Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Electronic Love ❯ Starting the Preparations ( Chapter 8 )

Starting the Preparations

Oishi was surprised that evening when Tezuka suddenly asked him to go with him somewhere. He honestly didn't think that Tezuka should leave the computer or his cell phone at all. Oishi had been there when Tezuka asked for Inui's advice. The data man had suggested text message, which Oishi had promptly agreed with since it's a faster way to communicate. Tezuka had seemed reluctant but he had agreed eventually.

More surprise came when Oishi saw Inui standing behind Tezuka, waiting for him. Hadn't the three of them just met this evening after practice? What made Tezuka rushed to seek their aids again so soon?

Quietly, Tezuka showed Oishi Fuji's text message for him. A quick look at Tezuka's face told Oishi that the bespectacled boy hadn't thought that far. Tezuka apparently hadn't planned his rendezvous carefully. Inui was obviously there to provide some `ii data' to help him make decision. But Tezuka still needed some common sense in this matter, so he called Oishi to assist him against Inui's mad information.

“Kawamura sushi.” Inui said when they were seated in a small café nearby. It was the café Tezuka went to with Echizen. “He likes wasabizushi there.”

“But it's too obvious. Besides, well, that place isn't romantic enough.” Oishi argued.

“Italian restaurants.”

“Too expensive.”

“French restaurants.”

“Same argumentation.”

“I want privacy.” Tezuka finally spoke up. Inui and Oishi stared at him as he looked squarely back at them.

Oishi leaned back against his seat. “Privacy, huh? Does this mean you want no one to be around?”

“If possible.”

“Not a restaurant, then” Inui mumbled as he scribbled something on his notebook. “Atobe's summer house.”

“I will not ask for his help in this kind of private situation.” Tezuka said sternly.

“School building.”

“Absolutely not.” Tezuka and Oishi answered simultaneously. Oishi blushed when Tezuka and Inui looked at him in question. “There were security after school, very little chance of privacy and… it's not romantic.” Oishi explained bashfully. “Believe me.”

Inui wrote something on his notebook again.

“Hmm… That's all I can come up with, actually. There were restaurants I wanted to recommend for the food and atmosphere. But since you want complete privacy…”

Even Inui looked confused this time. Tezuka started to think that this whole meeting was hopeless. He should probably stick to Kawamura sushi.

“Fsshh… Inui-senpai, Oishi-senpai, buchou. Konbanwa.” A hissing voice startled the three young men who were deep in thought. They all looked up to see Kaido standing by Inui's seat. Their junior was wearing normal attire for once and not his sweat drenched shirt and running shorts. He was wearing green t-shirt, a jacket and black trousers.

“Kaido! What are you doing here?” Oishi exclaimed in surprise.

Kaido sat beside Inui and explained. “I frequent this place.” There was a pause as he glanced slightly to Inui, “What are you doing here?”

“Ah, well you see, Tezuka here has some issues…” Oishi stuttered to explain. Tezuka didn't seem to be inclined to answer that question anyway.

“Is this about Fuji-senpai?”

Oishi choked and spluttered incomprehensibly in surprise while Tezuka glared. His glare wasn't directed to Kaido, though. It was directed to the tennis team's manager who was currently hiding his face behind his data book.

“I've heard from Inui-senpai.”

Inui seemed to turn slightly to Kaido who barely glanced at him. That explained their unusual lack of teamwork during practice today. But Inui and Kaido?! Why did their team members turn gay one by one? Oishi's head was still spinning with this revelation when Inui spoke up.

“Kaido.”

“Yes, Inui-senpai.” Kaido answered formally with a hint of sarcasm.

There was a short glaring match before Inui resumed his speaking again. “I've told you it was completely accidental.”

“Was it?” Kaido challenged with the kind of tone he usually used when he began an argument with Momoshiro. Tezuka felt an urge make them run laps around the city.

“I did not calculate that your mother would forget her purse and returned home so early.”

“I can't believe I'm hearing this.” Oishi muttered in despair.

“Kaido.”

“Yes, Inui-senpai.” Their junior still hadn't lost his cold tone.

There was that short glaring match again and Tezuka's temple started to throb. Then Inui sighed softly.

“I apologize.”

The anger in Kaido's eyes subsided as soon as he heard those words. “Inui-senpai?”

“I miscalculated. I should've been more careful. I should've been prepared for even the slightest possibility.”

“Inui-senpai…”

“Oh, God…” Oishi muttered again. He started to look away since it seemed like the couple was about to kiss or something. Tezuka simply looked down and engaged himself in a one-sided glaring match with his coffee.

“Did I get you into trouble, Kaoru?” Inui said in a husky voice.

“No. You managed to convince my mother with the Romeo-Juliet thing.” The blush on Kaido's face was even obvious in his voice.

“I'm glad.”

There was silence in the table. Tezuka and Oishi refused to look up to the other two boys. Though they were sure they're not going to do anything funny in public, witnessing such scene from the most unexpected couple was still making them uncomfortable.

“Kaido, doesn't your uncle own that summer house that was on the newspaper today?” Inui suddenly asked in his normal, formal voice. Oishi and Tezuka looked up. Whatever tension existed before, it had disappeared and Inui and Kaido looked like their usual selves.

“Yes. A magazine also published an article about it. There were some photography sessions in that house recently.”

“And I suppose now it's open for public?” Inui pressed. Tezuka and Oishi started to see the direction of the conversation.

“Yes, since my uncle doesn't use it often. He decided to rent the place for weekends and such occasions. But it won't be on the market until next month. Why?”

“Tell me, Kaido, do you think you can convince your uncle to lend it to us for this weekend?”

