At Kakino Kizaka Junior Tennis Tournament, a rumour was unravelling.

"A 12-year-old is taking part in the 16-year-old division."

"No way. Are you sure the registration wasn't a mistake?"

"Yeah…"

"Can't be. It doesn't make sense."

The board said it clearly. 'Echizen Ryoma – 12-Years-Old.'

A girl reading the notice laughed quietly to herself. "No doubt. Ryuzaki-sensei wouldn't have expected this."

She was tall and slim, 14-years-old at the most; pretty with wavy black hair, which hung a couple of inch past her shoulders. She wore a long cream skirt with a black pattern, plain black ballet shoes and a plain black, button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up. She shrugged the gym bag back onto her shoulder, and started to walk towards the car park. There was no doubt that the boy everyone was talking about was who Ryuzaki had told her about. 'That man's' son…

"Well, then it becomes a default 'loss,'" came a familiar voice as the girl neared the car parks.

"EH?!" came a loud reply. "Uh… Grandma? I'm going to wander for a bit," said a young girl, with long, pig-tailed hair, as she passed running off towards the tennis courts.

"Strange kid… well be careful," said an older woman in a track suit, hair pulled back. "Hmmm," she sighed. "I wonder what happened to that prince…"

"You know it's rude to call someone strange," said the girl, smiling lightly. "Even if she is your granddaughter."

"Kyoko!" said Ryuzaki-sensei happily, hugging the girl in front of her. "You came?"

"Of course I did!" said Kyoko, mocking disbelief. "What do you take me for? An idiot? Offered to watch free tennis matches and not show up?" said the black haired girl smiling.

Ryuzaki laughed. "You haven't changed! Tell me," she said taking the girl by the shoulder and steering her towards the tennis courts. "How are your girls? They're ok with you leaving?"

"No, of course not. But it was my choice to leave. America is too… overwhelming. At least it is for me," said Kyoko, almost sadly.

"Well, now that you're here," said Ryuzaki changing the subject. "How about we go and find the prince?"

It didn't take long to find the right court, seen as Ryuzaki knew the grounds pretty well, but when they arrived, a match was already on.

"One of them him?" asked Kyoko, looking sceptically from one boy to the other.

"No. Neither of them," said Ryuzaki, turning to a bystander. "Isn't Echizen Ryoma supposed to have a match now?"

"Default loss," the man said. "He was 5 minutes late."

"What?" exclaimed Ryuzaki.

"Oo… 5 minutes. That's harsh."

"Dammit… I wonder why he was late…"

Kyoko held her hair out of her face as the wind blew. "Where do you think he is?"

"He'll be around here somewhere. Let's try the practice courts."

Kyoko followed Ryuzaki through the grounds again, thankful she'd worn a skirt in the hot weather. After searching several practice courts, they had no such luck, until…

"Can you hear that?" asked Kyoko suddenly.

"I'm sure you're hearing is better than mine, Kyoko. What is it?"

"A tennis match." She walked slowly towards one of the courts they hadn't checked on the far side. "Bingo."

"Since you're playing in the finals… I better make this quick," came a voice, most likely from a younger male.

"Th- that kid isn't a normal player!" exclaimed a bystander.

On the court was an older guy, a high school student from the look of it and a younger boy, a junior high kid. Of the two, the latter looked much calmer. He wore a red and white polo shirt and navy shorts and a cap to shade his eyes. He was smiling, holding he tennis racket in front of him.

"He wasn't at the grounds, so he was at a place like this? You sure can't reason with that prince," said Ryuzaki pushing the gate open, as the match continued.

"Beautiful form," said Kyoko, leaning on the frame of the open gate.

"He's so much like his Father!" said Ryuzaki.

"Grandma!" cried Sakuno, Ryuzaki's granddaughter.

"What a surprise- Ryoma and Sakuno together!"

"Is he your disciple's son you were talking about?"

"That's right."

"What? That boy won the American junior tournament four years in a row!?" cried Sakuno in disbelief.

"The whole family returns to the country every few years so their names are unknown. Before the tournament, I told him, "Since you're very skilled, join the 14-and-under instead on 12. Bah!" said Ryuzaki. "That kid went and joined the 16-year division. He's got guts."

"So this kid is the rumoured Echizen Ryoma?!"

"Sasabe! Approach the net! There's no need for mercy! Show him your special net play! If Sasabe goes up front, there is no way that boy can hit the ball in that area."

Kyoko laughed under he breath. "He cant do that," she said, causing Sakuno to turn. "He's hitting the balls deep, keeping him at the baseline. He can't get to the net."

"Yo… aren't you going to use that special net play?" said Echizen.

"He's taunting him," chimed Kyoko.

"Amazing! It went in again," said Sakuno was Sasabe missed another shot to the baseline.

