Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Who Says College is Easy? ❯ PRELUDE: I Hate Him ( Prologue )

TITLE: Who Says College is Easy?

PART: Prelude

GENRE: Shounen-ai (Humour/ Continuation/ Angst / Romance)

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to does not belong to me… ^_^ only this weird story does.

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Prelude: I Hate Him

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"I'M LATE!"

It was one of those things that irked him much to the core of his very being.

He hated seeing someone pattering around like a headless chicken on a downcast autumn morning - especially if that someone is none other than the proverbial drama queen, Shishido Ryo... the bane of his blessed existence. No, it wasn't a case of absolute annoyance. It was a case of pure hatred. He HATED Shishido with his whole heart.

Damn his hide.

"I'M LATE!"

He pulled the nearest pillow he could get his hands on and covered his aching ears. He swore he heard the occupants of the room next to theirs grumble at the early morning wake up call. At least he was not the only one who felt the same way about his accursed roommate. If ever he was thrown out - at least he wouldn't be the only one who would dare let out the most evil laughter he could muster... he wouldn't feel too guilty that way. If he says that he's late another time, he's really gonna get it. He muttered under his breath.

"I'M LATE!"

That's it. He could feel a vein pooping inside the pale skin of his temples. I can kill him now! He readily sat up and searched for the flailing half-dressed figure hopping around while trying to fit navy blue socks on restless feet. Gathering his strength, he reared a bit back and unceremoniously launched the pillow he was grasping towards the panicking teen.

Bull's eye! He gloated inwardly as the deadly projectile hit Shishido at the back of his pompous head. Satisfaction poured into his veins with almost petrifying speed, and he had to squash the urge to howl with demonic laughter when the other boy fell forward, going splat on the floor like a really bad ballet dancer... minus the dizzying pirouette. That'll show him! He thought evilly as he returned the glare Shishido shot at him upon recovering from his graceless fall.

"Why did you do that?" Shishido flipped back his, once again, long hair in indignation, eyes glittering with suppressed instincts of pure murder.

"You're being annoying again." He answered simply, raising a brow in mockery.

"I am NOT being annoying you miscreant!"

"Yes you are. Just ask our dorm mates, stupid."

"Why you -"

"Want a piece of me now, don't you? Then come and get it!" He challenged, rising up in nothing but his boxers.

"AAAAAARGH!" It was the most pathetic war cry he had ever heard. He made a mental note to tuck the sissy sound in mind for future references. With a dark smirk, one he was known for, he beckoned tauntingly with his index finger, crouching a bit to prevent damage once the human tornado crashed against him - if it crashed against him. His eyes measured the distance between his raised fists and the pretty boy's face. Ten inches... nine... eight... seven... six...and now! He lashed out a strong arm and adrenaline took care of the rest, a heady feeling engulfing him as he felt his knuckles connect against a soft cheek. Victory is mine! He crowed inwardly as Shishido teetered back and fell straight on his bed - out cold.

Shaking his hand, he shuffled over to where his roommate lay, chuckling in amusement as the boy's lips moved unconsciously. "Akutsu... I'm gonna... get you... next... time..."

Akutsu patted the crown of gloriously dishevelled hair almost condescendingly before walking past the bedroom door and into the pseudo-living room of their flat. Sighing gratefully, he sank down into the soft chintz sofa they bought three months before. With a smile, he snuggled into one of the throw pillows.

"Ah... Life is good."

***

"WAH! Shishido-san! What happened to your face?"

Shishido Ryo cast his best friend a warning glance before slumping down his seat. "Choutarou. Mark my words. One of these days, I sure as hell would get him."

Ohtori stifled his laughter. Shishido had been saying that line for six months now - ever since the aftermath of the disastrous first meeting between him and his roommate. He could remember his sempai having enough bruises on his face to render him as blue as the oil paint currently on his palette. Of course, Akutsu also had his share of bruises, but it was so sparse compared to what Shishido had, that they almost seemed unnoticeable from afar. Maybe, what Akutsu said was true.

