Title:
The Greatest Rival
Author: Fuji S. Yuki
Genre: General
Rating:
PG
Editor:
pookayasha
People didn't understand why a rising star like Echizen Nanjirou quit the tennis league; there were rumors by rivals that it was because he had lost his edge; some even said that he was injured.
Yet only few people knew why Echizen Nanjirou disappeared, one was his wife, and the other was Ryuzaki Sumire. The reason why Echizen Nanjirou quit was because he was getting bored with the tennis world. He also found it more interesting and fun to torment his song Echizen Ryoma with tennis.
Maybe no one realizes this but to Nanjirou when he first held his newborn baby boy, he felt the fires in his soul burn. Those eyes that stared at him with annoyance was a challenge and in turn he started to train the young tyke to follow his foot steps.
He wanted Ryoma to take the world by storm and in turn become a great rival against himself. For through all his years Nanjirou felt a passion whenever he played against that little chibi of a boy. The growing of his skills to the normal taunts he could give to his son making the other mad with fury.
Ryoma was his pride and joy and even though he wouldn't admit it to his son, he was proud of how much the boy has grown. It was his ideal and in a way to Nanjirou he wanted his son to surpass him and be a better rival then all those past rivals he played.
Surely he knew he had broken all expectations of Ryuzaki she was probably still pissed at him for not taking the world like she planned. Then again it was his own choice, because he rather play his son then all those ten thousand of individuals. His son was his future and in a way Nanjirou looked forward to every time the other would come back from school.
The sounds of the gate door slamming shut made Nanjirou smile as he picked up his tennis racquet. It was time to play against his greatest rival, "Oh Ryoma-chan…" He announced in his most annoying voice as he bounced along to tease and torment his son.
A photograph slid out of his monk clothes onto the cement floor where he normally lay down, a picture of a four-year-old Ryoma holding a large tennis racquet while staring at him with determination. The hat tilted off the side indicating that it was still big and the half falling off overalls were just so cute. Written on the picture off the side was 'Echizen Nanjirou's Greatest Rival.'
