Disclaimer and descriptions found in chapter one.

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AGAIN

Chapter Two

Ryoma threw his tennis bag down on the floor and flopped onto his bed. Staring at the white ceiling of his messy room, today's event just kept replaying in his mind. Karupin hopped onto Ryoma's bed and climbed on top of Ryoma, purring under his cuddle. "Ne, Karupin… why did he have to come back?" Karupin stopped purring and stared at Ryoma. "Why….. why did come back…?" She gently pawed Ryoma's face, discovering her paws were wet from the tears that were rolling down his face. "Tezuka….." He whispered in the dark, remembering how he looked three years ago and how he looked three years later.

Tezuka was no longer the young man he used to know. He didn't grow taller or fatter, but he was fitter and slimmer. His hair was longer but was still in that mess of his. He still wore the same glasses that hid his beautiful eyes. Eyes that were deep and expressive. It was those eyes, the fire behind them, which pulled Ryoma towards Tezuka. 

The polyphonic tune of "You Got Game" began to play. Ryoma woke up from his daze of Tezuka and realized it came from his tennis bag. He sat up and allowed the blood to flow back to his brain before walking to answer his phone. A familiar name flickered on his cell phone screen. But wasn't the name he was hoping for.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Ryoma-kun! Finally! I've been trying to get you the whole day! Where have you been?!"

"Ah… Sakuno… I was at practice."

"Till so late?! Ryoma-kun I know you are the captain of the team but you don't have to overwork right? Now remember……"

Her voice just rattled on and on, however Ryoma's mind was not focusing on what she was saying, instead he was thinking of a certain some one. A certain some one who came back today.

"Ryoma-kun? Ryoma-kun?! Are you listening to me?" Sakuno screamed into Ryoma's ears. Taken aback by his screaming girlfriend, he answered, "Gomen. Got a bit distracted. What were you saying?"

"I asked if you were free tomorrow, after practice. I haven't got a glimpse of you the whole week." Sakuno's question seem to have sunk into Ryoma's mind. He was staring at his tennis bag, wondering whether to say yes or no. His favourite red tennis racket fell out of his bag and was sprawled on the floor. It reminded him of the time when Tezuka challenged him at Haruno courts three years ago, asking him to be a pillar of Seigaku. 'Why won't you be my pillar instead?' He thought.

"Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno screamed into his ear again. At that moment, his phone beeped. Another person was trying to call him. "Ah. Gomen. I can't make it tomorrow. I have something on. I got a second line, talk to you tomorrow." And he hung up on her, leaving her shocked and dumbfounded. He switched lines and spoke to the person on the other side of the line, "Hai, Fuji-sempai?"

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Tezuka walked into Seigaku University's Tennis Clubroom after his usual practice. Everyone else had gone home, except him. As per normal, he stayed back to practice playing against the wall. He sat down, with the towel over his head. Thinking of what Fuji said to him at the end of practice.

"Ne Tezuka, you okay?" Oishi asked. Tezuka simply nodded.

"I heard that you went back to Seigaku Junior High yesterday," said Fuji who was walking towards the pair.

"You get your news fast, Fuji," as usual, Tezuka replied short and direct. Fuji gave his usual smile and continued, "How's Ryoma?" Tezuka stopped at the mention of his name. "Nyah? Ochibi-chan! It's been such a long time since we saw him."

'Thank god for Eiji.' Tezuka thought. "Should we go visit him? Ne ne...Fuji… Oishi…" Eiji whined again. 'It was usual for Eiji to be so happy and hyper.' Tezuka thought again, hoping Fuji would stop staring at him.

"Hai...hai..." Oishi said, giving in to Eiji's whines while both of them headed towards the clubroom. Fuji simply smiled and stood next to Tezuka. "Ne. Tezuka. You miss him, don't you?" Fuji asked. Tezuka just stood there, staring at Oishi and Eiji, not intending to reply at all. The prodigy tennis star was certainly something. "Just follow your heart Tezuka. You've been hurting too much. All these three years, he was the only one you wanted. Give in to your desires, won't you?" Tezuka turned to face Fuji, who was still smiling but his eyes were opened. It was a sign that Fuji was serious with what he said.

"NYAH FUJI! Are you coming?!" Eiji screamed for Fuji across the court from the entrance of the clubroom. "Hai! Hai!" Fuji replied back to Eiji. He turned to face Tezuka again, smiling, but with his eyes closed, "Go to him." And he turned his heels towards the clubroom. Eiji was whining on how slow Fuji was, while Fuji was apologizing.

"I wish I had what Fuji and Kikumaru are having." Tezuka spoke aloud, with the towel still over his head.

"Have what, buchou?" Shocked, Tezuka removed his towel and stood to face the door, to see Ryoma leaning against the door frame with his red racquet in his hand, his bag at the door. He had his obnoxious look plastered on his face again.

"Echizen. What are you doing here?"

"Fuji-sempai said you would still be around."

"That Fuji…," Tezuka frowned.

"Buchou. Let's have a game." Ryoma said, pulling his cap lower. "Go to him." Fuji's last sentence replayed in Tezuka's mind. He looked at Ryoma, with the evening sun behind him, as if he had a glow around him. 'Beautiful,' was all Tezuka could think. "So?" Ryoma prompted again.

"Sure." Tezuka replied, with his lips curving slightly upwards. Ryoma was surprised that the ever fierce captain actually smiled. Noticing how wonderful Tezuka looked when he smiled, he pulled his cap down again, to hide the blush that was arising. Tezuka grabbed his racquet and walked towards the door and patted Ryoma's head, "Ikuzo."

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Author's Notes :

Heh. Okay I made Fuji and Eiji together. I was contemplating on the golden pair instead of the dream pair, but I know my friends (Shuui and Ivory) would prefer the dream pair. XD And Fuji is up to no good again. *lol* Finally an appearance of some of the Regulars.