Hey SNS fans! I just did some corrections and little changes in the first chapter.
Fun Fact: I change the name and place for the sake of my short story assignment for school. And I got a good grade on it!
Game, Set, Table Tennis!
It was a relaxing weekend for all the people at the Polar Star Dormitory after working the field behind their residence all morning.
Everyone right now are asleep in their respective rooms since it's Saturday, the weekend everyone loves. But only two people were still awake.
A pair of a boy and a girl in the lounge room.
Soma Yukihira, a spiky red-haired energetic boy with pair of yellow eyes who's willing to take on any challenge and give it his all to win it all.
Megumi Tadokoro, a timid sweet braided blue-haired girl who also have a pair of yellow eyes (little brighter) and is not much of a challenger unless it come to one thing and only that thing...
Which bring in why they're here. Soma, who's on a wooden stool crossing his leg in a sitting position, in his usual clothes of a 3/4 sleeve shirt with his family's restaurant logo, and simple dark gray pants. And Megumi still in her pajamas, her hair down and a little messy, and showing sleepy eyes.
"Hey Tadokoro," Soma breaks the ice in a subtle voice. Then he smile and points a finger at her from a distance, a table tennis distance.
"I challenge you in a match of ping-pong!" Voicing his challenge in a dramatic booming way you see in almost every TV show where the villain or rival declare war. Or like their Italian friend, Takumi Aldini.
This snap her wide awake at his calling. "Wha—" Eyes wide open to see herself standing at one end of the table tennis and her friend at the other end.
"Is this why you made me get up? It's Saturday Soma! Aren't you tired from working the field too?" Rubbing one eyes with her hand and yawning as she speaks.
"Well, yeah." He reply nonchalantly. "But I really want to see your skills since you're suppose to be 'Tohku's Hopping Hare'. Unless that title was a hoax and is only there for decoration." Sarcastically speaking her title hoping it will struck a chord within her to accept it.
"..." Megumi lowered her head that her bangs cover her eyes. Making the boy lean forward to try and get a better view of her face underneath her hair.
"Alright," She raise her head up to yawn. "Let me freshen up, okay?"
He must of lean in too far forward that he almost fell off his stool and smash his face on the table. He quickly slam his hands on the table to place himself, which made the girl flinch.
"O-oh, yeah, you go do that." Keeping his head down so the girl couldn't see the blush making an appearance on his cheeks. "Take your time, alright?" Raise his head showing the boyish grin he wears whenever he want to lighten the mood, for comic relief.
"Alright, please wait then." And she walk out of the room to go and take a quick shower.
He kept up the sheepish grin until she left.
'Smooth man,' mentally insulting and pouting to himself. 'Real smooth.' And he let the blood rise up revealing a shade of crimson red on his cheeks.
-AFTER 15 MINUTES-
"Hey Soma-kun."
The boy turn to his friend's voice.
"Alright, hope you're ready to—"
"Lose? I don't think so."
He stood frozen, not because of her appearance of a red sport shirt and black shorts. Because he can feel the tension of the atmosphere getting serious when she enter the room. Sensing the surprising fiery aura from who he thought was his usual quiet female friend.
'I know I seen her like this when she played against upperclassmen Isshiki, but still...'
He kept staring at her in awe as she preparing herself spraying cleaner on her paddle and muttering some motivation for her. And it still amaze him of her concentration, even though she's was also writing the character of 'man' on her palm and eating really air.
'Oh this is gonna be fun.' He thought and he unravel his white sash and tied it tightly around his head. Showing he's gonna give it his all too.
LET THE MATCH BEGIN!
Soma Yukihira (-^-^)p_|_o_q(^-^-) Megumi Tadokoro
00 — 00
*Special rule: first person to win five points wins. no deuce or advance points will be apply in this game.
Megumi became the first to serve, and started with a powerful swing. The small ball bounce into Soma's field and he return it with the same power on his swing. They been at it for a while giving all of their power but not above one another, even if one did, the other would strive to reach to his/her equal strength. Pulling fast moves wouldn't be a good idea at this time now.
'This could go on forever!' Megumi cursing on the inside at the rate they are at right now. 'Should I use one of my technique now? But the match just started.' She was debating to do so or not. All she could do was focus on bouncing the ball back to her opponent's side.
Focusing so much she didn't see the evil smile the boy revealed when the ball perfectly bounce high enough for him to make best of the opportunity.
