Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Expect the Unexpected ❯ Comparison & Acceptance ( Chapter 3 )

“Expect the Unexpected”

 

{Yo! Miaki here with chapter 3! Oh yeah, as I have mentioned, Yukito-sensei IS A GIRL. Maybe this chapter will explain the mysteries behind chapter 2. Yukito-sensei will finally say something! Also, no yaoi or Shounen ai will be involved here. If doubles partner is considered as pairs, then there are a lot of it. That's it and happy readings!!!}

 

DISCLAIMER: I don't own PoT or any of its characters. The only thing I own is my computer, my plot, my Fanfic, Yukito-sensei and Eiji's boss; Mitsui.

 

 

~CHAPTER 3: Comparison & Acceptance~

 

“Oi! Kikumaru!”, Kirihara looked at the fallen Kikumaru who is now unconscious.

 

“What happened to him?”, Marui asked as he carries Kikumaru to a chair.

 

“Oh my! What happened to him?”, Mitsui asked the regulars which shook their heads.

 

“Well, he can't work under that situation. Might as well bring him home. You know where he lives?”, Mitsui asked and everyone replied no.

 

“Here. It contains Eiji's address and room no. Good luck and when he wakes up, please do say to him that he still needs to work here tomorrow.”, With that, Mitsui closed the shop while the regulars tried to follow the directions written in the paper.

 

~Eiji's PoV & Dream~

 

“Ugh, what happened? Where am I?”, I looked around and saw the tennis courts. I heard the crowd protested at the referee who seemed to be canceling the match. I heard the referee saying that `The match will be next week'. When I looked at the clouds, I saw the gray clouds. Then, rain poured.

 

“Ugh! Why now! I don't even know where I am!”, I looked for shelter. But, I realized that I am not wet. The rain just pass right through me. It's like I'm a ghost.

 

“Mou, Sanada-fuku-buchou! Don't tell me that the match is suspended!”, I heard a familiar voice which seemed to be coming from a café

 

“Looks like Seigaku was still lucky~puri”, Only one person I know has that mannerism. Can it be?

 

“Waiting here is boring!”, This is… the match at the Kantou tournament! The match was delayed to a week. This must be Rikkaidai waiting.

 

`Sou, your right', Eh!? That voice. Could it be?

 

`Your right again Eiji.', Fuji! You're here?!

 

`Not just him. But also us.', Everyone!!! I saw everyone standing smiling.

 

“You know, I miss you all. I wish that I never volunteered.”, A tear fell down from my cheek as I broke down to tears kneeling, feeling so useless.

 

`Eiji … We all know that you feel sad. But, you have to move on. If we see you unhappy, then we would be sadder. Your family had moved onwards to heaven and left you a message. Don't forget us but move on. Eiji, now is the time to be strong! Besides, you still have them if your feeling lonely. ', Oishi comforted me but, it feels so wrong. How can I act like nothing happen when my friends and family had just passed away? Why can't I just die along with them?

 

`Kikumaru. Win the Honorific Games. That's all you need to do.”, Tezuka said while crossing his arms.

 

“But how! I can't just replace Oishi! I-I …”, I'm lost for words. It's just … I can't really tell. Am I going crazy? Am I dead?

 

`Doesn't everyone need to participate as long as you played? Besides, you said it yourself senpai, it's lonely to play singles.', Momo-chi …

 

`Che, Eiji-senpai, didn't that guy who played against Inui-senpai used to play doubles?', Ochibi …

 

“So, your saying … You want me to play doubles with Yanagi-kun?”, I stared at them while they just smiled.

 

Suddenly, the room lit up. I was now in a different place. I'm at … the ice cream shop? Is this a dream? I saw me and the Rikkaidai regulars. Why do they resemble … Seigaku? That bickering … that smile, that concerned face. The yelling. Why do I want to cry again? They act exactly like my old teammates. I can't help but smile at the scene.

 

“Oishi … is this what you mean? That I should move on with my new teammates?”, I asked myself one last time and then … blank. I don't remember anything except for a throbbing pain in my head.

 

~End of PoV and Dream~

 

“Are you sure that's the right way, Jackal?”, Yukimura asked while Jackal reread the paper.

 

“Yes. But, it's unoccupied.”, Jackal glanced while he looked at the paper again.

 

“I'm pretty sure that Kikumaru has a big family and doesn't live alone. Of course, that's what Sadaharu told me.”, Yanagi scribbled down on his notebook when he noticed a girl in her late 30s walk out from the room next door.

 

“Anou, do you know where Kikumaru Eiji lives?”, Marui asked while carrying Eiji.

 

“Oh no! Eiji-kun! What happened to him?”, Yukito-sensei grabbed Eiji from Marui and let them inside her room as well.

 

“So, miss…?”, Yagyuu asked the mysterious lady.

 

“Oh, it's Yukito. Yukito Rin. I used to be Eiji's teacher and now, he is living in one of my rooms.”, she replied with a smile.

 

“Wait, doesn't Kikumaru-san have a huge family?”, Kirihara asked while Yanagi took notes.

 

`So, is this what Eiji-kun is talking about?', she asked herself while the regulars are still listening.

