Disclaimer: PoT doesn't belong to me. I own the plot, though. This can be called AU, I guess.

Summary: The journey for the Seigaku varsity team to the Nationals was not easy. More than a hundred laps, and the many Inui juices they had to endure was worth it. Or was it?

AN: Underlined words are spoken in English.

Down the Lonely Road: Betrayal

Coming Home

They were astounded, I guess, that I actually came back. Why wouldn't they? They knew my love for tennis. Obviously they thought that I would stay in America, play in the US Open, then go and grab some Grand Slam titles and become a pro. They keep underestimating me all the time! I wish they'd stop.

Luckily for me, everyone in my class didn't recognise me. Maybe that's because I'm taller, but that's no excuse! I didn't change my hairstyle, and my eyes are still that distinctive golden colour. Not that I did want them to know who I really am, but still...

I heard that there was a big fuss about me when I left. After two years, they forgot about me. It'd be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. I'd laugh anyway, but I'm not in the mood. But, all the better, I guess. This way, I can talk with my seniors before anyone knows who I really am. I just hope my teachers would think first before saying my name...

"Hey!" The teacher said. "What's your name, kid?"

I looked up. He's pointing at me. Is he? "Me?" I asked.

"No, the window beside you." He replied. Sarcasm noted. "Of course I'm talking to you! What's your name?"

"My name?" I hesitated. This is where my luck runs out. Oh why can't I be as lucky as that Yamabuki fukubuchou?

"Never mind." He said, consulting the register. Damn.

"Echizen Ryoma, am I right?" He stated.

"Yes." I answered after a few seconds. There were audible gasps, but this teacher ignored them. He didn't recognise my name.

"Well then, will you continue reading the passage, Echizen-kun?"

It was English class, and we were going through the story Sleeping Beauty. A happily ever after fairy tale. I'd spaced out, of course, it's a childish story! And it was last period, and I was tired. Besides, my life definitely wouldn't end like a fairy tale: 'And they lived happily ever after'. But being a student, I had to comply with his request. No problem; it was English, for the love of tennis. But as I read, Izumi-sensei didn't hear the whispers of my classmates.

Finally, the bell rang for end of school. I don't really know how I had endured my classmates' whispering; no doubt the news will spread. I'd already talked to Ryuzaki-sensei this morning, and had arranged a meeting with my former team mates in her office. I arrived first, and they came in soon after. First, it was Tezuka-buchou and Oishi, then Fuji, Kikumaru, Inui, Kawamura and Kaidoh. Finally, Momoshiro.

I watched them as they entered, and studied their faces. They'd all - changed. Tezuka-buchou looked like he always did, a twenty-year-old man. Oishi-senpai, and the rest, looked fatigued. They had seen too many horrible things. They weren't the senpais I knew two years ago. They had lost their innocence; whatever traces of youth they had were now gone. And it's all my fault.

I stood in silence as their chatter washed over me. To hear their voices again! Fortunately, none of them had seen me.

"Dark clouds are gathering." Fuji-senpai stated.

"Yes... heavy downpour is imminent, ninety-eight percent." Inui-senpai and his data.

"Hmm, if it does rain, we'll have to cancel practice." Oishi-senpai said.

"Good, nya! Then we can go and eat ice-cream!" Kikumaru-senpai and his hyper activeness.

"Um, that might not a good idea, Eiji-senpai," Momoshiro-senpai said. "Anyway, I heard something on my way here-"

"That will explain why you were the last to arrive," Kaidoh-senpai interrupted.

"What did you say, Mamushi!"

"All right, that's enough! I want you to meet someone." Ryuzaki-sensei said, and gestured to the boy standing at the window. Me.

I looked up, and met the eyes of my buchou. I couldn't read his face. I directed my gaze to the group as a whole, and realised that their expressions had changed. I saw shocked faces. Hmm, so the word hadn't spread far, yet.

"Konnichiwa," I greeted them.

"Echizen!" The whispers of surprise came out.

"What are you doing here!" Momo-senpai. "You left us! We don't need you!"

"Momoshiro! Stop!" Oishi-senpai. "Let him explain first." He turned to me. "That's why you wanted to meet us, right?"

I sighed. "Echizen Ryoma, the Traitor." I gave a thin smile. "I guess I deserve that title."

"Echizen," Oishi-senpai started.

"No. I betrayed senpai-tachi's trust, so traitor is a suitable word. Right now, all I can do is apologise. That's why... I wanted this meeting. I can't possibly undo what I'd done two years ago... and even if I wanted to, I... wouldn't. But what I can do now is change my future and my destiny. I couldn't then, but I will choose my path this time round.

