Author Notes : Whoa, I've never written something so long as this. Blame my mind and my fingers. Anyway, thanks for all of your wonderful reviews! This chapter dedicates to anyone who read this and then give reviews! Love you all, guys!

Replies :

Doujin : I… am… flattered… Thank you, I've never expected someone to say I was good with putting these into words. Sometimes I even confuse myself with words. Thanks!

StrAwbErRyfAnSz : Phew.. it's so hard to write your name, but I'm doing it right, aren't I?  ^_^  Anyway thank you for reviewing so enthusiastically! About Tezuka and Fuji, I have never intended to make it otherwise. I have never thought of seme Fuji! _   Everybody knows how Tezuka is but I like the idea of him needing Fuji as much as Fuji needs him. I want both of them to be strong but need each other. Fuji has a problem, yes. You can see it from the first chapters but it will be revealed here. And this time, it's Tezuka's turn to be his pillar of strength.

Yami no Tenshi : It's nice to have reviews too! By the way, thanks for the cacti. I've never heard of it actually. I only knew cactus. Okay, I'll answer your questions. It's my pleasure to answer ^_^

Tezuka is a bit… well, aware of himself. And he IS cold, isn't he?

He indeed thought something dirty, I mean nearly thought. We know Tezuka *sigh* he will not let anything like that crosses his mind. Let's see if someone can change it ^.^

I like if the Golden Pair is working together! They are surely the Golden Pair!

Tezuka will confess, believe me, but maybe not in the way saying 'I love you'. I think they need more than words. I'm working on it, but all of a sudden someone comes and destroy it… _ Just read if you want to know…

Miu-chan : Love you too! I will never do the fic this way without you! I think it *cough* will be long. I hope you can stand me and my imagination…

Mica-chan : Thanks for the review! It's good to know there are so many Tezuka-Fuji fans! About the Golden Pair, I will not write about them so obscene as a pair. They are FRIENDS enough in this fic, believe me. Well, maybe for a certain scene… ^_^* About the R part……………………………………………. I don't know! I don't think I will turn it into R. Let the R part only stay in my mind. ^.^

Flowery : …………………………………………………………………………………………………… (The author is too shy to face her fan) Umm, are you sure I'm that good?……….Wow, I'm speechless. (Suddenly burst in and hug her fan) Thank you so much!! It really encourages me to find someone really like this story! I don't think this will end soon, but that's mainly because of my schedules. Anyway pls continue reading this! And Tezuka is meant for Fuji only and vice versa!

Eriol-sama :

DISCLAIMER : I don't own any of the Seigaku's member! They belong to their respectful author. But Konomi-sensei is mine! ^.^ (Read if you want to know what I mean!) And believe it or not, I own a very disturbing character here! Find out who she is! _

WARNING : None I guess. Except now the guys are in high school.

'Words in italyc' are for thoughts.

Chapter 9 : We're back on Line!

"I'm leaving!"

Oishi walked merrily on his way towards the Seigaku High School, his tennis bag hang on his shoulder, waving as he took each steps. It was the first day he would be a third-grader.

Some things don't change, he noted unconsciously. Right they had been, he had taken the same path for more than five years now, since his high school building was located beside the junior highs. He still had some of the old friends around him and to make the resemblance even clearer, he had been voted as the tennis club's vice-captain last year.

He entered the school gate, looking here and there for any face he knew, especially a certain redhead. Drawing a sigh, he reminded himself to find out in which class he had been placed first. The calm guy easily spotted a tall wide board with a large number of students gathered in front of it. Slowly he made his way through the crowd, his eyes were scanning names below the third grade classes. Fortunately he didn't have to stay any longer in the suffocating area, for he had found his name put as a member of class 3-1.

Swiftly he got himself out and searched for his best friends. He quietly hoped they would be put in the same class, though the chance was nearly nil since there were four of them. They had never made it since junior high school.

Talking about their previous school, Oishi's thought drifted to his underclassman, who should be joining them this year, both in school and club. He had heard from Ryuzaki-sensei that Echizen would enter the Seigaku's High School as well, although the at-the-moment captain who replaced Momoshiro1) spoke nothing of his intention.

