Chapter 29: Brotherhood

Echizen Rinko's usual day consists of watering the kitchen plants, making breakfast for her and the husband, and then walking around the neighborhood as if memorizing the colors of the houses. Ever since their son disappeared, Rinko and Nanjirou migrated back to America in hopes that Ryoma decided to stay at their house. But alas, he was nowhere to be found. They weren't even sure if he's still on Earth or if he went to Mars.

There was no communication for two years. He didn't even contact Sakuno which was weird because they just met in Brazil and they were sure that the two have been going out for a while now. Of course, they were aware of the scandal involving Honoka, that witch, Rinko thought.

But now, it was as if she had lost hope of ever speaking with his son again. She wondered if it was their fault, as well. Ryoma talks to a therapist to sort out his own feelings about tennis, his career.

She stepped outside their yard to start watering the plants. However, before she could grab the watering can, a familiar man stood by their fence, staring blankly at her.

"Ryoma?"

No. It was Ryoga.

"Ryoga! Oh my god!"

Rinko ran towards her, not caring that she was stepping onto her flowers. She had not seen the older son for years and it felt exciting and sad at the same time.

Ryoga spread his arms, preparing for a warm hug with his mother. Even though she was not his real mother, Ryoga developed quite an affection for the woman, since she took care of him until he was taken by his real relatives. Rinko poured her heart and soul to nurture Ryoga as if he was her real son. For that, he was grateful.

"Mom, long time no see!" He caught the woman in his arms and embraced her tightly. The familiar smell of hers, and the warmth that her hug brought made Ryoga feel nostalgic. How many years has it been that they met?

But it felt like yesterday.

"Where's dad?"

"Oh, he's inside watching television. Come in, come in! We have a lot to talk about,"

During his visit with his parents, Ryoga learned about Ryoma's fallout with everyone, including tennis. He was so shocked that his usual laidback facade crumbled into a worried big brother. Even though they didn't spend time together that much, Ryoga loved his baby brother more than anyone and that day he just wanted to see him right away and help him.

"Mom, I'll try calling him right now, do you have his number?"

"Yes, but he doesn't pick up no matter how much we tried," Rinko gave Ryoga the number and he dialed it on his phone right away. He didn't care how many times he had to dial if it meant he could have a talk with Ryoma. Tennis was the one thing that pulled them together as children and it was the strongest bond they had. He was not about to let Ryoma just throw it out the window.

"I just don't understand why you never heard of news about him," Rinko pouted, as if Ryoga had been living in a cave all this time. He doesn't even come to visit them more often.

"Well, I was busy…" he chuckled nervously. If he told her that he went on a cruise with friends and booze, his mother would kick his ass, no doubt.

It was ringing for a couple of seconds, and Rinko was just staring at the older brother.

"See? He's still not picking up…" she was about to lose hope again when suddenly, Ryoga spoke.

"Hello?" Both of their eyes lit up that someone actually answered his call.

On the other line, Ryoma groaned and put his phone on his ear, eyes still closed. He was sleeping soundly when his phone suddenly rang. Used to the fact that Sakuno would often call him out of the blue, he instinctively answered it without checking on the name.

"Ryuzaki… miss you," he muttered.

"Eh? I'm not– what? Chibisuke!" Ryoga exclaimed. He was not used to hearing such words from the stoic Ryoma, it was funny. But before he teased him, he had to know why he quit.

Ryoma sat up and instantly blushed.

"R-Ryoga?" he mumbled. After how many years, his brother finally called him out of the blue. Of course, he wouldn't admit that he felt a little happy about that, but what was it about? Ryoma grew nervous thinking that Ryoga would pester him about tennis, just like his parents. He didn't want to confront the matter right now.

"Let's meet up. Where are you?"

"Hmm… New York."

"Y-You're here? Why didn't you say so? And why aren't you visiting mom and dad?" The older man grew irritated at his brother's stupidity, and Rinko stood beside him, feeling a little dejected. Ryoma didn't even think of looking for them and he was in America all along!

"I just flew in yesterday," Ryoma answered.

