Ponta: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

The Seigaku Regulars: .................

Momo: What is Ponta so scared of?

Ryoma: That girl, Momo-senpai. :: pointing to the mysterious person in Ch.6::

Eiji: EH! Kaidoh, I didn't know you're bi!

Oishi: Eiji, that's rude to say.

Inui appeared: I didn't expect you to cheat on me. How could you?

Kaidoh: I'M NOT BI, INUI-SENPAI! I just bring that person here for revenge.

Ponta: HOW COULD YOU KAIDOH-NICHAN! I THOUGHT WE'RE FRIENDS!

Kaidoh: ...................I hate you.

Ponta: GASP! :: faints ::

Momo: So who are you?

Mysterious person: Well... I'm THE BEAUTIFUL QUEEN OF ENGLAND! HO HO HO HO HO! :: Pink flowers background appeared ::

Momo: .......I'm so glad I'm gay.

Ryoma: Mada mada dane.

Inui: Ponta knew the queen of England? That somehow seemed illogical.

Eiji: EH! REALLY! KAIDOH I DIDN'T KNOW YOU KNOW SOMEONE SO IMPORTANT!

Kaidoh: .............................

Oishi: Eiji, I don't think that's the real queen of England.

Eiji: ...She isn't?

QueenofEngland: GASP! HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE MY ROYALTY STATUS! BOW TO ME, YOU VULGAR SLAVES!

The Seigaku regulars: .......................................................................

Kaidoh: Hiss, I regretted that I brought her here.

Ponta woke up: YOU'RE ARE NOT THE REAL QUEEN OF ENGLAND! HOW CAN YOU BE A QUEEN IF YOU'RE A MAN!?

The Seigaku regulars: .................................NANI?!

Eiji: That's a man? I thought she was a girl.

Ponta: .....can someone read the disclaimer and start Ch. 7 please?

QueenofEngland: Oh, I will do it. After all, I'm in drama class! :: spotlight appeared over him :: My slave, Ponta, does not own this beautiful anime, Prince of Tennis, with such a beautiful people fit to be my slaves. HO HO HO HO HO!

Ponta: .............................................I'M NOT YOUR SLAVE!

Ryoma: Mada mada dane.

