I'm so sorry for the long delay! I already started classes again and I don't have that much time to write (or to do anything at all lol). I didn't and still don't want to give up this fanfic, but I just can't post new chapters regularly, I'm sorry... I still don't have the next chapter written (though I started it) but I decided I'd rather post this one than wait until I finish the next one since I don't know when I'm going to be able to do so... This way you can at least read one chapter while I'm finishing the next one.

This chapter is special for me. Since I started writting this story I wanted to write this. There are going to be more chapters about their memories so look forward to it :3 I hope this makes it up for the long wait and that you all like this chapter =)

Chapter 4. Forgotten memories I (Seigaku)

Some days after Sakuno was discharged from the hospital, all the regulars went to her house to spend the day together. Ryoma observed Sakuno, who seemed to be relaxing little by little and was beginning to laugh at the antics of Eiji and Momo. Nanako had gone shopping. The boys and Sakuno had offered to help her, but Nanako had refused, assuring them that she would be back soon.

Sakuno looked better. There were almost no wounds left and her cheeks had recovered their color. Despite she still felt inhibited, she didn't look uncomfortable, though that was probably because of Tezuka, with whom she kept exchanging looks every now and then. Even though the captain of the tennis team was talking with Fuji and Oishi, he kept looking to Sakuno. All of the regulars knew Sakuno felt better when Tezuka was around, but none of them said anything about it.

Ryoma didn't know whether to feel jealous or not. It didn't look like Sakuno and Tezuka looked at each other in a romantic way, but Ryoma would have preferred Sakuno to feel safer with him instead of any other boy. However, even though the girl seemed to have become used to Ryoma's presence, she was still nervous when she saw him and, since Ryoma wasn't the type to start a conversation, they didn't usually talk with each other. Ryoma missed the conversations he used to have with Sakuno, but he didn't know what to talk about with that Sakuno that, after all, he didn't really know.

Ryoma found weird that neither Eiji nor Momo had tried to counsel him, but the young boy suspected they also didn't know what to do and, probably, Fuji or even Tezuka had prevented them to leave the youngest alone. Though Ryoma would rather not have them disturbing him, a part of him did want his senpai-tachi to advise him, but he would never recognized it. He knew the regulars pitied him and that was something he couldn't stand. They all knew Ryoma had feelings for Sakuno; Fuji had proved it. Ryoma still remembered the jealousy, the jokes and the embarrassment.

All because of that plan…

Flashback

It was a sunny day, but still a little bit cold. The members of the tennis club were heading to the training. The regulars were already at the courts, talking, with the exception of Ryoma, who was still on the changing room, and Tezuka, who was talking with the coach.

"At least, it's suspicious."

"It is, but you know he will never admit it."

"There must be some way to prove it" said Momo, looking at Inui.

"We've already tried with Ryuzaki-san and it hasn't worked. I don't see why it would work with Echizen" answered Inui.

"There is something we haven't tried with Ryuzaki-chan that may work with Echizen" joined Fuji with a smile.

"Ryuzaki-chan."

Sakuno turned around and smiled when she saw Fuji, who was observing her with his usual smile. The training had already finished and Sakuno was helping to gather up the material. She had thought all the regulars were already at the changing room, preparing to go to class. Fuji didn't have his racket, but he still wore his tennis uniform. The tensai approached her and tried to pick up the basket with the tennis balls they used during practice and that she was carrying. Sakuno stepped back to prevent him from doing so.

"Fuji-senpai, I thought you were at the changing room with the other members."

"I was in my way when I saw you pick up the basket and I though you could use some help. After all, we're the ones who have used them."

"Thank you, but I can carry it myself. It's not heavy. If you don't hurry up, you'll be late for class, Fuji-senpai."

"Sakuno, it isn't your job to pack away the material" Fuji tried to pick up the basket again and this time she let him, surprised at the change of name. The boy's smile widened.

"Ah… But I want to help. It's my job as the manager. Besides, the first years are busy with other things and if they stay here for too long they're going to be late, Fuji-senpai."

"Sakuno, it's already been three years since we first met each other. When are you going to stop calling me by my surname?"

"But…"

Fuji bent over her in order to look at her right in the eyes. Sakuno, who wasn't used to seeing him with his eyes open, blushed, bus she was unable to glance away.

