Chapter 1



"I just heard something interesting today, Keigo-chan."

Atobe glanced up from where he was tightening the laces of his tennis sneakers. To anybody who didn't know him well, his response could be read as cold, but to Fuji, who had known him for two years and understood the diva on a level many failed to reach... he was merely curious in a very mild manner.

Simply said - Atobe's opinion was: if the issue had to go through Fuji before reaching his ears, it probably wasn't very interesting or important.

"Hm?"

"A first year student gave Momo a hard time when we weren't around." Fuji's harmless smile had often been marked off as one of the most unlucky things a person could see the first thing in the morning.

"Hmmm." A slight pique of interest, as fleeting as it was rare. "Momoshiro's ankle is still injured from the match he had against... Tezuka. He could have been careless for all you know."

"Saa," Fuji turned from where he was facing the belonging's depositing shelves, all ready with his racket. "Maybe that was what happened."

The nonchalant shrug from Atobe would have driven anyone up the wall, but all the prodigy did was smile in return.

An easy smirk surfaced. "Ready for training?" Atobe tilted his head to one side and picked up his racket, one eyebrow raised in question.

"Always."

The noise which greeted them from the moment they entered the courts was almost flattering. Atobe's supporters cheered the loudest of all, Arai and his friends making triumphant faces at everyone. Fuji was standing next to Atobe, with Kawamura and Momoshiro standing a little further off, having caught up with the two upperclassmen only after they left the lockers. From a distance behind them were Oishi, Kikumaru and Kaidou. Inui lurked from even further down, and it was easy to identify that he was uninvolved with either group.

"...that's Seigaku alright! Look at how strong they are!"

"The regulars! The regulars are here!"

"...they're great..."

After the first years were given their tasks by Oishi and the regulars were spilt into teams to practice their serves, hurried whispers started up from the leftmost corner of the courts. Other than an extremely flashy-looking first year student standing at the sidelines crowing about his two years' worth of tennis experience, Fuji noticed a sullen-looking boy who stood a little further off, his cap pulled low.

Atobe noticed too, from the corner of his eyes as Arai approached the youth to have a brief conversation, only to start off for the loudmouth with a furious look. He glanced over to where Fuji was watching the same boy, and then raised an eyebrow elegantly.

"Do you have any idea what Arai is trying to accomplish?"

"Saa..."

The diva would have sighed and rolled his eyes, but he was obviously too dignified for such facial expressions. He kept the raised eyebrow, and became oddly somber when Fuji opened his eyes to watch the brewing commotion with a faint, humorless smile.

"...I think things might get a little heated up over here."

The moment something resembling a small brawl started at the side of the courts where Arai was standing, Atobe turned away and checked the tension of his racket strings in an almost nonchalant manner, knowing that someone would intervene before the situation became ridiculous.

"It's time for smashing practice!" Oishi called, turning the regulars' attention to him.

Atobe sighed in a long-suffering manner. Smashing into a crate of tennis balls wasn't his idea of a challenge, but he knew that keeping his basics in line was one of the keys to staying on his game.

Fuji just looked over at him with that ever-present smile, obviously understanding Atobe's boredom. He nodded over at where Arai was standing with the first years, and to the perceptive Atobe, the message was clear.

Just wait.

Atobe raised an eyebrow in reply, but went over to where Oishi stood on the opposite side of the net, waiting for the lob.

Beautiful, he thought as Oishi mistakenly lobbed the ball onto the opposite side of the court. Oishi winced as the ball went wide, but Atobe merely smiled. There was no better way to display his abilities than to do the nearly impossible. Atobe didn't have time to position himself beneath it the way he would have preferred, but that only made the game more interesting. With quick feet he raced to where the ball was descending, and leapt, arching his back as his eyes fastened on his target...

Dunk Smash!

His smash didn't have the same power as Momoshiro's did, but it was a hell of a lot more accurate. He smirked in satisfaction when the ball landed right in the center of the crate sitting right next to Oishi, dislodging the balls already stacked therein.

