Disclaimer: I don't own PoT.

This is the shortest chapter

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Eiji looked up at the sound of a new voice. Fuji was now speaking, and apparently had been for a while.

"Oishi was a good man. One of the best I know. He always took care of everyone and I am eternal grateful to him for that. Especially for watching over my friend when I couldn't," said Fuji meeting Eiji's eyes. Of course Fuji would have been the first to spot him. Noticing Fuji's gaze, the rest of the regulars in the first row looked back over their shoulder's to spot Eiji. Eiji turned away; he couldn't stand any more pity filled smiles.

"I'll never forget the first time I saw the Golden pair perform," said Fuji attracting all attention back to him. "I say perform, because that's what they did, they didn't play they preformed. I was always stunned to watch them. I've never seen two people that were more in sync with each other. I've seen them have entire philosophical, well as least as philosophical it can get with Eiji, discussions in a single glance."

"My first impression of Oishi I gotta tell you wasn't much. I didn't like him, he seemed stuck up, boring, and he was always hanging around with ice prince Tezuka. I thought there was no way he'd have an actual personality. Then I got to know him. Oishi had a heart of gold, he had an easy laugh, and whenever he started to laugh you had to join him. He was always mothering everyone, but it was nice, it was just so Oishi."

"The one thing that is regrettable is the fact that he just couldn't sing." Smiled Fuji. The front row smiled with him remembering all too well the numerous karaoke adventures.

"But he was always a fun guy to be around and I'll never forget him," said Fuji going to sit back down. There was a moment of silence in which all of them looked to Eiji expectantly. He met their gazes wide-eyed. What could he possibly say about Oishi? Luckily Echizen saved him. The younger man stood and went to the podium. There was a murmur through the crowd of Oishi's college friends. What on earth was tennis superstar Echizen Ryoma doing at Oishi's funeral?

"I had to withdraw from an important tournament for this…" he began apathetically. It seemed to agitate some of Oishi's college friends.

"But I suppose its worth is for Oishi-sempai… Like everyone else has said Oishi was a mother. He'd deny it if he was ever asked. But he was always there to help others. Especially with schoolwork. Tezuka buchou and Fuji-sempai were geniuses too, but they would never stoop to actually explaining schoolwork, Tennis? Sure. Schoolwork, not on your life. Oishi-sempai would, and did, on numerous occasions."

"If you ever had a problem Oishi-sempai was always there to help. No matter what it was, or how embarrassing the situation," said Echizen blushing faintly. "It sad that he was just plain blind when it came to himself. Everyone cared about him, he didn't think they did, the number of people here is proof enough of that. He didn't think he was exceptional at Tennis, which he was, I can't tell you how many times I've used his moon volley to win matches. I don't think he had a selfish bone in his body; he'd gladly give you the shirt off his back if you wanted it. That's just the way he was. I don't think there could ever be another person out there that could replace Oishi-sempai, and I don't think I'd want anyone too." Said Echizen before sitting back down.

Next one of Oishi's college friends spoke. "

"Oishi was a quiet guy. Never caused any trouble. Always willing to help. He was a bit of a neat freak, but that was okay. He had some fish, they were all named but he would never tell us their names… I guess I really didn't know Oishi as well as I thought I did. I knew he played tennis, but I never knew he was on a team, I thought it was more of a mild interest, he'd play about once a week to stay in shape. Oishi was a great guy, and I'm always going to miss him."

"I remember the first party I ever dragged Oishi too. He kinda stood in the corner for a while; I swear he looked like he was trying to analyze the party. I asked him what the matter was and you know what he told me. He asked me what we were celebrating. 'You can't have a party without there being something to celebrate, and there can't be a celebration without ice cream, hamburgers and wasabi sushi' I mean what kind of parties had this guy been too?" said his friend in a perfect imitation of Oishi.

"Then he started mothering everyone. Some of the guys were drunk off their asses and he just calmly took away their drinks and scolded them for drinking. Then it was the funniest thing to have him drive everyone home. Apparently he hadn't driven in a long time. We got pulled over for drunk driving. The officer was confused to see that the one driving wasn't drunk, just awful at it." Said the man with a laugh, he then frowned.

"It's just not right… If I ever find that drunk…" growled the man as he was pushed away from the podium by Oishi's roommate.

"Thanks Jiro… Well, in case you didn't know, I've been Oishi's roommate for all three years he was in college… It's been weird this last week, not having Oishi in the room… It just felt really empty."

"Me and Oishi were close, I'd dare say I was his best friend, if I didn't know the spot was already filled… Oishi was a great guy. Everything, everyone has already said he was. But I was allowed to see a side of him that few others at college got to see. The Oishi I got to see was fun loving, filled with mischief and was not above bending the rules a little bit, he was still too respectful to actually break them, but he'd bend them till they were ready to snap. He was always laughing and smiling. He was never dull and always had interesting stories to tell. The Oishi I saw was always like that, but every other Sunday he'd be even happier. That's when he'd go and meet up with his real best friend, that's when he'd get to play tennis."

"When I first met Oishi I was confused that he had so many rackets and tennis balls. Then he showed me all these albums filled with photos of his tennis days in middle school and high school. He also had tons of news clippings about games and tournaments that he'd attended… Oishi was teaching me how to play tennis. He was a good teacher. I've been learning it for just about three years now. Sometimes I would go and play with Him and Kikumaru but It was always more fun to just watch them play."

"It always confused me that he never joined the team at college, he was definitely good enough for it. He didn't tell me until later that'd it be too weird to play without his team, who I assume is you guys," said Oishi's roommate Kiyoshi nodded towards the Seigaku regulars in the first row. He paused for a moment seeming to be looking for Eiji, then he saw him and gave a relieved smile before continuing.

"I'm… I'm really going to miss him… There will never be another person like Oishi, not in a million years." Said Kiyoshi before joining his friends. Finally Eiji knew it was his turn. He would have to speak. He stood shakily and walked towards the podium. Choking on his own breath for a moment when he stopped in front of the coffin. Fuji gave his hand a quick squeeze of encouragement before he gave Eiji a light push towards the podium. Eiji gulped, letting his shaking hands grip the podium much like Tezuka had done.