A/N: Oh man, time sure does fly… This chapter was giving me trouble. Not too sure what I wanted to show, which is why it took so long… my apologies. Eep! I only uploaded one chapter last month... T_T gomen.

Disclaimer: Takeshi Konomi handed me a signed copy of Prince of Tennis and I said thanks (Randomly generous)


Chapter Sixty Five

She slept. Peacefully. Exhaustion and being pushed to her limit allowed for a deep sleep. She didn't toss, turn or moan – hopefully she didn't talk either!

Morning came and she opened her eyes slowly not expecting such a racket to come from downstairs. She turned to stare at her door and felt the burning in her eyes. A quick reminder of what happened yesterday. She moaned when a pain rung through her hand and a lingering in the back of her eyes.

Those unnatural noises started to murmur up the stairs with thumping footsteps and hands banging against the walls. Fuji glanced her clock. Was it really coming to six in the morning? With her mother and – was that her auntie? Making all that noise? Couldn't be… There was a level of curiously that made Fuji rise up onto her elbows to see what was going on. With it being a new day, the first day of her suspension, she didn't care and fell back down, face first into her pillow. Her left hand was brought round so she could see it and she stared at the bandages at first with nothing on her mind, then her heart flooded with sadness.

Whoever was arguing seemed to not mind doing it outside her bedroom door. They whispered harshly. She couldn't quite hear them. It sounded interesting so this time she got up and sat on the edge of her bed. She looked down and realised she was in her uniform. She stood up, a little dizzy and unsteady. Despite standing up slowly, her eyesight was delayed a couple of seconds. She shook her head. That didn't help. Still, she had to get out of these sweat clothes and into something fresh. She grabbed onto the foot of her bed and couldn't find the strength to get over to the wardrobe. She waited, allowed the blood to flow through her and tried to get to the wardrobe. All she wanted to wear right now was a T-shirt and some shorts.

It was only when Fuji brought her right hand up to undo her top button did she realise her problem. She tried to hold her left hand close to the button, but it always slipped from her grip. She eventually gave up, letting her arm fall carefully by her side and undone her skirt fastening. She slipped into the shorts and draped her skirt over her chair when a loud rattle came at her door. Someone was trying to open it. Fuji gathered ready to go over to the door when the person on the other side opened the door wildly and shut themselves in with her. They didn't see Fuji in the corner of the room.

"…like I want to hear that!" The person muttered, thinking they were alone and locked the door from the inside.

Fuji recognised that voice and called out to her. "…Yumi?"

Yumi, out of shock, slide down the door. The too sisters locked eyes but Yumi looked more bewildered.

"You really are here!" Yumi shouted. "Why?"

Fuji widened her eyes and 'saw' her sister. "Yumi?"

"Damnit! So annoying! Like I want to see you." Yumi covered her head with her arms and stayed like that on the floor, allowing Fuji to stare at her, filling up with confusion more and more.

"Yumi, when did you get here?"

"…Just now." She mumbled, and turned her head away, facing the wall with no desire of leaving. Being in a room with her sister didn't seem as bad as face her parents and relative, but worst of all, her brother.

"At five in the morning?"

Yumi waited. She heard the delusion and didn't want to correct Fuji just yet. She waited until her mother's voice faded from beyond the door. Yukio's voice crept in from somewhere and it got quiet. And even then she didn't want to answer to her sister. Yumi only entered the room to hide from everyone seeing as this room had a lock on it. Fuji should have been at practise. Yumi didn't think Fuji would be at home.

"Are you okay, Yumi? To be here so early-"

"Baka nee! You're in no position to say that to me! It's Thursday evening!"

Still… still Thursday? Now could it still be today? Fuji wiped her forehead and turned to face her clock.

It dawned on her that he was gone. She stopped for a moment to think about it and wished, really wished that she went to speak to him. It now didn't matter that he wouldn't have kissed her, at least she would have seen him off.

Yumi glanced over to Fuji, wondering why she was so quiet and saw her staring off into space with a dejected feel about her. Yumi watched until the vacant look in her sister's sore eyes started to irritate her. She took to her feet. Fuji woke up, forgetting Yumi was with her. Fuji fussed with her bangs and went over to her bed and flopped down on it.

It only took Yumi a moment to figure out what was happening. After all mum, dad, brother and auntie were all very vocal in telling her what had happened earlier. Yumi breathed for a moment and went over to Fuji cluttered desk to sit down. Nothing but books, plants and cards. The room grew very quiet.

"Yu-" Fuji cleared her throat. "Yumi? Did something happen why you're home today?"