As he landed on the ground, he smiled a bit, brushing his hair back with his free hand. "I hope all the first years know that I'm the best player on the team," he said. "It's such a pain to correct misconceptions."

He heard the whispers among the underclassmen with satisfaction, hearing the explanations that THAT was Atobe Keigo. It annoyed him that he was immediately compared to Tezuka, though.

He was better, dammit.

The problem was no one was quite sure since Ryuuzaki-sensei would never let them finish any games. He was sick and tired of swapping the first and second singles slot with the ice-for-blood Tezuka. The only reason he wasn't captain was that Tezuka happened to be a bit luckier when Ryuuzaki-sensei had flipped the racket. And there was no way in hell he was ever going to be that one's vice captain. No way was Atobe Keigo playing second fiddle to anyone.

Oishi blinked for a second before preparing to lob the ball to Kikumaru. He made another mistake, and the lob went totally off-course, flying over to where the first years were standing.

Atobe watched as the same sullen-eyed boy Fuji noticed moments ago lift his head to stare critically at the lob heading for him, eyes narrowed. The boy lifted his tennis racket just as the loudmouthed first year spoke up again, his voice strangely loud in the suddenly silent courts, pointing him out to Arai.

"The one who played Momoshiro-senpai was that kid over there. You see the guy with the cap?"

Even the diva found himself admiring the beautiful move the younger boy made as his feet lifted off the ground when he jumped to make a smash worthy of praise. The stray tennis ball was slammed back into the center of the crate beside Oishi, dislodging more balls when the crate shook and jumped from the impact.

"Hmmn. Interesting." Fuji's open-eyed grin was in a total class of its own for terrifying people.

"Indeed." Atobe raised an eyebrow in amusement, and then turned aside, waiting for practice to continue. His time was too precious to be wasted on paying attention to small fries who thought of impressing their seniors.

The boy who just performed the smash lifted his racket to rest it against his shoulder, a smirk surfacing. "Eh... it doesn't seem that hard."

Although it was obvious from the various reactions of the regulars that they were suitably amused, the second year students started getting rowdy again. Oishi's interested smile didn't escape Atobe's gaze, and he turned to Arai, giving the younger boy a warning look when the second year student reached for the other and opened his mouth to complain about the open display of skill from a first year student.

"A first year student, eh?"

Fuji only offered his usual 'harmless' smile, turning to face Atobe. "He's more than what meets the eyes."

"A show-off too, for one of his age." Atobe smirked, remembering what he was like during his first year in Seigaku. He then regarded the younger boy with a nonchalant look, pointing his tennis racket at the other in what most would find to be an intimidating gesture. "Name yourself."

The boy titled his head to one side as if in contemplation before lifting his head again. "Echizen Ryoma."

If Atobe noticed Fuji's inquisitive look at him for talking to a lowerclassman, he ignored it. The nonplussed look on Ryoma's face would have displeased anyone, but Atobe only appeared to be amused. A frown began to surface on Oishi's brow.

"Do you know who I am?"

Ryoma shrugged. "Yeah."

The same delicate, raised-eyebrow look surfaced again, suggesting that Ryoma actually hadn't known better by not showing him the respect he deserved for being the best on the team. "Well-"

"Atobe!" Oishi's slightly harassed voice snapped the tension building up on the courts and everyone started talking again.

Atobe only gave the vice-captain a lukewarm glance. "Ahh. Our boring practice calls, apparently."

There were a few twitters of nervous laughter at his off-hand comment.

Fuji had lost his smile, but when Atobe turned away, he took that to be a sign that his conversation with their first year upstart was over. The well-known prodigy of the team gave Ryoma a gentle smile. The one which everyone who had known him long enough refused to trust.

Kikumaru watched the whole scene with a slight frown. "This is so not good," he murmured. He knew he wasn't the most observant person, but the first year was in serious trouble, with Atobe deigning to actually notice him, and Fuji giving him that smile.

