Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Electronic Love ❯ Dreams of Anxiety ( Chapter 10 )

Dreams of Anxiety

In truth, Tezuka was rather disappointed when Fuji left abruptly. He wondered if he had done something wrong. He wanted to ask someone who was more experience in romance but refrained to do so because he was in public.

He had felt that Fuji had avoided him these past few days. Though as Prince Charming his relationship with Fuji had warmed, but when at school, as Tezuka, Fuji seemed to keep a distance from him. Tezuka had noticed that he hadn't even met Fuji in the hallway or during recess this past week. The only times he had the chance to meet the prodigy at school was during practice. Tezuka wondered if he had done something that made Fuji angry. But he was sure that this just started a few days ago, and with his own reluctance to meet Fuji and ruined his own plans, it was impossible that he had angered the other boy.

But to back down right now was not an option. He had gone this far and he wouldn't take back his words. This weekend he would date Fuji and prove him that Tezuka was a man who worth Fuji's attention and affection. And that he would never let Fuji go out of his sight. Ever.

And speaking of the date this weekend, there was the issue of food. Tezuka, Oishi and Inui had decided to ask the master chef in the team, Kawamura. But since Inui had promised Kaido something, he couldn't help Tezuka and Oishi persuading Kawamura after the gathering in the restaurant.

For a while Tezuka, Oishi and Kawamura talked about tennis and the final exam. But soon, the topic turned to Fuji. Kawamura expressed his concerns about Fuji's plan to leave the team to his captain and vice-captain almost shyly.

“Why didn't you tell him that, Taka-san? You said nothing to him about this.” Oishi asked.

“I'm sure Fuji will only do what he deems is right. If he chooses to do it, then perhaps it's the best for him. Not that I want him to leave us, but…” Kawamura added hastily.

“At least he'll put your opinion into his considerations. He values you and your opinions, Taka-san.”

Kawamura stammered and blushed profusely to hear this. Oishi blinked in confusion but when he looked at Tezuka in askance, Tezuka was looking straight ahead. Oishi wanted to ask about Kawamura's odd reaction but decide that Tezuka's mission was far more important. Carefully, Oishi picked his words to persuade Kawamura.

“So you'd like Fuji to go to Seigaku High with all of us?”

“Of course.”

“What would you do to make his stay?”

Kawamura pondered Oishi's weird question for a while before answering. “Anything, I guess. But as I said, if Fuji has decided then…”

“Taka-san,” Oishi interrupted his gentle friend. “Fuji hasn't decided yet. And we -Tezuka, I mean, is going to persuade him.”

“Persuade Fuji? How?”

Tezuka who had been listening quietly to this conversation suddenly stopped walking, causing his companions to stop also. The bespectacled boy then looked at Kawamura squarely in the eyes to tell him wordlessly of the kind of `persuasion' he planned to do. The other boy's eyes showed only confusion for a moment, but then he blushed hotly as understanding dawned on him.

“Oh, I see.” He muttered.

“You aren't surprised?” Oishi asked.

Kawamura shook his head slowly. “I've always known something like this is going to happen sooner or later. So what do you plan to do, buchou?”

“I'd like to speak with him in private. It might take a while, so food is necessary.”

“You want me to make sushi for you? But I think it's not quite suited for the… occasion.”

“That's why we need your advice, Taka-san. What do you think Fuji would like to have?” Oishi prodded.

Kawamura looked thoughtful for a while, then softly he said, “Cajun cuisine.”

“Huh?” Tezuka and Oishi looked blankly at their friend.

“It's food from America, Northern America to be precise. It's rather spicy. Fuji once asked me about Cajun restaurant here in Japan because he said he missed the taste of the food.”

“And do you know a good and cheap restaurant?”

Kawamura shook his head. “It's kind of rare here in Japan. If there were such restaurants, then it'd be high class and expensive.”

Oishi's shoulder sagged in disappointment. But then to Oishi's and Kawamura's surprise, Tezuka spoke up.

“Do you happen to know how to make this Cajun cuisine?”

Kawamura's eyes widened. Then he nodded as he scratched the back of his head shyly. “I learned it last year.” He confessed.

Oishi's eyes brightened at the confession. “Then would you cook for us?”

“Aa. If it'd make Fuji stay.” Kawamura agreed.

