Disclaimer: Do not own anything.

~~ The Small Feeling Of Nostalgia ~~

~~ 24. February, Morning ~~

The mute boy stopped and stared into two different pairs of faces. One had short brown hair with grayish eyes, the other one had black eyes and also black hair which he played with, curling his index finger into a strain of his black hair. The later one looked... strange, to say it in a nice way. The older woman who drove the car smiled and winked to him in friendly greetings. Her long brown hair waved a bit, it was the same color like the first teen had.

Ryoma didn't know them and his stubborn pride wouldn't allow him to look weak, so he shook his head as an answer. He would just go back home and look up at a map or if really necessary he would ask his stupid father but he would never give other people the opportunity to annoy him which most people would after a short period of time. Ryoma took three steps backwards and bumped into someone other. His view wandered up automatically.

"My son would be honored to drive with such a beautiful young woman." Nanjiroh pushed his son's school bag with the tennis rackets in his hands, the cap onto the boy's head and shoved the teen inside the car. The mute boy protested in many ways but it was in vain. His old man was stronger, always. It was annoying. Ryoma found himself in a red car while his embarrassing father flirted wildly with the young woman who drove the expensive thing. Why? Why did his old man need to embarrass him in front of everyone?

The mute's view wandered to the person sitting next to him and looked into a friendly but strong-willed pair of grey eyes.

"Good morning, my name is Fuji Yuuta. Pleased to meet you." The male, who had asked him if he wanted to have a ride, nodded in greetings and only then did Ryoma noticed the other young male in the car who sat in front of him with the backside against the seat. The one with the black hair sat next to Fuji Yuuta, never stopped to play with his index finger in his black flick of hair. He had an evil smile on his face and looked ugly, Ryoma would have rolled his eyes about it but he was smart enough to turn his face in another direction and view out of the window.

"Hey, my name is Mizuki Ha-" The boy got interrupted from the unknown teen in front of him. A hand reached out and waved in front of his eyes to get his attention. Ryoma did so out of reflex, a face came into his sight and he immediately backed away by the closeness of the hand which had slightly touched his cheek and nose. He followed the hand, up the arm and reached sight of a smiling and close-eyed face which was surrounded by lightly brown hair that caressed the male's cheek.

"Hello there. My name is Fuji Syusuke. Nice to meet you." The smiling eyes opened for a moment and the mute teen stared into clear blue. Something glittered and sparkled in these oceans but he couldn't focus or think about it. He simply stared further. When the starry eyes closed again and a Cheshire cat-like grin placed itself on the older teen's face, Ryoma was confused. Why did the teen grin?

"Aniki! Stop making him blush! You're embarrassing us!" Fuji Yuuta wailed - Ryoma couldn't describe it better - and scolded his older brother who only smiled and giggled in return.

What?

Ryoma had frozen onto his seat. Had he heard right? As to prove the statement, he touched his hot and glowing cheeks. He was blushing. Shit! He pulled his cap down, so much as to hide this red color from his face.

"Well then, let's go shall we? I can't let you arrive at school too late." The ride went on in silence for Ryoma. The people around him chatted with each other but nobody asked him questions and he was thankful for it.

~~ 24. February, Late Morning ~~

They reached the school right in time. A herd of boys greeted the older teen named Fuji Syusuke while the black-haired teen got ignored by all these people, only the other teen from the car spoke to him. Poor guy. But he was somehow strange, Ryoma admitted. He shouldered his tennis and school bag and walked through the very big school gate. What he saw left him stunned.

Right before him were three big school buildings. Each one had its own name and probably its own school uniform, teachers, class rooms and clubs. Unbelievable! Where the hell should he go now? He had no idea what his school was called! Stupid old man, he never mentioned his school's name! The teen had no idea how the hell he was supposed to find the right secretary room with the correct class room?

He would leave the school right away if they didn't even have a decent tennis team!
Ryoma took a deep breath and watched each building carefully. The first building stayed to his right side, the second in the centre of the large school yard and the last to his right. Each building looked unique. Different appearance, different design and different reputation as Ryoma could see from the big signs at each school which were filled with wise words.

Mhm...

The mute bit his lips before walking to the building in the centre and stopped as he saw the pupils which rushed inside. Their school uniform was made of lightly brown jackets and dark brown pants. This wasn't the same uniform as he wore. So it meant up to the next building and hoping to have chosen the right school.

The mute teen went straight along to the building on the left side of the three schools. The bell rang for the first time and the teachers rushed across the school yard while they shot him disappointed or hateful glares. Ryoma was confused and shocked for a second before he had control over his body again. He reached the floor where the students were changing their shoes and chatting happily. Everything was put on its right place; the students were very polite to each other, way too friendly and respectful! The mute went on, along every corridor on this floor. When none of the room appeared to be the secretary, he walked up the stairs, not knowing how the classes were organized and still searching for the damn secretary office.