Glancing over, he noticed Arai moving toward the first year student again, obviously intent on telling him that being such a show-off was not welcomed. Amusing, Kikumaru thought, since Arai was such a big fan of Atobe, who gave the word "show off" a whole new meaning.

He opened his mouth to point out that the struggle was still ongoing to Oishi, who was just about to give a lob to Kaidou, when a cool voice cut through.

"What's going on here?"

Tezuka stood at the gate, wearing his usual stern expression, but anyone who had been in the club for any length of time could tell he was not amused by the fierce look he leveled on Arai, who had the freshmen by the collar.

"I was just-"

"Twenty laps, each of you!"

"But-" Arai's dark eyes flashed as he glared at the freshmen, whom he let slip out of his hands. Ryoma took a moment to straighten his shirt before studying the famed Seigaku captain with curiously unintimidated eyes.

"Thirty, Arai. I don't tolerate rule breaking. Freshmen, get ready for ball collection. Regulars, on A and B court, everyone else, C and D court," Tezuka continued in his usual uncompromising way.

It was a scene most of them were well-used to. Tezuka was almost always forcing someone to run, and the constant pounding of feet around the court was as common a sound during practice as the rhythm of tennis balls bouncing off the pavements. Arai gave Tezuka a defiant look, but obediently started on his laps after a second, the freshmen following wordlessly at his heels.

Oishi put his racket away and came over to the leader of the club. Pulling him aside, they started off for the buildings.

"Sheesh. Isn't he going to stay for practice?" Momoshiro asked. He was heading to A-court, along with Fuji and Atobe, but his eyes lingered on where Oishi and Tezuka had vanished. The second year seemed a bit put out at the fact Tezuka only showed up long enough to yell.

"He's got other business to do. He's the captain," Kaidou said. "Respect your elders."

Momoshiro sniffed. "I do."

"You were just rude to Tezuka-buchou."

"Was not!" Momoshiro denied, knowing that outright rudeness to the captain of the Seigaku Tennis Team wasn't allowed. "You're lousy at reading people, mamushi!"

"What'd you just call me?" Kaidou leaned over from B court, where he was standing on the same side of the net as Kikumaru, apparently forgetting that he was supposed to be playing tennis in favor of antagonizing his rival.

"And it starts," Fuji said. "What was our bet?"

"I said they'd managed to keep it together until at least after the first practice, trying to impress the first years. You said it'd be sooner."

"I win." Fuji's smile seemed to glow with pleasure at the thought. Betting with Atobe was fun, because Atobe was actually able to win sometimes.

"The first part of the bet," Atobe agreed easily. "Now the question is... does Tezuka show up in time to keep them from clubbing each other with rackets?"

"Yes. They haven't been able to go after each other in the last two months because of him," Fuji replied, tilting his head. "They have another minute of insults, by which time Tezuka will have hastened back here because he doesn't trust us alone, not without Oishi. I think Tezuka's streak is going to continue."

"Not this time," Atobe said, watching Momoshiro indulgently. "Our favorite dunk smash hothead is about to completely lose it."

Fuji smiled, obviously amused. "We shall see, ne?"

Almost as if on cue, the volume of the two second year students' voices appeared to rise by several notches.

"Who said I make stupid mistakes all the time?!" Momoshiro and Kaidou had closed in on each other, and were head-butting in a manner that was reminiscent of two bulls in a mating fight.

"I said it. Because you ARE stupid." Kaidou's voice was a low growl, but the spiky-haired boy refused to back down.

"You are being ridiculous!" Momoshiro pushed forward, fists clenched in anger. "How dare you accuse me-"

"Stop being an irritating idiot on the courts!" At this, Kaidou had grabbed hold of the other boy's jersey, pulling him close in an intimidating posture. The effect would have been better if he was taller than the other. "You're causing trouble for Tezuka-buchou!"

"You're a good one to say that! Who's the one who started making stupid jibs?"

The prodigy grinned. "It's always fun when things get lively around here."

"Of course," The smirk Atobe gave in return was infamous. "Never a single dull moment, here at Seigaku. We're known for that - and watch. They're going to start swinging their rackets any moment now."

