CHAPTER 5: Change of Heads

YUKIMURA RESIDENCE

"Thank you for the food." Yukimura uttered politely towards Rinko and went stood and gestured to go back to his room and further get ready. As always, Ryoma followed him as their rooms were just next each other.

As she watched the two children go upstairs, Rinko (now in her late 40s) sighed in exasperation. They forced those two to be home-schooled for a reason. They forced them to go back to school because what they planned failed miserably. And looking at them now, the situation didn't seem to be improving much.

Sure, the initial goal had been met. But things were moving a tad too slowly for her poor impatient little mind. If Yuko and her husband weren't too busy with their business they would help her watch over the kids, too. She was still reluctant letting the kids school in Japan, since a lot of problems—the reason why they moved to England in the first place—were still here.

But the other three who-was-not-her insisted, telling her this was the homeland the four of them were born in. They had to take their chances… for sentimental reasons.

Rinko shook her head. As a former lawyer, it wasn't something that sat by her so easily. But what could she say? She was outnumbered. Besides, she could hope her Ryoma would know how to handle it in case she would meet them again. She was born pretty stoic already, and being Seichii's bodyguard hardened that face.

She pushed the thoughts away. She would just have to hope for the best.

But then Rinko wondered if it was time to give those two a little push…

After all, the brunette was just itching to tell them the truth.

…

RIKKAI HIGH, A few hours later

It was, once again, lunch time in the green house. The team was as hyperactive as usual- with Kirihara and Marui being noisy, Yanagi introducing a new poisonous drink, and Jackal shaving his head at the corner hygienically far enough from them.

"Seems like I've been unknowingly taking Vitamin B Complex." Was all he said.

But in their midst… Ryoma remained apathetic.

Yukimura threw stares at the boy's eating figure, albeit instantaneous ones. He'd rather not have anyone else find out about his inner stirrings.

He cursed. These feelings just wouldn't go away no matter how hard he tried. The feeling of disgust, of course. How could he work with a bodyguard he disliked anyway? He mused and mused and mused.

He didn't realize that the thought of replacing him, which was always an option, never quite came to mind.

Until now, that is.

"…mura."

"Yukimura." He flinched and looked at the source. It was Yagyuu. His eyebrows was raised, obviously puzzled as to why he would be in a daze. He could sense another stare, an analytical one, and it would be either Ryoma or Yanagi. Or maybe even both.

"What is it?" he smiled that trademark angelic smile of his, hoping it would wave off any sort of prying questions.

"Are you alright? You looked a bit pale…"

"Ah. But I was born pale."

Yagyuu slightly shook his head. "What I mean was—"

"Saa…" Yukimura cut the gentleman off, making an eyebrow jerk by a millimeter. "What did you think of my suggestion?"

"Oh." Was all Yagyuu said and let out a piece of paper. He looked rather cautious, really. "I liked it." He said truthfully. Sanada's training regime was really good and well thought-out, he didn't thought anyone could improve it.

He handed it to Sanada, hoping he wouldn't get offended.

And as Yagyuu carefully watched the captain skim through the list, he couldn't tell. That stoic mask of his was truly hard to analyze, even after all this years. Only Yanagi, so far, was close to accurate when trying to decipher Sanada's miniscule change of mood.

Rikkai's gentleman just sighed and proceeded back to his meal.

…

Ryoma blinked. Did Seichi do that on purpose? It wouldn't be like him if he didn't know it would offend a prideful captain like Sanada. After all, he just came to the school and now he's dictating the training regime?

And yes, Seichi was dictating. Obviously, no one should refuse the bocchama especially since the suggestions were, indeed, good.

She looked at Sanada and frowned slightly. She would have to find a way to subtly apologize to this person. Like him, she too found it quite easy to read the other. Well, relative to Seichi anyway. It was hard to see through that mask after he started pushing her away.

Ironic, really… the master was being guarded against his own bodyguard.

She had always wondered why she was still in this job. Maybe he asked his parents to replace her behind her back? She shook her head. He wasn't that kind of person.

Then again… he had been avoiding looking at her for such a long time that a direct gaze was enough to make her stutter.

In any case, she forced her line of thought back to the subject at hand: Sanada. And how to apologize.

He was her friend, after all, it was an intuitive fact already. There was no way she could ask Seichi to apologize, especially when she was uncertain if he did it on purpose (which he probably did, since he could be quite sadistic when he was bored), so it would be left on her shoulders.

"I like it." Sanada said coolly, and went back to his food. "Let us use it. I'm curious to find what could have made you spend the effort?"

