I do not own Prince of Tennis!
A/N: I just had to. XP
This idea/storyline would not leave me alone, so now I'm embracing it. :P
OC's ftw? I guess we'll see.
Enjoy! :)
Afternoon tennis practice was minutes away from beginning, and Vice-Captain Sanada heard footsteps that suddenly stopped behind but two feet from him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the familiar curly, blue locks swaying in the slight breeze.
"New coach, huh? Very funny, Yukimura," Sanada said, barely able to hide his smirk. "Don't try to fool me." He turned to face his Captain, only to find a slightly petrified girl, her eyes widening as his almost-friendly face became a sudden, cold glare.
The delicately framed girl then closed her eyes and furrowed her brows nervously. "Um…" she croaked.
"Who are you?" he demanded, contempt laced into each syllable. You're certainly not him…
"Ano… Excuse me, but is this the Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku Tennis Club?" she asked, as if reciting some mental script inside her head.
Did she just ignore me? Impatience seized Sanada. "Who. Are. You." He practically spits at her.
Her brilliantly blue eyes blink open, shock and dismay coloring her face as she realized that he asked this more than once. "Ah! I'm sorry!"
But the second her eyes were opened, not in fear, but in shock and realization, Sanada knew immediately who she was. The look she has is so similar to the one that he had when he was told that…
"I'm Seiika," she stated quickly.
Sanada didn't need her answer, though. How foolish he was to think that their Buchou had made a miraculous recovery and was coming back today as the new coach. It all added up in his head now, her navy blue hair and eyes, the look she had just given him, and finally, the confidence that the buchou had in the new coach. There was no doubt in his mind. This is Yukimura Seiika, younger sister of the Rikkaidai Tennis Club's Captain, and now Rikkaidai Tennis Club's new coach.
Sigh. After all the preparations Mom and Dad made so I could make it to Japan after winter vacation, I'm still sticking out like a sore thumb. Why, oh why, did they not think to get me my uniform?
Despite her green-suit attired classmates giving her, and her long, flowy T-shirt with zipper leggings, awkward glances, Seiika was actually content. Although she had no connections from freshman year in this school, the people here were nice enough. However, her heart started slowly sinking as she tried to imagine what would happen when her name was called for attendance.
"Yukimura Seiika?"
"Nani? What? Like Yukimura Seiichi, Captain of the Tennis Team? He has a sister? Apparently, he does. Oi, do you think she's any good at tennis?" they would mutter.
She almost missed her name being called, amidst the chattering inside her head.
"Koyashi? …Koyashi Seiika?" the sensei called.
"A-a… Hai, here!" she stammered.
Of course! She'd use her mother's maiden name, as she had in Japan so long ago. Maybe my parents do plan things for the better.
It was strange, yet invigorating. In America, she was Seiika Yukimura, but in Japan, she is Koyashi-san. School flew by for Seiika, except for in English class, where it seemed like an eternity those 5 minutes the teacher gave her to speak in front of the class in American. Blushing furiously, she just talked about her mom, her dog, Steve, and her best friend, Hannah. When finally back in her seat, Seiika recalled her classmates nodding fiercely at every word she said, even though she was sure they didn't know what she was saying, let alone what a 'Yorkshire Terrier' was.
The ending bell was a welcome sound, as it always had been no matter where she was. But that happy feeling lasted all of 2 seconds, for the bell became a reminder of why she was here, in Rikkaidai and not Yamabuki Middle School (which was closer to her and her mom's apartment), here in Tokyo and not New York.
Well, there are other obvious reasons for me being here besides becoming coa-. She couldn't even think it without having her brain stopping her halfway.
It had been mid-November when she received a letter from her brother, Seiichi, and she was shocked to see it. She hadn't seen him in 8 years, and besides the yearly call during the holidays, they didn't talk. She read the letter. Once. Twice. Then 5 more times, before she decided to show it to her mom.
[Seiika,] it had said. Her name was in Japanese, but the rest was in English. She found that very endearing and smiled.
[How are things in America? Good, I hope. Unfortunately, things aren't going so well here. My fever hasn't gotten any better since the beginning of fall,]
Guilt had spread through her body in unpleasant waves as her smile disappeared. She had never heard of this fever.
[and Dad's starting to get worried.]
That's just like him, only starting to get worried about his child's health after over 2 months. But she pushed that matter aside to keep on reading.
[But don't worry; your brother is strong! I just hope that you and Mom (and Steve, too!) would come and visit us in Japan, seeing you guys just might make me feel better.]
[-Seichii]
Seiika's mom had the same reactions to it as her; however she did not want her to just pack her bags to leave for Japan when school was already under way. "Your brother's going to be okay," her mom had said when Seiika made a fuss. "He even said so, he's strong!"
She couldn't help but agree, and the decision to move halfway across the globe for who knows how long just seemed too rash at the time. That is, until the second letter came a week later.
