I would like to give my reply and thanks to these guys:

michelle88222: Let's see if the culprit is in this chapter. (I don't like to spoil you =D)

talentlessDAWN: Thank you very much for the advice. That really is a good idea. I'll take note of that. I'll consider having multiple endings but it will still depend on how the story goes.

Disclaimer: I wish I own the character of Prince of Tennis

"Captain Tezuka, can I use the court for a moment?" Sae asked, hesitating if the stoic captain would allow her or not. Afternoon practice just ended and everyone in the team was preparing to go home.

Tezuka studied her face for some time before he nodded. Although he gave his consent, he is still curious what was going through her mind to ask such request.

Sae waited for everyone else to leave before she entered the court, a racket on her hand.

Tezuka watched from the school window how the girl hit each ball with high accuracy, hitting different spots on the court and letting each ball bounced inside the basket on the other side of the court. Her face showed a serious expression but it was as if her mind was elsewhere and her body just moved on its own accord.

After a while, to Tezuka's surprise, the ball Sae just hit disappeared from his vision. The next thing he saw, the ball slid down the basket together with the other balls. Tezuka looked closely as Sae was about to do another serve. And just like the previous serve, the ball disappeared in the thin air above the opposite court.

Sae sighed as she looked at the basket that was already full of tennis balls. She was only trying to get her mind off of things that she didn't realize how long she has been playing.

She was about to hit another ball but she stopped as someone caught her attention in the opposite court.

"C-captain?" Sae's eyes widen as she looked at Tezuka walking on the other side of the court with a racket at hand, "what are you doing here?"

"Serve."

Tezuka's word sounded more of a command. His piercing eyes looked at the girl as he readied himself to return the ball.

"But your arm…"

"Just do it."

The captain was surprised that she knew about his injury but he did not show it on his face. She must have known it from Inui. She is the team's assistant manager after all.

Sae looked at him with hesitant eyes. She stayed still for a brief moment still thinking of what to do. Suddenly, her grip on the ball tightened. The girl sighed, but when her eyes returned to Tezuka, her expression turned serious. She nodded at him as a response.

The girl threw the ball in the ball in mid air and hit it with her racket. However, before Tezuka could even move from his spot, he heard the sound of the ball bounced from the ground to the metal screen surrounding the court. It was as if he didn't see it coming. The came very fast that even if he saw it, his body cannot follow the speed to reach it in time. Tezuka looked at the girl as he realize the what just happened.

Sae raised her left hand, with palm facing Tezuka's direction.

"Five tries." Sae eyes are serious as she continued, "if you cannot make a point against me after five serves, the game is over. You got four more."

Tezuka stayed silent at her words. So, she got this side of her, huh? Tezuka thought.

As Tezuka was still thinking how to return the ball from the previous serve, Sae hit the next ball. This time, the ball flew in an average speed to Tezuka's side. But as Tezuka was about to hit it, it suddenly disappeared right in front of him. In the next moment, the ball was already rolling next to the base line.

Tezuka could not believe what happened to the ball. It was just like the serve he saw Sae made when he was watching her earlier.

"Three more," Sae called to him. Tezuka prepared himself for the next serve.

Tezuka was not able to move on his spot after three more serves. The girl showed three other different serves, including what seemed like a twist serve.

"Captain," Sae walked closer at Tezuka and bowed in front of him, "I'm sorry. I really cannot let you use your arm for something unnecessary."

Tezuka was surprised. The reason she made those moves was to make him not use his arm at all. To think she is that skilled to be able to not let him return a ball, he cannot help wanting to challenge her to a real match.

Sae closed her eyes shut as she waited for what her captain will say. However, she felt a hand gently patted her head.

"No need to apologize. You did a good job."

The girl looked up. Tezuka's expression remained the same but she knew that he is complimenting her.

"Thank you, captain." A bright smile showed on her face.

Tezuka's hand stopped as he felt his heart skipped a beat. What was that? He just stood there while staring at her.

"Captain, what's wrong?" Sae asked worriedly when she noticed Tezuka looking intently at her.

"Nothing." Tezuka averted his eyes. "It's getting dark. You better get home now."

"Ah, y-yes. I'll be going now captain. See you tomorrow."

Tezuka's gaze followed the girl as her figure gets smaller and smaller in a distance.

