At the age of twelve years old Echizen Ryoma entered Seigaku middle school, and helped his team win the National Championship.

 

At the age of fourteen years old Echizen Ryoma won the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, making his the youngest tennis player to achieve such a feat.

 

At the age of sixteen years old Echizen Ryoma’s father, Echizen Nanjiroh, was diagnosed with lung cancer.

 

At the age of seventeen years old Echizen Ryoma return to Japan after a five year absence to bury his father in his native land; fulfilling his father’s last wish before he passed away in his New York home, holding on to his most precious possession, his family.

 

At the age of seventeen years old Echizen Ryoma was reunited with a few of his middle school acquaintances. Two months later he returned to New York, alone, leaving his mother and cousin behind.

 

At the age of nineteen years old Echizen Ryoma came face to face with Tezuka Kunimitsu at the Australian Open; officially ending his consecutive winning streak

 

At the age of nineteen years old Echizen Ryoma had his first kiss taken away from him. It was not the sweet experience that he’d heard other people describe it as, but rather forceful and bordering in near pain. Two weeks later Echizen Ryoma fired his long time coach without giving any explanations to the media.

 

At the age of twenty years old Echizen Ryoma had sex for the first time. It was fast paced, and short, and by the time it had all ended he did not even remember the name of the person who’d just walked out of the hotel room.

 

At the age of twenty years old Echizen Ryoma once more came face to face with Tezuka Kunimitsu at the U.S. Open. The game they played went down in history as one of the longest and fast paced games ever witnessed in the tennis circuit. The match showed both players in their best forms, and pushed them beyond their limits.

 

At the age of twenty years old Echizen Ryoma lost the U.S. Open for the first time in eight years.

 

At the age of twenty one years old Echizen Ryoma returned to Japan to bury his mother, who died in her sleep of a heart attack.

 

At the age of twenty one years old Echizen Ryoma met Fuji Syuuzuke at the entrance of the cemetery. That night they met at their old middle school courts to play a game, which ended with them in the locker room showers, having sex and screaming different names as they reached their climax. The routine continued for the next two weeks, before Fuji Syuuzuke’s job transferred him to England. He left without saying goodbye.

 

At the age of twenty two Echizen Ryoma found himself at a club sitting in front of Tezuka Kunimitsu. Two hours later they both tumbled through Ryoma’s hotel room, fumbling with the keys to the door, unwilling to break the all consuming kiss that had began in the cab ride. That morning Echizen Ryoma woke up to an empty bed.

 

At the age of twenty two Echizen Ryoma reclaimed his title at the Australian Open, winning six games to three against Kaido Kaoru.

 

At the age of twenty three Echizen Ryoma attended his cousin’s wedding in Japan. Three months later his cat, Karupin, died of old age.

 

At the age of twenty four Echizen Ryoma faced Tezuka Kunimitsu at the U.S. Open, winning back his title in a very close match of seven games to six. An hour after the game, Echizen Ryoma found himself pushed against the shower stalls as Tezuka Kunimitsu roughly pushed into him; uncaring of the reporters lurking outside the doors. Forty minutes later Echizen Ryoma walked out of the locker rooms and headed back to his hotel room to pack, alone.

 

At the age of twenty five Echizen Ryoma failed to win Wimbledon for the first time, losing six games to four against Yukimora Seichii.

 

At the age of twenty five Echizen Ryoma announced his retirement from tennis through a letter read by his manager in New York.

 

At the age of twenty five Echizen Ryoma moved back to Japan to live in the house he’d occupied with his family during his middle school years. Five months later he opened a training facility with the sponsorship of Atobe Corp. Two months after the inauguration it was named one of the best tennis facilities in Japan; it later became a renowned place where top notch tennis athletes went train before championships.

 

At the age of twenty six Echizen Ryoma moved in with Atobe Keigo to a luxurious apartment in the outskirts of Tokyo metropolis.

 

At the age of twenty seven Echizen Ryoma met Tezuka Kunimitsu in his training center. With the help of several physicians and personal doctors they devised a plan to heal Tezuka Kunimitsu’s injured shoulder.

Three weeks later Echizen Ryoma stood behind heavy velvet curtains as he listened to Tezuka Kunimitsu announce his retirement from the tennis circuit.

 

At the age of twenty eight Echizen Ryoma returned home to find Atobe Keigo waiting for him with his bags packed. Less than hour later he found himself driving back to his old home, alone.

 

At the age of thirty years old Echizen Ryoma found himself awakened by someone knocking on the door. Five minutes later he walked back to his room with Tezuka Kunimitsu on his wake. That morning he woke up  to find himself enveloped in a warm embrace.