Prince of Tennis – We Are Here For One Another

Disc. : I DO NOT own Prince of Tennis nor any of its characters. It's Konomi-sensei's.

A/N: Possible AR. This story took place in senior high school.

Chapter 1 – How Did It Begin

It was just another peaceful afternoon practice at Seigaku High School Tennis Club when finally, Tezuka shouted, "Everyone assemble!"

All at once, the members assembled in front of Tezuka and the vice-captain Oishi. Tezuka nodded to Oishi. Eiji grinned and whispered to Ryoma, who stood right beside him, "Nya, it's obvious that Tezuka is not really good with words! That's why Oishi is always the one who gives the speech before and after practices!"

"… Whatever." Ryoma shrugged. He frowned then looked up at Tezuka, who seemed to have heard Kikumaru Eiji.

"Eiji."

"Yes?" Eiji turned his head to the voice. The stoic face of Tezuka Kunimitsu glared back at him.

"40 laps."

"Hoi?"

"You heard me. Ground 40 laps."

"Nyaaaaa! But why should I?" Eiji cried. Momo burst into laughter while Fuji just chuckled.

"I heard you, Eiji."

"But…"

"40 Laps!"

"AHHH! Tezuka is so meaaaan! Ochibi, help me!" Eiji hugged Ryoma, capturing him in his death hug.

"Ki… Kikumaru-senpai… let me… go… can't… breathe…" Ryoma somehow managed to choke out, his face beginning to turn blue, as he gasped and gulped for the air.

"Eiji, let him go!" Oishi cried, running towards them to help Ryoma.

"Thank… you… Oishi-senpai…" Ryoma coughed, finally released from the frantic Eiji's grasp. Tezuka nearly popped vein in his forehead.

"Kikumaru, 50 laps!"

"Whaaaat? But… but… Tezuka…"

"You almost made Echizen pass out due to lack of oxygen. Fifty laps, now!"

"Ye… Yes!" And Eiji set off to do his laps with everyone's eyes on his back.

Everyone cringed at this. Ryoma spoke, "Buchou… actually you don't have to…"

"Want to ground 50, Echizen?"

"…No. Thanks, Buchou."

"Are you okay, Echizen? You look a bit pale," Oishi asked, sounding concern as usual. He placed his hand on Ryoma's forehead.

"I'm fine, thanks senpai…"

"Get into your lines!" Tezuka snapped, finally losing his patience. Everyone got into their lines at once. "Oishi, go ahead."

"Ah, yes…" Oishi still looked a bit worried. "Well everyone, another great job today. Don't forget, we can't let our guard down, the Kantou Preliminaries are coming up, so make sure to be at practice tomorrow. It's at 7 like usual, everyone. As for the regulars, at 6:30, we have something to inform to you about." Oishi stole a quick glance at Ryoma and frowned. Echizen pulled his cap lower and turned his head away.

"Why not now, senpai?" asked Momo, confused. He too glanced at Ryoma.

"Tezuka…" Oishi turned to Tezuka. The captain sighed.

"All right then, everyone except the regulars dismissed! First years, pick up the balls and clean up the courts!"

"Yes!"

"Relax, Tezuka." Oishi smiled at him. Tezuka nodded towards the regulars. "Head to the clubroom. We will meet you there."

"What is it?" the regulars exchanged their worries.

"OCHIBI HELP MEEEEE!" Eiji cried out while running his laps. Fuji chuckled again.

"Mada mada dane, Kikumaru-senpai," Echizen replied, before heading into the clubroom with everyone else.

"What is it, Tezuka?" asked Fuji as they got inside. His eyes snapped open, realising that something was wrong. It was related to…

"Echizen. Come here." Oishi smiled at their youngest member, and patted Ryoma's shoulder as the boy approached him.

"Uisu." Ryoma stepped forward.

"Everyone," Tezuka started. "Echizen won't be able to take part in the upcoming Kantou Preliminaries with us."

Everyone gasped, except Fuji, whose sapphire blue eyes were glinting dangerously.

"And why is that?" the tensai asked, cautious.

"Fuji," Oishi said warningly. Tezuka looked down at his kouhai.

Ryoma took a deep breath and then exhaled. "Because," he started, his voice was hoarse and low, "I have to go back to America."

Momo was the first one who burst into anger.

"But why, Echizen?!" he snapped. "You want to abandon us while you have fun at those world tournaments?! We've gone to this far and now you suddenly decided to leave just because of those cups! You brat, Echizen!"

"Momo-senpai, I…" Ryoma's eyes widened in surprise, but he was cut off by Tezuka.

"MOMOSHIRO!" Tezuka yelled and everyone jumped. It's strange that Tezuka would shout at someone. "100 laps!"

"But Buchou, this brat just – "

"Make it 200 laps! Now!"

Momoshiro was taken aback. "H-hai, Buchou…" and he stormed out from the room. Tezuka took a deep breath.

"Don't mind his words, Echizen," he said calmly to Ryoma, who looked a bit shocked, his face was very pale. "Are you okay enough to tell them?"