 

“Ahh! Sorry, it's just that Eiji's parents accepted a job here and transferred. The rest of his brothers and sisters were left at Tokyo with their grandmother and grandfather. However, Eiji's parents decided to let him stay with me for the time being because, their home was far away from Rikkaidai. So, they insisted on living with me.”, she explained while Yanagi jots down everything.

 

“But, how come he has a job?”, Yukimura asked and Sanada just can't help but feel curious as well.

 

“Oh, his parents insisted on it. They wanted to make sure that he at least has experience from working so that he won't be pressured one day.”, covering up for Eiji was a lot more hard then Yukito-sensei had expected.

 

“Ugh, what happened? Where am I?”, Eiji is finally awake while the regulars greeted him.

 

“Puri~ Your finally awake sleepy head.”, Niou smirked while as the regulars sigh.

 

“Heh, really Kikumaru-senpai, you really are clumsy sometimes.”, Kirihara rolled his eyes while Niou just laughed at his kouhai's actions.

 

“Really? Didn't you spill the juice which caused him to slip?”, Marui added in while Sanada yells `Tarundoru!' at the two.

 

`You know, they really do resemble Seigaku', Eiji just smiled at his new teammates' actions.

 

The next day, everyone forgot the incident at the ice cream shop. It was also Eiji's first day at club practice. Now, time to do what Eiji has to do.

 

“Now, everyone. As you know, the Honorific Games are coming on August. We have to be prepared if we want to be on top.”, Yukimura explained to the club members.

 

“And, with regards to the rule made `That there is a doubles play at the very first to determine what kind of pointing system to be used (the type of arrangement i.e. Nationals: Alternate, All singles, all doubles, etc.). The winner would chose the pointing system'. So, in short we are short on one doubles team.”, Sanada gave them all a fierce look.

 

“That's all, regulars and Kikumaru-san, please stay. The rest may resume practice.”, Yanagi announced as everyone except for the regulars and Eiji.

 

“Anou, Yanagi-kun, can I talk to you privately ~nya?”, Eiji asked Yanagi and of course, he accepted.

 

“What do you want to talk about?”, Yanagi asked him, while writing down.

 

“Anou, I know that you and Inui used to play doubles. I was wondering if … you would like to play with me.”, Eiji explained. Yanagi was caught off guard. He never expected off all people, Eiji would choose to ask him to play doubles.

 

“Hmm, I think there's no problem with me.”, Yanagi smiled while he shake hands with Eiji as the sign of their new friendship.

 

As Yanagi confirms it with Yukimura along with the rest, everyone was surprised. Noone had expected them to play together.

 

“Well, at least the gap of playing at the first game is fixed.”, Yagyuu smiled.

 

“I always knew that this year's Honorific Games was interesting.”, Niou smirked.

 

“Maa, let's see what those two got Jackal!”, Marui smiled confidently at his partner.

 

There was a game between Marui-Jackal Pair Vs. Kikumaru-Yanagi Pair. The game was so tensed up that even the other members stopped to see the game. The scores were now 3-3 all. Kikumaru's acrobatics seemed to much better than last time.

 

`This was suppose to be for Oishi to know. But, I promised him and the rest that I would win.', Eiji thought as he leaps and did a summersault and smashed the ball. But, Marui got to it and tried returning it. Unfortunately, the ball never bounced back up. It stopped. The referee declared Eiji and Yanagi as winners and as soon as Marui left the ball, it bounced up and moved forward. Not even Yanagi knows that.

 

“Hoi, hoi! A new move I've been working on! I don't know what to call it yet though.”, Kikumaru did a thinking pose while the rest were stunned.

 

“Hmm, a very strong topspin added while leaping through the air which causes the delay or even the stopping of it from bouncing back. You should call it Reverse smash.”, Yanagi scribbled down some notes while Eiji looked thoughtful for a moment.

 

“Reverse smash? Sounds awesome Renji-kun!”, Kikumaru glomped his NEW doubles partner and a new match starts.

 

“Senpai is still playful. I'm sure we'll defeat Seigaku this time.”, Kirihara replied as the others nod.

 

`I wish we can see them. But … they're gone.', Kikumaru thought for a second and then smiled.

 

~At Atobe's Mansion~

 

“Tell me Atobe, why are you doing this for Kikumaru?”, Oshitari asked his buchou who replied with a smirked.

 

“Well, Ore-sama owes Tezuka something. I'm sure he wanted ore-sama to help his teammate.”, Atobe replied.

 

`But of course, I owe Kikumaru my life. If he hadn't save me that time, I would have been dead.', Atobe recalled as he went back to work.

 

Somehow, things aren't going to be what the Rikkaidai regulars had anticipated. It's much more than what they expected.

 

~END OF Chapter 3~

 

 

{Well, Chapter 3^^ Yay!!! Eiji is playing Tennis again!!!And what does Atobe mean by `I owe him my life'? You'll find out in the next chapter. Again, the media spread it all over Tokyo but Atobe managed to stop it before it got to Kanagawa. Eiji's secret is almost revealed!! Oh, and please vote for my poll for the ending and epilogue for this fic. Arigatou and until we meet again ~Miaki}