The Right Guy

Chapter 7

~~~~~~~~~~ Momo's POV ~~~~~~~~~~

"YAWN!"

This is so boring. Why do I have to suffer through this? It's only the first day of school and the teacher already assigned us homework. Seriously, my teacher is such a slave driver. Why couldn't the school make the classes more interesting or just make things easier by not giving us classes at all. I know I need education for a good life but this is ridiculous. The annoying teacher kept blabbering about this and that in a monotone voice.

Can we just get this over with classes, so I can go back to the court and play tennis again.

I stretched my arms and lie back on my desk chair. My eyelids felt heavy as the teacher's lecture is luring me to sleep.

I'll just sleep to pass the time. I closed my eyes completely and rest without a single thought of that arrogant brat.

But then that's impossible because I kept thinking of that arrogant brat and my loss to him.

"Game to Echizen! 6-1! Echizen won this match!"

"Mada mada dane." Echizen said that to me right after the match is over.

Echizen is really a good tennis player, that's why I lost so greatly to him. No wonder Grandma Coach and Buchou are interested in him.

However I couldn't help but feel mad and jealous about my loss and Echizen's remarkable strength. If I want to catch up to Echizen, then I better increase my strength in tennis. Maybe I should ask Inui for a training schedule.

"Momoshiro."

If I catch up to Echizen, he might accept me more.

"Momoshiro."

Heh, he might even ask me out.

"Momoshiro."

...What am I thinking? Echizen is homophobic, there's no chance for me anyway.

"Momoshiro."

But that didn't stop me thinking of Echizen every time.

"MOMOSHIRO!"

"AHH!" I yelled and opened my eyes at the same time. I looked up and saw that the teacher was right in front of me, glaring at me with furious face.

The teacher spoke sternly, "Did you just fall asleep in my class on the first day of school?!"

"Gomen, I'm just tired from tennis practice." I apologized almost sincerely.

The teacher still looked at me with stern face and sneered, "If you flunk tomorrow's quiz, I will have to kick you out of class."

"NANI!?" Man, I cannot believe it. I just fall asleep and this has to happen.

"Don't consider yourself excused next time you come back from the nurse." The teacher went back to his tedious lecture.

I hate that teacher. I wonder if he actually owned slaves.

I looked at my right sprain ankle all neatly tied up. After my loss to Echizen, I have to go back to the nurse since I forgot about my sprained ankle and played tennis passionately. Oishi kept nagging me, saying I shouldn't overwork myself next time.

Sigh, I have to avoid tennis for another few more days.

After few more hours of classes, the bell finally rang and it was now lunch break. I wasn't hungry and have been eating less since I knew about Echizen. I know I have to eat but I couldn't eat.

I was about to head for my dorm for a quick nap but Eiji found me first.

"Hoi hoi, Momo!" Eiji called for my name.

"Eiji-senpai?" I was surprised to see Eiji here.

"How's your class, Momo? My classes are so boring and the mean teachers already gave me so much homework already!" He whined to me.

I snickered, "Same here, Eiji-senpai."

"Let's go to the cafeteria! I heard they're serving your favorite hamburgers!" Eiji cheered, urging me to go with him.

"... Sure." I replied it dully.

Eiji took notice of my tone and asked, "Is something wrong with you, Momo?"

"Huh? What make you think something wrong is with me? Let's just go to the cafeteria." I smiled and headed off.

"HOI! Wait for me!" Eiji chased after me.

We grabbed seats in our favorite table near the window. Eiji bought two hamburgers and a large fries and drink while I merely bought one hamburger and a small drink. Eiji was surprised when he look at my choice of food.

"Uh... Momo, are you sure you're alright?" Eiji asked me out of concern.

"Of course I'm fine! Just thinking." I laughed it off, trying to show that nothing happened to me.

"Well then, Itadakimasu!" Eiji took bite of his hamburger.

