Aniki

Disclaimer:I do not own Prince of Tennis nor am I making a profit off this story. I write for my own pleasure. Nor do I own any brands mention herein; it's all just to go with the storyline.

Summery: Ryoma and Ryuuka Echizen are born to be tennis players. Devastatingly, Ryuuka is diagnosed with a blood disorder. Playing in Japan, Ryoma worries over his dying sister in USA. Or will she live to join him at Seigaku?

Pairings: Golden Pair, Inui-Kaidoh, Momo-Ann. (for now)

Note: Ryoga does not exist!
Note: I don't know who to pair them up with. It will be yaoi for Ryoma (duh) and het for Ryuuka (double duh. I don't really like any of the female characters also if anyone wants yuri I will need to create an OC. I favour Tezuka, Atobe, Fuji, Sanada or maybe someone stranger like Akutsu? Requests will be taken into consideration. As for my OC it's a toss up between Tezuka and Fuji, if Ryo doesn't get paired with them.

If you research Sickle Cell Anemia, you will notice that I have kept in line with the disease. It's due to mutant haemoglobin blood vessels produced from a recessive gene. The cells are sickle-shaped. Firstly, the shape doesn't allow for efficient, it any, oxygen or nutrients to be carried so the body suffocates and starves itself. It is also very painful. The shape blocks the thinner veins and injures them. This also occurs in the organs as the veins thin out there. A heart transplant is extreme but I need something that would stop Ryuuka from playing tennis. It is a fatal disease and there is no 'cure' as it is genetic. Most people, without treatment, don;t live past 15. Treatment is: blood transfusions (temporarily), bone marrow transplant (the area of the mutant gene.) and new gene therapy. It can extend ones life by 25 years and longer. I had to study it in High school Biology.

Chapter 2 The Freshman

Ryoma glared at his so-called sempai. The Arai guy was really getting on his nerves. No one took his rackets! Ryoma clenched his hands into fists at the older boy's taints. His bag had Ryuuka's racket. The one she entrusted to him before he left America. Not to mention his rackets were all top of the range and cost a pretty penny. They were customized for him.

"If you are so confident then face me now. But you don't have a racket... Here, use this one, " Arai said as he threw an old racket to Ryoma. Ryoma just stared at the older boy. For all the rules he sprouted about seniors and respecting them, he acted childish. Looking at the racket, Ryoma held back a sigh. He would have to play with the old, half-broken racket.

Ryoma walked to the other side of the courts, replying to the question asked by merely saying, "There are some. .. who play tricks because they're weak."

When Arai basically admitted to taking is rackets Ryoma kept walking. he beat this punk for daring to take his rackets. "Come on, let's play," Ryoma said, face blank as he accepted the challenged.

Everyones attention was on the match. No one believed that he could win using the old racket. Ryoma just waited. He would beat this 'sempai' into the ground and all the way to Hell. Though, even he frowned when he hit the first ball. The racket was terrible. The second ball was just as bad. Ryoma wondered as he tapped the racket. The strings were lose and the frame old. It rattled and had a weird impact noise. There was no spin. But if he...

Ryoma's eyes narrowed as he readied himself to received the next ball. Just before he hit the ball, Ryoma twisted his whole body to add the spin and speed needed and successfully returned the ball. He easily won the game. But he still wasn't happy. He didn't care about the petty respect Arai had a fuss about. Respect was won on the court; earned not expected. And when Arai tried to drop out of the match, he lost more respect in Ryoma's eyes.

"Yadda," Ryoma replied, gripping the ball. Arai would pay for taking his sister's racket. No one could touch it until she came back. No one.

Ryoma sighed as he put down his pen and turned to his computer. Clicking the invite to chat, Ryoma was met with the image of his twin. Golden eyes darted around her face as he took in the changes. She was still too thin and pale.

"Hey," Ryoma said softly with a small smile, "How are you feeling?"

Ryuuka laughed and smiled, "Today was on of the better days. I could actually play some tennis, supervised of course. And yours?"

"I'm playing in the ranking tournament tomorrow. I have a feeling that it may prove interesting but I'll hold my judgement until after. The regulars look interesting though." Ryoma said. Before he could say anything else, he gave a start as Karupin jumped onto his lap and meowed at the girl. Karupin pawed at the screen.