"… sorta. But I wanna know what happened to you. Yu-nii said he picked you up at school. What…" She was going to ask but closed her eyes and chuckled a little. It was all too telling what happened. She opened her eyes "… no, not what happened. Who did you lash out towards?"

Fuji wanted to fidget with her hair but kept that twitching hand down. "Yumi don't tease me… not today."

"You sound like you're gunna cry."

Fuji sighed.

"Well," She sounded a little too interested. "What over? I mean, when I came home everyone was saying 'both of them! Both my daughters'… So, what did you do? Who did you attack?"

Fuji was tired of thinking about those that she hurt. "Who did you attack, Yumi? If you did the same thing, who did you hurt?"

Yumi puffed up and took to her feet. "I didn't do anything! Tsk! People are too quick to make a judgement on a situation!" She began to pace the room before falling against the door again. "Just was unfortunate that's all. People are so stupid and it didn't help that I lost, they were all too ready to punish me. Stupid team." She pulled on the sleeve of her jumper and rolled her fingers into it, a habit Fuji hadn't since in such a long time.

Fuji rolled her view off her sister and stare at the wall. "Yumi, if that peacock were to leave, what would you do?"

"Peacock? What peacock?"

"What's his name… that guy you were with at our last game."

Yumi paused for a second before grasping who her sister was talking about. She wanted to rage at her for talking about Mizuki like that but held it back. She let out a deep breath and went to sit on the bed in front of Fuji.

"Why are you bringing Mizuki up for?"

"If he were to leave the country… would you speak to him before he goes?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just asking."

"Of course I would. Doesn't that go without saying? If he asks me to and I can, I would… even if he didn't I'd meet him and give him a piece of my mind for being so selfish."

"… I guess. Does that make me foolish for not talk to him?"

"What are you talking about now?"

Fuji stared into space, not saying anything. Yumi wanted to look down to her, but didn't want to see her sad face. She might not have mentioned it yet, but she noticed the bandaged up hand from when she walked in. She didn't quiet know what was going on in that head of Fuji's but to be this out of it, it must have been 'good'.

Yumi lowered her head into her hands and lent forward. Fuji curled her hand around her sister and hid her face in her waist.

"What the hell, nee-san!"

She cried. "…Just for a bit Yumi."

Yumi couldn't help but turn down to her. Fuji completely hid her face. Yumi dropped her hand down on Fuji's hair and patted her. "You really are pathetic…" She could have been nicer, but she didn't want to go out that extra mile to show that she cared.

888

Arai lifted up her shirt to show Umeko the black and blue bruise on her stomach. Umeko laughed at her and went to poke the flesh. Only the tip of her nail touched the tender skin and Arai wrenched back. As she did, she accidentally tightened her muscle causing the bruise to shatter a horrendous amount of pain into her chest. With such a look of agony on Arai's face, Umeko couldn't help but cackle with laughter.

"Thanks." Was all Arai could say, her mind too full with junk to say much more.

"But! But! Look! It's in the shape of captain's fist." She laughed so much tears started to well in her eyes. "Oh man, she – she really scared me yesterday. I've never seen captain so mad. You really pissed her off, girl. What did you do?"

Arai carefully got changed for morning practise going as slowly as she could. "She over heard me talking to Tezuka-san."

"Yeah? Keep going."

Arai glanced around the room. She refused to get changed with anyone in there with her. She even asked Umeko to not speak of the matter while the team was in there. She tried to do her laces but even that was too much.

"Ouch… damnit…" She breathed. "He called me a liar. If that didn't annoy her… she must have seen it." The thought and the imagines made her smile and laughed lightly. "You know… even though I stole it, it felt really amazing, and there was so much of him in it."

Umeko gasped. "You stole something from captain?"

The thought made Arai wiped her face, she didn't know if she should have been so elated about it. "Yeah… I did steal it…" She tapped her lips and flicked a look to an eager Umeko. "I stole a kiss from Tezuka-san."

She gasped again, this time not knowing what to say. The thought was worth picturing. So his lips, his kiss and his taste were amazing that Arai had time to stop and realise it.

"Oh… I want a kiss too… but he's gone." She bit her lip. "I wonder if you got his last kiss?"

"Probably. If she saw me, she wouldn't have wanted to kiss him."

Umeko squealed with excitement when someone opened the door. It was Yokoishi. "Hurry it up, you two." She went just as quickly.

"Tsk, what's her problem?" Umeko locked her stuff away.

Arai struggled to get her things together. Could this have been what Yokoishi was on about when she said not to upset Fuji? How she would mess with their flow and allow someone dangerous into the mix? "I'm amazing!" Arai mimicked Yokoishi, and slammed her locker shut. "We better go, Ryuzaki-sensei wants to announce something."