"Well, I thought it was time to strengthen your team a bit more especially since the only one left after you graduate well, needs improvement." He said 'non-offensively' as if it wasn't directed to a certain someone 'coincidentally' sitting right in his line of sight. This actually made a few of teh regulars cackle.

"Pfffttt-"

Kirihara gritted his teeth. "Grrr- Marui-senpai!" He yelled, since the red-head did not bother stifle the laugh and he was closest to him.

And so... another useless, and rather physical, bantering session ensued.

'Well, that was entertaining' she mused, watching the two with a frozen face albeit all the same amused eyes. 'Surely, that was enough for Seichi?'

And when she stole a glance towards her master, she had a feeling that was a very incorrect assumption.

…

*Later that day*

Yukimura Seichi watched over his new team as he walked by Yanagi (Yagyuu was playing with Niou). He was explaining to him in more detail the training regime they would implement the following week. He felt like the captain already.

Soon, on a side of a court, his eyes caught a glimpse of his body guard who was supposed to be with the freshmen and doing what the basic training they were supposed to do—not just standing around and getting approached by another boy.

"Echizen." Sanada called coolly, oblivious to his nearing presence. "Want to warm-up?" Yukimura paused his steps and gaped. 'That boy better say no for his own good.'

"No, thanks." Ryoma said. Good. "Essentially I'm still a freshman so I'd just pick up balls."

"It doesn't suit you."

"You think?"

Ryoma smirked, and Yukimura's eyes twitched.

"Those two get along well." Yanagi said, suddenly appearing from behind him. Yukimura was trained to be immune to surprises so he just looked at the closed-lidded boy with a serene expression that did not match the emotions inside his gut.

He smiled. "You don't say…?"

"Hai." Yanagi said, pretending not to hear that 'tone'. "For such reserved people, they opened up to each other quickly."

'I didn't ask for your opinion.' He muttered mentally and Yanagi smirked as if he actually heard it. Yukimura ignored him and headed to his body guard. But before he could be even a meter closer- a certain seaweed blocked his path.

"I challenge you to a match again, senpai!"

He sighed. "I'm not in the mood."

"I practiced a lot!"

"I doubt a day of practicing would do you any good." He said dismissively, eyes catching the two figures who seemed to have finally noticed them there- thanks to Kirihara's loud mouth.

"I will challenge you as many times as needed." Kirihara said eyes looking at him determinedly. "I will be number one- no matter what it takes!"

"Oh, you defeated him?" he asked, pointing at Sanada. Sanada remained impassive, but it was obvious he would listen to this conversation with analytical ears. Kirihara's back slumped by reflex.

"…no."

"How can you be so sure you'd be number one if you beat me?" Kirihara gulped, intentionally avoiding the captain's stare. Yukimura smirked- feeling especially sadistic that day. "Who do you think is stronger, hm?"

"Is that a challenge?" A familiar voice suddenly seemed closer.

"B-Buchou!"

Yukimura caught Ryoma's stare from behind him. He couldn't tell. That almost invisible curling of his eyebrows…

Was he worried? But then Yukimura mentally grimaced at a thought.

Worried for whom, exactly?

"I'm curious. Are you taking it as a challenge Sanada-kun?"

"It depends. You seem to have a predisposition in being vague." He said stoically, but Yukimura couldn't help but feel insulted. Why did he get the feeling that he meant a lot of things by saying that?

"I do?" he feigned innocence. "Well, that's unfortunate."

"But I had the impression you would immediately take it as so." Yukimura smiled and looked at Sanada, who remained stoic- the intimidation that he felt untraceable. "Why are you hesitating?"

And Sanada only frowned.

…

The courts bustled with people, forcing the regulars by the court's sidelines. Not that they didn't prefer it that way, of course.

Kirihara puffed his cheek as he was supposed to be on one of the sides of the courts right now when he felt someone poking his shoulder.

"Who do you think will win?" It was Niou- wearing a familiar grin. Kirihara knew that look.

"How much?"

"At least Five thousand yen each." Kirihara's eyes widened at the huge sum and calculated (no, he was not good at math) how many weeks it would cost him. He then stared at Yanagi and Yagyuu.

"W-What's the percentage, senpai?"

"I say 50-50."

"Whoa."

"The bocchama's that good?"

"Probably better."

"I go with Yukimura then." Niou said immediately and Kirihara frowned at him.

"How low-"

Yagyuu's eyeglasses, on the other hand, shimmered. "Your fate in buchou is disappointing, Niou."

"I'll bet for the captain." he then added a second later.

"Che. How loyal…"

"I'll bet for Yukimura." Yanagi said and frowned at his team's stare. "What? This is only a battle of abilities. It doesn't mean anything else."

