The next day passed by in a whirl for one Echizen Ryoma. He breezed through all his classes with the usual disinterested air, and answered the questions thrown at him distractedly. Clearly there was something that he was thinking about and it probably had to do with tennis. At least, that was what Horio reasoned, as he told the others of his observations.

"He's been spacing off the whole day…more than usual! He didn't even answer sensei's question until sensei sent him out of the class!"

"Ehhhh?!!" Katsuo and Kachiro gaped simultaneously, "That doesn't sound like Ryoma-kun!"

Horio nodded in furious agreement. "I tell you, something's up! I can smell it!"

"Mada mada…" the all too familiar voice interrupted oh so casually, "don't you guys have better things to do than speculate about my life?"

"Oi Echizen! How rude! Here we are trying to show our concern and you're acting all snobby!" Horio nagged, his short temper instantly on fire.

Ryoma shrugged, and strolled past them, hands tucked snugly in his pockets and tennis bag slung over his shoulder, obviously headed to the courts. "If you don't hurry, you're going to be late." He smirked. "Buchou doesn't like latecomers."

The three stared at him for a moment before scrambling past him to get to the courts before they were made to run laps. Ryoma watched them go with mild amusement, not at all aware at the curious gaze that followed his every movement.

--

"Ne, ochibi," Eiji asked hesitantly, "daijoubuka?"

Golden eyes peered up at him from underneath the white cap. "Hai. Why do you ask?"

"Etto…" Eiji scratched the back of his head out of habit, and grinned sheepishly, "I don't know, I just felt like asking. I mean, you seem so happy today. Did something happen?"

Ryoma grinned widely at the other. "Yes."

"Nya really?" Eiji's eyes widened and he leaped onto the other like a cat, "Tell me! Tell me!"

"Yadda."

"Ochibi don't be mean! Tell me!"

Stubbornly Ryoma refused. "Yadda."

"Ochibi!" Eiji's hold on him was crushing, but Ryoma refused to be pressured. "Tell me!"

"Eiji!" Oishi tried to pry his doubles partner from their youngest player, "Let go of him!"

"No!!!" Eiji wailed, loud enough for everyone within a five mile radius to hear, "Not till ochibi tells me why he's so happy today!"

Ryoma somehow managed to keep a straight face amidst the other's antics. "Kikumaru-senpai…" he yanked at the arms that were strangling him half to death, "…hanase."

"If I let go will you tell me?" Eiji asked. Ryoma rolled his eyes. "Then I won't!" he stuck his tongue out and proceeded to hug the boy to him even harder.

Ryoma was turning an alarming shade of red, Oishi noted with distress, and Eiji didn't look like he was going to let go anytime soon. Worried, frazzled and very stressed, Oishi turned to the one person who could put an end to this mess.

"Momo…"

"One Momoshiro Takeshi to the rescue!" he yelled with reckless abandon, before jumping in to join in the fun.

"…go find Tezuka," Oishi finished lamely, watching the little tell-me-or-I'll-strangle-you scene turn into an all-out make-Echizen-open-his-mouth-and-tell-us war. His eyes widened and he was getting a headache, would someone please do something before he snapped and…

"Eiji, Momo, let Echizen go," Fuji mercifully interceded, and Oishi raised his head to throw him a grateful smile. Momo reluctantly let go, well aware that it wasn't a good idea to infuriate Fuji, but Eiji surprisingly, ignored the order as if the other hadn't spoken at all.

"Eiji," the voice was perfectly calm, but to Eiji's ears, they held a hint of warning, still, he obstinately refused to relinquish his hold on the freshman, choosing instead to hold the younger boy closer to him, and away from Fuji. Ryoma noticed however, that he had loosened his grip somewhat, and was clutching him in an almost protective manner.

"Ochibi, let's go someplace else where there'll be no interruptions," Eiji sniffed wrinkling his nose in distaste and leading the other away. They had hardly gone a few steeps before a strong, steely voice commanded them to stay.

"Echizen, Kikumaru, 50 laps for slacking off."

Eiji pulled a face at their captain, and tugged at Ryoma's hand to get the other going. Ryoma gave a long-suffering sigh and followed his senpai, all too aware of the pair of piercing blue eyes that were burning holes into the back of his head.

--

"Kikumaru-senpai," Ryoma began, huffing slightly as they ran, "what was that for?"

"Huh?" the third year threw him a look which said 'what was what for?'

"Why did you ignore him?"

Eiji's eyes narrowed and he pressed his lips tightly together, not wanting to answer.