“Perfect!”

They spent the rest of the way to Kawamura's house planning their next move. Since neither Oishi nor Tezuka had ever had Cajun cuisine, Kawamura said that they should probably try some so that they could decide the menu. Tezuka agreed to come to Kawamura's house tomorrow evening after school to try the food.

With satisfaction, Oishi waved to Kawamura as the boy entered his house. Their plan was going so smoothly. He was glad they didn't have to involve any outsider. Ordering from restaurant was expensive and troublesome. But now they had Kawamura who gladly helped them. But there's something that nagged Oishi's mind.

“Tezuka, why did Taka-san…”

“He likes Fuji.” Tezuka answered curtly. When he noticed Oishi's silence, he continued his explanation. “Kawamura likes Fuji. That's why he blushed when you said Fuji had value for him. He also learnt to make Cajun cuisine for Fuji.”

“How did you know?”

“Hn” Tezuka answer. Jealousy and annoyance crossed his eyes briefly, but unfortunately for Oishi, he didn't see it because of the low light.

They spent some moment in silence as Oishi contemplated this piece of information. And then suddenly Tezuka spoke up.

“Oishi?” The bespectacled boy called him.

“Yes?”

“Do you think Fuji is trying to avoid me?” Tezuka despised how vulnerable he sounded. He had meant to say it casually yet he's stuck sounding exactly as he felt inside. Confused and vulnerable.

“No. What makes you think so?”

“He seems to want to get away from me as soon as possible whenever we're together.” Tezuka confessed, giving up the idea of sounding cool and strong. Oishi knew him too well and he was no actor.  “He seems to be avoiding me."

Well, if Fuji truly tried to avoid Tezuka then it wasn't because he hated Tezuka. In fact, it was most probably the complete opposite of that. Oishi grinned inwardly at this thought. The vice captain was getting more and more optimistic about this mission. Fuji was obviously trying to get over Tezuka. But he wasn't going to let Tezuka know about that. He'd keep the best for the last moment.

“Perhaps it's the note. You surely confused him with it.” Oishi said as innocently as possible.

“You put it there.” Tezuka pointed out.

“Well, yes, I did. I put it under the tree near the swings. I thought they won't miss it that way.”

“Hn.”

“He seemed to like it.” Oishi continued. “I think he must be anxious to send a reply to Prince Charming. You should check your incoming message later.”

“… are you sure?”

Oishi smiled to hear Tezuka's insecure tone. It was rather surprising to hear such a tone from the stoic and confident person. But it only proved that Tezuka's feeling for Fuji was genuine. It's kind of sweet, actually. Fuji was such a lucky guy to be loved by this person. “Yes. He doesn't seem to be angry at you or hate you. Fuji is just as anxious as you are about this rendezvous.”

Tezuka's insecurity was understandable. After all, he was new to romance and relationship. Tezuka might beat Oishi in terms of tennis and academic scores. But when it comes to romantic relationship, Oishi was more experienced than his captain. He considered this an achievement to be proud of.

“Tezuka?” Oishi said after a lengthy silence. Tezuka said nothing but Oishi knew he was listening. “I have a question for you. Can you actually stomach spicy food?”

“…”

*

Tezuka decided to continue sending emails to Fuji and stopped the messages. Right now he wanted to focus on the preparations for their weekend rendezvous. He had so many things to prepare to make next weekend a night to remember for the both of them. He hoped Fuji understand and not disappointed because he no longer sends notes with gifts.

“What are you thinking about?”

Tezuka looked up to see Oishi standing by his desk. His vice captain smiled and sat beside him.

“Eiji said Fuji looked so happy today.”

“Sou ka.” Tezuka replied blandly.

“I think the fact that Fuji hasn't confronted you until now means that he has eliminated the possibility that you are Prince Charming.”

“Or it's just one of his games.”

“C'mon, Tezuka.” Oishi said exasperatedly. “You've seen how he acted yesterday. Fuji is genuinely interested in getting to know this Prince Charming! He really wants to know you!”

Tezuka said nothing and looked out of the window, which was right beside him. From his seat, he could see the school yard. It usually helped him to relax when he had a lot in his mind. It also contributed to his romantic as well as sexual fantasies about himself and Fuji. These fantasies consisted of kissing under the blooming sakura tree in the middle of the garden and doing something more behind the bushes surrounding the place.

