It's not that he doesn't get concerned.
Ryoma knows people tend to write him off as a "selfish brat" or "cocky brat" because it's easier than trying to read in between the lines. He knows that's partially his fault for never bothering to go beyond his court remarks and actually voice out his feelings clearly. After all, tennis has always been his reprieve from having to voice them out—everyone that needed to know could see it through the way he played.
Even the people that didn't necessarily play, could to some extent see through him if they tried. Sakuno or Nanako was a good example of that.
It's just that he doesn't make himself that approachable to people in the first place. Tennis-driven, his focus rarely settles on something else. He doesn't bother with pleasantries and he ignores people outright when they don't have his interest. Yet, that is a completely another topic for the people he has an interest in. His teammates, his family, friends, and rivals. It's hard to completely ignore them, not when they hold such a large part in his life. He knows he doesn't show it outright, but he does care. It's just perfectly hidden in his actions sometimes and to outsiders those tend to be nothing important if they aren't outright obvious.
He stops by Kawamura's family sushi shop twice a month, he meets up with Momo, Kaido, Oichi, and Kikumaru as often as he can. He listens to Atobe's complete nonsense rambles when the other invites him for a match and he exchanges E-mails with Tezuka regularly. Where he bothers to write more than five sentences. He lets Inui and Yanagi gather his data and god, he ends up drinking that atrocious juice every single time.
And even though he entered high school, even though everything should have changed—it did and didn't.
Kirihara Akaya is his classmate now and somewhat they always end up playing games after school. Niou and Yagyuu, third years at the same school, still check-up on Akaya and something that turns into conversations with them—and it makes absolutely no sense. But they are here. So, is Akaya. And it doesn't seem like they are going soon.
Fuji ended up at the same school, a hauntingly reminder of Seigaku. Neither of them plays tennis anymore. One goes around with a camera, taking snapshots and memories that are irreplaceable. The other wanders around the hallways, trying to find something to do.
Yet Fuji pats his head and smiles at him, swarmed by countless students. Friends.
Yet the other always makes sure to seek him out weekly to talk, to show him his photographs, to ramble about his cacti.
Ryoma doesn't have much to tell, tends to only listen.
"Thank you for coming today, Ryoma-kun."
Yet Fuji understands as scary as that is.
And, maybe the weirdest development of his high school life.
Yukimura Seiichi.
It's awkward at first.
Why shouldn't it be? He's played once against the other and talked thrice with him.
The first time, during their match, arrogant remarks and declarations. The second time, when they stumbled across the Rikkai regulars in a coffee shop in another prefecture. Their talk was meaningless as much as it wasn't. Yukimura kept talking about flowers. Ryoma just sipped his drink, rarely responding. Yet the other smiled.
And the third time, when he met the other first in high school.
When everyone found out that he hasn't held a tennis racket for over a year.
"You don't… play anymore?"
He's still not sure how to perceive Yukimura's expression that day. Or the various reactions of astonishment and something akin to dubiosity.
("You breathe tennis, Ryoma.")
But life moved on, because why would it wait for this to wear off.
He should never have to talk with the other again. Tennis was their only connection as far as he was concerned. Akaya was the second one, but that was between Akaya and Ryoma.
Except he should have seen it coming when he was suddenly invited to play games at the arcade with Jackal and Marui, who attended another school in another prefecture.
("Come on, you can like, totally kick Marui-senpai's ass at the fighting game. He sucks at it."
"Don't let him hear you say that, Akaya-kun."
"Too late! Got it on record."
"Eh, Niou-senpai—")
Sometimes he thinks about Seigaku.
Sometimes he realizes that this is different, more alive, like a punch to the gut—he just cannot explain why.
And maybe he should have known that after meetings with Marui and Jackal became an ordinary thing for him, that Yanagi asking him how they are doing became a usual question, suddenly meeting Sanada shouldn't have been so surprising.
It's not a planned meeting—he's exiting the school (alone as always, Akaya has tennis practice) and suddenly Sanada's standing in front of him.
