It Began on the Streets

Response to reviewers:

Hoshiko Megami, RuByMoOn17, ennov: Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate it!

gravitation gig: I'm sorry! I confused you! I'll clear it up for you and everyone.

A/N: I'll clear up a bit of confusion, if you are confused, Ryoma was taken when he was 12! This story takes place 12 years later where he actually is a gangster, I did probably add a confusion introdution! I apologize! I'm really sorry! I hope this clears it up!

Part 2

Tezuka stared at the documents on his desk. It was piled with expenses, important documents, and other deals having to do with his company. He pinched the bridge between his eyes as he felt another headache coming. How he got into business was lost to him but he seemed to have a knack for it.

The previous owner of the company discovered him. Since he had no children to inherit the company, it was given to him. He didn't know how but pretty soon he had his own business and it was flourishing.

After a few years of doing paperwork you seem to want to burn them. He sighed before taking his glasses and wiping the dust off with a cloth. He placed them back on before just looking around his secluded office. His eyes fell on an old picture. It was a picture of the Seigaku team. Fuji took it twelve years ago a day before their youngest member had simply, how to put it, disappeared.

No one had noticed until a week later. Though he should've found out from the beginning. Echizen didn't get sick, and even if he did he'd be stubborn not to stay home. But Ryuzaki received calls that Echizen was sick for the week. When the week was over Echizen was reported missing. His cousin had reported it. The police did searches as did the whole Seigaku team along with a few that knew him among the Kantou region.

After a month, Echizen Ryoma was presumed dead but no body was found. No one wanted to believe it but it seemed to be the only solution, according to the police and Inui. Echizen's parents moved back to the US not wanting to deal with the pain of losing their only son.

Everyone else moved on with their lives.

Fuji pursued his photography career; Kawamura took over his father's sushi restaurant; Oishi is studying to be a doctor; Inui was his data collector for his company; he didn't know what the others did. Though he did hear vaguely from Inui that Kaidou was running some daycare center and Kikumaru was practicing to be a nurse. Momoshiro he didn't remember what his pursuing occupation was.

Everyone seemed to drift away from Tennis. But they all did hang out together once in a while to play. Though it seemed to lose its interest pretty quickly.

Tezuka sighed standing up and walking over to the window to look down from near fifty stories high. He sometimes hated thinking of the past. He wanted to open the window but he was too high making it dangerous. He glanced over at his watch. It read 3:35. If he wanted to make it before it became late he needed to finish some paperwork. He could let people do it but he didn't want to go over it making it a complete waste of time.

He sighed before immersing himself with the papers on his desk.

-X-

Tezuka glanced over the paperwork seeing if it was presentable enough. He then placed it on the 'finished' pile before looking at the clock. It was almost eight. He had to get home. He didn't want Yuki to be disappointed again. He quickly left the office. He didn't want to stay any longer in the cramped space.

It was a bit chilly out. Though he was probably walking through a dangerous part of the town. People still walked by because they didn't have something valuable. He would have a lot on him but he had to pick up someone first. He glanced at the scribble on the paper looking for the address. He reached the end of the street.

Tezuka came across a big house. It was the largest one on the street. That was all the paper said so he assumed this was the house. He carefully followed the path leading to the door. At least this was a safe environment. But it wasn't this eerie in the mornings. Or maybe he was just being paranoid. It was such a stupid thought.

He approached the door knocking three times. A woman answered the door.

"Ah, Tezuka-san, you're here for Yuki. Yuki-chan!" the woman called out. A little girl, about four, came running down the stairs. She had black hair and blue eyes with a doll in her arms.

Yuki ran up to Tezuka as he picked her up. He smiled at her.

"Did you behave for Kaori-san, Yuki-chan?" he said. The little girl nodded her head. He then turned to the woman. "Thank you Kaori-san." She just chuckled.

"Anytime Tezuka-san. Yuki-chan behaved today. It's been quite happy around here since she came around. All of us enjoy it. It's been awhile since we've taken care of a little boy or girl. Ours had already grown up. Anyways see you around Yuki-chan, Tezuka-san." Kaori said before waving them bye and shutting the door.

Tezuka noticed she seemed to be in a hurry. He shrugged it off and continued to carry the little girl in his arms walking back.

"Papa, can I have some ice cream?" Yuki said as she spotted an ice cream stand. Tezuka agreed and walked over.

