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Chapter Text

Shadowed Tensai

01:

Nothing changed.

Ryoga thought that if all of them, meaning the Echizen family were to return to Japan, his brother would return to his usual annoying cocky self. He thought a change of environment and scenery would help his brother well. He wanted to see his brother be the arrogant brat he knew from before, if only to confirm that his brother was all better now.

It was probably wishful thinking on his part because Ryoma still continued to be his anti-social self even with being in a different country.

He hadn't been with the Echizen Family for a few years now since his Maternal Aunt got custody of him and he was taken from the Echizen Household but he hadn't lost contact with them, especially with his half-brother. He had already seen Ryoma as the brother he wanted ever since he met him and he wasn't going to cut all of his connections with his father's family, not even if his aunt forbids him.

Ryoma had absolutely zero interest in tennis at first and only played because he apparently wanted to defeat their father. That Oyaji probably harassed Ryoma again and trashed him again and again when his brother finally caved in to their father's requests and whines of playing because his brother had that pissed off look when he demanded that he teach him tennis.

Ah, how they bonded with the sport. Ryoga classified his brother as a genius tennis player the more he began teaching and playing with Ryoma. He had such potential that would make any tennis player green with envy. It was amusing though how Ryoma also made him one of the people in his list to defeat and how he always thought he was no good with the sport just because he couldn't seem to win against either him or their father.

He had once entered his brother in a street tennis tournament just so Ryoma would know his strength. Suffice to say he beat all of his opponents in singles with ease. He already knew that would happen. Roma was just that talented. Only a year and half since he was taught and he could probably already join the tennis professional with constant practice.

He had thought his brother would be pleased with his win. But that wasn't the case. Instead, Ryoma became a tad angry at him because he thought he had something to do with how smoothly he managed to win his matches.

He could only shake his head at Roma's stubbornness.

Speaking of that match. That was really amusing, especially how he taunted his opponents just to get a rise with them so that they would play with him seriously and not mind what he had supposedly told them when he hadn't even said anything to his brother's opponents. The taunts and cocky attitude had been a strategy Ryoma employed at first to get his opponents off guard and to stop them from underestimating him. He said that anger was often a good motivation. He even told him this with full confidence. But it seemed it got carried into his personality.

Really not surprising considering Ryoma already had an annoyingly wit mouth.

He wasn't really supposed to come with them to Japan since his guardian forbade him but he didn't budge. He had purposely infuriated his Aunt to the point that she allowed him to be with his brother and father in Japan because he didn't want Ryoma to be left alone. How his father laughed at his red-faced aunt when she came to the Echizen House and left him there without saying a word. Sure, his brother had their father, Aunt Rinko and Nanako but all of them also couldn't get him to have fun like before.

And he couldn't leave him like that. Ryoma was his half-brother after all. His brother that he had sworn he would protect.

He stared at his little brother reading a literature book at one of the chairs inside their living room from the place he was sitting and shook his head lightly, his hair following his movement.

Before, every free time of Ryoma meant playing tennis either with him or their father. It was hard to even get him to rest for a bit at times. Not only does he have the drive and goal in mind but he also love tennis as well after learning and having fun playing with it. And he already told this, he was good at it and was improving rapidly to the point that he managed to get a 2 point score with him and their father the last time they played with Ryoma still wanting to defeat them, which previously he cannot even do, let alone score a point with them. Ryoma Echizen is the shining example of Tennis Prodigy.

Now, he spends most of his time reading books or playing with Karupin. It's disheartening to know his brother didn't play tennis as he usually did anymore. His talent would not grow at this rate.

He knew Ryoma still loved the sport and still played it from time to time. But he didn't spend time playing it like he usually did before. He didn't have that competitive spark in his eyes anymore. He just... played. It's infuriating that he couldn't do anything to bring back that spark once again.

"Chibisuke!" he called. Ryoma raised his head from the book he was reading to look at him straight in the eye, inquiry evident in his gaze.

"Nii-san?" Ah, that polite way of speaking is infuriating too, he thought but still it made the corners of his lips to rise up even as he tried to suppress it. But damn, he liked hearing it from his usually cocky brother. It made him feel wanted for reasons he couldn't quite explain.

"Let's sightsee!" he raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner that had Ryoma's left eyebrow raising up in return, confusion evident in his eyes before it lit in understanding. He then scoffed at him lightly.

"Flirting didn't mean sightseeing." Ryoma promptly replied and went back to reading his book. Ryoga scowled at his impertinent brother. His brother might have become an anti-social and shut-in, his arrogance might have been gone with his polite tone changing it, but he became even wittier with his comebacks, sarcastic and a smart ass to boot.

It's like he just changed his attitude and that he was still the same personality-wise, that he was okay when deep inside he was not.

He heard a soft giggle and turned his head to look at the door to see Nanako's eyes giggling merrily at him, with her hand covering her mouth delicately.

"Nanako!"

"He got you there Ryoga-san."

"He did not!" he said indignantly, which in turn made Nanako and Aunt Rinko, who had been in the living room also reading a book to giggle and Ryoma to scoff. He scowled.

Why did it feel like he became an entertainment within the Echizen Household?

At that instant, their father, Nanjirou Echizen walked inside the living room from the bedroom with a large yawn, eyes droopy and still groggy from sleep with his bathrobe still on and a towel on his wet hair.

"Rinko, is the food ready?" he asked with a large yawn again. Ryoga didn't know how Aunt Rinko did it but he was suddenly in front of his father and hand whacked him on the head with the book she was holding. His father yelped and was hopping in circle while holding his head protectively. Ryoga and Ryoma as one snickered with his brother doing it softly while Nanako hid her giggle behind his hand.

