Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Tattered Strips of Green ❯ Chapter 3

Tattered Strips of Green

 

Chapter Three

 

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or the associated characters. I do, however, own Nabiki and Yukiko.

 

~*~

 

Later that day, Kaidoh Hozumi paced in her living room, waiting for Inui to arrive with her granddaughter. She was not looking forward to that arrival. She loved her granddaughter, but the fact that Inui would be bringing her….

 

She jumped slightly, startled by the sudden knock at the door. Recovering quickly, she opened it, trying to avoid looking at Inui. Although he never spoke of it, seeing him was like a silent reproach, a reminder of what she had done. Of how she had ruined his life and that of her oldest child.

 

She forced herself to ignore him and focused on her granddaughter. “Nabi-chan,” she said with a warm smile, holding out her arms. Nabiki smiled and ran to her for a hug.

 

Inui watched them with a neutral expression. It was hard to be around Hozumi, but she was the best person to watch Nabiki for him.

 

“What would you like to do today? I had planned to do some baking, would you like to help?” Hozumi was honestly happy to see her granddaughter and was looking forward to spending the day with her.

 

Before Nabiki could answer, Inui cleared his throat to get their attention. “I'll be back later tonight,” he said, his tone cold and barely civil. He knew it was irrational and illogical, but part of him resented the fact that Nabiki got along so well with her grandmother.

 

“Wait!” Hozumi called as he turned toward the door. “How… how is Kaoru?”

 

“The same as he's been since the… incident eight months ago.”

 

“You think it's my fault, don't you?” she blurted suddenly, sounding miserable and close to tears. It was obvious that she, at least, blamed herself.

 

“No,” Inui answered slowly, his hand on the doorknob. “I think it's my fault for listening to you. Come on, Nabiki.”

 

“But-”

 

“I thought you were leaving her with me,” Hozumi said, unintentionally cutting Nabiki off.

 

“I changed my mind.” He didn't think he'd be able to come back to pick her up if he left her.

 

He took Nabiki's hand and left the house before Hozumi could react.

 

…

 

“I want you to break up with my son.”

 

Those words echoed through his mind briefly as he slowly absorbed their meaning. He had half expected it when Kaidoh's mother had called and asked to meet with him at a time when Kaidoh would be out running. That didn't make it any easier to hear.

 

He studied her body language for a moment. She had turned away from him with her arms across her chest, her hands cupped over her elbows. She wasn't happy or comfortable with what she was asking.

 

“Why?”

 

Hozumi took a deep breath. “I've always been a little uncomfortable with the relationship between the two of you, but Kaoru's happiness is more important than how I feel about things.”

 

“Then why do you want me to break up with him?”

 

“I'm well aware of the fact that my son has never been overwhelmingly popular. Other than his family, you're the only person who has ever really shown him a great deal of positive attention. He had no real choice but to fall in love with you.” She turned to face him again. “What if he realizes someday, when it's too late, that he really would have liked to have settled down with a nice girl and raised a family?”

 

He was quiet for a moment. Unlike Fuji and the Golden Pair, Kaidoh wasn't homosexual. He wasn't even bisexual like Ryoma, Tezuka, and Momoshiro. Instead, he was like Kawamura, attracted to people based on their personalities. Inui himself was similar, though he felt no physical attraction toward a person until he had fallen in love with them.

 

“That's… entirely possible,” he answered slowly.

 

“Then you'll do it?”

 

“I… will take it into consideration. If you'll excuse me, I have errands to run.”

 

He walked slowly to his next destination, lost in thought. It was too easy to picture Kaidoh married to a lovely woman with kids and pets underfoot. He had endless patience and affection for innocent creatures. He would make an excellent father if given the chance. And he would never get that chance as long as Inui was in the way.

 

It was several hours before Inui came to an agonizing decision. He would have to break up with Kaidoh. No, more than that. To keep Kaidoh from trying to get him back, he would have to do it in a way that would make the other hate him. And he would have to set it in motion immediately, before he talked himself out of it.

 

…

 

By six that evening, everyone but Fuji and his fiancée were gathered at Kawamura Sushi, which they had reserved for the night. Even Ryoma had managed to be on time, largely due to Momo.

 

Fuji arrived five minutes later, Hanatori Yukiko by his side. She was a small woman with long hair like a fall of black silk. Bright green eyes looked out from a lovely, delicately featured face.