"First point is mine!" He slam the ball down, moving fast as a bullet with his paddle, making it quickly hit the girl's side of the table first before she could have time to react when it surpassed her.
"Wha?!" Wide eyes looking over her own back seeing the ball hit the wall and bounce back, rolling under the table to his side.
"That's one point to me." The redhead smirk as he confidently twirl his paddle around using one hand.
He crouch down to pick up the ball, he didn't see the girl giving him the competitive dark glare she (nor we) never thought she could muster.
"It's not over yet..."
"Huh," quickly got up on his knees to hear better. "Did you say something?"
"A-a-ah?!" She snapped out of her dark glare. "Let's start the next round!"
"Ok?"
'What am I doing?' Mentally worried herself. 'This is just a game that Soma just want to play. Because it's better than sleeping...' This made her yawn putting a hand over her mouth motioning a little drowsiness.
01 - 00
Soma serves up the ball, bouncing it to Megumi's side. And he prepare himself by holding the paddle like how he would handle a kitchen knife.
'She still tired?' Remembering how he woke her up, feeling a little guilty. 'Even so, that doesn't mean I'll start going easy on her.'
But what he didn't see it coming was the same fast move being shot right back at him. He didn't have time to move his paddle, let alone hit it back when the plastic ball hit the corner far from him, barely miss hitting the table for Megumi to earn one point.
"Yes! one to one!" She pump one fist down in success revealing a bright smile completely different from her competitive façade.
'Damn, I got too cocky!' Cursing at himself when they just started the match and he already got over confident for winning merely the first point.
"Say Tadokoro," Soma calmly getting her attention. "How about we bet on something? Let's say...The loser does what the winner says?"
Poor Megumi Tadokoro was too deep into the heated match, she agreed without knowing the consequences she'll face if he win. But this motivates her more to win with all the technique she learn from her past experiences and previous matches.
Besides, she may be aggressive now, but she is still the kind girl we all know and love. So she wouldn't plan anything vicious for him.
"Sure!" Agreeing to the bet. 'I'll just tell him to leave me alone for just today if I win... No! If I win this...then I don't have to taste any of his "fun" recipes anymore!' This have got to be the most exciting victory for her of today, if she can win.
Yes, she does enjoy eating his food, but only when he's being serious when a shokugeki or food competition is involved. When it comes to the red-haired boy making an original recipe just for the heck of it for being a hobby as well. Let just say it doesn't end well and his usual taste tester is her, who have it worst than any of the other members in their Dormitory.
"Can you give me the ball, please?"
Round three began with Megumi serving.
01 - 01
After serving the ball it was the same repeat of the previous round. No one was really planning on pulling out their best card onto the field. Soma on the other hand was thinking what he should do other than keeping his guard up.
What he didn't expect was his opponent to smack the ball up high for it to stay in the air for a couple of seconds, and what's more strange is she isn't standing in front of the table on her field anymore, but on the right side instead.
'What is she planning?' Viewing the situation through narrow eyes but quickly reverted his eyes onto the ping-pong ball that came falling down and bouncing high after landing on his side the first time. 'Whatever it is,' Getting ready to strike.
'Thanks for giving me another easy point, sucker!'
Putting all of his strength into one shot, he successfully hit the ball, making it move at a miraculous speed.
But time froze for only a moment for Soma to realize a mistake he made in that hit. Pair of yellow eyes widen in horror at the mistake that have been visibly shown. And that he can't take it back.
Even though he successfully hit the ball, it completely miss the table! Missing it by an obvious distance!
After the miss. The blunette quietly walk over to pick up the ball and position herself to serve once again. And it irked the red-haired boy a little when she had a smirk appear across her lips, showing how easily he fell for her trap.
'I seriously need to get my game on...' Knowing the whole time he is going up against a fully experience table tennis player, who could of got a sport scholarship to a prestigious school. But he wanted a good challenger, and he got one.
"I see what you did there," Smirking and complimenting his oopponent. "Well played my friend. Don't think I will slip up a second time." Pointing at her using his paddle.
Bearing his remark, the girl only giggled. "You sure about that? I still got more tricks up my sleeves." Revealing confident laced in her voice.
"Yeah, I believe so."
"You ready now?" Earning a evil smile from his female opponent.
'You have no idea what I have plan for you once I win...' He secretly thought.
01 - 02
After hits and returning hits, The girl soon use one of her technique and the boy would sometime struggle returning them.