"You just woke up and didn't even greet me!"

"Aw, Rin-chan I'm hungry!" his father whined. Like a kid. Seriously.

"Get hungry then!"

"Rinkoo! I have to go to Seigaku after this. Come on baby..."

All of them stopped and stared at him. "What are you going to do there?" Aunt Rinko asked.

"I'm going to enroll Ryoma there of course. He's going to be a First Year in Middle School right now. He have to attend school!" his father said in conviction.

He stared. That Oyaji. Did he even asked Ryoma for this? Did his brother agreed? Or was this only his decision?

"Tou-san, I don't want to attend school." Ryoma said, his voice clear in the silent house. As one, Ryoga, Rinko and Nanako's face turned to look at the youngest person in the house. Ryoma's book was now on his lap and he was staring at his father, ignoring them and not giving in the fact that he was aware everyone was looking at him.

Or probably didn't care.

"You will Ryoma. You need to interact with kids your age. It's not good for you to be Homeschooled once again." Was Nanjirou's unusually calm reply devoid of any mischief, his tone that of serious one. It was rare seeing the Head of Echizen Household to be that serious that they all shut up. Ryoma just watched his father before standing up and, taking his book with him, bowed to them before going to his room, closing it softly and gently.

They all stared at the closed door before Ryoga looked at his father intently. Nanjirou gulped at the look he received. He normally wasn't nonplussed at the looks he sometimes received from both his sons since he had received worse, but with Nanako looking at him with intense questioning gaze and Rinko's disapproval stare, he gulped. Somehow, the combination of emotions in the three's eyes were scarier than anything he'd ever received.

"A-ah..." he inwardly cursed when the only thing that came out of his mouth was a nervous stutter. Damn, he's a grown man already! Why did he have to act like a grade school student who got scolded by his terrifying mother?!

"Nanjirou..." Rinko started, her voice clearly stating her displeasure. He immediately spoke to avoid getting nagged by his headstrong wife. She may have become calm and gentle with motherhood but she reverts to being a fierce woman when being in a protective mode with her family. But she was especially protective of Ryoma, all of them were so he could quite understand what she was feeling. Still...

"He needs exposure." He stated clearly with no tone for budging. He stared at all of them calmly. "At this rate, he would become a recluse all his life and would be afraid of human contact outside the house and family. I don't want that to happen." There were still many reasons why he thinks it's best for their youngest to attend school but he thought that he didn't need to say anything more. Looking at their faces lit with understanding, though there were some reluctance in their part, it's already enough. Even he had some reluctance and reservation with his plan but he had to do it, if only to help their youngest to be better than he was now.

And also, he really didn't want that brat's brilliance in tennis to be a waste. Seigaku was the best school who had a winning streak aside from Rikkaidai Fuzoku. He didn't want Ryoma to go to the other school since it's from a different prefecture and he didn't want to see Ryoma competing against his alma mater, if ever he wanted to join the tennis club.

"Oi Oyaji, you have that calculated look in your eyes. You have other ulterior motive didn't you?"

He just gave his eldest son a shit-eating grin. One that received him a whack on his head by his dear wife, a narrow-eyed concern from Nanako and a dark glare from Ryoga.

'This day would not be a good one', he thought.

TBC.

A/N:

My first ever Pot fanfic. Don't hate.

So, how was this? Any help would be accepted. :)

Chapter Text

Shadowed Tensai

02:

Ryoma didn’t speak for days.

He didn’t mind, not really. It was better this way than to speak. What’s the point? It’s not like they would listen to him anyway.

He didn’t want to study in a school. He didn’t want to be with kids his age. He wanted to stay there inside their house. He didn’t like home tutoring but he would take that than going out there.

He didn’t want to socialize. It’s that simple to understand.

Well, it seemed like his father didn’t seem to think so. He voiced his unwillingness to go. He stated his opinion on something that affected him. Something that he should have a say since it was about him. Something that his they should have listened to.

But he didn’t.

They didn’t want to.

So there was no point speaking. If he spoke, he knew he would say things that would hurt his family, he was sure of that. Anger often clouds someone’s mind and was likely to say things they would regret later. He was no exception.

And he didn’t want that. Despite how much he didn’t like his father for deciding something without even telling him in advance, at least persisting and convincing him for even months before he sprung his decision like that and never even thinking about what he would feel, and how the rest of his family agreed with his father – however reluctantly – without even telling him said reason and only making him quiet even more, they were the people who he loved the most.

They were family. The ones who had always been there for him however much they disagreed at times. They weren’t a perfect family. They didn’t always get along. They didn’t always laugh and had a good time. They weren’t always happy with each other. They weren’t a ‘normal’ family. They were kind of dysfunctional. But despite that, he didn’t, wouldn’t want them hurt. Because they were his and he was theirs. They were the people he love the most.

So he kept quiet.

He didn’t speak.

Until he had to go to the so-called school his father enrolled him in.

. . . . .

“I’m going,” he said in an even tone of voice, not acknowledging the gasp and the sigh he heard from behind him where his mother and cousin sat probably looking at him with that worried expression on their faces. They had that ever since he refused to talk.

The day his father all on himself decided he would go to school.

Really selfish of him.

He slid the door closed and walked towards the gate, not acknowledging his father dressed very alike the garb of a monk giving him an “Enjoy kiddo!” words with a grin on his voice. He didn’t react to the words nor even looked at him.

He was still quite angry with his father.

He closed the gate and was already walking towards Seishoun Gakuen, was already a few houses away from his when a car screech and a car’s honk caught his attention.

