Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Memories Lost ❯ Chapter 3

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis in any way, shape, or form.
 
And another chapter of Memories Lost.
 
Thank you, everyone that reviewed!
 
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“Taka-san's?” Eiji pestered Fuji. “You just want wasabi sushi with extra wasabi, don't you?”
 
“If you don't want to go to Taka-san's, then we can head to that wasabi shop back there...” Fuji began, turning around before being grabbed by Eiji and pushed towards the general direction of Tokyo's food street.
 
“Taka-san's is fine!” Eiji squeaked, pushing the honey-brunet harder. Tezuka noticed that Fuji had decided not to budge as the redhead pushed. “Fuji! I thought you wanted to go to Taka-san's!” He strained, still attempting to move Fuji.
 
“I'm having second thoughts. I heard that the wasabi shop is really good,” Fuji grinned, still keeping Eiji from actually moving him. “Are you positive you don't want to go there?” Tezuka felt a pang as he watched Fuji smile; and he couldn't help but feel that this was eerily familiar.
 
“Heck no!” Eiji continued to push the shorter man to no avail.
 
Fuji's grin turned impossibly wider and he shrugged. “Okay then, to Kawamura Sushi we go.” Stepping aside, he let Eiji fall over and land on his face. “Whoops,” He chuckled. “Sorry, Eiji.” Offering a hand to the fallen acrobat, Eiji looked up.
 
“You meant to do that, didn't you?” He groaned, taking the pale hand apprehensively.
 
“Of course.” Fuji continued to smile with that same annoying smile.
 
Finally helping up Eiji, Fuji began walking towards the food street with Eiji following closely behind.
 
“Tezuka-san, be careful,” Fuji called. “Stay close and you won't get lost.” Tezuka suppressed the urge to snort. He had lived here all of his life; how could he get lost?
 
“Oh, and if you're wondering how you could get lost if you've lived here all your life,” Fuji called. “I guess I forgot to mention that after we ran some tests, it seems it'll take you a while to remember the streets as well.”
 
Tezuka inwardly frowned. This Fuji doctor seemed to know a lot about him, even what he was thinking. It was eerie, bizarre even; to think that this complete stranger knew what he was thinking. As his mind whirled, he didn't notice the speeding man racing towards them. Colliding head-on with the man, Tezuka quickly regained his balance and looked down at the man who was currently sitting on the sidewalk and rubbing his head.
 
“Sorry, I didn't see you,” He said automatically, barely glancing at the man's face.
 
The man looked up at Tezuka, what seemed to be recognition dawned on his face. “You're-!”
 
Fuji interrupted. “I'd like you to meet one of my patients at the hospital, Tezuka Kunimitsu. He's lost his Jr. and Senior High memories, remember?” Nudging the fallen man with his shoe, he nodded. “I told you yesterday, right?”
 
“Huh?” The man looked bewildered for a moment before remembering. “Oh, right!” He stood up and brushed off the seat of his jeans. “Nice to meet you, Tezuka-san!”
 
“Tezuka-san, this is Momoshiro Takeshi, one of my old friends. He runs a tennis club nearby along with a health food store.” Fuji gestured to the now grinning man. “Momo, Tezuka. Tezuka-san, Momo.”
 
“It's a pleasure.” Tezuka gruffly shook Momoshiro's hand.
 
“Same here, Tezuka-san! Come by and play a few games, okay?” He directed the question at Fuji, who smiled and nodded. “Bring Tezuka-san and Eiji-senpai too, alright?” Turning back towards the direction he had been going before crashing into Tezuka, Momoshiro began walking gaily again. “See ya!”
 
Fuji waved a good bye to Momoshiro with Eiji calling after him. “Make sure there are open courts this weekend!” The hyperactive redhead shouted.
 
“Okay!” Momoshiro answered, waving an `OK' sign back towards the three.
 
Meanwhile, Tezuka had looked at Fuji and raised an eyebrow. “`Eiji-senpai'?” He asked doubtfully.
 
“Momoshiro, Eiji, Oishi, and I went to the same Junior and Senior Highs together. Momo's a year younger than us, so it's a habit to call us `senpai' nowadays.” Fuji shrugged and turned back towards the building they had stopped by. “Do you like sushi, Tezuka-san?”
 
