Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpected Love ❯ The Hunt Begins ( Chapter 2 )

Authors notes: Still don't own them, but boy would I love to! ^__^ All original characters belong to me!

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Unexpected Love

Chapter 2: The Hunt Begins

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The next morning, word about the school dance had spread. The entire school now new whether they had seen the bulletin or not. Hushed whispers and giggles of timid girls could be heard as they fantasized about the boys they wished would ask them to the dance.

Among those boys were of course, some of the regulars. One of them was being targeted at this very moment.

Oishi was in quite a predicament indeed.

Surrounded by a sea of countless girls, he found no way out. Each and everyone one bore gifts and words of praise. "We love you Oishi-sama!" they shouted shamelessly.

He felt the heat in his cheeks as he blushed, bowed and thanked them all. Yet it still would not stop. Many, many more demanded his attention. Seemingly out of nowhere his horde of fan girls grew.

He quickly tired and became even more embarrassed. He knew. He knew with what intentions these girls were giving him so much attention. They were hoping to win his romantic attention and he did not know how to respond any other way than to thank them all politely. There were more girls praising him now then when they won at a tournament which could only be because of the upcoming school event.

He looked around desperately for any sort of salvation, all this bowing was getting really tiring….

"Aa~h! Oishi is getting even more popular!"

Ah, his salvation had come in the form of his best friend and doubles partner.

"Eiji!"

"Wow, you got some really good stuff Oishi!!" He exclaimed excitedly not noticing his friend's look of desperation and staring at all the gifts that had been thrust into his arms.

Finally noticing, he turned to the girls and helped with the receiving of the gifts. "Sankyuu! Sankyuu……ah, sankyuu, nya! Oishi really appreciates it!"

With Eiji's help, the sea of raging hormones dispersed quickly, leaving the two boys with their arms full of various gifts, each wrapped with care.

"Ne, Oishi, where are you going to put all of this, nya?"

With a heavy sigh, the emerald eyed boy lead his doubles partner over to his locker down the hallway and showed him the contents of his locker, …it was full to the brim with even more gifts. Apparently this wasn't the first time he had been ambushed.

"Mou, Oishi you really are popular!"

The other boy merely sighed. So many pretty and kind girls had approached him and he still had not found one he had been interested in.

"What's the matter? You didn't see someone that interested you?" Kikumaru asked seeming to read his mind through his friend's expression alone.

"Iie."

"Ah."

"Demo, Eiji? Didn't you get attacked today too?" Oishi asked knowing fully well that if he had been this popular, the other half of the golden pair had to be twice as popular as him or even more so. He knew that the girls liked his sweet innocent charm and hyperactive personality.

"Ah, hai! Just look!" the boy replied enthusiastically throwing open his locker that was next to Oishi's. The inside was overflowing as well and the emerald eyed boy was not surprised at all.

"No one?" He asked this time smirking knowing the answer.

"Hoi?"

"Girl."

"Iie, all of them are too clingy, nya!"

Oishi simply laughed since he knew Kikumaru to be a clingy person himself. "I see."

"O~~ishi!! What if we have to go by ourselves?!? That will be so embarrassing!"

"Hai, demo, we still have time…"

Wagging a finger at the more serious boy, Kikumaru frowned. "Time goes by too quickly Oishi! If we don't hurry and ask someone soon,, it will be too late, so don't be so laid back about it, nya!"

"H-hai! Gomen…" Oishi replied throwing his hands out in front of him in a defensive gesture. Sometimes his hyperactive partner surprised him by being so profound and he knew that when he was, it was because he was really serious about the matter.

"Okay! As long as you know!" Kikumaru replied with a smile as his whole demeanor turned on a dime and he suddenly tugged on Oishi's sleeve dragging him down the hall. "

"E..Eiji! Chotto matte! Where are we going?"

"To the cafeteria, I'm starving!"

Oishi simply laughed. "Hai!" He answered as the acrobatics player dragged him down the hallway.

>>__>>__>>__>>__>>__>>__> >

Down the hallway on the other side of the school, another Seigaku regular was faced with a scene that both Kikumaru and Oishi had just experienced.

However, they weren't aimed at him, oh no. The girls were still too intimidated by him to approach him in such a way.