[Seiika,] her native Japanese lettering said. It was followed by the American words her eyes had become accustomed to over the years, but it did not make her smile this time.
'Why is the handwriting different,' she wondered. It was a lot lighter, and messier. 'It couldn't be…'
[If you did not expect this letter to come, please tell Mom to call Dad right now.]
She did exactly as was told, sensing the urgency. While her mom was waiting to be transferred, Koyashi slipped quietly back into her room, clutching the letter a little too hard.
[I'll leave Dad to explain to Mom, but I want to tell you what's going on.]
Her lungs seemed incapable of taking in air, then.
[It seems as though I have a disease… A quite… harmful one, at that.]
At that moment, her mom exploded into the phone a stream of unmentionable words, shortly followed by heaving sobs.
She stopped reading. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare. She closed her eyes, but she couldn't escape the letter. She quietly shut her door, but she couldn't escape her mother's cries. She clenched her fists painfully, but she couldn't escape the pain.
[I have Guilliain-Barre Syndrome.]
I don't even know what this disease is… God, I'm so stupid. I don't even know how my own brother, my onii-san, is suffering right now. The pain he's going through…
But for some reason, she sensed that her brother was more pained in writing the letter. For that reason alone, she willed her stinging eyes to continue reading.
[Don't worry, Seiika. It doesn't hurt.]
She could almost hear him chuckle.
[My concerns are elsewhere. Please seriously consider coming to Japan. I know, this is a selfish request, but I also need you to do something.]
And that was how she found herself around Rikkaidai's Tennis Courts, and trembling in the presence of this scary tennis senior-san, who unbeknownst to her was the infamous Fukubuchou. He had been mumbling about 'don't make me laugh' or something, but his facial expression when he turned around made it impossible to think he had ever laughed before in his life-a cold-hearted look of complete hatred.
She shut her eyes in fear. Then in concentration, closed them harder. Come on, I made a whole script last night. Think, Seiika, THINK! She never did well under pressure.
"Um…" she meant to say, but it sounded more like a croak. After some self-mental abuse, she continued. "Ano… Excuse me, where is the Rikkai Daigaku Fuzoku Tennis Club?" YES! She smiled to herself.
"Who. Are. You." He glared.
Her eyes opened wide in shock. She looked up at him, just realizing how tall he was. Wait, he just asked me who I was… Didn't he ask me that just a moment ago—FRICK. When she was mentally abusing herself before, she didn't process his question… Until now.
"Ah! I'm sorry! I'm Seiika…" she replied quickly. In her panic, she didn't realize that she blurted out her words in American. She wasn't sure that he had heard him, though. He seemed to be in distant thought. She awkwardly pushed some of her long, curly hair behind her ear, waiting for some response.
He finally awoke from his trance. "Aa," he replied, and turning, walked away.
She stared hopelessly after him. He never answered her question. She didn't want to bother him again, but she was going to be late. "Ah…"
"Are you coming?" stopping in his tracks, he called back.
"H-h-hai!" she called back. She ran to catch up while he continued walking. After a few tense moments where only their footsteps thwarted away complete silence, she tentatively spoke, "Y-y-you see, I'm here running an errand for my brother."
She looked at him for any response, but he only seemed to be glowering off into the distance under his cap. She quickly looked down at her feet and quietly continued, "You probably know him…" She gulped. "His name's-"
"You're from America," he interrupted. There was no hint of a question in the statement.
Seiika was caught off guard. "Uh… Um, yeah. How did you know?" This senior couldn't possibly be in any of her classes.
"You spoke to me in fluent English moments ago," he replied in his deep, indifferent voice.
"I… did?" she asked in shock. She then remembered when emotion took over common sense just a few minutes ago. "Ah! Yes, I did, sorry." I'm apologizing a lot to this guy, aren't I? "Oh, and call me Koyashi, Seiika's my first name…" she blushed. Well, I am being pretty stupid.
The uncomfortable silence then replaced the awkward (for Seiika, anyway) conversation. It was then disrupted by the sounds of rallying at the courts. The senior began walking faster, and right when he got inside the fence of the courts he stopped.
"What are you doing?" he yelled loudly into the courts. Even though she hadn't done anything, Seiika found herself feeling immediately fearful and guilty from the tone alone.
"Fukubuchou!" they all cried simultaneously, as they all immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed.
"What is the meaning of this? Tennis practice didn't start yet." the senior stated.
Geez, this 'Fukubuchou' guy must be really important.
It was then that 6 people, all standing near each other, stood up from their bow and looked at him questioningly. Seiika couldn't help but look over at them, only to find some of them switch their curious gaze to her, and she immediately looked down.
"20 LAPS!" his voice rang out.
"HAI!" the members cried, and ran off. But the six who rose from their bow early didn't budge.
"Oi, Fukubuchou!" the shortest of them called.
"I think you have some explaining to do…" one of them called. His eyes were closed, but Seiika could see this boy focused his gaze from Fukubuchou, to her, and then back to Fukubuchou. "Genichirou."
