Disclaimers: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi. This is for entertainment purposes only. No money being made.
Author: aomurasakiai
Title: Questions
Warnings: Mostly Kaidoh POV, Fuji being Fuji
Pairings: Inui/Kaidoh (if you want to see it), slight Fuji/Yuuta
Spoilers: Episode 71 - It's a Date!
Rating: PG
Special Thanks: My one and only beta, Deb!!
Kaidoh stared at the blinking, empty battery symbol that was displayed on his cell phone.
"Out of battery…" he whispered to himself, not aware that some of the pedestrians were staring at him strangely. The second-year quickly snapped it shut and tried to calm himself.
Did Inui-senpai say, "date"? No, it couldn't be. He must have heard wrong. The third-year must have meant he… wanted to collect more data to see if the training was going well or if he had to change it accordingly. Or maybe… he wanted to discuss about teaming up in doubles again, like they had against Hyotei. Yes… that must be why he wanted to meet at the tennis courts.
The mamushi didn't realize that he had crouched down with his hands clutching his head. He cursed his cell phone for running out of battery power at the most crucial moment. Now he had no way of confirming what Inui-senpai had really said unless he went along to find out. He could just not go but… it was a request from a senpai. Kaidoh couldn't ignore it.
He began walking in the direction of Third Street, desperately wanting to believe that it was an invitation to train together and not… The recurring image of Inui-senpai and the flower field sent him walking backwards quickly before crouching down on the sidewalk again.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
----
Walking through the park towards the street tennis courts, Kaidoh had his arms crossed in front of him as he tried to think what else Inui-senpai had meant.
"Don't 'hate' me, but…"Retracing his steps, he shook his head to stop that line of thought, mumbling negatively.
"It is 'fate' that…"
Kaidoh widened his eyes in shock before he unconsciously backtracked again. It was after 15 minutes of walking back and forth and contemplating on the whole situation again and again before he finally reached the tennis courts. The bandana-clad teen stood at the bottom of the stairs, his mind still swirling with thoughts about his senpai's possible words.
"I want to 'update' my data…"
"Don't be 'late'…"
"Don't be… late," he mumbled to himself again. A small smirk of relief appeared on his face as he replayed the conversation in his mind. "Heh, of course. That makes perfect sense. 'Hurry up. Don't be late. I'll be waiting.' That's what Inui-senpai was saying." Nodding surely to himself, Kaidoh walked over to lean against the handrail, all of his earlier stress and fears suddenly gone.
"Kaidoh?"
Jarred out of his thoughts, the second-year turned to face the person responsible for his previous torment. But, Inui-senpai wasn't alone; Oishi-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai, Fuji-senpai, Kawamura-senpai, Momoshiro and Echizen along with two Fudomine and three St. Rudolph tennis players were behind him.
"You are late," Inui stated unnecessarily. Remembering why he was late, Kaidoh forced down a blush and cleared his throat, hope rising that his senpai had said 'Don't be late' and not the 'd' word.
"Inui-senpai… what you said earlier…"
"About the date?" the third-year said, cutting him off. "Were you surprised?" he asked like before and smiled almost mysteriously. Kaidoh almost choked on his tongue as a wave of questions flooded his brain, first and foremost… 'What are you talking about, senpai?!'
"I thought that you'd dash over here, nya," Eiji said, grinning. "Inui discovered… something pretty personal." Misunderstanding what Kikumaru-senpai really meant, Kaidoh became wrapped up in the world of flower fields and running Inui-senpais. He never did notice the pink stain on Momoshiro's cheeks nor the ensuing argument between him and the Rhythm-yarou that followed shortly after.
'Masaka… Inui-senpai is… He can't be!' The mamushi glanced over to the spectacled third-year out of the corner of his eye and saw that he was being watched quite intently. He swallowed hard.
"Well, I have to head back and help Dad at the restaurant," Taka-san said, turning to leave.
"See you, Taka-san. I have to return home too. I left so suddenly… my parents might be worried." Oishi waved to the others before he went to get his bike.
"See you at practice, everyone!" Eiji said, before following the vice-captain.
"We must also be going," Fuji said, grabbing hold of his younger brother's arm. "Yuuta and I have a 'date'."
"Baka aniki!!" yelled the younger teen, a dark blush staining his cheeks.
"And you wonder why your brother hates you…" Mizuki said, exasperated.
"Mada mada dane," Ryoma said, almost bored.
"Echizen, want to join us?" Fuji asked, smiling.
"Well, I have to head home and my house is this way so…" The first-year made his leave before anyone, namely Momo-senpai, could stop him.
"Tch… I hate this… I wanted to play Echizen-kun… I had the right to play the first match… But no… I had to get dragged into a game with him as my partner… I never asked for that… And I wanted that grip tape too… Man… this really sucks… Getting on my nerves…" mumbled Shinji.
"Let's go, Shinji," Kamio said, dragging the still mumbling Fudomine player away.
"Hehehe, he sure is weird, dane." Yanagisawa chuckled before he too left along with Mizuki.
Kaidoh watched with rising terror as one-by-one all the junior high tennis players left, leaving him alone with Inui-senpai.
"I-I must go too. I have to continue my training," Kaidoh said quickly, trying to move away unnoticed by Inui-senpai. But he was stopped as the older teen placed a warm hand on his bared shoulder where the black tank top didn't cover.
"I have time today. Would you like me to train with you?" Kaidoh could feel heat rising to his face as he thought he felt his senpai's hand moving down his arm.
"Well… actually…" the mamushi tried to decline without being disrespectful.
"It's settled then," Inui cut him off without letting him finish. "I'll just run home and change. Meet me at the park in 15 minutes." With a light pat to Kaidoh's upper arm, the third-year turned to go, leaving the other standing frozen with shock. After a few steps, however, the taller boy stopped.
"Ah… remember," Inui turned around to smile at the other. "It's a date. I'll be waiting." With that, he resumed his walk home again, calculating the exact time needed to change and walk to the park, which came out to 8 minutes and 21 seconds. Considering the time it had taken Kaidoh to arrive at the courts and using that to determine the time it would take for him to reach the park, he would be late by 3 minutes and 56 seconds. Also with the seemingly offhanded "date" comment, the bandana-clad boy would take another 2 minutes and 19 seconds to get there.
Pushing up his glasses, Inui smirked.
Owari