"Fuji! Echizen!" Tezuka got their attention in the boy's locker room.

"Tezuka? What is it?" Fuji asked.

"I hope you guys are free after practice since we will be meeting Rikkaidai at the street tennis court just around the corner." Tezuka informed.

"Is Oishi coming as well?" Echizen asked.

"He will be meeting the doubles players from Hyotei and Rikkai tomorrow along with Eiji." Tezuka answered.

"Of course, Seigaku's golden pair can never be split can they?" Fuji murmured.

"There was that time they wanted to split up right? But, in the end, their still together." Echizen commented.

"Alright! See you guys later." Tezuka said as he walked towards the court for some extra practice.

"He asked me to be here and he himself is an hour late! He won't ever change now will he?" Sakuno spoke into her cell phone.

"Well, give him sometime; I'm sure he'll be there. He's not Ryoma you know. You can count on him. After all, it isn't easy to be captain." Tomoka replied.

"Why isn't Tezuka-bucho here yet?" Echizen complained.

"Oishi told me that he had to go for a check up. I think we should carry on. We'll give him a call and let him know." Fuji replied.

"Sounds good to me."

Fuji got his phone out of his jacket and punched in Tezuka's number. Unfortunately, Tezuka's phone was switched off. So, Fuji decided to leave a message.

"Tezuka, Hi! This is Fuji, we decided to carry on. Call me back as soon as you get this message."

"Let's go." Echizen said.

Yukimura was a waiting them at the courts. He had instructed the team's best players to play each other since it was against the rules to hide any sort of strategy.

"Fuji! Echizen! Good to see you!" Yukimura greeted them. "Isn't Tezuka with you?"

"Bucho's at the hospital for a check up." Echizen informed.

"Is his arm hurting again?" Yukimura enquired. He seemed concerned. Well, of course he would be. The only way one knows how hard it is to stay away from something you love is if you've experienced it yourself. Yukimura had too much experience being the 'off court captain' for quite a long time.

"He didn't mention anything about his arm. Oishi said that it was just a routine check up. So, it's nothing to worry about." Fuji said. But to him, it sounded like a lie. Tezuka and Fuji's friendship seemed to be breaking up by the day. He noticed that Tezuka was (you could say) ignoring him. But then again, he was spending time with Echizen too. So, he couldn't completely blame Tezuka for it.

"Ok then" Yukimura changed the topic "shall we proceed?"

"Sure." Echizen said. He wanted to take a nap so it would be better if he got this thing over with.

It was amazing. Their training was just at another level. There were machines that shot balls directly at the players at high speed. The team also seemed to be working on their power levels as some of the players were aiming balls over a wall at a distance of two meters. Moreover, there were players toning up their muscles at low oxygen.

Fuji felt that their training was far beyond that of Seigaku's. But it was a different type of atmosphere here. Back at Seigaku, players seemed to be enjoying themselves. This atmosphere was way too serious to even notice it if someone was enjoying himself.

"Wow. Intense" Echizen commented.

"I know, right? I feel that we aren't that well equipped compare to this. The year is coming to an end as well. We have to equip ourselves better other wise I don't think Momo and Kaidoh will be able to lead our team to victory next year as well."

Fuji seemed concerned about the team's future, but Echizen managed to convince him that the team would be fine even after the third years left for high school.

After they had captured the entire training session on tape, Echizen and Fuji left for home. Tezuka had not shown up. He hadn't even called Fuji back. But since everything was done without him, they decided not to complain and earn extra laps in the next day's practice.

After getting home, Ryoma took a hot bath. He was just getting started on his homework when his dad knocked on his door.

"There's a beautiful young lady- whom I don't know- at the door. Are you expecting anyone? Say, maybe a girlfriend? I didn't know you were interested in dating older women!"

Ryoma felt like punching his father at that last bit. His father knew about how Ryoma felt about Sakuno. Yet, he decided that it wasfun to constantly irritate him about her.

"I'll get it." Ryoma said hopping down from his bed and walking towards the front door.

He expected it to be Sakuno- he wanted it to be Sakuno. But to his surprise, it was Yumiko- Fuji's older sister.

"Ryoma-kun. Nice to meet you. Is your dad at home?" Yumiko said.

"Yeah I am." Nanjiroh said before Ryoma could reply.

"I brought some pie for the new coach of Seigaku. Also, I will be relocating to the same street next week and I thought it would be nice to get acquainted with some of my to-be-neighbors." Yumiko said enthusiastically.

"Well, sure. Come in!" 'It sure would be nice to have somebody this hot live nearby' Nanjiroh thought.

"Is Fuji-senpai with you?" Echizen inquired.

"Syuusuke is in the car. Wait a minute." She said as she waved towards her car. Fuji responded to this. The car door opened and he walked out of the car and into the house.

"Dad. How about the two of you get to know each other more while Fuji-senpai and I talk in the kitchen?"

"Good with me." was Nanjiroh's reply.

Echizen and Fuji walked into the kitchen and Echizen served him some juice. Nanako introduced herself and prepared snacks for them and joined Nanjiroh and Yumiko in the sitting room.

"How come you didn't tell me you would be moving here?" Echizen inquired.

"Only Yumiko's moving here. She wanted to be a little more independent, so, she decided to take up a new house. I'll come to visit sometimes."

"Is Yuuta moving in with you now that Yumiko is staying separately?"

"We didn't kick Yuuta out of the house. It was his decision to leave. He's welcome back home anytime; but, he's enjoying hostel life so I doubt he will."

Fuji was interrupted by the telephone ringing.

"Hello?" Echizen answered the phone.

"Ryoma-kun?"

"Sakuno?" he replied.