"Please."

Sakuno blushed even more and silently nodded.

"Hai, S-Syusuke-senpai."

Fuji smiled and straightened up while closing his eyes and started to head to the store. Sakuno, after a brief pause, followed him, her cheeks still tinted in pink. At the other side of the court, a boy with a cap and a ponta in his hand looked at them.

~During the afternoon training~

"Sakuno-chan!"

"Kyah!"

Sakuno was walking toward the courts when Eiji suddenly hugged her from behind, surprising her, though she didn't drop the papers she had in her hands. It wasn't usual for her to drop things anymore, nor to trip over anything, though she still kept getting lost sometimes.

"Kikumaru-senpai… You've scared me" sighed Sakuno. She didn't even try to move aside; she was already used to the hyperactive player to jump over her as soon as he got a chance. Eiji, however, did step aside, teary eyed.

"Sakuno-chan! How could you?"

"Kikumaru-senpai, I don't-"

"No! It's not fair! Why do you call Fuji by his name but you keep calling me by my surname?"

Eiji clinged strongly onto Sakuno once again, though he didn't hurt her. Sakuno frowned, worried by Eiji's behaviour, sighed slightly and smiled.

"Fu-Syusuke-senpai asked me to call him by his name."

Eiji let her go and looked at her.

"Then I ask you too" Sakuno smiled and Eiji impaciently said. "Say it, say it."

"Eiji-senpai."

"Yay!"

Eiji hugged Sakuno again and, after grabbing her hand, he approached the other regulars, who were looking at them, amused, except for Ryoma and Tezuka, who both looked indifferent. Sakuno greeted them all with a bow, without letting go of Eiji (who was still smiling)'s hand.

"Ii data… First Echizen, then Fuji and now Kikumaru… 100% probability for all the other regulars in less than a week" murmured Inui to himself, though loud enough for the others to hear him.

"Echizen, aren't you jealous?" asked Momo while looking at the youngest, who was observing the couple as if he didn't care (despite not looking away of their intertwined hands).

"Should I?" answered indifferently as he turned around to the courts.

~The same day, after the training, in Kawamura's bar~

"It seems to be working" commented Fuji with a smile.

"Are you sure Fuji? I don't think he has acted any different."

"He's thrown the ball out of the courts. It had never happened to him before."

"But he may have been distracted for something else."

"He hasn't waited for Momo at the end of practice either, and he's been the first to get to the changing room after practice and the first one to leave. Since when isn't Echizen spending as much time at the courts as he can?"

"Well, that's true…"

"Besides, do you remember what he said before, when Momo asked him if he was jealous?"

"'Should I?'" stepped in Eiji.

"Exactly."

"And what does it have to do?"

"What did he use to answer three years ago?" asked Inui while Fuji was smiling.

The regulars stayed in silence, thinking, until they remembered it.

"'Mada mada dane'!"

"Then, it's working?" asked Eiji, excited, a wide smile spreading over his face.

"There is a 99% that the plan is working."

"And the other 1%?" asked Oishi.

"Other factors. They aren't relevant."

The regulars were curious about what those "other factors" were, but they didn't dare to ask.

"Then we keep it up, don't we?"

"Yes, but we'll soon need to pass over to the second phase.

The regulars shuddered when they saw the sadistic smile of Fuji. Oishi and Eiji exchanged a look. It had been a while since they'd last seen that smile. It had had to bothered Fuji a lot that all of their plans to discover Sakuno's feelings hadn't been working. For a moment, the rest of the regulars pitied Ryoma.

~Two weeks later~

The plan was as simple as it was effective: make Ryoma jealous. The regulars just needed to get closer to Sakuno –after being sure Ryoma was watching- and take care of her: accompany her, help her carry her things. At the end of the first week they had already gotten her to call them by their first name, doing the same to her. In fact, Eiji and Momo used every opportunity they had to call her by her name.

Two weeks later, none of the regulars could doubt of the success of the plan. Ryoma was growing more and more distracted and bad-tempered, especially around Eiji, who also hugged her often, partly because of the plan but mostly because of his personality. Oishi had tried to calm the acrobatic player down, but Eiji shrugged him off and Fuji and Inui, knowing Eiji's character would be useful to their plan, hadn't tried to stop him.