Laughing, Ryuuka said, "Hello Karupin. are you taking care of my brother for me? And keeping the old pervert inline?"

Karupin meowed happily at his mistress and as Ryoma stroked her fur. The next moment a rather large fluff ball jumped up onto the bed next to Ryuuka. Ryoma chuckled at the sight of Chewy, the Chow Chow. He had been a small pup when Ryoma had gotten him for his twin. Now, the dog was quite big and very playful but fiercely loyal. And he loved to chew things, especially their father's magazines. Hence, Chewy.

"Hey Chewy. You make sure she doesn't over do it, alright?" The dog barked and attempted to lick the screen. Ryoma nodded with a small smile as he turned his attention back to his twin.

"I hope I get to play against Tezuka. He's the captain and they say he is undefeated," Ryoma said as he carefully observed his twin. She was still hiding something but what he couldn't tell.

"Ryo," Ryuuka said out of the blue, "Are you going to use all of your techniques or keep them for a tight spot?"

Ryoma looked at Karupin and shrugged, "I'll play as well as I need to."

Ryuuka nodded before moving onto inane things as the night wore on. Noting the black bags under her eyes and the weariness carefully hidden in her face, Ryoma halted the conversation early, claiming he needed rest before the tournament. She didn't call him out on his lie nor did he comment on how tired she gotten after playing some light tennis.

Logging off, Ryuuka sighed as she rubbed her eyes. She was exhausted and maybe, jus maybe, she pushed herself too far that afternoon while playing tennis.

"I'm okay, okaa-san," Ryuuka said as she noted her mother's worried presence, "Just tired. I didn't sleep that well last night, despite feeling better today."

Rinko said nothing as she moved the laptop and put it way. A silence fell over the room for a few moments before she broke it, "When are you going to tell him?"

Ryuuka didn't reply. She stared at her hands. She finally responded, "When there is no other option. Okaa-san, Ryo already hates the fact that he was not my match for the bone marrow transplant. And you have seen what he was like this past few months when I got worse. The main reason I asked him to go is that if something... if something happens he has at least gotten some feel of being without me. Ryo," Ryuuka swallowed, "Ryo can't know that even of the transplant works I may never play tennis again without a heart tranplant too. You know he would give up everything if he found out that my sickle cell disease has damaged my heart to that extent. He would focus on me and not on his tennis. And you heard Ryo. He won't play without me. Ryo can't stop living his life because I can't go back to the way I used to be. He can't okaa-san. I can't do that too him."

Rinko could only stare at her daughter. She forgot how close the twins were sometimes, but then there were moments like this that showed they would the other in front of their own well being. Rinko smiled a sad smile as she thought, 'No wonder they are such a good doubles pair.'

The first day of the tournament came faster than Ryoma would have liked as he had to push away the mystery that was his twin and concentrate on the upcoming matches.

Ryoma walked towards the courts and sighed inwardly when he saw the two guys and the loudmouth Horio. The loudmouth was wearing the horrendous shirt. Closing his eyes, Ryoma just walked past them as they wished him good luck. As if he didn't hear loudmouth's doubts just a few moments before. Before he could fully walk past them, the scary-faced sempai sent them off. Ryoma just stared at the guy for a moment. He had a random thought at what Ryuuka would do to the guy when she saw him. He almost winced at what she would say. Ryoma responded at his question as he walked away but he couldn't help but comment on what Ryuuka would say.

"Ooh, scary."

Best case scenario she would ask awkward questions and bug him. Worst case, she would demand to give him a make over so he didn't scare people. Or make him wear a paper bag over his head.

With these thoughts, Ryoma walked behind the courts only to be met with an old sight. there was a girl practicing her swings. The pigtailed girl transformed in his mind to a green-haired girl with a shoulder length hair. She swung her racket, alternating grips from eastern to western with each swing. But she was frowning to herself and muttering how something wasn't right. That she wasn't comfortable until to balanced herself properly.

The image faded and Ryoma walked past her, bumping her so her form was correct. He couldn't help it, she reminded him of Ryuuka when they first started playing tennis. Oyaji always said that it was Ryoma that had the flare. Okaa-san said it was Ryuuka that had the drive. In the end, neither matter as they loved to play together.