"YOUR NAME IS GENICHIROU?" She looked up incredulously at the boy she was standing next to.
He glanced down at her, and she froze, immediately regretting her action. He then looked away and started walking towards the rebel six.
I thought his name was Fukubuchou… Oh my god, I'm an idiot. 'Buchou' means captain, so Fukubuchou means… She seriously felt the urge to punch herself in the face. Wait, but that means that this is the one Seiichi was talking about; the 'kind and compassionate vice-captain, Sanada Genichirou.' She smiled remembering her brother's words, but she wondered why everything that had happened so far contradicted them.
He tried giving her a chance.
But his already guarded mind closed off completely when she had the nerve to call this "an errand" for her brother.
She had looked to him for a response, but that only made him more irritated. "You probably know him," she continued, not noticing that he was seething.
Of course, I know him. It's you that doesn't know him. He would call coaching the team a privilege, not an errand. It's obvious that you don't want to be here, so why are you here instead of the one who truly wants to be here; your brother—
"His name's-"
"You're from America."
He interrupted, stopping Seiika from letting her give the excuse that he already knew, as to why he should be respectful of her. But he wasn't going to let her mooch off of the renowned reputation of Yukimura right now.
He stopped paying attention to her words as they made their way to the court. He was carefully tossing around words in his head that he would say in just a moment. Unconsciously speeding up, he went into the courts.
"What are you doing?" he yelled.
"Fukubuchou!" the members all cried simultaneously, stopping what they were doing and bowing.
"What is the meaning of this?" he gave a knowing look directly at the regulars. "Tennis practice didn't start yet."
The regulars stood up from their bow and looked at him questioningly, then switching their gaze to Seiika.
"20 LAPS!"
"HAI!" the majority of the members cried before running off, with the six regulars remaining.
"Oi, Fukubuchou!" Kirihara called.
"I think you have some explaining to do, Sanada," Yanagi called after. He wondered why he had arrived late with this girl, but now his brain reeled, not knowing why Sanada would use the code words-"What is the meaning of this?"-for 'emergency among the regulars'.
Ignoring, for the most part, Seiika's outburst ("YOUR NAME IS GENICHIROU?"), he walked over to the utterly puzzled regulars.
But he only raised the confusion in them by using as few words and details as possible to explain the situation. "That's Yukimura's sister. She's going to be our new coach."
Yanagi knew that these were both true, being the good data man that he was, but the way Sanada chose to tell them baffled him. Even he knew more information about this than Sanada just chose to share. What is he trying to pull…? he thought.
The stunned silence was then interrupted by the answer to Yanagi's question:
"WHAT THE HELL?" their kohai's shrill cry rang.
Yanagi only watched as the following events left him wondering if Yukimura knew how much his manipulative nature had rubbed off on Sanada.
"WHAT THE HELL?" a voice rang out through the courts.
The group, now of 7-including Sanada, were staring directly at Seiika. Some gazed, as if trying to understand, others looked strangely amused, one looked with a blazing glare, but one was trembling in shock, and was most definitely the source of the yell.
"Sh-sh-sh-she…" the shaking one now pointed at her. He turned his head towards the glaring Fukubuchou. "You're kidding, right Fukubuchou?"
Sanada didn't lift his glare, nor acknowledge his question in any way. But Kirihara seemed to gain comfort in his own words. "Yeah, yeah, just a joke. Not a very funny one, but you're Fukubuchou, you probably don't understand funny…" and he laughed to himself.
"Akaya." Sanada turned his gaze directly onto the now hysterical junior.
"Ha-Aha-Aha," Kirihara laughed, staggering between syllables.
"Akaya, self-control…" Sanada warned.
But that did nothing but ignite the junior's overflowing emotion. "BUT FUKUBUCHOU," Kirihara yelled, suddenly out of the fit of laughter. "THIS IS ALL A JOKE." He smiled, but it showed signs of anxiety. "THERE'S NO WAY THAT SHE-" he pointed to Seiika.
"Akaya," Sanada called firmly, agitation evident in his voice.
But Kirihara continued, "COULD BE THE NEW COACH, OR EVEN BUCHOU'S SIS-"
He was firmly interrupted by a hard smack in the face, and the sound seemed to resonate throughout the courts. Kirihara gingerly placed a hand on the place where he was slapped, before pain and embarrassment sent waves of blood pulsing through his face.
"Self-control is an important virtue. 50 laps to remember that." Sanada stated. "And 10 more," he added, seeing Kirihara's expression change from shock to angry confusion. "To clear your mind."
"Hai," Kirihara replied quickly, glaring daggers at someone before running off to obey the command.
Good boy, Sanada thought, smiling internally. He glanced over at the terrified junior on the other side of the court. I think she got the message… courtesy of Akaya.
Seiika didn't know what to do after receiving the completely unexpected scowl from Kirihara.
A/N: Review if you'd like!
If you hate? LOL :P