"Ne, Kikumaru-senpai…" Ryoma began but the look on Eiji's face made him reconsider repeating himself. "Never mind."

The rest of practice was spent warding off Kikumaru and Momo-senpai, who were both very interested in his affairs. Was it that obvious? He thought in wonder, I didn't think I was that easy to read. The thought of it made him feel slightly uneasy, but he shrugged it off, thinking instead of his match with Sanada later. Now that was something to look forward to, he grinned.

--

Fuji too had felt that something was up. Ryoma was acting very cheerful today and everyone had noticed. But he obviously wasn't telling, judging from the persisting whinings from the team clowns. And, judging from the size of the tick on Oishi's forehead, the vice-captain wasn't taking it too well either.

"Eiji! Momo! Stop pestering Ryoma and get back to your game!" he snapped. Fuji watched as the two threw dirty looks at the other's direction and reluctantly walked back to the court.

"Mou, Oishi, you could've just let us for while more," Eiji pouted petulantly, "ochibi would've cracked if only you'd let us at him for a while more."

Momo nodded his agreement. "Never mind, Eiji-senpai, we'll get him to tell us sometime or other," he said in consolation, throwing a threatening glance in Ryoma's direction. Fuji's eyes followed the other's, to where Ryoma was focused on playing a match with Kaidoh.

He seems positively chipper, Fuji noted, like he's looking forward to something. I wonder what it is…

--

"Sanada-san," he greeted, standing up abruptly when the other appeared.

"Echizen."

"Ready to play?" he asked almost tauntingly.

Sanada gazed at him levelly, realizing the challenge. "Aa."

This time it was different, Ryoma noted with satisfaction, this time they both were playing because they chose to. Sanada was playing because he wanted to, and Ryoma was playing because he needed to. It feels wonderful, he decided, to play a match with nothing weighing you down. He frowned at the sudden realization, nearly missing a return. His racket barely brushed the ball but he somehow managed to push it over the net.

"40-15." Sanada announced. "Not bad."

"Humph," Ryoma straightened up, "I beat you in the finals. Of course I'm 'not bad'."

Sanada ignored him and moved to the baseline to serve. "You were lucky."

Ryoma snorted and positioned himself to prepare for the coming service. "Luck has nothing to do with it." Or does it? His mind questioned.

The ball flew right at him and his first instinct was to hold out his racket to protect himself. That he did, but Ryoma angled the racket at the same time, so that the ball bounced off the racket and into Sanada's court. The move didn't work this time since he had anticipated the freshman might pull off something similar to the move before and Sanada was at the net before the ball had a chance to bounce.

Ryoma ran forward, fully expecting a light volley, but Sanada smacked the ball right past him.

"Game and match, Sanada. 7-5."

Ryoma scowled at his opponent. "I lost."

"You did," Sanada agreed, checking his racket strings, "But you played well, as to be expected."

The boy snorted. "You were lucky."

"Are you sour Echizen?" Sanada asked, looking up suddenly at the other. Ryoma tossed his head in another direction. "You are," he decided.

"Am not," Ryoma retorted, striding over to where his bag lay, next to Sanada's. The older boy studied him for a moment before he decided to ask,

"Another match?"

"Now?" Ryoma could've smacked himself for sounding so eager, but he couldn't help it. It wasn't everyday he got to play with junior high's number one.

He didn't know that was exactly what was going to happen.

--

Yukimura smiled upon seeing his friend seated at his table, diligently finishing his homework like the model student he was. "Sanada," he ventured, "I didn't know you were back."

"Aa," he barely glanced up at the other as he pressed numbers into his calculator, "I did, not too long ago."

"Sou ka," Yukimura sat himself on another chair, next to the other, "you didn't come for dinner."

Sanada nodded distractedly. "I had something to do."

Yukimura watched the other boy's lips press tightly together as he contemplated another problem and the way his brows furrowed in concentration. "You seem to be very busy these days."

Sanada finally looked up, feeling slightly guilty. "I'm sorry," he answered honestly, "I must seem like a very bad host."

Yukimura laughed quietly, "Not at all. Even so, your parents treat me very well, I almost feel at home." The scowl on the other's face startled him and wiped the smile of his face. "Sanada?"

"You don't feel welcome here?" he asked, eyes gazing intently at him.

"That's not what I meant," Yukimura began, "I feel very comfortable here and I appreciate everything. Really."

"I see." Sanada looked away.

"I really am grateful," Yukimura leaned forward, "thank you."

