Rikkaidai's Newest Regular | A Prince of Tennis Fanfiction

Contact [Mini Arc - Part 2]

A/N: Heads up, this is set in the Kanto Finals (which is about 13 days or so before the Nationals), so around the end of July :D

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|Seiichi's POV|

I tipped my head back,  eyes barely open, quietly marvelling at the sheer brightness of the sky. The clouds were parted, the sun smiling radiantly down our faces. As a breeze sifted through the strands of my blue hair, my eyes snapped open. 

Che.

It's time.

~

I stretched slowly, making a point to myself to ignore the growing hammering in my chest. Ne. I haven't been this nervous for a tennis match since age 4 when I first met Genichirou. The moment I saw him, I knew he had great potential, even with a mindset of a 4-year-old. 

Taking a deep breath quietly, my eyes flashed as I remembered my goal. Sliding them discreetly over to Ryoma, a small smirk twisted upon my lips. His subtle-yet-extensive change of hairstyle, signature caps and demeanour didn't escape me.

It was at that moment I discovered how his hair was slightly pinned up all this time and that his personality was slowly becoming softer and gentler. 

Heh, it's like his edges are gradually being polished and carved, no longer rough and jagged, I thought absently. 

What's more, Ryoma's greenish-black hair was falling just before his shoulders, and with a soundless gasp and a widening of my eyes, I discovered that his chin was much more delicate looking, compared to his old Seigaku photo. His face no longer looked bratty and cocky. 

It merely looked tired and weathered, despite his youthful skin. 

I walked over and sat down on the bench Ryoma was using to stretch, smiled genuinely, though with a strand of sadness intertwined,  and clasped his hands in mine. 

He was greatly surprised, of course. 

"Ryoma," I breathed, purposely letting my blue hair fall angelically down my face, "We're going to do great."

Ryoma's lips parted, and my heart leapt involuntarily as they quirked into a cute smile.

"Ha, so optimistic," Ryoma sighed, giving me a dramatic eye-roll. "We're facing the golden pair, in case that slipped your mind...."

I giggled. 

"Soooooo? Rikkaidai is the best and we're gonna win!!" I announced cheerfully, suddenly standing up and detaching our hands. 

Bring back my racket and a tennis ball, I threw the tennis ball at him and yelled "hit it!". As per my expectations, Ryoma immediately lashed out with his racket and slammed it back. 

"We call this Speed," I explained. 

Just as I was about to tell him how the game works, the announcer shouted that the next match will start. 

"Perhaps another time," Ryoma murmured apologetically.

I waved that aside as I noted his fearful look and his sudden closeness to me. 

As if I'll let you go, I thought darkly, thinking about that thing. 

We quietly positioned ourselves, my eyes calmly gazing at Kikumaru and Oishi. Ha. Golden pair. What silly nonsense. 

"Me back, you front," I informed him. Ryoma meekly nodded.

"Rikkaidai, Seiichi Yukimura and Ryoma Echizen versus Seigaku, Shuichiro Oishi and Eiji Kikumaru!" The umpire bellowed. "Match, officially starting!"