"You bend your knees too much. And don't flip your wrist like that...You opened your shoulders too much and you hair is too long. You should cut it," he commented as he walked passed. He couldn't help it and the hair was really too long...

Ryoma kept walking, forgoing the warm up and entered the court. The chatter stopped and Ryoma rolled his eyes beneath his eye lids. The two newbies and the loudmouth came running at him but Ryoma was more interested in the regular that was behind him. Feeling the challenging stare, Ryoma opened his eyes and met the gaze head one. He wasn't one to back down.

'There are two regulars in my block. They will be the challenge as everyone expect the existing regulars to pass the selection without much trouble,' Ryoma thought as the matches began. He was facing a no-namer. He wasn't much of challenger as Ryoma easily chased down his returns and returned them at his (Ryoma's) average speed. Though, the screaming girls were getting on his nerves. He hated fangirls. Then again, he had fans back in America and he could only hope they weren't like that. And he didn't have Ryuuka to sacrifice to get away. No one would take the loudmouth as a replacement.

As he finally finished and handed in his 6-0 score at the table, Ryoma made his way to his bag. He was once again surrounded by the first years. Ryoma sighed but said nothing. He was there only hope of having a representative freshman on the team. Something that as practically unheard of. Ignoring the chatter, Ryoma's stomach grumbled.

"Eto, hungry?" Ryoma said out loud and pondered why he was hungry. he ate the usual breakfast but the matches haven't been that hard. Oh well.

The two thirds of the freshman trio sat with him as they ate. He was hungry and although they ate, the loudmouth still talked. Nothing seemed to shut him up. When the last third entered with data, Ryoma just ignored it. There was little to nothing he could really prepare for an hour before the match. It was better to just face it on the court. Ryuuka had also said on various occasions that he had a highly tuned tennis sense. That he thought better on the court where he could just react naturally. So with that, Ryoma went outside to find a wall.

He found a wall behind the courts that he could practice his hitting and warm up. He merely did his favourite. He hit all the balls on one spot. It was not long before he felt a presence behind him. It was the girl from before. She just wished him good luck before running off. Ryoma frowned and shrugged it off. maybe all girls in Japan were weird.

Walking onto the court, the sempai from the other day tried to warn him about a Mamushi or Viper. Ryoma frowned but shrugged it off. Come what may, he would face it. Ryoma could feel his heart pound at the thought of a challenging match. Then again, Ryoma rectified his thoughts. Maybe everyone in Japan was weird; it would certainly explain his oyaji's behaviour...

The match began with his serve and Ryoma just etsted the waters with a medium speed, normal slice serve. He wanted to see how his opponent moved and reacted. The snake sempai matched his set speed and even tried to lob the ball. Ryoma took the invite for a smassh and he returned it, barely as it hit the net.

Picking up his hat which fell off during his jump, Ryoma wondered about the snake sempai. He had a scary face but he moved well on court. He seemed like a stamina player and he had a long reach. And that he was stubborn. Snake, or Kaidoh, was making him run. Ryoma smirked, no one was more stubborn than him.

And then it happened. The specialty shot of Kaidoh. The ball curved due to abnormal, named "Snake". It made the score 15-all. Ryoma had to smirk. Now, it was interesting. Kaidoh would make him run with the snake. Either he would lose due to mistakes or lack of stamina.

Smirking, Ryoma had to get serious. Oh, how he loved people's expressions when he did this. "
Heh, returning it at that angle..."

He switched the racket from his right hand to his dominant, left hand.

"Made mada dane."

Ryuuka had always said that his catchphrase would one day drive someone crazy. It had an annoying effect when coupled with his smirk. Ryoma just waited for that day. It would be amusing.

Ryoma git ready. Returning that snake shot would be difficult as the spin and angle was awkward. He would need fine point control and change the spin enough to make the ball a good return. But Ryoma was not giving up. He opted to hit low and deep. He would force Kaidoh to bend, losing stamina faster than normal. He finally got a snake for his efforts, barely managing a return and then hitting it out by centimeters. Ryoma smirked. Now, this was a game.

Forcing fast footing, Ryoma managed to keep up with the snake but he knew this would drain his energy. In retaliation, he hit low and deep. No one seemed to have picked up not it, not even Kaidoh.