Sanada turned to him, eyes showing the slightest bit of hesitation. "Yukimura I…" he paused, not knowing how to continue. Should he tell him the reason for his constant disappearance? He wondered, but decided against it. The meetings with Ryoma should remain a secret, even if he didn't know why. It just seemed right not to tell anyone about it.

The boy before him waited patiently, a smile playing on his lips as he gazed fondly at him. When it became apparent that he wouldn't continue, Yukimura spoke up.

"I admit that it gets quiet when you're not around. Your ka-san often asks about you and I don't know how to answer," he chuckled, "I tell her that you usually walk me home and then disappear somewhere. She thinks it's funny, and I admit that it is quite amusing."

"How so?" Sanada asked, not quite getting the humour.

"Well, you walk me home to your house and then you continue on as if it wasn't your house."

"That's funny?" he didn't get the joke at all.

"Not really," Yukimura told him, "don't worry about not getting the punch line. There isn't even one actually."

"So what's so funny?" Sanada asked, confused.

"It just…is I guess," he ruffled Sanada's hair lightly, "don't think too much about it."

If Sanada was the type who pouted, he most certainly would have. As it was, he only stared back at his buchou with an 'I-still-don't-get-the-joke' expression on his face. "Anyway, Yukimura, did you need my help?" he asked.

"Not really. I think I've caught up to all of you, at least, I think so."

"What did the doctor say?" he asked, again shifting the conversation abruptly as was his habit.

"I need to exercise more…" Yukimura recited, holding his fingers in the air and ticking off the instructions, "I need to get out more…I need to eat a little more…"

"Aren't you exercising enough already?" Sanada asked, a little surprised. Yukimura had been training, true, he only did light stroking with the regulars but it should be enough shouldn't it? He was supposed to be still too weak wasn't he?

"Apparently not. I should be starting on more strenuous activity now…" he let the words hang in there, fully not expecting Sanada to get his drift. He didn't.

"So you want to join us properly for practice?" Trust Sanada to be denser than a block of ice. Which isn't really all that dense actually, Yukimura noted, since it floats on water.

"I was thinking of something else." And oh was he! He imagined the two of them getting hot and sweaty under the sheets and had to stop himself from grinning madly right then. Really, living under the same roof as his subordinate did crazy things to his hormones and his imagination. Twice already that week he had to stop himself from creeping into Sanada's room in the middle of the night and sliding in next to him under the sheets, if only out of fear that the boy would wake up and be none-too-pleased to find his captain sharing his bed. Yukimura's gaze fell on the rolled-up futon and he made a mental note to change his plans. If anything was going to happen, it would have to be in his room, on his bed. Not on a granite-hard futon.

Sanada raised an eyebrow at the bright smile on his captain's face. Resisting the urge to wave his hand in front of the other, he settled for calling out his captain's name.

"Yukimura?"

"Ah. Sorry." The boy blushed prettily, "I was thinking of kendo."

"Kendo?" Sanada echoed stupidly, "you want to try kendo?"

"If you teach me, why not?"

"But I thought you needed to get out more!" the other protested, his voice rising slightly in his confusion.

Ah. That. Shit. "Well, we could practice outdoors?" he suggested, smiling ever so sweetly.

Sanada threw him a wild-eyed look which clearly read 'ARE YOU SERIOUS?' Yukimura nodded, the sweet smile still on his face. Junior high's number one sighed.

--

Ryoma was whistling, Tezuka noted with some interest, he doesn't usually whistle. And his play was improving tremendously- he was sure that the boy must be doing some sort of personal training that was making him improve his play so rapidly. Was it just two weeks ago that he'd been wondering what had had him so distracted? Well, for certain now, that distraction had been removed and replaced with a drive that was just so…impressive. Tezuka didn't quite know how to describe it. That look in those beautiful golden eyes- it went beyond his usual focused gaze. And when he played anybody it seemed to him like Ryoma saw them merely as pawns; they were just practice for him, to help him improve his play against a stronger opponent. There was someone else that Ryoma saw, and it was evident from the distracted way he would look around sometimes, as if hoping to catch sight of said person. It interested him, somehow.

"Echizen," he finally approached the other boy, "you're doing very well."

"Aa, buchou," the freshman grinned, tugging his cap lower to cover part of his face, "mada mada dane."

A perfectly arched eyebrow raised at this. Echizen got the hint that he was expected to explain.

"Yudan sessou iku, is what you would usually say, buchou," he teased, "not congratulate me."

Tezuka stiffened. "I wasn't congratulating you."

The grin widened. "If you say so, buchou." Tezuka eyed him uneasily, and Ryoma's smile suddenly brightened. "Ne, buchou. I was wondering if we could have a match soon."

