lemon-and-chai - Thanks for the review :) As for Sei's illness it's more like a virus. It had disappeared for a while since they had cleaned out his body when he was four, but it never left his system. So the virus was kept in control by having a counter in place which is why Sei has to go to the hospital every week. The reason to why now it had gotten worse is because the virus had mutated so that the thing that was used to keep it at bay before now has a lot less effect on it.

The virus itself is meant to make his immune system overactive. It produces antibodies that instead of fighting infections, attack the body's own tissues. So the scientists could experiment on them easier since the body would need a base to heal. The reason he can't play tennis is because his muscle tissue is damaged and causes strain on his body from all the flexing and power he uses in his arms and legs. So if he gets too anxious he can black out like he did that one time when he was angry at Horio and kissed Ryoma. The virus effect all the tissues in his body like muscle, nervous, connective and epithelial.

Hope this makes sense. It did when I thought of it just now in my head, but explaining it was hard -_- Thank you for bring that question up. I didn't really think that part though. If you have anymore I'll try to answer best I can :)

CHAPTER 118

Mitsu decided it was Ryoma who had to tell Sei that he loved him. So he didn't tell the others about the conversation him and the cat had. It was now Monday. Everyone had noticed the marks on the boy's neck, but when it came to asking they were interrupted by either Syu, Sei or Mitsu. So no one knew what had happen.

It was now the end of the school day. Everyone of the tennis club was running laps. Having to finish each lap in under a minute, if not it was Inui special juice. The only one who didn't count in any of this was of course Ryoma. Who not only could out run the others easily, but had what people assumed never ending energy. So all he had to do was run. It didn't matter how many laps, he just had to keep going until everyone else had finished.

It was now the last lap and only the regulars remained. All the others had finished too slowly and were now unconscious on the floor. Inui had told them that the last one to finish this lap will be drinking a pint of it. Ryoma had watched from the other side of the courts seeing all of them going to any means necessary to make sure they weren't the last to cross the line. Fuji wasn't bothered by the strange liquid, but wanted to watch one of the others suffer.

Ryoma smirked in amusement when all of the had passed the line as the exact same time. Ryuzaki had laughed saying about how none of the regulars like to lose. As Ryoma finished this lap he stood with the other as they explained what was happening next.

"So we're going to be playing matches." Ryoma concluded after Inui talked about all this complicated stuff that the boy had no idea about. "Can I play Syu?" The tensai opened his eyes in shock at the boy's request. It didn't take long for it to turn in to one of complete happiness. Syu had wanted a match ever since he had seen the boy first play.

"I want a match with my Ryo-Chan as well." All the regulars and none regulars sweat dropped at the 'my' Syusuke put before saying the nickname him and Sei use for the boy. Sumire laughed at the claim as she had seen Syu's blue eyes quickly glance over to Horio. As Mitsu was about to deny them the match he did the one thing he shouldn't, he looked into the cat's eyes. He could feel his fingers twitch. He couldn't say no now. The golden eyes stared at him with desperation. His eyes glance over Ryoma's neck and guilt caused though him.

"Sure. You and Syu can have one match." Mitsu tried to keep his balance as the boy jumped up wrapping his arms round the other neck.

"I love you Mitsu." The boy squealed, giving the other a peck on the lips. Before dropping back to the floor, running over and grabbing Syu hand, then running to the nearest tennis court. The tensai grinned along with Sei who decided to be the referee for the match as they left with Ryoma. Pink dusted the captains cheeks as he tried to keep a straight face as all the other tennis players looked at him with either stupid smirks or some form of shock.

Sighing Mitsu glared at all the onlookers, before leaving to watch some of the match that his two lovers were having. Both stood at either side of the court. Syu with a tennis ball in hand smiled towards Ryoma. "Please go easy on me." He said.

On the side-lines some of the regulars were watching. "So who do you think will win?" As Inui as he opened his book. All answered with a Fuji until Momo spoke saying Echizen.

"I really want to have a match with him." Momo said. His lips upturned slightly in thought of how much stronger Ryoma had become from the last time they faced each other. The all watch in surprise when Ryoma started to pant to raise his heartbeat and to get blood flowing into his muscles quicker.

"Hey, look. His doing that thing he did when he faced Inui." Someone commented from behind the fence. "I'm surprised he still has so much stamina considering he ran more laps and at a fast pace than any of us."

"Syu." Ryoma said in a slightly rougher voice than when it normally was. The cat lifted his head and stared into Syusuke's eyes. The tensai could feel a shiver go down his spine in excitement. The boy look wild. Eyes slit, mouth open slightly to let his breath enter and exit quickly. His canines just added even more to his look. Syu could only imagine what Mitsu was feeling when he first face the boy without any of his features covered. "It's okay if I beat you, right?"

"One-set match. Syu to serve." Sei called from the referee's chair. Serving they started a rally. Fuji notice straight away that Ryoma wanted to approach the net. As they carried on hitting the ball across the other side of the net the cat couldn't help but be in awe at the others skill. 'I want to attack.' Ryoma thought as he tried once again to get to the net.

Syu watched Ryoma's feet. 'He reacts before I even touch the ball.' Ryoma appeared just as the ball crossed the net and returned it.

It was 1-1. Both of them kept their service game. Comments ranging from how good Ryoma was to 'if both of them were evenly matched.' Mitsu leaned against the referee's chair. He heard Sei speak. "They're still testing each other out."

"So who do you think will make the first challenge?" The Seigaku captain looked up to the blunette and suppressed a smile when he saw the excitement in Sei's eyes as they were still fully glued onto the match in front of them.

'His speed's changed.' Fuji noted when the ball had just caught the top of the net and went over. Running over Ryoma went down and slid across the floor. 'Drive B, left corner.' Syu thought as he sprinted to the direction knowing that the ball Ryoma hit could fall at any second. Barely able to catch the tennis ball in time, it went back across the net slowly.

Getting even more closer to the centre, the cat leaped into the air and returned the round object by smashing it. "Ochibi's speed is incredible." Eiji said as he watched Ryoma's speed on the court.

"Ryoma, you can't use the smash in the presence of Fuji-Senpai's counters." Momo muttered as he saw Fuji standing with the top half of his body forward, facing away from the net. As Ryoma landed back on the ground he felt his eyes widen in shock as the ball landed behind him just inside the court area.

"15-0" Sei called as whispers spread from the players watching.

"What counter is that?" Ryoma asked as he had heard Momo tell him about using a smash.

"Higuma otoshi." The tensai said as the boy's face split into a grin. "The second one of my triple counters."

"It seems his finally got serious when he decided to use that move." The freshman trio looked to Inui and waited for him to carry on. The data collector looked to them and explain the concept of how to do that move before adding one more sentence. "You normally can't pull off a godly move like that. That's why Fuji is know as a genius."

On the courts Syusuke was staring at Ryoma. He was surprised just as the boy. He knew it was only luck that he managed to get to the drive B before it went out. "Something wrong?" The cat asked when he noticed Syu wasn't smiling and had a serious expression on his face.

"Nothing." With that Syu went back to the edge of the court to serve.

"It's a shame. He probably can't use the smash anymore." Arai said as he folded his arms. "Normally he would use the smash as his finishing shot. Imagine what it's like to have it returned like that?" As the second year finished speaking he looked back to the game and gape when he saw Ryoma going for another smash.

Just like last time it was returned, earning Syu another point. "I see." Ryoma said as he watched that ball bounce on the court behind him. "That's cool. Being able to make a smash useless like that." It was the spark in Ryoma's eyes that caught Syu. In that moment he knew the boy was going to keep doing smashes just so he could try and beat the counter.