Kaidoh watched as several of his classmates either asked girls out themselves, or had girls approach them and ask them out to the dance. He didn't care, in fact he didn't know why everyone was making such a big fuss over something so stupid anyway.

If it came down to him not having a date, he would simply not attend and that was that. Sure, if given the chance he wouldn't mind going,.But if it wasn't meant to be then he wasn't going to stress about it like everyone else was.

Sitting in the middle of the classroom he waited for his sensei to arrive, the boring bastard was always 15 minutes late and then had the gall to penalize any student who came in 2 minutes after him.

"Settle down people, it's time for class."

Speak of the devil.

Some however , didn't want to quiet it down, and continued to speak in hushed whispers. Annoyed, Kaidoh hissed at them in a `shh' gesture and they, terrified that they had angered him, quieted immediately. Leaning back in his seat he began to write his notes lazily fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Nani?" he couldn't help but mutter as a small triangular piece of paper flew threw the air and landed with pinpoint precision on his desk.

Opening it, he was surprised to find a note directed at him.

This class is so boring, ne? I think so. Oi, don't forget to write back! ^_^

Leia

He blinked and was going to ignore it, but found that he couldn't. He wasn't even sure he knew who this Leia was, and wondered briefly if it was really meant for him.

Either way he was going to respond. He quickly scribbled a note back not caring if it looked as neat or not.

You should be paying attention. You'll get in trouble.

He then threw it in the direction he thought he had seen it come from. He guessed Leia was the girl sitting by the window judging by the way she was tapping her pen and seemed to be waiting for something.

The small paper landed on her desk and she seemed to perk up at the sight of it.

Moments later an all too familiar paper found its way back to Kaidoh's desk. Leia had not known who had responded to her note. She had simply thrown it over her shoulder and let it land wherever it was meant to land.

She just wanted to talk to someone and she didn't care who it was. After asking those around her, they commented that they saw Kaidoh receive and respond to the note so she asked them to return it.

Now Kaidoh stared at her neat handwriting once more as the sensei continued to ramble about some famous author, Shakespeare or whoever.

Ah, but it's fun to get in trouble sometimes! Hehe. So who are you anyway? I just threw to this anyone who would catch it. Who ever you are don't be so stuck on the rules! That's boring too! ^_^

~~Leia.

Staring at the paper, he didn't know whether he was angered, or amused. He had just been insulted in a way after all. He was not boring! He had just always been taught to be polite and follow the rules. Someone had never challenged him to disobey them before.

He quickly wrote back, but not knowing how to respond, he didn't want to sound like a complete goody goody, he simply signed his name.

Kaidoh.

Folding the paper once more, he tossed it. This time however, his sensei's eyes picked up the movement and snatched the paper out of the air.

Kaidoh hissed, aggravated once more. That wasn't supposed to happen.

"Ah, so you find my class boring Leia-chan?"

The mentioned girl turned in her desk to face him and was blushing while rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "Ah ha, no, not really sensei."

"Well you must find it boring since this note seems to be more important than my lecture."

"D-demo…"

"Out to the hallway with you and be glad that I'm not sending you to the principal. …..Kaidoh, you too."

"Nani?!?"

"You were participating in this, or is this not your name with your handwriting written here? Now go!"

Closing his eyes to calm himself, he restrained himself from letting his breath out in his customary sound, and stood, bowing to his sensei. "Hai, gomen nasai."

He walked into the hallway and felt the girl who had caused this whole mess follow him. Once outside, he turned to glare at her and found that she was smiling and seemed to be holding back her laughter.

"Ahahaha. Guess that old fart didn't like that. "

Well that was an unexpected comment.

Noticing the boy's serious ness, she tilted her head to the side coyly and stood in front of him to be sure she was seen. " Oh come on, don't tell me your upset because we are out here."

Continuing to glare at her, his breath came out in another hiss. However her reaction was not one he was accustomed to. She stared at him with an amused look and then proceeded to blow raspberry at him trying to imitate his hiss, and ended up spitting all over herself.

He raised an eyebrow at her and bit his tongue to keep from laughing in her face.

Shamelessly wiping her face, she grinned at him, mostly laughing at her own stupidity. "Ne, how do you do that anyway?"

"Habit."

"Ah. I see, …..eto…..are you still upset?"