But today it stirred something else in Tezuka. He sighed softly in resignation as he recognized the feeling as anxiety. It felt weird to be anxious now of all times. Even during the final match of the national tournament he hadn't felt so anxious. Perhaps it's because it was Fuji he was talking about. The brunette was a very unpredictable being. Though he had known him for almost three years, there were still moments when Fuji managed to surprise him with his actions. One can never understand Fuji completely. Or so everyone had thought over the years. Tezuka wanted to prove that wrong and become the first who understood the brunette. But thinking and doing it were two very different things. Tezuka wanted to bang his head on his desk in frustration.

“Taka-san said we can come to his house today. What do you think about that?” Oishi asked patiently. He knew very well what Tezuka was feeling. He felt rather sorry for his captain. Tezuka needed assurances that Fuji was serious about him, but Oishi didn't want to spoil the surprise and told Tezuka what Fuji felt for him. So Oishi decided that he should at least get Tezuka distracted. This week was going to be a very busy week and Oishi foresaw no problem in distracting Tezuka from his anxiety.

“Alright.”

“Inui is not coming with us. I told him to check on Kaido's uncle's house.” Oishi knew Inui's presence near Tezuka at times like this would only bother him so he took the initiative to tell Inui to check the house.

Tezuka seemed relieved to hear this and nodded his head quietly. Then he looked outside the window again, wondering what kind of day this day was going to be.

*

That evening Tezuka was sitting in Kawamura's living's room, staring at the bizarre food on the coffee table before him with something akin to horror in his eyes. Oishi looked at him expectantly from beside him, waiting for him to try the delicacies. Tezuka was now very grateful that Inui wasn't there with them. He was sure this was the most expression he ever showed on his face.

The Kawamuras had been generous enough to lend their living room for the occasion. They also freed Kawamura from his chores for the night. Now the gentle boy was in the kitchen, preparing the next menu for Tezuka to try.

But from the look of it, it seemed like it'd take some times to finally get Tezuka to eat the food. The stoic boy didn't normally like spicy food much. And this Cajun cuisine was the most unusual thing he ever saw, plus that was something that Fuji liked, so there's no guarantee that this was safe to eat. It could be culinary nightmare.

Oishi saw Tezuka's horrified expression and pat his shoulder in support. “You have to decide the menu. You don't want Inui to choose for you, do you?”

Tezuka glared at his best friend then steeled himself to taste one of the dishes in front of him. He still wasn't completely sure about risking his health to choose the menu for his rendezvous. Perhaps he should ask Oishi to try it for him, but then again they had different tastes and Tezuka didn't want to risk picking the wrong menu. Everything should be perfect for his rendezvous with Fuji.

Slowly, Tezuka picked up a fork a scooped a small piece of meat. While mentally crossing his finger, he opened his mouth and ate the dubious food. He opened his eyes in surprise. He had been bracing himself for burning hot food but in fact the food wasn't as hot as he expected at all. It was just hot enough to make him speed his eating and sweat a bit. For once, Fuji's choice of food was edible.

“Do you like it?” Kawamura asked as he appeared from the kitchen.

“It's good.” Tezuka admitted.

“Really?” Oishi asked in surprise before trying some himself. Apparently he had the same thoughts as Tezuka did before.

“I bring the next dish.” Kawamura said as he put down another plate of Cajun cuisine in front of Tezuka.

Tezuka sighed softly and resigned himself to the fate he had chosen.

*

Meanwhile, in his room, Fuji was laying on his bed. Within the clutch of his hand was a single piece of paper. On the paper Prince Charming's latest reply was printed. Fuji had read and re-read it over and over again but it still managed to make his heart flutter ever so slightly.

In fairytales, balls held to midnight from before eight

But, I can't keep you up so late

Yet neither do I want it to be a normal date

So at six it shall start

My quest to win your heart

There was still a part of him that doubted his own decision. But this Prince Charming seemed sincere and Fuji could relate him to his feeling. He had, after all, spent a good three years waiting and watching Tezuka from afar.

To be honest, there was still a part of him that hoped it was Tezuka. Fuji could sometimes see Tezuka in the poems this Prince Charming sent him. Though he couldn't imagine Tezuka being romantic at all, through this Prince Charming Fuji could try to imagine it. The images he came up with made him smile and cry at the same time.