He turned to look behind him and saw his brother’s car already almost beside him. The windows on the car went down and his brother’s expectant smile was what he saw.

“Yo chibisuke! Let me give you a ride.”

He blinked before looking in front of him again and started walking, ignoring his brother altogether. The car that was following his walking pace honked again, making him sigh and look at his brother again.

Ryoga-nii looked determined at him, not taking no for an answer. He sighed again before he gave a reluctant nod. His brother’s face lightened up as he smiled a little wide before opening the front car seat door and gesturing him.

He sat down, closed the door, wore the seatbelt and then looked determinedly on the window.

There was silence inside the car. It was probably about a minute before his brother spoke.

“Ryoma,” due to the rarity of his name coming out of his brother’s mouth, he snapped to look beside him. Ryoga-nii was looking on the road intently and didn’t look at him, but his face and his voice earlier was serious so he decided to just continue looking at his brother.

“I know Oyaji decided things on his own without saying anything beforehand,” his brother’s voice sounded a little annoyed at that and he couldn’t help but roll his eyes a little at those words. ‘Yeah, selfish of him to decide things on his own,’ he grumbled to himself. “And I know how you feel about that. I am quite annoyed as well. But I think what he decided was good,” his brother looked at him for a bit as the car slowed down before he returned his attention back on the road.

“How is this good?” he asked rather calmly. Ryoga-nii was perhaps the only one who approached him about this and told him about what he thought of this arrangement honestly. Mama really only told him that his father was probably only looking out for him and perhaps it was a good decision. Cousin Nanako only really fussed on him worriedly since he never spoke those times.

Both women in his life was worries for him but they never really told him their honest opinion on this. And his father? ‘Pfft. Forget it.’

Only Ryoga-nii did, right now. So he might as well listen and participate.

“You need exposure to kids your age Ryoma. You need to socialize more. You need to go out there and be a kid. I don’t like seeing you like this. I don’t want to see you down the path of loneliness. There is so much in this world Ryoma. So much that you could learn and share. I hope with this as a start, you would regain yourself,”

Ryoma was quiet. He found himself opening and then closing his mouth. He wanted to interrupt his brother’s speech, his brother’s words but he couldn’t. Despite not wanting to hear it, he knew they were true.

He wanted to say that he didn’t need to regain himself, that he was like this. He wanted to say that he wasn’t lonely and that he would be fine being like he was.

But he knew they were false. A lie. And he didn’t want to lie, especially in front of Ryoga-nii’s honesty.

The car slowed and then stopped, making him blink his eyes in confusion before looking at the window. He saw the words ‘Seishun Gakuen’ beside the gate and knew that he was already in front of his new school.

“Well, here we are. Go on and make friends brother,” he snorted at those words before opening the door, getting out of the car and closing it firmly. His brother looked at him through the open window and gave him a grin. “Study well and find a good club chibisuke. Seigaku requires every student to attend clubs,” he said before he drove away.

He shook his head and walked inside the school. And then stopped. Club a requirement? Entering a school club? He narrowed his eyes as he remembered the shortened version of his school his brother said.

Seigaku. Wasn’t that the school his father attended before? The one where he mostly played tennis before going to US?

Was his father hoping he would attend Tennis club?

“Amateur,” h mumbled to himself before walking again.

If so, then his father didn’t really knew him that well. Or at least, the current him.

Because just like he had said in the US, he didn’t want to play tennis ever again.

. . . . .

“Nanjirou, no matter how skillful Ryoma was, if he didn’t want to enter, then he couldn’t be a part of this team,” Ryuusaki said, massaging her forehead as she felt an incoming headache. Talking to Nanjirou always gives her that kind of feeling.

“Then make sure he would join,” Nanjirou said, as if he thought it was a simple solution to the problem she presented earlier.

She sighed and rested fully on her chair with the telephone still on her ear.

“Don’t make me feel like wanting to hit you with a tennis ball again Nanjirou. Use that brain of yours. I couldn’t force a student to enter my club. That would be against the free-will code of the school on choosing clubs. And even if it was possible, I wouldn’t. If he didn’t want to, then do not force him,” she blew a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Talking to Nanjirou about this topic is seriously starting to make her frustrated.

He couldn’t seem to understand!

She heard a sigh on the telephone before Nanjirou spoke again, voice sounding a little weary than before.

“I wouldn’t if he didn’t need it. But that kid is being a pain more so now than before. He’s completely different than before. It was like he was on the other side of the spectrum right now. He need to return, at least feel the normal routine he had before. If this continues, he will spiral down the world of being alone and I don’t want that to happen to him,”

She didn’t speak, giving his previous student enough time to compose himself before speaking again, “He’s still a kid. He could still change,”

“I hope so,”

Someone knocked on her door so she covered the phone on her hand before saying “Come in!” and then talking to the phone once again. “I need to go,”

“Alright,”

“Talk to your wife about your troubles Nanjirou. Rinko could help you deal with your son more than I could,” she didn’t wait for a reply and just put the phone back down before she looked at the man sitting in front him.

It was Inoue Mamoru from Monthly Pro Tennis. And he was looking at her with a disturbing shine in his eyes.

“Were you talking to Echizen Nanjirou, Ryuusaki-sensei?” he asked rather eagerly. Seeing that expression in an adult, particularly in someone she had known to be level-headed at some way was kind of disturbing. But well, if it was about Nanjirou, it really was no wonder. Inoue was a fan of him.

“Well, yes. He called to ask about something,” she just said. Inoue had that excited glint in his eyes as he gave her a copy of the Monthly Pro Tennis magazine.

