Chapter 5
The next Monday, Fuji put on his uniform, took his schoolbag and left his bedroom. He went downstairs to have a decent French breakfast. Not long after he has finished, Tezuka and Kikumaru, who lived near Fuji, came to pick Fuji up to school. Waved to his brother and sister, Fuji joined his schoolmates. "Aniki! You have forgotten your tennis bag!" Yuuta ran after them, carrying a long blue bag with big white words "Seigaku" printed on it. "You should have put your books in it, so that you don't need to bring another bag for school! That's your usual manner, as well as your fellow teammates."
"Oh really? Thanks anyway, Yuuta." Fuji reached out his hand to get the bag.
"Let me carry it for you, Fuji!" Kikumaru just grabbed the bag and put it on his shoulder.
"Thank you, Eiji. See you tonight, Yuuta! Let me give you a BIG welcome hug when you are back!"
"What are you talking about? Baga Aniki!" shouted Yuuta furiously from a distant, blushing. Kikumaru sweatdropped. Tezuka just remained silent as always. "Nya, how can you leave your tennis bag behind? We have tennis practices after school every day, you know?" Kikumaru was the kind of person that always revealed his emotion candidly. He couldn't hide his disappointment this time either.
"I really don't know. Sorry, Eiji," as polite as usual, Fuji apologized, smiling. Then he turned to Tezuka, "Ne, Tezuka, is there a test on Friday?"
"Yes,"
"Ah! I have almost forgotten about it! Fuji you are just back, I don't think that the teachers will give you tests so soon."
"I would like to try, if the teachers let me to do so. I have only done little revision at home though. I don't know if I can get a pass."
"There is no problem for our tensai to get high marks! If you have any problems, you can ask me! Ah no! That's world history test, isn't it? I am only good at Japanese history. Perhaps you can ask Tezuka then? It's his best subject!"
"Then I will ask you, Tezuka, if there isn't too much trouble."
"Not at all." Tezuka, who was walking shoulder by shoulder with them, was deep in thought. This Fuji was slightly different from the past one. Unlike the past Fuji who was friendly in appearance but inside he was as distant as Tezuka himself, he seemed to be getting closer to the others. He sensed that even the smile of Fuji has become different too. A certain degree of sincerity was implemented? He wasn't sure. Ever since the accident, Tezuka seemed to pay more attention to Fuji. Caring about his teammates should be the duty of the captain, that's what Tezuka believed. And he didn't mind much about that. Back to school, everybody was excited to welcome the tensai. Classmates from 3rd Grade 6th Class gathered around Fuji all day, asking him this and that. They have been warned to talk less about the past, but it was hard to avoid it sometimes. Whenever the issue was brought onto the table, Fuji would receive a slight headache, and Kikumaru would immediately changed the topic. Fuji seemed not mind about obtaining more memory, but Kikumaru didn't want him to suffer. That day after school before the practice, his fellow teammates held a celebration party for Fuji in the locker room. There have been riots when Kaidoh and Momoshiro started arguing again somehow and Ryoma stole a piece of cake from Kikumaru. The situation became even worst when Kawamura grabbed a racquet that happened to fall from the top of the lockers and he began to "burn" again. Oishi, as the nanny of Seigaku, tried to stop them but failed. Tezuka, surprisingly, didn't intent to stop them. He was standing besides Fuji somewhere near the door. Fuji, on the other hand, was enjoying the mess, just like before. It was then Oishi and Inui approached. "Tezuka, are you sure that you don't stop them?"
"... They should know what they should do after making such a mess," Hearing this, they all fell silent suddenly, "after the party." Relaxed, they continued to misbehave. As long as they were still having party, they were spare from running fifty laps, at least for some time.
"Tezuka and Fuji, in such a happy party, would you like to try my new creation?" said Inui, holding a glass of purplish-red liquid. The crowd grew quiet again. They all stared at the glass. A sense of fear filled up the room. "... No, thanks," replied Tezuka after a while.
"What's that, Inui?" asked Fuji, smiling.
"Ah, Fuji may not be able to remember. It is Inui Juice Version 20. I call it Marvelous Inui Juice Deluxe. You used to like drinking my creation a lot. Fancy a glass?"
"It sounds interesting. I wonder how it tastes... Please let me have some."
Fuji took the glass of Marvelous Inui Juice Deluxe from Inui and drank it. Kikumaru gasped. Then when everybody thought that nothing happened, Fuji collapsed. Tezuka was just able to get hold of his shoulder to prevent him from falling onto the ground. "Fuji!" shouted Tezuka, Kikumaru, Oishi and Kawamura.
"Fuji senpai, are you alright?" asked Momoshiro.
"Well, it seems that I really should have given the juice for a patient to drink. Let me note it down in my notebook." Feeling a bit guilty, Inui took out his green notebook and scribbled.
Fuji, looking quite pale, spoke, "A flow of memory just passed by when I was drinking the delicious juice and that made my head painful. It is not your fault, Inui. Trust me, I love the drink! I highly recommend it to all of you," winked Fuji. They either fell onto the ground or sweatdropped after hearing that. Nobody would believe that the juice would do no harm to them, even to Fuji who had such ridiculous taste. "Are you sure you are fine?" asked Oishi.
"Yeah. Thanks for your concern. I just need to take some pills and get some rest," answered Fuji.
"You'd better not go for today's training, right, Tezuka?"
"Yes."
"May I sit on the bench outside then? I would like to watch you all playing tennis. Besides, I have been staying indoors for too long and I would like to get some sunshine."
"All right. I would take you outside!" offered Kawamura. The party was ended by Inui Juice then. After clearing up, the boys changed into their sports uniform, got their racquet and went out of the locker room. Kawamura settled Fuji on the bench next to the locker room. "Fifty laps, all of you!" demanded Tezuka.
"As usual, who failed to meet my demand and came last would have to drink my Marvelous Inui Juice Deluxe!" said Inui, shining his glasses and wearing an evil smile. And the boys were off immediately! Tezuka, Oishi and Inui (They didn't cause any trouble so they were excluded from running) stood besides the bench where Fuji was sitting and observed the "athletes". Fuji, keeping his well-known smile on his face, was enjoying a good show again.