NEW UPDATE!!! YAY!! So actually I've been pulling my hair out trying to decide what should happen next other than a huge time skip (because that's going to come up anytime soon XD) cuz I thought there's just something missing (I know I know. Saeki. I STILL haven't figured out how to work him in. It's driving me CRAZY). But I finally decided so I hope it's worth the wait XP So this starts off with a bit of a skip. Yep, it's the famous Seigaku intraschool ranking! But after Ryoma's gone bye bye to US (anime based… though I have nothing against the manga)
Me don't own PoT. I do own a pot though XD
The room was dark. No light filtered in from the thin curtains. Was it night?
Fuji blinked a couple of times, trying to get used to the darkness. He usually woke to a bright light penetrating in through his window on his left. It was bright enough to wake him. But no light today. So what had woken him?
Ring!
The sound reverberated clearly in the otherwise empty room. Slowly Fuji came to the realization that it was his cell phone. Groggily, he lifted a heavy arm to the board above his head. His hand roamed blindly until it touched the cool metal of what he was looking for. He fumbled with the phone before pressing the synthetic green button.
"Hello…?"
"Fuji-senpai?" A familiar voice asked. He knew only one person who could sound as if he were stating the most obvious thing in the world while asking a question.
"Echizen? Is that you?"
"Hai."
Surprised, Fuji sat up from his warm covers into the cool atmosphere of his room.
"This is a surprise. How are you?"
"…I'm fine…"
Fuji laughed: typical Echizen. Nevertheless he had to admit it was different getting a call from someone half way around the world. It was exciting to say in the least; Fuji loved long distance calls or any form of communication at that.
"So how are you doing there? I heard you are still in the preliminaries."
"Hai… it's just started."
"Good luck than."
"Thank you."
Silence over took the other side of the line. Soon, Fuji heard crackling; Echizen was sighing.
"Ne, Fuji-senpai, what time is it there?"
The awoken prodigy looked behind him to see his alarm clock. He squinted in the darkness before replying to the question.
"Two A.M."
"…I'm sorry disturbing you."
"Mah, it's alright."
The conversation again lapsed into silence. Fuji glanced at his cactus. They were in place so that the first light of the day would fall on them as soon as the sun came up.
"Did you want to talk about something Echizen?"
"Ah… hai. Actually I was wondering if you could do a favor…"
"A favor? You know favors don't come free." Fuji said teasingly. The taunt was ignored however.
"I was wondering if you could watch the rest of the intraschool ranking. Momo-senpai was supposed to tell me about it, but I don't think he'll remember."
"Oh."
Bringing his hand up to his mouth, Fuji let it settle on his chin. He thought it ironical that this particular favor was not free for the doer. It was something else entirely. To stand in the tennis courts again; something he had given up. He couldn't say he had forgotten about the intraschool matches. Eiji had been talking about training none stop at school. It was just that he simply did not care anymore. Or at least he tried to. It was so obviously not part of his life anymore. He did not go to morning practices or after school ones. He rarely saw any of the regulars other than Eiji. He said hello to Ryuuzaki-sensei often, baring the small piteous smile she gave him. But he did not go to them. He was trying his best not to care.
"Fuji-senpai?"
"Ah, gomen. Of course I'll do that for you. I wanted to watch them myself." Did I?
"Thank you."
"It's no trouble."
"…sorry for disturbing you."
Fuji did not answer. He merely nodded, as if the simple gesture could be transmitted to Echizen's head thousands of miles away. At least he liked to think so.
"I'll be going now…"
"Wait."
"Hai?"
The boy had gained no amount of emotion in his speech throughout the entire conversation. Fuji smiled: amusing.
"I'm sorry for not being able to go see you off to the U.S. I should have scheduled the rehabilitation better."
"It's alright."
The answer came much quicker than he anticipated. There hadn't been even a second thought. It was more than that though. He didn't want to hear that word. Fuji opened his mouth but he closed it without speaking a word.
"Sah… I'll be sure to get you something as a congratulatory gift for winning the tournament."
Fuji could almost hear Echizen smirk; it was distinct feature of the young boy that could not be dampened by distance.
"Thank you." The boy said in English.
"You're welcome. Bye."
"Bye. Thank you Fuji-senpai."
He bit his lip. The feeling he was experiencing now… misery. It was admirable that Echizen could still care, though he was so far away. Compared to him… he was so close, but he did not care. He was within walking distance, closer than New York would ever be to Seishun Gakuen. Perhaps time was further than any material distance. An ambiguous fact that made him feel woozy.
He didn't want to go. But he had to see it. Letting out a long breath, he fell into his covers. It was cold now.
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Horio yawned. Even with his two astounding years of experience, he had to agree: morning practice was too early. With an English test coming up he couldn't possibly concentrate on picking balls up! Besides, he should really be playing matches. Spring would be coming up in a few months and they couldn't keep him off the courts for long.
"Horio-kun! Hurry up!"