However, now that they had proved that Ryoma felt something for Sakuno, they still had to achieve the hardest part of the plan: make Ryoma realize his feeling and, even more difficult, make him admit them. Fuji and Inui had concluded that the only way to achieve it was to start the second phase. However, that second phase consisted in Sakuno going on a date with one of them. Surprisingly, it had been Eiji the first one to refuse it, saying it was too much to ask Sakuno on a date when they all wanted her to be together with Ryoma. What would they do if Sakuno fell for one of them instead of falling for Ryoma? Oishi, glad that Eiji had found a logical argument against the second phase, had quickly agreed with him, and so they didn't know what to do anymore.

And days passed. Even the coach had tried to help the regulars, talking with Ryoma (with the excuse of Ryoma being distracted lately, though the coach knew perfectly well what the other regulars were doing). It hadn't worked, however, because Ryoma, who kept looking beyond the coach, scurried away after murmuring something that sounded like an apology and returned to training. At least Ryoma still had great aiming and control, because two seconds later a ball hit Eiji, who had been refusing to let Sakuno go for a while, on his head, taking advantage of Tezuka and the coach being busy.

Today's training, though, had been calm. Sakuno had to run some errands and the coach had let her go away, so Ryoma looked more at ease. He even agreed to go out with the other regulars –once he was sure Momo and Eiji would be paying, that is. It was the first time in a while that they all went out together save for the celebrations when they won a match. When the school year ended, it would be more difficult for them to meet since the third years would graduate and, even though most of them would continue their studies, they would officially become part of that weird world where the adults belonged. That was why, for some hours, they had fun as every normal teenager (in spite of Momo's and Eiji's protests about how much they missed Sakuno and how much they wished she was with them). Soon, however, night fell and they had to head back home.

Finally, only Ryoma, Tezuka and Fuji were left, since they three lived farther away from school. They continued on their way in a comfortable silence. The streets at night were almost empty. It was a peaceful neighborhood, since there wasn't much traffic, and most of the neighbors were already at home, dining or just spending the rest of the day in their homes.

Tezuka and Fuji stopped when they reached a crossroad. Ryoma, deep in thought, walked two steps before he noticed that his senpai-tachi had stopped and stopped as well. Fuji smiled, guessing what had distracted the youngest player. However, before Fuji had time to say anything about it, the three boys heard a noise followed by two shouts, one feminine and the other masculine. The noise came from an alley before them. Tezuka and Ryoma quickly went there, followed by Fuji, whose blue eyes were now dangerously narrowed. When they approached the alley they heard more voices. One was low, but deep and threatening. Ryoma was about to enter in the alley when Tezuka caught his arm and brusquely pulled him back. Ryoma, annoyed, turned to the captain to protest, but he stopped when he saw the look that the usually impassive regular gave him.

Tezuka turned his attention to the alley to prudently look what was happening without being seen. What he saw, although not unexpected, made his blood boil.

Sakuno was there, as they had already guessed when they heard her voice. Despite the poor illumination, Tezuka could see her defiantly looking at the two men that had her cornered by the wall. Tezuka knew her well, however, and he could tell she was scared. Both men looked at her lewdly, close to her but without touching her. Yet. The tennis captain knew that the most sensible way to act would be to tell someone, tell the police what was happening, but the closest police station was ten minutes away from where they were and Tezuka knew they didn't have that much time. None of those undesirable subjects had any weapons, at least from what Tezuka could see. Both men were tall and strong, so they probably trusted in their own physical strength to submit their victims.

Tezuka turned around and looked at Fuji, who nodded once and started to take out the racket and a tennis ball from his bag. Ryoma was about to imitate Fuji, but Tezuka stopped him, gesturing Ryoma to follow him. Then the two tennis players turned the corner and approached the group. Neither Sakuno nor the two guys noticed them approaching. Then, one of the two men (taller than the other and with hair as black as the night) got even closer to Sakuno and skimmed her cheek with his fingertips. Sakuno removed his hand, hitting it, but she was trapped against the wall and couldn't escape. Fear showed clearly in her eyes. Both men smiled, aroused, and the man who hadn't touched her (shorter than his partner but with the same dark hair) licked his lips. Sakuno shuddered, pressing her back against the wall enough strength to possibly pass through it.

