Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ When Tezuka Had Fallen For Her ❯ Act xii ( Chapter 13 )

Author's Notes: …Twelfth chapter…here it is! Yeah, I know my OC is giving the impression of a Mary Sue the moment I knew what a Mary Sue means, and I was doing a lot of thinking not to make her end up really like one. Well, I can't just change her personality, right? I'm thinking of a way to imply that she is definitely NOT a Mary Sue and she sure HAS flaws. Just finding the perfect time to put it in the story. When I started this fic I had not the slightest clue what a Mary Sue is, and now that I already know what it is and that it's not quite welcome and being flamed (not that I am mad for being flamed, I just realized that it offends some readers, and I don't like that), I think I'll be more careful next time (if there'll be next time). Gomenasai! Thanks so much for the reviews and constructive criticisms. I appreciate them so much : )

 

Disclaimer: The only things I own in this fic are my OC's. PoT belongs to Takeshi Konomi.

 

 

 

 

~>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+> +<+>+<~

 

Act xii

(Chapter Twelve)

 

~>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+> +<+>+<~

 

 

 

 

Ringo slowly opened her eyes.

 

She quickly raised an arm to shield her eyes from the sudden burst of white artificial light, and blinked several times as she slowly adapted to it. That was when she realized she was lying on a bed. How come? Last time she remembered was having a match with…who was it again? Oh yeah, Mizuno Shina, and…what happened?

 

Vaguely wondering, she sat up and stretched her arms above her. She almost at once felt the absence of the heavy band around her wrist, and looking at her side, she saw her power band on the bedside table, together with a couple of tablets, a small pitcher of water, and a glass.

 

“You're awake.”

 

She had turned her head so fast that she felt a bone in her neck crack. Massaging it, she watched as Tezuka appeared beside the curtain rack, looking serious as usual.

 

“H-Hi, Tezuka-senpai,” she greeted feebly. Urgh, her throat felt parched.

 

“The nurse said you should drink pain relievers once you regain your consciousness,” he said, going to the bedside table and pouring water into the glass.

 

Ringo did as what she was told and drank the contents of the glass in one gulp. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand in satisfaction. Tezuka drew a chair from a nearby corner and sat on it, observing the girl in bed.

 

“How are you feeling?” he asked clinically. Ringo thought that if he was to wear a white coat right now he would look like a real doctor. She marveled at the idea for a second longer, before reverting back to her senses.

 

“Did I…fall asleep?” she asked back, the memory of the previous events playing in her mind like a movie.

 

“Aa,” Tezuka replied. “We didn't notice it until Eiji told us.”

 

Ringo nodded. “How long?”

 

“Two hours.”

 

She nodded, not really comprehending it. Her mind seem to move as slow as a slug at the moment, and as Tezuka began to explain what exactly happened to her body, she barely took in a word. She just stared at him vaguely. She saw that he had just finished talking, and was about to nod, when—

 

She gasped. “W-What are you—?”

 

Tezuka had held the side of her neck firmly, before leaning forward so that their faces were merely inches apart. “Don't move,” he instructed. He leaned closer, so close that if anyone could see them now, they would think he's going to kiss her.

 

For a moment Ringo had the urge to pull his hand away, owing to her ultra-sharp reflexes, but knew it was a false alarm. In fact, she just stared. His hand was unusually warm against her skin. He looked so serious as he stared back, and honestly…his brown eyes looked good in closer inspection.

 

Wait, did I just think that? She thought, scandalized. Strangely, her insides felt squirmy at the moment, and it wasn't helping. Maybe it was the effect of the pain reliever? Anyway, she was about to ask what the matter was, when the boy withdrew his hand and leaned back on his chair casually.

 

“Why did you…I mean, what did you do?” she asked at once, not intending to make it sound like a demand. To tell the truth, she still felt the heat of his hand on her skin. Warm…

 

Ringo was horrified at the thought and she mentally shook her head. What the—?!

 

“You're vision has returned to normal,” Tezuka replied. “So as your pulse.”

 

“Oh…” she replied, embarrassed. See? You really just have a dirty mind. She smiled at him awkwardly.

 

He just stared.

 

Ringo hated it when people stare at her; it makes her self-conscious. More likely if it's a boy. “W-What?” she asked uncertainly. She might have added the “is there something on my face” part, but really, that line only suits those cheesy parts in TV dramas, where the girl will blush and smile meekly under the guy's intense gaze.