It was a lie. I'm not fine but I don't want to concern my senpais. Ever since I met Echizen, I felt like a mess but yet I still thought of him. I was staring at my favorite hamburger, which awfully looked tempting but I was not hungry.

Eiji was staring at me as I was staring at my hamburger. He was probably wondering if I'm waiting for the hamburger to rot. He dropped his food on his tray so hard, it shook the table. He looked at me with fierce look and concern in his eyes.

He yelled, "Geez, MOMO! What happened to you!? And don't give me "I'm fine" crap! You look like you were in another world and you're not even eating."

"I will eat ..." I tried to calm him down but it was futile.

He still yelled, "ITS YOUR FAVORITE HAMBURGER AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN EATING!" Eiji started to shook me like crazy, "WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OLD MOMO THAT ALWAYS JOKE AROUND, EAT LOT OF FOOD, and ALWAYS STEAL MY FOOD!"

I pried him off and muttered, "I'm okay! I just thinking about something. And I always steal your food?"

Eiji sighed out of disappointment and asked, "Is this about Ochibi?"

I was surprised, "How do you know, Eiji-senpai?"

"It's just that ever since you met Ochibi, you have been like this." Eiji explained.

I was shocked at Eiji's keen sense of observation.

He continued on, "Is this about your loss to Ochibi this morning?"

I knew I cannot lie to Eiji. Once he gets serious, he intends to find out one way or another.

"Part of it." I answered.

"Part?"

"I found out something about Echizen." I explained.

"So what do you found out, Momo?" Eiji questioned me more.

"Echizen is ... homophobic." I said it sadly.

"Oh, Momo!" He suddenly hugged me as I was his teddy bear, "So that's why. Don't fret about him, I'm sure you'll find another person."

"....," I broke him off and said it annoyingly, "What do you mean another person?! I didn't even like Echizen in the first place!"

"Really?"

"Uh... well I'm not sure." I staggered in my answer.

"It is related to Ochibi. So how do you know he's homophobic?" He asked me with curiosity.

"I asked him." I replied sadly.

"Eh! He said it to you?" He continued to ask me more.

"Well ... actually he didn't answer it, he just ignore it."

"........ then how do you know?"

"From the way he ask and plus a silence from him could meant a yes." I answered.

"A silence could mean anything, Momo! Do you really know that Ochibi's homophobic?" Eiji asked out of frustration.

"Umm ..."

"Do you even know?"

"Well, he did ..."

"DO YOU EVEN KNOW?!"

"ALL RIGHT, I didn't really know," I gave in to Eiji's questions, "What do you want me to do?"

"It's simple, Momo! Just go ask Echizen again!" Eiji replied happily.

I knew that Eiji was going to say that.

"But I didn't even like Echizen in the first place, so why do I need to ask him?" I complained.

"Really?" Eiji teasingly poked me.

Actually not really. I'm scared of asking him. What if he leaves me?

"I don't know." I replied to Eiji.

Eiji sighed and then gave me an advice, "Momo, you need to be more honest. Just go ask Ochibi or this will go nowhere at all."

"Hmm," I know Eiji was right, "Don't tell me that's how you know Oishi- senpai is gay?"

"Yup! I asked him directly!" He smiled brightly.

Sigh, I should have known. Maybe I should be more honest like Eiji.

"Hoi hoi, Oishi! You're late!" I heard Eiji calling for Oishi in the crowd.

Oishi walked up to us and apologized, "Sorry I'm late guys." He grabbed a chair.

"Why you're so late, Oishi?" Eiji asked him.

"I couldn't help it but I heard that there was a fight near the sophomore's classrooms. So I rushed there to stop it but it seemed it was over." Oishi answered.

The sophomore's classrooms?

"Why is there a fight in the first place?" Eiji continued to ask.

"I think it was a fight between sophomores and a freshman. The last thing I heard about them was that the sophomores are in the office and the freshman was sent to the nurse's office." Said Oishi.

Freshman? Sophomore's classrooms? Why does that sound familiar? ...oh crap!

I quickly got up and yelled, "Echizen!" I scanned around the cafeteria to see if he's here.

Echizen isn't here! He must have gone to the nurse's office.

I immediately ran out of the cafeteria with Echizen only on my mind.

Damn it, please be alright!

