Disclaimer: Don't Own Prince of Tennis!

Chapter 2: Mocking

As soon as the bell rang, Sakuno watched as Ryoma packed up his bag and flung it over his shoulder and leave the class. Osakada watched his unbelievable behavior too. Secretly Osakada was relieved that her friend had given up on the arrogant prince, but this was a little too irresponsible!

She vented her anger and much to her surprise, Sakuno didn't mind. As the granddaughter of the famous coach Ryuzaki sensei, she knew the passion each and every player had for tennis, and that would definitely include the very person Echizen Ryoma.

She quickly went out of the classroom asking Osakada to look after her egg for a moment for she went to find safety precautions for her new project.

After half an hour, Sakuno was SLOWLY making her way downstairs. Her slow attempts were discovered by three seniors. They were the regulars for Seishun Gakuen tennis club, and their names were Oishi, Kaidoh and none other than the world famous buchou of the tennis club. Tezuka Kunimitsu.

They had seen her inching step per step like a snail taking each step as if she would fall any moment, but that wasn't like her to mind herself falling over. Naturally, Oishi decided he should take a look at this poor little child.

"Ryuuzaki -san. Are you ok?"

Sakuno turned in surprise, like her old self, she had slipped. But a pair of warm hands caught her just in time before she could scream 'NO'. She looked up and saw the handsome buchou looking back at her, with no expression on his face. He was always expressionless, but his behavior would always tell them more about his character. Her face turned slightly pink in embarrassment.

"T...th...Thank you Tezuka sempai."

Tezuka was as curious as Oishi by her behavior, unlike Oishi who only had the pleasure of getting to know Ryuuzaki 2 years ago. He had acquainted himself with her 4 years ago and probably earlier. He was working with her grandmother who brings Ryuzaki Sakuno with her every time she was to meet with Tezuka for training.

He knew better than any here at the moment, that her face was scrunched into concentration and her actions were so robotic. Usually she would leap and run down the stairs despite her often tripping on the last step, giving herself another bruise and turning up a little battered up. He is used to it, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't still ask if she was ok.

"What is that?"

Tezuka pointed at the small little box that was the same size as a music box. Sakuno blushed as she explained that she has a new project to look after an egg and watch its progress for nearly half the year.

Kaidoh hissed in surprise, he knew he has never gone through such a project before. Thinking what would happen if it were him in that condition, he would have most likely asked the teacher to give him an F and be done with it.

Oishi looked surprised. Tezuka then understood her strange behavior, she was cautious not to fall and smash the poor egg. Tezuka took the box out of her hands, Sakuno looked flustered. Oishi watched as their buchou had gentlemanly taken it upon himself to help her.

"You worry you will drop this right?"

Sakuno nodded, but then she still reached out to grab it as she said

"Demo... Tezuka sempai..."

Tezuka did not heed her attempts to re-attain the box as he looked at her in a very expressionless face.

"We are heading the same way, no trouble."

Tezuka walked off with Sakuno trailing after the buchou clearly apologizing for such an inconvenience. Oishi noticed Tezuka did care deeply for Sakuno, he also knew that Tezuka knew her earlier than everyone else, because he was always discussing and training with the coach Ryuzaki.

To add oil to fire, he even lived nearby. Oishi smiled, maybe Tezuka does have a soft heart and thought to himself that maybe Sakuno was like a sister to him and he would take special care of her.

Once they had arrived at the tennis courts, Tezuka had simply placed the box on the bench as he went down to collect his team. But it seems that the team had already seen him arriving, they all had clearly seen Tezuka sempai carrying a box followed by flustered Sakuno.

They were suspicious and had willingly approached their buchou, but they weren't doing it for practice. No one wants to run laps, it was Sakuno whom they were interested in. It has been already 2 years since they have got to know Ryuzaki Sakuno, to some shameless members like Eiji and Momoshiro it was like the best thing that happens after all, she was a very interesting girl.

Fuji also commented she was a lovely young girl and that she was indeed pretty, only earning cautious and protective glances from the members. Inui simply wrote in his data book the moment he heard that comment.

"Nya! Sakuno-chaaaann!"

Eiji had attempted to jump and hug Sakuno but was refrained from doing so by Tezuka and to their surprise Ryoma. Ryoma who didn't care about anything in the world had decided to oppose his norm and protected Sakuno from getting pounced on by eager Eiji. Eiji looking teary eyed at his buchou and ochibi in wonder. Why?

"You'll destroy our project."

The regulars looked utterly taken back. Tezuka thought it was Sakuno's project only, but it seems to be more than that. Inui pushed his glasses higher as he flipped his pages and a sly smile crept up his lips.

Ryoma had already settled down and noticed the egg was fine and safe. He didn't care about it, but he did want to be more cooperative after all, he wouldn't want to cause the Coach's granddaughter to fail her subject.