 

She suddenly found the analogy disturbing and admonished herself for thinking that way.

 

“Nothing,” Tezuka said, as calmly as he ever did. “It's just that I didn't know until now that you have a few freckles in your cheeks. They are unnoticeable, except if you will look closely.”

 

Ringo blinked at him blankly. “Fre—what?” She didn't quite hear that right.

 

The buchou raised his eyebrows at her. “Freckles.”

 

“Freckles?” she repeated for clarification.

 

“Hai,” he said.

 

Silence.

 

Ringo was beginning to think that something is wrong with him. “Why?”

 

Tezuka gave her an inquiring look, as if to say, “Excuse me?”

 

“I mean, why are you staring at my freckles?”

 

“I found them disturbing.”

 

Ringo snorted, audibly. “Oh…I didn't know about that.” That was the first time she heard freckles to be disturbing.

 

Another pause began to engulf them. At normal circumstances, Ringo would find it uncomfortable and would do something to break the dull moment, but now, she felt more like shutting up than doing the talking. Circumstances change, most especially when you are with someone like him. Or maybe because she found his face too near a while ago?

 

Go away, sinister thoughts! She shouted to herself.

 

After a while, Tezuka got onto his feet and returned the chair where he got it. “I must inform Ryuzaki-sensei that you're finally awake. Inui made me stay for that.”

 

“Oh,” Ringo said. “Okay.” She watched as he started to leave, feeling…what? Was she feeling disappointed?

 

Yes she is, but she would never admit it openly. She thought he was here because he was at least a little teeny weeny bit concerned about her (Okay, I admit it, she added bitterly). He was the one who called the time-out for her after all, wasn't it? And now that she mentions it…

 

“Tezuka-senpai?” she found herself saying before she even knew it. Tezuka paused from leaving and looked at her over his shoulder.

 

Ringo was thinking she should better not say it, but too late, he was already looking. “Why did you make me stop from finishing the match? I mean, you're supposed not to be concerned, right? I mean…” her voice faded away.

 

Tezuka stared, before turning around to fully face her. “You were careless.”

 

Ringo stared back at him confusedly. “What?” That doesn't answer the question.

 

“You must not force your body, for you might regret it later.” He resumed his walking, then suddenly came to a halt, as if he had just remembered something. Ringo waited for him to speak.

 

“One more thing,” he said, seriously, without turning to face her. “You say `I mean' too much.”

 

Ringo watched him as he left, question marks all over her head. “Nani? I mean…so what?”

 

There really must be something wrong with him.

 

Meanwhile, Tezuka mused, not noticing when the nurse greeted him when he left the infirmary. He found Ringo's freckles disturbing and her too much `I mean' a little off, but her face was what interested him most. One could clearly see what's going on in her mind just by looking at her facial expression, especially those eyes of hers. How could they be so much expressive?

 

He realized he had never thought about a girl without any relation to him this long before, not to mention that it's something without anything that's got to do with tennis. Really, since when freckles and expressive eyes became any part of any sport?

 

 

 

 

~>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+> +<+>+<~

 

 

 

Three days had just passed, but the event in the girls' courts between Ringo and Mizuno-fukubuchou had already spread throughout Seigaku like wildfire. Now, whenever Ringo would pass by, murmurs from others would follow her, and that's not what you may call pleasant. Especially if you realized people began dubbing you as `the cocky junior.' That was more like Ryoma, in Ringo's opinion.

 

Also, she didn't expect that the girls' tennis club was actually nice, with the exclusion of some juniors all indifferent and skeptic towards her, and Mizuno-fukubuchou's constant taunting. And here she was, thinking that the senior became a bit nicer to her. The club also followed the same system as the boys' (“How can you expect us girls letting the boys enjoy Seigaku's tennis glory?” Mizuno had said during one of her pre-practice sermons), and that month's regulars' ranking tournament was coming up close. Everyone was tensed, and practice was twice as hard the usual.

 

Ringo found today's practice very rigorous. Not that she minded, but it was because the racket she is currently using is actually one of Sakuno's spares, and she doesn't want to scratch and wear it out. She decided that she should buy her own gear over the coming weekend.

 

“Ringo-senpai,” Sakuno said, smiling as the said senpai turned to look at her. “May we ask a favor?”

 

Ringo smiled back at her, and at the other freshmen behind her (it was a shame Tomoka's not a part of the club; she missed her loudness). “Sure.”