 

She was beautiful, and Inui had hated her from the moment they first met. That meeting had taken place shortly after he had come back into Kaidoh's life, his status reduced to being nothing more than a friend. He wished his hatred of her had been unfounded, that Yukiko had truly been worthy of Kaidoh.

 

Her expression had been cheerful when she entered the restaurant, but it quickly changed to polite neutrality the moment she saw Inui, Nabiki, and Momo.

 

“Syusuke, I thought you had reserved the entire place for the friends you wanted me to meet,” she said, looking at Fuji questioningly.

 

“I did, Yukiko-san. These are all friends of mine from junior high.” He inclined his head toward Eiji, who had positioned himself right beside Ryoma. “That's Kikumaru Eiji. He teaches gymnastics. Beside him is-”

 

“Echizen Ryoma,” Yukiko finished for him, a bit of excitement in her voice. “One of the top three Japanese players in professional tennis, along with you and Tezuka Kunimitsu.”

 

“You mean he's one of the top four Japanese players,” Momo corrected icily. “He may have temporarily dropped out of the pro circuit, but Kaidoh Kaoru is still one of the best.”

 

Yukiko stiffened, but Fuji spoke before she could do or say anything in response. “Three is correct, but I'm the one who should be removed from the list. I only went professional so I could play against Tezuka.” His smile widened as he turned his attention to Momo. “I should continue the introductions.”

 

“There's no need,” Yukiko said, her expression once more politely neutral. “Momoshiro Takeshi, the owner of the Dunk Smash Tennis Shop. And next to him is Inui Sadaharu, a freelance researcher who occasionally comes up with and sells special training programs for athletes. The girl with him is Kaidoh Nabiki, my ex-husband's daughter.”

 

“You know Momo and Inui?”

 

“Yes. And if you went to junior high with Momoshiro-san and Inui-san, then you must have also gone with Kaoru.”

 

“I did,” Fuji admitted. “He was a very… peculiar boy and difficult to get to know. He was good at tennis though.” He opened his eyes fully and studied Nabiki. “I thought she looked somewhat familiar. If she's Kaidoh's daughter, doesn't that mean she's your daughter as well?”

 

Yukiko was silent a moment as she stared at Nabiki. The little girl swallowed hard, clutching Inui's hand tightly, and stared back. “No. She's not my daughter.”

 

Inui gave Nabiki's hand a light, reassuring squeeze. “Nabiki legally has two parents, and Hanatori-san is not one of them.”

 

“Ah. I see,” Fuji said softly. His eyes squeezed shut briefly as he smiled, only opening enough after that to allow him to see. “If you'll excuse me, I want to speak to the owner for a moment.”

 

While Fuji disappeared into the back room, the others settled around one of the tables. Ryoma, Eiji, Inui, and Nabiki took one side, with Yukiko directly across from Ryoma. Momo sat across from Nabiki, leaving two spaces between himself and Yukiko.

 

There were a few moments of uncomfortable silence before Ryoma spoke. “You have… pretty eyes,” he said, staring intently at Yukiko's face.

 

“I…um…th-thank you,” she stammered, blushing prettily.

 

Ryoma debated between complimenting her looks again or coming up with a poem of some sort, but his thoughts were interrupted by Eiji pinching his arm.

 

“Eiji-senpai!” he said in surprise as the older man flung an arm across his shoulder.

 

“Hee, don't mind him, Hanatori-san. Ochibi really likes green eyes.” He quickly put his hand over Ryoma's mouth before he could contradict him.

 

Yukiko laughed softly and smiled. “It's charming to see someone so willing to speak their mind.”

 

Inui watched them from behind his opaque glasses. Ryoma's blurted comment could have potentially hurt their plan, but he didn't think it had. There was a look of speculation and interest in Yukiko's eyes. So far, everything was working out well.

 

…

 

The owner of Kawamura Sushi should have been out in the main part of the restaurant when they had arrived. Fuji had known that he wouldn't be. The tensai came up behind Kawamura Takashi as he checked his stock of fresh fish and hugged him.

 

“I'm sorry, Taka-san,” he said softly.

 

Taka pulled away from him a little, then turned and held him close. “It's okay. I wish you weren't doing this, but I know you think it's the right thing.”

 

“She has to pay for what she did.”

 

Taka lightly rested his chin on Fuji's head. “It'll be over soon, Syusuke?”