Kaidoh, who was nearby, froze, his bottle in mid-journey to his mouth. Oishi blinked, from next to him.

"We haven't played a game since you came back," their genius freshman continued, "don't you want to test my strength?"

Oishi threw Tezuka a worried glance, wondering how his friend would respond. It was obvious that Echizen was baiting him, yet he wouldn't quite put it past Tezuka to not take up the challenge. He did.

"Very well," the captain answered, "we will play after practice today."

"Today?" Ryoma echoed, staring up at the sky, "Not today buchou. I have…something to do." The smile he gave was a mysterious one, and it intrigued his captain and made him all the more intent to find out what exactly the boy was hiding.

--

"Ne Eiji-senpai," Momoshiro nudged at the other, "something's up with Echizen."

The older boy cast him a weary glance. "Really? I didn't notice."

Momo scowled lightly, "Sarcasm doesn't become you, senpai." Eiji shrugged, a cheeky grin reappearing on his sharp features, "Anyway, maybe we should tail him today and figure out what he's been hiding."

Eiji nodded excitedly. "Exactly what I was thinking!"

"Yosh!" Momo punched his fist in the air, "Spy Mission Part 1 begins!" Eiji slapped him a high-five and the two burst into giggles.

Oishi eyed them suspiciously, knowing better than to trust them to be up to any good.

--

Inui pushed his glasses further up his nose, the lenses catching the full glare of the sun's rays and glinting ominously. "Interesting. Echizen is hiding something, Eiji and Momoshiro are acting highly suspicious and Tezuka is showing some interest in the matter." He paused. "This should make for good data."

Next to him, Fuji didn't say anything.

--

Momo's eyes widened as he watched Echizen approach a tall figure at a street court at the edge of the neighbourhood. The baseball cap looked awfully familiar…

"Nya! That's Sanada nya!" Eiji shouted excitedly, nearly giving them away.

"Eiji-senpai!" he gesticulated frantically for the other to quieten down, "You'll give us away!"

"So that's what he's been doing! He's been meeting Sanada in secret!" Eiji continued, ignoring his junior's frantic attempts to tone down his volume. "We should tell Tezuka nya!" Eiji jumped from one feet to another excitedly. "Let's go Momo!"

"B-but Eiji-senpai!" the other sputtered as he was dragged away, "we haven't watched them play!"

"But we saw enough, nya?" Eiji grinned cheekily, obviously pleased with his newfound knowledge. "No wonder ochibi is so happy these days!"

Momo pondered that thought over as he was dragged across town by his exuberant senpai.

--

Ryoma: That was…short.

Sanada: -nods.

Hagane: Urm…it's 'cause I'm not sure how I want to write this. I had the plot all set, but when I reviewed it again…I didn't think it was any good.

Eiji: I know why ochibi's so happy now, nya! –bounces cheerfully around.

Ryoma: -sweatdrops. Kikumaru-senpai…

Momo: I can't believe Echizen turned buchou down for Sanada-san!

Ryoma: -blinks. Why not?

Sanada: -looks right at Momo.

Kirihara: I wasn't mentioned! Not at all!
Yukimura: Your time will come, Akaya.

Kirihara: If you say so, Yukimura-san.

Sanada: Practicing kendo outdoors in autumn is…

Hagane: Hai?

Yukimura: But Hagane-san, I don't think it's kendo that Sanada practices.

Sanada: -nods.

Hagane: I realize that…but I'm not too sure what it is he practices, and till I get the info right I'll have the two of you practice kendo. Is that all right?

Sanada: -shrugs.

Ryoma: Ehh, I like where the story is going, Hagane-san.

Hagane: Really?

Ryoma: -nods. I get to play Sanada-san and buchou. Now if only the Monkey King was here…

Kirihara: -snickers.

Sanada: -blinks.

Hagane: Now that would be interesting, I suppose. But I haven't given that much thought. I'll consider it though, thank you Ryoma.

Fuji: Please do.

Ryoma: -scowls. She wasn't talking to you.

Oishi: Now Ryoma, that isn't very nice.

Eiji: Let's go, ochibi. –pulls Ryoma far, far away.

Sanada: I'll see you tomorrow then Echizen Ryoma.

Yukimura: So that's where you've been going everyday…

Sanada: -pretends not to hear anything.

Kirihara: Ah Sanada-san, how are you going to explain yourself? –chuckles wickedly.

Sanada: 500 laps tomorrow, Akaya.

Kirihara: NANI?!

Momo: -snickers.

Hagane: Saa…