Before Tezuka could answer, Fuji began speaking again. “I hope so, because we're eating here today.” Tezuka turned towards the building. On a black sign, in scrawling white characters, the words `Kawamura Sushi' were printed rather messily. It was a traditional restaurant, with sliding doors and hand-painted cloth hanging over the entrance. “Tezuka-san, you seem to de thinking a lot lately. Something troubling you?”
 
“No,” Tezuka's answers were still as blunt as ever, and Tezuka thought he saw Fuji's smile falter the barest amount.
 
Eiji looked between them, puzzled. “Fuji, are we going to be eating or just looking? I'm hungry!” He said, tugging at the shorter man's arm.
 
“Oh, sorry, Eiji,” Fuji pulled his arm away. “Let's go in, shall we, Tezuka-san?” Tezuka responded wordlessly by following the other two in. The inside of the restaurant was nearly empty, with only the sushi chef behind the counter, a small group of people sitting at one of the tables, and a man at the counter, whom Tezuka recognized as the psychiatrist Oishi, chatting animatedly with the sushi chef. Just as the sushi chef held up a finger and went into the kitchen, Eiji pounced like a cat.
 
“Oishi!” Eiji sprang towards the doctor, giving the man a hug. “It's been a while, hasn't it?”
 
Oishi laughed, nodding. “Hey, Eiji,” He ruffled the messy red hair. “How've you been?”
 
Eiji grinned. “I'm great! A lot of people come watch me perform, and I even made a few friends!” Oishi gave Eiji another pat on the head before looking at Fuji. Spotting Tezuka, he straightened his posture, as if he was afraid to be punished. “Fuji! You should have told me Tezuka-san was coming.”
 
Fuji held up a hand and waved it airily. “It's not a problem. I already told Taka-san to get places at the counter for four,” Fuji looked- at least, that's what Tezuka thought he did, since the doctor's eyes were always closed- towards the returning sushi chef. “Hi, Taka-san. How've you been?”
 
The sushi chef beamed at Fuji. “Fuji! It's nice to see you. The restaurant has been buzzing since the food critic gave such a great review.”
 
“Well, Taka-san; after a week in the hospital with such bad food and a picky palate, it was only a matter of telling him where the best sushi place in Tokyo was.” Fuji sat down next to Eiji, who had promptly plopped down next to Oishi. “Tezuka-san, sit down.” Fuji gestured to the stool next to him.
 
Tezuka slid onto the seat and found himself face-to-face with the sushi chef. “You must be Tezuka Kunimitsu-san. Fuji told me all about you.” Tezuka briefly wondered if the strange doctor had told everyone he knew about him.
 
“Tezuka-san, this is Kawamura Takashi. He's an old friend of mine from school.” Fuji's smile was back to its original intensity. Tezuka found himself curious as to whether or not Fuji's face muscles were tired or not.
 
Kawamura held out a calloused hand. “Fuji and I were on the tennis team in Jr. High.” Tezuka paused before taking the large hand. Wryly shaking it, he heard Eiji begin saying something.
 
“Me, Oishi, and Momo were also regulars!” Eiji protested. “And then, you can't forget Inui, and Kaidoh, and kiddo!” He paused to think. “And you can't forget Captain.”
 
“Captain was just unforgettable, wasn't he?” Fuji sighed, a slender finger tapping his pale chin. “And Echizen was too.”
 
“Yup, yup! What's going on with Echizen these days, anyway?”
 
`Echizen? Does he mean Echizen Nanjiroh? Couldn't be, he's old enough to be one of their fathers.' Tezuka thought, folding his hands and resting them under his chin.
 
Kawamura sliced into a small slab of fresh fish. “He's coaching the Jr. High team at Seigaku, I think.” He said, quickly moving the knife over the fish. “Momo told me that the last time he came in.”
 
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Another bad chapter ending...
 
I just realized that I had this chapter finished, but didn't put it up yet...
 
I also have another story up, Obsessive Compulsive. Please take a look at it if you have the time!
 
Please review!