Maybe his sempai did hit like a girl.

He couldn't help the faint sliver of laughter that issued from his trembling lips. The notion was just so funny! His hotheaded sempai punching like some random girl bordered on the ridiculous. At that, Shishido gave him a withering look and stuck out his tongue childishly.

"You're siding with him, Choutarou."

"No I'm not... I'm just... amused."

Shishido bristled, a scowl marring his usually smooth brow. He swatted his younger friend chastisingly on the arm. "You are just as evil as him. Do you know that?"

Ohtori chuckled, rubbing a hand on the offended skin area of his pale arm.

"Hai, hai."

***

"Look, just one more and we'll be done!"

"NO! There is no WE! I am not going to fall for that puppy dog eyes ever again!"

"Hiyoshi! Just one more taste!"

"I'm not going to drink that monstrosity you sadist! AAAGH! Stop! You're going to drown me with that putrid - WAAAH!"

The door to condo unit 13B burst open and a screaming blonde boy came rushing out, hands waving wildly in the air, feet going as fast as they could away from the bespectacled person giving chase. "Hiyoshi! I need to know if it works on others too!"

"NO!" Hiyoshi screamed back, fingers frantically pushing the open button of the elevator, looking back constantly as to know how large their gap was. "My parents did not raise me to be your new guinea pig!" There was a sudden poing-ing sound and the metal doors opened.

Inui's eyes, still hiding behind horn-rimmed glasses lit up. "Hold him still!" He called out in glee.

"Gotcha!" Hiyoshi's eyes widened as the one who was the lone occupant of the contraption took hold of his slender shoulders, rendering him immobile.

"Hanase!" He cried out, pupils dilating further as Inui closed in on him... An Inui clutching a bottle of... mud-coloured liquid in one hand and a navy blue notebook in the other. "Hanase, Akutsu-san... AKUTSU-SAN! LET GO OF ME! HE'S GOING TO KILL ME!"

And Akutsu did something any person like him would do.

Absolutely nothing.

"IYAAAAAAAA!"

Hiyoshi gave one last gurgle as the unpalatable concoction entered his system before he slumped against his captor unconsciously.

The Evil Scientist gleam of Inui's glasses and the thought of being roomies with the Nutritionist Extraordinaire was enough to give Akutsu the creeps. It was one of those times that even with the burden of having a drama queen in his face twenty-four seven, he was somehow thankful of his current sleeping arrangements.

All he could think of was that... Life is good...

Demo, Kami-sama... don't let Hiyoshi commit suicide...

***

"So... the little twerp is the current captain of Seigaku huh?"

Tezuka sighed, closing his notebook. He fixed a defeated gaze at his Science project partner. "Atobe. How many times do I have to tell you that the little twerp as you call him, has a name?"

Atobe, he knew was just feigning a surprised expression. "Really? Oookay... refresh my memory."

Tezuka shook his head tiredly.

Kami-sama... why do I have to be saddled with this guy for the rest of my sophomore year?

***

He could still feel those loving arms around him... hear those sweet nothings pressed against his sensitive ear... see those beautiful blue eyes stranded in a seemingly perpetual smile...

And the echo of a sudden rejection still reverberated in his unsuspecting brain.

He was tricked to believing that he was special... he was tricked to believing that he deserved Fuji Syusuke as his love... he was tricked into believing many things...

He was tricked to believing that what he was receiving was pure unadulterated love.

He hugged himself, retreating further into the shadows of his walk-in closet... away from the rest of his world. A sob broke from the shivering form.

"I am nothing, am I not?"

He laughed bitterly, his hand involuntarily reaching up to coil long dark strands of hair around his trembling fingers.

"Am I not...? Ne - Fuji?"

***

TBC

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A/N: This is just the preview of the next chapters... just a piece to give you a glimpse of who the major characters are. Reviews people! Please tell me what you think! ^_^ Suggestions are very much welcome! ^_^