Ultra violet Black

Old Fiat

Chapter 3- News Articles Lies and Fuji Knows All

By the next day all the news papers had found out about what happened to Nanjiro "Samurai" Echizen. Many reported it as a joke. They said things like; we guess his reflexes (let alone eyesight) aren't what it used to be… These articles made Ryoma fume. How dare they make fun of the dead?

He rode into Seishun the next day on Momo's bike to the stares of the whole tennis club, not to mention the whole school. He was greeted by a Kaido Kaoru handing him a package. "I'm very sorry about your father." He bowed.

"Are you sure that's not a token of your affections?" asked Momo jokingly as he locked his bike.

"Thank you Kaido-sempai," Ryoma put the package into his bag. He had to face it from everyone the whole day.

"Sorry 'bout your dad mate."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"I hope you'll be okay Ryoma-sama!"

"Nya! Poor Ochibi!"

"I really am sorry."

He also could hear people speak about him behind his back right after offering words of pity.

He didn't get either of these from one person; Tezuka Kunimitsu-bochou. When Oishi said his, "I really am sorry." He turned to Tezuka. "Aren't you Kunimitsu?"

Tezuka turned towards him. His gaze flickered to Echizen for a moment. "Sorry about what? I did nothing."

Oishi looked incredulous. "About his father."

"Ah, yes," he turned and headed over to Arai who had just come in late.

Oishi turned back to Ryoma. "Totally sorry about Tezuka. I don't know why he's acting like such an idiot." He gave his head a quick shake. "Anyway. I understand if you want to skip morning practice."

"I'm going to practice."

"Echizen, when something like this happens – it feels better to take time off of even the things you enjoy the most. Like Tennis."

"I'm going to practice."

"Alright, you go get changed. I'll go talk to Tezuka."

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It was after school now. The sky was pink and the clouds were orange.

"Kunimitsu!" said Oishi. He grabbed on to his left shoulder just to make him pay attention.

"Ah—" Tezuka spun around. "What is it Oishi?" His voice wasn't as hard as it usually was. It fact it seemed foggy.

"What is your problem Kunimitsu? Echizen-kun is in mourning for his late father and what do you do? You stand there and refuse to offer your condolences! Echizen-kun is having it hard enough without you being stupid, you arrogant, rude, angry cow!"

"I don't let my guard down like Echizen-kun. People die every day Oishi."

"Yes but other people know those people!"

"I don't alloy my emotions to cloud my better judgment Oishi. I can't help it that your mum snuffed it. Sorry mate, that's how I am."

Oishi opened his mouth to saw something.

"And don't say what you normally do. She didn't just go to Africa. She went to Africa last year and got herself shot in the head! Actually say something intelligent, for once. If you can say something without deluding yourself."

Oishi felt himself choke on the words he was hearing.

"There's nothing wrong with me there's something wrong with you. I have no need to apologize; I had nothing to do with it. I'm just trying to make this team good and Echizen-kun crying and mourning will not make it stronger!"

"Kunimitsu— I—" He felt himself throwing up words. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Tezuka walked off.

"Kunimitsu!" Oishi ran after him. "I'm sorry for calling you a cow!"

"Go away Oishi!"

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Momo peddled on the bike as hard as he could. Unfortunately all of the packages from Kaido added up and it was harder to go uphill now. "What's in those anyway?"

"Various pastries. A few are from some other people, like Eiji-sempai."

"Oh, uh, here's your house," he tugged his brakes. Ryoma just stood there. "Aren't you going in?"

"Um, actually… I don't really want to… Could I go to your house?" Ryoma didn't want to go in because everything was so weird and unsure now at his house. His mother was throwing up in the mornings and having weird mood swings. He didn't want to deal with his Grandma and Nanako. Karupin was the only living thing in the house that wasn't missing Nanjiro. Ryoma supposed it was because he had stepped on Karupin so much. "It's just kinda weird at my house right now…"

Momo couldn't help but bark out a laugh at this. "And you want to escape weirdness by going to my house? Are you insane?