~~~~~~~~~~~ Neutral's POV ~~~~~~~~~~~

Momoshiro rushed out of the cafeteria, leaving the Golden pair in awe.

"Hey, where is Momoshiro is going? And he shouldn't be running, what about his ankle?" Oishi spoke with concern.

"I think he went to nurse's office to check on the freshman." Eiji suggested.

"Why? Does he know that freshman?" Oishi asked.

"Hmm, I think he does." Eiji smiled since he knew who the freshman would be, "Do you want Momo's lunch?" Eiji grabbed Momo's tray and showed it to Oishi.

Oishi was surprised, "This is all he order?"

"Yup, he said he's not hungry."

"EH! Is something wrong with Momoshiro, Eiji?" Oishi was concerned since he knew that Momoshiro loves to eat a lot.

"Momo just have a problem with Ochibi that he needs to deal with."

"What problem?"

Eiji grinned, "It's a secret plus I think it will work out between them just like it works out between us."

Oishi smiled affectionately, "Sure it will, Eiji."

~~~~~~~~~~ Momo's POV ~~~~~~~~~~

My lungs were burning and the pain on my right ankle was swelling. But that doesn't stop me from running.

Why does the nurse's office have to be so far?

Wait, what am I doing?

Why am I so worried for Echizen?

I have no time to wonder about it! I have to find Echizen!

Why do I care for him so much?

I finally reached the nurse's office and opened the door.

I saw a nurse checking a young girl and was surprised by my arrival.

"Momoshiro? What are you doing here?" The nurse asked me then looked at me, gasping for breath, "Please don't tell me you run here, what about your ankle?"

I took a deep breath and asked, "Never mind that, does Echizen came here?"

"Echizen? I haven't had a patient with that name." The nurse answered.

Echizen is not here? Where would he be? ...I know!

I thanked the nurse again and ran, this time to my dorm.

I was out of air as I reached my dorm. I took several deep breathes and then entered.

Once, I entered I heard numerous voices speaking. I walked closer to the source and there he was. Echizen was sitting on the sofa, watching T.V. and stroking his cat. He looked fine but I knew he was not.

Echizen heard the door closed and looked at me with surprise. Then he gave me his usual cold glare, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh the last time I heard, this is my dorm." I replied to his cool attitude.

He looked at me coolly and then went back to watching the television show.

I sighed. Couldn't Echizen take a joke? I spoke to Echizen honestly, "Actually, I heard there was a fight involving a freshman and sophomores. So I came to check on you to see if you're alright."

Echizen still has his eyes on the T.V. and replied, "Oh, as you can see I'm alright."

I grunted out of frustration, "Oh come on, Echizen, I knew you were in fight."

Echizen just shrugged, "So what that I was in a fight? I'm fine."

I retorted, "No, you're not fine. I heard that you were sent to the nurse, so why you're here?"

"I'm fine, okay!?" Echizen raised his tone against me.

I know he was lying.

I walked closer to the sofa and noticed a little dark color on his right arm. I rushed to him and grabbed his arm.

Echizen was surprised and yelled, "What are you doing?!"

I pulled up his white sleeve and saw a dark bruise on his arm. I scorned him, "You're fine? How do you explain this!?"

He pulled his arm out of my hold harshly, "So what, it's just nothing."

I poked his right arm and he winced loudly in reaction. He immediately covered his right arm with his left hand and yelled at me, "Why do you do that for?!"

I yelled back, "Why do you have to be so damn stubborn!?"

Echizen didn't answer, he just ignored me coolly.

Sigh, I went to the cabinet and grab a bag. I filled the bag with ice from the freezer. When I came back, Echizen was still covering his right arm. I spoke to him softly, "Give me your arm."

Echizen looked at me coldly.

"Please." I pleaded him because I was concerned.

He gave in and released his right arm. I immediately putted a bag of ice over his bruise and he clenched his teeth in response.

"Just endure it, you need to let it stay on your bruise for few hours." I advised.

I hold the ice to his bruise for awhile letting time passed. It was silent until Echizen broke the silence, "Why do you care for me?"

I was surprised because I didn't really know too. I answered him, "I'm a senior, and I have to take care of the younger freshman."

He continued to ask, "Seriously why? I acted cold toward you and sometimes tease you a lot. So why do you care for that kind of person like me?"

"I don't know Echizen," I answered truthfully, "Sure you were an arrogant brat and all but I don't mind because it's what who you are. I guess I care for you since I'm your roommate."

Echizen didn't reply, probably he accepted my answer. There was silence between us again but this time I broke the silence, "How do you get in a fight, Echizen?"

Echizen looked at me annoyingly but answered, "It's not like I want to. Few sophomores from the tennis club were jealous of me because they heard of the special offer that I get. I think they were jealous because of the fact that I get to be a regular earlier than them."

I listened carefully, "What happened next?" I urged him on.

"I was also in their same classes. I think they were also jealous because of that fact. They didn't want me to be equal as them. After class, they said I should respect and obey them since they're older than me. But I just shrugged them off." He continued on.

I muttered, "Then you got to a fight."

"Yeah. The teacher stopped the fight right after they punched me."

"Gomen, Echizen." I apologized.

"Why you're sorry, Momo-senpai?" He asked me.

"I should been there for you since I'm your roommate and senior. But I was distracted and now you got hurt."

"Doesn't matter, I'm fine."

I sat down next to him, to keep an eye on him. Echizen looked at me questionable look.

"Aren't you going to get lunch?" He asked me.

"Nah, I already ate." I lied but I was not hungry because I'm worried about Echizen's condition.

"Sure? I know you like to eat a lot."

"Yeah, I better stay here and keep an eye on you or you will do something reckless. I think it is best that you should skip today's classes."

"Fine for me. The classes are easy anyway." Echizen boasted, "Don't you need to go to your classes?"

"It's okay. I might as well stay here so that my cute roommate wouldn't be lonely." I snickered.

Echizen spoke with an icy tone, "I don't need anyone to watch over me. I have Karupin anyway."

I was offended by his tone. I really wanted to stay here right next to Echizen. I'm not sure how to say this but I felt at peace when I was right next to him even though he might be homophobic. But Echizen doesn't seem to want me to stay.

I slowly got up, "Fine, I'll go back to classes." I replied coldly to his tone.

I was about to leave but something grabbed my shirt. I looked behind me and saw that Echizen was holding me back.

His head was down but it seemed like he was struggling to say something. It took me a moment to realize what he wanted to say.

I spoke, "You know, today's classes are so boring. I'll just skip it and stay here." I sat down next to Echizen again.

"So what are you watching, Echizen?" I was watching the T.V. too.

"Just some old show." Echizen replied simply.

"Hey, I used to like this show when I was little."

"Me too." Echizen smiled at me.

I was surprised by how amazingly cute he was when he smiled like that. His smile was so warm and suited him, instead of his cold face.

I smiled back and I felt closer to Echizen than before.

TBC

QueenofEngland: Oh what a beautiful chapter. But I think it should be prettier with flowers!

Ponta: .....................WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE!?

Momo: Hey Ryoma, is that guy really a man?

Ryoma: I never know.

Eiji: But how can that person be a man? He looked like a girl!

QueenofEngland: OH! Why thank you! I used lot of makeups to make myself look beautiful!

The Seigaku Regulars and Ponta: ................................................Makeups?

QueenofEngland: HO HO HO HO HO!

Kaidoh: Hiss, I definitely shouldn't bring him here.

Momo: Well, isn't that too late?! Mamushi!

Ponta: I can't take this madness anymore.

Ryoma: Mada mada dane.