He said nothing and turned his face away to look anywhere but at her. That was answer enough.

She shrugged and sighed leaning back against the wall and put down the two buckets of water she should have been holding. Taking a good look at her partner in crime, she noticed something she hadn't before and suddenly his name began replaying in her mind.

"Kaidoh…Kaidoh as in our school's tennis team regular, Kaidoh?"

"Aa." He answered without turning to look at her.

"I thought you looked familiar. I've never seen you without your bandanna before. I didn`t know you were in my class! You`re so quiet."

He shrugged. Why was this girl trying so hard to make conversation with him anyway? It was not as if she had paid any attention to him before and now he found that he couldn't get her to stay quiet.

"Can you be quiet now? You're being annoying."

"I am not! I'm just trying to be friendly! Don't think you're so high and mighty just because you are on our famous tennis team! You're just another guy for all I care! And another thing….."

Kaidoh stared in awe mutely as the girl in front of him carried on ranting and raving and making them look like a mother reprimanding her child. He wondered how he ever got himself into this in the first place.

>>__>>__>>__>>__>>__>>__> >

"Go on Sakuno! Ask him already! If you don't ask him, I'm going to!" exclaimed a spunky girl with pig tails known as Seigaku's true cheerleader and president of Ryoma's fan club.

"T-Tomo-chan! I can't! He already said no to a whole bunch of other girls!" Sakuno replied blushing as she looked desperately around the classroom that wasn't her own, hoping no one had heard her loud friend.

"Mou, that's probably because he didn't like them! Go Sakuno! You should try."

"I-I just can't…"

"Fine then! I'll go."

"Tomo-chan!"

But it was too late. The hyperactive girl was already moving away from her friend and towards her intended target.

Ryoma stared outside eyes half closed as he was once again falling asleep in his English class. The only reason he was even still awake was due to the fact that girls continued to harass him.

Four girls in his class alone had already approached him and had asked him to the dance, not to mention the number of girls who stopped him in the hallway from other classes that he certainly wouldn`t know. Heck, he didn't even know the girls from his class who had approached him.

He had told them that he wasn't interested in going, and thought that with him saying that, the others would get the message, he was wrong.

Horio, Katsuo and Kachiro all nagged him about why he was turning down such a special event, and he simply shrugged. He just didn't understand and wasn`t too interested. He didn't dislike girls, he just found them annoying at times. Besides, tennis had taken up most of his life and therefore he had yet to reach that stage in his life where girls were particularly interesting. So now, when he felt that he was being pressured and rushed into it, it felt awkward.

Just as he felt himself slipping into the blissful abyss of nothingness, a rather loud voice snapped him out of it.

"Ryoma-sama! You're so cool Ryoma-sama! You can sleep all through class and still get straight A's!"

"Its an easy class." He answered covering a large yawn behind his hand

"Mou, maybe for someone who lived in America it is! I think its really hard!"

He said nothing and waited for her to get to the point of her approaching him. Staring at her carefully, he noticed that she seemed strangely familiar. Pondering it over in his mind quickly, he realized that she was Ryuzaki-sensei's granddaughter's loud friend. The one that always cheered loudly at the games.

"Ne, Ryoma-sama, you do know that a dance is coming up right?"

"Aa."

"Well, would you like to go with me?"

"Gomen, I'm not going at all."

Unfazed, Tomoka tilted her head cutely at him not caring that she had been added to the list of the girls turned down. "Mou, why not? It will be tons of fun."

"I don't." He answered shortly hoping that his tone would show her the case was closed.

Sighing deeply she shook her head and turned. "Fine, whatever you say Ryoma-sama."

"Don't mind him, he is just being rude, again."

"Horio-kun!" Kachiro reprimanded quickly not wanting to upset the tennis prince.

"What? Look he doesn't even care! Like always!" Horio retorted pointing at the boy.

Indeed Ryoma had dozed off again making his classmates stare in awe. How could he fall asleep with so much commotion?

Sakuno watched as her friend came back looking slightly disappointed but still hyper. "Eto…" she started unsurely.

"He said no." Tomoka answered shortly but with a smile, and then shrugged. "Daijobu, he was meant for you anyway." She added with a wink.

The shy girl immediately turned several shades of red at the thought. "I don't think so…."

