AUTHOR'S RANT:

I've completely forgotten when I had first written and published this story. I think it was year 2007? Or was it in 2008? I do not know anymore. But hey, I'm here AGAIN. And I'm revising everything, starting with this fic. I have just graduated from college last April with a degree in Animal Husbandry , but I want to be a vet, so two more years of studying before I could finally add that 'Dr.' title before my name. And since it is summer vacation here in the Philippines, what better way to kill the boredom than to write!

Anyway, I am so sorry for the long absence. I hope this makes up for it. I really do appreciate all the enthusiastic reviews you've given for this story. To the readers who included this on their favorites list and who followed, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!

I will not, once again, promise that I'd be able to update so quickly, but I guarantee you guys that I will finish all the stories that I posted, and maybe add some more. Okay, more author's rants at the end of this page, so I'll cut it here for now.

Here it is… The revised (hopefully better) Believe Me When I Say It's Real.

Enjoy!

WARNINGS: OOC-ness!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Prince of Tennis. I wish I do though. So I can have Tezuka and Ryoma making babies! XD

Chapter 1

The Turning Point

The day, just like the previous ones, had gone by quickly and customarily for a certain bespectacled captain. Earlier this morning Tezuka was at their garden, having tea with his grandfather. And then he rode the train halfway of his journey to Seishun Gakuen and walked the rest of it, his tennis bag slung over one shoulder. He participated in his classes diligently like a responsible honor student would. When it was time for tennis practice in the afternoon, Tezuka only had to do the things he routinely does to run the club: assign practice matches, observe those for a while, bark at the freshmen to pick up the balls, and discuss with the team what each member has to work on to improve their play.

Those were it. That was basically how life is for a Tezuka Kunimitsu. Looking at it at an angle, one could conclude that Tezuka was a boring guy whose image in the public eye was cool. But regardless, people respected him. It was not because Tezuka demanded it. Well, in a way he did because he was, after all, the captain of Seigaku tennis club. It was more than that. There was something about him that drew everyone in, but at the same time made him or her feel a little (or a lot) intimidated with him.

Maybe it was because of the aura of authority and mystery he exudes? Or was it his stoic face? Maybe his glasses? Or the eyes behind them?

It didn't really matter because he was used to it. For the last three years that he'd been a part of the tennis club, he had received praises and revering looks from his teachers and classmates, even those that did not even go to their school regard him with an overwhelming amount of esteem for his skills. But the captain never really paid too much attention to it. He was just doing what a responsible leader would do. And the recognition of the many was the bonus to it all.

Tezuka sighed as he took an extra towel out from his locker, placed his glasses inside it and entered one of the showers. His train of thought was brought to a halt as the warm water hit his tired hard body, the steam relaxing his state. This time, he focused on getting himself cleaned, so he could go home soon afterwards. It was already past six in the evening, and everybody from the tennis club, including Oishi, had happily gone home, leaving him behind to discuss some matters with Coach Ryuzaki and to lock the clubhouse.

When he was done, the captain turned the shower knob off and stepped out the enclosure to get dressed. Tezuka was in the process of rubbing his hair dry with a towel when his attention was caught by a figure sitting in one of the benches near their lockers.

The boy was wearing a white Fila cap and his school uniform. It was Echizen Ryoma, the youngest regular of Seigaku Tennis Club. Echizen had his elbows propped on both knees, and the weight of his head facing the floor cradled by his hands. Echizen seemed deep in thought that he didn't notice the captain standing not so far away from where he was sitting. It was a rare sight for the older lad to see their usually arrogant smirking freshman looking troubled.

Tezuka was mildly surprised to find that the boy hadn't made his way home. Normally, the freshman would have gone home with his companion Takeshi Momoshiro. Tezuka thought that Echizen probably just left something in here and went back to retrieve it. His eyes never leaving Echizen's unorthodox form, Tezuka slowly made his way back to his lockers to get dressed.

Two steps away and Echizen looked up. It seemed that the younger boy already sensed that he was being watched. Tezuka's steps halted. Golden orbs met brown ones.

Feeling rather awkward about the eye contact and his almost naked form, save for the towel wrapped around his waist, Tezuka was the first to look away, and headed straight to his locker. Echizen stood up and moved aside to make way for the captain. But he just stood there, his back on the wall and his both hands inside the pockets of his pants. And to be honest, the younger boy was starting to make the older of the two anxious.

Neither of them talked while Tezuka got dressed. Which was good for him because he wouldn't really know how to start a conversation anyway. He and Echizen were not really that close. Aside from matters that mainly concern tennis, they never really had other things to speak about.

Just when Tezuka was about put his shirt on, Echizen decided to speak.

"Ne, buchou. Aren't you going to ask me?"

Tezuka looked straight to the younger boy, although there was a hint of uncertainty behind those spectacles, as he buttoned up his uniform. "Did you leave something in here?" He asked stupidly, which was so uncharacteristic of him.