"Leave her alone"

Tezuka didn't shout, but his voice sounded strong and confident. Sakuno turned to that well-known voice and she felt relieved when she saw them, despite the surprise and the worry. Both men also turned around, clearly frustrated by the interruption. Seeing Tezuka and Ryoma stand near them, the tallest one made one toward them.

"Get out of here!"

The yell didn't affect Tezuka and Ryoma, who didn't move nor seemed scared in the least. When Tezuka advanced, however, calmed but determined, he stood near the man who had shouted. The man, feeling clearly threatened, quickly put his hand in his jacket's pocket. The glint in his hand when he took it out proved he had a knife. Not losing time threatening the boys, the man threw himself at Tezuka but, before he could hurt the captain, something hit his wrist hard, making him drop the knife. Tezuka quickly retrieved it while Ryoma, who had slowly been approaching Sakuno, took a hold of the girl's arm using the distraction of the two men and pushed her until she was behind Tezuka and himself. The man who had tried to attack Tezuka touched his wrist, grimacing at the pain. Then, he looked at the tennis ball that had hit him, still bouncing softly on the floor near them. His surprise turned into rage and he fixed his glare once again in Tezuka and Ryoma. His partner, though, was looking behind the tennis players, towards the figure that stood up in the corner of the alley.

Fuji started to approach the group at the same time that the man he had hit with the tennis ball threw himself against Tezuka once again. However, against all odds, it was his partner who stopped him by gripping his arm and brusquely pushing him backwards, despite the height difference. However, when both men looked at each other -one clearly frustrated and angry and the other one with a cold calmness- it was the tallest one who backed down and looked away. The other man, after one last cold glance toward Tezuka, who impassively met his eyes, turned around and walked to the other side of the alley, followed soon after by his companion.

Once the two men had disappeared from their sight, Fuji went to the wall, near where Sakuno had been standing, and retrieved her school bag and the tennis ball he had used to hit the man. Then he turned around and approached Sakuno, who still looked pale, and stood beside Ryoma, who had turned to see how she was but who didn't really know what to do or what to say. Ryoma had stood up in front of her to protect her. He had been too preoccupied by the thread of the two men to comfort her, but he had noticed her clinging on his regular jacket with trembling hands and her body touching his back as if she feared he would vanish into thin air and leave her alone. After turning around, once Ryoma was sure there was no danger, he took her hands softly. Sakuno didn't seem to notice it, however, because she kept looking at the place where the two men had disappeared. Tezuka, who had also turned to Sakuno, observed her for a moment before approaching her and calling her by her name. That seemed to wake her up from her trance. She turned her eyes toward Tezuka and, advancing, she let go of Ryoma's hands and hugged Tezuka. The captain, who didn't seem surprised, hugged the girl back firmly while caressing her head, buried in his chest, trying to calm her down. Sakuno wasn't crying, but her whole body trembled strongly. Ryoma and Fuji, with his eyes still open and without smiling, looked at the couple without taking part.

~The next day~

Fuji had reunited all of the regulars, with the exception of Ryoma and Tezuka, to tell them what had happened. Las night, after Sakuno calmed down, they had walked her home. The girl had refused to let her grandmother know what had happened, worried that it would only make her health worsen, since Sakuno was sure that her grandmother's health was fragile though the coach denied it and she still worked as if nothing was wrong. Tezuka had agreed, but only after Sakuno had promised him to call him if she ever had to go back home that late at night again so he could walk her home.

Though none of the regulars had noticed anything weird in Sakuno during the next morning, they did notice the odd behavior of Tezuka, Fuji and Ryoma. Tezuka seemed to be paying more attention to Sakuno than he used to. In fact, when some of the regulars had arrived at the courts, Tezuka and Sakuno were talking, their bodies really close to each other. Fuji continuously observed Tezuka with a serious expression and Ryoma, on his own, seemed depressed. The young player hadn't paid attention to anything they had said and he had barely made it through practice, as if he didn't have any strength left.

