Author Notes: Arrghh…Just like the one before, I have no confidence on this one. I'm sorry if the previous one is too short…T_T So, I'm trying to make this one a bit longer. All I can say is please enjoy it!
Disclaimer : You know whom these characters belong to, right? Don't claim me, okay?
Warning : Shounen-ai. And… Maybe a little bit angst.
The First And The Last
Author : Sharl
Chapter two: The Unique Regulars
"Wow! I thought I'd never made it. Why did she give me those difficult balls? Thank God I could return them all," muttered Eiji when he took a rest at the locker room after the test that Ryuzaki-sensei gave him. It was a difficult test. Ryuzaki-sensei gave some shots that NORMAL people wouldn't be able to take it. But Eiji's ability of Acrobatic-play allowed him to take all of those balls. Oishi gave him a bottle of water and a towel.
"Thanks. You are so nice, Oishi," said Eiji with a sweet smile.
"Am I? Well, I thought you will be exhausted, so I went to buy some drink," answered Oishi with a slight of blush appeared on his face. "By the way, I didn't know that you are a great acrobatic player. You didn't tell me anything about that."
"It's because you didn't ask. Just forget it. Am I a great tennis player?" asked Eiji. Oishi nodded. And suddenly, a guy with bandana on his head showed up.
Who is this guy? He has scary eyes. And that face makes him looks like snake! Thought Eiji.
"You," he talked to Eiji, "Ryuzaki-sensei was looking for you,"
"Okay! By the way, who are you? My name is Kikumaru Eiji. Nice to meet you!" said Eiji introduced himself.
"Kaidoh Kaoru. Second grade," answered Kaidoh shortly. And then, he left.
"Strange guy. But he wears the regular jacket. Is he one of the regular?" asked Eiji when they left the room.
"Yes. He is one of our best players. He can do the buggy-whip shot," answered Oishi.
"The what?"
"Buggy-whip shot. We call it Snake. And he can do the boomerang snake too,"
"Wow! Seigaku regulars are great! I bet you are a skillful player too, Oishi. Since you are the vice-captain,"
"Unfortunately no. I'm not that good. I'm just an ordinary player," said Oishi unobtrusively. Suddenly, there was a voice. It came from a tall black-haired guy. I think this one is a regular too. He wears that regular jacket. He seems nice! Thought Eiji.
"Don't lower yourself, Oishi-senpai. You know you are a good player," said the guy.
"Momo? Are you taking a break?" asked Oishi.
"Yes. Inui-senpai's juice will kill me soon if I am not taking those training. I rather to take those training than drink that poisonous stuff. Oh, did you hear that he made a new kind of juice. He said he never tested it to anybody. And he wanted me to be the first! Can you imagine it, Oishi-senpai?! Why he didn't try it to Fuji-senpai first? He'll like that juice, I bet," said Momo with a submission face. Oishi laughed.
"Well, if Fuji like that juice, it doesn't mean that we will stay alive after drank it. You know Fuji has a weird taste. He ate much of wasabi sushi last month, remember?" answered Oishi with a smile.
"Yeah I guess you're right. By the way, who is this?" asked Momoshiro with a finger pointed to Eiji.
"Oh, sorry. Eiji, this is Momoshiro Takeshi. He is a regular member too. As you can see, he wears the regular jersey. And this is Kikumaru Eiji, Momo. He wants to join our club," Oishi introduced them each other.
"Hello there! Nice to meet you!" said Eiji happily.
"Nice to meet you too!"
"Well I guess, we will get going then. If we don't get hurry, I bet Ryuzaki-sensei will make us drink those Inui juice," said Oishi.
When they reach the field, they saw Ryuzaki-sensei was talking to a short boy. That boy worn a cap on his head, and he worn the regular jersey. From the boy's eyes, Eiji felt that this boy was so arrogant. What a cocky boy. But he looks like one of the regulars. Since the Seigaku's regular were skillful tennis players, so this boy must be a great player too! But I think he's kinda short for a third grade. Even for Junior High School! Thought Eiji.
"…so Ryoma, I and Inui already talked about this. And we decided that you must drink two bottle of milk a day. Well, since you are TOO short for a junior high school, almost all of your opponents from another schools think that you are an elementary kid. So they underestimated you," said Ryuzaki-sensei to that boy.
"I think it's doesn't matter, Sensei. The most important thing is I CAN beat them, right? So size doesn't matter, I guess," answered the boy.
"I know you are right Ryoma. But why don't you try to be a little higher?"
"Tennis is not about height, Sensei. My father told me that,"
"Your father?" she inquired in disbelief.
"Uis," answered Ryoma shortly. And then he left.
"Oh my, just as arrogant as his father, I guess," said Ryuzaki-sensei with a sigh.
"Emm… Excuse me Sensei. Kaidoh told us that you were looking for us," said Oishi politely.
"Oh, Oishi. Sorry. Didn't realize you before. Yeah, that's right. I want to talk to Kikumaru-kun,"
"Yes?" asked Eiji.
"Did Oishi told you about the rules in our club?"
"He did,"
"Well, write your size in this paper, Kikumaru-kun. We need it to make a new regular jersey for you,"
"A what?"
"A regular jersey,"
"So, you mean that…"
"Yes Kikumaru-kun. Now, you are part of our regular. Congratulations,"
"Really? Yay, thanks!"
Ryuzaki-sensei laughed. "No need for you to thank us. We are the one should say thanks. Because of Oishi brought you here, now we have an acrobatic player in our club. Well, I guess I must get going now. I have to remind Arai not to insult a freshman anymore. His trouble is getting serious from day to day," said Ryuzaki-sensei. And then, she left the guys behind.
