DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marmalade Boy, though I wish Yuu did.

TOGETHER FOREVER

CHAPTER 3: TOGETHER FOREVER

Miki smacked a hand to her forehead. "Oh, no. The tournament is today and I only have to go practice."

Ginta laughed, "You better start concentrating, because you never know who's watching you in the stands." He checked his watch. "Since you have three hours to practice before your first match, I'm just gonna head to the men's court." Ginta waved goodbye and jogged towards the men's locker room.

Miki stood there dumbfounded. 'What is Ginta talking about? Who would be here to see me', she thought. Instantly Miki jumped up in glee. 'It must be Yuu, who else could it be.' She hugged herself dreamily, as if Yuu were in her arms. 'Today I'll play my best for Yuu.'

She ran towards the locker room daydreaming, when she crashed into someone. Miki fell back redfaced, and apologized to the woman. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

The woman smiled, "No problem. I'm so clumsy." Miki doubted that. The woman had long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail to show off the three earrings going down her ear. She looked really hip and chic with her bright yellow sundress and sandels. Miki felt slouchy in her casual tank and shorts she wore for practice.

The woman continued, "Actually I'm lost. I'm looking for the tennis court, but I just keep going around in circles."

Miki sweatdrop 'You have to take the track to get to the courts. How many times did she go around before she realized she wasn't going anywhere.' Out loud she said, "I'm going to the locker room, you can follow me there."

The lady looked relieved, "Thank you. By the way I'm Jessica Walker, all my friends call me Jess. I'm from Florida, and no I don't surf, I play tennis. That's why I'm here. Some members of the team had the chance to come to Tokyo. Our coach has been here for a week and we just got here yesterday. Tokyo is really beautiful-"

Miki's head looked as if it was about to explode as she tried to absorb all the information Jessica was telling her. Her mind started fizzing when Jessica asked:

"What about you? Whats your name, do you play tennis?"

"I'm Miki Koshikawa and I play tennis for Tokyo University."

Jess's blue eyes expressed shock, "You're Miki Koshikawa. Wow. Our coach came here today to watch you. How long have you been playing tennis?"

Miki laughed, "I didn't know I was such a celebrity in America. I don't know how long I've been playing tennis, it seems like forever. I joined in middle school and high school, and since I love it so much I joined it in college."

"Our coach had heard about you on some international newsbroadcast and then he seen you play. He seen your game yesterday and thought you were great," Jess said.

Miki flushed with pleasure, "Oh, thank you. I know I'm good," she said without any modesty, "But my boyfriend is better than me."

"Well, that's good then," Jess giggled, "Because we're only scouting for female players."

Miki's big brown eyes widened, "You're scouting for new players?"

"Yes. But we're looking for the best person out there. The best person," Jess said with emphasis.

"Will you all be watching me play," Miki asked nervously. "We're playing against our rival Kyoto University. Whoever wins today goes wins the tounament."

"Not only that. Coach Sanders says her descision depends on how the matches go."

Miki stopped when they reached the building with the locker rooms. She pointed to the right, "You can get to the court if you go across that field, or you can go through the locker room." Miki started to walk in when Jessica grabbed her arm.

"I don't know how much tennis means to you, but if you want a career in this may be your only chance." Jess looked Miki straight in the eye. "Our coach had hundreds of people to choose from and she chose to watch you play today. If you truly want a career in tennis, then you better play as if your life depends on it. You're not just playing against a rival team, you're playing against everything that comes between the chance of a lifetime."

Jess smiled, "I have no doubt you'll make it. Sanders was really impressed, just remember to do your bet out there. I'll see you on the court. Bye." Jessica bounced off to the court.

Miki stood there thinking, 'Is she saying that Florida University will take on their team if I do good. That means I could get a scholarship there,' she thought excitedly. Then she thought of Yuu and her happiness deflated. 'I can't think about Yuu right now, he'll only distract me. I have only three hours to practice and impress Florida U.'

After she grabbed her racket Miki became so engrossed in practice, not once did Yuu cross her mind.

4 HOURS LATER

. Miki easily won both sets in the quaterfinals and prepared for her match in the semi-finals.

When she sat down Ginta ran up to her. "That was a good match, it's the best I've seen from you. You really must want to win."

She didn't reply, she just looked straight ahead with a determined look on her face.

Ginta snapped his fingers in front of her face and Miki jumped. "That's the first time you spaced out Miki without thinking of Yuu. You never once looked in the stands while playing."

"What's in the stands?"

"You forgot about your fiance already," a voice said over them.

Miki jumped and turned around to face Yuu. "Yuu," she cried, throwing her arms around him. "I'm so sorry I forgot about you, its just that my matches are more important than you are right now."

Yuusweatdrop asked, "What did I do to have such a wonderful girlfriend?"

"It's my only chance to prove something Yuu," she said earnestly. "I know that I don't have to prove anything to you, but sometimes no one else has any faith in me. Realistically tennis is the only thing I'm really good at. I've always had average grades and achievements so I was never special at anything else like you. You're already becoming a famous architect and I have one chance to prove myself to everyone. It's my only chance," Miki repeated.