"Echizen," he says and Ryoma doesn't know how to tell him that he'd rather be called by his first name. His last name has become too heavy of a burden. He doesn't know how to word that request though, so he keeps this to himself and ignores the quench in his stomach.
"Could you show me to the tennis courts?"
He wants to decline. Hasn't been to the tennis courts even once since his admittance to the school. But he knows where they are by heart, knows that he won't get lost.
He's never been considered a "warm" or a "kind" person. Ryoma isn't rude though and he has respect for people who deserve it. Sanada is one of them, so he nods and turns around. They walk in silence at first. No words are spoken. Ryoma doesn't start conversations and he doesn't talk much. Sanada has always been a quiet person no matter how loud his voice is.
Yet he's the one who breaks the silence.
"How have you been?"
The question seems like a callback to every mail from his former captain. It always starts the same, with a simple but efficient, "How have you been, Echizen?" Yet he never has a response for it that is quite truthful. So, he never directly responds to it. Always the same answers, always the same phrasings.
"Nothing eventful happened." or, "I think Momo got dumped again." or "The weather is sunny here."
Nothing that mattered.
He realizes a second later, that the accompanying steps of Rikkai's former vice-captain stopped and looks back. Steel-worn eyes bore into him and he knows his usual responses would be seen as an offense.
"I'm…"
What is he exactly?
Yesterday he met up with Fuji at the park. Accidentally. He was on his way to go watch a movie with Akaya.
He was holding his camera, looking at some flowers.
"They're going to wither soon," he told Ryoma upon noticing him. Of course, Ryoma thought, you always seem to know which ones wilther soon. That meeting was surreal in a sense. Fuji seemed bothered by something.
"Ryoma-kun?"
"...?"
"Why are you out on a Saturday?"
Ah.
It's not that he never went out on a Saturday before.
It's just that it was almost always with the Seigaku regulars.
"Akaya," he replied.
There's no other response really.
"... I'm fine."
It's not a lie.
He doesn't feel sad or happy. It's an in-between.
Sanada seems to accept the answer because he continues to walk.
Minutes later, Ryoma realizes that the other's leading him to the courts. It's a quiet realization. He keeps on following the other as the puzzle pieces fall together.
The picture, his mind makes up, isn't terrible. He's just not sure how to feel about it.
"Ryoma-kun."
Of course, he'd end up looking directly at Yukimura Seiichi. He already has an inkling as to why Sanada is there in the first place.
"Ryoma!"
Akaya's loud voice echoes around the courts, as the other basically runs into him.
"What are you doing here?"
He blinks. Right, why did he follow Sanada?
He turns to look at Yukimura.
"We're going to get something to eat once we clean up here. Want to come with us?"
He doesn't really understand why but Akaya's enthusiasm about that manages to convince him to agree.
(It is not that he doesn't care. He just doesn't know how.)
It's just—he doesn't really expect all of the Rikkai regulars to be there. Even Yanagi is present and his schedule tends to be rather busy nowadays. For a moment, he wonders if Akaya will accept a quick, "I have to leave, it's urgent."
But the other turns to him and rambles on about something incredible stupid Marui did and somehow they weave Niou into the conversation and it turns into a fight that's broken by Sanada scolding them. In the midst of that, Yukimura lays a hand on his shoulder and smiles at him.
"I guess you don't really like gatherings."
He blinks.
"The discomfort is written all over you."
Sometimes, he remembers just how similar Fuji and Yukimura are.
"Sorry, I didn't want you to be uncomfortable… it's just that Akaya kept on talking about how you wouldn't interact much with others."
Ah, so it was a feeling of pity.
"Don't misunderstand me, Ryoma."
The other looks more serious.
"I'd like to talk more with you."
And that undoubtedly was the start of how he ended up in his current dilemma.
Obviously, Yukimura revealing his intentions was a linked declaration that they were now friends. Which, frankly, Ryoma still cannot fully fathom. He doesn't play tennis anymore—there shouldn't be any reason for this whole situation.
He tells the other as much but Yukimura stops him in the midst of talking.
"There's more to you than tennis, Ryoma-kun."