We will be together once again, just like the old days, his smile broadened as he saw two figures were standing under a full-blooming sakura tree. His present captain and the-still-a-prodigy guy were talking to each other, too occupied to notice his approaching steps. He could see even from his distance, the cold leader threw a rare smile to his other friend who was leaning idly against the tree's trunk. Then Fuji spotted him and waved his hand.

"Oishi! Where did they put you?"

"3-1," Oishi stepped beside Tezuka who was staring (in a friendlier way than anyway before) at him. The prodigy did have a great effect on their captain, he must admit. "What about you guys?"

"Guess what, they are quite nice to place us in the same class," Fuji answered. "I hope Eiji will be with us too. Did you see his name?"

"No," the raven-haired guy shook his head. How his partner would be disappointed if he was the only one who was cast aside. But he missed both Fuji's and Tezuka's names, so it was possible he also missed the other one.

Suddenly a pair of hands glomped onto his shoulders and the face of Kikumaru appeared from out of nowhere.

"Oishi!! I was waiting for you in front of the gate! How could you be here already?"

"Because I came earlier than you," Oishi tried to release himself from the strangling limbs. "What about your class, Eiji?"

Kikumaru looked puzzled. "Oh, well, I forgot, I haven't seen it. Any of you have?"

"You haven't seen it," Oishi stated in disbelief. "That should be the first thing to do in your very first day of school, Eiji."

"I'm looking for you!" his partner pouted.

"Well, I'm looking for you too but I know that I'm in 3-1," Oishi argued.

"Will you cut it out, just go, and see?" A deep threatening voice suddenly emerged. The Golden Pair looked at their captain and quietly thanked the tennis courts were nothing near them. Fuji hid his amused smile at their horrified faces.

"You're as mean as ever," the prodigy commented when Kikumaru and Oishi had walked away.

"It's better to know sooner than spending your time arguing at each other," Tezuka said nonchalantly. He discerned deeply to the guy in front of him who almost reached his height 2) "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Not really," Fuji smiled and gently reached for his captain's hand. "Let's go and find the others. I want to meet Echizen too." And Tezuka let himself to be dragged away.

By the way, the Golden Pair were stuck in the middle of buzzing students.

"Oishi! I can't see my name anywhere! In fact I can't even see the board! This guy is blocking my sight! Man, why people have to get so tall while I'm not!" Kikumaru whined as he tried to tiptoe.

The 'TALL annoying guy' turned back and faced him suddenly. "It's not my fault I'm this tall. You are the one who have to grow up, Kikumaru."

For a moment, the redhead stared dumbly at his TALL team mate. When finally he realized what his friend was saying, he was enraged. "You were not saying that I was short, were you!?" A sensitive part, indeed.

Inui shrugged at the words. "I merely showed you an obvious fact."

"I AM NOT SHORT!"

"Inui," Oishi interrupted as his hand held his partner from crushing the TALL guy, "can you help us by seeing which class Eiji is in?"

"Sure," Inui observed the board so meticulously so you could wish he had memorized all the names. The vice-captain waited patiently while in his hold, Kikumaru was trying to perform some acrobatics in order to get free.

"Calm down, will you?" he hushed the acrobatic player.

"He called me a SHORTY!"

"He was not! He only said he was taller than you and everybody knows it's right!"

Kikumaru blinked. "He did?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"All right," At last, his body relaxed in his friend's arms. Oishi both thanked God and cursed silently. His partner didn't really listen what Inui was saying after all!

"He's in 3-1," suddenly, Inui's voice interrupted them.

Oishi blinked. "He does?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Kikumaru looked at this scene thoughtfully. Whoa, a de ja vu. I think I've heard this somewhere… He didn't have a chance to finish the thought when only heaven knew why, Oishi hugged him.

"Eiji! We're in the same class! Four of us!" Oishi shouted right in front of his ear.

"Don't shout! I…what did you say!?"

