Disclaimer: The Prince of Tennis© belongs to Takeshi Konomi.

Rai: A simple oneshot that I've came up with from what I felt when I watched Tezuka's game with Atobe. I feel like my OC when I saw that he hurt his shoulder. :'( Well, enough of the blabbering. Hope you enjoy this! :)

Discretion

''Tezuka!''

A scream tore the silence of the afternoon, as the courts where the Seigaku Tennis Club was facing Hyotei Gakuen, were filled with students, coaches, other tennis club members and viewers alike. Atobe was standing on his side of the court; both sides of his face were running with sweat from playing for a long time.

A girl stood from behind the Seigaku Tennis club members, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as her gaze went from the standing Atobe to the kneeling Tezuka on the other side of the court.

Fallen.

Worry was etched on her face as her eyes never leave the sight of Tezuka on the ground. His right hand clutched his left shoulder as he tried to ease the pain, she knew he was feeling. Her hands went to chest as the pounding of blood from her veins intensified. Pain crossed her face as she saw the wince that Tezuka didn't want to show.

Stunned at the scene in front of her she didn't know when the Seigaku Tennis Club members turned their heads and questioningly stare at her direction. Curiosity filled their faces as they continue to stare at her.

Who was she?

Oishi was the first to move and went up the steps to stand in front of the girl. ''Excuse me miss, are you okay?'' Oishi asked.

She blinked repeatedly before turning to the boy in front of her. "I…I…" She cannot process the words in her mind and before she could do anything hastily her chauffer arrived in time.

''There you are Miss,'' the older man said, worry lacing his voice. ''I have been looking all over the place for you.''

She turned to her trusted chauffer before she found her voice. ''Tezuka...'' she breathed. And before she knew it, the unshed tears that were pooling in her eyes dried in an instant ―leaving no trace at all, it's as if it were never there. She turned on her heels and walk away from Oishi and the courts without saying anything.

"Excuse the Miss for her hasty retreat, Mister." The chauffer offered Oishi a nod before turning to follow the retreating girl who hastily walked away.

''What's with that girl?'' Oishi heard Momoshiro saying, he placed a hand on his arm as they both watched the two walk to the exit of the courts and toward the parking lot.

Oishi shook his head and turn to descend the steps, going back to his place beside his teammates.

Whoever that girl was…she knew Tezuka.

- T -

The tennis club grounds were quiet this afternoon. Seishun Gakuen's students were inside the building and having their classes ―some were studying diligently, while the others were waiting for the afternoon bell to ring. The game with the Hyoutei Gakuen was through. Tezuka lost to Atobe Keigo but Seigaku won the match and was now the prefectural's champion. They were about to have their scheduled practice for the afternoon but the tennis club members were not there yet. At the back of their locker room Tezuka's voice could be heard as he talks to someone.

''Why did you do that?'' Tezuka asked her, the tone of his voice was stern.

''I don't have anything else to say.'' She said as she darted her eyes on the ground. She didn't like that he was chastising her for being so worried about him. She looked up to see his eyes but quickly pulled away and set her gaze on a bush behind him. She pursed her lips as she continued to stare at something but him. "You don't have to be this harsh, Tezuka-kun."

He inhaled a deep breath to somewhat calm himself. ''I am just asking.''

She recognized the soft underlying tone of his voice. ''I got worried when I saw you in pain." She got the courage to see his face and to look him in the eyes. "You can't blame me for feeling so worried about you.'' She visibly relaxed as she slowly released the air that she was absentmindedly holding. She was aware of the way Tezuka was with other people. But she was not one of those other people. They have been friends since they were children. They knew each other for so long.

''I know that.'' His voice was stern. ''That is why I didn't tell you to come and watch the game.'' She blinked at him because he was back to chastising her again.

''But...''

He halted her words. ''Konno…you have to stop doing this. You already know you are off the hook.'' He pursed his lips, his jaw line making an appearance that was never seen by any of his team members.

''But...''

Tezuka turned around and was ready to walk away when his steps was halted by her words.

''Tezuka-kun, watashi wa anata o aishite.'' She blurted on his retreat.

Unbeknownst to them, all the regular members of the Seishun Tennis Club were hiding somewhere, all afraid of their buchou and at the same time curious about his personal whereabouts.

The regular's curious eyes widened in recognition of the said girl from the game with Hyotei. All of them were speechless at hearing about the girl's profession of love to their cold and stoic buchou.

''She was brave...'' Eiji said, amazement resounding silently on his voice.

''Shhhh...'' Kaidoh breathed but his eyes were like saucers from hearing the confession.

''She was a girl in love.'' Fuji said as his eyes, just as always were smiling.