"According to my data, you guys got a project called the BABY PROJECT yes?"

Ryoma tugged on his cap and shrugged. The eyes of Momoshiro and Eiji were wide in surprise, but Fuji attained the sly look that was found on Inui's face. They all peered inside the box and found an egg. Everyone burst into smirks. Fuji thought, let the torture begin!

"So Ryoma is the papa and Sakuno is the mama nya?"

This comment made Sakuno turn red in embarrassment, this was the first time she had seen it in this light, it made things uncomfortable.

"Enough, team 30 laps."

The team groaned, but they only needed to see the anticipation in Inui's eyes to reenergize and run once more, because no one in the team really wants to drink Inui's special blend. Tezuka had resumed his duties, talking about strategies with the Coach. As they were running, Eiji and Momoshiro ran close to Ryoma who was focused on achieving his 30 laps.

"Ochibi became a father so fast Nya!"

"Yeah! Ochibi! You better do your duties! Don't let your baby's uncles come and help."

Ryoma simply ignored the comments thrown towards him, for he could not care less about such stupid mocking. Even if he and Sakuno did have this kind of relationship plus the child, it wouldn't be a chicken.

Ryoma jogged on, he thought for awhile. Maybe it wasn't so bad that Sakuno was his partner, saved him from being claimed father by those barbaric women, Sakuno is too innocent unlike these hormone raging teens.

"Uncles?"

Ryoma had re-sounded their opinions. Momoshiro nodded and pointed at all the regulars including themselves.

"Of course! After all we are best friends Ochibi! Thus we are all your baby's uncles!"

That comment made a smirk appear on Ryoma's face, uncles?

"Mada mada dane,"

Was all he had to say upon the subject to make them fume in anger.

"Why you little..."

"Momoshiro! Add 10 laps."

Tezuka had seen this commotion, how could they say such a thing. He was undeniably protective of Sakuno as he cared for her and did not like them to say such a thing. Reason was Ryoma wouldn't cut it if he hasn't asked permission from the buchou himself.

Sakuno was a lovely girl, her big brown eyes, long braids, a heart shaped face and slender body were what made her very cute and lovable. He acknowledged that, but he purely believed he sees that as her brother and a very protective brother at that.

He turned his head as he noticed she was watching everyone with a smile on her lips. She was a good and strong child. Always remembering to smile when ever and however the situation. But she also had a reputation of turning red easily.

Sakuno was very shocked at such a comment! It would do Ryoma bad damage, knowing Eiji, he would be going to spread it out the next moment he could. She still smiled, because she loves the determination and love the regulars had for tennis, and that is her reason for still coming to the practice after school.

In a sense, she did not notice but her presence made things fun and interesting. Regulars found her a very funny child and at times the very subject used in mocking Ryoma which predicted by Inui would be ignored 95% of the time.

Sakuno turned to look after the egg, she thought to herself, 'it was just a project. It doesn't heavily imply I would have to spend time with the partner. Ryoma does not care about the project, so maybe I can do it myself.' Ryuzaki sensei had seen her granddaughter's eyes watching the little egg she had obtained during her biology class. She knew this wasn't the right time to be travelling overseas, but there were things she had to do.

"Sakuno,"

Sakuno turned her full attention on her grandmother and smiled sweetly. This made her grandmother hesitant, being known as the devil of a coach she was completely under her granddaughter's pinky. She did not want to see her granddaughter unhappy.

"Yes Obaa-chan?"

Ryuzaki Sensei tried to look away from her smiling face and deliver the message, but she braced herself as she said

"I am going on a month's trip to the U.S, but..."

Sakuno knew that her grandmother was a very busy women, being one of the best and acquainted with the famous samurai like tennis player meant she had big responsibilities. But during her quick overseas trip, she would leave Sakuno in Tezuka buchou's care.

It has been this way for 4 years, and now she was used to it already, but it was the first time her grandmother had asked to be overseas for a month. Noticing that her grandmother had a very hesitant face, she thought to herself that she should just try comforting her grandmother and not worry about staying over at Tezuka sempai's which she had usually done.

Tezuka sempai was very kind to make sure she was comfortable and not scared half to death by this arrangement. His parents were also there so it also involves little communications with Tezuka sempai. His mother gladly took up the nursing role. With that thought comforting her, she hugged her grandmother, almost making the box fall if it weren't for Oishi who was approaching them.

"It is ok Obaa-chan, I will be ok."

Her grandmother gave her a very warm smile, because the child had always been very considerate towards her grandmother's needs to go overseas. She needed to watch some of the international players play, as well as videotape them for the regulars.

Tezuka always appreciated it, but somehow these 4 weeks consecutive would be a very hard match against powerful teams. She couldn't let it pass by. Oishi smiled at them as he went back to training thinking it was best to leave them alone.

To Be Cont...

Like it or not I am going to keep posting, but it gets funny.