 

“Fukubuchou said it's self-practice today,” said one of the freshmen, somewhat shyly. “Can you coach our practice for today?” The girls' club had no official coach for the last two years, and the current captain will not be present for the whole week, due to some errands to attend to regarding the team's registration for a certain summer camp. So the vice captain had been assigned to govern the club temporarily.

 

Ringo thought about it for a while. “Sure,” she finally said.

 

She had ordered them to do ten laps around the court before doing fifty forehand swings and another fifty backhand swings. Oddly enough, they followed without question. She hated to admit it, but she liked the feeling of having kouhais following her like that. Gives her an authoritative feeling. Does Tezuka feel the same way too when he gives orders to the club?

 

You're thinking about him again, she reprimanded herself. Lately, she's finding herself staring at the house across her apartment before she goes to bed at night, wondering if her buchou of a neighbor was already sleeping, or her mind drifting to him and his weirdness during History classes (which, by the way, is the most dreadful subject for her). Even when she's in club practice, occasionally she finds herself wondering about how he was doing with the rest of the boys. Which is just disturbing…

 

She came back to earth when the freshmen appeared before her, slightly sweaty and breathless from running, and she kindly told them to proceed to the swings. A moment later, she discovered that this is the part where they'll need guidance. A majority of them does the wrong stance. She then stood up from the bench she was making herself comfortable in, and had taken into observantly rounding around her kouhais.

 

“You bend your wrist too much,” she said to a short-haired girl. “You grip your racket too high,” she added to the girl next to her. The two girls nodded and adjusted at once. Feeling proud of herself, Ringo proceeded to the others, and her lips formed a fraction of a smile as she spotted Sakuno, who was doing sloppy swings. How nostalgic, she thought, approaching the redhead.

 

“Sakuno,” she said. “You bend your knees too much. Make your body stiffer for more powerful swings. Spread your legs wider.”

 

“H-Hai!” Sakuno said, slightly blushing, before doing her swings according to their temporary coach. “Arigato, Ringo-senpai.”

 

Ringo nodded and watched her. She could almost see her younger self in Sakuno, doing the very same mistakes she did earlier, with her father standing by her side.

 

“Ringo,” he had said. “You bend your knees too much. Make your body stiffer for more powerful swings. Spread your legs wider.”

 

She absently smiled, before walking away to advise the next girl, who on the other hand was holding her racket improperly. She can't believe it, she was back to the tennis world.

 

 

 

~>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+> +<+>+<~

 

 

 

Sumire's car drove along the busy road. She and the captain of her team, Tezuka, sat at the front, deeply immersed in a thorough planning of arrangement of players for the upcoming tournament. At the backseat, listening in the conversation silently, was Ringo. She wasn't really listening, more likely observing them.

 

The coach silently glanced at the girl at her backseat. She had insisted that she would give her a ride home since she had her first match two days ago, and since she and Tezuka were neighbors (which she found shocking when she first heard of it), she gave the captain a lift as well.

 

It was a shame that she wasn't able to watch Ringo's match; she needed to look out for the rest of her club as the regulars with their freshmen trio assistants went to the girls' courts. Though she never expected that Ringo would end up in a clinic. She knew Tezuka had tried to say it as casually as he could so as not to raise any alarm in her; he knew how she was when she is worried. Well, he had half-succeeded; she's not worried.

 

Why half-succeeded?

 

She wasn't worried, yes. Just very, very worried.

 

She thought that maybe she was just being paranoid; all that happened to Ringo were a few joint aches. What really sparked her concern towards her, though, was the thought that she is here, to be taken care by her. Since that Dr. Wakefield had spoken about Ringo's current situation, she couldn't help but look after the girl, out of pity, guilt for refusing to adopt her, or acceptance as her foster child, she doesn't know. A majority of her told her not to accept the offer, but a tiny voice representing her conscience haunted her. If the circumstances were a bit different, she would gladly accept guardianship over her. But it's not because she's worried about money and all, it was because she was afraid of Ringo's reaction.

 

She realized after another conversation with Dr. Wakefield over the phone that Ringo doesn't have any idea of the reason why she was in Japan. The doctor made her believe, however, that she was in Japan because they were in search of her father's relatives, which everybody but her knew to be non-existent anymore. Sumire was shocked to hear this, and was mad at the fact that they were lying and they are raising Ringo's hopes in falsehood. Wakefield reasoned out that it will be hard for Ringo to deal with Sumire if she knew she was one of those vying for her guardian's post, and it would cause her some psychological breakdown. The doctor further said that if the two of them would spend more time together, and Ringo would finally feel at ease around the old woman, she would find it less shocking if she knew what the truth was, and possibly even abide by the decision of the government without question.