"Of course you are! Its fate! Go on Sakuno! Go ask him!"

"Eto…"

"Don't be so shy! You know him better than all of us! You met him first after all, he's known you longer!"

"But that's like only one day difference!"

"That's good enough, now go!" She shouted shoving the timid girl roughly from the back.

Stumbling clumsily, she tripped over various chairs and desks. Then finally, as if fate had really anything to do with it, she landed roughly on Ryoma's desk, shoving him awake.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looked up at her sleepily knowing that he recognized her. "Nani?"

"E-eto…..gomen. I didn't mean to wake you, I tripped."

"Oh. " He answered watching her a little more knowing that it took her longer to get to the point of things even more so than her friend.

"So….what about today?" She asked suddenly not looking in his eyes and already redder than a tomato surprised at her own boldness.

Too bad he didn't get it.

"Eh? What about today? What do you mean?"

She blanched. Of course he wouldn't remember. She began to believe that this boy truly ate, drank, and breathed tennis. "Um, remember? I asked you if you wanted to have something to eat with me after practice…"

"Ah. Hai I remember."

"So….do you?"

Remembering that he had already turned her down, he did not want to do so again. He knew that she was sensitive, and besides if any of his senpai's were to find out he had made her cry again from Horio, he would never hear the end of it. Momo-senpai especially, would be sure to lecture him on the proper treatment of the opposite sex.

"Okay."

Sakuno couldn't stop herself from looking surprised. She stared at him for a moment. "Honto?"

"Hai."

"Oh, …okay! W-well I'll see you after practice then Ryoma-kun!" She exclaimed happily as he nodded in agreement, and she floated on air all the way back to her desk.

Tomoka saw the dazed look on her best friend's face as she returned, and immediately knew what had happened.

"Tomoka-chan! He said yes to going out with me after practice!"

The more hyperactive girl merely smiled knowingly. "I told you, its fate!"

>>__>>__>>__>>__>>__>>__> >

The sound that all students were longing to hear, was finally heard after what seemed like centuries of waiting. The final school ball ending all classes.

Students who had no extra curricular activities, stampeded out of the school as if their lives depended on it, or if their sensei's decided to call them back for an extra half hour of class.

Kikumaru was one of those who were walking somewhat calmly through the hallways, he knew he had to stay on the school grounds for a while longer, yet he also knew that he had to hurry and get to practice before he was late.

"Hoi?" He muttered quietly having heard something he had not heard before.

He stood in front of the auditorium, a sound reached his ears that made him stop in his tracks. A melodious voice was drifting past the doors and it intrigued him. Hitting the high notes of the song perfectly, he found himself tapping his feet in tune with it.

Like a true cat, his curiosity got the better of him and he pushed into the auditorium and saw the cause of all the singing standing on the stage. Ah, apparently he had walked into the school's talent show auditions.

On stage a redhead with waist length wavy hair and soft violet eyes was dancing gracefully as she sang. Her movements were fluid and her voice was not lost due to the fast movements. The judges seemed to be completely intrigued with her as well. She finished her act with a move that could have easily rivaled his acrobatics and bowed deeply.

Kikumaru clapped enthusiastically and whistled in encouragement. The judges immediately turned and asked him to please be quiet. The girl herself merely stared at him, but did not smile or seem to accept his encouragement, she was totally focused on the judges before her.

"That was wonderful Imari-chan." One judge commented shortly. "I don't see any problems with you participating, you're in its a unanimous vote."

"Arigatou!" She thanked them all cheerfully and then stepped off the stage.

Smiling at her, trying to e as friendly as possible, though he was already friendly naturally, Kikumaru began to approach her. She stared at him without smiling back. She was looking at him questioningly, wondering why he was approaching her. "Excuse me, you're in my way."

"..Gomen…" He answered immediately taken aback by her somewhat unfriendly tone.

She did not seem to hear his apology as she continued to walk without responding.

Having never been treated in such a cold manner, Kikumaru frowned, dumbstruck. "Anou…"

The redhead halted but did not take the time to turn and face him once again. "Hai?"

"I just wanted to say that I think you are really good, nya! You have a lot of talent."

"Domo."

"Anou…"

"Look, I don't know who you are, but I'm really busy right now, I have to go."