"I…" Ryoma shut down and took his step back, his body was shaking.

Oishi pulled him into a tight hug and mumured, "It's okay, Echizen. It's okay, don't worry."

Kawamura and Kaidoh's jaw dropped opened in shock. Echizen had finally let someone hugged him and it wasn't even Eiji? There really must have been something wrong.

"He's leaving for America, not for the tournaments," Tezuka announced, "but for his health rehabilitation."

Silence filled the room, a tense silence. Everyone barely breathed until Fuji croaked out, his voice was low, "Rehabilitation? For what?"

"I…" Ryoma choked, but then stopped and fell into Oishi's arm, slightly trembling as his breath became heavy.

"Echizen, hang in there! Oh God, someone please grab the opioids in his bag! Hurry, please!"

"Right!" Kawamura rushed to Ryoma's locker, took his bag and fished out the opiates inside. Soon he snapped the lid off of the prescription bottle, and handed the pills to Oishi's hand; Tezuka placed Ryoma on his lap, and took off his cap. Ryoma's face was slightly blue as he attempted to gulp more for the air into his lungs. Oishi quickly opened Ryoma's mouth and, as gently as possible, put the opiates in Ryoma's mouth. Kawamura handed him a glass of water and Ryoma gulped it down. Slowly Ryoma's breathing became steady again.

"Thank… you… Oishi-senpai…" he whispered weakly.

"What the…?" Kaidoh said, stunned "Fssshhh…"

Tezuka gently laid Ryoma's body on the couch. The door suddenly slammed open and Eiji stood there, panting heavily, "Mou… Tezuka… I'm done! And why is Momo running laps too? Hoi?" Eiji looked up and saw Ryoma's body laid on the couch, pale-faced and breathing heavily. Eiji slowly approached them.

"Ochibi? What… what is this…?"

"Senpai…" Ryoma barely managed to get out. Tezuka put his hand on Ryoma's head.

"Don't talk, Echizen. Just relax, and don't mind anything. Let us explain everything to them."

Fuji's mind flew back to the incident during the practice before and Ryoma's strange behaviour the past few days. And he sure didn't like it at all.

"Game, set, and match, won by Momoshiro! 6-4!"

"Mada mada is it, Echizen?" Momo grinned as he stretched his racket over his head. He straddled Ryoma and ruffled his kouhai's black-greenish silky hair. "You can't lose like that na, you can't yo."

"Not really." Ryoma struggled against Momo. "Let me go, Momo-senpai!"

"Mou… kawaii na, kawaii yo!" Momo laughed. He hugged Ryoma tighter. But suddenly, Ryoma's struggle stopped as his body became limp in Momo's hands and he barely breathed,

"Momo… senpai… let me… go… can't… breathe… water…"

This was when Oishi looked at them and turned pale when he saw Ryoma.

"No, Momoshiro, let him go! Echizen!"

He arrived just on time to catch Ryoma as he fell into Momoshiro, his face slightly blue, gulping for air. Momo panicked.

"Oi oi oi! Echizen, are you all right? Senpai, what happened-"

"Tezuka!" Oishi yelled for help. Tezuka quickened his pace as he ran over and lifted Ryoma's limp figure onto his arms. He stood up and walked away, followed by Oishi. Everyone stared at the three regulars and chaos erupted.

"What's wrong with Echizen? Is he okay?"

"Is Echizen sick? He looked so pale before, didn't he?"

"What happened?"

Fuji's eyes snapped open. He gently placed a hand on Momoshiro's shoulder. "Momo."

"Fuji-senpai…" Fuji could feel Momo trembling slightly under his hand. "My fault… my fault, Fuji-senpai! I swear I didn't mean it, really I didn't!"

"Ochibi…" Eiji sounded shocked.

"Fsshhh..."

"Echizen…"

"Momo. It's not your fault. It seems that Echizen's just not really feeling well," said Fuji, smiling. "You remember how he was distracted so much during his matches over past few days? He didn't do his best in his practices. And he skipped practice for three days last week, remember?"

"I wonder too Fujiko, is Ochibi really going to be okay? He doesn't seem to be getting enough air, and he hasn't played well for last few days. He was so distracted!" Eiji clung onto Kawamura's shoulder instead of Fuji.

"Saa…"

When Tezuka and Oishi finally came back without Echizen, they informed the rest of the regulars that Echizen Ryoma was being taken home by his cousin and mother, due to his health and would not be able to continue practice that afternoon.

"Tezuka," Fuji said calmly. Ryoma cast a glare to Fuji, but didn't say anything. Instead he tried to sit up, but he was pushed back to the couch again by Oishi.

"Now, Echizen. Stay still, you still look pale."

Tezuka faced his team, minus Momoshiro. "As I said before, Echizen's going back to America due to his health problems."

"And what's wrong with him precisely, Buchou?" hissed Kaidoh.

Tezuka fell silent for a moment before he spoke heavily, suddenly sounded very tired. "Echizen has a problem with his lungs. He won't be able to play in any matches, even a doubles."

"Lungs…?" repeated Eiji faintly. "Ochibi…?"