"WE ARE IN THE SAME CLASS! YOU, ME, TEZUKA, AND FUJI!"

This time, Kikumaru paid no heed to his 'deafening' ears. As soon as the news reached his censoric system, he jumped and nearly knocked Oishi down, if only the vice-captain didn't have such a balance and they were not in the middle of the crowds.

"ALL RIGHT! WE DID IT! WE…"

The assembling students around them looked at the pair with growing interest. The Golden Pair, of course was well known in the school environment, no need to add their outstanding features. Moreover, to let them hang with their cool captain and a certain breathtaking prodigy, was more than enough to all the school-girls. Once the news was spread, eyes were pinned at the list of 3-1, hoping to find their names there.

Meanwhile, Inui tried his best to stop the uproarious pair.

"…WE'LL BE TOGETHER! FOUR OF US!"

"Come on, you two. There is no need for such a stir…"

"…AT LAST AFTER FIVE YEARS…"

"…wait 'till Tezuka heard about this," he muttered in dismay.

"NO!" Suddenly his friends stopped the commotion and faced him, fear spread all over their countenances. Inui raised his eyebrow at this, wondering why their captain had such a hold in them.

"Fine, I will not tell him. But you have to tell me something in return."

"What?" they said in unison, hope looming in their eyes. I know whom I will vote as the scariest creature walking on earth, Inui felt indeed amused.

"Have you seen, Kaidoh?"

The pair let out breaths of relief at his answer. They have thought the worst, which was containing the Brand New Special Golden Power Remix Inui Juice. "No."

"Oh," the data guy slumped down at the answer. He had searched for the object of his affection all morning and found no trace of him. "Well, I guess I will look for him again. And don't worry about Tezuka. He will surely hear about this, though not from me. All people around us can be your suspects if he really gives you punishment," he added, amusement flickered in his voice. With that, he left the Golden Pair in horror.

"He had a point," Oihi concluded. "We did make a great mess."

"What are we gonna do?" Kikumaru whispered in panic, as he afraid the captain was somewhere in his range to hear it. "We cannot avoid him now! We're in the same class! And today the practice will be begun!"

The raven-haired guy looked at him anxiously, "There's only one thing to do. Don't approach him unless we have Fuji near!"

"What about Fuji?" A deep voice suddenly appeared.

"Waah!" Kikumaru instinctively glomped on Oishi, "I'm sorry! I don't mean to make fun of you! I won't say anything again about your Fuji! I…"

"Eiji," his partner patted his shoulder to calm him, "it's Taka-san."

"Huh?" The bewildered Kikumaru turned and saw a flustered Kawamura -to be exact because of the words, your Fuji- was standing in front of them.

"YOU NEARLY SCARED ME TO DEATH!!!"

"I'm…I'm sorry," said Kawamura who had no slightest idea what his fault was, "I just wanted to ask you about your classes."

"You haven't heard? I thought everyone in this school would have known about this. Well, we are in the same class, me, Eiji, Fuji and Tezuka." Even with the prospect of a raging captain, Oishi could still smile every time he remembered he would be in the same class as his beloved.

"The four of you in the same class??" Kawamura suddenly felt down and abandoned. "How envious… I've been left…I'm the only one alone…my friends all in one class…I'm not…I'm alone…"

"Come on, Taka-san, it's not that bad. You still can meet us at the club, right?" Oishi tried to soothe his friend, while his partner looked around for any racket.

This will be a long year…

*   *   *

~Three months later…~

"A veterinarian! I know I'm destined to be a vet!" Kikumaru exclaimed.

It was in the third month of their third year. Of course, the graduation was near and everybody had to prepare for their next steps. Considering his love to animals, be a veterinarian was undoubtedly suitable for the redhead.

"So you will be a vet?" Fuji reassured, receiving vigorous nods from his friend. "And you Oishi?"

"Not too different," the vice-captain smiled, "since nearly all of my families are doctor, I'll be one too. I want to be a doctor anyway."

