BP: Bad news, I lost my phone. The worst part, it's I put it on silent mode so it would be very hard to find. Argh! Why did I put it on silent mode in the first place? I am getting pissed off at myself as the second passes…never mind, back to the story!

Yup, as you expected, since the dance required dates, the male players weren't left alone, especially the champions. The male champions found themselves surrounded by girls, asking them to take them to the Non-denominational Formal Dance. Oh, and just so to let you know, Ryoga asked Pakura to the dance yesterday, when they are alone watching the TV in the lounge. So, yes, both the most desirable ones, Ryoma and Pakura are taken. The champions are now currently eating their lunch together, discussing the upcoming dance.

"Yes, me and Derek agreed to go to the dance together." said Chris, in answer to Ryoma's question. "I never really liked girls anyway."

"Yeah. Me and Philip are going with each other as well." said William. "Girls are never my thing. In fact, I don't even feel anything for girls. They are just so annoying and creepy."

A week ago, Ryoma may have said that avoiding being asked for a dance would be a cinch compared to playing against Tezuka in a match. But now that he had done the latter, and was on the prospect of being asked for a dance, he thought he'd rather have another round of matches with Tezuka. Every girl (except Pakura) seemed to be obsessed with the upcoming dance, and it was amazing how many girls the coachs invited here. Girls giggling and whispering in the corridors, girls shrieking with laughter, girls excitedly comparing notes on what they will wear if they are invited...

"You're not going to have any trouble even if you don't have Atobe as a date, Ryoma. You're a champion. I bet they'll be queuing up to go with you." said Pakura. Amazingly, to Ryoma's surprise, she turned out to be right. A curly-haired girl from Yamabuki to whom Ryoma had never spoken to in his life asked him to go to the ball with her just this morning. Ryoma was so taken aback that he had said 'no' before he could even think about it (but it's good he didn't, because he's going with Atobe), and she walked off, looking rather hurt, and he had to endure Tyler's, Atobe's and Ryoga's taunts about her for about an hour. The next 5 hours, two more girls asked him, a girl from Fudomine and (to Ryoma's horror) a girl from Higa Chuu who looked as though she might knock him out if he refused.

"She was quite good looking." said Pakura, after she stopped laughing.

"She's a foot taller than me. Besides, I don't like girls." said Ryoma, still unnerved. But, his troubles were far from over.

"Man, I wonder why the boys have to move in packs." Tomoka wondered. "Hey, Sakuno, do you have any idea who you're going to try?"

Sakuno said nothing. She knew perfectly well whom she'd like to ask, but working up the nerve was something else….Ryoma was the same age as her, he was very good-looking, he's a very good tennis player, and he is very popular. Also it turned he was not lying when he said Seigaku betrayed him. However, every time she glimpsed him that day-during lunch, during break, and once on the way to training- he was surrounded by friends. Didn't he ever go anywhere alone? Could she perhaps ambush him as he was going to the bathroom? But no- he even seemed to go there with an escort of 1-3 people. Yet if she didn't do it soon, he was bound to have been asked by someone else.

Sakuno then got an idea. She'd just have to ask him for a private word that is all. Sure enough, she found him, walking out of the bathroom. "Er- Ryoma-kun? Can I have a word with you?"

His companion, Atobe, who was eating a Nutty Royale ice cream, smirked. Ryoma played it cool and said, "Ok," and followed her out of earshot of his boyfriend. Saknuo turned to look at him, and as usual, her stomach gave a weird lurch as if she missed a step going downwards.

"Er…" she said. Ryoma stood there, looking bored.

The words came out before Sakuno had quite got her tongue around them.

"Wangodancewime?" she said.

"What? Stop stuttering and ask me properly, idiot." said Ryoma.

"Do you….do you want to go to the dance with me?" said Sakuno, blushing. Why did she have to red now?

"Sorry, I am going with someone else. Besides, I'd rather take Pakura than take you, anyway." said Ryoma bluntly, and walked away. He returned to Atobe. "So, what did that girl want?"

"It's nothing." said Ryoma. "Let's go, Princess."

They walked past the Shitenhouji team, with Kintaro sitting ashen faced in the middle of his teammates. Shiraishi was patting his back, talking to him in what seemed to be a low, soothing voice. "What's up, Kintaro?" said Atobe, joining them.

Kintaro looked up at Atobe, a sort of blind horror on his face.

"Why did I do it?" he said wildly. "I didn't know what made me do it!"

"What?" said Ryoma.

"He…er…just asked Pakura Goldstein to go to the dance with him." said Kenya. They looked like they were fighting back a smile, but they kept patting Kintaro's back sympathetically. "You what?" said Atobe.

"I didn't know what made me do it!" Kintaro gasped. "I mean, she was surrounded by her fellow champions, I've gone mad! Everyone was watching! I was just walking past her when she was talking to the champions and it sort of came over me- and I asked her!"

He moaned and placed his face in his hands. He kept talking, though the words were barely distinguishable. "She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. Her glare became more intense and then I sort of came to my senses and ran for it."

"Well, that's because she's already going with someone else."

"Really? Who?" said Kenya.

"Sorry, we can't tell. You'd better hurry up, or all the good ones will be gone."

