Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. Rika is the only character I own.

yume: Minna, gomen ne for the late update. I was busy the past few weeks. Well, I hope everyone will enjoy this new chapter..:p

In the dark street at the bad side of London, the police sirens could be heard, and so were the red lights of the ambulance.

“Please, I have to come with you,” I said, tears on my face, panicking over my best friend’s condition.

“Sorry, only family is allowed,” one of the paramedics, said.

“Please,” I pleaded, “I’m her best friend. We’re students from Roedean Boarding School.”

The paramedic looked at his comrades and they nodded. The paramedic sighed. “Alright, let’s go.”

Rika woke up when she heard the sound of thunder. Looking at the clock on her bedside table, she cursed. “Damn, it’s just 3 in the morning. How am I going back to sleep now?”

She got out of bed and went to the kitchen. When she opened the refrigerator, she thought, ‘I wonder who drinks all these milk?’

“It’s an order from my senpai.”

Rika was startled. Turning to the source of the voice, she said, “What do you think you are doing?”

“I want a drink,” Ryoma answered as though nothing had happened. He took a bottle of milk from the refrigerator.

Rika tilted her head at Ryoma. “I didn’t know you could drink something other than Ponta.”

“Very funny,” Ryoma said sarcastically once he finished his milk.

“Many things changes, ne?” Rika said to no one in particular. Ryoma looked at Rika strangely. She too, looked at Ryoma. Then, she laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“One thing doesn’t change thought,” she said.

“What?” Ryoma asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Your height,” she answered, at the same time ruffling Ryoma’s hair.

“Onee-san!” Ryoma yelled angrily.

Laughing, Rika said, “Go back to bed, Ryoma, before you wake up the whole house.” She took a glass of orange juice and left to her room.

Ryoma just grumbled and returned to his room as well.

“Echizen-san,” Tezuka as soon as Rika entered the classroom.

“Ohayou,” Rika greeted. Tezuka greeted her back. They were both on morning duty that day, so they arrived earlier than anyone else.

“Ryuuzaki-sensei told me about your request,” Tezuka said.

“Yes, and?” Rika asked, while cleaning the blackboard.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you join the Girls’ Tennis Team instead?”

Rika’s hands stopped in the midst of cleaning the blackboard. She looked at Tezuka. “Are you discriminating me, Tezuka-san?”

“No,” Tezuka answered, his expression as stoic as ever. “I am just simply stating that-”

“-Didn’t Ryuuzaki Sakuno and always helped out as manager too?” When Tezuka didn’t answer, Rika gave the famous Echizen smirk. “Checkmate.”

“Echizen-san, please finish up here,” Tezuka said. “I need to see Ryuuzaki-sensei.”

Smiling, Rika replied, “Hai!”

“So, you’ve talked to Rika-chan?” Ryuuzaki-sensei asked after Tezuka sat at the seat in front of her.

“Yes,” Tezuka answered.

“And she cut you off, didn’t she?”

Tezuka looked at Ryuuzaki-sensei, surprised, although his expression remains as stoic as ever.

Knowing what Tezuka’s thinking, Ryuuzaki-sensei said, “She always did that to Nanjiroh, you know.”

Tezuka just nodded his head.

“So, what are you going to do, buchou?” Ryuuzaki-sensei smirked.

“Let’s see how Echizen-san handles being a manager for the Boys’ Tennis Team,” Tezuka said. “If she could stand it for a week, then she could be the manager.”

“Well, it’s decided then,” Ryuuzaki-sensei, said. “You could return to your class now, Tezuka.”

Tezuka nodded. He stood up, bowed at Ryuuzaki-sensei and returned to his classroom.

AFTER SCHOOL TENNIS PRACTICE

“Rika-san, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, Oishi-kun,” Rika said. “I’m going to be the new manager for the Boys’ Tennis Team.” She smiled.

“Eh, Rika-chan’s going to be the new manager?” Eiji exclaimed.

“Rika-chan?” Rika repeated.

Eiji suddenly went in front of Rika, saying, “Nya, I’m very sorry. I should have asked for permission first, nya.”

Rika giggled. “It’s okay.”

“Saa… Rika-san, I heard you’re Echizen’s aunt,” Fuji said when he caught up with Rika, Oishi and Eiji.

“Uh, you are?” Rika asked.

“Oh, sorry,” Oishi said. “I forgot you haven’t met Fuji.”

“Fujiko, nya,” Eiji said. “Introduce yourself.”

“Hai, hai,” Fuji said. Looking at Rika, Fuji introduced himself. “My name is Fuji Syuusuke.”

