Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

~~ The Inner Turmoil ~~

~~ 9. March, Midday ~~

The pregnant silence and the soft humming of the motor from the limousine were the only sounds filling the car. The six boys sat there quietly, everyone deep in their own thoughts. Though, maybe Yukimura was raging inside and not thinking. The bluenette had showed Monkey King quite clearly what he thought about the idea of Fuji and Tezuka being invited to this strange camp. Although he didn't seem to mind that Ryoma was going along.

Fuji had just smiled like the devil himself, telling Yukimura indirectly to shove his opinion somewhere were the sun doesn't shine and starting fight number 3 while Tezuka and Sanada stared at each other in silence. Ryoma began to think telepathy actually existed because after a short moment both players turned their attention away in quiet acceptance. Tezuka began to listen to an audio book and Sanada started reading a book. Simple as that.

Monkey King, on the other hand, had trouble with the tensai and the bluenette, keeping them in check. Ryoma had always assumed only those annoying girls from his class could verbally fight so dirty. His assumption had been wrong. Fuji and Yukimura were even worse. He sure as hell never wanted to be on their bad side if there was a way to escape their wrath.

Soon after they had started their journey, Ryoma had tuned their presence to a minimum, perfecting his mask of boredom once more by gazing out of the window to his left. At his right side sat Fuji, followed by Tezuka. Opposite him was Yukimura, followed by Sanada and Monkey King. He ignored and let them continue their little disagreement. Best not to draw any attention, especially Fuji's hawk like glances did he avoid at all costs. The brunette shot daggers of curiosity at him whenever he could.

Ryoma's whole skin felt itchy because of it but he wasn't ready to start any conversation with one of them. The questions would come, he was certain, and he already feared the moment. They wouldn't leave the matter alone. Fuji, after witnessing his cousin crying in his arms, and Yukimura and Monkey King, after seeing yesterday's disaster in his room from across the window, in particular wouldn't leave it alone.

Tezuka, thankfully, hadn't said anything about their sleeping together. And with any luck wouldn't mention it in the future. Ryoma hoped his buchou would back off and not bring him into such an awkward situation. Sanada was a different matter entirely. He didn't know how to judge him. His only knowledge about Sanada was connected to tennis. Maybe it was better not know too much about him. Less fears to think about.

Fears… Tsukiko…

Her reaction had scared and confused him. Her sudden worry about his team mates, her clingy and fragile behavior. She hadn't cried for years, at least not that he knew of. His uncle or aunt would have called as he was the only one who could calm her down, secure her by just being in the same room, sitting next to her. There had been luckily only a few occasions where he had been needed in such a way. The very first time had been after his leaving… The second and third time as well… Always because of him…

'Oh, no!'

Ryoma felt the guilt before he realized the reason for it. There was no way for his parents to contact him if Tsukiko had trouble, if she was… in a critical condition once again. No matter how much he wished she wouldn't come and see him, wouldn't call, wouldn't get close to him, so much did he feel guilty for not being there for her when she needed him…

A shudder rocked his body, his insides turned in guilt and a sudden coldness overwhelmed him. He pressed his lips shut, not wanting to make a sound by breathing in and out shakily which he knew he would. It would only bring their attention back to him. He clenched his hands in his pants. It were only a few days, his mother and father were with Tsukiko… She would be home soon, near her mother and father. They would take care of her.

Nothing would happen… It should be fine…

But what if something did happen… it would be his fault…

"You can't be serious." There was a very dangerous undertone in the bluenette's voice which gave Ryoma a chill and shoved him out of his frightening cogitation. It had nearly the same tremor like Fuji's I-am-your-worst-nightmare-kind of voice. "You said you wanted to pick up Echizen, not them and to top it off you put us all in one room at the camp!" Yukimura's pretty orbs narrowed sharply and he glared at Monkey King. His gaze promised pain on an entirely different level. His lips formed a thin line and his arms were crossed over his chest, clearly denying the plan from Monkey King.

'Wait! What had Yukimura just said?! One room?!'

Ryoma could only agree with it. The shock of this information sinking slowly in. Sleeping with them all in one room…
How the hell could he ditch them and their questions if they slept in one room? He had guessed the teams would sleep separately in one commune room. The other tennis players would have helped unconsciously to keep Fuji's attention away from him. But with the current information, there was zero chance to sidestep Fuji, Yukimura and Monkey King.

'Shit!'

All kinds of situations and scenarios crashed together in his head. He didn't need this right now, he had to think and stay focused. His first priority was Tsukiko. He would call home as soon as…. Damn it, he didn't know the phone number of his father nor his mother. He always had a problem remembering such things… Shit! What could he do? What should he do?

Ryoma needed to make sure his cousin wouldn't do or think anything rush… But how could he?