"Hold up," said one of the bystanders. "Wasn't that ball just now out, right?"

"Idiot! Who said it was in? Of course it was out!"

"What? That's a lie!" said Sakuno.

"This one's out too!!" said Sasabe as another of Echizen's shots hit the baseline.

"What are you talking about? That was definitely in!" defended Sakuno.

"This is a self judged game… those punks will judge the way they want to…" explained Ryuzaki.

"But…"

"There's usually no umpire in a friendly game of tennis. The players call their own lines," interrupted Kyoko. 'This way Echizen can't hit the ball deep. It's just what that guy wants,' she thought. 'But this kid…'

"Look! Sasabe is at the net! Way to go!"

But they didn't celebrate for long when Echizen sliced a lob and dropped it at the baseline, so everyone could see it was in.

"So. Was that one in?" asked Echizen.

Kyoko smiled widely. This kid was good.

Again Sasabe went to the net but the ball was too high for him to jump for it. Kyoko saw it coming before anyone.

"Watch out, Echizen!"

Too late though when Sasabe threw his racket viscously at Echizen's head, knocking him down.

"What was that for?" shouted Kyoko and Sakuno.

"Sorry… my hand slipped!" said Sasabe smirking.

"Then you're grip is weak. You've still got a ways to go," said Echizen, blood dripping and replacing his hat.

"You talk too much, kid!!"

"Echizen leads 5 games to 2. Echizen to serve."

Echizen didn't reply, just started bouncing the ball, preparing for his serve. But when it came, the spin was obviously different and on impact with the ground, the ball swerved to the right and went towards Sasabe's face, whom it barely missed. Ryuzaki noticed, and started when Kyoko appeared beside her. She smiled when she saw the excitement on the young girl's face.

"The twist serve?!" she said, smiling widely again, as the ball turned once again to Sasabe's face, and successfully hitting him, knocking him down.

"Even adults have a hard time hitting a shot like that sharply!" exclaimed a bystander.

Echizen served again, hitting Sasabe to the ground again. Kyoko laughed slightly. "He really has got guts, hasn't he?"

He continued to bounce the ball. "Ready?"

"STOP…!!" shouted Sasabe, holding his racket in front of him.

"Fool," said Echizen as he lobbed the ball, which landed softly just passed the net.

"He… won…" breathed Sakuno. But Sasabe wasn't about to go down easy. "When did I say this was only one set?! We're playing again! This time I'll really play!!"

"Just give up," said Kyoko bluntly, still smiling. "You could play 100 sets, and you'll never beat that kid."

"What was that?!"

"But… if I remember correctly…" began Ryuzaki.

"Doesn't matter," interrupted Echizen.

"Fine one more set!" shouted Sasabe. "You serve… wait?"

Echizen aced him… but he used his left hand.

"…That child is left handed," finished Ryuzaki.

"This entire time… he was using his weak arm?"

It didn't take much for Sasabe and him friends to leave, especially when an official came running to send them off. Kyoko followed Ryuzaki, Sakuno and Echizen back to the grounds, and prepared to leave. "Well, looks like this year could be very interesting."

"Why's that?" asked Kyoko as Sakuno jumped into the car.

"Both you and Echizen are going to Seigaku academy? The tennis clubs will have a field day!"

Kyoko and Echizen glanced at each other. The height difference made Kyoko look more like a high school student. "Then I hope to play a match with you sometime when the school year starts," said Kyoko, waving a hand carelessly as she walked away. "See you, then. Echizen-kun. Ryuzaki-sensei."

Echizen watched as she walked away. "A tennis player?"

"A very good one. Come on. I'll take you home. I want to talk to your dad anyway."

A few days passed and Seishun Gakuen held the opening ceremony for the new school year. Once again, Kyoko was with Ryuzaki-sensei, but this time in the Faculty Room, pouring over old albums of photographs.

"Echizen Nanjiro. A man who could have changed our country's tennis society. If only he didn't have that injury… the Grand Slam mastery wouldn't have been just a dream…" sighed Ryuzaki as she recollected past memories. "Must be fate, that his son has come to the school that I work at!"

Kyoko smiled and hopped onto the desk. "The samurai's son, eh? It feels like he lacks something…"

"You think?" asked Ryuzaki, contemplating the girl in font of her. Such a pretty young girl and yet she had no interest in boyfriends or chatting about normal girly stuff. A girl in love with tennis…? No doubt Nanjiro would be thrilled with that… She watched as flipped through the photos .

"The male regulars aren't here today, right?"

"Only Takeshi Momoshiro from the 2nd year because he injured his ankle. But I'm sure if you want a match he would play… as long as you don't let him underestimate you because you're a girl."

"Now, why would I do something like that?" said Kyoko, smiling as she slipped off the desk and left Ryuzaki smiling happily.

