnacle of the tennis world is his dream. He did not know what will become of him if it was snatched away so mercilessly in the same way it was stolen from Tezuka. The stoic ex-captain had told him to become a pillar of Seigaku, which he did after the graduation of his senpais, and Tezuka was always his pillar in his tennis career. When he retired, Ryoma silently promised to himself to become the pillar for his respected captain, carrying his unfulfilled dreams and aspirations on his own shoulders and achieving them in his stead.
Inui was still the Inui-senpai Ryoma knew in Seigaku. He still carried a notebook wherever he went, whipped out unpalatable juices and acquired information from dubious sources. His fashion sense had not changed either; the same old black, square-shaped, thick-rimmed reflective glasses were still perched on his nose. Inui continued his tennis career in the university circuit although he opted not to take the professional tennis route. He knew no matter how well he played, he could never reach the ranks of Tezuka or Ryoma. Although initially indignant, he gradually resigned himself to that fact. However, tennis was something he was passionate about and he would not give it up. Just like many other tennis players, including many ex-Seigaku regulars, he competed in amateur tennis and was content with it. He did extremely well in school and received his PhD last year. He is currently a professor in Tokyo University.
In the middle of the large lawn, the lively Eiji, in a demonstration of his youth and energy that was largely unrepresentative of his thirty years of age, was dancing happily, his arm slung over his closest friend and confidant, the former vice-captain and mother hen of the Seigaku tennis team, Oishi Shuuichiro. Even though they had tense moments with each other, their friendship never faltered. They spent their schooling life apart for the first time in university since middle school, Oishi deciding to enter medical school in Tokyo University while Eiji, who was not as academically inclined to enter the top tertiary institution in Japan, enrolled in Waseda University on a tennis scholarship. As expected, Oishi joined the tennis team in Tokyo University together with Inui and played against his former doubles partner in university tennis competitions. Despite being rivals, they stayed close and continued to play doubles in amateur tennis competition.
Oishi successfully graduated from medical school and went on to complete his houseman training to become a full-fledged doctor. During his houseman years, he developed a profound interest in gynaecology and obstetrics and after concluding his training, chose to undertake specialist training in the said field of study. He was particularly drawn to obstetrics. Bringing a new life into a world and handing newborns to their loving parents brought him unadulterated joy. His caring and attentive nature was a perfect fit for the vocation and his popularity within patients in his hospital grew during his specialist training. Now a fully qualified gynaecologist and obstetrician, he has a growing pool of regular patients. Oishi married his girlfriend, his kouhai in medical school after a lengthy courtship last year, right after getting his specialist license with Eiji as his best man.
Unlike Oishi, Eiji was still unmarried despite his relative high popularity with women. His infectious cheerfulness and vibrant and bouncy personality was a huge hit with the masses. Together with his boyish good looks, he was scouted off the streets in his second year of university and entered the world of showbiz. Waseda University was fully supportive of his actions, requesting him to be their ambassador in their campaign to attract new students. Eiji went on to become a famous radio personality, his chirpy voice a source of vitality for weary listeners. He is also working as a talent, regularly appearing in TV programmes and hosts his own show that deals with pets. Eiji had his fair share of romance; however being a well-known face put his private life into intense public scrutiny, not unlike Ryoma, albeit to a lesser degree. Openly admitting his relationship status and significant other was totally out of the question; his manager did not allow it either. He did have a few serious relationships though they did not reach the finish line due to pressure from tabloid reporters as well as his own issues. Eiji knew, despite him about to throw his twenties behind and enter the ripe age of thirty in a month, he was still too immature to be fully committed to a relationship. He was still the playful individual everyone knew and loved since middle school. Age had mellowed this character trait of his, but was inadequate to fully quell his fun-loving personality and plant his feet firmly on the ground. He was not ready to start a family, yet was envious of his peers like Inui and Oishi who had found their spiritual partner and tied the knot and even had children in the case of Inui. Afraid that he might make a hasty decision, Oishi painstakingly counselled his ex-doubles partner and conscientiously called him up every day to talk to him over the issue. Eiji heeded his advice, deciding to put off such matters until he was able to put in his absolute commitment, thus justifying his current relationship status.