He handed Yuki her ice cream cone. He himself didn't get one for he didn't care for sweets that much. He just held his daughter's hand as they walked through the park and found a bench to sit on. If people were curious, Yuki is not his real daughter. He found her abandoned on the street and took her in. He was unlucky that day when Fuji came over for a visit. Knowing Fuji, his sadistic nature stuck to him, he told all in the group. Kikumaru came over with outrageous stories Fuji told him on how he, Tezuka, got a daughter.

He cleared it up with Oishi's help. Fuji could be such a life ruin-er. He sighed. He just hoped Fuji didn't bring any other surprises for his next visit, which, regrettably, was this weekend. Apparently Yuki seemed to like him. Or maybe she was just ignorant to Fuji's 'evil aura'. He shook his head of those thoughts. 'No need to be thinking of your doom' he thought to himself. He sighed.

"Papa! Look!" Tezuka came back to reality at his adopted daughter's voice. He realized he was lost in thought that he didn't notice his daughter kneeling next to some bushes. He walked over.

"What is it Yuki-chan?" he asked looking over her shoulder. She pointed to what seemed like a body.

When that thought got to him, he quickly kneeled down checking the person's pulse and was relieved that the person was still breathing. He turned the person so they were lying on his or her back. When he got a good look at the person's features he gasped in surprise.

It's impossible… he thought. Tezuka felt hesitant. It could be true or it could be someone else…but no one else he'd seen with these identical features. He was frozen for a moment.

He was brought out of his daze as Yuki tugged on his sleeve. He glanced at her as she pointed at the person.

"Papa, he's awake!"

Sure enough he was. He struggled to get up. Tezuka watched as he walked in a small circle drunkenly muttering something. Tezuka heard something like "stupid cheater…Tatsuha…" before he fell down, unconscious again.

Tezuka got out his cell and dialed for his chauffer. A few minutes later, he then carried the unconscious person bridal style to the limo that arrived at the front of the park. Settling in, he dialed for his personal doctor to meet him at his house.

When they arrived, he took the unconscious body to a guest room. Tezuka let his personal doctor look over and fix up any wounds on the unconscious body. He waited outside sitting in one of the hallway chairs. He was anxious; he couldn't stop fidgeting.

If this person was whom he thought he was… Then what? Should he call the others and tell them? Or maybe wait until Fuji arrives so he could decide if his theory was true or not? He voted for the latter seeing as how he should wait it out first and see if this person really was who he thought he was.

If this person really is Echizen Ryoma who disappeared twelve years ago…

Tezuka looked up from his thoughts as the doctor walked out of the room.

"Doctor, how is it?" Tezuka asked. The doctor looked over his notes.

"He suffers from a concussion. He may have some memory loss, only a minimal chance, but if it does occur it'll probably be only a few weeks. He also had a few major cuts along his legs, a couple of bruises around his stomach area plus his arms, and a bullet wound on his right arm. I was able to take out the bullet and bandage it up. Other than that nothing is fatal. I suggest giving him some of those painkillers I left and he needs plenty of rest. Call me if anything severe happens Tezuka-san." The doctor said. Tezuka nodded as a maid showed the doctor out. At least he didn't have to take him to a hospital.

Tezuka walked into the room seeing the extent of the damage done to him. At least he didn't look like a mummy. He sighed. Maybe he should tell someone he knew that wouldn't tell it to the whole world. He walked out of the room while dialing a number. It rang a few times before someone picked up.

"Hello Oishi. Can you make it here tomorrow? I have something to tell you…"

-X-

Golden eyes revealed themselves behind closed eyelids. Ryoma noticed he was in unfamiliar territory. Unfamiliar territory was not good though he didn't know why. He just had this instinct. He sat up feeling his bandages. He remembered getting into a fight but then he didn't remember who or how it started. Or maybe someone just had beaten him up?

He listened intently as he heard footsteps approaching. He looked around finding a jacket. He fished for something to defend himself and found a knife in one of the pockets. He wondered who would leave this jacket lying around. Anyways when he saw the person's shadow from under the door he quickly, but stealthily, hid next to the door where the door would cover him.

The door opened and the person stepped in walking towards the empty bed. Ryoma slowly shut the door. Before the person could turn around Ryoma quickly kicked him to his knees, grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back, and placed the blade of the knife against his throat. The person was, unfortunately, taller than he, so he had to do an extra step.

"Who are you and where am I?"

TBC----------------

BLK Angel of Destruction: Hey don't you guys think that Tezuka looks like Tatsumi from Yami no Matsuei? I mean they do look alike to me anyways.

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