"That fits you well," the prodigy commented, "I wonder…" There was a loud noise from the hallway outside their class. Three of them quickly stood up to find what happen while the other one (was still reading his textbook) only gave a sigh.

"What was that again?" Kikumaru inquired, trying to see anything in the middle of the crowd gathering in the hallway, and he was shocked to hear a shrill screaming coming from outside. "Oh no…"

"Just ignore them," his captain said quietly.

Four of the outstanding Seigaku Tennis Club's personnel were in one same class, was one to count. The fact that four of them were always together was too much a temptation to bear. No wonder, even after three months, the windows of their classroom were still filled with faces of overeager fangirls.

"Are you saying we have to face this until the end of the year?" Oishi muttered under his breath. Tezuka only shrugged, he was too annoyed with this situation and now completely gave them no heed.

"Well, I guess that's the only thing we can do," the vice-captain sat down again. "Where were we? Oh, Fuji, what about you?"

"I'm not sure," the asked one pondered ("Not that 'I'm not sure' again!" Kikumaru yelled) "I want to take photography, but maybe medical is interesting too."

"With your grades, you can choose anything," the acrobatic player commented, "and our captain?"

"Just wait and see," Tezuka didn't move an inch from his book.

"What an answer," Kikumaru sighed in desperation, "Fuji…"

The prodigy only stared in amusement to both of his friends. He would surely get a response no any longer from his leader, if only their teacher didn't step into the class.

"Fine, good morning everybody," Nagato-sensei greeted his class and spared a glance to four of them who were the cause of the great commotion out there. He drew a sigh and resumed, "Today we'll have a new friend in this class. She will be here in any minute. Help her, if you please, because it's hard for her to be transferred into a new school in the middle of the year like this."

Right after he finished the speech, their class' door was knocked.

"Come in!"

A slender figure glided in. Most of the guys looked in awe at the marvelous creature who appeared in front of them. She was beautiful with long wavy raven hair, her green eyes shone with pride. She cast a glance around the class and her eyes rested mostly on a certain prodigy. Tezuka looked at his friend and saw him tensed at their new classmate's appearance.

"This is Morita Saki. She moved from Kyoto this month and now will join you. Fuji-kun," he looked at the prodigy who rose from his seat immediately, "as the class' chairman, I believe you can help her."

Fuji already had a smile placed on his face again before anyone excluding Tezuka realized his actual reaction. He nodded politely at the newcomer and sat down.

Nagato-sensei turned to Saki and showed her seat.

*   *   *

~ Later at the club~

It wasn't a good day for the Seigaku's captain. He was still disturbed by his friend's reaction in the morning until the ending of their practice hour. Miserably, he couldn't find any flaw in his behaviour all the day. The prodigy seemed as cheerful as anytime before. If he missed the look, he would have no suspicion at all.

At last Konomi-sensei 2)  (_), their coach, assembled them. "I must admit, all of you are great today.  Next week we'll begin the inter-school tournament to choose the regulars. From a hundred of you3) only ten will be chosen, so I hope you'll do your best," his eyes flickered to a freshman who had a sullen expression. A lot he had heard about the boy's miraculous ability, mostly from his regulars. "Fine, dismissed!"

 Immediately, the team members scattered, eager to get home as soon as possible to practice more or merely strengthened their physiques. Konomi-sensei looked at his charges with a sense of pride. They were extremely serious about tennis, for they were chosen from lots of good players. Of course from so many applicants he had chosen the best, and they were. Not to mention he had some prodigies there. Suddenly he remembered a matter which had lingered at the edge of his mind since the practice began.

"Tezuka-kun, wait," he stopped his captain.

The guy ceased his steps and turned around to face his coach. Konomi-sensei sighed when the cold brown eyes stared at him. He was utterly grateful to have someone so capable to be a captain, moreover had an ability great enough to be an international player. The only flaw of him was maybe his introvert personality which made him seemed cold and distant. However he didn't miss the glance his team leader had spared to a certain guy when he called him. And also to a beautiful girl who stood outside the court. I wonder who that girl is. She had been there since the practice began.

