Title: Manipulation 04: Interrogation 1: The Groom
Fandom: Prince of Tennis: Fudomine Chuugaku
Characters: Tachibana Kippei, Ohtori Choutarou
Prompt: 053 - Earth
Word Count: 303
Date finished: 09/27/2007
Rating: G
Summary: Kippei interrogates his sister's fiance.
Author's Notes: "Ohtori Choutarou / Tachibana Kippei - luck". Previous parts: one, two, three.
Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Konomi Takeshi, and whoever did the anime. At any rate, it's not me.

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"I need to talk to you," Tachibana Kippei said, and Choutarou nodded.

"I presume…." He hesitated. "Privately? We can go outside - it's cold, but the gardens are open, or there is a green house. I'm pretty sure anywhere in here we'd be overheard."

"The greenhouse sounds perfect," Tachibana said, and Choutarou led the way out a side door and towards the large building.

The warm smell of damp earth wafted out as he opened the door, and Choutarou took a deep breath of the familiar smell as they stepped in. "You are not happy with this match," he said as the door closed behind Tachibana. Turning to face the other boy, he hoped he'd be lucky enough to get out of this conversation without a black eye.

Tachibana regarded him seriously, arms folded. "I'm… not sure why you chose An."

Choutarou smiled. "Because I have very much enjoyed her company the last few weeks."

"She's…." Tachibana paused. "Your parents hate her."

Choutarou turned away to examine the exotic flowers near him. "They were likely to hate anyone they did not chose themselves."

The silence dragged on. "I see."

He sounded angry. Choutarou looked up, confused. "What do you see?"

"Did you chose An only because she would piss your parents off?"

"No. I would never put someone through that just to get my father angry," Choutarou said. "I like your sister. She's smart, charming, and very pretty. We haven't run out of things to talk about."

Tachibana held up his hand, and Choutarou fell silent. "Do you love her?"

Why he hadn't expected that question, Choutarou wasn't sure, and he stared at Tachibana. But if he was going to keep up this charade….

Did he have to?

He straightened. "Tachibana-san, I have something to explain to you."

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