Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ When Tezuka Had Fallen For Her ❯ Act ii ( Chapter 2 )

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Disclaimer: I do not own PoT; I only wish I do.

 

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Thanks for my reviewers!!! Actually, coke_cola123 is my classmate, and she had read this story even before I uploaded this here in MediaMiner. That's why she said the one uploaded here is different from my original plotline. Thanks for reviewing! ^_^

 

For jjcheng56: Thank you so much for reviewing! Love yah! You made me more inspired!

 

 

 

 

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“Tezuka-buchou isn't here yet,” noted Momoshiro Takeshi, a junior Seigaku regular, to his freshman teammate Echizen Ryoma, as the two of them sat on a bench to rest from their practice match, which was won by Ryoma in a 6-4 score.

 

“Hn,” was the response of the first-year as he wiped sweat off his face with a white towel. He never really showed any emotion, unless it be on a court facing a truly challenging opponent.

 

“Geez, You never really worry, don't you?”

 

“Buchou's not a kid anymore, he could take care of himself,” said Ryoma indifferently, then, as the older boy gave him a look, bluntly added, “senpai.”

 

Momo sighed. “And you never treated me like a senpai. Why is it? Why?”

 

“Fssshuu…You're too noisy,” hissed junior regular Kaidoh Kaoru as he passed by, drinking from his water jug. “I can't blame Echizen. You must admit you don't look like someone to be respected.”

 

“What did you just say, Mamushi?” Momo said angrily, swiveling to Kaidoh's direction. “Are you picking a fight?”

 

“Fshhuuu…” Kaidoh retorted, glowering at him as though he is the most loathsome creature in existence. That glower, in addition to his already frightening facial features, would scare the hell out of anyone, but Momo isn't just anyone, being the only soul brave enough to return his killer glares.

 

Neither of them noticed that they had already attracted the attention of half the club.

 

“Yare, yare, there they go again,” said Fuji Syuusuke, watching the pending fight between the two junior rivals on the team with his usual tensai-ish smile plastered on his face. He seems to be enjoying the sight of his two teammates' throbbing veins as their battle of glares began, with the uncaring Echizen as their audience.

 

“Somebody please stop them,” said Vice-captain Oishi Syuuichirou in an almost pleading tone, pausing from his warm-up exercise long enough to heave a sigh. Momo and Kaidoh bickering to each other had always been a daily occurrence during club practices that people won't bother to put a stop to it, unless the team captain, Tezuka, is present, or at times when Inui warned that the possibility of undesirable results are high. But it is quite natural for Oishi to worry even at the most trivial thing (e.g. his teammates' dates)—to the point that his overly concern for anybody in the club had gained him the title “Mother of Seigaku.”

 

“Hoi, hoi. Stop it.”

 

Kikumaru Eiji, resident prankster of the team, bounced between Momo and Kaidoh in a cat-like manner, slumping an arm on each of the two's shoulders.

 

“You should get together sometimes, nya,” he said seriously. “Without ending up killing each other,” he added quickly, as the two junior regulars gnashed their teeth.

 

Kaidoh hissed and turned his back sharply with his fists deep in his pockets, knocking Eiji's arm in the process.

 

“I'll never let something like that happen, Eiji-senpai,” said Momo flatly as he stared at his rival's back with disgust. “I never will.”

 

“The obvious is no need to be noted down,” came the voice of Inui Sadaharu, who was revealed to be watching (and collecting data) from behind in the shadows. “The source of Momoshiro and Kaidoh's arguments ever since their freshman year is their hotheadedness, and also, because of the fact that they are in the same year, their consideration to each other as rivals. I suppose everyone knows that.”

 

Inui was Seigaku's data specialist, and is quite feared by everybody because of his habit of forcing team members who aren't able to meet his satisfaction in drinking his self-proclaimed Inui Juice, which tastes about as good as spoiled milk. The only one immune to this horror was Fuji Syuusuke, who had a really odd—almost inhuman—taste in food.

 

“Heh, Inui!” said Eiji reproachfully, “you came out of nowhere! And that should not be allowed!” he added with a small shiver, as the data-man pulled a creepy smile very similar to those of crazy scientists in horror movies.

 

“Moreover,” continued Inui, ignoring Eiji's remark, “we already spent half of our morning practice time, and neither Ryuzaki-sensei nor Tezuka had showed up.”

 

“I didn't fail to notice that,” said Momo at once.

 

“Who cares?” grumbled Kaidoh.

 

“Nani?”

 

“That's enough, you two,” reprimanded Oishi, which made the two of them shut up. He turned to the rest with a worried expression in his face. “Does anyone of you know where they are?”

 

All shrugged and shook their heads, which made Oishi more anxious. “I hope they're fine.”

 

“What's this about?” interrupted senior regular Kawamura Takashi, who was just passing by to get his racket. “Is this a meeting?” If a stranger would look at him now, he won't be able to imagine even in his wildest dreams how the power tennis player is the moment he grips his racket.

 

“No, Taka-san,” said Fuji. “We were wondering where Tezuka and Ryuzaki-sensei is.”

 

“Yes, I was wondering about that,” said Kawamura thoughtfully.

