Thanks to JC-zala , AelitaOfTheWolves and sweet-Lia for reading and reviewing Chapter 11!
Disclaimer: Nothing in POT belongs to me. All OoC-ness, OCs, events, situations, venues and tournaments are just figments of my imagination.
Thanks to princeoftennis .wikia .com for all the relevant information.
CAUTION: Some plotlines won't be following the original storyline from manga, anime or movie! Characters may be out of original characterness!
"xxxxx" Conversation
'xxxxx' Thoughts
xxxxxxxFlashback
Hope, Love, Joy
34. The Non-Rival
(After 4 Months)
"Okay, you two. Take a twenty-minute break and we'll move to the gym for some body building exercises."
Yukimura Seiichi could feel the muscles all over his body screamed in protest as he dropped onto the ground panting for fresh air.
"Se..Seiichi, da... daijobu?" His training partner, Tezuka Kunimitsu who sat down next him, asked. He too was also in similar condition.
"Fi...fine! I co..could han...handle th..this, Kun...Kunimit..mitsu." He nodded tiredly. For the past 4 months, they had gotten used to each other's company and were now on first name basis.
Their Coach instructed them to drink more fluid before going off to prepare the gym for their next training session. The two young men laid on the sports grounds silently as they recovered from the vigorous training they had undergone that morning.
"Seiichi, could I... ask you...a personal question?" Seiichi turned and found Tezuka's gaze upon him.
He shrugged and said, "Go ahead."
"How is ...Sakuno doing? Is she handling this long distance separation well?"
Seiichi sat up immediately and eyed him with suspicion, "Why are you asking about her?"
Tezuka looked away and answered in monotone, "I was her senpai and her grandmother is also someone I highly respected. It's normal for me to show my concern."
Seiichi frowned at his answer. 'But the look in his eyes just now when he asked those questions seem to be more than brotherly concern.'
"Sakuno is doing well. We've been keeping in touch almost daily via email and phone calls."
"That's good."
Now it was his turn to ask Tezuka a personal question. "You care for her a lot, don't you?"
Seiichi nearly chuckled in humour to see the face of the usually stoic Tezuka Kunimitsu turned red with his eyes widened in surprise. "Seiichi, I didn't...that's not..."
"When you asked me about her earlier, your eyes betrayed your feelings. So what is she to you, Kunimitsu?"
A few minutes passed before he gave Seiichi a weak smile, "Once upon a time, I had feelings for her, the feeling of a man for a woman."
"I see." Seiichi breathed in deeply to calm down his jealousy.
"However, by the time Sakuno was free from her feelings for Echizen, her heart was immediately captured by another. So I gave up on her." Tezuka explained dejectedly.
"She doesn't know how you felt for her, does she?"
"No. I never plan to reveal my feelings now that she's happy with you. As for my feelings. well, they are getting weaker the longer I stay in Berlin. But Seiichi?"
"Hai?" Seiichi felt a twinge of fear at the steely look in Tezuka's eyes.
"If you hurt her in any way, I won't hesitate to hurt you and snatched her out of your hands."
Seiichi gave him a chilling smile, "I won't hurt her in any way, Kunimitsu. She's mine forever."
They stared at each other for some time before soft laughter broke out between them. Soon it was time for their next training session.
35. The Annoying Diva
(After 7 Months)
"How could you not see Ore-sama's kindheartedness in..."
"Stop that! Saying "Ore-sama" all the time creeps me out."
"Demo..."
"Atobe-san, for the last time, I don't have feelings for you. I have a boyfriend to whom I am devoted."
"Surely he could not give you everything, my lovely one."
"Even if he's the poorest man in the world, I will still love Yukimura Seiichi. Goodbye, Atobe-san."
Atobe Keigo, the severely narcissistic and arrogant ex-Captain of Hyotei Middle School and Hyotei High School and the current Captain of the tennis club at United Tokyo University, was truly baffled as he watched the pretty brunette walked away.
He had always gotten whatever he wanted since he was a child. However, he was stumped by the continual rejection from Ryuzaki Sakuno whom he's been pursuing for the past 6 months.
It had started during the summer break. He had organized a 7-day get-together tennis-cum-holiday camp for all the ex-Regulars he knew. So his enormous family villa in Osaka were opened to almost 30 young men from various schools such as Hyotei, Seishun Gakuen, Fudomine, Shitenhoji, Higa Chuu and Rikkai. Needless to say, there were a lot of fierce competitiveness being displayed on the tennis courts in the villa as well as friendly bonding of sportsmen.
On day 3, the Seishun ex-Regulars had to excuse themselves because they intended to pay their former tennis coach a visit. Keigo was informed that their ex-Coach Ryuzaki Sumire was having a holiday with her granddaughter and the Yukimuras in the same vicinity. Out of courtesy, he had extended a dinner invitation to the Ryuzakis and the Yukimuras for that evening.