"I betrayed your trust, and for that, I'm sorry. I apologise for whatever embarrassment and suffering all of you had endured on my account. I truly am sorry." I bowed.

Silence. Then, "Do you want to add anything else, Ryoma-kun?" Fuji-senpai.

I looked up; this was unexpected. Oishi-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai, Inui-senpai, Kawamura-senpai and Fuji-senpai were smiling. I blinked. Was Kaidoh-senpai smiling, too?

"Echizen?" Oishi prompted.

"Yes. I'd like to play with senpai-tachi again. I know that this is a selfish request, but... one can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."

A long silence. Then, Tezuka-buchou said,

"Ryoma-kun, okaerinasai."

I looked up as Kikumaru-senpai grabbed me into a bear hug. I looked at Tezuka and Oishi. Both had smiles on their faces, Oishi-senpai's wide; Tezuka-buchou's slight. They were glad that I came back! Inui-senpai had already begun to take down new data; I had grown. Kawamura-senpai was laughing at Kikumaru-senpai's antics, while Oishi-senpai tried to calm his doubles partner. Fuji-senpai was standing near Tezuka-buchou, talking to him in soft tones. Kaidoh-senpai muttered a welcome back. I smiled.

"NYA! Ochibi's smiling!" Kikumaru-senpai exclaimed. Everyone stared. And laughed. It was a team moment; just like the ones when I was twelve.

"Arigato." I said. But then I saw Momo-senpai. He was standing by himself, arms crossed in front of him, frowning.

"Your name will definitely be on the ranking matches list. Tezuka?" Oishi-senpai asked. After a wordless conversation between buchou and Oishi, Tezuka announces to the whole team, "We'll be having them next week. Good luck, everyone, and work hard."

"You mean you're just going to welcome him back into the fold!" Momoshiro burst out, incredulous. "Just like that?"

"Momo? What's wrong?"

"What do you mean what's wrong!" Momo exploded. "Don't you know what he did? HE BETRAYED US! He said so himself! And you're going to let him join the team just like that!"

"Momo, nya..."

"Momo, Ryoma-kun explained, didn't he?"

"NO, HE DID NOT!"

"If Momoshiro-senpai doesn't want me to join, then I won't." I spoke in the stunned silence.

"Echizen, no..."

"Oishi-senpai, if it isn't an unanimous decision, I won't join. Momoshiro-senpai hates me. That's understandable. If I did, the team would break up. I don't want that to happen. So I won't join." I said, my tone final. I turned to leave, hoisting my backpack onto my shoulder.

At the door, I paused and turned. "And Momoshiro-senpai?" I asked. He looked at me. "I know it's a bit too late, but... I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry that I couldn't be perfect - for you." I left the room at a run.

I heard my name being called, but I ignored them. I don't deserve their compassion. I ran through the gates, heading for home. I had made one mistake too many. I'm... crying? Oh, no... no, NO! Not now! I won't cry! I blinked furiously, trying to stem the flow. I succeeded, but just barely.

I reached home in record time and ran straight up to my room. There, I let my backpack fall to the floor, and buried my face into the pillow. Thunder rumbled outside, thick rain splattering against the window. The weather reflects what I'm feeling right now... angry... and dejected.

As I replayed the scene in my mind over and over again, my eyes started to water again. I let the tears flow. It hurt too much to keep them in. I've been rejected before! So why does it hurt so much... being rejected by Momo-senpai? I deserved the dismissal, God knows how much I really deserved it!

But... The pain... is... excruciating...

Still... I... deserved... this...

"Ryoma-kun?" I jerked awake at the loud knocking. "Ryoma-kun!" It's okaa-san's voice. "Are you in there?" she called. "Come out please, I need to talk to you!"

"Hai!" I grunted, climbing out of bed. I changed quickly out of my school uniform and into my tennis clothes. I grabbed my racquet and a few balls. I opened the door into my mother's prematurely-lined face. I placed my racquet by the wall, and went into the bathroom to splash water on my face.

"Ryoma, Sumire-san called me, and said to tell you that your seniors are planning to come here to talk to you. After their practice. She thought she ought to forewarn you,"

"Don't let them in. I don't want to talk to them. I'm going out to play," I said in reply. "Thanks, okaa-san," I called back as I descended the stairs, heading for our tennis court in the temple.

I walked into the temple grounds, still wet from the downpour that had just recently stopped. How long was I asleep? Five minutes... fifteen? That kind of rain doesn't last very long. I studied the court. It was muddy, but I could handle it. I looked around. Oyaji wasn't here. He disliked playing in muddy courts.