"Your only chance," Yuu asked.

Miki quickly kissed Yuu, "I'll tell you later. I don't want to get too excited or spoil it." When she started to pull away Yuu grabbed her back.

"Come with me, Miki. Your next match is in twenty-five minutes, and I have something for you anyways," Yuu said.

At first Miki resisted, then she shrugged her reluctance off. "Just for a few minutes," she ordered. Yuu ignored her and dragged Miki to the men's side. It was empty because the team had went to watch the women's tournament.

Miki let Yuu lead her to the court. She turned to face him, "What did you get me?"

Yuu grinned and held out his arms and cried, "ME!"

She looked so dissapointed Yuu laughed. "I thought you loved me Miki."

"I thought you brought me a gift," she retorted.

Yuu's grin was even wider when he placed a jewelry box under her nose.

"Oh, what is it? Open it," she demanded.

"After we play one set of tennis."

"Tennis," Miki asked. "I'm in the middle of a tournament, why would I want to play right now?"

"You need to warm up, and my version of tennis is a lot more fun."

Yuu went to get a racket and some tennis balls that were conviently on the bench. Then he went to the other side of the net. "If I win this set, I get to kiss you."

"What if I win," Miki asked.

"That'll never happen," Yuu muttered. "But if you somehow manage to beat me, you get to me."

Mikisweatdrop.'What a lot of options to choose from,' she thought. "If I win I get to tell everybody it was you who played in that comercial."

"Now you really will lose." Yuu tossed the ball and swoosh- it flew right past Miki. "ACE," he shouted.

Miki shouted, "That's cheating, you knew I wasn't ready."

Swoosh. "30 love," Yuu laughed. "I don't know how you're still in the tournament. I just scored two aces, two more and I win."

This time when Yuu served the ball Miki was ready. She returned all his shots and spins, but he did one of his usual tricks and the ball flew by her.

"Just give up now Miki, you don't stand a chance." Yuu served the ball and WHACK, Miki hit the ball past him.

"Looks like everbodys will know how beautiful you look in drag," Miki taunted. Then they earnestly begin playing. (AUTHOR'S NOTE: In the manga Rumi forced Yuu to star in a comercial as a beautiful queen. And he made Miki promise not to tell anybody. So only Meiko her best friend and Miwa, Yuu's best friend knew.)

THWACK!!

SMASH!!

WHACK!!

Soon the game was tied 40A-40, Yuu with the advantage. Yuu served the ball one final time and smashed it. Miki hit it back and ran to the left to return his next hit. She forgot about how sneaky he was, because when he moved to the side, he rushed back and SWOOSH-Yuu scored.

Miki collaspsed to the ground. "I'm so tired now, playing against you. I don't think I can play my next match."

Yuu walked over to her and gently picked her up. "Don't worry, you'll have enough energy to beat them." He touched his lips to her nose. "It looks like you lost to me though."

"You cheated," Miki objected.

"So true. I won anyways. Now I get to kiss you." Yuu's moutht descended down on Miki's, warm and soft, sliding her into the kiss. He deepened the kiss until Miki lost her breath.

He pulled back and Miki whispherd, "I don't think you finished taking your bet yet."

Yuu smiled softly, "Really," he asked. Miki nodded. "Well, I did win," he said as he returned his lips to hers. Miki sighed and melted back into the kiss. Yuu's lips traveled over her face and trailed down her throat.

"Miki," Yuu paused. "Don't you want your gift?"

Miki's eyes were closed, "I'll wait," she said dreamily.

Yuu laughed and disentangled himself from Miki's arms. He took the box back outand opened it. He hid a grin as Miki gasped in delight.

"Oh, Yuu. It's beautiful." Miki reached in the box and pulled out the locket. "Put it on me, Yuu."

Yuu shook his head, "Nope, you said you wanted to wait."

Miki was staring with starry eyes at the beautiful gold chain and locket. "Not anymore," she said decidedly.

"You don't want to kiss me again?"

"I want the locket even more."

Yuu sweatdrop. He took the delicate chain from from Miki and opened the clasp. "Turn around." Miki spun around until her back faced him. Yuu put the locket around Miki's neck and it fell between her heart.

Miki touched it and lifted her tear-filled eyes to Yuu's. "Thank you, Yuu. It's beautiful."

"You didn' t open it." He moved his hands from her shoulders to open the locket for her.

Miki looked down and nearly cried. There was a picture of them when they had went to a festival, it was when they had first started dating.

Yuu pointed to the right side, "Our wedding picture will go right there. I put a picture for when we first stated realizing our love for each other. And the wedding picture will symbolize all we had to go through to get there. That no matter what obstacles came our way, we found a way to be together. We're not there yet, but I know we will be because-"

Yuu broke off to show her the inscription on the locket. "I know this because we'll be" he quoted from the locket, "Together Forever."

Miki smiled, "I'll love you for all eternity." She tilted her face until her lis touched his. "Because we'll always be together."

Author's note: I hope you loved chapter 3. Please review if you like the story or hate it. I promise to update within a week. Thank you:

Mikigirl, Ravenn03, Raifuno Maki, Moon-Light Miko, Coolgirlemily