"…Oh, …okay…"

Not uttering another word, she continued to make her exit, when she was stopped once again. Another young man was in her way. "Imari-chan! I knew you'd be here!"

"Keisuke-kun." she replied shortly.

Kikumaru felt slightly relieved that she wasn't only cold with him when he heard her respond this way.

"Ne, Imari-chan, are you going to the dance with anyone?"

"Iie."

"N-nani?!?" Keisuke stuttered surprised at her bluntness. "Why?"

Feeling her body heat rise with anger, she glared at him and shouted releasing pent up energy that had been bothering her the entire day. "Because! Because this dance is making everyone go nuts! Do you know how many guys have asked me out?!?"

"Anou…"

"Too many! Everyone is out of control and I'm sick of it! Even people I don't know are approaching me." She finished gesturing towards Kikumaru who was standing there patiently waiting for them to give him a chance to pass. They were blocking the exit after all.

"Eh?!? I just thought you sang nice…" He countered while frowning and pouting slightly.

"Sure you did. " She replied rolling her eyes indicating that she was being sarcastic. "If you liked my talent so much, how come you never stopped by before? I've always sang in this room, even before the talent show."

"Anou…I never came past this hallway at this time before, I've always gone through different ones, so I never heard you before."

"Right."

Before he had the chance to respond, she shook her head in obvious frustration and picked up her things, forcefully shoving her way past Keisuke. "Whatever. You know this dance is only revealing all the hypocrites around here. Guys who never pay attention to certain girls, are suddenly fawning over them and vice versa. I bet you once this dance is over, all those couples at the dance will forget about each other. I want nothing to do with that, so kindly leave me alone and tell your friends to leave me alone too."

Finishing her small soliloquy she finally made her exit leaving behind two very stunned and speechless boys.

>>__>>__>>__>>__>>__>>__> >

Tezuka frowned as he surveyed the courts. Practice had been going on for twenty minutes already and there was still no sign of Kikumaru. He hoped that he was all right, knowing fully well that Eiji was usually a punctual person and the type to send a message with someone, or at least call if something had happened.

Glancing at the Vice-captain, he saw that he was just as worried, probably even more so since it was in his nature to worry about everyone. "Go give him a call on his cell phone if you want." He muttered quietly.

"If he doesn't come in the next 5 minutes, I will." Oishi replied.

He worried about everyone, he couldn't help it, he just did. He knew he was considered the `mother' of seigaku and though he wasn't fond of the name, he wasn't ashamed of being that way. So now, that his best friend had not shown up, a million worst case scenarios played in his mind. He had been with him only a short while ago! What could have possibly happened?

He decided to push it to the back of his mind and continued to supervise his other teammates as they warmed up before doing practice matches once again.

Five minutes came and past and Oishi was now beside himself with worry, still no Eiji. He walked off the court and was about to call his friend on the phone, when his acrobatic friend finally made his appearance meeting him at the entrance to the court.

"Eiji!"

"Ahh! Gomen, gomen Oishi! I got distracted and ran late!"

The emerald eyed boy sighed and smiled in relief glad that it was something that simple. "50 laps now, Eiji."

"Hai!" Kikumaru exclaimed saluting him like a soldier before breaking off into a sprint.

Reporting back to Tezuka that Eiji had indeed come, Oishi went to practice himself and ran laps with Eiji.

Tezuka sighed as he continued to observe his team. He wasn't happy about this dance at all. It was a big distraction and it was already affecting their playing. One could clearly tell that they were not as spirited in their playing as they usually were. Their minds were too fogged with other thoughts. He seriously hoped that they shaped up and concentrated, or else they were going to suffer horribly at the tournament.

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Author's notes: Well, there ya go! ^__^ Hope this chapter was as enjoyable as the last. I know not all the characters were mentioned this time, but if I did, this chapter would have never ended. Next chapter will focus more on those that weren't mentioned. I have many ideas for this fic and I'm still trying to figure out how to lay it out. (P.S. I know Imari was really mean, and I have a whole bunch of ideas, so don't hate her just yet! Also I love Kikumaru-kun too much that's why I think she came out that way. O_0 I always end up torturing the characters I love.)

Please review and let me know how this is going! I appreciate your comments so much and you have no idea how much a few of your simple words can brighten my day!

Well, thanks again everyone! Ja! ^___________^