"Oishi, thank you very much! Because of you, now I'm part of Seigaku tennis club! Arigatou!" said Eiji with his cute and happy tone.
"You're welcome,"
"Hey, the boy who talked to Ryuzaki-sensei. Who was he?"
"Oh, he is one of our regular too. His name is Echizen Ryoma,"
"But he's kinda short for a third grade,"
Oishi laughed. "Well, it's true that he's in short size on his age. He is not a third grade. He is a freshman,"
"Freshman?! You mean that he's a regular freshman?"
"Yes,"
"Wow. Then, he must be a great player too, I guess,"
"That's true. Echizen Ryoma, Tezuka Kunimitsu and Shuusuke Fuji are our best players in all of the regular,"
"I see. Echizen Ryoma… I think I have heard the name Echizen somewhere,"
"Of course you have heard that name. That boy's father is one of the pro-tennis players,"
"Ah, that's right. Echizen Nanjirou. The best tennis player in his time,"
"Yes. By the way, I think you should write your size now. I'm afraid you will forget it,"
"Oh, I think you are right," Suddenly a scream -with full voice of pain in it- heard.
"What was that? Is something happen?" asked Eiji.
"It came from that field. I think I will check what's happen. Do you want to see it too?" said Oishi.
"Of course, why not?"
When they reach the field, a guy lied down right in the center of the field. That guy looks so terrible. His face was full of frights. And his hand was holding a glass made of plastic with a red liquid in it. The liquid looked like blood. It seems that the guy drank that liquid. Is he still alive? Why he drank blood, by the way? Thought Eiji.
"Inui! What did you gave to Arai-kun?" asked Oishi with a panic face.
"Don't worry, Oishi. He wouldn't die. I only gave him my new type of juice. It is called Penal Tea, I made it yesterday. It will have a good effect for our body," suddenly a VERY TALL guy answered Oishi's question. That guy is TOO tall for a junior high school student! And what THICK glasses he wears! This one is the weirdest guy I have ever met! Thought Eiji.
"What does that juice contain?"
So it is a juice, not blood! What a suspicious juice! Thought Eiji.
"I think it's better for you if you DO NOT know what I put in it,"
"But, why you gave it to Arai-kun?"
"Because Ryuzaki-sensei told me that I can give him the punishment for trying to pick a fight with the freshmen. Well, since Tezuka isn't entering the club today, so I'm the one who give punishment for Arai-kun,"
"I think Arai-kun will be happier if Tezuka is the one who gave him the punishment, Inui. Tezuka will just command him to run about ten or twenty laps. But you…"
"I told you, Oishi. He wouldn't die,"
"Hey, wait a minute. Is that juice the one you wanted Momo to try?"
"Ping-pong. Because Momoshiro chose to do my warm-up training than try it, so I gave it to Arai-kun,"
"So, you mean that Arai-kun is the FIRST?"
"Actually not. Fuji is the first,"
"And?"
"And he said that this was the BEST juice he ever drink,"
"BEST?"
"Yes. And he also told me that this juice had a very interesting taste,"
"TOO interesting, I guess,"
"By the way, are you the new regular member?" Inui asked to Eiji.
"Yes. My name is Kikumaru Eiji. Nice to meet you!" answered Eiji.
"Nice to meet you too. I'm Sadaharu Inui. The club manager,"
"So, you are the one who make that juice?"
"Yes. Do you want to try it?"
"No, thanks,"
"But you are a new member, right?"
"Yes, so?"
"I think you must try it,"
"Must?"
"Yes. It's one of our rules,"
"When did that rules exist in this club, Inui?" asked Oishi with a curious face.
"Just kidding,"
Just? You almost made my new friend die NOT in peace. Thought Oishi.
"Well, I must go now. Sensei said that after Arai drink my juice, I must help her to arrange a new training,"
"New training?"
"Yep,"
"So, that means…"
"Yes, Oishi. Harder than our usual training, I guess. And I can make this juice as a punishment if our member cannot finish the training on time," said Inui with a full of satisfied smile. And he left.
"What a scary guy. But I think that juice will be proved to be scarier than himself," said Eiji.
"Yes, you're right,"
"Why didn't you try the juice?"
"Who? Me?"
"Yes, of course. There's nobody else except us in here,"
"Well, there's Arai-kun,"
"But he is FAINTED, Oishi,"
"I guess you're right,"
"So?"
"So what?"
"So, why didn't you try it, Oishi," said Eiji with an impatient tone.
"You want me to try that stuff?"
"Well, not really…"
"If I try that juice, it means I will be just like Arai-kun. Lay right in the middle of the field,"
"I think so. Gomen, Oishi,"
"Why did you apologize?"
"So, you are not angry with me?"
"Why I suppose to angry? I don't have the reason,"
"Yokatta nee," said Eiji with a sigh.
"I guess we have to take Arai-kun to the medical room. We can't let him lied here until tomorrow,"
"I think so. Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go,"
Then, they go to the medical room with Arai.
"Excuse me…," Oishi words were cut because there was nobody in the medical room.
"I guess nobody's here," said Eiji.
"I guess so,"
"Nee, Oishi. I want to thank you,"
"For what?"
"Because you are so nice, gentle and kind to me. You are my first friend in this school. Thank you. Thank you so much for being my friend. Arigatou," said Eiji with a VERY VERY NICE smile. Suddenly, Oishi's heart started to beat faster than usual. And Oishi blushed. Oishi thought, What's this feeling? I think that he is different than the other guy. I feel like I don't want to lose that smile. No, I want to make that smile mine. Only mine.
Argh…*Sharl is trying to hide herself, but she has nowhere to hide* ^^ It was finished at last! What do you think? Give me reviews about this chapter, please… I need it to continue this story. Onegai…