Hi there! Sorry for the long wait. The short semester has started and I also have another story to update so... yeah… I hope I can update regularly from now on, about once per two weeks, I guess?

Disclaimer: I own neither the Prince of Tennis nor its characters.

Sorry for any grammatical error and/or typo. Enjoy! :)

Ch6: Our Way Home

It was a fine afternoon on the next day. Most of the students in Shitenhouji were preparing to go home as the club activities had just ended. Usually, the second year ace player Zaizen Hikaru went home straight after the afternoon practice ended, however today was different. After saying goodbye to his teammates, he went back to the school building. He went to the third floor, where the other clubs but sports ones took place. He walked across the corridor and stopped in front of a club room. Leaning against the wall opposite to the door, he waited until club activity in that room ended.

Some of the students there looked at him. It was strange to find him there. The girls started whispering to each other, wondering what one of the tennis club's hot guys were doing. He looked like he was waiting for someone. Whom was he waiting for then?

Ignoring people around him, Zaizen put on his headphones and listened to his favorite songs. After around ten minutes, the club finally ended. The door was opened and some students went out. A long haired girl was chatting with her friends when she caught a glance of him. She frowned as he stared back blankly at her.

"Tsubasa-chan~" Two boys approached Tsubasa as he walked out his club room.

Tsubasa looked at them, mentally rolled his eyes as he had known what would come next. "Yes?"

"Let us walk you home." The first boy said.

"We heard that your sister is taking supplementary class." The other added. Both of them grinned ear to ear as they were very happy that the sister complex senior wouldn't interfere their attempt to flirt the cute girl in front of them.

Tsubasa tried his best to resist an urge to facepalm. He smiled to them and sweetly declined the offer. "Sorry guys, but today I'm going home with him." He walked past the two boys and faced the black haired guy. "Let's go, Zaizen-kun." He then took Zaizen's hand and dragged him.

Students looked at them with widened eyes. It was unbelievable. It was true that they were classmates, but they weren't close at all as they had their own worlds and friends. It was the first time they were seen together outside school task.

No one could object though, as they looked so good together… Or so people thought…

After both of the second years were quite far from the school, Tsubasa quickly released Zaizen's hand and wiped his hand to the skirt with disgusted face. He also took a step aside to create space between them.

"Listen, it's not like wanna do this." He said while throwing a glare to the guy beside him.

Zaizen touched his nape and replied. "I don't wanna do this either. If it's not for senpai's request…"

[Zaizen's flashback]

"You see, actually I have a request…"

Zaizen looked at Tsubaki, waiting for the senior to continue speaking. She became so nervous. She bit her lips and played with her nails but said nothing for the time being. She knew what she wanted to say, but she didn't know how to say it. Why on earth was his stare that scary? It made her even tenser.

Anyway, if she didn't start speaking now, he would get bored of waiting and said…

"Senpai, what exactly do you want to say?"

…or something like that.

She took a deep breath. "Zaizen-kun… Can you… Can you escort Tsubasa home tomorrow?"

"Wha?" He blinked. Was he only hearing thing?

She clapped her hands in front of her face. "Please, just this once. I have a supplementary class tomorrow and I can't let him go home alone."

"But-"

"I'm afraid yesterday's bad guys will hit on him again. Pretty please, Zaizen-kun? You're the only one I can turn to after all."

He sighed. To think that Tsubasa was actually a guy like him. Why did she put so much effort in protecting that cross-dressing boy?

"Fine…"

[End of flashback]

"I don't care if you're either a boy or a girl. You should be able to, at least, go home on your own." Zaizen said sarcastically.

Tsubasa's eyebrows twitched. This guy was very annoying! Why did his sister even tried to put them together?

[Tsubasa's flashback]

It was a peaceful breakfast when suddenly Tsubaki informed him unexpected news. He nearly broke the bow he was holding when she said that today he would go home with Zaizen, the guy he disliked so much.

"What? What do you say?"

"I say you're going home with Zaizen-kun today." She repeated calmly as it was nothing.

"But why?" He asked again, still didn't want to believe her sister's saying.