"Oh, then I'll pick you up. Where are you staying?"

Ryoma contemplated if he was going to tell him which hotel he was staying at. Ever since he ran away and secluded himself from the world, Ryoma didn't feel comfortable revealing his location. It was his way of protecting his comfort space. But deciding that he would have to face his parents and brother sooner or later, Ryoma told him he was back in America and now that his brother was on his way to his hotel, Ryoma was mentally preparing himself for a load of sermons from his mother, teasing from his brother, and some more teasing from his father.

"Damn…" he stared at himself in the bathroom mirror. He noticed that his mustache had become longer so he decided to shave. A week after Sakuno left for Europe, Ryoma made his way back to America to restart his life. However, even though he regained confidence in himself through Sakuno, he was still reluctant to hold a tennis racket. The trauma from Brazil still lingered in his mind and he wasn't sure if he could handle a second wave of that.

But knowing that there were still people who believed in him kept his mind at peace.

Ryoma took a long and relaxing bath to calm his nerves before he faced his big brother.

A week after Sakuno arrived in France, she started his first day as an assistant to the chef. Even though she only had a few vocabulary in French, she still understood her superiors. In addition to being an intern there, she was to attend French classes. It was no problem for her since she didn't have anything more to do, after all.

During her break, Sakuno went outside to breathe some fresh air. She was still adjusting from the hectic dinnertime at the restaurant, and she was not used to the fast-paced place unlike at Mr. Arata's shop where there were almost no people dining in.

But still, she was thankful that she got to experience it. A few people walked by the side of the restaurant where she stood, but suddenly one person stopped in front of her and stared.

"Cerize?"

Sakuno looked up at the tall man and instantly recognized him.

"L-Ludovic-san!" She eyed his familiar red hair that hid his other eye. Sakuno still remembered how the man tried to flirt with him, making Ryoma annoyed. Back then, she wasn't aware of the fact that the prince liked her, but neither had Ryoma known his own feelings. In his eyes, Sakuno was a friend worth protecting from perverts like the French guy.

"What are you doing here? Where is the short guy?" He turned his head but found no one besides Sakuno.

"Short guy? You mean Ryoma-kun? He's in America right now."

"Oh, then let's go on a date!" He smiled, catching the attention of a few women passing by. Sakuno smiled nervously, recalling how persistent Ludovic was when they met. How would she break the news to him that she's now dating Ryoma?

"Um… no offense but I can't…" she muttered shyly. She had always been a people pleaser but going on a date with other guys is something she couldn't do behind Ryoma's back, even if they weren't dating.

"What? Well, I expected that. Then, are you here on business?"

"I'm an intern at this restaurant," she pointed at the busy building behind her. Ludovic nodded.

"Oh, I liked the food here. No wonder, it had been graced by Cerize's beauty and grace that the food was immaculate!"

Sakuno could only chuckle at Ludovic's expressions. It was nice seeing someone familiar in a different country. At least she had someone to talk to that time. They shared stories for the entirety of her break time. She learned that Ludovic is to enter the French Open happening this year.

"I heard he stopped playing," Ludovic said.

"Oh, yes. He had some things he needed to do,"

"I'd like to meet him again someday and have a rematch for your hand, of course."

"B-But I'm sort of going out… with him,"

Ludovic almost fainted. The realization that another beautiful woman had been taken away from him and it was none other than his greatest rival from tennis! He couldn't even remember the boy's name but those piercing golden eyes were tattooed in his mind.

Of course, it was apparent that Cerize harbored feelings for the Japanese kid. Ludovic had always observed people and it was no brainer that he would never be with Cerize. But it was alright, for he saw that the Japanese kid had protected Sakuno well that he's confident Sakuno will be happy and well taken care of.

But still, it hurts.

"Wow, since when?"

"Um… it's not clear. It's kind of an on-off situation so I'm not sure…"

Ludovic stared at her. He noticed the prettiest pink tint on her cheeks when she said those things. It really is obvious that she's in love with him, and strangely, it made Ludovic feel happy for her. Maybe he simply hoped for her to be happy with whoever she ends up with.

