Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis etc.

I apologize for any long and windy POV, but I found it enjoyable to write from a person's point of view.

This is mainly on Ecizhen's POV. Hope you will like it!

Ecizhen's POV

I woke up this morning feeling like crap, as if someone had smashed a heavy metal mallet across my skull. That dull throbbing feeling in my head was driving me insane and my limbs felt like heavy lead or something. Great! I am having a headache! Muttering curses under my breath, I tried to find the cause to my current pathetic state. Was it due to the fact that I had over worked myself by playing tennis for nearly 6 hours straight or was it because I had accidentally drank my father's beer by mistake? Or could it be both?

Yesterday, that old man went about his usual routine of taunting me again and being me, I had to take up the challenge. We went match after match and well after 4 hours, some parts of my body were screaming for rest and were threatening to breakdown. Blame it on my pride. Though I was sorely tempted to a break, I couldn't just slump on the ground like a bag and sand and let that old man have the luxury to gloat. I felt like wiping that cheeky smile of his face. He fired me up once more when he offered me a handicap. That did it! I went on smashing tennis balls at him, ignoring the painful cramps that were building up in my limbs. Sure I had great stamina, but 6 hours straight of tennis right after I had accidentally tasted Inui sempai's juice was a bit too much for me to handle. I remember barfing my guts out as he proudly introduced his Inui's Mega Power Juice that was still under construction. It was meant for today's training. I can't imagine how that adjusted version will taste like when that under construction juice tasted bad enough, like a combination of mouldy cabbage and decomposing meat.

After that tennis match with that old man, he offered me, who was half dead, some unidentified drink while he hurriedly gulped down his drink. My senses were numbed and I wasn't my usual alert self. This was due to the fact that I had used up practically every ounce of my strength and I was longing for water to replenish the fluids lost. So heck with those warning signals that was flashing in bright neon lights, I downed the contents in the cup without giving much thought. Bad move though, soon I saw my vision swimming in front of me as I sank into deep oblivion.

So here I am, still lying on my bed, suffering from a terrible hangover and my body was breaking down. Worse still, I could be sick! What the heck. Dragging my rotting carcass of the bed, I swore to myself never to accept any thing from strangers again, especially if that stranger was an old monk who read porn. Well, now I know that my drinking capacity was terrible. I better abstain from beer.

Steadying myself, I stole a look at the clock and my lifeless eyes widen. Oh shit! I am like nearly forty-five minutes late from this morning's training! Buchou will surely make me run hundreds of laps! Why didn't anyone wake me up? It was then I realized that the house was empty. Kaa-san left a note telling me that the good for nothing father of mine went to help out his friend's expanding business. He would be gone for nearly three weeks. Cousin went to chase after Kurupin and Kaa-san went off to work. Apparently that old man told Kaa-san and cousin that I was suffering from a fainting spell or some sort and I needed plenty of rest. That liar. Today's training was extremely important as the next match was nearing and I needed all the practice I can get. Further more, Hyotei "kindly" offered to practice with us before the quarter finals. That evil glint in Atobe's eye made me wonder if there was a plot behind this. I needed practice so that I can overcome Atobe's Rondo of Destruction. I can see it now, me staring proudly, smirking at the defeated Atobe as I start Mada Mada Nae-ing again! Ah, victory will definitely taste sweet.

After washing up and donning my clothes, I lugged my body down the stairs and emptied the cupboards for aspirin to curb that headache. Snatching a dirty green box at the corner of the dark cupboard, I popped in 2 tablets and threw the box into my bag. With this insane pounding in my head, I doubt two tablets would make a difference. Nearly one hour late for practice, I stepped out of the house in a bad mood. I was terribly irritated as my headache had gone from bad to worse and I was still woozy. Maybe I should really stay at home a sleep till this headache disappears or something.

"Pathetic, you can't even handle this little headache. What a weakling." My inner voice scoffed, choosing this moment to declare its existence.

I could not be bothered to reply and carried on with my journey to school. Unfortunately, my inner voice continued its perpetual sarcasm. Great just what I needed. A spoilt talking machine that goes on and on, trampling onto my pride in the process. Needless to say, I was highly pissed. First the headache, next my swimming vision and now annoying mosquito that was buzzing constantly giving me no peace. I am sure that I was fringing the borders of insanity.

Well, just as I was about to snap at my inner voice to shut up, a blinding flash of light lit the entire sky. Who turn on the lights? In that split second, I heard a young girl's laughter. Looking around wildly, I spotted no young little girl. Great! Now I am hallucinating. When that old man returns home, I will surely pound on him for giving me beer, making me suffer like this! Say, that lightning soon disappeared and every thing was back to normal. Or at least I hope so. Dismissing thoughts that it was the works of the supernatural, I continued trudging to school.

Finally! After ten minutes of walking, I reached the tennis courts. There was a commotion going on, the entire club seemed to have their attention on something. Whatever it was, once I saw Buchou's expressionless face, I began to cook up some lame excuse for my late coming. Well technically speaking, I overslept. But it was actually my father's fault for challenging me into 6 hours of tennis and handing me beer, therefore causing me to have a hangover and making me pretty ill. So I should tell Buchou that my father tempted me into a 6 hour tennis match and fed me beer, causing me to have a hangover and… Well, I don't think that is a good excuse! Hey, Inui sempai also had a part in this! Oh wait, that was my fault. I took his water bottle by mistake. But he might have placed the bottle on the bench on purpose, you never know… … Well I am sure of one thing though; Buchou will definitely make me run laps again.

