Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Encounters of Another Kind - Part 2 ❯ Chapter 7

Encounters of Another Kind Part 2

An An and Hiyoshi Story

By Andrea Readwolf <andrea_readwolf @hotmail.com>

Chapter: 7

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Tachibana An and Wakashi Hiyoshi and ????

Genre: AU, Humor, Romance, Seduction

Warnings: Underage characters situations of self-discovery. Characters are written in character according to author's interpretation.

Spoilers: none to my knowledge

Summary: Another chance encounter between two very antagonistic personalities has An thinking of possibilities.

Disclaimer: Tennis no Ohjisama, characters and settings are the property of Konomi Takeshi.

Date Started: November 5, 2004

Status: Complete

Revised: November 25, 2004

Word Count: 1529

A New Encounter--?

If Ann sat and thought about it, it really wasn't abnormal. Not really.

Even Shinji had said that Hyotei's clubs were considered National level, and therefore they were pretty good. And good performances tended to attract large and often diverse crowds. So, really, she shouldn't have been surprised to see so many familiar, if not exactly *friendly*, faces.

She also shouldn't have been so surprised to see them huddled so close together in little groups and clusters. Wasn't is said that Like tends to be attracted to Like?

Still, to see tennis members from so many different schools--and especially to see them outside of their normal school jersey uniforms--in a non-tennis setting was... rather a shock.

Hyotei's Atobe, Oshitari, Muraki, Shishido, and Kabaji were there in addition to Hiyoshi and Otori. In fact, a lot of Hyotei students were there.

Seigaku members were there, too. Tezuka, Fuji, and Inui. And standing next to them were St. Rudolph's Mizuki and Yuuta. And she would have recognized Sengoku from Yamabuki even if he hadn't come over to start teasing Akira.

And Rikkaidai students were there, too. Ann was familiar with Sanada and Yanagi, but the third boy she only know through reference.

"Yo, Ann-chan," an entirely *un*cute voice called out from behind her as a sharp tug on her hair caused her to jerk.

"Ow!"

Heads were already turning their way, and even before a smooth, level voice called out with quiet authority.

"Akaya."

"Hai, Yukimura-buchou." Kirihara brushed past her without looking back, joining the others.

"It's rare to get the opportunity to see so many familiar faces away from the courts," Yukimura continued.

"Mmm," Fuji agreed, smiling. "It's nice."

"Ore-sama agrees. Genchiro, stop glowering like that before your face freezes that way."

"..."

"Atobe, do try not to antagonize the guests," Oshitari purred in obvious amusement. Others were more discreet in trying to hide chuckles and laughter.

"Who's antagonizing?" Atobe returned. "I'm merely pointing out he should very his expressions more often. After all, the face is such an important aspect of communication. Right Kabaji?"

"Usu."

"Yuushi~! Why did we have to come here tonight?"

"Don't be rude, Gakuto. We're showing school support, after all, and someone needed to help drag Ryou here."

"I did not have to be dragged!" the other teen barked angrily.

Less people attempted to hide their amusement this time.

"I'm looking forward to the second act, especially," Yanagi spoke up.

"Their soloists are especially fine this year."

"That's true. And I hear the music president used to be on the tennis club last year."

"Yes. You'll remember him when you see him again. Otori was at the Summer Camp with us last year."

"Ah. The special Scud Serve, no? He was a doubles player, wasn't he?"

Kippei turned to Tezuka, and only Ann's close proximity to her brother (and hence distance from both Kirihara and that annoying Atobe) allowed her to hear his whispered question to the other tennis player.

"Do you ever get the feeling that you're trapped in some really bad episodes of a very bad T.V. show?"

"Yes."

Just then the chime rang to alert guests that it was time to enter the hall and find their seats. Ann was told herself she was done being surprised. After all, it could not be a coincidence that they all had seats in the same section, practically right on top of the stage. She slid into her seat, smoothing her skirt down as she sat.

"Hi," an amused voice whispered behind her.

She ignored him.

"It's good manners to reply when someone says 'hello' to you."

Ann resisted the urge to turn around and slap him. "I don't need etiquette lessons from you," she hissed.

Grinning, Kirihara fell back into his own seat--directly behind hers. The others came filing in a moment later, and then--

*kick*

She told herself to ignore it and instead offered her hand to Hiyoshi to hold.

*kick*

Hiyoshi shot her a questioning look when her hand squeezed his. Leaning closer, she whispered, "Switch seats with me?"

He frowned, but he didn't ask, and she was grateful when he nodded, standing up to allow her to sit between him and Shinji.

At Intermission, Ann excused herself to go to the washroom.

Kirihara was waiting for her when she exited. "Hi," he said with one of his unpleasant smiles.

She glared at him. "I should have pushed you down the stairs when I had the chance."

"Go out with me and I might give you another chance," he offered.

"Are you crazy?"

"Probably."

"What's going on here?"