“We have some special coverage about him here, Ryuusaki-sensei,” hearing the urging in his voice, she decided to look through it.

And sure enough, right there was a coverage about his previous student. And it was full of enthusiasm.

“I was in-charge of writing that article,” Inoue said rather proudly.

“Couldn’t you have written this in a calm manner? This has bias written all over it!” she couldn’t help but exclaim. The comments were rather enthusiastic and it was clear that it was written by a hard-fan of Nanjirou. His ex-student would really like to read this.

“I don’t mind,” he said vehemently, slamming his hands on her desk and making her startled at the abrupt movement and sound. She grimaced at the excited enthusiasm in Inoue’s voice. Nanjirou-fan, this one.

“Tennis was really something back then. I was an especially big fan of Echizen Nanjirou,” ‘That’s quite obvious.’ She told herself.

“Echizen, huh?” she looked back at Inoue who looked like he was having a trip back to the past.

“He was called the ‘Samurai from the Land of Sakura’. His shot at that time was perfect and fast!” and then he seemingly deflated. But the enthusiasm in his voice didn’t diminish. “He retired at a young age. But he could have reached the top of the world if he just played for a couple of years. Even a Grand Slam wouldn’t have been just a dream,” she stood up and went towards the window behind her chair, leaving the over-enthusiastic Nanjirou article on her desk as she looked at the tennis court below her.

“Yeah, he could’ve,” ‘but he didn’t,’ she thought. And she understood. Kind of. Being a parent changes a person’s point of view after all. Their children are more important than anything else. And even if Nanjirou was a skirt-chasing player and kind of irresponsible at times, he was still decent.

And she knew that choosing to be a parent than his dreams was something Nanjirou never regretted.

TBC.

A/N:

Got another update here. Just a filler. But at least Ryoma’s already in Seigaku. Now, how to make him join the club…

Review?

Chapter Text

Shadowed Tensai

03:

Attending school was boring.

It was a good thing he managed to be a part of the library staff as a volunteer. Ryoma didn't mind being in the library after class. He liked reading after all. He had already talked to his adviser and asked if being a part of the library staff could be considered as him entering a club. It wasn't at first because apparently, it was a volunteer work for students with three strikes against their adviser.

But he insisted and had pointed out that he was also volunteering and wanted to treat his being in the library to help as a club and that other 'volunteers' could still be appointed there and that there was no harm.

Thankfully, his adviser agreed.

So now, he didn't have to look for a club to join since he already had one.

It was already a few weeks since the start of his freshmen middle school years and his life was monotonously, mind numbingly the same as every day. It was starting to annoy him. He wanted to at least have some change in his routine.

Yes, this was something he had wanted. And he knew it would be boring. But not to this point!

He stared at the list of books he was supposed to get before looking for the tile he would need that he knew was located on the shelf in front of him.

Unfortunately, it was located above. And with his unfortunate short stature, he couldn't reach it. He tiptoed to get it and was irritated when he only managed to touch the shelf and not the book.

He blew his hair out of his eye and continued reaching said book to no avail. He wanted to groan in frustration. When he tried again, he felt a presence closing in on him before a hand took the book he wanted out of the top shelf he was trying to get. He looked behind him and saw a man with brown hair and close eyes – who walks around with their eyes closed? – giving him a smile.

"You need this book?" he asked softly. He blinked before he nodded and took the book offered to him.

"Thanks," he said lowly before he put the book on the cart he had with him. He walked to the other shelf again to take a few books that he was certain was put there. But he stopped when he saw the man who helped him earlier was there following him. He looked at the other in confusion, tilting his head a little in question.

"You're a first year right?" he nodded, not seeing the harm in answering the quite obvious answer to the question. "Don't you have a club?" he blinked before he shrugged and read the title of the last books he had to take and bring in the counter.

"This is my club,"

"The library?" he nodded absentmindedly, stroking and reading the spine of the books and taking the few that he needed. He put them on the cart and pushed it towards the counter. There, he's finished. He could go home.

"I didn't know being in the library is considered as part of the club," the man commented. He just shrugged and did his best to ignore the other. He catalogued the books, put them on the shelves behind the counter and list on the librarian's desk before he took his bag on his locker inside the library and walking out, ignoring the man's "See you!" behind him.

He didn't even knew him.

. . . . .

"How was school chibi?" his brother asked. Ryoma only lifted his head from the assignment he was doing to look at his brother for a couple of seconds before returning back to doing his work.

"Fine,"

"And your club?" he continued casually. Almost immediately, he rolled his eyes at the question. Couldn't they inquire with subtleties? If this was how they pointedly ask if he attended the tennis club, they might as well just ask him straight.

But then again, he didn't speak much, even less before his father told him he had to attend the school he chose without his consent.

Yeah, he's still sore about that.

"Library," he grunted.

"Library?" his brother's voice sounded confused and bewildered. He didn't care to analyze why. "I thought there's no library club?"

"There isn't," he answered. Ryoga-nii voiced out his confusion but he didn't speak again.

Let them get around that fact.

. . . . .

"You're here again," the brown haired student from a few days ago said with a greeting. This time, he had someone with him. A gentle looking man that looked curious at whom his companion was talking to.

He didn't speak. He just grunted.

"Fuji?" the other student asked. Now, he had a name with the nosy one.

"Oh! Oishi, this first year is a member of the library club,"

"Library club?" the 'Oishi' guy repeated. "We don't have a library club,"

"Hmm… maybe it's new," Fuji suggested.

He left them alone there on the counter and walked towards the part where a few books where left on the tables. Really, couldn't the other students see the sign? It was written there on the door before they could come in and even around the corners of the library. Return the book back to its proper place. Is that so hard to do?