Kachiro frowned, holding a basket overflowing with yellow tennis balls. Horio picked his own basket up and followed suit while sighing loudly.
"Okay okay, coming!"
Kachiro stared into Horio's face for a minute before developing a sly smile that did not suit his innocent face.
"You were daydreaming again, weren't you?"
"Huh?! No I wasn't! A-and what does that have to do with anything? I can daydream whenever I want."
Kachiro said nothing though his face twisted into that of disagreement. They both turned a corner, approaching the club room.
Unable to hold the silence, Horio attempted to start a conversation. "What's wrong with you today anyway? Ah, I know! It's the English test today isn't it? You didn't study that hard!"
"No it's not that…"
"Than what is it?"
"It's just that the club doesn't really feel the same without-"
"Fuji-senpai!"
"That's what I was thinking too! Wow Horio, you- oof!"
Kachiro stumbled a few steps back but was thankfully able to keep his balance. He watched in dismay as stray tennis balls rolled on the ground. He sighed and turned to apologize, only to have his jaw hang level to the ground.
"F-Fuji-senpai!"
The prodigy himself that they had only observed from a distance stood in front of them, smiling and looking slightly sorry. He leaned down to pick a ball up from the ground and tossed it into semi-full basket.
"Good morning."
"Cheers!" The two freshman squeaked out. Fuji let his usual smile up and nodded in acknowledgement. As if snapping out of a trance, the two freshmen immediately scrambled to pick up the remaining balls.
"Ne, are the matches still going?"
"Hai! It's almost Tezuka-buchou's match I think."
His smile lowered and his brows furrowed as if in deep thought. Without realizing, he had successfully scared the two freshmen out of their wits.
"I see… thank you."
------------
"Game to Tezuka! Six games to zero!"
He was good. Maybe even better. His shoulder was fixed. It had to be.
"Ah? Fuji-senpai?"
The one question was followed by a cascade of concerned and curious inquiries that overwhelmed him. He could only smile to all of them as questions overlapped until it was indistinguishable; a babble of meaningless words. With a growing sense of dread, Fuji watched as figures in familiar regular jerseys approached the growing crowd.
Oishi was first to break the crowd. Saying sorry to those he might have accidentally brushed, he approached Fuji. "You're back! Here to see the games? Or…"
"Here to see the games. Actually, it's a favor for Echizen but I seemed to have missed them all..."
"Wait senpai. Echizen? Why didn't he ask me?" Momoshiro stood out from the crowd, his powerful hands scratching his head in confusion.
"He did, but apparently he doesn't trust you." Fuji chuckled at Momoshiro's dismayed face.
"Fujiko! Yosh! Going to play a match?" Kawamura swung his racket recklessly, further dispersing the crowd. For better or for worse, the racket fell out of his hand as it became caught in the fence.
"Uh… ano… how are you Fuji?"
The prodigy smiled wider. "I'm fine. Thank you Taka-san."
"Fuji! You came back!" This outburst was accompanied by an attack from behind and a surprisingly heavy weight on his back. Fuji struggled to stay standing while Oishi cried out in alarm to the owner of the arms around Fuji's neck. The arms let go and the bouncy red head faced Fuji.
"Nya, sorry… but I'm so glad you came! So Ochibi got you to come here?"
"He called early this morning to ask me."
"Intriguing. Echizen has your number but does not seem to have mine."
Fuji turned again, meeting the expected horn-rimmed glasses of Seigaku's data collector. Fuji's lips began tugging at the corners once again at the nostalgic sight. It had been a while since he saw those glasses glint rather cynically under the morning sun.
"Good morning Inui."
Inui nodded while Kaidoh who stood behind bowed to Fuji, silent but polite as usual.
"Good morning senpai."
Fuji returned the greeting before turning back to watch Tezuka's match. Normally he would have let his eyes linger on the intricate pattern of Kaidoh's bandana (which he rather liked) but today there was something even more appealing that demanded his attention.
"Change courts!"
Already the game had progressed. He couldn't lose more time. It had been so long since he had done anything related to tennis. Watching this only reminded him of how much he truly needed tennis, though he refused to acknowledge it at that moment. He would put it off till later, when he was alone.
"So what do you think Fuji?"
The yellow ball flew into the air. It paused momentarily, as if taking in the view, before falling back towards the ground.
"What do I think sensei?"
The racket was ready, arm in position. The simple, perfect movement left an invisible arc in the air and a resounding slapping noise of taut strings meeting a descending ball.
"Do you think he's recovered?"
It flew like a yellow blur, hitting the green court with a thud before bouncing up again to be hit mercilessly by another racket.
"Mah… I don't think that is up to me."
It met the racket again briefly, parting ways to sail over the net once again.
"That is true. But I believe he has recovered. This is his play, without a doubt."
It twisted this time, flying to a forgotten corner within the white boundaries. There was a squeak of rubber but it was too late; the ball had met ground and already left the maximum reach of the player. A point.
"40-love!"