And now, she's truly happy being with Ryoma, even if they're apart from each other.

"Are you happy?"

"Very much," she flashed a smile that would have made the man's heart jump. But he only sighed, accepting his defeat even before they had their rematch.

For he had already lost from the start.

"That's good to hear, Cerize."

He smiled genuinely, without a hint of jealousy. However, he still wanted to know the reason why the boy suddenly quit tennis.

"But what is his reason for leaving?"

"Well, it's complicated. I'm not sure what to say,"

Ludovic wondered if he couldn't manage the fame and pressure of being a prodigy. He understood, after all, he is a prodigy as well.

"I hope he finds his way back. Before I fought with him, I thought he was just someone who does things because society dictates him, because he's good at it. But after I lost, I realized how he actually loved tennis. He did his best not only because of you, but because he wanted to go beyond his limit and see how many more great players he can surpass. He's awesome like that."

Ludovic offered Sakuno a warm smile before preparing to bid goodbye to her. Sakuno stared at him, thinking hard about what he said. In her eyes, Ludovic was a flirty but awesome tennis player. But more than that, he's actually a very good friend and a wise one. Sakuno thought that if Ryoma was here, they would have clicked.

"Thank you, Ludovic-san." she smiled.

"I gotta get going, Cerize. I will drop by the restaurant from time to time, and you can come to me for help over anything, okay?" He didn't have that cool aura anymore. Instead he looked like just another friend who smiled widely at her, kind of reminded her of Katsuo or Kachiro.

"Oh, you don't need to trouble yourself, Ludovic-san!"

"I have to take care of you, or who knows what your petit ami will do to me."

With that, he walked away coolly. Sakuno just sighed heavily and waved a hand to him.

"Why are we doing this?" Ryoma swings his racket for the umpteenth time. Sweat dropped from his temple, and his wet shirt clung to his body. That day, he was out with his big brother, Ryoga, who picked him up from his hotel and brought him to a tennis court. He was instructed to practice his stance.

It was weird, being ordered by his brother, who has been absent since they were little, and had only briefly spent time with him when they were both in the American team, and now he shows up, acting all big brotherly, and dares to train him strictly. It was a repeat of his father's ways and Ryoma didn't like it one bit.

"That's punishment for slacking off for two years," the older man sat by the bench, sipping his iced tea. He watched Ryoma tiredly move, noticing his lack of motivation and that his stance was off.

"Che. Why are you forcing me? I'm not in the mood for tennis," he rolled his eyes, reminding himself that he decided to try again. But this is not the way he planned to start.

"Ryoma, do you remember when we were kids? We used to play together, and even though you've always been a loser, I had fun,"

Ryoma glared at his insult, but he had a point. He had fun, too. It was always their love language to each other. He won't deny that. But playing for fun and playing professionally is very different.

It felt more like work.

Ryoma only nodded at his question.

"So, I think we should do it again." Ryoga awkwardly suggested, which earned a surprised reaction from his younger brother.

"Uh, we're not kids anymore," he muttered.

"No, not like before, of course. I just…" he looked down, unsure of what to say. He didn't think about what they'd do before dragging him out. He just did, and now, he feared that he might chase Ryoma away; it was the last thing he wanted, for his brother to disappear again.

Ryoma sighed. He gets it. He gets why Ryoga is doing this. He must have heard something from his parents. Ryoma wasn't stupid, he knew Ryoga wanted to get him back on the court.

"Fine, fine. I'll take you on," he stretched his arms and legs, and jogged in his place before smirking at Ryoga. The big brother only chuckled and made his way towards the other side of the court.

After an hour of chasing a neon ball and hitting it to the other side of the net, Ryooga and Ryoma lay tiredly on the ground, both catching their breath. To say that Ryoma lost was a crime. No, he didn't lose, more like he let Ryoga have the last shot since he's older.

Nah, Ryoma just lost, but Ryoga didn't want to accept it either.

He tried to deny the fact that he had gone rusty. Two years and his skills had dropped tremendously.

"Chibisuke,"

"What?"

"It doesn't matter to me,"

"What doesn't matter?"