Kirihara's and Hiyoshi's eyes meet--sparks and lightening flashed, and Ann though the two would go flying at each others' throats.

~~~****~~~

Hiyoshi glared at Rikkaidai's captain. Ann had been acting strange all evening--even more strange than her normal strange behavior. He knew something was wrong, and he could guess it had something to do with Rikkaidai's Kirihara Akaya.

"Why do you keep hanging around this guy, Ann-chan?" Kirihara asked after looking Hiyoshi up and down. "He's so---boring."

Hiyoshi felt angry fire bubble in his stomach and fought to surpress it. He would not get into a childish fight. He would not--

"Come on, Ann. The concert's getting ready to continue, and Otori's solo is up first." He held his hand out for hers, and after a moment, she took it.

"You should lose him," Kirihara called after them.

Ann's hand was warm in his, and her body slim and seemingly delicate as she pressed up against his side.

"Mmm. I'm looking forward to hearing Choutaroh-kun play," she said as they turned away.

She didn't let go of his hand, and he didn't let go of hers, either. When they got back to the others, he was highly aware of the looks they were receiving--some glaringly hostile, like Kamio-kun's, more all-too-knowingly amused. Hiyoshi made a point to stay far away from Mukahi as possible--he didn't need any added grief--and he was glad when they could return to their seats.

Ann's hand still in his.

Hiyoshi remained highly conscious of that hand in his. It wasn't the first time he and Ann had held hands, but... there was something... different. Ann's hands had always been softer than his, but they'd never been what he would call 'delicate'. Ann wasn't delicate. She had calluses on her hands, just like him. Her hands were hands that were used to wrapping around the grip of a racket for hours. Her arms were strong and powerful from swinging and controlling that racket. Her legs shaped and toned by hours spent running around a tennis court. And despite this, despite knowing just how strong she was---tonight, right now, she seemed incredibly delicate to him.

Ann didn't need his protections, and Hiyoshi never felt like he'd *had* to protect her, but suddenly he realized--sitting there in that posh auditorium, his roommate on the stage totally enthralling the audience with his violin--Hiyoshi realized that he *wanted* to protect her. He wanted to protect this strange, crazy girl who was over-opinionated and demanding and pushy and pretty and...

Ann was pretty. Her hair, and her eyes, and her nose, and her smile, and... and her other parts.

Slowly, testing to see if it would be okay, Hiyoshi ran his thumb along her finger, and then down over her thumb, and then more, across her palm. She shifted in her seat--and he paused--and she shifted *towards* him, her hand flexing around his, her fingers sliding in and over and under his.

And for the rest of the concert, they sat there, exploring each other's hand, and he even ignored the occasional kick against the back of his chair with incredible tolerance.

He knew Atobe was planning on going out after the concert was over, and originally, Hiyoshi had planned to follow the crowd like he'd always done, but as they stood in applause, he realized he had no desire to follow the group--which wasn't anything strange or different from all the many times previously that Atobe had decided they should all do something. No, what was different was that this time there was something better he could be doing.

"Would you like to go get some ice cream?' he asked lowly, so no one else would hear.

Ann looked at him a little questioningly, a smile tugging her lips, her eyes sparkling even in the dimmed house lights. "Isn't it cold outside?" she teased.

He felt an answering smile tug at his own lips and squeezed her hand. "So? I happen to like ice cream," he replied, leaning in closer to her as she leaned closer to him, leaning against him, just a little bit...

And right there, in the middle of a crowded concert hall, their lips brushed tentatively before they pulled a little bit away again, as if checking for the other's reaction, to make sure that this was okay... Whatever 'this' was...

"I like ice cream, too," Ann said finally, and then when Hiyoshi answered, he didn't fight the smile.

"I know."

~Complete~

Author's Notes:

How strange... I'd been having the hardest time with this chapter of "Encounters" because it just wasn't going where I wanted it to go. Well, *duh*! That's because what *I* wanted wasn't the actual story, silly author. I had originally planned For Ann to go off with Kirihara, yes. In fact, here's a snippet from the notes:

An starts to notice her stalker/secret admirer/ silent watcher---Kirihara Akaya.

Things come to a head during Hyotei's match against Rikkai.

K: If I win, will you agree to go on a date with me?

A: What?

K: What about if I agree to lose? Trust me--it would be a lot harder to allow this guy to win then--

H: What!

A: What do you take me for? Some sort of trophy prize?

K: You're cute when you're angry. Know that? {steals a kiss before walking up to serve; Hiyoshi's *not* happy; An's wondering wtf!}

= beginning of the end of An's & Hiyoshi's relationship as well as Junior High School.

Bye-bye JH & Hiyoshi. Hello, HS & Kirihara Akaya.

Ah, but, apparently, neither Ann nor Hiyoshi seemed happy with that. Chapter 2 was supposed to have ended around the fifth part, but here it is, the seventh part, and they're still together. This *is* the ending of Chapter 2, however. Of course, that doesn't mean Ann and Hiyoshi have an "happily ever after", only that this is the end of their story. If and when Chapter 3 is told, they will have both moved on, I'm sure.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this "Encounter of Another Kind".

~Andrea