Echizen smirked and walked towards the lockers once again, the taller man completely missing his point. "No."

Tezuka grew more uncomfortable and confused with the sudden change of aura in the room. What did Echizen expect him to ask? What was with the pregnant smirk? And where was this conversation really getting at?

"I was actually waiting for you, buchou." Echizen stated straight up. Although this time, Tezuka noticed, the former's cheeks were now slightly tinted pink and his head was slightly bowed.

That caught Tezuka's attention. He didn't expect the freshman to wait this long for him. He looked at his watch. Five minutes to seven in the evening.

"Did you have something to discuss with me?" Tezuka asked. "You could've just waited until tomorrow."

Echizen shook his head, "This can't wait. Not anymore."

"Okay." The stoic captain was once again plunged into confusion with the freshman's choice of words. But he figured that whatever it was that Echizen wanted to tell him must be really important if the rookie had to stay behind this late. So Tezuka decided to spare few minutes for their youngest member; after all, he had already informed his grandparents earlier that he'd come home late tonight. He sat down the bench and asked the only other person inside the room, "What is it then?"

Echizen took the captain's question as his cue to start talking, but he soon found himself struggling to find the right words to say. The 'I-have-no-fear' attitude that he always had now seemed to have left him.

Damn it. He cursed mentally. He knew that it was getting late and that he mustn't keep the both of them inside this place any longer. Tezuka was already giving him the impatient look. He had wasted enough time, but as he told the person in front of him earlier, this cannot wait any longer. Echizen Ryoma might as well get this over and done with.

"Echizen." Tezuka called for his attention sternly, getting more impatient by every passing second. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"Sorry, buchou." Echizen thanked the heavens he didn't stammer. He clenched his fists tightly as he gathered his wits to speak up. "It's just… I uhm…"Wow, so the great Ryoma-sama actually gets nervous once in a while, Ryoma chided himself.

"Was wondering if you're free this weekend?" The rookie felt all his blood rushed up to his face that he might grow another head, but he stared straight to Tezuka's face anyway, whose expression seemed a mixture of confusion and shock after hearing his query.

"So-sorry, what?" The captain was clearly taken aback with everything that was happening. He looked as though a bomb had just exploded right in front of him; he definitely did not expect that.

Had it been any other times, Ryoma would've smirked at his captain's expense for the look on his face. But this was not just any other times. He was downright serious.

"I like you, Tezuka-buchou." Echizen, with more pluck this time, said. He stared at the other boy with hopeful eyes, waiting for his reaction. But the captain only stared back, his eyes widening for only few millimeters. An indication of surprise. Echizen wondered if that was a good or a bad thing.

Echizen stepped closer towards the usually composed senior who stood there like a tomb. The aftershocks of his confessions seemed to be robbing the ability of speech from Tezuka.

"Buchou, are you?" Echizen spoke again, repeating the question he first asked awhile ago. That seemed to effectively snap Tezuka out of his trance and make the latter look at him, his stern exterior more intense than usual.

O-oh. Ryoma resisted the urge to gulp.

"No," was Tezuka's answer.

"May I ask why?" Echizen asked. Again.

No answer.

"Is it because of what I just confessed?" Apparently talking, to Ryoma, was becoming more and more painful by the second.

Still no answer from Tezuka's end.

The golden eyed prodigy was about to close the short distance between them, but he was suddenly stopped by a reprimanding voice.

"Don't." Tezuka started, almost hissing. "Come any closer." Stressing every word, the captain had his left hand in the air and was looking at his junior with cold steely eyes. "Pretend we didn't have this conversation." He said with finality in his tone as he picked up his bag, getting ready to leave.

Echizen looked hurt, the hope in his eyes that was so impossible to miss earlier now gone. Tezuka looked angry. Why? Echizen felt strength abandon him at the sight of Tezuka's chafed expression. But he was not about to go down just yet. He had, after all, gone way too far, crossed the line even.

"Why?" Although there was really no point in asking anymore. It was clearer than the dawn that Tezuka had just rejected him. Echizen wondered if he was slowly becoming a glutton for misery.

Tezuka stopped dead on his tracks, and turned to face the younger boy. His lips formed into thin line. "What did you expect from me, Echizen? That I would gladly say yes? I'm sorry to disappoint you then."

"Is it because I'm not a girl?" Echizen just wanted to know.

"One of the things." Was Tezuka's curt reply.

"What else is there?" Echizen still pushed through the subject, determined to get a solid answer from the stoic captain.

"I don't think I will ever feel the same." The words came out of his mouth smoothly; though Tezuka himself doubted if he believed the sincerity in them.

"Do you like someone else?" Echizen bit his lip as he felt the unfamiliar sharp pain shot through his body.

