Broken Strings (Prince of Tennis/ slow burn love story)

Part 2

"Tsch. That's the third time he's run off like that. Some friend he is." Momoshiro huffs annoyed, watching Ryoma take off like a wind hound for the third time that week. "What is that guy up to?"

Though Ryoma's focus returned, he's still a little more anti-social than usual and he stubbornly refuses to answer any questions as to why.

"He probably doesn't want to see your face anyone than he has to." Kaidoh tells him bluntly, making Momoshiro round on him.

"What was that Mamushi?!" he growls, shaking his fist at the other boy. Kaidoh's eye twitches and is about to rebuke, which is certain to result in another fight between the two of them, if it isn't for Eiji cutting in.

"Oi! Listen up closely!" he calls, jumping between the two of them with a big grin on his face. "Hear this nya! I heard the freshmen gossip about o-chibi meeting up with a girl nya! They overheard him talking to her on the phone!" he tells them excitedly, catching the other boy's attention.

Momoshiro balks at the thought. "You're kidding senpai!"

"Mh? What's going on? What are you so excited about Eiji?" Fuji asks, having overheard something and couldn't restrain his curiosity.

Eiji turns to him excitedly. "Ne, Fuji. Our o-chibi seems to be meeting up with a girl after practice. Secret romance!" he exclaims, nearly bursting in all his excitement as he pumps his fists in the air.

Fuji Syusuke cocks his head to the side. "Saa, that's very interesting."

"Hush! There he goes." Momoshiro shushes them as Ryoma departs from the changing room before making heading towards the school gates.

"Let's go!" Momoshiro calls, taking his bag and running after Ryoma.

"Hoi hoi! In pursuit! Come on Oishi!" Eiji grins before following Momoshiro's example after snatching his unaware friend with him.

Fuji smiles before calmly following after them, eager to find out the truth behind the rumors.

"Hm?" Inui perks up, seeing all his teammates but Kawamura and Kaidoh file out. He is about to follow them when Tezuka calls out to him.

"Inui. What have you planned for tomorrow's practice?" he asks, making Inui turn to Tezuka with raised brows, pointing after the others that just left, only to relent at the look his captain gives him.

"Good data lost." he mutters in dismay.

.........

"There he is!" Momoshiro says in a loud whisper as they quickly duck behind a corner of a building.

"Guys, I don't think we should do thi-." Oishi starts, only to be cut off by Eiji who gasps.

"Look, look. There is a girl with him. Waaah~. I can't see her face." he breathes, seeing Ryoma walk ahead with a slightly taller girl by his side. They can only see the back of her, and the only thing they can really see is that she has long dark hair, tied in a bow and draped over one shoulder. She is wearing a long skirt and a short-sleeved blouse.

Momoshiro grins proudly. "That bastard." he says in his own loving way.

They follow the two of them from a safe distance, trying to make as many observations as they can, but it bothers them that they just can't seem to see her face. They did at one time glimpse that her arm is in a cast though, making their curiosity grow.

For a moment, the two step outside an ice-cream shop and are surprised when the girl hands Ryoma some money before he disappears inside, only to come out a minute later with two milkshakes.

"Oi! Echizen, that is not courteous at all to have the lady pay on your date!" Oishi nearly shouts indignantly before he's dragged back by his friends who quickly shush him. Luckily they didn't seem to have heard. He really got into it after actually seeing the rumored girl exists.

Momoshiro sighs in dismay. "Typical. The guy doesn't know anything about dating." he says, shaking his head.

Somehow they end up at the public tennis courts and the two of them halt for a moment, seeming to talk before a nod of the girl's head signals their ascend up the stairs towards them.

The girl walks slowly and seems to struggle up the twenty steps leading to the courts, but luckily Ryoma doesn't appear dense enough not to see and reaches out a hand, wrapping it around hers and supports her on their way up.

Eiji's eyes seem to nearly roll from his sockets. "They're holding hands! Do you see that?! Eh? Do you guys?!"

"We see it Eiji." Fuji assures his excited friend. "We should follow before we lose sight of them." he suggests, seeing as the duo have reached the top and are walking off to the right together.

Once up there, they duck behind some bushes. They see the girl tug on Ryoma's sleeve, asking him something before they make to the bleachers next to the courts where a couple of random people are playing, where she sits down and Ryoma takes her empty beaker before seeming to go search for a trashcan.

The guys are all watching intrigued when the girl adjusts her position to sit comfortable, making her reveal the left side of her face to them.

"Kawaii onee-chan~." Eiji gushes, clasping his hands together dreamily.

"She looks older than Echizen, perhaps even a senior." Oishi notes with curiosity.

Momoshiro nods in surprise. "You may be right, that you may senpai. Maybe Echizen likes older girls. What do you think Fuji-senpai?" he asks, turning to look back at the upper-classman, only to find him gone. "Eh? Where did he go?"

Eiji gasps. "Look there!" he points, seeing Fuji ahead, walking straight over towards the girl.

"Fuji is going straight for the interrogation. Risky move." Oishi breathes, a little worried.

"Daring. As expected from Fuji-senpai." Momoshiro says, looking on intrigued as the boy sits down close next to the girl after seemingly asking her permission.