"A few days ago you told Ore-sama you wanted a get-together. Ore-sama just implemented our plans." Monkey King tried to argue, earning another glare and a promise of long lasting and an even more painful punishment from the bluenette.

"You quite know what I meant by that. Certainly not to include Seigaku."

"The brat is part of Seigaku. We wanted to include him in our training camp but you off all people should know Syusuke and Kunimitsu would never leave him out of their sight."

"I don't mind having them around." Sanada offered calmly, drawing everyone's attention at him by the sudden declaration. Nobody spoke. Sanada ignored them and continued reading.

"Gen!"

"Saa, Yukimura, you see, you're the only one against the idea. Why don't you accept it and enjoy the time." The tension between the two build up and Yukimura biggest desire then must have been punching Fuji with a tennis ball right in his smirking face. Nevertheless, the bluenette said nothing and didn't do anything else than blow air through his nose in annoyance, glaring out of the window.

Fight 1 End; Fuji Wins!

Yukimura changed his sitting position, giving the others the cold shoulder. His knee bumped due to the narrowness of the car against Ryoma's, shaking him out of his trance of worry. Ryoma blinked to get rid of the horrific pictures inside his head. He glanced at Yukimura from under his bangs and at the corner of his eyes, watching him quietly.

He had no clue why, but he felt lightheaded the longer he watched... Yukimura was kind of beautiful even in his angry state. It was also unusual to see Yukimura being furious. His pretty orbs changed into a darker shade. Ryoma couldn't stop staring, his view was wandering back to the bluenette without his consciousness.

"Saa, now that we're alone and have cleared the matter, let's focus on the topic which interest us the most. Ryoma, what exactly is your relationship to your cousin. You seem to be a little bit too close for being simple cousins…"

"Ahh, it's a very good question, Syusuke. Ore-sama would like to know the answer too."

Ryoma felt every color drowning from his face and his heart started to beat faster. His eyes wandered back outside the window, not feeling well with the possibility of being caught staring too close.

"We have arrived, Bocchan." The man with the black suit from earlier said and opened the door beside Monkey King, bowing.

'Saved!'

However, nobody of the teens made a movement to leave the car. Instead, they all gazed at him, even his stoic buchou and Sanada had paused in their activities, looked and waited.

Ryoma didn't dare to look right then, and a horrible realization shattered his already spinning mind. He didn't dare to look in the others' faces. Usually he would have smirked and glared into his opponent's face and made some rude gesture. But right now all he felt was fear and weakness… the same feeling from a long time ago….

He had hated it, had tried so hard to change himself and the result had been his cocky self. Now, after meeting and – not so freely – spending time with the five guys and their friends…. After Tsukiko had appeared anew... He had changed… turned into his weak self once more…. The strange feeling he got whenever he looked at the bluenette wasn't normal.

Tsukiko must have seen his changes, her worry and her clinginess…she must have recognized the signs. In only a handful of days his behavior had changed. They had changed him. He needed to get away, even if it meant running away and being a wimp.

'Only one more time.'

Ryoma swore to himself, opened the door on his left side and walked out of the car with quick steps, leaving the five guys behind. He walked around the car, grabbed his bag, which the man in black had already put outside the car trunk and onto the ground, and walked with a dizzy head to the small but clean looking camping house made out of dark wood. He didn't know where exactly to go but his only instinct right now told him to get away from them to get a better grip on his own self.

"Ryoma!"

"Brat!"

"Echizen?"

He heard them one after another and one of them actually managed to grab part of his shirt and slow him down. "Oi! Ore-sama told you to wait." Monkey King stepped closer, his other hand grabbing his wrist and walking in front of him, blocking his way. Monkey King opened and closed his mouth like a stupid fish out of water, no sound passing his lips.

To make matters even worse, his buchou had followed and stood now beside Monkey King, looking at his face. Tezuka's usual calm and composed face changed into one of…. Ryoma didn't know. He had never seen his buchou with such an expression. Blinking but wide open eyes and an open mouth…

Whatever they saw, Ryoma wished they hadn't seen it. It was an indication of his broken self, something of his distress was visible, he had no longer control over it… He needed to get a grip on himself! Fast! "Echizen?"

Ryoma sidestepped Monkey King and his buchou without looking at them, without acknowledging them. He also ignored Momoshiro and Kikumaru who called him from a house far on his right side. It didn't matter. He noticed one house standing a little bit aside on the left from the others. It didn't look different but something told him it wasn't the room where the others would be sleeping as it looked kind of shady and Monkey King sure as hell wouldn't never sleep in anything like that. Hopefully…

He marched straight to it, opened the thankfully unlocked door and walked inside.

~~ 9. March, Early Afternoon ~~

"Keigo? Kunimitsu? What is it?" Syusuke asked, standing between him and Kunimitsu. "It's rare for you to be speechless, Keigo."