"You know what she's gunna say, me and you, right?"

Arai looked at Umeko's back as she bounced out ahead of her and didn't have the heart to tell her.

888

Fuji didn't know when or why Yumi was asleep beside her, but at least it was no longer Thursday. She eased her eyes opened and laid in bed quietly, thinking. It was only six-forty in the morning, a little later then what she would have normally woke up for school…

… Jeez how would the team take to hearing the news that Arai was going to be their captain? Would they even care that she was no longer to lead them to victory? She hoped they did. And Kikumaru, what must she be thinking?

She eased up slowly so not to disturb Yumi… she was never given an explanation as to why she was able to stay the night. Meaning, would she have to go back sometime today?

"…Mi…zuki." Yumi murmured in her sleep.

Fuji didn't dare think why her sister was calling out his name and rolled her eyes to go and sit by her desk. She took her seat and played with her cacti. Naturally her eyes drifted onto that wilting rose. It really was time to throw it away. It made her think of Atobe. She didn't mean to but a pleasant sensation ran thought her – she shock her head immediately. She promised Tezuka she wouldn't. She took the discoloured petals in her right hand and carefully placed them in the bin. She took the blue card in her hand and laid it flat on the table. She read each word in a murmur. "I always get what I want". She wanted to shift the blame onto Atobe. She should have, but she was to blame for so many things. No… she couldn't throw this one away just yet and wedged it between three books. Leave it out of sight for now.

Yumi rolled over and Fuji watched her. What's gotten into Yumi? If all it took to get this close was to beat her in tennis, Fuji wished she done that a long time ago. Fuji picked up the red card. The flowers were nicely preserved… what did Jinhana call them… petunia and a cabbage rose of some sort. Ambassador of love and an upset person being soothed… She closed it and rested on the desk.

"I don't want to think about you… but I can't help it." Fuij wiped her forehead over her arms. She didn't quite know if it registered in her mind that he was gone. After all she left the airport before seeing him walking through to departures. Does that mean he's landed in Germany. Or is he still in the air… should still be in the air. She wondered what he was doing and how his arm was and how he was and if he missed her. Fuji had enough time in her morning to indulge on the thought of him to remember where his hands had trace her skin and the sound of his heart in her ear. It's only when she thought of the feel on his lips did she fall into a pit of confusion.

Why was you with her Kunimistu? Why?

"Aneki…?" Yumi rubbed her eyes and yawned loudly. "God, why am I still in this room." She fell back on the pillow and curled up under the covers again, hogging the bed greedily.

That's my line. "I didn't know you were allowed out after curfew."

"…Don't wanna talk about it…"

A lingering thought rolled around Fuji's mind that she soon posed the question to Yumi. "What would you do if someone, a girl… were to kiss that peacock of yours?"

"What peacock… why do you keep talking about a peacock?"

"… Your boyfriend."

"Spot calling him a peacock!" She grumbled and puffed up Fuji's pillow.

"Then he is your boyfriend?"

"So? I don't see what that has to do with you!" She defended him.

"If someone who you thought was a close friend kissed him… what would you do?"

"I'd put a knife in her." She didn't hesitate.

"Pardon?"

"I hate that girl!" Fuji didn't believe she was being so specific. She let Yumi ramble. "She can go and die twice for all I care… She knew I liked him. For her to go and confess to him, it really hurt me… He was a smug bastard back then so he totally went out with her. I let it go for about six months, like an idiot… then I remembered who I was… and I got him back… She knows I'll beat her up if she so much as talks to him... but she tries. They are my sempais after all."

Fuji hoped Yumi was talking in her sleep. With that said, she would infect a serious wound on the person. Was it much different to what Fuji did and wanted to do to Arai? Only without the weapon, Fuji wanted to- forget it! Don't think about it.

She got up to leave the room. Yumi drifted back to sleep and Fuji went down stairs. No one was awake so the house was dead quiet. Her mum would be awake soon, who knows where Yukio was. She went over to the kitchen to get a drink of water when she saw someone sitting at the end of the counter

"Morning onee-chan."

Fuji jumped and banged her sore hand against the wall. She held back the pain but kept her eyes on Chise who had that same expression as when she saw her in the hospital.

"Chise-chan? How did you…"

She's really in the house. How? Fuji couldn't turn around. She didn't want to see that disappointed look on Chise face. The one she saw in the hospital made her gut churn with grief. Fuji held the frame in her hand and dared herself to turn around to really see Chise sitting in the room, as if it were normal. Her large eyes were the same, a little annoyed and disappointed by something. Fuji hoped that the next time she saw her there would be a cheery smile on her face.

