Yo! Hey, sorry it's been awhile since I've updated… I just really needed to catch up with school. The worst part was, I got a failing grade in swimming... the swimming guardians must hate me?!

Ruiko: Yep, only a lazy ass can fail that subject unless you're scrawny. (no offense to those who failed swimming.)

Author: Really now? Maybe I should make you fail swimming then. Heh what do you say about that!

Ruiko: Doesn't matter, Hime-sama's as smart as… as… as…

Author: Can't even think of anyone that intelligent. Who's the smart one now?

Ruiko: as…as… as THE SMARTEST PERSON ON THE PLANET!

Author: *facepalms* And I thought I was impossible. Well then, on to the disclaimer!

Ruiko: Loser ON Parole does not own Prince of tennis. She isn't on parole, but she's most definitely a loser.

Author: ….Whatever helps you sleep at night

CHAPTER 7:

Yukimura sat crossed-legged on the park bench, simply observing as the people passed by. Some would stare at him, but he never stared back. He held his chin as he thought about tennis… then his mind wandered to a certain pink-haired player.

She was different so to say, but the greatest thing that caught his eye was her monstrous skills in the said sport. She managed to break free from his secret weapon.

Desperation truly was a frightening aspect of hers.

But what he really wanted to uncover was her driving force to do this.

He sighed as he stared at the sky, "curiosity is truly a curse."

"Hiyoshi! Do not be ashamed! You are carrying Hime-sama after all! You should be honoured to have royalty sitting on your shoulders." Hiyoshi simply groaned his reply, muttering, "troublesome."

Yukimura stared curiously at the pair. There was only one person he knew who had pink hair and would use 'Hime-sama' instead of a pronoun…

Ruiko.

She was sitting on top of who seemed to be Hiyoshi Wakashi. He's a 2nd year that attends Hyotei Gakuen. "To the pastry shop," she declared.

'Finally, something entertaining,' the blue haired spectator thought. He waited for the pair to come inside before he followed.

As he walked in the store, he was quite surprised to see the pink haired tennis player playing with her date's hair. Well, he didn't know they were so… intimate.

He lowered his hat and went to sit behind Ruiko.

"You have such fluffy hair."

"D-don't touch me," Hiyoshi tried his best to sound commanding, but to his disappointment, he stuttered. He wasn't really used to this closeness.

"I see… I see… a tsundere. I should've known."

Yukimura silently chuckled then realized, she was out of her Inner Atobe mode.

"Hiyoshi-kun, I'd like to know who you acknowledge as the people in the group of 'the strongest of the strong in tennis' here in Japan in Highschool."

Her companion thought for a moment before answering, "Yukimura-san, Sanada-san, Atobe-senpai, Shiraishi-san, Tezuka-san, Kintaro-san and… Ryoma Echizen."

"I haven't seen or met Kintaro and Shiraishi, while I haven't formally met Tezuka-san and Sanada-san. I've seen Ryoma's plays and Yukimura-san… I hate his playing style!"

The said teen stifled his laughter. Of course, his opponents would hate his style; he never did show mercy to his adversary.

"I mean seriously! I couldn't see! I couldn't hear! I couldn't smell! I couldn't feel! And for God's sake, he even took my ability to taste!" she ranted. "I mean seriously! I couldn't even taste my victory! But it was amazing…

"if only I wasn't the one being totally destroyed, I'd be enthralled with his… his… his talent! Simply amazing!"

"It seems you've taken quite the interest in him."

She laughed it off, "As a matter of fact, I have, but certainly not in the same way you're thinking. I'm interested in his skills and on how he was able to create and come up with his technique."

Yukimura smiled… so they were on the same page after all.

"But I find him annoying because he…" She leaned back on her chair, purposely getting the attention of the person behind her, "eavesdrops."

Yukimura's eyes widened as he realized what was really going on.

Ruiko knew…

That he was listening to their conversation.

"Oi, Yukimura-san, you're interrupting our date." The said player turned his seat to face them, he smiled sheepishly at the pair, "Gomen, Ruiko, I was just passing by. I didn't know you were on a date."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, sure, but since you're here already, want to join us?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You've done that the moment you went into the café," she deadpanned. "Is it okay with you Hiyoshi? And right after this, we'll head to the courts."

Yukimura shrugged as he dragged his seat to their table. So they were going to the courts after this, he smiled, a befitting date for a pair of tennis players.

"So you couldn't taste your victory?" Yukimura started as he turned his face to Ruiko.

"Yep. The yips though… how we're you able to think of that technique and how were you able to dull the person's senses. I'm curious Yukimura, but I'm also hungry so let me just get us something to eat. What do you guys want?"

"I'll come with you, " Yukimura volunteered.

"A simple dessert would suffice," Hiyoshi called out to the fleeting figures of the two.

Ruiko and Yukimura ordered the food.

"That would be 1500 yen."

And they both brought out their wallets.

"I'll pay," Ruiko smiled.

"No, I'll pay," Yukimura smiled even wider.

"No, Yukimura-san, I'll pay."

"No, Ruiko-chan, I'll pay."

Inner Atobe On. "You'll pay once you defeat Hime-sama in a match."

"Fine."

"Fine!" And the smiling duo fled to the nearest tennis court/

Hiyoshi sighed as he stood from his seat and went to the counter. He approached the dumbfounded cashier and took out the exact amount of payment. "We'll be having it for take-out."

He took the plastic bag and went to follow the two monster tennis players.

As he got there, they were on a head-to-head match, a match so intense that you could simply see a yellow line flashing from side to side.

Hiyoshi sighed… again. He was obviously not getting his rematch, but seeing this match may be enough… for now. Data.

Hiyoshi's mochi tasted good and they were still at it.

It's been an hour and more people gathered to watch their match, but Hiyoshi ran out of mochi. Putting his makeshift plate down, he went to take Ruiko's sandwich. But before he could even take a bite out of the heavenly treat, he was tackled to the ground. "YOU TREACHEROUS FIEND!"

Ruiko was huffing and puffing as she successfully retrieved her sandwich and to think she just ran from her never –ending match with the Child of God. "Hiyoshi!"

"It's not what you think it is?"

"Then tell me, what was it?" She stared him down as she crossed her arms.

"I ran out of mochi," he deadpanned.

"And so?"

"I believe that is enough reason for me to take your sandwich."

"Then," she paused for a brief moment. "Why not Yukimura's"

"I do not want to risk my life."

Yukimura sighed as he went to the people causing a scene. He found the scene quite odd now that he pictured Ruiko as a knight, her sandwich as a princess and Hiyoshi a monotonous dragon. He chuckled.

"Oi, Yukimura!" she called out. "Would you really kill Hiyoshi if he ate your sandwich?"

He thought for a while, why would he want to eat his sandwich.

With an aura that can cause fear to the people around them, Yukimura smiled at the 'supposed' perpetrator. "No, I wouldn't kill him for a sandwich."

Hiyoshi flinched at the smile Rikkai's tennis captain was giving off. "See," Ruiko gestured to the bluenette currently seething, still with that terrifyingly sweet smile etched on his face. "He wouldn't kill you. So next time we do this, you take his sandwich, 'kay?"

Hiyoshi vigorously nodded his head towards Yukimura, but Ruiko failed to notice and still thought it was towards her. "Glad we got that all figured out then," she smiled.

~Thanks for reading, short chapter, I know. I'm sorry, but I just wanted to highlight their date anyway.