 

“Yes. There should only be one more week of this charade.” He tightened his arms around Taka for a moment, then stepped back out of his embrace. “I love you, Taka-san.”

 

“I love you too, Fujiko. I'll be out in a minute to take your orders.”

 

Once Fuji was back in the main part of the restaurant, Taka picked up the phone and started dialing. They shouldn't be the only ones with a plot going on.

 

…

 

When Fuji returned, Yukiko and Eiji were chatting amiably, with Ryoma throwing in enough comments to be considered part of the conversation. The discussion came to a close as Fuji settled down beside Yukiko, flashing everyone his customary smile.

 

“It's good to see you're getting along with Eiji and Echizen. I didn't realize there would be a problem with Inui and Momo.” He glanced at the two of them as they spoke. Both looked stiff and uncomfortable with the situation.

 

“My apologies, Fuji,” Inui said. “When you asked us to come and meet your fiancée, I didn't realize the woman in question was Hanatori-san. I'm afraid I've allowed our past interactions to affect my behavior. Please forgive me for my rudeness.”

 

“I apologize too,” Momo said grudgingly.

 

“It's all right. I had forgotten that you two were fairly close to her ex-husband. I'd even almost forgotten that I knew him. He kept to himself so much that he would have completely faded from memory if not for his peculiar mannerisms.”

 

Taka came out then and took their orders. The wait wasn't too long, and Eiji kept up a lively conversation among himself, Ryoma, Yukiko, and Fuji even after several platters of sushi were placed on the table.

 

The other three were more or less ignored until Momo and Nabiki both reached for the last piece of sushi on the platter between them.

 

“Fsshuu~…”

 

“Nabiki!” Yukiko snapped. “You're being a rude little beast!”

 

Nabiki's cheeks flushed scarlet and she folded her hands in her lap, looking down. “I'm sorry, Momochan-san,” she mumbled.

 

“It's okay, Mamushiko,” Momo said softly, holding out the piece of sushi. “You're a growing girl, so you should have it.”

 

“Mamushiko?” she repeated, cocking her head slightly as she took the offered sushi.

 

Inui cleared his throat and looked directly at Yukiko. “You don't have the right to speak to Nabi-chan that way, Hanatori-san.” Then he turned his attention to Momo. “And I would appreciate it if you would refrain from calling my daughter a little viper.”

 

That got everyone's attention. “Your…daughter?” Momo questioned, looking utterly bewildered.

 

“Nya?” Eiji looked equally baffled.

 

Inui adjusted his glasses before explaining. “I told you all earlier that Hanatori-san is not one of Nabiki's two legal parents. She is the biological mother, but she signed away her parental rights.” He didn't tell them that she'd done it because he had blackmailed her. She had wanted to retain legal rights to the girl in case she became useful. “With Kaidoh's permission, I adopted Nabiki as a secondary parent.”

 

Nabiki blinked and studied him for a moment. “Does that mean you're my mama now?”

 

Inui frowned slightly. “No.”

 

Before the conversation could get complicated, Fuji's cell phone rang. He went outside to take the call in private, coming back a few moments later with a distressed expression on his normally cheerful face.

 

“That was Yuuta. He needs me.” He looked at Yukiko. “Yukiko-san, I need to go, but I have no idea how long I'll be.”

 

“I could walk her home,” Ryoma offered.

 

“I'll go too,” Eiji immediately said.

 

Fuji smiled. “Thank you. This means a lot to me.” He knelt beside Yukiko and kissed her hand. “I'm sorry, Yukiko-san.”

 

“It's all right, Syusuke. Go take care of your brother.”

 

As he left, Fuji gave a small hand sign that only Inui saw, indicating that the phone call had been what they had planned, rather than a true emergency. Everything was going perfectly.

 

…

 

Yukiko leaned heavily against the inside of her apartment door, lost in thought. Ryoma had been a pleasant and charming companion on the walk home. He was even more famous than Kaidoh or Fuji, and was everything she'd been aiming for when she'd decided to use Kaidoh as a springboard for better things.

 

He had clearly indicated that he was interested in her, but… but she was in love with Fuji. He was beautiful, graceful, and kind. Her head told her that trying for Ryoma would be in her best interest, but her heart told her she should stick with Fuji.

 

She sighed and let her head lightly thunk against the door. She'd listened to her head for entirely too long. Perhaps it was time to let her heart lead her for once.