In contrast to the happily dancing Golden Pair, Fuji, Taka and Kaidoh were having a rather peaceful chat seated around a table placed on the lawn. Taka was happily showing off his creations to Fuji and Kaidoh who were enjoying the sushi. However, there were times when Kaidoh would ingest a piece of sushi and immediately turn green and appear to have a concussion while Taka would anxiously force water down his throat as Fuji stood aside, smiling like he always did.
Taka chose a path distinct to that of his team mates, opting to give up his chance to enter college in favour of formally undergoing training to become a professional sushi chef. He had intended to give up tennis in high school, but his team mates convinced him otherwise. After obtaining permission from his father who cared a lot for him and wished that he could enjoy his schooling life before formally crossing the border to the adult world, he continued playing tennis and enjoyed it to the fullest before officially bowing out of competitive tennis after his last high school tennis competition. Taka then began his culinary training under his father and after years of hard work, graduated from a trainee to a qualified sushi chef. The elder Kawamura, with the high standards he held, was finally assured by the skills of his son and protégé, and contentedly handed over the position of head chef to Taka. He did not disappoint his father either; besides the steady stream of regular customers, Taka had managed to secure a new group of regular customers as well as patrons who stop by just to try his creative innovations. Apart from traditional sushi, he came up with modern creations like avocado cheese, spicy tuna and apple and tropical ebi sushi that were a hit with the trendy crowd. One of his best-selling sushi sets is the Seigaku tennis sushi that came in a set of ten types of sushi, comprising of grilled tea-flavoured white eel sushi, Cajun chicken sushi, pickled sardine sushi, yam tempura sushi, hamburger sushi, clam sushi with sweet miso, sweet shrimp tamagoyaki sushi, fish roe inari, mackerel with Japanese ginger-plum sauce sushi and two tennis ball-shaped onigiri, one filled with miso with spring onions and the other with pork katsu. Taka created the set based on his fond memories of the Seigaku tennis team, each sushi corresponding to a Seigaku regular. The conception of the tennis ball onigiri was credited to Sakuno, their coach's granddaughter who had so often brought them the rice balls during their competitions. The miso and spring onions was a reference to her, who had grown up to become a classical Japanese beauty. The ingredients, a staple of the Japanese diet, were simple but invoked a delightful synthesis of flavours inside the mouth, just like her, modest and unassuming but radiating a quiet charm. The other onigiri paid tribute to the Seigaku tennis team, with katsu being homophonic to "win" in Japanese, cheering for his juniors in his own way. Kawamura Sushi has also become a favourite haunt for the Seigaku tennis team, with them ordering the Seigaku tennis sushi set before and after major competitions.
On romance, Taka was a front runner. He was the first to get married, tying the knot at the tender age of 21. His wife was his childhood friend and the brotherly-sisterly feelings gave way to romantic attraction in high school. She supported him faithfully in his tennis matches and now, she is supporting him whole-heartedly in the shop. She was as kind-hearted as him and the ex-Seigaku regulars were sincerely glad that one of their most caring and compassionate teammate had found a good match. They have two sons, aged 8 and 6, and both have inherited their father's passion for tennis.
The genius of the Seigaku team, Fuji, is now a diplomat. Although he did not enter Tokyo University like Oishi and Inui, his grades were good enough for him to secure a scholarship to enter Waseda University. Like his peers, he chose to continue tennis in university, where he became rivals with his former teammates and his former rivals became his teammates. After graduation, he immediately entered the Foreign Service. His smiling and gentle demeanour that masked a callous and firm stance made him a flawless fit for the vocation. In fact, initially enchanted by his amicable manner and soft smile, his interviewers caught a glimpse of his harsh side which prompted them to give a unanimous pass. Whether it was because Fuji impressed the panel or the interviewers were terrified of the repercussions if they did not hire him was left to debate, but he proved himself capable and was quickly posted overseas, holding heavier responsibilities. Previously stationed in Australia, he completed his tenure and is back in Japan for a 3-month break, after which he will be reassigned to England. During his time in Australia, he would strive to be a live spectator in the Australian Open, especially the ones in which Ryoma made it to the final. Due to his position as a Foreign Service officer and him being a close friend of Ryoma, it was easier for him to gain access to his personal quarters. His creepy, sarcastic comments freaked the tennis superstar out at times; however, he cheered with all his heart, although silently, for his kouhai who shouldered the dreams of their tennis team in his quest for tennis world dominance.