"Yukio nii-chan let me in. He said he was popping out and he'd be back." She looked away from Fuji. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"It's because I'm not a very good guardian."

Fuji didn't know what to say to her and diverted her eyes. Chise merely sat in the kitchen patiently waiting for Fuji to join her. Fuji would have pinched her flesh, but she knew she was awake when the pain of her left hand ran thought her.

"What are you talking about?"

"That's why I came to talk to you. Do you still have that card I gave you onee-chan?"

"Yeah I do."

"Can you show it to me?"

"Erm, sure. I guess"

Chise came around the counter and held Fuji's hand and the two made their way up stairs. Fuji didn't know what to think. Sure, a lot of questions, new ones, began to circle her already full mind. All she knew to do was walk to her door and let Chise in.

Yumi leant against the head rest, texting. Too busy to notice the young girl.

Fuji reached for the card and placed it on the table. Chise stood on her right side and began explaining.

"I guess I should tell you my real name now."

"You don't have to."

"It'll make more sense if I did." She points at the petunia. "It was my choice to put this flower in. You see as your guardian I was hoping to help this person find a true love." She points to the cabbage rose. "But I was also wanting to protect you from this person."

Fuji shook her head. "You don't have to tell me Chise-chan. It's not important."

"I want to. It means when you go see him, it'll make more sense."

"See who? I don't really need anyone else in my life right now… And, I really already like someone"

"I know that now. But, this person needs to ask for your forgiveness."

Fuji didn't say anything, she could just about focus on the card.

"Don't you think it was strange that I knew all the dates of your games?" Fuji shrugged. "You didn't think it strange that a ten year old girl does as she pleases?"

"At first, but I got used to you being around so I stopped questioning it." As she said the last of her words, Fuji realised that maybe that was her problem, she never questioned much and allowed a lot to happen.

Chise, childishly placed her hands on her hips. "Onee-san, you can start calling me by my given name. Yoshiko Sai. Hisoki nii-chan is my half brother."

Fuji could feel the warmth drain from her as she slowly began to put two and two together. She sank down into her chair only being able to look at the card.

"I'm so sorry Chise-chan."

Yoshiko shook her head. "You have nothing to feel sorry for. I knew this would happen. Well…" She changed her words when Fuji glared at her. "You see, nii-chan is not well in his head. He doesn't like to talk about it but he's still sad that his mum left – but when he said that he liked you I wanted to see what kind of girl you were and I was really happy for him because you were so cool and everyone liked you so I thought you could help him with his issues but he seems to have done something stupid to you so I thought you would come and say sorry and that he didn't mean what he did." She took a deep breath.

Yumi threw a pillow at Yoshiko. "Shut up you stupid brat!" Clearly she was still mad about the comment during their match.

Yoshiko scrambled behind Fuji.

"All you do is spout nonsense every time I see you. She hurt your brother. Just get an apologise out of her. Will both of you open your eyes to reality!" Yumi wouldn't have stopped had her phone not vibrated. She finally got out of Fuji's bed and left the room to read her message.

"Why is she so mean?" Yoshiko wondered.

"I hurt her like I did Sai-kun."

"Onee-chan can I take you to nii-chan when he's better. I want you two to talk. I know what he did and I can understand why you hurt him but he really does care for you so please don't abandon him."

Sincerity wasn't hard to fine his this little girls words. She spoke the truth, and from the moment she walked into Fuji's life, she had a goal and she was sticking to it. Fuji looked away from her. It was a bit much. She was hoping to forget what she did by thinking about Tezuka but reality really was raw To think that Yoshiko really was Sai's sister. Arai was right about that much. But it didn't make senses… and if it did, she didn't want to understand it.

"Chise-chan… can you give me a few days… just not feeling well."

She perked up. "Oh, I understand. I'll wait. I'll – I'll tell him that you'll still speak with him. He'll be really-"

Fuji pinched her nose. She was starting to think that maybe Yoshiko did speak a bit too much. "Chise-chan, I'll think about it. Be a good girl and go home."

She nodded happily. "Don't throw it away. Show it to nii-chan when you meet him again. Bye onee-chan."

Once Yoshiko was out of her room Fuji lowered her head into her arms. It seemed safer not to think about anything. If she tried to organise her mind now, she wouldn't win. She signed into her hands not knowing how to handle this new feeling of loss and failure.


tbc…

A/N2: Not my best chapter but it gets the job done… I think.

Yeah, she was always Sai's little sister right from the moment I stuck her in the story (^_^)

Chapter 66: Suzu speaks with the girls about the changes.

Quick-ish update…

Thanks for reading and being super patient!