 

…

 

For all but the last eight months of her life, Nabiki had gotten a bedtime story from her father before going to sleep, even if he was out of town and had to tell it over the phone. He had always come up with them himself, and they had always involved animals.

 

Eight months ago, Inui had started telling her bedtime stories. They were terrible, but she hadn't had the heart to tell him. Fortunately, he had figured it out on his own and had started teaching her things instead.

 

Most of the things he said about numbers and calculating percentages went right over her head, but her young mind was like a sponge, and she absorbed every word. She especially liked it when he recited juice recipes, which was what he was currently doing.

 

This one involved asparagus, beets, spinach, jalapenos, a hint of wasabi, and lots of insects. From the tone of his voice, Nabiki suspected there was someone in particular he would have liked to force it on.

 

“You should add lizards to it,” she commented with a yawn when he finished telling her the recipe. Normally, she would have gotten at least three recipes, but it was long past her bedtime, and she was sleepier than usual.

 

“Hm. Good idea.” He wrote that down in his notebook, then tucked her into bed.

 

“Goodnight…Mama.” Her lips twitched into an impish little grin as she said it. “I love you.”

 

He snorted and kissed her on the forehead. “I love you too…. And I'm not your mother.”

 

She just grinned more before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. Inui watched her for a few moments with a soft look of affection. He'd made a horrible mistake seven years ago, but he had stopped regretting it the moment he had first seen Nabiki. If he hadn't made that decision, she wouldn't exist.

 

His relatively good mood vanished as soon as he left the room. Kaidoh was in the hallway, leaning against the wall and watching him with cold, expressionless eyes.

 

“Did you take care of her arm?” he asked, sounding disinterested, as if he were only asking because he felt it was expected of him.

 

“Yes. It was just a scrape. She wants to keep the bandana.”

 

“Hn. Whatever.” He seemed so cold and uncaring, his emotions safely locked away behind some kind of armor.

 

“You got your wish, didn't you, Mamushi?” Inui murmured just loudly enough for the other man to hear.

 

Kaidoh gave a soft, self-mocking laugh. “Yes, I suppose I did. And all I had to do was let you and Yukiko destroy my heart.” He pushed off from the wall and glanced back at Inui with those cold, emotionless eyes. “It's not what you promised, but I suppose the end result is the same. You can't hurt what's already broken and gone. Goodnight, Inui.”

 

And then he walked away, going to his room and leaving Inui alone with his memories.

 

It was disturbing, watching Kaidoh watch the snakes, but Inui couldn't take his eyes off of him any more than the younger boy could take his off of the sinuous reptiles.

 

Kaidoh was crouched in front of their enclosure, his fingertips lightly touching the glass as he swayed imperceptibly, his breath coming out in a low, continuous hiss. He seemed almost to be in a trance as he watched them slowly devour their prey.

 

“They're beautiful, aren't they?” The whispered words startled Inui enough that he almost dropped his notebook.

 

“I…suppose…”

 

“They are,” Kaidoh quietly insisted. “The way their scales shine in the light….” His words trailed off with a soft sigh.

 

“You tend to emulate snake behavior, and you seem to like them. Why does it upset you so much when Momoshiro and others call you mamushi?” It was something he'd been wondering from the first day he'd come to watch the snakes with Kaidoh.

 

Kaidoh was silent for several moments, and Inui thought he wasn't going to answer. Then he began speaking quietly in an odd, almost dreamy tone of voice.

 

“I love snakes. They're cold and beautiful, and it's hard to hurt them. They have natural armor. And if you manage to cut them, they'll eventually shed their skin enough that there isn't even a scar.

 

“They're loners by nature. They don't care if anyone likes them or not. They don't care if anyone thinks they're weird.

 

“I don't like it when Momoshiro calls me mamushi because I'm not there yet. It's a reminder of all of my shortcomings.

 

“If I could have just one wish, it would be to be like them, a cold predator that doesn't care about anything and can't be hurt.”

 

Inui slowly moved in closer to him and crouched by his side, cupping the other boy's cheek in his palm and turning his face toward him.

 

“You don't need to be a snake to keep from being hurt,” he whispered, pressing a soft kiss against his lips. “I'll be your armor, if you really think you need it.”

 

“Hmn.” Kaidoh closed his eyes for less than a second, then opened them with a small smile. “So you'll keep my heart safe and whole?”

 

Inui leaned forward a bit to lightly press his forehead against Kaidoh's. “Of course.”

 

He didn't know at the time that he was telling a lie.