Ryoma panted as he ran. Inwardly he cursed, 'how much stamina does this guy have?' The score was 40-love. And he kept up the pace. very soon Kaidoh would be feeling the strain of the match. Ryoma's golden eyes got a triumphant gleam as Kaidoh was startled by the strength of his shots. And now the match truly begun.

Game won by Echizen. Kaidoh tripped over his own tired feet as he chased down the ball. He only started to realise, along with everyone else, what had been happening the whole match. Kaidoh was panting now. Ryoma just served, keeping it low and deep. The rally continued until Kaidoh couldn't return it and it hit the net.

Despite it all, Kaidoh kept fighting. It was refreshing to play against someone who didn't give up when they were losing. Ryoma merely kept up the speed. At 3-all it was time for a mental blow.

"Snake is," Ryoma said as he chased down the ball, "Buggy Whip Shot!" and hit the ball. Ryoma smirked as he did the move his sister had begun to learn before she was hospitalized. He had just perfected it watching Kaidoh and felt good. It was soon his match point and he won 6-3 by returning snake with a fast paced ball.

The crowd murmured at his win. Ryoma just stood there, tired. It wasn't that big of a deal. It was only when Kaidoh started to hit himself did he speak up. Ryoma walked over to him and grabbed the racket to stop further damage.

The crowd watched shocked. Ryoma just looked up from beneath his cap. "Don't take for granted your ability to play tennis with a healthy body even if you did lose. There are some brilliant players who don't have that privilage. Train, get better. Don't destroy the gift you have. That's the lowest of low," was all Ryoma said, eyes flashing.

Kaidoh looked shocked for a moment before walking off the court. Ryoma sighed and pulled his hat down. Ryuuka wold give anything to be able to play tennis even if it would mean losing every game.

"I played a regular today," Ryoma said, "Kaidoh. He used a version of the Buggy WHip Shot. He was pretty good but felll for his own trap. I have one more regular to play," Ryoma told Ryuuka. She smiled and nodded.

"Congrats!" was her reply, "So you biggest match will against the next regular?"

Ryoma nodded. "What about yo? When's you transplant?"

Ryuuka went quiet. "They have scheduled it in two weeks time. I'll e-mail you the exact date. Right now I'm under a combination of blood transfusions and gene therapy. I will continue them when I come to Japan though."

Ryoma nodded, visibly happier than before. "Good. I miss you. I keep catching myself from speaking to you when you're not here. And , you need to keep me from killing Loudmouth!"

"Loud" Ryuuka muttered to herself, "Mouth?" She then burst out laughing. Ryoma pouted and complained. The laughter coming from his son's room made Nanjiroh smile sadly. He prayed everyday that his daughter wold amke it. That the family won't lose their princess. That Ryoma's reason for smiling won;t be taking away. Because it seemed lately that the only things that mattered to his son was his twin, his tennis and his cat. Nanjiroh sighed.

Logging off, Ryuuka sighed and looked out the window. The sun was out as the time difference was huge. It was disconcerting to try and think in the other's time zone while talking. It was really all too confusing. But that was not the biggest problem. True, she was in for the bone marrow transplant. But that might not work. The specialists narrowed down three regions where the defective cells were. By replacing them with natural cells, they should cancel the effect or something like that. All she really cared about is that if it worked, she could play tennis like how she used to. After the heart transplant that is.

The heart transplant. She was on the list but it was not hopeful. She had an incurable disease that redlisted her. They would only give the heart if no one else needed it immediately and if the heart was harvested nearby. It was a slim chance. The doctors knew it Her parents knew it. She knew it.

All she had was hope. Without it, she would have no purpose to live. Between her disease and heart, she could rarely walk alone.

Ryuuka sighed and pressed the button for the nurse. The blond lady, Mellisa, entered and smiled.

"Yes?" Mellisa asked.

"If you not busy," Ryuuka asked with a smile, "could you come down with me outside? I have the urge to hit some balls around."

Mellisa mocked sighed but nodded. She smiled as she fetched the wheelchair. This happened every time the young girl spoke to her twin. Ryuuka had the urge to pick up her racket. The fire that died a little each day was reborn. It was heart breaking yet inspiring to see. But even the strongest spirits were breakable.