Inui had approached Fuji to ask him about it all, but Fuji had refused to tell him anything and had reunited them all during lunchtime. After explaining them what had happened the night before and discuss it for a long time, they had had to accept that Fuji was right: Tezuka and Sakuno were dating. That was why Ryoma was so downcast and, above all, that was the reason why they hadn't been able to prove that Sakuno was still in love with Ryoma: because they had been stubbornly trying to see something that didn't even exist. The regulars even remembered Sakuno's smile when, following their plan, the regulars had asked her to call the captain by his name. However, when they thought about it now, they realized that they hadn't had a hard time convincing her or in convincing him to do the same to her. It was probable that they were already in first-name basis.

They were still assimilating the thought of their impassive captain going out with their little Sakuno when a voice brought them back.

"Senpai, I've been looking for you."

They all turned at the same time. Beside Oishi was no other than Sakuno, who was looking at them, bewildered at the obvious disappointment in the faces of the tennis players.

"S-Sakuno. Why were you looking for me?" asked Oishi, uncomfortable at seeing in front of him the person they had been talking about.

"Coach asked me to give this to you and the captain."

Sakuno gave him the papers with a smile and then turned to the others.

"Is something the matter, senpai-tachi?"

The regulars looked at each other, uncomfortable, not knowing what to say. Neither Tezuka nor Sakuno had said anything. In fact, if it hadn't been because of last night's events, none of them would have guessed that they were dating. The regulars knew the couple had the right to kept it a secret if they wanted to, so they didn't know whether to say something or just play dumb. However Eiji, impulsive and very worried about Ryoma, couldn't stop himself.

"Are you going out with Tezuka-buchou?"

Sakuno was left speechless and blinked a couple of times, trying to make sure she had heard him right. All the regulars were looking at her, even Oishi, who had looked at Eiji reprovingly.

~At the rooftop~

Momoshiro went directly to the roof. He was decided to end it there. He opened the roof's door and leaned on it, nonchalant but determined. He took out a tennis ball from his trousers' pocket and started to play with it, throwing it up in the air to catch it when it fell. After several seconds, still not looking at the lying figure, he spoke.

"Fuji has told us what happened yesterday. She was lucky you were there" seeing Ryoma, with his cap covering his face as if he was sleeping, not answering, Momo continued. "He has also told about what happened after. We would have never guessed that Sakuno and Tezuka-buchou were dating, but if you think about it, they do look well together, don't you think?"

Ryoma didn't react. Momoshiro, who wasn't known because of his patience, threw the tennis ball he had been playing with at the younger. As he had expected, Ryoma caught the ball with one hand before it could hit him and he placed the cap in his head while he sat up. Ryoma looked at the door, annoyed when he saw that Momo was blocking him the only way out. He would have to listen to him so Momo could say whatever he wanted to and Ryoma could be free again.

"However, we didn't expect it. All this time plotting and planning and it has all been a waste of time", Momoshiro smiled when he saw the bewildered look Ryoma had. "Well, it seems like it has been useful for something after all. You know what?", added the boy after a pause, "I thought you would quickly catch up with our plan and that it wouldn't work, but it looks like you don't think clearly when it has to do with Sakuno."

Momoshiro laughed. Ryoma glared at him but he didn't deny it, which only made his friend laugh even more. Ryoma, annoyed, stood up, determined to go out. His companion, though, stopped laughing and looked at him.

"I know better than to expect you to admit it, but we both know that you're in love with Sakuno." Momo smiled again, seeing Ryoma looking away with a faint but visible blush on his cheeks. "That's why we have been trying to make you jealous these lasts weeks. And it has worked: I have never seen you make so many mistakes before."

Ryoma turned to the fence, annoyed. Now that he knew about the plan, he didn't understand how he hadn't seen through it. But of course, now that he was aware of his feelings, he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed them before. He had been blind for too long and now, his blindness had a price.

"And what's the point of me knowing it now?" asked Ryoma. Momo, seeing Ryoma didn't want to escape anymore, approached him. "Sakuno is already dating someone. The captain."

Ryoma knew them well enough to know that they wouldn't date impulsively. Both Tezuka and Sakuno were calm and responsible. Ryoma had to admit that Momo was right: they looked good together.

Momoshiro looked at Ryoma. Although he looked sad, it wasn't as obvious as that morning. In fact, the older tennis player thought he could see in the youngest resignation and even some acceptation. "It's about time we end the plan", thought Momo.