The desired secretary office wasn't on the second floor either, so he went further up the stairs. Students looked after him and sent him confused glances and stares. It didn't interest him until a bunch of girls started to follow him and he quickened his pace. The mute sprinted onto the third floor and took a look in every room through the window of the door; hoping one of them would be the secretary office.

None.

Nada.

Nothing.

Where the hell was this shitty office? Ryoma found himself at the end of the last corridor and frowned, glaring out of the window...

Just as he turned around and wanted to go to the entrance where he had come from he bumped into another person, glared up and looked into the eyes of a devil.

"Oi, brat! Get out of our way!" The devil took a closer look and he reacted nearly like the teachers. His expression changed quickly from anger to never-ending hatred. "Hey! You don't go to our school! Are you spying on us you stupid Seigaku brat! Pis-"

"Kirihara! Watch your manners." A guy with short, dark brown hair and closed eyes approached them and another with red hair poked the black-haired guy named Kirihara on the cheek. The black-haired teen apologized immediately, pouted and had a grumpy look on his face, nevertheless, didn't say anything.

Ryoma had no time nor interest to pay attention to these guys conversation because something unbelievable lucky caught his attention. A male student with spiky black hair and a piece of bread in his mouth rushed hurriedly into the school building on the right side. The male wore the same uniform as him! Black jacket and pants with a white shirt beneath. There was his right school! He had found it!

"-ey, you lost, little boy?" Ryoma turned around with a smirk on his lips and viewed in dark eyes of a tanned older teen with no hair on his head. Ryoma noticed by first sight that the male wasn't fully Japanese but probably a mix or half. Forgetting his manners and not knowing how to react to others, he ran past them – hearing one of them say 'such an arrogant and disrespectful brat!' - and down the stairs, out of the building and inside his right school.

Hopefully, he wasn't too late.

"Who was that? Do you know him, Akaya?" A soft voice joined the conversation of the little group. The youngest of them, Kirihara Akaya, turned around and his green eyes began to sparkle from admiration by the sight of his buchou, his captain.

"Buchou! You're late. Are you okay?" The small group rolled his eyes in synchronization. Their youngest one had a bad crush on their beautiful captain. It was so obvious but the black-haired demon didn't seem to catch and notice it himself.

"Don't worry; I had met up with a friend. Everything is fine." The bluenette smiled happily his bright and gentle smile. The second bell rang, signaled every student the classes would start soon.

"Bye, Mura-buchou. See you later."

"Pay attention and don't mess up your English test!" The black-haired boy waved his right hand and stepped down the stairs.

"You spoil him too much, Yukimura-buchou. He is already obsessed with you, please don't make it worse." Said the red-haired guy, Marui Bunta, with slightly red eyes and a blue bubble gum in his mouth before blowing the gum into a big bubble and letting it splat. The sticky thing stuck onto his face. His best friend with the dark skin, Kuwahara Jackal, grinned by his poor attempt and earned an angry glare from Marui.

"Obsessed?" Yukimura Seiichi asked innocently, nonetheless, a sadistic gleam glittered in his violet orbs. The group nodded in agreement and took place at their seats, only the Big Three were left behind. A tender hand landed on his left shoulder and rested there, his view stopped by his best friend – a black-haired guy with broad shoulders. "Sanada?"

"Did you meet up with him again?"

"And what if I did?" The deep violet eyes sharpened and glared at the cap-wearing teen. Sanada Genichirou, one of the Big Three gritted his teeth but said nothing, he frowned and went away without another word.

"Seiichi, you know he doesn't like it. Why are you teasing him so much?" Yanagi Renji, the last member of the Big Three said with his closed eyes.

"Why do I? Mhm…Who knows…" The bluenette hummed and looked out of the window, catching sight of a rushing figure. He shook his head as he recognized the uniform. His expression changed from angel-like to hate. He hated Seigaku and most of its students. Once he had thought innocently and respectful about them. Nevertheless, it was long time ago... Now his only desire was to crush them, especially the tennis team and he would led his own tennis team to do it.

He hadn't fought so hard and tiring to be the captain of the Rikkaidai tennis team without having an unbreakable dream. He would make them pay for it, for what they had done to him and especially to his best friend Genichriou!

After his little sprint across the whole school yard, he had finally reached the right secretary office. Around ten minutes late and already tired from wandering around in this confusing, huge and foreign building, Ryoma made his way to his class. The secretary had scolded him for being impolite for not bowing down and for being late and not apologizing. Why should he bow down? What was wrong with these people? He wasn't a slave so why should he bow down?

The woman behind the desk had shot him flagrant glances as she had typed some details into the computer, printed out his school schedule and handed the paper over. She shook her head in disappointment when Ryoma had only nodded in thanks without saying anything else. The boy left the room, as soon as the woman took a better look on the details from the new freshman; she gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth.

