The Man/Woman Pair Tournament
The Seishun Middle School is on summer vacation and Ryoma is practicing at the tennis courts with Sakuno who is watching. Right in the middle, a man interrupts Ryoma's practice.
"Can I help you mister?" ask Sakuno.
"My name is Teisatsu Yen. I think there's a tennis tournament somewhere in a small town of Haze City, California," said Teisatsu.
"I heard the Tennis Association has built their own tennis city in Haze City," said Ryoma.
"Haze City is running its first tennis tournament which is base on a couple's man and woman tournament," said Teisatsu.
"Ryoma and me are not a couple," yelled Sakuno blushing.
"More than half of the man and woman pairs aren't either and you don't have to be but they are warning it's a man and women pair up only. Call me in 24 hours and tell me what's your decision is," said Teisatsu then Teisatsu gave Ryoma and Sakuno a manual for the upcoming tennis tournament which Teisatsu talked about.
"What does the winner get?" ask Ryoma.
"The winner gets 1 million American dollars, a 10 day cruise trip around the Caribbean Sea, and you own private beach somewhere in Baja, Mexico. Well I have a business meeting in 45 minutes so call me when you make your decision," said Teisatsu.
Ryoma and Sakuno are at a restaurant looking over the manual and rules for the tournament.
"Says in this manual, there are several different tennis surfaces or arenas such as a regular surface, a grass surface, a ice surface, a blazing arena where an arena can reach 110 degrees, there's a platform where is half regular tennis platform and half water platform, there's a sand platform and a dozens more," said Sakuno.
"What I have read, the eight final teams are going to have some kind of advantage or disadvantage depending on the arena or platform," said Ryoma.
"What do you mean?" ask Sakuno.
"Each team has a special rule to follow and it can be an advantage or a disadvantage depending on the tennis platform or arena," said Ryoma.
"Well do you want to go with me?" ask Sakuno as Sakuno blushes.
"All right. I'll give a call to Mr. Teisatsu and tell him we accept," said Ryoma.
At night, Ryoma's father is teasing Ryoma that he's going on a date as Ryoma gets packed for the tournament.
"Ryoma is going on his first date overseas," said Ryoma's father.
"It's not a date. Sakuno and I are just going to a boy and girl's tournament, nothing more," said Ryoma.
"I think it is a date. Why else would you take no one else?" ask Ryoma's father.
"Sakuno is the only girl that can play tennis and there is no other girl I know that can play tennis," said Ryoma.
"And why you said yes to go?" ask Ryoma's father.
"You know well I can't pass on a tennis tournament," said Ryoma.
"So when does your plane leave?" ask Ryoma's father.
"11AM tomorrow which means I need to get some sleep," said Ryoma then he goes to this room to sleep.
The next morning, Ryoma meets Sakuno at the airport and then head off to Haze City.
Ryoma and Sakuno make it to Haze City and they see nothing but bunch of tennis courts and tennis arenas everywhere they turn.
"Where's the registration?" ask Sakuno.
"At the main hall," said Ryoma then Ryoma and Sakuno went to the registration hall to enter in the tournament.
"May I have your name?" ask the registration woman.
"Ryoma Echizen and Sakuno Ryuzaki," said Ryoma.
"Ok, you are team 25 and you two are staying at the Mediterranean Creek Hotel and your practice tennis court is practice court 25," said the registration girl then gives both of them a card.
"These are ID cards. It's a card that will pay you money and hotel until the end of your tournament," said the registration woman.
"I heard every team has a special rule? What is our special rule?" ask Ryoma
"Your special rule is that every match is you have to go barefoot," said the registration woman.
"That's no problem," said Ryoma.
"There should be 1000 participants from all over the world. There are 20 different arenas and the tournament starts in two days then you come back here to find out whom, where and when is your first match," said the registration girl then Ryoma and Sakuno checks in there hotel and find out in their room has one king size bed to sleep in.
"I think this is why the warning was couples only," said Sakuno.
"You can sleep on the bed, I could sleep on the two chairs," said Ryoma.
"Are you sure? Are you going to be comfortable?" ask Sakuno.
"I'll be fine," said Ryoma.
At night, Ryoma tries to sleep on the two chairs and Sakuno can't help and see that Ryoma is uncomfortable.
"All right Ryoma, you can sleep with me. Just for this trip," said Sakuno.
"Are you sure?" ask Sakuno.
"I'm sure I'm ok with it. Just don't think of it as we are a couple," said Sakuno as Sakuno blushes.
"If you assist," said Ryoma then Ryoma gets into bed with Sakuno and they both fell asleep, as Sakuno is extremely happy that she's sleeping with Ryoma.
At morning, Ryoma and Sakuno went to their practice facility to train. At the practice facility, there are 3 tennis courts, a small workout facility, a hot tub, and other things for tennis training.
Ryoma and Sakuno begin to practice tennis. Ryoma gives Sakuno a few pointers and teaches her some of his special moves such as the Kick Serve. On Sakuno first 25 tries, she fails and one ball hits her in the face and on the 26th try, she gets it and Ryoma who suppose to get Sakuno's Kick Serve passes Ryoma and impressing Ryoma.
"That was a good Kick Serve but it needs a little more speed but I think you'll get it," said Ryoma.
"Thank you Ryoma," said Sakuno.
After an intense training, Ryoma and Sakuno walk together to their hotel until they ran into Momoshiro and An Tachibana.
"Momo and An Tachibana? What are you two doing here?" ask Sakuno.
"We are here for the men and women's pair tournament and I guess you are here for the same tournament too," said Momo.
"You two are a couple now?" ask Ryoma.
"NO! We just agreed to enter the tournament together," said Momo.
"Where are you two staying?" ask Sakuno.
"We are staying at the Canyon Forrest Hotel, sadly we have only one bed and she forced me to sleep on the floor," said Momo.
"Sakuno and I are sleeping together," said Ryoma.
"Don't say that," yelled Sakuno.
"That's so cute, you two are finally a couple," said An.
"We are not a couple, I just let him sleep with me for a good night sleep for upcoming matches," said Sakuno as Sakuno blushes again.
"I guess the bed was a warning for couples only," said Momo.
"What are your special rule?" ask Ryoma.
"Our special rule is that a 5 foot rope will have us attach to each other," said Momo.
"What is your special rule?" ask An.
"We have to go barefoot," said Ryoma.
"That's not bad," said Momo.
"Some of tennis arenas have a hot surfaces and heat on your feet can get into your head easy," said Ryoma.
"Well good luck to your tournament but it will be us that will win the entire tournament," said Momo.
"I would bet on that," said Sakuno then they both head for their hotel and turn in for the night and Sakuno and Ryoma continue to sleep together. But for this night, Sakuno lays her head on Ryoma's chest and Sakuno falls asleep on him. Ryoma didn't mind Sakuno sleeping on him so Ryoma closes his eyes and then Ryoma falls sleep too.
The next day, Ryoma and Sakuno went back to the registration booths at the main hall and find out who is their first opponent.
"Our first opponent is the team of Jason and Victoria Walton at the Ice Arena tomorrow," said Ryoma. Accused
"So you two our first opponent," said Jason as Jason and Victoria confronting Ryoma and Sakuno.
TO BE CONTINUED…