So I strode up, my face pasted with warning signs for everyone to buzz off, headache pounding furiously with me feeling really lousy, I apologized to my sempais for being late. The truth is I wasn't sorry at all. It was that old man's fault! Tezuka austerely demanded for an explanation. Fixing my glare on Buchou, I contemplated to use that pregnant lady's excuse again when I felt something slam into me. Looking down, I was extremely surprised to find this kid who was like half my height clinging onto me like a leech. Confusion was swirling within me as I tried to figure who was the little girl who was hugging me like her favourite teddy bear. I have not been cuddled or hugged for like ages (note that Eji and Momo have not thought of giving him bone crushing hugs yet) therefore I felt a little embarrassed.

Then suddenly …

"Papa!"

………

…………

……………….

The silence was deafening as the rest of the members stared flabbergasted at me. My ears practically swiveled when she shouted.

She called me her father…. Was I hearing things?

Well apparently not. The other members were shocked as well. I could see some of their jaws hitting the ground while others just gaped without any word coming out from their mouths. Fuji-sempai was amused. Buchou was well, stone as usual, but I could see shock flickering through his eyes. Well at least he is still human. The rest of the regulars looked as if they saw Tezuka dancing ballet in front of them. Inui-sempai as usual was madly scribbling away.

I thought someone played a lame joke on me, but it doesn't seem that way. It definitely must be the headache that was still thumping in my skull that caused me to hallucinate then. Perhaps it was due to me being sick and aching causing me to lose my sanity rapidly. Could it be some crazy fan girl that posed as my "daughter"? Or maybe I was dreaming, probably the side effects of popping aspirin, getting drowsy and all. I silently reminded myself to check the labels on medicine boxes before I ingest any medicine from now on.

But she does look a little like me, especially those eyes of hers. I wonder who on earth is she? Sigh! Who cares!

Having a terrible headache, being sick and aching, and a kid that claims that I am her father, what else could go wrong?

--------------------------

Normal POV

Everyone was staring at Ryoma, waiting for his reaction. Unexpectedly, he gently pushed the squealing child away and slumped onto a nearby bench, earning blank looks from many members. Being Ryoma Ecizhen, the second stoner of the group after Tezuka, his face betrayed no expression, other than the slight grimace.

After staring at Ryoma for a few minutes, Eji, who was unsatisfied by the lack of response by Ryoma, was the first to break the silence.

"Nya ochibi! Is she really your daughter?"

There was no response.

However, Eji's bold attempt fired the trigger and a flurry of questions and murmurs aroused.

"You got a wife?"

"How did you manage to hide such a huge secret from us?"

"Ecizhen, how old is your wife?"

"Is that why you were so late today?"

Amidst all the attention, Ryoma still stayed strangely quiet, like he was some mute or his attention was focused on other important matters. All he did was to pull out a dirty green box and started pouring out pills. Nevertheless, questions were still pelted at the first year.

Until Sakura dashed in front of Ryoma, glaring at everyone to shut it. Well, this sudden action caused Ryoma to snap out of whatever he was doing and look at the child weirdly. The rest of the club went as silent as a tomb and resumed staring at the pair.

"Papa is having a hangover, so can't you give him some peace?"

…..

"NANI? ECIZHEN! YOU HAVE BEEN DRINKING?" Momo exclaimed, totally shocked that his guess was right.

Now which was more surprising? Ecizhen drinking or that he has a daughter?

Ryoma ignored the stares and asked Sakura curiously, "How did you know that?"

Sakura stared at Ryoma cheerfully, "Papa rarely has headaches, and it is mostly due to papa's poor drinking capacity!"

Noticing that she got everyone's full attention, she gleefully began her Papa's life stories, "Papa cannot hold beer very well. Even if he drinks a little, he will definitely get knocked out and will sleep for hours. It was always grandpapa that tricked papa into drinking. Grandpapa very mean!"

………..

There was silence again. After all, this was the first time the Seigaku members knew something else about Ecizhen other than his superior tennis skills and his short height. Ryoma studied Sakura for another minute or two before emptying two more tablets from the box.

"Ecizhen, what are you doing?" Momo asked.

Looking up, Ecizhen held the dirty green box in front of Momo and replied, "Aspirin. From the looks of it, I need 4 instead of 2 tablets." He swallowed the pills in a flash and stood up.

"Ecizhen?"

"Aren't we having practice now?" Ecizhen picked up his racket and prepared to strode off when Sakura tugged Ryoma's shirt.

"Papa, I want to play tennis with you!"

A simple request from a little girl.

Sighing inwardly (and oblivious to the members who were waiting to watch a good show), Ryoma spun round and looked at Sakura, "Look, I have this really important match coming soon and I really cannot play with you. Moreover, I am not your father."

"But how does she know about my poor drinking capacity?" Ryoma thought, then dismissing it as a coincident.

…. Bad move.

"Sniff!"

Her huge golden eyes were brimming with tears, Ryoma's eyes widened as he realized that he was treading on dangerous grounds.

"Papa is so mean! Papa promised!" Sakura wailed as she cried her eyes out.

There stood nearly 20 flabbergasted boys, none had experienced such a disaster in their entire lives. Helplessly, they looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

Then a loud shriek that echoed the entire place.

"EH? RYOMA-SAMA HAS A DAUGHTER?"

---------------------------------------------------------------------

AH! A new chappie as a Christmas present for everyone who read this fic. Hope you will review and treat that as a Christmas pressie to me!

I hope I got the character of the little girl correct; they love attention and cries sometimes when things are not in their favour.

I thought the part where Sakura went forward and glared at everyone to shut it was a blast, though it was only a split father and daughter moment.

Pls also review if you have any ideas for the story, b4 the story goes all dry and boring.