Sensing that the freshman won't stop with his questioning, Tezuka snapped. "You seemed to have forgotten that I am the captain of this club. And I don't have much free time to mess around with someone, much less with a boy." Tezuka breathed heavily. "You can't just walk up to me, tell me you like me and expect me to return the favor so joyfully. And to be honest, the whole idea makes me sick!"

Before Tezuka realized the weight of the words that came out of his mouth, it was too late. Echizen stood there in front of him, rooted to the ground. Golden eyes wide and teary, cheeks flushed and mouth slightly open. Good Lord, he looked like he was about to cry. Tezuka wanted to take them all back, wanted to apologize.

But he didn't.

Instead, Tezuka tried his best to regain his composure. He turned his head to the side and silently said, "I'd like to be alone now, Echizen."

This time, Echizen Ryoma complied and spoke in a manner that was almost a whisper, "Hai. Gomen-nasai, senpai." He quickly strode past Tezuka and towards the door to leave. His head bowed, never once looking back at the scene of his first ever and probably the most scarring repudiation.

Ryoma had never felt such desire to cry.

Once Tezuka finally managed to calm his self down, he rose from the bench and gave out another heavy sigh. He felt drained, but even after giving Echizen a piece of his mind, he still didn't feel right. The unrelenting ache was still there. Why? He should be relieved, right? Now, Echizen wouldn't have any reasons to 'like' him anymore after all the appalling things he'd told him. Probably now the freshman was cursing him, regretting his actions of telling the older boy of what he truly felt, and thinking of many ways to avoid him.

But somehow that didn't grant Tezuka the feeling of satisfaction. In fact, he was rather disappointed and regretful that there was now a much wider gap between him and his supposed protégé.

Tezuka cringed inwardly at the thought. He shook his head indignantly. Christ, he didn't have time for this. He had other important things that he should be dealing with. He looked at his watch for the third time that night.

7:35 p.m.

Tezuka had better head home right now or else his grandparents were going to wonder of his whereabouts. He never came home beyond eight, except when there were special occasions and late night practices, which seldom happen.

The captain headed for the door. He was locking the clubhouse when he suddenly realized something. The sudden uncalled-for comprehension of what happened earlier caused him to drop the set of keys for the padlock. They, with its metal keychain, landed at his foot. Thankfully, Tezuka had his shoe to protect it; still, he winced at the pain. But Tezuka thought no pain was greater than the one that was slowly building inside his chest.

Tezuka bent down to retrieve the fallen item, only to have them clenched tightly in his fist.

"He called me 'senpai'." Tezuka whispered sadly into darkness.

And just like that, one of the many pieces of the puzzle fit into its proper place.

To be continued...

PLEASE DO READ! PLEASE DO READ! PLEASE DO READ! PLEASE DO READ!

Author's Notes/Rants:

Okay, it was so unlike Tezuka to snap at someone like THAT, but I wanted to make him human in this story instead of the emotionless pillar the anime and manga always portrayed him to be. He's 14, for Christ's sake! XD

I don't want hurting our precious Ryoma, but he'll get through it. He's our strong beautiful baby, after all. :D

Onto another topic, you see, two nights ago I watched the current thirteen episodes of the New Prince of Tennis. Since I haven't read a single chapter of the manga, I decided that I would rather just watch the anime for now. But that's not the point. LOOOLLLL!

BAD NEWS: I was so disappointed and heartbroken because Tezuka actually left for Germany, and no conversations were exchanged between Kunimitsu and Ryoma. WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! I was fuming. HA-HA. Venting my anger out on my sister who was watching the show with me. And I bet I provided her the better entertainment because she certainly looked amused as I bitched about how lame Tezuka was for not having the balls to properly say goodbye to Ryoma. Okay, I knew I was overreacting, but I am (and always will be) a fan girl of pillar pair. What the hell am I supposed to do?! Geez, now I feel so lost.

GOOD NEWS: Enter this talented high school tennis player named TOKUGAWA KAZUYA! He's gorgeous. Jesus! He had caught Ryoma's attention, and he seemed to be equally interested in Ryoma too. I became an instant fan girl the moment I saw their eyes locked in the semi-glare competition from episode one. It was as if he was the new Tezuka. (cries on the corner because I still feel so lonely about buchou's departure)

So I'm going to ask you guys: do you want Tokugawa to appear in this story? Because I sure have given it a thought, and I don't think it would hurt to try. I've been imagining how the flow of the story line would be if Tokugawa was one of the main characters. If this would remain a TezuRyo fanfic is still a mystery.

Give me your thoughts, guys. I'm going to need every help that I can get from you kind people. And suggestions. Lots and lots of suggestions!

I had to watch Prince of Tennis all over again and the New Prince of Tennis and read so many TezuRyo fan fictions to help me bring my wandering muse back. Nonetheless, I'm so happy to be here again! I hope you guys are too.

Read and review please. Tell me what you think of this revised chapter. See you chapter two!