“I guess. What do you want to use it for?”

“Tezuka wants to… date Fuji.” Oishi explained.

Kaido nodded his understanding. “I'll call him tonight.”

“That won't do.” Inui suddenly said. “Tezuka needs to reply tomorrow. Can you call your uncle now?”

“Alright.” Kaido stood up and went outside to call his uncle. The remaining three occupants of the table glanced around nervously. The result of the phone call would determine the future of Fuji and Tezuka's relationship and their plan.

When the doorbell jingled to signal Kaido's return, Tezuka's heart was beating madly in his chest. But Tezuka being Tezuka and didn't show it on his face. He watched as his junior reclaimed his seat.

“My uncle agreed. You can have his house for the weekend.”

Tezuka released the breath he had been holding unconsciously. “Thank you, Kaido.” Tezuka said with a bow.

Kaido squirmed nervously in his seat. “It's alright senpai. I'm happy to be able to help.”

Tezuka nodded and turned to Oishi. “As for my reply… I need your help again.”

“What is it?” Oishi asked with a smile.

“I want to give him information of the location and the date. I also want to give him present like today. He seemed to like it.”

“I can help you with the picture of the house. I'll print it for you if you want, senpai.” Kaido offered.

“That's good. Can you bring it to my house tonight, Kaido? I'm in charge of delivering Tezuka's messages.”

“Alright, Oishi-senpai.”

“Thank you for your help Inui, Kaido.  Oishi.” Tezuka said as he stood up. Soon he and Oishi left the café. Kaido watched as they disappeared in the crowd.

“Why exactly did you come here, Kaoru?” Inui asked as he wrote something on his notebook. Kaido didn't answer that question so Inui continued. “You don't frequent this place. The only times you came were with me. Do you miss me, Kaoru?”

Kaido flushed. “Senpai!” He hissed.

“Did I get you in trouble with your mother?”

“No. She believed that it was for drama and by some accident I was chosen as Juliet and you as Romeo.”

Inui closed his book. “Drama, eh?” Then he leaned to whisper something in Kaido's ear. “Then I think she would understand if we must practice regularly to be able to `play' well.”

“Inui-senpai!” Kaido hissed, blushing even more furiously.

Inui simply smirked to his boyfriend. Then after Kaido had clamed down marginally, he asked again. “Is that a no?”

With a blush Kaido whispered. “Not… at all…”

*

“I can't believe those two.” Oishi muttered with a shake of his head as they left the café.

“Hnn” Tezuka answered.

“You didn't seem surprise, though. Have you known, Tezuka?”

“I have my suspicions.” Tezuka answered curtly. Suddenly he stopped walking, causing Oishi to almost bump onto him. “For the letter tomorrow…”

“Yes?”

“You think what will be appropriate to accompany the picture?”

Oishi thought of this for a while. “We've used flower before. We should find something else. What about food?”

“What do you suggest?”

“With Fuji's unusual taste for food, we should get something strange but romantic. I think I know what we're looking for!” The vice captain suddenly exclaimed. Then he led Tezuka somewhere without telling him the destination. Tezuka simply followed Oishi until they arrived in front of a sweetshop. “Let's come in!”

When Tezuka entered the shop, he had to pause to admire his surrounding. It wasn't only the incredibly large amount of sweets and chocolate that made him stop, but also the atmosphere in the small shop. The interior was similar to that of a small house in European village he once visited but there were shelves full of chocolates of any kind on one wall and glass containers full of sweets on another. The air smelt sweet, tempting even Tezuka to try one of the displayed products.

Oishi conversed with a gaijin on the counter when Tezuka admired the atmosphere. Now the foreigner motioned for Tezuka to come closer. Hesitantly, Tezuka approached him.

“Good evening. I understand that you want to buy chocolate for a loved one.” The man said politely. His Japanese was almost perfect, only accentuated with a hit of something foreign.

“Yes… I'm not sure, actually.” Tezuka admitted.

“That's not unusual.” The man said. His blue eyes twinkled as he smiled. “So tell me, what kind of chocolate do you want to give to this person?”

“I don't know.” Tezuka replied honestly.

“Fu… This person has an unusual taste. What do you suggest?” Oishi spoke for his friend.

“Unusual taste, huh? Let me see…” The man looked at the trays of chocolate. “Perhaps…” He took a tray of round shaped chocolate. “Try this.”

Tezuka hesitantly picked a piece of chocolate. He grimaced when he tasted the bitterness of the chocolate. But then he tasted chili in the middle of the bitter chocolate and raised an eyebrow. Maybe Fuji would like this.

“What do you think?” The gaijin asked expectantly.

“I think it's what I'm looking for. How much is it?”

“How much do you want?”

Tezuka glanced at Oishi for his opinion. “Just a small box is enough, I guess.”

“Ne, can you put it in a heart-shaped box?” Oishi suddenly piped in. Tezuka promptly glared at him.

“Alright. What color do you want?”

“Blue.” Tezuka answered. Red would make him seem too much like a lovesick.

“Now, Tezuka, where do you want to put it?” Oishi asked while the gaijin wrapped Tezuka's order. “Tomorrow's Sunday. We can't put it in his locker.”

“That's the problem.”

“Hmm… What about this: I'll invite all the regulars to a lunch tomorrow to this small restaurant I know Fuji and Eiji know about. Near that restaurant was a small park that they couldn't possibly miss visiting. I'll put the chocolate and the picture there.”

“What if someone found them first or they don't find them?” Tezuka asked the obvious problem.

“I'll make sure no one found them first and I'll put it in a place they couldn't possibly miss. So what do you think?”

“Alright, if you were sure.”

^_^