His attention returned to the guy standing in front of him. "I won't make this long, but I just want to give a simple advice. If you have a problem, you can talk it to someone you can trust."

Receiving no response, he resumed, "I know you are not the depend-on-other type, but sometimes sharing your thought to someone else can lighten the burden."

"There is no one in this world should have another's burden. Maybe their own responsibilities are great enough to kill them, not to add with other's," Tezuka replied with an icy-cold tone.

"How do you know when you have never tried?" The coach raised his eyebrows.

Tezuka was completely silenced by this. It was painfully too true in his case. Even with Fuji, he had never talked about his complicated matters, only simple ones. He tore his gaze from the inspecting sight of his coach and mumbled, "Maybe the one you trust is not the one you should talk to."

"Is it your case?"

"Not really," his eyes were back on Konomi-sensei's. "My matters are not important enough to weigh anyone else's mind. They were merely anxieties, Sensei. Nothing to be worried of."

"I believe so since they didn't affect your performance. Or maybe you are a too good actor. Just remember my words, Tezuka-kun," he gave a fatherly smile.

The captain bowed and retreated himself. His mind was full with his coach's advice, but his own option still held the victory. Slowly he opened the changing room's door and found it to be empty. All the team members seemed to have left already. He changed his clothes and collected his belongings hastily as to get rid of something in thought.

As usual, he was the last one leaving and that gave him time to enjoy the tranquility surrounding the school. He heard almost no disturbing voice, only natures such as wind and birds. He was gazing at the crimsoning sky when a figure passed some metres in front of him. Instinctively, he stepped behind a sakura tree.

Another figure, who he recognized as Saki, suddenly appeared and grabbed the first. To half of his shock (unconsciously, he had known who it was) Fuji turned around, anger flashed in his eyes.

"I have told you not to follow me."

Tezuka was surprised, or to be precise, shocked to hear the sweet prodigy could voice a very unfriendly tone. Moreover to a girl!

"Why are you doing this, Shuusuke-kun? We are best friends, aren't we?" Surprisingly, the girl's voice was clear and steady.

"Since what you have done, we WERE best friends," Fuji said matter-of-factly.

"I have known you since we were infants!"

"I don't see why it matters."

"It does matter!" She jerked his hand, forcing the guy to face her. From his place, Tezuka felt as he was staring into a marvelous painting. He could see her outstanding beauty, combined with Fuji's eye-catching one. The prodigy didn't fail to shine his attractiveness, even in the state of rage he was now. No reason whatsoever he had in his heart, the captain had to admit they were perfect to behold.

"Tell me," the guy's voice was full with threat.

"I am your fiancee, Shuusuke-kun! Face it!"

At this statement, Fuji turned around and walked as fast as he could, leaving his fiancee behind, and his captain somewhere under the shadow of a tree.

TBC………..

Are you curious? Am I not an evil ^.^ If you want me to continue this, give me reviews!

About Saki, I only want to have a not so annoying female character here. Well, maybe she is annoying enough for disturbing our Tezuka-Fuji's relationship, but she is not the whiny type like Sakuno (forgive me, Sakuno fans) I dislike her and Tomoka so much! (Sorry again for both fans…) _  Saki is nice girl, but she is too obsessed by her childhood friend, Fuji of course. And one more thing, she is extremely beautiful.

Here some explanations about the fic:

1) After Tezuka left, Momoshiro was the captain. And the next was Ryoma.

2) I want them to be fair. Maybe it's impossible to make Fuji as tall as Tezuka, so I'll make only A LITTLE BIT shorter. Perhaps only for two inches.

3) This is not the wonderful Konomi-sensei who made the Prince of Tennis! This is the other Konomi-sensei, okay? But anyway, because this is 'Konomi-sensei', he knows that Tezuka is troubled ^_^ I had given up on names and suddenly this popped up. Don't blame me.

4) Yes, the Seigaku High School has an outstanding reputation in tennis, so there are many good players apply there, so they has a lot of members with great abilities too! Our regulars really have tough times here, but it will make them stronger, right? ^.^