Mellisa helped Ryuuka into the wheelchair and grabbed her tennis bag. Wheeling her out, Mellisa thought about Ryuuka's story. Everyone knew it. Ryoma and Ryuuka were up and coming tennis players. They trashed their age division before moving upwards. They made waves when they were invited for the invitational team to Japan two years ago. they turned it down. They were scheduled to play in a tournament in Europe.

But the impact was there. The two ten year olds were a raging force that inspired many. Sports presenters were eager for them to turn pro. Their single games were good but not fully matured. Yet, when they played together, they seemed unstoppable. There were no gaps or weaknesses. They were called the 'Telepathic Twins' on court. They won the high school division for doubles back then. It had been a battle of note and there were a few close calls. But everyone had agreed, they would be amazing when they matured. Then again they were the children of Nanjiroh "The Samurai" Echizen and grandchildren of Sarah Holding (made up!), a former pro.

Now that dream was close to being shattered when Ryuuka was diagnosed with Sickle cell two years ago. and her heart giving out... Mellisa shook her head of negative thoughts as they exited the biulding to the gardens. There were a few other patients and visitors. The came to the space were there where benches and a wall. They area was somewhat busy as it was a popular spot.

Ryuuka smiled at the quiet nurse as she opened the tennis bag. She took out her tennis shoes and a pair of socks to put on. After her shoes were on, she took out her racket and one tennis ball. Standing up, she placed the racket on the wheelchair and stretched. She ignored the curious looks as she walked towards the wall. She bounced the ball in her right hand as she adjusted her grip in her left hand. Unlike her brother, she was right hand dominant andbegan her favourite warm up routine: hitting the ball on the same spot. She kept up a relatively fast pace as she stood quite close to the wall.

After a short time period, Ryuuka caught the returning ball. She then stood back and practice her spins. With each hit she changed the spin making the ball go in all weird directions.

It was after a short time doing this, Mellisa called out, "Ryuuka. I think its time to finish up. You can't keep up or you're going to strain yourself again."

Ryuuka ignored the chatter around her and the curious stares. "Fine. I'm just going too finish off with some serves and returning shots. It's to warm down."

Mellisa nodded and settled down again. Ryuuka stood further back. She bounce the ball and hit a normal slice serve with her left hand. The ball bounced back sharply. Ryuuka's eyes narrowed as she read the path of the ball.

Swinging her racket so the it lightly touched the group in a 360 circle and lifted it up to return the ball with an abnormal swing and spin, due to her ending the stroke with the racket continuing upwards in a circle.

"Piriote return."

Catching the ball with her hand, Ryuuka served again. This time it was the twist serve. The return was to the left, using Quick Step, Ryuuka struck with her Spin shot.

Next she practiced her shots with added top spin and slices, adding angles and swings to them.

A fast returning ball was hit with Finale as the ball practically disappeared when hit. the next moment, Ryuuka was walking back to the wheelchair with the ball in hand. Sweaty and panting slight, Ryuuka sat down and gratefully took the water bottle offered.

"Done?" Mellisa asked. Ryuuka nodded as she put away her racket. 'For now,' she added in her mind. 'for now.'

Inui. Ryoma had been weary walking into that match. He had been a regular and Momo-sempai had spoken of him with respect. There were several pointers to him being a good player. And Inui was at every one of his matches. Ryoma suspected he was a player that collected data. that had never been Ryoma's strong point. he would rather watch the player when facing him. Pregame data was Ryuuka's area. Ryoma sighed as he took up his position. He just wanted to get over these matches so he could focus on important thing, like trying to figure out what was wrong with Ryuuka. And why no one would tell him anything. It was either something small or something serious. Frankly, he didn't like either option.

Inui served and the first point was lost fast. Too fast to be normal. Ryoma's eyes narrowed at the thought. Nevertheless they continued to play, ending with him losing the first game against Inui, in straight points.

Ryoma's eyes widened at the thought. One game down, losing 2-1. Ryoma knew the truth. Inui knew the probabilty of where he was going to hit it. He calculated it from his gathered data. Ryoma sighed.

"What an irritating strategy."

Preparing to serve, Ryoma aimed for a net ball. Ryoma smirked. And the matched continued, with him holding onto his service game.

