When I Come Back to You
a PoT fanfiction by Kat
EPILOGUE
Echizen Ryoma was a legend in the world of tennis. He shattered the age records for all four Grand Slam tournaments within the first five years of his career. But at the age of seventeen, he suddenly retired from the tennis scene. To the general public, his reasons for doing this were completely unknown, and would remain so during his years away from the pro circuit.
During this time, however, Echizen Ryoma was anything but idle, a truth unknown to most of the world. He traveled extensively, and it was a little known fact that this was because of his eight former teammates from junior high. Despite having frequent reunions, as they had promised each other upon Ryoma’s retirement, they were still scattered throughout the world, busily fulfilling their own unfinished dreams. Ryoma had his hands full visiting them all, keeping in touch, and often changing their lives in ways they never even imagined possible.
Shortly after Ryoma retired, his friend Kawamura Takashi was married to a woman named Hoshina Kimiko. The former tennis star attended the wedding, which was a perfect Japanese ceremony, followed by a less formal reception. When Ryoma showed the bride how to throw a bouquet in the Western way, however, it caused quite a stir… Mainly because it was Eiji who caught it, and he blushed like a schoolgirl when he discovered what the tradition meant.
Kawamura Takashi and his wife would go on to have a baby only a year after their wedding. It was a beautiful little boy, and they gave him the name ‘Shusuke.’
As for Eiji and Oishi, the Golden Pair, they were living in an apartment in England, thanks to Ryoma’s financial generosity. Oishi was able to finish out his education at Oxford, and later went on to publish a book of poems in English that won considerable literary recognition. The poems were highly acclaimed for their powerful depiction of unrequited love, and readers and writers alike often wondered what the source of the young Japanese writer’s inspiration could have been. As for Eiji, he decided to quit school around the same time that Ryoma retired. He spent his days with Oishi, taking care of the apartment and spoiling their cat, Shuuko-chan. They never left each other’s side, and it was impossible to find one without the other. And so, even though the Golden Pair never picked up their tennis racquets again, it was obvious that they were two of the happiest people alive. They would remain so for the rest of their years.
Echizen Ryoma was known for being a genius at tennis, but he would often insist that the only real genius that he knew was a young photographer by the name of Fuji Shusuke. This man lived in Paris for much of his time, working on whatever project struck his fancy and creating quite a stir in the Parisian art circles. Shortly after Ryoma’s retirement, this same Fuji created the most famous work of his entire career. It was a vivid black and white photograph, very similar to his earlier piece “A Fallen God.” This masterpiece, however, was titled, “The Faithful Prince,” and Ryoma himself was the subject.
Living with Fuji was another man by the name of Tezuka Kunimitsu, who, as rumor had it, was a tennis player undergoing extensive rehabilitation at the cost of none other than Echizen Ryoma. It would be several years before Tezuka’s weakened arm would manage to heal completely, but once it did, this man shocked the tennis world with his ability. In fact, he was rumored to be a player with talent rivaling that of Echizen Ryoma. However, he did not register for the pro circuits, so the assertion remained largely unconfirmed. The reason for this decision remained a secret, but at its heart was Tezuka’s affection for Fuji Shusuke. The photographer was said to be afflicted with a repressed form of schizophrenia, and with Ryoma’s help, was getting treated for his disease. It was Tezuka, however, who refused to leave his side, remaining in Paris for as long as Fuji called it home.
It was a relief to all tennis fans when, nearly four years later, Ryoma announced that he would be returning to the pro circuits. By this time, though, new talent was starting to appear in the field. Another Japanese upstart by the name of Kaidoh Kaoru had taken the tennis world by storm when he appeared on the pro circuit, about a year after Ryoma had first retired. He was under the exclusive care of a new trainer named Inui Sadaharu, whose remarkable advances in liquid nutrition stunned the medical community.
In all the intrigue surrounding Echizen Ryoma’s sudden retirement, it is interesting to note that one mystery was never solved. The exact reason for his departure from the tennis scene for four years was never discovered. It is known, however, that wherever Echizen Ryoma goes, a young man with black hair and dark eyes follows him. The two, however, have remained particularly adept at outwitting the paparazzi. It is said that they even seem to enjoy pulling off great escapes to stay out of the spotlight, so if the two do have some kind of relationship, the world at large will probably never know more about it than that.
THE END.
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Final Author's Note (as it appeared on ff.net on December 25, 2005)
Well, after about a semester of writing, ‘When I Come Back to You’ is finally finished. I almost can’t believe that it’s over, but then again, it doesn’t seem like it took that long to write. I know I made it pretty complex, with all the secrets and plot twists, but at its heart, it’s a very simple story. It’s really just about the Seigaku Regulars, and also about how I think the anime ending was incomplete, what with Ryoma leaving to enter the US Open and all that. This is because I see Seigaku as a unit, and I don’t think they should ever have to ‘do without’ Ryoma being at their side. So I just wanted to write a story about the way I think we all wish it had ended… With the Seigaku Regulars together again.
Still, it was a pretty complicated story, and I know many of you probably think I glossed over all the problems at the end. Also, it seems like the Regulars finally reunite, only to part again in the epilogue. I am aware of this, but I did that on purpose. The healing that many of the Regulars will need, outside from having Ryoma again, is the kind of healing that takes time and effort to obtain. Additionally, I didn’t want to write some kind of escapist ending, where they all immediately abandon their own dreams just to be together. Obviously, I didn’t have room for all that in the story, but I did write an epilogue that I hope gives you a glimpse of what happened afterwards. Also, I am aware that this means there is room for a sequel. Whether or not there will be one, I still haven’t decided… But you can feel free to add me to your Author Alert, if you are interested in reading a sequel, or just keep an eye on the PoT section here on all that said, I just wanted to say that I can’t believe the support that this story received. And I want to say a sincere, heartfelt, gigantic THANK YOU to ALL my readers and reviewers. You are truly amazing, and I can’t tell you how much you encouraged me, not only to finish this story, but to keep writing in general. Honestly, I don’t think I deserved all the praise, but I am so grateful for it. Thank you so much, everyone!
I know it’s not a huge payback, but as a present for my reviewers, I did want to say this… I will reply to every single one of the reviews on Chapter 25, to tell you how much I appreciate your support, and to answer any questions. It’s the least I can do, to thank all of you for reading this far and for giving me so much encouragement. So, thanks once again! -bows-
On a more personal note… I do apologize again for the delay on this final chapter. I did my best to get it out early in the week, but I forgot that my family was leaving on a short vacation. So I was away from the computer for most of this week! Sorry to all of those who have been trying to contact me via e-mail… I’ll get back to you asap!
It does seem fitting, though, that because of the delays, I am posting the last chapter (a few hours late) on Ryoma’s birthday, and just in time for Christmas. So this last chapter is my birthday present to Ryoma, and a present to all of Seigaku as well. -hugs them- I love you all, my dears! This story was for you, whether or not you would appreciate such a sugary sweet ending. Lol. XD
Well, that’s it, folks! Thanks for reading, and I hope you’ll maybe consider checking out my upcoming projects, once I do get around to posting them. Merry Christmas, and a happy holiday to you all! -waves goodbye-