"At my house my Grandma will go on a murderous rampage when she finds out I didn't addition for the school play, my 'mum' will both us the whole time about… I dunno, random crap and my little brother has a fouler mouth than me. My dad won't be there since he's shooting a movie," he saw Ryoma twitch slightly. "And my little sister will scream until we play with her and the nanny. My house is filled with spoiled brats. You want to spend the evening at a place like that?"

"Over night preferably," Ryoma shrugged. "It doesn't seem all that weird to me."

"Yeah sure, just go tell your mom."

Ryoma returned a few minutes later with his tennis bag looking slightly fuller. "Come on Momo-sempai!"

Momo noticed how much happier he seemed on the way to his house. He supposed it was because he wasn't going back into that house filled with sad people. It kind of made sense, in a weird way.

Momo came towards the gated community he and his family lived in. Unfortunately a few other families lived there, like the Atobes. He went though the gate after talking to the guard for a moment and they finally got to the Momoshiro house. More like the Momoshiro Head Quarters.

They pulled up to the gate and went in.

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How did this happen?

Kunimitsu asked himself this question so many times. When ever something bad happened to the team his first reaction was to blame himself. Now it wasn't just his team. Bad things were seeping into his private life. Fighting with Oishi earlier…

The phone rang next to his bed. He pulled it off the cradle since his parents were out.

"The Tezuka residence. Who am I speaking to?"

"Hey Kunimitsu? It's Oishi. I— I wanted to apologize about earlier."

Click

Oishi looked at the phone. Maybe I should call Fuji; he's Kunimitsu friends too after all…

"'Allo, 'allo?"

"Hey, this is Shuichiro Oishi. Is that Yuta?"

"Yeah, you want me to get Shusuke right?"

"Uh— yeah. Thank you."

"Yeah, just a sec," Oishi heard Yuta shout across the house. "Oy! Shusuke! One of your Seishun friends is on the phone!... No! It's not Eiji! It's… eh… Oshitari? Um… Oishi! It's Oishi!... Yeah!... Pick up the phone in our room then!"

"Hello?"

"Hey Fuji. This is Oishi."

"Hey Oi-Oi. Why'd you call?"

"It's about Tezuka. Do you know what's up with him? I think something is wrong but he won't tell me. Do you know?"

"No, why do you think I would?"

"Well… Haven't you been Tezuka's friend forever? I mean—"

"That Fuji knows all? No, I dunno what's up with Kuni. He is acting a bit strange now I think about it."

"If you find out what's wrong, will you tell me?"

"Sure. I gotta run. I want to have a match with Yuta before he goes back to Saint Rudolph! Bye bye!"

Click

Oishi hung up too and stared out the window. Why was everything going so wrong? He wanted to call Kunmitsu but knew the second time wouldn't work either.

"Damn it," he pressed his forehead against the window. "Why am I so stupid? Screaming at my friend like that isn't right." He watched as it started to rain. "I need to know what's going on inside my friends' heads so I don't say the wrong thing at the wrong time." He sometimes wondered if Kunimitsu actually thought of him as a friend. "Damn… Damn- Damn- Damn!" He began pounding his head against the glass until he saw someone walking in the rain outside his house.

He ran downstairs, opened the door and looked outside. "Kunimitsu!" He ran over to him. "Come in!"

"I'd rather not Oishi," he had an umbrella with him, it looked rather expensive. "Could you give this to Coach Ryuzaki. I went over to their house but they weren't home."

"Sure," Oishi smiled as best he could while rain pounded down on them. "I'm really sorry about before. You know— calling you an arrogant, angry cow and stuff."

"It's nothing," Kunimitsu gave a vague sort of smile. "Just give that to Coach Ryuzaki."

"I will."

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Hello. I know I haven't done authors notes on the other chapter but I had to say something.

Okay, yesterday I watched ep. 129-131 (while cracking up with OFnFR) and found out Ryoma's mom's name is Rinko. So… That's what it is now.

Loves!

Review!

-Old Fiat s. Italy