“Echizen Rika,” Rika replied. They shook hands. Then, Rika said, “I guess you guys should change now. We’re already in front of the changing room.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Oishi said. So, they parted ways.

After being introduced to all the members, Oishi told the non-Regulars to have practice matches while the freshmen practice their swings. Rika looked around. “So, where’s Ryo-chan?”

“He will be a little late since he has class duties today,” Momo answered.

“What about Tezuka-san?” Rika asked.

“He is the student council president,” Oishi said. “He has a meeting concerning Seigaku School fair for summer.”

“Summer is in just two weeks, right?” Rika asked.

“Yes,” Fuji said. “But before that, we have a game this weekend.”

“We better start practice then,” Oishi said.

“I’ve arranged the menu for today,” Inui, who appeared from nowhere, said.

Startled, Momo said, “Jeez, Inui-senpai, don’t do that.”

“Rika, this is Inui Sadaharu, Regular,” Oishi said. “Sometimes, he’s our manager and he fix our training menu.”

“That’s great,” Rika said. “Yosh! Let’s start today’s practice. Uh…what exactly do I do?”

“You could start by putting this into nine glasses,” Inui said, handing Rika the Penal Tea.

Rika scrunched her nose at the odor from the juice. “What is this?” she whispered to Oishi.

“That’s Penal Tea, one of Inui’s creation,” Oishi answered. “No matter what happen, don’t drink it, Rika-san.”

Rika didn’t know what Oishi meant by that but one thing for sure is she really wouldn’t drink the Penal Tea.

“Alright everyone, gather around,” Oishi said. By now, Ryoma had already joined them.

“We will start today’s practice by doing fifty laps around the courts within one minute,” Inui said. “Whoever fails,” Inui’s glasses flashed, “will have to drink the Penal Tea.”

Everyone gulped. “Zettai yadda!” they yelled.

“Rika-san,” Inui said. “Please time us,” he handed Rika the stopwatch.

“Alright,” Rika said.

When they started, every Regular, except for Inui and Fuji, yelled ‘I will not drink that Penal Tea’ at the top of their lungs. Every one of them is running at the same, high speed, which amazes Rika.

When they passed a bench, Ryoma saw a racquet lying there. He took it and passed it to Kawamura.

“I’M BURNING BABY!” one hyper Kawamura yelled, as he swung the racquet around while running at increasing speed.

Ryoma ran ahead of everyone too, next to Kawamura. Eiji, Oishi, Momo and Kaidoh yelled, “Echizen! Why the hell did you do that!”?

“Mada mada dane, senpai,” Ryoma said.

After they’d done their laps, Inui arranged them to play singles.

“Ryoma vs. Kaidoh, Momo vs. Kawamura, Oishi vs. Kikumaru, Fuji vs. myself,” Inui announced.

Rika watched as the Regulars played practice matches against one another. She didn’t realize when Tezuka came though. When she turned to her right, she saw Tezuka standing there quietly, watching at the matches with full concentration. Looking at Ryoma’s match, to be exact. Rika noticed that when Ryoma scored a point, Tezuka’s lips twitched upwards slightly.

Rika inwardly smile. She thought, ‘I think someone has a crush.’

“Why am I here again?” Rika asked.

Rika, Ryoma and Momoshirou were in front of a burger shop that Ryoma and Momo usually frequent.

“That’s because you still don’t know the way home,” Ryoma answered. Rika just growled at him.

“Thanks for the treat, Momo-senpai,” Ryoma said, walking into the burger shop.

“Wait, I never said I’m treating,” Momo called out after Ryoma.

Rika sighed, looking at Ryoma and Momo. “I could feel my money slipping from my wallet,” Rika muttered under her breath.

When Rika went to where Ryoma and Momo are, they were still bickering on who should pay for the food. They didn’t even realize that it was their turn to order.

“Excuse me, miss,” the girl who worked there, said. “You could place your order now.”

Rika nodded her head. She looked at Ryoma and Momo with a sigh. “Stop fighting, I’ll pay for your meals,” she said, and that gained the two juniors attention.

“Honto ni, Rika-senpai?” Momo asked with starry eyes while the only thing that Ryoma said was, “You’re the one who offered to pay, Rika-neesan so don’t regret it.”

‘I’m probably regretting it already,’ Rika thought.

A few minutes later

“Rika-senpai, aren’t you going to order anything?” Momo asked.

“Iie, I’m not allowed-” Hey, wait a second. I’m no longer a figure skater, Rika thought, “I’ll just have a cheeseburger then and a regular coca-cola.”