After the seniors in the team that was hailed as "the strongest tennis team in Seigaku's history" graduated, Kaidoh took over the reins of captain from Tezuka. To him, it was the greatest honour to have one of his most respected senpai pass the captaincy over to him. However, it also caused him a tremendous amount of stress as he tried to attain "Tezuka standards" that he had set for himself. He stubbornly adhered to his own set of criteria almost to breaking point, when Coach Ryuuzaki called in Tezuka and Inui from the high school division to have a talk with him. Kaidoh was deeply ashamed and felt that he did not deserve the post of captain and suggested giving up the position to Momo instead who was doing very well as the vice-captain. However, after his session with Tezuka and Inui and with some encouragement from Momo and the rest of his team, he got over his personal barrier and led the team in his own way. His grit and determination, sometimes bordering on obstinacy was his defining characteristic and he displayed it entirely when it came to tennis. He was resolute on entering professional tennis and was even willing to sacrifice his dreams of being a veterinarian to enter Waseda University; a university famed for its strong sports clubs, but did not offer veterinary medicine. To Kaidoh, anything can be accomplished through sheer determination and endurance; his tennis matches proved that to him. Unfortunately, sometimes hard work is not enough; talent has a big part to play too and that was the harsh reality he had to face. The earnest lectures by his senpai who similarly had to make the painful decision on giving up professional tennis could barely shake his resolve; he had to be utterly defeated to have his confidence destroyed and every ounce of hope extinguished before he accepted the fact that he could never turn pro. The professional players work as hard, if not harder than him, and were blessed with much more talent. After an excruciating period in which his mental and physical self was stretched to the limits, Kaidoh decided to let go of his tennis aspirations and pursue his dreams in the field of veterinary science. He entered Nihon University after graduation from Seigaku High, majoring in veterinary medicine. Although not as strong as Waseda, they had a respectable tennis team and he eventually became captain of the team. Like his peers, he never gave up tennis and participated in amateur tennis competitions. Kaidoh is currently engaged to a lady he met when he volunteered at an association for strays and abandoned animals. Unlike most people who were quick to judge him based on his looks, she had the notion that "those who are kind to animals are kind themselves" and was unfazed by his intimidating exterior. Being Kaidoh, he was too shy to admit his feelings for her even after realizing his affections for an entire year. It took some unwanted meddling from his seniors, not unlike their actions in middle and high school towards their favourite kouhai, that finally got them together, although Kaidoh was suspicious that his senpai enjoyed doing it a bit too much. Their romance blossomed beautifully and they will be walking down the aisle next summer.
Ryoma shifted his golden eyes back to the TV screen in front of him, although the travel show that was airing on TV was not registering in his mind at all. He took a deep gulp of his grape Ponta, relishing the cool liquid and the carbonated goodness. He let his eyes linger back to the energetic male beside him whom everybody affectionately addressed as "Momo" or "Momo-senpai", with the exception of Tezuka who tended to address everyone respectfully. He is one of his closest friends and senpai and confided in him when things got too much for him to handle. Ryoma, just like the Echizen males, possesses a stubborn streak and an innate desire to win. Asking for assistance would be akin to losing; therefore Ryoma always strived to handle his problems by himself and not let anyone know about it. Out of the ex-Seigaku regulars, he was most familiar with Momo and he was also the first to notice if Ryoma is being troubled by something. He was also the first person he turned to when he was extremely vexed or upset and although Momo enjoyed teasing him, he knew the appropriate time for appropriate behaviour. He would sit quietly with him and probe when possible. Even though Ryoma never said anything most of the time, he was thankful that Momo-senpai was by his side, silently giving him support.