"She is really good, isn't she?" Tezuka need not turn around to recognize who the person behind him is.

"Have you found the perpetrator?" the captain asked without looking back.

"Not yet, but I have a good idea who it could be." Fuji's cerulean eyes opened as he answered Tezuka'.

After Sae changed her clothes and left the court, she saw a familiar figure standing near the school gate.

"You took a while."

"Syusuke?"

"Let's go." Fuji started walking.

"Go where?" Sae did not move on her spot. When Fuji noticed, he turned to her.

"I'll take you home. We're going out remember? It's my duty to make sure that you're home safe."

"Oh." Sae laughed wryly, "but even if you say that, we are not really-"

"Don't say it," Fuji's finger was pressed on her lips.. Afterwards, Fuji showed a mischievous smile on his face, "or maybe you are thinking of somewhere else that we should go?" Fuji's tone seemed to be implying something dangerous. The girl shook her head immediately.

Tezuka stood still at the tennis court as he recalled the match he had with Sae. He closed his eyes as he tried to picture the techniques she used against him. On his mind, he is figuring out how the ball moved the way they did. However, the girl's smiling face suddenly popped up from his mind and ruined his concentration. He opened his eyes and he unconsciously stared at the hand that touched her hair a while ago.

"That was a good game." Fuji said as they walk side by side.

"Hm?"

"I'm referring to your game with Tezuka."

"You were watching?"

"Saa, who knows?"

"Eh?" The girl looked confuse at his reply. Fuji laughed softly as he look at her pouting face. However, he suddenly stopped on his track.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Sae asked as Fuji stopped walking.

"I guess this is where we part ways," Fuji spoke as he continued to look straight in front of him. Sae followed his gaze and saw Ryoma leaning at a corner.

For a moment, Sae's expression became gloomy as she recalled what happened between them that afternoon. Both she and Ryoma did not say a word to each other since their conversation on the rooftop.

"Ouch!" Sae felt something poke her forehead, "what was that for!?"

Fuji leaned closer and whispered to her ear, "don't be like that. You look a lot cuter when you smile."

Sae blushed at Fuji's words. But before Sae could answer, Fuji planted a peck on her forehead and walked away.

"Sy-Syusuke!"

Upon hearing his name, Fuji just waved his hand without looking back. He smiled to himself when he saw the look on Echizen's face as he passed by him.

Ryoma watched the scene between the two. He's trying his best to calm himself. That he didn't notice the girl walked closer to him.

Sae stood silently in front of Ryoma. She is still figuring out how to approach him after what happened. Her eyes looked everywhere except to him.

"Let's go." Sae heard him say. When she looked at him, Ryoma already started walking to the direction of their home. She hastily followed him and walked behind him. The succeeding moments drifted in awkward silence.

After a while, the girl felt that she could no longer stand the atmosphere going on between them and stopped moving.

"A-about what you said earlier," Sae mustered the courage to speak. Ryoma stopped walking and turned to her. Sae's eyes looked straight at him. She took a deep breath before she continued, "um, can you-"

"Just forget what I said," Ryoma cut her words. Sae eyes widen at what he said.

"What?"

"I said, just forget about it. It keeps bothering you all this time, right?"

"But even if you say it like that-"

"I was just teasing you."

Sae blinked several times. It took a while before her mind can process what Ryoma just said.

"Eh!?"

"You should have seen your face." Ryoma tried to hide his laughter at her reaction.

"That's so mean!"

"Hey, hey, watch out. Smoke is starting to get out of your nose." Ryoma said as he started to run.

"Ryoma!" Sae started running after him.

Both of them were huffing as they reach the front door.

"What happened to you two?" Nanako asked as she saw the two catching their breaths and looking very tired.

"It's his/her fault!" both of them spoke at the same time.

Nanako had a confused look on her face as she stared at the two.

"Why don't you two get change while I prepare dinner?"

"Alright! I'm hungry." Sae walked to the direction of the stairs.

Ryoma's eyes soften as he watched her go. "I guess, its better this way," he muttered under his breath.

"Hm? Did you say something?" Sae turned to him.

"You're imagining things," Ryoma said as he ruffled her hair.

It took a while to update, sumimasen. I just had my exams this morning *sigh*. But anyways, that is that and this is this. Writing this fanfic helped me lower my stress somehow.

(=^.^=)