Preservation

CHAPTER 3: Home

GREEN HOUSE

GROAAAAN

A few stomachs churned and cries of hunger followed.

Lunch was almost halfway done and there was still no sign of their captain. Their guest who everyone had finally found out to be quite the VIP looked ever-so patient. But they all had that predisposition to believe that cultured people like him might actually be showing the opposite of what they were really thinking.

And yes, most people would mostly be guarded and restrained.

But the tennis regulars were never quite normal. Yukimura found that oddly refreshing, and it helped his mood a bit. A bit. Just a bit.

But before he could let out a sigh, Kirihara slumped back savagely, no longer able to handle it. "Moouuu, how long is he going to get here? I'm hungry! Can't we eat before him?"

"He's the captain. And no." Yagyuu cut him off.

"But-" Kirihara then shifted his gaze to Yukimura, trying to use him as an excuse. Unfortunately for him, Yukimura wasn't in that better mood. He would at least find something entertaining to watch until his body guard found a way to get back to him. So he smiled the angelic smile he knew too-well many fawn over.

"I'd like to meet your captain as well, preferably during lunch."

"See?"

"Darn it." The seaweed puffed his cheeks and proceeded to looking for a mood-lifter. It honestly wasn't hard-

"Kukuku~"

...especially when Niou was chortling like that.

Kirihara grinned and looked at the red-head a few meters away.

"Marui-senpai! You should come with us now~"

"Someone kill me." Marui whispered, unmoving at the structure's corner, surrounded by a dark, dark aura.

"No one saw anything, senpai~"

"Hell they did." He snapped, and when Niou wore that mischievous grin of his (probably planning on saying something disturbing) they heard a familiar sound.

Creak

They turned to its source. It was the French door, opening slowly- but at least it was actually opening, the promise of satisfying their hunger soon in reach.

"Here he is!" Finally. Kirihara yelled, while the usually-excitable Bunta just stared. Since he was the nearest to the door, he was the one who noticed their captain had a companion.

"Ah! He's with a kid..." he muttered lazily before proceeding to his corner of self-pity.

"Kid?" a few repeated and looked behind Sanada as well. Kirihara's eyes widened and rudely pointed at whoever was behind their captain.

"YOU!"

The boy stared. But it seemed nothing went through his head. "Who are you?"

"Teme-"

But their interaction was cut off, though, by Yukimura's cool statement and Sanada's glare at the rudeness of his kohai.

"You're late."

Silence

Ryoma let out a deep breath and walked closer to the bluenette. He made a slight bow. "I'm sorry for my incompetence."

Everyone gaped, but weren't particularly shocked, while Sanada's eyebrows met at the interaction and yet he didn't say anything- simply because he didn't know what to say, despite wanting badly to say something.