"Well, I can't go home with you because of the supplementary class. That's why I asked Zaizen-kun to escort you home in my place." She explained matter of factly.

"But… But… Why him? Why Zaizen of all people?"

"Because he's the only one who knows your secret thus he's the only one I can ask for help to."

He frowned hearing her answer. He couldn't say no to her, no matter how much he disliked her idea.

"Beside, he's actually a good person. Why don't you try to befriend with him?"

[End of flashback]

Befriend with Zaizen? That was absurd! Why would he befriend with someone like him? Tsubasa couldn't understand what her point was.

Right, Tsubaki herself had changed. Why did she suddenly get along well with Zaizen? How could she think that highly of him?

"I can go home by myself!" Tsubasa replied in anger. He fastened his walking pace. After a while, he stopped and looked back with annoyed look. Zaizen was still there, walking casually behind him. "Why are you following me?"

"It can't be helped. My house is in the same direction as yours."

"That's for today." A woman said in front of the class. She gathered books on a teacher's table and proceed leaving the class, where some third year students were literally dying.

"Yamada-sensei is so evil." Tsubaki whined as she leaned her chin onto her desk. Piles of homework were laid in front of her. If she didn't finish them correctly in two days time, she would have to attend another supplementary class. Geez, this was very irritating. It didn't only take her half of her time to dinner; it also made her have to skip some kendo practice.

Her seatmate stretched her body. She also had the same sulking face as Tsubaki. "That was very tiring, wasn't it?" She said as she pushed her round glasses up to their proper position.

Tsubaki shrugged. "Let's go home, Chie. It's late already." She stuffed her books and stationery into her bag then stood up.

The girl called Chie did the same thing and they walked exiting the class. Another girl with long pig tail joined them in the corridor. Her name was Kanna. Just like Chie, she was Tsubaki's classmate, though she took different subjects in supplementary class. Both of the girls were quite close to Tsubaki as they had been attending the same class since their first year. Personally, Tsubaki felt comfortable hanging out with them, though she couldn't tell them her family's secret.

It was already dark when they arrived at the school gate. Tsubaki then said goodbye to her friends as their homes were in different direction. She watched their backs as they walked away. Now she couldn't help but feel slightly lonely. She disliked going home alone in the evening. Usually she went back with Tsubasa when the sun was still high in the sky. Blame the stupid supplementary class. Oh well, maybe it was also her fault for not being able to pass the last mathematics and English tests with good marks.

Anyway, for now, she wished she would be lucky enough not to meet the bad guys from yesterday. She could still remember them; they had been just like a group of monkeys, with a gorilla as the boss, who had escaped from a nearby zoo. She smirked mischievously as she imagined a random zookeeper might mistake those guys as real primates.

She was so busy with her wild imagination that she failed to notice that a certain someone had been standing behind her.

After her friends were out of her sight, she turned around and… almost shrieked in surprise when a tall figure suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Z- Zaizen-kun!" She sputtered after she realized who the person was. "You scared me!"

"I didn't mean to. For your information, I've been here for a quite some time. It's your fault for not noticing." He replied nonchalantly as usual.

She made a face. She knew she couldn't argue so she decided to change the topic. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing in particular."

"…"

"…"

"You were waiting?"

He didn't answer her question. Instead, he started walking. He finally opened his mouth when he was already some meters away from her. Without looking back, he said. "Well, if you prefer to walk home alone…"

She quickly caught him up and walked beside him. She felt her cheeks burned as blood slowly crept into her face. She could just hope that the lack of light in this evening could cover her blush.

It was too bad that she didn't dare to look up at him. If only she had had enough courage to do so, she might have seen that his cheeks also turned slightly pink.

Okay, this Zaizen is so cute that makes me wanna bite him! *_*

So, what do we have now? Zaizen's and Tsubasa's bad relationship and introduction of Tsubaki's friends… LOL I just realized that I forgot to name the boys' friends back then in the previous chapter XD

I hope the tennis regulars will appear soon. I miss writing about their randomness. Let's see… Maybe in another 2 chapters? OxO

Thank you for reading. Please drop a review! Concrits are always welcomed!