"It's actually nonexistent. He always has something to say." Seiichi added, coming to his other side. His boyfriends' expressions turned from anger to worry when he didn't reply. "Keigo? What did he do to shock you so much?" It was meant as a joke but Keigo couldn't reply. His mind still too shocked about what he had seen. Those haunted golden eyes, the clearly visible fear. What had happened to cause such a reaction from the usual arrogant brat?

"…"

"I'm getting slightly worried here, Keigo." Seiichi shook his shoulder gently, trying to snap him out of his frozen state.

"Mitsu? What have you done to Ryoma? He ran away as if Inui was standing behind him with another one of his delicious drinks." Keigo noticed Kunimitsu staring after the brat, his brows deeply bend and an unexplainable glint in his eyes.

"…"

Syusuke wanted to start one of his threats when Keigo's butler cleared his throat and waited for him to pay attention. Keigo turned his head to him, listening but not really able to focus. "Bocchan, may I have a word with you."

"Ah…" was all his brain found as a reply.

"I have a feeling the young lady from before will arrive shortly. She asked me about our destination and I may have let it slip. Shall I prepare a room for her alone or inform Ryuzaki-sensei about the possibility of a new roommate as she is the only female here?"

Syusuke's whole body froze but straightened by those words, his feet already heading to the house where the brat had run too. Strangely it was Kunimitsu who stopped him.

"Syusuke, wait."

"Mitsu, we-"

"No. We leave him alone for now."

"Mi-"

"No, Syusuke. It's not discussable." Kunimitsu turned from his boyfriend to the butler and before Keigo could say something to his butler, Kunimitsu beat him at it. "If the girl should appear here, please drive her home and do not tell her about our exact whereabouts. Thank you."

Kunimitsu grabbed his luggage and turned around, heading to their house and leaving the other stunned guys alone. Keigo only blinked, taken by full surprise. Damn, that was kind of sexy from Kunimitsu… Out of the corner of his eyes, Keigo saw the other teens being in the same state as him. Speechless.

"Bocchan, do you wish for me to handle the matter like ordered?" His butler asked in distress, glancing from the walking Kunimitsu to him. Keigo nodded, his gaze never leaving Kunimitsu's backside. His butler bowed and started to grab the luggage, moving it to their house which would be theirs for the next couple of days.

Each group of six in the training camp had its very own small blockhouse made out of the finest wood. Each house had a big bathroom and a living room of some sort. The food was cooked from Keigo's best chefs and would be served in the main house where the dining hall, the fitness center as well as the teachers' quarters were. Around the whole camp, which was surrounded by a large fence so no intruder was able to get onto Keigo's property, were different kinds of tennis fields, ready to be played on.

Keigo and the rest followed, walking through the richly furnished living room with a beautiful fireplace and into the large bedroom. Inside the bedroom stood six single beds and three wardrobes, two desks and an empty bookshelf. The walls, the floor as well as the furniture were made out of the riches wood and other materials. Just like Keigo liked it. His butler put his bags onto the floor next to his bed. "Is there anything else you need, Bocchan?"

"No, you can go." His butler bowed and left him with the other guys, who started unpacking, alone.

"Shall I help you unpack, Keigo?" Syusuke smiled sweetly, his head lightly inclined to the right and his left hand resting on Keigo's right shoulder. A prickling sensation on his neck told him that Seiichi had heard the brunette's offer and glared daggers at them.

"Thanks, Syusuke. Ore-sama is delighted to have you. Ore-sama actually needs to go to the coaches to discuss the upcoming training plan. Mitsu and Seiichi are requested as well." Kunimitsu nodded in understanding while Seiichi narrowed his eyes, putting the last piece of cloth inside the wardrobe. Keigo hoped Seiichi wouldn't hold a grudge against him for too long. He hadn't been able to stand and wait any longer so he had developed this plan secretly in hope to change their situation. If everything went well, he would be a very happy young man with not only one official and two hidden relationships but with a lot more...

Seiichi marched to the front door, only turning halfway around. "You're right. Ryuzaki-sensei asked us, the captains, about our opinion. Syusuke has enough time to unpack your bag as he doesn't have anything else to do right now."

His boyfriend needed to stop this. Their fighting needed to stop. His beauty would suffer from all the frowning and grimacing.

"Sure, Genichirou and I can do that as both of us have nothing else to do. Nee, Gen?"

Keigo did the only thing to save everybody from the escalation. If his secret plan ought to work, he needed to do something quick. "Ore-sama thinks we should go and see the coaches now." He grabbed Seiichi by the shoulder and pushed him out of the house, nodding to Kunimitsu to follow them. He heard Syusuke chuckling and shook his head in his mind. If Syusuke wouldn't stop, his plan could seriously go wrong.