"What's your name by the way?" Fuji's voice suddenly called his attention. He glanced behind him and saw the two was already there looking at him. It seemed they followed him.

How annoying.

"Echizen Ryoma," he just answered. He figured if he did, they would leave him alone. But they didn't. They just followed him around as he did his job.

"Hi Ryoma-kun," his left eyebrow twitched at the casual and familiar use of his first name. As if they were already friends, or even knew each other for a long time. "I'm Fuji Syuusuke and my companion is Oishi," he didn't speak. In fact, he ignored them. He had more important things to do than make friends.

"You don't like to talk don't you?" Fuji commented. Still, he didn't speak. If he already noticed that, why was he being pestered still?

"We should just leave Echizen-kun Fuji. He seemed to have a lot to do," Oishi said, nodding at him politely.

"Hmm…"

He pointedly ignored them as he continued to collect the scattered books around. Perhaps they'd get a clue and leave right at that moment?

But it seemed Fuji didn't want to as he had to be pulled consistently by Oishi. Still, he could feel his eyes at his back.

He wondered what the brown-haired teen found interesting in him.

. . . . .

"Did you even visit other clubs?" Ryoga-nii asked while they were eating dinner.

He noticed how the table became silent and how they looked at him in anticipation. He wondered why that was.

"No,"

He heard his father sighed and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his pervert of a father.

He sounded exasperated and tired. Good. He deserves it for not even consulting him of his choice. He would drive his father mad one of these days.

. . . . .

"Why do you always come back here? I never thought you'd be a book person Fuji," Oishi commented as they studied for their quiz later that afternoon at one of the alcoves that could not be seen immediately if others entered the library.

They've been coming there for almost every day now and Oishi was curious why. He wouldn't have been here that constantly if it weren't for Fuji dragging him there.

And he seemed to always be looking at that first year who somehow became a part of the library staff and made this as his club. That Echizen Ryoma. Fuji looked really interested with the other especially when he knew his name.

Even he was getting interested. The first year's name seemed to tug something familiar in the back of his mind.

"I'm wondering if he was Echizen Nanjirou's son," Fuji admitted, his closed eyes opening with his piercing blue orbs looking at the boy for a few seconds before closing them again.

"Echizen Nanjirou?" he asked, confused. Yet the name made him feel like he should have known about that particular name.

"The Samurai from the Land of Sakura,"

Bing!

He remembered now! About an article he had read that was on their coach's table.

"That famous person," he clarified. Fuji nodded. "If he was…"

"I wonder if he would also be brilliant in tennis,"

Oishi frowned, not liking the contemplative expression on his friend's face.

"Fuji," he warned lowly. Fuji looked at him mildly. "Don't do anything rash,"

"I wouldn't," he assured. Oishi still looked suspicious but dropped it.

'I wouldn't be rash anyway…'

A/N:

Another chapter! Whoa! I'm on a roll! I updated Death Meister, Of Magic and Death, Changing Perception and this just this week! I'm so happy. But then school starts and updates will be delayed. So sorry.

Still, I'm here! What do you think? Oh! And thanks for the suggestion magicanimegurl (in ffnet). You gave me good plot bunnies to work here.

Review?

Chapter Text

Shadowed Tensai

04:

Echizen Ryoga grinned when the older woman in front of him sighed tiredly, rubbing her forehead as if trying to stop the incoming headache from further giving her pain.

"And you are okay with this?" she asked. He nodded rather excitedly.

"Of course!" he agreed. "And I think, this could be the perfect opportunity to have my little brother at least hold a racket," he added.

Ryuuzaki Sumire, coach of the Seigaku Tennis Club sighed for the third time again. She read the letter his father wrote earlier that day to give to the woman as his resume was left there in her desk.

Ryoga didn't need to read the letter to know what was in there.

Help for his little brother and a plea to accept him as an assistant coach. Well, probably not that way since he couldn't see his father pleading but he got the gist of it.

After all, all of them were quite worried for his little brother's reclusive self nowadays.

If holding a racket and playing tennis would help him, he would do anything in his power to get Ryoma to play the sport he loved before. Even if his brother was rather adamant in letting tennis go from his life.

He knew it was perhaps presumptuous of him to think this but he truly believed that his brother only let tennis go because of his anger and disgust on what happened to him back in the US while he played there.

Just thinking about it made him clench his hand tightly to suppress the urge to smack someone else in anger.

Jealousy really is an ugly thing. It's why he never allowed the emotion to overwhelm him in any situation he found himself in. He only had to remember the result it had on his brother to sober him up when he was being overwhelmed by it to come back to his senses.

"What's to say that Ryoma-kun would even play with you as an assistant?" she asked, holding the letter in just one hand as she stared at him intently.

"He won't, not yet at least," he amended. He knew that. Ryoma wasn't about to play just because he was there as an assistant coach in his school's tennis club. He's probably even see through it and know almost as soon as he knew that he's working there that there was an ulterior motive behind his employment.

The ploy did smell like his father.

"But he would at least check the tennis club out because I'm there. He never went since he came into this school am I right?" when Coach Ryuuzaki nodded, he smiled sadly. He expected that, but it just didn't expel the sadness he felt seeing the confirmation. "I know he would come even if it's just to see me,"

And he knew Ryoma would. Even without tennis as their bonding time, they still get along rather well. The two of them were close than the quite usual situation where a legitimate and illegitimate child lived together in the same roof. He wouldn't be pleased but he would come for him.

"That's all I want him to do at the moment. Just to see the court and watch the plays again. I just want to evoke his passion for tennis before anything else,"

"And if that passion never returned?"