He could still remember his breathe and his heart being swept away by a young girl with long glossy hair held back in a sunflower hairband dressed in a pretty yellow sundress and white sandals.
In the beginning, many ex-Regulars who knew Sakuno's devotion to her boyfriend, had tried to discourage Atobe from pursuing her but their advice fell on deaf ears. He was determined to win the heart of this fair maiden.
Firstly, he asked her for a date many times but he never got one. Then, he sent her flowers but they were always given away to hospitals and old folks home. Next, he bought her expensive gifts but they were coldly rejected and returned to the sender. Lastly, he tried sending poems and poetry but his email address was blocked. Finally, he received a phone call from an unexpected person.
"Atobe Keigo, what's this I hear about you harassing my girlfriend?" The voice on the other end sent shivers through his spine.
"Ore-sama would never harrass a girl, Yukimura. Ore-sama is wooing her with Ore-sama's love and attention."
"Even though she already has me as her boyfriend?"
"You have gone far away, ahn and Ore-sama is sure your relationship will not last for long. She needs someone close to her. Only Ore-sama is the perfect partner for sweet Sakuno. "
"In that case, why don't we decide who is the perfect partner for sweet Sakuno in a tennis match? The winner gets Sakuno and the loser has to step aside."
"Ore-sama agrees. Where shall we meet, ahn?"
"Come to Berlin since you're so filthy rich. Let's play next Saturday. What do you say?"
"Ore-sama has no problem with the plan. Be prepared to lose, Yukimura."
"We'll see. See you next Saturday, Atobe Keigo."
Atobe hung up and turned to Kabaji with a smirk, "Prepare the jet for Berlin on Thursday, Kabaji. Ore-sama has to play the most important of game of Ore-sama's life."
"Usu."
36. The Christmas Visit
(After 12 Months)
The sound of tennis rackets hitting tennis balls, sneakers running and squeaking across the various tennis courts and cheers of encouragement rang around the street tennis courts in Tokyo. Although it was cold night, it certainly didn't deter the tennis enthusiasts from enjoying playing or watching the matches. There were many ex-Regulars from Seishun, Hyotei and even Rikkai gathered there thanks to their ex-Captains who had contacted them.
However two young men were not paying any attention to any of the games. Instead, they were focused on a couple who were sitting some distance away from the noisy crowd.
Tezuka Kunimitsu watched the glow on the young woman's face with mild longing as she gazed adoringly at the man beside her. 'What matters the most is she's happy with him. It's no use wishing for things to be different no matter how much I want it to be.'
He looked over to the other man next to him who was also watching them. The man finally grunted with frustration and turned his attention back to the tennis courts.
"Sakuno is happy with him so don't cause any trouble." Tezuka warned his friend.
"She deserves to be happy but why can't it be with Ore-sama?"
"Her heart has already chosen her match. No matter what you do, Atobe, she would never choose you."
Staying silent, a solemn Atobe Keigo looked again at his first love who was laughing at something her boyfriend had said. 'If only Ore-sama had met her first, perhaps Ore-sama would be her love instead.'
"By the way, Atobe, remember that Yukimura will give you another trashing on the tennis court if you try to harass Sakuno again." Tezuka reminded the diva with a knowing smile. He would remember that intense tennis match in Berlin between Atobe and Yukimura for many years to come.
The grouchy Atobe turned and glared at him, "Don't remind Ore-sama of that incident."
Meanwhile...
"Seiichi, Atobe is still looking at us." Ryuzaki Sakuno murmured as she drew nearer to the warm body beside her.
"Don't mind him, Sakuno." Seiichi Yukimura pulled her closer to him with one arm around her slender waist.
"I'm so glad you were able to come back, Seiichi, even though it's only for one week."
"I'm ecstatic to be back too, Sakuno. One year apart from you is too long for me to handle. It's a good thing the university is having a Christmas break so Tezuka and I were able to return for a short visit."
"Ano, Seiichi?"
"Hai, Sakuno?"
"What did you do to get Atobe-san to stop disturbing me? I've asked everyone including Yanagi-senpai and Inui-senpai but no one would say a word."
Seiishi smiled at her reassuringly, "I just made sure he's got the point that you are mine."
"Demo.."
"Don't worry about the details, Sakuno. Suffice to say, Atobe won't push his attention on you ever again."
"Arigatou, Seiichi." She gave him a kiss on his cheek. Unfortunately the other guys saw it and began teasing the ex-Captain of Rikkai and his girlfriend. Tezuka and Atobe wisely kept quiet.
He turned to them with a deceptively serene smile and asked, "Is anyone up for a tennis match?" Everyone was promptly silenced and went back to their own matches.
Later, Tezuka and Atobe were the only people to see the couple stealthily slipping away into the night.
To Be Continued …
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