BP: I know I didn't update this for a long time, since I had writer's block, but I am not going to discontinue it. Do enjoy this chapter, and please review!

Ryoma woke up when someone was shaking him. He knew it was Alluka, even when he didn't open his eyes.

"Alright, alright, I'm up, Al-chan." Ryoma mumbled, getting up from the bed. She watched silently as he went to the bathroom and into the shower. He absent-mindedly turned the temperature to the maximum and yelped as steaming hot water assaulted him. He quickly lowered the temperature of the water, and sighed. He then washed his hair and body, and got out of the shower, drying his body with a towel. He then brushed his teeth and washed his face. When he got out, he noted that his uniform has been left at the front of the closet for him. He wore the uniform, and made sure he had packed his homework and the books that he needed for today, before heading downstairs.

"Morning, Alluka." Ryoma greeted his twin. She merely nodded, and continued cooking. He smelt fish, so she must be cooking Japanese breakfast, his favorite. Alluka had already set the table, so Ryoma sat there and waited.

A few minutes later, Alluka served Ryoma his breakfast, and gave him a bento box and a can of grape Ponta.

"Thanks, Alluka." Ryoma said appreciatively. Alluka nodded.

She pointed to the clock and to the breakfast. Ryoma knew she was telling him to eat quickly or else he'll be late for morning practice. She also wriggled two fingers pointing downwards very quickly in a circle, meaning she knows that his captain is going to make him run God-knows-how-many laps for being late. Ryoma nodded, and shoveled down his breakfast, and gulped down his hot chocolate quickly.

"Bye, Al-chan!" he ran out of the door, and the last thing he saw before he closed the door was Alluka waving at him.

Ryoma should have known better that the gossip mongers who visited his home yesterday would tell everybody about his new girlfriend, as when he reached the clubroom, he was immediately surrounded by his teammates.

"Ochibi! Is it true that you have a girlfriend? Momo said he visited your house and there was this girl you claimed to be your girlfriend, nya!" Kikumaru pounced on him, and got him into a hug. "Do you think I hug better than this girlfriend of yours?"

'Well, Alluka's hug is certainly gentler and softer than Kikumaru-senpai's one' Ryoma thought, trying to pry himself off Kikumaru's hug.

"Get off him, Eiji! You'll choke him to death!" the mother-hen of Seigaku, Oishi cried.

Ryoma simply sighed, as another regular, Fuji went up to him, and said, "Saa…what is it I hear about you having a girlfriend? Care to share Echizen?"

"He definitely has a girlfriend!" Momoshiro yelled. "He was very possessive of her and called her Al-chan!"

"You mean he shortened the girl's name and added a 'chan' to it?" Kikumaru gasped. "How cute! Can we meet this girlfriend of yours after afternoon practice? Huh, can we?"

"I've seen her." Momoshiro volunteered. "She's really cute too!"

"Really? I want to meet her!" Kikumaru said. "Can I?"

"Echizen has a girlfriend? Data…" Inui wrote it down on his notebook.

"Enough!" The commanding voice of the captain made them all freeze in their tracks. "Kikumaru, please let go of Echizen. The rest of you, 20 warm up laps around the court!"

When all the other regulars left (Ryoma stayed to tie up his shoelaces), Ryoma secretly laughed to himself. "They really bought the story. How stupid." He muttered.

"Bought what story, Echizen?" said a frigid voice. He forgot the captain is still in the room.

"Er...nothing important." Ryoma replied, before getting up and doing his warm-up laps, leaving a suspicious captain behind.

After practice, it was time for his first period. Apparently, the freshmen trio had spread the rumors about his girlfriend, and Horio was going on about meeting the girl, and he stated that she is very good-looking and is rather cute as well. Now everyone wanted to know how he got to meet his girlfriend, and when did they get together. Now, normally Ryoma would ignore them, but this is an opportunity to get away from the girl that always stutters. Now what was her name again? As if he cares! Therefore, Ryoma mumbled something about knowing her since they were very young, and as for when they got together, is when he asked her out for a movie on Valentines' Day last year. This let the classmates to be in awe of him. Who knew Ryoma had a love life outside of tennis?

Ryoma silently laughed to himself. He was taught on how to lie smoothly. As Alluka told him a few years ago, it's no good if his opponent can read him easily, so he practiced lying without a change in his expression for a few years, and creating a mask to conceal his feelings. That had worked a lot, especially in answering personal questions.

Finally, it was time for lunch. After refusing the offer of cakes made by the coach's granddaughter, Ryoma went up to the rooftop to enjoy his lunch Alluka made for him. He loved the pudding she placed in his lunch box, and his favorite Ponta.

"Hey, Echizen!" Damn. It's Momo. Why can't he be left alone?

"What is it, Momo-senpai?" Ryoma said tonelessly.

"I heard Ryuzaki's granddaughter made some cakes. Do you want some?"

"No thanks. I'm full."

Momoshiro sat next to him. "Thinking of that cute girlfriend of yours? Can't blame you, she's rather good-looking. I never expected you to be so possessive of her. So I heard you knew her since young and asked her out on a date to the movies on Valentine's Day? Did you give her chocolates or flowers on the date? Tell your best friend all about her."

Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Inui had his notebook ready.

"I don't think Al-chan would be pleased if I spill everything about our relationship." Ryoma said slowly.

"Why not?"

"She's a rather private person, you see. But I'll tell you a little bit about her."

"What is she like?"

"If I were to compare her to the regulars, she is most like buchou. Quiet, studious, doesn't show much expression. She's a genius at studies, and was a good practice partner for tennis." Ryoma stood up. "I'll see you at practice." He left, noting some of his seniors are spying on the conversation, no doubt trying to get more information about his mystery love.