Echizen was truly a lucky guy.

Fuji closed his eyes to try to fight the wetness that gathered in his eyes. His throat closed in an attempt to will back that sadness. His lips curved in a sad smile. In his mind, Fuji recited the poems Prince Charming made for him to fight back the images of Tezuka's indifferent look, Tezuka turning his back to him… Tezuka with Echizen in that café…

Fuji opened his eyes and focused them on a stem of red rose in a glass vase on the table.

Red rose. Love.

That's right. Prince Charming loved him and he had promised himself that he would try to love Prince Charming back and forget Tezuka.

It wasn't supposed to be so difficult a task. This Prince Charming, if Fuji had been reading him right, was a lovable man. If not for the fact that Fuji's love for Tezuka ran deep, he would've fallen for him instantly. Poems, rose, chocolate… Prince Charming was every girl's dream come true and Fuji wouldn't deny that he had fantasies of his own about his own version of Prince Charming. But still…

Fuji sighed softly. He still wanted to reply Prince Charming's poem but he had no inspiration at the moment. Tezuka seemed to ignore him completely at school and it's eating at him. His heart still ached, the wound still raw. Fuji decided to sleep early.

*

When Fuji opened his eyes, he saw a vast green field before him. He blinked slowly to clear his eyes but the view didn't change. Before him was still a field with tall mountains as the background. The sky also seemed clearer than usual, and closer, too. Slowly it registered to Fuji that he was in some place higher than usual bedroom on the second floor.

Fuji blinked again, then slowly looked down upon himself. Instead of blue t-shirt and beige pants he wore to sleep, he was wearing a pink frilly gown like the ones he once saw on a movie about 17th century princesses. So he thought that those dress were pretty, but he didn't remember ever making any conscious decision to put one on himself.

The room he was in was a complete opposite of his. Instead of plastered walls, there were stone walls. All modern furniture turned into antique wooden ones. And the small western bed he used to own became a king-sized bed with canopy and veils. Well, that one he didn't mind about. He wondered if he could keep it.

But back to the unusual situation he suddenly found himself in, Fuji realized he was standing in front of a window. When Fuji poked his head out of the window, his eyes widened as the reality that he was position in a room in a very tall tower. A few hundred feet beside the tower he was in, was another stone tower.

What's going on here? Why was Fuji suddenly locked in a Walt Disney's tower?

Wait. Was he really locked in this place? Fuji decided to try to open one of the double doors opposite the window. But since he forgot the predicament he was in, Fuji tripped on his dress and fell flat on his face with a small surprised grunt. He truly had underestimated the level of difficulty of walking in a 17th century dress. The actresses seemed to walk really easily, but now he knew that perhaps beneath those elegant dresses were bruises from learning to walk. Fuji stood carefully and tried to walk again. This time he measured the length of his pace carefully so that he wouldn't step on the gown again.

This time he made it across the room safely. Fuji sighed in relief and reached out to the golden doorknob. Fuji pulled and pushed. Nothing happened. He reached out with his other hand and pulled and pushed the door with both hands. Still, nothing happened.

Fuji knew there was something weird with the double doors. Maybe it was blocked by something from the outside because despite his scrawny look, Fuji was quite strong. Though the door seemed heavy, he was sure it wasn't beyond his capability to open them.

Suddenly as Fuji was pondering about how to open the door, he heard a soft galloping sound. At first he ignored it but when the sound got louder, signing that the source of the voice got close, curiosity piqued him and he went to the window once again to check. What he saw outside made his eyes open and his jaw drop slightly in surprise.

Riding on a whit steed was a knight in shining armors. Grasped in his the knight's left hand was a large, western sword to enhance his knightly appearance. It worked just fine and it was the most gorgeous sight Fuji's ever seen.

From the corner of his eyes, Fuji saw a glimpse of red before it suddenly covered his line of sight completely. Fuji took a step back in surprise. As soon as he got over his shock, Fuji went to the window and looked out to see what the red thing was. He gasped when he saw a red western dragon hovered above the knight while attacking him with its claws, tail and fiery breath.