If he had anticipated a bit more. If he had watched the slight change in angle of the racket. If he had better rhythm. If he had better reflexes. If it had been he who was playing.
"One more point and he wins."
"As expected of Tezuka."
Before, it had been him saying it. That it was expected of Tezuka. Because Tezuka was his rival. They were the rivals. No one said it, but everyone knew. And those few times when it was said, it was unnecessary.
-Promise me Tezuka! Promise me that we'll play again!-
So when was it? It never happened.
"Game! Tezuka!"
The murmurs erupted from all sides as the members talked amongst themselves. Fuji himself listened to one of the conversations.
"So I guess that's it. All the members are chosen."
"Aw… I was kind of hoping to-"
"Stupid! Don't even say it. I mean with all the regulars around, are you crazy?"
"Yeah… I still envy Arai…"
"Yeah… Well… I guess we have the perfect regulars of Seigaku now."
"Yeah. We'll just have to wait until next year."
Perfect…?
Hurrying unconsciously, Fuji walked briskly to the score board. Block A, B, C, D. All of them dominated by the former regulars. That meant the regulars were the same, except for…
"I can't believe it! I'm… I'm finally a regular!"
The racket was dropped carelessly from his hands and Arai dropped down to his knees. He gradually raised his arms until they were in a pose of victory.
"YES!"
The scene was quickly blocked by a throng of second years that gathered to either congratulate him or bitterly watch his success from a distance. Fuji wanted to do the latter. However that wasn't right.
"Congratulations Arai."
Arai jumped, startled by the appearance of the third year that had only a minute been standing outside the courts. The mob of second years silenced their conversations.
"T-thank you Fuji-senpai."
Smiling in an anomalous manner, Fuji walked out of the courts. Still affected by his presence, Arai watched as the prodigy waved away the regulars standing outside and wandered off away from the tennis courts.
A bit nervous from acquiring a position he now felt he did not altogether deserve, he picked up his fallen racket.
"…did I do something wrong?"
-----------
Wind. Sky. Clouds. Peace. The four things he needed the most and was the exact contents of the school roof.
What had he felt when he first received the regulars jersey? He didn't remember. Perhaps satisfaction. But the fact that he did not remember was a proof that it wasn't anything significant. It was equivalent to him feeling nothing. After all, tennis was just a hobby.
A drug. I'm addicted to a drug.
He was jealous of Arai. Not for being on the regulars no. He knew if he wanted to join again, he would simply have to prove his worth to be able to join again. A little egoistical but probably true. It was his choice though. No, he was jealous because Arai was happy.
He had never felt it, or if he had, it was so far gone in his recollections that he couldn't taste it anymore. That joy. The joy of achieving something. Things just came to him. He didn't try for them, never strived for them. They simply came to him as if he was a magnet. Convenient although utterly useless in making valuable memories.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Shutting the door behind him, Tezuka approached a dazed Fuji.
He had already changed. The bright blue and red of the regular jersey was replaced by mundane white and black of the school uniform. Fuji often wondered what happened to the creativity that was obviously put into the school colors whenever he saw his school uniform.
"Tezuka. Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Tezuka leaned back on the railings of the roof, producing a small stretching noise from the worn metal. Letting his hand fall from the simple weaving of the railing, Fuji did likewise.
They stood in silence side by side until sunlight vanished from the sky; a cloud was passing by the sun.
"I was wondering Tezuka… do you remember when we were in freshmen?"
"I do. Why?"
"Nothing. I was just thinking of that when I was watching the match."
"I see."
Before the conversation lapsed into complete silence, Tezuka interrupted it unexpectedly.
"Were you thinking about when we had a match?"
Caught off guard, Fuji stared at his former teammate before answering. "I was. How did you know?"
"A guess."
Fuji smiled. "Is it really…"
This was it. He couldn't hold it in anymore. The match, it had all come back to him. Pushing himself off the cold metal, Fuji opened his eyes fully. His sapphire eyes settled on Tezuka.
"We made a promise right?"
Tezuka did not answer so there was no way of knowing whether he remembered or not. It did not matter though. Fuji was going to make him do it even if he didn't.
"Play a match with me."
His eyes narrowed slightly and his glasses moved lower down his nose. His lips remained sealed.
"We promised that we would play again, once you were better."
Still nothing. Brown eyes only became harder.
"We promised to play, to see which one of us was better."
In turn, the blue eyes refused to lose its stubborn sheen. Tezuka felt his lips moving of their own accord.
"We did."
GAH! Sorry for not updating for so long! And well I was going to make one long chapter but I realized it would take a long time and it would be maybe too long for some ppl (especially me XD) so I decided to make it into two parts. Anyways, sorry for not updating for so long! I was just in SUCH a good mood and was already putting this off. I mean I can't believe it! I GOT ACCEPTED!! My future is secured!! YES! Well anyways, if any of you have suggestions, I'm still pulling my hair out on deciding how Saeki should know. Ill try to update as SOON as possible.
PS. just a heads up to Joyce-chan. I normally don't take requests but i'll think about it :)