Author's notes: I'm back!

It has been hell for me, with the big S and the big E. School and Exams. School sucks and Exams are evil. But finally the exams are over and I can write again!

This is a collection of oneshots featuring Sakuno paired up with a guy from Prince of Tennis.

This is the first in this collection. However, this TezuSaku didn't turn out the way I wanted it to be. I shall write another fic about them in the future.

For those who are waiting for Affections Across Time to be updated, I'm really sorry! I'm working on it right now! Hopefully it will be up soon! Sorry for the long wait but rest assured, I will not give up on the story and write it to the very end!

I hope that I can write lots of stuff in this holidays so I can slowly post them up during the school term. Otherwise, I'll disappear for another 4 months without any notice at all...

Anyway, enjoy this fic and please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters.

Realise

Tezuka Kunimitsu, the stoic captain of Seishun Gakuen Tennis Club. Age: 18; height: 182cm, weight: 60kg; play style: all rounder. His impressive tennis skills have earned him enormous respect not only from his fellow team mates, but also players from rival schools. The tall, bespectacled young man has the looks to send fangirls running over to him like bees attracted to honey. However, his overly-tight facial muscles and overwhelming presence was enough to deter some of them away. He expects strict discipline from his team mates and would not hesitate to send them on laps around the courts for the tiniest wrongdoing. Even so, Tezuka was the captain Seigaku Tennis Club looked up to and was proud to have. He was also a model student, with excellent grades and conduct. Everyone's impression of him was that he was well-versed in anything and everything (that is, except smiling) and was adept at handling almost everything. Well, everything. Except one.

Tezuka could not believe it could miss his notice. It was not that he didn't notice it coming, he pretended not to notice. He was caught in a state of self-denial, not wanting to face the issue directly. Tezuka, no matter how perfect he is, has his own weaknesses. The indecisive part of him has been buried for a long time by his willpower and commitments. However it had decided to surface now for a special reason: love.

Who was the lucky girl who had caught the famed Tezuka Kunimitsu's affections? She was around the Seigaku team all the time and was a familiar figure to all of them. Her warm, hazel eyes always shone under the sun and her long braids bobbed up and down as she ran. She was there for all the Seigaku matches and was their faithful cheerleader. It was difficult for Tezuka to accept he was in love with his former coach's granddaughter, Ryuuzaki Sakuno, and it took him three years to notice it.

It wasn't Tezuka's fault that he did not realise Sakuno was his type of girl. After all, when he was the captain of the Seigaku Middle School Tennis Club, she was all but a petite 13 year old. Then, he had very mature features for a 15 year old and was often mistaken for an adult. If he were to be together with Sakuno, he would be looked upon as a paedophile. It was also very obvious that she had eyes only for the young tennis prince, Echizen Ryoma.

Tezuka did not think that he could fall in love with Ryuuzaki Sakuno. She, to him, was just an acquaintance. That was until she entered Seigaku High. At sweet sixteen, her childish features were gone and she had gained some womanly curves here and there. However, she still retained her long braids and the innocence which always seemed to be reflected in her eyes. She was the same old Sakuno, shy and clumsy, sweet and kind, but now, she harboured an even larger admiration for Ryoma. Her fondness for him did not seem to diminish by one bit; instead, it seemed to have escalated to another level.

Sakuno obviously did not inherit tennis genes from her grandmother. Even after 3 years of practice, she was still not very good at the sport. However, no matter what, she tried her best. She tried her best at everything, even if the outcome was not as good as she expected. And that was what caught Tezuka's eye. Her never-give-up trait attracted him more than anything else. Soon, he found himself thinking about her now and then and feeling all funny whenever she was around. He tried avoiding her as much as possible to avoid having the strange emotions welling up within him from surfacing, yet he wanted to see her. He tried, with much success, not to present his thoughts on his face, but the conflicting feelings inside of him were torturing him. Tezuka Kunimitsu may be perfect in all other areas, but he was definitely a beginner in the game of love.

Tezuka knew something else. Echizen Ryoma, the former Seigaku Middle School Tennis Club's captain and now one of the most highly anticipated rookie in the high school tennis circles whom he had taken pains to nurture, harboured feelings for the pigtailed girl too. Although he showed indifference when it came to Sakuno, it was as clear as day for everyone to see that he liked her too. However, there was something which Tezuka did not know. Ryoma has already noticed the special feelings his buchou had for Sakuno. He had watched his respected buchou long enough to realise that he too had romantic feelings for her.

"Buchou." Ryoma went up to Tezuka one day.

"What is it Echizen?" Tezuka asked, eyeing his junior.

"I won't lose." Ryoma replied with a determined look on his face. "Be it in tennis or love, I won't lose to you." With that, he turned away, continuing with his practice.

Tezuka's eyes widened a little and if anyone was observant enough, they could have seen the stunned look on his features.

"Echizen…he knew…" Tezuka thought. That was the last thing he wanted, to be embroiled in a love triangle with Ryoma. Even so, now it was too late. Ryoma had set his challenge and Tezuka was not the type who would back down from one.

"You never know the winner of a match until the end Echizen."

Author's notes: Please read and review!