Momo took over the vice-captaincy from Oishi after his graduation. He was fun but firm and was very well-received by the juniors. His rivalry with Kaidoh still exists, although it has mellowed considerably over the years, especially when they entered their final year in junior high. He aided Kaidoh during his difficult times, earning him an eternal rivalry and most importantly, friendship. Although it pained him to admit it, he understood that his tennis skills could never shine on the international stage. He gave up his dreams of turning pro pretty early on, but did not lose his passion and enthusiasm for the game. He joined his team mates in the university circuit, barely scraping past the Waseda University entrance exam to earn a place in the strongest university tennis team in Japan. When quizzed about his time before the exam, he replied that he only remembered it "was like in hell" but had no recollection of that period. He joked that he was either "on steroids", was "possessed by a guardian angel", or "had his body taken over by a helpful alien". Momo graduated with a degree in physical education and is now a P.E. teacher in his alma mater, Seigaku Middle School. He is also the one of the coaches of the tennis teams and constantly boasts his past exploits.
In contrast to the majority of the team, Momo is presently single and frequently laments his non-existent love life and his "excruciatingly" single status. He had a brief courtship with Ann in high school but had an amicable breakup, both agreeing that they were better off as friends. According to him, it felt like they needed to know more about each other but being lovers was a step in the wrong direction, even though it closed the distance between them. They remained as friends and progressed to the stage of close confidants, both of them now comfortable with their status. In fact, they were so close that they often drew the ire of Ann's current husband, Kamio who had been in love with her since their time in Fudomine. Momo had a few relationships and had gone on a few dates here and there but most never progressed any further. He often jokingly commented to Ryoma while trying to sound like an old man: "Do not forget your Momo-senpai when he gets old. He just needs a small little place beside your mansion and some company once in a while. Some hamburgers and tea would be nice too.". Most often or not it earned him an eye-roll and sometimes a smack on the head from the tennis prodigy.
"How long will you be back for?" Momo asked Ryoma who was seemingly lost in his thoughts.
"Hm?" Ryoma snapped back to reality. "A few months?" He gave a vague answer.
In actual fact, Clayton had forced Ryoma to take an extended break and pulled him out of all the major tennis competitions after the US Open. He had a big quarrel with Clayton over the issue and almost threatened to severe their business relationship. However, Clayton was not an easy nut to crack and instead of getting into a heated argument, he chose to unsympathetically list down the factors one by one on why he should take a break.
"I believe you have noticed it Ryoma," Clayton started, pushing his glasses up his shapely nose. "That it is getting harder for you to win your matches." He paused, taking in the surprised expression of the young man in front of him.
"It has become strikingly obvious not only to me, but to your coach as well." Clayton continued his onslaught. "The way you are playing, it is only putting a strain on you and further exacerbating your injuries. You are playing every match as if it was the last match that you will ever play. You are training as if the world depended on it. At this rate it will be almost suicidal for your tennis career and your body."
Ryoma kept silent. He knew Clayton would see through him eventually; he did not expect to be caught so swiftly and suddenly. He thought he had been concealing himself flawlessly, disguising his commitment to tennis as his will to remain at the summit of the tennis world. After all, that was what he had left isn't it?
"I spoke with Mikhail," Clayton continued. "And he agreed that it would be best for you to take some time off. If you noticed he has been adjusting your training schedule gradually. You have everything a tennis player could wish for. With adequate rest you can push your prime by a few more years."
"You know better than anyone Ryoma, that you are using tennis as an emotional outlet. And everyone can see that." Clayton's voice softened and the business-like tone he used was gone. His deep brown eyes no longer held that sharp gaze; instead it was filled with concern and worry.
"Nobody Ryoma, wants to see you go down like that. Nobody."
