As the Years Pass By
Chapter 5
A/N: Sorry for the late…late…late update. :3 DON'T KILL ME~! I just haven't felt like writing lately. Maybe it'll change when summer comes. At least then I'll have a lot of time to kill. c: Also, thank you to my beta pyrrhicvictoly for being such a patient beta (and a thorough one at that) :3.
Rin woke up from the peaceful nap she was enjoying. Well, it wasn't peaceful anymore seeing as how the teacher, Mr. Otonagi was standing in front of her with a displeased look on his face. He released a sigh that contained years of pent up stress and asked a question in a calm, controlled tone.
"Why were you sleeping, Usagi? Not enough rest last night?" His eyes were practically shooting daggers at her.
"Eheh, you see Mr. Otonagi, I got caught up last night with some really good news so my grandfather and I celebrated! We found our lost cat and whatnot, and I guess I got carried away. I-"
"Gah, save it Usagi! Stay after class for fifteen minutes so we can discuss your behavior in class."
Rin dropped her head in defeat and stayed like that for the rest of class, occasionally zoning out or trying to listen to Tezuka's pen scribbling away on notebook. Eventually, the bell rung and the class was dismissed, save Rin. Rin looked up to see Mr. Otonagi towering over her desk while she was relaxing.
"Really now, Usagi. I expected more out of you, especially since you showed so much promise the first few days."
"Mr. Otonagi, I'm a good student; trust me. I just happen to be a very lazy one, at that. I'll get my work done and whatnot, but my learning habits are very different. I'll try to pay attention as much as possible, but it's kind of hard when I can't focus." Rin explained, hoping he would get that school was the last thing on her mind. He agreed and then dismissed her with a warning followed by a ten minute lecture of the effectiveness of a good study habit.
Rin left the classroom, her bag slung over her shoulder lazily. She was practically a zombie, and looked like one too with her ragged appearance. She saw Eiji and Momo on the way to the lunch room and passed them. They barely recognized her until they saw her face hidden behind her messy hair.
"Oi, Usagi, what happened to you! You look terrible!" Momo exclaimed, taking in her whole appearance.
"Thanks, Momo. As if I didn't know that already." She replied, her face deadpanned.
"Hahaha, real funny Momo!" Eiji commented. "So really, what happened Rin?"
"I went to sleep late last night," Rin yawned "and I could barely wake up this morning. I don't know, I'm just so…tired." She yawned again, covering her mouth. "Where are the others?"
"Oh, they skipped lunch today to go practice at the courts. With the preliminaries coming up, bucchou and Coach want to figure out the regulars participating." Eiji explained. "You should come watch! Bucchou will be playing!"
"Whaa? Really!" Rin's face lit up right away. "I get to see Mitsu-kun play seriously?"
Eiji's face was filled with confusion and so was Momo's. Both asked simultaneously, "Mitsu-kun?"
"Oh, crap! Did I say Mitsu-kun?" Rin laughed nervously while backing up in the direction of the courts. "Forget that, okay? He doesn't like it when I use his childhood nickname around his friends." Rin's face deadpanned again and she added, "He's not a very fun guy."
Momo and Eiji just stared at her with clueless looks on their faces, before looking at each other and shrugging it off. They followed Rin as she headed for the courts where Tezuka would be playing a set against Fuji. They arrived in the middle of the match as Tezuka was winning 5-0, with him barely sweating and Fuji beginning to show traces of heavy perspiration. Well, who could blame them? I'm surprised they aren't dying in this hot weather. Rin wiped the bead of sweat that threatened to trail down the side of her face. Silently, she was rooting for Fuji because he seemed as if he had tricks up his sleeve that could be used as an advantage over Tezuka.
In the end, Fuji lost 6-0. He was a good sport, though, because he shook Tezuka's hand and thanked him for the match. Rin rushed over to Fuji and handed him a towel with a small smile on her face.
"Good job, Fuji!" Rin said.
"Ah, thank you Rin. I tried, but I guess the heat got to me." Fuji replied as he used the towel to wipe the sweat off of his face before draping the towel over his neck. They both turned to Tezuka who walked over after putting his racquet back in his bag.
Tezuka sent a nod towards Fuji and stared at Rin before leaving the courts. Rin watched his back as he walked away, sighing slowly.
"Not even a simple 'hi'," she commented, "even after we made up." Her nose scrunched up, showing her discontent. Fuji chuckled softly before turning around.
"It's fine, Rin. He's probably just getting used to having you around. Just be glad he actually acknowledged you; if you were just any other fan girl of his, he wouldn't have even spared you a glance." Fuji smiled that smile of his, then put a hand on Rin's shoulder. "It's fine, trust me."
Rin smirked, her mood growing brighter. "Thanks Fuji, that makes me feel better."
"It's no problem at all." Fuji replied.
Rin jogged slowly to the other courts where Inui and Ryoma were having their set. It seemed interesting since Momo was there along with Kaidou, Oishi, and Eiji. Fuji joined them a few minutes later, with Rin standing close by Momo.
"Who's winning so far, Momo?" Rin asked.
"It's a close one. Echizen's in the lead right now, but Inui can catch up anytime soon. I'm surprised Echizen can beat Inui's data tennis!" He remarked.
Rin stared in awe as the ball shot over the net at insane speeds, her eyes barely even able to catch up.
"And how long have they been at this, exactly?" She asked in awe, her mouth slowly forming an 'o'.
"About half an hour already," Momo began, "I don't see how they're lasting this long. Especially at the pace they're going too." Rin nodded in agreement.
~AYPB~
While Rin was watching Ryoma and Inui's match, another person was watching her silently from the third story window that was Coach Ryuzaki's office.
"Tezuka, that's not a healthy habit; to be staring at people like that." Ryuzaki remarked, the corners of her mouth upturned into a devious smirk. "It seems you're having a little problem with your love life…?"
At that comment, Tezuka turned around and glared slightly at the old woman that was leaning back in her chair, her face filled with amusement.
"It's not that. I'm debating over who should take the last spot for the regulars." Tezuka replied, trying to throw Ryuzaki off of his case about Rin.
"Ohoh, sure Tezuka~!" She laughed. "I'd say let that Echizen boy on the team. He looks like he's pillar material."
Tezuka considered that comment as he was watching Echizen play. But as he tried to watch the possible regular and the third year regular, his eyes kept drifting to the girl against the fence, staring in awe. Just as he was about to zone out, the door to Ryuzaki's office opened. Oishi stepped in, his face gleaming.
"Tezuka!" He began. "Echizen won!"
That broke Tezuka out of his stupor as he turned around and looked at Oishi. He was partially mad because of Oishi interrupting his thinking.
"We'll determine the positions tomorrow." Tezuka replied, his voice stoic as usual. Oishi nodded and ran out the door to go tell the others of the news. Ryuzaki continued to smile that devious smile of hers. Tezuka turned to her, nodded, then left out the door; all while thinking about the amazed girl down by the courts. He had seen her earlier after his match with Fuji, but he didn't understand why she would go congratulate Fuji first, and not him. He recalled not saying anything to her as he walked away. Rin…Fuji…. His thoughts kept trailing on in that direction, eventually leading him to the conclusion that Rin was interested in Fuji. No, not interested, but more like crushing. On. Fuji. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he didn't seem happy with the thought of those two together. He shook it off as he continued walking to the courts, but the thought lingered there; the idea bouncing in his head back and forth.
A/N: Tell me readerettes, am I evil for just not updating in 5ever? WELL, it's okay! Summer's here in three days for me~! Yaay! And all that time will be spent sleeping and popping out more stories from the brain toaster to you wonderful peeps.