 

Wakefield had made it sound as if it was just a piece of cake, and Sumire curses her for that.

 

“Ryuzaki-sensei?” Tezuka's voice had cut through Sumire's thoughts, making her visibly jerk in surprise. The captain's eyes unusually displayed the smallest hint of emotion. He looked concerned.

 

“Ahh…wari wari,” the old woman said, smiling. “Where were we?”

 

After a few more minutes, the car finally stopped on the road between Keiko Apartment and Tezuka Residence, and the people inside began to disembark.

 

“Arigato, Sumire-san,” Ringo said gratefully. “See you tomorrow…you too, Tezuka-senpai.”

 

Sumire smiled and briefly waved a hand in farewell, and she and Tezuka watched as the girl went inside of the small two-storey building and out of sight. The old woman suddenly sighed.

 

“Daijobu, Ryuzaki-sensei? You're not acting normally,” Tezuka asked.

 

“Tezuka,” Sumire said, looking at the captain the way she did when talking to the club, “May I ask you a favor?”

 

 

 

 

~>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+> +<+>+<~

 

 

 

“Ringo-chan!”

 

As soon as Ringo opened her door her face turned into a light shade of blue as her next-door neighbor, Fudomine senior Hayate Aiko, threw herself at her in a bone-crushing hug. “I missed you!”

 

“M-me…t-t-to, Aiko-s-s-an…” Ringo coughed for air as the older girl finally let go of her.

 

It had been Aiko's habit ever since she and Ringo had known each other to hang out in the Seigaku junior's apartment until after dinner. One, because she's also living alone like Ringo and wanted some company, and two, because she isn't a very good cook. Ringo's cooking is not that exemplary either, but at least it is a whole lot better than hers.

 

“So how's school today, Ringo-chan?” Aiko asked, flopping on the long, blue couch as Ringo closed the door.

 

“It's still the same. Club practice is tiring.” Ringo had already told Aiko that she plays tennis, but really didn't say the reason why she had lied. Aiko seemed to ignore the reasoning part, too much brightened at the fact that she had made a friend who is another tennis player. She smugly said that so far all her friends, and even her boyfriend, are good tennis players.

 

“You know, I've learned how to cook a foreign dish in home economics in school!” Aiko burst out like a child. “Say, Ringo-chan, how about I cook tonight?”

 

“Sure,” Ringo said, walking her way to her bedroom. “I've got some homework to do anyway.”

 

In a flash, Aiko was already wearing a pink, frilly apron and holding a spatula. “Hai! Just finish your homework and let Aiko handle the rest!”

 

Ringo shook her head smilingly. She was thankful she had met someone like her.

 

 

&&&&&&&&

 

 

Buzz!

 

Aiko looked up from the pot as the doorbell rang. Shrugging, she assumed Ringo would answer it, so she went back to her stew.

 

Buzz!

 

“Ringo-chan, someone's at the door!” she called out, but jerked her head up again when nobody answered. “Ringo-chan?”

 

The doorbell buzzed again, but still, nothing came from the other girl. Slightly confused, Aiko left the stove and went to the door. She opened it and stuck her head out. “Hai?”

 

Her eyes slowly widened as she took in the visitor's appearance. She stared at the tall, handsome man standing before her, awed. He had brown hair and coffee eyes behind a pair of glasses, wearing a plain blue buttoned-up shirt and khaki pants, and an expression that made him appear as if he doesn't have a care in the world.

 

One thing immediately crossed Aiko's mind. I can't believe you, Ringo, you sly girl, keeping something like this from me—!

 

The young man was looking at her in mild surprise. “Konbanwa,” he greeted, nevertheless. “I apologize. It appears that I had a mistake. I am looking for a girl named Harinozuka Ringo. Do you know which door she's in?”

 

Aiko blinked at him. “I-Iie! You came to the right door. Come in! Come in!” She pulled the amused boy inside and motioned him to sit on one of the couches. The young man abided her and took a seat, all the while staring at her oddly.

 

“Hayate Aiko desu,” Aiko said abruptly, grinning widely. “I'm Ringo-chan's neighbor. I usually hang out here. And you are?”

 

The man looked at her for a while longer, before saying, “Tezuka.”