"Ryoma-kun!" It was Kari. She was dressed for tennis, very likely that Mother had told her that I needed an opponent. "Let's play. I'll receive," We played a set.

The score was now 40-15, advantage, me. It was my turn to serve, but just as I was about to, someone entered the temple grounds. It was Father.

"Yo, seishounen!" He called. "There's quite a lot of people looking for you! Your mother invited them into the house, and said that you'll be there to see them shortly." He sighed. "I had to be the one sent to get you. Why do you always keep troubling me?"

"I do not want to see them," I replied, not even looking at him. I served, "Tell them to go home."

"I am not a message delivery boy. Go tell them that yourself."

Kari returned the shot, and we rallied. Kari performed a drop shot. 40-30.

"Seishounen!" Father yelled impatiently. "Your visitors!" When I didn't respond, his tone softened when he asked, "They rejected you?"

I sighed. "It hurt even more... than that time..." I shook my head, and served. Ace. "6-4."

"You can't compare physical and emotional pain, Ryoma," Kari said softly.

"I do understand why he acted the way he did... and I know that I fully deserved it... and yet... it hurts so much inside..." I sighed. There was silence, and I looked up. Mother was standing near the doors, a water bottle at her feet. Her hand was to her mouth, and she ran and embraced me. I closed my eyes. Vaguely, I felt Father hugging the both of us. I'm... tired...

I don't know how, but I was coerced to talk to my senpais. I guess I was too tired to argue. So here I am... in the living room, facing eight seniors. My senses are on the point of overloading, so I must've missed the weird looks from my senpais.

Since they were all mute, I decided to talk. "Y'know, from the beginning, I never dared hope for anything more than what I already had... not from others... and not from myself... but... still... I was happy, simply overjoyed that senpai-tachi had welcomed me back... even if it was only at first..." I took a deep breath. "I really am grateful for that... so... I-"

"Echizen Ryoma!" I looked up, startled. "Will you shut up? We came here to talk to you!" Kikumaru-senpai yelled.

"Well, pardon me. No one was talking to me," I answered, pouting.

"UNYA, Ochibi! That was rude!" Kikumaru-senpai whined, then suddenly jumped and hugged me. "You're still the same Ochibi! I'm glad!" I nearly suffocated, if it wasn't for Oishi-senpai.

"You didn't change, did you? Not one bit, you... you brat!" Surprisingly, it was Momo-senpai who said that. It looked like my attitude still had that effect on people.

"Who's the brat here? Me?" I asked, all innocence. "I thought I was just the cute little first year on the Seigaku tennis team..."

"Oh, shut up, Ryoma!" Momo-senpai snapped. "Can't you see that I'm trying to apologise for what I said back at school just now?"

"Oh? What made you wipe my slate clean?" I was suspicious.

"Because... I feel that I should give you a second chance," he answered, looking furtively at his senpais, Fuji and Inui, to be more specific. I stared at him. He looked uncomfortable. "Well, my real reason is this: I want you back. In my life, in our team, playing together, running laps together, drinking Inui's horrible juice together... " He took a deep breath. "We need you. I need you. We want you back."

I was astonished. I stood there, mouth slightly open, staring at Momo-senpai, until Tezuka said, "I'll expect you at afternoon practice tomorrow, Ryoma-kun."

I was going to answer, but someone said, "Ryoma-kun?" I turned and glared at the offending person. I was caught off guard.

"Sorry." Nanako said. "Aunt Rinko wanted me to remind you that you have a doctor's appointment tomorrow." She frowned at my mud-splashed clothes and said, "I'm doing the laundry. If you have anything to wash, now's the time." To the other boys, she smiled and said, "Have fun!"

I turned to my captain, "Sorry, Tezuka-buchou. Maybe the day after?"

"What about after your doctor's appointment?" Fuji-senpai asked.

"I guess so. I can meet senpai-tachi at say, five o'clock, at the street tennis courts? We can play a few games." I said.

"Doctor Takayama had already sent me the results of your test a few days ago, along with a a sample of your blood. I decided to do a test myself, and my results came out just yesterday." Doctor Ito said. I sat with both my parents and Nanako. We were at the hospital.

"I'm afraid that both tests came out positive." Mother and Nanako gasped. Father was silent. The doctor turned to look at me. "You are HIV positive, Ryoma-san."

I ducked my head. I knew it...

AN: Second part. There'll be a third and last part. Review!

lightyearsaway