Fuji noticed Kikumaru giving Atobe a dirty look, but gave the doubles player a smile in return for his effort. Inui appeared to be detached from the whole chaos going on in the courts the regulars were using, marking him out as the only neutral member on their disorganized team.

The boy who had identified himself as Ryoma gave a small snort and turned back to his run.

"I was told that this is the best school to attend for tennis. Looks like the stupid old man is wrong."

"Watch your mouth, Echizen! You don't want to offend anymore seniors around here!" The nervous warning from Horio - who was standing near the fence and had caught Ryoma's stray comment- only managed to elicit a wordless and nonchalant glance from the other first year student. "Seigaku is the BEST!"

The steady sound of feet pounding on concrete accompanied the boy's nonplussed reply. "Yeah. At arguing, apparently."

"And I win." Atobe smirked, watching as Kaidou and Momoshiro started swinging their rackets at each other in a semi-serious attempt to hurt.

"You said clubbing each other, ne?" Fuji's innocent smile was just as bad as his harmless version.

Atobe shrugged, his amused smirk still in place. "It's all the same. They're out for each other's blood and there's no Tezuka to stop them. You'll be paying for the drinks tonight, Syuusuke."

"Hai-hai, Keigo-chan."

"...people like HIM cultivate disharmony in the club, nya." Kikumaru's voice was clear above the noise building up on the courts.

"Eiji-senpai!" Momoshiro's instantaneous protest was loud enough to make everyone pause.

"I don't want to talk to you now, Momo."

"But Eiji-senpai-!"

It was no small news that although Momoshiro was loyal to Atobe in the same way Kaidou was loyal to Tezuka, he was still fond of the acrobatic player. Despite the fact that he appreciated Atobe's style and flair, there were still times where the diva made him uneasy. Furthermore, what had strengthened his resolve to follow Atobe had been Kaidou eventual decision to follow Tezuka.

Atobe didn't mind that Momoshiro was attached to Kikumaru since that attachment did nothing to sway the latter's loyalty to him. Furthermore, if everyone on his side of the team was only able to agree with him blindly, things would get stale very quickly. There were reasons why Fuji was his best friend while Tezuka wasn't. There was something fascinating about being around someone who even Atobe's legendary insight couldn't predict, and it was a heady feeling to know that Fuji respected him.

Atobe, of course, lived for that kind of respect. Awe at his skill was given to him by those less gifted, as was his due, but when someone who was as talented as Fuji recognized his brilliance... that was what it was all about.

It was too bad Tezuka was too stubborn to admit the truth.

He tapped the gut of his racket thoughtfully, losing interest as Momo and Kaidou continued to quarrel now that he had won the bet. He could have predicted the script as easily as he predicted his opponent's play on the court, and frankly it had gotten old.

Fuji smiled, recognizing the fact that Atobe's attention was about to wander away. He understood quite well; once a situation was completely understood, it was time to move onto something more stimulating.

Sidling closer, the tensai narrowed the distance between them so they couldn't be overheard. "Tezuka's probably preparing the ranking tournament schedule right now. Feel like another bet?"

Atobe looked interested. "Taka's due to make a comeback, I think. So who's off?"

Fuji stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You, me, and Tezuka will all be in separate blocks. Oishi and Kikumaru, too, since they wouldn't dare let the Golden Pair eliminate itself. That leaves Inui, Kaidou and Momoshiro."

"And Taka."

"And Taka-san, but I agree. He wants to come back, and I think he will. Unless he's in an uneven block, but I don't think Tezuka would do that. He's usually pretty fair."

Atobe laughed at the idea. "He's so fair he's going to shoot himself in the foot and I'm hope I'm there to watch."

"That's not very nice," Fuji said neutrally.

"Everyone says I'm not a very nice person." The diva gave a glittering smile, showing that he didn't care.

"It's more fun to prove them wrong, though. Still who's out?" Fuji asked. "And what's the wager?"