He still wanders the hallways on some days.
With that conviction, Yukimura proceeded to literally speak with him every day. He'd find Ryoma in the hallways, accompany Akaya and him to the arcade or meet-ups with Jackal and Marui. A few times, he even managed to drag him out on a Saturday to a flower shop or a bookstore.
Ryoma doesn't know why he's letting this happen.
"It's a good development though," Akaya tells him, grinning brightly. "You need to interact more with other people."
He knows he's worse off, considering it's Akaya out of all people. Akaya has an easier time than him making friends, but there are still rumors spread around the prefecture from before.
He knows the other is right though.
Yet this still feels off.
And then.
Yukimura isn't smiling.
Ryoma doesn't know what exactly he's supposed to do but a part of him doesn't quite like the other's rather crestfallen expression. Though Yukimura is trying to hide it behind a neutral albeit awkward facade, it's not working as well.
Yagyuu is the one who tells him when Yukimura fails to attend school one day.
"His regular check-ups revealed a bit of strain on his body."
His former illness would never quite affect him as much as it did during middle school but that doesn't mean it won't surface to some extent.
"There can't be much done—he needs to rest, take his medication, and visit his check-ups."
Ryoma never had an illness. He can't possibly understand what Yukimura must be feeling.
But he thinks he can try to repay his kindness.
The other comes back to school the next week and people swarm around him, expressing their happiness at his healthy recovery.
Seiichi thanks them with a smile and then leave. He doesn't know most of them. He knows their names and which class they attend, what club they are in and with whom they talk a lot—but he doesn't know them.
He knows Akaya who runs straight at him though, concern but also enthusiasm visible in his eyes. A pat on the head is his thanks.
He knows Niou and Yagyuu who stop by, telling him they are glad he's fine. He smiles at them in gratitude.
He knows Fuji and Shiraishi who tell him that the gardens are fine and the plants are doing well. He promises to talk with them later.
He knows someone else too.
But he has to be the one to find him and he knows that.
Ryoma doesn't approach people. Seiichi can see though, behind that coldness and distance is just quiet awkwardness. It makes him wonder why Seigaku seems so distant recently. It's not like they wouldn't know.
He's on the rooftop because it's the best place to avoid others.
Seiichi knows because he always finds Ryoma there.
"Ryoma-kun."
The boy blinks and looks up from the ground where he's seated.
"... Yukimura-senpai?"
And there's curiosity in his voice, a quiet question. Are you okay?
He can't help but feel delighted at that. It's those small hints that cheer him up. Ryoma isn't expressive but once you find where he conveys his words and meanings, it feels a lot more rewarding.
It's not a reward though. It's just a quiet admittance, that even Ryoma, who's lived for tennis and who doesn't now, is alive.
"I'm fine. Are you all alone again?"
Even though Akaya, Niou, and Yagyuu are there.
Even though Fuji is there, isn't he?
Now where he thinks about it, he hasn't seen Fuji talk with Ryoma a lot recently.
"It's too noisy," Ryoma responds and Seiichi knows he's getting more than others with that response alone.
But then Ryoma sighs and stands up, stretching his limbs, before he grabs into the pocket of his jacket. He takes out a bundle of blue flip cards and drops them off into Seiichi's hands.
"Here to practice your English. Yanagi-senpai told me it's one of your favorite subjects."
Then he waves his hand and leaves. Seiichi is too stunned to stop him.
He looks down at the cards and reads a few of them.
"Take care."
"Tomorrow is going to be better."
"You're doing great."
"You're helpful."
"Thank you."
He clutches the flip cards closer and smiles.
"You probably don't even realize how endearing you are, huh."
A/N: I know there are many open questions left. I did not write this one-shot to answer them. I wrote it because I do quite like YukiRyo, have liked them since 2014, and now where I'm older I'm back here and I'm writing again—though I do hate 's posting system. I noted this fic as pairing down because I think the last scene sold me on, Yukimura has a crush on Ryoma in this story.
Ah, well, I wrote a lot of things back then, with which I don't agree anymore. Maybe, this can show you my improvement.