 

“There is 60% possibility that Ryuzaki-sensei and Tezuka are together at the time being,” said Inui, his glasses gleaming under the sun, “and 40% that both of them, at the same time and in different places, met some unexpected problem that had caused their delay.”

 

“Maybe it's a pregnant lady who's about to give birth,” said Ryoma silently.

 

“That won't work out, Ochibi,” said Eiji dismissively. “Just how many pregnant women are loitering in the streets at this time of the morning?”

 

“If not that, maybe something more serious,” said Fuji, not sounding worried at all. “I think it's an interesting sight, ne? Especially for someone like Tezuka.” He continued to muse about tight situations Tezuka might have been in at the moment, failing to notice the sweatdrop hanging on each of his teammate's head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ringo stared at the tall boy's back as she trailed behind him. He wore a blue-and-white shirt that matched his blazer that she's wearing now, royal blue jogging pants, and a pair of sports shoes. She could tell by the slender but intact limbs on which his damp clothes stuck to that he could make a good athlete. This was explained as her eyes fell to his left shoulder, where his tennis gear hung. So he's a tennis player, she thought with interest.

 

They had not talked since they started walking, which annoys Ringo so much. She rarely feels awkward like this. She whacked her brains for a good topic.

 

“Anou…” she started. “I just realized that we still don't know each other's names. I am Harinozuka Ringo. Just call me Ringo. What's your name?”

 

The guy didn't answer her at first, which made her heart sink. But then—

 

“Tezuka. Tezuka Kunimitsu.”

 

It was a short—not to mention dull—introduction, but Ringo was satisfied with it. There was a commanding air about him, and he looked as though he is not someone who talks a lot.

 

“Er…what do you want me to call you?”

 

“Tezuka is fine.”

 

Ringo breathed deeply before walking more quickly so that she was by his side. “Where do you study, Tezuka-san?”

 

Tezuka gave her a sideway glance, as though she was asking the very obvious. She can't help but feel a bit offended.

 

“Well, I'm just new here,” she explained reasonably. “I don't know any school around here except for Seishun Gakuen Middle School. That's my school from now on.”

 

“I also study there. I'm a third year student.” said Tezuka shortly.

 

“What?” said Ringo incredulously. “You mean you're still in middle school? Oh! I mean…” she quivered under Tezuka's sidelong look. “I…I thought you were in high school… Gomenasai!” She stopped to bow.

 

Tezuka, on the other hand, continued walking and said nothing, which caused pink patches to appear on Ringo's cheeks. I am starting to dislike him, she thought darkly, resuming her walk but staying behind him.

 

Silence again. It had been a while before Tezuka had faced her and spoken.

 

“We're going to be late. I'm running to school. It's up to you if you'll run too.”

 

“What? We're late?” said Ringo, her eyes widening. “Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!”

 

“Wait,” said Tezuka, as she began to dash, “you can't go with that cat.”

 

“Huh?” Ringo paused and looked down in her arms, where the ginger cat lay. “Oh no…”

 

“You can leave it here.”

 

“No!” shouted Ringo, which caused Tezuka to look at her with slight amusement. “I can't leave him…he'll be alone and helpless.”

 

The senior raised an eyebrow. “Of course it would be alone, because you'll leave it. It's a stray cat; it's used to be like that.”

 

“Even if he's used to it, it doesn't mean that he wants it,” she said quietly, but Tezuka thought she sounded somewhat hurt. “You don't know how it is to be alone.” She turned her back to him. “You can go now, Tezuka-senpai, or else you're not going to make it on time. I'll just follow after I found a safe place for kitty. I'm very sorry for shouting at you.” She looked at him over her shoulder and smiled. “Well, see you.”

 

Tezuka watched Ringo's retreating back with a slight frown on his face.

 

 

 

 

Ringo ran, only stopping when she turned a corner, where she knew the senior couldn't see her anymore. Come to think of it, she thought, I don't know this place. What the heck am I thinking? It's my first day and I'm late! But it's the kitty that's important right now. Where should I go? She looked up and down the street. There's no one in here. God, what am I going to do now? She was distracted when the cat gave a loud purr.

 

“Hang on,” she said to it. Great, my clothes are wet, I'm late for school, and now I don't know what I'm going to do—

 

She was surprised, however, when someone gripped her wrist and pulled her into a run. Looking up, she saw Tezuka, his bags bumping to him as they ran.

 

“Tezuka-senpai?” She blinked, almost tripping. “What are you doing?”

 

“There is a police station nearby. You can leave it there,” he replied, without looking at her. “Is that alright with you?”

 

“H-hai…”

 

“Good. But we should run, if we still want to catch up with the first period.”

 

Ringo only stared at the Seigaku captain. “Thanks, Tezuka-senpai,” she said, smiling. He wasn't that bad, after all.

 

Tezuka decided not to reply anymore. Girls are indeed incomprehensible, he thought, mentally shaking his head.

 

 

 

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End of Act ii

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note: Please don't kill me if you find this chapter pretty lousy. I'm so sorry about that. Actually, it's supposed to be much longer than this, but I'm very afraid that you may find it boring if I make it any longer. Please review. PLEASE….. I want to know what you are thinking!!!! Flames and criticisms are most welcome. Thank you for reading.