2-2.

3-2.

Ryoma sighed. "I guess I have no choice but to pick up the pace. You can read my movements. Too bad I've played against someone who knows me and my play better than I do. There are two weaknesses in you strategy,' Ryoma said with a smirk. He served a twist serve. Inui couldn't return it.

"Outplay you by sheer skill and stamina."

and then Ryoma started bouncing on the balls of his feet. The step he only just mastered. The Split-step. Moving, Ryoma could keep up with any ball.

"Or, you make the data obsolete."

And the real game begun. Ryoma just played. He begun to realise his Split step became a one-footed split step.

The match ended 6-4. Ryoma sighed. He was almost guaranteed a spot in the regular team now. Ryoma smiled in relief.

One more match, that was won 6-0 to Echizen, was not even mentionable. Ryoma Echizen was official a Seigaku Regular.

'I did it, Ryuuka. I did it.'

The next day was the first day of practice as a regular. They did the normal warming up as they waited for the captain and the coach. When the coach came, they had to line up. they were given the usual speech. The preliminaries were right around the corner. The regulars had to practice on these courts, freshman to pick up balls. Then...

"Ryoma!" Ryuzaki-sensei called, "Sakuno told me that there was no super-freshman on the girls team. I checked the record. Where is your twin sister?"

Ryoma froze on the spot and stared at his sensei and old family friend. She couldn't have forgotten, could she?...

"I thought she would have joined the girls team and both teams would have gotten new regulars. But she doesn't even attend the school.. Why Ryoma?"

Ryoma swallowed and pulled his cap down. It hurt to remember.

"Ryuuka is still in America for personal reasons. If you wish to know I suggest you speak to oyaji in private," Ryoma said coldly. The whole team stopped and looked at him.

"Nya? Ochibi had an imouto?" Eiji asked, peering at Ryoma curiously, "A chibisuke?"

Ryoma fixed Eiji with a glare. "She would probably kill you if you called her that to her face."

Eiji backed away quickly as Ryoma stormed off, in a bad mood, to warm up. Ryuzaki-sensei sighed and rubbed her face tiredly.

"I forgot that Ryuuka was diagnosed two years ago. I thought she was fine and competing again considering those two won the mixed doubles tournament in England lest year."

"His sister is sick? Will she be alright?" Oishi asked, worriedly. No wonder Ryoma was so closed off...

Ryuzaki-sensei sighed and shook her head, "I don't know."
Fuji frowned at the lack of information offered. It seemed like their freshman had a barrage of secrets.

No one said anything too loud that practice. Not even the new trainer and his training menu could break the tension around Ryoma. Inui sighed as the youngest member didn't react like he expected. Most of the time he just didn't react. Inui frowned at the loss of valuable data.

It had been a bad day. Ryoma was ready to kill the next person who irritated him. Sensei had to bring up Ryuuka, and so callously. She had forgotten his twin! That was unforgivable.

Ryoma clenched his hands. They had fought that battle for a long time. Oyaji thought that Ryoma would be the only one to follow in his footsteps. Ryoma had the natural flair for tennis. Ryuuka had a desire to learn. She wasn't a super player like Ryoma, who was a prodigy; but she loved tennis and had a sharp tennis sense. She loved playing it with her brother. At first, Oyaji ignored her. He would only focus on Ryoma. Then okaa-san stepped in and gave him an earful. Ryuuka had her own talents. She could read the ball well and had inherited the 'Samurai Eye'. Yet, she was nothing like Ryoma on the court. She was a logical and analytical player who trapped her opponent. With time she built and refined her tennis sense.

Those were the days.

Ryoma was not in the mood to deal with the ditzy girl with too long hair. When he saw her outside the sports shop where he picked up his regular jersey. When she ran to him and started talking, Ryoma rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you try it on?" she asked.

"I'll wear it tomorrow," he replied and started to walk away. He just to be left alone to ponder the doom and gloom. He winced internally when he realised that he had agreed to go to a tennis club with the freshman trio and the two fangirls. Ryoma sighed as the girl followed him like a lost puppy. It was going to be a long weekend and he couldn't even talk to Ryuuka as she was having some tests and new treatments done. She would either be too sick or too tired to talk.