He sighed before staring at the tennis court just outside the Coach's office that could clearly be seen on the office's window.

"Then, I have no choice but to let it go."

. . . . .

Ping!

Ryoma reached for his phone as he was finally allowed to leave the library. He stopped walking though when he saw that it was a message from his brother.

'Meet me in the tennis court in your school okay? I will be waiting for you~'

He narrowed his eyes when he read the text before replying.

'I'm busy.'

Ping!

'How could you just make your brother wait like that? You have to come! Besides, mom said we should come home together'

Ryoma sighed before pocketing his phone again, not bothering to reply and just walked away from the entrance gate towards the direction of the tennis court. He hoped he was in the right way since he never had gone looking it - what good would it do? He already quit tennis ages ago - and was just relying on what he could remember from the tour he got before.

If it was up to him, he wouldn't be coming within a mile of the club but that's impossible so he just tended to stay away. Now though he couldn't because his stubborn older brother was forcing him to go by using mom as some sort of leverage. He didn't know if what Ryoga-nii texted was the truth or not and he'd rather not risk it. So off he went.

He leaned into a tree where he could clearly see every one of the members of the tennis club practicing. First years swinging their racket and counting while second and third year members were practicing - sloppily at that. Are they aspiring regulars? They wouldn't even make a cut. They have no proper technique. Their body coordination sucks and their stamina wouldn't even last for a third set of scores.

Some of the regulars though - or what he assumed as regulars since they wore different uniforms - were admittedly incredible. They have good moves, good body coordination, the technique, speed, and even charisma. Even their training was good. In fact... their training looked a little familiar...

'Meet me in the tennis court in your school okay? I will be waiting for you~'

Now, that text message made sense. His brother is probably there helping them. Coaching them…

Immediately, he turned back to the way he was before, walking just a little bit faster to get out of there.

He didn't want to see or even know what other plan his brother has in store for him.

. . . . .

He ignored his brother when he finally arrived home with a sulky look. He just continued sitting there on the living room playing with Karupin.

"You didn't come!" his brother exclaimed. He didn't answer. "Ryomaaaa… I waited for you there!"

"I don't want to know what plans you have nii-san. And I don't want to be caught with them," he then stood up, ignored his brother's indignant look, his father's disappointment and his mother's concern. He just walked towards his room with Karupin following him silently.

He closed the door of his room and sat heavily on his bed.

"Meow…" hearing that soft sound, he looked at Karupin nuzzling his feet and took him from the floor, settling him on his lap and petting his head. Karupin mewled while looking up at him as if questioning him. He chuckled lightly.

"Don't worry about me Karupin. I'm fine,"

Said cat settled on his lap as if he was reassured. Ryoma smiled.

. . . . .

"Ryoma-kun, do you know Ryoga-san?"

Ryoma didn't outwardly react, he only continued stacking up the books scattered around the library to file them back to their proper places. Fuji though was not deterred, he continued to follow him and ask the question, not stopping at all until he answer.

But he didn't. It was really none of his business.

"Hmm, are you going to continue ignoring me Ryoma-kun?"

He still didn't answer.

He glanced at nosy person though when he heard a 'hmmmm' sound and saw him looking at him with a wide, mysterious smile.

He felt like this Fuji character would bring him trouble more than anyone had given him.

Thankfully, he knew he could handle it whatever it was.

He wouldn't allow anyone to mess with his life without him allowing them. Especially not a stranger he wasn't even friends with.

. . . . .

"Class, our PE today will be tennis with some of the regulars overseeing us,"

The class erupted into cheers with even the girls screaming and shaking each other with excitement. Ryoma though felt his heart sinking.

He hadn't considered PE at all. He hadn't thought that it would change, which was stupid considering that PE changes whenever the teacher feels like it. They had been having basketball before and now it is tennis.

He couldn't refuse because he had promised his mother that he wouldn't skip any of his classes when he finally started studying in this school.

He couldn't also blame this with his family since he was sure they didn't have anything to do with this. He was sure because if his brother and father did meddle with his studies, they would be in trouble with mom. His mother might be mellow, but she could be scary when angered. And in the first place, they wouldn't even think of this arrangement. That's just the way they are. Only his mother would, but he knew she wouldn't as she wasn't like that, not with him.

With a heavy heart, he followed his classmates to the changing room.

He just have to endure this for the time being and hope that this wouldn't last for weeks.

. . . . .

Fuji's eyes opened up in surprise when he saw a certain student coming into the gym with the rest of his classmates wearing his usual indifferent expression on his face.

He was asked, along with Oishi, Tezuka and Inui to oversee the gym class that day as some of the classes for first years were apparently scheduled to do tennis for their class.

He hadn't known that Ryoma-kun's class would also be one of the classes they would oversee. His lips slowly curved into a smile while his eyes closed once again.

'This would be interesting,' he mused.

"What is it?" Fuji turned to look at his captain with his signature smile.

"Nothing Tezuka. I just thought this would be interesting for us,"

"Fuji, don't start with Echizen-kun," Oishi warned, looking at him with admonishment. He didn't say anything, he just widened his smile. Oishi sighed in exasperation.

"Echizen?" Tezuka asked quietly. Fuji nodded

"The one wearing a cap on his head, greenish hair and cat-like eyes," he described. Tezuka looked at the students who had the description Fuji told him and eventually zeroed in on the right person. He saw Inui taking his notebook out and scanning it.

"Hmm, Echizen looked familiar," he mumbled.

"Of course he would. He looked like Ryoga-san, Ryuuzaki-sensei's assistant coach," he said with a light voice. Oishi just shook his head while Tezuka didn't even bothered to reply, though his eyes did narrow a little as he looked.