 

Aiko beamed at him. “Yoroshiku, Tezuka-kun.” She peered at him closer, as if sizing him up. Then she nodded to herself. “Not bad…”

 

Tezuka observed her in confusion. He dimly doubted if he really did go through the right door. He grew even more confused when the girl before him began to round on the couch he's sitting in, her dark eyes never leaving his brown ones. He suddenly had the feeling of a crime suspect under interrogation.

 

“So, Tezuka-kun,” she started. “What do you want from my Ringo-chan?”

 

Tezuka restrained from arching a skeptic eyebrow. Her Ringo-chan? “I just need to talk to her, Hayate-san.”

 

“Then what do you want to talk about?” Aiko further asked.

 

“It's something important that only she needs to know,” Tezuka replied casually, and was taken aback when Aiko's eyes widened and she gasped exaggeratedly.

 

“Something important…? Masaka…!” She looked at Tezuka maliciously, a strange smile plastered on her face. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

 

This time, Tezuka couldn't hide his puzzlement anymore. “Pardon?”

 

“Aren't you afraid of the consequences?” Aiko prodded on. “Are you sure she'll not refuse?”

 

“Sorry, but I don't know what you are talking about.”

 

Aiko laughed softly and gave a confused Tezuka an understanding look. “You don't need to deny it, Tezuka-kun.”

 

“Deny wha—”

 

“Aiko-san?”

 

Both Aiko and Tezuka looked at the direction of the source, and Tezuka's eyes widened a fraction of a millimeter behind his glasses.

 

Ringo emerged from the bathroom, her hair dripping wet, a towel wrapped around her naked body. “I think I heard you calling m—” She froze, her eyes falling on the young man sitting on her couch. Her jaw dropped as she quickly looked down at her body, then back at Tezuka.

 

She blushed twelve shades of red.

 

“GGYYYYYAAAAAAHHHH!”

 

 

&&&&&&&&

 

 

“Now, now, that's nothing offending!” Aiko said between bouts of laughter, clutching her stomach tightly. It had already been twenty minutes since the embarrassing incident, but still, she was laughing her ass out.

 

Ringo didn't leave her bedroom anymore after that, and Aiko and Tezuka were standing before her door, trying to get her out. Tezuka miraculously still had his neutral face, though his mouth was a little too pursed, while Aiko made fruitless attempts to ease the atmosphere. But she sounded unconvincing anyway, every once in a while she would bust out laughing, but would stop when Tezuka would glare at her.

“You're overreacting! Tezuka-kun didn't see anything, ne, Tezuka-kun?” the Fudomine senior said, nudging Tezuka.

 

“Aa,” the buchou said. “You have your towel covering your body, even if it only covered the—”

 

“See?” Aiko interrupted loudly, and she glared daggers at Tezuka. “Don't tell her what you really saw!” she hissed at him under her breath.

 

The door opened, and they stared as Ringo came out, wearing an ordinary blouse and cargo pants. She had her hair secured behind her head with a clamp. Oddly, she looked as if nothing happened.

 

Tezuka immediately bowed at her. “Gomenasai.”

 

“Daijobu, Tezuka-senpai,” she said casually. She turned to Aiko. “I didn't lock myself up, Aiko-san. It just took me a while to get into my clothes.”

 

You spent twenty minutes to change your clothes? Aiko and Tezuka thought in unison.

 

“Can I help you, Tezuka-senpai?” Ringo continued. “Why the sudden visit?”

 

Tezuka opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get any words out, Ringo interrupted.

 

“Why don't we have dinner first? I'll go and fix the table.” She went to the dining table, and the two other people looked at each other strangely.

 

“I won't be staying too long, Ringo,” Tezuka started. Ringo looked at him over her shoulder inquiringly.

 

“I'm just here to say that you should be already at the entrance of Keiko Apartment at 6 AM tomorrow morning. Sharp.”

 

“Eh? Nande?”

 

But Tezuka was already at the door to her apartment, a hand on the doorknob. “It's a must. Sorry for the trouble.” Before anyone can do anything else, he had opened the door and left.

 

“Both you are weird,” Aiko said, shaking her head in amusement.

 

 

 

 

 

~>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+>+<+> +<+>+<~

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note: Done! Sorry about the delay. Whew! I finally finished this one! Unfortunately, classes will start pretty soon *groans*, so I'm afraid that the rest of the chapters wouldn't be updated right away. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

 

 

Ja!!!!