"The loser has to do the winner's homework for a week," Atobe said, knowing that the teachers wouldn't notice. Both he and Fuji got top marks effortlessly. Atobe watched the team as Ryoma came back to the club after completing his laps. "I say two of them are out Kaidou and Momo. Tezuka's going to let the first year try out, and he'll make it."

Fuji blinked, genuinely surprised. "First years aren't allowed to play until after the summer training camp."

"Tezuka will make an exception. He remembers what it was like, being a first year underneath less talented senpai."

Fuji wanted to argue that Tezuka wouldn't do anything to disrupt his tenuous control over the club, but looking over at Atobe, he wondered. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"If the first year is strong enough to win a block, yes. He won't beat any of us, so he'll probably be the substitute, which might teach him some humility." Looking over at where the first year was about to square off against Arai again, he grinned. "I think he could use it."

"You think someone needs humility?"

"He needs to realize he's no where near my level," Atobe huffed in an affronted voice.

Fuji would have said more, but Tezuka and Oishi appeared from the classroom blocks, heads still lowered in conversation. He shot Atobe a look, but the diva didn't appear to be concerned with the fact that his supporters were going to be sent on another twenty laps around the school again.

The mocking smile on Atobe's face would be marked off as cruel by many who didn't know him well. "Here comes trouble."

"Ahh." Fuji turned way from the sight of Tezuka and Oishi carefully, staring at the three second year students who were going to be given punishment soon. "They never learn, do they?"

"Well, things would get boring if they learn too fast, don't you think? Our buchou needs his daily dosage of things to worry over. Withdrawal might set in if he goes without at least a frown on a daily basis."

Fuji gave a faint smile. "Maa, Keigo-chan-"

"Momo! Kaidou!" Oishi's more than slightly distraught voice halted the two boys, and Kaidou actually looked embarrassed for losing control of his temper.

The dunk smash player rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish look, immediately apologizing to the vice-captain. The look on Tezuka's face was displeased, and it was almost impossible to miss the way he glanced over at Atobe. The diva only tilted his head to one side and smirked, knowing that it wasn't his problem if people underneath him wanted to have brawls like little schoolchildren. After all, he wasn't the captain. It wasn't his problem, even.

Now if he was captain, it would be a totally different issue, but... Atobe snorted and did a few swings distractedly.

"Twenty laps. Now!"

The cringe on Momoshiro's face was amusing. In fact, Atobe liked the younger boy well enough to accept the way he toed the lines with both sides of the team. It was an honest fact that Momoshiro, like all other boys of his age, liked it when people were fond of him. Atobe could understand that. And the fact that his eventual choice laid with Atobe showed that he knew how to enjoy life-- something Atobe would forgive him for easily enough.

Obviously, there were also people who didn't know how to enjoy life around -at this, Atobe glanced at Tezuka's stoic face with a nonchalant shrug- but he certainly wasn't one of those people.

Too bad for them.

"Ne, Syuusuke."

"Hm?" The prodigy turned over to where Atobe was returning a lob Oishi delivered.

"I can't wait for the ranking matches to start." The cheerful grin on Atobe's face was an uncommon sight, one which he would only share with Fuji, actually. "One week of homework, remember?"

Fuji gave a cheerful smile in reply. "You might not be so lucky the next time, Keigo-chan."

"Atobe! Pay attention when we're practicing!" Tezuka's low voice echoed across the courts from where he was standing beside the gate watching the regulars practice.

The prodigy could tell that Atobe was displeased with the open reprimand from the frown he wore, and it made him wonder about what Tezuka was thinking of, sometimes. It wasn't as if he a biased person. Fuji liked him well enough, but he only liked him in the way one was fond of one's captain. He admired Tezuka's farsight and his skills as a leader was irrefutable. It didn't stop him from siding with Atobe though.

It was very simple, actually.

Life was always far more interesting with Atobe around.


End: Chapter 1

Extra Notes!:
Please take note that the Tenipuri boys are currently in senior high, not junior high as per the original timeline for the anime/manga series. ^_^ We're bumping up their ages so that things can get more fun!