"No… he looked familiar. Like I've seen him before…" Inui absentmindedly said while still flipping the pages of his notebook, obviously looking for something. Fuji looked at Inui intently.

"What do you mean?" the data analyst didn't answer and just continued what he was doing. Fuji waited along with the others. It wasn't a good idea to hurry Inui up while he was looking for something. A minute later, he closed his notebook while he pushed his glasses further into his eyes.

"It's no here. It's probably in my other notes. I'll have to look for it later,"

They all accepted that, though Fuji turned and narrowed his sharp, blue eyes on the first year student.

. . . . .

"So, Ryoma-kun. Looks like you know how to play tennis," Ryoma didn't flinch or jerk a little when the voice suddenly spoke behind him. He just glanced at the nosy person – his name is Fuji, he knew. But nosy person suited the other better in his opinion, so that's why he often than not call the other by that – for a second and turned to look back as two of his classmates played with each other in a singles match.

"It's just that you look bored while Inui was explaining about the mechanics of the game. You also looked like you already know about it and was confident holding your racket. No discomfort at all," he blinked before he just shrugged.

"You really are a quiet person, ne?"

'And you're annoying,' he couldn't help but think.

They were only the two of them there as he had immediately walked away from his other classmates to be alone and not have a gaggle of noisy people around him. He liked quiet thank you very much.

"Fuji!" both him and the nosy one turned to look at the person who called. Ryoma recognized the other. He was introduced as Oishi Shuuichirou back at the library. He looked exasperated as he came to them while he finally saw his classmates looking curiously at them. He resisted the urge to sigh.

"Don't bother the students if they didn't come to you," Fuji just smiled and graciously stepped away from his personal space as he was too close to his back. He gave a sigh of relief. Finally, he really didn't like other people casually getting close to him and disregarding his personal space.

"Sorry about that Echizen-kun," Oishi said to him. He nodded to show that it was alright and the other turned to look at the nosy one. "Tezuka called you,"

"Oh? Then I'd better go," Fuji waved a hand at them before walking away with Oishi following him after giving him a small smile.

Really, what was Fuji-senpai playing at?

"Echizen vs. Yoshiya!" his teacher called. He sighed and started walking towards the playing field, giving a curt nod to his classmate who gave him a sneer when the girls in their class started squealing for him to win. He sighed again and took his position without being prompt.

He could do this.

TBC.

A/N:

Next chapter is here~ what did you guys think about this?

Chapter Text

Shadowed Tensai

05:

Alright, so maybe he was too hasty when he had that thought because he clearly couldn't.

Just holding the racket, standing inside the court, looking at his opponent, seeing the ball, it made his eyes burn, chest pounding in a still unknown emotion. He tracked down the ball from his opponent's hands up to where it landed on his side, his body and hands twitching with ingrained reflex to move, to run where he knew the ball would land. It wasn't hard to predict anyway, what with Yoshiya's body already tilting towards where he wanted the ball to land, his swing exaggerating its movement and eyes already set towards his right.

Yet he didn't move. The ball sounded like an ominous thunder in his ear and his heart was beating fast. He just stared at Yoshiya – who gave him a triumphant smirk when he didn't take it. It made his blood boil in anger. Only, he couldn't do it. He was stuck just watching the ball as it came in slow motion and descended with a loud bang behind him.

Without looking, he knew it would be out. The distance of the noise of the impact of the ball was enough for him to know that.

"Out," he said simply, feeling himself to be in a daze.

"WHAT?! What do you mean it's out?! It's clearly in!" Yoshiya shouted at him with an angry face. He just stared at the other blankly.

"It's out by 10 inches," he just said.

"You weren't looking! How would you know?!" he demanded, raising his hand that held his racket in the air as he stomped towards him. As if in a trance, he watched those hand, the racket shaking above the boy's head, and Ryoma was reminded of that day, racket gripped by a furious hand, face looking at him darkly, coming towards him slowly like a sick slow motion movie, descending to him–

Prrrrrt!

"OUT!" someone shouted loudly, snapping his mind back into reality. He blinked his eyes rapidly, ignoring everything around him as he realized how tightly he gripped the racket on his right hand. His left hand rose and touched his neck just above his right shoulder before he shivered lightly. He slowly relaxed the hand holding the racket for a bit until his hand didn't feel cramp then dropped his left hand to his side before speaking again.

"I forfeit," there was an instant silence around the gym before it started back again.

"Echizen-kun?"

"Are you okay?

"Were you hurt?"

He didn't bother listening anymore to the fuss of his classmates and just stared at his professor – who was sitting beside some of the tennis regular players supervising - to hear what he had to say.

"Your grade for this activity will be failed Echizen,"

"I understand," he did. He just didn't care. Not at the moment. He knows his mom would be disappointed. He would just make it up to her later... when she talks to him about it... if she ever knows about it...

He just... He just can't.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

"Alright," his professor said with a sigh. Ryoma couldn't care less about that. He just walked towards where he put his bag earlier and sat on a bench a little away from everyone.

His hand is shaking, both of them.

He looked at them blankly, trying to calm them down. He succeeded, a little slower than he would have liked, but still fast enough unlike his attempts before while he was still in the US.

It's a lot easier to calm down away from there. A lot easier to push down those emotions, those overwhelming memories...

The blood...

That vicious force...

That racket descending onto him...

The numbing pain on his neck...

That body collapsing...

Stop it Echizen! He harshly told himself off. He wanted to slap himself, to pull his hair, anything to make him feel even just a little pain. Snap out of it.