Seems like she noticed he was mute and not from Japan. He looked like a full blood Japanese, so all people thought of him living here since his birth. How wrong they all were. Ryoma tried his best to find his class which took him another twenty minutes. His schedule for today was*:

1. English

2. Japanese

3. Biology

Lunch break

4. PE (Physical Education)

How the hell was he supposed to know where all the rooms were? His English and Japanese lesson was in room 3-2.

What does it mean '3-2'?
Where exactly was it?
He had no idea. And why should he attend a club activity?

Nearly half of the lesson was already over when he found his class. He knocked onto the door and opened it. All views were directed at him, staring with big eyes at the foreign boy. How he hated the affection if it wasn't on the tennis court. Tennis - his second best friend, right behind his beloved cat, Karupin. The emerald-haired teen walked up to the stunned and shy teacher, handed over the papers which the secretary gave him and waited patiently.

"O-Oh…" Was all he heard as the teacher read the end of the document. "I-I see… Well, class welcome your new classmate. His name is Echizen Ryoma and comes from the United States. Please be nice to him because he is-" The teacher got interrupted by the secretary's voice through the speakers who ordered him to come to the office for an important call.

"Echizen-kun, please take the empty seat next to Horio-kun and be on time for the next lesson. Class, read page 32 and answer the questions below. I'll be back shortly." The teacher sprinted out and left the class alone which was a huge mistake for the new mute boy. The girls started to squeak in high tones and overwhelmed him with questions. He sank deeper into his new seat and pulled his cap down, hiding his eyes and the blush.

He didn't like people dragging themselves into his private space, the heat would always rush to his head and turn his cheeks and ears into a bright pink. He couldn't stop it and he hated it. Ryoma felt uncomfortable with the girls surrounding him and leaving no space, the less he reacted to one of their questions – the more girls joined his new stalking group and squeaked 'soo cool' in his ear. It was annoying that he couldn't help but gritting his teeth.

He hated this school already and all he wanted to think about then was tennis.

~~ 24. February, Midday ~~

He already missed his past life. His life in America was easier, he could tell by now. The people here were different and strange, the teachers and upperclassmen were strict – still some were quite nice and funny. Though, he couldn't really tell as he hadn't talked to anyone but quietly watched from far away in a secure place without girls squeaking in his ears.

He had lived all the time in America and his parents had never told him anything about Japan. Well, they hadn't told him about the divorce either, only when the big day of the "moving back to Japan" arrived had his parents been so nice as to tell him the truth. They had taught him how to read and write in Japanese from the very beginning. Now he asked himself if his parents had even loved each other back then or if they had only stayed together because of him. Had they decided long ago to break their relationship when he was old enough?

It would at least explain why they had been so fanatic to teach him Japanese. Still, he had problems with it. Ryoma could write in quite many languages as he didn't need to learn how to speak them. It was so much easier for him being mute; the teachers wouldn't ask him to answer questions in their lessons, though, they would probably order him to answer questions on the black board and this was sometimes even worse. The noisy questions and chatters of his classmates had gone on across the whole day till lunch break.

As soon as the bell rang and signaled him the time for lunch break he sprinted out of class and straight forward, leaving his dense classmates behind with stunned and amazed expressions on their faces. Thanks to his daily tennis practice he was fast and had quite a good stamina. Hopefully, it wouldn't change now as he didn't have a private court anymore. Up at the roof, he found his peace and watched his classmates, who were sitting and chatting all over the school yard, carefully from a great distance, not wanting to get lost again after the bell rang.

His stomach growled loudly by the sight of a spiky-haired teen overcrowded with different kinds of food. Shit, he had forgotten his lunch in his class room and going back there now would be suicide. So he lay back down onto the rather cold ground and sooner as he thought he was asleep with a growling stomach.

A nap would be fine. It wouldn't hurt to rest in this harmonically quietness.

~~ 24. February, Afternoon ~~

Ryoma woke up by his body being moved. His body was moving, not with his will but not against it either. It was strange, it was moving without him doing anything. He smelled a fresh sweet scent and something wet dropped down onto his cheek and slid down slowly to his chin. A scent which surely didn't belong to him! And a liquid which shouldn't stream down his skin!

His eyes snapped open and his head shot up. His vision grew blurry and he gasped by surprise, when he got pushed further up. Someone carried him piggy back and two other males walked beside him, watching him with grinning expressions.

"Oh, finally awake. You are a heavy sleeper, neighbor from next door."

*I don't know how long a lesson takes in other countries, so I'll take the time from my own lessons in school for now. One lesson takes 1 hour and 30 minutes, but instead of a 30 minutes lunch break, I'll make it an hour here.