“Let me repeat your other,” Anna, the person that took their order said. “20 large cheeseburger, 1 regular cheeseburger, 4 large fries, two large coca-cola, and a regular coca-cola.”

...

“You guys…” Rika was speechless when she saw the way Ryoma and Momoshirou ate.

“I will win this time, Echizen,” Momo said, his mouth full of burgers.

“Disgusting, Momo,” Rika said. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Hai, Rika-senpai,” Momo answer with his mouth still full and bits of burgers went out of his mouth.

Rika slapped herself mentally.

“Well, everyone’s here,” Ryuuzaki-sensei, said after Eiji and Fuji arrived.

“Wait! Echizen’s not here yet,” Oishi said.

“I hope he doesn’t overslept again,” Momoshirou said.

“Actually, Ryoma has already arrived,” Ryuuzaki-sensei said. “He and Rika-chan are the first one to arrive, in fact.”

“Eh?!” said the surprised Regulars, except for Inui, Tezuka and Fuji.

“Ara? Is it so hard to believe that Ryoma is early?” Rika, who just arrived with Ryoma, a Ponta in their hands, asked.

Eiji and Momoshirou nodded their head.

After they registered, the Seigaku team went to their seats.

“Kawamura will be the substitute, Inui-Kaidoh pair is Doubles 2, and Golden Pair is Doubles 1, Kawamura; Singles 3, Fuji; Singles 2, and Echizen; Singles 1,” Tezuka announced.

Everyone looked at Tezuka. “Echizen will be playing Singles 1?”

“Yes,” Ryuuzaki-sensei answered. “Got anything against it?”

Everyone shook his or her head.

“So, whom are you playing against?” Rika asked.

“Hyoutei,” Oishi answered.

“Hyoutei?” Rika repeated.

“Well, well, well, if it isn't Seigaku,” a voice said.

Everyone from Seigaku turned to the source of the voice.

“Tezuka,” Atobe said.

“Atobe,” Tezuka acknowledge the other team’s presence.

“This time, Hyoutei is going to win,” Atobe said. “Be awed by Ore-sama’s skills an-”

“Senpai-tachi, I’m going for a run,” Ryoma said and took off after Tezuka gave his permission.

“Echizen, I’ll accompany you,” said Momo.

“That brat!” Atobe said.

Oshitari, who’s standing next to Atobe, saw Rika staring at their captain. So, he told Atobe, and the diva- I mean, captain looked at Rika.

Rika and Atobe stared at each other for a few minutes already. Everyone began to look at them.

“Who is that girl? I’ve never seen her before,” Gakuto told Oshitari.

“I don’t know, but I think I’ve seen her somewhere,” the blue-haired tennis player answered.

“Oishi, do you think they know each other?” Kawamura asked.

“I don’t know.”

Atobe broke the long silence by asking, “Does Ore-sama know you?”

Rika was snapped out of her thoughts. “Eh, n-no.” Then, she looked at Tezuka. “Buchou, I’m going to buy Ponta.” Before Tezuka could reply, she left.

“Who was that?” Shishido asked.

“Our new manager,” Fuji answered, “Echizen Rika.”

“Echizen?!” said the surprised Hyoutei members.

“Yes,” Eiji said. “Rika-chan is ochibi’s aunt.”

“Isn’t she a little bit too young to be an aunt?” Gakuto asked.

“She is Echizen Nanjiroh’s cousin,” Inui answered.

Out of the blue, Atobe said, “Ah! Ore-sama remembers now.”

“Remember what, buchou?” Otori asked.

However, Atobe ignored Otori’s question and looked at Kabaji, saying, “Kabaji, stay here. There’s something Ore-sama needs to deal with first.”

“Usu,” Kabaji replied…and Atobe was gone.

“I wonder what that was all about,” Oishi said.

“Fsshuu,” was all Kaidoh said.

“I can’t believe he’s here,” Rika said, after she took her Ponta. “Atobe Keigo, of all people.”

“Fancy meeting you here too, Rika,” a voice said from behind Rika. It was Atobe.

“K-Keigo! What are you doing here?”

“The question is why you’re here?” Atobe asked back, “and as the Seigaku’s Tennis Team manager.”

“I need a break,” Rika lied. Before Atobe could ask more, Rika said, “I better get back before the others get worried.”

When Rika left, Atobe thought, ‘Rika, what are you hiding?’

yume: So, what do you think about it? Is it good? Is it bad? Or is it just nonsense? Please review...,

tbc