"Who won, or lost."

"Hn."

"It's just fun playing with you."

Ryoma turned his head towards Ryoga, and his eyes widened at his brother's wide smile, almost child-like. Ryoma felt nostalgic. It was as if the kid version of Ryoga was smiling at him, and it felt sad at the same time.

He missed those times, really.

"Yeah," he smiled back.

"I'll be with you whenever you're ready, so come back."

Ryoma turned his gaze back to the sky. All of a sudden, Ryoga's words were comforting, a wave of overwhelming emotions showered him. He couldn't think of anything to say, but he was thankful to him that day. It was one of the most fun he had in a while and even though he was disappointed in himself, Ryoma knew that it was his brother's way of encouraging him.

"Thanks,"

"Ryoma!" Rinko ran and hugged him. She would have hit him badly and bombard him with questions, but she let it slide, thinking that his son must be emotionally vulnerable right now. She recalled that Ryoma spent a year in therapy, so she wasn't sure if he's okay with confrontations.

"Mom, it hurts,"

"You brat," he heard Nanjirou mumble in the living room. He didn't turn his head, but Nanjirou merely acknowledged his presence in their house. He felt responsible for Ryoma's current state.

"Are you okay? Where are you staying? You should stay here with us, and Ryoga should stay with us, too. Right, honey?" Rinko nudged the older brother's arm and he was forced to nod even though he planned to check into a prestigious hotel.

"I don't know," Ryoma muttered.

All of a sudden, Nanjirou stood up and faced them.

"Stay here, Ryoma. I don't want you roaming around the city. Your mom will take care of you," he said.

"Yes, I'll make sure you eat healthy, so don't…"

"Don't run away again," Nanjirou finished Rinko's sentence. It made Ryoma feel weird. Suddenly, his heart was pounding loudly, he had goosebumps on his skin, and his lips were smiling. It felt surreal that people actually appreciated him this much even though he's not so great anymore.

Right now, he was at the bottom, the loser. He's no prodigy anymore. But still, people liked him. And, his friends from China didn't have any idea who he is but they still liked him for who he is.

Has he always been this important?

Yeah, maybe I am still worth something.

"Hello?" Ryoma laid on his childhood bed in his childhood room as he felt excited to talk to Sakuno again.

"Ryoma-kun!" She exclaimed happily. She was always looking forward to her boyfriend's calls.

"How are you?"

"I'm having fun at work, even though it's super hard,"

"Were you tired?"

"Yeah,"

"Then you should get some rest,"

"I want to talk to you first,"

"Okay," Ryoma smiled. Sakuno's voice always calmed his nerves that nothing could rattle him.

"Oh, you know what? I met Ludovic-san today,"

"What?!" he suddenly sat up, waking his parents with his loud voice.

"Ryoma!" he heard Nanjirou yell from the next room. He sighed angrily and whispered on the phone.

"What the hell did he do now?"

"Relax, Ryoma-kun. He didn't do anything. We just talked,"

"Ah, I see. That's great," he couldn't help but sound bitter and sarcastic. He didn't want to sound like that to Sakuno, she might be offended. But god, the thought of that French dude flirting with his girlfriend just pisses him off.

"Ryoma-kun…" Sakuno sounded sweet, Ryoma thought. Well, he trusts her, okay, he'll let it go.

"Fine. What did you two talk about?"

"Well, just catching up. He's entering the French Open, and he talked about you."

He blinked. So, that Ludo-something still remembers him? Well, every opponent he defeated always remembered him, so that sounds about right.

"Ah, really,"

"Yes, and he heard about your hiatus. So… he said you're awesome," Sakuno said, hoping that it would boost Ryoma's confidence. She heard him chuckle over the phone.

"Thanks," he muttered. "But don't go near him again."

"Eh? Why?"

"I don't like it,"

Sakuno could practically imagine Ryoma pouting. She giggled at the thought.

"As I thought, you're the jealous type, Ryoma-kun."

"No, I'm not."

"You are!"

"No, stop it."

"Hehe…"

They talked for hours before both of them fell asleep with their call still connected.

To be continued.