Marui blinked and took a few bills from his wallet. "Yukimura." And for some reason, the boy blushed.

Kirihara puffed his cheek again. "I'll go for the captain."

"You guys-"It was Jackal obviously, earning himself curious stares from his teammates. "Who ya' betting for."

"I'd rather not." He said, but Kirihara, Marui, and Niou went closer to press him.

A few veins started appearing on his bald head.

"Nenenenene~ Who?"

"Jackal-senpai~!"

"Stop being on your comfort zone and take risks, Jackal." Yanagi said out of nowhere, as if he was being asked to do something honorable. "Isn't that one of the thi-"

"My tennis style and betting hard-earned money is not the same, Yanagi." he said and turned, while the close-lidded boy just shrugged. "I tried." he said while Kirihara puffed his cheek again and pouted. "Kill-joy."

"Kill-joy." Marui agreed.

"KILL-JOY." His doubles partner, also, so-helpfully added. But Niou was firm.

Until he felt arms over his shoulders and two heads- as if he had two voices in his head, openly brainwashing him to take his chances. "Oi, oi. Isn't a good thrill once in a while good for you? That bald head is starting to look like it was caused by stress." One said. "No offense."

"In case you haven't noticed, Marui, I would think having no hair at all would be less troublesome for I wouldn't have to shave it again."

Marui remained silent, but then the other (almost forgotten) other voice spoke up. "You don't like taking risks outside tennis and your career?"

"Hai." The bald man did not like where this was going.

"Ehh... They why in the world would you take that part-tim-"

He covered Niou's mouth to shut him up, and as he saw the stares- the half-Brazilian could only groan in despair.

…

Inside the courts, Sanada sighed at his team while Yukimura chuckled. "Interesting…"

"What is?"

"Want to make a bet as well?"

"…"

Yukimura stared and Sanad let out a sigh. "What do you have in mind?"

"Whoever wins will be the new captain." Yukimura said, making everyone gape at him as if he just dropped a bomb without blinking of an eye- which he did.

What was he up to?

But in the end, Sanada could not stomach another 'intimidation' from this person. If he refused, he'd probably imply of him being afraid again. Not that he would usually care or bother about what other people thought. It was just that that adjective never quite sat well with his mind. That, and he just especially disliked being looked down at by this person.

So, he lifted his chin and stared at the bocchama. "Fine"

And there was silence.

…

Pak!

PAK!

PAK!

Yukimura and Sanada had already let out buckets of sweat- along with all of their audience. Heck, some even held their breaths at unhealthy amounts of time.

Everyone was silent, watching the two's match in awe.

Those two are not human, was what most of them thought after seeing the invisible swings, returns, and god-like techniques.

"Unbelievable."

"Are they really middle schoolers?"

A person shook his head at that question. "No. They're gods."

PAK!

Yukimura let out another shot that proved those statements. It was a barely visible shot, but Sanada would not lose so easily. He returned it with a nearly invisible swing.

PAK!

An another wave of awed murmurs surrounded the courts.

In the midst of it all was Ryoma, standing passively on the sidelines. She wanted to join those two- so badly. They were having such a… fun game. But she shook it away in a second. Sure, it was she who still refused to play with Seichi, but... it seemed like the motivation to literally avoid it wasn't going to change for a while.

She let out a deep breath and looked at the sky. It was getting dark. The match had been going on for almost an hour now. Barely anyone noticed though. They all wanted to see this match to the end.

Boink

Soon, the last ball came.

And it ended on Sanada's court.

…

Ryoma looked at Seichi. He was not in the mood to entertain objections at the moment, so doing her job, she quickly strode in front of him—as a shield, of sorts. "Leave him alone. He won fair and square." She said to the tennis regulars, who were lining up for second, third, and fourth-emotions. She then looked at Sanada. He still looked calm and collected, but she knew better. He was just looking at the ground. Ryoma swore to speak with him soon.

"B-But—" It was Kirihara, looking panicky with Marui. Jackal was right behind them to add more arguments while Niou just looked shocked.

"He's right." Sanada cut him off, holding the boy's shoulder firmly. "It's not like I'd be quitting the team."

"Ryoma…" They heard a voice call. Apparently, Ryoma had stopped his steps. He quickly followed his master. Sanada stared at their retreating figures.

He caught Ryoma slightly tilt his head towards him. The boy was worried for him, wasn't he?

Ryoma gave an apologetic nod to him that only he could see and he returned it with an imperceptible smile.