"Sakuno and Tezuka–buchou aren't dating" Momo then said. Ryoma quickly turned to face him. "Eiji-senpai has asked Sakuno when we were eating. It seems that Tezuka-buchou invites her to have lunch at his house when her grandmother is away so she doesn't feel lonely. He has even trained her in tennis. After so much time, Sakuno says it's like they're sibling.

Ryoma needed some seconds to assimilate the information. When he finally did it, relief flooded over him. It looked like he still had enough time. Then he recalled Momo telling him how well Sakuno and Tezuka looked together even though he knew perfectly well they weren't dating. Relief was replaced by anger so as to hide the embarrassment. Looks like his senpai-tachi had fun messing around with him.

"Momo-!"

Ryoma stopped when he saw the rooftop's door opening and Sakuno entered. Momoshiro, who had distanced himself from Ryoma to avoid his anger, started laughing at the confused expression of the younger player. Sakuno, not knowing about the conversation they'd just had, looked at them both, confused.

"Well, Echizen, see you at practice. Still, if I were you, I'd hurry up. You're not the only one interested and you could end up being too late" commented Momo nonchalantly, laughing again when he realized that Ryoma wasn't able to answer him back with Sakuno before them. Momo knew Ryoma would make him pay during afternoon practice, but it was worthwhile. Or so he hoped.

Sakuno observed Momoshiro step out of the roof, murmuring something that sounded like "young love". When he was outside, Sakuno carefully approached Ryoma, who looked annoyed. However, before she could start the conversation, Ryoma took the lead.

"Were you looking for me?"

Ryoma wasn't looking at her and his voice was neuter, but Sakuno knew him well, so she knew he wasn't angry at her. She smiled.

"Yes. Takeshi-senpai has told me your parents aren't home and that you're alone. I've thought you may want to come home with my grandmother and me to have dinner so you wouldn't have dinner alone. If you want to", quickly added the girl.

Sakuno had seen Ryoma didn't look at shape the last days, but the tennis player always told her he was alright. Finally, after seeing him so down that morning, she had used her opportunity when she had found all the regulars having lunch together to ask them if they knew what was wrong with Ryoma.

Ryoma, unaware of Sakuno's worry during the last weeks, was surprised at the sudden invitation. Nervous and lacking reflexes in that kind of situations, he answered the first thing that came to his mind.

"My parents are coming back tomorrow. And Nanako is at home, so I'm not alone."

"Ah, I see."

Ryoma inwardly cursed his honesty and quickly searched for and excuse.

"But I think Nanako said she was going to study at a friend's house tonight" added Ryoma with pretended indifference. Sakuno smiled again.

"So, do you want to come?"

Ryoma nodded, hiding a smile.

~End of flashback~

Ryoma sighed. He was lucky Sakuno was still so naïve for some matters, because the regulars had used every opportunity to make fun of him. It was a wonder Sakuno hadn't noticed his feelings. Or maybe it was just his bad luck.

Just then, Eiji, who had been running around the room while Sakuno laughed and Oishi tried to stop him, tripped over the table and fell down. Sakuno and Oishi, worried, quickly approached him.

"Eiji, are you okay?" asked the vice-captain while looking his partner's hand, red after the blow.

"Nya…Yep, yep."

Sakuno, relieved, softly laughed and took Eiji's red hand carefully.

"You need to be careful, Eiji-senpai. If you end up getting hurt again you won't be able to practice your acrobatics."

No one said anything; they all just looked at her, surprised. Tezuka was the first one to react and approached her.

"Sakuno, what do you mean?"

Sakuno, a little confused, looked at him.

"Eiji-senpai hurt his wrist" she answered, slowly. "You and the coach wouldn't let him train until he was recovered, but he had insisted to keep doing so."

"When did that happen?" asked Tezuka while the other regulars looked at them.

Sakuno remained silent, thinking, but soon after she shook her head.

"I don't know. I don't know. But it happened, right?" she asked, almost pleaded.

Tezuka put a hand on her head and caressed her hair while he nodded. The others seemed to finally react and Eiji quickly hugged Sakuno, laughing. It was a small memory, an anecdote of the past, but it was a memory. The first one of them all.

How was it? I'll be waiting for your comments! =D I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can. Thank you so much for all of you who are reading and following this story, it really makes me sooo happy -^^-