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

Part 26

He can't believe his eyes.... Fujiko and Ryumi are... practicing.

He imagined all kinds of things on his way to the courts, but this wasn't it. This raises a whole bunch of new questions; Since when, how, and why is Ryumi able to start playing again?

He observes her play and thinks something is really familiar about it, but he can't really put his finger on it. Whatever it is, she and Fuji are pulling off one heck of a long rally.

Suddenly his sharp eyes focus and a tiny twitch of muscle in Ryumi's leg and forearm and her form starts to shift. She only moves a little, but her stance is wound up like a spring before transferring that energy into the ball with a swinging backhand.

He watches the change in the spin of the ball, making it curve away from Fuji and slam into the outmost corner. Any further and it would have been out.

"Saa, where have you been hiding that?" Fuji questions her with a smile, relaxing his stance.

Ryumi grins in return. "I've had it all along. You would know if you even watched a single playback of one of my matches." she points out.

"Mh~? Are you planning to make me run then?" Fuji wonders, clearly interested to take it up a notch now the girl pulled that move on him.

Ryumi shrugs, chuckling. "One of us has too." she jokes.

Fuji matches her chuckle. "I'm going to have to pass. Maybe Eiji wouldn't mind though." he points out, making said boy stiffen a little from his spot beside the bleachers, just out of Ryumi's line of sight.

"Hm." Fuji muses. "Speaking of Eiji, I was wondering, why didn't you ask him to help you practice as well? You're really good friends aren't you?" he questions casually, making Eiji's eyes run to Ryumi, curious about the answer.

Ryumi pauses, before smiling wistfully. "Eiji... He's really nice." she starts, making Eiji flush a little. "He would take it easy on me I think. He just cares too much." she explains gently.

Eiji is tempted to scream that he wouldn't do that, wanting to be included in this, wanting to help, but before he does, he realizes she's probably right. He wouldn't take any chance in risking her getting hurt. Much to his dismay, he realizes he isn't the go to guy when it comes to this.

"So I'm not so nice then?" Fuji asks, pretending to look hurt, making Ryumi laugh.

She shakes her head. "No way. You're a sadist if I ever met any." she tells him.

Fuji's smile returns. "Well this sadist promised to go grocery shopping, so we have to cut this short." he announces.

Ryumi snorts. "Exactly my point. Well, I'm going to hit the showers then. See you Monday?" she asks, receiving a nod before she takes her things to the locker rooms.

Fuji stands there for a moment before turning towards Eiji, causing the boy to blink out of his stupor. He runs up to meet Fuji by the entrance of the court, an apologetic look on his face.

"I'm so sorry Fujiko! I was being stupid. Please forgive me!" he begs, putting his hands together and bowing his head.

"Saa~." Fuji starts with a devilish smile. "You were being stupid, but I guess love makes guys do stupid things. You're not special like that." he points out dryly, making Eiji pout and growl at the same time.

"But you're forgiven. It was an easy mistake to make, so I understand. But Eiji, are you going to tell Ryumi-chan now about how you feel?" he wonders.

Eiji pauses, thinking it over before smiling wistfully. "I'm going to talk to her, but I'm not going to tell her that just yet." he says, surprising Fuji.

"I don't want to get in her way. She's going to become an amazing tennis player again soon, I can just tell. If she's going to be a big player in the tennis world, then the only way for me to keep up with her and prove I'm the right guy, is to become a big player too. From now on, I'm going to work even harder." Eiji explains passionately.

Fuji finally nods after a moment, a gentle smile returning to his face. "I understand." he muses. "If one day you do tell her, and she returns your feelings, it won't just be you being the lucky one. Ryumi-chan will be too." he say earnestly.

Eiji blinks at his friend before looking away bashfully. "T-Thank you Fujiko."

"Saa, good luck." Fuji tells his friend with a reassuring pat on his shoulder before leaving him there to wait for Ryumi.

.........

Ryumi steps out of the locker room, her things packed up and ready to go, she halts however when she spots a lonely boy laying sprawled out on the bleachers, a breeze playing with his hair as he watches the leaves of the tree overhead dance in the sunlight

Ryumi watches for a moment before she can force her legs forward. She's a bit afraid. He now probably knows what she has been doing, or he will know as soon as he sees her bag.

She has been keeping this from him, despite him being one of her best friends. Heck, he is her best friend. He will be upset with her.

Finally she decides it's best to bite the bullet and closes in on him, sitting beside him, where his head lies. His large orbs catch her own as she looks guiltily down on him.

To her surprise he smiles. Rising to sit down beside her, he is the first to start talking, "You've been working hard. That's good." he states.

Ryumi needs a moment to reply, question in her eyes. "You're not mad at me for not saying anything?" she wonders.

He shakes his head gently. "No, I get it. You don't want people to worry right? And I would worry. But I saw you and I know I don't have to, so now, it's okay for me to know right?" he asks innocently, hoping he won't be excluded any longer.

Ryumi smiles happily. "Of course! I don't liking keeping secrets from people I care about, so now there is one less person to hide this secret from, I feel a bit better." she explains before turning to him with another apologetic look.

"But Eiji, I'm really sorry for excluding you and not spending more time with you. I made some silly excuses when I had practice with Fuji and I feel like I made a bad friend." she apologizes earnestly.

Eiji smiles softly at her in reply. "It's okay. Some things you can't do with me and that's fine. I'll support you whatever you d-... huh?!" he startles when he feels a pair of slim arms wrap around his shoulders.

"Thank you Eiji. I don't think there is a better friend for me out there." she mumbles in his shoulder.

Eiji blushes brightly. "A-ah, right! Don't you forget it, nya!" he exclaims, putting one arm around her to return the embrace.

Ryumi laughs at that before pulling away. "Ne, Eiji. Tennis makes me hungry. Let's go get some ice cream." she suggests.

Eiji grins in reply. "Alright! Ice cream it is! Last one there pays!" he calls, somersaulting right off the bleachers, landing nimbly on both feet.

"That's not fair!" Ryumi calls, hurrying down after him. Though she didn't have to because they walked side beside the entire way until they reached their destination where Eiji opened the door for her, thus sealing his fate.