The score suddenly got even and the round quickly ended by an unintentional action.
Fast-pace movements were being played. Back and forth with no one surpassing one another.
But a yawn came from the girl making her hits a little sloppy.
She was able to make it bounce on Soma side hitting on the very edge of the corner and making a slow fall to the floor.
'Not today!' He ran to the side of his field and dive onto the floor swinging his paddle up for the ball. Making a success on the hit, but not on the target.
Quickly getting up to see where this was ending the round.
"Eek!" Megumi sense the ball coming at fast speed! Thank to her fast reflect, she held the paddle up in front of her face before it could make a red mark on her nose.
It bounced high off of her paddle and Soma was able to see it up in the air and caught it in one hand.
02 - 02
"That was a dirty move!" She exclaimed slamming her hands with the paddle on the table. Making him flinch. Gritting her teeth in anger and frustration.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that— Wait! Says the girl who pull one in the last round!"
"It was legal, it still follow the rules!"
This took a turn, now we're seeing two little kids bickering over a game not being followed by its rules.
...
...
...
It's been going on for fifteen minutes, and it's not getting anywhere. Surprise that no one was getting disturb in their sleep due to their loud volume in their now heated arguement.
"CAN WE JUST PLAY ALREADY?!"
"Woah...Tadokoro..." Surprise of the sudden outbursts that Soma took a couple of steps back. "You didn't need to shout..." He try to make it audible for only himself to hear, but she heard it as well.
"I'm sorry!" Realizing her action after hearing his comment, a huge blush creep up across her face. "A-a-ah..."
"It's okay." He show a wide smile to ease her worry. "Let's continue the match!" Then his voice became dark and evil as he began to snicker. "I can't wait to show you what I made this time...So once I win, you can't say no to become my taste tester again." A imaginary dark aura with black and dark purple clouds above to make him look threatening with a bit of evil determination.
"I still don't think so." She replied, still standing on her ground. But deep inside she want to whimper in fear of feeling the dark tension.
Soon the match became the score of 4 - 4
One more win for either side to claim as the winner.
Surprising that Soma is keeping up with the situation against the many tricks Megumi promised she have up her sleeves.
Every curve shot she makes, he'll reflect it off making the ball bounce as if it's bouncing the other half of the circle to her side.
Shooting every straight shots, he'll just let his paddle set in one spot the ball will just bounce off itself without minimal effort and he sometimes try to make it change directions to an edge.
He wasn't even fazed when the girl hit using the thin edge instead of the flat face of her paddle.
'No way...' She's running out of tricks to play on the field! 'There's gotta be a miracle!' Reverting back to her usual timid self. Now realizing the consequences if she let her opponent win. Beginning out of plans, tricks, and confident.
Oh our table tennis prodigy is about to royally screw herself over.
Her only hope is through another straight shot at either corners for him to miss.
When the ball came for Megumi to take her chances. 'It's all or nothing!' Successfully smacking the ball, but Soma was able to read her movements too quick for being human.
Stretching his arm to block it, the ball was now in the air and falling fast very closely where the net is after bouncing very high on his opponent side first.
'No!' It was too far for the blunette to reach using only her arm at this distance. Her only option is to pounce her upper body onto the table, landing on her stomach to get a closer hit.
'I don't think so!' He thought and did the same action as her's and was on his stomach to make sure she doesn't make the hit.
Reaching toward one goal, both paddle made a collision with the ball in between as two heads also made a collision with each other slamming with their foreheads.
-LAST ROUND ENDED-
Both players lying on the floor after rolling off the table across from each other with their hands pressing down the pain on their respective foreheads.
"ow ow ow ow ow..." Both muttering in pain.
"You okay?" Soma asked, breaking the ice and still pressing his forehead down. Wincing at the pain.
"Yeah I'm fine...sorry about that." Megumi tearing up a little from the pain.
They both got up and high-five each other for sportsmanship.
"That was a really good game!" The boy said happily. "Guess the title wasn't for decoration." Chuckling at his own challenging words.
"Yeah! I had a lot of fun!" She replied showing the same bright smile she always have.
They both turned to the table.
Both players' pair of yellow eyes widen at the result of the game. Seeing the ball in a spot that's very close to net, in fact is touching it on one side of the table tennis.
A smile appear across the winner's face.
"I won."
THE END
I hope you guys like it! Sorry for any repetition~!
edited: 7/13/16