"Yeah, I know. But, most of them are not to our tastes."

"Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you." With that, they walked off. When they were walking back to the twelfth floor, Ryoma muttered to Atobe, "This dance is a lot more trouble than it was worth." Atobe nodded in agreement.

Finally, it was the day of the dance. Those girls who did not get a date were ushered out of the Training Center. The champions, as usual were carted off to get prepped for the dance. Pakura had to wax her whole body and do all the stuff you have to do to get beautified before an evening out…purifying mud mask, Crest white strips, Biore strip etc. Get her nails and hair done, decorate her hair, etc. In the end, her hair was curled at the bottom and her hair was put up with pink jeweled clips but they left the back loose in a sort of flip. Also, her hair is hanging sexily over one eye. Her dress she was wearing was sleeveless soft pink- but not in an annoying, girly way- satin shells with even paler pink chiffon floating over them, they are covered all over the hem with clear crystals of different sizes that catch the light and glitter…but not in a trashy, Princess Barbie way. She was also wearing matching shoes. She met Ryoga and the others at the 12th floor, and linked her arm with Ryoga's. Ryoga even gave her a corsage (tiny white roses tied with pink ribbon, totally gorgeous, it must have cost him 620 yen at least) "Shall we go?" said Ryoma, who was wearing a olive colored suit that matches his eyes, with shining black shoes. They nodded. They went to the hall off the ballroom, which is packed with players, all milling around waiting for 8 o'clock, where the doors to the ballroom would be thrown open. Those people who had dates of different schools were edging through the crowd, trying to find each other. Jude and Tyler found their dates, Shizuku and Shizuka (twins), and brought them to meet the other champions.

Shizuku was wearing a dress of shocking pink, with her long dark hair plait braided with gold and gold bracelets glimmering at her wrists. Her twin, Shizuka looks just as pretty in a dress of bright turquoise. Just then, Coach Mabi's voice called, "Champions over here please!" the twins readjusted their bangles, beaming; they walked towards Tyler and Jude, and clung to their arms, Shizuku to Jude, and Shizuka to Tyler. All the champions walked forwards, the chattering crowd parting to let them through. They waited at one side of the doors whiel everyone else went inside; they were to enter the ballroom in procession while the rest of the players and their dates sat down.

Once they did, Coach Mabi asked them to get in line in pairs and follow her. Pakura was just behind Ryoma, who was in front. They did so, and everyone in the ballroom applauded as they entered and started walking up towards a large round table at the top of the ballroom, where the Coaches were sitting, Pakura noticed everyone was staring at her date in disbelief. You could almost hear them saying "He's going out with her?" The ballroom was decorated in sparkling pink and blue lights and confetti was raining down on them. There were tables that were laden with every food and drinks imaginable. Also, couches were provided should you need to sit down. They sat down and listened to a speech in their honor, and also answered the coaches' questions. Then it was time to dance, and the champions had a blast rocking to "Express yourself". The champions and their dates slow-danced to "Crazy for you" and then they rumbaed to "La Isla Bonita."

However, later, Ryoma was later seen helping himself to Ponta at the drinks table, and to the champions amusement, he had to go to the toilet within 30 minutes. Pakura stared after Ryoma, eating a sundae Ryoga offered her. "Wonder where is he going?"

"To the toilet, probably." said Ryoga. "Hey, you got ice cream on your lips."

"Whe-" Ryoga cut her off by pressing his lips towards her, and licking the ice cream off. Ryoma came back just in time to see the kiss. "Hey, you're not a bad kisser, are you, Princess?" Ryoga and Pakura broke up, and shouted, "RYOMA!" at the same time, both of them flushin. Ryoma chuckled. The champions spent the rest of their nights eating when it was a fast song, but dancing when it is slow. Slow dancing is strange. It isn't even dancing really. It's more like standing there with your arms around the other person, moving from one foot to the other in time to the music. 'It's pretty nice to stand near your partner for warmth when you slow dance'. Ryoma thought. When the music finished playing at midnight, everyone started to wend their way back to their rooms. Many people were expressing the wish that the dance could have gone on longer, but the champions were happy to go to bed, because they are leaving back to America the very next day.

The next day, Ryoma and the champions were ready to go back to America. Unfortunately, Atobe couldn't; come with them, as he is part of the Japan team. Ryoma hugged him, crying, and shouted, "You better email and write often!"

Atobe hugged him back, assuring he would. Their flight was called and the 9 champions went to their flight, Ryoma turning back time and again to wave at Atobe.

One year later….

"We are supposed to go against the Japan team, Ryoma, let's go." said William.

Ryoma nodded. "Yeah"

"We will now commence the matches between America team and the Japan team. Those playing Singles 3, please step on the courts now."

Ryoma was surprised to find who his opponent is. It was Atobe.

"Well, Ryoma, please give Ore-sama a good match."

"You too, Keigo." Ryoma smirked

"One set match, Atobe to serve."

Atobe threw the ball in the air, and served.

BP: Phew! Finally done! And those of you who wonder, yes, I did ballroom dancing before. The most embarrassing part is I was forced to dance the boy part. Also, I had to dance in front of the whole school, and I had to lead the dance. Anyway, do you think I should write a story about their later lives (refer to last omake)