Fuji still didn't understand how those princes in fairytales won against the dragons. That kind of fight didn't seem to be fair to him. The knight was obviously on the weak side and unless he had a wand like Harry Potter, it was almost impossible for him to beat the vicious thing.

True to Fuji's prediction, a sweep of the dragon's tail made the knight's sword fall. Despite having expected this, Fuji still gasped in horror. The knight's horse stood on its two hind legs but the knight remained on top of it amazingly.

It finally dawned on Fuji that the knight was fighting the dragon to save him. He was the princess in this story. Fuji looked around him in confusion. What kind of tale was this? Sleeping Beauty? Rapunzel? Snow white? There was a dragon so it must be Sleeping Beauty and he was Briar Rose. Wasn't Briar Rose supposed to be under the curse of eternal sleep or something? Fuji couldn't really remember this under the circumstances since most Western fairytales tend to put the heroine under some kind of spell. But he guessed the story wasn't called Sleeping Beauty for no reason.

But before Fuji could decide whether to lie on the bed and pretend to sleep or to welcome his savior, a loud noise distracted him from his thoughts. The dragon fell dead on the earth and the knight had gone. The knight had somehow defeated him and now he was going to the castle to get Fuji.

Realizing that he didn't have much time, Fuji quickly decided that he should play the part and be a good Sleeping Beauty. But once again he forgot that he was wearing a dress and tripped again. Thankfully this time he didn't fell flat on his face again, though his knees were rather hurt. Before he could recompose himself, the doors were opened and the knight burst in in all his glory.

Fuji couldn't help but stammer slightly when the knight kneeled in front of him. He couldn't remember Briar Rose's dialogue when the knight saved her. They just kissed and then lived happily ever after and surely Briar Rose didn't trip on her dress while she was in panic while waiting for the Prince to rescue her and kiss her.

Well this knight couldn't possibly kiss Fuji unless he removed the helmet that covered his face, first. As he kneeled, the knight put something on his side. Fuji's eyes widened when he realized that his knight was carrying a tennis racquet. Has tennis racquets been invented in the 17th century?

“Fuji.” The knight called Fuji's attention with his deep voice.

Fuji looked at his obediently. His breath was caught as the knight removed his helmet slowly, as if in slow motion.

The first thing Fuji notice was messy dark brown locks, but then Fuji's eyes opened completely when he saw hazel eyes looking intently at him. A pair of glasses appeared out of nowhere in the knight's hand and then he put it on. Fuji gasped.

“Tezuka.”

*

Fuji woke up with a start. Quickly, he looked around him in alarm. He was back in his room and there was no knight or Prince Charming in sight.

Fuji sighed and rested his head heavily onto his pillow. His unconscious mind must've mixed Prince Charming and Tezuka somehow and so he came up with that dream. He had been thinking about the differences between Prince Charming and Tezuka and it must've fueled that dream. He had underestimated the part of him that still hoped that Tezuka was the Prince Charming.

Fuji must know who this Prince Charming was.

The sooner the better, before he got too carried away with the idea that Tezuka was the Prince Charming.

Fueled by determination, Fuji went to his computer and started to type.

*

The moment Tezuka arrived home, he was completely full and very tired. After finishing his home works half asleep, he went to bed early. Tezuka woke up just after midnight and after rubbing his eyes tiredly, decided to check his inbox.

As usual, he deleted the other messages and went straight to Fuji's message which just arrived an hour ago. Tezuka blinked his bleary eyes as he tried to focus on the poem.

At six I shall wait

So make sure you won't come late

But to relieve my curiosity till then

Hints of you I beg to be sent

Hints? Fuji wanted some hints about him? What should he say now? Tezuka rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and tried to concentrate enough to make a poem. But the more he thought, the sleepier he felt. The beeping of his cell phone startled him and with an annoyed grunt, he picked it up. It's a message from Inui.

“Buchou. We'll be very busy tomorrow. I'll meet you and Oishi during lunch break. By the way, you have a chemistry assignment due tomorrow. Good night.”

Chemistry? Tezuka blinked once. Damn! He did have a chemistry assignment for tomorrow. He took his notebooks and text book and cut off the connection to the internet. He wasn't usually this forgetful but he's been quite distracted this past week. He couldn't believe he had neglected his homework like this. Fuji must wait till tomorrow.

^_^