Kyoko walked leisurely down to the tennis court, attracting quite a bit of attention from the other 3rds, especially the guys. The uniform wasn't exactly what she was used to, having been in America for 5 years but it could have been worse. Nearing the boys tennis court, she could hear a weird noise, like clanging metal. Turned out to be Echizen, hitting a can on the other side of the court, over and over.

"If I hit it 100 times will you give me 1,000,000 Yen?" asked Echizen.

"Ehhh, Echizen-kun. Your control is excellent," said Kyoko, moving forward into the court.

"Oh. Its you."

But before Kyoko could say anything, the can on the floor was hit by a ball so hard, the metal was dented. A guy at the other end, his hand shielding his eyes. He was wearing a 'Rocket Dive' shirt and had short black hair.

"Oh! I hit it! Lucky!"

"Momoshiro, you…" stuttered one of the 2nd years stood beside Kyoko.

"Hey, Hayashi and Ikeda. Since none of the upper class men are here, you think picking on juniors is okay? You cant do that!" said Momoshiro.

Kyoko watched him carefully. He had some kind of support on his ankle…

"Ryo…Ryoma?!" said a voice behind Kyoko. It was Sakuno and another girl her age.

"I see," said Momoshiro, smirking slightly. "You're Echizen Ryoma? I should take care of you before it's too late. I'm Takeshi Momoshiro, 2nd year."

"Are you really going to play him, Momoshiro-kun?" asked Kyoko, as Echizen changed out of his uniform.

"Of course."

"Why don't you play me instead? You're upper class men will be angry if you play a 1st year, won't they?"

"No thanks. Captain would probably be angrier if I played a girl," he said turning away. Kyoko scowled for a minute but brushed it off, her smile replaced.

"I heard from the coach that you can do a twist serve?"

'Ryuzaki-sensei mouthing off again…'

"What? Really?" cried one of the 1st years, who seemed to be with Echizen. But the 2nd years looked clueless.

"That's when you put on the opposite spin from the slice most people use to serve, so the ball bounces with a top spin instead of a sidespin," Kyoko explained, but sighed when they still looked lost. "In other words, the ball flies straight towards your face."

"Ohh. How scary!" said Momoshiro. "There aren't many juniors who can do the twist serve, right?"

"Hurry up and start the game," Echizen said simply.

"Fine, which side?" Momoshiro spun his racket as Echizen said, "Smooth." And as the racket landed, "Too bad. It's rough. I'll let you serve. I'm going to use this side of the court."

"Why aren't you serving first?!"

"He wants to see the twist serve," said Kyoko frankly. Momoshiro blinked. "Right?"

"Yeah. Must keep an eye on you," he added under his breath. "Why don't you be the referee?"

Kyoko shrugged. "The best of one set. Echizen service play."

But Echizen didn't start with the twist serve, instead used a fast ace.

"15 – love."

As soon as Echizen started bouncing the ball, Kyoko knew it was coming and sure enough as the serve came through, the ball spun towards Momoshiro's face, making him raise his racket to stop the ball from hitting his face and knocking the racket out of his hand.

"Ah. That scared me back there," he said, dusting his trousers off.

"You okay?" asked Echizen.

Momoshiro smirked. "Don't worry about me."

"30 – love."

Again Momoshiro tried to return the serve but even with timing he couldn't do it. The 2nd years were in dismay at Momoshiro being over-powered. Until Momoshiro finally returned the ball, even though it hit the net. "Oh, lucky!" and on the next serve finally got it over the net as well, Echizen was already at the net, hitting a deep shot. Even when Momoshiro returned that one, Echizen countered with a drop volley.

"You! You can do that too?!" said Momoshiro, slumping done on the floor.

"I can't tell who's going to win… to be able to play like this against a 2nd year regular, Echizen is no typical guy…" said another of the 1st years.

"You idiots! What are you talking about?! Momoshiro is stronger!" retorted the 2nd years.

"That may be true…" muttered Kyoko, who smiled when she saw Echizen switch his racket to his left hand. Instantly, Momoshiro shouted, "Wait! Time out! That's enough. Let's stop this game. I'll let you go this time!"

Kyoko crossed her arms as Echizen left with both the girl and guy 1st years. The second years still behind her said, "Hey, are you going to let him go, Momoshiro? If we do, that 1st year will surely disregard us 2nd years…"

"But, if only your ankle wasn't injured…"

"No, he already knew. From the beginning…"

"You shouldn't have underestimated him. He might be a 1st year but he is an excellent tennis player."

"You know him?" asked Momoshiro.

"I've seen him play," said Kyoko, shrugging.

"What's your name?" asked one of the other guys.

"You can just call me Kyoko," she said, smiling as she walked away.