Tezuka turned and face her again.

''Daisuki desu, Tezuka-kun,'' she said staring to his eyes behind the glasses. She shook her head, ''and I don't care if you win or not.'' She said as fresh warm tears rolled down her cheeks. She hastily brushed those tears with the back of her hand, embarrassed that Tezuka saw them and stared on the ground. She never wanted him to see her cry ―and for goodness sake, in this situation. She filled her lungs with air several times before she look at him again. She gave him a sad smile.

''I know.'' He said. The tone of his voice didn't leave a hint to what he was feeling. He took a step back to where she was standing and took the opportunity that the team weren't there to see them. He raised a hand to her head and affectionately patted her hair then tucked a stray strand behind her ear. He didn't smile, he never does but he stepped closer and gently, very gently…he enveloped her in his arms.

Nagashita Konno was surprised at the sudden turn out of events. But she was happy that he, Kunimitsu Tezuka accepted her feelings and was holding her like they were the only people in the campus. She gently placed her head on his chest and slowly wrapped her arms around him. The sad smile that she gave him earlier was replaced by something positive and joyful as she lingered in that moment.

''Hey what are you doing there?'' Riyuzaki-sensei's voice echoed through the silent grounds of the tennis court, her hands on her waist as she questions her regular members who were busy with something happening behind the bushes.

The whole team who was hiding behind the bushes came crashing through and fell off the ground. Riyuzaki-sensei was surprised to see what the bushes conceal and eyed her regular members suspiciously.

Tezuka and Konno immediately pulled away from each other's embrace as the whole team revealed themselves abashedly. Pink tinged Konno's cheeks as she gaze down on eight pairs of eyes staring before her.

''Oh! Nagashita, I've seen you at last." Riyuzaki-sensei exclaimed, never minding the scene that her regular caused, "When did you come back?'' She asked with interference and passed a stunned Tezuka pursing his lips, on her way.

She turned her attention at Riyuzaki-sensei who was nearly in front of her but her attention was on the stacked pile of regulars that fell to the ground. ''I just came back last week Riyuzaki-sensei.'' She said when Riyuzaki-sensei placed a hand on her arm to get her attention.

''You knew her?'' The question came from Momoshiro who was confusedly eyeing their sensei and the new girl.

Riyuzaki-sensei nodded in agreement. ''She was Tezuka's fiancée that was based in the US.'' Riyuzaki-sensei informed them and laugh a hearty one when she saw the unbelievable expressions on each of the regular's faces. Tezuka was really good in being discrete with his relationship with the Nagashita heiress.

''She was...'' Kikumaru could not even finish his statement in total amazement. This was all new to them. Their buchou, the cold and stoic Kunimitsu Tezuka has this lovely lady as his fiancée. He blinked repeatedly at the people in front of him, could not believe it.

''...his fiancee.'' Ryoma, who was equally astounded by what he heard and saw, supplied his senpai's words.

''Hey Mamushi, you can get off my back now.'' Momoshiro said as he glared at Kaidoh who was stacked on his back.

''Fsshhhh...How can I stand if Kikumaru-senpai was lying behind my back? You, baka!'' Kaidoh retorted back.

Fuji who was on top of the pile stood up and get Kawamura's racket. Ever smiling and a joy to look at, he crouched to the ground and gave the nice and kind hearted Kawamura the yellow racket that he retrieved.

''BURNIIIIING!'' Kawamura stood from the bottom of the pile and started screaming. ''Burniiiing! Oh my God! Oh my God! We can't believe that Tezuka-buchou actually has a fiancée. Burniiiiiing!''

The team's eyes widened for the second time as they saw Tezuka's reaction. His whole face was flushed by the embarrassment that he felt from Kawamura's screaming. It was clear that he wasn't the type to lay his relationship for all to see. He wanted to be discreet and this was not the type of discretion that he had in mind.

''All of you fifty laps around the court!'' He said in his deep baritone voice as the color on his face darkened to a deep red. The whole team, who was dropped to the ground by Kawamura's sudden action, went on to their feet and started to do the punishment that their buchou gave them.

They knew that they had to do the punishment and run the fifty laps or face Tezuka's anger.

Konno chuckled behind Tezuka as she saw how the team responded to their buchou. She was happy to know that the team respected him that much to do as such from just eavesdropping.

Rai: I was going to use 'Leah' as the name for the OC character that I partnered Tezuka with, but I remembered that a friend of mine wanted the name Konno that I used in my SessKag chapter story. So, yes I used it here and just so you know, my dear, dear Saab, it is for you too. Oh, and of course, criticisms are welcome. Just NO to flames! :)