"Even doubles?" Fuji sounded slightly dangerous now. "Then why did you practice so hard? Tezuka! What does this mean? Are you trying to kill Echizen?"

"It's not like that, Fuji-senpai!" Ryoma protested. "It's not Buchou's fault! It was me who forced him to let me…"

"You really disappoint me, Echizen…" said Fuji slowly, his glance nailed on Ryoma.

"You stupid, Echizen. You shouldn't have done that." Kaidoh hissed again.

"Now, don't talk anymore Echizen. You need your rest, so stay still," Oishi said, rubbing Ryoma's chest. "Don't worry. Just don't worry. We are here, Echizen. We all are here for you."

"But Momo-senpai hates me…" Ryoma murmured.

Kaidoh shrugged. "That idiot will pay. He will." And with that he stormed off, out of the room.

Even though it was summer, it was getting darker outside. Kaidoh shot a look towards to the courts, spotting the running Momoshiro.

"Be faster, you stupid peach," Kaidoh growled.

"I heard you oi, Mamushi!" Momo shouted as he passed Kaidoh. "This is my final lap!" he quickened his pace. And when he was finished, he approached Kaidoh.

"What is it, Mamushi?"

"You should have not yelled those stupid words to Echizen."

"Yeah? Why not, huh? Is he finally feeling guilty for having to leave us behind with the Preliminaries ahead of us?"

"Fsshhh. Come and see, you idiot!"

"Stop calling me an idiot, you moron Mamushi!"

"What?! You wanna a fight?! Fssshhh!"

"Come, bring it on!"

"Quiet! We're reaching the club room! Do you want to run more laps?"

"You…"

Kaidoh opened the door. "Come," he abruptly told Momo as the latter walked inside. He gasped as he caught a sight of the youngest member.

The limp figure of his best friend was lying on the couch, cheeks pale and breaths heavy. He saw that those golden eyes were dull, when Ryoma sat up so suddenly.

"Momo-senpai," he said slowly, struggling to sit up. As soon as he did his breath became heavy again and he started panting again, the effort taking its toll. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you or the Preliminaries."

"Echizen… what…?" Momo trailed off, his lips dry.

Ryoma gave him a sad smile. "It's not the tournament. It's my body."

"What's your body?"

"I'm having problem with my lungs."

Momoshiro's mouth opened in surprise and disbelief. "You… what?"

Ryoma sighed and decided to tell his team all the details he could remember. "I'm having problem with my lungs, Momo-senpai. It means that I'm having problem with my breathing. If I'm too tired, or if I'm shocked, or anything… if I'm pushed too hard while doing anything, I won't be able to breathe properly."

"But… why is that?" Momo spoke so soft that his voice vanished into the air, a breeze coming over and playing with his hair softly.

"I don't know. They're still examining and are running some blood tests. But they suspect that I… that I sustained a brain tumour. The last time I woke, I saw dried blood on my blankets and my lips. That's when Oyaji and Mom decided to take me to see a doctor." His voice sounded tired.

Eiji burst into tears, slowly approached his kouhai, but couldn't go too far. "Ochibi… why did you do that to me? To us?! Why didn't you tell us, your friends Ochibi? You big idiot Ochibi!"

Ryoma averted his gaze. "I'm sorry, Kikumaru-senpai…"

Tezuka stared at his kouhai. "You did not tell me or Oishi about the brain tumour, Echizen."

"I just don't want to make all of you worry…"

Finally, Momo snapped at Echizen, sadness clouding over his eyes and voice. "What the hell are you thinking, Echizen? You idiot! You're really a brat idiot, you know that? How long have you known about your illness? Answer me!" he grabbed Ryoma by his collar.

"Momo!" Oishi exclaimed.

"Answer me!" Momo shouted again.

Ryoma shook his head. "About two weeks ago…"

"Two weeks?" Now Momo nearly exploded. "Two weeks, and still you forced yourself to practice and tennis and everything! You could have died out there; you could have collapsed anywhere and anytime! What if something happened to you, you little brat?! How would do you think your senpai would feel if something happened to you? Why didn't you inform us sooner?"

"Momo, calm down!" Kawamura grabbed Momo's hand, trying to drag him away from Ryoma.

"Stop being selfish, you little cocky brat!" Momoshiro was now crying, tears falling down his cheeks. "Don't you ever think of keeping everything all yourself again! Who do you think we are, here, with you, if we're not your friends?! Friends shouldn't keep anything from each other, right?!"

"Momo-senpai, I…"

"I hate you!" Momo yelled, finishing his rant. And with that, he stormed off.

Now, Ryoma was really crying. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry, Momo-senpai… I…" with that, Ryoma collapsed to the couch, breathing heavily.

"Echizen!" everyone exclaimed at once, rushing to the younger boy.

-Chapter 1: How Did It Begin / fin-

A/N: English IS NOT my first language, so please be patient. And if there are grammatical errors occurred, please let me know with PM to me. NO FLAMES, C&C reviews are highly welcome.

BETA STATUS : BETAED.

zephy