He sighed as he sat down for his Mathematics class, and waited as his classmates filed in. He looked around accusingly at everyone, who just stared blankly back at Ryoma. At minute later, he realized that it was his phone which is ringing.

"What?" he shouted into the phone.

"Is this Echizen Ryoma?" A man's voice said on the other side of the line.

"Yeah, what about it?" he replied cuttingly.

"Well, your sister Echizen Alluka collapsed and fell unconscious while doing grocery shopping at the supermarket near the Tokyo District. She is currently at Ward 36 at Tokyo Hospital. We called the first number she has in her contacts, which is yours."

"She's in the hospital? Damn!" Ryoma swore as he packed his bag, and ran out of the classroom out of the school at full speed, ignoring the security guard that tried to stop him. He ran all the way to Tokyo Hospital, which fortunately, is not very far.

He reached the hospital lobby, and searched for Ward 36. It was on the 6th floor. Instead of wasting time waiting for the elevator, he ran up the staircase. He found ward 36, and opened the door. "Alluka!" he called out. His twin was awake, and listening to the doctor. She turned when she heard him and gave a half-hearted smile. He knew the hidden message, however. Her Mitral Stenosis is getting worse. She coughed into a tissue, and when she removed it, it was stained red.

"Ah, Ryoma." the doctor said. He remembered Ryoma always escorting her everywhere, and she was never seen without him. Now, it looks like he has cut school just for her.

"How is she?" Ryoma cried.

"Well, she apparently experienced Dyspnea, a shortness of breath when she was doing some groceries; I believe she is usually the one to do the groceries?"

"Yes, doctor." Ryoma replied.

"Well, her Mitral Stenosis is not getting any better, I suggest you let her rest at home while you do the groceries from today onwards. Her body is getting used to the medication I provided."

"Is there a way to save her permanently?" Ryoma gulped.

"Yes, only through surgery can we stretch, repair or replace the valve in her heart, as the narrowing of the mitral valve in the heart restricts the flow of blood through the valve. Back pressure which builds up behind the narrowed valve can cause various problems and symptoms."

Ryoma closed his eyes. He knew that surgery has a high chance of failing, and Alluka would die.

"Alright, prescribe a stronger dose for now. I want to be alone with her for a while."

The doctor nodded, and left the ward.

"Are you alright?"

Alluka nodded her head. She looked at his bag and gave him a pointed look.

"No, I'm not sorry that I skipped class just to see you, Al-chan. You are more important to me than the class or homework or even tennis."

Alluka gave a small smile. She gave him a pleading look.

"How was my day? Let's see. I had the regulars bugging me if they could come over and see you, they heard all about our 'relationship' from Momo-senpai, you know the tall guy with black spiky hair that came to see us the other day. Also, Horio, the guy with the weird eyebrow, told my classmates I have a girlfriend, and my classmates also wanted to meet you as well." Ryoma laughed.

Alluka simply shook her head.

"I know, they are idiots." Ryoma sighed. "Also, Momo-senpai tried to get me to talk to him about you, and I gave him limited information. The others were actually eavesdropping, except for buchou, wanting to hear more. Inui-senpai actually had his notebook out."

Ryoma held Alluka's hand. "Al-chan, you have to stay with me. You promise you'd watch me play for you during the National Tournament Finals."

Alluka gave a nod of affirmation.

"So, when would you be out of this place?"

Alluka shrugged, indicating she doesn't know.

Ryoma smiled. "Don't worry, Al-chan. I'll stay with you, until you get out of here. I promise I'll always be by your side."

Alluka gave him a genuine smile in return.

"I swear! He heard his girlfriend's in the hospital, and he packed his bag and ran out of the classroom faster than we ever saw him run! He even said a swear word when he heard about it." Katsuo was telling the regulars, when he was asked where Ryoma was.

"Wow, who knew he was that passionate about their relationship!" Fuji mused.

Meanwhile, Momoshiro dialed Ryoma's number, and waited. He is not going to let Ryoma off so easily for skipping practice, like what happened a week ago.

Alluka yawned, as she played the games in Ryoma's phone, as Ryoma rested on the bed next to her due to exhaustion from running at full speed for quite a long time. She was about to destroy another one of the monsters when the phone call interrupted her game. She answered, intending to tell the other person off for interrupting her game.

"What?" she said.

"Echizen? What are you thinking, skipping practice again?"

Alluka silently gasped. It's Momoshiro, and by the tone, he is rather angry. She tapped Ryoma on the shoulder, and pointed to the phone, mouthing the word 'friend'

Ryoma knew who she was referring to, and placed the phone to his ear. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"…"

"Yeah, I know, but she's more precious to me than tennis."

"…"

"You don't understand. I promised her I would stay by her side, and she needs me!"

"…"

"My number one priority is her. Let me say this once: If you ever think tennis is more important than your loved ones, you are just an idiot who aims to be perfect to the society, nothing more, and nothing less." Ryoma then closed his phone.

"He said I had to get my priorities straight. Yeah, as if I would say tennis is number one, since you already have the title already."

Alluka smiled at him.

Meanwhie, Fuji heard everything Ryoma said, because he was standing near him, and Ryoma was practically shouting at him. "He's right, you know. Family and loved ones always come first. He must love this girl very much."

Momoshiro opened his mouth, but the captain interrupted him. "Enough, Momo. What you said did cross the line." Tezuka said.

Momoshiro nodded, and went out of the clubroom.

Fuji sighed. "I think Echizen's hiding something."

Tezuka looked at him. "Yeah, I know."

"Are you going to find out what?" Fuji raised an eyebrow.

Tezuka kept silent, and Fuji immediately knew his answer.

BP: I know, it's bad because I only had 10 minutes. Do review, though. Oh, and by the way, Gold Star Academy is updated. Do take a look, and review that story as well!