A two – shot. Next will be from Niou's point of view.

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. Nor am I gaining money from its sales.

1. Niou was the Trickster. Nothing but pure mischievous malice, displayed in a wild, mockingly innocent manner.

It was a long, long time ago, when he decided, when he had the time to think about his past, that he had become the person that he was today.

It was probably when he realized that his parents didn't give a shit about him, and that that wasn't actually something normal, that he had to earn his parents' love and respect and trust, not that they had any to give in the first place.

2. As Marui chatted with Niou nonchalantly, the tensai shivered as Niou's cold, cold eyes froze just a bit more.

He was one of the few people who knew just a bit more behind the playful, wild mask that his best friend had worn for so long that it had become a part of him. He knew quite well that he didn't want to know more than the little tidbits that he already did.

But sometimes, he would wish that Niou trusted him a bit more.

He also knew that no matter what else Niou could be, he was a very loyal best friend, and that was good enough for him.

Even though, sometimes, just sometimes, he wondered if Niou could be more than just a best friend.

3. Akaya admired his sempai more than he knew, admired him for his courage, his loyalty, and absolute lack of shame.

He knew quite a bit more than he should, too. He knew about Niou's drunk father, the mother who left after Niou's youngest sister, dead at the age of 2 from a car accident, was born, and he knew that Niou's older sister, while a nice girl, had been addicted to drugs for years.

He honestly didn't care. Niou was good towards him, despite constant teasing and ruffling-of-the-hair.

4. Yukimura was one of the few people who knew just about everything about Niou Masaharu, the way he knew almost everything about everyone. Niou didn't tell him, of course not. He just had a way of soaking up information without even trying.

Yukimura was one of the few people who could easily understand why Niou was the way Niou was. And no, he did not grow up in an environment like that. It was just the way he was.

5. Yanagi did not always predict Niou. He could not. Even though Niou was so unpredictable, he was predictable.

Niou was a headache that Yanagi thought sometimes that he didn't want to be able to predict.

6. Jackal wasn't entirely sure what he thought of Niou. Certainly, he was wary of the Trickster

7. Sanada did not hate Niou; he was merely equal parts irritated and amused. Though he would never tell anyone, he enjoyed laughing about the Trickster's pranks at home. He did have a reputation to keep, after all.

8. Yagyuu treated Niou like his brother.

Niou was Yagyuu's best friend. He didn't care that Niou's best friend wasn't him or that Niou didn't trust anyone implicitly, not even him. It was enough for him that Niou could confide in him in the darkest of nights his thoughts. His parents. His sister. Marui. Life.