Blessedly, he managed to calm himself down, to close a lid on those memories, the blazing turmoil he was feeling slowly but surely locked away again. Like he said, easier away from that place.

But he knows it would haunt him as long as he plays the game.

He won't ever be free if he doesn't let himself be free. He knew that much.

He just doesn't know how he could do it when just standing in the court is enough for all of it to attack his mind.

. . . . .

"Something is wrong with Echizen-kun," Fuji couldn't help but say, his eyes opened as he looked at the first year sitting a few seats away from his classmates. He had an air of wanting to be left alone. He narrowed his eyes at the other, feeling worried when he actually saw the first year's hands shaking when he opened them.

"What do you mean?" Oishi asked, voice sounding concerned as he looked at where Echizen-kun was sitting. Tezuka's eyes flickered to the student too, face impassive yet his eyes also asking.

"He's shaking..." he muttered.

That aloof and kind of sarcastic first year, someone who talks back to him and doesn't seem to be affected by him and his closed eyes, was now shaking, just from a single tennis play, that he never even managed to play properly. He didn't even do a single hit, never mind swaying the racket he was holding.

Yet there he was, looking at his own shaking hands.

"Echizen-kun..." Oishi mumbled in concern, his eyes zeroing in the now closed fist of the student. Fuji saw Tezuka's eyes narrowing on the first year with intense scrutiny for a few more seconds before his eyes flickered on his own left hand before fixing his gaze on the other students now playing.

"Tezuka...?" He asked. He couldn't help but question the movement of his eyes. It seemed significant.

"Leave him alone Fuji."

"I haven't approached him," he said lightly with his eyes now closed once again... yet, he added inside his mind.

"He needs to be alone, for the moment."

"What do you mean by 'for the moment'? Do you know something Tezuka?" Oishi asked curiously. Fuji turned fully to look at the captain.

"... I don't know anything."

There's a pause, Fuji's eye twitched. Either he knows something or he has suspicions. Tezuka can be incredibly perceptive.

"Leave him alone," was all he said.

Fuji's mind started running a mile. He just couldn't help thinking about it, especially with Tezuka putting his thoughts out for them. He rarely does that. The captain is a man of few words. He often times imagines that Tezuka as an old man even when he is still just a child, looking sternly at his parents as he demanded milk. It never fails to make him chuckle.

But his mind is currently being overrun by Echizen's strange mood. He couldn't help but wonder.

The way he stood in that corner, his hand holding the racket in his hand decisively, eyes staring straight ahead at his opponent, just a few signs that tell him all he needs to know. Echizen knows how to play tennis. Not only that, he has potential to be brilliant at it with how he had managed to know if the ball was out and the distance of it from the border.

He had wondered about it for some time now when he found out the name of the first year student using his volunteering in the library as his club activity - a first - was Echizen Ryoma. He already knew that name from their Assistant Coach, Echizen Ryoga since the man couldn't stop talking about his younger brother. No mention of playing tennis though so it lingered in his mind.

Echizen Ryoga is ridiculously good in Tennis, being able to play with Tezuka until they both tied and eventually won. Of course, he collapsed afterward, complaining how teens these days are monsters in their chosen field and that he hadn't played Tennis for awhile now. It's just natural really that he'd think the guy's brother plays too.

And it's curious how Echizen Ryoma never signed up to the tennis club, especially with his brother coaching there. He never even visited, not once.

He clearly knows the game by the way he acted around it. But he was sullen and his body language screams of reluctance and resignation and it implies that there is some sort of history in there.

History... Reluctance...

He stared at Tezuka and remembered how he looked at Echizen and then glanced for a second at his own left hand.

Tezuka's left hand never fails to evoke something fierce inside his heart. His friend is a genius in tennis, dazzling and absolutely brilliant especially when his passion ignites while playing a strong opponent.

But his left hand is still recovering. The hand that he uses to play to be at his very best. The hand that he cares for, and the one that is still, even two years from that incident, damaged.

Sudden realization rushed inside his brain.

That event hadn't dimmed Tezuka's passion in tennis. It did not even faze him. But it shook him up. Even strong-willed people have limitation.

Perhaps Echizen also had a traumatic experience that involves tennis. He did not know why he didn't think of this before but it is the only plausible answer.

Tezuka said to leave him alone... He remembered how he left Tezuka alone when he asked for it back when the incident happened. Not only did he not know how to comfort someone, he also thought Tezuka needed the time alone.

But he had a feeling that Echizen definitely cannot be left alone or he would deteriorate.

Perhaps I should go and talk to Ryoga-san?

. . . . .

Ryoma attended the rest of his classes without saying anything, only answering the questions of his teachers when he was asked. He isn't a genius but he studies and reads in advance before or after class while he waits in the library so he knows what the topic is all about

He came home silently and immediately went into his room, locking his door quietly. He changed his clothes before flopping face down on his bed. He then finally released a shaky breath.

His equilibrium still hasn't returned.

He felt soft fur on the side of his face and he opened his eyes to see Karupin looking at him. He gave a small smile. Karupin licked his nose softly.

He sighed before taking his car and cuddling with it, eventually falling asleep. He did not even hear his mom calling that dinner was ready or the incessant knocks on his door.

He slept uninterrupted.

TBC.

A/N:

A long wait. Sorry. Anyway, it's here. I know a lot of you wanted to smack me for being slow. Good thing you can't huh? Lol. I'm really sorry. Inspiration is needed for me to properly sit down and continue typing coz I'm lazy.

And I am sorry again but you'll have to expect the same rate of updating from me. 

Okay! Review guys! About this okay and not your grievances against me. Haha.