Ryoma reached for another can of Ponta and mindlessly drank from it. This time, he felt that the purple liquid was sickly sweet and was doing an undesirable dance down his throat. He looked down at the Ponta can in surprise. When had Ponta become so unpalatable?
"A few months?" Momo repeated. "How many months is that? What about the Australian Open?" He queried.
Ryoma did not how to answer Momo; in fact he does not even know how long his break will last. He was inwardly glad when Clayton interrupted their conversation.
"Sorry to interrupt." Clayton cast an apologetic glance at Momo who returned the gesture with a toothy smile. He then placed his attention on the dark-haired man.
"Ryoma I have contacted the relevant personnel." Clayton started. "Your press conference has been rescheduled to the afternoon. This will give you more time to rest and read your script before it." He passed a piece of paper to him. "I have kept everything short and sweet. The soft copy can be found in your tablet as well."
"Wow! A press conference! How I wish I could be the one interviewed!" Momo exclaimed excitedly.
"You can go instead of me." Ryoma said while pushing the piece of paper to Momo.
"Oh no Ryoma you are having none of that." Clayton remarked and took the piece of paper, which had become slightly crumpled due to the mini-drama, from Momo. "One more word about the press conference and it will be held the very first thing in the morning. I can also have it to be arranged right here."
Ryoma snorted but knew better than to go against Clayton. Begrudgingly, he took the paper from Clayton and quickly glanced through it, earning a small smile from his manager.
"Make sure you are prepared by tomorrow morning." Clayton instructed gently and left to be at Nanako's side.
"Kuri-chan is quite a character isn't he?" Momo remarked, inwardly admiring the older man who managed to tame his kouhai who had more than a difficult personality.
"Yes he is." Ryoma nodded in reply. "He can be really difficult at times though."
"That is because he is dealing with you!" Momo hit his kouhai playfully on the head, eliciting a surprised yelp and an annoyed glare from a pair of cat-like eyes.
"Echizen yo." Momo said in a soft voice, vastly different from his usual tone. He placed his hand on Ryoma's dark hair and exerted a slight pressure. "You can tell me anything you know? I will always be here to listen."
Ryoma did not look at the spiky-haired man but let his gaze return to his half-finished Ponta. He knew Momo had caught on something and was patiently waiting for him to confide in him. He was grateful to his senpai, especially Momo, who had given their unconditional help to him through his darkest times.
"Thank you, Momo-senpai." Ryoma replied, a wistful smile gracing his features.
Momo raised his can of beer in front of Ryoma, wearing a huge smile on his face. He knew better than to let Ryoma reminisce about that painful period.
"Cheers!" Momo gently tapped his can of beer against Ryoma's Ponta and took a generous mouthful of his drink. He let out a satisfied sigh and leaned back slightly, his hand on his toned abdomen.
"You are going to have a beer belly Momo-senpai!" Ryoma joked and downed his Ponta amidst the indignant protests of his senpai.
"What!" Momo retorted furiously and engaged Ryoma in an angry headlock. "This is how you speak to your dear senpai?" The noise attracted Eiji who quickly noticed the mini bout and joined in excitedly.
"Ochibi!" Eiji let out as he jumped in. Soon, all the ex-Seigaku regulars and even Clayton and Nanjirou was pulled into the childish mess. The women could only stay on the sidelines and shake their heads, wondering when these grown men would learn to spell maturity.
After the childish sparring was broken up by Rinko, Ryoma lay on the ground, enjoying some alone time. He looked up at the night sky where a half moon shone. It was beautiful, but not as beautiful as the ones he had seen with her.
"What is she doing now?" Ryoma could not help but think. As if by reflex, his eyes closed and his left palm was slapped over them. His right hand crossed over to his left chest as he took in the soft palpitations.
"Two years...and she is still here..." Ryoma thought as his right hand slowly tightened its grip on his shirt.
Author's notes: Mikhail is Ryoma's coach. I named him after a real-life tennis coach who is currently coaching an Asian tennis superstar (wink wink).
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