Ryoma reached his house on autopilot and went straight to his room. His golden eyes were clouded with a despair and sadness as the thought crossed his mind, not for the first time.

What if Ryuuka doesn't make it? Can I... Can I live without her?...

Ryoma yawned as he walked into the kitchen for breakfast. He usually wouldn't be awake this early on the weekend but he had to meet the others at the tennis club.

"Ohayo, Nanako-nee-chan," Ryoma said as he sat down at the table and helped himself to the Japanese food.

"Ohayo Ryoma-kun," she replied as she placed a wrapped lunchbox next to him, "I prepared your lunch for you to take with."

Ryoma nodded and murmured his thanks. He quickly finished and bid her goodbye as he grabbed his tennis bag and left. Ryoma partly enjoyed the walk to the tennis club. It was a sunny day but not too hot. But the cloud still hung over his head. Ryoma pouted. He just wanted to talk to Ryuuka!

Reaching the club, Ryoma met up with the trio whom waited for the fangirls. They finally arrived and they finally got a court. Kachiro's father was a coach there it seemed.

Playing against the others was boring and Ryoma wondered why he put himself through this torture. They couldn't even suffice as a warm up. But, it reminded him of the times he and Ryuuka would go to the tennis club with their parents, and their grandparents on occasion.

Tennis was a family thing. Hell, each generation had one proffesional tennis player, and they hoped for the twins to become the next two. They would book out a court for the day and pack food. The day would be spent playing singles and doubles. They always managed to draw a crowd with their mock matches, though.

Ryoma was drawn from his thoughts while playing against Loudmouth as a loud, complaining voice echoed. Ryoma followed the group as they headed to court A to investigate.

Watching the scene, Ryoma's eyes narrowed. Any fool who played a sport knew that you had to warm up thoroughly to prevent injury. Then the idiot insulted Seigaku. But before he could act, Kachiro stopped him. It only after the guy's son pitched up did Ryoma act.

"Hey. Do you remember the correct grip now?" Ryoma asked from his spot on the hill. "Hey, teach me something, sir." Ryoma smirked as the man agreed. There was nothing like putting an arrogant idiot in their place.

"Best of one set match. EChizen service to play."

The match was short as Ryoma toyed with his opponent. Instead of waiting, Ryoma let in to the temptation of attacking immediately. He started with a vicious Twist Serve that the old man couldn't move out of the way in time.

"You shouldn't insult your senseis," Ryoma said with a flare in his eyes. "They know better than you."

All the anger had found an (unfortunate) outlet in that match. Ryoma forced the man to run before hitting a passing shot ruthlessly. He didn't use any of his signature moved except his Twist serve.

Forcing the so-called Golden Retriever to the front with net play, the man's leg cramped. And Ryoma smirked.

"And that's why a warm up is necessary if you're going to play a stressful match," Ryoma threw over his shoulder as he made his way back to the bench. His eyes narrowed as the fangirl, the quiet one not the loud one, held his cellphone in her hand.

"Ano, Ryoma-kun," she stuttered as his eyes narrowed further. He tolerated fangirls but drew gthe line at stalkers. "It was ringing during the match. Ano, you have two missed calls."

Ryoma frowned as he reached for the phone that was quickly given to him. Ignoring her, Ryoma flipped the phone open, eyes widening at the name on the screen. He cursed in English, drawing looks from everyone else as he pressed the speed dial 1.

"Ryuuka, are you okay? Is everything alright?" he aked immediately as his twin answered.

"Yeah," came the tired reply, "I just wanted to talk to you."

Ryoma smiled softly, unknowingly raising some eyebrow's from his audience, "I know. It feels like its been forever."

"Aniki, why are we talking in Japanese?" Ryuuka asked, her voice carried a hint of confusion. They hardly ever talked in Japanese, Ryoma cited he spoke enough of it everyday and missed English.

Ryoma laughed before responding in English, "Force of habit. Now don't lie to me. Why do you sound so tired?"

"I went through the last set of tests today, Aniki," she said quietly. She said nothing after that and Ryoma sighed.

"And?" Ryoma prompted.

"They scheduled the operation for the same day as your regionals."

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I love Chow Chows. The cutest dogs ever followed closely by huskys. I just wanna cuddle them!

BHz.