ECHIZEN RESIDENCE, Later

As soon as they had reached the house, Yukimura "dropped" tired on the sofa. The quote was there because he was too graceful to even call it that. He lethargically placed his elbow on the armchair and let his chin rest on his knuckles. He stared at the boy who was arranging their items a few meters away from him.

"Be thankful we both arrived here safely." He said, earning a stoic yet all the same puzzled stare. "Well, you looked (and still do) like you're in a daze. What would you do if anything happened to me?"

"I… wasn't in a daze."

"Is that so…? Then you must know that three of the regulars followed us here, right?" Ryoma flinched immediately and looked at the window.

It was true- Marui, Niou, and Kirihara were there. One epic strong bike carried them there. The three were panting heavily from following the car (which was odd since only Marui actually pedaled).

Then she realized she wasn't supposed to act surprised.

"Too late." Yukimura stated, and she frowned. She looked out again at the window. The three would start arguing on who would bloody ring the intimidating door bell.

"Sanada had been the captain for 4 years." Yukimura stated, appearing behind her with a hand on the silky lavender curtain. "Why couldn't they just let it go?"

"That's precisely why they couldn't let it go. To them, captainship is more than just a term." She said, unflinching of the sudden proximity.

Yukimura raised an eyebrow. It wasn't everyday Ryoma would talk back to him like this. "What is 'captainship', then?"

"They were all good friends. Sanada had been their pillar for so long… he had been like an older brother to them... guiding them."

"Eh…" he uttered, slightly starting to get more annoyed. "How come you know this?"

"Those two seemed to get along well…"

"They opened up to each other quickly…"

He frowned at the memories. "Could it be that you think I'm incapable?"

"No." Ryoma answered. "But… did you want to be captain so badly? I know you were captain before you were hospitalized, but—"

"I simply thought I was more capable. You should know how tennis means to me. Every opportunity to experience all of its side is one of my priorities." He let out a deep sigh, before turning his head to Ryoma again making him flinch. "Why are you upset?"

No answer.

"Was it because he was?"

When Ryoma did not respond, Yukimura found his aura darkening even more. "Why?"

After a moment of silence, they started to forget there were three of Rikkai's regulars just outside the gate. "Sanada…" Ryoma started. "He's my… friend."

And Yukimura found a frown immediately climbing up his face. "Sanada?" He asked, it was followed by a scoff. "You met him yesterday."

"So?"

"You were never quite the friendly type."

"How would you know that?"

"We've been together for 4 years now."

Ryoma scoffed, rather unconsciously, making both of their heads whipped to meet the other.

"What are you being sarcastic for?"

"I'm not." Was Ryoma's immediate answer. Yukimura frowned deeper but proceeded to looking out the window.

"Know where your loyalties lie, Ryoma."

Ryoma stiffened.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, looking away from him. "I don't see myself serving any other persons."

But when, her question was answered by mre, disconcerting, silence. Ryoma automatically shifted her gaze to him, not expecting him to be looking back at all. She shivered but nevertheless kept her stoic façade. He rarely looked at her, and now that he was... it turned out to be a subtle glare?

She could only stared back, waiting for him to say something since his eyes were definitely… dynamic. Well, she wouldn't know what to in reply to them, anyway.

More and more torturous seconds passed and she found it harder and harder to keep her composure. Just a few more seconds and she would break—

This was bad. Very bad…

She always had this extremely inconvenient tendency to blabber about things she'd rather not talk about when she's nervous. She gulped, and talked anyway. Not that she could help it...

"As Sanada said, you tend to be ambiguous. Are you going to tell me what you mean or not?"

"Oh? You're quoting him now, too?" He smiled that devilish smile that even made her cringe. See? She knew his dislike towards Sanada, and there she was quoting him.

She rummaged her brain for something non-suicidal but she couldn't be sure.

But despite the multitude of thoughts attacking her brain, somehow his beautiful bluish purple eyes reminded her he was there. No. It was more like it could still demand that she knew of his presence.

Kami. Why isn't he speaking? Her apathetic facade would break soon, and she'd rather not have him see that. She was being useless a body guard as she already was.

He was still unmoving. Even his line-of-sight. Ryoma uttered mentally a few curses, as if it would help her situation. She wondered if he was appraising her. He definitely looked the part, anyway. Appraising for what? Was she going to lose this job now? Could she afford losing this, she wondered...

No, she probably could not.

Amd if only that motivation was enough to keep her mask from falling apart, everything would be just fine. But it's not. Seichi always had his way on doing that to her- even when he wasn't even trying.

And when she saw his lips part as if to say something-

Ding Dong

She gulped.

"I'll go get it." She said swiftly, and simultaneously turned around. As she held the door knob, a relieved sigh came out.

She was literally saved by the door bell.